Mubeen Blogs

Retailer says underwear that could become male equivalent of push-up bra is intended to ‘help men feel their most confident’ For men who lament the decline of the codpiece, or who lack confidence at the office when their pants are not pushing up their genitals all day, Marks & Spencer is riding to the rescue. The retailer, the UK market leader in selling underwear, has launched what could be considered the male equivalent of the push-up bra. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/okGpMIl

Bills for up to 15 million customers will rise by more than they were told when they signed contracts The UK telecoms regulator has criticised O2 for raising prices for millions of mobile phone customers by more than they were originally told. In an unusual intervention, Ofcom said it was “disappointed” by the phone network’s decision, which “goes against the spirit of our rules”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7JgYUqz

New York museum under fire from heirs of Jewish couple allegedly forced to surrender artwork upon fleeing to US The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is being sued by the heirs of a Jewish couple over a Vincent van Gogh oil painting they say was looted by the Nazis. The suit alleges the couple, Hedwig and Frederick Stern, bought the painting, Olive Picking, in 1935, the year before they were forced to flee their home in Munich. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kZu0fvK

Dog walker was reportedly walking past Uxbridge house where man and child were stabbed Murder detectives are investigating after a man believed to have been walking a dog past a house where a row had broken out was stabbed to death. The man, 49, died in Midhurst Gardens, Uxbridge, west London, in an incident when a man and a child were also stabbed. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/K4OfaEj

Starmer’s announcement on visit to Ankara comes as jailed opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu faces fresh charges Britain has agreed to sell 20 Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey in an £8bn deal despite concerns about alleged human rights violations by its government. Keir Starmer signed the deal during a visit on Monday to Ankara to meet the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The prime minister said the deal would boost the Nato alliance, despite criticism of Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian administration. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/YnZQ97L

19-year-old wing scored five tries on first Prem start Borthwick has picked 36-player squad for four matches Noah Caluori, the 19-year-old Saracens wing, has been named in England’s autumn internationals squad by Steve Borthwick. Caluori burst on to the Prem scene by scoring five tries against Sale on 18 October and, as England gear up for a busy November featuring four Tests, Borthwick has called up the uncapped youngster after initially inviting him to a training camp last week. The 36-player squad, including 19 forwards and 17 backs, gathered at Pennyhill Park in Surrey on Sunday night. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QE6Xh41

Exclusive: new anti-fraud system fails to account for fact many return to country via airport in Irish capital Parents in Northern Ireland have had their child support payments stopped as part of the UK government’s crackdown on alleged benefit fraud simply because they flew into Dublin airport when returning to Northern Ireland from a holiday in England. So far 346 families have had their benefits frozen, an investigation by NI online newspaper, the Detail , shared with the Guardian, has discovered. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0pMVWeB

England Women 1-2 Brazil Stanway 52pen; Bia Zaneratto 10, Dudinha 18 England were caught out against Brazil at the Etihad Stadium, Georgia Stanway’s penalty not enough to cancel out first-half goals from Bia Zaneratto and Dudinha, but it was far from a performance to worry about. Shortly after taking a two-goal lead, the visiting team were down to 10, Angelina receiving a straight red for bringing down Ella Toone, but despite a gutsy and fiery battle to the end, Sarina Wiegman’s side couldn’t find the equalising goal. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xuvAHkN

Very few have worked out how to contain Manchester City’s striker. As past opponents attest, there are no easy solutions No coach has found a way to stop Erling Haaland in his past 12 matches, the striker scoring in each and 22 times in all competitions for club and country. Pep Guardiola knows most about the Norwegian’s talents and jokingly suggested a plan to keep him out: “Four centre-backs.” There are no straightforward answers, especially as so many have tried and failed. On Sunday Aston Villa and Unai Emery will be tasked with formulating a strategy to keep Haaland quiet. Not that the Manchester City player is particularly perturbed by not being involved for much of a match. His touches are infrequent but very often telling. The focus generally against Haaland is preventing the ball from reaching him but with City’s array of creative talents, that is easier said than done. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pZcdRTX

The Louvre heist, daily life in Gaza, Russian strikes on Kyiv and sumo in London: the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Warning: this gallery contains images some readers may find distressing Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/CduYPZv

Danny Röhl discovered Rangers’ problems run deeper than former boss Russell Martin as the Light Blues were blitzed 3-0 by Brann in Bergen. The 36-year-old German head coach was installed as Martin’s successor on Monday with the Gers sitting sixth in the Premiership and having lost their opening two games in the Europa League to Genk and Sturm Graz. However, a new era at Rangers continued along familiar lines against a side third in the Norwegian top flight. Emil Kornvig scored five minutes before the break to give Freyr Alexandersson’s side a deserved interval lead, Jacob Sørensen added a second after 55 minutes with Noah Holm firing in a third in the 79th minute, on a night when once again the beleaguered Light Blues performed to an embarrassingly low standard. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/zGo73C8

US and Qatar say new rules will hinder imports of LNG, posing ‘existential threat’ to European economies The US has demanded that the European Union roll back its climate and human rights rules in order to allow greater imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as the Trump administration approved a controversial gas export hub along the Gulf of Mexico coast. A letter jointly sent by the US and Qatar, two of the three largest LNG exporters in the world, warned the EU that its new rules pose an “existential threat” to European economies as they would hinder imports of gas from countries such as theirs. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZujBxlG

John Thune suggests White House will have official comment on Paul Ingrassia after signaling Republicans won’t let confirmation pass in the Senate US shelves plans for Trump-Putin talks in Budapest The Central Intelligence Agency is providing the bulk of the intelligence used to carry out the controversial lethal air strikes by the Trump administration against small, fast-going boats in the Caribbean Sea suspected of carrying drugs from Venezuela, according to three sources familiar with the operations. Experts say the agency’s central role means much of the evidence used to select which alleged smugglers to kill on the open sea will almost certainly remain secret. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/k50DOhl

Members of Reform’s showcase county council will be investigated after ‘evidence that they brought the party into disrepute’ Reform UK has suspended four councillors on its showcase county council after a leaked video showing bitter divisions in their ranks. Councillors on Kent county council were seen in the footage, first published by the Guardian, complaining about “backbiting” and being ignored by their leader, Linden Kemkaran, who told them to “fucking suck it up” if they did not agree with decisions made by her. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/tHSafo3

Portuguese has a long-held affinity with the north-east club following his time working with Sir Bobby Robson at Barcelona To José Mourinho Newcastle United represents a road never taken. Whenever Mourinho visits St James’ Park he takes time to stand by the statue of Sir Bobby Robson outside the Milburn Stand and spend a few minutes paying silent tribute to the memory of his mentor. In 1999 Robson wanted the Portuguese to join him at Newcastle as assistant manager with a view to eventually taking the top job but Mourinho, who returns to north-east England for a Champions League engagement with Benfica on Tuesday night, declined. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/20/jose-mourinho-eddie-howe-newcastle-benfica-champions-league

Ukraine’s president calls for meeting of European-led ‘coalition of the willing’ on his return from talks with Trump Ukraine’s president has urged allies against appeasing Russia after returning from a trip to the US, where he failed to secure long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. Volodymyr Zelenskyy had flown to Washington after weeks of calls for the weaponry, hoping to capitalise on Donald Trump’s growing frustration with Vladimir Putin after a summit in Alaska failed to produce a breakthrough in the war. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/FaIAw4Z

Australian band’s decision to remove catalogue in protest of CEO’s military investments an easy one, frontman says, and making music with friends remains ‘top of the triangle’ Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email Over their mind-boggling 15-year, 27-album career, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have switched gears with the speed and abandon of a stunt driver in a Fast and Furious film. Can you even describe the six-piece as a psychedelic rock band any more? Their music to date has encompassed metal, folk, jazz and dance music; they have experimented with dense concept records and microtonal tunings, and this year they’ve been touring both an orchestral show and a rave show, alongside residencies in European prisons and amphitheatres. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/h3Qv9HR

Releasing them from US custody evades thorny legal issues regarding military detention of suspected drug smugglers The Trump administration is moving to send the two survivors of Thursday’s strike in the Caribbean overseas rather than seek long-term military detention for them, four US officials and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday. The source, who like the US officials spoke on condition of anonymity, said the survivors were being sent to Colombia and Ecuador. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/1AxHJaK

According to complaint, Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi participated in attack on Israel, then applied for US visa The FBI has accused a Louisiana resident of participating in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 – then lying about his past and fraudulently obtaining a visa to live in the US. According to a recently unsealed FBI criminal complaint, Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi armed himself and gathered a group to cross from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel during the attack that left nearly 1,200 people dead. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/oURyAtk

Zions and Western Alliance reveal problems with bad loans as scrutiny of regional banks’ lending practices increases US regional banking stocks fell sharply on Thursday after two banks disclosed issues with bad and fraudulent loans, amplifying concerns on Wall Street around the state of credit markets. Zions Bancorp announced it had a $50m charge-off over two bad loans from its subsidiary, California Bank & Trust in San Diego. Western Alliance also said it was dealing with a fraudulent borrower. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JHW0r6z

Jermyn Street theatre, London Katherine Moar’s bold and taut drama about the kidnapping of a fictional heiress explores the toxic inheritance of the 1970s Katherine Moar’s riveting drama is inspired by the American heiress Patty Hearst who served a prison sentence for a bank robbery organised by a radical leftwing guerrilla group, the Symbionese Liberation Army. She had been abducted by the group months earlier and her court testimony told of how she was locked in a closet and raped during captivity. This memory play traces the fallout of such a case through a fictional encounter between heiress Holly (Abigail Cruttenden) and the attorney Robert (Nathaniel Parker) who lost her case. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/7IKDaxN

American art historian and museum curator with a special focus on Iran and the Islamic world For more than four decades, Sheila Canby, who has died aged 76 from complications of lung cancer, devoted her working life to Islamic art, and to the arts of Iran in particular. She published extensively, created groundbreaking exhibitions – notably at the British Museum in London – and oversaw the installation of new galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/5ME1uLk

The blender beloved by chefs and smoothie shops has all the power you need, and none of the frills you don’t Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things When I reviewed nearly a dozen models to find the best blenders for The Filter, I was already quite familiar with one of the brands I was testing: Vitamix. My parents bought me a refurbished Vitamix Turbo Blend 4500 in 2010, and I’ve used it to make smoothies, pesto, and other kitchen concoctions ever since. Vitamix is the founding father of the premium blender category, known for its impressive warranties, extensive accolades, and steep prices, especially on the more high-tech models. Introduced in 2007, the Vitamix 5200 is considered its “legacy” model, still holding strong nearly two decades later despite newer models like the digital Ascent X line popping up around it. At $500, the Vitamix 5200 is still a daunting investment, but if you’re a home cook looking to take your smoothies...

María Corina Machado has made downfall of Maduro regime in Venezuela her mission In Venezuela’s ‘darkest hours’, will peace prize boost opposition or backfire? Norway’s foreign ministry has said that Venezuela has closed its embassy in Oslo without giving a reason, days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel peace prize. “We have been informed by the embassy of Venezuela that it is shutting its doors and no reason has been given,” the foreign ministry spokesperson, Cecilie Roang, told AFP. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qfTXilr

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts Why do people become leftwing or rightwing? Is it nature or nurture? Jane Shaw, France Send new questions to nq@theguardian.com . Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/qxyf9Ow

Australia win by three wickets after being set 331 Captain Alyssa Healy sets tone with knock of 142 Australia completed a record women’s one-day international chase as Alyssa Healy’s commanding 142 powered the defending champions to a three-wicket win over India on Sunday. Set 331 for victory in the Women’s Cricket World Cup group-stage game, Australia reached their target with six balls to spare after Ellyse Perry guided her side home with an unbeaten 47 alongside Kim Garth. The victory, their third in four matches, lifted Australia to the top of the standings while hosts India are third after suffering a second straight defeat, having lost to South Africa earlier. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/pS8bWL7

President claims he found a way to pay troops and directed Pentagon chief to release funds on 15 October Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that he has found a way to pay US military troops despite the ongoing federal government shutdown, saying he has instructed his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth , to release funds. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote : “I am using my authority, as commander-in-chief, to direct our secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our troops PAID on October 15.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GM9YNDg

There is no grand PSR conspiracy against Unai Emery’s side. They should be challenging Newcastle or Tottenham for fifth Four wins in a row, seven games unbeaten and suddenly life does not seem so bad for Aston Villa. They are up into mid-table and if a 2-0 victory over Feyenoord in the Europa League will not quite live in the memory in the way last season’s games against Bayern Munich , Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain do, a return to Rotterdam at least evoked the glory days of 1982. It will be a while yet before the frustration at missing out on the Champions League fades, but there does now seem to be a gathering recognition that Villa have a decent chance of winning the Europa League, potentially adding Istanbul’s Besiktas Park to De Kuip as a venue where they have won a European trophy. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/GE5uYLM

The US president long refused to use his influence over the prime minister. Last month, that appeared to change After nearly nine months in office, Donald Trump seems to have had enough of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, undermining his ambition to establish himself as a global peacemaker. Over the past few weeks, the US president finally decided to use his leverage to force Netanyahu to accept a new ceasefire and stop two years of genocidal war in Gaza. On Thursday, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, including an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory. It’s unclear what guarantees the US gave to Hamas and Arab mediators to ensure that Netanyahu would not resume the war after the hostage-prisoner swap – if negotiations on later stages of the deal are stalled. That’s what happened earlier this year, when Netanyahu accepted a truce that took effect in J...

The Strangers writer-director Brian Bertino struggles to get scares out of this poorly paced and increasingly incoherent disappointment Every now and then, Hollywood comes across a hit that can’t be neatly replicated, a one-off success story that should be praised, noted and promptly left well alone. The Strangers wasn’t supposed to do all that much back in 2008, released almost two years after it was made on the cheap, pushed around the schedule like it was toxic waste. But it was a surprise summer sleeper, making almost 10 times its budget and quickly entering the horror iconography hall of fame, with its nightmarishly mismatched masked villains and the chillingly hollow “Because you were home” non-explanation. A tortured decade of stop-start attempts to make a follow-up finally resulted in 2018’s underwhelming remix The Strangers: Prey at Night , a sequel entirely devoid of the clammy tension that made the original so unbearably effective. That really should have been the last hur...

London film festival : Jan Komasa’s bracingly wicked tale follows a couple who plan to retrain an delinquent teen with a brutal regimen Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough headline an absurdist nightmare from Polish film-maker Jan Komasa, co-produced by Jerzy Skolimowski and Jeremy Thomas. It’s a movie that could have been made at any time in the past 50 years, with high-concept provocations and talking points that feel like something from the age of Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange or Ôshima’s Max Mon Amour, or even, indeed, Skolimowski’s The Shout. In present day England, Tommy (played by Anson Boon) is a teenage kid completely obnoxious and out of control: clubbing and bingeing booze and coke, evidently paid for with the monetisation income from hugely successful social media streams which show him racing stolen cars with his similarly odious mates. But Tommy’s online profile has caught the disapproving eye of Chris (Graham), a middle-aged road-safety campaigner and family values enth...

Officers in Antwerp arrest three suspects and recover an improvised explosive device Police in Belgium have arrested three young adults suspected of plotting a jihadist-inspired attack using drone-mounted explosives, with the Belgian prime minister reported to be among the politicians targeted. The arrests were made in the northern city of Antwerp as part of an investigation into “attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group”, the federal prosecutor Ann Fransen told a news conference. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/bLTNSAV

Wales manager downplays rivalry with England ‘If you defend deep, you’ll die a slow death’ Craig Bellamy said Wales would not be “tourists” when they take on England in Thursday night’s Wembley friendly and that he believed his team would succumb to a “slow death” if they set up to defend. The Wales manager vowed to attack Thomas Tuchel’s side in search of a first win over England since 1984, in the first meeting between the teams since a 3-0 defeat in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup. Bellamy suggested a boxing promoter would not pit Wales against England owing to the gulf between the squads but said he wants his team to play on the front foot. “We’re here to come and play, and to play our brand of football the way we play, at an incredible place like Wembley, which it is,” Bellamy said. “So to us it is exciting. We’re not here as tourists, to enjoy the occasion, we’re here to be the best version of ourselves and that allows you to be excited and also to have fun as well.” Cont...

Adrian Young, of British Transport Police, restrained 15-year-old at a train station in Camden, north London A British Transport Police officer who put a 15-year-old girl in a headlock during an arrest has been found guilty of assault. PC Adrian Young, 48, used unlawful force in September last year at Camden Road railway station in north London, and was convicted after a trial at Westminster magistrates court. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/SQKiPjr

US president offers few concessions on tariffs after durable alliance fractured by trade war and annexation threats Donald Trump said there is “mutual love” but “natural conflict” between the US and Canada as he hailed progress towards a trade deal but offered few concrete concessions on steep US tariffs during a visit by the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney . Carney’s second visit to the US comes as one of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances has been fractured by Trump’s trade war and annexation threats. Among the topics up for discussion are trade and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is critical to Canada’s economy and is up for review next year. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/C2rUqnV

StudioCanal and author’s estate taking action over video depicting Paddington with South American accent snorting powder For the millions who adore Paddington Bear, Michael Bond’s marmalade-loving character is the epitome of English politeness and understatement – so a new depiction as a drug-taking, potty-mouthed podcast host was always going to prove challenging. But the satirical overhaul of Paddington by the team behind Spitting Image has proved too much for the film studio and estate that own the character’s rights. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/EFQ1CSe

Some studies find an increased MND risk for rugby players, others show the risk is equally high for others. The only way forward is more research Lewis Moody, 47, is the latest in a long line of players who has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease that may or may not be linked to his career in collision sport. Over the past decade I’ve interviewed more of these men, and their friends and families, than I ever wanted to. Many of them chose to first reveal their diagnoses in the Guardian. First there’s the shock, then the sorrow, then the expressions of sympathy and support. And after all that, a lot of hard questions that are left unaddressed. The one thing everyone involved wants is clear answers, and unfortunately, they are very hard to come by. The current science can only tell you so much. The Motor Neurone Disease Association’s position is that the latest research suggests a correlation between traumatic brain injuries and MND, but that the same research has not prove...

Study looks at how workouts can help those with hip, knee and back pain – and benefit UK economy to tune of £34bn People with sore joints who exercise for two hours a week have less pain, visit their GP less and take less sick leave, a study has found. The findings are from an analysis of how 40,000 people across the UK with hip, back or knee pain fared when they did two one-hour exercise classes for 12 weeks. Had on average 35% less pain. Went to see their GP 29% less often. Took almost half as many sick days from work. Needed their family to look after them 21% less. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0k4qcbv

Shakespeare’s Globe, London Achilles is a slob and Ajax is a meathead in Owen Horsley’s streamlined production, which is bursting with invention and comic inversions Shakespeare’s take on the Iliad is hard to categorise. Set during the doldrums of the Trojan war, seven years in, it speaks of conflict as well as of Troilus and Cressida’s star-crossed love. But is this a history play highlighting the hopelessness of war, or a send-up of Homer’s heroic masculinity with a romance thrown in? No doubt Hamlet’s pontificating Polonius would have a hyphenated answer to the mixing of genres (is this what he meant by a “tragical-historical-pastoral?”). Director Owen Horsley has an answer too: this is satire – if not war-farce – in which the “heroes” of classical antiquity are roundly ridiculous. A giant, Pythonesque foot sits on the stage (great design by Ryan Dawson Laight), to set the tone. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cxLVDbr

Salvadorian national successfully sued White House over his deportation before charges were filed A federal judge has concluded that the Department of Justice’s prosecution of Kilmar Ábrego García on human-smuggling charges may be an illegal retaliation after he successfully sued the Trump administration over his deportation to El Salvador . The case of Ábrego, a Salvadorian national who was a construction worker in Maryland, has become a proxy for the partisan struggle over Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration policy and mass deportation agenda. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/JXWwpKo

Attorney general Richard Hermer says more must be done to protect Jewish community and tackle antisemitism One of UK’s most senior Jewish politicians has said he and the Jewish community are “heartbroken, frightened and angry” after the terror attack on a Manchester synagogue. Richard Hermer, the attorney general and a close ally of Keir Starmer in cabinet, said tackling a rising tide of antisemitism would require police protection and political leaders calling it out wherever it was found. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MF5h1VI

On the ground in the Oregon city, with rich fall colors and leafy hiking trails, things look different than on Trump’s TV In Portland, Oregon , a city Donald Trump claims to have seen “burning down to the ground” on his television, residents are pushing back on the US president’s false depiction of their tranquil city as a war zone. Trump, who refuses to accept firsthand accounts from Oregon’s governor and the Portland mayor that the widespread unrest he thinks he’s seen on television is not actually happening, has ordered the military in to the Pacific north-west city. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Ykx1eHW

Israeli strikes on Gaza, the synagogue attack in Manchester, protests in Mexico City and a listening party for Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl: the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Warning: this gallery contains images some readers may find distressing Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/4UA8OJH

Ban on Nottingham Post and its website reversed after threat of legal action over damaging freedom of expression A Reform UK council has ended its ban on journalists from the area’s biggest local newspaper after being threatened with legal action over damaging the outlet’s freedom of expression. Nottinghamshire county council, which has been led by Reform since the local elections earlier this year, said it was “committed to the principles of openness” after lifting the sanctions it had placed on journalists from the Nottingham Post and its website, Nottinghamshire Live. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/xJzDIh9

It is more than 500 days since the Blues last lost a WSL game, but coach warns, ‘We did not achieve anything yet’ It has been more than 500 days since Chelsea last lost a Women’s Super League game. That sentence alone tells you how exceptional they are, and whichever way you frame the statistics they are daunting. How about “Sonia Bompastor is yet to lose a WSL game after 15 months in charge”, “The Frenchwoman has won 23 of her 26 WSL games without defeat” or “Bompastor is unbeaten in 34 domestic matches since moving to England”? All are true, all sound formidable, and – after four wins from four this term – they are showing no signs of letting up. Who will bring this run to a halt? Eventually, Chelsea will lose a WSL match. It might not be this week, it might not be in 2025, it might not even be this season. Maybe it won’t even be during this parliament, but one day it will happen, and logic suggests that the fixtures where their streak has the highest probability of ending is in on...

Eddie Howe had reason to be wary. Up against a young hotshot coach and his high-flying Belgian champions, Newcastle’s manager must have felt a degree of pressure at the kick-off. Given that Howe’s team are still coming to terms with the departure of their former leading scorer Alexander Isak and had been struggling for form, a balmy early October night in Brussels seemed far from the ideal time or place to meet Sébastian Pocognoli’s vibrant Union Saint-Gilloise. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/p0Ht4sZ