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The New York Mets experienced the best of both worlds on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. First, they got to witness a moonshot home run from Shohei Ohtani and then they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3, in 10 innings.

The Mets were up 2-0 when Ohtani walked to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, said hello to the umpire and then goodbye to the baseball as he hit his 23rd home run of the season. A ball that was absolutely crushed. It flew over the bullpen in right field and then over the seats behind the bullpen and into the Los Angeles night never to be seen again. Fans in the last row were left looking out into the parking lot as they cheered.

Ohtani is now tied with Cal Raliegh for the most home runs in baseball. He came within a few feet of taking the lead in the bottom of the 9th, but failed to get a walk-off home run and instead had to settle for a game-tying sacrifice fly to send it to extra innings.

Unfortunately for the home team, they gave up two runs in the top of the 10th and lost to the team with the second highest payroll in baseball. At least they were in the stadium to see Ohtani's home run. Even if the ball wasn't.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both part of the squad for the ODIs in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-20258:14

Aakash Chopra: Didn’t see Gill’s appointment coming this soon

Shubman Gill has been appointed India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, and will lead the side in the three-match series in Australia starting on October 19.Rohit has been picked in the ODI squad as a batter and, along with Virat Kohli, is set to represent India again for the first time since the 2025 Champions Trophy in March.The selection panel, headed by former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, met on Saturday in Ahmedabad, where India won the first Test of the series against West Indies by an innings and 140 runs. The reason behind the captaincy change was that the selectors wanted Gill to settle down well before the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It is understood the decision was taken collectively by Agarkar in coordination with India head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.Related

Tough but fair: selectors have prioritised future over sentiment

Gill inherits the wealth of India's Rohit-Kohli era

“Obviously at some stage you got to start looking at where the next World Cup is,” Agarkar said at a press conference in Ahmedabad. “It’s [ODIs] also a format which is played the least now, so you don’t get that many games to actually give the next guy, or if there is going to be another guy, that much time to prepare himself or plan. We are two years away still, might look like a long time, but we don’t quite know how many one-day games we might play. Closer to the World Cup we might end up playing a little bit more than what we have, but the last one-day game we played was what, 8th or 9th March in Champions Trophy, and the next one we play is in October 19th, so it is a bit of a challenge with one-day cricket at the moment … It is very difficult to have three different captains for three formats, in terms of not just selectors but more importantly even for the coach, to plan with three different people is never easy.”Gill, 26, now holds formal leadership roles in all three formats as Test and ODI captain and vice-captain of the T20I team. “Hopefully not, he is still quite young,” Agarkar said when asked about the risk of Gill burning out given his workload. “We hope there is no burnout. It is true there is a lot of cricket coming thick and fast over the next few months in particular. We will try and manage it as best as we can, but you also want to, like I said, give the guy enough time to try and prepare going into that next World Cup, which is 24 months away, but may not be that many games, so we want to give him the best possible chance.”ESPNcricinfo LtdRohit, 38, was India’s full-time ODI captain from December 2021. Overall, he led India in 56 ODIs, winning 42, losing 12, with one tie and another no-result. He led India to the 2018 Asia Cup title as stand-in captain, and then to the 2023 Asia Cup title as full-time captain. Under his leadership, India made the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. His tenure culminated in India winning the Champions Trophy.Gill had also become India’s Test captain following Rohit’s retirement from the format in May ahead of India’s tour of England this summer. In his maiden series as Test captain, Gill led India to a 2-2 draw in England, and finished as the highest run-scorer with 754 runs at an average of 75.40.With Rohit and Kohli both retired from Tests and T20Is, the upcoming ODI series in Australia will be their first international appearance in more than seven months. After the three ODIs in Australia, their next opportunities to play for India are in the three-ODI home series against South Africa in November-December and against New Zealand in January.India play three ODIs in Australia on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is from October 29 to November 8.

Manchester United have made a series of exciting signings recently to try and breed a new era at Old Trafford, and they could now look to sign a rising star from within England.

Truthfully, the last decade has seen the Red Devils’ stock and reputation fall as they look to return to the elite of English football. Still, additions such as Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have shown a sense of ambition under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Even with the need for a new midfielder at Manchester United clear amid uncertainty over Casemiro’s future, boss Ruben Amorim has indicated he is keen to get more out of Manuel Ugarte in the meantime following his move from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

He said before his side’s clash with Everton: “You can sense a lot of very good players come here, and sometimes they struggle. He is struggling at the moment but it is our job to try to help and help him to feel like I felt when he was a Sporting player. But it is a different world. He needs to adapt, and he needs to improve, especially in training.”

Several targets have been linked to replace veteran Casemiro, with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes and Atletico Madrid midfielder Connor Gallagher on their list.

Amorim will continue to build over the coming months and is likely to get time to implement his vision, albeit further signings will be necessary to make his formation a bona fide success as his squad continue to evolve.

Now, he may have an alternative England international firmly on his radar as Manchester United look to restore themselves among the Champions League slots at a minimum this term.

Man Utd set to bid for Elliot Anderson

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are set to bid for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson as they up the ante in pursuit of a Casemiro replacement, with a move for the Englishman backed by both Jason Wilcox and Amorim himself.

The latter is unlikely to see his contract renewed at Old Trafford, and steps could now be taken to sign the Tricky Trees man, a move that may cost between £80 and £100 million.

Elliot Anderson’s Premier League campaign (Fotmob)

Appearances

12

Goals

1

Assists

1

Chances created

18

Successful passes

714

Successful crosses

16

Once January comes around, Manchester United could offer a package at around the £60 million mark, albeit that is unlikely to be enough to land Anderson in the face of his magnificent form at the City Ground.

Nevertheless, the former Newcastle United man, labelled “elite” by Thomas Tuchel, is open to joining a big six club and could be someone the club now values as a realistic target more than Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd now make approach to sign exciting gem who shone at U17 World Cup

The Red Devils are now keen to secure his signature before some high-profile suitors.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 23, 2025

For now, speculation will continue to mount over Anderson’s future, but the pursuit may be one to keep an eye on as Amorim looks to lead Manchester United to silverware in the coming years.

Neymar went against advice from doctors to play through on for Santos as they secured a crucial win in their bid to beat the drop from Brazil's top flight. Santos hosted Brasileirao footers Sport Recife and secured what could prove to be a vital three points as they look to stave off the threat of relegation. And Neymar was key in a 3-0 victory that may have ended the forward's season.

Neymar influential as Santos down Sport Recife

Neymar fired Santos ahead midway through the first half and the hosts were two goals to the good 10 minutes later after a Lucas Kal own goal doubled Santos' advantage. And the three points were sewn up midway through the second half as Neymar turned provider for Joao Schmidt to confirm a 3-0 victory.

The win extended Santos' unbeaten run to four matches as they secured just their 10th league victory of the season. Santos now sit two points above the relegation zone ahead of their final two games of the campaign as they look to beat the drop.

Relegation rivals Vitoria host high-flying Mirassol, while Fortaleza host Atletico MG on Sunday evening as the battle to beat the drop goes to the wire. Neymar, though, has done all he can at the risk of aggravating a knee injury that could now rule him out for the final two games of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSantos had a 'plan' for their talisman

Neymar has endured an injury-hit campaign, meaning he has been restricted to just 15 league starts this season. The Brazilian missed the recent 1-1 draw with Internacional with a knee issue, though the plan had always been for Neymar to play some part against Sport Recife over the weekend.

Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Internacional, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda revealed what he had in mind for Neymar, stating: "The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport. I have to talk to him, I'm not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar's decisions.

"But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there. Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days. With travel, we'll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He's a player we need for all three rounds and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there. He felt he wouldn't be able to meet the demands of today's game."

Neymar to miss the final two games

Neymar trained ahead of the game against Sport Recife even after it was recommended that he undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee. The issue is said to be causing Neymar persistent pain, but he was willing to play through the pain in order to boost Santos' survival chances.

And while he defied medical advice to play a vital role in Santos' win over Sport Recife, earning a standing ovation has he exited the field, Neymar will miss the final two games of the Brasileirao season due to the meniscus injury.

Santos see out the campaign with a trip to relegated Juventude next week before the welcome of Cruzeiro in a potential relegation decider in the final round of Brasileirao fixtures. Rivals Vitora follow up their welcome of Mirassol with games against Red Bull Bragantino and Sao Paulo, while Fortaleza take on Corinthians and Botafogo following Sunday's game against Atletico MG.

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Getty Images SportInjury will impact 2026 World Cup spot

Neymar's latest setback may impact his Brazil chances with head coach Carlo Ancelotti previously stating what is required for the 33-year-old to secure his Selecao spot in North America next summer.

"Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list," Ancelotti said earlier this month. "Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends he'll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again," the Italian stated elsewhere.

The former Barcelona and PSG forward's current Santos deal expires at the end of the year, and the club is in a dilemma over the player's future.

"Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup," Santos club President Marcelo Teixeira said recently. "If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

With Angel Hernandez no longer calling games, the honor of being the worst umpire in MLB belongs to Laz Diaz. The veteran ump has been infuriating players, managers and fans for years and that continued Tuesday night in Phoenix.

In the top of the seventh inning it seemed Orioles hitter Tyler O'Neill didn't check his swing on a ball that was outside the zone. Diaz, who was the first base ump, ruled that he didn't swing and a pitch later O'Neill drew a walk in a two-run game.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo didn't like that one bit and let Diaz know about it in one of the most heated ejections of the young season.

Here's how that all played out:

The Diamondbacks were able to hang on and win the game, 4-3.

India legspinner steps in for contest against Hampshire at Utilita Bowl

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2025 Rahul Chahar, the India spinner, has joined Surrey for their season-ending fixture against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl this week, as the club bids for their fourth County Championship title in a row.Chahar, 26, was registered to play for Surrey at the start of September, in line with ECB regulations, but was not required to play in the club’s home matches against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire. That latter fixture ended in a thrilling 20-run loss that has handed Notts control of the title race going into the final week.Chahar has regularly featured for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, and also made a one-off appearance in this season’s IPL, as an impact substitute for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Overall, he has taken 87 wickets in 24 first-class matches at 26.12, with best match figures of 9 for 148.He also played one ODI and six T20Is for India between 2019 and 2021, around the same time that he played a key role in Mumbai Indians’ twin IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.”I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match,” Chahar said. “I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season.”His call-up comes after Surrey lost both of their current spinning options, Will Jacks and Cam Steel, to injury. Alec Stewart, the club’s high-performance advisor, said: “Adding Rahul to the squad gives us another spin option at the Utilita Bowl.”We always knew that we would be missing players for the final period of the season and try to plan accordingly given the potential surfaces and the opposition we’re playing.”We had originally earmarked for Sai Kishore to return for the latter stages of the season but he unfortunately has a finger injury resulting in an operation has meant he was unavailable.”Surrey trail Nottinghamshire by 14 points going into the final round of matches, meaning that they must win their fixture, and hope that Notts accrue fewer than 11 points in their own final match against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

At an extravagant White House state dinner honouring Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), U.S. President Donald Trump announced the presence of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Acknowledging his youngest son Barron's admiration for the Al-Nassr and Portugal striker, Trump joked that the meeting had increased his son’s respect for him. Ronaldo was joined at the black-tie event by his fiancée Georgina Rodriguez, and they both posed for a selfie with Elon Musk at one stage.

Superstar guests at White House event

Ronaldo attended the high-profile event alongside a host of world business and technology leaders, including Tesla and X boss Musk. The black-tie affair was organised to deepen ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and it was Ronaldo's first known appearance on American soil since 2016. His attendance with the Saudi delegation highlights his role as a public face for the kingdom's recent diplomatic and sports investments. Trump began the dinner with a speech, recognizing the gathering of "unbelievable dignitaries" such as FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a number of billionaires, and prominent business leaders. 

The United States are joint-hosts of next year’s World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, and Portugal qualified for the event earlier this week without CR7, who sat their final game against Armenia out through suspension following his first-ever international red card during the qualifier with the Republic of Ireland. However, Trump still singled out Ronaldo with a special tribute in his speech.

AdvertisementPresident Trump: 'Really an honour'

President Trump said: "You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever Ronaldo is here. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here. Really an honour."

Getty ImagesGrowing friendship between Ronaldo and Trump

Ronaldo recently interacted with the President, sending him a signed jersey with the inscription, "To President Donald J. Trump, Playing for Peace". The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star said at the time: "He is one of the guys who can help to change the world. One of the most important guys is the U.S. President. If we can help each other to make this happen… He is one of the guys I wish to meet to sit and have a nice talk. If it is here, or in the U.S., wherever he wants, I know he was here in Saudi Arabia with our boss, MBS. I wish one day to meet him."

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GettyWorld Cup worry for Portugal

Ronaldo was among the first to congratulate Portugal on their World Cup qualification after seeing his international colleagues complete a nine-goal rout of Armenia and will get to grace yet another major international tournament. Portugal boss Roberto Martinez faces missing his talisman for their World Cup opener when the tournament kicks off next June, because Ronaldo still has two games left to serve of his suspension for elbowing an opponent, but an appeal will reportedly be launched.

Martinez said: "After the game it’s a difficult time because emotions can be unclear. I saw his reaction to a provocation. It started at the beginning of the game, in every play in the penalty area. It even started the day before in the press conference. And it was a reaction of trying to continue playing. Others might fall to the ground and look for a penalty. It’s not a violent action, it’s not a red card for violence, but a reaction to a provocation. We need to try to show the case and prepare well. I would say it would be very unfair to impose a long suspension." 

Ronaldo has already made it very clear that, at the age of 41, the 2026 World Cup will be his last.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a fairly concerning injury update on the condition of Kai Havertz, who was rumoured to be in contention for this weekend’s looming North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium.

After losing star defender Gabriel Magalhaes to a thigh injury earlier this week, which cut short his international tour of duty with Brazil, the last thing Arteta needs is another injury setback.

Arsenal, who top the Premier League table after a sensational run of form and haven’t lost a single game since their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in August, have done extraordinarily well to cope without a plethora of key attackers lately — including Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus and Havertz.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Odegaard, Madueke, Havertz and Jesus have been on the treatment table for extended periods, with the latter last in line to return to action after he ruptured his ACL against Man United at the start of 2025.

Madueke is racing to be fit for this weekend’s clash with Tottenham after impressing Arsenal rehab staff in his recovery from a knee problem, with Odegaard in the same boat according to reliable media sources like Standard Sport.

Havertz was believed to be in contention as well, but an update from Nagelsmann threatens to cast some doubt over his involvement against Spurs on Sunday.

The 26-year-old was sidelined in the opening week of the Premier League campaign and required surgery on a knee issue, having only just returned from a hamstring injury which kept him out for months.

It’s been a frustrating time for Havertz, and while reports suggest he’s been excelling in his Arsenal rehab similar to Madueke, Nagelsmann has actually made a suggestion to the contrary.

Julian Nagelsmann makes Kai Havertz injury claim in worry for Arsenal

Speaking to reporters this week, the Germany boss made an interesting prediction, stating that he expects Havertz to return “towards the end of the year”.

This comes after the £280,000-per-week star also suffered a “minor relapse” of his knee injury, though Nagelsmann has moved to say that Havertz is “doing well” all things considered.

While this doesn’t mean that Havertz is definitively out for this weekend’s all-important derby clash, it doesn’t exactly paint a certain picture of his involvement either, so Arsenal could have another injury worry on their hands here after a few scares over the international break.

Luckily for Arteta, while Gabriel is a major doubt to face Tottenham, Riccardo Calafiori has been given the all-clear to play this weekend, according to Fabrizio Romano.

If Havertz does turn out to be ready for Sunday, with uncertainty surrounding him right now, it would come as an almighty boost.

Gyokeres is another Arsenal player who could miss the derby, so a return for Havertz would undoubtedly do wonders to alleviate the Swede’s absence, otherwise Mikel Merino is in line to start his third successive game as Arteta’s makeshift striker.

Elly De La Cruz is back to making baseball look really easy, and we're all better for it.

The Cincinnati Reds' 23-year-old phenom shortstop kicked off spring training last weekend by hitting home runs from each side of the plate in a game against the Cleveland Guardians.

Then on Wednesday, he once again showed off his ridiculous speed while cruising around the bases for one of the most nonchalant triples you'll ever see.

Look at how quickly he got to third against the Los Angeles Angels:

Too good.

Fans loved it:

Celtic have been searching for their next permanent head coach since Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from his position at the start of last week.

Martin O’Neill has taken charge of the Scottish giants for the two matches since the Northern Irish manager moved on from Parkhead, and has overseen wins over Falkirk and Rangers.

The experienced manager’s instant impact at Parkhead has provided the board with a cushion of time to find the right man for the job, rather than needing to rush a decision because of a need for results in the short-term.

One thing the next manager needs to be able to do is to coach a team to score goals on a consistent basis, because that was the area of Rodgers’ performance that was most lacking this season.

Matches managed

50

57

16

Goals scored

121

167

25

Goals scored per game

2.42

2.92

1.56

Points per game

2.24

2.26

1.78

Games without a goal scored

8

5

6

Games per goalless performance

6.25

11.4

2.66

As you can see in the table above, Celtic failed to score in more games in Rodgers’ 16 matches this season than they did in 57 outings in the 2025/26 campaign, which is a big cause for concern.

The Hoops need to find their next version of Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou, whose side rarely had trouble finding the back of the net.

Why Celtic need to find their next Ange Postecoglou

During his two seasons at Celtic, the former Spurs and Nottingham Forest manager made sure that the Scottish giants were goal machines across all competitions.

Postecoglou won five trophies in two years at Parkhead, including three domestic cups and two Scottish Premiership titles, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he was successful as well as being able to coach exciting and attacking football.

The 60-year-old head coach had the perfect blend of results and style, which is why he was the perfect manager for the club at the time, before his move to Tottenham in 2023.

Matches managed

60

53

Goals scored

137

147

Goals scored per game

2.28

2.77

Points per game

2.22

2.42

Games without a goal scored

7

4

Games per goalless performance

8.6

13.3

As you can see in the table above, Celtic only failed to score in 11 of their 113 matches with Postecoglou as their head coach in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

Whereas, the Hoops failed to score in 11 of Rodgers’ last 73 matches in charge since the start of last season, which shows that the Australian boss was far more successful at coaching a consistent attacking unit.

This is why the Celtic board should currently be looking for a manager who can be their next version of Postecoglou, to bring attacking football back to Parkhead this season.

With the search for the permanent successor to Rodgers ongoing, the Scottish giants have been told to consider an international manager by a former player.

Celtic told to hire attack-minded international manager

Ex-Celtic central midfielder Joe Ledley has urged the Premiership champions to swoop for Wales head coach Craig Bellamy as their next head coach.

He told the Celtic Way: “There have been a lot of links down here with Craig Bellamy. He’s had a fantastic start to his managerial career at Wales.

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“There’s a lot of hype around him. The way Wales are playing has been fantastic – really attacking minded, always on the front foot. He’d be a perfect option for Celtic.

Ledley added: “I’ve told people up there he’d be a fantastic candidate for the Celtic job because of the way he plays. He’s always attacking-minded, enthusiastic, and lives and breathes football.”

Sky Sports reported last week that Bellamy is one of the names in the frame for the role, which suggests that there is a chance that the club make a move for him.

Why Celtic should move for Craig Bellamy

The 46-year-old tactician is a really interesting managerial option because he has never managed a club at first-team level, which means that he would be stepping into a high-pressure environment at Celtic for the first time as a club manager.

This means that it is hard to say with any degree of certainty that Bellamy, who typically plays a 4-2-3-1, as Postecoglou did, would be a success at Parkhead, as he does not have a track record of coaching first-team clubs to fall back on.

However, his work with Wales at international level does suggest that he has the ability to coach a team to attack well, as Ledley suggested with his comments.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast in September, Bellamy rubbished claims that playing out from the back is a “risk”, saying that he does not feel it is a “risk” to play under pressure when you have a number advantage around your own box.

Games managed

45

14

Goals scored

55

22

Goals scored per game

1.22

1.57

Points per game

1.33

1.57

Games without a goal scored

14

4

Games per goalless game

3.2

3.5

That mentality and way of coaching his team, as shown in the table above, has improved Wales both in terms of results and goals scored, as they are winning more points and scoring more goals than they did under the previous manager, Rob Page.

This shows that he has demonstrable success in improving a team as an attacking force, which is what Celtic need after their struggles in front of goal at the start of the season under Rodgers.

Last year, Welsh forward Harry Wilson explained that Bellamy’s way of playing is about taking more risks when playing out from the back, which helps to build an attacking style of play that creates more chances for the forwards.

Therefore, Bellamy could be the next Postecoglou at Parkhead because of his desire to play front-footed and attack-minded football that is full of ‘risks’, even if the manager does not view them as risks.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic could go far in Europe by hiring "unbeatable" manager

Celtic could upgrade on Brendan Rodgers in a key area by hiring this head coach.

ByDan Emery Nov 4, 2025

However, it still remains to be seen whether or not the former Celtic winger would be willing to move on from the Wales job before the World Cup next summer.