Phil Foden’s late appearance in Manchester City’s Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal felt more like a “charity” substitution, according to former England captain Wayne Rooney.
City were closing in on a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium on Sunday when Foden came on in the 90th minute, replacing Rayan Cherki. The 25-year-old has struggled for regular playing time, starting only four of City’s last 13 matches in all competitions and failing to score in his past 20 appearances.
Foden said after the game: “Football sometimes is not straightforward. There are ups and downs and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself. It’s just about how you pick yourself back up. I’m still keeping my head down and trying to train as well as I can every day. Hopefully I come back after the internationals a lot sharper and get more minutes.”
Advertisement
Despite his recent struggles, Foden has won 18 trophies since breaking into the first team and was called up to the expanded England squad for upcoming friendlies. However, there are questions over whether he will make the squad for this summer’s World Cup.
Speaking on his show, Rooney said: “I felt sad for him, but not because he was coming on in a cup final. To see Phil Foden come on at the end felt like a charity sub. He is a top player, but it feels strange he can’t get near the team. He will be pleased they won the cup, but he would have wanted to be out there making an impact. That will be tough for him.”
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has described speculation that he will take over at Real Madrid this summer as “nonsense”.
The German stood down after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield following the end of the 2023-24 season and has since fulfilled a role as head of global football with Red Bull.
He has not ruled out a return to football management in the future, although he has been linked with a comeback to Anfield amid his successor Arne Slot’s struggles in his second season in the hot-seat.
Klopp, who won the Champions League and Premier League at Liverpool, has also been mentioned as a candidate for the Real job to replace Alvaro Arbeloa at the end of the campaign.
But Klopp told reporters at the Magenta TV World Cup team presentation in Munich: “If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now.
Advertisement
“But that’s all nonsense. They haven’t called even once, not once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven’t called him either.
“Right now I’m not thinking about that, luckily there’s no reason to.
“For my age, I’m quite advanced in life, but as a coach I’m not completely finished. I haven’t reached retirement age. Who knows what will happen in the coming years? But there’s nothing planned.”
Mayank Yadav has opened up about a major shift in his approach to fitness and recovery after battling multiple injuries, admitting that he previously neglected his body before a surgery forced him to rethink everything. The 23-year-old fast bowler, who represents Lucknow Super Giants, went through a difficult phase that began with an injury during IPL 2024, followed by a serious back problem that kept him out for the remainder of the 2025 season. Having completed his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he is now gearing up for a comeback. Reflecting on his journey, Mayank acknowledged how drastically his mindset has changed post-surgery. “Everything has changed for me post-surgery. Earlier, I never used to take care of myself. Whenever I had to do a recovery session, I used to avoid it and neglect many aspects. But after the surgery, I paid a lot of attention to recovery, nutrition and sleep. The more I respect my body, the more my body respects me on the field,” he said on JioStar’s ‘IPL Today Live’. During his time at the National Cricket Academy, Mayank found valuable guidance from Jasprit Bumrah, who had undergone a similar procedure. The young pacer described Bumrah as a mentor figure during the recovery phase. “When I was in rehab at the NCA, Bumrah bhaiya was also there. I have a very good bonding with him. He is like a teacher to me. He also had the same surgery, the same scenario,” he said. “Bumrah bhaiya shared his experience of how to come back after surgery and what things to pay attention to. He told me how the body will be during recovery, how it will react. Sometimes it will feel good, sometimes not. Whenever we talk on call or messages, he shares his experience as much as possible,” he added. Mayank, who recorded the fastest delivery by an Indian during IPL 2024, also spoke about when he first realised his ability to bowl at extreme pace. “When I came to the IPL for the first time, our trainers used to measure our bowling speed with a speed gun. At that time, I came to know that I have this talent, I have this gift. So now I have to respect it,” he said. He also acknowledged the physical and mental challenges associated with fast bowling. “With fast bowling, things are always a little dicey whether you can do it or not. There is a lot of stress on the body, physically and mentally.” Tracing his love for pace back to childhood, Mayank said he was always inclined towards fast bowling rather than spin. “When I used to play in the streets, I didn’t know how to bowl spin so I used to bowl only fast bowling. My craze for fast bowling began since childhood. My father also used to show me a lot of fast bowling videos. “Mostly, when India used to play in South Africa, I used to watch a lot of those matches. I really liked two of their pacers, our current bowling coach Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. Through them, I got the craze to bowl fast,” he said.
FC Porto coach Francesco Farioli has praised the impact of Terem Moffi after Porto secured a 2‑1 comeback victory over Sporting Braga in a Primeira Liga clash at Estádio Municipal de Braga on Sunday night.
Braga took the lead from a penalty, putting the home side ahead early in the match. However, Porto responded strongly after Farioli made key substitutions. William Gomes quickly equalised, and Seko Fofana’s strike secured the turnaround for Porto.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Farioli credited the bench for changing the game’s momentum. “The entry of William Gomes and Terem Moffi was very positive, as was that of Seko Fofana who scored the goal, or Borja Sainz and Pablo who helped us gain ground in the opponent’s area,” he said.
Advertisement
Since joining Porto on loan from OGC Nice during the winter transfer window, Moffi has quickly made his mark. The Nigerian forward has already scored two goals across all competitions, and his dynamic introduction against Braga played a key role in helping Porto secure the important victory.
With the Indian Premier League 2026 season just days away, an unexpected topic has captured the nation’s attention — Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, the film has triggered a frenzy across the country, cutting through even the IPL buzz.The spy-action sequel, released last week, is enjoying a sensational run at the box office, raking in massive collections and shattering records. With demand for tickets skyrocketing, even one of India’s greatest cricketers, Sunil Gavaskar, has found it difficult to secure a seat in theatres.Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who plays a key role in the two-part film, revealed the amusing episode through a video on Instagram. While requesting fans to avoid sharing spoilers, Bedi recounted his recent meeting with Gavaskar and the unusual request that followed.“Talking about sports, yesterday I met one of the great sportspersons of India, the great Sunil Gavaskar ji. He said, ‘Rakesh ji, I am not able to get the tickets. So please arrange it for me,” said Bedi in the video.“So I am trying to arrange some tickets for him. I hope I am able to,” he added.The film is now on track to become the highest-grossing Bollywood movie of all time, a record currently held by its predecessor, Dhurandhar.The craze has extended into the cricketing world as well. Players from Gujarat Titans were recently seen visiting a theatre in Ahmedabad to watch the sequel, while Hardik Pandya, captain of Mumbai Indians, was also spotted at a multiplex enjoying the film.
Golf great John Daly shared a hilarious moment that may have been more serious after watching a video he posted on social media, calling himself a “jacka–” in the process.
Daly was in desert terrain at the La Paloma Country Club for the Cologuard Classic, when he was trying to hit a shot onto a green when he lost his footing.
As he tried to gain traction in the sand, Daly’s feet fell from under him, and he slid down a long desert hill. Multiple people got involved, voluntarily jumping down the hill to see if Daly was all right.
John Daly of the United States plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 21, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona.(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Daly left unscathed, but he did enjoy putting the theme music to the “Jackass” franchise over the video to share to the masses.
“Bellyfloppin’ in the desert,” Daly captioned the video, while shouting out his caddie, Joel Cooley, who sprang to action to see if his partner was doing fine at the bottom of the hill.
“On today’s episode of ‘jacka**’” was also seen on top of the video.
While he doesn’t usually show off his bellyflopping, Daly remains a key figure in golf.
John Daly of the United States plays his second shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the Cologuard Classic 2026 at La Paloma Country Club on March 20, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona.(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
He spends most of his time on the course for the Champions Tour, which is former PGA Tour players 50 years and older. His most recent round came on Sunday, where he finished tied for 29th with a 6-under tournament in the Cologuard Classic.
Daly was just named the 2026 Ambassador of Golf Award honoree ahead of the Kaulig Companies Championship at the signature Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The award recognizes those making an impact on the course as well as in their communities off the course.
Advertisement
“I’ve always loved this game and what it’s given me,” he said in a press release for the award. “Golf has taken me places I never imagined and introduced me to incredible people along the way. To be recognized with the Ambassador of Golf Award is truly an honor, and I’m proud to support the meaningful work being done here in Northeast Ohio.”
John Daly hits his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the PNC Championship 2025 at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 21, 2025 in Orlando, Florida.(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Daly’s impact on the sport is quite iconic, whether it’s his monstrous drives from the tee box, winning the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate in the field, or taking home The Open Championship in 1995 at St. Andrews, forever marking himself as a multi-time major winner.
His larger-than-life personality has always been on display, even today in silly moments like these on and off the course.
Moses Itauma has been accused of swerving a title shot, which can still be salvaged if he defeats Jermaine Franklin on March 28.
The 21-year-old will square off with Franklin, a durable operator who represents his toughest opponent thus far, at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.
Up to this point, the heavyweight prodigy has shown considerable talent and potential against mostly limited opposition, with his last performance coming against a faded Dillian Whyte.
One such assignment should arrive against Franklin, who lost a unanimous decision to Anthony Joshua in 2023 but has since established himself as a solid fringe contender.
If nothing else, the American is likely to take Itauma past round two for the first time in nine fights, giving him the necessary experience to resume his swift development.
After that, Itauma could revisit a clash with WBA ‘Regular’ champion Murat Gassiev, who has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential opponent for the prolific knockout artist.
Regarding a possible showdown with Itauma, meanwhile, Gassiev’s coach Anton Kadushin has told IBA that they remain open to such discussions but feel the Brit’s team have backed off following his most recent KO.
“After the fight with Pulev, Moses Itauma went quiet. All the talk of a fight with Murat stopped.
“But if this fight becomes inevitable – if we win the next one; if Moses Itauma comes out and says he’s ready to face Gassiev at the end of the year, and if the terms are right for us – then we’re open to it. Gassiev is not avoiding anyone.”
By winning the WBA ‘Regular’ belt, Itauma would place himself in a strong position to be upgraded to full champion if Oleksandr Usyk either vacates, or is stripped of, his world title. The fight had been ordered by the WBA, but if Itauma is taken another route he remains well placed with the other sanctioning bodies.
The Seattle Seahawks did not just reward production when they handed Jaxon Smith-Njigba a record four-year, $168.6 million extension. According to Colin Cowherd, they paid for something NFL teams value just as much as elite numbers.
Smith-Njigba earned the deal after a Super Bowl-winning season in which he led the league with 1,793 receiving yards. He is now the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Cowherd argued the overlooked factor was professionalism, not just talent.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
“Talent alone in pro sports absolutely has a ceiling,” he said on ‘The Herd,’ today. “No drama, no big ego. He is what every CEO is seeking. He is what every GM is seeking. He gets along with teammates, quarterbacks, coaches, coordinators. He never steps in it.”
Advertisement
•
Cowherd summed it up by saying, “Ego and drama always punctures talent… This is a prime example why Seattle had to make big decisions, and where do they set the record with JSN, you think it’s just talent. It’s not just talent. No babysitting him, no drama. He cares about the right stuff. He carries himself like a professional…”
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
This was not only about rewarding a superstar season. The Seahawks are betting massive money on a proven playmaker who, in Cowherd’s eyes, carries himself like a franchise cornerstone.
Colin Cowherd uses Jaxon Smith-Njigba to warn Puka Nacua
In the same segment, Cowherd had a piece of advice, masked in the form of a warning for Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. He said,
“Many young athletes get terrible advice. JSN, huge talent, no drama. It’s like Amon-Ra St. Brown, you don’t have to worry about him. You don’t have to babysit him. He’s a grown-up. Puka Nacua, by the way, is great, but he has stepped in it multiple times with the Rams.”
“The Rams are going to take a wide receiver, I believe, early in this draft, just in case he steps in it again… And I love Puka, and so do the Rams. Maybe he should stream less…”
Nacua also had a monster season with Rams (1,715 yards) and fell just short of eclipsing Jaxon Smith-Njigba for most receiving yards in the 2025 NFL season.
The 31-year-old Englishman had a disappointing bogey on 18 to finish runner-up at last week’s Players Championship, and he trailed the Valspar Championship’s third-round leader, Sungjae Im, by three shots heading into the final round.
But when Im faded with a final-round 74, Fitzpatrick kept the pedal to the metal, carding a bogey-free round of three-under 68 to claim victory by a single shot over David Lipsky.
Fitzpatrick sealed his win with a birdie on the 18th hole. With the pressure on, Fitzpatrick laced a 303-yard drive down the middle of the fairway, setting up a 116-yard approach, which he hit to 14 feet — then drained the putt.
Fitzpatrick’s driver — Titleist’s GT3 — has become a true weapon for him in recent years.
“By optimizing his move and leaning into the high speed tech of the Titleist GT3, he has climbed the distance charts, currently averaging over 300 yards off the tee,” wrote GOLF’s director of gear Johnny Wunder. “The counter-balanced Mitsubishi Orange shaft is the secret sauce here — it allows him to swing with aggressive intent while maintaining the face-angle control required to thread the needle through the Snake Pit.”
Titleist’s GT3 driver features five possible weight locations (H2, H1, N, T1, T2) that get the CG closer in line to the golfer’s strike location tendencies. The club is designed for players looking to have additional control over their ball and shot shape.
Advertisement
Check out Fitzpatrick’s Titleist GT3 driver in detail below. And to add a customized version of the driver to your bag, click on the link to order your own new club from Fairway Jockey.
Shop Titleist’s GT3 driver at Fairway Jockey
Advertisement
Titleist GT3 Custom Driver
GT3 – Speed-Tuned Distance & Control
GT3 offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization. With a speed-tuned design that allows you to precisely match performance to your most frequent contact location, you can make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.
For players with a relatively consistent impact location, GT3 offers a precisely adjustable CG Track to max out distance and directional control.
Seamless Thermoform Crown
A reimagined ultra-lightweight design, born from a new Proprietary Matrix Polymer. The tunable acoustic properties of this unique composite allow Titleist engineers to realize new material gains while maintaining our signature sound and feel. All wrapped in a clean look that inspires total confidence.
Split Mass Construction
A breakthrough in internal weighting unlocks longer drives and enhanced directional control in GT3. The Adjustable CG Track now sits closer to the face for more dynamic CG control, while additional discretionary mass is pushed to the back of the club to maintain optimal stability through impact.
Advanced Aerodynamics
GT3 features a new raised tail contour that represents a dramatic shift in driver aerodynamics. Previously impossible to execute due to design constraints, this advanced shaping results in a driver that swings faster while still providing optimal CG control.
As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her original interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.
India’s Anahat Singh will face off against Egypt’s Hana Moataz in the women’s final while in the men’s category Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani booked their respective spots in the Indian Open squash, here on Saturday.
Anahat got the better of compatriot Tanvi 3-1 (11-6 9-11 11-8 11-2) to make it to the summit clash. After dictating the early exchanges, the Indian ace took the opening game following which Tanvi bounced back to level the contest.
However, despite Tanvi’s strong start in the third game, Anahat grew in confidence and control. Her consistent shot-making and movement around the court helped her to win the third as well as the fourth.
Advertisement
In the other women’s semifinal, Moataz defeated compatriot Nadien Elhammamy 3-1 (11-8 5-11 11-5 11-7) in an all-Egyptian contest.
After edging a closely fought opening game, Moataz lost the second before raising her intensity in the final two games to secure her spot in the final.
In the men’s event, Abhay overcame a strong challenge from Ameeshenraj Chandaran from Malaysia to win 3-1 (11-9 9-11 11-3 11-8).
Abhay was pushed hard by the unseeded Chandaran in a gripping encounter. The Malaysian matched the Indian’s shots during long rallies, producing powerful forehands and sharp returns.
Advertisement
Abhay began strongly, racing to a 9-4 lead in the opening game. Chandaran mounted a spirited comeback with five consecutive points to level the score, but the Indian held his nerve at the crucial moment to clinch the game 11-9.
In the second game, Chandaran was trailing 8-9 at one stage but the Malaysian surged ahead with three straight points to take the game 11-9 and level the match.
Abhay dominating proceedings to win the third game 11-3. The fourth saw another intense battle as Abhay fought back from 2-6 down to level at 7-7 before closing out the contest 11-8.
In the other semifinal, fourth seed Chotrani defeated another Malaysian, Sanjay Jeeva, also by a 3-1 margin (11-7 11-5 5-11 11-6), setting up an all-Indian showdown for the title.
Advertisement
The Indian recovered from a slightly nervy start to win the opening game 11-7 and continued his dominance to claim the second 11-5. Jeeva won the third game 11-4, but Chotrani bounced back to win the fourth 11-6 and seal the match in his favour.
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has discussed Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford’s future after his man-of-the-match performance in the Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal
Alan Shearer has outlined why he thinks Newcastle United could potentially secure the signing of Manchester City star James Trafford in the coming months. The Magpies were reported to be pursuing Trafford last summer whilst the goalkeeper was at Burnley.
Trafford subsequently departed the Clarets but chose to join City instead, who triggered a buy-back provision in the goalkeeper’s deal to secure his services at the Etihad Stadium for £27million.
Advertisement
The City shot-stopper was the standout performer at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon as Trafford played a crucial role in City’s Carabao Cup final triumph over Arsenal.
Trafford produced a string of vital stops to preserve a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory against the Gunners, though questions persist regarding the goalkeeper’s long-term future.
City signed Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, which has resulted in Trafford occupying the backup goalkeeper position this campaign, and Shearer has explained why a move to Newcastle might once again be feasible when the summer transfer window opens, reports Chronicle Live.
Advertisement
“He’s coming to Newcastle, lads,” Shearer said on the Rest is Football podcast.
When asked if Trafford could leave City this summer, Shearer added: “It wouldn’t surprise me. It was almost done and dusted last summer and then, for whatever reason, City came back in with a buy-back clause.
“I guess he thought that he was going there as a No.1 [goalkeeper], and clearly other things took over with Donnarumma [moving to City].
“I would like to think that Newcastle would be back in for him. He will definitely have options, but if he was that close to Newcastle last summer, I would see no reason for him to not be that close again.”
Trafford spoke honestly about his return to the City line-up after playing a pivotal role in their Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal, as well as the challenges he has faced due to his lack of regular appearances this season.
“Yeah, it means a lot to have his [Pep Guardiola’s] faith, and it’s a testament to how I believed in myself, and how I acted in training, when I’ve been brought in for club games,” Trafford told Sky Sports. “Every time that I play I just give it my best shot.
“No illusions, it hasn’t been easy at all. It’s been really tough at times, but I have a really good set of people around me.
Advertisement
“My teammates and my coaches have been brilliant. They have kept me going and given me individual goals. It’s down to them.”
Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
Advertisement
And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
;)
You must be logged in to post a comment Login