Sir Alex Ferguson felt unwell before Manchester United’s Premier League match against Liverpool at Old Trafford and went to the hospital as a precautionary measure

League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan says that Sir Alex Ferguson is ‘on the mend’ after being unable to attend their annual awards night.

Ferguson, 84, is recovering from a recent illness. He feel unwell before Manchester United’s Premier League match against Liverpool at Old Trafford on 3 May and went to the hospital as a precaution, missing the match.

Four weeks later, Ferguson was not well enough to be present at the event, but did write a letter to the Manager of the Year winner, Frank Lampard. Thomas Tuchel presented the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy in his absence.

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The England head coach said: “It is, of course, not the same without Sir Alex himself, and we wish him all the best and a speedy recovery so that he is hopefully with us next year on stage again. Until then, I have the privilege to read this letter to you, Frank.

Ferguson’s letter reads: “Dear Frank, many congratulations on being named LMA Manager of the Year. You should be very proud of what you and your team have accomplished.

“Your personality as a manager and a leader is so clearly defined in how your team has played great football this season – with confidence and self-belief, and I have enjoyed watching you.

“I know from speaking with you that you have great humility and that important quality of a curious mind for learning.

“I’m sure winning this award will mean a great deal to you, Frank, and I wish you the best of luck in the Premier League next season.”

Lampard won the award after leading Coventry City to the Championship title. Mikel Arteta won the Premier League Manager of the Year award, which Michael Carrick and Pep Guardiola were also nominated for.

Andoni Iraola, Keith Andrews and Regis Le Bris were also on the six-man shortlist.

There will be more to follow. We’ll bring you the very latest updates on this breaking news story.

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Ravichandran Ashwin feels that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar deserved to make a comeback into the Indian team on the back of his stunning IPL 2026 performances. The right-handed batter has featured in three Tests and one ODI so far in his career.

The former India spinner’s comments came after Patidar’s blistering 93*-run knock off just 33 balls in RCB’s clinical 92-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, May 26. He pointed out that the 32-year-old has consistently done well in high-pressure matches, and there must be a discussion about his inclusion in the national team.

Ashwin remarked in his latest YouTube video:

“There must be a discussion. If it doesn’t happen, then something is wrong. Rajat Patidar played an important knock, but this is not the first time; he has a great record in Qualifiers.”

Patidar has played a key role in RCB’s success in IPL 2026. He is the team’s second-highest run-scorer of the season, amassing 486 runs across 13 innings at a strike rate of 196.76.

“But after today’s knock, Rajat Patidar is right up there” – R Ashwin compares RCB skipper to Shreyas Iyer

R Ashwin further stated that Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain was ahead of Rajat Patidar in the pecking order before the Qualifier 1 clash. However, he suggested that the Madhya Pradesh batter was now right up there with Iyer following his heroics against GT.

The Indian spin legend said in the same video:

“Before this knock, Shreyas Iyer was a little ahead of Rajat Patidar. But after today’s knock, Rajat Patidar is right up there. We all know how Rajat Patidar plays spinners, but today, he did well against the fast bowlers as well. It was surprising that no GT bowler tested him with the bouncer.”

Ashwin opined that Iyer would have made a stronger case had PBKS qualified for the playoffs.

“If Shreyas Iyer’s amazing form coincided with PBKS making it to the playoffs, [it would have been ideal]. I still think Shreyas Iyer is in contention, but if, by captaining RCB and reaching the final with such a knock, who knows, he might defend the title as well, then it is important to talk about him. Not just talk, it is important to give him a chance,” he added.

RCB booked a place in the IPL 2026 final with their dominant win over GT. The summit clash will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31.