Sarina Wiegman said England had made life difficult for themselves and been given a “hard lesson” after a 3-2 Nations League loss to Belgium in Leuven. Having fallen behind to Laura De Neve’s early free-kick and then seen defender Alex Greenwood carried off on a stretcher, the Lionesses turned things around to lead via goals from Lucy Bronze in the 38th minute and Fran Kirby in the 44th. But Belgium captain Tessa Wullaert equalised in first-half stoppage time before notching the winner with an 85th-minute penalty awarded for a Georgia Stanway handball as England slipped to third in Group A1 with two games to play. Boss Wiegman, whose side had beaten the Belgians 1-0 in Leicester last Friday, told ITV: “This was a game (where) I think we should have been tighter on the ball. “We weren’t as great in the tempo. We did create lots of chances, we still dominated the game totally, but at moments we lost the ball and then they were gone on the counter-attack. They had five, six moments like that and then they got two or three chances. So it was really us that made it (for) ourselves so hard. “They played tough, were very compact, and as soon as they win the ball then they were trying to play the counter-attack, and that’s something we really have to get out of our game. “And besides that, we did create lots of chances but we just have to do better in the final third.” She added: “We were sloppy on the ball and they were ready for that. We have to be tight, especially in the build and create, at moments we don’t expect to lose the ball, and we didn’t do that good enough today. That’s a hard lesson for us.” This competition provides England with the opportunity to secure a Paris 2024 Olympics qualification spot for Great Britain – they need to finish top of the group to have a chance to do that, something they are in danger of failing to achieve after their second defeat in four matches in the pool. With six points, they are now three behind table-toppers the Netherlands – 1-0 victors over Scotland on Tuesday – and one behind Belgium. The final two rounds of fixtures see England play the Dutch, who beat them 2-1 in Utrecht in September, at Wembley on December 1 then Scotland at Hampden Park four days later. Meanwhile, Ives Serneels’ Belgium will host Scotland then face the Netherlands away – two wins for the Red Flames would see England miss out on top spot regardless of how they fare. Wiegman said: “First of all we have to win with more than one goal against the Netherlands at Wembley, and then we have to win the other game too, because Belgium is in a very good place too. “We know we have work to do – we always do, but we have put ourselves in a hard position at the moment.” Greenwood went down around 20 minutes into the contest following an accidental clash of heads with Belgian forward Jassina Blom. She received treatment on the field for about 10 minutes before being placed on a stretcher and taken off. While it was a worrying scene, a subsequent post from the Lionesses’ official X account said Greenwood was “conscious and talking, and…being monitored by our medical staff.” And Wiegman said of the Manchester City player: “I haven’t talked to the medical staff yet… She’s alright – when she’s walking, she’s alright.” Read More Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea need to give Nicolas Jackson ‘confidence’ Erik ten Hag says ‘only a matter of time’ until Manchester United form improves Alex Greenwood suffers head injury in England’s clash with Belgium We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13 Inquiry into ice hockey player’s death will take some time, police say

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee reveals the first CFP rankings for the 2023 season.

Mauricio Pochettino defended Nicolas Jackson after the misfiring Chelsea striker was criticised by supporters during the Blues’ 2-0 home defeat to Brentford. Jackson has scored two Premier League goals since his summer move from Villarreal. Pochettino clarified that a fan had told the striker to “wake up” after a poor first-half display. Ahead of their last-16 Carabao Cup clash against Blackburn, the Chelsea boss supported his player. “We cannot abuse, even if you say ‘wake up’, because I think it’s not right,” Pochettino told a press conference on Tuesday. “He suffered an injury (to his hand during the last international break), it’s difficult to train, to keep fit and to score goals. “Nico (Jackson) needs support. “He wants to help the team and for different reasons he’s not performing. He played with a cast after he broke his hand. “Fans can criticise us and they’re frustrated but they need to analyse the situation. “Jackson is young, he arrived this season and there are circumstances that didn’t help him perform his best. He’s our striker, he’s our player and it’s about supporting the player Mauricio Pochettino on Nicolas Jackson “You think we should throw him into the bin and say he’s useless? We have to give the confidence. “He’s our striker, he’s our player and it’s about supporting the player.” Chelsea’s lack of cutting-edge in front of goal saw them beaten at home for the third time this season. Argentinian Pochettino wants his young team to be more “aggressive and nasty”, but noted that will come with experience. He added: “We didn’t score because we need to decide ourselves. “We were not aggressive enough and that’s why they had their chance in the second half and we conceded. “We need to improve and to be more competitive, more nasty. “That is experience, team experience, as a team we need more patience. “We need to be competitive; I feel the responsibility and we are Chelsea, we need to win this type of game.” Read More Erik ten Hag says ‘only a matter of time’ until Manchester United form improves Alex Greenwood suffers head injury in England’s clash with Belgium We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13 Inquiry into ice hockey player’s death will take some time, police say Colombian police continue search for Luis Diaz’s kidnapped father

Erik ten Hag is convinced “it is only a matter of time” until Manchester United show their “true selves” after a poor start to the campaign was compounded in the Manchester derby. Sunday’s 3-0 home humbling at the hands of neighbours Manchester City provided the exclamation mark on a difficult start to the Dutchman’s second season in the hotseat. United were outclassed and outthought for the most part at Old Trafford, where Ten Hag’s men will attempt to bounce back in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round clash against Newcastle. “At Manchester United, every game involves high stakes,” the Red Devils boss said ahead of the repeat of last season’s Carabao Cup final. “Every single day, there is pressure on everybody involved with this club, but those demands and standards are a challenge which we must always meet head-on. “While this has not been the start to the season that we had all hoped for, I am certain that we have the talent and attitude as a collective to move in the right direction. “I believe that it is only a matter of time before we are showing our true selves. It will come, I am certain.” Ten Hag’s comments came in his manager’s notes for Wednesday’s edition of the matchday programme, United Review. Emotions will have been raw when producing the column in the aftermath of the City defeat but the Red Devils boss is only focused on improved performances and results. “There is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves at this moment in time,” Ten Hag said. “Nobody at this club enjoys defeat, particularly in a Manchester derby like last Sunday, but everything we have achieved together so far has been built on looking forward, which means we have to move on quickly from what happens, whether it is positive or negative. “We have never spent too long enjoying our victories, so we will not spend too much time thinking about our losses. We must always look forward, together. “I continue to believe in these players and am confident we will improve after a difficult start to the season. “On Sunday, in the first half particularly, we showed good defensive discipline and we created opportunities to counter-attack, but we were unable to capitalise on those chances at decisive times in the game. “Important moments went against us and we were once again reminded that any mistake is punished at the highest level. “Before the derby, we won three games in a row and demonstrated our character on each occasion, so we have developed in recent weeks. “We are also gradually getting some players back from injury, which gives us more options and allows us to select players in their natural positions.” Injuries have been a key mitigating factor in United’s shaky start, with Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Amad Diallo ruled out of the Manchester derby. Four of those played key roles in February’s Carabao Cup triumph against Newcastle – a day that has so far proven the high point of Ten Hag’s reign, rather than the catalyst for further success. “As we welcome Eddie Howe and Newcastle United to Old Trafford, our focus moves back to the Carabao Cup and a reminder of how well we did to win this competition last season,” Ten Hag said “Our game management throughout that cup run, especially in the final against Newcastle, showed our ability to rise to big occasions – and tonight is definitely another big occasion for us. “We always want to do as well as we possibly can in every competition we enter. “We know how good it feels to lift this trophy and, as holders, we want to get back to Wembley Stadium again this season and defend the Carabao Cup.” Read More Carlos Alcaraz stunned by Roman Safiullin at Paris Masters Alex Greenwood suffers head injury in England’s clash with Belgium We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13 Inquiry into ice hockey player’s death will take some time, police say Colombian police continue search for Luis Diaz’s kidnapped father

England suffered another Nations League setback as a late penalty from Belgium captain Tessa Wullaert condemned them to a 3-2 defeat in Leuven. After falling behind to Laura De Neve’s ninth-minute free-kick and then seeing defender Alex Greenwood carried off on a stretcher having been involved in a clash of heads, the Lionesses turned things around to lead via goals from Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby. But Wullaert subsequently put Belgium back on level terms in first-half stoppage time, then notched the winner from the spot with five minutes of normal time remaining at the end after Georgia Stanway handled. The result sees England – 1-0 victors over the Belgians in Leicester last Friday – leapfrogged by the Red Flames in Group A1 as Sarina Wiegman’s side slip to third place having been beaten for a second time in four matches in the pool. With six points, England, who lost 1-0 to the Netherlands in September, are three behind the table-topping Dutch and one behind second-placed Belgium – the former won 1-0 against Scotland on Tuesday. England’s next game is against the Netherlands at Wembley on December 1 as they look to bounce back in a competition that provides them with the opportunity to secure a Paris 2024 Olympics qualification spot for Great Britain – they need to finish top of the group to have a chance to do that. Belgium looked threatening early on, with Wullaert bringing a save out of Mary Earps, albeit with the flag going up for offside. And three minutes later the hosts were in front as De Neve curled a free-kick over the England wall and into the corner of Earps’ net. Soon after, there was a further setback for Wiegman’s side after Greenwood went down following an accidental clash of heads with Belgian forward Jassina Blom with around 20 minutes of the contest gone, leaving both players down on the turf. Greenwood received treatment on the field for about 10 minutes before being placed on a stretcher and taken off, with Jess Carter coming on as her replacement. Blom, donning a head bandage, was able to continue. While it was a worrying scene, a subsequent post from the Lionesses’ official X account said Greenwood was “conscious and talking, and…being monitored by our medical staff.” Following the resumption of play, England produced an impressive response with Bronze bringing things level in the 38th minute by heading Chloe Kelly’s free-kick in off the bar. As the visitors continued to pressurise, Kelly saw a shot deflect narrowly wide, Bronze’s header was saved by Nicky Evrard and Alessia Russo fired into the side-netting before Kirby – making her first England start in a year – put them in front in the 44th minute, slotting in from Lauren Hemp’s cut-back. There was still an understandably lengthy period of stoppage time to get through before the interval, and six minutes into it Belgium hit back as Wullaert was played in and slotted past Earps. England went close seven minutes after the break as Evrard parried Kirby’s shot and Tine De Caigny cleared the loose ball off the line, and Wullaert was then denied by Earps in similar circumstances to when she had beaten her. Russo again found the side-netting, Bronze saw a shot blocked and England substitute Rachel Daly’s header was turned around the post by Evrard before Yana Daniels, who had come on for the home side, unleashed a strike that hit Stanway’s arm. Referee Esther Staubli pointed to the spot and Wullaert sent her effort from 12 yards into the corner as Belgium emerged triumphant from a topsy-turvy game. Read More Alex Greenwood suffers head injury in England’s clash with Belgium We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13 Inquiry into ice hockey player’s death will take some time, police say Colombian police continue search for Luis Diaz’s kidnapped father Leigh Halfpenny says final Wales appearance will be ‘pretty special’

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Alex Greenwood was carried off on a stretcher after being involved in a clash of heads during England’s Nations League match against Belgium in Leuven. Defender Greenwood collided with Belgian forward Jassina Blom with around 20 minutes of the contest gone, leaving both players down on the turf. Greenwood then received treatment on the field for about 10 minutes before being placed on a stretcher and taken off, with Jess Carter coming on as her replacement. Blom, donning a head bandage, was able to continue. Having been a goal down at the time of the incident via Laura De Neve’s free-kick, the Lionesses went on to turn things around, with goals from Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby putting them 2-1 up heading into first-half stoppage time. Tessa Wullaert then brought things back level with an equaliser in the additional period. Read More Belgium vs England LIVE: Women’s Nations League latest updates Fifa’s battle to regulate football agents gains momentum Saudi Arabian World Cup in 2034 sparks ‘significant concern’ from major leagues

Fifa have claimed a significant victory in their attempt to regulate the world’s top football agents, as the European Commission has backed the governing body’s move to bring in strict new rules including a cap on fees. Although it will be a hearing at the European Court of Justice that ultimately settles the issue, the Commission’s written submission to judges carry significant weight. It is seen by sources involved as a “huge development” and being hailed as a win for Fifa in what had been developing into a highly fractious conflict. Agents argue that the global body is attempting to unfairly affect their earning potential through a labour negotiation issue that actually has nothing to do with football, and goes against European Union antitrust laws. One strident position has been that setting a price cap would essentially represent a price-fixing cartel by the clubs, which top agents had been putting a lot of focus on. The European Commission have instead argued that a cap is entirely justified in order to protect players and contractual stability, as well as limiting conflicts of interest while protecting players who lack experience or information about the transfer system. An additional note was that agents’ fees are actually excessive and out of kilter with any normal fees for a service. The Commission’s observations also pointed to the “degree of discretion” which EU law generally affords sporting associations in order to fairly govern. Of the cap, it was stated “the defendant has plausibly pointed out that very high agency commissions, which are completely decoupled from the cost of the consideration, create a strong incentive to exert massive influence on players in particular in order to force an early transfer.” A further issue the new rules are set to tackle is on representing various parties on the same deal. The Commission has also backed restriction of this, arguing it “appears suitable” to mitigate against potential conflict of interest. A date for the hearing at the court in Luxembourg has not yet been set. Read More Fifa must secure Saudi promise over World Cup human rights, Amnesty warns Saudi Arabian World Cup in 2034 sparks ‘significant concern’ from major leagues Saudi Arabia set to host World Cup 2034 as Australia opts against bid

The Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri has asked the struggling club’s fans to chip in with £2m to pay a tax bill and the wages of players and staff. The Thai businessman who said last month that he would stop putting more money into the Championship club while he was being “treated unfairly” by supporters, said he had cash-flow issues from his other companies. Wednesday, who were placed under a player registration embargo last week, owe money to HM Revenue and Customs and are at risk of being put under a transfer embargo. Chansiri urged fans to raise funds, telling the Sheffield Star: “If 20,000 people gave £100 then it’s £2m, and it’d be clear — so we can finish it. “That would cover everything, HMRC and the wages. That would need to be done before November 10 if they don’t want to pass the 30 days, but that means that there can be no next time — if we were to hit 30 days then we’ll get a ban for three windows. If you don’t want to save your club, then don’t call yourselves the owners and me the custodian.” If clubs go for 30 days between July 1 and June 30 either without paying players’ wages or a debt to HMRC, they incur a three-window transfer embargo. The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust said on X: “We are astounded by the request for fans to pay a £2m HMRC bill. A fit and proper owner would not ask fans to do this.” Wednesday, who recorded their first league win of the season by beating Rotherham on Sunday, are bottom of the Championship. They were promoted from League One last season but Chansiri then sacked manager Darren Moore before in turn sacking his replacement Xisco Munoz after a winless start to the campaign. Read More Newcastle boss Eddie Howe praises ‘ultimate professional’ Jacob Murphy Belgium vs England LIVE: Women’s Nations League latest updates Sir Bobby Charlton funeral announced for November 13

Sarina Wiegman’s England travel to Leuven for their second Women’s Nations League match against Belgium in just five days. At Leicester’s King Power Stadium on Friday night, the Lionesses secured all three points following an early strike from Lauren Hemp. The held on to their slender lead for the rest of the game to run out 1-0 winners but it was far from a convincing peformance from the World Cup runners-up. A 2-1 loss back in September to the Netherlands means England are second in Group A1 and they will be determined to back up last week’s win with another victory tonight. The group winners will move into the Nations League semi-finals and the Lionesses must remain in touch with their Dutch counterparts if they hope to reach the knockout stages. A place in the Olympics is also at stake as the four group winners in League A meet in the semi-finals before the two finalists join France as the 2024 Olympic Games’ European representatives. Follow all the action from Belgium vs England below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:

David Moyes expects Declan Rice to be “welcomed with open arms” when he returns to West Ham with Arsenal on Wednesday. England midfielder Rice will face his old club for the first time since joining the Gunners for £105million in the summer when the teams meet in the Carabao Cup. The 24-year-old made 245 appearances for West Ham and captained them to victory in the Europa Conference League, the club’s first silverware in 43 years. The Hammers fans are not exactly renowned for giving former players a warm welcome upon their return with another club, but boss Moyes believes Rice will get the recognition he deserves when he runs out at the London Stadium. “You’ve got to remember this is the man who lifted this club’s first European trophy in more than 50 years,” said Moyes. “He should be welcomed back with open arms. We’re all looking forward to seeing him again. “He was a brilliant member of the team. He led the team brilliantly well. He conducted himself impeccably as a West Ham captain and as a player. “The most important thing was that he gave 100 per cent in every game, even though we sort of knew he probably wasn’t going to stay at West Ham. So all credit to him. He conducted himself brilliantly well and for that alone he deserves to be cheered. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Dec again. I’ve not seen him since he left. I don’t know if I want him to play, but I hope he’s there.” Moyes is likely to include Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez against Arsenal as both are suspended for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford after collecting five bookings. Former Arsenal players Lukasz Fabianski and Konstantinos Mavropanos will also be involved along with Emerson Palmieri, who is back from a ban. Read More Mauricio Pochettino wants Chelsea fans to ‘believe and show trust’ in his side Dawid Malan shifts blame away from England head coach Matthew Mott Captain Siya Kolisi says Springboks’ World Cup win was ‘for every South African’ Warren Gatland backs Andy Farrell to be next British and Irish Lions head coach England wing Jonny May announces his retirement from Test rugby Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova joins in with criticism of WTA Finals

Who are the members of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee?