List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Pep Guardiola claimed there is no pressure on Erling Haaland to score more goals after the Norwegian’s double sank Young Boys on Wednesday. Haaland struck twice in the second half as the holders claimed a hard-fought 3-1 win over the Swiss side in their Champions League Group G encounter on the artificial surface at Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium. The game had been in the balance after Meschack Elia had cancelled out Switzerland international Manuel Akanji’s opener with a superb strike. Haaland’s goals were his first in six Champions League games while his effort against Brighton on Saturday ended a three-game scoreless run – relative barren spells for a player who plundered 52 in total last season. Guardiola said: “There is the impression after last season that he has to score seven goals every single game. That is impossible. “But he is scoring a lot of goals and if people want him to fail because he doesn’t score 50 goals it doesn’t matter. He is always there. “The second goal was really good and he had other chances. The important thing is to create them. “Maybe in the right moment of the season he will be there, better than now, but he has already scored a lot of goals and we are really pleased. “I’ve told him many times I don’t judge him for scoring goals, although I know he wants to score goals. He has the desire to improve and I don’t have doubts about that.” City’s victory, sealed with a Haaland penalty and a clever late finish, was their third in succession and took them a step closer to the knockout stages. They could reach the last-16 for an 11th consecutive season with a follow-up win over the same opposition at the Etihad Stadium in a fortnight. “The result was good and in general it was a really good performance,” said Guardiola, whose side had 26 attempts on goal. “We could have scored more goals but is the important thing is to create the chances.” Guardiola added that Phil Foden did not play because of a “small problem” while Julian Alvarez, who had a goal disallowed after coming off the bench, was not able to play the full game. Young Boys coach Raphael Wicky felt his side gave a good account of themselves. He said: “That courage and passion, we can be proud of what the team delivered, but you need a perfect game against a team like this. We couldn’t do it. “Perfect means taking your chances and not conceding from set-pieces. We’re disappointed with the result, but we can be proud of the team’s performance.” Read More Erling Haaland scores Champions League brace while PSG ease past AC Milan Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright David Moyes hopes West Ham and Olympiacos fans behave in Greece Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland

Erling Haaland struck twice as holders Manchester City moved a step closer to the Champions League knockout stages with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Young Boys. Haaland put City back into the lead on the artificial surface at Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium after Switzerland international Manuel Akanji’s opener had been brilliantly cancelled out by Meschack Elia. Substitute Julian Alvarez had an effort ruled out by VAR but Haaland made victory certain with a smart finish four minutes from time. The win was City’s third in succession in Group G and they could now secure their spot in their last 16 for an 11th successive year with a follow-up victory over the Swiss side at home in a fortnight. Celtic twice lost the lead but picked up their first Champions League point in a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid at Celtic Park. Kyogo Furuhashi got the hosts off to a flying start with his second goal in two Champions League games and Luis Palma quickly restored the lead after Antoine Griezmann had equalised from the rebound of his own saved penalty. Celtic were deservedly on course for a first Champions League group-stage home win in 10 years following a first-half display full of pace and purpose but they started slowly after the break and Alvaro Morata levelled inside eight minutes of the restart. The Scottish champions never rediscovered their spark – even after Atletico had Rodrigo Paul sent off in the 82nd minute – and their run without a home win at this level is now at 12 games. Paris Saint-Germain claimed a 3-0 victory over AC Milan in the Champions League to go top of Group F. The Parisians bounced back from their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle earlier this month with strikes from Kylian Mbappe, Randal Kolo Muani and Lee Kang-in. Barcelona moved a step closer to reaching the knockout stages after a 2-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. Goals from Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez made it three wins from three for Xavi’s side. Santiago Gimenez helped Feyenoord to a 3-1 win over Lazio. The Mexican scored twice during a convincing win at De Kuip. Evanilson scored a second-half hat-trick as Porto clinched a dominant 4-1 win over Antwerp and RB Leipzig’s 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade gave them a five-point advantage over third-placed Young Boys in Group G. Read More Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright David Moyes hopes West Ham and Olympiacos fans behave in Greece Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse

Celtic twice lost a lead as they gained their first Champions League point in a 2-2 home draw with 10-man Atletico Madrid. Kyogo Furuhashi got Celtic off to a flying start with his second goal in two Champions League games and Luis Palma quickly restored Celtic’s lead after Antoine Griezmann scored following his own saved penalty. Celtic were deservedly on course for a first Champions League group-stage home win in 10 years following a first-half display full of pace and purpose but they started slowly after the break and Alvaro Morata levelled inside eight minutes of the restart. The Scottish champions never rediscovered their spark - even after Atletico went down to 10 men in the 82nd minute - and their run without a home win at this level is now at 12 games. Feyenoord’s win over Lazio left Celtic three points adrift of the Italians at the bottom of Group E, halfway through the campaign with trips to Spain and Rome to follow. The build-up to the game had been dominated by internal and external strife. Thousands of Celtic fans defied the club before kick-off by displaying Palestine flags, an act which will inevitably lead to UEFA sanctions. Atletico’s decision to dispense with their striped shirts and wear an all-red top based on the one worn by the team that beat Celtic in the 1974 European Cup semi-finals also opened old wounds. Two of the team that gained a goalless first-leg draw at Parkhead had travelled with the current side but the tribute did not go down well among the Celtic support given Atletico had three men sent off and seven others booked in that brutal encounter. Furuhashi ignited the highly-charged atmosphere inside four minutes following a one-touch move. The Japan international twice exchanged passes with Matt O’Riley before taking a touch and slotting home from six yards. There was a blow for Brendan Rodgers moments later when Reo Hatate went off injured. The Celtic manager brought on 21-year-old midfielder Paulo Bernardo, who is yet to start a game since his loan move from Benfica. The home side remained positive, roared on by the crowd as they pressed Atletico high up the park, but the visitors levelled in the 25th minute after Greg Taylor was penalised for a trip on Nahuel Molina. Joe Hart saved Griezmann’s penalty at full stretch but the France international dispatched the rebound. Taylor atoned three minutes later when he played a searching ball beyond right-back Molina which sent Daizen Maeda in behind. The resulting cross found fellow winger Palma and the Honduran took a touch and rifled a shot in off the post. Palma had been denied a late goal against Lazio three weeks ago by a marginal VAR ruling and an offside decision soon went Celtic’s way after Axel Witsel headed home from a set-piece. O’Riley had earlier threatened with a first-time strike which was met with a diving save as Celtic continued to attack with verve. Diego Simeone made two half-time changes and substitute Marcos Llorente vindicated his introduction within eight minutes as he crossed for Morata to equalise with a diving header. Morata and Llorente both threatened and Rodgers responded by bringing on centre-back Nat Phillips for Palma and changing formation. Atletico continued to boss possession and Celtic were contributing to their difficulties with some slack passing. Hart saved well from Morata after the Spain international turned Cameron Carter-Vickers. Celtic got a lifeline when Argentinian midfielder Rodrigo de Paul received a second yellow card following a sliding tackle on Bernardo. Substitute James Forrest shot not far over but Celtic could not seriously trouble the 10 men. Read More Erling Haaland scores Champions League brace while PSG ease past AC Milan Erling Haaland strikes twice as Man City continue perfect Champions League start Newcastle vs Borussia Dortmund LIVE: Latest Champions League updates Erling Haaland scores Champions League brace while PSG ease past AC Milan Erling Haaland strikes twice as Man City continue perfect Champions League start Newcastle vs Borussia Dortmund LIVE: Latest Champions League updates

Felix Nmecha dented Newcastle’s Champions League charge as Borussia Dortmund kick-started their Group F campaign with a 1-0 victory on Tyneside. The Germany midfielder’s 45th-minute strike clinched victory at a rain-soaked St James’ Park on a night when three more points for Eddie Howe’s men, who twice hit the crossbar late on, would have left them with one foot in the last-16. They will now head into tough away games in Dortmund and against Paris St Germain next month with serious work to do to extend their stay in the competition. And they will possibly have to do it without midfielder Sandro Tonali, who was used as a second-half substitute amid speculation he could be handed a lengthy ban for alleged breaches of betting rules. Memories of Newcastle’s 4-1 demolition of Paris St Germain earlier this month faded as last season’s Bundesliga runners-up produced an accomplished away display to remind them that the race for qualification from Group F has a long way to go. In a frenetic start to the game, Nick Pope had to block Donyell Malen’s second-minute shot with his legs after he had controlled Marius Wolf’s cross as Dortmund broke at speed, but opposite number Gregor Kobel had to be equally resilient seconds later when Anthony Gordon cut inside and unleashed a curling attempt. But it was the Newcastle keeper who had to produce a brilliant double save to deny first Malen and then Niclas Fullkrug from point-blank range after Emre Can had dispossessed Sean Longstaff and sent Marcel Sabitzer away down the left wing. However, as played switched rapidly from end to end on a slick pitch, Kobel came to the German side’s rescue within seconds when Alexander Isak raced towards goal from halfway before sliding a pass into the run of Gordon, whose left-foot strike was beaten away by the goalkeeper. Pope was relieved to see Malen whip a first time shot from Marco Reus’ square ball over his crossbar. The Magpies were forced to make a change after only 15 minutes when Isak, who had earlier undergone lengthy treatment on the pitch, limped off to be replaced by Callum Wilson. Miguel Almiron saw appeals for a 20th-minute penalty waved away by Portuguese referee Artur Dias after he went down under Nico Schlotterbeck’s challenge after carving his way into the box, with the breakneck tempo of the game showing few signs of abating. With Can and Sabitzer providing the ammunition and Reus linking play, the visitors continued to cause problems and Jamaal Lascelles had to block another Malen shot at the end of an intricate passing move. Dortmund, who had earlier replaced the injured Can with Salih Ozcan, finally forced the breakthrough in the final minute of the half when Sabitzer robbed Gordon and Reus fed Schlotterbeck, whose cross was steered emphatically past Pope by former Manchester City youngster Nmecha. Wilson passed up a glorious opportunity to level 12 minutes after the interval when, after Fabian Schar’s crunching tackle in midfield had sent the ball into his path, he exchanged passes with Gordon before his shot was blocked by Kobel. Howe made his move with 25 minutes remaining when he sent on Tonali and Jacob Murphy, who lasted just five minutes before having to leave the pitch with his shoulder in a makeshift sling. But his side struggled to create anything of note until Wilson headed an 87th-minute free-kick against the bar and Almiron repeated the feat in stoppage time with a deflected shot. Read More Manchester City too good for Young Boys as Erling Haaland scores twice Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright David Moyes hopes West Ham and Olympiacos fans behave in Greece Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland

Erling Haaland struck twice as holders Manchester City moved a step closer to the Champions League knockout stages with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Young Boys. Haaland put City back into the lead on the artificial surface at Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium after Switzerland international Manuel Akanji’s opener had been brilliantly cancelled out by Meschack Elia. Substitute Julian Alvarez had an effort ruled out by VAR but Haaland made victory certain with a smart finish four minutes from time. The win was City’s third in succession in Group G and they could now secure their spot in their last 16 for an 11th successive year with a follow-up victory over the Swiss side at home in a fortnight. There had been much talk over the synthetic pitch in the build-up to the game and heavy rain added another variable element but it proved a free-flowing encounter. Young Boys started well with Filip Ugrinic forcing a save from Ederson before Rodri headed wide from a corner. Jack Grealish, who ignored the persistent booing of the vociferous home crowd, teed up Jeremy Doku with a superb first-time ball but the Belgian slipped as he cut inside and Anthony Racioppi saved. The impressive Swiss keeper denied Haaland soon after but did have a moment of alarm when he spilled a Grealish shot. Matheus Nunes could only poke the loose ball weakly towards goal, however, and Loris Benito cleared off the line. Doku went close again after switching from the right to left wing but Racioppi brilliantly saved his curling effort and blocked a first-time Rodri shot. Young Boys had a good spell before the break with first Cedric Itten breaking clear but failing to beat Ederson. Itten then teed up Sandro Lauper with a neat flick but Nathan Ake got back to block before a powerful Lewin Blum effort was turned behind. Itten went close again from the set-piece as his header dropped narrowly over. While that made for a lively end to the first half, the game truly burst into life early in the second. Akanji and Nunes both had chances before City grabbed the lead in the 48th minute. Rodri delivered a cross into the box and Ruben Dias, still forward following a corner, had a header tipped onto the bar by Racioppi. Akanji reacted the quickest to turn the ball in. City went in immediate search of a second but were caught out after a Haaland shot was saved by Racioppi. The ball was quickly sent to the other end and played into the path of Elia, who caught Ederson stranded off his line with a superb lob. Young Boys were firmly back in the game and Itten forced Ederson into an awkward save with a swerving shot. City stepped up the intensity and were awarded a penalty when Mohamed Ali Camara, moments after being booked, caught Rodri from behind. Haaland stepped up to thump home his 10th of the season. City thought they had claimed another through Alvarez but his low strike was ruled out for a Grealish handball in the build-up. It fell to Haaland to complete the job, the striker wrong-footing the defence just inside the box and then lifting into the top corner. Read More Newcastle suffer Champions League setback with defeat to Borussia Dortmund Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright David Moyes hopes West Ham and Olympiacos fans behave in Greece Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland

David Moyes has urged West Ham and Olympiacos supporters to behave themselves when the teams meet in Greece in the Europa League. Tensions are high in Athens after Olympiacos’ league match with rivals Panathinaikos on Sunday had to be abandoned after an opposition player was hit by a firecracker. Olympiacos have subsequently issued a warning to their supporters against throwing missiles and using laser pointers, which has become big problem in Greek football. Meanwhile, West Ham fans were banned from their last European outing in Freiburg due to missile throwing during the Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina in June. Hammers boss Moyes said at his pre-match press conference: “They’ve got great support here, fantastic enthusiasm, and it’s fantastic to come to a football city where the football really matters. “You want the passion and the atmosphere but we also want good behaviour from our supporters and Olympiacos supporters. “It’s a big game, but it’s important that everyone works together and end up having a good night. “I think all we want is a good football game. You have to support your team well. You’re not doing your club any favours if you’re getting stadium bans or your team is getting thrown out of Europe. “You have to be well behaved and we want the supporters to be that.” Thursday’s match gives West Ham the chance to bounce back from Sunday’s painful 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa. Greek defender Dinos Mavropanos said: “For the game against Aston Villa, it was a bad day against a good team. “But our schedule is really busy so we needed to learn from it and start to focus on this game. We’ve been doing that. We’re here, we’ve worked hard and we’re looking forward to the match.” Vladimir Coufal has not travelled due to a knock but fellow full-backs Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell are back in the squad after spells out. Read More Former Everton boss David Moyes pays tribute to ‘wonderful man’ Bill Kenwright Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse London Broncos set to lose out under rugby league’s new grading criteria

Newcastle host Borussia Dortmund at St. James’ Park this evening as they aim to win consecutive matches in the Champions League this season. The Magpies defeated Paris Saint-Germain at home last time out in what was their first European top-flight match at St James’ Park in 20 years. Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar all got on the scoresheet as Newcastle sent four past the French champions to take control of their group with four matches to play. Eddie Howe’s men are unbeaten in the group stages so far having also draw away at AC Milan in their opener but the face a difficult test against Dortmund tonight. The Bundesliga club have lost just one game in 11 matches all season - away at PSG in their Group F opener - and have scored eight goals in the last four games. They are bottom of the table as it stands and will see tonight’s fixture as a valuable opportunity to get themselves back in the race to reach the knockouts. Follow the action below plus get the latest odds and tips for Newcastle vs Borussia Dortmund right here: Read More Newcastle and Dortmund share same glaring hole in their team before Champions League clash Sandro Tonali is the latest victim of football’s double standards

Manchester City will look to continue their perfect start to this season’s Champions League defence as Pep Guardiola’s side visit BSC Young Boys tonight. City have opened their European campaign with victories over FK Crvena Zvezda and away at RB Leipzig last time out, and now travel to the Swiss champions in Bern. The treble winners got back to winning wins at the weekend with a 2-1 win against Brighton, following a three-match domestic losing streak that came while Rodri was suspended. City have a three point lead over RB Leipzig and are five points clear of Young Boys and FK Crvena Zvezda in Champions League Group G, and would be on the verge of qualification to the last-16 with another victory tonight. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash. When is Young Boys vs Manchester City? The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 25 October in Bern, Switzerland. How can I watch it? It will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting from 7pm BST. TNT Sports customers can also stream the match live on Discovery+ and the Discovery+ app. 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. What is the Manchester City team news? City have no fresh injury concerns, with long-term casualty Kevin De Bruyne their only notable absentee. Manuel Akanji is free to play but will be suspended from their next Premier League match after his red card against Brighton. Predicted line-up Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Diaz, Akanji; Rodri, Bernardo; Foden, Alvaraz, Doku; Haaland Prediction Young Boys 1-4 Manchester City Read More Esme Morgan pleads for patience and politeness from England’s autograph hunters Pep Guardiola responds to concerns over artificial pitch ahead of Young Boys clash I know my worth – Rasmus Hojlund ready to build on promising start at Man Utd Gabriel Jesus urges Arsenal team-mates to believe they can win Champions League Erik ten Hag heaps praise on United goalkeeper Andre Onana after penalty heroics Gabriel Jesus has ‘changed our world’ – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

England defender Esme Morgan has urged critics to empathise with players who have the desire, but no longer the capacity, to meet every autograph hopeful amid growing concern that a minority of fans feel overly entitled to their time. Morgan’s fellow Lioness, Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps, this week posted on Instagram after she was tagged in a post-match comment by a parent who claimed the award-winner was “far too busy and important to stop for her fans these days”, admitting she found the accusation “hurtful” when she had taken time to meet as many as she could. It is easy for Morgan, who was at the age of five already a Manchester City season-ticket holder, to put herself in the shoes of supporters hoping for a post-match meeting with an idol. She has also witnessed popular team-mates like Chloe Kelly become upset after being unfairly criticised for not getting to everyone – when the reason can sometimes be as straightforward as needing to board a bus. Morgan said: “You can’t please everyone and you always remember that one person who wasn’t happy with you as opposed to all the people whose day you made and they were really grateful. “We love being able to go over and make someone’s day and see how excited people get but with the growth of the game now it’s just not really realistic and feasible for us to get round and see everyone. “It’s difficult when sometimes maybe some fans feel like the expectation is that they’re going to get to meet you and in years gone by that might have been an option, not as many fans were coming to the games so you might be able to get round everyone. “It is really hard because I’m sure at that age I would have been disappointed and so gutted that I was so close to meeting one of my heroes, but the growth of the game now means there’s just so many more people interested and so many more people come to the games and want to meet people that it’s just not possible for us to get round it all. Sometimes when you go around the edge of the crowd, you’re kind of getting screamed at and having things thrust in your face Esme Morgan “I think it’s nice that we can celebrate the interaction we have with fans but I think it’s difficult that, if it’s an expectation, players shouldn’t be made to feel bad about not getting round to everyone.” Players like Morgan have embraced other means of interaction – she is fond of engaging with fans on her increasingly popular TikTok account and through charity initiatives – while new systems like the one being trialled at Manchester City’s Joie Stadium this season aim to facilitate smoother and more quality connections between players and fans. ‘Autograph Alley’ is a dedicated meet-and-greet point where a smaller group of randomly selected supporters enjoy post-match encounters with players, something which Morgan says “is a lot nicer for us actually because it’s a much calmer situation and atmosphere.” She added: “You can spend a little bit more time chatting to people because not everyone is sort of screaming or going a bit crazy around you. Sometimes when you go around the edge of the crowd, you’re kind of getting screamed at and having things thrust in your face.” Those still hoping to snag an England player’s signature would do well to take a cue from young Morgan herself. A little politeness, she said, goes a long way. She added: “When I first started coming to City’s women’s matches I was just a kid in the crowd wanting to meet everyone. But I always felt like my manners were good and I’d always say please and thank you and things like that and sometimes I think that can be lost and that’s one of those things where it’s not a pleasant experience. “I think if clubs can put something in place, like City have, making it a lot more well-managed and a calmer experience then I think it’s much more pleasant for everybody.” Read More Record appearance maker Ben Youngs set for England swansong against Argentina Double payday – Tyson Fury set to face Oleksandr Usyk two days before Christmas Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland England captain Owen Farrell: Online abuse of Tom Curry not acceptable Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse London Broncos set to lose out under rugby league’s new grading criteria

The Premier League has recommended a deduction of up to 12 points for Everton over alleged breaches of financial rules, according to a report on Wednesday. The Daily Telegraph has reported that the league has asked an independent commission hearing charges against the Merseyside club to impose a severe sanction. A 12-point deduction would leave Everton on minus-five points in this season’s league table. The club and the Premier League have not commented on the report. The club strongly contests the allegation of non-compliance and together with its independent team of experts is entirely confident that it remains compliant with all financial rules and regulations. Everton statement, March 2023 The league referred the club to the commission in March over an alleged breach of its profitability and sustainability (P&S) rules over a period ending with the 2021-22 season. The league’s P&S rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period or face sanctions. Everton said in a statement issued on the day that news of the referral was confirmed: “The club strongly contests the allegation of non-compliance and together with its independent team of experts is entirely confident that it remains compliant with all financial rules and regulations. “Everton is prepared to robustly defend its position to the commission. The club has, over several years, provided information to the Premier League in an open and transparent manner and has consciously chosen to act with the utmost good faith at all times.” Everton have recorded annual losses for five consecutive years – more than £430million in total over the period. The club are the subject of a takeover bid by American private investment firm 777 Partners, which last week denied a New York Times report that its bid had stalled because of a failure to supply information to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Read More Self-confessed ‘golf tragic’ Dan Carter keen to boost participation in Ireland England captain Owen Farrell: Online abuse of Tom Curry not acceptable Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse

The Premier League has recommended a deduction of up to 12 points for Everton over alleged breaches of financial rules, according to a report on Wednesday. The Daily Telegraph has reported that the league has asked an independent commission hearing charges against the Merseyside club to impose a severe sanction. A 12-point deduction would leave Everton on minus-five points in this season’s league table. The club and the Premier League have not commented on the report. The club strongly contests the allegation of non-compliance and together with its independent team of experts is entirely confident that it remains compliant with all financial rules and regulations. Everton statement, March 2023 The league referred the club to the commission in March over an alleged breach of its profitability and sustainability (P&S) rules over a period ending with the 2021-22 season. The league’s P&S rules allow clubs to lose a maximum of £105million over a three-year period or face sanctions. Everton said in a statement issued on the day that news of the referral was confirmed: “The club strongly contests the allegation of non-compliance and together with its independent team of experts is entirely confident that it remains compliant with all financial rules and regulations. “Everton is prepared to robustly defend its position to the commission. The club has, over several years, provided information to the Premier League in an open and transparent manner and has consciously chosen to act with the utmost good faith at all times.” Everton have recorded annual losses for five consecutive years – more than £430million in total over the period. The club are the subject of a takeover bid by American private investment firm 777 Partners, which last week denied a New York Times report that its bid had stalled because of a failure to supply information to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Read More Liverpool set for boost as Cody Gakpo in line to make return against Toulouse London Broncos set to lose out under rugby league’s new grading criteria Sri Lanka will fight fire with fire against England – Angelo Mathews

Carlo Ancelotti speaks on Vinicius Junior's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or in the future.