Injury-hit Liverpool Produce 'Fireworks' to Blow Away Luton

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah marked his return with a goal against Brentford © Adrian DENNIS / AFP
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah marked his return with a goal against Brentford © Adrian DENNIS / AFP
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Injury-hit Liverpool Produce 'Fireworks' to Blow Away Luton

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah marked his return with a goal against Brentford © Adrian DENNIS / AFP
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah marked his return with a goal against Brentford © Adrian DENNIS / AFP

Jurgen Klopp said his injury-ravaged Liverpool produced "fireworks" to come from a goal down to beat Luton 4-1 and open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League on Wednesday.

Chiedozie Ogbene had given the Hatters a shock first-half lead against a Liverpool side missing Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota among others.

Dutch international duo Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo turned the game on its head in two minutes just before the hour mark before Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott secured the win.

Victory takes Klopp's men four points clear of Manchester City and five ahead of third-placed Arsenal, but having played a game more than both their title rivals.

"How the stadium and team together changed that game is exceptional," said Klopp, AFP reported.

"We just have to be calmer in the decisive moments Once we became calmer there were fireworks. My word they were fantastic goals. It is a fantastic night."

Liverpool's squad was already stretched by injuries prior to loss of Curtis Jones, Jota and Nunez in the first-half of Saturday's 4-1 win at Brentford.

Salah scored on his return from a hamstring injury at the weekend, but was forced on as a substitute earlier than planned and suffered a setback that kept him out.

Klopp was already without Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara due to injury and the Reds were forced to work harder for the three points than they would have wished just days before Sunday's League Cup final against Chelsea.

However, Salah and Nunez could be fit in time to feature at Wembley.

"We have to see, but I said it before the game as long as we have 11 players we will go for it," added Klopp.

Luton held Liverpool 1-1 when the sides met at Kenilworth Road in November and have made a habit of ruffling the feathers of the Premier League's elite on their return to the top flight.

However, the visitors barely posed a threat other than when they went in front on 12 minutes.

Tahith Chong burst into the Liverpool box and when his powerful shot was parried by the legs of Caoimhin Kelleher, Ogbene headed in at the far post.

All of Liverpool's chances before the break fell to Diaz, but the Colombian was wasteful with his six shots on goal.

Klopp was whipping up the Anfield crowd at every opportunity and his side finally opened the floodgates on 56 minutes.

Captain Van Dijk led by example as he shrugged off his marker to power in Alexis Mac Allister's corner.

"The reaction shown today was outstanding and something we need for the rest of the season," said Van Dijk. "Today was a big one!"

Mac Allister was the creator again seconds later as Luton again switched off from a dead ball.

Conor Bradley's throw-in picked out the Argentine midfielder and his volleyed cross was headed in by Gakpo.

Only some heroics from Thomas Kaminski denied Gakpo and Van Dijk their second goals of the night as Liverpool continued to surge forward, even with the lead.

And an animated Klopp could finally relax 19 minutes from time when Diaz this time kept his composure to slot home his 10th goal of the season.

Elliott then rounded off the scoring on his 100th Liverpool appearance by blasting a loose ball into the top corner.

Defeat leaves Luton still in the relegation zone on goal difference.

"In the second half we played into their hands and their counter pressing was incredible, we experienced that full throttle football," said Luton boss Rob Edwards.

"We knew today was going to be a really big task. We showed for long periods we are a good team and we can compete."



Real Madrid Beat Valencia to Stay on Barcelona’s Heels

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Alvaro Carreras, right, and Brahim Diaz after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Valencia and Real Madrid in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Alvaro Carreras, right, and Brahim Diaz after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Valencia and Real Madrid in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP)
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Real Madrid Beat Valencia to Stay on Barcelona’s Heels

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Alvaro Carreras, right, and Brahim Diaz after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Valencia and Real Madrid in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Alvaro Carreras, right, and Brahim Diaz after scoring his side's second goal during the Spanish LaLiga match between Valencia and Real Madrid in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP)

Real Madrid stayed within one point of LaLiga leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday as second-half goals by Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe settled a largely uneventful contest.

Real dominated possession but found chances hard to come by, with Valencia keeper Stole Dimitrievski rarely called into action as the visitors struggled to turn control into threat.

It took them until the 65th minute to break the deadlock through Carreras before Mbappe wrapped up the points in stoppage time.

Barcelona lead the table on 58 points, with Real second on 57. Valencia are 17th, a point above the relegation zone.

Mbappe offered the main outlet with sporadic ‌runs down the ‌left but clear openings were limited.

Real coach Alvaro ‌Arbeloa ⁠was forced ‌to improvise, missing suspended winger Vinicius Jr and injured trio Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Eder Militao.

The absences opened the door for academy players Raul Asensio, David Jimenez and Gonzalo Garcia to start, with Mbappe providing the lone spark for an uninspiring Real side.

The deadlock was broken through fullback Carreras in a fortunate turn of events.

Making an ambitious run into the box, Carreras was dispossessed by Valencia's defenders, but ⁠the attempted clearance ricocheted back off him and fortuitously fell at his feet.

The 22-year-old was quickest ‌to react, sweeping a low shot into the bottom-left ‍corner.

Valencia offered little in response and ‍Real sealed the points in added time. Substitute Brahim Diaz launched a ‍counter-attack down the left and slid a low cross into the area for Mbappe, who finished first time from close range.

It was the France forward's 23rd league goal, leaving him eight goals clear at the top of the scoring charts.

“Playing at Valencia is always like going to the dentist," Arbeloa told reporters.

"We knew how difficult the match would be, how demanding they would be. ⁠It was a very serious and committed match. I'm happy.

"We can certainly raise our game in terms of brilliance. We have a lot of room for improvement. But a team is built on solidity and commitment. (Thibaut) Courtois didn't make a single save today. Dedication, commitment, sacrifice. Madrid demonstrated those values once again today."

Elsewhere on Sunday, Atletico Madrid slipped further adrift in the title race after a 1-0 home loss to Real Betis.

Antony struck in the 28th minute with a fierce effort from the edge of the box, earning Manuel Pellegrini's side a valuable victory as they bolstered their push for European qualification.

Atletico are a distant third ‌in the table on 45 points, three points ahead of fourth-placed Villarreal, who have two games in hand. Betis sit fifth on 38 points.


Australia Humiliated by Ecuador in Davis Cup Qualifier

Tennis - Davis Cup - Qualifiers  - Ecuador v Australia - Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador - February 8, 2026 Team Ecuador celebrate winning the doubles match between Ecuador's Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo, and  Australia's Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson REUTERS/Cristina Vega
Tennis - Davis Cup - Qualifiers - Ecuador v Australia - Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador - February 8, 2026 Team Ecuador celebrate winning the doubles match between Ecuador's Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo, and Australia's Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson REUTERS/Cristina Vega
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Australia Humiliated by Ecuador in Davis Cup Qualifier

Tennis - Davis Cup - Qualifiers  - Ecuador v Australia - Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador - February 8, 2026 Team Ecuador celebrate winning the doubles match between Ecuador's Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo, and  Australia's Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson REUTERS/Cristina Vega
Tennis - Davis Cup - Qualifiers - Ecuador v Australia - Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador - February 8, 2026 Team Ecuador celebrate winning the doubles match between Ecuador's Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo, and Australia's Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson REUTERS/Cristina Vega

Australia slumped to their worst Davis Cup result under long-serving captain Lleyton Hewitt, suffering a 3-1 humiliation away to lowly Ecuador in the first round of qualifiers on Sunday.

With Australia's number one Alex De Minaur opting out of the tie in Quito, the 28-times champions crashed out when Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson were beaten 7-6(5) 6-4 by Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo in the decisive doubles rubber.

Lacking a player in the top 200, Ecuador set up their unlikely triumph on home clay by claiming ⁠both the opening singles rubbers on Saturday.

Alvaro Guillen Meza downed Hijikata in three sets before 257th-ranked Andres Andrade shocked world number 86 James Duckworth, also in three, Reuters reported.

Ecuador next face Britain in the second round of qualifiers in September.

With De Minaur leading the charge, Australia reached back-to-back finals in 2022-23 and ⁠the semi-finals in 2024.

However, the Ecuador shock continues the team's decline following their failure to reach the eight-nation Finals in 2025, Hewitt's 10th year in charge.

India's Dhakshineswar Suresh won both his singles matches and partnered Yuki Bhambri to victory in the doubles as India beat Netherlands 3-2 in Bengaluru.

The 25-year-old held his nerve under immense pressure in the final rubber against Guy de Ouden to win 6-4 7-6 (4) and guide India to the second round of qualifiers ⁠for the first time since the new Davis Cup format began in 2019.

“It’s just a different feeling when you’re playing for your country,” Suresh, who has a world ranking of 470, told the Davis Cup website after the win. “You are not playing for yourself, you’re playing for the whole nation."

India meet South Korea in the next round in September after the Koreans defeated Argentina 3-2. The United States beat Hungary 4-0 while Britain also secured a 4-0 win over Norway and Canada beat Brazil 3-2.


Saudi Arabia: RCU Partners with ASICS to Support Sports Development

The MoU was signed at the Cultural Oasis in AlUla. SPA
The MoU was signed at the Cultural Oasis in AlUla. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: RCU Partners with ASICS to Support Sports Development

The MoU was signed at the Cultural Oasis in AlUla. SPA
The MoU was signed at the Cultural Oasis in AlUla. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ASICS, aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation to support the development of AlUla’s sports ecosystem and enhance talent pathways, in line with RCU’s long-term vision and future ambitions.

The MoU, signed at the Cultural Oasis in AlUla, establishes a framework for future collaboration through which RCU will explore opportunities to leverage ASICS’ technical, operational, and specialized advisory expertise across sports development and performance services, including assessment and analysis, to enhance the quality of sporting experiences in AlUla.

The cooperation includes joint efforts to support a more integrated sports ecosystem through initiatives that strengthen training environments, enhance athletic performance, and advance athlete development pathways and talent programs. RCU and ASICS will also explore opportunities to develop distinctive events and initiatives and attract regional and international competitions that contribute to AlUla’s growing profile on global sporting calendars.

The MoU further supports collaboration on community engagement through grassroots programs and social impact initiatives that encourage participation and wellbeing. It also enables exploration of digital enhancements that improve event delivery and participant engagement, including smarter registration, data management, and participant tracking for the AlUla Trail Race and other events across AlUla’s calendar.

This step is part of RCU’s ongoing efforts to develop the sports ecosystem in AlUla and increase community participation in sporting activities, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to advance the sports sector and enhance the quality of life.