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AFC Championship game in the NFL: New England Patriots v Denver Broncos – live

  • Winner earns Super Bowl LX spot | Message Graham

  • Updates from 3pm ET/8pm GMT kickoff

Oh and on the subject of Jarrett Stidham, this is of course a revenge gameTM for the QB. He was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 draft and started a grand total of zero games for them. There were some mitigating factors such as backing up Tom Brady in his first season in the NFL. But when Cam Newton came to town in 2020, he was the backup Brian Hoyer’s backup so New England clearly didn’t think too highly of him. Stiddy has the ultimate shot to show them the error of their ways.

With about 40 minutes to kickoff we can have a short history lesson. The Broncos and Patriots have met twice before in the AFC Championship game. In 2016 when Denver’s defense shut Tom Brady down to sneak a 20-18 win. The D then rose up again to batter Cam Newton and the Panthers for a 24-10 win in Super Bowl 50. Two years before the Broncos prevailed again behind a monster 400 yard passing day from Payton Manning before losing heavily to the Packers in the big one.

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© Photograph: John Locher/AP

© Photograph: John Locher/AP

© Photograph: John Locher/AP

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European football: Lamine Yamal’s stunning strike caps Barcelona win over Real Oviedo

  • Three second-half goals put Barça back on top

  • Juventus beat Napoli to leave title challenge in tatters

Barcelona capitalised on two defensive mistakes by bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo to seal a 3-0 victory at a rain-drenched Camp Nou on Sunday, regaining top spot in La Liga. Goals from Dani Olmo, Raphinha, and an acrobatic Lamine Yamal strike powered the Catalans to 52 points, one ahead of Real Madrid, while Atlético Madrid trail in third on 44.

Barça struggled to break the deadlock against a spirited Oviedo until they finally found the breakthrough in the 52nd minute, with Olmo striking home following a defensive lapse. Five minutes later, Oviedo’s struggles deepened, with defender David Costas under-hitting a back pass, which Raphinha intercepted before calmly chipping the onrushing keeper Aaron Escandell to double Barcelona’s lead.

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© Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

© Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

© Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

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The Invite review – A-list ensemble electrify hilarious couples night gone wrong comedy

Sundance film festival: Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton are exceptional in a smart and funny winner about sex, marriage and partner-swapping

Not enough people managed to see last year’s self-billed “unromantic comedy” Splitsville, a shame for how tremendously entertaining it was and for what it represents at this given moment. A rigorously well-directed, genuinely funny, relatably messy look at two couples dealing with the maelstrom of non-monogamy, it was the kind of smart, well-crafted film for adults we are constantly complaining we don’t get enough of.

I had a similar thrill watching The Invite at its sold-out Sundance premiere on Saturday night. Like that film, it is also about two adult couples negotiating anxieties surrounding sex with other people – and also like that film, it’s really, consistently funny and stylishly directed, made with the kind of care and rigidity that comedies just aren’t afforded now. It doesn’t have the same absurdist slapstick streak – it’s much more of this world – but it made me feel equally energised, a reminder that maybe that mid-sized movie gap is finally being filled. I just hope more people see this one.

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© Photograph: The Invite

© Photograph: The Invite

© Photograph: The Invite

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Cunha’s stunner earns Manchester United thrilling late win at Arsenal

The Emirates Stadium was a sea of anxiety. Arsenal fans are acutely aware that a first Premier League title since 2004 is within their grasp and when it is so tantalising, it will be fraught. Especially when matches such as this become a grind. When the attacking patterns do not work. When the team look vulnerable.

Arsenal could feel their nearest rivals, Manchester City and Aston Villa, on their backs. Both had won to cut their lead at the top to four points. Mikel Arteta’s team had drawn their previous two league matches 0-0 – against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. They were desperate for something here and when Patrick Dorgu put Manchester United 2-1 up with a scorching drive early in the second half, they would have taken anything. They would end with nothing – apart from a thumping headache.

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© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

© Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

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