Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is unlikely to make his return following thumb surgery against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to coach Mike McCarthy.

Prescott suffered a fracture near his right thumb in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' season-opening 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month.

Cooper Rush has deputised ably since then, leading the team on a four-game winning streak, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said he was unlikely to keep the starting spot when Prescott returns to fitness.

Prescott was set to throw for the first time since suffering his injury following Wednesday's practice, but McCarthy is planning to start Rush against the NFL's only unbeaten team on Sunday.

"We are preparing for Cooper to start against the Eagles," McCarthy told reporters.

"I think we're still in the medical rehab phase. So once he [Prescott] clears this phase and he's fully activated, then I think that's when we have our conversation.

"You've got to trust the medical process. This is a 17-game season. That was my immediate response. I know Dak didn't want to hear it, but you've got to make sure that he's right for the long haul, too.

"So I'm not saying we're being conservative because that doesn't line up with him, with the way he approaches preparing to play. But, yeah, this really is following the medical timeline."

McCarthy also stated his belief the team's form had not been significantly altered by their change of quarterback after Week 1.

"He [Prescott] is doing all the things you can possibly do and more to get ready," McCarthy added. "But I don't think it would've changed, from my view."

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams has been charged with misdemeanour assault for pushing over a photographer after his team's 30-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Moments after the defeat, Adams was making his way from the field at Arrowhead Stadium when he shoved Ryan Zebley, a credentialed media member, who suffered whiplash and a headache as well as a potential minor concussion.

Though Adams apologised after the incident, the former Green Bay Packers wideout has now been charged for what was described in court records as an "intentional, overt act" that caused "bodily injury".

The charges were filed on Wednesday at the Municipal Court of Kansas City, and Adams is set to be in court on November 10.

Adams is also reportedly facing discipline from the NFL, though his coach Josh McDaniels defended him on Tuesday, saying: "That was an unfortunate situation. I support Davante wholeheartedly as a human being. I don't think there was any intent behind it, on his part."

The Chiefs defeat dropped the Raiders to 1-4, and their bye week means they are now not in action until October 23 when they will host the Houston Texans, though it remains to be seen whether Adams will be suspended for that game.

Conor Benn is expecting an apology from his critics as an investigation into his failed drugs test continues.

Benn's scheduled bout with Chris Eubank Jr was postponed last week after it emerged the 26-year-old had tested positive for the banned substance clomifene last month.

The British Boxing Board of Control subsequently prohibited the fight from taking place, despite promoters from both sides attempting to force a U-turn.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is investigating Benn's test, though his father and former WBO middleweight and WBC super-middleweight champion Nigel Benn has insisted he is a "clean athlete".

In a story posted to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Benn wrote: "I hope the apology is as loud as the disrespect."

Nigel Benn, who famously twice fought Chris Eubank Sr in the 1990s, declared his son's team will "get to the bottom of this" following the fight's postponement.

If found guilty of an anti-doping violation, Benn could receive a lengthy suspension from boxing – potentially lasting between two and four years.

Fikayo Tomori was unlucky to be sent off and concede a penalty during Milan's Champions League defeat to Chelsea, so says Mason Mount.

The Milan centre-back, a former Chelsea player, was given an 18th-minute red card after he was adjudged to have pulled Mount's shirt in the penalty box as the midfielder went through on goal.

Jorginho converted the penalty before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 34th-minute strike wrapped up a comfortable 2-0 win for the Blues in Group E.

Mount, however, believes Chelsea were fortunate.

In an interview with Chelsea's official website, Mount said: "I was probably a bit surprised [with the decision] at the time because I've still gone through and had a shot.

"I felt him [Tomori] trying to pull me back but I was running to goal so I wasn't going to go down. I carried on going, didn't score and then obviously the ref blew up and gave a pen straight away."

Tomori and Mount are both products of Chelsea's academy. The duo both spent time on loan at Derby County, under Frank Lampard, in the 2018-19 campaign and went on to play together for the Blues first team before the defender departed for Milan in 2021, helping the Rossoneri win the Serie A title last season.

"He's obviously my mate, I've known Fik for a very long time, and I felt for him in that situation, I was gutted for him. I don't think it was a sending-off," Mount added.

"You still want to be playing 11 v 11 and going at it with two good teams, so it maybe ruined the game a bit. It was massive for us and we obviously wanted to win the game, which we did," he added.

Tuesday's game was poignant for striker Aubameyang, who played at San Siro for the first time. His half-brothers Willy and Catilina both played for Milan.

On Instagram, Aubameyang said: "Big dream achieved!! I used to come to this stadium to see my brothers playing and never had the chance to play at San Siro myself, now it's done."

Chelsea are top of Group E after four games with an away trip to Austrian side Salzburg next, as Graham Potter's team look to secure qualification to the knockout stage.

Maurizio Sarri has aired his frustration over the consistent speculation on Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and his future, amid frequent links with a move to Serie A rivals Juventus.

The Serbia international has been one of the form players of the campaign in the Italian top flight, with three goals and six assists for a total of nine involvements so far this term.

That form has not gone unnoticed, and Milinkovic-Savic has been subsequently mooted as a major transfer target, with La Gazetto dello Sport running a splash page on a potential Bianconeri switch.

It is not the first time the playmaker has been the subject of intense speculation, but the feverish nature has irked Sarri now, who believes too much hyperbole is being spun about his player.

"I think there is too much noise around him," he stated ahead of his side's UEFA Europe League clash with Sturm Graz.

"The day after our 4-0 win [over Fiorentina] a paper put his name on their front page [about] transfers.

"Milinkovic-Savic, he has room for improvement. You can see that from how many balls he loses."

Lazio's president Claudio Lotito previously warned potential suitors that  Milinkovic-Savic would cost a minimum of €120million for any interested party to pry him away from the capital.

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof believes increased competition for places is helping to improve the Red Devils' fortunes.

Lindelof missed United's poor start to the season with injury but has since fought his way back into the defence, starting the past two matches alongside Lisandro Martinez, who recently signed from Ajax.

Martinez was brought in to bolster a backline that includes the likes of Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane, both of whom have featured this season alongside the Argentina international, who is the only centre-back to have started every league game so far this campaign.

United have improved of late, winning seven of their past nine fixtures in all competitions, and Lindelof believes a battle for places partly explains their upturn in form.

"Obviously, I had a tough start to the season," Lindelof told reporters ahead of Thursday's Europa League tie with Omonia Nicosia. 

"But it's always very important for this team to have good players in the squad and competition for places.

"It's not a problem for me. I am always available if the manager needs me and if I have the opportunity, I will do my best.

"I always want to push myself and play games. I think everyone in the squad wants that."

Lindelof also credits new manager Erik ten Hag for the recent developments in his own game, adding: "The way he wants to play suits me.

"He's demanding a lot from us, how we control the game from the back and start the build-up.

"Hopefully I can keep improving a lot under him."

Sergio Aguero has compared Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland to the likes of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo Nazario, backing the Norwegian to continue breaking records with Pep Guardiola's team.

Haaland has scored 20 goals in just 13 appearances since joining City from Borussia Dortmund, sending records tumbling during an incredible start to life in England.

The 22-year-old set a new Premier League record in August by scoring nine times in his first five outings, and he became the first player to score a hat-trick in three consecutive home games in the competition by starring in a 6-3 win over Manchester United this month.

Haaland's spectacular start in Manchester has earned him lofty praise from City legend Aguero, who has compared him to two South American greats.

"There's been many strikers worthy of awe I can think of," Aguero told Stake.com. "One of my favourites was Ronaldo Nazario, who time and time again proved to be the full package as a player, and a menace before the goalposts.

"Each era usually has two or three players with that ability – and usually with different styles. 

"Diego [Maradona], Romario, [Robert] Lewandowski, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, and Leo, of course! Each had their own flair, but they were all tremendous scorers to a fault.

"Speaking of Haaland specifically, he's got potency, athleticism, and a particular instinct for goals, which makes him very dangerous. 

He's got everything to keep racking up amazing stats, especially being part of an offensively-minded team like City. That in turn means plenty of opportunities to score. 

"He's young and has a lot of potential to continue breaking records. Key to this, of course, will be consistency."

Aguero – City's all-time top scorer with 260 goals for the club in all competitions – believes Haaland, supported by the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden, is the ideal man to lead the club into a new era.

"When I left City, I shared how proud I was to have been part of a generation of players that made it one of the top clubs in the world," he added.

"That was a re-foundational period, with many big changes, that allowed City to become a force to be reckoned with.

"I also said it'd be up to a new generation to maintain this status and reach new heights. I think this new team is ready for that. 

"Kevin [De Bruyne] has an amazing record as a player, Haaland is on the right path. But it's not just the two of them. Phil Foden – my own favourite, Bernardo [Silva], [Ilkay] Gundogan, Rodri, [Aymeric] Laporte... each of their contributions make the team stronger."

Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney believes the unity that has characterised the Gunners' flying start to the new season has been years in the making under Mikel Arteta.    

Sunday's thrilling 3-2 win over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium ensured Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League, where they lead Manchester City by a solitary point after nine games.

The Gunners have won eight of their opening nine games in a top-flight campaign for just the fourth time in their history, having also done so in the 1947-48, 2004-05 and 2007-08 seasons.

Meanwhile, the last time Arsenal led the Premier League at a later stage of the season was on December 10, 2016, when they did so after 15 games. 

Arsenal's form represents quite the turnaround for Arteta, who has come under fire at various points during his three-year stint at the club, but Tierney believes recent campaigns laid the foundations for their current run.

Asked about the atmosphere around the club, Tierney told Arsenal's website: "I'd say it's the best since I've been here and I think that's a credit to all the fans, and the players and the staff. 

"It just feels like it has clicked – everybody has come together. You hear reactions after we concede goals, you very rarely hear that in football. 

"Our fans ended up drowning out the Liverpool fans after they scored, just to try and cheer us on, go again and try and get another goal. I think you need that.

"It's been building, even last season you could see it's been getting better and better between the players, the staff and the fans, and this season it's all just come together and we're one club, one unit."

Arsenal's victory over Liverpool – their eighth successive home league win – put them 14 points clear of last season's runners-up in the early-season standings, but Tierney is refusing to set any targets for his side. 

"It's only been nine games and you can't say anyone is anything after nine games," the Scotland international added. "If you look at last year, we were down in the table and we climbed our way up, so there's a long way to go and there's no point in even thinking like that.

"You want to stay [at the top] of course. I've got a bit of experience at Celtic when we were expected to be at the top and stay on the top as well, so it is familiar in that way for me that the pressure is on you to stay there. 

"The other teams are chasing you, and we want to keep that going as long as we can. Progress is the main thing. We've progressed every year, so we want to keep progressing well. 

"You just want to finish up as high as possible, and we know what we want and we'll keep working towards it."

Will Jacks is the new face in England's Test squad as captain Ben Stokes recalled a host of old hands to the fold for December's tour of Pakistan.

The Surrey all-rounder, already capped at white-ball level, is the lone maiden call-up to a 15-man party headlined by the return of Mark Wood for the first time since March.

Keaton Jennings and Ben Duckett return for the first time since 2019 and 2016 respectively after superb domestic campaigns with Lancashire and Nottinghamshire. 

There is no Stuart Broad, however, after the bowler opted to remain at home for the birth of his first child. Paceman Jamie Overton is included following a Test debut against New Zealand earlier this year.

Liam Livingstone will be chasing a first cap, having last been included in a Test squad in 2018, while form batsman Jonny Bairstow is absent through the injury that has ruled him out of the T20 World Cup.

Former captain Joe Root, alongside James Anderson, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope and Ollie Robinson, make up the rest of Brendon McCullum's party.

"We are looking forward to touring Pakistan as a Test team for the first time since 2005," ECB director Rob Key stated. "It will be a historic tour and a compelling series against a good side. The selectors have picked a squad for the conditions we can expect.

"There is a strong blend of youth and experience and players who will adapt well to the types of pitches we are likely to get across the three-match series. I wish the players every success, especially those new to the squad and those returning after a period of time away."

England squad; Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.

Kylian Mbappe is happy at Paris Saint-Germain, team-mate Hugo Ekitike claimed despite fresh reports the France star wants to leave the club.

Mbappe, who scored a penalty in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Benfica, is said to feel betrayed by the club hierarchy and is seeking a move in January. 

Despite intense speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid in the previous transfer window, Mbappe instead decided to stay with the French champions.

But Mbappe is reportedly once more seeking an exit, citing his unhappiness that the club broke several promises they made when he signed his new three-year contract in May.

But speaking after the stalemate with the Benfica, striker Ekitike said: "I often talk with Kylian [Mbappe], I know that he is happy to be at the club."

Ekitike, who turned down a transfer to Newcastle United to move from Reims to PSG, came off the bench to make his Champions League debut against Benfica.

He added: "The Champions League is something magical. Last year I watched it on television so participating in it and having those first minutes is something beautiful."

And looking forward, Ekitike is excited about a potential partnership with Mbappe and the chance to develop.

"I think it [getting to play with Mbappe] would be not bad at all," he said. 

"I came here as a project over several years where I have to progress. I think I'm in the perfect club for that."
 
PSG are joint-top of Group H after four games with Benfica also on eight points. They face Maccabi Haifa next week as they look to secure qualification to the knockout stages.

Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou believes "a lot of missed chances" were to blame for his side's ill-fated Champions League season. 

After losing 2-0 to RB Leipzig at home on Tuesday, the reigning Scottish Champions will not be able to progress beyond the group stage. 

Even their hopes of dropping into the Europa League look slim, needing four points from their games against Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Madrid, as well as favours from elsewhere.

Reflecting on a disappointing display from his side, Postecoglou said: "I thought we showed all the effort and endeavour to try to win a game of football.

"But as we have found at this level, if you don’t take your chances it’s very hard to convert all of that into a result.

"I’m trying to tell us to play in a certain way to be successful, but we know at this level that if you don't take your opportunities then it's going to hurt you at some stage.

"It's been the story of our campaign so far – a lot of missed chances."

Celtic's loss equalled the longest run of home defeats by a team in the competition, previously set by Monaco between May 2017 and December 2018 with seven.

But Postecoglou hopes the experience, while disappointing, will benefit his side in the long term.

"We have just got to keep going. Irrespective of whether we continue or not, we have two more Champions League games that we want to keep using as a platform to improve as a football team and improve our players," he said. 

"The more they have exposure at this level, I think the better equipped we will be at this level."

Postecoglou and his side will look to get something from their game against Shakhtar on October 25, which follows domestic fixtures with Hibernian, Motherwell and Hearts.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to team practice on Wednesday and could be cleared from concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during a defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals last month and was taken by ambulance to hospital, subsequently missing the Dolphins' loss to the New York Jets.

While highly unlikely to take to the field in Week 6 against the Vikings, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport state sources say he has made 'great strides' and is heading in the 'right direction' for a return to the field.

Tagovailoa has consulted with four independent specialists since the injury and increased his rehab work to include cardio and strength training over the weekend, while Wednesday will involve throwing the ball as part of "non-contact sports-specific activity".

The Dolphins quarterback situation is up in the air ahead of Sunday, with backup QB Terry Bridgewater also in concussion protocol and coach Mike McDaniel telling reporters on Monday there was no specific timeframe for the return of either player.

Rookie seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson took to the field in place of Bridgewater against the Jets, where he threw for 166 yards and one interception, finishing with a pass completion percentage of 57.6 per cent.

The Dolphins are on a two-game losing streak, sitting 3-2 after beginning the 2022 season with three successive wins.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has not agreed a January move to Juventus, according to Lazio owner Claudio Lotito.

The Serbian midfielder has impressed this season with three goals and seven assists in his nine Serie A games, helping Maurizio Sarri's side climb to third. 

Such form is said to have piqued the interest of Juventus, with reports suggesting the Bianconeri will plan to offer up to €60million, including bonuses.

But Lotito told Il Messaggero: "I have no agreement with his agent [Mateja] Kezman to sell him to Juventus or anyone else in the winter.

"On the contrary, he is now worth €120m, not €100m. Every month the price goes up."

The transfer talk emerged after Lazio's convincing 4-0 win against Fiorentina on Tuesday, with Milinkovic-Savic adding to his tally with two more assists.

When asked about the performance, Lotito said: "I am satisfied with the spirit I saw again. As I have already said, if we continue with this attitude, we will not set ourselves limits and we can go far."
 
Lazio face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday before Sunday's league fixture against fourth-place Udinese.