Atalanta will host Cremonese at the New Balance Arena in Serie A on Monday. With nine wins from 23 league games, La Dea have a 13-point lead over the visitors.
The hosts have lost just one of their last four games in all competitions. They faced Como in their previous league outing and were held to a scoreless draw. They met Juventus in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals on Thursday and secured a 3-0 home win. Gianluca Scamacca scored from the penalty spot in the 27th minute, while Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mario Pašalić added goals after the break.
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I Grigiorossi are winless in their last nine games. They suffered a second consecutive defeat earlier this month, losing 2-0 at home to league leaders Inter Milan.
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Atalanta vs Cremonese Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The two Lombardy-based teams have met 44 times in all competitions. La Dea have the upper hand in these meetings, recording 20 wins. The visitors have nine wins, and 15 games have ended in draws.
The hosts have conceded 20 goals in the league this season, and I Grigiorossi have scored 20 goals.
La Dea are unbeaten in their last 15 meetings against Cremonese. The two teams last met in the reverse fixture in October and were held to a 1-1 draw.
Atalanta have won three Serie A home games in 2026 while keeping clean sheets.
The visitors have scored a goal each in eight of their last 14 meetings against La Dea. They have failed to score in the other six games in that period.
I Grigiorossi have failed to score in their last five Serie A away games. They have suffered four defeats in that period.
Atalanta vs Cremonese Prediction
La Dea are unbeaten in Serie A this year, winning four of their six games. They have also kept five clean sheets in that period. Interestingly, their last two Serie A wins against the visitors have been secured on their travels.
Mitchel Bakker returned to the squad in Coppa Italia against Juventus, and they have no injury concerns for this match. Honest Ahanor and Marten de Roon are suspended.
I Grigiorossi have endured a poor run of form and are winless in their last nine league outings, scoring just one goal in that period. They have drawn their last four Serie A away meetings against the hosts.
Michele Collocolo was injured last week and is expected to return later this month. Warren Bondo, Antonio Sanabria, and Martín Payero remain sidelined for the visitors.
The hosts have an unbeaten record in Serie A this year and considering the visitors’ recent struggles, we back La Dea to secure a win.
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Prediction: Atalanta 2-0 Cremonese
Atalanta vs Cremonese Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result – Atalanta to win
Tip 2: Goals – Over/Under 2.5 Goals – Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Both teams to score – No
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Tip 4: At least one goal to be scored in the second half – Yes
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola talked about his side’s title chances after their 2-1 win at Liverpool in the Premier League.
19:58, 08 Feb 2026
Pep Guardiola said that Manchester City will continue to ‘breathe down the neck of Arsenal’ as they hope to build on a rousing win at Anfield. The players celebrated jubilantly with supporters after two late goals earned them their first win in front of fans at the ground since 2003, and it also transformed the feel of their title hopes.
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Bernardo Silva said after the game that City would have been out of the title race with a defeat. Matheus Nunes won a late penalty that Erling Haaland converted and Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a top stop even later in injury time to preserve the win.
Guardiola does not like judging his team on results or making sweeping judgments about their season based on one particular game, but he was particularly happy with the performance of his team at a ground where he has endured so much pain. Whether it is enough to catch Arsenal is uncertain but the manager thinks this City team has a lot of room to grow in the final 13 games.
“I don’t buy that product, when everyone (says) before ‘the title race is over, City is not going to win today’. Because we won it’s fine,” he said. “It’s the same team. The first half against Spurs was magnificent, the top level, could be 0-3 or 0-4, but at the end we drew because we are not… you know that? But in Newcastle we were much, much better than at Spurs, today we were much better.
“I have a feeling that improving a little bit will not be enough to compete against Arsenal but still we have the margin (to improve). We have to (play them) at home, of course we have to beat them. And I’ve said, 13 games in the Premier League, from my point of view, from my little experience, is a lot of time, a lot. It’s proper.
“When you go into the last games playing any team in a relegation battle, it’s a proper game, football game. Because they live to survive and they have long weeks to prepare, (whereas) you come from FA Cup, you come from Carabao Cup, you come from the Champions League, that makes a lot of influence.”
City were able to take confidence from their midweek win over Newcastle that booked their place in the Carabao Cup final, yet at the same time it gave them less time to prepare for their Premier League game. Arsenal are also deep in four competitions and Guardiola thinks that schedule could have an impact on the title race as City look to keep the pressure on the league leaders and cut the six-point gap.
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“Liverpool was all week preparing that game, we played three days ago against Newcastle. And Newcastle played on Wednesday, travelled and arrived at 2am in Newcastle I guess, Friday there and Saturday against Brentford, and Brentford have all week to prepare that game.
“That makes an influence in the title race. It’s why being nine points would be more difficult. All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal and being there, try if they go asleep and use it.”
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New England Patriots legend Rodney Harrison appeared to take a swipe at his colleague Tony Dungy after Bill Belichick was left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
The Hall of Fame voters’ decision to keep Belichick out of Canton on the first ballot caused backlash across the NFL world. Social media began to band together to try to find the voters who decided not to give Belichick the nod.
Rodney Harrison (left) and Tony Dungy talk on the field before the game between the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions at NRG Stadium on Nov. 10, 2024. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Dungy, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach, was accused of being one of the voters who didn’t back Belichick. He hasn’t revealed his vote and Harrison appeared to be talking to Dungy directly when he defended his former head coach.
“Any list that doesn’t include Bill Belichick at the top is absolutely wrong,” Harrison said during NBC’s Super Bowl LX coverage. “And a lot of those players that we mention, they’re great players. I played with Drew Brees, I played with Adam Vinatieri, but there’s nobody more deserving than coach Belichick.
NBC Sports broadcaster Rodney Harrison during the game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium.(Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“I’ve seen his greatness. I’ve seen him design defenses to stop your (Dungy’s) offense. You just look at the players that he’s impacted. He’s been unbelievable. And when I look throughout the Hall of Fame … Tom BradyTom Brady wouldn’t be Tom Brady without Bill Belichick. And that’s the disappointing part of it, coach. And you guys got it wrong.”
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Dungy, again, didn’t say whether he voted for Belichick, citing an “oath” he took to avoid discussing any actions behind the scenes. Out of the category that Belichick was in – with Robert Kraft, Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood – he didn’t pick up enough votes. Craig was voted into the Hall of Fame out of those selections.
Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after giving up a first quarter touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
“People think we voted against Bill Belichick,” Dungy said. “We did not. In fact, the same exact vote. As a matter of fact, if the same exact vote had taken place, same totals as two years ago, Bill Belichick would have been in and so would another deserving Hall of Famer and that is why I’m upset. That is not right.”
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
Dhakshineswar Suresh announced himself as India’s newest Davis Cup match-winner on Sunday, sealing a stirring 3-2 victory over the Netherlands by clinching the decisive fifth rubber and guiding the hosts into Qualifiers Round 2. In just his second Davis Cup appearance, the 25-year-old delivered a performance that will be remembered for years. Dhakshineswar won both his singles matches and partnered Yuki Bhambri to victory in the doubles, completing a rare three-win haul in a single tie for India. The feat inevitably drew comparisons with Leander Paes’ legendary heroics against Japan in 2004, when Paes single-handedly won two singles and the doubles to carry India through. More than 20 years later, Dhakshineswar produced a similarly defining moment. Ranked as low as 465, he held his nerve under immense pressure in the final rubber against Guy de Ouden, winning 6-4, 7-6 (4). As his final forehand winner landed in, Dhakshineswar collapsed onto his back before being engulfed by teammates and lifted onto their shoulders, the celebrations marking another memorable European scalp for India. India had begun the tie as underdogs but found an opening when the Netherlands arrived without their top two singles players, world number 29 Tallon Griekspoor and world number 67 Botic van de Zandschulp. The absence gave India, ranked 33 in the Davis Cup standings, a genuine opportunity and they seized it, defeating the world number six team. The win also carried historic significance. It marked the first time India have reached the second round of the Qualifiers since the revamped Davis Cup format was introduced in 2019, moving them a step closer to the elite eight-team Finals. Korea are expected to be their next opponents. The tie was delicately poised at 1-1 at the start of Sunday’s play. Dhakshineswar and Bhambri then edged a gripping doubles contest, outlasting David Pel and Sander Arends 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) to give India a 2-1 lead. The match lasted nearly three hours and swung repeatedly before the home pair held their nerve in both tie-breaks. Sumit Nagal had a chance to close out the tie in the first reverse singles but could not capitalise. After taking the opening set, he went down 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 to world number 88 Jesper de Jong in a physically draining contest that stretched close to three hours. It was Nagal’s second loss of the tie, having also fallen in the opening singles. That left the responsibility squarely on Dhakshineswar, whom captain Rohit Rajpal had described as his “trump card”. Despite having already spent close to three hours on court earlier in the day in the doubles, Dhakshineswar showed no signs of fatigue as he walked out for the deciding rubber. His serve once again proved decisive. Dhakshineswar struck 15 aces and consistently dictated play behind his delivery. He earned the crucial break in the opening set in the seventh game when De Ouden committed back-to-back backhand errors. Although Dhakshineswar missed a set point in the ninth game, he regrouped immediately and sealed the set with an ace on his second chance. The second set was tighter. De Ouden fought hard to stay alive, saving a break point in the fifth game with a running forehand winner. Dhakshineswar broke again at 4-4 but then faced pressure while serving out the match, only to hold firm and force a tie-break. There, his composure and power stood out as he pulled away to close out the contest and complete a memorable win for the hosts. Earlier in the day, the doubles match had set the tone for India’s success. Rajpal’s bold decision to field Dhakshineswar in place of N Sriram Balaji for the high-stakes rubber proved inspired. The opening set was a test of patience. Bhambri’s serve came under sustained pressure, particularly in a long seventh game that featured multiple break points. Despite double faults and missed chances, the Indian pair survived, aided by Dhakshineswar’s sharp work at the net. Neither side could force a breakthrough, and the set went to a tie-break. There, the Indians suddenly surged ahead, racing to a 4-0 lead and closing it out without conceding a point, highlighted by a sharply angled passing winner from Dhakshineswar and a clean return winner from Bhambri. Momentum shifted in the second set as the Netherlands tightened up. Bhambri’s first-serve struggles returned, and the visitors secured a crucial break to level the match. The deciding set became a battle of endurance. India created several early opportunities, including a 0-40 opening on Pel’s serve, but failed to convert. Dhakshineswar then saved a break point in the next game, keeping India alive. More chances came and went before a turning point arrived when Arends took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his left hand. From that moment, his serve dipped, and the Indians finally seized control, closing out the match in the tie-break to put India within one win of victory. Dhakshineswar ensured there was no delay after that, delivering under pressure to script one of India’s most memorable Davis Cup wins in recent years.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy jogs onto the field at U.S. Bank Stadium ahead of kickoff, with the scene set on Sep. 14, 2025, as Minnesota prepared for its home matchup against Atlanta while pregame routines unfolded and anticipation built around the young quarterback’s role entering the contest. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
In perhaps days, possibly weeks, the Minnesota Vikings will reveal their main quarterback plan for 2026. Not long ago, we asked VikingsTerritory writers to predict the outcome of the offseason at quarterback; now, we’ve asked them to assume they are the general manager. You can read the predictions here.
Staff picks spotlight McCarthy up top, then rank the fallback QBs Minnesota should chase if the room shifts.
These are writers’ recommendations for the Vikings’ full QB room in 2026. The team could use free agency to add a veteran backup, make a trade, or hit the draft for another reset.
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QB Blueprint: Vikings Writers Make Their QB1 Picks for 2026
Our GM hats are on for the exercise.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy fires a deep pass during early scripted reps against Chicago at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the action unfolding on Nov. 16, 2025, as Minnesota assessed timing, pocket control, and decision-making within the opening series of the divisional matchup while testing protection and rhythm against a familiar NFC North opponent. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Steven Hoikkala’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Jimmy Garoppolo QB3: Zach Wilson
Honestly, this isn’t anyone’s ideal QB situation, but it is the QB room reality for 2026. There are not many feasible options for the Vikings this year worth investing in long-term, and they are not drafting high enough to get a premier rookie QB.
The club must find out what it has in J.J. McCarthy and if what we saw in weeks 14-16 of the 2025 season is a sign of what he could become, and continue to develop.
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Why Garoppolo? He is a system QB who ran the same offense the Vikings do. When he was in San Francisco and with the Niners, we saw that he was capable of doing it well.
McCarthy needs a veteran in the QB room to assist with his development, and Garoppolo isn’t going to cost us a 2nd-round pick like Davis Mills or Mac Jones might demand. Zach Wilson is a young upgrade over Max Brosmer, with upside, and isn’t the first castaway from the New York Jets the Vikings have seen develop after a change in coaching and scenery.
Janik Eckardt’s Recommendation
The inconsistent QB play, combined with injuries in the QB room, prevented the Vikings from ever entering the playoff race. This offseason, a better backup plan is needed.
Still, McCarthy should continue to have the chance to claim the starting spot, as an improved McCarthy is Minnesota’s best shot at making any noise in January over the next few years. However, the backup can’t just be unsolidified like last year. Kirk Cousins is familiar with the staff, the system, and the receivers, and he could provide solid play in case of continued struggles or injury.
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Then, the Vikings should draft a quarterback. They will enter April with three Day 2 picks, and one of them should be used to acquire Trinidad Chambliss out of Ole Miss. Chambliss displayed composure under pressure in the playoffs. He is a sweet athlete with a strong arm who could develop behind the scenes and become an intriguing option in the future.
Sean Borman’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Kirk Cousins QB3: Drew Allar
If I were GM, chances are J.J. McCarthy would have backed up Aaron Rodgers last year. I still think that is the move if you want to chase a Super Bowl with the current roster, but realistically, Rodgers won’t be available.
That’s where a reunion with Cousins makes sense for a number of reasons, especially if McCarthy begins the season as a starter with Cousins as his backup. Add Allar in the draft as insurance/future trade chip.
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Tony Schultz’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Kirk Cousins QB3: Max Brosmer
For me, you have to stick to your guns. While I understand we might not have all the information on whether Kwesi Adofo-Mensah forced the drafting of J.J. McCarthy or if it’s who O’Connell wanted at this stage, they can’t waiver. This is what fans wanted, and now you have to live through it. You have to keep developing him.
Yes, they still need to bring in a veteran, and Cousins should be the guy with veteran presence to teach and push McCarthy, and a fallback if he stumbles. I feel he knows his role now at his age and his proper asking price. Malik Willis would be another good addition as young competition, but he might not necessarily be an upgrade.
The third spot can be Brosmer at this point, as it should be a developmental player as the final piece. If they can get another vet there, it’s fine with Brosmer headed to the practice squad. It’s time to push through and see it to the end, no matter where that might be.
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Henrique Gucciardi’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Malik Willis QB3: Max Brosmer
KOC said he wanted a “competitive situation”, so someone better than Sam Howell will be coming in the offseason. If a big trade isn’t happening, Willis is the best option and will compete with McCarthy for the QB1 job. And I still like Brosmer as a developmental backup QB.
Ali Siddiqui’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Malik Willis QB3: Max Brosmer
It’s hard to see the Vikings giving up on McCarthy already. He could very likely start again, but he will be given more competition. If McCarthy struggles next season or can’t stay healthy, the Vikings will likely not start him in 2027. Willis has shown he can play from the start.
Recommendation is J.J. McCarthy at QB1/2, Justin Fields at QB1/2, and Carson Wentz at QB3 (with Max Brosmer on the PS at QB4). Doing so is a nice blend of youth and experience. In the correct environment, Fields could cook. So can McCarthy if he needs to compete for the top spot and stays healthy. That’s the recommendation. Trade for Fields and sign Wentz. Go from there.
Josh Frey’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Jimmy Garoppolo QB3: Drew Allar
If one thing is evident after 2025, the Vikings need to shore things up at the backup QB spot. Jimmy Garoppolo just spent a year with Sean McVay, Kevin O’Connell’s old stomping grounds, and he has had plenty of success as an NFL quarterback.
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Then, I would have the Vikings draft a QB3 with upside on Day 3 to develop into an eventual backup. Drew Allar struggled in 2025, but he is 6’4″ and 240 pounds, has great arm strength, and can read the field. He’s certainly not a starter at the NFL level right now, but it would be interesting to see what he can become after a couple of years of development.
Adam New’s Recommendation
QB1: J.J. McCarthy QB2: Mac Jones QB3: Carson Wentz
J.J. McCarthy gets the chance to keep his job with Mac Jones breathing down his neck. Prising Jones away from San Francisco won’t be easy, but a way needs to be found. Carson Wentz to round out the QB room.
Cole Smith’s Recommendation
QB1: Mac Jones QB2: J.J. McCarthy QB3: Max Brosmer
The Vikings are going to offer us a rather unspectacular transaction at quarterback. Mac Jones is the trade acquisition and subsequent QB1, followed by J.J. McCarthy at QB2, and Max Brosmer at QB3.
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Wes Johnson’s Recommendation
QB1: Kyler Murray QB2: Trinidad Chambliss QB3: Tyrod Taylor
The QB room gets completely revamped. If the rumblings from current Vikings in San Francisco for the Super Bowl are any indication, it sounds like J.J. McCarthy’s time in Minnesota might be done. A swap of QBs between ARI and MIN would make some sense. O’Connell has had an affinity for mobile QBs since the Anthony Richardson draft; he finally gets that here, adding a mobile rookie and vet to boot.
Dustin Baker’s Recommendation
QB1: Kyler Murray QB2: J.J. McCarthy QB3: Drew Allar
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray celebrates with fans after reaching the end zone at State Farm Stadium, with the moment occurring on Nov. 12, 2023, during the first half against Atlanta as Murray energized the crowd following a scoring play that showcased his mobility and playmaking ability. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports.
If the Vikings can grab Murray for a 3rd-Rounder or so, he’d feel free because Minnesota has a compensatory pick on the way for Sam Darnold’s free agent departure. Murray has similar quarterback efficiency to Justin Herbert, but people just don’t care, as he plays for a less-than-stellar organization, the Cardinals.
Let’s be clear: if I were personally the general manager, I would probably ride it out with McCarthy as QB1. He represents the best chance at the Vikings’ quarterback of the future, especially at age 23. But Kevin O’Connell has to win now, so the Murray recommendation is partnered with that reality. For a head coach — who might be the general manager this offseason — he probably can’t afford McCarthy to play poorly, with a pivot to a veteran like Cousins or Garoppolo. O’Connell needs to win a playoff game for full job security.
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And then, because I’m greedy, I’d spend a late-round pick on Allar, who was projected as a 1st- or 2nd-Rounder one year ago at this time.
Mack Hollins is known for always making a bizarre entrance on game day, and he definitely didn’t let us down on Sunday.
The Patriots receiver, who always goes barefoot when walking into a stadium, kept that tradition alive for Super Bowl LX, but he also added a slight twist to his entrance. For the big game, Hollins showed up wearing handcuffs and leg shackles.
Normally, I’d say that’s an homage to Hannibal Lecter, but this is Hollins we’re talking about, so it could just be something he had in his closet. That being said, there is a slight risk when it comes to wearing shackles to the stadium, because if you lose the keys to open them, then you’re kind of screwed.
The good news for Hollins is that he definitely didn’t lose the keys and we know that because he made it out on the field for warmups. The quirky Hollins didn’t wear his jersey during pregame warmups though, instead, he wore a throwback jersey.
That’s right, he wore Mike Vrabel’s high school jersey. The Patriots coach graduated from Walsh Jesuit in Ohio back in 1992, so that’s quite the throwback.
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Hollins, who’s in his first year with the Patriots, hasn’t put up big numbers this year, but he has made several key plays. As a matter of fact, he’s had at least one catch of 20 yards or more in seven different games, including the AFC Championship, when he caught a huge 31-yarder in New England’s 10-7 win over Denver. So don’t be surprised if he makes a big player or two against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
Our team over at SportsLine came up with a list of best bets for the Super Bowl and a prop from Hollins actually made the list. You can check that out here.
The Americans have defended their figure skating crown.
Team USA beat Japan to capture back-to-back gold medals in the figure skating team event at the Winter Olympics. Italy finished third to earn bronze, while Canada was unable to capture a medal after placing fifth.
Led by Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Alysa Liu, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, the U.S. earned 69 points, beating out Japan by a single point while Italy finished with 60 points and Canada had 54 points.
In the end, it all came down to the men’s free skate as Malinin pulled out his signature quad axel and landed a backflip on one leg. His program earned him 200.03 points, which provided the U.S. with the maximum 10 points, while Shun Sato of Japan had a 194.86 total score.
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Canadian rising star Stephen Gogolev finished fourth in the men’s program with a 171.93 total score.
Figure skating at the Olympics rolls on Monday with the start of the ice dance competition. The men’s singles event starts Feb. 10 with the short program and concludes on Feb. 13 with the free skate. The women’s singles opens Feb. 17 with the short program and wraps Feb. 19 with the free skate.
A farcical finish, but a fantastic win for Pep Guardiola. He had waited a decade to taste victory at a full Anfield. When he did, with a comeback for the ages, seemingly capped by a goal from the halfway line into an empty net, pernickety officiating injected an element of absurd with a decision that no one wanted or needed.
And yet the overall outcome was the same. As Liverpool led, it felt as though Arsenal were about to be anointed champions. “The whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” said Bernardo Silva. Instead, he helped revive it. Erling Haaland, policed well by Virgil van Dijk, enduring a frustrating afternoon, suddenly turned catalyst. A manager who had visited Anfield 10 previous times, winning only in lockdown, got the triumph that had always eluded him. “It is so difficult,” sighed Guardiola. “Anfield is Anfield: the tradition, the history, the crowd.”
His historic triumph had considerable consequences for Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai had shaped up as the match-winner and ended up sent off and suspended for Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland. Arne Slot beat Guardiola at home and away last season. Now there has been another reversal in fortunes – indeed City’s first league double over Liverpool since 1937 – and a second defeat in three league games left the Dutchman bemoaning misfortune. “So many times this year we haven’t got what I think we deserve and this is another time,” sighed Slot. “I am feeling anger and disappointment.”
An extraordinary end was a familiar one for a team who have conceded four injury-time winners this season. If, for much of the match, this seemed a pale imitation of some of the epic encounters between Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, the last half-hour brought drama to rival any. And, for Szoboszlai, a cruelty.
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Dominik Szoboszlai appeals for a foul after City find the net in added time (Reuters)
Craig Pawson sends off Szoboszlai at the end of City’s victory at Anfield (AFP/Getty)
It may be best to start at the end; with Alisson stranded in City territory, Rayan Cherki rolled the ball in from the centre circle. It was pursued by two scorers, former teammates and friends. Szoboszlai tugged Haaland back, then the Norwegian responded in kind to stop the Hungarian clearing off the line. And, as neither reached Cherki’s shot, City celebrated. A VAR check later, a needless intervention from Craig Pawson and, ludicrously, Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity even as the goal seemed to be scored. A free kick was instead awarded. “Just give the goal, don’t give a red card, simple as that,” said Haaland, speaking for many. Guardiola concurred. “Come on referee, give the goal and go home,” he said. “It is common sense.”
So City only won 2-1 and so Haaland had the status of the scorer of the decider. He assisted the equaliser, too, heading Cherki’s cross down behind Van Dijk for Silva to slide in and score. The City skipper had been an injury doubt: instead the man Guardiola called “the perfect captain” completed the game and started the fightback.
Haaland finished it; officially, anyway. He still has not scored a Premier League goal in open play since Christmas. It is a statistic that seems to matter rather less when he has an ice-cool penalty at Anfield to his name, earned when Silva chipped the ball forward and Matheus Nunes was upended by Alisson; it was not the last time the Liverpool goalkeeper was found in the wrong place. Haaland drilled in the spot kick. His celebration was first wild and then calm, in his trademark meditative pose. He had taken off his shirt, willingly collecting his booking. Like Guardiola, he had unhappy memories of Anfield to exorcise: his only previous goal here came in a Red Bull Salzburg side featuring Szoboszlai.
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Bernardo Silva races back to the halfway line after scoring for City (PA)
Erling Haaland converts from the penalty spot (Getty)
Cherki’s role in the victory should not be underestimated. A surprise omission, City missed his creativity. An inspired substitution, he helped turn the game. He might have joined Liverpool last summer, but they preferred to buy Florian Wirtz. Marc Guehi almost joined them on deadline day in September, was booed by the Anfield faithful and defended brilliantly. When he tugged back Mohamed Salah on the edge of the box, a caution seemed a price worth paying for pragmatism. Slot disagreed, more aggrieved by this decision than Szoboszlai’s sending off. “If you follow the rule book, it is a red card on Mo Salah,” he said. But Pawson was probably right there, Guehi was terrific and Liverpool got a glimpse of what they missed out on: of what they lost, too, as Haaland encouraged Pep Lijnders, Klopp’s long-term assistant and now Guardiola’s sidekick, to accept the City fans’ applause after the final whistle.
Meanwhile, Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose spot-kick saves had eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League last season, made a stunning save to deny Alexis Mac Allister a 98th-minute equaliser. “Out of this world,” said Haaland.
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When the Italian was beaten, it was in stunning, spectacular fashion. “What a strike,” said Guardiola. Szoboszlai produced a free kick that may have been even better than his winner against Arsenal, swerving in via the far post, leaving Donnarumma motionless. It seemed to leave City exiting the title race. Superior in the first half, without scoring, they were looking inferior in the second. But then it all changed in a fightback to anger Liverpool and annoy Arsenal. “Six points is still a lot,” counselled Guardiola. “All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal.” And that may leave Arsenal feeling uncomfortable.
German skier Emma Aicher won silver in a dramatic Olympic downhill race in Italy’s Cortina d’Ampezzo on Sunday, securing Germany’s first medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
However, celebrations on the podium were somewhat overshadowed after US star Lindsey Vonn suffered a fall and was taken to the hospital.
How did Germany win its first medal of the games?
Aicher finished second in the downhill, earning a silver for Germany.
The 22-year-old was beaten by just 0.04 seconds by US world champion Breezy Johnson, who clinched gold. Italy’s Sofia Goggia took bronze in front of a home crowd.
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The result marks Germany’s first individual Olympic skiing medal in 12 years.
Aicher told German broadcaster ZDF that the course had been aggressive over every jump, and that she had initially not been able to work out how good her performance had been.
“It just felt absolutely wild. Every jump kind of tore me apart,” she said. “To be honest, I didn’t think it would work out after the run.”
After learning about the medal, Aicher at first expressed frustration at narrowly missing gold before realizing the scale of her achievement.
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“Emma is already a true star on the Olympic stage,” said German Olympic Sports Confederation President Thomas Weikert.
Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital after the accident that had left her screaming in painImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance
Aicher has long been regarded as a leading future prospect in German alpine skiing.
She first emerged on the global stage five years ago at the World Championships in Cortina, contributing to a team bronze.
How bad was Vonn’s fall?
Vonn’s big dream of a second Olympic gold after 16 years ended after just 13 seconds. The 41-year-old, who had torn a left knee ligament nine days earlier, was thrown off at the first tricky bump, somersaulted, and lay screaming in the snow with her legs twisted.
Rescue services evacuated her by helicopter using a winch.
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“My heart goes out to her, I hope it is not as bad as it looks,” US teammate Johnson said.
Aicher also expressed her concern. “I immediately looked away; I hope it’s nothing serious,” she said.
Long, straight drives only happen when you catch the ball on the sweet spot and swing slightly in-to-out as you approach impact. Problem is, most rec players swing slightly (or extremely) out-to-in (as in, left of the target).
A visual aid can help.
Set up a yoga block (or any soft brick-shaped object) about one inch outside the ball after you’ve teed up. Use the block as a guide to steer your club on the correct downswing path.
If you tend to swing too steep or cut across the ball, you’ll hit the block — not good. Make some slow-motion practice swings to start, missing the block every time, then go after it at full speed.
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When you consistently miss the block, you’ll find your drives soaring farther while avoiding slices and pop-ups. It’s an easy drill but it works like a charm every time.
Cheryl Anderson is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who coaches at Heathrow Legacy Club in Lake Mary, Fla.
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President Donald Trump expressed support for Bill Belichick after the NFL legend was blocked from entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot earlier in the week.
Trump brushed off a “controversial” couple of years Belichick may have had, with his personal life spilling out into the spotlight. Still, Trump said during his interview with NBC News that the former New England Patriots head coach should have been a shoo-in.
Bill Belichick watches the Miami Hurricanes play the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, 2026.(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
“I thought it was terrible. He’s won so much,” he said. “He’s won so many Super Bowls. (He) became a little bit controversial, I guess, after that, his little period after that. During it, he was just a great coach. I thought it was very inappropriate.”
“He’s had a little bit of a controversial year-and-a-half, two years, maybe, but what difference does that make? He should be in there right at the top,” the president added.
Trump didn’t mention anything specific. But Belichick’s love life with Jordon Hudson was thrust into the national spotlight as he got to work as the North Carolina Tar Heels’ head coach. The tipping point came during Belichick’s interview with CBS and Hudson shutting down a question about how they met.
Hudson’s presence with the Tar Heels raised eyebrows before the season started. The Tar Heels were 4-8 in Belichick’s first year as head coach.
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As rumors that Belichick was going to be left out first surfaced, the president weighed in with criticism against the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
President Donald Trump arrives to speak about the economy at a rally Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in Clive, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo)
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!” he wrote on Truth Social, touching on the league’s dynamic kickoff rules.
Belichick, who is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, was 302-165 in his career as a head coach between the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns. He won six titles with Tom Brady as the head coach of the Patriots before he mutually parted ways with the franchise after the 2023 season.
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He served as a defensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants from 1979-1991. The team won two Super Bowls in that time.
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA football game against Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Nell Redmond/AP)
Belichick’s Patriots’ career wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows either. He was caught up in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time, which may have been a reason why some voters didn’t elect him.
