Jurgen Klopp declared Liverpool's players are ready for a 10-game title race with Manchester City – even if they are reluctant to give it that billing.

After 28 matches of the 38-game season, it has become a two-team sprint for Premier League glory, with City on 69 points and Liverpool second on 66 after Saturday's 2-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion.

These teams have been here before, most famously in the 2018-19 season when City took the title with 98 points, one point ahead of a Liverpool side who lost only one game.

It is Klopp's job to keep minds focused on short-term goals, which is why Wednesday's game at Arsenal will now be all-consuming for the Reds, rather than the thought of what might come their way when the season reaches its climax in May.

Asked about the race, Klopp told BT Sport: "We don't avoid, but it's not our job really to call it like that."

He knows City will be difficult to reel in, despite the gap closing and Liverpool having a trip to the Etihad Stadium coming up next month.

"You expect them just to win the games when you see them playing," Klopp said.

"As long as we are behind them, we don't really feel the title. The only thing we really feel is we want to win football games and as many as somehow possible.

"I can see that in the boys' faces and their body language. We are ready for that.

"This race doesn't need a name for us, we just want to win as many football games as possible."

Shreyas Iyer came to India's rescue before Sri Lanka crumbled to 86-6 an eventful opening day of the second Test at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

India were struggling on 148-6 after Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first in the day-night match in Bengaluru.

Iyer made a brilliant 92 in tough batting conditions to get his side up to 252 all out as they eye a 2-0 whitewash, Lasith Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama taking three wickets apiece.

The tourists then slumped to 28-4 in reply and remained in deep trouble at stumps on a pitch that offered plenty of turn from the start, along with variable bounce.

It was Jasprit Bumrah (3-15) and Mohammed Shami (2-18), rather than the spinners, who did the bulk of the damage for India with the pink ball, with Axar Patel taking the other wicket.

India lost four wickets in the opening session, Hanuma Vihari falling for 31 and Rohit removed by Embuldeniya (3-94) prior to Virat Kohli (23) being snared leg before by a Dhananjaya de Silva (2-32) with a delivery that kept so low it gave the former captain no chance.

Rishabh Pant was emphatically cleaned up by Embuldeniya for 39 and Ravindra Jadeja fell cheaply to the same bowler, but Iyer raced to 54-ball half-century and was then dropped by Charith Asalanka.

Iyer played majestically and although he was stumped short of a century off the bowling of Jayawickrama to end the innings, his innings turned the tide.

Bumrah and Shami ensured it was India's day, the former striking a big blow by getting Angelo Mathews caught by Rohit at second slip late on an action-packed day.

Iyer shows his class

While other batters struggled on a tricky track, Iyer gave another demonstration of his class.

The 27-year-old struck four sixes and 10 fours as his positive approach paid off in a knock that could be decisive. 

Lethal Bumrah and Shami sparkle under the lights.

Facing Bumrah and Shami is a difficult task at the best of times, but under the lights in these sort of conditions meant the tourists were always going to be up against it.

Shami bowled Dimuth Karunaratne with his first delivery after Bumrah had accounted for Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Thirimanne. Dhananjaya was Shami's second victim, then Axar snared Asalanka before Mathews departed late on.

Thomas Muller had three goals disallowed as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim.

Robert Lewandowski headed Bayern level in first-half stoppage time after the hosts snatched a shock lead through Christoph Baumgartner.

The second half was dominated by Bayern, but their finishing was often wasteful, and there was almost a shock for Julian Nagelsmann's team late on.

Andrej Kramaric had a glorious chance for Hoffenheim as the teams tired, but he could not find a way past Manuel Neuer.

Neuer had earlier made a terrific save from Kramaric in the fifth minute after Hoffenheim sliced through a sleepy Bayern defence, before the visitors went close when Muller's prodded effort was pushed aside by Oliver Baumann.

Muller thought he had headed Bayern in front just before the half-hour mark, but Serge Gnabry had strayed offside before teeing up his senior team-mate. Muller had a second strike disallowed for another offside soon afterwards.

Hoffenheim snatched the lead in the 32nd minute when Baumgartner volleyed David Raum's cross from the left past Neuer from close range, but Lewandowski's thumping header from Kimmich's right-wing corner brought Bayern back to level terms.

Muller completed a hat-trick of disallowed goals early in the second half, after another offside, as Bayern pushed hard to get ahead.

Serge Gnabry smashed a shot against the left post after dashing clear of the dawdling home defence and shooting across Baumann, while Jamal Musiala failed to convert from a tight angle after going wide of the goalkeeper. Muller then saw a shot squirm through Baumann's grasp, kept out almost on the line by the elbow of sliding defender Stefan Posch, with nothing given.

Hoffenheim had one last great chance to snatch all three points when Neuer saved superbly from Kramaric's 12-yard strike, after Jacob Bruun Larsen got free down the right and played a smart cutback.

Chris Harris scored a first-half double as Scotland beat Italy 33-22 in an entertaining Six Nations encounter at the Stadio Olimpico.

Smarting from defeats at the hands of Wales and France, Gregor Townsend's side ran in five tries to win the Cuttitta Trophy in Rome on Saturday and move above Wales into fourth place.

Sam Johnson scored the opening try before Harris crossed twice, with Darcy Graham and Stuart Hogg getting in on the act after the break.

Callum Braley went in for a first international try in the first half and Ange Capuozzo scored a debut double, but the Azzurri's losing Six Nations run was extended to 36 matches on the penultimate weekend of the tournament.

Paolo Garbisi's penalty gave Italy an early lead, but Scotland were in front when Johnson finished in the right corner after George Turner had powered down the other flank to put Italy on the back foot.

Ali Price was the architect for a second try on the break after 21 minutes, intercepting Braley's pass deep inside his own half and bursting forward before whipping a pass out to Kyle Steyn, whose clever kick over the top enabled Harris to touch down.

Finn Russell added the extras, but Italy cut the gap to only two points after Pierre Bruno's brilliant offload on the touchline in the right corner put a try on a plate for Braley and Garbisi sent an excellent conversion between the posts.

Italy's joy was short-lived, though, as Harris surged over for his second score late in the first half to round off a well-executed Scotland move.

Graham showed pace and power when racing through the middle to reward more Scotland pressure with another try early in the second half and Hogg darted over in the left corner after taking a fine pass from the impressive Price.

Russell expertly converted from wide on the left for a fourth time and the points continued to come, with Capuozzo wriggling his way over twice in a promising cameo off the bench, but Scotland were comfortable winners.

Italy pay the Price

Scrum-half Price was outstanding as he made Scotland tick before he was replaced late on.

The number nine showed great awareness for the interception that led to Harris' opening try and threw a great pass for Hogg to score, pulling the strings in a lively display.

Clinical Harris

Harris was on hand to help himself to a brace, firstly showing great speed to get on the end of Steyn's well-weighted kick over the top and then running a great line for his second score.

What's next?

Scotland end their campaign with a trip to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday, when Italy take on Wales in Cardiff.

Mohamed Salah has assured Jurgen Klopp the injury that forced him out of Liverpool's win at Brighton and Hove Albion is nothing to worry about.

Talisman Salah struck Liverpool's 2,000th Premier League goal to give the Reds a 2-0 lead at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, but he was substituted shortly afterwards.

Liverpool have a trip to Arsenal coming up on Wednesday, and manager Klopp would want Salah available for that tussle with Mikel Arteta's team.

"We will see," Klopp said on BT Sport. "He thinks it's not serious, but you can see when Mo Salah's sitting down that something's not 100 per cent right.

"I think it was a situation before when he hit the ball and got blocked. I think the foot got slightly overstretched. We have to see."

Luis Diaz had earlier put Liverpool ahead with a brave header, as Klopp's team cut Manchester City's lead at the top of the table to three points.

Captain Jordan Henderson said: "It was a real big game for us today and I felt as though we delivered.

"You always want that second goal to try to kill the game off a little bit more. We had one or two more chances, half-chances, to score. Overall, I think we would be very pleased with the overall performance."

Looking at the shrinking gap to City, Henderson said: "We speak about this every week. We're concentrating on ourselves, concentrating on the next game. That's important and it's worked really well for us. The focus has always been the next game, no matter what competition, and to give everything in that game and there's no reason to change that now."

Confidence is surging through Liverpool's ranks, with the cautious belief they are in great shape to sustain this challenge.

"We've felt like this for a long time," Henderson told BT Sport. "We know we've got to work and improve all the time, be better. The teams around us at the top of the table are fantastic teams, so you can never relax, and you can never take the foot off the gas.

"You've always got to push each other, drive each other on, and so far we've been doing that and we've got to continue that right to the end."

Assessing Diaz's display, Henderson described the January recruit as "top class". The winger headed the opener but was flattened by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez in doing so, with the Brighton man avoiding punishment.

"I think he's obviously a little bit late, but Luis has done so well to get there first," Henderson said.

Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United when his contract expires in June, according to the midfielder's personal trainer.

The France international, who turns 29 next week, has not agreed to a new deal with the Red Devils and will be available to leave on a free transfer after the end of the season.

It would be the second time Pogba has left United for nothing, the player having joined Juventus in 2012 before making his return four years later for a then-world-record fee of £89.3million.

Coach Meddy, a Dubai-based fitness coach who counts other elite footballers among his clientele, says Pogba is still "enjoying himself" at United, particularly since Cristiano Ronaldo's move back to England last year.

Still, he claims a parting of the ways could be mutually beneficial to the club and player.

"Regarding Pogba, at the end of June, he will no longer be a Manchester player," he told calciomercato.com.

"I think it's right for him to look elsewhere. Maybe Manchester also want to renew themselves, and the most sensible thing is to separate.

"The time is coming to change and try new challenges, new emotions, new environments for both Pogba and Manchester, to try something different, and maybe they will both be happy.

"Right now, I think he's enjoying himself. They have a good team, especially since Ronaldo decided to return. The problem is the results aren't coming.

"A top player doesn't waste his time with minor competitions. He wants to be motivated to play for ambitious trophies."

United sit fifth in the Premier League after 28 matches this season and meet Tottenham on Saturday in a key clash in the race to finish in the top four.

With a 22-point gap to leaders Manchester City and having exited both domestic cup competitions, the Champions League remains United's only hope of silverware this season.

They face Atletico Madrid at home on Tuesday in the second leg of their last-16 tie, having drawn 1-1 in Spain.

Liverpool maintained their relentless pursuit of Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion to close back to within three points of the Premier League leaders.

The Reds lost for just the third time this term in their midweek clash with Inter but they marched on with an eighth straight league win in Saturday's contest at the Amex Stadium.

Luis Diaz bravely headed Liverpool into a 19th-minute lead by getting in front of Robert Sanchez, who was perhaps fortunate to avoid any action for clattering into the forward. 

Mohamed Salah added a second from the penalty spot – Liverpool's 2,000th goal in the competition – to increase the pressure on City ahead of Monday's trip to Crystal Palace.

Brighton had gone three league games without defeat to Liverpool but fell behind in the opening quarter of the contest to Diaz's second goal in a Liverpool shirt.

The former Porto winger attacked Joel Matip's chipped pass over the top and got his head to it, but he was unable to celebrate the goal after being wiped out by Sanchez.

Referee Mike Dean did not check back the incident on the monitor, meaning Sanchez stayed on the field, but Albion's reprieve counted for little as Salah doubled the Reds' lead.

Having missed a couple of presentable opportunities, the Egypt international fired a penalty right down the middle after Naby Keita's shot hit Yves Bissouma on the arm.

After becoming just the second Premier League side after Manchester United to hit a landmark 2,000 goals, Liverpool sat comfortably on their lead to see through another victory.

The outstanding coaching career of Gregg Popovich reached new heights with the San Antonio Spurs' victory over the Utah Jazz.

San Antonio's 104-102 triumph on Friday marked career win number 1,336 for Popovich, taking him past Don Nelson for the most by a coach in NBA history.

It is yet another remarkable achievement by one of the finest coaches to ever grace the NBA sideline.

In celebration of Popovich's latest accomplishment, here Stats Perform looks at five of the greatest feats of his career.

The first title

It might not have been the hardest Finals success of Popovich's career, but the first title in franchise history is always a memorable one, and he delivered that for the Spurs in 1999.

San Antonio earned the one seed in the Western Conference and the Spurs subsequently blitzed their way through the playoffs, losing only one game en route to the Finals.

And the fairytale New York Knicks, who had reached the Finals as the eighth seed in the East, proved no match for David Robinson, Tim Duncan and the Spurs.

Indeed, without the injured Patrick Ewing, the Knicks were overpowered and Avery Johnson's game-winning shot with 47 seconds left in Game 5 clinched a 4-1 series triumph for the Spurs, with Popovich able to celebrate his first title at the Mecca of basketball.

Kawhi holds off LeBron

Having tasted defeat to the Miami Heat in seven games a year earlier, Popovich and the Spurs pulled off the most impressive of their five NBA title wins in 2014 by getting revenge on Erik Spoelstra's star-studded team.

In what proved to be the final series of LeBron James' career with the Heat, the superior roster depth of the Spurs proved the difference against Miami's big three as they prevailed 4-1 over LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Co.

Having split the first two games in San Antonio, the Spurs swept their two games in South Florida and then wrapped things up as Kawhi Leonard's double-double inspired a 104-87 win in Game 5.

In large part for his defensive effort against James, Leonard was named Finals MVP. His field goal percentage of 61.2 was the highest by a Finals MVP until Giannis Antetokoumpo surpassed it in 2021 with 61.8 per cent.

Those 18 consecutive 50-win seasons

As his record-setting number of wins indicates, consistent success has defined Popovich's career with the Spurs, who comfortably hold the NBA record for most successive 50-win seasons.

From 1999-2000 to 2016-17, the Spurs won at least 50 games for 18 consecutive campaigns, the final year in that run among one of the most impressive as San Antonio racked up 61 victories while playing in a Western Conference featuring a Golden State Warriors team playing their first season with Kevin Durant.

The Spurs were swept by the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, though Game 1 suggested it would have been a much different series had Leonard not suffered an injury that ended his season.

San Antonio's 18-season run will take some beating, as the Los Angeles Lakers are next on the list with a 12-season run between 1979-80 and 1990-91.

Olympic gold

Popovich took over from Mike Krzyzewski as head coach of Team USA and met expectations by delivering the gold amid the strange backdrop of a pandemic Olympics at the delayed Tokyo 2020.

The USA recovered from an opening defeat to France to once again take the gold, avenging the loss to Les Bleus with an 87-82 win over the same opposition in the final.

After a build-up to the Games in which many questions were raised about the strength in depth of the USA team and a poor start to the competition, the hard-fought triumph added further gloss to the CV of a coach many consider to be the greatest of all time.

The record win

The 2021-22 season has not been one to remember for the Spurs, but a surprise defeat of the Jazz at least gave Popovich a memorable moment in a trying campaign.

San Antonio trailed 74-64 going into the final quarter, but the Spurs racked up 40 across the final frame to improve their record to 26-41 and, more importantly, secure history for their coach, Dejounte Murray the star of the show with 27 for the game.

"Basketball is a team sport," Popovich said afterwards. "All of us share in this record. It's not mine. It's ours."

With Popovich's NBA career showing no signs of imminently coming to an end, he should have plenty of opportunities to extend his lead at the top of the all-time standings and make his record extremely difficult to beat.

Liverpool have become only the second club after Manchester United to score 2,000 goals in the Premier League.

The Reds hit the landmark figure in Saturday's meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion thanks to Mohamed Salah's 61st-minute penalty to put his side 2-0 ahead.

Jurgen Klopp's team are still some way off United in terms of all-time goals in the competition, however, with their fierce rivals boasting 2,173.

Arsenal are next on the list behind United and Liverpool with 1,997 goals, followed by Chelsea (1,953) and Tottenham (1,716).

Liverpool's highest scoring Premier League season came in 2013-14 when netting 101 times, making them one of only three teams to reach the century mark in a single campaign.

Well over half of Liverpool's 2,000 goals have come at Anfield, while Newcastle United's St James' Park is the opposition ground they have scored their most goals at (43).

Somewhat unsurprisingly, then, Newcastle are the side against whom Liverpool have scored their most goals against, finding the net 108 times against the Magpies in total.

Salah's 32-goal season in 2017-18 stands as the most prolific by a Liverpool player in the competition, with Luis Suarez (31 in 2013-14) the only other to breach the 30-goal mark.

Robbie Fowler remains Liverpool's top scorer in Premier League history with 128, and is one of four players to reach the century mark for the club – alongside Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Salah.

Usman Khawaja's century put Australia in control at the end of day one of the second Test against Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi.

After drawing last week's opening Test in Rawalpindi, it was Australia who laid down an early marker on Saturday as they reached stumps on 251-3.

The in-form Khawaja batted all day as he made an unbeaten 127, while Steve Smith was also on course for three figures before being caught by Faheem Ashraf off the bowling of Hasan Ali for 72 just before the close.

Khawaja profited from what he described as "pretty negative" bowling from the hosts to hit 13 fours and one six in a classy knock.

David Warner went for 36 and Marnus Labuschagne was run out on a duck, but Khawaja's batting ensured even the late loss of Smith did not hamper the tourists too much.

Nathan Lyon will resume alongside Khawaja on Sunday as Pakistan look to make inroads after a frustrating opening day.

"It would have been nice to have Smith there at the end," Khawaja said. "We've still got plenty of batting to come. 

"The wicket was pretty nice today and is going to get worse, and it's feeling like it'll break up in the back end of the match. 

"They bowled pretty negative and we were not going to give them free wickets. It would have been nice to get a hundred both in Rawalpindi and here but I'll take this one."

Khawaja goes one better

After falling three short of a century in Rawalpindi last week, the Islamabad-born Khawaja was not to be denied an 11th Test century on Saturday.

He has now logged two centuries and five half-centuries across eight Test innings against his country of birth.

Pakistan falter

Babar Azam's tactics after tea must be questioned, though Hasan did find a breakthrough when ending a 159-run partnership late on to give Pakistan a platform to build on.

Pakistan have only suffered two defeats at the National Stadium in 44 Tests and will need some quick wickets with the new ball in Sunday's morning session.

Arrigo Sacchi says Gianluigi Donnarumma made a mistake by turning his back on Milan to join Paris Saint-Germain, criticising him for "choosing the money".

Donnarumma left Milan after being lured to PSG on a five-year deal last July after his contract with the Serie A giants expired.

The Italy goalkeeper's start to life in France has not gone to plan, as he has only made 18 appearances for the Ligue 1 leaders.

Donnarumma was at fault for the first of three Karim Benzema goals as Real Madrid fought back from two goals down to knock PSG out of the Champions League with a dramatic 3-2 aggregate win on Wednesday.

Former Rossoneri and Italy head coach Sacchi believes Donnarumma should have stayed at Milan.

"He made a mistake in choosing the money," Sacchi told the Corriere della Sera. 

"I also told his father and mother, last summer, here in Milano Marittima. Stay at Milan not so much for gratitude, but because it was the ideal place to grow.

"Never leave the places where you feel good. But he remains a great champion, I have known him since he was little more than a child, in the youth national teams."

PSG's latest quest for Champions League glory ended at the round-of-16 stage and it came as no surprise to Sacchi.

He added: "It is not a project. As George Bernard Shaw said, football is the art of compressing universal history in 90 minutes. In football, as in life, talent is not enough. 

"Money is not enough. It is the group that wins, never the individual. The game and the organisation are like the plot for a writer and the score for a musician. 

"The secret of everything is ideas. Anytime, anywhere. And I see few ideas at PSG."

Xavi is not concerned by Barcelona's toothless display in a goalless draw with Galatasaray as they prepare to face Osasuna in LaLiga on Sunday.

The Blaugrana were unable to find a way past Inaki Pena, who produced an inspired performance against his parent club in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 at Camp Nou on Thursday.

Barca had 16 shots, hitting the target four times as they fired a blank to bring an end to a four-match winning run.

The Catalan giants are now unbeaten in nine matches, though, and head coach Xavi is confident his fourth-placed side can fire at home to Osasuna

He said during a press conference on Saturday: "We were very good in Elche [in a 2-1 win last weekend] and they played with a low block.

"We have different solutions but you have to interpret them well in the game. We have trained [well] these days, we have made videos and we try to find solutions.

"We faced a rival who was very good, an extraordinary goalkeeper. I don't see it as a problem."

Xavi says Barca must be relentless as they attempt to maintain their unbeaten run.

"We have to maintain the intensity, they can't beat us in intensity. We can't lower it," he added.

"Being more effective changes the game. The rival has to open up and leave spaces. Getting ahead is an important advantage."

Xavi expects more quality from Barcelona going forward.

"We needed to attack better. We've analysed it. We have to be self-critical. We were better in the second half," he said.

"I don't think beyond it. My mind is not on Thursday's game against Galatasaray. Analysing Osasuna, who do things very well, I focus on tomorrow's game."

Roman Abramovich has been disqualified as a director of Chelsea by the Premier League following the UK government's decision to sanction the club's owner.

Abramovich was one of seven Russian oligarchs to have his assets frozen on Thursday due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The 55-year-old, whose net worth is reported to be in the region of £9.4billion, has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Due to the asset freeze, Abramovich cannot press ahead with his decision to sell the club on his terms.

Abramovich reportedly could, however, apply for a licence to allow him to sell the club, though he would receive no proceeds from a sale in such circumstances.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to continue trading – and indeed playing – as a football club, but have been hit by other severe sanctions.

They include a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches, while the Blues cannot buy or sell players, or offer new contracts.

In a statement on Saturday, the Premier League confirmed Abramovich's removal as a director.

It read: "Following the imposition of sanctions by the UK Government, the Premier League Board has disqualified Roman Abramovich as a Director of Chelsea Football Club.

"The Board's decision does not impact on the club's ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the Government which expires on 31 May 2022."

Chelsea host Newcastle United on Sunday in their first game at Stamford Bridge since these developments.