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Carlos Baleba finished his first Premier League start in tatters. The 19-year-old had given everything to Brighton’s cause, and in the final minutes, he could be seen bent double, gasping for breath, telling his goalkeeper to keep hold of the ball for a few seconds longer, like a man begging for mercy. By this point, he looked a little disheveled, with his socks fallen down and shorts rolled up. His final act was to chop down Liverpool’s galloping Ryan Gravenberch, for which he was rightly booked. And when the whistle blew on this wild 2-2 draw, he dropped to the grass in relief and stretched out the cramp coursing through his legs. Baleba hobbled over to shake the hands of various Liverpool players, most of whom wouldn’t have known anything about this Cameroonian teenager before their team meeting on Friday. But after a performance full of energy, guile, skill, outrageous confidence and physical dominance in midfield – one that sapped his body dry – they do now. Ask people inside Brighton who will be the next diamond in the rough, the player who will be sold for five times their asking price after doing wondrous things on this Amex Stadium pitch, then you might be pointed to Kaoru Mitoma or Evan Ferguson, Mahmoud Dahoud or Joao Pedro. But those really in the know will point to Baleba. That includes the manager, Roberto De Zerbi, who said without hesitation on Baleba’s signing this summer: “He will be the future of the club.” If that sounded like hyperbole, there was enough evidence in this 100-minute sample to suggest the Italian is right, as he has tended to be about most things in his short Brighton career. After a Carabao Cup start and a couple of league appearances off the bench, De Zerbi showed enormous faith in Baleba with this full Premier League debut against Liverpool, and that faith was repaid in spades. This was Baleba’s kind of match, stretched and full of holes, with little fires popping up all over the pitch that needed putting out. As the defensive shield, he rushed to cover off counter-attacks and snuff out threatening direct balls. He stood in front of his back four checking over his shoulder for Mohamed Salah’s movement, and then cut out the through ball when it came. When Lewis Dunk pressed so high up the pitch that he left a void in Brighton’s defence, Baleba instinctively slotted back and filled the space. In possession, he was calm and composed and occasionally he injected little jolts of energy, like early in the first half, in his own half, where he threw in a stepover before charging away from Liverpool’s midfield and setting Brighton’s attacking players away as the crowd urged him on. Or a few minutes after Brighton had scored their first goal, when he dribbled through the centre of the pitch from the halfway line, jinked away from a defender on the edge of Liverpool’s box and hit his shot just wide. Baleba was a source of calm in what was a wild game. The first half could have been the subject of an art installation simply titled: ‘Get rid’. All three goals were the result of kamikaze passing at the back that went disastrously wrong, enough to boil the blood of proper football men everywhere. First, it was Virgil van Dijk plodding a pass to Alexis Mac Allister, which Brighton’s Simon Adingra (like Baleba, the 21-year-old winger was exceptional) stole and quickly swept past an out-of-position Alisson Becker for Brighton’s opener. Liverpool hit back with two goals of their own, first when Dunk misplaced a pass and Salah finished off a flowing counterattack, and then just before the break when Pascal Gross lost the ball in his own box and hauled down Dominik Szoboszlai, and Salah scored from the penalty spot. Brighton went into the break 2-1 up, so it was a compliment to the Baleba-Gross partnership when Jurgen Klopp brought on Ryan Gravenberch at half-time to stabilise Liverpool’s overrun midfield. It worked, and for a period Liverpool took control, but they failed to score a third and Brighton went hunting for an equaliser, which came late through Dunk’s close-range volley. Baleba never stopped, and his defensive nous regularly kept counter-attacks at bay. “I have to congratulate the club on finding two more amazing players, in Adingra and Baleba,” De Zerbi said after the game. “Baleba is very young and I think this club needs the characteristics of Baleba. He is a great replacement for Caicedo. But we can’t forget Ansu Fati, Mahmoud Dahoud, Joao Pedro.” In other words, there is plenty more where that came from. Why give Baleba his first start now? “I gave him the right steps. He played a part of the game with Bournemouth, played 70 minutes in Stamford Bridge [in the League Cup] in a big stadium. I gave him time to understand the new style of play, the timing of when to receive the ball, the right line of passing: our idea. It is not so easy [to learn] because our style, in the defensive phase we can change depending on the opponent, our build-up play can change. “He’s very young, a very good player with incredible potential, and he can be one of the most important midfielders in Europe in the future.” De Zerbi believes. And after this performance, we’re all Balebas now. Read More Brighton v Liverpool LIVE: Premier League result and reaction Liverpool’s new double-act are surprising even Jurgen Klopp Rumours: Brazilian is Liverpool’s January target and City want Haaland renewal No need for a replay as Liverpool return to normality in Europa League Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise LIVE: Latest Europa League updates PGMOL rejects Ben Foster’s claim that refs pressured Sky into VAR cover-up

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil defused any tension after Unai Emery left without a handshake. The Aston Villa manager walked down the tunnel after Sunday’s 1-1 draw while O’Neil spoke to the fourth official at full time. Pau Torres had quickly cancelled out Hwang Hee-Chan’s second-half opener as Villa missed the chance to move into the Premier League’s top four. Ollie Watkins hit the post with the last touch of the game after Mario Lemina was dismissed in stoppage time for a second caution. They remain fifth after a scrappy derby at Molineux while Wolves built on their 2-1 victory at Manchester City last week and O’Neil dismissed any issue with Emery. He said: “It was a lot of nothing, I was moaning at the fourth about playing 114 minutes and Unai didn’t want to wait for the handshake so he went to walk down the tunnel. I just said: ‘No problem, go down the tunnel’. “I’ve waited ages for people (managers in the past), I understand that they want to talk with the fourth official. “My conversation with the fourth official was about eight seconds long so he wouldn’t have had to wait very long. But I understand if he doesn’t want to, no problem. I’ve got no problem with Unai at all. “I thought we edged it 11 v 11, apart from the start but a point is fairish I’d suggest. We looked comfortable, there wasn’t a huge gap between the sides. “Eight points is not a bad return, we’re managing to score goals and trying to improve.” Rayan Ait-Nouri steered Wolves’ best first-half chance wide and Jose Sa needed to be alert to divert Watkins’ effort over soon after the break. But Wolves struck first after 53 minutes when Neto’s pace took him past Torres to cross for Hwang to net his sixth goal of the season. The lead lasted just two minutes as Torres netted his first Villa goal when he turned in Watkins’ cross at the far post after Wolves were unable to clear Douglas Luiz’s free kick. With 12 minutes left Neto should have settled the game when Sasa Kalajdzic’s excellent cross found Wolves’ star man only for him to blaze over from 10 yards. Wolves then had to navigate eight of the 12 minutes of stoppage time with 10 men after Lemina was dismissed, earning a second yellow card for a tug on Nicolo Zaniolo. And Villa nearly cashed in with the last touch of the game when Watkins thumped the base of the post. Victory would have lifted Villa into the Champions League spots, after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Brighton. “It’s a derby and we felt it on the pitch. There are a lot of supporters with us, they are pushing, it was a great atmosphere,” said Emery, who also called leaving without a handshake ‘nothing’. “We tried to focus on the match. We reacted to the goal very quickly, it was key, and in 11 v 11 we created more chances but they had some very good transitions and chances. “When they had a red card it was the moment where we tried to get the advantage. “We are ambitious and very demanding. The first half we started very well but we lost a bit of control. We weren’t controlling the game and at that moment I was frustrated and upset.” Read More Kieran Hardy gets World Cup call as Wales look to boost scrum-half options Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Jake Jarman takes vault gold at World Gymnastics Championships Stuart McCloskey banishes retirement thoughts to enjoy memorable World Cup debut It’s some turnaround – Leigh Wood relishing late career resurgence Diogo Dalot urges Man United to make Brentford fightback a ‘turning point’

CHENNAI, India (Reuters) -India launched their home World Cup campaign with a six-wicket victory over Australia after Virat Kohli and

Virat Kohli has inspired India’s recovery from 2-3 in its reply to Australia’s below-par 199 all out to secure a six-wicket win for the host nation in its opening match at the Cricket World Cup

Aston Villa missed the chance to climb into the Premier League’s top four after a 1-1 draw at Wolves. Pau Torres’ equaliser, just two minutes after Hwang-Hee Chan’s opener, saw them come from behind at Molineux. Mario Lemina was sent off in stoppage time for a second booking and Ollie Watkins hit the post with the final touch of the match. Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Brighton opened the door for Villa to move into the Champions League spots but they never did enough for victory. Wolves earned another solid point following last week’s swashbuckling 2-1 win over Manchester City to continue their progress under Gary O’Neil. The manager would have been encouraged by another gritty performance and with better finishing from Pedro Neto it would have been another victory. It was Villa, though, who started the brighter as Torres miscued a header and Jose Sa turned Matty Cash’s angled effort behind before John McGinn twice fired off target. It preceded a good spell for Wolves, the hosts attempting to stamp their authority on the game without ever testing Emi Martinez. Their final ball continued to elude them until Hwang crossed for Rayan Ait-Nouri to steer wide after 33 minutes. Yet it was the hosts’ one decent chance of the half and they needed Lemina to rush out and block Douglas Luiz’s shot just before the break. Villa’s start to the season, which had lifted them to fifth, was their second best in the Premier League but there were signs of tiredness and the visitors’ decision to resort to gamesmanship early belied the quality they have. They emerged for the second half sharper, though, and Jose Sa turned over when Watkins directed McGinn’s pass goalwards. It was a brief spark from Villa but there was little surprise when Wolves grabbed the lead after 53 minutes. Douglas Luiz was caught by Hwang with the ball worked wide to Neto who ran at Torres. He engineered enough space to cross low for Hwang to poke in his fifth league goal of the season from close range. But the celebrations were cut short just two minutes later when Villa hit back. The hosts failed to clear from Douglas Luiz’s free kick and Watkins’ cute cross was turned in by Torres. It raised hopes the scrappy and, sometimes, ill-tempered game would take a step up in quality but neither side were able to ram home an advantage. Wolves wanted a penalty when Neto tumbled under pressure from Boubacar Kamara while Villa failed to threaten Sa again. With 12 minutes left, Neto should have settled the game when Sasa Kalajdzic’s excellent cross found Wolves’ star man, only for him to blaze over from 10 yards. The hosts then had to see out eight of the 12 minutes of stoppage time – during which Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Zaniolo went close – with 10 men when Lemina was dismissed for a second yellow card, after tugging back the Italian forward. Watkins almost snatched it with the final touch of the game when his header smacked the base of the post. Read More Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Substitute Mohammed Kudus earns West Ham a point with late equaliser against Newcastle Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Mauricio Pochettino believes victory at Burnley will boost Chelsea’s confidence Ollie Watkins extends stay at Aston Villa with new long-term contract We’re not top-four contenders: Unai Emery plays down Aston Villa’s strong start

David Moyes was frustrated by some of the decisions made by referee Peter Bankes in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Mohammed Kudus climbed off the bench to score his first Premier League goal a minute from full-time as the Hammers snatched a point. But Moyes was fuming with Bankes for awarding a free-kick for Lucas Paqueta’s challenge on Sandro Tonali which led to Alexander Isak’s first goal. The Hammers boss also felt Bruno Guimaraes could have been shown a second yellow card, having been booked moments earlier, when he tripped James Ward-Prowse. “It might have got away from us a wee bit but I wouldn’t blame them with the referee’s decisions,” said Moyes. “That came from the free-kick that got the first goal back. I think on another day it wouldn’t have been given. “I thought that was pretty harsh on us, as was the decision early on which could have been a second yellow card. I’m not going to say something to get me into trouble. I just think it was a really close call.” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe defended his Brazilian midfielder. He said: “It’s one of those where he’s made two challenges in quick succession which probably makes them look worse than they are. I think it would’ve been incredibly harsh.” Tomas Soucek fired West Ham into the lead after eight minutes but Isak’s quickfire second-half double put Newcastle in control. Isak also hit a post from a tight angle before Ghana winger Kudus lashed in an equaliser from 20 yards. West Ham almost won it when Jarrod Bowen, on the day he signed a new long-term contract, fizzed the ball across goal and wide. “I’m pleased with a point,” added Moyes. “We played well in the first half against a top team, one of the best teams in Europe the way they’ve been playing. “It was tough, they played really well. We had difficult moments but we stuck at it. We could have gone 3-1 down but we could have won it 3-2. The game was very close,” Howe admitted Isak’s late miss after rounding Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola proved costly. “He’s played really well today, he’s gone round the keeper and done everything right, but the angle got too tight in the end. But when you’ve drawn that’s maybe a moment you’d like to replay again. “It was a really tough first half, we weren’t ourselves and probably deserved to be 1-0 down. It was totally different in the second half, we deserved to lead so it’s disappointing not to get over the line.” Read More Aberdeen held to goalless draw by bottom side St Johnstone at wet Pittodrie Gregor Townsend eager for Scotland’s old heads to prolong international careers Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Kieran Hardy gets World Cup call as Wales look to boost scrum-half options Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Jake Jarman takes vault gold at World Gymnastics Championships

Aberdeen were held to a goalless draw by bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone in a Premiership contest which will not live long in the memory. The Dons were chasing a third straight league win, which would have propelled them into the top half of the standings for the first time this season. But they did not trouble Dimitar Mitov enough to merit maximum points as winless Saints picked up a deserved point at a wet, miserable Pittodrie. Aberdeen made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 with HJK Helsinki in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, Connor Barron and Jonny Hayes coming in for Leighton Clarkson and Jack MacKenzie. St Johnstone were able to select skipper Liam Gordon after his red card against Livingston last weekend was downgraded to a yellow on appeal. But Gordon and his fellow defenders did not have much to do in an uninspiring first half, which produced next to nothing in the way of chances. Other than a Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes free-kick from distance, which Mitov fumbled before gathering at the second attempt, there was not an effort on target at either end, However, Aberdeen thought they had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when their former stalwart Andrew Considine headed into his own net when trying to deal with Barron’s cross. But with Duk marginally offside and deemed to be interfering with play, the goal was chalked off following a VAR review – much to the annoyance of the home support. An inventive free-kick almost paid off for the Dons early in the second half as Hayes fed Barron to create a better crossing angle, but his delivery just evaded Richard Jensen. Reds boss Barry Robson made a double switch in the 56th minute in a bid to energise his midfield, with captain Graeme Shinnie and Jamie McGrath making way for Clarkson and Dante Polvara. The visitors were still comfortable, although Luke Robinson nearly put his team in trouble with a stray pass in a dangerous area, which Aberdeen should have made more of. Down the other end, Gordon unleashed a powerful 25-yard shot, which deflected narrowly wide for a corner as Saints sensed they could break their winless duck at the eighth attempt. It was the hosts who looked likeliest, though, as they upped the pressure in the closing stages. Bojan Miovski spurned their best opportunity in the 71st minute when he collected Barron’s pass and cut across the box to work a shooting chance on to his favoured left foot, only to blaze his shot harmlessly over from 12 yards. The North Macedonia international then flashed a stoppage-time header wide from a Hayes free-kick as the match ended in stalemate. Read More Gregor Townsend eager for Scotland’s old heads to prolong international careers David Moyes critical of referee Peter Bankes after draw with Newcastle Gary O’Neil plays down tension after Unai Emery walks away before handshake Kieran Hardy gets World Cup call as Wales look to boost scrum-half options Lewis Dunk’s goal denies Liverpool come-from-behind victory at Brighton Jake Jarman takes vault gold at World Gymnastics Championships

LEVERKUSEN, Germany Bayer Leverkusen cruised past Cologne 3-0 on Sunday to take the lead in the Bundesliga title

Victor Boniface has scored again and Bayer Leverkusen has returned to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win over local rival Cologne

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. This year sees Manchester City try to defend their crown and claim a historic fourth title in succession. Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City, who also won the Champions League and FA Cup last season, will have to see off Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and the rest to claim an unprecedented sixth league title in seven years. Meanwhile Luton Town are making their first appearance in the Premier League, having risen from non-league in an incredible decade of progress. They followed Championship winners Burnley and second-placed Sheffield United in earning promotion to the top flight. Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.

Second-ranked Iga Swiatek won the China Open final with a near-perfect 6-2, 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova, for her tour-leading fifth title of the season

Bills starting linebacker Matt Milano sustained a knee injury in the first quarter of Buffalo’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and was ruled out