Two years can feel like a lifetime in football, and none more so than for Cole Palmer and Phil Foden who were firmly at the top of the England pecking order after Euro 2024.  They were winners of major individual awards, fixtures in Gareth Southgate’s big-game plans, and widely tipped to be central to England’s future. Fast forward to the present and both are conspicuously absent from Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. The shift is stark, and it’s driven by one brutal truth: form matters more than pedigree under Tuchel. Palmer and Foden’s trajectories were once parallel. Both came through Manchester…

Stephen Bunting closed the Premier League darts stage in style in Sheffield, beating Luke Humphries 6-3. Meanwhile, Humphries’ run to the final means he will avoid a semi-final against Luke Littler at Finals Night in London.  Bunting’s night was more than a single result. He averaged north of 106 and landed seven 180s across his matches, producing a high-quality display that lifted him to fifth in the final table. A finish that secures his place among the season’s top performers and underlines his consistency. His Sheffield run included a 161 checkout and a string of 100-plus finishes that swung momentum in…

Southampton held its hands up, admitting to spying charges after it was caught red-handed covertly filing opponents. For this clear violation of the rules, they have received more than a light slap on the wrist despite protesting the severity of the sanctions against it. The saga, known as Spygate, exposes colossal leadership failures under Tonda Eckert’s management, which cost the team its Championship play-offs. Middlesbrough will take their place. Golf course loiterer Recovering from the reputational damage will take more than a points deduction. It remains to be seen if Eckert will remain at the helm or lose his job, having…