Neil Robertson has welcomed the recent announcement that this season’s World Grand Prix will be held in Hong Kong, external, the first ranking event to be held there for 35 years.

The news continues the ongoing globalisation of the sport, with increased prize money and host venues with large capacities adding to the impression that the sport is heading in a positive direction.

The tournament will be staged in the 4,000-capacity Grand Hall at the Kai Tak Arena from 4-9 March 2025.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will be the defending champion at the competition, which will host the top 32 players qualified by virtue of the sport’s one-year ranking list with a first prize of £180,000.

A potential sell-out crowd at the venue would represent a record attendance for a ranking event.

An invitation event featuring eight players was staged in Hong Kong two years ago, with O’Sullivan winning the final in front of 9,000 enthusiastic fans.

“I played Ronnie in the semi-final there, had three centuries in a row and the crowd was going crazy,” reflected Robertson after beating Graeme Dott 4-3 in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

“I was wondering why we weren’t going back as for me the tournament was a huge success.

“Everyone’s been working hard behind the scenes to make it happen, they’ve increased the prize money and the ranking points available, which is really a step in the right direction. Hong Kong should always have an event.”

San Francisco 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel has been hospitalized due to pneumonia and fluid in his lungs.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan shared the news about Samuel on Monday, revealing the Pro Bowler was having trouble breathing during Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and checked into the hospital later in the evening. 

Samuel attempted to play through his illness but left the game in the second quarter due to the breathing issues. 

Shanahan told reporters on Monday he was not sure how long the 28-year-old will be out. 

Samuel is just the latest in a string of injury woes plaguing the Niners.

Tight end George Kittle has a sprained foot and is considered day to day, while wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL and MCL. Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey has yet to play this season due to Achilles tendinitis, though he should return soon:

The 49ers will have Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Ronnie Bell available at the receiver position when they take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. 

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JUST because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they’re not after you.
As Wolves boss Gary O’Neil continues to realise.

Wolves were the club who raged against the machines and forced a vote among Premier League clubs on whether VAR should be scrapped — only to lose 19-1 because none of their rivals shared their originality of thought.

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Believing that technology doesn’t always improve things is becoming one of society’s great taboos.

And then the Ipswich v Everton kick-off gets delayed due to “IT issues at the turnstiles”.

My own digital season ticket has vanished from my so-called smartphone. I never once lost an actual season ticket.

Yet profess a hatred of apps and QPR codes, or whatever they’re called, and suddenly you’re Captain f***ing Caveman.

Still, rant over and back to Wolves. Of course, football being football, the Molineux club acted largely out of self-interest by  bringing that vote.

Last season, Wolves were top of the VAR “hard-done-by league” with a staggering  seven overturns going against them.

But they ended up a lone voice of common sense, speaking out against a system which beats the joyous spontaneity out of the game and leaves match-going fans frequently baffled.

On Sunday, O’Neil’s rock-bottom side were kicked in the teeth again when VAR awarded Manchester City’s John Stones an injury-time winner, despite Bernardo Silva being in an offside position and  jostling with keeper Jose Sa.

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The on-field ref Chris Kavanagh —  on the scene for a remarkably  large percentage of high-profile gaffes — deemed Silva to have  been interfering with play, yet VAR Stuart Attwell disagreed.

Then came Kavanagh’s trip to the VAR monitor — an entirely  performative process to give the impression that the referee is still allowed a mind of his own and won’t just automatically do whatever Stockley Park recommends.

Pretty much every great old-school manager from Bill Shankly to Brian Clough is credited with quoting the phrase, “If he’s not interfering with play, what’s he doing on the pitch?”

While that view is too simplistic, we’ve gone too far in the opposite direction.

A set-piece coach will tell you that pretty much every player in the box following a corner is interfering with play — or should be.

This season began with refs’ chief Howard Webb promising a “light-touch” approach to VAR, claiming that only on-field decisions which were genuine clangers would be overturned.

Even those of us firmly opposed to VAR recognised this as an improvement.

This lasted a couple of weeks before being conveniently forgotten — as pre-season refereeing edicts always seem to be.

Now VARs have again started re-refereeing the huge number of subjective decisions which football always throws up.

Because VARs will always be keen to stick their oar in to justify their existence. The system has become a labour-intensive jobs-for-the-boys scheme for match officials. Next, though, to O’Neil’s suggestion of a subconscious bias towards bigger clubs.

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This is barely borne out by stats  — Fulham and those great “world’s-against-us” conspiracy theorists Nottingham Forest were actually the biggest beneficiaries from VAR overturns last season with five more decisions going for them rather than against them.

O’Neil, though, is right to be paranoid. Just in the wrong way.
VAR simply seems to have it in for Wolves rather than “smaller” clubs in general.

At least this all seems to disprove the age-old idea that refs try to “even things up” if they know they have made a bad error.

Webb has issued so many  apologies to Wolves that he must have racked up a serious number of loyalty points with Interflora.

But if any official on VAR duty is acting with a conscious or subconscious knowledge that Wolves have been continually shafted then they do a pretty good job of ignoring this and carrying on regardless.

O’Neil’s job is under threat because Wolves have one point from eight games.

While their fixture list has been extremely tough — and a couple of poor VAR decisions have again gone against them — that’s clearly not good enough.

Should O’Neil get the sack his next job will probably be in the EFL, where clubs admirably refuse to follow the Premier League into mechanised mayhem.

Or perhaps his next gig should  be in Sweden — the only western European nation to keep VAR out of its top flight.

Or in Norway, who may scrap it due to widespread fan opposition — with matches having been delayed by irate supporters throwing pastries, fishcakes and tennis balls on to pitches in protests against VAR.

By common consent, the  Scandinavians are beautiful and enlightened people.

As O’Neil would doubtless agree.

VILL TO WIN

HOW would Aston Villa deal with the twin demands of the Premier League and Champions League, we all asked?

By scoring impressive wins in their first two fixtures back in the European elite and achieving their best start to a top-flight campaign this century.

And, with Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings returning from long-term injuries and skipper John McGinn back from a month on the sidelines, things promise to get better still.

Unai Emery is, pound for pound, the best manager in the top flight.

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HOWE ABOUT THAT

HAD Eddie Howe left Newcastle in the summer, he would almost certainly have been Gareth Southgate’s successor — ending debate about whether the England boss should be English.

Now with the Toon in midtable  — and Chelsea and Arsenal next up —  might Howe become available before Thomas Tuchel even starts work?

England outperformed Germany in four tournaments under Southgate.

But when it comes to coaching and management, the Germans still hold sway. See, for example, Brighton’s child genius Fabian Hurzeler getting the better of Howe on Saturday.

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SQUAD DEPTH

HOW is the five-sub rule affecting Premier League football? It is leading to far more comeback wins and, as predicted, giving more advantage to bigger clubs with deeper squads.

Last season provided an all-time high of 63 comeback wins in the top flight (16.5 per cent).

This year we’re at more than 21 per cent.

Of the weekend’s nine top-flight fixtures, five were won by the team conceding first,  including both Manchester clubs, Tottenham and Aston Villa.

NO WAY, JOSE

AS Erik ten Hag limps grimly on as Manchester United manager, a party of Mancunian old-boys lie in wait in Istanbul for Thursday’s Europa League visit to Fenerbahce.

Not just boss Jose Mourinho but also ex-United players Sofyan Amrabat and Fred  as well as former City title-winning striker Edin Dzeko, 38.

Lose to that little lot and it really will be “welcome to hell”.

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STOP GUNS

WILL Sir Keir Starmer’s beloved Arsenal miss out on the league title due to “indiscipline”, after already dropping seven points when reduced to ten men?

We all know the best cure for indiscipline: mandatory National Service. As advocated by Rishi Sunak at the election. That would have taught ’em.

BUNDLE OF JOY

WHY are baby-related goal celebrations, like Liverpool’s Curtis Jones sucking his thumb and Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert sticking a ball up his shirt, so irritating?

Because they remind us Premier League stars are the only men in the country who can afford to have kids in their 20s.

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LAS VEGAS – Asu Almabayev beat Matheus Nicolau with a unanimous decision Saturday to close out the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 245 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Almabayev, who won for the 17th straight time.

Asu Almabayev def. Matheus Nicolau

Asu Almabayev

Result: Asu Almabayev def. Matheus Nicolau via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Updated records: Almabayev (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Nicolau (19-6-1 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
Key stats: Almabayev has had more than 26 minutes of total control time over the 45 minutes of his past three decision wins. But after landing 15 combined takedowns his past two fights, he had just one against Nicolau.

Almabayev on the fight’s key moment

Asu Almabayev def. Matheus Nicolau, UFC Fight Night 245 (via UFC)

“I’m happy. It’s not easy to win the fight. Every opponent’s doing hard work and coming here to fight and to win, so I’m very happy that I won. (The game plan) was just to win. I wanted to wrestle, but (Nicolau) is tough – he’s No. 7 in the rankings. During the fight, I changed the game plan a little.”

Almabayev on Nicoalu’s takedown defense

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 19: (L-R) Matheus Nicolau of Brazil punches Asu Almabayev of Kazakstan in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 19, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“I was not surprised (at his takedown defense) because every fighter knows that I’ll try to take them down. After the first and second, I saw that (he was good at stopping me). What can I do? So I tried to improve the positions all the time.”

Almabayev on what he wants next

May 4, 2024; Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BRAZIL; Alexandre Pantoja (red gloves) fights against Steve Erceg (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

“I will come back home and we’ll watch the fight again. We need to learn all the time. Give me one chance for the belt (against champion Alexandre Pantoja).”

To hear more from Almabayev, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.

That led to her first taste of competition at the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) championships.

Success there earned her support from Welsh Cycling, though her training was fitted in around her medical career.

“It would just be like ‘if I could train, I would do it’,” Morris says.

She would aim for an hour on the turbo trainer in the evenings and a longer ride on weekends. At most she would manage eight hours a week, but that would come down if she was too busy at work.

She would use her annual leave to train longer, either booking a week of cycling in Majorca or riding at home.

By 2021, as the Tokyo Olympics approached, she decided to pause her medical career to focus on an attempt to secure Wales selection for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“Going full time made a huge difference, particularly in terms of recovery,” Morris says. “You could control the times you were able to eat, sleep and train.

“At Nationals [in January 2022] I managed to medal in all three endurance events. That was a bit of a turning point and it contributed to Commonwealth Games selection.

“The Commonwealth Games was still another level that I hadn’t operated at before. The roar of the crowd was like nothing I’d heard before.

MIKEL ARTETA vowed Arsenal will use their red card “pain” to drive them on in a crunch week.

The Gunners are still reeling from William Saliba’s dismissal at Bournemouth – their third sending-off in six Prem games – which led to a first defeat since April.

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It was the 18th red card Arsenal have been shown in the league since Mikel Arteta took over on December 26, 2019 – SIX more than any other side.

Should they pick up another this term, it will be Arsenal’s 108th red card in the Prem era – a joint-record alongside Everton.

Yet Arteta claims his team have been “galvanised” by the woeful red-card streak.

Arsenal aim to bounce back, starting tonight against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League before hosting Liverpool on Sunday.

Arteta said: “It’s absolutely galvanised the group. They’ll show their teeth and fight against the situation. They say: ‘OK, this is what we have to play, how we have to do it. We’re going to do it’.

“But playing with ten men, obviously there is an issue. We just cannot continue to do this.

“We’ve also had two different periods where we had a lot of reds and then not any. Now we have had three in a row.

“But we can’t continue to play with ten at this level. The task becomes almost impossible.

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“So, we must eradicate that. Let’s take that pain and use it tomorrow. It has to happen.”

Centre-back Saliba’s red was the latest example of ill-discipline that has cost Arsenal seven points already this season.

Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard have also been dismissed and now the Gunners lie four points off leaders Liverpool ahead of their Emirates clash.

Asked how you sort this discipline problem, Arteta said: “The most effective way is not talking about it.

“Because we tried and talked and repeated the message – and a red then happened again.”

Midfielder Rice earned a second yellow in August for delaying the restart against Brighton, as did Trossard against Manchester City in September.

Frenchman Saliba was deemed to have pulled down Cherries striker Evanilson as the last man.

Saturday’s 2-0 loss was Arsenal’s first in 17 matches. But Arteta feels his side are ready to go on another unbeaten run.

He added: “The relentlessness and attitude of the team is remarkable.”

Arteta is sweating on the fitness of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, who did not seem to train yesterday.

Arsenal player ratings vs Bournemouth

By Alex Crook

TEN-MAN Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season as brilliant Bournemouth dealt them a South Coast setback.

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The Gunners travelled to face Andoni Iraola’s men having won five and drawn three of their opening eight matches this term.

But their task was made a tricky one when William Saliba was shown a red card on the half-hour.

Ryan Christie brilliantly fired the hosts into a deserved lead following a well-worked set piece routine 20 minutes from time.

Justin Kluivert then sealed his side’s incredible 2-0 victory from the penalty spot on 79 minutes.

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Here’s how SunSport rated each Gunners performer on the day.

DAVID RAYA – 5
Was lucky to get away with one poor pass out from the back early on. Made amends for another error by saving smartly with the legs to deny Marcus Tavernier after initially spilling a Semenyo cross-cum-shot before clumsily conceding the penalty.

BEN WHITE – 4
England outcast was back in the team after four games out, but did not look 100 per cent fit and found it tough going containing the lively Antoine Semenyo down the Bournemouth left in the first half and Dango Ouattara in the second.

WILLIAM SALIBA – 3
Usually calm and collected under pressure but paid the price for a rare moment of panic when he hauled down Bournemouth striker Evanilson to get himself sent off and will miss next weekend’s crunch clash at home to title rivals Liverpool as a result.

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GABRIEL – 5
Given the captain’s armband in the absence of the stricken Bukayo Saka, but not at his commanding best, especially after losing centre-back partner Saliba. Did not really step up to the leadership plate.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI – 6
Did a better job containing Semenyo when Bournemouth’s dangerman switched wings at half-time than White did in the first half, but unable to have his usual influence going forward.

THOMAS PARTEY – 5
Back in his traditional central midfield berth after being used as an emergency right back in the 3-1 win over Southampton. Was second best up against Bournemouth’s impressive Lewis Cook.

DECLAN RICE – 5
Another of Arsenal’s international contingent who looked sluggish after the break from domestic duty. Struggled to impose himself on the game in midfield and unable to get forward as much as he usually does. Did his bit dropping into the back-line after Saliba’s dismissal.

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RAHEEM STERLING – 4
Former England man was deployed on the right wing in place of the injured Bukayo Saka and gave the ball away a few times when in promising positions before being sacrificed after the Saliba red card.

MIKEL MERINO – 5
Finally able to make his full Premier League debut after an injury-affected start to his Arsenal career and showed some nice touches. Also fired into the side-netting with the visitors’ best first half opening.

LEANDRO TROSSARD – 4
Started the game well but sold Saliba short with a poor back pass that led to the red card and disappeared from the action after that before being subbed shortly after the half-hour mark.

KAI HAVERTZ – 5
The German cut an isolated figure up front, especially after Arsenal were reduced to ten men, but worked tirelessly for the team without ever looking like adding to his run of scoring in the previous four games in all competitions.

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SUBSTITUTES
Jakub Kiwior (for Sterling, 37) – 4

Gabriel Martinelli (for Trossard, 64) – 5

Gabriel Jesus (for Kiwior, 81) – N/A

Ethan Nwaneri (for Merino, 81) – N/A

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