Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has stressed that “every single game is important” as the Blues look to continue their winning run at Burnley. They have secured back-to-back wins after beating Brighton 1-0 in the League Cup and seeing off west London rivals Fulham 2-0 in the Premier League on Monday. Up next for Chelsea is a trip to Turf Moor to face the Clarets and Pochettino knows how tough a match it will be. He told a press-conference: “Every single game is important for us, for us it’s two different things. “One is to get the result we need, another is to settle and help the players to arrive at their best to get their best form that they can. “Every single game in the Premier League is important and of course tomorrow is going to be a tough game because it’s a team who run a lot and try to play. Of course it’s going to be tough but we go there to try to win the three points.” Monday’s victory saw Mykhailo Mudryk score his first goal for the club before Armando Broja added another to break a three-game winless run in the Premier League for the Blues, who are currently 11th in the table. With two consecutive wins under their belt, Pochettino is hopeful his side can keep the momentum going into the international break. “Now after two victories it’s important to keep thinking the same way – that we need to improve,” he added. “We were losing games and not getting what we deserved, I think. Keeping the balance and keeping the belief was important too. “I think the most important is the journey, we know the way we need to keep improving, we’ve won two games but it’s still nothing so far with the way we wanted to play and to perform. “To go into the international break with a different feeling than the last international break is really important for us to win the game, but we need to stay calm. “We have been preparing really well for the game and of course we are going to arrive in a condition to compete against a team who is doing well also and trying to be better than them.” Every single game is important for us, for us it’s two different things. One is to get the result we need, another is to settle and help the players to arrive at their best to get their best form that they can Mauricio Pochettino Pochettino provided positive news on defender Reece James, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury he picked up in training last month. The Argentinian confirmed James has been in training, but the England international will miss the Burnley clash following a suspension and fine after admitting to abusing a match official during last month’s defeat to Aston Villa. “I think he was training with the group, it’s a shame that he is suspended and banned for tomorrow,” Pochettino said. “We are really happy in the way he’s recovering, he’s doing well and we hope after the international break he can be available. He is available but after the suspension (is served).” Chelsea are still without several players with Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah both in partial team training, while Ben Chilwell, Marcus Bettinelli, Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are all in different stages of their respective rehabilitation programmes. Read More Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ponders how to replace Rodri against Arsenal Ange Postecoglou accepts Liverpool denied ‘legitimate goal’ by VAR error Erik Ten Hag knows Man Utd have ‘dropped in levels’ and need to improve fast Going through or going home? – Ireland v Scotland talking points Newly-introduced VAR guidelines to be in use in the Premier League this weekend Jonny May determined to sign off England career in blaze of glory at World Cup

Sir Alex Ferguson's wife Lady Cathy has passed away aged 84, the family have announced. The Glaswegian mother-of-three – who was described by her husband as his ‘bedrock’ – died yesterday morning in Cheshire surrounded by family. Lady Cathy was credited with having helped nurse him back to health after his stroke following his retirement from the club in 2013. A statement on behalf of the Ferguson family said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing yesterday of Lady Cathy Ferguson, survived by her husband, three sons, two sisters, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The family asks for privacy at this time.” The pair were married for nearly 60 years before her death, with the couple having met while they were both working at a typewriter factory in Glasgow. When Ferguson announced his retirement as manager of Manchester United in 2013 following a remarkable and enduring period of success, he said: “My wife Cathy has been the key figure throughout my career, providing a bedrock of both stability and encouragement. Words are not enough to express what this has meant to me.” A Manchester United club statement said: “Everyone at Manchester United sends our heartfelt condolences to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family. “Lady Cathy was a beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a tower of strength for Sir Alex throughout his career.” When the Jason Ferguson-directed documentary titled ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’ was released in 2021, Lady Cathy revealed Sir Alex had taken her to the cinema on their first date. “He bought me a box of liquorice allsorts at the movies, of which he ate all of them, and a local paper when we came out. That was my romantic day,” she said. “We got married in Glasgow registry office in 1966 and that was the start. I went to my work and he went to his football.” More follows Read More Listen: VAR audio reveals how incorrect offside decision against Luis Diaz was made Dog chased around pitch during Mexican football game after stealing ball The answers to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter quiz Auckland shooting takes place just 5km from venue of World Cup match Danish journalist ‘detained in Qatar for filming attack on Iranians by mob’ Rafael Nadal and wife welcome first child

Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has acknowledged Liverpool were denied a “legitimate goal” in last weekend’s match but defended VAR operator Darren England. Spurs claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Liverpool last Saturday, but the result was mired in controversy after a Luis Diaz effort in the 34th-minute was incorrectly ruled out for offside. The incident was reviewed but VAR operator England mistakenly believed the on-field decision had been to award the goal and, after establishing Diaz had been onside, England told referee Simon Hooper “check complete” before Tottenham resumed the game with the score 0-0. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited subsequently admitted a “significant human error” occurred and released the audio this week, while on Wednesday Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stated a replay may be the best solution even though he admitted it was unlikely. Ahead of Saturday’s trip to Luton, Postecoglou said: “The facts of it are that it was a legitimate goal Liverpool scored that wasn’t given. “You kind of look at why it’s not given because that’s the first thing you question: obviously something has broken down. “It became clear it wasn’t an integrity issue, it wasn’t a misappropriation of the law, it was an error in communication, a mistake, a mistake which cost Liverpool. “I get that it’s an unusual one in that it’s never happened before, but at the same time we’re in a new space anyway with technology where I think they’ll be a lot of firsts with the way we deal with these things.” The fallout from the incident has seen referee England reportedly told he will not officiate another Liverpool match this season, but Postecoglou railed against critics of the official. It's a significant error but it's a human being that's made that error Ange Postecoglou “I don’t know if that’s been decided,” the Spurs boss added. “I’d be surprised if they have gone that way. “It’s a significant error but it’s a human being that’s made that error. I don’t think that there’s anything that needs to go too far reaching “From my perspective, when I listened to that audio, saying ‘check complete’, someone obviously thought it was a good way of finalising things and it’s worked up until now. “I would have thought the logical thing is to say ‘goal for Liverpool’ but I’m saying that with the ignorance of not knowing how it’s truly set up. “When listening to that you probably think there’s better ways of communicating a clear decision in such a big situation. “I hope that’s what they’re addressing, not the individual that made the mistake. I think that’s a dereliction of the game. “That’s like me hanging out a player to dry just because he made a mistake. My role is to go in and help that player to improve not say ‘now you’re never playing again’.” Spurs’ focus will turn to their Saturday lunchtime kick-off at Luton and another victory for Postecoglou’s team would send them top of the Premier League until Sunday’s meeting between current leaders Manchester City and third-placed Arsenal. James Maddison (knee) and Son Heung-min (groin) have been declared fit to play but Manor Solomon (knee) has joined a growing injury list that contains Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Brennan Johnson (hamstring) and Ivan Perisic (knee). Tottenham should have Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso back on the bench after groin and quad issues respectively. Postecoglou said: “If we win we go top of the table for 24 hours but who cares? We’ve got to win. “It’s a tough game, our focus is on putting on a performance and playing at our best because if we don’t, it won’t matter where we’re sitting on the competition ladder, it’ll be us focusing on a poor performance.” Read More Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ponders how to replace Rodri against Arsenal Erik Ten Hag knows Man Utd have ‘dropped in levels’ and need to improve fast Going through or going home? – Ireland v Scotland talking points Newly-introduced VAR guidelines to be in use in the Premier League this weekend Jonny May determined to sign off England career in blaze of glory at World Cup Jurgen Klopp: We haven’t looked for Alexis Mac Allister’s best position yet

New VAR guidelines introduced in the wake of the controversy involving Liverpool will be in use in the Premier League this weekend. Miscommunication between VAR Darren England and referee Simon Hooper led to a Luis Diaz goal for Liverpool being wrongly disallowed for offside at Tottenham last Saturday. Audio of the incident was released on Tuesday, with referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) saying it would develop a new VAR communication protocol in an effort to avoid similar mistakes being made in future. The PA news agency understands that protocol will now be in force right away. PGMOL said the protocol would “enhance the clarity of communication between the referee and the VAR team in relation to on-field decisions”. VARs will now also confirm the outcome of the checking process with the assistant VAR before confirming the final decision to the on-field officials. England mistakenly thought the on-field officials had ruled Diaz to be onside, which meant that when he told them ‘check complete’ they believed he had upheld their on-field decision and restarted play with a free-kick. Once play had restarted, there was nothing the VARs could do to revisit the decision under existing protocols. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called for the match to be replayed on Wednesday, something the Premier League is understood not to be prepared to consider. The league did release a statement on Tuesday, though, saying the Diaz incident had highlighted “systemic weaknesses” in the VAR process and said a wider review would take place “to seek consistently higher standards of VAR performance”. PGMOL and the Football Association will also review the policy allowing English officials to cover domestic league matches overseas. England and his assistant Daniel Cook had been part of a team of officials who had taken charge of a match in the United Arab Emirates on September 28, arriving back in the UK the following morning. Read More Going through or going home? – Ireland v Scotland talking points Jonny May determined to sign off England career in blaze of glory at World Cup Jurgen Klopp: We haven’t looked for Alexis Mac Allister’s best position yet Willie Peters wants Hull KR to become established top-four Super League club James Lowe insists Ireland are far from ‘invincible’ ahead of Scotland showdown Wigan using Challenge Cup ‘heartbreak’ as motivation ahead of Hull KR play-off

Erik Ten Hag admits Manchester United’s level of play since winning the Carabao Cup has been unacceptable. The Red Devils take on Brentford on Saturday looking to avoid a run of three successive defeats for the second time this season. But results had already tailed off at the end of the last campaign, with Ten Hag’s win percentage dropping from 69 per cent prior to the victory over Newcastle at Wembley to around 50 per cent since. The positivity that had accompanied the Dutchman’s first season in charge has rapidly evaporated, and he said: “We dropped in levels. We have to get back to those levels. “There are reasons for it but still it’s not acceptable and we have to fight against it. Every team we put out has to be on one page and the routines are not always there. They have a good foundation in the way they play, keep the foundation, support each other and we will do better.” United have endured another miserable week, with a Premier League loss to Crystal Palace followed by a 3-2 home defeat by Galatasaray in the Champions League, where goalkeeper Andre Onana again struggled. Ten Hag believes his side are being punished for lapses, saying: “Consistency, that is the problem we are struggling with. “In parts of the game, I will say in big parts of the game, we do a lot of things right but then there are moments where we are struggling and in such moments we can’t survive. “In this moment, you have to do the right things, so be consistent and do the job, be consistent in the communication, and when you do that you keep the right organisation and do it like before. “Definitely you can mark such a moment as when we score a goal or concede a goal and when decisive moments go against us, we lose a bit as a team. Over big parts, in 95 per cent of the game, we are a team, so keep going all the way through and we have to step up. “Most important in such moments is you keep on one page and it starts with communication.” Rasmus Hojlund’s double against Galatasaray was the bright spot but Marcus Rashford again struggled. The England forward has gone seven matches without a goal for club and country, with his only effort so far this season coming against Arsenal at the beginning of September. Ten Hag has no doubt it is just a blip, though, saying: “It’s normal you are not always right at the same levels. Everyone knows the qualities of him and if Rashy does the things right and the team does, it’s up to him. “We have seen in the last weeks he is coming in good positions, he is struggling, but it will pass. Everyone knows the qualities, everyone at Man United backs him, the whole team supports him and believes in him, I am sure with that it will change and this will pass. “Strikers, when they don’t score for a moment, they need one goal, then they step over. When he is doing the right things, and he is doing the right things, the momentum will come and he will be on fire.” Antony could make his return to Premier League action having coming off the bench against Galatasaray but Jadon Sancho remains out of the picture. Read More Going through or going home? – Ireland v Scotland talking points Newly-introduced VAR guidelines to be in use in the Premier League this weekend Jonny May determined to sign off England career in blaze of glory at World Cup Jurgen Klopp: We haven’t looked for Alexis Mac Allister’s best position yet Willie Peters wants Hull KR to become established top-four Super League club James Lowe insists Ireland are far from ‘invincible’ ahead of Scotland showdown

On Thursday evening, Arsenal were still hoping that Bukayo Saka would feature on Sunday, but Mikel Arteta has had to start drawing up alternative plans. And that could serve his side well in a pivotal clash with the potential to define the title race. It is no bad thing to have Pep Guardiola second-guessing you, and the Manchester City manager can take that to third-, fourth- or even beyond fifth-guessing. The Catalan will be rolling everything around in his mind, having pored over recent footage. Most of the footage of recent Arsenal-City games, mind, has been all too clear. They’ve all gone one way, to an almost farcical degree. City have beaten Arsenal for 12 successive Premier League games. That run would be bad enough if it was over a bottom-half side, but it is virtually unprecedented among financial heavyweights or the old “big six”. Arsenal have admittedly had many iterations throughout what was a transformative and often difficult period in their history, but you have to go back to a Shkodran Mustafi header in April 2017 for the last time they even claimed a point off City. And you have to go back to December 2015, and goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud, for Arsenal’s last victory in the fixture. That is what Arteta is trying to overcome, as he makes constant appeals to only consider the present and the future. It is not just about revenge for last season, a quick recovery after a shock defeat to RC Lens or even reasserting Arsenal’s title credentials after a rare City defeat. It will be about overcoming the knowledge that the champions almost always beat them. That can be a huge psychological factor for a team, creating a fatalism, even subconsciously. Arteta can at least point to one big victory in the FA Cup as well as this summer’s shoot-out win in the Community Shield, but the fact that the Premier League represents their great ambition means there’s a different feel to it. It’s something they need to address, especially if they are to actually beat City in the league. It is one of those psychological hurdles that needs to be overcome, just as City faced with Manchester United after the Abu Dhabi takeover. The Community Shield may still influence this, mind, because of how Guardiola did something so different in that game. He decided to properly bait the press, in the same way that Roberto De Zerbi has made this his great innovation. Arsenal didn’t bite, and came through the game, but it has almost set a kind of tactical arms race in motion; where last season’s top two keep trading significant moves that could affect the course of this year. Arsenal beat City to Declan Rice, City attempted to undercut Arsenal’s entire approach by baiting the press. Arsenal didn’t respond but are trying to add more tactical variety to last season, meaning they didn’t start the campaign as well as the champions. City then lost Rodri to a red card and unexpectedly lost a game, allowing Arsenal back in. That could now be offset with the absence of Saka, as both managers attempt to figure out what happens next. Perhaps Arsenal are “due”, but that could have been said years ago. Will Guardiola attempt to bait Arsenal again? Does Arteta prepare for that, or something different altogether? Both of these managers could send each other down all manner of avenues with second guesses. And how it all ends may depend on just who starts. Read More Bukayo Saka ‘in contention’ for Arsenal vs Man City as Gareth Southgate reveals plan Gareth Southgate gives Bukayo Saka injury update ahead of Arsenal vs Man City Manchester City can put a stamp on the season with Arsenal win – Rico Lewis Bukayo Saka ‘in contention’ for Arsenal vs Man City as Gareth Southgate reveals plan Gareth Southgate gives Bukayo Saka injury update ahead of Arsenal vs Man City Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen make England return but Raheem Sterling left out

You may have seen the video of Jordan Henderson promoting Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup. It is a moving watch. There’s his giant face plastered across the screen, while wearing the famous green and black colours of Al Ettifaq FC. “Very excited about the announcement,” Henderson says in his excited voice. “Go Saudi Arabia 2034.” It is important to note that his World Cup promotional work is voluntary. We know this because he said so in an interview with The Athletic. So when we see raw emotion like this on social media, we know we are getting real Henderson, authentic Henderson, out there backing the bid. Not a paid ambassador, just a boy who fell in love with a gulf state. Henderson is having one of his all-time great seasons: four assists in eight games as captain of Steven Gerrard’s Ettifaq outfit; still in the England squad despite no discernible superior attributes to James Ward-Prowse; all while getting the chance to grow the Saudi Pro League, one of his big motivations for moving there. He is not the only one excited. Gerrard described the prospect of a Saudi World Cup as “potentially one of the best shows the world’s seen”. Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema was stunned, tweeting: “Wow! Amazing news.” Al-Ahli winger Riyadh Mahrez was relieved the world will finally get to see the country’s “passion and love of the game”. If it sounds like they think the bid is already won, that’s because it might be. To catch up on a whirlwind week at Fifa HQ, it was announced on Wednesday that six countries across three continents would host the 2030 World Cup. That satisfied the confederations of Europe, Africa and South America. And barely an hour later, Saudi Arabia publicly launched its bid for 2034. Things have fallen into place quite nicely. Fifa’s rules on rotating the World Cup around the globe mean there are only two possible federations left to stage the 2034 World Cup: Oceania and Asia. That doesn’t leave a lot of competition. What’s more, Fifa gave any rivals to the Saudi bid a 25-day deadline for submission. Australia has hinted at joining the race, but a cynic might conclude it would be the tortoise chasing a wealthy and well-prepared hare that’s already crossed the finish line. The World Cup is a logical endpoint to something much bigger. Sport is a mirror to the world order, and Saudi’s emergence in football is both a consequence and a signal of a gravitational shift. As Rory McIlroy put it recently, upon accepting the increasing influence of Saudi Arabia on the game of golf: “You see everything else happening in the world, you see big private equity companies in America taking their money, the biggest companies in the world … if this is what’s happening, then the way I’ve framed it is that the world has decided for me.” There is an inevitability to all this. Even so, given the rapid emergence of an oppressive dictatorship in the world of football, it might have been nice for even just one press conference with Fifa’s dear leader, Gianni Infantino, to scrutinise this flurry of announcements that appear to pave the way for Saudi 2034. This, remember, is an organisation whose “corruption” section on Wikipedia is longer than this article. Infantino has himself taken on the distinct air of a dictator in recent years. He was sworn in for another term as Fifa president in March after winning an election unopposed, annointed to obedient applause at a ceremony in Rwanda. Fifa presidents are supposed to serve a maximum of three terms, but Infantino recently “clarified” that his first three years in the job didn’t count as he was only filling in for the deposed Sepp Blatter. It seems likely he will serve until the bitter end in 2031, capping a 15-year stint as the most powerful man in football. Infantino and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have a friendship of sorts and have been pictured at various matches together, most notably in Qatar last year. The 2034 World Cup might be the first tournament after his reign ends, a parting gift to Bin Salman, like a prime minister handing out one last peerage to an old ally. The road to 2034 will no doubt be smoothed by Saudi’s many levers of soft power. It will host the Fifa Club World Cup in December, and will continue to invest heavily in the Saudi Pro League. Lionel Messi remains an ambassador and Cristiano Ronaldo is its marquee player. The league is set to go after more big, bright stars closer to their prime, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah a high priority. All that will lay the groundwork for the ultimate goal, hosting the World Cup, a platform like no other to project Saudi Arabia’s global standing. So as Henderson put his enthusiastic support behind the message, emitting slight hostage energy, perhaps one day he might reflect that he was just a tool. 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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits they have not had time to properly assess where World Cup-winner Alexis Mac Allister fits into their side. The Argentina midfielder has started all seven of the club’s Premier League fixtures since arriving from Brighton in a cut-price £35million deal, but has been deployed in the nominal holding role after the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia left them short in that department. Mac Allister has shown he is far more effective further forward in one of the attacking midfield positions, and while he has done a job for Klopp, it appears unlikely he is the long-term solution. He was even substituted at half-time of the win at Wolves, having flown back from Bolivia after the international break after looking well off the pace. Nevertheless Klopp is satisfied with what he has had from the 24-year-old so far. “We didn’t even look for his best position yet. We just use him,” he said. “He is a fantastic player, I love everything about him: super-smart tactically and off the pitch as well, so that is really nice to work with. “If we as a team defend well, he can play definitely the number six. Did I know that before? I had a guess but I was not sure because I did not know exactly how all the other boys would do defending. “Because we defend more compact and better than in our bad phases last year, we have small spaces and then it is really good because he sees the situations really well. We didn’t even look for his best position yet. We just use him Jurgen Klopp on Alexis Mac Allister “We have a really good footballer and it is really cool but best position? He is too young for me to know it but he is a midfielder, I can tell you that. “He is a midfielder and I am happy about having him.” Mac Allister is one-third of a midfield rebuild this summer with Dominik Szobozslai the other mainstay after his £60m arrival from RB Leipzig. Forward Cody Gakpo, another new signing Wataru Endo – the one genuine number six in the squad – and Curtis Jones have filled the other space in midfield in Premier League matches this season. However, the gradual emergence of Ryan Gravenberch, a deadline-day arrival from Bayern Munich, points towards the 21-year-old staking a claim to be the third man alongside Mac Allister and Szobozslai, who are destined to be locked in for the long term. The Dutchman scored his first goal in the 2-0 Europa League victory over Union Saint Gilloise as his integration into the side – he has started three non-Premier League games but has only been a substitute at weekends – continues to grow apace. For a relative youngster, Gravenberch has a certain presence on the pitch and Klopp expects him to grow further with more experience. “Raw power – I am not sure a lot of people would have described him in the past like that,” said the manager. “He is technically incredibly good. The first touch is insane, the speed is top class, really good shooter. “Yes he came late and yes we play slightly different and yes he needs time to adapt, and that is what we can give him, thank God. “He is completely happy with that and in the groove; he realises in each training sessions he is treated completely like others, if he starts or not. “He gets even more information in specific moments. He can see what the other boys do in similar positions, he can watch it, he learns, he is a smart boy, everything goes in the right direction and that is really nice to see. “He has had assists in the other games and now he has his first goal. Now it is good, long may it continue, he is very important for us.” Read More Willie Peters wants Hull KR to become established top-four Super League club James Lowe insists Ireland are far from ‘invincible’ ahead of Scotland showdown Wigan using Challenge Cup ‘heartbreak’ as motivation ahead of Hull KR play-off Mike Forshaw expecting ‘ferocious 80 minutes’ when Wales face Georgia Eddie Howe says becoming Newcastle head coach was ‘life-changing’ Newcastle defender Tino Livramento returns to England Under-21s squad

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Eddie Howe wakes every morning happy with the “life-changing” decision he took to become Newcastle’s head coach. The 45-year-old accepted the Magpies’ offer of employment in November 2021, just weeks after Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium had completed its takeover. Staveley and her partners will celebrate two years at the helm on Saturday with the club having been transformed to the extent that they sent shock waves across Europe on Wednesday evening with a 4-1 Champions League rout of Qatari-funded Paris St Germain. Asked where he would rank his decision to take on the job, Howe said: “I knew when I took the job – the moment came when I was offered the job and I was going to say yes – that it was a life-changing moment for me. “Thankfully it has been a great journey so far. I have loved every second of it. “I said when I arrived I was very proud to be Newcastle manager and I’ve never woken up without that feeling. The feeling that I am doing something very special in my life is always there and it’s never something I take for granted.” Howe’s decision thrust him into the centre of a geopolitical minefield and he has found himself repeatedly facing questions over the Saudi regime and its links to the club through the Gulf state’s Public Investment Fund, which holds an 80 per cent stake, and accusations of ‘sportswashing’. We’ve got to try to work towards that, and these things take time. There is no magic wand Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe PIF governor and Magpies chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has made no secret of his ambition, saying in the Prime Video documentary ‘We Are Newcastle United’ that he ultimately wanted to establish the club as number one in the world. Howe, who met the chairman briefly after the PSG game, has been consistent in taking a measured approach to development despite hefty, if astute, investment in the squad since the takeover. But asked if there was any reason why the Magpies could not be the biggest club in the world, he said: “No, but we’re not the world’s number one club at the moment. “We’ve got to try to work towards that, and these things take time. There is no magic wand. Being smart, making good decisions and working hard every day… “If that is the ultimate aim, then we will try our best to try and get that. “We have to be calm and recognise we are in the early stages of the season. We’ve got a lot to prove before we can say anything about what we’ve done. We’ve just put ourselves in a good position in our Champions League group and we are still formulating our Premier League position.” That process will continue with Sunday’s visit to West Ham, a game for which Anthony Gordon is suspended after reaching five bookings for the campaign, while Callum Wilson and Joelinton remain doubts and Sven Botman is out. Read More Coco Gauff extends winning run to 16 by beating Maria Sakkari in Beijing Newcastle defender Tino Livramento returns to England Under-21s squad George Ford and Owen Farrell reunited – England v Samoa talking points 5 talking points as Wales face Georgia in final World Cup pool match Government pressed for answers on Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour Chicago Bears pay tribute to ‘ultimate Bear’ Dick Butkus after his death aged 80

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton has tweeted his apparent support for Kevin Keegan’s assessment that he doesn’t enjoy female footballers talking about men’s football. The former Newcastle, Fulham and England national team boss was talking to an audience in a Bristol event recently and made the comments saying he doesn’t like to “listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that.” Keegan’s comments drew ire from support groups and female fans, but Barton took to X/Twitter to issue a terse few lines of support, seemingly in agreement with Keegan’s sentiment that former Lionesses and their peers shouldn’t be joining in the assessment of men’s action. “Kevin Keegan. Ballon D’or winner 1978. England manager. He’s bang on,” Barton wrote on social media. Keegan had insisted he was a fan of women’s football in general and backed the presenters themselves as being of the highest calibre - Gabby Logan was singled out by Keegan at the time as a top example. “The presenters we have now, some of the girls are so good, they are better than the guys. It’s a great time for the ladies,” he added. “But if I see an England lady footballer saying about England against Scotland at Wembley and she’s saying, ‘If I would have been in that position I would have done this,’ I don’t think it’s quite the same. I don’t think it crosses over that much.” Keegan added he saw it as “a great time for the ladies’ game” in general and that the standard of play when he visited the Lionesses while England manager was higher than he had expected it to be. Barton has his own long history of making headlines, from altercations on the pitch and in dressing rooms as a player to more recent episodes as a manager. Last year he told the FA to “stop rewarding failure” and sack Gareth Southgate from the England national team job, while across 2021 and 2022 he was cleared of assault against both another football league manager and against his wife, the latter after a judge ruled he could not have a fair trial because prosecutors would not call the alleged victim to give evidence. Several years ago Barton, then Fleetwood boss, made a comment saying women’s football was essentially a “different sport” and should be tailored accordingly with smaller balls and goals, to avoid it remaining “an inferior product”. More recently, he was reported this season to have called one of his own players at Bristol Rovers an “idiotic young boy” for contributing to conceding a goal while injured, insisting his team needed to remove such “weak, feeble-minded individuals” to achieve promotion. Read More Kevin Keegan ‘has a problem’ with ‘lady footballers’ as TV pundits Government pressed for answers on Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour Rumours: Brazilian is Liverpool’s January target and City want Haaland renewal

The Government has been asked to reveal what steps it has taken to investigate whether Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour assisted wealthy Russians it has sanctioned in moving their assets to the United Arab Emirates. Lawyers acting on behalf of a Ukrainian activist – who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals from Russia – have written to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to ask whether investigations have been carried out to determine whether Mansour, the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, should be identified as a ‘designated person’ subject to financial sanctions under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. As of last week, the UK Government said more than 1,800 individuals had been sanctioned under the regulations, with more than 1,600 of those sanctioned since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. That number includes former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. His assets, including Chelsea, were frozen, with a consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly taking over last summer. The request for an update on Sheikh Mansour follows an initial letter from the lawyers, Rhys Davies of Temple Garden Chambers and Ben Keith from 5, St Andrew’s Hill Chambers, on behalf of their client which was sent to Cleverly in September last year. The Foreign Secretary can only designate a person if he has reasonable grounds to suspect that the individual is “an involved person” in the destabilisation of Ukraine. Involvement is defined as someone who is responsible for, engages in, provides support for, or promotes any policy or action which destabilises Ukraine or undermines or threatens its territorial integrity. If Sheikh Mansour was designated as an individual subject to Government sanctions, it would disqualify him as an owner under the Premier League’s updated rules on its owners’ and directors’ test which were published in March. The new letter, sent to Cleverly on Thursday and seen by the PA news agency, states: “Sheikh Mansour is a particularly high-profile individual and as the owner of one of the United Kingdom’s most celebrated football clubs, is a person who ought to be subject to reasonable scrutiny by the UK Government. “For the avoidance of doubt, we make no allegations as to any particular conduct of Sheikh Mansour. Nevertheless, in light of the wealth of evidence in the public domain tending to link Sheikh Mansour with the accommodation of wealthy Russians in the UAE, we respectfully suggest that there is a prima facie basis for the UK government to conduct an investigation.” The new letter has been sent as the UAE prepares to host the COP28 climate change conference between November 30 and December 12 and notes that Sheikh Mansour is likely to play a “visible role” in the event. “The bloodshed caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues,” the letter stated. “You are asked to note that, as set out in our earlier correspondence, notwithstanding the robust nature of the British response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Russian oligarchs appear to have found a home for their wealth in the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi apparently being particularly attractive to those individuals. “In light of the global attention which will be focused on both the UAE and Sheikh Mansour at the forthcoming COP28 event, we write to you to enquire what steps you have taken further to our request of September 30, 2022 to open an investigation into the conduct of Sheikh Mansour. “You may recollect that we invited the UK government to consider whether or not the conduct of Sheikh Mansour is such that he is a suitable person to be designated, pursuant to the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. “In the circumstances, it is critical that the UK Government takes all necessary steps consistent with its statutory and international obligations.” The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Manchester City have all been contacted for comment. Read More Chicago Bears pay tribute to ‘ultimate Bear’ Dick Butkus after his death aged 80 Chicago Bears defeat Washington Commanders to snap 14-game losing streak Peter O’Mahony targets more Ireland milestones as he reaches 100 caps Jurgen Klopp hails Ryan Gravenberch’s talent in win over Union Saint-Gilloise Respect matters says Unai Emery after late goal gives Villa an important win Nothing’s changed with VAR, says Gareth Southgate