Paris Saint-Germain will listen to offers for Timothy Weah this summer, sources have told ESPN FC, but they will not necessarily actively look to sell him.

The United States attacker, who spent the second half of this season on loan with Scottish giants Celtic, has headed back to PSG before he links up with the U.S. Under-20 World Cup squad after Bhoys' boss Neil Lennon cut his temporary deal short.

As first reported by RMC Sport, and since confirmed by ESPN FC sources, the French champions are not against selling Weah this summer but will not be actively looking to cash in on him either.

Weah, 19, is under contract until 2021.

Other senior players are of higher priority in terms of permanent moves away, such as Thomas Meunier, Christopher Nkunku and Layvin Kurzawa, and all will likely fetch higher transfer fees than Weah.

However, ESPN FC sources say that a good offer could persuade PSG to part with Weah permanently -- particularly if coach Thomas Tuchel remains unconvinced, which is what led to the free transfer signing of error-prone Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting last summer.

Strasbourg have already revived their interest in the New York City native from last summer, per ESPN FC sources, while there are other Ligue 1 clubs keen, as well as Premier League suitors, on top of the possibility of a return to Celtic.

Weah is keeping the door open for the Scottish champions, but that is now less likely to happen as it was current Leicester City coach Brendan Rodgers who played a key role in landing the American -- not Lennon.

Speaking with the Scottish Sun, Weah admitted that nothing has been decided and played down the change in coach as an obstacle to any potential return.

"There have not been any talks yet," he said. "I will talk to my parents and lawyers. I have got a couple of options.

"Coming back to Celtic is definitely an option. The manager situation does not matter to me -- it is more about the club and me feeling comfortable here. If you know you have the opportunity to develop and get game time, that is the most important thing at this stage.

"I am ambitious and want to be somewhere where I can break into the first team. These are the things you have to think about."

Weah scored four goals from 16 appearances across all competitions during his time with Celtic and has Scottish and French league winners' medals after his split season between Paris and Glasgow.

MANCHESTER, England -- Outgoing Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has warned that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faces a "tough" job to get the club back competing for top trophies.

The United manager is facing a rebuild over the summer after finishing 32 points behind champions Manchester City following their 2-0 defeat at home defeat to already relegated Cardiff.

- Dawson: Greenwood shows promise in United's farcical loss
- Alexis Sanchez apologises to United fans for poor season

Herrera is one of the players that will need to be replaced after coming to the end of his Old Trafford contract and the Spaniard, who is set to join Paris Saint-Germain, has pleaded with supporters to give the Norwegian time.

"I think there is a tough job ahead," Herrera said. "That is my opinion as a fan and as someone who knows the club at the moment.

"These fans are the best, they are amazing, but they need time. They need time because this is not going to be from the first day. The club will need time, confidence and support.

"I am sure they will give it but the only thing I ask for them is time because this is not easy. There are examples. Liverpool are probably going to win the Champions League but I am leaving this club and they haven't won one title in five years I have been here.

"They have done incredible work but the fans have given them time. That's what this club needs at the moment."

Solskjaer is coming under pressure after a disappointing end to the season which saw United win just two of their final 12 games.

The 46-year-old has only been in the post permanently for two months but there are already calls from some fans for the board to make a change -- particularly after Mauricio Pochettino raised doubts about his future at Tottenham.

"The right person is at the wheel," Herrera said. "He's the right person but he needs time.

"I hope I am wrong and Manchester United win the next Premier League but the club needs time to work. I am optimistic for the future but I ask the fans to give them time. Some of them might tell me to shut up because they have been waiting already.

"I have been here five years, not the five most successful years in the history of the club, but I have won four titles and lost two finals. In a bad moment for the club we have won some trophies. It shows how big the club is."

Herrera will leave Old Trafford having made 189 appearances in five seasons. The 29-year-old has won three major trophies and lifted the Player of the Year award in 2017 but will move on with one significant regret.

"I have won some trophies but the league is something I wanted to win," Herrera said. "This is the greatest and biggest club in England.

"That was one of my dreams but it is what it is. We have done some good things but for Manchester United it is not enough.

"I have enjoyed a lot playing for this club. For me it has been a dream. I have always tried to represent this club always by giving my best.

"You are not going to hear one bad word about anyone because they don't deserve it and I'm not like that."

Christian Pulisic named N'Golo Kante, David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger as the teammates he is most looking forward to playing alongside at Chelsea.

Eden Hazard did not make Pulisic's list in his first official interview as a Chelsea player, fuelling speculation that the Belgian will leave the club this summer.

Speaking on Sunday, Hazard revealed that he has decided his future and is "waiting" for Chelsea to act on his wishes, after sources told ESPN FC that he would like his desired move to Real Madrid to be finalised as soon as possible.

Asked which Chelsea players he is most looking forward to meeting up with, Pulisic told the club's official website: "There are so many great players here already and I can't wait to work with them all.

"I'm excited to play alongside N'Golo Kante, I think he's a fantastic player and I can't wait to meet him. Also there's the guys in the backline, players like David Luiz and [Toni] Rudiger, I'm looking forward to working with them and I think it's going to be really cool."

Pulisic signed for Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund for £57.6 million in January, but was allowed to remain in Germany for the remainder of the Bundesliga season in order to help his former club in their title race with Bayern Munich.

- Carlisle: Pulisic's move to Chelsea is boom or bust
- Pulisic scores goal in last home match for Dortmund

Dortmund are poised to finish an agonising second to Bayern heading into the final day, but Pulisic is already looking ahead to the success he hopes to achieve at Chelsea from next season onwards.

"It feels amazing and I'm super excited to get started with Chelsea," he added.

"Obviously I have a season to finish off with Dortmund but I'm definitely looking forward to be here [with Chelsea]. It's going to be an amazing experience, one I can't wait for, and to be here in England, speaking English again and meeting all the guys is something I'm thrilled for.

"I've been waiting a long time for this and playing in the Premier League has been one of my biggest dreams. To be a Chelsea player is a huge honour and something I'm really excited for."

Pulisic settled impressively at Dortmund after moving to Germany from the United States as a 16-year-old in 2016, and he is confident that his adaptation period to England and the Premier League will be simpler at Chelsea.

"I think coming here will be a smooth transition for me, already knowing the language and things like that," he said.

"It was more difficult when I first went over to Germany, but I learnt so much as a player and as a person and I feel ready for the next big challenges to come now.

"I like to think I'm a really good team player, a guy who gives everything and I look to bring my attacking style to the side. I'll do whatever I can to help the team win games."

After another action-packed weekend in soccer, Gab Marcotti reflects on the big talking points in his latest edition of Monday Musings.

Jump to: Man City, Liverpool's conclusion | The title's turning point? | Barca still have pride | Dortmund are a mess | Do Man United have a plan? | A big week for Gattuso, Milan | Bayern's VAR woe | The end for Bale at Real? | Sarri belongs at Chelsea | Allegri should be safe | Don't hate Neymar | Ajax's remarkable season

Let's reflect on Man City, Liverpool's brilliance

There were no sudden twists and no Hollywood endings on the final day of the Premier League season. Just two of the finest teams England have ever seen doing what they've done every league game for the past few months: winning.

It's probably best that way, too. Let their feats speak for themselves.

Manchester City have gained 198 of a possible 228 Premier League points over the past two seasons. That equals domination on a level not seen before, and it should give cause to think to all those people who ridiculed Pep Guardiola's achievements at Bayern (a one-horse race) and Barcelona (a two-horse race).

- Ames: City pass test of character to clinch title glory
- Ogden: The Premier League was decided by finest margins
- Man City's takeover: How football changed forever
- What you may have missed on Premier League's final day

Equally, the fact that they were pushed until the very end by Liverpool is a testament to their rival's work. We've focused so much on the broader storylines that sometimes, we lost sight of the bread-and-butter work these two managers do. Both collectively (in the way the teams play), individually (in the progress single players make) and in terms of the way they represent their clubs. So here are some nuggets from each camp that perhaps received less attention amid the narrative of a record-breaking season.

Manchester City lost 2-1 away to Newcastle at the end of January. From that point forward, they conceded just four goals in the remaining 14 matches. This despite the fact that Fernandinho, supposedly their irreplaceable defensive bulwark, started just five of them.

Down the stretch, Guardiola put his faith in two guys who few would have pegged as key contributors, one young, one old.

Oleksandr Zinchenko arrived under the radar as a winger and hardly figured last year. For the last three months of theis season, he was a near ever-present left back who looked as if he'd been part of the side for years. Slowed by injuries, Vincent Kompany looked to have become the equivalent of those non-playing Davis Cup captains the past few years. Instead, he was critical to the cause in the final weeks. And, of course, Kompany's late goal against Leicester City last week is what made this past weekend's denouement possible.

A central defender shooting from 25 yards out when he has plenty of options out wide is one of the last things you'd expect a Guardiola side to do. It's a low-percentage shot -- especially for Kompany, who hadn't scored from outside the box since 2007 -- you're likely to give up possession and you end up giving the opposition a chance to milk more minutes off the clock. But Kompany took responsibility and it made all the difference. Sometimes you win by taking your carefully thought-out script and ripping it up.

Liverpool, of course, lost one league game all year while boasting the best defensive record in the league. Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson and the two full-backs, Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all received plenty of praise, and rightly so. But how about Joel Matip? Eighteen months ago, squeezed by injuries and the arrival of Van Dijk, he looked to have fallen behind Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren in the pecking order. This season, he stepped into the starting lineup in January and was almost ever-present since, without Liverpool missing a beat.

Or take Fabinho and Naby Keita, two expensive signings who failed to do much for the first three months at the club. Klopp stuck with them, worked with them and now the former is a key figure in midfield and the latter would be, if not for injury.

These are some of the little details that illustrate the added value these two managers bring to their jobs. Sure, they both lead clubs with massive resources and both benefited from transition years at Arsenal and Chelsea, injuries at Tottenham and general ineptness at Manchester United. But to finish with two of the three highest points totals in history, you have to go way beyond that.

And to do this while also competing until the very end on other fronts and keeping the players, the club and the fan base on board all season long... well, we've just witnessed something truly special.

Was one missed red the season's turning point? No

Keith Hackett, former head of Premier League referees, tweeted that the turning point of the season was the failure to send off Kompany for a two-footed lunge on Mohamed Salah back in January. City went on to win, 2-1.

You can agree with Hackett saying that Kompany should have seen red. But to call it a "turning point" is failing to fundamentally understand how football -- and a football season -- works. I'm highlighting this not because I particularly care what Hackett thinks, but because too many people embrace this sort of thinking.

Apart from the obvious -- there's no way to definitely say that City wouldn't have won the game with ten men -- you can pluck out dozens of such incidents in a season. These range from refereeing errors (the free kick that led to Liverpool's winner against Newcastle, for example, was highly dubious) to balls hitting the woodwork or being saved off the line to players choosing to make impulsive, improbable choices that work out, even though logic says they shouldn't (see: Kompany's goal against Leicester).

Not to mention the fact that as anyone who has seen Back to the Future or X-Men will tell you, once you start changing history, you have plenty of unexpected consequences.

Barcelona still have some pride left

Barcelona's first match after the Anfield debacle was the classic "trap" game. They were taking on Getafe, hoping to pull off the minor miracle of a top four finish and the crowd had plenty of anger to vent (mostly at Philippe Coutinho). It says something that they still emerged as 2-0 winners and against a hugely motivated opponent.

There is still pride there -- plenty of it. And this group of players, for better or worse, clearly haven't jumped on the "dump Ernesto Valverde" bandwagon. Not yet anyway. A convincing performance in the Copa del Rey final is the least the fans can demand at this stage. As horrible as the Champions League elimination was, this group has earned the right to try to make amends.

A word on Getafe too. They're not mathematically out of a top four finish, but they do need Valencia to slip up. Pepe Bordalas' brand of football isn't easy on the eye (especially by Liga standards) but what he has achieved with a tiny budget and a hugely limited squad is remarkable. It's not clear that his skills would translate at a higher level -- then again, Diego Simeone has made this approach work well for him at Atletico Madrid -- but he ought to be a shoo-in for manager of the year in Spain.

Dortmund are a mess

The last time the Bundesliga title came down to the final game of the season was a decade ago, when Wolfsburg and Bayern arrived even on points before Wolfsburg prevailed. (OK pedants: technically it came down to week 34 the following season too, but Bayern had a three-point lead and a 17-goal edge in goal difference.) That Borussia Dortmund still have a glimmer of hope with 90 minutes left to go has more to do with Bayern's deficiencies than their own merits.

In fact, their 3-2 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf this weekend was a proverbial wreck. Christian Pulisic (Jadon Sancho was on the bench, struggling with illness) put them up early in his last home game and you figured you were set for a dull, end of season clash where the team that needs the points gets them. But no. We saw two bouts of horrendous goalkeeping from Marvin Hitz -- standing in from Roman Burki -- the visitors going down to 10 men and still carving out a whole host of chances to equalize in injury time.

This team has a serious issue, one that not even Lucien Favre can fix. If they some how snatch the title on the last day, they will go down in history. Few sides, going into the season as underdogs, have wasted so much over the course of a single campaign.

Do Man United have a plan to turn themselves around?

Manchester United's 2-0 home defeat to Cardiff only underscored the end-of-season disappointment. Soon, folks will be running out of people to blame: the Glazers, Ed Woodward, the players, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the "structure" or the "lack of empathy with the manager." I've written before that giving the job to Solskjaer on a permanent basis that early was silly and an example of crass populism. Two wins, two draws and eight defeats since that famous Champions League night in Paris tell their own story.

There is more than one path to turning United's fortunes around but you need clear thinking and a plan and, once it's in place, you have to execute. Solskjaer's bumper deal makes that harder, not easier, but it's the path United have chosen. Now, follow through and have the courage to do what you think is best, including -- if you don't feel you're qualified or if you don't think Solskjaer and his assistant, Mike Phelan, are -- hiring someone who will.

Gattuso, Bakayoko make up before big Milan win

If you believe in karma, this one's for you. A week after his spat with Tiemoue Bakayoko -- when the French midfielder appeared to direct an expletive at his manager, a version of events he denies -- Gattuso had no qualms about burying the hatchet. Bakayoko dropped back into central midfield and was one of the better performers in Milan's 1-0 away victory at Fiorentina, which keeps their hopes of a crucial top four finish alive.

It wasn't a pretty win and Milan didn't play particularly well, a recurring theme under Gattuso. But whatever happens, Gattuso has shown that he's a grown-up capable of putting his ego aside and putting the good of the club first. He may not be a master tactician or coach but he's a tremendous manager of people and situations. And a real pro.

Bayern shouldn't be complaining about VAR

Hindsight being 20/20, maybe it was unreasonable to think Bayern would seal the Bundeslga title away to Leipzig. While the opposition had nothing to play for -- and, if anything, they likely didn't want to show their hand too much given they'll face each other in the German Cup final -- the lack of pressure probably helped Ralf Rangnick's crew, who were their usual physical, intense and disruptive selves.

That said, Bayern had the upper hand for much of the game and were furious when Leon Goretzka's goal was disallowed by VAR for a marginal Robert Lewandowski offside decision. It was one of those "shoe-size" calls -- with smaller feet, he would have been on -- and Uli Hoeness called the decision to disallow it the "joke of the year" because it wasn't a "clear error."

It's a bit worrying that after nearly two full seasons of VAR, folks still don't get the fact that when it comes to offside and objective calls, it's black and white: there is no "clear error" criteria. And assistant referees are told to not flag unless it's entirely clear, because VAR will sort it out. Had the linesman flagged straight away, Goretzka would never have scored and Hoeness would never have complained. But equally, he might have got it wrong and it would simply have been yet another move that was ended by a wrong offside decision.

I don't know if Hoeness is busy deflecting attention from a wobbly end of the season and growing dissatisfaction with Nico Kovac in some quarters. Either way, by this stage, he should be familiar with the VAR protocol.

End of the line for Bale at Real?

Gareth Bale was left out of the matchday squad for the second straight week as Real Madrid fell to Real Sociedad, 3-1. Bale was fully fit and his agent had said earlier that month that it wasn't clear that Zidane wanted to keep him around. Maybe it is pretty clear, though, given that Zidane said afterwards "it's very clear what I've done this weekend."

It's also clear that when you don't play one of your two highest-paid players, you're sending an obvious message. It has nothing to do with whether Bale has been good or bad during his six seasons at the club. It has everything to do with his monster contract that runs through 2022, the fact that he turns 30 in the summer and that, as manager, Zidane gets to decide who is right for the future of a team that will finish with their lowest points total in 13 years.

Maybe sitting out might persuade Bale to go elsewhere while likely taking a pay cut, since it's hard to see who would pay him what he now earns. At this stage, even giving him away would free up a ton of money for Real's rebuild.

Sarri proves he belongs at Chelsea

For years, Chelsea have been lampooned as some sort of house of cards with managers hired-and-fired at a whim and no coherent plan. The fact that nobody has won more Premier League titles since Roman Abramovich's arrival in 2004 -- and that they've also won the Champions League and Europa League in that time frame -- rather suggests that is nonsense.

They made a choice last year, opting for a progressive "system coach" and arguably the only one they've had -- other than Andre Villas Boas, who did not end well -- since Abramovich's arrival. That man was Maurizio Sarri and they chose him because they figured it would deliver more bang for buck in the long run, particularly since many of the "pragmatists" out there tend to be high-priced egomaniacs who demand massive spending and absolute control.

Sarri has many flaws, as Napoli fans will tell you. But he had a minimum objective -- to get Chelsea back into the top four -- and he reached it. In fact he surpassed it, finishing third, losing a League Cup final on penalties and with a Europa League final still to play. He did it despite taking over the team late, despite representing a radical shift with past managers (and what Chelsea fans were accustomed to), despite getting abuse from media (and from his own fans) and despite making mistakes.

He may or may not be the long-term answer. But he did what was asked of him and more.

Losing to Roma shouldn't jeopardize Allegri at Juve

Roma's 2-0 win over Juventus -- on the day the bianconeri introduced next year's kit, which ditches the stripes entirely, going from zebras to two-toned cows -- keeps their hopes of a top-four finish alive. Roma didn't play particularly well -- Antonio Mirante, replacing the much-criticized Robin Olsen in goal, made some big saves -- but they hung in there and took their chances.

As for Juve, the fact that they still showed motivation rather than playing out the string of meaningless games is, again, a credit to Max Allegri. He may have other flaws but man-management isn't one. According to incessant media reports, he's set for showdown talks with president Andrea Agnelli this week.

It would be wise for Agnelli to look at the whole picture here, particularly some of the transfer moves that have been made and those that will be made (like Aaron Ramsey), take stock of what he has -- namely, a veteran-filled side -- and figure out what he wants Juve to be. Allegri is a certain kind of manager who does certain things exceptionally well.

If that doesn't match Agnelli's plans, there's no point in going further down this road.

Don't hate Neymar for his trickery

Paris Saint-Germain's season, of course, ended a long time ago, so the 2-1 win over Angers was rather meaningless. It did, however, mark Neymar's last appearance of the campaign -- his ban for lashing out at a supporter after the French Cup final is about to kick in -- and he marked it by doing this at the end of the game.

Old-school football folk don't like that sort of showboating. He could simply have won a free kick instead, but it's part of what makes Neymar who he is. As long as he's not trying to humiliate an opponent -- and he wasn't here -- I see no real issue with it.

Ajax can end season with a double

If, as many take for granted, this Ajax side is asset-stripped in the summer beyond Frenkie de Jong, who is already off to Barcelona, there's an excellent chance they will leave behind a domestic Double, which isn't bad considering it's been nine years since their last Cup win and five since their last Eredivise crown.

This past weekend, they bounced back from the Champions League heartbreak against Tottenham Hotspur to beat Utrecht, 4-1, while PSV Eindhoven fell at AZ Alkmaar. On a team with so many youngsters, reacting in that way after crushing disappointment is far from automatic.

Joe Denly has been one of the more divisive candidates in terms of public opinion on who should be included in England's final World Cup squad to be named next week. Included as a leg-spinner for Tuesday's third ODI against Pakistan in Bristol, Denly faces his biggest audition yet. We run the rule over the pros and cons of including him in the big show.

Why is Joe Denly playing on Tuesday?

England are keen to test the bench strength of their World Cup squad. He was named in the 15-man provisional squad but, with him having played only one ODI this decade (though he was named in the side for the rained-off match at The Oval), there is still some doubt as to whether his leg-spin bowling is up to the level required. So England have rested Adil Rashid - who is certain to play in the World Cup - and given Denly this opportunity to see what he can do.

So he's on trial?

That's one interpretation, certainly. Though England might stress that he is simply being given some game time with a view to providing Eoin Morgan more information about how to use him. But, yes, this probably is a big game for him. It's not as if he's the first England player to go on trial in Bristol.

Wasn't he a batsman when he first played for England?

Yes, he was. He played nine ODIs and five T20Is as an opening batsman in 2009. He did OK, too, with two half-centuries in those ODIs. He made his Test debut as a batsman over the winter, too, making 69 in the final Test against West Indies. It's still the stronger part of his game and he could well come in at No. 3 in the Ashes. He's scored more than 11,000 first-class runs and taken just 62 wickets. He does have an unwanted record as a batsman, though: he was out first ball on his first-class debut, T20I debut and IPL debut. He was actually out first ball in both his first two T20I games.

So when did he start bowling?

He has always bowled a bit. But it was only really in the summer of 2018 - by which time he was 32 - that he bowled the volume of overs to be taken seriously. He claimed 23 first-class wickets that season - his best tally before that was eight - with another 14 in List A cricket. He started to establish himself in T20 leagues, too, and now has valuable experience in the BPL, PSL, BBL and IPL to draw from. He claimed 20 wickets in England's domestic T20 tournament last summer and claimed 4-19 - the best figures of his career in any form of cricket - when recalled to the England T20I side in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018.

Sounds great.

Maybe. The concern is that, in his entire career, he has taken just 22 List A wickets in England and Wales. The rest of them have come overseas in conditions which may suit his bowling more and against opposition some way below that anticipated in the World Cup. Denly is, without doubt, a good batsman and fine utility cricketer. There's just some doubt as to whether is bowling is up to going into an ODI with his captain requiring a minimum of six or so overs from it.

So his is a bold selection?

Yes. Ed Smith, the head selector, played with him at Kent at the start of Denly's career and has always rated him. He is clearly the driving force behind the selection, but James Taylor and Trevor Bayliss are full of praise for his all-round virtues, too. And with Smith encouraged by his recall of Jos Buttler to England's Test team a year ago - it is hard to remember now, but it was a somewhat contentious decision at the time - he may be confident in trusting his instincts more than ever.

How has Denly looked so far?

He batted quite nicely in the T20I in Cardiff. He hasn't bowled that much. But he started his spell in Cardiff with two long-hops that were thrashed for six and was taken off after one over. He did claim a maiden ODI wicket in Dublin, but it came when Ben Foakes completed a stumping off a leg-side wide. But that's the point, really: he's in the squad as a spin-bowling all-rounder having delivered just 30 balls in his entire ODI career. England really need to find out far more about his bowling at this level.

Who could replace him?

The most like-for-like option would probably be Liam Dawson. He's enjoying a great season in the Royal London One Day Cup - he's seventh in the wickets tally table and has the best economy rate of bowlers to have delivered a minimum of 40 overs - and, until he suffered a side injury in Sri Lanka was in the squad anyway. Bayliss suggested a few days ago he could yet be called into this series for the last couple of games.

Do England need three spinners in their World Cup squad?

Good question. The current thinking of the team management is that they don't require seven seamers (including Ben Stokes) in their squad, so they might as well try and cover a few other bases with the inclusion of a spin-bowling all-rounder. Denly, they argue, doesn't just offer spin-bowling cover: he offers cover for a variety of batting positions and is a fine fielder almost anywhere. They are also aware that, while sides can call-up replacements in the event of injury, the players released cannot be recalled. So they don't want to be in the position where they have to release Moeen Ali or Adil Rashid for the entire tournament just because they can't bowl in a couple of games. For that reason, they seem pretty keen on having that spin-bowling back-up.

What about Joe Root?

Yes, he does offer another spin-bowling option. Last year he delivered 10 overs for 44 runs in an ODI against Australia and his career economy-rate - 5.80 - is respectable. But he has bowled two overs in England's 13 most-recent completed ODIs. It doesn't appear they rate his bowling especially highly.

So one of the seamers will have to miss out?

That remains the likely scenario, but it's not absolutely certain. The fact that Jofra Archer has been given time off to spend at home is revealing: you don't give a man fighting for his place time off. He looks certain to be included in that 15-man squad now. Tom Curran might be the most vulnerable of the seamers now, but he will have a chance to impress on Tuesday and did well with bat and ball in Dublin.

If Dawson is still a selection possibility, shouldn't he be playing now?

Maybe, yes. But that's why this game is so important. Denly is going to be asked to bowl on a good wicket with short boundaries. If he does well, his place in the squad is probably guaranteed. If he has an absolute shocker, Dawson could be called up before the weekend.

That sounds a bit tough on Denly.

It does. But the World Cup is going to be played, on the whole, in such demanding, high-pressure circumstances. Bowlers are going to have to find a way to contain batsmen on these fine batting pitches and Denly will have to be able to cope with such pressure. David Willey was put under similar pressure at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday and came through well. International sport is a tough, competitive business.

Kagiso Rabada is likely to be fit in time for the World Cup. South African fans would welcome that piece of good news, delivered by Cricket South Africa doctor Mohammed Moosajee over the weekend. A recovery is "anticipated" in the next two to three weeks.

Concerns over Rabada's availability for the World Cup surfaced after CSA asked strike bowler to return home from the IPL, where he was instrumental in Delhi Capitals reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

ESPNcricnfo understand CSA told both Capitals and IPL that Rabada had a back niggle and needed rest and recovery time ahead of the World Cup. On Saturday, Moosajee said CSA's medical team was being "extra cautious" in managing Rabada's workload because of his history with back injuries.

"With KG [Rabada]‚ we are extra cautious because of two reasons," Moosajee said on CSA's official website. "He had a back issue that kept him out of the game for a protracted amount of time. Secondly‚ there's his importance in the squad‚ so we're managing his rehab and his return to play very carefully.

"The anticipated recovery period for KG's injury is two to three weeks and we are hopeful he'll make a full recovery to be part of the World Cup squad."

South Africa's preparations have also been affected by injuries to Dale Steyn and Lungi Nigidi. Incidentally Steyn, too, was forced to withdraw from the IPL due a shoulder injury after two matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Ngidi, who plays for Chennai Super Kings, was ruled out at the outset of the IPL, having picked a side strain during the home ODI series against Sri Lanka.

More updates on the availability of Steyn, Ngidi and Rabada are likely this week with South Africa's World Cup squad assembling in Pretoria from Tuesday for a week-long preparatory camp. On his part, Moosajee remained positive. "The selectors have ensured they have enough options on the table but there are some players that have been earmarked as standby players."

Jockey Luis Saez has been suspended 15 racing days by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission for his ride on Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby.

Saez will appeal the decision, his attorney said.

Maximum Security became the first horse in the history of the 145-year-old race to be disqualified from first place due to a race riding incident. He was placed 17th behind Long Range Toddy after stewards determined that he interfered with several horses by drifting out in front of War of Will in the final turn.

According to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Saez was cited for "failure to control his mount and make the proper effort to maintain a straight course thereby causing interference with several rivals that resulted in the disqualification of his mount."

Saez was represented by attorney Ann Oldfather during a film review session with Churchill Downs stewards on May 10. Oldfather also presented a video to the stewards arguing that seventh-place finisher War of Will and his jockey Tyler Gaffalione were actually responsible for the incident.

While the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission allows jockeys to appeal their suspensions, it does not allow the stewards' decision on the disqualification of a horse to be appealed. An attempted appeal by the owners of Maximum Security was swiftly denied last week.

If Saez's appeal is not successful, he will not be able to ride at any track during the 15-day period, which includes the dates May 23-27, May 30-June 2, June 6-9, and June 13-14.

In 1968, Dancer's Image became the first winning horse to be disqualified from the Kentucky Derby when he tested positive for a substance that was banned at the time. He was disqualified three days after the race, and the matter was taken to court. After several years of legal battles and appeals, Forward Pass, who had been elevated to first place after the disqualification, was upheld as the winner.

Neither Maximum Security nor Country House, who was placed first after the disqualification, will race in the Preakness.

Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham died Saturday after a brief illness. He was 72.

Cunningham devoted his life to the game of football after moving to the United States from Germany shortly after World War II. He spoke no English at the time and ended up finding football as a way to acclimate to the United States.

It became a lifelong love affair with the game, which took him to California for high school, Oregon for college and then all over the United States after graduation. He coached at Oregon, Arkansas, Stanford and California. He ventured to Canada for a year, in 1981, to work in the CFL.

Then he returned to the United States and spent the remainder of his career in the NFL with the Colts, Chargers and Raiders before moving to Kansas City to become the defensive coordinator and then head coach in 1999. He had a 16-16 record with the Chiefs in two seasons. He coached linebackers in Tennessee for three years before returning to the Chiefs as the defensive coordinator for the second time in his career.

The last five years of his on-field coaching career came with the Lions, for whom he was defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2013. The team issued a statement Monday.

"Gunther Cunningham will forever be remembered as one of the great men of our game," it read. "He left a lasting impact on every person who was fortunate enough to work alongside him during his more than 47 years as a coach -- including 34 years in the National Football League, the final eight of which were spent here in Detroit. Our organization is truly honored and proud to have been included in his distinguished coaching legacy. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, René, and their entire family."

After 2013, Cunningham moved into an off-field coaching role and wasn't on the field for a game for the first time in at least 50 years. That stretch included the time he played in a high school game -- or so he told the story -- the week after he had the anterior cruciate ligament removed from his knee as a high school player.

"I lived without my left knee having an ACL all my life," Cunningham told ESPN in 2017. "In those days, you didn't get hurt. You just kept playing."

That toughness was never questioned -- by his players, his coaches or his future colleagues. While his football record was impeccable, Cunningham was often known for his storytelling in the media. He loved to rave about Leslie O'Neal and Derrick Thomas -- two of his favorite Chiefs. When he was putting together his home office, Cunningham's wife told him she noticed a lot of Chiefs memorabilia.

"She went, 'My god, this is a shrine to Derrick Thomas,'" Cunningham told ESPN in 2017. "I got emotional and I said, 'Let's not talk about that.' There's a tremendous amount of Chiefs memorabilia because I was there off and on for 12 years and coached some really gifted players for you."

As well as he could tell a yarn or dissect an offensive or defensive play on the field, he was equally well-versed on many other topics. Becoming an American citizen in 2010 meant a lot to him after he spent almost his entire life in the country. Former British prime minister Winston Churchill was one of his heroes. He first learned about the man from his grandmother when he was a child in Germany.

"I've seen or heard that speech he made about the island and how we'll never stop fighting and we'll never lose and how the Germans tried to bomb them into oblivion and the English survived, as they always have. They are one of the greatest powers in the world, in our history, and the English navy was a thing to be reckoned with in those days," Cunningham told ESPN in 2014. "If I had my choice in life, other than being a football coach, I'd like to dive all over that water area between Europe and England and I bet you could find something there.

"A lot of things that haven't been found that would lead us to understand our history better and where better to start than the island of England. To me, my generation growing up, that was the war and how they fought and how they survived. To meet people from there is an honor for me."

Cunningham went to England in 2014 when the Lions played the Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London. He was excited to see the culture and to learn more about a place he had heard so much about as a kid but never got to spend any time in. Since leaving Europe as a child in Germany, he had been back only once since -- on a vacation in Italy.

Football, of course, ended up getting in the way of a lot of traveling Cunningham had contemplated doing throughout his life. After he left the NFL, he joined Pro Football Focus, where he used the analytics skills he picked up in his later years in the league to help bolster the football portion of the company. He worked on passing his knowledge forward, teaching how he grades players and being part of an oversight group that made sure things were being seen correctly.

He had set up a small office in a building in suburban Detroit to be his workplace, carrying the televisions up the stairs himself because Cunningham was a man who always liked to do what he could.

Cunningham is survived by his wife, sons Grant and Adam and daughter Natalie.

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid defended coach Brett Brown Monday amid speculation that the coach's job is at risk because of the team's second-round exit from the playoffs.

Embiid called the idea that Brown might be fired "bulls--," saying, "He's done a fantastic job. He's been there through everything.

"This year I think he grew even more as a coach. He learned, we all learned.

"At the end of the day it comes down to the players. I don't think he should have anything to worry about. He's an amazing coach, a better person. ... If there was someone to blame, I mean, put it all on me."

Before the playoffs began, team owner Josh Harris said he expected the 76ers to at least reach the East final. And at a press conference before the start of the playoffs, Harris refused to say if Brown would return and offered only a lukewarm endorsement of the coach's performance.

Brown has coached the 76ers for six seasons, through a 10-win season in 2015-16, and has been championed by ownership and the front office for having patience through what former general manager Sam Hinkie dubbed "The Process." But the Sixers -- who rebuilt their roster with two blockbuster trades -- had higher expectations this season.

Brown's players have often expressed their admiration and confidence in the coach.

"What he's done for this organization is nothing short of remarkable,'' 76ers guard JJ Redick said Monday. "I would just say this in general, for any NBA team, when you think about a coach, and potentially replacing that coach, you have to consider what coaches are available. I don't feel it necessary to defend Brett to anyone. I think his work speaks for itself.''

The decision on Brown is a crucial one for first-year general manager Elton Brand, who also has to decide how to handle the team's free agents.

Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and Redick are headed into free agency, with a max contract likely looming for Butler.

"I haven't thought about it too much,'' Butler said Monday. "I've got to sit down and really talk to my team.''

Harris, a trade deadline pickup from the LA Clippers, can also command a max deal from the Sixers. The Sixers are already on the hook for the $121 million left on Embiid's deal and Ben Simmons is a year out from earning a max-level extension.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.