Man Utd will play just 40 games this season and their light schedule has been a dream for the broadcasters, who have been able to put them on in the slot nobody wants.

It’s a feeling Manchester United regulars are having to get used to this season. While they are watching the FA Cup fourth round from a distance this weekend, they will spend next weekend watching nine more Premier League games before their team eventually return to action, 13 days after they were last seen.

That was Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham in London. There were seven weekends left in February and March at that point, but United will play on only two of them. Widen it out to include the Easter weekend at the start of April, and six of the next eight weekends will pass by without Michael Carrick’s team playing.

This is partly of their own making. Including this weekend, there are three FA Cup rounds that won’t involve United after they were beaten by Brighton in round three. There is also an international break in there.

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But United’s failure to qualify for European football this season has made them vulnerable to the whims of broadcasters and their trip to Everton next Monday will be a familiar sensation. A first trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront should be a great away day, but not on the first night of a working week.

It will be the fourth time United will have fulfilled Sky Sports’ Monday night slot in the last 14 weeks, and some of those had no Monday night game at all. To make matters worse, they will play on a Friday night in March. At Bournemouth.

United are ideally placed to be moved to Monday night because they aren’t in Europe. In weeks with European football, none of the Premier League’s nine participants in the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League can play in that slot. United are always a dream for TV ratings, so sticking them on a Monday is seen as ideal.

Those fixtures wouldn’t normally be seen as TV gold. Maybe there is an argument for home and away games against Everton making the cut for TV, but United have also played Bournemouth, West Ham and Wolves on Monday nights.

It means that in a season with very little midweek football, there are also few weekend games for United. They have played 19 games on a Saturday or Sunday so far, but will play only eight out of 21 weekends between drawing 2-2 with Tottenham in early November and the home game with Leeds on April 11, which could yet be moved.

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Late changes to the schedule have become a recurring theme this season. United are getting plenty of notice for these games, but they are not enjoyable for supporters. Monday night games will never have the same kind of atmosphere and feeling as a weekend fixture.

The production values of Sky Sports’ show are good, and the analysis of the weekend’s football is often a must-watch, but actually being involved in the game isn’t a lot of fun.

But then, at least United’s Monday games have all been on their doorstep, with three at Old Trafford and now a trip to Merseyside. The Friday, March 20 date at Bournemouth is disastrous. It will require a day of work and either an overnight stay or a return from the south coast in the (very) early hours.

And let’s be honest, there is probably more of this to come. TV selections for April and May are yet to be confirmed. That is seven games in total, and while the final day of the season will be on a Sunday, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there was another Monday or Friday date in there for United fans to put up with.

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It was not pretty in the early going, but the U.S. hockey team picked up the pace and showed why it is a favorite to play for a gold medal.

After trailing 2-1 through the first period, the Americans dominated on offense to take a 6-3 victory over Denmark Saturday in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.

The Americans scored three unanswered goals to open the second period, with 4 Nations cult hero Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights) and Noah Hanifin (Vegas Golden Knights) finding the back of the net. 

Denmark, though, was not going out without a fight, putting a third goal past Jeremy Swayman (Boston Bruins) before the horn sounded.

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The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

It was false hope for them, however, because Jake Guentzel (Tampa Bay Lighting) scored, and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) added another for good measure late in the third.

Both sets of brothers on the team — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes — each had a point in the contest. Fourteen players had points for the Americans with a different goal scorer each time the lamp was lit.

The United States’ Jack Eichel, second right, celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey against Denmark at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

AMERICANS ATTENDING OLYMPICS URGED TO ‘EXERCISE CAUTION’ AFTER ITALIAN RAILWAYS HIT BY SUSPECTED ‘SABOTAGE’

Swayman struggled early on, especially as Denmark’s second goal was scored from nearly center ice, but he found his footing in the final two periods. Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) got the start in the first game, and Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) will likely be in the crease in their next game.

The Americans had 47 shots on goal compared to Denmark’s 21.

The U.S. ends preliminary play Sunday with a game against Germany at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Americans will once again be heavy favorites, and a victory will put them into the knockout stage.

The Americans can also go right to the knockout stage with an overtime loss. With a regulation loss, their fate would be determined by Canada’s game against France and point differentials with Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.

The United States’ Brady Tkachuk, right, challenges Denmark’s Oliver Bjorkstrand during a preliminary round match of men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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But as a heavy favorite against a German team with just eight NHL players, the U.S. may not need to worry.

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Team GB’s men’s curlers took a step closer to securing a Winter Olympics semi-final place as they compiled an accomplished victory over Germany.

Bruce Mouat’s world champions have now won four of their opening five matches in northern Italy, with six victories almost certain to guarantee a place in the last four and a shot at the medals.

The Scottish quartet beat their German counterparts in both the European and the World Championships last year and were rarely in danger here.

Level at 2-2 after three ends, the British rink moved smoothly into a 5-2 advantage at the interval, then accelerated clear with a further steal of two in the seventh end.

Germany were floundering at that stage and, although they cut the deficit, Mouat closed out another couple in the ninth end to secure the win.

The men are back on the ice later on Sunday, against the unbeaten Switzerland (18:05 GMT).

Before then, the GB women will play their fourth match, with the fancied Sweden their opponents (13:05) as they try to revive their own semi-final hopes.

Manchester City icon Pep Guardiola’s daughter has carved out a promising career for herself in the fashion world

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The daughter of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola previously had a romance with former England international Dele Alli and has even been employed by Victoria Beckham. Maria, 24, is the eldest daughter of Guardiola and his former wife Cristina Serra.

Guardiola and Cristina, who split after three decades together, also share children Marius, 22, and Valentina, 17, but it’s influencer Maria who has captured public attention.

Boasting an Instagram following of over 800,000, Maria has established herself as an emerging talent in the fashion industry. She also attracted attention for her brief relationship with ex-Spurs midfielder Dele.

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The pair were believed to be dating after being photographed kissing at a London venue in 2021. Their romance proved brief, though, as Dele subsequently started seeing Cindy Kimberly, while Maria was photographed with pop star Conor Maynard in February 2024.

Maria’s passion for fashion stems from her mother, whose family runs an upmarket boutique, Serra Claret, in Barcelona, stocking premium designer labels. Following her A-Level studies at St Bedes, Maria obtained a BA in Fashion Business from Istituto Marangoni London in 2023.

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Maria has shown a willingness to begin at the entry level within her selected career path, too. She undertook a sales assistant position at her mother’s store before completing an internship with Victoria Beckham and joining the sales department at Helmut Lang.

She later took up a role as a retail and licensing coordinator at Manchester City. Maria, along with Guardiola’s two other children, is now dealing with her parents’ separation.

The pair, who tied the knot in 2014, reportedly made the decision in December but kept the news under wraps. Late last year, it emerged that the City manager’s wife had moved out of their family residence.

Spanish podcast Mamarazzis suggested that the couple have been living apart since 2019, with the strains of a long-distance relationship starting to cause issues. Cristina is said to remain in their home city of Barcelona, while Guardiola resides in a plush £2.7m flat in Salford.

In a chat with Vanity Fair, Maria provided a peek into life as the daughter of one of football’s most renowned figures. Owing to her father’s remarkable career both on the pitch and in management, Maria has resided in Barcelona, Rome, Brescia, Qatar, Mexico, New York, Munich, Manchester and London.

She said: “Moving so frequently gave me a great deal of self-confidence, which I don’t think I could have gained in any other way at such a young age. I also fondly remember that sport was a big part of my childhood. Following my father around the world to watch matches created special memories and brought the family very close together.

“Given the hectic pace of my parents’ careers, we didn’t get to see each other much. All our moves have revolved around his career, first as a player and then as a coach. Football has shaped much of our family’s journey.”

In 2008, Kim became the first American under the age of 25 since Tiger Woods to win two PGA Tour events in the same year.

He was the youngest member of the United States’ victorious 2008 Ryder Cup side, taking two-and-a-half points from four matches at the age of 23 during Europe’s defeat at Valhalla.

In Adelaide, he started the final round five shots behind overnight leaders Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.

However, Kim sank nine birdies in a round of 63 to finish top of the leaderboard on 23 under at Grange Golf Club.

Rahm ended the event with a 71, which included two birdies and a bogey, with the Spaniard three shots back on 20 under.

DeChambeau carded two birdies and four bogeys, with the American’s final-round 74 leaving him on 17 under, along with compatriot Peter Uihlein (68) and England’s Tyrell Hatton (67).

“It’s been overwhelming,” said Kim. “But I’m never not going to fight for my family.

“God gave me a talent. I was able to produce some good golf today, I knew it was coming.

“Nobody else has to believe in me, but me. And for anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything.”

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot welcomed Mohamed Salah’s all-round contribution to their 3-0 victory over Brighton which secured progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Egypt international produced a sumptuous cushioned volley to assist Dominik Szoboszlai’s powerful strike for their second before winning and scoring the penalty which ensured there was no late drama at Anfield, after Curtis Jones’ first goal in 58 matches had opened the scoring.

Salah’s goal was only his second for the club since November 1 in what has been an underwhelming season.

However, since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations – prior to which his future looked in doubt after a fall-out with Slot after being benched a number of times – the 33-year-old looks to have adapted to a different role within the side.

“It is very nice to have him on the scoresheet again, but what I like the most is he scoring goals – you can almost expect that – but he also helps the team a lot defensively and that is something very positive,” said the Liverpool boss.

After the match Salah hailed Szoboszlai, his close friend, as currently one of the best players in the world and there was no argument from Slot.

“I think there are a lot of very good to elite football players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that Dom is one of them,” added the Dutchman, who believes the Hungary captain offers a lesson to all new signings at the club.

“Dominik is great example of the model we are using at this club. We sign young players from another league, this situation Leipzig, where he was already known as a player for being really physical.

“The player we brought in was already good but where is he now, he is much better than where he was two-and-a-half years ago. That is what you get if you sign young players, give them a bit of time and let them play a lot.

“That’s why the trajectory he has been through can be the same trajectory from other players we have signed from other leagues.

“You can already see their progress but I’ve said many times that next season, the end of the season or in two seasons, players like Hugo (Ekitike) and Florian (Wirtz), because these are two that come from the Bundesliga, will be better than they are now because they’re already good players for us.”

For Brighton, it was a fourth defeat in five matches and boss Fabian Hurzeler was left to rue two good chances from Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez at the end of the first half.

“Moments decided the game, unfortunately in the wrong direction,” he said.

“The goal from Liverpool came from nowhere. We had two big chances where we had to score. The second half the same.

“They had the quality to use their chances. We weren’t able to be that effective. It was a disappointing result for us.”

Midfielder Noah Nartey made an immediate impact at his new club by scoring on his Ligue 1 debut to lead Lyon to a 10th consecutive win across all competitions, and Paris Saint-Germain won 2-1 at Strasbourg to reclaim top spot despite playing the last 15 minutes with 10 men.

Lyon beat Lille 1-0 in a match of few chances for both teams on Sunday. Nartay netted the decisive goal in the 37th minute and Lyon climbed to fourth, level on points with third-place Marseille.

PSG faced strong opposition and returned to first place after Nuno Mendes headed home the winner in the 81st as Strasbourg failed to capitalize on its numerical advantage. PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov saved a penalty in the first half.

Defending champion PSG holds a two-point lead over Lens, with Marseille and Lyon nine points adrift.

Mendes’ goal from Warren Zaire-Emery’s cross came only a few minutes after Achraf Hakimi was sent off for a reckless challenge on Joaquin Panichelli.

In an enthralling first half, Strasbourg had the chance to take the lead in the 19th minute from the penalty spot. But Safonov, a spot-kick specialist who was preferred to Lucas Chevalier in goal for the second match in a row, dived to deny Panichelli.

PSG broke the deadlock following a defensive mistake from Mamadou Sarr in the 22nd minute. The Strasbourg captain failed to clear the ball inside the box and instead fired it straight at Bradley Barcola. It fell to Senny Mayulu, who scored with a left-footed strike.

The hosts drew level five minutes later through a goal from Guela Doue, with his brother Desire Doue – who plays for PSG – watching from the visitors’ bench.

The goal came at the conclusion of a move ignited by a brilliant pass from Panichelli that released Ben Chilwell on the left. The former Chelsea player then crossed into the middle for Doue to slot home.

“It was a very difficult match against a very difficult opponent,” Safonov said.

“We were a bit lucky at the end of the game, it’s true. It was a nervy ending.” 
It was a first league defeat for Strasbourg coach Gary O’Neil, who had been unbeaten since replacing Liam Rosenior following his fellow Englishman’s departure to Premier League club Chelsea.

Nartay shines 
The 20-year-old Danish player signed a five-year contract with Lyon last month, joining from Brondby.

Lille dominated the first half and Nartay showed his solid defensive skills. He then displayed his composure to send a low shot between the legs of the Lille goalkeeper. That capped a fine move by Ruben Kluivert, who had rushed down the the left flank then set up his teammate with a precise cut-back pass at the penalty spot.

“I’m proud of the team, we worked hard,” Kluivert said.

“Lille was good, but we were better.” 
Nartay’s goal extended Lille’s losing streak to a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 match, with Bruno Genesio’s team in fifth place, seven points behind Lyon.

More misery for Metz 
Last-placed Metz slumped to a 14th defeat in 20 league matches this season, losing 1-0 at Angers. Metz’s task was made harder early on when Jean-Philippe Gbamin was sent off after slipping on the ball and stamping on the ankle of Haris Belkebla.

Angers took advantage of the situation and Louis Mouton scored the decisive goal in the 25th minute with a precise finish.

Auxerre moved one point above Metz after a 0-0 draw at Toulouse, and Nice fought back from two goals down at home to draw 2-2 with Brest thanks to second-half goals from Ali Abdi and Elye Wahi.