The defender has played 11 games since moving to the Red Devils last year and big things are expected of him at Old Trafford

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot surprised his former side Fintas Football School with a new team bus from his first wage packet at the Red Devils.

The full-back left Fintas when he was nine, yet has maintained strong links with the club ever since, so much so that he felt it was time to repay them for the small part they played in his footballing development.

Dalot joined Porto from Fintas and matured into one of the best young full-backs in Europe, with hiis superb performances in Portugal leading United to sign him last summer for £19m ($25m).

The youngster has struggled with injury since moving to the Red Devils, but with Antonio Valencia’s contract set to expire at the end of the season and Ashley Young turning 34 in the summer, it is thought he will play a bigger role in the years to come at Old Trafford.

Despite Dalot’s remarkable rise, he remains humble and has not forgotten his roots, and gifting the bus to Fintas could have huge long-term benefits for the club.

“We spoke to Diogo by Skype. He was on the [Manchester United] coach on his way to the match,” Luís Travassos, coordinator of the institution, told A Bola.

“He told us to go outside, where we found a bus for the club. It was certainly a shock! He prepared everything secretly, and saved a part of his first salary in England for the surprise.

“To us, an institution with so many financial problems and so little resources, the gift was enormous. Every bit of help we receive is wonderful.”

Dalot will be hoping Liverpool feel equally as charitable when they come to Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Red Devils are in a superb run of form and have won eight out of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first nine league matches in charge.

The upturn in results has seen United overtake Arsenal and Chelsea in their march towards the Champions League spots.

A win against their old rivals on Sunday would further help Dalot and his team-mates’ hopes of finishing in the top four and would also put a serious dent in Liverpool’s title hopes.

A Jordan Jackson-Hope double helped the Brumbies to a 59-0 win over the Australian Barbarians that kicked off their preseason in style.

Three tries in the opening quarter set the tone for the Brumbies, who had the say over proceedings from the opening whistle, on their way to eight tries.

Kiwi recruit Wharenui Hawera had a promising debut at flyhalf, teaming up with new Brumbies inside centre Kyle Godwin in the playmaking spots.

Josh Mann-Rea crossed seven minutes into the second, collecting a Ben Alexander pass to notch a highlight for the front rowers and stretch the margin to 26 points, a gap that remained until half-time.

The Brumbies coughed up three penalties in six minutes to open the third quarter but the Barbarians couldn’t make them pay, making their own errors with the ball in hand.

A yellow card for Brumbies backrower Jordan Smiler gave the Barbarians a one-man advantage but still they were unable to break their duck, though battled hard against the Super Rugby side.

Both sides went scoreless in that term, leaving a 26-point margin for the Barbarians to scale in the last, a mission too far for the NRC stars.

A dominant scrum handed the Brumbies a penalty try to open up the scoring floodgates once again, with youngster Jordan Jackson-Hope taking off with the ball to score his side’s fifth of the match and the first of his two tries for the game.

Three tries in the final five minutes blew the score out to beyond 50, with Ben Hyne, Jamie Kotz and Jackson-Hope all notching five pointers.

Rising star Lausii Taliuali came off with a leg injury partway through the second quarter, replaced by youngster Kotz.

FINAL SCORE

Brumbies 59

Tries: Jackson-Hope 2, Muirhead,  Alcock, Toua, Mann-Rea, Penalty, Hyne, Kotz, Cons: Hawera 3, Thompson 2, Speight

Yellow card: Jordan Smiler 

Barbarians 0

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Former Wallabies skipper Phil Kearns says the ARU should be ‘panicking’ about potential legal action from the Rebels as the Super Rugby aga continues to drag on.

The Rebels released an extraordinary statement about the process last Friday night, signalling their anger over a number of factors, including a claim that the ARU failed to mention they believed the five-team model was unsustainable when they sold the franchise in 2015.

When announcing Australia would be cutting one of the Rebels or the Force last week, ARU chairman Cameron Clyne said they felt the model was financially unviable almost as soon as it came to fruition.

Kearns, also experienced in the corporate world, speaking on FOX SPORTS’ Kick and Chase, said he would be seriously worried if he were in the ARU’s position on Friday night.

“If I was in the ARU’s shoes I’d probably be panicking,” he said.

“If I was in the shoes of Andrew Cox and the Rebels owners I’d be saying, “Game on boys, let’s go down this (legal) path  because we’ve been sold something which they (The ARU) knew, that they’ve said knowingly since, that’s incorrect’.

“When you sell something generally, you make certain representations and warranties that what you are selling is actually true, and you make sure it’s actually true.

“Well, it wasn’t true, we’ve had that admitted to us now and tha’ts partly what the Rebels will claiming if there is any court action.”

Meanwhile, the fact that the issue has still not been resolved has not surprised Brumbies flanker Scott Fardy, who took aim at SANZAAR’s ‘faceless men’ on Tuesday.

“It’s disappointing it’s taken this long but is anyone surprised? This is the game we’re in, it’s been like this for a long time,” he said.

“The officialdom in this game has always been like that.”

While the ARU has come under fire for their handling of the process, the Test backrower said Super Rugby’s governing body lacked a public face.

“Obviously everyone looks at the ARU at the moment but you wouldn’t know who the head of SANZAAR is at any point – I wouldn’t know what he looks like,” Fardy said.

“In other sports, especially in Australia, you have a head we can look at. In SANZAAR rugby we don’t know who is running it.

“It’s faceless men in suits in board rooms.”

Fardy, who is leaving the Brumbies at the end of the season to join Irish powerhouse Leinster, said he felt for Force and Rebels players, as well as others affected by a moratorium on contract talks for non-Wallabies.

“It’s guys’ livelihoods,” Fardy said.

“It’s incredibly tough for players to have go through that.”

He said he supported the Rugby Union Players’ Association’s position of backing five Australian teams, but accepted Super Rugby needed structural change.

“I’m hoping that with all that stuff we get change so we’re not having these conversations in five or ten years’ time,” Fardy said.

“Hopefully we see changes for the benefit of rugby and this competition gets better from it.”

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Catch Kick and Chase every Tuesday night on FOX SPORTS ONE 501 at 6:30pm and 8:30pm AEST.

Just when it seemed the Reds’ preseason couldn’t get more bizarre, there are reports out of Japan that George Smith was arrested after a drunken incident on New Year’s Eve.

According to Japanese news outlet the Yomiuri Shimbun, Smith was arrested shortly after midnight on December 31 after refusing to pay a cab fare, fleeing and then punching the taxi driver.

Smith was reportedly chased multiple times by the driver before his arrest and while the 37-year-old has denied the allegations, his club, Suntory Sungoliath, have confirmed the reports.

“It is true that George Smith, under contract to our rugby team, has been arrested,” Suntory said in a statement.
“We issue a heartfelt apology to the victim, as well as other related people, as well as to the many people who have worried and been caused problems by this.”

It is the latest twist in an already bizarre preseason for the Reds.

Fans have already dealt with another Karmichael Hunt saga and are also coming to terms with news both Quade Cooper and Nick Frisby will not be part of the squad in 2018.

A Rugby Australia spokesman said the governing body was investigating reports of the incident.

“Rugby Australia are investigating reports of an incident involving George Smith in Japan,” the spokesman said.

“We have no further comment at this time.”

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Kurtley Beale says he’s keen to move on from a controversial Crusaders loss, as the Waratahs turn their focus to the Highlanders.

Beale was struck in the throat by Crusaders prop Joe Moody t in the 35th minute of their 31-29 loss to the Crusaders, an incident for which the Crusaders prop has since been suspended for two matches.

The centre said he didn’t think to tell the referee about the hit at the time and was just trying to move on from the moment, with no ill-effects lingering.

It got me in the jaw a bit, in the neck but in the heat of the battle I had to continue on the next job and that’s what I did,” he said.

SANZAAR’s refereeing panel for the Christchurch game was an all-Kiwi panel, sparking discussions about whether there should be more effort made to ensure there are independent referees officiating matches.

Former Wallabies and Waratahs backrower Stephen Hoiles said on FOX SPORTS that Australian sides needed to be craftier on the field and push the envelope with the laws, with a trend of New Zealand teams seemingly playing on the edge.

Beale said players couldn’t be drawn into that conversation, though.

”As a player, it’s a matter of knowing your job out there and making sure that you’re just focusing on the present and not worrying too much about the decisions or outcomes of a decision and as a squad that’s what we focus on,” he said.

“If you get too caught up in that sort of stuff you lose focus and you won’t be able to get the outcome you want in certain things.”

Beale said the fact the controversy hadn’t distracted them was a sign of the development of the Waratahs this season.

“I don’t think we have been caught up in it, which is a really sign of the maturity of the group,” he said.

“Michael (Hooper) handled it pretty well, he did all he could to keep us on track and make sure we’re focusing on the task at hand

“There’s a lot of character being shown in the group, a lot of improvement from last year’s team.

The Waratahs are halfway through a four-week run of facing New Zealand teams and have fallen three and two points short in their first two, and clinching a win against the Highlanders in Sydney is NSW’s first goal.

It has been nearly two years since the Waratahs, or any other Australian team, has beaten a New Zealand side but NSW looks most likely after coming so close and Beale said a victory would be immense for the side.

“It certainly would boost the confidence, no doubt. We know if we have the belief in what we’re doing out there on the field, we can put any team under stress and put a lot of pressure on them,” he said.

“I think that’s a growth in our game is believing that we can take it to the top teams in the competition and once you have that, a lot of confidence starts brewing and a lot of these 50/50 passes will end up sticking, so it’s a continuing progress and we’ll keep working on that and try and deliver that performance that we all want on Saturday.”

All Blacks Ben Smith and Aaron Smith are expected to miss the match, required to rest for two weeks of the season ahead of Test duties, but Beale said he didn’t think that was a sign of complacency from the Highlanders.

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Rob Simmons is expected to play, training fully on Tuesday. 

The Waratahs take on the Highlanders on Saturday night at Allianz Stadium, kicking off at 7:45pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO. Buy tickets here.

The German centre-back rates his team’s chances of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals as 50-50 after the draw at Anfield

Mats Hummels believes the Champions League last-16 tie against Liverpool is finely balanced after the 0-0 draw at Anfield in the first leg.

Hummels put in a fantastic defensive performance as Bayern held Liverpool on Merseyside, and the defender now believes it is anyone’s game as the away goals rule favours the Premier League club heading into the second leg.

The German is not overly optimistic about Bayern progressing to the quarter-finals, rating their chances of qualification at 50 per cent when asked.

“Still at 50:50. If we do not win our home game, we will not get another chance,” he said.

“We are satisfied. But we did not win 2-0, so we definitely have to win the second leg. This is always possible for a team like Bayern Munich. The result is satisfactory, but nothing more.”

Hummels realises Bayern will be able to attack more at home but recognises the danger that Liverpool pose on the counter-attack.

“We will act more aggressively, but at the same time we will have to put a stop to the concentrated offensive power of Liverpool. We have got a better starting position than most people would have thought.”

The Bayern defender was happy with the defensive effort put in by his team in the first leg and believes that the Bavarians found the perfect foil for Liverpool’s front three.

“We managed to slow down the pace of Liverpool. We wanted to prevent the opponent with three fast offensive players in the counter play. We have done well. The back four was focused on the defence. We did not offer as much space as in the league.”

The World Cup winner heaped praise upon Niko Kovac’s gameplan in the wake of the draw, saying that he implemented the perfect style to stifle Liverpool’s attacking threats.

“He specified exactly what we have finally implemented. The plan worked. We wanted the opponent not to play properly. They kept trying to set the mood, but then we took a bit of time out of the clock and let the ball run through the back rows.”

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The Spaniard has suggested he will wait until after the international break to bring back the duo, who both picked up knocks in the Carabao Cup final

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte could miss the club’s next five games through injury.

Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho hobbled off late into City’s Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea after Laporte, 24, was withdrawn at half-time with a hamstring problem.

And Guardiola has now suggested that he will wait until after the international break to bring back the injured duo, meaning they would miss games against West Ham, Bournemouth, Watford, Schalke and Swansea City.

“We were without Gabriel and John Stones, and they are still out, and now we are without Fernandinho and Aymeric as well,” he told reporters.

“For the next weeks they will be out but after the international break, maybe… but Gabriel and John are coming back soon.

“I am sure Fernandinho cannot play against Schalke in the Champions League [on March 12] as he is suspended so he will take a rest and look after the international break.”

French left-back Benjamin Mendy, meanwhile, is likely to be available as City face West Ham in the Premier League on Wednesday.

The defender has had an injury-hit campaign up to now and hasn’t featured since January 23 but Guardiola has talked up his chances of a return: “Mendy is better,” he added.

“He was training for the last three days and the reaction from his knee is good.”

And the Catalan is looking forward to some familiar faces returning to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, with former manager Manuel Pellegrini, right-back Pablo Zabaleta and midfielder Samir Nasri all returning.

“Manuel did an incredible job [at City],” said Guardiola. “He was outstanding. He has a good team and has a lot of respect.

“I’m delighted Samir is back. I wanted us to work together in my first year. I knew him for a short time before he played for Arsenal and City – and about his quality. I’m so happy he can show his level.

“He won the Premier League here and you know the respect we have for the players.”

City are currently second in the Premier League table behind Liverpool, with the Reds moving a point ahead of Guardiola’s men after their 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

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The Brazilian has been hailed by his young team-mate, who says the goalkeeper has made a difference to the culture at Anfield too

Trent Alexander-Arnold has told Goal that Alisson Becker is “one of the best in the world in his position” who has transformed the fortunes of Liverpool as they prepare to take their Premier League title push to the next level against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Brazil international arrived from Roma in the summer of 2018 for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper of £65 million and he has since been an influential figure in Liverpool’s championship challenge, keeping 14 clean sheets in 26 league fixtures.

And full-back Alexander-Arnold says the custodian’s addition has been a huge boost as the club pushes to fill their squad with world-class talent.

“Obviously it’s important for any team that wants to be really successful to try to have the best players that they possibly can in all positions and I think Alisson is definitely one of the best in the world in his position. He’s shown that many times already for us.”

Liverpool’s improved defensive record since last season with Alisson between the sticks has seen them become serious challengers for a first league title in 29 years, sitting level on points with leaders Manchester City with this weekend’s trip to Old Trafford representing a vital game in hand.

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But the England defender adds that Alisson’s effect stretches way beyond his ability to shore up the previously suspect Liverpool back-line.

“He’s an incredible player and a really good person off the pitch as well, which is something that’s important for any team and especially us because we like to have a good team bond and he’s fitted in straight away and shown that he can adapt as well.

“So he’s really changed a lot of things at the club.”

Alisson gained a great reputation across Europe after helping Roma to the Champions League semi-finals last season before being eliminated by eventual runners-up Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold is set to start at Old Trafford having made his latest return to the Merseysiders’ line-up after four weeks out with a knee injury.

With Manchester City in action in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, Liverpool could return to the top of the Premier League table with a win or a draw at the Theatre of Dreams.

Pep Guardiola will have to do without the Brazilian and the English defender when they take on Schalke, but Belgium’s captain is available

Manchester City are without Gabriel Jesus and John Stones for their side’s trip to Schalke for the first leg of their Champions League last-16, but they do welcome back Vincent Kompany.

Striker Jesus and centre-back Stones played the entirety of Saturday’s 4-1 win at Newport County in the FA Cup but are reportedly suffering from hamstring and groin complaints respectively.

Stones featured in every match as City topped their group, with Jesus netting a hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

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The Brazilian striker has managed to score 16 goals in 33 appearances so far this term, despite largely serving as a backup striker behind Sergio Aguero, while Stones has been a vital cog in the City defence once again.

There was some good news for Pep Guardiola ahead of Wednesday’s match in Gelsenkirchen though, as club captain Vincent Kompany and left-back Benjamin Mendy trained for the second successive day following their latest spells on the sidelines.

Mendy was still deemed not ready for a return to action so he hasn’t made Guardiola’s 20-man squad for the trip to Germany, but Kompany has been included this time.

The Belgium international has not featured since his troublesome calves flared up again during last month’s 2-1 win over Liverpool, while Mendy suffered swelling following his return from knee surgery against Burton Albion in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

City face Chelsea in the final of the latter competition at Wembley on Sunday, as they continue to chase an unprecedented quadruple.

Guardiola’s men are currently second in the Premier League and favourites to lift the Champions League for the first time in their history come May.

The start of 2019 has seen City recover from an inconsistent Christmas period, winning 11 of their 12 fixtures across all competitions.

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Ederson
Aro Muric
Daniel Grimshaw
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The Spanish keeper refused to be substituted during the Carabao Cup final, but Pat Nevin is backing the Blues to move on from an unfortunate episode

Chelsea are being backed to move on swiftly from Kepa Arrizabalaga’s act of defiance in the Carabao Cup final, with Pat Nevin admitting that the club are eager to avoid a “witch hunt”.

The Spanish goalkeeper made headlines on Sunday for all of the wrong reasons when he refused to be substituted during a meeting with Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.

Maurizio Sarri was eager to replace the 24-year-old in the closing stages of extra-time after seeing him require treatment, with Willy Caballero readied to come on against his former club.

Kepa, though, waved his manager’s calls away, before suffering a 4-3 defeat in a penalty shootout, and has since been fined for his actions.

The Chelsea camp were quick to claim a “misunderstanding” afterwards, but the issue of player power has dragged on long after the first piece of silverware in 2019 was handed out.

Nevin hopes the incident can soon be swept under the carpet, with those at Stamford Bridge keen to avoid any more distractions in an ongoing bid for a top-four finish and Europa League glory.

The Blues legend told the club’s official website: “The Kepa situation at the end was, of course, not particularly helpful.

“The manager must have the final decision on substitutions and Kepa will know that by now even if emotion took over in the moment. Clearly, our keeper thought he was fit enough to continue, and indeed he was, but he couldn’t know the boss’s thinking.

“Maybe the manager felt that taking a chance with his previously injured hamstring wasn’t worth the risk.

“He could have been very badly injured leaping to make a penalty save that could have kept him out for months. Why do that when you have one substitution and another classy keeper left?

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“He might even have thought that Willy Caballero was a better penalty saver full stop; other managers have changed goalies before a penalty shoot-out for exactly that reason.

“He could have been thinking that Willy knows the City players better and that could have helped psyche Sterling and co. out.

“It will be dealt with internally and if not forgotten, its importance will soon fade. I think everyone at Chelsea can spot a bandwagon and even a witch hunt a mile away by now, so we move on.

“In the end and far more importantly it was a good, hard-fought display and if that attitude is kept for the rest of the season then a top-four finish and a long run in the Europa League is still a distinct possibility.”

Chelsea are due back in action on Wednesday against old adversaries Tottenham, with Kepa expected to retain his place for a crunch clash at Stamford Bridge despite rebelling against Sarri and the Blues coaching staff.