Chelsea ended a disastrous six-match Premier League losing streak by coming from behind to secure a battling 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield ahead of the FA Cup final.

The West London club were facing the grim prospect of becoming the first team in English football history to lose seven consecutive league matches before a Wembley showpiece.

Things looked bleak for the visitors when Ryan Gravenberch curled home a sixth-minute opener for the hosts.

However, the struggling Blues hit back swiftly to level the contest when Enzo Fernandez watched his floated free-kick drift into the net.

With a daunting clash against Manchester City awaiting them on Saturday, interim head coach Calum McFarlane desperately needed to halt his side’s alarming slide.

Tactical shift provides Wembley blueprint

Spanish defender Marc Cucurella praised his teammates’ fighting spirit following weeks of deep depression at Stamford Bridge.

“I don’t think it was probably our best moments, but we showed if we play together then we have a good level,”

the former Brighton full-back told TNT Sports.

“We are happy that we showed we’re a really good team if we put in the effort and fight together.”

This vital point arrives after a chaotic period that saw Liam Rosenior depart his managerial post amid rumours of a dressing room disconnect.

A subsequent 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest only deepened the crisis in McFarlane’s first game in temporary charge.

Colwill return brings defensive calm

In a bid to stop the bleeding, the interim boss deployed a back three for only the fourth time across the entire campaign.

This tactical shape had previously yielded little success under Rosenior, but the long-awaited return of Levi Colwill provided instant stability.

Making his first start in ten months following a lengthy injury absence, the 23-year-old England international brought immediate composure in possession.

“I thought Levi was the best player on the pitch,”

stated an impressed McFarlane.

“He gives you the ability to play out from the back, he’s a leader and that was his first 90 minutes in a long time.”

The commanding centre-back partnered Wesley Fofana and Dutchman Jorrel Hato, who was recalled to the starting lineup after displaying rare consistency during a difficult run.

This reshuffled defensive system ultimately allowed Cucurella to push higher up the pitch, offering a potential strategic masterclass to deploy against Pep Guardiola’s formidable champions this weekend.

Spanish cyclist Paula Blasi secured her first Grand Tour title by winning the women’s Vuelta a Espana on the punishing slopes of L’Angliru.

The 23-year-old UAE Team ADQ rider began the final day second in the general classification behind the Netherlands’ Anna van der Breggen.

However, the former athletics competitor managed to drop the four-time Giro d’Italia champion on the vicious final ascent, which features gradients of up to 23%.

Crossing the line in second place behind stage winner Petra Stiasny was enough to hand the home favourite the overall crown.

A brutal decider on L’Angliru

The tour’s decisive moment arrived just four kilometres from the summit of one of cycling’s most notoriously difficult climbs.

French rider Marion Bunel launched a fierce attack that only the eventual champion could follow, leaving the struggling race leader behind.

This historic stage marked the very first time the feared Asturias road had been included in the women’s edition of the Spanish tour.

“It was crazy,” Blasi said of the climb after her victory. “The best thing I could do was not think about it.”
“I knew it would be about 50 minutes and so I said, ‘just keep going, keep on your pace’.”
“But I started to see Anna struggling and I said ‘let’s go for it’.”

From injury heartache to cycling elite

This remarkable triumph cements the Spaniard’s status as a formidable emerging talent within the women’s professional peloton.

She only began cycling competitively in 2024 after a severe injury forced her to prematurely end her promising athletics career.

Her rapid rise to the top follows an impressive victory at the Amstel Gold Race and strong showings across the Ardennes classics earlier this season.

Reporters asked the new champion how she would have reacted if someone had predicted this result just months ago.

“I would think you were joking,” she said.

Vuelta Femenina final results

Defending MotoGP champion Marc Marquez will miss the remainder of the French Grand Prix and next week’s Catalan Grand Prix after fracturing his right foot during Saturday’s sprint.

The Ducati rider was violently thrown from his motorcycle on the final lap of the short-format race at Le Mans.

The 33-year-old had placed his foot down on the tarmac momentarily before being flipped over the handlebars as his machine cartwheeled off the circuit.

Surgery required for reigning champion

A statement from Ducati confirmed the Spaniard has suffered a fifth metatarsal fracture in his right foot.

He is now scheduled to fly to Madrid where he will undergo surgery to repair the damage.

The injury compounds a surprisingly difficult season for the veteran, who currently sits fifth in the overall standings.

He has yet to secure a single podium finish so far in this current campaign.

Martin secures sprint victory at Le Mans

In the absence of the defending champion, Aprilia’s Jorge Martin capitalised to win the Saturday sprint.

That victory reduces the championship gap between Martin and his team-mate Marco Bezzecchi to just six points.

Championship leader Bezzecchi crossed the line in third position to maintain his overall advantage.

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia split the two Aprilia riders to finish the sprint in a respectable second place.

Reflecting on his victory, Italy’s Martin was surprised by his commanding early race pace.

“I love this track. I struggled a bit in qualifying, but I knew my potential was much higher.”
“I didn’t expect to be in first position in the second corner, but from that point, I just pushed like in the past, like what I am used to.”

Chelsea interim head coach Calum McFarlane is optimistic that injured wingers Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho will be fit for next Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

The attacking duo missed recent Premier League fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool after sustaining minor injuries during training.

Their potential return would provide a significant boost to the Blues as they look to salvage silverware from a largely frustrating domestic campaign.

Fitness race for Wembley showdown

The West London outfit secured their spot in the showpiece event following a narrow semi-final victory over Leeds United earlier this month.

However, subsequent league results have effectively extinguished any lingering hopes of Champions League qualification.

McFarlane addressed the fitness of his wide players following Saturday’s hard-fought draw at Anfield.

“Yeah, we are very hopeful,” the interim boss explained.

“You have to take these things day by day. We’re hoping that they’ll be available, but we don’t know at this moment in time.”

“They’re going to get back into training. We’ll see how they feel, see how it looks. So, fingers crossed.”

Halting the league slide

The recent point secured on Merseyside proved crucial in arresting a dismal run of form for the Stamford Bridge side.

A prior defeat to Forest had marked a sixth consecutive top-flight loss.

That alarming slump left the team just one defeat shy of an unwanted club record established during the 1950s.

While relieved to halt the losing streak, the manager acknowledged that standards must rise ahead of their trip to the national stadium.

“This club needs to win games of football, and we haven’t done that today,” he admitted.

“We’re not happy with the form and some of the recent performances.”

“It would have been better with a win, but when you come to these places, it’s really difficult. So, yeah, it’s positive.”

Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley has warned the Italian team are trapped in a ‘soul-destroying’ negative loop following a disastrous start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The most successful constructor in the sport’s history have failed to win a single race since the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix.

Rivals Mercedes have completely dominated the current campaign, with 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli winning every round to lead the Drivers’ Championship.

Upgrades fail to cure persistent issues

The Prancing Horse brought 11 new components to the latest race but struggled to match the pace of the frontrunners.

Charles Leclerc was running comfortably in third before a questionable strategy call at the threat of rain completely derailed his afternoon.

The Monegasque driver endured a sluggish 3.7-second pit stop and publicly voiced his intense frustration over the team radio.

“Next time you make a big decision, speak to me first,” he demanded.

Penalties compound Maranello misery

Leclerc was subsequently overtaken by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri before spinning and tapping the barrier.

The 26-year-old received a 20-second post-race penalty for repeatedly leaving the track and gaining an advantage, dropping him down to eighth position.

His new team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, inherited sixth place after surviving a first-lap collision with Williams driver Franco Colapinto.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, Smedley expressed deep concern over the current technical trajectory of his former employers.

“It’s soul-destroying because what that is, it starts, from a technical point of view, essentially like this negative loop,” he explained.

The 52-year-old suggested the technical department are currently struggling to understand why track performance is failing to correlate with their wind tunnel data.

In-form forward Noah Okafor has warned his Leeds United team-mates against complacency ahead of Monday’s Premier League trip to struggling Tottenham, insisting their top-flight survival is not yet guaranteed.

The Yorkshire club have surged away from the relegation zone under manager Daniel Farke, taking more points than all but six top-flight teams since the start of December.

A significant factor in that revival has been the prolific form of the 25-year-old Swiss international.

He currently holds the best goals-to-minutes ratio of any player in the division since the start of February.

Fighting complacency in the run-in

Despite sitting comfortably above the drop zone with just three matches remaining, the record-breaking attacker remains fiercely focused.

“We can breathe, but nothing is safe yet because we have three games left.”
“With the last weeks we have shown a good mood, loads of points, and this gives us confidence. There is no excuse to stop, we still have to work hard and improve in each and every aspect of the game.”

While Monday’s opponents Tottenham have plummeted into relegation danger after sacking two managers this season, Farke’s squad have benefited from behind-the-scenes stability.

Strict standards paying dividends

Leeds are one of only two clubs currently in the bottom seven to have retained their head coach throughout the entire campaign.

That continuity has fostered a resilient dressing room culture built on a collective work ethic.

“The coach is strict, he knows what he wants to do, he tries to give this to us.”
“In the end we fight for everything because we know this squad has a lot of quality, and this makes life easier when everyone gives 100 per cent.”

The forward’s recent goalscoring flurry has already broken a notable domestic record.

He has now registered more goals in a single Premier League campaign than any other Swiss player in the competition’s history.

Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has fiercely denied claims from UFC president Dana White that he will be the lead promoter for the blockbuster heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

The American MMA mogul recently stated his intention to spearhead the all-British clash as part of his new Zuffa Boxing venture.

However, Hearn dismissed the suggestion as contractually impossible and branded the combat sports executive a clout chaser.

White had previously outlined his ambitious promotional plans for the year, including a newly signed broadcast partnership with Sky Sports in the UK.

Promotional dispute erupts over mega-fight

The dispute adds another layer of intrigue to a long-awaited showdown that will be bankrolled by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.

Fans worldwide are expected to watch the commercial spectacle unfold live on streaming platform Netflix.

White had confidently claimed he was taking charge of the heavyweight event during a recent media appearance.

“I’m doing the Tyson Fury – AJ fight, too. I’m gonna be promoting that,” White declared.

Those comments prompted a scathing social media response from the long-time boxing promoter representing the Olympic gold medallist.

“Such a clout chaser. Not a chance and contractually impossible. Let me know when you find your balls,” Hearn fired back.

Heavyweight stars continue comeback trails

Before any colossal domestic clash can materialise, both fighters must successfully navigate their respective warm-up bouts.

The former two-time world champion is scheduled to return to the ring against Kristian Prenga on July 25.

He has been rebuilding his career behind closed doors following a serious car accident just days after his brutal knockout victory over Jake Paul in December.

The 34-year-old has spent recent months training alongside former rival Oleksandr Usyk to prepare for his summer comeback.

Meanwhile, the Gypsy King wasted no time calling out his British rival after recently cruising past Arslanbek Makhmudov in a one-sided affair at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Several high-profile stars including Brazil forward Rodrygo and Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons have been officially ruled out of the 2026 World Cup through injury.

Rodrygo and Militão compound Brazilian woes

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo will miss the remainder of the calendar year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus during a shock defeat to Getafe in March.

The 23-year-old was his nation’s second-highest scorer during a turbulent South American qualifying campaign.

With Chelsea-bound teenager Estêvão also carrying a knock, the Seleção find themselves desperately short of wide options ahead of the finals.

Veteran forward Neymar, now 34, could be handed a shock recall by the five-time world champions to fill the attacking void.

Their defensive ranks have also been depleted following a severe hamstring tear sustained by Éder Militão which required surgery.

However, Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães has already established a solid partnership alongside Paris St-Germain captain Marquinhos in the defender’s absence.

Gnabry and Simons suffer domestic heartbreak

A torn adductor suffered in mid-April has abruptly ended Serge Gnabry’s domestic season with Bayern Munich and his hopes of representing Germany.

The prolific winger had been a staple for the national team, featuring in a squad-high eight matches across recent qualifiers and international friendlies.

His unfortunate absence paves the way for fit-again team-mate Jamal Musiala to reclaim a starting berth for Die Mannschaft.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands must navigate the tournament without Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Xavi Simons following an ACL tear against Wolves in late April.

Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is now expected to shoulder the primary creative burden for the Dutch.

Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert could also make a late bolt for the squad as he returns from a four-month knee injury of his own.

Ekitiké’s international breakthrough halted

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitiké saw his dreams of a major tournament debut shattered after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon against former club PSG.

The promising attacker had forced his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans following a stellar debut campaign at Anfield.

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is widely tipped to take the vacant attacking spot in the French squad.

Experienced Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso is also generating momentum for a late call-up by Les Bleus.