Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has responded to his March international omission by scoring 11 goals across all competitions to firmly stake his claim for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad.

Two months ago, the lively attacker found himself struggling for form and was consequently dropped by the national team manager.

However, a recent resurgence has seen the former Brentford man outscore his international captain Harry Kane in the period since that disappointing setback.

His latest impressive display featured a crucial brace during a 4-2 victory over Liverpool which guaranteed Champions League football for his club next season.

A timely return to goalscoring form

The prolific marksman has registered 12 Premier League goals this campaign, with a remarkable nine arriving after his exclusion from the Three Lions camp.

Across all competitions, that tally rises to 11 strikes, edging past the 10 goals managed by Kane over the exact same timeframe.

This impressive domestic output extends seamlessly into European competition, helping guide the West Midlands outfit towards the Europa League final.

“I had a slow start to the season, picking up a few niggles on international duty and then being left out of the England squad,” Watkins explained.

“I think it gave me that fire in my belly to come back and prove to people what I can do.”

Teammates back international credentials

Club captain John McGinn has been effusive in his praise for the revitalised frontman following his match-winning performance against the Reds.

The Scottish midfielder noted that while the initial international snub was difficult to process, it has ultimately provoked the perfect reaction.

“We’re so fortunate to have him, what he’s done for this club the past few seasons has been incredible,” stated McGinn.

“I think he may have just snuck his way onto that plane.”

European glory awaits in Istanbul

The immediate reward for this sensational purple patch could be a historic continental triumph against Freiburg on Wednesday evening.

Victory in Istanbul would secure a first major trophy in 30 years for the ambitious Premier League side.

While the long-term ambition remains securing the primary backup role to Kane at the upcoming tournament in North America, adding a European medal to his collection will only strengthen an already compelling case.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has revealed how a disjointed high defensive line allowed his side to secure a 4-2 victory over Liverpool at Villa Park on Friday.

The England international scored twice during a challenging night for the Merseyside club.

Defeat means the visitors missed a crucial opportunity to confirm their qualification for next season’s Champions League.

Morgan Rogers opened the scoring for the hosts before the away side temporarily equalised early in the second half.

However, a subsequent defensive collapse saw the visitors concede three further goals, including a spectacular long-range strike from John McGinn.

Targeting defensive vulnerabilities

The four goals shipped in the West Midlands mean Liverpool have now conceded 52 times during the current campaign.

This defensive tally is already 11 goals worse than their entire record last season, with one fixture still remaining.

The prolific forward boasts an exceptional personal record against the Reds, registering eight goals in just 12 career appearances.

Speaking after the match, the 28-year-old explained exactly why he finds it so straightforward to exploit space behind the opposition’s defence.

“Liverpool play a high line and don’t play offside so they’re disjointed at the back and feel like there’s a lot of space for me to run into,” Watkins told Sky Sports.
“No disrespect to them, the centre backs are world class but I spot space and opportunities.”

Capitalising on tight decisions

The Villa hitman admitted frustration at an earlier offside flag but quickly made amends alongside his attacking partners.

He praised a strong on-pitch connection with Rogers, which immediately resulted in a decisive close-range finish.

“Just before the goal, I was disappointed because I went offside, they play such a high line,” he added.
“I shouldn’t be offside in that position but to grab that goal a minute later, me and Morgan have a great connection.”

The striker also noted his relief when a Video Assistant Referee check ruled in his favour for a tap-in, following an initial missed attempt by teammate Pau Torres.

Francis Ngannou believes he is defending his status as the lineal heavyweight MMA world champion when he makes his return against Philipe Lins in California this Saturday.

The 39-year-old vacated his championship in 2023 at the peak of his career and has secured one mixed martial arts victory in the PFL since his highly publicised departure.

Despite Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall claiming UFC gold during his absence, the Cameroonian fighter is still widely regarded as the premier heavyweight on the planet.

Standing firm against the UFC

“I never lost the UFC title but I didn’t lose the PFL title either.”

Francis Ngannou

The fearsome striker described the conclusion of his tenure with the world’s largest MMA promotion as a horrible experience marked by a bitter fallout with president Dana White.

He is now scheduled to feature on the upcoming MVP-Netflix card, an event highlighted by Ronda Rousey returning to the cage after a decade away.

“The contracts are not fair – they give all the rights to the promoter and don’t protect the fighter.”

Francis Ngannou

Paving a lucrative alternative path

Breaking away from the traditional combat sports model allowed the heavyweight powerhouse to secure massive paydays in the boxing ring against both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

He hopes the MVP venture, spearheaded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, can successfully challenge the established monopoly and offer fighters a legitimate financial alternative.

“The fighters are just an asset and they can get rid of you when they want. If you don’t fight you don’t get paid and you have no right to do anything else.”

Francis Ngannou

“If someone asks my advice I would say ‘stand your ground and believe in yourself’.”

Francis Ngannou

Keeping the boxing door open

Paul recently revealed that his own boxing future remains uncertain as he continues recovering from a broken jaw sustained against Joshua last December.

While the American promoter considers his medical options, Ngannou remains open to a potential crossover bout despite rejecting a similar offer last year.

“I didn’t say I want to fight Jake Paul. I said if he keeps insisting then…”

Francis Ngannou

World number one Jannik Sinner holds a narrow advantage over Daniil Medvedev in a deciding set before rain forced the suspension of their compelling Italian Open semi-final.

The 24-year-old leaned heavily on his racquet for support and required a medical timeout for thigh treatment during a gruelling third set.

Despite these obvious physical issues, the top seed carved out a 6-2 5-7 4-2 lead before deteriorating weather pushed the match’s conclusion to Saturday.

Momentum swings in Rome

The home favourite initially looked poised to steamroller his opponent after imperiously racing into a 4-0 advantage to secure the opening set.

However, the resilient Russian capitalised on a noticeable drop in Sinner’s energy levels to establish a commanding 3-0 lead in the second set.

Sinner displayed tremendous grit to hold a lengthy fourth game, briefly preventing the match from slipping further away before breaking back.

Medvedev maintained relentless pressure and eventually converted a crucial break point while the Italian served to stay in the set.

This pivotal break marked the first dropped set for the world number one in this year’s tournament.

Record in sight as rain falls

Aiming to extend his remarkable record of ATP Masters 1000 victories to 33, Sinner dug deep to secure a vital break in the third game of the decider.

A long backhand from his opponent prompted a passionate roar from the Italian, but the looming storm ultimately halted proceedings.

In the opposite side of the draw, Casper Ruud emphatically booked his place in a maiden Italian Open final.

The Norwegian outclassed local hope Luciano Darderi with a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 triumph in another rain-interrupted encounter.

Speaking after his victory, Norway’s Ruud highlighted the importance of his tournament pedigree against a less experienced opponent.

“It’s my 10th semi-final I think in a Masters 1000 and it was his first so you try to use that experience to your advantage and I think I did that well today.”

Casper Ruud

“He was maybe a little bit stressed, a little bit nervous of the occasion, but I tried to stay focused and kind of in my own tunnel vision.”

Authorities have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in Kentucky in connection with the shooting of Missouri football star Ahmad Hardy at an outdoor concert in Mississippi last Sunday.

Rashodrick Harris, originally from Wayne County, was taken into custody in Paducah on Thursday evening and is currently awaiting extradition.

Sergeant Macon Davis of the Laurel Police Department confirmed that the apprehended individual faces two charges of aggravated assault.

Recovery and investigation details

The All-American running back sustained a gunshot wound to his upper leg while attending an event at a Laurel bike club, located approximately 90 minutes from his hometown.

Following surgery in his home state, the Doak Walker Award finalist was medically cleared to return to Columbia on Wednesday to commence his rehabilitation process.

Law enforcement officials utilized security footage from the venue to identify the alleged shooter, successfully securing an arrest warrant after conducting a key witness interview.

While three other individuals initially questioned as persons of interest have been released without charge, investigators note that further arrests remain a distinct possibility.

Draft prospects and playing status

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz has stated that the standout player’s availability for the upcoming college football season remains highly uncertain.

The dynamic offensive weapon delivered an exceptional campaign for the Tigers last year, amassing 1,649 rushing yards to rank second across the entire Football Bowl Subdivision.

His impressive haul of 16 touchdowns was instrumental in guiding the university programme to an 8-5 record, which culminated in a Gator Bowl appearance.

Prior to this violent incident, numerous NFL mock drafts had projected the 205-pound athlete as the premier running back prospect available for next April’s professional selection process.

World number one Scottie Scheffler has described the pin placements at the PGA Championship as “absurd” after battling extremely difficult conditions during his second round at Aronimink Golf Club.

The two-time Masters champion carded a one-over-par round on Friday to sit at two under heading into the weekend.

Strong winds gusting up to 20mph combined with a severe course setup by the PGA of America to create a gruelling test for the entire field in Pennsylvania.

‘Craziest pins I’ve seen’

The American star was left in complete disbelief upon reaching the par-three 14th green.

Organisers had positioned the flag on top of a sharp spine, leaving players with a remarkably small landing area to keep their golf balls close to the hole.

“That was one of the craziest pins I’ve seen,” Scheffler said.

“They put the pin on like this microphone, like it was just like a high point. I hadn’t seen anything like it.”

Despite the punishing layout, the 28-year-old managed to scramble for what he described as an extremely good par on his fifth hole of the day.

Comparisons to brutal Shinnecock

The current FedEx Cup champion even consulted Justin Rose’s caddie, Mark Fulcher, to ask if he had ever encountered a similar challenge on the circuit.

They concluded the extreme conditions mirrored Shinnecock Hills, a notoriously unforgiving venue set to host next month’s US Open.

“This is the hardest set of pin locations that I’ve seen since I’ve been on Tour, and that includes US Opens, that includes Oakmont.”

Scottie Scheffler

He noted that dramatic slopes and high winds made it exceptionally difficult to convert putts, leading to scores hovering remarkably close to par across the leaderboard.

A ‘different’ kind of test

While the reigning Olympic gold medallist stopped short of calling the Aronimink setup explicitly unfair, he admitted the experience was not entirely enjoyable.

“I truly believe they could have the winning score be whatever they want it to be,” he explained.

“Is that the best test? Who knows. It’s a different test.”

Meanwhile, fellow American Chris Gotterup defied the brutal conditions to shoot a five-under 65.

However, even the current round leader agreed that the pin positions bordered on the impossible, contributing to painstakingly slow rounds extending past five hours.

The NCAA has permanently banned former Abilene Christian basketball player Airion Simmons for allegedly conspiring with sports bettors to fix a game in March 2024.

According to the Division I Committee on Infractions, the former Wildcats forward colluded with a teammate to intentionally underperform in exchange for cash.

In January, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania indicted the collegiate athlete alongside two bettors on charges including bribery, fraud, and conspiracy.

Lucrative point-shaving operation

The wider gambling scheme involved fixers recruiting athletes with promises of significant payouts to purposely lose matches.

Authorities stated these illicit gamblers would then place wagers against the compromised teams to defraud sportsbooks.

During a December interview, the disgraced player confessed to NCAA investigators that he was approached by multiple individuals seeking to manipulate the result.

Dallas parking lot payoff

The plot unraveled when a transfer student reported the attempted corruption to university officials in September.

This whistleblower revealed he was pressured during a video call with the accused conspirators to join the illicit enterprise.

To facilitate the fix, the Texas-based athlete leveraged a legitimate hand injury and offered to intentionally play poorly for an agreed $3,500 fee.

After featuring for just 11 minutes before exiting the court, he collected his illicit earnings from a contact in a Dallas parking lot.

The governing body confirmed he kept the entirety of the cash payout rather than distributing it among his co-conspirators.

Wider NCAA gambling crackdown

While he initially agreed to be questioned by investigators, the former student-athlete ultimately declined to participate further in the disciplinary process.

This permanent suspension follows a similar ruling last month where two former Fordham University basketball players were banished for their involvement in the same nationwide point-shaving scandal.

The Colorado Avalanche will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Western Conference finals, starting on 20 May, as both recent champions battle for a place in the Stanley Cup Final.

Both franchises have lifted the famous trophy this decade, with Denver celebrating in 2022 before the Nevada-based outfit triumphed a year later.

The Central Division winners dominated the regular season to claim the Presidents’ Trophy with a staggering 121 points.

They are now aiming to become the first team since the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 to translate regular-season supremacy into ultimate playoff glory.

MacKinnon leads relentless Denver attack

Scoring depth has been a hallmark of the top seed’s postseason run after swiftly eliminating the Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild.

An incredible 17 different players have found the back of the net for the franchise across just nine playoff outings.

Star forward Nathan MacKinnon has been the primary offensive catalyst, producing an astonishing 1.44 points-per-game average this spring.

Goaltender Scott Wedgewood has provided vital stability at the other end of the rink, boasting a 2.21 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

Vegas rely on Marner’s playoff brilliance

The Pacific Division champions have established an impressive postseason pedigree, reaching this stage for the fifth time since their inception.

To reach the final four, they overcame both the Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks in hard-fought six-game series.

Much of their offensive success has flowed through Mitch Marner, who currently leads all playoff scorers with an impressive 18 points.

History slightly favours the bookmakers’ underdogs in this specific matchup, as they defeated their upcoming opponents during a second-round series in 2021.

Western Conference finals schedule