Conor Hazard expected to be fit for start of Plymouth Argyle season
Advertisement
Hazard made his first international appearance for his country in 18 months when he started the game against Denmark in Copenhagen but he fell heavily after he challenged for the ball with Rasmus Hojlund, the Manchester United striker, during the first half and although he did remain on the pitch after lengthy medical attention he was substituted at the interval.
New head coach Tom Cleverley revealed the hope was that Hazard would be ready to play for Argyle in the final pre-season game, against Bristol City at Home Park on Saturday, July 26.
READ MORE: Tom Cleverley confirms Adam Randell set for Plymouth Argyle exit
READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle target Christian Saydee signs for Ryan Lowe's Wigan Athletic
Advertisement
"We had a couple of reports back on that (Hazard's injury) and it looks like the better of the two bits of news we received," said Cleverley. "We are hoping Conor will be fit for the start of the season, maybe even the last pre-season game.
"It's obviously not ideal but it's in a position where fitness isn't too high up the priorities and I expect Conor to be good to go the start of the season."
He added: "It's a knee ligament issue and a bit better than we first feared. I'm looking forward to having him back, the back end of the pre-season."
The injury to Hazard is a particularly untimely one for Argyle because Dan Grimshaw, who served as the back-up 'keeper to him over the second half of last season, joined Norwich City earlier this summer.
Advertisement
As it stands, 20-year-old academy product Zak Baker is the only 'keeper in the senior squad, and he has not made his first team debut yet, so clearly that is something which needs to be addressed. Cleverley said: "It's another area of the pitch that we will be looking to add depth. We are working hard towards that as well."
Hazard has 12 months remaining on the contract he signed with Argyle when he joined them from Celtic in Scotland in the summer of 2023. He has gone on to make 59 first team appearances, and missed much of the first half of last term due to ankle ligament damage.
You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tottenham vs Wycombe: Friendly prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds
Tottenham will step up their pre-season preparations with back-to-back friendlies this weekend. Spurs have scheduled two games against League One opposition on Saturday as they face Wycombe Wanderers in the morning before taking on Luton Town - who have suffered relegation in successive campaigns. The first game, which is behind-closed-doors, is a late addition to the north London outfit's pre-season schedule and new head coach Thomas Frank has explained it is to give players as many minutes as possible heading into the new season. Tottenham began their preparations for the new campaign with a 2-0 win over Reading last week as summer signing Mohammed Kudus impressed on his first outing for the club. Meanwhile this will be game number five of pre-season for the Chairboys having lost to Brighton and Sutton, drawn with Barnet and beaten Cheltenham. Date, kick-off time and venue Tottenham vs Wycombe is scheduled for a 11am BST kick-off on Saturday, July 26, 2025. The match will take place at Hotspur Way. Where to watch Tottenham vs Wycombe TV channel: In the UK, the game will not be televised live. Live stream: Viewers will be able to stream the game live on SPURSPLAY. A 12-month subscription costs £45. Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport's live blog! Tottenham vs Wycombe team news Summer signing Kota Takai missed the friendly win over Reading last week with what Frank described as a 'minor issue'. Manor Solomon and Richarlison were also absent from the new Spurs head coach's first game in change. However, the trio are expected to feature in one of the day's friendlies. Frank said: 'Manor has a minor calf injury, unfortunately, nothing big. Kota has a minor issue, and we expect him to train next week. 'Richy has trained well, we're just building him, that's the big thing, He trained earlier today, and we expect a full training week next week and, right now, we expect him to play next week.' Wycombe head coach Mike Dodds should be able to name his strongest possible side with the start of the League One season not too far away. Striker Richard Kone has scored three goals in two friendlies thus far and will be out to improve on that tally against Spurs. Tottenham vs Wycombe prediction Thomas Frank has made it clear that players getting minutes under their belts is ultimately why an extra pre-season fixture has been added to the schedule. As a result, there should be plenty of Spurs players aiming to build up their fitness as well as leaving a positive impression on the new manager. Regardless of the team that starts this fixture, the gulf in class between the two squads will become clear as the Premier League side come out on top. Tottenham to win, 3-0. Head to head (h2h) history and results Tottenham and Wycombe have only ever met twice before in an competitive arena. Both games were in the fourth round of the FA Cup with Spurs coming out on top each time - including a seven-goal classic in January 2017. Tottenham wins: 2 Wycombe wins: 0 Draws: 0 Tottenham vs Wycombe match odds Tottenham to win: TBC Wycombe to win: TBC Draw: TBC Odds via Betfair (subject to change).


Forbes
8 hours ago
- Forbes
Gotterup Surging, Finau Searching As FedExCup Stakes Rise At 3M Open
USA's Chris Gotterup on the 17th fairway during day four of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal ... More Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Picture date: Sunday July 20, 2025. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images) The pro golf world may still be basking in the afterglow of Scottie Scheffler's bravura fourth major victory, but while fans pause to reflect on whether the current world No. 1 may be echoing Tiger in his prime, the tour has pressed onto Minnesota for the 3M Open. With only two events to go in the regular season, the stakes are elevated at TPC Twin Cities as players battle to improve their position in the FedExCup standings. For those hovering around the bubble, the margins are as thin as Scotch Tape and there's way more on the line than simply a share of the 3M Open's $8.4 million purse. The top 70 after next week's Wyndham Championship advance to the FedExCup Playoffs. Golfers who finish in the top 50 in the standings after the FedEx St. Jude move on to the BMW Championship and from there only the top 30 will be left standing and go on to East Lake in Atlanta for the Tour Championship. Beyond the immediate postseason horizon, to secure spots in next year's lucrative signature events, players must stick inside the top 50 when the season is in the bag. Otherwise, they'll need to punch their ticket via the Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, or else hold onto the hope of a sponsor's exemption. PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 20: Tony Finau of the United States acknowledges the crowd on the ... More 18th green during day four of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 20, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by) Tony Finau is tied with Xander Schauffele for the longest active streak of Tour Championship appearances with eight straight East Lake appearances. But the Utah native isn't quite on solid footing to extend his run to nine. The six-time PGA winner, who topped the leaderboard here in 2022, finds himself perched at 59th in the standings, inside the top 70 but still shy of that all-important top 50 cutoff, so he's got work to do. 'It's definitely in the back of my mind because I know how important that top-50 number has become on the PGA Tour,' Finau said in his pre-tournament press conference. 'I'm trying to put myself in a situation to have a chance to win on Sunday this week and if I'm able to do that, then I know the points and everything will take care of themselves,' he added. Gotterup Rising You don't have to scroll too far back on the calendar to the days when Chris Gotterup wasn't on most golf fans' radar. Sure, he'd won the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic last year—an opposite-field event—but his sophomore season on the PGA Tour had been more steady than spectacular. He notched nine top-25 finishes, offset by just as many missed cuts. But then cue up Born To Run. Gotterup vaulted 55 spots in the FedExCup standings in the space of a fortnight, outdueling Rory McIlroy to win the Scottish Open and showing he had staying power by coming in third in the Open Championship. No one would begrudge the New Jerseyan if he took a week off after his cross-the-pond breakout, but Gotterup wants to keep the pedal to the metal. 'I'm trying to ride the hot hand obviously right now, so that's goal No. 1.,' Gotterup said. '3M gave me a spot a couple years ago when I came out of school and I felt like I kind of owe a little something back to them. I was planning on playing but that definitely helped,' he added. Now firmly inside the top 30 in the FedExCup standings, Gotterup is navigating uncharted territory—and embracing the moment. 'I feel like I'm playing with house money at the moment, especially with what's happened. I'm excited for the rest of the season.'
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Crocker-Donovan rematch confirmed for Windsor Park
The rematch between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan, which has been upgraded to a world title fight for the vacant IBF welterweight belt, is to take place at Belfast's Windsor Park stadium on Saturday, 13 September. Promoters Matchroom Boxing confirmed on Thursday that the venue, which hosts the Northern Ireland international football team's home matches, would stage the first-ever world title fight between two boxers from the island of Ireland. The welterweight title was previously held by American Jaron 'Boots' Ennis. The first meeting between the pair on 1 March was a final eliminator for the IBF title and ended in controversial fashion with Crocker taking the win by disqualification in front of a 8,500 crowd at the SSE Arena in his native Belfast. Limerick fighter Donovan, who had twice previously been deducted points, was thrown out at the end of the eighth round for punching after the bell. An appeal from Donovan's team resulted in the IBF granting a rematch which would again serve as a final eliminator for the world title but with champion Ennis moving up to the light-middleweight, the belt became vacant. Windsor Park last hosted a boxing event in August 2018 when two-weight world champion Carl Frampton defeated Luke Jackson of Australia. 'It's going to be exceptional' Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Crocker said: "Unbelievable. As a kid all I wanted to do was to fight for a world title. To fight at Windsor Park is a dream. "I can't imagine what it's going to be like to fight for a world title there. The first all-Irish world title fight. It's history. "The controversy from the last fight makes it even bigger. It's going to be exceptional. The rematch should happen 100%. I wanted the rematch to put things right." Crocker's victory made it 21 wins from 21 fights for the Belfast boxer but the 28-year-old was not happy with his level of performance. "I underperformed massively in the first fight so to go in as an underdog and prove everyone wrong, and win a world title at Windsor Park - I'll take that all day long. "I'd be a happy man until I die if I win a world title, especially at Windsor Park. "The atmosphere is going to be electric. Obviously he [Donovan] will have his support as well but my friends and family and the people of Belfast will back me." Boxing schedule and results 2025 Watch every Born to Brawl episode More boxing from the BBC Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport