Brazilian superstar Neymar was greeted by thousands of adoring fans at Al-Hilal on Saturday as he became the latest world-famous footballer to join...

Bruno Fernandes has hailed the abilities of Manchester United teammate Alejandro Garnacho but warns he must stay focused to fulfil his true potential.

Ange Postecoglou remained defiant and insisted Tottenham were on the path to being “a very good football team” despite a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa consigning them to a third consecutive defeat. Spurs were without 11 first-teamers but Postecoglou doubled down on his philosophy with a back four containing no centre-backs, several attacking players handed first league starts of the season and no recognised defensive midfielder in the starting line-up. It initially paid off with Giovani Lo Celso firing Tottenham ahead in the 22nd-minute and while the hosts had 18 shots, three goals disallowed and hit the woodwork twice, Aston Villa punished their profligacy to move above them into the Premier League’s top four. Postecoglou reflected: “It is just the situation we’re in at the moment, but we’ll get through it. “It might take a little while, but we’ll get through it and as long as we show the same intent and play the football we did today, I’ve got no doubt when we come out the other side, we’ll be a very good football team. “We had four full-backs out there so we didn’t really have the height, which we knew would be an issue for us today but you kind of take those calculated risks with the flipside of it being that some of our football was outstanding today. “I mean some of the goals we could have scored would have ended up being showreels for us in the way we want to play our football, so for me the positives definitely outweigh the negative of the result. “We’ve just got to make sure the players stay focused on what’s important right now and you need to win games of football to keep yourself in the mix to be in a strong position come the end of the year, but right now we’re still building a side. It might take a little while, but we'll get through it and as long as we show the same intent and play the football we did today, I've got no doubt when we come out the other side, we'll be a very good football team Ange Postecoglou “What’s more important is the way forward has to be with what the end goal is in mind and today was about trying to play the football we want to play. “If we fell short, we fell short but I didn’t think we fell short today. I thought it was just fine margins for us and not getting the rewards.” To add to Tottenham’s growing issues, Rodrigo Bentancur’s first start since February following a serious knee injury was cut short after he was on the receiving end of a poor first-half tackle by Matty Cash. “It is his ankle, I think,” Postecoglou revealed. “It wasn’t a great tackle. I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game. “He’s such a creative player. It’s the last thing we needed. Another injury, so (I’m) disappointed to lose him, but we’re yet to see the extent of it.” While Tottenham created chances aplenty, it was visiting Villa who clinched an eighth victory from their last 10 matches after Pau Torres’ header in first-half stoppage-time was backed up by Ollie Watkins’ low effort after 61 minutes. It pressed home their case as a genuine contender for Champions League qualification but former Arsenal boss Unai Emery insisted there are seven teams ahead of them. “That was an amazing match,” Emery added. “I think both teams, different ways tactically but very hard, very tough. They create chances, we create chances and we were efficient and clinical. “Really I enjoy it but I lost all my energy. That was an amazing match Unai Emery “Of course we can get confidence when we are winning matches like here at Tottenham, but still in my mind, it is 38 matches that we have to be consistent. “We have to try to get each opportunity with three points and try to get a good position in the table. We are in (the top four) now, but we are not a contender. “There are seven contenders more than us to be in the top seven, to be in the top four but while we are there, we are going to try to keep (there).” Read More Archer, Brook and Rashid join list of England players who will not play in IPL Ollie Watkins hails a ‘massive three points’ for Aston Villa at Tottenham Former England boss Terry Venables remembered as an innovator and inspiration Top two maintain momentum with convincing victories Sheffield United probe alleged racist incident during home loss to Bournemouth Gareth Southgate pays tribute to ‘outstanding coach’ Terry Venables

The Falcons' 24-10 win over Carolina in their opener was not a great showing for their passing game

Mikel Arteta is hopeful Bukayo Saka will be fine after the Arsenal forward was brought off with a “knock’’ in the Champions League victory over Sevilla. Saka was the star of the show as Arsenal brushed Sevilla aside in a 2-0 win at the Emirates, setting up Leandro Trossard’s opener before doubling the hosts’ lead in the second half. But the 22-year-old was once again on the receiving end of several fouls from the Sevilla defenders and signalled to come off late in the contest after an awkward landing. Arteta, however, did not appear to be overly concerned after Saka’s early exit. Arsenal host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, while Gareth Southgate watched on at the Emirates ahead of announcing his England squad on Thursday ahead of qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia. Saka will be hoping to return to the England squad after missing October’s internationals and Arteta said: “It was just a kick and I was told by the physios he wasn’t happy to continue. I want to assume he will be OK.” Arteta said Saka is “getting used” to being on the receiving end of challenges after Sevilla fouled the winger four times inside the opening 20 minutes of the Group B fixture. “That’s not going to change,” Areta said. “The way he attacks players.” Arsenal were without captain Martin Odegaard and striker Eddie Nketiah against Sevilla, but Arteta said both are “racing against the clock” and could be fit for Saturday. Gabriel Jesus, who was also missing due to injury, will not be back until after the international break. Read More Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli dazzle to lead Arsenal towards last-16 Bukayo Saka does not fear burnout and is keen to feature in every Arsenal match Eddie Nketiah hits hat-trick as five-star Arsenal sweep aside Sheffield United

The Washington Commanders and New York Giants came into the season with the goal of closing the gap on the perennial frontrunners in the NFL East, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys

The arrival of new coach Luke Fickell has helped Wisconsin generate a rise in season ticket sales for the first time since 2017

Wide receiver Davante Adams made it a point to leave the Green Bay Packers on good terms

Aaron Judge is no stranger to highlight plays. And on Saturday, he added to his already long list with a spectacular catch.

Israel Adesanya takes on Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293 this weekend, defending the middleweight title in Sydney. Adesanya began his second reign as champion in April, knocking out Alex Pereira to finally earn a win over his old rival, who took the belt from Adesanya in November. Now, the Nigerian-New Zealander defends the gold against Strickland, with the controversial contender entering Australia on a two-fight win streak. American Strickland, ranked fifth, was Adesanya’s second choice for a challenger here; the champion had his eyes on Dricus Du Plessis, but the South African sustained an injury to delay that potential grudge match. Many fans, however, are excited to see Strickland (27-5) finally get his shot at Adesanya (24-2). Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is UFC 293? The event is set to take place on Saturday 9 September, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The early prelims are due to begin at 11.30pm BST (3.30pm PT, 5.30pm CT, 6.30pm ET), with the regular prelims following at 1am BST on Sunday 10 September (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET on Saturday). The main card is then scheduled for 3am BST on Sunday (7pm PT, 9pm CT, 10pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help: Get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Odds Adesanya – 2/13 Strickland – 9/2 Via Betway. • Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Main card Israel Adesanya (C) vs Sean Strickland (middleweight title) Tai Tuivasa vs Alexander Volkov (heavyweight) Manel Kape vs Felipe dos Santos (flyweight) Justin Tafa vs Austen Lane (heavyweight) Tyson Pedro vs Anton Turkalj (light-heavyweight) Prelims Carlos Ulberg vs Da Woon Jung (light-heavyweight) Jack Jenkins vs Chepe Mariscal (featherweight) Jamie Mullarkey vs John Makdessi (lightweight) Nasrat Haqparast vs Landon Quinones (lightweight) Early prelims Mike Diamond vs Charlie Radtke (welterweight) Shane Young vs Gabriel Miranda (featherweight) Kevin Jousset vs Kiefer Crosbie (welterweight) Read More Deja vu for Ciryl Gane as heavyweight scores statement win at UFC Paris UFC president Dana White hits out at ‘idiot’ who tried to break into his house UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Conor McGregor finally receives black belt in jiu-jitsu Mark Zuckerberg trains with UFC champions on speedboat Former Tyson Fury opponent backs Francis Ngannou to drop ‘Gypsy King’

For a team whose first three fixtures back in League Two are MK Dons, AFC Wimbledon, and Walsall, it feels somewhat out of kilter that three of their last pre-season games saw them face Chelsea, LA Galaxy and Manchester United. Such is the Wrexham way. Fresh off a nail-biting National League campaign, Las Vegas promotion party and sell-out Stateside pre-season tour, Wrexham fans and players, if only momentarily, might be brought back down to earth by the prospect of a 46-game slog as they look to pick up where they left off back in the Football League for the first time since 2008. Perhaps if this were a Hollywood script, Wrexham’s journey under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney would continue unperturbed; the Welsh side coasting to League Two glory and continuing their march up the English football pyramid. But football isn’t always that straightforward. Ask Salford City. The Manchester club, owned by class of ‘92 teammates Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and David Beckham were the original celebrity-owned lower-league club and arrived in this very same league back in 2019 to similar fanfare. Four seasons and four managers later, they still remain. In their quartet of campaigns since promotion from the National League, their best finish has been last season, placing seventh before ultimately bowing out in the play-off semi-finals. Ask Mansfield Town. The Stags will now enter their 11th straight year in the division after their promotion from the then-Conference League. After four unsuccessful promotion challenges in the last six seasons as one of the league’s bigger spenders, Nigel Clough’s side have become part of League Two’s furniture, last year missing out on a spot in the play-offs to Salford courtesy of goal difference. Ask Stockport County. Last season’s shiny new toy, having pipped Wrexham to promotion in 2021, Stockport were many people’s favourite to achieve back-to-back promotions with their National League record and stellar squad. However, a play-off final penalty-shootout defeat to underdogs Carlisle means that Dave Challinor’s side will again compete in the fourth tier this season. None of this is to suggest that Wrexham can’t achieve back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club’s history. They are clear favourites with the bookmakers to do just that after their record-breaking points tally (111) last season in the fifth tier. But even with four promotion spots on offer, rather than the two in the National League, history has shown that nothing can be taken for granted in a league full of clubs looking to move up the pyramid. In that sense, Parkinson can be grateful that Wrexham’s riches and big-spending in the past gifts him a squad full of League Two know-how with no better example than talisman and last year’s Player of the Season, Paul Mullin. Although a punctured lung, suffered in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United, will see the striker miss the start of the season, the 28-year-old will need no time to acclimatise to the division. It was in League Two, after all, that he first caught the eye of Wrexham having fired 32 goals in 46 games to guide Cambridge United to an unlikely promotion in 2021. His move back down the pyramid to Wrexham was an early sign of Reynolds and McElhenney’s pull and pockets. Then there is Ben Tozer and Jordan Tunnicliffe. Tozer captained Cheltenham out of League Two the very same season that Mullin burst onto the scene while Tunnifcliffe made it into the division’s team of the season that same year for his performances at Crawley. This year, Tozer will be reunited with fellow centre-back, Will Boyle – Wrexham’s lone signing so far this window – with whom he formed a sturdy partnership at Cheltenham. Add to that Eoghan O’Connell, signed last January from League One Charlton Athletic, and recent Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster, who has postponed a second retirement to sign a new contract, and it’s clear to see the enviable quality that the Welsh side have in defence. The creativity of fan-favourite and former Luton Town midfielder Elliot Lee, alongside the goalscoring prowess of Ollie Palmer, who joined for a club-record £300,000, is further evidence of why Wrexham went on to smash the record points tally last season. It is perhaps also why, other than Boyle, the club have not made any signings in the transfer window. There is money available, especially after new, lucrative shirt and stadium sponsorship deals with United Airlines and US coffee brand, Stok, but it also points to a squad that was ready to compete with League Two’s best long before they reached this point. They are by no means out on their own, though. Wrexham’s great title rivals in the National League, Notts County, look likely to challenge them again, especially after the coveted signing of veteran striker David McGoldrick who scored 22 goals for Derby County last year in League One. And there is also Stockport, last year’s Wembley losers, who have recruited Nick Powell from Stoke City, the 29-year-old returning to the league where he first caught the eye of Manchester United aged 18. Gillingham, fresh off their own US investment, and those teams relegated from League One last season – MK Dons, Morecambe, Accrington Stanley and Forest Green – could all contend as well in what promises to be one of the most intriguing and high-quality seasons the league has ever seen. Wrexham will continue to attract global eyeballs and bring renewed pride to their local community, that much is assured. On the pitch, though, nothing is guaranteed. As League Two has shown before, no amount of money or high-profile ownership is a guarantee of success. Wrexham will be wary of that and Parkinson will have his work cut out against any number of fancied promotion rivals but with a squad built for the level, the Welsh club and its owners will surely be dreaming of another Hollywood ending. Read More Wrexham fume at Man Utd goalkeeper after striker Paul Mullin hospitalised with punctured lung Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham is on its way to the United States after being given the Hollywood treatment Why Wrexham? How Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney came to buy a club they’d never heard of Ryan Reynolds reaches out to Manchester United keeper after Paul Mullin injury Extraordinary – Wrexham director says reception in US has exceeded expectations Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest news and updates as England prepare for last-16

Simon Ehammer, a talented athlete from Switzerland, excels in multiple disciplines, such as the 110m hurdles, decathlon, heptathlon, and long jump