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Wigan Athletic arrive at the Select Car Leaking Stadium on Tuesday night rudderless, winless in five and desperate for any result that will drag them out of the League One drop zone. The Latics sit 22nd, two points from safety, after a bruising 6-1 capitulation at Peterborough United on Saturday – a defeat that cost manager Ryan Lowe his job only eleven months into his reign. Interim duo Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow have been asked to steady the ship while chairman Talal Al Hammad scours the market for a permanent successor. It is a far cry from the modest optimism of last May, when a 15th-place finish, ten points clear of trouble, suggested the Greater Manchester club had finally found a platform in the third tier. Instead, 2025-26 has delivered only three league victories, the last of them a 2-1 success at Burton Albion on 28 December. Since then, four defeats and a single draw have nudged Wigan ever closer to the relegation trapdoor and intensified calls for fresh leadership. Reading, who completed a comfortable double over the Latics last term, will sense vulnerability. Goals from Jayden Wareham and Tyler Bindon sealed a 2-1 Berkshire win in March after earlier domination at the SCL Stadium, and the Royals have every reason to target another statement victory against opponents who have conceded 13 times in their last three away fixtures. Selection problems compound Wigan’s plight. Club captain Jason Kerr (knee) and full-back James Carragher (hamstring) are expected to miss out, leaving a patched-up back four likely to feature new recruit Jack Hunt. The 33-year-old right-back signed on a free from Stockport County last month and is poised for a second start alongside Aimson, Fox and Sessefon. Between the posts, England U-20 international Sam Tickle continues to impress despite the chaos in front of him. January business brought three further reinforcements, all on loan: midfielder Owen Moxon (Stockport), former Royal Caylan Vickers (Brighton) and Huddersfield striker Joe Taylor. All three are in contention to start, with Taylor’s physical presence offering an alternative to the mobile but misfiring front line that has mustered only 29 goals in 28 league outings. Creativity and goals have largely fallen to midfielders Fraser Murray and Callum Wright. Murray, signed from Kilmarnock last summer, tops the club chart with five goals and has featured in every league fixture. The 26-year-old Scot is comfortable centrally or off the flank, and his set-piece delivery will test a Reading defence that has struggled at restarts. Wright, on loan from Plymouth Argyle, has matched Murray’s tally from a more advanced role, thriving as a No. 10 where his aerial ability adds a different dimension to Wigan’s build-up. Yet for all their individual promise, the pair have been unable to arrest a sequence that has seen the Latics claim only four points from a possible 21 since Boxing Day. The interim coaches have preached defensive solidity after the weekend humiliation at London Road, but with confidence brittle and the managerial situation unresolved, Tuesday’s assignment looks treacherous. Kick-off is 19:45 GMT, and while Wigan’s travelling support clings to hope that a new-manager bounce might yet materialise, the statistics are stark: no wins in eight on the road, 22 goals conceded in that span, and a goal difference of minus 19 that is the second-worst in the division. Reading know victory would extend their cushion inside the top half and deepen the visitors’ relegation fears. For Whelan and Barrow, the immediate remit is simpler: stop the bleeding, restore belief, and somehow find a way to claw back those two precious points that separate their side from safety. Wigan Athletic, managerless and marooned near the bottom, have never needed a result more.

Barcelona’s summer planning has already crystallised around a single, stark dilemma: keep Ferran Torres or retain Robert Lewandowski. With the club identifying a new centre-forward as an “absolute priority” for Hansi Flick’s 2026-27 project, only one of the two current strikers is expected to remain at the Camp Nou. Diario Sport reports that the final decision has been framed as an either-or proposition. Lewandowski, whose deal enters its last months, is the more likely departure. Officials have floated the possibility of a 12-month extension on reduced terms, yet no agreement has materialised. Conversely, Torres is under contract through 2027 but has yet to open talks over an extension, forcing Barcelona to resolve his future this off-season or place him on the market. Despite persistent speculation linking Julian Álvarez with a move from Atlético Madrid, doubts persist over whether Barcelona can finance the transfer, leaving the internal choice between Torres and Lewandowski as the immediate issue. Torres, who has repeatedly stated his desire to stay, has registered 16 goals in 31 appearances this season and is reportedly ahead of Lewandowski in Flick’s pecking order. The Polish striker has 13 goals from 28 games. The coming weeks will determine which forward’s Camp Nou story continues and which ends to accommodate the club’s pursuit of a marquee No. 9.

Barcelona entered a new administrative era on Monday evening when Rafa Yuste stepped into the role of interim president following Joan Laporta’s resignation to contest forthcoming club elections. The former sporting vice-president made his first public appearance in the new capacity at the inaugural La Nit de la Ràdio gala, organised by Cadena SER, and used the platform to outline a message of continuity. “The goal is to maintain the course set so far,” Yuste told attendees. “We want to bring the greatest joy to the Barça members.” The brief statement underscored a desire for stability during a transition period that will last until members return to the polls. Yuste, photographed flanked by club dignitaries, sidestepped any temptation to be drawn into the latest barbs from Real Madrid camp. Asked about comments from Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa referencing the ongoing Negreira case, the interim president replied: “Focused on Barça and listening to the people who are key figures at our club, in this case, within the sporting department, and offering my full support to Flick, his staff, Deco, and Bojan, and nothing else. I have nothing to say about Madrid or any other team.” Looking ahead to Thursday’s trip to the capital for the Champions League clash, Yuste refused to gaze too far into the distance. “What I’m imagining now is going to Madrid on Thursday and playing a great match. And as Flick says, taking it one step at a time.” With elections on the horizon, Yuste’s interim mandate is clear: steady the ship, back the current sporting structure, and keep the focus firmly on performances on the pitch.

Nottingham Forest’s season, once billed as their most promising in three decades, has veered into a nerve-shredding relegation fight that even the most pessimistic supporter could not have forecast in August. A 3-1 home defeat to Leeds United on Friday has intensified the gloom, leaving the City Ground faithful scanning the fixture list for the points that might preserve Premier League status. The loss to Leeds, themselves resurgent after a bleak winter, was compounded by a patched-up back line: a goalkeeper still settling in, two full-backs operating out of position, and a key centre-back unavailable. Yet amid the wreckage there were flashes of encouragement from January arrivals Luca Netz and Lorenzo Lucca, whose cameos hinted they could yet shape the run-in. With 13 matches remaining, the maths is stark but not insurmountable: four wins and a couple of draws should nudge Forest past the dotted line. The question is where those precious points will materialise. Fixtures against Liverpool, Brighton and Manchester City loom after a Europa League play-off with Fenerbahce, making the visit of Wolves on Wednesday a contest Forest can ill-afford to lose. Although Rob Edwards’ side sit in the drop zone alongside Burnley, recent form suggests no fixture is straightforward. Manager Sean Dyche, nominated for January’s Manager of the Month award, carries the weight of expectation. “On paper, Sean Dyche is the man you want to see you through this kind of storm,” the club source admitted, before warning that accolades from last month count for little if performances mirror the Leeds display. The wider picture offers little comfort. Five or six clubs are now jammed in the scramble to avoid 18th, and even Newcastle, currently 12th, are wobbling. A weekend without a fixture has afforded Forest a rare breather to reset, but the sense remains that every subsequent slip drags them closer to the Championship. Nottingham Forest, European campaign and all, were meant to be looking up the table, not over their shoulders. Instead, they confront a spring defined by tension, where each kick of the ball could decide their fate.

Seoul—South Korea’s national women’s football team has stepped back from a boycott of the upcoming Women’s Asian Cup after a dispute over what players described as “discriminatory conditions” was settled, the Korea Football Association confirmed Tuesday. The disagreement, which had threatened the squad’s participation only weeks before the tournament’s opening match, was resolved following last-minute negotiations between squad representatives and federation officials. Details of the accord were not disclosed, but the KFA statement said the matter “has been resolved,” clearing the way for the team to prepare for the continental championship. The swift resolution ends speculation that the 2022 edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup might lose one of East Asia’s top sides just days before teams begin arriving for group-stage fixtures. The tournament is scheduled to kick off next month. South Korea, which booked its place in the competition through qualifying rounds last year, is now expected to travel as planned and contest a group that includes regional heavyweights. The development preserves the integrity of a 12-nation field already reshaped by pandemic-related withdrawals and venue changes. KFA officials did not elaborate on the specific grievances raised by players, nor did they outline any structural changes agreed upon to address the squad’s concerns. The federation reiterated its commitment to “supporting the women’s program” and thanked supporters for their patience during the brief impasse. With the boycott threat lifted, attention turns to final preparations for a squad aiming to improve on previous Asian Cup performances and secure one of the continent’s berths in next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

London’s Stamford Bridge will be the stage for a high-stakes Premier League encounter on Tuesday, February 10, as Chelsea welcome Leeds United with European qualification and survival hopes on the line. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT). Chelsea enter the match clinging to fifth place in the table on 43 points from 25 fixtures, a position currently projected to secure the final Champions League berth. Mauricio Pochettino’s side trail fourth-placed Manchester United by a single point and sit four behind Aston Villa in third, while Liverpool hover just four points back in sixth, intensifying the pressure for a victory. Leeds, meanwhile, arrive in the capital buoyed by a pivotal 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest that lifted them to 16th and provided a six-point cushion above the relegation zone. Goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor in that six-pointer have given Javi Gracia’s squad breathing room, yet every remaining point is precious in their fight to avoid the drop. Viewers in the United States can catch the drama exclusively via live stream on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s premium platform that carries every Premier League contest this season. Spanish-language coverage will be simulcast on Universo. Peacock subscriptions start at $10.99 per month and can be canceled anytime; the service also offers live NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, and future Olympic coverage, including the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. With Champions League aspirations and relegation concerns colliding under the lights of west London, Tuesday’s meeting promises pivotal implications at both ends of the Premier League table.

Sunderland and Liverpool meet under the midweek lights at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, 11 February, with both camps acknowledging that a swift response is essential after recent setbacks. Kick-off is set for 8:15 pm UK time in the 49,000-capacity venue, where the Black Cats have built a reputation for resilience this season. Head coach Regis Le Bris will welcome counterpart Arne Slot to Wearside, pitting Sunderland’s sturdy home form against Liverpool’s proven attacking firepower. The hosts have been difficult to break down on their own patch, yet the visitors’ quality in the final third suggests a tight contest is in store. Team news is mixed for both sides. Sunderland remain without Granit Xhaka and Jocelin Ta Bi as the pair continue to recover from ankle problems, while winger Bertrand Traore will be given a late fitness check before a final decision is made. Liverpool, meanwhile, are dealing with a lengthier absentee list: Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, and Joe Gomez are all ruled out through injury, and Dominik Szoboszlai will serve a suspension that keeps him on Merseyside. With Sunderland’s disciplined home record colliding against Liverpool’s need for points, the balance of play could tilt on a single moment of quality. A narrow away victory is viewed as the most probable outcome, yet Le Bris’s organised side will believe they can frustrate the Reds and claim a statement result on Wearside.

Anfield’s stoppage-time heartbreak against Manchester City has tightened the race for a top-four finish and intensified Arne Slot’s weekly puzzle of who can actually take the pitch. While no new knocks were added during the 2-1 loss, the manager is already without a cluster of influential names, and the suspension of Dominik Szoboszlai—sent off for denying Erling Haaland a clear chance—has removed another creative option for the upcoming trip to Sunderland. Right-back remains the most patched-up area of the pitch. Jeremie Frimpong, the summer signing brought in to add pace and width, has not trained since being forced off early in the 6-0 Champions League win over Qarabag with a muscle complaint. Slot ruled the Dutchman out of the City game and, after the final whistle, delivered the same verdict for the Stadium of Light meeting. “We knew when he got injured it was a few weeks,” Slot said, though he offered a sliver of encouragement: the lay-off is shorter than initially feared. Liverpool are pencilling in a possible return for the Dutchman away to Nottingham Forest on 21 February, a reappearance that would restore balance to a flank currently reliant on makeshift solutions. Further up the pitch, Alexander Isak’s fractured fibula—sustained in a challenge from Micky van de Ven during the 2-1 win at Tottenham—continues to deprive Liverpool of a mobile, clinical striker. Surgery was required on the Swedish forward’s ankle and leg, and Slot has long since accepted the absence will be measured in months rather than weeks. “It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” the manager reiterated, targeting a March 2026 comeback. Should that schedule hold, Isak would return for the run-in, offering both depth and a different attacking dimension at a decisive stage of the campaign. Central defence is equally threadbare. Joe Gomez’s hip issue, picked up at Bournemouth, has left Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as the only senior centre-backs available. Slot does not anticipate the England defender being risked against Sunderland, with Brighton’s visit on 14 February floated as a tentative re-entry point. “I don’t expect Joe back for Wednesday,” Slot admitted. “Then he is back from being out for three weeks—would you play him now?” The situation at right-back is compounded by Conor Bradley’s long-term absence. The Northern Irishman damaged his knee in the closing moments of the Premier League defeat at Arsenal and has since undergone surgery. Liverpool confirmed no timeline will be set until rehabilitation is well under way at the AXA Training Centre, though summer 2026 is viewed as the realistic horizon for his return. With Szoboszlai also unavailable, Slot’s task over the coming weeks is clear: balance minutes, recovery and risk while navigating a condensed fixture list that could yet define the club’s European ambitions.

London Stadium will stage a pivotal mid-week Premier League encounter on Tuesday, 10 February, as West Ham United welcome Manchester United for an 8:15 pm GMT kick-off. The 60,000-capacity venue is expected to generate a raucous atmosphere with both managers eager to extend positive recent form. Nuno Espírito Santo’s West Ham enter the match buoyed by back-to-league results, yet must cope without two key figures. Centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo serves a suspension, while veteran goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański remains sidelined through injury. The Portuguese coach acknowledged “minor knocks” elsewhere in the squad but declined to elaborate on further absentees, leaving the door open for potential late fitness tests. Across the capital, interim boss Michael Carrick has guided Manchester United to a sequence of league victories, lifting confidence ahead of the short trip east. The visitors will, however, make the journey without Mason Mount, whose return to training is reportedly imminent but not imminent enough for inclusion. Defensive linchpin Matthijs de Ligt and teenage full-back Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu are also ruled out, with Carrick indicating De Ligt’s recovery lags behind Mount’s. With European qualification hopes intensifying, three points are at a premium. West Ham’s patched-up rearguard must contend with United’s in-form attack, while the Hammers will look to exploit any uncertainty in a reshuffled visiting defence. Neutral observers anticipate a tight affair, and the early-season projection tips Manchester United to edge it 2-1. Broadcast details remain unconfirmed, yet supporters worldwide will monitor team sheets closely as both clubs seek momentum heading into the season’s decisive stretch.

Barcelona’s presidential race is officially under way after Joan Laporta’s resignation, and the battle lines between Laporta and rival candidate Victor Font have sharpened. Yet one of the club’s most influential figures, Lionel Messi, has chosen to remain on the sidelines. According to Diario SPORT, the Inter Miami star has informed those close to him that he will neither vote nor meet with any contender, a notable shift for a player who has historically taken part in club elections. While Xavi Hernández has openly aligned himself with Font, Messi—despite a fractured relationship with Laporta—has opted for neutrality. Font has pledged that his first act in office would be to telephone Messi, but the Argentine will not be taking the call before ballots are cast. Sources cite the forward’s commitments in the United States, where he is preparing for the MLS season, as the principal reason for his detachment from the process. The report adds that Messi is wary of leveraging his popularity to sway an outcome, declining even to reference either candidate by name. Although the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has ruled out participation this cycle, the same report suggests he could re-engage in future elections, potentially through endorsements or even a formal role. For now, Barcelona’s electorate will decide its next president without the direct influence of the man who, for two decades, defined the club’s identity on and off the pitch.

London – When Manchester United step out at the London Stadium on Tuesday evening, the stakes will be framed in more than points and places. A win over relegation-threatened West Ham would not only stretch Michael Carrick’s perfect start as interim boss to five victories from five; it would also end the most famous barber’s boycott in English football. United supporter Frank Illett, known across social media as @TheUnitedStrand, has not touched a pair of clippers since 5 October 2024. His pledge is simple: no haircut until the club records five consecutive wins. The sequence has proved elusive. Ruben Amorim twice reached three victories on the spin, only for Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest to halt the momentum, leaving Illett’s locks untouched and his following exploding past two million. Carrick, preparing for his fifth match at the helm, was reminded of the follicle saga in Monday’s press conference. “I can say I’m aware of it, my kids have made me aware of it,” he smiled. “It certainly won’t go into the team talk from a professional level. But I can understand what’s going on with it. It does make me smile.” The numbers underline how close Illett is to the barber’s chair. United’s 2-0 defeat of 10-man Tottenham at the weekend made it four straight triumphs for the first time since the challenge began 493 days ago. A fifth against West Ham would match the requirement and, perhaps, prompt a celebratory trim live-streamed to millions. United arrive in east London fourth in the Premier League, five points clear of sixth-placed Liverpool and with only league fixtures remaining after early exits from cup competitions. The focused calendar, Carrick believes, aids their push for Champions League qualification and, inadvertently, Illett’s pursuit of a fresh style. Illett’s last haircut came two days after a 3-3 Europa League draw with Porto and one before a goalless stalemate at Aston Villa. A fortnight later, United lost 2-1 at West Ham; Erik ten Hag left the club soon after. Tuesday’s return to the same venue offers the chance to flip that script and close the book on a hair-raising hiatus. For now, the scissors remain sheathed, the beard continues to broaden, and Old Trafford’s most famous uncut narrative rides on 90 minutes in the capital.

Jarrow, County Durham – 10 February 1936: The raw winter air carried more than frost this morning; it carried grief. Thousands stood in silence along York Avenue and the winding route to Jarrow Cemetery as Sunderland AFC goalkeeper Jimmy Thorpe, whose death on 5 February from injuries sustained in a match against Chelsea shocked the nation, was laid to rest. The 22-year-old’s passing has left the footballing world in mourning and today the region stood still to honour a life taken far too soon. The cortege began at the Monkton home of Thorpe’s in-laws, where the goalkeeper had lived with his wife May and their young son Ronnie. From there the hearse moved slowly through streets lined four and five deep with mourners; many had walked the three miles from Sunderland overnight, determined to pay their respects. Police officers, visibly moved, repeatedly stepped forward to clear a path so the procession could pass, yet the crowd remained impeccably quiet, broken only by the shuffle of feet and the occasional stifled sob. At the cemetery gates, only invited guests were admitted; the iron gates were locked behind them to ensure the family’s privacy. Inside, the Rev. Brittian, curate of Jarrow, conducted the brief committal service beside an oak casket draped in the colours of Sunderland. Pallbearers were drawn entirely from Thorpe’s teammates: Bobby Gurney, Alex Hastings, Bert Johnston, Harry Shaw, Billy Murray and reserve goalkeeper Matt Middleton lowered their friend into the ground beneath a solitary tree. The breadth of football’s tribute was staggering. Wreaths arrived from more than forty organisations: every senior north-eastern club, West Ham, Everton, Portsmouth and Chelsea – opponents only five days earlier – sent floral emblems. Manager-secretary Johnny Cochrane’s tribute was a miniature football pitch edged in green to match Thorpe’s jersey, while a life-sized ball fashioned from brown leaves rested in front of an empty goal-shaped wreath. The Sunderland Borough Police and Fire Brigade, Roker Park gatemen, the Jarrow Junior Imperial League and dozens of supporters’ clubs added their own sprays, until the mound of flowers resembled a colourful terracing behind the freshly-dug grave. The official mourners’ list, published in tonight’s Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette, exceeds one hundred names. Sir Walter Raine, the club’s chairman, led a phalanx of directors; every member of the first-team squad attended, as did ground-staff, office clerks and the club doctor. Former players, rival managers and entire coaching staffs from Newcastle United, Middlesbrough and Hartlepools United filled the chapel path. Representatives of Jarrow AFC, Jarrow Cricket Club and even the Whitley and Monkseaton AFC waited outside the gates to add their own silent farewells. For the Thorpe family the day brought a grim finality. Present were Jimmy’s father J.H.A. Thorpe, his father-in-law G. Lockhart, uncles and cousins, and the wider Lockhart and Maughan families. Yet the day also brought comfort: proof that the goalkeeper’s warmth and talent had transcended club loyalties and touched a region. As the last clod of earth fell onto the casket, a lone whistle blew somewhere beyond the cemetery walls – a shipyard worker signalling the end of a shift, and an unintended salute to a local hero. Football will resume shortly: Sunderland are expected to fulfil their fixture at Liverpool next weekend, though the rearranged Leeds United match remains postponed indefinitely. For today, however, league tables and points were deemed meaningless. A community has lost one of its brightest sons; the game has lost one of its most promising custodians. Jimmy Thorpe, Jarrow born and Sunderland cherished, rests beneath northern soil, but his memory will linger far longer than the winter chill. SEO keywords:

The Premier League’s compressed midweek card has Fantasy Premier League managers scrambling for reliable team news, with double gameweek darlings Arsenal and Wolves at the centre of every conversation, while injury-ravaged squads at Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City try to cobble together competitive line-ups. Arsenal’s twin fixtures make the Gunners essential viewing. Leandro Trossard is still being assessed after his early withdrawal against Sunderland, Martin Ødegaard remains a doubt after missing the last two matches, and Bukayo Saka plus teenage prospect Max Dowman are still unavailable despite edging closer to a return. Reiss Nelson is cup-tied against parent club Arsenal, trimming another rotation option. Wolves, also on the double, have concerns of their own. Goalkeeper André Neto is a major doubt with a calf problem and has not yet trained, while defender Toti Gomes is yet to rejoin the group. Their availability will dictate how ambitious FPL owners can be when stacking Wolves assets across two fixtures in three days. Elsewhere, the walking wounded dominate headlines. Tottenham’s treatment room overflows: Cristian Romero begins a four-match ban, adding to a prohibitive list that already includes James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Micky van de Ven, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie, Richarlison and Pedro Porro among others. Spence’s return to training offers slim consolation for Ange Postecoglou, who will field a patched-up XI. Chelsea’s crisis is easing slightly. Filip Jørgensen, club captain Reece James and centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo are in contention, while midfielder Andrey Santos has been passed fit. Even so, the Blues remain without several regulars as they prepare for a pivotal clash. Manchester City continue to cope without Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić, Jérémy Doku, John Stones and Savinho, forcing Pep Guardiola into creative solutions during a relentless schedule. Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon will face a late fitness test on a thigh issue, while teenage midfielder Lewis Miley is also doubtful. West Ham prepare for life without Jean-Clair Todibo, suspended after his red against Chelsea, and veteran keeper Łukasz Fabiański. Everton have no fresh setbacks; Jack Grealish is their lone confirmed absentee and will not play again this season. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is being monitored after falling ill, and Ilia Gruev is under observation. Leeds, their upcoming opponent, list only Anton Stach as a long-term casualty; Pascal Struijk should return within the week. Bournemouth’s injury list remains static: Justin Kluivert, Ben Doak, Marcus Tavernier and Julio Soler are out, while Tyler Adams is unlikely to be rushed back despite training. Fulham expect to miss Tom Cairney and will definitely be without Saša Lukić. Manchester United target the weekend rather than GW26 for Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt, while Patrick Dorgu is still sidelined. Aston Villa have no imminent returns; Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and others remain out. Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke is unlikely to recover from a hamstring strain; Yasin Ayari is ruled out with a shoulder issue, but Justin Devenny should return from an ankle complaint. Crystal Palace monitor Jean-Philippe Mateta’s knee problem, though the Frenchman is not expected to be out long-term; Caleb Kporha, Riad Cardines, Eddie Nketiah and Cheick Doucouré remain longer-term absentees. Burnley’s James Trafford is available, but James Ward-Prowse is ineligible against parent club. Josh Cullen, Zeki Amdouni, Jordan Beyer, Mike Tresor and Connor Roberts are still injured. Abdukodir Khusanov misses out after concussion sustained against Liverpool. Nottingham Forest receive a boost as Murillo’s injury is not serious and Matz Sels nears a goalkeeping return. Sunderland expect Granit Xhaka, Jocelin Tabi and Bertrand Isidore Traoré back later in the month. With so many squads stretched, rotation risk and bench fodder loom large. FPL bosses must balance Arsenal and Wolves double-gamers against the security of starters from healthier outfits such as Leeds or Everton. Fine margins—late fitness tests, precautionary withdrawals, tactical surprises—could once again swing gameweek averages and mini-league fortunes. Stay tuned to live chat channels for up-to-the-minute line-up drops, and brace for a score prediction landscape as volatile as the injury table itself. SEO keywords:

Manchester United have added Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali to their expanding list of summer 2026 targets, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed. The Italy international, valued at around £100 million, was first linked with a move to Old Trafford on Sunday when Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath revealed United’s interest. Romano’s latest update adds weight to the story, stating that Tonali is “one they’re monitoring” among several Premier League-proven midfielders. Tonali’s representatives have recently suggested the 25-year-old could seek a new challenge at the end of the season. A key factor is Champions League football; the player considers continued participation in Europe’s elite competition non-negotiable. Newcastle, currently 12th in the table and 11 points behind fourth-placed United, look unlikely to qualify unless they pull off a remarkable run that culminates in lifting the trophy in May. United’s hierarchy, led by INEOS, are working to identify Casemiro’s long-term successor. The Brazilian will depart when his contract expires in June after four years at the club. Tonali is the most experienced of the domestic options under review, ahead of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton (22), Brighton’s Carlos Baleba (22) and Newcastle teammate Elliot Anderson (23). Baleba had been the preferred target of former manager Ruben Amorim, prompting informal discussions with Brighton prior to the 2025-26 campaign. With Amorim now gone, United’s incoming permanent coach will have final say on both the profile and identity of the club’s next midfield anchor. “Manchester United have multiple midfielders on their list, and Sandro Tonali is one they’re monitoring,” Romano explained. “Final decisions depend on the permanent manager and UCL qualification. Amorim’s main target was Baleba.” United’s top-four prospects received a boost at the weekend. After matchweek 25 they sit one point clear of Chelsea and five ahead of Liverpool, who suffered a damaging derby defeat to Manchester City. The club’s summer rebuild, therefore, remains conditional on two key variables: who takes the managerial reins and whether Champions League status is secured.

Santa Clara, Calif. — From the instant the lights came up inside Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show declared its mission: make the world dance on Latin music’s terms. Opening with the reggaetón blast of Tití Me Preguntó, the Puerto Rican superstar skipped the customary English-language crossover segue and instead trusted the groove to do the translating. By the time Yo Perreo Sola dropped, the crowd had pivoted from spectators to full participants, hips swiveling in unison across every section. The 12-minute set never rushed. Safaera and Party kept the promise Bad Bunny articulated last Thursday — “people only have to worry about dancing” — while BAILE INoLVIDABLE and NUEVAYoL arrived with breathing room, allowing each dembow pulse to settle into the stadium’s bones. Lady Gaga, appearing in bright blue, supplied the first surprise, folding a salsa-kissed Die with a Smile into the medley. The duet, coming weeks after the pair’s Grammy Awards rapport, radiated mutual admiration rather than stunt-casting. Ricky Martin’s entrance alongside LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii underscored continuity, reminding viewers that tonight’s headliner stands on the shoulders of prior Latin crossover moments. Visually, the stage recreated La Casita, the vibrant house featured on Bad Bunny’s Grammy-winning album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Around it: a bodega storefront, a wedding vignette, and — in a detail that quieted even the press-box chatter — a child asleep on a couch while adults danced nearby. For millions of viewers raised on family parties that never end before sunrise, the image landed as both memory and manifesto. The closing sequence crystallized the show’s emotional arc. CAFé CON RON bled into DtMF as more than 100 international flags flooded the field; Haiti’s banner among them drew audible cheers from sections of the Bay Area’s Caribbean diaspora. A football emblazoned with “Together we are America” and a jumbotron reading “The only thing stronger than hate is love” punctuated the finale without slipping into sloganeering. By refusing to dilute his Spanish-language catalog, Bad Bunny turned skepticism — widespread when the NFL announced him last September — into affirmation. The performance did not merely entertain; it recognized communities historically sidelined on this stage, offering pride in place of translation and unity in place of compromise. Bad Bunny, fresh off becoming the first Spanish-language artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, exited the field to a global chorus already asking the only question that matters: when can we dance together again?

The next 48 hours deliver a nonstop buffet of live championship action for Bay Area viewers, from the ice rinks of the winter-sports season to the clay courts of early-season tennis and the region’s own G League hardwood. Wednesday’s slate opens in the predawn darkness with international prestige on the line. At 2:30 a.m. the Ladies European Tour tees off from Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Ladies International, the first of two consecutive early-morning golf blocks. Cross-country skiing follows at 3:10 a.m. with the men’s and women’s sprint classic finals, while insomniac curling fans can settle in for a doubleheader: the mixed-doubles bronze-medal game at 6 a.m. and the gold-medal showdown three hours later. Figure skating’s men’s short program airs in two parts, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and continuing at 10:45 a.m., offering the first major read on podium contenders. Sliding-sport specialists get their fix at 9:45 a.m. when the women’s singles luge crowns its champion on the final run, followed at 9:55 a.m. Thursday by the second run of the women’s doubles luge. Speed-skating purists can circle 9:30 a.m. Thursday for the men’s 1,000-meter duel on the oval. Soccer’s continental stage dominates the afternoon and evening windows. FS2 carries a quadruple-header of CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 Championship qualifiers, headlined by the United States versus Dominican Republic at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday and stretching through Antigua & Barbuda–Grenada at 1:50 p.m. The competition shifts to Canada–Jamaica at 11:50 a.m. Thursday and concludes with Cuba–Belize at 1:50 p.m. Thursday. Club honors arrive in the CONCACAF Champions Cup: Pumas UNAM meet expansion side San Diego FC at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday, followed by Club América–Olimpia at 4:55 p.m. Thursday and Monterrey–Xelajú MC at 6:55 p.m. Thursday. On the women’s side, the UEFA Women’s Champions League delivers a pair of group-stage encounters: OH Leuven versus Arsenal at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday and Paris FC against Real Madrid at noon Thursday, both on CBSSN. Closer to home, the Earthquakes continue their Coachella Valley Invitational preseason schedule with a 3 p.m. Thursday meeting versus Portland on KTVU+. Basketball’s developmental league swings through the South Bay as the Santa Cruz Warriors visit the Memphis Hustle at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, airing exclusively on NBCSBA. Tennis addicts can binge simultaneous ATP and WTA events all week. The Dallas-ATP, Rotterdam-ATP, Buenos Aires-ATP and Doha-WTA tournaments rotate through staggered sessions at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily, with encore blocks at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Thursday and overnight replays at 2 a.m. Thursday. Whether you’re chasing medals, league tables, or simply a reason to keep the television on, the Bay Area’s sports calendar for Feb. 10-11 offers a rare midweek feast.

Sunderland, England – When the final whistle blew at the Emirates last weekend, Sunderland’s players trudged off having pushed likely champions Arsenal for 60 minutes before a second goal sealed their fate. Yet the sense of disappointment was tempered by a single thought echoing around the away end: Wednesday night under the lights at the Stadium of Light is the fixture we pictured while trudging to Fleetwood, Accrington and Burton only a few seasons ago. That vision is now reality. Liverpool arrive on Wearside bruised from a late home defeat to Manchester City that extended their winless run to one victory in seven matches. Their solitary triumph in that sequence? A result Sunderland supporters will happily remind them of. The Reds’ aura remains formidable – they are, after all, reigning Premier League champions and one of world football’s commercial and sporting giants – but their fluency has deserted them this term. A 1-1 draw at Anfield earlier in the campaign offered further evidence that the gap can be closed: had a pair of second-half chances fallen differently, the Black Cats might have left Merseyside with even more. Sunderland’s own narrative is equally compelling. Unbeaten at the Stadium of Light since August, the hosts have reeled off consecutive home wins after a brief spell of draws, scoring five goals across those two fixtures. The sequence has addressed, at least temporarily, the side’s need to become more prolific on their own patch. More importantly, it has reinforced the conviction that the SoL is once again a venue where heavyweights can be inconvenienced. Wednesday’s assignment represents a step up from recent home victories over Crystal Palace and Burnley, yet the context favours the hosts. Liverpool’s sole away clean sheet in the league since October came at lowly Luton, and their attacking trident has misfired with uncharacteristic regularity. If confidence is brittle, the Stadium of Light is hardly the place to relocate it. Historical precedent offers encouragement. Sunderland’s last Premier League encounter with Liverpool on home soil – a 2-2 draw in January 2017 – stands out as a rare highlight of the doomed 2016-17 campaign. Jermain Defoe’s twin penalties that afternoon briefly stirred hopes of a survival push. The broader memory of that season is bleak: a 4-1 humiliation at Burnley preceded the Liverpool thriller, and a 3-1 home loss to Stoke swiftly followed. The club’s subsequent overhaul, on and off the field, was as brutal as it was necessary. The renaissance has been painstaking. Saturday’s performance at Arsenal, where only one visiting side has left with maximum points this season, confirmed Sunderland no longer enter such arenas fearing humiliation. They have taken points off Chelsea and Manchester City already this term; Liverpool know they will be required to earn whatever they get. A point tonight would keep Sunderland in the top half; three would nudge them firmly into the conversation for European qualification. For a support base that has ridden the emotional roller-coaster from League One to the cusp of the Premier League’s upper echelons inside six years, the temptation to dream is irresistible. As one long-serving season-ticket holder put it on the concourse after the Burnley win: “We kept believing through the worst of it. Why stop now?” Kick-off under the floodlights is 19:45 GMT. Wearside will be bouncing. Liverpool, for all their pedigree, have been warned.

An analytical survey of each club’s out-of-possession game plans has exposed the contrasting defensive philosophies that now thread through the Premier League. The review, which dissects how teams organise when they do not have the ball, highlights clear tactical fault lines across the division, underlining that there is no single blueprint for denying space or regaining possession at the highest level of English football. Out-of-possession structure has become the sport’s quiet arms race, and the study shows that some sides favour compact mid-blocks designed to shepherd opponents into wide areas, while others gamble on higher starting positions in an attempt to choke supply lines before they form. A handful of teams sit markedly deeper, ceding territory in exchange for numerical security around their own penalty box, trusting that disciplined rest-defence can smother second balls and clearances. The differences are not merely cosmetic. The analysis reveals that pressing height, lane occupation and rest-off shape vary enough from club to club to influence everything from average shot concession territory to the speed with which possession is turned into counter-attacks. In short, the way a team chooses to defend is increasingly defining the way it attacks. These divergent approaches have created a tactical mosaic: one half of the league may engage in choreographed five-man presses triggered by a backward pass, while the other half sinks into a 4-4-2 block designed to keep central corridors clogged. The result is a weekend programme in which styles collide, forcing coaches to solve a fresh spatial puzzle every ninety minutes. With margins tighter than ever, the findings suggest that the next innovation could lie in hybrid models that toggle between extremes within the same match, a flexibility that may decide who prospers in the scramble for points. For supporters and analysts alike, the Premier League’s defensive block party is proving to be the division’s most intriguing tactical theatre.

Charlotte, N.C. – While fists flew and tempers flared at Spectrum Center on Monday night, Duncan Robinson kept his composure—and his distance. The Detroit swingman watched two separate third-quarter altercations erupt around him, yet never left the periphery of the chaos, choosing instead to walk away from the scrum with the weary expression of a disappointed parent. The trouble began midway through the period when Hornets center Moussa Diabate and Pistons big man Jalen Duren became entangled under the basket. Duren’s open palm to Diabate’s face ignited the confrontation, prompting Diabate to lunge repeatedly at his counterpart before teammates intervened. Moments later, Charlotte forward Miles Bridges escalated the hostilities by throwing a punch at Duren, triggering an even larger melee. Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart sprinted from the bench area to defend Duren, locking Bridges in a headlock and uncorking a punch of his own in a scene more reminiscent of the UFC than the NBA. Robinson, stationed on the floor throughout, never advanced toward the fray, instead retreating toward mid-court as officials worked to restore order. Diabate, Bridges, Duren, and Stewart were all ejected, and league suspensions are expected for each player involved. The ejections left the Pistons without their top two centers, yet Detroit still managed to close out a 110-104 victory. Robinson’s restraint did not equate to passivity. The veteran sharpshooter delivered an efficient offensive performance, pouring in 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting to help seal the win. On a night when teammates exchanged blows, Robinson let his jumper do the talking, underscoring the value of poise amid pandemonium.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League push and Premier League stability may hinge on a player who, only weeks ago, appeared surplus to requirements. Radu Dragusin, the 23-year-old Romanian centre-back, has been thrust back into the spotlight after a cruel sequence of injuries to team-mates reopened a pathway he feared had closed for good. Dragusin’s re-emergence is remarkable given the context. On 28 December he ended an 11-month absence caused by a ruptured ACL, jogging on for the closing moments of the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace to a heartfelt ovation. Yet the sentiment inside Selhurst Park could not mask reality: Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero had become an immovable first-choice pairing, while January arrival Kevin Danso had leap-froggen Dragusin as the dependable deputy. Serie A clubs enquired about a loan; Spurs said no. Fate, however, has intervened. Van de Ven’s “minor” knock kept him out of the Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester City fixtures, and Danso then damaged a big-toe ligament in Germany, leaving Spurs suddenly light in the one area where they could least afford it. Dragusin was handed a surprise start against City on 1 February, his first since January 2025. Operating on the left of a back three, he endured a jittery opening: Rayan Cherki ghosted past him in the build-up to the opener, and a heavy clearance presented City with their second. Yet the narrative shifted after the interval. Romero’s withdrawal forced a switch to a back four, and Dragusin grew in stature, twice blocking Erling Haaland and helping Tottenham claw back a 2-2 draw that felt like a statement. Three days later at Old Trafford, Dragusin began on the bench but was summoned after Romero’s red card for a lunge on Casemiro. He completed 67 minutes of the 1-1 stalemate, throwing himself into blocks and headers as United laid siege. With Romero now suspended for four crucial matches—Newcastle, Arsenal, Fulham and Crystal Palace—Dragusin’s calendar has filled up overnight. Head coach Frank faces a defensive puzzle. A back three would almost certainly feature Van de Ven, Dragusin and Joao Palhinha, with rookie options such as Archie Gray or Djed Spence untested in the role this season. A back four would still leave Dragusin as the senior partner beside Van de Ven. Either way, the Romanian is set to accumulate more minutes in the next month than in the previous year. The stakes are enormous. Tottenham enter March just outside the Champions League places and cannot afford a slide reminiscent of last spring’s injury-fuelled collapse. Dragusin’s personal stakes are equally high. Up to the moment his knee buckled in a dead-rubber Europa League tie against Elfsborg, he had started 21 of 22 matches between 30 October 2024 and 26 January 2025, often partnering Gray or Ben Davies in the absence of Van de Ven and Romero. The ACL tear halted what had been a breakout campaign; now, unexpectedly, he has the chance to resume that trajectory. Those who know Dragusin speak of a football obsessive whose only diversion is chess. During rehabilitation he maintained military discipline, returning to the gym at dawn the morning after team-mates celebrated last May’s Europa League triumph. A behind-closed-doors friendly against Leyton Orient in late September—just nine months post-surgery—offered the first evidence that the painstaking work was paying off. James Maddison, himself recovering from ACL surgery, turned up specifically to applaud Dragusin’s 45-minute cameo. Two years have passed since Tottenham persuaded Dragusin to reject Bayern Munich and swap Genoa for north London. The move has brought flashes of dominance—his aerial command and willingness to engage physically—but also moments of rashness, illustrated against City. The coming weeks will determine which version defines his Spurs career. Tottenham did not plan to rely on Radu Dragusin in the run-in; now they must. If he seizes the opportunity, an unlikely lifeline could become the making of both player and club.

KIRKBY — When Liverpool’s analysts roll the tape of Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Manchester City, Alexis Mac Allister will scarcely recognise the player on screen. Twice in the final 15 minutes the Argentine was central to the goals that flipped the match, first sticking out a half-hearted leg at Rayan Cherki’s cross that Bernardo Silva rammed home, then drifting out of position with Curtis Jones to allow Matheus Nunes a free run that ended with Alisson conceding a decisive penalty. Those snapshots have become too familiar. A midfielder once hailed by head coach Arne Slot as incapable of producing “a poor performance all season” is now the symbol of a midfield that has lost control of games and, with it, Liverpool’s grip on a top-four place. Numbers tell the story. Compared with last term, Mac Allister’s tackles, interceptions and duels won are down, while his progressive passes and chances created have dipped. He has yet to score in the Premier League and, for the first time in a Liverpool shirt, looks a step behind the pace of the contest. Niggling injuries have not helped. A disrupted summer meant the 27-year-old reported late for pre-season and spent the autumn “playing catch-up”, as he admitted in July. In November he insisted he felt “good mentally and physically”, yet the consistency that defined his maiden campaign at Anfield has eluded him. Fatigue is an obvious culprit. Mac Allister has already clocked 39 appearances for club and country this season and has barely had a sustained break since the 2021 Copa America. International duty with Argentina involves round trips of more than 7,000 miles, a schedule so draining that Jurgen Klopp once hooked him at half-time at Wolves, noting the midfielder was “relieved” to come off. Tactical tweaks have not helped either. Slot has deployed him on the left of a central trio, a role that demands both defensive diligence and forward thrust. Mac Allister believes he is at his best with a dedicated No 6 behind him, a luxury Liverpool cannot currently provide. The absence of familiar partners — Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have been in and out of the side — has also eroded the midfield’s cohesion. Still, the effort is there. His average distance covered (10.98 km per game) and sprints (10.23) are marginally up on last season, undercutting the social-media charge that he has become a “passenger”. Yet effort without impact is its own concern, and Liverpool’s coaching staff must decide whether a rest — or a reconfiguration of personnel around him — is the antidote. For now, options are thin. Curtis Jones is similarly out of form, Wataru Endo and teenager Trey Nyoni are trusted only sparingly, while Dominik Szoboszlai has been pressed into emergency service at right-back. A January reinforcement never materialised, leaving Slot to coax a revival from within. The stakes are high. Liverpool fear another season outside the Champions League places, and Mac Allister’s return to authority is central to avoiding it. Real Madrid remain long-term admirers — they considered an approach in 2023 — but the player’s camp insist he is “fully focused on Liverpool and the current season” with a contract running to 2028. Whether that focus is enough will decide not only the club’s trajectory between now and May, but whether the man who helped deliver a title and a World Cup can rediscover the version of himself currently visible only on rewind.

Mumbai, 20 May 2025: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled its annual list of centrally contracted players for the 2025-26 season on Monday, trimming the men’s roster from 34 to 30 and signalling a generational shift by omitting five names that figured in last year’s set-up. Veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami, wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan, top-order batter Rajat Patidar, prolific domestic run-scorer Sarfaraz Khan and seamer Mukesh Kumar have all been left out after failing to meet the board’s revised eligibility criteria, which prioritise recent international appearances and overall impact during the assessment window. None of the quintet played a single senior international fixture in the period under review, although Kishan has since earned a recall to the T20I squad in the fresh cycle. The restructuring also abolished the top-tier A+ category, introduced during the Committee of Administrators era to reward consistent excellence across formats. With only Jasprit Bumrah now an automatic pick in all three teams, the BCCI felt the bracket had outlived its utility. The move has reshuffled the hierarchy, placing 30 men and 21 women in Groups A, B and C. Senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been relegated to Group B, a decision long anticipated after their respective retirements from Tests and T20Is reduced them to single-format availability. Under the current guidelines, multi-format participation is a prerequisite for the higher grades. Rising star Shubman Gill, fresh from being appointed captain in two formats, headlines Group A alongside Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, marking the first time the 25-year-old has secured the highest retainer since the system’s inception. While the BCCI did not publish the exact figures, Group A was last valued at Rs 5 crore per annum, with Groups B and C set at Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively. Tamil Nadu opener Sai Sudharsan is the lone new face on the men’s list, rewarded for consistent domestic output and promising white-ball displays. On the women’s side, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, opener Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma retained their Group A status, while Jemimah Rodrigues climbed a rung after a series of match-winning performances in the recent World Cup. With the 2025-26 international calendar set to intensify, the streamlined contracts underline the selectors’ emphasis on current form, fitness and multi-format availability, leaving several established names to fight their way back into contention.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed has yet to experience the thrill of a Super Bowl victory, but he was quick to salute a familiar face who now owns the sport’s ultimate prize. Reed’s former Michigan State teammate, Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, authored a signature performance in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, earning Most Valuable Player honors and hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Walker punctuated the Seahawks’ championship celebration with an Instagram post that captured the confetti-filled moments in Santa Clara. The caption—simply “Walker”—was enough to draw thousands of reactions, including one from Reed: “Yesuhhh” followed by a string of fire emojis. The two shared a prolific 2021 season in East Lansing before embarking on separate NFL paths. Walker entered the 2022 draft and was selected in the second round by Seattle; Reed followed a year later, also as a second-round pick, landing with the Packers. On Sunday, Walker justified his draft pedigree by grinding out 135 rushing yards on 27 carries against Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt and controlling the tempo throughout the Seahawks’ title-clinching win. Reed, 25, now sets his sights on matching Walker’s ascent. Surrounded by a Green Bay roster stocked with talent on both sides of the ball, the second-year receiver believes the Packers possess the pieces necessary to contend for their own championship. Still, Reed understands the road from promise to parade is steep, and he will use Walker’s breakthrough as both motivation and a measuring stick for what lies ahead.

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland — The international campaign against match-fixing recorded another incremental victory in 2025, with global monitoring efforts detecting 1,116 suspicious matches across more than one million events, a one-percent dip from the previous year, according to Sportradar’s annual Integrity in Action report released Monday. The findings, drawn from coverage of 70 sports worldwide, mean that 99.5 percent of fixtures in 2025 were contested without raising red flags, reinforcing the view that coordinated integrity programs are tightening the net on would-be manipulators. Europe remained the epicenter of suspicious activity, yet the continent still shaved 66 cases off its 2024 total, extending a downward trend that investigators attribute to sharper intelligence sharing and swifter disciplinary action. South America mirrored the progress, registering 64 fewer dubious matches year-on-year, while Asia, Africa, and the combined North and Central America region posted marginal increases. Socball continued to attract the bulk of corrupt approaches, accounting for 618 questionable games, but basketball, tennis, table tennis, and cricket all contributed to an increasingly diffuse threat matrix. Basketball supplied 233 suspicious matches, tennis 78, table tennis 65, and cricket 59, illustrating how fixers are branching out beyond football’s traditional stronghold. A pivotal factor in the 2025 landscape was Sportradar’s Universal Fraud Detection System powered by artificial intelligence. UFDS AI processed vast betting data streams in real time, flagging irregular market moves that older models overlooked. Matches first identified through machine-learning analytics jumped 56 percent compared with 2024, evidence that algorithms are catching novel manipulation patterns before they mature. Enforcement followed detection. During the year, Sportradar evidence underpinned 125 sporting sanctions spanning seven sports on every inhabited continent, lifting the cumulative tally of lifetime bans, fines, and point deductions facilitated by the company past the 1,000 mark. Education complemented technology and prosecution. Integrity workshops reached 34,000 athletes, officials, and administrators in 2025, up 25 percent from the previous cycle, broadening awareness of bribery risks and reporting channels. Andreas Krannich, Executive Vice President of Integrity Services at Sportradar, cautioned that stabilization should not breed complacency. “Match-fixing remains an evolving threat,” Krannich said. “Sustained investment in technology, intelligence, education, and collaboration is essential to staying ahead of those seeking to corrupt sport.” Sportradar’s integrity division provided oversight for marquee events such as the expanded FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Women’s EURO last year and is already preparing for a heavy 2026 calendar that includes the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, the FIFA World Cup across North America, and the Olympic Winter Games in Italy. With more than a million fixtures now reviewed annually, the company’s dual mandate—growing fan engagement while protecting the level playing field—has never been more intertwined, or more visible.

By The Athletic Staff Sammy Smith’s Stanford biography still lists her major as “undecided,” yet the 20-year-old has already decided on something far more ambitious: racing for an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing barely two months after starting an NCAA championship final in soccer. This week in Italy, Smith will line up for the United States in the Winter Games, completing a whirlwind transition from Cardinal centre-back to full-time ski athlete. The sequence defies conventional calendars. On Dec. 9 she anchored Stanford’s defence in a 1-0 loss to Florida State in the NCAA final; 48 hours later she was on snow in Alaska, finishing second in a U.S. SuperTour race that kept her Olympic qualification hopes alive. “I had one shot,” Smith said of the condensed window. That shot came Jan. 17 in Oberhof, Germany, where a career-best World Cup performance locked up the last American berth in the women’s cross-country squad. The dual-sport experiment has been years in the making. Raised in a household that encouraged seasonal sampling, Smith competed in as many as 11 sports annually—freestyle skiing, lacrosse, tackle football and track among them—before narrowing her focus to soccer and Nordic racing. Even then she refused to choose, spending last winter on the World Cup circuit, returning to Stanford for spring quarter, then repeating the cycle. Her coaches have learned to expect the unexpected. After the Jan. 17 qualifier, Smith flew straight back to campus for final exams before re-joining the ski team for Olympic prep. “It’s not that I can’t decide,” she said. “I’d rather push limits.” While Smith chases alpine glory, women’s soccer continues to attract headline-making investors. Pop icon Madonna watched two Tottenham academy matches over the weekend, supporting 13-year-old twins Stella and Estere, who play for Spurs’ under-14 girls side. Madonna’s presence—oversized sunglasses and all—rekindled memories of her Lisbon relocation in 2017 when son David Banda joined Benfica’s academy. Though historically linked to Chelsea through ex-husband Guy Ritchie and Blues board member Barbara Charone, Madonna spent the current visit on the Tottenham side of north London, underscoring Spurs’ expanding investment in girls’ pathways. From music royalty to NBA royalty: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has acquired a stake in Chelsea Women, partnering with Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who purchased roughly 10 percent of the reigning Women’s Super League champions last year. The deal continues a trend of basketball stars—LeBron James at Liverpool, Angel Reese at DC Power, James Harden at Houston Dash—placing financial faith in the women’s game. Off the pitch, the sport’s accessibility is colliding with safety concerns. Liverpool midfielder Marie Hobinger told investigators she was stalked by 42-year-old Mangal Dalal, who sent messages saying “I know where you park your car,” then waited pitch-side after matches. Dalal received an 18-month community-service sentence and a two-year restraining order in January. The incident is part of a wider rise in threats, prompting Chelsea Women to end uncontrolled post-match autograph sessions and the Women’s Super League to monitor X’s AI tool Grok for generating sexualised player images. Sammy Smith’s Olympic debut, Madonna’s academy tour and Giannis’s boardroom arrival all illustrate the expanding orbit of women’s soccer—an orbit now stretching from college stadiums to Olympic ski venues, from pop-concert sidelines to Premier League balance sheets.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has already mapped out a first-team future for teenage midfielder Tommy Marques after handing the 18-year-old his senior debut in Saturday’s 3-0 La Liga victory over Real Mallorca at Camp Nou. Marques, the latest La Masia graduate to step onto the big stage, entered the match as a substitute and admitted afterwards he was “in dreamland” following the comprehensive win. Flick, who has overseen a steady stream of academy promotions since taking charge, was effusive in his praise, telling the player directly that he will be part of the senior squad next season. According to a report in Diario AS, the German tactician considers Marques “fantastic” and has already communicated his intention to keep the midfielder with the first team for the 2025-26 campaign. The club’s hierarchy share that enthusiasm, so much so that discussions have begun over a fresh contract for the youngster, even though he penned an extension through 2027 just last year. The urgency stems from mounting interest elsewhere. While no specific suitors have been named, sources close to the club indicate that “they’re not just any clubs,” suggesting elite European sides are monitoring Marques closely. Barcelona are determined to avoid a repeat of the January departure of Dro Fernandez, another highly-rated prospect allowed to leave midway through the season. With Flick committed to youth development and Marques eager to seize his opportunity, the midfielder’s pathway from academy standout to first-team regular appears firmly in place.

Manchester City have the chance to crank up the heat on Premier League pacesetters Arsenal when they host Fulham on Wednesday, trimming the gap at the summit to a mere three points ahead of Arsenal’s Thursday trip to a resurgent Brentford. The champions’ breathless 2-1 comeback victory over Liverpool on Sunday—sealed after Bernardo Silva admitted many squad members feared the title race was slipping away—has reignited belief at the Etihad. City, champions in six of Pep Guardiola’s previous campaigns, have won only two of seven league fixtures in 2026, yet a favourable run of games before Arsenal’s visit in mid-April offers a gilt-edged opportunity to turn momentum into silverware. Erling Haaland, runaway leader in the Golden Boot standings, has scored just once from open play in 13 appearances since the turn of the year and publicly challenged himself to raise his level. “We need to believe and to start winning games. This is what matters in the end,” the Norwegian said. Arsenal, chasing a first championship in 22 years, have responded to their January wobble with four straight wins across all competitions, but Brentford—beaten only twice at the Gtech this season—present a formidable hurdle. Liverpool, meanwhile, risk drifting further from the Champions League places. Arne Slot’s injury-hit side are four points shy of the top five and must travel to Sunderland, the only side still unbeaten at home in the Premier League, without Dominik Szoboszlai after the Hungarian’s late red card against City. With Manchester United and Chelsea facing ostensibly easier assignments this week, the Reds could find the gap widening and scrutiny on Slot intensifying. The relegation picture is equally fraught. Tottenham and Newcastle, both comfortably through to the Champions League knockout phase, sit mired in the bottom half and meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday. Thomas Frank’s Spurs are six points above the drop zone in 15th and the Dane conceded his side are the “more desperate” of the two. Despite persistent fan unrest, the board have so far resisted making a change. Eddie Howe, adored on Tyneside after ending a 70-year trophy drought with last season’s League Cup and twice delivering Champions League football, insists he remains the right man for the job. Yet with England and Manchester United reportedly monitoring the 48-year-old, Howe may conclude he has reached the ceiling of his Newcastle project. Fixtures this midweek include Chelsea v Leeds, Everton v Bournemouth and West Ham v Manchester United on Tuesday, followed by a full slate on Wednesday headlined by City v Fulham and Sunderland v Liverpool.

CLEVELAND (AP) — After nine seasons in Cleveland, tight end David Njoku appears ready to turn the page. The veteran, who has spent his entire NFL career with the Browns, signaled his intention to seek a fresh start elsewhere, according to a league source. Njoku’s potential departure would close a chapter that began when he first suited up for the franchise nearly a decade ago.

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Raiders have formally appointed Klint Kubiak as their head coach, the team announced, bringing an end to weeks of speculation surrounding the vacancy. In a brief statement released Thursday, the Raiders confirmed that Kubiak will assume leadership of the franchise, marking the culmination of a search that had drawn interest from multiple candidates across the league. Kubiak, who has spent the past several seasons building a reputation as an offensive strategist, now inherits a roster eager to return to postseason relevance. The move is expected to bring stability to an organization that has cycled through multiple head coaches in recent years. Team officials did not immediately disclose contract terms or outline specific expectations for the upcoming season, but the announcement signals a new era for the Silver and Black as they prepare for the 2024 campaign.

Malden, MA — Mystic Valley junior forward Mitchell Damas authored a performance for the ages Monday night, torching visiting Notre Dame of Tyngsboro for a program-record 50 points and 18 rebounds to power the Eagles to a 91-60 non-league rout. Damas, who entered the contest averaging a modest 18 points per game this winter, needed only 32 minutes of court time to more than double his seasonal norm, converting 19-of-26 field-goal attempts and 10-of-12 free throws. The 6-foot-5 standout scored from every level—three triples, a handful of mid-range pull-ups, and a steady diet of strong takes to the rim—while also controlling the glass on both ends. “Everything felt like it was in slow motion,” Damas said afterward, still sweating beneath the bright gym lights. “When the first couple went down, I just kept attacking. My teammates kept finding me, and the rim kept looking huge.” Notre Dame (Tyngsboro) had no answer. The Eagles opened the second quarter on a 14-2 burst—Damas personally outscored the visitors 9-2 during that stretch—to turn a five-point lead into a 17-point cushion. The deficit never dipped below 15 again. Mystic Valley head coach (name not provided in release) praised Damas’ efficiency and unselfishness. “He didn’t force anything. When they doubled, he kicked it out; when they didn’t, he punished them. That’s the kind of night you remember for a long time.” The victory lifts Mystic Valley to 11-4 overall, while Notre Dame slips to 8-8. Damas’ previous career best was 34 points against Lynn Tech last February. Monday’s outburst eclipsed the old school mark of 42 set in 2009, according to athletic department records. “I just wanted to get the win,” Damas added. “The record is cool, but we’ve got bigger goals—states, first and foremost.” With the regular-season finale looming Friday, the Eagles now sit one victory away from locking up a tournament berth. If Damas stays anywhere near this hot, Mystic Valley’s opponents should be on high alert. Keywords: