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Irish Champions Weekend – Leopardstown on Saturday

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The two-day Irish Champions Weekend begins at Leopardstown on Saturday, with action the following day at The Curragh.

Saturday’s bumper 9-race card at the South County Dublin venue includes three Group 1 races, with the highlight, the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, the weekend’s feature, going to post at 5.00pm. The three Group 1s are backed up by a Group 2, a Group 3 and a Listed race, while there are also three Premier Handicaps down for decision.

The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes is usually one of the season’s highlights. The 1m 2 furlong contest for three-year-olds and upwards has seen Aidan O’Brien win six of the last seven editions of the race, with Delacroix (2025), Auguste Rodin (2023), Luxembourg (2022), St Mark’s Basilica (2021), Magical (2019 & 2020).

First three in Juddmonte International re-oppose

On Saturday, the Ballydoyle handler’s main hope will be the Coral-Eclipse winner at Sandown, Constitution River – beaten on his last outing in the Juddmonte International at York last month.

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Item, the winner of the Juddmonte International, and Almaqam, the runner-up, will represent Andrew Balding and Ed Walker respectively. There was only a head between the two English-trained runners at York last time, with three lengths back to Constitution River – though Aidan O’Brien did later blame poor race tactics for the defeat of the son of Wootton Bassett.

The 2025 Betfred Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner, Lambourn, has also been declared by the Coolmore partners, as has Hawk Mountain, with both likely to set the pace at different stages of the race.

Jessica Harrington’s recent German Group 1 winner Hotazhell is also among the field, as is A Boy Names Susie, who finished behind Constitution River in both the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, and the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Interestingly, English handler George Scott supplemented his Deauville Group 3 winner Wimbledon Hawkeye at a cost of €75,000, and will be hoping to get some return for the outlay.

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Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes

The Group 1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes at 3.55pm is for fillies and mares over a mile. Eight different trainers have won this prize since 2018, and twice it has gone for export – to Karl Burke – with Fallen Angel last season, and Laurens in 2018. Both Donnacha O’Brien (2024, Porta Fortuna) and his brother Joseph (2019, Iridessa) have claimed this contest in recent years, though their father, Aidan, hasn’t won since Hydrangea in 2017.

The race has been good for favourites in recent times, with the past three winning, namely Fallen Angel (9/4), Porta Fortuna (5/4) and Tahiyra (5/6).

English trainers hold strong hand in Matron Stakes

English trainers, Andrew Balding and Karl Burke, hold a strong hand in this year’s renewal. Balding’s Blue Bolt goes in search of a third Group 1, and has had the upper hand this season on four-time Group 1 winner Precise, who re-opposes on Saturday.

Last season’s winner of this race, Fallen Angel, returns to defend her crown, but has only raced twice this season – something which might be seen as a disadvantage to her. Karl Burke, however, has an excellent success rate in Ireland, and should never be discounted.

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Paddy Twomey, who trained the winner in 2022, Pearls Galore, will be represented by City Of Memphis, a filly he nominated for this race earlier this year. The Betfred 1000 Guineas winner, True Love, will join her stable companion, Precise, in the 9-runner Group 1.

Ireland’s Newest Group 1

The HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes for two-year-olds over one mile and one furlong is Ireland’s newest Group 1.

Aidan O’Brien, who had a good record in the race when it was a Group 2 contest, took three of the last four renewals of the juvenile event. Having won with Benvenuto Cellini (2025), Diego Velazquez (2023) and Auguste Rodin (2022), the Wexford-born trainer is responsible for four of the 10 runners this year. The Coolmore-Ballydoyle team will be represented by Aix La Chapelle, Shakespeare, Victory Speech and Darkness Falls – the latter the mount of Ryan Moore.

Nola Soul won the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June for Fozzy Stack, and has course form. Green Dreamer, from the Joseph O’Brien yard, is another course winner, while British trainers Charlie Appleby and Charlie Johnston have Quest For Stars and Pikachu respectively in the race.

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Races and Times

1.35pm Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes (Listed)

2.10pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Premier Handicap

2.45pm The HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes (Group 1)

3.15pm The Kilternan Stakes (Group 3)

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3.55pm The Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (Group 1)

4.25pm The TonyBet Solonaway Stakes (Group 2)

5.00pm The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (Group 1)

5.35pm The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Premier Handicap

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6.10pm The HKJC WorldPool Autumn Fillies Premier Handicap

Patrons can pay at the turnstiles on both Saturday and Sunday, and ticket details and prices are available on the Irish Champions Festival website.


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

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Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Finals Week 1 2026

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– Minor premier Penrith begins its finals campaign against a refreshed Roosters team welcoming back a host of frontline players.

When: Sunday September 13, 2026 at 4:05 pm

Where: CommBank Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

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Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters Odds

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters Preview

Minor premier Penrith hosts the Roosters at CommBank Stadium after claiming top spot on points differential with a 38-10 win over the Tigers. Casey McLean’s hat-trick highlighted the Panthers’ attacking sharpness, while Isaah Yeo now returns to the starting side and Scott Sorensen is back from a calf issue. Sydney has lost three consecutive matches since its 12-6 win over Penrith in Round 24, although last week’s heavy defeat to South Sydney came with many frontline players rested. James Tedesco, Daly Cherry-Evans, Reece Robson and Lindsay Collins are among the returning starters, Victor Radley is back from concussion, and Angus Crichton has been named on the bench after a lengthy foot injury. Penrith won the other meeting 40-4 and has won its past 10 home finals. The Roosters’ restored side raises the challenge, but Penrith’s continuity and finals control remain compelling.

First Try Scorer

First Try Scorer:

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Brian To’o at $8.25.

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters Teams

Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Luke Garner 4. Casey McLean 5. Brian To’o 6. Jack Cole 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Liam Henry 17. Billy Phillips 18. Blaize Talagi 19. Billy Scott 20. Luron Patea 21. Kalani Leuluai-going 22. Jesse McLean

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Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Robert Toia 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase 6. Hugo Savala 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Naufahu Whyte 9. Reece Robson 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Salesi Foketi 12. Siua Wong 13. Victor Radley 14. Connor Watson 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Nat Butcher 17. Angus Crichton 18. Cody Ramsey 19. Tommy Talau 20. Egan Butcher 21. Benaiah Ioelu 22. Taylor Losalu

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Lens secure an epic comeback win to kick off their Champions League campaign – Sports

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Lens players celebrate after scoring the 2-3 during the UEFA Champions League football match between Slavia Prague and Lens in Prague, on September 10, 2026
Cover image: Lens players celebrate after scoring the 2-3 during the UEFA Champions League football match between Slavia Prague and Lens, Prague, September 10, 2026. © Michal Cizek, AFP

From the show

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Trailing 2-1 to Slavia Prague in the 88th minute, few could have imagined that Lens would go on to win. Yet, in just three minutes, the French side turned the game around, led by their captain Florian Thauvin.

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Gilas faces must-win games to make it out of group play at Asian Games

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Gilas faces must-win games to make it out of group play at Asian Games

Gilas Pilipinas’ rough loss to Bahrain cast more doubt on its chances of retaining the gold medal in men’s basketball as the country’s campaign in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially got going on Friday.

Coach Tim Cone refused to sugarcoat much of the 89-85 loss, a scoreline that wasn’t reflective of the difficulty Gilas endured for most of the contest.

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“We expected more from ourselves, [especially having a lot of] basketball-crazy fans,” Cone said. “So we’re disappointed.”

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A decisive stretch during the waning moments of the second quarter all the way to the third spelled doom for Gilas, as it was left helpless with Bahrain’s combination of size advantage and outside conversions, all the while with the Filipinos struggling to make shots reminiscent of their two blowout defeats in an exhibition series with South Korea.

Calvin Oftana was one of the few, if not the lone bright spot, for Gilas, making good on Cone’s belief as a “plug-and-play guy” being a part of his system for the long term.

Oftana showed no signs of rust or injury concerns, having missed the last three months with hamstring and toe injuries, firing 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting in undoubtedly his best performance in a Gilas uniform.

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But Oftana’s big game went for naught, as the rest of the team struggled to find its rhythm to end up shooting at a cold 38-percent clip.

Defensive match-up problems were also evident, with three of Bahrain’s four naturalized players in ex-NBA player JaKarr Sampson, big-bodied Elijah Thomas and even Uros Ilic proving too much to handle.

“We had a hard time with their size,” said Cone. “Even though we won the rebounds (51-35), we had a hard time defending their size. [They] forced us to collapse down on their bigs because we are undersized.”

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“And that either allowed them to score inside or allowed them to kick out for three-point shots and we couldn’t cover both,” added Cone.

And now Gilas has no course but to play with a sense of urgency on Saturday against Kazakhstan, as another loss will likely end all chances of even advancing to the quarterfinals as a top two finisher in Group C or as two of the best three third-place finishers.

Cone said he and the rest of the team can’t dwell on the narrow loss longer.



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“At some point, you can be disappointed only long enough,” said Cone. “And then, you got to move on.”

“This is the first game of the tournament, so we got to move on,” he said. “But we feel like we know that we can be better than we did today. And I think we will.”

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O’Reilly, Doku – Latest Man City injury news and possible return dates for Man United derby

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Enzo Maresca has given the latest Man City injury news ahead of the clash against Man United at Old Trafford

Manchester City have been handed an injury boost for this weekend’s Manchester derby, with Nico O’Reilly expected to be fit for the clash with Manchester United. The 21-year-old has been absent for the last two games with a back injury.

City make the short journey to Old Trafford on Sunday to take on United. They will be looking to maintain their 100 per cent record in the Premier League under Enzo Maresca.

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The results see City sit top of the early Premier League table, above expected title rivals Arsenal on goals scored. The two teams are the only two to have won all of their three games so far.

City were also in Champions League action this week. They kicked off their European campaign in the perfect way with a brace from Erling Haaland giving them a 2-0 away win.

Attentions now turn back to the Premier League and the Manchester derby with City looking to secure early bragging rights.

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Ahead of the game, Maresca has given the latest injury update on his squad. In good news, it seems that the treatment room is becoming increasingly empty.

Nico O’Reilly

Injury: Back.

O’Reilly was forced to pull out of the line-up shortly before last weekend’s win over Coventry City due to a back problem. He sat out this week’s Champions League win over Porto, but will be available for the Manchester derby.

What Maresca has said: “Nico is 100% available.”

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Expected return date: Vs Manchester United (A) – Sunday 13 September.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

Jeremy Doku

Injury: Calf.

Doku suffered a caf injury during the Community Shield clash against Arsenal last month. He is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League or Champions League this season.

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What Maresca has said: “Jeremy needs some more days.”

Possible return date: Vs Sunderland (H) – Sunday 20 September.

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Rutgers vs. Boston College odds, picks, predictions: Betting preview, start time for Week 2 college football

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Two East Coast foes looking to bounce back from ugly Week 1 performances meet in Boston Friday night with the Boston College Eagles hosting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Eagles lost 34-15 at Cincinnati while Rutgers had maybe the worst loss of any team in Week 1, losing at home to UMass 37-21. UMass didn’t win a single game in 2025 and hadn’t won in nearly 700 days. This is an important year for both teams, as Greg Schiano is in his 18th total season at Rutgers and his seventh in this second stint as head coach, while Bill O’Brien is in Year 3 at Boston College and won just two games last season. Bet on Rutgers vs. Boston College and more Week 2 college football at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets when you spend $5+:

If you’re looking to wager on this Rutgers at Boston College matchup in Week 2, you should first see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say. The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times and is on a 33-20 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks on betting sites since the 2024 season. It has been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its picks on college football betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Rutgers vs. Boston College betting odds (via DraftKings)

Rutgers vs. Boston College money line: Rutgers +136, Boston College -162
Rutgers vs. Boston College over/under: 53.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Rutgers vs. Boston College spread:  Boston College -3

Rutgers vs. Boston College betting preview

There’s nowhere to go but up, right? These teams really struggled in Week 1, with Boston College getting outgunned by a more talented Cincinnati team while Rutgers’ loss to UMass was one of the worst of the entire weekend. 

The Scarlet Knights have up 37 points and nearly 400 yards to a UMass team that hadn’t won a game since Oct. 26 2024. The biggest issue was on the ground, where Rutgers gave up 200 rushing yards. The Scarlet Knights also had four turnovers on offense, with quarterback Dylan Lonergan tossing three interceptions. AJ Surace came in and threw a touchdown last week, and he’ll start for Rutgers against Boston College on Friday. 

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As for the Eagles, nothing seemed to go right last year in a 2-10 campaign. The same was true over the weekend against Cincinnati. The Bearcats basically had that game handed to them as the Eagles actually outgained them 388-339, but Cincinnati rushed for a whopping 254 yards, and Boston College had two turnovers on offense while not registering a takeaway on defense. BC also went 1-for-4 on fourth down. Quarterback Mason McKenzie had 223 passing yards and a team-leading 78 rushing yards. 

Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets for Rutgers vs. Boston College in Week 2 college football:

Rutgers vs. Boston College picks, prediction

Rutgers-Boston College Over 53.5 points

These defenses were among the worst in the nation last year, and it doesn’t appear much has changed on that front this season. BC allowed the 14th-most points per game at 32.8 in 2025 and Rutgers was close behind, allowing 31.8 per contest. 

There’s some intriguing talent on offense on both sides, with McKenzie showing his dual-threat nature for the Eagles in a losing effort last week. Surace played well in relief of Lonergan for Rutgers last week, tossing a score and completing six of his nine passes. Boston College was able to run the ball against Cincy last week, while Rutgers had no rushing attack against UMass. Facing a team that just gave up more than 250 yards on the ground in Week 1, the Scarlet Knights should be able to get the run game going here.

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Given the state of each side’s defense, we’ll target an Over/Under bet in what could be a high-scoring affair. Over 53.5 hits in more than 60% of the SportsLine Projection Model’s simulations

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Did a Vikings Newcomer See Kevin O’Connell Offer a Hint for Week 1?

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Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t want to be completely forthright in his answer about edge rusher Kyle Van Noy. Still, though, there may be some insight to be gleaned.

The Vikings newcomer is a veteran who has seen it all. As a result, Van Noy appears capable of getting worked into the mix pretty easily due to his brains and work ethic.

Check out what Coach O’Connell said when asked about how Van Noy has been acclimating: “He’s been exactly what you’d think when you bring in a veteran guy that has had the type of career that he’s had. He’s got obviously some background with Flo, understanding the system.”

Not long afterwards, O’Connell referred to the injured Tyler Batty as an “integral piece” who has been replaced by Van Noy. Will the new pass rusher be active on Sunday? Look to what O’Connell had to say: “Yeah, we’re still working through that, it’s definitely a possibility for this weekend.”

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Vikings Newcomer Kyle Van Noy and the Need at Edge Rusher

Many have been pushing for help at edge rusher for months. Adding Mr. Van Noy therefore arrives as sweet relief to Minnesota’s worried masses.

As O’Connell suggests, the move was at least partially in response to losing sophomore defender Tyler Batty. Part of what made the head coach’s response notable was within the explanation of Batty moving toward being “integral” to what the defense was cooking up. If so, then perhaps there’s a hint in there.

Van Noy is adjusting well. He’s not a lock for being called up but he is stepping in for somebody who had been thought of as a key piece of the puzzle.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Savion Williams (83) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Tyler Batty (96) on a punt return during the first half at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Van Noy finds himself toward the end of his career, making him a somewhat odd replacement for Batty. If he is, though, then is the new defender going to be of similar importance? And if he is, does it really make sense to sit Van Noy in Week 1?

Star Packers runner Josh Jacobs won’t be playing in Week 1. Green Bay’s best bet for moving the football is going to be by leaning on Jordan Love, a fringe top-ten quarterback who has steadily progressed toward becoming a QB1 who is more dynamic than prime Kirk Cousins but not as formidable as Dak Prescott. Essentially, a high-end tier-3 QB or a low-end tier-2 QB.

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Throwing Kyle Van Noy onto the field means elevating somebody who can make like difficult for Love.

In 2024, Van Noy offered an eye-popping 12.5 sacks. Anybody at any age would be fortunate to climb to such heights, especially since the quarterback hits were an impressive 21. He deservedly got sent to the Pro Bowl.

The veteran’s 2025 was more modest, boasting just 2.5 sacks and 9 quarterback hits. Such modest production contributed toward being able to scoop him up on a practice squad deal after training camp.

NFL: Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens
Oct 26, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) defends during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Vikings are likely looking for a season that’s somewhere between 2024 and 2025. Think around 5-8 sacks alongside consistent levels of pressure and hits. So, too, will it be a bonus if he can get shuffled around as The Mad Scientist cooks up chaos.

Kevin O’Connell didn’t outright say that Kyle Van Noy is going to play. What Kevin O’Connell did say is that Kyle Van Noy got added after a key piece of the puzzle was hurt. Moreover, there was praise for the veteran’s ability to acclimate to what Brian Flores is doing on defense. The purple dot connecting hints at him being active.

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Kickoff between the Vikings and Packers takes place on Sunday, September 13th at 3:25 p.m. CT.


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Manchester United’s plan for Bruno Fernandes revealed amid Man City fitness concern

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Bruno Fernandes played the full game for Man Utd against Sabah but was seen limping away from Old Trafford after the 4-0 rout.

Michael Carrick insists he will give Bruno Fernandes a rest this season, despite the Manchester United captain completing his fourth successive 90 minutes of the campaign in the 4-0 win against Sabah.

Fernandes got on the scoresheet in United’s Champions League opener, helping his side to a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break, and with one eye on Sunday’s Manchester derby, Carrick began to ring the changes at that point.

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Despite making all five changes, he opted to rest Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu, leaving the 32-year-old Fernandes on the pitch as his minutes continue to rack up.

The wisdom of that idea could come into question after Fernandes was seen limping away from Old Trafford after the game. He took a few heavy blows during the second half, including one bang to the hip and then another kick late on that left him in a heap.

With just three days between the win against Sabah and the first derby of the season, Fernandes has little recovery time before trying to line up against Enzo Maresca’s side.

Carrick spoke to the media before his captain was seen limping, but did explain why he didn’t take him off despite the commanding position his team were in.

“We only had five subs! We had to make certain decisions on what that looked like,” said Carrick. “But, of course, he’s like anybody else. He has played an awful lot, but I think we’re developing the group and the squad to be able to accommodate that in different ways.

“Tonight was just one of those things, there were decisions to be made and he ended up staying on.”

Fernandes has played every minute of Carrick’s 21 games in charge since January and he has missed just 10 of the 244 Premier League fixtures United have had since he joined the club from Sporting in January 2020.

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Luke Shaw did miss the win against Sabah after sitting out training on Wednesday and he will be checked over the next few days before a decision is made on his fitness ahead of the derby.

“We’ll have to see,” said Carrick. “We just kind of looked after him a little bit going into tonight. He wasn’t quite ready for it 100%, so we didn’t risk it. We’ll see how he is over the next couple of days or so.”

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Vikings Snag a Final Gust of Good News Ahead of Weekend Game

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Every little bit helps, right?

The Vikings snagged some good news ahead of the upcoming Packers game. Earlier in the week, a trio of rookies — S Jakobe Thomas, S Jacob Thomas, and OL Caleb Tiernan — were limited due to injuries that needed some time to heal up. None of these players will go into the game with an injury designation, per Kevin O’Connell.

Vikings Snag Nice Health Update

Had the Vikings needed to rest the three players in question, Minnesota would have been fine.

Short-term ailments that involve losing third-string safety talent and a backup offensive lineman isn’t the end of the world. But, to be sure, any coach is going to be thrilled to have all available talent ready to roll for a game. Quite possibly, this could be the only week in the 2026 season where everyone is an option to go out there.

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Of the three names above, it’s Jacob Thomas who appears to offer the most promise. The UDFA looked smooth out there in practice and in the preseason, evidently putting in a pile of work to ensure he could look effortless. Watch for him to be a special teams help as a minimum.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants
Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings safety Jacob Thomas (39) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Otherwise, Coach O’Connell mentioned that left tackle Christian Darrisaw and safety Harrison Smith each had rest days. In Darrisaw’s case, that’s been the norm since coming back from his brutal knee injury. In Smith’s case, that’s due to being ancient (at least by NFL standards) and due to just getting back days ago.

Both are going to play in Week 1.

Green Bay’s end of things isn’t nearly so promising.

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In particular, there’s the absence of Micah Parsons, an elite talent who demands extra attention on a snap-by-snap basis. He’s still working to overcome a serious injury that robbed him of the end of the 2025 season. The Packers could obviously still win the game, but the timing of the NFC North game means the Vikings are lucky.

Kevin O’Connell would be well served to lean on the ground game more than in the past. Leaning on Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason means being able to offer some elegance and meanness, depending on what’s needed. Mason looks like a breakout candidate as somebody who can wallop a defense that’s leaving just six or seven defenders in the box.

Otherwise, all eyes will be on Kyler Murray. Seeing him ignite Justin Jefferson will mean that Vikings fans are going to doing cartwheels.

Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons against the Vikings in 2025
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) during the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Kevin O’Connell is going into his fifth season as the head coach. So far, he has proven formidable in the regular season but not so in the playoffs. He’ll therefore be looking to stack wins in the coming months as he tries to overcome the NFC’s best teams once January of 2027 arrives.

The Vikings’ Week 1 game gets started at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 13th.

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Columbus secures victory at Randwick-Kensington meeting in 2026

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Champion jockey James McDonald has been rewarded for his persistent belief in Columbus, sticking with the horse through a couple of recent defeats to secure a midweek win at Randwick’s Kensington track.

The son of Dundeel, a horse McDonald rode to six Group 1 wins, was initially considered a potential classic contender in the autumn before a setback ruled him out of the carnival. Since returning with a first-up victory at Newcastle in July, the four-year-old has not quite lived up to expectations, having been beaten in two subsequent runs as the favourite.

While his bounce back in Wednesday’s TAB Handicap (1800m) was only in midweek grade, McDonald stated it was a step in the right direction for the entire, who is prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Les Bridge.

“I still reckon he can go better than that,” McDonald said. “He’s just doing enough at the moment. I’m sure Les will coach the best out of him. He’s in the right hands and he’ll go through the grades. He just needs a bit of confidence. He’s a lovely type, as you can see, but there is more to give.”

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The Chris Waller stable also presented a winner they believe has more to offer in three-year-old colt Wonka ($4.20). The Snitzel colt led home a first-four for the yard in the Inglis Xtra Bonus Handicap (1550m), defeating Unhinged ($3.60 equal fav) by a length, with Cotoletta Cut ($41) another short half-head away third, and True Tone making ground from last for fourth.

Waller’s assistant trainer, Charlie Duckworth, shared that Wonka was going to be gelded if he did not perform, and while he has earned a reprieve, he still needs to improve his race craft.

Duckworth was also pleased they made the correct decision to step him up in distance, a move that had been debated after his minor placings at Warwick Farm the previous week.

“Jason (Collett) rode him seven days ago and he can be quite aggressive. He wasn’t convinced whether we actually brought him back in distance,” Duckworth said. “But we thought stretching him out in distance might actually settle him down. He runs a little bit on fear, and if the slower tempo could allow him to see the distance out we thought that would be the path to go. It worked out well today, and he was strong through the line.”

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Wonka holds nominations for the Golden Rose (1400m) and the Caulfield Guineas (1600m), but Duckworth indicated the horse still has “some kinks in his armour” that need to be ironed out before he rises in grade.

Compare Australian betting sites for the best racing odds.

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O.J. Simpson’s ex-girlfriend arrested in North Dakota over drug possession charges

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O.J. Simpson’s former longtime partner Christie Prody has been arrested in North Dakota on multiple narcotics charges, according to reports.

Prody was taken into custody by the West Fargo Police Department and booked on three separate counts, per records from the Cass County Jail. The counts include possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance (a depressant), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Her booking mugshot have also been released by authorities, as law enforcement continue reviewing the circumstances surrounding the case.

Prody dated O.J. Simpson for 12 to 13 years. Their relationship started shortly after his 1995 acquittal in the double murder trial of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

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Prody’s latest arrest adds to a long history of legal troubles and struggle with substance use. Police records from Miami-Dade County reveal she was named in at least 18 police incidents during her time with the late NFL Hall of Famer.

These include multiple domestic disputes and a misdemeanor marijuana charge. She was also once charged to a Clay County District Court, where she pled guilty to burglary and drug possession.

This was after allegations of stealing prescription pain medication from an elderly couple while working as an in-home nursing assistant. She was subsequently sentenced to 45 days in jail and 10 years probation.

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Defense attorney Ken Kludt highlighted her struggle with methamphetamine and oxycodone addiction at the time.

Christie Prody’s relationship with O.J. Simpson

Prody spoke about her relationship with the controversial former football player in a 2009 interview on ABC’s Good Morning America. She detailed physical and emotional abuse she endured during the relationship in the interview.

She also stated that she eventually accepted that Simpson was responsible for the 1994 homicide of Brown and Goldman. While the former Buffalo Bills running back escaped criminal liability in the case, he was found liable a civil suit.

However, he would eventually serve prison time in Nevada for a 2007 armed robbery conviction. He passed away in 2024 after battling with cancer.

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O.J. Simpson’s brilliant football career has often been overshadowed by his widely televised 1995 murder trial. However, prior to that, he spent 11 seasons in the NFL playing for the Bills and later the San Francisco 49ers.

Regarded as one of the greatest running backs to play the game, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.