FILE- Big man Veejay Pre reacts during a game against UST in UAAP Season 87.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The University of the Philippines finally gets to parade crack center Veejay Pre in the upcoming UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.

After serving his residency last year, Pre will be making his much-awaited debut for the Fighting Maroons, looking to pick up where he left off following a promising one-and-done stint with Far Eastern University.

READ: La Salle and UP still UAAP teams to beat, but UST wants chance

UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon is confident Pre will make instant impact for the Maroons, who finished second to La Salle last season.

“Veejay has been in the UAAP for the longest time since he was in high school and when he came in with us, he had a year to adjust,” Luanzon said.

“He’s hardworking, he always has an open mind, not just with his coaches but also with his teammates.”

In his only season in Morayta, where he was named UAAP Rookie of the Year averaging 13.2 and 7 rebounds, Pre established himself as the future not just in the UAAP but Philippine basketball in general.

He then transferred to Diliman, where he will be a key piece of UP’s title redemption bid.

“Whenever someone new enters the team, we impart our culture to them so there’s always an adjustment.”

“But, even as an established player of the league, having won Rookie of the Year before, he listens to advice. He’s always all ears and looking for room to grow.”

Pre makes his UP debut on Sunday against University of Santo Tomas to cap off an opening tripleheader at Araneta Coliseum.

Former India head coach Rahul Dravid recently faced a tough challenge when he was asked to pick the greatest international captain in cricket history. Dravid enjoyed an illustrious playing career, featuring in 509 matches and scoring 24,208 runs across all three formats. He later guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title as head coach. When asked to choose the best international skipper, Dravid ultimately picked the legendary MS Dhoni over several iconic captains. Notably, India won three ICC titles under Dhoni’s leadership.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Dravid took part in a rapid-fire challenge where he had to choose between two captains at a time. The contest began with the former India batter selecting Australia veteran Steve Smith over Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson, Arjuna Ranatunga, Graeme Smith, Stephen Fleming, Michael Clarke, Eoin Morgan, and Pat Cummins.

Rahul Dravid’s top international captain is _________ pic.twitter.com/hmaf2Zsz7K

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— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) September 12, 2026

His decision to pick Smith over Cummins came as a surprise, considering Cummins led Australia to both the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup titles in 2023.

As the challenge progressed, Dravid finally opted against Smith when he was pitted against Australia’s legendary captain Ricky Ponting. The competition intensified as Ponting got past Allan Border before losing to Steve Waugh. Dravid then chose Virat Kohli ahead of Waugh, but the former India captain was subsequently edged out by ex-Pakistan skipper Imran Khan.

The most anticipated matchup came when Imran went up against MS Dhoni, with Dravid choosing the Indian great. In the final stage of the challenge, Dhoni faced West Indies legend Clive Lloyd, and Dravid named the former India captain as the ultimate winner.

Dhoni captained India in white-ball cricket from 2007 to 2017 and led the Test side from 2008 to 2014. Under his leadership, India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

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Chris Eubank Jr. has spoken out ahead of rival Conor Benn’s first world title challenge tonight in Las Vegas, where he will attempt to dethrone Ryan Garcia to win the WBC belt.

Benn has dropped back down to welterweight for the first time since 2022 to face Garcia, having fought as high as middleweight in the time since.

Both of those 160lbs contest came against ‘born rival’ Eubank. After initially signing a contract to face at a catchweight of 157lbs, Benn failed two doping tests and was cast aside for some time.

When he was cleared to fight in 2025, both Eubank fights took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Benn jumping up to 160 while Eubank faced a rehydration clause of 10lbs.

Eubank won the first contest – fight of the year in the eyes of many – via unanimous decision, and Benn reversed the result in the return leg to get revenge. Shortly after, the 29-year-old was named mandatory challenger for the WBC welterweight title despite his absence from the weight class.

Though many rivalries turn friendly after fights, it is perhaps unsurprising, given just how bitter the pair were, that Eubank Jr. has sent a message of support to Garcia just hours before the fight.

Get the job done kid. pic.twitter.com/NYGdDgkgws

— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) September 12, 2026

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Garcia steps through the ropes a favourite to retain his belt against the Brit, hoping to put in a disciplined Mario Barrios-esque performance and avoid any slip-ups similar to that of his first fight in the division – a defeat to Rolando Romero.

As for Benn, he looks to score his first stoppage since a 2022 blowout of Chris Van Heerden. Whether or not the Brit can pull off the upset will be revealed tonight in Las Vegas.

Unlike Eubank, he benefits from no rehydration clause in the contest. Having tipped the scales at 146lbs, he has already rehydrated considerably ahead of fight night.

Saturday’s Noche UFC card at Desert Diamond Arena has seen unusually active betting throughout the week, and the sharpest move on the board doesn’t belong to the main event, it belongs to a featherweight opener.

Sean King’s fight with Jessie Rosas has swung the most of any bout on the card, while the flyweight co-main event has actually flipped favorites entirely, giving bettors two very different storylines to chase into fight night.

King-Rosas and the Co-Main Flip Lead the Board

Sean King opened as a modest -125 favorite over Jessie Rosas, but that number has been bet up hard to as high as -205, representing the single largest line shift of the entire card. That kind of movement on a prelim bout usually signals sharp money has identified a clear stylistic or conditioning edge, and in this case it likely reflects growing confidence in King’s unbeaten record and finishing instincts against a Rosas camp still adjusting after a late replacement opponent swap earlier this fall.

Nearly as notable is the complete reversal in the Brandon Moreno-Joseph Morales flyweight bout. Early-opening books actually had the two-time former flyweight champion Moreno favored, but DraftKings opened Morales as a -115 favorite and the number has continued drifting his way, with Moreno now sitting in slight underdog territory around -102 to +102 depending on the book. That’s a striking statement from the market on a former champion, suggesting bettors see Moreno’s recent form and age curve as a legitimate vulnerability against a hungry, undefeated-at-the-highest-level challenger like Morales.

Martinez-Ige and Tarin-Aldrich Show Steady Favorite Growth

Two other fights have shown consistent, one-directional growth toward their favorites rather than a single dramatic swing. David Martinez opened at -325 against Dan Ige and has since strengthened to roughly -400, reflecting the market’s respect for Martinez’s younger legs and volume against a veteran in Ige who has increasingly struggled to close shows at the highest level of bantamweight.

Regina Tarin’s price against JJ Aldrich has moved similarly, tightening from -230 to -270, continuing a trend of sharps backing the unbeaten Mexican prospect fighting on a card built around Hispanic Heritage Month and a partisan Glendale crowd. Manon Fiorot’s number against Alexa Grasso has also crept from -215 to -245, a move that lines up with Fiorot’s status as the reigning number-two ranked flyweight facing a former champion who has dealt with extended layoffs and personal circumstances since her title reign ended.

Main Event Reshaped by a Late Opponent Change

It’s worth noting the featherweight headliner itself has an unusual backstory behind its number. The bout was originally supposed to pit Yair Rodriguez against Jean Silva, but Rodriguez was pulled from the card and replaced by late-notice opponent Jose Miguel Delgado, fighting in his

home state of Arizona. That swap explains why Silva’s price has ballooned to as steep as -425, since Delgado, while a credible, hometown-supported replacement, lacks the ranked pedigree and finishing resume of the originally booked Rodriguez. For bettors, that context matters: this isn’t really “line movement” in the traditional sharp-money sense so much as a market repricing an entirely different fight than the one first advertised.

Arsenal’s perfect start to the season continued in the Champions League thanks to Martin Odegaard’s sudden rush of goals.

Odegaard struck with a powerful left-foot shot in the 75th minute to secure a 1-0 win at Napoli that should have been more decisive.

“I didn’t even see it go in,” Odegaard acknowledged, adding that with Napoli defending deep “at some point it made sense to shoot from outside the box.” The fit-again captain now has four goals in Arsenal’s first five games of the campaign – including the Community Shield – having scored just once in all of last season.

Odegaard was often not fully fit despite playing in parts of 36 games as Arsenal won a first Premier League title in 22 years and missed out on a first Champions League title only in a penalty shootout to Paris Saint-Germain after a 1-1 draw. He lasted just 66 minutes of that final in Budapest.

The difference a healthy and fully influential Odegaard can make was clear from a complete performance in Naples by the 27-year-old Norwegian.

On Wednesday, he looked like the World Cup version of himself. As Norway captain he provided four assists in a run to the quarterfinals in July, and banged the drum in memorable post-game celebrations leading fans in their Viking-style rowing and chants.

Odegaard’s game at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium was capped by firing a fierce left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area past goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic who could only tip the ball to the inside of his right-hand post.

Arsenal needed it on a night where it had 26 attempts on goal – a club record for an away game in the Champions League. The barrage included a bad miss by Bukayo Saka in the first half and Mikel Merino’s close range header that was aimed too close to Napoli’s starting goalkeeper Alex Meret, who was replaced at halftime because of a thigh injury.

“We played brilliant football and should have scored many more goals, but we got there in the end,” Odegaard said.

Arsenal was the only Champions League team to win all eight main-phase games last season and will be favored to add another victory when it hosts Lille on Oct. 13.

There aren’t many better ways to get ready for a major college football tilt than a live show before the game. 

Ahead of Michigan hosting No. 11 Oklahoma this Saturday, FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt hosted a live showing of “The Joel Klatt Show” in Ann Arbor.

The third-ever live “Joel Klatt Show” sold out The Circ Bar and featured guest stars like a national title-winning head coach and Klatt’s “Big Noon Kickoff” colleagues.

Klatt hosted guests including former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft and “Big Noon Kickoff’s” Dave Portnoy. Klatt and co. discussed everything from the 24-team playoff to expectations for Michigan against Oklahoma and even put them in the spotlight with a lie-detector test. 

Here are the best moments from “The Joel Klatt Show” live in Ann Arbor:

Dave Portnoy Reveals His All-Time Michigan Team

It’s no secret that Portnoy is a passionate Michigan football fan, portraying his fandom constantly on-air and on social media.

On Klatt’s live show, Portnoy revealed his all-time Michigan team with his top-five Wolverine players of all time. To name a few, Portnoy included players from the Wolverines’ recent national title win in 2023, like quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and their 1997 national title team with Heisman winner Charles Woodson.  

Portnoy’s all-time Michigan team:

Quarterback: J.J. McCarthy

Wide receivers: Desmond Howard, Anthony Carter

Running back: Tim Biakabutuka

Defense: Charles Woodson

Portnoy Wanted WHO Gone?

Following his all-time Michigan team, Portnoy shared his thoughts on former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who led the Wolverines to a national title in 2024. 

Harbaugh finished his coaching tenure at Michigan with an 86-25 overall record, a 60-17 record in conference play and three consecutive Big Ten Championships from 2021-23. Harbaugh’s final year saw a Big Ten title, an undefeated 15-0 record and a national title win. 

Despite the success, Portnoy’s thoughts on Harbaugh did not change. 

“Once McCarthy came in, everything changed. Hand up, I wanted Harbaugh gone,” Portnoy said. “It was every year we were getting drummed. I bet there are a lot of silent Michigan fans out there that are like, ‘Yeah, maybe we thought it was time for a change.’ There were some down years.”

Bob Stoops Joins, Weighs In On 24-Team Playoff

Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops joined Klatt and Portnoy on stage and weighed in on current topics surrounding the college football landscape.

Stoops was head coach of the Sooners from 1999-2016 and compiled a 191-48 overall record, two Big 12 titles and a BCS National Championship in 2000.

In particular, Stoops shared his thoughts on the possible College Football Playoff expansion to 24 teams. 

“I’ve been a proponent of less playoff games, but these games are going to go away. So then that would be the reason to keep the 24 teams in the playoff,” Stoops said. “Because now you can come up to Michigan, things don’t go the right way, you can still recover from it.” 

Portnoy, Klatt Take Polygraph Test

If you’ve seen Zlatan’s infamous Polygraph test during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, get ready for Klatt and Portnoy to have their turn. 

Klatt went first, and was asked about everything from his Big Noon Kickoff colleagues and the success at his alma mater, Colorado. However, one answer regarding Saturday’s matchup stood out. 

When Portnoy asked Klatt about his stance on Michigan beating the No. 11 Sooners, his answer was simple and true. 

“Do you think Michigan can actually win [on] Saturday?” Portnoy asked. 

“Yes,” Klatt said confidently. 

When it was time for Portnoy to take the test, the focus was not so much on his Wolverines’ upcoming matchup. Portnoy was instantly asked by Taft how his last weekend went when Rutgers was upset by UMass in Week 1. 

The World No. 2 Elena Rybakina knows exactly what she needs to do if she is to deny World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka a historic third consecutive US Open title. Rybakina, who will face top seed and two-time defending champion Sabalenka in the US Open 2026 women’s singles final, says she will look to stay aggressive, take control of the rallies and prevent her opponent from dictating play. Speaking in an interview shared by JioStar ahead of the Women’s Singles final, Rybakina said: “I guess the same spirit. I need to fight no matter how I’m going to feel on that day and give my best. We know each other pretty well and have played so many times against each other. Yeah, just try to stay aggressive in important moments, not wait for her to dictate the point, and try to stay on top of the rallies.”

The final at Arthur Ashe Stadium will take place on Sunday, September 13, at 1:30 AM, with action live on JioHotstar and Star Sports. It will be the 18th meeting between the two players, with Sabalenka currently leading their head-to-head 10-7. It is also the first US Open women’s singles final between the top two seeds in 13 years.

Sabalenka will be chasing her fifth major and a third straight US Open crown.

Rybakina booked her place in the final with a comeback victory over 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, recovering from a set down to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The road to the final, however, has not been straightforward for Rybakina. The 27-year-old revealed that she was uncertain whether she would even be able to compete in New York because of concerns over her foot.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I was going to be able to even play this tournament. In the first few matches, I was thinking about my foot and how it was actually going to react. I was not that comfortable playing the first few matches. Then, slowly, my focus moved towards what I was doing wrong on the court and what I needed to improve. So yeah, slowly I found my way. There were also some very difficult opponents and great matches. I feel like something is definitely going my way, and I hope that on finals day, I can do my best and that it also brings me success,” she added.

 

That resilience has been particularly evident in the latter stages of her campaign. Rybakina was pushed into three sets in both her quarter-final and semi-final, forcing her to dig deep physically and mentally.

“During the match, I was telling myself that I had not been practising for a week before the tournament. I was convincing myself that I wasn’t tired and that I could still push. So yeah, honestly, I was just fighting for every point because both matches were very close. There were some moments where I did not have enough energy and push from the legs on my serve. No matter who’s on the other side, if my serve is working, it’s already a big plus in my game and a big advantage. So yeah, I was just pushing myself mentally and physically,” Rybakina said in an interview shared by JioStar.

 

Sabalenka, on the other hand, arrives in the final after producing one of her most impressive performances of the tournament, defeating Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-2 in the semi-finals. The win sent her into a fourth consecutive final in New York, the first player to do so since Serena Williams from 2011 to 2014. 

The stakes, therefore, could hardly be higher. Sabalenka is chasing history in New York, while Rybakina is looking to add the US Open trophy to her Australian Open title and complete her rise to the top of the rankings.

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Let’s slow the “super team” chatter around the Los Angeles Rams.

Just for now.

Australia was not good to the Rams, who looked tired and sloppy in their season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners took total control of the game, largely by controlling the line of scrimmage. By the fourth quarter, the Rams never really knocked on contention — slipping deeper and deeper into defeat.

It’s important to remember that Week 1 lies. In other words, there’s a long, long season ahead. And this game — which took place roughly 8,000 miles from Los Angeles — won’t tell us everything we need to know about either team.

But there’s no denying it: the 49ers looked dominant. And the Rams looked … dominated.

Here are my takeaways:

It was brutal to watch rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling get carted off with an injury in the first half. That’s another injury to another young receiver — after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall headed to IR before the season started. 

But Purdy didn’t look shorthanded. Not in the least.

Brock Purdy settled in and led an efficient 49ers offense against the Rams. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Tight end George Kittle was back in action despite a quick return from his Achilles injury last year. Receiver Mike Evans looked like the chain-mover, with a touchdown or a first down on all six of his catches. 

In other words, Evans was everything that they hoped he’d be when they signed him for $42.4 million and three years. 

Even Deebo Samuel looked young again — like his old 49ers self — with contributions in the passing game (48 receiving yards), running game (12 yards) and on special teams (74 yards).

Christian McCaffrey was, of course, outstanding. But it was rookie running back Kaelon Black who was the biggest surprise. He finished with 14 carries for 65 yards. And took the load off McCaffrey at this early phase in the season.

In short, the 49ers offense looked awesome. It looked deep. It looked peak Shanahan, with a swath of weapons that should help Purdy play at a really high level — even when facing what everyone had expected to be the NFL’s defense (in L.A.).

It looked built to last into January and maybe even February. 

For all the discussion about which team planned their travel correctly, both quarterbacks looked sluggish in the first half. In fact, they both threw brutal interceptions — in the same fashion … on back-to-back drives. Twins! 

Purdy threw directly at a dropping safety, Quentin Lake, in an attempt for George Kittle, but Lake picked off the throw easily. And then a few plays later, Matthew Stafford floated a ball toward receiver Puka Nacua and Renardo Green backpedaled into position for a pick.

You can try all you want to avoid jet lag, but it always wins.

That said, Stafford looked worse than Purdy.

Stafford aired a few balls so high that they proved uncatchable. He forced a dangerous throw to Davante Adams near the end of the first half. And he looked completely stumped by the 49ers’ pressure, which they generated without having to send many blitzes. 

For the game, Stafford finished 15 of 25 for 155 yards and an interception.

Matthew Stafford did not look like the reigning MVP in Melbourne against the 49ers. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Even Rams head coach Sean McVay looked a little jet-lagged, calling a QB sneak on the goal line on fourth-and-1 in the third quarter. And very much unsurprisingly, Stafford, who is notoriously bad at sneaks, couldn’t convert.

On the whole, it felt like the reigning MVP was processing at a slower clip than normal.

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get Aaron Donald into the mix on this defensive line?

I thought there would be an embarrassment of riches. I thought the Rams defensive front would be unstoppable. I thought the hype was real.

But Myles Garrett finished this game with zero sacks and zero QB hits — even with Purdy dropping back 34 times. Garrett’s pressure total was solid, up to five, per Next Gen Stats. But there’s no way he made the impact that he would’ve hoped. And that’s a real credit to Williams, the 49ers left tackle who was an absolute beast in pass protection against the guy who finished No. 1 in the “NFL 100” rankings.

Near the end of the game, however, Netflix’s Tom Pelissero provided an interesting nugget. Garrett had been nursing a knee injury in training camp, which limited his practice reps and — perhaps — affected his conditioning in this game. To make matters worse, he was still dealing with a little pain from the injury. That’ll be something to keep an eye on.

There’s a downside to the 49ers getting to Australia as early as they did. Now, they’ve got to go home and readjust to Pacific Time. 

But there’s actually good news. The 49ers will take on the Miami Dolphins, a team that looks like a clear-cut favorite (at least to me) to finish with the No. 1 pick. And then their Week 3 opponent is, frankly, another pushover. The 49ers will take on the Cardinals. So they might lose some sleep as they get their clocks right. But they’re not going to lose any sleep over their game plans. 

I have no doubt that San Francisco will start this season 3-0. All should be well for when the 49ers host the Broncos in the first week of October in Week 4.

The Rams have a Monday night appointment with the Giants in Week 2. Hopefully, their emphasis on not acclimating to the Australian time change will help them feel ready for that matchup, because head coach John Harbaugh has New York feeling good about what the season has in store for the Giants’ young offensive core of quarterback Jaxson Dart, receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. 

After this dud, I can’t imagine the Rams will show up with a shortage of energy.

Expect fireworks as Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn prepare to clash this evening, in a battle of two of boxing’s most-divisive stars.

American welterweight Garcia puts the WBC title on the line against Britain’s Benn, with the pair headlining in Las Vegas.

Both men draw mixed reactions from fans of the sport, and both have returned adverse drug-test results in recent years. Still, they find themselves topping the bill in a huge fight, as Garcia makes his first defence of his world title, while Benn challenges for a major belt for the first time.

Benn, 30, enters the bout on the back of a points win against ex-champion Regis Prograis in April, and a decision victory over bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, who previously handed Benn his sole professional loss.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Garcia won the WBC strap by dropping and outpointing Mario Barrios in February, bouncing back from an upset loss to Rolly Romero. “King Ryan”’s only other defeat came in 2023, when he was stopped to the body by Gervonta Davis.

Here’s all you need to know.

When is the fight?

Garcia vs Benn will take place on Saturday 12 September at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card will begin at 1am BST on Sunday (5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET on Saturday), with main-event ring walks following at around 4am BST (8pm PT / 10 CT / 11pm ET on Saturday).

How can I watch it?

Garcia vs Benn and its undercard will stream live on DAZN in the UK and in most countries worldwide – at a pay-per-view cost of £24.99, or as part of the Ultimate Tier, which costs £24.99 a month. You can purchase the pay-per-view here, which also allows eight free days of DAZN Standard.

In the US, Paramount+ will stream the action. The Independent will also provide live updates on fight night.

Odds

Garcia – 3/10

Benn –5/2

Draw – 16/1

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Fight card in full

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion:

Ryan Garcia (C) vs Conor Benn (WBC welterweight title)

Jai Opetaia (C) vs Noel Mikaelian (Zuffa cruiserweight title)

Da’Mazion Vanhouter vs Raphael Akpejiori (heavyweight)

Mark Magsayo vs Andres Cortes (lightweight)

Jose Carlos Ramirez vs Alexis Rocha (welterweight)

Abel Gonzalez vs Raul Salomon (super-middleweight)

Vlad Panin vs Dakota Linger (welterweight)

Oswaldo Molina vs Pablo Rubio (super-featherweight)

Sean Garcia vs Abraham Morales (lightweight)

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Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has spoken out about one of Manchester United’s newest signings

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is a big fan of new Manchester United signing Andrey Santos. The Brazilian joined United this summer from Chelsea for an initial £50million and he has been praised by his former boss, who he is set to go up against in Sunday’s Manchester derby.

Santos joined Chelsea from Vasco Da Gama in January 2023, but he didn’t make an appearance for the Blues until June 2025. This followed loan spells at Vasco, Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg.

It was Maresca, then in charge of Chelsea, who handed Santos his first start for the Blues. Long before Santos’ debut at Stamford Bridge, Maresca claimed the player had demonstrated his qualities while out on loan and that he knew the midfielder would be an option for him in the near future.

“Andrey Santos is just showing what we have said many times, that, probably for some players, it is better that they go and prove themselves, and they can come back,” Maresca said in November 2024.

“That is what Andrey Santos is doing. It is too early, but if he continues in the way that he is playing, he could be an option for us.”

While the current City chief is clearly a fan, Santos was limited to just nine starts under the Italian at Chelsea. That ultimately led United to move for the youngster this summer, with Michael Carrick focused on rebuilding his midfield.

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However, after a positive pre-season, and starting the opening day defeat to Hull City, Santos has been limited to three cameos off the bench against Ipswich, Everton and in the Champions League against Sabah. Maresca is in no doubt that the Brazilian international will ultimately show what he can do, however.

The Italian manager will take his side to Old Trafford on Sunday for the first all-Manchester clash of the season and his first since taking charge of the Citizens this summer.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game, he said: “Andrey is a very good guy, first of all. Polite, humble, hard-working. So, all the best to him. I can only speak very good about Andrey.”

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Upon joining United, Santos claimed he was at the club for the long haul. He said: “I was so happy [when United showed their interest]. The moment when my agent called me, I told my wife, and she said, ‘ Yeah, we have to go.’ And of course, Manchester United is so big, I’m so happy to be here, and I want to win every single game and every single trophy possible.

“I know Chelsea is a big club as well, so I think thank you for everything Chelsea did for me in my period. But now Chelsea is gone, here is my home right now. And I want to be here for a long, long time and win so many trophies.”

City head to Old Trafford on Sunday looking to keep their place at the top of the Premier League table, having won all three of their games so far. Maresca, however, is fully aware of the test that Carrick’s side will pose and praised his opposite number in the dugout.

“I think he is doing a fantastic job since last season,” Maresca said. “He took over in a complicated, difficult situation. They finish very well. ‘This season, more or less, they’ve started in the same way. He is doing a very good job.”

United will take on City at Old Trafford on Sunday, with the kick-off time set for 4.30pm.