Sport

How did some City fans become aggressive defenders of a nation state’s regime? | Sean Ingle
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

The Manchester City case is one example of how fandom has warped beyond previous boundaries in online spaces

A video of Liam Gallagher playing in a 1996 charity football match resurfaced on social media recently. Dressed in Manchester City blue and a bucket hat, in truth he appears to be in a fug of cigarettes and alcohol. But then, out of nowhere, he hits a shot into the top corner. Since last week, though, the Oasis singer has preferred to defend the honour of his club with his studs up.

As the fallout from the biggest scandal in British football history headed into a second week, Gallagher was asked what he made of rival fans wanting City to lose all their trophies after being found guilty of all the serious charges against them. “There all NEUROTIC little GIMPS,” came the reply on social media. It was one of dozens of sweary, punchy, and often amusing responses, all built on a solitary article of faith: that City will somehow find a way to wriggle free.

Nations League roundup: Olise leads late charge as France bowl over Belgium
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

France score four goals in 14 minutes to triumph
Italy see off Turkey, Hungary edge out Ukraine

Michael Olise came off the bench to inspire France to a 4-1 win over Belgium in the Nations League, handing Zinedine Zidane his first home victory since taking charge.

Dodi Lukébakio put Belgium on course for their first competitive win over Les Bleus in 45 years when he fired the visitors in front in the first half at the Stade de France. But the hosts turned the match on its head in a blistering finish, scoring four times in 14 minutes to preserve Zidane’s unbeaten start and move closer to the quarter-finals.

Daniil Medvedev disqualified from China Open semi after hitting fan with ball
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

Player struck rebounding ball into Beijing crowd
Djokovic advances to final against De Minaur

Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final with Novak Djokovic on Monday after hitting a rebounding ball into the crowd that struck a spectator in the eye.

The Russian world ‌No 5 was ‌trailing 7-5, 5-3 and had lost a point ‌when, in frustration, he struck a ball that had come off the back wall. The spectator, sitting in the first row, clutched his left eye and appeared in pain as he left the gallery, assisted by the stadium’s ‌staff.

F1 looks amateurish and incompetent after farcical scenes in Sepang | Giles Richards
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

Review is under way, but there will be no quick fix for misconceived regulations that resulted in cars being unable to run in the rain

Formula One has gone to no little pains this season in insisting the new format is more popular than ever, despite overwhelming disapproval from the drivers regarding engine regulations. In short, there is nothing to see here.

But the farcical scenes that accompanied the opening to the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on Sunday were all too visible and left some drivers expressing open mockery.

Jude awakening: how a more fluid England are ‘unlocking’ Bellingham’s full potential
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

Assistant coach Anthony Barry says new structure means their key attackers are not ‘caged in’ after 7-0 rout of Croatia

Anthony Barry knows the hunt is on. The England assistant coach has been through the debriefs. He has mulled over the minutiae with Thomas Tuchel to such an extent he is allowed to make a joke at the boss’s expense. “He’s doing my head in,” Barry says with a smile. What is the missing piece of the puzzle? After all the emotion of England’s semi-final finish at the World Cup, how can they take the decisive step to glory?

It is early days in the Nations League campaign, which everybody at the Football Association wants to use as a slingshot into Euro 2028 when England will co-host, but Barry can see the genesis of an answer. It comes down to liberation, enabling England’s top players to fully express themselves, and there is a reason why he finds himself talking about Jude Bellingham.

Daryz’s Arc reputation secure but retirement would rule out folk-hero status
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

Back-to-back wins is a huge achievement, but owners have more to think about than unprecedented third title

It was, as the moderator of the post-Arc press conference put it, the “difficult question everyone wants to ask”, but Princess Zahra Aga Khan, the owner of the winner, Daryz, did not seem to find it difficult at all.

“Look, we’re breeders,” she said, “and you get to the point where you’re taking a risk every time you run the horse. Would we want him to train on for another year? I’m not sure. I think he has other things to do.”

Jake Connor is shock omission from England squad for Rugby League World Cup
Posted on Monday October 05, 2026

McDermott wants those who ‘can best stick to gameplan’
Hull KR’s Lewis in but no Wakefield players included

Brian McDermott, the England head coach, has justified his surprise decision to omit Jake Connor from England’s Rugby League World Cup squad by insisting the players selected are better suited to his plans to defeat the world’s best.

For the second consecutive year, Leeds Rhinos half-back Connor is the major talking point in a squad that has no players from the new Super League champions, Wakefield. He was left out by Shaun Wane for last autumn’s Ashes despite winning Super League’s Man of Steel award. England lost that series 3-0 after a string of limited attacking displays.