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Mason Greenwood has earned “starboy” and “incredible” billings at Getafe ahead of a big decision being made on his Manchester United future.

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Forward enjoying loan spell in SpainLinked with teams across EuropeTransfer expected in summer windowGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The expectation is that the 22-year-old forward will form part of a permanent transfer deal this summer. With it difficult to see a clean slate being offered at Old Trafford, the one-cap England international is poised to take on another challenge outside of his homeland.

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That could come at Getafe, if another loan can be agreed, but the likes of Juventus and Barcelona are reported to be mulling over approaches for a player that has been catching the eye in La Liga this season. Greenwood’s latest appearance saw him post three goal contributions against Almeria – two efforts of his own and an assist.

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Greenwood has now shattered his personal best when it comes to goals and assists across any given league campaign, with his combined tally taken to 14 this term – topping the 11 that he managed in the Premier League with United in 2019-20.

WHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

Getafe have lauded Greenwood as their “starboy”, while also hailing his “incredible performance” against Almeria. They are understandably keen to keep him on their books for 2024-25, but the player himself will have some input on what happens next as United mull over whether to cash in at this point or delay a future call for a further 12 months.

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsenal players as "lucky" despite suffering two crucial defeats which left their silverware prospects hanging in the balance.

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Arsenal got knocked out from UCL by BayernWhereas defeat to Aston Villa saw them fall behind Man City in PLArteta remains unphased despite enduring a horror weekWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners' hopes of silverware took a blow as they bowed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage following a defeat to Bayern Munich. Prior to this disappointment, Arsenal relinquished their grip on the Premier League title race after a loss to Aston Villa, leaving their championship aspirations hanging in the balance.

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However, amidst these setbacks, Arteta remains optimistic about his team's prospects of conquering England. Ahead of a pivotal league clash against Wolves, he urged his squad to maintain their focus and determination and urged them to overcome self-pity.

WHAT ARTETA SAID

“I think the players are all very lucky to have had the week that we’ve had,” he said.

“Because these are the weeks that we want and have been seeking for many years to have at Arsenal. You have to deal with that. If you want to be in this position, you have to go through it and it’s going to be tough. Against those opponents, the margins are minimal and you have to try to compete to be better than them.

"But maybe even if you are better, you don’t win? Like what happened at home against Bayern and against Villa. Are you ready to react to that?  If not you’re not ready to be living these kinds of weeks and we want to be living these kinds of weeks. Don’t feel sorry for yourself – if we want to be here we have to be prepared because this is a possibility.”

DID YOU KNOW?

The Aston Villa loss marked Arsenal's first Premier League defeat in 2024 which underscores the team's remarkable consistency in domestic competitions. And yet they faced severe backlash from the fans for sliding behind in the title race to Manchester City. Arteta sees the criticism and scrutiny that accompany setbacks as a test of character and resolve, challenging his players to rise above adversity and maintain their composure.

“It is testing your resilience and your ego,” he said. “If I take a newspaper and show it to my son, seven days ago after Brighton, and then seven days later Bayern Munich, talking about the same team, they would think it is three years ago. 

“It is the reality of what it is, but we have to live with that. That is the beauty of it, as well. On Saturday you can be at home and you can be the happiest man ever, saying we have a real chance here, let’s go for it with five games to go. We have to make that happen. That is our job.”

Thiago Silva's wife Isabelle came up with yet another cryptic social media post as Chelsea were beaten 5-0 by Arsenal.

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Silva's wife made cryptic social media postWas omitted from starting lineup against ArsenalGunners thrashed the Blues 5-0WHAT HAPPENED?

Mauricio Pochettino did not include the 39-year-old in the Blues' starting lineup against Arsenal and only introduced him into the game in the 78th minute in place of Alfie Gilchrist at a time when the Blues were already five goals down against the Gunners.

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Back in February, Silva's wife Isabelle had shared a cryptic post on social media after the club went down 4-2 against Wolves in the Premier League as she wrote, "It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late."

On Tuesday she once again took to X where she posted three emojis depicting the 'Three Wise Monkeys' which embody the proverbial principle 'See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil".

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The veteran defender is all set to leave the club in the summer as his contract with the Blues ends on June 30. He has already reached a verbal agreement with Brazilian giants Fluminense and will formally sign for them as a free agent once his deal expires.

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The West London side will be next seen in action on Saturday as they take on Aston Villa in a Premier League clash away from home.

The grade-one strain has also left the Sri Lanka seamer doubtful for the South Africa Tests, that follow close on the heels of the Australia tour

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Jan-2019Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Pradeep has been ruled out of the series against Australia, after scans revealed he had sustained a grade-one strain in his left hamstring. He is also doubtful for the South Africa Test series that follows close on the heels of the Australia tour.Pradeep had picked up the injury on day one of Sri Lanka’s warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI in Hobart, on Thursday. He immediately left the field, having bowled only two overs in the match, and underwent scans over the weekend that confirmed the severity of the injury. Pradeep’s career has been plagued by leg injuries – particularly hamstring complaints – and this is largely why he has not played a Test since October 2017.Although a fit Pradeep did not get a game during the two Tests in New Zealand, he may have been a good option for Sri Lanka at the seam-friendly Gabba Stadium, as he is often capable of generating appreciable movement off the deck.Despite his being one of the most experienced members of the pace-bowling battery, and although no replacement has been officially named yet, Sri Lanka are still left with a serviceable seam-bowling contingent in Australia. Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and Dushmantha Chameera all remain fit and available, with all four of those bowlers having played at least one Test over the past six weeks.Sri Lanka’s first Test begins in Brisbane on Thursday.

The champions climbed back to the top of the Premier League table after an utterly dominant win over the struggling Hatters.

The Etihad Stadium really is Kevin De Bruyne's playground. Luton couldn't get near the Belgian as he pulled the strings in an ultimately comfortable 5-1 win that sent Manchester City back to the summit.

Indeed, the 32-year-old was involved right from the first whistle, setting Erling Haaland through as the opening goal arrived within two minutes, courtesy of a hugely unfortunate own goal from Daiki Hashioka.

The hosts, despite finishing the game with an incredible 37 shots at goal, had to wait until after the hour mark for their second – Mateo Kovacic lashing home a thunderous volley that gave Thomas Kaminski no chance.

It was three soon after as Haaland slotted home from the penalty spot and although Ross Barkley pulled one back for Rob Edwards' side, the impressive Jeremy Doku made it 4-1 with a jinking run and expert finish. There was still time for Josko Gvardiol to add a fifth in stoppage time too, with City nudging their goal difference up to +44 as a direct result.

GOAL rates Manchester City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (6/10):

No clean sheet today. After having literally nothing to do in the first half, his crossbar was rattled by Cauley Woodrow before he was beaten by a smart finish from Barkley for Luton's consolation goal.

Rico Lewis (7/10):

Bright and effective in that inverted full-back position on the right. Linked up well with the likes of De Bruyne and Nunes in front of him and proved once again he's a more than capable deputy for the absent Kyle Walker.

Manuel Akanji (6/10):

Often found himself in central midfield, such was City's domination. Had hardly anything to do from a defensive point of view, with Luton so focused on keeping the hosts out.

Ruben Dias (7/10):

Like Akanji, he had the freedom to start much higher up the pitch and cruised through what was a comfortable afternoon for him. Made over 100 successful passes which was more than anyone else on the pitch, De Bruyne included.

Josko Gvardiol (7/10):

Looked to cut in from the left flank and get shots away, like he did so effectively at the Bernabeu. One slack moment saw Fred Onyedinma wrestle past him, leading to Luton smacking the crossbar, but a largely positive performance that resulted in a stoppage-time goal.

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Mateo Kovacic (7/10):

Flashed a deflected shot wide midway through the second half before thumping a half-volley into the net to make it 2-0. Not a bad way to score his first Premier League goal for City.

Kevin De Bruyne (8/10):

Wrap him up in cotton wool ready for Madrid. Dominated again here, especially in the first half, creating chance after chance after chance – seven in total over the course of the game. Will be disappointed he didn't record a goal or assist and didn't look too pleased to be taken off with 10 minutes left.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

His afternoon was tarnished somewhat by his role in Luton's goal, as a loose touch on the half turn allowed Barkley to rob him and fire past Ederson.

Getty ImagesAttack

Julian Alvarez (5/10):

Provided a threat with his wicked deliveries from corners but his end product from open play was largely disappointing. Did get the assist for Kovacic's goal but nowhere near the levels he was hitting at the start of the season.

Erling Haaland (7/10):

After forcing the first goal, somewhat fortuitously, with his wayward strike going in off the face of Daiki Hashioka, it looked as though he'd drift through the game without troubling the scoresheet. That changed with the award of the penalty, though, with Haaland stepping up for goal number 20 of the season in the league.

Jeremy Doku (8/10):

After a largely ineffective first half, he was far more decisive in the second and his clever bit of play in the box bamboozled Onyedinma to force the penalty. He then expertly slotted home City's fourth goal with a mazy run and finish before getting another assist for Gvardiol's late goal. A top afternoon's work.

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Sergio Gomez (N/A):

Came on late in the game with City cruising.

Oscar Bobb (N/A):

Replaced Haaland with only 10 minutes to go.

Pep Guardiola (8/10):

He'll be delighted with that. Managed to rest the likes of Rodri, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden for the Madrid game and still got the emphatic result that not only put City back on top, but also significantly boosted their goal difference.

The duo racked up centuries in a yet-to-be broken 246-run stand to leave Sri Lanka with a fighting chance of securing an improbable draw

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Dec-2018Kumara picks up demerit point for ‘audible obscenity’

Lahiru Kumara, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, has been fined 15% of his match fee and been handed a demerit point for a Level 1 breach of the ICC’s code of conduct. He was found to have violated Article 2.3, which relates to “use of an audible obscenity during an international match”.
The on-field umpires, Rod Tucker and Michael Gough, heard him utter the obscenity when Tom Latham edged him to the boundary in the 96th over of New Zealand’s innings. It was also picked up by the stump mic.
Kumara admitted to the offence and the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson, which meant there was no need for a hearing.

On day four in Wellington, facing a monumental first-innings deficit, and in what seemed like a hopeless match situation, Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews went to the trenches. They absorbed New Zealand’s many attacks. They delivered a few glancing blows of their own. They made a hundred apiece, and for only the 22nd time in the history of Test cricket, they batted out an entire day without losing a wicket.Their partnership – 577 balls in – is worth 246. It is easily Sri Lanka’s best against New Zealand, and has allowed the visitors to go into the fifth day of an intriguing Test with a fighting chance of securing a draw. They are still 37 runs away from making New Zealand bat again, but will be buoyed no doubt by the weather forecast, which suggests rain will arrive around mid-day, if not before.Mathews was in a dogfight virtually the entire time he was at the crease, hit by balls last night and in the first session on Tuesday, defending with astounding stoicism – but Mendis played a more attractive innings, at least in the morning. While Mathews was struggling to work himself into the innings, playing and missing, and failing to get out of the way of some of New Zealand’s many bouncers, Mendis struck sublime straight boundaries to prevent the quicks from settling, and made sure to climb into a few commanding pull shots as well.Watch LIVE on ESPN+

Readers from the US can also watch the match LIVE here, on ESPN+

There were a few occasions through the day when Mendis slowed down, and Mathews took the scoring burden upon himself, but after lunch, both had basically decided that nothing New Zealand sent their way – not another spell of Neil Wagner bodyline, not another spell of Tim Southee probing outside off, not Ajaz Patel’s disciplined lines and lengths – were going to shake them out of their calm.Mathews has batted like this before, of course, and has played several match-saving innings in his career, though it has been a while since the last one. For Mendis, this was a new sort of innings entirely – one which, at least since after the lunch break, was focused largely around his defence. Fittingly, the pair were separated only by a run at the end of the day. Mathews had 117 off 293 balls; Mendis 116 off 284. The younger partner had led Mathews for much of the day, but Mathews took more of the strike in the third session.Getty ImagesCentral to both batsmen’s survival was their judgement of length. Both Wagner and Southee repeatedly went to the short ball attack, with virtually no seam movement on offer from this surface now. Mathews had the tougher time in the morning, copping blows on the bicep and the chest. But soon enough, he was ducking and weaving expertly, and on the occasions that he did play a cross bat shot, he uniformly ensured he had rolled his wrists over it, and hit it towards the ground. Although Mathews was always striking at less than 50, he never seemed bogged down, finding shots to get himself off strike regularly enough. Mendis followed Mathews’ lead with the short ball for much of the day, crouching beneath plenty, to let them fly harmlessly over the shoulder.With their seamers unable to break the overnight stand, New Zealand looked to left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, who bowled unchanged through the middle session, but here again, the batsmen had his measure. Occasionally, the ball turned off the straight to beat the bat, but this didn’t happen often enough to comprise a serious problem for Mendis and Mathews.Interestingly, Mendis didn’t venture the sweep – his favourite shot – choosing instead to knock Patel into the open spaces from an upright position, perhaps because there wasn’t much turn on offer anyway. So perfect were these two in defence, that through the course of the day, there wasn’t so much as a strong lbw or caught behind appeal. The likeliest form of dismissal seemed a run out – with two batting miscommunications leading to several tense moments mid-pitch, through the latter half of the day.Mendis had gone to tea on 98 and was the first to his century soon after resumption. He raised his bat and held up six fingers to signal his sixth ton. Mathews, though, provided by far the more colourful celebration, in the final hour of play, whipping a four to wide long-on to reach triple figures for the first time in over a year, before dropping to the ground and reeling off 10 push-ups. This was the latest in a string of gestures to the dressing room, and to coach Chandika Hathurusingha in particular, about his fitness. Mathews had been hurt by his axing from the limited-overs teams in September over fitness and running issues.Sri Lanka remain vulnerable in this Test – a collapse on day five could still lead to a big New Zealand victory. But by getting through day four unscathed, they have showed they have the ability to compete, and the hunger to stay in the fight.

Kevin De Bruyne scored a vicious, curling effort at Selhurst Park to bring Manchester City level against Crystal Palace.

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City went behind to Jean-Philippe Mateta openerDe Bruyne scores scorcher to level gameCity need to win to keep pressure on Liverpool and ArsenalWHAT HAPPENED?

The Belgian, so often the man for the big occasions, picked up the ball on the left-hand side of the Palace area, drifted inside and then unleashed a stunning effort into the top-right corner of Dean Henderson's goal. City had gone behind after just three minutes at Selhurst Park, but De Bruyne made sure they were back on level terms within 10 minutes. Having been rested in midweek in City's win over Aston Villa, Guardiola will be delighted his midfielder responded with a stunning goal.

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The sumptious finish from De Bruyne prompted quite the reaction from Pep Guardiola, who blew kisses to his star man in recognition of the effort. The Catalan coach has often turned to De Bruyne to produce golden moments and once again his faith has been repaid. City can go level on points with league leaders Liverpool with a win before the Reds face a depleted Manchester United on Sunday.

Starc, who has not played a T20I since 2016, has been drafted into the side as India look to level the T20I series in Sydney

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan24-Nov-20183:23

Kartik: Chahal is a match-winner in T20Is

Big PictureThe rain has followed Australia’s T20Is around: the one-off match against South Africa was reduced to a T10, the opening game against India had overs lopped off, and in Melbourne the contest didn’t get beyond the first innings as showers teased everyone that they would allow a resumption.On balance, the rain allowed Australia to get away with it in Melbourne and denied India a great opportunity to level the series. Now, the best India can get is a share of the spoils in Sydney. At the Gabba, Australia’s batting found its stride – particularly between Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis – but India managed to return some blows before the rain at the MCG.Captain Aaron Finch went for a first-ball duck and Glenn Maxwell was defeated by Krunal Pandya, a significant response from the spinner who had been dispatched by Maxwell two nights earlier. Although he was the most expensive of the India’s bowlers, Khaheel Ahmed again caught the eye with his variations of pace. Now all this series needs is a solid few hours of dry weather.Form guide(last five completed matches)Australia WLLLL
India LWWWWIn the spotlightAaron Finch’s output has gone south since the promising start to his Test career with a top score of 41 in 10 innings. They have all been white-ball knocks so their significance for a return to red-ball cricket may not be huge, but at a time of enough uncertainty in Australia’s Test top-order they don’t need another headache. The Sheffield Shield match next week shapes as more important in setting up Finch’s form heading into the first Test, but a few out of the middle at the SCG wouldn’t go amiss.It was the below-par performance of three of India’s top four which cost them in Brisbane and they didn’t have the chance to make amends in Melbourne. KL Rahul is currently slotted in at No. 3, ahead of Virat Kohli, which puts increasing onus on him not to eat up deliveries. His 13 off 12 balls in a hefty chase was therefore far from ideal with the world’s finest white-ball batsman behind.Team newsAustralia have called up Mitchell Starc, who has not played a T20I since 2016, as a replacement for Billy Stanlake who injured his ankle in the warm-ups moments before the toss in Melbourne. D’Arcy Short has struggled in his three T20Is this season with 21 runs off 28 balls but there are no other specialist batting options.Australia (probable) 1 Aaron Finch (capt), 2 D’arcy Short, 3 Chris Lynn, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Ben McDermott, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile/Mitchell Starc, 9 Andrew Tye, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Jason BehrendorffThe only debate for India would again appear to be if they want to get Yuzvendra Chahal into the XI. It’s tough with the balance of side they have, but the success of Kuldeep Yadav may yet make it tempting.India (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt.), 4 KL Rahul, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Khaleel Ahmed/Yuzvendra ChahalPitch and conditionsThe Sheffield Shield pitch used a couple of weeks ago was slow and Sydney’s surfaces have not had much pace in recent times. The city has experienced strong winds and dust storms in recent days, but the forecast is better for Sunday and there is no rain forecast.Stats and Trivia The only previous T20I between the two teams at the SCG was a memorable encounter as India chased down 198 off the final ball in 2016. Since the T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe, Australia’s batsmen have scored two-half-centuries in seven matches: Short’s 68 not out against UAE and Maxwell’s 52 against Pakistan in Dubai. For bowlers with 30+ wickets in T20Is, Kuldeep Yadav has the second lowest average (12.78) behind Rashid Khan and the best strike-rate. Mitchell Starc’s last T20I on home soil was against England at the SCG in February 2014Quotes

Brazil international Neymar caught up with NBA star Jimmy Butler and reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz during his visit to the Miami Open.

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Neymar met Butler and AlcarazWas spotted at Miami OpenRecovering from ACL injuryWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian is currently visiting the United States to watch the Miami Open, where he caught up with Miami Heat small forward Butler and Tennis sensation Alcaraz. The trio greeted each other warmly upon meeting and even posed for a photograph. Neymar was also seen bursting into laughter as he spoke to Butler and Alcaraz.

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The 32-year-old tore his ACL in October last year while on Brazil duty and has missed the majority of the season for his new club Al-Hilal. Neymar has endured a gruelling process to recover from the injury, but he is now on track to regain full fitness as he was recently spotted working out in a gym.

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The former Barcelona star will be hoping to get back on the pitch before the 2024 Copa America and would hope he gets picked in the Brazil squad for the continental competition, which is due to start in June in the United States.

USWNT superstar Sophia Smith has penned a new contract with Portland Thorns which makes her the highest-paid player in the NWSL.

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Smith extends until 2025 with an option for 2026Vowed to win trophies with PortlandHappy to snub Europe and continue in the USWHAT HAPPENED?

The newly-inked deal will see Smith remain with the Thorns through the culmination of the 2025 season, with an option in place for an additional year. Although there has been no official word from Portland Thorns about the financial package of the new deal, Karina LeBlanc, the Thorns' general manager, affirmed that Smith's earnings under the new agreement will see her become the highest-paid player in the NWSL. This information was corroborated by an NWSL spokesperson, who also informed that her annual wage structure is indeed the highest among all players of the competition.

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Reflecting on her decision to extend her stay with Portland, Smith expressed profound contentment and a sense of purpose, telling : "I’m feeling really at peace with the decision to stay in Portland. There’s still things that I want to do with this club, and trophies I want to win. With new ownership coming in, I have already felt that this club is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of that. I don’t want to miss that. I’ve grown so much as a person and a player here; I feel like I still have so much to learn and grow.”

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Despite the allure of alternative options, including opportunities in Europe, Smith insisted that she has no regrets about continuing in the NWSL. Although she acknowledged the distinct challenges posed by European football, Smith affirmed her unwavering commitment to the league.

"I thought of all the options," Smith said. "I’m always thinking of all the options because I always want to put myself in the best position. I do feel like I’m in the prime years of my career, and where I play right now will play a big role in how much I can achieve.

"[But] I don’t believe that every player needs to go to Europe to become who they’re supposed to be. I don’t believe that narrative. This league is so good for me. It’s the exact type of style that I like to play and thrive in. I still have so much to learn in this league, and with this club specifically, and I don’t want to move on from that yet."

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

As Smith embarks on the next chapter of her career with Portland Thorns, her contract extension not only underscores her exceptional talent and value but also reaffirms the NWSL's position as a premier destination for top-tier women's football talent. She will be back in action against Racing Louisville on Saturday in the NWSL.