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Kobbie Mainoo opened his goalscoring account with his first-ever senior contribution during Manchester United’s FA Cup clash on Sunday.
The Red Devils saw out a hard-fought 4-2 victory over League Two outfit Newport County at Rodney Parade, booking their spot in the fifth round of the competition in which they’ll face either Bristol City or Nottingham Forest away from home.
Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring inside seven minutes before Mainoo doubled United’s lead just six minutes later with a sublime first-time finish into the bottom corner. He then reeled off to celebrate alongside fellow Carrington graduate and first-team starlet Alejandro Garnacho.
After the six-goal thriller eventually ended in United’s favour, Mainoo was able to breathe a sigh of relief and take some time to reflect on such a significant milestone in his career after a scintillating few months in his breakout campaign.
Mainoo’s heartwarming reaction to maiden senior goal
The 18-year-old spoke to MUTV post-match and expressed: “It’s a big point in my career. Obviously, coming in and to score my first goal. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time. It’s been amazing.
He added: “It’s just back to basics. We have great players who can create a goal at any time. So, at 2-2, it was never a panic. Just get back to the things we’re good at. It’s 0-0 [then in our heads] so we can always go and score more.
“It’s very important at this point of the season. Every cup win is important, it’s the next step to the final goal, which is winning a trophy. So it’s very important.”
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Liverpool set to sell big-name forward to finance Alexander Isak deal
Liverpool is on the verge of offloading striker Darwin Nunez to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in a deal reportedly worth up to £56.6M, approximately $75M. The move would bring an end to Nunez’s three-year stint at Anfield, where he registered 40 goals in 143 appearances after arriving from Benfica in 2022 for an initial £64M plus add-ons. The Reds are poised to take a financial hit on the 26-year-old, marking a significant loss on their original investment. Despite flashes of promise, Nunez struggled to deliver consistent performances in a Liverpool shirt. He gradually slipped down the pecking order, drawing increasing criticism for his inefficiency in front of the goal. Al Hilal is said to be offering a fixed fee of £46.2M, with performance-related bonuses taking the potential total to £56.6 million. Nunez is expected to sign a lucrative multiyear contract. While the transfer represents a financial setback, it aligns with Liverpool’s wider strategy of refreshing its squad under new head coach Arne Slot. The club has already spent close to £275M ($350M) this summer on high-profile signings, including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, showcasing a bold rebuild following last season’s Premier League title triumph. Funds from the Nunez sale are expected to be redirected toward Liverpool’s pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. The Reds’ initial £120M package for the Sweden international was rejected, but they are reportedly preparing a revised bid. Isak has recently been training away from Newcastle’s first team following his return from injury, and Liverpool is hopeful of capitalizing, although a deal may hinge on Newcastle securing a replacement. The Magpies are said to be wary of losing out on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with Manchester United attempting to hijack that move. Still, Liverpool currently faces little direct competition for Isak and views him as a key piece in its attacking plans. Moving Nunez is a critical step in freeing up both funds and squad space as Liverpool aims to land yet another marquee forward it believes can lead its frontline in the Slot era.
Jalen Milroe Surges Past Former NFL Starter on First Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his final year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the pacific northwest.
Yankees' unlikely answer emerges from depth chart to save season — for now
One out, seventh inning, 2-2 tie in Arlington. Ben Rice watched from the dugout as manager Aaron Boone called Paul Goldschmidt to pinch-hit for Austin Wells. When Goldschmidt crushed a 0-2 fastball over the left-field wall for the go-ahead run, the New York Yankees had their first lead since the fifth inning. More importantly, they had it because Rice's catching ability made the crucial substitution possible. The 26-year-old's emergence as a multi-position weapon couldn't be more timely. The Yankees entered Wednesday's Texas series finale having blown a seven-game AL East lead since May 28, sitting 6.5 games behind Toronto and 3.5 behind Boston for the first wild card. They'd started August 0-5, desperate for any break before facing Houston at home. Rice represents the internal solution they've needed. His .779 OPS sits well above the .719 MLB average, powered by 16 home runs and elite contact metrics. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 95th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, expected slugging and expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers seem impossible considering where Rice started. The 2021 12th-round Dartmouth pick hit .171 in 178 plate appearances last season. But knowing he'd catch in 2025, Rice added 10 pounds to his frame and worked relentlessly on his receiving skills. The defensive flexibility pays dividends beyond Wednesday's game. Rice has posted a +2 fielding run value across 84 innings caught and 180 innings at first base. Not spectacular, but competent enough to create the matchup advantages Boone exploited against the Rangers. Rice embodies exactly what championship teams find within their system. Aaron Judge remains the Yankees' best player, but Rice may be their most valuable in pure utility terms. His ability to produce above-average offense while handling two premium positions creates strategic options other teams lack. Wednesday's sequence proved the point. Without Rice's catching ability, Boone couldn't have pinch-hit Goldschmidt in that crucial spot. The move worked because Rice had spent months building trust through consistent performance at both positions. The Yankees still trail Toronto by 6.5 games with the Astros series looming next. Their playoff chances remain fragile yet likely, per FanGraphs, after months of disappointing baseball. But Rice's ascension from .171 hitter to essential depth piece shows what's possible when overlooked talent meets opportunity. If the Yankees accomplish anything meaningful this season, they'll trace it back to moments like Wednesday's seventh inning. Not because of Goldschmidt's clutch homer, but because Ben Rice made that moment possible.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
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