Andoni Iraola will be banging on FSGs door on Sunday after instant pre-season Liverpool setbackLiverpool were dealt an early setback in their first pre-season friendly on their tour of the United States, with Joe Gomez going off injured inside the opening 10 minutes against Sunderland.The Reds longest-serving current player was selected as captain for the game in Nashville, partnering youngster Mor Talla Ndiaye at centre-back, but his evenings work was over almost as soon as it started.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ONAPPLE&GOOGLE PLAYGomez suffers early injury blow for LiverpoolThere were only eight minutes on the clock when the 29-year-old went to ground and required treatment, and it was instantly apparent that he wouldnt be able to continue.(Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)Although Gomez picked himself up from the turf, he walked straight off the pitch as Andoni Iraola took no chances by substituting him to bring on Ifeanyi Ndukwe, with Kostas Tsimikas assuming the captains armband.As Lewis Steele observed on X, the sight of Liverpools number 2 sitting on the ground was one that no Reds supporter wanted to see, adding: The need for a defender gets even bigger.Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as apreferred source on Googleto your favourites list for news you can trustLiverpool MUST buy another defender this summer no excusesIraola put his cards on the table straight away in his introductory press conference earlier this month when openly stating that more signings are needed at Anfield this summer, and his pleas to FSG are se to grow even louder on Sunday once tonights match is out of the way.Liverpool had suffered another defensive injury blow before kick-off when it emerged that new arrival Jeremy Jacquet wold miss the Sunderland match due to a minor knock, although its expected that hell resume training during the tour to the USA (Liverpool Echo).We havent even reached half-time in the first pre-season friendly of the summer and the Reds have already had injuries to two centre-backs, while Virgil van Dijk is yet to return to the fold after his World Cup involvement with Netherlands, and Giovanni Leoni is continuing his recovery from an ACL rupture.Matches such as this may well be the perfect setting in which to try out young players and assess how they perform at first-team level, but the presence of Ndiaye and Ndukwe as our centre-back partnership after just a few minutes in Nashville lays bare the dearth of options available to Iraola.Hopefully the knock which forced Gomez off tonight isnt serious and hell soon be able to resume playing. Nevertheless, the need for defensive reinforcements in the remaining weeks of the transfer window must now be screaming at FSG in the face.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - JULY 25: Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga exchange punches during the Heavyweight contest fight between Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga in the Anthony Joshua v Kristian Prenga: The Comeback fight night at Jeddah Superdome on July 25, 2026 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesWatch Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga full fight video highlights from their main event clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of multiple outlets.Joshua vs. Prenga took place July 25 at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Anthony Joshua (29-4) and Kristian Prenga (20-1) squared off in the main event. The fight aired live on DAZN pay-per-view.Official result: Anthony Joshua def. Kristian Prenga via KO 2:43, Round 2Catch all the video highlights below.ANTHONY JOSHUA WITH THE COMEBACK CINEMA pic.twitter.com/7Ojh99mtbu Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 25, 2026Anthony Joshua dropped 20 seconds into round 1 of his return fight pic.twitter.com/XPoV5hfOIH Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 25, 2026THE COMEBACK HAS STARTED! AJ IS MAKING HIS RING WALK NOW Buy #JoshuaPrenga NOW at https://t.co/FoiaUucafv | Live now | Danger Before Destiny pic.twitter.com/rsTfjuESP1 DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 25, 2026KRISTIAN PRENGA IS NOW ENTERING THE RING! Buy #JoshuaPrenga NOW at https://t.co/FoiaUucafv | Live now | Danger Before Destiny pic.twitter.com/xz913lAxLO DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 25, 2026AJ Loading.#JoshuaPrenga | Exclusively on DAZN pic.twitter.com/NQcP9iFBes Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 25, 2026Can Prenga pull off the upset? #JoshuaPrenga | Exclusively on DAZN pic.twitter.com/LuuKtJjxV1 Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 25, 2026AJ IS HERE #JoshuaPrenga | Exclusively on DAZN pic.twitter.com/vEmN1RPeGK Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 25, 2026For more on Joshua vs. Prenga, check out the live blog below.Round 1Joshua really is a specimen. The kind of fighter youd build on EA Fight Night. Looks like he came out of a 3D Printer.OHHHH!!!!!!! Prenga drops Joshua almost immediately!!!!!!!!!! Cant tell if that was more a slip, or if he got really clipped! He beat the counts and looks OK but the right hand got him.And Joshua running after him now, trying to grab. And OH!!!!!!! Prenga cracked him again! Hes held up by the ropes! Hes in trouble here!I have no idea whats going on but Prengas right hand keeps hitting him. And then thrown to the canvas. Thats not a knockdown but hes in so much trouble. His legs look completely gone. And down again!!!!!!! That was almost a push down, but ref counts it! Prengas right hand is thumping Joshua up but he makes it to the end of the round and then smiles at Prenga. What a crazy round.MMA Fighting scores the round 10-7 Prenga.Round 2Credit to Joshua, his eyes seem clear. But Prenga is hurting him with every right hand. Joshua tries to jump in this round with a big shot, and Prenga cracks him again as they collide. But now Joshua settling in more, and getting his long right hand going. Two land and that gets Prenga backing up. And hes backing up badly now! Joshua may have hurt him with one of those as Prenga is on the retreat. Clinch for a break and then Prenga tries to come after him.Eddie Hearn is screaming at Joshua from ringside, as hes starting to control the pace. And he narrowly misses a monster right hand. Joshua jabs and Prenga is looking to load the right hand up. But OH!!!!! Right hand down the pipe FLOORS Prenga. Clean shot down the middle cracks him, and a right hook sends him through the ropes and theres no way hes getting up from that.Nope. Joshua stops him in the most fun two-round fight youll ever see.

Like Shawn Michaels when he sweet-chin music'd Ric Flair at WWE WrestleMania, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander almost sent LeBron James into NBA retirement for good. Over three weeks later, the 41-year-old finally made his much-anticipated free agent decision.James has ditched the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Arguably the biggest name basketball has ever had will extend his career to a possible NBA-record quarter-century.The NBA offseason has lived up to the hype and then some. While the West has remained mostly quiet with blockbuster moves, the East has had complete renovations. The power dynamics have altered with fireworks popping off every other day. To what end remains to be seen.The Sixers added Jaylen Brown and James; Giannis Antetokounmpo heads to the Miami Heat; Kawhi Leonard returned to the Toronto Raptors maybe; Paul George is now on the Boston Celtics.Of the group, Philadelphia has the most radical changes. The Sixers now have two former MVP winners, another recent MVP candidate, a near 30-point scorer and someone who flirted with Rookie of the Year. Expect it to become must-watch TV that borders a reality show for hoop heads with dramatic locker room vibes.In his detailed explanation, James referenced the Oklahoma City Thunder as one of the sneakier influences for his last big-time decision to choose the Sixers over familiar spots in the Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. They weren't ever in the conversation, but the 22-time NBA All-Star revealed their recent playoff series affected how he wanted to write out the final chapter of his Hall-of-Fame career."Ithought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game," James wrote on social media. "I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give."Paired with The Athletic's reporting that James felt 'incomplete' when OKC sent Los Angeles home in a non-competitive Round 2 series sweep, the Thunder making light work of the Lakers left a sour taste in his mouth. The 41-year-old didn't want to ride off into the sunset in such a mundane way.On the Sixers, he'll have the NBA world's attention for good or bad. Either James wins an NBA championship on a fourth different franchise. Or things spectacularly fail in a blaze alongside Joel Embiid, Brown and Tyrese Maxey. Remains to be seen. But Philadelphia has been promoted to a main character in the NBA world.Ithought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and deicide if I still love LeBron James (@KingJames) July 24, 2026This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: How OKC Thunder influenced LeBron James' decision to join Sixers

PFL is back in action at the nation's capital, and MMA Junkie has you covered with live results and highlights throughout the event beginning at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).PFL Washington takes place at CareFirst Arena in Washington DC, and features eight fights. In the main event, Thad Jean takes on short-notice replacement Ernesto Rodriguez for the vacant welterweight title. In the co-feature, Tyson Pedro clashes with Rafael Xavier in a light heavyweight contest.Keep up with live results and highlights below.PFL Washington results:MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)Thad Jean vs. Ernesto Rodriguez - for vacant welterweight titleTyson Pedro vs. Rafael XavierSullivan Cauley vs. Rasul MagomedovEliezer Kubanza vs. Chris MixanPRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN App, 8 p.m. ET)Michael Cyr vs. Bryce MeredithBrandon Davis vs. Nkosi NdebeleCoby Bradford vs. Chad YardNoah Hermosillo vs. Jacob PaisThis article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: PFL Washington: Jean vs. Rodriguez live results, highlights

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani had a setback in his recovery from a left knee injury, delaying his scheduled bullpen session on Saturday, July 25, in New York.The two-way star was expected to have a bullpen session before the Dodgers road game against the New York Mets at Citi Field.The next steps for Ohtani remain uncertain for the foreseeable future and the Dodgers haven't provided a timetable for his return.The two-way star was pulled from his scheduled start before the MLB All-Star break due to inflammation and irritation in his left knee.Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Saturday that there was some regression with Ohtanis knee following his bullpen session on Wednesday, July 22, in Philadelphia.Roberts told reporters on Friday, July 24 that he feels that a return to the mound wouldnt happen next week."Every player wants to get back out there and do what they do. But I think he understands it's not about July, it's about October," Roberts said. "So, we've already taken a lot of time to get him back to full health, so we're not going to start earlier than we need to."More: Shohei Ohtani Tokyo Series cleats with rare signature expected to set auction recordOhtani had initially been scheduled to start on Wednesday, but the organization decided against it to instead throw a bullpen session.Theres an expectation that the Dodgers will be cautious with the superstars workload throughout the second half of the season. Roberts has also stated that Ohtani is not expected to throw 100 pitches whenever he does make his return to the mound.Ohtani had lubricant injected into his knee but did not have it drained. The injection was intended to provide the four-time All-Star with relief in his knee.Even during his time away from the mound, Ohtani is still expected to play as a designated hitter.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani injury update: Dodgers star has bullpen session postponed

WASHINGTON (AP) CJ Abrams hit a solo home run and drove in three for the Washington Nationals in a 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday afternoon.Abrams was a part of a four-run third inning when he hit an RBI double. Daylen Lile hit a triple to score two more runs. Abrams added his solo shot in the fifth, going 390 feet to right-center field for his 25th home run of the year. He added a single in the seventh for his third hit of the game to finish one short of the cycle.Starting pitcher Foster Griffin (12-2) threw 108 pitches over 6 2/3 innings. He gave up six hits and finished with three earned runs, walking one and striking out two.Clayton Beeter picked up his ninth save, throwing six strikes in the final inning.Gabriel Moreno got the Diamondbacks on the board in the third inning with a two-run single. James McCann added an RBI single for Arizona's third run.Mitch Bratt (0-1) pitched five innings for Arizona. He gave up seven hits and walked five while striking out three.Up nextLHP Kohl Drake (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will pitch for the Diamondbacks on Sunday in his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Reno on July 21. RHP Miles Mikolas (3-7, 5.60) will start for the Nationals.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The stage is set for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game Saturday night in Chicago.The weekend has been a source of excitement for fans and players.ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchThere have been so many fun events around the city leading up to the game at United Center.From leadership summits, to youth basketball clinics, to networking events, there has been so much momentum and growing support for women's sports.The league's biggest stars got to practice on the court at the new Obama Presidential Center Friday.They got a surprise visit from the former president himself, and he shared words of encouragement to the players."All of you are extraordinary and I could not be bigger fans. The way the game has been going lately, the way it's been picking up, and people paying attention to your excellence, I think, has been something for basketball fans generally, a sight to see," former President Barack Obama said.The weekend has also been inspirational for young girls who dream of being part of the WNBA one day.The All-Star Game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Watch on ABC7 Chicago.

From the moment LeBron James opted to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics fanbase was side-eyeing Brad Stevens. Just weeks earlier, Stevens and the Celtics' front office had signed off on a move that sent Brown to Philadelphia in return for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Almost immediately, there was a belief among the Celtics fan base that Brown's presence on the Sixers roster acted as a catalyst for LeBron choosing Philadelphia as the final stop in what has been a storied career. Unfortunately for the Celtics, ESPN's Shams Charania later confirmed that theory, noting that the Sixers only hit LeBron's radar after the Brown trade had been finalized.JaylenBrown,themomenthegottradedtotheSixersfromBostonacoupleof daysintofreeagency, theSixerscameontoLeBronJamesradar," Charania said on a July 24 episode of SportsCenter. "NowtheyhavelandedLeBronJamesonatwo-yearminimumcontracttotrytowinachampionshipintheEast.Whatever the reason for LeBron's latest decision, the fact remains that Boston must now face two behemoths in the Eastern Conference. Both the New York Knicks and Sixers project to be the dominant forces out East for the upcoming campaign. While Stevens' decision to send Brown to Philadelphia may have created a knock-on effect that ultimately gave the Sixers the desirability that drew LeBron, it was undoubtedly not his intention to facilitate another superteam. Nevertheless, the Celtics will now be under even more pressure to show improvements next season, as Celtics fans look for proof that trading Brown was in the team's best interests from an on-court production standpoint.Listen to the Celtics Chronicle podcast: Spotify:https://bit.ly/4fkGU4FApple:https://bit.ly/4wXHpaBThis article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown trade had unintended consequences

Scottie Scheffler had a superb back nine on day three of the 3M Open (Andrew Wevers)World number one Scottie Scheffler surged with an eagle and five birdies on the back nine at the PGA Tour 3M Open on Saturday but faces an uphill battle to catch rookie leader Jackson Koivun.Four-time major winner Scheffler had been seven shots behind overnight leader Michael Kim at the turn on day three of the event at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota.Scheffler admitted he had given himself a talking-to that featured language "I shouldn't repeat if it's being recorded," after his bogey on nine.Figuring he "needed to make as many birdies as I could coming in," Scheffler suddenly hit a hot streak and carded a seven-under par 64 to finish on 14-under, tied for the clubhouse lead among early finishers.Scheffler predicted he would "need another low number tomorrow if I want to keep the pace" on the final day.It has been a year of consistently fine golf but multiple frustrating near-misses for SchefflerHe has won just one tournament, the American Express in January, despite multiple runner-up finishes, and no majors.To win on Sunday, he will need to reel in Koivun, a21-year-old Californian college prodigy who only made his first PGA Tour start this month following the US Open.He posted a superb round of 61 featuring eagles on the 12th and 18th.Koivun set a course back-nine record by going eight-under from the turn, including two eagles, to sit three clear atop the leaderboard on 20-under."I definitely grew up looking up to some (of these) players, but it's definitely a mental change that now they're my competitors," said Koivun.Scheffler is "obviously the best in the world for a reason and I'm sure he's going to go up there and put a good number and get in contention," he added.amz/js

Jayson Tatum is currently traveling around on a mini-tour with Jordan Brand. The Boston Celtics superstar recently showed up at the "Blue Cages" in London, England. On Saturday, July 25, Tatum arrived in Chicago, where he interacted with the community and addressed the youth in attendance. During his speech, which was posted to his Instagram stories, Tatum addressed how he views leadership and what he believes makes a good leader."Being a leader doesn't mean you know it all, right? I don't know it all," Tatum said. "I'll be the first person to say that. Being a leader is being comfortable with raising your hand like, I don't know. Can you explain that to me? I don't know X, Y, and Z. I want to learn. Being around somebody that feels like they know it all, I don't want to be around that person. I don't want to be the smartest person in the room. I want to learn from somebody else." Tatum's comments on leadership come at the perfect time. Following the Celtics' decision to part ways with Jaylen Brown, Tatum will be expected to take on a larger leadership role within Boston's locker room, both next season and in the years to come. Leadership comes in all different forms. Some lead by example, others are vocal, and of course, some choose to lead in a collaborative manner that allows everyone to feel invested in a project or goal. It will be interesting to see how Tatum's leadership style develops as the season goes on.For now, though, it's fun hearing Tatum's thoughts on leadership and how that can look within a team setting. We'll surely hear more of those thoughts once the new NBA season is underway. Listen to the Celtics Chronicle podcast on:Spotify:https://bit.ly/4fkGU4FApple:https://bit.ly/4wXHpaBThis article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics' Jayson Tatum details what leadership looks like to him