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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer meeting and pizza to celebrate – Inside Manchester United’s pre-season trip

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A pizza delivery was made to the Manchester United dressing room after Friday’s dominant pre-season win against Rosenborg in Trondheim.

United’s performance against Wrexham in the opening friendly was underwhelming, but it blew the cobwebs away and the players took a big step forward at the Lerkendal Stadion.

Michael Carrick was pleased with what he saw, particularly from academy players in the second half, so the slices of pizza were deserved before the squad was whisked to the airport for a quick flight home.

United arrived in Trondheim around 6.30pm local time on Thursday, and their arrival was low-key, as it had been the weekend previously in Helsinki. There were around 100 fans waiting at the team hotel, and Harry Maguire was the first player to get off the team bus.

Maguire has worn the armband in the absence of Bruno Fernandes following his efforts at the World Cup, and he made a beeline for the excited Norwegian supporters to sign autographs and take photos.

The defender had a quiet word in the ear of Acacio Valentim, head of team operations, before he greeted fans. Maguire appeared to tell Valentim to make sure each player spent some time with United supporters.

Valentim ushered each player toward the fans as they got off the bus, but the squad were happy to oblige with autographs and selfies.

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JJ Gabriel was included in a senior squad for the first time. It was surreal to see the 15-year-old receive so many photo and autograph requests, but it spoke volumes that every fan knew who he was.

Bryan Mbeumo is the last player off the bus at every game. True to form, he was the last to leave the coach in Trondheim, and he received a huge cheer as he entered the hotel after making his way along the line of fans.

United held another meet-and-greet with supporters inside the hotel. Trondheim is a small, walkable city, and United stayed bang in the centre, which gave the players the chance for a leisurely stroll on the morning of the game.

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Luke Shaw posted a video of Mbeumo playing the piano on social media when the team returned to the hotel. Mbeumo is a brilliant piano player and performed ‘7 Years’ by Lukas Graham.

Carrick used the trip to Norway to meet up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Although Carrick beat Solskjaer to the interim United job in January, the pair remain close and sources said Solskjaer was in good form.

Solskjaer keeps a deliberately low profile in his home country. His appearances in the media are rare in his homeland, and he wasn’t involved in any coverage of Norway’s World Cup quarter-final against England.

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The 53-year-old helped to generate huge support for United in Norway during his playing career, but the turnout in Trondheim suggested the Reds may have overstretched their Scandinavian support this summer.

United are playing four friendlies in the region this pre-season, and the attendances have been disappointing so far. There were thousands of empty seats at the Lerkendal Stadion, which didn’t even seem half full.

The low attendance was mostly down to Rosenborg’s poor season. They are struggling in the middle of their campaign, and their supporters want the game boycotted because it was deemed an unwanted distraction locally.

Rosenborg fans believed the game would increase the chances of relegation. It also meant their league game against Fredrikstad FK had to be rearranged for Monday, and it goes against Norwegian culture for matches to be played on Mondays, which fed into the backlash.

United have not been worried by the attendances for the opening two pre-season games. Sources have stressed the priority for pre-season was football preparation, not commercial reasons and chasing revenue.

There was a small tent selling United merchandise in the city square, but a barista in a local coffee shop had no idea that United were in town to play Rosenborg, admitting her partner supported Liverpool.

United fans could be found in the Three Lions pub, though. There was a United Q&A event in the bar, organised by the United Scandinavian Supporters’ Club, and a few season ticket holders were present.

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They were all unhappy about the ticketing fiasco that has made headlines over the last week. One fan, who said he was “rusty as his seat at Old Trafford”, spoke about feeling unwanted as a season ticket holder.

United at least put on a show for the supporters who attended against Rosenborg. The players applauded each corner of the ground after the final whistle, and some took photos with fans from the bottom tier of the main stand.

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A young fan was given Maguire’s match-worn shirt. Gabriel did not get onto the pitch, but he shared a special moment with his mother as he took a photo with his first senior shirt before getting on the bus.

Gabriel politely said “thank you” when he was congratulated for being in the squad as he walked through the mixed zone. United staff members have been struck by how polite and well-mannered he is.

Ayden Heaven and Mason Mount stopped to speak before leaving. United youngster Jaydan Kamason recorded two assists and stopped to chat after a request from the Manchester Evening News.

All of the players who featured against Rosenborg were given Saturday off to recharge.

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Former NFL Passer Gives Embattled Vikings QB Some Film Room Praise

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NFL: Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos
Sep 15, 2019; Denver, CO, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Chase Daniel (4) in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Former NFL passer Chase Daniel is now working as an analyst.

The long-time journeyman will be as qualified as essentially anyone to comment on the intricacies of the position. After all, Daniel soaked up a ton of coaching across the NFL, a workplace where he operated from 2009-2022. Better yet, Daniel worked alongside some of the great passers in recent NFL history. Very few know more about the position than him.

The Vikings Game on Sunday Will Probably Be Wild
Nov 20, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley (center) talks with quarterback Justin Herbert (10) and quarterback Chase Daniel (4) in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

Consider the teams he played for within his time as a player: Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Nobody thinks he was as talented as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Patrick Mahomes. He nevertheless had an ability to stick around as a passer as somebody with more NFL addresses than a cat has lives.

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In the above video, Chase Daniel offers some nice praise to J.J. McCarthy despite the poor mechanics.

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— READ MORE: The Main Vikings Injury Concern in Training Camp
— READ MORE: Kevin O’Connell Has Consistently Praised 2 Coaches
— READ MORE: Vikings Fans Got Some Bad News Today

In particular, note the placement of the ball, something that Daniel discusses. To my eye, McCarthy could have done a hair better by putting the ball slightly closer to the middle of the field, but that’s a very minor quibble. The kid did a great job on that one.

As the former NFL passer indicates, the form still wasn’t perfect. Chase Daniel notes the leg kicking up, robbing the young fella of the power he could generate. How much more accurate could McCarthy be with his feet underneath him?

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy in Green Bay in 2025
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.

The Vikings’ young fellas arrive at TCO Performance Center today. The nine-person draft class will be joined by a pile of undrafted players. In a couple of days, the rest of the team will arrive, meaning Vikings football really gets cooking on July 28th.

J.J. McCarthy, 23, is considered an underdog to remain as the QB1.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Tim Tszyu reveals what Errol Spence Jr told him after retirement defeat

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Tim Tszyu defeated Errol Spence Jr in Sydney, Australia, this weekend, prompting the American to announce his retirement from boxing.

Spence ended three years of inactivity to return at middleweight, but looked a shadow of his former self as he bravely lasted the full 12 rounds in a wide unanimous decision defeat.

Tszyu gradually took control, using his size and steady pressure to wear Spence down over the course of the contest. After the fight, the 36-year-old from Dallas, Texas, confirmed his retirement, thanking fans and saying he felt fortunate to leave the sport with his “faculties intact”.

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“I’ve got my faculties intact. My money is good at working for itself. Everything’s good, man.

“I’ve got a beautiful family, and I thank God I’m gracious to leave this sport with my faculties intact and my family still by my side.”

Speaking after the fight, Tszyu revealed he took the opportunity to ask the “legend” Spence for some advice before the pair went their separate ways.

“Yeah, I spoke to him. Look, he’s a legend of the game. I actually asked him what’s one tip that you would give? He goes, ‘stay patient, when you’re not rushing in, you’re very dangerous. When you wait, you’re a very good counter puncher, and you’ve got very fast hands, very reactive.’”

Tszyu confirmed he now intends to remain at middleweight after feeling the benefits of competing without a gruelling cut to 154lbs. While a world title is now firmly in his sights, the Australian admitted defeating a fighter of Spence’s calibre may ultimately stand as the finest win of his career.

“I had sleepless nights thinking about, ‘What am I going to feel like facing a legend like that?’ But it was one hell of a show, and I understand why he’s one of the greats.

“I’d love to fight for a title. That’s what I’m aiming for. But I’ve got to say beating a great like Errol Spence tops a world title.”

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Yankees place Cody Bellinger on 10-day injured list with hamstring injury

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The New York Yankees will be missing yet another one of their top bats for the foreseeable future.

Star outfielder Cody Bellinger has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, the team announced Sunday.

Outfielder Spencer Jones has been recalled from triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a corresponding move.

Bellinger suffered the injury in Saturday’s win over the Philadelphia Phillies. He was replaced defensively in the bottom of the eighth after tweaking his left hamstring while legging out a double in the top half of the frame. He stayed in the game to run but eventually was taken out for Max Schuemann.

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Bellinger was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the game before leaving.

The 31-year-old is in the midst of another strong season with New York. The 2019 NL MVP entered Saturday’s contest slashing .257/.349/.416 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs. He was also named the All-Star Game MVP.

The Yankees currently sit second in the AL East with a 59-45 record, despite being without key contributors Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for significant portions of the season.

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Usyk predicts Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury after watching AJ be floored twice by Kristian Prenga

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After seeing Anthony Joshua suffer two knockdowns against Kristian Prenga, Oleksandr Usyk has delivered a knockout prediction for the Brit’s expected clash with Tyson Fury.

Their long-awaited heavyweight showdown is set to finally materialise later this year, with both former two-time world champions having completed their respective warm-up fights.

First to the stage was Fury, who encountered minimal difficulty as he banked seven rounds against the 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.

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But while Joshua, too, was seemingly facing a low-risk opponent on Saturday evening, the 36-year-old came remarkably close to suffering a first-round stoppage defeat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The initial knockdown arrived within 20 seconds of their contest, with ‘AJ’ hitting the canvas after getting caught with an unassuming right uppercut from Prenga.

He was then floored once more in the opening round, only to summon enough fighting spirit to engineer a second-round stoppage victory.

It was hardly the most convincing performance but, even so, Usyk has backed the 36-year-old to defeat Fury inside the distance.

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Speaking with talkSPORT, the Ukrainian maintained his belief that Joshua, who he now considers a friend and training partner, has the tools to trump his long-time domestic rival.

“AJ win. [He will] knock him out.”

Usyk dethroned Joshua with a unanimous decision victory in 2021, before winning their immediate rematch via a split verdict the following year.

The generational great then went on to score two points wins over Fury in 2024, with many viewing their contests as being more competitive than those against ‘AJ’.

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Canada’s Felix Dolci claims men’s gymnastics silver at Commonwealth Games

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Canada’s Félix Dolci won silver in the men’s gymnastics all-around final Sunday at the Commonwealth Games, earning his second medal of the competition.

Dolci scored 79.450, coming within two tenths of gold-medallist Reuben Ward of host Scotland at Glasgow International Arena. Australia’s Jesse Moore took bronze (79.000).

Dolci, a 24-year-old from Laval, Que., helped lead Canada to gold in the men’s team event on Friday when he topped the individual standings with a score of 81.650.

Canada also won silver in the women’s gymnastics team event on Saturday.

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Canada now has five medals at the Games — one gold, two silver and two bronze — heading into Sunday’s swimming finals.

Five-time Olympic medallist Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ont., goes for gold in the women’s 100-metre backstroke, while Toronto’s Joshua Liendo competes in the men’s 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle finals.

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5 biggest delinquents after the 2026 Hungarian GP

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The F1 penalty points system has been put in place to keep the driving standards in the sport above a certain level. These were introduced in 2014 after the driving standards took a dip in the early 2010s, and there were quite a few incidents on the track. We even had Romain Grosjean getting banned in 2012 for the first-lap incident in Belgium.

As part of the Penalty Points system, drivers are given points based on the severity of their transgressions. These transgressions could be dangerous driving, causing a collision, etc. These points stay with the driver for 12 months, after which they expire.

Any driver who ends up accumulating 12 F1 penalty points faces a race ban. As we get ready to move on from the F1 Hungarian GP, who are the biggest delinquents on the grid? Let’s take a look.

F1 Penalty Points: Who is close to a ban?

#1. Ollie Bearman

Penalty Points: 4

Ollie Bearman now has 4 F1 penalty points to his name.

  • One point: Change of direction while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP (expires on December 7, 2026).
  • One point: Causing a collision with Liam Lawson at the 2025 Brazilian GP sprint (expires on November 8, 2026).
  • Two points: Causing a collision with Carlos Sainz at the 2025 Italian GP (expires on September 7, 2026).

#2. Kimi Antonelli

Penalty Points: 3

Kimi Antonelli has three F1 penalty points on his superlicense.

  • Two points: Causing a collision with Charles Leclerc in the 2025 F1 Dutch GP (expires on August 31, 2026)
  • One point: Forcing another driver off the track at the 2025 F1 Italian GP (expires on September 7, 2026)

#3. Lewis Hamilton

Penalty Points: 3

The seven-time F1 champion was issued a penalty point for his incident with Franco Colapinto. He’s now at 3 points.

  • One point: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto during the 2025 F1 Brazilian GP (expires on November 9, 2026)
  • Two points: for failing to slow down under yellow flags during a reconnaissance lap prior to the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix (expires on August 31, 2026)

#4. Alex Albon

Penalty Points: 3

Alex Albon has three penalty points on his license.

  • One point: Causing a collision with Lewis Hamilton at the Las Vegas GP (expires on November 23, 2026)
  • Two points: Causing a collision with Franco Colapinto at the Azerbaijan GP (expires on September 21, 2026)

#5. Lance Stroll

Penalty Points: 3

Lance Stroll is currently at three F1 penalty points on his license.

  • One point: Change of direction while defending during the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP (expires on December 7, 2026).
  • Two points: Causing a collision with Esteban Ocon at the US GP sprint (expires on October 18, 2026)