Stephen Kenny will not allow speculation over his future to become a distraction as the Republic of Ireland attempt to end a dismal Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on a positive note. Ireland face Group B minnows Gibraltar in Faro on Monday evening in their penultimate fixture, having won only one of the six which have preceded it with automatic qualification now beyond them and retaining only a slim chance of reaching the play-offs after Friday night’s 2-0 defeat by Greece. That has inevitably led to calls for the manager’s head, with the Republic having missed out on the finals of every major tournament since Euro 2016. However, asked if that noise might prove a distraction, Kenny, who last week received assurances from Football Association of Ireland chief executive Jonathan Hill, said: “No. “I have to be realistic. Jonathan Hill perfectly clarified it when he said that ‘Stephen would be the manager until the games in November’, and they’ll have a review and assess that. “At the moment, that’s out of my control. In this camp, it was important to try and win against Greece. We haven’t managed to do that, I understand that, that it’s not a good result for us. “But from my point of view, I am contracted to the end of the campaign so I just want to finish the campaign strong. If there is a play-off, we can assess that, but finish the campaign strong and take it from there.” Ireland’s only win so far came against Gibraltar in June, when goals from Mikey Johnston, Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah secured a 3-0 victory which was less comfortable than the scoreline suggests. Anything other than a repeat against a team which has lost all of its 43 European and World Cup qualifiers to date would represent fresh humiliation for an Ireland side which went down 1-0 at home to Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier in March 2021. However for Kenny, even that would do little to quell the tide of discontent which has swamped the positivity he had managed to establish after a shaky start in the job by convincing Ireland fans his new-look team would both excite them and get results. While they have at times done the former – but sadly, not recently – the have been largely unable to achieve the latter and have the Netherlands awaiting in next month’s final qualifier. He said: “We all have to get results, we understand that. I came into this camp thinking if we can get six points, we possibly have a chance to take it to Amsterdam, going into the last game. “We are hugely disappointed – we are, no doubt – to lose the game. What we have to do now is to perform tomorrow and win the game, and take that into November.” For Ireland’s players, the game represents an opportunity to take out their frustration on one of European football’s smaller nations. Midfielder Josh Cullen said: “Obviously the campaign hasn’t gone how we wanted it to. As players, the motivation is the same in every game. “The chance to play for your country is something that should never be taken for granted. Whether that’s against France or Gibraltar, you approach it with the same mindset, and we are itching to get back out there tomorrow night and get a win for our country.”

The Republic of Ireland embark upon a face-saving mission in Faro on Monday evening when they attempt to secure just a second Euro 2024 qualifier victory at the seventh time of asking. Anything but a comfortable win over Group B minnows Gibraltar, the only team Stephen Kenny’s men have beaten to date during a desperately disappointing campaign, would invite derision with automatic qualification gone and a play-off place an unlikely source of salvation. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the game at the Estadio Algarve. The end is nigh Stephen Kenny launched his reign as Ireland manager on twin promises to overhaul an ageing squad and play a more exciting brand of football. He has delivered the former and achieved only partial success with the latter. Unfortunately for him, any progress has not been translated into results and as he heads into what seems certain to be his penultimate competitive game, he has won only five of the 27 which have preceded it. So near, so Faro While the Republic of Ireland’s last away game against Gibraltar – a 1-0 Euro 2020 qualifier win at the Victoria Stadium in March 2019 – was played on the rock itself, the sides have met previously at the Estadio Algarve. Robbie Keane’s double and goals from Cyrus Christie and Shane Long secured a 4-0 Euro 2016 qualifier victory in September 2015. However, their most recent visit to the stadium in September 2021 had a nasty twist in the tail when Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-gasp double overhauled John Egan’s header to hand Portugal a 2-1 World Cup qualifier win. Fergie time? Ireland hope they have found a new talisman for years to come in the shape of 18-year-old Brighton striker Evan Ferguson. The teenager was left painfully isolated for long periods against Greece after hitting the post early on, and he will hope for better service as he attempts to add to his two senior international goals – the last of them against Gibraltar – in seven appearances to date against a significantly more porous defence. Winging it Celtic winger Mikey Johnston has not kicked a ball in anger for his club yet this season after being laid low by a back injury during the summer. Kenny threw him on for the last 20 minutes against the Greeks in an effort to add creativity to his labouring side and, while he remains short of match fitness, Monday’s game could be the perfect opportunity for him to launch his season. The Republic lacked inspiration on Friday evening and Johnston provided just that in a second-half cameo in the reverse fixture, in which he scored the opening goal in a 3-0 win. No points, no goals In many respects, Ireland could not have chosen a better opponent for a game they simply have to win. Gibraltar have lost their last seven – a run culminating in Wednesday night’s 4-0 friendly defeat in Wales – without scoring and have conceded a total of 17 goals and collected no points in their five Group B fixtures to date. They last found the back of the net in a 1-0 friendly victory over Andorra in November. Read More Triumphant Wigan boss Matt Peet aims to emulate coaching heroes Dan Biggar confident future is bright for Wales as Test career draws to end England captain Jos Buttler says Afghanistan defeat ‘tough loss to take’ England’s World Cup hopes in jeopardy after shock Afghanistan defeat England’s shock World Cup defeats as Afghanistan add their name to list Harvey Elliott believes Jordan Henderson deserves better from England fans

Harvey Elliott has defended Jordan Henderson and believes his former Liverpool captain deserves better treatment. Al Ettifaq midfielder Henderson was jeered during England’s 1-0 win over Australia at Wembley on Friday. Henderson captained England, with Harry Kane rested, but was booed when he was replaced by Kalvin Phillips in the second half. He completed a controversial switch to Al Ettifaq from Liverpool in the summer having been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, with homosexuality illegal in Saudi Arabia, but former Anfield team-mate Elliott has backed the 33-year-old. “It’s upsetting, Hendo is a massive inspiration, not just to myself but to many around the world,” said the Liverpool midfielder. “For what he has done for England and English football it’s not nice to see. “It’s his decision, it’s his career. As a nation we need to get behind these players and support them. It wasn’t nice, but knowing Hendo I’m sure it hasn’t fazed him. “He’s a positive-minded player and person. He just wants to do the best for himself in his career. Everyone is behind him.” On Friday, England boss Gareth Southgate called Henderson a role model and insisted he could not understand the negative reception. Elliott will contact his former skipper once England duty is over, with the 20-year-old travelling to Slovakia to face Ukraine with the under-21s on Monday and Henderson preparing for the visit of Italy on Tuesday. “I didn’t want to make too much of a fuss about it – no-one should. It’s a few individuals who have different points of views, which is fine. I don’t think he would take it to heart too much,” said Elliott, who scored twice in the Young Lions’ 9-1 Euro 2025 qualification rout of Serbia on Thursday. “He has been through a lot in his career and it’s just another barrier he is going to run through, I’m sure. “We always keep in touch, when we’re here (St George’s Park) and see those guys we are always having conversations and it’s nice to have that togetherness with the seniors. “Some of the lads, playing for the big teams here, brings everyone together. It’s nice to be around them and it gives us all a target and goal.” Read More Manchester United Supporters’ Trust calls for ‘clarity’ in takeover process Jessica Gadirova braced for ‘tough and long journey’ after suffering ACL injury Wembley revenge to seal place at Euro 2024? – England v Italy talking points England fight off early Rahmanullah Gurbaz threat to limit Afghanistan to 284 Josh Adams believes Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are ‘massive figureheads’ for Wales Sam Tomkins ready for family time after ‘selfish’ season ends in heartbreak

Manchester United Supporters’ Trust has called for clarity amid the club’s takeover saga. The group has also outlined 11 questions to owners the Glazer family, including what changes to the club would happen as a result of a new minority shareholder. It comes after Sheikh Jassim withdrew from the process to buy the club. Sheikh Jassim became the first bidder to publicly confirm he had made an offer for the Old Trafford giants but he has now backed out, with rival bidder Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly ready to buy a 25 per cent stake in United. “It would be wildly optimistic to think the Glazers are acting in the interests of supporters or are making ownership decisions which don’t centre on their own priorities,” a MUST statement read. “However, what supporters should expect at the very least now is some clarity and an end to this process. “Furthermore the outcome must include new investment into the club. It cannot be solely about the interests of shareholders, whether existing or new. “We call upon all parties to put Manchester United interests before their own interests. “If the reports are true regarding INEOS obtaining a 25 per cent stake in our club there are a number of questions around the transaction which need clarity before supporters can make any judgement on its merits.” We all want what's best both for our club and for all of our fans Joint statement by six Manchester United supporters groups Meanwhile, six United supporter groups have called for togetherness in any protests against the Glazer family. Manchester United Fans’ Advisory Board, the Manchester United Fans’ Forum, Manchester United Women Supporters Club, the Rainbow Devils, MUST and Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association have joined forces. Their statement read: “We all believe we need better ownership and investment for our club. “We all believe that fans have the right to lawfully protest. We all believe that fans have the right to be represented. “We all want what’s best both for our club and for all of our fans. “Many support protest, many support dialogue and many support both – they are complementary. “For the greater good of our club, let’s work towards our shared goals, set aside what divides us, and respect that different people, working towards the same goal, will have different strategies to get there.” Read More Jessica Gadirova braced for ‘tough and long journey’ after suffering ACL injury Wembley revenge to seal place at Euro 2024? – England v Italy talking points England fight off early Rahmanullah Gurbaz threat to limit Afghanistan to 284 Josh Adams believes Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are ‘massive figureheads’ for Wales Sam Tomkins ready for family time after ‘selfish’ season ends in heartbreak Jordan Pickford insists England are not looking for revenge against Italy

Follow live coverage as Manchester City face Bristol City in the Women’s Super League today. Last season it was Chelsea who again took the WSL title, just edging out Manchester United, while Arsenal and Manchester City are expected to be contenders in 2023/24 too. Relegated Reading have been replaced by Bristol City after they won the Championship title by a single point last term, while the likes of Liverpool, Everton and West Ham will hope for continued progression this year too. On the back of the Lionesses’ magnificent runs at Euro 2022 and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the women’s game continues to go from strength to strength with increasing crowds and exciting new signings from overseas. Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.

England host Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night knowing victory over the Azzurri will ensure qualification to Euro 2024. Gareth Southgate’s side won 2-1 in Naples in March and now could wrap up qualification with another success against the defending champions. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the main talking points ahead of the clash. Arch rivals This will be the first clash between the two nations at Wembley since the Euro 2020 final – which Italy won on penalties. Since then the sides have met on three occasions, twice in the Nations League before the fixture in Italy earlier this year. England will be keen to exact a level of revenge on Tuesday night in a match which will have an impact on the outcome of the group. Regular faces to return After making 10 changes for Friday’s 1-0 friendly win over Australia, Southgate will no doubt bring back his big-hitters for the one competitive game of the October international break. The team performance in the narrow victory will not have seen many of the rotated side push to replace the more established order. Captain Harry Kane was an unused substitute against the Socceroos and will lead the line with the likes of Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, who were not involved on Friday, returning. Jordan jeered off again? Friday’s friendly against Australia saw Jordan Henderson line-up on home soil for the first time since his controversial summer switch from Liverpool to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq. Henderson has been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and last month apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal. The stand-in skipper’s name was met by murmurs before kick-off and the midfielder ended up being booed when substituted, with Southgate left angry by a reaction he felt “defies logic”. It remains to be seen, however, if the 33-year-old features against Italy, whether fans will respond in the same way. Pressure off in November Victory over Italy would seal England’s berth at Euro 2024 with two games of qualification still to play. Those fixtures see Southgate’s side host minnows Malta at Wembley next month before travelling to face North Macedonia, who could still have an outside chance of reaching the finals themselves. Going into those two games with the ability to experiment and look at players without the pressure of needing the points would be a handy outcome for Southgate, who has so little time to do so leading up to the finals. Unsure Azzurri Southgate said Italy have been “revitalised” under new head coach Luciano Spalletti, but defeat in London could cost the visitors dear. They may have lifted the European Championship at Wembley two years ago but they went on to miss out on the 2022 World Cup and have Ukraine – and to a lesser extent North Macedonia – to keep at bay. Ukraine travel to Malta on Tuesday and will leapfrog Italy into second place if they better the result of Spalletti’s men, meaning their showdown meeting in Leverkusen in the final round of fixtures could essentially be a play-off to make it to Euro 2024. Read More England fight off early Rahmanullah Gurbaz threat to limit Afghanistan to 284 Josh Adams believes Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake are ‘massive figureheads’ for Wales Sam Tomkins ready for family time after ‘selfish’ season ends in heartbreak Jordan Pickford insists England are not looking for revenge against Italy Andy Farrell believes spirit of outgoing Johnny Sexton can spur Ireland on Rangers appoint former Club Brugge boss Philippe Clement as new manager

Anyone who has ever been to Lubbock knows that you're bound to see some things when you're down there so a football player snagging a bird during pregame warmup

Rangers have confirmed the appointment of Philippe Clement as their new manager. The 49-year-old arrives at Ibrox following the departure of Michael Beale at the start of the month. After playing at Genk and Club Brugge, Clement has won the Belgian Pro League as a manager with both teams and had Champions League experience with Brugge.

Jordan Pickford will head into Tuesday’s crunch Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy looking forward rather than back. The Everton goalkeeper was between the posts when Italy beat England on penalties to win Euro 2020 at Wembley. Pickford was rested for Friday’s 1-0 friendly win over Australia, but is expected to return for the visit of the Azzurri – where victory would secure Gareth Southgate’s side a place at next summer’s finals in Germany. Since suffering Euro 2020 heartbreak, England have met Italy twice in the Nations League and also won 2-1 in Naples in the reverse qualifying fixture. Now it is that prospect of another shot of international success – and not seeking payback for the heartache of two years ago – that Pickford insists is driving the team heading into the game. “We know where we are in the world rankings and we know where we want to be. To do that, these are the teams you have to beat,” he said. “I don’t think this game has anything to do with revenge. We went to Italy and made a bit of history, having gone so many years without beating them away from home. This is all about qualifying for Germany. It’s another hurdle we have got to get past Jordan Pickford “This is another tough game. They’ve got a new manager, played well in the last break, and we know they are a top side. “This is all about qualifying for Germany. It’s another hurdle we have got to get past and we’ll be going for the victory.” Pickford revealed there has never been much of a debrief on the shoot-out loss in 2021 and was more upset with the performance in last winter’s World Cup – praising England for brushing themselves off so quickly to work towards Euro 2024 qualification. “We never really touched base on that Euro final,” he added. “There was more disappointment in Qatar, getting beat in the quarters, and then coming back straight into two competitive games. “That just shows you the characters we are and the type of squad and togetherness we have to beat Ukraine and then beat Italy in their own backyard in Naples in a hostile environment. “That shows you what kind of squad we are and I think the fans love it. “Every time we put the shirt on we wear it with massive amounts of pride. “To beat Italy in Naples was a great feeling, but they’re coming into our backyard now and they will want revenge. “We just want to put on a performance, be at our best, and get a result to qualify. “They are reigning European champions and are a top side. We only focus on ourselves. “We look at what’s in front of us and we will always back ourselves to beat any team because we are fully prepared and have a lot of experience and ability.” Read More Andy Farrell believes spirit of outgoing Johnny Sexton can spur Ireland on Rangers appoint former Club Brugge boss Philippe Clement as new manager Michael O’Neill hoping to take ‘good feeling’ into Slovenia game Glittering career ends with tears for retiring Ireland captain Johnny Sexton Joe Root dismisses ODI retirement talk with next Cricket World Cup in his plans Ben Stokes ‘getting better day by day’ but Afghanistan game could come too soon

Michael O’Neill knows Saturday’s 3-0 win over San Marino was only a small step forward for his Northern Ireland side but it is still one he said can be important for a young and developing side. Paul Smyth got a goal and an assist on his first international start while there was also a first Northern Ireland goal for Conor McMenamin, with Josh Magennis getting another in a comfortable win at Windsor Park. But while Northern Ireland were always in control, 2-0 up after 11 minutes, the limitations which have seen their qualifying campaign unravel with five straight defeats since an opening victory over the same opposition in March were again on show in an often unexciting display. Northern Ireland finished the match with five players eligible for the under-21s on the pitch, once more deprived of much-needed experience by their long injury list. “For a number of our players they won’t have won a lot of games in international football, they’ve not played a lot of games in international football and they’ve not won a lot, so any win is positive,” O’Neill said. “It’s a good feeling, you feel it in the dressing room. We can take that feeling into Tuesday night’s game (against Slovenia) when there’s a team coming who have got a lot to play for.” Having raced into an early lead and then seen a 31st-minute strike from star man Smyth eventually disallowed for offside after a long VAR check, Northern Ireland lost momentum and the atmosphere fell flat before McMenamin completed the scoring in the 81st minute. This was only Northern Ireland’s third win in their last 18 games at Windsor Park but even then the crowd was quiet, artificially boosted at one point by the sound of chanting being played on the PA system. That reflected Northern Ireland’s standing in Group H, where the only team they have avoided defeat against is the one ranked 207th and last in the world. “All we can do is just continue to work with the players, build them up, try and get confidence,” O’Neill added. Results help build belief in what you're doing and that's the biggest thing the win will give us, a little bit of belief Michael O'Neill “When you’re working with a new group of players and working on how you want to play as a team, results help build belief in what you’re doing and that’s the biggest thing the win will give us, a little bit of belief. “The work we did in the week was pretty much how the opening two goals were scored and that’s something the players took well into the game.” Talk of the injuries that have ravaged Northern Ireland’s campaign is nothing new, but there is no denying their impact and it extends well beyond the headlines names of Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, and Corry Evans, stretching deep into Northern Ireland’s limited reserves. “Even if you look at Conor Bradley, he’s only played three games for us in this campaign and that’s probably all he will play if I’m honest,” O’Neill added of the Liverpool wing-back. “November will be very touch and go for Conor. That makes it difficult.” The hope for O’Neill and Northern Ireland is that there is something to be gained down the line as so many of those players still around from the famous Euro 2016 campaign near the end of the road. “We have to use what we have done, mainly through necessity, to take us forward because the players we talk about that are missing, we’re not really sure how long they will continue to play for at international level,” the manager added. “We’ve already seen Craig (Cathcart) retire. These players won’t continue forever. “What we have to do between now and March 2025 when World Cup qualification starts is we’ve got to get as much international football into these young players as possible because they will probably form the foundation and the backbone of the team.” Read More Glittering career ends with tears for retiring Ireland captain Johnny Sexton Joe Root dismisses ODI retirement talk with next Cricket World Cup in his plans Ben Stokes ‘getting better day by day’ but Afghanistan game could come too soon PA Sport Trivia (16/10/2023) On this day in 2004: Andy Robinson appointed as England head coach Tommy Fury claims points victory over YouTube star KSI

Week 7 of the 2023 college football season is now in the books for the Top 25 teams in the country and we know quite a bit more than we did previously. USC is,

Projecting the AP Top 25 college football rankings for Week 8 after Notre Dame flat-out embarrassed USC, Washington outlasted Oregon in Seattle, UNC made a statement against Miami, and much more on Saturday.