Manchester City will have to play catch-up to Arsenal in the next fortnight but there are advantages to be gained in other ways

Manchester City would rather not have a good chunk of this week off. The best teams in Europe are duking it out in the semi-finals of the Champions League and Pep Guardiola and his players will likely spend at least some time wishing they were in it.

They are not though and, for reasons partly connected, they don’t have a game at all this week. Despite having played a game fewer than Arsenal, the Blues will have to sit and watch their Premier League title rivals host Fulham this weekend before they get a chance to go to Everton on Monday night.

It is very possible that City will kick off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium sitting six points off top spot in what will be a test of their mettle to not get fazed by their two games in hand. Everton are pushing to qualify for Europe next season, which will not make things any easier for Guardiola’s side.

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Aside from the fact that Everton’s home record this season isn’t brilliant though, one thing that hasn’t really been mentioned is that it really isn’t far away from the Etihad. Even if it ends up slightly further from Goodison, it will still be about an hour on the team bus to get there.

At the end of next week, City host Brentford on Saturday. That is a fortnight where the players will have been able to go wherever they want in the world on their days off, and then do the bare minimum of travel for two matches; if the Crystal Palace game is rearranged to go before Bournemouth away, that fortnight becomes the best part of three weeks that City players will barely need to go anywhere to close in on their goal.

There is obviously pressure in the title race and that increases given City are playing catch-up. Assuming Arsenal do not stumble in front, it is an enormous ask to expect the players to be perfect in those circumstances.

They will at least, however, basically have as much rest as they could have. Everyone in the squad should be able to be at their fittest and that increases the prospects of Guardiola being able to get more out of his best XI than he might otherwise – especially if City were still involved in the Champions League.

Wembley is Wembley and the trip to Bournemouth is complicated for a number of reasons. Before that though, even if City would rather be playing more games in the next two weeks they have the chance to get in the best possible shape for the final few matches – and that could decide the title.

The competition between WWE and AEW is fierce. Both companies have been thriving, but many believe that the Tony Khan-led promotion has been delivering better weekly shows and pay-per-views. World Wrestling Entertainment recently held WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Meanwhile, All Elite Wrestling is preparing to host Double or Nothing 2026 in Queens, New York, next month.

Former AEW star Cody Rhodes is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. He successfully defended his gold against Randy Orton in the main event of WrestleMania 42, night 1. The American Nightmare was under All Elite Wrestling’s banner from 2019 to 2022. Interestingly, former NXT North American Champion Swerve Strickland joined the Jacksonville-based company the same year Cody left. The New Flavor has become one of Tony Khan’s most trusted names. Furthermore, he has held the AEW World Championship once.

American actor, rapper, and songwriter O’Shea Jackson Jr. is friends with both Cody and Swerve. Recent reports suggest that SmackDown will return to 2 hours in a few weeks. After this news came out, the Straight Outta Compton star took to X and said he had an idea to ‘save’ the weekly show.

O’Shea revealed that he has only told his idea to the New Flavor. Furthermore, he wrote that he is willing to tell it to Cody and the Rich Eisen Show’s T.J. Jefferson.

“What if I told you I have an idea to save smackdown and the only person I’ve told this to was @swerveconfident lmaoo The only other people who can know are @toojiggy and @CodyRhodes,” he wrote.

AEW president Tony Khan praises WWE star Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes has opened up about his AEW departure in several interviews. He admits that there is bad blood between him and the Jacksonville-based company. However, he also says that there is mutual respect.

In a recent interview with Q101, Tony Khan said that he mostly listens to the positive things the American Nightmare has to say. He even praised him for his contribution to All Elite Wrestling.

“I’ve seen him since he’s been gone. It’s always been very positive and good. I have only good things to say about him and his contributions here,” said Khan. [H/T: Fightful]

Only time will tell what the future holds for the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Hopefully, he will rejoin AEW someday.