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Manchester City face the prospect of being without star striker Erling Haaland for Tuesday's Champions League game against AEK Athens. The Norway international scored twice in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town to take his tally to eight Premier League goals for the season, leading the top-flight scoring charts once more. But the 26-year-old suffered a blow to the foot in the game and is now a doubt for the European night at Etihad Stadium, as City look to get back to winning ways in the competition after last week's 4-2 defeat by Paris St-Germain. "To replace Erling is always difficult but we have some different options," said manager Enzo Maresca. "It also depends on the gameplan. "At the moment it is Erling. Why do we need to think of a different nine if Erling is there? If something happened or we need a different nine plan, we'll see." Should Haaland not make a recovery, it would leave Maresca with a dilemma on who to select up front after Antoine Semenyo was ruled out for eight weeks with the left knee injury he picked up in the win over Ipswich. Boos and bananas on day of defiance at Man City Haaland has scored in six consecutive top-flight games to help City to the top of the table with a flawless start from their opening seven games of the campaign. Against Ipswich, he scored his 100th non-penalty goal in the Premier League, reaching this milestone in fewer appearances than any other player. Maresca said Haaland "can be available" against Athens and will be assessed after Monday's training session, but that he was "quite good" on Sunday. Players can find it difficult to feature as back-ups to Haaland, as Julian Alvarez and Omar Marmoush have found in the past, but it was a surprise when Divin Mubama was allowed to join Championship side Southampton on loan in the summer. It left City without a natural replacement in Haaland's absence. Maresca has previously said Semenyo can be used "as a nine" but that plan is no longer available with the Ghanaian facing the prospect of missing up to 13 matches. One option mooted by the Italian is midfielder Phil Foden, who ended his barren run in front of goal on Saturday by scoring his first Premier League goal since December. "Phil can be one of the solutions," said Maresca. "He played already in the past in that position so could play again, but at the moment the number nine is Erling." Could summer signing Iliman Ndiaye be another option? The Senegal international was often deployed as a striker in Sheffield United's promotion-winning campaign in 2022-23, scoring 14 goals to help the Blades return to the Premier League. Last season, manager Pep Guardiola said Rayan Cherki fits playing in the false nine role "perfectly", with the Frenchman scoring in a 2-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Brentford when used in that position. Semenyo's injury complicates matters. The City forward appeared as a 77th-minute substitute on Saturday but hobbled straight down the tunnel at full-time with Maresca initially expecting an "even worse injury". The Ghana international has made 10 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing three assists. "To lose Antoine or any player is not good," Maresca said on Monday. "In the first moment we expected an even worse injury, so we were more worried, but after Sunday's scan we feel much better. "It could be eight weeks. The most important thing for him is to recover and also when he is back, probably around December, we will have a new player in terms of energy. "It is a collateral [knee injury], something like this. It is not a muscle problem." Jeremy Doku started on the left flank against Ipswich and should continue in that role in the absence of Semenyo.

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Ghana forward suffered knee injury against Ipswich Maresca to ring changes against AEK Athens on Tuesday Antoine Semenyo has been ruled out for eight weeks with a knee injury, leaving Enzo Maresca short of alternatives to Erling Haaland, who is a doubt for Manchester City’s Champions League game at home to AEK Athens on Tuesday. Semenyo limped off against Ipswich on Saturday and Haaland hobbled off at full time with a foot injury. City are eager to get their European campaign back on track after losing to Paris Saint-Germain last Wednesday. Maresca has said he will make changes and has previously admitted Haaland will require resting at some point. Semenyo would have been the most obvious replacement but Phil Foden and Iliman Ndiaye could be utilised. “To replace Erling it’s always difficult but we have some different options; we’ll see tomorrow,” Maresca said. “To lose Antoine or any player for us is not good. Then in terms of Erling, we said that we can use Antoine as a 9 but also we have different players that we are going to try and to find new solutions.” Maresca witnessed a number of his players limp away from the win over Ipswich: Haaland, Semenyo, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly, who all featured at the World Cup. Maresca had made six changes, showing the need to rotate amid a hectic schedule of seven games in 21 days in October for City, many of whose players also had international commitments at the start of the month. “We try to manage all the players in the best way, try to keep them fit,” Maresca said. “Even sometimes things happen that you cannot control, like Antoine’s injury. We try to save him, we try to keep him fresh.” The fixtures mean it is difficult for Maresca to get training time as he tries to instil his style. “We try and do what we can on the pitch to go through a few things and tactics before the games,” the defender Marc Guéhi said. “It’s just a lot of recovery, sleep, to make sure the body is right for the next game,. It’s been enjoyable, to be honest; not to train, just playing games, which is fun.”

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Former Premier League striker Saido Berahino has retired from football at the age of 33 to concentrate on coaching Burundi. The Midlands-bred Burundi international made his name with boyhood club West Bromwich Albion, where he had one especially prolific season of 20 Premier League and cup goals in 2014-15 before joining Stoke City for £12m in January 2017. But, having already faltered at Albion in his latter days under Tony Pulis, Berahino flopped badly for Stoke, who went on to suffer relegation from the Premier League in April 2018. After being given a second chance by then Stoke boss Gary Rowett, he scored five times in 2018-19. But he soon fell out of favour again until he was released by mutual consent with still three years remaining on his contract. Having left Stoke in August 2019 for Belgium, Berahino played at Waregem and Charleroi before being signed by former Baggies boss Darren Moore at Sheffield Wednesday in August 2021. He has since played in Cyprus, India and Slovenia, as well as for his native country, having previously been capped by England at all age levels up to and including under-21. Berahino was twice called up for England's full squad by then manager Roy Hodgson - but was not picked to play. Berahino reserved special thanks for his first club, for whom he scored 36 goals in 121 appearances in all competition, including a hat-trick on his first start, as a 20-year-old, against Newport County in the EFL Cup in August 2013. In a statement, entitled 'A Letter To The Game', posted on Instagram, Berahino wrote: "I want to thank West Bromwich Albion for believing in me when I was a boy. "Those years at the club, the goals, the fans, the moments, they will always be special. There were highs and lows, mistakes and lessons. I learned that the game can lift you up and test you at the same time. "The time has come to hang up the boots. My body and my heart are ready for the next chapter. I am proud and grateful to now serve the Burundi national team as a coach. Giving back to the country that made me, and helping the next generation, feels right. "To my family - you have been my strength. To the fans who stayed with me through every chapter - I will never forget your support. This is not goodbye to football. It is simply the end of one story and the beginning of another. "Football has given me everything. From the streets of Bujumbura to The Hawthorns, from the Premier League to places I never imagined I'd play - this game carried a young refugee kid through life." Follow West Bromwich Albion on BBC Sounds Pre-match, post-match and topical Albion content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Baggies Latest West Bromwich Albion news, analysis and fan views

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England and Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has been handed a £1,000 court bill after his Range Rover was caught running a red light. The 26-year-old's vehicle was caught on camera going past a set of lights in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, 1.1 seconds after they turned red. Gibbs-White, who earned his first England cap in 2024, failed to respond to two police letters asking him to confirm if he had been driving at the time of the red light offence, according to court documents. Last Tuesday, he was convicted by a court of failing to provide the identity of a driver at the time of an offence. Nottinghamshire Police put out an alert on Gibbs-White's car when the force tried to investigate the traffic light incident, and found the number plate registered with the DVLA was one letter different from what was on the vehicle. Staffordshire Police then pulled over the Range Rover in April and confirmed it belonged to Gibbs-White. At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court, he was fined £660, given six penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay £120 in costs and a £264 victim surcharge. A court official said Gibbs-White did not enter a plea or mitigation, and was sentenced behind closed doors under the fast-track Single Justice Procedure. Court papers show a Nottinghamshire Police camera caught Gibbs-White's car going past a red traffic light at 15:17 GMT on 28 January in Radcliffe Road. "At the time of the offence, the vehicle was captured failing to comply with a red light signal, the time into the red light was recorded as 1.1 seconds," a police worker wrote in her statement. Gibbs-White was banned from driving for six months in May last year after he was caught speeding six times in the space of three months. At the time, he was ordered to pay just under £4,000 in fines for the spate of offences, including two speeding tickets acquired on the same day. Gibbs-White, who signed for Forest in 2022 from Wolverhampton Wanderers, has made 10 appearances for England and was called up to Thomas Tuchel's recent squad for the Nations League. Tell us which stories we should cover in Nottingham Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook , external , on X , external , or on Instagram , external . Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk , external or via WhatsApp , external on 0808 100 2210. Morgan Gibbs-White banned from driving for speeding

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The defeat to Brighton has scared Arsenal. After winning the league, they came out and played some entertaining football, but then that result happened and they’ve gone back to being an efficient machine. It frightened them and they've reverted to type. And the type is that they won't let in any goals, and they'll make an opportunity to score a goal, and that's exactly what they did at Nottingham Forest. I don't think I've ever seen a game where a team has that much possession and still doesn't look like scoring a goal in a month of Sundays. It was as bad as it gets. It's unbelievable how you can have that much of the ball and not look like scoring. I used to watch Arsene Wenger's teams and they would have 30 shots from that amount of play. Forest just sat there and waited to get beat and Arsenal couldn't beat them. Other teams have seen the blueprint to play against Arsenal: sit back and defend. It's not hard. It's not like they're going to make 20, 30 chances. The wingers don't go past anybody. No one runs beyond the ball. The ball isn't being held up. There's no real movement. I was blown away watching their performance against Forest. I know they won by not playing well, and that's a great sign, but at the same time I thought the shackles would be off this season and they would really start playing. Bruno Guimaraes has got to play in every game. He's the one who can pass the ball. I just can't see how they beat Bayern Munich this week. If I was Bayern, I'd just open the game up and just say you have a shot, we have a shot because there'll only be one winner. Can Arsenal outscore teams? This is a massive football match. This gives you a marker for where you are in the Champions League, because you just don't know how strong these leagues are. I like Kai Havertz. He's a good footballer. But when the Bayern Munich centre-halves go to bed, is he giving them a sleepless night? Are they awake worrying that they're playing against Havertz? X factor is what wins a Champions League and I don't see that at Arsenal. I don't see Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres as the difference-maker. It's fine when you're playing against lesser teams, but it's different when you're playing against Europe's big boys. I still see Arsenal winning the league because I just think they just need one goal. I feel Manchester City need two goals every football game to win. Arsenal just need one and they'll win. I've played for big teams and I've played for teams that weren't big - it's a different game. Eberechi Eze is a prime example. It's so, so different. He was substituted at half-time against Forest, but if he played like that for Crystal Palace, he would still be on the pitch. You've got to perform at Arsenal. You've got to play in a shape. You can't just play your own game. You can't be a free spirit at big clubs anymore. At Palace, the team talk is 'give the ball to Eze, everything goes through him and then we'll work from there'. You go to Arsenal, there are four of them. Give the ball to Bruno. Give the ball to Bukayo Saka. Give the ball to Martin Odegaard. Give the ball to Declan Rice. At Arsenal, he gets on the ball, and he's got to make things happen in the 25, 30 times he's touched the ball instead of the 100 times he touches the ball at Palace. I've seen him try to nutmeg people on the edge of his own box at Crystal Palace and lose the ball, but it's alright. That's no disrespect to Palace, but it's just different playing for a big team. The pressure is on week in, week out at Arsenal. They can win at Forest and they'll still get criticised by people like me. That's the difference. I remember Aston Villa away last year. Eze falls asleep at the far post, Matty Cash scores and he gets subbed at half-time. He started only one league game in the next two months. The lad can play. He's a lovely player, but I don't know if he'll be lovely for Arsenal. I don't know if he'll get the chance because as soon as he doesn't do well, he's off. Arsenal have too many players on the bench, so it's easy to take him off. That's the problem.

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Bruised Bundesliga champions hit a supposed rival for six and their flying winger is peaking at a perfect moment When Bayern Munich fail to win for two games in a row, you know what is coming next. Particularly on a Saturday night showcase, against the sort of good domestic opposition that tend to bring the best out of the champions. It had been a frustrating week, domestically and continentally, in two games on the road. On both occasions they had been caught cold, conceding the Bundesliga’s fastest goal at Augsburg and going 1-0 down in less than 90 seconds in Stavanger. Vincent Kompany’s low profile on the Allianz Arena touchline, sat almost motionless in his seat on the bench as his team rattled a flurry of goals past poor RB Leipzig, had nothing to do with any lingering chagrin connected to those slow starts from his team. The sporting director, Max Eberl, who stood in for his coach in the post-match press conference, explained that the Belgian had been ill, not to mention Kompany’s current hip problem that had made the move from dressing room to pitch side slow and uncomfortable. It was good he did not attempt to get up from his vantage point every time his team scored, or he would have been extremely sore in the morning. This was what Kicker referred to as a “ Trainingsspiel in der Allianz Arena ”. Had it not been for the goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt performing creditably, Leipzig’s club record defeat – a 7-0 loss to Manchester City three and a half years ago – would have been comfortably surpassed. This was 6-1 carnage. For Leipzig and their coach, the former Bayern man Martin Demichelis, this was the starkest of reality checks. The media reaction was the same, a sense of disappointment that a supposed competitor to Bayern could offer so little in terms of resistance. Yet there needed to be a recognition too that this was Bayern being their brilliant best; piqued, prickly and poked into action by a potential challenge that they felt compelled to prove wasn’t much of one. This was a furious clearing of frustration on a number of levels; the need to defend Manuel Neuer after his early error at Augsburg, the industrial scale of chances frittered away in that game, the first-half punking by Viking in midweek, the concession of a late equaliser having come back and the red card for Michael Olise (Eberl had memorably called Viking’s captain, Zlatko Tripic, a “scumbag” for systematically winding up the France midfielder to the point at which he picked up two bookings in the blink of an eye, the second for gently lobbing the ball in Tripic’s face, forcing the latter to throw himself to the ground). And how that feeling was expelled from the very beginning. Harry Kane called Vandevoordt into action in the opening seconds, but it was only a temporary let-off for the visitors. Luis Díaz steamed on to a Joshua Kimmich pass to fly through the centre of the Leipzig defence and give Bayern the lead in the 12th minute. The Colombian created a second with a delicious pass for the onrushing Aleksandar Pavlovic just before the half-hour, and just after a stunning collective move finished with Kane carving a chance for Olise to finish imperiously. It was a recital. The move that led to the Pavlovic goal began with Kane steering the ball left from a quarter-back position, maybe 10 to 15 metres in front of his own penalty area. In the second half Díaz fully took centre stage, gathering a Kane pass to chop inside and curl a shot into the far corner, then scurrying the long way around to finish from a central area and complete his hat-trick – not the perfect hat-trick perhaps, but maybe the perfect Luis Díaz hat-trick of centre, from the left and long run around to finish. His first Bundesliga goals since August were scoffed with the demeanour of a famished man. This version of Díaz will be needed against Arsenal with Olise suspended, and the score settling version of Bayern will be the default too, with this the perfect warm up in that sense, even if Leipzig were more compliant than might have been expected. Nobody in Munich has forgotten their first defeat of last season, 11 months ago, when Arsenal stepped up a gear and showed just how good they had become in a comprehensive second-half display at the Emirates Stadium that led to a 3-1 win. “We have memories of that game,” said Eberl, “and we want to translate those memories into energy this Wednesday.” There is a sense of this all just being shadow-boxing, of course, in a league stage that Bayern and Arsenal will be expected to graduate from safely in the top eight. Yet any measure of where they are and where they are headed is useful. Even if this was not a win or go home situation, Saturday’s game could be the season kickstarter for Díaz who, as Kimmich said, is extremely valuable to his team in that he is the most likely to make runs behind the defence; more so than Kane, Olise, or any of their midfielders. “He delivered incredible numbers for us last season,” Kimmich continued (22 goals and 17 assists in Bundesliga and Champions League combined) – and here it was, starting again. Even at this early stage, markers are needed and after Leipzig, Arsenal are Bayern’s next. Bayern ended the weekend on top of the table – ahead of Borussia Dortmund courtesy of, already, a vastly superior goal difference – thanks to previous leader Freiburg’s first loss of the season, on Sunday afternoon at Bayer Leverkusen. Julian Schuster’s side had taken an early lead at BayArena, with the in-form Derry Scherhant concluding a flowing team move but Leverkusen hit back in arguably their first proper test at home. The brilliant Ibrahim Maza quickly equalised and then laid on the second-half winner for Patrick Schick – who has now scored in each of the opening six games of the season – with a sublime assist. Maza explained to DAZN how his escape from a clutch of Freiburg defenders was straight out of his Berlin childhood. “Just playing in the cage, just improvising and going for it.” Level with Schick at the top of the scoring charts is one Niclas Füllkrug, who scored for a fifth game in a row as his brace brought Werder Bremen back from 2-0 down to draw with Paderborn – the third straight game in which Werder have recovered from a two-goal deficit to take a point or more. Daniel Thioune spoke afterwards about how the (maybe soon-to-be-again?) Germany striker is raising the standards of those around him – including the coach himself. “Niclas expects a lot from a coach,” he said. “It’s not just what he does on the pitch, but also what happens in the locker room. Niclas is never too proud to go the extra mile.” Dortmund’s tired performance in a goalless draw with Union in Berlin was a second straight scoreless game but their fellow Champions League participants Stuttgart are in a worse state, glued into the bottom six by a defeat in Hamburg in which they missed a raft of chances. “We’re not a top team right now,” bemoaned Deniz Undav.

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Celtic turned on the style to humiliate Hearts after Rangers failed to take the chance to move to the top of the Scottish Premiership. Back-to-back defeats for new Hibernian boss Marink Reedijk means they are now bottom, while Motherwell and St Mirren could be in trouble after five straight defeats. Celtic's lead at the top is now four points, the same as the gap between seventh and 12th. We take a look at some of the talking points from another dramatic weekend of Premiership action... Celtic had no wins in five, but went on an unbelievable scoring spree against last season's runners-up Hearts to extend their lead at the top. Encouraged by their second-half showing in Thursday's 4-1 Europa League defeat to Benfica, the manager started with the front three that finished that game in Lisbon. And all three - Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran - scored in the 7-1 demolition of their title rivals. There was no place in the squad for Sebastien Tounekti after a dismal showing in Lisbon and Sunday's performance suggested O'Neill does have better options. Celtic were outstanding at times but Hearts, who had lost just one of their last 14 games in all competitions, played a part in their own humiliation. A failure to defend corner kicks was their undoing, losing two goals from Celtic's first three set-pieces. The game was effectively over after 10 minutes, but by half-time the hosts had scored five. Boyd saw signs of Celtic under Ange Postecoglou, but can they hit the same levels for the rest of the season? It is back to the Europa League and Benfica again for the Hoops on Thursday night, while Hearts are away to Trabzonspor in the Conference League. Rangers went to Dundee knowing an eighth straight win would see them return to the top of the Premiership, at least until Celtic played. But a poor first half and a late mistake from Dan Neil saw them leave Dens Park with a 2-2 draw. They did work hard to undo a struggling start to take the lead, but one lapse in concentration from Neil saw them drop two points. Derek McInnes said pre-match that it was too early to put pressure on their title challengers with a win, then claimed Dundee's second goal was like "a balloon popping." There is no doubt it was an opportunity missed for the Ibrox side, and the manager will be keen for an immediate response when they host newly promoted St Johnstone on Saturday. Reedijk can have no doubts about the size of job he has inherited at Hibernian after his home debut ended with them dropping to the foot of the table. It is now six league games without a win for the Easter Road side, who are in great need of a goalscorer. They can attack, but lack that final touch in front of goal. Combine that with too many needless errors and it is clear to see why the Hibees are looking up at the rest of the league after nine games. The fans are demanding an immediate improvement, but next up is the daunting challenge of Celtic on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. They also have a massive League Cup semi-final clash against Edinburgh rivals Hearts on November 1. Can the new boss turn things around before that trip to Hampden Park? It looked like Alfred Johansson had picked up where Jens Berthel Askou left off at Motherwell, but five straight defeats means the Fir Park side are just one point from the foot of the table. They are now on their longest losing run since February 2025, as the side who were brief title contenders last season find themselves in early trouble. There were some positives and glimpses of the Steelmen of last season. Tawanda Maswanhise hit the crossbar, but they were sloppy and struggled to dominate against a side that had won just once going into the game. Johansson needs to find some form and quickly. Their next challenge is a home clash against a hurting Hearts side who will also be desperate for a response. St Mirren have also lost their last five Premiership games, but sit two points above Motherwell in eighth. They started brightly against Aberdeen, but failure to take advantage of their first-half dominance cost them all three points. Buddies boss Craig McLeish can take some positives from the first half at Pittodrie, but knows he has to halt their dismal run to avoid the possibility of dropping bottom of the table.

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A gulf is appearing at the top of the Women's Super League. By most observers estimations that is not surprising. Manchester City remain perfect so far, their momentum too compelling to resist as title favourites. Chelsea look formidable too. What intrigues me is how far London City Lionesses have come in such a short space of time to join them as front-runners. I don't believe they have enough to upstage Man City or Chelsea, but perhaps there is merit in Michele Kang's Champions League wish after all. Many thought this season was too soon. I still have one foot in that camp. And yet, London City are third. Five points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham, who they humbled 6-1 a fortnight ago. My stance on their staying power based on that evidence is beginning to soften. Only Chelsea have scored more times from open play. Alexia Putellas is now wielding more influence on games, albeit she started from the bench at the weekend. The consistency of their many final-third creators, even when Putellas does not play, makes for a persuasive argument. Opta's big chances created metric is probably the best judge of creativity flow in a team and London City rank top. There is a stylistic maturity to their game. The way they sweep forward with numbers and intensity can open up just about any defensive block, the forward line all combining for a wonderfully-worked opener against Everton at the weekend. Danielle van de Donk's instinctive flick to unlock the zone from which Delphine Cascarino scored showed skill and, more impressive still, connectivity. The relentlessness of their press created a second opportunity for Freya Godfrey not long after, which she buried emphatically. A squad that boasts so many attacking talents should be scoring these types of goals. There should be tactical variety and imagination. But the way Maestre has knitted all those pieces together to create a cohesive unit with clear patterns of play deserves attention. A true measure of their stamina arrives at the beginning of next month when they host league leaders Man City. There is no greater test. No doubt they will approach it with the confidence of a side that is showing rapid development and an identifiable desire to mix it with the best in the division. Of course one of the giants had to fall for London City to assume a place in the top three. That giant is Arsenal. Their latest flop against newly promoted Birmingham City perfectly encapsulated the mood around north London. They are this season's big losers. The Gunners are currently on their longest winless run in the side's history. Boos could be heard from the stands at the weekend. Renee Slegers is running out of hiding places. Her side is no longer one that plays on instinct and impulse. All their top creators appear inhibited, unable to summon the strength to break through opposition teams who choose to block rather than play. Of course that is their prerogative. Birmingham were excellent at it on Saturday. And so Arsenal lose more ground. Confidence takes another hit. 19-year-old Lisa Baum is the only player to score more than once in the league this term - as a new signing. Leadership looks lost. They are already well out of the running for the title with a 12-point gap to Man City at the top. Before long, they will be out of European contention, too. Ella Toone has long been Manchester United's poster girl. A lifelong fan, who grew up supporting the club in Tyldesley, about 11 miles north of Old Trafford. It's only right she has a place in its history books, scoring the opener in victory over Charlton at the weekend to take her level with Leah Galton as the club's leading scorer of WSL goals. Man Utd made it three wins on the spin in the process as Eva Olid's stamp continues to become more recognisable. Toone has played a big part in that transition.

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Another round of games and another disappointing draw for Arsenal while Manchester City sit top of the table with a 100% record There would have been hope that the international break could offer the Arsenal players and staff a reset but the same problems reared their head at the Emirates on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Birmingham. As they have done so often this season, the Gunners dominated most attacking and possession-based metrics – they registered 76% possession, a 2.73 xG and 43 touches in the opposition box – but their profligacy in front of goal and lack of urgency in their play once again came to the fore. Of their 27 chances, they managed just four on target as they toiled against a resilient opposition who understood the playbook. Birmingham set up in a strong defensive structure, protecting their box admirably with numbers to frustrate Renée Slegers’s side, who famously struggle to break down low blocks. In contrast, Birmingham scored with their one shot on target as Océane Hurtré took her impressive tally to six in six. Sophie Downey London City’s impressive start to the season continued as they extended their winning run to four games with a 2-1 victory against Everton. If the match against Tottenham before the break had been an illustration of their attacking power, this was a much grittier performance. The Toffees, who have the joint second-meanest defence in the league (shared with Eder Maestre’s team), proved tough to break down with London City managing just five shots on target despite creating 16 opportunities. Their two first-half goals, however, once again came on transition and were a sign of the deep quality they possess. Plenty has been made of London City’s attack this season but it was their out-of-possession work that shone through. They have now faced the fewest shots on target in the division (12) and the way they handled the slight change of momentum in the second half when Everton switched things up and gained belief was an indication of their growing defensive mettle. SD Charlton may still be pointless six games in, but their second-half performance against Manchester United impressed their manager, Karen Hills. After a rough first half an hour, in which the final score of 3-1 to United was established, the home team held firm. “When we talk about bravery, I thought we took the second half to Manchester United,” said Hills. “If we can do that against a very, very top team like United, then I’m hoping that we can continue on that run. I think you saw that in the first half as well, when we actually got the ball we played some really nice football. It’s a team that’s very aggressive and on the front foot. It was just the moments when we didn’t have the ball that probably cost us today.” Given Charlton only had 23.8% possession in the match, those moments without the ball were many, but finding silver linings when you’re down is important. Suzanne Wrack The 6-2 scoreline looked an unlikely one when Tottenham went into their dressing room at Stamford Bridge at half-time with the score level at 1-1. It had been an assertive first half from the visiting team against an increasingly impressive Chelsea. The Blues did put their foot on the gas in the second half but the Tottenham head coach, Martin Ho, said his team had to do better to not collapse after conceding. “We conceded three goals in nine minutes and then two in six. We can’t completely collapse in those moments. That’s individual responsibility and accountability to defend,” he said. Tottenham have not won in 20 games against top-four opponents. “You can see that, as a young team, we lack a little bit of maturity in these big games. That will come with time.” SW Lauren Hemp closed in on the WSL all-time assist record after setting up two goals in Sunday’s 3-2 win against Brighton. The 26-year-old recorded numbers 50 and 51 within the opening 16 minutes of the game by setting up Khadija Shaw twice. She now sits just three assists behind record holder and teammate Beth Mead, who has 54 in total. Hemp, who has eight goal contributions for the season, said: “I want to keep improving and I want my whole performance across the game to be good and I thought I lost the ball too many times today. So I want to keep pushing for more, keep striving and I still think my best is yet to come. But I’m happy with the contributions I’ve done in games recently.” Emillia Hawkins Aston Villa finally got their first win of the season after a second-half comeback for a 2-1 victory against Liverpool. Villa had managed just three draws from their opening five games before the international break, but doubled their points tally thanks to a second-half strike from Chasity Grant and an own goal from the Reds defender Grace Fisk. It was a positive result for Brian Sørensen, who took over from Natalia Arroyo last month and was this week confirmed as the interim head coach until the end of the season. Sørensen said: “Incredible. Also the manner that we did it in, we were really struggling in that first half and Liverpool were so good, but we made changes tactically but also personnel at half-time and that flipped the game around. Credit to the girls … best day ever!” EH Kelly Gago’s second league goal of the season secured West Ham a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and their first away win of the campaign. The French international’s goal came from an assist from Oona Siren who capitalised on a defensive error, and Gago fired home a left-footed finish, proving the difference in the contest. Gago joined the Hammers from Everton at the start of the season and is beginning to make her mark in east London. Her contribution offers a boost for a West Ham side looking to build momentum and move away from the bottom end of the table following three consecutive losses prior to the international break. Réshma Rao

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England Women boss Sarina Wiegman will lead the Lionesses through to the end of Euro 2029 after signing a new two-year contract extension. The 56-year-old's previous deal was set to expire at the end of the 2027 World Cup. The new deal gives Wiegman the chance to guide England to a third straight European Championship title after earning the Lionesses' first major trophy with Euro 2022 victory, followed by a successful defence three years later. Under Wiegman, England also finished as World Cup runners-up in 2023 after a final defeat by Spain. The new contract extension is set to see Wiegman's time in charge as England Women boss reach eight years after her first game in 2021. Wiegman, who also won the 2017 Euros with her native Netherlands, said: "I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football. Working for a world-class organisation like The FA, and alongside so many people dedicated to winning England teams and the growth of our game, excites me every day. "I am grateful to Mark Bullingham, Debbie Hewitt and the FA Board for the incredible way they have backed me, my coaches and support team and, of course, the players. "I am honoured by their trust, which I never take for granted and want to keep this great partnership going. I have such a strong desire to see what more we can achieve together with our amazing fans. "I also want to keep supporting the wonderful collaborative work being led by The FA across the women's game, particularly in developing young players and coaches. "Of course, anyone who knows me will understand that my main concern right now is absolutely the World Cup, and helping this squad realise their potential in the years to come. We have an important job to do to confirm our place in Brazil, and hopefully we can do that and give the country another special summer to remember next year." Wiegman will aim to guide the Lionesses to the 2027 World Cup as England take on Ukraine over two legs in the final play-off round in December, with the winners of the tie progressing to the tournament in Brazil. Last year, Wiegman, who has also won two Arnold Clark Cups and the first Women's Finalissima against Brazil, was voted as the Best FIFA Women's Coach for a record-extending fifth time. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "Sarina is an incredible coach, with an unparalleled record in major tournaments and I am so happy to continue to work with her for the next EURO cycle. "While we will all remember the trophies and thrilling moments she has given us, I know she is only looking forward. There is no one better to lead the Lionesses into the next two tournaments. "Sarina's impact on English football has been immense, and she continues to inspire so many throughout the game. We have so much more to do in the women's game and she will be instrumental in helping us to achieve that." Wiegman's new deal will also encompass the 2027 Nations League, which serves as a qualifying tournament for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. FA Chief Football Officer Dan Ashworth added: "We have been aware for a long time now that this is a golden age for women's football in this country, and Sarina has played a significant part. "In Sarina, we have an elite coach who has won consistently while operating at the highest tactical level, embracing innovation and never standing still. Her record is remarkable. "While Sarina is fuelled by a determination to keep on winning and to support the growth of the game, her humility also shines through. It is never about her but always about a desire to maximise the potential within players to be the best they can be." "England have reached the final of every tournament under her charge, her record close to flawless. "But the Dutchwoman has had to field more scrutiny over the past 12 months, much of it surrounding what many believe to be a stagnation of England's development. The bar for the Lionesses is extremely high. They are the two-time European champions and must be judged against the world's best. "So when they fell 4-0 to Spain recently and failed to qualify automatically for Brazil 2027, it drew criticism. But it was also a necessary reality check, and an opportunity for Wiegman to embrace the change she had resisted within her squad of champions. "There are some young, exciting talents coming through England's ranks. That much was demonstrated by 20-year-old Lexi Potter during the most recent international window. "Wiegman must see the potential in the next generation. And there is perhaps no better coach on the international scene to help them realise that potential. Now she can focus fully on how England might go about winning their first women's World Cup - and what can be achieved beyond."

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England manager Sarina Wiegman has signed a two-year contract extension with the Lionesses. The 56-year-old's previous deal was due to expire after next summer's World Cup, but her new contract will run until the end of Euro 2029. Dutchwoman Wiegman guided England to their second straight European Championship title with victory over Spain in the Euro 2025 final. The victory meant the Lionesses became the first England team - women's or men's - to win a major trophy on foreign soil. "I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football," said Wiegman. "Working for a world-class organisation like The FA, and alongside so many people dedicated to winning England teams and the growth of our game, excites me every day." England thrashed Greece 8-1 on aggregate last week to qualify for round two of the World Cup play-offs, where they will face Ukraine. Should the Lionesses win that two-legged tie, they will qualify for next summer's World Cup in Brazil. "My main concern right now is absolutely the World Cup, and helping this squad realise their potential in the years to come," Wiegman added. "We have an important job to do to confirm our place in Brazil, and hopefully we can do that and give the country another special summer to remember next year." Wiegman replaced Phil Neville as England manager in September 2021, guiding the Lionesses to their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2022 when they beat Germany 2-1 in the final at Wembley. England then reached the World Cup final in Australia in 2023, only to lose 1-0 to Spain. By reaching the 2025 Euros final, Wiegman became the first women's or men's manager to reach five consecutive major international finals after leading the Netherlands to the Euro 2017 title and runners-up at the 2019 World Cup. England's Euro 2025 victory meant Wiegman became just the second manager after Germany's Christina Theune to win three successive European Championships. FA chief Mark Bullingham described Wiegman as an "incredible coach with an unparalleled record in major tournaments". "While we will all remember the trophies and thrilling moments she has given us, I know she is only looking forward," Bullingham added. "There is no one better to lead the Lionesses into the next two tournaments. "Sarina's impact on English football has been immense, and she continues to inspire so many throughout the game. We have so much more to do in the women's game and she will be instrumental in helping us to achieve that."

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Former Everton and Rangers striker Duncan Ferguson has sensationally been named as the new manager of Irish Premiership club Glentoran. The 54-year-old, who also played for Dundee United and Newcastle United and won seven caps for Scotland, will take up the reins at the east Belfast club on what the club say is a "multi-year contract". Ferguson's coaching career to date includes being assistant manager at Everton under renowned managers Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez, and also two spells as caretaker boss. In recent years, he has managed Forest Green Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Ferguson's surprise appointment follows the departure of Declan Devine as manager of the Irish League outfit in September. His former Dundee United team-mate Gary Bollan, with whom he worked at Inverness, has been named as assistant manager. Glentoran have not won a league title since 2009 despite significant investment from owner Ali Pour and the adoption of a full-time professional model in recent years. "I am delighted to become manager of Glentoran," said Ferguson, whose first game as boss will be at home to Ballymena United on Saturday (15:00 BST). "This is a big club with a tremendous history, and it is a great opportunity for me. I understand the responsibility that comes with the job. "I want to win trophies here. Glentoran should be challenging for the title and every cup and shield we enter. I know that success here will be judged on what we win. "The more I spoke with Ali and Paul [Millar, sporting director], the more I wanted the job. Their ambition matches my own, and I am looking forward to getting onto the training pitch, working with the players and seeing what we can achieve together." What awaits Everton hero Ferguson in shock Glens role? Ferguson link has caused a 'real buzz' - McCann Glentoran net late to snatch win against Limavady Ferguson, who also worked under Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman at Everton, added that he has "signed for the long term". "I want to get to know the people at the Club and in the wider community and become part of life here. That is important to me," he said. "I have heard so much about the Glentoran supporters and what this Club means to them. We have a responsibility to win games and make them proud. Their support has to be earned, and I am looking forward to getting started." Glens owner Pour said Ferguson's appointment reflects the club's "ambition to win trophies". "We took the time this decision deserved. We conducted a rigorous recruitment process, interviewing candidates from across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavia," added Pour. "We carefully assessed their experience and proposals and completed our due diligence before making the appointment. "Paul and I met Duncan on several occasions in Liverpool. Those conversations gave us the opportunity to explore his approach to management, discuss the demands of the role and understand what he could contribute to Glentoran. "His football knowledge, experience and determination to take on this opportunity impressed us. Duncan demonstrated the qualities we were looking for in coaching, leadership, player development and recruitment, supported by strong relationships across the game." Former Glentoran captain Paul Leeman, who played 597 games for the club, is excited at the prospect of Ferguson in the Oval dugout. "I still can't believe it - it's a huge appointment and I'm interested to see his plans for Glentoran," Leeman told BBC Radio Ulster. "It is a risk and he's been known more as a number two. But he has bags of experience in football. He's worked at the top, top level and there's certainly something he can add to the team. "He doesn't know the league so I think he has to have people around him who do. "He's coming to the Irish League to probably try to resurrect his own managerial career. He will demand respect from the players straight away and it's certainly going to be interesting." The Glens had been linked with a move to appoint former Northern Ireland international Jim Magilton, but the ex-Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers opted to remain with their Irish Premiership rivals Cliftonville. Devine left by mutual consent after two and a half years at the helm. The former Derry City and Bohemians boss guided the club to a County Antrim Shield success in the 2024-25 season, their first trophy triumph since lifting the Irish Cup in 2020. Ferguson is now tasked with ending the long drought since the Glens' last league victory 17 years ago. Glentoran sit fourth in the Irish Premiership standings, having won five and lost four of their first 11 league outings this season.

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Wiegman says she ‘cannot think of a better job in football’ She can target three Euros wins in a row with Lionesses Sarina Wiegman has extended her contract to continue as the head coach of England’s women for Euro 2029. Her deal was due to expire after next summer’s World Cup and this gives her the chance to lead the Lionesses to three European championship titles in a row. Wiegman, who took on the role in September 2021, also led her native Netherlands to Euros glory in 2017 and has reached the final of the past five major tournaments, twice finishing as a World Cup runner-up. “I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football,” Wiegman said. “Working for a world-class organisation like the FA, and alongside so many people dedicated to winning England teams and the growth of our game, excites me every day.” England will reach the World Cup finals, which are being in held in Brazil in June and July, if they come through a two-leg playoff against Ukraine for which they are heavy favourites. “My main concern right now is absolutely the World Cup, and helping this squad realise their potential in the years to come,” Wiegman said. This is Wiegman’s second contract extension with England and opens the possibility that she could coach Team GB at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles should the team qualify. Wiegman, who turns 57 next Monday, will continue to be assisted by Janneke Bijl, Arvid Smit and Darren Ward. “Sarina is an incredible coach with an unparalleled record in major tournaments and I am so happy to continue to work with her for the next Euro cycle,” said the Football Association’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham. Wiegman had refused to be drawn on questions over her future before England’s two games against Greece during the recent international break, but the Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh last week said “obviously I’d want her to stay” when asked about the head coach’s future. “Sarina’s the boss, I would never ask her those questions, but I think everyone in England would love her to stay,” Walsh said. “I’ve played a lot of games for her and I really appreciate her as a manager.”

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A goal against PSG is proof on the scoresheet of what can be seen on the teamsheet: At long last, Reyna is getting consistent minutes. For an entire four-year cycle, to write about Gio Reyna was to write about his potential – especially the nagging feeling that it was going unfulfilled. Once hyped as possibly the greatest prospect in US men’s history, a series of injuries kept him from simply taking the field, much less making his mark on it. Since his emergent 2020-21 season, when he logged nearly 2,000 Bundesliga minutes running alongside Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and Jadon Sancho, Reyna finished each of the ensuing five seasons without even cresting 630 league minutes. “Rotational” became a generous descriptor for his role at Nottingham Forest on loan, and then last season with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Still, Gregg Berhalter and Mauricio Pochettino kept involving Reyna with the US squad based on that pesky potential – betting that, on his day, he still had the raw talent to do what few compatriots could. This year, those days are finally coming with regularity. Since faring well in a contributor’s role at the World Cup, Reyna has moved to France with Strasbourg, and he’s remained first-choice in a youthful squad whose average age of 21.6 more closely resembles a postgrad program than a Ligue 1 roster. Coupled with his newfound status as a two-time World Cup selection, Reyna appears more comfortable as a budding leader than the would-be wunderkind with an unfortunately lengthy injury ledger. Life’s simpler that way. “Keep showing up every day, training, recovering,” Reyna said of his current focus when speaking with reporters during the most recent US window. “[I’m] doing everything I need to prepare mentally and physically for every training and game. I feel good, though, and I’m feeling more confident every time I step on the pitch.” The only player to start in all four friendlies during the September/October international window, Reyna was understandably rotated out of Strasbourg’s first lineup upon his return to France before being restored for Saturday’s visit from Paris Saint-Germain. It ended as most Ligue 1 matches involving PSG do, with the two-time defending European champions doing just enough to claim all three points. But before PSG’s three goals, there was an opening strike from Reyna. Beginning with his attacking-half regain from a bad pass by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Reyna collected the ball and worked a one-two before dribbling into the box. With Lucas Digne in tow, Reyna drifted toward the center before slotting a well-placed shot between a befuddled Filip Jörgensen and his near post. A run to the supporters. A knee slide. A casual salute. At last, Reyna is more relevant for his exploits as a player rather than as a concept – but the reason why goes far beyond that goal. For the first time in his career, Reyna has managed to start eight consecutive games for club and country, with the streak only ending as he was rotated following the window. A month shy of turning 24, his body is finally letting him lean into the promise he’s shown since he first turned heads as part of the New York City FC academy. It doesn’t hurt that he harbors less pressure to carry the team than he previously has. Much like Christian Pulisic, the bombastic arrival of Cavan Sullivan and a host of other young players have eased the pressure of the spotlight, and Reyna can once again act as a veteran voice. To start the window, Justin Ellis said he especially looked up to Reyna during his own academy days in Orlando. Shortly afterward, Ellis opened his US scoring account off of a looping free-kick from Reyna. At last, the US is developing enough players who appear to boast potential to play in Europe’s big five that no individual is seen as the make-or-break piece. Still in the first half of his 20s, there’s plenty of time left for Reyna to put forth a fine career, away from the dueling shadows of his father, Claudio, and the initial idea of what he could be during his Dortmund heyday. At long last in a comfortable position at Strasbourg, he’s beginning to write his own story.

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"If Wouter Vrancken was given the opportunity to play this game again, would he change anything?" The question was posed by bewildered former Heart of Midlothian midfielder Andy Halliday after the Tynecastle club were torn apart by Celtic on Sunday. His suspicion is that the Belgian coach would not. Vrancken's side were two down inside 10 minutes. Four adrift inside 40. A fifth was conceded before the break. Two more found their net after half-time on what was a wretched day in Hearts' nascent title challenge. The Celtic Park scenes offered echoes of what happened in the opening games of his tenure - heavy European qualification defeats by Sturm Graz and Benfica as a wide-open, attack-minded side were torn asunder. Latest Hearts news, analysis and fan views But it's how Hearts' new head coach plays - how the club want him to play - and a style which had underpinned a goal-laden run of 13 games with just one defeat. Afterwards, Vrancken spoke repeatedly of mistakes by players which cost his side goals. He did not, however, reflect on his own decisions. "We made a few individual mistakes," he told BBC Sport Scotland. "Two set-plays killed our game at the start. All of their goals were individual mistakes and then it's difficult to win a game. "In the set-play moments, you have to be on top of your toes, you have to be on front foot to attack the ball. Against individual mistakes, you can't do too much. "Only thing that cannot happen is that everybody starts doubting now in his own qualities. Also, when you are one of the guys that made a mistake, just learn from it. "After Monday, it has to be gone because there's another game to come." It is inarguable that Hearts players made bad decisions in big moments at a place where their title dreams crumbled last May. Indeed, former Tynecastle defender Ryan McGowan suggested "a lot of players went missing" and that whatever instructions Vrancken gave them "went completely out their ears". Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd, though, was more astonished by how Hearts approached the trip to a venue where they won last autumn. "I've never seen defending like that in all my life," he said on Sky Sports. "Hearts are still trying to go toe-to-toe with Celtic on 89 minutes. "You've got to pay respect to Celtic. If you go man-for-man, they will demolish you and that's exactly what happened there." Halliday picked up that theme and suggested that Vrancken might benefit from adapting his preferred approach in circumstances such as these. "There was no accountablity," he added on Sportsound. "He was talking about players' errors, rather than his own errors, which were pretty glaring for me. "Anyone who's watched Celtic this year will know they target the front post from set-pieces, but Hearts' set up didn't try to negate that. "I've praised Vrancken to the hilt - and I still think they'll finish in the top three - but my worry is if he had the opportunity to play that game again, I don't think he'd do anything differently and what he said just proved that." Steve: My concern is the Hearts manager never seems to change his formation when things are not working out. He needs to be flexible at times, or we'll see these scorelines a lot with bigger teams. Ted: Three minutes away from the title in May? Miles off it today. Bill: Relegation material. This result has been coming for a while now. Manager has no Plan B. Our defence is a shambles. Sorely missing Halkett, Spittal and Renaud. Ally: If the tactics were wrong, Hearts wouldn't have had more of the ball, more passes, more shots etc. Individual errors cannot be the manager's fault. David: That's an absolutely disgraceful result for Hearts. Celtic had 10 efforts on target and scored seven… Made an average Celtic team look like world beaters.