Football transfer rumours: Man Utd to battle Real Madrid for Gnabry; Arsenal hold Watkins talks
Wednesday's roundup of transfer rumours includes news on Man Utd rivalling Real Madrid for Serge Gnabry, Arsenal meeting with the agent of Ollie Watkins, Liverpool want Federico Chiesa as a Mohamed Salah replacement and more.
2023-09-27 16:49
Hollywood writers' deal may set a template for talks with striking actors
By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES The tentative deal Hollywood writers reached with the major studios
2023-09-27 16:47
Trump liable for fraud, judge finds in New York civil case
Donald Trump exaggerated his net worth and asset values to get better loans, a New York judge rules.
2023-09-27 16:45
Nigeria’s New Central Bank Governor Tasked With Reviving Confidence
When Olayemi Cardoso takes full control of Nigeria‘s central bank this week, his biggest challenges will be to
2023-09-27 15:29
Equinor’s Controversial Rosebank Oil Field Gets UK Approval
The UK’s controversial Rosebank oil and gas development has received the go-ahead, despite objections from climate groups. Equinor
2023-09-27 15:27
More than a dozen people were arrested after multiple stores were looted around Philadelphia, police say
More than a dozen people were arrested after stores were looted when a large crowd gathered in Philadelphia's Center City district Tuesday night, police said.
2023-09-27 15:26
China Puts Evergrande’s Billionaire Founder Under Police Control
Hui Ka Yan, the billionaire chairman of beleaguered property developer China Evergrande Group, has been placed under police
2023-09-27 15:24
Ozzy Osbourne plans 'one more album' and another tour in 2024
Black Sabbath legend Ozzy Osbourne is planning to record "one more album" before heading back on tour in 2024.
2023-09-27 15:19
Kalvin Phillips must seize rare chance to move away from being Man City’s decorated substitute
Pep Guardiola confirmed one starter and it was the player who never starts. When Rodri, in a moment that felt out of character, tried to throttle Morgan Gibbs-White, the main beneficiaries were not Nottingham Forest, who lost at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday anyway, but Kalvin Phillips. For much of his time at Manchester City, the supposed Yorkshire Pirlo has been the Yorkshire Sergio Gomez, belatedly brought on when victory has long been secured. Yet it has been worse: Gomez was hired as a largely unknown left-back, Phillips as one of the players of Euro 2020, a footballer transformed by Guardiola’s managerial hero Marcelo Bielsa. Yet when a defensive midfielder secured City the Champions League, it was Rodri, not Phillips. When a defensive midfielder was named the competition’s player of the season, it was Rodri, not Phillips. With the Spaniard now suspended, the Englishman is guaranteed that rarest of things – an appearance in the initial XI – at Newcastle on Wednesday evening. It will be just the fifth match he will begin for City: Rodri has started 61 in that time. He had only played eight minutes of football for City this season; after Rodri’s red card, he got 39 on Saturday. There could be 90 on Wednesday. If, for Phillips, it is a belated chance to kickstart his City career: perhaps a brief one, too, as Mateo Kovacic is on the comeback trail, should feature for some of the match at St James’ Park and, if Guardiola does not trust the Englishman, might take on the holding midfield duties at Wolves and Arsenal. But perhaps a chance in the Carabao Cup is a reward for Phillips’ obstinacy. He had the chance to leave in the summer, to admit defeat when West Ham came calling as they looked for a replacement for Declan Rice. City might have been willing sellers. Phillips was unwilling to go. “He decided to stay,” Guardiola said. “The club spoke with him. He doesn’t have much minutes, but he said: ‘No, I want to stay.” It is okay, it is perfect, he is a lovely person.” Being a likeable figure does not necessarily make him Guardiola’s idea of a central midfielder. The City manager said that “of course” it meant a lot that Phillips was willing to stay and fight for his place. That position, however, tends to elude him. The reality is that both of his league starts in their colours came after they had already won last season’s title. Since he joined City have lost two of the four games he has started and only five of the 66 he has not. He began last season’s Carabao Cup tie at Southampton. That scarcely counted in his favour. “It was the worst game I played as manager of Man City by far, so I didn’t recognise anything about that,” Guardiola said. It formed part of an awkward start for Phillips. He had shoulder surgery before the World Cup and was omitted after it when Guardiola deemed him unfit. If Bielsa’s idiosyncratic tactics, with man-marking all over the pitch, meant Phillips was reinvented from a decent Championship box-to-box midfielder to a seemingly world-class holding player, perhaps he has had to be deprogrammed from the Argentinian’s unique gameplan. Certainly Guardiola accepted he has got less from Phillips than the former Leeds manager. “Marcelo gave Kalvin the best of Kalvin in his career,” he said. “I’d love to have done with Kalvin what Marcelo has done to him. It is what it is. We have our own specific way to play. He sometimes struggles in a few things while the previous one was perfect. But he is open-minded and always wants to learn.” Rodri may be the ideal tutor, the player who has perfected the role in front of the back four for Guardiola, who occupied it himself for Johan Cruyff at Barcelona. “Rodri has been missed and his consistency is really important, he knows everything in the game,” Guardiola said. “Of course being outside, sitting [on the bench], seeing players in training sessions and what we are looking for in the training sessions and the meetings helps a lot. But every player has his own specifics. We bring Kalvin here for his quality. There are no twins in football. Everyone has their own personality. He has to be Kalvin Phillips.” Being Kalvin Phillips must have been a strange experience in the last 14 months. He has become one of football’s most decorated substitutes, winning everything, but with a watching brief. The two best performances of his time at City have come for England: in March’s away win in Italy and this month’s victory over Scotland in Glasgow. He has been the £45m afterthought, the player Guardiola usually only turns to long after the outcome is decided. And now, perhaps for one night only, perhaps for the crucial clash at Arsenal, the Yorkshire Pirlo has to prove he can be the Yorkshire Rodri. Read More Manchester City hit by travel headache ahead of hectic fortnight Kalvin Phillips to start in Manchester City’s Carabao Cup clash at Newcastle Pep Guardiola jokes he could play for much-changed Man City in Newcastle cup tie
2023-09-27 14:58
Football rumours: Arsenal step up interest in Ivan Toney ahead of January window
What the papers say Arsenal are rumoured to be keen on signing Brentford forward Ivan Toney, the Mirror reports. The Gunners have been eyeing the 27-year-old and are said to be stepping up their interest ahead of the January transfer window, with Toney currently banned from all football activities until mid-January for gambling offences. The Daily Mail reports that a sensational return to Chelsea could be on the cards for Tammy Abraham after two years at Roma as part of a swap deal for Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at the Serie A club. Manchester United may have their eyes set on German international forward Serge Gnabry from Bayern Munich, the Daily Mail reports. The Premier League club currently lack firepower without Antony and Jadon Sancho. Social media round-up Players to watch Aston Villa continue talks to extend Ollie Watkins’ contract, aiming to finalise a new deal for the England international by January according to 90min. Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 26, may be gearing up for a move to Nottingham Forest or Barcelona, with interest being shown by both clubs for the Leicester midfielder. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-09-27 14:49
DNA testing leads to exoneration of California man imprisoned nearly 3 decades on kidnapping and sexual assault convictions
After a California man spent nearly three decades in prison for kidnapping, sexual assault and robbery convictions, new DNA testing has revealed he was innocent of those crimes, a prosecutor announced.
2023-09-27 14:48
Mariners taken aback by fan throwing ball on field and grazing pitcher George Kirby
There was an unexpected moment of anxiousness for Seattle starting pitcher George Kirby and the Mariners in the sixth inning of their 6-2 win over the Houston Astros after a foul ball hit into the stands behind the third base dugout was thrown back by a fan and grazed the pitcher
2023-09-27 14:47
