Right now, the identity of the Vikings’ QB1 is somewhat mysterious, though there are some with opinions. Maybe it’s worth stepping back to loop J.J. McCarthy into the mix. After all, he’s the one who occupied the position last season.

In fact, the reason why there’s a debate is because Mr. McCarthy didn’t do well enough as the Vikings’ QB1 in 2025. He was therefore asked about the sturdiness of his claim on that starting spot after the season concluded. Circling back around to his words feels appropriate given all that’s being said, implied, and prophesied given the additions of Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz.

J.J. McCarthy on Needing to Earn His Job

“After today,” McCarthy said when asked about having completely nailed down the top job, “maybe.” He offered that take on January 4th.

Pay attention to what he said immediately thereafter: “But tomorrow there’s nothing promised and the next day there’s nothing promised. That’s something that I take very seriously. It’s not something that you buy and you get for the rest of your life; you rent it, you lease it every single day.”

Sticking around as the QB1 means “trying to make daily deposits” so that he can be “in this house for a long time.” From January 5th onward, McCarthy has been working on making these payments.

At the risk of being overly literary, allow me to dig into the metaphor that Mr. McCarthy is inhabiting within his answer.

Being the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings is like leasing a house. Being able to continue living in this house is contingent on paying rent on an ongoing basis through strong play. When the strong play disappears, so will his permission to continue living in the house.

Has J.J. McCarthy been evicted?

The answer, of course, is an obvious yes. But then the answer is also an obvious no.

Best case is still a future where the 23-year-old quarterback turns into a franchise passer. Sinking the No. 10 pick into him proves how serious the internal conviction was when opting to turn the Michigan man into a Minnesota man. Some of the shine has worn off, but powerful people in Eagan are still pulling for the kid.

What has changed is that other actions have since been taken, moves that challenge J.J. McCarthy’s status as the franchise passer (as the No. 10 draft slot strongly suggests).

Signing Murray is about both pushing McCarthy while enhancing the chance of competing in 2026. Those two things — pushing McCarthy to develop while still making a move to win now — aren’t in conflict. The central detail to remember here is how Minnesota added Murray.

Shipping out a high-level draft pick(s) while inheriting that slobberknocker of a contract for Murray would mean that McCarthy’s status on the roster gets put on life support; signing the veteran for just $1.3 million, in contrast, does nothing to guarantee who takes the first snap in Week 1.

Likewise, the Wentz deal tells us that Minnesota is committed to a quarterback room with robust depth. A wily vet who has won a Super Bowl, been a journeyman, and who is proven fit on the Vikings’ roster is to be coveted. He’ll push McCarthy while demanding essentially zero maintenance. He’s the perfect QB3.

Think of it this way: while J.J. McCarthy tries to chase down Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz will be pushing J.J. McCarthy. Done right, the push/pull dynamic of the overhauled QB room will function as the pressure that makes a diamond sparkle.

J.J. McCarthy, 23, comes in at 6’3″ and roughly 215 pounds. He went 6-4 last season while completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

As the probable QB2, McCarthy will be working toward getting the keys back so that he can continue living as the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

England have released their 2026 World Cup kits as Thomas Tuchel’s men prepare for a final few matches before jetting off to North America

England have unveiled their World Cup 2026 kits with Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham Elliott Anderson and Jordan Pickford serving as the headline figures. Manchester United loanee Rashford was tasked with modelling the red away strip.

Ahead of this summer’s tournament, the Three Lions and Nike have dropped the kits that Thomas Tuchel’s men will wear in North America. The home kit is a clean white number with a gold star returning above the England badge, marking their 1966 win.

On the collar, the words ‘Happy and Glorious’ feature, an ode to the national anthem. The red away strip is donned in the release video by Rashford and its badge is placed in the centre of the kit, unlike the shirt worn during the last major tournament.

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Rashford joined the likes of Nottingham Forest’s Anderson and the aforementioned Kane, Bellingham and Pickford in the release, perhaps signalling that he might be in Tuchel’s squad heading to the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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The Three Lions begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17 at 9pm (BST). They then take on Ghana at 9pm on Tuesday, June 23.

They wrap up their group by facing minnows Panama on Saturday, June 27 at 10pm. The World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams this year, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage.

Eight of the best-performing third-placed teams also progress to the next round. England are continuing their preparations for this summer’s tournament with friendlies against Uruguay and Japan later this month.

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England squad for upcoming friendlies

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)

You’ve told me what you want, what you really, really want, and it’s to go back to 1997 — a simpler time, with rankings you could reach out and touch.

The home printer market was booming, and the paper documents flowed like wine. It seemed like it would always be so, but evidently not. They’re pretty hard to come by now, and yet, for a time like Draft Day, they seem like they’d be more convenient than fumbling around with a screen.

That’s how I feel, anyway, and every year, you tell me I’m not alone. As soon as I release the first edition of Tiers, I’m inundated with the same question: When can I get them all on one printable page?

Well, the answer is now, in Version 4.0, just before the biggest draft weekend

Tiers, for those who don’t know, are an alternate form of rankings that signal where the biggest drop-offs are at each position. Players whose impact is essentially the same are bundled together, revealing at a glance how many alike choices remain. With every position’s tiers in hand, you can know during the heat of the draft which position to target next by identifying the one whose active tier is closest to depletion.

And now, every position’s tiers can be in hand literally, provided you have a printer. This link will take you to a one-page document perfectly formatted for printing. Click on it and get to tubthumping.

As for those of you who prefer to stick to screens …

Catcher

The Elite: Cal Raleigh
The Near-Elite: Hunter Goodman, William Contreras, Ben Rice, Shea Langeliers
The Next-Best Things: Augstin Ramirez, Drake Baldwin, Will Smith, Salvador Perez, Adley Rutschman
The Fallback Options: (Ivan Herrera), Samuel Basallo, Carter Jensen, Yainer Diaz, Gabriel Moreno, Francisco Alvarez
The Last Resorts: J.T. Realmuto, Alejandro Kirk, Austin Wells, Kyle Teel, Dillon Dingler, Logan O’Hoppe
The Leftovers: Tyler Stephenson, (Moises Ballesteros), Harry Ford, Victor Caratini, Carson Kelly, Ryan Jeffers, Edgar Quero, Sean Murphy, Miguel Amaya, Carlos Narvaez, Danny Jansen

First base

The Elite: Nick Kurtz, Vladimir Guerrero
The Near-Elite: Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, Bryce Harper, Rafael Devers, Freddie Freeman, Josh Naylor
The Next-Best Things: Ben Rice, Vinnie Pasquantino, Yandy Diaz†, Tyler Soderstrom, Michael Busch
The Fallback Options: Salvador Perez, Jonathan Aranda, Sal Stewart, Spencer Torkelson
The Last Resorts: Munetaka Murakami, Willson Contreras, Alec Burleson, Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Kyle Manzardo, Christian Walker, (Bryce Eldridge)
The Leftovers: Andrew Vaughn, Jake Burger, Coby Mayo, Josh Smith, Miguel Vargas, Nolan Schanuel, Ryan O’Hearn, TJ Rumfield, Charlie Condon, Lenyn Sosa, Paul Goldschmidt, Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez, Josh Bell, Rhys Hoskins

Second base

The Elite: Jazz Chisholm, Ketel Marte
The Near-Elite: Brice Turang
The Next-Best Things: Nico Hoerner, Luke Keaschall, Jose Altuve
The Fallback Options: Ozzie Albies, Brandon Lowe
The Last Resorts: Xavier Edwards, Matt McLain, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Gleyber Torres, Brendan Donovan†, Ceddanne Rafaela, Bryson Stott, Otto Lopez, Jackson Holliday
The Leftovers: Luis Garcia, Brett Baty, Cole Young, Colt Keith, Jose Caballero, Willi Castro, Max Muncy, Brooks Lee, Tommy Edman, Jeff McNeil, Jake Cronenworth, Ernie Clement, Lenyn Sosa, Chase Meidroth, Romy Gonzalez, Andres Gimenez, Nolan Gorman, Jonathan India, Christian Moore, Luisangel Acuna, Sung-Mun Song

Third base

The First-Rounders: Jose Ramirez
The Elite: Junior Caminero, Jazz Chisholm
The Near-Elite: Manny Machado, Austin Riley^, Eugenio Suarez^, Maikel Garcia
The Next-Best Things: Alex Bregman†, Max Muncy†
The Fallback Options: Matt Chapman, Kazuma Okamoto, Isaac Paredes
The Last Resorts: Noelvi Marte, Royce Lewis, Alec Bohm, Jordan Westburg^
The Leftovers: Addison Barger, Jordan Lawlar, Carlos Correa, Brett Baty, Josh Jung, Caleb Durbin, Mark Vientos, Matt Shaw, Josh Smith, Zach McKinstry, Colt Keith, Miguel Vargas, Jose Caballero, Willi Castro, Max Muncy, Brooks Lee, Ernie Clement, Connor Norby, Marcelo Mayer, Ryan McMahon, Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Jonathan India

Shortstop

The First-Rounders: Bobby Witt, Elly De La Cruz^
The Elite: Gunnar Henderson, Trea Turner, Francisco Lindor, Mookie Betts†, Geraldo Perdomo†
The Near-Elite: Zachary Neto^, C.J. Abrams^, Corey Seager, Bo Bichette
The Next-Best Things: Trevor Story^, Jeremy Pena
The Fallback Options: Willy Adames, Dansby Swanson, Konnor Griffin, Jacob Wilson†
The Last Resorts: Colson Montgomery, Xavier Edwards, JJ Wetherholt, Kevin McGonigle, Xander Bogaerts†, Otto Lopez
The Leftovers: Carlos Correa, Ezequiel Tovar, Masyn Winn, Colt Emerson, Josh Smith, Anthony Volpe, Zach McKinstry, Jose Caballero, Nasim Nunez, Brooks Lee, J.P. Crawford, Ernie Clement, Ha-seong Kim

Outfield

The First-Rounders: Aaron Judge, (Shohei Ohtani), Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker, Ronald Acuna, Julio Rodriguez^, (Kyle Schwarber)†
The Elite: Fernando Tatis, Corbin Carroll, Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, (Yordan Alvarez)
The Near-Elite: Cody Bellinger, Wyatt Langford, Brent Rooker^, Byron Buxton, Randy Arozarena^, Roman Anthony†, George Springer
The Next-Best Things: (Christian Yelich), Jarren Duran, Riley Greene, Tyler Soderstrom, Michael Harris^, Jackson Merrill, Seiya Suzuki, Jose Altuve, Oneil Cruz^
The Fallback Options: Kyle Stowers, Brandon Nimmo, Jo Adell, Luis Robert, Teoscar Hernandez, Jakob Marsee, Taylor Ward, Ian Happ, Mike Trout, Daulton Varsho, Lawrence Butler, Andy Pages, Chandler Simpson^
The Last Resorts: Jac Caglianone, Daylen Lile, Ramon Laureano, Bryan Reynolds, Noelvi Marte, Ceddanne Rafaela, Brenton Doyle, Steven Kwan, Sal Frelick, Dylan Crews, Alec Burleson, Wilyer Abreu, Heliot Ramos, Justin Crawford, Carson Benge, Owen Caissie, Chase DeLauter, Trent Grisham, Joshua Lowe, TJ Friedl
The Leftovers: Kerry Carpenter, Addison Barger, Giancarlo Stanton, Jasson Dominguez, Adolis Garcia, Mickey Moniak, (Marcell Ozuna), Cedric Mullins, Dominic Canzone, Dylan Beavers, Jake McCarthy, Isaac Collins, Zach McKinstry, Colton Cowser, Jose Caballero, Willi Castro, Evan Carter, Jordan Beck, Andrew Benintendi, Mike Yastrzemski, Jake Mangum, Victor Robles, Nick Castellanos, Jung Hoo Lee, Jorge Soler, Matt Wallner, Austin Hays, Tyler O’Neill, Cam Smith, Jordan Walker, Victor Scott, Harrison Bader, Lars Nootbaar, Jeff McNeil, Ryan O’Hearn, Zach Cole, Trevor Larnach, Tommy Edman, Tyler Freeman, Wenceel Perez, Parker Meadows, Jonathan India, Jake Meyers, Spencer Jones, Gavin Lux, Jacob Melton

Starting pitcher

The First-Rounders: Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Paul Skenes
The Elite: Chris Sale, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Logan Gilbert, Cristopher Sanchez, Bryan Woo, Max Fried, Hunter Brown, Cole Ragans, Jacob deGrom^, Logan Webb†, Framber Valdez†
The Near-Elite: Jesus Luzardo, Freddy Peralta, George Kirby, Kyle Bradish, Joe Ryan, Shohei Ohtani^, Eury Perez, Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman†
The Next-Best Things: Nolan McLean, Cameron Schlittler, Nick Pivetta, Nick Lodolo, Chase Burns, Brandon Woodruff, Tyler Glasnow, Trevor Rogers, Gavin Williams
The Fallback Options: Nathan Eovaldi, Bubba Chandler, Jacob Misiorowski, Tatsuya Imai, Spencer Strider, Shota Imanaga, Sandy Alcantara, Michael King, Emmet Sheehan, Cade Horton, Ranger Suarez, Kris Bubic, Sonny Gray, Zack Wheeler, Robbie Ray, Luis Castillo, Carlos Rodon, Blake Snell, Drew Rasmussen^, Ryan Pepiot, Matthew Boyd, Trey Yesavage
The Last Resorts: Edward Cabrera, MacKenzie Gore, Michael Burrows, Shane McClanahan, Tanner Bibee, Aaron Nola, Zac Gallen, Andrew Abbott, Gerrit Cole, Ryne Nelson*, Shane Baz, Shane Smith, Merrill Kelly, Ryan Weathers, Cody Ponce*, Jack Leiter, Kodai Senga, Jacob Lopez, Grayson Rodriguez, Mick Abel, Andrew Painter, Braxton Ashcraft*, Will Warren, Grant Holmes, Chad Patrick, Noah Cameron, Roki Sasaki, Sean Manaea, Shane Bieber, Joe Musgrove
The Leftovers: Bryce Miller, Jack Flaherty Reid Detmers*, Tyler Mahle, Luis Severino, Bailey Ober, Reynaldo Lopez, Joey Cantillo*, Connelly Early, Didier Fuentes, Parker Messick, Payton Tolle*, Robby Snelling, Zebby Matthews, Logan Henderson, Jameson Taillon, Brayan Bello, Seth Lugo, Casey Mize, Brady Singer, Chris Bassitt, Ben Brown*, Quinn Priester, Jose Berrios, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Michael Wacha, Zack Littell, Jose Soriano, Mitch Keller, Rhett Lowder, Cade Cavalli, Taj Bradley, Luis Morales, Luis Gil, Justin Steele, Cade Cavalli, Brandon Sproat, Lucas Giolito, Jared Jones, Jonah Tong, Anthony Kay*, Steven Matz*, Ian Seymour*, Tyler Wells, Justin Verlander, Max Meyer, Hunter Greene, Spencer Schwellenbach, Corbin Burnes, Joe Boyle, Zach Eflin, Cristian Javier

Relief pitcher

The Elite: Mason Miller, Edwin Diaz, Andres Munoz, Cade Smith, Aroldis Chapman, Jhoan Duran
The Near-Elite: David Bednar, Devin Williams, Raisel Iglesias, Josh Hader
The Next-Best Things: Jeff Hoffman, Ryan Helsley, Emilio Pagan, Daniel Palencia
The Fallback Options: Carlos Estevez, Trevor Megill, Kenley Jansen, Pete Fairbanks, Dennis Santana, Seranthony Dominguez, Ryan Walker, Griffin Jax
The Last Resorts: Robert Garcia, Riley O’Brien, Kirby Yates, Clayton Beeter, Paul Sewald, Hogan Harris, Taylor Rogers, Seth Halvorsen
The Next-in-Line: Abner Uribe, Bryan Abreu, Robert Suarez, Matt Svanson, JoJo Romero, Edwin Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger, Justin Sterner, Kevin Ginkel, Cole Sands, Elvis Alvarado, Victor Vodnik

^:one tier lower in points leagues | †: one tier lower in categories leagues | *:RP-eligible | ( ): DH-only

File photo of Tanvi Sharma.© X (formerly Twitter)

The 2026 Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2, and the field is beginning to round out. For the 152nd edition of the Run for the Roses, Paladin is the 9-1 favorite among the prospective 2026 Kentucky Derby horses. The Grade 1 race from Churchill Downs in Louisville will be run on a 1 ¼-mile dirt track and is open to only 3-year-old horses. The 2026 Kentucky Derby field could have as many as 20 horses in it.

Besides Paladin, 2026 Kentucky Derby favorites include Nearly at 10-1, Canaletto at 15-1 and Renegade at 16-1. Silent Tactic is listed at 19-1. As the race gets closer, the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds are sure to change. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions and futures bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Jody Demling.

Bet the Kentucky Derby with the latest TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets to wager on almost any track by clicking here:

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling has nailed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double 12 times in the last 17 years. He also predicted the top three 2025 Kentucky Derby finishers in the correct order and called the exacta in last year’s Preakness. Anyone who has followed him on horse racing betting sites could be way up. 

Now, with the 2026 Kentucky Derby approaching and horse racing futures odds on the board, Demling is sharing his 2026 Kentucky Derby betting picks and 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.

Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions

One of Demling’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He doesn’t have the favorite, Paladin (9-1), winning. Paladin started his racing career by winning the one-mile dirt-fast Msw in October. He followed that up with a win at the 2025 Remsen at the 1 1/8-mile dirt-fast track in December. In February, he clipped Chip Honcho to win the 2026 Risen Star race on the 1 1/8-mile dirt-fast track.

Despite this early success, Paladin’s trainer is 0-for-9 in his Kentucky Derby career, a major concern for Demling. Another red flag is Paladin’s sire is Gun Runner, who also won the Risen Star Stakes in 2016. However, when it came to the Run for the Roses, Gun Runner finished third. With the Kentucky Derby 2026 fast approaching, Demling is questioning Paladin’s connections and pedigree. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Demling is high on Canaletto, even though he’s a longshot at 15-1. Canaletto has run just two races, but has been impressive. He finished first on the mile-long dirt-fast MSW in January in dominant fashion with a time of 1:36.28. He beat Lost Money and Autobahn, who took second and third, respectively.

Canaletto followed that up with a third-place finish at the 1 1/16-mile 2026 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7 in 1:43.23. He is trained by Chad C. Brown. With spring fast approaching, now would be a good time to jump on Demling’s Kentucky Derby futures odds for an optimal return. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make Kentucky Derby futures bets TwinSpires here:

How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Demling is especially high on a massive double-digit longshot who could be the best of a “barnful of standouts.” Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which huge double-digit longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who has nailed 12 Derby-Oaks doubles.

2026 Kentucky Derby odds

Ben Hayes regards Evaporate as primed for Group 1 glory, but the presence of top mare Autumn Glow in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill suggests his owners might need patience a tad longer.

Having notched six wins across 21 efforts, Evaporate was narrowly beaten for a signature success most recently, outfinished by Tom Kitten during the All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington, securing another Group 1 minor placing.

Hayes targets the Doncaster Mile (1600m) as the horse’s flagship Sydney assignment, viewing the upcoming George Ryder Stakes (1500m) showdown with Autumn Glow on Saturday as a valuable test.

“It’s going to be a hot race, but it will let us know where we’re at and then he will probably head to the Doncaster with 54-1/2 (kilos),” Hayes said.

“He’s won over $3 million and hasn’t won a Group One, so it’s a pretty good effort. Not many do that.

“He’s a Group One horse that just hasn’t done it yet.”

Priced at $23, Evaporate has thrived in stakes events since his spring three-year-old season and suits Sydney courses, claiming the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last year and running second to Autumn Glow in the Golden Eagle (1500m).

The trainer was thrilled by Evaporate’s All-Star Mile performance, hauling the field alongside leader Pride Of Jenni before holding on gamely.

“It was super. He towed the field up to Jenni, chased her. Tom Kitten sat off him and just got him late,” he said.

“But I loved the way he kept kicking. He has always been a genuine horse.”

Traditionally, the George Ryder Stakes feeds into the Doncaster Mile, the same destination eyed by the underappreciated gelding Encap.

Encap resumed solidly in sixth spot during the Canterbury Stakes (1300m), close enough at under 1-1/2 lengths to Joliestar, with a cleaner run this campaign post a rain-affected spring.

“His feet are so much better now too,” Portelli said.

“We’ve had problems with his feet over the years, and he wasn’t coming out of the gates and getting going, I think because they were hurting him.

“He almost won the Doncaster Mile last year at 50-1. We don’t care about the price as long as we get a result, although his pattern makes it very hard to win and he is up against the best horses.”

At $126 odds, Encap shares triple-figure status in the George Ryder Stakes with Hawkes Racing’s Nepotism ($201).

Find the finest betting sites with racing odds for the George Ryder Stakes.

Manchester City midfielder Nico O’Reilly is aiming to right the wrongs of the last trip to Wembley Stadium

Growing up, Nico O’Reilly followed Manchester City closely. Whenever he could get a ticket, the future star was in the stands supporting the Blues. When he couldn’t, like for City’s major cup finals at Wembley Stadium, O’Reilly was glued to the TV screens as his team became the dominant force in English football.

On Sunday, O’Reilly will likely be in the XI as City look to win the first major trophy of the season and land an important blow on Arsenal in the process. “[I’m] really looking forward to it,” he said. “Wembley is a special place. I’ve played there a few times – Community Shield we won, FA Cup we didn’t win. So, yeah, it’d be nice to go there and hopefully win.”

“We know how good they are,” O’Reilly said when asked about the Gunners. “We know it’s going to be difficult. They’ve been very good this season. But we look forward to big games and it should be a good one. They play a bit different to us. They’ve got some amazing players, individual players, they play well as a team, they know what they’re doing.

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“So it’s going to be a tough game. We know that. But it’ll be a tough game for them as well. We’re looking forward to it.”

Mikel Arteta’s side have been synonymous with set pieces this season and have faced criticism for their approach. But O’Reilly hopes his team can draw on past experience to keep the Gunners out.

“It’s a strong point in their team. They use them very well,” he said. “”We need to prepare for it. We did it in the game when we went to their place. I thought we were very good then.

“We just need to prepare for it well and stop them as much as possible. They’re very good at set-pieces, they’re aggressive. They have good takers.

“When it’s a corner, obviously, we don’t want to be in those situations because we know how good they are but we’ll obviously need to deal with it and prepare well for it.”

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

O’Reilly signed a new contract at City in September last year, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until 2030. That was a huge milestone for the 20-year-old who has become one of City’s most versatile players. The midfielder’s family are his biggest supporters, attending every match and keeping him grounded along the way. O’Reilly has not forgotten his roots either. He lived in Collyhurst in the east side of Manchester and has the city’s area code ‘0161’ tattooed on him.

“It’s me, really, like how I became who I am today,” O’Reilly concluded. “Growing up there, I really enjoyed it. I used to go out, play football every day with my friends. It was a good place to grow up. I recently moved away from there but it was a great place. I’m still with my family, which is good. They’re there to look after me a bit and still support me. I enjoy it.”

Ciaron Maher’s stable last lifted the Tasmanian Derby trophy and it launched a run of Derby wins throughout the nation.

Explosive Jack prevailed in the 2021 Tasmanian Derby en route to victories in Sydney’s Australian Derby and Adelaide’s South Australian Derby.

The youngster then ventured to Brisbane for a third placing in the Queensland Derby.

Maher’s newest Hobart Tasmanian Derby conqueror, Dad And Dave from last month, could follow Explosive Jack’s route toward Australia’s three other Derbies this year.

This itinerary includes the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday, Dad And Dave’s return since his Tasmanian Derby glory.

“He’s got that Tassie form, and he’s had a little bit of time since then,” Maher said.

“But this race will shape where we go. Potentially Sydney and potentially on the Explosive Jack path to Adelaide and Brisbane after that.

“He (Explosive Jack) did the lot, but this horse is probably not as robust at the same time as Explosive Jack, but we’ll see how he goes.

“He’s in pretty good order, all the same.”

In the Alister Clark Stakes, Dad And Dave meets Amazake, who seeks his initial win.

Amazake was third in the Caulfield Classic over the upcoming course and distance in spring, then midfield in the 2500m Victoria Derby.

Most recently, he ran second over 1600m in a Pakenham maiden earlier this month.

“I just like the way he went through the line at Pakenham,” Maher said.

“It’s a more testing track there, and he hit the line pretty well.

“Being a three-year-old, he’s got plenty of time to knock off a maiden, but he stays OK and can burn around in the Alister Clark Stakes.”

Head to the racing betting markets for competitive odds on the Alister Clark Stakes.