Manchester United draw 4-4 with Aston Villa after two stoppage-time goals, a club-record 8th league game without a win

36 stories 73 sources

Signals on this beat

Coaches being shown the door High ↑

Crystal Palace are expected to sack Pierre Sage after 16 matches. [10]
Michigan fired its attack coach a day after a 15-6 loss. [11]
Arsenal's coach Renee Slegers is under pressure after 1 league win in 7. [12]

Big budgets not buying wins High ↑

Ohio State spent $92.4m on football in 2025 and sits 21st in the AP poll. [13]
United stretched a £120m budget to £155m and are in the bottom three. [7]
Michigan fired the highest-paid attack coach in college football after 9 games. [13]

Top players missing through injury Building ↑

NFL teams have used 47 starting quarterbacks in 9 weeks. [14]
Green Bay's running back Josh Jacobs broke a finger on Sunday. [15]
Hearts played Falkirk with 11 players injured. [16]

Smaller nations asking for their share Building ↑

Samoa's players got $850 for a World Cup that paid Australians $40,000. [17]
Fiji led Australia in a semi-final at their first World Cup. [18]
Caribbean federations, with 25 votes, backed Infantino as FIFA plans bigger payments. [19]

The stories

36 on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
Manchester United draw 4-4 with Aston Villa after two stoppage-time goals, a club-record 8th league game without a win

8

league games in a row without a win, Manchester United's worst run

they have won just 1 of 10 league games this season [2]

4-4

the score against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday

Villa led 2-0 in under 4 minutes [3]

1 in 10

league wins for Manchester United, the fewest since 1972-73

their only win came against Ipswich on 30 August [5]

30

goals let in by United across all competitions this season

no other club in Europe's 5 biggest leagues has reached 30 [2]
What happened
- Manchester United drew 4-4 with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, thanks to 2 goals in stoppage time. [1]
- It was United's 8th league game in a row without a win, their worst run in Premier League history. [2]
- The Premier League is England's top division, and United stay in its bottom three over the international break. [2]
- Villa led 2-0 in under 4 minutes, the earliest United have ever been 2 down in the Premier League. [3]
- Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty after 16 minutes, and Youri Tielemans levelled before half-time. [3]
- Villa then scored twice early in the second half to lead 4-2. [4]
- Joshua Zirkzee scored in stoppage time, and Patrick Dorgu levelled in the 96th minute. [5]
- United have 1 league win in 10 games, their fewest at this point since 1972-73. [2]
- That single win came against Ipswich on 30 August. [5]
- United are the first team in Europe's 5 biggest leagues to concede 30 goals this season. [2]
- Their place of 18th is their lowest for 40 years after at least 10 games. [5]
- Michael Carrick, United's head coach, was asked on television whether he would quit. [1]
- "That's not going to happen," Carrick said. [1]
- Carrick led United to third place last season as a temporary head coach. [6]
- Between January and May he won 12 of 17 games. [7]
- After a 4-1 defeat by Como, the owners chose to give him until the break, ESPN says. [2]
- Since then United have taken 1 point from 3 games, and let in 9 goals. [2]
- Fans hung a banner saying "We don't want a new stadium, we want new owners". [8]
- The Glazer family, United's majority owners, took over in 2005 using borrowed money. [9]
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who built the company INEOS, became a shareholder nearly 3 years ago. [9]
- United have lost money for 7 seasons in a row. [9]
- Over the summer United spent £63.5m on land for a new 100,000-seat stadium. [7]
Manchester United this season
Points from 10 games8
Goals let in, all competitions30
Who is involved
- Joshua Zirkzee stoppage-time goal
- Patrick Dorgu 96th-minute goal
- The Glazer family American majority owners of Manchester United since 2005; fans want them gone
- Michael Carrick Manchester United's head coach since last season; he says quitting is "not going to happen"
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe builder of the INEOS company and part-owner of United; he backed Carrick after a defeat in October
- Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox United's chief executive and director of football; both were at Old Trafford and face the decision on Carrick
How it unfolded
1. 16 min Fernandes scores a penalty
2. Before half-time Tielemans levels it
3. 30 Aug United beat Ipswich, their only league win this season [5]
4. Since then no league win
5. 22 Nov United play Liverpool at Anfield [5]
6. Before then the owners decide
7. 2005 the Glazers buy United with borrowed money [9]
8. Jan-May Carrick wins 12 of 17 games as stand-in coach [7]
9. Sunday 4-4 with Villa makes it 8 league games without a win [2]
Why it matters

ESPN's Mark Ogden says United face relegation, a drop to the division below, unless the bad starts stop. [2]
Rising ticket prices have added to the anger, which BBC Sport calls the fiercest since 2013. [5]

How it works

Engineers call it root cause analysis: looking for the fault underneath, not the part that just failed.
TV pundit Gary Neville counts 8 United managers in 12 years, and says changing the manager has not worked. [6]
He blames recruitment and the club's performance staff, not whoever is manager. [6]

Seen it before

Replacing a light bulb will not help when the fault is in the wiring.
The truth
- What is really going on Manchester United have not said what they will do about Michael Carrick after a record 8 league games without a win. [10][11][2]
- Why it works on people A manager in trouble gives a story a single face, which is easier to follow than the recruitment and money decisions made above him.
- Avram Glazer told investors United's commercial power does not depend on winning football matches. [9]
- The Athletic reports that United's sponsorship growth has slowed to a crawl while rivals' has risen. [9]
- None of the Glazers were at Old Trafford on Sunday, and Ratcliffe was not there either. [2]
- Who pays Manchester United supporters — BBC Sport says rising ticket prices have added to the anger of people watching a losing team. [5]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Manchester United will sack Michael Carrick during the international break.
  
  Carrick says he expects to carry on, but his bosses' view has not been reported. [1]
What comes next

United's next game is at Liverpool on 22 November, after the international break. [5]

02
Crystal Palace ready to sack Sage
What happened
- Crystal Palace, a London football club, are expected to sack their manager Pierre Sage on Monday. [10]
- Palace lost 3-1 at home to Liverpool on Sunday, their 4th league defeat in a row. [20]
- They are bottom of the Premier League for the first time since December 2017. [10]
- Sage has been in charge for only 16 matches, on a 3-year contract signed in June. [10]
- He has won 2 of his 10 league games, and Palace have let in 24 goals, the most. [20]
- Thomas Frank, sacked by Tottenham in February, is the main candidate, the Guardian reports. [10]
Who is involved
- Pierre Sage Palace manager since June
- Thomas Frank main candidate
- Sean Dyche also backed inside the club
Why it matters

Palace lost their 2 main central defenders this year, and signed 2 loan players as replacements. [10]
Sage replaced Oliver Glasner, who led Palace to their first FA Cup. [20]
How it works
Why a sacked coach can still be owed millions

Contract lawyers call a sum agreed in advance for ending a deal early liquidated damages, and a new job can shrink it.

The twist

A coach signs only if a sacking will be paid for. So the college that hires him has already agreed what it will cost to get rid of him.

The picture

Dave Doeren, NC State$9m
Jason Beck, Michigan$10.20m
Kyle Whittingham, Michigan$24.60m
Ryan Day, Ohio State$75m
What four college coaches are owed, or would be owed, if their contracts end early. Doeren and Beck have been fired; the other two figures are estimates.
Step by step
1. A coach leaves a safe job only if the new job is guaranteed
2. The contract says what the employer pays if it ends early
3. Results go badly, and the employer ends it anyway
4. The buyout comes due, unless a new job shrinks it
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Michigan firing Jason Beck
  
  Beck's contract pays its full value if he is fired without cause, so ending the deal may cost Michigan up to $10.2m, less whatever a new job pays him.
- North Carolina State and Dave Doeren
  
  The school fired Doeren in October and still owes him more than $9m as it hires Philip Rivers, so it pays two coaches at once.
- Crystal Palace and Pierre Sage
  
  Sage signed a 3-year deal in June, so if Palace sack him after 16 matches they must settle the rest, and nobody has reported those terms.
- Ohio State and Ryan Day
  
  Day's buyout is estimated at $75m, which makes a change far costlier for Ohio State than for a school with a smaller figure in its contract.
Where you've seen this

A cancelled building job

the customer pays a set fee for changing plans, instead of arguing later over the builder's losses

A landlord and a tenant

a tenant who moves out early pays the rent until someone else moves in, and no longer

A worker made redundant

a notice period or severance sum is written down before anyone needs it

The catch

A buyout only tells you what ending the deal costs, and it says nothing about whether ending it was right.

And the whole of it

The coach, the college, the fans and the next coach are all inside this contract, and each of them sees only their own line of it. The people who agreed the figure believed it would never be needed.
The truth
- What is really going on Crystal Palace are expected to sack Pierre Sage and Michigan has fired Jason Beck, so two employers are paying to end deals they signed months ago.
- Sage says Palace need new players in January "to give more solutions". [10]
- Who gains Thomas Frank — He is out of work and free to start at once, which makes him a strong candidate at Palace. [20]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much Crystal Palace must pay Pierre Sage if they sack him.
  
  His contract runs 3 years, and no source reports its terms. [10]

03
Michigan sack a coach, and owe him $10m
What happened
- The University of Michigan fired Jason Beck, the assistant coach who ran its attack, on Sunday after one season. [11]
- Michigan had lost 15-6 to rivals Michigan State a day earlier, gaining only 192 yards. [11]
- Beck's attack ranked 132nd out of 138 top college teams for total yards. [11]
- CBS Sports reports Michigan will owe Beck as much as $10.2m. [11] Sports Illustrated says up to $10.1m, perhaps the most for any assistant coach. [21]
- His contract pays him its full value if he is fired without cause. [21]
- Ohio State, Michigan's great rival, also lost on Saturday, and has fallen to 21st in the AP poll. [13]
Who is involved
- Jason Beck ran Michigan's attack
How it unfolded
1. Next Oregon, UCLA, Ohio State
2. 2027 a new attack coach
Why it matters

Ohio State spent $92.4m on football in 2025, the most in the Big Ten conference. [13]
Michigan's head coach Kyle Whittingham would be owed about $24.6m if he were fired after one season. [13]

How it works

Contract lawyers call this offset: pay from a new job cuts what the old employer owes.
CBS Sports says Beck's buyout is subject to offset, so a new job would shrink Michigan's bill. [11]

Seen it before

If insurance replaces your stolen bike, you hand back what the thief later returns.

Beck's contract pays its full value if he is fired without cause, so ending the deal may cost Michigan up to $10.2m, less whatever a new job pays him.
The idea, in story 02: Why a sacked coach can still be owed millions →
The truth
- Nobody has said how much of Beck's money the offset could remove. [11]
- Who gains Jason Beck — His contract pays out in full if he is fired without cause, so losing the job does not end the income. [21]
- Who pays Michigan's athletic department — It may pay Beck for two more years while hiring someone new to do his job. [11]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much of Jason Beck's buyout Michigan will really pay.
  
  The figure is subject to offset, and he has no new job yet. [11]
What comes next

Michigan will search for a new attack coach for 2027, after games against Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State. [21]
04
Mercedes win the constructors' title; Norris wins in Brazil
What happened
- Lando Norris of McLaren won Formula One's Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday, his first win in over 2 months. [22]
- Max Verstappen came 2nd for Red Bull after starting 21st, because of an engine penalty. [22]
- Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli came 4th and 5th, enough to win the team title. [22]
- The constructors' championship is the prize for the best team across the season. [23]
- It is Mercedes' 9th constructors' title, and their first since 2021. [23]
- Antonelli, the new drivers' champion, spun away the lead at the first corner on lap 20. [22]
Who is involved
- Lando Norris winner, McLaren
How it unfolded
1. Lap 20 Antonelli spins at Turn One
2. After Norris leads
Why it matters

Mercedes spent 4 years struggling under the last set of car rules before this title. [23]

How it works

Race strategists call it the undercut: stop first, and fresh tyres gain you time.
Norris changed to dry-weather tyres a lap before Antonelli, and came out right behind him. [22]

Seen it before

Leaving for lunch before the queue forms gets you served ahead of a friend who waits.
05
Khawaja answers the sandpaper row
What happened
- Usman Khawaja, a retired Australia opening batter, said on Sunday he has "not thrown anyone under the bus". [24]
- His book, Sabr, comes out on Tuesday and suggests the whole Australian team knew of the 2018 sandpaper plot. [25]
- Only 3 players were punished in 2018: Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. [24]
- Four bowlers from that Test still play for Australia, including captain Pat Cummins. [24]
- In 2021 those four said they "did not know a foreign substance was taken on to the field". [24]
- Darren Lehmann, Australia's coach in 2018, has denied Khawaja's claims. [24]
- NSW captain Nic Maddinson said Khawaja's timing came when "people have books to sell". [25]
How it unfolded
1. 2018 sandpaper used on the ball
2. Tuesday Khawaja's book is out
Why it matters

Mitchell Marsh, Australia's one-day captain, will be the first current player to face the media. [26]
The truth
- Khawaja says everyone is responsible, but also that he does not speak for anyone else. [24]
- Nobody knows yet
  Who else in Australia's 2018 team knew about the sandpaper.
  
  Khawaja says everyone did, and Lehmann and four bowlers deny it. [24]
06
Labuschagne dropped by Australia
What happened
- Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne, once the world's top-ranked batter, from their 4-Test series against New Zealand. [27]
- Selector George Bailey confirmed it on Monday, weeks before the first Test, cricket's longest format, in Perth on 9 December. [27]
- Labuschagne scored 131 runs in 6 innings in South Africa, an average of 21.8. [28]
- He has now gone 49 innings without a Test century. [27]
- He averaged 59.43 in his first 33 Tests, with 10 centuries. [27]
Who is involved
- Marnus Labuschagne out for the series
How it unfolded
1. Monday Bailey announces it
2. 9 December first Test in Perth
Why it matters

The move leaves Australia with no number 3 batter. [28] Selectors will pick the rest after more domestic matches. [27]

What comes next

Bailey says a recall is "absolutely" possible on later tours to India and England. [27]
07
Colts, Giants and the NFL trade deadline
What happened
- The NFL, America's top football league, has its trade deadline on Tuesday. [29]
- Jonathan Taylor, the Indianapolis Colts' star running back, said goodbye of sorts after Sunday's 27-23 loss to Dallas. [29]
- "Just know it was a pleasure," he told reporters when asked about being traded. [29]
- Coach John Harbaugh says the New York Giants pulled a recent offer for Taylor. [30]
- Fox Sports reported that offer as a second-round and a fifth-round pick. [30]
- The Colts are 2-7, and have already traded 2 other big players and fired their general manager. [31]
- The Colts told quarterback Daniel Jones he will not be traded, Tom Pelissero reports. [31]
Who is involved
- Jonathan Taylor Colts running back
How it unfolded
1. Sunday Colts lose to Dallas
2. Tuesday the trade deadline
Why it matters

ESPN says the Colts have held a high price, and had little contact with the Giants last week. [30]
Green Bay's Josh Jacobs, a running back, broke a finger on Sunday, so CBS Sports asks if they will trade. [15]

How it works

Salary-cap experts call it dead money: pay a team still owes a player it let go.
If the Colts used their way out of Jones's contract, $35.2m would still count against their salary cap. [31]

Seen it before

Cancelling a phone contract early can still leave you paying its last months.
The truth
- Taylor "may or may not" have just played his last Colts game, CBS Sports says. [29]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Jonathan Taylor will be traded by Tuesday.
  
  The Giants pulled their offer, but their coach says nothing is ruled out. [30]
08
47 quarterbacks have started this NFL season
What happened
- NFL teams have used 47 different starting quarterbacks through 9 weeks, the most since 48 in 2019. [14]
- Baltimore lost Lamar Jackson, on a $260m deal, and his backup, then traded for Jacoby Brissett. [14]
- Philadelphia have gone from Jalen Hurts, on $51m a season, to Joe Milton on $1.075m. [14]
- Hurts is not expected to play again this season after blood clots were found in his lungs. [14]
- New York Giants quarterback JJ McCarthy hurt a hip on Sunday, went off and came back. [32]
- The Giants had already lost their first starter, Jaxson Dart, to a knee injury in week 2. [32]
Who is involved
- Lamar Jackson hurt
- Jacoby Brissett traded in
Why it matters

The 13 highest-paid NFL players are all quarterbacks, and the league's rules protect them. [14]

How it works

Risk managers call it retention: you accept a possible loss instead of paying to cover it.
Milton earns the league minimum, so Philadelphia's backup cost little when the starter fell ill. [14]

Seen it before

Lots of people own a spare phone charger that barely works until the good one breaks.
09
Bengals beat Falcons at the Bernabeu
What happened
- The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium on Sunday. [33]
- It was the second NFL regular-season game played in Madrid. [33]
- Joe Burrow threw 3 touchdown passes and ran for another for Cincinnati. [33]
- Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins celebrated a touchdown as a matador and a bull. [34]
- The Bengals are 6-2, and have made their best start in 11 seasons. [35]
Who is involved
- Ja'Marr Chase the matador
- Tee Higgins the bull
How it unfolded
1. Before first NFL game in Madrid
2. Sunday the second
3. Sunday Bengals v Steelers
4. Monday a day off first
Why it matters

The NFL brought the Bengals and Falcons over to showcase some of its biggest stars, ESPN reports. [34]
Burrow says he would love to play in Tokyo next year. [35]

How it works

Marketers call selling an old product to new people market development.
Burrow said he wanted to show the NFL's excitement, and "hopefully people took notice". [33]

Seen it before

A band plays one concert in a new city so people there buy its songs.
The truth
- The Athletic calls the crowd an "invasion" of Bengals fans, so the noise says little about new Spanish ones. [35]
What comes next

The Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday night. [35]
10
Japan's Tashima runs against Infantino
What happened
- Kozo Tashima of Japan says he will stand against Gianni Infantino for president of FIFA, world football's governing body. [36]
- Tashima sits on FIFA's Council, its ruling committee, and has been on it since 2015. [37]
- Candidates need formal support from 5 of FIFA's 211 members, who vote on 18 March. [37]
- The deadline for candidates is 18 November. [36]
- In July Infantino dropped a plan to sell stakes in future World Cups, after a backlash. [36]
Who is involved
- Kozo Tashima former Japan player
- Gianni Infantino FIFA president
How it unfolded
1. 18 November deadline to enter
2. 18 March the vote in Rabat
Why it matters

The Caribbean Football Union, with 25 voting members, endorsed Infantino last Friday. [19]
FIFA plans to raise yearly payments to members from $10m to $25m, a big sum for small Caribbean nations. [19]

How it works

Political scientists call trading benefits for votes patronage.
Infantino announced $5.3m for pitches in Aruba, a Caribbean island, on the Thursday before the union backed him. [19]

Seen it before

A class president hands out sweets the week before the school vote.
The truth
- Tashima says he has had "good replies" on the 5 endorsements he needs, and has not named who gave them. [38]
- Who gains Smaller FIFA members — FIFA's planned rise in yearly payments lands hardest in small federations, ESPN says, and each holds a vote. [19]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many more candidates will stand against Infantino.
  
  Reports say a UEFA-backed name is close, and entries close on 18 November. [73]
11
England score a record against Australia
What happened
- England beat Australia 45-22 at Twickenham, London, on Sunday in rugby union. [39]
- It was England's biggest ever score against Australia, with 7 tries to 3. [39]
- England came in with questions over a poor 2026 and a reported rift between players and coaches. [40]
- Henry Pollock, a back-row forward, came on as a winger and scored 2 tries in 3 minutes. [39]
- Angus Bell of Australia became the first player shown a yellow card for a hip-drop tackle. [41]
How it unfolded
1. In 2 weeks England v New Zealand
2. Next year World Cup in Australia
Why it matters

Australia host next year's Rugby World Cup, so executives there will be alarmed, the Guardian says. [42]
The truth
- Who gains England's coaches — A record score against Australia eases the questions they faced after a poor year. [40]
What comes next

New Zealand are England's next opponents, in a fortnight. [40]
12
Australia reach both rugby league finals
What happened
- Australia's men beat Samoa 44-12 in Sydney on Sunday to reach their 16th World Cup final in a row. [43]
- Reece Walsh, Australia's full-back, scored 3 of their 8 tries. [43]
- Australia's women beat Fiji 30-14 to reach a 5th final in a row. [18]
- Fiji, playing at their first World Cup, scored first and were ahead at one stage. [18]
- Both Australian teams now play New Zealand in the finals. [44]
Who is involved
- Australia chasing both titles
- New Zealand in both finals
Why it matters

Australia's women are going for a 4th title in a row, in Brisbane next Sunday. [18]
Good news
- Fiji, playing at their first Women's Rugby League World Cup, led Australia in a semi-final in Sydney, and were the first side to open the scoring against them since the 2013 final.
13
Rugby league opens national teams to great-grandchildren
What happened
- International Rugby League announced on Monday that a player can now represent a great-grandparent's birth country. [17]
- The rule was a request from the Cook Islands, a small Pacific nation, and its coach. [17]
- Rugby league's 2030 World Cup will be in the Pacific and the United States. [17]
- Samoa forward Spencer Leniu said World Cup organisers "used our people to sell games". [17]
- Australian players get $40,000 each for the tournament, while players from other countries got $850. [17]
- Leniu faces a 2-game ban for a gesture at a referee. [17]
How it unfolded
1. Monday hosts announced
2. 2030 Pacific and United States
Why it matters

Leniu says Pacific nations carried this World Cup, and should be paid fairly for it. [17]
IRL's chairman Troy Grant says the rule is for "growing the game". [17]

How it works

Demographers call people scattered from one homeland a diaspora.
Tonga and Samoa became strong by picking players with family roots there, and the new rule widens that. [17]

Seen it before

A school team lets a pupil play if a grandparent once went there.
The truth
- The IRL board has promised only to explore raising Tonga and Samoa to its top tier. [17]
- Who pays Pacific rugby league players — They helped fill stadiums at a tournament that paid them a fraction of what Australians got. [17]
14
Rahm wins his first start since LIV
What happened
- Jon Rahm won golf's Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday by 2 shots from Tyrrell Hatton, at 23 under par. [45]
- It was his first win since announcing he would leave LIV Golf, a breakaway golf tour. [45]
- It is his 11th DP World Tour title in 92 starts, third fastest behind Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros. [46]
- Rahm went from last place at Wentworth, his last event, to first in Abu Dhabi. [45]
How it unfolded
1. Before Rahm plays LIV
2. Sunday first win since leaving
3. Sunday Rahm wins in Abu Dhabi
4. Next week the season finale in Dubai
Why it matters

Rory McIlroy, 3rd in Abu Dhabi, is now second in the Race to Dubai, the season-long prize. [45]
A win next week could give Rahm the Race to Dubai, if McIlroy and Eugenio Chacarra slip. [46]
The truth
- Rahm's title chance rests on 2 rivals' results, which he cannot control. [46]
What comes next

The DP World Tour Championship in Dubai is next week. [46]
15
Blades Brown, 19, wins on the PGA Tour
What happened
- Blades Brown, a 19-year-old American, won the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico, on Sunday. [47]
- He became the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years, since 18-year-old Charles Kocsis in 1931. [47]
- Brown started the day 7 shots behind and shot a final-round 63. [47]
- He beat Ben James with a birdie on the 2nd playoff hole. [47]
- Brown turned professional 2 years ago while still at high school. [47]
Who is involved
- Blades Brown 19, from Tennessee
How it unfolded
1. 2 years ago turned professional in high school
2. Sunday first PGA Tour win
Why it matters

The win gives him a 2-year exemption, meaning a guaranteed place on the tour. [47]
It also earns him his first major, next year's PGA Championship. [47]

How it works

Golfers call a playoff sudden death: the first player to win a hole takes the title.
Brown and James tied the 1st extra hole, so Brown's 3-footer on the 2nd decided it. [47]

Seen it before

Penalty shoot-outs end the moment one side cannot catch up.
16
Alcaraz wins in Paris at last
What happened
- Carlos Alcaraz beat Ben Shelton 7-6, 7-5 on Sunday to win tennis's Paris Masters for the first time. [48]
- Alcaraz is the first Spaniard to win it since David Ferrer in 2012. [49]
- He saved 2 match points in the quarter-final against Taylor Fritz two days earlier. [48]
- Shelton had knocked him out of the US Open in September. [49]
How it unfolded
1. 2012 David Ferrer wins
2. Sunday Alcaraz wins
3. Sunday wins in Paris
4. Next ATP Finals in Turin
Why it matters

He goes to the ATP Finals in Turin on 9 wins in a row. [48]
Good news
- Carlos Alcaraz came back from four months out with a wrist injury to win three titles in two months, including his first Paris Masters on Sunday.
What comes next

Alcaraz now aims to end the year with a win at the ATP Finals in Turin. [48]
17
Brighton go second; what 10 games tell you
What happened
- Brighton beat 10-man Brentford 2-0 on Sunday and rose to second in the Premier League. [50]
- Brighton have won 7 of their 10 league games, and scored 26 goals, the most in the league. [50]
- They are 5 points behind Arsenal, the leaders. [50]
- Midfielder Pascal Gross said: "No, we are not in a title race." [50]
Why it matters

BBC Sport counted that the team top after 10 games won the title in 15 of 34 seasons. [51]
The team second after 10 games has won in just 1 of the past 18 seasons. [51]

How it works

Statisticians call a few results a small sample: too little to settle much.
Ten games is over a quarter of the season, and the leaders then won under half the time. [51]

Seen it before

Scoring well on one test does not guarantee the year's top mark.
18
Bournemouth match their record run
What happened
- Bournemouth won 2-1 at Ipswich on Sunday, their 8th win in a row. [52]
- That equals the club's record, set under Eddie Howe in 2012-13 in a lower division. [52]
- Evanilson scored after Ipswich's goalkeeper tried to dribble past him. [52] He has now scored in 5 Premier League games in a row. [52]
- Manager Marco Rose said: "We suffered but we did it together." [52]
Why it matters

The win came 3 days after Bournemouth won at Sparta Prague in European competition. [52]
19
Barcelona beat Atletico and stay top
What happened
- Barcelona won 2-1 at Atletico Madrid on Sunday after going behind to a goal by Giuliano Simeone. [53]
- Fermin Lopez scored both Barcelona goals, either side of half-time. [53]
- It kept Barcelona top of La Liga, Spain's top league. [53]
- Barcelona had lost to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in the past 2 weeks. [53]
- Atletico had won 7 games in a row before this match. [53]
How it unfolded
1. Last 2 weeks lost to PSG and Real Madrid
2. Sunday beat Atletico
Why it matters

Atletico's goalkeeper Jan Oblak said the lesson was "when you can finish it, you have to". [53]
20
A tunnel row, and a report that left it out
What happened
- Spanish reports describe a fight in the tunnel at half-time of Valencia v Real Madrid on Saturday. [54]
- A Spanish journalist alleges Jude Bellingham struck a security guard and Antonio Rudiger slapped another. [54]
- The referee's published report names neither player as hitting anyone. [54]
- The report instead says police removed Valencia's sporting director, Braulio Vazquez, after he confronted an assistant referee. [55]
- The Spanish newspaper Super Deporte called it "the report of shame". [56]
Who is involved
- Jude Bellingham alleged, not confirmed
- Antonio Rudiger alleged, not confirmed
Why it matters

Goal reports that National Police had to step in during the tunnel clash, so the row was no small one. [55]

How it works

Lawyers call an official written account the record: what is not in it is hard to act on.
Because the report leaves the 2 players out, Super Deporte says they escape any punishment. [56]

Seen it before

If a teacher writes nothing in the log, the detention never happens.
The truth
- The journalist said guards told the referee and he noted it all, yet the report says nothing about it. [54]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Jude Bellingham or Antonio Rudiger struck anyone in the Mestalla tunnel.
  
  A journalist alleges it, and the referee's report names neither. [54]
21
Sunderland beat Chelsea from the spot
What happened
- Sunderland beat Chelsea 1-0 on Sunday, with Enzo Le Fee scoring a penalty. [57]
- Chelsea played without a recognised striker for the 2nd game in a row. [57]
- BBC Sport says manager Xabi Alonso now looks like a "Tinkerman", always changing his team. [57]
- Video review ruled that the foul on Chelsea's Cole Palmer started outside the penalty area. [57]
Why it matters

Alonso criticised his own players rather than the officials after the game. [57]
22
Leeds report racist abuse of Bogle
What happened
- Leeds United have condemned online racist abuse sent to defender Jayden Bogle after Saturday's 1-0 win over Tottenham. [58]
- The abuse began after Bogle escaped punishment for a tackle on Mathys Tel, following a long video review. [58]
- With Bogle's permission, Leeds published a selection of the messages. [58]
- Tottenham said they were "disgusted" and offered help in finding those responsible. [58]
Why it matters

Tottenham also plan a formal complaint about the decision not to send Bogle off. [58]
The truth
- Leeds say they will work with the Premier League and other authorities to identify the senders. [58]
23
Chengdu lose a title they led by 14 points
What happened
- Chengdu Rongcheng lost the Chinese Super League title on the final day on Sunday. [59]
- With 5 games left, Chengdu led by 14 points and needed just 2 more. [59]
- They took only 1 point from those 5 games. [59]
- Dalian Yingbo took the title instead, level on 52 points but ahead on games between the 2 teams. [59]
- Nine of the league's 16 clubs had points taken away this season in corruption investigations. [59]
- Chengdu's coach is John Aloisi, who scored the penalty that took Australia to their first World Cup in 32 years. [59]
Who is involved
- Dalian Yingbo 52 points, champions
- Chengdu 52 points
- John Aloisi Chengdu's coach
Why it matters

No team from western China has ever won the league, and Chengdu had a big head start. [59]
More than 4,000 Chengdu fans travelled to the last match, and later confronted players at their hotel. [59]

How it works

Psychologists call it choking: fear of the final step makes people perform worse.
The Age describes Chengdu's players as frozen by the final hurdle, when they needed just 2 points. [59]

Seen it before

You can play a piano piece perfectly alone and forget it in front of the school.
24
Messi wins the MLS Golden Boot again
What happened
- Lionel Messi became the first player to win the MLS Golden Boot in consecutive seasons. [60]
- The Golden Boot is the prize for the top scorer in MLS, the league Messi plays in. [60]
- Messi scored 26 goals in 31 games and made 17 more, at the age of 39. [60]
- He finished 4 goals ahead of FC Dallas striker Peter Musa. [60]
Who is involved
- Lionel Messi Inter Miami, aged 39
How it unfolded
1. Season Miami finish behind Nashville
2. Later this month Miami v Columbus, 3 games
Why it matters

Miami still finished 17 points behind Nashville in the Eastern Conference. [60]

What comes next

Miami play Columbus Crew over 3 games in the first round of the play-offs, starting later this month. [60]
25
Larson wins a 3rd NASCAR title
What happened
- Kyle Larson won NASCAR's Cup Series title on Sunday, his 3rd in 6 years, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. [61]
- He is the first driver to win back-to-back titles since Jimmie Johnson in 2010. [61]
- Larson needed only 9 points, and clinched early in the race after Christopher Bell missed a stage win. [61]
- Ryan Blaney won the race, while Larson finished 12th. [61]
- Told by radio that he had clinched, Larson said: "That was anticlimactic." [61]
Who is involved
- Kyle Larson Hendrick driver
How it unfolded
1. 2010 Jimmie Johnson's last title in a row
2. Sunday Larson repeats
Why it matters

He ended a 51-race losing run during this year's play-offs, winning 3 of the 9 races before the final. [61]
26
Marquez must wait for an 8th MotoGP title
What happened
- Marc Marquez finished second to Marco Bezzecchi in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. [62]
- Marquez has a 60-point lead in the MotoGP world championship, motorbike racing's top series. [62]
- Marquez would have sealed the title had his rival Jorge Martin finished outside the points. [62]
- Martin came back from a broken wrist to finish 7th. [62]
Who is involved
- Marco Bezzecchi race winner
- Marc Marquez second
How it unfolded
1. Sunday Qatar, 2nd
2. In 2 weeks Portuguese Grand Prix, Portimao
Why it matters

An 8th title would equal Valentino Rossi's record. [62]

How it works

Mathematicians call the points a rival can still reach the maximum: below it, you are out.
Bezzecchi is 74 points behind Marquez, and exactly 74 points remain, so he is still in it. [62]

Seen it before

Someone trailing in a card game is still in it until the last hand is dealt.

What comes next

Marquez has his next chance in Portimao, Portugal, in 2 weeks. [62]
27
Newcastle's owners add another £95m
What happened
- Newcastle United's owners put another £95m into the club in October, company filings show. [63]
- It is the 11th such payment since a group led by Saudi Arabia's state fund bought the club in 2021. [63]
- Owner funding since then has reached £586.9m. [63]
- Only Chelsea and Everton are known to have received more from shareholders in that time. [63]
- It is the fund's first payment to Newcastle since it stopped paying for LIV Golf in April. [63]
Who is involved
- Chelsea received more
- Everton received more
How it unfolded
1. April Fund stops LIV Golf
2. October £95m to Newcastle
Why it matters

Fans had feared the Saudi fund would cut back on sport after leaving LIV. [63]

How it works

Accountants call this equity: owners swap cash for shares and the club owes nothing back.
Because the £95m came in as equity, Newcastle can spend it without adding to its debts. [63]

Seen it before

If your parents give you the money for a bike instead of lending it, nothing is owed.
The truth
- The Athletic says the sum will not simply be spent on January signings. [63]
28
Liverpool's new investors could end up in charge
What happened
- A group called 1892 Holdings has agreed to buy 38% of Liverpool from Fenway Sports Group, its owner. [64]
- Jeff Bezos's K5 Global fund will be the group's largest investor. [64]
- The Athletic reports the agreement also gives 1892 Holdings ways to lift its stake to about 69%, or to 100%. [64]
- The investment is worth more than £2bn, and England's Independent Football Regulator must approve it. [64]
Who is involved
- Jeff Bezos's K5 Global largest investor
- Amit Bhatia leads the group
Why it matters

A takeover in stages lets the group learn the club before taking more responsibility, The Athletic says. [64]

How it works

Investors call a right to buy more later an option.
Fenway can sell in steps, and 1892 can choose to take control later. [64]

Seen it before

Renting a house with the right to buy it later lets you try living there first.
29
Philip Rivers set to coach NC State
What happened
- Philip Rivers, a 44-year-old former NFL star, is expected to become head coach at North Carolina State. [65]
- He has been coaching at a high school in Alabama. [65]
- His son Gunner, a quarterback, has already committed to play for North Carolina State. [66]
- Russell Wilson, another former NFL quarterback, also interviewed for the job. [65]
- Rivers replaces Dave Doeren, who was fired last month after 14 seasons. [65]
Who is involved
- Philip Rivers 44, former NFL quarterback
- Gunner Rivers his son, a recruit
How it unfolded
1. October Doeren fired
2. Sunday Rivers expected
Why it matters

The school still owes Doeren more than $9m. [65]

How it works

The school fired Doeren in October and still owes him more than $9m as it hires Philip Rivers, so it pays two coaches at once.
The idea, in story 02: Why a sacked coach can still be owed millions →
The truth
- The school had not responded to Front Office Sports about the hire on Sunday. [65]
30
WTGL, women's indoor golf, begins
What happened
- WTGL, a new women's indoor team golf league, played its first match on Sunday in Florida. [67]
- Los Angeles Golf Club beat New York Golf Club 3-1. [67]
- The league has 5 teams of 5 players and a season prize pool of $11m. [67]
- Michelle Wie West came out of retirement to play, and said: "It feels really surreal." [67]
- The world's number one, Nelly Korda, stayed out, and has criticised the league for splitting men and women. [67]
Who is involved
- Nelly Korda stayed out
- WTGL's players joined
Why it matters

ESPN joined the match 15 minutes late because college basketball overran. [67]
The men's version averaged 498,000 viewers in its first season, then 488,000. [67]
The truth
- WTGL's viewing figures do not exist yet, so nobody knows if the men's numbers carry over. [67]
31
A playoff pitch called 'atrocious'
What happened
- Gotham FC beat Seattle Reign 1-0 in a US women's soccer play-off in New Jersey on Sunday. [68]
- Reign's Jess Fishlock, playing her last game, called the field "atrocious". [68]
- The NWSL, the US women's league, fined Gotham $10,000 before the game over the pitch. [68]
- Gotham only rent the stadium, and a men's team played there under 24 hours earlier. [68]
- Rugby matches had been played there the week before, leaving visible scars. [68]
How it unfolded
1. Saturday a friendly on the pitch
2. Sunday the semi-final
Why it matters

Gotham's coach said the field changed how his team played, making them more direct. [68]

How it works

Economists call it a negative externality: one user's wear lands on someone else's game.
The men's team played on the pitch last, and Gotham paid the league's fine for it. [68]

Seen it before

A flatmate's party leaves you cleaning up the kitchen the next morning.
The truth
- Seattle's coach Laura Harvey said: "They knew it last week." [68]
- Who pays Gotham and Seattle players — They played a playoff on a pitch their coach felt he had to apologise for, after a fine that did not fix it. [68]
What comes next

Gotham play Kansas City on the same pitch next Sunday, with a friendly there the night before. [68]
32
Russo gives Arsenal's coach some respite
What happened
- Alessia Russo scored twice as Arsenal beat Liverpool in England's top women's league on Sunday. [12]
- Russo has now scored 7 goals in 4 appearances. [12]
- Arsenal had won just 1 of their previous 7 league games. [12]
- Liverpool had a goal ruled offside, a call the Guardian says left them aggrieved. [12]
Who is involved
- Alessia Russo Arsenal striker
How it unfolded
1. Sunday win at Liverpool
2. Next Barcelona away
Why it matters

The win gives head coach Renee Slegers, who is under pressure, some brief respite. [12]

What comes next

Arsenal's next match is away at Barcelona, the European champions. [12]
33
Falkirk go 3rd after five straight wins
What happened
- Falkirk won 5-2 at Hearts on Sunday, in Scotland's top division. [16]
- Falkirk ended Hearts' 18-month unbeaten home run and took 3rd place. [16]
- It was Falkirk's 5th top-flight win in a row, the first such run since 1995. [16]
- A month ago they were 11th, just a point above the bottom. [69]
- Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken, missing 11 injured players, called it "an embarrassment". [16]
How it unfolded
1. A month ago 11th
2. Sunday 3rd
Why it matters

Manager John McGlynn, 64, took Falkirk up from the third tier in 2 straight promotions. [69]
Celtic won to stay 4 points clear at the top. [16]
Good news
- Falkirk, who won two promotions in a row to reach Scotland's top division, are now third in it after five straight wins.
34
Alan Jones, 1980 F1 champion, has died
What happened
- Alan Jones, the Australian racing driver who was Formula One world champion in 1980, has died aged 80. [70]
- He died of cancer, the Guardian reports. [70]
- Jones won 5 races in 1980 for the Williams team. [70]
- He was Williams's first world champion, and gave the team the first of its 9 constructors' titles. [70]
- The only other Australian to win the world title is Jack Brabham. [70]
Who is involved
- Alan Jones 1980 world champion
- Jack Brabham three titles
Why it matters

Commentator Mark Hughes called him the most aggressive wheel-to-wheel racer who scared his rivals. [70]
35
Jockey Izzy Neale in a critical condition
What happened
- Apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, 22, is in a critical condition after a fall at Warren, New South Wales, on Sunday. [71]
- Her horse, Marnoo, stumbled near the turn for home and was later put down with a leg injury. [71]
- She was unconscious when she was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital. [71]
- Racing NSW postponed Monday's meeting at Scone, Neale's home track, to Wednesday. [71]
- Neale has ridden 88 winners since starting her career in February 2024. [71]
Who is involved
- Izzy Neale apprentice jockey, 22
How it unfolded
1. Monday Scone meeting called off
2. Wednesday meeting moved
Why it matters

Jockeys and trainers were consulted before the meeting was called off. [71]
36
Floor of a stand gives way in Norway
What happened
- A fan went to hospital after Bodo/Glimt supporters fell through a hole in the stand at Tromso, Norway, on Sunday. [72]
- Bodo press officer Simen Pedersen said up to 5 people fell through. [72]
- One fan said: "We stood and bounced to a supporter song, then the floor gave way." [72]
- Play stopped before half-time, and the fans around the hole were moved. [72]
- Bodo then won 2-0, and stay in a title race with Viking. [72]
Why it matters

Tromso's stadium is the northernmost in Norway's top league. [72]

How it works

Civil engineers call the force from moving people dynamic load: jumping pushes down far harder than standing.
The Bodo fans were bouncing together when the floor cracked in two. [72]

Seen it before

A bed frame holds a sleeper, but can snap when children jump on it.

More Sports editions

Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 3-1, City's third league defeat in a row, leaving them six points behind Arsenal Usman Khawaja says the whole Australia team knew about the 2018 sandpaper plot, and a 2018 reviewer asks Cricket Australia to look again Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, retires from Portugal after 23 years, 146 goals and a fall-out with coach Jorge Jesus

Across the beats

A two-drug treatment left 79% of 83 treated patients with undetectable hepatitis D virus at 48 weeks, its maker says NASA orders the first parts for a Moon power tower called miniCAST Saudi Arabia confirms damage to Aramco's tower in Riyadh after a Houthi-claimed attack, as unnamed officials say Syria will send fighters

Manchester United draw 4-4 with Aston Villa after two stoppage-time goals, a club-record 8th league game without a win

36 on this beat today.

Why a sacked coach can still be owed millions