Artificial Intelligence can help talented players who might never normally be noticed get a chance in the professional game. Premier League clubs Chelsea and Burnley – as well as a host of MLS teams – are using an app, created by ai.io, that allows footballers around the world to complete specifically-designed drills and upload match footage of themselves. Using computer vision and deep-learning machinery, which can recognise and evaluate a player’s movement, each user receives a score and then scouts are alerted to anyone that matches set criteria. The aiSCOUT platform is the only digital scouting product invited into the FIFA Innovation Programme and already has several success stories, with Burnley signing Jez Davies and Chelsea handing a 10-week trial to Ben Greenwood, having discovered them on the app. Not every budding footballer will be visited by a scout, but almost everyone will have access to a smartphone and that provides the player with a unique opportunity. “It gives the power to the player,” ai.io COO and director of sports science Richard Felton-Thomas told the PA news agency. “You are always waiting for a scout to come and watch you, you can’t just ring them up and ask them to come. “This just puts power into the players’ hands. “We are really democratising that scouting process. Normally you go and watch and then go and collect more information afterwards, which is just inefficient. “You can’t replace the fundamentals a scout brings of going to a game, seeing how a player deals with adversity, how they transfer those raw skill sets to a match and taking instructions from a coach. “Our tech is there to do the early talent detection but then scouts have to ID that talent with the traditional method. “We give them the efficiency of enough information to say, ‘Don’t wait until the weekend to watch them’, because someone else might be doing that already. “We don’t make the future decision of the player. The scout and the recruitment do that. I don’t think anyone wants AI to decide their fate. We are there to say on certain metrics, players are worth a look.” Davies joined the Clarets when he was spotted on the aiSCOUT app shortly after being released by Tottenham and they quickly signed him up. This just puts power into the players' hands ai.io COO Richard Felton-Thomas Greenwood had a 10-week trial at Chelsea before earning a permanent deal at Bournemouth, going on to feature in the Carabao Cup and represent Republic of Ireland at under-19 level. There has also been huge success in India as players using a shared community phone have been scouted. “We have had players trial and sign for Chelsea and Burnley and in India players who have downloaded our app from a shared community phone are now in football programmes,” Felton-Thomas added. “If it wasn’t for a mobile phone they would never have the exposure. They were not playing registered football so a scout would never have found them but we are changing those lives through those opportunities with a phone. “Jez Davies signed at Burnley. He was released at Tottenham. We didn’t know about him but he entered our app uploaded his reels and you can imagine being 18 and just coming out of Tottenham, his drills were incredible. Burnley saw that and within two weeks he was signed. “The first player we trialled was a player called Ben Greenwood. He had brilliant stats, he was at a football college and had never been scouted by any team, he lived two miles away from Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham and they thought if he was that good, how come our scouts had missed him. “They brought him in for a day, just to validate our data, but he ended up staying for 10 weeks. He scored on his under-19s debut but he didn’t get a contract. “He was signed by Bournemouth and is on his second contract and played in the Carabao Cup for them. This is a player who had never once been scouted, so that was a huge success story.” Read More Josh Magennis determined to keep giving his all for Northern Ireland Andy Farrell feels Ireland are becoming better at handling pressure Charlie Savage impresses Rob Page during his Wales debut Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme

Ollie Watkins is the man of the moment: seven goals and four assists this season in a free-flowing Aston Villa side, including a recent hat-trick against Brighton in front of Gareth Southgate, meant it wasn’t a surprise when he was called up to play for England last week, 18 months after his last cap. Except that three weeks ago, he wasn’t the man at all. He still hadn’t scored in the Premier League. He was struggling to take chances and he was getting some stick, which is why he celebrated his first league goal of the season, against Chelsea in late September, with his fingers in his ears. Zoom out and his form has been exceptional for a year, but criticism is never far away. “I think all fans are quite fickle,” Watkins says. “If you go a few games without a goal, people will be saying, ‘he’s on a drought, he can’t score’. Then I score four goals in two games and everyone kind of loves you.” Watkins is sitting in a quiet room at St George’s Park, at ease with his surroundings at England’s headquarters. He is 27 and has just signed a new long-term contract with Villa. After a sporadic international career to date, he seems ready to add a lot more to his seven England caps, and is striving to make a first major tournament at Euro 2024 in Germany next summer. But getting there isn’t necessarily a given. Since Unai Emery took charge of Villa 12 months ago, no English player has recorded more than Watkins’ 25 Premier League goal involvements, yet he has not played for his country all year. “I think I go under the radar, maybe,” he concludes. “I don’t know if I’m not talked about enough, profile-wise.” Watkins is up against a truism of international football, certainly when it comes to England, that established names playing for renowned clubs find it a little easier to get in the team. It only takes a glance at the current squad to see that. And when there is a manager at the helm who has built up loyalties to long-serving players, they can be hard to dislodge. I’m content with where I am. The fame, the followers on Instagram – if it does come, it does. If it doesn’t, I’m not bothered really Ollie Watkins So perhaps players like Watkins need to do something special, like his role in thrashing Brighton, to get the same recognition as more experienced internationals who can rely on Southgate’s faith through rocky form. “I know I need to be scoring as much as them, if not more, to get into the team,” he says of his fellow strikers. He’s also conscious that his name does not carry the cachet of other England players. This is a curse of the modern game, a place where sporting talent meets celebrity hype, where players are scrutinised for what they do off the pitch as much as on it. It is a world Watkins has largely shunned, perhaps to his detriment. He doesn’t have Twitter, and his 374,000 followers on Instagram are dwarfed by teammates like Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, who have online audiences of 16 million. A commercial guru at his agency has encouraged Watkins to use social media, to raise his status a little, but it doesn’t come naturally. “I wouldn’t want to put anything out there that’s not authentic and not myself,” he says. “You see how much money you can make on Instagram. But my saying has always been just be good at football and the rest will take care of itself. If I’m scoring 30 goals a year and someone wants to do a sponsorship deal with me then they are going to want to do it because I’m doing well on the pitch. “I’m content with where I am. The fame, the followers on Instagram – if it does come, it does. If it doesn’t, I’m not bothered really.” Being a Premier League striker at a historic club still brings its fair share of attention, something Watkins admits he doesn’t revel in. Life was different playing in the Championship for Brentford. “I used to just go and shop in Sainsbury’s, normal, and I came to try and do it at Villa and I couldn’t,” he laughs. “I had my earphones in and people took two looks and went, ‘Is that him?’. Once one person asks for a photo, then maybe it’s two or three, and then it’s hard to do shopping... I came home and I was fuming. I said to my missus, I’m never going out again. And since then I don’t do the shopping.” But he appreciates living at the gentler end of the mania scale, and cites Jack Grealish as an example. “I can imagine for Jack, it’s 10 times worse. He’s on another level, he’s like a superstar.” Out of the spotlight, Watkins has been playing some of the best football of his career. He credits his form to his demanding Spanish manager, who has given him direction to be a pure goalscorer after his struggles under Emery’s predecessor, Steven Gerrard. “It wasn’t down to him but I was just falling into a rut. I feel like I’ve gone on to a different path and really focused on being a striker. Before I’d be trying to cross it and then get on the end of my own cross and head it. Now I’m focused on being the main man.” This is his fourth season at Villa and he is producing his highest numbers so far. His expected goals and actual goals per 90 minutes are up on previous seasons, he is shooting a yard closer to goal, on average, and he is taking more than three shots per game under Emery, compared to only two under Gerrard. Those numbers are translating into eye-catching performances. He has set a target of 20 goals this season and it is a sign of his form over the past year that it almost sounds unambitious. But if he keeps delivering for Emery on the pitch, slowly but surely, the recognition will come his way. “I'm confident I'm gonna get to that number, and then I think people start talking and you get put into a bracket of the top players. I've got to where I am today from doing everything I believe in – the social media element is not my No 1 priority at the end of the day, football is – so I’ll just keep doing what I'm doing.” Read More Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen make England return but Raheem Sterling left out England squad announcement LIVE: Southgate names players for international break Josh Magennis determined to keep giving his all for Northern Ireland Josh Magennis determined to keep giving his all for Northern Ireland How Scotland became the one team Rodri could not defeat Charlie Savage impresses Rob Page during his Wales debut

Josh Magennis is determined to keep proving his worth to Northern Ireland for as long as possible. When manager Michael O’Neill said after last month’s defeat to Kazakhstan he needed to evaluate some of the older players in his squad and whether they could still deliver for the team, the 33-year-old Magennis recognised he was among those under the spotlight. But a player who has 73 caps for Northern Ireland, having made his debut against Turkey in May 2010, still savours every opportunity to represent his country. “It’s up to me to stay fit, perform at club level and when I get a chance in matches here or in training show I’m still worth having around,” Magennis told the PA news agency. “I know I’m getting on but to me that’s just an excuse, whether people say it for you or you say it yourself. If you still play with intent, with the sports science that’s available now you can play endlessly. It’s up to you to prove you are worth your place in the squad.” Magennis went as far as telling fans at a meet-and-greet event in Belfast this week that he would fancy playing at Euro 2028 when it is hosted by the UK and Ireland in four and a half years’ time, when he would be just shy of 37. “Playing for your country is the biggest accolade you’ve ever had,” Magennis said. “I’m never going to retire and nor will I ever say I’ve retired. “If Michael decides, or anyone else decides, they don’t want me to come any more that’s up to them but I can never retire on my country. That’s not how I will be going out.” His love of playing shines through as he discusses his season so far with League One Wigan and “riding the wave” of being back after an injury lay-off. Magennis saw his 2022-23 campaign cut short by a bad knee injury in April, forcing him to miss Northern Ireland’s June fixtures as he went through a lengthy rehabilitation process. Although Magennis got himself back to fitness by August, the early season form of Charlie Wyke, who has scored six in 11 for Wigan, has meant all but two of his 10 club appearances have been from the bench, but one of them saw him score a hat-trick in an EFL Trophy win over Leicester Under-21s. “Charlie has been on fire and I’ve just had to wait for my chance,” Magennis said. “At any level scoring goals is massive. The goals don’t move. I’m just feeling good to be back and ready.” Goals would certainly not go amiss for a Northern Ireland side who have only scored four in their six Euro 2024 qualifiers to date, suffering four 1-0 defeats along the way. Qualification is beyond them but there is a clear opportunity to end a five-game losing streak when San Marino, the only team O’Neill’s side have beaten so far, visit Windsor Park on Saturday. But while they can change the mood with victory, Magennis said the team does not need a reset. “It’s not about trying to change our mentality,” he said. “Michael is working towards something. “I don’t want to say we’re rebuilding but there’s been an influx of new players, a lot of players Michael’s not been around before and a lot of players who are experiencing international football for the first time. “It’s just about trying to keep going, keep grafting and trying to implement what Michael wants us to do. It’s been tough not winning. This is a results-based business and everyone wants to win but there’s a process and Michael has proved this process has worked before. We’ve got to trust in it.” Read More Andy Farrell feels Ireland are becoming better at handling pressure Charlie Savage impresses Rob Page during his Wales debut Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue England forward Ollie Watkins: I no longer go shopping due to recognition Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme

Scotland will hope to continue their winning run in Euro 2024 qualifying as they travel to take on Spain. Steve Clarke’s side are five from five in their campaign so far, including a famous victory over Spain at Hampden Park in March. The Scots will seal qualification with a victory in Spain, or if Norway fail to beat Cyprus in the other Group A fixture this evening. Luis de la Fuente has since led the hosts to victory in the Nations League, though, and Spain will no doubt fancy a dose of revenge to remain on track in the group. Spain have played one game fewer than Scotland and would move to within three points of the leaders with a win. The top two teams will progress to the Euros and La Roja face a trip to face Norway and Erling Haaland on Sunday. Here’s everything you need to know - and get all the latest football betting sites offers here. When is Spain vs Scotland? Spain vs Scotland is due to kick off at 7.45pm BST on Thursday 12 October at Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, Spain. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match on ViaPlay Sports 1, with coverage from 7pm BST. All of Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers are being shown on ViaPlay, which requires a ViaPlay Total pass subscription. The match can be accessed by downloading the ViaPlay app or through providers such as Sky, Virgin Media or Prime Video. It can also be streamed directly on the ViaPlay website. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has pulled out of the Spain squad, while Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino has also withdrawn. That has brought about a first senior call-up for Bryan Zaragoza of Granada, who could make a debut off the bench with Luis de la Fuente likely to stick with a relatively settled starting side. Scotland have also lost a couple of players from their squad: Ryan Jack has remained with Rangers after picking up an injury against Aberdeen recently, and a hamstring issue has ruled Kevin Nisbet out, too. A similar ailment led to Kieran Tierney’s omission from Steve Clarke’s squad, with the Arsenal loannee having missed Real Sociedad’s last two games. Predicted line-ups Spain XI: Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Balde; Merino, Rodri, Gavi; Torres, Morata, N. Williams. Scotland XI: Gunn; Porteous, Hendry, Cooper; Hickey, Gilmour, McGregor, Robertson; McTominay, McGinn; Adams Odds Spain win 1/4 Draw 5/1 Scotland win 9/1 Prediction Spain secure victory to end Scotland’s unbeaten qualifying run. Spain 3-1 Scotland. Read More Euro 2028 venues: UK and Ireland name 10 stadiums as Anfield and Old Trafford miss out Euro 2028: Will host nations get automatic qualification? Harry Kane: ‘Ronaldo and Messi got better after 30 – my career is only at half-time’ How Scotland became the one team Rodri could not defeat UK and Ireland confirmed as joint hosts of Euro 2028 Uefa announce UK and Ireland as Euro 2028 hosts while Old Trafford snubbed

There was the Champions League in Istanbul. The FA Cup at Wembley. A third Premier League title in a row in Manchester. The treble was followed by the Nations League in the Netherlands and the Super Cup in Greece. Yet if the list of trophies won by Rodri with club and country in 2023 can only be matched by Aymeric Laporte, the Spaniard’s compatriot and former Manchester City teammate can hardly rival his influence: it was Rodri who scored the winning goal against Inter Milan in June’s Champions League final, Rodri who was named player of the finals as Spain defeated Croatia to win the Nations League. It is tempting to brand 2023 as the year of Rodri; individual awards do not tend to favour defensive midfielders, but he may have a case for winning the Ballon d’Or. Yet an outstanding campaign has featured just the one dark night: at Hampden in March, Rodri and Spain were humbled by Scotland, beaten 2-0 in the swirling rain. The 27-year-old wore the armband but bore no responsibility, nor did he recognise what was Scotland’s greatest result in a generation. “You have to respect it but for me, it’s a bit rubbish,” he said of Scotland’s performance. His complaints of time-wasting, diving and gamesmanship were almost laughed out of the room, but Rodri was insistent: “For me, this is not football,” he said. In many ways, Rodri’s extraordinary outburst was Scotland’s second victory of the evening. Steve Clarke’s side had not just beaten Spain, but they had gotten under their skin as well, and the sight of the former world champions sucking on sour grapes rather added to the shock result Scotland had managed to pull off. It also adds a certain edge to their return meeting, in Seville tonight, as Scotland look to become the first nation to join hosts Germany and qualify for Euro 2024. Scotland assistant coach John Carver has already admitted that another victory over Spain would be all the sweeter after Rodri’s “disrespectful” comments. Yet Scotland would be wise to look ahead to their trip to La Cartuja with a certain amount of trepidation, too: Spain are seeking revenge and, in Rodri, Scotland have managed to make a nemesis out of a player whose powers have never felt greater. His grave error of judgement in grabbing Morgan Gibbs-White by the throat last month has sparked a title race; Manchester City lost all three games while he was suspended, to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, and then Wolves and Arsenal in the Premier League. Indeed, the last time Rodri lost a match when on the pitch was at Hampden six months ago – defeat to Arsenal on penalties in the Community Shield final, after a 1-1 draw, notwithstanding. It is also unlikely that Spain will make the same mistakes as last time. A rare defeat for Rodri came in an experimental Spain side, in what was manager Luis de la Fuente’s second match in charge. Rodri was one of only two players in the side with more than 20 international appearances; De la Fuente had made eight changes from the team that beat Norway just days before, resting the Barcelona star Gavi and keeping the squad’s top scorer Alvaro Morata on the bench. Scotland ganged up on Spain and exposed them for what they were: inexperienced and underprepared. There is little chance De la Fuente underestimates Scotland for a second time, not when Clarke’s team sits top of Group A with five wins from five (only France and Portugal can also boast 100 per cent records in Euro 2024 qualifying). Even a draw at La Cartuja would potentially leave Spain in a vulnerable position ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Norway and Erling Haaland in Oslo. Scotland, meanwhile, know qualification for Germany could be secured by the end of the week: a win would do it tonight, any other result would be fine too, unless Norway win both games this week against Cyprus and Spain. Scotland, though, must focus on themselves. Clarke’s side were brought back down to earth by England at Hampden last month, outclassed by Jude Bellingham in the 150th anniversary match. Bellingham was exceptional but Scotland were also second-best in every department. Once again, the lack of a leading forward is a huge issue: while Lyndon Dykes and Che Adams have both made important contributions throughout Clarke’s spell, the reality is Scotland’s two main strikers are playing for clubs stuck 10th and 22nd in the Championship. Thankfully for Clarke, in Scott McTominay, Scotland have a force who has scored more than Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe in Euro 2024 qualifiers – only Romelu Lukaku has managed more than his six goals so far. It shows how, under Clarke, Scotland have often been able to rise as a collective. Rodri’s comments back in March crucially missed that Scotland’s victory came through cohesion and playing as a team while making Spain look like individuals. This international window is another pivotal test: after Seville, Scotland will travel to Paris to face France. The Tartan Army have not enjoyed a double-header of such calibre in some time. That is assuming Spain look a bit more like Spain. Since Hampden, a result that put De la Fuente under some early pressure, La Roja have clicked by scoring 16 goals in their subsequent three qualifiers, as well as lifting the Nations League title with victories over Italy and Croatia. Yet a young squad full of bright things is held together by Rodri, undisputedly now the best in the world in his position, the driving force in midfield who will look to lead the Spanish retribution. By his own admission, failure to do so would be another rare mark on the year of Rodri: Scotland, after all, are a “bit rubbish”. Spain vs Scotland kicks off on Thursday 12 October at 7.45pm, on Viaplay Sports 1 Read More Harry Kane: ‘Ronaldo and Messi got better after 30 – my career is only at half-time’ Scotland’s John McGinn responds to Rodri comments: ‘Wasting time? Absolutely’ Is Spain v Scotland on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch Euro 2024 qualifier UK and Ireland confirmed as joint hosts of Euro 2028 Uefa announce UK and Ireland as Euro 2028 hosts while Old Trafford snubbed

Rob Page has revealed Charlie Savage will be staying with the Wales squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier with Croatia on Sunday. Savage, the 20-year-old son of former Wales midfielder Robbie, made his full senior debut on Wednesday as the Dragons cruised to a 4-0 friendly win over Gibraltar in Wrexham. The Reading midfielder was due to join up with the under-21 side ahead of their European Championship qualifier away to the Czech Republic on Friday. But Savage and Wycombe central defender Joe Low – who also made his senior debut against Gibraltar – will remain with Page’s squad ahead of the vital Croatia clash in Cardiff. “We’ll keep Savage and Joe, not just off the back of tonight,” said Wales manager Page. “They’ve done themselves the world of good. “Sav has earned the right to be with us and I’ve got a lot of time for Joe. “He’s earned the right to be there with injuries we’ve got.” Savage claimed an assist for a Kieffer Moore header as Wales brushed aside Gibraltar with all four goals coming in the first half. Bournemouth striker Moore scored twice to take his Wales goals tally to 12, the same number as Ryan Giggs and one fewer than John Toshack. Ben Davies, who wore the armband in the absence of injured captain Aaron Ramsey, and Nathan Broadhead were also on target. “He has taken my advice and left,” Page said of Savage’s move from Manchester United to Sky Bet League One outfit Reading in the summer. “It must have been hard for him. I spoke to Rob who had to leave United to go to Crewe. It’s no different for Charlie. “He did it because he’s playing week in week out in competitive football. He trains as he plays and has personality. We blocked Robbie from speaking to him all week which was a big achievement. “Joking aside, Rob has got his back, he’ll look after him. He’s got his feet on the ground. “Sav’s best position is an old-fashioned box to box eight. The ball for Kieffer was first class, right on his head. He showed he can do both sides of it and he’s a great talent.” Wales’ comfortable win saw them secure back-to-back victories for the first time since November 2021. “The results were not great in June, but it’s how you bounce back and we did that in September with class (winning 2-0 in Latvia),” Page said. “The environment is brilliant. We won’t get carried away beating Gibraltar, but I see work in progress. “My challenge to them was to be clinical and we were. We have to put it all together on Sunday. “We picked a team here knowing what we’ll face on Sunday. “From the first minute on camp we knew the team we’d pick here and we know the team on Sunday. We are ready and can’t wait for Sunday’s game.” Wes Burns has returned to Ipswich and will be assessed by his club after the wing-back suffered an arm injury that forced him off in the early stages against Gibraltar. Read More Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue England forward Ollie Watkins: I no longer go shopping due to recognition Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme England rewatch Fiji Twickenham defeat to ‘fuel the fire’ for World Cup showdown Kieffer Moore bags a brace as Wales put four past Gibraltar in Wrexham

Under-fire Harry Maguire says a supportive call from former England captain David Beckham after being hounded at Hampden Park “meant everything” to him. Just over two years after being a Manchester United ever-present and part of the European Championship team of the tournament, the 30-year-old defender now finds himself as the butt of jokes. Many opposing fans have revelled in Maguire’s drop off and Scotland supporters goaded him mercilessly after coming on and scoring an own goal in England’s 3-1 win last month. Maguire immediately laughed it off as a “little bit of banter” but hearing from somebody that knows a thing or two about intense criticism meant the world to him. Few have faced sharper focus in an England shirt than Beckham, who has laid bare the pain he suffered after his 1998 World Cup red card against Argentina in a new Netflix documentary. “I actually spoke with David about three weeks ago, after the Scotland game,” Maguire said. “He got in touch with me, so it was really nice of him and I really appreciated that. It meant everything. I’ve spoken throughout my career about David Beckham being someone I looked up to and watched when I was a young boy. “Unfortunately, I didn’t end up on the right wing scoring and assisting as many goals as he has. But he was a big role model when I was growing up. “It shows how classy he is to reach out to me and to message me. It was something I really appreciated. It was touching really.” “You’re going through tough moments you’ve got to go through past experiences and past memories and where you’ve gone in your career and what you’ve been through,” he said at St George’s Park. “Every career is so up and down, especially when you reach what I’ve reached, in terms of being the captain of the biggest club in the world for three and a half years. He’s been in that position and knows what it’s like. “Obviously having watched the documentary I couldn’t believe how much he went through at the time. In the documentary Gary Neville speaks about how resilient he is as a person. I think he’s been a huge role model for many footballers growing up, especially in my era.” That chat and his experiences have helped Maguire retain belief and confidence, as has the continued faith shown in him by Gareth Southgate. The England boss has been in charge for all 59 of his caps and snapped in Glasgow at treatment he said was “ridiculous”, “a joke” and “beyond anything I’ve ever seen”. “I try and stay away from it all,” Maguire said, who says he posts on social media but avoids reading online comments. “Obviously you can’t stay away from it as your family and friends are probably seeing things, they probably read a lot more than I do. “Yeah, there has been a lot of talk about me over the last year. For that talk to happen, you have got to have built your way up to be a top performer like I’ve done over the previous five years to that. “Things haven’t gone to plan over the last year or so, but I am sure it will get back on track. A career is a long path. Many ups, many downs, it probably has been a little blip and I am trying to be back to where I was.” Maguire knows he needs to repay Southgate’s faith by playing more minutes with Euro 2024 looming large and says he can continue to “block” out any abuse. But he knows that is “a bit tougher” for his loved ones and his mother Zoe last month criticised the “disgraceful” abuse her son has been subjected to, which she claimed went far beyond football. “If she felt like that and wanted to do that, then I fully support her in terms of that,” Maguire said. “My mum’s been a big part of my career, she’s someone I go to for support and she was in the stands in the Scotland game. She probably felt affected by it and annoyed by it. “But she is more worried for myself, but I reiterate to her that I am all good and I’m strong mentally and I can deal with it. “It probably affects (my friends and family) a lot more than it does myself because they obviously do get affected by it but they also worry for me and how I’m dealing with it. But I reiterate to her all the time that I’m good.” Read More I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue England forward Ollie Watkins: I no longer go shopping due to recognition Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme England rewatch Fiji Twickenham defeat to ‘fuel the fire’ for World Cup showdown Kieffer Moore bags a brace as Wales put four past Gibraltar in Wrexham Steve Clarke confident Scotland’s best performance is good enough to match Spain

England forward Ollie Watkins is so averse to the public spotlight that he no longer goes shopping, but knows his profile is only going to get bigger. The Aston Villa striker has earned a recall to the England squad for forthcoming games against Australia and Italy after his season burst into life with four goals in two games at the end of last month. Watkins, who was not included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the September games, does not feel comfortable walking around his local supermarket. But he also accepts that if he keeps banging in the goals for Villa and England, he is only going to get more attention. “I go under the radar, maybe,” the 27-year-old admitted. “I’m not talked about enough profile-wise. But I know I have been producing on the pitch since Unai Emery came in. But I do go under the radar. “I don’t know if it’s me being at Villa. You get some players that are just likeable and out there. I’m not really too fussed about that. “I just like playing football. Maybe a lot of people said to me I need to push my profile. But I am happy with what I am doing on the pitch and that’s all that matters to me. “The bigger you are, the more you are in the spotlight. It’s not that I don’t want that, it is doing my job. If I am doing my job and playing well, my profile will raise naturally. “I remember when I moved from Brentford to Villa, I used to just go and shop in Sainsbury’s normal at Brentford. “I came to try to do it at Villa and I couldn’t. I came home and I was fuming and I said to my missus I am never going out again, you will have to do the shop. “Since then I don’t do the shopping, I don’t get ‘bothered’ but a lot of people want photos. “I had my earphones in and people were like – they take two looks – is that him? When I see that people have clocked me, normally I try to avoid (them). Not because I don’t want to interact with them…once one person asks for a photo then two or three do and it’s hard to do shopping.” I’m not talked about enough profile-wise. I do go under the radar Ollie Watkins Watkins believes the arrival of Villa boss Emery last year was the catalyst for kick-starting his career. “Definitely, under (Steven) Gerrard, I know he played me all the time – I’ve played under all managers – but I wasn’t really getting the best out of my game,” he said. “That wasn’t down to him, I had just kind of fallen into a rut, but I feel like I have gone on a different path and really focused on being a striker. “Before I was trying to do everything, trying to cross it and get on the end of my own cross and head it. Now I am just focused, being the main man. “He put a lot of faith in me and gave me confidence to go out and perform, just focusing on scoring goals and helping the team. “I definitely felt like, I came from Brentford, I scored a lot of goals and in my first year I did well and then I found I hit a little bit of a rut. “It is hard. When you are in that rut, you don’t know where you are going to end up or what is going to happen. “I didn’t see my career anywhere else but Villa but it was hard to try and get out of the rut when it wasn’t going great for me.” Read More Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience I want to play – Harry Maguire admits lack of matches will become an issue Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme England rewatch Fiji Twickenham defeat to ‘fuel the fire’ for World Cup showdown Kieffer Moore bags a brace as Wales put four past Gibraltar in Wrexham Steve Clarke confident Scotland’s best performance is good enough to match Spain

Harry Maguire admits he cannot keep just playing once a month for Manchester United but remains confident of winning back his place and helping Erik ten Hag’s team climb the table. It has been a bumpy ride since the 30-year-old starred in England’s run to the Euro 2020 final, with the defender falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford and then losing the captaincy. A widely-discussed summer move to West Ham did not materialise and settled Maguire remained at a club where he is trying to get his career back on track with next summer’s Euros looming large. Gareth Southgate has been a staunch supporter of the centre-back throughout his ups and downs but admitted to concerns over his level of involvement, which the ex-United skipper is determined to improve. “I have belief in my ability and what I have done in my career as every player should,” Maguire said. “Every player who is on the bench should believe they should be starting, otherwise they wouldn’t be playing at a high level. I am no different. “Listen, it’s been tough. I want to play games. I want to feel important to the club and I want to feel important to the rest of the team. “At the moment I haven’t been playing anywhere near as much as I’d like. It’s the bottom line of it. “I’ve just got to make sure I am ready to take the opportunities when they come along.” Asked when gametime becomes an issue and, given Euro 2024 is coming up, whether that could be sooner rather than later, said: “Yeah, of course. “I mean, I’m not going to sit here all my life and play once every month and if it carries on then I’m sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat about things. “But, honestly, at the moment I’m fully focused on two games for England, two big games. “Then I’m fully focused on fighting and trying to get back my place at Manchester United and helping the team climb up the league to where we should be.” England face Australia in a Wembley friendly on Friday before attention turns to the crunch Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy. Maguire has kept his England place despite his struggles to break his way into Ten Hag’s line-up, making his first Premier League start of the campaign in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win against Brentford. “It’s not my decision whether I start the next game or not,” said the defender, who provided the assist for Scott McTominay’s winner. “I’m unsure on that. I’m sure in a couple of weeks I’ll go back and find out. “Listen, if you look back on my last 15 to 20 starts for club and country, I would be happy to sit here and say ‘I’m really happy with my performances’. “My record under this manager speaks for itself. I haven’t started as many games as I’d like, but my win percentage when I’ve played is ridiculously high. “And of course there’s times when I can do more and times when I can improve and help the team, but, yeah, I’m just wanting to help the team. “I’m wanting to help the team get out of this position that we’re in at the moment and hopefully we can do that in the coming weeks.” Maguire benefitted from a string of defensive absentees as he made just his ninth Premier League start since Ten Hag arrived. The Dutchman has always spoken positively about the defender in public, saying in August that he “has the abilities to be a top-class centre-back” and must “fight for his place”. “I can only do what I’ve been doing in terms of when I’ve come into the team, bringing positive performances,” Maguire said. “I’ve started two games this season and come on in a few off the bench, but, yeah, keep working hard in training. “The manager can only watch training and make his decision from training and the games when I get the opportunity to play. “I’ll keep working hard, I’ll keep pushing. I have great belief in myself.” Read More Harry Maguire supported by ‘role model’ David Beckham after Hampden experience England forward Ollie Watkins: I no longer go shopping due to recognition Conor McGregor closes in on UFC return by re-entering anti-doping test programme England rewatch Fiji Twickenham defeat to ‘fuel the fire’ for World Cup showdown Kieffer Moore bags a brace as Wales put four past Gibraltar in Wrexham Steve Clarke confident Scotland’s best performance is good enough to match Spain

Wales warmed up for Euro 2024 qualifying action by cruising to a 4-0 win over Gibraltar in Wrexham. All the goals came in the first half as Kieffer Moore scored twice with Ben Davies and Nathan Broadhead also getting on the scoresheet. After last month’s victory in Latvia, it was the first time Wales had achieved back-to-back wins since November 2021. The performance, especially the opening period, will encourage Wales manager Rob Page ahead of the vital qualifier against Croatia on Sunday, even if Gibraltar’s standing in world football must be taken into account. This was the maiden meeting between the two nations at senior level and also marked Wales’ return to the SToK Racecourse for the first time since beating Trinidad and Tobago there in 2019. The Football Association of Wales were rewarded with a sell-out crowd of 10,008 as fans in the north showed their appetite to support the national team. Page rested several regulars with the Croatia fixture in mind, when Wales will realistically need at least a point to keep alive hopes of automatic qualification for next summer’s European Championship finals in Germany. Davies took over the captaincy in the absence of the injured Aaron Ramsey, the Tottenham defender winning his 81st cap as Gibraltar played the 81st match in their history. Charlie Savage, the 20-year-old son of former Wales midfielder Robbie, Joe Low, Regan Poole and Liam Cullen were handed first caps. Savage, in particular, could be satisfied with his night’s work as he showed composure in possession and exhibited a good range of passing. Gibraltar came into the game 198th in the world with only nine nations below them on FIFA’s rankings table. Preparing to play the Republic of Ireland in Euro qualification on Monday, Gibraltar had suffered six straight defeats and not scored since a 1-0 friendly win over Andorra 11 months ago. The loudest cheer in the opening minutes came when Savage evoked memories of his father with a crunching, but fair, challenge on Tjay De Barr that left the Gibraltar forward on the floor. Broadhead was off target with a couple of efforts before Wales took the lead after 22 minutes from an unlikely source. Skipper Davies rose highest from Broadhead’s corner and Gibraltar’s fallibility in the air was punished again when Moore met Savage’s cross to score expertly off a post. Daniel James, on early for the injured Wes Burns, was causing havoc down the left and forced a sprawling save from Dayle Coleing. The over-worked Gibraltar goalkeeper also denied Savage twice and Liam Walker cleared another Davies effort off the line. Broadhead then took James’ 35th-minute pass and turned smartly to find the top corner of Coleing’s net with a sweet right-footed strike. Cullen twice went close and the fourth arrived on the stroke of half-time as James scampered free again to deliver a perfect cross for the waiting head of Moore. Page made a raft of substitutions at half-time and the contest lost much of its rhythm. The changes also removed the possibility of Wales eclipsing their record 11-0 win against Ireland in 1888. Tom Bradshaw was inches from connecting with a Josh Sheehan cross that flashed across goal, but the second half was largely a nondescript affair. James shook the crowd from their slumber with an angled effort that rattled the woodwork, but Wales had already achieved their objectives heading into Sunday. Read More Steve Clarke confident Scotland’s best performance is good enough to match Spain Lawmakers could allow audio between referees and VARs to be available live Hugo Keenan excited to line up with ‘X-factor’ wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe World Netball president receives damehood at Windsor Castle Andy Murray to withdraw from next week’s Japan Open through injury Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are ready for ‘toughest game we’ve ever faced’

Steve Clarke believes Scotland’s maximum performance against Spain on Thursday night will be good enough to get them at least the point they need to qualify for Euro 2024. The Scots have won their first five qualifiers including a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Spain at Hampden Park in March. Scotland are six points clear of Luis de la Fuente’s side at the top of the table and will qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany if they avoid defeat in Seville or if Norway fail to beat Cyprus on the same night. Scotland have Georgia away and Norway at home in November to complete their campaign. Clarke said: “Belief will be part of it, obviously we have to get the tactics right. The players have to put into practise on the pitch what we have spoken about on the training ground. “They have to play to our maximum and belief is a part of that as well. “We have to play our game as well as we can and I believe that will be good enough to get something from the game. “They are a very good team. Obviously they won the Nations League in the summer. “I think when we played them in March they were probably a little bit in transition between the previous coach and new coach. We have to play our game as well as we can and I believe that will be good enough to get something from the game Steve Clarke “They had a disappointing World Cup campaign so we maybe got them at a good time in March. We know we have to be very good to get a positive result tomorrow night. “I think we have been constantly improving over my tenure as head coach. “We are improving all the time, we are striving to improve, trying to add little bits to our game that will make us more competitive against the top teams but we understand we still have a bit to go.” “But we don’t come here thinking that we have to sit in and defend all night. “We have to be as effective with the ball as we were at Hampden. We want to get the job done as quickly as possible. “If we are good enough to get it done tomorrow night that would be great. If not we have two more chances in November and we have those chances because we started the group so well. “We have 15 points from five games, that is a good start. “We know we have to get more points to get over the line. Do I think this team will finish the group on 15 points? No, I think we will get more points. Whether that is tomorrow or in November.” Clarke was diplomatic when asked about Spain captain Rodri, who claimed the way Scotland played at Hampden was “rubbish” as he accused them of wasting time, provoking his team-mates and falling over. The former Kilmarnock boss said: “I can’t even remember what he said, to be honest. It is not something that I ever get involved in. “That game was in March, this is October. A totally different game.” Read More Lawmakers could allow audio between referees and VARs to be available live Hugo Keenan excited to line up with ‘X-factor’ wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe World Netball president receives damehood at Windsor Castle Andy Murray to withdraw from next week’s Japan Open through injury Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are ready for ‘toughest game we’ve ever faced’ Wales star Jac Morgan hailed as a ‘hybrid’ of Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric

Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham has raised the prospect of the game’s lawmakers examining whether audio between referees and VARs should be available live. Miscommunication between VAR Darren England and referee Simon Hooper led to a Luis Diaz goal for Liverpool at Tottenham being wrongly disallowed last month, leading to further calls for such conversations to be played out in real time. The incident caused huge controversy, with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp even calling for the match to be replayed. Broadcasting the conversations between on-field officials and VARs live is currently prohibited under football’s laws. Bullingham, who is a director at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) which has the power to change the game’s laws, said the organisation had discussed the subject but added: “Generally there is a split in the room over that, and quite often it is between the marketing and commercial people and the referees. “Our point of view, from the marketing and commercial perspective, would normally be that transparency is a really good thing, and we want fans to have the maximum experience.” Bullingham said an ongoing FIFA trial where referees announce and explain the outcome of an on-field review is a “step in the right direction” but added: “My personal point of view is I do think (live audio) will continue to be a question over time, because the greater transparency shows how difficult the referee’s job is, and it has worked in other sport. “There is an understandable nervousness from others that the referee’s job is hard enough as it is. In a tournament you have referees with multiple languages, so it is not as straightforward as some might suggest. “So I think we are taking a step in the right direction with announcing the decision and explaining why it has been reached. Let’s see if that leads to further progression.” Bullingham’s Irish FA counterpart and fellow IFAB director Patrick Nelson spoke more cautiously on the VAR decision-making process, adding: “We just need to see more evidence on this at the moment. “It’s interesting when we look at recent examples but we still need to remember that VAR as an entire concept is relatively in its infancy compared to the game of football and compared to IFAB. There is still more that we can learn.” The PA news agency understands the IFAB is set to open up the trial of in-stadium announcements by referees beyond FIFA events to other interested competitions. The IFAB may also look again at the wording of Principle 10 in the VAR protocol, which currently prevents VARs from revisiting a decision once play has restarted and meant the officials could not call play back after the Diaz error. It could be updated to allow a decision to be revisited where a clear mistake has occurred, and where no significant action has taken place since play restarted. Bullingham also said he was aware IFAB had been asked to consider widening the scope of VAR to rule on decisions such as corner kick and free-kick awards. “I think we would be really reluctant to have a game that was stopped a lot more than it currently is, but that will be a proper discussion,” he added. VAR interventions are currently limited to goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identity. Read More Hugo Keenan excited to line up with ‘X-factor’ wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe World Netball president receives damehood at Windsor Castle Andy Murray to withdraw from next week’s Japan Open through injury Marc Guehi praises influence of ‘top professional’ Harry Maguire in England camp Johnny Sexton insists Ireland are ready for ‘toughest game we’ve ever faced’ Wales star Jac Morgan hailed as a ‘hybrid’ of Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric