Sport

Historians looking back at UCLA’s 2025 football season will peg the Penn State game as the Bruins’ first victory.

In ways both large and small, they will be wrong.

When Tim Skipper first took over the team a month ago, he placed a new opponent on the schedule: the locker room. The interim coach showed players pictures of how it should look, including the lockers and the surrounding floor.

They scrubbed the place and it’s been spotless ever since. Sort of like the Bruins’ play starting with that Penn State game.

“I think a clean locker room makes you a lot happier,” Skipper explained this week. “It shows team discipline and it shows you can win off the field, so now you can go ahead and get on the field.”

Skipper’s other primary motivational device — besides his highly transmissible energy — has been slogans. He started by telling his players to strain, to give everything they had in the pursuit of winning. After the Bruins beat Penn State, he asked players whether they were one-hit wonders. Now, his players having established they know what it takes to win following a smackdown of Michigan State, he’s asking them to maintain their approach.

At their Sunday meeting, the Bruins saw their new mantra — the standard is the standard — on a big screen.

“We have identified a style of play that we want to be, and it’s our job now to keep the standard the standard, you know, play with that fanatical effort, play with fundamentals, being smart, you know, all those things we just have to continue to do,” Skipper said. “But it’s not like something that’s just going to show up on Saturday. You have to practice about it. You have to work on it and not just talk about it.”

Can the Bruins keep it up after two consecutive victories? Here are five things to watch Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl when UCLA (2-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) faces Maryland (4-2, 1-2):

Rowley spent four years in charge of Leigh between 2012 and 2016 before spending two years as head coach of Toronto Wolfpack.

He initially joined Salford as a coaching consultant in 2019 and stepped up to the top job for the 2022 campaign.

His first three seasons in charge brought two play-off finishes but any hopes of building on those in 2025 were scuppered by a litany of off-field issues.

The Red Devils were beset by financial problems, which led to the vast majority of the senior playing squad leaving and Rowley being forced to pull together sides week to week.

Against that chaotic backdrop they managed three Super League wins and ended with two points deducted for failing to fulfil a fixture against Wakefield.

Before their final game of the season last month he admitted that he was “relieved to have reached the end of the year.”

“I’m pretty proud that I managed to get the team to the finish line,” Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester as he reflected on the 2025 season.

“That’s a bit sad really because you should never want the finish line to come in rugby league where the last game is the most important.

“Everybody at the club, certainly the staff, have been immense. I’m surrounded by good people. My staff have become my best friends and I think the moral compass of the staff at this club is unparalleled.”

Rams star receiver Puka Nacua will not play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars because of an ankle injury he suffered in last Sunday’s victory over the Baltimore Ravens, coach Sean McVay told reporters Friday in Baltimore.

Nacua, who ranks among NFL leaders in catches and yards receiving, did not practice this week in Baltimore, where the Rams stayed before their scheduled departure to London on Friday.

The Rams (4-2) play the Jaguars (4-2) at Wembley Stadium.

Veteran receiver Davante Adams is expected to become quarterback Matthew Stafford’s primary target. Tutu Atwell, who sat out against the Ravens because of a hamstring injury, will return Sunday. Jordan Whittington also is expected to start.

Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein also was ruled out because of an ankle injury that has sidelined him for several games.

The due diligence already completed towards Postecoglou’s possible replacement provides a clear indication of the jeopardy the Australian faces.

It would be hard for any manager to change the direction of travel in these circumstances.

Of course, Postecoglou will back himself to turn it around. That’s his nature.

Speaking in his pre-match news conference on Friday, he said: “Some look at the weeds but I look at what is growing. I am really excited as I have a group of young players willing to change.

“I just don’t fit, not here, just in general. If you look at it through the prism of ‘I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job’ then of course this first five weeks looks like ‘this guy’s under pressure’. There is an alternative story that you could look at it.”

Owner Marinakis wants him to succeed, having backed Postecoglou’s track record of winning silverware as one of the key factors in why he appointed him in the first place.

Indeed, prior to their previous Premier League outing against Newcastle – that resulted in a 2-0 loss – well-placed sources told BBC Sport Postecoglou still maintained the immediate backing of the Forest owner.

There was, though, recognition that the result and manner of performance at St James’ Park would have a key influence on how Marinakis viewed his manager’s future.

Likewise, there is a feeling Postecoglou has not been helped by refereeing decisions.

For instance, during the Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland – during which supporters turned on Postecoglou – earlier this month, there was a feeling as many as 14 key decisions went against Forest.

But with that said, the internal scrutiny on Postecoglou is intense.

Victory over Chelsea could mean he takes the first step towards what appears an unlikely road to recovery at Forest.

Lose the game, and the writing is already on the wall.

HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

New Designs University Park 36, TEACH Tech 0

Verdugo Hills 26, Arleta 6

Verdugo Hills 26, Arleta 13

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alhambra 36, Keppel 8

Antelope Valley 6, Highland 0

Banning 50, Rancho Mirage 33

Bellflower 26, Norwalk 0

Bishop Amat 25, St. Paul 0

Bonita 32, Claremont 15

Burbank Burroughs 33, Providence 0

California 30, Whittier 14

Castaic 21, Golden valley 12

Cerritos 26, Pioneer 0

Costa Mesa 14, Godinez 6

Covina 19, West Covina 13

Crean Lutheran 39, Azusa 0

Desert Hot Springs 22, Cathedral City 6

Hart 32, Canyon Country Canyon 6

Irvine 7, Laguna Beach 0

Irvine University 35, Rosary 13

Knight 13, Lancaster 6

La Canada 40, Rio Hondo Prep 12

Laguna Hills 14, Westminster 7

Montebello 6, San Gabriel 0

Newport Harbor 32, Aliso Niguel 6

Northview 18, Charter Oak 12

Paramount 12, La Mirada 0

Quartz Hill 22, Eastside 0

Rowland 12, Hacienda Heights Wilson 7

San Dimas 20, Alta Loma 6

Santa Fe 19, El Rancho 12

Saugus 14, Vasquez 7

Schurr 33, Bell Gardens 12

Sierra Vista 28, St. Lucy’s 31

South El Monte 34, Arroyo 7

Sunny Hills 6, Santa Ana Foothill 0

Tesoro 18, San Juan Hills 14

Tustin 26, Compton Early College 0

Villa Park 18, Troy 12

Warren 19, Gahr 0

Western Christian 13, Ontario Christian 7

West Ranch 34, Valencia 0

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

CITY SECTION

Birmingham 6, Cleveland 0

Carson 31, LA Marshall 21

Hollywood 25, Collins Family 13

El Camino Real 28, Chatsworth 0

LA Marshall 20, Jefferson 6

Jefferson 13, Carson 12

Maywood Academy 6, Torres 0

Panorama 42, Van Nuys 0

Panorama 48, Reseda 0

Roybal 6, LACES 0

Sotomayor 8, Maywood Academy 0

Sotomayor 40, Torres 0

Van Nuys 21, Granada Hills Kennedy 12

Venice 19, Fairfax 6

National League sides Brackley Town and Eastleigh will have their home ties in the first round of the FA Cup broadcast by the BBC.

Brackley will host League Two side Notts County at 17:30 GMT on Saturday, 1 November.

Eastleigh face another League Two outfit in Walsall at 14:15 GMT on Sunday, 2 November.

Both matches will be live on BBC Two and across BBC Sport channels, including BBC iPlayer.

There will be eight ties shown live on television overall and all will be available on TNT Sports.

Each of the clubs involved in the televised ties will receive a £50,000 fee.

From Jack Harris: During the first five innings Thursday afternoon, the Dodgers patiently waited.

For impossible shadows to subside on a sunny afternoon at Dodger Stadium.

For Milwaukee Brewers rookie star Jacob Misiorowski to lose steam amid an electric bulk-relief outing.

For the door to crack even slightly open, and give their veteran club — seeking a 3-0 lead in the National League Championship Series — the opportunity to burst through it.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the moment finally arrived.

And once the Brewers wavered, the relentless Dodgers pounced.

With a two-run rally fueled by professional hitting, aggressive baserunning and a little cat-and-mouse with the pitch clock, the Dodgers broke an early tie, took a lead they wouldn’t relinquish and moved to the doorstep of the World Series with a 3-1 win in Game 3 of the NLCS.

Continue reading here

Plaschke: Are these Dodgers the best postseason team in baseball history? They will be

Gold Glove finalist Mookie Betts’ fielding (and hitting) has Dodgers in position for sweep

Shaikin: It’s not easy to repeat as World Series champs, but Dodgers don’t seem to mind

Dodgers box score

MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE, RESULTS

All times Pacific

NLCS
Dodgers vs. Milwaukee

Dodgers 2, at Milwaukee 1 (box score)

Dodgers 5, at Milwaukee 1 (box score)

at Dodgers 3, Milwaukee 1 (box score)

Friday: at Dodgers, 5:30 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Saturday: at Dodgers, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Monday: at Milwaukee, 2 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Tuesday: at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

ALCS
Seattle vs. Toronto
Seattle 3, at Toronto 1 (box score)
Seattle 10, at Toronto 3 (box score)
Toronto 13, at Seattle 4 (box score)
Toronto 8, at Seattle 2 (box score)
Friday at Seattle, 3 p.m., FS1
Sunday at Toronto, 5 p.m., FS1
*-Monday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox/FS1

*-if necessary

From Ben Bolch: They’re calling their favorite audible again.

One quarterback guru contacts the other, asking for help in creating a dynamic offense.

The answer is always yes. The results say as much about Jerry Neuheisel and Noel Mazzone’s devotion to one another as they do about their ability to mass-produce yards and points for UCLA.

“No matter what happens,” Neuheisel said in an interview with The Times, “as long as you’re around him you have a smile on your face.”

The latest call came from the longtime apprentice to his mentor.

With the Bruins sputtering toward an 0-4 start, Neuheisel spoke with Mazzone about possibly returning to Westwood to assist with the offense. Just like he routinely had when he was UCLA’s offensive coordinator a decade earlier, Mazzone cultivated the necessary intelligence, learning that Neuheisel would be promoted from tight ends coach to playcaller before Neuheisel did.

Continue reading here

From Ryan Kartje: The call that King and Kaylon Miller waited their whole lives to receive came on their drive back from practice, late in their senior year at Calabasas High.

But Kaylon didn’t pick up. His phone marked the call as spam.

Fortunately for the twin brothers, their dream came with a follow-up text. When they called back, former USC offensive line coach Josh Henson delivered the good news. USC wanted both Kaylon, an offensive lineman, and King, a running back, to join the team as preferred walk-ons.

“We had to stop the car on the side of the road,” King said. “We were going crazy.”

“I turned to King, like, ‘What is life right now?’” Kaylon added. “There’s no way this opportunity is coming up.”

Continue reading here

KINGS

Filip Hallander scored his first career goal to give Pittsburgh the lead and the Penguins rallied to beat the Kings 4-2 on Thursday night.

Hallander, playing in his seventh NHL game, jammed in Rickard Rakell’s rebound at the near post for the short-handed goal at 6:50 of the third period to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the second game of a three-game California swing.

Evgeni Malkin, Connor Dewar and Sidney Crosby also scored, and Arturs Silovs made 30 saves for the Penguins.

Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala scored in the first period to give the Kings a 2-0 lead after one, but L.A. lost its third in a row. Anton Forsberg made 22 saves.

Continue reading here

Kings summary

NHL standings

DUCKS

Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes remained the NHL’s only unbeaten team with a 4-1 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night.

Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1948 — The Green Bay Packers intercept seven passes off Bob Waterfield in a 16-0 victory over the Rams.

1954 — Adrian Burk of the Philadelphia Eagles passes for seven touchdowns in a 49-21 victory over the Washington Redskins. Burk completes 19 of 27 passes for 232 yards and his longest touchdown pass is 26 yards.

1960 — The National League formally awards franchises to the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc. headed by Joan Payson and a Houston, Texas, group headed by Judge Roy Hofheinz, Craig Cullinan and R.E. Smith.

1964 — Quarterback Jerry Rhome is responsible for 56 of Tulsa’s 58 points with seven touchdown passes, two rushing touchdowns and a 2-point conversion in a 58-0 shutout of Louisville.

1974 — The Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 at the Capital Centre to earn the first victory in franchise history.

1989 — The Calgary Flames tie an NHL record by scoring two goals, both short-handed, in 4 seconds and also three goals in a 27-second span during the third period to pull into an 8-8 tie with the Quebec Nordiques.

1991 — Paul Coffey of the Pittsburgh Penguins becomes the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history. Coffey gets two assists in an 8-5 victory against the New York Islanders at the Civic Arena, giving him 1,053 career points (309 goals and 744 assists). Coffey passes longtime Islanders star Denis Potvin.

1991 — Angel Cordero Jr. becomes the 3rd jockey to win 7,000 races.

1992 — Jari Kurri of the Kings scores his 500th goal in an 8-6 win over the Boston Bruins. Kurri becomes the first European-trained player and 18th player overall to reach the mark.

2000 — Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 448th career victory as Colorado beats Washington 4-3 in overtime. Roy snaps a tie with Terry Sawchuk, who held the mark since 1970. Sawchuk earned his 447th victory in his 968th game, while Roy wins No. 448 in his 847th game.

2015 — Star forward Cristiano Ronaldo becomes Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, overtaking club legend Raul with his 324th goal in a 3-0 win over Levante.

2015 — Jalen Watts-Jackson scoops up a flubbed punt attempt and lumbers 38 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game, giving No. 7 Michigan State a shocking 27-23 win over No. 12 Michigan at the Big House.

2017 — Boston’s Gordon Hayward breaks his left ankle just five minutes into the season, a grisly injury that overshadows Kyrie Irving’s return to Cleveland and the Cavaliers’ 102-99 win over the shocked Celtics.

2021 — The Chicago Sky defeat the Phoenix Mercury 81-74 to win their first WNBA Championship three games to one. The Sky’s Kahleah Copper is named Finals MVP.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

She has informed the WDF she will not be playing in the women’s championship, which starts on 28 November

A WDF statement said: “Although Beau will no longer be competing on the Lakeside stage, we wish her all the best in the next stage of her darting career.

“She has been a fantastic ambassador for our system since we returned from the pandemic in 2021, winning every major WDF title on the way.

“It’s been fantastic to see how her game has gone from strength to strength playing in WDF events and we know that she’ll continue to make even more history on the PDC circuit.”

A minimum of four women will compete at the PDC World Championship after a new qualifying structure was announced.

This year’s event will have an expanded field of 128 players, up from 96 in 2024-25, with the winner taking home £1m of a £5m prize pot.

Fallon Sherrock, the only woman to have won matches in the tournament – in 2019 – is the only other female player to have qualified so far.

With seeded players entering the tournament in the first round, rather than the second, Greaves and Sherrock could meet one of the top men.

Shohei Ohtani has done next to nothing in the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers could sweep their way into the World Series on Friday, with Ohtani as a footnote in the NLCS story, but baseball’s best player has a flair for the dramatic.

Bring on the latest Babe Ruth comparison!

Baseball’s contemporary two-way superstar can do something Friday that baseball’s original two-way superstar never did.

Ruth started three postseason games as a pitcher, never hitting a home run in those games. Ohtani starts his second postseason game as a pitcher Friday, looking for his first postseason home run as a pitcher.

He could hit a home run and be the winning pitcher Friday, because why not?

“I feel like Shohei is a superhero character,” Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said.

In the division series, Ohtani had one hit in 18 at-bats, with nine strikeouts. After the Dodgers clinched, this was catcher Will Smith: “He didn’t do much this series. I expect next series for him to come out and hit like five homers. That’s just who he is.”

In this series, Ohtani has two hits in 11 at-bats, with five strikeouts. Over the NLDS and NLCS, he is batting .103 with no home runs, and he has struck out in 48% of his at-bats.

He has not hit five home runs in this series, as Smith had optimistically anticipated.

“I’m hoping he will tomorrow,” Smith said Thursday.

If a player has a rough week or two in June and changes up his routine, you might hear about it for a couple of minutes on the pregame show. Ohtani had a rough week or two in October and decided to take batting practice on the field instead of in the indoor cages Wednesday, and it became MAJOR BREAKING INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

Not just for fans, the ones that have made his jersey baseball’s best seller, and the ones set to flock to the grand opening of a Tokyo pop-up gallery Friday, featuring vinyl albums that pay homage to the walk-up songs and anthems of Ohtani and other major league stars.

Ohtani’s teammates came out to watch that rare outdoor batting practice. The sound guys cranked up an extra dose of Michael Bublé. And, because it was Ohtani, he hit a ball off the roof of the right-field pavilion.

So, no, the Dodgers aren’t worried. And, no, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts isn’t about to move Ohtani down in the lineup.

“Obviously, Shohei’s not performing the way he would like or we expect,” Roberts said. “But I just know how big of a part he is to this thing.

“We’ve got a long way to go. But I just like the work he’s putting in. And I’ll bet on him all day long.”

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani runs the bases on a leadoff triple against the Brewers in the first inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For Ohtani’s hitting, pitching has been his kryptonite this season. In his 15 starts, including the one in the NLDS, he is batting .207, and he has struck out in 43% of his at-bats.

“I don’t necessarily think that the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” Ohtani said Wednesday. “Just on the pitching side, as long as I control what I can control, I feel pretty good about putting up results. On the hitting side, just the stance, the mechanics, that’s something that I do. It’s a constant work in progress.”

There was some progress Thursday, when Ohtani tripled to lead off the first inning. On the next pitch, Mookie Betts doubled him home.

“It’s kind of like the Bulls playing without Michael Jordan sometimes,” Betts told TBS after the game. “So we get him going and then it’s really going to be hard to beat. You see what happens immediately. As soon as he gets a hit, good things happen. But he’s going to be there.

“He’s going to be there when the time is right. We all trust and believe in Shohei.”

Before the NLCS, Roberts was blunt about Ohtani’s offensive struggles.

“We’re not gonna win the World Series with that sort of performance,” Roberts said.

That sort of performance has continued, and the Dodgers are undefeated since then. That makes it easier to believe in Ohtani, and in what he might deliver on Friday.

“I’m expecting nothing short of incredible,” infielder Max Muncy said.

“All in all, I’m expecting Shohei to pitch a great game, and whatever he does offensively is just kind of icing on the cake at that point. It’s a tough thing to pitch and hit in the same game, especially in a postseason game. He’s going to be fine.”

The Ruth comparison only goes so far. When he pitched in the postseason, he was primarily a pitcher, twice batting ninth. He made 145 pitches in his first postseason start, a 14-inning complete-game victory.

That is about all we can say Ohtani will not do. The Dodgers are so deep that, Roberts’ fear notwithstanding, they could win the World Series with a slumping Ohtani. They did that last year, in fact.

However, with one mighty swing, Friday’s storyline could be less about what he did not do and more about what Ruth could not do. Champagne showers are in the forecast.

York Knights and Toulouse Olympique will play in an expanded 14-team Super League next season after being selected to join rugby league’s top flight by an independent panel.

Bradford Bulls were promoted to Super League on Thursday having taken the place of financially troubled Salford Red Devils thanks to jumping from 16th to 10th in this year’s grading system, meaning three Championship teams will move up to the top flight from 2026.

Earlier this year, Super League’s 12 current clubs voted to expand the competition to 14 teams from next season – the first time the league will have operated with that number since 2014.

York will play in Super League for the first time while Toulouse will return to the top tier for the first time since their one-season stint in 2022.

Nine applications were submitted and considered by a panel which was chaired by Lord Jonathan Caine as well as two non-executive Rugby Football League (RFL) directors Abi Ekoku and Dermot Power, RFL chief executive Tony Sutton, interim head of legal Graeme Sarjeant, RL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones and Super League (Europe) board member Peter Hutton.

The panel judged applications against each club’s financial performance in 2025, as well as their financial performance and sustainability forecasts for 2026 to 2028 and their ability to “field a competitive team in 2026 and beyond”.

Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes remained the NHL’s only unbeaten team with a 4-1 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night.

Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip.

Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes’ first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start.

The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference finals last summer, and they appear loaded for another memorable season after outscoring their opponents 19-8 so far. Jarvis, Nikishin, Gostisbehere, Aho and Jackson Blake have all scored in each of Carolina’s first four games.

Leo Carlsson scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots for the Ducks in their first home defeat under new coach Joel Quenneville.

Carolina went ahead late in the first when Jarvis scored on a rebound after Gostisbehere intercepted Mikael Granlund’s poor pass. Jarvis added a power-play goal in the second, but Carlsson scored for the Ducks 70 seconds later.

Nikishin scored in the slot early in the third period. The promising 24-year-old Russian defenseman joined Carolina for four playoff games last summer, and he spent the summer learning English with a tutor before making the Canes’ opening-night lineup and racking up three assists in his first three regular-season games.

Aho scored his first goal of the season with 4:12 to play.

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Japan Open before Friday’s quarter-final because of a leg injury sustained in the second round.

The former world number one held back tears and needed painkillers to come through a three-set last-16 win over defending champion Suzan Lamens on Wednesday.

Top seed Osaka, who completed the match with strapping on her left thigh, was due to face Jaqueline Cristian in the last eight but the Romanian will instead progress to the semi-finals.

The Japan Open made the announcement on X, saying: “We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today.”

It is not yet known whether Osaka will play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo later this month.

The four-time Grand Slam champion is the latest high-profile player to suffer late-season injury issues.

In September, Iga Swiatek complained the season is “too long and too intense” following a string of injuries among players at the China Open.

British number one Emma Raducanu called time on her season on Thursday after retiring from her two previous matches with illness.

Australia’s Daria Kasatkina, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Spain’s Paula Badosa also ended their seasons early in recent weeks.

Across two tournaments in China last week, five players retired injured.

Available for over a year

It’s a bit of a mad one with Wayne this episode that includes Liverpool v Man Utd chat, his birthday weekend, opinions on England and Marcus Rashford, and meet-ups with 50 Cent and Ed Sheeran.

Wayne takes us inside his 40th birthday bash, but who did he dress up as? Which songs did he belt out on karaoke? And who ended up with a nasty injury?

Musician and Liverpool fan Jamie Webster joins Wayne, Kelly and Kae to discuss why their rivalry with Manchester United is the biggest in English football. But who is this match more important for: Arne Slot or Ruben Amorim?

Jamie’s appearance on the show leads to a number of musical revelations from Wayne: how did he end up on stage with 50 Cent? And Why did Coleen have to step in when he tried to change an Ed Sheeran song?

Wayne gives his thoughts on England’s World Cup qualification and explains why he’s pleased the players are less certain of their places under Thomas Tuchel. He also has strong words for Marcus Rashford’s recent comments about the “inconsistent environment” at Old Trafford not helping his form.

Meanwhile, we discover what led Wayne and Jermain Defoe to watch his entire wedding DVD together while they were away at the 2010 World Cup and what was Wayne gutted to find out on the last day at Glastonbury?

You can watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube, iPlayer, as well as listen on BBC Sounds.

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The debate over whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop was settled long ago.

The debate now is whether Mookie Betts can play shortstop better than anyone in baseball. That discussion may soon be drawing to a close, too.

Because a day after being named a finalist for a Gold Glove, Betts put a huge exclamation point on Thursday’s 3-1 playoff win over the Milwaukee Brewers with a spectacular play to start the ninth inning.

The victory leaves the Dodgers a win away from advancing to their second straight World Series, a journey they could complete Friday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. And a big reason they’re there is the steady defense of Betts, a six-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield who has made the difficult move to the middle of the infield seem easy.

“I think the only person on this planet that believed that Mookie Betts would be in this conversation was Mookie Betts,” Dodger manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s just something that has never been done. I can’t even — it’s incredible. Obviously I’m at a loss for words.”

Betts tried the position last year but Roberts said the confidence wasn’t there, so he moved Betts back to the outfield. There was no chance that would happen this fall.

Few understand the difficulty of what Betts has done more than those who have played the position. Yet Miguel Rojas, the man Betts replaced at shortstop — and a Gold Glove finalist himself this season as a utility player — said he’s not surprised because he has seen how hard Betts works.

“He doesn’t take days off,” Rojas said of Betts, who is frequently among the first players on the field for pregame drills and among the last to leave. “Even when we have an off day, he’ll still go out there and is asking ways to get better. I think it’s a product of being a relentless worker every single day. He’s never satisfied. He’s always trying to get better.

“For me to be there every single day to watch him perform and watch his work ethic, it’s been impressive.”

Part of that work, Betts said, involves watching video of every fielding play he makes. That includes the brilliant ones, like the ninth-inning play Thursday in which he ranged in the hole to backhand Andrew Vaughn’s grounder, then rose up and delivered a strong one-hop jump throw across his body to first baseman Freddie Freeman to get Vaughn easily.

“I go back and watch all my plays, even the routine ones, just to learn what I can do better,” he said.

Asked if he’s ever surprised by what he sees, Betts, who has yet to make an error in the playoffs, shrugged.

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts makes a leaping, cross-body throw to retire Andrew Vaughn at first base during the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“I’m just doing my job. I’m just doing my job going out there and playing short, that’s all.

“Once I get to the ball, I believe and trust in my athletic ability to make a play.”

Rojas, who has played six positions in the majors, said shortstop is such a hard place to play because of the mental focus it demands. An outfielder might be able to think about his hitting for a few pitches, but the shortstop, who quarterbacks the infield, doesn’t have that luxury.

“In the middle of the year he was in a slump offensively. But he never let the defense down. And that’s really impressive,” Rojas said. “He always said it to me, ‘Even though I’m sucking right now at hitting, I’m never going to be bad at defense. And I’m going to catch every single ball.’

“That’s the mentality that you have to have to be a really good shortstop.”

In the postseason, he’s become a really good offensive shortstop as well. After slumping to a career-low .258 average in the regular season, Betts is slashing .297/.381/.459 and shares the team lead with 11 hits and five extra-base hits in the postseason.

However, the numbers and the awards mean little to him, he said; Betts cares far more about winning. And as for proving himself at shortstop? Others, including his manager, may be surprised, but he isn’t.

“I know I could do it. I believed in myself. I always have belief in myself,” he said. “It was a goal to be the best I could be. If it came with a Gold Glove, cool. If it didn’t come with a Gold Glove, cool.

“I can go to bed at night knowing that I did everything I could. That’s all I care about.”

Just a season ago there were mornings when he’d get out of that bed wishing he could go back to right field. That doesn’t happen anymore.

“I would say the best athletes are the guys in the dirt,” he said. “It was fun while it lasted. I enjoy being in the dirt now.”

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes interests Bayern Munich, Liverpool target Nico Williams and Nico Schlotterbeck, while Barcelona weigh up move for Dusan Vlahovic.

Manchester United would want around £40m to allow their 31-year-old captain, Bruno Fernandes, to leave for another European club, with Bayern Munich heavily linked with a move for the Portugal midfielder. (Teamtalk), external

Liverpool are eyeing a 90m euros (£78m) move for Spain and Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, 23. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Liverpool are also expected to make an approach for Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck, 25, over a summer move. (Sports Illustrated), external

Barcelona are considering a move for Juventus and Serbia forward Dusan Vlahovic, 25, who will be a free agent next summer. (AS – in Spanish), external

Bayern Munich are also said to be a contender for Vlahovic’s signature, with the German giants wary another club could activate a release clause to buy England forward, Harry Kane, 32, from them. (Mirror), external

England international Elliot Anderson, 22, is certain to feature on a long list of summer transfer targets for Newcastle, who are keen to bring the Nottingham Forest midfielder back to the North East. (Mail – subscription required), external

Real Madrid are closely monitoring Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, 26, with the France international out of contract next summer and prepared to listen to other offers. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Real Madrid could send Endrick, 19, out on loan in January, but West Ham are not viewed as a viable destination for the Brazil forward. (Teamtalk), external

Real Madrid are also bracing themselves for offers for forward Gonzalo Garcia in January. The 21-year-old impressed at the Fifa Club World Cup, but has fallen down the pecking order. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Barcelona are watching Hoffenheim and Kosovo forward Fisnik Asllani, 23, who could leave the German club next summer. (Sky Germany), external

Red Bull Salzburg’s 20-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark, who is currently on loan at Championship Derby, is set for a January switch to Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. (Times – subscription required), external

The Milwaukee Brewers have no chance.

Neither will the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays.

The clear truth emerged from the Dodger Stadium shadows late Thursday amid a downtown-shaking roar of delight and disbelief.

This is ridiculous. This is simply ridiculous, how well the Dodgers are playing, how close the history books are beckoning, and how an ordinary summer has been followed with unbelievable days of the extraordinary.

The Dodgers are not going to lose another game this October. Write it down, bet it up, no major league baseball team has ever played this well in the postseason, ever, ever, ever.

With their 3-1 victory over the Brewers Thursday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers take a three-games-to-none lead with a sweep likely in the next 24 hours and coronation coming in the next two weeks.

The Dodgers are going to win this NLCS and follow it with a four-game whitewash of the World Series because, well, you tell me.

How is anybody going to beat them?

Match their aces-flush rotation? Nope. Equal their hot closer and revived bullpen? Sorry. Better than their deep lineup? Nobody is even close.

The Dodgers are more than halfway to finishing the most dominant postseason in baseball history, it’s all there in the numbers.

The only team to go undefeated through the playoffs since the divisional era began was the 1976 Cincinnati Reds. But the Big Machine only had to win seven games. Since the playoffs were expanded and the test became tougher, the greatest October streaks have belonged to the 2005 Chicago White Sox and 1999 New York Yankees, both of whom went 11-1.

These Dodgers were forced into that early wild-card series, so if they end this postseason without another loss, they will finish 13-1.

The last time a team in this town had such a dominating postseason was the champion 2001 Lakers, who went 15-1 in the postseason with only one stumble against Philadelphia on the night Allen Iverson famously stepped over Tyronn Lue.

Those Lakers were legendary. These Dodgers will be soon.

They are currently 8-1 in the playoffs and have won 23 of their previous 29 games and again, who’s going to beat them?

Start with that rotation. Tyler Glasnow followed gems by Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto Thursday by twirling 5 ⅔ innings of swing and miss, holding the Brewers to one run with eight strikeouts, and in three games the Brewers have scored two runs in 22 ⅔ innings against Dodger starters.

And perhaps their best pitcher hasn’t even taken the mound yet, that being Friday’s starter Shohei Ohtani.

Now for their deep lineup. Ohtani is still mired in a career-worst slump, but his one hit Thursday was a leadoff triple that led to him scoring the first run, and seemingly everybody else chipped in. Mookie Betts had the first RBI, Tommy Edman knocked in Will Smith with the go-ahead run in the sixth, a hustling Freddie Freeman scored on a wild pickoff attempt, and on and on..

Finish with their bullpen, which is actually finishing. Taking over for Glasnow with a runner on first and two out in the sixth Thursday, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Anthony Banda and Roki Sasaki shut the Brewers down the rest of the way, and their regular-season weakness has become their strength.

Incidentally, Sasaki’s ninth-inning shutdown was aided by a brilliant in-the-hole putout by shortstop Betts, and that’s just one more way the Dodgers can beat you.

All this, and as Thursday confirmed, they have arguably the best home-field advantage in baseball.

No place is bigger. No place draws more fans. And no place is louder, from the bleacher-rattling roar to the cover-your-ears sound system.

“This place has an aura about it,” Max Muncy said of Dodger Stadium. “It’s the biggest capacity in baseball. Everybody talks about it when you come here. The lights seem a little brighter. The music seems a little louder — that might actually be because it is a little louder.”

Yeah, fans, you might hate the otherworldly stadium volume, but the players like it.

“That’s part of the perks of being at Dodger Stadium, we have that sound system,” said Muncy. “It sounds silly to say something like a sound system could be an advantage. But it really is. When the speakers in the center field are cranking and the crowd is going absolutely nuts and you feel the field shaking beneath your feet, it’s a really big advantage. And that’s something we’ve always had here.”

The stadium rose to the occasion Thursday as it always does this time of year, filling up despite the weird mid-afternoon starting time, constantly standing and screaming by the game’s end.

“When we’ve had those big moments, there’s arguably no place that can get louder than Dodger Stadium, especially in the postseason,” Muncy said. “When you have 56, 57,000 people screaming all at the same time in a big moment, it’s pretty wild. That’s an advantage that we’ve always had here, and the guys love it.”

There’s a lot to love.

Who: Fulham vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: Craven Cottage in London, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, October 18, at 5:30pm (16:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 2:30pm (13:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Premier League leaders Arsenal will be the heavy favourites when they travel to Fulham on Saturday, but London derbies usually give the underdogs more than a fighting chance, as former Gunners manager Arsene Wenger always used to bemoan.

The Gunners, who have finished second in the table for the last three seasons, have not won the league since Wenger’s era. Fulham, meanwhile, have hit a blip and languish in 14th position.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a game where the west Londoners will hope to upset the formbook against their north London visitors.

How have Arsenal fared this season?

Arsenal opened their season with an unconvincing 1-0 win at a surprisingly dominant Manchester United, and have rarely looked back. The Gunners have won eight of their 10 matches in all competitions this season; the only times they have failed to win in the league were the narrowest of 1-0 defeats at defending champions Liverpool and a 1-1 home draw with Manchester City, although that did require a 90th-minute leveller from Gabriel Martinelli.

The Gunners are yet to concede more than one goal in a game this season, and have only conceded twice in their last seven games. At the other end, 20 goals have been scored in their 10 games.

How have Fulham fared this season?

After a bright start, the west Londoners have suffered back-to-back defeats in the Premier League. One defeat and four wins in their seven games so far, continued the feel-good factor that manager Marco Silva has brought to the Cottagers. Two of the four wins this season have come in the League Cup, but back-to-back league wins, either side of the latest cup win, had appeared to kickstart Fulham’s season.

Both recent defeats, by Aston Villa and Bournemouth, did come on the road, and Fulham remain unbeaten in five matches on home soil this season, where they have only dropped points once – and that after a fine second-half display against Manchester United in their first home game of the campaign.

When did Arsenal last win the Premier League?

The Gunners last lifted the Premier League trophy in 2004 when Wenger’s side were dubbed the “Invincibles” as they went unbeaten through the English top-flight season.

How many times have Arsenal won the Premier League?

The Gunners have lifted the league title in England on 13 occasions, with their first top-flight trophy coming in 1931. They would go on to win the title three times in the four seasons that followed. Wenger’s era was the most successful thereafter, with the Premier League trophy lifted in 1998, 2002 and 2004.

Premier League action returns this week 🤩@Arsenal are currently on top of the table, for the first time since April 2024 📈 pic.twitter.com/02Tkxse4Aq

— Premier League (@premierleague) October 13, 2025

Have Fulham ever won the Premier League?

Fulham have never lifted the English top-flight title and are one of a limited number of teams in the two top divisions in England to have never lifted a major trophy. The highest domestic title the Cottagers have claimed is the second-tier title, which has been won on three occasions – the last being in 2022. Fulham have also been runners-up in the FA Cup and UEFA Europa League in 1975 and 2010, respectively.

What happened the last time Fulham played Arsenal?

Title-chasing Arsenal beat Fulham 2-1 at Emirates Stadium in the Premier League in April in the last meeting between the clubs. Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka gave the Gunners a two-goal lead before Rodrigo Muniz’s 90th-minute strike set up a nervy finish.

What happened in the corresponding fixture between Fulham and Arsenal last season?

The Premier League game at Craven Cottage last season ended in a 1-1 draw in December. Raul Jimenez gave the home side the lead in the 11th minute, but William Saliba cancelled that out seven minutes into the second half of a game short on chances but heavily dominated by the Gunners’ possession of the ball.

Head-to-head

This is the 66th meeting between the Londoners, with Arsenal winning on 43 occasions and Fulham emerging victorious nine times.

Fulham’s last win against Arsenal came at Craven Cottage in December 2023, with Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid turning the game in the home side’s favour after an early strike from Bukayo Saka.

It was the second Premier League meeting between the teams that season, with the reverse fixture ending 2-2 in north London.

It also marked Fulham’s first win in 12 matches against the Gunners.

Fulham team news

Midfielder Sasa Lukic has been an ever-present for Fulham in the Premier League this season, but picked up an adductor injury in the Cottagers’ final match before the international break.

The Serbian international is likely to be out for at least two more weeks and joins Kenny Tete and Rodrigo Muniz on the sidelines, the latter pair having knee and hamstring problems, respectively.

Raul Jimenez missed the defeat at Bournemouth before the break after sustaining an injury in the defeat at Villa, and the striker is a doubt for the visit of Arsenal. Samuel Chukwueze also picked up a knock in Nigeria’s win against Benin on Tuesday, but the extent of the injury is not yet fully known.

Arsenal team news

Martin Odegaard remains sidelined with a knee injury, but it is hoped the playmaker may return to face Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.

Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke are both also expected to return from knee injuries for that game, but the Fulham match comes too soon.

Gabriel Jesus could be back before the turn of the year – he, too, has a knee problem; Ben White is a minor doubt after missing training on Thursday. Piero Hincapie is expected to return from a knock.

Fulham predicted starting lineup

Leno; Diop, Bassey, Andersen; Castagne, Berge, Cairney, Sessegnon; Wilson, Iwobi; King

Arsenal possible starting lineup

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Fulham and Arsenal Premier League form guides

Fulham’s last five EPL matches (most recent game last):

 L-W-W-L-L

Arsenal’s last five EPL matches –

D-W-W-W-W

Jody Cundy claimed his 22nd world track gold medal with victory in the 1km time trial at the Para-Cycling World Championships in Rio de Janeiro.

Cundy, 47, led home a British one-two in the men’s C4 event, finishing 1.7 seconds ahead of Archie Atkinson.

It is an incredible 16th C4 1km world title in a row for the English rider.

Cundy – who has six Paralympic golds in cycling and three in swimming, first competed at the track worlds in 2006, two years after team-mate Atkinson was born.

Reigning champion Blaine Hunt was second in the MC5 1km time trial, with Matthew Robertson third in the MC2 10km scratch race.

The finals run until Sunday and are the fourth edition of the event to be held in the Olympic Velodrome in Rio, after 2018, 2021 and 2024.

High school basketball in Southern California will be without one of its finest coaches this season.

Stephen Singleton, who guided Eastvale Roosevelt to state and Southern Section Open Division championships last season, announced his retirement from coaching on Thursday after 10 years at Roosevelt and 25 years in the business. He will continue as a teacher.

Singleton intends to spend more time coaching his young son.

He also won a state Division I title in 2017 with Roosevelt and won a state Division II title coaching briefly at Dominguez in Compton in 2001.

He was The Times’ coach of the year for the 2024-25 season.

With official basketball practice starting soon, Roosevelt intends to open the position to all candidates, but there’s two assistants who are teachers at the school that could possibly ease the transition if they are interested in the head coaching position.