Liverpool ‘Better Team’ Despite Losing Streak, Says Frankfurt Coach

As his side prepares to face the Reds in the Champions League on Wednesday, Eintracht Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller claimed Liverpool have been “the better team in every game” of their four-game losing streak.

Given that they bolstered their squad over the course of the close-season, making almost £450 million ($604 million) worth of new signings, Liverpool are currently in a surprising slump.

Following defeats against Chelsea, Galatasaray, and Crystal Palace, Arne Slot’s team lost to arch-rivals Manchester United 2-1 on Sunday. For more than a decade, Liverpool hadn’t lost four games in a row.

Following the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on October 19, 2025, Dutch manager Arne Slot and German midfielder #07 Florian Wirtz react. (Photo by PETER POWELL/AFP)

Toppmoeller claimed that Liverpool’s game could have gone “could have been 4-2,” adding that the Reds “are not in top form, only in the sense of their results.”

The 44-year-old said, “When you watch the games, which we did, you see that they seem to lack a little spark at the moment,” “

They have, however, had better team dynamics and more chances to score.

Toppoeller stated, “We’re anticipating a world-class team tomorrow,” adding that the English champions would be highly motivated to travel to Frankfurt.

You need to be aware of what losing four games in a row means for a team.

Read more about Slot’s search for solutions as the crisis in Liverpool gets worse.

Under former manager Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool lost their final four games in November 2014.

The team’s performance has been impacted by Mo Salah’s slump, which is one of its issues.

However, Toppoeller claimed that the Egyptian “was probably one of the top three players in the world over the past ten years” and still is today.

At the conclusion of Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League first round football match against Atletico Madrid at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on September 17, 2025, Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk (L) and teammate #30 Jeremie Frimpong react. (Photo by Oli SCARFF/AFP)

Germany’s $ 100 million midfielder Florian Wirtz, who has returned to his native country for the first time since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, is another Red that isn’t performing at his best.

Even though Wirtz didn’t have the same numbers as he did in Leverkusen, Toppoeller claimed that his performances were “quite decent.”

He is at a club where everyone is always watching, and the sun is shining.

Gov Mohammed Creates 13 Additional Emirates, One Chiefdom

Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, signed two significant legislations that have had a significant impact on the state’s traditional governance structure on Tuesday.

The newly signed laws, which include the 2025-era Zaar Chiefdom Law and the 2025-era Bauchi State Chieftaincy Law, will create 13 more Emirates and one Chieftain.

Governor Mohammed warned against any attempts to politicize or sabotage the new laws while assenting the bills: “

The implementation of these laws will not be tolerated by this administration.
The law’s full effects will be felt by anyone who is found to be inciting conflict, spreading false information, or trying to stifle public order.

He emphasized that the establishment of the Emirates and Chiefdom was motivated by policy objectives that addressed the state’s current problems with governance, particularly as Bauchi approaches its 50th anniversary.

This action is intended to improve governance at the local level and is a response to the people’s persistent demands for these institutions.
The Governor called the process “one of the most consultative and transparent ever conducted in our state”.

A committee was set up to review the proposals, according to him, followed by legislative deliberations and the State House of Assembly’s approval.

The Bauchi State Assembly, Rt. Hon. The development was characterized as a significant milestone by Abubakar Suleiman. He noted that the legislation provided a framework for the effective maintenance of the state’s traditional institutions and was written with caution and forethought.

The newly established Emirates and Chiefdom are:

1. Headquarters: Burra

2. Headquarters of Dambam:

3. Headquarters of Darazo:

4. Yuli, the country’s administrative center

5. Headquarters of Gamawa: Gamawa

6. Headquarters of Giade

7. Headquarters of Toro

8. Headquarters: Katangan Warji

9. Gadar Maiwa, Ari-Host

10. Nabardo, the headquarter of Jama’a

11. Gumau, Lame, is the company’s head office.

12. Headquarters: Bununu

13. Headquarters of Lere:

14. Headquarters of the Zaar Chiefdom: Mhrim

Governor Mohammed has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to immediately publish and distribute copies of the new laws to all relevant authorities and institutions for immediate implementation in collaboration with the State Government Secretary.

Djokovic Pulls Out Of Paris Masters

Novak Djokovic stated on Tuesday that he would not play at the upcoming Paris Masters, but added that he would like to do so the following year.

Since defeating then-world number 204 Valentin Vacherot in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals earlier in October, Djokovic has not played a formal match.

The 38-year-old endured numerous medical treatments and physical struggles throughout the game, throwing up courtside and receiving medical attention multiple times.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion posted on social media, “Dear Paris, I’ll unfortunately not compete at this year’s (tournament).”

“I have wonderful memories and great success over the years, especially having the title seven times.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you next year.”

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns to face Taylor Fritz of the United States in the third-placed match of the Riyadh-based Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis competition on October 18, 2025. (Fayez NURELDINE/AFP)

READ MORE: Djokovic Sets Up The Blockbuster at the US Open in Alcaraz As Sabalenka Advances

At the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, Djokovic was forced to withdraw from his third-place match against American Taylor Fritz last week.

As he tries to win a record-breaking 25th major title, the Serbian skipped the Paris Masters last year because he has drastically reduced the number of tournaments he competes.

After revealing that he had an Achilles tendon operation, world number 10 Holger Rune will not compete in the Paris Masters this year, which will take place on October 27 and November 2.

Warner Bros Discovery explores possible sale

Warner Brothers Discovery — the parent company of CNN and HBO Max is considering a sale amid unsolicited interest in the company marking the latest shake up across US legacy media.

The New York City based media conglomerate announced the possible sale on Tuesday.

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Several major media giants have reportedly expressed interest. Netflix and Comcast are said to be interested parties according to CNBC which cited unnamed sources familiar with the deal. That follows interest from Paramount-Skydance.

In June, Warner Bros Discovery announced it would split Warner Bros and Discovery Global units separating its streaming businesses from its cable network unit. The company has doubled down in the streaming space in recent weeks. &nbsp, On Thursday, CNN announced a new subscription streaming service called CNN All Access – two years after CNN+ — its short-lived streaming platform — shuttered.

A sale or a split would be one of the most consequential reshaping moments in the media industry, potentially prompting other legacy media houses to revisit their own structures. Streaming has fundamentally reshaped the media industry, leaving traditional broadcasters with mounting debt, higher content budgets and fragmented viewership.

“This latest development potentially opens up further discussions with interested parties. For Hollywood and other traditional media giants, all roads lead to consolidation”, PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said.

The company is also considering an alternative separation structure that would enable a merger of Warner Bros and a spin-off of Discovery Global.

The Ellison in the room

Warner Brothers Discovery already rejected an initial bid from Paramount — now led by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, cofounder of Oracle and a key ally of US President Donald Trump — Bloomberg News reported earlier this month, because the offer of around $20 per share was too low.

Skydance’s advances soon after snapping up Paramount speak to the Ellison family’s voracious appetite to dominate the global media landscape amid a favourable regulatory regime in the United States.

Analysts believe David Ellison’s deep pockets – backed by his father, Oracle cofounder and the world’s second-richest person Larry Ellison – give him the firepower to take the risk.

The elder Ellison’s close ties with US President Donald Trump may also smooth regulatory hurdles and avoid the scrutiny that would usually come with such a merger, analysts say.

The decline of legacy media, driven by linear TV cord-cutting, as well as the shift of audiences and advertisers to streaming platforms, has forced traditional media companies to rethink their business structures.

Ellison’s looming involvement raised concerns about how CNN could cover the White House.

Among the vocal critics is Dan Rather, who served as the anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years.

“Americans have to be concerned about the consolidation of huge billionaires getting control of nearly all of the major news outlets”, Rather said in an interview on Andy Cohen’s SiriusXM show in September.

“It’s pretty hard to be optimistic about the possibilities of the Ellisons buying CNN”.

Before the Paramount – Skydance Merger, CBS settled a lawsuit that alleged that the network’s long-standing newsmagazine 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with then Democratic Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris for $16m. And also ahead of the merger announced the cancellation of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, who only days before called the settlement “a big fat bribe”.

Ellison has since hired Bari Weiss — an opinion writer and founder of the commentary website Free Press. Weiss, who had no experience in television — to lead the broadcast TV network. Weiss has gained popularity among right-wing voices for her “anti-woke” commentary.

This as the company appointed Kenneth Weinstein, a former Trump administration nominee, to be CBS News ‘ ombudsman to investigate allegations of bias.

On Wall Street, Warner Bros Discovery is up 10.8 percent following the announcement. Comcast is up 0.1 percent, Netflix is up 0.7 percent. Paramount-Skydance, on the other hand, is trending downwards — down 1.3 percent from the market open as of 11: 30 AM in New York (15: 30 GMT)

Winning & togetherness – Rohl sets out Rangers mission

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Danny Rohl delivered a simple message as he was introduced as Rangers head coach: “We want to win”.

The German, 36, has replaced Russell Martin, who left Ibrox after 17 games, only five of which were victories.

Rangers trail Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts by 13 points and defending champions Celtic by eight.

In the Europa League, Martin oversaw defeats in Rangers ‘ opening two league phase fixtures.

“We know where we are at the moment”, said Rohl. “We want to win, we need wins because we want to turn around the position at the moment. We are not happy.

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Rohl gave an insight into his tactical approach, with Rangers having struggled defensively this term and also been blunt in attack.

” My focus is on my person, what I can bring to this football club, “the former Sheffield Wednesday boss said”. I see so much potential.

“My football, what I want to see on the pitch is intensity, it’s sprinting, it’s a togetherness and a playing forward style because we want to create chances, we want to create goals.

” We have to speed up our game. We want to attack the last line. If you do it again, we create more chances and we have more goals.

“We have to defend as a group, as a unit much, much better with a lot of aggression in the duels.

” We have to press well, we have to hunt, we have to go in the counter pressing and we have to play with intensity, and it starts from the striker to the defender. If you do it as a unit, then it’s very hard to beat us and to break us down.

“At first you have to win games, then you can speak about playing attractive football. We need wins in a row. With wins in a row, you can create self-confidence and absolute belief”.

Last week, Rohl seemed to be out of the race to join Rangers, shortly after former Ibrox manager and ex-England captain Steven Gerrard had also withdrawn from the recruitment process.

Kevin Muscat appeared to be the favourite, but prospects of a deal for the Australian fell through on Sunday, at which point Rohl came back to the fore.

Rohl described meetings with the Rangers hierarchy as “outstanding” and said he “never stopped the communication”.

“There was immediately a great relationship between all of us in the meetings”, he said. “I felt the trust.

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Chairman Andrew Cavenagh spoke first at Tuesday’s media conference, addressing Martin’s short spell in charge and supporter frustration.

” When we became a part of this club this summer, we talked about two things – sustained winning and winning sustainably, “Cavenagh said.

” Four months later, it has obviously not gone as we’d envisaged. We did not expect it to be easy but we also didn’t expect to be where we are today.

“Part of that was the decision we made over the summer to appoint Russell as the head coach. It did not go as planned. Russell is a good guy. He worked tirelessly. He wanted desperately to win and I wish him well, but it didn’t work.

” If something doesn’t work, I think there’s three things that you need to do. You need to acknowledge it, you need to own it, which I believe that we have done and you need to rectify it, and today is a big part in that.

Podcast: Rangers Rohl with it as the new boss announced

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The American said of Rohl: “We are happy to have Danny here as our head coach. I think Danny will be incredibly successful here at Rangers. We were incredibly impressed by his ability to take tactics and actually make them happen on the pitch.

” Man management – I think Danny will bring out the best of every one of our players and that we will soon see the best version of each of them.

“He gets it and has the ability to create a bond with our supporters, which is so important. He knows that winning is the only option. He knows that winning has to happen right away and he knows he has to create that bond with our supporters.

” He is confident, he is technical. He also has a little bit of an edge to him and I think that will serve him well.

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England’s chance to show Ashes scars have healed

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England’s reunion with their greatest rivals Australia could not have come at a better time.

At the beginning of this year England were humiliated in the Ashes. The 16-0 clean sweep was a non-contest, resulting in a complete overhaul of their leadership and a review – as is often prompted by an Ashes hammering, men’s or women’s.

Players have spoken about the scars left as a result, and while it is impossible to have a low-stakes England v Australia showdown, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards have been presented with a golden opportunity to show that they have healed.

When they face each other in the group stage of the Women’s World Cup in Indore on Wednesday, England will be desperate to enact some revenge, but there is not a huge amount of pressure or expectation – and that could work in their favour.

Both teams are unbeaten, and both have already booked their place in the semi-finals.

The result of the game will play a big part in deciding who finishes top of the table, but other than that, it feels like its psychological consequences will be far more significant – particularly for England.

However, World Cup holders Australia have been dealt a hammer blow by losing their captain and the tournament’s leading run-scorer Alyssa Healy to a calf injury, which will force them to rejig their line-up with Georgia Voll likely to open, Tahlia McGrath to captain and Beth Mooney to keep wicket.

Australia have a title to defend, England have a point to prove.

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How the Ashes changed England

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The fallout and scrutiny on England after the Ashes was so significant that it was never going to be a quick fix for Edwards, who was ushered in to replace Jon Lewis in the aftermath.

Even here in India and Sri Lanka, where they are unbeaten, there are still areas needed to improve considerably if they are to kick on past the semi-finals, most notably a fragile middle order which is relying heavily on Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight.

However, considering that much of the criticism they faced surrounded their attitude and perception to the public, there has been a notable difference in that regard.

Sciver-Brunt said before the tournament the team was “chalk and cheese” from the one which ended the Ashes in Melbourne.

They had been thumped inside three days in the one-off Test and worn down by a brutal, winless tour, consoled by their families and friends, while the jubilant Australians basked in the glory.

But here, England are relaxed and quietly confident. They are more engaging with the media, and when under pressure on the field have held their nerve rather than buckling.

Under Lewis their mantra was to “inspire and entertain”, which seemed to get lost in translation quite often as they became overly aggressive, but under Edwards things have shifted – in fact, they are even embracing being boring.

“It’s the way it can go in ODI cricket sometimes – you just have to stay in it, try and be boring, try and control the game as much as you can”, fast bowler Lauren Bell told BBC Sport.

“If you can bowl tight over, after tight over, after tight over, it’s a way of building pressure and then the wicket will hopefully come.

” I get told to be boring a lot when it comes to bowling, as in bowl the same ball – your best ball as much as possible.

“We’ve come a long way since we played Australia in the Ashes. Lottie’s]Charlotte Edwards] really big on just winning, and working out a way however it looks or however it might come – sometimes winning ugly is something that you need to learn how to do”.

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