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Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing

LONDON: Jude Bellingham was left out of England’s squad on Friday for upcoming games against Wales and Latvia, two days after being named as the national team’s player of the year. The Real Madrid midfielder has recently returned after around two months out following shoulder surgery, featuring in the Spanish champion’s last four games in all competitions. However, Bellingham wasn’t included in a 24-man squad selected by head coach Thomas Tuchel that also saw fellow attacking midfielder Phil Foden, who has rediscovered his form at Manchester City, left out. Bellingham, one of the most high-profile players in world soccer, is the big omission, though.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been ruled out until after this month’s international break after injuring his hamstring in the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray. The Brazil international was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th minute of the game in Istanbul — Liverpool’s second straight defeat after they started the season with seven successive wins in all competitions. Manager Arne Slot confirmed on Friday his number one goalkeeper would not be fit to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend. “Alisson is not a part of the squad tomorrow and he’s not going to travel to Brazil as well for the national team,” he said. Slot said it was difficult to put a timescale on when the goalkeeper, 33, would return. “I would be surprised if he would be there in the first game after the international break, but from there on sometimes things can go a bit faster or a bit slower,” he added. “It’s difficult to say the amount of days and weeks, but for the upcoming games he will not be part of us or the Brazil team.” Slot said forward Hugo Ekitike, who also came off with an injury in the second half in Turkiye, would train on Friday and would be assessed. Liverpool remain top of the Premier League despite last week’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace — two points clear of second-placed Arsenal.

Alex Pereira attempts to retake title from Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320

LAS VEGAS: Before Alex Pereira’s loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March, it looked as if the Brazilian knockout artist had given in to the temptations that come with being the sport’s most marketable fighter. At times, it became a common joke among fans and fighters about how visible Pereira was during his camp. At UFC 320 on Saturday, Pereira will get what could very well be the final chance in his storied career to reclaim the light heavyweight title belt. Since Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1 no contest) beat Pereira (12-3-0) earlier this year, some visible bad blood has festered between the fighters in their interactions. With his reputation at risk and with a fighter who clearly irritates him holding the title he recently elevated to prominence, Pereira steps into the Saturday fight with a hunger that was missing in March.

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

LOMBOK: Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez fell twice on Friday in a crash-filled practice for the Indonesia MotoGP as Marco Bezzecchi clocked a blistering fastest time. Spanish great Marquez took a spill early on in the afternoon session, sliding off the track, before returning only to suffer a heavier crash after a wobble threw him off his Ducati. The 32-year-old was able to recover but could only set the 11th-fastest time, leaving him out of the top 10 and dropping into the first round of qualifying on Saturday for the first time this season. It was instead Aprilia’s Bezzecchi who set the standard in humid conditions at the Mandalika track on the resort island of Lombok. The Italian, fourth in the overall standings, recorded a best time of 1min 29.24sec, 0.408sec ahead of Ducati’s Fermin Aldeguer and 0.424sec faster than KTM’s Pedro Acosta. Marquez will be joined in Q1 by two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia, third in the championship standings, who struggled to a 17th-fastest time. Marquez, who has already set a single-season points record for a MotoGP rider, can still reach the second qualifying round if he finishes fastest or second-fastest in the first qualifying session. His brother Alex, second in the overall standings, also went down in a painful crash but his bike bore the brunt of the damage.

Max Verstappen has the momentum in the F1 title fight in Singapore as McLaren stumbles

It’s the one race on this year’s Formula 1 calendar that Max Verstappen has never won. It could be crucial to his chances of a series comeback. Verstappen heads into this week’s Singapore Grand Prix with back-to-back wins which have made a fifth consecutive title go from near-impossible to merely unlikely. Meanwhile, standings leader Oscar Piastri had an awful weekend at the last race in Azerbaijan, title rival Lando Norris couldn’t capitalize, and their McLaren team has started making mistakes at pit stops. Verstappen is “genuinely a challenger,” Norris said Thursday.

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Jude Bellingham left out of England squad by coach Tuchel. Phil Foden also missing

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break

Alex Pereira attempts to retake title from Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320

World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice

Max Verstappen has the momentum in the F1 title fight in Singapore as McLaren stumbles

‘Secret weapon’: PFL MENA champion Omar El-Dafrawy credits daily discipline for success

Record-breaking Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ‘continues to raise the bar,’ says Ethara CEO Saif Al-Noaimi

Al-Ittihad manager Laurent Blanc voices frustration after 2-0 loss to Al-Nassr in Saudi Professional League