Lewis Dunk’s late equaliser earned Brighton a 2-2 Premier League draw with Liverpool at the Amex Stadium.

Winger Simon Adingra took advantage of an error from Alisson in the visitors’ goal to give the Seagulls the lead midway through the first half.

But the game turned on its head before the break, Mohamed Salah slotting home to level after being played in by Harvey Elliott, then firing Jurgen Klopp’s side in front with a penalty after Pascal Gross had hauled down Dominik Szoboszlai.

Ryan Gravenberch spurned a golden chance to seal the win when he struck the bar with the goal at his mercy, before the final word went to the home side, Dunk volleying in 12 minutes from the end to keep Brighton sixth.

Roberto De Zerbi made six changes from the side that drew 2-2 in Marseille on Thursday, in keeping with the trend in the early weeks of the club’s debut season in Europe. Yet in the first period they appeared to pick up where they left off in storming back from two down to draw in the Stade Velodrome.

Their first chance came after only four minutes. Dunk got free at the back post from a corner and nodded back across goal, the ball sitting up at a good height for Joao Pedro whose shot deflected wide.

The opening goal was a calamity of Liverpool’s own making. Alisson played a careless pass to the feet of Alexis Mac Allister, seemingly oblivious to the lurking Adingra. He stole in to nick the ball from the former Brighton player, and with quick thinking took the shot early and rolled it inside the post before goalkeeper Alisson could recover and set himself.

Liverpool were shaken and Brighton began to take a hold of the game. Carlos Baleba exposed the visitors’ porous midfield when he collected inside his own half and drove through the heart of Klopp’s side, carrying the ball to the edge of the box before checking back and dragging a left-footed effort inches wide.

Liverpool equalised against the run of play after 39 minutes. Dunk gave the ball away to Szoboszlai near halfway and the Hungarian fed it forward to Darwin Nunez. He moved it on to Luis Diaz, whose ball in to Elliott was perfectly weighted for him to set up Salah to slot home.

Salah gave Liverpool the lead from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after Bart Verbruggen playing an awkward pass to Gross that put the midfielder under pressure. He was dispossessed by Szoboszlai and in a desperate attempt to recover the ball he yanked down the Liverpool midfielder, allowing Salah to step up and bag his second from the spot.

The hosts almost restored parity in the first few minutes of the second half, Evan Ferguson finding Adingra with a reaching pass into the right channel. Adingra darted beyond Andy Robertson and feinted to shoot, instead cutting back inside and hitting a low effort that was well saved by Alisson.

Gravenberch, on as a half-time substitute, wasted a glorious chance to extend the lead when he struck the crossbar with the goal gaping from Szoboszlai’s cross, before the Hungarian turned provider for Diaz who burst into the box and blasted wide.

Karou Mitoma thought he had won Brighton a penalty after 69 minutes, cracking a shot at goal from six yards that appeared to ricochet onto the arm of Joel Matip. The award never came, and furious De Zerbi was booked for remonstrating with the fourth official.

Brighton’s equaliser was no more than their assured performance warranted.

Solly March’s whipped free-kick from the left had pace and bend, and as Andy Robertson missed it at the near post it was met first time by Dunk, who thumped home on the volley.

Pedro should have won it when he was left unmarked from 10 yards out, instead the striker leaned back and ballooned a glorious chance over as an entertaining game finished level.

Steven Davis believes Rangers’ 3-0 win at St Mirren was a “step in the right direction” for the managerless Ibrox club.

The former Gers midfielder, whose contract had expired in the summer but was continuing his rehab from a knee injury at the club, took up the reins on an interim basis last weekend after Michael Beale departed following the 3-1 home defeat by Aberdeen.

Davis’ first game in charge was an embarrassing 2-1 Europa League defeat against Aris Limassol in Cyprus on Thursday night.

Some Rangers fans unravelled banners early in the game in Paisley which read ‘heartless passionless leaderless; not fit to wear our colours’ before skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot in the 29th minute after Saints’ Ryan Strain was shown a red card by referee Nick Walsh for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Attacker Abdallah Sima stroked in a second in the 70th minute and Tavernier hammered in a third in the 90th minute as Rangers leapfrogged Stephen Robinson’s side into second place, seven points behind leaders Celtic going into the international break where a new manager is likely to be appointed.

“Robbo has them really well organised so we are delighted to come here, keep a clean sheet and score three goals,” said Davis, who revealed 17-year-old debutant Zak Lovelace had to come off in the first half with a hamstring complaint.

“It is a step in the right direction, going into the international break.

“It was important to come here as a group, and the fans as well, and win.

“There is still a long way to go but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

“We have to take the positives out of today. But we will not get ahead of ourselves. It is only a small step to where we want to go but it is a positive step and I’m sure the players will take some belief from it.”

On the fan banner, Davis said: “People are entitled to their opinion. Players share the same frustration as the fans.

“Obviously we get the opportunity as staff and players to change things on the pitch.

“This is not where I wanted to be as I wanted two positive results from the two games.

“But I just thanked them for their effort and their desire. It is not easy with a quick turnaround after Thursday night.

“I couldn’t have asked any more from them in terms of what they have given me.”

On his own future, the Northern Irishman said: “I really don’t know. My remit was to come and take these two games, first and foremost.

“Now it gives the club and the board an opportunity to get someone in place.

“Up to this point I’ve continued my rehab and need to make a decision in terms of that on whether I play on or not.

“I have always thought that down the line I would go into management.

“This opportunity came out of the blue and it has been a steep learning curve.

“I think I have learned a lot over the two games. I have had a lot of support in terms of the staff behind me and in the building.

“That has been massive for me and for the players as well.”

St Mirren boss Robinson had no complaints about Strain’s red card for handling the ball near the line which proved so pivotal in what was his first league defeat of the season.

He said: “I thought we were excellent to start with. The red card changes the whole game.

“People have to make decisions in the game. It’s just a reaction from him. It’s a poor decision – we know that – and the referee gets it 100 per cent correct.

“I was miles away and thought at first it had hit a Rangers hand but obviously it didn’t. But it’s definitely a sending-off.

“If you go 1-0 down with 11 men we’re still right in the game. We’re playing really well. But the red card changes it completely.”

Bukayo Saka’s club-record run of consecutive Premier League appearances ended as he missed Arsenal’s clash with Manchester City due to injury.

The England winger had played 87 successive top-flight games and here, the PA news agency looks at his record.

Key man

Saka has four goals and two assists in seven Premier League appearances this season, a total which could have been even higher had he not ceded penalty-taking duties to first Martin Odegaard and then Kai Havertz against Bournemouth last week.

Since he last missed a game, as an unused substitute against Newcastle on May 2, 2021, Saka has started all but four of Arsenal’s league games and come on as a substitute in the others. He has played the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time on 44 occasions, almost exactly half the games in his run.

He has 29 goals and 21 assists to his name in that time for a combined total of 50 in the 87 games.

That accounts for the vast majority of his 35 Premier League goals overall, in 142 total appearances, and includes reaching double figures in each of the last two seasons – with 11 and then 14 – as well as for assists (11) last term.

Arsenal have won 57 of those games, with 11 draws and 19 defeats for a total of 182 points. Their 84 last season brought them a second-placed finish behind champions City.

Passing Merson

Paul Merson held the previous record with a run of 82 consecutive Arsenal appearances in the Premier League.

Merson was ever-present for just over two years between defeats to Sheffield Wednesday on February 4, 1995 and Wimbledon on February 23, 1997, before sitting out the following week’s win over Everton.

The two-time league champion – like Saka, an Arsenal academy product – scored 15 goals in that run, contributing to his career total of 99 in 425 Gunners appearances across all competitions.

Saka has 43 in 189 games overall and, aged just 22, has already surpassed Merson’s totals of 21 caps and three goals for England – how far can he go with the club?

Rangers gave themselves some much-needed respite with a 3-0 cinch Premiership win over 10-man St Mirren in Paisley.

Former Gers midfielder Steven Davis began his spell as caretaker manager with an embarrassing 2-1 Europa League defeat against Aris Limassol in Cyprus on Thursday night and there was a sense of foreboding about the trip to the SMiSA stadium.

Some Rangers fans unravelled banners early in the game which read ‘heartless passionless leaderless; not fit to wear our colours’ before skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot in the 29th minute after Saints’ Ryan Strain was handed a red card by referee Nick Walsh for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Attacker Abdallah Sima added a second in the 70th minute for his seventh goal of the season before Tavernier smashed in a third in the 90th minute as the Light Blues leapfrogged Stephen Robinson’s side into second place, seven points behind leaders Celtic but the prospects of a genuine title race is another thing altogether.

Rangers will appoint a new boss during the international break and the Ibrox club clearly need fresh ideas, strategy and motivation going forward.

The only radical change Davis made to the team was to give a first senior start to 17-year-old attacker Zak Lovelace – he would go off injured in the first half – with John Souttar, Jose Cifuentes and Kemar Roofe also coming into a fragile Ibrox outfit.

Defender Richard Taylor and striker Toyosi Olusanya were reinstated into the Buddies side who clearly fancied their chances but there was little between the teams in the opening exchanges.

In the 21st minute St Mirren defender Scott Tanser, who signed a new deal until 2026 on Saturday, found himself alone at the back post from a Conor McMenamin free-kick but blasted his shot over the bar.

Rangers, however, would soon take the lead.

Lovelace found space on the right and blasted the ball across goal with Strain appearing to knock it away from in-rushing Sima with his hand.

After a long VAR check, referee Walsh checked his pitch-side monitor, sent off the St Mirren player and awarded a penalty to the visitors which Tavernier converted to the ire of the home supporters.

In the 34th minute Goldson met a Borna Barisic corner with his head but Buddies keeper Zach Hemming acrobatically tipped the effort over the bar and the home side ultimately escaped.

In the 41st minute Lovelace limped off the field and was eventually taken away from the sidelines on a stretcher, after being replaced by Ross McCausland.

In added time, the 20-year-old knocked a Barisic pass down to Nico Raskin inside the St Mirren box but the midfielder’s goal-bound drive was blocked by Hemming for a corner, which came to nothing.

There was no immediate improvement from Rangers in the second half and striker Cyriel Dessers replaced the anonymous Roofe on the hour-mark, while Saints soon brought on Mikael Mandron, Alex Greive and Caolan Boyd-Munce.

Rangers doubled their lead in the 70th minute with an unusually swift break, Tavernier sending Raskin scampering through the middle with a first time pass and he squared for Sima, on loan from Brighton, to beat Hemming from close range.

St Mirren were on their way to the first league defeat of the season.

Dessers ran clean through in the 86th minute only to have his unconvincing drive saved by Hemming but there was time for Tavernier to thrash in a second from the edge of the box, after his first effort was blocked, a fine goal out of keeping with the most of the game.

Diogo Dalot believes the stunning late turnaround against Brentford can be a watershed moment in Manchester United’s season.

Erik ten Hag’s men were staring down the barrel of a third Old Trafford defeat in eight days as Saturday’s Premier League match headed into second-half stoppage time.

Mathias Jensen capitalised on a comedy of errors to put Brentford on course for a famous victory that would have ratcheted up the already intense pressure and scrutiny on out-of-sorts United.

But, unlike their previous defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, the Red Devils found a way to fight back as super sub Scott McTominay’s brace sealed a remarkable 2-1 triumph.

Trailing at 92 minutes 46 seconds, this was United’s latest ever Premier League comeback and Dalot echoed manager Ten Hag’s view that Saturday must be “a turning point” in their season.

“I think it means a little bit more than three points for us after these last couple of weeks,” the Portugal right-back said.

“I think the way that we won – obviously I didn’t mind scoring a few goals earlier than the 90 minutes – but I think it shows we are here to fight, we are here to suffer together.

“I think the fans were behind us every step of the way and I think this can be a turning point for us. We want to look at this as a turning point and we know it’s going to be difficult.

“That’s how it’s meant to be to be as a Manchester United player and today I think was proof we can fight until the end.”

United dug deep at Old Trafford, where after the game Ten Hag bemoaned a lack of hunger during their meek, error-strewn start to the season.

Those issues were clear in Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray, increasing the external focus on Old Trafford that Dalot has previously called a “killing machine”.

“We did a lot of things together, everyone getting together,” he said of the build-up.

“We focused on what we have to do tactically.

“We always do that, but especially coming into the game, feeling like we had to be a proper team.

“Obviously we controlled the game, we created chances, we could have scored goals, but the most important thing for me was the way we fought until the end, the way the fans showed the support for us and that shows they are with us.

“They have been with us all the way and we have to give (back) like this.”

Dalot said it was clear to see the team “gave everything” on Saturday afternoon as McTominay’s 87th-minute introduction sparked a scarcely-believable comeback.

The 24-year-old says he sees a lot of himself in the selfless, hardworking midfielder, who was linked with a summer move but stayed to fight for his place at his boyhood club.

“When Scott comes in, with all the energy that he has, the mentality, that shows that we are a proper team and I’m very happy with the result,” Dalot said.

“I think if you’re a Manchester United fan you know that Scott will always love the club and will always fight for his place.

“I don’t know what was in his head (over the summer), but I’m sure that once he decided that he has to stay I think he will give 100 per cent.

“Now we just have to help him to get along every day with us and be together as a team.”

While United went into the international break on a high, Brentford were left reeling from a last-gasp gut punch and even later knockout blow.

Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt said: “We played a very good game and at 90 minutes we were leading at Old Trafford.

“Then, in five minutes, they turn around the game and win 2-1.

“We have to finish a counter or a set-piece to make it 2-0, that’s the only thing I would say we can do better.

“It’s nice to have a good performance but obviously we want the points.

“Sometimes I don’t care if we play s***, as long as we get three points. We can turn it around together.”

Brendan Rodgers believes Luis Palma is gradually becoming more accustomed to the demands of playing for Celtic.

The Honduran scored his team’s second goal in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock in what was his first Premiership start since arriving from Aris Thessaloniki in August.

Rodgers felt it was unrealistic to expect new signings to be “perfect right away” and revealed he was looking only for incremental improvement.

The Celtic manager said: “The players at the top end of the pitch have to create and score goals, that’s their contribution.

“But Luis is settling in very well. These guys are coming from different climates and cultures.

“People feel the need for them to be perfect right away. I don’t, it’s all about adaptability.

“If they feed into the club’s winning mentality, they’ll improve here.

“You see with Palma, he’s getting better game by game. He was excellent today and scored a very good goal.

“He was dangerous. He played his part in a very good collective performance.”

Kilmarnock got a goal back through David Watson with the score at 2-0, but Rodgers believed a foul should have been awarded in the build-up.

He added: “We had the ball on the edge of the box, Greg Taylor was manhandled by their guy to the ground and we didn’t get a foul.

“The VAR only started when the play went forward. They scored from the position Greg would have been in.

“I don’t like talking about referees, but we’ve now got a whole team of people looking at it. The ref doesn’t see it, he had his back to the play. By the time he turned around, the foul was committed.

“But a guy on the line can see it, like me. On top of that, there’s a VAR team watching it with a cup of tea and no drama. They still didn’t see it.”

Celtic had a penalty award overturned by the VAR following a coming-together between Reo Hatate and Watson.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes – who would not address speculation linking him with the Rangers managerial vacancy – felt the Japanese midfielder had embellished any contact.

He said: “My first thought was that Hatate has gone down far too easily. For me, he’s waiting for contact. But I don’t think there was any contact. If I’m wrong then I’ll apologise.

“But for me, it’s trying to buy a penalty and the referee has bought it as I thought he would. I thought, ‘he’s going to give a penalty here’ and he did.

“My heart sank and then VAR overturned it. But that’s far too easy to go down, far too easy from Hatate. That’s poor.”

Tottenham defenders Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie hailed “leader” Cristian Romero after they combined to extend Ange Postecoglou’s unbeaten start at the club with a 1-0 win at Luton.

Spurs created a plethora of chances early on at Kenilworth Road, but Yves Bissouma received two yellow cards in quick succession in the first half to alter the course of Saturday’s game.

While Van de Ven put Tottenham ahead in the 52nd-minute, Luton made the most of their numerical advantage to pile the pressure on, but vice-captain Romero in particular shone with 12 clearances and five aerial duals won during a colossal display over the 90 minutes.

“Amazing player, unbelievable player,” centre-back Van de Ven said of Romero to SpursPlay.

“Defensively so strong, with the ball so strong, keeps talking, for me an amazing player.

“We had to concentrate for the full 90 minutes. We had to keep pushing, keep commanding and holding a strong line. We help each other and have each others back.

“Everyone keeps talking the whole time and most of the time no one is losing concentration, but everyone is keeping each other awake and you saw we defended really well to keep the clean sheet.”

Left-back Udogie echoed those sentiments, saying: “I think Cuti (Romero) is a real leader.

“You can’t feel more safe (than) with Cuti and he shows this every day in training, in the game and he helps us a lot.

“As you saw it was really tough and with a man less it was more tough but this is the spirit of our squad. We keep working hard for each other and the result come.”

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A post shared by Cristian Romero (@cutiromero2)

On his maiden Italy call-up, Udogie added: “It is a big dream for me you know. As a young kid I was always dreaming for this moment.

“Now it has come and I have to just stay focused, enjoy the time, work hard for the team and give my best.”

Spurs have won six of their eight Premier League matches under Postecoglou, which makes this the club’s best start to a top-flight season since the 1960-61 double-winning campaign.

The goals have flowed, but the Australian has added a steel to a previously frail defensive unit and this shut-out was Tottenham’s third with new first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

Postecoglou said: “They’ve been great all year, both the centre-backs, the whole back four and Vic.

“I think a big part of that is Romero because when you look at it, it’s Destiny’s first year in the Premier League, Micky’s first year, Vic’s first year and (Pedro) Porro is just beginning his Premier League career, but they’ve got a World Cup winner beside them.

“I think Cuti makes them feel like they belong. They feel really comfortable having him beside them and you can see them flourish.

“He is someone you definitely want in your team. Yes he does have that physicality about him, but he’s a good player as well.

“His passing range, ability to really position himself well, to stay calm and then just ridiculous bravery to always put his body in there. He’s just an outstanding defender.”

Lionel Messi recently labelled Argentina team-mate Romero as the best defender in the world.

“He’s a good judge,” Postecoglou smiled.

Meanwhile, newly-promoted Luton were left to rue missed chances after suffering a sixth defeat, but could soon call upon the services of free agent Andros Townsend after he played for their under-21s on Friday.

“We will see,” Hatters boss Rob Edwards said. “It has to be right for him. We will have a look and see how it goes.

“He played on Friday night the full game.”

Wayne Rooney is leaving DC United after their hopes of making the Major League Soccer play-offs ended.

The former England captain had been in charge at the Washington club since last summer but a 2-0 victory over New York City FC proved to be his final match.

CEO and co-chairman Jason Levien said on dcunited.com: “We have spoken with Wayne and agreed it is best for us to part ways at this time.

“This decision creates the avenue for our next general manager to have the full opportunity to impart a new philosophy and structure onto our sporting operations, which begins with the critical identification of a head coach who will best align with this.

“We are grateful to Wayne Rooney for all he has done for our club and for soccer in the nation’s capital, first as a DC United player and captain and most recently as our coach. He remains an important part of the DC United family and a valued and cherished friend.”

Rooney first moved to the MLS in 2018, spending 15 months in Washington as a player, and returned last summer after cutting his managerial teeth at Derby.

The 37-year-old improved DC United’s points tally but is heading back to England after their play-off hopes ended.

“It’s just the right time,” said Rooney in quotes reported by the Washington Post.

“I think I’ve done everything I can to try and get the club into (the) play-offs. It’s not one single thing which has happened, it’s about timing in your career. I have really enjoyed my time here. But I just feel it’s the right time to go back to England. What lies ahead, I don’t know.”

As the battle for top spot in the highly competitive Group A continues, Hydel High positioned themselves well for an ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup second round berth, after coming from behind to edge Calabar High 2-1 at Red Hills Road on Saturday.

Not only did the win propel Hydel ahead of Calabar on goal difference, with both sitting on 12 points behind leaders Kingston College (18 points), but the manner in which it came, added impetus to their ambitions that they can challenge for the title.

Omario Henry (29th) and D’Sean Henry (73rd), with his fifth goal of the season, saw the Ferry-based team –which ended with 10 players after Kailand Smith picked up a second yellow in the 56^th minute –to the points. Isaac Clarke (15th) gave Calabar an early lead.

Winning coach Devon Anderson was delighted by the grit and character demonstrated by his team.

“It was a hard-fought game, we went down to 10 players, but we didn’t panic because I know the ability of the kids and I know we could have pulled it off. We started the season with a goal to win the Manning Cup and no matter how difficult it seems that goal hasn’t changed, but we take it one game at a time,” Anderson said in a post-match interview.

Despite falling behind when Clarke’s shot from a distance somehow eluded the goalkeeper, Hydel continued to show purpose and eventually found the equalizer when D’Sean Henry broke down the right channel and played a cross in for Omario Henry to finish.

The score remained unchanged at the break and Calabar, like they did at the start, were more spirited on the resumption and seemed well poised for victory when Smith was given marching orders.

However, the Red Hills Road boys failed to make the numerical advantage count on home soil and later paid the price when D’Sean Henry on the break, lobbed a left-footed effort over the head of the advancing keeper, who left his line and was caught in no man’s land.

Try as they did, Calabar couldn’t find the elusive equalizer which left their Head coach Andrew Price, somewhat disappointed.

“I think we gave up an opportunity to collect all three points, the game was decided on a goalkeeping error, but these are young players so they will learn. We are not going burden them with too much pressure we just have the get it right the next time. I think we gave as much as we got from this Hydel team so, all in all, it was a good game and it will serve us well for the rest of the season,” Price shared.

Saturday’s results

Calabar 1, Hydel 2

Jose Marti 0, Campion College 1

Waterford 0, St George’s College 3

Ascot High 0, St Jago 4

Former Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Tony James says the recent move to cut Lorne Donaldson from the Reggae Girlz programme, could prove the final nail in the coffin of the Michael Ricketts-led administration, as he believes their chances of retaining leadership of the country’s football were already slim.

James –like many football enthusiasts at home and abroad –has always been critical of Ricketts’s leadership and even felt he should have relinquished the post last year when the senior Reggae Boyz players called for the scalp of then general secretary Dalton Wint.  

At that point, James said Ricketts lacked the requisite acumen to continue leading the sport’s local governing body, as he failed to accept responsibility for the chaos that has unfolded in Jamaica’s football over the past few years with players and some coaches consistently expressing discontent at the constant “lack of respect, transparency and communication” from the JFF hierarchy.

Now thrown in the spotlight once again with the non-renewal of Donaldson’s contract, and the elections due by year end, James thinks it might just result in Ricketts and administration’s demise.

Donaldson, who was appointed in 2022, led the Reggae Girlz to a second-consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup. At the tournament jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, they had an historic run to the round of 16, after drawing with France and Brazil and defeating Panama in the group stage.

The Reggae Girlz eventually bowed out following a 0-1 loss to Colombia.

In their most recent fixtures, the Reggae Girlz suffered back-to-back losses to Canada in a failed bid to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but the progress the team has made under Donaldson’s leadership is without question.

“The upcoming election is the exact reason why that decision with Lorne is poor. If you have an election in a couple of weeks, why are you going to make a move like this.

“You have a lame duck presidency and administration why are you going to take on a massive investment for a national women’s coach when JFF is still in restrictive financing, why would you want to do that now. So that decision is a matter of bad timing,” James said in a recent interview with Sportsmax.tv.

By virtue of hiring a new coach, James argues that the Reggae Girlz programme will be unnecessarily reset, when there are other areas of the country’s football that needs more attention.

“The schoolboy football needs to be reset, the academy programme needs to be reset and the parishes, the most important on the agenda heading into the elections, have to be reset,” he asserted.

For the upcoming elections, Ricketts, who has been in power since 2017, will be challenged by current vice-president Raymond Anderson.

Anderson, who has served in previous administrations has the likes of former Cricket West Indies President Dave Cameron, Marketing Strategist Cecile Dennis, Kingston and St Andrew Football Association President Mark Bennett and St Thomas Football Association President Wayne Thompson, on his campaign team.

Last year's changes to the JFF's constitutional reform will result in an increase in delegates from 13 –previously consisted solely of parish confederation presidents –to 56, comprising more stakeholders.

James also took issues with those changes.

“Everything seems to be wrong structurally about what they are doing. The election of the parishes comes three months after the JFF elections, and what exist now is a corrupt construct, you can’t have a corrupt construct electing a president and a new board for a four-year term. You should have the election for the parishes first and then out of that election you elect a new JFF board,” James opined.

“The thing is that when you have a corrupt construct that exist in the JFF, the majority of people that are going to vote are people you have to appeal to, to vote for you. So, if you accept the fact that the parishes, especially the rural parishes, some of them are extremely weak and extremely poor in their structure, you have to correct that first or at least attempt to correct that.

“But they are going for votes rather to correct the structure and if the structure is not corrected no matter who gets there (the presidency) then it won’t make a difference. Because you're trying to get football moving forward and get football resilient which means you have to always be moving forward without moving back. Instead, what has been happening now is that you take two steps forward one step back you need everybody in the same boat moving in the same direction,” he ended.

Jude Bellingham’s goalscoring hot streak continued with a brace as LaLiga leaders Real Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 at the Bernabeu.

The England midfielder opened the scoring with a ninth-minute finish and added another effort nine minutes into the second half to take him to 10 goals in as many games for Real since joining them from Borussia Dortmund over the summer.

Further finishes followed from Vincius Junior and Joselu, who then saw a penalty saved by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.

Girona leapfrogged Barcelona – who play at Granada on Sunday – into second, two points behind Real, with a 1-0 win at 10-man Cadiz.

After the hosts had Darwin Machis sent off in the 10th minute, Aleix Garcia netted a 59th-minute winner.

Valencia drew 1-1 at Mallorca thanks to Diego Lopez’s headed equaliser in first-half stoppage time after Daniel Rodriguez’s opener, while Sevilla fought back from two goals down to claim a 2-2 draw at home against Rayo Vallecano, with Youssef En-Nesyri scoring a stoppage-time leveller.

Oscar Valentin and Alvaro Garcia put Rayo in control inside 26 minutes before Djibril Sow halved the deficit and En-Nesyri’s last-gasp equaliser.

AC Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 1-0 win at Genoa that saw Christian Pulisic score late on before both sides had their goalkeepers sent off in stoppage time.

After Pulisic broke the deadlock by firing home in the 87th minute, the Rossoneri were then reduced to 10 men in the eighth minute of time added on when Mike Maignan was shown a red card.

Pulisic’s fellow substitute Olivier Giroud took over from Maignan in goal, and saw the Milan crossbar get rattled moments later – before the drama continued with Genoa keeper Josep Martinez being shown a second yellow card.

With Giroud then making a save in the final few moments, Milan saw out the victory to take top spot, going two points clear of Inter Milan, who were held 2-2 at home by Bologna earlier in the day.

Inter looked well in control after early goals from Francesco Acerbi and Lautaro Martínez, but Bologna hit back with a Riccardo Orsolini penalty in the 19th minute, and Joshua Zirkzee then equalised seven minutes into the second half.

Juventus moved above champions Napoli into third with a 2-0 win at home against derby rivals Torino, Federico Gatti and Arkadiusz Milik getting on the scoresheet. Napoli play Fiorentina at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday evening.

Monaco lead Ligue 1 by a point after winning 3-1 at Reims – Ismail Jakobs, Folarin Balogun and Wissam Ben Yedder netting for the visitors before Teddy Teuma replied with a penalty.

The result took Monaco back above Nice, who had earlier moved to the top following a 1-0 win at Metz, with Hichem Boudaoui scoring the only goal in the 14th minute.

Stuttgart are the current table-toppers in the Bundesliga following their 3-1 come-from-behind win over Wolfsburg.

Replying to Yannick Gerhardt’s opener, Serhou Guirassy registered a second-half hat-trick, the first goal a penalty, to take him to 13 goals for the season in just seven games.

A point behind them are Borussia Dortmund, who beat Union Berlin 4-2 at Signal Iduna Park.

The hosts were behind at the break after Niclas Fullkrug’s opener was cancelled out by Robin Gosens and Leonardo Bonucci scored a penalty, before a second-half turnaround saw Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Brandt and Julian Ryerson net for Dortmund.

RB Leipzig had a penalty saved in each half as they were held 0-0 at home by Bochum, Manuel Riemann denying Xavi Simons and then Emil Forsberg.

Hoffenheim moved into the top four with a 3-2 win at Werder Bremen sealed by Marius Bulter in the second minute of stoppage time – a minute after Jens Stage had equalised for the hosts.

Maximilian Beier’s early goal put Hoffenheim ahead in the eighth minute, but Romano Schmid equalised nine minutes later only for Grischa Promel to regain the first-half lead for the visitors.

Darmstadt won 2-1 at Augsburg thanks to goals from Tim Skarke and a Tobias Kempe penalty before Ermedin Demirovic netted a late consolation for the hosts.

England boss Gareth Southgate says it is “not a stupid question” to ask whether Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is the best player in the world right now.

Having impressed at Birmingham and flourished at Borussia Dortmund, the 20-year-old midfielder has gone up another level since his big-money switch to Spain.

Bellingham has immediately established himself as one of Madrid’s main men and has scored 10 goals in 10 matches since moving to the Bernabeu for an initial £88.5million fee.

The midfielder scored a brace in Saturday’s 4-0 win against Osasuna, which will only increase talk of the midfielder being the world’s top player at the moment.

Asked if Bellingham was the best in the world right now, Southgate – speaking before the Real star’s two-goal showing on Saturday – said: “I wondered if you might say that!

“No, it’s not a stupid question. I haven’t seen everybody and studied everybody playing.

“All I can say is he’s at one of the biggest clubs in the world, arguably the biggest, and he’s playing exceptionally well and he’s currently the match-winner for them so he’s in a brilliant place.”

Bellingham has quickly established himself as a fan favourite at the Bernabeu, where he has added more goals to his game playing in a more advanced position.

The 20-year-old scored a solo stunner in Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League win at Napoli, with Spanish media comparing him to Diego Maradona and Alfredo Di Stefano.

“He’s playing higher,” Southgate said. “We played him higher against Scotland, he had that freedom in the Ukraine game as well, we didn’t use the game well enough in the final third.

“But he’s always looked dangerous and had an impact around the opposing box with Dortmund and with us, without looking quite as calm as he has this season in front of goal.

“It’s brilliant to have people who can win games.

“He’s been the match-winner for Real Madrid and the start for him has been absolutely phenomenal. I’m chuffed to bits for him.”

Asked if Bellingham is a number 10 who could play up top on his own without a number nine, the England boss said: “Well, there are lots of different number 10s, aren’t there?

“The 10s I played against, (Dennis) Bergkamp, (Gianfranco) Zola probably were forwards that dropped deeper rather than the other way round.

“Jude is a more powerful player than those, slightly different. More of a midfield player, who’s going to make midfield runs. That doesn’t mean he’s any less effective, as we’ve seen.

“Their team have found a nice balance with the athletic midfield they have behind and, having lost (Karim) Benzema as they did and lost Vinicius (to injury) as they did, they have been adapting.

“He’s been defending on the left wing in a couple of games and I can just imagine the reaction from all and sundry if I asked him to do that!

“So, look, he’s doing brilliantly well and that’s the beauty of some of the options we’ve got. We can play players in different positions. They’re good players so they can adapt.”

Bellingham will now join up with England for a Wembley double-header, with Friday’s friendly against Australia followed by a Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.

Southgate largely stuck with the tried and tested with his selection for October’s fixtures, meaning vice-captain Jordan Henderson kept his place after his controversial move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

“His physical data is fine,” Southgate said of the former Liverpool skipper. “The games are not at the same intensity as the games here. The heat is part of that.

“There are two or three drinks breaks per game, which is an indication of the climate, and that his having an impact on how teams play.

“It is a situation that we are tracking closely. I will go out and watch games. But we get all his games the same way we get everybody else’s.

“That’s a longer trip and in these first couple of months we’ve felt it more important to see as many games live as we can, as quickly as possible, by getting around our country more.

“But as time moves on, we’ll get to more of the Milans, the Madrids and the Bayern Munichs, as well as out to see Hendo.”

AC Milan moved to the top of Serie A with a 1-0 win at Genoa that saw Christian Pulisic score late on before both sides had their goalkeepers sent off in stoppage time.

After substitute Pulisic broke the deadlock by firing home in the 87th minute, the Rossoneri were then reduced to 10 men in the eighth minute of time added on when Mike Maignan was dismissed.

Pulisic’s fellow substitute Olivier Giroud took over from Maignan in goal, and saw the Milan bar rattled moments later – before the drama continued with Genoa keeper Josep Martinez being shown a second yellow card.

With Giroud then making a save in the final few moments, Milan saw out the victory as they managed to take maximum advantage of Inter Milan being held 2-2 at home by Bologna earlier in the day.

Securing a fourth successive league victory and eighth in nine Serie A games, Stefano Pioli’s went two points clear as they replaced Inter at the summit.

Pioli made five changes to his starting line-up from the 0-0 Champions League draw at Borussia Dortmund, including replacing the front three of Giroud, Pulisic and Rafael Leao with Luka Jovic, Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor.

Two of that trio brought in almost combined for an early goal, with Chukwueze lofting the ball forward and Okafor just unable to finish as Martinez grabbed it.

The hosts then appealed for a penalty when Johan Vasquez went down in a tangle with Alessandro Florenzi but nothing was given.

A spell of Milan pressure around the quarter-hour mark saw Martinez deal with a shot from Florenzi and then block Tijjani Reijnders’ strike.

Florenzi subsequently got himself in the way of a Vasquez shot, before Theo Fernandez and Florenzi hit drives off-target.

After Pioli opted to bring on Pulisic and Leao for Chukwueze and Okafor at the interval, Milan continued to be frustrated in their search for a breakthrough early in the second half, struggling to fashion much in attack.

Leao then saw Martinez make a fine save to tip his bouncing header over the bar in the 65th minute, shortly before Giroud was introduced to the fray.

Genoa then threatened to grab the lead as Radu Dragusin’s shot deflected off Reijnders, with Maignan doing well to turn it around the post, and substitute Caleb Ekuban headed over.

It looked as if Milan would miss their opportunity to replace Inter at the top, but Pulisic then controlled a Yunus Musah delivery, turned and fired in, the effort standing after a VAR check for handball.

That proved only the start of a dramatic finale as stoppage time saw Maignan given a red card, via VAR, for clattering Ekuban, Giroud don the gloves, and the resulting free-kick by Albert Gudmundsson diverting off Fikayo Tomori and onto the Milan bar.

Martinez then fouled Musah and was sent off himself, before Giroud came out to bat the ball away from George Puscas as Milan emerged with all three points.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola distanced himself from Mikel Arteta’s success at Arsenal, insisting he learned just as much from his fellow Spaniard as opposed to the other way around.

The narrative of Sunday’s skirmish between two sides tipped to be vying for the Premier League title at the end of the season centres on Guardiola the master going up against Arteta the protege.

Arteta was one of Guardiola’s assistants for three years before leaving for Arsenal in December 2019, making gradual strides to the point where they were City’s closest top-flight challengers last season.

Any notion Guardiola is indirectly responsible for Arsenal’s resurgence was rubbished by the former Barcelona manager, who believes he had a reciprocal arrangement with Arteta during their time at City.

Asked if he sees a lot of his characteristics in Arteta, Guardiola said with a smile: “Zero. He has a completely different father and mother and he has his own personality.

“All the success he has belongs absolutely to Mikel and his people at Arsenal, not me. People say ‘he was with Pep and learned a lot’. I learned a lot from him.

“People say always I have to teach my assistant coaches; I bring the assistant coaches here to teach me. I am here, the figure in front of the microphone but I learn like the players.

“People believe we teach the players but we learn off them to take the decisions many times. All of the good things about Mikel belong to him, his genetics his mum and dad are giving to him. Not me.”

En route to a historic treble last season, City collected a third successive league title as they finished five points ahead of Arsenal, who claimed a top-four spot for the first time since 2016.

Guardiola thinks Arteta can bring back the glory days at Arsenal, who signed England midfielder Declan Rice for a club record £100million, plus £5m in add-ons, in July after City dropped out of the race.

Guardiola said: “Everybody knows that we wanted him. In the end, Arsenal pushed more and wanted him more. Maybe Mikel was more convincing than me. We could afford it maybe less, that’s why.”

Arsenal, who are unbeaten after seven league games and lie just one point City in the table, also paid more than £60m for Kai Havertz and their spending power suggests they will be challengers for a while.

Guardiola added: “Normally when Manchester City spent this amount of money it’s crazy, when it’s the other ones how smart they are.

“I’m not denying that everyone can do whatever they want and never judge the other one. We have been judged all the time but it’s fine.

“When we were in the middle of the table it never happened (like) that, it was not a problem, we were not under scrutiny from the rest.

“At the moment Arsenal’s recruitment is really good. They have a young squad for many, many years.

“The perspective for many is the fact that they will be there many times and, of course, Declan Rice is an exceptional, exceptional holding midfielder with the national team. He is an exceptional player.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has encouraged home-grown midfielder Sean Longstaff to set his sights on an England call-up after shining on the European stage.

The 25-year-old’s career, which looked to have stalled under Steve Bruce, has been resurrected since Howe took over in November 2021 and he played a key role in Wednesday night’s 4-1 Champions League victory over Paris St Germain with a tireless display capped with the third goal.

Longstaff has been a key figure in the side which has gone six games undefeated and conceded just a single goal ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to West Ham, and while the Magpies’ head coach studiously avoids trying to pick Gareth Southgate’s squad for him, he insists the Academy graduate has what it takes to play international football.

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Howe said: “I haven’t spoken with Sean in any great detail about the England squad or his dreams and aims, but I’d encourage it for him because I think he is good enough.

“I think he’s got everything depending on what system you want to play but for us, he perfectly fits the number eight role that we’re using him in.

“I’d love to see him score more goals and get in more goalscoring positions because I think he is a very good finisher – you saw the other night with a really good goal – so hopefully there’s more to come from him.

“But he’s certainly done very well at the start of this season.”

North Shields-born Longstaff’s re-emergence has ensured a Geordie presence in Howe’s increasingly-cosmopolitan starting XI and he is not alone with Blyth native Dan Burn having made the left-back spot his own since his £13million arrival from Brighton in January last year.

At 6ft 6in, the 31-year-old – who also scored against PSG – does not fit the usual profile for a full-back, but having played the role earlier in his career, has adapted admirably to what he has been asked to do.

Howe said: “He’s been magnificent. He’s unusual. There are not many Dan Burn-type players playing football.

“He’s done so well to adapt to the position, but it’s a position he’s played before, so it’s not new to him. It’s just new to him for us, but technically he’s been very good.

“Defensively, he’s got a brilliant mindset to defending. He enjoys defending, he wants to defend.

“You can see in the last two games, the amount of good decisions he’s made against very good opponents, whether that’s a fast tricky winger or someone who is good positionally.

“He finds a way to react really well in-game to make adjustments to deal with his opponent.”