Erling Haaland and Gabriel endured a war on Sunday as Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 to take control of the Premier League title race

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland said he would never feign injury to get another player sent off after a controversial incident involving Arsenal centre-back Gabriel. With the Blues leading 2-1 thanks to Haaland’s second half strike, tempers flared when Haaland pushed the defender after a free kick was awarded in his favour.

The two players then squared up to each other with Gabriel appearing to be the aggressor as he moved his head towards Haaland. Instead of going to ground, the City man continued to face off with the Arsenal defender before both sets of players piled in to separate them.

When asked about the incident at full time, Haaland told Sky Sports: “If I fell on the floor there, which I will not do unless someone really attacks me, then it would be red card. I’m not sure, I haven’t seen the situation. It is what it is, I will not fall on the floor. For me I don’t know why he comes up to my face.”

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Once the incident had settled, both Haaland and Gabriel were booked. Former Premier League referee Mike Dean said on commentary the defender was ‘very, very lucky’ not to be sent off and former Manchester United captain Gary Neville was equally confused by the decision.

Post-match, he told Sky Sports: “If Gabriel had scored later on or had some impact on the game, Pep Guardiola would’ve been fuming. It’s accepted in football you can put your head against each other, but once you push it forward, it’s usually a red. I was happy he didn’t send him off. I got sent off for it against Steve McManaman, I leant my head forward.”

Former City and Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira added: “I really enjoyed that battle [between Haaland and Gabriel]. In the last couple of years those two players have been really hard for each other, but the referee managed it really well.

They were competitive, they were difficult, but these are the kind of games we want to see, that we enjoy watching. I don’t think Gabriel deserved a red card.”

On the game itself, Haaland concluded by paying tribute to Bernardo Silva who was awarded Man of the Match. “I told him, when he headed [a late cross beating Viktor Gyokeres to the ball] out: ‘You were like f****** [Fabio] Cannavaro today,” he said.

“Today, Bernie, I’m not going to make it emotional, you were amazing today as well. Every game is a final. On Wednesday we have a new final. When we have stopped speaking here, it’s about recovering for the Burnley game. Because the Burnley game just as important as this game. We need to stay focus, stay humble.”

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton was caught voicing his frustration in a hot mic moment before being ejected for arguing a check swing call during Saturday’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

The incident went down in the seventh inning after first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ruled that Reds star Elly De La Cruz didn’t swing, resulting in a ball on the pitch with the Twins leading, 4-2. 

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton walks to the dugout during the first inning of the Boston Red Sox game in Minneapolis on April 13, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

“No swing?” could be heard shouted from the dugout, although it wasn’t immediately clear who shouted it. De La Cruz hit an RBI single on the next pitch, and Rece Hinds scored to narrow the Twins’ lead. 

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Shelton’s displeasure could be heard from the dugout, and just a few moments later, home plate umpire Nic Lentz ejected him.

 The broadcast picked up Lentz telling Shelton, “I wasn’t going to hear it anymore.”

Shelton charged at him, denying the accusation and repeatedly shouting, “I’m not even f—ing talking to you,” and, “I didn’t say anything to you.” 

Manager Derek Shelton of the Minnesota Twins argues with home plate umpire Nic Lentz at Target Field in Minneapolis on April 18, 2026. (David Berding/Getty Images)

TWINS MANAGER EJECTED AFTER EXPLODING OVER TIMING OF ABS CHALLENGE VS ORIOLES

After the game, Shelton said the comment that got him tossed was made when his head was down.

“I had my head down when I made the comment I made,” he said, via The Minnesota Star Tribune. “He evidently thought I was making the comment at him, but I had my head down and I was not looking at any umpire after I made it.

“You guys can make the determination on the check swing what you think, but when I made the comment I made, I had my head down. I’ve been ejected a lot of times. In that one, I was not directing anything at anything except frustration down at our bench.”

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton argues with umpire Laz Diaz over a pitch challenge during the Orioles game, March 29, 2026, in Baltimore. (Gail Burton/AP)

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This was the second time Shelton was ejected this season. Last month, he became the first manager to be ejected over the new Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system during a loss to Baltimore. 

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A hard-fought win at Mornington has provided Ciaron Maher’s Kings Valley with a guaranteed start in the Caulfield Cup via ballot exemption.

Victory in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup offers the ‘Golden Ticket’ entry to October’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

This latest win represents Maher’s second in the Mornington Cup, building on Right You Are’s 2023 success that led to a fifth placing in the Caulfield Cup some six months later.

Kings Valley ($6.50), guided by Lachlan Neindorf, edged out Pounding ($10) by a head, as Suntora ($10) ended up 1-¼ lengths further adrift in third.

According to Jack Turnbull, National Assistant Trainer for Maher’s team, the Saturday result could be pivotal in Kings Valley’s development.

“He didn’t go about it as you would like,” Turnbull said.

“He was on and off the bridle, but he had an economical run and got the right splits when he needed to.

“We’ve been trying to get to 2400 metres, but he’s been a fierce horse to train and race, so we worked the horse down into the race today and it’s worked out really well.

“Credit to the horse as I think he will go to the next level over this trip because he’s not slow with good change up speed.”

Securing the ‘Golden Ticket’ to the Caulfield Cup prompts the group to consider the most suitable strategy for advancing Kings Valley to the prestige event.

He indicated indecision between Maher potentially wrapping up the campaign or continuing to polish the stayer’s competitive demeanor.

“We always wanted to get to this stage before having to think about that,” Turnbull said.

“We are in a really good position now.”

Rising in his saddle after the winning line, Neindorf conveyed that this achievement outweighed his dual Group 1 successes in his native South Australia.

“This might sound outrageous, but it probably means more to me winning one of these than any of my Group 1’s,” Neindorf said.

“Just for the simple fact when I first came over as an apprentice, I lived in Mornington and then when I went back (to Adelaide) I had to build myself from the ground up and it felt like I was trying to build a skyscraper.

“I’ve come back a second time and based myself in Mornington again and this is now more so home than home in Adelaide.

“It means a lot to win this Cup today.”

For the best betting sites, punters should review options ahead of the 2026 Caulfield Cup where Kings Valley eyes glory.

Former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch is facing two misdemeanor charges after he was arrested in Athens early Sunday. The arrest of the star receiver comes just days before he is projected to be a second-round pick in this week’s NFL Draft. 

Branch, who turned 22 just last month, was arrested by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and booked into the Athens-Clarke County Jail just before 1:30 a.m. on two charges. 

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates with wide receiver Colbie Young after scoring a touchdown during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 1, 2026. Ole Miss defeated Georgia 39-34. (IMAGN)

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The former Bulldogs star was charged with obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. He was released after more than two hours in jail after posting $39 in bonds. 

ESPN reported that Branch attended Georgia’s spring game on Saturday. His brother, Zion Branch, is a safety for the team after both transferred there in 2025.

Branch transferred after two seasons at Southern California and immediately became quarterback Gunner Stockton’s favorite target. He finished the season with a team-high 811 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch runs during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

GEORGIA FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARRESTED FOR SHOPLIFTING AHEAD OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

In January, he announced his plans to declare for the draft.

“DAWG NATION, thank you for your unwavering support. You welcomed me with open arms. Having the opportunity to play between the hedges and winning the SEC Championship is a story only God could’ve written, and for that, I am forever grateful,” he wrote in a statement shared on social media.

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 28, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)

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Branch’s status as a projected second-round pick was bolstered after an impressive showing at the combine, where he clocked a 4.35 40-yard dash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Manchester City swung the race for the championship in its favor by beating Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday thanks to a second-half winner by Erling Haaland.

Haaland’s league-leading 23rd goal of the campaign in the 65th minute allowed City to trim the gap to Arsenal, the long-time front-runner, to three points. City has a game in hand at relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday, after which Pep Guardiola’s team is likely to have overturned its goal-difference deficit to Arsenal and taken the lead with five rounds remaining.

Read moreErling Haaland the hat-trick hero as Manchester City thrash Liverpool in FA Cup

“Panic on the streets of London” read a banner held aloft behind one of the goals after the final whistle – a reference to a 1980s song by The Smiths and a nod to Arsenal’s end-of-season implosion that has seen Mikel Arteta’s team lose four of its last six games in all competitions, including two straight in the league.

This might be a familiar sinking feeling for Arsenal fans, who have seen their team finish as runner-up for the past three Premier League seasons.

“Two weeks ago, this didn’t look very likely, this scenario,” City captain Bernardo Silva said.

An often-frenetic match exploded into life when Rayan Cherki gave City a 16th-minute lead with a weaving run and finish, only for Arsenal to draw level in bizarre circumstances two minutes later after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s clearance was charged down by Kai Havertz and rebounded into the net from close range.

Haaland and Arsenal pair Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes struck the goal frame, before Haaland slotted home a low shot from Nico O’Reilly’s cross, dealing a huge blow to Arsenal’s hopes of a first league championship since 2004.

City is expected to beat next-to-last Burnley, but has a tougher run-in than Arsenal that includes trips to Everton and Bournemouth and a final-day meeting with Aston Villa.

“Every game is a final,” Haaland said.

Unlike City, which is unbeaten in 10 league games, Arsenal is struggling for form and also has to balance playing in the Champions League after reaching the semifinals.

“It’s a new league now – everything is still to play for,” Arteta said.

Liverpool and Aston Villa look to be headed for the Champions League after grabbing stoppage-time winners on Sunday.

Virgil van Dijk headed home in the 10th minute of added-on time to earn Liverpool a 2-1 victory at Everton in a Merseyside derby featuring a record-tying goal from Mohamed Salah.

Salah, who is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after nine trophy-filled seasons, marked his final derby by slotting in a low finish in the 29th minute. His ninth Merseyside derby goal drew him even with Liverpool great Steven Gerrard for the most in the Premier League era (since 1992).

It was Liverpool’s other stalwart, Van Dijk, who sealed the win by turning in a corner by Dominik Szoboszlai.

There was so much stoppage time because Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was forced off on a stretcher after sustaining an injury attempting in vain to save a 54th-minute shot by Beto that brought Everton level.

Villa, meanwhile, beat Sunderland 4-3 thanks to Tammy Abraham’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time.

Fourth-placed Villa moved 10 points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea. Liverpool is in between them, but stretched its advantage over Chelsea to seven points.

The top five in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League.

Morgan Gibbs-White scored a second-half hat trick as Nottingham Forest rallied to beat Burnley 4-1 and further boost its survival hopes.

Forest moved five points clear of third-to-last Tottenham in the relegation zone, while next-to-last Burnley slipped closer to the drop to the Championship.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

Yankees fans should believe Ben Rice’s breakout is for real this season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

While the Major League Baseball season is only just underway, some clear storylines are forming for the year.

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For the New York Yankees, the biggest storyline is the breakout of Ben Rice. He was already great last season, but he’s taking his play to a new level in 2026.

Amid such a breakout, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch is calling for Yankees fans to believe this breakout is for real, and that Rice is a future All-Star, and a lefty-hitting counterpart to Aaron Judge on the right side of the plate.

Yankees fans should believe in Ben Rice’s breakout

“Yankees: Ben Rice is a future All-Star,” Hoch writes. “The next step in Rice’s development will come with increased opportunities against left-handed pitching.”

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Rice had a .255 batting average and an .836 OPS across 138 games last season. It was a great year, but there was room for improvement.

And he’s shown exactly that so far in 2026. While it’s only been 20 games, with limited playing time against lefty pitching, Rice has dominated this season.

He is currently hitting .339 with a ridiculous 1.242 OPS to begin the season. While not a super-long sample-size, Rice’s production has been extensive enough to believe in.

More: Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

He already has seven homers and 17 RBIs with six doubles this season, and could be headed towards an elite season for the Yankees.

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But, there is one issue: his chances against left-handed pitching. Aaron Boone has held Rice back from getting reps against lefties, and while those chances are sure to come at some point, Yankees fans are running out of patience.

Rice, the 27-year-old slugger, looks to be a future All-Star even if he’s not playing every game as a starter. He’s one of the best hitters in baseball this season, and his breakout is one Yankees fans should believe in. Rice is actually this good.

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Manchester City were the better team against Arsenal but still had to work to make that count on the scoresheet

18:44, 19 Apr 2026

Arsenal are desperately trying to end the Manchester City era of dominance in the Premier League. In the biggest game of the season, even an error wasn’t enough for them.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s clanger had the potential to be the defining moment in a title race that has become more gripping than anybody imagined a few weeks ago. Moments after David Raya called for calm heads in the wake of Arsenal going a goal down at the Etihad inside 16 minutes, City’s No.1 lost his and his clearance was charged down by Kai Havertz straight into the City net.

There was an irony given all the conversation around Kepa Arrizabalaga and goalkeeping No.2s after the Carabao Cup final, but also a pattern for City’s season. All the forward steps they have taken towards the top of the Premier League table have not been enough for them to actually reach the summit before they have suffered another setback: nearly but not quite.

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When Rayan Cherki danced his way through the Arsenal defence to score the opening goal of the game, it looked like City were once again the unstoppable force in April that barge all title contenders to one side. Then the Donnarumma error came seconds later and the whole stadium went into shock, Guardiola running back towards his seat in the dugout with his hands on his head to get a second look at the horror that had unfolded.

Arsenal, whose inclusion of Martin Odegaard in the XI was a surprise boost for them, were more aggressive and more attacking than their performances in recent weeks have been. In a first half littered with errors, City had the better of it but Arsenal were hardly spectators.

Then, as the game opened up and stretched in the second half, the visitors sensed their opportunity. Donnarumma saved well from Havertz, then moments later Eberechi Eze’s shot hit the inside of the left-hand post and spun past the other one and away from danger.

As the game ticked past an hour enter Donnarumma again, this time starting an attack with a positive throw forward for Nico O’Reilly. City’s matchwinner from the cup final sprung forward, exchanged passed with Jeremy Doku and then put the ball across the box where Erling Haaland held off Gabriel and lashed it into the bottom corner.

The Norwegian should have scored before then, but he was also putting in a monstrous shift against Gabriel and the Arsenal backline that referee Anthony Taylor was happy to let go unchecked. It wasn’t the worst strategy, although how Gabriel escaped a red card for throwing his head forward to Haaland’s was beyond anyone in the stadium with sense.

Haaland, like O’Reilly and Donnarumma, had his moment and made it count and a terrific rearguard effort kept out Arsenal for the rest of the game and seven long added minutes. Bernardo Silva and Rodri are unrivalled in these big games and Silva was straight to Donnarumma at full-time before celebrating with the South Stand in his first game since announcing he is leaving.

This afternoon was the high point for this new team as they overcame the pressure and the setbacks in the game, building on their Carabao Cup win to produce an even bigger victory. And in claiming a huge three points, they give more hope to the idea that their climax this season may come with more silverware.