Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with a displaced flap of the meniscus in his left knee and could undergo surgery, The Athletic reported on Saturday.

Another option for the reigning NBA MVP would be to rest and rehab the injury instead of having a procedure on the knee.

Embiid was injured in the 76ers' loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday in his first game back after missing two contests due to an issue with his left knee.

Embiid is the NBA’s leading scorer with 35.3 points per game and is averaging 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 34 appearances.

He had a franchise-record 70 points to go along with 18 rebounds on Jan. 22 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Manager Steve Evans dedicated Stevenage’s 1-0 win over Blackpool to teenage supporter Ollie Gatfield, who died in a car accident on his way home from a match last month.

Saturday’s match was the club’s first home game since the 19-year-old died as he travelled home from Stevenage’s win at Shrewsbury three weeks ago. His friend Liam Sharpe remains in a coma and a minute’s applause was held for the pair before the game.

Jake Forster-Caskey’s deflected 85th-minute strike settled a scrappy contest as Stevenage lifted themselves back into the League One play-off places.

Evans said: “We’ve been backed at home by an absolutely brilliant support and, if we ever needed someone above us, I’m sure he dived and headed it as it came across the goal and he flicked it in.

“That’s for Ollie and for Liam – come on, Liam, fight that battle, son.”

Blackpool began the brighter and were denied by fine saves by Craig MacGillivray to keep out Marvin Ekpiteta’s header and Ollie Norburn’s rasping drive, while Daniel Grimshaw tipped over Jamie Reid’s effort.

But the hosts won it when Jordan Roberts laid the ball off for substitute Forster-Caskey, whose shot was deflected past a helpless Grimshaw.

Evans said: “It’s not the best football game in the world for any football purist.

“In many respects there was a cancellation of both teams and it was either going to take a bit of magic or a little bit of luck and I think it was a bit of both.

“Forster-Caskey moves the ball, shifts it and there’s a great strike – some of the lads think it was going into the far corner, but it goes in the other side from the defender trying to block it.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley was incensed with the build-up to the winner, saying: “(It was) a definite foul right in front of us.

“You could see it, Hayden (Coulson) gets a touch to the ball, the lad quite clearly falls on top of him, he was nowhere near the ball.

“It was right in front of us, the fourth official’s there, he (the referee) plays on and that’s what happens.

“They build moments and momentum in the game and that moment doesn’t happen if the referee does his job properly.

“I said to the fourth official, ‘That is a clear foul,’ and she says to me, ‘I know, I’ve told him.’ Brilliant, thanks very much.

“They fall over at every opportunity looking for a free-kick because they want to put the ball into the box, so they kid the referee and they played him better than he’s played the game today.”

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut felt rest and recuperation was behind his side’s 1-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Bulut gave his squad an extended break from training last week and their extra energy proved vital in holding off a late Watford onslaught.

Josh Bowler’s superb 43rd-minute strike gave Cardiff a first win since New Year’s Day and moved them to within five points of the Championship play-off places.

Bulut said: “After a few weeks of not winning points we were disappointed, so the three days off that we gave the players refreshed our team.

“Everybody came back with a clear mind and an analysis about themselves and about what they need to do to play much better.

“I think the whole team did really good work today. When you do your job well as a team, it makes it easier.”

Bulut also credited the club’s greater strength in depth following the January transfer market.

The Welsh club brought in six players in the final two days of the transfer window, with David Turnbull and Josh Wilson-Esbrand coming on substitutes to see out the victory.

“In the past I also spoke about only having 16 players, but now at least we can make changes,” Burut said.

“Before, when we had a few injuries, we were fighting in matches, but sometimes even fighting in matches was not enough, not everything. Now it looks much better.

“We worked with the new players, but they still need to know our playing style better. In the coming days and weeks, the qualities of the players will show up much, much better. They will help us a lot in the next 17 games.”

Watford, who sit a point above Cardiff, have not won a league match at Vicarage Road since November 28 and have not scored a goal from open play in their past four games.

Manager Valerien Ismael said: “There’s a big frustration tonight. I have the feeling that over 90 minutes, we should win the game. Yes, our opponents were disciplined, but they had one shot on target and scored the goal.

“It’s painful to lose at home again because we want to give something to our fans. This is a setback for us because we need to use the home games to be strong. So today for me is a tough one to take.

“We said to the players at half-time. ‘You need to step up and believe in yourselves because I believe in you and we believe in you’.

“After the substitutions it was much better. We dominated the ball and we created chances, but in the final third it’s more about desire.

“We need to be nasty in the opponents’ box to get in front of defenders, to make sure you are always there.”

Hull boss Liam Rosenior admitted he felt nervous before the 1-0 Sky Bet Championship win over Millwall.

There was a feelgood factor around the club after a successful transfer window saw the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Ryan Giles and Anass Zaroury arrive at the MKM Stadium.

Rosenior was keen to keep momentum going and the Tigers did just that, securing a second consecutive victory courtesy of fit-again winger Jaden Philogene’s fifth-minute strike.

“It was a really pleasing day because I was fearful before the game that there had been so much positive news surrounding the club,” Rosenior told the club’s official website.

“As a manager, sometimes, that makes you a little bit nervous; I didn’t want us to be complacent and all of the noise we needed to filter out.

“Some of our football in the first half was excellent and it’s great to be able to say we can improve after winning a game of football.”

Rosenior handed Giles and Zaroury their debuts following their loan moves from Luton and Burnley respectively.

“In terms of the first-half performance, other than really having teeth and finishing off Millwall, there were some really good signs – for Anass, his first game, Ryan Giles, his debut, and Jaden’s first game back in two months,” he added.

“I wanted the second goal because I felt our energy levels would tail off naturally.

“Overall, delighted to win the game and a lot of positive signs in the way we want to play – the understanding, the connection between the players.”

Millwall improved after the break and Zian Flemming and Tom Bradshaw almost nicked a point.

Lions boss Joe Edwards bemoaned his side’s first-half display.

Edwards told the club’s official website: “Very much a game of two halves in terms of our performance. We didn’t play well in the first half.

“They get a dream start after four minutes, albeit a sloppy error from us around the box, but someone hits an absolute rocket against the bar and it rebounds to their player and he finishes really well.

“They really grew in confidence and they are a team that loves to drift around the pitch and play good possession.

“They are a good footballing team. That is why they are up that end of the division, and we respect that.

“But we had our moments to take the sting out the game, as we have done in other games in recent weeks, but we didn’t do it and we were a bit sloppy.

“Second half we were a lot sharper in what we were doing, we were cleaner on the ball.

“In that final 20 minutes we were a lot clearer of what our idea was supposed to be, using our wing-back and switching play, and we had more about us.”

Relieved Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was delighted to see Harvey Barnes return to action with a bang as he came off the bench to snatch a thrilling 4-4 draw with Luton for the Magpies.

Barnes, who had been out of action since September 24 with a toe injury, was introduced as a 63rd-minute substitute with his side trailing 4-2 to the promoted Hatters having led 1-0 and 2-1, and it was his strike 10 minutes later which ensured the spoils were shared.

Asked about his £38million summer signing, head coach Howe said: “That’s what Harvey does, that’s why we brought him to the football club.

“He is a goalscorer. His record last year at Leicester was incredible and we hoped, of course, that he would come here and bring goals to us.

“Unfortunately, he’s missed such a big part of the season and it’s huge to get him back I thought it was an incredible finish off his wrong foot, a really, really good goal and I think he had another chance late on as well, so I was really pleased with his impact.”

In a chaotic encounter, Sean Longstaff twice fired the Magpies ahead only for Gabriel Osho and then Ross Barkley, who turned in a fine individual display, to level before the break.

Carlton Morris’ twice-taken penalty saw the visitors go ahead for the first time and when Elijah Adebayo made it 4-2 in the 62nd minute, they looked to be on the way to another impressive win after their 4-0 midweek success over Brighton.

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However, Kieran Trippier’s volley dragged Newcastle back to within a single goal before Barnes struck to set up a grandstand finish during which Jacob Murphy and Chiedozie Ogbene might have won it for their respective sides.

Howe, who lost Anthony Gordon to an ankle injury, said: “With the way we started, I thought this could be a really memorable game for us. But credit to Luton, they responded really well and made it difficult for us.

“It was a really open game, with two teams going right at each other. It was probably a great game for the neutral, but not so much if you’re associated to us because there was a huge determination to win, and we’re disappointed not to.”

Opposite number Rob Edwards shared similarly conflicting feelings on a day when his side once again proved its top-flight credentials.

Edwards said: “We wanted to be brave, which we were, [showed] loads of character, resilience and quality to get back into the game after going behind twice, and after going two goals up, tinged with a little bit of disappointment that we weren’t able to see it out.

“But I’ve got to respect the opposition and the level of the team, the quality of the players that we were coming up against, once they’d got that third goal back, there as still a lot of time on the clock wasn’t there and the almost inevitable happened and they got the equaliser.

“What I was pleased with was our character, our resilience and then actually some quality to keep it at 4-4 and keep pushing.

“I felt sick at times, I felt elation at times. I felt really proud watching my team play and overall, I think a point was a fair result.”

Manager John Mousinho feels his Portsmouth side are back on track after thrashing Northampton 4-1 at Fratton Park.

Paddy Lane scored twice as the leaders cruised to victory despite having debutant Tom McIntyre sent off.

Connor Ogilvie and Callum Lang also netted while Colby Bishop missed a penalty for Pompey, who had debutant Tom McIntyre sent off, before Marc Leonard grabbed a consolation for Northampton.

It is now 10 points from four games for Portsmouth since a 3-0 home defeat by Leyton Orient.

Mousinho said: “I am delighted with the performance and everything we did in the first hour.

“We came out the traps showing we meant business and were determined to cast out the demon of the Leyton Orient result. I think that has been hanging over us since then.

“We were good value for the 2-0 lead. We missed a penalty and I felt we could have had more in the first half.

“We started the second half a bit cagey and of course the sending off changed things.

“But we kept our heads and put the game to bed. They got a late goal and even with the added 10 minutes I felt we weren’t in any danger.

“My initial reaction to the sending off was that I thought it was a great tackle. In terms of appealing, we’ll look at it in detail and then decide.”

Pompey took the lead after seven minutes when Marlon Pack’s free-kick from 30 yards was headed home by Ogilvie.

The second came after 16 minutes. A long clearance from Pack found Lane, who turned inside a defender to drive home.

Pompey were awarded a penalty two minutes before half-time after Harvey Lintott pushed Myles Peart-Harris over but Bishop’s tame kick was easily saved by Lee Burge.

Pompey were reduced to 10 men after 54 minutes when McIntyre was shown a straight red for a foul on Mitchell Pinnock.

But Pompey got a third in the 58th minute, Lane playing a one-two before slotting home.

It was 4-0 after 71 minutes as an in-swinging free-kick from Pack saw Lang pick up the loose ball and stab it past Burge.

Northampton got a consolation goal a minute from time when Leonard fired into the roof of the net from a corner.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady said: “It is very disappointing.

“We’ve conceded an early goal from a set piece, which we should defend better. The goals we gave away were more down to us giving them to Portsmouth rather than them executing them well.

“They’re fighting to win the league and we’re fighting to stay in it. We’ve had some great form recently but the last two games have been too easy for the opposition.

“Just look at the team I have put out. It’s nowhere near the team I had picking up three points not long ago.

“am Hoskins has come off with his hamstring which is a blow. Sam Sherring has felt his ankle in the warm-up, so we were unable to get him on, and Ben Fox has been out all season, so could only get 15 minutes on the pitch.

“We started looking like we had purpose when they went down to 10 but then we got sucker-punched with their third a couple of minutes later.”

Tony Docherty admitted he was baffled by the award of a pivotal penalty against Dundee as they lost 3-2 to Hearts at Dens Park.

The home side had opened the scoring in the first half through Jordan McGhee before the Jam Tarts equalised after the break with an Alan Forrest goal.

The Dark Blues took the lead once more with a stunning strike from Lyall Cameron before Hearts were awarded a penalty.

Referee Graham Grainger ruled that Lee Ashcroft had handled a Lawrence Shankland shot with the striker converting the spot-kick before scoring what proved to be a late winner.

However, Dundee boss Docherty questioned the penalty decision and why the official did not have another look at the incident on the pitchside monitor.

Docherty said: “I would love to come in after a game and talk about my team and how good they’ve been.

“But it seems to be the last five weeks all you do is talk about decisions.

“I just spoke to big Ash there, who is the most honest boy you could meet. What are you meant to do there?

“Are you meant to cut off a body part? What are you meant to do when you are a yard away from the player and it hits you.

“It was such a pivotal point in the game. We had gone from 1-1 to score a wonderful goal to go 2-1 up and I thought we were comfortable.

“Hearts are a really good side with a top striker in Lawrence Shankland. I thought we were handling it well but it was just that moment in the game that changed everything.

“Why doesn’t he go and check it? I don’t understand. He’s told me: ‘Had I seen it again…’ Why did you not go and see it again?

“We have invested as an industry and a football club in a piece of apparatus there that you can go and check.

“Yet you don’t do that. It is just galling for me.”

Shankland had been the subject of intense transfer speculation during the window with Jambos boss Steven Naismith admitting the Scotland front man showed exactly why he is such a key player for Hearts.

The manager said: “He is a top striker. He is somebody who we know is really important and that’s why we wanted to tie him down to a longer contract, that’s why we want him to be here as long as possible.

“A big bit of pressure on his penalty but again he shows his quality.”

Scotland ended 22 years of hurt in Cardiff after they thwarted a spectacular Wales fightback to win an extraordinary Guinness Six Nations clash 27-26.

It was Scotland’s first win in the Welsh capital since 2002 – ending a run of 11 successive defeats – to set up a mouth-watering Murrayfield encounter against France next Saturday.

But Wales made them fight every inch of the way after the Scots had breezed into a 27-point lead after 42 minutes, with wing Duhan van der Merwe scoring two tries including a virtuoso long-range effort while prop Pierre Schoeman also touched down.

Captain Finn Russell kicked three conversions and two penalties, but it only told half the story.

Flanker James Botham’s try sparked the Welsh recovery then he was followed over the line by Rio Dyer, Aaron Wainwright and debutant Alex Mann, with Ioan Lloyd kicking three conversions.

Scotland found themselves on the rack after hooker George Turner and centre Sione Tuipulotu were sin-binned during the second period, yet they successfully closed the game out and left Wales wondering what might have been.

Both teams started brightly under the stadium’s closed roof and Scotland struck first when Russell kicked an angled 20-metre penalty, before quick lineout ball gave Tuipulotu a chance that Wales managed to defend.

Wales, though, could not stop wave after wave of attacks that led to the game’s opening try after 11 minutes.

Russell created initial space and after a strong run by wing Kyle Steyn, Scotland’s forwards took over and Schoeman crossed from close range. Russell’s conversion made it 10-0.

Scotland enjoyed scrum and lineout dominance and they controlled the opening quarter, even if Wales established promising attacking positions at times.

Russell extended Scotland’s lead with a second penalty – Wales wing Josh Adams was punished for throwing the ball away and denying Scotland a quick lineout throw – and alarm bells were beginning to ring for Gatland’s team.

Inevitably, Russell was at the heart of everything good about Scotland’s magic and he weaved his magic to devastating effect 10 minutes before half-time.

Scotland set up a strong position inside Wales’ 22 and the rest was all about Russell, who ghosted into space, threw a half-dummy pass, then delivered a try on a plate for Van der Merwe.

There appeared no way back for Wales, with their problems showing no sign of abating as fly-half Sam Costelow went off for a head injury assessment as Scotland led 20-0 at the interval.

It got even worse for Wales just two minutes into the second period when Van der Merwe carved them open from deep to claim a blistering solo touchdown, and Russell’s conversion put further daylight between the teams.

Costelow failed his HIA and Gatland made three half-time changes, sending on scrum-half Tomos Williams, hooker Elliot Dee and prop Keiron Assiratti, and Wales opened their account when Botham crashed over.

Turner was sin-binned for an offence in the build-up to Botham’s try and Wales struck again, this time through Dyer, with Lloyd’s conversion cutting the gap suddenly and unexpectedly to 15 points.

It was panic stations for Scotland when Tuipulotu went into the sin bin and Wales punished them immediately as Wainwright touched down for a third try in 13 minutes, with Lloyd converting.

The capacity crowd could scarcely believe what they were witnessing, but it was Williams’s influence off the bench that proved key as he injected pace and purpose into Wales’ game.

And when Mann claimed a 68th-minute try, again converted by Lloyd, the improbable dream edged closer, with Scotland looking bewildered and devoid of answers.

But they somehow held out, Wales left with the consolation of two losing bonus points.

Swansea head coach Luke Williams struggled to hide his frustration after the Whites went down to a 1-0 Sky Bet Championship defeat to Plymouth.

Morgan Whittaker struck the only goal of the game after 18 minutes – his ninth in his last 10 games as Argyle made it six games without defeat.

Back-to-back Championship defeats and a fourth loss in a row in all competitions leaves Swansea head coach Luke Williams still searching for his first league win since he took charge.

It also leaves the Swans just five points clear of the relegation zone.

Williams said: “I am frustrated that we didn’t turn really good actions into goals. When you create 19 chances and at least four of them are in the six-yard box, there’s not an excuse to not win the game.

“What is it that’s wrong with those chances? For me, nothing. It’s just concentration, finish the action correctly and we’ll win the game of football.

“The goal we conceded, we lose concentration again from a long ball forward. Whittaker hits the shot that leads to the corner. Then, from the corner we switch off, the player gets blocked and it’s a good strike.

“It’s unfair that he (Ronald) doesn’t have at least one assist. We tried to make it clear what his role is.

“We have had a few guys to interpret on the training pitch and I am really happy because he didn’t try to do his own thing or show off.

“He just tried to play in the game I asked him to play it – so much energy, so many runs in behind. So many players don’t want to do that because it’s hard, you have to keep sprinting and then you have to provide for someone else.

“I want him to feed the striker. I am happy with him.

“I don’t like that (relegation situation), of course I don’t like that. We need to concentrate on trying to play really well.

“If we can create 19 chances every week and create openings in the six-yard box, we’d have to be a very unlucky team to suffer more.

“We have some tough fixtures but that’s the job. There’s no sulking or feeling sorry for myself.”

Plymouth head coach Ian Foster was glad to see his side grind out a victory.

He said: “In my short time at the club, we have had to find a way of winning on the road. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices in order to do that.

“Our challenge is to maintain the attacking threat we have but from a really solid defensive structure.

“That was probably a perfect performance today in terms of doing that.

“Of course at times we have to get better with the ball, but we have to start somewhere. We have to get the points on the board.

“I have worked with Morgan in the England pathway, so I know what he is capable of.

“I took him and his partner for breakfast on Wednesday, the day after the club turned down a bid for him from Lazio.

“It was just to see how he is and see what we can do to help him and keep him focussed on his game.

“It’s my job to continue to develop him into the player we all hope he can be.”

Napoli head coach Walter Mazzarri has stressed a Champions League place is still attainable for the Serie A title-holders as they prepare to host Hellas Verona on Sunday.

After winning a first Scudetto in 33 years last season under Luciano Spalletti, the Partenopei have had a significant drop off in a 2023-24 campaign that saw new boss Rudi Garcia replaced by Mazzarri in November.

Their nine league games since then have comprised three wins, two draws and four losses, and they are currently ninth in the table, four points behind fourth place.

Asked at a press conference if the Champions League spots remained a realistic objective for Napoli, Mazzarri said: “I don’t look at the table for my own reasons.

“But it’s clear that there are many teams within three to four points, and therefore the objective is possible.”

Since starting the calendar year with a 3-0 loss at Torino, Napoli – still without star striker Victor Osimhen due to international duty with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations – have won 2-1 at home against Salernitana, beaten Fiorentina 3-0, lost 1-0 to AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana and drawn 0-0 at Lazio in their return to league action last weekend.

Mazzarri said: “In the last few games we created little, for various reasons, also due to the strength of the opponents, but we returned solid and balanced, after the very bad performance in Torino.

“It’s clear that we will need to be more aggressive and proactive to create scoring opportunities, perhaps even shooting from outside, because we can’t always enter the area with triangles and penetrations.

“This week we are also working on this aspect and I think we will see the results.”

Napoli face a Verona outfit who went into the weekend just outside the relegation zone, and who brought in a trio of players on transfer deadline day – Stefan Mitrovic, Karol Swiderski and Fabien Centonze.

Boss Marco Baroni told a press conference ahead of the trip to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona: “We need points, but we have to start from the performance.

“These are complicated and difficult stadiums, where we must not be afraid. We will have to play a match of personality, having great respect for the opponent.

“These are teams against which you have to be very careful within the performance. We will need to be compact, focused, and help each other on the pitch.”

Roy Hodgson vowed to carry on fighting as Crystal Palace manager despite some of the club’s fans turning on him during the 4-1 Premier League defeat at Brighton.

Hodgson cut a forlorn figure on the touchline as goals from Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Facundo Buonanotte and Joao Pedro once again left his future under scrutiny.

Palace sacked their previous manager, Patrick Vieira, following a 1-0 defeat in this fixture last season so Hodgson, on a run of just four wins from 17 matches, could be on thin ice.

The 76-year-old knew it was not going to be his day when Michael Olise, on as a substitute, lasted just eight minutes before suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

That led to chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ from the away end with the Brighton fans, never shy to revel in their rivals’ misfortune, responding with ‘Super Roy Hodgson’.

“Wonderful, wasn’t it?” quipped Hodgson. “Is it nice? No it isn’t. Yes, my years of management have given the me resilience me to cope with that, absolutely, and taunts from away supporters are part and parcel of our lives.

“At the moment our fans aren’t very happy with everything that is happening at the club and they are making their feelings known as well.

“But I signed up to be the manager and coach of this football club and I’ve got the strength, resilience and determination to see things through. I’m certainly not going to be cowed by that type of thing.”

Hodgson is hamstrung by the absence of Eberechi Eze through injury but his decision to risk his other star man, Olise, when his side were 3-0 down raised eyebrows.

“I was told he couldn’t start the game, everyone was quite comfortable with that,” added Hodgson.

“But they told me, and he told me, he was fine to be on the bench and to play in the second half. Unfortunately I don’t have a crystal ball and I wasn’t to know that would lead to a recurrence of his injury.”

A late goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta could not spark a Palace revival and the loss of captain Marc Guehi to a first-half knee injury just compounded a thoroughly rotten day.

Then goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defender Joachim Andersen had a heated exchange with some supporters at the final whistle.

“They are realistic enough to know the fans aren’t going to be happy to see their team lose 4-1 and I think the players did the right thing,” insisted Hodgson.

“No one is less happy than ourselves. At least they went over to thank the fans and let them know we are grateful for their support. If people react, so be it.”

It was Brighton’s biggest win over their fierce rivals since 1956 and the perfect response to the midweek 4-0 defeat at Luton.

Boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “We are very happy because in a derby we made our fans happy, but I’m not surprised with the reaction we showed.

“Our win started on Tuesday after the Luton game. I’m really pleased with the result, the reaction, the energy.”