Next year’s Randox Grand National will have a maximum of 34 runners after the field size was reduced as part of new safety measures.

The Jockey Club, who host the famous Liverpool race at Aintree, have made several alterations to the contest in a bid to make it safer for both horse and rider.

The organisation undertakes a review of the event every year, drawing from statistics and academic study as well as consulting industry figures, the sport’s governing body and the equine charity World Horse Welfare.

The key findings after the 2023 renewal have led to a reduction in the maximum field, with the safety limit cut by six to 34 runners from 2024 onwards.

Other significant revisions to the race begin before the meeting itself, with horses now required to carry a rating of at least 130 to be eligible – an update on the previous lower limit of 125 and a switch that puts the race in line with Grade One contests.

A closer eye will also be kept on the jumping abilities of entrants, with those that have made jumping errors in 50 per cent or more of their last eight races subject to enhanced scrutiny from the existing Grand National Review Panel before being allowed to run.

The race will be brought forward on account of the ground conditions, which can dry significantly throughout the day, though the new start time has yet to be settled with the race’s terrestrial broadcaster, ITV.

Walkways in the paddock will be widened and the horses will no longer be led past the grandstand in a parade but will instead be left to canter past the crowd and on to the start.

When the horses arrive at the tapes, there will be a change in the way the race begins, with participants required to set off from a standing start before reaching the first fence, which has been moved forward 60 yards to slow the field down in the early stages of the race.

From then on, there are a number of alterations to the course itself, with the running rail adjusted to assist with catching loose horses and the height of fence 11 reduced by two inches and the drop on the landing side decreased.

Foam and rubber toe boards will also be added to every fence and there will be further investment in ‘pop-up’ irrigation to make watering the track more efficient.

Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club, said: “The Randox Grand National is the most iconic race in the world and one which transcends our sport. It is part of the fabric of British sporting life alongside the likes of Wimbledon, the FA Cup and the Open golf and is loved and watched by millions of people all over the world every year.

“For many, it is also their introduction to horse racing and I believe that a competitive, fair and safe Randox Grand National is one of the best ways of ensuring the sport continues to thrive for generations to come and remains an important part of Britain’s culture and economy.

“That means our sport, like many other sports have done, needs to recognise when action needs to be taken to evolve, because the safety and care of horses and jockeys will always be our number one priority.

“In making these changes at Aintree, we are underlining our relentless focus on welfare and our commitment to powering the future of British racing.”

Sulekha Varma, north west head of racing for Jockey Club Racecourses and clerk of the course at Aintree, added: “The welfare of our racehorses and jockeys is our number one priority at Aintree and we have invested significantly in equine welfare over many years.

“We continually review the Grand National and following an in-depth, evidence-based review process this year, we are announcing several changes as part of its continued evolution.

“One of our key areas of focus is reducing the risk of incidents during the race. We know from research papers and internal analysis of jump races that there is a direct correlation between the number of runners and the risk of falling, unseating or being brought down.

“However, we also must consider that reducing the field size by too great a number could create a faster race and have an adverse impact in terms of safety.

“Using the information available to us and considering the experiences of participants, our conclusion is that 34 should be the maximum number of runners in the race, which we hope will result in the least number of incidents.”

Explaining some of the other updates to the race conditions, Varma said: “Another key area of our focus was addressing the start of the race and implementing change to slow down its earliest stages.

“Relocating the first fence will reduce the opportunity to build up too much speed on the approach and re-introducing the standing start should also help to reduce speed.

“We also considered the start time of the race, which was traditionally much earlier in the afternoon but changed to 5.15pm in 2016.

“While this has helped build excitement among the crowd throughout the afternoon, it has proved challenging in managing the ground. Returning to an earlier race time was recommended by both the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) Executive and Horse Welfare Board in their feedback.

“The benefits and relevance of the pre-race parade of horses in front of the grandstand was also brought into question. We hope that allowing jockeys to canter their horses in front of the stands at their own pace will help create a calmer environment during the build-up to the race.”

Julie Harrington, chief executive of the BHA, commented: “The Grand National is the world’s greatest horse race. It has maintained that status through the years, in part, because of the developments and changes that have been made to it.

“These changes have enabled it to move with the times and maintain public support while also ensuring that it remains a unique, thrilling spectacle and the ultimate test of a racehorse.

“The package of measures which will be introduced for next year’s race seeks to strike this crucial balance, and the BHA endorses them in full.”

The Jockey Club has stressed that the changes are not a consequence of the protests held at Aintree ahead of the race last year, when demonstrators from Animal Rising gained access to the track before the race began.

A spokesperson for The Jockey Club said: “We undertake a review after every Grand National and constantly make changes as a result of this evidence-based process, which is all part of our relentless focus on putting the care and safety of our horses and jockeys above all else. The reckless actions of those who breached security to illegally gain access to the track on Grand National day have had absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the changes we are making to the race.”

Dan Biggar and Liam Williams have been passed fit to start Wales’ World Cup quarter-final against Argentina on Saturday.

Biggar has been struggling with a chest injury and Williams was a doubt because of a knee problem, but they have been given the all-clear for the Stade Velodrome showdown and start at fly-half and full-back respectively.

There is no place in the 23 for Gareth Anscombe, however, after he was forced to withdraw 45 minutes before kick-off against Georgia last Saturday because of a groin issue.

Sheffield United defender Chris Basham has been “overwhelmed by support” following his shocking injury sustained at Fulham last week.

Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom described Basham’s injury as “horrific” after he broke his ankle in the first half at Craven Cottage.

The 35-year-old required extensive medical attention before the game resumed and has since had two operations.

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Basham said on Instagram: “Had my two surgery’s done now and I can’t thank the surgeons enough for the fast response to me, the first surgery was for cleaning up the wound I suffered and dislocation, the second surgery was to repair the ligaments and to fit a plate on my bone where the fracture was.

“I’m in a cast now and it feels a lot more comfortable.

“Will be in London still for another few days but then be going home to recover in the right way.

“Trying to stay positive everyday with great family and friends around me. Still overwhelmed by the support I have received thank you.”

Basham is in his 10th year with the Blades, having joined from Blackpool in 2014, and has made eight Premier League appearances this season.

The Blades won promotion back to the top flight last season but have yet to register their first win after eight matches and sit bottom of the table.

Ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has admitted fraud after failing to declare more than £400million held in a trust in Singapore to the Government.

The 92-year-old said “I plead guilty” at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday while standing in the well of the court wearing a dark suit and grey tie.

On July 7, 2015, the billionaire failed to declare a trust in Singapore with a bank account containing around 650 million US dollars, worth about £400million at the time.

The charge stated Ecclestone, who has three grown-up daughters, Deborah, Tamara and Petra, and a young son, Ace, had “established only a single trust, that being one in favour of your daughters, and other than the trust established for your daughters you were not the settlor nor beneficiary of any trust in or outside the UK”.

Before his guilty plea, he had been due to face trial in November on the single fraud charge.

The court heard Ecclestone had said “no” when asked by HMRC officers whether he had any links to any further trusts “in or outside the UK”.

Prosecutor Richard Wright KC said: “That answer was untrue or misleading.

“Mr Ecclestone knew his answer may have been untrue or misleading.

“As of July 7, 2015, Mr Ecclestone did not know the truth of the position, so was not able to give an answer to the question.

“Mr Ecclestone was not entirely clear on how ownership of the accounts in question were structured.

“He therefore did not know whether it was liable for tax, interest or penalties in relation to amounts passing through the accounts.

“Mr Ecclestone recognises it was wrong to answer the questions he did because it ran the risk that HMRC would not continue to investigate his affairs.

“He now accepts that some tax is due in relation to these matters.”

Wales will contest their seventh Rugby World Cup quarter-final when they take on Argentina in Marseille on Saturday.

And their record under head coach Warren Gatland shows four successive appearances in the last eight.

Here, the PA news agency looks back on Wales’ last five quarter-finals.

Wales 9 Australia 24 (Cardiff, 1999)

Wales made Australia work for victory in a rain-swept Cardiff, but three Neil Jenkins penalties proved their only scoreboard rewards as the Wallabies marched on. Two George Gregan tries and a Ben Tune touchdown reflected the attacking quality of Australia’s backs, even in such testing conditions, and the Wallabies went on to be crowned world champions for a second time by demolishing France 35-12 two weeks later.

England 28 Wales 17 (Brisbane, 2003)

England were given a major fright on their way to winning the World Cup as Wales provided fierce opposition in Brisbane. Tries by Stephen Jones – he rounded off a brilliant length-of-the-field move – Colin Charvis and Martyn Williams underpinned Wales’ display, and England had to dig deep before prevailing on the back of 23 points from Jonny Wilkinson and a Will Greenwood touchdown. Having also tested New Zealand in their final pool game, Wales flew home with heads held high.

Wales 22 Ireland 10 (Wellington, 2011)

Wales secured a first World Cup semi-final spot for 24 years after producing a dominant display against Ireland in Wellington. Wales never looked seriously troubled as they triumphed on the back of tries from Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies. Although they won their pool, Ireland were no match for a Wales team that went on to lose against semi-final opponents France after skipper Sam Warburton was sent off.

Wales 19 South Africa 23 (Twickenham, 2015)

Wales’ World Cup journey ended at Twickenham, but not before they stood toe to toe with South Africa’s revered pack throughout an enthralling contest. Springboks scrum-half Fourie du Preez’s 75th-minute try finally broke Welsh resistance, halting a campaign that had seen Wales progress from a tough pool that also included England and Australia. Scrum-half Gareth Davies scored a try, with Dan Biggar kicking 14 points.

Wales 20 France 19 (Oita, 2019)

Wales needed a late Ross Moriarty try to subdue France after fighting back from 19-10 adrift at half-time. Les Bleus had lock Sebastien Vahaamahina sent off early in the second period following an elbow on Aaron Wainwright, and it proved decisive as Moriarty’s score followed an earlier Wainwright touchdown, while Biggar kicked two penalties and two conversions. Wales booked a last-four appointment with South Africa in Yokohama.

Wales will contest their seventh Rugby World Cup quarter-final when they take on Argentina in Marseille on Saturday.

And their record under head coach Warren Gatland shows four successive appearances in the last eight.

Here, the PA news agency looks back on Wales’ last five quarter-finals.

Wales 9 Australia 24 (Cardiff, 1999)

Wales made Australia work for victory in a rain-swept Cardiff, but three Neil Jenkins penalties proved their only scoreboard rewards as the Wallabies marched on. Two George Gregan tries and a Ben Tune touchdown reflected the attacking quality of Australia’s backs, even in such testing conditions, and the Wallabies went on to be crowned world champions for a second time by demolishing France 35-12 two weeks later.

England 28 Wales 17 (Brisbane, 2003)

England were given a major fright on their way to winning the World Cup as Wales provided fierce opposition in Brisbane. Tries by Stephen Jones – he rounded off a brilliant length-of-the-field move – Colin Charvis and Martyn Williams underpinned Wales’ display, and England had to dig deep before prevailing on the back of 23 points from Jonny Wilkinson and a Will Greenwood touchdown. Having also tested New Zealand in their final pool game, Wales flew home with heads held high.

Wales 22 Ireland 10 (Wellington, 2011)

Wales secured a first World Cup semi-final spot for 24 years after producing a dominant display against Ireland in Wellington. Wales never looked seriously troubled as they triumphed on the back of tries from Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies. Although they won their pool, Ireland were no match for a Wales team that went on to lose against semi-final opponents France after skipper Sam Warburton was sent off.

Wales 19 South Africa 23 (Twickenham, 2015)

Wales’ World Cup journey ended at Twickenham, but not before they stood toe to toe with South Africa’s revered pack throughout an enthralling contest. Springboks scrum-half Fourie du Preez’s 75th-minute try finally broke Welsh resistance, halting a campaign that had seen Wales progress from a tough pool that also included England and Australia. Scrum-half Gareth Davies scored a try, with Dan Biggar kicking 14 points.

Wales 20 France 19 (Oita, 2019)

Wales needed a late Ross Moriarty try to subdue France after fighting back from 19-10 adrift at half-time. Les Bleus had lock Sebastien Vahaamahina sent off early in the second period following an elbow on Aaron Wainwright, and it proved decisive as Moriarty’s score followed an earlier Wainwright touchdown, while Biggar kicked two penalties and two conversions. Wales booked a last-four appointment with South Africa in Yokohama.

Ireland will take on three-time champions New Zealand on Saturday evening in a crunch Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris.

The Irish had to wait 111 years for a first Test victory over the All Blacks but have had the upper hand recently by winning four of the last six meetings.

Here, the PA news agency picks out some memorable recent matches between the two nations.

New Zealand 60 Ireland 0 (Hamilton, 2012)

An unforgettable match for all the wrong reasons from an Irish perspective.

A maiden win over the All Blacks seemed a million miles away just over a decade ago following the country’s record defeat on a humiliating evening.

Ruthless New Zealand wrapped up a 3-0 series success with a nine-try demolition of an Ireland team containing current squad members Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Peter O’Mahony.

Present-day Kiwi captain Sam Cane claimed two of the reigning world champions’ scores as Declan Kidney’s men were sent home embarrassed.

Ireland 22 New Zealand 24 (Dublin, 2013)

Aaron Cruden completed a remarkable comeback for record-breaking New Zealand by slotting a retaken conversion with the final act of a heartbreaking afternoon for the hosts.

Ireland were moments away from a milestone win after Rob Kearney’s 80-metre dash helped them lead 19-0 inside 18 minutes.

But, with the clock in the 82nd minute, Ryan Crotty’s try levelled matters.

Cruden then silenced a stunned Aviva Stadium by slotting the extras at the second attempt as the All Blacks became the first Test side in the professional era to achieve a 100 per cent record in a calendar year.

Ireland 40 New Zealand 29 (Chicago, 2016)

Ireland’s class of 2016 produced fireworks at Soldier Field on Bonfire Night to stamp their names into the history books with a landmark first triumph over the All Blacks at the 29th attempt.

Tries from Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander and Conor Murray gave Joe Schmidt’s side a commanding half-time advantage.

Simon Zebo’s score stretched the lead to 30-8 before Robbie Henshaw completed the job after the All Blacks, seeking a 19th straight win, threatened another stunning fightback by closing the gap to just four points.

Ireland 16 New Zealand 9 (Dublin, 2018)

Ireland laid down a marker ahead of the 2019 World Cup by beating the All Blacks on home soil for the first time.

Jacob Stockdale’s superb chip-and-gather try decided an absorbing contest between Test rugby’s top two sides.

Fly-half Sexton advanced his claims for the world player of the year award, which he went on to win, with the rest of his nation’s points, while Beauden Barrett’s boot kept the Kiwis in contention.

Steve Hansen’s side may have come off second best but they gained revenge 11 months later on the biggest stage in Tokyo with a thumping 46-14 quarter-final win.

New Zealand 22 Ireland 32 (Wellington, 2022)

A week on from a maiden victory over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil – 23-12 in Dunedin – Ireland made more history by wrapping up a stunning series success to climb to the top of the world rankings.

Andy Farrell’s men raced into a 19-point half-time lead in an epic encounter courtesy of tries from Josh van der Flier, Hugo Keenan and Henshaw.

The All Blacks closed to within three points in a frenetic second period before Rob Herring extinguished a Kiwi fightback to seal arguably Ireland’s finest result.

In-form Ireland face three-time champions New Zealand seeking to improve their wretched quarter-final record at the Rugby World Cup.

The Irish are through to the last eight of the competition for the eighth time but have never progressed beyond it.

Here, the PA news agency looks back on Ireland’s last five quarter-final matches.

France 36 Ireland 12 (Durban, 1995)

Following successive last-eight exits to Australia in the first two editions of the tournament, Ireland suffered a similar fate at the hands of France.

Twenty-six points from the boot of Thierry Lacroix, plus tries from Philippe Saint-Andre and Emile Ntamack, did the damage.

Eric Elwood’s four penalties were insufficient for Gerry Murphy’s men.

France 43 Ireland 21 (Melbourne, 2003)

Ireland lost a quarter-final play-off to Argentina in 1999 before suffering more last-eight frustration against France four years later.

Les Bleus initially claimed four unanswered tries before Kevin Maggs’ score and two from Brian O’Driscoll salvaged some pride.

Frederic Michalak also kicked 23 points for the dominant French, who were beaten by eventual champions England in the semi-finals.

Ireland 10 Wales 22 (Wellington, 2011)

Ireland, who suffered pool-stage elimination in 2007, topped Pool C ahead of Australia before crashing out to their Six Nations rivals.

Declan Kidney’s side were level at 10-10 early in the second period after Keith Earls’ try and five points from Ronan O’Gara wiped out Wales’ lead.

But the Irish were second best and had no answer to decisive scores from Mike Phillips and Jonathan Davies.

Ireland 20 Argentina 43 (Cardiff, 2015)

Injury-ravaged Ireland were savaged by the Pumas.

Without influential performers Paul O’Connell, Johnny Sexton, Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien and Jared Payne, the stunned Irish trailed 17-0 inside 13 minutes.

Tries from Luke Fitzgerald and Jordi Murphy cut the deficit to just three points but four-try Argentina emphatically prevented a fight back to claim a famous win.

New Zealand 46 Ireland 14 (Tokyo, 2019)

Optimism was high ahead of Ireland’s trip to Japan four years ago. Yet head coach Joe Schmidt endured a torrid farewell as his side were ripped apart by the reigning champions.

The merciless All Blacks ran in seven tries on a punishing evening for their error-strewn opponents.

Robbie Henshaw’s score and a penalty try were scant consolation as Ireland suffered their heaviest World Cup loss.

Wales and Argentina will face each other in a first Rugby World Cup clash since 1999 on Saturday.

The opening Marseille quarter-final sees Wales start as favourites after they collected 19 points from a possible 20 in winning their pool.

Here, the PA newes agency looks back on five memorable Test matches between the two countries.

Wales 43 Argentina 30 (Llanelli, 1998)

Graham Henry’s second game in charge as Wales head coach produced a high-scoring spectacle at Stradey Park. Fly-half Neil Jenkins contributed 23 points and there were tries for Colin Charvis (two), Dafydd James and Mark Taylor. Argentina, playing only their second full international match against Wales following a World Cup pool game eight years earlier, trailed 26-25 at the interval before Henry’s team had enough in the tank to see themselves home.

Argentina 16 Wales 23 (Buenos Aires, 1999)

Wales clinched a first Test series triumph against the Pumas in Argentina by ultimately holding their nerve during a game mainly remembered for a mass brawl. The melee spilled over the touchline and into the dug-out area, with English referee Chris White issuing yellow cards to Wales prop Peter Rogers, plus Argentina forwards Mauricio Reggiardo and Pedro Sporleder. Hooker Garin Jenkins’ try and five Neil Jenkins penalties and a drop goal proved enough.

Argentina 20 Wales 35 (Buenos Aires, 2004)

Wales claimed a first away win against any opponent for three years as they recovered impressively from losing the first Test 50-44 in Tucuman seven days earlier. Mike Ruddock’s team led by 25 points at the interval following Shane Williams’ memorable hat-trick of tries and they then had to hold off a fierce Pumas fightback. Gavin Henson, playing at full-back, kicked 15 points and fly-half Nicky Robinson also touched down.

Wales 40 Argentina 6 (Cardiff, 2013)

Wales emphatically ended a run of home defeats in the autumn internationals by posting what remains a record win against Argentina. The tone was set by scrum-half Mike Phillips’ fine solo try after he broke clear from inside his own half and a dominant display also saw George North, Taulupe Faetau and Ken Owens touch down. Leigh Halfpenny booted 20 points on a day that saw prop Gethin Jenkins become the fourth Welshman to win 100 caps.

Argentina 12 Wales 30 (Resistencia, 2018)

Wales’ first series win in Argentina for 19 years was achieved on the back of Rhys Patchell’s outstanding goal-kicking – he landed 20 points – and tries by backs Josh Adams and Hallam Amos. Number eight Ross Moriarty was sent off late in the game, but Wales had already done enough to claim a notable triumph. It concluded a tour that had earlier seen them beat South Africa in Washington DC.

Frankie Dettori has performed an amazing U-turn on his plans to retire from race riding and will instead continue his career in America next year.

The 52-year-old was set to hang up his saddle at the end of 2023, with his final rides in the UK scheduled to be on British Champions Day next Saturday.

However, a successful ‘farewell tour’ has prompted the Italian jockey to carry on, primarily in the United States, but also with mounts in the Middle East.

Dettori, who was in London on Thursday to mark what his final day riding in the UK on Champions Day at Ascot, told the Nick Luck Daily podcast: “I announced my retirement 10 months ago, I thought that would give me plenty of time to say my farewells and then I headed to California.

“I had an amazing four months there, finished second in the standings, it was amazing.

“I then came back to Europe, won the Guineas, had Royal Ascot wins and other big wins and that tickled my emotions.

“Now, as we come to October 21, what will be my final day in England, I had second thoughts, discussed with my wife and my parents that I want to carry on a little bit longer in California, where I had such a lovely winter.”

Josh Magennis is determined to keep proving his worth to Northern Ireland for as long as possible.

When manager Michael O’Neill said after last month’s defeat to Kazakhstan he needed to evaluate some of the older players in his squad and whether they could still deliver for the team, the 33-year-old Magennis recognised he was among those under the spotlight.

But a player who has 73 caps for Northern Ireland, having made his debut against Turkey in May 2010, still savours every opportunity to represent his country.

“It’s up to me to stay fit, perform at club level and when I get a chance in matches here or in training show I’m still worth having around,” Magennis told the PA news agency.

“I know I’m getting on but to me that’s just an excuse, whether people say it for you or you say it yourself. If you still play with intent, with the sports science that’s available now you can play endlessly. It’s up to you to prove you are worth your place in the squad.”

Magennis went as far as telling fans at a meet-and-greet event in Belfast this week that he would fancy playing at Euro 2028 when it is hosted by the UK and Ireland in four and a half years’ time, when he would be just shy of 37.

“Playing for your country is the biggest accolade you’ve ever had,” Magennis said. “I’m never going to retire and nor will I ever say I’ve retired.

“If Michael decides, or anyone else decides, they don’t want me to come any more that’s up to them but I can never retire on my country. That’s not how I will be going out.”

His love of playing shines through as he discusses his season so far with League One Wigan and “riding the wave” of being back after an injury lay-off.

Magennis saw his 2022-23 campaign cut short by a bad knee injury in April, forcing him to miss Northern Ireland’s June fixtures as he went through a lengthy rehabilitation process.

Although Magennis got himself back to fitness by August, the early season form of Charlie Wyke, who has scored six in 11 for Wigan, has meant all but two of his 10 club appearances have been from the bench, but one of them saw him score a hat-trick in an EFL Trophy win over Leicester Under-21s.

“Charlie has been on fire and I’ve just had to wait for my chance,” Magennis said. “At any level scoring goals is massive. The goals don’t move. I’m just feeling good to be back and ready.”

Goals would certainly not go amiss for a Northern Ireland side who have only scored four in their six Euro 2024 qualifiers to date, suffering four 1-0 defeats along the way.

Qualification is beyond them but there is a clear opportunity to end a five-game losing streak when San Marino, the only team O’Neill’s side have beaten so far, visit Windsor Park on Saturday.

But while they can change the mood with victory, Magennis said the team does not need a reset.

“It’s not about trying to change our mentality,” he said. “Michael is working towards something.

“I don’t want to say we’re rebuilding but there’s been an influx of new players, a lot of players Michael’s not been around before and a lot of players who are experiencing international football for the first time.

“It’s just about trying to keep going, keep grafting and trying to implement what Michael wants us to do. It’s been tough not winning. This is a results-based business and everyone wants to win but there’s a process and Michael has proved this process has worked before. We’ve got to trust in it.”

What the papers say

Barcelona are considering making a move for Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, 31, according to the Mirror. Jorginho, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January, has featured in six Premier League games so far this season.

The Mirror also reports Spain goalkeeper David De Gea, 32, has caused an online stir after posting a picture in England with on-loan Manchester United defender Sergio Reguilon, with calls for the club to bring the out-of-contract player back to Old Trafford. Current United stopper Andre Onana has made a number of errors since joining the Manchester giants in the summer.

The Daily Mail says Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has a clause in his contract which allows him to become the boss of any of the clubs he played for as early as next summer. These clubs include Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Victor Osimhen: Chelsea have added the 24-year-old striker to their transfer list for January, ESPN reports. Osimhen has scored six goals in eight games for Napoli so far in Serie A this season.

Serhou Guirassy: The leading scorer in the Bundesliga this season for Stuttgart has attracted interest from Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton. The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals in just seven games for the German club this campaign.

Brock Boeser became the first Vancouver Canuck to score four goals in nearly two decades as part of an 8-1 season-opening rout of the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

J.T. Miller had a goal and four assists, Elias Pettersson added a goal and three assists and Quinn Hughes set up three scores for Vancouver.

Boeser’s first goal of the game midway through the opening period gave the Canucks a 2-0 lead. He scored twice 3 ½ minutes apart in the second period and tallied his fourth of the night at 5:43 of the third.

The last Canucks player to score four goals was Daniel Sedin against Detroit on Feb. 24, 2004.

Bedard scores first NHL goal but Bruins win

Connor Bedard scored his first NHL goal, but David Pastrnak snapped a second-period tie to lift the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Trent Frederic also scored and Pastrnak added an empty-net goal to give the Bruins a win in their season opener a year after setting NHL records for wins and points.

Reigning Vezina Trophy-winner Linus Ullmark stopped 20 shots and counterpart Arvid Soderblom made 32 saves for Chicago, which opened its season with a win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Bedard, who had an assist in his NHL debut, scored at 5:37 of the first period on a wraparound.

Matthews has trick in Maple Leafs’ shootout win

Auston Matthews completed a hat trick with two late goals and Mitch Marner had the lone tally in the shootout as the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for a season-opening 6-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto fell behind 2-0 and 5-3 but Matthews scored the 300th, 301st and 302nd goals of his career for his eighth hat trick.

John Tavares had three assists, setting up power-play goals by Matthews and William Nylander in the second period before drawing another on Matthews’ second tally with 4:32 left in regulation.

Matthews netted the equaliser with 67 seconds left in the third period.

Alex Newhook scored twice in his Canadiens debut.