Two late goals from Cristian Romero enabled Thomas Frank to leave Tyneside celebrating the sort of dramatic draw that can be construed as a form of moral victory.

The Tottenham captain’s equaliser in stoppage time, his second leveller of the scrappiest of games, not merely camouflaged plenty of visiting flaws but surely reinforced his manager’s recently fragile looking job security.

Another game to show off the concertinaed qualities of the Premier League this season. If anyone can beat anyone, they can also play out landlocked contests such as this.

It took a deflection to win it, Jack Grealish’s shot smashing off Bafodé Diakité’s shins and into the opposite corner. Two clubs from the mid-table blob that stretches from seventh to 15th fought and ran hard, effort never in short supply. The same could not always be said of quality, entertainment or chance creation.

Fancy a bit of history? Under the floodlights of this storied old ground you were welcome to take your pick. The inevitable Erling Haaland smashed through the 100-goal barrier and a Premier League record. Phil Foden scored his second double in four days. City raced to a 5-1 lead before an hour was even on the clock only for Fulham to come agonisingly close to parity by the end. All of that resulted in the seventh highest-scoring match in three ­decades of the Premier League. Not bad.

The pendulum swung throughout the contest in movements big and small. City set off with gusto and looked to have sealed the result with two short spells of dominance before and after half-time. But Fulham had more shots and more possession and were in charge of the match from the moment Alex Iwobi calmly scored their second 12 minutes into the second half. City have the points on the board in their ongoing pursuit of Arsenal, they could not disguise defensive vulnerabilities. Fulham, meanwhile, were unable to halt a run of defeats against City that now runs to an astonishing 19, but yet showed they could compete with anyone.

• England 2-0 Ghana

• Young star Kendall earns praise from Wiegman

Lucia Kendall was already living the dream, slotting into life in the Women’s Super League after she joined Aston Villa from Southampton this summer with an ease that earned her a first senior call-up in October.

In the cold and rain at St Mary’s against Ghana on Tuesday night, it took her just six minutes to ensure the dream remains a recurring one, slotting in from close range after Bénédicte Simon had scuffed her clearance from Chloe Kelly’s cross and the ball fell fortuitously at the midfielder’s feet.

Smith stood up to West Indies bowling and scored centuries against Australia in the most demanding of circumstances

A Robin Smith square cut was more than a whip‑crack snap of the bat. For English cricket fans of the late 80s and early 90s, it was a nudge in the ribs that, underneath the pastings, the dismal collapses and Rentaghost selections, the national team would fight another day.

Smith’s cut, alongside a David Gower cover drive, gave hope where there was little left in the bucket. Those famous forearms – half oak, half baobab – the white shirt unbuttoned past the clavicle, the chain glinting through his chest hair, smelt enticingly like bravery, and old spice and one last throw of the dice.

• Manager criticised supporters for booing on Saturday

• Says Pedro Porro’s posts were ‘fair in every aspect’

Thomas Frank believes he will be shown patience by Tottenham’s owners despite the fractious home defeat against Fulham on Saturday which resulted in him criticising supporters for booing the goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

After the 2-1 defeat – a third for Spurs in the space of six days – Frank said those who took aim at the Italian after his mistake led to a second Fulham goal for Harry Wilson were “not true fans”.

• Red Bull driver can win fifth world title in Abu Dhabi

• He was 104 points behind top after Dutch GP in August

Max Verstappen is fired up to go to Abu Dhabi and compete for his fifth F1 world championship after the Dutchman won in Qatar, narrowed the gap to 12 points within the championship leader, Lando Norris, and overtook Oscar Piastri to set up a three‑way season-deciding finale at the Yas Marina circuit.

Verstappen produced a superb drive for Red Bull in Lusail on Sunday but it was a victory handed to him by McLaren, who made a calamitous strategy call for Norris and Piastri.

• Mid-range offence could see eight-week ban

• Apology after match will be considered

Eben Etzebeth is expected to appear at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday after his red card for alleged eye-gouging in the dominant victory against Wales on Saturday, with the Springboks lock potentially facing a long ban. The verdict is likely to be announced on Wednesday.

As South Africa closed in on a record 73-0 win in Cardiff, Etzebeth clashed with the Welsh back-row Alex Mann, appearing to make contact with his opponent’s left eye in a fracas involving several players from both sides.

• ‘It’s hard to live with everything caused in my life’

• Brazilian cleared in summer over alleged spot-fixing

West Ham plan to offer Lucas Paquetá access to psychological support in response to the midfielder’s red card for dissent against Liverpool on Sunday.

Although Paquetá’s behaviour has not gone down well with several figures at the London Stadium, there is also concern that the Brazil international is struggling to cope with the strain of being left in limbo for two years during a Football Association investigation into spot-fixing allegations. The prospect of a lifetime ban hung over the 28-year-old, who was cleared of the Football Association charges in July, and the incident against Liverpool has left West Ham looking for ways to improve the player’s frame of mind.

• Spinning all-rounder bowls long spell in Gabba nets

• Opting for Tongue would maintain all-pace approach

Will Jacks has entered England’s thoughts for the day-night second Test against Australia as they look to level an Ashes series that, after arriving with confidence, is already in danger of slipping away.

Jacks was viewed as something of a left-field pick when England named their 16-man squad in ­September, with the Surrey all-rounder having won the last of his two Test caps ­during the 3-0 win in Pakistan three years ago and focused chiefly on white-ball cricket since.