MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim appeared optimistic about the injuries to Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo though he confirmed both midfielders will miss Friday’s Premier League game against Newcastle.
Fernandes clutched his hamstring and sustained a soft tissue injury in United’s defeat by Aston Villa on Sunday, after which Amorim initially said he feared his captain would be out for “a while.

England captain Ben Stokes is offering his full support to under-fire Ben Duckett, after a viral video on social media put the opener in the spotlight.
The tourists’ boozy break in Noosa between the second and third Ashes Test matches has sparked controversy.
Managing director Rob Key confirmed an investigation is underway over the squad’s alcohol intake throughout the series, underlining how “unacceptable” it would be if behaviour resembled a “stag-do”.

Gameweek 18 arrives at a crucial point in the 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League season, with fixture swings, AFCON absences, injuries, and rotation all influencing squad planning.
For managers activating the Free Hit chip, the objective is simple: maximize short-term upside by targeting form players with strong fixtures, guaranteed minutes, and multiple routes to points.
Goalkeeper – Jordan Pickford (Everton) – £5.5m
Jordan Pickford earns the nod between the posts thanks to Everton’s excellent defensive form and a favorable away fixture at Burnley.

The New England Patriots are fresh off their most important win of the 2025 campaign in Week 16, as they handed the Baltimore Ravens a 28-24 defeat on Sunday Night Football. In the wake of this win, starting center Garrett Bradbury found himself the recipient of a unique award.
Not much was made of the team’s decision to sign Bradbury to a two-year, $12 million contract in free agency over the offseason, but he’s played a big role in the turnaround of the Patriots’ offensive line this season.

Star edge rusher Dylan Stewart will be among the country’s highest-paid players when he returns to South Carolina, sources told ESPN.

The NFL upheld DK Metcalf’s two-game suspension for his altercation with a fan in Detroit on Sunday.

What has gone wrong for Tagovailoa, what’s the Dolphins’ path forward and is there any interest in him?

Here’s the latest, including intel on Burrow’s future, opening QB1 spots, the Jaguars’ legitimacy and Pro Bowl roster fallout.

A pair of former Denver Broncos backup quarterbacks appeared on the NFL’s transaction wire this week.
First, the Washington Commanderssigned Jeff Driskel after shutting down Jayden Daniels and losing Marcus Mariota to injury. DC signed Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals‘ practice squad, and he’s expected to provide depth behind Josh Johnson if Mariota is not able to play this week. The Commanders also have Sam Hartman on their practice squad. Driskel, 32, was a backup in Denver in 2020, going 0-1 as a fill-in starter.

Maresca shuts down attacking midfielder swap talk ahead of friendly rivalry game
Chelsea’s current run of games didn’t look too scary back in the Autumn, but a lot of these games are turning our harder than we anticipated.
There’s no better example than Aston Villa, who started the season unable to score a goal, let alone win a game. However a crazy recent run has seen them stack together ten wins in a row and shoot up the table to three points ahead of us.
It’s not an ideal time to face them, let’s be honest.

Manchester City star given Barcelona exit route as Bournemouth consider Antoine Semenyo exchange deal
Manchester City have offered Barcelona the chance to sign out-of-favour defender Nathan Ake in January, as per a new report.
The Dutchman arrived in Manchester in the summer of 2020 but was hardly first-choice in his first two seasons at the club due to injuries and poor form.
Despite rumours of his departure in the summer of 2022, Ake stayed at the Etihad Stadium and mounted an incredible personal comeback in the 2022-23 season.

The Heat need Tyler Herro after another loss at home originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Last night’s game between the Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors exposed an ongoing factor the Heat has been dealing with most of the season. The Heat doesn’t have the offensive firepower that could propel this franchise to new heights. 
This is quite ironic considering how they’re currently ranked ninth in points per game in the league.

Ipswich are on the move under Kieran McKenna (left) while Mark Robins seeks to get Stoke back on a winning track [Shuttershock]
Barely able to move? The smell of roast turkey still wafting through the house? Sounds like you might need some fresh air by Boxing Day and fortunately the EFL is here to help.
While some European leagues take their winter break we plough on in England’s second tier.
In the Championship there is plenty of jostling to be done around the play-off places while in Leagues One and Two the top sides are within range of the chasing pack.

Brooks Koepka has officially left LIV Golf, and while his future is entirely up in the air at this point, the odd statement the PGA Tour released about the move only adds fuel to a recent rumor involving the five-time major champion.
LIV released a statement on Tuesday explaining that it has “amicably and mutually agreed” that Koepka would no longer compete on the circuit he originally joined in June 2022. Koepka’s representatives cited that family and spending more time at home had guided him to the decision to leave LIV Golf.

Merry Christmas one and all!
There are two weeks left in the regular season and teams are playing like it at both ends of the spectrum. Some squads are doing everything they can to put themselves in the best possible position to chase a Lombardi Trophy, while others are watching the final grains of sand drop through the hourglass. Such is life.
What do we make of everybody all throughout the line? How do we feel about the state of the NFL as the tournament gets ready to kick off?
Our job here at The Skinny Post, between Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, is to discuss just that.

Cormac Izuchuku is included in the Ulster starting line-up for the first time since October as the Irish province make six changes to the starting XV which took to the field for the 24-20 defeat by Leinster for Saturday’s interprovincial against Connacht in Galway (17:30 GMT).
The second row has overcome injury and illness and this week committed his future to Ulster by agreeing a two-year contract extension.
Izuchukwu replaces Charlie Irvine in the second row for the Dexcom Stadium encounter and will partner Harry Sheridan, who will make his 50th appearance for the province.

The alleged incident took place after the final whistle of Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Coventry City at St Mary’s [Getty Images]
Coventry City and Southampton have been charged by the Football Association for the ugly scenes after the final whistle which marred their 1-1 draw at St Mary’s on Saturday.
A melee of several players and staff from both sides formed after the conclusion of the match, and Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard appeared to exchange words with Saints players before others became involved.

Dragusin’s agent opens to Serie A return: “He wants to play.”
At Trigoria, work is underway on the transfer market as well as on the pitch. Frederic Massara is pursuing several options to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad.
In addition to the forwards, a central defender could arrive in the capital in January.
One of the players circulating around the Giallorossi is Radu Dragusin.
He’s currently a Tottenham player, following his time at Genoa, but he’s finding little playing time in London.

Report: Newcastle United are in the race to sign talented £17m defender
Newcastle United Track Ajax Defender as Premier League Interest Grows

Newcastle United’s recruitment team are once again looking towards the Eredivisie, with Ajax defender Youri Baas emerging as a serious option ahead of the January transfer window. According to reporting credited to TeamTalk, the 22 year old has moved firmly onto the radar of multiple Premier League clubs following an impressive run of performances in Amsterdam.

Baas has enjoyed a rapid rise over the past 18 months.

[BBC]
BBC Radio Solent’s Cherries:Unpicked podcast has returned with a look at Antoine Semenyo’s future amid growing speculation linking the Bournemouth forward with Manchester City.
Host Jordan Clark and former Bournemouth defender Joe Partington delved into this topic, with Partington admitting that he was surprised by City’s interest in the winger.
“I know he’s good, and I don’t want to suggest that he’s not good enough for Manchester City, he is, but I didn’t think Manchester City need him,” Partington said.

Subscribe to Hoops 360
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Hoops 360 hosts Caroline Fenton and Cassandra Negley look back on an eventful 2025 and highlight their own top five moments of the year. Between the WNBA, college hoops, and everything happening on and off the court, the duo run through their most memorable moments you won’t want to miss.
Got questions or topics for Hoops 360? Email us at hoops360@yahoosports.

Celik: “Roma is one of the best clubs in the world. I’m proud to be here.”
Roma fullback Zeki Celik discussed his career in a long interview with Anadolu Ajansı’s YouTube channel.
“I’ve been playing soccer since I was a child, always on the streets. I come from a large family. I have seven older brothers, and we played soccer together. Since I was the youngest, they let me do pretty much whatever I wanted. They couldn’t keep up with me, but I went to training every day alone.”
“I had set myself the goal of becoming a soccer player.

Report: Liverpool eyeing move to sign Premier League striker
Liverpool Forced Into January Reassessment After Isak Injury Blow

Liverpool’s season has taken an abrupt and unwelcome turn following Alexander Isak’s serious injury, an episode that now dominates internal discussions at Anfield. As reported by Caught Offside, the Sweden international was hurt during the win over Tottenham Hotspur and now faces months on the sidelines, leaving Arne Slot short of a central figure in his attacking structure.

Report – Inter Milan To Re-Sign Club Brugge Midfielder If Turkey Captain Leaves Next Summer
Club Brugge star Aleksandar Stankovic could reportedly return to Inter Milan next summer to replace Hakan Calhanoglu.
According to Tuttosport via FCInter1908, the Nerazzurri will aim to re-sign the young midfielder if the Turk leaves the club.
Despite cementing his first-team status at San Siro this season, Calhanoglu’s future in Milan is hanging in the balance.
Heavily linked with Fenerbahce and Galatasaray last summer, the 31-year-old has yet to sign a new contract.

There is no greater story in the NFL this season than the return of 44-year-old Philip Rivers. Rivers, a 17-year veteran who retired after the 2020 NFL season, returned to the league two weeks ago when the Indianapolis Colts lost quarterback Daniel Jones for the season.
Due to his return, Rivers had his Hall of Fame eligibility waiting period reset. Rivers was already a semifinalist for the Hall’s 2026 class.
In his first start, Rivers amazingly led the Colts to a last-second field goal, but too much time remained before the Seattle Seahawks responded with the game-winning field goal.

Hindsight offers Müller clear perspective on swapping Bayern for Vancouver
Ex-Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller revealed that he didn’t want to leave the Bavarian giants in, but feels his move to Vancouver Whitecaps was beneficial from a playing perspective.
“Despite my changed role at FC Bayern, I felt very comfortable; I truly enjoyed being part of the team and would have liked to stay,” the 2014 World Cup winner told Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Alexandra Beier/Getty
Sebastian Hertner
NEED TO KNOW

The man who died in a ski lift incident in Montenegro on Sunday, Dec.

📸 Football’s most unlikely Father Christmases 🎅
Players in disguise, crazy fans: the most improbable Santas in football!

📸 FRANCK FIFE – AFP or licensors

📸 FRANCK FIFE

📸 ADRIAN DENNIS – AFP or licensors

📸 VALERY HACHE

📸 Michael Regan – 2025 Getty Images

📸 NICOLAS TUCAT

📸 Stu Forster – 2023 Getty Images

📸 VALERY HACHE

📸 Stu Forster – 2016 Getty Images

📸 FILIPPO MONTEFORTE

📸 Ben Radford

📸 Phil Cole – 2009 Getty Images

📸 Christof Koepsel – 2023 Getty Images
A favorite?

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations sees 24 nations vie for Afcon glory over the coming weeks, as Morocco plays host for the second time.
The 24 teams have been split into six groups of four, with the winners and runners-up progressing to the knockout phase, along with the best four third-placed nations.
The holders Ivory Coast face a testing Group F with Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique. Nigeria, the beaten finalists last time, will meet Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania in Group C.

Report: Man United are considering move to sign £80m Bundesliga forward
Manchester United Monitor Yan Diomande as Summer Plans Take Shape

Manchester United’s evolving recruitment strategy has taken another intriguing turn, with talkSPORT reporting that the club are closely monitoring RB Leipzig’s teenage sensation Yan Diomande. At just 19, the Ivory Coast born attacker represents the type of high ceiling talent United’s hierarchy have increasingly targeted in recent windows, blending long term upside with immediate impact potential.

Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis was one of the standout performers of the 2025 Super League season – but who else stood out this year? [SWPix]
With the curtain well and truly down on the 2025 Super League season, how closely were you paying attention to all the goings on this term?
Hull KR won the treble, Jake Connor earned his stripes as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel, and Super League made its debut in Las Vegas.
But these were the big moments. What is your knowledge like beyond the obvious?
Test your memory of another stellar season in the greatest game with our quiz.

Feeling all too familiar to the past, the Detroit Lions‘ 2025 season comes down to the final two games. Two months ago, I mentioned that this team was not playing to their standards, nor did they look like the same, dominant team we’ve been used to seeing. Folks will immediately point to the loss of Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, but, personally, it goes much deeper than that.
We’ll get into all that shortly.
For now, I want to start with how this specific Lions team lost its grit and, ultimately, its way. This was a team built and defined by their resiliency and their grit.

INDIANAPOLIS — A Colts pass rush that kept posting better numbers than its play in the first half of the season has come crashing back to earth.
Indianapolis has just four sacks and 11 quarterback hits in its last four games, largely leaving an injury-depleted secondary with little help on passing downs.

🌍 AFCON: bumper Wednesday schedule, Christmas comes early
Another day of Africa Cup of Nations action this Wednesday!

[BBC]
Dundee United’s form has been very up and down this season.
Undoubtedly one of the factors behind that has been some really bad fortune with injuries, so the sight of Ryan Strain and captain Ross Graham go off injured during their 1-1 draw with Hibernian will undoubtedly have set alarm bells ringing.
Both have already had lengthy spells on the sidelines this term but the pair – who are very much viewed as key players by manager Jim Goodwin – have established themselves back in the starting line up in recent weeks.

“I’m gutted” – Alexander Isak speaks out on nightmare injury blow
Alexander Isak Sends Defiant Message After Injury Setback

Alexander Isak has moved swiftly to address Liverpool supporters after suffering an injury that will sideline him for a significant period, delivering a clear message of resilience, professionalism and intent. The forward, who has already made a tangible impact in his early months at Anfield, confirmed he is focused entirely on recovery after undergoing surgery on an ankle issue sustained in Premier League action.

[Opta]
Norwich City will aim to boost their Championship survival hopes when they welcome Charlton Athletic to Carrow Road on Friday afternoon (15:00 GMT kick-off).
The Canaries are unbeaten in their past three (W1 D2) and could move out of the relegation zone for the first time since 21 October if they win, Portsmouth lose and Oxford fail to win.
The Addicks ended a six-game winless run (D1 L5) with a 2-1 victory over Oxford last time out and are eight points clear of the bottom three.

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game against Manchester City at the City Ground (kick-off 12:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:

Ola Aina is “progressing well” in his recovery from a hamstring injury but is still rebuilding his fitness. He played for the B team on Monday night and came through the match “fine and injury-free”. It is “another step forward” for the defender.

[Opta]
Millwall welcome Ipswich Town for an important encounter between two sides battling it out in the Championship play-off places on Friday (13:00 GMT kick-off).
Since a run of three straight victories, the Lions are now without a win in three (D1 L2) and are one point clear of QPR in seventh.
The Tractor Boys have won three of their past four games (L1) and are five points behind Middlesbrough in the automatic promotion places.

Millwall have lost three of their past four home league games against Ipswich (L1), more than they had in their previous 16 (W8 D6 L2).

“Chelsea have” – Fabrizio Romano shares interesting update on Aaron Anselmino future
Chelsea have rejected a request from Borussia Dortmund to try and agree a deal for Aaron Anselmino according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues signed Anselmino from Boca Juniors in the summer of 2024, and he made his debut at the Club World Cup.
The decision was taken to send the 20-year-old on loan to Dortmund for the season, and it seems to be paying off.

It was something that changed the Boston Celtics forever. And to be honest, the NBA as well — the untimely death of Celtics rookie Len Bias soon after the draft that would have brought him to the storied ball club as the next chapter in Boston excellence rocked the organization, and took the team decades to fully recover from.
Gone too soon after an overdose that shook the nation, the Maryland alum’s passing left a mark on a number of his would-be teammates that lasted up to the present.

Talking points from Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace
Arsenal sealed a place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup by beating Crystal Palace in a shootout on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium. 
The Gunners thought they had won the game when Maxence Lacroix inadvertently put the ball into his own net in the 80th-minute. 
However, Palace found a dramatic equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Marc Guehi slotted in from close range to force the game to penalties.

Olly Woodburn is one of Exeter’s longest-serving players, having moved to Sandy Park from Bath in 2015 [Getty Images]
Exeter boss Rob Baxter says Olly Woodburn’s recent performances could justify a new deal for the veteran back.
The 34-year-old impressed in a first start at full-back in the dramatic win at Saracens on Saturday and he has also covered at centre in recent seasons.
Woodburn has scored 60 tries in 185 games for the Chiefs since joining in 2015, but is out of contract at the end of this season.

Report: Chelsea to battle Arsenal for highly rated midfield star, Newcastle also interested
Chelsea are amongst the clubs keeping a close eye on Marseille youngster Darryl Bakola according to reports in France.
The Blues once again heavily invested over the summer, and completely revamped the frontline with five new attacking signings.
With January fast approaching Chelsea have been linked with a number of players, although it’s been reported the Blues won’t be busy next month.

The Steelers continue to work out potential names for their current and future roster, with 12 names trying out for the team on Tuesday per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

The Oklahoma City Thunder made the same mistakes in their 130-110 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. In their worst showing of the season, they’ve learned of at least one challenger who could shatter their back-to-back aspirations.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points and eight assists. He was the best player on the floor. Jalen Williams was limited to 17 points and eight assists. Chet Holmgren was quiet with seven points and three rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama had 12 points and five rebounds off the bench. Keldon Johnson scored 25 points with five outside makes.

(NBA Getty Images)
Lakers predicted to trade for two-time NBA Champion in blockbuster deal originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the better teams in the Western Conference and boast a 19-9 Record following their loss to the Phoenix Suns. However, the team could use an additional boost to strengthen its roster.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mitch Marner scored two goals, Reilly Smith had a goal and an assist, and the Vegas Golden Knights tied a franchise record with five goals in the first period and beat the San Jose Sharks 7-2 on Tuesday night.
Mark Stone also had a goal and an assist, and Brett Howden, Colton Sissons and Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas. Pavel Dorofeyev, Kaeden Korczak, Braeden Bowman and Ivan Barbashev each had two assists, and Carter Hart had 21 saves to help the Golden Knights snap a three-game skid (0-2-1).

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Sieh Bangura rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown and Ohio beat UNLV 17-10 on Tuesday night to win the Frisco Bowl.
The Bobcats (9-4) have won their last seven bowl games — dating to 2017 — after losing eight of their first 10.
Defensive coordinator and interim head coach John Hauser led Ohio to this victory after head coach Brian Smith was fired earlier in the month for having an affair with an undergraduate student.

Cristina Grossu Biffle/Instagram
Greg Biffle and wife Cristina with Emma and Ryder in July 2022.
NEED TO KNOW

Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, and his two children, Emma, 14, and Ryder, 5, were killed in a plane crash on Dec. 18
Three days later, the NASCAR champion’s friend, Ron Herbert, received the Biffle family’s 2025 Christmas card
“My words can’t say enough about the family,” Herbert wrote in memory of the family

Greg Biffle and his family’s holiday card was received by a friend just days after their tragic death.