Europe will attempt to regain the Ryder Cup from the United States at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club from September 29-October 1.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five talking points ahead of the biennial contest, which the USA won by a record 19-9 margin in 2021.

Will home advantage prove crucial once more?

Seven of the last eight contests have been won by the home side, the exception being the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012 where Europe recovered from 10-4 down to pull off a remarkable victory.

Nine of the US team made a recent scouting trip to Marco Simone as they bid to secure a first win on European soil since 1993, but many of the European side have contested the Italian Open at the venue over the last three years, with Robert MacIntyre (2022) and Nicolai Hojgaard (2021) winning the title.

Can wild cards justify their picks?

Both captains opted to have six wild cards at their disposal and there was inevitably controversy as Zach Johnson selected an out-of-form Justin Thomas and Luke Donald left out Adrian Meronk, despite his Italian Open win in May.

Thomas in particular will be under scrutiny after being selected ahead of the likes of Keegan Bradley, Lucas Glover and Cameron Young, although he boasts a strong record in team competitions and was fifth on his most recent PGA Tour start.

Will Ludvig Aberg live up to his billing?

Aberg has made the fastest transition ever from amateur golf to the Ryder Cup after only turning professional in June, the 23-year-old winning the final qualifying event in Switzerland and being selected by Donald hours later.

He also led the BMW PGA Championship after 54 holes but struggled to a closing 76, a result which could be a blessing in disguise if it cools the hype surrounding the supremely talented Swede.

What impact will the lack of LIV players have?

Brooks Koepka is the only member of the Saudi-funded breakaway in Rome, the five-time major winner getting a wild card after dropping out of the automatic qualifying places after the final event.

Dustin Johnson – who won all five of his matches in 2021 – and Bryson DeChambeau could arguably have strengthened the US side, but the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood have shown precious little to suggest they would have come close to qualifying for the European team.

Will Europe’s big guns fire?

Donald demanding more from star names

Europe can boast three of the world’s top four and 2022 US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick is also in the top 10, but that is no guarantee of success. Fitzpatrick has lost all five of his matches to date, while Viktor Hovland halved two and lost three at Whistling Straits, where only Jon Rahm, Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton won more than a single point.

Rory McIlroy’s last two Ryder Cups have yielded three points from eight matches and Luke Donald will need more from his star names if Europe are to regain the trophy.

The Los Angeles Rams have found a taker for Cam Akers, trading the running back to the Minnesota Vikings.

The deal was completed on Wednesday, with the teams swapping draft picks in 2026.

Akers was a healthy scratch in last Sunday's 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and the Rams confirmed this week they were looking for a trade partner.

A trade to Minnesota reunites Akers with Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, who served as offensive coordinator for the Rams in Akers' first two NFL seasons.

The Vikings' ground game needs some help, averaging a league-low 34.5 rushing yards per game and 2.65 yards per attempt.

Alexander Mattison was given the No. 1 running back job as Minnesota opted to trade Dalvin Cook this offseason, but he's managed just 62 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Akers hasn't been any better this year, finishing with 29 rushing yards on 22 attempts in the Rams' 30-13 season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks.

He is, however, coming off a career-high 786 rushing yards last season.

Drafted in the second round in 2020, the 24-year-old Akers, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, rushed for 625 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.

A preseason Achilles tendon tear wiped out nearly all of his second season, but he was able to return for the regular-season finale and rush for 172 yards in four playoff games to help the Rams capture the Super Bowl.

Los Angeles is now moving forward at running back with Kyren Williams.

The second-year back made his first career start last week and ran for 52 yards with a touchdown on 14 carries after rushing for 52 yards with two TDs in Week 1.

England are set to to accelerate their experiment of deploying Marcus Smith’s running skills at full-back in Saturday’s World Cup clash with Chile.

Smith has filled the position as a second-half replacement in the last four Tests, adding an extra playmaker to the backline and providing a dynamic counter-attacking threat.

The Harlequins fly-half is now poised to make his first start at 15 as Steve Borthwick takes the opportunity to rotate his squad against the weakest opposition of England’s group campaign.

Owen Farrell has completed his four-match suspension for a dangerous tackle and is ready to make his first appearance since the illegal challenge against Wales on August 12.

Farrell is set to be reinstated at fly-half and resume as captain when Borthwick names his team for the Lille showdown on Thursday evening.

Additional changes will see hooker Theo Dan start and lock David Ribbans and flanker Jack Willis make their World Cup debuts as part of a revamped 23 that will enable many of England’s frontline stars to be rested.

Willis has been competing for a spot in the ultra-competitive back row, but so far Courtney Lawes, Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Lewis Ludlam and Bill Vunipola have commanded all the game-time.

Those overlooked for selection for the victories against Argentina and Japan have been forced to complete gruelling extra training sessions, but Willis insists there has been no sense of grievance among those waiting for their opportunity.

“I don’t feel we’re a group that would let that happen, I honestly don’t. There’s no resentment towards the players that are playing,” Willis said.

“We want the team to be successful. We want to get as far as we can in this tournament, no matter whether you’re starting, on the bench, travelling reserve or not involved; you want the best for the team.”

Reflecting on his own position, the 26-year-old Toulouse flanker said: “We all know how competitive the back row is.

“I don’t think anyone of us would feel aggrieved because of the quality in the back row. I think we all bring different strengths and qualities. Depending on the opposition that can change.

“I’ve got to keep my head down and keep working hard, making sure I’m in the best shape physically I can be so that when that opportunity comes I can come out the blocks.”

Making his first World Cup appearance will be the latest episode of a rollercoaster 12 months for Willis, who was forced to leave Wasps when they entered administration and then join Toulouse.

He now has a Top 14 title winners medal to his name and is ready to realise a boyhood dream.

“If and when that chance comes you end up reflecting a little bit, thinking back to the little lad who was watching World Cup matches with his dad and his brother in the front lounge and trying to realise how special it is to be pulling on that shirt and running out at a World Cup.

“Steve Borthwick did say when the squad was named that it was in the low hundreds of how many people had pulled on a World Cup jersey for England.

“Sometimes you don’t think about that, how few people get the opportunity to do it and how special it is. Just be grateful of every moment and try and maximise it.”

Conor Benn will make his comeback in Orlando on Saturday in his first bout since failing two voluntary drug tests and promoter Eddie Hearn says a clash with Chris Eubank Jr could happen in December.

Benn, who has not fought since April 2022 when he knocked out Chris van Heerden, has been cleared to fight Mexico’s Rodolfo Orozco this weekend.

The 26-year-old saw his proposed bout with Eubank Jr last October fall through following two positive tests for the banned drug clomifene, which resulted in him being hit with a provisional suspension.

Benn promised to prove his innocence and, while he was formally charged by UK Anti-Doping in April, it was announced in July he had been cleared by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel.

Hearn, in Florida for Saturday’s bout against Orozco at Caribe Royale, said: “We want the Eubank fight. It’s the biggest fight in British boxing, outside AJ v Fury and right up there with it.

“We want to fight in the UK. Conor won his case. He was cleared, his suspension was lifted and I keep hearing this ‘he was not cleared’.

“If he wasn’t cleared he wouldn’t be allowed to fight on Saturday.

“The Association of Boxing Commissions would not lift their suspension of Benn until it was confirmed to them by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) that he was no longer suspended and therefore he was cleared to fight.

“So our plan, ideally, is to fight Chris Eubank Jr in the UK in December. We’ve already had offers from a number of international venues to stage that fight, but I would like to try and make that fight in the UK.”

UKAD and the BBBofC appealed against the decision to lift Benn’s provisional suspension last month, which prevented the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn being able to resume his boxing career in his home country.

Benn and promotion company Matchroom have now decided to try and get his career back on track with a bout in the United States.

Mexican veteran Orozco has been drafted in as a last-minute opponent for Benn, whose fight will be the co-main event of a show also involving super-lightweights Richardson Hitchins and Jose Zepeda.

Hearn said: “We were made aware a few weeks ago or a month ago that there would be an appeal – we’ve heard nothing more, no dates for that appeal.

“We’re not sure if that will take place or when it will take place, but this man’s free to go back to work and that’s what we’ve decided to do.”

Benn said: “I am undefeated in the ring, and in spirit. A return on Saturday is a step closer to redemption.

“After that, I’m putting the 147-160 divisions on notice. You are looking at a determined man with a deep desire to beat them all.”

Even though Greenwich-born Benn (21-0, 14KOs) will fight for the first time in 17 months on Saturday, his fight to clear his name is not over yet.

Benn relinquished his BBBC licence after his bout against Eubank was scrapped and criticised the governing body’s handling of his case.

Benn’s positive tests were conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.

Londoner Benn himself insisted eggs were never blamed in a 270-page report he sent the WBC, but he has repeatedly stressed his innocence, having faced a two-year ban.

Emma Raducanu has revealed she will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

The 20-year-old Briton was forced to miss the recent US Open, as well as the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year, after undergoing operations on both wrists and one ankle at the beginning of May.

Raducanu, who fell out of the world’s top 200 this week, had hoped of an autumn comeback after she returned to the practice court last month.

But she told BBC Sport: “Next season I’ll be back. This season all the slams were finished so it was difficult to watch them go by but I was trying to stay in my lane as much as possible and keep focused on my recovery.”

Raducanu has been dogged by injuries since her 2021 US Open victory.

She has played only 10 matches this year and has failed to make it beyond the second round of any grand slam since her superb Flushing Meadows triumph.

The New York Giants have ruled out Saquon Barkley for Thursday's game against the San Francisco 49ers due to a sprained right ankle the star running back sustained Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

ESPN reported Monday that Barkley was expected to miss around three weeks after injuring his ankle in the latter stages of New York's 31-28 Week 2 win, though Giants coach Brian Daboll told reporters Tuesday the 2022 Pro Bowl selection was feeling better and the team had yet to make a determination on Barkley's status.

With Barkley unavailable, the Giants will have former 49er Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell as their top two running backs for Thursday's matchup.

Breida has spent the majority of his seven-year career as a backup, but did rush for 814 yards in 14 games with San Francisco in 2018. Brightwell's most extensive action came in the 2022 regular-season finale, in which he rushed for 60 yards on 11 carries against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Neither has the credentials of Barkley, who finished fourth in the NFL with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns in 2022 to help the Giants to their first playoff appearance in six years. The 26-year-old accounted for 27.7 per cent of New York's total yards from scrimmage last season, the sixth-highest rate of any player for his respective team.

Barkley also played a major role in Sunday's win, in which the Giants overcame a 21-point third-quarter deficit. The 2018 No. 2 overall pick had both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the second half and ended the game with 63 rushing yards on 17 carries along with six receptions for 29 yards.

The two-time Pro Bowler has been slowed by ankle problems in the past, however. Barkley missed three games in 2019 with a high ankle sprain and four in 2021 with an injury to his left ankle.

The Giants will also be without starting left tackle Andrew Thomas for a second straight game due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the team's season-opening 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. 

Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from September 20.

Virgil van Dunk.

Love was in the air at Tottenham.

Zlatan as modest as ever.

Casemiro was ready for Europe.

Jurrien Timber’s recovery continued.

Split allegiances for Schweinsteiger.

Ben Stokes left Alastair Cook stunned with his golfing prowess.

Hampshire cursed the weather.

Conor Benn returned.

England kept themselves busy at the World Cup.

Ons Jabeur thanked Billie Jean King.

Serena struggled.

Sapphire Seas played a starring role in a Yarmouth four-timer for Charlie Appleby and William Buick, securing a dominant victory in the EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies’ Stakes.

The Moulton Paddocks team appears to be hitting form with a vengeance ahead of the crucial final weeks of the season, highlighted by Grade One success in Canada last weekend courtesy of Master Of The Seas.

Having already struck gold with a pair of promising juveniles on the undercard in Romantic Style (6-4) and Edge Of Blue (7-2), Sapphire Seas was a 9-2 shot to complete her four-timer in the Listed feature after following up successive all-weather wins with a successful turf debut at Haydock.

The daughter of Frankel took the step up in class in her stride, travelling strongly throughout under a confident Buick before extending two and a half lengths clear of Mukaddamah.

Infinite Cosmos emerged with credit in third on her first start since occupying the same position in the Musidora Stakes at York in May, but 10-11 favourite Al Asifah was disappointing in her bid to bounce back from a similarly underwhelming performance at Royal Ascot.

Of the winner, Buick told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a very smart performance. She won nicely last time at Haydock in a fillies’ handicap and she’s certainly stepped up on that.

“She’s going to keep improving hopefully. I would say the team will be delighted with what they saw there and hopefully she’ll be around for next year.

“This is a nice race, a lovely race for fillies. Let’s hope she can go on to better things.”

Appleby and Buick’s fourth winner of the day was provided by First Sight (11-2) in the nine-furlong handicap.

Class came to the fore in the Chasemore Farm Fortune Stakes at Sandown, as Chindit held off Knight.

Richard Hannon’s stalwart had got back to winning ways last time out in a Group Three at Haydock, although that meant he was carrying a 5lb penalty in this Listed contest.

With the rain turning the ground testing, Chindit’s task was made harder, but Pat Dobbs could be spotted sitting motionless with two furlongs to run.

Also going well was the three-year-old Knight, sporting first-time cheekpieces, and it was those two who came through to take up the running from Raadobarg.

Chindit (7-2) gained a length and while Knight pushed him all the way to the line, there was a head between them at the line. Raadobarg held on for third with Breege, owned by the sponsors, in fourth. Eydon, off since finishing fourth in last year’s 2000 Guineas, was a non runner.

Hannon said: “I’m delighted with that. It is nice for Pat, as he has ridden him in every race apart from two. He doesn’t love that ground and he had a 5lb penalty today.

“He is one of the biggest allies our yard has had for years. He has run in all these good races and turns up on every occasion. He never runs a bad race. He is a pleasure to have.

“Michael Pescod, his old owner, is always the first man to ring me as he is delighted. He has been such a star for us over the years. Dr Poonawalla (owner) has purchased him to service his own mares. A Group One is not massively on the agenda, and he wants to enjoy the horse for what he is.

“He (Poonawalla) has come over from India for today and he said ‘Richard the horse will run come what may’ and I like a man like that who says what he wants. He has enjoyed the horse and he has got a huge amount of pleasure from him.

“A special mention also has to go to Sean Fox and Callum Richards. Sean has done wonders with the horse, but the two of them have done a fair bit of work with him.”

He added: “He is in the Joel Stakes and I’ve put him in the Challenge Stakes. I’d like to take him to America or Australia and run him on fast ground, but there is also the Hong Kong option as well. There are all kind of options for him.”

Poonawalla then plans to stand Chindit at stud in India.

Chasemore Farm did have better luck in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes which they won with the Andrew Balding-trained newcomer Dambuster (17-2).

Balding said: “I’d hope he will stay a mile and a quarter in time, but not a huge amount further. I’d like to give him another run this year, but I don’t know where or when. He is a fine big horse and fingers crossed he will do well next year.”

Desertmore House ran out a convincing winner of the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase at Listowel.

With rain causing the ground to deteriorate there were several withdrawals, which allowed Martin Brassil’s eight-year-old into the valuable prize as second reserve off bottom-weight.

Sporting the colours of Irish and Aintree Grand National hero Numbersixvalverde, connections no doubt have similar prizes on their minds for the 11-1 winner.

Desertmore House came in for late support in a race which was dominated by the major yards numerically, and it looked sure to go to either Gordon Elliott or Willie Mullins as 11-2 favourite Salvador Ziggy (Elliott) and top-weight Authorized Art (Mullins) loomed into contention alongside the pace-setting Foxy Jacks.

But Ricky Doyle, who rode 150-1 Irish National winner Freewheelin Dylan in 2021, smuggled his mount into contention and he fairly sprinted up the home straight, coming home three and three-quarter lengths in front of Salvador Ziggy, with Foxy Jacks battling back for third.

The winner was introduced into Paddy Power’s National betting at 50-1.

“It was a late plan after he won in Kilbeggan and we saw he had gone to 135. He’s a novice that jumps like a handicapper and we just wanted to get more experience into him, whatever the ground was like,” said Brassil.

“There are plenty of races coming up like this – the Munster National, the Troytown at Navan and the Paddy Power – so there are lots of options for a horse that jumps like that.

“He got in as a reserve. Gordon rang me this morning and said ‘you should put your horse in the box as I have one out and we will walk the track and if we’re not happy we’ll take a second one out’.

“It was a real sporting gesture. He’s finished second, but he’s won plenty of these races!

“We’ve had some lovely winners with these colours and Numbersixvalverde is the one that sticks out. This fellow might start us dreaming again. He’s eight and has had a good time to mature.

“They went a bit steady and I said to Ricky if you are still travelling jumping the third-last they are not after going fast enough. I said make sure you are in the van as they will quicken up from there, but they are going to have to stay as well.

“He said it rode a bit slower than they were expecting, but he handled it well.”

After losing four-time Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb for the remainder of the season, the Cleveland Browns decided to bring in a familiar face Wednesday by signing free-agent Kareem Hunt.

Chubb sustained a gruesome knee injury in Monday’s 26-22 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers after getting off to a solid start to the 2023 season with 28 carries for 170 yards.

Chubb was third in the NFL in 2022 with 1,525 rushing yards and tied for fifth in the league with 12 touchdowns on the ground.

Jerome Ford took over as the No. 1 back at Pittsburgh and will remain in that role, with Hunt serving as his backup.

Ford, a fifth-round pick by Cleveland in the 2022 NFL Draft, ran the ball 16 times for 106 yards against the Steelers and added three receptions for 25 yards and a TD.

The Browns signed Hunt, an Ohio native, in February 2019 after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs in November 2018 amid an NFL investigation of a video that showed him pushing a woman in the hallway of a hotel.

He was suspended for the first eight games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Hunt, who led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards as a rookie in 2017 while with the Chiefs, ran for 1,874 yards and 16 TDs in 49 games over the last four seasons with Cleveland while totaling 132 receptions for 973 yards and seven scores.

The Browns (1-1) host the Tennessee Titans (1-1) on Sunday.

Captain Suzann Pettersen believes Europe have assembled their strongest team ever as they bid to win an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup.

Nine of Pettersen’s 12-strong side are ranked inside the world’s top 50, including Evian Championship winner Celine Boutier (fifth) and Charley Hull (eighth), who finished runner-up in both the US Women’s Open and AIG Women’s Open this year.

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh is ranked just outside the top 50, although Pettersen raised a few eyebrows when she selected world numbers 121 and 122 Caroline Hedwall and Emily Pedersen as two of her four captain’s picks.

“I think we’re all very ready to go,” Pettersen told a pre-event press conference at Finca Cortesin in Spain.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to hide that, if you look on paper, we have the strongest team that I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s based on great performances over the last few years from all the players.

“With good results there’s also expectations, but these girls are so up for it, so we can’t wait.”

Pettersen’s sentiments were echoed by several of her players on Wednesday, with Hull, who has been plagued by a neck injury, adding: “I think this is a very, very strong team.

“It’s got a lot of depth to the team as well. Before we had a lot of strong players, but then sometimes the back end of the team wasn’t as strong, but I feel like we’re pretty strong all the way through.

“I think we’ve got a good chance this year. I’m looking forward to it.”

Pettersen and Hull were involved in one of the Solheim Cup’s most controversial moments in 2015 when the Norwegian claimed a vital hole after Alison Lee had picked up her ball thinking a short putt had been conceded.

Hull gave that impression as she was already walking across the front of the green towards the 18th tee, but Pettersen said they had not conceded the putt and therefore won the hole.

A par on the 18th was enough for the European pair to win the match, but among those to strongly criticise Pettersen was her former team-mate and current assistant captain Dame Laura Davies, who said on Sky Sports she was “disgusted”.

He said: “How Suzann can justify that I will never, ever know. We are all fierce competitors, but ultimately it’s unfair. We have to play week in, week out together and you do not do something like that to a fellow pro.”

Asked on Wednesday how Pettersen compares to previous captains she had played under, Davies said: “Well, she’s a lot calmer than I thought she was going to be.

“I’ll be honest with you. I’ve played with her and against her in normal tournaments and she’s always been the same. She’s just friendly, a little bit fearsome now and again, but brings everyone together.”

United States captain Stacy Lewis agreed with the bookmakers that Europe are favourites to retain the trophy as she lamented a “massive missed opportunity” for the Solheim Cup to be more closely linked with next week’s Ryder Cup.

“I thought this could have been marketed together as two weeks in Europe, two Cups for play,” Lewis said.

“I think it was a massive missed opportunity for the sport of golf. We tried to do a little bit with the guys and just weren’t really able to move things along the way I would have liked.

“I tried really hard, actually. I probably spent more time on it than I should have. But whether it was timing or it was too late in the process, I don’t know. To really market it correctly, this probably had to happen two years ago.

“It’s something that, going forward, I think the game of golf needs to get on the same page and do better with. I just would like to see it for the good of the game.

“It’s not to further women’s golf. Let’s further the game of golf in general.”

Connections of Dragon Leader were left feeling proud of his valiant second in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes at Doncaster last week.

Trained by Clive Cox, the son of El Kabeir headed to the St Leger meeting with an unbeaten record and lofty reputation to maintain having scooped a valuable prize at York’s Ebor meeting last month.

Encountering soft ground for the first time, Dragon Leader failed to pick up with his usual zest and had to battle for a place on the podium as Kevin Ryan’s Room Service took home the spoils.

However, despite tasting defeat for the first time, he added just over £59,000 to the £147,540 he collected on the Knavesmire and Sam Hoskins, racing manager for owner Kennett Valley Thoroughbreds, is confident there are more big days to come.

He said: “We were really proud of him. The ground was all wrong but we kind of had to run off that weight.

“It wasn’t for him and he didn’t enjoy it, but he was so game at the end getting up for second, which meant a lot for the syndicate because the prize-money is huge. He earnt more there than the Mill Reef winner will win on Saturday.

“He’s really game and he does want the quicker ground and he just couldn’t quicken off that ground at Doncaster. However, it was still a really good run and there’s plenty to look forward to in the future.”

The future could include another venture north for Redcar’s William Hill Two Year Old Trophy on October 7.

The Listed event, where Dragon Leader would again carry a featherweight, appears the preferred option. But with the potential for soft appearing in the going description, connections will bide their time before confirming their next move.

“We’ll have to see how he is and Clive says he’s fine, but he had his first hard race last week,” continued Hoskins.

“The Redcar race would make a lot of sense for him because he would have a low weight in that as well, but again the ground would be a major question mark potentially. If it came up soft, I’m not sure we will go again in the ground.

“There is also a very valuable race up at York (British EBF £100,000 Final, October 13) and other Pattern races, but the horse will tell Clive if he’s ready and then Clive will tell us!

“If he doesn’t run again this season he owes us nothing, but if the ground came up dry at Redcar, that race would make a lot of sense.”