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Sports

Pep Guardiola once again stands on the brink of greatness and only Mikel Arteta can stop him

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Pep Guardiola’s claim to greatness stems from much more than just the Carabao Cup but a man who has won much else is now one victory away from being out on his own as the most successful manager in its history. Only the ally turned enemy, Mikel Arteta, who was by his side for the first two of his four Wembley triumphs in this competition, can deny him a fifth, which would take him clear of Brian Clough, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Newcastle could not halt him. Their defence of their first major trophy since 1969 ended with a whimper. Their chances of a comeback were all but ended inside seven minutes, gone completely after 32 minutes and snuffed out in part by the goalkeeper they forever try to buy. They were dispatched from the competition by a much-weakened Manchester City side.

Even as Guardiola gave Erling Haaland 70 minutes of rest, he had the ideal alternative. Some 42 percent of Omar Marmoush’s City goals have been against Newcastle, even if his double came in distinctly fortunate fashion. Newcastle had no such luck, no potency when it mattered. Wembley glory last year came courtesy of Alexander Isak but the Swede is gone and so, now, is their trophy. Anthony Gordon, their outstanding individual over 180 minutes in the 2025 semi-final against Arsenal, limped off. It was another indication of how times have changed.

The sad reality for Newcastle is that City progressed while prioritising Sunday’s trip to Liverpool. Rodri, Rayan Cherki, the fit-again Ruben Dias and Gianluigi Donnarumma joined Haaland on the bench, though Guardiola ended up summoning three of them for the last 20 minutes. The injured Bernardo Silva was not even a replacement. Nico O’Reilly stood in as a midfielder, as he had done at St James’ Park three weeks ago, and again impressed.

And much of the hard work was done on Tyneside. In the rematch, their task was to avoid a repeat of Sunday. City had squandered a 2-0 lead over Tottenham. They entered this game with the same advantage, and produced a very different outcome.

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They were soon ahead. Minus Haaland, Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo were the spearheads of a 4-2-2-2 formation. Each was prominent from the off.

Omar Marmoush settled the tie early in the first half after Man City brought in a 2-0 lead from the first leg

Omar Marmoush settled the tie early in the first half after Man City brought in a 2-0 lead from the first leg (Action Images via Reuters)

For his first goal, as Dan Burn tackled Marmoush, the ball ricocheted in off the Egyptian. There may have been something symbolic in that: Burn scored the towering header in last season’s final and now, in his defensive duties, he inadvertently contributed to City leading.

Marmoush’s second came courtesy of Kieran Trippier, in attempting to clear Semenyo’s low cross, only succeeded in spooning the ball up in the air. Marmoush headed it over the line from a yard.

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Semenyo, scorer of the first in the first leg, played a part in two goals in the second. When Burn tackled him, the ball fell for Tijjani Reijnders to finish. The Dutchman should have scored a second from a similar position, though, at that stage, it would have felt cruel to score City’s sixth of the tie.

Marmoush headed in City's second goal as Newcastle's plans fell apart early on

Marmoush headed in City’s second goal as Newcastle’s plans fell apart early on (REUTERS)
Tijjani Reijnders made matters worse for Newcastle by slotting in the third goal of the night

Tijjani Reijnders made matters worse for Newcastle by slotting in the third goal of the night (Getty Images)

Because Newcastle’s hopes had been snuffed out by a man invariably on their wishlist. Eddie Howe targets James Trafford every summer. The goalkeeper demonstrated why. Fine saves from Joe Willock, Gordon and Trippier, all at 1-0, denied United an equaliser on the night. He later denied Sven Botman in what was probably the finest display of his City career and, even without getting the reward of a clean sheet, pressed his case to play at Wembley.

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If Guardiola’s selection choices worked, Howe’s did not. He had used a back three to considerable success in last season’s semi-final against Arsenal. Repeating that strategy backfired. Despite Newcastle’s many defenders, they were caught on the break for City’s second and third goals.

When Howe made a triple attacking change, the opportunities Newcastle fashioned should leave them with regrets they were not more positive from the off. Yoane Wissa missed a terrific chance with his first touch.

Anthony Gordon added to Newcastle’s woes with a hamstring injury two minutes before half-time

Anthony Gordon added to Newcastle’s woes with a hamstring injury two minutes before half-time (Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

But, some 32 games into his Newcastle career, Anthony Elanga finally scored his first goal, after a terrific solo run. The former Manchester United winger’s name was chorused by the travelling Tynesiders and he ought to have had a second. Harvey Barnes also looked a threat.

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It prompted Guardiola to send for Rodri, Cherki and Haaland and, from the Frenchman’s pass, the Norwegian had a shot tipped on to the post by Aaron Ramsdale. It spared Newcastle further punishment but this was a familiar outcome. They have lost their last 12 games at the Etihad Stadium, conceding 40 goals.

Some of the City faithful still stayed away. The empty seats were referenced in taunts by the Newcastle fans. Perhaps their City counterparts were saving their money for Wembley. They will go there, to face Arsenal and Arteta.

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‘They love a greasy game’: Flyers bring the pain, wobble Penguins in Game 1

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19 April 2026

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PITTSBURGH — The hostilities were renewed before the teams even took the ice. 

An hour before the puck dropped on Game 1 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers’ first-round rivalry revival Saturday night, the fans started streaming into PPG Paints Arena, packing the stands with black-and-gold sweaters of every vintage. A few minutes in, a minor commotion broke out. A lone orange Flyers jersey punctured the golden throng in the lower bowl. 

The dissenter was serenaded with boos, the jeers crescendoing into a chorus, a wave of ill will that rippled from the fans in the immediate vicinity out to the rest of the section, the rest of the bowl, the rest of the rink. A reminder that there remains no love lost between these two franchises. The Flyers admirer stood with his arms raised, unfazed, absorbing it all. 

Then his club took the ice, came out of the gates flying, and did the same — battering and pummelling their way to a 3-2 series-opening victory as the hometown fans rained down their discontent.

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“They make it hard,” Penguins head coach Dan Muse said as the dust settled on his club’s Game 1 loss. 

It wasn’t just the early physicality that got his squad off their game — the Flyers laid the body 17 times in the opening frame — it was the speed, too. The visitors’ ability to pounce on any moment of disconnection and funnel play the other way.

“That’s part of their game — they’ve been doing that for a while,” he continued. “I think we got away from things that worked. Part of that is intensity — everything’s ramped up here in the playoffs. But they’ve been playing that way now for a while, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Give them credit — they came in, they executed their game plan. We need to be better in terms of executing ours. 

“We’ve just got to be better in general.”

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Much was made in the lead-up to this series opener of the hefty disparity in experience. On one side: a few vets in orange, and a crew of bright-eyed first-timers. On the other, a pack of future Hall of Famers. Ten minutes into this one, it became clear that imbalance would matter little, the Flyers’ few seasoned veterans making their presence known from the jump.

“The Penguins had two or three really good hits, the crowd was going, and (Sean Couturier) went out on that shift and he got somebody,” Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said of his captain’s first time over the boards. “I think it helps settle our bench down, and the young guys, when your captain does that. He answered the bell.”

So too did defender Travis Sanheim, who did a little bit of everything Saturday night — throwing the body, leading the stymying of Pittsburgh’s prolific offence, and scoring a filthy third-period go-ahead goal that saw him dance around Elmer Soderblom, carry the puck into the slot, and whip it past Stuart Skinner’s glove.

“I think Sanny set the tone,” Tocchet said post-game. “In these playoff games, you have to play uncomfortable. You’ve got to do some stuff that you normally do not do. … I don’t know how many minutes he played tonight, like a ton of minutes. And to play physical, that’s hard. And then try to supply offence, kill penalties — it’s a tough night, and he really led the physicality for us. 

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“And, obviously, hell of a goal.”

The problem for the home side was that Philly’s young guns were no less impactful. Defender Jamie Drysdale opened the scoring midway through the second period, finishing off a sequence spurred by Trevor Zegras. 

And the eventual game winner, wired home in the dying minutes of the game, came off the stick of 19-year-old Porter Martone — who’s potted five big-league goals already after joining the squad only three weeks ago.

“It was pretty cool,” the teenager said of his first taste of playoff hockey. “You know, skating out for warmups — I’ve never seen an arena fully sold out. We really built off the energy there. … I think we were all pretty excited going into this game. Being able to play in the playoffs. For me, it’s my 10th NHL game. It’s pretty special.”

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The 2025 sixth-overall pick took some time to find his legs in Game 1, before ripping a wrister from the right circle to clinch a 1-0 series lead for his club. For his coach, it’s that ability to rise to the moment even when it all seems to be going off the rails that makes Martone’s potential clear.

“That’s maturity,” Tocchet said. “I explained to the players — there’s going to be some games you don’t have it. For 30, 40 minutes. You know, he was trying to figure out the pace, he had a couple turnovers. He knew it. And then he just gets a goal like that. 

“I mean, it’s hard to find guys like that. In the playoffs, you’ve just got to stick with it, and you could have that big moment.”

Tocchet’s former club finds itself still waiting for its moment. Entering Game 1 as the presumptive favourite — one of the most dangerous offensive squads in the league, led by some of the most lethal scorers the game has ever seen — the Penguins found themselves largely unable to break through Saturday night, lacking the flowing, seamless sequences that have defined their offensive success this season.

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“We’ve just got to be better. We’ve just got to be better in all areas, to be honest with you,” captain Sidney Crosby said from the Penguins locker room post-game. “Execution, just being a little bit more connected. We just have to be better.”

Continually getting caught up in chippy, physical battles egged on by the visitors didn’t help Pittsburgh’s cause, either.

“We need to play our game,” said Evgeni Malkin, who scored Pittsburgh’s first of the night, beating Dan Vladar five-hole in the middle frame to tie the game. “I think we lost control a little bit in the second period. We started fighting — this is what they want. … We know it’s Philly, we know it’s playoffs, we know it’s coming. I like to play physical, I like hard games. But after whistle, we need to just go away, and play smart. 

“It’s the only way. Because they love a greasy game. You know, after whistle, they come and cross-check. But we know it’s coming. We just, everybody, should be a little smarter.”

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“That’s going to be part of a series,” added Crosby. “I think we’ve got to stay out of it a little bit more, and trust that when they do it, and they try to stir it up, that they’re going to get penalized for it. That’s more something I think they’re looking to do. We’ve got to stay out of it and trust that they’ll be undisciplined.”

The night could’ve gone much worse for the home side if not for the play of netminder Stuart Skinner, who stymied the Flyers on four breakaways or partial breakaways over the course of the tilt. Still, the two-time Cup finalist’s heroics weren’t enough to salvage this one, the Penguins managing only 17 shots of their own against Skinner’s counterpart. So, the focus shifts to Monday’s Game 2, and a chance to even the series before the battle shifts to Philadelphia.

“You don’t win the series in Game 1,” said veteran Erik Karlsson. “We know that we’ve got a lot better in here. We’ve got to focus on ourselves and find a way to get back to what made us successful throughout the year. It’s the same game out there — a little bit more intensity maybe, but still the same game. And we know how it’s played. We’ve just got to get back to that.”

On the other side of the aisle, the Flyers eye Game 2 looking for more of the same. More of what they brought to Game 1, more of what they’ve been bringing for a while now.

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“We’ve been playing some big games for the last month, month and a half,” said Flyers captain Couturier after Saturday’s victory. “Meaningful games. Must-win games. You know, I think we’re up to the test.”

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NBA play-offs: LeBron stars as LA Lakers make winning start

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The Los Angeles Lakers shrugged off their injury worries to make a winning start to the NBA play-offs.

The 18-time champions were without key players Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Maxi Kleber but 41-year-old LeBron James produced another fine display in a 107-98 win over the Houston Rockets.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks were the other winners on day one of the play-offs, while the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic won the play-in tournament to book their places.

James controlled the floor while racking up 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds against a Houston side who lost key man Kevin Durant to injury just before play started.

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“It’s just our play-off mentality,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

“You can’t worry about who’s in or out of the line-up. It’s our gameplan. It’s our standards. It’s how we play, and we’ve built towards that.

“I thought our guys just responded well and met the moment. That’s the biggest thing. You’ve got to meet the moment in every game, and we were able to do that.”

Luke Kennard continued to step up as a starter with a career play-off high 27 points as the Lakers took the opening game in the best-of-seven series.

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Durant, 37, has a bruised knee and could return for game two on Tuesday night.

Defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder begin their campaign on Sunday night against the Suns.

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IPL 2026 | Caught on cam: Fan’s ‘black magic’ act during SRH vs CSK match; Shivam Dube falls next ball – Watch | Cricket News

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IPL 2026 | Caught on cam: Fan's 'black magic' act during SRH vs CSK match; Shivam Dube falls next ball - Watch
Shivam Dube was disappointed as he walked back after scoring 21 off 16 balls.

NEW DELHI: Is there something called black magic? Does black magic work? During the IPL 2026 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, a bizarre moment – described by fans as black magic – was caught on camera. A Sunrisers Hyderabad supporter holding a lemon appeared to perform a ritual that seemingly worked in the team’s favour.The incident occurred in the 17th over of Chennai Super Kings’ innings, with Shivam Dube at the crease and CSK at 154/7 while chasing 194. With Dube known for turning games around, SRH were desperate for his wicket.In a video that has gone viral, a fan in the stands is seen taking a lemon, rotating it a few times while muttering words, and then gesturing towards Dube, who was preparing to face a delivery from Sakib Hussain. Moments after the gesture, the left-hander was bowled. The entire stadium erupted in celebration.How Dube got dismissed:Sakib Hussain to Shivam Dube – BowledSakib bowled a fast, full delivery at middle stump and Dube missed it completely. The ball came quickly off the pitch and hurried him as he tried to flick it. He was late on the shot, and the ball may have brushed his pad before hitting the stumps. Dube’s feet did not move much, and he looked like he was expecting a slower ball. He was disappointed as he walked back after scoring 21 off 16 balls.Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated CSK by 10 runs to move to fourth place in the points table, also snapping CSK’s two-match winning streak.“Lovely. When you have a bunch of young bowlers and you know they’re executing their plans well. They’re coming up with their own plans as well and bowling as per the plan. So it’s very good to see, you know, there’s a lot of less pressure on the captain to set the field because they are ahead of the game anyway. So it was lovely to see them doing their job today,” SRH captain Ishan Kishan said after the match.“(were they 20 short?) Yeah, 100% I feel, Abhishek got out pretty early, but still, after scoring 60-odd runs, always when we have ended up scoring 220, 230. We’ve always seen there are…. from the first three batters, there’s one batsman is always scored big runs. So we were missing on that today, but especially with this team, with this batting line-up, I feel, yes, we were 20 runs short maybe,” he said.“(trusting his young bowlers) Yeah, actually looking at them in practice sessions, giving their best, trying to get better and better day by day. So you have to trust your bowlers. This is a bunch of bowlers we have at this point of time and I think they are very keen on doing well. So that is the time when you just give them the ball and let them do what they want to. (on the pitch) I think it was a pretty good wicket to bat on, to be very honest. That’s why I’m saying we were, I think, 30-40 runs short. But yeah, a lot to learn from this game as well. Looking at the shot selection, I think we could have done better. (on the points table) Nah, to be very honest, we’re not looking at the points table right now. I know it’s a very long tournament. We need to keep our head down, take a game day by day, just one match at a time and let’s see how it goes,” Ishan said.SRH will next face Delhi Capitals on April 21.

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WrestleMania 42: Bron Breakker costs Seth Rollins match against Gunther

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

LAS VEGAS – Seth Rollins was supposed to be going up against Gunther at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night but he wasn’t expecting a freight train to run through him.

Rollins appeared to be in the driver’s seat toward the end of the match. He hit Gunther with a pedigree on the announce table and followed up with a storm. All he had to do was get Gunther back in the ring and finish the job. As the referee tended to Gunther, a wild Bron Breakker appeared.

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Bron Breakker performing at WrestleMania 42 Night 1 in Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas

Bron Breakker performs during WrestleMania 42 Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (WWE)

Breakker ran down the side of the entrance ramp at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas at full speed and tore through Rollins with a gnarly spear. He rolled Rollins back in the ring, spat on him and waited for Gunther to finish the job.

Gunther put Rollins in a sleeper hold, forcing “The Revolutionary” to tap out.

WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’

Wrestler Gunther with arm raised by referee at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas

Gunther has his arm raised by the referee after defeating Seth Rollins during their match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Gunther walked to the back as the winner. Breakker was hung around to pick apart the scraps.

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Breakker sprinted back down the ramp and hit Rollins with another crushing spear, stunning the crowd.

Breakker has been out of action for a few weeks with an injury, likely costing him a match of some kind at WrestleMania 42. Nevertheless, he still had bad blood with Rollins as their rivalry turned up a notch.

Seth Rollins entering arena at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas

Seth Rollins enters the arena before his match against Gunther on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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This will not be the last of Breakker and Rollins. On the flip side, Paul Heyman will now owe Gunther a favor. It’ll will be interesting to see how the favor gets cashed in.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Roy Jones Jr sums up Moses Itauma’s chances of beating Usyk now

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19 April 2026

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Pound-for-pound icon Roy Jones Jr has assessed how Moses Itauma would fare if tasked with heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk in his next fight.

Itauma seems destined to rule in the heavyweight division, improving in each fight whilst extending his record to 14-0 and climbing the world rankings, despite having never fought beyond the sixth round.

The Kent-based sensation is heading towards a world title challenge in the near future, but some fight fans are encouraging Itauma to push for a challenge against Usyk for the unified heavyweight crown now, rather than wait for an easier shot at a possible vacant title or new champion.

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Speaking to Grosvenor Casinos, four-division world champion Jones Jr labelled Itauma as the ‘most exciting heavyweight since Mike Tyson’ but stated that Usyk is currently the man to give him his ‘biggest problem’.

“Is Moses Itauma the most exciting heavyweight since Mike Tyson? Right now, yes, I think he is.

“He’s got the explosive punching power that Mike Tyson had; if you can hit them before they hit you, most of the time you’re going to knock them out. That’s what Mike did. Mike hit them before they hit him, and he got them out, because he was so explosive.

“So if he can do that, he will knock out most of the heavyweights, but with Usyk, he’s a little bit hard to hit.

“Moses gives all the heavyweights a hard time. You can’t say he beats them until you put them in front of them, because you haven’t really seen him get cracked yet, but the only one I see that gives him the biggest problem is Usyk.”

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Itauma is expected to return to action in July, where he could move one step closer towards a future crack at world honours.

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Bournemouth owners close to Exeter Chiefs takeover

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The billionaire owners of Premier League side Bournemouth are closing in on a takeover of Exeter Chiefs.

It was revealed last week that an American consortium were on the verge of securing a major stake in the Prem club, with Exeter members set to vote in an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in May.

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It understood the group are Black Knight Football Club, who acquired Bournemouth at the end of 2022 and have stakes in Hibernian and French club FC Lorient as well as owning Auckland FC.

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If the deal goes through, Exeter will be latest Prem club to secure major new investment.

Last August energy drinks giant Red Bull bought Newcastle, while Bath have been boosted by businessman James Dyson taking a 50% stake in the Prem champions.

Senior sources in the English game have indicated to the BBC other clubs are also of interest to external investors as the league looks to launch a new era following the decision to ring-fence the top flight and revamp standards on and off the field.

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Black Knight board member Ryan Caswell was a guest of Chiefs chairman Tony Rowe at Saturday’s thrilling 35-28 defeat by Northampton.

Rowe, whose businesses have propped up Exeter for the best part of three decades, has been open about his desire to seek fresh investment in the club.

“I’ve effectively run a business for the last 30-odd years for a shareholder who’s got no money,” Rowe told The Guardian last week.

“What I’m looking forward to is an investor who’s got some money. That’ll be a massive difference for me.

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“I think it will put us in a really good place to take advantage of the future.

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“Whether you like it or not professional sport is all about money. We need money to survive.”

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Senior Chelsea player “tried dashing down the tunnel after full-time” rather than clap fans

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One of Chelsea’s more senior players, Marc Cucurella, tried to head straight down the tunnel at full time last night.

He had just played in Chelsea’s latest defeat, a 1-0 Premier League loss against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge – marking the fourth in a row in the league.

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The left back has been involved in a lot of drama at the club recently, speaking out about the project not being good enough and also mentioning he would join Barcelona if they came calling.

He’s supposed to be one of the leaders and more experienced players in this young team, yet he wanted to just run straight down the tunnel last night after they got beaten once again. A real sign of the times with this team.

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Cucurella told to come back out

Marc Cucurella looks sad. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Journalist Kieran Gill, who was at the game, posted on X last night:

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“Didn’t mention it in my write-up, but Marc Cucurella tried dashing down the tunnel after full-time, only to be told to turn around by Willie Isa. Two years remaining on Cucurella’s contract this summer. Could end up one of those sold unless Chelsea convince him to extend.”

In other news today

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior spoke to the media after Chelsea’s defeat to Man United and tried to be positive about the whole thing.

Estevao’s injury last night was another black mark on Chelsea’s season, and after the game Liam Rosenior gave an update on it.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORE

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Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

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Matt Fitzpatrick builds 3-shot lead at RBC Heritage, but Scottie Scheffler lurks

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PGA: RBC Heritage - Third RoundApr 18, 2026; Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland at the end of their round during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Another strong finish from England’s Matt Fitzpatrick would put him where he wants to be in the RBC Heritage.

Fitzpatrick turned in a strong stretch on the back nine Saturday to shoot a 3-under-par 68 and keep the lead through three rounds at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

“I felt like I was making good enough swings to make a turnaround on the back nine,” Fitzpatrick said. “Obviously, some nice momentum with the hole-outs on 14 and 15.”

Fitzpatrick moved to 17-under 196 and increased his lead to three shots, but world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stands as his closest pursuer going into Sunday’s final round.

Fitzpatrick’s eagle 3 on the 15th at Harbour Town Golf Links capped a four-hole stretch that he played at 4 under. He settled down after three bogeys on the front side.

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“It’s always satisfying when you can turn it around, particularly if you have not played that well and you are struggling a little bit and not scoring as well as you want,” Fitzpatrick said.

Scheffler shot 64 to climb into second. Brian Harman (63) joined Austria’s Sepp Straka (67) and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (66) at 13 under.

Fitzpatrick will be aiming for his second victory of the year. He won a month ago at the Valspar Championship, just one week after a runner-up finish at The Players Championship.

Saturday’s turnaround was rewarding.

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“I was pleased the way I hit the ball off the tee coming in,” Fitzpatrick said. “Obviously, then just some good putting on that back nine to take advantage of it.”

He rolled in a putt from off the green — 26 feet away — the par-3 14th. On the next hole, he chipped from off the green for the eagle on a shot from just inside 30 feet.

Scheffler sizzled at the start Saturday with birdies on five of the first six holes.

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“I was a little bit behind the 8-ball going into today but had a nice round to put myself back in position,” Scheffler said. “… As you start kind of getting back into contention, I think that’s always fun.”

Fitzpatrick said he understands there will be a pro-Scheffler tone in Sunday’s galleries.

“We’re in America, so I wouldn’t expect any different,” Fitzpatrick said. “Yeah, they’ve got to support their guy, and that’s totally fine.”

Harman became the clubhouse leader before the final groups reached the round’s midway mark. Harman began the day in 27th place, but he posted birdies on the final three holes to be the first to finish at 13 under.

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“Just tried to keep the pedal down,” Harman said. “It’s going to take a low number to win. The weather is going to turn a little bit (Sunday), so it was nice to get out there with some good conditions.”

Still, Harman said the setup could work to his advantage.

“You really have to think your way around this place,” he said. “It’s not just a bomb-and-gouge. I’m not a bomber.”

The golfers at 12 under are Andrew Novak (65), Gary Woodland (66), Patrick Cantlay (68), Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (68) and South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter (67).

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“I think I kind of got to go in with the same kind of attack mentality as today and get it going, go post a number, and see how guys handle the wind late,” Novak said.

–Field Level Media

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“It’s been a long start to the year”

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19 April 2026

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Joe Gibbs Racing driver Taylor Gray won Saturday’s Kansas Lottery 300 and secured his second career win. The O’Reilly Series driver did so by holding off Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed. Later, during a post-race interview, Gray expressed his views on the same.

The JGR driver qualified among the top ten drivers on the grid and began the 200-lap race from P10. Meanwhile, Creed was faster than him in the qualifying session and secured a P4 start. Gray made steady progress in stages one and two, securing sixth-place and seventh-place finishes, respectively.

Following that, Taylor Gray secured the lead with a strategic move by his crew chief, Jason Ratcliff. The crew chief called Gray in the pits ahead of the dominant drivers Creed and Brandon Jones, giving him an advantage over his competitors with a set of fresh tires. As a result, the JGR driver took home his second career victory and told the media in the victory lane:

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“First of all, thank you to everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Gray in Victory Lane. “How about (crew chief) Jason Ratcliffe? That pit call was awesome. I knew we had a car capable of winning. I thought the No. 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle, but you just have to stay locked in.”

“Jason made a really good adjustment on the car, a really good pit call, and got us the clean air. I can’t thank everybody enough. It’s been a long start to the year, man. Not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track, but things just haven’t gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out,” he added.

Taylor Gray crossed the finish line with a small margin of 0.718 seconds ahead of Sheldon Creed. Meanwhile, JRM driver Justin Allgaier secured third place, followed by Jesse Love in fourth place and Brent Crews in fifth place.

“Originally, I was supposed to be the 19”: When Taylor Gray opened up about his future with Joe Gibbs Racing in stock car racing

In October 2024, stock car racing driver Taylor Gray revealed that he was initially set to drive the #19 Toyota in his sophomore season with Joe Gibbs Racing. However, the NASCAR team announced that it would bring back the #54 Toyota for the last season and named Gray as the full-time driver.

The stock car racing team was impressed by the 21-year-old driver’s performance in the 2024 season. Following that, the team offered Gray a full-time contract for the 2025 season in the O’Reilly Series. Later, the JGR driver told the media:

“We were kind of talking about next year a little bit. And he was asking me about number stuff and what number I was supposed to be. And originally, I was supposed to be the 19. Like that was what I was going to do with the 19. And he looks at me and goes, “No,” he said, “you’re going to run the 54.” And so they, they drug the 54 kind of out of retirement. I like to say. And yeah, it’s pretty cool.”

Taylor Gray is currently ninth in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with 294 points to his credit. He moved up three spots after the Kansas Speedway win. Additionally, he has secured one top-five and four top-ten finishes in ten starts so far.

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