Erling Haaland’s nightmare return: Poor ratings, argument, Man City star’s pressure – Manchester Evening News
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Erling Haaland played his first minutes since Manchester City’s 1-1 draw at Bournemouth against Morocco in New Jersey on Sunday
Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard look on during Norway’s draw with Morocco(Image: Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
All you need to know about Erling Haaland’s nightmare return to action this weekend:
Erling Haaland had not played since the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on May 19 prior to the World Cup warm-up clash with Morocco in New Jersey on Sunday.
Haaland started the game and lasted 72 minutes before being replaced by Crystal Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.
However, it was an afternoon to forget for Haaland as he managed just four touches of the ball. His only shot was blocked as Norway drew 1-1.
During the game, Haaland appeared to have an argument with one of the Norwegian team’s physios to cap off what was a poor night for him.
The Norwegian media opted to criticise Haaland in their post-match ratings. Dagsbladet awarded him a meagre two out of 10 rating, writing: “The striker was invisible in the first half. He played himself up after the break, but this was actually a shockingly weak rehearsal.” Meanwhile, TV2 handed Haaland a three out of 10, their lowest rating of any Norway player.
Norway boss Stale Solbakken leapt to his defence after the game. “He’s a player who feels it today. He needed those minutes. Without being rude to him, he saves himself five, 10, 15 per cent. Those explosions are coming,” he said.
Haaland and his Norway teammates are under pressure to perform this summer. This is the first World Cup they have qualified for since 1998.
Norway’s next game is their World Cup opener against Iraq in Boston on June 16. Read more here.
On Saturday, Anthony Joshua left fight fans with their hearts in their mouths in a dramatic five-minute shootout before registering a stoppage win against Kristian Prenga, and fellow British heavyweight Derek Chisora has offered his thoughts on the performance of ‘AJ’.
Speaking to Seconds Out, Chisora said that Joshua was ‘sleeping’ when he stepped through the ropes and criticised the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist for not using his jab.
“He decided to go in there without using his jab and he got laid out. There is no two ways about it, he got hit.
“It doesn’t matter how big you are, if someone hits you at the right time, in the right spot, you are going down. Heavyweight, non-heavyweight, it don’t matter, it is lights out.
“He came into the ring sleeping and then he woke the f**k up, that is it. That dude was asleep.”
Chisora remains unconcerned though, admitting that he was impressed by Joshua once he had settled into the contest against Prenga.
“I don’t give a f**k [about Joshua’s punch resistance], I just want him to fight Tyson Fury. All of this nonsense [about punch resistance], you guys are not doctors, we are not doctors, we can’t say [anything about] punch resistance or that he is done.
“He is the only guy who can decide for himself if he is done and he looks good when he gets his hands going.”
Fury-Joshua is expected to take place in November, with Madison Square Garden in New York City believed to be the current frontrunner to stage the long-awaited clash.
Naoya Inoue has been linked to a fascinating showdown with pound-for-pound rival Jesse Rodriguez in recent weeks, but it seems as though the meeting is far from guaranteed, with Inoue stating that he is not ‘obsessed’ with facing the Texan.
Inoue defended his undisputed super-bantamweight world title for the seventh time when he scored a legendary win over fellow Japanese sensation Junto Nakatani back in May, in what many believe to be the biggest fight in the nation’s long and proud history of boxing.
That victory sparked rumours of an early 2027 clash with ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who vacated all three of his super-flyweight world titles to move closer to Inoue and up to bantamweight, where he then dethroned WBA champion Antonio Vargas a few weeks later.
Upon hearing those rumours, Inoue has revealed that he is unwilling to further delay a fight with Rodriguez and threatened to move on from the proposal and up to featherweight, if it does not take place when he wishes, as per Sanspo.
“I can’t do it [fight Rodriguez] later [than February].”
“No, I’m not particular about Bam either. If Bam says, ‘I want to spend a little more [time] at bantamweight’, I’m already thinking about the featherweight challenge.
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“If I can do it [fight Bam] around February, I will do it. However, if you go beyond that and get a little longer, I don’t have to be that obsessed with Bam, and I am not obsessed. I will go my own way,”
Inoue’s words may cause Eddie Hearn to rethink plans to stage Rodriguez-Medina at the end of the year, with a potential two month turnaround sure to prove too short for the American star.
Manchester United are interested in signing Aurelien Tchouameni this summer as Michael Carrick looks to strengthen his midfield as he starts the season in charge at Old Trafford for the first time
Real Madrid may be rubbing their hands together after tying Aurelien Tchouameni to a three-year contract extension. The Spanish giants made the move, in part, because they did not believe that Manchester City star Rodri was available, but now it could simply leave them in the position to command a significant fee for the Frenchman.
Los Blancos offered Tchouameni a better salary to tie him down, but in order to make a significant incoming transfer, are required to make a significant sale, per the National. The agreed contract extension warded off any danger of losing the former Monaco star for free in the near future.
Reportedly, Real Madrid believe that Rodri could be available, though they are looking at multiple transfer deals. City are understood to be unwilling to sell the Spanish midfielder for the moment, meaning uncertainty over Jose Mourinho’s midfield and Tchouameni could persist.
Michael Carrick has already added two central midfielders to his squad this summer. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have been added to a group that includes Kobbie Mainoo and more attacking options in Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount.
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There were good signs from Andrey on his first one. He’s getting in the rhythm and feel of it again, so it was good to see him in a red shirt,” Carrick explained following the Brazilian’s pre-season debut against Wrexham.
At City, Enzo Maresca has said Rodri would ‘be back with us’ and that he wasn’t worried by the transfer talk surrounding his star midfielder. The Ballon d’Or contender has been offered fresh terms by the club ahead of his contract expiring next summer.
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After losing Bernardo Silva, City have already added Elliot Anderson for £116million, and are interested in Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi. It remains to be seen how that interplays with Rodri’s future.
A move for Tchouameni could also be foiled if Vinicius Junior moves to Arsenal. Real Madrid have yet to agree a new contract for the winger and the Gunners are prepared to make a significant deal to sign him, meaning that Los Blancos may not be required to make a second lofty sale to bring in cash.
United have also been linked to Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, Bournemouth star Alex Scott and Brighton’s Alex Scott.
Former Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck could be on the move this summer after enjoying a brilliant season which saw him help Brighton qualify for Europe again
Rio Ferdinand has urged Danny Welbeck to snub Chelsea in favour of a sensational return to Manchester United. The United academy graduate is in dialogue with the Blues this summer as Xabi Alonso looks to bolster his attacking options at Stamford Bridge.
Our sister title football.london understands that club-to-club negotiations have begun between Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion, with a view to the centre-forward arriving in west London ahead of the new season. The 35-year-old rolled back the years with Brighton last term.
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The former United and England striker bagged 14 goals and two assists across all competitions for Fabian Hurzeler’s men to help them qualify for the Europa Conference League. And despite Chelsea not being involved in any European competition next term, it is understood that personal terms will not be a problem and he could very well be pulling on a Blues jersey come August.
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The surprise developments on Monday have led to Ferdinand, who shared a dressing room with Welbeck at Old Trafford, to plead with United to step in. The former centre-back has pointed out that Michael Carrick’s side will be able to offer Champions League football – unlike Alonso’s team.
Posting on X, he said: “Welbs…. Ignore + come back home! Champions League football next season in Manchester.”
Welbeck made his Premier League debut for United as a 17-year-old, scoring in 2008 during Sir Alex Ferguson‘s tenure. After gaining experience during several loan stints, he was fully integrated into the first team under Ferguson and also bagged nine league goals from just 25 appearances during David Moyes’ single season at the helm.
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The appointment of Louis van Gaal in the summer of 2014 signalled a new chapter for the club and it panned out better for some players than for others. While some of his colleagues thrived, it did not take long for Welbeck to realise that his future lay elsewhere.
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The forward had grown frustrated during Moyes’ reign, frequently forced to play on the left wing where he didn’t feel he could show his best qualities. It soon also became clear that, were he to assume a central striker role under Van Gaal, it wouldn’t be as the manager’s top choice, having not been named in any of his first three starting line-ups in the league.
He went on to join Premier League rivals Arsenal in August 2014 where he scored 32 goals in 126 appearances – winning two FA Cups under the guidance of Arsene Wenger.
And Welbeck admitted in November 2014, via the Mirror, that his decision to leave United was one he had contemplated for at least 12 months before the move to north London happened.
He said: “When you’ve been somewhere for so long and then you’re going to start a new chapter in your career, you’ve got to think about it a lot. Over the past year or so, I started to think about what’s best for me.
“At the time I was playing on the left wing a lot and in a 4–4-2, which is very difficult for me because I can’t make an impact on the game. I can play it to the best of my ability but that’s not best for the team, and I could make a bigger impact playing in my preferred position.
“You start to have thoughts but at that time you’re still going to training and I was still giving 100 per cent and giving my all in every single game – that’s just me, I’m not going to change that. But you do start to think about what’s best for you.”
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Welbeck went on to spend a season at Watford in 2019/20 before joining Brighton, where he has largely excelled ever since.
FC Copenhagen welcome Ukrainian side Polissya Zhytomyr to Parken Stadium in Denmark for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League second qualifying round tie on Wednesday. The first leg at the Kosicka futbalova arena in Slovakia ended 3-3 last Thursday.
The six-goal thriller saw a double from Robert and a goal courtesy of Mads Emil Madsen for Copenhagen, while Polissya’s goals came from Oleksandr Filippov, Oleg Fedor, and Igor Krasnopir. That result leaves it all to play for in this second leg.
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FC Copenhagen sealed their place in the UEFA Conference League second round of qualifying by beating rivals Brondby 3-1 in extra time to win a domestic European playoff match in May.
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Byens Hold kicked off the new Superliga season this past weekend, beginning with a 3-2 home win against Lyngby to get the first three points on the board. Now, their focus will be on finishing the job they started in Slovakia last week.
Meanwhile, Polissya Zhytomyr came third in last season’s Ukrainian Premier League table with 59 points from 30 games to earn their spot in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers.
In preparation for the Conference League qualifiers and the new Ukrainian Premier League season, The Wolves have played numerous friendlies against the likes of Tirol, Viktoria Plzen, Jagiellonia, and Sabah, but their results have been mixed, with three losses, three wins, and a draw in their seven friendlies since 29 June.
The winning team in this two-legged tie will advance to the third qualifying round, while the losing side are completely knocked out of European competition.
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FC Copenhagen vs Polissya Zhytomyr head-to-head stats and key numbers
This second leg will be only the second time that FC Copenhagen and Polissya Zhytomyr have faced each other.
FC Copenhagen have recorded three wins and two draws in their most recent five games across all competitions.
Polissya Zhytomyr have lost two, drawn two, and won one of their last five matches.
FC Copenhagen vs Polissya Zhytomyr prediction
This is effectively a playoff to determine which team will continue in Europe and which will be eliminated from all UEFA competitions.
After a chaotic first leg that exposed defensive vulnerabilities on both sides, the Danish side are expected to control the tempo at home to keep Polissya from gaining the upper hand, while the Ukrainian side will likely aim to cause damage to the hosts through rapid counterattacks.
We expect FC Copenhagen to leverage their home support and the energy from their fans to secure a narrow win.
Once he was unbeatable. Now Adam Ramsay-Peaty admits he’s only human.
Ramsay-Peaty arrived in Glasgow with high hopes of becoming the first British swimmer to win individual gold medals at four consecutive Commonwealth Games.
In 2022, Peaty lost out in his signature 100m breaststroke event but roared back to win over the shorter distance just 48 hours later. Four years on, and while the mind maintains its trademark steely focus, it’s clear the body is not so kind.
Peaty claimed he ‘deserved more’ than his bronze in the 100m, but there can surely be no arguments with this result in the splash-and-dash 50m breaststroke.
He was the third-fastest qualifier, and that form held up as he claimed another bronze while Australia’s Sam Williamson secured another gold.
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At 31, Ramsay-Peaty is learning quickly that, for all the talk, he can’t defy the simple passage of time.
“I used to be the winning machine. Now I’ve shown my human side,” he said. “For that period when I was undefeated for eight years, it was athlete first and human second. Now it’s human first, then athlete.
“I’ve been that person who won all the time, and it cost me pretty much everything. I wouldn’t say it’s worth it now.
“There’s been a lot of learning this week. I’m pretty sure that was my last individual event at the Commonwealth Games. I really enjoyed it, but we just weren’t fast enough. We weren’t good enough, and we have to look at why.
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“Every day in training this season I’ve been tracking in the right direction, so I can’t really put my finger on it. Somewhere along the way I’ve lost that power per stroke, but that’s sport.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s frustrating when you can’t quite put your finger on what’s wrong. You digest it, just like in any other sport. You look at the data, work out what went wrong and really focus on fixing those areas.”
Adam Ramsay-Peaty takes bronze in the men’s 50m breaststroke final (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)
Ramsay-Peaty is more reflective than bombastic these days, showing a side that he previously kept hidden. Next up in just a few weeks are the European Championships in Paris, a return to the city where he felt at his lowest in the days after the Olympics two years ago.
Ramsay-Peaty’s preparations have also been shaped by significant change away from the pool. After long-time coach Mel Marshall left Loughborough for Australia following the Paris Olympics, he reunited with Jamie Main at Repton.
But that partnership proved short-lived as he relocated to London with his wife Holly – daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. He is now based at Chelsea and Westminster Swimming Club under coach Lisa Bates, dividing his training between Kensington and the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford.
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It would be bold to bet against him turning this around, though the odds are clearly starting to lengthen.
“There are always two arguments going on in my head: ‘I’m good enough’ and ‘I’m not good enough’,” he said. “I have to channel that frustration into the right areas, and right now that’s looking ahead to the Europeans.
“There’s still a lot of work to do. We need to change a few things in training, but that’s between me and Lisa. I’ve only been at my new training base for 12 weeks, so let’s keep it in perspective.”
Ramsay-Peaty’s future may be on borrowed time, but Amalie Smith, just 16, is certainly one to watch for LA and beyond.
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England’s Amalie Smith won a silver medal in the Women’s 400m Individual Medley (Getty)
Smith has been carving time off her personal best in recent weeks and took another chunk off it with a silver-medal swim in the 400m medley final.
Australia’s Jenna Forrester proved too strong but, on this evidence, Hannah Miley’s British record of 4:31.33, set 17 years ago, could soon be under threat.
“I was thinking I’d love to win a medal, but the fact I’ve actually managed to achieve it is just crazy. I’ll definitely have to spend some time reflecting on it,” said Smith.
“I think the key is not getting ahead of myself and actually taking a step back to appreciate what I’ve achieved. At the same time, it’s about setting realistic goals, making progress bit by bit and using every race as a learning experience.
“It’s hard to say whether I feel like I belong at this level yet, but if I keep swimming like this I’ll start to feel more at home.”
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Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £33m is raised every week for good causes. It’s because of you that sport, arts, heritage and community projects, as well as our athletes competing at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, are supported across the UK.
At this past week’s 3M Open, Lucas Glover learned what Paul McCartney discovered nearly 60 years ago when he appeared barefoot on the cover of Abbey Road: Take off your shoes in a strange place, and people are bound to talk.
And when enough people talk, they’re bound to lose track of the facts in the process.
In case you missed the misguided chatter, let’s walk it back.
During Sunday’s final round at TPC Twin Cities, Glover rolled in a birdie putt on the par-4 10th hole, then removed his golf shoes before reaching into the cup to retrieve his ball. The move immediately sparked speculation on Golf Channel and beyond that Glover — an outspoken critic of the AimPoint green-reading method — was making another statement about the controversial technique.
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He wasn’t.
On Monday, the former U.S. Open champ took to Instagram to set the record straight.
“Alight, let’s clear this up,” he wrote, before explaining that his impromptu footwear move had nothing to do with AimPoint. Instead, he said, it stemmed from a complaint he’d received about wearing metal spikes.
Glover has been a metal-spikes guy since he first got on Tour 23 years ago. Sunday’s round, he said, marked the first time he’d been approached about his footwear, mid-competition. More unusual still, he noted, the person who approached him was not a player but an official.
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“First of all, it’s not the officials’ place. I wasn’t breaking any rules,” Glover wrote. “Secondly, there were people in the groups in front of me and behind me wearing metal spikes as well.”
Glover described his barefoot stroll as a “demonstration,” but said it had nothing to do with AimPoint. Rather, he explained, it was his way of approaching the hole without scuffing up the turf.
To make sure no one missed the message, Glover kept returning to the same refrain regarding a 2019 rules change regarding spike marks.
“Have I mentioned that we can tamp them down now?”
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Actually, he had.
Glover also said he was puzzled that anyone connected his actions to AimPoint.
“My demonstration yesterday had nothing to do with AimPoint,” he wrote. “I have no idea how anyone came to that conclusion.”
More than anything, though, Glover said he regretted that the episode became a story at all, particularly on a day when 21-year-old Jackson Koivun claimed his first Tour victory.
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“My biggest disappointment in all of this is that a small faction are talking about this, a non-issue, instead of Jackson Koivun,” Glover wrote.
His explanation should put the AimPoint theories to rest. But if Glover wants to avoid another round of similar chatter, he might consider doing what John, George and Ringo did on Abbey Road and keep his shoes on.
Former Man City boss Pep Guardiola had been in talks to take over the Italian national team
Italian football chiefs Paolo Maldini and Leonardo have reportedly resigned from their roles as technical director and advisor in the country’s Football Federation. It’s a surprise U-turn from the AC Milan legend Maldini, who has spent just ten days in the role.
Maldini had been keen on appointing former AC Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo as head coach of the Italian national team, a week on from talks with Manchester City icon Pep Guardiola.
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The former City boss had been in talks to take over the struggling European nation, who did not qualify for this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After being turned down by Guardiola, Maldini focused on Pirlo, but Italian football president Giovanni Malago reportedly did not want to appoint the former midfielder due to his ties to Russian betting brands.
Maldini and Leonardo are said to have left their position with immediate effect, having spent just over a week in the role.
It’s yet another blow for Italian football having been turned down by Guardiola last week. The former City manager is said to have told the Italian Football Federation: “Thank you, I’m honoured, but at this moment, I don’t feel it.”
It’s unclear what lies ahead for the legendary City boss, having already had a sabbatical from football after leaving Barcelona earlier in his managerial career.
It was claimed that Guardiola, who reportedly agreed a deal with the English FA to take control of the Three Lions in 2024 before changing his mind, asked for £17m a-year in salary demands.
The Catalan manager currently retains a position within City Football Group in an advisory capacity for clubs including Palermo, Lommel and Troyes.
The Manchester Evening News understands that the role prevents him from accepting another managerial post, though it is thought City’s ownership would be unlikely to block his path if he wished to do so.
Speaking earlier this week, FIGC president Giovanni Malago hinted at a financial disparity in talks with Guardiola. “There are certain financial aspects to be considered, and it’s an understatement to say we’d have to grit our teeth for this,” he said in an interview with the Italian media.
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“Some exceptions have been made, for example, exceptions that regard the name making such waves at the moment: Pep Guardiola.
“I don’t need to sit here and explain the obvious reasons why he’d be an exception, but that is also no guarantee that this will go through.”
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Arsenal have shown interest in signing Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr, but completing a deal this summer looks very difficult.
The Brazilian winger is one of the biggest names in world football. Since joining Real Madrid in 2018, he has won 14 trophies and scored 128 goals in 375 matches. At 26, he is entering the best years of his career.
Vinicius has one year left on his current contract, and Real Madrid are still trying to agree on a new deal. Talks between both sides are continuing, but no agreement has been reached.
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The contract situation has caught the attention of Arsenal, who are looking to strengthen their attack after missing out on Morgan Rogers, who joined Chelsea.
Manager Mikel Arteta is said to admire Vinicius and sees him as a top target. However, Arsenal know that signing the Brazil international will not be easy.
Real Madrid are expected to demand well over £130 million for the winger, which would break the British transfer record. Vinicius is also believed to earn more than £450,000 a week, meaning he would become Arsenal’s highest-paid player by a wide margin.
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There is also the question of whether Vinicius wants to leave Madrid. For many South American players, playing for Real Madrid is a dream, and leaving the Spanish giants for another club may not appeal to him.
Reports suggest Vinicius remains open to signing a new contract because he wants to stay at Real Madrid, where new manager Jose Mourinho is keen to keep his top players.
Real Madrid also face a difficult decision. If they fail to renew his contract, Vinicius will be free to speak to other clubs about a free transfer next year, and the club could lose one of their biggest stars without receiving a transfer fee.
Although Arsenal believe they have the financial strength to make an offer, the transfer depends on more than money. Vinicius would have to decide whether he is ready to leave Real Madrid at the peak of his career.
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For now, Arsenal’s interest is real, but a move remains unlikely unless contract talks between Vinicius and Real Madrid completely break down. The coming weeks are expected to decide where the Brazilian star will play next season.
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