Roger Federer is coming back to US Open four years after retirement, set for two blockbuster matches US Open confirmed Roger Federer's return on Sunday, and he will be joined by three other tennis greats Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:25:16 IST Written by Aratrick Mondal Prefer HTon Google Share
Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:09:14 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
After seventh seed Victor Lai fell in three games to ninth seed Alex Lanier at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, the former described the Frenchman as a ‘beast’, lauding his physical fitness and tenacity to go the distance and play the long game
India men’s football team will face Panama in a FIFA international friendly in September, ahead of another friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. According to a report by The Times of India, the match between India and the North American side is
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the running to replace Gianni Infantino, but says he expects a candidate to challenge the Fifa president's leadership in March. Infantino has faced calls to step down after he scrapped a controversial plan to sell off stakes in Fifa's
Barcelona began their La Liga title defence with a commanding 5-0 victory over Elche on Sunday, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut. The result comea a day after Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-1 with a late winner
GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 09:43:17 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link St. Louis
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin may have been vocal in his demand for the current FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down but he has no interest in replacing the under-fire Swiss. Infantino continues to face pressure to leave his position as world football’s governing body chief following
Why Salah has become a 'little problem' for Liverpool
It feels like Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive work has become a little problem for Liverpool, especially against the better teams.
I can totally understand if Reds boss Arne Slot has told Salah not to track back, because waiting high up the pitch on the right for the transition has made him one of the most potent goalscorers in the world.
But the players behind him are not covering him correctly and that has caused a lot of issues for whoever has been at right-back this season.
Whether that's been Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley or Dominik Szoboszlai, they are in trouble because they are facing a 2v1 overload down their side.
It was a real weakness on Saturday, which led to Chelsea's winner - and the concern must be that more teams will be clever enough to do the same.
First and foremost, I cannot believe Slot is telling Salah to track back and help out his right-back.
If Salah was told to follow Chelsea's left-back Marc Cucurella, then it was extremely obvious he wasn't, and Slot would not put up with that.
Instead, Slot is giving Salah the freedom to not do the defensive work, which is fine - there are lots of examples of other teams who have done similar, with players who want to save all their energy for attacking.
Yes, there are still certain times in a game where you are conceding chances and you are under pressure, where you might take responsibility yourself and just run back.
I know Salah can do it too, because when Liverpool won at Manchester City last season, his defensive performance was one of the best I've seen from him.
But he must have been asked to do it on that occasion, which is why I am not digging him out here if he has been asked to stay up the pitch.
The issue with Salah is more about how Liverpool are set up behind him, especially against the better teams.
The other players have to be able to help more, and quicker, because it felt like Chelsea were working the ball forwards and then shifting it out to their left, because that's where the space was.
If a Liverpool midfielder went out there too late - whether it be Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister - then he left space in the pockets in front of the defence because Liverpool were losing a man from the middle.
All this becomes less of a problem when you are playing teams where you dominate the ball - as we've seen, because Liverpool have won the league playing like this - but they have to tighten up because the top sides will exploit it.
It is not as if Salah has changed his role this season but, because he is not scoring at the other end, maybe the defensive side of his game is amplified.
I am not actually too worried about his form, because he will come good - he always does - in terms of his finishing.
He got in some great positions against Chelsea but maybe shot when he should have passed, and vice versa, but those chances will keep going and the goals will come.
My biggest concern with Liverpool at the moment is with their lack of control of games compared to last season.
It has been a disappointing week for them, of course, not only to lose three games in a row in the Premier League and Champions League but because the performance levels have not been what we expect.
There are mitigating factors, of course, with all the personnel changes in the summer and the number of players who missed pre-season, but last season Slot's Liverpool seemed to be so good at managing games and that is no longer the case.
It felt like their defensive shape was sound, and Slot's more possession-based style brought greater control.
It was something that people instantly saw that he had added to the team, compared to what it was like under Jurgen Klopp.
Now, however, I watch them and it looks a bit chaotic. The last half-hour of the Chelsea game was so frenetic it felt like a cup tie - they had opportunities to win it, but gave away plenty of chances too, which is why they ended up being beaten.
There are a few things that are not right about Liverpool, and I keep seeing them give the ball away, but I don't see this as an unresolvable situation.
Just because Liverpool have got some new players - and different types of players too - they don't need to change the way they play. They just need to get back to being a little bit more patient, and a little more composed.
The good news is they are only one point behind leaders Arsenal and have time to fix the things that are going wrong.
The physical aspect they are missing will come because the players who did not have a proper pre-season, like Alexander Isak, Mac Allister, Bradley and Hugo Ekitike, will reach peak fitness soon.
Building proper relationships on the pitch always takes time too, whether it be between the right-back and Salah or Florian Wirtz and Isak.
So, there is no need to panic. It feels like at the moment in the Premier League, and not just with Liverpool but with all teams, you are only one week away from 'catastrophe' and criticism.
The reality is what has happened to Liverpool this week will probably happen at some point to Arsenal and Manchester City this season too.
I didn't actually think City would be in the title race, but if Erling Haaland stays this hungry and remains fit they will be.
Arsenal, defensively, look superb again and, overall, after seven games they appear very comfortable in what they are doing everywhere on the pitch - it looks like a continuation of last season, with a sprinkling of extra quality and depth.
With Liverpool it feels like more of rebuild right now. But while there is still work to do for them to find the right balance and combinations, I think everyone is expecting them to improve as the season goes on.
Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Sports
The French are known for a lot of things but badminton isn’t one of them. Till Sunday, when the country that has never been considered among the top nations even in Europe created history at the 2026 World championships, in more ways than one
12 hours ago
AITA picked them, the government cut them: Why has India’s Asian Games tennis squad been slashed from 12 to 7? The AITA had originally proposed a 12-member squad for for the Asian Games, which included six women. But the list was slashed down to just seven players. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026
12 hours ago
Ashton Jeanty injury update: Is the Raiders RB out for the season? Doctor reveals possible diagnoses; ‘best case…’ Ashton Jeanty was injured after attempting a catch, prompting a tense silence at the Raiders’ facility before his teammates gathered and knelt in prayer. Updated on: Aug 24
15 hours ago
When Liverpool came to Newcastle last August, there was utter jubilation as Rio Ngumoha scored a remarkable 100th-minute winner. They scored late again this time around, through Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty, but it felt more like a sense of relief than joy as they rescued a point
15 hours ago
'Is Sydney Taylor playing tonight?' Chicago Sky guard's slow start vs Fever sparks injury concerns Sydney Taylor was in Chicago’s starting lineup when the Sky hosted the Indiana Fever on Sunday night. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:32:12 IST By Ojas Jaiswal Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
15 hours ago
Yet again, the England men's cricket team is picking through the wreckage of a late-night misdemeanour. The latest stain on the game's reputation is a result of pictures of fast bowler Brydon Carse in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers outside a nightspot in Derby
15 hours ago
Jean-Philippe Mateta is arguing the remainder of his Crystal Palace contract is invalid and has taken his case to Fifa. Multiple sources have told BBC Sport the France international has launched an official challenge over the validity of the final 10 months on his Selhurst Park deal
1 days ago
Bangladesh 64: Starc 6-12 & 95: Shanto 31; Starc 4-39, Cummins 3-10, Lyon 3-25 Mitchell Starc took 10 wickets in the match as Australia bounced back from last week's shock defeat by Bangladesh to win the second Test by an innings and 51 runs and draw the series 1-1. Second Test
1 days ago
Jannik Sinner's absence benefits Carlos Alcaraz: What to expect from the US Open champion after his long injury layoff Jannik Sinner is out, but is it premature to call Carlos Alcaraz the US Open favourite after four months away? Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
US Open leaves Stan Wawrinka out in the cold, denying former champion a wild card for his final Grand Slam The US Open has surprisingly denied Stan Wawrinka a wild card for what could be his final appearance at a Grand Slam. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
India faced the Netherlands in their Pool E match of the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 on Saturday (August 22) at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen but suffered a 1-3 defeat. India conceded one goal in the third quarter and two in the fourth quarter to go down against the hosts
1 days ago
There is an uncanny resemblance between Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s bronze-medal run at the 2011 BWF World Championships and Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand’s campaign at the 2026 edition. Jwala and Ashwini faced the second-seeded Cheng Wen-hsing and Chien Yu-chin as early as the
1 days ago
Runs on the board and rival wickets, is the template that Dhananjaya de Silva will chase when the second Test commences at the SSC Ground on Sunday (August 23, 2026). “It’s about putting runs on the board. That’s what India did [at Galle]. For the first two days they batted and got 460 runs
1 days ago
Serena Williams returns to US Open after four years, joins Carlos Alcaraz for mixed doubles Serena Williams will return to the US Open for the first time since 2022, partnering Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles after receiving a wildcard. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
Roberto De Zerbi may have spent close to £400m by the time his Tottenham Hotspur rebuild is complete – but it took just his side's first Premier League game of the season to prove all the money in the world is no guaranteed cure for a losing mentality
1 days ago
Manchester United's fans had endured a bad enough day on the banks of the River Humber when Hull City's stadium announcer gleefully piped up midway through the second half. Two trains back to Manchester from the city centre station had been cancelled
1 days ago
From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:08:49 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
2 days ago
Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:17:58 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Aberdeenshire , Shubhankar Sharma ended his streak of four missed cuts as he made the
2 days ago
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi has been fined for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan during their side's Major League Soccer (MLS) 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Messi, 39, slapped Sullivan around the back of the head towards the end of the game as he complained the Union player had elbowed him after
2 days ago
Premier League champions Arsenal will start the new season with some of the nightmares of the previous two as their marquee signing, midfielder Bruno Guimarães, is not part of the squad due to an injury. Guimarães signed for £75 million (Rs. 979 crore) from Newcastle United and suffered a knock
2 days ago
Nostalgia may have enveloped Sairaj Bahutule when he entered the SSC Ground. He would have remembered his last Test played at the same venue in 2001, a game India lost. The Indian spin-bowling coach, though, quickly immersed himself in the nets here Friday (August 21, 2026)
2 days ago
Lionel Messi fined for slapping opponent on the head as Inter Miami-Philadelphia clash erupts into late red-card chaos Lionel Messi was fined by MLS after slapping Philadelphia's Quinn Sullivan on the head as Inter Miami's 2-2 draw desecended into stoppage-time chaos. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026
2 days ago
Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra managed to deliver his season’s best performance at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday but fell agonisingly short of the top spot, as Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage finished first with a throw just nine centimetres more than his
2 days ago
Why did Nick Chubb retire? Net worth in focus as NFL player ends career at 30 Nick Chubb played for eight seasons in NFL that included seven years with the Cleveland Browns and one with the Houston Texans. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026, 09:25:09 IST By Shirin Gupta Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
2 days ago
Arsenal started last season as nearly men - but now they have the swagger of winners. That much can be seen on the approach to Emirates Stadium. Above the entrance to the ground is new signage, a simple message in gold: 'Champions'. Players and fans alike have taken the confidence of last season's
2 days ago
Liverpool, Man City face questions in new era without Salah, Guardiola Liverpool, Man City face questions in new era without Salah, Guardiola Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 06:32:41 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Mohamed Salah and Pep Guardiola are two of the most iconic figures in
2 days ago
Nakashima knocks out Fritz to reach Cincinnati semi-finals Nakashima knocks out Fritz to reach Cincinnati semi-finals Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 04:36:47 IST AFP Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Brandon Nakashima continued his red-hot pace on Friday
2 days ago
