Maro Itoje has committed his future to Saracens by signing a new long-term deal with the club.
The 29-year-old England lock has made 175 appearances to date for Sarries, having made his debut for them in 2013.
He has enjoyed great success, winning five Premiership titles and three European crowns and has played 76 times for his country.
In addition to his new Saracens contract, Itoje has been offered an enhanced Elite Playing Squad (EPS) contract by the Rugby Football Union.
The news is a boost to the domestic game and to England following his team-mate Owen Farrell’s departure to French club Racing 92.
Itoje had himself been linked last year with a move to France but says he “couldn’t be happier” to be staying at the club he has represented for more than a decade.
“Looking back I am very proud of what we have achieved over the last 10 years and it is the best place for me to keep progressing,” he said.
“With the squad we have I really believe we have some massively exciting times ahead and I can’t wait to be a part of it moving forward.”
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: “Maro has gone from a promising academy prospect to a global figure in rugby. He is a world-class player, but what sets Maro apart is his dedication to his craft; the standard he sets, how he goes about his work – on and off the field – and how this expresses his love for the club and for the game.
“We are delighted he will continue to be at the heart of the Saracens project. We know the best of Maro is yet to come.”
Jamie George insists England are determined to make Twickenham a “horrible” place for opponents to visit while also reassuring fans that their intent is to score more tries.
England open their Six Nations against Italy in Rome on Saturday but George, their captain for the tournament, believes it is the home fixtures against Wales and Ireland that provide crucial opportunities to reconnect with fans.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has highlighted a win ratio of only 50 per cent from the past six Championships as evidence of significant underachievement and George is keen for that to be addressed with a flourish.
“We want to get Twickenham back to being a place that is horrible to play in for opposition,” George told the PA news agency.
“But at the same time we want to love representing England at Twickenham. Steve’s very passionate about that too and it’s a message I love hearing.
“We need to take fans on a journey with us and we have a responsibility for that through the way that we play, the brand of rugby we play and by showing how passionate we are when we’re on the field.
“If we do that it will feed into the crowds and we saw that in the South Africa and Fiji games at the World Cup. That’s the sort of environment we want to try to create.
“Style has a role to play. Ultimately we are a team that makes the right decision at the right time, but the way we play the game is also important to get people off their seats.
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“Constantly throughout the World Cup – and we didn’t achieve it quite as much as we wanted to – how we attacked was a focus point because we want to score more tries.
“You get people on their feet when they see tries being scored. We want to create more chances to score. That for me will lead to more excitement in stadiums.”
A feature of George’s World Cup was the sheer volume of minutes he played due to the inexperience of supporting hookers Theo Dan and Jack Walker.
And with Luke Cowan-Dickie missing the start of the Six Nations for undisclosed medical reasons, the Saracens front row could be set for another heavy workload – a prospect he relishes.
“I was pleased with how the World Cup went. There are certain areas that I need to be better at, but that’s natural,” he said.
“In terms of playing minutes, I want to be on the field in every minute of the game. I would never complain about that because I’ve been on the other side of the coin and sat on the bench for 80 minutes, which isn’t very nice.
“I will never complain about playing too much rugby, I absolutely love it. I will never take it for granted being on the field at any stage. For me, it’s something I love so much.
“A strength of mine has always been my fitness and my ability to stay involved in a game. The more time I spend in a game the better I feel almost.”
Jack Leach looks increasingly doubtful for England’s second Test in India after sitting out the first training session in Visakhapatnam.
Leach did not take part in the tourists’ net practice on Wednesday, joining his team-mates at the ground solely to receive treatment on his left knee injury.
The Somerset spinner picked up the problem when he jarred his leg while fielding on the first day of England’s remarkable victory in the series opener and later aggravated it as he tried to play through the pain.
Despite suffering from bad bruising and swelling around the joint, he continued to play a reduced role in Hyderabad, contributing the wicket of Shreyas Iyer as the tourists pressed for the win.
But he was visibly limping as he watched the squad go through their paces ahead of Friday’s clash and would need to rally quickly to have any chance of being considered.
Captain Ben Stokes hailed Leach as a “warrior” for battling through last week and opener batter Zak Crawley is not ruling out an unexpected recovery.
“He’s a tough kid, Leachy, so I’m not sure. You never know with Jack,” he said.
“You can never really write him off. We’ll see how he pulls up in a couple of days.”
While his injury looks set to scotch head coach Brendon McCullum’s mischievous suggestion that England could all of their spinners in a seam-free attack, it does raise the chances of a debut for his Taunton team-mate Shoaib Bashir.
The 20-year-old, who has just six first-class caps and 10 career wickets to his name, was a belated arrival in India after visa complications related to his Pakistani heritage forced him to return home to London.
But, after banking some unwanted air miles, he is back with the squad and played a full part in training. Rehan Ahmed, the leg-spinning all-rounder, sat out the optional session but is understood to be fully fit.
Despite Bashir’s gossamer-thin track record, he impressed during the pre-series training camp in Abu Dhabi. Tom Hartley’s nine wickets on debut in Hyderabad, meanwhile, are unlikely to deter England from backing another hunch.
“He’s a great kid. He’s got a lot about him,” Crawley said.
“He knows what he is trying to do with his bowling and he backs himself. I like that and feel like if he got his chance in this series he would go well.”
India have had injury problems of their own, losing the world’s number one all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul after the first Test.
Their most glaring absentee remains Virat Kohli, who top-scored with 167 when England played their only previous Test in Visakhapatnam seven years ago, and remains unavailable due to personal reasons.
There is a growing feeling that the wind is blowing in England’s direction but Crawley, who was part of the side who went from 1-0 up to a 3-1 defeat here in 2021, is keen to not get carried away.
“Whoever they pick, they’re going to be a very good team,” he said. “They’re a top side in their own conditions.
“There’s four games left and we need to stick to what we do well. Hopefully the results come from there but we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves.
“We’re preparing for this one like it’s the first game, we’re staying where our feet are and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Elvis Merzlikins stopped 21 shots and Dmitri Voronkov scored in the third period as the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped the St. Louis Blues’ five-game winning streak, 1-0 on Tuesday.
Merzlikins and Jordan Binnington hooked up in a scoreless duel until Voronkov buried a one-timer off a Zach Werenski pass on an odd-man rush at 4:11 of the third.
Merzlikins’ shutout was the 10th of his career and his first since blanking Carolina on Jan. 13, 2022, ending a 94-game span between shutouts.
Binnington finished with 21 saves as St. Louis was shut out for the second time this season.
Blackwood stops 32 in shutout of Kraken
MacKenzie Blackwood turned aside 32 shots for his first shutout in over two years as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Seattle Kraken, 2-0.
Blackwood earned his first shutout since December 2021 with New Jersey.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic opened the scoring 7:27 into the third period and Jan Rutta added an empty-net goal with 21 seconds remaining as last-place San Jose won for the fourth time in five games.
Seattle got 20 saves from Joey Daccord and has lost six of eight following a nine-game winning streak.
Donte DiVincenzo scored 33 points with a career-high nine 3-pointers and the New York Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, 118-103 over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
Jalen Brunson had 29 points and nine assists and Precious Achiuwa matched a season high with 18 points as the Knicks concluded a 14-2 January. That is their most wins in a month since going 14-0 in March 1994 and just one short of their most ever, a 15-3 record in December 1968.
New York was again without starting forwards Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, but Josh Hart had his first career triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and a career-best 10 assists and Isaiah Hartenstein added 14 points and 12 boards.
Collin Sexton scored 22 points for the Jazz, who lost in New York for the second straight night to close their road trip at 2-4.
The Knicks took control by outscoring Utah 36-24 in the third quarter, turning a 57-49 halftime lead into a 93-73 cushion entering the fourth.
Tatum lifts Celtics over Pacers
Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and came up with two blocks in the final 30 seconds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 129-124 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Jaylen Brown had 25 points and Derrick White added 24 for Boston, which won its fifth in six games to improve the NBA’s best record to 37-11.
Kristaps Porzingis contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds in his return after missing two games with a sprained left ankle.
Aaron Nesmith had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Pascal Siakam added 23 as Indiana had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Curry leads Warriors as Embiid limps off
Stephen Curry scored 37 points with eight 3-pointers and the Golden State Warriors sent the Philadelphia 76ers to their fourth straight loss, 119-107.
Jonathan Kuminga added 26 points and Andrew Wiggins had 23 to help the Warriors win for just the third time in nine games.
Tobias Harris had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia and Embiid scored 14 points before limping to the locker room with 4:04 remaining after Kuminga fell on his left knee.
Curry, who also had eight rebounds and seven assists, shot 12 for 17 from the field in his third straight 30-point game. It was his third consecutive game with at least six 3s with 25 or more points.
John P. Angelos has agreed to sell the Baltimore Orioles to private equity billionaires David Rubinstein and Mike Arougheti in a deal valuing the club at $1.725 billion, according to multiple reports.
Rubinstein is reportedly set to be the control person of the new Orioles' ownership group. He is a Baltimore native and the co-founder and chairman of the private equity firm the Carlyle Group.
Major League Baseball’s other owners will receive the official details of the sale at the annual owners' meeting next week. There reportedly isn’t a timetable for the deal to be completed.
According to one report, the deal will be structured to give the new owners 40 percent of the team, with the sale of the remaining stake to come following the death of patriarch Peter Angelos. Angelos, who purchased the Orioles in 1993 as the leader of a group that paid $40 million, he reportedly been incapacitated for years by an illness.
The Orioles are coming of the franchise’s best regular season in over four decades after winning the American League East with 101 wins before falling to the eventual champion Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series. They still boast the No. 1 prospect in baseball in Jackson Holliday and arguably the strongest farm system.
That success came despite Baltimore having the second-smallest payroll in baseball, and the team only added veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel on a one-year contract in the offseason.
Rory McIlroy says he has “changed my tune” on players facing punishment if they wish to return from the LIV Golf Series to the traditional tours.
The world number two has been one of the strongest advocates for the PGA and DP World Tours, but admits he has softened his stance on sanctions against players as the sport looks for a deal between the tours, Saudi’s Public Investment Fund – which backs LIV – and Fenway Sports Group.
“I think life is about choices,” said McIlroy ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. “Guys made choices to go and play LIV, guys made choices to stay here.
“If people still have eligibility on this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try and do something, let them come back.
“I think it’s hard to punish people. I don’t think there should be a punishment.”
In June, after plans for a merger between the rival tours were announced, McIlroy said “the people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this Tour” and “we can’t just welcome them back in”.
“Obviously I’ve changed my tune on that because I see where golf is and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and having a diminished LIV Tour or anything else is bad for both parties,” he said.
“It would be much better being together and moving forward together for the good of the game.
“That’s my opinion of it. The faster that we can all get back together and start to play and start to have the strongest fields possible, I think, is great for golf.”
McIlroy, who served on the PGA Tour board before stepping down in November, was speaking in the wake of LIV naming England’s Tyrell Hatton as its latest recruit and said he had spoken to his Ryder Cup colleague before the announcement.
“I’ve talked to him quite a bit about it over the past month,” he said. “It got to the point where they negotiated and got to a place where he was comfortable with and he has to do what he feels is right for him.
“I’m not going to stand in anyone’s way from making money and what they deem life-changing money.”
McIlroy is making his seasonal PGA Tour debut at Pebble Beach this week, having started the year by finishing second to Tommy Fleetwood at the Dubai Invitational and winning the Dubai Desert Classic.
He will play more tournaments in the build-up to the US Masters this year, starting with a first appearance at Pebble Beach since 2019.
“You need to keep it fresh,” he said. “I don’t find that (keeping motivated) overly difficult.
“I think there’s always things that you want to achieve and that you can get better at.
“Trying to have a growth mindset to goal-set and try to achieve certain things is something that I’ve just learned to do as my career has progressed.”
With the country basically in a rebuilding phase where getting swimmers back on the Olympic stage is concerned, Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) president Lance Rochester says the immediate focus of his administration is to provide the necessary backing to top level athletes, who boast the potential to achieve the feat.
Apart from decorated five-time Olympian Alia Atkinson, only Timothy Wynter and Keanan Dols, who showed at the 2016 and 2020 Games in Rio and Tokyo respectively, have made the step forward in recent times. But with all three now retired, it is left to be seen if and when other Jamaican swimmers will appear on that big stage.
While there are a number of prospects namely Kito Campbell, Zaneta Alvaranga, Sidrell Williams, Emily MacDonald, Sabrina Lyn, Nathaniel Thomas, Kaheem Lozer and Kyle Sinclair, Rochester is well aware that along with hard work, the swimmers –particularly those in universities –also require support, financial and otherwise, to bring their Olympic dream to fruition.
Outside of Williams, who will be hunting qualification to this year’s Paris Olympic Games at the 28th Karl Dalhouse Memorial Invitational Meet, the others are first- and second-year students all in strong university programmes, which include gym and sports psychology.
However, financial assistance could provide an avenue for those swimmers to travel to highly-competitive swim meets in the Americas to further improve their craft.
“Swimming has very, very bright prospects for Jamaica. Not just swimming, but all aquatic sports. What we're focused on now is providing the best investments to those athletes at the elite level who are vying for placement within the Paris Olympic Games and the Olympic cycle right after that,” Rochester told SportsMax.TV during the launch of the Karl Dalhouse meet on Tuesday.
“So, the question is how to invest in them, how to provide them with the right competition experience, locally and overseas, and also the investments in terms of technology and high performance that they will need, so that’s what we are focused on that right now,” he added.
At the same time, Rochester explained that they also have sights set on a long-term project which includes an expansion of swim programmes to both unearth and develop talent right across the island.
“So, we are meeting with regard to our expansion programme targeting more pools, to find the talent that exists in our learn to swim programme and develop it appropriately over time. This of course is a 20-year project, but we're embarking on that starting now,” he shared.
On that note, Rochester pointed to the significance of swim meets such as the Karl Dalhouse Memorial Invitational in the development of age group swimmers, in particular.
This year’s staging of the meet hosted by Y-Speedos Swim Club, serves as a qualifier to the Paris Olympic Games, and will see over 500 swimmers, including those from four clubs in the Cayman Islands and Florida, parade their skills over three days from Friday (February 2) to Sunday (February 4).
“The Karl Dalhouse meet is exceptionally important and has been for many athletes over the years. Many coaches will time this meet in terms of qualification needs for bigger events. Many coaches will time this meet to ensure their athlete peaks at the right time. It's exceptionally well-organized, well supported by some very fast swimmers overseas and it augurs well for the development of our swimming in Jamaica that we have meets as important as these and others as well,” the president declared.
Finally, Rochester, who recently took office stressed the need for corporate sponsorship, which he said will be critical in terms of achieving their goals to invest in swimmers among other things.
“We are looking to demonstrate to corporate Jamaica why the ASAJ is a great investment opportunity. Swimming, yes, but all our eight aquatic disciplines, how we manage our governance our transparency, our accountability, what we're able to deliver to our athletes with learn to swim, nutrition, sports psychology and producing great athletes over the long term. So, we're encouraging our partners to come on board with us and support us in this mission to develop Jamaica,” Rochester ended.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk insists he is “fully committed” to the club as he dismissed reports suggesting he is ready to quit Anfield.
The Netherlands defender’s comments on whether he would be around after manager Jurgen Klopp departs this summer sparked speculation he could follow his manager out of the door.
Klopp announced on Friday that he will step down at the end of the season, and, asked whether he saw himself as part of the next Liverpool era, Van Dijk replied: “That’s a big question. Well, I don’t know.”
The 32-year-old has 18 months remaining on his current deal and, speaking to the Men in Blazers podcast on Tuesday, Van Dijk moved to clear up the uncertainty created since Klopp’s decision was made public.
“It’s much taken out of context,” the centre-back said of the response to his previous comments.
“To be 100 per cent clear, I am fully committed to the club. I love the club. I love the fans. It is fully taken out of context.”
With Liverpool top of the Premier League and in the final of the Carabao Cup, Van Dijk said ending the Klopp era with silverware remains the priority.
“It’s not about me, it’s not about I. It is about us and nothing has changed,” he added.
“Five days ago we weren’t even speaking about my contract so it’s silly.
“My full focus is on making sure this year can be very special, obviously (it was a) big announcement over the last couple of days. It has been a shock to each one of us connected to the club.
“We mean business, we want to crack on, we want to achieve things that we dreamed of at the start of the season and don’t get it twisted, I’m fully committed to the club – I love each and every second that I am the captain.”
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder admitted there was little his side could do to stop influential Crystal Palace duo Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze after the pair lifted the hosts to a 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park.
A frenetic first 30 minutes in south London started in stunning fashion with Ben Brereton Diaz’s opener inside the first 21 seconds, cancelled out by Eze via Olise’s assist.
James McAtee quickly restored United’s lead but the sides were square at the break after Olise once again teed up Eze before he got himself on the scoresheet with the 67th-minute game-winner.
Wilder, whose side remain bottom of the Premier League, said: “We got pushed back, those two players decided a pretty tight game.
“The quality that those two players have, you’re up against minimum £50million for both of those players. You have to deal with that, that’s what the Premier League is about.
“Could have done with Olise having just a few more days off but that’s the challenges you’re up against. You want to play against the best players, and when they find those bits and moments that we’re trying to find it makes it a difficult evening.
“We do prep and we do structure and we have a game plan but I think what happens is that those boys can destroy your game plan through individual brilliance.
“You can have all the plan in the world, but those boys find a way.”
Despite injuries severely hampering their appearances together, Olise’s seventh assist for Eze moved him into joint-first with Andros Townsend and James McArthur for the most times a Palace player has assisted a single team-mate.
The victory eased pressure on Palace boss Roy Hodgson after the Eagles’ 5-0 dismantling at the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where fans in the away end raised banners protesting against the direction of their club.
Yet there were worrying scenes at Selhurst Park, with both Olise and Eze removed in the second half after they received treatment on the pitch.
The 76-year-old said he was more concerned about Eze than Olise, who had returned to his line-up for the first time in 2024 after sitting out since Palace’s Brentford victory in late December, having also missed a significant spell to start the season with a separate hamstring issue.
Hodgson said the pair “haven’t been fully assessed” but “both of them were pretty upbeat after the game, and with any luck” available to face bitter rivals Brighton on Saturday.
The Palace boss said the win and presence of the two influential players did “wonders” for his side’s confidence and added: “Hopefully we put the black mark of last week, the heavy defeat, behind us.
“I think people, if they’re looking at the team now, should be doing so with a large degree of optimism. This team and this group of players are capable of lifting Crystal Palace up into a higher position than we find ourselves in.”
Boss Eddie Howe believes Newcastle proved the doubters wrong after inflicting Aston Villa’s first home league defeat in almost a year.
Fabian Schar’s first-half double and Alex Moreno’s own goal gave the Magpies a deserved 3-1 win in Birmingham.
Ollie Watkins’ 50th Premier League goal for Villa gave the hosts hope but they were unable to mount a comeback.
It was Villa’s first home top-flight defeat since February last year and came after Newcastle had lost six of their last seven league games.
“We answered a lot of questions but it’s just one game and we need to build on the last two results,” said Howe, with Newcastle climbing to seventh.
“It was a big win and performance, the players were really good. It was us of last year.
“We had that good start, it gave us confidence and it was a very good away performance. Now the challenge is to maintain that.
“It’s been frustrating as we’ve done well in the cup competitions away from home but the Premier League seems to have been a different story.
“It was mixed emotions for me because that team is an elite team. The mixed part is that we haven’t seen that for a number of weeks. We looked much like ourselves and we have players coming back.”
Anthony Gordon was denied by Emi Martinez before Schar struck twice in four first-half minutes.
The defender capitalised on poor defending from Douglas Luiz and Ezri Konsa from Kieran Trippier’s corner to open the scoring after 32 minutes.
Soon after Gordon’s shot was deflected over and, when the corner was only half-cleared, the winger’s volley clipped Clement Lenglet, hit the underside of the bar and Schar prodded in.
Newcastle’s dominance continued six minutes after the break when Miguel Almiron – on for Alexander Isak, who came off with a suspected groin injury – robbed Matty Cash and was slipped in by Gordon’s return ball.
His cross reached Jacob Murphy and the winger’s effort went in off the sliding Moreno.
Villa found some fight and after Moussa Diaby had gone close Watkins pulled a goal back with 19 minutes left, firing in Leon Bailey’s cross.
The striker also had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call two minutes later but the hosts could not recover.
Villa remain fourth but will be overhauled by Tottenham if Spurs beat Brentford on Wednesday.
“I spoke with the players and told them I am very proud of them and the supporters after a lot of successful matches here. One loss was always going to come,” said boss Unai Emery, with Villa due to confirm the signing of Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough in a deal worth £16million.
“We can’t lose our perspective. Winning is better but we are facing seven teams stronger than us, but we have our process. The message is to keep going ahead and try and find comfort in the work that we are doing.
“We are frustrated, a little bit disappointed, but in our perspective we are happy. We weren’t clinical and we conceded more chances and set-pieces than normal.
“We have 43 points. We are going to work and try to keep the distance that we have now and then focus on Saturday (at Sheffield United).”
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca admitted he did not want Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to leave, but said the player’s future was now a matter for the club.
Dewsbury-Hall scored the opening goal after only three minutes as Leicester moved 10 points clear at the top of the Championship thanks to a 3-1 victory over Swansea.
The midfielder is thought to be a January transfer target for Brighton, but Leicester want at least £30million for him.
Two goals in three minutes sealed the points for Leicester with Stephy Mavididi scoring from the penalty spot, and Yunus Akgun adding a third.
But Maresca said Dewsbury-Hall had not been affected by the transfer speculation leading up to the game.
“I don’t want Kiernan to go – ask the club if we need to sell or not,” said Maresca.
“The only way we can do something is to sell players. I don’t think that Kiernan’s future was about this game. Kiernan is a Leicester player, hopefully he can play in the next game.
“Here, he showed once again he is in love with the club, if something will happen now, I don’t know.
“He cares about the club and he has 10 goals this season, probably for the first time in his life, these kind of things, people don’t give the right importance to and it’s not a good thing.”
Maresca also sensed the frustration among the home supporters at times, even though Leicester are dominating the English second tier.
“You can feel the fans when they’re not happy, some people take things for granted,” said the Italian coach.
“We have won 26 of 34 games this season, unbelievable, a huge number.
“The only thing I can say is that people think it’s easy, but it’s not. I came to this club to play with this idea, the moment there is some doubt about the idea, the day after, I will leave, it’s so clear.”
Swansea manager Luke Williams was left frustrated as he searches for his first league win since taking over.
“Leicester are a fantastic side who played in a fantastic way, they unlocked us,” he said.
“We held our own after the first goal, but you need to be clinical to come away with anything from Leicester.
“But then it was really quite frustrating to lose concentration, the second two goals were gifts.
“We made it a little bit too easy for those goals. I haven’t seen the penalty back, but what I know is that what came before it was a lack of concentration and focus and you cannot do that against a top side.
“It’s really difficult and challenging for the players to concentrate for 96 minutes against a side posing so many questions, but if you want to compete at the right end of the division, it’ll require the players to be focused for the entire game.”
Williams admitted his first win in the Championship with Swansea could not come soon enough.
“We’ve had very tough fixtures, but it’d be lovely to get a victory for sure,” he said.
Williams said he expected to be busy as the transfer deadline approached.
“We’re going to be trying to bring the right players in, but it’s challenging,” he added.
“I hope it’s busy and I hope it’s fruitful as well.”
David Martindale admitted his interest in signing Inverness midfielder David Carson after Livingston came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Ross County at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Simon Murray gave the Staggies the lead after 28 minutes but that was cancelled out by Livi midfielder Scott Pittman just before the break.
Murray fired in a second in the 85th minute but Livi substitute Dan MacKay levelled with a header three minutes later for a deserved point.
The Lions have gone 15 league games without a win and remain six points adrift of second-bottom County in the table having played two games more than the Staggies.
Asked about Carson, Martindale said: “I’ve spoken to a few. Maybe it is something we will try to pursue.
“But the focus was the game today, so I’ve not really been that active on it but he is someone we have spoken to.”
On the game, Martindale added: “It was frustrating. I sound like a lunatic but there’s been a lot of good performances over the last five or six weeks.
“It’s hard to be critical of a lot of the players on the park. Offensively we were very good.
“We had a lot of chances and we have to hit the target.
“We created plenty but the defending is nowhere near the levels we need.
“We did show character to come back twice. We were nervous in the first half but once they scored, that sparked us into life.
“We got a foothold in the game. Then the boys dug in and got us back to 2-2 and showed huge character.
“The goals we’re losing at this level is extremely worrying.”
Derek Adams had six January signings playing again and will look to add one, possibly two more to his squad before the transfer window closes, although he does not envisage losing midfielder Yan Dhanda early to Hearts.
The midfielder has reportedly agreed a pre-contract with the Gorgie club but the County boss does not believe Hearts will pay a fee to take him to Tynecastle in this window.
Adams said: “Well unless Hearts were able to pay money and the club thought it was acceptable. I wouldn’t want to lose him between now and the end of the season.
“But if a club comes up with the money that that club accepts, then you can’t do anything about that.
“But it looks like it’s highly unlikely because Hearts have said they’ve got no money to spend.
“We’ll look to do one more, possibly two by the window finishing. I’d like to do two. It might not happen, but we’ll hopefully do one.”
Marco Silva was disappointed Fulham failed to turn their dominance into goals in Tuesday night’s 0-0 Premier League draw against Everton and called for his players to be more clinical.
Raul Jimenez, who was substituted at the break, missed a golden opportunity in the first half before Rodrigo Muniz failed to impact the game.
Fulham failed to move 10 points clear of the relegation-threatened Toffees in the table, adding to the woes of last week’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup exits.
“With the result, I am disappointed,” Silva said. “Both teams had chances to score and it was clear we were the most dominant on the pitch.
“We created many chances to score, we had good moments but we missed putting the ball in the net.
“It is not a good thing (Fulham missing chances). The decision making has to be better in the final third of the attack. We need to be more assertive, more calm in some decisions because we arrived in so many dangerous areas.
“We need to be more ruthless and clinical in moments.”
Jimenez netted four goals in December but looked a shadow of himself against Everton.
The west Londoners have been linked to Chelsea’s Armando Broja in the last few days of the transfer window but Silva played down any chances for a deal before Thursday’s deadline.
“To be honest with you, I am not expecting many things towards the end of the market,” Silva added. “If it was possible to do something we should of done it at the beginning of the window because we had a semi-final to play and the FA Cup.
“The board are trying to do their best but if you ask me if we are going to do many things at the end of the market, then no.
“I will not talk about players that are not our players and rumours.”
Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had a standout performance which included a magnificent fingertip save to deny Tosin Adarabioyo’s close-range header in the second half.
Everton manager Sean Dyche talked up the England number one.
He said: “I thought he had a good performance. He is England’s number one and we have a high expectation of him.
“His decision making was good tonight and as a team we worked very hard in front of him, we had a collective mentality. He played his part tonight without a shadow of a doubt.”
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