United Kingdom

Michael Carrick has struck a defiant tone after Manchester United equalled their worst start to a Premier League season, but a woeful 1-1 draw at Fulham left the beleaguered boss under mounting pressure.

Trailing to Lisandro Martinez’s farcical own goal, United were just moments away from a third successive defeat on another dispiriting afternoon for Carrick on Sunday.

Matheus Cunha’s deflected 89th-minute equaliser spared United from new humiliation.

But escaping with a barely deserved point against a winless side placed second-from-bottom of the Premier League was hardly cause for celebration.

With only one win so far this season, United have matched their lowest points total after five matches in the Premier League era.

Sitting in 12th place with five points, Carrick’s men equalled the mark set by Louis van Gaal’s United in 2014-15, when they went on to finish fourth.

The statistics are damning enough in their own right, but the eye test during their moribund performance at Craven Cottage provided an even more insightful look at what ails United.

Lacking a cutting edge in attack, bereft of defensive organisation and, in the words of Cunha, short of energy and drive until they fell behind, this was the kind of flawed display that has scarred so many United seasons since their last title in 2013.

Carrick was expected to build on last season’s climb to a third-place finish during his spell as interim boss.

But having hauled United from the wreckage of Ruben Amorim’s self-destructive reign, Carrick is in danger of losing his way in his first season as permanent boss.

A wretched 2-0 defeat at promoted Hull on the opening weekend set alarm bells ringing among the United faithful.

Beaten in the Manchester derby by an Erling Haaland goal that should have been disallowed last weekend, United then blew a two-goal lead at home for the first time in 50 years in a League Cup meltdown against Brighton.

‘Fine margins’

Already 10 points behind leaders City, Carrick’s team were so underwhelming against Fulham that even one of the manager’s former teammates took a swipe at United.

Commenting on the match for Sky Sports, ex-United defender Gary Neville was scathing in his assessment of their performance at the start of the second half.

“I’ve watched Man United since the age of five and that’s the worst 15 minutes I’ve ever seen. Absolutely pathetic,” Neville said.

The 51-year-old added: “I’ve never seen such a lack of effort. What must Carrick be thinking?”

Carrick does not have the confrontational personality of some of his United predecessors, but he tried his best to quiet the noise as he searched for reasons for optimism.

“It’s not been ideal. It was always going to come at some point, and it’s come at the start of the season,” he said.

“On the other side of it, at Everton, a 25-yard shot, top corner for their equaliser. The City goal that’s not a goal. Today, own goal, that’s one of them things.

“It’s pretty fine margins that have flipped it. I know we can do better; we need to do better at certain things.

“But I’m not despondent because I think we’ve shown some good signs as well.”

Carrick has three weeks to stew on United’s miserable start during an extended international break.

Questions about United’s transfer policy and fitness regime are growing louder.

‘We’ll get back to winning’

The 45-year-old must come up with answers before they return to action with a crucial clash against bottom-of-the-table Tottenham on October 10.

Losing to Roberto De Zerbi’s side would be a huge blow to Carrick’s hopes of turning the tide, especially with tricky trips to Atletico Madrid and Leeds looming after Tottenham visit Old Trafford.

But Carrick is putting his faith in United’s players absorbing the lessons from their painful start.

“You learn about each other, they learn about me, I learn about the individual and as a team, how we respond, what our reaction is,” he said.

“That’s part of growing as a group. You have to go through certain things to get to the end of it.”

Carrick said he had “mixed” reactions to the match but was focusing on the positives and bouncing back after this “first chapter”.

“There are parts we can do better. The way we responded to going down was really pleasing, the boys were really positive and played with good purpose,” Carrick said in a post-match interview.

“I’m convinced we’ll have a good season. We’re having a spell that feels bigger than it actually is to the outside. We’ll get back to winning football matches and we’ll be all right.”

Man United have won only one league game this season, leaving Michael Carrick under pressure ahead of Fulham trip.

Who: Fulham vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Craven Cottage, London in United Kingdom
When: Sunday, September 20, at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to our live text commentary stream from 12:30 GMT.

One month into the new ‌Premier League season, excuses about bedding-in processes and newly assembled squads needing time to gel are wearing thin and for Manchester United ⁠there is an acute sense ⁠of urgency as the international break looms.

United are by no means the only ‘big club’ enduring a faltering start to the campaign but after so much pre-season optimism, the spotlight has fallen very much on manager Michael Carrick ahead of ⁠Sunday’s trip to Fulham.

Al Jazeera takes a closer look at the game:

How have Manchester United started the new season?

United have ⁠lost three of their six matches in all competitions and suffered a damaging League Cup exit on Wednesday, surrendering a 2-0 ⁠lead to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Their only win in four league games came at home to promoted Ipswich Town.

United started the better in the VAR-dominated Manchester derby last Sunday, but played second fiddle to the away team after City were reduced to ten men.

How have Fulham started the new season?

The London club have made a slow start under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa and are yet to win in the league.

A draw at Liverpool last week and a League Cup win at West Ham United in midweek offered glimpses of better things to come.

What has Carrick said about United’s start to the season?

Carrick accepted responsibility for the team’s poor start but said the focus must remain on finding ⁠solutions rather than assigning blame.

“It’s my responsibility and I’m fine with that. It’s not a blame ⁠game. Blame me, no problem, but it’s ⁠not about blaming people,” said the 45-year-old boss.

“It’s about finding solutions. It’s a whole collective thing. It’s about what you focus on. I know where we want to get to ‌and we want to get there fast.”

What happened the last time Fulham played Man Utd?

United won 3-2 in their last meeting which came in the Premier League at Old Trafford on February 1.

Casemiro and Matheus Cunha put United two up before a chaotic finale that saw Raul Jiminez net an 85th minute penalty for the Londoners before Benjamin Sesko and Kevin traded injury time strikes.

What happened between Fulham and Man Utd at Craven Cottage last season?

The teams shared a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match. Emile Smith Rowe’s 73rd minute goal levelled matters after Rodrigo Muniz put through his own net in the 58th minute.

When did Fulham last beat Manchester United?

Fulham won 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League on February 24, 2024. Harry Maguire appeared to have sealed a point for United in the 90th minute when he cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s 65th minute goal, but Alex Iwobi got Fulham’s winner in injury time.

United have won three of the five meetings since then.

When did Fulham last beat Man Utd at Craven Cottage?

Fulham have not recorded a home win against United since December 2009. Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff sealing a 3-0 home win.

Of the 10 matches since then, United have won nine, scoring 21 and conceding six.

Prediction: Fulham vs Manchester United

Opta’s supercomputer has given Manchester United a 47.4 percent chance of winning, while offering Fulham only a 28.3 percent chance of victory.

Head-to-head: Fulham vs Manchester United

This will be their 94th meeting, with Manchester United winning 59 of the encounters and Fulham 14.

Fulham team news

Kenny Tete misses out due to concussion at Anfield last week.

Tom Cairney is also absent with a knee injury, but Ryan Sessegnon will have a late fitness test as he returns from a groin problem.

Predicted Fulham lineup

Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia

Manchester United team news

United will make a late decision on whether to include Luke Shaw and Carlos ‌Baleba ‌in the squad. Both have had ankle problems, but could feature.

Manuel Ugarte, Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo all remain sidelined with injuries.

Predicted Manchester United lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Arsenal in shock 3-0 loss at Brighton to lose top spot in the Premier League on goal difference to Manchester City.

Arsenal slumped to a first loss in their Premier League title defence – and it was a heavy one at Brighton.

After four straight wins for the champions, the 3-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday came out of nowhere. Conceding the third goal from a corner — typically an area of strength for Arsenal – summed up an unusually sloppy performance from Mikel Arteta’s team.

Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas scored in the first half with shots from outside the penalty area, before Chema Andres completed the win with a header at the back post from Gross’s corner.

The victory will have been especially sweet for Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, who said “only one team tried to play football” after his team’s narrow home loss to Arsenal last season.

Arsenal have often struggled against Brighton, which was the last team to inflict such a heavy defeat on the Gunners in any competition — winning 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in May 2023.

It completed a brilliant week for Brighton, after beating Coventry 5-0 in the league last weekend and coming from two goals down in midweek to beat Manchester United 3-2 away in the English League Cup.

Manchester City — the other team to win their first four games — can now move three points clear in the standings by beating Sunderland on Sunday.

Unai Emery’s side get first league win of season with goals from Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia.

48he end to Tottenham’s Premier League goal drought came too late as Aston Villa won 3-2 in north London to compound a miserable start for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

Spurs remain without a league win this season and only netted their first goals of the campaign after the visitors had surged into a 3-0 lead on Saturday.

Villa had also struggled for goals themselves since the side that won the Europa League last season was torn apart during the transfer window.

But new signings Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson struck either side of half-time to give Unai Emery’s new-look team their first league win before Emi Buendia’s wonder strike.

Even Tottenham’s first late consolation needed the aid of a Villa deflection when Conor Gallagher’s effort went in off Matty Cash before Jan Paul van Hecke headed home in stoppage time.

Spurs splashed out more than 300 million pounds ($400m) on new players to try and avoid a repeat of the battle for survival they endured last season.

Yet there remains little return on that investment.

In keeping with recent performances, Spurs started brightly before fizzling out.

Twice in a matter of seconds, Savio was kept out by Suzuki before the Japanese goalkeeper spread himself to turn behind Archie Gray’s powerful strike.

Villa had picked up just one point from their opening four league games but have missed their club record signing Manzambi for most of that period.

The Swiss international opened his Villa account when he tapped home Boubacar Kamara’s cross.

However, Tottenham will protest about new laws that force a player off the field for at least a minute after receiving treatment for an injury.

A head knock to centre-back Micky Van de Ven left them a man down at the back when Manzambi swept home.

Spurs only had themselves to blame for the second goal as van Hecke failed to deal with a long ball straight down the middle.

Jackson did well to evade the Dutch defender and then fired down into the ground and past Antonin Kinsky.

The Czech goalkeeper was powerless to stop Villa’s third 11 minutes from time when Buendia took aim from long range and brilliantly picked out the top corner.

A chorus of boos greeted Buendia’s strike as thousands of home fans headed for an early exit.

But those that left missed finally have something to celebrate.

Fine persistence from Mohammed Kudus teed up Gallagher to find the bottom corner via the outstretched foot of Cash.

Van Hecke then bulleted in from Andy Robertson’s free-kick with virtually the last touch of the game.

Spurs now must stew on another defeat for a three-week international break while rooted in the relegation zone.

Villa, by contrast, will hope victory can prove the catalyst to storm up the table as they did last season.

Emery’s men failed to win any of their first five league games a year ago, but ultimately finished fourth.

Chelsea left with one point from their last three Premier League games after a 3-0 defeat at neighbours Brentford.

Brentford exposed Chelsea’s defensive problems to inflict a damaging 3-0 defeat that gives Xabi Alonso plenty to ponder during a three-week international break.

After a promising start to life under the former Real Madrid coach, Chelsea have picked up just one point from their last three league games.

Goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho took unbeaten Brentford above their west London neighbours late on Friday and up to third in the table.

“I have this unbelievable calm around that team because I trust them. It’s nice to see it come to fruition,” said Brentford boss Keith Andrews.

Chelsea had quickly earned the reputation as the Premier League’s great entertainers under Alonso, with their opening four games containing 19 goals.

But the loss of Joao Pedro to a knee injury subdued the Blues’ free-flowing attack as Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers were comfortably kept in check by the Bees.

“At the moment we are not being consistent enough to compete during the whole game,” said Alonso.

“It’s about everything. It’s about the mentality. It’s about football, tactical things that we need to keep improving that we can do much better.”

Alonso said after last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Hull, he was hoping for more “boring” games going forward.

The Spaniard sought control as he made four changes in all, handing Jordan Henderson his first Chelsea start against the 36-year-old’s former club.

Alonso got his wish during a flat first half in which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested, but Brentford were the more threatening side in the second period.

The visitors’ frailty from set-pieces led to the opening goal when Jannick Schuster rose highest to meet Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner, and Anthony was left with a simple task to head into an unguarded net just after the hour mark.

Chelsea’s response was muted, and as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Alonso’s men were picked off on the counterattack.

Kevin Schade should have scored the second goal himself when played clean through on Emi Martinez.

But even after the Argentinian goalkeeper spread himself to save, the rebound fell kindly for Thiago to end his goal drought.

The Brazilian netted 25 times last season, earning a shock call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad as a result.

Thiago has looked shorn of confidence in the early weeks of the campaign and tore off his shirt in celebration after netting for the first time in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea have conceded at least twice in all five league games under Alonso, and there was further punishment to come in stoppage time.

Schade’s low cross was deflected into the path of Carvalho, who fired high past Martinez to leave Andrews yelling into the night sky in delight.

Brentford, who also beat Tottenham 3-0 on the opening weekend of the season, sit behind only defending champions Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table.

By contrast, Chelsea were handed another reminder of the gap Alonso must bridge to make them title contenders once more.

Who: Brighton vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: Amex Stadium, Brighton in United Kingdom
When: Saturday, September 19, at 3pm (14:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to our live text commentary stream from 11:00 GMT.

Premier League holders Arsenal head to Brighton on Saturday with a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points.

Second-placed Manchester City, who have also won four from four to start the new English top-flight season, entertain Sunderland on Sunday.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the game, which produced a feisty finale in the clubs’ last meeting.

What was the issue between Arsenal and Brighton last season?

Mikel Arteta has made peace with Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler following their row last season as the pair go head-to-head again on Saturday.

Hurzeler criticised Arteta’s style of play during a 1-0 loss to the Gunners at the Amex Stadium in March.

The German said “only one team tried to play football” and accused Arsenal of “making their own rules”.

With the champions heading back to Brighton in the top flight this weekend, the spotlight will be fixed on the touchline to see if the spat lingers.

Hurzeler refused to back down this week when quizzed on his comments from last season.

“I think it’s very important that in football there are opinions,” he said.

“I will definitely always share my opinion if I am asked. But, in the end, I congratulate Arsenal for being deserved champions. They deserved it.”

Speaking on Friday, Arteta insisted there was no bad blood over Hurzeler’s blast.

“That’s all done. That’s all in the past,” the Arsenal manager told reporters.

“I have huge respect for Fabian, and what he’s done and what Brighton has done as a club.

“It’s just remarkable, and tomorrow is going to be a beautiful game to watch, I’m sure.”

How have Arsenal started the new season?

Arsenal have made a flying start to their Premier League title defence, with four successive victories taking them to the top of the table.

The north Londoners also won their opening Champions League match against Napoli and booked their place in the League Cup fourth round on Tuesday with a win at Ipswich.

Teenage playmaker Max Dowman starred against Ipswich in his first appearance this season, scoring twice to underline why he is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the Premier League.

The 16-year-old has made his case for a bigger role in Arteta’s plans after being an unused substitute in the opening weeks.

But when asked if the teenager has been knocking on his door to play, Arteta said: “The best way to knock on the door is to do it on the pitch, not in the office.

“Then you just leave out the arguments. When a player delivers constantly on the pitch, every single day in training, that’s the best way, that’s the best signal for the manager.”

How does Arsenal’s start rank in their history?

Including the Community Shield against Manchester City, Arsenal have won seven consecutive matches.

Another victory on the south coast would equal the club’s 123-year record for their best start to a campaign.

“We know how complicated it is to win a football match at this level. So, to win seven, it tells a story,” Arteta said.

“After the World Cup, there were a lot of unknowns about how the players and the team were going to react. We didn’t have any time with them to work together.

“But I said from day one, the attitude and what I was seeing, I was really impressed with. Then you have to put it down to performances.”

What is the latest on Arteta’s contract at Arsenal?

Arteta is yet to sign a contract extension, with talks ongoing for several months, but the Spaniard is relaxed about the situation.

“I think we are all very much aligned; whenever the time is right, we’ll get that done. There is nothing to be concerned about,” he said.

When did Brighton last beat Arsenal?

The Seagulls last beat the Gunners on May 14, 2023, when they won 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in the league.

Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan scored the goals in the second half.

Prediction – Arsenal vs Brighton

Opta’s supercomputer has given Arsenal a 57 percent chance of winning, while Brighton have been offered a 29 percent chance.

Head-to-head – Arsenal vs Brighton

This will be the 36th meeting between the clubs, with Arsenal winning 20 of the encounters and Brighton emerging victorious on eight of the occasions.

Brighton team news

Brighton are expected to revert to the side that beat Coventry in their last Premier League outing.

Jaouen Hadjam sustained a knock in the 3-2 League Cup win against Manchester United on Wednesday.

Femi Azeez, Evan Ferguson, Zadok Yohanna, Mats Wieffer, Jack Hinshelwood (unspecified), Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh and Stefanos Tzimas all remain part of a lengthy injury list.

Predicted Brighton lineup

Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Ayari; Gomez, Yalcouye, De Cuyper; Kostoulas

Arsenal team news

Jurrien Timber missed the midweek League Cup win against Ipswich Town as a precaution and is set to be available for the trip to Brighton.

Piero Hincapie, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera are all doubts, however, while William Saliba is still sidelined with a back injury.

Predicted Arsenal lineup

Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz

Derbyshire Police said they were investigating an alleged assault but have now decided no further action will be taken.

England fast bowler Brydon Carse will face no charges after an investigation into an alleged assault was closed by Derbyshire Police, the force has said.

But the 31-year-old remains subject to a separate probe by the Cricket Regulator, the disciplinary arm of the English game, who will assess if he has a case to answer under their regulations.

Carse was handcuffed by officers after a celebratory night out with Durham teammates on August 23 in Derby, central England, and it was later confirmed he had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, before being “de-arrested” after agreeing to depart.

Derbyshire Police said they were investigating an alleged assault in connection with the incident but have now decided no further action will be taken.

In a statement on Friday, the force said: “An investigation into reports of an assault in Derby city centre has been closed.

“Officers attended Molly Malones in the Wardwick, Derby, in the early hours of Sunday 23 August. A man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and was then de-arrested after his details were taken by officers.”

Subsequent enquiries were made pursuing the allegations of an assault but, after the alleged victim was identified and spoken to, no further action was taken, police said.

Videos of Carse’s arrest were released on social media, with Carse seen talking to Durham teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes – who also plays for northeast county Durham – was pictured in the background.

Carse, who has taken 58 wickets in 14 Tests at a shade more than 30 apiece, has continued playing for Durham since the episode took place, helping the side win the Second Division title in the first-class County Championship.

But he has been overlooked by England.

Carse was immediately removed from the squad before the second Test against Pakistan, then left out of the final match too, having not been selected on cricketing grounds for the opening encounter of a series where England whitewashed the tourists 3-0.

While officially available for selection for the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka, he was again omitted.

England’s limited-overs head coach Brendon McCullum, speaking earlier this week, reminded his side of their off-field responsibilities, adding: “I’ve spoken to Carsey a lot and it’s the same message – you need to make good decisions off the field that allow you to be able to be the best version of yourself.

“As far as Carsey is concerned, it’s a good chance for him now to get his house in order and then push for selection for the next opportunity that arises.”

Carse’s arrest was the latest in a series of alcohol-fuelled controversies that have dogged England since their disastrous tour of New Zealand and Australia at the end of last year.

Test captain Joe Root, speaking before the Lord’s Test, said he was “hacked off” by the growing list of drink-related incidents involving England cricketers.

Turning to Carse, he said, “I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn in saying he’s very upset, very apologetic and understands his actions. I’m sure when he gets his chance, he will say that himself.”

Michael Carrick says he expected tough season start as he rebuffs questions about his role as Manchester United manager.

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick said he expected to have to ride out a storm at some point this season after a dreadful start to the current campaign.

Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis after his successful temporary spell at the end of last season secured third place in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League.

But United have taken just four points from their opening four league games this season and were dumped out of the League Cup in a 3-2 defeat by Brighton in midweek after blowing a two-goal lead at Old Trafford for the first time in 50 years.

“In terms of the future and ownership and how long I’ve got, it’s totally nothing. Thinking about it is ridiculous in the position I’m in. It’s ⁠just not on the radar. We’ve got to ⁠perform and we’ve got a lot of games to plan for,” Carrick said ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.

“History tells you that any team that’s successful goes through periods when you have to work through it, come through it and improve.

“We’ve had a small period, in recent time, when it hasn’t been exactly what we want it to be.

“I was expecting a point when we would go through it, it was going to come. We had such a good spell last season, going into this season.”

Former United and England midfielder Carrick also has reason to bemoan his side’s luck in recent weeks.

United received a swift apology from referees’ chiefs after Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City last weekend was wrongly awarded because the VAR officials did not spot an offside against Enzo Fernandez in the build-up.

Carrick’s men were also heading for three points at Everton last Sunday before until Toffees defender Ainsley Maitland-Niles produced a stunning strike into the top corner from long range.

“It is a week or two, the games haven’t gone our way,” added Carrick. “It’s tiny margins in some of those games. We will work through it. Winning games is always the answer, it can cover up a lot of things at times as well.

“Sometimes it’s the small disappointments that lead to something a bit bigger. It’s part of coping and being at this great football club.”

United could be boosted by the return of Luke Shaw from injury for the visit to Craven Cottage.

Carlos Baleba is also in contention to make his first appearance since a 70 million pound ($94m) move from Brighton.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal says most racism he has suffered has come from people unaware of their own comments or behaviour.

Barcelona forward ‌Lamine Yamal said he has experienced racism “a thousand ⁠times”, with ⁠many people unaware that their comments or behaviour are racist.

The 19-year-old has been the target of ⁠racial abuse during his rapid rise to prominence.

In October 2024, footage appeared to show Lamine, Raphinha and Ansu ⁠Fati being racially abused during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia said in a bulletin published in March that Lamine and ‌Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain in the final quarter of 2025.

Asked by former Argentina international Jorge Valdano in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar whether he had directly experienced racism, Lamine said: “A thousand times.

“People are indirectly ⁠racist toward you, but maybe don’t ⁠realise it. There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist, and they don’t even notice.

“If someone calls me Black, it’s ⁠not going to bother me at all, ultimately I’m Black, I’m not any other ⁠colour. Another thing is whether it’s ⁠good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.

“But if I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see ‌me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me.”

La Liga has stepped up efforts to combat racist ‌abuse ‌in stadiums following several high-profile incidents in Spanish football in recent years.

Kremlin calls UK’s support for Ukraine an endorsement of ‘terrorism’ after recent escalation of weapons supplies.

Russia has stepped up pressure on Ukraine’s allies, summoning Britain’s top diplomat in Moscow over arms shipments to Kyiv and seizing Russian assets of several Western firms.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Britain’s charge d’affairs, Danae Dholakia, on Friday, issuing a formal protest over the UK’s “further increase” in weapons to Ukraine.

“London is placing itself in the position of an accomplice to the bloody atrocities committed by the Kyiv regime, which can only be characterised as terrorism and war crimes,” the ministry said in a statement.

Britain has maintained its support for Ukraine and says it will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Kyiv and will provide whatever military equipment it needs, saying just last month that it will share classified weapons information.

Moscow’s move comes the day after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia might be preparing to launch hybrid drone and missile strikes against countries that support Ukraine, including Poland. He said that such attacks would be framed as accidental, with the intention of weakening NATO states’ resolve to invoke collective defence provisions in the event of an attack on one of its countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the threat posed by Russia’s shadow operations was growing across Europe and that Moscow had targeted ⁠⁠France with hybrid attacks in the past few ⁠⁠weeks.

“The Russian hybrid threat against Europeans and against France has intensified,” he said after a meeting with French political leaders.

France’s interior minister had met regional prefects to step up “vigilance in response to the Russian hybrid attacks”, Macron said, adding that he had ordered “the government to prepare a plan to protect our critical infrastructure” and the “most sensitive” defence industry and technology sites against drone and cyber-attacks.

Moscow seizes French, Swiss firms

As Russia steps up pressure on Ukraine’s political allies, it is also targeting Western companies.

Moscow has ordered the seizure of Russian businesses and assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French firms: retailer Auchan, DIY chain Lemana Pro (formerly Leroy Merlin) and logistics firm FM Logistics.

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree late on Thursday that changed the firms’ Russian operations to a new entity, LEV Management, which is managed by a Russian Ministry of Interior general, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe.

Nestle said it was still “assessing” the situation and its options but it remains “committed to taking all necessary steps to protect its rights”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that one of the reasons behind the decision was because Nestle and Auchan are companies from “unfriendly” countries.

Their assets are only under “temporary administration” and that no decisions have been taken as of yet, Peskov added.

Overnight Russian strikes hit multiple regions in Ukraine, sparking several fires across the country, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to host the inaugural Carpathian Eight summit of several European countries.

They include Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Serbia, with the European Union also set to discuss regional cooperation.

Hungary and Slovakia have refused to send Kyiv direct military assistance in the past, though Poland and Romania remain staunch allies.

Caracas, September 16, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela and the United Kingdom have announced a formal decision to upgrade their diplomatic relations and to re-establish full ambassadorial representation.

London formally presented its policy shift on September 15 in a missive to Parliament through coordinated statements by Minister for Latin America Chris Elmore in the House of Commons and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Lord Wood of Anfield in the House of Lords.

In the statements, the cabinet members framed the “diplomatic upgrade” around supporting a “democratic transition” while pursuing pragmatic bilateral engagement with the South American country.

“Developments in Venezuela since 3 January have created an important opportunity for the international community to support the restoration of democracy,” the statement read. “Working closely with the United States and with international partners, the UK considers that this moment calls for pragmatic engagement to help advance a credible transition and to encourage further reforms.”

The communiqué added that London and Caracas “have agreed our intention to upgrade our representation to Ambassador,” emphasizing that the step aims to deepen engagement with Venezuelan authorities and enhance support for British corporate and trade interests.

The Venezuelan government welcomed London’s decision. In an official communication published on Tuesday, the government led by Acting President Delcy Rodriguez celebrated the upgrade in diplomatic status as a positive step toward normalization.

Venezuelan officials stressed that the latest decision should pave the way for the full “sovereign management of the Venezuelan people’s resources,” referencing state assets frozen in British financial institutions.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez and Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia flew to London and held a meeting on Tuesday with Harriet Thompson, the British Foreign Office’s Director for the Americas.

Following the discussions, Rodríguez highlighted progress in multi-sectoral talks and economic outlooks. 

“We shared Venezuela’s position regarding political and social dialogue, as well as the progress made regarding oil and gas investments, and how this will translate into significant and rapid economic growth for Venezuela,” he said in a message published on social media.

Rodríguez added that the talks aimed at promoting national peace and political reconciliation, labeling them as “good news for our country and our people.”

Bilateral relations between London and Caracas had been severed for years following former UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s decision in 2019 to follow Washington in recognizing opposition figure Juan Guaidó’s self-proclaimed “interim government.”

That policy led to a protracted legal battle over 31 tons of Venezuelan gold reserves stored in the Bank of England, with successive British governments refusing to return them to Caracas. The reserves are currently valued at over US $4 billion.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Venezuelan authorities attempted to retrieve the gold through international legal channels, offering to transfer the funds directly to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to purchase emergency medical supplies and food.

However, British courts repeatedly rejected the legal challenges from the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV), citing No. 10’s political recognition of the opposition parallel administration.

Following renewed political talks in August and September, a Venezuelan government delegation and representatives of the defunct, opposition-controlled 2015 National Assembly agreed to request the release of the UK-held gold reserves under US Treasury Department control and oversight.

According to opposition dialogue delegates, the 31 tons of gold will be transferred into a specialized US Treasury bank account and subjected to external audits by foreign accounting firms before being released.

The funds are reportedly earmarked for housing, healthcare, and infrastructure recovery in the wake of the June 24 double earthquake that left over 6,500 people dead across Venezuela.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Lisbon, Portugal.

British monarch highlights AI’s potential darker capacities, urging safety and humanity-focused development.

The United Kingdom’s King Charles has warned Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry leaders of the “existential dangers” posed by the technology if it falls into the wrong hands.

The monarch’s comments on Thursday add to a global debate over whether, and how to regulate the industry.

Charles hosted AI giants, including the cofounders of Nvidia and Google DeepMind, along with leaders from OpenAI and Anthropic at a summit at his Dumfries House estate in Scotland, to address safety concerns before it was “too late” to rein it in.

“There seems urgency in adequately considering the existential dangers of such technologies falling into the wrong hands, and being used in potentially catastrophic ways,” Charles told guests at the opening of the conference.

“Those in our world who value our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny,” he told the industry leaders.

“Those who have created these technologies are now increasingly warning that AI risks developing darker capacities, perhaps even to take life,” or be used in “potentially catastrophic ways”, the king also said.

In recent weeks, global figures have weighed in on whether the industry should regulate itself or allow governments to produce guidelines on how the rapidly evolving technology develops.

In May, Pope Leo XIV said ⁠”the world does not need an artificial intelligence that diminishes humanity” and must be “disarmed”.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns about the technology as a “hoax”.

Slow the pace of AI development

Last week, two Anthropic researchers warned that the rapidly advancing technology could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future.

Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei has also called for companies to slow the pace of AI development.

However, that has prompted an ⁠international debate about whether some executives were trying to get ahead of a possible government backlash and set the rules to keep the lead of particular companies.

“The development of AI – its substance and its pace – are both intriguing and deeply concerning in equal measure,” the British monarch said.

He urged industry leaders to harness it “with safety at its heart” and “to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world”.

The summit in Scotland is not expected to produce any binding agreements.

Chelsea announce that Clearlake will acquire the stakes of Todd Boehly and director Mark Walter.

Xabi Alonso said Chelsea’s ambition was “very clear” after Clearlake Capital took full control of the Premier League club, ending Todd Boehly’s chairmanship.

Chelsea announced late on Wednesday that Clearlake, led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano, would acquire the stakes of Boehly and director Mark Walter.

US billionaires Boehly and Walter partnered with Clearlake to buy the London club from Roman Abramovich in May 2022 in a sale mandated by the British government.

Prior to the new deal, private equity company Clearlake had owned 61.5 percent of the club, with Boehly and Walter carving up the remaining shares with another investor, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.

Chelsea said Wyss would “remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group”.

Boehly and Walter are among the co-owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, while Walter recently sold the Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise for $12.5bn.

The Financial Times reported that the pair were set to receive 950 million pounds ($1.27bn) for their combined stakes in Chelsea, in a deal that values the club at about five billion pounds, including debt.

In a new statement on Thursday, Chelsea said: “Our ambition is clear: to compete at the highest level, to win major trophies, and to build sustained success”.

Blues boss Alonso, who started at Chelsea on July 1 , told reporters that the change was “an important day for the club”.

“Thanks to the former owners for what they’ve done. I was not here, but I know they played an important role,” he said on the eve of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Brentford on Friday.

“And now that Behdad is taking more control, almost full control, I think it’s good that the main one is clear.

“I have very good relations with Behdad. He was the one that came to Madrid to explain to me the project, to convince me and we are working well together.”

“We know where we want to be, we know that everything takes time, but the ambition for that is very clear,” the Spaniard added.

Since the takeover in 2022, Chelsea’s highest Premier League finish is fourth in 2024/25, when the club won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen coach Alonso has a brief to revitalise the underachieving Chelsea squad, which finished a dismal 10th in the Premier League last season.

The Blues have made a mixed start to the new campaign, taking seven points from their four Premier League games to sit sixth in the table.

Boehly and Walter have also sold their stakes in Chelsea’s partner club, French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, giving full control to Clearlake.

Published on
17/09/2026 – 13:17 GMT+2

The ‘Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’ has chosen to wait, though not unanimously.

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The Monetary Policy Committee voted by a majority of six to three on Thursday to leave borrowing costs unchanged, with the dissenting trio pushing for a quarter-point increase to 4%.

The decision puts the Bank of England at odds with the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, both of which have tightened within the past week.

Despite holding, the central bank expects the situation to worsen before it improves.

Inflation “is likely to rise further over coming quarters,” the committee said, pointing to crude and refined energy prices that have climbed again since its last meeting and remain “more volatile and higher than pre-conflict.”

Watching for second-round effects

The case for holding rests on what has not yet happened.

“There has been little evidence so far of material second-round effects in price and wage-setting,” the statement read, meaning expensive energy is not yet feeding into broader wages and prices.

However, that reprieve may be temporary.

The risk of such effects “is greater the longer higher energy prices persist or are more volatile,” the committee warned, adding that risks to the inflation outlook are “tilted to the upside, and more so than at the time of the July Monetary Policy Report.”

Brent crude and UK wholesale gas prices have risen 36% and 78% respectively since July, with Brent at $106 a barrel and gas at 207 pence per therm on 14 September.

Refinery pressures have kept crack spreads, the gap between refined fuel prices and crude, well above pre-conflict levels.

Economic activity has held up slightly better than expected, while a soft labour market and the higher borrowing costs households and businesses have faced since the conflict began should bring inflation down over time.

A crowded week for central banks

The Fed raised its benchmark on Wednesday to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its first increase since 2023 and a unanimous decision, while signalling more to come.

The ECB lifted its deposit rate to 2.5% last week.

The sequence concludes on Friday with the Bank of Japan, where markets expect a hike.

That would leave the Bank of England as the only major central bank to have stood still this week, though on Thursday’s evidence not by much.

Additional sources • AP

The symbolic move comes as Argentina escalates its claim over the British-administered territory.

An Argentinian judge has ordered the suspension of a British-Israeli oil project near the Falkland Islands in a purely symbolic move as Argentina escalates its claim over the British-administered territory.

Wednesday’s interim ruling issued by a court in Argentina’s southernmost province, Tierra del Fuego, follows a lawsuit filed by 1982 war veterans and environmental lawyers earlier this month.

The plaintiffs sought to block Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum from the Sea Lion oilfield, located about 220km (137 miles) from the islands.

The judge ordered the companies to “refrain from initiating, pursuing, carrying out or having carried out any material actions” that would involve drilling, installing infrastructure or extracting hydrocarbons, according to a ruling seen by the AFP news agency.

Additionally, the suspension applies “until such time as the environmental impact assessment procedure has been conducted before the national authority competent in environmental matters”.

The judge gave the parties 10 days to provide information, including details about the status of the project, its contractors and its financiers.

President Javier Milei’s administration has also taken legal action against the project, arguing it violates a United Nations resolution calling for both sides to desist from unilateral actions in the islands until their dispute is resolved.

The court order comes just a day after Argentina announced it would file further legal complaints against companies exploring for oil near the islands, intensifying its campaign against businesses operating in the British overseas territory.

Britain and Argentina fought a brief but bitter 10-week war in 1982 over the South Atlantic islands, known to Argentines as the Malvinas.

The 1982 war ended with an Argentinian surrender after 74 days of conflict that killed 649 Argentines and 255 British troops, as well as three Falkland Islanders.

Buenos Aires has doubled down on its claim over the Falkland Islands after US President Donald Trump said Washington was open to reviewing its historically neutral stance on the territory.

London maintains the islands are British and rejects the jurisdiction of Argentinian courts in the Falklands.

The islanders themselves voted overwhelmingly in 2013 to remain British.

But Argentina rejects that outcome, arguing that the principle of self-determination does not apply to a population it considers implanted by Britain after 1833.

Howard Webb says the referees’ body is disappointed with the decision to allow Haaland’s goal against Manchester United.

Pro Ref chief Howard Webb said “tunnel vision” led video assistant referee (VAR) officials to wrongly award Erling Haaland’s goal in Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Haaland’s second-half strike was initially ruled out for offside before being allowed to stand following a VAR review that concluded the Manchester City forward was onside.

Pro Ref, the body responsible for refereeing in English professional football, later acknowledged the goal should not have been awarded because VAR failed to properly assess the involvement of teammate Enzo Fernandez, who attempted to play the ball from an offside position.

“I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are. None more so than the officials themselves,” Webb, Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer, said on Match Officials Mic’d Up on Sky Sports and TNT Sports.

“They take a lot of personal pride in what they do, and they’re obviously hurting now having fallen short in this situation.”

VAR is a refereeing support tool designed to enable the checking, reviewing and correction of clear and obvious errors during a match, according to FIFA. It was intended to be a combination of human expertise and technological accuracy, but has instead become a sour topic in football circles.

Current and former United players, including club legend Wayne Rooney, labelled the use of VAR “horrendous”, while football experts told Al Jazeera the technology has become “far too dominant” in decision-making.

Webb confirmed that VAR officials Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus would not officiate again until after the international break.

“We’ve reached out to Manchester United and acknowledged the error, as we do when these things happen,” Webb said.

Explaining the decision-making process, Webb said the semi-automated offside system quickly established that Haaland was onside, but the VAR became overly focused on the striker’s position and failed to fully consider Fernandez’s influence on the play.

“But of course, when he then runs it back through the full APP, he doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position,” Webb said.

“He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score. He doesn’t touch the ball, but he doesn’t truly evaluate other elements of offside. In that moment, he gets tunnel vision.”

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick criticised the decision after his side’s 1-0 home defeat, their second loss in four Premier League matches this season.

United next host Brighton in the League Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Erling Haaland’s goal for Man City should not have been overturned by VAR in derby at United, admits referee body.

Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) admitted on Sunday that the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s winner in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United was an “error of judgment”.

With City down to 10 men after Phil Foden’s dismissal for kicking Bruno Fernandes, Haaland netted on the hour mark with a close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.

The goal was initially disallowed for offside against Haaland, but VAR eventually overturned that decision, even though City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position and attempted to reach the ball before the Norwegian forward.

Fernandez did not touch the ball, so the goal was given, allowing Haaland to celebrate his ninth league strike in Manchester derbies.

Premier League Match Centre posted on social media after the goal to say the VAR “determined that Haaland was in an onside position” and “deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball”.

However, Pro Ref later on Sunday said the VAR “did not recognise the likely impact” of the Argentine midfielder’s position and “should have recommended an on-field review”.

“Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgment. A review of the incident will take place,” the statement added.

After the match, United manager Michael Carrick said it was “worrying” that a team of officials had come to the conclusion that Haaland’s goal should stand.

Lisandro Martinez was the United defender at the centre of the controversy.

The Argentine said he was clearly impacted by the presence of his international teammate Fernandez and branded the City goal an “injustice”.

“I went to him because he was in front of me. That’s why Haaland was free at the back,” Martinez told Sky Sports.

“Five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable.

“We have to go home with this injustice.”

Arsenal maintain perfect start to the season with their fourth win, thanks to goals from Guimaraes and Saka.

Arsenal manager Mikel ‌Arteta has labelled the decision to award Sunderland a penalty ‘unacceptable’ after watching his side ⁠grind out a 2-0 ⁠win to maintain their 100 percent start to the season and move clear at the top of the Premier League.

The defending champions made ⁠it 12 points out of 12 on Saturday as David Raya’s penalty save in the 55th minute proved crucial for the visitors, who went ahead two minutes later ⁠with Bruno Guimaraes’s first goal for the club.

Bukayo Saka wrapped it up deep in stoppage time from the penalty spot to ⁠make it four league wins out of four for the reigning champions.

It could have been different had Enzo Le Fee found the net, but Arteta blasted the decision by referee John Brooks to award a penalty when Ezri Konsa was penalised for pulling down Dan Ballard as a corner was played in.

“It was a huge win ‌, but it could have been something very different,” an angry Arteta said when referring to the penalty award after the match.

“It’s unacceptable at this level; this can change the course of a season and the championship. It’s not acceptable. I’ve seen it 10 times to make sure, and it’s not possible at this level that it can be a penalty. It cannot happen.

“It’s not a penalty in any context, in any league.”

It was far from a vintage Arsenal display against a tenacious Sunderland, who ⁠deserved something for their endeavour, but they dug deep and showed the resilience ⁠that helped them win a first title for 22 years last season.

They have now kept four clean sheets in their five games since the start of the season, including in the Champions League win at Napoli in midweek.

Summer signing Guimaraes replaced Myles ⁠Lewis-Skelly at half-time and made a stunning impact.

After receiving a pass from Declan Rice, he sent a right-footed curler into the top corner.

Arsenal were forced to ⁠defend desperately at times as Sunderland’s physicality rattled them, but ⁠Saka netted his third goal of the season when he beat Robin Roefs with his spot-kick after being fouled by Reinildo Mandava, who was sent off.

“It’s unbelievable the spirit and the courage we have to go again and again and again,” Arteta said. “So ‌pleased in one sense and so worried in another.

“David Raya was unbelievable. He is a player that decides football matches when we need it.

“Sunderland deserve a lot of credit for the way they make it ‌so ‌hard for you.”

Manchester City, the only other side not to have dropped Premier League points this season, can join Arsenal on 12 points if they beat Manchester United on Sunday.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham maintains that a poll is ‘off the table’ as there isn’t enough popular support for Northern Ireland to leave the UK.

United States President Donald Trump has said that a unified Ireland would be “fantastic”, in remarks made during a visit to Dublin that were not welcomed by government ministers in London.

Trump’s comments on Saturday came weeks after British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the United Kingdom was “off the table”.

“Well, I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified,” Trump told reporters, while sitting next to Ireland’s Prime Minister, Micheal Martin.

“It’s going to happen eventually … I think it would be a fantastic thing,” he said.

“Now the UK will have something to say about it … but I think it would be a great thing,” he added.

Martin declined to respond to reporters’ questions to comment on the US president’s remarks.

Following Trump’s comments, a spokesperson for Burnham said his position on Irish unification remained unchanged.

Responding to questions from members of parliament on Wednesday about a potential poll in Northern Ireland, Burnham said: “I am not aware that there is majority public support for another referendum, and until that changes, there will not be one”.

Under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement), a referendum on leaving the UK can be held only at the discretion of the British government.

The accord ended three decades of violence known as The Troubles. The sectarian conflict involved mostly Catholic nationalist paramilitaries seeking a united Ireland, mostly Protestant unionist paramilitaries wanting to remain part of the UK, and British troops.

Gavin Robinson, leader of the DUP, Northern Ireland’s main unionist party, said that Northern Ireland’s future was a matter for its people to decide, not Trump.

“President Trump knows better than most that elections matter. Northern Ireland’s constitutional future will be decided by the people of Northern Ireland, not by commentary in London, Dublin or Washington.”

While polls show a comfortable majority in Northern Ireland favour remaining in the UK, the gap has narrowed slightly since Britain’s departure from the European Union pushed unity higher up the political agenda.

Trump also met Irish President Catherine Connolly, who was elected head of state last year. When Trump last visited Ireland as president in 2019, Connolly, an outspoken politician with left-wing foreign policy views, protested at Shannon Airport in western Ireland.

During Trump’s current visit, some supporters had urged her to speak out against US military actions around the world and defend Ireland’s neutrality.

Anti-Trump protests

Anti-war and anti-Trump protests were held in Dublin and some were planned for later in western Ireland, near Trump’s golf course in Doonbeg.

Reporting from the capital, Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic said Dubliners had a “laundry list” of reasons for protesting against Trump’s visit.

“They feel that the Irish government should not be, in their words, rolling out the red carpet for someone like Trump, who they say is a cause of instability in the world and has been enabling Israel’s actions in Gaza … and destabilised the whole of the Middle East.”

Irish people are also protesting against the high cost of hosting Trump, including security, which they say could pay for other things, such as healthcare and social issues, added Veselinovic.

England overcome early tremors to win ⁠third Test against Pakistan by eight wickets, clinching a series whitewash.

Joe Root led from the front as England survived a major wobble to beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday, sealing a 3-0 series whitewash.

The home team, chasing just 130 to win, were in deep trouble when openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay were dismissed in the first over, bowled by Mohammad Abbas.

Root, England’s record runscorer, edged his first ball, bowled by Razaullah, through the slips for four in a nervy start but settled and scored quickly to take the sting out of the situation.

The skipper was given a huge reprieve when he chopped onto the stumps off Mohammad Ali, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball, leaving the bowler distraught.

Root, with Jordan Cox at the other end, had another let-off when he edged an Abbas delivery between first and second slip, with neither fielder moving.

But he reached his half-century off 57 balls with a cut for four, and Cox matched him shortly afterwards.

England reached their target in the 25th over, with Root unbeaten on 62 and Cox 59 not out.

Root, in his second spell as England skipper after the departure of Ben Stokes, admitted his team were not the finished article but said he was delighted with their series win.

“The amount of uncertainty, noise and I guess chaos there was coming into the series, the way the guys have dealt with that – being so clinical with what we’ve had in front of us – and be stood here with a 3-0 win is really pleasing,” Root told Sky Sports.

“It sets us up nicely looking ahead to the start of a new era with (new head coach) Stephen Fleming coming in.”

Pakistan woes

It is England’s first Test series win since 2024, while Pakistan have now lost 16 of their last 21 games and are bottom of the World Test Championship table.

Root’s men had appeared set for a quickfire win inside three days on Friday before debutant fast bowler Razaullah launched an audacious assault with the bat, clubbing nine sixes as he raced to 81 off 63 balls.

The 21-year-old number nine, who also took four wickets in England’s first innings, put on 121 for the ninth wicket with fellow paceman Abbas (42) as England floundered.

“We had a little bit of pushback yesterday which, in a strange way, was quite a good thing for the group,” said Root.

“Fair play to Razaullah; he made things difficult for us. He played some wonderful shots and made it very difficult to set fields to. He struck the ball nicely – I don’t know how he didn’t pull a muscle, swinging the bat that hard.”

Razaullah’s heroics have changed the mood music, but they came too little, too late for Pakistan, who have endured a miserable series, losing the first Test by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194 runs.

The tourists sent seven players home after their crushing defeat in the second Test at Lord’s and brought in seven replacements, with Razaullah among them.

They also sacked head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul as their tour plunged into chaos.

Pakistan made four changes to their side for the third Test, and they put up a fight despite being dismissed for a paltry 133 in their first innings.

Captain Babar Azam admitted his team would have to take stock after a one-sided series.

“Before we came here, we had to think about different things and to decide our team,” he said.

“We had a couple of changes after losing two matches. Playing in England is very difficult. We were trying to do our best in the third match.

“We need to sit down and look hard at our mistakes, decide our playing XI.”

The 3-0 whitewash is a huge tonic for England, who were in turmoil just weeks ago following a series loss to New Zealand and the exits of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Stokes.

But tougher challenges lie ahead, starting with a Test series in South Africa in December and January, while a home Ashes looms next year.