News

Match Preview: Hull City vs. Manchester United

The wait is almost over for the start of Manchester United’s Premier League season, with the Reds due to kick off away to Hull City this Saturday lunchtime.

After six sharpening pre-season tests across Europe, the 12:30 BST kick-off at the MKM Stadium gets what promises to be an exciting campaign under way, as Michael Carrick enters his first full term as our head coach.

United are also back in the UEFA Champions League after a successful second half of last season, but all focus at the weekend will be on getting off to a good start in the domestic top flight.

TEAM NEWS

Matthijs de Ligt and Benjamin Šeško were both in training at Carrington on Tuesday as they work their way back from longer-term issues, although it remains to be seen when they will be available for selection again.

Mason Mount was not involved, after picking up a knock in our pre-season clash with Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month. Tom Heaton also appeared to sustain an issue in that Gothenburg encounter and didn’t feature in United’s subsequent two pre-season friendlies, while fellow goalkeeper and new signing Karl Darlow had been building up his fitness back at Carrington before joining his new team-mates at the training camp in the Republic of Ireland last week.

Fellow summer recruits Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans could be in line to make their competitive debuts for United after getting minutes in pre-season, with Carrick expected to provide more of an update on his squad in his pre-match press conference later this week.

Manuel Ugarte is recovering from successful surgery on the knee-ligament injury he suffered while representing Uruguay at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

There was a report earlier this week that Carlos Baleba could soon arrive to reinforce the midfield, but that wasn’t finalized at the time of this preview. And he certainly won’t be ready to go for Saturday if the deal is done by then, though Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said that the Cameroonian midfielder is not in the picture for the Seagulls early this season. Baleba is recovering from an ankle injury on top of a potential move to Old Trafford.

Hull City

As for Hull, Joe Gelhardt – who completed a permanent move from Leeds United on Saturday after spending the last year and a half on loan with the Tigers – will miss the start of the season with an ankle problem

Head coach Sergej Jakirovic expects Hidemasa Morita to return from injury after our visit but signalled that full-back Cody Drameh could be back in training before then. Charlie Hughes remains some way from a return due to a groin problem, while former United goalkeeper Jack Butland has had surgery on an arm injury and is set to be sidelined until the end of the year. Darko Gyabi is another long-term absentee who will miss the game.

Jakirovic guided the Tigers back to the Premier League for the first time since 2016/17 in May, as a 95th-minute winner from talisman Oli McBurnie saw them beat Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

McBurnie, formerly a Premier League player with Swansea City and Sheffield United and a guest player of our Under-18s in the Milk Cup, was Hull’s top scorer as Jakirovic enjoyed a successful first season at the helm last time out.

The Tigers have since bolstered their squad with 11 new signings this summer, including Senegal international defender Nobel Mendy for a club-record fee.

Manchester United

It’s the first full season for Carrick and important to start strong. Two newcomers in the first two matches should be six points on paper, but starting on the road is potentially tricky. It’s been a minute since Hull City were in the top flight and the fans will be ready for it, even in the early Saturday window. Whether team is ready for it or not will remain to be seen.

What United has is a nice collection of first teamers who got the blood flowing again in preseason, but several more important players who had just one brief preseason runout after returning from the World Cup summer. Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes are regulars who may not be 100% match ready yet. Bruno in particular has been vital to United functioning since he arrived in 2020. If he isn’t firing from the start it will be interesting to see how Carrick adapts tactically.

Sprint qualifying at Dutch Grand Prix under way at Zandvoort
Kimi Antonelli tops first practice from Lando Norris and Mercedes team-mate George Russell
Max Verstappen signs new contract at Red Bull until end of 2030
Isack Hadjar ruled out of weekend with injured wrist
Liam Lawson will replace him at Red Bull; Yuki Tsunoda to step in for Lawson at Racing Bulls
Antonelli leads Lewis Hamilton in drivers' championship by 50 points
Select audio icon for Sports Extra 3 commentary (UK only)

Dutch Grand Prix: Opening session of sprint qualifying under way at Zandvoort

The Chicago Sky's home game against Golden State was interrupted when multiple sex toys were thrown on the court Friday night, the second consecutive night for a disruption similar to what occurred in several WNBA games last season.

The incident happened in the third quarter of the Sky's 73-70 victory over the Valkyries. Players stayed on the court while arena personnel removed the items from the court.

According to the New York Times, there was a delay for the same reason in Atlanta's 124-88 victory at the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday. Police in Los Angeles said a male suspect was detained by arena security, received a citation and was released.

There were similar incidents last season in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. Some of the incidents resulted in arrests.

___

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Aug. 21—GRAND FORKS — UND football fans will have a new option for shopping before and during games this season at the Alerus Center.

The Sioux Shop has announced it will open a gameday location at the Alerus Center this season.

The Sioux Shop, based inside Ralph Engelstad Arena, is a longtime official retailer of UND merchandise.

The kiosk will be located on the east concourse, behind Section 206.

According to the Sioux Shop, the kiosk will include jerseys and a variety of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) apparel featuring current UND student-athletes.

"We're excited to bring the Sioux Shop experience directly into the Alerus Center on gamedays," said Jason Carlson, REA Director of Retail Operations. "This new location prioritizes fan experience and makes it easier than ever to grab their UND gear, football jerseys, or customize NIL merchandise without leaving the stadium."

UND's 2026 season begins Aug. 27, Thursday night, against Long Island University.

"Anything we can do to make gameday easier and more enjoyable for our fans is a win," said Anna Rosburg, Alerus Center General Manager. "Having the Sioux Shop right here on UND football gamedays means fans can spend less time searching for merchandise and more time enjoying the game."

The Fighting Hawks, ranked No. 10 in the preseason Top 25, have six regular-season home games in 2026.

UND kicks off against LIU at 7 p.m. Tailgate lots open at noon, with a pregame band on stage from approximately 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The Busch Light Tailgate Village will also feature inflatables, games and food. Post-game fireworks are also planned for the opener.

After the home opener, tailgate lots will open at 8 a.m. for all home games. Season tailgaters must be in their spots two hours prior to kickoff as access to those lots will close at this time prior to each home game from both Alerus Drive and South Drive.

Starting in 2025, the Alerus is now a cashless facility. Parking and concession stands only accept debit, credit, pre-paid cards and gift cards. The 50-50 raffle, however, is still cash only for 2026.

A Louisiana courtroom decision earlier this week allowed over a dozen college football players to gain an extra year of eligibility. One of those was a former Bruin, with TJ Harden entering the transfer portal, but could one of those players given an extra season be a future UCLA Bruin?

Former James Madison linebacker Trent Hendrick is set to enter the transfer portal and it’d make sense for Hendrick to follow his former head coach to Los Angeles. Hendrick was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year under Bob Chesney and now he’s back on the market.

NEW: James Madison LB Trent Hendrick plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports.

Hendrick was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year this past season.https://t.co/DlSr2k448u https://t.co/t9QeBEOXKe pic.twitter.com/0EwlDB9bv1

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) August 20, 2026

Last season, the 6’1” 225 lbs Hendrick made an eye-catching 106 tackles, recording three sacks and made seven tackles for losses.

During his brief time in the NFL this summer, Hendrick spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns. After a bit of NFL experience, now Hendrick could head to the Big Ten Conference.

If a reunion with Chesney is in order, it wouldn’t be Hendrick’s first time facing off against a Big Ten opponent. Hendrick was a part of the James Madison squad that faced Oregon in the College Football Playoff last year, where he made 10 tackles and forced a fumble.

UCLA has already made additions at the linebacker position this offseason under Chesney. The Bruins added Sammy Omosigho and Anthony Sacca to the position group but an experienced linebacker like Hendrick would be a welcome addition to any linebacker room.

This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Could UCLA add the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year?

Browns earn brutal QB ranking from ESPN that should cement 2027 draft plans originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns, heading into the 2026 NFL season, are hosting a quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders.

With their second preseason game right around the corner, where Sanders will get the chance to start, the trend lines are pointing towards Watson being QB1. But regardless of the decision from Todd Monken this season, this isn't a very exciting QB room.

ESPN's Mike Clay, in ranking every team's QB room, placed the Browns at 31st out of 32 teams, only better than the Arizona Cardinals. This ranking should cement one thing for the Browns: They need to draft a rookie QB in next year's NFL Draft.

Browns' 31st-ranked QB room should cement draft plans

Clay ranks Cleveland's QB room at 31 out of 32 teams, with the Cardinals being labeled the "shakiest" quarterback room in the league at 32 overall.

One spot ahead of the Browns is the Atlanta Falcons, who are hosting their own QB competition between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.

While he didn't specify why the Falcons are ahead of the Browns, the upside of the two former first-rounders is enough to justify this ranking.

But when it comes to the Browns, this 31st ranking proves they need to explore a new quarterback addition over the offseason, ideally in the NFL Draft.

They own the Los Angeles Rams' first-round pick alongside their own, so the Browns should have the ammo needed to land their quarterback of the future in a stacked class.

MORE: Browns' Shedeur Sanders explains bad turnover against Bears

Watson doesn't have a future in Cleveland after the disaster that was his trade and fully guaranteed contract extension, and Sanders hasn't shown enough to rely on him as the franchise guy.

The Browns might keep Sanders as the bridge QB for the team next year if their first-round QB isn't completely ready. But, more likely than not, neither Sanders nor Watson will be in the fold for Cleveland next season.

This 31st ranking should prove as such, as no team can win the Super Bowl, let alone make the playoffs or win enough games, with a QB room ranked this poorly.

Not that there was any doubt, but this QB ranking from Clay should make it abundantly clear that the Browns must use the 2027 NFL Draft to address their quarterback room.

More NFL news:

HSV reach agreement with OGC Nice for marksman Moffi

Hamburger SV have apparently made a sudden breakthrough in the race to capture another striker in the form of Terem Moffi.

RMC reports that the Nigerian international is expected in Hamburg this Friday evening, with a medical scheduled for tomorrow morning.

According to the article, HSV has reached an agreement with OGC Nice for a transfer fee of €2million plus bonuses of €500,000.

An agreement in principle between the clubs was achieved on Wednesday, which left only final details remaining to be ironed out.

Moffi, who was on loan at FC Porto last season where get bagged 2 goals in 13 appearances, is in line for a three-year contract.

Should the Moffi deal unexpectedly fall through at the last minute, BILD reports that Tomas Bobcek of Lechia Gdansk is an alternative.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza has been known to deliver some absolute gems when interviewed -- just recently, he said the Las Vegas strip was "like a boogeyman," adding, "It’s like when you’re a kid; you’re trick-or-treating, and there’s the haunted house. You’re not trying to go over there.”

On Thursday night, in the midst of a preseason game in which he threw a pick-six, he spoke to ESPN's Laura Rutledge and had the most wholesome exchange with her about Joe Buck and Troy Aikman up in the booth.

"Please tell Mr. Buck I say hello," he said. When asked about Aikman, he added this: "Oh, of course. I mean, he's a legend. I think Mr. Buck needs some love."

Buck was amused by the exchange: "He says all the right things. Sometimes, it's very vanilla, but boy does he represent himself really well."

Fernando Mendoza: "Please tell Mr. Buck I say hello."

Laura Rutledge: "What about Mr. Aikman?"

Mendoza: "Oh, of course. He's a legend. I think Mr. Buck needs some love..."

Joe Buck: "You see, there it is. Back to Mr. Buck. That's the stuff. He is unique." pic.twitter.com/8BWw9vEQKV

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 21, 2026

What an absolute delight that was. There is sure to be more of that from Mendoza this year, and we can't wait for it.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fernando Mendoza had the most wholesome exchange with reporter: 'Mr. Buck needs some love'

Jai Lucas’ roster for his second season at Miami is nearly finished.

The Hurricanes signed LSU transfer forward Robert Miller III on Friday morning. He is the 14th player on the roster; NCAA basketball rosters are capped at 15.

“Robert gives us another athletic, physical presence in the frontcourt who can impact the game on both ends of the floor,” Lucas said in a press release. “He plays with great energy, protects the rim and is an efficient finisher around the basket. He brings the type of toughness, versatility and experience that fits our program.”

Miller, who is listed at 6-10 and 230 pounds, played in 63 games for the Tigers over the last two seasons. Last season, he averaged 6.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 19.4 minutes per game. He shot 65.7 percent from the field.

Miller joins a front court that includes returning standout forward Shelton Henderson, transfer Somto Cyril and five-star freshman Caleb Gaskins.

Miami still has one roster spot available. Former UM forward Malik Reneau could take that spot if he is given another year of eligibility via a Colorado lawsuit.

Celtic’s projected Champions League pot puts European giants firmly on the horizonCeltic have put themselves in a commanding position to reach the Champions League proper — but the scale of the challenge awaiting them is already becoming clear.

Martin O’Neill’s side produced an impressive performance to beat Austrian champions LASK 3-0 at Celtic Park on Wednesday night, leaving them just 90 minutes away from the league phase.

There is still a job to finish in Austria next week, but Celtic will be overwhelming favourites to progress from such a strong position and avoid a repeat of last season’s play-off disappointment.

Attention is therefore already beginning to turn towards what could await the Hoops should they complete the job.

With the Champions League play-offs now at their halfway stage, Football Meets Data has projected how the four pots could look based on the current state of each tie.

And Celtic are currently projected to land in Pot Four.

That would place O’Neill’s side among the bottom seeds alongside the likes of Slavia Prague, Slovan Bratislava and Como.

Pot One could contain European heavyweights such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, while Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma and Manchester United are among the teams projected for Pot Two.

Even Pot Three offers little respite, with Bodo/Glimt, Feyenoord and Napoli among the possible opponents.

HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…

Celtic Shorts is the new home for the team from The Celtic Star

NEW BOOK LAUNCH FROM CELTIC STAR BOOKS…Celtic in the Fifties in two volumes, available to pre-order now…

Celtic in the Fifties by Matt Corr, in two volumes, both published on 4th September 2026 by Celtic Star Books. Click on image to order.

Quick Tip –Add Celticshorts.com as your ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the Celtic content you value the most. It takes just a few seconds and you’ll notice the difference straight away! – Click HERE….Hail Hail!

Click to join Celtic Pools

Main menu

Sports

Pages

Error message

Contact Us