Manchester City are battling Arsenal for the Premier League title and have several key fixtures ahead

Manchester City still have work to do if they are to leapfrog Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City are five points behind the Gunners after the weekend’s results, with yet more matches to play in midweek.

Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Leeds United over the weekend, which temporarily closed the gap to two points before Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Sunday saw their five-point advantage return.

City will now prepare to face Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, with the game kicking off at the same time as Arsenal take on Brighton.

There are now just 10 fixtures left to play in the Premier League this season for City, and some of them are certainly standing out above the rest.

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Here, the Manchester Evening News takes a look at some of City’s most important Premier League fixtures left to play this season.

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West Ham (A) – March 14

City may be expected to get all three points when they face West Ham later this month, but this game falls between two huge games in the Champions League.

Guardiola and Co. will take on Real Madrid in the last-16 of the Champions League, with the home and away legs being played either side of the clash against the Hammers.

While City would be forgiven for putting the majority of their focus on the double header against Madrid, they will need to be mindful of avoiding dropping points on their trip to the London Stadium.

Crystal Palace (H) – TBA

City still have a game in hand over Arsenal – their home clash against Crystal Palace, which was originally due to be played the same weekend as the Carabao Cup final.

The new date for the fixture is yet to be announced, and when it does it could have a major impact on the schedule that City will face.

As a result, depending on whether the fixture falls, the clash against Palace could have ever greater significance.

Chelsea (A) – April 11

City vs Chelsea is often an entertaining fixture, but Guardiola will want this to be a successful one when they travel to Stamford Bridge next month.

City were held to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in January when Chelsea had interim manager Calum McFarlane in charge for the game at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola will be hoping that City’s fortunes change for this game, especially with the title race expected to be entering its most defining weeks of the season.

Arsenal (H) – April 18

City’s clash against Arsenal next month could well be a title decider for both clubs, depending on how results go between now and April 18.

If City win their game in hand and results for both clubs remain the same by this point, a victory over Arsenal could see Guardiola and Co. climb to the top of the table.

There are nine points up for grabs for City and Arsenal between now and when they meet at the Etihad Stadium next month, potentially more if the rearranged game against Palace is played before this fixture.

All City can do is keep winning games and hope that Arsenal drops points over the next few weeks. If the results continue, then the clash at the Etihad next month could truly be a title decider.

Aston Villa (H) – May 24

City will host Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season at the end of May.

By this point, the title could be decided one way or another, but if not then this could be City’s most important match of the season.

If the title is still undecided by the time kick-off arrives on May 24, then a victory for City go a long way to clinching the title for Guardiola’s team.

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Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma run between the wickets during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Zimbabwe, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

Sanju Samson dropped to his knees and looked up at the sky in gratitude and relief, perhaps thanking the cricketing gods at the ‘Garden of Eden’ in Kolkata, after steering India to the T20 World Cup semifinals with a five-wicket win over West Indies in what was a virtual quarter-final for both teams.India captain Suryakumar Yadav doffed his cap in honour of Sanju, after the right-handed batter played a career-defining unbeaten 97 off 50 balls on Sunday.While Sanju’s 97 in Kolkata will be remembered, his short-lived but significant innings against Zimbabwe three days prior had brought momentum to India’s T20 World Cup campaign.In the five matches before Sanju returned to the playing XI against Zimbabwe, India won four but there were clear concerns in the batting, and everyone could see it.

Trouble in top-order

India played without Samson in four out of those five matches, and their highest opening partnership in those games was 8 runs. In the only match that Sanju played, against Namibia (when Abhishek was out due to illness), Samson and Ishan Kishan had an opening stand of 25 runs in 12 balls.Apart from Ishan’s knocks against Pakistan (77 off 40) and Namibia (61 off 24), India’s top four, including Surya and Tilak Varma, were also facing a strike-rate problem in those matches, as the table below shows.

Indian top-order batters’ strike-rate in the first 5 matches of T20 World Cup

Openers not providing a good start, and the middle order struggling to score runs quickly, was a double trouble for defending champions India. This was largely due to India’s batters struggling against off-spin in the tournament.With six left-handers in the top eight, India essentially invited themself to be attacked by off-spinners. And oppositions’ Erasmus, Aghas, Ayubs, and Dutts obliged.During the group stage, India faced more off-spin than any other team — 102 deliveries. Among the 13 teams that faced at least six overs of off-spin, only Nepal (5.25) and Oman (5.42) scored at a slower rate than India’s 6.23 runs per over.India’s trouble against off-spin bowling was first exposed by Gerhard Erasmus, when the Namibian skipper took four wickets, three of them left-handers, in the group-stage match. Pakistan took the cue, and their captain, Salman Ali Agha, a part-time off-spinner, took the new ball and dismissed India’s opener Abhishek Sharma caught on duck at mid-on. The trend continued in India’s last group-stage match against the Netherlands as off-spinner Aryan Dutt came to bowl the first over. He first bowled Abhishek Sharma for another duck, his third in as many matches in the tournament by then, and then sent his partner Ishan Kishan back to the dugout in the fifth over.

It is worth noting that Abhishek had not previously shown vulnerability against off-spin; in fact, he has a career strike rate of 171.1 against off-spinners in powerplay in T20Is. However, given the slow nature of the pitches in the tournament, as compared to the IPL and T20 bilaterals India played at home in the last two years, he seemed to be out of his comfort zone against them and fell to off-spin twice in the three group-stage matches.Meanwhile, Abhishek’s opening partner Ishan Kishan, does face trouble against the off-spinners. In all T20Is, Kishan has scored against off-spinners at a mere 76.9 strike rate in the first six overs. That hasn’t changed in the T20 World Cup, despite him being in the form of his life; the southpaw has scored at just 115.8 strike rate against off-spin in the powerplay, his lowest against all kinds of bowling.In comparison, Sanju Samson has a strike-rate of 188.2 against off-spinners in the powerplay in T20Is.

‘Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau?’

By the end of the group stage, it was clear that India’s two left-handed openers had a difficult match-up against off-spin.It was evident that South Africa will use their off-spin options if Ishan and Abhishek open the innings for India in their first Super 8 clash. India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked in the pre-match press conference whether India would look to bring back right-handed Sanju Samson vs South Africa in the top order to counter the off-spin threat? To which he replied, “Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau? (Should I play him instead of Abhishek?)”, “matlab Tilak ki jagah khilau? (You mean in place of Tilak?).“Suryakumar Yadav was seen smiling sarcastically while replying to the journalist as if the suggestion was out of context.But the story repeated, as predicted, and South Africa captain Aiden Markram himself came to bowl with the new ball and dismissed opener Ishan Kishan for a duck. India lost the match by 76 runs, which left them in a do-or-die situation.

How fortunes changed for India?

India’s next Super 8 match was against Zimbabwe in Chennai, and in came Sanju Samson back in the playing XI. He opened the innings with Abhishek and provided India a brisk opening stand of 48 runs. More importantly, with Sanju as an opener, India succeeded in keeping the off-spinner away from the new ball. By the time Sanju was dismissed in the fourth over, India were 48, and Abhishek Sharma was set at the crease. Sanju scored 24 off 15 balls and fulfilled the task brilliantly that he was entrusted with, and was lauded by head coach Gautam Gambhir and support staff after his dismissal. Sanju’s presence did wonders for India in the match. Opener Abhishek Sharma, who had scored just 15 runs before that in the tournament, including three ducks, came back to form and scored a half-century. India scored 256 in the first innings and crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs. India finally had a convincing win in the tournament, and a campaign that once seemed on the verge of derailment found its momentum. Sanju Samson had turned it around through his 15-ball 24-run knock.Against West Indies on Sunday, India chased down their highest-ever target (196) in Men’s T20 World Cup history, bettering their previous record of 173 against South Africa in 2014.Sanju Samson’s 97 in the chase was the second-highest score for India at the men’s T20 World Cup, behind only Suresh Raina’s 101 against South Africa in 2010. It was the highest for India in a chase at the T20 World Cup, bettering Virat Kohli’s 82 not out against Australia in 2016 and Pakistan in 2022.India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who just a few days ago questioned “kiski jagah khilau?”, bowed down to Samson in appreciation.The 97 in Kolkata will be remembered. It secured the semifinal spot and will sit high among India’s best T20 World Cup knocks. But it was Samson’s 15-ball 24 against Zimbabwe in Chennai that brought India’s T20 World Cup campaign to life, and they are now looking like the formidable side that they are, going into the semi-final.

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has spoken out about the missile strikes in Dubai, where he has been living with his wife Kate and their children

Rio Ferdinand has opened up about living under lockdown in Dubai following a series of missile attacks near his residence.

The former Manchester United defender, 47, relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last August with his wife Kate, 34, and their children Shae, five, Cree, two, alongside Rio’s daughter Tia, 14.

He’s among a growing number of high-profile figures who have chosen to make the Middle East their home, joining the likes of former boxer Amir Khan and Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan in settling in Dubai.

However, over recent days, Dubai has come under assault from Iran, leaving Ferdinand stranded and “frightened” for the safety of his wife and three youngsters.

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“Been a different week for me, not going to lie,” Ferdinand revealed on the latest episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents. “Firstly, I’m in great condition this morning as the whole family did a workout. A bit like in Covid, the whole family is doing things we wouldn’t usually be doing together.

“Home-schooling a bit today. It’s frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets – I don’t know what it is – going above us, and you’re hearing big bombs, and what that is we don’t know as we don’t know the details of what they are.

“It’s telling your kids what it is and helping them navigate through this moment, which is important especially as the dad of the house. You want to try and remain calm and keep everybody as calm as possible.

“I’ve got to be honest guys, it’s been a bit of a scary situation but at the same time weirdly enough I’ve felt very secure and looked after. My studio has become my bunker.

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“We were advised to go into the basement on the first night of all the noise started and we were down here sleeping with duvets and stuff. We are utilising the space wisely.”

Meanwhile, former TOWIE star and TV personality Kate offered an update on the family’s circumstances and assured supporters they were unharmed following a “very scary night”.

She posted: “Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven’t wanted to worry you all I just haven’t been able to find the words. We are safe.

“The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands. We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn’t believe we all got a sleepover in the basement.

“Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye-opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone.”

Rio’s other children, Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, remained in the United Kingdom rather than moving to Dubai with the rest of the family, as they continued pursuing their football careers back home.

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Timothy Bradley has urged an unbeaten former world champion, who boasts a 93% knockout-to-win ratio, to make a drastic lifestyle change and focus purely on his craft.

During his own career, the Hall of Famer was always known for displaying tremendous grit and determination, rarely allowing himself to rely on talent alone.

This was perhaps most apparent during his 12-round war with Ruslan Provodnikov in 2013, when Bradley overcame a series of torrid exchanges to emerge victorious.

But while such a dogged mindset seemingly comes naturally to fighters like Bradley, there are others who lack the dedication required to perform consistently at the highest level.

This, to some extent, could be said for Gervonta Davis, whose career has largely been tarnished by his behaviour outside the ring.

It emerged in January that ‘Tank’ had been dealt a domestic violence charge, which followed allegations of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping in a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossell.

As a result, many would prefer not to see Davis back in the ring, while Bradley has issued a plea for the 31-year-old to return to his training.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former two-weight world champion insisted that a fully-focused ‘Tank’ could dominate at the elite level.

“If you’re all-the-way focused – dialled in – you come back, you dedicate a year and a half to this game, you’ll turn this game upside down.

“Take that chance – take that risk – because, right now, you’re losing. An all-the-way focused ‘Tank’ can’t be f**ked with.”

Davis has not fought since his controversial draw with Lamont Roach in March 2025, back when he successfully defended his WBA world lightweight title.

Since then, the American has been stripped of his title, but is now the sanctioning body’s ‘champion in recess’ after being removed from his scheduled exhibition match with Jake Paul in November.

Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have left the West Indies and Zimbabwe cricket teams stranded in India, delaying their return home from the T20 World Cup.

International airspace closures and widespread flight cancellations across Gulf nations, stemming from escalating conflict between Iran, the US and Israel, have disrupted some of the world’s busiest transit hubs.

Both teams had recently exited the tournament; West Indies failed to reach the semi-finals after a five-wicket loss to hosts India on Sunday, while Zimbabwe was eliminated following three defeats in their Super Eights matches against West Indies, India and South Africa.

Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed the situation in a social media post, stating: “The Zimbabwe men’s team remains safe and well in India… the squad was scheduled to return home via Dubai.”

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Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced they are working closely with the sport’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), to secure safe travel arrangements for their players and staff.

The ICC, which is headquartered in Dubai, had previously activated contingency plans for its own personnel who were also scheduled to transit through the region.

CWI reiterated their primary concern, adding: “The safety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials remain our highest priority.”

Both team had impressed during the early stages of the tournament, with Zimbabwe beating Australia and Sri Lanka in their group, while West Indies also went through the initial group stage unbeaten after picking up an impressive win against England.

However, they came unstuck in the Super Eights, and will not be involved in this week’s semi-finals.

The first semi-final is due to take place on Wednesday, with an unbeaten South Africa taking on New Zealand.

The following day, England and India will meet in Mumbai for the third consecutive time at the semi-final stage of the T20 World Cup.

Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali has bolstered Inter Milan’s hopes of signing Tarik Muharemovic at the end of the season.

During his recent interview, Carnevali confirmed that some key players could depart Emilia-Romagna, as reported by FCInter1908.

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Indeed, the runaway Serie A leaders will undergo a defensive overhaul in the upcoming transfer window.

With Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Darmian, and Stefan de Vrij set to leave, Beppe Marotta is on the lookout for new defenders.

Muharemovic, who has been impressive in his first Serie A season, has already caught the Inter president’s eye.

However, the San Siro giants may have to beat Juventus to the 22-year-old’s signature.

Meanwhile, Inter are also keeping close tabs on another Sassuolo star.

Canadian midfielder Ismael Kone has drawn Marotta’s interest, with the Nerazzurri looking to strengthen this department in the summer.

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Sassuolo Chief Giovanni Carnevali Fuels Inter Milan Hopes of Signing Tarik Muharemovic

VERONA, ITALY – OCTOBER 03: Tarik Muharemovic of Sassuolo pose for a photo with the Player Of The Match award after the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on October 03, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“The season is in full swing, but the club is already working on the transfer market,” Carnevali stated. “We will sell a few players. Even now, we can already have an idea of who might leave.

“But it also depends on our asking price and how much the club interested in buying them is willing to offer.

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“We’re already assessing and looking for players who could fill those positions where we might have needs.

“Every club works with a bit of planning, especially when there are sporting results that allow you to do so.”

Then, he informed Inter of Sassuolo’s asking price for Kone.

“For Kone, €30 million could be enough, but it also depends on who comes knocking,” Carnevali stated.

The 23-year-old could be a decent option for the Nerazzurri if they fail to sign Roma talisman Manu Kone.

Kylian Mbappe’s involvement in next Wednesday’s Champions League first leg tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City is in doubt, after a new injury update was released

Real Madrid have issued an update on Kylian Mbappe as the forward continues to recover from a knee injury which has put his involvement in the upcoming Champions League tie against Manchester City in doubt.

Mbappe, 27, has been struggling with an injury to the external ligament of his left knee since the end of 2025 and missed last Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica due to “persistent pain” in training.

The France international has also been left out of the squad for Monday’s La Liga game against Getafe and there is concern that he might not return for next Wednesday’s Round of 16 first leg showdown at home to City.

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With Mbappe now missing his second successive game, Real released a statement on his condition before the game against Getafe at Santiago Bernabeu – and said that “conservative treatment” is due to follow.

Real said on the club’s website: “Following the tests conducted on our player Kylian Mbappe by French specialist doctors, under the supervision of Real Madrid’s Medical Services, the diagnosis of a sprain in the left knee and the suitability of the conservative treatment being followed are confirmed. Pending evolution.”

The update from Real comes a matter of hours after it emerged Mbappe has been “angered” by the club’s treatment of his ongoing knee problem. According to MARCA, Mbappe has consulted a specialist in France last week having been “not entirely satisfied” with the role Real’s medical staff have played in his bid to recovery.

It meant that Mbappe missed Vinicius Jr scoring in Real’s 2-1 win against Benfica in the Champions League, though he could return to watch his side face Getafe as they look to reignite their La Liga title bid.

Mbappe first flagged an issue with his left knee in early December but pushed through the pain barrier to make 12 appearances across all competitions for Real before being forced to miss the last two.

While there was an initial hope that Mbappe could return for the first leg against City, MARCA add that the ex-Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain man is ‘more likely’ to only be fit in time for the second leg on March 17.

City travel to the Bernabeu on March 11 before hosting Los Blancos at the Etihad Stadium six days later.

Mbappe has been in inspired form for Real this season, scoring a stunning 38 goals in 33 matches. He did, however, fail to find the net in his most recent appearance, a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on February 21.

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WWE Superstar “Big” Bronson Reed issued a warning to his former The Vision stablemate Seth Rollins. The AusZilla is currently out of action due to injury.

Bronson Reed has a lot of history with The Visionary. He was involved in an intriguing feud with the former World Heavyweight Champion in 2024 before he got injured during the WarGames match. However, Rollins made Reed a member of his faction after the Aussie’s return from injury, only for Reed and Breakker to betray him.

Seth Rollins made his return to WWE programming last week. He made his way to the ring during the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match to floor The Vision’s Logan Paul with a stomp, allowing Cody Rhodes to eliminate The Maverick.

Earlier today, Reed took to Instagram stories to share an old video of himself posted by a fan. In the backstage interview clip from 2024, the 37-year-old could be seen addressing his attack on Seth Rollins. The post further advised Rollins to be ready for Reed’s return, as there was unfinished business between the two stars.

“When Bronson Reed returns… Seth Rollins better be ready. There is unfinished business waiting,” read the post.

Below is a screenshot of Reed’s Instagram story:

Yesterday, RAW General Manager Adam Pearce posted a video on social media to inform the fans about the matches and segments scheduled for the March 2 edition of the red brand’s show. The Scrap Iron also disclosed that he would deal with the whole situation revolving around Seth Rollins on RAW.

WWE Superstar Bronson Reed recently underwent surgery

On the February 23 edition of Monday Night RAW, Bronson Reed competed against Jey Uso and El Grande Americano in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Triple Threat Match. Unfortunately, while attempting to break a pinfall, the member of The Vision landed awkwardly, injuring his biceps. He could not wrestle any further, and Uso secured the win in an impromptu finish.

In an Instagram post he shared last week, Reed revealed that he had undergone surgery. The WWE RAW Superstar shared a picture of himself lying in a hospital bed after going under the knife.

Reed’s stablemate Bron Breakker is also out of action due to injury. It will be interesting to see how much longer it takes for the two members of The Vision to return to the squared circle.