Pep Guardiola has told Manchester City to ask the Football League for permission to play Marc Guehi in the Carabao Cup final – even though his January signing is ineligible.

City progressed to meet Arsenal at Wembley on 22 March by beating Newcastle 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium, and 5-1 on aggregate.

But defender Guehi, a £20m buy from Crystal Palace, was not allowed to play as he was not signed in time for the first leg, which also rules him out of the final.

He said: “Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup [EFL] that Marc Guehi can play the final. I don’t understand why he cannot play the final. Hopefully we make a letter. You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully they can change it. You hire a player and he can be disposed the next day. Hopefully we can convince the biggest teams. It is difficult to understand.”

Guardiola’s other January buy, Antoine Semenyo, played in the competition for Bournemouth this season but arrived before the meeting with Newcastle at St James’ Park, in which he played and scored.

And Guardiola is struggling to understand why Guehi, who joined from Crystal Palace on 19 January, is treated differently.

And he added: “Apparently Marc cannot play the second leg because he didn’t play the first. And Antoine arrived before the first so could play. And now it’s the final. Why should he not play? Why not? We pay his salary, he is our player. It’s like the Champions League, the last two games [of the league phase they] cannot play and we have another player.

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“I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final in March, when I have been here for a long time. The rules to buy a player depends on Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League who say, OK the transfer window is open, when you buy a player you have to play, no? It’s logic. Of course we are going to try to ask [for] him to play. Pure logic.”

Guardiola said he does not expect his appeal to succeed, adding: “No, but we will try.”

But he believes England international Guehi, who lifted the FA Cup as Palace captain last year, will have plenty more opportunities to win silverware in a City shirt.

“We will play a lot [of finals],” he explained. “He is so young. He came to a team that will play in the next years a lot of finals. No doubt about that.”

The Minnesota Vikings don’t necessarily have oodles of spending money on hand for free agency, but if they find some, the organization has a clear connection to New York Jets running back Breece Hall. Before joining the Vikings in 2025, new offensive line coach Keith Carter served as the Jets’ run game coordinator, and it really doesn’t get any closer to Hall than that from a coach’s perspective.

If Minnesota wants more juice from the ground game, Hall fits the profile, and he has a previous connection to the Vikings’ new OL coach.

Hall won’t be cheap, but Minnesota has a real shot at landing his services if interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is in the mood.

A New Decision Looms in the Vikings’ Backfield

It’s another name for your Vikings’ free-agent bingo board.

Hall to MIN with Carter Promoted?

Carter drew scorn on social media from former Tennessee Titans players a while back, but that didn’t stop the Vikings from hiring him as an assistant offensive line coach last offseason. And when the 2026 offseason rolled around, head coach Kevin O’Connell opted not to retain main offensive line coach Chris Kuper.

That put Carter in the driver’s seat to earn the top OL job in Minnesota, which he fulfilled last week.

From 2022 to 2023, Carter was in charge of the Jets’ rushing offense, a group highlighted by Hall. Fast forward to 2026 free agency, and Hall is a free agent, expected to command about $10 million to $12 million on the open market.

So long as Hall doesn’t share any of the aforementioned resentment toward Carter and his alleged grueling practices, there’s a path for Hall to land in Minnesota via free agency. Most other Hall suitors won’t have his former coach on staff.

Hall’s Career to Date

Hall’s resume starts with availability, which matters more at running back than almost anywhere else. Outside of a rookie year injury, he’s been consistently on the field, a rarity at RB. Over four seasons, the production has followed: 681 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2022, 1,585 and 9 in 2023, 1,359 and 8 in 2024, then 1,415 yards with 5 scores in 2025. He’s sitting on a 4.5 yards-per-carry career average.

Minnesota, though, would draw little pushback if it found a way to add him. The Vikings know what that level of output looks like, but the money is tight. That matters, especially with more than $20 million already tied up in the running back room through Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. That’s significant money for the RB spot.

The 2025 rushing attack was serviceable, but it never dominated opponents. O’Connell leaned pass-heavy even when quarterback play faltered, and the ground game never forced defenses to adjust. The draft remains the cleanest long-term answer, yet Hall offers something different: certainty. He’s not a rookie, and he removes draft guesswork. Minnesota would onboard a sure thing in Hall.

Sportsnaut‘s Andrew Buller-Hall on Hall to MIN: “The Vikings should make a strong play for free agent Breece Hall this offseason. Minnesota could have an inside line to signing Hall after promoting OL coach Keith Carter, Hall’s running game coordinator from 2023 to 2024. Yet, other teams will surely have interest in Hall after he compiled a career-high 1,065 rushing yards this season.”

“Hall’s longest rush this season went for 59 yards, and he averaged 4.4 yards per carry. He’d also help replace Jones in the passing game, giving Vikings QBs another option out of the backfield. He’d surely be an upgrade over Jones, especially if the Vikings can still pair Hall with Mason to form an extremely effective 1-2 punch. Not only would that duo help take pressure off whoever plays QB for the Vikings in 2026, it might be one of the best rushing tandems in the NFL.”

Getting Serious about Fixing the Rushing Offense

These are the numbers for the Vikings’ rushing offense since the arrival of O’Connell four years ago:

Vikings Rushing Offense,
Rush Playcall % | Rush EPA/Play,
NFL Ranking:

2025: 19th | 15th
2024: 18th | 14th
2023: 30th | 18th
2022: 30th | 18th

O’Connell has never featured a game-changing running back. Dalvin Cook had begun his age-related decline in 2022. Alexander Mattison stunk in 2023. Ty Chandler and Cam Akers are backup tailbacks. Aaron Jones represented a refreshingly productive alternative, but he’s over the age of 30. Jordan Mason is a wonderful roster piece, but is more of a mid-tier RB1 — or elite RB2.

It’s time for O’Connell — now a de facto general manager, too — to sign Hall or draft a high-round rookie running back. Don’t leave it until Round 5 for half-measured solutions.

Other Options if Not Hall

For the sake of argument, let’s assume Minnesota will pursue a free-agent running back, but Hall is not interested in the Vikings. These high-profile halfbacks are also scheduled to test free agency:

• JK Dobbins
• Travis Etienne
• Isiah Pacheco
• Kenneth Walker
• Rachaad White
• Javonte Williams

That’s about seven prominent free agents and arguably 5-6 rookie running backs who could move the needle as an RB1.

Now, it’s up to Minnesota to decide if these options are wiser than Jones + Mason again in 2026.

The NCAA denied an appeal for a sixth year of eligibility filed by Ole Miss on behalf of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Brandon Marcello reported on Wednesday. The NCAA previously denied Chambliss’ waiver request for an additional season in January. Ole Miss appealed the decision and the NCAA informed the school of its decision — another denial — on Wednesday.

Chambliss, who after transferring from Division II Ferris State led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff semifinals, sought a medical redshirt for the 2022 season when he played in only two games. The waiver was denied by the NCAA athletics eligibility subcommittee, a decision Ole Miss called “indefensible.”

“The NCAA athletics eligibility subcommittee’s decision to deny Trinidad’s appeal is indefensible in light of the undisputed facts,” Ole Miss said in a statement. “The NCAA staff and the subcommittee asserted that Trinidad was not denied the opportunity to compete during the 2022 season, despite the reality that he did not dress for a single game while suffering from severe, incapacitating medical conditions. Those conditions were fully and contemporaneously documented by his treating physician, yet this waiver request was still denied when it should have been approved at the NCAA staff level”

A path forward emerges in Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility case

Chris Hummer

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On Jan. 16, Chambliss filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for a temporary and permanent injunction that would allow him to play another season for the Rebels. Chambliss’ case will be heard on Feb. 12 at the Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro, Mississippi. CBS Sports reported last month that there is optimism around the football program that Chambliss will eventually be granted an injunction, which would clear the path for him to play in 2026.

“Trinidad’s representatives will continue to pursue all available legal remedies, and we will publicly stand behind Trinidad while holding the NCAA accountable for a decision that fails to align with its own rules, precedent, and the documented medical record,” Ole Miss said. 

The legal team for Chambliss criticized the NCAA’s waiver process and claimed their client was “never going to receive fair and good faith consideration of Ole Miss’ request for an additional season of eligibility from the National Collegiate Athletics Association.” 

Notably, Ole Miss and Chambliss agreed on a deal last month — contingent on the NCAA accepting his eligibility waiver for a sixth year — that would see him return as the starting quarterback. Chambliss, who didn’t begin the season as the Rebels’ starting quarterback and eventually won the job from Austin Simmons, guided the program to an 11-1 regular-season record and College Football Playoff wins over Tulane and Georgia before a 31-27 loss to Miami in the semifinals.

With Chambliss’ eligibility in limbo, the Rebels signed former blue-chip quarterback recruit Deuce Knight, an Auburn transfer. Knight would be the projected starter for Ole Miss in 2026 if Chambliss is unable to return to college. Ole Miss also signed Louisiana transfer Walker Howard. Howard had a previous stint at Ole Miss after beginning his career at LSU. 

Spire Motorsports driver Daniel Suarez’s wife, Julia Piquet, called out NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi over a misquoted radio message. Suarez is currently competing in the 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium and had a few run-ins with his former teammate, Shane van Gisbergen. Following that, according to Piquet, Bianchi misquoted a message from Suarez.

The Mexican driver and the Kiwi driver were once teammates and are now enemies. They both drove for Trackhouse Racing, and now Suarez pilots the #7 for Spire Motorsports, while Gisbergen still drives the #97 Chevy Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse. The 34-year-old has been making his debut with Spire and is in the mood for a fight.

Following that, during the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Daniel Suarez had a heated moment with his former teammate SVG. Reflecting on that, the #97 driver commented on Suarez:

“Is the 7 (Daniel Suarez) beefing with everyone?”

Continuing further, the Spire Motorsports driver issued a warning to Shane van Gisbergen. But Jordan Bianchi misquoted the radio message in his X post and wrote:

“I’m going to kick his f***ing ass. Tell (SVG) I’m coming for him.”

Upon stumbling upon that, Julia Piquet was not impressed by his mistake and called him out, sharing an X post along with the full quote. She wrote:

“If you’re going to quote drivers at least be accurate. First part was referring to the sh*t BW was pulling after the caution came out. He actually said “tell the 23 spotter if he pulls that sh*t one more time I’m going to kick his a**.” And then he said “I’m coming for the 97.””

Daniel Suarez joined Trackhouse Racing in 2021 and spent five seasons with the team piloting the #99 Chevy. He secured two wins, 16 top-five finishes, 43 top-ten finishes, and one pole position in 180 starts. He parted ways with the team after wrapping the 2025 season, and NASCAR prodigy Connor Zilisch replaced him.

“I’m not sad for this”: When Daniel Suarez opened up about his exit from Trackhouse Racing

In July 2025, NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez appeared in an interview with SiriusXM. During the conversation, the former Trackhouse Racing driver opened up about his exit from the team, along with his future plans.

The Cup Series team initially fielded two cars with Ross Chastain in the #1 Chevy and Suarez in the #99. However, Trackhouse Racing acquired another charter from Stewart-Haas Racing and added one more entry with Shane van Gisbergen in the #88 Chevy.

Later, Daniel Suarez claimed he was not sad about his departure and was mentally prepared for the decision. He further told the press:

“I want to make sure that you guys and all the people listening (know) I’m not sad for this. This is just a new chapter. That’s all it is. This is not a sad moment, it’s just a change.”

Daniel Suarez wrapped the 2025 Cup Series season in P29. He secured two top-five finishes at the spring Las Vegas Motor Speedway race and fall Daytona International Speedway race. Additionally, Suarez clinched seven top-ten finishes in 36 starts.