Harry Maguire is in line for a return to action when Manchester United travel to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday, Ralf Rangnick has confirmed.
The United captain has not played since the Red Devils fell to a crushing 4-0 defeat at rivals Liverpool on April 19.
He was only the bench four days later as United lost to Arsenal 3-1, with Rangnick confirming the mental toll of a bomb threat made against Maguire was one reason for leaving him out.
A knee injury then forced him to miss the 1-1 draw with Chelsea and United's 3-0 defeat of Brentford.
United sit sixth in the Premier League table, five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal going in to the final two games of Rangnick's tenure as interim manager.
Maguire has been criticised after playing his part in just seven clean sheets in 35 appearances across all competitions this term but should return at the Amex Stadium, although Rangnick refused to say whether he would start.
Fellow England international Marcus Rashford, however, has been ruled out after suffering from a bout of bronchitis.
"Harry is back in training, he trained the whole week, the second day after the Brentford game he resumed training, so he will be available and will be part of the group," Rangnick told his pre-match press conference.
"This [whether will start Maguire] is a decision I have to make after training today, obviously I don't want to tell our opponents the line-up with which we will start, but he will definitely be part of the group.
"Edinson [Cavani] is in training, obviously he came on as a sub [against Brentford], [but] Marcus Rashford will be missing, he has caught bronchitis, with a high temperature, so he won't be able to be part of the group."
United will defend an excellent head-to-head record against the Seagulls when they travel to the south coast: they have won each of their previous seven games against Brighton in all competitions, their longest ongoing winning run against another current Premier League side.
However, the Red Devils have lost each of their past four away Premier League games, as many as they had in the previous 42 on their travels, making it the club's longest run of consecutive league reverses on the road since a streak of six between December 1980 and March 1981.
However, as Rangnick prepares to make way for Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag and assume a consultancy role at the end of the season, he reiterated his belief that the future is bright at Old Trafford, saying he was pleased to see his players enjoying their football against the Bees last time out.
"In last two home games we got four points, and the Brentford game was one of our best games in the last six months. I'm positive that the team will try to play on the same level tomorrow and in two weeks' time against Crystal Palace," he added.
"Once again, what I liked about the game was you could see they had fun playing together, that they were enjoying themselves on the pitch, and this is exactly the kind of approach we need for tomorrow as well.
"I think it was visible against Brentford, you could see they enjoyed themselves on the pitch. This does not mean everything was perfect, but in possession we were controlling the game.
"With regard to next season, there will be some changes, obviously. There are some players whose contracts are expiring, with new players to join us here, in the end it's also a thing that needs to be discussed with Erik and the board.
"Erik needs to tell the board which players he wants to work with, but I'm positive with the right new players, plus the players that are already here, the pathway could be a very positive one, this is what we will all try to achieve.
"We will definitely speak at the end of the season. Both Erik and myself want to have our full focus on the outstanding games, he has another three games to play and will do everything to try to win the title in the Netherlands.
"We have agreed we will chat and speak about everything at the end of the season."
Wolves will be without head coach Bruno Lage for Saturday's trip to Chelsea in the Premier League after he contracted coronavirus.
Lage returned a positive COVID-19 test on Friday, with Wolves confirming he will not travel with the squad to Stamford Bridge.
Coronavirus restrictions in the United Kingdom have been all but removed in recent months, but government guidance does still urge people to "try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days".
Lage's absence comes as a blow for Wolves at a critical stage of the season as they still harbour hopes of qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
Wolves, who have lost four of their past five including three on the bounce, are three points behind West Ham in the final European qualification spot but have a game in hand on the Hammers.
Football in May really can be all or nothing. Some teams have nothing left to play for beyond pride, while others have everything on the line in the closing weeks of the season.
It is safe to say that Liverpool's clash with Tottenham at Anfield on Saturday is in the latter category.
Liverpool remain in the hunt for an astonishing quadruple having already won the EFL Cup and booked their place in both the FA Cup and Champions League finals, while sitting just a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are still in with a chance of securing Champions League football for next season with a top-four finish. They are currently in fifth place, two points behind north London rivals Arsenal.
Such is the precarious position of both teams as they chase glory, any slip-up will in all likelihood spell the end for their hopes and dreams in the league, which sets up their Anfield battle nicely.
Who will end the night with their season still on track, and who will end it wondering if there is any chance of recovering? Stats Perform takes a look at the Opta numbers heading into what should be a fascinating contest.
Reds capable of blunting Spurs
With Liverpool's home record over the years, it feels like most games at Anfield start with people explaining how few wins the visitors have in recent history.
Indeed, the same is the case with Tottenham, as Liverpool have lost only one of their last 27 Premier League home games against them, and are unbeaten in their last 10 since a 2-0 loss in May 2011.
Spurs have become a dangerous opponent for anyone in recent times, which Manchester City will attest to having been beaten 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium in February, allowing Jurgen Klopp's Reds to close the gap at the top in the first place.
However, despite having won four of their five Premier League meetings with Liverpool between November 2010 and November 2012, Spurs have won just one of their last 18 against them.
Will someone pay the penalty?
This time last year, you would have been called a fool for predicting Liverpool would be anywhere near the title race now, let alone being so while potentially winning every other trophy possible as well.
The Reds had a turbulent campaign in 2020-21, which included an unthinkable six home defeats in a row at one point, with no fans or centre-backs, leaving them flailing in their own quest for Champions League qualification, though a late run of wins saw them ultimately finish third.
Since the last of those six home defeats, the Reds are unbeaten in 21 Premier League home games, scoring 52 goals and conceding just nine. They have won each of their last 12 at Anfield, including the last five while keeping a clean sheet – only once have they had a longer run of home wins without conceding in the Premier League (eight between October 2005 and January 2006).
Ensuring another shutout will be easier said than done, though, as Liverpool against Tottenham is the second highest-scoring fixture in Premier League history (170 goals in 59 meetings), while it has seen more penalties awarded than any other match-up in the competition (23).
Kane v Mane
It was a slow start to the season for Tottenham striker Harry Kane, only managing one goal in his first 13 league games, though the England captain has bagged 12 goals in 20 games since.
He also has a good record against Saturday's opponents, having been involved in nine goals in 13 Premier League appearances against Liverpool (seven goals, two assists), with five of these goal involvements coming in seven games at Anfield (four goals, one assist).
Spurs will have to be wary of Liverpool's forward threat too, with Sadio Mane on such a run of form that he is in the early conversation for this year's Ballon d'Or.
Mane also has an impeccable record at Anfield, having scored in 49 different Premier League games at the stadium (one for Southampton and 48 for Liverpool) avoiding defeat in all 49 of those matches (W44 D5) – the most games a player has scored in at a single ground in the competition's history without ever losing.
Conte can dampen Reds title hopes
Having started the season with Nuno Espirito Santo in the dugout after Antonio Conte was among a series of coaches to turn the club down, very few Spurs fans would have been expecting to see the Italian leading their charge for a top-four spot just a few months later.
Conte has unsurprisingly been a success at Tottenham since arriving in November, with 14 wins, four draws and six defeats in his 24 Premier League games so far.
Both of former Chelsea boss Conte's Premier League visits to Liverpool have finished in 1-1 draws – only four managers have avoided defeat in each of their first three away games at Anfield in the competition: Martin O'Neill, Peter Reid, Roy Hodgson and Paul Lambert.
Arguably the most impressive player so far under Conte, Son Heung-min, has scored 19 Premier League goals this season, with none of them coming from the penalty spot. The South Korea international could become just the second Spurs player to score 20 in a Premier League campaign without any of them being penalties, after Gareth Bale in 2012-13.
Barcelona coach Xavi is urging his players to take full advantage of a "golden opportunity" to seal Champions League qualification against a direct rival in Real Betis.
The Blaugrana go to Seville on Saturday sitting second in LaLiga, eight points clear of fifth-placed Betis – who won 1-0 at Camp Nou in December – as the battle for the top four nears its conclusion.
A win for Barca over the Copa del Rey winners would take them to 69 points and ensure they do not finish any lower than fourth, with Betis only able to reach 67 and sixth-placed Real Sociedad 68.
While the 15-point gap to champions Real Madrid highlights how confronting 2021-22 has been for Barca, Xavi has restored a degree of positivity since replacing Ronald Koeman in November.
Barca were ninth in LaLiga after 13 matches ahead of Xavi's first game in charge, 10 points behind second-placed Sevilla; they now appear favourites to finish ahead of Julen Lopetegui's side and dethroned champions Atletico Madrid as runners-up.
And Xavi wants his team to clinch Champions League qualification at the first time of asking.
"Hopefully, it's a golden opportunity to qualify for the Champions League," he said on Friday. "They're a direct rival, with great players and a great coach. It will be difficult.
"Football gives us the chance to take sporting revenge. We want to fulfil our goals before the end of the season.
"We are fighting for the minimum, but that's the way it is. There are two goals, but the most important is to be in the Champions League next season.
"That's the objective. If we can get second, which would give us the option of entering the Supercopa, then even better.
"We cannot think beyond this, [but] I hope that this summer there will be signings despite the economic situation. We cannot take the European qualification for granted.
"I expect an opponent [Betis] with a lot of confidence. They have won the Copa, they deserved it. I congratulate Betis, [Manuel] Pellegrini and the players, who are having an excellent, historic season. I congratulate them."
Ever since Xavi's return to the club, their "philosophy" and "DNA" have drawn a lot of focus, with many supporters feeling Barca's ethos was diluted under Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien and Koeman.
Ronald Araujo commented that restoring "the Barca DNA" with Xavi was a chief goal of his after signing a new contract in April, and while the coach acknowledges he cannot change things in an instant, he is confident they are making progress with a top-four finish almost secure.
"It's not my message, it's the message of Barca's history," Xavi continued. "I don't have a magic wand, what I'm clear about is that with this model [Barca] won five Champions Leagues and world recognition.
"You leave Spain and they remember [Pep] Guardiola's Barca, [Lionel] Messi's Barca, and they remember how we won, not so much what we won.
"We have to wait and be patient. If we review history, there is no doubt."
Antonio Conte says Tottenham must "spend a lot of money" to compete with Premier League title contenders Liverpool ahead of facing the Reds at Anfield.
Spurs are locked in a battle with rivals Arsenal for a top-four finish and travel to Merseyside to face Jurgen Klopp's quadruple-chasing outfit on Saturday.
Tottenham will meet a Liverpool team unbeaten in 21 Premier League home games, while the Reds have not tasted defeat in their past 15 league games overall.
Klopp also saw his team secure the third Champions League final appearance of his seven-year reign with a 3-2 away win over Villarreal on Tuesday.
Looking back on the success Klopp has achieved since arriving at Anfield in 2015, Conte said Spurs require "a big investment" to compete for major honours as he highlighted the strength of their competitors in England.
"The time for Liverpool was easier than now," Conte said, "because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team, not in a way they are now, so consolidated with an important manager, [but] always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.
"They had also the right space to improve and reach this. Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.
"To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money, because you need to buy important players. You have to know this, otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.
"Don't forget that in England, it is more difficult because you find, in this moment, four teams that if they don't have a bad season they are there to fight for the Premier League, the EFL Cup, the FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League.
"English teams are present in every competition, Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference, Premier League, and the final of the EFL Cup was with Chelsea and Liverpool. Now in the FA Cup, Chelsea and Liverpool; the Premier League is a fight with Liverpool and Manchester City.
"It is not simple because you have a master in front of you; you need time. You need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap; otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle."
Having drawn 1-1 on each of his two previous Premier League visits to Anfield (both as Chelsea manager), Conte is aiming to become just the fifth coach in the competition's history to avoid defeat across his first three trips to Liverpool, after Martin O'Neill, Peter Reid, Roy Hodgson, and Paul Lambert.
However, Spurs have won just one of their past 18 Premier League meetings with the Reds after winning four of the five before that.
Tyson Fury insists he is "very happy" to have retired after the WBC stated it wanted clarity over the world heavyweight champion's future.
Fury revealed before stepping into the ring with Dillian Whyte last month that the all-British fight at Wembley would be the last of his career.
The unbeaten 33-year-old maintained his boxing career is over after knocking Whyte out in the sixth round.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman stated that the governing body would be contacting Fury to find out whether he had definitely quit.
"The WBC will be communicating with Tyson Fury and his promoters about his future plans in the coming week," Sulaiman told Sky Sports.
"We are ready to support him on whatever he decides. If he decides to retire, the WBC will fully support him."
Englishman Fury on Friday reiterated that he had not changed his mind.
"I am very, very happy and contented to be retired. It's been a long time coming and I am so much enjoying my retirement." he posted in a video on social media.
Julian Nagelsmann has no problem with his Bayern Munich players partying in Ibiza this week, saying they can do what they want on days off and telling the media: "I'm not their Dad".
The majority of the Bayern squad jetted off to the Spanish island after a 3-1 Bundesliga defeat at Mainz last weekend, with their 10th consecutive title already secured.
Hasan Salihamidzic, the Bavarian giants' sports director, stated the players had been allowed to take the short trip as a "team-building measure".
However, Bayern and Germany great Lothar Matthaus described the mini-holiday as unacceptable, while Hertha Berlin coach Felix Magath felt it was a bad look to go prior to the end of the campaign.
But the Bavarian giants' head coach Nagelsmann had no issue with his players for heading off on a short jaunt.
He said: "I am responsible for the team, for everything sporting, for training, planning, for the content and the preparation of the games.
"I lived up to my responsibility by giving two days off. Our players are all old enough and of legal age. They can also decide for themselves what they do on their days off.
"If they decide to fly there as a very large group, they should do so. They're old enough - I'm not their Dad or their tutor.
"Instead, together with Holger Broich [Bayern's club doctor], I have the task of designing the training plan in such a way that the load structure makes sense.
"That's why we gave the days off. The players can do whatever they want on their days off."
Max Verstappen has rejected Lewis Hamilton's complaints about Mercedes' W13 car, saying George Russell's early successes with the team show it is "not all horrific".
Verstappen claimed his second victory of the 2022 campaign at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last time out, with Sergio Perez following him home to ensure Red Bull's first one-two since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Seven-time champion Hamilton, meanwhile, has struggled since losing the title to Verstappen in the closing seconds of 2021's final race in Abu Dhabi, and was lapped by the Red Bull driver at Imola as he toiled to a 13th-place finish.
On Thursday, Hamilton repeated criticism of his team's car, comparing it to his struggles in the 2009 season when he finished fifth, telling The Race: "There are people that watch and say I've never had a bad car, and I can assure you that I have. 2009's car was very, very far off – the worst car that I've had. This car currently is not far off that experience."
But Hamilton's new team-mate Russell is yet to finish outside the top five since joining Mercedes, which Verstappen says is evidence the team's car is not as bad as Hamilton claims.
The reigning world champion, however, denied that he enjoyed lapping Hamilton in Italy, claiming he was simply focusing on his own race.
"To be honest, it wasn't something I was enjoying at the time," he told the Telegraph ahead of the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. "I was just focused on my race, on getting through the traffic as cleanly as possible and winning.
"It wasn't like I was saying, 'Oh, I'm lapping Lewis, what an amazing feeling'. I had great battles with Lewis last year. Now he's in a car which is not so great.
"Having said that, of course, George does finish fourth in that car [at Imola]. So, it is not all horrific, right?
"I'd say [Hamilton's] car had quite a bit more pace than the midfield traffic. But yeah, it was hard to pass. I mean also when there was only one dry line and when you don't have, let's say, a top speed advantage anymore.
"It makes it a lot harder to judge how far Lewis was off George. But clearly the whole weekend George was doing really well."
Verstappen sits second in the drivers' standings after Red Bull's erratic start to the season, in which the Dutch driver has posted two victories but failed to finish twice.
Giorgio Chiellini is plotting a career in management after the Juventus and Italy captain's playing days come to an end.
Chiellini will retire from international football after the Azzurri's Finalissima showdown with Argentina at Wembley next month.
The 37-year-old centre-back's future has been the subject of speculation, as his Juve contract is due to expire at the end of next season.
Chiellini has been linked with a move to the MLS before hanging up his boots.
The veteran defender plans to use his vast experience to forge a career in management, but will not take up a role until he is ready.
He told La Stampa: "As long as you are a footballer, you are focused only on that. And until today in my head I have always been a 100 per cent footballer, when you do this job it can only be like that.
"Certainly in the future I would like to have a managerial path, in which to enhance the wealth of experience I have gained over the years and make it available in a new context."
He added: “I would like to take care of what surrounds the pitch, but it goes beyond that, but first I would have a lot to study. I know the sport well, but it is not enough to do well as a manager.
"About Continassa [the Juventus training complex] I know everything, even where there are cobwebs, but what happens in the office I have a superficial idea.
"The experience I'm having with Sport Horizon helps me, but you can't improvise it."
Eddie Howe has revealed he will call a team meeting at Newcastle United to clarify comments made by Allan Saint-Maximin, who appeared to criticise his team-mates.
Saint-Maximin's interview with So Foot was published this week, in which the winger compared himself to Sadio Mane and said he would provide assists more regularly "the day when I have a player capable of finishing the actions".
The 25-year-old has only four assists this season despite creating 45 chances from open play – the eighth-most in the league and most outside the top six.
Callum Wilson, who has been out injured since December, remains Newcastle's top scorer with just six goals. Only Wolves (Raul Jimenez, also six) have had their leading marksman tally so few.
But Saint-Maximin did not intend to criticise his team-mates, Howe says, with both the player and coach seeking to ensure there was no "damage" to the team before a big game away at Manchester City.
"I saw the quotes, spoke with Allan," Howe said on Friday. "I think I need to make this clear that Allan's quotes didn't come across in the way he meant them to.
"He was concerned yesterday. We spoke, and in no way did he mean to damage the team and the unity that we've built. Of course, he said things in an interview, but, as I said, it wasn't in the context that he meant, although it happened.
"We'll be speaking with the squad and making sure there's no fallout from that, because unity has been our strength. It's vitally important that we keep that."
Regardless, Saint-Maximin and Newcastle will be boosted by the return of Wilson, who "looks in a good place and there's a good chance he'll be involved on Sunday".
England right-back Kieran Trippier is "slightly behind Callum" in his recovery but could still feature, while Howe is holding out hope for Fabian Schar to play despite missing training this week following an injury against Liverpool on Saturday.
Newcastle lost 1-0 to Liverpool and now face their title rivals City at the Etihad Stadium, where they have never won in the Premier League, losing their past 12 such matches.
Howe has been beaten in all 11 of his league games against City, including nine against Pep Guardiola – two competition records for one coach losing 100 per cent of their matches against any specific opponent or manager.
But City are coming off a painful Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, potentially making them vulnerable on Sunday, although Howe wants his team to improve, too.
"[The Champions League defeat] can work both ways," Howe said. "It can emotionally affect them in the positive or the negative.
"We will 100 per cent prepare for the best Manchester City, so we have to be the best Newcastle we can be. Looking back to last week, that was the disappointment for last week. We just missed the intensity in our work."
Julian Nagelsmann says Thomas Muller's new contract sends a "positive signal" and hopes other Bayern Munich players follow suit.
Long-serving forward Muller this week extended his deal with the Bundesliga champions until 2024.
Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry are only under contract with the Bavarian giants until the end of next season, while Corentin Tolisso and Niklas Sule are nearing the end of their deals, with the latter set to join Borussia Dortmund as a free agent ahead of 2022-23.
Bayern boss Nagelsmann says it was vital to keep Muller and believes the 32-year-old's decision to commit his future to the club may prompt some of his team-mates to stay.
He said in a press conference on Friday: "It was very important that he extended, this will also send a positive signal to people both within the club and outside of the club.
"It could mean others will follow suit now. I'm really happy about it."
Bayern face relegation-threatened Stuttgart in their final home game of the season at the Allianz Arena on Sunday.
The champions will be presented with the Meisterschale trophy and Nagelsmann wants his side to put on a show in front of a sell-out crowd.
He said: "I want to win the game, even though I have a lot of respect for Pellegrino Matarazzo as a man and as a coach.
"We will give our all to try and win our final home game in front of a sold-out Arena this season."
Stuttgart are 16th in the table and battling to avoid the drop but Nagelsmann says they can pose a threat.
He added: "They're a very versatile team. They can set up in a number of different ways. Matarazzo has some creative ideas. They're in a tough situation as they fight relegation. They've had a number of injuries at key moments this season."
In the past 38 seasons, Bayern have lost their final Bundesliga home game only once and it was Stuttgart who inflicted that defeat on them, winning 4-1 in 2018.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has agreed a two-year contract extension at Emirates Stadium.
Arteta's previous deal – signed when he was appointed in 2019 – ran until the end of next season. He is now set to stay at Arsenal until 2025.
The Spaniard, who won the FA Cup twice as a player with the club, led the Gunners to Wembley glory in 2019-20.
Progress has since been steady, with Arsenal now in pole position to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17, when Arsene Wenger was still in charge.
With four games of the season remaining, Arsenal are fourth, two points ahead of rivals Tottenham, who they play next week.
Pete Carroll does not expect the Seattle Seahawks to trade for Baker Mayfield or another quarterback.
The Seahawks will head into the new season with uncertainty under center for the first time since before they drafted Russell Wilson in 2012.
Wilson was the team's undisputed starter for 10 straight seasons, winning one Super Bowl and losing another, until he was traded to the Denver Broncos this offseason.
The Seahawks received Drew Lock in that trade, but he struggled in three seasons in Denver, while Geno Smith – Wilson's understudy – is an alternative option.
Although Seattle did not draft a QB, they could still have made a big move for a new man, with Mayfield available after the Cleveland Browns signed Deshaun Watson.
But Carroll appeared to rule that possibility out as he outlined the Seahawks' approach to the trade market, albeit not discussing Mayfield directly per league rules.
"We're always competing," the head coach told 93.3 KJR-FM.
"I'm not saying anything you didn't think I was going to say, but fortunately that's always been the way we've operated, and it fits again. So, we're looking.
"I don't see us making a trade for anybody at all. I don't see that happening.
"But we're certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we're just going to be battling and competing our tails off.
"There's always possibilities, so we keep open to that."
Sergio Garcia appeared to suggest he is ready to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series – the Super Golf League – in a moment of frustration at the Wells Fargo Championship.
The former Masters champion was handed a penalty by a PGA Tour referee during Thursday's first round for taking too long looking for a lost ball at the 10th hole.
A statement later clarified the referee was not aware much of Garcia's time was spent trying to access the other side of a creek where he had been told the ball landed.
This "inadvertent error" meant the time clock was not paused as it should have been, although Garcia's score was not altered following the clarification.
The Spaniard was informed of this decision, but he had already made his anger clear.
Television coverage showed Garcia ranting: "I can't wait to leave this tour. I can't wait to get out of here.
"Just a couple more weeks and I don't have to deal with you any more."
Those comments seemingly confirmed Garcia's decision to head to LIV Golf, which begins its breakaway league in London next month.
Garcia reportedly refused to speak to reporters and clarify his comments following his three-under 67.
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