At the final whistle, Manchester City players slumped and crouched and sprawled on the pitch in disconsolate little piles, absorbing the enormity of the evening. Perhaps some of them were doing the maths. City are nine points behind Arsenal with a game in hand. They will meet one another at the Etihad next month. All is not lost. But here at the London Stadium, they wore the look of a team who had just been punched in the gut.
Of all the Arsenal players to shape the direction of this title race, not many would have guessed that a key protagonist would be a 16-year-old schoolboy who is yet to take his GCSEs. Even fewer would have suggested a giant Greek defender who played eight times for Arsenal a lifetime ago.
But about an hour after Max Dowman sunk Everton and became the Premier League’s youngest goalscorer in the process, a few miles across the city, West Ham’s centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos thumped a header against the crossbar and down into the City goal. Arsenal found a late winner; City huffed and puffed but came away with a 1-1 draw that felt almost terminal.
It is not, of course. The season is still alive. But title races are not just about raw numbers. There is a feel to them, a sway, a momentum that comes and goes. And on this cold March night, all the energy was sucked into the red corner of north London.
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Former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos earned a point for West Ham against Man City (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
It was apt that Mavropanos, a former Arsenal player, should hurt City’s cause. It felt apt too that his goal came from a corner, after so much discourse around the significance of set-pieces and how Arsenal exploit them. Jarrod Bowen’s delivery floated through the air and over the flying fist of Gianluigi Donnarumma, who should have punched it. Mavropanos met the ball with meaning.
What followed was a second-half onslaught. Pep Guardiola, who watched on from the stands under suspension, sent on a flurry of attacking substitutes. Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku brought spark off the bench; Phil Foden, too. Chances came and chances went. Cherki shot straight at goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. Tijjani Reijnders hit the crossbar from a wide-angle free-kick. Foden’s outstretched hallux missed the ball by inches with the goal gaping.
The game ended with another telling set-piece. Reijnders delivered a devilish corner and after the ball bounced around West Ham’s six-yard box it fell to the feet of Marc Guehi. An entire stadium winced and braced for the net to bulge, only to watch the ball take off into orbit. It was a slow-motion disaster, the sort of moment you could imagine set against the music from Titanic.
For West Ham, it is a point that draws them level with Tottenham and one clear of Nottingham Forest, out of the relegation zone for the first time in a long time. They will not relish the idea of helping Arsenal to the title, but if this was a point towards the cause of survival – perhaps survival at the expense of Spurs – then it was a precious one.
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It has been a strange season for City, who started back in August with a 4-0 win over Wolves using players like Oscar Bobb and Nico Gonzalez and John Stones, a line-up like something from a fever dream. Only three of those XI started here at West Ham seven months later: Haaland, Bernardo Silva and Rayan Ait-Nouri. You might say only two, given Haaland is not the same striker now as late-summer Haaland or even autumnal Haaland who plundered goals every weekend.
Phil Foden couldn’t find the finishing touch as City slipped up (Getty Images)
Guardiola’s team has evolved in real time, transitioning mid-season through different personnel, different formations, different iterations of Haaland. And ultimately, at least up to this point, they have simply not been as good as Arsenal. Not at the ugly stuff: crushing counter-attacks, defending as a unit, set-pieces, game management, s***housery. Not at the pretty stuff, either, at least not over the past three months.
Guardiola admitted as much after the game. “We are good at a lot of things,” he said. “But not as good as we were.”
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This game encapsulated much of City’s troubles, particularly against low-block teams. West Ham deployed a giant claret curtain across Hermansen’s goal, billowing out towards the ball and back again as City desperately tried to pierce a hole.
This is what Nuno Espirito Santo brings, of course. Five at the back, and five in midfield too when they don’t have the ball. When City advanced towards the final third, the distance between West Ham’s centre-backs and Bowen must have been no more than 20 yards.
“There was no other way,” Nuno said. “Heroic from our boys. We have a long way to go, we have hard work in front of us.”
It made for punishingly dull viewing, initially at least. Nuno’s reluctance to yield an inch combined with Guardiola’s distaste for passes longer than 10 yards meant for a game played in busy burrows and crowded cul-de-sacs. Erling Haaland occasionally made a useful run into the channel but City’s midfielders routinely ignored him.
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Manchester City sit nine points behind leaders Arsenal after the draw at West Ham (Aaron Chown/PA) (PA Wire)
City eventually broke through when Bernardo Silva shanked a cross which drifted perfectly over Hermansen’s head into the far corner of the goal. He could have claimed to have meant it, but could clearly be seen mouthing “pass” to the City bench while wearing a sheepish grin.
Mavropanos soon levelled, in no small part down to Donnarumma’s miscalculation. The goalkeeper has a penchant for the spectacular and his shot-stopping has been eye-catching at times this season, but data models consistently mark him down on a raft of other metrics such as distribution and, tellingly, command of his six-yard box.
So City had no choice but to throw everything at West Ham, just as Arsenal had launched an assault on Everton in the dying throes at the Emirates. Where one succeeded, the other failed. And it is in those telling minutes, on those fine details, that a title can be won and lost.
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates a 3-pointer against Wisconsin with guard Nimari Burnett (4)during the second half of Big Ten Tournament semifinal at United Center in Chicago on Saturday, March 14, 2026.
With hopes for a shot at another Big Ten tournament title needing a final-minute game-winner, No. 3 Michigan turned to its top scorer to keep winning in the Windy City.
Yaxel Lendeborg and the top-seeded Wolverines will look to repeat as conference tournament champions and lock down a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when they meet No. 18 Purdue in the championship game Sunday afternoon in Chicago.
On the road last month, Michigan (now 31-2) defeated the No. 7 seed Boilermakers 91-80 behind 17 points from Elliot Cadeau, but Sunday’s matchup came about largely by big shots from Lendeborg.
The 6-foot-9 senior produced two key moments in Saturday’s 68-65 semifinal win over No. 5 seed Wisconsin, the most obvious being a tiebreaking 3-pointer off a pass from Cadeau from the right corner. He buried a 24-footer with 0.4 seconds left in the rematch of last season’s tournament title game.
“(My teammates) strive for me to make plays like that, and I’ve always dreamed of hitting a shot like that,” said Lendeborg, the squad’s leading scorer who totaled 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. “Today was my moment to finally come through, and I did.”
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While Lendeborg was crucial at the end, he said his team’s composure was equally important, especially in a first half when the Wolverines made just eight of 30 shots, including his trey at the end of the half to knot it 28-all.
“It’s all about composure, and we talk about how unselfish this team is,” said Lendeborg, the Big Ten Player of the Year. “We all love each other and all play for each other. And Aday (Mara) really got it going, so we decided to play through him, and everybody fell in line.”
Mara produced 16 points, eight rebounds, five blocked shots and two assists as Michigan survived Wisconsin’s three-quarter-court heave to advance to Sunday’s game.
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A win Sunday over the Boilermakers (26-8) would allow the Wolverines to cut down the nets for a fifth time to end the Big Ten tournament, though the 1998 title was vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
Following a 73-66 win over banged up UCLA in the second semifinal, Purdue is a team brimming with confidence over the three tourney games, according to coach Matt Painter.
“(This run) is just building some confidence more than anything,” Painter said of his club, which went 2-4 to close out the regular season dating back to the Michigan setback. “Just trying to execute offensively and be efficient and be better on the basketball from a defensive standpoint.
“When we’re better on the basketball, it really helps us.”
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Big man Oscar Cluff has been on the basketball, being the first to come up with it most of the time after missed shots.
He produced his eighth double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds in Saturday’s win, owning the paint against the Bruins with nine offensive boards.
The 6-foot-11 bearded Australian had eight points in the final 3:41 as Purdue pulled away for the win.
“He’s had some games like that,” Painter said. “He had 10 offensive rebounds against Nebraska in the regular season. He’s been a horse for us, just being physical down there posting up and getting every rebound.”
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A win over Michigan would give the Boilermakers their third conference tournament title and first since 2023.
Man Utd will look to put the defeat to Newcastle behind them today when they face Aston Villa in a crucial game in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Welsh rugby will allow itself to savour a long overdue win but in typical fashion that will not be for too long.
One Test win will not alleviate the chaos and turmoil in which Welsh rugby remains.
Tandy’s next assignment is an uncapped match against the Barbarians at the end of June in Twickenham before three games against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in the new Nations Championship in July.
In those three months the off-the-field disputes surrounding the future of the Welsh professional game will intensify.
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It started just 30 minutes after the final whistle when Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby Dave Reddin appeared on television to do a live interview, which had been pre-planned regardless of the result.
Such is the current unpopularity of the WRU, Reddin was castigated on social media for speaking at this particular time and not directly responding to a question from former Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones, which Reddin said he could not hear.
Reddin was also criticised for what he said, as he doubled down on the governing body’s plans to cut a professional men’s side, reducing the number to three.
There will now be a tumultuous period with the WRU trying to push through their controversial policies which they say need to happen to improve Welsh rugby.
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Opponents, including fans and politicians, insist four professional teams must remain.
They blame the WRU for the mess Welsh rugby is in and criticise the governing body‘s plan and methods used in trying to implement the proposals.
The WRU faces an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) next month, which includes a vote of no confidence in chair Richard Collier-Keywood, and have a legal battle with Swansea Council who fear for the professional future of the Ospreys.
Supporters and players are still concerned about the uncertainty, while Morgan and Lake moving to Gloucester next season means half of Wales’ starting forward pack will be playing for clubs in England.
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Those conflicts might be for another day, but those days will be very soon, probably starting this week.
So Welsh rugby fans should savour this overdue win against Italy for now because the feelings of joy might not last that long.
But let Welsh rugby have that moment at least.
Other things can wait. Even if it is just for today.
Thomas Ramos kicked a penalty after the final hooter to win the Six Nations for France with a mind-blowing 48-46 victory over a rejuvenated England on Saturday.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored four of the 13 tries in a barn-storming encounter in which the lead changed hands numerous times.
But Ramos’s kick ensured that France retained the title and denied Ireland, who had moved into pole position by beating Scotland earlier.
Bielle-Biarrey, 22, took his tally to 29 tries in just 27 Tests for France and finished this Six Nations campaign with nine, beating his own record of eight from last season.
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He also extended another record by scoring in a 10th consecutive Six Nations match.
A week on from succumbing to a chaotic 50-40 defeat by Scotland, France were back, but so too were England, playing their part in a stunningly entertaining encounter, just a week on from slumping to their first ever defeat to Italy.
England had started well with a couple of Elliot Daly grubbers pinning France down in their 22.
But, inevitably, Bielle-Biarrey struck.
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Ramos delayed just enough to suck in England’s defence and then chipped ahead for the flying winger to dash on to, beating Caden Murley to the ball before going over after seven minutes.
England hit back immediately, spinning the ball wide for Tom Roebuck to dive over in the corner.
But the visitors had not learned their lesson from the opening try and this time a Matthieu Jalibert grubber at an angle sent Bielle-Biarrey clear for his 27th try in as many Tests.
England were unbowed, though, and struck back soon afterwards, as Ben Spencer’s grubber was spilled by Theo Attisogbe and Murley pounced to score.
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Two tries each but France led by four points as Ramos proved more accurate than Fin Smith with the conversion attempts.
And a penalty from Ramos stretched France’s lead to seven, only for England to level up after Ollie Chessum barged over from close range and Smith landed the conversion.
England had not come to Paris to be spectators in France’s title party and were taking on their hosts up front – and dominating.
Chessum then turned provider, passing inside for Alex Coles to dot down for the bonus point score, with Smith converting again from out wide.
And after Smith kicked a penalty from in front of the posts, England led 27-17, and by four tries to two.
But there was still time before the break in this wonderfully entertaining ‘Crunch’ for France to hit back, earning a penalty try after Ellis Genge, who was yellow-carded, collapsed a maul a yard from the tryline.
Who else?
Within 90 seconds of the restart, the tryline had been breached again, as Bielle-Biarrey finished off a flowing move to land his hat-trick.
With England still down to 14 men, France scored again as captain Antoine Dupont took a quick penalty and fired out a pass to Attisogbe to add les Bleus’ fifth try of the game, and the ninth overall.
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France were in the mood, throwing the ball about and attacking with verve, but Chessum picked off Jalibert and ran more than half the length of the field for his second.
The festival of tries showed no sign of abating and Marcus Smith, with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, scored England’s sixth, converting to give them a one-point lead.
Once again the momentum shifted, as France turned over ball deep in their own half and Dupont hoofed it long.
Bielle-Biarrey – who else? – won the foot race for his fourth try – the first time since World War II that a French player had scored four tries in a match.
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But seven minutes from time, replacement prop Demba Bamba was yellow-carded and Tommy Freeman scythed over for England’s seventh try – the 13th of the match – with Smith converting from under the points for a one-point lead again.
But Ramos, and France, had the last laugh, condemning England to a fourth defeat in the tournament for the first time in the Six Nations era.
Writing in his The Telegraph column, Carragher hailed Emery as an underrated manager, adding that he might not even make the list at Manchester United. He added that the Spaniard not making the list at Old Trafford is good news for Aston Villa and said:
Thanks for the submission!
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“Unai Emery should be heading to Old Trafford this weekend as the frontrunner to become the next Manchester United manager. I suspect he does not rank high among the candidates. That is good news for Aston Villa, but it must be frustrating for one of the best, and still most underrated, coaches in Europe.”
Ranking Emery as the second-best manager in the league, Carragher said the former Arsenal coach can win trophies and comes with a clear vision for the club and his squad.
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“For Emery not to be under serious consideration says plenty about modern football. By any metric, he would be the perfect coach to revive United. For me, only Pep Guardiola ranks higher of those currently managing in England. Here is a manager who wins trophies, has a clear football vision, a track record of revitalising clubs in need of a mini-revolution to break into the Champions League, and who demands respect while leading with authority.”
Carragher went on to add that Emery now has enough Premier League experience under his belt and wrote:
“Add the fact he is now proven in the Premier League, and such coaches are in short supply. Emery is not part of the conversation but he should be. The puzzling question is why? Sadly for Emery, and happily for Villa, the Spaniard is painted as an overachiever at clubs trying to challenge the elite, and an underachiever at those who consider themselves already part of it.”
Unai Emery has a contract with Aston Villa until 2029, having signed an extension in 2024.
Michael Carrick has a short-term deal at Manchester United
Michael Carrick was appointed at Manchester United in January, soon after the sacking of Ruben Amorim. The Englishman has done well at the club, winning six and losing one in the Premier League.
However, club legend Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville are against the idea of Carrick getting the job permanently this summer. They want a more experienced manager to take over at Old Trafford.
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Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Julian Nagelsmann have been linked with the Manchester United job.
Former England striker Ellen White sits down with Manchester United forward Celin Bizet Donnum to talk through the Norwegian’s ongoing pregnancy journey – from the decision-making process to the support policies in place. They consider whether more female footballers are likely to start families during their playing careers.
Anthony Gordon said pundits Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer need to “get better at what they’re doing” after they questioned why he only played in the second half of Newcastle’s midweek draw with Barcelona.
The forward was a second-half substitute during Tuesday’s 1-1 Champions League draw at St. James’s Park after spending a number of days unable to train due to illness.
Rooney, Shearer and fellow pundit Roy Keane were part of a team covering the game live pitchside and all three made comments about Gordon not being involved from the start.
Speaking on Match of the Day after scoring the goal that ended Newcastle’s 14-year wait for a victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the 25-year-old said: “Usually I don’t like to clear stuff up because I don’t care too much, but this one does need clearing up because it was just nonsense.
“When I got to the stadium (on Tuesday) the manager told me I wasn’t playing, which I didn’t like very much, but that’s his decision and the team played well.
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“Saying I didn’t want to play in the biggest game of my career is absolute nonsense.
“I think Rooney said I went past and didn’t shake their hands and went into the changing room. I didn’t. I got changed by myself in a changing room the size of this. It was just me and a sink. Complete nonsense. I think they need to do better at what they are doing.”
Speaking on Tuesday, Shearer said it would take “something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game” whilst Keane wondered why Gordon was able to come on as a substitute but unable to start.
Gordon’s goal in the first half in west London, tapped in from Joe Willock’s unselfish pass after Newcastle had beaten Chelsea’s disorganised press, sent the Blues to their fourth home Premier League defeat of the season.
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“It was a tactical issue,” said head coach Liam Rosenior of the goal. “We press in a different way to most teams. It’s a new way of pressing. We don’t step on the press and then we don’t cover in the position that we should have done. Mistakes happen.
“They had nothing in the game and we gave them a goal. The press was the reason they had to kick long balls back to us.
“It feels like at the moment, every mistake we’re making is ending up in the back of our net.”
Japan’s World Baseball Classic title defense is over. Saturday night at loanDepot Park in Miami, Venezuela rallied from behind to eliminate Japan (VEN 8, JPN 5) and advance to the semifinals. Venezuela is one step away from Tuesday’s Championship Game and Japan will head home following its worst World Baseball Classic finish ever.
Saturday’s game started with a bang. Two bangs, actually. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani have combined to win the last three NL MVP awards and they opened Saturday’s game with leadoff home runs. Acuña did the honors in the top of the first inning, then Ohtani responded in the bottom half. It’s the first-ever WBC game with two leadoff homers. This, right here, is the good stuff:
Reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto got hit hard early against Venezuela. Acuña tagged him for the leadoff homer and three of the first six batters he faced had extra-base hits. Yamamoto did eventually settle down, though. He retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced, including five via strikeout. Yamamoto finished with two runs allowed in four innings.
Venezuela took a 2-1 lead into the third inning before Japan jumped on starter Ranger Suárez. Four of the first five batters they sent to the plate in the third inning reached base, and one batter who didn’t reach laid down a sacrifice bunt. Center fielder Shota Morishita, who replaced the injured Seiya Suzuki (right knee discomfort) in the second inning, slugged a three-run homer to end Suárez’s night.
Morishita’s home run gave Japan a 5-2 lead and it felt like they were in control of the game, but once the bullpen door swung open, it was advantage Venezuela. Maikel Garcia got Venezuela to within 5-4 with a two-run homer in the fifth, then Wilyer Abreu clobbered a three-run blast to turn the 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 lead in the sixth inning in an electric moment.
That’s a brand name Abreu took deep. Hiromi Itoh was the 2025 winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award, which is Japan’s Cy Young. Yamamoto held Venezuela to two runs in four innings. Five Japan relievers were charged with six runs in five innings the rest of the night. The game swung when five of eight Venezuela hitters reached base, spanning the fifth and sixth innings.
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Venezuela’s bullpen, meanwhile, stood tall behind Suárez. Six relievers held Japan scoreless across 6 ⅓ innings, and retired 13 straight at one point. Japan’s best chance to get back into the game came in the eighth inning, when Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami strung together back-to-back two-out singles. Andres Machado got Shugo Maki to ground out to end the threat.
Tigers minor-league lefty Enmanuel De Jesus did the heaviest lifting out of the Venezuela bullpen, soaking up 2 ⅓ scoreless innings in the middle of the game to give the offense a chance to rally. He struck out three, including Ohtani with two runners on base in the fourth inning. De Jesus was awarded the win for his effort.
Ohtani went 1 for 4 with the leadoff homer and an intentional walk against Venezuela. He struck out twice and popped up behind second base to end the game.
Venezuela will play Italy in the semifinals Monday night in Miami after Italy continued its Cinderella run Saturday with a nail-biter 8-6 win over Puerto Rico. The winter of Monday’s Italy vs. Venezuela game will advance to the Championship Game and face the winner of Sunday’s highly anticipated USA vs. Dominican Republic game.
This is Japan’s lowest-ever finish in the WBC. They won the 2006 and 2009 events, finished third in the 2013 and 2017 and won the 2023 WBC. Japan will finish either fifth or sixth in the final standings this year, depending on how Sunday’s USA vs. Dominican Republic game plays out.
As for Venezuela, this is the first time they’ve advanced to the semifinals since 2009, when they lost to Korea and finished fourth in the tournament. That is Venezuela’s best WBC finish ever. Saturday’s win also clinched a berth in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Liam Rosenior hit out at referee Paul Tierney, saying he should have focused on his job rather than on crashing Chelsea’s pre-match huddle after Newcastle won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 14 years.
A bizarre moment before kick-off saw Tierney stand in the centre of the Chelsea players as captain Reece James spoke to the team.
Rosenior, who said he wants to “protect” his players, confirmed he would contact PGMOL, the referees’ body, to seek clarity on why the pre-game ritual was disrupted.
Defending the ritual, Rosenior said: “My players made a decision that they wanted to be around the ball, to respect the ball and show unity and leadership.”
The third-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks take on the fourth-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores for the 2026 SEC Tournament championship on Sunday. Vanderbilt stunned top-seeded Florida 91-74 in the semifinals on Saturday, while Arkansas outlasted 15th-seeded Ole Miss 93-90 in overtime in the other one. The Commodores (26-7), who have won four in a row, are looking to win their third SEC Tournament championship and first since 2012. The Razorbacks (25-8), who have won four straight, are looking for their second SEC Tournament title and first since 2000.
Tipoff from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., is set for 1 p.m. ET. Arkansas leads the all-time series 32-15, including a 93-68 win on Jan. 20. Vanderbilt is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 166.5. Before making any Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt picks, check out the men’s college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered conference tournament week on a sizzling 14-2 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-21 run on top-rated CBB side picks. Anyone following its college basketball betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (166.5 points). The Over has hit in seven of the last eight meetings between the teams. The Over has also hit in five of the last six Vanderbilt games, and in seven of the last eight Arkansas games. The Commodores are 3-0 against the spread in their last three games, while the Razorbacks are 6-4 ATS in their last 10.
The model projects Vanderbilt to have six players score 10.2 points or more, including Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles, who are both projected to score 18 points. Arkansas is projected to have four players score 10.2 points or more, led by Darius Acuff Jr., who is projected to score 21.3 points. The model is projecting 169 combined points.
