Manchester City closed to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal after a 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026, with Rayan Cherki opening and Erling Haaland scoring the decisive 65th-minute strike after Kai Havertz had equalised. The fixture was overshadowed by a late confrontation between City striker Haaland and Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães, during which Gabriel appeared to lean his head towards Haaland. Referee Anthony Taylor booked both players and Video Assistant Referee review confirmed the on-field decision, with the Premier League stating Gabriel’s action was not “excessively aggressive or violent.” Pundits and former referees said Gabriel was fortunate to avoid a red card, while outlets noted Haaland said he would not feign injury and suggested a theatrical reaction might have produced a dismissal. Sky Sports apologised after Haaland used explicit language in a post-match interview praising teammate Bernardo Silva. The result leaves City with a game in hand and momentum in the title race ahead of a midweek trip to Burnley.

Ibrahima Konaté said on April 20, 2026 he is close to agreeing a new contract to remain at Liverpool after prolonged talks that have stretched more than a year. The 26-year-old France centre-back, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, told reporters after Liverpool’s 2-1 Merseyside derby win over Everton that discussions with sporting director Richard Hughes are “in a good way” and there is a “big chance” he will be at Anfield next season. Konaté, signed from RB Leipzig in 2021 for around £35–36 million, has been linked with Real Madrid but has been a key defender alongside Virgil van Dijk and said he wants to commit his future to the club. The season has been challenging for both player and club — Liverpool sit outside the top four and have been knocked out of domestic and European cups — and Konaté revealed he has dealt with personal difficulties this year, including the death of his father in January. A new deal would shape Liverpool’s summer transfer priorities and defensive planning.

MANCHESTER, April 19 (Reuters) - Erling Haaland ended a Premier League scoring drought to fire Manchester City to a 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, cutting the gap to three points with a game in hand. Rayan Cherki opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a solo strike, but City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s hesitation minutes later allowed Kai Havertz to pounce and level. Haaland restored City’s lead in the 65th minute with his 23rd league goal of the season after Nico O’Reilly’s cross, a decisive finish that kept City’s title bid alive. The win moved City to 67 points from 32 matches; Arsenal remain on 70 from 33 and must juggle domestic fixtures with a Champions League semi-final. The weekend also saw Liverpool and Aston Villa win late to bolster their European hopes, while Morgan Gibbs‑White’s hat‑trick boosted Nottingham Forest’s survival bid and left Burnley perilously close to relegation. City can overtake Arsenal by beating Burnley in their midweek fixture, making the run‑in increasingly tense for both clubs.

The NBA on Sunday named finalists for its 2025-26 regular-season awards, headlined by a three-way race for Most Valuable Player featuring reigning winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City), three-time winner Nikola Jokic (Denver) and first-time nominee Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio). Wembanyama is also a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year alongside Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson. Rookie of the Year candidates are Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe. Other notable finalist groups include Coach of the Year (J.B. Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson, Joe Mazzulla), Sixth Man (Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaime Jaquez Jr., Keldon Johnson), Clutch Player (Anthony Edwards, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray) and Most Improved Player (Deni Avdija, Jalen Duren, Nickeil Alexander-Walker). The league revealed the lists during NBC’s broadcast of a first-round playoff game, and will begin announcing winners during playoff telecasts starting Monday with Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Clutch Player, Sixth Man and Most Improved later in the week. The ballots reflected recent eligibility decisions, including appeals that allowed Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham to be considered despite falling short of the usual 65-game threshold.

Roman Reigns defeated CM Punk in the main event of Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to win the World Heavyweight Championship, reclaiming a place atop WWE's card. The event, held over the weekend with a reported Night 2 crowd of about 55,255 and a combined two-night attendance above 106,000, featured several high-profile moments: Oba Femi, making a marquee WrestleMania debut, scored a surprise victory over Brock Lesnar in the opening match and Lesnar left his gloves and boots in the ring in a gesture that prompted widespread retirement speculation. Rhea Ripley regained the WWE Women’s Championship from Jade Cargill, and Penta retained the Intercontinental title in a multi-man ladder match. Promoters and talent have already started discussing future bookings — including possible send-off matches for Lesnar at SummerSlam — while WWE moves to capitalise on breakout pushes for Femi and renewed momentum behind Reigns’ title run.