LeBron James says he loves the players in the current Los Angeles Lakers locker room as speculation about roster changes swirls ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

The Lakers won 124-118 against the short-handed Charlotte Hornets on Monday, with their third straight victory marking their best run since winning the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.

There is still much debate over how different Los Angeles' team will look by the time it takes to the court at home to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

D'Angelo Russell is one of the players mentioned in trade talks and he led the team with 28 points and six assists in Charlotte.

Anthony Davis had his third career triple-double with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, while LeBron had 26 points on 12-for-22 shooting.

LeBron was asked after the game whether the current roster was good enough to win a championship or if he felt changes should be made.

"It's not a question for me," he said, per ESPN. "I love who we have in the locker room and that's all I worry about.

"We are going to go out and prepare ourselves every single night no matter what it is, no matter who's out there on this team. No matter what.

"This is who we have, so there's nothing else to talk about."

Russell is also completely blocking out the speculation after producing an impressive run of performances. The Lakers are 10-6 since he returned from injury in January.

"Show up to work," he said about how he was coping with the trade debates. "That's it. Just play. You can't control that. I don't care at all [about trade speculation].

"Obviously I've been here before, I played for the Lakers before, so I know what the requirements are to be successful here are. 

"So, if you're part of the future here you'll be successful. If you're not, you'll get traded. And I've been traded before here. So, my approach is just a little different.

"I really just genuinely, humbly don't care because I know I can't control it, one. And, two, I just won't allow my mind to go there. 

"I like to focus on this and you can see how I've been focusing on basketball and not comments and what's trending on social."

Miles Bridges produced a career-high 41 points and rookie Brandon Miller scored 33 points for the Hornets, but it was not enough to prevent them from suffering their eighth straight loss since trading Terry Rozier.

The Lakers are 27-25, ninth in the Western Conference, and would need to improve to at least sixth to avoid the play-in tournament.

After going 4-2 on their six-game road trip, Los Angeles now has three straight home games against Denver, New Orleans and Detroit.

"When we put our minds to it, we can beat any team in this league," added Davis.

"We lost two we felt like we should have won, and we won two that the people in Nevada thought we should lose. When we buckle down defensively and play the right way we are a tough team to beat."

England are locked at 1-1 after the first two games of their Test tour to India, with a pair of gripping matches in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

Here, PA news agency looks at lessons learned as the teams take a week’s break before resuming battle in Rajkot.

Rookie spinners are learning fast

With Jack Leach injured, England sent out an almost-unbelievably raw spin attack in the second Test.

Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir had a grand total of three caps between them going into the game – compared to 96 for India’s lead spinner Ravichandra Ashwin.

But under Ben Stokes’ proactive captaincy the youngsters are over-delivering on expectations.

They have each shone in different passages and are a major reason why England have successfully kept India’s batters from getting away.

England took a big gamble by fast-tracking such inexperienced options in conditions where the slow bowlers take huge responsibility but their development is unfolding quickly in front of our eyes.

England need more from their Yorkshire engine room

Joe Root remains the best batter in the England team and nobody has epitomised the ambition of the ‘Bazball’ era better than Jonny Bairstow, but neither man has landed a blow on India so far.

In four innings on tour Root has 52 runs at 13 and Bairstow 98 at 24.50.

It is too early to call it anything other than a blip but if England are to prevail in the next three matches they will surely play an important part.

Root is the team’s best player of slow bowling and has an exceptional record on the subcontinent, while Bairstow has the ability to bully attacks into losing composure.

Both have big roles to play after a slow start.

India are missing Virat Kohli

Both teams are missing key members of their batting line-up for personal reasons, with Harry Brook back home in England and Virat Kohli withdrawing on the eve of the series.

India appear to be missing their former captain most obviously.

He would surely be a more attacking presence in the middle order and a psychological boost for his team-mates, not to mention an electrifying factor in the field.

As a spectacle, the series would benefit from his return, but it would give the away side a new batch of problems to deal with.

Anderson is essential

A lacklustre Ashes series left some wondering if time had finally caught up with the evergreen James Anderson.

Not for the first time, he has brushed the doubters aside with panache.

At the age of 41 his efforts on his return to the XI were exemplary.

He is in outstanding physical shape and bowling with skill, control and the occasional hint of magic.

No other bowler in the squad can combine economy and wicket threat quite like Anderson and, after missing the series opener, he is once again a must-pick.

Surgery has saved Stokes

Stokes finally opted to go under the knife in November in a bid to solve his long-standing left knee problems.

He had long resisted surgery, unsure how it would turn out, but it looks to have given him a new lease of life.

The skipper has already pulled off two brilliant pieces of fielding that would have been impossible before – a wonderful run out and a sensational running catch – and no longer seems in constant pain at the crease.

Even more importantly, he has been making a gentle return to bowling in practice and hopes to be back as a fully-fledged all-rounder by the summer.

Luke Littler is ready to “kick on” in the Premier League after taking the darts world by storm.

The teenage sensation has enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks since his remarkable, headline-grabbing run to the final of the World Championship last month.

Littler followed up his Alexandra Palace heroics by winning the Bahrain Masters and reaching the final of the Dutch Masters.

The Warrington-based youngster now wants to make his mark in the Premier League, having reached the semi-finals on his debut in the elite tournament in Cardiff last week.

His next opportunity comes in Berlin on the the second night of the competition on Thursday.

“I am just happy with how I have been playing,” Littler, who also turned 17 last month, told the PA news agency.

“The Worlds was a big step up but I have proved I can play with the best and that is why I have got my shot in the Premier League.

“It was good to win on my debut (in Bahrain) and obviously be the youngest person to hit a nine-darter as well.

“But overall it was just match practice for the Premier League, as was Holland. Now we are kicking on with the Premier League. I know I have got the ability to beat the best.”

Littler has so far taken his sudden fame in his stride.

The player nicknamed ‘The Nuke’ was a relative unknown in December but his performances at such a young age have earned him recognition beyond darts.

He said: “It’s just been crazy but I’ve just been living how I have been doing – chilling when I have time off but when I’m at my darts events, being fully focused.

“That’s what I have always done. I have always been myself and keep myself to myself.”

Littler admits he has mixed feelings about all the attention, particularly the media interest in his life on and off the oche.

Asked if he has enjoyed being interviewed so often, he said: “I have and I haven’t. It does get very boring!”

::Target Darts are launching a new range of Luke Littler products on February 21. They are available now to pre-order at: https://www.target-darts.co.uk/luke-littler-range

Adrian Lam is determined to prove Leigh’s stunning 2023 season was no fluke.

Fuelled by an off-field rebranding campaign, the promoted Leopards not only charged up the Super League table on their top-flight return but dramatically won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 52 years.

After spending most of the summer era toiling in the lower tiers – with just three fleeting single-season campaigns in Super League amid numerous financial crises – it marked an extraordinary turnaround.

The challenge now for their dynamic former Wigan coach Lam is to prove it was no flash in the pan, as he fears many people suspect.

“I think people underestimated us last year,” said Lam, who was named coach of the year after following up cup success with a fifth-placed finish.

“I think people probably still doubt that we can do it and potentially feel that we may have got lucky, so we’ve still got a few people to prove wrong.

“We’re aware that it’s going to be that little bit harder because everyone’s aware of us.

“But we’ve added 10 new players to the group and hopefully they can bring something to us, while we’ve not lost many. We’ve just got to believe really, and have that consistency.”

Lam is pleased with how his squad has been rejigged over the winter. While a host of new faces have arrived, a core of key players including Dream Team entrants John Asiata, Robbie Mulhern, Josh Charnley, Edwin Ipape and the coach’s son Lachlan Lam have all been retained.

Among the new signings is former Penrith and Cronulla playmaker Matt Moylan, a one-cap Australia international, who looks set to play alongside Lam junior in the halves.

Lam senior said: “I think the new players that have come in are definitely better players, to add to the squad and to make us better.

“That’s all really exciting. We’ve just got to make sure that we gel off the field. By doing that we get the trust on the field.

“I think that the goal will be to finish higher than we did last year, so that would be in the top four.

“I think that’s a realistic goal but it’s going to take a lot of hard work. We’re aware of that but we’re a club that’s on the up and we want to show that’s what we’re capable of.”

The Leopards, who beat Warrington 28-12 in a pre-season friendly last weekend, begin their Super League campaign when they host Huddersfield on February 16.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wants to make sure his girlfriend Taylor Swift is not the only person in their relationship to bring silverware home this week.

Pop star Swift created history on Sunday by becoming the first artist to win a fourth Grammy for Album of the Year for her Midnights release.

It is Kelce’s turn to shine this week as he is part of the Chiefs’ squad who are gunning for back-to-back Super Bowl glory against the San Francisco 49ers.

The 34-year-old, who has won NFL’s biggest match twice before, is keen to contribute to the trophies on the mantelpiece.

“She’s unbelievable,” the Chiefs star tight end said at the Super Bowl’s ‘opening night’ in Las Vegas.

“She’s rewriting the history books herself. I told her I’ll have to hold up my end of the bargain and come home with some hardware, too.”

Kelce’s relationship with Swift has brought more attention to the NFL in recent months and Kelce is embracing it.

“She’s definitely brought a lot of new faces to the game, and it’s been fun to experience that,” he said.

“Taylor has an unbelievable fanbase that follows her and supports her throughout her life.

“It’s been fun to kind of gather the Swifties into Chiefs Kingdom and open them up to the football world and sports world. It’s been cool to experience that.”

Kelce and the Chiefs, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are appearing in their fourth Super Bowl in five years and are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in 2005.

Brady ended his career with a record seven Super Bowl rings, but Mahomes is not thinking about matching history.

“I’m not even close to halfway, so I haven’t put a lot of thought into it,” Mahomes told ESPN.

“So right now it’s do whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and try to get that third ring.

“Then if you ask me that question in 15 years, I’ll see if I can get close to seven, but seven seems like a long ways away still.”

What the papers say

Raphael Varane is reportedly the latest big name attracting a wealth of interest from Saudi Arabia. The Daily Star says Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr are hoping to reunite the Manchester United defender with his former Real Madrid and Red Devils team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, with an offer believed to be in the region of £50million a year.

The Independent reports Kylian Mbappe‘s contract negotiations with Real Madrid have hit a stumbling block. According to the paper, the two parties are yet to come to terms on the 25-year-old striker’s wage package, with an agreement believed to be a way off. However, there is belief amongst all involved – including Mbappe’s current club Paris St Germain – that a deal to take the France captain to Spain will eventually be made.

And The Telegraph reports Aston Villa has reached a verbal agreement on a new long-term contract for Jamaica winger Leon Bailey.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Raphinha: Journalist Paul O’Keefe says on X the Barcelona attacker is being carefully monitored by Tottenham.

Hwang Ui-jo: The Nottingham Forest striker has agreed terms to spend the rest of the season on loan at Turkish side Alanyaspor, reports Turkish outlet Sports Digitale.

Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and led a torrid shooting performance from 3-point range that carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to a sixth consecutive win, a 136-110 rout of the Sacramento Kings on Monday. 

Cleveland rolled to its 14th victory in 15 games by going 23 of 41 (56.1 percent) from beyond the arc. Mitchell finished 5 of 11 on 3-point tries and Max Strus was 6 for 10 while adding 22 points.

The Kings got 12 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists from Domantas Sabonis - his 15th triple-double of the season - but couldn't match the Cavaliers' prolific perimeter shooting as Cleveland began pulling away early in the second quarter.

Cleveland scored five straight points to stretch its lead to 46-36 less than two minutes into the second quarter and went into the half owning a comfortable 74-59 advantage behind Mitchell's 19 points.

The Cavaliers remained up by double digits the rest of the way, with their lead expanding to as many as 29 points late.

Harrison Barnes led Sacramento with 22 points while finishing 6 of 10 from 3-point range. The Kings closed out a seven-game road trip in which they had won five of their first six outings and six of seven overall coming into Monday's clash.

Irving, Doncic lead Mavericks past ailing 76ers

Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić combined for 42 points in the duo's first appearance together in two weeks to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a 118-102 win over the staggering Philadelphia 76ers.

Irving racked up 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting to go along with eight assists in his return from a six-game absence caused by a sprained right thumb. Doncic had 19 points and eight assists to help Dallas end a two-game skid and deal the ailing 76ers their sixth loss in seven games.

It was just the 23rd time in the Mavericks' 50 games this season they had a healthy Irving and Doncic together in the lineup.

Playing their third straight game without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who will undergo left knee surgery and is out indefinitely, the Sixers received 19 points from Kelly Oubre Jr. and 17 from Tobias Harris.

All-Star Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia's second-leading scorer behind Embiid, had 15 points but was just 6 of 16 from the field.

The 76ers did manage to lead 33-26 after one quarter and 57-53 at the half, but Doncic hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:57 left in the third quarter to spark an 8-2 run that gave the Mavericks a 77-72 edge near the end of the period.

Dallas then dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the 76ers by a 41-28 margin with its bench providing most of the offence, as reserves Jaden Hardy and Grant Williams each recorded 10 points in the final 12 minutes. 

Leonard's 36 points help Clippers cap trip with win over Hawks

Kawhi Leonard scored 13 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Atlanta Hawks and completed a successful road trip with a 149-144 victory.

James Harden added 30 points and 10 assists as he and Leonard powered Los Angeles to a ninth win in 10 games. The Clippers went 6-1 on an 11-day trek away from Crypto.com Arena while the venue hosted the Grammy Awards. 

In a fast-paced fourth quarter that saw both teams combine for 90 points, the Clippers outscored Atlanta by a 21-10 margin over a late stretch to move ahead for good.

Leonard began the run with a putback of his own miss that gave Los Angeles a 124-123 lead with 4:52 left, and Harden capped it when he was fouled after hitting a 26-foot jumper with 1:06 to go. He made the free throw to complete the 4-point play and extend the margin to 143-133.

The Hawks put forth a late rally and got to within 147-144 on Bogdan Bogdanović's 3-pointer with 26.7 seconds remaining, but Harden sunk two free throws on the ensuing possession to keep Atlanta at bay.

De'Andre Hunter had 27 points and seven rebounds off the bench to lead Atlanta, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Trae Young finished with 25 points and 12 assists in the loss. 

Sir Alastair Cook stood down from his role as England Test captain on this day in 2017.

Cook’s 59 Tests in charge made him the nation’s longest-serving skipper, until he was overtaken by his successor Joe Root, with his spell at the helm beginning in 2013.

Throughout that period Cook won eight of his 17 series in charge, including a 2-1 win in India in 2012 – their first series victory there since 1985 – as well as a win in South Africa in 2015-16.

Cook also led the team to two home triumphs in the Ashes, in 2013 and 2015, with a Test record that totalled 24 wins and 22 defeats.

The opener cited a loss of energy as the reasoning behind his resignation, concluding that the team would benefit from new leadership and deciding to devote his full focus to his batting.

Cook, whose last series as captain was a 4-0 defeat to India, said: “It’s been a huge honour to be England captain and to lead the Test team over the past five years.

“Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team. We’ve kind of stagnated if we are being brutally honest.

“There is a lot of work to be done and I felt I just didn’t have that energy to do it. That’s part and the parcel of being captain, you are responsible.”

Cook remained part of the squad under new captain Root until 2018, when he announced his retirement from international cricket after 12 years, signing off with a century against India in his final innings in his 161st Test.

Cook, who was the recipient of a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours in 2019, retired from cricket last October.

Alexis Lafreniere's goal 1:53 into overtime lifted the New York Rangers to a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday in a matchup of division leaders that started up the NHL's post-All-Star break schedule.

The Metropolitan Division-leading Rangers trailed 1-0 in the third period before rallying behind goals from Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin that supported a sharp 32-save effort from Jonathan Quick.

Former Ranger Alexandar Georgiev shut out his ex-team for over 2 1/2 periods until Panarin's wrist shot bounced off Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon and deflected past the Colorado goaltender to tie the game at 1-1 with 8:43 left in regulation.

Lafreniere later ripped the puck by Georgiev on the Rangers' lone shot attempt in overtime to end the Central Division-leading Avalanche's three-game winning streak. Quick was credited with a secondary assist on the goal.

MacKinnon extended his point streak to 14 games when he rushed up the ice and fired a shot that beat Quick to the glove side with 1:46 remaining in the first period.

Georgiev finished with 29 saves, including 11 in the first period.

Engvall's late goal puts Islanders over Maple Leafs

Former Maple Leaf Pierre Engvall scored the tie-breaking goal in his return to Toronto to send the New York Islanders to a 3-2 victory over his ex-team.

Engvall knocked in a rebound of teammate Brock Nelson's shot with 2:02 left in the third period to snap a 2-2 deadlock and help stop New York's three-game losing streak. The forward was making his first appearance at Scotiabank Arena since being traded by the Maple Leafs to the Islanders on Feb. 28, 2023.

Mathew Barzal and Kyle MacLean also scored for New York to back 35 saves from Ilya Sorokin.

Former Islanders captain John Tavares had a goal and an assist for Toronto and briefly tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play tally with 4:48 remaining.

After Barzal recorded the lone goal of the first period, Mitchell Marner scored just 50 seconds into the second to pull the Maple Leafs even. The tied score lasted only two minutes, however, as MacLean beat Toronto goaltender Ilya Samsonov on a breakaway for his first NHL goal.

MacLean's father, John, is an Islanders' assistant coach.

Samsonov registered 26 saves for the Maple Leafs, who had a three-game winning streak halted.

Ethan Roots believes his barnstorming England debut was given special meaning by his unorthodox route into professional rugby.

Roots was named man of the match for a powerful display at blindside flanker in Saturday’s 27-24 Guinness Six Nations victory over Italy, continuing a breakthrough season for the Exeter Chief.

Yet as a teenager he fell out of love with the game when his lack of size prevented him from making an impact and instead he turned to jiu-jitsu and kickboxing.

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Before long he had his only MMA fight – which ended in a draw – and was competing at jiu-jitsu, only to be expelled from his club for dating his coach’s daughter.

Driven back to rugby, he benefited from a growth spurt and, upon being presented with several contract offers, opted for the Crusaders in 2020 only to then be limited to a single appearance.

It drove the Maori All Black to seek his fortune in the UK and, having impressed at Ospreys, he joined Exeter last year, with his form soon alerting Steve Borthwick that England might have found their successor to Courtney Lawes in the number six jersey.

“Playing rugby professionally again and enjoying it – I’m so glad that I stuck at it,” the 26-year-old said.

“I had a bit of a rough patch and came out of the end of it. I was lucky when I came out the end of that rough patch to still be in a professional set-up and I fell back into it, I fell back in love.

“The last six or seven months have been pretty hard to process. Everything has happened really quickly and everything has gone really well for me.

“A win in a tough place like the Stadio Olimpico and coming away with man of the match is pretty special. So I’m pretty happy.”

Roots was greeted by his mum Cara after the game in an unexpected visit and hopes she will also be present for Saturday’s round-two fixture against Wales, when he will face some of his former Ospreys team-mates.

“My dad is back in Auckland but my mum flew out and surprised me – it was the first time I had seen her for quite a while,” he said. “That was pretty special.

“She arrived the night before the game. I don’t know how she planned it all. Her and my partner landed at the same time. It was a nice surprise.

“It is a long trip but she is going to see my brother when she is in London and hopefully catch another game.

“I know a lot of those boys in Wales and it would be great to have a hit-out against them. It is a big occasion and it would be my first Test at Twickenham, so I would be really excited about it.”

Emma Raducanu breezed into the last 16 of the Abu Dhabi Open with a 6-4 6-1 win over world number 26 Marie Bouzkova.

Raducanu recovered from a slow start to win 10 of the last 11 games and seal a meeting with second seed Ons Jabeur in the next round.

It was another promising display from the 21-year-old, who had impressed in her first-round win over Shelby Rogers at last month’s Australian Open.

Her aggressive tactics stunned her opponent, a 2022 Wimbledon quarter-finalist, as she hit back from an early break to reel off four games in a row and take the first set.

There was no looking back for Raducanu in the second as she pressed home her advantage to seal another win that suggests her injury problems may be a thing of the past.

Raducanu had returned from eight months out due to multiple wrist and ankle surgeries at the Auckland Open, where she pushed Elina Svitolina to three sets.

And her run in Australia was ended in round two where she defied a stomach bug to push Wang Yafan all the way in a match lasting just five minutes short of three hours.

Raducanu said: “I think in the beginning I was just adjusting to the speed of the court. I hadn’t played on this court this year yet, so I was kind of just adjusting.

“It was pretty quick and also a lot more still than it had been for the week, because it’s been very windy, so it was a different tempo. Marie is a really tough opponent.

“I knew that going in I was going to have to play so many balls and I think in the beginning I was missing a few of the finishing shots, but I cleaned that up so I’m very happy about.”

Alex Albon’s Williams boss James Vowles has issued a hands-off warning to both Mercedes and Red Bull after revealing his star driver is under contract for next season.

Lewis Hamilton’s shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025 has set Formula One’s transfer market into overdrive, with the London-born Albon mooted as a possible replacement for the seven-time world champion.

Albon, 27, has also been linked with a return to Red Bull, with Sergio Perez’s contract due to expire at the end of the year.

But speaking at Williams’ season launch, team principal Vowles said: “Alex is signed with Williams until the end of 2025.

“It is not something I have been very public about because I have not felt the need to.

“It is our job at Williams to create an environment that deserves someone of the calibre of Alex. He is an incredible driver that deserves his place towards the front of the grid.

“Some of his drives last year were no different to other champions I have worked with in the past.

“He and I have good chats about how we want to move forward, and how we want to move forward is by having our journey together in this team for a long time.

“But would I stand in Alex’s way? I have the responsibility of Williams on my shoulders and that is the most important thing to me, not the responsibility towards one individual, in this case Alex, but to the team.”

Albon finished last year with an impressive 27 points to help Williams land seventh in the constructors’ championship, the team’s best result for six seasons.

He was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020 but the world champions still hold him in high regard.

Asked if Vowles’ revelation means he will remain with Williams for at least the next two seasons, Albon said: “Let’s see. Time will tell.

“The real focus is on 2024 and making progress for 2025. That is where I am at.

“If the team is where I want them to be, it will be a long-term contract and we are going to go all the way or nothing.”

Meanwhile, F1 bosses have confirmed a rejigged running order for the six sprint weekends this season.

Qualifying for the sprint will now take place on Friday, with the grid for Sunday’s grand prix decided on Saturday following the shortened race.

The new season starts in Bahrain on March 2.

New Masters champion Stephen Bunting has opened up on his battles with mental health and revealed how a hypnotist has helped turn his career around.

The 38-year-old won his first televised PDC major title on Sunday when he outclassed Michael van Gerwen in the final in Milton Keynes just a few years after nearly walking away from the game.

Bunting, who is a former BDO world champion, made the switch to the PDC circuit a decade ago and threatened to make waves before he hit a dip that left him depressed.

The Liverpudlian said he felt like a laughing stock and turned to a hypnotist and sports psychologist to get over his demons.

“I was ready for walking away,” he said. “It was awful, I was walking into events and I felt like everyone was laughing at me.

“I felt like no matter what I was doing everything was going wrong. I was taking it out on my family and locking myself away.

“I was depressed, it was an awful place to be. Thankfully the psychologist and hypnotist over the last few years have helped.

“I was against it at first but I thought I needed to do something and that was probably the last step that I could take and I went.

“He taught me how to think not just about darts, there’s other things than darts, your family, your home life.

“I know they say in Peter Pan you think about happy stuff and you can fly but it is the same sort of logic in darts. If you turn up and are feeling happy and good then you can win anything.

“The hypnotist helped me with my sleep. That’s the biggest thing for me, a one-hour session with a hypnotist is a four-hour REM state so it helps you to focus, it helps you look at all the positives and stop looking at the negatives.

“Your mind is 95 per cent negative so sometimes every one of us will be in the negative side of the brain without even knowing it.

“I don’t think there are many players who have dipped into that side so to have that extra one or two per cent that helps. As you can see I am a champion now, so I’m just happy.”

Bunting, who channelled his inner Lionel Messi by sleeping alongside his trophy on Sunday night, has been waiting a long time to get his hands on some silverware.

But he said he would consider giving it back if it meant Jurgen Klopp decided to stay at his beloved Liverpool.

“I might give my trophy, but I wouldn’t give my title back,” he quipped.

“I actually felt like I lost a family member. I was away in Ireland when I heard the news and I was absolutely devastated. I don’t think there is a manager in the world that could take his place.

“Such a fantastic manager, what he has done for the club, a special, special man. He will be sorely missed by everyone at Liverpool. Even the Premier League will miss him.

“I am going to go to the cup final, I have got a ticket for the last game of the season, so I will be able to pay my respects and see him off. It is emotional for any Liverpool fan.”