Nov 2, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks on during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Well, some folks won’t be pleased by this one even if it’s just some meaningless coach talk.
An odd Vikings update emerged when skipper Kevin O’Connell did an interview with Mike Florio and Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk a few weeks ago. The conversation covered a variety of topics, but the detour into a revelatory strategy adjustment may have caused listeners to perk up. Per O’Connell, the Vikings rediscovered how important it is to rally around a strong run game and dominant defense, an approach that fuelled the five-game winning streak to end the 2025 season.
A Vikings Update Some May Not Love
For good reason, the conversation around the Minnesota Vikings rests on the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Minnesota sits atop nine draft picks and roughly thirty open roster spots. Adding a pile of young talent is needed to reinforce a top-heavy roster that’s getting older. Most think that a young defender is going to arrive at No. 18, but not everyone agrees. Few, if any, expect a trade up, but moving down has its merit for a team that’s aiming for quiet competence rather than flashy, high-upside risk.
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) slaps hands with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell after a made field goal against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Part of the reason why things feel so tense right now is because of the draft whiffs in recent years. Goodness, the main reason why Rob Brzezinski is the fill-in GM is since the former GM, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, got canned for bungling the quarterback plan.
J.J. McCarthy was chosen at No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft. He did so after proving to be a very good college quarterback even as many insisted he got boosted by operating from within a loaded Michigan program. After all, Jim Harbaugh’s team had a fantastic ground game and defense, meaning McCarthy didn’t need to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Kevin O’Connell may have missed the memo. Or, at least, he didn’t fully give credence to the approach until late in the season.
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Check out what he had to say about that late-season winning streak and the strategic tweak that fuelled the victories. “We were able to apply some things to our overall toolbox of how we’re going to win games,” O’Connell said to Mike Florio and Chris Simms in late March. He goes on: “Maybe I don’t get invited to the smart guy table by playing a certain kind of style where we ran the football, we were not going to turn it over, and we’re going to play great defense. And we won five games in a row.”
“So what I told our team at the end of the year is,” O’Connell further explained, “let’s not forget the fact that we just learned maybe some new ways to win.” Speaking prophetically, O’Connell then said that “maybe we’ll need to really call upon that […] late in December in a bad weather game” before saying that “those types of games still win.”
Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during warmups before an NFL International Series game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Folks, that’s a less-than-perfect answer.
In fairness, Kevin O’Connell is probably just doing Kevin O’Connell things: saying a ton of words within his relentlessly positive outlook. Still, though, that’s not a great response. Just tally up some of the hurdles that J.J. McCarthy was trying to clear last season:
He was 22
He was coming off a missed rookie season, robbing him of reps
He battled early injury as a sophomore, too
He was adjusting his mechanics during the season
He was playing behind an injured o-line
Given all of these factors, shouldn’t the Vikings have been looking to play small ball all along? Why drop to 4-8 before arriving at the humbling truth that grinding out wins via the running game and defense is what this team needed?
Also befuddling is that the Vikings have publicly discussed the issue in the past. A much loved tradition in the Twin Cities is to arrive at the offseason, jump into press conferences, and then detail how more balance and physicality is upcoming. The team has even put its money where its mouth is, signing blocking/ground game specialists such as TE Josh Oliver, RG Will Fries, WR Trent Sherfield, and RB Jordan Mason.
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Far too often, Kevin O’Connell’s old habit of passing close to 60% of the time comes roaring back.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) hands the ball off to Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The Vikings need to crush the event that’s going to take place this week. From Thursday, April 23rd until Saturday, April 25th, the NFL will work through its annual draft. Every team needs to do well, but Minnesota is feeling a particular urgency given the lacklustre efforts of recent years. Yet another disappointing season could result in Kevin O’Connell looking for work.
Somehow building out a roster that encourages a healthy balance between the run and the pass, the offense and the defense would go a long way in restoring the Minnesota Vikings.
Bayern Munich secured yet another Bundesliga title after beating Stuttgart 4-2 at home on Sunday.
Top scorer Harry Kane scored his 32nd goal of the season after coming on as a second-half substitute as the Bavarians won their 35th German league title — 34 of them coming in the Bundesliga era.
“To finish the league off in the way we have with the goals we scored… credit to the lads… we still have a lot to play for… but all the hard work, this makes it all worth it,” said Kane.
Bayern Munich cruise to title
The win moved the Bavarian giants an unassailable 15 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund with four games to spare.
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Germany captain Joshua Kimmich, who won his 10th league title with Bayern, called the victory “very special.”
“The way we did it, we were very consistent…and we haven’t achieved that form so often. I hope 10 more titles come on top of this,” he said.
The “Meisterschale” (“champions’ shield” in English) trophy is expected to be handed out after Bayern’s final game of the season at home to Cologne on May 16.
Vincent Kompany (center) became Bayern Munich head coach after Thomas Tuchel’s exit in 2024Image: Martin Agüera/kolbert-press/picture alliance
Another dominant campaign
Bayern have only suffered one defeat in the league this season, at home to fellow Bavarians Augsburg in January, and a league-low of four ties so far.
They have also scored 109 goals so far this season — another record.
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Bayern already clinched the Super Cup in August, also against Stuttgart, and will take on Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
In Europe, Vincent Kompany’s team has reached the Champions League semi-finals, where they meet holders Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg on April 28.
“It is April 19 and we are in every competition. We have had lots of success with every player in the squad. We go to Leverkusen knowing anything can happen, but with real belief,” Kompany told DAZN.
Kompany, whose only previous job as head coach was at Premier League side Burnley, took over in 2024.
Kurt Angle has confirmed that a major WWE Superstar is now retired. The aforementioned star was in action at WrestleMania 42.
Night Two of WrestleMania 42 kicked off with a singles match between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi, where the latter picked up the win inside five minutes. After the loss, Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring before embracing Paul Heyman and bidding an emotional farewell to the fans, leaving everyone speculating that he’s done with in-ring competition.
Thanks for the submission!
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Kurt Angle, who was one of Brock’s fiercest opponents back in the day, took to X to reflect on the shocking turn of events. The Olympic Gold medalist confirmed that the Beast Incarnate is indeed retired.
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“Love you my brother. There will only be one like you. Enjoy retirement Brock.”
Brock Lesnar picked Oba Femi as his WWE WrestleMania 42 opponent
Fans had been salivating at the thought of Brock Lesnar facing Oba Femi ever since the latter made his main roster debut. WWE fulfilled their wishes as the two powerhouses squared off at WrestleMania 42 in an enthralling bout. It was reported after the match that it was The Beast Incarnate’s choice to face Oba in what looks to be his final WWE match.
“It feels amazing, because it’s one thing to tell everybody what you are, and another to show everybody exactly what you are. I took 25 years of history, 25 years of dominance from the Beast and made it null, because I am what I say I am. The Ruler, the Destroyer, the Bringer of War, Oba Femi!”
There is still no confirmation from WWE regarding Brock Lesnar’s retirement. The Beast Incarnate could still swerve the fans and return to action down the line. However, his actions at WrestleMania 42 indicate that he has, indeed, donned his wrestling boots for the last time.
A clean sweep of Sydney’s Saturday Group 1s was sealed by Hall of Fame conditioner Chris Waller when his charge Fireball saw off stablemate Campione D’Italia in the $1 million Champagne Stakes (1600m) held at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
This outcome represented the final of eight unbroken Sydney Saturdays of Group 1 fixtures in the 2026 autumn carnival, during which Waller claimed at least one top-level success weekly.
No other figure in Australian racing history has matched this consistent elite performance, and Waller appeared mildly overcome when apprised of the record by Racing And Sports.
“These are the results our team works hard for all year,” Waller said.
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“We have had some tremendous results this autumn carnival and I can’t thank my team enough.
“To be able to win at least one Group 1 race each Saturday for eight weeks of the carnival makes me very proud.”
In Sydney’s autumn Group 1 schedule for 2026, Waller amassed 11 wins. Among the highlights of his major race mastery were:
James McDonald, Waller’s go-to jockey, had steered the trainer’s previous 10 Group 1 autumn winners, yet aboard Champagne Stakes favourite Campione D’Italia he couldn’t stretch that sequence further.
Fireball ($6.50), under Tim Clark, repelled Campione D’Italia ($2.15 favourite) by half a neck, while Diameter ($26) was a long head away in third.
Clark’s ride delivered his 27th lifetime Group 1 win on Fireball, the first such for Waller.
“He got a great run today.,” Clark said. “I was thinking before the race, I don’t want to get there too soon, but just how the race unfolded, I had to present him when I did.
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“The challenge came early enough that he had the opportunity to fight back and that he did. He’s obviously so tough and he’s been running in all the big races. I’m thrilled to get a good result for Chris and James Harron and all of his connections.”
James Harron paid $460,000 for Fireball, a Snitzel product and the sire’s 28th individual Group 1 hero, at the prior Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Post-Champagne Stakes, Fireball’s stud prospects command over $20 million.
Waller praised Fireball’s resilience through a drawn-out preparation, affirming the colt’s right to Group 1 glory.
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“Full credit to the horse because he’s been able to deal with it,” Waller said.
“You wouldn’t know he’s deep into a ‘prep’, each run has had so much merit and not a lot of luck, so he deserved that today.
“He’s got there by telling us that he’s coping well with his racing. Distance-wise, I’ve never really been too concerned.
“I thought in the Golden Slipper, he was beaten at the 300m, but he was still strong through the line, then last start at 1400m, he didn’t have much luck. But today he was great.”
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Runner-up Campione D’Italia battled stoutly, fresh off a ATC Sires Produce Stakes victory a couple of weeks back, as another elite Snitzel Group 1 colt.
“A fantastic result as both colts are by Snitzel, he’s an amazing stallion,” Waller said.
“Campione D’Italia’s a young ‘lad’, he’s still learning his trade and he’ll be much better next season.”
Per McDonald, a cleaner run would have seen Campione D’Italia claim the Champagne Stakes.
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“He is an outstanding colt but is still a work in progress,” McDonald said.
“He has come a long way to win the Sires which was tremendous and he went down fighting today.
“With even luck through the midstages, he probably would have won the race.”
Visit leading racing betting markets to wager on top contests including the Champagne Stakes.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been linked as a potential candidate to be Manchester United’s next permanent manager.
TEAMtalk have reported that United and Real Madrid have identified Emery as an option to be their respective next manager ahead of this summer.
Emery has guided Villa to fourth place in the Premier League so far this season, as well as the semi-final of the Europa League, and is the latest name mentioned as a potential candidate to get the United job on a permanent basis.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are edging closer to a fight in 2026 after years of failing to make it happen. Dave Allen, who has shared rounds with both, has made an early prediction.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Allen said drawing on his sparring experiences with the two former heavyweight champions may not be relevant in 2026.
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“I always picked [Tyson] to beat Joshua because I always held Tyson in the highest regard as the best that I’d been in with. Joshua, for me, I would rate him probably fourth, third or fourth … You always think Fury will beat him based off that. For many years that was my train of thought.
“In 2026, it’s a totally different fight now, because we don’t really know what they’ve got left. I didn’t think Tyson was amazing [against Makhmudov], I thought he was a bit off the pace, but that fight will bring him on a lot. 12 rounds would’ve done him a favour but I’d have liked to see him get Makhmudov out of there, he’s that many levels above him.
“Then you look at Joshua. The Jake Paul thing, I don’t think it has [got the rust off Joshua]. I don’t think the [Fury] fight will happen next. I think Wilder is still a hard fight for Joshua.”
As for a prediction, ‘The White Rhino’ – who faces Filip Hrgovic next month at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster – still sides with Fury, with the caveat that Joshua’s superior power could end it all in an instant.
“The question is who wins, Fury or Joshua in 2026? I still make Fury the favourite. No matter how old he gets, he’s a natural with it. Anthony Joshua has probably looked after himself a lot better, but Fury’s just a natural. He’s just got it. My prediction would be Fury on points if it’s to happen next … but you’d be watching through your fingers as a Fury fan, because I think it would only take one from Joshua to end it.”
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss LIV Golf’s chaotic week and uncertain future, Matt Fitzpatrick’s win at RBC Heritage and Rory McIlroy’s career Masters prospects.
Early last week, several news outlets reported uncertainty regarding LIV Golf’s future, indicating the Saudi PIF was on the verge of pulling its funding. LIV CEO Scott O’Neil told his staff via email on Wednesday: “Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle. While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass.” But O’Neil was more specific about the situation on Thursday, when he said in a TV interview, “The reality is you’re funded through the season, and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going.” (The clip was deleted but still circulated online.) On Sunday, Jon Rahm won LIV’s sixth event of the season, in Mexico City. What’s your primary takeaway from what was a wild week for the five-year-old league?
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): My primary takeaway is simple: The Saudis seem to be getting out of the business of running a golf league, which is a truly momentous takeaway for the entire sport. LIV now enters a period in which it will need to work hard to find a path to survival, and as its CEO, Scott O’Neil, himself said, it seems all options are on the table.
Josh Sens (@joshsens). One takeaway is as old as capitalism: that new businesses — even the disruptive variety — are hard to grow no matter how much money you put into them. That said, for Saudi Arabia, getting out of the business of funding a professional golf tour would not have to mean getting out of golf. A new course just opened in Jura. Others are in the works. The ambition is still to grow the country’s presence in the game, but likely now as a host for golf tourism and tour events. Which, in retrospect, seems like it would have been the better path all along.
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Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): My main takeaway is that if the PIF pulls out, LIV Golf, as we know it, would need to reinvent itself. O’Neil said he would pursue all avenues to get more funding, but it’s hard to see one or several sponsors willing to bankroll the league at a level that would allow for more nine-figure contracts. O’Neil himself said LIV wouldn’t be profitable for five or 10 years without significant changes.
To Schrock’s point, can LIV continue in its current form without PIF’s deep pockets? If so, what would need to change?
Colgan: Definitely not in its current form. The league has spent more than $5 billion of Saudi funding to date, and, as Josh noted, O’Neil has already said that the league is several years away from any hope of profitability. Depending upon who steps up to help LIV with funding, I’d say any change is on the table.
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Sens: Nope, the league would not be viable in its current form, and I have a tough time imagining what other form it might take. A limited series of world championship events with big overseas dollar sponsorships? But is there really a market for more big-dollar professional golf than we already have? The LIV experiment has shown that certain markets — Australia and South Africa, for example — are hungry for golf star power, but, on a global level, building and drawing eyeballs to a new league is a steep hill to climb.
Schrock: LIV could try and merge with the DP World Tour or reconstruct how it did a lot of things when the PIF spigot was on. But the contracts and purses would have to go down, and, at that point, how many players are going to want to continue when the financial payoff isn’t what it was when they initially signed on? A lot of moving parts to consider, many of which we still have limited to no information on.
If LIV doesn’t survive past 2026, would you expect the PGA Tour to offer LIV’s top players — Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, etc. — a path back to the Tour by way of a similar agreement that Brooks Koepka accepted?
Sens: For the big LIV names, absolutely. If the Tour wants to be a showcase for the world’s best talent, and it does, it will work out a deal with Rahm and DeChambeau and maybe a small handful of others. The rest, I suspect, will have to play their way back in through other smaller tours.
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Colgan: In that theoretical, I’d think the Tour can afford to offer a “Koepka Deal” to Bryson and Rahm … and probably leave the rest of the LIV contingent to serve out their suspensions on the DP World Tour.
Schrock: From a pure cost-benefit analysis, Tour CEO Brian Rolapp would probably love to add Bryson and Rahm back in the fold just as he did with Brooks. But things are not always that easy when you’re dealing with two players who already turned down an opportunity to come back, who might not be as well-liked by the current membership as Brooks, who kept his head down after he left and didn’t take any swipes or recruit other players. The feelings might not be the same toward Bryson, who was a named plaintiff in LIV’s antitrust suit against the PGA Tour and its members, or Rahm, whose departure post-framework agreement rubbed many players the wrong way. Would they immediately add value to the Tour? Yes. But for Rolapp to sell that vision, it’ll be a tricky high-wire act.
Matt Fitzpatrick won the RBC Heritage in a playoff over Scottie Scheffler, who started the day three shots off the lead but caught Fitzpatrick late. Is your Hilton Head takeaway more focused on Fitzpatrick’s second win in the last month, or Scheffler’s second straight runner-up finish?
Colgan: How quickly we forget that Scottie Scheffler remains a U.S. Open victory away from the career grand slam? Kudos to Fitz for another win, and for continuing to reestablish himself as one of the premier players in the sport … but my eyes are already peeking ahead to Shinnecock.
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Sens: Like Woods before him, Scheffler has twisted our expectations so wildly out of proportion that a second-place finish somehow gets cast as a failure. Fitzpatrick is on a great run of golf. Scheffler is operating in a different dimension. Whatever “struggles” he went through earlier seem to be behind him. So yeah, as James said, eyes on Shinnecock. But also on Aronimink before that. And frankly, anywhere Scheffler tees it up.
Schrock: The Scheffler “struggles” were blown out of proportion as we tend to do when an elite athlete dips below the level at which we’ve become accustomed to seeing them operate. Scheffler almost erased a 12-shot weekend deficit at the Masters with an ice-cold putter. He’s the best in the world, and I expect him to contend every time he tees it up. To me, this was more about Fitzpatrick. A year ago, he was in a bad spot. His game was “rubbish,” and he was ranked 79th in the world. A year later, he has three worldwide wins and has beaten both Rory and Scottie in separate playoffs. His rise back is impressive, and I think he’s a much better player now than what we thought his ceiling was when he won the 2022 U.S. Open. Expect him to threaten at Aronimink and the Open.
Speaking ahead of the Senior PGA Championship, major champ Padraig Harrington made one bold claim regarding how many more Masters Rory McIlroy could win given his success at Augusta, comfortability there and the fact that the course allows some players to stay competitive into their 50s. “Rory could win 10 [Masters] at this stage, or five of them, anyway.” While 10 seems lofty, what say you? How many Masters titles will Rory end his career with?
Colgan: I think we do this a lot with star players: we see them win a little, and we immediately assume they can win a lot. It’s so, so hard to win a Masters. I believe Rory could get to three, like fellow late-Augusta-bloomer Phil Mickelson, but I’ll probably hold off before adding any more to the list.
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Sens: When Tiger won the Masters by a staggering 12 shots, I remember the talk being that he would never lose that tournament again. He got to five. Impressive. But yeah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Things happen. Life happens. Four green jackets for Rory doesn’t seem entirely outlandish. Maybe five if all the stars align? But 10 is preposterous. Ain’t gonna happen.
Schrock: We quickly forget that Rory went 10 years without winning a major of any kind. Golf is a fickle, weird game. I think he can win a third jacket and maybe, maybe you can talk me into a fourth at the end of his career. But the real question is how many majors does Rory win? I feel like I want to say nine, but again, we like to be prisoners of the moment with these things.
Craig Williams hopes to finish a packed weekend strongly by securing a Group 1 prize in Hong Kong, guiding 2025 Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat through the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on April 26.
Williams faces a near-full slate of rides at Adelaide’s Morphettville on Saturday before flying out for Champions Day in Hong Kong.
The 2025 Hong Kong Derby provided Cap Ferrat with his lone success so far, reinforced by robust displays in the Group 1 Champions & Chater Cup plus the Group 3 Premier Plate late last campaign.
Williams gained the riding engagement after reaching out post the Chairman’s Trophy performance.
“His first up run last preparation was enormous and then all of a sudden, he’d come through with health issues, and then subsequently to see him back, I was taken and pleased by his first-up performance,” he said.
“I touched base when I flew back from Sydney on Sunday last week, I rang up Francis and said, ‘Oh, how’s Cap Ferrat? Where’s he going?’ He said, ‘he’s going to go to the Champions Day on the 26th.’ I said, ‘I’ll be keen to ride him.’”
“The next morning, I got a message to say that I was confirmed to ride him, and I was delighted to be re-associated with him.”
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Over 12 months on, Williams cherishes the emotion tied to his Hong Kong Derby conquest aboard Cap Ferrat.
“I spent three years riding in Hong Kong and the Derby is their biggest race and it’s the equivalent to the Melbourne Cup.
“To get the opportunity to ride Cap Ferrat and to win the race was really special. Because I spent so much time there, I understand the magnitude of the race and to have that prize now, so far, one Hong Kong derby is brilliant.”
Arsenal travel to face Manchester City at Etihad Stadium in a crucial Premier League title clash that could shape the race. A City win would close the gap to three points with a game in hand, while an Arsenal victory would stretch their lead to nine points; even a draw favors the visitors.
City come into the match in strong form, having won three straight games, including a cup final victory over Arsenal, whereas Arsenal have struggled recently with three defeats in five and issues in attack.
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Pep Guardiola is dealing with defensive injuries, with Joško Gvardiol, John Stones, and Rúben Dias all sidelined, but is otherwise expected to stick with a winning lineup.
For Arsenal, Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino are confirmed absentees, while Mikel Arteta could welcome back some players. Kai Havertz may start, and Cristhian Mosquera is likely to continue at right-back.
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Premier League League: Manchester City vs Arsenal Live Telecast and Streaming Details
When will the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal be played?
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The Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal will take place on April 19.
What time will the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal begin on April 19?
The match is scheduled to kick off at 9 PM IST.
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What will be the venue for the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal?
Stamford Bridge Stadium will host the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal.
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Where will the live telecast of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal be available in India?
The live telecast of the match will be available on Star Sports network in India.
Where will the live streaming of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal be available in India?
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Fans in India can stream the Manchester City vs Arsenal Premier League match live on JioHotstar.
Plenty of other contenders will fancy their chances of stopping Zhao, who opens up with a first-round clash against Liam Highfield, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, who has found some form in recent weeks and begins his quest for a record eighth world title against Crucible debutant He Guoqiang.
Four-time winners Mark Selby and John Higgins face former finalists Jak Jones and Ali Carter respectively in round one, while world No 1 Judd Trump has a tough opener against Gary Wilson, 2024 champion Kyren Wilson squares off against teenage wonderkid Stan Moody and a rejuvenated Neil Robertson takes on Pang Junxu.
Here’s everything you need to know:
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How to watch the World Snooker Championship
Every session of every match at the 2026 World Snooker Championship will be live on the BBC, with BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four, the BBC red button, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website all utilised for coverage across the 17 days. The tournament is also broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK, with every session shown across their channels and subscribers can also use streaming service HBO Max to watch TNT Sports.
World Snooker Championship schedule in full
(All times BST)
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*denotes final session
Saturday 18 April
First round
10am
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Zhao Xintong (1) vs Liam Highfield
Mark Allen (14) vs Zhang Anda
2.30pm
Xiao Guodong (9) vs Zhou Yuelong
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Mark Williams (6) vs Antoni Kowalski
7pm
Zhao Xintong (1) vs Liam Highfield*
Barry Hawkins (11) vs Matthew Stevens
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Sunday 19 April
First round
10am
Ding Junhui (16) vs David Gilbert
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Mark Allen (14) vs Zhang Anda*
2.30pm
John Higgins (5) vs Ali Carter
Barry Hawkins (11) vs Matthew Stevens*
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7pm
Xiao Guodong (9) vs Zhou Yuelong*
Mark Williams (6) vs Antoni Kowalski*
Monday 20 April
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First round
10am
Ding Junhui (16) vs David Gilbert*
Kyren Wilson (3) vs Stan Moody
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2.30pm
John Higgins (5) vs Ali Carter*
Wu Yize (10) vs Lei Peifan
7pm
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Shaun Murphy (8) vs Fan Zhengyi
Kyren Wilson (3) vs Stan Moody*
Tuesday 21 April
First round
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10am
Chris Wakelin (13) vs Liam Pullen
Judd Trump (2) vs Gary Wilson
2.30pm
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Ronnie O’Sullivan (12) vs He Guoqiang
Wu Yize (10) vs Lei Peifan*
7pm
Shaun Murphy (8) vs Fan Zhengyi*
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Judd Trump (2) vs Gary Wilson*
Wednesday 22 April
First round
10am
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Chris Wakelin (13) vs Liam Pullen*
Mark Selby (7) vs Jak Jones
2.30pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan (12) vs He Guoqiang*
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Si Jiahui (15) vs Hossein Vafaei
7pm
Neil Robertson (4) vs Pang Junxu
Mark Selby (7) vs Jak Jones*
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Thursday 23 April
First round
1pm
Si Jiahui (15) vs Hossein Vafaei*
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7pm
Neil Robertson (4) vs Pang Junxu*
Second round
1pm
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Xiao Guodong/Zhou Yuelong vs Shaun Murphy/Fan Zhengyi
7pm
Kyren Wilson/Stan Moody vs Mark Allen/Zhang Anda
Friday 24 April
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Second round
10am
Xiao Guodong/Zhou Yuelong vs Shaun Murphy/Fan Zhengyi
Barry Hawkins/Matthew Stevens vs Mark Williams/Antoni Kowalski
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2.30pm
Zhao Xintong/Liam Highfield vs Ding Junhui/David Gilbert
Kyren Wilson/Stan Moody v Mark Allen/Zhang Anda
7pm
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Xiao Guodong/Zhou Yuelong vs Shaun Murphy/Fan Zhengyi*
Barry Hawkins/Matthew Stevens vs Mark Williams/Antoni Kowalski
Saturday 25 April
Second round
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10am
Chris Wakelin/Liam Pullen vs Neil Robertson/Pang Junxu
Kyren Wilson/Stan Moody v Mark Allen/Zhang Anda*
2.30pm
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Zhao Xintong/Liam Highfield vs Ding Junhui/David Gilbert
Si Jiahui/Hossein Vafaei vs Judd Trump/Gary Wilson
7pm
John Higgins/Ali Carter vs Ronnie O’Sullivan/He Guoqiang
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Barry Hawkins/Matthew Stevens vs Mark Williams/Antoni Kowalski*
Sunday 26 April
Second round
10am
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Zhao Xintong/Liam Highfield vs Ding Junhui/David Gilbert*
Mark Selby /Jak Jones vs Wu Yize/Lei Peifan
2.30pm
Chris Wakelin/Liam Pullen vs Neil Robertson/Pang Junxu
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Si Jiahui/Hossein Vafaei vs Judd Trump/Gary Wilson
7pm
John Higgins/Ali Carter vs Ronnie O’Sullivan/He Guoqiang
Mark Selby /Jak Jones vs Wu Yize/Lei Peifan
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Monday 27 April
Second round
1pm
John Higgins/Ali Carter vs Ronnie O’Sullivan/He Guoqiang*
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Mark Selby /Jak Jones vs Wu Yize/Lei Peifan*
7pm
Chris Wakelin/Liam Pullen vs Neil Robertson/Pang Junxu*
Si Jiahui/Hossein Vafaei vs Judd Trump/Gary Wilson*
The trainer Grahame Begg plans a trip to Adelaide with his sharp mare Niance, which may set up the speedster for races in Brisbane.
Absence of ideal sprint events for Niance at Saturday’s Flemington meeting prompts Begg to target the Group 3 John Hawkes Stakes (1100m) in Morphettville.
Paradoxically, Flemington’s Anzac Day races start at a minimum of 1400m.
Niance is primed to start her campaign at 1100m, Begg indicated, coming off two runs in the previous spring.
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Moreover, she managed just three starts in 2025, her most recent a third to Giga Kick and Tropicus in the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last October.
“She had a little joint issue in the spring, so we had to back off her and give her time so it would all settle down,” Begg said.
“She’s had a couple of jump-outs, so she’ll go over there and I think she’s ready for the 1100 metres.
“The Sangster is on the same day and it’s a bit hard running them in a Group 1 over 1200 metres first-up.
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“That would be a bit of an ask for her.”
With seven victories from 13 races, Niance will return to Cranbourne after the run, allowing Begg to plot her future direction.
Begg prefers heading north to Brisbane but keeps open the option of revisiting Adelaide for the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) on May 9 at Morphettville.
“The Goodwood is there, I guess, and we can always look at that, but it’s very hard making two trips with them within a couple of weeks,” Begg said.
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“There’s a whole heap of races up in Brisbane that she could run in.
“We can get her up there, settle her in and have a look as there is virtually a race every week for her.”
Visit top online bookmakers for the latest John Hawkes Stakes betting markets.
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