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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is taking a safety-first approach with John Stones despite the defender being a crucial part of his tactical plans. The England international has played just 393 minutes of football for his club – and 91 for his country – due to a hip injury and while he was named in the squad for the 1-1 draw with Liverpool after a muscle injury Guardiola had no intention of using him. Stones has played a vital role in the continuing evolution of the side as the centre-back who steps forward in possession to allow midfielders to play higher up the pitch. Other players have been tasked with doing the same – the latest Manuel Akanji – but Stones remains the premier exponent of Guardiola’s game-plan but his manager wants to avoid more false starts after two failed comebacks already. “He feels good but we are going to give him one, two weeks to do proper strength training sessions,” said the City boss. “John is so important for us I let him play when maybe his muscles weren’t completely ready. He will train with us, either partial or completely, and the rest he is going to have strength training sessions in his legs to be sure when he comes back he feels stronger. “We need him because there are a lot of games. I know the man of the match (against Liverpool) was Jeremy (Doku) but at Stamford Bridge and yesterday Manu (Akanji) was believable. “What a signing the club has made with that guy; he can play full-back, central defender, now holding midfielder and when arriving in the final third he has the ability to make passes.” The game against Liverpool was the first of a scheduled 10 – but likely to be 11 – in 36 days until the end of December as it includes a trip to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup where they are expected to progress from their semi-final. John is so important for us I let him play when maybe his muscles weren't completely ready Pep Guardiola admits he erred in rushing back Stones That means Guardiola has to manage all his players, not just Stones, and he claims their training sessions will not last much longer than half-an-hour. “Maximum 30-35 minutes. Until Tuesday (the Champions League game with RB Leipzig) it will be 10 minutes on the pitch moving the ball and that’s all. “We cannot train. If we train we won’t have players for the next game. “We have learned from the past and you just understand what you have to do, the places you have to move, the press. “We have TV images and we talk individually in specific ways and after they make mistakes it is just about understanding what you have to to do.” Winger Doku put in the stand-out performance against Liverpool and Bernardo Silva hopes the 21-year-old, a £55million summer arrival from Rennes, can continue the form which saw him score and provide four assists against Bournemouth earlier this month. “He’s a very good signing and he’s been playing very well for us. Hopefully he can keep going, keep learning and improving and help us win titles,” said the Portugal international. “You cannot give him limitations, otherwise he loses his magic. We have to let him be himself and do his thing, whilst knowing he has a responsibility to help us when he doesn’t have the ball – but I think he’s been doing really well.” Read More Virgil Van Dijk says Trent Alexander-Arnold is ‘the complete package’ Jacksonville Jaguars hold off Houston Texans to remain in charge of AFC South All-conquering Jannik Sinner inspires Italy to Davis Cup glory Beth Mead scores first goal in over a year as WSL top three maintain momentum Alejandro Garnacho has the potential to do some amazing things – Erik ten Hag Players and fans evacuated from York Barbican as fire disrupts UK Championship

Texas A&M is working on a deal to hire Duke coach Mike Elko, replacing Jimbo Fisher with his former defensive coordinator for four years in College Station

The Boston Celtics will be missing two starters Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks as Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday are sidelined with injuries

HOUSTON (AP) — Trevor Lawrence threw for 364 yards and a touchdown, and the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars escaped with a 24-21 victory over the division rival Houston Texans on Sunday when Matt Ammendola’s 58-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar with 34 seconds left.

Jake Neighbours, Pavel Buchnevich and Kevin Hayes scored in the first period, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham set a team record by playing in his 189th career regular-season game against the Bills

Jonathan Taylor ran for two scores, Gardner Minshew added another and the Indianapolis Colts defense came up with a late turnover to preserve a 27-20 victory over Tampa Bay

La Salle coach Fran Dunphy won his 600th career game

Trevor Lawrence threw for 364 yards and a touchdown, and the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars escaped with a 24-21 victory over the division rival Houston Texans

Kenny Pickett threw for a season-high 278 yards and the Pittsburgh Steelers showed new life on offense days after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada, beating the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals 16-10

Derrick Henry ran for two touchdowns and 76 yards helping the Tennessee Titans snap a three-game skid beating the Carolina Panthers 17-10 on Sunday

Beth Mead scored twice as Arsenal thumped struggling West Ham 3-0 at Meadow Park in the Women’s Super League. It did not take long for Arsenal to open the scoring as Frida Maanum put the hosts 1-0 up just two minutes in and Mead got her first since returning from injury in the 18th minute before she tapped in from six yards to make it 3-0 just before the break. Jonas Eidevall’s team sit in second position and continue to pile pressure on league leaders Chelsea. Lauren James scored twice as the Blues stretched their winning run to six games in the league with a 5-2 victory over Leicester. Chelsea scored twice in the first five minutes through James and a Courtney Nevin own goal and added a third just before the break through Sam Kerr, just after Jutta Rantala had brought Leicester back into the game. Sam Tierney netted in the 44th minute to make it 3-2 but Chelsea regained their two-goal cushion when James dinked over the keeper from close range and Aggie Beever-Jones sealed the points late on for Emma Hayes’ side. In Sunday’s late kick-off, Manchester City thrashed Tottenham 7-0 with Khadija Shaw scoring a first-half hat-trick before Laura Coombs came off the bench to net a late double. City built on a fast start as Shaw headed home a 23rd-minute opener before two more well-taken goals in the space of six minutes ripped Spurs apart as their eight-match unbeaten run was left in tatters. Any hopes of a comeback were dashed at the start of the second half when the impressive Lauren Hemp curled in a fourth. Jill Roord’s header and a late brace from substitute Coombs completed a comprehensive win which sees City consolidate third place going into the international break. Second-half goals from Hinata Miyazawa and Nikita Parris ensured that Manchester United returned to winning ways in the WSL after their derby loss to Manchester City last weekend with a 2-0 victory at rock-bottom Bristol City. United were denied on several occasions in the first period by inspired City goalkeeper Olivia Clark, who kept out Parris, Leah Galton and Millie Turner. Marc Skinner’s side broke the deadlock five minutes after the break through Japanese international Miyazawa before Parris added a second as United clinched an away win. Liverpool picked up their first win in three league matches with a convincing 4-0 triumph over Brighton. The Reds carried a 2-0 lead into the break thanks to strikes from Gemma Bonner and Shanice van de Sanden and Ceri Holland nodded in from close range in the second half before Sophie Roman Haug added the gloss on a good afternoon for the hosts. Also on Sunday, Everton leapfrogged Aston Villa in the table after Nathalie Bjorn’s penalty handed them a 2-1 win at Villa Park. Anna Patten’s own goal gave Everton the lead but they were instantly pegged back when Rachel Daly side-footed home from close range. The Toffees’ winner came with 15 minutes left when Kirsty Hanson brought Heather Payne down inside the area. Bjorn stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to hand Everton a first victory in five matches. Read More Alejandro Garnacho has the potential to do some amazing things – Erik ten Hag Players and fans evacuated from York Barbican as fire disrupts UK Championship Luca Brecel makes winning start in York after spending spree renews title hunger Ange Postecoglou says ‘we’ll get through it’ after Tottenham are beaten again Archer, Brook and Rashid join list of England players who will not play in IPL Ollie Watkins hails a ‘massive three points’ for Aston Villa at Tottenham