Sport

World number one Luke Humphries defended his Players Championship title with an 11-7 win over teenager Luke Littler in Minehead. Humphries, who beat Littler to win the world title in January, averaged 103.69 and punched the air with delight as he came out on top again in Minehead. The 28-year-old, who has also won the World Matchplay this year, is …

Real Madrid closed the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to four points with a dominant win over Leganes. Jude Bellingham scored his second league goal in as many games in a comfortable victory ahead of their Champions League match with Liverpool on Wednesday night. Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring with his seventh league goal of the season on the …

Leicester City have sacked manager Steve Cooper with the club 16th in the Premier League after 12 games. The Foxes were beaten 2-1 by a Chelsea side managed by former boss Enzo Maresca on Saturday – a defeat which left them two points above the relegation zone. Cooper took over from Maresca in the summer after the Italian had led …

Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League as he was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for 27 crore (£2.54m) at the mega auction in Saudi Arabia. The India wicketkeeper, 27, was the subject of a bidding war between the Super Giants and his former side, Delhi Capitals. Pant, who returned to the …

Vice-captain Pope took the gloves on the second day of the warm-up game on Sunday, but with only 14 players in Queenstown and some opting for extra time in the nets, England had to ask James Anderson to take part as a fielder. Anderson, 42, has been working as England’s bowling consultant since retiring from Test cricket in July and …

Third and fourth places for the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc reduced their deficit to McLaren in the constructors’ championship to 24 points with two races to go. Norris stopped for fresh tyres to take fastest lap in the closing stages to give McLaren an extra point. Verstappen, starting one place ahead of Norris in fifth place on …

Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer analyses the “telepathic” link between Bukayo Saka & Martin Odegaard during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer. Available to UK users only.

Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer says Manchester City are showing “worrying signs” after losing 4-0 at home to Tottenham, their fifth loss in a row. MATCH REPORT: Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer Available to UK users only.

England: Tom Halliwell (capt), 2 Rob Hawkins, 3 Nathan Collins, 4 Josh Butler, 5 Rob Hawkins Interchange: Jack Brown, Mason Billington, Sebastien Bechara. Unused player: Joe Coyd Tries: Butler 2, Bechara, Hawkins 2. Goals: Collins 4. France: Gilles Clausells (capt), Florian Guttadoro, Jeremy Bourson, Damien Dore, Leo Hivernat. Interchange: Julian Pennella, Jonathan Hivernat, Nicolas Clausells. Unused player: Lionel Alazard. Tries: …

Andy Murray will coach his long-time former rival Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2025. Britain’s three-time Grand Slam champion Murray retired from tennis in August after a 19-year career. The pair will work together in the off-season and in the build-up to the Australian Open, which takes place from 12-26 January. Former world number one Murray said he …