Subscriber OnlySport

United and Arsenal draw; Brian O’Driscoll on his use of legal painkillers

Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho with Arsenal manager Unai Emery after the final whistle at Old Trafford. Photograph: Reuters
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho with Arsenal manager Unai Emery after the final whistle at Old Trafford. Photograph: Reuters

Manchester United and Arsenal shared a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last night. José Mourinho again made a number of changes to his struggling United team - seven more to take the count to 46 in 15 outings and continuing a sequence of never retaining the same league side this season - and while the performance suggested an improvement consistency remains the major problem. Elsewhere Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by Wolves, while Liverpool maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 win in Burnley. They were made to work hard for their points however, trailing 1-0 just before the hour mark, Jurgen Klopp looked like paying the price for his midweek rotation. Before goals from James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Xherdan Shaqiri saved the day.

Former Leinster and Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll has opened up about his use of legal painkillers during his playing career: "In the Leinster and Irish set-ups you could get your hands on difene. You got to fight your case a bit more now, and prove their necessity. Drug cabinets that might have been open once upon a time are very much shut and inaccessible." Paddy Jackson will not be involved in Perpignan's Challenge Cup match against Connacht at the Sportsground this weekend after being left out of the French club's travelling party. Meanwhile John O'Sullivan's column this week is looking at the number of Irish players making the switch from sevens to the 15-a-side game: "The IRFU's decision to belatedly embrace the Sevens game as a pathway to expose young players to international competition has been a resounding success by any yardstick."

In her column this morning, Sonia O'Sullivan explains why it's best to keep things simple for young athletes: "Junior athletes should be just that – junior athletes, learning and developing, every race being a new experience, just one new piece to the jigsaw puzzle. That often means spreading the gains over an extended period of time so that they build a solid foundation."

All six Munster counties will take part in the 2019 Munster Hurling League, with reigning All-Ireland champions Limerick beginning their campaign in the pre-season competition against Tipperary on Friday week.