Max Verstappen’s unprecedented winning streak in Formula One could be under threat after the Red Bull driver finished only eighth in practice for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Verstappen romped to victory in Italy a fortnight ago to become the first driver in the sport’s 73-year history to win 10 consecutive races as he closes in on a hat-trick of world championships.

But under the thousands of bulbs that light up the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Verstappen ended the day more than seven tenths behind Ferrari pace-setter Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard who took pole position in Monza.

Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari as the Italian team completed a practice one-two, with George Russell third for Mercedes, 0.235 sec adrift.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was fourth, with Lewis Hamilton fifth in his Mercedes, one place ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Red Bull are unbeaten this season, but they did not have a car inside the top six on Friday, with Sergio Perez, who triumphed here last year, seventh.

Verstappen, who has won 12 of the 14 rounds so far, has not lost a race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30.

But the Dutch driver has never triumphed in Singapore and he suggested ahead of Friday’s running that the high-downforce, low-speed nature of the city-state track could play into the hands of Red Bull’s rivals.

Although times in practice must be treated with caution as teams trial varying fuel loads and tyre strategies, it is Ferrari who hold the upper hand heading into qualifying on Saturday at a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult.

Indeed, eight of the 13 races here have been won from pole. Although the removal of turns 16 to 19 in favour of one long straight could improve the action for Sunday’s 62-lap race.

While the second running passed off without major drama, the opening session was disrupted on three occasions when a lizard invaded the three-mile circuit.

Verstappen was the first to report the reptile at turn nine midway through the running.

“There is a lizard on track again,” said the Red Bull driver, who had a similar encounter here back in 2016. “It is a smaller one this time.”

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase replied: “Maybe Godzilla has had a kid.” There was a second interruption, and then a third, as yellow flags were deployed.

“Another lizard, but a different one this time,” said Russell.

Pep Guardiola has reiterated his belief that Phil Foden can play in a number of attacking positions.

England manager Gareth Southgate suggested people should “speak to Pep” earlier this week after being asked why he seemed reluctant to play the midfielder in a central position for his country.

Southgate’s inference was that, as Foden tends to play in wider roles at Manchester City, it made it difficult for him to deploy the 23-year-old centrally in international games.

City manager Guardiola was indeed asked about this as he held a press conference on Friday to preview the champions’ Premier League trip to West Ham this weekend.

“I have an incredible relationship with Gareth,” said Guardiola, who returned to work this week after back surgery. “A comment from me? It looks like I disagree with him and I completely agree with him.

“When you play outside it is a completely different role but he knows, I know, that Phil can play in all positions up front – in the middle, outside right, left, in the pockets.

“But, as Gareth has said, in the pockets you have another responsibility, especially without the ball. Sometimes you don’t have to be so smart to read what happens every moment.

“But the important thing is Phil can play in the five positions up front without a problem and this is a big, big advantage for him.

“I saw the friendly game against Scotland. He started playing in the right, but moved and was most of the time inside. So the players move right, left, inside, outside. In the end it’s not a big issue.”

Saturday’s game at the London Stadium will see Guardiola back at the helm after missing two matches whilst recovering from his back operation.

In his absence, the treble winners maintained their 100 per cent to their title defence as assistant Juanma Lillo oversaw victories over Sheffield United and Fulham.

Guardiola said: “I’m getting better, three weeks after surgery. The doctor made a good job and, step by step, I think every week will be better.”

City received further good news this week as England right-back Kyle Walker agreed a two-year extension to his contract at the Etihad Stadium, committing him to the club until 2026.

Walker, who had a spell out of favour last season, recently admitted he came “close” to joining Bayern Munich over the summer but ultimately decided to stay.

Guardiola said: “It’s really important – like the extension from Nathan (Ake), Bernardo (Silva), Rico (Lewis) and Scotty Carson.

“Kyle is an important figure for us. Even his mates demanded he could not leave. His mind is there, he’s here on the pitch and loving it and football will not be a problem because he has a gene like few players I’ve seen.”

City announced Walker’s new contract by releasing a video starring the player in a ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ parody.

Guardiola said: “Our club is getting better in these social media departments. It was really, really good. The guy who has the idea, chapeau – hats off.”

Trueshan lit up Doncaster as he returned to his best to register a remarkable success in the Betfred Doncaster Cup Stakes.

Retirement appeared to be looming when the seven-year-old disappointed earlier in the season, but given a wind operation and a 135-day summer break, Alan King’s charge roared back to form on Town Moor.

Victory looked unlikely in the early stages of the Group Two contest as Trueshan refused to settle for Hollie Doyle, travelling keenly when held-up behind the steady early pace set by Ryan Moore aboard Broome.

Doyle allowed her mount to stride on approaching the turn for home and it proved to be a race-winning move from the rider as the long-distance veteran powered his way to the head of affairs.

With the rest of the field remaining glued to the inside rail, Trueshan set sail solo up the centre of the track, before edging his way across to battle John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William who had emerged from the pack to lay down a stern challenge.

Trueshan, however, would not be denied and he stormed to the line to win by a length and a quarter.

Paddy Power and Betfair now make the 100-30 scorer a 5-1 shot to win the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup for a fourth straight year at Ascot on October 21.

Mikel Arteta admitted he has an emotional connection with Everton and expects his former side to put up a battle when Arsenal travel to Goodison Park in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arsenal reignite their Premier League bid with a trip to Merseyside where they face Sean Dyche’s Everton, who are unbeaten at home against the Gunners since 2017.

Arteta praised his former side’s attributes and highlighted the special connection between himself and the Toffees.

“I’m really excited about it, the last six years we have not won there so we are going to have to earn it,” Arteta said.

“We know we are going to have to be at our best to beat them there and that’s something we haven’t managed to do so that’s where we are going to start.

“It is a big emotional connection I have to that football club with many years I spent there, the incredible memories that I have so I’m always grateful. It’s a big part of my playing career and as a coach I have to play against them and we have to beat them.

“We’ve been here and we’ve been to grounds before where we haven’t won before and we’ve done it so it’s about understanding the importance and knowing what we lacked in those games and putting it right.

“Sometimes you cannot avoid a battle (with Everton), the style of play they have is very clear and they’re very good at that.

“We have a different one and it’s about trying to impose your way of playing and the tactic is just to make sure your opponent’s strengths are hiding and that ours are coming out every single time to fulfill the potential of your players, and that’s what I think both managers and players will try to do.”

Arsenal’s Champions League opener against PSV next week is their first time back in the competition since the 2016-17 season.

The Spaniard embraced the challenge of a difficult schedule alongside another battle with Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League this season.

“We played three games a week last year, but the Champions League is obviously different with the expectations and that we’ve been away from it for seven years,” he added.

“It’s excitement, this is where we want to be and when you look at the fixtures and the games we are going to have to play, I think everyone is really looking forward to it.”

Arsenal terminated Nicolas Pepe’s contract on Saturday after the Ivorian failed to hold down a starting role at the Emirates since his reported £72 million move – then a club-record fee – in 2019.

Arteta said: “What I can say is that he’s a phenomenal boy, he trained really hard, it’s not his fault that the amount of money we paid at the time.

“When things aren’t working out you have to move on and there’s no point when things aren’t working either way.

“The decisions has been made and I think it’s in the benefit of both parties.”

Mauricio Pochettino has told Chelsea’s players they need to be more naughty if they are to reach the level required to move on from an indifferent start to the season.

The team have dominated for long periods in all four Premier League games so far but defensive errors and a continued lack of penetration in attack have meant they have picked up just four points and sit 12th.

Defeat at home to Nottingham Forest before the international break was a microcosm of the side’s early struggles under Pochettino, with the visitors’ Anthony Elanga allowed to run freely through the heart of Chelsea’s defence to score the game’s only goal before striker Nicolas Jackson skied a gilt-edged chance to rescue a point.

It mirrored the loss to West Ham in August in which the team controlled the first half at the London Stadium before allowing their hosts to nick a 3-1 win, thanks in part to a missed penalty from Enzo Fernandez and a spot-kick conceded by record-signing Moises Caicedo on his debut.

The manager said that whilst performances warranted a greater points return, his players need to sharpen their competitive instincts if they are to make good on his stated aim of returning the club to the Champions League.

The team face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday looking to win away from home for only the second time since March.

“The team performance was good in the first month,” said Pochettino. “We didn’t get the points that we deserved. The organisation was good, the way that want to play. Players believe in the way that we want to play.

“If you see the data, we are very good in possession, we are very good in construction and building. Only what we are missing is to score goals. That’s the most important thing in football.

“We want to be more competitive. We cannot concede this type of goal we conceded against Nottingham. We cannot be so weak, we need to be more solid. We have players with experience, players that can do better.

“At the moment I think my feeling is bad because we are playing well, we are showing to everyone we can compete, we dominate games against teams like Liverpool.

“But in the end we need to be more competitive – I say that because I don’t want to use another word. We need to be more naughty, more aggressive.

“They’re not too nice. (They need) to compete better. To increase our level is not about our quality, it’s to compete. To compete more in every single moment of the game that requires some thing to do. Because we’re still building the team, finding this balance, for sure it’s a matter of time.

“I try to describe why we didn’t get the points we deserved. At some moment of the game you need to show more this quality, this mental strength, to have this experience to manage better to deal with some circumstance in the game. Sometimes it’s not about only talent.

“When you see the Forest game after two weeks, the time we’ve spent trying to identify why we lost the game, it’s really tough. But that’s not to do with last season, we can’t blame last season. We need to blame ourselves and find solutions in ourselves. We cannot blame the past, we cannot blame the feeling of last season. Now it’s a new era, everything is new.

Pochettino confirmed that Romeo Lavia faces a spell out of the team after injuring his ankle in training, but could not say how long the summer signing from Southampton will be out.

However, an injury of this kind typically requires six weeks of recovery time, meaning the £58million Belgium international is unlikely to make his debut for the club before November.

“(We are) really disappointed because he was training really well last week,” said Pochettino. “He’s twisted his ankle and now we wait for Monday to hear from the doctor.

“We hope it’s not a big issue. It’s real shame. It’s a sad situation because he was nearly fit to be involved again with the team. We don’t know (time). We need to assess him.”

Neither Armando Broja nor Benoit Badiashile will be fit to feature against Bournemouth though both are back in full training and took part in internal matches during the international break.

Reece James, who went off injured during the season opener against Liverpool in August, is not fit to return but is back working with the ball in training.

“Reece is recovering well,” said Pochettino. “I can’t say if he’s close or not, because we assess him every single day. He’s started doing things on the pitch with the ball. He’s really well, he’s desperate to come again and help the team. I hope that he’s close and can be available before the next international break.”

The manager added that Trevoh Chalobah remains in his plans despite reports linking him with a move in January.

“Chalobah is in my plan. No one is going to decide for me. The message is that all the players who are going to be here in January or after January, I am going to be involved in the decision.”

Ireland’s coaching staff and players are braced for a “big step up” at the Rugby World Cup as they prepare to face the “serious threats” of Tonga in Nantes.

Andy Farrell’s men launched their campaign by running in 12 tries during a thumping 82-8 demolition of Pool B minnows Romania.

Ireland have pivotal Paris appointments against South Africa and Scotland on the horizon but feel they cannot afford to underestimate the nation sitting 15th in the Test rankings.

“They’ve got some of the best open field runners in world rugby,” defence coach Simon Easterby said of Tonga.

“They’ve got guys in the forward pack that can mix it, they can offload. And they’ve got attacking threats throughout their back line.

“It’s a real challenge for us defensively, it’s one that we’re probably ready for after the Romania game. We didn’t have to get through that much work without the ball.

“It’s going to be a big step up from the challenge Romania threw at us.

“They (Tonga) attack well but they certainly want to come and hit and put us off our rhythm.”

Head coach Farrell spoke of focusing on immediate challenges and respecting Tonga, who are preparing for their opening match of the tournament, when announcing a strong team on Thursday afternoon.

Aside from sidelined hooker Dan Sheehan and first-choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, the Englishman has gone with arguably his preferred starting XV, which features four personnel changes from last weekend.

Full-back Hugo Keenan feels it is easy to concentrate game by game, despite the looming threat of the Springboks.

“Yeah, I think it has (been),” he said. “I know throughout the pool, there is tough games coming up but Tonga are a serious side, serious threats and individuals across the team.

“We’re only looking at them, we’re only focusing on this week.”

Following the scorching conditions of their Bordeaux curtain-raiser, where temperatures reached 36 degrees Celsius, Ireland trained in 30-degree heat on Friday afternoon at Stade de la Beaujoire.

Prop Tadhg Furlong joked about needing to layer up as he prepares for a stern test against Tonga’s bulky front-row forwards.

“I was thinking of putting a jumper on today compared to what we’ve been used to,” he said.

“Although it is hot, it doesn’t feel as hot (as previously). (It’s been) like an oven, or someone blowing a hairdryer in your face, for the last few weeks.”

Referring to the weekend challenge, he said: “Of course we respect them. Sometimes in scrummaging there’s no replacement for displacement.

“Weight makes it heavy, it makes it hard, that’s the nature of it and it’s a big challenge from a big pack. We have to be technically good.”

Ange Postecoglou has promised Tottenham will give Richarlison whatever help he needs after the forward revealed on international he would seek “psychological help” upon his return to club football.

Richarlison has endured a difficult year since he completed a £60million transfer to Spurs in the summer of 2022, scoring only once in the Premier League last season and he described his debut campaign as s*** in March.

The Brazil forward has not found the net for his country since the World Cup and was emotional following another blank on international duty during this past week with Richarlison speaking candidly in an interview with O Globo about a “turbulent time” for him off the pitch.

Ex-Everton striker Richarlison admitted he would “seek psychological help” on his return to England and while Postecoglou has vowed to give the 26-year-old the support he needs, the Australian also pointed out no one has a perfect life.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Sheffield United, Postecoglou, who this week received the Premier League manager of the month award for August and was shortlisted for FIFA’s best men’s coach of 2023, said: “Whatever Richy needs, we’ll help him get to the space he wants to.

“From our perspective he’s put it out there because he was quite emotional after the game and we’ll give him the support he needs, but we do that with all players and I think most professional clubs do.

“What I will say is that no one has a perfect life. Sometimes we look at footballers and they do things well and we think they have all the money they need and that’s a perfect life, but that doesn’t make you immune from life itself.

“I’m sure that every player in our dressing room is dealing with something. I think sometimes players fall into the trap of thinking their lives should be perfect because of the position they’re in but that’s not how life works.

“Who in their life doesn’t have something that is stressful? I have lived 58 years now and there has never been a time in my life where everything is perfect.

“I lost my father three years ago and he should have been here for the journey, so I have got to deal with it. That is me talking personally but everybody in this room, there will be something.

“It could be a family member, a health issue, a financial issue because there is always something and footballers are not immune from that.”

Meanwhile, Postecoglou insisted nothing has changed regarding the situations of former captain Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier.

Both were expected to leave Spurs before the end of the summer transfer window after not being involved in the club’s opening fixtures to this season, but they remained and were listed in Tottenham’s 25-man Premier League squad on Wednesday.

“It was a fairly fluid situation. We weren’t really sure what was going to happen with Hugo. Eric was never out of the squad,” Postecoglou explained.

“I obviously had decisions to make around the 25-man squad. Obviously on the last day we had (Sergio) Reguilon moving to Man U, then (Tanguy) Ndombele and (Davinson) Sanchez out, so that’s three foreigners.

“If one of them had stayed it would have been a different decision, but once we got to the end of the window, we knew the numbers we had. Hugo and Eric were still with us so we had room to put them on the list.

“I haven’t felt the need to speak to them individually about anything. They are Tottenham players, they are available for selection and have been since the first day. Nothing has changed.”

Big Evs bounced back to his very best with a devastating display in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster.

Mick Appleby’s speedster has struck big-race gold at both Royal Ascot and the Goodwood Festival when claiming the Molecomb Stakes, but having been tasked with taking on his elders in the Nunthorpe last time, was unable to get involved and was ultimately one of the disappointments in York’s premier sprint.

Back to racing against his own age group, the son of Blue Point put his rivals to the sword from the very start to add this Group Two prize to his growing CV and having been fast away from the stalls in the hands of Tom Marquand, the 9-4 favourite scorched his way up Town Moor as his rivals chased the pacey youngster’s tail in vain.

The two-and-three-quarter-length winner now appears to have booked his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup in November.

Appleby said: “After he jumped out of the stalls there wasn’t really a doubt. Once he got three or four lengths on them they weren’t going to catch him. You’ve got to be up the front on this ground.

“It’s not the ideal ground for him but he’s got the job done well. He’s won a Molecomb and the Flying Childers on soft ground now.

“We just had to put a line through the Nunthorpe. I think he just had an exceptionally hard race at Goodwood, I think that just took its toll.

“I think it will be the Breeders’ Cup next for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, straight there. It’s five furlongs at Santa Anita which should be ideal. If he can get the rail he could be difficult to peg back.

“He’s been an amazing horse, the owners have turned down some big bids and there’ll be more now, but luckily he’s not for sale.

“Coming into this, I was thinking that one race didn’t make him a bad horse. If he’d disappointed again then we’d have been scratching our heads but he’s got the job done well today.

“Tom rode him today as Jason (Hart) was at Chester for his boss (John Quinn). If Highfield Princess goes to the Breeders’ Cup that means Jason will be, so he’ll be there and all being well he’ll be riding him again. Tom was a great replacement today.”

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says he inherited a club with “no good culture” after Jadon Sancho was told to train away from the first team.

Sancho is being disciplined after claiming on social media that he had been made a “scapegoat” following his omission from the Arsenal defeat before the international break.

Ten Hag declined several opportunities to discuss the winger when he was asked ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brighton at Old Trafford.

Sancho’s misstep is the latest in a long line of off-field disciplinary issues that the Dutchman has had to deal with since his appointment last summer and he said part of his brief was to instil better discipline at the club.

Ten Hag said: “Strict lines is what the club asked me because there was no good culture before I entered last season, so to set good standards, that is what I did and it is my job to control the standards.

“Of course, it is never someone only makes one mistake, it is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines.

“If staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines so you have to be strong.”

Despite Sancho’s long-term future at the club appearing to be up in the air and Antony currently away from the club while he deals with allegations of being violent towards women, Ten Hag claims the United squad is in good fettle.

“I think everything is said. So the squad is strong, the squad is in good spirits and good mood going into the game,” he said.

“You have sometimes setbacks in seasons, players are injured or for other reasons are not available, so you construct a squad and the squad is very good and the players who are available are very motivated to give a good performance.”

Asked whether he knew how long Antony would be away, he replied: “I have no idea. Of course he is disappointed, but he is OK.”

Ten Hag has also leapt to the defence of defender Harry Maguire, who was on the end of abuse from Scotland fans during England’s midweek friendly win.

Maguire, who could have left United in the summer, described it as “banter” but his mother came out in support of him on social media.

And Ten Hag added: “I have said many times, it is disrespectful, he doesn’t deserve it, he is a great player, gives great performances. It’s crazy but it’s how it works and Harry has to block this by performances.

“It’s unjustified when you see his career, it’s a great career and it has a lot to come but he has to block it by good performances.”

Ten Hag revealed Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof are fit to face the Seagulls, but Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Raphael Varane are still injured.

The Premier League is back in full swing this weekend after the international break.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key talking points heading into the forthcoming round of games.

Leaders City head to in-form Hammers

Manchester City have made a strong start to their title defence, taking a maximum 12 points from their opening four fixtures.

The treble-winners, and Erling Haaland, delivered their most potent display so far last time out with a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham which featured a hat-trick from the Norway star.

Next to try to thwart City, whose boss Pep Guardiola has returned to work after a back operation, are West Ham – and they may well fancy their chances.

David Moyes’ men welcome the champions to London Stadium on Saturday having won each of their last three games, to sit fourth in the fledgling table.

Spurs and Reds also on a roll

West Ham are among four teams with 10 points – also on that total, and three-match winning runs, are Tottenham and Liverpool.

Spurs will look to continue their impressive post-Harry Kane form under new boss Ange Postecoglou, the league’s manager of the month, when they host Sheffield United, shortly after Jurgen Klopp’s Reds play at Wolves in the early Saturday kick-off.

The other side with 10 points are 2022-23 runners-up Arsenal, visitors on Sunday to struggling Everton, who on Friday announced an agreement had been reached for the club to be taken over by American investment firm 777 Partners.

United in need of a boost

Manchester United have had a troubled start to their campaign, losing to both Tottenham and Arsenal in their first four outings.

The international break has then seen Antony given a leave of absence in order to address allegations made against him of violence towards women, while fellow forward Jadon Sancho is training away from the first-team squad due to a “discipline issue”.

The Red Devils will be eager for the positivity of a win on Saturday. But that will be no small task at home to Brighton, who are on nine points and have won each of the last three league meetings between the clubs.

Chelsea and Newcastle misfiring

Two further teams for whom a victory this weekend would certainly be welcome are Chelsea and Newcastle.

The Blues’ expensively-assembled squad has made an underwhelming start to life under Mauricio Pochettino and slumped to a 1-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest in their last game.

Newcastle, after securing Champions League football last season and opening this one with a 5-1 hammering of Aston Villa, have suffered three defeats on the bounce.

Eddie Howe’s side host Brentford in Saturday’s late game before Chelsea go to Bournemouth on Sunday.

Hatters look to hit back

Luton have found the Premier League fairly unforgiving, losing each of their first three games.

That left pundit Garth Crooks saying he could “see them down by Christmas” – and with boss Rob Edwards branding that remark “disrespectful”, the Hatters might be even more fired up when they take their search for a first point to Fulham on Saturday.

The other two sides that came up, Burnley and Sheffield United, also opened with three losses, with the latter’s 2-2 draw with Everton last time out the only point gained by one of them so far. The Clarets will attempt to get off the mark on Monday night at Forest.

Ange Postecoglou has backed Nick Montgomery to be a hit at Easter Road as he praised Hibernian for looking to Australia for their new head coach.

Montgomery followed in Postecoglou’s footsteps by winning the A-League title as manager last season when he led Central Coast Mariners to an emphatic Grand Final success against Melbourne City.

The former Sheffield United player has now taken a similar route to ex-Celtic manager Postecoglou in moving to the cinch Premiership and will take charge of his first game when Hibs visit Kilmarnock on Saturday.

The Tottenham manager, who has won the Barclays manager of the month award for the Premier League at the first time of asking, said: “Nick has done brilliantly in Australia. He did a fantastic job at a club that it is fair to say in Australia is not considered one of the big ones and won the whole thing last year.

“He has done it in a great way where he has developed young players and great he gets the opportunity.

“I am glad people are looking beyond the obvious in terms of candidates whether they are at their doorstep or on the other side of the world.

“I have no doubt he will do well.

“I think Hibs is a great club. I remember from being up there it is a big club. When you play against them, you feel like it is a big club and there is an opportunity there to get them into a decent position in the Premiership and European football.

“I am sure Nick will do that, so pleased for him.”

Roger Teal could have a smart operator on his hands after Dancing Gemini stormed to victory in the Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster.

The Lambourn-based trainer won this Listed event with Tip Two Win in 2017 and his latest scorer arrived on Town Moor on an upwards curve having won well at Newbury last month.

Always travelling smartly in the hands of Lewis Edmunds, the son of Camelot moved purposely to the front a furlong from home and galloped on powerfully to the line to make a real statement, registering a commanding four-and-a-quarter-length victor over Andrew Balding’s Gushing Gold.

Tip Two Win would go on to finish second to Saxon Warrior in the 2000 Guineas and it appears Teal is already dreaming of next year’s Classics with his impressive youngster.

Before that though, he could return to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy next month and both Paddy Power and Betfair go 20-1 from 66s for that end-of-season Group One event.

Teal said: “That was really impressive. We’ve held him in high regard all year. He did a piece of work last week that was breathtaking and I knew we had him in good shape heading into today.

“I said to Lewis, ‘if we can back up that bit of work, you’ll be going past the lollipop in front’ and he did. It was a very nice performance.

“We won this with Tip Two Win and I think he could possibly be as good, he’s got a similar profile because he’s got speed, with a good turn of foot and a good cruising gear.

“He’s in the big one here at the end of the season, but we’ll play it by ear and see how he comes out of today. If all is well and the owner is happy, we might take a punt, if not we’ll wait for next year when we’ll go for a trial before the Guineas.

“Lewis is a very underused jockey – I shouldn’t say that because more people will start using him. Fair play to the owner because Rossa Ryan was supposed to ride him last time but got claimed by a bigger stable, but Lewis did a great job at Newbury and he has again today.

“He handles the soft, when I watched the first I thought it was a little softer than they thought as they were well strung out, so I said to Lewis, ‘don’t sit too far off the pace and give him every chance’.

“We really fancied him on his debut but he was slowly away before passing everything bar the winner but he’s come on bundles, he’s improving with every race. He’ll get a mile no problem.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists Jordan Henderson was not forced out but admits he could not offer the former captain guaranteed playing time and so it was “better he moved on”.

In an interview during the international break Henderson, 33, claimed he did not feel wanted when he returned from his summer break and that is why he chose to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq.

However, Klopp said there was no “bad blood” between the pair.

“Hendo said the truth, in all departments, that’s how it was,” said the manager.

“We had our talks and I told Hendo I wanted him to stay but we had to talk in these conversations about the possibility of not playing regularly.

“I cannot have a talk before a season and tell a player they will have 50 games 100 per cent because I don’t know that, it all depends on performance.

“And if Hendo had performed, he would have had maybe 50 games, absolutely possible.

“But in the specific situation, with the relationship we had, I thought it was important that we speak about everything because I don’t want to wake up one morning and need to lock horns with each other because he thought he would start and I tell him he isn’t.

“Obviously (for) Hendo that meant, ‘OK, he doesn’t want me here’. I understand it 100 per cent but we clarified that.

“If I would have told him ‘Hendo, stay here, you will be the main man in midfield’, he would have stayed but as much as I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t say that so that’s why it was better that Hendo moved on.

“There’s not a bit of bad blood or whatever.”

Liverpool will head to Wolves on Saturday lunchtime without influential defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the win against Aston Villa a fortnight ago.

But centre-back Ibrahima Konate is fit again, which means Joe Gomez will be asked to fill in at right-back.

It will mean Liverpool have to play a slightly different way as for the last six months Alexander-Arnold has been operating in a hybrid role which has seen him step in as a midfield playmaker when in possession.

“We have to be there flexible even with Trent. If you watch the game against Villa in detail you will see he was not fixed in any midfield role; inside role, we have to be flexible there and that’s exactly how we will do it,” Klopp said.

“But if you know another passer like Trent tell me, who can play this position, that would be really cool.

“It must be fine; it will be fine. We have to adapt to the different skillset of the player, but the most important thing in this game again is defensive stability.

“If you are not stable you don’t have to think about that and that’s why the last game against Aston Villa (Liverpool’s first clean sheet of the season), I think a lot of people were maybe not convinced about our last line.

“Then you saw Joe Gomez and Joel Matip performing on that level so that was the key for the game, plus Alexis (Mac Allister) in front of them did really well.

“We need defensively stability and then we can play football from there.”