What a difference a year makes.
Twelve months ago Jon Rahm headed to Augusta National as the winner of three of his first eight tournaments of the year, started with a four-putt double bogey and still went on to win the Masters.
One year on, Rahm will make the drive down Magnolia Lane as a member of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League and with just five of their 54-hole events under his belt before defending his title.
The change is all the more startling given Rahm’s previous publicly stated opinions on LIV’s format and his claim that he played golf to win titles, not money, claims reinforced by his comments immediately after slipping on the green jacket.
Rahm dedicated his triumph to Seve Ballesteros after claiming his second major title on the 40th anniversary of his late idol’s second win at Augusta National, a win which also came on what would have been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday.
“History of the game is a big part of why I play and one of the reasons why I play, and Seve being one of them,” said Rahm, whose father took up golf after watching Ballesteros captain Europe to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama.
“If it wasn’t for that Ryder Cup in ’97, my dad and I talk about it all the time, we don’t know where I would be or where as a family we would be.
“For me to get it done on the 40th anniversary of his win, his birthday, on Easter Sunday, it’s incredibly meaningful.”
Rahm was also well aware that his win took him halfway to completing a career grand slam and joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won all four majors.
Joining LIV does not immediately impact on Rahm’s ability to achieve that goal, his Masters win earning him a lifetime exemption for Augusta and five-year exemptions for the US PGA and Open Championship.
The 29-year-old was already eligible to compete in the US Open through 2031 thanks to his victory at Torrey Pines, but the question of whether his game will be affected by the switch to LIV remains to be answered.
In Rahm’s absence, the mantle of most dominant player on the PGA Tour has undoubtedly switched to his predecessor as Masters champion, world number one Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler’s worst finish this season is a tie for 17th and he followed his five-shot win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational by becoming the first player to successfully defend the Players Championship at Sawgrass.
On his next start a fortnight later, Scheffler missed from six feet for birdie on the 18th to force a play-off in the Houston Open, a tournament which saw his run of 28 consecutive rounds under par broken by a careless three-putt from six feet on the same hole in round two.
Scheffler’s form – aided by taking up Rory McIlroy’s suggestion of a change in putter – means he is as short as 7/2 with some bookmakers to win a second Masters title, the kind of odds not seen since Tiger Woods was making them look like good value.
McIlroy is second favourite despite an underwhelming run of form since winning in Dubai in January, while Woods himself can be backed at 150/1 following his withdrawal from the Genesis Invitational, his sole start in 2024.
Making a record 24th consecutive cut in the Masters would be an achievement for the 48-year-old, but the likes of Rahm, Scheffler and McIlroy will have their sights set considerably higher.
Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as Willams endured another Friday session to forget.
Reigning champion Verstappen retired in Melbourne a fortnight ago but still leads the way in the drivers’ standings and the Red Bull driver was once again topping the timesheets.
Verstappen’s time of one minute 20.056 seconds was enough to see him go quickest at Suzuka, with team-mate Sergio Perez his closest challenger 0.181 seconds back.
A red flag half way through the session stopped running for 11 minutes as Logan Sargeant crashed off at turn two – further adding to the Williams woes.
Sargeant sat out the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as team-mate Alex Albon took his car after destroying his own in a practice crash and the team currently have no spare chassis.
Williams team principal James Vowles confirmed the car had suffered “extensive” damage and that it would be a race against time for the mechanics to prepare it for Friday’s second practice.
“It’s going to be difficult,” he said of Sargeant’s chance of making FP2.
“Obviously we will do our utmost to try and get the car back out there again, but the damage is extensive. So it will take a while.
“It is pretty significant (damage). So the chassis is okay, fortunately, but I would say pretty much everything else isn’t – so the suspension around, the gearbox is cracked, big damage.”
Albon went 12th fastest after the action restarted, while Verstappen assumed his usual position as the car to beat.
Carlos Sainz, who won in Australia last time out, was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was sixth.
Local favourite Yuki Tsunoda was ninth for RB behind both the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – whose team-mate Lando Norris rounded out the top 10.
Rebecca Welch became the first female referee to officiate an entire EFL match, on this day in 2021.
Welch made EFL history as she oversaw Harrogate’s 2-0 League Two home defeat by Port Vale where her day went unspoilt – without any major controversy – and Harrogate manager Simon Weaver praised the referee post match.
“I think she was very good indeed,” he said after the game.
“Important calls were made throughout and they were the right calls.
“Hopefully it’s just par for the course that we see female referees and officials in the EFL. It’s about time.”
Amy Fearn became the first woman to referee an EFL game after coming on as an injury replacement in the 2010 Championship game between Coventry and Nottingham Forest, but Welch was the first to oversee a full game.
Welch, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, became the first woman to referee a Premier League fixture in December 2023 after taking charge of Burnley’s 2-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The 40-year-old has also been named as one of the 21 referees to take charge of football tournaments at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Max Verstappen set the pace in first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as Willams endured another Friday session to forget.
Reigning champion Verstappen retired in Melbourne a fortnight ago but still leads the way in the drivers’ standings and the Red Bull driver was once again topping the timesheets.
Verstappen’s time of one minute 20.056 seconds was enough to see him go quickest at Suzuka, with team-mate Sergio Perez his closest challenger 0.181 seconds back.
A red flag half way through the session stopped running for 11 minutes as Logan Sargeant crashed off at turn two – further adding to the Williams woes.
Sargeant sat out the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago as team-mate Alex Albon took his car after destroying his own in a practice crash and the team currently have no spare chassis.
Albon went 12th fastest after the action restarted, while Verstappen assumed his usual position as the car to beat.
Carlos Sainz, who won in Australia last time out, was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was sixth.
Local favourite Yuki Tsunoda was ninth for RB behind both the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – whose team-mate Lando Norris rounded out the top 10.
Akshay Bhatia shot an opening nine-under-par 63 to take a three-shot lead at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
The American did not drop a shot as he followed four birdies on the front nine with five on the second, including four in his final five holes.
Bhatia sits ahead of Brendon Todd and Justin Lower with Max Homa among a group of four players two shots further back.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is tied for eighth on three under par after going bogey free with three birdies.
The world number two, who recently had a lesson with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon, told PGATour.com after his round: “What I’ve been trying to do the last couple weeks is no different than what I’ve been trying to do previously; he just sort of gave me a different way to do it.
“You could tell someone five different things and like for the same feel – like to a piece of a swing, but sometimes none of them resonated, sometimes all of them, sometimes one thing.
“It’s just one of those things over the past few months that nothing was resonating with me.
“He gave me a tiny little something that I went with and, as I said, it’s felt a little better over the last two weeks and felt pretty good out there.”
A win at next week’s Masters will see McIlroy join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods as the only players to have won all four major championships.
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth had a dour round of 73 salvaged by a hole-in-one on the par three 16th.
Pete Alonso belted a tying homer in the ninth inning and Tyrone Taylor delivered a game-winning single to lift the New York Mets to their first win of the season, 2-1 over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday for a doubleheader split.
After blowing a 3-0 lead in a 6-3, 11-inning loss in the opening game, the Mets were held hitless in the second game until Harrison Bader led off the eighth with a single against reliever Tyler Holton.
Alonso’s tying home run – and his 500th career RBI - came off Alex Faedo and Brett Baty walked before Starling Marte sacrificed. Taylor then lined a single to left for his first career walk-off hit.
The win was the first for Mets manager Carlos Mendoza as New York avoided opening 0-6 for the first time since its second season in 1963.
Detroit improved to 5-0 with the Game 1 win, as Colt Keith stroked a tiebreaking double in the 11th before Gio Urshela’s bloop scored a pair.
Matt Manning pitched 5 2/3 hitless innings in the opener with four walks and three strikeouts.
Cardinals rally past winless Marlins
Nolan Gorman highlighted a five-run seventh inning with a two-run double and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for an 8-5 victory in their home opener to keep the Miami Marlins winless.
The Marlins took a 5-3 lead into the seventh, but the Cardinals scored five times on Ivan Herrera’s RBI single, Gorman’s big hit, Alec Burleson’s two-out, run-scoring single and Masyn Winn’s RBI triple.
Herrera also hit his first major league home run leading off the second inning.
Jake Burger hit a pair of home runs for the Marlins, who dropped to 0-8 for the worst start in the 33-year history of the franchise. Their start is the worst in the majors since Atlanta and Minnesota each opened 0-9 in 2016.
Bibee, bullpen power Guardians
Tanner Bibbee allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings and Steven Kwan had three hits as the Cleveland Guardians spoiled the Minnesota Twins’ home opener with a 4-2 win.
Bibee struck out nine and four relievers followed, with Emmanuel Clase pitching a perfect ninth for his third save. Cleveland's pitchers totalled 15 strikeouts.
Cleveland reached Pablo Lopez for three runs in the sixth. Jose Ramirez singled home Kwan and Tyler Freeman had an RBI single before Will Brennan lofted a sacrifice fly.
Carlos Correa had three hits and Edouard Julien homered for the Twins, who stranded nine runners and were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
Mauricio Pochettino hailed a “turning point” in Chelsea’s strained relationship with their fans after Cole Palmer’s stoppage-time double completed a hat-trick and sealed a 4-3 win against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
United looked to have the match won until, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, Diogo Dalot fell into Noni Madueke to concede a penalty from which Palmer scored to seemingly rescue a point.
But there was more drama to come. With almost the game’s final kick, Palmer blasted at goal and, via a deflection from Scott McTominay, scored to bury Erik ten Hag’s side and spark joyous scenes amongst home supporters.
Relations between fans and the club have soured as Chelsea’s fortunes have plummeted, but the response at the end was one of unbridled delight, with Pochettino predicting a fresh start off the back of this win.
“It was amazing,” he said. “We were the better team today and it was fair we scored in the the last minute.
“We started really well, 2-0 (up), the game was under control, then we made a mistake and suffered an emotional impact. It wasn’t easy to deal with. In the second half we controlled the game (but) conceded in transitions.
“It was important to finish like that, creating the connection between our fans and players. It’s a very good thing that happened today. It should be a turning point for the fans’ trust in the team.”
It had all looked like being a far simpler affair when his team raced into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes, Conor Gallagher squeezing a shot beneath Andre Onana’s dive, then a penalty clipped into the corner by Palmer.
United were overwhelmed by Pochettino’s side attacking ferociously, but an error by Moises Caicedo changed the nature of the game as a loose ball straight to Alejandro Garnacho saw the forward race away to score.
The game was level minutes later as Bruno Fernandes stealed away at the far post to nod Dalot’s cross beyond Djordje Petrovic.
Garnacho’s header from Antony’s superb ball midway through the half looked like being the winner.
Then came Palmer’s crazy intervention at the death, as Chelsea breathed life into their bid to qualify for Europe.
“It was really unfair (to be losing),” said Pochettino. “Why were we losing the game. Football is like this. But we always kept believing.
“We were saying to the players ‘two minutes, two minutes’. (At 2-2) we believed we could score the winning goal.
“It was a must-win game if we wanted to reduce the gap above us. It was so, so important.”
A visibly downcast Ten Hag reflected on poor decision-making that led to his team’s defeat.
“We started poor, making individual errors,” he said. “But I had the feeling we were dominating and we fought ourselves back.
“We were in a winning poison with very good football and scoring great goals. Then in stoppage time, we didn’t bring the win over the line.
“You have to do your job, you have to make the right decisions, and we didn’t react quick enough to avoid this situation.
“We dominated the game, especially our wide players were a danger: Garnacho, Antony.
“We have to make better decisions. You saw how we score from counters. We can be such a massive threat and we’ve seen again today an example.
“But we have to read when to keep the ball, especially when you are winning. Keep the ball, pass and move and switch the play instead of giving it way.”
Luke Littler was inspired to win his Premier League homecoming by Manchester United’s late collapse at Chelsea.
Littler, a staunch United fan, came on to stage at the AO Arena in Manchester moments after watching his side conceded two goals in injury time to lose 4-3 at Stamford Bridge and claimed a second successive weekly Premier League win, beating Gerwyn Price 6-3 in the final.
The 17-year-old star, who enjoyed a maiden victory in Belfast last week, was happy to give United fans in attendance something to cheer about.
“We were watching backstage, we were winning 3-2 and we conceded a penalty and Cole Palmer scored and then he scored again,” Littler said.
“I was in a bad mood, I was like, ‘I’m winning this now’. It gave me motivation.
“There were a few Manchester United fans on the walkout so I was glad to win.”
Price had thrown an epic nine-dart finish against Michael Smith in the semi-final, but was not good enough to get past the teenager, who was imperious in the final.
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Victory sends him to the top of the Premier League table as his star continues to burn bright following his breakthrough at the World Championship over Christmas.
Having already won titles at the Bahrain Masters, PDC Players Championship and Belgian Open, he is now all-but certain to qualify for the play-offs at the O2 in London.
“I just try and live my life as I have done so far,” he said. “As a 17-year-old boy, I just know every week playing these guys I have looked up to, I just thrive off it.
“All I do is stay in my zone. I just do what I do.”
Price produced his best performance of this year’s competition and became the first man to throw a perfect set of darts since he did it twice in a night in Belfast in 2022.
And his run to the final raises his hopes of getting to the O2, though he has a lot of work to do in the final few weeks.
Littler’s night started well as he took a winning record in his rivalry with Michael van Gerwen.
It had been tied at 3-3 but Littler moved ahead with a 6-3 quarter-final win before beating Nathan Aspinall in the semi-final, thanks largely to 131, 90 and 136 checkouts.
Price was superb in beating Peter Wright in the quarter-final before a magnificent performance, capped by the nine-dart finish, sent him to the final.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and West Indies pacer Jayden Seales is hoping to use his upcoming stint at Vitality County Championship team Sussex to boost his bid for a recall to the West Indies Test squad.
The 22-year-old hasn’t represented the West Indies in the format since the first Test against Australia back in December 2022.
Overall, he’s taken 37 wickets in 10 Tests at an average of 24.24 and a strike rate of 42.9 with one five-wicket haul coming against Pakistan at Sabina Park in 2021.
He missed the rest of that Australia series after suffering a knee injury that required surgery.
He made a successful return to the Windies setup in an ODI series in August 2023 against India but then faced another spell on the sidelines after sustaining a shoulder injury while touring South Africa with the West Indies A team last November.
This season, Seales has played in all five matches for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the ongoing West Indies Championship, taking 11 wickets.
The West Indies next Test assignment will be three games in England from July 10-30.
“Of course,” was the quick’s response when asked whether he views this County Championship stint as an opportunity to get back into the squad for that series in an interview with Sussex.
“Obviously being able to play first-class cricket back home and now getting the opportunity to play in England, it will help me hone my skills in English conditions and, hopefully, the management is watching and I’m putting in the performances that I need to get back into the Test side,” he added.
The first Test of that series will be played at the ground commonly referred to as ‘the home of cricket,’ Lord’s cricket Ground.
Playing at this ground is the dream of a number of cricketers and Seales is no exception.
“Definitely. I think every cricketer’s dream is to play in England and play at Lord’s. I know the first Test will be there so I’m definitely hoping to get into the squad for that series and start in that Test,” he said before proclaiming his preference for Test cricket over other formats.
“Test cricket is always the first choice for me. I’d always love to play Test cricket for the West Indies at any given time. White ball cricket will come around at any time but I want to focus on the red ball first,” Seales added.
Seales is set to make his County Championship Division Two debut when Sussex faces Northamptonshire at Hove.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed Alexis Mac Allister’s “wonder goal” for turning around their fortunes in the 3-1 win over Sheffield United.
After Conor Bradley’s own goal early in the second half cancelled out Darwin Nunez’s 17th-minute opener – courtesy of an error by Blades goalkeeper Ivo Grbic – the tension at Anfield increased as a return to the top of the Premier League came into doubt.
However, Mac Allister, Liverpool’s best player over the last month, smashed home a brilliant strike reminiscent of Steven Gerrard’s winner against Olympiacos in 2004 to ease the nerves and Cody Gakpo added a late third.
“We needed Macca’s wonder goal to turn it around,” said Klopp on the Argentina international, who is the first Reds midfielder to score or assist a goal in six consecutive appearances in all competitions since Gerrard in January 2013.
“The third goal was like it should have been before. This kind of moment, Robbo (Andy Robertson) at full speed, wonderful cross, sensational header.”
Mac Allister started the game back as the defensive midfielder, a role he performed for most of the first half of the season, as Wataru Endo was rested, but moved further forward in the second half.
Klopp has fielded questions about the World Cup winner’s best position throughout the campaign but admits he is better in a more advanced position.
“I understand 100 percent that (question) is coming but he played a good game already, it is not him in the wrong position,” added the Reds boss.
“You can play that with a footballing six but all the movements around were not as they should be. You talk is he better as an eight or a six – his defensive part is really good but people were doubting can he be this kind of defensive player.
“I prefer him in an eight but we are not playing in dreamland, We had a problem in the position and it worked out.
“We changed (in the game) and then changed back to a double-six. I don’t know if he scored in the double six but the impact he can have is massive.”
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder admits once they had squandered a couple of good early chances the Premier League’s bottom side were always up against it but did not think it would have made that much difference.
“I am not sure scoring early against Liverpool is the greatest of ideas,” he said.
“We knew we would have to give up the ball and be structured and organised and connected. We knew we would have to suffer, stay in the game, take the game deep.
“We were against the best press in the division and hopefully ride your luck and things fall for you, hopefully it becomes the night you get something.
“Yet again Liverpool are finding goals late on. From our point of view it is quite a difficult thing to take.
“You want the players to give everything they have got but physically the gap, it hurts, it cost us tonight.”
Cole Palmer scored a sensational hat-trick as Chelsea struck twice in the final minutes of stoppage time to beat Manchester United 4-3 at Stamford Bridge.
United were 3-2 up and seemingly home and dry when Noni Madueke was felled by Diogo Dalot in the seventh minute of added time. Palmer scored from the penalty spot to seemingly rescue a point – but a stunning finale awaited.
The former Manchester City player – a United fan as a youngster – was given space inside the box and lashed it beyond Andre Onana with virtually the final kick, with the aid of a slight deflection off United’s Scott McTominay.
Their side had looked like running away with the Premier League contest in the first period, Conor Gallagher and Palmer from the penalty spot putting them into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes.
But a horrendous error from Moises Caicedo gifted United a way back, Alejandro Garnacho netting his first before Bruno Fernandes nodded unmarked past Djordje Petrovic to level before the break.
A breathless second half could have seen either side win it, and Garnacho looked to have done it for United when he headed in a brilliant cross from Antony midway through the half.
Then came scarcely believable drama at the end, with Palmer’s double sparking joyous scenes among home supporters.
Chelsea had looked irresistible for much of the first half and raced into a deserved lead.
First, Enzo Fernandez scooped a delicious ball into the right channel for the overlapping Malo Gusto. His low cutback pinged off the heel of Raphael Varane, spinning favourably into the path of Gallagher whose first-time drive slithered beneath Onana’s outstretched hand and into the net.
The second goal came from a similarly neat move down the other flank, this time Marc Cucurella feeding Mykhailo Mudryk who bolted onto it and flicked the ball back inside to Cucurella. Across to challenge came Antony, felling the Chelsea defender with an artless trip. Palmer dinked his penalty into the bottom corner with consummate ease.
United struggled with the pace and directness of Chelsea’s transitions but the hosts’ control of the game was punctured on 34 minutes.
Caicedo sensed Antony lurking on his shoulder and played a hurried, careless ball square that sold Benoit Badiashile short. Garnacho was onto it like a flash, tearing clear of the hapless Chelsea pair and slotting past Petrovic.
Onana pushed out Fernandez’s low hit and had to be bailed out by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who shovelled the rebound away from Mykhailo Mudryk as Chelsea quickly resumed their assault.
But the goal had swung the game towards United and they were soon level. Antony swept the ball wide to Garnacho, who stood up Cucurella and knocked it back for Diogo Dalot. His cross whizzed across the box to Fernandes, arriving unmarked at the far post, to wipe out Chelsea’s lead.
Gallagher rattled the post when set up by Palmer late in the half, though they were clearly stunned by United’s rapid double and looked grateful to go in level at the break.
The second half was a gung-ho battle between defence and attack. At times, the midfield simply vanished as both sides ripped into each other, and by the hour mark either could have led, Fernandes and Palmer with the clearest chances lashed over as the game hummed with energy, coaxing a winner.
It looked to have arrived from Garnacho. Antony’s cross, whipped with the outside of his left boot, was elegant and pinpoint. Chelsea had two defenders back but neither tracked the run of Garnacho, who stooped bravely to reach the ball before Petrovic and guide it into the corner. The United fans, including new Kansas City Chiefs recruit Louis Rees-Zammit, were delighted.
It looked like staying that way until the final minute of stoppage time, when Palmer’s dramatic double sealed an astonishing turnaround.
Gerwyn Price fired a nine-dart finish on his way to the final at Premier League night 10 in Manchester.
The Welshman threw three sets of perfect darts as he beat Michael Smith 6-2 in the semi-final.
He threw successive 180s and then went treble 19, treble 20 before finishing on the double 12.
It was his third perfect finish in the Premier League after throwing two on one night in Belfast in 2022.
Home hero Luke Littler was waiting for him in the final.
The 17-year-old dispatched Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall as he aims to make it back-to-back nightly wins following his maiden success in Belfast last week.
Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister scored the crucial goal which helped return Liverpool to the top of the Premier League and ease any nerves about an early wobble in the title run-in.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were by far the better team against Sheffield United but had to sweat for their 3-1 victory, with a top-class strike from the Argentinian with 14 minutes to go giving them control.
The World Cup winner has become a hugely-influential player in the last few weeks playing in a more advanced position – although he started this game as the holding midfielder before moving forward – and his goal had echoes of Steven Gerrard against Olympiacos in 2005.
Whether it proves to be as significant as the one which paved the way for their Champions League win will only be discovered over the next eight games but in the short term it took Liverpool two points clear of Arsenal and three ahead of Manchester City.
With games running out every victory leaves even less margin for error for their rivals, which was why Mac Allister’s goal, an unstoppable strike into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area, was so important after the chasers had both won on Wednesday.
Darwin Nunez’s 18th of the season – courtesy of a mistake from goalkeeper Ivo Grbic – had given the hosts a 17th-minute lead, only for Conor Bradley’s own goal just after half-time to ratchet up the tension.
The classy Mac Allister, one of the most composed players on the pitch, relieved that and substitute Cody Gakpo’s late effort was an added boost to the goal difference which could yet be crucial.
United have conceded 80 goals this season – more than any other top-flight team, with 14 of those coming in the last four outings.
Their first half was indicative of why they are bottom of the league and destined for a swift return to the Championship as a failure to take gilt-edged chances and an inability to avoid mistakes proved costly.
Sunday’s visitors Brighton scored after 90 seconds but the Blades could have even beaten that when former Liverpool academy graduate Jack Robinson’s long throw was flicked on to James James McAtee at the far post but he shot straight at Caoimhin Kelleher from just a few yards.
Ben Brereton-Diaz then flicked the resulting corner wide and while taking either of those chances may not have been enough for the leakiest side in the top flight it would have at least given them something to cling on to.
Instead they shot themselves in the foot as, after Mohamed Salah had a chip tipped over by Grbic, the United goalkeeper was culpable for the opening goal.
The Croatian dithered too long in clearing a backpass and that was all the invitation Nunez needed to charge him down, with the clearance rebounding off him into an unguarded net.
Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz all had attempts, while Ryan Gravenberch showed his lack of recent game time in shooting weakly at Grbic instead of playing in Nunez.
Deep into additional time Jayden Bogle forced Kelleher into a save low down by his left-hand post and it seemed a brief respite until Gus Hamer outjumped Bradley with his header deflecting off the defender and through the legs of Kelleher in the 58th minute.
Andy Robertson and Harvey Elliott, on his 21st birthday, were already stripped to come on before the goal but the departure of leading scorer Mohamed Salah was a surprise, even more so to the Egyptian who did not make eye contact with Klopp as he departed.
However, the tactical adjustment, also made with one eye on Sunday’s trip to Manchester United, worked as the hosts began to find more room down the sides as Virgil van Dijk had a header palmed wide and Bradley volleyed Elliott’s deep cross into the side-netting.
But it was another botched clearance, this time by Anel Ahmedhodzic, which created the winner as the defender’s attempt to hoist the ball clear of his own penalty area deflected off Diaz to fall invitingly for Mac Allister to rifle home his fourth in five games.
Mac Allister the hit the crossbar with a free-kick before Gakpo finished things off in additional time.
Nathan Lyon has tipped new county team-mate Tom Hartley to have a “big future” and insisted he is not at Lancashire to take his place in the team.
Lancashire pulled off a major coup by signing Australia’s record-breaking off-spinner on an overseas deal, but it was immediately brought into sharp focus when Hartley surged to prominence with a match-winning second-innings haul of seven for 62 on his Test debut in Hyderabad.
Brendon McCullum, England’s red-ball head coach, admitted during the five-match series against India that it would be “mad” if Hartley and Somerset’s Shoaib Bashir were overlooked at the start of the Vitality County Championship season.
However, Lyon rejected suggestions he could stall the development of Hartley and instead believes he can pass on plenty of wisdom to the 24-year-old during his stint at Emirates Old Trafford, which was originally for the whole campaign, but has since been reduced to seven first-class games.
“I was glued to that Test series,” Lyon told reporters on Thursday.
“To see Tom go over there, make his debut and play the five Test matches, I actually watched it quite closely.
“He’s a talent, he’s only 24 and to see what he does, what I believe he can get better at, he’s got a big future ahead of him which is exciting for England cricket and world cricket as well.
“I know what Baz has come out and said in the media, and that’s all well and good – but I’m not here to take Tom’s spot. I’m here to bowl in tandem with Tom.
“If you can play two spinners in the side, in my opinion, you’ll win a lot of games of cricket. So I’m here to bowl in tandem with Tom and to be honest I’m happy to help Tom out along the way, and no doubt he’ll help me as well with different skillsets, different mindsets, tactically as well.
“There’s no secrets in what I do, so I’m more than happy to help out. If Tom calls me every day, sits down with me for a coffee every day, to talk spin bowling, I’m more than happy to do that.”
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Lyon also revealed the chance to bowl alongside Ashes rival James Anderson was part of the reason for his arrival in county cricket.
He only touched down in the country on Tuesday, but went straight into the Lancashire squad for Friday’s curtain-raiser against defending champions Surrey.
Anderson, the most prolific seamer of all time, is currently resting up after his exertions in the five-match series against India but the prospect of two greats with a combined 1,230 wickets to their name is already being teased.
“That would be pretty amazing. I’d be lying if I said that opportunity coming around wasn’t a big part of the reason I signed,” Lyon told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“He’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest, fast bowler to have played the game. I’ve had some incredible battles against him.
“I admire his skill, there’s nothing but respect from my end for what he’s been able to do for English cricket but also world cricket, inspiring young boys and girls to play the game.
“If the opportunity comes around that I get to bowl in tandem with him and share a changing room with him it will be pretty special, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Lyon was set to spend the whole summer in England, but Cricket Australia made the decision to cut his spell over his workload management.
“It’s definitely not my call, that’s the nature of the beast,” he said.
“CA have come over the top and said they wanted to manage me and hopefully extend my career. My hands are tied.”
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