Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca quickly shuffled his pack against Manchester United and then made sure his players knew the revised plan

Enzo Maresca did not shy away from Manchester City making it more difficult for themselves being a man down against Manchester United. But the City boss made sure his players knew how tough it would be for United when they went out for the second half.

City had been stung by Phil Foden’s red card after 23 minutes, sent off for retaliating to provocation from Bruno Fernandes that Maresca thought should also have brought a red card. City’s coach immediately tinkered with his shape, moving Rayan Cherki out to the wing for the rest of the half to keep the width while asking the rest of the team to be compact.

He went one further at half-time, bringing on Iliman Ndiaye for Cherki in what was just the third appearance for the deadline day signing from Everton. As much as City were on the back foot, this was designed to keep them able to spring forward whenever the moment allowed.

“Rayan Cherki is a top player, but in that moment we needed something different,” said Maresca. “We needed a player that can win fouls, contact the attacker and the idea for the second half with Iliman on one side, Antoine on the other and Erling when we had the chance to attack we need to attack.

“We cannot just defend. We also keep the ball quite well in the second half knowing that we had 10 men. I think second half if we just wait for them and we don’t attack or we don’t counter then the game becomes very difficult for us – even more difficult.”

Ndiaye was brought on to make sure City kept a threat on the pitch, and the players returned for the second half believing that while they were up against it, United somehow had a downside to having one extra man on the pitch.

“The message at half-time that I said to the players was the game was more difficult for us but also for them so keep believing that we can win the game,” added Maresca. “They are top in transition, with space in behind. With 10 players we dropped so we didn’t concede transitions or space in behind so the game was more difficult for us but also for them. Believe, stay in the game and in the end we can win this game.”

Max Verstappen has cited teammate Liam Lawson’s ability to adapt, after stepping in mid-season at Red Bull, as a sign that current Formula 1 cars are “numb to your driver inputs”.

The four-time F1 champion told the BBC in an interview published Wednesday that the 2026 cars, with a crucial role for electric hybrid power, can have “unnatural” outcomes like requiring drivers to brake earlier into corners for the best exit speed.

Verstappen suggested it’s one reason Lawson has adapted quickly after replacing the injured Isack Hadjar for the last two races. He’s staying there for this week’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Yuki Tsunoda has stepped into Lawson’s old Racing Bulls seat, and both Lawson and Tsunoda have scored points in their new cars.

“No disrespect. And I hope no-one picks up on this. But look at Yuki. He jumps in the car. Never driven the car before. Immediately competitive,” Verstappen said.

“Liam jumps from the Racing Bulls to the Red Bull – immediately competitive. It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs. Of course, yes, you still have to do a good lap. And you still have to commit. The fastest drivers will always come out on top. But it’s really, really limited.” Verstappen has been a vocal critic of the 2026 cars all year.

At one stage, he even said he was considering leaving F1 altogether, but eventually agreed a contract extension to keep him at Red Bull through 2030.

He told the BBC he “never really spent a lot of time talking or doing different things or trying to go somewhere else,” despite speculation which had linked him to a move.

Verstappen’s agreement with Red Bull allows him to pursue his interests outside of F1 after his first 24-hour endurance sportscar race earlier this year.

He told the BBC he’d talked with two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso about potentially teaming up to tackle the Le Mans 24-hour race and that he would like to take on the top-level Hypercar class of sportscar racing.

John O’Shea and Tom Charlton will be without their initial top seed for The Metropolitan, but they are eager to give another member of their team a chance to impress for a start in that race this weekend.

The Randwick training partnership is keen for their untapped import, Starzintheireyes, to gain a start in the $300,000 Group 2 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) on home ground.

The import is yet to achieve a win in four starts in Australia, but was an unlucky second first-up when narrowly defeated by The Mona Lisa, and Charlton is optimistic about his future.

“He’s been unfortunate not to win yet in Australia,” Charlton commented.

“He’s got a load of class and it was a big performance (last start).”

“We’re pretty sweet on him and at some stage the penny will really drop.”

Starzintheireyes, a son of Starspangledbanner, arrived in Australia as a winner of two of his five starts, including the Group 3 Zetland Stakes (2011m) at Newmarket.

The five-year-old had three runs in his first Australian preparation, securing a second placing over 1800m in benchmark 78 grade at Hawkesbury, a third in a BM88 over 2000m at Randwick, and a sixth placing in a 2000m BM100 at Flemington on June 6.

He possesses the second-lowest rating of the 19 entries for the Kingston Town Stakes, which is capped at a field of 14, plus emergencies, but Charlton expects him to outperform his rating if he gets a start.

“If he ran well it could open the door of a Metrop,” he said.

“But he’ll keep improving. He might end up in a nice race.”

The only Kingston Town entry with a lower rating than Starzintheireyes is Aethelwulf – who is the favourite for the $750,000 Group 2 The Metropolitan on October 3 – with entries headed by ATC Australian Derby winner Green Spaces. O’Shea and Charlton also have Athabascan entered.

King Pedro is not nominated after an elevated temperature ended his aspirations for a start in The Metropolitan, having last won the Grafton Cup. However, Charlton remains hopeful of his return to racing at some point this spring.

“We’re assessing him at the moment and perhaps where we can get to, but the Kingston Town is just going to come a little bit too quick,” he stated.

The Kingston Town Stakes is one of four Group 2 races scheduled for this Saturday’s Randwick meeting, which will feature Autumn Glow in the $1 million Seven Stakes (1600m).

Check out the latest racing odds on these sports betting platforms.

Manchester United were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City at Old Trafford but Michael Carrick was furious at the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s controversial goal.

Michael Carrick was left furious at the decision to allow Manchester City’s controversial derby day winner at Old Trafford, saying he “didn’t get” the official’s reason for giving Erling Haaland’s goal.

Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position as he attempted to connect with a cross, distracting Lisandro Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens. While Fernandez didn’t touch the ball, it left Lammens out of position when Haaland’s effort at the back post flew past him.

Carrick was staggered at the decision to give the goal, which had initially been ruled out for offside. Haaland was being played onside by Patrick Dorgu, but the controversy centred on Fernandez’s role and whether he was interfering with play.

“At the time I hadn’t totally seen it. But the explanation I got was he wasn’t interfering with play, so I just don’t get it. I really don’t get it,” said Carrick.

“I can’t understand how they’re trying to help referees and putting so many layers behind them with so many people, so many bodies, so many screens, and so many whatever offices they are to try and come up with the right decisions.

“If that’s how the rules are interpreted, that you’re not interfering with play because you’ve thrown yourself at the ball six yards from goal and pretty much nearly touched it, which then Licha has to react from.

“On top of that, the line was a bit dubious where they drew the line to start with. It’s worrying if that’s really how the game’s seen by those who are officiating it.”

Carrick said he hadn’t held any further discussions with referee Michael Oliver over the decision and gave short shrift to the idea of complaining to Pro Refs over why the goal was allowed.

“I don’t know how you can. I don’t know where you go. I don’t really know how you go and get another explanation on that one, I have to say,” he said.

Told Pro Refs sometimes apologise for decisions they get wrong, Carrick said: “Yeah, that’d be great, that. Yeah, I can’t wait for that one.”

A hilarious moment was caught on camera after top seed Alexander Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the men’s singles final at the 2026 US Open. When Shelton’s return sailed beyond the baseline on match point, Zverev initially failed to realise that he had won his maiden US Open title. However, a section of the German crowd quickly alerted him, prompting the jubilant Zverev to raise his arms in celebration with a broad smile on his face.

HE DIDN’T REALIZE HE’D WON

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Alexander Zverev exorcises his 2020 demons and defeats Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 to win his first US Open title! pic.twitter.com/f0Cnl2xvgI

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 13, 2026

Zverev won his second major championship and disappointed a crowd that was desperate to see the first Grand Slam title by an American man since 2003.

Zverev finally broke through in the majors by winning this year’s French Open and followed up by adding the title in New York that he so painfully let slip away in 2020.

The No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam for the first time, he capitalized on Shelton’s shaky start in his first major final, played a nearly flawless tiebreaker on serve and then turned back a comeback attempt in front of a crowd that feverishly cheered Shelton on – including girlfriend Trinity Rodman, who made it from her own soccer match in Washington before the finish.

“I know today 99.9% of the people wanted Ben to win, so I’m very sorry first of all,” Zverev said during the trophy presentation. “But second, it was an incredible atmosphere to play in. Even though I know that the crowd was against me, the crowd was always incredibly fair.”

Zverev also reached the final at Wimbledon, falling to Jannik Sinner, and became the No. 1 seed in New York when the top-ranked Sinner had to withdraw with a knee injury. He made the most of opportunities that came when Carlos Alcaraz had to sit out two majors and Sinner missed another, after they played in three straight Grand Slam finals in 2025.

“I think God has seen how hard we worked, how much we suffered, how much pain we went through and I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before,” Zverev said, addressing his team.

(With AP Inputs)

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Man United conceded a controversial winner against Manchester City that decided the derby at Old Trafford

Lisandro Martinez has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after Manchester City’s controversial winner against Manchester United. City went down to ten men in the first half after Phil Foden kicked out at Bruno Fernandes.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead when Josko Gvardiol’s cross was deflected into the path of Erling Haaland who scored. Initially, the flag went up to indicate that it was offside. However, VAR overruled the on-field decision as they ruled that Haaland was onside and that Enzo Fernandez did not touch the ball in the centre.

Martinez was the defender in the centre who was closest to both Fernandez and Haaland. Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, he was left fuming with the officials. The Argentina international said: “I think it was offside. What I can’t understand is the rules.

“He was there. I went to him because he was there in front of me. That is why Haaland was free at the back.

“I want to be calm now, I want to control myself. It is so hard because you lose the derby, you lose three points at home.

“Every season they come to our club, explain for one hour, one hour 30 minutes the rules and they look so confident with that. Then after that, five, six people doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world.

“Now we have to go home with this injustice.” He then continued: “It was difficult because I had two players and I was 50/50 so I had to take the first man.

“As simple as that. As simple as that. Let’s see what they have to say now.”

After the decision, the Premier League Match Centre wrote on X: “VAR checked the referee’s call of no goal for offside – and determined that Haaland was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded.

“The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball.”