ARSENAL expect Kai Havertz to be fully fit and firing after the international break.

The Gunners striker pulled out of Germany duty at the weekend with “knee problems” – missing Nations League clashes against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands.

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Havertz, 25, played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 Prem win over Southampton on Saturday, scoring at the Emirates for the seventh game in a row in all competitions.

But SunSport understands the German star has been managing a minor knee issue since the end of last season – something that he carried over into the Euros.

Havertz has not been immune to knee knocks in his career, but they have seen him miss just two club games – one apiece at Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea – since August 2017.

In order to avoid any further damage or stress on the area, Havertz will remain at London Colney during this break for some much-needed rest and recovery before facing Bournemouth on October 19.

Yet the Arsenal are not losing sleep over the player’s fitness, in the knowledge it is simply the wear and tear of an intense few months of football.

Havertz played the full 90 minutes in 11 of Arsenal’s remaining 16 Prem games last season before doing the same in three of Germany’s five Euros outings in the summer.

This term, he has started and finished all but one of the club’s 12 games in all competitions, such has been his influence with six goals already – including four in his last four.

As such, this 12-day break before travelling to the Cherries has come at the perfect time with Mikel Arteta’s first-choice striker playing with a slight discomfort.

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Not that it is showing on the pitch, currently in the form of his life and one of Arteta’s most important figures in Arsenal’s title push having also netted 14 in 51 games last term.

And Arteta needs Havertz at his best for a gruelling upcoming fixture slog that includes taking on title rivals Liverpool at home on October 27.

After that, three tough trips on the bounce to Newcastle, Inter Milan and then Chelsea.

Arsenal will be hoping to have several other big names back for that run, including skipper Martin Odegaard and defensive trio Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Ben White.

Khalil Rountree had many people in awe after UFC 307 – especially Anderson Silva.

Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) proved to be a more than worthy opponent for light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main event in Salt Lake City, but he was ultimately overwhelmed and finished in Round 4.

Rountree was able to land on Pereira early, winning the first two rounds on all three judges’ scorecards. However, as the fight went on, Pereira found his groove and unleashed brutal combinations on Rountree, who showed incredible heart and resilience to hang in the fight.

Silva predicted that Rountree would become a champion back in 2015, and couldn’t be more proud of his former training partner’s valiant effort against Pereira.

“I could say countless things about this incredible battle between these two giants. In my opinion, the perfect world would be not seeing my brother and my friend fighting. But on the other hand, that’s how the sport is.

Alex, you were impeccable, on an incredible rise. Congratulations, my friend.

As for my little brother Khalil, I am so proud of you, my brother. Thank you so much for being part of my life. Those who know your story know who you truly are: you are a giant. You walk away from this battle as a winner because you showed that fighting at a high level is not for just anyone.

Congratulations to both of you. May GOD bless you both.

Khalil, don’t forget that only a few like us have the courage to fight the good fight. Strength and honor today and always!

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And I couldn’t forget to mention our great (José Aldo). You are our champion! 👑 king
@khalilrountree @alexpoatanpereira @josealdojunioroficial 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾.”

Rountree was a big underdog against Pereira, and had many deeming him unworthy of a title shot prior to the fight. Despite the incredible amount of damage suffered in the fight, Rountree took solace in knowing that he can hang with the elite.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Reading have entered into a new period of exclusivity with an unnamed buyer – on the same day the club has been handed a fresh transfer embargo by the English Football League.

The stricken League One club has suffered from fines, points deductions and fan protests during Dai Yongge’s tumultuous reign as owner and had a previous transfer ban lifted in August 2023.

In a statement on the club’s website,, external Reading said the new embargo was due to “the late filing of financial accounts to Companies House, and relates to the 2022-23 accounting period”.

Reading added they believed the embargo would be lifted once the overdue accounts are finalised, which they hoped would happen “at the earliest opportunity”.

The Royals were relegated to League One in 2022-23 and have been deducted 18 points overall during Chinese businessman Dai’s tenure as owner.

A deal for former Wycombe Wanderers owner Rob Couhig to buy the club fell through last month after an agreement could not be reached.

“The club can confirm it has agreed to a period of exclusivity with a potential purchaser,” the statement added.

“Both parties are working hard to finalise terms with the intention to complete a sale at the earliest opportunity.

“This exclusivity period also includes further provision to fund the club until the transaction’s intended completion.

“The proposed sale will include Mr Dai’s shareholding in Reading Football Club Limited, as well as the Select Car Leasing Stadium and Bearwood Park Training Ground.”

Third ODI, Abu Dhabi

Ireland 284 (50 overs): Stirling 88, Tector 60; Williams 4-56

South Africa 215 (46.1 overs): Smith 91; Young 4-40, Hume 3-39

Ireland won by 69 runs

Scoreboard

Ireland beat South Africa for just a second time in a one-day international as Paul Stirling’s 88 helped his side to a 69-run win in the last of their meetings in Abu Dhabi.

Ireland’s only previous victory over South Africa in the format came at Malahide in Dublin back in July 2021.

The Proteas won last Wednesday’s opener by 139 runs and clinched the series two days later with a 174-run triumph.

Ireland had been bowled out for fewer than 168 runs in both those defeats but, having won the toss, set their opposition a target of 285.

Captain Stirling top-scored with 88, notching his 30th ODI half-century in an innings which included eight fours and three sixes.

He and fellow opener Andrew Balbirnie put on a century partnership before Lizaad Williams removed the latter on 45 for the first of his four wickets.

With Ireland steadily building a score, Harry Tector added 60 before he was run out in the final over of the innings.

South Africa’s response began in calamitous fashion as a pair of Mark Adair wickets with the new ball contributed to a 10-3 start.

Kyle Verreynne and Tristan Stubbs brought a measure of stability but, when Craig Young took the prized wicket of the latter for 20, they had fallen to 79-5.

After a duck on his ODI debut against Afghanistan last month, Jason Smith got into a groove to offer sustained resistance, but fell for 91 off 93 balls when caught by Adair on the boundary off the bowling of Graham Hume.

Down to their last wicket, South Africa’s challenge ended when Hume got Lungi Ngidi to edge into the hands of Lorcan Tucker.

This was Ireland final fixture of a year in which they also secured Test wins over Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

And Monday’s triumph – coupled with a first T20 win over South Africa – ensured they were victorious in two of their five matches on the trip.

FOOTIE star Andy Carroll steps out with celeb hairdresser Lou Teasdale — after it emerged they had started dating following his marriage break-up.

They grabbed a coffee and a bite to eat from a Costa shop in London.

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It is the first time they have been seen together in public since it was revealed they have struck up a romance.

Ex-Liverpool and Newcastle United striker Andy, 35, confirmed in a statement to last week’s The Sun on Sunday that he had split from wife Billi Mucklow, 36, earlier this year.

It later emerged he has been on a string of dates with Lou, 40, formerly a stylist for Harry Styles and the rest of One Direction.

She is said to have visited Andy in France, where he is currently playing for fourth division side Bordeaux.

He bagged both goals in his side’s 2-1 win away at Olympique Saumur on Saturday.

And he was then pictured with Lou, 650 miles away from Bordeaux in London yesterday.

An onlooker said: “They seemed happy together and Andy had a smile on his face.”

Geordie Andy and Towie star Billi — who have three kids — secretly split in July after a turbulent two-year marriage.

She is reported to have felt “blindsided” by him dating Lou so soon after their separation.

Andy, who has two more kids from a previous relationship, and Billi were together for 11 years — but their 2022 wedding was nearly called off after a picture emerged of him drunkenly passed out in bed with two women in Dubai on his stag do.

Billi forgave him when one of the women said nothing sexual happened.

The veteran, who once earned a rumoured £80,000-a-week, is on less than £3,000 at Bordeaux and says it costs him money to play there.

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