Toulouse defender Ruben Gabrielsen revealed that Erling Braut Haaland came back a completely different player from an injury lay-off when the pair were at Molde. 

MIKE DICKSON IN NEW YORK: Defending singles champions perished at the US Open within 24 hours of each other, one departing to a cacophony of booing and the other to supportive cheers.

Novak Djokovic made a successful return from a shoulder injury with victory over Alexei Popyrin in the opening round of the Japan Open. He had to retire from the US Open last month.

Djokovic, who is attempting to win a title on his tournament debut for the 10th time, hit 10 aces and saved three of four break points, while showing no ill-effects from his recent shoulder injury.

Barcelona's new manager Quique Setien has admitted the club are trying to sign a replacement for forward Luis Suarez this month. The Uruguayan is ruled out for four months.

The Argentine superstar has been managing a thigh issue for a number of weeks but is pushing on after Luis Suarez was sidelined until April and Ousmane Dembele was ruled out for the season.

PETE JENSON: Barca have lost Luis Suarez for four months and with Dembele facing a lay-off until the end of the season they are in desperate need of reinforcements in attacking positions.

Luis Suarez has provided Barcelona with some good news as the injured striker is expected to be back in action before the end of the season. 

LAURA WILLIAMSON: Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been left 'devastated' after she was forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games with a left foot injury.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has vowed to end her injury nightmare and make up for lost time next year after a niggling foot injury spoiled her summer.

Francesco Molinari has revealed he had to overcome a back injury to produce his record-breaking Ryder Cup heroics. The back problem left him unable to tie his shoes the day after.

The 24-year-old winger, who was the top try-scorer at the recent World Cup with seven, suffered a nasty ankle injury in the 65th minute against France. He will now have surgery.

Without the state-of-the-art medical equipment he is used to at Leicester Tigers and the England camp, Jonny May has installed a hyperbaric chamber at his home to help him bounce back from injury.

Flanker John Barclay will also win his first cap since March last year. The Edinburgh forward has not played for his country since rupturing his Achilles on his final outing for former employers Scarlets.

Gold medal favourites New Zealand suffered a shock defeat to Japan in their opening rugby sevens match of this summer's Olympics.

New Zealand have been dealt a major blow with news that Sonny Bill Williams is set to be until at least Spring due to injury.

Sonny Bill Williams' wretched year went from bad to worse on Saturday as the New Zealand centre appears likely to have finished an injury-plagued campaign with a shoulder issue.

WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: Coventry City midfielder Callum O'Hare has revealed the extent of a gruesome head injury he suffered in Saturday's 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers.

The Manchester United forward has not played since sustaining a back injury against Wolves in an FA Cup third round replay on January 15, but is nearing full fitness as he trains during lockdown.

Without the state-of-the-art medical equipment he is used to at Leicester Tigers and the England camp, Jonny May has installed a hyperbaric chamber at his home to help him bounce back from injury.

Jose Mourinho has insisted that Chelsea signing Radamel Falcao is full recovered from the knee ligaments injury he sustained in 2014 and that he can return to his best form at Chelsea.

The 29-year-old, who has scored just one goal in 11 appearances for the Premier League champions, took to Instagram to tell fans he hopes to return to 'normal' very soon.

Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse was taken off on a stretcher and given oxygen after being caught on the right leg by a late challenge from Ryan Sessegnon.

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has been handed a double boost by the return to training of strikers Joelinton and Yoshinori Muto.

Billy Gilmour was the name on everyone's lips as Chelsea dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup. And the youngster could get more game time as Chelsea grapple with an injury crisis.

JACK GAUGHAN AT HILLSBOROUGH: De Bruyne missed Wednesday night's slender FA Cup victory at Sheffield Wednesday after landing awkwardly towards the end of the Carabao Cup final.

Lucas Torreira has provided Arsenal fans with a positive update on his recuperation after he sustained a fractured ankle in the FA Cup win at Portsmouth.

WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: The eye swelled up quickly and doctors ordered the 28-year-old Japanese fighter to call it a day for fear of any further damage taking his vision away for good.

Pacquiao said that he wants Mayweather to come out of retirement for a rematch. Those plans have already hit an issue though after Pacquiao suffered a potentially serious eye injury.

Marco Asensio tore his cruciate ligament in Madrid's pre-season friendly victory over the Gunners following an innocuous challenge with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Ruby Rose has revealed she was almost left paralysed after a stunt went seriously wrong on the set of her new series, Batwoman. Appearing on The Tonight Show, Ruby spoke about her surgery.

The Germans are without nearly a dozen players, including injured Toni Kroos, Leroy Sane, Antonio Rudiger, Timo Werner Leon Goretzka and Matthias Ginter among others.

Experienced German centre-back Antonio Rudiger has played just 45 minutes all season for Chelsea after undergoing surgery on his knee back in April.

The Real Madrid man is in line to make his 95th international appearance after a muscle tear ruled him out of the friendly draw with Argentina and qualifying win over Estonia in September.

The 26-year-old French centre back has struggled with knee and foot problems in the last few seasons and Barca said there was no time frame for his return to training.

Konta has not played since losing in the US Open quarter-finals in early September - it is a disappointing end to a brilliant year, who began the year ranked 39 and is currently sitting 11th.

Leavy lasted only 11 minutes of Saturday's Champions Cup quarter-final victory over Ulster before he was carried from the pitch on a stretcher having replaced Sean O'Brien in the second-half.

Best suffered the damage to his left foot in Ulster's Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster on Saturday and following a scan on Monday it was confirmed he will be fit to lead Ireland in Japan

The fly-half has not appeared for Leinster since the turn of the year, and was ruled out of last Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final victory over Ulster with a quad issue.

Premier playmaker Johnny Sexton is expected to be fit shortly, but Ireland can ill afford to lose either of their main backline pivots. They open their World Cup by taking on Scotland on September 22.

Warren Gatland insisted that Rhys Patchell would travel to the World Cup on Wednesday despite suffering a worrying concussion in Wales' defeat to Ireland.

Gregor Townsend confessed it 'doesn't look good' for Hamish Watson after admitting the Scotland flanker's World Cup might be over already. The Dark Blues suffered a 27-3 mauling from Ireland.

Sexton captained Ireland for the first time on Thursday, but he was replaced by Jack Carty for the second-half of his side's five-try win over the Bears.

Leading rider Jamie Spencer is facing sometime out of the saddle following an accident on the Newmarket gallops on Friday. The 39-year-old Irishman was returning to the David Simcock stable.

Forward Lorenzo Insigne has withdrawn from Italy's squad with a muscular problem ahead of European Championship qualifiers against Armenia and Finland.

The 25-year-old defender started the top-of-the-table Group J Euro 2020 qualifier against Finland at the Tampere Stadium. But left-back Emerson sustained the problem after just six minutes.

Serie A bosses are reportedly working out plans to resume training and hope to be playing by the end of May or the start of June, with each side still having 12 fixtures remaining.

Poland's first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will miss Thursday's Euro 2016 clash with Germany but could return for their final Group C game against Ukraine

The Paralympic table tennis star, 31, who participated in the competition series with professional dancer Janette Manrara for six weeks, spoke to The Sun

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY DAVID COVERDALE: Sam Ward tilts his head forward to show a scar running all the way across his scalp down to the bottom of his left ear. 'I had my face off,' he explains.