Liverpool have lost four games on the spin in the Premier League and their latest setback came under controversial circumstances at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Arne Slot’s side slipped to another damaging defeat on Saturday night after being beaten 3-2 by Brentford, adding to recent defeats against Manchester United, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

The defending Premier League champions are now sat seventh in the table, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, and Wayne Rooney has concerns about the leadership within the team.

“Three or four weeks ago no one saw this coming. It has hit them quick, it’s hit them hard and I think they’re struggling to find a way out of it,” the former England and Manchester United striker said on his podcast this weekend.

“This is a time where the manager, the leaders in the team need to figure it out very quickly. (Virgil) Van Dijk and (Mohamed) Salah signed new deals, but I don’t think they’ve really lead that team this season, with performances and body language.

“Body language tells you a lot and I think we are seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team. If their body language isn’t right that affects everyone else.

“If I was a Liverpool fan or the manager that would be a big concern for me.”

Move over Salah: Slot's 5/10 Liverpool star is the new Jordan Henderson

Liverpool’s crisis deepened as they were condemned to a fourth successive Premier League defeat at Brentford.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 26, 2025 Hooper praised for role in Liverpool penalty decision

Van Dijk was furious about the decision to award Brentford a penalty for his challenge on Dango Ouattara during the second half, a call that was made by back-up referee Tim Robinson after Simon Hooper had to be replaced due to an injury.

Hooper had his own controversy to deal with in the first half however, neglecting to award Liverpool a penalty after Nathan Collins tangled with Cody Gakpo.

The incident has now been reviewed by former PGMOL referee Dermot Gallagher, who labelled the decision “marvellous”.

“When you look, Nathan Collins plants his foot, he does no more, he doesn’t make a challenge, I think Gakpo anticipates the challenge, it doesn’t come and he goes over, it’s not a foul,” he said on Sky Sports’ ref review show.

He continued: “I think Simon Hooper has done really marvellous there. Because it does look a penalty, there’s no doubt it looks a penalty… you look at the replay and you see it’s so different. But Simon Hooper has one look, makes one decision, gets it right.”

While it certainly would have been a soft penalty, Liverpool fans will be incensed by Gallagher’s claims that Collins “doesn’t make a challenge”, but they can have little complaints about the final score.

Brentford were just the latest team to walk away with a higher expected goals rate than the Reds, and Arne Slot’s side are being outfought on a weekly basis, which will be the most worrying aspect of the current rut for owners FSG, who pumped huge funds into the Dutchman’s squad this summer.

Whether conversations begin about the manager’s future may be determined by their fixtures prior to the November international break, as they face Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Man City in the next four.

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O Palmeiras recebe o Botafogo-SP no Allianz Parque, nesta quinta-feira (2), no jogo que marca a estreia do Verdão na Copa do Brasil 2024, competição pela qual o clube busca o pentacampeonato neste ano.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasDicasPalmeiras x Botafogo-SP: odds, estatísticas e informações para apostar no jogo de ida da 3ª fase da Copa do BrasilDicas01/05/2024PalmeirasE o Rômulo? Abel Ferreira cita montanha para reforço escalar no PalmeirasPalmeiras01/05/2024PalmeirasPalmeiras se reapresenta e deve ter importante reforço para estreia na Copa do BrasilPalmeiras30/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

A diretoria alviverde abaixou consideravelmente o preço dos ingressos para este jogo, mas mesmo assim a procura por cadeiras está bem diferente do normal.

Restando apenas um dia para o jogo, 21 mil ingressos foram vendidos e o clube precisa vender praticamente a outra metade de cadeiras até então vazias, para ter casa cheia para o duelo decisivo na Copa do Brasil.

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Diante do Liverpool-URU, pela Libertadores, apenas 28 mil palmeirenses tiveram presentes no Allianz Parque e Abel Ferreira cobrou mais apoio da torcida ao atual tricampeão paulista na coletiva após a partida.

Atualmente, o Palmeiras é o clube brasileiro com o maior número de sócios-torcedores, ultrapassando a casa dos 183 mil associados.

➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Os ingressos para Palmeiras x Botafogo-SP seguem à venda no site www.ingressospalmeiras.com.br

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The Yankees suffered another tough loss Wednesday night, falling to the Minnesota Twins, 4–1, in what was their eighth lost in their last 12 games.

Arguably the most questionable move made by manager Aaron Boone in the loss was turning the ball over to Yerry De Los Santos in the sixth inning of a tie game. De Los Santos isn't one of the better relievers in New York's bullpen, yet Boone elected to bring him out in an important spot, and he paid the price.

De Los Santos didn't record an out, surrendering three runs before exiting the game, and the Yankees went on to lose.

On Thursday, Yankees announcer Michael Kay delivered a fiery rant about Boone's decision to go with De Los Santos, ripping into the manager for failing to adapt to the game situation and sticking too closely to a pre-determined plan.

"I don't know why they went to De Los Santos. Aaron explained it after the game, 'Well we felt it was a proper lane for him'–Stop! Who's your best pitcher? Who's the better pitcher that you can bring in? Every single pitcher in the bullpen was available last night? Who's your best? Who's your best to pitch the sixth inning?" ranted Kay on his ESPN radio show.

"People have to wake up. The season is slipping away. It's slipping away. You're tied in the loss column with the Cleveland Guardians. You're tied. And the Texas Rangers… they're breathing down you're neck," he said, before delivering a comical impression of Boone.

It's a fair assessment of the Yankees' recent woes. The team has effectively been in a prolonged slump since May, and Boone has failed to get the team out of it.

تحدث الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن اهتمام نادي جيرونا بالتعاقد مع نجله مصطفي شوبير، حارس مرمى منتخب مصر والفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي.

وقال شوبير، عبر قناة النهار: “مصطفى يمتلك وكيلا إسبانيا، هو من تواصل مع الحارس واختاره بنفسه وتعاقد معه وتلك المعلومة التي لدي”.

طالع.. حمزة عبد الكريم يتحدث عن العروض الأخيرة.. وسر تواجده في قائمة منتخب مصر

وواصل: “في وقت سابق، كان هناك عرض من نادي فالنسيا من خلال نفس الوكيل، ووقتها الأهلي رفض رحيل مصطفى شوبير عن صفوفه بعد جلسة مع محمد يوسف المدير الرياضي والذي شدد أن رحيل الحارس لا نقاش فيه”.

وأكمل: “حتى الآن لا يوجد أي عروض رسمية من جيرونا، لكنه مجرد اهتمام والأمور تبدأ من الصحف، وهناك أندية أخرى تتابع مصطفى لكنه يرفض اللعب لأندية في أي دوري درجة ثانية”.

واختتم: “حتى الآن مصطفى شوبير ضمن صفوف الأهلي، والنادي سيرى المناسب له في حال وصول عرض جيد، إما الموافقة وينتقل لنادي جديد أو الاستمرار في القلعة الحمراء”.

Christian Yelich is using a custom Bob Uecker bat for the Brewers' MLB Players Weekend series against the Reds. On Friday night, Yelich and the bat did Uecker proud going 4 for 5 at the plate with two home runs as Milwaukee won their 13th consecutive game, tying the longest winning streak in franchise history.

Milwaukee also came back from a seven-run deficit in the game thanks in no small part of the work of Yelich and that special bat.

Yelich hit a home run to lead off the second inning and tie the game at 1-1. After the Reds scored seven runs in the 2nd inning, Yelich doubled in a run in his second at-bat and then drove in another with a single in the 4th. By the time he came back to the plate in the 6th the game was tied and he only needed a triple for the cycle.

Instead he hit another home run.

The former MVP also paid tribute to Uecker with his outfit on opening day. The legendary Brewers announcer passed away in January.

What a night for a number of reasons.

Trea Turner accomplished an impressive feat on Monday night, recording the 1,500th hit of his MLB career. It’s a tribute to his longevity, his talent at the plate, and his consistency year after year.

But there’s another reason that Turner was likely even more excited about the hit that cleared the milestone—it was his first home run of the year at Citizens Bank Park.

In the second inning, with two men on and the Phillies already holding a 2–0 lead over Seattle, Turner took Logan Gilbert out of the park.

It was the 13th home run of the season for Turner, but somehow, the first 12 of his year had all come on the road. While Turner has been having a stellar year at the plate—he leads the NL in hits—Phillies fans had grown somewhat concerned that his power had apparently stalled at home.

Turner had himself a full day at the plate, going 4-for-6 with five RBIs and two runs scored. He wasn’t the only Phillie to tee off, as teammate Bryce Harper hit two dingers of his own against the Mariners, and the team finished with 21 hits—the most they’ve had at Citizens Bank Park in more than 15 years.

While the team awaits news on pitcher Zach Wheeler’s health, the Phillies' bats are going to have to be extra active to keep them in the hunt for a title.

Shohei Ohtani recored his 1,000th career MLB hit on Wednesday. No. 1,000 came on a 1-1 count in the bottom of the 3rd inning when he hit a massive two-run home run to give his team a 2-1 lead. Ohtani did his usual celebrations as he rounded the bases for the 39th time this season, but when he got to the dugout something changed.

As you can see in the image featured above, Ohtani clearly snapped. Or sneezed. Or stepped on a LEGO. Or maybe he could see into the future and knew that he'd be pulled after four innings with the lead and the defense would give up the game-tying run on a very bad defensive play with two outs in the 8th.

In addition to that home run, Ohtani also struck out a season-high eight St. Louis Cardinals on the mound. He's now struck out 33 batters and given up just six earned runs in 23 innings this season. Not bad for the guy who has the third most home runs in baseball.

The Polar Bear is reportedly headed to a warmer climate.

Longtime Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is joining the Orioles on a five-year contract worth $155 million, according to a Wednesday afternoon report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. Alonso, 31, has spent his entire seven-year career with New York.

Debuting in 2019, the first baseman immediately established himself as a superstar with a MLB-best 53 home runs. In a career that has seen him make five All-Star teams (and memorably win two Home Run Derbies), he has also led the National League in RBIs (131 in 2022) and doubles (41 in 2025).

Per Passan, Alonso's deal is the most lucrative ever for a first baseman on an average annual value basis.

Baltimore—which won 101 games as recently as 2023—is looking to put a disappointing '25 behind it. Much of the Orioles' lineup underachieved a year ago, and the team dismissed manager Brandon Hyde after 43 games.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Alonso will debut for Baltimore on March 26 against the Twins.

The Angels' hire of Kurt Suzuki as their manager was met with much fanfare, given his strong track record across 16 years of big-league service from 2007 to '22.

However, Suzuki's arrival has reportedly come with a catch.

Los Angeles has Suzuki on a one-year contract, according to a Wednesday afternoon report from Sam Blum of . That, Blum noted, is a highly unusual arrangement for a managerial contract.

Almost all managerial contracts are multiyear deals, such as (to cite a recent example) the Rangers' hire of Skip Schumaker on a four-year contract. As Blum mentioned, issues related to contract length reportedly scuttled the Angels' negotiations with former first baseman Albert Pujols.

Suzuki, 42, played the last two years of his career with Los Angeles. He also spent time with the Athletics, Nationals, Twins and Braves, slashing .255/.314/.388 with 143 home runs and 730 RBIs lifetime.

He takes over an Angels team that has not made the playoffs since 2014 and has not won a postseason game since the 2009 American League division series.

If they get enough opportunities, these youngsters are capable of making a big mark

Danyal Rasool and Umar Farooq19-Feb-2020
Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Islamabad United)
Just 21, Abdullah comes into the PSL without any baggage, having not played an official T20 at any level. But there’s still plenty from his record to be excited by. Since making his first-class debut just over a year ago, the left arm spinner has built a flourishing reputation as a prolific wicket-taker, having snared 59 in 19 first-class games at 23.38. He comes into the tournament fresh off a six-wicket haul in Faisalabad and four wickets in an innings in Bahawalpur during a pair of Second XI games, and while his List A record isn’t as encouraging as that in first-class cricket, this is a great opportunity for him to change that. Shadab Khan and Zafar Gohar should be ahead of him in the pecking order, but it’s unlikely Abdullah won’t get his chance at some point, and if he does, there’s enough to suggest he will surprise a few people.Arshad Iqbal (Karachi Kings)
In a squad as full of quality fast bowlers as Karachi Kings, there’s a possibility Iqbal will not get the opportunity his precocious talent deserves. Part of Pakistan’s squad that made it to the semi-finals of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, the quick was one of only some Pakistan players to give a good account of himself in a game Pakistan lost heavily to India, taking 3 for 51. He went on to make his first-class debut for WAPDA that year, taking five wickets in the match. His short career in T20 cricket has been impressive too – he has taken ten wickets at 17 with an economy rate of 6.80 in seven matches. Should he get to add to them, there’s little reason to feel he will not be able to continue the upward trajectory.Aamir Ali (Peshawar Zalmi)
There isn’t too much you can say with certainty about Aamir just yet, and indeed he may find opportunities limited this season. The 17-year-old left-arm spinner was part of Pakistan’s Under-19 World Cup campaign, and picked up four wickets in five games. He was also the youngest player to feature in this season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking the wicket of his Peshawar Zalmi team-mate Kamran Akmal on debut. Peshawar have seen another spin bowler in Ibtisam Sheikh fall off after a very promising PSL 2 years ago. So they should have extra incentive to make sure Aamir doesn’t fall in the same trap, particularly since, for all their success in the PSL, Peshawar are one of the franchises yet to serve as the springboard for an emerging player’s career.Rohail Nazir drives through the off side•Getty ImagesRohail Nazir (Multan Sultans)
All right, so this is a bit of a cop-out. You should know who Nazir is, but familiarity should not take away from anything. The 18-year-old was captain of Pakistan’s Under-19 side at the latest World Cup, scoring a half-century in the semi-final in a losing cause against India. He is already captain of his first-class side in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, and steered them to the final of the competition, accumulating 150 runs across two innings. Multan Sultans have already appointed him vice-captain, and as the only enlisted keeper in the squad, he’s pretty much a first-teamer. That should both be exciting and challenging for Nazir; T20 cricket is the one format he hasn’t raced out of the blocks in. Averages north of 36 and 47 in first-class and List A competitions respectively sit out of kilter with a T20 average of 18 at under 114. Nothing about his technique suggests this is not rectifiable, and he’ll be one of the players to keep a close eye on.Arish Ali Khan (Quetta Gladiators)
Arish is just 19, a left-arm spinner who emerged from a PCB-conducted tournament in 2016, ending as the leading wicket-taker with 45 strikes at 12.24. Since then, he has been part of the Pakistan youth set-up. He soon became the captain of the Pakistan Under-16 team, and after good returns against Australia in the UAE in the one-dayers and T20s, he made into the Under-19 circuit, and continued to do well, finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the national Under-19 three-day tournament last year with 30 strikes at 16.27. He did make it to the He is a success of the system, and has a happy knack of picking up wickets at critical junctures.Maaz Khan (Lahore Qalandars)
Maaz is a product of the Lahore Qalandars scouting programme – from Jamrud in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he is a legspinner with the attitude of a fast bowler. He has a good googly, a flipper, and can turn the new ball well too. He wasn’t picked in the Draft, the PCB allowed Qalandars to pick up an additional emerging player from their own programme. Yet to have a go in the domestic set-up, Maaz was unleashed against Titans in the Abu Dhabi T20 Cup in 2018, and finished with 2 for 23 after opening the bowling.