It wasn't just legendary MLB players getting immortalized on Sunday, as the latest class of Hall of Famers were introduced at Cooperstown. Sunday also marked a special occasion for the mascots of the sporting world.

San Francisco Giants beloved mascot Lou Seal was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame on Sunday, and he received some love and support from his fellow costumed friends from across MLB and other sports leagues. Multiple mascots turned up to Oracle Park for Sunday's game against the Mets, and they sat with Lou Seal in a wholesome moment as the stadium honored his Hall of Fame induction.

Among the notable mascots in attendance were Mr. Met, the Phillie Phanatic, S.J. Sharkie of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, and the Giants' anti-mascot, the Crazy Crab.

Have a look at the conglomerate of costumed friends congratulating Lou on his career achievement:

As for the ceremony itself, Oracle Park got to its feet and went wild for Lou Seal as they were treated to a standing ovation while taking the field, where the mascots and even their parents were waiting for them and dancing as music blared.

A truly momentous occasion at Oracle Park prior to first pitch of the game against the Mets.

His execution of wide yorkers after coming in as Impact Player denied Gujarat Titans

Shashank Kishore31-Mar-2025Vijaykumar Vyshak didn’t know until 13 overs into the Gujarat Titans (GT) chase in Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) IPL 2025 opener that he would be summoned as an Impact Player. But when Arshdeep Singh suggested they bring in Vyshak, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer did what was needed.With 75 runs needed from 36 balls, Vyshak, having reviewed his plans with the support staff, tried to bowl wide yorkers to Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford, whose strike rates against those deliveries were “low”.”I didn’t know if I was going to be there,” Vyshak told ESPNcricinfo. “They [Iyer & Co] were also thinking of a spinner. And then I got to know I’ll be on for the 14th over. All along, I had been going through my plans – so when the opportunity came, I was ready to go.”Related

Vyshak 'changes the game' on a night Siraj makes the wrong decisions

Reverse swing for Arshdeep or drier ball for Chahal – Punjab Kings have to decide

Gill lauds Impact Player Vyshak for stifling GT's chase

As Vyshak came on, Arshdeep told him to “err on the wider side”. It was a change from their original plan of trying to mix his variations, including bowling a knuckleball that he is known to deliver effectively.”Initially, Plan A was to bowl slow bouncers,” Vyshak said. “But the wicket wasn’t two-paced. The ball wasn’t holding up. There was a lot of dew. Considering all that, the coaches said, ‘Let’s stick to the wide yorker’. It was a case of them planning and me executing.”Vyshak gave away just ten runs in his first two overs. By his third, after Buttler’s dismissal, GT needed 45 more from 12 deliveries. Despite Marco Jansen conceding 20 runs in two overs from the other end, Vyshak’s first two overs had already put GT on the back foot. So much so that even 18 runs from his third over – the 19th of the chase – left GT with an improbable 27 runs to get in the final over. PBKS eventually won by 11 runs, and it was a strong comeback for Vyshak, who had recovered from a quadricep injury that kept him out of the second half of the Ranji Trophy during the domestic season.The injury struck just as Vyshak, on the BCCI’s list of targeted fast bowlers, had broken into India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series in November.Vijaykumar Vyshak: “Until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets”•Punjab Kings”I always say this to myself that whatever I can do in my control, I will do that,” he said. “If you have to give your 100%, I’ll give my 110%. But injuries are not in your hands. I am someone who is really willing to give myself that extra push.”I don’t mind pushing extra yards in the practice session until I get what I’m doing, whether it is yorkers, whether it is length balls or slower ones. If I want to do something, I am just going to do it. And then, until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets. That is something that has helped me grow.”And then, for this sport, especially when you’re playing T20s, you’ve got to be mentally strong because some days you don’t nail your yorkers. But you’ve got to be mentally strong, and you’ve got to accept the fact that this is not happening. You’ve got to change; you’ve got to go to your Plan Bs. So that is something that I’ve been working on.”Vyshak is a strong advocate for “positive vibes” and “routines” to the extent that if he feels he did something different at training or during his pre-match routine that worked well, it’s likely he would have noted it down somewhere to be able to go back to later.”If the previous day – like match minus one, or minus two – if I did something that worked for me, I just want to write it down and then just go back to that and then do the same things again and again. So that has been helping me. So, hopefully, I can continue this and go on to achieve a lot more.””People used to tell me that I was a little healthy. I was like, ‘But I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter?'”•PTI Vyshak’s cricket perspective comes from a desire to make up for lost time. In 2017-18, weighing 110kg, he admitted feeling lost, and often faced criticism for his weight.”People used to tell me that I was a little healthy [heavy]. I was like, ‘but I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter’. It’s a funny story about how I really decided to transform. There’s this tradition of giving birthday bumps, and because I was too heavy, my friends just dropped me once. The next morning, I woke up thinking, ‘why am I like this? What am I doing?’ That is when I started my journey.”The fitness impetus was around the time Vyshak switched to fast bowling in his Under-19 days. Earlier, he was a top-order batter and captained Karnataka’s Under-16 team. He’s grateful for the guidance from former Karnataka batter Sudhindra Shinde and former India seamer Abhimanyu Mithun.”He [Shinde] has seen me as a young kid – as a fat kid,” Vyshak said. “He has really been supportive about my bowling, my mental strength, and my batting. So, if I’m feeling low, if I’m feeling anything, no matter what, I make sure that I talk to him because that is my comfort. We have a rapport that I can’t express in words. But every time I’m low, I call him, and by the end of the call, he will make sure I’m in a happy space.”During my Under-19s, he suggested to me to go to Bharat Arun sir. So when I was probably 20-21, my action was all over [the place]. He [Shinde] also helped me financially. He took care of my sessions in Chennai, [and] my stay – he helped me massively. In the last couple of years, I have worked with Mithun. He has helped me a lot with my run-up and my variations.”

“You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot”

Does Vyshak feel different today than when he started in the IPL two years ago with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)?”When I started off, I didn’t know what this platform was,” he said. “My emotions were so high. When I did well, I used to feel so good, and when I didn’t, I used to like just dip down.”And then, last couple of years, with [Mohammed] Siraj being there, I think he emphasised on being neutral. Whatever happens – whether you’re playing or not playing, winning or not winning – you have to be constant. That’s the biggest lesson for me. Matches come thick and fast – if you keep brooding over what has gone wrong, you’ll keep sinking further.”You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot. I can pretty much say I am a better bowler compared to what I was when I played the first game for RCB.”

The Toronto Blue Jays are headed back to the World Series.

It has been a long and winding road for the franchise to get here, but on Monday night they beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in Game 7 of the ALCS, clinching the series by the same score. Toronto is returning to the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993, when it won the second of back-to-back titles.

George Springer gives Toronto an October moment

Springer's magical season continued as the 2017 World Series MVP came up big for the Blue Jays when they needed it most.

Toronto trailed Seattle 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, and hadn't managed much offensively until that point. Mariners righty Bryan Woo walked Addison Barger to open the frame, then Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to center, moving Barger to second. Andres Gimenez moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt, opening the door for Springer to step into the spotlight.

Seattle pulled Woo, replacing him with Eduard Bazardo, and Springer stepped up to face him. Bazardo's first offering was off the plate inside for a ball. His second drifted over the plate on the inner half, and Springer demolished it. He hammered the ball over the left center field wall for a go-ahead three-run home run, sending the Rogers Centre crowd into a frenzy.

It was just the latest big moment in an incredible bounce-back season for Springer. He hit a career-high .309 with 32 home runs, and 84 RBIs. Springer's .959 OPS ranked fourth in baseball, and his 166 wRC+ was also a career-best. The 5.2 fWAR he racked up was his best mark since 2019.

Now he has a chance to get another ring, and he'll be facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, who he topped with the Astros back in 2017.

Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez heroics not enough

The Mariners needed their big guns to be firing if they wanted to beat the Blue Jays in Toronto Monday night. They got what they needed from Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, but it wasn't enough.

Rodriguez led off the game with a double and scored on a Josh Naylor single to give Seattle an early 1-0 lead. Then he blasted a solo home run in the top of the third inning to help his team to a 2-1 advantage. Raleigh followed with a solo shot of his own in the top of the fifth. They staked the Mariners to a 3-1 advantage, but it didn't hold.

The men occupying the top two spots in Seattle's lineup combined to go 3-for-8 with two home runs, scored all three of Seattle's runs and worked one walk while striking out twice. Naylor, the No. 3 hitter was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. The top of the order did its job. It wasn't enough.

Raleigh has a legitimate argument as the American League MVP, but on Monday night the Big Dumper's big bat wasn't enough to get the Mariners to their first World Series.

Blue Jays bullpen locks it down

To win a Game 7, a team usually either needs a stellar start or a lockdown performance from its bullpen. Toronto got the latter on Monday night.

Shane Bieber started and battled through 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking one. After that, the Blue Jays' bullpen allowed just a single hit over the ensuing 5 1/3 innings. Yes, Louis Varland made a mistake that Raleigh launched into the stands, but he's hardly alone in doing that this year. Combining the regular season and the postseason, Seattle's catcher belted an AL-record 65 home runs this season.

After that, the combination of Seranthony Domínguez, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, and Jeff Hoffman combined to shut Seattle's lineup down. Gausman had to work around three walks in his lone inning, but other than that they were perfect. Hoffman struck out all three batters in the top of the ninth, including fanning Rodriguez to end the game and Seattle's hopes.

Toronto's bullpen had a combined ERA of 3.98 during the regular season, which ranked eighth in the American League. They've largely been bad in the postseason, as that number has ballooned to 5.52. But on Monday night, they did what they had to do to get a win and lead their team back to the World Series.

Game 1 is set for Friday night at the Rogers Centre.

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O vice-presidente de futebol do Flamengo, Marcos Braz, criticou a punição sofrida por Gabigol por tentantiva de fraude ao exame antidoping. Para o dirigente, o ídolo rubro-negro não teve esta intenção. Confira no player acima.

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Eu não enxergo essa possível tentativa de fraude. O jogador que quer fraudar alguma coisa não faz exame de sangue. Porque o exame de sangue você não consegue fazer qualquer tipo de movimentação. Acho que o enquadramento foi numa situação muito pesada. Pesou muito mais o problema de relacionamento do que qualquer outra coisa, mas existe uma questão central. O atleta fez o exame de sangue, de urina e deu negativo em todos

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considerou Marcos Braz

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Bizarre broadside from Australia’s stand-in captain puts England’s former spinner front and centre of the pre-series banter

Alan Gardner20-Nov-20250:39

Steve Smith’s strange ‘Mastermind’ jibe at Monty Panesar

Hands up who had ‘Steven Smith Hits Back at Monty Panesar’s Sandpaper Comments with BBC Mastermind Jibe’ on their Ashes 2025-26 phoney war bingo card?Because that, bizarrely enough, is the point we had reached when those in the UK woke up on Thursday morning, less than 24 hours out from the start of the first Test. Perhaps it was the logical endgame of an Ashes build-up that has seemed ever more febrile and fantastical as the weeks have ticked by. But it also prompted, on many levels, the question: why?Why had Smith, in responding to what was reportedly a planted question early in his press conference, chosen to specifically target Panesar amid all the pre-series chatter on both sides? Why did Smith decide to make a personal dig at a retired player about a TV appearance from almost seven years ago? And why, on the eve of one of the most anticipated Ashes in recent memory, was he rewatching Panesar’s infamous meltdown if, as he claimed, “it doesn’t really bother me”.Ironically, the Panesar comments that Smith claimed he hadn’t been bothered by received minimal coverage – certainly in contrast to his “off-topic” digression in the full glare of pre-game media duties, which caused “Monty Panesar” to become a trending topic on two sides of the globe.The issue had, in fact, seemed to spiral after being picked up by Brad Haddin and Alyssa Healy on the Willow Talk podcast earlier this week. Haddin, still keen as ever to get involved in a stoush, suggested Panesar should “Pull your f***ing head in” – which is about the level of wit for Ashes repartee. What’s remarkable is that the mud-flinging has not been confined to social media, but ended up with Australia’s stand-in captain using it for an open-mic spot on matchday-minus-one.For those still in the dark, Panesar – speaking to an online betting company – had urged England to “really get into” Smith about his role in the 2018 sandpaper incident at Cape Town and “make him feel guilty”. But it seems unlikely that Monty’s masterplan would have featured quite so high up in the strategising by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum ahead of this series (although perhaps it now should…)Monty Panesar and Steven Smith have reprised hostilities in unlikely circumstances•Getty ImagesPanesar also explicitly urged the UK media to take up the cudgels against Smith, following the example of some typically fruity coverage of England’s preparations by the local outlets. In another irony, Smith’s response has made it much easier for the English pack to now mount their high horses (something that rarely requires a second invitation).As for the Barmy Army, who are expected to make up a significant proportion of the crowd in Perth Stadium, they won’t need any prompting from Panesar to break into another chorus of “We saw you cry on the telly”.Smith added in his press conference that he was “pretty chilled” these days, and certainly delivered his pre-planned bit for the cameras with a broad grin in place. It was, nevertheless, a curious call that has added another layer of intrigue to the series – as well as an unexpected new chapter to Panesar’s colourful Ashes backstory.By coincidence, it is only a couple of weeks since Panesar popped up as a walk-on character in the story of Jake Weatherald’s maiden Test call-up. Weatherald – who described Panesar as “one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life” – played alongside the former England left-arm spinner during his time in the UK with Great Witchingham CC and took time to regale the Grade Cricketer podcast about what an “amazing experience” it was. Whether they were laughing with or at Monty is probably moot.Related

• Food charities benefit from Perth Test catering surplus

• Australia's injuries fuel English optimism but task ahead is huge

• Smith: If the result doesn't go our way, we can turn it around

• Smith mocks Panesar Mastermind stint to hit back at sandpaper jibe

• Stokes returns to the source as Ashes odyssey comes full circle

This has often been the case, starting with Shane Warne’s infamous comment that Panesar hadn’t played 33 Tests, but the same Test 33 times. Panesar was an unlikely hero with the bat for England at Cardiff shortly after that, but was again reduced to a figure of fun on the 2013-14 tour, including when Cricket Australia apologised for causing offence with a tweet that pictured four men dressed as Teletubbies wearing turbans and the caption: “Will the real Monty Panesar please stand up?”Since the end of his playing career, Panesar has forged a number of different career paths – often with limited success. His blooper, which he put down to nerves, came during a period in which he tried to carve out a regular spot as a reality TV personality, while he has done more run-of-the-mill work as a cricket pundit for a number of organisations (including ESPNcricinfo). Last year, he made headlines after briefly promising to stand as candidate in the General Election for the Workers Party of Britain, before backtracking.He has also spoken about his struggles with mental health issues and, sadly, still seems to be casting around for a comfortable post-playing role. Whether Ashes bantermeister is the right fit remains to be seen – but Smith has fanned the flames, inadvertently or otherwise. Certainly Panesar’s zinger of a response, delivered on BBC radio a few hours later, then followed up in a Telegraph guest column, suggested he is rising to the occasion:”I’ve started, so I’ll finish,” Panesar wrote. “Those were the words I heard at the end of my Mastermind shocker six years ago. But if I’m guilty of anything, it is having bad general knowledge. And that is better than being a cheat.”We’ve both made mistakes. I made my mine on a quiz show. He made his on the cricket field.”And so the sideshow rumbles on, with Panesar also due to appear on Michael Clarke’s Beyond23 podcast later on Thursday. Wonder what they’ll talk about? Thankfully the cricket is about to begin, otherwise who knows what we’d wake up to tomorrow.

England moved within touching distance of unprecedented World Cup qualifying history after a composed 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley maintained their flawless defensive record. With Thomas Tuchel's side yet to concede in the campaign, a clean sheet against Albania would make them the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game qualifying cycle without letting in a single goal.

• England beat Serbia in penultimate qualifier

  England cruised to another victory as they defeated Serbia 2-0 at Wembley on Thursday, stretching their perfect record in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring on the half-hour mark with a crisp volley, before Eberechi Eze came off the bench to curl home a superb late finish and seal a seventh straight win.

  The match followed a familiar pattern in this qualifying cycle, with England asserting dominance early and forcing Serbia to defend deep for long spells. Harry Kane’s movement, Saka’s incisiveness and Declan Rice’s control ensured Serbia were rarely able to build sustained attacks, while England’s defence remained largely untroubled aside from isolated counterattacks.

  England’s clean sheet was also significant, extending their run to seven games without conceding, already a rare feat in UEFA World Cup qualifying. Serbia created a handful of half-chances but were kept at bay through Jordan Pickford’s alert positioning and the strong recovery defending of Ezri Konsa and John Stones. With the win, England closed in on a piece of history never before achieved in a European qualifying group of eight matches.

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  Three Lions closing in on a World Cup qualifying record

  The victory places England on the brink of an unprecedented defensive milestone, one that would underline the transformative impact Tuchel has had since taking charge. Should the Three Lions avoid conceding in their final qualifier against Albania, they would become the first European nation ever to complete an eight-game World Cup qualifying campaign without letting in a goal. It would surpass even the great England side of 1990, which finished a six-game campaign without conceding.

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  Tuchel's side maintain flawless campaign

  Beyond the clean sheet streak, England’s qualifying journey has showcased the depth and discipline required to thrive under Tuchel’s demanding standards. Pickford has now kept ten consecutive competitive clean sheets, supported by a defensive line that has remained calm under pressure and excelled at denying opponents high-value opportunities. Stones, Konsa and Rice have all played crucial roles in sustaining England’s impeccable defensive record.

  This campaign has also highlighted Tuchel’s insistence on competition for places, with no player guaranteed a starting role regardless of club form or reputation. Tuchel has repeatedly stressed that his focus is on building collective unity, and England’s ability to rotate without losing fluidity underscores how deeply the squad has bought into his approach.

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• Albania trip last up in qualifying

  England now travel to Tirana for their final World Cup qualifier to take on Albania, where the chance to make history may serve as a major motivational factor despite the game being a dead rubber. Top spot in the group is already secured and Albania are locked into second place.

  Should England secure the clean sheet, they will step into the 2026 World Cup not only as qualifying history-makers but also as one of the tournament’s most tactically complete and defensively formidable sides.

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Apesar do momento ruim do São Paulo, o trabalho do técnico Thiago Carpini segue com respaldo interno no clube. De acordo com o próprio treinador, o grupo de jogadores mantém o apoio ao processo implementado na equipe.

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➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

O Tricolor vem de derrota para o Talleres pela estreia na Libertadores, em jogo que aconteceu na quinta-feira (4). Além disso, a equipe foi eliminada precocemente do Paulistão ao perder para o Novorizontino nas quartas de final, em pleno Morumbis.

– Qualquer coisa que eu fale em saldo positivo e negativo há controvérsias. Respeito a opinião das pessoas, eu tenho a minha, as minhas convicções. E principalmente o respaldo que eu tenho internamente, que são os atletas e o grupo, isso é o mais importante – revelou Carpini, em entrevista após a derrota na competição Sul-Americana.

O técnico reforçou que não pode pensar nas recentes conquistas pelo clube, como a taça da Supercopa do Brasil diante do Palmeiras e a quebra do tabu no estádio do Corinthians. Ele também não deseja reviver a eliminação para o Novorizontino, e a ideia é trabalhar baseado no momento atual do Tricolor.

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➡️ Carpini explica decisão de ficar com um a menos contra o Talleres

– Se eu falar de conquista de Supercopa, de quebra de tabu e da eliminação para o Novorizontino, isso é passado, história para contar. Eu não vivo o passado e o futuro, vivo o presente. Hoje foi um início de temporada, a competição mais importante do ano para o São Paulo. Infelizmente, não começamos como gostaríamos. Mas dentro das dificuldades que tivemos, o jogo tem saldo não positivo pelo resultado, mas os comportamentos e a competitividade dos atletas e a busca pelo gol de empate… A gente sabia das dificuldades de enfrentar uma equipe que vem bem no seu campeonato local. Agora é virar a página, precisamos seguir ajustando e melhorando. O futebol é feito desses momentos, altos e baixos. Quando mais a gente ganha, mais próximo da derrota. Quanto mais a gente perde, mais próximo da vitória. As coisas daqui a pouco voltam a acontecer – concluiu.

➡️ Assista aos melhores momentos de Talleres 2 x 1 São Paulo

Thiago Carpini foi contratado pelo São Paulo no início deste ano com a missão de substituir Dorival Júnior, que assumiu o comando da Seleção Brasileira. O atual treinador tricolor soma 15 jogos, seis vitórias, seis empates e três derrotas.

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➡️O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O São Paulo volta a jogar na próxima quarta-feira (10), contra o Cobresal (CHI), pela segunda rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

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Roy Keane has claimed that his infamous leg-breaker on Erling Haaland's dad, Alfie, was not an unfair challenge. To get a bigger picture and understand the magnitude of Keane’s fury, you have to rewind to September 1997, when Manchester United faced Leeds United at Elland Road.

• How did it all start?

  Keane was a player who thrived on combat on the pitch. However, he went down in agony after rupturing his cruciate ligament while attempting a challenge. As he lay on the turf, clutching his knee in genuine pain, Haaland, who was playing for Leeds, stood over him and sneered, accusing him of faking an injury. 

  "He tried to tackle me and I got the free kick. He was lying on the ground and I just told him to ‘get up’ as you normally do with players – nothing more than that," Haaland said in an earlier interview. "I wasn’t trying to intend anything against him, but obviously he took that very hard."

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  That fateful day in Old Trafford

  For Keane, who never forgot a slight, those words became fuel. Four years later, in April 2001, fate delivered the perfect opportunity for revenge during a Manchester derby at Old Trafford. And Keane didn’t miss. His right boot smashed into Haaland’s knee with sickening force as Keane stood over his old adversary, snarling expletives. He didn’t even pretend it was an accident.

  In his 2002 autobiography, he admitted it outright: "I’d waited long enough. I f*cking hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***. And don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries."

  At the time, Keane received a £5,000 fine and a three-match ban. But when his autobiography publicly confirmed what everyone suspected, that the assault was premeditated, the FA reopened the case. He was handed an additional five-match suspension and fined a further £150,000. 

  In his second autobiography, published in 2014, he doubled down once again, describing Haaland as "an absolute pr*ck to play against."

  "[He] p*ssed me off, shooting his mouth off. He was an absolute pr*ck to play against. Niggling, sneaky," he wrote.

  "I did want to nail him and let him know what was happening. I wanted to hurt him and stand over him and go: 'Take that, you c***.' I don’t regret that. But I had no wish to injure him. It was action; it was football. It was dog eats dog. I’ve kicked lots of players and I know the difference between hurting somebody and injuring somebody. I didn’t go to injure Haaland. When you play sport, you know how to injure somebody.

  "There was no premeditation. I’d played against Haaland three or four times between the game against Leeds, in 1997, when I injured my cruciate and the game when I tackled him, in 2001, when he was playing for Manchester City. If I’d been this madman out for revenge, why would I have waited years for an opportunity to injure him? Was I going around for years thinking: ‘I’m going to get him, I’m going to get him.’? No. Was he at the back of my mind? Of course, he was. Like Rob Lee was, like David Batty was, like Alan Shearer was, like Patrick Vieira was. All these players were in the back of my mind: ‘If I get a chance I’m going to f*cking hit you, of course I am.’"

• One final declaration from Keane!

  Keane is never one to hide behind PR polish or remorse, and has again claimed that his tackle on Haaland was "not a bad challenge", defiantly insisting that he was merely trying to "hurt him", and not end his career. 

  Speaking on , the ex-Manchester United captain declared: "This is my last time talking about this tackle, the Haaland one. I still don’t think it was a bad tackle, I really don’t. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s not as bad as everyone thinks it is. When you play sport at that speed we played at, there’s a difference between hurting somebody and injuring somebody – big difference. That’s my argument. I was trying to hurt him, not injure somebody."

  When asked about it in 2024, Haaland said wryly: "Is that a coincidence, or isn’t it? If you’re in the ground and someone hits you in the right leg, you can still twist your other leg. It can get injured and that’s probably what happened.

  "I haven’t played a full 90 minutes after that incident, that’s the hard fact. And people can judge whatever they want. Obviously, I found out afterwards that it was with intent and he was seeking revenge and all these things. I think that’s a bit sad. Sad for football and it was not good for me either at the time."

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  Did Keane actually end Haaland's career?

  Keane used one argument to justify his lack of guilt as the Norwegian played a full international just four days after the infamous tackle and played 68 minutes for City shortly after. 

  "Haaland finished the game and played four days later, for Norway," he said. "A couple of years later, he tried to claim that he’d had to retire because of the tackle. He was going to sue me. It was a bad tackle but he was still able to play four days later."

  One must note that although Haaland did undergo the knife in that summer, it was on his left leg, whereas Keane tackled him on the right.

Leeds United need to pick up wins in the Premier League, and fast.

The Whites’ clash with Nottingham Forest this weekend already feels like a pivotal clash when judging their campaign’s narrative so far, with another defeat pushing them closer to the relegation zone, after stumbling to a horrible 3-0 loss against Brighton and Hove Albion.

If the defeats keep piling up, Leeds could dismiss Daniel Farke, even after all his promotion heroics, with Liam Rosenior allegedly already being looked at as one possible replacement.

He can save his skin for another day if he steers Leeds to a victory at the City Ground, with the German surely tempted to drop Brenden Aaronson for this vital showdown, who is struggling to hit consistent form in the Premier League.

Aaronson's ongoing Premier League struggles

If you sat someone down and played them Aaronson’s highlight reel from Leeds’ recent 2-1 home success against West Ham United in isolation, they would surely think the American was a well-established Premier League star.

Indeed, Aaronson put in a man-of-the-match-worthy showing against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, as a rare top-flight goal came his way.

On top of that, he also won eight ground duels, completed all three of his dribbles, and notched up two key passes for his troubles. Safe to say, he was a thorn in West Ham’s side all night long.

That’s what makes his no-show performance against Brighton the match directly after his West Ham display so much more bewildering, as Aaronson receded into his shell with zero shots or zero dribbles registered.

However, to the hardened Leeds regulars, this isn’t the greatest shock to see such a notable dip in form, with ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome once calling out Aaronson for being “lightweight” when occasionally ducking away from challenges and tussles.

Also said to not be “good enough” to be a regular at the top level by Newsome, which is backed up by that meagre one goal being his only meaningful goal contribution so far this season, he could be dropped for Leeds’ next crunch tie against Sean Dyche’s Tricky Trees.

Games played

46

Minutes played

3024 mins

Goals scored

3

Assists

2

Regularly falling victim to goalless displays in the EFL, too, Aaronson now looks to be on borrowed time as a Premier League must for Farke.

He isn’t the only figure who massively underwhelmed at the Amex, though.

Once "indispensable" Leeds star is also on borrowed time

Unfortunately, the cruel beast of the top division is sometimes a hard one to adjust to.

Thankfully, Joe Rodon has taken to his new, daunting environment well, after being in Farke’s XI week in, week out in the Championship, with two goals already collected. Fellow Welshman, Ethan Ampadu, on the other hand, has been up and down so far since promotion was sealed.

The Leeds captain is, arguably, a victim of his own success in Farke’s current set-up, with Ampadu judged as an “indispensable” part of Leeds’ midfield when promotion was being eyed up, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

His numbers back that up, too, with the Wales international making 4.4 ball recoveries and winning 5.1 duels on average last season, when injuries weren’t stopping him in his tracks. Rodon would manage just 4.0 and 4.3, on the contrary.

Yet, even such a well-recognised part of the German’s lineup is prone to an off-display here and there, too, as the former Chelsea man experienced away at the Seagulls.

Ampadu would only win 50% of his duels against Fabian Hurzeler’s men, with the Brighton boss perhaps even enraged that Ampadu wasn’t sent off when taking out two-goal sensation Diego Gomez in the second half, as the usually assured presence of the number four was nowhere to be seen.

With Anton Stach now at the ex-Norwich City manager’s disposal, who has won 4.7 duels this season in the Premier League – which trumps Ampadu’s own count of 4.4 – Farke might be prepared to drop Ampadu here and there for other midfield stars to shine.

After all, with his poor injury record also seeing him miss three games this season already, it’s clear that this depth will need to be utilised, with Ampadu arguably not one of the first names on the teamsheet, like he used to be.

Rarely-seen Leeds talent could be a surprise Aaronson replacement

Daniel Farke could soon surprisingly throw this Leeds United academy gem into the first team.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 4, 2025

Arizona Diamondbacks slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez is widely considered be one of the crown jewels of this year's trade deadline.

Suarez has been on a tear in 2025, racking up 36 home runs and an NL-best 87 RBIs through his first 105 games this year. His .898 OPS is his best in a season since 2019, when he hit a career-high 49 homers.

As the trade deadline approaches, with less than 30 hours to go until it passes, the market for Suarez is reportedly beginning to "shape up," according to MLB insider Mark Feinsand. Four teams have emerged as the primary contenders to land Suarez if Arizona does elect to deal him prior to Thursday's deadline—the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers—per Feinsand.

With the Diamondbacks slipping out of playoff contention and having already moved on from Josh Naylor in a trade with the Mariners, it wouldn't be surprising to see them offload Suarez while his value is at its highest. Suarez is ranked No. 3 in 's among top trade candidates, ahead of Thursday's deadline.

All four of the aforementioned teams are in the mix for a playoff spot and could be true World Series contenders if they make the right additions at the deadline. Suarez would be a great pickup for all four. Of the rumored suitors, he's previously spent some time in Seattle, having played for the Mariners in 2022 and '23 and made his major league debut with the Tigers in '14.

With so much interest in the 34-year-old, the Diamondbacks could receive quite the haul of prospects in exchange for Suarez, and it looks as if some teams may be more willing to meet their demands than others.