Pep Guardiola claims the hunger shown by his Manchester City players so far this season has amazed him.

After the draining end to the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, there were fears City could be off the pace come the start of the new term.

Any drop in energy levels, however, seems to have been more than compensated for by a strong desire and focus, even after the loss of key players.

On Saturday, City followed up their European Super Cup triumph over Sevilla in Athens three days previously by beating Newcastle to maintain their winning start in the Premier League.

“We are who we are,” said City manager Guardiola. “(There are) a lot of young players on the bench and that’s the difference – the guys who want to be here are here. The difference is always here (heart) – at the top of our bodies.

“The people respond because they see still we are there and I like it. We won already one title and we are six points from six, we’ve scored goals we don’t concede many chances.

“When you see that after what we have done, what can you say? Apart from thank you my friends, I love you so much.

“When you have that it is because a team is so special. Otherwise we cannot do what we have done for many years, it’s impossible. Saturday amazed me and made me happy.”

City have lost influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to an injury that could sideline him for up to five months while John Stones and Bernardo Silva were also absent at the weekend.

With Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez having left over the summer, and Aymeric Laporte another possible departure, Guardiola’s squad is taking on a different shape.

Guardiola said: “Over the next one or two months the club have to take some important decisions with the squad. We didn’t expect (the situation) with Kevin and we didn’t expect with Riyad.”

The father of Spain’s World Cup final match-winner Olga Carmona has died, the defender’s club Real Madrid have announced.

The news comes just hours after Carmona scored the only goal of Sunday’s showpiece match against England in Sydney.

Carmona, who was captain for the tournament, struck in the 29th minute as Spain beat the Lionesses 1-0 at Stadium Australia to claim their first world title.

A statement from Real Madrid read: “Real Madrid, our president and our board of directors are deeply saddened by the death of the father of our player Olga Carmona.

“Real Madrid want to express our condolences and our love to Olga, her family and all her loved ones.”

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) also offered their condolences in a statement announcing the news, which read: “The @RFEF deeply regrets to report the death of Olga Carmona’s father. The soccer player learned the sad news after the World Cup final.

“We send our most sincere hugs to Olga and her family in a moment of deep pain.

“We love you, Olga, you are the history of Spanish football.”

Mauricio Pochettino is confident Chelsea will improve quickly despite an alarming 3-1 defeat at 10-man West Ham.

The Blues were the better side but James Ward-Prowse, making his Hammers debut, created goals for Nayef Aguerd and Michail Antonio, either side of Carney Chukwuemeka’s equaliser.

Enzo Fernandez had a penalty saved by Alphonse Areola and West Ham had to play the final 25 minutes a player down after Aguerd saw red.

Yet not only did David Moyes’ side cling on for a first win of the season, they wrapped it up in stoppage time.

While Chelsea’s £105million player missed a spot-kick, their £115million signing gave one away with Moises Caicedo, on as a substitute, sending Emerson Palmieri tumbling and Lucas Paqueta converting the spot-kick.

“I think today the result doesn’t reflect the performance but in football these situations happen,” said Pochettino.

“I am disappointed in the way we conceded the first goal. We know West Ham are good at set-pieces. That is a little bit disappointing and we need to work hard on that.

“Then I think also did really well in the first half and we should have been winning at half-time.

“But that is the process. We need to accept the defeat and keep on working.

“If we score the penalty we miss you are talking about a different game. We are going to perform better in the next games.”

Ward-Prowse was brought in to replace Declan Rice in West Ham’s midfield but he offers plenty more in attack.

His seventh-minute corner found Aguerd at the far post, and his clever ball over the top sent Antonio through on goal.

“His character is, in lots of ways, similar to Declan Rice,” said manager Moyes.

“He’s a really good boy. His delivery, his assists, that’s what he’s capable of and I thought he did a great job today. His corner gave us a great start.”

Paqueta was in the West Ham line-up despite being reportedly investigated by the Football Association for potential betting rule breaches.

The Brazil midfielder is said to be shocked by the probe, which is believed to centre around bets placed in his homeland on yellow cards awarded against him.

A move to Manchester City may have fallen through so the 25-year-old celebrated his goal with the ‘crossed Hammers’ sign.

“I thought 65,000 people stood to their feet and applauded him,” added Moyes.

“He played as well as anybody, he showed character and his performance was very good, especially in the second half.

“There was never any doubt (he would play). He’s a solid and tough character so no problems. He’s a very good player.”

Great Britain’s speed king Zharnel Hughes admits Olympic heartbreak inspired him to his historic 100m bronze at the World Championships.

The 28-year-old clocked 9.88 seconds to finish third in Sunday’s night final – less than an hour after Katarina Johnson-Thompson won heptathlon gold in Budapest.

Hughes became the first British man to win an individual 100m sprint medal at the worlds in 20 years – since Darren Campbell’s bronze in 2003.

The USA’s Noah Lyles took the title in 9.83 seconds with Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo winning silver, just a thousandth of a second ahead of Hughes.

It marks Hughes’ comeback after he was disqualified for a false start in the Olympic 100m final.

He said: “The heartbreak I’ve been through from Tokyo was devastating. Last year, I missed out on the finals. I got knocked out in the semis. I told myself this time, ‘I’m not getting knocked out whatsoever. I’m going to give it my very best’.

“I got through that semis and I told myself in the warm-up, ‘believe Zharnel. You got this’.

“I kept it all in. I cried a lot but lessons were learnt and I dug deep. It’s been years of trying, years of lessons – I wouldn’t call it failure – years of lessons.

“Doubts were there. People probably didn’t believe in me as much but I just need to believe in myself. Over the years the speed has always been there but the mind wasn’t aligned properly. Now it’s instinct.

“This morning I wrote down, ‘get a medal’. I thought I won. Being in the race, it looks a lot closer but a medal is a medal.”

The European 200m champion went into the race as the fastest man in the world this year and was boosted after defending champion Fred Kerley crashed out in the semi final, along with Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.

Hughes, ranked 12th in the world ahead of the championships, had qualified fourth fastest after running 9.93s in his semi.

Yet he had struggled with a slow start in the heat and semi and, despite the fastest reaction time in the final, still needed to recover in the last 50m to ensure he snatched a podium place in a tight race.

It caps a remarkable summer for the Anguilla-born star, who trains under Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills, after he broke two long-standing British records.

In June, he shattered Linford Christie’s 30-year 100m record by running 9.83s in New York.

A month later in London, he broke John Regis’ 200m mark to post 19.73s. Hughes is now eyeing the 200m and 4x100m relay.

Eugene Amo-Dadzie, an accountant who is due back to work as a senior management accountant for property developer Berkeley Group on August 29, bowed out in the semi-final after running 10.03s – still quicker than Olympic champion Jacobs.

Reece Prescod ran 10.26s and also failed to qualify, ending his championships as the 25-year-old pulled out of the 4x100m relay squad last week.

James Ward-Prowse set up two goals on his West Ham debut and Lucas Paqueta scored a late penalty as the 10-man Hammers somehow secured a 3-1 win over Chelsea.

Ward-Prowse, the £30million signing from Southampton, created goals for Nayef Aguerd and Michail Antonio, either side Carney Chukwuemeka’s equaliser.

But Mauricio Pochettino’s expensively-assembled side will wonder how on earth they came away from the London Stadium empty-handed.

Enzo Fernandez missed a penalty and West Ham had to play the final 25 minutes a player down after Aguerd saw red.

Yet not only did David Moyes’ side cling on for a first win of the season, they wrapped it up in stoppage time with Paqueta’s spot-kick.

Ward-Prowse is renowned for his ability from set-pieces but surely not even Moyes could have expected such an immediate impact.

Seven minutes in and from his second corner in a claret and blue shirt, Ward-Prowse swung in a cross which Aguerd nodded in unmarked at the far post.

Chelsea have now conceded a goal in each of their last 13 matches, their worst run since 1996.

But they were making inroads at the other end with Nicolas Jackson eager to get in behind West Ham’s back line.

One such run and cut-back was hacked away but when Ben Chilwell drove back in to the area, his cross was cleared by Kurt Zouma only as far as Chukwuemeka.

The 19-year-old steadied himself before lashing the loose ball past Alphonse Areola for his first Chelsea goal.

Paqueta was in the West Ham line-up despite being reportedly investigated by the Football Association for potential betting rule breaches.

The Brazil midfielder is said to be shocked by the probe, which is believed to centre around bets placed in his homeland on yellow cards awarded against him.

Paqueta did pick up a first-half booking for dissent after complaining about the award of a corner, but moments later he was inches away from scoring, dragging the ball down in a crowded penalty area only to clip a post.

Chelsea were gifted the chance to go ahead before half-time after Tomas Soucek tripped Raheem Sterling in the area, but Fernandez’s penalty was saved by Areola.

Instead Antonio fired West Ham back into the lead eight minutes into the second half when he raced on to Ward-Prowse’s cute ball over the top.

Pochettino turned to Chelsea’s latest record signing, Moises Caicedo, for his debut on the hour mark, the Ecuadorian immediately sending a long-range shot wide.

West Ham were then reduced to 10 in the 68th minute after Aguerd was shown a second yellow card for needlessly fouling Jackson.

But Chelsea, it seemed, had run out of ideas and could only muster a deflected Noni Madueke shot which was tipped wide by Areola.

And the away fans left en masse even before Paqueta rubber-stamped the victory from the spot after Caicedo fouled Emerson Palmieri.

In a stirring battle for the 100m gold medal at the end of day two of the 2023 World Athletics Championships on Sunday, the USA’s Noah Lyles emerged victorious in 9.83 but it was not close to the 9.65 that he had predicted.

In what was one of the closest finishes in years, the battle for the other two medals came down to mere milliseconds as Letsile Tebogo, Zharnel Hughes and Oblique Seville were each credited with the same time of 9.88. Tebogo’s time was a new national record for Botswana.

Seville lost the bronze medal by 0.003 seconds as Tebogo was timed in 9.873, Hughes in 9.874 and Seville 9.877.

Christian Coleman, the 2019 champion, was fourth in 9.92.

Jamaica’s Ryiem Forde, in his first global final, was eighth in 10.08.

Though disappointed with the outcome, Seville thought he did his best under the circumstances but admitted to crucial errors late in the race. “I think it was an excellent performance up to the last part of my race which wasn’t that good but as my coach always told me it’s milliseconds that separates us  and I think  that was what separated me from a bronze medal,” he said.

He explained further the mistakes he made in the race.

“Well, everyone was close at the line and I think I should have stayed with my technique a little bit more because I dipped very early, which actually cost me.”

Great Britain’s speed king Zharnel Hughes grabbed brilliant bronze to make history in the 100m final at the World Championships.

The 28-year-old clocked 9.88 seconds to finish third on Sunday night – less than an hour after Katarina Johnson-Thompson won heptathlon gold in Budapest.

Hughes becomes the first British man to win an individual 100m sprint medal at the worlds in 20 years – since Darren Campbell’s bronze in 2003.

The USA’s Noah Lyles took the title in 9.83 seconds with Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo winning silver just a thousandth of a second ahead of Hughes.

European 200m champion Hughes went into the race as the fastest man in the world this year and was boosted after defending champion Fred Kerley crashed out in the semi final, along with Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.

Hughes, ranked 12th in the world ahead of the Championships, had qualified fourth fastest after running 9.93s in his semi.

Yet he had struggled with a slow start in the heat and semi and, despite the fastest reaction time in the final, still needed to recover in the last 50m to ensure he snatched a podium place in a tight race.

It caps a remarkable summer for the Anguilla-born star, who trains under Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills, after he broke two long-standing British records.

In June, he shattered Linford Christie’s 30-year 100m record by running 9.83s in New York.

A month later in London, he broke John Regis’ 200m mark to post 19.73s.

Eugene Amo-Dadzie, an accountant who is due back to work as a senior management accountant for property developer Berkeley Group on August 29, bowed out in the semi-final after running 10.03s – still quicker than Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs.

Reece Prescod ran 10.26s and also failed to qualify, ending his Championships with the 25-year-old pulling out of the 4x100m relay squad last week.

Zharnel Hughes has become the first British man to win an individual 100m sprint medal at the worlds in 20 years after taking bronze following a photo finish in Budapest.

Here, the PA news agency looks at Great Britain’s previous sprint medal winners at the World Championships.

Linford Christie, bronze, 1987

The future Olympic champion claimed 100m bronze at the World Championships in Rome.

He ran 10.14 seconds as Carl Lewis eventually took the gold two years later after winner Ben Johnson of Canada was disqualified for steroid use.

Yet Christie was unable to make the podium four years later, coming fourth in Tokyo.

Linford Christie, gold, 1993

Christie became world champion a year after his Olympic triumph in Barcelona.

He beat the USA’s Andre Cason into silver in Stuttgart and set a new British record of 9.87 seconds in the process.

It was a record which stood for 30 years until Hughes broke it by running 9.83 seconds in New York in June.

Dwain Chambers, 1999

At just 21 Chambers, at the time, became the youngest world championship 100m medallist.

Maurice Greene won in 9.80 seconds as Chambers came through to take bronze in a personal best of 9.97 seconds.

Four years later he received a two-year ban after testing positive for THG, a banned performance-enhancing drug.

Darren Campbell, 2003

Campbell, until recently GB relay coach, had already won 200m Olympic silver the year before arriving in Paris.

Kim Collins took the title in 10.08 seconds with Campbell just 0.01 seconds behind.

Yet there was disappointment for Campbell in the 200m as he finished fourth.

Aaron Rodgers spent the New York Jets' first three preseason games on the sideline.

That will change in their exhibition finale.

Rodgers will reportedly make his Jets debut on Saturday against the New York Giants in the team's final tuneup before the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 11.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported the Jets' decision to start the future Hall of Famer against the Giants on Sunday.

Rodgers hasn't appeared in a preseason game since 2018, but had spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Packers prior to joining the Jets in April so had a familiarity with Green Bay and its system.

After being acquired by New York, the four-time league MVP has spent all training camp working on chemistry with his new teammates, but has yet to see game action with backup quarterback Zach Wilson starting the first three preseason games.

Jets coach Robert Saleh made it clear early in camp that Rodgers would sit out the first three exhibition games but left the door open for the 39-year-old to play in the finale.

While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game to avoid the risk of injury, the Jets are expected to start many of their first-stringers with Rodgers in the mix.

Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook, fellow running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson have yet to appear in a preseason game, but appear likely to face the Giants as the Jets will try to get their first-team offense some work together in game action before Week 1.

 

Aaron Rodgers spent the New York Jets' first three preseason games on the sideline.

That will change in their exhibition finale.

Rodgers will reportedly make his Jets debut on Saturday against the New York Giants in the team's final tuneup before the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 11.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported the Jets' decision to start the future Hall of Famer against the Giants on Sunday.

Rodgers hasn't appeared in a preseason game since 2018, but had spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Packers prior to joining the Jets in April so had a familiarity with Green Bay and its system.

After being acquired by New York, the four-time league MVP has spent all training camp working on chemistry with his new teammates, but has yet to see game action with backup quarterback Zach Wilson starting the first three preseason games.

Jets coach Robert Saleh made it clear early in camp that Rodgers would sit out the first three exhibition games but left the door open for the 39-year-old to play in the finale.

While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game to avoid the risk of injury, the Jets are expected to start many of their first-stringers with Rodgers in the mix.

Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook, fellow running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson have yet to appear in a preseason game, but appear likely to face the Giants as the Jets will try to get their first-team offense some work together in game action before Week 1.

 

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has won a brilliant heptathlon gold at the World Championships in Budapest.

The 30-year-old has endured a tough four years, punctuated by injury and frustration, since her world title win in Doha four years ago.

Here, the PA news agency looks at her road to recovery.

Covid delays the Olympics

Coming off the back of her 2019 world title, Johnson-Thompson was ready for another showdown with Nafi Thiam. The Belgian won Olympic gold in Rio but was defeated by KJT in Doha as the Brit set four personal bests.

She was in the form of her life and their battle was poised to be one of the best of the Games – only for the Covid pandemic to strike and the Olympics were postponed for 12 months.

Achilles rupture threatens her career

Johnson-Thompson suffered a serious Achilles injury in December 2020 which left her fearing for her career. Just eight months ahead of the Olympics it left her hopes of making Tokyo in doubt.

“Covid, my Achilles injury and then the injury in Tokyo were three major things which made it feel like the universe was telling me to stop,” she said.

Heartbreak in Tokyo

The 30-year-old recovered in time to make the delayed Olympics in Japan and was fifth going into the final event on day one, the 200m. Yet she was struck by another massive blow when she injured her right calf with around 50 metres left.

She refused a wheelchair and limped to the finish – stating she started her year in a wheelchair and did not want to end it in one.

The defending champion

Johnson-Thompson arrived at the Worlds in Oregon last year as the defending champion but there was never any expectation she would retain the title. She was sixth after day one, trailing Thiam by over 300 points, despite a gutsy effort.

A frustrating 6.28m in the long jump dropped her to seventh while she was unable to improve her place in the javelin and 800m to ultimately finish eighth.

Commonwealth title defence

Having pulled out of the pentathlon at the World Athletics Indoor Championships earlier in the year, Johnson-Thompson came from Eugene straight to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Her 2018 Gold Coast victory was the start of her trajectory and foundations for her Doha victory.

Despite her previous injury problems she was still expected to retain the crown and she did with a measured performance to finish 144 points ahead of Northern Ireland’s Kate O’Connor.

Dermot Weld ended Joseph O’Brien’s stranglehold on the Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes, as Shamida showed both class and courage to hold off Dawn Rising and set up a Group One tilt.

O’Brien had won the last two runnings of the Group Three contest and with Roger Varian’s Eldar Eldarov and Aidan O’Brien’s Library both non runners for the staying challenge, he was ultimately responsible for three of the four runners that headed to post at the Curragh.

Despite having numbers on their side, the Owning Hill-trained trio had no answer to Shamida, who tracked the pace set by Royal Ascot scorer Okita Soushi before being asked by jockey Chris Hayes to stride on two furlongs from home.

Having proven her stamina when claiming the Stanerra Stakes over this trip at Leopardstown, Hayes knew he had a willing partner underneath him and once Okita Soushi was beaten off, she had plenty in reserve to repel the closing Dawn Rising deep inside the final furlong as Shamida returned a half-length verdict as the 5-4 favourite.

Weld said: “She was in Cork on Friday night, but we withdrew her because of the ground. She’s a good-actioned filly and would never want the ground too soft.

“I’d say she will have one more run this year and I’d say it will be the Prix Royallieu, it’s the Group One mile-and-six for fillies and mares. It’s kind of written for her.

“This is a very game, tough three-year-old. She’s an immature filly and I think she will improve.

“Two of the horses there won at Royal Ascot and it was a very good trial.

“She’s a stayer with speed.”

Layfayette served a reminder of his quality as he bounced back to his very best to land the Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh.

Noel Meade’s six-year-old was winning for the ninth time and it was perhaps unsurprising that he left a couple of lacklustre recent showings in the past at the scene of some of his finest hours.

Held up in rear in the early stages by Colin Keane, the son of French Navy began to make some stylish progress as the runners straightened for home and as the final furlong approached the 7-2 chance had the front-running Unless in his sights.

Aidan O’Brien’s Justify filly refused to lie down, but it was Layfayette who held all the momentum and surged ahead of the 15-8 favourite to register a going-away three-quarters of a length victory in the Group Three contest, with the stable’s Helvic Dream also staying on for third.

Meade said: “I was disappointed in Naas, but he had to get some treatment on his back and he needed time off and just got stuffy. He blew up in Naas. I know that was over a mile and a half which stretches him a bit, but he’s an older horse and takes a bit of work.

“He loves this place. He loves the long straight and this place and Naas suits him well. In Group Twos and Group Threes he’s very competitive.

“He’ll probably go for the mile-and-a-half race on Champions Weekend in Leopardstown if there is an ease in the ground.

“Gary (Carroll) said that Helvic Dream gave him a great feel and moved well. We might try and stretch him out to a mile and a half because later in the year on the ground that he wants there are not that many races over a mile and a quarter.

“There horses are very hard to find, you don’t come across them too often for reasonable money.”

Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey ran a new national record but unfortunately missed out on advancing to the final of the 1500m during the evening session of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Sunday.

In the semi-finals where only the top six from each heat would advance to the final, Tracey ran an incredible time of 3:58.77 to become the first Jamaican woman to break the four-minute barrier but the time was only good enough for seventh place. Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the gold medal favourite and world-record holder, won the semi-final heat in 3:55.14.

What is interesting is that Tracey was faster than all the qualifiers from the first heat that was won by Ethiopia’s Nelly Chepchirchir in 4:02.14.

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