Chelsea came through a nervy finish to beat Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Enzo Maresca guided Leicester to promotion last season before switching allegiance to Chelsea, who returned to winning ways after two successive draws in the Premier League.

Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez were on the scoresheet for the Blues as Jordan Ayew’s stoppage-time penalty proved only to be a consolation for the hosts.

The visitors dominated early on and Jackson’s brilliant outside-of-the-foot finish past Mads Hermansen gave them the lead in the 15th minute.

Jackson was involved in Chelsea’s second, too, as his header was saved by Hermansen, only for Fernandez to nod home the rebound in the 75th minute.

Ayew made no mistake from the spot to set up a grandstand finale, but third-place Chelsea held firm to move to within a point of Manchester City, prior to the reigning Premier League champions’ clash with Tottenham later on Saturday, while Leicester dropped down to 16th.

Lewis Hamilton believes he should have been starting in pole position at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday despite qualifying 10th.

The Mercedes driver had finished top in both of Friday’s practice sessions before laying down the fastest time in Q2 as well.

Hamilton locked up during his first run in Q3 before a track limits violation in his second run saw his lap time deleted.

The British driver rued his drop-off in form that saw his team-mate and compatriot George Russell take pole position.

"I should have been on pole but I'm not, so it is what it is. C'est la vie, you live to fight another day," he told Sky Sports.

"It is what it is. It's been a good weekend so far, so I'll give it my best shot tomorrow. Congrats to George.

"The car felt different in Q3, and the stability was not there for some reason. But I had it in all the other sessions.

"But ultimately I didn't put the laps together. I'm really quite far back so I'll just see what I can do from there.”

Elsewhere in the paddock, McLaren’s Lando Norris will start in sixth position on the grid, one place behind his title rival Max Verstappen.

Norris needs to beat the Red Bull driver by at least three points to keep his title aspirations alive and take the championship race to the Qatar Grand Prix next week.

He does not, however, favour his chances against the serial winner.

"I will do everything I can. That's what I'm here to do. I'm not going to give up 'til the end even if chances are extremely thin," Norris said.

 "I'm here to do the best in every race I can whether I'm fighting for a championship or not. We have [Verstappen] just ahead of us. We have a chance to beat him.

 "Whether he wins or not tomorrow, for me it is not going to change anything, he is pretty likely to win the championship.”

Norris currently sits 62 points short of Verstappen who leads the Driver’s Championship on 393 points, though McLaren lead Ferrari by 36 points in the Constructors’ Championship.

"Do I wish it could have gone a bit further? Sure. But the race was lost in the first races of the year, when Max got too far ahead. I am proud and happy with what we’ve done,” Norris added.

"Be optimistic and look ahead to what we can achieve. I don’t expect anything much, for sure."

Nathan McSweeney conceded Australia have "serious work to do" if they are to get back into the first Test against India.

The Baggy Greens trail by 218 runs heading into day three in Perth after an unbroken century partnership of Yashasvi Jaiswal (90) and KL Rahul (62) put the tourists well in control at 172-0 at stumps.

Though they resumed at 67-7, Australia could only add another 37 runs and were bowled out for 104.

McSweeney acknowledged the hosts must improve, and quickly.

"It definitely hasn't gone to plan in the past couple of days," he told ABC. "We've got some serious work to do to get back into this Test. It looks like it is getting easier to bat, so hopefully we get early wickets tomorrow and get batting.

"It is definitely a new-ball wicket. All the damage was done before we could get through to the 35-40-over mark with the bat, so the trick will be nullifying the new ball and having batters in for the 40-80-over mark."

Former Australia head coach Darren Lehmann added: "It was a tough day, but hats off to the two Indian batters. They were excellent today and weathered the storm, and they got to the stage where they could take the game on.

"India are well ahead of the game. The wicket has settled down a little bit, but that is more because the Australia bowlers were tired from the first innings and having to bat two hours today."

Ruben Amorim expressed his “love” for Mason Mount as he prepares to take charge of his first match as Manchester United head coach.

Mount has been hampered by injury during his spell at United, having started just seven matches for the club in the league and contributing only one goal.

Yet he accrued 27 goals, 22 assists and created 227 chances during 129 appearances while at Chelsea. He will hope the arrival of his new boss will help him to recapture such form.

Amorim arrived in Manchester on 11 November and, having had time to familiarise himself with a new squad during the international break, is excited at what Mount can bring to the Red Devils.

“Mason Mount… I have to tell you I love that kid. You can look in his eyes that he wants this so bad. This is the most important thing,” he said at a press conference.

“He played in this system, so it’s perfect for him. I have two positions for Mount, so he should be very happy!”

The English midfielder was once seen as one of England’s most exciting talents, having impressed in the capital, but has floundered in his limited performances at United, with just 10 chances created in 17 matches.

But Erik ten Hag’s departure could signal a reversal of fortunes for United and Mount.

Following an unbeaten run under interim coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, Amorim will take the helm in the Premier League for the first time against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Jason Kidd hailed the character of his Dallas Mavericks team after their gutsy win over the Denver Nuggets.

The Mavericks overcame Luka Doncic's absence, and a triple-double from returning Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, to win 123-120 in Friday's NBA Cup game.

It also marked the third consecutive game the Mavericks have had seven players hit double figures. 

The Mavericks appeared to be running away with a dominant win after leading by as many as 24 points early in the third quarter, only for the Nuggets to swiftly respond. 

They struck a fierce 28-9 run in an eight-minute span to bring the game within single digits going into the final quarter, but the Mavericks held on for a fourth straight win.

"We were here 10 days ago, we learned from that situation, we kept our composure. This group stayed together," Kidd said.  

"On the defensive end we made stops and on the offensive end we made some big plays.

"We didn't finish the game 10 days ago. But the guys stepped up. Defensively, we did what we had to do. A lot of small things that we cleaned up from the last time we were here.

"This is a character game for us. Again without Luka, on the road, we were just in this situation in Oklahoma City. The games are too close for us to make mistakes late.

"This team has a lot of character, a lot of trust and we're becoming a team - it's still early in the season, we've had some injuries, but it's about the next man up and those guys are stepping up."

Dallas (9-7) improved to 2-1 in West Group C to keep their hopes of being one of eight teams to advance to the knockout round. The Mavericks trail the Golden State Warriors, who improved to 3-0 in Group Play after Friday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

It was also a night to remember for Naji Marshall, who scored a career-high 26 points off the bench. 

After scoring 15 points in the second half of Tuesday’s game against the Pelicans, Marshall scored 16 points in the first half on Friday.

Marshall had only two 15-point halves in his career prior to accomplishing the feat in consecutive halves, with Kidd showering praise for his recent displays. 

"Just the trust. Marshall was playing extremely well for us. With the game on the line, he makes a floater with one second left on the shot clock," Kidd said. 

"The confidence the guys have in him on the offensive end and defensive end [helps]."

George Russell "put it all on the table" to surge to a surprise pole position at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with an impressive qualifying display. 

After Mercedes had topped all three practice sessions on Friday, Russell was able to convert his team's electric practice pace into a fourth career pole. 

The Briton finished 0.098 seconds ahead of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly built on his podium at Interlagos last time out by finishing third, with Charles Leclerc starting in fourth. 

While it was Russell’s out-going Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton who swept Thursday’s free practice sessions, the seven-time world champion could only manage 10th. 

Asked if pole was expected coming into the weekend, Russell replied: “Honestly, absolutely not. It feels incredible to be back on pole.

“We’ve been so quick all weekend and I just knew coming into that last Q3 lap… that’s going to be the one that counts. It doesn’t matter what happened before then.

"I'm just so happy, and we've got to do some deep diving to understand why we’ve been so quick so far this weekend, because it was a real surprise!”

"Ultimately, you’ve got to put it on the table sometimes. I felt confident in myself – I knew if I did a clean lap, it would be enough to secure a front row, so to get pole position is incredible," Russell said. 

"Ultimately, we’ve had a few good qualifying recently – we need to convert that into a win now."

Max Verstappen will share the third row of the grid with his sole remaining opponent for the title, Lando Norris, after qualifying fifth. 

The Dutchman knows that he must finish ahead of the Briton's McLaren to claim a fourth consecutive world title, putting him level with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel.

However, Verstappen believes that Red Bull are "just a bit too slow" after struggling for one-lap performance throughout the course of the weekend's action. 

"We have been struggling to get the tyres to work over a lap, and we are slow on the straights as well, especially in qualifying," Verstappen said. 

"You can see our rear wing, it’s trimmed down quite a lot, around the DRS flap, so when we open DRS we don’t get the gains like others do, so that makes it a bit more complicated around here.

“But that’s our own fault. We know that, that's a compromise we have, but nevertheless, I tried to do the best I could.

"It was quite close for P3, little details that could have been a bit better maybe, but overall I'm happy with the laps, was not much more in it."

Ange Postecoglou relishes the opportunity to challenge Pep Guardiola’s Premier League dominance after he signed a contract extension with Manchester City.

It was announced by City on Thursday that Guardiola will stay at the club until 2027 after agreeing a new two-year deal, taking his time at the Etihad to over a decade. 

Under Guardiola (since 2016-17), City have lost more Premier League games (six) and conceded more goals (22) against Spurs than they have against any other opponent in the top-flight. 

It is perhaps unsurprising then that, despite the City boss having lifted the Premier League trophy in six of the last seven seasons, Postecoglou was happy his competitor was remaining at the helm.

"I look at it the other way, imagine you knock him off? That would be something, eh?,"Postecoglou began.

"And I'm at the stage of my life where I'd rather have a chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. In the right way, obviously. 

"I think when greatness is around, you want to be around it. Hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.”

Postecoglou is preparing to travel to face City in the league on Saturday during Guardiola’s worst run of form of his career.

City have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions. The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).

It could present the perfect opportunity for the Australian boss to start his ascent on Guardiola’s dominance, though he will have to face demons of his own as his side have won just two of their last 11 Premier League away games (D2 L7).

"I love the fact that there is a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. It does for me anyway, raises my level, gets me going,” he added.

"I love the challenge of that and I never see that as a bad thing."

The Philadelphia 76ers revealed Joel Embiid missed their victory over the Brooklyn Nets with a knee injury, while the star centre will also be absent from this Sunday's clash with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Philadelphia ended a five-game losing streak with a 113-98 win at Wells Fargo Center, but did so without the services of Embiid.

The centre was not initially listed on the franchise's injury report ahead of the game, but was later added for left knee injury management, having been ruled out 30 minutes before tip-off.

"He was dealing with some swelling in his knee today, got to the arena and was ruled out," 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. "They're going to treat it all weekend, so he'll be out for Sunday as well.

"He had some swelling from the last game. It's something we knew we were going to be dealing with going into the season. They do what they can do to remove that swelling, but it just didn't feel good enough to go.

"We were pretty well aware of that not too much longer after [my pre-match] press conference that he wasn't going to be able to go tonight.

"Then, they obviously looked at it again during the game and half-time, and decided that they needed to treat it this weekend, and go from there.

"Hopefully, on Monday, we'll give you an update on where we're at and, hopefully, he'll be in good shape."

In Embiid's absence, rookie guard Jared McCain stepped up to produce another impressive performance with 30 points, passing the 20-mark for a seventh successive game.

The 20-year-old was heard saying "I'm rookie of the year!" after shooting one of his six three-pointers during the final quarter.

"I did say that," he said after the game. "It was pretty clear. It's one of my goals for the season, obviously, but it was just that competitiveness coming out of me.

"I respect every other rookie in this league, but obviously, I'm a believer in myself."

Ruben Amorim insisted "I will do my thing, my way" at Manchester United rather than concerning himself with where his predecessors went wrong.

The 39-year-old will be on the touchline for his first game as United head coach on Sunday as they face Ipswich Town, taking over from caretaker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Amorim was confirmed as the new head coach at Old Trafford at the start of November after Erik ten Hag was sacked following a poor run of results.

The former Sporting CP boss will not look to the past for answers, however, as he looks to turn the fortunes of United around.

"I will not try to find out the right thing to do or try to find out what was missing with Erik ten Hag, with Jose Mourinho, with Louis van Gaal," Amorim told Sky Sports.

"I will not try that because I think it's a waste of time. They chose me because they saw something and I do something in a clear way.

"I really don't know what the [other managers] missed here but I know I will do my thing, my way and try to find out what is missing in my way of seeing football."

Ten Hag guided United to two trophies but struggled to maintain form across all competitions as they fell to a disappointing eighth-placed finish in the Premier League.

It adds to the persistent struggles of the club since the departure of Alex Ferguson as, despite their illustrious history, United have failed to win a league title since 2013. But Amorim believes he can deliver success.

"We will have really hard moments but, in the end, I truly believe that we are going to succeed," he said.

"The first impression is that it's so big, with a lot of departments. I came from a big club in a small country. Here is a different world.

"You have a lot to do. You are not just a coach. You have to be something more.

"So it's a little bit different, but I think I'm prepared for that. And it's Manchester United. It doesn't matter the last years."

Amorim enjoyed great success at Sporting, winning two league titles.

He took charge of 231 games in all competitions, the most in the club's history, and won 164 of those matches, losing just 33 times, with his 71% win percentage also a club record-high mark. His team scored 510 goals, averaging 2.2 per game.

After a successful four-game stint for interim boss Russ van Nistelrooy, Amorim officially took over at Old Trafford on November 11.

He is, however, understanding that fans may still be wary of the future, given what has come before.

"I know that at this moment our fans are with mixed feelings - 'I want to be excited, but I have been here so I'm a little bit afraid. It's the same story all the time. I can be disappointed,’" said Amorim.

"So what I can say is that I'm really excited. I'm not afraid to show it. But I have a clear idea that this will take time.

"Don't confuse my happiness with naivety. It's not the same thing. I'm really happy.

"I know what to do. But I have an idea that we are going to suffer a little bit before improving in the way that you should improve."

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul's unbroken century partnership put India in complete control of their first Test against Australia on day two in Perth. 

Jaiswal (90 not out) and Rahul (62 not out) left India 172-0 at stumps, extending their advantage to 218 runs after the hosts were bowled out for 104. 

Australia resumed on 67-7 but were only able to add 37 runs to their overnight total, with Jasprit Bumrah completing a five-for with the dismissals of Pat Cummins (three) and Alex Carey (21) early on. 

Nathan Lyon followed shortly after, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood added 25 from 110 before Starc edged India debutant Harshit Rana (3-48) behind to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

After a tentative start to India's chase, Jaiswal and Rahul eventually found their groove, though the former was fortunate to see his attempted drive dropped by Usman Khawaja at second slip when on 51.

Following a first day that saw 17 wickets fall, India's openers were rarely troubled as they cruised through the remainder of the session to give the tourists a comfortable lead. 

Data Debrief: Trouble in Paradise

Only four Tests have been played at the Optus Stadium in Perth and all have been won by Australia, but they face a huge task of maintaining that perfect record.

The hosts' total of 104 runs was also their fourth-lowest score against India in Tests and ninth-lowest at home since 1900.

And while Jaiswal and Rahul will receive plaudits for their showing with the bat, Bumrah starred with the ball. He struck with his opening delivery of the day and has now claimed his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests and ninth outside Asia – the latter stat seeing him equal Kapil Dev's record for India.