Mauricio Pochettino has spoken with Nicolas Jackson to try to address the striker’s discipline on the pitch after he was booked for dissent for the fourth time in five games against Bournemouth last weekend.
The summer signing from Villarreal has cut an increasingly frustrated figure during Chelsea’s early-season struggles, scoring just once in last month’s 3-0 win over Luton.
Chelsea are 14th in the Premier League after Pochettino’s first five games in charge and have not found the net in their last two outings.
Jackson, who was signed for £31million in part as a response to the team’s woeful goal return of 38 last season in the league, has shown flashes of promise.
But he was a peripheral figure for much of Chelsea’s dour stalemate at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, when the home side coped comfortably with what little threat Pochettino’s side posed.
The manager reiterated his call for Jackson and the rest of the club’s young new recruits to be afforded time, and pointed to the example of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior – one of the most effective forwards in Europe last season.
After joining the La Liga giants in 2018 from Brazilian side Flamengo he scored just seven league goals in his first two and half seasons, but has since taken his total for the club to 60.
“I had a meeting today (Friday) with Nicolas and Enzo (Fernandez),” said Pochettino. “I said ‘come on, a striker with four yellows cards for protesting?’ You need to get yellow cards but in different actions, not for that. Not so easy, so cheap. It’s going to put him in a very difficult situation with the team.
“He understood. But Jackson is 21, he’s young. He needs to learn, needs to improve, needs to settle. He’s going to be a fantastic player. But he needs time.
“I like to make similarities with players at other clubs. Jackson is a fantastic player but he needs to be calm and relaxed in front of goal. I said remember Vinicius, he took three seasons, or two and a half seasons, to perform (at Real).
“We’re talking about young players. You can blame us, blame me. We can talk about tactics. But they need time. It’s no doubt we have amazing talent on the team, but now they need time to settle.
“But he needs to be clever not to protest to the referees in this way.
“Maybe it’s his normal behaviour on the pitch, it’s something maybe he can improve. Maybe this season they change the rules, he came from Spain where it’s different the relationship with the referees.”
Pochettino said there was a good chance Armando Broja would be available for Sunday’s meeting with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge after he recovered from the ACL injury that has kept him out since December.
“Broja will maybe be involved at the weekend,” he said. “But it’s after nine months that he’s not competing.
“We cannot expect Broja to arrive to score every single touch, he needs time to feel the competition and start to perform in the way we expect he can.”
The manager added that despite the team’s run of one win in five league games this season he has been pleased with the emotional reaction shown by his players to the team’s indifferent start.
“I’m so happy the way they felt after Bournemouth and (the 1-0 defeat to) Nottingham Forest. They really care about performing better.
“This week was good to work really hard and create a good atmosphere to try to translate to the competition.”
Warren Gatland believes there will be degrees of desperation on both sides when Wales tackle Rugby World Cup rivals Australia on Sunday.
Victory for Wales would send them into a fourth successive World Cup quarter-final with one group game to spare.
Australia, meanwhile, know that defeat realistically condemns them to a pool-stage exit for the first time in World Cup history.
“It will be one hell of a game, and that will be down to not just them being desperate, but us being desperate to progress through this pool,” Wales head coach Gatland said.
“There is definitely desperation for us because a loss or no points and the group could potentially come down to points difference.
“That is the last position we want to be in. I think that, when you’ve worked so hard and made as many sacrifices as the coaches and players have made in the past four months, that creates its own desperation.
“Why give yourself a get out of jail card when you don’t need to do that? We are desperate for the right reasons.”
Wales co-captain and hooker Dewi Lake has missed out on a place in Wales’ matchday 23 for the Lyon showdown.
Gatland has named the same team that defeated Fiji 12 days ago, with Ryan Elias starting at hooker in a side skippered by flanker Jac Morgan.
Elliot Dee provides cover for Elias on the bench, while lock Adam Beard will win his 50th cap. There is also a spot among the replacements for former England prop Henry Thomas, who is on course to make his Wales World Cup debut.
Flanker Tommy Reffell, a late withdrawal due to a tight calf muscle before Wales faced Portugal last weekend, also misses out, with Taine Basham providing back-row bench cover.
“He (Lake) was disappointed. He hasn’t had a lot of rugby, he has been carrying an injury and that was probably the decision we made for that one,” Gatland added.
“I have always been a fan of Elliot Dee in terms of his lineout throwing and how he brings energy off the bench. I know Dewi was disappointed, but it doesn’t mean that he is not going to feature in further games.”
Gatland is relishing another coaching encounter with Australia head coach and former England boss Eddie Jones, who has come in for considerable criticism following the Wallabies’ 22-15 defeat against Fiji last weekend.
That result has left Australia in the last-chance saloon as they look to navigate their way out of Pool C and onwards in the competition.
“You have come to realise what to expect from an Eddie team,” Gatland said.
“With regards to the way they are going to play on Sunday, we have prepared for a couple of scenarios.
“I was surprised at their tactics against Fiji. There were 11 less minutes ball-in-play time to us (Wales against Fiji), so I am not 100 per cent sure tactically how they will come at us.
“As coaches, we all come under pressure at times – it is part of the job.
“In fairness to Eddie, he is trying to take as much pressure off the players as he can, saying he is responsible for the results and that things aren’t good enough.
“Our relationship has always been good. We have been out on a number of occasions and had meals together. I find his company good – he is engaging.
“If you look at the recent record of games between Wales and Australia, there is never much in it. They won’t lie down and roll over for us.
“What I am happy about at the moment is putting some pride back in that Welsh jersey. It doesn’t take long to lose it.
“I don’t think we had the respect of the rugby world in terms of performance and results. That has been an objective of ours over the last few months, and players have made a lot of sacrifices.”
Julie Camacho’s Significantly will bid bounce back from a narrow Doncaster defeat last week as he heads further north for the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup Handicap.
The five-year-old was a 12-1 shot for the five-and-a-half-furlong Portland Handicap at the St Leger meeting and very nearly made light of those odds when just missing out on first place by a short head.
Connections report he is ready to go again and he will return to six furlongs for the valuable Gold Cup, a big field handicap worth over £90,000 to the winner.
“When you come as close as Significantly did last week, you always have the disappointment that the result didn’t go your way but pride in the performance,” said Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant.
“We’ve seen no reason at home not to run him again and going back up to six furlongs should suit.”
Karl Burke has a pair of runners in Fast Response and Lethal Levi, with the first-named contender likely to relish the conditions as autumn rain has left the ground on the easy side.
The trainer said: “Fast Response loves soft ground, she’s a Listed winner and a good quality filly. She should run very well.”
Of Lethal Levi, who was fourth at Doncaster last week, Burke added: “Lethal Levi probably wouldn’t want too much more rain and wears a visor for the first time.
“He hasn’t really gone on as I hoped he would this year, but he’s a fair horse and ran pretty well at Doncaster last week, so we’re hoping for another big run.”
Kevin Ryan has a superb record with six past successes in the race and will saddle a trio of contenders in Aleezdancer, Bielsa and Magical Spirit.
Bielsa won the contest in 2021 and Magical Spirit is well proven over course and distance after winning the Ayr Silver Cup in 2020 and finishing fourth in the same race the following year.
The chestnut is owned by Hambleton Racing, whose director of racing Simon Turner said: “He’s in great form at home, he worked well earlier in the week and the ground should be ideal for him, so we’re hoping for a big run.”
Magical Spirit has a wide draw in stall 18, something Turner is fairly neutral about as handicaps with large fields can gravitate to either rail or into several groups.
“I have an open mind on the draw until we see how some of the big-field races pan out before then,” he added.
“We’ve had instances in the past where we thought we were on the wrong side at Royal Ascot but we stuck to our guns and had the winner.
“You convince yourself that one place is the place to be, but we’ll go in a straight line from where we are and hope we’re on a fair part of the track.
“He’s been in great form through the year, he’s run some smashing races and he’s run twice in the Silver Cup at Ayr and won it and finished fourth.
“He’s got solid form over course and distance in this type of race and he’s been targeted at this for some time. He’ll be one of the outsiders but we know he’s well capable of winning a big race.”
Charlie Hills’ Orazio is among the leading fancies, with David O’Meara’s Summerghand the returning champion after a one-length victory last season.
The line up also features other O’Meara-trained sprint handicap regulars such as Aberama Gold and Escobar, with further familiar names including David Evans’ Rohaan and John Quinn’s Mr Waygu.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed the seven venues in the Caribbean that will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 from 4 to 30 June. Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago, will host games along with three venues in the USA – Dallas, Florida and New York.
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “We’re delighted to announce the seven Caribbean venues that will host the biggest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ever staged, with 20 teams competing for the trophy. They’re all popular venues with players and fans alike that will provide a wonderful backdrop to the event.
“This will be the third ICC senior men’s event hosted by the West Indies, and the matches will again give cricket fans the unique experience of enjoying cricket in the Caribbean. I’d like to thank Cricket West Indies and the seven host governments for their continued commitment and support of our sport.”
Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave said: “This is an exciting moment as we announce the venues approved to host the largest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in history, with 20 teams playing in 55 matches in June next year.
“We are grateful to the host Governments of the Caribbean for their overwhelming responses and enthusiasm for hosting what will be the most significant sporting event held in our region for a generation.
Grave added: “We are confident that together we will deliver a world-class tournament showcasing the best this region has to offer with our unique culture and carnival atmosphere that will ensure there is a real celebration of the sport next June.”
The Triple Crown-seeking filly In the Headlines has been drawn in post position four for Monday’s Trinidad Derby at Santa Rosa Park.
Champion trainer John O’Brien has booked the services of Naim Samaroo for this very important assignment.
In the Headlines is listed as the 6-5 second favourite behind her stablemate and 4-5 shot Hello World for the 10-furlong run on the Republic Day holiday card.
Hello World will be ridden by 58-year-old Panama-born Nobel Abrego.
Coming off wins in the Guineas in May and the Midsummer Classic in August, In the Headlines is trying to become the first filly to capture the Triple Crown at Santa Rosa Park and would also give trainer O’Brien a second Triple Crown win in four years after Wise Guy in 2020.
Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham’s performance at Arsenal and not the result will be the biggest measure of their progress under him.
Spurs have enjoyed a flying start to life under the Australian and optimism is rife following last weekend’s dramatic victory over Sheffield United, which puts them joint-second alongside Liverpool and Sunday’s opponents Arsenal in the Premier League.
Tottenham have not won in the league at the Emirates since 2010 and while Postecoglou understands the significance of the fixture, his yardstick for progress will be if his team produce his front-foot philosophy in a white hot atmosphere.
Postecoglou said: “The supporters, irrespective of your past record, always see the next derby as the one they want to win and that doesn’t change.
“From our perspective, it’s a great challenge for us as a football team that’s beginning on a journey and trying to have an identity on the way we play.
“There’s no greater test than playing one of the top teams in the comp away from home, who also happens to be your biggest rival.
“It’s a great test for us, a great challenge for us. We’ve got to go out there and see how we cope with all of that.
“We’re five games in. I understand that for many people, they will see this as our first real test and I get that. It is pretty easy, you could almost write two stories now: if we are successful, great we’re on the right track. If we’re not, we’ve still got a long way to go.
“For me, what is going to be more important is how much of our football I see in a big game like this. How much of us can I see against a top opponent?
“That will give me the biggest indicator of where we’re at, but ultimately we’ll still be six games into a new cycle, a new group of players, a very young group of players.
“Either way, irrespective of the outcome, I’d say the performance will be my biggest measure but knowing we have still got a long way to go.”
Similarities can be drawn between the rebuilding job Postecoglou has been tasked with at Tottenham and the work achieved by Mikel Arteta during the past four years at Arsenal.
There has been plenty of change on and off the pitch since Postecoglou was appointed by Spurs in June and this week saw Scott Munn finally begin his role as chief football officer.
Chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini has also left the club, with Tottenham set to appoint a new technical director to run transfers following Fabio Paratici’s resignation as director of football in April.
Postecoglou is used to sweeping changes upon arriving at a new club, and he insisted: “Normal for me. Wherever I have gone.
“I’ve constantly said that if you want to change, you need to change. All these things happen, sometimes not sequential or all at the same time, but over the course of time you find we are heading off in a new direction and some people make their own decisions about whether they’re involved in that and other times we look for, or the club look to bring new people in.
That’s the kind of position we’re in as a club. As I said, it wasn’t going to take one window for us to build the squad we wanted and it wasn’t going to take a couple of months to have the structure we wanted.
“It will evolve over the next 12 months, couple of years I think you’ll find, and we will have a constant evolution of people and the way we play, the way we train and the environment itself.
“All these kind of things are a natural consequence of the club deciding to change direction from last year.”
Spurs will be without Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Giovani Lo Celso (quad), Bryan Gil (groin) and Ivan Perisic (knee) for Sunday’s derby.
Ben Duckett has switched focus to his next duel with India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after England’s axing of Jason Roy provided some solace for his own World Cup omission.
While established as an opening batter in Tests, Duckett is on the fringes of the ODI set-up and was unsurprised at being snubbed for England’s defence of their crown, starting in India in a fortnight.
Any disappointment was thrown into sharp relief by England discarding Roy, so crucial to their 2019 title win, and speculation is mounting that the opener could now end his international career.
Roy could be a reserve if injury strikes the main group and although Duckett has not been extended the same courtesy, he recognises the tournament might be a one-day international swansong for a number of England stars.
“I’m used to missing out in the white-ball squad,” he said. “It’s so hard to break into. You look at one of England’s best white-ball batters ever, Jason Roy, missing out. If he’s missing out then I don’t feel too bad.
“It’s really tough on Jason. But what he’s achieved in an England shirt has been incredible. I used to watch him and love seeing him bat. I’m sure he’ll score so many runs in whatever shirt he’s wearing.
“It just shows where England cricket’s at and it’s amazing at the minute but what that looks like in six months’ time, it might be completely different.
“I’ve learned not to think far ahead. These things will happen. They might not. All I can control is myself. That’s what I’ve done the last three or four years and it’s potentially got me to where I am.”
Duckett is vice-captain of a second-string England side facing Ireland in an ODI series, after which he will turn his attention to his next Test assignment in India early next year and a reunion with Ashwin.
The spinner terrorised Duckett when he was a budding international in late 2016, dismissing him in all three innings and leading to the left-hander spending the next six years in the wilderness in Tests.
Even if he is expecting another stern examination by Ashwin across a five-match Test series, Duckett argued both he and Ben Stokes’ England are a different proposition to what they were then.
“I’m certainly not going to get out playing as many forward defensives if I’m there,” he said. “It’s a chance to go and play a different brand of cricket, which I don’t think anyone’s done over there, which will be exciting.
“I will be working at it for the next couple of months but the obvious one is Ashwin. He’s going to get me out – he’s one of the best bowlers ever, especially to left-handers.
“I’ve got an opportunity potentially for the next couple of months to work on things. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and trying to tweak little things.”
For now, Duckett is concentrating on the next two ODIs against Ireland after the series opener at Headingley was rained off. That means Duckett is set for his first home appearance in the format at his home ground of Trent Bridge on Saturday, when England could hand debuts to up to five players.
Duckett is set for a middle-order role alongside stand-in England captain Zak Crawley, with the pair increasingly flourishing alongside each other as openers in the longest format.
They are highly likely to be offered full central contracts, which would be a first for Duckett, who welcomes the prospect of multi-year deals that have been mooted by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
“It’s certainly not negative, it kind of gives you a bit of security,” he said. “I think it’s great that they’re offering these contracts.
“The security of players wanting to keep playing for England is perfect. For me the main thing is walking out and representing my country, it’s not really a contract but that’s a bonus.”
Namibia captain Johan Deysel has apologised to Antoine Dupont following a head-on-head collision that has left the France star’s Rugby World Cup campaign in doubt.
Dupont suffered a facial fracture during France’s record 96-0 win against Namibia in Marseille.
Deysel’s yellow card for the collision, with France leading 54-0, was upgraded to red following a review by the television match official.
The French Rugby Federation confirmed the extent of Dupont’s injury on Friday, but said it was uncertain how long the scrum-half will be unavailable for.
Deysel said: “I would like to extend my best wishes to Antoine Dupont. Clearly, I meant no harm.
“Everything happened very quickly and I couldn’t get my head out of the way quick enough, resulting in a head clash. I know the rules and immediately knew that I was at fault.
“I spoke with Fabien Galthie (France head coach) immediately after the match and sent my best wishes and apologies to Antoine, both personally and via the France team doctor.
“He is a great player and person, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
A tearful Dupont went to hospital in nearby Aix-en-Provence, and the Federation said: “Specialised surgical advice was requested to assess how long he will be unavailable for.”
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’s fitness setback is headline news in France, and there is a real possibility of Les Bleus losing their star player for the tournament remainder.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland and England scrum-half Danny Care, meanwhile, have been among the well-wishers to Dupont.
Gatland said: “Hopefully, he will be OK.
“The World Cup needs a player like him to be fit and be there past the group stage, in the quarter-finals, semi-finals or if France get to the final. He is absolutely world class.”
And Care said: “In the World Cup, you want to see the best players. Antoine is the best player in the world, so we want to see him back there in a French shirt.
“One thing we know about him is he is tough. If he is able, he will be back in a French shirt.
“I saw the way they played last night with him fizzing around, and he is pretty special, so for the tournament I want to see the best players playing. We wish him a speedy recovery.”
Former world player of the year Dupont has been the star performer in a resurgent French team under Galthie’s direction.
And while it is hoped he can return before the end of the tournament, there must also be doubts about his future participation as France target a first world title.
France attack coach Laurent Labit said on Friday: “We always have a hope that Antoine will continue the adventure with us.
“We will leave the time for two-three days to have the opinion of a specialist. It’s Antoine and the surgeon who will make the decision.
“For us, Antoine hasn’t finished the competition. We have three days in front of us. We hope to have good news after the three days.
“Antoine certainly imagined the worst before the first examinations. After the initial tests, Fabien (Galthie) went to see him.
“Antoine stays with us. Everyone will be together. We will do as we have always done with short-term injuries in hoping that the opinion of the surgeon is positive for Antoine and us.
“The specialist knows who Antoine Dupont is, what competition he is currently playing. It is not an average subject.”
Ireland take on world champions South Africa in a pivotal Rugby World Cup clash in Paris.
Andy Farrell’s men top Pool B following bonus-point wins over Romania and Tonga, while the Springboks have also begun with back-to-back victories.
Here, the PA news agency picks out some of the main talking points.
World number one versus world number two
Test rugby’s top-ranked teams collide in one of the most eagerly anticipated pool stage matches in World Cup history.
Ireland have led the way since last summer’s historic tour success in New Zealand but face a heavyweight clash against the reigning champions early in the competition courtesy of the draw being made based on the rankings at the start of 2020.
Bookmakers have South Africa as marginal favourites, while Ireland head coach Farrell feels the rest of the world expects his side to lose. The Englishman is well aware of the fixture’s importance but insists it is not “do or die”.
Defusing the ‘Bomb Squad’
Much has been made of South Africa’s bold decision to stack their bench with a seven-one split of forwards and backs. The Springboks successfully deployed the unusual strategy in last month’s crushing 35-7 warm-up win over the All Blacks.
South Africa boss Jacques Nienaber has divided opinion by using it in a World Cup fixture for the first time, while a mocked-up image circulating on social media depicting rival coach Farrell in a blast suit has provided some amusement in the Ireland camp.
The former dual-code international talked down the significance of South Africa’s tactical statement of intent and urged his players to stick to their own strengths.
Quarter-finals calling
Ireland have the opportunity to secure a quarter-final spot with a game to spare, while South Africa could also take a significant step towards the last eight. The Six Nations champions have won seven of the last 11 meetings between the sides, including a 19-16 success in November.
Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus this week referenced the head-to-head results while also highlighting Ireland’s record of never having won a World Cup knockout match.
“A few of my friends said that Ireland is our bogey team, but the World Cup is Ireland’s bogey competition,” he said. The victors will almost certainly top Pool B and probably avoid hosts France in the next round.
Home away from home
Following sojourns in Bordeaux and Nantes, Ireland will hope to make Paris a permanent home for the five next weeks. All of their remaining fixtures – up to five in total – will be staged at Stade de France.
The stadium has not been a particularly happy hunting ground in recent times. Two of the seven losses suffered in the 40 matches of Farrell’s reign have come in Saint-Denis: costly Six Nations defeats to France in 2020 and 2022.
Yet there will be a different complexion to this weekend’s game. Instead of enduring a partisan crowd, Ireland will be backed by around 30,000 travelling fans, giving a neutral venue the feel of a home fixture.
Farrell a big fan of “world-class” Dan
Ireland have been relatively fortunate with injuries so far. But the facial fracture which has cast doubt on France captain Antoine Dupont’s future participation in the tournament is a reminder to all teams of the potential risk of losing key players.
In a major boost, first-choice hooker Dan Sheehan is back on the bench this weekend, awaiting his first outing since sustaining a foot problem in last month’s warm-up win over England.
Sheehan has shone since making his Test debut less than two years ago. Farrell hailed the Leinster man as “world class” and his availability could make a major difference moving forward.
Borna Barisic revealed Rangers’ Europa League victory over Real Betis had helped raise the spirits of a demoralised dressing room.
Abdallah Sima’s second-half goal ensured Michael Beale’s men got off to a winning start in their group campaign and built on the league victory secured at St Johnstone the previous weekend.
Barisic admitted the mood had been somewhat darker after the derby defeat to Celtic prior to the international break but hoped success in Europe could provide a springboard for better times ahead.
The Croatian defender said: “These two wins are very big, very important. I felt like we were old Rangers I would say. We were in a good way.
“I am very happy, people are happy and the dressing room is happy. It’s a very big victory. We deserved the three points, a very huge three points. Betis are a very good team but we played a good game. The crowd was with us during the game. They gave us energy. It’s a very good start to the group.”
Asked what the mood in the Rangers squad had been like prior to this week, Barisic added: “We have not been happy. We have been very disappointed.
“We felt that we did not play well in some games. We lost the derby game and it was a hard two weeks to be here to train (after that). I wasn’t there but people said to me and I know what that feeling is like.
“Then we went to St Johnstone and won the game and now this game. So that’s why we feel much better now. But this is only one game. We need to continue like this, be positive and try to win all our games.”
Rangers welcome Motherwell to Ibrox on Sunday and Barisic acknowledged the need to keep building momentum.
He added: “This can be a turning point but it always depends on us. It’s an important win but it’s only one game. We just need to continue like this. There are games every three or four days so the schedule is very busy.
“It gives us confidence. This game shows we can compete with very good teams. Betis is a good team who finished sixth last season in the Spanish league and that shows they have quality. They came here as the most expensive team in our group – I cannot say the best – and we took the three points. So it’s the perfect start for the Europa League.”
Rabbi Matondo revealed it was Beale’s half-time team talk that had inspired Rangers’ stirring second-half performance after a flat opening period.
The forward said: “The manager got us going (at half-time). He wasn’t too pleased with certain aspects of our game and we had to up it in the second half and I felt that we did that. We had to dig in at times but ultimately I believe we deserved the win.”
The Welsh international conceded he should have given the team an early lead after he fastened on to Kemar Roofe’s long ball only to shoot straight at Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
He added: “One hundred per cent I should have scored. I think I snatched at it a bit and on another day it would have been a goal. That’s something I’ll look at again and see what I could have done better at the time.”
Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has warned his players they will need to take a physical approach to match the “intense” style of Bundesliga opponents Bochum.
Bayern return to domestic action on Saturday after opening their Champions League campaign with a 4-3 win over Manchester United in midweek.
The defending champions are unbeaten in the league so far after following three straight wins with a 2-2 at home to Bayer Leverkusen, a result which left the sides separated only by goal difference at the top of the table.
Bochum were thrashed 5-0 at Stuttgart on the opening day of the season but have drawn each of their last three games and Tuchel is taking nothing for granted ahead of the game at the Allianz Arena.
“We need respect for the opponent,” Tuchel said in his pre-tournament press conference. “Bochum are on a good run, three games without defeat, and deservedly so.
“They have a very intense style of play. We need our best line-up for this game. Bochum isn’t a game where we can just do our thing. We have to be ready and be physically involved. There will be a huge amount of sprints and challenges.
“Everyone’s come out of the (Man United) match well. I think we have everyone available. We won’t rotate for rotation’s sake.”
Bayern scored four times against United and could easily have had several more, but Tuchel was unhappy with the manner of the goals his side conceded against their Premier League opponents.
“We have to do everything together,” Tuchel said. “To concede fewer goals, that’s always the goal. The goals we conceded against Man United were a bit strange.”
Teenage striker Mathys Tel scored Bayern’s fourth against United and has now found the back of the net three times already this season, all three goals arriving within minutes of coming off the bench.
“It’s an ideal situation,” Tuchel added. “Mathys is 18 years old and has an important role. The way he accepts the role is fantastic. He has the chance to influence games.
“The important thing is that his mindset is clear. The fact he wants more (minutes) is natural. He has to be ready but also patient. It could be that he starts tomorrow.
“We have a lot of competition. Having someone who accepts the role like him is fantastic.”
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains sidelined with a calf problem but Tuchel will not take any risks with his return and is happy with the performances of replacement Sven Ulreich.
“Sven Ulreich is doing a good job, making good saves and trying to implement things in build-up play,” Tuchel said. “He’s made several important saves for us. We have a good goalkeeping team and are very happy.
“Manuel Neuer is very positive. He’s continuing to do his goalkeeper training, not with the team but individually. It’s not an injury but more issues with his calf. We don’t want to take any risk that an injury can come from it.”
Sense Of Duty will try to overcome a 455-day absence as she returns to action in the Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes at Newbury.
When she fairly bolted up in the Group Three Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle last June, beating this year’s King’s Stand third Annaf by four and a half lengths, it appeared Sense Of Duty would soon make her mark at an even higher level.
However, injury intervened and trainer William Haggas and owners St Albans Bloodstock have had to display real patience as she has been nurtured back to full fitness.
While her handler has warned she will not be fully tuned up for this assignment, with a trip to Ascot on Champions Day the main aim, he admitted he will be disappointed if she fails to make a successful return to action.
“She’s never run over five furlongs, but she has to run somewhere with as big a gap as possible between Champions Day,” said Haggas.
“She will need the run, but she’s pretty useful. She was very good the day she won the Chipchase at Newcastle. I think she’ll enjoy the ground.
“Obviously she is against race-fit contenders, including one owned by the same stud in Nymphadora, but I think we’ll all be a bit disappointed, everyone bar Andrew Balding (Nymphadora’s trainer), if she can’t beat her.”
Despite Sense Of Duty’s profile, with her only defeat coming on her debut by a head, she is not the highest-rated in the field as that honour goes to Mick Appleby’s Raasel, who has returned to form of late and was just touched off in a Listed race at Doncaster last week.
Jack Davison sends Thunderbear from Ireland while John Butler’s Designer, a winner at York’s Ebor meeting, completes the field.
Hughie Morrison’s 2021 Fighting Fifth dead-heater Not So Sleepy carries top weight in the Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup, which will be his first run since finishing fifth in the Champion Hurdle behind Constitution Hill.
Jack Grealish could return for Manchester City as the champions host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
The England midfielder has missed the treble winners’ last three games with a knee injury and was also unavailable for international duty earlier this month.
The 28-year-old is now back in training, easing manager Pep Guardiola’s injury concerns after Bernardo Silva this week joined a casualty list that also includes Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic.
Guardiola said at a press conference: “We need the injured players back because we have a lot of games and we cannot play with the same players.
“Jack is coming back. He has trained well and maybe he will be ready for some minutes. Kova is almost there, he’s in the last part of the recovery but now we’ve lost Bernardo. John and Kevin are still out.”
Silva left the field in little obvious discomfort towards the end of the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola has since given little information on the nature of the Portugal international’s problem other than to confirm he faces a short spell on the sidelines.
He said: “He has a little injury. It is nothing much. The clinical development is good but it could be one week, 10 days, two weeks that he will be out.”
A fortnight’s absence could mean Silva would also miss the Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle, a Premier League game at Wolves and the Champions League clash at RB Leipzig. City then travel to Arsenal on October 8.
City’s immediate task is trying to extend their winning start to the campaign against Forest.
City were held to a draw by Steve Cooper’s side last February and Guardiola has been impressed by their progress.
He said: “When he took over two years ago in the Championship it was not good at Nottingham Forest.
“But he made an incredible run, got them promoted. They struggled last season but in the end they finished well.
“There were a lot of good signs and this season they have started really well. They have made more points than last season.
“They are physical and well organised. We have to be careful but we are optimistic we can do what we have to do, with our people, to make the sixth win in a row.”
England continue their march towards the World Cup quarter-finals when they clash with Chile in Lille on Saturday.
While victory is expected from Steve Borthwick’s men, the South Americans will provide stiff opposition.
Here, the PA news agency examines five talking points heading into the game.
Smith unleashed
To England’s credit they have found a role for one of the most exciting talents in the game – albeit through a positional slight of hand. All eyes at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy will be on Marcus Smith’s first start at full-back after he produced exhilarating cameos in the position as a replacement in the last four Tests. A magician of a fly-half, Smith’s playmaking and running skills have flourished at 15 and the young Harlequin has the opportunity to show he is a viable alternative to Freddie Steward.
Farrell to make his mark
After a delay enforced by his four-match ban for a dangerous tackle, Owen Farrell finally makes his first appearance at France 2023. England’s captain has been champing at the bit to make his presence felt having watched the conclusive victories over Argentina and Japan from the stands, which he described as an exhausting experience because of his emotional investment in the team. Farrell is reinstated at fly-half and has a tough act to follow after George Ford delivered successive man-of-the-match performances against the Pumas and Brave Blossoms. The squad’s talisman will use the run-out to bank precious minutes on the field before forming a playmaking axis alongside Ford for the tougher tests ahead.
Playmaking trio
The enticing prospect of England fielding three fly-halves is expected to materialise in the second half when Ford steps off the bench. It means that Farrell, Ford and Smith will be operating in unison as a ball playing trio, providing the platform for the likes of Elliot Daly and Max Malins to run riot. Fly-half is a position of strength for England and head coach Borthwick will seize the opportunity to take a closer look at his creative options.
Billy needs to shine
Billy Vunipola needs a big performance if he is to wrestle the number eight jersey off his Saracens team-mate Ben Earl, whose rampaging displays have placed him in pole position for selection against Samoa on October 7. Vunipola has completed his two-match ban for a dangerous tackle against Ireland in the third warm-up Test and it could emerge as a costly suspension that has given his rival the opportunity to stake his claim. Stiffer challenges than Chile await and Vunipola must display his ball carrying clout against the side ranked 22 in the world to present Borthwick with a welcome selection conundrum.
Banana skin hazard
While there have been a handful of wipe-outs so far in this World Cup, there have also been stirring performances from lower-ranked sides that show victories against emerging nations cannot be taken for granted. Uruguay and Portugal have been a revelation and made France and Wales respectively work hard for their wins. Chile beat the USA to qualify for the tournament and have gone down fighting against Japan and Samoa, so it will be a tough 80 minutes if England fail to give the World Cup debutants due respect.
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