If Sesko broke Everton’s hearts at one end of the field, another summer recruit, Senne Lammens, did it at the other.
The Belgian goalkeeper kept out a blockbuster strike from Michael Keane, which Moyes felt sure was going in, then dealt superbly with a series of corners dropped under his crossbar as Everton literally tried to force an equaliser.
“Their goalie was brilliant tonight,” was Moyes’ blunt reaction.
“The save he made from Michael, the way he dealt with corner kicks. The pressure we had. For me, their goalkeeper was the best player.”
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Carrick is the one who benefits though, just as he is benefiting from the decision of United’s recruitment department to block Amorim’s calls to bring in Emi Martinez from Aston Villa on summer transfer deadline day and instead place their faith in a relatively young £18.1m goalkeeper with just one full season of senior football in Belgium behind him.
Lammens is 23. Sesko is 22. United might not quite be winning trophies with kids, but they have a young generation that is beginning to blossom.
It was brought to Carrick’s attention after the Everton game that his former United team-mate and all-time great goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was analysing the game on TV with Carragher.
Carrick skilfully navigated the question of whether there are comparisons to be drawn between the two men.
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“I’ve got to be careful what I say,” he said.
“I don’t want to be comparing them because I don’t think it’s fair to Senne. But there’s definitely similarities.
“You want a goalkeeper to be reliable and trustworthy. Instead of creating a chaos, you want him to take the chaos away and calm things down. I think Senne is that.
“He’s quite quiet at times and unassuming, but he’s got real steel. It’s a big role for some, and it’s about being comfortable in your environment.
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“Sometimes it takes time, sometimes not, but he has that calmness and composure. It helps those in front of him an awful lot.”
At the start of the season, United’s stated aim was to get back into Europe.
Even internally, it was felt reaching the Europa League was the most realistic target, and financial estimates were created around that.
However, in the wake of Amorim’s exit, director of football Jason Wilcox spoke to the players about reaching the Champions League.
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The difference in status and finance is huge.
United have now gone 10 consecutive Premier League games without defeat for the first time since a run of 14 between January and May 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
From their current position, with no European distractions, which is something Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool all have, it would be a major disappointment for them if United were not to seal a return to European football’s top table.
“Manchester United are now virtually guarantees for one of the Champions League places,” said Carragher. “I can’t see them not making it.”
NEW DELHI: Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred debate at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after urging Pakistan to make a bold selection call ahead of their must-win Super 8 clash against England in Pallekele on Tuesday. Taking to social media, Ashwin advised Pakistan to promote Fakhar Zaman to the middle order if they are serious about staying alive in the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“If Pakistan are serious about this World Cup campaign, they need to think about giving Fakhar Zaman a go in the middle order,” Ashwin wrote on X. He emphasised Fakhar’s ability to counter England’s spin threat, particularly leg-spinner Adil Rashid and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.
T20 World Cup: Sahibzada Farman press conference ahead of Pakistan vs England
“He can sweep and use his feet against Rashid and Dawson to inflict some serious damage through the middle overs. This was Nepal’s success formulae against Rashid and there are some key learning’s that the other teams can try to imbibe. Access the square boundaries to earn balls in the step hit zone,” Ashwin added.Ashwin pointed to Nepal’s success against Rashid, even sharing a wagon wheel graphic to illustrate how accessing square boundaries and using footwork disrupted England’s control in the middle overs.The suggestion comes as spin is expected to dominate at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, where slowing surfaces have already influenced results. England’s spinners, supported by pacer Jofra Archer, played a decisive role in their commanding win over Sri Lanka, while their batting has found unlikely heroes.Despite inconsistent performances from senior players like Jos Buttler, England have continued to win, with captain Harry Brook backing his experienced core to deliver soon. Opener Phil Salt has also rediscovered form at a crucial time.Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, face a far more precarious situation. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them with little margin for error. While their spin attack offers variety, their batting has struggled for consistency beyond leading scorer Sahibzada Farhan.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation, led by Fouzi Lekjaa, has opened talks with former FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández to become the new head coach of the Atlas Lions.
Morocco and Walid Regragui parted ways last week after the national team failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil. The team went into the tournament with high hopes but could not secure the continental title.
People close to the federation say negotiations with Xavi are moving forward, with the former Spain midfielder viewed as a top choice to lead the team into a new phase.
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If both parties reach an agreement, Xavi is expected to guide Morocco to the next FIFA World Cup in the summer. The federation wants to build on the country’s recent progress in world football and keep Morocco among the strong teams on the global stage.
Great Britain’s Menna Fitzpatrick will compete in the Winter Paralympics, almost three months after suffering a significant knee injury.
Para-alpine skier Fitzpatrick, Britain’s most decorated Winter Paralympian with six medals, sustained the injury in training in December but opted against surgery in a bid to compete at the Milan-Cortina Games, which start on 6 March.
The 27-year-old and her guide, Katie Guest, are among the second wave of athletes named in the GB team., external
Fred Warburton and guide James Hannan, Sam Cozens and guide Adam Hall, Hester Poole and guide Ali Hall, and Dominic Allen also make the Para-alpine team.
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Snowboarder Davy Zyw has been included and is thought to be the first snowsport athlete with motor neurone disease (MND) to compete at the Games.
In doing so, the 27-year-old became a three-division world champion and cemented himself as a top 10 pound-for-pound star, with many considering him the flagship fighter at 147lbs.
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But despite having only just made his mark on the welterweight division, Haney must now turn his attention towards a selection of fearsome rivals.
Top of his list, according to Bill, is Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who was stripped of his WBA lightweight title last month following a series of domestic violence charges. Even if the controversial Davis returns to the sport, he would face a big size disadvantage against Haney.
Elsewhere on the list is WBO super-lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, yet the four-division world champion has said he would only fight Haney at a catchweight of 144lbs, or at welterweight with a 10lbs rehydration clause.
Even so, it appears the American has afforded himself plenty of alternative options, with Bill Haney revealing several of them to ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT.
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“I think ‘Tank’ is at the top of [Devin’s list], maybe Shakur is next.
“Jaron Ennis; Conor Benn might be on there towards the bottom. I think Ryan Garcia is No.10; Brian Norman was on there.
“Keyshawn Davis is on there too. He can get it too.”
With Ennis campaigning at 154lbs and aiming for his own intriguing contest with Vergil Ortiz Jr before targeting belts, Haney is unlikely to deliver on that particular fight just yet.
Potential bouts with Garcia, Keyshawn Davis and Benn, however, could soon become far more realistic, especially now that Garcia offers a unification as well as a storyline from their first controversial encounter.
Mar 22, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Rebeka Masarova (SUI) hits a forehand against Danielle Collins (USA)(not pictured) on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova overpowered third-seeded Xinyu Wang of China 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the ATX Open on Monday in Austin, Texas.
Masarova won 85.7% of her first-serve points (30 of 35) and saved four of the five break points she faced. She avenged a loss to Wang three weeks ago in the second round at Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The only other seeded player in action on Monday, No. 7 Anna Bondar of Hungary, lost to Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-5.
In a matchup of U.S. qualifiers, Whitney Osuigwe rallied past Elizabeth Mandlik 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
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Taylor Townsend of the United States edged the Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, but two other U.S. players lost. Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova beat Katie Volynets 6-4, 7-5, and Russia’s Oksana Selekhmeteva defeated Alycia Parks 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Merida Open Akron
Marina Stakusic, a 21-year-old Canadian ranked 142nd in the world, upset fifth-seeded Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3 in the first round at Merida, Mexico.
The result was the first tour-level win for Stakusic this year. She fell in the first round at Canberra, Australian, then qualified for the Australian Open before losing in the first round at Melbourne. Stakusic was aided on Monday by Yastremska’s six double faults.
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Great Britain’s Katie Boulter and Colombia’s Emiliana Arango earned straight-set wins, while Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva eked out a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.
Dynasty ranking changes from January to February are generally pretty minimal. They are mostly influenced by the smattering of news we get and my first run at 2026 Fantasy Football projections. This year, at quarterback, the changes in the rankings are almost completely nonexistent. Just don’t get used to this static situation because before I release my March rankings, there are at least eight quarterbacks who could change uniforms and their Dynasty outlook radically altered.
My way-too-early 2026 quarterback projections are here.
The first two obvious names are Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa. Both of their respective teams have new coaches and have expressed at least some interest in moving on from their very expensive quarterbacks. The risk of them not finding starting jobs has already been factored in to some degree, but it could be worse. For either of these quarterbacks, if their situations are unresolved a month from now, I will be more nervous. At the same time, if they find a new home as a starter in March, they could be risers. I am more optimistic both about Murray’s chances of finding a starting job and his Fantasy upside if he does, which is why he is ranked considerably higher than Tagovailoa.
Earlier in February, I had Jay Felicio from QB List on Fantasy Football Today Dynasty to discuss the state of the quarterback position. Check it out:
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The free agent I am most interested in monitoring in the next month is Malik Willis. From my view, those two teams we just talked about, the Dolphins and the Cardinals, are the two most likely to give Willis a starter’s contract in 2026. The path to him being a riser in the next month is if Willis receives a contract that offers him more long-term security than what Justin Fields received last year. These two coaching staffs have close connections to the Packers, so if anyone is willing to take that risk, it should be them. Over the past two seasons, Willis has thrown 89 passes and averaged 10.9 yards per attempt with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. Combine that with his rushing upside, and if Willis gets a three-year deal, he could vault into the top 20 in the rankings below.
Other quarterbacks who could see the biggest gains or losses in the next month are Jacoby Brissett, Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones, and Geno Smith. Of course, we have no reason to expect Rodgers to make a decision that fast, and we’ll have to wait until August at least to see how Jones’ rehab is coming. One thing is for sure: We should expect far more changes in the Dynasty QB rankings next month than we got this month. We may even get to add Derek Carr back in if he decides to return to the NFL.
I don’t rank rookies until they are drafted, but I have already started to think about where I will put them. Assuming Fernando Mendoza is taken first overall by the Raiders, I anticipate he will rank somewhere between QB15 and QB18 in the rankings below. I would be surprised if any other rookie cracks the top 25.
The World No. 4 German is the top seed in Acapulco, and the ATP 500 hardcourt event will mark his first competitive outing since his heartbreaking loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Zverev finished as the runner-up in Acapulco back in 2019, but two years later, managed to win the title by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
Moutet, the World No. 35 from France, like Zverev, was beaten by Alcaraz in Melbourne. The crafty Frenchman then took a short break before featuring in ATP Tour-level action once more at the recently-concluded Delray Beach Open. Here, eventual runner-up Tommy Paul dashed his hopes in the very first round.
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Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet head-to-head
Moutet in action at the 2026 Delray Beach Open (Source: Getty)
Zverev and Moutet have locked horns twice in the past and on both occasions, the German has come out on top. Their first meeting, at the ATP 250 tournament in Stuttgart last year, resulted in a straight-set win for Zverev. However, their second clash, at last year’s China Open, went the distance, with the German ultimately downing the Frenchman 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet odds
Player Name
Moneyline
Handicap Bets
Total Games
Alexander Zverev
-500
-4.5 (+105)
Over 21.5 (-125)
Corentin Moutet
+340
+4.5 (-150)
Under 21.5 (-115)
(Odds via BetMGM)
Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet prediction
Zverev is a heavy favorite to defeat Corentin Moutet in their upcoming first-round match at the 2026 Mexican Open. The German, the 2021 champion in Acapulco, has started 2026 strongly, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and boasting a 5-1 record in his recent matches.
Conversely, Moutet has struggled with form, losing four of his last six matches, and has never defeated the German. Zverev’s superior power, consistent serving, and experience on the hard courts of Mexico make him far too strong for the Frenchman.
While Moutet is talented, he is unlikely to break through Zverev’s defense. Expect a dominant performance from Zverev, cruising to a straight-sets victory.. The match should confirm Zverev’s status as a top contender for the 2026 Acapulco title.
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Pick: Zverev to win in straight sets.
Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet betting tips
Tip 1: An upset is possible given Zverev’s return from a break, making ‘Corentin Moutet +4.5 Games’ a potential alternative for those expecting a closer contest than the straight-set prediction.
Feb 23, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) grabs a defensive rebound against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Jabari Smith Jr. scored a game-high 31 points, Kevin Durant and Tari Eason chipped in double-doubles and the Houston Rockets rolled to a 125-105 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Monday.
Smith shot 12 of 17, drilled six 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds to ignite the Rockets, who won for the fourth time in six games. Durant paired 18 points with a season-high 12 assists while Eason logged 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Amen Thompson added 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds for the Rockets, who dominated the glass with a plus-16 margin.
Houston’s Alperen Sengun flirted with a triple-double (16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists). Reed Sheppard tallied 15 points on five 3-pointers off the bench.
Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points but missed 9 of 10 from behind the arc for the Jazz, who played without Keyonte George (ankle), their second-leading scorer. Brice Sensabaugh posted 26 points and four treys as Utah took its third loss in a row.
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Behind Smith, the Rockets erased an early turnover-fueled deficit with a hail of 3-pointers. Utah, courtesy of its full-court pressure, seized a quick 9-6 lead before Smith caught fire. Smith scored 14 first-quarter points on four 3-pointers and a fastbreak dunk, and Houston carried a 38-22 lead into the second period after drilling 8 of 13 from behind the arc.
Durant, who nailed a 3-pointer just before the period expired, and Sheppard hit two 3-pointers each in the first.
The Rockets missed all three of their 3-point tries in the second but countered with a whopping 26 points in the paint. The Jazz opened the second with a 13-2 blitz that shaved the deficit to 40-35, only for the Rockets to respond with a flurry of transition baskets.
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Durant was the catalyst of the fastbreak attack. He recorded six assists in the second quarter, and Houston scored 14 fastbreak points in the period. Thompson sank a floater in the lane off a Sengun screen for a 58-37 lead with 3:58 to go in the second, and Houston took a 68-47 lead into halftime.
Smith gave the Rockets an 86-56 advantage on a fadeaway jumper with 5:22 left in the third quarter.
Houston eventually led by as many as 33 points. On the plus side for the Jazz, they converted 27 Rockets turnovers into 34 points.
North Carolina passed a significant test without star forward Caleb Wilson on Monday night, as the No. 18 Tar Heels toppled No. 24 Louisville 77-74. The win improved the Tar Heels (22-6, 10-5 ACC) to 3-1 since Wilson suffered a fractured hand in a Feb. 10 loss at Miami.
Between the uncertainty around Wilson’s potential return and a subsequent injury to starting center Henri Veesaar, UNC’s trajectory seemed uncertain less than a week ago. Those concerns were laid bare in blowout loss at NC State on Feb. 17.
But Veessar’s return in Saturday’s win at Syracuse, Monday night’s victory over a quality ACC foe and Wilson’s apparent progression have steadied the waters in Chapel Hill. North Carolina hopes to have Wilson back for its regular-season finale against Duke on March 7, ESPN reported during the broadcast of the game .
The Tar Heels are squarely in the hunt for a double-bye at the ACC Tournament and expected to remain a No. 6 seed in CBS Sports Bracketology on Tuesday following their sixth Quad 1 win.
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Seth Trimble paced North Carolina with a career-high 30 points as UNC kept Louisville at arm’s length for most of the second half. The Cardinals closed within a possession on two occasions in the final minute, but a pair of Trimble free throws with nine seconds left helped UNC escape.
In his second game back since a two-game absence due to a lower-extremity Veesaar added 12 points for North Carolina. Mikel Brown Jr. paced Louisville (20-8, 9-6) with 24 points for the Cardinals.
Games against Virginia Tech and Clemson still await before Wilson’s expected return. But the light is now at the end of the tunnel, and the Tar Heels are proving they can manage without their leading scorer and rebounder. Wilson, who is a potential top-five pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, averages 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 blocks.
In his absence, UNC has leaned more on junior forward Jarin Stevenson and Montenegrin import Luka Bogavac. Both carried their weight against Louisville by combining for 21 points on 4 of 9 shooting from 3-point range.
Seth Trimble’s star gear
While having Veesaar back and getting Wilson healthy are pivotal for North Carolina’s aspirations, UNC’s ceiling may ultimately be determined by the sort of guard play it gets in March. Trimble showed he can put UNC on his back, if needed, by turning in the best offensive game of his four-year Tar Heels career.
His steal and breakaway dunk at the 13:38 mark gave North Carolina its biggest lead at 56-40. Trimble outplayed Louisville’s formidable star tandem of Brown and Ryan Conwell, which was an accomplishment considering those two combined for 47 points. Once Wilson is back, less will be required of Trimble offensively. But this game was a reminder of his capabilities and could be a confidence booster for the team’s third-leading scorer.
Jack Draper recorded his first tour-level win in 182 days as he defeated French qualifier Quentin Halys in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships, while unveiling a new buzz cut.
He made his comeback in the Davis Cup last week as Great Britain defeated Norway, but Draper’s victory in Dubai was his first on the ATP since the US Open in August, where he withdraw after beating Federico Agustin Gomez in the first round.
Draper, who remains ranked 15th in the world despite his long absence, required one hour and 39 minutes to defeat the 68th-ranked Halys 7-6 (10-8), 6-3.
The 23-year-old was forced to save two set points in the first-set tiebreaker, before finding the only break of serve of the match midway through the second set.
“It feels so good, honestly. To be out here, to be competing in front of people. I’ve been craving the feeling of competing for, for a very long time,” Draper said.
“It just felt normal. It felt like, I was coming back to doing what I love, which is, which is being out here competing and having that adrenaline winning and losing points.
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(REUTERS)
“A lot of people have helped me to get back to this position after a lot of down moments in the last eight months. It’s really not been easy to be back here, that’s something I can be really proud of and long may it continue.”
Draper said he had been hitting a “sh*tload” of serves over the past eight months and has looked to change part of his service motion since he started working with new coach Jamie Delgado.
“It’s more serving than I’ve ever done in the past because I’ve had to get my arm back to being 100 per cent and that takes time.”
He will face either Fabian Marozsan or Arthur Rinderknech in the second round.
