Louis Moult marked his Dundee United league debut with a goal and three assists as the Scottish Championship title favourites ran out thumping 4-0 winners in the season opener at Arbroath.

United, relegated from the Premiership on the final day of last season, went ahead after nine minutes when Arbroath gave the ball away to former Preston and Motherwell forward Moult, who sent Glenn Middleton through to score.

Moult was the architect again as United doubled their lead in the 25th minute, slipping Mathew Cudjoe through to coolly finish.

Craig Sibbald rattled the crossbar before he got on the scoresheet eight minutes before half-time after another Moult assist.

And Moult got in on the act in first-half stoppage time with a powerful finish to put the visitors 4-0 up at the break.

United could have had another in the second half but Scott McMann’s drive clipped a post.

Jody Cundy won a remarkable 14th consecutive world kilo title as Britain’s para-cyclists enjoyed a golden night on the second day of the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.

Neil Fachie, racing on home boards in Scotland, claimed a 17th world title, piloted to glory by Matt Rotherham in the men’s B kilo time trial ahead of fellow Brits James Ball and Steffan Lloyd, before Jaco Van Gass pipped team-mate Fin Graham to gold in the men’s C3 kilo time trial.

Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl then made it two golds in as many days as they beat fellow Brits Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall in the women’s B individual pursuit.

These combined ‘super’ world championships are the first in which the track cycling and para-track cycling has been fully integrated, and the Brits took full advantage of the partisan home crowd as Fran Brown and Daphne Schrager also picked up silver medals.

Cundy has owned the men’s C4 kilo crown since making his debut in 2006. But after a spell of injury and illness the 44-year-old has considered stepping away from the sport in recent months before rediscovering his mojo and using it to claim yet another rainbow jersey.

“It’s probably the best one purely off the fact I’ve had an absolute shocker of a year,” Cundy said. “I’ve been properly low, depression, just things in life but I’ve had massive support from the team, my fiancee, kids, my mum and dad and a great network within British Cycling…

“It was getting to a point where I had absolutely no motivation every time I got on the bike and it was getting harder and harder and I just wasn’t looking forward to it…

“But thankfully I’ve kind of turned my world around and here we are with another world title in the bag. This is probably the best one.”

Cundy said next year’s Paraylmpics is likely to be his swansong but, having just ridden his best time at sea level at 1 minute 3.648 seconds, he added: “You can’t say never, and if I’m getting better then it will be hard to walk away.”

“If I get to Paris and I can get on the podium or whatever, it would be a nice way to go out.”

Crowd favourite Fachie took a 17th career world title, and credited the Glasgow crowds with spurring him on as he and Rotherham needed a big push in the final few laps to beat Ball and Lloyd by 0.042 seconds.

“This is my first big race (back at the velodrome) since 2014 and the Commie Games which was one of the absolute highlights of my career so just to be back here is amazing, and it’s a first world title with my son in the crowd watching so that was special too.

“The crowd was amazing, that’s the reason we won today. We’ve got no idea on the bike if we’re up or down (on time), all we could hear was the crowd roaring.

“I assumed we were going really well because they were cheering, I had no concept of us being behind but the crowd got behind us and we just nicked it.”

Van Gass took his fifth world title as he beat Graham by 0.263seconds, and then soaked in the adulation of the crowd.

“It really is amazing,” the 36-year-old said. “Every time a British rider steps to the plate the crowd goes wild and honestly I needed them today, they drove me through it. It’s a great experience and what the sport deserves.”

Unwin and Holl won the women’s B kilo on Thursday, and doubled up with a convincing win over Fachie, who is married to Neil, and Hall.

“We knew how the race was going to go, we knew we would be behind in the first half and hopefully bring it back and to be able to execute that how we wanted to was amazing,” Unwin said.

“Yesterday it was nice to see the endurance and the speed in our legs and that gave us the confidence to know we could come in today and do what we wanted.”

Brazil bounced back from disappointment over hurdles 24 hours earlier to bag a big prize on the Flat at Galway on Friday.

Winner of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in March last year, he was pulled up in the Galway Hurdle on Thursday.

But the Padraig Roche-trained, JP McManus-owned five-year-old showed no ill effects back on the level in €110,000 Guinness Premier Handicap over a mile and a half, powering home to edge 5-2 favourite Teed Up and Chally Chute by a head and the same in the hands of Niall McCullagh.

https://twitter.com/HRIRacing/status/1687521870004834329

“Yesterday was the plan, but unfortunately that didn’t go to plan and in fairness to Mark (Walsh) he looked after him,” said Roche following the victory of the 14-1 chance. “We had him in today and it was great, Niall gave him a great ride, so I’m delighted.

“When I was only a young lad, Niall was in India when dad (Christy Roche) was over there so I’ve known Niall a long time. It’s great and he gave him a great ride.”

On being pulled up in the Galway Hurdle he added: “Look it’s Galway, the start is everything. Fair play to Mark he looked after him and he knew he was in today. He’s a hardy horse and there’s no bother with him. He came back, ate up last night and was bouncing this morning so we said we’d give him a chance.

“His pedigree is great, he came from Ballydoyle and I’m lucky to have a horse like him.

“He has a load of options, it was a bit morbid last night but today is great. It’s a great game.”

Toss Again (11-2) produced a performance full of class to win the Guinness Galway Blazers Handicap.

With just one previous outing over fences to his name when winning a beginners’ chase at Limerick in May, the Henry de Bromhead-trained six-year-old belied his inexperience with a fine round of jumping.

Pressed hard on the long run for home, Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount was not for passing, with a length and three-quarters the margin over Quantum Realm.

De Bromhead – who has a fine recent record in the valuable handicap – said: “I’m delighted for Tom O’Connor, his owner. He and his brother and his mum are here, so that’s great. He was brilliant, and Darragh was brilliant on him.

“It’s only his first run in a handicap and second run over fences, obviously he lacked experience but his jumping is savage and he was brilliant the whole way.

“I thought it (handicap rating) was fair, off his hurdle mark. We hoped he had improved for fences, he won his beginners’ chase nicely in Limerick. The lack of experience around here (was a worry), but you wouldn’t have thought it with the way he jumped.

“He really stayed at it and I thought Darragh gave him a super ride.

“We won’t rush, today was the plan and he’s still a novice. He has options.

“He probably prefers nicer ground, I’d say he’s better on better ground.”

Gary Lineker admits he is concerned for Tottenham this season regardless of whether or not Harry Kane makes the “fantastic” move to Bayern Munich.

Kane – Tottenham and England’s all-time record goalscorer – has been heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga champions this summer and Bayern have already had two bids knocked back in their efforts to land the striker.

Reports on Friday claimed the Bavarians had made a third – and final – bid for the striker of more than 100 million euros (£86million), also setting Spurs a midnight deadline to accept or reject the offer.

The 30-year-old is out of contract at the end of the upcoming campaign and is reportedly keen on a move to Germany.

Spurs finished eighth last season – their lowest placing in the Premier League since 2008 – despite Kane weighing in with 30 goals, second only to Erling Haaland.

“I’m concerned for Spurs either way, whatever happens with Harry,” Lineker told the PA news agency.

“I have been concerned about them for a while, I see where they ended last season and they are in the worst position they had been in for quite some time.

“They have made an exceptional signing in James Maddison, he is a better player than a lot of people think, I think he is absolutely top class.

“That is a good addition but they are a long, long way short. The new manager (Ange Postecoglou) could make a difference, but Harry, the goals he scores, take that away from any team it would be hugely difficult. It is time to rebuild for Tottenham – rebuild, rethink, re-plan.”

One temptation for Kane to remain at Spurs is the tantalising prospect of becoming the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer.

He is currently on 213, second on the list to Alan Shearer, and needs 48 goals to surpass the former Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle striker.

However, Lineker – who is launching him own independent podcast, ‘The Rest is Football’, alongside Shearer – feels trophies would mean more to Kane than individual accomplishments.

“Obviously, it is personal record versus a near-guarantee to win trophies at Bayern, so I think it will be an exciting move for him,” added Lineker.

“It is a team game, I was as selfish as anybody and I’ve spoken to Alan Shearer as well, I asked him ‘what would you take, the Premier League record or your Premier League trophy?’ Straight away he said the trophy.

“I have got three golden boots from three different clubs (Leicester, Everton and Tottenham) – a record in itself – but if I had to give one of those away or my FA Cup, I would give one of those away – it is a team game, you are in it to win the big prizes, personal records are wonderful but they are secondary.”

Very few England players have opted to move abroad in the past but Lineker is someone who chose to do so – thriving on and off the pitch during a three-year stint at Barcelona, leaving in 1989 to sign for Tottenham.

“Everybody is different but if you are of the mind of wanting to experience different things and enriching your life and learning different cultures, it is absolutely the right thing to do,” the 62-year-old said.

“What Jude Bellingham has done at Borussia Dortmund and now with Real Madrid has been amazing, but obviously it is a personal choice. I don’t know what Harry is going to do, I suspect he will go.

“I think it will be a fantastic move for him, he is guaranteed to score goals, German football is really attacking and it will suit him.

“He would be going to one of the best clubs in world football, they win trophies every year, a beautiful city – my only advice would be try and learn German because it would be appreciated and help him settle in. If he goes.”

:: Gary Lineker was talking to mark the launch of ‘The Rest is Football’ and independent podcast he will host alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from August 4.

Neil Warnock is ready to go again.

All smiles at Everton.

A post shared by Ashley Young (@youngy_18)

New number who this?

Franck Ribery reminisced.

Lucas Digne was feeling good.

Stuart Broad felt lucky.

George Russell enjoyed his summer holidays.

Conor McGregor hit the beach.

Jade Jones has a love-hate relationship with training.

Matthew Wade says the draw for players to take part in The Hundred remains strong despite growing competition from new franchises.

The Australia international, who produced a stunning piece of fielding to deny a boundary as London Spirit lost to Oval Invincibles on Thursday, believes the advent of new competitions such as Major League Cricket in the United States can benefit the game at large as well as players and fans.

There have been several high-profile pull-outs across the men’s and women’s tournaments this year, with both Ashes series having recently completed and the men’s World Cup only two months away.

Rashid Khan will no longer be a part of Trent Rockets’ campaign and Heinrich Klaasen will withdraw from the Invincibles at the end of the group stage, whilst Ollie Pope, Olly Stone and Fred Klaassen – representing Welsh Fire, London Spirit and Manchester Originals respectively – have pulled out of the competition completely.

In the women’s tournament, Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry have withdrawn from Northern Superchargers and Birmingham Phoenix respectively after playing for Australia during this summer’s Ashes.

Yet Wade, who is playing in The Hundred for the second time after featuring for Phoenix in 2022, says he sees no threat to the competition from the growth of new franchises.

“From internationals’ point of view, every player I speak to wants to get over and play in The Hundred,” the 35-year-old told the PA news agency.

“It’s unfortunate that a couple of guys got pulled out due to workloads. We’re coming into a lot of cricket so that’s more about international cricket and a World Cup coming up, so boards are being a bit more protective of their players.

“I don’t think it’s a reflection on the tournament at all. Every player I speak to is jumping at the chance to come and play in it.”

The inaugural instalment of Major League Cricket culminated on Sunday with victory for MI New York, and with just six teams competing offers players a lighter playing schedule which can have a knock-on benefit over the rest of the summer.

“I wouldn’t say Major League Cricket has changed the landscape,” said Wade. “The new tournament gives greater opportunity for overseas players and I was lucky enough to play in America this year and it’s terrific to see cricket played over there.

“It’s been talked about for a long time. The facilities were a lot better than I’d expected and it’s nice to see it after a lot of talk. But I wouldn’t say it’s changed the landscape.

“There’s been a lot of tournaments over the last few years that have started up, so the franchise game over the last four or five years has certainly changed.

“Most of them run back to back, one tournament finishes and another starts. There’s plenty of international players that are going in drafts and not getting picked up.

“There’s a lot of players that don’t get opportunities to play in The Hundred that are now able to go and play in Sri Lanka or in America.

“I don’t think there’s competition, I think it’s a good thing that we have cricket pretty much 12 months of the year, whether you want to watch tournament cricket or franchise cricket. It’s a good thing for the game.”

Freddie Steward has welcomed the introduction of the ‘Bunker’ review system after enlisting the help of a psychologist to move on from the controversial red card he received against Ireland in March.

England’s full-back was sent off at the Aviva Stadium for making a dangerous tackle on Hugo Keenan but a hugely contentious decision was subsequently overturned by a disciplinary hearing.

World Rugby has since trialled a procedure designed to help referees make the right call that will be in place throughout the Summer Nations Series, which will see England face Wales in Cardiff in their opening match on Saturday.

The Bunker enables a foul play official to review yellow cards at the request of the referee, with the scope to upgrade them to a red if warranted by the offence.

Any incident will be analysed while the match continues and the player is in the sin-bin, thereby preventing the type of lengthy delays witnessed when Jaco Peyper deliberated over Steward’s red card.

“It’s a good step forward. Games are significantly affected because when it’s 15 v 14 it’s a different game,” Steward said.

“If the right decision is made or the wrong decision is made, it gives an opportunity to correct that which is good for the game.

“Also when a decision like that takes about five or 10 minutes out of the game, it’s not good for the spectators or the players to have that break.

“It’s a really good initiative to keep the game flowing and ensure the right decision is made.”

Keenan was concussed during the incident that took place in the climax to the Six Nations won 29-16 by Ireland, but there was little Steward could do to avoid the collision.

The disciplinary hearing determined that Steward has been reckless only and that the offence should have been limited to a yellow card, but the saga still left its mark on the 22-year-old Leicester star.

“We actually played at the Aviva Stadium a couple weeks after it happened,” Steward said.

“I had done a bit of work with the psychologist David Priestley and he said to me before the game ‘go and stand where it happened, on that bit of turf, and just replay it and park it’.

“Ever since then that was the line in the sand and it’s not really something that I’ve thought about since.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by England Rugby (@englandrugby)

“It definitely helped. To be back in that same spot, it was so much easier to think ‘it happened, deal with it’. And that was that.”

Steward is one of five starters at the Principality Stadium who are assured of their places in England’s final World Cup squad named on Monday.

Another is Ellis Genge, the Bristol prop who leads England out in the first of four warm-up Tests fully aware of the need to ensure those on the fringe of selection focus on the match rather than making an impression on head coach Steve Borthwick.

In 2019 Genge was outstanding against Wales at Twickenham, leading to his inclusion in Eddie Jones’ squad for Japan.

“It would be naive not to address that. I was in that position four years ago,” Genge said.

“The squad hadn’t been announced yet and I went out and played well and then went on the plane. So I know it’s a huge game for some people.

“I was a different character back then. I just went in with all guns blazing and hit everything as hard as I could and it all looked after itself.

“Taking a step back from that now, I see how that could have worked against me. Luckily on that day it didn’t. So I’ll try and share some advice.”

Wales will step up their World Cup preparations on Saturday, with George North claiming “the vibe is completely different” following a dismal Six Nations campaign last season.

England arrive at the Principality Stadium for an opening pre-World Cup encounter that sees Wales back in action after winning just two of their last 10 Tests.

A tense victory over Italy in Rome prevented a Six Nations whitewash and staved off the wooden spoon as Wales’ poor on-field displays were mirrored by events off it through major financial issues in Welsh professional rugby and grave uncertainty with player contracts.

And those behind-the-scenes troubles led to a threatened players’ strike ahead of England’s last Cardiff visit in February.

“After the Six Nations, anything is better than that, really, after all the stuff going on. It is a much better place. The vibe is completely different,” North said.

“We all took it (Six Nations) very personally, as we do, because it is our fingerprints on it.

“And ‘Gats’ (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) took it on himself to make it right. He has been back playing his normal mind-games, he has been around the boys geeing them up.

“He has had the ability to put his stamp on it, more than he did in the Six Nations, and the same with the coaches.

“We have had a lot more time on the paddock with them, a lot more time to sit down with them, being away in (training) camps, having a coffee with them and understanding how they see things working, bouncing ideas off them.

“Some of those sessions (in Switzerland and Turkey last month), you think there’s no way we can do it, but you grind it out as a team and you get what you want out of it.”

A fourth World Cup beckons for 113 times-capped centre North, who is among just four survivors from the 2011 tournament in Wales’ current training squad alongside Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau.

And the 31-year-old remains an integral part of Gatland’s plans, offering vast experience and a considerable midfield presence.

“I am still enjoying it, still loving it, still competing, which is the main thing,” he added.

“It is not just knowing your role, but knowing two or three roles – which can obviously help with selection – covering both wings, in the centre, knowing that injuries happen.

“And it’s just imparting some wisdom to the younger guys knowing that ‘yes, you can do this, but you need to be good at this and this to really open that opportunity’.”

North, meanwhile, has paid a glowing tribute to Halfpenny, who will become the ninth member of Wales’ 100-cap club when he runs out against England.

“We’ve been doing it together for 14 years, through thick and thin, and in sickness and in health,” North said.

“I can’t think of a Welshman who deserves it more for his service to the country. What he has given for years in big moments where he has stepped up and delivered for us.

“He has had a rough old time with injuries and it has kept him on 99 caps for a long enough time. But what a player.

“If any young players want to look up to anyone as to how it should be done, how you should look after yourself on and off the field, then look at Leigh.

“He is a very good friend of mine and I am chuffed to take the field with him on Saturday for his 100th cap. He’s probably the one guy who deserves it more than most.”

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel will miss the start of the 2023-24 NHL season after undergoing right ankle surgery earlier this week.

The Penguins announced Friday that Guentzel underwent a successful procedure at Twin Cities Orthopedics in Minnesota on Wednesday. The two-time All-Star is scheduled to be re-evaluated in 12 weeks, which would leave him sidelined into at least late October.

Pittsburgh opens its season Oct. 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Guentzel hurt his ankle at some point this offseason and the injury progressively worsened during recent training sessions, according to Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas.

"As Jake continued to increase the intensity of his preparation for the upcoming season, it was apparent that his ankle injury was not resolving in a way that was satisfactory to he or the Penguins," Dubas said in a team statement. "In collaboration with Jake - his representative Ben Hankinson of Octagon Sports, the Penguins medical team led by Dr. Dharmesh Vyas of UPMC Sports Medicine, and Dr. (Chris) Coetzee - it was decided that surgery would be the best way to ensure Jake would be at his best in 2023-2024."

Guentzel has led the Penguins in goals in each of the last two seasons and tied a career high with 40 in 2021-22, a campaign in which he finished with a personal-best 84 points.

The 28-year-old enjoyed another productive season in 2022-23 with 36 goals and 37 assists in 78 games. His 11 power-play goals last season were a career high and tied for the team lead.

Guentzel has spent his entire seven-year career with the Penguins and has compiled 197 goals and 217 assists in 453 regular-season games. The Minnesota native led Pittsburgh with 13 postseason goals as a rookie in 2016-17 to help the team to its most recent Stanley Cup championship.

Guentzel is also one of seven players in franchise history with six consecutive seasons of 20 or more goals, a list that includes franchise legends Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. 

The redoubtable Hamish bagged his sixth win at Group Three level in the l’Ormarins King’s Plate Glorious Stakes at Goodwood.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old had won eight of his 16 previous starts in all, most recently pipping Scriptwriter to success in the John Smith’s Silver Cup at York three weeks ago.

Trainer William Haggas declared Hamish for a stellar renewal of the King George at Ascot last weekend, but fast ground scuppered his participation and he instead arrived at Goodwood as a 5-6 favourite in the hands of Tom Marquand.

Ridden patiently in midfield for much of the mile-and-a-half-contest, the son of Motivator – who is owned by the trainer’s father, Brian – burst into it late before powering to a four-length verdict over Jack Darcy, with the winner’s stablemate, Candleford, best of the rest in third.

Haggas said: “The horse has been an absolute nightmare today to saddle. Poor Maureen (wife) has been jumped on about eight times, she’s got blood coming out of the top of her head because the horse struck her, but she adores this horse and she does everything with him. I’m taking no credit myself, the credit and the praise should go to her.

“I rang my father, who is a very proud Yorkshireman, and said ‘he’s been a bloody nightmare today, when he’s like this he never runs his best’, and he said ‘I think he’s like the north!’.

“He’s quite good at York, the horse, so he’s probably right.”

He went on: “I didn’t think this was a strong race for the grade and he was always travelling well. Tom said after the race this was the best the horse has felt this year. He scrambled home a bit at York last time, and while he likes a bit of cut in the ground he likes it wet.

“He won and poor Candleford was cantering, but got lost in the ground – it’s too tacky for him. He wants top of the ground. Candleford ran a good race, but Hamish was better.

“He won’t run in the Ebor. He’s hard to place, and while people said I should have run him in the King George I couldn’t do that on drying ground. You can run in a race like this on drying ground, but the King George is a different thing. My father quickly pointed out he has only run against one of this year’s King George horses, and that was Hukum and he beat him (in the September Stakes at Kempton in 2021)! He was lambasting me for not running.

“The Irish St Leger is a possibility, but he wants soft ground. We’ve been lucky this summer – ha, ha, what summer? – that we’ve had some soft ground. He’s run twice in a fortnight, while last year we couldn’t get anything out of him at all.”

Hamish was making it a good two days for the Haggas team, after the King and Queen’s Desert Hero booked his St Leger ticket with victory on Thursday.

Confirming Doncaster for the world’s oldest Classic as the plan, Haggas said: “He’s in the Voltigeur, but doesn’t need to run there, so all being well he will go straight to the Leger. I think we ought to try it because there’s plenty of stamina on the dam’s side and he’s by Sea The Stars, a very versatile stallion.

“He has a chance of getting the trip. Gregory will be hard to beat, but we will give it a go.”

Celtic captain Callum McGregor is relishing the pressure of keeping the Scottish champions at the top of the pile.

McGregor will lead his team out for their cinch Premiership opener against Ross County on Saturday looking to begin the process of adding to his 20 major honours.

Celtic face the challenge of a Rangers side who have added nine players, while Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian have also been spending money.

And McGregor is excited about the chance to meet the renewed competition head on.

“If you are in elite sport, you have to enjoy the pressure,” the 30-year-old said. “There is always a challenge. There’s challenges within the building, new players coming in trying to push the players who are playing. You get a real competitive edge within the squad.

“And then of course when you come together as a squad you have 11 other teams who are trying to beat you. That’s the pressure you want as a football player. You want to stay at the front. You understand how hard that challenge is but it’s something that you relish.”

Celtic won their fifth treble in seven seasons last term but McGregor knows that can quickly become irrelevant.

“I have been lucky enough to have that feeling a fair few times in my career but when you start a new season, you start afresh,” he said. “It doesn’t count for anything.

“Everyone is now looking at: ‘Can you win it again, can you do this, can you do that?’ You have to find the answers and if you play at a top club like this then you have to take that challenge on.

“You embrace it, you embrace it with your mates, the manager, everyone together, supporters. What is better than that challenge, to continue to push and improve every year?

“We have to. It’s simple. We had a tremendous season but we have to park that. It’s a new manager, some new players, and a fresh test of mentality, quality, finding a way to win. All of these things.”

Manager Brendan Rodgers returns to competitive action for Celtic against a familiar face in former Hoops defender Malky Mackay.

The Ross County manager worked under Rodgers at Watford before succeeding him as Hornets boss. The pair then managed Swansea and Cardiff at the same time before Mackay’s acrimonious departure from the Bluebirds set back his managerial career.

Rodgers said: “I am really looking forward to seeing Malky. Malky is a good man.

“I have to say Ross County are very, very fortunate to have someone of that calibre as a manager.

“He has had a real challenging decade, Malky, but what I know from working with him is what a first-class manager he is, and a coach and person.

“He has done a great job at Ross County with, I am sure, limited resources. He had a great finish a couple of seasons ago and obviously fought to stay in the league last season.

“But what I know about Malky’s teams, they always make it really, really difficult. He’s a top-class manager that Ross County are very fortunate to have.”