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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reece James is hopeful that an injury sustained during Chelsea's 2-0 Champions League victory against AC Milan is "not a bad one", with the World Cup on the horizon.

After an awkward landing, the 22-year-old England international had to be brought off the pitch on the hour mark - raising further concerns for the Three Lions ahead of the tournament in Qatar, after Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a knock in Liverpool's defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

James took to social media to address the worries about his injury and, while unable to offer any decisive updates, shared hope that he will not be sidelined for an extensive period.

He said: "Fingers crossed it’s not a bad one. Love for all the messages, I appreciate you all."

Graham Potter was unsure as to the extent of James' injury, stating he was unable to provide an outlook until further tests are done this week.

"We're hoping Reece will be OK. It will be 24, 48 hours to find out, so it's too early to give you anything more than that," he said in his post-match press conference.

The Blues' win marked an end to a run of seven winless away trips to Italian teams in the Champions League, a record that stretched back to 2003, and leaves Chelsea sat top of Group E with fixtures against RB Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb to come.

Potter added: "To come here and win is certainly not easy, that is for sure. Credit to the players. They were really good, I thought."

Chelsea travel to face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday, beginning a sequence of three league games in six days with fixtures against Brentford and Manchester United on the horizon.

A half-century knock from Dawid Malan steered England to an eight-run victory in their latest T20 World Cup warm-up against Australia on Wednesday.

The Yorkshire top-order batsman posted a superb 82 off 49 balls, and combined with Moeen Ali for a fifth-wicket stand of 92 at Canberra's Manuka Oval against the world champions for a total of 178-7.

The hosts looked to threaten a successful chase throughout, with Mitchell Marsh (45) forming the bedrock of their pursuit, ably supplanted by Tim David (40) following his dismissal.

Pat Cummins supplied a late burst of pyrotechnics too, smashing a six at the start of the final over into the scoreboard to set up a nerve-jangling last act.

But Sam Curran's taut bowling, with figures of 3-25, ultimately kept any resistance at bay, to make it two wins from two for the tourists ahead of this month's tournament as Australia finished with 170-6.

Victory hands England the three-match series, with a dead rubber third encounter to come on October 14, before they play their last warm-up against Pakistan on October 17.

Curran doubles down

Having bowled the final over in the first T20I to keep Australia out at the death, it was more of the same from the Surrey left-hander, who dismissed Marcus Stonis, Glenn Maxwell and David.

If there is any doubt about his position now, it looks to have been mostly eradicated, with the 24-year-old likely to make the cut for their opener against Afghanistan on October 22.

Finch reinforces position

Back at the top of the order after Cameron Green partnered David Warner against the West Indies, Australia captain Aaron Finch appears to not be moving from his spot now.

The 35-year-old played his part in claiming the T20 World Cup last year and will do so again from his preferred position, despite a lacklustre 13 off as many balls.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not accept his Football Association (FA) charge for throwing an Everton supporter's phone, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said.

A video emerged on social media of United forward Ronaldo appearing to smash a fan's phone as he left the field after Everton's 1-0 Premier League win in April.

The Portugal captain was questioned by Merseyside Police in relation to an alleged assault and criminal damage and received a caution in August.

The FA last month charged the 37-year-old for breaching Rule E3, which relates to "improper and/or violent conduct", but the case now looks set to proceed to a hearing.

Asked if Ronaldo accepts the charge, Ten Hag told reporters on Wednesday: "We have talked about that. He will not accept it."

Ronaldo issued an apology on Instagram at the time, stating: "It's never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.

"Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.

"I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship."

Ronaldo has endured a disappointing time of things on the field for United this season, having started just one of their opening eight Premier League matches.

However, he scored his second goal of the campaign in all competitions in Sunday's 2-1 win at Everton after being introduced from the substitutes' bench in the first half.

And Ten Hag is pleased with the way the superstar forward has gone about returning to top fitness after missing almost the entirety of United's pre-season for personal reasons.

"I want to support him as good as possible," Ten Hag said at a pre-match news conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League group-stage match with Omonia Nicosia. 

"We have certain demands from players, what we expect in certain positions. I want to get the best out of him and he's in better shape now and can contribute more."

Asked if a lack of fitness is the reason Ronaldo has not started more occasionally this season, Ten Hag said: "At the start that was the case. 

"It's proven once again that no one can miss a pre-season."

Ronaldo was brought on against Everton after Anthony Martial sustained another injury, with the forward yet to return to training as of Thursday.

"I've had several talks with him and I'm really disappointed for him," Ten Hag said. "We'll see how he develops ahead of Sunday [against Newcastle United]."

Ten Hag also confirmed Harry Maguire is still absent, while Donny van De Beek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are "longer-term" absentees.

United beat Omonia 3-2 in Cyprus last week and are second in Group E, three points ahead of Sheriff and three behind leaders Real Sociedad.

Ten Hag's side face a gruelling run of fixtures on the domestic and European front, but the Dutchman says it is important his side seal top spot in their group.

"I told the players weeks ago, before the break, it was important to win the group," he said. "We want to win all the games. It's clear, we want to avoid [finishing second].

"I think all the clubs that play in Europe have the same problem. We have a squad to cover that. Injuries and suspensions will happen, but you have to deal with it as a squad."