England continued on the path towards one of their worst ever World Cup campaigns with a humbling 229-run defeat to South Africa on Saturday.

As well as being England’s heaviest one-day international defeat by runs, it was their third in four games at this year’s tournament – one away from equalling an unwanted record.

They lost four out of six games in both 1996 and 2015 and here, the PA news agency looks at how the current tournament compares.

1996

England lost their opening game to New Zealand by 11 runs, but wins over group minnows the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands essentially ensured their quarter-final place, in a format which lent itself to the big teams progressing comfortably.

They rounded out the group stage with defeats to South Africa, by 78 runs, and Pakistan by seven wickets, leaving them fourth and facing Group A surprise package Sri Lanka, who won the quarter-final by five wickets with almost 10 overs to spare on their way to the title – Sanath Jayasuriya hit 82 off 44 balls.

A bowling attack led by Darren Gough and Peter Martin, and with spinner Richard Illingworth sharing the new ball against Sri Lanka, struggled in the tournament and took their wickets at an average of 33 runs, which would remain England’s worst at a World Cup until 2011.

Only four England batters passed 100 runs, including captain Michael Atherton who averaged 19.83.

2015

A 15-run defeat to underdogs Bangladesh was the key moment as England exited the tournament in the group stage for only the third time, following 1999 and 2003.

England were also heavily beaten by Pool A’s fancied teams, by 111 runs against Australia and eight and nine wickets respectively against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, with their only wins coming against Scotland and Afghanistan.

Their average of 29.49 runs for each wicket lost was their third-lowest at a World Cup, beating only 1979 (23.82) and 2003 (25.85), while a rate of 37.47 per wicket taken was their worst ever. Among bowlers who played at least three games, only Steven Finn (25.00) averaged under 45.

2023

England are on track for worse averages with bat and ball than in that dismal 2015 campaign, currently averaging 27.13 runs per wicket lost and a barely believable 42.61 with the ball.

Dawid Malan’s beautiful century against Bangladesh is a lone hand so far – Mark Wood remarkably leads the batting averages, with 80 runs in 58 balls for one dismissal, but has taken three wickets at 70. Reece Topley, who leads the bowling averages with eight wickets at 22.87, will not play again at the tournament due to a broken finger.

The 229-run margin against South Africa surpassed by over 100 England’s previous heaviest World Cup loss batting second, a 122-run defeat to the same opposition in 1999. Australia last year inflicted England’s then-record ODI defeat, by 221 runs.

Similarly, the nine-wicket loss to New Zealand has been surpassed only once, Sri Lanka chasing down 230 without losing a wicket in 2011, and matched twice more – by South Africa in 2007 and Sri Lanka in 2015. The Black Caps had 82 balls remaining, exceeded only by the Proteas among those games and by only three England World Cup losses ever.

England’s only other four-loss World Cup came in 2007, when they played nine games in a tournament featuring a ‘Super Eight’ stage. They lost three in 1987, 1992, 2003, 2011 and on their way to the 2019 title.

England’s World Cup defence is hanging by a thread after losing three of the first four games in India.

Jos Buttler’s side have come up short against New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa and have a mountain to climb to salvage the campaign.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what has gone wrong and what comes next.

Do they still have a chance?

With the elongated group format, England still have another five games to play between now and November 11 whatever happens. Mathematically speaking there are a few shades of grey in terms of what they need to do, but realistically things are already black and white. England need wins and lots of them. They may well require a perfect run to retain their crown and, with games against the table-topping hosts, rivals Australia and an unpredictable Pakistan, that looks a tough ask.

What role has selection played in their struggles?

Things are certainly a lot less clear than they were four years ago, when Jofra Archer’s late arrival completed the jigsaw. First England left Harry Brook out of their provisional squad, then swapped him with Jason Roy at the last minute, installing Dawid Malan as first-choice opener on the eve of the tournament. Since landing, things have been even more muddled. Reece Topley was omitted from the opener and proved to be the team’s in-form bowler when he was restored to the side. More bafflingly still, England picked a phalanx of all-rounders in game one (Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes) and left out all four of them in favour of specialists by game four.

Is this a step too far for the world beaters of 2019?

There is no escaping the fact that this is a side that is rapidly moving to the end of its natural lifespan. Eleven of the 15-man squad are north of 30 and there are eight survivors from the squad that triumphed at Lord’s four years ago. At times it has been impossible to escape the suspicion that too many of these players have tipped past their peak as 50-over prospects. Looking at the core of the side – Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid – it is hard to argue any are better one-day cricketers than they were in 2019.

Where is the new blood then?

Dislodging players who are destined to go down among the country’s all-time greats in the format was never going to be an easy task for the next generation but the lack of renewal is still striking. Was it realistic to expect challengers to emerge from a county system that has devalued the domestic 50-over tournament to a second-tier cup sub-servient to The Hundred? Gus Atkinson had played a grand total of two List A games before his ODI debut and Brook admitted this month that he was “learning the format” on the biggest stage of all. Expecting a sufficient supply of fresh talent to emerge in the current eco-system looks to be a pipe dream.

Are there issues over the leadership?

The captain-coach relationship between Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott got off to a roaring start when they won the T20 World Cup together last year just a few months into their time together. But with so much emphasis on the ‘Bazball’ revolution in the Test arena, their job has got trickier. With fewer matches, longer gaps and less availability of big names they have been left to pull things together at the last minute and it simply hasn’t worked. The decision making has been wanting – from the chopping and changing on the team-sheet to the baffling logic of bowling first in stifling conditions in Mumbai – but the real issues may run deeper and wider than the dressing room alone. Eoin Morgan proved his mettle in the immediate aftermath of the botched 2015 campaign when he led with a strong voice and demanded the players and resources to succeed. If Buttler and Mott are to succeed in the long run they may need assert themselves in similar style.

St Leger hero Continuous is on course for a clash with Equinox in the Japan Cup.

Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old followed up his Classic success at Doncaster by staying on to finish fifth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Plans for a potential trip to Ascot for British Champions Day had to be shelved due to a minor setback, but the son of Heart’s Cry has now fully recovered.

O’Brien has never managed to win the Japan Cup, but stable jockey Ryan Moore knows what it takes to triumph in Tokyo, having partnered last year’s victor Vela Azul for Kunihiko Watanabe.

“We were going to go back for the Champion Stakes with him, but he got a bit of a temperature, so obviously when they get a temperature, you have to medicate them, and when you medicate them, it takes them out of the race,” O’Brien told Racing TV.

“But he’s back fine, he’s back cantering again, so the plan with him is to go to the Japan Cup (November 26).

“We were delighted with his run in the Arc. Ryan took his time, like he always does with him, and the pace just went a little bit slow in the middle of the race and that was the way it was, but he came home very well.

“Ryan was very happy with him after the run, he said his run was way better than everyone thinks it was, so hopefully we’ll go back to the Japan Cup with him.

“It’s a race we’ve never won and you need a good horse to win it, so it would be great if we could be competitive in it.

“It’ll suit him all right, because he’s a good traveller, he can handle fast and soft ground, it doesn’t matter.

“He’s got a great mind and he’s got a lot of ability that horse – he’s probably better than everyone thinks he is.”

Meanwhile, stablemate Auguste Rodin is being aimed at a fourth top-level triumph of the year in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

The Deep Impact colt is a dual Derby winner and was last seen coming home in front in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

“That’s been the plan for him all the time,” added O’Brien. “He’s done great, too. He’s had a nice break from Leopardstown and that’s probably a break like he’s never had and he’s got strong.

“All the team are delighted with him and we’re really looking forward to it.

“He’s really grown up and he’s another horse that didn’t get a chance to mature, as we trained him for the Guineas and then on to the Derby, the next Derby and the King George, so it’s tough for those baby three-year-olds.

“But we’re very happy with him, he’s had a nice little run into this and we’re looking forward to it.”

Royal Ascot scorer Crimson Advocate will lead George Weaver’s three-pronged attack on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

Crimson Advocate provided her American handler with a first winner at the Royal meeting when blazing a trail in the hands of John Velazquez before showing real guts to hold off William Haggas’ Relief Rally in a thrilling finish to the Queen Mary Stakes.

That form has been boosted by the runner-up who is unbeaten in two starts since and having been freshened up over the summer months, Weaver is confident his daughter of Nyquist can dominate once again when returning to the track in California next month.

“She is breezing great and hopefully she can get a good trip and show us what she can do,” said the handler.

“I wanted to give her a break when she came back (from Ascot). She had a busy campaign and is not an overly big filly – she’s an April foal. It just seemed like a good time (to take a break) and there wasn’t anything lucrative for her over here in the summer. I just wanted to freshen her up and have her right for the big race.

“She’s doing as good as she ever has, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Joining Crimson Advocate on the teamsheet for the $1,000,000 contest are stablemates No Nay Mets and Amidst Waves.

The former, who is owned by baseball star Alex Bregman, disappointed when the mount of Frankie Dettori in the Norfolk Stakes but has since displayed his class on home soil with victories in both the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park and the Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs.

Meanwhile, Amidst Waves has won three of her five career starts and, having secured black-type victories at both Monmouth and Saratoga, earnt her place in the line-up with a fine run to finish a nose second to Committee Of One in Keeneland’s Indian Summer Stakes earlier this month.

“All three of them are going for the race,” continued Weaver.

“At Ascot, that wasn’t No Nay Mets, that wasn’t him. I don’t know if he needed to be ridden differently or it was the ground – Frankie said he wasn’t in the right part of the turf course – but he is better than that and he has shown it since he has come back here.

“They are all legitimate contenders, it’s not like only one of them is a legitimate contender and the others just hopefuls. All three of them have put together resumes that make them look good in this race.

“I hate to run horses against each other, but I guess I would rather have three for one race than none.”

Former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia believes Virgil van Dijk will prove this season he is once again the best centre-back in the Premier League.

The Netherlands international has faced questions about whether can rediscover the form which arguably made him the world’s top defender prior to a knee ligament injury in October 2020.

However, there are signs the current Reds skipper is edging closer to his best with his commanding performance in the weekend’s Merseyside derby win over Everton another indicator of a return to his previous high level.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Virgil van Dijk (@virgilvandijk)

“He is one of the best in the business in the world,” Hyypia told the PA news agency at a Nike Game On initiative which, in conjunction with the LFC Foundation, has provided more than 8,000 local schoolchildren with access to a range of sports.

“I think he has raised the standard with everyone expecting him to play at that level every time and that is very difficult.

“But he is doing well, he is a big part of our team and a big leader of the team so I think we all need to be patient and his best is coming.

“I think this season he has shown in some games he is still at the level and I have no doubts he will be the best centre-back in the league this season.”

Despite their good start to the season there has been scrutiny on Liverpool’s defence, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold now operating in a hybrid midfield playmaker role in possession and opponents seeking to exploit the space in behind.

The focus is likely to intensify following the news left-back Andy Robertson will be sidelined for three months after shoulder surgery, with Kostas Tsimikas having to deputise.

But Hyypia has faith in both Liverpool’s full-backs, adding: “Trent is like a midfield player. He can pass short and long and has the vision to see the passes.

“I think this role suits him well and when he is in the midfield position he doesn’t have that big distance to go back defending when we lose the ball.”

On Tsimikas, the former Finland international said: “I think he will get a lot of responsibility now and he has his chance to show what kind of player he is.

“Hopefully he is courageous and takes his chance. If that is not going to work then Jurgen (Klopp) needs to think of something else to solve the problem but I have confidence in Tsimikas that he can do the job.”

Having come through a testing set of fixtures Liverpool sit third in the table, a point behind leaders Manchester City. With games to come against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Luton – all teams in the bottom six – and Brentford before a late November trip to the Etihad Stadium, Hyypia believes the platform has been laid for another title challenge.

“The ambition is to win the league,” he said.

“As long as we are competing until May to be the champions I think we can say we will have had a successful season.

“The top four is always the minimum target to reach but everyone wants success and some trophies this season.

“It would be foolish to look at what the others are doing. We just concentrate on what we are doing and do what we do best and then we see what the result is.”

The first three years of Game On programme, funded by Nike and delivered by the LFC Foundation, has engaged more than 8,000 children – including 950-plus disabled and 1,000-plus ethnically-diverse participants – aged between seven and 12 and 46 grassroots sports clubs with coaching delivered in 15 different sports.

“Game On is about using the power of sport, Nike and Liverpool to engage local young people in sport – unusually for us not football,” said LFC Foundation chief executive Matt Parish.

England have called up Brydon Carse to their World Cup squad in India, with Joe Root claiming the seamer could inherit Liam Plunkett’s mantle as master of the middle overs.

Struggling England lost their leading wicket-taker during Saturday’s record-breaking defeat by South Africa, when Reece Topley fractured his left index finger fielding off his own bowling.

Head coach Matthew Mott initially suggested there was no guarantee another seamer would be brought in as his replacement, inviting the likes of Jason Roy, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson and Rehan Ahmed into the conversation, but Carse’s selection maintains the status quo.

The 28-year-old was the next seamer in line and may have made a stronger push for the original 15-man squad had he not suffered injury issues of his own over the summer. He was ultimately overtaken by Surrey’s Gus Atkinson, but will now link up with the group in Bengaluru.

Thursday’s game against Sri Lanka will probably come too soon for Carse, who has taken 14 wickets in 12 ODIs to date, but with questions surrounding a team that has lost three out of their first four games he will hope to push hard for a chance.

England have never quite found their heir to Plunkett, the 2019 World Cup winner who nailed a tricky role through the middle of the innings, and Root believes Carse could carry that baton.

“Brydon is a brilliant all-round package. He scores some handy runs for you, is very dynamic in the field and he’s got a unique wicket-taking ability,” said Root.

“He’s got that Ben Stokes element to him where you sometimes feel like nothing is happening and then he’ll pick up wickets, almost in a ‘Junior Plunkett’ kind of way. He’s very similar.”

Plunkett was often undervalued for his role in England’s white-ball revolution but played a crucial role in the 2019 final and was the only squad member to enjoy a 100 per cent record at the tournament.

“Pudsey (Plunkett) won’t like me saying this, but he’s almost got more to offer with the bat,” Root continued.

“He’s probably not got as much to offer in the dressing-room just yet, but he’s a big personality too and a great character to have around, so he’s a good addition. Whenever someone comes in and they’re excited, and you can see it on their face straightaway, a smile is infectious isn’t it?

“It can bring the best out of everyone and having that come into the group can’t be a bad thing for sure.”

Ronald Koeman was sacked as Everton manager on this day six years ago after a poor start to the season.

The Toffees were third from bottom in the Premier League having won just two of their opening nine league games and the Dutchman paid the price.

Koeman had led the club to a seventh-placed finish the previous season in his only full campaign at Goodison Park, but a 5-2 defeat against Arsenal proved to be his final match in charge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ronald Koeman (@ronaldkoeman)

At the time of the decision, Everton had conceded 18 goals in nine games, with only Crystal Palace having a worse goal difference and with the team having collected just eight points.

A brief statement from the club read: “Chairman Bill Kenwright, the board of directors and major shareholder Farhad Moshiri would all like to express their gratitude to Ronald for the service he has given to the club over the past 16 months and for guiding the club to seventh place in last season’s Premier League campaign.”

Koeman took to social media following the announcement, saying: “I would like to place on record my thanks to the players and staff for all their work and commitment during my 16 months as Everton manager.

“I would like to thank (chairman) Bill Kenwright, (major shareholder) Farhad Moshiri and the Everton board for the opportunity to have managed a great club, and to the fans as well for their passionate support for the club.

“Naturally I am disappointed at this moment but I wish the team good luck in
the future.”

Under-23s boss David Unsworth was placed in temporary charge before Sam
Allardyce took over until the end of the season.

Koeman was appointed boss of the Netherlands in 2018 and then again earlier this year after a spell with Barcelona.

Alex DeBrincat recorded his fifth career hat trick to lead the surging Detroit Red Wings to a 6-2 rout of the Calgary Flames on Sunday for their fifth consecutive win.

DeBrincat scored in all three periods to continue a hot start to his Red Wings tenure. Acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, the 2020-21 All-Star now has a league-leading eight goals - all of which have come in Detroit's three home games this season.

Dylan Larkin added a goal and an assist for Detroit, which also received goals from Joe Veleno and Jake Walman. Lucas Raymond assisted on all three DeBrincat goals, while Justin Holl also finished with three helpers to support 29 saves from James Reimer.

Andrew Mangiapane and Yegor Sharangovich had goals for Calgary, which finished 1-3-1 on a five-game road trip. Dan Vladar stopped just 24 of 30 shots in defeat.

Poitras' first two NHL goals help Bruins move to 5-0-0

Matthew Poitras scored the first two goals of his NHL career in the third period as the Boston Bruins rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks to remain undefeated for the young season.

Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal and Linus Ullmark made 30 saves to help the Bruins move to 5-0-0.

After a scoreless first two periods, Mason McTavish got Anaheim on the board first when he knocked in a rebound 5:05 into the third.

Poitras, playing in his fifth NHL game, tied it just 1:24 later before putting Boston in front midway through the period by beating John Gibson after collecting a rebound of teammate Jake DeBrusk's shot.

Gibson finished with 23 saves in the Ducks' third straight loss.

The Texas Rangers hit three home runs, including a grand slam from Adolis Garcia, to back another successful post-season start from Nathan Eovaldi and force a deciding Game 7 of the American League Championship Series with Sunday's 9-2 victory over the Houston Astros.

Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver also homered to help Texas avoid elimination and move to 7-0 on the road during these playoffs. The Rangers also bounced back from a tough 5-4 loss in Friday's Game 5, when they took a 4-2 lead into the ninth inning but gave up a go-ahead three-run homer to Houston's Jose Altuve.

Texas will again be on the road in Monday's Game 7, when it will send three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer to the mound against the Astros' Cristian Javier.

Jose Leclerc, who surrendered Altuve's dramatic Game 5 blast, rebounded by pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning before the Rangers broke things open with a five-run ninth highlighted by Garcia's slam.

Eovaldi continued his playoff heroics by holding the Astros to two runs over 6 1/3 innings. The 2023 All-Star has now won all four of his starts while pitching to a 2.42 ERA this post-season.

Heim began Texas' power barrage with an opposite-field, two-run homer off Astros starter Framber Valdez in the fourth inning that snapped a 1-1 tie, and Eovaldi made the lead hold up by not allowing a hit after Yordan Alvarez's RBI single in the first until Houston broke through in the sixth.

Alvarez and Jose Abreu broke the string with consecutive singles and Mauricio Dubon later brought home Alvarez with a sacrifice fly to cut the Astros' deficit to 3-2.

Garver's RBI double in the top of the eighth pushed the Rangers' lead back to two, but Houston threatened in their half by loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks and an Abreu single.

Leclerc got Dubon to line out to shortstop Corey Seager, however, before striking out pinch-hitter Jon Singleton to keep the score 4-2. 

The Rangers then loaded the bases in the ninth on a walk, an error and a Marcus Semien single. After Houston reliever Ryne Stanek hit Seager to force in a run, Garcia - who struck out in his four previous plate appearances - launched a pitch over the wall in left to stake Texas to an insurmountable 9-2 lead.

Houston opened the scoring in the first when Altuve singled, stole second and came home on Alvarez's base hit, but the lead was short-lived when Garver homered off Valdez in the second for his first of three hits on the night.

Valdez lasted five innings and allowed three runs while striking out six. 

The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs – last season’s Super Bowl teams – are leading the way again after chalking up their sixth wins of the season.

Jalen Hurts overcame three interceptions to lead the Eagles to a 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins, who came into the game 5-1.

Hurts has thrown as many interceptions in two games as he did all of last season, following three more in last week’s defeat to the New York Jets, but threw for two touchdowns and Kenneth Gainwell sealed the deal with a late touchdown run.

Tua Tagovailoa, who played with Hurts at university in Alabama, was also intercepted as he pushed for the tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs won a sixth straight game with a 31-17 success over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, one of them to Travis Kelce who was again watched by Taylor Swift.

The Super Bowl champions opened a three-game cushion in the AFC West division they are looking to win for an eighth consecutive year.

The Chargers stayed in the fight, trailing by just seven points deep into the fourth quarter, despite Justin Herbert being sacked five times.

Bill Belichick became the third coach to win 300 regular season games as the New England Patriots surprised the Buffalo Bills 29-25.

The worst start to a season in Belichick’s lengthy tenure had raised questions about his future but the Patriots defied a fourth-quarter comeback to reach the landmark.

Trailing 22-10 at the break, the Bills fought back to take the lead only for Mac Jones – who completed 25 of his 30 passes – to find Mike Gesicki from one yard with 12 seconds remaining.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns, as well as running for a score as the AFC East leaders proved far too strong for the NFC North pacesetters the Detroit Lions, running out 38-6 winners.

The New York Giants ended a run of four defeats as they turned in a much-improved defensive display with six sacks in a 14-7 win over divisional rivals the Washington Commanders.

The Cleveland Browns lost quarterback Deshaun Watson to a head injury early in his first start in three matches.

But back-up PJ Walker saw them to a 39-38 win over the Indianapolis Colts as Kareem Hunt ran for the winning score from yard with 15 seconds on the clock.

Tyson Bagent steered the Chicago Bears to a 30-12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in the battle of the back-up quarterbacks, the rookie beating opposite number Brian Moyer for the hosts’ second win in three weeks after 14 straight losses.

Rookies Jake Bobo and Jaxon Smith Njigba caught touchdown passes as Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 20-10, while the Pittsburgh Steelers edged past the Los Angeles Rams 24-17

The Denver Broncos held on to beat the Green Bay Packers 19-17 for their second win of the season while a last-minute field goal saw the Atlanta Falcons to a 16-13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Manchester United are expected to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton ahead of Tuesday’s night’s Champions League match at Old Trafford.

The United Trinity statue outside the ground was awash with tributes to Charlton on Sunday as supporters laid flowers and scarves, with many leaving deeply personal thoughts for one of the club’s most famous sons, following his death aged 86.

A book of condolence was opened at the International Suite inside the stadium, while current boss Erik ten Hag and members of the United squad were adding their own messages at Carrington.

United confirmed discussions were continuing to take place with Charlton’s family and UEFA for further commemorative plans ahead of Tuesday’s night’s Champions League Group A match against Copenhagen.

It is expected players will wear black armbands, with wreaths to be laid on the Old Trafford pitch and a minute’s silence observed ahead of kick-off.

A key member of England’s victorious 1966 World Cup team, Charlton also enjoyed great success at club level with United, who became the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968.

Charlton made his debut for United in 1956 and went on to play 758 matches, scoring 249 goals. Both were long-standing club records until they were overtaken by Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, respectively. He was knighted for services to football in 1994.

Having won three league titles and one FA Cup at Old Trafford, Charlton left United in 1973 and went on to manage Preston before returning to the Red Devils 11 years later as a club director.

David Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in the summer of 2013, but the former Everton boss left the club after just 10 months, with the team seventh in the Premier League table.

Now in charge at West Ham, Moyes reflected on the support shown by Charlton during what was one of the most testing spells of his managerial career.

“I’m deeply saddened and I send my condolences to all his family. The biggest thing everyone remembers, more than anything, is how great a man he was. He was such a good man,” Moyes said, quoted on West Ham’s club website.

“For me, it was difficult at times at Manchester United and he was incredibly supportive and always had something to say to me.

“He had a great wife in Lady Norma and even when I lost my job, she phoned my wife up, which was really important at the time.

“For me, he carried off all the things that Manchester United were good for. He showed the traditions, he showed exactly how it should be, he showed great humility wherever he went, but not only that at Manchester United, he was ultimately one of the main people in English football over the years.

“When you think of the greats who have come through English football, Bobby Charlton would definitely be in there.”

It was announced on Saturday afternoon that Charlton had died peacefully in the early hours of the morning surrounded by his family.

Born in Ashington on October 11 1937, Charlton played in the World Cup final alongside his brother Jack – who died aged 85 in 2020 – and won 106 caps for England, scoring 49 goals.

European Cup success with United came 10 years after the Munich air disaster, which Charlton and manager Sir Matt Busby survived, but which claimed the lives of eight of his team-mates.

Former team-mate Denis Law said on manutd.com: “Another sad day. What can I say. Sir Bobby was an unbelievable player and a gentleman. Manchester United meant everything to him.

“We had many special and successful years together and he was a joy to play with. He knew where every player was on the pitch and for me that was a dream. I knew, if Bobby had the ball, it would find me and it did.

“What a striker of the ball he was. He could hit the ball so hard that I knew most keepers didn’t stand a chance. On the rare occasion they did manage to deflect it, it would drop nicely to me to finish it off.

“Along with George (Best), our partnership was sealed. The great part of playing with Bobby and George was that if one of us was having a bad day, the other two knew and that’s what made our relationship special. I am saddened by the news, like all football fans today.”

Charlton was diagnosed with dementia and his condition was made public in November 2020, two days after his United and England team-mate Nobby Stiles died following his own battle with the illness.

Tributes were left at Old Trafford this weekend, one which read: “Thank you Sir Bobby, a hero to the worldwide football family,” while a message from fan group The 1958 said: “History, dignity and integrity is what you gave to our great club. Our promise to you is to make sure it stays.”

Manchester United Women manager Marc Skinner dedicated Sunday’s 5-0 win at Everton to Charlton.

“He changed football in my opinion, especially at my club, so that was for him and for his family,” Skinner said.

Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes’ strategy cost him his first victory in nearly two years at Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

Hamilton conceded a 10-second swing to Max Verstappen when Mercedes left their star driver in no man’s land as they attempted a one-stop strategy at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

Hamilton was less than two seconds behind early leader Lando Norris and five seconds clear of Verstappen, who started only sixth, as they approached the opening round of pit stops.

But when Verstappen and Norris stopped for fresh rubber on lap 16 and 17 respectively, Hamilton was told to stay out – with an alternative strategy to Verstappen viewed as the only way to topple the all-conquering Dutchman. It quickly proved the wrong decision.

Asked if he could complete another five laps on his current set of tyres, Hamilton replied: “I am not sure, man. It is pretty tough.”

Hamilton then locked up before his race engineer Peter Bonnington was back on the intercom to inform his driver that Verstappen – who on new tyres had just lapped three seconds faster than the Briton – was now likely to gazump him when he eventually stopped.

“No s***, man,” yelled Hamilton, with his tyres falling off the cliff. “I am struggling out here.”

Hamilton came in four laps later than Verstappen with a slow front-right tyre change adding to his woes. When he emerged from the pits, he had dropped to third, five seconds adrift of Verstappen and 7.5 sec back from Norris.

Hamilton saw off Norris with a dozen laps to go, but he could not reel Verstappen in – taking the chequered flag an agonising 2.2 sec behind.

Asked if he felt he should have claimed his first win since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 686 days ago, had it not been for Mercedes’ offset strategy, Hamilton was defiant.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I do think we would have been in a position to fight with Max.

“We made our life a lot harder today than it needed to be. There are lots of areas where we could have been better.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff added: “At the moment, we have mixed feelings because there is the pain of just having lost a race that we could have won.”

Hamilton was later facing the prospect of being disqualified from the race after the floor of his Mercedes was found not to be compliant with the regulations.

Leclerc’s Ferrari also failed the post-race check. Hamilton and a Mercedes team representative will meet with the stewards at 1800 local time (00:00 BST).

Hamilton, in his revamped Mercedes machine, could count himself unfortunate to drop from third to fourth at the start.

The seven-time world champion enjoyed a decent getaway, but he was blocked by Norris under braking allowing Carlos Sainz to sneak through. Norris had seen off pole-sitter Charles Leclerc with a lunge at the first bend to assume top spot.

As Norris set about building a lead – already two seconds clear of Leclerc at the end of the second lap – Hamilton set about passing both scarlet cars.

First up was Sainz. Hamilton used the tow to latch on to the back of Ferrari on the 210mph drag to Turn 12, and, assisted by DRS, drew alongside Sainz before sliding underneath the Spaniard.

Hamilton has won six times across the Pond, with five of those victories here in Austin, and the 38-year-old required only two laps to swat Leclerc aside for second.

Deeper on the brakes at Turn 12, Hamilton sailed round the outside of the Monegasque at the left-hander, with Norris now three seconds up the road.

Behind, and Verstappen, struggling with his brakes, was not finding it as easy to make progress.

He was stuck behind Leclerc for an additional five laps before finally making his move on the Monegasque.

He trailed Norris by seven seconds and Hamilton by four. Hamilton was now 1.9 sec behind Norris and would have taken the lead had Mercedes used the undercut. But, on the day, Mercedes got it wrong, and Hamilton knew it.

“You have given me a hell of a gap to close,” he said after his first stop.

On lap 28, Verstappen dived underneath Norris for the lead at Turn 12. Norris had a nibble back at the Red Bull heading into the ensuing right hander, but he failed to make it stick.

Hamilton was back into the pits for a second time on lap 37 of 56, changing to the faster medium compound.

Hamilton had the bit between his teeth and within 10 laps he was crawling all over the back of Norris’ McLaren.

Norris slung his McLaren to the inside on the entry to the first corner in a move to stop Hamilton, but the older Brit gained better traction out of the bend to slingshot by in his Mercedes.

Verstappen was five seconds ahead and Hamilton started to catch his old nemesis only to run out of laps.

Verstappen joined Hamilton (103 wins), Michael Schumacher (91), Sebastian Vettel (53) and Alain Prost (51) in the half-century club with his 15th win from the 18 rounds so far.

The Dutchman, jeered on the podium – possibly by supporters of his Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez – said: “To take my 50th career win makes me very proud and we will try to push for more.”

Sainz took fourth ahead of Perez with Leclerc sixth and George Russell seventh for Mercedes.