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Manchester United’s exciting team for FA Youth Cup glory – JJ Gabriel, Chido Obi and Kai Rooney

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Man Utd’s youngsters are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup after beating Oxford United earlier this week.

Manchester United are looking to extend their rich history in the FA Youth Cup this season. United have won the competition more than any other club, and Darren Fletcher is hopeful of clinching the trophy again.

Fletcher returned to manage the Under-18s after serving as first-team caretaker for two matches. The Scot was offered the chance to be part of Michael Carrick’s backroom staff, but he decided to return to his coaching role in the academy, in which he has plenty of young talent at his disposal.

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The U18s were knocked out of the Youth Cup semi-finals by eventual winners Aston Villa last season. They have the talent to take it one step further, so here are five players spearheading their campaign.

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Chido Obi

Chido Obi dropped down to U18 level for the first time in 11 months when he started against Derby County in the FA Youth Cup last month. The Youth Cup is for players who are under the age of 18 on August 31 of the current campaign. Obi celebrated his 18th birthday in November, making him eligible.

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Obi started for the U18s again in their Youth Cup win against Oxford on Wednesday, but he did not play for the U18s in their ‘run of the mill’ league fixture against Wolves this weekend.

The Youth Cup is the pinnacle of youth football, and playing Obi in the competition is a statement of intent from United. The youngster has scored two goals in two games so far.

Jim Thwaites

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Jim Twaites has a name befitting of an English player in the 1950s, but he would be regarded as an extra-terrestrial if he played in that decade due to his incredible ball-striking technique.

Thwaites has already built a reputation as a dead-ball specialist. He has scored several excellent free-kicks during his time in the academy and added another to his highlight reel in the U18 Manchester derby last week.

The 18-year-old was absent in December and January due to injury and was a big miss in the early rounds of the Youth Cup. However, Thwaites is firing again and will be key in the competition.

JJ Gabriel

JJ Gabriel is just 15 years old, but he doesn’t need any introduction. The supremely talented teenager is playing well above his age group and making light work of tearing apart United’s opponents.

Gabriel has scored 16 goals in 20 academy games this season and has already trained with the first-team on a handful of occasions. The youngster was close to leaving United in the summer, but Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada were involved in an eleventh-hour meeting to keep him at the club.

Each of the United Youth Cup-winning teams has had a poster boy. Gabriel is this generation’s star man. MUTV subscriptions are probably selling like hot cakes just so fans can watch him.

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Godwill Kukonki

Godwill Kukonki has plenty of experience playing with the U21s and he is another who has dropped into the Youth Cup in a clear signal of intent. The defender has played at left-back and centre-back so far in the academy, but his long-term future is expected to lie in central defence.

Kukonki’s presence is huge at the back and he will help to provide a solid defensive foundation in the competition. The 18-year-old is also excellent at playing out with the ball at his feet.

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There have been early comparisons made between the exciting Kukonki and Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol and he is a rare option because he is a left-footed defender.

Kai Rooney

If Kai Rooney isn’t involved much in the Youth Cup for the remainder of this season, the silver lining is that he will still be eligible for the competition for another two campaigns.

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The 16-year-old made his debut in the competition against Derby at Old Trafford but was not included in the squad to face Oxford. Fletcher can call upon players who have plenty of U21 experience in the competition, so Rooney did well to make his debut in the Youth Cup just a month after turning 16.

Rooney is left-footed and drifts in from the right wing after his position switch, and he’s been able to craft his finishing technique under the guidance of one of the best strikers the game has ever seen.

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NFL Players from Olympus H.S. (Salt Lake City, UT)

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Here’s an up-to-date list of all NFL Players from Olympus High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game.

See where it ranks among other schools in the state here.

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NFL Players from Layton H.S. (Layton, UT)

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Here’s an up-to-date list of all NFL Players from Layton High School in Layton, Utah.

The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game.

See where it ranks among other schools in the state here.

NFL Players from Layton HS
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Men’s Olympic hockey live blog: Canada vs. USA

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The men’s Olympic hockey tournament wraps up Sunday, with a showdown between Team Canada and Team USA that many hockey fans have been waiting for since last year’s thrilling end at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Americans are looking for their first gold in this event since 1980, while Canada has won the past two NHL Olympic tournaments in 2014 and 2010. As this year’s Olympics come to an end, which country will come out on top in 2026?

Follow along with all the action in our live blog.

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Terence Crawford sums up Ryan Garcia’s performance against Mario Barrios

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Newly-crowned WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia has received plenty of praise following his victory over Mario Barrios on Saturday.

Garcia dominated the bout from start to finish, dropping Barrios in the opening round on his way to a unanimous decision victory, with the judges scoring the bout 120-107, 119-108 and 118-109 in his favour.

The win saw ‘King Ry’ become world champion for the first time as he claimed the WBC belt at 147lbs, with attention now potentially turning to a showdown against four-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson, who won the WBO super-lightweight title last month by defeating Teofimo Lopez.

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One man who has backed Stevenson throughout his career is fellow boxing great Terence Crawford, who retired from the sport in December following his monumental victory over Canelo Alvarez.

While Crawford would undoubtedly back Stevenson in a possible clash against Garcia, ‘Bud’ gave credit where it was due to ‘King Ry’ for his win over Barrios, as he needed just one word to sum up the performance when asked by Clocked n Loaded.

“Amazing.”

Garcia proved he belongs at world level following the win over Barrios, having previously come up short in big fights against the likes of Gervonta Davis and Rolly Romero.

He did claim a win over Devin Haney in April 2024, only for the result to be overturned to a no contest after failing a drugs test. That resulted in a 12-month ban from the sport, something that Stevenson made reference to were he to agree to a clash against ‘King Ry.’

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Nottingham Forest v Liverpool live: Latest team news and line-ups from Premier League clash

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Van Dijk backs Szoboszlai to make ‘next step’ towards inheriting Liverpool captaincy

Virgil van Dijk believes midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has all the qualities to one day succeed him as Liverpool captain having led by example this season.

Szoboszlai has been the team’s most consistent performer in a so-far underwhelming campaign of ups and downs despite being asked to play a number of different roles, most significantly standing in at right-back.

The 25-year-old, hailed by Mohamed Salah last weekend as “one of the best players in the world right now”, reached 10 goals for the season against Brighton and has already surpassed his best return for the club.

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Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 12:00

Why Vitor Pereira’s mission at Nottingham Forest goes beyond avoiding relegation

Pereira has arrived as Forest’s fourth manager of the season with the primary objective of avoiding the drop – but as shown by Sean Dyche’s sacking, that is not all that is expected of his reign.

Richard Jolly22 February 2026 11:40

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How the aura of Klopp has left Slot trapped in a new Liverpool reality

Arne Slot has fielded questions surrounding his German predecessor, who remains hugely popular at Anfield, while some supporters covet a reunion with Xabi Alonso, despite his failure at Real Madrid.

Richard Jolly 22 February 2026 11:20

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Liverpool’s early team news

Jeremie Frimpong could return for next weekend’s visit of West Ham while Alexander Isak could be back by the end of March, but Joe Gomez is fit to start.

Possible line-up: Alisson; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.

Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:05

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Nottingham Forest early team news

Forest have no new injury problems after the win in Turkey this week. Willy Boly, Chris Wood, John Victor, Matz Sels and Nicolo Savona all remain out.

Possible line-up: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus.

Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:02

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When is Forest v Liverpool?

The game kicks off at 2pm GMT today, Sunday 22 February, at the City Ground in Nottingham.

How to watch

The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League in the UK.

Subscribers can stream the action online via the Sky Go app and Sky Sports website.

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Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:01

Hello and welcome

Nottingham Forest host Liverpool today as Vitor Pereira takes charge of Forest for the first time in the Premier League.

Pereira’s first game was an impressive 3-0 win at Fenerbahce after goals by Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus gave Forest the upper hand in the Europa League play-offs.

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But the new manager’s real task is to keep Forest away from relegation, and they face a far stiffer challenge against the Premier League champions, who are chasing a place in the top five and next season’s Champions League.

Jamie Braidwood22 February 2026 11:00

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NFL Players from Corner Canyon H.S. (Draper, UT)

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Here’s an up-to-date list of all NFL Players from Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.

The list includes only those players who have played in an NFL game.

See where it ranks among other schools in the state here.

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Here’s how Anthony Kim tests new equipment

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Anthony Kim’s journey through professional golf from early stardom to disappearing for 12 years to now becoming a winner again on LIV Golf is without doubt distinctive. And the way he built his new bag setup mirrors that uniqueness.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-host Johnny Wunder, who has become friends with Kim over the past year, details how Kim went about testing new equipment once he came back to a completely different world of professional golf.

When Kim, now 40, earned his first two PGA Tour titles in 2008, 16 years ago, the first adjustable loft driver had yet to hit the market. Launch monitors were on the PGA Tour, but they weren’t the fixture they are today.

Custom club fitting had been around for some time, but we were only beginning to push the boundaries of individual optimization that we can achieve now.

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Kim, in some ways, is still rooted in those old-school ways.

Wunder met Kim last year and became friends with him after he walked a practice round with him at LIV Golf Virginia. That’s how Wunder started to understand how Kim thinks differently about gear.

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“It’s been interesting,” Wunder said. “You’re talking to a person, trying to help them and answer questions for them and they don’t know Trackman, they don’t know Foresight. They don’t even speak modern golf ball.”

Using his connections in the gear space, whenever Kim would ask him about a product like a wedge or a driver, Wunder would reach out and get one for him to test.

Then Kim would give his feedback to Wunder.

“He would get stuff and he would test it and he would say I like it because it does this. It was all very ball-related,” Wunder said. “It was, ‘I swing this way and the ball goes that way.’ There’s no numbers.”

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Wunder said Kim has built his bag around feel and that’s a non-negotiable for him.

But yet, over the past month-plus as he earned back his spot on LIV Golf and his first worldwide victory since 2010, he’s made immense progress with his game.

For more from Wunder and co-host Jake Morrow, listen to the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped here, or watch it below.

Want to overhaul your bag in 2026? Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

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Top NFL Player-Producing Utah High Schools

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  By SuperWest Sports Staff


Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, 200 players who attended high schools in Utah have played or are currently playing in the NFL. 

That number may increase this fall when recently drafted players play their first games as pros.

Utah ranks No. 35 in the nation among high schools that produce NFL players, and is the sixth best in the West.

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A total of 62 schools have produced at least one player.

Utah’s Highland High School has produced 10 NFL players, while Logan, Bingham, and East high schools have produced nine players each.

Several players from the high schools listed here played college football at schools and conferences in the West, including the Pac-12, Mountain West, Big West, Big Sky, and schools now in the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC.

Here is a list of the state’s top pro-producing high schools with their respective ranks, player counts, and cities.

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Source: https://www.pro-football-reference.com/

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Streisand victorious in 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes

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In just three years’ span, Clinton McDonald has twice been crowned ‘King of the Kids’, with Streisand conquering Victoria’s flagship juvenile race at Caulfield.

Two years earlier, McDonald lifted the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) via the late Hayasugi, and Saturday saw filly Streisand repeat the feat.

Jamie Melham steered Hayasugi home, but Ben Melham, her partner, took the reins on Streisand, granting her a smooth journey.

Riding third three-wide beyond pacesetters Lady Moscato and Closer To Free, Melham sensed Streisand, in blinkers for the first go, was at ease a length off the pair.

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Composing herself for the finale, she and Closer To Free isolated ahead, Streisand prevailing in the dying stages.

Priced at $11, Streisand forged a three-quarters-length success over $4.60 market leader Closer To Free, as Guest House ($4.80) nabbed third for Melham’s bookended result.

Streisand, a filly by Magnus out of Zoustar-sired Zouper Star, boasted superior exposure in the 16-runner affair, having started four times already by Saturday.

McDonald mirrored Hayasugi’s blueprint, leaving the Cranbourne handler astonished anew at his filly’s starting price.

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“She’s very similar to Hayasugi, very understated,” McDonald said.

“Hayasugi won by a head in the Prelude and everyone wrote her off in the Diamond and she went around, I think, at $18, and it was the same with this filly.

“She ran second twice, beaten a short-half-head twice, ran fifth and was unlucky and won at her fourth start.

“I thought ‘have I got this wrong, I think she’s going alright this filly’, and I’ve said all along she’s had a solid preparation, a faultless preparation, and she’s tough,

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“And that’s what you need to win these races.

“I just thought she was the most seasoned horse in the race. The way she walked around the mounting yard it was like she’s done it her whole life, and she raced that way.

“It’s just terrific, look out tonight.”

Melham revealed the Diamond win stemmed from extended plotting.

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Prior to her spell, winless Streisand flashed elite ability around Christmas, blooming further upon resumption.

“That’s what you want to see from these two-year-olds,” Melham said.

“She’s a ready-made racehorse. Clinton and the team have done a great job.

“She’s a cranky little thing on the ground, but lovely to ride race day.

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“Blinkers first time today, we always thought she’d improve with them on.

“She was a little bit sleepy going to the start, and I gave her a bit of a squeeze and then she picked up and I lit her up in the barriers a bit just to make sure she jumped because she went to sleep on me again.

“A lot of the speed didn’t jump, and we didn’t end up going that quick. I was just in a position where I could control the race and she did the rest.”

Visit trusted betting sites to find racing odds for the Blue Diamond Stakes.

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Man United signed Ballon d’Or winner and record goalscorer on free transfers

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Manchester United are likely to enter the summer transfer window without a permanent manager in place

Manchester United will likely need to bring in several new signings to their squad this summer. Without a permanent manager in place, the club are poised to appoint their next long-term boss and support whoever they select in the transfer market to put their own mark on the team.

With finances tight, the club could explore free agents to enhance quality and squad depth. Recruiting players who are unattached could be a strategic gamble for the Premier League giants.

United have traditionally depended on academy products and emerging talents to strengthen their squad, though this approach may shift in the coming months.

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Michael Carrick has brought fresh optimism to Old Trafford, securing four victories from five games since his interim return, and supporters have been demanding his temporary head coach position be made permanent once the 2025/26 campaign ends.

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However, with numerous uncertainties in the United dressing room, the club’s leadership may prefer to wait before making a permanent appointment.

Free agents could prove United’s salvation during this transitional phase. Here, Manchester Evening News revisits some of United’s biggest free transfer signings.

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

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Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

Michael Owen

Michael Owen sent shockwaves through football when he joined United following the expiry of his Newcastle contract in 2009. The former Liverpool hero, who secured the 2001 Ballon d’Or whilst at Anfield, caused considerable controversy by signing a two-year agreement with their fierce rivals.

Making matters worse, Ferguson handed Owen the club’s legendary number seven jersey.

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The 29-year-old striker had found it difficult to recapture his finest form since leaving Liverpool and had suffered relegation with Newcastle the season before. Nevertheless, Owen’s instinct for finding the net remained sharp.

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The ex-England international struck a memorable 4-3 winner against Manchester City and also found the target as United beat Aston Villa in the 2010 League Cup final. Following a promising first campaign, Owen featured sufficiently to secure a Premier League winner’s medal in 2011, but his opportunities diminished before he left United in 2012.

He found the back of the net 17 times in 52 outings for the club.

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Victor Valdes

In 2014, United made a statement by securing Barcelona legend Victor Valdes as cover for David De Gea. The shot-stopper had been without a team for several months whilst rehabilitating from a knee injury after departing Barcelona, and ultimately signed an 18-month contract with United in January 2015.

Valdes secured six La Liga titles and three Champions League medals with his boyhood club and was familiar with United manager Louis van Gaal from their time together at Camp Nou. After completing his rehabilitation from a knee injury at United, the 32-year-old was content to challenge De Gea and made his first team bow in May.

Nevertheless, Valdes was subsequently transfer-listed following reports that he had declined to feature in a reserve fixture. The Spain international managed only two outings for the club before moving to Standard Liege on loan in January 2016 and subsequently joining newly-promoted Middlesbrough on a free transfer.

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Paul Scholes

One of the most remarkable decisions during Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary managerial tenure was persuading Paul Scholes to return from retirement. The midfielder had drawn the curtain on his career at the conclusion of the 2010/11 season but made a sensational return, entering as a substitute in an FA Cup triumph over Manchester City in January 2012.

Scholes’ comeback was announced just an hour before the Manchester derby as United battled an injury crisis, with Darren Fletcher and Tom Cleverley unavailable. Ferguson remained convinced Scholes had retired too early, and his assessment proved correct as the midfielder appeared 21 times that campaign.

The midfielder signed a contract extension and was part of the United squad that clinched the Premier League in Ferguson’s final season in charge before retiring permanently.

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Edinson Cavani

United secured former PSG star Edinson Cavani on transfer deadline day in October 2020, several months following his exit from the French side. The then 33-year-old had become PSG’s all-time leading scorer during his seven-year tenure in Paris, scoring 200 goals in 301 appearances.

Upon arriving at Old Trafford, Cavani was given the legendary number seven shirt and would have hoped to mirror his former colleague Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant influence on the club a few years earlier. Cavani scored 17 goals in his first season as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team finished second in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final on penalties.

Unfortunately for Cavani, who had extended his contract in May 2021, United were unable to build on that momentum as Solskjaer was replaced by interim manager Ralf Rangnick that December.

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The Uruguayan striker had surrendered his number seven shirt to a returning Cristiano Ronaldo and saw his playing time significantly reduced before leaving the club in the summer of 2022.

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