The Reds will take disciplinary matters into their own hands through the final fortnight of the season in a push to eliminate the yellow cards which have hampered their season.

Jordan Petaia and Taniela Tupou were both shown yellow cards for harmless, albeit illegal, tackles in the borderline unwatchable loss to the Blues on Friday.

Queensland’s opponent this Friday, the Rebels, are one of just three teams that have been shown more yellow cards this season and Caleb Timu admitted it was an area his side had addressed in Monday’s review.

“It was frustrating and we didn’t help our cause – we didn’t play our best footy – but those yellow cards really hurt us,” Timu said.

“They scored two tries or something and in those conditions we weren’t able to come back.

“We need to fix that and finish strong these two home games.”While inconsistency across referee and TMO decisions alike are rife across Super Rugby, ensuring officials don’t have any material to work with is key.

“Obviously those two cards were both for dangerous tackles and individually we need to work on that,” Timu said.

“We need to be better so we don’t give those penalties away – especially yellow cards – it just hurts us so that’s definitely a work on.

“If we tackled well and didn’t lift and didn’t just dive at the ankles we wouldn’t be in that situation.

“It’s on our part as well – not just the refs.

“It’s just a work on individually that we need to get right and sharpen up on.”

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While discipline is rarely an issue for Timu, the two Test Wallaby is relishing the challenge of going toe-to-toe with star Rebels No. 8 Amanki Mafi.The Japan international demands the ball each and every start and that’s an element of his game Timu admires, having had a rather quiet start to his career in Wallaby gold.

“Definitely – it’s a different kind of structure that we play here so it’s just about adapting to the game style and trying to inject myself a bit more,” Timu said.

“For me it was quite new but being able to be flexible and adapt is something that I need to work on – especially in that setup.”

If Timu is able to force his way back into the Reds starting XV and put his hand up for the kind of carries he produced in the second half against the Blues, Queensland will be on their way to a return to the winners circle.

“We want to finish the year strong with two wins and that’s what we are aiming to do,” he said.

“We need to play well in order to do that against a good Rebels team.

“We go into each game wanting to win but especially being at home we really want to finish strong and give our fans a good spectacle.

“We want to perform, play well and defend well and hopefully get the result.”

The Reds face the Rebels at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and RUGBY.com.au radio.

Wallabies halfback Will Genia is as happy as anyone to hear of Quade Cooper slogging it out on his first day as a Melbourne Rebel and backed him to push his Test case in 2019.

Cooper fronted up for his first day at AAMI Park on Monday, a far cry from this time last year when he was told by Queensland coach Brad Thorn he would not be required in 2019.

Instead of heading to Super Rugby training, the mercurial playmaker plied his trade with Premier Rugby club Souths.

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It’s a stint he said earlier on Monday had refreshed him, taking him out of the “system” for the first time in a decade.

Genia has been open about his desire to reunite with Cooper, long before his Rebels deal was signed and sealed.

The pair combined for a Super Rugby championship with Queensland in 2011 but haven’t played at the same club since 2015.

Both had stints overseas before Cooper returned to Queensland in 2017 and Genia signed with Melbourne for the 2018 season.

Cooper hasn’t played Test rugby since 2016 and Wallabies coaches have been adamant he wouldn’t be considered from club rugby.

While Genia and Cooper haven’t spoken recently with the former on Spring stout, the scrum half said he was glad to see his old mate settled, backing him to work his way back into international contention.

“Really glad, just from the perspective that he’s one of my mates to see that he’s going to be contributing at that level again and hopefully be pushing to be at this level again because he’s that quality of a player,” he said.

“Would’ve been a tough slog first day back into preseason – very different to Souths I’d imagine but I’m really happy for him.

“I just saw the boys had a pretty tough first day fitness testing and that sort of stuff but he’s always generally quite strong and fit, so he would’ve been fine.”

Cooper has signed a one year deal with the Rebels but his future beyond 2019 is unclear.

The Wallabies take on England at Twickenham on Saturday November 24, kicking off at 3pm local, Sunday 2am AEDT, LIVE on beIN Sports and SBS.

Brumbies captain Christian Lealiifano has expressed his disappointment at the handling of Stephen Larkham’s Wallabies axing but both he and ACT coach Dan McKellar backed the legendary 10 to return to the national fold.

Lealiifano was one of four Super Rugby captains gathered at Tuesday’s competition launch and though round one is just 10 days away, the shadow of Larkham’s axing dominated the conversation around the event.

Speaking to media on Monday, Rugby AU CEO Raelene Castle said Wallabis coach Michael Cheika had proposed the move to axe Larkham over differences of opinion in attacking strategy during last year’s season review but the move was not finalised until this week.

  LARKHAM SACKED AS WALLABIES ASSISTANT

Lealiifano, for whom Larkham has been a long-time mentor, said the news came as a major surprise to him.

“Shocked and probably a little bit disappointed how it’s all gone down,” he said.

“I feel for him, obviously I’ve had him as a coach at the Brumbies and done a little bit of work with him in the Wallabies setup but I’m hoping that he’s okay and he gets to continually develop and grow with how he wants to.

“I think nobody knew what was happening after reviews and all that kind of stuff so right now I feel like an outsider looking in, I haven’t been inside that setup for almost three years now, but it probably dragged on a bit and we didn’t know what was happening.

“(We) probably still don’t know what’s happening with most of the staff there but that’s probably all I can say about that is just how long it took for them to get an outcome or result.

“It’s come around the week before Super Rugby starts, so it’s not ideal but hopefully we can shift our focus into Super Rugby starting now and move forward.”

Both Lealiifano and Larkham’s long-time Brumbies deputy Dan McKellar backed Larkham to return to the national fold.

Asked if felt Larkham should still be considered a future Wallabies coach, McKellar said: “100 per cent.”

“He was very good in the time that I worked with him as head coach of the Brumbies, he’s very calm, composed, very measured in his approach deep thinker who knows the game so well,” McKellar added.

“I think his future in Super Rugby, Test rugby whatever it might be, there’s many more years ahead of him.”

WALLABIES PLAYERS REACT

Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper said there were no outward signs of disharmony between Larkham and Cheika despite the former citing “differences in attacking strategy and overall game philosophy” in a release about his axing.

“One of the parts of our team is having aligned conflict,” he said.

“If everyone’s saying yes, then we’re not getting the right result.

“I know last year wasn’t great results but there was guys who were invested and wanting to see the best for the team and voicing their opinions.

“You’d have to ask them what it was like behind closed doors but it was always put out to the team as an aligned group when it was presented.”

Test centre Samu Kerevi said he wasn’t expecting the news of Larkham’s departure.

“I was pretty surprised, I didn’t know that was going to happen,” he said.

“We didn’t see much of it in camp, everything was all good in camp. It’s sad to see, especially myself, I worked closely with Bernie in the backline and the rest of us so he’ll be sorely missed.

“My  focus on Reds right now and obviously when the Wallabies comes around, focus on that.”

LARKHAM’S REPLACEMENT

Rugby AU CEO Raelene Castle ruled out raiding a Super Rugby club for a replacement for Larkham but confirmed that they would be aiming to install someone in the coming months.

“Our preference is not to disturb Super Rugby, they’re happy with their coaching structures,” she said.

“We think it’s important we give them the best chance of being focused on performing in Super Rugby this year so we’ll be looking for someone outside Super.”

While Castle said Rugby AU had identified some potential candidates, the process of hiring a new face wouldn’t ramp up until new director of rugby Scott Johnson arrives in Australia next month.

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They have a star-studded attack but it’s defence that has pleased Rebels coach Dave Wessels most in their 2-0 start to the season.

Wessels admitted his side “got out of jail” in a 24-19 win over the Highlanders, he was happy with his side’s 

“I think the thing that made me most pleased was our defence, they had 81 per cent of possession in the second half, we only conceded two linebreaks.

“It’s defence we’re most proud of at the moment and that’s coupled with the capacity that guys have worked hard on in the off-season.

“The guys have been able to work for long periods with intensity and that’s coming through in our defence.

“While we definitely want to be a team that attacks, it’s defence that makes you consistently competitive.”

The Rebels attack has been tweaked in 2019, with the Melbourne side playing an intense, flat structure somewhat evocative of the Brumbies under Jake White, a side with which Wessels also made his Australian coaching start.

Wessels said, though,  it was a case of building a system for the cattle he had after an inconsistent attack in 2018.

“We were quite inconsistent at the end of the year, there were some good moments but there were moments where we were not playing at our best,” he said.

So, we’ve been trying to build some philosophies to give us some of those good moments more often.

“What we have now has really come out of this group, we tailor it to the players we have and it’s enabled us to recruit quite specifically for certain types of players.”

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One of the players that fits right into Wessels’ system on both sides of the ball is workhorse lock Luke Jones, whose combination with Matt Philip is already becoming a threatening one.

“Luke Jones, he’s got a huge workrate, he’s good in contact and he’s also very good in the lineout so it’s very handy to have that clarity to build all parts of our program,” he said.

The Rebels coach will have some selection headaches this week with Campbell Magnay adding to the glut of midfield options

Billy Meakes and Tom English have combined well in the centres in the first two matches but Wallaby Reece Hodge will be pushing for a start and Wessels said Magnay was also in that frame.

“We definitely see Campbell as a specialist centre, he’s a very athletic guy, 106kg surprisingly athletic, and the  exciting thing is he’s still young.

“Billy and Engo are working well together. That means guys have to compete to try and get in there.

“The whole level of training and competition goes up which can only be a good thing.”

The Rebels host the Brumbies on Saturday night at AAMI Park, kicking off at 7:45pm AEDT, LIVE on FOX SPORTS and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.

It didn’t take long for Corey LewandowskiCorey R. LewandowskiThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump heads to California The Hill’s Morning Report – What is Trump’s next move on Iran? Democrats headed for a subpoena showdown with White House MORE’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to devolve into chaos.

Lewandowski, a former aide and confidant to President TrumpDonald John TrumpBusiness, ballots and battling opioids: Why the Universal Postal Union benefits the US Sanders supporters cry foul over Working Families endorsement of Warren California poll: Biden, Sanders lead Democratic field; Harris takes fifth MORE, refused to answer questions about his appearances in former special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerFox’s Cavuto roasts Trump over criticism of network Mueller report fades from political conversation Trump calls for probe of Obama book deal MORE’s report and repeatedly tangled with Democrats looking to confront him.

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Rep. Steve CohenStephen (Steve) Ira CohenTrump probes threaten to overshadow Democrats’ agenda Ocasio-Cortez renews impeachment call amid probe involving Trump’s Scotland property The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump digs in on Hurricane Dorian projection MORE (D-Tenn.) called Trump’s former campaign manager a “loyal soldier” who “chickened out” of carrying through with the president’s orders, while Rep. Hakeem JeffriesHakeem Sekou JeffriesWords matter, except to Democrats, when it involves impeaching Trump Democrats face key moment on impeachment drive Top House Democrat walks back remarks contradicting Judiciary on impeachment inquiry MORE (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, claimed the witness was there to “participate in a cover-up.”

Rep. Hank JohnsonHenry (Hank) C. JohnsonThe United States broken patent system is getting worse Why target Tucker Carlson? It’s part of the left’s war on the right The Hill’s Morning Report – How will Trump be received in Dayton and El Paso? MORE (D-Ga.) topped them all by comparing the questioning of Lewandowski to the cleaning of a fish.

“Lewandowski, you are like a fish being cleaned with a spoon — very hard to get a clean answer from you,” he said.

Lewandowski was one of three witnesses the panel had hoped to speak to on Tuesday, but was the only one to show up.

He’s the first witness to appear as part of Judiciary’s probe into possible obstruction of justice by Trump, which meant he did make a form of history on Tuesday.

Democrats focused much of their questioning on Trump’s request that Lewandowski deliver a 2017 letter to then-Attorney General Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsDemocrats headed for a subpoena showdown with White House House Democrats seeking Sessions’s testimony in impeachment probe McCabe’s counsel presses US attorney on whether grand jury decided not to indict MORE asking that Sessions set new limits on Mueller’s probe. They see it as a key part of their case that Trump obstructed justice by interfering with Mueller.

In response, Lewandowski said a vacation with his family prevented him from relaying the message to Sessions.

Lewandowski, who pledged in his opening statement to be cooperative and forthright, repeatedly declined to answer questions about conversations with the president and repeatedly pointed to White House claims of executive privilege — even though he never worked in the White House.

The White House had asked Lewandowski, who is mulling a Senate campaign in New Hampshire, to only discuss matters that are laid out in the publicly released version of the Mueller report.

Lewandowski, who has been steadfastly loyal to Trump inside and outside his political operation, went beyond that request by declining to discuss his conversations with the president and at times stating that his memory needed to be refreshed.

When Lewandowski did provide answers, it was at the defense of Trump.

“The president never asked me to do anything illegal,” Lewandowski told Cohen, though he did confirm his involvement in relaying the message to Sessions. 

He also claimed that the Mueller probe, which did not find sufficient evidence to determine members of the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, was a crime in and of itself.

“I think that this fake Russia collusion narrative is the greatest crime committed against the American people in our generation, if not ever,” Lewandowski said after a GOP member gave him the floor to describe the consequences of the Mueller probe. “Members of certain bodies refuse to accept those election results.”

Lewandowski, who quickly earned the praise of Trump on Twitter, also used the spotlight to tease his potential Senate run.

During a mid-afternoon break in the hearing, he announced the launch of a new website in a tweet. The site included photos of Lewandowski and Trump, with the president offering the testimonial “I think Corey would be fantastic” for the Senate race.  

The president later tweeted a video of Lewandowski’s performance, something that looked like an endorsement of what he had seen.

Republicans on the panel described the hearing as both partisan and trivial.

Rep. Doug CollinsDouglas (Doug) Allen CollinsJustice OIG completes probe on FBI surveillance of ex-Trump campaign aide Hillicon Valley: Lawmakers ramp up Silicon Valley antitrust probe | Treasury sanctions North Korean cyber groups | Thiel to host Kobach fundraiser House antitrust panel seeks internal records from Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook MORE (Ga.), the panel’s top Republican, moved to adjourn after claiming that Chairman Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerGraham promises Kavanaugh will not be impeached over ‘scurrilous’ allegations Judiciary Committee chairman Nadler dismisses Kavanaugh impeachment calls Nadler: Trump impeachment needed ‘to vindicate the Constitution’ MORE (D-N.Y.) had violated the committee’s rules by using more than five minutes for his questioning. Democrats said that was because of Lewandowski’s stalling.

GOP members also accused Democrats of failing to prioritize other important matters.

“It is a shame you are here, Mr. Lewandowski,” said Rep. Matt GaetzMatthew (Matt) GaetzState probes of Google, Facebook to test century-old antitrust laws Five takeaways on Trump’s ouster of John Bolton GOP lawmakers, states back gunmaker in Sandy Hook appeal MORE (R-Fla.), who accused Democrats of seeking to “tar and feather the president.”

Parts of the hearing were difficult to follow as Lewandowski and members repeatedly talked over one another and as members quarreled among themselves. 

Democrats, who planned for Lewandowski to be a hostile witness, did not avoid jumping into the political circus.

“You are not going to stonewall me and my questions,” snapped Rep. David CicillineDavid Nicola CicillineO’Rourke’s debate moment reignites gun debate on Sunday shows Sunday shows – Guns dominate after Democratic debate Cicilline: O’Rourke’s AR-15 comment ‘doesn’t help’ MORE (D-R.I.) after Lewandowski started to read from the Mueller report. 

Cicilline later raised the prospect of holding Lewandowski in contempt, claiming that he had engaged in obstructive behavior. Nadler said he would keep take his proposal under consideration.

“This is the House Judiciary Committee, not a house party,” Lee told Lewandowski.

The hearing attracted a number of well-known people.

David Bossie, who served as Trump’s deputy campaign manager, sat behind Lewandowski during his testimony. Rep. Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsMeadows, Cotton introduce bill to prevent district judges from blocking federal policy changes The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump ousts Bolton; GOP exhales after win in NC Meadows to be replaced by Biggs as Freedom Caucus leader MORE (R-N.C.), who is not a member of the Judiciary Committee, sat with GOP committee members.

Democrats have been divided over their impeachment strategy, with some lawmakers criticizing a process that has left members confused over whether they are in an impeachment process.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPence says it’s ‘vital’ for Congress to pass US-Mexico-Canada trade deal The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump heads to California Obama, Bush among those paying tribute to Cokie Roberts: ‘A trailblazing figure’ MORE (D-Calif.) has avoided formally launching an inquiry, believing it could hurt some swing-district members.

Some Democrats hoped bringing in witnesses like Lewandowski would help build their case, but it wasn’t clear that Tuesday had provided evidence for the theory.

Democrats had hoped to hold a joint hearing with Lewandowski and two former White House aides, Rob Porter and Rick Dearborn. The White House blocked the other two officials from testifying, while setting limitations on Lewandowski’s testimony. 

And even then, Lewandowski proved unwilling to give information that is already public, despite describing himself as an “open book.”

Facebook on Tuesday released the charter for an oversight board that it is creating to review its content moderation decisions amid blowback over how it handles issues like hate speech and political content.

Company CEO Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergOvernight Health Care: Juul’s lobbying efforts fall short as Trump moves to ban flavored e-cigarettes | Facebook removes fact check from anti-abortion video after criticism | Poll: Most Democrats want presidential candidate who would build on ObamaCare Hillicon Valley: Google to promote original reporting | Senators demand answers from Amazon on worker treatment | Lawmakers weigh response to ransomware attacks Facebook removes fact check from anti-abortion video after criticism MORE, who first announced the plans for the board last year, wrote in an open letter on Tuesday that the new body is meant to give users confidence that there is a process in place to protect their free speech rights.

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“If someone disagrees with a decision we’ve made, they can appeal to us first, and soon they will be able to further appeal to this independent board,” Zuckerberg wrote. “The board’s decision will be binding, even if I or anyone at Facebook disagrees with it. The board will use our values to inform its decisions and explain its reasoning openly and in a way that protects people’s privacy.”

The oversight board will be set up like a supreme court for the social network and will be able to overrule the company on content decisions.

“A final decision will include a determination on the content, as well as a corresponding plain language explanation of the board’s rationale,” the charter for Facebook’s oversight board reads. “At the board’s discretion, the final decision may include a policy advisory statement, which will be taken into consideration by Facebook to guide its future policy development.”

Zuckerberg first announced his intention to create an independent board in November 2018, saying that the company alone should not be responsible for creating rules for the speech of its more than 2 billion users. Zuckerberg also called on governments around the world to clarify what constitutes harmful speech that needs to be cracked down on online.

The board will have a maximum of 40 seats, with Facebook selecting some of the first members, who will then help fill out the rest of the board.

Board members will be allowed to stay anonymous if they wish in order to maintain their “safety and independent judgment.” The board will also include smaller panels focusing on specific issues.

The oversight board will be overseen by a trust funded by Facebook that will formally appoint members and ensure that the board is operating in accordance with its charter.

“Building institutions that protect free expression and online communities is important for the future of the internet,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the board evolves.”

Updated at 5:21 p.m.

Senate Republicans are counseling President TrumpDonald John TrumpBusiness, ballots and battling opioids: Why the Universal Postal Union benefits the US Sanders supporters cry foul over Working Families endorsement of Warren California poll: Biden, Sanders lead Democratic field; Harris takes fifth MORE to further analyze the attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities before responding, suggesting a wariness for U.S. military action against Iran.

“We’re not anywhere near that point,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim RischJames (Jim) Elroy RischTrump at a pivotal crossroads on Iran Overnight Defense: Trump says he doesn’t want war with Iran | Pentagon chief calls attack on Saudi oil facilities ‘unprecedented’ | Administration weighs response | 17th US service member killed in Afghanistan this year Bolton exit provokes questions about Trump shift on Iran MORE (R-Idaho) said Tuesday when asked if he’d support a military strike. “We’re still in the analysis situation. The briefing book that’s been put together lays out the facts, and it’s only after the facts are looked at, analyzed, conclusions reached that decisions will be made.”

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The comments Tuesday came as the Trump administration provided senators a briefing book on the attacks to review inside a secure room in the Senate basement and as Vice President Pence briefed Republicans on the situation at their weekly caucus lunch.

Senators also expect a closed-door briefing as soon as Wednesday, though it has not been officially announced.

Trump over the weekend raised the prospect of a U.S. military response to attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure by tweeting that the United States was “locked and loaded” and only waiting for more information from the Saudis. He appeared to step back on Monday, telling reporters that he would “certainly like to avoid” war.

Saturday’s attacks on the Khurais oil field and Abqaiq oil processing plant have shut off half of the kingdom’s oil exports, or 5 percent of the world’s supply.

Administration officials, including Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump heads to California Pence says US is ‘locked and loaded’ to defend allies US-Iran next moves — Déjà vu of Obama administration mistakes? MORE, have directly blamed Iran despite the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen taking responsibility.

Trump on Monday refrained from definitively blaming Iran, but said it was “certainly looking” like Iran was responsible.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford told reporters traveling with him in London on Tuesday that the attack was not consistent with previous Houthi attacks in its complexity and precision.

U.S. Central Command is providing the Saudis with forensic expertise as they investigate, said Dunford, who downplayed the possibility of quick military action.

“The president has made it clear he is not looking to go to war,” Dunford said, according to The Washington Post. “Having said that, what we saw was an unacceptable act of aggression. There are a number of ways to deal with that.”

Pompeo departed Tuesday for a trip to Saudi Arabia to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the State Department said. The two are set to discuss the attack and “coordinate efforts to counter Iranian aggression in the region.”

Pence in an address at the Heritage Foundation echoed Trump’s “locked and loaded” remark.

“In the wake of this unprovoked attack, I promise you, we’re ready,” he said. “We’re locked and loaded, and we’re ready to defend the interests of our allies. Make no mistake about it.”

Pence’s message to Republican senators later Tuesday was the need for the United States to “restore deterrence,” but he did not discuss military options, Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamWe’ve lost sight of the real scandal The Hill’s Morning Report – What is Trump’s next move on Iran? The Memo: Times correction gives GOP lifeline in latest Kavanaugh controversy MORE (R-S.C.) told reporters afterward.

Graham has been advocating for a strike on Iranian oil refineries as a reciprocal response, arguing that Trump’s decision to call off a strike in June after Iran shot down a U.S. drone because of concerns about casualties was interpreted by Tehran as weakness.

“Now it’s time to punch them in the face,” Graham said Tuesday. “I’m all for the analysis. Who likes war? Nobody. But you know, that’s what happened in the ’20s and ’30s, nobody wanted to do a damn thing about aggressive behavior coming from evil people. The Iranian regime is pure evil, and their aggressive behavior has no limits.”

Graham added the response should be a “regional approach,” while sidestepping a question on whether the United States should take the lead by saying he would see what Pompeo and military leaders suggest.

Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioCalifornia poll: Biden, Sanders lead Democratic field; Harris takes fifth The 13 Republicans needed to pass gun-control legislation GOP group’s ad calls on Graham to push for election security: ‘Are you still trying?’ MORE (R-Fla.), meanwhile, said he would “potentially” support a U.S. military response.

“It depends about whether it’s part of an overall coherent strategy going forward,” Rubio continued. “I certainly support defending our assets in the region.”

Other Republicans were less inclined to back military action, even as they said the intelligence they reviewed shows Iran was most likely or definitely behind Saturday’s attacks.

“That’d be a good question for Saudi Arabia whether they’re at war with Iran, but they didn’t attack us,” said Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulRand Paul: Almost every mass shooter ‘is sending off signals’ Liz Cheney says world is more stable, ‘safer’ under Trump Sunday shows preview: Democratic candidates make the rounds after debate MORE (R-Ky.), an isolationist who has been fighting hawkish Republicans recently over who aligns more with Trump.

Paul stressed the situation should be thoroughly investigated to determine whether responsibility lies with the Iranian government or a proxy group that acts more independently.

“There’s a lot of questions to ask, and I think we need to see how the investigation goes. Even Saudi Arabia says they’re still investigating it,” he added.

Sen. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold JohnsonDemocratic senator warns O’Rourke AR-15 pledge could haunt party for years Conservatives offer stark warning to Trump, GOP on background checks Hillicon Valley: Google to promote original reporting | Senators demand answers from Amazon on worker treatment | Lawmakers weigh response to ransomware attacks MORE (R-Wis.) said that while the intelligence is “pretty convincing” that Iran is responsible, “let’s verify that and then we’ll talk” about a response. Still, he added later the United States “certainly can’t take” military action “off the table.”

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James InhofeJames (Jim) Mountain InhofeIs the Senate ready to protect American interests in space? Republicans grumble over Trump shifting military funds to wall Gun debate to shape 2020 races MORE (R-Okla.) said he thinks Iran “did it,” but he wasn’t ready to support military action ahead of Trump making a decision on how to respond.

Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyThe Hill’s Morning Report – Trump takes 2020 roadshow to New Mexico The 13 Republicans needed to pass gun-control legislation Bolton returns to political group after exiting administration MORE (R-Utah), who said Iran was “very likely” behind the attack, argued it should be Saudi Arabia’s responsibility to respond.

“The right military response would come from Saudi Arabia,” Romney said. “If we were to play a role, I hope it would be a nonkinetic role. I do not think our military should be involved in kinetic activity at this stage, but look to Saudi Arabia to defend their own nation.”

 

The former Blues shot-stopper has defended the Manchester United star in the wake of yet another questionable Premier League display on a derby day

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is still one of the best in the business despite a frustrating night against Manchester City, according to Joe Hart.

The Spaniard has found himself under the microscope in recent weeks after a string of below-par performances which have cost the Red Devils crucial Premier League points.

He was at fault once again at Old Trafford against the noisy neighbours on Wednesday night, during a 2-0 defeat which has left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men languishing three points behind Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish.

Bernardo Silva gave City the lead after 54 minutes, cutting in onto his left foot just outside the box before beating De Gea at his near post with a low drive.

The United number one was caught out for a second time 10 minutes later after he failed to adequately deal with substitute Leroy Sane’s drilled effort with his feet, abjectly deflecting the ball into the net.

Hart, who was on the books at City between 2006 and 2018, defended De Gea post-match, stating that he is still among the world’s top goalkeepers before backing him to turn his form around.

“He should make that save because it’s his style,” the Burnley ‘keeper said on Sky Sports. 

“He’s top quality at that. He’s just mistimed it. He’s gone to go with the sole of his boot and it’s hit him higher up the leg. His style is to be low down. At the moment it’s not going for him. Nine times out of ten he makes that save.

“He’s a top goalkeeper. I’ve never seen a keeper like him. I love watching him, he’s so brave, you can’t knock him.

“He could pass the ball, make a mistake and concede a goal but he would still be the same goalkeeper, making the same decisions.

“He’s a human being who cares about his football and playing for Manchester United. I’m sure he just wants to get back to the level and be their best player – saving them at every opportunity.”

The Red Devils will now look forward to hosting Chelsea at Old Trafford this Sunday, as they look to halt a poor recent run of seven defeats in nine matches across all competitions.

Solskjaer’s side are in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification, with only three matches of the 2018-19 campaign left to play.

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After their clash with the Blues, United will travel to bottom club Huddersfield, before hosting Cardiff City on the final day of the season.

The Reds’ under-18 captain reflects on his injury hell and his unusual family history ahead of this week’s final with Manchester City

Training rhythms mean Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to make it to the FA Youth Cup final, but Germany will be strongly represented nonetheless.

For Paul Glatzel, captain of Liverpool’s under-18 side, this is the biggest night of his career. A showpiece occasion, in front of a capacity crowd, with silverware on the line. Throw in the fact that it’s Manchester City who stand in the way, and that the game will be played on their home turf, and you have the makings of a very special evening indeed.

“Everyone is buzzing,” says the 18-year-old, who in February signed his first professional contract with Liverpool. “It’s a big tournament, one you look at and want to be part of.

“If we were to win it, it would be unbelievable.”

Glatzel, like many within Barry Lewtas’ side, has been at Liverpool since the age of six – ‘pre-Academy’, they call it here.

As the surname suggests, however, there’s a little more to his story than most.

His parents, Peter and Julia, are from the city of Bochum, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. They came to England looking for work, and initially planned to stay for just a year. The arrival of Paul – pronounced ‘Powell’ – in 2001 meant they made it a permanent home. Paul was born in Liverpool, the family have settled in Parbold, near Wigan, since.

“It’s just me and my parents in England,” says Glatzel. “Everybody else is in Germany so I go back quite a lot to see family. Germany is quite a big part of our family, and I will have a few people over to watch on Thursday. They’re looking forward to it.”

Glatzel, a strong, left-footed forward with the ability to both create and score goals, has represented England as a schoolboy and more recently Germany at under-18 level, but smiles when asked if he has made a decision on where his senior international future may lie.

“I’ll just focus on club football and see where that takes me first,” he says. “And if I have a decision to make in the future I’ll have to make it then.”

If he continues to play as he has this season, you suspect, then that decision will need to be made sooner rather than later. Glatzel’s form has been remarkable, with 28 goals for Liverpool’s under-18, under-19 and under-23 sides. He’s already trained at Melwood with Klopp’s senior squad, and on Thursday could lift the most prestigious trophy in English youth football.

“It’s been everything to me, really,” he says, unable to contain a smile. “In pre-season I was thinking to myself that I just need to keep fit and play as many games as I can. That was my aim.

“To then play games, captain the team and score goals and assist goals and help the team as much as I have, it’s a great feeling. But it is all about the team.”

Glatzel’s story is made all the more impressive by the two years which preceded this one, when his entire career was threatened by injury.

“It was tough,” he says. “I had a hamstring injury at under-16s which went from January to the end of the season.

“Then I was on my way back and then broke my leg, which then put me out for the start of the next season, my first year as a scholar.

“Then I had niggles throughout that season, so I didn’t play as much under Steven [Gerrard] as I would have liked, which was obviously tough because he’s a legend and a role model.

“To not be able to play under him as much as I would have liked was quite tough mentally. But I seem to have come through it quite well, and I think it has shaped me into the player I am.

“Mentally it has helped a lot to know you can overcome those things.”

Glatzel admits there were times when he wondered if his luck was out, but speak to anyone at Liverpool’s Academy – or indeed Gerrard – and they will tell you the faith in his talent and character was always absolute. Lewtas is among his biggest fans, while under-23s coach Neil Critchley has spoken of his “rock solid” mentality.

“The support I had from the staff was great,” Glatzel says. “They were basically telling me that they know what I’m capable of and they know that, when I get back from injury, they believe that I will be able to get back to the same ability that I was before.

“They just told me to focus on my rehab, to get stronger and use it as an advantage in the gym, to be able to come back bigger and stronger.”

He’s done just that. Lewtas had no hesitation making him captain when taking over from Gerrard last summer, and his faith has been rewarded. Glatzel’s partnership with Bobby Duncan, which has yielded 59 goals so far, has been the feature of the season, as far as the under-18s are concerned.

“We both like to score goals but at the end of the day it’s all about the team,” he says. “We both see that, so there is no rivalry.

“We work for the team, all the players work for the team, and it doesn’t matter who scores as long as we are creating chances and winning games.”

He laughs when asked to compare himself to the more extrovert Duncan: “I think I’m a bit more reserved! He likes his social media and all that, but he’s a good lad. We all like him here, we’re mates as well.”

As for Thursday, Glatzel knows a tough test lies in wait. Liverpool beat City when the sides met in the league in October – Duncan scored – but the rivalry between the two teams is fierce, even at this age.

“I think what’s happening with the first-teams gives it an extra edge,” he says. “They are fighting for titles, and we want to be emulate what they are doing. It gives us that push to win titles as well.

“We will be prepared, we will be ready. We want this.”

The Scottish Cup finalists play host to opponents confident they are building towards something positive in the near future

Rangers return to action on Saturday against Hearts at Tynecastle after a week off, but they will not expect an easy ride against the Scottish Cup finalists.

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While Steven Gerrard’s men were working towards the final matches of the campaign, they were forced to watch from afar as the Edinburgh side booked their place in the showpiece event at Hampden next month thanks to a 3-0 win over Inverness.

A victory is essential for the Gers if they are to deny Celtic the chance of winning the league when they tackle Hibs on Sunday.

Game	Hearts vs Rangers
Date	Saturday, April 20
Time	12:00pm BST / 7:00am EST

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In the United States (US), the game can be streamed live online via B/R Live.

US TV channel	Online stream
N/A	B/R Live

In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on Sky Sports Football. It can be streamed via Sky GO Extra.

UK TV channel	Online stream
Sky Sports Football	Sky GO Extra

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Position	Hearts squad
Goalkeepers	Zlamal, Doyle
Defenders	Berra, Souttar, Dikamona, Haring, Hughes, Shaughnessy, Smith, Brandon, Godinho
Midfielders	Djoum, Bozanic, Cochrane, Lee, Martin, Burns, Mulraney, Edwards, Clare
Forwards	Vanecek, MacLean, Wighton, Ikpeazu

Hearts have suffered a double blow this week with the news that Callumn Morrison and the in-form Aidan Kenna have both been ruled out for the season.

Steven Naismith is not expected back in time for the Scottish Cup final, while Ben Garuccio and Demetri Mitchell are both sidelined, too.

Peter Haring and David Vanecek are not given a strong chance of proving their fitness.

Possible Hearts starting XI: Zlamal; Smith, Souttar, Berra, Burns; Lee, Bozanic, Djoum, Mulraney; Clare, Ikpeazu

Position	Rangers squad
Goalkeepers	McGregor, Foderingham, Firth
Defenders	Tavernier, Goldson, Flanagan, Ross McCrorie, Katic,  Barisic, Worrall, McAuley, Wallace, Polster
Midfielders	Dorrans, Jack, Kamara, Halliday, Coulibaly, Arfield, Grezda, Davis
Forwards	Candeias, Defoe, Lafferty, Middleton

Rangers are without star man Alfredo Morelos, who remains banned, as does on-loan Liverpool winger Ryan Kent.

Many of their injury problems have started to clear, though Jamie Murphy remains sidelined. Borna Barisic is unlikely to feature.

Gareth McAuley and Graham Dorrans will be pushing for minutes, though probably not from the start.

Possible Rangers starting XI: McGregor; Tavernier, Katic, Goldson, Flanagan; Jack, Davis, Kamara; Candeias, Defoe, Arfield

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Rangers are favourites to win according to bet365, who give odds of 8/13 on a victory for the Gers. Hearts are rated 9/2 to win and a draw is available at 14/5.

Click here to see more offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more.

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The Scottish Premiership title might be out of reach for Rangers, but for Steven Gerrard it is important that the campaign is finished in as strong a fashion as possible.

The Ibrox club were within touching distance of Celtic at New Year but have since faded badly and find themselves 11 points of their rivals with five matches remaining.

Success in the Scottish Cup and the League Cup has gone by the wayside, too, leading some to question just how successful Gerrard has been in his first season in management, during which he spearheaded the club’s unexpectedly strong European run.

Scott Arfield, who scored his first senior hat-trick as the Gers defeated Motherwell 3-0 a fortnight ago, remains confident that a strong foundation has been put in place to deny Celtic further league success in the years ahead.

“We had a big turnover at the start of the season and in January and it takes time for it all to cement and to get a trophy this year would have been a bonus with the number of players who came in and out,” he told Sky Sports.

“But next season we are definitely there for this, the enthusiasm is there and it has to be because you are representing millions of people around the planet.

“People are going to talk about how many points Celtic have won the league by this year.

“But I think it’s very evident the last two [Old Firm] games particularly the one at Parkhead, the mentality was there… We showed that we are on course for something here.”

Hearts, meanwhile, are one match away from their first silverware since 2012 after booking a Scottish Cup final date with Celtic thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over Inverness at Hampden last weekend.

“We’ve haven’t been in the best of form recently, so it was important to play with a calmness and clear heads,” Levein told BBC Scotland.

“Once we got in front, I thought we were comfortable.”

Since, the Jambos boss has been frustrated by reports linking defender John Souttar to Rangers in the summer, describing it as “the usual crap”.

“I’m not sure John would want to go there,” he added.

Gerrard & Co. will be eager to ensure Levein regrets those words come full-time.