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Brandon McManus started planning for the next chapter of his NFL career years ago

Bethany England has been included in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup, while Beth Mead misses out. Striker England, who has not been involved for her country since last September, is recalled after scoring 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham since joining them from Chelsea in January. But there is no return for Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner and player of the tournament Mead, having lost her battle against time after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November. Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, also sidelined of late, do feature in a 23-player list from which skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby had already been ruled out due to injury.

Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer has been docked a total of about $40,000 after being disqualified for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at a tournament the week before he competed at the French Open

There used to be a banner that hung from the top tier of the Stretford End. It was an exercise in mocking Manchester United’s neighbours, containing a number that rose by the year. The ticker had reached 35 before it was taken down. Yaya Toure was the man who removed it; not physically but because of what was, until Saturday, the biggest Manchester derby ever held in the FA Cup. The 2011 FA Cup was Manchester City’s first trophy in 35 years. It was secured by Toure’s winner in the final against Stoke; even that felt less important, however, than his semi-final decider against United. The balance of power in Manchester was shifted by Sheikh Mansour’s millions, by the management of Roberto Mancini, even if Sir Alex Ferguson then had the last word, Manuel Pellegrini and, most emphatically, Pep Guardiola, by some of United’s missteps, by a host of City players. Vincent Kompany is their most successful captain, Sergio Aguero their record scorer, though Erling Haaland is eating up other goalscoring feats, there was a case for calling David Silva their greatest player and there are growing reasons to instead give that mantle to Kevin de Bruyne. But Toure’s catalytic impact meant he has always had an argument to be the most significant. “From the moment I signed for the club I always had the feeling it was going to be a huge project,” he said. “My head was about trying to change things and make things happen.” More than most, he made things happen. United had won six of eight derbies since City’s 2008 takeover; they had also overturned their one defeat in the second leg of the League Cup semi-finals. Then they arrived at Wembley in April 2011. “Winning that first trophy was important. Of course, in that period United were so comfortable - they’d win week in, week out, they were winning the league easily,” Toure recalled. “At the beginning it was very tough. It’s only now, as I look back, that I realise how tough.” Bought from Barcelona, Toure was one of the trophy winners City had hired to try and change their attitude. Another made his own contribution in the dressing room. There was a rousing team talk from City’s most experienced and decorated player, the World Cup winner Patrick Vieira. “He delivered a great speech,” Toure recalled. “We all remember the message.” And yet, as Toure noted, United still began in imposing mood. Like City now, they were going for a treble. “In the first half we were getting battered,” he said. “They were dominant in all aspects: defensively, offensively, all over the field. Whereas the second half we knew we had to change the mentality and go for it. Because after that it’s going to be so noisy, the city.” To borrow Ferguson’s phrase, Toure turned City into the noisy neighbours. His goal, he argued, was “not something creative, just desire”. He felt Michael Carrick was the United Sergio Busquets, the holding midfielder comfortable in possession. But he closed him down and robbed him. “Then I only had to push the ball past [Nemanja] Vidic because I believed in my strengths and was arriving at pace. [Edwin] Van der Sar came out - he’s big - but I just knew I had to put the ball between his legs. I didn’t think a lot,” Toure said, making it all sound easy. He had often been a defensive midfielder for Guardiola’s Barcelona. He played as a centre-back in the 2009 Champions League final. But he was unleashed in Manchester as an attacking midfielder, one who scored 24 goals in the 2013-14 season. “In England, I had the freedom to run,” Toure said. “I think most of my game was about taking advantage of those sort of moments at speed and I think that few seconds against United was like a resume of my career at Man City.” That City career was not without its controversies. Nor was that of another whose arrival came at a cost to United; a more direct one, arguably. Carlos Tevez swapped red for blue in 2009, City infamously announcing his arrival with a billboard that read, ‘Welcome to Manchester’. The Argentinian went on to lift the 2011 FA Cup as City captain. “Tevez was one of the biggest players and to take him from a big rival and bring him to you, you can maybe understand why Ferguson was frustrated and pissed off,” Toure said. “Tevez was incredible in that period. I was at Barcelona then but I remember being away at the time and seeing it on Sky and it was a big thing. ‘Tevez switches from United to City’. It was incredible. Tevez had been someone who was so important in the reign of United. [Dimitar] Berbatov, [Wayne] Rooney, [Ryan] Giggs: this team was unbeatable. So to see one of their talismans go to their rival like that is something; you could see something was changing.” Yet he accelerated the change. City have won the Premier League six times since United last did; Guardiola’s side could emulate Ferguson’s team of 1999 by doing the treble. City have now won more since Toure’s 2017 departure than they did with him, but, like Eric Cantona for United, he will always have a status as the man who ended a wait that spanned decades. Now he is coaching Tottenham’s Under-16s. “I dream to one day be a manager,” he said. “We never know in life; maybe I’ll meet Man City one day again.” Or maybe he will face United again. Which may cause them tremors. The FA Cup semi-final was not even their most famous derby defeat in 2011; five months later, with Toure at the heart of the midfield, City scored six at Old Trafford. “I think what hurt United the most - the club, their fans - was the 6-1 win.” Toure added. “That was impressive from us. After the FA Cup, we believed we could beat them even at Old Trafford with Ferguson. Ferguson is one of the great managers. Old Trafford is the most emblematic stadium around the world. Most of their players were there. It was like a slap in the face of United fans.” Toure still has a memento, a souvenir from United in his house. “It’s in Ivory Coast,” he said. “That teamsheet is in a United frame.” Read More 5 key talking points as rivals Man City and Man Utd clash in FA Cup final The year that sportswashing won: A season that changed football forever Premier League 2022/23 season awards: Best player, manager, transfer flop and breakthrough act

Aaron Rodgers could be back fully practicing with the New York Jets on Friday after straining a calf last week

Peyton Stearns is playing in the French Open for the first time and now the 21-year-old American is into the third round after knocking off 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko

German police say a 15-year-old soccer player has died after suffering severe brain injuries during a post-match brawl with an opposing team at an international youth tournament in Germany over the weekend

England forward Beth Mead will miss the Women’s World Cup after failing to recover in time from a knee injury

Christopher Nkunku and Ousmane Dembélé have been recalled to France’s national team

Welcome to Social Buzz, a daily column looking at what’s trending on social media platforms. I’m Caitlin Fichtel,

Beth Mead has missed out on England’s World Cup squad after running out of time in her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze have both been selected in Sarina Wiegman’s 23-player group despite recent fitness concerns. Bethany England has been rewarded with a recall after her excellent form since joining Tottenham Hotspur, where the striker scored 12 goals in as many Women’s Super League appearances, but among the surprise omissions was Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier - who has been named on the standby list. Mead, who won the golden boot and was named player of the tournament as England won the Euros on home soil last summer, has been out since November and the tournament in Australia and New Zealand has come too soon for the forward with England’s opening game against Haiti less than eight weeks away. England Women’s World Cup LIVE: Sarina Wiegman announces 23-player Lionesses squad Wiegman wanted to give Mead every chance of making the World Cup and although the Arsenal star returned to light training in recent weeks, the Lionesses manager was not prepared to take a risk on her fitness with England well-stocked in attacking positions. With captain Leah Williamson and Euros winner Fran Kirby already ruled out of the World Cup, the Lionesses have been boosted by the availability of experienced defenders Bright and Bronze. Both players missed the end of the season after undergoing knee surgeries but are expected to be fit by the start of England’s World Cup camp next month. Aston Villa midfielder Jordan Nobbs will bring experience after keeping her place in the squad while Manchester United captain Katie Zelem has been recalled after missing out on April’s matches against Brazil and Australia. Wiegman has not offered places to former England captain Steph Houghton, who had been tipped for a spot after Williamson’s injury, or Nikita Parris - despite her good form for Manchester United over the final weeks of the season. Le Tissier had an excellent season for United as they reached the FA Cup final and pushed Chelsea to the final weekeend in the title race but will travel to Australia along with the 21-year-old Manchester City midfielder Jess Park, who was also named on the standby list. Despite the absence of Williamson and Kirby, Wiegman was able to name 16 of the players who were in England’s Euros-winning squad last summer, while Lauren James, Zelem, Niamh Charles, Laura Coombs, Esme Morgan and Katie Robinson will be playing at their first major tournament. England’s Women’s World Cup squad Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City) Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal) Midfielders: Laura Coombs (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Aston Villa), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United) Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Katie Robinson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alessia Russo (Manchester United) More follows Read More Sarina Wiegman’s biggest omissions from England’s World Cup squad Bethany England included in England’s World Cup squad but Beth Mead misses out Biggest omissions from England’s World Cup squad England Women’s World Cup squad LIVE: Sarina Wiegman announces group

ESPN broadcasts about a third of all women’s sports shown on TV, and Chairman Jimmy Pitaro is a