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John Stones opens up on Man City injury nightmare – lonely times

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John Stones captained Manchester City to an FA Cup win over Newcastle United at the weekend as he played 90 minutes for the first time since November

John Stones is raring to go for Manchester City’s run-in after declaring ‘I feel great’ following a lengthy injury absence.

The defender started City’s FA Cup win over Newcastle United on Saturday and captained the Blues to a 3-1 win and a spot in the quarter-finals. That was his first 90 minutes since November with the 31-year-old missing three months of the campaign with a calf injury.

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But he is now fighting fit and keen to play his part as City challenge for trophies on four fronts. “Physically I feel great,” said Stones, speaking to TNT Sports Mexico. “The start of the season up until December when I got this problem in my calf, I felt great and had a great run in the team.

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“I’m always trying to stay positive about these things (injuries) and it’s part of football. But nights like these (at Newcastle) make those tough times and the hard work worthwhile and the lonely times when you’re training by yourself and the guys behind the scenes are helping you.

“It’s difficult when you put everything in and be as professional as you can be and try and do all the right things and you don’t have the answers but it is what it is and we have to look forward.

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“I look forward now and look at this exciting time, important time. I’m sure the manager is happy and has a headache that he has everyone back playing well and on the other hand he has everyone to choose from for these big important games that we all want to get through and keep progressing and keep winning and put the pressure on in every situation.”

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Stones grew into the game at Newcastle and was thrilled to come through the contest with no issues.

He added: “It felt great. It took a little while to get the rhythm back and it’s something that will never change for a player when you’ve not been playing for a while no matter how many games you’ve played and how many times you’ve been in the big stages, being in a competitive match you can’t replicate it in training or however you try.

“To be out there, to feel comfortable and get the rhythm of the game is really pleasing for me personally. To win, to captain the team as well, a super proud night and an important one at that.”

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Josh Frey’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Toledo Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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11 minutes ago

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10 March 2026

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Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in 2023
Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (22) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

This year’s safety class has become all about Caleb Downs.

Rightfully so as the Ohio State product has all the tools to become a starter at the NFL level. However, there is another defensive back prospect out of Toledo who has begun catching the eyes of many as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. That player is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Background

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Statistics

  • 2022: 7 tackles, 1 forced fumble (13 games)
  • 2023: 69 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles (14 games)
  • 2024: 61 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble (8 games)
  • 2025: 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered (13 games)

Measurables

  • Height: 6′ 3 1/2″
  • Weight: 201
  • Hand Size: 9 1/4″
  • Arm Length: 32 1/8″
  • 40-Yard Dash: 4.52
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.58
  • 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
  • Vertical: 35.5″
  • Broad Jump: 10′ 2″
  • 3-Cone: N/A
  • Bench: N/A

Experience is not an issue for McNeil-Warren heading into the NFL. He began making starts during his sophomore season in 2023 before taking over the role fully during his junior year. While his 2024 season was cut short due to an undisclosed injury. That didn’t seem to hamper him in 2025 though as he bounced back and had another fantastic season for the Rockets.

Strengths

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the ball against Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

McNeil-Warren is an absolute demon at the safety position against the run. He is not afraid of contact and uses his size to deliver massive hits, hence why he forced nine fumbles over his four years in college, including a MAC-leading four during his sophomore year in 2023. His ability to drive downhill on running lanes in the box and bring some pop is a special trait that NFL defenses will crave.

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The athletic ability should not be slept on either. McNeil-Warren has an innate ability to pick the right lane through blockers and turn his hips to make seamless direction changes, sniffing out the football along the way. His ability to make open field tackles is extremely impressive.

On top of that, among FBS safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2025, he was PFF’s top graded player with a coverage grade of 92.0. He was targeted just 15 times this season, and he gave up just six receptions for 116 yards with five pass breakups.

Weaknesses

2026 NFL Draft Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
Aug 30, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Dante Dowdell (2) jumps over Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Much like Quinyon Mitchell a couple years ago, many of the concerns stem from the level of competition McNeil-Warren went up against in college. It’s easier to make plays when you’re one of the fastest players on the field, but that speed will become the norm at the NFL level.

While tackling has been a strong suit throughout his career, there seemed to be some lapses in focus during his senior season. He more than doubled his missed tackle numbers from six in 2024 to 13 in 2025. H0pefully, that won’t become a trend as a pro.

2026 NFL Draft Projection

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) and Toledo Rockets safety Maxen Hook (25) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
  • NFL Draft Projection: Day 1-Day 2 (Mid-Round 1 to Early Round 2)
  • Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers

McNeil-Warren may end up falling a bit further in the draft because of where he played his college football, but at some point, talent is talent. The man is an extremely fun football player to watch, brings tons of energy and physicality, and he has the potential to be a cornerstone for a defense in the NFL.

Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.

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Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

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What is Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

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25 minutes ago

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10 March 2026

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Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft is a unique mod that drastically increases the game’s difficulty to bizarre levels. The hardest vanilla difficulty is the hardcore mode. In hardcore mode, you will lose the world once you die. While the Impossible Difficulty datapack does not feature the hardcore mechanic, it adds all kinds of other dangers that you cannot even imagine.

Here are more details about the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft.

Features and download guide for Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft

What does the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft offer?

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When you enter a Minecraft vanilla world, you start by punching a tree to get some wood and create a crafting table to make basic tools. However, in the Impossible Difficult datapack for Minecraft, you will not even be able to punch a tree without danger.

When you try to punch a tree, the entire tree will explode and kill you instantly. If you manage to get wood and create a crafting table, the block will terrifyingly convert into a killing machine, with a bazooka and two cutting discs. If you finally defeat all the hostile mobs in a structure and open chests to loot, a custom shulker mob will appear from it and kill you with a laser gun.

Villages will not be safe as well, as villagers will turn into masked serial killers, running towards you with chainsaws. Creepers can randomly multiply all around you, trapping you in a massive explosion, furnace block will become a flamethrower while smelting items, and much more.

In various other bizarre and hilarious ways, the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft makes the game almost unplayable. Despite all this, the unique ways in which the modder has increased the game’s difficulty are worth checking out at least once.

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Below are some of the settings you can change using commands. Make sure to go into creative mode in order to use these commands:

  • /trigger difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger dragon_difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger toggle_armor_slowdown
  • /trigger toggle_chest
  • /trigger toggle_endermen
  • /trigger toggle_flashbang
  • /trigger count_features

How to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)
Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)

Here is a guide to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft:

  1. Make sure you have Minecraft 1.21.1 installed from the official launcher. You can do so by going into Java Edition’s “Installations” tab, create new installation, and selecting 1.21.1.
  2. Download both the Impossible Difficulty Resourcepack and Datapack. As of now, it is only compatible with 1.21.1. The modder might create updated versions in the future.
  3. Once downloaded, open the Minecraft directory, which should be here for every player: C:\Users\{your username}\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft.
  4. In this folder, find or create “datapacks” and “resourcepacks” folders, and transfer Impossible Difficulty files to both.
  5. Open the Minecraft launcher again and open the 1.21.1 game version. Create a new world, and start enjoying the extra difficulty.

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