Premier Squash League Preview: A new Castle for Warwick/Kenilworth
By JAMES ROBERTS – Squash Mad Reporter

After just 2 seasons in the Premier Squash League (PSL), University of Warwick/Kenilworth Squash (WarKens) have already made quite an impact, topping the Northern Division last season and narrowly missing out on a spot in the Final. I made a recent trip to the University of Warwick to catch up with WarKens Team Manager Steve Townsend and chat about the team, his thoughts on last season, as well as his plans and ambitions for the coming season.

Before we chat though, there is the opportunity for a tour of the magnificent £49m University of Warwick Sports and Wellness Hub, which only opened back in April of this year. It is fantastic to see our local universities in the West Midlands investing so extensively in new sports facilities, this coming hot on the heels of the University of Birmingham’s new sports centre, the new home of WarKens’ PSL local rivals, the Birmingham Lions.

In terms of squash facilities, the Hub boasts 6 glass-backed courts, located in a very prominent position right at the main entrance. As a result, everyone using the centre walks straight past them as they come in. Steve tells me that this leads to lots of people stopping to watch what’s going on, and they often hear comments like “Wow, squash looks cool!” He is therefore very confident it will increase participation massively at Warwick.

Other features of the Hub, which the squash players can access for training, include a 12 lane swimming pool, an amazing gym with 15 racks and 250 stations, physiotherapy, 2 giant sports arenas and a jaw-dropping climbing wall, not that Steve will be letting the players on that!

Steve is hoping that these new facilities will enable the University to stage some major squash events in the future, including bringing in an all glass court, as has been done at the University of Birmingham. In terms of PSL matches, these will be shared equally between the University and Kenilworth Squash. The partnership between the two has been fundamental to the team and PSL nights at the club have over the past 2 seasons produced very special atmospheres.

Without doubt the University of Warwick Sport and Wellness Hub will represent a huge boost to the WarKens PSL team. Steve tells me that they are already seeing an early boost to their recruitment strategy as a result, with a strong intake of first year squash players having already arrived at the University. However, he expects to see real change to the level of squash players coming to Warwick over the coming years, not necessarily this one.

Onto Steve’s thoughts about his team’s preparations, plans and prospects:

JR: Firstly a bit of history. How did the PSL team come into being? Whose initiative was it and what benefits has it brought to both the university and the Kenilworth Club?

ST: Warwick has not traditionally been known as a performance sport university – more an academic one as it’s in the top 10 in the UK. A few years ago, the University realised that it would add an extra string to the bow of the University if it started to support performance sport. Squash was an obvious choice to focus on as we already had a good team and structure. Once it was decided that we were going to focus on squash, PSL was a natural next step, as a flag if you like to show we’re serious about squash and sport, to give our students something to aim at, and to inspire staff and students to be more active. I’m also the head coach at Kenilworth, and we’ve long harboured aspirations of having a PSL team, so the partnership was a very good initiative for both parties.

JR: Which players have you retained for the season and have you brought in any fresh blood?

ST: We’ve retained virtually all our players, which I’m really happy about – they continually out-perform their ranking, give absolutely 100%, which has led to our relative success for a new team. With the extra emphasis on women, we’ve strengthened in this area, adding Lily Taylor and Enora Villard to our ranks, so with Sarah-Jane Perry and Julianne Courtice, we hope to be strong in this area.

JR: After just 2 seasons in PSL, it must have been very satisfying to have topped your Division and qualified for the semi-finals last season. Equally however it must have then been heart-breaking to have just missed out on reaching the finals. Tell me a bit about how last season progressed from your perspective.

ST: It was incredible really, with many individual performances being really exceptional. The matches are so tight; we could have lost v Bristol away, with Baptiste Massotti coming back from match ball down to win the tie right at the start of the year, and that momentum carried on throughout. The fans at Kenilworth, the University and the locality have taken the players to their hearts, and they really feel part of the clubs. We were massive underdogs for the semis, and almost pipped that too. Paul Coll was a different class though!

JR: I know it is usually difficult to single out players but who impressed you the most from your team last season and why?

ST: All of our players have given everything so I’m really so happy about that. Nothing is too much trouble for any of them, including getting on court with Warwickshire juniors before the fixtures, and they’ve all done anything I have ever asked of them. But if I had to single anyone out to represent the spirit of the team, I’d have to say it’s SJ (Sarah-Jane Perry), who’s both a Warwick Alumna and a Kenilworth member and is unbeaten in PSL now for 5 years – what can I add to that?! Iker Pajares has also been a revelation. He dismantled Nick Matthew and also beat Dec James, both way higher in the rankings. That won’t be for long though! The crowd love watching him – he’s rapid, but moreover, you couldn’t wish to meet a nicer, more genuine guy.

JR: Which other teams do you think are going to put in the strongest showings this season? How do you rate your chances of reaching that first final, and even taking the title?

ST: We’ve been moved to the Southern division and on paper the teams are stronger than in the North. We are playing for the right to be in the Premiership next season, so that is our primary goal – anything on top of that would be a bonus!

JR: Do you have any exciting student players at the university who may be able to play for the team? Is it part of your PSL objectives to provide such opportunities to student players to help develop their games and ultimately to attract them to the university?

ST: It certainly is and we’re in touch with several potential students who have Warwick as one of their options for next season and have the potential to represent the PSL team. As far as this year goes, it’s hard to see one of our existing student team breaking into a match-day team, but they are working hard, improving rapidly and you just never know!

JR: Having played a full season using the best of 3 format, what are your views generally about this format? Do you feel it works well for PSL? What about more generally, now that we are seeing it more and more in the PSA World Tour events, in some cases right up to the semi-finals as is the case with the Netsuite Open at the moment?

ST: I like it for PSL, it definitely adds a different dynamic and produces faster-paced, more exciting rallies. When there are 3/5 matches in a row and it’s a team format, it works really well. For PSA, I haven’t been to a tournament featuring it and so I don’t have an informed opinion really. That said, I do feel for the players though, as to train for an event, fly half way around the World and then to lose 2-0 in 20 or so minutes can’t be much fun. My gut says that we should wherever possible be using the longer, purer form for the pinnacle of our sport – the PSA World Tour.

JR: What about the revised line up requiring 2 female players? Do you think this will play a positive role in developing the female professional game, as well as in promoting greater female participation in the sport generally?

ST: I think it’s a natural move along with the rest of society and promoting sport for women. It can only help develop our female professionals, but also generations of female squash players to come.

My grateful thanks to Steve for his time showing me around the new facilities and in answering my questions. Good luck to WarKens for the forthcoming season!

WarKens kick off their PSL season on Tuesday 1st October when they welcome the Welsh Wizards to Kenilworth Squash. Start time is 7:30pm. Tickets are available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/sport/active/squash/psl

More details about the Premier Squash League, including news, fixtures and full squad details can be obtained on the official website: http://pslsquash.com

Pictures : Steve Townsend and James Roberts

LOS ANGELES – Irwindale Speedway presented its 15th racing program of the year on Sept. 14, with an eight-event night on the half and third-miles.

Two 35-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late model features resulted in victories for three-time Irwindale and California champion Trevor Huddleston, 23, who won seven of the 18 features this season.

Huddleston was not present three nights because of date conflicts with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He ranks fourth in points after 10 of 14 scheduled K&N races.

Blaine Perkins, 19, won his first NASCAR late model track championship by 36 points after winning four of the year’s 18 main events. The Bakersfield resident also claimed the NWAAS California state championship.

Perkins drove last season’s championship car, a Victory Circle chassis Four Star Fruit/Auto Park It No. 21 Chevy. Car owner Christopher Alan is the father of Irwindale’s 2018 late model champion, Lawless Alan, also 19.

This season, Lawless Alan attended the University of Alabama and raced as a rookie in the SCCA Trans Am TA2 series. Lawless drove the Auto Park It No. 52 Ford Mustang owned by Mike Cope and sponsored by his father.

He raced 10 races at famous courses – Sebring Int’l Raceway, Road Atlanta, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park, Belle Isle Park in Detroit, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Road America in Wisconsin, Watkins Glen Int’l and Virginia Int’l Raceway.

Alan’s final two races will be at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Lawless usually qualified and finished in the top 10 on the lead lap with SCCA TA2 fields in the mid-20s. His best finish of fourth came in August at IMS. He currently is the leading TA2 rookie and ranks fifth in overall point standings.

Lawless was in the Irwindale pits to watch Perkins win his 2019 title in the Alan car.

Irwindale’s late model points runner-up was series rookie Jace Jones, son of versatile racer P.J. and grandson of 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones. He won his first series 35-lap main August 31 in a 12-car field.

At 14 years, six months, Jones became the youngest late model winner in Irwindale history and won rookie of the year honors. He drove the same Racecar Factory-built HPR No. 55 Chevy that his brother, Jagger, drove as a rookie two years ago.

Behind Perkins and Jones in points were Nick Joanides, former NASCAR Drive for Diversity class member Ryan Vargas, Dean Thompson, Lucas McNeil and Huddleston.

Eight drivers won the 18 main events this year. Huddleston and Perkins led with seven and four victories, respectively. Vargas won twice. Joanides, Thompson, Jones, Ryan Schartau and Christian McGhee each won one feature.

Irwindale presented a 40-lap combined spec late model and race truck feature on the half-mile and an INEX Legend car feature on the third-mile. Both races produced surprise, first-time winners.

Other mains were for four-cylinder enduro cars and super stocks on the third-mile. An auto soccer 18-minute match in the infield, with two four-car teams, had a final score of 5-0.

First was the 35-lap Legends main. Rookie Jake Bollman, 12, won his first legends feature in a replica 1934 Ford coupe with a neon-green No. 71. He became the youngest legend car winner in track history in a car owned by his parents.

It was just his fifth race at Irwindale in the five-eighths scale, tube frame, 120-horsepower, motorcycle engine-powered race car.

Bollman started racing nine years ago in a go-kart and was a 2018 J-1 and J-2 karting champion. He was also a Bandolero champion at Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino. He raced in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series in 2016.

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CONCORD, N.C. – Martin Truex Jr. was second fastest in Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, but it wasn’t all good news for the 2017 series champion.

Truex missed a shift midway through the practice after circulating the 2.28-mile course in 81.875 seconds at 102.009 mph. Truex came to a stop on the backstretch chicane and got a push back to the garage area, where it was decided that his No. 19 Toyota would need a new engine.

As a result, Truex will be forced to give up his eighth starting position for Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400. He’ll now start at the tail of the 40-car field.

“I went from second to first (gear), so I don’t know. I’ve never done that before in my entire career, so definitely unfortunate,” Truex said. “I hate it for all the guys on the Bass Pro Toyota.”

Truex enters Sunday’s race locked into the second round of the playoffs thanks to two-straight victories at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.

“You know fortunately, I guess we don’t have a whole lot to worry about, it’s just frustrating,” Truex admitted. “We had a good car. We had a good qualifying effort yesterday. It’s just going to be hard starting from the back and I hate all the extra work for my guys. I apologize to them. I’m not sure how it happened. I had one other issue today with a shift in the gate. I don’t know if it was just an issue that was right there on the edge and I just screwed it up a little bit that one time, but we’ll have to look at it a little bit further.”

Another driver to have trouble during the final practice was second-place starter Alex Bowman, who lost control of his No. 88 Chevrolet coming out of turn three in the final minute of practice. He spun his car into a tire barrier at the entrance to turn four in the infield portion of the course, heavily damaging the right side of his car.

The damage was too severe to be repaired, forcing Bowman’s team to pull out a backup car. He’ll also have to start at the rear of the field alongside Truex. Denny Hamlin and Parker Kligerman, both of whom crashed and went to backup cars earlier in the weekend, will also start at the rear of the field.

Bowman, who was 10th fastest in final practice, enters Sunday’s playoff cutoff race two points behind polesitter and teammate William Byron for the final place in the next round of the playoffs.

Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson also had issues in final practice, with the driver of the No. 48 losing control of his car entering turn five. He backed his car into a tire barrier, but his crew chose to repair the damage rather than prepare a backup car.

Austin Dillon also spun during final practice, but didn’t hit anything and continued with no damage.

Chase Elliott turned the fastest lap in final practice, topping the charts with an 81.801-second lap. Behind Elliott and Truex were Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Michael McDowell.

MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec – With the drop of the green flag on Saturday’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama race at Circuit Mont-Tremblant, 18-year-old Roman De Angelis earned his first Platinum class championship in the series.

Driving the No. 79 Mark Motors Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car, De Angelis only had to start the race to secure the title, as he entered the season-finale weekend with an impressive 58-point margin in the championship standings.

The youngster from Belle River, Ontario, was the first car to the green flag and the first car to the checkered flag. He led for the entirety of the first 45-minute race of the weekend.

“I don’t think it’ll sink in until tomorrow because for me, I still don’t feel like it’s over,” said De Angelis, who previously won the 2017 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada Gold class championship. “I came into the weekend knowing that I just had to start anyways, so even then I didn’t really think about it. I guess tomorrow night I’ll see how it feels.

“I’m also pretty focused on the (Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama) championship where I think I also just have to start at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, but you never jump the gun. It’s nice to do two-for-three with Mark Motors and for team championships, three-for-three.”

De Angelis’ path to the championship has mirrored that of his Mark Motors teammate last year, Zacharie Robichon. The two have been friends for longer than their Mark Motors days, since Robichon coached De Angelis when he ran Formula Ford several years ago.

Last year, Robichon collected 11 wins in 12 races – with De Angelis taking the outlier – and this year’s champion has so far secured 10 of 11 wins in 2019.

Robichon joined the top-tier IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship ranks this year in the GT Daytona class and two weeks ago, was crowned the sole champion of the inaugural WeatherTech Sprint Cup, which consisted of all GTD races two-hours, 40-minutes in length or shorter.

“When I joined Mark Motors, it was pretty cool to be teammates with him in Gold and then obviously last year,” said De Angelis. “It means a lot to have someone like Zach mentor me, even this year he has helped me a lot. And congratulations to him on his championship, he’s done an awesome job. He’s a back-to-back champ, so that’s pretty cool.

“To follow in his footsteps, guys like (Scott) Hargrove (2017 and 2014 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada champion) and (Daniel) Morad (2016 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada champion), who are also guys I look up to, it’s pretty cool to be up with them.”

Earning his best finish of the season was series rookie Ethan Simioni in the No. 40 Policaro Motorsports Porsche after starting from the third position. Local Quebecker Patrick Dussault in the No. 77 Lauzon Autosport Porsche also moved up one position at the start to finish third on the podium in front of his home crowd.

Another title was also secured following Saturday’s race, with Marco Cirone earning his sixth Platinum Masters championship in GT3 Cup Challenge Canada.

The race didn’t go as planned for the No. 88 Mark Motors Porsche, as they opted for Yokohama slicks ahead of potentially drier conditions. However, a consistent light rain forced the team to pit for wet tires and ended their chances for victory.

The strategy call didn’t damper Cirone’s spirits, however.

“It was worth a shot because we were in good position for the championship,” said Cirone. “Hopefully tomorrow we’ll go out and be able to prove that we’re top four.

“I really have to thank Michael and Liza Mrak for bringing me back this season. Last year, I did just a couple select races. I owe them everything because without them I wouldn’t be doing this. They’ve been so wonderful in their efforts and contributions to the series. And to my team for putting up with me all the time, so I really want to thank them. It’s been a fantastic year, so I can’t wait for tomorrow and I can’t wait for next season again.”

Winning Saturday’s race in the Platinum Masters category was the No. 37 TPC Racing Porsche of Michael Levitas. The Pikesville, Maryland local started third of Platinum Masters drivers and 10th overall on the grid ahead of his seventh race of the season.

His move up to a sixth-place finish also earned him the Yokohama Tire Hard Charger Award for gaining the most positions in the race.

“My compliments to all my fellow competitors, to all the racers in Canada,” said Levitas. “The start of the race was amazingly clean. Everybody could be trusted side by side. IMSA did a fantastic job, Porsche Canada does an awesome job and I can’t thank TPC Racing and Downtown Porsche enough for bringing me up to Canada.”

Finishing second in Platinum Masters was Perry Bortolotti in the No. 84 Mark Motors Porsche. Scoring his first podium position of the season was another newcomer to the series, Jean Audet, driving the No. 67 Porsche for Grand TIMES Hotel Motorsports.

The Colorado Avalanche signed top line winger Mikko Rantanen to a six-year, $55.5 million deal Saturday, which takes another big name restricted free agent off the board.

Rantanen's deal runs through the 2024-25 season and carries an average annual value of $9.25 million, though the salaries per year fluctuate -- including $12 million in each of the first two years and $6 million in the final year.

The Finn is coming of a career-season where he set new highs in goals (31), assists (56) and points (87) on Colorado's ultra productive top line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.

The deal also means that Colorado has Rantanen and MacKinnon signed for a combined $15.55 million against the salary cap for the next four seasons.

The deal was announced one day after Patrik Laine ended his contract stalemate with the Winnipeg Jets with a two-year bridge deal for $13.5 million total. Rantanen had been training in Switzerland with Laine, his good friend. Once Laine signed, the two players flew back to Helsinki together, and Rantanen's deal got done shortly after.

Other notable restricted free agents that also inked their deals during training camp: Toronto's Mitch Marner (six years, $65.3 million), Tampa Bay's Brayden Point (three years, $20.25 million), Boston's Charlie McAvoy (three year, $14.7 million), Vancouver's Brock Boeser (three years, $17.625 million) and Calgary's Matthew Tkachuk (three years, $21 million).

Winnipeg's Kyle Connor and Edmonton's Jesse Puljujarvi remain the only two restricted free agents who have yet to sign deals.

Rantanen was Colorado's first-round pick (No. 10 overall) in 2015.

Colorado opens its season Thursday, hosting the Calgary Flames.

INDIANAPOLIS – Mi Jung Hur kept her two-stroke lead in the Indy Women in Tech Championship on Saturday, birdieing five of the final eight holes for a 6-under 66.

Hur rebounded from an opening bogey with a birdie on the par-5 second. She added birdies on Nos. 9, 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18 to get to 17 under at Brickyard Crossing, the layout that features four holes inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

"This is my first time ever in my life I had a lead all three rounds," Hur said. "So, I just want to keep it."

The South Korean player won the Ladies Scottish Open last month for her third LPGA Tour victory.

She doubled her lead with the birdie on 18.

"That was my best birdie for all three rounds," Hur said. "Before I putt it, I was thinking about it. I knew I was ahead by one and I was thinking two-shot lead would be a little bit easier for me for tomorrow."

Hur opened with a 63 to take a two-stroke lead and kept in Friday with a 70 in windy conditions.

Marina Alex, coming off the United States' Solheim Cup loss to Europe, was second after a 64.

"I was able to get many more birdie opportunities," Alex said. '" just felt like I didn't play a whole lot different, it was just the course allowed for more birdies today."

She won the Cambia Portland Classic last year for her lone LPGA Tour title.

Puerto Rico's Maria Torres had a 66 to get to 13 under.

Real Madrid earned a 0-0 draw at neighbours Atletico Madrid in a tight derby clash to stay top of La Liga on Saturday, continuing their recovery after a disappointing start to the season.

Karim Benzema came closest to scoring at the Wanda Metropolitano but Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a fine save to keep out the French forward's header.

- Real Madrid ratings: Ramos strong, Hazard stifled in goalless affair

Atletico forward Joao Felix twice fired wide in the first half, while Gareth Bale lashed an effort off target after the break, in a game of few chances.

Real Madrid are top with 15 points from seven matches, while Atletico stayed third with one point less.

"I think with the game we played we deserved a lot more," Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters. "In the end a point is a point. We had chances, the header from Benzema especially.

"I can't criticise my players over anything, I'm annoyed for them above all, but I'm happy with the game they played. They too are a bit disappointed not to take all the points."

Real's Sergio Ramos and Atletico's Kieran Trippier were each lucky to avoid bookings for cynical fouls on Joao Felix and Eden Hazard respectively in a cagey opening.

Atletico's club record signing Felix sneaked in behind Madrid's defence but dragged an effort across the face of goal, whistling another shot just wide towards the end of the first half.

At the other end, Oblak made one solid save to tip Toni Kroos's low drive around the post.

Both teams were more afraid of losing than hungry to win, treading water with a draw seemingly suiting them both.

"We have a lot of work to do [to get rid of] errors that we should not be committing, we have to keep working," said Atletico coach Diego Simeone.

"In the first half we had more of the play but we couldn't finish any of our chances. In the second. Oblak made that save from Benzema's header. It was a hard-fought game, we both lacked what you need to win a game."

After a shaky start to the season and a 3-0 thrashing by Paris St. Germain in the Champions League, Real coach Zinedine Zidane has steadied the ship with wins over Sevilla, Osasuna and now this draw with a direct title rival.

Real Sociedad, who are fifth, could displace Madrid at the top with a win over Sevilla on Sunday.

This was neither a classic Madrid derby nor a vintage performance from Los Blancos, but there will be plenty to cheer for Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane despite a 0-0 draw. His side looked solid defensively against Joao Felix and Diego Costa, and as such they reduced the home side to mere speculative efforts.

Real enjoyed the better chances too. Gareth Bale in particular will feel he could have done better from close range, while Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos both forced Jan Oblak into smart saves. Zidane should consider this a useful point gained, not two dropped.

Positives

Real looked solid throughout and this point takes them back to the top of the league. Zidane may feel frustrated his side couldn't make it four wins in a row given they had the better chances, but he will be enthused by the team's defensive solidity against quality opposition. Thibaut Courtois had little to do, so much so that Atletico whiz kid Felix was substituted after 70 minutes.

Negatives

The attacking triumvirate of Eden Hazard, Bale and Benzema looked off the pace. Hazard was well marshalled and had to endure some rigorous challenges early on, but despite taking up some dangerous positions he failed to make an impact in the final third. Substitute Luka Modric delivered a delicious cross on 71 minutes, but there was no one on the end of it to finish.

Manager rating out of 10

6 -- Zidane's side looked confident, were solid at the back, and you never sensed they were going to lose this one. Zidane could, however, have introduced Modric earlier, such was the ineffectiveness of Casemiro and Federico Valverde.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Thibaut Courtois, 5 -- The Belgian had very little to do. He watched on as an effort from Felix fizzed past his right post in the first half, and then made a key parry from a tricky Kieran Trippier cross. Was a bystander for much of the game.

DF Dani Carvajal, 5 -- Formed part of a defensive quartet that did well to stifle the home side, but he may feel disappointed with his contributions going forward. His crossing was particularly poor.

DF Sergio Ramos, 7 -- Constantly booed by the home crowd, but his solidity quietened their mood. The skipper did well to marshal Diego Costa, offering a trademark reducer early on to set the tone.

DF Raphael Varane, 6 -- The defender will probably have expected a busier evening facing the likes of Costa and Felix, but alongside Ramos he limited the home side to speculative efforts that didn't trouble Courtois. Dependable and comfortable in possession.

DF Nacho, 6 -- The left-back picked up the first yellow card of the evening following a substantial challenge on Trippier, and he had a quiet game thereafter. He did, however, supply a good cross for Bale on the hour mark, which the Welshman failed to convert.

MF Toni Kroos, 7 -- Went about his business quietly, as he so often does, but also forced Oblak into the first save of the game with a speculative shot from range. He then came close soon after with another long-range effort; this time the German displaying excellent technique to catch the ball on the bounce and force Oblak into a save low to his left.

MF Casemiro, 4 -- Not the Brazilian's finest performance. He hustled and bustled in the middle, and though he successfully stifled the opposition, he was wasteful when he had the ball at his feet. His crossing was wayward and his passing was poor at times.

MF Federico Valverde, 4 -- Not a particularly memorable evening for the Uruguayan. Like Casemiro, he was quick to close the opposition, yet he was ineffectual going forward and was eventually replaced by Modric.

FW Gareth Bale, 7 -- Bale had Real's first shot at goal, from distance, but didn't trouble the keeper. He then headed over from Nacho's cross on 17 minutes. He looked a menace when running with the ball at his feet, strong and powerful, but didn't do it often enough. Had a brilliant chance to score but blazed over from close range following another Nacho cross.

FW Karim Benzema, 7 -- Benzema plays such a pivotal role for this team and his presence was key to Real's counter play, holding the ball up and bringing others into play. He had to wait patiently for his first effort on goal and his header was the closest Real came to finding the net; Oblak making a brilliant save to his left.

FW Eden Hazard, 4 -- The Belgian struggled to make his mark on the game. He had to endure some heavy challenges early on and though he took up some dangerous positions, and occasionally looked dangerous on the break, he looked tired. Substituted on 77 minutes for James Rodriguez.

Substitutes

MF Luka Modric, 6 -- Came on and made an immediate impact, crossing dangerously only to find no one in the box to get on the end of it. May have felt frustrated he didn't come on earlier.

MF James Rodriguez, N/R -- Came on for the exhausted Hazard on 77 minutes.

FW Luka Jovic, N/R -- Made a brief cameo, replacing Benzema in the 88th minute.

LIVERPOOL, England -- When Riyad Mahrez struck a precise free kick into the bottom corner of the Everton goal after 71 minutes, there were few inside Goodison Park who were surprised.

It wasn't that Manchester City were playing well -- they weren't -- but this is a side who have now won 53 of their past 62 games against teams outside the traditional top six.

After an hour and with the score at 1-1, Raheem Sterling missed a golden chance, passing the ball wide of Jordan Pickford's post from 10 yards without a blue shirt in sight. It should have been one of those "maybe it's not their day" moments. Except for the past two-plus years, it has almost always been their day. It was again here and a tricky away game for any title challenger has been safely negotiated. The gap between City and Liverpool remains at five points.

-- Man City ratings: Mahrez, De Bruyne both 8/10 in Everton win

"We knew Liverpool won again, and the gap was eight points, so big," Pep Guardiola said afterward. "We won three points, and it's five in September, with a lot of points to play for."

The Liverpool fans travelling back after their narrow 1-0 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane would have been entitled to think there was a chance of a slip-up. Their confidence would have grown a little more at half-time when news came through that Dominic Calvert-Lewin had cancelled out Gabriel Jesus' early opener but with this City team, you can never get too excited. After racking up 198 points over the past two seasons, they just know how to win.

They will play better than this, and the way Pep Guardiola reacted to Sterling making it 3-1 on 85 minutes -- clenching both fists and contorting towards the floor -- was evidence that it was a difficult afternoon. The result, though, was what most supporters had expected before kick-off; another City win.

There was a time when City struggled against Everton. Guardiola needed four attempts before recording his first win -- a run of games that included a 4-0 defeat at Goodison Park in January 2017. It was a result that prompted a questioning of his methods and an examination of whether or not he could be successful in England. All those questions have been answered and then some. The only one remaining seems to be: How good can they get?

Guardiola has, of course, had plenty of backing from his board, and against Everton he was able to leave Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Bernardo Silva on the bench while still fielding a front four of Sterling, Mahrez, Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne.

Aguero had scored in each of his first six league appearances of the season, but it didn't matter that he wasn't in the team. His understudy, Jesus -- Brazil's first-choice centre-forward -- did a fine job of filling in, heading City in front after 24 minutes. It was laid on a plate for the 22-year-old by De Bruyne, whose delicious flick of a cross with his right foot was his eighth assist of the season. No one else has more than four.

De Bruyne was at the heart of City's crucial second, too, drawing a foul from Yerry Mina on the edge of the penalty area. Mahrez capped a fine individual performance by fizzing the free kick past Pickford. Even on a day when they didn't play particularly well and with key players either on the bench or slightly below their best, Guardiola found others ready to provide that extra edge.

Here it was Jesus, Mahrez and Ederson, after the Brazilian goalkeeper made two vital second-half saves. On Tuesday, when Dinamo Zagreb visit the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League, it may well be three different names, as Man City have a squad built to compete for everything.

It is only September, but it is already a two-horse race for the title. Liverpool edged a nervy game at Sheffield United earlier in the day, but City were able to respond a couple of hours later. It is the type of battle that used to be enjoyed by Manchester United and Arsenal, who meet at Old Trafford on Monday night.

It is a rivalry that inspired books and television programmes, but it is one consigned to the past. The Premier League's big two are now City and Liverpool, and they proved that again on a wet, windy afternoon when excuses would have been easy to find.

"We know which team we're playing [in the title race] right now," said Guardiola. "They are seven victories in a row, champions of Europe and playing good football, this is our rival and we know we can't drop too many points because last season they lost just one game."

After last season's titanic battle, the relentlessness of this race -- even this early -- should not be a surprise.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Jalen Hurts and the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners put up some big numbers Saturday as the storied college program became just the sixth team in FBS history to reach 900 wins.

The Sooners joined Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Alabama and Nebraska as the only teams to reach the milestone. Notre Dame also has an opportunity Saturday to join the Sooners in the 900 club if the Fighting Irish can beat Virginia.

Oklahoma is in its 125th season of football, posting the fifth-best winning percentage nationally in its first 124, with only 13 losing seasons. The Sooners own seven national championships.

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— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 28, 2019

Hurts continued his statistical onslaught, throwing for 415 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of play in the Sooners' 55-16 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Hurts also rushed for 70 yards and another score, and his 485 yards of total offense ranked eighth in Oklahoma history.

"Jalen made some nice throws," Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. "He's seeing the field pretty well. ... He was a little more confident today, a little bit more steady."

It was the second time this season Hurts has recorded 450 or more offensive yards, making him the fourth Oklahoma player to do it multiple times in the same season. His yards per attempt Saturday (17.3) is the third-highest in a game in Big 12 history.

Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb was Hurts' most productive target, catching seven passes for 185 yards and three scores. The Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) finished with 644 offensive yards.

Hurts finished with a passer rating of 254.7, making it the fourth consecutive game he's had a rating of at least 245. No other FBS player since at least 1996 has recorded more than two such games (minimum 18 passing attempts) in a season.

He was particularly effective throwing the ball downfield Saturday, completing a career-high five passes -- for 278 yards -- that were thrown 20 or more yards downfield.

"I think we came out with the right intent today," Hurts said. "I think we had good energy as a team, came out really focused and I think we took another step as far as playing a more complete game."

Hurts has thrown for 12 touchdowns this season -- three in each game -- and has rushed for five.

"Just did some things better than he did in the first three games," Riley said of the senior. "He was patient, did some things with his feet as well, decision-making continues to be good, throwing the deep ball well. So it was a solid day for him."

Oklahoma next plays at Kansas on Oct. 5.