Roberto De Zerbi revealed Lewis Dunk has played through the pain barrier to aid Brighton’s European quest as he backed his captain for an England recall. Seagulls centre-back Dunk has been ever-present in the Premier League this campaign but could begin on the bench against champions Manchester City on Wednesday evening due to ongoing calf and back issues. Albion boss De Zerbi admits the 31-year-old took time to adapt to his high-intensity, possession-based style of play after he replaced Graham Potter in September. Yet the Italian says influential leader Dunk has since cemented his status as a guaranteed starter and “deserves” another shot at international football. “At first it was not so easy for him to understand my idea but he gave me total availability,” said De Zerbi. “I would like him to be more open because he doesn’t speak a lot but he’s an example inside of the dressing room, inside of the pitch. “He’s playing with a lot of problems because he has calf and back problems but he is playing every game. “Tomorrow he can start on the bench but I don’t know because if he can play with me in Brighton, he has to play always.” England manager Gareth Southgate will on Wednesday name his squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia. Dunk was capped by Southgate in a 3-0 friendly win over the United States in November 2018 but has not featured again for his country. “He deserves to play in the national team,” said De Zerbi. “It’s not my work to decide the players of the national team but for us it should be a target. “I hope he can play in the national team.” Brighton secured continental football next term with two games to spare thanks to Sunday’s 3-1 win over relegated Southampton. Sixth-placed Albion will almost certainly be in the Europa League due to their healthy goal difference but need one more point to banish any prospect of having to settle for the Europa Conference League. De Zerbi has warned the Seagulls must improve their squad during the summer in order to avoid potentially following divisional rivals Leicester and West Ham in slipping from European contenders to relegation candidates. The Foxes are on the brink of falling into the Sky Bet Championship after playing in Europe during the previous two seasons, while David Moyes’ Europa Conference League finalists were in danger of the drop for much of this campaign. “I push with Tony (Bloom, Brighton owner) to improve the squad every day,” said De Zerbi. “I don’t want my club to spend too much money but we have to improve. To compete in four competitions, we have to improve and know the situation. “Leicester, West Ham this year explain the Premier League. “If you don’t improve year by year you can find a surprise the year after because our achievement this year is not important for the next year. “Next year we will start not in sixth position, we start level with the other teams.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Let’s do it – Pep Guardiola wants PL charges dealt with as soon as possible Test ‘addict’ Stuart Broad relishing latest battle with David Warner Players and officials call for racism to be tackled as LaLiga action resumes

A binding ruling in the Super League case will be handed down on December 21. The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice will rule that morning on whether or not UEFA and FIFA acted lawfully in blocking the creation of the Super League in April 2021, and in seeking to sanction the clubs involved. The ruling is a binding interpretation of European Union law, and once handed down the case will then be referred back to the Madrid commercial court that will apply it to the facts of the Super League case. Bernd Reichart, the chief executive of A22 which is promoting the concept of a new European league, said: “Club football is on the eve of major change. We hope the European Court of Justice will end the monopoly of UEFA and enforce the fundamental freedoms of the European Union in the world of football. “Fans, clubs, players and the sport of football would be the winners in a market that is open for a competition of ideas and in which clubs could govern and organise a European football competition without fear of threats.” Read More England players sign multi-year deals but Ben Stokes takes one-year extension Texas Rangers see off Houston Astros to reach first World Series since 2011 On this day in 2018 – Christian Wade quits rugby in bid to launch NFL career

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It might not necessarily be considered a typical football nation, but a striking new academy has been launched in Pakistan with Uefa-accredited coaches. Lahore, the capital of the Punjab in Pakistan and the country’s second-largest city, will now offer a football academy. Called the Legends Academy, it enrols over 300 children, both boys and girls, who take part in regular training sessions. Owner of the academy, Hamza Syed said: “It’s the only one in the country that offers Uefa-licensed coaching. We had another initiative four or five years ago but it collapsed and we are the only one and so far we’ve got 300 kids.” The country has its own Pakistan Premier League, with 16 teams, and although the stadiums are small, it is an important step. Syed added: “My three coaches are all ex-Premier League, Liverpool, Arsenal and the third one is arriving tomorrow morning was at Manchester United, and he was very senior he used to run the under-9s and under-6s as an elite coach. “This is a first of its kind venture in Pakistan.” Football is a growing sport in Pakistan. The World Cup was available on television, and while you may not find children playing from dawn till dusk like you would cricket, it is increasingly popular. Syed said: “The response has been fantastic. In the space (since launching a few months ago) we have 300 kids. Cricket is the national sport but in the city schools everyone follows the big leagues in Europe, everyone knows what’s going on, everyone wants to be Aguero. “Football is big, I would say it’s a misconception [that it isn’t].” The Lahore-based academy has girls in every age group, although the majority of children are boys. It is currently fee-paying to enrol into sessions, but Syed is hoping that can change with further investment more scholarships can be offered. The dream, as always, is to eventually have a Pakistani footballer playing in one of the top leagues in Europe, in a hope that would further encourage everyone in the country to take up the sport. Read More Officials use soccer to highlight climate worries in India's ecologically fragile Ladakh region Arsene Wenger reveals his blueprint for the future of football Ukraine vs England LIVE: Latest updates from Euro 2024 qualifying Harry Kane admits it ‘hurt’ watching England peers win titles while Tottenham toiled Man Utd winger Antony appears on Brazilian TV to deny assault allegations

Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle will probably need to beat both Paris St Germain and AC Milan to keep their Champions League dream alive. The Magpies went down 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday evening as the Germans completed back-to-back Group F victories over the Premier League side. They will head for Paris later this month having banked just four points from their first four fixtures and knowing anything less than three at the Parc des Princes could prove fatal with Milan due at St James’ Park in December. Asked if they now needed to return from France with at least a point, Howe said: “Yes. It’s difficult to tell at this stage, but we are probably going to have to win our last two games.” Howe was left to reflect on what might have been after a difficult night at Signal Iduna Park as the team he had fashioned from the remnants of his injury-hit squad failed to live up to his expectations. His decision to start 19-year-old full-back Lewis Hall suffered an early setback when he picked up a ninth-minute booking which ultimately prompted his half-time withdrawal in a bid to avoid a second caution, and the Magpies improved, but not enough to make a difference. Asked for his reflections on the performance, Howe said: “Very similar to Dortmund (at home) last month, a frustration on our performance knowing there is more in the tank to give. We’re better than that and can show a better version of ourselves than we did. “I don’t think Dortmund have seen the best Newcastle and that always leaves a feeling of frustration. But we accept it, we’ve delivered it and we have to look to the future now.” Niclas Fullkrug’s 26th-minute strike had sent Dortmund in at the break a goal to the good, and they returned to find a different Newcastle after a reshuffle in which Miguel Almiron and Anthony Gordon belatedly entered the fray. The Magpies should have been back in the game when Tino Livramento presented Joelinton with a seemingly regulation header from close range at 1-0, but the Brazil international contrived to miss the target and his side was made to pay with 11 minutes remaining when the excellent Julian Brandt rounded off a swift counter-attack. Howe said: “The intensity and quality of our usual game was missing. In saying that, we still had our moments and Joelinton’s header is the key moment in the game from our perspective. “It was a really good move and I think he would back himself to score that if the chance came again. But that’s football and that’s one of the things that happens.” I don’t think Dortmund have seen the best Newcastle and that always leaves a feeling of frustration Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe For Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic, the victory was the perfect response to Saturday’s bruising 4-0 Bundesliga defeat by Bayern Munich, although he insisted there is work still to be done. Terzic said: “We’ve managed to win twice against Newcastle, their only two defeats in 13 matches, every time with a clean sheet. “We are very happy, but we know the seven points we have in the group are not enough to go to the round of 16. We need another few steps. “We know what happened on Saturday, we can’t repair that in the Champions League, but what it is about is to take the right lessons, how we dealt with the defeat on Saturday, so I think we can be content with the performance today and now a very important match is awaiting us against Stuttgart.” Read More Jacob Neestrup: Parken atmosphere is 100 times more intense than Old Trafford Casemiro likely to be sidelined until new year FA asks Mikel Arteta and Arsenal for observations after referee comments Tragedy chanting causes ‘unbearable pain’ and must stop – Margaret Aspinall ‘Just ridiculous’ – A closer look at Glenn Maxwell’s remarkable double century Wales’ Sam Costelow out until new year with shoulder and hamstring injuries

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England defender Lucy Bronze said the Lionesses are feeling “empowered” ahead of their World Cup opener after releasing a statement addressing the players’ ongoing row with the Football Association (FA) over bonus payments and other commercial concerns. In a message from the team posted on social media by captain Millie Bright, the Lionesses said they were “disappointed that a resolution has still not been achieved” but would “pause discussions, with full intentions of revisiting them following the tournament”, which begins for England on Saturday against Haiti in Brisbane. Bronze, speaking at England’s team hotel on Wednesday, was adamant that the decision to go public about the situation was motivated not just by personal financial benefits but wider principles, and maintained she is “one hundred per cent confident that we will not be distracted by this”. Bronze said: “I think the players are feeling very empowered. I think it’s the first time as a player group we’ve actually ever sent the message out ourselves, that we’ve collectively done together and set our sights on. So I think in that respect it’s been a very empowered player group last night and this morning and these past few weeks. “I feel like we felt it was important that we sent the message out, because there has been some talks (and) we want to show that we’re focused for the World Cup, that is our main focus. “It’s super sad that we have these issues. I think that again, this was something that we spoke about as an England group. We’re not only doing this for ourselves, we’re doing it so that we can set a standard.” The Lionesses join players from teams including France, Spain, Jamaica, Nigeria, Canada and co-hosts Australia who have in recent months expressed concerns over issues ranging from pay to personnel in their own federations and beyond. Bronze continued: “It’s unfortunate that it has come before the World Cup, but at the same time, it’s because the World Cup gives us the big stage. It’s when people want to listen to us, it’s when things really matter. “And that’s why so many teams now are coming out and speaking about it, because it’s the only moment that they get the stage or the opportunity to speak out, which is unfortunate.” For the first time in a Women’s World Cup, players will be guaranteed performance-related remuneration directly from FIFA, with amounts increasing the deeper teams go in the tournament. In addition, the Lionesses were also understood to be frustrated by a lack of clarity over what their cut from any commercial deals done by the FA linked to the team will be, as well as the restrictions around their personal sponsorships. The PA news agency has contacted the FA for comment. Bronze said the Lionesses benefit from a generally amiable relationship with the FA that leaves the squad feeling optimistic that they can reach an agreement without taking more dramatic steps, like threatening to boycott their Nations League fixtures, set to follow the World Cup in September. She said: “I don’t think we made any threats as players, I think we’re quite well spoken. And we know how to kind of stand our ground – I can’t say the conversations ever got to be that heated.” At the same time, Bronze suggested she and her team-mates deserved more, particularly after their victory at last summer’s Euros led to a paradigm shift for women and girls’ football in England, from a 173 per cent uptick in Women’s Super League attendance to a surge in participation at the grassroots level. She added: “There’s constantly another level and another step you can take. Whether that’s commercially – or on or off the pitch. Whether that’s performance-based, it’s being rewarded for the things you have done. “We are the European Champions. We have changed the game massively in England, so we want everything to fall in line. If we are going to do well on the pitch, then you would expect things to follow.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Schedule announced for 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia Day one of fourth Ashes Test: England won’t hold back in bid to level series Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith crash out of World Matchplay

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