Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann tied an MLB record on Thursday, becoming the first position player to pitch in four games before May.

Alas, since Thursday was the last day of April, he won’t get an opportunity to surpass Christian Bethancourt, who also pitched in four April games for the San Diego Padres in 2017.

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McCann threw one inning in the D-Backs’ 13-1 first to the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing one unearned run and one hit with two walks. He got through the eighth inning on a barrage of soft, high-arching “eephus” tosses.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side’s 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge.

Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action – and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.

Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.

“Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery told TNT Sports. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear.

“And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.

“The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.

“But I watched it back – wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see]. He could break his ankle.

“I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”

Uncertainty surrounding Iran’s participation in this summer’s World Cup on United States soil has been clarified after United States President Donald Trump gave his approval, stating, “Let them play.”

Iran’s place in the finals had been in doubt following air strikes launched by the US and Israel against the country on February 28.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino had consistently maintained Iran would compete as scheduled, with all three group matches taking place in the US, a position he reiterated at FIFA’s Congress on Thursday.

Asked about Infantino’s remarks later that day, Mr Trump responded: “Well if Gianni said it, I’m OK.”

“Did Gianni say it? Gianni Infantino – that’s a piece of work.”

Asked what would happen if Iran won, Trump replied: “If they win we’ll have to worry about that. I’m going to have to worry about that one.

“You know what, let them play. Gianni is fantastic, he’s a friend of mine, he talked about it, I said, ‘you do whatever you want’. You can have them, you don’t have to have them, they probably have a good team. Do they have a good team, do you have any idea?”

The reporter who posed the initial question said he had no idea.

Trump replied: “It would be hard to believe actually. But let them play, right?”

Iran would face the US in the last 32 in Dallas if both teams finished second in their respective groups.

Trump has previously said it would be “inappropriate” for Iran to play “for their own life and safety”.

Infantino opened his president’s address at Congress in Vancouver: “Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.”

Iran will kick off their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

Iran were the only one of FIFA’s 211 member nations not represented by federation officials in Vancouver.

The Press Association understands two delegates were granted visas by the Canadian authorities to attend, but chose not to after another member of their group was denied entry in Toronto.

Matthew Krupovich, a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a statement in relation to the incident.

“Canada is proud to host the FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a safe and successful event,” he said.

“As with all Games-related events, visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis by trained officers.

“While we cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy laws, the government has been clear and consistent: IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) officials are inadmissible to Canada and have no place in our country.

“We have taken strong action to hold the IRGC to account and will continue to do so, while protecting the safety of Canadians and upholding the integrity of our immigration system.”

Shubman Gill (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: Captain Shubman Gill summed it up best after Gujarat Titans’ clinical chase — sometimes, momentum just finds you. And on Thursday night in Ahmedabad, it certainly did.Leading from the front, Gill played a decisive hand in Gujarat Titans’ four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, later admitting that an early slice of luck set the tone for his match-defining knock.“Feels very satisfying. On a wicket like that, to restrict a team like them to 155 is very nice,” Gill, who scored 43 off just 18 balls, said after the win. “First ball I got a bit lucky and then I thought today was my day. I was in the zone and confident of taking the bowling on.”Gill sets the tone after early reprieveThat “lucky” moment came early against Bhuvneshwar Kumar when an inside edge went for a four, but Gill made it count in style. He quickly shifted gears, putting RCB under pressure with an aggressive approach in the powerplay.“The energy was quite high after the second over. I was just feeling I was in the zone,” he added, reflecting on his mindset during the chase.Gill’s attacking intent, combined with brisk contributions from Jos Buttler and late composure from Rahul Tewatia, ensured GT stayed ahead despite a brief middle-order wobble.“Tewatia is a very important player for us. That was one of the conversations we had in the timeout. He got some nice runs and everyone got a hit in the middle,” Gill noted.Patidar concedes Gill’s impactOn the other side, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar acknowledged that Gill’s powerplay assault proved decisive.“Obviously, the score was not good enough on this track,” Patidar admitted. “But the way Shubman played, especially in the powerplay, he put us under pressure and took the game away.”Despite posting just 155, RCB managed to stretch the contest deeper than expected, something Patidar viewed as a positive.“I think the way we bowled and stretched it to 15-16 overs is a positive sign. There was good grass cover that helped the fast bowlers,” he said.Lessons for RCB as GT surge aheadPatidar also pointed to key areas for improvement. “We gave a lot of wickets in the middle and that kept us on the back foot,” he said.Earlier, GT’s bowlers had laid the foundation by bundling out RCB for 155, with disciplined spells backed by sharp fielding.In the end, though, the night belonged to Gill — a blend of luck, timing, and authority. As he put it himself, once that early moment went his way, everything else simply followed.

Manchester United loannee Rasmus Hojlund has been handed another boost as his successful loan spell at Napoli nears its conclusion

Rasmus Hojlund’s estimated value has increased to roughly £92million, though Manchester United are set to sell him for much less. The Denmark international has spent the 2025/26 season on-loan at Napoli with several strong performances seeing his stock rise considerably.

The latest figure from CIES Football Observatory’s Estimated Transfer Values tool for Hojlund is a maximum of €106m (£91.5m) and a minimum of €91m (£78.6m). United paid Fiorentina £64m to sign him in August 2023, with it seeming as though he will be moved on permanently three years later.

A €44m (£38m) buy-obligation was inserted into his Napoli loan switch with that set to be triggered as Antonio Conte’s side are on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Hojlund has been key to their strong domestic campaign with 10 goals and four assists from 29 appearances.

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A good run of goals has also seen his market value increase after it dipped to just €35m (£30m), as per transfermarkt, when he struggled for form under Ruben Amorim. Since playing under Conte, as of late March, €50m (£43.1m) has been listed as what he is worth.

Though United are set to lose at least £24m on Hojlund, no funds are needed for his replacement with Benjamin Sesko signed last summer. He has netted 10 Premier League goals since joining from RB Leipzig with the striker reaching double-figures during United’s win over Brentford on Monday.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were also brought into the club as attacking signings to replace Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.

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Cunha missed the 2-1 victory earlier this week through a minor injury, but Champions League football for next season at Old Trafford is all-but secured with four games to go. A win over bitter rivals Liverpool will seal their return to Europe’s top competition.

United could yet play a role in what other teams end up doing next season as they are still to play Sunderland and Brighton, who are both chasing Europe, and 16th-placed Nottingham Forest.

Despite leading United to a minimum top-five finish, interim head coach Michael Carrick may not get the role permanently with other candidates under consideration.

Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola and Luis Enrique are just a few names that have been linked, with international managers such as Julian Nagelsmann and Carlo Ancelotti mooted.

Having won nine games out of a possible 13 in charge, Carrick is in a great position to take the job for the long-term and be in the hot seat for a big summer transfer window.

Midfield appears to be the priority for United with limited depth already in that department and Casemiro leaving at the end of the season.

Marvel Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 8 AFL game between Carlton Blues and
St Kilda Saints. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with St Kilda Saints heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Carlton Blues vs.
St Kilda Saints
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday May 2, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: Marvel Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Carlton Blues vs St Kilda Saints Odds

Carlton Blues vs St Kilda Saints Preview

St Kilda enters with renewed confidence following a dominant victory, showcasing improved ball movement and forward efficiency. Carlton, by contrast, continues to battle inconsistency despite periods of strong pressure. The Saints’ high-pressure style and clean disposal could expose the Blues’ ongoing struggles transitioning the ball. With momentum building and a potential return to the top eight in sight, St Kilda appears well positioned to control the tempo and secure a hard-fought win.