24/12/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | DEC 24, 2025

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Reds rocked by Isak blow Liverpool reveal devastating injury setback in Sunday’s win at Tottenham L IVERPOOL striker Alexander Isak faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the Premier League champions revealed he had surgery on an ankle injury that placed on his return.” Isak’s injury is the latest setback in his disappointing start to his life with Liverpool. He has scored just three goals in 16 appearances since completing his protracted move to Anfield.

buy-out clause in January and then you’ve got wide players in Salah and (Cody) Gakpo, who’ve played a lot of games through the middle as well.” Isak’s injury may also sway Liverpool to keep Salah, who had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia following his recent claim that he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with Slot. Salah’s rant, which came after he was left on the bench for three successive matches, prompted Liverpool to leave him out of the squad for a Champions League match at Inter Milan. But he returned to action as a substitute against Brighton before leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations. “I think for certain now Mo Salah will be staying at the club. I think there’s a good chance Harvey Elliott will come back from his loan at Aston Villa as well,” Carragher said. – AFP City players face Christmas weigh-in

were actually one attacker short anyway,” former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports . “It’s just really bad luck for Isak. It’s probably one of the first glimpses we’ve seen of his real quality in a Liverpool shirt.” Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence collapsed after a shocking run of results, have climbed to fifth in the table after extending their unbeaten league run to five games. Speaking immediately after the game, Slot had admitted Isak’s injury was “not a good thing”. Now Slot is likely to have to plan with Isak for a sustained period. That raises the prospect of Liverpool moving for an attack in the January transfer window. Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move to Anfield and Carragher said: “I think we all know he’s got a

Napoli lift Italian Super Cup NAPOLI won the Italian Super Cup yesterday as David Neres scored twice to secure the reigning Serie A champions a 2-0 win over Bologna in the final in Jeddah. Neres finished with three goals in the Super Cup after also scoring in the 2-0 semifinal win over AC Milan last week. It is the third time Napoli have won the competition, after 1990 and 2014. “The lads deserve congratulations,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte told Sport Mediaset . “They showed how much they wanted this trophy for the fans, and we’ll also have a great Christmas celebra tion now with a new trophy in the cabinet.” Traditionally featuring the Serie A and Italian Cup champions, since 2023 the Italian Super Cup has also included the runners-up from league and cup. The four-team tournament is contracted to be held in Saudi Arabia until 2029. Napoli, who trail Serie A leaders Inter Milan by two points, return to league action on Sunday away to Cremonese (10pm FULHAM climbed away from the Premier League relegation zone and left Nottingham Forest mired in the fight for survival after Raul Jimenez’s penalty sealed a 1-0 win yesterday. Marco Silva’s side started the day just two points above fourth-bottom Forest, but Jimenez’s first half goal at Craven Cottage moved them 10 points clear of the bottom three. While Fulham’s relegation fears were eased heading into the Christmas sched ule, Forest are just five points ahead of third-bottom West Ham in the scrap to avoid crashing into the Championship. Forest had won six of their previous eight games in all competitions, with last weekend’s 3-0 victory over Tottenham seen as a sign of their improvement under new boss Sean Dyche. But Fulham punctured Forest’s positiv ity as they bounced back from their mid week League Cup quarterfinal loss at Newcastle. Fulham were without Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, who are representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations. But that didn’t stop the Cottagers from clinching successive league wins after beating Burnley last weekend. “We are very happy and pleased for the SIDENETTING includes a fibula fracture on Monday. Isak, signed from Newcastle for a British record £125 million (RM686m) in September, suffered the injury in the process of scoring in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Tottenham on Sunday. The 26-year-old was tackled by Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven and limped off immediately after his goal. “Alexander Isak today successfully underwent surgery on the injury he sustained on Saturday (Sun, Dec 21),” a Liverpool statement said. “After diagnosis, an operation was completed today on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture. “Isak’s rehabilitation will now continue at the AXA Training Centre, with no timeframe yet

A dispute with Newcastle meant he did not have a proper pre-season programme and arrived at Liverpool well behind his teammates in terms of fitness. His season was then interrupted by a groin injury. Isak’s absence will be a major blow for Reds boss Arne Slot, with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo not ready to return from a muscle injury until early in the new year. It leaves Slot with Hugo Ekitike, who has five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa as his only senior forwards. “It’s a huge blow because I think Liverpool

Penalty king Jimenez helps Fulham sink Forest

three points. They are massive for us,” Silva said. “We spoke before the match about how it’s going to be important for us to win again at home, and to have back-to-back league victories.” Dyche added: “That killer instinct was not there tonight. It’s a reminder if you’re not at it, the game will go against you. “We got into good moments, but never really threatened. We have to do the basics better.” Forest striker Igor Jesus had scored twice in his previous four appearances, but the Brazilian blazed wastefully over after Callum Hudson-Odoi’s pass picked him out eight yards from goal. Igor Jesus squandered another chance moments later with a hesitant touch that allowed Joachim Andersen to snuff out the danger with a last-ditch tackle. Fulham finally had some momentum and they took the lead with their first shot on target deep into firsthalf stoppage time. Luiz’s trip on Kevin conceded the penalty and Jimenez stepped up to send John Victor the wrong way from the spot. Jimenez has now scored all 11 penalties he has taken in the Premier League. Igor Jesus went close to a Forest equal iser early in the second half with a chip that drifted just over. – AFP

Fulham’s Raul Jimenez (right) scores their first goal from the

MANCHESTER CITY’S players face a Christmas Day weigh-in to check they have not over-indulged over the festive period – with Pep Guardiola warning they will be dropped if they have piled on the pounds. City enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win over Premier League strugglers West Ham last weekend to keep the pressure on leaders Arsenal. But Guardiola, who has won six league titles during his spell at the Etihad, is famously demanding, revealing his men had been weighed before their short break. “Every player makes a weight,” said the City boss. “They come back on the 25th and I will be there controlling how many kilos come up, (to see if) they come fatty. “The moment they arrive after three days I want to see how they come back. They can eat but I want to control them.” The Spaniard said players who returned to the club overweight would not play against Forest on Saturday (8.30pm Malaysian time). “Imagine one player and now he’s per fect but he will arrive with three kilos more. He will (stay) in Manchester,” he said. “He will not travel to Nottingham Forest.” Guardiola said it was important his men relaxed during a packed calendar as he heads to Barcelona for a brief rest. “The schedule is so tight and the play ers have to forget,”he said.“The more they arrive in the right moment (the better). The moment of the game they will be fresh in the legs. “The players have to go with the fami lies and forget football. It’s good. For them to see the manager every day – that’s so tough.” The famously exacting City boss refused his players a day off after their win on Dec 20, unhappy with the level of per formance despite a fifth straight league victory. “The players asked me to take a day off. I said, ‘No because you didn’t play good enough,’” he said. “So Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and after three days off they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.” – AFP

penalty spot during the English Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

sion comes two months after Spain’s La Liga shelved plans to hold a Barcelona match in Miami in the United States due to “uncertainty” about the game within Spain. Neymar surgery successful NEYMAR has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee, his club Santos said yesterday, as the winger bids to get back to full fitness and earn a place in the Brazil squad for next year’s World Cup. In a statement yesterday, Santos said the surgery was performed by the Brazilian national team’s doctor Rodrigo Lasmar. “An arthroscopy was performed to treat a medial meniscus injury. The surgery was a success, and the athlete is doing well,” they added. Santos did not provide a timeline for his return, though Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte reported his recovery would take up to a month. In October, national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti said he must be fit if he is to earn a recall to the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Malaysian time). Bologna are at home to Sassuolo (Mon, 1am). Serie A match in Australia scrapped THE plan to relocate the Italian league match between AC Milan and Como to Perth, Australia, in early February has been cancelled, organisers announced Monday, following criticism of the pro ject. “Plans for Perth to host the first-ever European league fixture played outside its national borders are off by mutual agreement,” Italy’s Serie A and the government of Western Australia said in a joint statement. “Both parties have come to this decision due to financial risks that could not be mitigated, onerous approval conditions, and last-minute com plications beyond their control.”The match was due to be held in Perth on Feb 8. Milan’s San Siro sta dium is out of commission on that date because it is hosting the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics two days earlier. The proposed relocation had come under attack from Milan’s France interna tionals Adrien Rabiot and Mike Maignan. The deci