Man Utd have three players out injured but one is due back sooner rather than later.

Mason Mount is close to returning to the Manchester United squad after picking up an injury in training last week, but Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a back problem. Mount missed the win against Fulham with a minor injury and didn’t train on Wednesday, but Michael Carrick confirmed he was close to making his return, which could make him available against Tottenham on Saturday or West Ham on Tuesday.

But De Ligt’s absence is continuing to drag on. The Dutch centre-back has missed more than two months with a back injury and Carrick confirmed he was still absent, but that he was remaining positive during his recovery.

“Mason sooner. He’s not too far away. We’re hopeful it won’t be too long,” said Carrick. “Matta is working his way back, taking his steps and improving and being really positive.”

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Patrick Dorgu is the only other absentee, with the wide man picking up a hamstring injury against Arsenal. United didn’t strengthen during the January window and although plans are now afoot for the summer window, the 44-year-old insisted uncertainty over who would be in charge wouldn’t be a problem.

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“The players have been spot on and fully focused,” he said. “We’re all aware of the bigger situation and what might happen.

“As a player, you focus on what’s ahead of you, trying to achieve what you can. I’ve got no concerns. The lads have been better than you can imagine. We’re focused on being better, improving and getting to where we want to be. Small steps but it’s a big end to the season.”

One person has died, and three others have been hurt after a double-decker bus crashed into pedestrians in Dublin city centre.

Ireland’s justice minister confirmed the news to the Irish parliament, adding that those injured are being treated in hospital.

It is understood that the incident, in the pedestrianised North Earl Street, is being treated as a road crash.

Emergency services were called shortly after 12.30pm to the junction of Talbot Street and Marlborough Street.

Images from the scene show a police cordon has been established and a tent erected around the crash site.

The front window of the bus, which remains at the location, has been smashed, but it is not clear how that happened.

The operator, Bus Eireann, confirmed one of its vehicles was involved but said it was not in service at the time of the incident.

Dublin Fire Brigade said it “received reports of a road traffic collision involving a bus and pedestrians”.

In a statement, it said: “Over 20 firefighter/paramedics and advanced paramedics responded on four engines, two emergency tenders with heavy rescue tools and an advanced paramedic response car.

“Two district officers also responded to the incident along with four ambulances and a rapid response vehicle from the National Ambulance Service.”

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan told the Irish parliament: “I regret to say that there has been a fatality there and three others have been taken to hospital.

“Obviously our thoughts are with the family of the person who has been fatally injured, and indeed the people who are in hospital. We wish them well.”

People have been asked to avoid Marlborough Street, North Earl Street, Talbot Street and the surrounding areas while emergency crews deal with the incident.

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Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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A churn of saliva. A clashing of teeth. Way too much tongue.

These are just some of the components of a kiss many of us would rather forget.

So, it might come as a surprise to hear that more and more Brits have been searching for this kind of smooch on porn sites.

In fact, in the past two years, searches for the term ‘kissing fetish’ have surged by 67% on adult content marketplace, Clips4Sale, making it one of the most lucrative categories.

That’s kisses that are ‘wet’ and ‘smokey’, according to search terms, as well as those that you might associate with a good snogger, including ‘erotic’, ‘romantic’ and ‘SFW (safe for work)’.

In the r/dating subReddit, users have been sharing their love of a ‘sloppy and wet make-out session.’

‘I yearn for a sloppy make out session,’ wrote one user, while another said: ‘I love spit swapping, tonsil wrestling, tongue tied make out sessions.’

Our jaws hurt just thinking about it, but sex therapist Courtney Boyer is hardly surprised that kissing fetish is finally having its moment.

‘Kissing sits right at the intersection of emotional intimacy and physical arousal,’ she tells Metro. ‘The lips are packed with nerve endings, so even light contact can send strong sensory signals through the body.

‘Throw in eye contact, anticipation, scent, and emotional connection, and it becomes a powerful erotic trigger.

‘This is often more psychologically charged than overt sexual touch.’

Why are so many Brits getting off to kissing videos?

Courtney explains that, like most fetishes, our penchant for the intimate act develops through early imprinting. ‘Because kissing is often our first intimate act, it can hold emotional and erotic significance that carried into adulthood.’

That certainly makes sense, but what’s the appeal of the ‘washing-machine’ style snog?

Well, Courtney says the wet noises can hold a particular allure.

‘Sound and sensation amplify arousal,’ Courtney adds. ‘Wet kissing noises can heighten realism, and signal a mutual desire and immersion in the moment.’ Essentially, it shows that the pair are really digging the smooch.

Specific searches for things like ‘smokey kisses’ also point to a desire for sex acts that feel a little bit wrong.

‘These refer to kissing where smoke, often from cigarettes or vapes, is shared mouth-to-mouth,’ Courtney says. ‘For some, the appeal lies in taboo, the combination of all senses (taste and smell), and the intimacy of sharing air.

‘It blends rebellion with closeness, which can feel edgy and erotic.’

The fetish can also overlap with kinks like breath play, oral fixations, sensory play and even romantic dom and sub dynamics.

‘All of these center on closeness, control, and sensory immersion, which are core elements of erotic kissing,’ Courtney explains.

Keeping it PG

On the other end of the spectrum, SFW (safe for work) kisses were another frequently searched-for term, suggesting there are those out there looking for a more PG exchange.

‘Despite an increase among the younger generation in more aggressive acts like choking, there is also a growing appetite for softer intimacy,’ Courtney says.

‘Kissing that feels affectionate, slow, and emotionally grounded rather than overtly sexual.

‘In times of stress or digital overload, people often crave comfort, safety, and nostalgia. “SFW” content offers arousal rooted in connection rather than explicitness.’

While the kissing fetish spans all genders, Courtney says that research and clinical insights suggest women are more likely to eroticise kissing because they tend to ‘link arousal with emotion’.

‘That said, men absolutely share the fetish,’ she adds, ‘particularly when kissing is framed as a marker of mutual desire or conquest. It’s less about gender and more about how individuals eroticise intimacy.’

But why the sudden uptick?

With a dramatic increase in demand for kissing fetish videos in the past two years, you do have to wonder what sparked the surge in interest.

For Courtney, post-pandemic psychology plays a major role. ‘Periods of isolation heightened our awareness of touch deprivation,’ she says.

‘Kissing, intimate but accessible, became symbolic of reconnection. At the same time, dating culture has been recalibrating toward slower, more intentional intimacy.’

And while the act of kissing itself has always been erotic, the expert suggests its rise as a standalone fetish is tied to online culture, too.

‘Particularly, it’s the growth of searchable, niche content over the past decade,’ she says. ‘As people realise their specific turn-ons are shared by others, interest and visibility increases.’

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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This is the second time this week the soaps have been axed from the nightly ITV lineup after the 2025/26 Carabao Cup semi-final fixture between Arsenal and Chelsea aired in their place on Tuesday (February 3).

Once again, it is a major sporting event that will keep Coronation Street and Emmerdale off air tonight.

Why are Coronation Street and Emmerdale not on ITV tonight?

Coronation Street and Emmerdale will be replaced tonight by the Guinness Six Nations match between France and Ireland at the Stade de France in Paris.

The France v Ireland match, which marks the beginning of the 2026 Six Nations tournament, will air on ITV1 and ITVX from 7.20pm until 10.35pm.

This latest change follows a major schedule shake-up in January, with the introduction of the “soaps power hour”.

Emmerdale now airs on ITV1 at 8pm, followed by Coronation Street at 8.30pm, Monday to Friday, with episodes still dropping each morning at 7pm on ITVX.

The longest-running UK soaps

This is a move away from the previous weekly schedule, which consisted of:

• Three one-hour-long Coronation Street episodes
• Four 30-minute and one hour-long episodes of Emmerdale

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Announcing the new schedule last year, ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo, said: “The new commissioning pattern is viewer-led. 

“We already give more choice than ever to viewers on how they watch us through ITVX and we want to present their favourite soap to them, in the most digestible way.

“In a world where there is so much competition for viewers’ time and attention, and viewing habits continue to change, we believe this is the right amount of episodes that fans can fit into their viewing schedule, to keep up to date with the shows.”

Emmerdale and Coronation Street will return to their usual 8am and 8.30pm time slots on ITV1 on Friday (February 6).

When we think about iron imbalance, most people are familiar with iron deficiency and the health problems it can cause. What many may not realise is that the opposite problem, iron overload, can be just as serious – yet many aren’t even aware of the condition.

Haemochromatosis is an inherited genetic condition that affects the amount of iron the body absorbs. The condition disproportionately affects people of Irish, Scottish and Welsh descent, which is why it’s been nicknamed the “Celtic curse”. Yet this label can be misleading as it is also prevalent in other northern European countries – and this may contribute to why so many cases still continue to go undiagnosed today.

Haemochromatosis causes the body to absorb too much iron from food. Iron is essential for health, particularly for the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells.

In healthy people, this iron is safely stored in the bone marrow and liver in the form of a protein called ferritin. But in people with haemochromatosis, iron stores gradually exceed safe limits. As the body has no effective way to excrete this excess iron, this means the mineral accumulates in their tissues and organs, resulting in damage to these tissues and organs.

Most cases of haemochromatosis are caused by mutations in a gene called HFE, which regulates hepcidin – a hormone made by the liver that helps regulate iron absorption. When this system is disrupted, iron absorption continues unchecked. In people with haemochromatosis, this mutation is usually inherited from both parents.

Iron overload can also occur in people who need repeated blood transfusions – such as those with sick cell disease.

The liver is particularly vulnerable, and excess iron can cause inflammation, irreversible scarring and damage and, in advanced cases, liver cancer. Once liver storage capacity is exceeded, iron begins to accumulate in other organs – including the pancreas, heart, joints and brain, impairing their function.

Diagnosing iron overload

Genetic haemochromatosis has been identified from human remains as far back as bronze age and neolithic Irish populations. It’s thought that humans with the HFE mutation were resistant to iron deficiency caused by iron-poor diets, offering a survival advantage.

But while haemochromatosis is more common people of Celtic ancestry, the condition can affect anyone. The “Celtic curse” label may even have unintentionally contributed to the misconception that the condition is rare.

In reality, around one in 200 people of northern European ancestry carry the mutations that can cause the condition. However, in Ireland, around one in 83 people carry this mutation.

Before the genetic basis of haemochromatosis was discovered, patients were often diagnosed incidentally or after developing cirrhosis or diabetes.

Today, it’s widely understood that symptoms can be wide ranging and of varying severity. The most common complaint is joint pain, particularly affecting the knuckles and hands. Other symptoms include chronic fatigue, bronzing of the skin, reduced libido, heart rhythm problems and difficulties with memory or concentration.

Many people have no obvious symptoms for decades – and when symptoms do occur, they’re often attributed to age-related conditions, such as arthritis. This makes haemochromatosis easy to miss.

Large UK population studies suggest that up to 40% of patients with genetic haemochromatosis will develop at least one symptom related to iron overload in their lifetime. Men with the condition are at the highest risk of developing liver cancer.

Despite this, many people remain undiagnosed – even when serious organ damage has already occurred. According to the charity Haemochromatosis UK , undiagnosed haemochromatosis costs the NHS an estimated £300 million per year, due to to avoidable illness and complications associated with the condition.

Diagnosing haemochromatosis is actually quite straightforward. Blood tests are performed to measure iron and liver function. If results suggest iron overload, genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis.

But the challenge is knowing who to test. Because symptoms are often vague and the condition is still perceived as rare, haemochromatosis is often overlooked.

Many people are diagnosed incidentally during routine blood tests for unrelated reasons. When a diagnosis is made, close relatives are usually offered testing because of the inherited nature of the condition.

When diagnosed, treatment is simple and highly effective. The standard approach is regular blood removal, known as venesection or phlebotomy. Removing blood removes mobilises stored iron to make new blood cells, helping to deplete these stores. Initially this may be weekly or fortnightly until iron levels normalise – followed by lifelong monitoring and occasional maintenance venesections.

Dietary changes, such as avoiding iron and vitamin C supplements, limiting alcohol and reducing red meat consumption, may help slow iron accumulation, but these cannot replace or be as effective as venesection.

Not all patients tolerate regular blood removal – particularly older people or those whose veins may not be as visible or easy to access. In these cases, iron-chelating drugs (which make it possible for iron to be passed in urine) can be used. However, their side-effects – such as diarrhoea, pain and tiredness – limit their use.

Encouragingly, new treatments are emerging. Drugs that mimic hepcidin, restoring the body’s natural iron regulation, are currently being trialled. Other approaches aim to block ferroportin (which transports iron), using a synthetic inhibitor that competes against the natural protein and is known to reduce iron levels in mice.

Haemochromatosis is common, treatable, and when caught early, the health effects are largely preventable. The greatest challenge is increasing awareness among both doctors and the public, so the condition can be caught before it causes serious harm.

A history and folklore enthusiast has shared the five types of English surnames and what they mean about your family history

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People are only just discovering the origins of their surnames and the meanings behind them. Whilst surnames such as Smith, Johnson and Hill might appear commonplace, many individuals don’t give them a second thought.

However, people are now realising that their surnames could reveal more about their family heritage than delving back through multiple generations of research.

A surname is generally handed down from one generation to another, offering insight into a person’s cultural and geographical roots, profession or physical traits.

A history and folklore enthusiast, posting on TikTok as @the_past_and_curious, has explained that there are five categories of surname and their various origins.

He explained: “In England, there are five types of surnames introduced by the Normans with the Doomsday Book.

“They needed to differentiate between all the people with the same first name so that they could keep track of everyone and tax them accordingly.

“The types of surnames are patronymic, which means from the father. For example, John’s son becomes Johnson or Peter’s son becomes Peterson.

“The next type is vocational, so that’s the type of job somebody had. For example, Smith or Thatcher. Now these often end in ‘er’, like Thatcher or Cooper, which means someone who makes barrels.”

The history enthusiast continued by explaining that certain names are geographical, meaning that somebody residing in Derby would adopt that as their surname. Others derive from geographical features and draw inspiration from the terrain where individuals resided, such as Hill, Bridge and Wood.

He explained: “So someone who lives by a hill would take the surname Hill. The last and the least common type is a descriptive name.

“So a name like Armstrong would be a strong person, or Grey would be a person who had grey hair or possibly a grey beard.”

Across English-speaking nations, some of the most prevalent surnames include Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones, Garcia, Miller, Davis, Rodriguez, and Martinez.

Smith frequently ranks as the most widespread surname in numerous English-speaking countries, originally stemming from the craft of metalworking.

The new rules will come into force from April 6

HMRC has issued a call to action as over 860,000 taxpayers are set to face new rules within two months. From April 6, many sole traders and landlords will need to start using digital tax reporting, and experts are urging those affected to be prepared.

Any sole traders and landlords earning more than £50,000 from self-employment and property will be required to use use digital tax reporting from April 6. This will see affected taxpayers no longer filling out their tax return all at once, and instead the admin will be split and spread throughout the year.

From April 6, those affected will need to begin using a HMRC recognised software to keep their digital records, before sending light-touch quarterly updates of their income and expenses. Free software options are available and once income and expenses are recorded, the software generates a simple summary to be sent to HMRC.

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With two months to go until the change comes into force, HMRC is now urging those affected to prepare for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. To support those affected, a range of free resources including online guidance, webinars and videos are also being provided by HMRC.

Craig Ogilvie, HMRC’s Director of Making Tax Digital, said: “With two months to go until MTD for Income Tax launches, now is the time to act. A range of software is available and the system is straightforward and helps reduce errors. Thousands of volunteers have already used it successfully.

“This will make it easier for sole traders and landlords to stay on top of their tax affairs and help ensure everyone pays the right amount of tax. Spreading your tax admin throughout the year means avoiding that last minute scramble to complete a tax return every January. Go to GOV.UK and start preparing today.”

Those joining MTD in April 2026 will still file their tax return for the 2025 to 2026 tax year in the usual way by 31 January 2027, as this covers the period before MTD begins. The first MTD tax return, covering the 2026 to 2027 tax year, will be due by 31 January 2028.

To support the transition, the government has also announced customers joining MTD for Income Tax in April 2026 won’t receive penalty points for late quarterly updates, for the first 12 months following the change. Under the new system, penalty points will also be given for each late submission, with a £200 penalty only applied once four points are reached, helping to allow for occasional slip-ups.

The new rollout forms part of the Government’s plan to transform the UK’s tax system in a bid to support economic growth. Thousands of sole traders and landlords have also signed up already for MTD for Income Tax, and more than 20,000 quarterly updates successfully submitted through a voluntary testing programme.

Speaking earlier following the sentencing, senior investigating officer Det Ch Supt Craig Nicholson, of Humberside Police, said: “Motin completely failed in this duty as a captain, causing the death of one of his own crew and endangering the remaining lives of the crews of both vessels.