James O'Brien 
Both winless sides, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium early in the Premier League campaign. Villa, under Unai Emery, have integrated ten new signings after a £250m spend, while Spurs have also added ten players for over £300m but struggle for goals. The match is seen as a crucial test to spark their seasons.
Brentford kept their unbeaten run in the Premier League by scoring three second‑half goals to defeat Chelsea 3‑0 at the Gtech Community Stadium. The victory solidified their strong start to the season and highlighted their attacking prowess.
Wakefield Trinity recorded a dominant 26-16 victory over Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League play‑off eliminator, advancing to their first Super League semi‑final. The win was highlighted by tries from Smoothy, Johnstone, Vagana and Faatili, and a 500th point penalty by Max Jowitt, despite a red card for Emre Guler.
British boxer Hamzah Sheeraz has pulled out of his mandatory defence against Kazakhstan’s Janibek Alimkhanuly and given up the WBO super‑middleweight title. The decision follows a purse‑bid won by Queensberry Promotions, but the champion elected not to proceed, prompting the WBO to confirm his vacating of the belt.
York Valkyrie held off Leeds Rhinos 12‑8 at AMT Headingley Stadium in the Betfred Women’s Super League semi‑final, securing a spot in the Grand Final against Wigan Warriors. Tries from Liv Wood and Adaoha Akwiwu, plus goal‑kicking from Tara‑Jane Stanley, proved decisive, while Leeds struggled with errors and missed opportunities.
England fast bowler Brydon Carse will face no further police action after Derbyshire Police closed their assault investigation. The incident saw him arrested, de‑arrested and subsequently dropped from England’s Test and white‑ball squads, prompting comments from captain Joe Root and coach Brendon McCullum.
Oxford United issued a public apology after a newly released Campus Clothing shirt printed with “United 93” was criticised for evoking the 9/11 Flight 93 tragedy. The club said the design was intended to reference its 1893 founding year, withdrew the range and pledged to improve its approval processes.
Yorkshire bowled out Somerset for 101, winning by 185 runs at Headingley. The loss leaves Somerset with only three points, effectively ending their hopes of winning the County Championship.
Manchester United Women have endured a difficult start to the WSL, losing 2-1 to London City Lionesses and 5-0 to Chelsea. Manager Eva Olid acknowledged the constructive criticism and emphasized that the early setbacks are part of a longer-term rebuilding process as she implements a new possession‑based style.
The Buffalo Bills inaugurated their $2.2 bn Highmark Stadium with a dominant 41‑31 win over the Detroit Lions. Quarterback Josh Allen starred, accounting for four touchdowns – two on the ground and two through the air – as the Bills took an early 21‑0 lead and never looked back.