Erik ten Hag was convinced Marcus Rashford would react the right way to his manager's risky decision to bench him following his late arrival to a meeting.
Rashford was left out of Ten Hag's starting line-up for Manchester United's away match with Wolves on December 31 for disciplinary reasons, with it later revealed Rashford had overslept and turned up late to a team meeting.
Ten Hag brought on Rashford with the game goalless at Molineux at half-time, to great effect too as the forward netted the winner.
Rashford then went on to score in the following two games, a 3-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth and a 3-1 FA Cup success against Everton.
Ten Hag believes dropping Rashford was necessary to set the standard he wants, though he added he was confident the 25-year-old would react in the positive way he has done.
"Maybe it's a risk," Ten Hag told reporters. "But if you want to develop something, if you want to create a winning attitude or winning culture, you have to go this way, in my opinion.
"If you allow them to be undisciplined, if they don't match the standards, and values and rules we set together as a team, that the staff place in the dressing room, then it will come back.
"That will blow up in your face on the pitch, because then also on the pitch, they will not act with discipline, what is necessary to win games, it's about top football. So it's about big responsibilities.
"If it's the right human beings who have the right characters, they will react like this. And so, in relation to Marcus, I was quite convinced."
Rashford's goal against Everton on Friday means he has now scored in five straight games, while he became the first United player to net in seven straight home matches in all competitions since Wayne Rooney in 2012.
Despite Rashford's impressive goalscoring run, United are in the market for another striker, with Anthony Martial in and out of the team with injuries so far this season.
"There is a reason, because he [Martial] can't match in this moment the load for many games," Ten Hag added. "That's why we are looking for another striker.
"It is not about that we don't rely on him [Rashford], but it is a physical load that is not in this moment so high that he can't play every third game of every third day, a game of 90 minutes. I have to manage that together with him."
Although he has been open about United's search for another striker in the January transfer window, Ten Hag is confident in his existing players' ability to put the ball in the net, saying: "Today, Antony scored a goal and we know, Bruno Fernandes is also very capable of scoring a goal.
"Christian Eriksen will create and is capable of scoring. So we have more players who can score goals."
The victory over Everton was United's seventh in a row in all competitions, but Ten Hag is keeping a watchful eye over his players to ensure they do not let complacency creep in.
"You have to be watchful for this," Ten Hag stated. "We have to keep this focus and this concentration we have to work well.
"When we go to games, we have to start with the right attitude. When you don't, the level of the Premier League is that high, you get hammered."
Pep Guardiola is confident Kalvin Phillips is back to full fitness, having described the midfielder as 'overweight' following his return to Manchester City from the World Cup.
Phillips played twice for England in Qatar, coming on as a substitute against Wales and Senegal, but Guardiola was not entirely satisfied with his condition upon his return.
Having struggled with a shoulder injury during the first part of the season, which limited him to just one Premier League appearance, Phillips had to endure an extended wait to return for his second involvement in the league.
That came in Thursday's 1-0 Premier League triumph over Chelsea, where he was introduced off the bench in the 86th minute, and he is now pushing to make his first City start in the FA Cup against the Blues on Sunday.
While Guardiola is unsure whether he will be handed that opportunity, he believes Phillips is back in his best shape.
"I don't know whether Kalvin will play, on Sunday we will see. I had a good feeling last week, that he's back," he told reporters.
"He wanted to change our mind with the way he's going to play, maybe it will be a good lesson for him in the future.
"I have the feeling that a football player, for 12 months, has to be perfect, even on holiday. You can enjoy and do what you want but you must be ready because this game is so demanding.
"Last season with Leeds, for long parts he was injured, he came and couldn't train, he struggled with his shoulder. He fought to go to the World Cup, he got it.
"It was a long period without playing, without rhythm that was not there for five or six years. We need Kalvin, we need all the players."
Having beaten Chelsea in the Premier League, Guardiola is aware the Blues could change their approach for the FA Cup tie – particularly having been ravaged by injury issues, losing both Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic in the early stages of Thursday's game.
"It is better for us to play Chelsea at home with our fans, after a victory it is much better," he added.
"It will be a different game, maybe Graham [Potter] will change his shape, I know they are struggling with injuries. We have three days to think about it."
A horror-show performance from Alisson condemned holders Liverpool to an FA Cup third-round replay after they were held 2-2 by Wolves on Saturday.
The Reds goalkeeper was at direct fault for the visitors' opener and leaked a soft second, as Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan netted at Anfield.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah dug Jurgen Klopp's men out of danger between those Wolves strikes, while Cody Gakpo also impressed on his club debut.
Yet the lapses at the back proved costly for the holders, and Julen Lopetegui's visitors will feel they had their chances to claim an underdog win outright against the holders.
They certainly seized their opportunity in the 26th minute when Alisson fired a routine clearance straight to the unmarked Guedes, with the Portugal international lashing a low finish straight back past the Brazilian.
But Liverpool wrestled themselves back on the stroke of half-time after Nunez tucked home a sublime cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold with a deft volley.
Seven minutes after the interval, Gakpo helped put the hosts ahead after Salah finished his chipped ball, with the forward played onside by a botched Tote Gomes clearing header.
That looked like it could have been enough for the hosts, but Alisson was at fault again after Hwang was able to smother a tame shot past him at the left post in the 66th minute.
Hwang's goal sparked a frantic final stretch, with Wolves seeing a third goal chalked off by the linesman's flag in the closing stages, as neither could ultimately find the winner that would have avoided the need for a reunion at Molineux down the line.
Inter missed the chance for a fourth straight Serie A victory as Luca Caldirola's late equaliser snatched a 2-2 draw for Monza on Saturday.
Simone Inzaghi's men ended leaders Napoli's unbeaten start to the season on Wednesday, and they got off to a great start at U-Power Stadium as Matteo Darmian fired in from Alessandro Bastoni's cross.
Ater Patrick Ciurria superbly levelled, Lautaro Martinez looked to have earned Inter victory when he took advantage of Pablo Mari's error to smash his side 2-1 ahead.
However, substitute Caldirola nodded home in the 93rd minute to spark jubilant celebrations from the hosts and deny Inter all three points.
Federico Chiesa dedicated Juventus' late victory over Udinese to Gianluca Vialli following the legendary former Bianconeri striker's death at the age of 58.
Vialli, who also played for Cremonese, Sampdoria and Chelsea, passed away in London on Friday.
He was originally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 and, after announcing he had been given the all-clear in April 2020, he was re-diagnosed the following year.
Vialli played over 100 times for Juventus, with whom he won the Champions League, Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and the UEFA Cup across a four-season spell.
Juve paid tribute to Vialli with a minute's applause ahead of Saturday's 1-0 league win over Udinese and played footage of his greatest moments on the big screen at full-time.
Chiesa worked closely with Vialli during the latter's time working as Italy's assistant manager alongside Roberto Mancini, with the Azzurri's Euro 2020 triumph being the highlight.
After setting up Danilo's late winner against Udinese, second-half substitute Chiesa told DAZN: "Our first thoughts go to Gianluca Vialli.
"He was a wonderful person and I was so lucky to cross paths with him in my life, as he was a real champion, but above all a marvellous human being.
"At the Euros he really was like an extra player, he was on the pitch with us. We could talk for hours about what a great man he was. The victory is for him."
Thanks to their second late victory in a row to kick off 2023, Juventus have now won eight on the spin without conceding in Serie A for the first time since March 2018.
The Bianconeri have recovered from a slow start to the season to climb up to second and within four points of next opponents Napoli, who face Sampdoria on Sunday.
Despite closing the gap on the leaders, Allegri insists finishing in the top four remains the immediate target for his side.
"Napoli are still clearly the favourites to win the Scudetto," he said. "They have a big advantage, whereas we want to consolidate the top four.
"We're almost halfway through the season and are doing well. As I said, raising the bar means the performances rather than the results or targets.
"We have to take it one step at a time, focus on working and achieving the minimum objective, which is a top-four finish."
Juventus have now scored six goals after the 85th minute in Serie A this season, which is the most of any team.
Danilo's tap-in against Udinese came after Leandro Paredes played in fellow substitute Chiesa, who in turn laid the ball on a plate for his stand-in skipper.
"We were a bit too hasty at times with our crosses and passes," Allegri said. "We knew there could be difficulties, but that the game would improve as time wore on.
"We brought home the win late on because of good fitness levels and also mental strength.
"Technical skill is crucial, but if you don't have that desire to give that little bit extra and get there a few centimetres before your opponent, you don't win these games.”
Juve now have 12 clean sheets after their opening 17 Serie A games, a tally only Cagliari in the 1966-67 season (13) can better at this stage of a campaign.
"As the coach says, we have to keep raising the bar," Chiesa added. "Eight wins in a row isn't enough; we have to keep doing better."
Newcastle United suffered their first defeat since August as they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough on Saturday.
Eddie Howe's men have been impressive in the Premier League this season, rising up to third in the table.
But they could not get past League One side Wednesday, who took the lead thanks to Josh Windass' deft finish early in the second half.
Windass got an emphatic second just past the hour, and although Newcastle pulled one back through Bruno Guimaraes' close-range goal soon after, they could not turn things around.
It is the third season in a row that Newcastle have failed to get past the third round of the FA Cup, with Wednesday becoming only the second team to beat the Magpies this season and first since Liverpool on August 31.
Wednesday will play in the fourth round for the fifth time in six years.
Carlo Ancelotti was reluctant to blame the referee for Real Madrid's defeat to Villarreal because he thought neither team's penalties should have been given.
Madrid were beaten 2-1 at Estadio de la Ceramica on Saturday as Los Blancos were denied the chance to return to LaLiga's summit ahead of Barcelona playing Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Yeremy Pino gave Villarreal the lead just after half-time, before referee Cesar Soto Grado took centre-stage.
Juan Foyth was penalised when the ball brushed his hand as he tried to grapple with Vinicius Junior, allowing Karim Benzema to equalise.
But Foyth then won a penalty at the other end on the very next attack as his pass was cut out by the hand of David Alaba, whose arm appeared to be outstretched to break his fall.
The second incident – which yielded Gerard Moreno's match-winning spot-kick – looked particularly contentious, hence Ancelotti being asked after the game if Madrid had been hard done by, but the Italian thinks his team's penalty award was harsh as well.
"We have to get used to this," he told Movistar+. "When there is a hand in the area, it is a penalty, for either side.
"If it was up to me, neither one nor the other [is a penalty]. We have to get used to it, because this is the rule."
During his press conference, Ancelotti added: "Soccer has changed in that sense. There is a clear rule, for everyone, if it is touched with the hand and it is not close to the body, it is a penalty.
"If you slip or don't slip, it's not important. You have to get used to this.
"The two penalties, with the rule, are correct. The fans don't like this, but the referees have to respect this rule."
There was not any doubt regarding Ancelotti summary of the match, however, adamant the Yellow Submarine were worthy winners.
"They played better than us and when you do, you deserve to win," he said. "The game was even, competitively, [but] Villarreal played better than us.
"The key is that we did not defend well in our half. We were not compact enough, we left balls between the lines and they took advantage of it.
"They played very well, at a high level. We didn't, especially defensively.
"We have been dangerous [going forward], but we have left too much control in things that we usually do very well. We must focus well to solve the problem."
The Elite 1 Caribbean Basketball League - Winter Season gets underway on Saturday at the National arena at 6:00 pm. Defending champions Elite Horizon will try to stave off competition from the likes of Elite Waves, Elite Rivers and Elite Storm.
The league will feature double-headers on Saturdays and Wednesday until the final week when matches are scheduled for Friday January 27 and Sunday January 29 with the top two teams competing for the title.
Paulton Gordon, President of the Jamaica Basketball Association welcomed the start of the league while saying that it is very good for the local basketball scene as it gives opportunities to many local players who get to play with professionals and get exposed to the game at a higher level than is currently available in Jamaica.
League President Wayne Dawkins was very optimistic about staging the league in Jamaica for the second time, following up on the Summer League last year. He said that the quality of the players who are drawn from Jamaica (50% of each team are Jamaicans), the USA, Canada, Barbados and Nigeria (who are all professionals) are ready to play ball and entertain the Jamaican audience while creating opportunities for the local players to improve on their game and eventually get contracts abroad.
Some of the players involved include USA's Tyran Walker, his countryman Brandon Armstrong and Jamaicans Antjuan McFarlane and Duante Millis. Bobby Gray, MVP of the last season, also returns.
Damar Hamlin continues to make steady progress as he recovers from his cardiac arrest even as the Buffalo Bills safety remains in a critical condition.
The 24-year-old collapsed after colliding with wide receiver Tee Higgins during Monday's NFL encounter with the Cincinnati Bengals, and had to be resuscitated on the field.
Fears for the 2021 sixth-round pick have been calmed by regular updates, revealing he is breathing unaided and has spoken with team-mates.
The Bills offered another update on Saturday, confirming Hamlin continues to show improvement.
"Per the physicians at UC Medical Center, Damar is making continued progress in his recovery yet remains in critical condition," a Bills statement read.
"He continues to breathe on his own and his neurological function is excellent."
The NFL confirmed the Bengals-Bills match would not be resumed after it was originally suspended and then postponed following Hamlin's exit at Paul Brown Stadium.
Buffalo, who are first in the AFC East with a 12-3 record, head into their final regular match of the season against the New England Patriots on Sunday, with plans approved by owners for playoff changes.
Juventus again left it late as they defeated Udinese 1-0 on Saturday through Danilo's tap-in to extend their winning run in Serie A without conceding to eight matches.
The hosts paid tribute to Gianluca Vialli ahead of their first match since the death of their former striker on Friday from pancreatic cancer at the age of 58.
It had looked like being a frustrating day for Massimiliano Allegri's in-form side as draw specialists Udinese held firm for 86 minutes at the Allianz Stadium until Danilo struck.
Juve, who also scored a late winner against Cremonese on their return to action on Wednesday, are now within four points of leaders Napoli having played a game more.
Mikel Arteta believes criticism over his touchline behaviour has been unfair following complaints about his conduct against Newcastle United.
Arteta clashed with Magpies' boss Eddie Howe during a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, as the league leaders dropped points in the Premier League for just the third time this season.
Howe and Arteta were involved in an angry confrontation on the sidelines when referee Andrew Madley chose not to award Arsenal an injury-time penalty, with Arteta calling the decision "scandalous" after the game.
The Arsenal manager came in for criticism following the match for how he acted, and the Gunners were charged by the FA on Friday for failing to control their players in the aftermath of the late incident.
However, Arteta believes some of the commentary about his touchline actions has been unjust, saying he only acts in the best interests of Arsenal.
"I try to do my best for this football club, to defend it, to promote it, and to play with the passion that the game has to be played in," Arteta said. "Every game is special and every manager behaves very differently regarding the circumstances.
"You can't take the context out of a situation. That is not fair. That is me, here and on the pitch, for the good and the bad.
"That is me and I will try all the time to be better and whatever I do, if it is tomorrow, the next day, or the next one, is to make the club stronger and my players better, to play better, and to win.
"But if I have to do something, I will do it, and if I have to change something, believe me I will look in the mirror myself and change it very quickly."
Manchester City took advantage of Arsenal's draw with Newcastle by beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, closing the Gunners' lead at the Premier League summit to five points.
Arteta's men turn their attentions to the FA Cup as they travel to play League One side Oxford United in the third round on Monday.
Arteta revealed Emile Smith Rowe could feature in that match, having not played for Arsenal since early September because of a groin injury.
"First of all we need him fit and at his best." Arteta said. "When we have that we have an incredible player that we have missed a lot in the last few months.
"Emile can play as an attacking midfielder, as a winger and even as a nine, I think he's played there before.
"If he trains tomorrow, hopefully he will be available to give us something in the game."
Edge rusher and highly regarded NFL draft prospect Jared Verse will delay the start of his professional career and return to Florida State next season, he announced on Saturday.
Verse declared his intention to return to campus for his redshirt junior season by posting a video of highlights and a simple message to his Twitter account: "We're not done yet. See y'all in 2023."
In his first year with the Seminoles after transferring from Albany, Verse emerged as one of the best pass-rushing defensive lineman in college football in 2022 by tallying nine sacks.
Verse had been viewed as a top-20 prospect in the 2023 draft class.
The announcement comes in the wake of starting quarterback Jordan Travis and leading rusher Trey Benson also committing to another year in Tallahassee under head coach Mike Norvell.
After a middling start, Florida State finished the season with six straight victories, including wins over rivals Miami and Florida, as well as a Cheez-It Bowl win over Oklahoma to finish the season 10-3 (5-3 ACC).
With perennial power Clemson facing questions at quarterback next season, Florida State will be gunning for a first ACC title since 2014.
Despite Verse staying in school, NFL teams eager to add defensive line talent in the draft will have plenty of options in what is viewed as a deep edge rusher class led by Alabama's Will Anderson Jr.
Suryakumar Yadav played a virtuoso innings for India as his rapid century set up a series-clinching 91-run victory against Sri Lanka in Rajkot.
In the third T20I, a one-sided tussle at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Yadav blazed his way to 112 not out from 51 balls as India piled up 228-5, setting the tourists a daunting target. He got to three figures from just 45 deliveries.
India then limited Sri Lanka to 137 all out, sealing a 2-1 series success after the teams split the first two matches, both far tighter affairs than this spectacle.
Yadav's third T20I century contained nine sixes and seven fours, as he went after Sri Lanka's attack and flayed them unrelentingly. Coming in at 52-2 after 5.5 overs, Yadav followed his 117 against England last July and his 111 against New Zealand in November with another devastatingly brutal innings.
Shubman Gill (46), Rahul Tripathi (35) and Axar Patel (21no) performed well, but it was the Yadav show and they were merely a supporting cast.
Sri Lanka needed a fast start, and they got that, but openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka both fell with the team score at 44, and Avishka Fernando followed soon after.
Wickets kept tumbling and it became clear Sri Lanka would not find a Yadav-like effort from within their ranks, with Arshdeep Singh finishing the rout by bowling Dilshan Madushanka to complete match-best figures of 3-20.
Sri Lanka find no answer to India assault
This was India's fourth-biggest win, by runs, in T20Is. Their heaviest win remains the 143-run victory over Ireland in Dublin in 2018, followed by a 101-run win over Afghanistan in Dubai in 2022 and a 93-run success against South Africa in 2017.
Yadav closes in on Rohit
India captain Rohit Sharma, who has missed this series with a finger injury, is the only man to have hit more T20I centuries than Yadav, who showed why he is number one on the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Rohit has four tons in the short format, with Yadav now one of four men with three by his name, along with Australia's Glenn Maxwell, New Zealand's Colin Munro, and Sabawoon Davizi, who has achieved the feat with the Czech Republic.
New Zealand bowler Trent Boult is unlikely to be involved against England next month, with coach Gary Stead effectively ruling him out of their Test series.
The paceman turned down his central contract in August but has still appeared for the Black Caps in white-ball cricket since.
Boult is set to spend the start of 2023 in franchise cricket, with the fast bowler set to depart the Big Bash League for a stint in the inaugural ILT20 League in the United Arab Emirates.
With the competition scheduled to end only four days before New Zealand host Ben Stokes' side at Mount Maunganui for the first of two Tests, Stead does not see Boult playing a part.
"No, I wouldn't have thought so," he said. "Trent and I have had discussions.
"I think his return from the UAE would only be a day or two immediately prior. I think from a workload perspective that's out of the picture."
Stead offered a promising update on Kyle Jamieson, who has not played competitive cricket since a back injury sustained against England in June last year.
He is set to appear in the Super Smash over the next week, though the Stead could make no promises about his inclusion in the wider red-ball picture.
"We'll make a decision a little bit closer to the time around the England series, whether that is maybe a step too far, or whether it is the right time for him to play again," he said.
"He's been out of cricket for a long time now and I think it would be silly to push too quickly and set him back again with the long-term plan of what's ahead of us."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
