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Eddie Howe feels the hard-fought point with which Newcastle emerged from their trip to AC Milan could serve them well as their Champions League campaign continues. The Magpies, who needed goalkeeper Nick Pope to make five first-half saves to ensure they came away from San Siro with a 0-0 draw, managed to frustrate the hosts for long periods and open their Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of two decades. Head coach Howe said: “I thought the crowd were very good for Milan tonight. It was a hostile atmosphere for us, the players had to adjust to that and that’s why I don’t think you can underestimate the performance and the point that we get. “I think it will look better and better as time goes on because it’s a new experience for a lot of people – me included – tonight and hopefully we can grow from this into the tournament. “Again, I’ll praise the players for the defensive qualities that they showed today. We know we can do better with the ball, but hopefully that will come.” Pope’s heroics provided the foundation on a night when he had to be at his best to keep the Rossoneri at bay three days after keeping a clean sheet in a Premier League victory over Brentford. Howe said: “I thought he was outstanding today. He was excellent against Brentford – although he didn’t have a lot to do – and his all-round game was at his highest level. “It’s no coincidence, two big displays and two clean sheets from him which is absolutely crucial to us. He was a huge part of our success last year and no doubt he’ll be the same this year.” Newcastle might even have snatched victory at the death when midfielder Sean Longstaff forced a crucial save from substitute keeper Marco Sportiello deep into stoppage time, and Howe was not countenancing suggestions his side had been fortunate. He said: “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. I didn’t think the draw was luck. We were slightly disappointed with how we played with the ball tonight, but there are a lot of different reasons for that.” However, for all that the visitors defended with impressive resilience, particularly in the second half when they limited Milan to few clear-cut opportunities, they had already been let off the hook when Portugal international Rafael Leao had danced through the black and white shirts and with only Pope to beat, tried to back-heel a shot past him and simply fell over. Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli said: “Rafa Leao is much-appreciated by every football lover because he tries impossible things. He gives it a try. These are impossible things for the rest of the players. “On the other hand, he tries to get that ‘Wow!’ effect, and sometimes he achieves it. If I had been there in front of the goal, I would have shot and probably I would have missed the goal. “I’m sorry for my players because they have given their utmost and maybe more. It was a very intense game. We were tired because we ran so much. I’m sorry for our fans because they supported us throughout the whole game, and I’m sorry about not winning the first game in the group phase because this will be a very tough one. “We wanted to win, but we couldn’t, so we’re not happy about the result.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Erik ten Hag concerned by Manchester United’s mounting injury problems England’s Rachel Daly believes calendar in women’s game needs a re-think Rafael Leao guilty of bad miss as Newcastle earn point in UCL opener at AC Milan

Erik ten Hag admitted he was concerned about the eye-watering number of injuries Manchester United are picking up ahead of their Champions League opener at Bayern Munich. This has been a challenging start to the season for the Old Trafford giants, with off-field issues compounded by a run of three defeats in their last four Premier League matches. United’s 3-1 meek home loss to Brighton is hardly the best preparation to face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday, nor are the injury problems that continue to pile up. The Red Devils have lost Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire since the weekend, joining the likes of Raphael Varane, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia on the sidelines. “Yes, of course it’s a concern,” Ten Hag said of the spate of injuries that leaves him with a 21-man squad in Germany featuring four goalkeepers. “But we knew that before and that’s why we constructed the squad with depth, so we can deal with it, the squad can deal with it.” Asked whether he can speak to the medical staff about the injury situation, the United boss said: “I don’t know if we have to go to the doctors or physios because they are dealing with the problems. “First of all, injuries always come in top football because we’re living on the edge. “Of course we analyse why things happen, but we also have to deal with the facts and it’s always about the players available. “That’s a strong side we can line up and we have to get the best out of it and we’re focusing on that. “To bring up tomorrow again, a good team, make the next step, integrate Rasmus Hojlund, (Sergio) Reguilon), two new players and we are here to get a result.” Sofyan Amrabat, Kobbie Mainoo and Amad Diallo are others out of the Group A opener through injury, while Donny van de Beek is unavailable having been left out of United’s Champions League squad. Beyond that, Jadon Sancho remains absent “pending resolution of a squad discipline issue” and Antony has been given a leave of absence following assault allegations against him. “One thing is true, I think from the start last season I think I almost never started with the best starting XI – there was always something like injury,” Ten Hag said. “But you have to deal with it and I think we always got the results in apart from the period where we are in now. “That is football and I have the experience in the past, I managed it in the past. It’s not always going up and you have to deal with it. “I like these situations because now we have to handle it and we have to manage this. You have to know what to do and that is focusing on the process.” Ten Hag’s belief about their path is why he is not getting thrown off kilter by the negativity heading into United’s first Champions League match in 18 months. “No, we don’t feel that we need a reset,” the former Bayern Munich reserve boss said. “Absolutely not. “We are in a process and what you see is that in parts of games we play very good but then also in parts of games we played below our levels. “What we have to demand is be consistent, so we have to step up in certain levels all the time for 90-plus minutes. That is the demand on us.” Wednesday certainly looks a tough ask for United, who will face England captain Harry Kane after he joined Bayern following a summer of speculation. United were strongly linked with the 30-year-old but plumped for promise rather than a proven goalscorer by signing Hojlund, 10 years his junior, from Atalanta. “I think we discussed (Kane and Hojlund during pre-season), so I don’t think we have to repeat this debate,” Ten Hag said. “We are happy with Rasmus. Obviously first games he was injured, he played now Arsenal, he’s now started. “Now of course we have to integrate him in a team but you can see he’s a big talent and he will contribute to our game. We are quite confident of that.” Asked if he had regrets about not signing Kane, Ten Hag simply responded: “No.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England’s Rachel Daly believes calendar in women’s game needs a re-think Rafael Leao guilty of bad miss as Newcastle earn point in UCL opener at AC Milan Adam Rossington century rescues Essex against Hampshire

Rachel Daly feels the calendar in the women’s game needs to be looked at, describing the amount of games as “excessive”. England boss Sarina Wiegman last week said the matter was something she was “very worried” about as she named her squad for matches against Scotland at home on Friday and the Netherlands away four days later in the inaugural Women’s Nations League. The Lionesses’ World Cup campaign concluded with the final on August 20, and there have been Champions League qualifying fixtures since then. Daly told a press conference: “I do think the calendar is something that does need to be addressed moving forward. “You’ve seen a significant amount of injuries in the past year or so, which you can only think may be a part of the calendar and the excessive amount of games we have during the season, especially the girls playing in the Champions League as well. “I do think it needs to be looked at and addressed in the future. But as of right now, we’re not in a position to minimise game time we’ve got, so we just have to tackle it head on right now and put ourselves in the best position physically and mentally to play. “We’ve got to get straight back into it, with our clubs, internationally, and we’re all just ready to go again and focus on the upcoming Nations League.” On the process of trying to get back to normality after what was the Lionesses’ first World Cup final, and saw Wiegman’s European champions beaten 1-0 by Spain, Daly said: “Probably the fact it wasn’t in our home country deterred a little bit of the emotion. “I’ve bumped into people in the street who say how proud they are, it’s a nice feeling. Everyone knows we’re disappointed with how it turned out but we made the nation proud once again and that’s what we want to do. “Everyone deals with it a little bit different. But here we are back at it again!” England open their Group A1 matches in the new competition – via which they can secure Paris 2024 Olympics qualification for Great Britain – with a trip to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light to play a Scotland outfit whose dispute with their national association was resolved last week. The team, captained by Daly’s Aston Villa team-mate Rachel Corsie, withdrew legal action against the Scottish Football Association over equal pay and treatment claims having secured what the centre-back described as “parity”. Asked about that – as well as the saga involving the Spain team since their World Cup triumph – Daly said: “I think trust and open, honest conversations with federations is something that is massive in terms of growing the women’s game. “For us as players and people we are always trying to strive for better and what’s right, not just for the players involved right now, but for the next generation and future for years to come. “To have that platform is something I think probably gets overlooked, but it’s a place that you need to get to in order to petition for more, and what’s right and what we deserve.” England’s players themselves are involved in an ongoing bonus payments dispute with the Football Association, and Daly said: “We parked that for the World Cup. “I think people concerned of distractions – there were absolutely no distractions for us at the World Cup, and those conversations were parked. “We have a great team in place to take those discussions further and I think we’re in a really positive place to achieve an outcome. “We all want the same thing, the federation and the players want to come to the same agreement. The leadership group and the players that put themselves in front of those meetings are fantastic and do a great job, so I think we’re in a great place.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rafael Leao guilty of bad miss as Newcastle earn point in UCL opener at AC Milan Adam Rossington century rescues Essex against Hampshire Ant and Dec relish Newcastle’s European adventure – Tuesday’s sporting social

Manchester City start their Champions League title defence at home to Red Star Belgrade this evening. Pep Guardiola’s side have won all five of the Premier League matches this season and are in terrific form ahead of this European top-flight opener. Last season, they finally lifted the trophy they most coveted, the Champions League, following a 1-0 win over Inter Milan in the final and now they will be hoping to emulate Real Madrid by regaining it in consecutive seasons. They also became only the second English club to win the treble and it remains to be seen if anyone can stop them repeating that feat this time around. Red Star Belgrade are currently third in the Serbian SuperLiga but should pose no real threat to Guardiola’s men who will want to lay down a statement victory tonight. Follow all the action from this Champions League clash at the Etihad Stadium. Plus you can get all the latest football betting sites offers here. Read More Pep Guardiola promises major changes for Man City team amid gruelling schedule Pep Guardiola hails impact of Jeremy Doku in Man City’s win at West Ham Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland begin new Champions League rivarly after Messi-Ronaldo era

Rafael Leao was guilty of an incredible miss which let Newcastle off the hook as their Champions League opener at AC Milan finished goalless. The Portugal international, who was Newcastle star Sandro Tonali’s team-mate at San Siro until his £53million summer switch to Tyneside, completely fluffed his lines with only goalkeeper Nick Pope to beat after attempting an audacious flick at the end of a stunning 34th-minute run and only succeeded in tripping himself. Pope will feel he had already earned his slice of good fortune after making five first-half saves in the space of six minutes to pave the way for a 0-0 draw which banked a priceless first point for the Magpies’ Group F account on their return to European football’s top table after an absence of 20 years. For the seven-time winners, who were thrashed 5-1 by derby rivals Inter Milan on Saturday, there was no salvation on a night when they created enough chances, but were unable to take any of them, much to the annoyance of the locals among a crowd of 65,695. Pope had to come to Newcastle’s rescue five times in quick succession after Dan Burn, one of two Geordies in Eddie Howe’s starting line-up, allowed the ball to run across him, forcing Sven Botman to make a hurried clearance. Midfielder Tommaso Pobega pounced on the loose ball to test the keeper from distance and Pope had to react swiftly to repel Samuel Chukwueze’s header as the ball was recycled before denying Olivier Giroud from point-blank range with his defenders unable to keep the red and black shirts at bay. The England international then tipped away Rade Krunic’s raking drive and turned Giroud’s 19th-minute header over the bar after he had been left criminally unmarked from the resulting corner. Ruben Loftus-Cheek blazed over from long range after once again bursting through the black and white cover with Howe’s men under sustained pressure with Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff struggling to exert any control in midfield. Longstaff was appealing in vain for a 31st-minute penalty after going down under Leao’s challenge and as Spanish referee Jose Sanchez waved play on, Theo Hernandez broke down the left and crossed for Giroud a the near post, only to see him fire wastefully wide. Leao should have put Milan ahead 11 minutes before the break when he carved his way into the penalty area and past three lunging tackles to go one-on-one with Pope, but inexplicably tried to back-heel the ball home from six yards and simply fell over with Jacob Murphy hacking Pobega’s follow-up off the line. Murphy mustered the Magpies’ first attempt with a curling 41st-minute shot which flew well wide after Kieran Tripper, Longstaff and Alexander Isak had combined well, but there was a measure of relief when the half-time whistle sounded with the score still at 0-0. Tonali blasted a shot straight at defender Malick Thiaw and Murphy blazed high and wide as Newcastle returned determined to make an impression as an attacking force. Milan’s build-up play was patient, but the holes which had appeared in the visitors’ defence at regular intervals before the break remained stubbornly closed after it. Howe made his move with 27 minutes remaining when he sent on Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron for Anthony Gordon and Murphy, although Pope had to field a stabbed shot from substitute Tijjani Reijnders within seconds. Frustration grew among the Rossoneri ranks with Hernandez chancing his arm from all of 35 yards only for Botman to thump his attempt away, although Tonali was applauded warmly by the home fans when he was replaced by Elliot Anderson with 18 minutes remaining. Leao might have atoned for his first-half blunder when he dived to meet Alessandro Florenzi’s 74th-minute cross, but he sent his header over Pope’s crossbar, and a late flurry by Milan was met with stern resistance as the game ended goalless, but only after substitute keeper Marco Sportiello had tipped Longstaff’s stoppage-time pile-driver over. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Adam Rossington century rescues Essex against Hampshire Ant and Dec relish Newcastle’s European adventure – Tuesday’s sporting social Jos Buttler felt a sense of duty to inform Jason Roy of World Cup omission

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Newcastle United take on AC Milan in their opening match of the 2023/24 Champions League when they travel to the San Siro this afternoon. Eddie Howe’s men have not featured in the group stage of Europe’s top-flight since the 2002/03 season over 20 years ago. Their group also features Ligue 1 winners Paris Saint-Germain and the Bundesliga’s Borussia Dortmund in what has been named the group of death. Newcastle come into the tournament as heavy underdogs but have shown enough promise and ability under Howe to prove that they are credible threats to the bigger sides. Milan have lost just one of their last 13 competitive matches as the home side but, while Newcastle ended a run of three defeats with victory over Brentford at the weekend, their hosts tonight were heavily beaten by local rivals Inter Milan and will hope to respond with victory over the Magpies. Follow all the action from this Champions League clash at the San Siro. Plus you can get all the latest football betting sites offers here. Read More How the Champions League lost its spark and led to the end of an era Callum Wilson on the spot as Newcastle warm up for Europe with win Newcastle fan stabbed in Milan ahead of Champions League match

Harry Kane says Bayern Munich need to use Manchester United’s issues to their advantage as the England skipper looks to shoot down his long-term admirers in the Champions League. Kane has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford but last month moved to the German giants from boyhood club Tottenham. He has hit the ground running with four goals in as many domestic games as attention turns to Wednesday’s Champions League opener. United are the visitors and the England skipper, 30, maintains Bayern always felt like the right choice for his next club. “To be honest, obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background,” Kane said. “But Bayern was a team I was really excited by so there wasn’t too many other discussions once they came in. “My focus is on here. Obviously Manchester are a great club, a really big club as well, but I decided to come here and I’m really happy I have.” Kane joined Bayern in search of silverware that has evaded him for club and country – success that is almost guaranteed with the German behemoths. Trophies have looked far from certain over the last decade at United, who head to Bavaria in a precarious state after a third defeat in four matches compounded their well-documented off-field issues. Kane is wary of a potential backlash but acknowledged United have been going through a “bit of a tough spell recently” that they can capitalise on. “I don’t know about the perfect time (to play them),” he said. “There can be a big response from teams going through a difficult spell but of course we need to use circumstances to our advantage, to go with big confidence at home in front of our fans. “It is important to start the game on the front foot and really try and put the pressure on the opposition. “They have some big threats as well, on the counter-attack they have some really quick players, so we need to be wary of that. “But overall it’s a game we want to try to dominate and try to keep the pressure on and hopefully break them down as the game goes on.” Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern side are strong favourites to win Wednesday’s match and second only to holders Manchester City in the bookmakers’ odds to lift the trophy, but Kane is focusing on further improvements on a personal and collective level. “It’s been a good start for me here for sure,” he said. “Whenever there is a big transfer there is a little bit more pressure and expectation. “Really pleased to score the four goals so far. I still think personally I can play better but I think that will come with getting to know my team-mates more and the system and the way we play. “There’s definitely room for improvement in my all-round game but it’s always good to score four goals in four games.” Kane is the all-time top goalscorer of both England and Tottenham, who have started the season well despite their star turn’s exit. New head coach Ange Postecoglou’s side are unbeaten in the Premier League, with four wins – including one over United – and a draw leaving Spurs second. “They’ve had a fantastic start,” Kane said. “I’m always keeping an eye on them and I’ll keep an eye on Tottenham for the rest of my life. “I’m really happy to see the team playing the way they are and to see the fans happy is a great thing.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Italy boss Kieran Crowley wary of ‘massive threat’ posed by Uruguay Harry Kane defends ‘scapegoated’ Harry Maguire amid ‘unnecessary scrutiny’ Chris Billam-Smith confident of Lawrence Okolie win but doubts appeal of rematch

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Harry Kane defended Harry Maguire as the England captain hit out at the way the defender has been “scapegoated” amid “really unnecessary scrutiny”. Little more than two years on from being named in the European Championship team of the tournament, the 30-year-old is now the butt of jokes to many. Maguire’s struggle for form and game-time at Manchester United have increased the spotlight on a player that has remained an integral part of the England squad. Boss Gareth Southgate said the treatment of the centre-back was “ridiculous”, “a joke” and “beyond anything I’ve ever seen” after he was mocked mercilessly against Scotland at Hampden Park. Kane wrapped up that 3-1 friendly win following an own goal by half-time introduction Maguire, who the England skipper believes faces unwarranted attention and ridicule. “I think H has come under some really unnecessary scrutiny,” the Bayern Munich striker said. “Probably been scapegoated a little bit in terms of the way the team has gone over recent times. “He is a really good friend of mine, he’s a great guy, a really hard working professional. “From an England point of view, he has been one of our best defenders and one of the best defenders in the history of our country in an England shirt. “It’s part of our game now, it’s part of football. You get scrutinised all over social media but knowing him, all he will want to do is work harder and improve and stay focused. “We’re fully behind him in the national team. I know the coach has come out and backed him fully. “There’s always going to be noise around players but the most important thing is that we have a really strong core with England and that’s the most important thing going into big games and big tournaments.” Kane and Maguire go from team-mates to opponents as Bayern host out-of-sorts United in Wednesday’s Champions League Group A opener. Harry is a great guy, a great professional. A lot of young players can look at him and his journey to hopefully motivate them to be footballers as well. Harry Kane on Harry Maguire Put to sharpshooter Kane he could make matters worse for the defender, he said: “Yeah, but this is football. I’ve come up against friends or England team-mates before. “Once you get on to the pitch, your competitiveness comes out and you want to do your best for your team and nothing else really enters your mind. That’s not something I think about. “But Harry is a great guy, a great professional. A lot of young players can look at him and his journey to hopefully motivate them to be footballers as well. “But, yeah, if he plays (on Wednesday night) that friendship goes away for 90 minutes and I do my best for Bayern Munich.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Chris Billam-Smith confident of Lawrence Okolie win but doubts appeal of rematch Roy Hodgson set to return to Crystal Palace dugout on Saturday after illness Harry Kane happy with Bayern Munich decision ahead of Manchester United meeting

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As the new League Two season got underway last month, the bookmakers were clear in their opinion; Wrexham were the favourites. The team to beat. Eight games in, Phil Parkinson’s side sit fourth– just three points off table-toppers Gillingham – having won four and drawn three since their opening-day defeat to MK Dons. Two places above them in second is Notts County, Wrexham’s promotion rivals from last season who have also made an impressive start back to life in the Football League. Notts County, like Wrexham, were one of the early season favourites for the title despite this being their first season back in the fourth tier since 2019. While it may come as no surprise that two teams littered with Football League talent have taken little time to acclimatise to England’s fourth tier, it does point to a stark financial inequality that is beginning to emerge at the base of the Football League. In the case of Wrexham, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney may not be throwing around cash in such a carefree manner as their American counterpart, Todd Boehly, in the Premier League at Chelsea, but they certainly aren’t spending prudently either. The club’s financial records for their promotion-winning season aren’t yet available, but the records from the season prior paint a clear picture of the new owners’ willingness to part ways with cash in their bid for promotion. £1.2m spent on transfers and agents – up from just £10,000 the year before – alongside a 294 per cent increase in football costs and losses of £2.9m which far outweighed the average net loss for a club in the National League, which sits around £1.1m according to Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance. Some of that can be explained by the owner’s purchase of the freehold for the stadium and their 404 per cent increase in revenue – up to nearly £6m – but, regardless, the picture is as clear as ever. The big spenders rise to the top. One of last season’s big revenue drivers is expected to be Welcome to Wrexham, the hugely popular fly-on-the-wall documentary. The second season airs this week, showcasing the club’s second full season under their new owners, a campaign which ultimately concluded in Wrexham’s promotion back to the Football League for the first time since 2008. The show has attracted eyeballs and acclaim for its presentation of a football club at the heart of its community, and rightly so. In the second episode of the new series, for example, the story follows a young 17-year-old autistic fan, Millie Tipping, who strikes up a heartwarming relationship with star striker Paul Mullin whose own son, Albi, shares the same disorder. That focus on the community is an uplifting thread that runs throughout the documentary. But it’s also no wonder when the alternative is confronting the fact that Wrexham seem intent on financially bulldozing the lower leagues with boatloads of cash and hefty wage bills. After all, there were no other clubs in the National League last year whose kits were adorned with the sponsorship money of a social media giant like TikTok. No other teams in England’s fifth tier who could ring up and tempt a former England international goalkeeper out of retirement to help secure promotion. This year, their squad has been boosted – yet again – by the arrival of talent from higher divisions in the form of Will Boyle, George Evans and James McLean, the latter a £250,000 signing from Wigan Athletic reported to be on “championship wages”. When added to a squad that had already picked off supreme talents from the leagues above when the Welsh side were still in the National League, it’s clear to see why the bookmakers had them right at the top of their odds sheet. Money talks. They are not the only ones following this path in League Two. Salford City were the poster boy for big spending when they first reached the division under the ‘Class of 92’ ownership group. Stockport County too, who pipped Wrexham to promotion in the documentary’s first season, have spent handsomely, bringing Nick Powell to the club after he left Stoke City in the summer. But as Wrexham’s documentary hits TV screens, it should be the big spending of Reynolds and McElhenney that is put under the microscope. The celebrity status and goodwill garnered from the documentary should not distract from the vast spending that could dramatically alter the lower league landscape. Their openness with the fanbase and their effect on the local community is to be celebrated. One only has to look into the shenanigans at Southend United and Scunthorpe Town to realise stable ownership is far from guaranteed. However, look beyond that and their on-field strategy – fueled by rocketing sponsorship income and aggressive spending – is creating an unwanted blueprint. Succeeding in the Premier League has long been dictated by an owner’s willingness to spend. Football must now avoid a world where big-name owners, vast sponsorship deals and the same ability to spend are the only ways to journey up the football pyramid. Read More Welcome to Wrexham: The seasons we never got to see behind the scenes Welcome to Wrexham: Best sporting moments from season one Welcome to Wrexham: Best moments to look out for in season two Wrexham’s legendary goalkeeper Ben Foster in profile Wrexham’s star striker ‘Super’ Paul Mullin in profile Ben Foster: Retired keeper set to star in Welcome to Wrexham season 2