MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Michael Carrick got off to a flying start as Manchester United head coach with a 2-0 win against Manchester City in the Premier League. Taking charge of his first game since his appointment this week, Carrick immediately lifted the gloom over Old Trafford with a victory that will likely live long in the memory of United fans. The former United midfielder has only signed a deal until the end of the season and has 17 games to convince the club’s hierarchy to give him the job on a permanent basis after Ruben Amorim was fired last. And he could not have made a better first impression with a dominant performance against all-conquering City manager Pep Guardiola in the 198th Manchester derby.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL will honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by displaying “Choose Love” in the end zones and on helmet decals for all divisional round playoff games this weekend. “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” will appear on opposite end zones at the Super Bowl next month. Teams will select the end zone stencils for the conference championship games. “Choose Love” was first introduced 2022 when the Bills adopted it as a unifying message for their community after a shooting in Buffalo. NFL teams have widely embraced the stencil, which was featured at the Super Bowl last year following an attack in New Orleans.
With Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Madison Keys divvying up the four Grand Slam titles last season, women’s tennis offers quite a bit more intrigue these days than the “Sincaraz” dominance in the men’s game. Seven of the past nine years ended with four different female champions at the major tournaments. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, have combined to win the past eight Slam trophies. They’ve met in the last three major finals. Alcaraz and Sabalenka play first-round matches in Melbourne on Sunday.
LONDON (AP) — EuroLeague is the top men's basketball league outside the NBA. It’s not thrilled about the NBA’s plans to create a new competition on the continent. It’s not concerned, either. EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas says "We’ve been here for 26 years. We know how Europe functions.” The NBA in partnership with FIBA is eying the creation of a 16-team league with target start of October 2027. Some of those teams might come from the EuroLeague. Motiejunas tells The Associated Press that it is confident in keeping its teams like Real Madrid on board.
CHERNIHIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s historic Chernihiv biathlon and cross-country training center, which produced the country’s first Olympic medalist, remains in ruins after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Despite bombed-out buildings and constant air-raid threats, children and Olympic hopefuls continue to train on its damaged ski tracks. Athletes like Khrystyna Dmytrenko return sometimes, seeing sport as resilience amid war. Coaches work under dangerous conditions as explosions echo nearby. Local leaders hope to rebuild the facility after the conflict, emphasizing its importance for developing future Olympians.
NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets have agreed to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced. Bichette, a two-time All-Star at shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner. Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, the person said.
A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that catcher J.T. Realmuto has agreed to a $45 million, three-year contract to stay with the Philadelphia Phillies. Realmuto can earn an additional $5 million annually in bonuses. The move comes a month after designated hitter Kyle Schwarber also chose to remain with the Phillies. Realmuto, a three-time All-Star, hit .257 with 12 homers last year. He was in the final season of a $115.5 million, five-year contract. Philadelphia has also reached deals with right-hander Brad Keller and outfielder Adolis García this offseason.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Open's first formal opening ceremony turned into a Roger Federer celebration. On the eve of the season-opening major, Federer played an exhibition doubles match with Andre Agassi and Ash Barty against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt. The event featured a full house and a performance by Crowded House. Tennis great Rod Laver was also present. Federer, a six-time Australian Open winner, returned to Australia for the first time since 2021. The tournament has become a three-week festival, with over 200,000 fans attending before the main draw singles competitions start Sunday.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic is gearing up for another shot at a 25th Grand Slam title. He jokes about the rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have blocked his path in the last two years to becoming the most decorated tennis player of all time. Djokovic last won a major at the 2023 U.S. Open. Injuries have been a challenge but he remains optimistic and likes his chances of success at the Australian Open, a tournament he’s won 10 times. He's paring back his commitments on and off court. Djokovic recently cut ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association, which he co-founded, citing differences in values.
TARVISIO, Italy (AP) — Nicol Delago claimed her first World Cup victory in a downhill with 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn in third place for her fifth podium in five downhills this season. Delago matched Italian teammate Giovanni Franzoni after he claimed his first victory in a super-G on Friday. The Milan Cortina Winter Games open on Feb. 6 with the women racing in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the men in Bormio. Delago finished 0.20 seconds ahead of Kira Weidle-Winkelmann of Germany and 0.26 ahead of Vonn.
Finals
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Detroit 4 San Jose 2
Final Carolina 9 Florida 1
Final SO St. Louis 3 Tampa Bay 2
Final Nashville 7 Colorado 3
Final SO Anaheim 3 Los Angeles 2