Hot favourite Jonbon is on course for Saturday’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old has won 11 of his 13 races under rules, with his only two defeats coming at the last two Cheltenham Festivals, behind stablemate Constitution Hill and Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo.

He gained a first course victory at Cheltenham on his reappearance last month when an easy winner of the Shloer Chase and is a long odds-on shot to follow up his victory in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on the same card 12 months ago.

“He was very good at Cheltenham, he did everything well. Touch wood, Nicky and Nico (de Boinville) are both very happy with him going to Sandown on Saturday and hopefully he’ll run a big race,” said owner JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“We just don’t know how he’ll go on really soft ground until he tries it – he has won on soft ground plenty of times.

“He’s another year older and stronger so hopefully he’ll be able to cope with it.

“He’s been unlucky at the Festival for the last two years but he’s still run two massive races, he’s just bumped into two very, very good horses.

“Fingers crossed he can carry on his progression this weekend.”

Chairman John Bennett presided over Rangers’ annual general meeting on Tuesday morning.

The Ibrox side are sitting second to Old Firm rivals Celtic in the cinch Premiership and have recently swapped boss Michael Beale for Philippe Clement.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main topics which emerged from the meeting  at New Edmiston House.

Summer spending will not affect Clement’s ability to strengthen squad

Former boss Beale bought Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Jose Cifuentes and Danilo, while Abdallah Sima arrived on loan from Brighton with Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun signed as free agents. Rangers accounts noted a total spend of £21million in the summer.

However,  chairman Bennett said: “It will have no effect on the manager’s plans.

“The manager has been very clear about the challenges of the January window, everyone knows about that, but I wouldn’t worry at all about the summer spend and that impinging upon what Philippe wants to do.

“The board will be ready for January or next summer. We have to keep aspiring to strengthen.

“Do also bear in mind that there will be contract expiries, it depends what we do about that so it is not just about transfer fees, it is about recycling wages that roll off which are fairly significant. It is about being clever and more clever than we have been frankly, in the recycling of wages.”

Clement appeals for fan backing

The Belgian boss is unbeaten in his first 10 games but already has heard the sound of boos from disgruntled fans, especially at half-time in the 1-1 Europa League draw against Cypriot side Aris Limassol at Ibrox and when he substituted Todd Cantwell before the break.

He spoke about the “synergy” needed between players and supporters, saying: “When I first came I saw that the synergy between the team and fans was a bit gone.

“We are building this and we have had some great moments when it was totally back but I feel it is unstable.

“It is a two-way street. I see so much potential here with the energy the fans can bring.

“It is a major force. It was lost at the beginning of the season and it is a major thing for me to rebuild and I ask for the support of everybody.”

New performance director will make a difference

Tom Taylor will soon join Rangers from Brighton as the club’s new head of performance and Clement promised results.

Midfielders Ryan Jack and Nico Raskin are currently out injured, while Kemar Roofe, Ridvan Yilmaz, Rabbi Matondo and John Souttar are among others who have also missed games in the recent past.

Clement said: “There can be several causes, the human body or not enough training but also it was really important to get a good director of performance into the building.

“We have a lot of good staff also working really hard with the players and in the six weeks I have been here I have seen the players working really hard, even the injured players.

“So we have found someone who is really good and really good at making players who have had problems before better.”

Disabled Rangers fans will see changes at Ibrox soon

Bennett confirmed plans for a new area for disabled fans, with the work commencing next year.

Chief executive James Bisgrove said: “In the Copland stand in the summer initially, there will be a brand new disabled platform installed at the back of the Copland creating between 37 and 40 new bays for disabled supporters.”

The Arizona Coyotes erupted for five first-period goals en route to accomplishing an unprecedented NHL feat with Monday's 6-0 rout of the Washington Capitals.

Arizona rolled to its fifth consecutive victory, with each of those wins coming against the last five franchises to win the Stanley Cup. The Coyotes are the first team in NHL history with such an achievement.

The Coyotes began the streak with a 2-0 win over the reigning champion Vegas Golden Knights before defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Capitals in succession.

After Logan Cooley and Michael Carcone began Arizona's first-period scoring barrage, Nick Schmaltz recorded goals less than three minutes apart before Jason Zucker extended the lead to 5-0 with 1:21 left in the opening stanza.

Nick Bjugstad scored short-handed in the second period, while Clayton Keller and Alex Kerfoot each recorded three assists to support Connor Ingram's 26-save shutout.

Former Arizona goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped just 2 of 3 shots before being pulled just over 14 minutes into the contest. Charlie Lindgren turned back 19 of 22 shots in relief as Washington was handed a second straight defeat.

Vasilevskiy stars as Lightning get revenge on Stars

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves to deliver his first shutout since returning from back surgery, and the Tampa Bay Lightning earned a measure of revenge on the Dallas Stars with a 4-0 victory.

Anthony Cirelli scored a pair of goals to help Tampa Bay stop a four-game losing streak that included an 8-1 drubbing at the hands of the Stars in Dallas on Saturday.

Vasilevskiy, the 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner, was making his fifth start of the season after missing the Lightning's first 20 games recovering from a microdiscectomy procedure performed in late September.

Nikita Kucherov got Tampa Bay on the board 7:47 into the first period, then got an assist when Cirelli made it 2-0 with 1:39 remaining in the opening session.

After Vasilevskiy made 10 saves in the second period to maintain the two-goal edge, Luke Glendening and Cirelli each added goals in the third.

Jake Oettinger finished with 19 saves for Dallas, which had a three-game point streak (2-0-1) come to an end.

Buchnevich’s overtime goal lifts Blues over Golden Knights

Pavel Buchnevich scored 38 seconds into overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in the opener of a home-and-home series between the teams.

Jordan Binnington recorded 33 saves, including 12 in the third period, before Buchnevich fired a feed from Robert Thomas past Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson in the early stages of overtime.

Binnington was working on a shutout before the Golden Knights finally broke through on Jack Eichel’s power-play goal with 7:02 remaining in regulation that tied the contest at 1-1.

Alexey Toropchenko put St. Louis ahead with 21 seconds left in the first period, and the Blues maintained the one-goal advantage before Eichel capitalized shortly after Buchnevich was called for a tripping penalty in the third.

Thompson finished with 25 saves to help Vegas extend its point streak to five games, though it’s gone 2-0-3 over that stretch.

The two teams will meet again in St. Louis on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola is confident his Manchester City side will secure an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title this season.

The champions remain firm favourites to retain their crown despite being held to three consecutive draws at the hands of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Yet their current form has prompted some observers to wonder if the team still retain the hunger to triumph again after last season’s treble success.

Guardiola, however, has no doubt and has sent out a strong message to rivals that there is no complacency within his squad.

“My feeling today is we’re going to win the Premier League,” said the City manager at a press conference to preview Wednesday’s game at Aston Villa.

“If we play at the levels that we showed against Liverpool and Tottenham, we’re going to win it again.

“People don’t believe it already after three draws but we feel we’re going to do it again, knowing that it is not easy because no team has done it yet (won four in a row).

“The difficulty is there and was last season but, if you ask me today what I’m feeling, we’re going to do it again.”

Guardiola does not even think his players need to use the sense of injustice from the controversial end to Sunday’s clash with Spurs – when Erling Haaland was denied the chance to play advantage after being fouled – to fuel them.

He said: “We never use these kind of situations. Today the motivation is to try and do better.

“Sometimes decisions help you, sometimes they don’t. I learn that if you want to win something you have to do it much, much better than the opponents.”

City have been charged with failing to control their players by the Football Association following the stormy end to the 3-3 draw against Spurs.

A number of the team, notably Haaland, surrounded referee Simon Hooper to protest after he pulled back play to award a free-kick. Haaland had felt play should go on after he had got up following a bad challenge from Emerson Royal to release Jack Grealish through on goal.

Haaland continued his complaints after the game, going on to criticise Hooper in a social media post, but the Norwegian is not facing any individual action from the FA.

When asked about this, Guardiola preferred to highlight some of the more magnanimous comments from his players about the incident and defended their general conduct.

He said: “We’ve behaved incredibly this season in our not good results or decisions that are sometimes against us.

“When after the game, the comments from my players accepting we can do better is what I want to see from my team and my club.

“After that, we’ll accept all the decisions from the Premier League or whatever.”

City will be without Rodri and Jack Grealish through suspension at Villa Park while Jeremy Doku will be assessed after suffering a knock against Spurs.

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley felt years of extra-curricular work come to fruition when he powered home a shot with his naturally weaker right foot against St Johnstone.

The 23-year-old hit an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net from 22 yards to put Celtic in front in Perth with 12 minutes remaining on Sunday.

O’Riley said: “I surprised myself a bit after I hit it. I just swung my right foot.

“My first thought after it went in was actually, it sounds weird, how stable I felt in my body. I think that’s a result of all the pilates I have been doing, outside of the club as well.

“It’s nice to see these things coming together. I just felt really stable over the ball and recently in training I have practised a bit with my right foot and I was feeling more stable and more effective.

“If I can add that to my game I think that’s going to be very helpful.

“I started (pilates) ages ago when I was younger at Fulham because I had a few back problems when I was younger.

“Recently I have tried to get back into it, the last 10 months or so. I find it really beneficial. I do it outside the club and in here as well. It helps with injury prevention, general stability on the pitch, if you are trying to protect the ball, feeling more stable, more balanced, more robust.

“I have had to do it from a young age because I think it’s important if you want to have a long career.”

O’Riley has been keen to find any advantage he can for his career since his early teenage years.

“Small percentages build up over a period of time,” the Denmark international said.

“I enjoy all the stuff I do in terms of the recovery side. I live and breathe football to be honest so for me it’s not like a chore. It’s something I enjoy doing and will continue to do.

“I was pretty obsessive, probably more obsessive back then. Too obsessive, when I was 15/16, to the point where I was super strict with myself.

“I have come away from that a little bit just so I can have a bit more peace of mind as well. I feel like I am in a good place at the moment. I am learning things as I go as well, I am going to have to keep trying things and failing things. Some things will work, some things won’t.

“It’s an ongoing process to find out what works for me in terms of balancing football life and wellbeing. At the moment it’s probably the best I have been on that side of things.”

Such commitment to self-improvement could come to the fore in a busy period. Celtic host Hibernian in the cinch Premiership on Wednesday in their second of nine matches inside a month.

O’Riley said: “It’s more games so it’s more fun to be had. It’s definitely a tough period because it’s colder, the pitches probably aren’t as good.

“That’s where the mentality side really comes into it. It’s about being relentless every game, your approach has to be 100 per cent in every game. If we approach games in the right manner I think we will be more than okay.”

Under-fire Erik ten Hag is convinced he retains the backing of Manchester United’s players after the club were angered by reports he had lost some of the dressing room.

The Dutchman’s challenging second campaign in charge continued on Saturday night, when a lifeless display saw the Red Devils fall to a meek 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

A 10th defeat of the season led to some reports that Ten Hag had lost the confidence of up to half of his players, with concerns over his style, tactics and signings mentioned.

Those reports led to the club banning four media outlets shortly before Tuesday’s press conference nominally set up to preview the midweek Premier League clash against Chelsea.

United said the action was taken for not “contacting us first to give us the opportunity to comment, challenge or contextualise”, adding they believed it was “an important principle to defend”.

Asked if he believed he still had the requisite buy-in from his players to be successful, Ten Hag said: “Oh yes, I’m sure.

“But you can see, for instance, the comeback against Brentford, the Burnley game, the Fulham game, so every time the team is there, showed great character.

“Great determination, resilient, so yeah, we are together.

“And you can see you can’t play such great football what we did lately if there is no unity.”

Ten Hag downplayed Newcastle as “one bad performance” after the 3-0 league win at Everton and the 3-3 Champions League draw at Galatasaray, and addressed the bans handed out to journalists.

“They should come to us first and not go around our back printing articles,” the United manager said. “That’s not the right thing.

“I think we have another relationship, and then they should give that to us beforehand. We have a normal and professional discussion and debate about it.”

Pushed on whether he was concerned there was truth behind reports of player unhappiness, the United manager said: “No.

“Of course there are always in every team players who are less playing, who are less happy, but not different as normal.

“You have to wait for their chance and that can come, but, no, there are no issues.”

There were no questions in the press conference about Wednesday’s match against Chelsea, who are managed by Mauricio Pochettino – the man considered Ten Hag’s main rival for the Old Trafford post in 2022.

The former Ajax boss quickly oversaw improvements on and off the pitch at United, but this season there has been criticism about the manager’s approach.

“I listen always to my players,” the Dutchman said. “And I give them always the opportunities to tell (me). If the players have a different opinion, of course I will listen.

“But they haven’t told me, or maybe one or two (have), but it’s about in general, so the majority, they want to play like this – proactive, dynamic, brave. That is what they want.

“You can see the players are behind it because of the performances against Everton, Galatasaray, and we are really improving.

“Do you think that you can make a goal like we did against Everton if the players didn’t embrace it? What do you think?”

But there were few signs of that progress at St James’ Park, leading Ten Hag to say that playing three big away games in six days hurt a group that are “not robots”.

The United boss certainly came out fighting ahead facing Chelsea and dismissed suggestions that the banning of reporters suggested disorder around the club.

“But not in the dressing room,” Ten Hag said. “Of course, there are a lot of rumours about strategic review but it’s not that we get distracted from it.

“We are on a journey, on the route. We know we are still in transition, but we are in the right direction, and you see it.

“Like how we construct a team, how we develop the team, how the team is progressing, how young players coming in, you see the potential how they can contribute to a very successful Manchester United for the future.”

Alan King will wait until later in the week before making a final decision on whether Edwardstone will defend his Tingle Creek crown on Saturday, or step up in trip for Sunday’s Peterborough Chase.

The nine-year-old secured a third Grade One with an impressive victory in the Tingle Creek at Sandown 12 months ago, but is winless in four starts since.

He was no match for Nicky Henderson’s Tingle Creek favourite Jonbon on his reappearance in last month’s Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, leading to suggestions Edwardstone is now in need of a more searching test of stamina.

King has the option of stepping his stable star up to two and a half mile for the first time over fences in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, but plans are up in the air at this stage.

“I’ve no idea where he’s going,” King said on Tuesday.

“He’ll work tomorrow and I’ll speak to the owners on Thursday. I need to see what the weather is like, Huntingdon is currently waterlogged, so I really don’t know.

“It depends on the ground and everything and I need to see what the owners want to do as well.

“He scoped today, he’ll work tomorrow and then we’ll see.”

Edwardstone also holds an entry over three miles in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Chris Wilder has returned to Sheffield United following the sacking of Paul Heckingbottom.

Wilder achieved promotion from the Championship and a ninth-place Premier League finish during a five-year spell in charge between May 2016 and March 2021.

The 56-year-old Yorkshireman retakes the reins with the Blades rooted to the bottom of the table following back-to-back heavy losses against relegation rivals Bournemouth and Burnley.

Here, the PA news agency examines the records of the eight managers – excluding caretakers – who have had multiple spells at the same Premier League club.

Steve Coppell (Crystal Palace)

Coppell managed Crystal Palace four times in total but only two of his stints included periods in the Premier League.

His first and most successful spell came between 1984 and 1993, during which Palace gained promotion to the top flight, finished third and reached an FA Cup final.

He resigned after the Eagles were relegated in 1992-93, before leading the club to another promotion and a shot at Premier League redemption in 1997.

Palace struggled again, however, amassing just 23 points in 28 matches before Coppell was made director of football in March 1998, following a club takeover.

Howard Kendall (Everton)

Despite being considered by many as Everton’s greatest manager, Kendall struggled in two spells as a Premier League boss.

He secured his place in Toffees’ folklore by lifting two First Division titles and an FA Cup in the 1980s, but he won just 31 of his 98 league games post-1992.

His third and final stint in charge saw Everton limp to 40 points in 1997-98, only surviving relegation on the final day thanks to goal difference.

Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth)

Redknapp enjoyed two fruitful periods as Portsmouth boss despite managing their local rivals in between times.

He guided Pompey to promotion and Premier League survival between 2002 and 2004 before resigning and joining fellow south coast club Southampton – who he was unable to save from relegation.

Redknapp’s return to Fratton Park in December 2005 preceded the most successful era in the club’s history, culminating in an FA Cup win in 2008.

He left for a final time shortly after that victory, with a record of 42 wins from 107 league games in his second spell.

Kevin Keegan (Newcastle)

Eleven years separated Keegan’s first and second stints as Newcastle boss – the longest gap of any manager in this list.

The two-time Ballon d’Or winner led the Magpies to promotion and three successive Premier League top-six finishes between February 1992 and January 1997, with his side having come agonisingly close to winning the title in 1995-96.

He made a surprise return to Tyneside in January 2008, replacing Sam Allardyce and becoming Mike Ashley’s first managerial appointment.

However, he resigned just three games into the following season, which ended in the club’s relegation to the Championship.

Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)

Mourinho is the most successful manager in Chelsea’s history, having won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and three League Cups across two stints at the helm.

He transformed the Blues into serial winners during his first spell, which yielded 85 victories from 120 league games between June 2004 and September 2007.

The Portuguese oversaw a similar output of 51 wins from 76 matches during the first two seasons of his second period in charge, but a dismal run of nine defeats in 16 at the start of 2015-16 led to his sacking.

Quique Sanchez Flores (Watford)

Despite being the only manager to be employed twice by Watford owner Gino Pozzo, Flores took charge of just 48 Premier League matches in total – the fewest of the eight returning bosses.

He led the Hornets to 13th place in 2015-16 before leaving the club by mutual consent at the end of the season.

The Spaniard returned in September 2019, replacing the sacked Javi Gracia, but managed just one win in 10 games before Pozzo decided he had seen enough.

David Moyes (West Ham)

West Ham’s Moyes is one of just two managers in this list – alongside Redknapp at Portsmouth – to oversee a greater number of Premier League games in his second spell than his first.

The Hammers boss has racked up 147 matches since returning to the club in December 2019, having taken charge of just 27 in his initial period as manager – between November 2017 and May 2018.

The Scot’s re-appointment came as a shock just 19 months after the club had dispensed of his services, but he has gone on to restore his reputation by guiding West Ham to consecutive top-seven finishes and their first European trophy in 58 years.

Roy Hodgson (Crystal Palace)

At the age of 76, Crystal Palace’s Roy Hodgson is comfortably the oldest manager in Premier League history.

Palace initially offered Hodgson a route back into club management in 2017 after his reign as England boss had come to an end.

He left the club in June 2021 after almost four years of mid-table stability, only to be tempted back in March of this year following the dismissal of his successor, Patrick Vieira.

Sheffield United have appointed Chris Wilder as their new manager after sacking Paul Heckingbottom.

The Blades fired Heckingbottom after they slipped to the bottom of the Premier League table, with just five points, after Saturday’s embarrassing 5-0 defeat at Burnley, their 11th reverse in 14 matches.

Wilder returns to the club after leaving his first spell in March 2021 with the Blades on the way to relegation to the Championship, and will take charge of Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.

The 56-year-old told the club’s official website: “Quite simply it was an opportunity which I just couldn’t turn down. Just like in 2016, when this club comes calling, it is not something you pass up.

“This is Sheffield United, it is my team and I am thrilled to be back. We find ourselves in a difficult position, I understand that, but I think I can make a difference.

“When I received the call from Stephen (Bettis) asking if I would consider coming back to try and help, I didn’t have to think about it. People know what this club means to me, and the task now is to try and provide a boost to improve our current situation.

“My relationship with Prince Abdullah and the board was repaired a long time ago. After some time passed following my initial departure, we spoke, met in person and there was an amicable ending. Now, coming back as manager, to know there is a united front again is crucial as we look to work together to improve the club’s position in the Premier League.”

Heckingbottom, who was appointed on a permanent basis in November 2021, guided the club to promotion last term but a torrid start to the season has included an 8-0 home thrashing by Newcastle and a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal.

United chief executive Stephen Bettis said in a statement: “Firstly, on behalf of the board of directors, I’d like to thank Paul for all of his efforts at Sheffield United, firstly as U23s manager before stepping up to take control of first-team duties.

“His professionalism and dedication have been a credit to the club and I’m sure all Unitedites enjoyed the promotion-winning campaign.

“However, after slipping to the bottom of the table and a number of disappointing results and performances, it is felt that a change is needed to give the club a boost and every possible chance of remaining in the Premier League beyond this season.”

First-team coaches Stuart McCall and Mark Hudson have also left the club.

Club owner Prince Abdullah told talkSPORT on Tuesday that Wilder was “the best guy on planet earth to take over the club right now in these circumstances”.

He said: “Chris is very optimistic he can save the season, he doesn’t think it’s easy, but he thinks it’s still possible.

“When you look at the table it’s a very special year, a very weird year when it comes to the standings, so it’s still early, the season is still long and we have every chance to achieve our goals.”

A Dream To Share, winner of all five of his bumpers last year including at the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals, has had a setback which will delay his hurdling debut until the new year.

Trained by the veteran John Kiely, he was a popular winner at Cheltenham in March and his exploits, along with that of his teenaged rider John Gleeson, was one of the stories of the season.

He was declared to make an early appearance this season at Punchestown in October. However, he was taken out the day before with a stone bruise.

A Dream To Share was bought by JP McManus before Cheltenham and his racing manager Frank Berry has confirmed the problem was a little more serious than first thought but he is now back in exercise.

“He had a bit of a setback, but he is back in training now and we hope he’ll be running sometime in the new year,” said Berry.

“It had nothing to do with the ground, he wouldn’t have been able to run after his setback and he was off for a few weeks but he’s back in training now and whenever he is ready he will run.

“It’s most likely we’ll see him in the new year. It’s not ideal, the timing of the setback, but there we go. Hopefully everything will go well and we’ll see him out early in the new year.”

A Dream To Share is a general 6-1 favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in March.

Sheffield United have sacked manager Paul Heckingbottom after a 5-0 thumping against fellow strugglers Burnley left them with the second-fewest points ever at this stage of a Premier League season.

It is the first managerial departure of an unusually quiet top-flight season on that front and here, the PA news agency looks at the record that drove the Blades to make a move.

Blades not looking sharp

With only five points from their first 14 games, United have the second-lowest points total at this stage of a Premier League season.

The only worse record belongs to the Blades themselves in the 2020-21 campaign, when they finished bottom of the table. Heckingbottom took interim charge for the final 10 games of that season, winning three, after the sacking of Chris Wilder.

They have a point fewer than Derby at this stage of their record-breaking 2007-08 season, when the Rams finished on just 11.

The other four teams to have five points after 14 games include Sunderland in 2005-06 and Aston Villa 10 years later, who finished with 15 and 17 respectively. QPR reached 25 in 2012-13 and Swindon 30 in 42 games in 1993-94, but all of those teams finished bottom of the table.

The Blades’ season to date has included losing 8-0 to Newcastle and 5-0 to Arsenal and Burnley, contributing to a Premier League-high 39 goals conceded – seven more than the Clarets.

Their 11 goals scored also marks the lowest tally, two fewer than Luton, with their goal difference 11 worse than any other team.

The three promoted teams remain in the bottom four, with Luton above Everton after the latter’s 10-point deduction. With a combined 21 points, the trio are six behind the previous low at this stage of the season by Derby and their fellow 2007-08 strugglers Sunderland and Birmingham.

Delayed start to sacking season

December 5 is one of the latest ever dates for the first sacking of a Premier League season.

Excluding the Covid-delayed 2020-21 season, the last season without an earlier managerial change was 2014-15 when Neil Warnock left Crystal Palace on December 27.

Warnock had only replaced Tony Pulis after his shock resignation on the eve of the season, but lasted just 18 games. West Brom sacked Alan Irvine two days later and replaced him with Pulis.

Roy McFarland’s stint as joint manager of Bolton in 1995-96 lasted just 22 games before Colin Todd took sole charge from January 2.

The inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93 saw only one in-season sacking, Chelsea’s Ian Porterfield on February 15 after 29 games.

Slaven Bilic’s departure from West Brom in 2020-21 came on December 16, but after 13 games due to the September start.

December, though, is a high point of the Premier League’s established ‘sacking season’ – Heckingbottom’s departure is the 32nd in December in as many Premier League seasons, which ties with November and trails only the season-ending month of May.

Sheffield United have sacked boss Paul Heckingbottom after falling to the bottom of the Premier League,

The Blades prop up the table with just five points after Saturday’s embarrassing 5-0 defeat at Burnley, their 11th reverse in 14 matches.

United chief executive Stephen Bettis said in a statement on the club website: “Firstly, on behalf of the board of directors, I’d like to thank Paul for all of his efforts at Sheffield United, firstly as U23s manager before stepping up to take control of first-team duties.

“His professionalism and dedication have been a credit to the club and I’m sure all Unitedites enjoyed the promotion-winning campaign.

“However, after slipping to the bottom of the table and a number of disappointing results and performances, it is felt that a change is needed to give the club a boost and every possible chance of remaining in the Premier League beyond this season.”

Heckingbottom, who was appointed on a permanent in November 2021, guided the club to promotion last term but a torrid start to the season has included an 8-0 home thrashing by Newcastle and a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal.

First-team coaches Stuart McCall and Mark Hudson have also left the club ahead of Wednesday’s home game against Liverpool.

Sheffield United say they hope to have a new manager in place before the Liverpool game with former manager Chris Wilder expected to return to Bramall Lane.

Club owner Prince Abdullah told TalkSport on Tuesday that Wilder was “the best guy on planet earth to take over the club right now in these circumstances”.

He said: “Chris is very optimistic he can save the season, he doesn’t think it’s easy, but he thinks it’s still possible.

“When you look at the table it’s a very special year, a very weird year when it comes to the standings, so it’s still early, the season is still long and we have every chance to achieve our goals.”

Former Olympic rower Caragh McMurtry is tired of neurodiverse athletes being treated like problems that need solving.

Neurodiversity comprises a range of diagnoses including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, sometimes in combination, and embraces the notion that while people naturally experience different ways of thinking, learning and behaving, none are ‘right’ – though some may be more ‘neurotypical’.

McMurtry, who endured her own long and difficult journey to an autism diagnosis after initially being misdiagnosed with bipolar II, last year founded Neurodiverse Sport, a not-for-profit organisation aiming to challenge stigma, educate and inspire more inclusive practice across the sporting sector.

The 32-year-old, who last month was rewarded for her work as the recipient of the Innovation Award at the PLx Awards, hosted by UK Sport, told the PA news agency: “In elite sport or sport in general, you’ll have a lot of neurodivergent people, but it’s probably the sector that is talked about the least.

“It’s all about coming across strong, and because there’s this misconception about neurodiversity, and that it’s purely a deficit all round, that’s why people don’t want to disclose.

“Even though they’re surrounded by other people who are also different, and extreme, they will feel like the most lonely people in the world. And that’s the huge irony.

“There are always really well-meaning people, but there are still a good chunk of coaches who see different behaviour as difficult, problematic, they just want a solution for that behaviour.”

Since launching Neurodiverse Sport, McMurtry says she has been flooded with messages from elite athletes, like: ‘I don’t feel confident enough to talk to my coaches about it, because I don’t want to be judged or my capabilities judged, but it really helps to know that I am not alone.’

The fear of judgement – or worse – is a legitimate one, with outdated and inaccurate misconceptions that might not just affect an athlete’s reputation or relationships, but potentially even risk their livelihood.

While each individual is different, an autistic athlete might, for instance, struggle more than a neurotypical team-mate with indirect communication styles, overstimulating or unfamiliar environments, social obligations, sudden changes in routine, or even something as basic as the texture or flavour of whatever food is being served to them.

A landmark 2019 Manchester Employment Tribunal ruling concluded that funded elite athletes in the UK are not employees of their respective governing bodies, and thus not subject to employment law which covers things like unfair dismissal.

That means, suggests McMurtry, a neurodiverse athlete who might well thrive in a situation better adapted to their needs might instead fear reprisals or being dropped from a team simply because their differences – or reactions to non-inclusive environments – are seen as ‘difficult’, while the onus is on the already under-pressure elite athletes to both educate and advocate for their own needs.

Meanwhile, positive traits commonly associated with diagnoses under the neurodiversity umbrella go undervalued or unharnessed.

Yet when given the right tools, neurodiverse athletes are perfectly capable of thriving – swimmer Michael Phelps and gymnast Simone Biles were both diagnosed with ADHD and widely considered the greatest-ever athletes in their respective sports.

McMurtry, who retired from international rowing after competing for Great Britain in the women’s eight at Tokyo 2020, would like to see more formal changes in policy that would offer protections for both neurodiverse athletes and staff, allowing them to feel safe disclosing their diagnoses while offering a clear path to inclusion and support, recognising every person’s unique needs.

She added: “I think the key to all of this is it shouldn’t be up to each individual athlete, who is already dealing with their difference, and the fact that they don’t have role models, and a lot of the advice they’re given as athletes has to be contorted or they have to translate it into what’s relevant for them.

“It’s not fair that they are then educating the people around them and trying to find their way and having to learn by their mistakes.

“It needs to be up to the systems to figure this out for the athletes. It’s the athletes taking the flak.”