Sheffield United paid a poignant tribute to Maddy Cusack ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Newcastle.

The 27-year-old, who was the longest-serving player in the Blades’ women’s side and also worked in the club’s commercial department, died earlier this week.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom said on Friday that the club were “suffering” following the tragic news and they paid a fitting tribute ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game at Bramall Lane.

The Blades, who worked with Cusack’s family over how they could commemorate her, redesigned their matchday programme to put a picture of their midfielder on the front and the flag at Bramall Lane flew at half-mast.

There was a eulogy read out, accompanied by a video tribute on the big screen, before kick-off, with United great Tony Currie and women’s captain Sophie Barker accompanying Cusack’s mum and sister when laying a wreath on the centre circle.

United entered the pitch wearing shirts with Cusack’s name and number eight on the back and also wore black armbands, while club staff were dressed in black ties.

There was a minute’s silence before kick-off, impeccably observed by all four sides of the ground, while Newcastle chief executive Amanda Staveley also laid flowers outside the stadium before the game.

In the eighth minute fans stood for a minute’s applause to remember Cusack.

Home favourite Carlota Ciganda played a starring role as Europe retained the Solheim Cup after a thrilling 14-14 draw with the United States, the first in the biennial contest’s history.

Trailing 4-0 after the opening foursomes, Suzann Pettersen’s side rallied magnificently at Finca Cortesin and it fittingly fell to Spanish star Ciganda to ensure the trophy would remain in Europe with her fourth win from four matches.

With Ciganda pegged back to all square on the 15th against Nelly Korda, the United States were briefly on course for an outright win due to the status of the remaining matches.

However, Ciganda then hit a stunning approach to the 16th to set up a winning birdie and, after Maja Stark had beaten US Open champion Allisen Corpuz to make it 13-13, repeated the feat on the 17th to ensure Europe would at least retain the trophy.

Emily Pedersen still had an outside chance to halve her match with Lexi Thompson and secure outright victory, but Thompson calmly holed from 10 feet for par on the 17th to close out a 2&1 win.

“I’m so happy just to do this for Suzann, for Spain, I’m just so proud,” Ciganda told Sky Sports.

“When I saw Suzann on 16 she told me a couple of things and I was like, ‘I’m just going to do this for her’, because I love her and she deserves this. I love my team, I love Europe, I love Spain, I love Solheim Cups.

“It’s been a great week and I’m just so happy to be here right now.”

Son Heung-min scored two equalisers as Tottenham held north London derby rivals Arsenal 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium.

Son drew Spurs level for the first time with a strike just prior to the interval, cancelling out a 26th-minute own goal by Cristian Romero, who deflected in Bukayo Saka’s shot.

There was then further frustration for Romero nine minutes after the break as, following a VAR check, the Argentina defender was deemed guilty of a handball and Saka converted the resulting penalty.

But within seconds things were all square once again, Jorginho losing possession to James Maddison and the England man, as he had in the first half, teeing up Son to finish.

The result leaves Tottenham and Arsenal fourth and fifth respectively in the Premier League table, both four points behind leaders Manchester City.

Liverpool moved up to second, two points behind City, following a 3-1 home victory over West Ham.

Mohamed Salah put the Reds in front with a 16th-minute penalty and after Jarrod Bowen equalised with a header late in the first half, Darwin Nunez restored Liverpool’s advantage with a brilliant volley on the hour mark before substitute Diogo Jota wrapped things up late on.

Brighton are a point further back in third after coming from behind to defeat Bournemouth 3-1 at the Amex Stadium.

After Dominic Solanke gave the visitors the lead in the 25th minute, the subsequent turnaround saw Milos Kerkez score an own goal in first-half stoppage time and Kaoru Mitoma, having come on at the interval, add a brace, making it 2-1 in the opening minute of the second half before heading his second after 77 minutes.

Chelsea endured more misery as they were beaten 1-0 at Stamford Bridge by Aston Villa.

The Blues, who have won only once in the league this season, were reduced to 10 men in the 58th minute when Malo Gusto was sent off, and Ollie Watkins then notched what proved the winner for Villa in the 73rd.

While the midlands outfit are sixth, Chelsea languish in 14th place with five points and three losses from six games as Mauricio Pochettino’s tough start in charge of the Londoners continues.

Chelsea went down to a third Premier League defeat of the season as Aston Villa won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge after Malo Gusto was shown a second-half red card.

Villa broke away and scored through Ollie Watkins 17 minutes from the end, and though the 10 men laboured gainfully to get back into the game their goalless run in the league under Mauricio Pochettino stretched to three matches as they remained 14th.

Chelsea were on top and looking far the likelier to score when a pitchside VAR decision just before the hour mark turned proceedings against them. Gusto had slid in on Lucas Digne and caught the defender on the ankle, and a yellow card was quickly upgraded to red for dangerous play.

Pochettino’s side continued to attack in numbers and it would prove their undoing, Watkins outfoxing Levi Colwill to score on the rebound after the 10 men had poured forward, as Villa won for the second season running in front of an audibly frustrated home support in west London.

Chelsea opened with a greater attacking purpose than they had shown in recent scoreless outings against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. After four minutes, Moises Caicedo took a chance and drilled low and hard from distance into the gloves of Emiliano Martinez, a comfortable enough save for Villa’s goalkeeper but an early show of intent from the home side.

Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk were heavily involved during the opening 15 minutes, finding space without the ball and attacking Villa down either flank when in possession. Nicolas Jackson too showed pace and power through the middle as Chelsea threatened from all angles.

But it was Villa, increasingly stretched at the back, who nearly took the lead and in the most spectacular fashion after 20 minutes. Douglas Luiz’s corner was only partially cleared, and the ball dropped out of the air to the waiting Digne who whacked an audacious looping volley from all of 35 yards that Robert Sanchez brilliantly tipped over the bar.

Chelsea had not scored in the league since August but here they played through Villa with a confidence that belied their modest goal return of five under Pochettino.

Mudryk tucked a superb ball in behind the defence for Jackson to run on to, the striker’s cunning to find space matching the brilliance of his teammate’s vision. Jackson went for the near post and Martinez turned it behind, but it was as fine an attacking move as Stamford Bridge had witnessed this season.

Enzo Fernandez should have broken the deadlock when he shot first time from Gusto’s pull-back, the Argentinian failing to make the best of a good opening after Gusto had stretched every sinew keeping the ball in play.

Sanchez saved acrobatically from Nicolo Zaniolo’s volley as Villa came on strong late in the half. At the other end Mudryk capped a lively first period when he raced away from Matty Cash and zipped the ball low across goal only to find that nobody in blue had gambled.

Sterling began the second period as he had ended the first, racing away from Villa down the right and trying to tuck the ball inside Martinez’s near post. The goalkeeper spread himself well to smother, but Chelsea’s threat was growing.

Then came a moment to turn to the tide of that pressure. Gusto’s challenge on Digne was late and caught the Villa defender on the ankle. The initial decision was yellow card, but a pitchside VAR review saw it upgraded to a red as boos rained down on the referee from home fans.

The sending off did not drastically alter the course of things at first, Chelsea’s pressure on Villa’s defence remained. Yet it was ultimately to be their undoing.

There seemed to be little on when Villa won the ball back high in the Chelsea half. One ball released Moussa Diaby who dashed into the space left by Gusto’s departure, and in a flash he fed Watkins.

Colwill seemed to have things under control when he slid to block Watkins’ initial shot, but before he could recover and clear the Villa striker had taken up the ball and lashed his second effort past Sanchez from an angle and in off the far post.

Ben Chilwell on as a substitute missed when one-on-one with Martinez, then moments later Axel Disasi, now moved out to right-back, burst into the box and skewed horribly wide as he lashed at his shot.

Jacob Ramsey tested Sanchez when he stepped inside and curled towards the bottom corner, this time the goalkeeper finger-tipped the ball to safety.

By then, Chelsea’s attacking rhythm had been critically disrupted, and Villa saw the win out amid a chorus of discontent around Stamford Bridge.

Darwin Nunez’s evolution into a genuine number nine for Liverpool continues as his brilliant fourth goal of the season proved vital in securing a 3-1 home victory over West Ham.

The Uruguay international scored in back-to-back games for the first time since February as Jurgen Klopp’s side made it five successive Premier League wins to move into outright second spot, behind champions Manchester City, with Arsenal and Tottenham drawing at the Emirates.

Captain Virgil van Dijk had spoken of the 24-year-old turning his potential into quality after the midweek Europa League win over LASK, in which Nunez scored a penalty but could have had a couple of others.

His rasping 60th-minute volley from an exquisite Alexis Mac Allister lofted pass restored their lead after Jarrod Bowen’s diving header in the first half had cancelled out Mohamed Salah’s penalty, his 12 goal in his last 13 appearances at Anfield.

Substitute Diogo Jota made the points safe late on as Liverpool scored at least three goals in their opening three home league games for only the second time in the last 43 years.

But it was Nunez who caught the eye with his improving integration into a team which for so long played with a false nine in Roberto Firmino.

His hold-up play gets better and, after that helped Liverpool take the lead in Austria in midweek, he was at it again in the build-up to Salah’s penalty.

He launched a rapid counter-attack on the left after holding up the ball on the halfway line before releasing Luis Diaz and then charging 60 yards into the area in an attempt to get on the end of the return pass.

He failed to do so but Salah was following up behind him and, having nicked it past Nayef Aguerd, he was tripped by the West Ham centre-back, who looked suitably sheepish having given away such a soft spot-kick.

West Ham could have been two goals up by that point as Alisson had to scramble low to his right to keep out a Tomas Soucek header and was then relieved to see Michail Antonio wastefully direct a header wide from 10 yards.

From another counter-attack Mac Allister dragged a shot wide and Salah miscued a shot from Van Dijk’s diagonal pass but almost inadvertently found Nunez.

Liverpool were threatening to take the game away from the visitors, who have won only once at Anfield in 50 visits, and, had Salah slotted home after Mac Allister, Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai combined, it would have been their goal of the season so far.

But David Moyes’ side are made of stern stuff, with their physical approach often infuriating the majority of those at Anfield, and when Soucek’s scuffed shot was deflected wide it showed danger was still present.

They equalised three minutes from half-time from a goal which came almost out of nothing. Bowen won the initial header from an aimless aerial ball and Vladimir Coufal swung in a cross which the Hammers forward dived low in front of Van Dijk to direct inside the far post.

A delightful Szoboszlai chip over the top saw Curtis Jones volley home only to be denied by the offside flag while another counter-attack saw Salah slide in Nunez, whose angled shot was claimed at the second attempt by Alphonse Areola.

After the break West Ham reduced the game to a level Liverpool were uncomfortable with but the hosts still created chances, Nunez’s snap-shot going wide after Salah managed to find space between two markers to pick him out 12 yards out.

It was the sighter the Kop’s new cult hero needed as he then lashed home Mac Allister’s delicate 15-yard chip which dropped invitingly somewhere near the penalty spot.

Jones’ deflected shot was acrobatically tipped over by Areola, who then saved at the feet of Diaz, before Jota extended Moyes’ win-less career run at Anfield to 20 visits by stabbing home from close range after Van Dijk’s knockdown from an 85th-minute corner.

Son Heung-min’s brace earned Tottenham a share of the derby spoils after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Arsenal.

The result maintained both north London clubs’ unbeaten starts to the Premier League campaign, but Mikel Arteta’s men would have been disappointed after they twice took the lead.

A Cristian Romero own-goal broke the deadlock at the Emirates and while Son levelled for Spurs before half-time, Arsenal went back in front when Bukayo Saka rolled home a penalty in the 54th-minute following Romero’s handball.

Tottenham’s momentum under new head coach Ange Postecoglou would not be checked, though, with Son hitting another equaliser 108 seconds later and it finished all square.

Unbeaten starts for both teams had ramped up the excitement for this derby and Arteta again kept faith with David Raya in goal over Aaron Ramsdale, while Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah started together in attack.

Postecoglou handed a full debut to Brennan Johnson, who was immediately thrust into the action at a raucous Emirates when his right-footed effort was deflected over by Ben White.

From the resulting corner Son had the ball in the net from Yves Bissouma’s wayward effort, but he was correctly adjudged to be offside.

Spurs enjoyed the lion’s share of possession early on, but it was Arsenal who created the first clear-cut chance when Saka picked out Jesus at the back post and his half-volley was excellently tipped wide by Guglielmo Vicario.

Vicario saved well again soon after when Destiny Udogie’s loose pass allowed Nketiah to get into the area.

It perfectly encapsulated a difficult start for Udogie, who had struggled against Saka and been booked after 15 minutes.

Saka’s influence continued to grow and the Gunners’ academy graduate helped break the deadlock.

Martin Odegaard passed out wide to Saka, who was given too much space to cut inside and his curled effort was deflected beyond Vicario by Spurs’ vice-captain Romero in the 26th minute.

It went down as an own-goal but was made by Saka and yet Arsenal should have doubled their advantage six minutes later.

Vicario passed into Maddison and he was tackled by Jesus inside the area, but the Arsenal forward blazed over from 14 yards.

An end-to-end feel to the derby took over with Raya producing a terrific save to deny Johnson from Pedro Porro’s cross, which earned applause from team-mate Ramsdale on the substitutes’ bench.

Raya was not so composed when he tipped away a cross heading behind for a goal-kick and had to save from Johnson again.

While the hosts survived that initial 42nd-minute attack, Tottenham kept the ball alive and levelled when Maddison spun away from Saka and picked out Son, who side-footed home via a post before shushing the Arsenal fans.

Arteta made a double change at half-time with Declan Rice and Fabio Vieira replaced by Jorginho and Kai Havertz and the third goal of an enthralling clash came in the 54th minute.

Romero was again at the heart of the action after he blocked White’s shot with his hand.

VAR told referee Robert Jones to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and despite Romero’s close proximity to the shot, he was adjudged to have deliberately handled and Saka tucked away the spot-kick to make it 2-1.

The Arsenal celebrations were cut short when Tottenham quickly equalised.

Maddison was able to win back possession from Jorginho and played in Son, who rolled past Raya to score his 150th goal for Spurs.

A lull to the frantic nature of the derby came after Son’s second leveller, with cautions more frequent than chances and a raft of substitutions made.

Arsenal duo Reiss Nelson and Havertz failed to make the most of openings before Saka forced Vicario into a low save in the first minute of 10 added on.

There was still time for a Richarlison chance, but Jorginho deflected his effort wide and the game finished level.

Roberto De Zerbi’s inspired double substitution helped Brighton come from behind to sink Bournemouth 3-1.

The Seagulls trailed to Dominic Solanke’s opportunist strike but went in level at half-time thanks to a Milos Kerkez own goal.

Boss De Zerbi, who had made nine changes to his starting line-up from Thursday’s Europe League defeat by AEK Athens, sent on Ansu Fati and Kaoru Mitoma at half-time.

And the pair had an instant impact, combining for an exquisite goal just 15 seconds into the second half, with Mitoma applying the finishing touch.

Japan winger Mitoma then wrapped up the victory with a late header to leave the Cherries still winless from their first six league matches.

De Zerbi also opted to rotate his goalkeepers, replacing Jason Steele with Bart Verbruggen, but that was a move which backfired after 25 minutes.

The Dutchman hesitated on the edge of the area as he attempted to play the ball out.

Ryan Christie charged down the clearance and the ball rolled to Solanke, who chipped the stranded keeper into an empty net from 20 yards.

Brighton offered precious little for the majority of an uncharacteristically lacklustre first half until three minutes of stoppage time.

A goalmouth scramble saw Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster have efforts cleared off the line before Billy Gilmour swung the ball back into the box.

Kerkez climbed at the near post in a bid to clear the danger, only to glance the ball past goalkeeper Neto and into his own net.

De Zerbi made his double change at the break, but not even the shrewd Italian could have foreseen quite the impact the pair would have.

Bournemouth lost possession from the kick-off and Mitoma played the ball out to Barcelona loanee Fati on the left before continuing his run into the area.

Fati’s ball back in was helped on by Mahmoud Dahoud into the path of Mitoma, who sidefooted it past Neto to cap a glorious Albion move.

With Brighton now in firmly the ascendancy, Dunk headed narrowly wide from a corner before Fati failed to convert a cross from Simon Adingra.

Bournemouth went in search of an equaliser and Antoine Semenyo had a low shot well kept out by Verbruggen.

But Mitoma put Brighton further ahead when he nodded in Pervis Estupinan’s cross with 13 minutes left.

Solanke almost scrambled one back for the Cherries from close range late on but his effort was cleared off the line by Albion skipper Dunk.

Go Athletico could line up in next weekend’s Prix de l’Abbaye after opening his Group-race account in Ireland with a battling victory in the Westgrove Hotel Renaissance Stakes at the Curragh.

A Listed winner at Cork on his stable debut for Ado McGuinness in mid-June, the high-class French recruit had since filled the runner-up berth in both the Group Two Sapphire Stakes and the Group Three Phoenix Sprint.

The five-year-old was a 7-2 shot for this Group Three assignment under Ronan Whelan and he showed plenty of tenacity go with his undoubted talent to get the better of a sustained duel with Big Gossey by half a length.

Aesop’s Fables was a further five and a half lengths behind in third, with the heavily supported 6-5 favourite Ocean Quest only fourth.

Of the winner, McGuinness said: “He’s in the Abbaye next week. We ran him here because it was giving it to be quite a dry week. He might travel but if it is dry, we won’t run him.

“I have to speak to Barry (Irwin, racing manager for part-owners Team Valor) first. There is a big possibility that he goes as there isn’t a whole pile left for him (this year).

“He deserved to get it today, he’s been very consistent. He’s been a great horse for me, he’s only had four runs and hit the ground running. I’m very lucky and privileged to have him.

“There’s been very little between him and Ken Condon’s horse (Moss Tucker) all year and if he’s fancied for the Abbaye next week, we won’t be too far behind him. Fingers crossed, he could go there.”

Liam Rosenior said he “won’t get carried away” after Hull returned to the play-off fray with a 3-1 win at Stoke.

First-half goals from Aaron Connolly – his fifth of the season – and Adama Traore handed the Tigers control just after the half-hour mark.

And the hosts’ miserable afternoon was compounded when Regan Slater’s strike deflected off Lynden Gooch and looped into his own net.

The returning Andre Vidigal notched a Potters consolation late on, but it was too little, too late as their winless run stretched to five league games.

Hull coasted to a seventh game unbeaten as they clinched a third successive away win in the Championship for the first time since 2013.

“I’m really happy,” said Rosenior, who marked the 50th game of his managerial career with victory.

“It always feels good when you win away from home and more pleasing than just the win was the performance.

“Everyone was excellent; we showed energy and confidence in the way that we played in possession and we were difficult to break down.

“The signs are really good, but the only stat that matters to me is where we finish at the end of the season.

“It’s brilliant to get the win but it has to be towards something so I won’t get carried away.

“We’re in a good place; we don’t need to focus on the results because they come as a product of our performances and they’ve been consistent this season.”

Goal-scorer Connolly and team-mate Jean Michael Seri clashed at half-time, but Rosenior paid tribute to their attitudes.

He added: “They were arguing and they want to win. I’ve been asking for that from them for the whole year that I’ve been here.

“You need to be demanding with each other; they argued and then they hugged and made up and they’re best mates again.

“You need to fall out with each other at times because it makes you better and makes you successful; it’s perfect and that’s the mentality I want.”

Meanwhile, it was another disappointing afternoon for Stoke as they slumped closer to the relegation zone.

“I think the best team won. It’s the poorest we’ve been tactically since I’ve been here,” boss Alex Neil admitted.

“You look at the game today and think either our set-up wasn’t good enough or we didn’t commit to it or a combination of both.

“We lacked belief in doing it today and when you lack belief it looks a bit of a dog’s dinner.

“We showed a lack of confidence – which is the first time I’ve seen that from them this season – so that was disappointing.

“I don’t ever make any qualms with what fans want to do or if they want to boo or voice their frustration.

“They’re here to support their team and see their team win; if they don’t win, particularly in modern football, it’s either one extreme or the other.

“If you win a game, you’re going up. If you lose a game, you’re getting relegated, so that’s the nature of football now.

“How they voice their opinion, I don’t have any views on it whatsoever; I just want to get the team performing well and trying to win.

“For us, we need that one win that’s going to lift some of the lads and then hopefully we can put a decent run together.”

Noel Meade appears to have a potential Classic contender on his hands after Caught U Looking powered home to secure top honours in the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh.

Sixth on her debut at the track in late June, the daughter of Harzand showed the benefit of that initial experience when bolting up by six lengths on her second start at Leopardstown.

The youngster had not been seen since that runaway victory two months ago, but proved her worth stepped up to Group Three level in the hands of Ben Coen.

Always travelling well on the outside of the field, Caught U Looking went through the gears quickly when asked for her effort to pick up 9-4 favourite Sakti and prevail by half a length.

Paddy Power gave the winner an introductory quote of 33-1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

Meade said: “That’s super. Obviously after she won so easy in Leopardstown there was plenty of interest in her. Tony O’Callaghan and Peter (Kelly), who bred her, own her and despite all the horses he has, Tony wasn’t for selling. He just wanted to keep her and said to roll the dice and see how she goes.

“Obviously there is a little bit of pressure on when you do that. Peter was happy enough to do that as well.

“She’s a good filly and she’s a filly that will improve because she’s a Harzand. She’s going to be better next year, and is probably a mile-and-a-half filly.”

He added: “I hope we can keep her. You keep hoping she can get up to the top, I know she only just won but obviously Ger (Lyons, trainer of Sakti) thinks quite a lot of his and you are always running against something decent from Ballydoyle. It’s hard to win a stakes race in Ireland.

“Everything is open now and we can dream a bit now. I put her in the Guineas the other day and we’ll enter her in the Oaks as well.

“She’s in the Fillies’ Mile next month but I wouldn’t imagine that will happen now, we’ll wait and let her mature.”

Aidan O’Brien raised the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster as a potential next port of call for Gasper De Lemos after the promising colt ground out a first career victory at the Curragh.

The son of Justify shaped with promise when fourth on his racecourse debut at Leopardstown behind stablemate Chief Little Rock, who on Saturday finished second in the Group Two Beresford Stakes.

On the strength of that form Gasper De Lemos was the 9-4 favourite on his second start in the Pat “The Duke” Leavy Irish EBF Maiden, with Ryan Moore taking the ride having hurried back from Australia.

Ridden positively from the off, the youngster came under pressure with over two furlongs still to run, but kept pulling out more and was well on top as he passed the post three lengths clear of Taraj.

O’Brien said: “He had a lovely run the first time. Obviously he’ll be very happy going back up to a mile and he’ll be a middle-distance horse next year.

“It’s tough out there and they have to stay to get it.

“He’s probably a Futurity Trophy horse more than a Dewhurst horse. He’ll get further, he’s like all those Justifys, when they go up in distance they grow a leg.

“He’s a very good mover so I’m surprised he handles the ground. He’s a lovely actioned horse.”

Gibbs Island opened his account at the third attempt with a narrow victory in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

Sixth and fourth in his first two races at Fairyhouse and Roscommon respectively, Andrew Oliver’s youngster raised his game to come out on top in a nip-and-tuck finish by a head from from Mo Ghille Mar, with Marty The Party and Slaney Swagger right on their heels in behind.

“He did it well. He had to grind it out,” said Oliver.

“He’s a full-brother to a good horse that Godolphin owns (Live Your Dream). I trained the half-brother Dream Tale so I know the family a bit.

“He had a nice run at Roscommon and we knew that stepping up in trip should be in his favour. He stayed every yard of the mile and it was a likeable performance.

“I was just saying to Billy (Lee, jockey) that we might look at the Eyrefield Stakes at the end of the year, it’s nine furlongs at Leopardstown. We’ll make a decision in the next week or two.”

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed his St Leger hero Continuous is set to be supplemented for next week’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The son of Heart’s Cry was beaten in his first three starts of the year, but has raised his game significantly in the second half of the campaign to register impressive wins in the Great Voltigeur at York and the season’s final Classic at Doncaster.

Continuous does not hold an entry in the Arc, but O’Brien did raise the possibility of supplementing the three-year-old at a cost of €120,000 in the immediate aftermath of his Doncaster triumph and the Ballydoyle handler is now preparing to add him to the field on Wednesday.

Asked about his Arc plans at the Curragh on Sunday, O’Brien said: “It’s all about Continuous I’d say. Everything looks good with him at the moment and if it is good up until Wednesday, he’ll probably be supplemented by the sound of what the lads are saying.

“Fast or heavy ground, it doesn’t matter to him – he has form on all ground.”

O’Brien confirmed Continuous would be his sole runner in this year’s Arc, but he is set to be well represented in the supporting races at ParisLongchamp.

He added: “Emily Dickinson will go to the Cadran. Unquestionable, who reared up in the stalls here last time, will go for the two-year-old race over seven (Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere) and something might go with him.

“Opera Singer will go to the fillies’ race (Prix Marcel Boussac). Jackie Oh, who was second to Joseph’s filly (Lumiere Rock) here last time, will go to the Prix de l’Opera.

“Kyprios won’t go, it will be too quick for him and we’ll give him time and go back to Ascot.”

Ireland emerged from a blockbuster win over South Africa with a clean bill of health but wary there are “big tests on the horizon” at the Rugby World Cup.

Andy Farrell’s men took control of Pool B with a stirring 13-8 defeat of the Springboks in Paris to put themselves on the brink of the quarter-finals.

Players will go their separate ways to enjoy a few days off following an unforgettable evening at a raucous Stade de France before reconvening to prepare to finish the job against Scotland on October 7.

Aside from some bruised bodies – and possibly a few sore heads – scrum coach John Fogarty confirmed the squad came through an intense contest relatively unscathed.

“We managed to come out of what was a really physical game with a full bill of health,” he said on Sunday.

“There’s medicals on now, but at this moment in time there’s no obvious injuries.”

Ireland saluted a phenomenal defensive effort with a lap of honour in front of tens of thousands of Irish fans in the French capital.

Asked about the subsequent celebrations, Fogarty said: “It is important to make sure we’re aware that that was a big win and we’re obviously delighted with it.

“We took time with each other, enjoyed company. Nothing too mad at all.

“The dressing room is generally the best craic, you’re there all together, there’s no outside distractions. We enjoyed that time together.

“It’s a late kick-off, we got back to the hotel around 1am so we didn’t do the dog on it, but we enjoyed each other’s company.”

Ireland backed up thumping bonus-point victories over Romania and Tonga by downing the defending champions to retain top spot in the world rankings.

But reaching the knockout stages and a probable showdown with either hosts France or three-time winners New Zealand is not yet guaranteed.

“We’re very proud of the result, we’re very proud of the performance,” continued Fogarty.

“But we’re very, very aware that that’s a pool game, we’ve got Scotland next and we’ve got big tests on the horizon.

“We’ve got a few days with family which is so important. I can’t wait to see my wife and kids. I’m sick of looking at the boys at this stage!

“We’ll certainly look at things we need to improve on but we need to get the recovery in now because Scotland are going to be coming.”

Back-rower Jack Conan, who suffered a foot injury in the warm-up win over Italy on August 5, versatile back Jimmy O’Brien and centre Stuart McCloskey are the only members of Farrell’s 33-man squad yet to feature in France.

The trio are in contention to take on Scotland.

“Jack had a brilliant week and took part in training,” said Fogarty.

“We’ve been very, very lucky with the health of the squad.

“Right now we look like we’ll be training with a full deck when we return, which is great.”