Antonio Conte believes no manager could provide a fast fix for Tottenham's problems, with the Italian citing the club's lack of stability as a recurring problem for decades.

The former Chelsea and Inter boss took the reins at Spurs in November following Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismissal and has endured a run of mixed form since his arrival.

Outstanding highs, such as a Harry Kane-led raid on Premier League champions Manchester City, have been followed by humiliating lows, such as a miserable defeat to Burnley.

A midweek exit to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup has now confirmed another empty-handed season, while their inconsistency means a Champions League berth could be a long shot too.

While Conte stresses he was never under any illusion about the task at hand, he says that he feels no quick fix was ever possible for the club, adamant no coach could change their narrative.

"For sure, to have this up and down I don't like," he said ahead of his side's clash with Everton on Monday. "I always said this from my first day when I arrived.

"Tottenham's story is this, many ups and downs, but to be competitive, to try to win something, to try to fight for something important and become a strong team, the first thing that has to happen is to be stable and avoid these ups and downs.

"To do this and to change this type of situation that is happening for many, many years in Tottenham, it's not simple.

"In a short time it's impossible to do this, not only for me but I think for any manager or coach to come in and change the story in one second. This [is the] story of this club for the last 20 years – especially when this club for 20 years has this type of situation."

More than a reversal of fortunes is on the line for Tottenham when they face Frank Lampard's Toffees in north London, with Conte looking to dodge an unwanted record.

Spurs have lost their last two home league games, last losing three in a row in their own stadium between May and September 2008 under Juande Ramos – it would be a managerial first for Conte.

However, the Italian can take hope from the fact that not only has he never lost to Everton, he has also never conceded a goal against them in five Premier League meetings.

Only Roberto Mancini has faced an opponent more without his side conceding a single goal in the competition's history (seven matches against Wigan Athletic).

Major League Baseball's Players Association (MLBPA) announced on Friday it will set up a $1million fund to help employees affected by the labour dispute that has delayed the start of the 2022 season.

The support program, which will be overseen by the MLBPA in conjunction with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), is designed to provide financial assistance for stadium workers and other employees who may endure hardship by owners' lockout and cancellation of games.

"There are a lot of people who make our game great. Many aren't seen or heard, but they are vital to the entertainment experience of our games," MLBPA executive board leaders Andrew Miller and Max Scherzer said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, they will also be among those affected by the owner-imposed lockout and the cancellation of games. Through this fund, we want to let them know that they have our support."

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced on Tuesday that the league has cancelled all games scheduled for the first week of the upcoming season due to the current impasse in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. It's the first work stoppage since the players' strike in 1994-95 that wiped out the 1994 World Series.

The MLPA added that it will work with the AFL-CIO in the coming weeks to determine which areas will be most impacted by the stoppage and outline a plan to distribute its resources to where they will be most needed.

"Whether you're a worker on the baseball field, or a worker behind the scenes, we all deserve respect and dignity on the job," AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler said. "The labour movement will do everything in our power to support these and all workers."

The owners imposed the current lockout on Dec. 2 following the expiration of the previous CBA, and Manfred announced an agreement would need to be reached by Tuesday in order to prevent a delay to the season's start. The two sides met extensively in Florida earlier this week, but remain at odds on key economic elements to prevent a deal from being reached.

Talks broke off between the two parties following Tuesday's deadline, and no decision has yet been made as to when negotiations will resume.

Paris Saint-Germain will be without the suspended Kylian Mbappe against Nice, but Mauricio Pochettino knows his side should not rely on individual performances from one of the world's best players.

PSG are 15 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit ahead of a clash with third-placed Nice on Saturday, but they will not have Mbappe among their ranks.

The France international will return for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid, who he has been heavily linked to when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Mbappe has dominated for PSG this season, scoring 14 times and assisting 10 goals in Ligue 1, while creating a team-leading 47 chances.

No other PSG player has more than five goals (Danilo Pereira) and only Lionel Messi has as many assists, but Pochettino insisted his side cannot continue to rely on individuals to come up with match-winning moments.

"We're talking about one of the best players in the world," Pochettino said of Mbappe's absence at Friday's pre-match news conference. 

"The psychological aspect is important for his team-mates and the opponent. But we know it can happen during a season. The important thing is that the squad believes in its collective strength. 

"We have to develop the idea that the squad isn't strong thanks to individual performances, but rather thanks to its collective strength, which is something we have to cultivate despite having players missing."

PSG's away form in the top flight has come under scrutiny this campaign, picking up 25 points on the road in comparison to 37 at home.

But Pochettino assured that his team's away challenges are normal as they prepare for a trip to Coupe de France finalists Nice, who have won just one of their last 17 top-flight meetings against PSG.

"It can happen during a season. It happens to every big club – and not only to Paris – to play less well away from home," he added. 

"There's no single factor that determines that. We try to play each game in the same way, whether it's home or away. 

"We analyse the way in which we play, looking to dominate, if there is pressure, or a difficult atmosphere in terms of the opponent.

"We also have to acknowledge the contribution of our fans, who generate an atmosphere and give energy, that has an impact, not only on our players but also it negatively affects the opposition."

Pochettino, whose side have lost just one of their last 17 league matches, will see his side take a slender 1-0 lead to Madrid on Tuesday, but his focus remains on one game at a time.

"We have to be focused on the match against Nice and find the right tactics to win," he continued. 

"For the second leg, there will be players missing in Madrid. As for us, we'll see after Saturday's game which players are available. We'll see which is the best team to play Real after the Nice match. 

"We have to be competitive and focused on Saturday's game, out of respect for the competition and for Nice. The best means of preparing for big Champions League matches is to be focused all the time."

Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that Manuel Neuer returned to full training on Friday, but a home clash with Bayer Leverkusen will come too soon for Bayern Munich's goalkeeper.

Neuer required knee surgery in February and has not featured since a 3-2 win over RB Leipzig, in which he matched Oliver Kahn's all-time record of 310 Bundesliga victories by a player. He achieved the first 77 triumphs with former club Schalke.

The Germany international – who holds the record for the most clean sheets in the Bundesliga (209), having surpassed Kahn (196) in 2021 – returned to light training late last month, but Nagelsmann confirmed the 35-year-old is now back into full team sessions.

While Neuer will be unavailable for the meeting with Leverkusen at Allianz Arena, the Bayern head coach suggested a return for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Salzburg on Tuesday could be a possibility.

"Manu did a little more today for the first time, also in team training," Nagelsmann told reporters at a pre-match news conference.

"Things are looking good. He still feels a little twinge when he has to stand up from a deep knee bend. He won't be an option for the squad tomorrow, that would be naive. 

"We'll have to see how sensible that is for Salzburg. We'll have to wait and see how he reacts. He hasn't lost any of his quality."

Bayern sit eight points clear at the summit of the German top flight ahead of their clash with third-placed Leverkusen, who are 14 adrift of the leaders.

Nagelsmann's team won the reverse fixture 5-1 and were 5-0 up after just 37 minutes – only in a 7-1 win at home against Hoffenheim in 2012 have they lead by five goals at an earlier point in a league match (after 35 minutes).

However, Leverkusen have taken 44 points from their 24 games in this campaign – the last time they had more at this stage was in 2012-13 (45) – and Nageslmann is expecting a stern challenge.

Indeed, both Bayern, who have managed 75 goals, a Bundesliga record for any team, and Leverkusen (63) have never before found the net as many times after 24 Bundesliga matches as they have done this season.

"A goal spectacle would be good for the spectators, but only to a limited extent for the coaches," Nagelsmann added. "Game control and the defence will be particularly important. 

"[Florian] Wirtz has the ability to move between the lines. [Jeremie] Frimpong initiates a lot, they have a very high pace and a lot of quality. We have to be prepared for that. 

"The first game [against Leverkusen] was very impressive, but we could have conceded a goal or two more.

"I don't expect them to be as offensive as they were in the first meeting and I expect them to keep pushing up but a little bit lower than they have been in recent years."

Niklas Sule, who has agreed to join Borussia Dortmund when his contract expires at the end of the season, also comes back into contention, and Nagelsmann believes the centre-back will continue giving his all for the club until he departs.

"I have a clear opinion," Nagelsmann said. "There is a certain contractual situation, the contract is limited and expires. 

"A player ideally extends, is sold or a contract expires. If the player continues who has the desire and does everything to be successful, I would always let the player play. 

"In many cases, things turn out well for the club. Sometimes things turn out differently, like with [David] Alaba [who joined Real Madrid at the end of his contract] or Sule. 

"That's part of it. You try to get the player on your side for a long time so that he gives everything for the club."

Ralf Rangnick has identified the "secret" that has allowed Manchester City and Liverpool to streak so far ahead of Manchester United.

United's interim manager sends his team out to tackle City in Sunday's derby, knowing the once-mighty Red Devils are again not a factor in the Premier League title race.

Their best hope appears to be clinging to fourth place and making progress in this season's Champions League, with Rangnick expected to vacate his position at the end of the campaign.

The 63-year-old German is a wily campaigner who can see what United are so obviously missing is the stability that City and Liverpool have enjoyed in recent years.

Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are firmly established in their posts, having received extensive backing, and their teams are the clear big two in England for now.

Rangnick said of United's rivals: "They have a very clear identity and a clear idea of how they want to play, and I know Jurgen in person and I also know Pep from those three years in Germany when he was at Bayern Munich, and he also has a clear idea of how he wants to play.

"This idea is the headline for everything that happens in the club. This is the secret behind their success: that they exactly know how they want to play.

"They have a clear identity, or you could call it a corporate identity and this is their guideline for everything they do, not only for new players but also for staff members and experts in different areas of the game that have become more important in the last 10-15 years.

"This is what all clubs in Europe have in common. This is something that also at Manchester United needs to be developed and improved in the next couple of years."

Rangnick may yet have a role to play in establishing such a structure and ethos at United, with an advisory role potentially waiting for him.

For now, his focus is on the current first team and delivering short-term results. United's current eight-game unbeaten run is a positive trend, and if they stretch that to nine after Sunday's derby there will be considerably more cause for cheer.

The German boss said he has had no input so far regarding who the next manager might be, and played down his previous remarks that he might recommend himself to the board. He said he made those remarks "with a twinkle in my eye", suggesting they were not entirely serious.

Rangnick labelled Guardiola and Klopp "the two best coaches on the planet" and said: "You need to have the best possible people, and you need a clear idea of football, and then stick to that idea and take your decisions always with having in mind, 'what do we want to be, how do we want to play?'."

The former RB Leipzig boss said United would need to show "tactical discipline" to stand up to City's threat.

"It will be a lot of defensive work necessary, a lot of sprinting, running, against the ball and with the ball, waiting for transitional moments and taking our chances," he said.

"This is what it's all about I think. We created enough chances in the last 10-11 games, and at times we converted them, like at Leeds where we scored four goals, but it's correct we should have scored more goals, especially in the last match against Watford."

That clash with the Hornets at Old Trafford finished goalless, which was hardly the morale-boosting result United might have wanted before facing the Premier League leaders this weekend.

Arsenal must not take anything for granted in their bid to qualify for the Champions League, according to Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners face Watford this weekend and sit sixth in the table, but with three games in hand over both Manchester United and West Ham.

Coupled with a more favourable run-in, on paper at least, Arsenal are arguably the favourites to seal a top-four berth come the end of the season.

However, Arteta has stressed his team will take it step-by-step.

"I think it's positive because that's where we want to be playing," Arteta told his pre-match press conference on Friday. "The reality is we are not fourth but sixth still.

"We have to win those games. We know what we have to do. There's a long way to go and the only aim is to win against Watford."

Since losing consecutive games against United and Everton at the start of December, Arsenal have dropped only five points over their last nine games in the Premier League.

It has been a feat bolstered by the impressive performances of Ben White, with the defender shrugging off his reported £50million price tag to emerge as the backbone of the Gunners defence.

Arteta had nothing but praise for the England international, saying: "I think what he's done, how quickly he's adapted, how he's handled the pressure of the price we paid and what we demand him to do at his age is very impressive."

White will hope to help steer Arsenal to yet another victory over Watford, with the Hornets having taken just seven points across 15 Premier League meetings with them over the years.

Arteta's opposite number Roy Hodgson meanwhile was won only one of his last dozen matches against the Gunners, way back in 2008 when he was in charge of Fulham.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been "a joy to watch" in recent years, according to Pep Guardiola and the Spaniard believes football will never see the like of the Manchester United star's talents again.

The duo will face off once more in the Manchester derby on Sunday, having built a rivalry during their days in La Liga as Real Madrid forward and Barcelona coach respectively.

Manchester City boss Guardiola tried to coax Ronaldo to join his side from Juventus in the close season, before United swept in to seal a homecoming for the Portugal superstar.

But even after missing out on his services, Guardiola has nothing but praise for the evergreen attacker's skills, citing him and Lionel Messi as generational powerhouses.

"One of the greatest in the last 15 years alongside Messi," Guardiola told a pre-match press conference on Friday when asked on Ronaldo. "We aren't going to see it again.

"When you achieve these things, you're under scrutiny every day. He was too good and as a finisher, exceptional - a top player. It has [been] a joy to watch in these years.

"We have to exploit our game and strength to avoid him close to the ball. We have to control him. One of the greatest - a goalscoring machine.

"He is so strong mentally. He handles this pressure without a problem, [and] lives with expectation through his career in a positive way."

City head into their clash with United eying a first Premier League double over their local rivals since the 2018-19 campaign, in what will be the pair's maiden meeting with Ralf Rangnick in the opposite dugout.

The German, who is set to be in command of United through to the end of the season, has them on the longest current unbeaten streak in the top flight (eight games).

Their hosts, meanwhile, will be out to avoid rare successive losses at the Etihad Stadium, following defeat to Tottenham in a five-goal thriller on their previous home outing.

Ruben Dias is to miss Sunday's Manchester derby and is likely to be out of action for at least four weeks, so says Pep Guardiola.

Manchester City defender Dias sustained a hamstring problem during the FA Cup win over Peterborough United in midweek.

Guardiola has now confirmed he will be without the Portugal international, who has maintained his fine form from last season, for at least a month.

However, Guardiola refused to consider Dias' absence as a serious blow to his side's prospects in the derby, which could prove a pivotal game in the Premier League title race.

"Ruben will be unavailable," he told his pre-match press conference. "Muscular. Hamstring. Four to six weeks. It happens.

"In other seasons our best players have been out for months.

"I'd love him but he's not there, I will not cry. It is what it is. We have decent players available. We have 14-15 players. With these players we are going to fight and try to play good.

"[It's] impossible to fight if you don't play good. We play with our people and hopefully our people support as they always do."

Dias has started 24 of City's 27 league games so far this season, having featured 32 times in the competition last term.

City, who will also be without Nathan Ake, are looking to complete a Premier League double over United for just the second time in Guardiola's reign, after home and away wins in the 2018-19 season.

Yet they face a United side who have won their last three games at the Etihad Stadium, and who will be seeking to make it four wins in a row away at City for the first time since doing so between November 1993 and November 2000 at Maine Road, when the rivalry was emphatically dominated by the Red Devils.

United are also unbeaten in eight Premier League games, the current longest ongoing unbeaten run of all teams in the competition.

Two of City's three Premier League defeats have come at home this season, most recently with a 3-2 shock reverse against Tottenham last time out on home turf.

Jurgen Klopp denied he is thinking about a future away from Liverpool as he spoke of the limitless potential of his title-chasing team.

The Reds manager said in a television interview in midweek that he was unsure what the coming years held for him, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Klopp's Liverpool will move to just three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City on Saturday, providing they beat West Ham at Anfield.

That is far from a given, seeing as West Ham won 3-2 at the London Stadium when the teams met in November.

But Klopp is relishing another title challenge, having already snagged a trophy this season thanks to last weekend's EFL Cup triumph over Chelsea.

Asked about his future, with reference to his previous comments, Klopp said on Friday: "The plan is still the same. Nothing changed really."

He spoke passionately about the quality Liverpool have coursing through their squad, but said that was not in his thinking in the sense of what may lie ahead for him.

"If I decide to leave, or maybe I get the sack in '23, who knows, or if I decide in '24, it's nothing to do with the quality of the squad," Klopp said.

"All the things we do are for the long term. This club must be even better, especially when I'm not here anymore."

The former Borussia Dortmund boss already has Champions League and Premier League trophy success behind him at Liverpool, and the scope of his achievement remains a matter of obvious pride.

Again it is City who Liverpool are battling with for league supremacy, and the strength of the team from Manchester means this current mighty Reds set-up could finish up with fewer titles than some would consider their talent deserves.

"Imagine City would not be there and how many more trophies we would have won," Klopp said. "But they are here, it's no problem. We really push each other on really high levels.

"We don't set ourselves a limit – why should we? – but it's really difficult. It's always a question of perspective: I don't think it's right [to say] we didn't win enough so far, but we can always think here or there we could have won more, and we were unlucky in moments."

Liverpool have an outstanding home record against Saturday's visitors, having lost just one of their last 48 league games against the Hammers at Anfield. That was a 3-0 defeat in August 2015, before Klopp came in to replace Brendan Rodgers.

The away loss this season was Liverpool's first league defeat to West Ham since being beaten home and away by Slaven Bilic's team in that 2015-16 campaign. In the previous 10 league games between the sides, West Ham had picked up just two points.

Liverpool lost both of their home league games in March last season, going down 1-0 on each occasion to Chelsea and Fulham, but they were mired in crisis then, a far cry from the situation now as they defend an unbeaten 17-game home league record (W13 D4), having won their last eight in the competition at Anfield by a 26-2 aggregate score.

Chasing down City is a task Klopp wants to take game by game, and he admits to being befuddled by media hype.

"I enjoy the situation we're in," he said. "I don't enjoy but I understand the questions about it, because it's considered we won the games already.

"I really want to win tomorrow, really, but if we lose you will sit here tomorrow and tell me the title race is over now, and I don't have enough capacity for all these different scenarios.

"I can't think about what we can win at the end. I'm barely smart enough to find enough concentration for one game and not the general situation. We're not in the worst moment but there's so many challenges ahead of us.

"I don't feel in a chasing mood, but I just hope we are ready tomorrow to face West Ham in a better way than we did when we played them there.

"We want to be as successful as somehow possible. We want to use the situation the club gave us with this great group of players and good coaches.

"Each club might have a different identity. Our since we've been together is intensity, and that's what we have to show every match day. That's what we expect from ourselves.

"That doesn't mean you're always on your top, but it means you have to try it at least with all you have and that's what we do."

Carlo Ancelotti has no doubt over the motivation of his Real Madrid side as he stressed Los Blancos are "where they want to be".

LaLiga leaders Madrid sat six points clear of second-placed Sevilla at the time of Ancelotti's news conference on Friday, though the Andalusian team might have narrowed that gap down to three before Los Blancos take on Real Sociedad on Saturday.

After seven consecutive wins over Sociedad in LaLiga between 2015 and 2018, Madrid have won just three of their past seven meetings with the Basque side in the top flight and Ancelotti is expecting a tough test.

However, the Italian insisted he is happy with the progress Madrid have made so far during his second spell in charge. While they are out of the Copa del Rey, Madrid are still favourites for the title and are in with a chance of Champions League progression, albeit they must overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their last-16 tie when they face Paris Saint-Germain next week.

"We have done really good things this season. It could have been better, but could have been worse as well," Ancelotti said.

"I'm honestly happy with the work we've done, the job we've done throughout the season.

"I think we've handled quite well the situations and now we are where we wanted to be in a very important moment of the season.

"It's true we are disappointed about being eliminated in the Copa del Rey when we didn't have Karim [Benzema] but we are six points clear of Sevilla, we have to fight until the end and we can also overcome PSG, so we are motivated to do it.

"I'd like to highlight it's four [league] games in a row that we didn't concede a goal and that's solidity."

Madrid have won 18, drawn six and lost two of their LaLiga matches this season and sit on 64 points. 

With just 12 games remaining, Ancelotti agreed with the suggestion that a relatively low points tally might be enough to secure the title this season, though he does not believe that is a reflection of LaLiga's declining quality – in fact, he mused that it means quite the opposite.

"It's true that now you don't have to reach that high of an amount of points but you can see from two different sides," he said.

"You can think the biggest teams have reached a level but you could also think that the rest of the teams had an upgrade. Right now there are really good coaches, really good players.

"This just means that LaLiga is better than the previous period."

Federico Valverde and Toni Kroos will be missing against Sociedad, though Ancelotti expects both to return in time to face PSG.

"Valverde will be available to play against PSG and I think also Kroos will be available, it's a small problem, I think both will be available and fit for that game," he said.

"It's not a problem, it's a bit of bad luck. We need to live with these type of things, it's normal at this part of the season. Kroos probably will have to stop for five, six days.

"At this moment of the season, these kinds of injuries means that we have managed the squad and also the physical condition [of the players] quite well."

Rishabh Pant fell agonisingly short of a century and Virat Kohli missed out on a hundred on day one of his 100th Test, but India are on top against Sri Lanka in Mohali.

Kohli looked in good touch in his landmark match – and the first since Rohit Sharma replaced him as Test captain – before he was bowled by Lasith Embuldeniya for 45.

Hanuma Vihari made a composed 58 after being selected to come in at number three, but it was Pant who took centre stage following Kohli's departure with a typically explosive innings.

The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 96 off 97 balls, but failed to reach three figures as he was bowled by Suranga Lakmal late in an opening day of the series that ended with India on 357-6.

Rohit started his reign by winning the toss and put on 52 in an opening stand with Mayank Agarwal before the new skipper fell to Lahiru Kumara for 29.

Agarwal (33) was also sent on his way before lunch, trapped leg before by Embuldeniya (2-107), and Kohli struck five boundaries before losing his off stump to the spinner to end a stand of 90 with Vihari.

With Cheteshwar Pujara dropped along with Ajinkya Rahane, the elegant Vihari set about trying to establish himself in the side with a half-century before playing on to a delivery from Fernando.

Pant produced the fireworks in a swashbuckling knock to raise the run-rate, putting on 104 for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (45 not out) on a tough day for Sri Lanka.

The tourists were lifted late on, though, when was cleaned up through the gate by Lakmal and kicked the ground as he trudged off in fury.

Pant pummels Sri Lanka

A fifth Test century was there for the taking for Pant after Pant dispatched the Sri Lanka attack to all parts.

The destructive left-hander shifted through the gears after bringing up his half-century, launching Embuldeniya for back-to-back sixes as he took 22 off an over from the spinner.

Pant had cleared the rope four times and hit another nine boundaries until he fell so close to three figures.

Kohli joins 8,000 club but hundred remains elusive

Former captain Kohli strode to the crease with an air expectation on such a big occasion for him.

That was building as he ticked along nicely, scoring the 38 runs he needed to reach the 8,000-mark in the longest format.

There was to be no first Test century since November 2019, though, as Embuldeniya failed to read the script.

Australia mourned the loss of a cricket legend before they endured a frustrating time in the field against Pakistan on the opening day of the first Test.

Rod Marsh, a great of the Australian game, passed away at the age of 74 on Friday. The former wicketkeeper played 96 Tests for his country and famously teamed up for 95 dismissals with paceman Dennis Lillee.

Both teams observed a minute's silence in tribute to Marsh before the start of play in Rawalpindi, but Pakistan went on to impress in their first home Test against Australia in 24 years, with Imam-ul-Haq's unbeaten 132 from 271 balls leading the way.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam promised the tourists – who top the ICC Test Championship rankings after their Ashes thrashing of England – a stern challenge and so it turned out, with the hosts, who won the toss and elected to bat, reaching 245-1 at stumps. 

Openers Abdullah Shafique (44) and Imam put on a 100 partnership in the first session, though Australia got a timely wicket when the former clipped to visiting skipper Pat Cummins off Nathan Lyon's bowling just before lunch.

Yet any Australian confidence was chipped away as the day wore on and Imam's maiden Test century arrived when the 26-year-old sent a Mitchell Starc delivery through the covers for four, with Azhar (64) moving to a 35th half-century in the longest format soon after.

Australia took the new ball with Pakistan on 235-1 from 82 overs, yet there was no late slip-up from the batsmen.

Imam marks his comeback in style

Imam had not featured in a Test for Pakistan since doing so against Australia in December 2019, when he scored two and then got out for a duck in a heavy defeat in Adelaide.

Yet the opener was sensational this time out, with his tally including 15 fours and two sixes, and he will go into day two looking to build on a fantastic first Test ton.

To make matters worse for Australia, Pakistan have Babar to come in next. He has scored two centuries and a half-century in his four Tests at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where he averages 110 in the longest format. 

Reliance on Lyon backfires

The onus was on Lyon to make the difference for Australia, given he was the sole full-time spinner selected for this Test, and that decision might prove a costly one.

Lyon was hit for 87 for his one wicket, and though Marnus Labuschagne (17-0), Steve Smith (5-0) and even Travis Head (13-0) were given a go, none could make the desired impact.

Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea remains "the perfect fit" for him and he is trained to live with uncertainty after Roman Abramovich decided to sell the club.

Abramovich on Wednesday confirmed he will sell up after 19 years as owner of the European champions, saying the decision is "in the best interest of the club".

Tuchel revealed that players and staff have since been briefed by technical and performance advisor Petr Cech on the situation at Stamford Bridge, with the underlying message being to focus on football.

The Blues head coach, who signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to replace Frank Lampard in January 2021, says the dramatic developments have not left him considering his future.

He told reporters on Friday: "I have the opposite of a problem staying here. I've said many times I love working in the Premier League, I love to be in England.

"I feel the tradition and love for sports in general, and for football in particular, it is an amazing place to be.

"Chelsea is from my point of view a perfect fit. I love to be here, I love everything about the club and I hope it continues.

"There is now uncertainty, but isn't there always as a football manager? So I'm trained to live with it. Of course there are different levels, and this is quite the level I have to be honest, but I'm positive things will end well."

Chelsea return to Premier League action at Burnley on Saturday and Tuchel says they must put off-field issues to the back of their mind.

"It doesn't make sense to worry too much because we don't have a lot of influence, if any influence at all," he added.

"We are allowed to focus on football and do the best to focus on football.

"It was not only the team [who had a briefing after the FA Cup win at Luton Town] but the whole staff, this is what we try and do, to create an atmosphere where you feel safe once you enter the building, where you feel calm, because we do this on a daily basis it can help now with the situation.

"Of course there is uncertainty, like with all humans, there are almost 100 people in the building and everybody will feel different about this.

"Some will feel scared, some will feel excited, some will feel sad and I think everything is allowed for every individual, but we can and should allow ourselves to focus on what we love the most and this is football."