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      in Soccer

      Man Utd 4 Newcastle 1 LIVE REACTION: Ronaldo nets TWICE on dream debut as Red Devils go top of Premier League

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO is BACK at Old Trafford – and doing what he does best.CR7 took just 45 minutes to net his first goal back in red, pouncing on a rebound to send the home faithful wild.
      And despite Toon levelling, Ronaldo wasn’t to be denied as he fired United back into the lead before Bruno Fernandes and Jesse Lingard netted late.

      Final score: Man Utd 4-1 Newcastle

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      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP!!!!!
      FULL-TIME: MAN UTD 4-1 NEWCASTLE
      A real statement of intent from the home side. Cristiano Ronaldo bags a brace, Bruno scores a screamer and Lingard puts the icing on the cake.
      What a day for Man Utd at Old Trafford.

      GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!
      MAN UTD 4-1 NEWCASTLE
      JESSE LINGARD FINISHES OFF AN INCREDIBLE MOVE FROM MAN UTD.
      Pogba does superbly to get past a couple of players on the edge of the area, combines with van de Beek, plays it through to Martial who dummies it and Lingard takes it in his stride and finishes it superbly. A sublime goal.

      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      90 – Three minutes added on. It’s all Man Utd now as they go in search of a fourth. Newcastle starting to look dead and buried here.
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      88 – van de Beek has a couple of good touches and gets a big cheer from the Old Trafford faithful. He’s struggling for minutes, but is certainly appreciated by the fans.
      Joelinton looks like he’s either suffering from cramp or has picked up a little knock.
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      86 – NEWCASTLE SUB:
      OFF: Joe Willock.
      ON: Jeff Hendrick.
      Just five minutes to go and it would be a very big ask for Newcastle to get anything out of the game now, but Steve Bruce can look to preserve his side’s dignity and ensure they don’t lose by a bigger margin.
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      85 – MAN UTD SUBS:
      OFF: Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood.
      ON: Donny van de Beek, Anthony Martial.
      Donny van de Beek features for the first time in the Premier League this season. Lingard goes out right and Martial plays wide left.
      Five minutes to go.
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      83 – NEWCASTLE SUBSTITUTION:
      OFF: Ciaran Clark.
      ON: Jamal Lewis.
      Steve Bruce shuffles the pack in an attempt to get something out of the game.
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      82 – What a hit that was. Bruno Fernandes is absolutely delighted with himself. He was Ronaldo was taking all the headlihnes and he took it personally.
      Absolutely nothing Woodman could have done about that, it was a thunderbolt.

      GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
      MAN UTD 3-1 NEWCASTLE
      BRUNO FERNANDES FINDS THE BACK OF THE NET!
      It’s a wonderstrike from Fernandes, who bends one into the back of the net from 30 yards. WHAT A HIT!
      Remember me?

      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      78 – Shaw sends a good looking ball through to Lingard down the left wing and you’d bet on the attacker to make something out of this but the assistant rases his flag. Unlucky from Lingard, who has looked likely.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      76 – NEWCASTLE SUBSTITUTION:
      ON: Jacob Murphy.
      OFF: Javi Manquillo.
      Newcastle’s goalscorer has been withdrawn in favour of the more attack minded Murphy as the Toon chase an equaliser here at Old Trafford.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      74 – Ronaldo and Lingard combine well on the left and Lingard’s cross is well blocked for a corner.
      Shaw’s corner is cleared but falls to Mason Greenwood, who you would bet to find the back of the net with his left foot from the edge of the box, but it’s blocked and cleared by Newcastle.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      72 – Man Utd finding themselves getting the ball out wide often and are starting to put quite a lot of balls into the box, which Ronaldo has been trying to get on the end of.
      Newcastle defending gallantly, but Ronaldo will want this debut hat-trick…
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      70 – Man Utd once again trying to build up patiently from the edge of the Newcastle box, with the away side extremely deep.
      They earn themselves a corner, but it comes to nothing.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      67 – CLOSE! Far better from Joelinton who breaks into the Man Utd box after a good one-two with Ritchie.
      Varane is hot on his tail but Joelinton manages to get a shot off which is straight at De Gea, who punches it out for a corner.
      The corner is well cleared and Newcastle look to come again.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      65 – CLOSE! Sancho and Shaw combine well on the left-wing and Shaw tries to whip the ball across the face of the goal but it’s blocked for a corner.
      Shaw takes the corner and Varane’s header is looping but ultimately goes wide.
      Man Utd make a substitution and it’s Jesse Lingard coming on for Jadon Sancho.
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      63 – The home side finds themselves once again in the lead and Newcastle don’t really know what’s hit them after the momentum felt like it was starting to shift ever so slightly in their favour.
      Lingard is getting ready to come on for Man Utd now. They’re going for the jugular.

      GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
      MAN UTD 2-1 NEWCASTLE
      CR7 HAS DONE IT AGAIN!
      Man Utd break away with Luke Shaw who sends Ronaldo through on goal and he finishes it through Woodman’s legs with his left foot. A fantastic finish.
      A debut double for Cristiano Ronaldo!

      MAN UTD 1-1 NEWCASTLE
      59 – YELLOW CARD! Man Utd are probing again on the edge of the area and Pogba takes a slightly heavy touch and commits a foul
      He’s yellow carded as a result, to the delight of the Newcastle fans and the fury of the Man Utd ones.
      MAN UTD 1-1 NEWCASTLE
      56 – It was a really clinical breakaway from Newcastle, who went from end-to-end in a matter of seconds.
      Saint-Maximan absolutely skins Varane to send Manquillo through on goal who takes it extremely well. A superb finish.
      The almost break again with Joelinton but Wan-Bissaka robs the ball from him out of nowhere.
      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!
      MAN UTD 1-1 NEWCASTLE
      Steve Bruce said they wanted to come and spoil the party and that’s exactly what they’re doing! It’s an excellent breakaway from Newcastle who equalise.
      Javi Manquillo scores out of nowhere.

      MAN UTD 1-0 NEWCASTLE
      53 – OOF! Nemanja Matic tries to get in on the action and has a pop from 25 yards, but it goes waaaay over.
      MAN UTD 1-0 NEWCASTLE
      52 – Some much needed second half possession for Newcastle now after the home side came out of the blocks looking like they mean business.
      Joelinton is a little bit isolated up front and looks slightly lost at the moment. Newcastle have shown some good attacking intent at times but he’s struggling to get in on it.
      MAN UTD 1-0 NEWCASTLE
      50 – Saint-Maximan does well to drive into the Man Utd area but it’s very well defended by Varane, who again shows his class on his Old Trafford debut.
      MAN UTD 1-0 NEWCASTLE
      48 – Man Utd now probing patiently deep inside the Newcastle half.
      Their urgency seems to have dwindled slightly now that they’re a goal to the good and they can be a little be it more patient in their build up.
      But one goal from the Magpies would change everything.
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      Chelsea vs Aston Villa LIVE: Stream, score, TV channel, team news as Saul STARTS – Premier League latest updates

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      CHELSEA welcome Aston Villa looking to continue their excellent start to the Premier League season.The Blues have already performed well in tough games with Arsenal and Liverpool, having overcome Crystal Palace on the opening day.

      Kick-off time: 5.30pm BST
      TV channel: Sky Sports Premier League
      Chelsea XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi, Kovacic, Saul Niguez, Alonso, Ziyech, Havertz, Lukaku.
      Aston Villa XI: Steer, Konsa, Mings, Tuanzebe, Cash, Ramsey, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Targett, Watkins, Ings.

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      CAPTAIN’S ARMBAND
      Marcos Alonso will wear the armband for Chelsea today marking a real turnaround in his career, having looked out of favour under Frank Lampard following the signing of Ben Chilwell.
      He’s solidified his spot at left wing-back under Thomas Tuchel and his fine form has been rewarded by being given the captain’s armband for the day, despite Thiago Silva starting for the Blues.

      FOUR’S TO BE RECKONED WITH
      Thomas Tuchel’s men will move back up to fourth if they beat Villa tonight.
      Leaders Man Utd and City followed by Brighton take the top three spots after 3pm wins today – but Spurs in fourth dropped points for the first time.

      IT’S A TEAM GAME…
      Chelsea’s seven goals this season have been scored by seven players.
      What price a great eighth against Villa tonight?
      EMI MISSES FIRST VILLA GAME
      Keeper Emi Martinez misses his first Prem game for Villa since joining from Arsenal and quarantine rules likewise mean winger Emi Buendia sits it out.
      That means Jed Steer starts in goal, with Tyrone Mings and John McGinn returning.
      CHELSEA’S SIX CHANGES AS NIGUEZ STARTS
      Loanee Saul Niguez makes his full Chelsea debut and Brazil defender Thiago Silva also starts against Villa in less than an hour.
      Mateo Kovacic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Trevor Chalobah and Hakim Ziyech also come in.
      Andreas Christensen, Jorginho, Mason Mount and Cesar Azpilicueta are benched.
      TODAY’S TWO TEAMS
      Chelsea: Mendy, Rudiger, Alonso, Silva, Kovacic, Lukaku, Chalobah, Niguez, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Havertz.
      Subs: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Jorginho, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Barkley, Mount, Chilwell, Azpilicueta.
      Aston Villa: Steer, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Luiz, McGinn, Watkins, Tuanzebe, Ings, Ramsey.
      Subs: Sinisalo, Sanson, Traore, Young, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Hause, Bailey, Archer.
      THAT’S A TUCH IMPRESSIVE
      Thomas Tuchel is preparing to take on Villa with some of the Prem’s most impressive managerial stats behind him.
      Since he succeeded Frank Lampard as Chelsea chief in January the German has picked up 45 points – second only to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in the same period.
      And no Prem club have conceded fewer goals than the Blues’ 14.
      Credit: Getty
      HOME COMFORTS AGAINST VILLA
      The Blues have won 11 and lost just once in their past 16 home league clashes with Villa.
      And if Chelsea triumph again it will make them the only club apart form Manchester United to notch up 600 Premier League victories.

      McGINN AVAILABLE
      John McGinn, Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey are available for mid-table Villa in what appears to be their toughest game of the season so far.
      BLUES TARGET TOP-3 SPOT
      Victory this evening would push fourth-placed Chelsea at least one spot up the table – after Palace beat 10-man leaders Spurs 3-0.
      The Blues will be without injured N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic and Reece James is suspended but main striker Romelu Lukaku is fit enough to play.
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      Arsenal 1 Norwich 0 LIVE REACTION: Aubameyang the Gunners hero as Arteta’s side pick up first Premier League win

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      ARSENAL ended their poor start to a season with a much-needed victory over Norwich.Pierre-Emerick Auabameyang netted the only goal of the game in a scrappy second half, with the Gunners lifting themselves off the foot of the table after three games without a goal.

      Final score: Arsenal 1-0 Norwich

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      PEEEEEEEEEP!
      THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE GOES AT THE EMIRATES!
      ARSENAL HAVE THREE POINTS!
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      90. The fourth official holds his board up and there will be four additional minutes played.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      89. Norwich win themselves a late corner.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      87. JUST WIDE!
      Smith Rowe runs into space and gets a shot off on target, but Krul saves.
      The keeper’s save falls to Saka inside the Norwich penalty area.
      The No7 shifts the ball onto his left foot and bends an effort wide of the far post!
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      85. Not long left for Norwich to grab an equaliser.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      83. SAVE!
      The ball is played wide to Aubameyang on the edge of Norwich’s penalty area.
      The Arsenal captain gets a shot off on his left foot, but his effort is saved by Krul!
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      81. SUBSTITUTIONS!
      Maitland-Niles makes way for Cedric.
      OFF: Maitland-Niles
      ON: Cedric
      And for Norwich, Idah is on for Rupp.
      OFF: Rupp
      ON: Idah
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      79. Saka takes on Aarons and manages to clip a cross towards the far post.
      Aubameyang is nearest to it, but he can’t get on the end of it.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      77. Rashica takes on Partey down the left channel and gets the beating of the Gunners No5.
      The summer signing gets to the byline and delivers a cross towards the near post.
      But his effort is blocked behind for a corner.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      75. Pukki has picked up what appears to be a head injury, but nothing serious.
      He’s moved off to the sidelines and he’ll be thoroughly checked over.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      73. The Gunners have the goal, but the possession share between the two teams is even.
      Norwich need to start testing Ramsdale.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      71. SUBSTITUTION!
      Summer signing Rashica is on for the Canaries.
      OFF: Tzolis
      ON: Rashica
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      69. McLean receives the ball in a tight space, but manages to turn well.
      The midfielder delivers a good cross into the box, which Gabriel misses.
      The ball sets up nicely for Aarons at the back post, and the right-back gets a shot off.
      But his effort sails over the top of the crossbar.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      67. Norwich are complaining about something to do with the goal, not quite sure what.
      But it’s given and Arsenal lead at the Emirates.
      Norwich have to come out and attack now.
      ARSENAL 1-0 NORWICH
      65. Pepe breaks into Norwich’s penalty area and sends a shot bouncing off the far post.
      The ball falls back to the No19, his rebound shot hits the post – bounces off his leg and rolls across the face of goal.
      And Aubameyang is there to tasp the opener home!
      GOOOOOOAAAALLL!!!
      AUBAMEYANG SCORES!!!
      SCRAPPY, BUT THEY’LL TAKE IT!!!
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      62. Odegaard is a bit too keen as he concedes a sloppy foul on McLean, allowing Norwich to work a set-piece.
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      60. SUBSTITUTIONS!
      Both teams are preparing some chances.
      Norwich makes the first move, and Dowell’s afternoon comes to an end as he’s replaced by Cantwell.
      OFF: Dowell
      ON: Cantwell
      And for Arsenal, Lokonga makes way for Partey and Smith Rowe comes on for Tomiyasu.
      OFF: Tomiyasu, Lokonga
      ON: Smith Rowe, Partey
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      58. The Gunners need to up the tempo.
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      56. CHANCE!
      Saka receives the ball in a dangerous area and delivers a good cross towards the back post.
      Pepe gets on the end of the cross and sends a low effort towards goal.
      But his shot is blocked by Williams!
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      55. Pepe delivers a good cross into Norwich’s penalty area.
      Saka gets on the end of the cross, but he’s unable to direct his effort on target.
      Maitland-Niles retreves the ball for the Gunners and tries to thread the ball back into Saka.
      But Norwich clear.
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      53. Aubameyang drives towards the byline and tries to cut the ball back towards the penalty spot.
      But Hanley tracks him well, sticks a foot in and manages to knock the ball off the forward.
      Norwich goal-kick.
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      51. Pukki manages to get the wrong side of White and drive down the line.
      The forward tries to cut inside of Gabriel and break into the penalty area, but the Brazilian gets a vital touch on the ball.
      And it goes out for a throw-in.
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      49. Lokonga has a go from range, but his effort deflects wide.
      Credit: EPA
      ARSENAL 0-0 NORWICH
      47. YELLOW CARD!
      Aubameyang and Saka combine inside Norwich’s half.
      Saka tries to slip the ball through on goal for Odegaard to latch on to, but the referee pulls the ball back for a foul on Aubameyang.
      And it’s captain Hanley who is booked as a result.
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      F1 Italian Grand Prix sprint qualifying LIVE: Bottas WINS sprint but Verstappen starts race on pole – latest updates

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      LEWIS HAMILTON will be gunning to take top spot back from Max Verstappen as the F1 season heads to Italy this weekend.The Dutchman Verstappen went to the top of the Driver’s Championship after his victory at home in the Dutch Grand Prix last week.
      And he will have pole at Monza after a dramatic qualifying session.

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      Follow all of the latest updates below…
      BOTTAS WINS THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE…
      Only this is not a race.
      And he won’t start in P1 due to engine penalties. He will start last.
      But he does get three bonus points.
      Verstappen, who is second and gets two points in the championship, will start on pole in his place.
      Hamilton is fifth after his poor start, misses out on any points.

      SLIGHT WOBBLE FOR HAMILTON
      But he’s kept it on track. He’s dropped time on Norris. Meanwhile, Bottas is 2.1 seconds ahead of Verstappen.

      SIX LAPS TO GO
      Hamilton is closing in on Norris but the McLaren man remains ahead with the world champion down in fifth.
      PEREZ GETS PAST STROLL
      But does it by ignoring the chicane. He’s been told to give the place back or risk a penalty from the stewards.
      SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
      The racing will resume and it is Bottas, Verstappen, Ricciardo.
      SMASH FOR GASLY
      The AlphaTauri man is caught up in the mayhem and he lost his front wing and is sent into the barriers. He is out.
      His teammate Yuki Tsunoda is also in the thick of it and tags Robert Kubica, sending the Alfa Romeo into a spin.
      HAMILTON GETS A BAD START
      The Mercedes man has dropped to fifth place after Norris and Ricciardo both leapfrogged him.
      FORMATION LAP
      All 20 cars are on the gird. Bottas starts on P1 but will start tomorrow’s pace in P20 regardless, due to engine penalties.
      All eyes on how Hamilton and Verstappen deal with Turn One.

      25 MINUTES UNTIL THE SPRINT QUALIFYING RACE
      Good to see Leclerc out on the grid after complaining of feeling unwell in final practice.

      BOTTAS GETS A PENALTY
      The Mercedes man knew it was looming and now the FIA have confirmed that he will get a 10-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s race for taking a new engine.
      MORE WOE FOR FERRARI
      Team are now working hard to fix Sainz’s car following his high speed crash in practice.
      Meanwhile, Leclerc stopped driving early in the session as he was complaining of feeling unwell.
      SESSION OVER – MERCEDES LEAD THE WAY
      Just as they had done in qualifying, it is the world champions who are quickest in Monza.
      Hamilton tops the session ahead of the sprint race coming up at 4:40pm local time – 3:30pm in the UK.

      MAZEPIN HAS BEEN DONE FOR SPEEING
      The Haas man was clocked at doing 86.6kmh in the pitlane, which is limited to 80kmh.
      It has triggered a €700 fine paid to the FIA coffers.
      PLENTY OF LONG RUNS – ON HEAVY FUEL LOADS
      And it is Hamilton who is quickest. Bottas in second, Verstappen in third and Perez in fourth.

      SESSION HAS RESTARTED
      Sainz has gone for medical checks while Ferrari will now need to rebuild his car in time for the sprint race.

      RED FLAG – SAINZ HAS CRASHED
      Just when I was saying how Ferrari needed to impress, Carlos Sainz has had a shunt.
      He is ok, but winded. The front of his car has suffered extensive damage.
      That was at one of the quickest sections of the track the Ascari corner.

      EYES ON FERRARI
      The Italian team have been largely invisible this season, but they are making progress. They are now quicker than McLaren and the third-placed team in the championship. Still, not good enough by their standards.

      NEAT GRAPHIC FROM MERCEDES ON THIS OLD TRACK

      SECOND PRACTICE IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY IN MONZA
      Final chance to dial in the cars ahead of the Sprint Race later on today. ICYMI Valtteri Bottas was quickest ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Max Verstappen was in P3.
      GOOD NIGHT
      That’s all from us for tonight after an exhilarating day of qualifying in Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.
      The Grand Prix itself takes place on Sunday, but the F1 Sprint qualifying which happens tomorrow will determine the final grid placings ahead of the main race.
      There are also points up for grabs, which Valtteri Bottas will be determined to capitalise on after his grid penalty which places him at the back of the pack due to an engine change made to his car by Mercedes.
      Hamilton is well placed in P2 to potentially win his 100th career Grand Prix, meanwhile Verstappen salvaged what looked like being a disappointing day by nabbing P3 from under the nose of Lando Norris at the last minute.
      The two Ferrari drivers sit in P7 and P8 respectively and will almost certainly feel the pressure of the Italian crowd willing them on to earn maximum points at their home Grand Prix.
      Future Mercedes driver George Russell also sneaked in at P15 at the expense of Yuki Tsunoda, who sits in P17.
      All eyes will be on Sprint qualifying tomorrow after a day of near misses and controversies as drivers all scrambled to exit the pit lane and narrowly avoided colliding on various occasions.
      The drama will continue tomorrow as we prepare for another hugely exciting milestone in one of the most unpredictable Formula 1 seasons in living memory.

      CAN’T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN
      Despite Bottas’ excellent driving in qualifying, the Finn will start at the back of the grid on Sunday as a penalty after Mercedes decided to change the power unit in his car.
      Bottas won the Pirelli Speed King award after he clinched P1 in qualifying and will start at the front of the the grid for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint race.
      Points will be up for grabs in the sprint race, however, meaning Bottas will still be able to win points this weekend, despite starting the actual race at the back of the grid.
      Bottas said: “I think in Sprint obviously, there’s the possibility to get some few points, so of course [we’ll] try to get the maximum points tomorrow that we can and then it’s another fight on Sunday.
      “Now I just focus first on tomorrow and try to deal with it on Sunday, and, having a look at the pace we have here, I’m sure we can get some strong points on Sunday.”
      The last time Bottas started last on the grid was the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he eventually finished P4, so the Finn can’t be written off just yet.

      ALL TO RACE FOR
      Here’s the official line up for tomorrow’s F1 Sprint qualifying to decide the official grid for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
      Mercedes are sitting pretty up top in P1 and P2, with McLaren also having a good qualifying with Norris and Ricciardo in P4 and P5.
      Gasly and Giovinazzi will also be relatively pleased with their qualifying efforts, sitting in P6 and P10 respectively.
      All eyes will be on Verstappen tomorrow in P3 and whether he can split the two Mercedes on the front row.

      COULD BE BETTER, COULD BE WORSE…
      What looked like being a typically bad day for Red Bull in Monza was rescued somewhat as Verstappen managed to steal P3 from Lando Norris right at the death of Q3.
      Verstappen said after the race that it was probably as good as they could have hoped for if they were being realistic and he was pretty happy with the result in the end
      But after the incredible scenes at the Dutch Grand Prix following Verstappen’s triumphant win at his home race, this will feel like a little bit of an anti-climax for Max and Red Bull.
      P9 for Sergio Perez will also be a bit of a disappointment after the Mexican was forced to assist Verstappen in trying to catch the two Mercedes, adding about half a second to his own time in doing so.
      It would take some doing, but with the sprint qualifying tomorrow offering Verstappen a chance getting the better of Hamilton and Bottas before the race on Sunday, you certainly can’t rule him out.

      🗣 “That’s a good team result, Checo has played a key role today. He did a great job giving Max the tow and allowing him the benefit of a hole in the air.” Christian on #ItalianGP Friday 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/E0Pt4onrLQ— Red Bull Racing Honda (@redbullracing) September 10, 2021

      CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
      It’s been a good day for McLaren with Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo qualifying for the sprint race in P4 and P5 respectively, but they won’t help but feel a little disappointed thinking about what might have been.
      Norris was P3 and Ricciardo P4 right up until the last minute of Q3 and were threatening to usurp Hamilton and Bottas, when Verstappen registered an ever so slightly faster lap to sneak in ahead.
      Norris in particular drove very well in qualifying and will go into the sprint race with a restored confidence after a disappointing last couple of races.

      AFTERNOON DELIGHT
      It’s sheer delight for Bottas and the Mercedes team in the paddock as he came P1 after some incredible driving throughout qualifying, particularly in Q3.
      This puts him ahead of championship leaders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the sprint qualification tomorrow, giving him a strong chance of winning some points ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday.
      It will be fascinating to see how this all unfolds on Sunday…

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      F1 Italian Grand Prix qualifying LIVE RESULTS: Hamilton looks to overhaul Verstappen in Monza

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      LEWIS HAMILTON will be gunning to take top spot back from Max Verstappen as the F1 season heads to Italy this weekend.The Dutchman Verstappen went to the top of the Driver’s Championship after his victory at home in the Dutch Grand Prix last week.

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      QUICKEST IN PRACTICE
      Lewis Hamilton was the quickest man in practice, but can he keep that pace up throughout the weekend?
      The Brit went almost half a second quicker than rival Max Verstappen in the first practice in what was a perfect start for the seven-time World Champion.
      There’s still a long way to go until that chequered flag on Sunday though…

      QUALIFYING COUNTDOWN
      The drivers will re-take to the track in Monzo in just over an 90 minutes time.
      Qualifying for tomorrow’s sprint race is set to get underway at 5pm (UK time).
      Lewis Hamilton was the fastest man in practice earlier this afternoon, with Max Verstappen almost half a second slower.
      TOTO TALKS
      Here’s Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff’s assessment of the first practice.
      He said: “I was quite pleased – we only saw one lap with the engine properly turned up, but you know how it goes – three hours later you get one on the nose.
      “I think we are all struggling on power units, they work hard.
      “We haven’t come to a conclusion yet.”
      PRACTICE LEADERBOARD
      Lance Stroll has gone fourth fastest in practice, 0.750 seconds off Lewis Hamilton’s benchmark time of 1:20:926.
      Last year’s winner Pierre Gasly is fifth fastest, with Sebastian Vettel sixth.
      Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez round off the top ten.
      HAMILTON TOPS PRACTICE
      And it is Lewis Hamilton who ends the first practice session as the fastest driver.
      It’s by quite a distance actually.
      He’s 0.452s ahead of Max Verstappen.
      Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valteri Bottas is third fastest.
      LEWIS TAKES THE LEAD
      And now Hamilton posts the fastest time as he dons a new set of medium tyres.
      He clocks a 1:20:926.
      VERSTAPPEN GOES TOP
      Max Verstappen is now the quickest man on the track.
      He’s 0.073seconds ahead of Valteri Bottas in second place.
      The Red Bull man just posted a lap time of 1:21:378.
      PIRELLI UPDATE
      Midway through the first practice in Monza and it’s Lewis Hamilton who is currently the quickest man around the track.
      Tyre provider Pirelli have taken to Twitter to confirm the seven-time World Champion is enjoying his practice session.
      They said: “So far it’s @LewisHamilton fastest on the medium tyre for @MercedesAMGF1.
      “There’s a lot riding on this race, and more opportunity to score points too, with extra points given to the sprint qualifying race winner tomorrow.”
      TRACK COOKING
      The heat in Monza means the track temperature is nearing 40C.
      It’s a hot day in North-East Italy.
      TEN MINUTE WARNING
      There’s just TEN minutes to go now until the drivers take to the track in Monza for their practice session.
      It’s a warm day in Monza, with temperatures set to reach up to 28C.
      No rain is predicted for today’s practice and qualifying, or for the rest of the weekend.
      HOW IT WORKS
      As the action in Italy edges ever-closer to getting underway, here’s how the weekend’s racing will unfold.

      PIERRE PREVIEWS
      AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly is confident ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
      The Frenchman won the race last year, and believes he will be ‘competitive’ again this time around.
      He said: “We won last year, we were pretty competitive.
      “Yeah obviously I think the last few races have been extremely good for us and we’re confident we’re in a good position to perform again this weekend.
      “[It’s a] very different track, but yeah, I believe we will have a good performance.”
      WINNERS ON THE GRID
      Other than Lewis Hamilton, there are four other drivers on the current circuit that have won the Italian Grand Prix before.
      They are:

      Sebastian Vettel (2008, 2011, 2013)
      Fernando Alonso (2007, 2010)
      Charles Leclerc (2019)
      Pierre Gasly (2020)

      Hamilton himself won the race in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 AND 2018.
      COUNTDOWN TO ACTION
      There’s just over two hours to go now until Practice One gets underway in Monza.
      1.30pm is the scheduled start time, before qualifying begins at 5pm (UK time).
      CIRCUIT STATS
      The DRS Zones for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza are as follows:
      DRS 1

      Detection – 95metres before Turn 7
      Activation – 170metres after Turn 7

      DRS 2

      Detection – 20metres before Turn 11
      Activation – 115metres after Finish Line

      PAST WINNERS
      Lewis Hamilton has won five out of the last ten Italian GP’s.
      And a win at Monza this weekend would see him become the most successful driver in the history of the Italian GP.

      2020 – Pierre Gasly
      2019 – Charles Leclerc
      2018 – Lewis Hamilton
      2017 – Lewis Hamilton
      2016 – Nico Rosberg
      2015 – Lewis Hamilton
      2014 – Lewis Hamilton
      2013 – Sebastian Vettel
      2012 – Lewis Hamilton
      2011 – Sebastian Vettel

      WEEKEND TIMINGS
      And here’s what is to come from Monza for the rest of the weekend:

      Saturday: Qualifying 11pm-12pm (UK time)
      Sunday: Race – 2pm (UK time)

      TODAY’S TIMINGS
      Here’s what is to come from Monza today:

      Free Practice One: 1.30pm-2.30pm (UK time)
      Qualifying: 5pm-6pm (UK time)

      GOOD MORNING F1 FANS
      Attention in the world of Formula One turns back to the Grand Prix action after an action packed week of driver movements.
      And this week the racing comes from Monza, one of the most historic tracks on the circuit.
      It’s the most used circuit on the calendar, hosting the F1 Grand Prix 71 times.
      Only once has the Italian Grand Prix not been held at the famous Monza circuit, home of the Tifosi.
      After last week’s fiasco at the Belgian Grand Prix Max Verstappen comes into the weekend leading Lewis Hamilton in the driver standings by just three points.
      The Red Bull driver has 224.5 points to his name, while Hamilton has 221.5 points.
      But if Hamilton crosses the line first this weekend he will become the stand-alone most successful driver in the history of the Italian Grand Prix.
      He has won the race on five occasions before, tied with F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
      And a win this weekend in Monza would also be the 100th Grand Prix win of his career.
      That is some incentive…
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      Cristiano Ronaldo seen on Old Trafford pitch, £100m Declan Rice top Man Utd transfer target, Lingard rejects new deal

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      MAN UTD are eyeing up three points against Newcastle as the Premier League returns this weekend.And Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to make his second debut, 12 years after leaving the club.
      The Red Devils are also looking towards next summer’s transfer window, where they’re set to go back in for West Ham’s Declan Rice.
      And one man who could sweeten the deal is former Hammers loanee Jesse Lingard, who has just rejected a new contract at Old Trafford.
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      Get all the latest Man Utd news, updates and transfer gossip here…
      FER REAL
      Bruno Fernandes is salivating at the prospect of linking up with international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Man Utd.
      He told RTP3: “Us players are part of that confidence, we know what he can give us.
      “Our focus and Cristiano’s, because of what I’ve already talked to him about, is to win what there is to win.
      “Our goals remain and obviously, with Cristiano, we have one more reference to help us get closer to that.”

      KICK IT OUT
      Rio Ferdinand has revealed how his family “disintegrated” after seeing online racist abuse hurled at him and his brother Anton.
      Ferdinand, 42, has been giving evidence to a joint committee of MPs and peers on how to improve the draft Online Safety Bill designed to tackle social media abuse.
      On Wednesday, his brother Anton had told MPs he fears players could be driven to suicide by the racist online abuse.
      Ferdinand spoke candidly about how the abuse has affected his family.
      “When you sit at home and you look on there and there’s negative discrimination and prominent for you to see, self-esteem and your mental health is at risk,” he said.
      “And again, it’s not just about that person, it’s the wider network of that person and what it does to family and friends.
      “I’ve seen members of my family disintegrate at times, I’ve seen other sports stars’ family members taking it worse than the actual person who’s receiving the abuse.”
      BRAZIL BAN
      Simon Jordan has called on Premier League clubs not to back down under pressure from the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF).
      The CBF have imposed a ban on Brazilian players playing in the Premier League this weekend after they were prevented from going on international duty.
      But Jordan believes the clubs affected, of which Manchester United are one, should fight against the restriction.
      He said on talkSPORT: “They’ve either got to stick on their position or you’ve got to back down.
      “I’d stick to that position because if they’ve kicked up all that furore in the first place – what’s your resolution? Kick it into CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport], the ground would be smoothed over and everyone will be playing nicely for the next international break.
      “I’d put FIFA to the test and see if they’re really gonna do this.”
      DEADLINE DAY DONNY
      Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed Donny van de Beek was close to a deadline day move to Everton.
      He said on the Here We Go podcast: “Everton on deadline day were more than close to signing Van de Beek.
      “They had an agreement with the player. They had a project to make him a starter, to give him some game time. Everton were prepared to sign Van de Beek on loan from United.
      “He [van de Beek] is not so happy because he was not playing. In the first three matches, he hasn’t played a single minute.
      “He wanted to understand what was going to happen and so with Everton prepared to sign him, it was a big chance for him.
      “United wanted him to stay, but Everton were really close. Benitez wanted him, the whole board wanted him, so it was more than an idea. It was a done deal between Everton and Donny van de Beek, but Man Utd said no.”
      NEXT FIVE
      Here’s a look at Manchester United’s next five fixtures.
      The clash against Young Boys represents the start of United’s Champions League campaign, while the trip to West Ham is in the Carabao Cup.
      In the league the Red Devils face Newcastle, West Ham again and Aston Villa.
      How many points are you expecting from those three games, United fans?

      STAT ATTACK
      Cristiano Ronaldo is in line to feature for Manchester United against Newcastle on Saturday.
      And the last time he played against the Magpies at Old Trafford the Portuguese superstar didn’t disappoint.
      In what turned out to be his last season for the club (2008/09) Ronaldo put on a show when Newcastle were the visitors to Manchester.
      He scored a HAT-TRICK in his last home game against the Magpies in what was a 6-0 win for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
      Red Devils fans will certainly be hoping a repeat performance from CR7 this time out.
      FED DEVILS
      Sir Alex Ferguson has met up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and David Gill for lunch.
      The three once worked together at Manchester United, back when Solskjaer was a player.
      Sir Alex Ferguson was manager during that spell with Gill acting as chief executive.
      Now the trio have been photographed having lunch together ahead of United’s return to Premier League action on Saturday.
      Also present at The Ivy in Spinningfields were United board members and club management, including Ed Woodward.
      United technical director Darren Fletcher and club director Mike Edelson were also present.

      BY GEORG
      Georgina Rodriguez, girlfriend of CR7, has revealed she is set to star in a Netflix series about her life.
      It will be called ‘I am Georgina’ and will follow the 27-year-old model, revealing to fans what it is like to live with one of the most famous sportsmen in the world.
      It’s not yet clear when the reality series will be released, but she shared the exciting news to her 27.3million Instagram followers.
      RON RARING TO GO
      Cristiano Ronaldo has taken to social media, posting a picture of him in Manchester United training ahead of Saturday’s clash against Newcastle.
      He’s expected to make his second Manchester United debut for the Magpies visit of Old Trafford this weekend.
      He posted the below photo and captioned the post: “New challenge, but always with the same goals!
      “Let’s go #manchesterunited”

      JOSTLING FOR JAMES
      A number of Premier League clubs are reported to be interested in Fleetwood Town defender James Hill.
      According to the Daily Record Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton have all sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old in action.
      Football League World report Rangers, Burnley, Southampton, Leicester, Brentford, Millwall and Preston North End were all interested in a move for Hill during the summer but no suitable offers arrived for the centre-back.
      And Fleetwood chairman Andy Pilley knows his time at the club is coming to an end, saying: “He’s out of contract this summer, but we’re relaxed about his position because we’re entitled to compensation which will no doubt be significant.
      “We’re at a stage now where we’re literally having to decline scouting requests because we’ve virtually got the entire Premier League coming along to watch him.”
      Getty Images
      E-BUFF SAID
      Gianluigi Buffon insists Cristiano Ronaldo was right to think about himself when making the shock decision to move from Juventus to Manchester United.
      He told Radio anch’io Sport: “I don’t think the fans should be surprised. He has the reputation of a great professional who rightly thinks about himself a lot.
      “In these three years he has contributed with great performances and scored many goals.
      “I don’t see anything illogical in his choice to leave, he thought a lot about it.
      “Juve are in a transition period, I don’t know if it’s generational or the skeleton. You pay a bit when these things happen.
      “When you have a coach like [Massmiliano] Allegri, maybe you don’t reach the target, but you get close to it.”
      ‘HIT HIM’
      Former Bolton Wanderers defender Nicky Hunt has revealed what it was like playing against Cristiano Ronaldo when the Portuguese sensation made his first United debut.
      CR7 was introduced as a second half substitute with the Red Devils leading Bolton 1-0, but they ended up thrashing their near Lancashire neighbours 4-0 thanks to the help of a young Ronaldo.
      And Hunt told Sky Sports: “There was no preparation for what he did that day. He came on for them 20 minutes and turned the game around.
      “We were 1-0 down and by the time the full-time whistle had been, it was 4-0 so what more can you say about the man himself.
      “Phil Brown and Sam Allardyce were just saying ‘hit him’ every time he got the ball.
      “That’s literally what I did. The first two tackles I smashed him and then he switched over to the other wing and caused absolute havoc on the left wing as well.
      FULL OF PRAISE
      Manchester United legend and Derby County manager has praised youngster Red Devils youngster Tahith Chong, who is currently on loan at Championship side Birmingham City.
      In his pre-match press conference before Derby take on Birmingham, Rooney said: “He’s a good player.
      “He’s a player who obviously went out to Germany last season, it didn’t quite come off for him there.
      “Obviously, he’s a very talented player, he played against us in the preseason and yeah, he’s an impact player, he has good moments in the game.
      “So, of course, we’ll have to be wary of him and make sure we’re on our toes and we’re defending well against him because if we give him time and space, then he’s a player who can really hurt you.”
      Getty Images
      NET SPEND
      Manchester United have a net spend of exactly £100million from the 2021 summer transfer window.
      Dan James £25million exit to Leeds United recouped some of the money splashed on Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
      But the Red Devils still didn’t have the highest net spend of the summer despite a busy summer of incomings.

      ‘REGULAR CONTACT’
      Manchester United are one of a number of English clubs ‘in regular’ contact with Borussia Dortmund regarding a possible move for Jude Bellingham.
      According to 90min, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are all keen on adding the 18-year-old midfielder to their ranks.
      Liverpool have been linked with an £80million move for Bellingham, but Dortmund are reluctant to let Bellingham leave any time soon.
      With his contract not expiring until 2025, the German giants are in a strong bargaining position when it comes to thrashing out a fee, and the England star will not come cheap.
      ‘FREE-KICKS OVER PENALTIES’
      Bruno Fernandes is seemingly happy to let Cristiano Ronaldo take over from him as penalty taker for Manchester United.
      But Fernandes has hinted he still wants to be the main man when it comes to free kicks.
      The Portuguese international told BBC Sport: “I really like free-kicks.
      “For me personally, free-kicks are something I practice and I want to get the reward of scoring.
      “I prefer free-kicks over penalties.”
      ‘BEAUTIFUL GESTURE’
      Former Manchester United man Diego Forlan has praised Edinson Cavani for giving up his no7 shirt for the returning Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Cavani will now take the no21 shirt at Old Trafford after Dan James left for Leeds.
      And Forlan told Chiamarsi Bomber: “It was a beautiful gesture.
      “I’m happy he’s [Ronaldo] back in Manchester, he’s one of the strongest in history, it’s good that he’s back home.”
      PREM PREDICTION
      A supercomputer predicts Manchester City will retain their Premier League title this season – despite missing out on Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Manchester United are expected to finish third by BonusCodeBets’ supercomputer, failing to improve on last season’s runners-up spot.
      But the Red Devils’ prospects have improved following the signing of Ronaldo from Juventus – compared to a previous prediction.
      The Portuguese foward’s return to Old Trafford sees Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s finish ahead of Liverpool in the eyes of the supercomputer.

      GOOD TO GO
      Here’s some snaps of CR7 in Manchester United training to wet your appetite for the weekend, Red Devils fans.
      Getty Images
      Getty Images
      COPACA-BAN-A
      Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Leeds have been told they CANNOT play their Brazilian aces who skipped World Cup duty.
      Fifa today informed the Prem clubs that the Brazilian FA had asked them to impose the “five day restriction” on the players who did not travel for the international break.
      It means Liverpool will be without Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino for their game at Leeds on Sunday, with the home side set to be without Raphinha.
      Manchester United’s Fred will miss both the home clash with Newcastle and the opening Champions League game at Young Boys.
      And centre-back Thiago Silva will be absent for Chelsea’s game with Aston Villa and Euro tie with Zenit St Petersburg.
      Champions City must also plan without Ederson and Gabriel Jesus at Leicester on Saturday.
      BEST IN THE WORLD
      Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed he believes Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is the best defender in the world.
      Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE, he said: “When he’s fit, over the last couple of years he’s [Van Dijk] been the go-to guy.
      “He had the biggest impact on a team, certainly in terms of centre-backs, over probably the last three years.
      “Varane, I would say, is up there. Him and Varane, [Sergio] Ramos in previous years, as well, they have been the top boys.
      “It’s that consistency and the ability to win. Varane is unrivalled alongside Ramos in terms of winning, but with the way his form has been over the last three years, Van Dijk has been immense, man, he’s been crazy.
      “In terms of a signing, Raphael Varane for Manchester United… He’s what I’ve been asking for over the last three or four years, or five years.
      “[Ruben] Dias has been great, but he only played last season. I’m talking about consistency over a number of years. Those guys are probably apart at the moment.”
      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      Manchester United are interested in signing West Ham star Declan Rice, according to reports.
      It’s believed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have identified the England midfielder as their first-choice midfield target.
      According to the Manchester Evening News, Man Utd will try to purchase Rice, 22, during next summer’s transfer window.
      The Red Devils are said to have already discussed the ‘potential framework’ for a deal to sign the ex-Chelsea youth prospect.
      Rice still has three years remaining on his Hammers contract and his £100MILLION valuation is likely to increase during this season.
      The midfielder reportedly has no interest in signing a new deal in East London in an attempt to leave West Ham.
      Getty Images
      RON THE RIGHT TRACK
      Bruno Fernandes believes Manchester United are closer to winning trophies following the return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Speaking to the club website, he said: “We know the enthusiasm will be red hot, everyone knows Cristiano is in the house.
      “Everyone is very confident and happy that he is back, the players too.
      “We know what he can give us, and our focus, like Cristiano’s, is to win.
      “With him, we know we are closer to winning [trophies].”
      LACKING AMBITION
      Ex-professional Trevor Sinclair believes Jesse Lingard should have returned to West Ham on a permanent deal.
      The 28-year-old was linked with a move back to East London, but in the end stayed to fight for his play in Ole Gunnar Solskajer’s side.
      But Sinclair told talkSPORT: “If he doesn’t get given them assurances and sign a new deal, then that says he’s not ambitious as a player.
      “I’m slightly confused that he didn’t want to sign for West Ham permanently.
      “He was loved there and was the main man. He played one time for Manchester United in 2021, but played 16 times for West Ham and got into double figures for goals and back in the England squad.
      “Why would you not want to be in that environment?”
      NOBODY BETTER THAN BRUNO
      Bruno Fernandes has revealed his inspiration for taking a jump before striking a penalty dates back to his days with Serie A side Sampdoria.
      Fernandes has scored 21 out of 22 times from twelve yards for United, but could be taken off penalty duty after Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford.
      Bruno told MOTDx: “I usually shoot in a different way but when I was at Sampdoria, there was one coach who came to me and said to me at the time ‘You should try this!’
      “Because in the past, there was some player who was playing for Sampdoria who would normally do that jump.
      “I started training with that and it comes to be the best way to take the penalty.”
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      Poland vs England LIVE: Szymanski heads in STOPPAGE-TIME equaliser after Kane rocket in clash – stream FREE, score, TV

      by

      ENGLAND take on Poland in their third and final World Cup qualifier of the international break this week TONIGHT.The Three Lions are coming off two 4-0 wins wins over Hungary and Andorra, with Gareth Southgate’s side continuing their fine form from Euro 2020.

      Kick-off: 7.45pm
      TV/ live stream: ITV 1/ ITV Hub
      Poland XI: Szczesny; Dawidowicz, Glik, Bednarek, Puchacz; Jowiak, Linetty, Krychowiak, Moder; Buksa, Lewandowski.
      England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Phillips, Rice; Sterling, Mount, Grealish; Kane.

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      Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
      GOODNIGHT
      That’s all from Warsaw, and that’s all for this international break.
      The final act of six gruelling days will leave a sour taste for England, but they can be hearted by the seven points they have accrued that has them on course for Qatar.
      Three wins from their remaining four games will ensure their place at the 2022 World Cup, and with home games against Hungary and Albania to come as well as trips to Andorra and San Marino, it looks a straightforward proposition. In reality, they probably won’t even need those.
      The England players will now head back to their clubs, and the nitty gritty of the Premier League that reconvenes this weekend. We’ll be on hand to bring you the best of the action that includes the return of some fella called Cristiano to the English game. See you on Saturday.
      CAPTAIN’S THOUGHTS
      Harry Kane has been chatting to the media at full time, and feels that despite this evening’s late disappointment, the England squad have done extremely well to come away from this international break with seven points from three games.
      “It’s a tough one to take right at the end. I thought we handled the game really well as it’s not an easy place to come.
      “We got ourselves ahead and I thought we were seeing the game out well. Away from home the pressure will build, and they ended up putting in a good cross and scored a good header. That’s football.
      It’s been a great camp for us after two tough away games and we’re still five points clear [of Poland] with four games to go so we’re in a great position.Harry KaneITV Sport

      ENGLAND ON COURSE
      Their 100% record may have gone but England remain clear at the top of the Group I, four points ahead of Albania with four games to play.

      Albania 5-0 San Marino
      Hungary 2-1 Andorra
      Poland 1-1 England

      LACK OF SUBS SINK LIONS
      It ended 5-0 to the hosts in Warsaw. No, not goals scored, but the number of changes made by each coach during the game.
      It’s a quarter of a century since England failed to make a single substitution in a match.

      FULL TIME STATS
      England dominated the ball but couldn’t see out the game against a feisty Poland side in Warsaw.

      FT: POLAND 1-1 ENGLAND
      England’s 100% record in qualifying comes to an end after Damian Szymanski’s stoppage time header rescues a point for Poland. Amid a fun and frantic 90 minutes, Harry Kane had given England the lead with a 30 yard thunderbolt that maintained the striker’s astonishing run in qualifiers. The Three Lions remain on course for Qatar 2022, and they may yet be joined there by the Poles.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!IT ENDS ALL SQUARE IN WARSAW!
      POLAND 1-1 ENGLAND
      90+2. A first international goal for Damian Szymanski has taken the roof of PGE Narodowy!
      Poland had thrown everything at England in these final five minutes, and now they have their reward.
      A beautiful swivel from Jakub Moder brings initial space and panic in the penalty area, and although a combination of Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice appeared to have staved off the threat of a Karol Linetty strike, the ball ends up at the feet of Robert Lewandowski.
      The Poland captain remains the calmest player on the pitch as he looks up and lifts the perfect cross into the six yard box for Szymanski to power home a header at the far post.
      It’s a goal that will end England’s 100% record in Group I but, more importantly for the hosts, it’s a goal that keeps Poland on track for second spot and a place at the World Cup.

      GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!DAMIAN SZYMANSKI EQUALISES IN ADDED TIME!!
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      90. Four minutes of additional time are signalled by the fourth official.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      89. A gorgeous touch from Lewandowski plucks the ball out of the air on the left corner of the penalty area.
      He thinks about going wide of Stones and on to his left foot, but then cuts back inside and aims a corner towards the far corner.
      Pickford stands still as he watches it go wide, and while the England goalkeeper will say he had it covered, it’s the closest the Poland captain has come for some time.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      86. Daniel Siebert waves play on as Rice steps in and barges over Moder.
      Unfortunately, he also waves play on when Rice plays Phillips into trouble with a short pass, and the midfielder loses out in a 50-50.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      84. Poland looked out of puff but their five substitutions have injected a final burst.
      Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate continues to stick with those that begun the game.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      82. A blunder from Jordan Pickford and the balls ends up…
      …in the very relieved hands of the England goalkeeper.
      Pickford takes too long in dealing with a backpass, and eventually looks to send it long under pressure from Swiderski.
      However, the keeper’s punt slams straight into the boot of the arriving Poland striker, and loops up towards goal.
      It looks destined for the net until Pickford scampers back to claim the ball in the nick of time.

      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      80. A triple change for the hosts that includes the introduction of Barnsley’s Michal Helik. Maciej Rybyus and Przemyslaw Frankowski are also on as Kamil Glik Tymoteusz Puchacz and Kamil Jozwiak go off.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      78. Another minute, another Poland caution.
      The hosts are losing their heads now, and after Phillips tackles Linetty, the midfielder responds by chopping down Kane.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      77. Kane is up and – thankfully – able to continue.
      Meanwhile, Puchacz is booked – finally – for fouling Sterling.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      75. Spurs fans will have been thrilled by the sight of Harry Kane getting himself back among the goals, but this will be more of a concern.
      The England striker has gone down with a yelp after a clash on the left touchline with Glik, and looks in some pain.
      POLAND 0-1 ENGLAND
      72. He’s done it again! Harry Kane scores for the 15th consecutive qualifying match, and he does so in some style!
      There’s little threat as the England captain bring a ball under control 30 yards out with his back to goal but, in a flash of inspiration, he turns and lets rip with a swerving strike off the instep.
      The pace, movement and flight of the ball deceive Wojciech Szczesny, and before the goalkeeper realises, the ball has nestled in the bottom corner of his net.
      Superb!

      GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!HARRY KANE BLASTS ENGLAND AHEAD!!
      POLAND 0-0 ENGLAND
      71. Jordan Pickford hasn’t had much to do in the second half, but he’s still alert to the action, getting down low to save Lewandowski’s 20 yard drive.
      POLAND 0-0 ENGLAND
      68. Another change for Poland. Damian Szymanski is on for Grzegorz Krychowiak.
      England are yet to many any substitutions.
      POLAND 0-0 ENGLAND
      67. Grealish hugs the touchline on the far side and eventually receives possession.
      He weighs up Jozwiak, and then knocks the ball past him and does him pace – or at least he would have done had he not been pulled back by the shirt by the Derby player. Referee Daniel Siebert waves play on.
      This must be how Villa fans felt for all those years.
      POLAND 0-0 ENGLAND
      65. A rare second half attack from the hosts.
      A weaving run off the left from Puchacz has Maguire under pressure, but the wing-back ends up arrowing a shot well wide of the near post.
      POLAND 0-0 ENGLAND
      63. A change in personnel for Poland.
      Adam Buksa has been unable to add to his four international goals, and departs to be replaced by Karol Swiderski.
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      Azerbaijan vs Portugal LIVE: Stream, score, TV info as Ronaldo OUT, match UNDERWAY – World Cup qualifier latest updates

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      PORTUGAL take on Azerbaijan in Baku as they look to go top of World Cup qualifying Group A.Cristiano Ronaldo inspired his nation to a 2-1 win over Ireland last time out, but is suspended for today’s clash.

      TV channel/live stream: Sky Sports Main Event/NOW TV
      Portugal XI: Rui Patricio, Guerreiro, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Cancelo, Palhinha, Moutinho, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Jota, Andre Silva.

      Follow ALL the latest with our live blog below…

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      AZERBAIJAN 0-0 PORTUGAL
      6 Portugal protest for a penalty as Jota’s shot hit the arm of an Azerbaijani defender.
      However, the referee deems the visitors’ attack started from an offside position
      AZERBAIJAN 0-0 PORTUGAL
      5 Portugal are dominating possession in the opening few minutes, as expected.
      We are seeing some brilliant chemistry between the midfield and attack
      AZERBAIJAN 0-0 PORTUGAL
      2 And another quick reminder:
      Azerbaijan manager Giovanni de Biasi appears to have opted for a 3-4-3 formation against Portugal.
      Shakhrudin Magomedaliyev starts in goal with Elvin Badalov, Hojjat Hahgverdi and Azer Salahli in defence.
      Abbas Huseynov plays at right wing-back with Tamkin Khalilzade on the other side, while Emin Makhmudov and captain Gara Garayev team up in midfield.
      Namik Alaskarov, Filip Ozobic and Mahir Emreli lead the attack
      AZERBAIJAN 0-0 PORTUGAL
      1 Just a small reminder:
      Portugal manager Fernando Santos appears to have opted for a 4-3-3 formation against Azerbaijan.
      Rui Patricio starts in goal with Joao Cancelo at right-back and Raphael Guerreiro at left-back, while Pepe and Ruben Dias team up at centre-back.
      Captain Joao Moutinho links up with Joao Pahlinha and Bruno Fernandes in midfield.
      Diogo Jota, Bernardo Silva and Andre Silva, who replaces the absent Cristiano Ronaldo, lead the attack
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      AND OFF WE GO IN BAKU!!!!!!
      HERE COME THE TEAMS!!!
      The Baku Olympic Stadium is set to host the World Cup qualifier between Azerbaijan and Portugal.
      The hosts’ captain Gara Garayev leads his team out on the pitch whereas Joao Moutinho dons his country’s armband.
      Reminding you that Moutinho is filling in for the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Not long to go now…
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      IN DEBT
      Azerbaijan manager Giovanni de Biasi was in a joyful mood during the pre-match press conference as he claimed there is still hope of getting a result against Portugal, considering they are missing Cristiano Ronaldo.
      However, De Biasi refuses to underestimate today’s opponents as they are still filled with quality.
      The Italian manager, though, claimed Portugal boss Fernando Santos owes him a bottle of fine wine because it was thanks to him that he became the national coach.
      The 65-year-old is talking about the time when he beat former boss Paulo Bento while he was in charge of Albania in 2014.
      De Biasi said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent player, but Portugal has players in Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Paris Saint-Germain, [Borussia] Dortmund, Benfica, Porto, Sporting [Lisbon]…
      “Hope is always the last to die. In life never say never.
      “I would like to remind you that Fernando Santos still owes me a bottle of Porto wine, because he became the coach [of Portugal] thanks to me and then he became European champion”
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      CENTR-RUI-RION
      Roma star Rui Patricio is close to a very unique record in his international career.
      Patricio starts between the sticks for Portugal today in their World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
      The star goalkeeper will pick up his 99th cap for his national team once the whistle blows.
      That, of course, brings the ex-Wolves star only one game away from 100 appearances for Portugal
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      RON A ROLL
      As mentioned earlier, Portugal superstar Ctristiano Ronaldo will play no part in today’s encounter against Azerbaijan.
      Ronaldo has gone to England to train with his new club Manchester United as he got suspended last week during the match against the Republic of Ireland when he picked up a yellow card.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was booked after removing his shirt while celebrating his second goal in his team’s 2-1 win.
      The star forward’s brace made him the all-time highest goalscorer in men’s international football as he passed Iran’s Ali Daei.
      The 36-year-old now counts 111 goals in 180 caps across all competitions
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      AZERBAIJAN FORMATION
      Azerbaijan manager Giovanni de Biasi appears to have opted for a 3-4-3 formation against Portugal.
      Shakhrudin Magomedaliyev starts in goal with Elvin Badalov, Hojjat Hahgverdi and Azer Salahli in defence.
      Abbas Huseynov plays at right wing-back with Tamkin Khalilzade on the other side, while Emin Makhmudov and captain Gara Garayev team up in midfield.
      Namik Alaskarov, Filip Ozobic and Mahir Emreli lead the attack
      PORTUGAL FORMATION
      Portugal manager Fernando Santos appears to have opted for a 4-3-3 formation against Azerbaijan.
      Rui Patricio starts in goal with Joao Cancelo at right-back and Raphael Guerreiro at left-back, while Pepe and Ruben Dias team up at centre-back.
      Captain Joao Moutinho links up with Joao Pahlinha and Bruno Fernandes in midfield.
      Diogo Jota, Bernardo Silva and Andre Silva, who replaces the absent Cristiano Ronaldo, lead the attack
      AZERBAIJAN SUBS
      12 Dzhenetov, 23 Bayramov, 5 Mustafazade, 6 Mustafayev, 9 Ghorbani, 11 Sheydaev, 15 Tashgin, 16 Nuriiev, 17 Bayramov, 18 Aliyev, 21 İbrahimli, 22 Sadikhov
      PORTUGAL SUBS
      12 Lopes, 22 Costa, 2 Semedo, 7 Trincao, 13 Danilo, 14 Duarte, 15 R. Silva, 16 Otavio, 17 Guedes, 18 Neves, 19 Mendes, 23 Mario
      AZERBAIJAN XI
      1 Magomedaliyev; 14 Badalov, 4 Hahgverdi, 3 Salahli; 13 Huseynov, 8 Makhmudov, 2 Garayev, 19 Khalilzade; 7 Alaskarov, 10 Emreli, 20 Ozobic
      PORTUGAL XI
      1 Patricio; 20 Cancelo, 3 Pepe, 4 Dias, 5 Guerreiro; 8 Moutinho, 6 Pahlinha, 11 Fernandes; 21 Jota, 10 B. Silva, 9 A. Silva

      THE TEAM SHEETS ARE IN!!!
      AZERBAIJAN STATS
      Azerbaijan have been struggling in Group A during the World Cup qualifying phase.
      The minnows nation is at the bottom of the table with only one point as they drew with Ireland away on Saturday.
      Gianni De Biasi’s side has since lost three out of four matches in the qualifying round.
      One of them was against Portugal in the first leg away when they lost 1-0 following Maksim Medvedev’s own goal
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      PORTUGAL STATS
      Portugal lost their European crown during the summer’s Euro 2020 tournament, which saw them getting eliminated in the Round of 16.
      Fernando Santos’ men finished third in the ‘group of death’ under France and Germany, as they only managed to beat Hungary, and were then knocked out by Belgium.
      However, the Portuguese national team is setting up a strong foundation for a quick qualification to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as they are joint top of Group A, which also includes Serbia, Luxembourg, Republic of Ireland and today’s opponents Azerbaijan, thanks to an undefeated run.
      Portugal have won three of their first four matches and share the top spot with the Serbians as they have both amassed 10 points
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      HEAD TO HEAD
      Portugal and Azerbaijan’s first ever encounter took place way back in 1999 during a Euro 2000 qualifier that the former won comfortbly with a score of 7-0 at home.
      Since then, the two nations have faced off a total of seven times with the Portuguese national team counting a vast majority of six wins.
      Azerbaijan, on the other hand, have never beaten tonight’s opponents as their best ever result was a 1-1 draw back in 1999.
      That was also the only time they scored against Portugal as they conceded a total of 18 goals in seven matches
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      GOOD AFTERNOON FROM BAKU
      Welcome to our live coverage of the 2022 World Cup qualifier between Azerbaijan and Portugal at the Baku National Stadium.
      Fernando Santos’ men are looking to seal qualification to the tournament’s finals in Qatar as soon as possible following a rather hapless Euro 2020 campaign.
      Santos, though, will be without record goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo, who made history last week against the Republic of Ireland by becoming the highest scorer in men’s international football when he surpassed Iran’s Ali Daei.
      Ronaldo was shown a yellow card for removing his shirt while celebrating his second goal that gave the Portuguese national team the win and is thus suspended.
      The Manchester United star signing’s absence could see Andre Silva hold his place up top after netting in the friendly win over Qatar.
      Roma star Rui Patricio is set to be recalled between the sticks and pick up a record cap for his national team
      Azerbaijan manager Gianni De Biasi, on the other hand,  will be without Anton Kryvotsiuk, who also picked up his second booking, so Azar Salahly could take his place at left-back.
      Other than that, the hosts have no fresh concerns heading to this difficult match against the former European champions
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