England defender Lucy Bronze admitted her goal against Scotland was something she had practiced during the World Cup.

Just over a month since their World Cup final defeat against Spain, the Lionesses earned an inaugural Nations League victory on Friday night with a 2-1 win against Scotland in Sunderland.

Bronze put the hosts ahead in the 39th minute after a fantastic pass from Katie Zelem picked out the former Black Cat, who made a perfectly timed run to head home.

She told the England website: “It was something we worked on in the World Cup. But it never came off then, so we saved it for tonight instead.”

Lauren Hemp then doubled the lead for the hosts six minutes later before Kirsty Hanson pulled one back with the last kick of the half.

Scotland had plenty of opportunities to level after the break, with arguably their best chance coming when Hanson smashed a rebound off the crossbar.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps was also forced to make good saves from Martha Thomas and Christy Grimshaw and Bronze admits Hanson’s goal gave the visitors plenty of confidence in the second half.

“Them getting that goal right before half-time changed the momentum of the game,” Bronze added.

“Right until the end, they were creating chances but in the first half we did enough, we were by far the better side in that first half.

“The second half was a little bit more even, we made a couple more mistakes and they got a lot of confidence from scoring that goal in the first half.

“They looked a little shaky at the beginning and we looked a little more confident. A couple of sloppy passes on our behalf let them back in the game.”

A hard-fought three points at a lively Stadium of Light sees England go second in Group A1 of the competition and boss Sarina Wiegman was pleased to see Bronze score on home turf.

“I was of course very happy for her but also very happy for the team, she’s from this area so that makes it extra special,” she said.

“I think it was really special anyway to be here in a sold-out Stadium of Light, we’ve been here two years ago and this was a little different because it was packed.

“The noise even from the start of the game was really nice and the pitch was really good, an incredible pitch.

“The timing of that moment, the pass from Katie Zelem and the timing of her run and the header was really good.”

Up next for England in the competition is a trip to Utrecht to face the Netherlands on Tuesday.

France captain Antoine Dupont has undergone surgery after suffering a facial fracture during Les Bleus’ Rugby World Cup victory over Namibia.

Namibia captain Johan Deysel apologised to Dupont following a head-on-head collision that has left the France star’s tournament in doubt.

Deysel’s yellow card for the collision, with France leading 54-0, was upgraded to red following a review by the television match official and he now faces a disciplinary hearing.

In a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Dupont said: “Show must go on. Looking forward to seeing the group again. Thank you for your messages.”

The French Rugby Federation said: “Following his injury contracted during the France-Namibia match, Antoine Dupont underwent surgery on September 22 around 11pm at the Purpan University Hospital in Toulouse.

“In a few days, he will be able to return to the French team in a process of gradual return to sport under medical supervision.”

Dupont’s fitness setback is headline news in France, and there is a real possibility of Les Bleus losing their star player for the rest of the tournament.

France’s final pool game is against Italy in Lyon on October 6, before a quarter-final – probably against Ireland or South Africa – the following weekend.

If Les Bleus reach the semi-finals, they take place in Paris on October 20 and 21.

Dupont has been inundated with messages from well-wishers as the former world player of the year battles to keep alive hopes of playing again in France’s home World Cup.

England defence coach Kevin Sinfield said: “I am disappointed for the competition, but we have no doubt he will be back.

“World-class players like that get themselves right very, very quickly, and I am sure he is doing everything he can.

“It will be a period of time, but you’ve seen players before play with facial fractures. So I suspect he will be back on his feet and back available very, very soon. We wish him all the best.”

Ange Postecoglou has promised Tottenham supporters they will take the game to Arsenal in Sunday’s derby fixture.

Spurs have won four of their five Premier League matches under the Australian, but the biggest test of this bold new era in N17 will occur this weekend at a ground where victories have been notoriously hard to achieve.

Tottenham’s last league success at the Emirates was in 2010, although the most underwhelming aspect of recent displays at Arsenal has been the lack of attacking imagination with Postecoglou’s predecessors Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho all favouring pragmatism in this match.

There appears no chance of the current Spurs head coach employing a defensive approach and the 58-year-old is excited to watch how his young group cope in a fiery atmosphere against one of the division’s best teams.

“When I went into Champions League games with Celtic or went into World Cup games with Australia, people said I should have changed my approach and we got some pretty decent lessons along the way, but I just think that’s the only way you can measure yourself,” Postecoglou explained.

“How do you know if you want to be that kind of team? That’s the question. If you want to be a team that challenges, you know you have to play that way irrespective of the opponent.

“There’s no point not using a game like Sunday as a measure to see where we’re at.

“If we shy away from it, don’t play our football, manage to get a draw and survive the experience, what have we really learned? Apart from surviving 90 minutes of football? Nothing.

“The players already know that’s what will be my message to them. We’re going to go out and play our football.

“If we’re short, we’re short and we need to make it up. If we match them it’s great isn’t it (because) we know we have a long way to go and we’ve already established ourselves and on the biggest occasions we’ve shown we’re prepared to play our football.”

Spurs have had a full week to prepare for the trip across north London, while Arsenal warmed up for Sunday with a 4-0 thrashing of PSV on Wednesday night.

PSV tried to aggressively press Mikel Arteta’s side and were picked off to devastating effect on the Gunners return to the Champions League.

It was put to Postecoglou that Arsenal would prefer an open match, but the Tottenham boss responded: “I’m not really bothered about what Arsenal want as a game. I’m bothered about what we want as a game.

“It’s about us challenging ourselves to be the football team we want to be and the kind of progress we want to make is playing the football we’ve started playing. It’s as simple as that.

“What the opposition may want or may not want becomes a moot point for us if we don’t play our football. There’s always natural adjustments during a game because of what the opposition do.

“But we’ve started playing this way because it’s how I believe we’re going to be successful, not because I’m trying to create something easy on the eye.”

Postecoglou acknowledged the inexperienced nature of his squad for this derby date with Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie and James Maddison set to be involved in the fixture for the first time.

Even Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr have limited memories of playing for Tottenham against Arsenal but the ex-Celtic head coach says that all contributes towards Sunday being a crucial part of the group’s journey.

He added: “This is the experiences I want the guys to have and for us to have as a group to help us grow. It is the only way you grow.

“You don’t grow by literally being in the shade. You need to stick your head up and see the sun and allow yourself to grow even if it means at times that experience isn’t a great one because you can grow from that.

“It is a challenge for all of the group and us, but irrespective it won’t stop our real intent to become this kind of football team whatever the outcome.”

Lewis Hamilton admits he is staggered by how far Mercedes are still behind the Red Bulls after Max Verstappen blew away the field to take pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen hit back in style after seeing his record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season ended in Singapore a week ago by finishing a massive 0.581 seconds clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris was third in the second McLaren ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez.

But Mercedes struggled again, with Hamilton qualifying seventh and George Russell eighth – the seven-time world champion over a second adrift of Verstappen’s pole lap.

The Dutchman and Red Bull have dominated the sport over the last two seasons and Hamilton admits the gap that still exists between the two teams is a major concern.

“We as a team really need to when we go back and do the debrief – I hope the team already realise – but a second gap is huge. And it is real,” Hamilton said.

“To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year.

“We have a very peaky car. It is like trying to balance a knife on its tip.

“It is never perfectly balanced, it is one way or the other. You try and get it as close as you can to the middle but it is very hard to do each weekend.”

Verstappen topped every practice session but Norris and Piastri had closed the gap in P3 to hint at a fight for pole at Suzuka.

But it never materialised thanks to Verstappen’s incredible pace on new tyres in the final session.

McLaren impressed again – especially Piastri who had never even been to Japan before this week.

“It’s been a very good day for us. A P2 and a P3 – a great job by Oscar today and as usual, by Max – but a good day,” Norris said.

“I was pretty happy with my laps. It’s a tricky circuit; not easy to put everything together but it’s so quick around here and the smallest mistake can take a big amount of lap time.

“I’m happy. It’s been a good day and good positions for tomorrow.”

Mercedes are unlikely to be in the fight with Red Bull or McLaren but are set for a scrap with Ferrari as they tussle over second position in the Constructors’ Championship – which Red Bull are almost certain to clinch on Sunday.

Leclerc delivered a strong lap for the Scuderia to line up on the second row – although he does face an investigation for exceeding the maximum lap time – while Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz starts sixth.

“I hope we can have a good battle with Ferrari tomorrow,” Hamilton said.

“They had an upgrade this weekend so they are a little bit ahead of us and it is not an easy track to overtake.

“But I am still going to give it everything and hope I can give them a run for their money tomorrow.”

Yuki Tsunoda, who was confirmed to be driving for AlphaTauri next season alongside Daniel Ricciardo, delighted his home fans by qualifying ninth.

Wales will book a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals if they beat Australia in Lyon on Sunday.

They are guaranteed to progress with a third successive Pool C win, but the Wallabies will be on the brink of elimination if they lose.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some key talking points heading into the game.

Bonus-point victories over Fiji and Portugal mean that Wales are in charge of their pool. If they defeat Australia it will be a case of mission accomplished in terms of reaching the quarter-finals for a fourth World Cup on the bounce under head coach Warren Gatland. Wales have not hit top gear yet, but a return of 10 points is a record matched only by Ireland across all four groups. Gatland’s team can get the job done with a game to spare – they face Georgia in Nantes on October 7 – by beating the Wallabies and setting up a potential last-eight appointment with England or Argentina.

Australia have an outstanding World Cup record. In nine previous stagings of the competition they can reflect on two world titles, two runners-up finishes, a third and fourth-place return, plus three quarter-final appearances. A first pool-stage exit now looms, though, unless they can recover from losing to Fiji last weekend and topple Wales. Head coach and former England boss Eddie Jones has received some fierce criticism from ex-internationals, but the storm will really rage if Wales leave them teetering on the brink of elimination. Australia have effectively reached a point of no return.

The Wales pack had some strong moments against Fiji and Portugal, yet there were also inconsistencies, especially at lineouts. Wales must iron out the flaws, and if they can manage that then strong foundations for victory should be laid. Australia’s cause up-front is not helped by the absence of powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou and equally-influential lock Will Skelton through injuries. Their experience will be missed. The old adage of ‘forwards win matches, backs decide by how much’ rings true for an eagerly-awaited encounter.

Sunday’s clash is made for Wales fly-half Dan Biggar. Time and time again throughout his 110-cap Test career, Biggar has delivered the goods. He relishes the big occasion, and they do not come with much more importance attached than this weekend, when stakes are high and pressure at its most intense. Wales will require a calming influence, an unruffled tactical operator, pinpoint goal-kicker and world-class leadership in the heat of battle, and Biggar ticks all of those boxes. Expect him to be a dominant figure.

If Biggar can guide the team effectively and purposefully around the pitch, then Wales have outstanding finishers to punish Australia. George North, Josh Adams and Louis Rees-Zammit boast 78 Test tries between them, and they all scored during Wales’ opening two games against Fiji and Portugal. Rees-Zammit touched down in both, with his finish – and Cristiano Ronaldo-style celebration – during the Portugal win underlining a player whose confidence levels are brimful. Australia will know all about the danger he poses, but stopping him is another matter.

Max Verstappen set a blistering pace to blow away the challenge of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and take pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend.

The Dutchman topped all three practice sessions at Suzuka to suggest the Milton Keynes-based team had banished the issues that they experienced in the city-state.

And Verstappen was imperious around the high-speed corner circuit – where Lewis Hamilton warned the Red Bull would be “phenomenal” – taking pole by a massive 0.581 seconds ahead of Piastri.

Norris had narrowed the gap to Verstappen, who is closing in on a hat-trick of world titles, in final practice to raise hope of a challenge for pole.

But Verstappen was dominant in the final qualifying session on brand new tyres, blowing away the competition from the two McLarens.

“Incredible weekend so far, especially in qualifying when you can push it to the limit. It felt really nice,” Verstappen said on track.

“We had a bad weekend in Singapore. I felt this was going to be a good track. From lap one it has been really nice.”

Piastri, in his debut season in Formula One, had never even been to Japan before this week but got the edge on his McLaren team-mate to line up on the front row.

Red Bull will almost certainly clinch the Constructors’ Championship on Sunday at the home race of their engine supplier Honda.

Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished fifth, over seven tenths adrift of the pace-setter.

Hamilton and George Russell were well off the pace for Mercedes, who are battling with Ferrari to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship, and will line up seventh and eighth on the grid.

Ferrari, who are running a new floor at Suzuka, took fourth via Charles Leclerc, while Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz finished sixth.

Yuki Tsunoda was confirmed by AlphaTauri to be driving alongside Daniel Ricciardo in 2024 and delighted his home crowd by making the top-10 shootout, finishing ninth.

Q1 was red-flagged with just over nine minutes remaining when Williams’ Logan Sargeant oversteered out of the final corner and slid heavily into the barriers.

The American, who is yet to be confirmed by Williams for 2024, quickly jumped out of the car and made his way across the track and back to the pit lane.

Williams Team Principal James Vowles told Sky Sports: “It is heartbreaking for Logan.”

James Horton will return to Newmarket to train next term after “parting ways” with owner John Dance.

Horton, who spent seven years as assistant trainer to Sir Michael Stoute, was recruited by Dance and his wife Jess to be their private trainer, saddling his first winner from his new Middleham outfit in April 2022.

However, Dance was blocked from having runners by the British Horseracing Authority earlier this year after an intervention from the Financial Conduct Authority.

Dance founded Vertem Asset Management, a prominent sponsor within racing, but that firm was one of three trading names of WealthTek LLP, which was ordered to cease trading by the FCA in April due to “serious regulatory and operational issues coming to light”.

Leading chaser Bravemansgame, who was co-owned by Dance, was subsequently barred from running at Aintree’s Grand National meeting, but was later allowed to resume his career as Bryan Drew took sole ownership.

Dance’s other horses, most of which resided with Horton, were cleared to run under either the Coverdale Stud or Titanium Racing Club names in May, but it was announced on Monday that “further concerns have since come to light” and another interim stop had been put on runners by the BHA.

Horton has now decided to move back to Newmarket to continue his career on his own.

A statement issued to the PA news agency said: “In light of the ongoing uncertainty for James Horton and his team, he is to part ways with owners John and Jess Dance in North Yorkshire and relocate to Newmarket to train independently from there next season.

“He is very grateful for the opportunities which have been given, where he has trained some wonderful horses and looks forward to the future ahead.”

Sam Maximus recorded Horton’s biggest success to date when winning the Listed Hopeful Stakes last term, with Phantom Flight arguably the stable’s star performer in winning three times, including a handicap contest at last year’s Ebor meeting.

Ronald Acuna Jr. joined an exclusive club with his 40th homer of the season and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Washington Nationals 9-6 on Friday.

Acuna’s 40th home run came off starter Patrick Corbin in the first inning for the 34th leadoff homer of his career and eighth this season.

He joins Alphonso Soriano (2006), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Barry Bonds (1996) and Jose Canseco (1988) as the only players with 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a single season.

The Atlanta superstar has hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games, with eight homers and 15 RBIs during that span.

Braves starter Charlie Morton walked the two batters in the first inning and left due to right index finger discomfort after throwing 24 pitches.

He will have an MRI on Saturday but hopes to be ready for the postseason.

Austin Riley hit a two-run homer and Marcell Ozuna added a three-run shot to increase the Braves’ major league-leading home run total to 296.

Twins hold off Angels to clinch AL Central

The Minnesota Twins clinched their third AL Central title in five seasons with an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Alex Kirillof homered and Pablo Lopez pitched six strong innings as Minnesota held on in the ninth for their 82nd win, assuring it of being a division champion with an over .500 record.

The Twins locked up their 15th trip to the postseason since the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961 and became the Twins.

The Twins have lost 18 straight playoff games since their last win in 2004.

Judge hits 3 home runs in Yankees’ win

Aaron Judge became the first Yankees player to hit three home runs in a game twice in one season in a 7-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Judge hit a three-run homer in the third, a two-run shot in the fifth inning off starter Brandon Pfaadt and went deep again in the seventh off Slade Cecconi.

Judge, who had his first career three-homer game against Washington on August 23, is the sixth player in franchise history with multiple three-home run games.

The others are Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Alex Rodriguez, Tony Lazzeri and Bobby Murcer.

Lando Norris raised hopes that he could challenge Max Verstappen for pole at the Japanese Grand Prix by finishing final practice within three tenths of the Red Bull driver.

Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend.

He had set a blistering pace on Friday to suggest the team have put their struggles in the city-state behind them.

The Dutchman’s margin in opening practice was a huge 0.626 seconds over Ferrari’s Singapore-winner Carlos Sainz before beating Charles Leclerc by 0.320sec in P2.

That raised fears that Verstappen, who is closing in on a hat-trick of world titles, could dominate the weekend in a Red Bull car which Lewis Hamilton predicted would be “phenomenal” around the high-speed corner track at Suzuka.

But Norris finished just 0.240 seconds adrift of the 25-year-old and just 0.048 ahead of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri as the British team continued to show strong pace.

Mercedes pair Hamilton and George Russell enjoyed a more promising session but remained off the pace of Red Bull and McLaren.

Hamilton in particular struggled badly in Friday’s two practice sessions, finishing 16th and 14th, with the seven-time world champion admitting Mercedes had work to do before qualifying.

The 38-year-old finished seventh in P3, albeit 0.892sec behind pace-setter Verstappen, with Russell eighth.

Mercedes are battling with Ferrari to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship.

Ferrari, who are running a new floor at Suzuka, claimed the edge by finishing fifth and sixth but were over half-a-second adrift of the two McLarens.

Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull claimed fourth, 0.737sec behind his team-mate.

A large number of the teams are struggling with tyre degradation due to the higher-than-usual heat at Suzuka, with a track temperature of over 48 degrees Celsius recorded during P3, raising the possibility of a three-stop race on Sunday.

Qualifying gets under way at 1500 local time (0700 BST).

Wigan coach Matt Peet paid tribute to the whole club after they lifted the Super League Leaders Shield following a tough 10-6 win at near neighbours Leigh.

Wigan looked to be on course for a routine victory when they scored two tries midway through the first half, Jai Field and Jake Wardle crossing in quick succession with Harry Smith converting the first to give the Warriors a 10-0 lead.

But Leigh fought back with a try just before half-time from Lachlan Lam, taking the final pass from Kai O’Donnell to score under the posts. Ben Reynolds added the conversion to make it 6-10 at the break.

There were no points scored in the second half – both sides having tries disallowed contentiously in a frantic spell midway through the half. Field was unlucky to see his effort chalked off while Oliver Gildart was denied a try against his former club by the video referee.

“It’s a great achievement,” said Peet. “It’s a fantastic honour and nobody can take that away from us.

“It’s a great pat on the back for the whole club, from the academy to the first team and all the backroom staff. It was a great effort tonight.”

The League Leaders Shield could have ended up with Wigan, Catalans or St Helens on a dramatic night but Peet said he was trying not to pay too much attention to everything going on elsewhere.

He said: “I wasn’t that concerned about the other games. I was just pleased with the performance from our team – it was a game which helps give us some momentum into the play-offs.

“It was a very intense game – the kind of intensity we haven’t had in games recently. So it’s perfect we got one like that under our belt.

“We had to go for 80 minutes and the game highlighted a few areas where we can improve. All in all it was a great night for us. I don’t think it was a fluent performance but games at this time of year are about guts and determination. It was a team effort.”

Defeat for Leigh means they dropped from fourth place to fifth – sending them to Hull KR in the play-offs, the team they beat in the Challenge Cup Final.

Leigh coach Adrian Lam said: “It was a great night for rugby league. It was a great game and a sell-out crowd. Congratulations to Wigan in picking up the League Leaders Shield.”

Despite the defeat, Lam was proud of his team’s effort on the night and also through the season.

He said: “I was very proud of them given the players we had missing. It was tough and physical, very close but we didn’t get the two points we needed.

“There were a couple of massive calls which went against us and they had a massive impact on us missing out on a home play-off game. By not having that game it will hurt us.

“Hull KR, we’ve played them four times this year, we have a fair feel of what they are. Like the rest of the year, there have been ups and downs and turns everywhere.

“We would have taken that at the start of the year. We have missed John Asiata for the last few games and will have a scan on him, whether he can play, but it doesn’t look good.

“I think the try which was disallowed, every rugby league supporter in the world would have given that try. I can’t put into words how much that hurt us.

“We didn’t build pressure but we found a way to hang in there. We didn’t have as much ball but we defended as well as any other team.”

Pep Guardiola has laughed off suggestions he should be concerned about the number of chances Erling Haaland has missed this season.

The Manchester City manager claims anyone who says the prolific Norwegian has become wasteful will be proved wrong – and forced to apologise – soon enough.

Haaland scored 52 goals in an extraordinary debut campaign at City last season and, on the face of it, has started this one strongly too with seven in eight appearances.

Yet analysis shows he has missed 12 ‘big chances’ this term, nine of them being in his last two outings against West Ham and Red Star Belgrade. After eight games last season he had scored 12 goals, with eight ‘big chances’ missed.

“I will not sleep tonight!” Guardiola joked when these numbers were put to him at a press conference to preview the champions Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

“He has had incredible chances and he could have scored 14-15 goals now. What is important is he always says, ‘I have the chance, I have the chance, I have the chance. The problem is when I do not have chances, or I do not get balls or I am in the wrong position’.

“My advice is don’t criticise Erling too much. Criticise the full-back, the central defender or the manager, but never, never the striker who scored all those goals because he will and then you will be in a position where you have to apologise to him.”

Guardiola concedes Haaland was not fully fit at the start of the season, but that is not unexpected after last year’s exertions.

He said: “No (he was not fully fit) – it is quite simple – but in the pre-season I cannot expect him to be fully fit.

“Normally the new players come and are fully fit earlier. When you don’t start the last season, you are fitter earlier.

“When you win the treble maybe you think, ‘I wait a week longer to be completely fit’. It is a question of time.

“Erling is much better than in the first week. Every week he is better and everything is there.

“He is an incredible threat. He has had a lot of chances and that means we are playing good. Always I have the sense that the team are doing quite good by the number of chances Erling has.”

Mauricio Pochettino has defended Chelsea’s medical department amid the spate of injuries that left him with only 15 available first-team players for last weekend’s draw with Bournemouth.

The manager was without 12 of his senior squad for the drab goalless encounter at the Vitality Stadium with Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke late additions to an already lengthy list of absentees.

It is the second time in 2023 that the club has been hit by an injury crisis after former manager Graham Potter was left without 10 first-team players in January.

Pochettino included three players aged 19 or under who had no first-team experience on his bench last weekend, as well as two goalkeepers, as the late withdrawal of Cucurella – who had a fever – the night before the game stretched Chelsea’s billion-pound squad to breaking point.

Both the defender and Madueke will be available for Sunday’s visit of Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge, with Armando Broja also in line to return for his first appearance since damaging his anterior cruciate ligament in December, pending a late assessment.

But the squad remains a pale impression of what co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have spent such sums to assemble over the past three transfer windows.

The list of players unavailable includes summer signing Christopher Nkunku who was injured playing against Borussia Dortmund during the pre-season tour of the United States and is unlikely to make his competitive debut before December.

Club captain Reece James, new signing Romeo Lavia and defender Wesley Fofana are also missing, as is Carney Chukwuemeka who scored his first goal for the club against West Ham in August before being forced off with a knee problem.

Trevoh Chalobah is also out though Benoit Badiashile has returned to training with the team. Caicedo is due to be assessed on Saturday.

“Before we arrived here we did everything to try and have a clear idea of why there were too many injuries last season also, to analyse the risk,” said Pochettino.

“It’s (about) the profile of the player, the risk of the player. It’s not the people working in the medical staff of performance area.

“I think we need to respect these areas (at the club) are very good professionals, qualified people. That’s why they are working in football. But there’s an individual risk to (certain) players, you need to assess.

“Then there’s bad luck. We have injures that maybe happen in one season or maybe in two, but have happened (to Chelsea) because of different situations you cannot control.

“Christopher against Dortmund, it was a tackle and he twists his knee. Three or four months out. That is from the beginning of the game, he wasn’t tired, he was fresh, good, strong.

“The organisation in football are super professional and we need to respect that. Sometimes things happen like this and it’s difficult to evaluate.”

Pochettino said that he favours Conor Gallagher as captain over Enzo Fernandez in the absence of James, with Ben Chilwell having started the Bournemouth game on the bench.

The manager is concerned about the Argentina international’s communication as he is still learning to speak the language after moving from Benfica in January.

Gallagher skippered the team at the Vitality Stadium as he did against AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup earlier in September.

“Enzo is still struggling with his English,” said Pochettino. “If we need to communicate with the referee, Conor can perfectly do the job. For me I prefer Conor to Enzo because he can speak English.

“It’s not only about character or personality or profile. You need to communicate with people. And if you have not managed the language properly, you cannot be captain. Maybe I am wrong but it is my opinion.”

Virgil van Dijk believes striker Darwin Nunez is starting to realise the potential which persuaded Liverpool to spend a possible club-record transfer fee on him.

The Uruguay international endured a testing start to life at Anfield and although he scored 16 goals, the feeling remained he had underperformed.

He has already played a significant part this season, scoring two late goals as a substitute to beat Newcastle, and with Mohamed Salah on the bench he took responsibility for equalising through a penalty in their eventual 3-1 Europa League victory over LASK in Austria.

Nunez has three goals and two assists this season but his all-round influence has been felt more than just from that contribution.

The Uruguayan, who had missed a couple of earlier chances but was denied a certain goal by a brilliant point-blank save by goalkeeper Tobias Lawal in the first half, also played a role in the second goal with his hold-up play on the halfway line.

Liverpool’s captain believes the 24-year-old is developing into the striker they hoped they were getting when they paid Benfica an initial £64million, which could rise to £85m, last summer.

“Everyone has a role to play whether you start or not. Everyone has now seen the potential and the quality he has.

“Against LASK Darwin was important with the goal. Long may it continue, and with the other boys as well.

“Up front, the competition is quite good. They all have to push each other and it’s good to see.”

One of those “other boys” – quite literally – was Ben Doak who became Liverpool’s fourth-youngest European player with his first start at the age of 17 years and 314 days.

The young Scot was given a run in Salah’s right-wing position and showed flashes of his talent despite being starved of opportunities in a poor first-half performance by the team.

“It was a big night for him,” added Van Dijk. “It was never going to be easy, it was a difficult pitch, but he could have set up at least two goals in the first half where he went past his man like no one was there but unfortunately nobody was on the end of it.

“I am pleased for him and I’m also very excited for him and the future that’s coming.

“You’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, if you watch closely it’s a fantastic group to be part of.

“We have a lot of quality, a lot of younger players, players who are getting new roles and they are enjoying that as well.

“But at the end of the day football is about results. Everybody wants to play their best football each and every game, but sometimes you have to find a way, like we did at Wolves (coming back from conceding first again to win 3-1).

“On Thursday it was after we conceded a set-piece, we showed that we stayed calm and found a way as well.”