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First came the crack in Alexander Volkanovski‘s defence. Then, the crack in his voice. If the first crack was consequential, allowing Islam Makhachev to skim his shin off the Australian’s head, the latter was a consequence in itself – a consequence of one of the best fighters alive staying silent on his struggles with mental health. That is, until now. Volkanovski would have emerged from UFC 294 with credit anyway; he stepped in on 11 days’ notice and moved up in weight to challenge a man who had beaten him eight months prior. Even in this surprising, first-round defeat by Makhachev, Volkanovski lost very little. His featherweight title still rests firmly on his shoulder, and he will soon return to that weight class where he has been unbeatable. But soon may be too soon. In his post-fight press conference, Volkanovski began the dissection of this defeat – his second this year, but just his third as a professional mixed martial artist, with his first having occurred a long decade ago. The 35-year-old started to dissect the technical reasons for this knockout loss, but it soon became apparent what was of greater importance: the psychological reasons for his presence in Abu Dhabi. “He’s not somebody you should be taking a short-notice [fight] with, but I needed it,” Volkanovski began. “Obviously a lot of people will say it’s for the money and all that, but it was much more than that. It is hard, it is really hard for athletes... Sorry, um... I never thought I would struggle with it,” he continued, ignoring the blood over his eye, instead wiping a tear from beneath it. “But for some reason when I wasn’t fighting or in camp... F***, sorry,” he said, attempting a laugh, looking away and to the ceiling, then gently rapping his hand on the table to bring himself back into the room. “I was just doing my head in,” he continued, tears floating at the bottom of his eyes. “I needed a fight, and this opportunity came up. I’ll be honest: I wasn’t training as much as I should have, but I thought I had to do it. I had to take it. I’m telling myself, ‘It’s meant to be.’ I was struggling a little bit not fighting, doing my head in. I don’t know how; everything’s fine, I’ve got a beautiful family. But, I don’t know... I think you just need to keep busy. I need to be in camp, otherwise, I’m going to do my head in. “It’s weird, [it’s not that I] never ‘believed in that stuff’, but I never got it. It was something that – I don’t know – maybe the more and more I learn about myself, the more I understand. I talked about us having a smile on my face, me and my wife. My wife could see it does get hard, I don’t know why.” Volkanovski pointed to the birth of his third child, in August, and surgery on an injury this summer as reasons why he had not been training. Clearly, the knock-on effect of those moments – as joyous as the former seemed to be – has led Volkanovski’s mental health to suffer. Last week, all the talk was of how brave the Australian was to face Makhachev on short notice; braver was this admission that he is struggling, which simultaneously offers a different lens through which to view his choice to fight. Keeping himself engaged and busy is healthy, but that is complicated by the inherent risk in his profession. “Maybe it was just a silly decision under the circumstances,” he admitted. Perhaps it was, though it was also understandable. Volkanovski’s next challenge, however, will come outside of the ring. It must. He naturally sees the antidote to his current struggles as a quick turnaround to fight again, likely against the dangerous Ilia Topuria in January. Yet, that fight could go the same way as Saturday’s against Makhachev, if the Australian does not first tackle these thoughts and feelings, and find the right balance for him. We knew Alexander Volkanovski was brave. That is even clearer now than it was last week. Now, however, he must be sensible, and get to work outside the ring before he can return to work in it. Read More Islam Makhachev stuns Alexander Volkanovski with head-kick KO in first round at UFC 294 Conor McGregor reacts to ‘illegal’ strikes in Islam Makhachev win at UFC 294 Khabib explains why he wasn’t in Islam Makhachev’s corner at UFC 294

Khabib Nurmagomedov has clarified why he missed childhood friend and UFC protege Islam Makhachev’s stunning victory over Alexander Volkanovski. The former UFC champion, who finished his career with an unbeaten 29-0 record, said it was not unusual for him to not be in the corner in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. Nurmagomedov became Makhachev’s coach following his retirement in 2020, but the ‘Eagle’ announced earlier this year that he had taken a step back from the UFC. Makhachev stunned Volkanovski with a first-round knockout at UFC 294, retaining the lightweight title in their rematch. In February, Makhachev outpointed Volkanovski – who holds the featherweight belt – in the latter’s native Australia, in a competitive clash that left many fans desiring a rematch. Nurmagomedov congratulated Makhachev on his victory before responding to fans who had questioned his absence from ringside. “If you guys ask me where have I been? Why wasn’t I in the corner, I already answered this question,” he posted on Instagram. “I don’t go to fights, I don’t go to the corner and I completely left everything related to MMA. I ask you to accept my decision the same way as my brothers, friends and sparring partners did. What our team achieved will forever be in the history of MMA.” Makhachev had already addressed the fact that Nurmagomedov would not be in his corner before UFC 294, telling reporters that he understood and supported his mentor’s decision. “Here is my explanation: We have a very big team,” Makhachev said. “What if Khabib is there for one of us? We’re all equal. “No matter if somebody’s a champion and the other guy is still on his way up, we all support each other. If he is there for my fight, he will need to be there for every single one from our team to not let anyone feel abandoned. “He has already said that he will not attend the fights and he will not corner anyone. And we all support him in this decision.” Midway through the first round of the main event, southpaw Makhachev skimmed his left shin off Volkanovski’s head, wobbling and dropping the featherweight king. Makhachev, 31, followed up with a fierce flurry of hammer fists to the grounded Aussie, whose brow split open amid the onslaught. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in, confirming an emphatic victory and title defence for Makhachev, the mentee and childhood friend of UFC lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov. The result extended Makhachev’s win streak to 13 fights, dating back to 2015, when he suffered the sole loss of his professional career. Meanwhile, Volkanovski was beaten for the third time as a pro, though he remains undefeated at his preferred weight of 145lbs. Read More Alexander Volkanovski’s bravest move yet? Talking about his mental health Conor McGregor reacts to ‘illegal’ strikes in Islam Makhachev win at UFC 294 Makhachev stuns Volkanovski with head-kick KO in first round at UFC 294 UFC 294 LIVE: Volkanovski vs Makhachev fight results after shock KO Islam Makhachev demands two words from Alexander Volkanovski ahead of UFC 294 Volkanovski vs Makhachev gamble shows the best and worst of the UFC

With the weekend’s action wrapped, Fantasy Premier League managers will be reflecting upon another week of either frustration or elation after some dramatic late finishes and plenty of eye-catching performances. As the Premier League enters its 10th week, FPL managers may be looking to ring the changes as fixture swings occur and new in-form teams emerge. Whether you are looking to just tinker with one or two changes or are planning a number of wholesale changes, here are five players we think you should keep an eye out for ahead of gameweek 10. Phil Foden - Manchester City, midfield (7.6 m) The Manchester City winger has often been an unreliable FPL asset due to his lack of regular starts. Riyad Mahrez’s departure for the Saudi Pro League has now cleared the way for Foden who has started all but one of City’s league games this season. Returns thus far haven’t been plentiful (1G, 3A) and his ownership has dropped as a result, but after a promising display for England in the international break and a much-needed win for City against Brighton at the weekend, the 23-year-old may offer something of a differential pick if you’re looking to make up some ground on mini-league rivals. Kieran Trippier - Newcastle, defender (6.9 m) After a tough run of fixtures at the start of the season, Newcastle are unbeaten in five and back in full flow. Trippier has been the fulcrum of their recent improved performances, with his six assists in his last four games seeing him rise to the top of the points list for defenders. A trickier set of fixtures are on the horizon, but with games against Wolves and Bournemouth mixed in, the experienced right-back should be at the forefront of many people’s plans if they are looking for a premium defensive asset. Alisson - Liverpool, goalkeeper (5.5 m) Going big on keepers is not something many FPL managers see as a necessity but with Liverpool’s good run of fixtures coming up, spending that little bit more to bring in Alisson could be a rewarding transfer. Jurgen Klopp’s side restricted Everton to just 0.09 xG in their 2-0 derby win on Saturday and have fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Fulham in their next five. Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa, defeder (4.5 m) Aston Villa’s statement 4-1 win over West Ham on Sunday continued their superb start to the season as they extended their unbeaten run to six games and remain just one point off the top four. Defensively, they were a tad unfortunate to not keep a clean sheet, with Jarrod Bowen’s heavily deflected strike somehow finding the bottom corner from long range. With fixtures against Luton, Forest and Fulham in their next three, defensive returns are a high likelihood and Ezri Konsa looks to offer some value at just 4.5m. The centre-back picked up an assist against the Hammers and also has two bonus points in his last four games. Neal Maupay - Brentford, forward (4.9 m) There was a time not too long ago when few, if any, FPL users would have looked at Maupay with a transfer in mind. But fresh off an assist in his first start back at Brentford, the Frenchman could be a player rejuvenated. It remains early days but as a potential rotation option, Maupay could offer something different if you are looking to make room for a more expensive player elsewhere. Read More FPL GW9: Watkins, Gordon and five players to consider for transfers Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami Hyypia

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. Nicolo Zaniolo was named in Aston Villa’s starting line-up for the visit of West Ham despite assisting Italy’s authorities in their investigation into alleged illegal betting activity. He was the only change in Unai Emery’s side, replacing defender Diego Carlos, from Villa’s 1-1 draw at Wolves before the international break. West Ham, who are two points behind their sixth-placed hosts in the Premier League, are unchanged. The Hammers held Newcastle to a 2-2 draw last time out at the London Stadium. Follow updates from the Premier League clash, below:

Two elderly men were suited. In one case, he was much smarter than normal, dressed up for the occasion. He was the taller, more angular, with the more pronounced Northumbrian accent, but the resemblance was nonetheless apparent. He was the older, too, and had long referred to a knight of the realm as “Our Kid”. He adopted a slightly more formal approach, while seemingly choking up. “Bobby Charlton is the greatest player I’ve ever seen,” he said. “He’s me brother.” It was 15 years ago, when Jack Charlton presented his younger brother with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. The clip has an added poignancy after Bobby’s death at 86; three years ago, a couple of months after his 85th birthday, Jack had died. The brothers were different players and very different characters – the wisecracking, outspoken Jack was more of a man of the people, but Bobby’s quiet dignity gave him a statesmanlike air. They were not always close but their achievements will live on. There have been 22 men’s football World Cups and only two sets of brothers have won the most prestigious of prizes: Fritz and Ottmar Walter for West Germany in 1954, Bobby and Jack Charlton at West Germany’s expense in 1966. It remains the most famous year in English football history; perhaps it always will. At the heart of it was Bobby Charlton: the 1966 FWA Footballer of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner, named by France Football – in the days before Fifa had an official award – as the best player at the World Cup. Gary Lineker, who was a goal away from equalling Charlton’s long-standing national record of 49 for his country, called him England’s greatest ever player, Gary Neville, one of his successors as Manchester United captain, deemed him the greatest ever English player. They are not necessarily the same: but in Charlton’s case, he could be both. Perhaps only the other immortal Bobby – Moore, the 1966 captain – can challenge him for the title of the finest in an England shirt. Charlton was the second English footballer, and just the third man, to reach 100 caps. His 106th and last, in the 1970 quarter-final against West Germany, set a world record that Moore – and then many others – subsequently passed. He straddled eras – his first cap came alongside Tom Finney, who debuted in England’s first match after the Second World War, and one of the last alongside Emlyn Hughes, who represented his country in the 1980s – but defined one, a time of glory. Thirty years before Frank Skinner and David Baddiel sang about football coming home, Charlton brought it back. Their lyric – “Bobby belting the ball” – conjured images, some in colour, some in black and white, of a figure with a combover hairstyle and the cannonball shot striking the ball with beautiful ferocity, often rising throughout its way into the net. Decades before the invention of expected goals, Charlton was scoring unexpected ones. Consider his opener against Mexico, England’s first of the 1966 World Cup, from such a distance that the chance of it going in was statistically low, except for one factor: that Charlton, with such power on either foot, was hitting it. He was the master of the long-range hit: if most of Lineker’s 48 goals were predatory finishes, many of Charlton’s 49 were spectacular. Such a clean striker of a ball was not a striker at all: largely a left winger in his younger days, later the attacking-midfield fulcrum of Sir Alf Ramsey’s ‘Wingless Wonders’. He began in the old W-M formation, ended up as, in effect, the tip of a midfield diamond. It was a tactical shift, a belated move into modernity that Ramsey brought. If there was a pragmatism to England’s World Cup win, Charlton was the artist. With his brace against Portugal in the 1966 semi-final – like another double against Portuguese opposition, Benfica, in the 1968 European Cup final – he illustrated his talent could shine on the biggest of occasions. The 1966 semi-final was not seen by his father, Robert, a coal miner working a shift underground in his home town of Ashington; “his duty”, Bobby subsequently, and remarkably, reflected. On the grandest stage of all, the 1966 final, he was sacrificed, Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer deputed to man-mark each other. They received the same assignment in the 1970 quarter-final; England’s era of ascendency ended when Ramsey removed Charlton with 20 minutes remaining to save him for the semi-final, the 32-year-old distracted by the prospect of his withdrawal as Beckenbauer ran forward to reduce England’s lead to 2-1; without him, they lost 3-2. Ramsey thanked him for his service on the plane back from Mexico: Bobby knew his England career, like Jack’s, was over. It could have been still more glorious: keep Charlton on and maybe England would have prevailed in 1970. But for Garrincha’s brilliance, Charlton wondered if England would have been victorious in the 1962 quarter-final against Brazil, and then the tournament as a whole. He went to four World Cups in all, not taking the field in his first: time has rendered it more extraordinary that his England debut came in 1958, a couple of months after the Munich air disaster. He scored, too, but if a poorer performance on his third cap was understandable – it came in Belgrade, scene of the Busby Babes’ last game before Munich – it cost him his place in Walter Winterbottom’s starting 11 in Sweden. Were Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne, Tommy Taylor and Eddie Colman to have lived, perhaps England would have won more and sooner. But it was Charlton who became the emblem of English football; the face of what is now a bygone age. In its own way, it felt appropriate that a man who carried a huge responsibility for decades was the last survivor among the players at Munich; now it may be fitting that Geoff Hurst, who had the final say in 1966, is the last of Ramsey’s chosen 11, forever charged with paying tributes to his fallen comrades. And Bobby Charlton, the greatest player Jack ever saw, the greatest to have Three Lions on his shirt, took England to the summit of the global game. Read More Sir Bobby Charlton turned tragedy into triumph with unique style and perseverance Fans lay flowers and scarves at Old Trafford following death of Bobby Charlton Tributes paid to ‘giant of the game’ Sir Bobby Charlton after his death at 86 Fans lay flowers and scarves at Old Trafford following death of Bobby Charlton Manchester United fans head to Old Trafford to pay tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton Premier League managers pay tribute as Sir Bobby Charlton dies at 86

Follow live coverage as Chelsea face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League today. Last season it was Chelsea who again took the WSL title, just edging out Manchester United, while Arsenal and Manchester City are expected to be contenders in 2023/24 too. Relegated Reading have been replaced by Bristol City after they won the Championship title by a single point last term, while the likes of Liverpool, Everton and West Ham will hope for continued progression this year too. On the back of the Lionesses’ magnificent runs at Euro 2022 and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the women’s game continues to go from strength to strength with increasing crowds and exciting new signings from overseas. Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.

Follow live coverage as Everton face Manchester United in the Women’s Super League today. Last season it was Chelsea who again took the WSL title, just edging out Manchester United, while Arsenal and Manchester City are expected to be contenders in 2023/24 too. Relegated Reading have been replaced by Bristol City after they won the Championship title by a single point last term, while the likes of Liverpool, Everton and West Ham will hope for continued progression this year too. On the back of the Lionesses’ magnificent runs at Euro 2022 and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the women’s game continues to go from strength to strength with increasing crowds and exciting new signings from overseas. Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.

Conor McGregor reacted to Islam Makhachev’s stunning first-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 294 by suggesting the victory shouldn’t have stood due to illegal shots. The former UFC champion responded to Makhachev’s finish by saying Volkanovski had been put to sleep by strikes landing on the back of the Australian’s head. Midway through the first round of the main event, southpaw Makhachev skimmed his left shin off Volkanovski’s head, wobbling and dropping the featherweight king. Makhachev followed up with a fierce flurry of hammer fists to the grounded Aussie, whose brow split open amid the onslaught. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in, confirming an emphatic victory and title defence for Makhachev, the mentee and childhood friend of UFC lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov. The result extended Makhachev’s win streak to 13 fights, dating back to 2015, when he suffered the sole loss of his professional career. Meanwhile, Volkanovski was beaten for the third time as a pro, though he remains undefeated at his preferred weight of 145lbs. Watching along, McGregor posted on Twitter/X that Volkanovski was vulnerable: “He was always susceptible to that vs a southpaw,” McGregor wrote. However McGregor then responded to a fan pointing out that Volkanovski appeared to be hit on the back of his head, which is illegal. “A difficult sport to ref,” McGregor wrote, in comments that have since been deleted. “To stop that on a warning or a point deduction when volk was essentially out already is a tricky one. But there would be grounds for it, 100 per cent. Would have been nail biting stuff. “I’d have loved to see it happen. Back of the head shots are not good.” Read More Makhachev stuns Volkanovski with head-kick KO in first round at UFC 294 UFC 294 LIVE: Volkanovski vs Makhachev fight results after shock KO Islam Makhachev demands two words from Alexander Volkanovski ahead of UFC 294

Match of the Day hosts Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards paid a moving tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton after the Manchester United legend died at 86. “He was iconic, he was a legend. He was a giant of our game,” Shearer said on Saturday night (21 October). “Wherever you went in the world, everyone knew who Sir Bobby was. That sort of sums his status up. He was just incredible, and such a humble and nice guy.” Richards added that “no matter what generation” you are, Sir Bobby’s achievements will always “resonate”, while Lineker voiced a two-minute video package on the World Cup winner’s achievements.

Islam Makhachev stunned Alexander Volkanovski with a first-round knockout on Saturday, retaining the lightweight title in their rematch at UFC 294. In February, Makhachev outpointed Volkanovski – who holds the featherweight belt – in the latter’s native Australia, in a competitive clash that left many fans desiring a rematch. Few expected it to come at UFC 294, but 11 days before the event, Makhachev’s original challenger Charles Oliveira suffered a severe cut over his eye. And with that, the door opened for Volkanovski. The 35-year-old relished the chance to avenge his narrow loss to Makhachev, but there was to be no revenge for him – only a repeat as the Russian triumphed again, and in finer fashion this time. Midway through the first round of the main event, southpaw Makhachev skimmed his left shin off Volkanovski’s head, wobbling and dropping the featherweight king. Makhachev, 31, followed up with a fierce flurry of hammer fists to the grounded Aussie, whose brow split open amid the onslaught. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in, confirming an emphatic victory and title defence for Makhachev. Re-live updates and results from the UFC 294 main card and prelims, below. Read More Islam Makhachev stuns Alexander Volkanovski with head-kick KO in first round at UFC 294 UFC rankings: The Independent’s pound-for-pound fighters list Alexander Volkanovski’s gamble shows the best and worst of the UFC

Islam Makhachev stunned Alexander Volkanovski with a first-round knockout on Saturday, retaining the lightweight title in their rematch at UFC 294. In February, Makhachev outpointed Volkanovski – who holds the featherweight belt – in the latter’s native Australia, in a competitive clash that left many fans desiring a rematch. Few expected it to come at UFC 294, but 11 days before the event, Makhachev’s original challenger Charles Oliveira suffered a severe cut over his eye. And with that, the door opened for Volkanovski. The 35-year-old relished the chance to avenge his narrow loss to Makhachev, but there was to be no revenge for him – only a repeat as the Russian triumphed again, and in finer fashion this time. Midway through the first round of the main event, southpaw Makhachev skimmed his left shin off Volkanovski’s head, wobbling and dropping the featherweight king. Makhachev, 31, followed up with a fierce flurry of hammer fists to the grounded Aussie, whose brow split open amid the onslaught. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in, confirming an emphatic victory and title defence for Makhachev, the mentee and childhood friend of UFC lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov. The result extended Makhachev’s win streak to 13 fights, dating back to 2015, when he suffered the sole loss of his professional career. Meanwhile, Volkanovski was beaten for the third time as a pro, though he remains undefeated at his preferred weight of 145lbs. “Alexander The Great” rebounded from his first loss to Makhachev by stopping Yair Rodriguez in July, retaining the featherweight title against the then-interim champion. He will look to respond to his latest defeat when he takes on his next title challenger – likely Ilia Topuria in January. Meanwhile, Makhachev could be set for a rematch with Oliveira, whom he was originally due to face at UFC 294 and whom he submitted in October 2022 to win the lightweight belt. The 155lbs title was vacant at the time of that bout, which took place in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena like UFC 294, after Oliveira was stripped of the belt for missing weight in May 2022. Meanwhile, Volkanovski’s featherweight title reign dates back to 2019, when he took the belt from Max Holloway. The Australian has since outpointed Holloway a further two times, while also winning his other three title defences – against Brian Ortega on points, and against Chan Sung Jung and Rodriguez via TKO. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year UFC rankings: The Independent’s pound-for-pound fighters list When will Conor McGregor return to the UFC? UFC 294 LIVE: Volkanovski vs Makhachev fight updates and results tonight Islam Makhachev demands two words from Alexander Volkanovski ahead of UFC 294 Volkanovski vs Makhachev gamble shows the best and worst of the UFC

Sean Dyche branded Craig Dawson’s decision not to send Ibrahima Konate off in Everton’s Merseyside derby defeat bizarre and incredible as he criticised the referee and called for VAR to be used to determine bookable offences. The Liverpool defender, who was on a booking, was spared a second yellow card for a foul on Everton substitute Beto – a decision which Dyche accused Pawson of rushing to and which he felt was stunning and almost impossible. Dyche claimed he had no idea why he was booked in Everton’s 2-0 loss, which was sealed by a late brace from Mohamed Salah. He did not complain about the award of the penalty for the Egyptian’s opener, for handball against Michael Keane, but questioned the first caution Ashley Young received for his first-half red card, though he admitted the second was correct. But Konate’s reprieve, when the game was still goalless, bemused him. “I have no clue,” Dyche said. “I have asked the referee and he said he didn’t feel it was a bookable offence. I think people who were here today would be stunned it was not a second yellow.” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp promptly replaced Konate and said afterwards that the Frenchman could have been sent off and that he understood Dyche’s frustration. “Jurgen couldn’t wait to get him off because he knows,” the Everton manager said. “Fair play. I think that is an honest view. I don’t want to bleat too much because we lost. I can’t remember the last time I spoke this openly about referees but that one is incredible to me. And I got a yellow card, I don’t know what for.” Dyche was annoyed by Pawson’s swift decision-making, explained: “I have seen the footage back and within a second he is saying, ‘No chance no chance.” You aren’t giving yourself thinking time. If you give yourself 10 seconds, you think, ‘That has to be a yellow’. That is just bizarre to me. How that is not a second yellow is nearly impossible in the modern game.” Whereas Pawson was sent to the monitor to review the handball that led to the penalty, there is no scope for VAR to intervene for bookings but Dyche said: “I think there is where VAR should step in. In a game of this magnitude, I think VAR should be there to correct it.” Read More How Sean Dyche turned Everton into a better attacking team than Liverpool Northern Ireland rising star Isaac Price grateful to former boss Frank Lampard Mikel Arteta pinpoints moment Arsenal made ‘phenomenal’ response at Chelsea