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Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah insists he has achieved nothing yet because he is not classed as one of the world’s greats. The defender has made his Anfield breakthrough this season and earned the faith of boss Jurgen Klopp. The manager said this month he was surprised about his rapid rise, with Liverpool having considered sending Quansah out on loan again after he spent the second half of last season with Bristol Rovers in League One. But the England Under-21 international, who made his Young Lions debut last month, has now made nine appearances for the Reds this season. However, it is not enough for the ambitious 20-year-old, who wants to make a lasting mark on the game. He said: “No (his season has not exceeded expectations), because no-one has said ‘Jarell Quansah is one of the best players in the world’ yet. “No-one’s said ‘he’s a top centre-back’. No-one’s said ‘he’s all this’, so until I’m regarded as at least one of the best players in the Premier League, then there is no reason for me to sit on what I’ve got and go ‘Oh yeah, I’ve played nine games for Liverpool’. That’s never been the end goal. “I’ve always just wanted to be a winner. I’ve hated losing since I was young. I used to cry when I lost. When I lose, it still ruins my weekend and stuff like that. “There is no point in setting goals that you think you could reach. You might as well just set a goal that maybe looks out of reach but you never know what you can get to. “Surprised could be deemed an interesting word but I think he (Klopp) means I wasn’t expected to be there yet. “I don’t think it was ‘It’s a surprise, I’ve trained with him before and he’s not a good player’. It was about how soon it’s come and how I’ve dealt with the adversity I have been thrown into. “It’s not expected from being on loan at Bristol Rovers to going straight into the first team, and to do as well as I did. That’s where the surprise came from.” Quansah made his debut in Liverpool’s late 2-1 win at Newcastle in August, coming on as a substitute for the injured Joel Matip after Virgil Van Dijk was sent off. He also had a goal disallowed in the Reds’ 3-2 Europa League defeat in Toulouse last week, while Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all offered words of wisdom. He said: “They just say enjoy it. It sounds so simple and cliche but it is easy for young centre-halves to not play their game, play safe and not do what they do at other levels just because it is a step up. “Them saying that relaxes you a bit, so when I get told to enjoy it I can be free and just play. I don’t have to worry about making mistakes because they’re going to happen. “I can’t remember the last player who had a perfect career and never made a mistake, that is going to happen and that is the way you learn best so just enjoy myself and do the best I can.” Now, Quansah is preparing to travel to Serbia on Friday for Saturday’s Euro 2025 qualifier in Backa Topola, before returning to face Northern Ireland at Goodison Park on Tuesday in Group F. Lee Carsley’s side are second in the group following last month’s late 3-2 defeat to Ukraine, having smashed Serbia 9-1 at the City Ground. The loss to Ukraine in Poland, after levelling at 2-2 having been 2-0 down, was just England’s third in qualifying since 2011 but Quansah is happy to learn the lessons. He said: “We didn’t lock the game down as the way we should have and their goal was a sucker punch. “Things are definitely going to be different (in Serbia), it’s always tough going away from home as we found out against Ukraine.” Read More Liam Dawson sees promise in fellow spinner Rehan Ahmed but calls for patience Expanded Vitality Blast Off will return to kick off new domestic T20 schedule Damien Comolli says Toulouse’s entire football operation ‘driven by data’ No end to pursuit of the world’s best players, Saudi Pro League official says Basketball coach says sport can play big role in developing skills of youngsters Newcastle, Man Utd and West Ham target Leverkusen defender

Toulouse president Damien Comolli insists that his club’s use of data is the reason behind their success rather than “football wisdom”. The entire football operation of the Ligue 1 club, who beat Liverpool in the Europa League last week, is entirely driven by data, from player and manager recruitment to which set-pieces to use in a match and when. It is bearing fruit as promotion from Ligue 2 in 2022 was followed by success in last season’s Coupe de France, which earned them their ticket to European football this season. And Comolli, who worked at Tottenham and Liverpool as sporting director, believes all their success comes from their use and understanding of the data. “Our whole football operation is driven by data, whether it his how we recruit a coach or sign a player, the way we play, the way we attack, the way we defend, from where we shoot, from where we cross, where we press,” Comolli said at Web Summit in Lisbon. “We try to optimise the wage bill and transfer budget using data. Data is part of our culture. “Where we gain a competitive advantage is we have decided to stick by data compared to the football wisdom. We are very disciplined at it. “At the moment we are struggling in the league, doing well in Europe. But with underlying data, we don’t look at results. “The day after the game, none of the pages of the match report will contain the result. It will show the underlying data, why we lost or why we won. “We need a bridge between the mathematics and science and the football people. Those individuals that can translate the data that is applicable to coaches and understandable to everyone, that bridge is absolutely key.” The use of data and artificial intelligence is quickly becoming more prominent in today’s game and Comolli believes it will have a big impact in the future of the game. He thinks that it will be particularly important in injury prevention. “In the last four seasons our player availability for per game has been at 95 per cent, the highest in France,” Comolli added. “We are constantly using data to measure player’s loads, we are are using AI to measure in-game data. “In the future it will help coaches make better decisions, when to make a substitution, when to make a tactical adjustment or not make one. “We played at Anfield, we were losing 4-1, our best striker was still on the pitch and we had a game a few days later. I messaged the analyst, ‘Why is he still on the pitch?’. “His data was showing he was in the red, so we brought him off. He went on to score in the next four games, maybe if we played him for longer he would have got injured or fatigued.” Read More No end to pursuit of the world’s best players, Saudi Pro League official says Basketball coach says sport can play big role in developing skills of youngsters Newcastle, Man Utd and West Ham target Leverkusen defender Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes On this day in 2011: Martin Johnson resigns as England team manager Anthony Joshua sees Otto Wallin as stepping stone on way to title fight

The Saudi Pro League will target players “of the highest level” in future transfer windows, its head of recruitment has said. Top-flight Saudi Arabian clubs spent £701million to bring in talent from overseas in the summer,’ according to FIFA. That figure could have been even bigger if bids from Saudi teams for Paris St Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah had been accepted. Michael Emenalo, the league’s director of football and the man in charge of the country’s Player Acquisition Centre for Excellence (PACE), admitted the Saudi league had “competed aggressively” in the summer window and that the focus was now on top-quality additions. “I’m hoping (the January transfer window) is not very busy, because I think the job that was done has been quite interesting and aggressive, and most of the clubs, I believe, have what they need,” the former Chelsea technical director said in an interview with the league’s in-house media team. “And hopefully the attention will now turn to work within the training facilities to improve these players and to allow the time to adapt and perform. “Now, whatever additional improvement that we need to do for any club, with time on our hands and preparation, we believe will be additions of the highest level. “We will continue to support and to see every opportunity we have to bring more talented individuals that want to come to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is open for business.” Saudi clubs have always traditionally been one of the top recruiters of talent in Asia but Al Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in January of this year marked a gear shift and paved the way for other superstars to join the league. Neymar, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves and Sadio Mane are among the big names who subsequently moved to the kingdom in the summer. Emenalo added: “These guys have been the best performers for a very long time in our industry. We’re very, very lucky to have them. “I’ve always explained, privately and publicly, that top-level footballers are incredible and unique artists, and what they can do, you can only dream of until you try to do it, when you realise how difficult it is. “Those guys are exceptional artists, and the artists as time goes on will be greatly appreciated and copied by youngsters in the country and that will be for the good of everyone.” Read More Damien Comolli says Toulouse’s entire football operation ‘driven by data’ Basketball coach says sport can play big role in developing skills of youngsters Newcastle, Man Utd and West Ham target Leverkusen defender Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes On this day in 2011: Martin Johnson resigns as England team manager Anthony Joshua sees Otto Wallin as stepping stone on way to title fight

Scotland travel to Georgia for their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier, although Steve Clarke’s sides have already safely secured their passage to next summer’s tournament. Scotland’s marvellous start to qualifying saw them win their first five games, eventually securing their place at Euro 2024 when Spain beat Norway 1-0 last month, The visitors, however, have lost their last three games - against England, Spain and France - and will look to return to winning ways before their final qualifier against Norway on Sunday. Georgia, meanwhile, sit fourth in the group and will be looking for a win to draw level with Norway and boost their chances of a place in the playoffs Here’s everything you need to know. Get the latest match odds and tips here. When is Georgia vs Scotland? Georgia vs Scotland is due to kick off at 5pm GMT on Thursday 16 November at the Boris Paichadze National Stadium. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match on ViaPlay Sports 1, with coverage starting at 4:30pm. All of Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers are being shown on ViaPlay, which requires a ViaPlay Total pass subscription. The match can be accessed by downloading the ViaPlay app or through providers such as Sky, Virgin Media or Prime Video. It can also be streamed directly on the ViaPlay website. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Early team news Georgia’s squad remains settled, with few replacements or changes due to injury. They will, however, be without Basel midfielder Gabriel Sigua after the 18-year-old picked up a knock. Scotland, however, have to contend with a mounting injury list after striker Che Adams became the latest to pull out of the squad due to a groin issue, with Lawrence Shankland replacing him. At full-back, the visitors also have a host of absentees, with Kieran Tierney, Aaron Hickey and captain Andy Robertson all unavailable due to long-term injuries. Predicted line-ups Georgia XI: Mamardashvili, Mamuchashvili, Lochoshvili, Kashia, Kvirkvelia, Azarovi, Kiteishvili, Kvevkveskiri, Chakvetadze; Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia. Scotland XI: Clark, Hendry, McKenna, Cooper, Patterson, Gilmour, McTominay, Taylor, McGinn, Christie, Dykes. Odds Georgia win 12/5 Draw 9/4 Scotland win 11/10 Prediction Scotland to continue their good form with a narrow away win. Georgia 0-1 Scotland. Read More Clarke targets winning return for Scotland after back-to-back defeats David Beckham meets India cricket star Virat Kohli ahead of World Cup semi-final Newcastle, Man Utd and West Ham target Leverkusen defender David Beckham meets India cricket star Virat Kohli ahead of World Cup semi-final Newcastle, Man Utd and West Ham target Leverkusen defender Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes

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South Africa has won the toss and opted to bat first against Australia in the Cricket World Cup semifinal as it chases a so-far elusive spot in the championship match

Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz broke the Netflix Cup after beating his rivals at the inaugural golf tournament. While taking his turn to show off the trophy with his partner, pro golfer Justin Thomas, Sainz dropped the trophy on the floor. Clutching a bottle of champagne in his other hand, Sainz was chatting on stage when the cup slipped out of his grip. He stood with his hands on his head after the incident, which drew gasps from the crowd. The event saw Netflix mix two of its flagship sporting docuseries, F1’s Drive to Survive and golf’s Full Swing. Read More Cole Palmer questioned move from Man City to Chelsea for ‘every minute of the day’ VAR audio from controversial Newcastle goal against Arsenal released by PGMOL Moment Liverpool star Luis Diaz reunites with father after 12-day hostage ordeal

What the papers say Newcastle are considering a January move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, according to The Sun. Manchester United and West Ham are also keen on the German international, 27. RB Leipzig have opened the door for Timo Werner to exit the club, according to the Evening Standard. The former Chelsea forward, 27, has started only two games this season. The Standard also reports that Chelsea are the latest club to take an interest in 18-year-old South American midfielder Gabriel Moscardo. The Corinthians teenager has already attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool. Jadon Sancho is unlikely to be allowed to leave Manchester United on the cheap. The Daily Mirror says the club will not sanction a cut-price January deal for the England winger, 23. Social media round-up Players to watch Ferran Torres: Newcastle are interested in the Spanish forward, with Barcelona keen to sell the 23-year-old. Evan Ferguson: Manchester United are keeping an eye on the 19-year-old striker, despite him signing a new deal with Brighton. Read More On this day in 2011: Martin Johnson resigns as England team manager Emma Hayes felt Chelsea were ‘robbed’ of victory against Real Madrid Anthony Joshua sees Otto Wallin as a stepping stone on his way to a title fight

The Sacramento Kings overcame LeBron James’ 108th career triple-double and the Lakers’ fourth-quarter comeback for their fourth straight victory, 125-110

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Joel Kiviranta and Andrew Cogliano scored 21 seconds apart in a five-goal third period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Anaheim Ducks 8-2

Devin Booker scored 31 points in his return from a calf injury, Kevin Durant also scored 31 and the Phoenix Suns cruised past the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-115 on Wednesday night