Sri Lanka drew first blood in their ODI series with the West Indies, who they beat by five wickets in Pallekele.

The tourists were going well on 185-4 after 38.3 overs, before their innings was cut short due to rain, and the hosts subsequently chased down their DLS-adjusted target of 232 successfully to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. 

Electing to bat after winning the toss, the West Indies made a promising start but found themselves at 54-3 before Sherfane Rutherford joined Keacy Carty in the middle.

Amid their cautious approach on the greasy surface, Rutherford notched up 74 not out, and it looked like they would easily surpass the 200 mark until the rain halted their momentum.

Sri Lanka stumbled to 45-3 after the seventh over in a nervy start, but an impressive 137-run stand between Charith Asalanka (77) and debutant Nishan Madushka (69) got them back on track and well on course for victory.

Despite them both falling, Kamindu Mendis (30 not out) and Janith Liyanage (18 not out) saw the hosts over the line.

Data Debrief: A mammoth stand

Rutherford led the West Indies' charge by top-scoring with 74, claiming his second ODI half-century along the way.

However, it proved academic, with Asalanka and Madushka spearheading Sri Lanka's response, with contributions of 77 from 71 balls and 69 off 54 deliveries respectively.

It proved more than enough to see the hosts over the line, despite the best efforts of Gudakesh Motie, who finished with figures of 3-47.

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari "couldn't have dreamed for better" after claiming his third victory of the Formula One season at the United States Grand Prix.

The Monagasque started fourth on the grid but slipped ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen on Turn One at the start of a dominant performance.

His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz claimed second place but failed to put Leclerc under any pressure as he coasted along at the front of the pack.

It is the 87th time the Italian team have achieved a one-two in their F1 history, while Leclerc took his eighth win in his career.

The 27-year-old, however, was pleased with the way the team overcame what he said had started as a tough weekend in Austin.

"Very happy, it hasn't been an easy weekend until now. I have been struggling with the feeling in the car, but I had the confidence in the race and the feeling was better," he said.

"We said in the sprint race we weren't scared, but we felt that the others will improve, but today we still had the upper hand, so really happy with how it went today, a one-two for the team. We couldn't have dreamed for better.

"Very happy [to get the first Ferrari one-two in the US in 18 years], and now we are still targeting the title, it's still a long way to go, but it's a good start to this triple header."

Leclerc now sits just 22 points behind Norris, who finished fourth behind Verstappen, in the drivers' championship, while Ferrari are just 48 points off McLaren in the race for the constructors' championship.

Having snuck in front of the two title challengers so early in the race, Leclerc was happy that he was able to hold onto his lead throughout.

"It was a pretty good Turn One, that is exactly how I wanted to do, we had a good launch, and I knew it would be tight," he added.

"[Saturday], I was a bit of a victim being in the wrong place at the wrong time, [on Sunday] I gained from it and that helped a lot in our first stint because we had a lot of mega pace.

"In the second stint it was all about managing behind, but we did a great job, the pace of the car this weekend was really good and that's thanks to the engineers.

"They've been working like crazy to bring the upgrades that we had in Singapore, and it seems to be paying off. Everything worked out well, and we are really, really happy."

Diego Simeone praised the impact of Atletico Madrid's substitutes, who sparked a comeback as they claimed a 3-1 win over Leganes in LaLiga.

Yvan Neyou's superb goal in the first half put Atletico on the back foot as they were left frustrated by missed chances in a wasteful first half.

However, Simeone made five substitutions, which gave them a much-needed boost, as Julian Alvarez and Giuliano Simeone got key assists as Alexander Sorloth scored twice on either side of Antoine Griezmann's goal to help them earn the victory. 

The hosts dominated overall, creating 3.58 expected goals (xG), and having 24 shots, nine of which were on target, even though it took them until the 69th minute to find a breakthrough.

Giuliano, Simeone's 21-year-old son, entered the fray in the 57th minute, and the head coach was particularly pleased with how well he is developing into a winger.

"The work of the boys who came in was very good, they gave us an offensive aggressiveness that was crucial to guide us to the win," Simeone told Movistar Plus.

"[Giuliano] has been training in that position lately and doing really well. In Argentina, he also trained in the right sector, and we are seeing a lot to improve.

"But what I really appreciate is the hunger and enthusiasm that he transmits. In the second half, I think we had a bit more space to explore the back of their defence and the boys deserve this prize for their work. We hope they give us more things."

Atletico sit third in the table, now seven points behind leaders Barcelona, and four behind local rivals Real Madrid, but they now turn their attention to their Champions League tie against Lille on Wednesday.

Ferrari claimed an impressive one-two finish at the United States Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc dominating to take the win.

Starting from fourth, the Monegasque took advantage of Lando Norris' distraction in his attempt to hold off Max Verstappen, slipping in front to take the lead on the very first corner.

While Carlos Sainz attempted to try and close the gap to his team-mate as he challenged for the win, he did not have enough to force a nervy finish for Leclerc.

That meant all eyes were drawn to the fight for third place, as Verstappen attempted to hold off title rival Norris, though he could only hold out until Turn 12 on lap 52.

The Brit finally got the move around the Red Bull driver, but came off the track to do so, and was handed a five-second penalty, which meant he finished in fourth behind Verstappen.

It means the Dutchman, who won the sprint on Saturday, increases his lead over Norris to 57 points in the drivers' championship with five races to go.

Meanwhile, George Russell had to start from the pit lane after a crash in qualifying but, remarkably, finished sixth – behind Oscar Piastri – the place he was supposed to start from.

But it was a disappointing day for his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who spun out inside the first three laps – on the same corner where Russell crashed in qualifying – and was unable to finish the race. 

Data Debrief: All eyes on Ferrari

It was a brilliant race from Leclerc, even if his win became a slight footnote due to Norris and Verstappen's eye-catching battle further back.

This was his eighth win in Formula One, and his third in 2024, his joint-most in a calendar year during his racing career (also three in 2022).

And it was a good day for Ferrari, who achieved the 87th F1 one-two in their history, and their second of 2024 - it is the first time they have achieved two in a single year since 2017. 

Top 10

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

4. Lando Norris (McLaren)

5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

6. George Russell (Mercedes)

7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

8. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

9. Liam Lawson (RB)

10. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen - 354

2. Lando Norris - 297

3. Charles Leclerc - 275

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 544

2. Red Bull - 504

3. Ferrari - 496

Jamaican judoka Ebony Drysdale-Daley is considering legal action against the Jamaica Judo Federation (JJA) after her one-year ban, which was imposed in June 2024, was overturned by the JJA Appeals Committee last week. The athlete, who became Jamaica’s first judoka to compete at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021, expressed her relief at returning to the sport she loves but voiced disappointment over how the situation was handled by the federation.

 “I feel really relieved that I can come back to the sport I love. It’s been so depressing not being able to be a part of something that’s been a part of most of my life,” said Drysdale-Daley. “I feel hugely disappointed, the way I felt abandoned, it’s been very hurtful and I am now considering suing.”

 One of her legal representatives, Dr. Emir Crowne, lashed out at the JJA, describing their actions as shocking and unjustified. He criticized the federation for imposing the ban without granting Drysdale-Daley the opportunity to defend herself, stating that it was one of the most egregious cases he had encountered in his legal career.

 “It is absolutely shocking what the Jamaica Judo Federation has done to Ms. Drysdale-Daley, a promising Olympian,” Dr. Crowne said. “It banned her on the heels of an Olympic qualifying event, where she was ranked No.1 and would have received a bye to the finals, thereby earning enough points to qualify for the Olympics, irrespective of whether she placed first or second.”

 The suspension was initially imposed by JJA President Dwayne Barnett under the federation’s Vexatious Complaints and Unacceptable Behaviour Policy, citing a violation of the federation’s Code of Ethics. Drysdale-Daley was accused of actions that allegedly brought the JJA into disrepute. The suspension letter, issued on July 26, 2024, notified her of the one-year ban, which would last from June 13, 2024, to June 12, 2025.

 The JJA justified conducting the disciplinary hearing without Drysdale-Daley’s presence, claiming it was in line with the policy. However, the Appeals Committee found significant procedural errors, including the failure to notify Drysdale-Daley of informal resolutions or grant her the opportunity to respond to the accusations.

 In his statement, Dr. Crowne further criticized the JJA’s handling of the case. “To ban her in those circumstances, and completely deprive her of any right to be heard or any due process at all, is absolutely indefensible. The initial ban—of indefinite duration—was apparently initiated by the President, Mr. Dwayne Barnett, and then replaced with a one-year ban by the Executive Committee (of which Mr. Barnett was a member). Even the appeal itself, Mr. Barnett appeared for the Jamaica Judo Federation in defense of the Executive Committee’s decision. It was akin to a High Court judge appearing before the Court of Appeal defending his decision. Most unusual.”

 The Appeals Committee, after reviewing the case, found that the JJA had not adhered to its own policies or Statutes. The Committee ruled that the Vexatious Complaints and Unacceptable Behaviour Policy was invoked prematurely, without exhausting reasonable measures to resolve the issue through informal dialogue, as required. Additionally, the Committee found no evidence that Drysdale-Daley was formally invited to appear before the Executive Committee, further invalidating the decision to suspend her.

 As a result, the Appeals Committee overturned the suspension and reinstated Drysdale-Daley’s membership with immediate effect, highlighting that the federation’s actions violated its governance structures.

 “At the end of the day, the Appeals Committee ‘saw through’ the glaring transparency breaches committed by the Jamaica Judo Federation and ordered that her membership be reinstated with immediate effect,” Dr. Crowne added. “To say that this is one of the most egregious cases I’ve seen in my career would be an understatement. It is but another example of a federation acting with absolute impunity. ‘Wrong and strong’ till the end.”

 With her membership restored, Drysdale-Daley can now return to competitive judo. However, her legal team is now exploring the possibility of suing the JJA for damages caused by the suspension, which came at a critical time as she aimed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

 As the dust settles on her successful appeal, the legal battle between Drysdale-Daley and the JJA may be far from over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Lewandowski and substitute Pablo Torre each scored twice to help leaders Barcelona thrash visitors Sevilla 5-1 in LaLiga on Sunday.

Barca were dominant throughout the encounter at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys and effectively killed off the game with three goals in 15 first-half minutes.

A Lewandowski penalty got the scoring started after Raphinha was fouled from behind in the 24th minute before Pedri fired a bullet strike into the top corner from the edge of the box to double their lead four minutes later.

Lewandowski then got his second from close range in the 39th minute, sticking out a leg to divert Raphinha's low shot past Orjan Nyland.

Raphinha thought he had added a fourth just after half-time, only to be denied by the offside flag, as was Dodi Lukebakio at the other end in the 72nd minute.

Torre climbed off the bench to score the fourth with a shot from inside the box 10 minutes later and, moments after Stanis Idumbo netted a consolation for Sevilla in the 87th, he wrapped up the scoring with a superb free-kick into the far corner.

Barcelona sit top of the LaLiga standings on 27 points, three ahead of Real Madrid in second, and seven clear of Atletico Madrid in third. Sevilla are 13th on 12 points.

Data Debrief: Flick's men firing on all cylinders

Flick has certainly settled into life at Barcelona quickly, and the Catalan giants picked up where they left off before the international break with another high-scoring game, meaning they have scored 13 goals in their last three games.

In fact, Barcelona have netted 31 LaLiga goals in 2024-25 so far, their best scoring start after their first 10 games of a season in the competition since 2012-13 (32).

And Lewandowski has certainly played his part, becoming the first player to score 12 goals after his first 10 games of a season since Lionel Messi in 2019-20 (also 12).

As has Lamine Yamal, who had been an injury doubt before the game. He is the first Barcelona player to provide six assists at this stage of a LaLiga season since Messi in 2014-15 (seven). 

Lautaro Martinez was the hero as Inter edged out Roma 1-0 at Stadio Olimpico.

The Nerazzurri skipper struck the only goal on the hour mark, helping his side move back to within two points of Serie A leaders Napoli in second place.

Simone Inzaghi's side suffered two injury setbacks during the first half, with both Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi forced off early on.

Nevertheless, the visitors went closest to breaking the deadlock, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan rattled the crossbar on 14 minutes.

But they were not to be denied after the break when Zeki Celik failed to deal with Davide Frattesi's cross, and Lautaro fired into the top corner.

Roma went in search of the equaliser inside the final half an hour, but could not find a way through the stubborn Inter defence, who held out for all three points.

Data Debrief: Landmark Lautaro goal ends Giallorossi streak

Lautaro was Inter's matchwinner once more, and it was a landmark goal for the Argentina forward.

With his 133rd strike for the club, he is now officially the Nerazzurri's joint-leading non-Italian scorer, after moving level with Hungarian Stefano Nyers.

He also continued Inter's record of having scored in all eight of their Serie A matches this season, making them the only side to do so in the Italian top flight.

As for Roma, their run of scoring in 24 successive home Serie A games comes to an end, with the Giallorossi remaining in 10th place after missing the chance to close the gap on the top four.

Andy Robertson believes Liverpool "put things right" after their defeat to Nottingham Forest by beating Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

Liverpool faced Forest after the last international break and suffered their only defeat under Arne Slot so far, as they were beaten 1-0 at Anfield.

However, they avoided a similar stumble this time around as Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones scored the goals for the Reds on either side of Nicolas Jackson's equaliser, sending them back to the top of the league table.

Chelsea had won each of their last three away games coming into this contest, and Robertson was particularly impressed by how Liverpool dug in to preserve the win.

"It is always like that - two good teams going at it. We have had good games over the years against them. It is always difficult," he told BBC Match of the Day.

"It took us a little time to get going, but once we did, I think we were quite comfortable in the first half. In the second, we defended really well and limited them.

"After the last international break, we let ourselves down against Nottingham Forest, and we were determined to put that right and I think we did that.

"There are different ways to win, and today was one we had to grind out. We have played better this season, but we got two crucial goals and defended well for the most part."

Meanwhile, Jones was instrumental to the victory as he won the penalty that Salah scored and thought he had won a second after being upended by Robert Sanchez, but it was overturned by a VAR review, before netting what turned out to be the winner in the 51st minute.

"The win is the most important thing. I was involved a lot, but I'm happy that we won," he told Sky Sports.

"There have been times when I have arrived in the box, and it is a first-time finish. As soon as Mo had the ball, I made the run, but it bounced, so I had to have a touch, and then thankfully it went in."

He also played a key role by keeping Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer quiet throughout the game, limiting him to no shots on target, and just one chance created.

"We know how important [Palmer] is and how many goals he scores, so I had it in my mind to keep him quiet, and it is a huge part of their game gone," he added.

Tim Walter says referee Robert Madley apologised to him following Hull City's defeat by Sunderland.

The Black Cats returned to the Championship summit, with Wilson Isidor's third goal in four games enough to seal all three points at the MKM Stadium.

The winning goal came in the 63rd minute, though Hull felt it should not have stood.

From a Tigers corner, referee Madley appeared to obstruct the view of Marvin Mehlem, who was subsequently dispossessed before Dan Neil sent Isidor clear, with the Zenit loanee outmuscling Cody Drameh before lifting over Hull goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.

Walter later confirmed he had received an apology from the official for the incident, but acknowledged his side were ultimately made to pay for not taking their chances.

"The referee invited me in [to the official's room] to apologise, but it doesn't help me," he told BBC Radio Humberside. "But we had a lot of situations in the first half and a lot of counter situations, but our last decision wasn't the best.

"We created many chances, but we weren't clinical enough and, maybe, lost our heads in the last five minutes. We had more courage in the second half, and we showed we can maybe be on the same page as them."

As for Sunderland, who leapfrogged Burnley back to the top of the table, that is now seven wins from their opening 10 games.

"It's difficult to win away, especially at Hull," said head coach Regis le Bris. "In the first half, we dominated the ball but failed to break into the final third.

"The scenario in the second half was different. They kept the ball, and it was not easy to deal with the way they built up their attacks, and we did well.

"We were prepared to use our counter-attacks as we had that strength, and Wilson made the difference."

Arne Slot was pleased with the fight that Liverpool showed, as they passed their toughest test yet under his leadership with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

Mohamed Salah put the Reds ahead from the penalty spot after Curtis Jones was felled by Levi Colwill just before the half-hour mark.

The 23-year-old then scored the winner, restoring Liverpool's lead shortly after Nicolas Jackson had restored parity, and his goal ensured they went back to the top of the table.

Slot's electric start to life on Merseyside continued, and Liverpool have won 10 of their 11 games across all competitions this season – only losing to Nottingham Forest – their most victories after that many matches in a campaign since 1990-91 under Kenny Daglish (also 10).

While Chelsea edged the game in terms of possession (57.3%) and chances (12 to Liverpool's eight), the hosts dug deep to ensure they prevailed with all three points.

And Slot was delighted with the work rate his team showed in what he thought was a difficult contest.

"Many other games were hard, but this might have been the hardest, maybe because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have. We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line," he told BBC Match of the Day.

"We defended so strongly, throughout the whole team. There was incredible work rate. The game became difficult for us because there were a few decisions, in my opinion, that didn't go for us.

"The most crucial was when we thought we had the penalty before half-time. To go 2-0 [up] before half-time would make a massive difference from 1-0. Then, we conceded, but we stepped up again and scored the second.

"The better the teams you face, the more you need it [fight]. In the Premier League, there are so many good teams. If you want to win, at least you need to fight and then, hopefully, the individuals can make the difference.

"It helps if you play against a Chelsea, it is a big game, and everyone feels it. We felt it and the fans felt it because they were there for us today. We showed up, that was the most important thing."

Jones orchestrated most of Liverpool's best play, winning the first penalty, and he was fouled for what the hosts thought was a second before the break, only for it to be overturned by VAR.

The youngster struck his first Premier League goal since New Year's Day against Newcastle United, and got both of his shots on target, and Slot was impressed by his performance.

"Very good, the whole team worked very, very hard," Slot told Sky Sports. "He had a difficult job controlling Cole Palmer, which is not easy as he has quality. And he added some important moments, too - involved in two penalty decisions and scoring a goal."

Little has gone right for Deshaun Watson in 2024, and now it appears his season could be over.

The embattled Cleveland Browns quarterback suffered a right Achilles tendon injury on a non-contact play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The injury occurred on a second down with 1:26 remaining in the first half when Watson took a snap and dropped back to pass.

When he tried to plant his right foot, it buckled underneath him, and he immediately dropped to the ground.

 

Cleveland's training staff rushed out to tend to him and Watson was carted off the field. He was replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

The Browns announced he sustained an Achilles injury, and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it is feared to be a tear, which will likely end his season.

Watson has been criticised for his poor play this season and the Cleveland fanbase had been calling for coach Kevin Stefanski to bench him.

In the first six games of the season, Watson had five touchdowns and three interceptions and led the Browns to just one victory. Among qualifying QBs, he ranked 28th in passer rating (76.6) and 31st in pass yards per attempt (5.13).

He was playing well before his injury, however, completing 15-of-17 passes for 128 yards.

The injury could bring an end to a massively disappointing tenure with Cleveland after the Browns signed Watson to a fully guaranteed $230million contract in 2022.

He only played in six games in his first season with Cleveland because of an 11-game suspension by the NFL, and was limited to just six starts last season because of a shoulder injury that required surgery.

 

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table as Curtis Jones hit the winner in an entertaining 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield.

Having been knocked off the summit by Manchester City's last-gasp victory at Wolves earlier on Sunday, Liverpool responded by passing arguably their sternest test under Arne Slot.

Mohamed Salah's 29th-minute penalty broke the deadlock after Levi Colwill fouled Jones, just moments after the defender had survived an appeal for felling the the Egyptian.

Jones thought he had won a second penalty on the stroke of half-time following a challenge from Robert Sanchez, but a VAR review led referee John Brooks to overturn his initial decision to penalise the goalkeeper. 

Another VAR intervention went Chelsea's way as they levelled three minutes into the second half. Nicolas Jackson was ruled offside when latching onto Moises Caicedo's throughball to slot home, but that decision was overturned as replays showed Ibrahima Konate played him on. 

However, it was the impressive duo of Salah and Jones that combined for the decisive goal soon afterwards, the latter scoring on the stretch in front of the Kop.

The victory re-establishes Liverpool's one-point lead over City, while they are four clear of their next opponents Arsenal. Chelsea stay sixth, three points off the top four. 

Data Debrief: Salah haunts Chelsea again

It is fair to say Salah has enjoyed coming up against Chelsea since returning to the Premier League in 2017, having been let go by the Blues one year earlier.

He has now scored five goals against Chelsea in the Premier League; the joint-most by a player to have previously appeared for them in the competition, along with Kevin De Bruyne (five).

It was his enticing cross that led to Jones' 51st-minute winner, too, and he has both scored and assisted in 34 different matches in the Premier League; the second-most of any player in the competition’s history, only behind Wayne Rooney (36). 

Only Pep Guardiola (who won his first 10), meanwhile, has reached 10 wins in all competitions as a Premier League manager in fewer matches than Slot, who has won 10 of his first 11 as Reds boss.

Alexander Sorloth scored twice as Atletico Madrid came from behind to beat Leganes 3-1 at Metropolitano Stadium.

Diego Simeone's side struck three times in the final 21 minutes to extend their unbeaten start to the LaLiga season, while maintaining the pressure on pace setters Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Leganes had only scored once in eight previous top-flight meetings with Atletico, but broke the deadlock in the 34th minute through Yvan Neyou's brilliant strike into the top corner.

The hosts brought themselves level in the 69th minute, when Sorloth back-heeled in Axel Witsel's cross for his first home league goal since arriving from Villarreal.

Antoine Griezmann completed the turnaround with 11 minutes remaining, as his lofted cross crept in at Marko Dmitrovic's far post.

And Sorloth sealed the victory deep into stoppage time, turning home a rebound after Julian Alvarez's initial effort fell kindly for him.

Data Debrief: Another late show from Atletico

Atletico won after trailing at half-time in a LaLiga game for the first time since doing so against Cadiz just over a year ago, having failed to win in their nine previous such matches.

Sorloth's double proved crucial in the hosts' fightback. The former Villarreal forward's first Atleti goals on home soil took his LaLiga tally for 2024 to 20, with only Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (21) netting more during the calendar year.

Los Rojiblancos' late turnaround means they have won a league-high seven points from goals scored in the last 15 minutes of their matches this season.

Gary O'Neil felt the awarding of Manchester City's stoppage-time winning goal was "harsh", as Wolves were denied a share of the spoils at Molineux.

The hosts had frustrated the reigning Premier League champions for long periods, and looked like they would claim only a morale-boosting second point of the season.

However, there was to be a dramatic twist in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with John Stones powering home a header from Phil Foden's corner to snatch all three points.

The goal was subjected to a VAR review after the referee's assistant initially raised his flag, with Bernardo Silva in an offside position and in close proximity to Jose Sa.

However, Chris Kavanagh subsequently ruled Silva was not interfering with the Wolves goalkeeper, and O'Neil questioned the inconsistency of such decisions.

"I am trying to remain calm," he said. "I have been involved in a few of those and not had many go in our favour, so I was expecting that outcome.

"There is some grey area that can go either way and, once it was like that, I wasn't confident it would go our way.

"It was similar to a goal [Wolves had disallowed] against West Ham last season. We sent an image to referees showing proof that the West Ham keeper could see the ball, but the reason we were given was the player was in close proximity.

"The same argument could be said here, but we just have to accept it. I would rather not discuss it because it will still sound like I am making excuses. Whatever decision they make, I respect. We don't want to cross that line, but it did feel like a harsh one."

Wolves replaced Southampton at the bottom of the Premier League table, and have now failed to win any of their opening eight league games in a season for the first time in 41 years.

But O'Neil believes his squad can build on the positives they demonstrated against City.

"I am proud of the players," he added. "[It was] an unbelievable effort and we gave ourselves a great chance. I am gutted for the players that we had to leave with nothing.

"The performance was excellent. I thought the lads gave absolutely everything. We kept finding the answers, and we conceded a controversial goal late on. The things that could go against us today definitely did, but we have to take positives.

"It's tough defending for so long, it is so hard to get out. They were working their socks off, they gave everything, they showed what they are, which is all I asked. We need to make sure it looks like that more often.

"It has been such a cruel run of fixtures. We need to keep standing up. We are where we are, and we need to make sure we keep producing the best of ourselves."

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