World champion Max Verstappen has given his support to rival Carlos Sainz after the Ferrari driver was hit with a ten-place grid penalty at...

James Harden raised a big stink in Philadelphia, eventually wearing Daryl Morey down to a place where he had no choice but to send the mercurial southpaw to the

Mikel Arteta believes the timing of injuries that hit his squad late in the season ultimately cost Arsenal in their bid to hold off Manchester City and win the Premier League. The team’s collapse largely coincided with a back injury sustained by defender William Saliba during their Europa League exit to Sporting Lisbon in March, with stand-in centre-back Rob Holding struggling to match the standard set by his team-mate. Arsenal were also without strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu and midfielder Mohamed Elneny for large parts of the season as they were eventually chased down by City despite leading the table for 248 days. It hands the club the unwanted record of the most number of days spent top of the league without becoming champions. Collecting just nine points from their last eight games extinguished the challenge from Arteta’s side, but the manager pointed to three draws in April – away at Liverpool and West Ham and at home to bottom-side Southampton – as the period where critical damage was done to their title hopes. The Gunners threw away two-goal leads at Anfield and the London Stadium before gifting Saints a 3-1 lead at the Emirates, from which they could not recover to win. Arteta felt his team should have beaten all three opponents in spite of Saliba’s absence, but noted that the title was usually won by sides that did not suffer the bad luck with injuries that hit Arsenal this season. “There were a few things (that caused the collapse) because we could have won at least three of the games that we drew without Willy and two of them really comfortably,” said Arteta. “But we didn’t. “We had some critical moments where we didn’t maximise the opportunity that we had in front of us. You have to arrive at this stage with 24 fit players in the best condition, ready to go. “It happened last season. In the last stages we lost three or four key players and it’s happened this season. “It’s a big lesson, because when you look who wins and how doesn’t win, they have the 24 of them with the knife in the teeth, ready to go physically and mentally, all going for it and they can have real momentum. We didn’t have that again. “Timing is everything. Moments define the season in your own way and for opponents. That’s dictated by many, many, many factors and you have to acknowledge that. There are certain things you don’t control and certain other things not. “We fail in certain (moments) in our control, but I’m sure there are things we could have done different or better.” Arteta was asked whether he feared for Arsenal’s prospects of challenging again next season, given the difficulties that Liverpool have endured this campaign after pushing City to the final day last May. Jurgen Klopp’s team have failed to make the top four despite finishing a point behind the champions last season after a pulsating title race. As well as the loss of key players and feeling the impact of an ageing team, it had been suggested that there had been a mental hangover at Anfield from last year’s pursuit of Pep Guardiola’s side. “Whatever we do now in the last game and what we’ve done in the last week is just to build into what is going to happen afterwards,” said Arteta. Let's move on and let's have a great season again Mikel Arteta “Painting a very clear picture of where we want to go and who wants to be part of that journey.” The manager also reiterated his commitment to the club after a year in which his personal stock has risen greatly. He added: “I am very happy here, I’m very happy with my contract. Let’s move on and let’s have a great season again.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rob Edwards relieved to hear skipper Tom Lockyer is doing okay after Luton win Roberto De Zerbi wants to help Jason Steele follow Lewis Dunk into England squad Pep Guardiola has no concerns about ‘scoring machine’ Erling Haaland

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to play Bukayo Saka as the Arsenal winger limped out of their Champions League defeat to Lens. The Gunners had taken the lead through Gabriel Jesus but Adrien Thomasson levelled following a David Raya error before Saka hobbled out of the game. Lens would go on to win 2-1 courtesy of a second-half strike from Elye Wahi but it was the injury to Saka that will have concerned Arteta more. Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit the Emirates Stadium in five days and Saka’s involvement is now in doubt with the England forward having been forced off in the last three games. Asked if he regretted picking Saka following his issues against both Tottenham and Bournemouth, Arteta replied: “No. It was a knock that he had the other day and he was perfectly fine. It was a back-heel, an action that can produce that kind of injury. “Let’s see what the extent of it is and afterwards it’s too late. The last few were more knocks than anything else. “He hasn’t really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford (in the Carabao Cup) last week and that was all. “He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and felt something muscular. He felt uncomfortable to carry on so we had to take him off. “We don’t know anything more. It was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s a worry for us. “He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night. I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it. “But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson.” The defeat ended a forgettable 24 hours for Arsenal after bad weather grounded Arteta and his players at Luton airport for five hours on Monday as their journey to France was delayed. Now their hopes of avoiding a bumpy ride in qualifying for the knockout stages have also suffered a setback after a turbulent night at a rocking Stade Bollaert-Delelis. “No, let’s not put excuses,” Arteta said when asked if the preparations for the game had impacted on a poor team performance. “First of all, congratulations to Lens. They are a really good side. Really well coached. We knew it was going to be a really tough match. “In the boxes we had four or five chances we didn’t put away and we didn’t defend the boxes well enough. “It’s true there were moments in the second half we struggled to be more threatening in the final third and find spaces. “They defended with those numbers really good. That’s something to take for the next game.” Lens had started the season slowly but won their two Ligue 1 games leading into a first Champions League home game in 21 years and defender Kevin Danso was delighted with the outcome. “We gave it our all today in front of our own fans,” he said. “It was a difficult game, Arsenal had a lot of quality and made us sit back really deep, but we kept defending and kept our concentration. Luckily we won the game. “At home we know how strong we are, in front of our fans. That’s what we always try to do: win at home. I’m a bit gutted about the clean sheet, but we’ll take the three points definitely.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants Spurs clash replayed over VAR blunder George Turner knows Scotland must find their ‘best performance’ against Ireland Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw is an injury doubt for crucial Scotland clash

By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders met with young labor organizers from Starbucks and

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Brendan Rodgers felt Celtic’s 1-1 draw with Wolves in their Dublin friendly was “perfect” preparation for next week’s cinch Premiership curtain-raiser. Japan striker Kyogo Furuhashi opened the scoring for the Hoops in the sixth minute after Reo Hatate had earlier struck the woodwork. Celtic missed several chances, with Furuhashi hitting the top of a post, although the Premier League side had chances of their own. Rodgers’ men continued to dominate after the break and new South Korean duo Yang Hyun-jun and Kwon Hyeon-kyu came on for their first appearances. However, Wolves’ Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha, who hit a post early in the second half, levelled from the penalty spot in the 85th minute after Hoops goalkeeper Joe Hart was adjudged to have brought down substitute Matt Doherty in the box. Rodgers told Viaplay Sports: “It feels like a loss whenever you concede late on, but the workout was perfect for us. “I thought we had some spells of fantastic football, defensively against a good side, good players you have to defend and it’s the perfect type of game that we needed. “Of course the game gets a bit broken when you’re making changes and you lose that fluency and the rhythm of the game, so I’m probably in that stage, second half, the last 25 minutes, we gave the ball away too much. “So we have to be better in that aspect. “But overall, we’re really pleased, a great exercise for us against a good side. “It’s very important in any team of mine to look to impose and initiate the game as high up the pitch as you can and like I said, we have guys that are willing to work and run and they worked very well. “It was a great finish by Kyogo but we had other chances as well, some other fantastic chances, but it was a really good exercise.” Celtic play Spanish side Athletic Bilbao in James Forrest’s testimonial game at Parkhead on Tuesday night before the Scottish champions begin the league season against Ross County on August 5. Rodgers said: “I just think it’s building again on the fitness aspects, the positioning. “The team obviously plays well but there are certain phases of the game where we can improve. I thought in the build-up in the early stages we were very good, and then it’s dealing with a little bit more pressure. “On Tuesday we’ll play two 45-minute teams. We need to get some minutes into their legs and obviously then that will be a final preparation game before the season starts. So that’s the idea for Tuesday.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Joe Root leads England charge with fifty as lead over Australia passes 250 Zak Crawley sets the tone as England turn up the heat against Australia England veteran Rachel Daly concerned by ACL issue at Women’s World Cup

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