Ajax have announced that manager Maurice Steijn has left the Eredivisie club with immediate effect.

Steijn’s departure comes in the wake of a 4-3 defeat at Utrecht that left the Dutch giants sitting one point off the bottom of the table with just one win from their first seven games.

Steijn signed a three-year contract with the club this summer after moving from Sparta Rotterdam, whom he led to a shock sixth-placed finish last season.

Ajax chief executive Jan van Halst said: “We have worked intensely and professionally together over the last few months.

“But the sportive successes and the development of the team were lacking. That is why we decided to sit down together again today.

“This time, Maurice also expressed his concerns on whether he was the right man in the right place. Together, we decided that it would be best to part ways.”

Ajax have been hit by crowd trouble this season with their derby against Feyenoord forced to finish behind closed doors, while their loss at Utrecht was also temporarily suspended late on.

Hedwiges Maduro has been appointed in caretaker charge of the club, starting with Thursday’s trip to Brighton in the Europa League.

England’s Joe Root admits doubts over whether ODI cricket remains “relevant” have not gone unnoticed by players at the World Cup in India, with scrutiny increasing over the future of the format.

The defending champions have been in desperate form at the tournament, losing three of their four matches to leave their semi-final prospects dangling by a thread, but there are wider questions over the 50-over game as the T20 behemoth continues to grow unchecked.

Barring a few outliers, including a lively crowd for England’s loss to Afghanistan in Delhi, attendances have been well below expectations in a country renowned for its passionate support and the lack of close finishes has contributed to a lack of ‘buzz’ at the competition.

The PA news agency understands there are early signs of concern at host broadcaster Star Sports and The Cricketer has reported that the long-range prospects of the one-day game will be discussed at the International Cricket Council’s next board meeting in November.

ICC chair Greg Barclay has already said the success of the event can only be judged once it is complete and sources have rebuffed the idea that the format is under threat. They cite long-term rights deals that include 50-over World Cups in 2027 and 2031 and record streaming figures of 43million viewers during India’s victory over New Zealand on Sunday.

In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports has a direct agreement with the ICC running for the next eight years, including both of those World Cups.

But Root, speaking at England’s team hotel in Bengaluru, acknowledged the growing sense of uncertainty.

“There’s talk of whether this format is relevant any more anyway, in international cricket,” said Root, who helped England win their first World Cup title in 2019.

“Whether that gets changed…I don’t know. Who knows how things move in the future? Whether it’s domestically or internationally, I don’t think we play enough of it if we’re going to continue to look to compete in World Cups.

“I think it’s got a huge amount of history and it brings a lot to cricket. It will always hold a very special part of my heart for what it’s given me throughout my career, but I think it’s a question that should be posed to the next generation of players, and to everyone watching the game, really.

“It shouldn’t be down to, ‘is it bringing the most money for the sport?’ It should be down to what people want to watch, and what’s going to engage the next generation of players. Because in the long term, I think that’s going to be most beneficial for cricket all-round.”

The issue is acute in England, where the legacy of becoming world champions in the format has been a downgrading of the domestic competition to developmental status.

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup is now contested largely by emerging players and second-teamers due to its clash with The Hundred, meaning the newest faces in Jos Buttler’s side – Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson – have barely played the format and are effectively learning it on a global platform.

Root is uneasy with that situation and believes if ODI cricket is to continue, radical steps may be necessary.

The Hundred has significant critics, as a form of the game that is not played anywhere other than England, but Root has put forward the T20 Blast – reliably popular among counties and county members – as a potential sacrifice.

“It doesn’t make me change my mind about The Hundred. It makes me question whether we should be playing more 50-over cricket instead of T20,” he said, before backing away slightly from what is a thorny conundrum with no easy solution.

“But I don’t want to get into a debate about this. I don’t want it to be seen as an excuse (for under performing) because that’s not what we’re about as a team. That’s not how I look at things, but I haven’t got any good argument for anything else.”

While matters of global infrastructure and international scheduling are sure to continue, England have more immediate problems after their unexpected run of adverse results which, thanks to Afghanistan’s shock win over Pakistan on Monday, have left them rock bottom of the table.

Thursday’s game against Sri Lanka is must-win to uphold any realistic hopes of reaching the knockouts and Root is hoping the do-or-die scenario can kickstart a revival.

“We’ll look at that as a World Cup final now, then do the same for the game after that and the game after that,” he said.

“I’ve played in a number of different England teams – good ones and bad ones. This is one of the very best; it’s a very together team and we know what we need to do.

“This white-ball team, over an eight-year period now, likes very simple messaging and has responded very well to it. We’ve got some very simple messaging in front of us right now: we have to go out and win. In some ways that unshackles us and frees us up to do what we do.”

James Doyle has been booked for the plum ride on Kameko Futurity Trophy favourite Diego Velazquez at Doncaster on Saturday.

His trainer Aidan O’Brien has an enviable record in the Town Moor Group One and is responsible for five of the 11 possibles.

The Ballydoyle handler has won the race a record 11 times already and is going for three in a row on the back of Luxembourg (2021) and Auguste Rodin last year and also has Battle Cry, Chief Little Rock, Capulet and Henry Adams engaged.

Doyle partnered O’Brien’s Warm Heart to a Group One double this season in the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille.

“Diego Velazquez looks the main one for the Futurity Trophy on Saturday,” said O’Brien.

“We are very happy with him since his last run and James Doyle has been booked for him.  We will probably run one other horse in the race and we are looking forward to it.”

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin supplemented impressive Autumn Stakes scorer Ancient Wisdom as expected having pleased in a weekend workout.

Appleby said: “He has come out of that piece of work in good shape so we were keen to supplement this morning. The ground is looking like it will be soft at Doncaster and I feel like he is going to be a very strong contender.”

Roger Teal is looking forward to taking on the big guns with Dancing Gemini, who followed up a Newbury maiden win by romping away with the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes on Town Moor.

“Everything seems spot on with him and it’s all good at this stage,” said the Lambourn trainer. “He was very impressive at Doncaster last time and we’re looking forward to giving it a go.

“I think the mile will suit him, as he certainly wasn’t stopping there over seven furlongs – and when he won at Newbury, he was only just getting going in the closing stages.

“Soft ground obviously wouldn’t be a problem as it was pretty testing up there last month but, looking at the weather forecast, it could well end up heavy and that is always a bit of an unknown.

“But all we can do is roll our sleeves up and get on with it. It’s a good race and something like this is never going to be easy, but we’ll be giving it a real go.”

John and Thady Gosden could be represented by God’s Window, a course and distance maiden winner on soft ground when getting the better of Ben Brookhouse’s Redhot Whisper, who could reoppose.

David Menuisier will bid to follow up Sunway’s Group One success in France on Sunday by saddling Devil’s Point and outsider Deira Mile could make his debut for Owen Burrows after being switched from Charlie Johnston.

Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi believes red-hot Lautaro Martinez should be in contention for the Ballon d’Or.

The striker has scored 11 goals in nine Serie A games, including four in the 4-0 rout of Salernitana last month.

He also netted in Inter’s Champions League opener – a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad – last month.

Martinez is on course to beat the Serie A scoring record of 36 goals in a season, set by Gonzalo Higuain for Napoli in 2015-16 and Ciro Immobile for Inzaghi’s Lazio in 2019-20.

Ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with RB Salzburg at the San Siro, Inzaghi feels his striker, who won the World Cup with Argentina last year, deserves recognition in the Ballon d’Or.

Inzaghi told a press conference: “Yes, given the journey he’s been on and the trophies he’s won, I think it’s only right that he’s among the candidates to win it and he needs to carry on working in the same way.

“What comes to mind is Ciro’s record, as he achieved it with me. Lauti only returned a day-and-a-half ago from South America, he is in great shape and the team gives him all the support he needs too.”

Inter, top of Serie A, are second in Group D behind Sociedad on goal difference.

“This is a delicate match because the entire group is very balanced. Every game is important and we’ll need to be highly focused,” said Inzaghi.

“Heading into this game, we’re doing well. We won against Torino, which was no easy task. Tomorrow’s match will be important in a group that is very balanced.

“We need to stay focused because Salzburg are a tough side to face and won away to Benfica on the opening matchday.

“Salzburg play good football and have an aggressive playing system, even if they played differently in our pre-season friendly.

“They know how to switch it up and – when in possession – quickly get it to their forwards, who are very physical. We’ll have to produce a true Inter performance.”

Salzburg are a point behind in the group, having beaten Benfica and lost to Sociedad and boss Gerhard Struber expects an improvement after three winless games.

“We have to play better than we have done recently, for sure. It will definitely be a totally different match in a totally different competition. We won’t be favourites,” said the former Barnsley manager.

“We are playing a top Italian team who are right at the top of Serie A. We definitely have more to win than we have to lose and we want to play successfully there too.

“We have to put our core values out on the pitch again for that.”

Desert Crown, an effortless winner of last year’s Derby at Epsom, has been put down due to the injury he picked up on the gallops in August.

Sir Michael Stoute’s sixth winner of the blue riband Classic only ran once more following his victory last June.

A setback prevented him from running again last season and while he did make it to the track for this year’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes, he lost his unbeaten record to Hukum.

He was forced to miss the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes due to a minor setback but he suffered a much more severe one when being prepared for the Juddmonte International at York.

Desert Crown fractured a fetlock and while it initially appeared as if he could be saved and be able to enjoy a stud career, he lost the battle on Monday at the Newmarket Equine Hospital.

“There’s not a lot to say other than it is just very, very sad,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail.

“Everything was done to try and save him, we thought he was making progress but then he just started going backwards.

“With a severe injury like that there is a lot of pressure with the weight of the animal standing on it, but we really thought he was going to get there and it’s very sad he didn’t make it.

“You can try and help them with supports for the leg but at the end of the day they’ve got to be able to stand on their own.

“He had the best available treatment anywhere in the world, if he couldn’t be saved here then he couldn’t be saved anywhere.

“He was a fantastic horse and his Derby win was an incredible day that we’ll never forget.”

England will sign off an encouraging Rugby World Cup with Friday’s bronze final against Argentina at the Stade de France having lost 16-15 to South Africa in the last four.

Here, the PA news agency examines five things we learned from their progress through the tournament.

England in the right hands

The rancour of the latter stages of the Eddie Jones era saw the bond between England and their fans fray, but the act of defiance produced on a sodden Paris night has the capacity to reconnect team and supporters. Although it ended in heartbreak, there was much to admire as the Springboks were out-Bokked by a wet-weather masterclass devised by Steve Borthwick. Expectations heading into the World Cup were at an all-time low, yet Borthwick drove them to the brink of a World Cup final and the head coach described as a rugby “genius” by wing Jonny May has proved he is the right man to lead England forward.

End of an era

Supporters might have to show patience as tricky waters lie ahead in the form of the inevitable rebuild for Australia 2027. Stalwarts such as Courtney Lawes, Jonny May, Dan Cole and Joe Marler are likely to have played their last Tests and while there is an impressive core of players who are in the early phase of their career – Ben Earl, Freddie Steward, Marcus Smith and Alex Mitchell among them – it could be some time before Borthwick’s vision for England really takes shape.

Break the World Cup cycle

Under Jones everything was sacrificed at the alter of the World Cup, repeated poor Six Nations performances explained away by their place in the bigger picture. But the gut-wrenching defeat to South Africa, which was won by a 79th-minute Handre Pollard penalty, was an indicator of just how hard the tournament is to win. The Webb Ellis Trophy remains the ultimate prize, but it is just part of the sport’s landscape and should not be prioritised at the expense of other competitions.

Red Rose great

It did not need a strong World Cup to confirm Lawes as an all-time England great, but over the last two months, he provided emphatic confirmation nonetheless. The second row-turned blindside flanker retires from Test rugby after the tournament, a 34-year-old veteran of 105 caps, who saved his best performances for the biggest games. As a back-row warrior with sharp rugby instincts, he leaves giant boots to fill.

Martin the enforcer

While the English game says farewell to one ultra-physical back-five forward, Saturday hinted at the birth of another. George Martin was making only his fourth start, yet the 22-year-old rookie was the dominant second row on a pitch also roamed by Eben Etzebeth and Maro Itoje, making thunderous tackles and offering close-quarter muscle, particularly in mauls. The type of brutish presence every pack needs, he should become a fixture in England’s 23 for years to come.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has hailed “world-class” Harry Kane ahead of their Champions League trip to Galatasaray where the German giants could move five points clear at the top of Group A.

Tuchel’s men have won both of their group matches so far but will come up against another unbeaten side in the form of the Turkish champions on Tuesday, and the goalscoring prowess of Kane could prove key in the clash.

The England captain took his tally to 10 goals in 11 appearances for Bayern when he found the back of the net in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Mainz, and Tuchel has praised the way his star striker has started since his summer arrival in Germany.

“He’s more than talented, he’s absolutely world-class,” said Tuchel, quoted on UEFA’s website.

“He has talent, ability, aura, personality, modesty, and love and dedication to the game. We persuaded the captain of England to leave England and I think we can pat ourselves on the back for that for a while.

“He’s a huge signing. Harry has made a super start and will get even better the longer he trains with us and once his family arrives too. When he feels at home here, we’ll see his full potential.

“With him everything is exemplary so it’s just good to have him here.”

Bayern travel to Turkey having beaten Manchester United and Copenhagen in their opening two Group A matches to establish themselves as firm favourites to reach the knockout stages.

However, Galatasaray have also started well, netting twice late on to draw against Copenhagen before stunning United 3-2 at Old Trafford.

They have also won eight of their nine matches in the league so far this season, and Tuchel knows the dangers his side face in Istanbul.

Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 and also reached the final as Paris St Germain boss, said: “The competition is so tight now that the group stage is never easy anymore.

“I’ve never had an easy group stage. You have to be alert, wide awake and focused for 90 minutes on what you’re doing.

“In a group with Galatasaray, Manchester United and Copenhagen, you can’t allow yourself to make a single mistake, never mind two, so we are working on becoming more resilient and robust.

“We’re well on the way to this. We have turned a few games around after falling behind. We didn’t let it rattle us and we’re developing a certain toughness in this competition.”

Tony Docherty wants Dundee to carry on from where they left off when they resume action against Ross County on Tuesday night.

Before the original fixture against County on October 7 was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Dens Park, the Dark Blues had drawn 2-2 at home to Kilmarnock before a goalless draw against Hibernian at Easter Road made it just one defeat in five.

Dundee’s game at Aberdeen was called off at the weekend due to Storm Babet but Docherty is looking for his side to keep the positivity going against Malky Mackay’s Staggies, who are in 11th place, behind the Taysiders on goal difference.

He said: “The players are champing at the bit. We haven’t had a game since the 30th of September.

“We need to remember that we had real momentum going forward, it was a positive performance against Hibs away from home and prior to that we had a really positive performance going down to 10 men against Kilmarnock and getting a point.

“The players are in a good place now. It is important that we keep the confidence levels.

“So we need to maintain those performance levels, maintain the momentum we had. Although it has been tough not having a game for three weeks, I can’t praise the boys highly enough in terms of their training.

“We had a bounce game, a testimonial game and a couple of closed-doors games to keep them ticking over and even the training session we had this morning, I can really feel a hunger about them to get back into things so looking forward to the game.

“I get the feeling that the boys are up for it and looking forward to it.

“Ross County are in the same position, they haven’t had a game in that time either.

“They ask questions of you, free-kicks and long throws, and we need to be up for that.

“We realise how tough an opponent Ross County are and Malky always puts out a competitive team.”

Scott Dixon does not envisage being away from his Southwell racecourse base for long after flooding forced the handler to dramatically relocate his horses to Wolverhampton.

The trainer operates out of yards at both all-weather tracks but was left with the challenge of moving 40 of his horses as his Southwell facility bore the brunt of Storm Babet.

Having successfully shifted his Southwell string across the midlands to Dunstall Park, Dixon is eager to catch his breath before contemplating a return to the Nottinghamshire venue.

“Our yard at Southwell is totally and utterly clear of water and the water level receded pretty quickly,” explained Dixon.

“We’ll just take a deep breath, let the horses settle, and the horse’s who are due to be running at Wolverhampton during this busy month or two will naturally stop there.

“We’ve got a bit of a clean-up process at Southwell and when we move back there will all depend on when the track is back in action, which will be sooner rather than later I would have thought.

“It will be a moving timescale and we will take it day by day and we’ll be moving some of the horses back as soon as we can use the track for exercise.”

Dixon is thankful he is in the unique position of having stabling facilities to operate out of both Southwell and Wolverhampton, which meant he simply had to beat the rising water overflowing from the nearby River Greet rather than worry about what location a majority of his string could be transported to.

He added: “For now we’re absolutely fine where we are and thank goodness we are in a bit of a unique situation anyway in that we’ve got two yards.

“We’ve got Southwell and Wolverhampton and if we didn’t have that then getting 40 horses relocated to somewhere that has the facilities to exercise are few and far between.

“The important thing is all the horses are absolutely fine and all the staff are also absolutely fine.

“All animals and people are fine and the horses have dealt with it remarkably well, they have all eaten up and trotted up fine out on the track at Wolverhampton and we’ve managed to get every single horse out who was supposed to go out today.

“We’re keeping the show on the road and we’ve got multiple runners at Wolverhampton and we are just kicking on.”

The trainer has also hailed the efforts of his staff and the assistance of those nearby as the they pulled together to escape a potentially dangerous situation unscathed.

“Credit goes both to my team and some of the guys still at the racecourse and various people who came to help us during the whole process,” said Dixon.

“It’s less than ideal but you have just got to get your sensible head on and figure it out and as always the priority is always the horses and the people and the animals. We pulled it together and got it done.”

The fixtures at Southwell on October 26, October 30, November 2 and November 4 have been abandoned.

Toto Wolff said Mercedes must take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix on the chin – and make sure it does not happen again.

Nearly four hours after Hamilton finished second in his most competitive race of the season – one he could have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines – the stewards declared his car did not comply with the regulations.

The depth of the new floor on Hamilton’s upgraded Mercedes was adjudged to be “outside the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e).” – which states that the plank cannot wear to below 9mm thickness.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same breach following Sunday’s 56-lap race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.

Mercedes said the sprint format – which allows for just one hour of practice before parc ferme rules heavily constrict changes to the cars – had a bearing on Hamilton’s disqualification.

But team principal Wolff said: “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter. Others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules.

“We need to take it on the chin, do the learning and come back stronger next weekend in Mexico.”

Four cars were chosen at random following the race. Both winner Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and Lando Norris’ McLaren passed the scrutineering checks.

Hamilton’s demise elevated Norris to runner-up behind Verstappen, who claimed the 50th win of his career and 15th from 18 this season, and Carlos Sainz to third.

Sergio Perez was promoted to fourth to extend his lead over Hamilton in the fight for second place in the championship from 27 points to 39.

Hamilton crossed the line just 2.2 seconds adrift of Verstappen after Mercedes’ move to attempt a one-stop strategy backfired and probably denied the seven-time world champion his first victory in 686 days.

But despite expressing frustration at his team’s strategy, Hamilton was asked if he has been provided hope that he could taste victory before the season is out.

“Yes, definitely,” replied the 38-year-old. “The steps that we were able to take this weekend has given me a little bit more confidence to throw the car into the corners.

“There are still some of the fundamental issues that we’re having with the car, which won’t change until next year. But it was really positive to feel that the decisions we are taking are the right ones.”

Hamilton will be back in action at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix with rounds to follow in Brazil and Las Vegas before the campaign concludes in Abu Dhabi on November 26.

England and Scotland’s Champions League representatives return to action this week with some looking to maintain momentum and others determined to kick-start their campaigns.

Holders Manchester City and Newcastle currently top their respective groups while Arsenal are well placed after two games, but Manchester United and Celtic are yet to open their accounts.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the teams the British contenders face in the latest round of fixtures.

Manchester United v Copenhagen (Tuesday)

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Danish champions Copenhagen began their campaign in the second qualifying round, easing past Iceland’s Breidablik 8-3 on aggregate, but were extended much further to secure their place in the play-offs as they drew 0-0 with Sparta Prague at the Parken Stadium before progressing 4-2 on penalties after an eventful 3-3 draw in the Czech capital.

Polish champions Rakow Czestochowa provided the opposition as they fought for a place in the group stage and a 1-0 away win in the first leg proved decisive as the sides drew 1-1 in Denmark in the return.

Copenhagen are currently a point clear of Silkeborg and Brondby at the top of the Danish Superliga, but have won only once in their last four games in all competitions – Saturday’s 2-1 home victory over lowly Vejle BK.

They launched their Group A campaign with a 2-2 draw at Galatasaray, where they led 2-0 before defender Elias Jelert was sent off and were beaten 2-1 at home by Bayern Munich last time out, having gone ahead once again.

The game could prove something of a family affair for United striker Rasmus Hojlund, 20, who could come up against 18-year-old twin brothers Oscar and Emil, both part of former club Copenhagen’s squad for the competition.

Sevilla v Arsenal (Tuesday)

Sevilla are making their ninth appearance in the group stage and qualified as a result of extending their record as UEFA Cup or Europa League winners to seven with a penalty shoot-out victory over Roma in last season’s final in Budapest.

They have not made it to the last 16 in their last two attempts and welcome the Gunners to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, having drawn both their Group B fixtures to date.

The Spaniards led French side Lens 1-0 at home in their opener courtesy of Lucas Ocampos’ early strike, but had to settle for a point after Angelo Fulgini levelled and they were pegged back once again in a dramatic conclusion to their trip to PSV Eindhoven, where they were 1-0 up and 2-1 ahead before Jordan Teze snatched a 2-2 draw deep into stoppage time.

Sevilla, who lost to Manchester City on penalties in August’s European Super Cup clash in Athens, finished 11th in last season’s LaLiga table, 39 points adrift of champions Barcelona and again find themselves in mid-table.

They have won only two of their 12 games in all competitions to date this season, but drew a second-successive league game on Saturday, when visitors Real Madrid needed a Daniel Carvajal equaliser to emerge with a point.

Celtic v Atletico Madrid (Wednesday)

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Twice runners-up – on both occasions to derby rivals Real Madrid – Atletico have genuine Champions League pedigree, although they failed to make the last 16 for the first time in five seasons in 2022-23.

The sides have met on six previous occasions in European competition with the Spaniards having come out on top four times, the last of them a 1-0 Europa League victory at Celtic Park in November 2011, with the Scottish champions’ only reward two draws.

Atleti currently top Group E on goals scored ahead of Lazio with both sides on four points and Feyenoord a point behind.

They drew 1-1 in Rome – where the Serie A side were indebted to goalkeeper Ivan Provedel’s last-gasp equaliser – and twice came from behind at the Estadio Metropolitano, where Alvaro Morata’s double either side of an Antoine Griezmann strike secured a 3-2 victory over the Dutchmen.

Diego Simeone’s men head into the game on the back of a six-match winning run culminating in Saturday’s 3-0 league victory at Celta Vigo.

Newcastle v Borussia Dortmund (Wednesday)

Last season’s Bundesliga runners-up, Dortmund were European champions in 1997 and went down 2-1 to compatriots Bayern Munich in the 2013 final.

They have made it to the knockout stage of the Champions League in eight of their 10 most recent campaigns, but went out to Chelsea in the round of 16 last season.

Their record in England, however, does not augur well with seven of their last eight visits having ended in defeat – both the Blues and Manchester City got the better of them last season.

Dortmund have collected just a single point from their two Group F outings to date, but are yet to find the back of the net following a 2-0 defeat at Paris St Germain and a 0-0 home draw with AC Milan.

However, the reverse in Paris remains the only one they have suffered in 11 games in all competitions and they have won their last five league games – the most recent of them a 1-0 victory over Werder Bremen on Friday – to sit two points adrift of early leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

Young Boys v Manchester City (Wednesday)

The Swiss champions are playing in the Champions League for the 10th time having missed out on a place in last season’s Europa League after a play-off defeat by Anderlecht.

They collected five points from their six games on their last appearance in 2021-22 and finished bottom of their group as a result.

Young Boys won their first home Champions League game against an English club – Tottenham in a 2010-11 play-off – but eventually went down 6-3 on aggregate and their last, a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in September 2021 on a night when Cristiano Ronaldo scored but Aaron Wan-Bissaka was sent off.

They went down 3-1 at home to Leipzig in their opening fixture, but were denied victory at Red Star Belgrade when Osman Bukari’s late goal ensured it ended 2-2.

They are unbeaten in four games in all competitions, but were held to a goalless home draw by FC Zurich on Saturday.

There will be no Breeders’ Cup this year for the high-class speedster Inquisitively, who will try to continue climbing the sprinting ladder when he returns next season.

After an encouraging start to his career when trained by Ollie Sangster, the son of Ten Sovereigns is unbeaten in two starts since switching to Kevin Philippart De Foy, claiming Listed honours at York before progressing to Group Three company to win the Cornwallis Stakes in taking fashion.

That all-the-way success at Newmarket prompted discussions of a crack at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint where the youngster’s blistering early speed could have proved a real asset.

However, a trip to Santa Anita has now been ruled out with Inquisitively set for a winter break ahead of returning to training next year – where a shot at Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup could be on agenda despite the handler’s reservations about the colt’s stamina over six furlongs.

“He’s not going to go (to America), he has gone for a winter break and we will bring him back next year,” said Philippart De Foy.

“The programme is difficult for a three-year-old over five furlongs early in the season but I suppose we will have to try him over six at some point and see how he gets on. He’s obviously a very exciting horse to have.”

He went on: “We will see how he does over the winter but I have my reservations over the six-furlong trip.

“In both of our races for us he has looked very sharp out of the gates and is a strong traveller who quickens well over five furlongs.”

Great Britain have named an unchanged line-up for next month’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Serbia in Malaga.

British number one Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Andy Murray, Jack Draper and Neal Skupski will take on Novak Djokovic’s Serbia when the final eight nations compete for the 2023 Davis Cup from November 21-26.

Captain Leon Smith has kept faith with the same five-man team which secured Britain’s place in the knockout stages in thrilling fashion last month in Manchester.

Smith said: “We are going with the same five-man team as Manchester. The guys did such a great job that week and we will go to Malaga with confidence and belief that we can be successful.

“The quarter-final versus Serbia will of course be a big challenge with a team led by world number one Novak Djokovic, but we have to believe we can win.”

Britain beat both last year’s runners-up Australia and Switzerland 2-1 before clinching a winner-takes-all final group-stage victory against France at a sold-out AO Arena.

Evans and Skupski saved four match points in their decisive doubles match against French pair Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin on their way to a 1-6 7-6 (4) 7-6 (6) win.

Smith opted to play his highest-ranked duo, world number 18 Norrie and world number 35 Evans, in the singles against France.

Murray and Draper, ranked 40th and 91st in the ATP rankings, had featured against Switzerland and Australia respectively, while world number four in the doubles rankings Skupski completed the line-up.

Britain last lifted the Davis Cup in 2015 when Murray led them to victory over Belgium in the final.

Also at the ‘Final 8’ in Malaga, defending champions Canada will face Finland, the Czech Republic play Group B runners-up Australia and the Netherlands take on Italy.