Saturday had the makings of something special for the Flyers. Matvei Michkov scored twice in the first period, making for his third straight multi-point game in a stretch where he might be going from the promising rookie into a full-blown NHL star, and Aleksei Kolosov made a ton of crucial saves, continuing a run where the young goaltender seems to keep getting comfortable with the North American game. At one point, late into the second period, the Flyers were up two and looked like they could check their way out of another 25 minutes up in Boston. The Bruins, though, stayed on them. Trent Frederic knocked in his second of the game and then Brad Marchand got to a rolling puck behind the Philadelphia defense to move in toward and beat Kolosov all alone for the tie to force overtime. Then, in the extra frame, Bruins star David Pastrnak stripped a puck off of Owen Tippett in the corner, turned out from behind the net with checkers drifting toward him, then slipped a pass backdoor to Pavel Zacha for the winning mark. The Flyers lost, 4-3. They still left with a point in the standings to move to 12-11-4 and stay within the early Wild Card mix, but with a second straight effort that they could've taken, too. They just didn't – couldn't seem to get a call to go their way either. "That's just the NHL," defenseman Travis Sanheim, who notched two assists, said postgame . "There are nights like that. You gotta play through it. "You don't know what's gonna happen one way or another. You just gotta roll with the punches and just keep battling through. I thought we did a pretty good job for most of the night. It's unfortunate that we couldn't get the two." Thursday night back at home against Florida , the Flyers rallied for four goals in the second period, and then the go-ahead a few minutes into the third, to dig out of what had been a 3-0 hole and to put the defending Stanley Cup champion on the ropes. They just couldn't hold it together. Shaky goaltending that started with Ivan Fedotov and then shifted to Kolosov, chippy play, tacky, ill-timed penalties, and an ongoing struggle to put away their other dangerous scoring opportunities cost them. They're still building, they don't know how to close out yet – regularly, that is. The Panthers do. They've already been there, and did it again Thursday night when Sam Reinhardt cashed in on power-play chaos in front of the Flyers' net late, followed by Matthew Tkachuk burying the empty-netter to put the game away. The Bruins know how to, too, despite having struggled through the early part of the year. Marchand has seen just about everything to this point in his career and can still be a highly effective player, and Pastrnak is a playmaking star (notorious Flyers killer, too) who is constantly trouble whenever the puck is on his stick. They can flip games quickly, just like the Flyers have shown they can do, but get those efforts to the finish line. The Flyers are still trying to figure out how to get there. They're working on it. "It's never a question with me about our fight," head coach John Tortorella said after Saturday's loss . "That's a given within our room, that's what keeps us afloat. That's the only way we're gonna stay afloat in this league, is that, is the will and not willing to give in." There are signs that they are making progress, too. Again, Michkov is becoming a star. His two first-period goals happened on fast, anticipatory sequences that not too many players can capitalize on. On a power play just under eight minutes in, the 19-year old winger posted up by the right faceoff dot. An Emil Andrae point shot got blocked between the hashmarks and the puck took a bounce that fell dead to no one. Sean Couturier, battling for position in front of the Boston net, was the first to get a track on it and extended an arm out to nudge the puck the short distance over to his teammate. By the time it arrived, Michkov already had the shot loaded up, and Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman had no hope of stopping the incoming laser. Later on, with 1:36 left in the period, Sanheim pinched down and picked a puck wrapping around the boards, immediately sending a thread of a pass straight through everyone and to Michkov at the opposite post, who had crashed down to tuck it in backdoor for a 2-0 Flyers lead. Michkov, 25 games into his NHL career, is up to 11 goals and 24 points after Saturday, which leads the NHL's rookie class on the season. On that same beat, Sanheim is continuing to roll through a breakout year, still taking up heavy minutes each game with excellent play at both ends of the ice, which is leading what has rounded into a solid top four of late – between him, a Cam York back from injury, a rapidly developing Andrae, and a rejuvenated Rasmus Ristolainen – and is proving that Team Canada selection right. He fired off that pass to get the assist on Michkov's goal, got another on the feed that led to York's tally in the second, then in overtime, checked on a long shift to keep the Bruins at bay before finally getting an opening to go for a change – Boston scored the winner only after Sanheim was off the ice. Then in goal, a notoriously plagued position for the Flyers going back decades, Kolosov was a big reason they had a chance on Saturday and throughout the recent stretch where they've gone without Sam Ersson as the No. 1 because of injury. Thursday night had its problems. There's no getting around that, but against Boston on Saturday, Kolosov stepped back in the crease and responded. He stopped 27 of 31 Bruins shots in total, which included a cross-crease save on Morgan Geekie – even though a goal followed right after – and a later stop off a Tippett turnover that Boston moved in with, but that Kolosov stayed square on to fight away. Ersson is still on injured reserve per the Flyers as of Friday, but with how Kolosov has held up and, in flashes, Fedotov, too, it does spark some optimism that maybe Philadelphia's long-unstable goaltending depth is finally turning a corner. "Outstanding," Tortorella said of Kolosov's performance postgame. "I didn't think he was that good the last game. I didn't think either of our goalies were, but outstanding to come into this building here, against that club, and play the way he did. It was really good." It's just that the Flyers couldn't keep it together. They're still figuring out how, and they're getting there, but it's still going to take time. One more thing... Late in the second period, Boston's Charlie McAvoy tripped Michkov away from the puck, which drew a call. McAvoy took it as a dive and shoved Michkov back down to the ice once he got up, which sent Tippett as the nearest Flyer charging in after the Bruin. Offsetting roughing minors were charged along with the delayed trip that put the Flyers on the power play, but after that, in the third period, the Flyers got crushed with three calls – including a highly questionable trip on Garnet Hathaway – that put them on the penalty kill and on their heels while Boston skated with no whistles. Boston gets an extremely late whistle on this call... John Tortorella is in DISBELIEF. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/NT4kTSFv91 Back on Thursday night against the Panthers, Travis Konecny had taken a hit to the face late in the first period that went ignored, and before the second started, Tortorella stormed down the tunnel and past his team to the bench demanding a word with the officials. After the Flyers lost, Tortorella declined to speak postgame. On Saturday though, he wanted his say. "One thing I teach my team to do is not dive," a visibly frustrated Tortorella said. "Maybe I should start teaching them that. The way this has gone here, the way s*** goes on, maybe I should start teaching them how to dive." "I'm not gonna go to deep into it," he continued on the penalties. "It's one of the things we talk about most as a team, we gotta play an honest game. There's no cheating. There's no embarrassing referees. You don't embarrass the referees. The s*** that went on here tonight is just ridiculous... "I'm proud of the way our team played. Did we piss another one away? Yeah, but other people had a little bit to do with that also." The Flyers will be back home at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday night to play Utah. Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick Follow Nick on Bluesky: @itssnick Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports188 jili cc login download 。

Skidding No. 10 Kansas hopes to get right vs. NC StateThe land of nod: exhausted Aussies sleeping on the jobOpposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capital in a that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria’s army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these ? If they enter Damascus after taking some of , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year . The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, , or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. Possible rifts ahead The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. Others take advantage While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria’s east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria’s government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. What’s next? Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces’ will to fight the rebels. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. And Syrian troops withdrew Saturday from much of the central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, according to a pro-government outlet and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media. ___ Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed. Cara Anna, The Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire , New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said. The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.” Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive. The killing shook a part of New York City that's normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night’s tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event. The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby. “We’re encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said. Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said. Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet. Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death. “I’m afraid that we — some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today. ... I’m sure you’ll understand.” Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.” “This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote. Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.

For the rich, working from home has morphed into working from boatCARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final with goals from their star forwards, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league’s biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. MLS’ most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing decade, even finishing 26th in the 29-team league last year. But the Galaxy turned everything around this season with a high-scoring new lineup that finished second in the Western Conference and then streaked through the playoffs with a whopping 18 goals in five games to win another crown. Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable charge through the playoffs ended one win shy of its first Cup championship. With the league's youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win MLS' playoff tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons. He was the MVP of the 2022 MLS Cup Final for the Galaxy's crosstown rival, Los Angeles FC. The Galaxy won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the Western Conference final. Puig watched the game in a suit, but his teammates hadn't forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA's opening goal with a superb pass, Paintsil held up Puig's jersey to their fans during the celebration. Paintsil put the Galaxy ahead in the ninth minute when he ran onto that sublime pass from Brugman and pounded home his 14th MLS goal — including four in the playoffs — in the Ghanaian forward's outstanding first season. Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home the 21st goal of his outstanding year as the Galaxy's striker. Nealis got New York on the scoreboard in the 28th minute when he volleyed home a ball that got loose in LA's penalty area after a corner. The Galaxy's usually shaky defense gave up another handful of good chances before reaching halftime with a tenuous lead. The second half was lively, but scoreless. Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Gabriel Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose again in the Galaxy's penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn't finish. The Galaxy bench rushed onto the field and prematurely celebrated a victory in the seventh minute of injury time, only to be herded back off for another 30 seconds of play. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of traveling Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club’s breakthrough on MLS’ biggest stage. The Galaxy’s Greg Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two clubs. The former Galaxy player also won it all with Toronto in 2017. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández rebuilt itself this season with lesser-known young talents from around the world. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and the Ghanaian Paintsil out of Belgium, and the duo combined with incumbent Serbian striker Joveljic to form a potent attack that could outscore almost any MLS opponent. But the Galaxy also relied heavily on Puig, their Catalan catalyst and one of MLS’ best players. Puig stayed in last week's game after injuring his knee, and he even delivered the decisive pass to Joveljic for the game’s only goal. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer Greg Beacham, The Associated Press

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final with goals from their star forwards, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league’s biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. MLS’ most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing decade, even finishing 26th in the 29-team league last year. But the Galaxy turned everything around this season with a high-scoring new lineup that finished second in the Western Conference and then streaked through the playoffs with a whopping 18 goals in five games to win another crown. Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable charge through the playoffs ended one win shy of its first Cup championship. With the league’s youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win MLS’ playoff tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons. He was the MVP of the 2022 MLS Cup Final for the Galaxy’s crosstown rival, Los Angeles FC. The Galaxy won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offence impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the Western Conference final. Puig watched the game in a suit, but his teammates hadn’t forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA’s opening goal with a superb pass, Paintsil held up Puig’s jersey to their fans during the celebration. Paintsil put the Galaxy ahead in the ninth minute when he ran onto that sublime pass from Brugman and pounded home his 14th MLS goal — including four in the playoffs — in the Ghanaian forward’s outstanding first season. Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home the 21st goal of his outstanding year as the Galaxy’s striker. Nealis got New York on the scoreboard in the 28th minute when he volleyed home a ball that got loose in LA’s penalty area after a corner. The Galaxy’s usually shaky defence gave up another handful of good chances before reaching halftime with a tenuous lead. The second half was lively, but scoreless. Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Gabriel Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose again in the Galaxy’s penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn’t finish. The Galaxy bench rushed onto the field and prematurely celebrated a victory in the seventh minute of injury time, only to be herded back off for another 30 seconds of play. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of travelling Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club’s breakthrough on MLS’ biggest stage. The Galaxy’s Greg Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two clubs. The former Galaxy player coached Toronto FC to the championship in 2017 and to runner-up finishes in both 2016 and 2019. Vanney’s coaching and technical staff in L.A. was full of former Toronto employees. Dan Calichman, Nick Theslof, former Canadian international Jason Bent, Michael Rabasca and Galaxy academy director Mike Munoz all spent time in Toronto. Jim Liston and Tom Williams, in the Galaxy sports performance department, also worked under Vanney in Toronto, as did midfielder Mark Delgado, who started Saturday, and defender Eriq Zavalaeta, who started on the Galaxy bench. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández rebuilt itself this season with lesser-known young talents from around the world. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and the Ghanaian Paintsil out of Belgium, and the duo combined with incumbent Serbian striker Joveljic to form a potent attack that could outscore almost any MLS opponent. But the Galaxy also relied heavily on Puig, their Catalan catalyst and one of MLS’ best players. Puig stayed in last week’s game after injuring his knee, and he even delivered the decisive pass to Joveljic for the game’s only goal. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer Advertisement AdvertisementTitans S Julius Wood suspended 6 games for PEDs

Zelensky insists on a 'just peace' at Trump Paris meeting

Chelsea’s surprise defeat by Fulham meant victory over the Foxes stretched their lead to seven points, with a match in hand, with the halfway point of the campaign fast approaching. But Slot is maintaining his level-headed approach despite the clamour growing around their chances of adding another title to the one won in 2020. Tonight's goalscorers 💪 pic.twitter.com/xn9sfZbVow — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 26, 2024 “If you are in this game for a long time like the players and I am then 20 games before the end you don’t look at it as there are so many challenges ahead of you,” he said after Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah scored to turn around an early deficit following Jordan Ayew’s strike. “Injuries and and a bit of bad luck can happen to any team, it is far too early to be already celebrating – but it is nice for us to be where we are. “I don’t think there was any easy win for us in any of these games; it could have been an easy win against Tottenham but we conceded two and it was then 5-2 – that tells you how difficult it is to win even when you have all your players available. “That is why we have to take it one game at a time. The league table is something of course we are aware of but we always understand how many games there are to go.” Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy felt his side held their own until Salah scored in the 82nd minute. “I think we were in the contest for a result for a long time,” he said. “Three-one was the turning point in the sense the game was done there to get a result. “I think the 60th minute I remember a chanced for Daka to score the equaliser so we were in the game to get a surprising result. “We did well, we did what we could: a good start with the goal but if you speak of a turning point, 3-1 with Salah, the game was done.” Van Nistelrooy left goalkeeper Danny Ward out of the squad after he struggled in the defeat to Wolves and was jeered by his own fans. “The change in goal was one to make and the conversation with Wardy was impressive, the way he was thinking of the team and the club,” added the Dutchman. “I insisted on a conversation and of course it is a private conversation but what I want to share is the person and the professional he is. “I was impressed with that and his willingness for the team and the club to do well. “Really tough what happened for him. We are professionals but human beings as well, when frustration is being directed towards one person that is difficult.”

Rise, fall and rise again? Where is the global mortgage market heading?Too early to celebrate – Arne Slot keeps leaders Liverpool focused