Everton’s head coach, David Moyes, reflected on the significant moment in the club’s history as they prepare to play their final match at Goodison Park this Sunday. The Toffees will face already-relegated Southampton in what is expected to be an emotional farewell for fans, as the Men’s Senior Team gears up to transition to their new world-class waterfront stadium for the 2025/26 season.

Everton’s journey began at Anfield, now home to city rivals Liverpool. A rental dispute led to their move to Goodison Park in 1892, where they have spent the last 133 years.

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Moyes noted the many legends who have passed through the club, emphasizing that he will be the one to close the door behind him. “There are many individuals with greater knowledge and wisdom about Everton and Goodison Park than I possess. The history, the stories, the great managers, and players—all of that is rich here. I’m simply the one who will close the door as I leave,” he remarked.

Moyes expressed the bittersweet nature of the transition: “It will be sad, but we are moving towards a brighter and better future. I believe all Evertonians have eagerly awaited this moment. The new stadium is much anticipated. While it will be an emotional day, I need to keep the players focused on the match,” he stated during the pre-game press conference.

He also confirmed that Seamus Coleman will remain with Everton next season, regardless of the circumstances, and revealed that Jake O’Brien is fit and available for the club’s last Premier League match at Goodison Park. O’Brien is back after missing the recent win against Fulham due to injury, while James Tarkowski (hamstring), Jesper Lindstrom (hernia), and Orel Mangala (knee) will miss the final home game of the season.

Addressing the possibility of Coleman captaining the team for Goodison’s last Premier League match, Moyes commented, “That is something I’m considering. What I can say is that Sunday’s game is a priority for us, and we’ll do our utmost to prepare effectively and perform at our best.”

“Seamus will definitely be with us next season. His presence is vital; his leadership and influence in the dressing room are immensely strong, and it would be wrong to lose him. Seamus will be here, one way or another,” he confirmed.

On Saturday, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) revealed its list of ‘Elite Retained Players,’ ‘Retained Young Players,’ and ‘New Young Players’ for Season 12. The auction is scheduled for May 31 and June 1 in Mumbai.

While most franchises have retained their key talent, they are also focused on strengthening their teams ahead of the upcoming Player Auction for PKL Season 12.

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Key players retained include Sunil Kumar and Amirmohammad Zafardanesh (U Mumba), Jaideep Dahiya (Haryana Steelers), Surender Gill (UP Yoddhas), and the Puneri Paltan’s Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat.

A total of 83 players have been retained across three categories: 25 in the Elite Retained Players category, 23 in the Retained Young Players category, and 35 in the New Young Players category.

Over 500 players will be available at the auction, including prominent Indian names like Pawan Sehrawat, Arjun Deshwal, Ashu Malik, and PKL 11’s top raider Devank Dalal. Iranian stars Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui, as well as veterans Maninder Singh and Pardeep Narwal, will also participate.

Notably, star raider Naveen Kumar will enter the auction for the first time. The PKL 8 champion has amassed 1,102 Raid Points for Dabang Delhi K.C. across six seasons, becoming the first player in league history to reach 1,000+ points with a single team before an auction.

For the auction, players will be sorted into four categories: A, B, C, and D, with additional classifications as ‘All-Rounders,’ ‘Defenders,’ and ‘Raiders.’ The base prices for each category are as follows: Category A: Rs 30 lakh, Category B: Rs 20 lakh, Category C: Rs 13 lakh, and Category D: Rs 9 lakh.

Each franchise will have a total salary purse of Rs 5 crore to build its squad.

On Friday, Mizoram and Maharashtra triumphed in their respective Group D matches of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship, taking place at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground. Mizoram dominated Himachal Pradesh with an impressive 8-0 victory in the morning, while Maharashtra secured a 4-1 win over Jharkhand.

Joel Lalramengmawia was the standout performer for Mizoram, scoring five goals (43’, 51’, 54’ p, 61’). His teammates Mesak C. Lalrinngheta (46’), Ngurthanmawia (75’), John Lalrinawma (80’), and Stephen Ngurchhuanmawia (88’ p) each contributed one goal.

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Maharashtra’s victory over Jharkhand, also in the second half, keeps them in contention for the top position in Group D.

Niranjan Gaikwad netted a hat-trick (48’, 80’, 90+4’), keeping his team in the race for a semifinal spot. Jharkhand briefly levelled with a goal from Krishna Hembrom (68’), but Maharashtra quickly regained the lead, with Gaikwad continuing to shine. Arhev Jodhwani added another in injury time (90+3’) to secure the win.

All three teams at the top of the group—Mizoram, Tripura, and Maharashtra—are tied on six points, although Maharashtra has played one additional match. Only the group leader will advance to the semifinals.

In Group C on Thursday, Manipur and Punjab both claimed victories against Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim, respectively. Manipur secured a 2-0 win, while Punjab edged Sikkim 3-2.

Despite the victory, Manipur remains fourth in their group with three points from two matches, while Uttar Pradesh stays at the top with six points from three games, sharing the same tally as Punjab but holding the advantage with a superior head-to-head record.