United News of Bangladesh

Mohamed Salah was again absent from Liverpool’s starting lineup on Wednesday, marking the second straight Premier League match in which manager Arne Slot opted to leave out the Egyptian star — a move that may hint at a shifting role for the veteran forward in his ninth season at Anfield. Salah began on the bench against Sunderland and entered only at halftime, failing to find the net in a 1-1 draw. He did not feature at all in Sunday’s 2-0 win over West Ham, the first time Slot had left him out of a league lineup since taking charge in 2024 — a title-winning season powered largely by Salah’s 29 league goals. Liverpool win raises questions over Salah’s future role Slot admitted Salah was frustrated after being dropped but praised his professionalism. Still, the manager retained Dominic Szoboszlai on the right flank, citing defensive balance. Liverpool faces three more matches — two league fixtures and a Champions League tie — before Salah departs for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot declined to confirm whether he will start against Leeds on Saturday. Salah has scored four league goals so far this season. Source: AP 

Erling Haaland hit his 100th Premier League goal on Tuesday as Manchester City survived a fierce late surge from Fulham to secure a 5-4 victory and move within two points of the league summit. Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute at Craven Cottage, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone, doing so in just 111 matches — surpassing Alan Shearer’s previous mark of 124 games. Despite cruising to a 5-1 lead, City were pushed to the brink as Fulham rallied and nearly equalized in stoppage time when Josh King’s shot was cleared off the line. “It’s not good enough, and we all know that. We have to improve,” Haaland told Sky Sports after the match. Tijani Reijnders and Phil Foden added first-half goals for City, while Emile Smith-Rowe pulled one back for Fulham before the break. Foden struck again early in the second half, and a Sander Berge own goal appeared to put the game beyond doubt — until Fulham stormed back. Alex Iwobi curled in a second, and Samuel Chukwueze netted twice in six minutes, setting up a tense finish. Josko Gvardiol’s last-ditch clearance ultimately preserved the three points. Manager Pep Guardiola said he had no explanation for his team’s defensive lapses. “It’s the Premier League — what can I say?” Romero rescues SpursCristian Romero delivered for Tottenham with a spectacular overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Bruno Guimaraes put Newcastle ahead in the 71st minute after a dominant first half, but Romero equalized shortly after with a near-post header. Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle’s lead from the penalty spot in the 86th minute, only for Romero’s late acrobatics to deny the hosts all three points and halt Spurs’ run of three straight losses. Newcastle manager Eddie Howe called the late goal “heartbreaking,” noting his team’s repeated struggles to protect leads. Liverpool win raises questions over Salah’s future role ElsewhereEverton rebounded from their loss to Newcastle at the weekend with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth, sealed by Jack Grealish’s 78th-minute strike — his second of the season while on loan from Manchester City. Source: AP 

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday sparked fresh debate about whether the club is beginning to prepare for life without Mohamed Salah after head coach Arne Slot left the 33-year-old on the bench for a Premier League match for the first time since April 2024. Slot’s decision followed weeks of scrutiny over Salah’s form. The forward, who has been central to Liverpool’s success for nearly a decade, has struggled this season and will soon join Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations. Slot said Salah still has a strong future at the club but accepted that current performances have made selection decisions more difficult. Liverpool’s reshaped lineup delivered a much-needed result after a long spell of poor form that included nine defeats in 12 matches. Alexander Isak scored his first league goal since his record move from Newcastle, while Florian Wirtz played a key role in midfield. Cody Gakpo assisted Isak’s opener and added a second goal in stoppage time. Slot restored Joe Gomez at right-back, which strengthened Liverpool’s defence after conceding 10 goals in their previous three games and freed Dominik Szoboszlai to return to an attacking role. Salah watched from the bench as Liverpool kept a clean sheet and secured only their second league win since mid-September. Analysts said the decision to leave him out was justified. Former England captain Alan Shearer said Salah “cannot complain” because of his dip in form and called the move a necessary step for a team looking to recover. Despite his recent struggles, Salah’s record remains exceptional. Since joining Liverpool in 2017, he has scored 250 goals in 419 appearances and holds a league win rate of 64 percent. Liverpool have won 263 matches in all competitions with Salah in the team. Slot is expected to decide soon whether Salah returns to the starting lineup when Liverpool host Sunderland on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Isak said the goal ended a frustrating drought and he hopes it will help him build momentum after a slow start to his Liverpool career.   With inputs from BBC

Inter Miami booked a place in the MLS Cup final for the first time in the club’s history as Lionel Messi inspired a 5-1 victory over New York City FC in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday. Tadeo Allande stole the show with a stunning hat trick, scoring in the 17th, 23rd and 89th minutes, with the first two goals assisted by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who are set to retire at the end of the season. Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia added the other goals for Miami. Messi set up Silvetti's 67th-minute strike, recording the 405th assist of his career for club and country — believed to be the highest assist tally in football history. Inter Miami, the No. 3 seed in the East, will host the MLS Cup final on December 6 against either San Diego or Vancouver. This marks a dramatic turnaround for the club, which had never advanced beyond the first postseason round in its first five seasons. NYCFC’s lone goal came from Justin Haak in the 37th minute. Messi, who joined Inter Miami in 2023 when the club was mired at the bottom of the MLS table, has since helped transform its global profile. With a new stadium set to open next season and the Argentine star signed through 2028, Miami now stands just one win away from its first league title. Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and members of the U.S. women’s national team were among those in attendance, as Messi once again proved to be the main attraction on and off the field.

Atletico Madrid has been fined and placed on probation by UEFA for racist behavior by fans during a Champions League match against Arsenal. The Spanish club was charged after fans made monkey noises and gave Nazi salutes during a 4-0 defeat in London last month. Atletico supporters have previously targeted Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior with similar racial abuse. UEFA imposed a 30,000-euro ($35,000) fine and ordered a one-game ticket ban for a European away match, which has been deferred for a one-year probation period. The club must also pay 10,000 euros ($11,600) for fans throwing objects at Arsenal’s stadium.    

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is fit to play against Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge. The 23-year-old England international fractured his toe last week after stubbing it on a door. He missed Chelsea’s wins over Burnley and Barcelona. Palmer has struggled with injuries this season, featuring in only five matches across all competitions. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Palmer is available to start. He said the player’s return makes the team and fans happy. Maresca added that Palmer is Chelsea’s best player and will perform well in the future. Palmer last played in a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20. Chelsea has played 13 matches since, winning ten, losing two, and drawing one. Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £40 million in September 2023 and has been the club’s top scorer for the past two Premier League seasons. In his absence, summer signing Estevao Willian has impressed with five goals in all competitions. Maresca suggested Palmer and Estevao could play together depending on the game plan. Despite being fit, there is still a question over whether Palmer will start, as Chelsea have performed well without him. Other attacking options include Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, and Enzo Fernandez. Maresca may choose his front four based on strategy for the top-of-the-table clash.   Source: BBC

Newcastle United says its fans were “indiscriminately assaulted” by French police after the Champions League match against Marseille on Tuesday, raising serious concerns about supporter treatment. The Premier League club has formally contacted UEFA, Marseille authorities, and French police to address what it described as “unacceptable” behavior. Marseille won the match 2-1 at the Velodrome, and Newcastle supporters faced delays exiting the stadium, being allowed to leave in groups of 500 while police escorted them to the Metro station. According to the club, once the first group was released, police allegedly used excessive and unnecessary force to prevent the remaining fans from moving. Newcastle said this involved pepper spray, batons, and shields, with many supporters reportedly harmed in the process. The club stressed that it is cooperating with UK police to collect evidence and has called on both UEFA and Marseille to investigate the incident thoroughly. “Supporter safety and welfare should always be the top priority, and we strongly condemn the treatment of our fans by police during this event,” Newcastle said in a statement. The incident has reignited concerns about the safety of traveling fans in European competitions, highlighting tensions that can arise during post-match stadium procedures.

Kylian Mbappé delivered a sensational four-goal performance on Wednesday, recording the first quadruple of his Champions League career and producing the second-fastest hat trick ever seen in the tournament. The French forward struck three times within a span of just under seven minutes to guide Real Madrid to a 4-3 victory over Olympiakos. “I’m really pleased with the goals. It’s always a joy,” Mbappé said, crediting his teammates for consistently providing him with quality service. Chiquinho opened the scoring for Olympiakos in the eighth minute before Mbappé responded with goals in the 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes. After Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for the Greek side in the 52nd, Mbappé netted his fourth of the night in the 60th minute. Ayoub El Kaabi later added a third for Olympiakos in the 81st. Mohamed Salah’s rapid treble for Liverpool against Rangers in 2022 remains the quickest in Champions League history, taking 6 minutes and 12 seconds after coming on as a substitute, according to UEFA. This latest feat marked Mbappé’s fifth Champions League hat trick — and his second of the current campaign after a trio against Kairat earlier in the league phase. Two of his previous hat tricks came during his time with Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo share the all-time record with eight apiece, while Robert Lewandowski has six. City stunned at home as Leverkusen clinch statement UCL win Mbappé now sits atop the Champions League scoring chart with nine goals, three ahead of Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen. He has already set a personal best for goals in a single Champions League season and has 22 goals in 18 games for Madrid across competitions. “His finishing is vital, but it’s also the character, the work rate, the connection he brings to the team,” coach Xabi Alonso said. The victory snapped Madrid’s three-match winless run and lifted the club to fifth place in the Champions League league-phase standings. “Winning again was essential,” Mbappé said. “Three games without a win is far too many for us. We had to take three points to stay inside the top eight — that’s our focus now.” Source: AP

FIFA has overhauled the 2026 World Cup draw format to ensure the four highest-ranked teams  like Spain, Argentina, France and England avoid each other until the semifinals, provided they top their groups. The draw, set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., will use a tennis-style bracket system for the first time. FIFA confirmed Tuesday that the new format rewards top-ranked sides by placing them in separate pathways for the 48-team tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The change means defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, and European champions Spain, inspired by Lamine Yamal, can only meet in the final at MetLife Stadium near New York, if both win their respective groups. “To ensure competitive balance, two separate pathways to the semifinals have been established,” FIFA said in a statement, aiming to reward teams whose consistent good results have raised their world ranking. Unlike previous World Cups where knockout paths were tied to group allocation, the new approach fixes the bracket in advance. This year’s draw will place 48 teams into four pots before assigning them to 12 groups of four. A full, updated match schedule, with stadiums and kickoff times, will be released on December 6. The ceremony will last about 90 minutes, with the draw itself taking an estimated 45 minutes. As hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States enter Pot 1, joined by the nine highest-ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Forty-two teams have already qualified, including Iran and Haiti, which FIFA expects to play as drawn despite political sensitivities with the U.S. The tournament will span 16 venues across the three host nations, including 11 NFL stadiums in the U.S. The remaining six entrants will be decided in March through European and intercontinental playoffs. Those teams will enter Pot 4, the lowest-ranked tier, meaning four-time champions Italy could prove a dangerous wildcard next week when the final placing draw is made. Host nations will be marked with different colored balls: Mexico as A1 (green ball), Canada as B1 (red ball), and USA as D1 (blue ball). The other nine Pot 1 teams will automatically be assigned to position 1 in their respective groups. Pot 2 features the next 12 teams: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria and Australia. Pot 3 includes Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Pot 4 contains Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand and the six playoff winners. Teams from the same confederation cannot be drawn together, except for Europe, which will have 16 representatives, forcing four groups to include two UEFA nations. To maintain bracket balance, Spain (rank 1) and Argentina (rank 2) will be placed in opposite pathways. The same applies to France (rank 3) and England (rank 4), ensuring the top sides stay separated until late. For the host schedules, the USA, placed in Group D, will open on June 12 in Inglewood against a Pot 3 team, then face a Pot 2 opponent in Seattle on June 19, and finish against a Pot 4 side back in Inglewood. Mexico, in Group A, will kick off the tournament on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca against a Pot 3 team, then play a Pot 2 team on June 18 in Guadalajara, before returning to Mexico City for their final group match against a Pot 4 opponent. Canada starts on June 12 in Toronto against a Pot 4 team, then moves to Vancouver for matches against Pot 3 and Pot 2 sides. World Cup draw pots: Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, IR Iran, Korea Republic, Ecuador, Austria, Australia Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa Pot 4: Jordan, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, European Playoff A, B, C, D, FIFA Playoff Tournament 1 and 2 Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.    

Manchester City dominated possession, created more attacks and fired more shots, but none of it mattered. Bayer Leverkusen walked into the Etihad, absorbed pressure, and struck twice with clinical precision to leave with a memorable 2-0 Champions League victory on Tuesday night. Alejandro Grimaldo put Leverkusen ahead in the first half before Patrik Schick doubled the lead after the break, securing all three points with two brilliantly taken goals. With a congested schedule in mind, Pep Guardiola opted to rest goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Jérémy Doku. All three attackers were introduced in the second half, but none could reverse City’s fate. City were sluggish in the opening half, lacking the pace and sharpness needed to break down Leverkusen’s disciplined defence. Though the tempo rose after the interval, and the hosts grew more threatening, the Bundesliga side adapted with the momentum. City had their first big chance in the fifth minute when Nathan Aké met an Oscar Bobb cutback inside the box, but the effort was brilliantly pushed away for a corner by the Leverkusen goalkeeper. Leverkusen, however, were ruthless when their moment arrived. In the 23rd minute, Malik Tillman whipped in a cross on the counter. Christian Kofane’s flick wasn’t cleared by City’s defence, allowing Grimaldo to rush in and smash a left-footed strike into the net, leaving the City goalkeeper helpless. Just before halftime, Tijjani Reijnders wasted a golden opportunity to equalise, hitting a close-range effort straight at the keeper. 10-man Barcelona humiliated by Chelsea in UCL showdown Guardiola made three changes at halftime, but Leverkusen struck again instead. In the 54th minute, Ibrahim Maza delivered a superb cross that Schick headed in, outmuscling Aké to guide the ball home and make it 2-0. City pushed harder after Guardiola introduced Rayan Cherki and Haaland in the 65th minute. Chances followed, but Leverkusen’s defensive wall refused to break. In the 85th minute, Cherki’s curling free kick was acrobatically stopped by the Leverkusen goalkeeper, ending City’s visibly last hope. City tasted first Champions League defeat with the referee blew the match-ending whistle. With the result, Pep’s team sit sixth with 10 points from five matches. Leverkusen climb to 13th with eight points. Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Inter Milan continue to occupy the top three spots with 12 points each from four games, with Arsenal and Bayern set to face off at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.