Despite all of his accolades, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has been accused of running “scared” and denying boxing fans the fight they “deserve”.

Having become a four-weight world champion, the 35-year-old has already cemented his legacy as a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest Mexican fighters in history.

Even at this late stage in his career, though, there remains a desire to compete at the highest level and seek further challenges.

This much was evident during his showdown with Terence Crawford last September, when Canelo lost a unanimous decision but nonetheless showed glimpses of world-class flair.

He now appears determined to reclaim a portion of his undisputed super-middleweight crown on September 12, when he is set to enter a world title fight in Saudi Arabia.

Among the names being mentioned for such an occasion is Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC super-middleweight champion following Crawford’s retirement.

But while Mbilli represents a solid opponent, many will find it difficult to forget Canelo’s lack of enthusiasm for a clash with David Benavidez.

While the current WBC light-heavyweight champion was still campaigning at 168lbs, he repeatedly called for a shot at the Mexican but was never presented with such an opportunity.

For that reason, Benavidez struggles to see their fight ever materialising, telling Come And Talk 2 Me that he believes Canelo has actively avoided him.

“He’s scared – he has no balls. That’s what it is. I give Canelo all the respect – he’s done everything he’s done – but, at the end of the day, I was the No.1 contender in two weight classes for a long, long time.

“He has shown that he doesn’t want to fight me. It’s really a shame because this is a fight everybody wants to see. This is a fight that the fans deserve.

“I believe in myself and my skills 100%, so I feel like, if he says he’s the baddest man on the planet… why not give the fans what they want to see?”

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Given that Benavidez’s next outing will see him challenge unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez on May 2, it is becoming increasingly less likely that he will ever collide with Canelo, though a promise to return to light-heavyweight, given Canelo has competed in that division twice before, leaves fans some hope.

The 2026 NFL Draft class is nothing if not unique. I’ve referred to it as an evaluators draft throughout the spring because almost no prospect comes without red flags in his profile. To top it off, the strongest position group in the class, linebacker, is one that’s been devalued at the NFL level and rarely goes early anymore.

I’m not even going to try to act like I know how this draft is going to play out, but that’s exactly what makes it one of the most interesting drafts I can remember. No one has any clue what’s going to happen this year.

The fatal flaws of the EDGE class

Your favorite edge rusher in this class probably has a glaring red flag that could limit his success at the next level. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Cashius Howell, it’s obviously the sub-31-inch arms. With Arvell Reese, it’s the lack of reps. With David Bailey, it’s his bend and play vs. the run. With Keldric Faulk, it’s his production. With R Mason Thomas, it’s his size. With Akheem Mesidor, it’s his age and modest tools. And that goes on down the line.

If they are all flawed, how do we stack them up? As I do with every position in the NFL Draft, I prefer the prospects who still produced despite their flaws. That’s why Bain tops my list. His 30⅞-inch arms were such weapons on tape at Miami that it’s hard to see them suddenly becoming a huge issue in the NFL.

Reese checks in next because he produced when called upon as a pass rusher, and he never even got practice reps doing it. He was so freaky that it didn’t matter. That bodes well for what will happen when the 20-year-old gets a full workload rushing the passer.

After those two, Bailey and Mesidor are the only other edge rushers in my top 32. There’s no doubt when you watch their tape that they produced. While I think they have more worrisome athletic limitations than Bain and Reese, they are both more than capable athletes who can get the job done in the NFL.

Renner’s final NFL Draft big board: Ranking 250 prospects in a wild 2026 class

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Mike Renner

Tackle or guard?

There’s a real chance the 2026 draft ties the 2024 draft for the modern record with nine offensive linemen coming off the board in the first round. Whether we see seven offensive tackles taken in Round 1, though, will come down to how you categorize them. Three of the top offensive linemen in this draft, and potentially the top three off the board, all come with questions about whether they project best at tackle or guard in the NFL.

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Kadyn Proctor

BAMA • OT • #74

Five sacks and 36 pressures allowed over past two seasons (12 sacks and 36 pressures allowed as freshman in 2023)

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At nearly 6-feet-7 with 33⅜-inch arms, there’s nothing from a frame perspective that suggests Kadyn Proctor would be better suited at guard than tackle besides his listed weight. While the recent track record of Alabama tackles drafted in the top 10 — J.C. Latham, Evan Neal and Jedrick Wills — isn’t helping him in evaluators’ eyes, it’s worth noting that coach Kalen DeBoer brought a much more pass-happy attack to Tuscaloosa. In fact, Proctor had the second-most true pass sets of any tackle in college football last year.

From a performance perspective, most of his worrisome reps in the pass game came early in the season, when he admittedly was playing heavier than he should have been. Later in the season, that was no issue. He handled Oklahoma speed-rusher R Mason Thomas in their matchup, which is a great litmus test to me for whether he’d need to kick inside. Because of that, he’s sticking at tackle until I’m shown otherwise in the NFL.

Verdict: Tackle

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While Proctor’s potential move to guard was tied to athleticism, Spencer Fano‘s decidedly is not. For my money, he’s the single best mover in the offensive line class. His 4.91-second 40-yard dash and 7.34-second 3-cone at the NFL Scouting Combine back that up.

Fano’s move to the interior revolves entirely around his hotly contested arm length. He went from measuring 32⅛-inch arms — which would be the shortest of any tackle in the NFL — at the combine to 32⅞-inch arms — which are in range with numerous current starting tackles — at his pro day. We may never know his true arm length, but there’s another data point that makes me think he won’t be a Will Campbell situation. Fano’s wingspan measured 80¼ inches at the combine. That’s nearly 3 inches longer than Campbell’s and even longer than All-Pro tackle Rashawn Slater.

Given how well Fano can mitigate his length issues with his quickness, there’s little reason to think he has to move inside in the NFL.

Verdict: Tackle

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From a purely aesthetic standpoint, Francis Mauigoa presents as the most guard-like. He carries most of his 329 pounds in his lower half, and it shows in the run game. While his foot speed is more than adequate to stay at tackle, locating in space is easily one of the weakest parts of his game. On the flip side, his biggest strength is his ability to end reps early when he gets his vise-grip hands on defenders.

That combination makes me think his ceiling is clearly higher at guard, and that’s where I’d start him early on. He can certainly be a starting tackle, but I don’t think his ceiling would be nearly as high there.

Verdict: Guard

Contextualizing age

This class, more than any I can remember, will test how well the NFL can project developmental curves. That’s because there’s a healthy share of 20-year-olds as well as 24-plus-year-olds among the top 50 picks. The top prospects who won’t be able to legally drink on draft day are as follows:

• Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame — 20.90 years old on April 23
• Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami — 20.88
• Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama — 20.88
• Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina — 20.81
• Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee — 20.68
• Connor Lew, IOL, Auburn — 20.65
• Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State — 20.65
• Keldric Faulk, EDGE/DL, Auburn — 20.63

No, those aren’t typos. Mauigoa and Proctor share the same birthday (June 4), as do Lew and Reese (Aug. 30).

On the flip side, here’s a list of potential top 100 picks who are close to or already able to legally rent a car:

• Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami — 25.05
• Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech — 25.03
• Keagen Trost, IOL, Missouri — 25.02
• Keionte Scott, CB, Miami — 24.70
• Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M — 24.63
• Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona — 24.61
• Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Oregon — 24.55
• Logan Jones, IOL, Iowa — 24.48
• Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU — 24.21
• Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State — 24.15

That’s 10 guys, with a handful more who should come off the board early on Day 3. When evaluating 20-year-olds compared with 24-plus-year-olds, it’s important to remember it’s not apples to apples. The skill and physical development from someone’s redshirt sophomore year to his redshirt senior year is typically substantial. With guys like Pregnon or Stukes, we got to see the more finished product in a way we didn’t with Lew and Cisse.

For me, the finished product for players like Mesidor and Stukes already looks like a plus NFL starter, so I don’t worry too much about what’s left in their development. But when I still have questions about how someone’s game will translate and he is already five or six years into his college career, I’ll err on the side of youth.

One-year wonder QBs

With the Ty Simpson buzz reaching a crescendo, along with some interesting takes in the national media earlier this month, his draft range seems to have the widest spread of anyone heading into Round 1. That’s because so many people differ on what to make of a quarterback who only impressed for one year (really more like nine games).

Bill Parcells’ famous quarterback rules are clear about which side of the debate he’d fall on: three-year starter, 30-plus starts and 23-plus wins were a must. The Big Tuna saw how much in-game experience mattered at the most complex position in all of sports. The modern track record tends to back that up.

Here’s how recent first-round quarterbacks with limited starting experience have fared:

• Anthony Richardson (No. 4 overall, 2023)
• Trey Lance (No. 3 overall, 2021)
• Mac Jones (No. 15 overall, 2021)
• Kyler Murray (No. 1 overall, 2019)
• Dwayne Haskins (No. 15 overall, 2019)
• Mitchell Trubisky (No. 2 overall, 2017)
• Ryan Tannehill (No. 8 overall, 2012)
• Cam Newton (No. 1 overall, 2011)

The biggest success story is obviously Cam Newton, but even he started a year in junior college. Kyler Murray and Ryan Tannehill have had successful seasons in their careers, although I’m not sure their respective fan bases would take either again if given a do-over.

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So how does Simpson’s tape stack up to those who came before him? While I wasn’t formally scouting when Tannehill and Newton were prospects, Simpson’s pro-readiness clearly trumps that of Richardson, Lance and Haskins. He’s much more physically gifted than Mac Jones and arguably on par with Trubisky, although with a smaller frame. I compared his capabilities to Fernando Mendoza’s earlier this draft season and remain confident Simpson will be a first-rounder.

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Cole Payton

NDST • QB • #9

2025: Set NDSU single-season records for pass efficiency (193.8), yards per attempt (12.1) and total offense (268.9 yards per game, 9.71 yards per play)

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An underrated aspect of this quarterback class is that Simpson isn’t the only one-year wonder. North Dakota State’s Cole Payton fits that mold. While Payton was in his fifth year and Lance was in his second in their lone seasons as signal-callers for the Bison, there’s no comparison statistically. Payton wiped the floor with Lance’s efficiency numbers, as you can see below:

Payton was not only accurate on tape, he showed high-end athleticism and a solid NFL arm. He doesn’t have the intriguing youth or the cannon that Lance had, but Payton should easily be a top-five quarterback off the board this weekend.

2026 NFL Draft QB mock: Predicting landing spot for the top 10 quarterbacks

John Breech

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Who is WR1?

This year is the most hotly contested WR1 class I can remember. Five different receivers all have a legitimate case to be WR1. Each has a distinct trait he does better than the other four, so it ultimately comes down to what you value most.

These are tough calls, especially without projecting a specific scheme or role. In the end, I tend to lean toward separators. It’s the hardest part of playing receiver. That’s why Concepcion ended up as my WR1. He’s a supreme athlete who can get open at every level of the field and a much tougher route runner than his 196 pounds suggest. As long as you get the role right in this draft class, though, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the five listed above.

The drops are real, but KC Concepcion is a first-round pick

Dave Richard

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Sleepers

First off, don’t be the sleeper police. No one likes the sleeper police. I’ll admit some of these aren’t deep cuts, so I’ll explain why I included each. These are prospects who are under the radar for one reason or another and deserve more recognition.

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Eli Heidenreich is everyone’s favorite Day 3 running back. I included him because when most people hear “Navy” and “draft,” they’re more likely to think of World War II than the NFL, but Heidenreich is out to change that. No Navy prospect has gone in the top 100 since guard Bob Reifsnyder was selected No. 45 overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 1959! The closest the program has come since is running back Napoleon McCallum, who went No. 108 overall to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1986.

I’m not saying Heidenreich will go in the top 100, but he should at least come off the board before a long snapper. He’s the best receiver in the running back class. Heck, receiver may even be his best position in the NFL after catching 51 passes for 941 yards last season. I’m intrigued by his potential physical development without the cardio rigors of the Naval Academy. From a testing standpoint, he was nearly identical to Christian McCaffrey coming out.

He’ll be a very interesting prospect to track throughout his career.

Nate Boerkircher isn’t exactly a deep sleeper, coming from a blue-blood program and off an impressive Senior Bowl. I included him because he’s never been a full-time starter in college, yet I think he could become one in the NFL. 

He has exceptional ball skills (ask Notre Dame fans) and posted the second-fastest 10-yard split in the tight end class (1.58 seconds) behind Kenyon Sadiq. At the Senior Bowl, he was clearly the best tight end in one-on-ones. I don’t know where he’ll go, but he’ll find a role wherever he lands.

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Kaleb Proctor is another small-school prospect gaining traction. I see more than just a fun Day 3 pick, though, as he checked in at No. 71 on my final board. He has elite twitch, shown by his 4.79 40-yard dash, 1.68 10-yard split and 9-foot-5 broad jump at the combine. His competition level was low, but he showed the same high-end pass-rushing ability against LSU last fall and at Shrine Bowl practices. You can’t coach what he has.

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While Proctor has drawn plenty of attention in this defensive tackle class, Jayden Loving is still flying under the radar despite freaky testing numbers of his own. At 6-foot-1 and 309 pounds, he ran a 4.82 40-yard dash with a 1.64 10-yard split. He also posted a 35-inch vertical, a 7.15 3-cone and 33 bench reps. You won’t find many better testing profiles at defensive tackle in NFL history. 

Loving bounced from Bethune-Cookman to Western Kentucky before landing at Wake Forest for one season. His explosiveness consistently showed up in the run game, where it was hard to keep him out of the backfield. He needs serious skill development, but not much to make an impact in the NFL.

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If Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor’s late start in football intrigues you, consider Bakyne Coly the Day 3 version. He began at Lawrence Tech — an NAIA school — to play basketball before switching to football. He transferred to Purdue in 2023 and finally started this past season. 

While he was rough early, he flashed late with strong reps against high-end competition like Ohio State, Washington and Indiana. He moves well for the position and has ideal size (6-foot-6, 307 pounds) and length (33¼-inch arms) to stick at tackle. He’ll be a late Day 3 pick, but he’s easily my favorite developmental tackle in the class.

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Jackson Kuwatch was a former top recruit at Ohio State but got caught in a position logjam that included two top-10 picks in this year’s class. While he may not match the athletic profile of Arvell Reese or Sonny Styles, Kuwatch is still a freak in his own right. 

His 1.5 10-yard split is the fastest ever recorded for an off-ball linebacker, according to MockDraftable. That shows up on tape, where he’s incredibly nimble working through traffic at the second level. He’ll have to be a pure weakside linebacker and needs more experience, but there’s plenty to work with here.

Abhishek Sharma scythed through a hapless Delhi Capitals bowling attack with a scintillating unbeaten century as Sunrisers Hyderabad posted an imposing 242 for 2 on a placid track in an IPL match on Tuesday. Abhishek (135 not out off 68 balls) was at his imperious best as neither Nitish Rana‘s off-breaks (0/55 in 4 overs) bothered him nor did Lungi Ngidi‘s dipping slower ones (0/41 in 4 overs) have any effect on his strokeplay, as he smashed 10 sixes along with an equal number of boundaries.

Even with a relatively off-colour Travis Head (37 off 26 balls) for company, he added 97 runs for the opening stand. Then skipper Ishan Kishan (25 off 13 balls) joined the party, adding another 79 runs for the second wicket in just 5.5 overs to create a perfect launchpad for the final assault.

Towards the end, as Abhishek seemed a bit tired, Heinrich Klaasen chanced his arm to hit a quickfire 37 not out off 13 balls.

Delhi Capitals’ ploy of starting with an off-spinner – that too a mediocre part-timer like Nitish Rana (0/55 in 4 overs) – backfired badly, as he was given four overs in which he was hit for half a dozen sixes, all by left-handed batters.

DC Not at Their Tactical Best

The DC coaching staff, headlined by Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao and head coach Hemang Badani, have not exactly been at their tactical best throughout the tournament, and Tuesday was one such occasion. Rana bowled a tidy first over, but the second went for 20, and after the strategic time-out, he was again given two more overs, one of which went for 23.

Even skipper Axar Patel (1/23 in 2 overs) will have some answering to do as to why, as a frontline spinner, he did not complete his quota and why Kuldeep Yadav (0/30 in 2 overs) was not trusted after one bad over (22 runs), while someone like Rana was persisted with.

In all, the two-and-a-half spinners (the half being Rana) used by DC went for 108 runs in their combined eight overs.

The Powerplay yielded 67 runs, but DC completely lost the plot during the middle phase between overs 7 and 15, in which 116 runs were conceded – an unacceptable return.

The hallmark of Abhishek’s innings was how he adjusted the downswing of his bat depending on the bowler, especially Ngidi, whom he played late and in front of the wicket. It seemed Abhishek was in the mood to exhibit his range-hitting skills, with most of his sixes struck in front of the wicket.

It was a slightly slower century by his standards. Even then, Abhishek managed a strike rate north of 200, bringing up his hundred in 47 balls. But he did not stop there as Sunrisers Hyderabad reached a total that looks almost improbable to chase, given the batting depth that DC possess

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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

Deontay Wilder could soon be presented with a world title opportunity, but only if the relevant champion retains his belt.

The 40-year-old comes off a split decision victory over Derek Chisora, with whom he engaged in a chaotic 12-round battle at London’s O2 Arena earlier this month.

Two knockdowns proved decisive as he triumphed over his fellow veteran, who has since made a U-turn on his retirement promise and demanded a rematch.

Whether their second encounter comes to fruition, it remains to be seen, but Wilder is nonetheless likely to remain in the sport for a little while longer.

In fact, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ could potentially be awarded the opportunity to become a two-time world champion, entering his first title fight since suffering an 11th-round stoppage defeat to Tyson Fury in 2021.

This, however, hinges on a number of factors, including the outcome of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on May 9.

Should he emerge victorious against Dubois, which is no foregone conclusion, then Wardley would be open to defending his WBO world title against Wilder.

At the same time, though, the 31-year-old has told Fight Hub TV that he would only be interested in facing the American if a potential undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk fails to materialise.

“Of course I would definitely entertain a Deontay Wilder fight. Priority number one is Daniel Dubois, come through that fight and get rid of him then it would be Oleksandr Usyk, that would be my aim but if that fight doesn’t materialise or just isn’t doable, then yeah, third on the list would be Deontay Wilder.”

It remains to be seen whether Usyk, who still holds the WBC, IBF and WBA titles, will entertain a unification fight with the Wardley-Dubois winner after he takes on Rico Verhoeven on May 23.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has addressed a recent report that Secretary Doug Burgum is pushing for former President Teddy Roosevelt to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the department compared Roosevelt’s impact in saving American football to President Donald Trump’s recent executive action to reforming college sports.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the department compared Roosevelt’s impact on American football to President Donald Trump’s recent executive action to reforming college sports

The New York Post reported Saturday that Burgum made the comments about Roosevelt’s Hall of Fame candidacy at a Bank of America reception on Thursday.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a press conference after Super Bowl LX at Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2026. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire)

“Roger Goodell was in the White House in the Oval Office, I had a chance to be with him there, because we, the National Park Service, control the National Mall,” Burgum reportedly said. “The draft for the NFL is being held on the Mall a year from now (and) the Capitol will be in the background.

“Keep it a secret. Keep your fingers crossed, but I think we’re going to see Theodore Roosevelt inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame….it’s going to be announced on the Mall when Roger Goodell is conducting the draft.”

Teddy Roosevelt is credited with saving football in 1905–1906 by forcing college leaders to reform the game’s rules after frequent injury-related deaths of players. 

MICHIGAN HOLDS OFF UCONN TO CAPTURE FIRST MEN’S BASKETBALL NATIONAL TITLE SINCE 1989

President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order during the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy presentation with the Navy Midshipmen football team in the East Room of the White House in Washington, District of Columbia, on March 20, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

The reforms led to the creation of the forward pass and the banning of dangerous formations.

Meanwhile, Trump has passed several executive orders aimed at regulating NIL, while protecting non-revenue sports and women’s sports amid growing financial pressure for universities to invest in revenue programs like football and basketball.

Trump signed executive order on April 3 titled “Urgent National Action to Save College Sports,” aimed at curbing the influence of NIL collectives and transfer portal freedom. The order proposes strict five-year eligibility limits, caps transfers, and threatens to pull federal funding from institutions not following NCAA rules to establish a uniform national framework.

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President Donald Trump arrives at a roundtable discussion on college sports in the East Room of the White House, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

Trump has also taken executive action to mandate that revenue-sharing models implemented by universities must preserve or expand scholarships and opportunities for women’s and Olympic sports, preventing them from being reduced to pay football or basketball players.

In February of last year, trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order that redefined Title IX to mean that “sex” is based on reproductive biology and genetics at birth. This explicitly banned transgender women from competing in women’s college sports.

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Cole Palmer was linked with a shock move to Manchester United in the January transfer window before Liam Rosenior dubbed him untouchable, but one thing could change matters

Paul Merson believes that Cole Palmer will move to Manchester United if Chelsea fail to secure Champions League qualification for 2026/27. The Wythenshawe-born talent was the talk of the town during the January transfer window, with Unired linked with a shock move for him.

Rumours suggested that the Manchester City academy graduate was unsettled in the capital, and that he could return to the north west once more to don United red. However, such reports were rubbished by Liam Rosenior, who explained that Palmer is content at Stamford Bridge.

The head coach, who took the reins from Enzo Maresca earlier this year, also claimed that the 23-year-old – who is contracted with Chelsea until 2033 – is untouchable given his lengthy deal and the fee that the Blues would command to let him leave.

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However, as the season draws to a close, Merson believes that United could be an attractive move this summer should Chelsea fail to secure Champions League football. Speaking with Sky Sports, the pundit said: “If Chelsea don’t beat Brighton on Tuesday, they could be 11th by the end of the week.

“And do I expect them to beat Brighton on Tuesday? No. The only consolation is if they beat Brighton, then Nottingham Forest – then they have Liverpool in a must-win game.

“At that point you never know. But Chelsea don’t play any other team in the top five apart from that.

“So you don’t have the chance to gain any other points, and that’s good news if you’re a team in the top five, with five games to go. No Champions League football will be a kick in the teeth for Chelsea.

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“Do you think Cole Palmer will be at Chelsea playing in the Europa Conference League? I don’t think so. Manchester United will get into the Champions League, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was playing there next season.”

It comes as Chelsea currently sit sixth in the Premier League table as they head into their final five matches of the season, level with both Brentford and Bournemouth on points (48) but ahead in terms of goal difference.

Considering Liverpool are currently seven points clear of the Blues in fifth, breaking into the top five by the end of the season could be a considerably tough task – while there’s still opportunity for Chelsea to drop down the table by next month’s finale with Sunderland AFC.

Manchester United, on the other hand, have enjoyed a new lease of life under Michael Carrick over the course of the second-half of the season – sitting 10 points clear of Chelsea in third with Champions League football for 2026/27 all but guaranteed.

On the lookout for reinforcement to their engine room this summer given Casemiro will leave the club at the end of the season, the Reds have been linked with a wealth of talent as of recent.

However, if Merson’s opinion is anything to go off, then Palmer could be target No. 1 over the next couple of months, albeit with a systematic rejig given Bruno Fernandes has, as always, thrived in the pocket this term.

Abhishek Sharma‘s explosive second Indian Premier League (IPL) century, supported by a quick-fire cameo from Heinrich Klaasen, powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a commanding 242/2 against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday in Hyderabad. Sharma remained unbeaten on 135, his second-highest score in the tournament, hammering 10 towering sixes and carrying his bat through a dominant innings. While Klaasen played a vital and fiery hand, smashing 37 off just 13 balls, including three sixes and four fours.

SRH owner Kavya Maran was ectatic after the ton by Abshiek as was the star opener’s father Raj Kumar Sharma. 

Incredible knock, iconic celebration

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An Abhishek Sharma special lights up Hyderabad

Updates https://t.co/VgUjXDlrDh#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #SRHvDC | @SunRisers | @OfficialAbhi04 pic.twitter.com/QUWtkWuX0D

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After being put in to bat, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head gave Sunrisers Hyderabad a flying start, scoring nine runs in the opening over.

Nitish Rana responded with a tight second over, conceding just six runs, but the momentum quickly shifted back as both openers struck a boundary each off Mukesh Kumar in the next over.

Lungi Ngidi came into the attack in the fourth over but was taken for 10 runs. The pressure mounted in the following over when Sharma and Head took charge against Rana, scoring 20 runs to bring up a brisk 50-run opening partnership.

Sharma capped off an impressive powerplay by smashing a six off the final ball, guiding SRH to a commanding 67 without loss at the end of the fielding restrictions.

DC skipper Axar Patel, featuring in his 100th match for the franchise, delivered a tight over immediately after the powerplay, conceding just seven runs. He was well supported by Kuldeep Yadav, who followed up with another disciplined over, giving away only eight runs.

In Patel’s second over, Sharma and Head slammed him for a six each before the DC skipper got the better of Head for 37, bringing SRH skipper Ishan Kishan to the crease.

In the same over, Sharma brought up his fifty in 25 balls – the slowest fifty of his six IPL fifties in Hyderabad.

Sharma also completed 2,000 IPL runs for SRH, joining David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson in the elite list.

Sharma and Kishan launched an attack on Yadav as the duo slammed 22 runs in the 11th over. Continuing to take on the DC bowlers, Sharma brought up his second IPL hundred in the 15th over.

In the same over, SRH skipper Kishan was run out for 25; however, Sharma thumped Rana for 23 runs to take SRH’s total to 183/2.

Sharma blazed his way to his second IPL century in 47 balls. It was the 25-year-old’s ninth T20 century overall, equalling Virat Kohli‘s record for the most centuries by an Indian in men’s T20 cricket.

This also marked the second instance of Abhishek Sharma smashing 10 sixes in an IPL innings, making him only the second batter to achieve the feat multiple times after Chris Gayle, who has done it four times.

Sunrisers Hyderabad surged past the 200-run mark by the end of the 17th over, with Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen at the crease.

Klaasen continued the onslaught, smashing two sixes off Lungi Ngidi in the 18th over to add another 14 runs to SRH’s total.

Klaasen also became the third-fastest player to reach 100 IPL sixes in terms of innings (52), behind Gayle (37) and Andre Russell (47), and the seventh-fastest in terms of balls faced (1,072).

T. Natarajan bowled an outstanding 19th over, conceding just six runs. SRH finished their innings on 242/2, with Klaasen and Sharma collecting 20 runs in the final over.

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