'Being back in the Champions League is going back to the natural habitat. Manchester United (have been there) season after season'
After a close season in which he said he wanted to leave the club but ended up staying at Old Trafford, all eyes were on Paul Pogba as Manchester United began their Premier League campaign on Sunday. Yet following a 4-0 home win over Chelsea, in which the French midfielder set up the third and fourth goals, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was full of praise for the former Juventus star.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surged to the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a superb outing in the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua which the visiting side won by an innings and 92 runs.
Paul Pogba's future at Manchester United caught up in a swirl of speculation.
Rediff.com brings you a wrap of big stories in pictures with the Best Sports Photos of the Week.
Manchester United have enough in their armoury to cope with the loss of suspended striker Wayne Rooney, Everton manager Roberto Martinez warned his players on Friday ahead of this weekend's Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
'I said before the game that if they bowl a lot at my head then they're not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind the wicket. And I think that perhaps played into our favour a little bit in this innings'.
Solskjaer took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December and United have secured 10 wins in 11 games under his charge.
Australia dismissed England for 368 on the fourth morning of the third Test at Old Trafford on Sunday to take a first-innings lead of 159.
Images from Saturday's action in the English Premier League.
West Indies were skittled out for 129 in their second innings, on Tuesday, to lose the third Test at Old Trafford by 269 runs, falling to a 2-1 series defeat
Jose Mourinho has confirmed that record signing Paul Pogba is ready to make his second Manchester United debut when Southampton visit Old Trafford in the Premier League on Friday.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Former fast bowler Darren Gough vouched for England opener Dom Sibley's ability to play spin, saying if he could dominate India's Ravichandran Ashwin on way to a double ton in county cricket, he is good enough to play any spinner in the world.
England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler said on Saturday he had been stressing about his lack of Test runs and feeling the pressure of mounting speculation about his place in the team. Buttler has a reputation as a swashbuckling batsman in the limited over games but had averaged only 18 runs in his last seven Tests since replacing Jonny Bairstow as wicketkeeper in New Zealand last November.
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney rose to second place on the all-time Premier League scoring list with a clever winner against Swansea City on Saturday.
The United fans, who celebrated the victory at the end of the game with the manager and players, have not been the source of criticism of Solskjaer -- indeed the Norwegian has enjoyed strong backing from supporters who attend games at Old Trafford and those who travel away.
'When April arrives we have to be ready and to fight for the trophy'
Dean Henderson arrived at the club from Carlisle United at the age of 14,
England's most successful bowler James Anderson feels he and Stuart Broad should be paired together to lead the bid for a series win in the decisive Test against the West Indies. The hosts are spoilt for choice ahead of Friday's start of the third Test at Old Trafford with Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood all looking to return to the team.
Arsenal suffered a shock Europa League exit to Olympiakos Piraeus on away goals after a 2-1 extra-time home defeat, while Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers cruised into the last 16 with emphatic aggregate wins on Thursday.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as the new boss at Manchester United as per reports in the English media. Reports suggests Mourinho has concluded his talks with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and agreed a deal to take charge at Old Trafford.
The ball moved enough in last week's Southampton Test between England and West Indies to erase any lingering doubt about swing bowling under cricket's COVID-19 protocols, manufacturer of the Dukes ball said.
'But when you get that click, that six or seven overs where everything is in sync and you see the ball flying down at 90mph-plus causing chaos, that's why you put Jofra Archer in your team.'
Images from the second ODI between England and Australia, at Old Trafford in Manchester, on Sunday
With that run out in the 49th over, India's hopes ended in the tense semi-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The former champions went down by 18 runs against the last edition's finalists.
Manchester United's 23-match unbeaten home record in the Champions League stretching back to 2005 was ended by Besiktas who won 1-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Smith has been England's tormentor-in-chief in the ongoing Ashes series, which Australia have already retained after winning the fourth Test in Manchester on Sunday.
Robin Van Persie scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to earn Manchester United a deserved 1-1 draw at home to Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday.
Steve Smith was suspended for a year along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft after being indicted in the sandpaper-gate during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Smith was also banned from taking any leadership roles for two years - a suspension which has now expired.
Former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce added spice to the speculations whether referees tend to give Alex Ferguson the benefit when it comes to adding injury time at Old Trafford.
Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is expecting an underperforming Manchester United to rise to the occasion when the sides meet at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.
The first Test is scheduled to begin on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl and Joe Root will leave England's training camp on Wednesday to be with his wife, Carrie, who is expecting their second child later this week.
'I know there is pressure on players, but it is nobody's business what you do with your wages. You take your wages and if you want to be generous, go ahead and do it'
New Zealand, the tournament runners-up last time, grabbed the last semi-final berth after a hat-trick of defeats nearly derailed their strong start in the tournament.
England pacer Jofra Archer was on Thursday cleared to join his teammates at Southampton's Ageas Bowl ahead of the three-Test series against West Indies after he tested negative for COVID-19 for the second time. The 25-year-old Archer did not join the team's training earlier after a member of his household fell ill. He had tested negative for COVID-19 the first time too, but as a precautionary measure he went through another test ahead of joining his England teammates.
Amid speculation surrounding India-Pakistan World Cup clash owing to the Pulwama terror attack, the International Cricket Council said it does not foresee any change in the schedule of the mega event, starting on May 30.
Durham pace bowler Graham Onions has been added to England's squad as they bid to win the Ashes series outright in the fourth Test at his Chester-le-Street home ground from Friday.
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