Millions of football fans across India face the prospect of missing next month’s World Cup, as Fifa officials are currently in the country attempting to finalise a broadcast deal.

The global governing body has yet to secure an agreement for the tournament, largely due to significant differences over pricing.

The deadlock means that, with the World Cup kicking off on 11 June, only three weeks remain to establish broadcast infrastructure and sell advertising inventory. This situation contrasts with China, where a broadcasting deal was struck last week, ending a similar standoff.

Sources familiar with Fifa’s plans confirm that media rights executives are in India, though the specifics of their meetings and agenda remain undisclosed. Fifa, in a statement to Reuters, confirmed it has concluded agreements in over 180 territories, adding that discussions in India regarding media rights were ongoing and “must remain confidential at this stage”.

Previous reports indicate that discussions between the Reliance-Disney joint venture, India’s largest media company, and Fifa have stalled. Reliance-Disney joint venture offered $20 million for the Fifa rights. That led to a disagreement because Fifa had initially sought $100 million but was last looking for around $60 million at least, Reuters has reported.

Sony, another major player in the Indian market, has refrained from bidding. The Reliance-Disney venture, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, declined to comment on whether a meeting with Fifa is scheduled.

Despite cricket’s dominance, football boasts a substantial following in India, with approximately 85 million fans compared to cricket’s 492 million, according to a 2024 report by Deloitte and Google.

India accounted for 2.9% of the global linear TV reach during the 2022 World Cup, underscoring the potential audience at stake.

The World Cup will be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and is due to run from 11 June to 19 July.

The opening game will see co-hosts Mexico face South Africa in Mexico City. This will be a repeat of the fixture that got the 2010 World Cup underway.

Thomas Tuchel’s England will play their first game against Croatia in Texas on 17 June, before going on to face Ghana and Panama in the group stage.

After losing two of three to the Milwaukee Brewers on the road, the San Diego Padres arrived in Seattle with an offense that lacked thump, as well as production, from the top of the lineup. With Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Manny Machado scuffling, the rest of the roster carried the team to a sweep of the Mariners and a 28-18 record, a half-game back of the Dodgers in the NL West.

There is not much to say that is new about the problems the three faces of the franchise are experiencing. Over the 18 games from April 27 to May 16, Machado/Tatis/Merrill had a collective .164/.231/.249 batting line. The doubles that Machado and Merrill hit in Sunday’s game were the first extra-base hits they both had in the same game since April 11 (per Kevin Acee in Padres Daily newsletter).

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Here is where the Padres offense stands as of the end of the Mariners series:

Batting average – .224, 30th OBP – .296, 28th SLG – .371, 26th OPS – .667, 28th

It doesn’t make sense that this team is 10 games over .500 and in second place in the NL West, but that is the case. As everyone in sports media keeps saying, this isn’t sustainable. Even manager Craig Stammen acknowledges that to be true.

Lucas Giolito

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller signed right-handed starter Lucas Giolito to a $1.5 million contract for 2026 with a $1.5 million buyout for 2027 and escalators that could net him an additional $5 million. He signed on April 22 and his contract guaranteed a promotion to the major league team by May 16. He had two starts in Single-A and two starts in Double-A before debuted with the Padres on Sunday against the Mariners. After pitching five shutout innings with one hit allowed, Giolito sat for a prolonged half-inning while his teammates put up five runs in the top of the sixth inning.

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In the bottom of the sixth, he was not the same guy. After walking three straight hitters, he was removed from the game and was then charged with the three runs scored by the Mariners after his departure. Giolitto got the win after his offense went on a hitting spree (especially Gavin Sheets) and put up eight runs for the game.

Giolito’s performance was all the more impressive considering he hasn’t had anything close to a normal ramp-up to the season. Going unsigned through the offseason and Spring Training, Giolito was on his own to prepare to pitch for a major league team. Staying unsigned until late April, his contract only gave him 23 days to prepare for his debut with the Padres.

His velocity was notably less than his normal 94-95 mph on his fastball (90-92), but his changeup is elite and makes the fastball a playable pitch. He throws those two pitches 85% of the time. In 145 innings pitched in 2025, Giolito threw to a 3.41 ERA, even though his underlying numbers don’t look that impressive.

With time spent working with Ruben Niebla and his staff, and building up his arm, Giolito should get better. His command through the first five innings was remarkable considering his brief amount of prep time.

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Gavin Sheets

Since signing with the Padres before the 2025 season, Gavin Sheets has been the power hitter the Padres hoped he would be, in streaks. Always less effective against left-handed pitchers, Sheets has made adjustments during his time with the Padres and continues to improve against righties. Last season his batting average was almost identical between lefties and righties, but his slug against right-handed pitchers was .453 versus .369 against left-handers. He had 17 homers against righties and two versus lefties.

This season, with minimal appearances versus lefties, Sheets is continuing the trend. He is slugging. 596 versus right-handers so far this year (114 at-bats). In 12 at-bats versus lefties, he is slugging .167. Way too small a sample size, but with some of his teammates performing well against left-handed pitching (Miguel Andujar, Luis Campusano) he isn’t going to get many opportunities.

Overall, Sheets has been clutch, with “late and close” hits. He is second behind Xander Bogaerts in RBI; Bogaerts has 23 and Sheets has 21. His nine homeruns lead the team, and his 10 doubles are one behind Andujar.

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Sheets was named the National League Player of the Week with these numbers over the Brewers and Mariners series.

Rodolfo Durán

Catcher Rodolfo Durán waited 11 years to get his first chance to play in a major league uniform. With the broken toe suffered by Luis Campusano in the series versus the Giants, Durán was added to the roster and made his first start on May 7 against the Cardinals. He was 0-for-10 before coming to bat in the seventh inning against Seattle on May 16. Durán lined his first hit as a major leaguer into the Padres’ bullpen for his first home run. In his last at-bat in the ninth inning, he was robbed of another home run by a leaping Julio Rodríguez in center field.

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Durán will remain with the Padres in place of the injured Campusano, but it is unlikely any other moment will be as memorable as that one for the veteran of four organizations.

A Quiet Assassin

Reliever Bradgley Rodriquez, 22, graduated from the Padres prospect list this month. He appeared in seven games and 7.2 innings for the Padres in 2025 with a 1.17 ERA and nine strikeouts to three walks. In 2026, he has pitched in 19 games (was the opener for two games) and has 22.2 innings under his belt this season. He is on pace to pitch over 80 innings, which would far exceed his 61.1 innings in 2024 in the minors.

It seems likely he will get optioned at some point to give him a break, but the bullpen will be the less for it. His 1.59 ERA includes 18 strikeouts to five walks, and he has allowed no home runs. His effectiveness is only behind Mason Miller and Jason Adam.

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Although he has high-leverage stuff, Rodriguez is being brought along carefully. His fastball touches 100 mph, but it is not his best pitch. He has a plus-plus-changeup that he pairs with a slider for 69% of his offerings.

Roster moves and injury updates

General manager A.J. Preller gave an update on the status of Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta in an interview with Ben and Woods of 97.3 The Fan on Friday, May 15. Neither is in a throwing program yet, and he suggested that they would not be until June/July.

It was reported by Kevin Acee in his daily newsletter (via manager Craig Stammen) that Luis Campusano is still unable to come off the IL. His broken toe is still too painful, although he is involved in baseball activities.

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The last word on Jake Cronenworth was that he had been referred to a neurologist and is recovering from his concussion under medical care. He did not travel with the team on the latest road trip.

Matt Waldron pitched poorly in his start versus the Brewers on May 12 and then came back and pitched two innings of scoreless relief on May 14. He reportedly came in the next day with a sore upper arm and was placed on the 15-day IL when Alek Jacob was called up to provide extra help to the bullpen. Jacob was sent back down when Giolito was activated.

Jhony Brito has started his rehab from his UCL surgery of last year. He started two games with the ACL Padres and then started for Double-A San Antonio on Sunday, May 17. Brito went four innings with no earned runs allowed. He allowed two hits and had a strikeout, although two unearned runs scored.

Victor Wembanyama delivered one of the greatest playoff performances of his young career Monday night, spoiling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP celebration as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime Western Conference Finals classic.

On a night designed to celebrate Gilgeous-Alexander’s second consecutive NBA MVP award, it was Wembanyama who completely stole the spotlight.

The Spurs superstar exploded for 41 points and 24 rebounds, dominating both ends of the floor while carrying San Antonio to a crucial Game 1 road victory inside a stunned Oklahoma City arena.

Wembanyama eventually sealed the win in the closing moments of the second overtime period with back-to-back dunks, including a powerful three-point play that finally broke the Thunder’s resistance.

Wembanyama Announces Himself on the Biggest Stage

The 22-year-old French phenom looked unstoppable throughout the night.

Whether it was dunking through multiple defenders, controlling the glass, or protecting the rim, Wembanyama completely imposed himself on the game in his Western Conference Finals debut.

By halftime, he already had 14 points and 10 rebounds while looking entirely comfortable under the brightest playoff lights.

As the game stretched deeper into the night and exhaustion began affecting both teams, Wembanyama only seemed to grow stronger.

And when the game needed a superstar to take over in double overtime, he answered.

Shai’s MVP Night Ends in Frustration

The night began with celebration for Gilgeous-Alexander, who officially received his second straight NBA MVP trophy before tip-off.

But the Spurs made sure the ending belonged to someone else.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 24 points and 12 assists but struggled badly from the field, shooting just 7-for-23 in one of his toughest playoff outings this season.

His slow start was particularly unusual.

The Thunder guard had only four first-half points while shooting 1-for-5 from the floor — the first time since October 2023 that he failed to make at least two field goals before halftime.

Despite his struggles, Shai still helped Oklahoma City force overtime after the Thunder erased a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit.

But unlike Wembanyama, he could never fully take control of the game offensively.

Dylan Harper and Spurs Defense Changed the Series Opener

While Wembanyama dominated headlines, rookie guard Dylan Harper played a massive role in San Antonio’s victory.

Harper finished with 24 points and a franchise playoff-record seven steals, repeatedly disrupting Oklahoma City’s rhythm and creating transition opportunities for the Spurs.

Stephon Castle added 17 points, while Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each scored 13.

San Antonio also managed the win without De’Aaron Fox, who missed the game because of ankle stiffness.

Alex Caruso Keeps Thunder Alive

One of Oklahoma City’s biggest surprises came from veteran guard Alex Caruso.

Coming off the bench, Caruso erupted for 31 points — the second-highest scoring playoff game of his career — and repeatedly hit momentum-changing shots that kept the Thunder alive.

Jalen Williams also impressed after returning from a hamstring injury, scoring 26 points following a six-game absence.

Still, the Thunder could not survive San Antonio’s physicality and Wembanyama’s late dominance.

Spurs Steal Home-Court Advantage

The victory gives San Antonio an early 1-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals and immediately steals home-court advantage from Oklahoma City.

It also continues an unusual trend between the two teams.

The Spurs have now beaten the Thunder five times in their last six meetings.

The game itself instantly entered NBA playoff history.

It became the first Western Conference Finals Game 1 to reach double overtime since the Spurs faced the Warriors in 2013.

Game 2 will take place Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will now face enormous pressure to avoid falling into a 2-0 series hole before the series shifts to San Antonio.

Pep Guardiola is set to bring his trophy-laden decade in charge of Manchester City to an end this weekend, according to multiple reports on Monday. Guardiola, 55, has won six Premier League titles and City’s first Champions League among 20 trophies since arriving in England in 2016. He could add one more to his tally if City win their final two matches of the season against Bournemouth and Aston Villa and Arsenal fail to beat Crystal Palace on Sunday’s final round of Premier League fixtures.

The Daily Mail and The Athletic reported that Guardiola will step down after the visit of Villa to the Etihad.

City have made no comment on the speculation.

However, the club have arranged a parade through Manchester on Monday to celebrate their League Cup and FA Cup triumphs this season, which could act as a farewell to Guardiola.

Former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who previously worked on Guardiola’s staff at City, is reportedly in line to take over next season.

Guardiola has one more year remaining on his contract but rumours he was set to depart at the end of the season have circulated for months.

After a first trophyless season for seven years in the 2024/25 campaign, a rejuvenated City have bounced back.

Victory over Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup final completed a domestic cup double and they could still usurp Arsenal for a seventh league title in nine years.

Guardiola arrived in England as already one of Europe’s most decorated coaches.

His four-year spell at boyhood club Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 captured admirers across the globe, winning two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.

He added three more league titles in three seasons at Bayern Munich.

A similarly short spell was expected when City lured him to the Premier League.

But his influence has transformed the English game at all levels over the past 10 years.

Backed by the deep pockets of Abu Dhabi royalty, City have stepped out of the shadow of local rivals Manchester United to become the dominant force in England.

Guardiola’s brand of passing football has been copied from grassroots through to the elite level.

Even City’s competitors have turned to his disciples to catch up.

Arsenal, managed by Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta, are on the brink of their first league title in 22 years.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has said his coaching philosophy was shaped by watching the City boss’ Barcelona team, while new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso moved to Bayern in the final years of his playing career to gain the experience of woring under Guardiola.

The timing of Guardiola’s exit comes with the outcome of an investigation into more than 100 alleged breaches by City of financial regulations still to be released.

First charged by the Premier League in February 2023, an independent commission hearing concluded in December 2024 with the case hanging over City’s achievements on the pitch ever since.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Athletics starter J.T. Ginn has completed seven innings without allowing a hit against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

The right-hander from Mississippi, who turns 27 on Wednesday, closed out the seventh with his 10th strikeout of the game — setting a career high.

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The game was scoreless entering the eighth.

It was the 31st career start for Ginn, who made his major league debut in 2024.

The Angels haven’t been no-hit since Sept. 11, 1999 — the longest active such streak in the majors.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Patience is a virtue. That’s the takeaway early this week regarding the Minnesota Vikings’ search for a new general manager. SI.com‘s Albert Breer updated the search, claiming an announcement may take a bit longer than expected.

Minnesota’s ownership group appears willing to let the process breathe before making its next front-office call.

The Vikings’ ownership group has a vast pool of applicants and might not be in a huge rush.

Minnesota Appears Comfortable Taking Its Time

Perhaps a couple more weeks are needed to identify the next GM?

Breer on the Vikings’ GM Process

Breer offered a rather insightful level-set of Minnesota’s current GM situation, with all eyes on the next guy.

He wrote, “The Vikings’ GM search could take a bit. Minnesota has now worked through a list of eight candidates, interviewing assistant GMs from the 49ers (RJ Gillen), Bills (Terrance Gray), Broncos (Reed Burckhardt), Dolphins (Kyle Smith), Lions (Ray Agnew), Rams (John McKay), Seahawks (Nolan Teasley) and Titans (Dave Ziegler) over Zoom last week, as well as interim GM Rob Brzezinski.”

“The interviews lasted about an hour, with owner Mark Wilf and coach Kevin O’Connell running the show and COO Andrew Miller and others from the Wilf management group taking part as well. They covered some big-picture topics and drilled down on how candidates saw their team. The plan is for the Vikings to regroup today to map out the coming weeks. The trouble is this is a bit of a busy week for the franchise.”

The Vikings fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the former general manager from 2022 to 2025, in late January due to a poor draft record and questionable quarterback roster decisions.

Breer continued, “The expectation is that the Twin Cities will be awarded the 2028 draft at the meetings, so a big contingent, including ownership, will be in Orlando for that. And with a holiday weekend coming up, there’s a good chance in-person interviews with finalists for the job won’t happen until next week.”

“Without competition for candidates out there—the Vikings are the only team looking for a GM — Minnesota can afford to be patient. That said, there’s also an acknowledgment there that it’d be good to get the new GM in soon so he can get started with O’Connell before the summer break commences in mid-June.”

Surprise 2028 Draft Nugget

Tucked in the Breer piece was the predictive draft nugget. A few hours before the rest of the world had the intel, Breer spilled the beans on Minneapolis as the host city of the 2028 NFL Draft. That’s happening now, and NFL owners will vote to finalize the measure this week.

Reuters noted after the Breer prognostication: “NFL owners are expected to vote Tuesday to confirm Minneapolis as the host of the 2028 NFL ​Draft, ESPN reported Monday. The 2026 draft took ‌place in Pittsburgh last month, with the 2027 event scheduled for the National Mall in Washington, D.C.”

“NBC Sports reported ​that the 2028 draft itself would be conducted ​in and around U.S. Bank Stadium, home of ⁠the Minnesota Vikings since 2016, and also would ​have a presence all around the Twin Cities.”

Minneapolis will become the NFL’s epicenter for one weekend in April 2028.

The Interim Option

While the process of finding a new boss may not be in any particular hurry, one can’t help but wonder about Brzezinski, the incumbent. He’s been a part of the franchise since 1999 — so 27 years — and now would be a very strange time for him to leave. Hell, he’s acted as the main general manager for 3.5 months, and most approve of his job performance.

Therefore, keeping in mind Brzezinski as a front-and-center figure in this search, his fate could bend a few ways:

1. Brzezinski will shed the “interim title” and become the full-time general manager.
2. He’ll simply return to his old job, affectionately known to Vikings fans as the “cap wizard” or “money guy.”
3. The Vikings will carve out a custom setup for Brzezinski to have more power while giving the new general manager more responsibility over the draft, for example, while likely keeping O’Connell as the franchise’s main face.

It’s a long way of saying that Brzezinski is important to the Vikings.

June as the New Timeline?

Interviews began last week, and conventional logic suggested Minnesota could have a candidate in place by May 24th or so. Per the Breer reporting, that could be pushed back by a week or two if the Wilfs are not in a hurry.

June feels like a new date for the announcement. The NFL calendar — compared to other months — slows to a crawl in June and during the first three weeks of July. Hiring a new general manager sometime in June would be an appropriate time.

That’s probably the new expected date. Vikings organized team activities (OTAs) kick off on May 26th.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Suncorp Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 11 NRL game between South Sydney Rabbitohs and
Dolphins. The game kicks off at 8:00 pm with Dolphins heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the South Sydney Rabbitohs vs.
Dolphins
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday May 15, 2026 at 8:00 pm

Where: Suncorp Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Dolphins Odds

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Dolphins Preview

Few teams have built momentum more quietly than the Dolphins, whose recent improvement has coincided with the return of Max Plath, Jeremy Marshall-King and Kurt Donoghue. Their influence through the middle has given Redcliffe’s strike players more space and time, turning the Dolphins back into one of the competition’s most dangerous attacking outfits.

South Sydney, however, has embraced the hard-working identity that underpins successful teams. The Rabbitohs’ 6-3 start has been built on effort areas before flair, with their middles laying the platform for Latrell Mitchell and Campbell Graham to capitalise out wide. This shapes as one of the most balanced contests of Magic Round, with both sides thriving when they win the physical battle first. If Souths can slow the Dolphins through the middle, their discipline and composure could prove the difference late.

Neymar has been named in Brazil’s squad for next month’s World Cup, handing the forward a chance to return to football’s biggest stage after an injury-disrupted few years.

The 34-year-old, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, comes back following a prolonged absence due to a series of injuries that kept him out for much of the qualifying campaign, as the five-time champions pursue a record-extending sixth title.

As dozens of journalists gathered at Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow for a ceremony featuring music acts and celebrity guests, all eyes were on boss Carlo Ancelotti’s decision on whether to include Neymar in ⁠the squad.

The 66-year-old Italian, who took charge of Brazil last year, had not previously called-up the former Barcelona and PSG star. He said earlier this month that Neymar’s inclusion would be based on fitness and form, not sentiment.

“We evaluated Neymar throughout the year and noticed that recently he has been playing ​consistently ⁠and has improved his physical condition,” Ancelotti ‌explained in a press conference after naming the squad.

“He has the same role and responsibilities as everyone else, but he is an experienced player. It’s true that in some positions we prioritised experience.”

Neymar, who has 79 ‌international goals but has not featured for Brazil since 2023, has ‌faced questions about his fitness and form following an injury-marred spell at Al Hilal and an underwhelming return to boyhood club Santos last year.

The forward said on Sunday he was satisfied he had done all he could to prove he was fully fit and deserved a place in the squad. “Physically, I feel great. I’ve been improving with every game,” he told reporters after Santos’ 3-0 defeat to Coritiba.

The rest of Brazil’s squad was largely retained from the qualifying campaign and recent friendlies, with the likes of Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha and Endrick shouldering attacking duties alongside Neymar.

Real Madrid striker Rodrygo, defender Eder Militao and Chelsea winger Estevao were left out due to injuries, while Chelsea’s forward Joao Pedro and their midfielder Andrey Santos, who had been regulars in recent times, also surprisingly missed the final squad.

“Some of the players who were ​with us this year won’t be happy with this list,” added Ancelotti. “I’m sorry, and I want ‌to thank everyone who was with us.”

Brazil will open their World Cup campaign against Morocco on 13 June in New Jersey and also face Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Full Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahçe), Weverton (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Ibanez (Al Ahli), Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Wesley (Roma)

Midfielders: ​Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al Ittihad), Lucas ‌Paqueta (Flamengo)

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), ​Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Neymar (Santos), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

Senne Lammens was part of the Manchester United team that won against Nottingham Forest on Sunday

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens underlined the squad’s togetherness through his celebrations against Nottingham Forest. Michael Carrick’s side produced a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford as Bruno Fernandes equalled a Premier League record with his 20th assist of the season.

Luke Shaw opened the scoring for United and Matheus Cunha later restored the team’s lead early in the second half before Bryan Mbeumo added a third. Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White halved United’s lead but the home side hung on to claim the win and secure a third-place finish.

Mbeumo’s goal ultimately ensured three points for the club but the goal scorer was not the centre of the team’s celebrations. Instead, United players ran to congratulate Fernandes for providing the assist and equalling Thierry Henry’s record assist tally for a single season.

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The United squad were clearly aware that the 31-year-old was on the cusp of the record and were eager to congratulate the skipper. The team’s positivity was exemplified by Lammens, who ran the length of the pitch to celebrate with Fernandes. The goalkeeper’s enthusiasm was spotted by several United fans and praised on social media.

One United fan wrote on X: “Lammens came all the way to congratulate Bruno. The vibes are immaculate.” A second fan posted: “Lammens coming up to celebrate with Bruno. MY GOAT.” A third social media user said: “Lammens running up the pitch, this really is a club of love.”

A fourth added: “Lammens running the length of the pitch to celebrate Bruno equalling the assist record. Look how chuffed they all are for him man.” A fifth United supporter wrote: “The way they all celebrated with Bruno when he wasn’t even the goalscorer, even Lammens joined in.”

Others focused on Fernandes’ importance to United, with one fan stating: “Lammens running to celebrate with Bruno… this is what it means (also shows what an amazing captain he is..).” Another wrote: “The way everyone went to congratulate Bruno after his assist, even Lammens came up…I love this club.”

The win over Forest was the latest sign of how Carrick has rejuvenated the squad during his reign. The 44-year-old has won 11 of his 16 games in charge, guiding United to Champions League qualification.

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Meanwhile, Lammens has enjoyed an impressive first season at the club after signing from Royal Antwerp last summer, making 31 league appearances. The 23-year-old has previously spoken about Fernandes’ influence as captain and how the midfielder helped him settle in at United.

“I mean, he’s the way I like it, to be honest, he’s not always the most vocal,” Lammens said of Fernandes last month. “He speaks when he needs to, especially before big games or when we have maybe more difficulties.

“He’s also someone who’s very, very hard on himself and on everybody else, which is why maybe sometimes he can look a little bit frustrated when it’s not going our way, but that’s also the way it has to be at this level, I think, because he wants to win Champions Leagues and he wants to win the Premier League.

“So that’s what he’s thinking about and that’s what he tries to give us as well, and tries to take us to his level as well. So, yeah, he’s a leader on and off the pitch, and also like personally, he’s always very nice to me when I came in here.

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“In my first days, he showed open arms to me, so it’s always a nice feeling when that comes from your most important player, the captain as well. It’s always a nice feeling.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.