List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

With the weekend’s action wrapped, Fantasy Premier League managers will be reflecting upon another week of either frustration or elation after some dramatic late finishes and plenty of eye-catching performances. As the Premier League enters its 10th week, FPL managers may be looking to ring the changes as fixture swings occur and new in-form teams emerge. Whether you are looking to just tinker with one or two changes or are planning a number of wholesale changes, here are five players we think you should keep an eye out for ahead of gameweek 10. Phil Foden - Manchester City, midfield (7.6 m) The Manchester City winger has often been an unreliable FPL asset due to his lack of regular starts. Riyad Mahrez’s departure for the Saudi Pro League has now cleared the way for Foden who has started all but one of City’s league games this season. Returns thus far haven’t been plentiful (1G, 3A) and his ownership has dropped as a result, but after a promising display for England in the international break and a much-needed win for City against Brighton at the weekend, the 23-year-old may offer something of a differential pick if you’re looking to make up some ground on mini-league rivals. Kieran Trippier - Newcastle, defender (6.9 m) After a tough run of fixtures at the start of the season, Newcastle are unbeaten in five and back in full flow. Trippier has been the fulcrum of their recent improved performances, with his six assists in his last four games seeing him rise to the top of the points list for defenders. A trickier set of fixtures are on the horizon, but with games against Wolves and Bournemouth mixed in, the experienced right-back should be at the forefront of many people’s plans if they are looking for a premium defensive asset. Alisson - Liverpool, goalkeeper (5.5 m) Going big on keepers is not something many FPL managers see as a necessity but with Liverpool’s good run of fixtures coming up, spending that little bit more to bring in Alisson could be a rewarding transfer. Jurgen Klopp’s side restricted Everton to just 0.09 xG in their 2-0 derby win on Saturday and have fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Fulham in their next five. Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa, defeder (4.5 m) Aston Villa’s statement 4-1 win over West Ham on Sunday continued their superb start to the season as they extended their unbeaten run to six games and remain just one point off the top four. Defensively, they were a tad unfortunate to not keep a clean sheet, with Jarrod Bowen’s heavily deflected strike somehow finding the bottom corner from long range. With fixtures against Luton, Forest and Fulham in their next three, defensive returns are a high likelihood and Ezri Konsa looks to offer some value at just 4.5m. The centre-back picked up an assist against the Hammers and also has two bonus points in his last four games. Neal Maupay - Brentford, forward (4.9 m) There was a time not too long ago when few, if any, FPL users would have looked at Maupay with a transfer in mind. But fresh off an assist in his first start back at Brentford, the Frenchman could be a player rejuvenated. It remains early days but as a potential rotation option, Maupay could offer something different if you are looking to make room for a more expensive player elsewhere. Read More FPL GW9: Watkins, Gordon and five players to consider for transfers Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night Sir Bobby Charlton: England’s greatest ever player and the artist of 1966 Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami Hyypia

Former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia believes Virgil van Dijk will prove this season he is once again the best centre-back in the Premier League. The Netherlands international has faced questions about whether can rediscover the form which arguably made him the world’s top defender prior to a knee ligament injury in October 2020. However, there are signs the current Reds skipper is edging closer to his best with his commanding performance in the weekend’s Merseyside derby win over Everton another indicator of a return to his previous high level. “He is one of the best in the business in the world,” Hyypia told the PA news agency at a Nike Game On initiative which, in conjunction with the LFC Foundation, has provided more than 8,000 local schoolchildren with access to a range of sports. “I think he has raised the standard with everyone expecting him to play at that level every time and that is very difficult. “But he is doing well, he is a big part of our team and a big leader of the team so I think we all need to be patient and his best is coming. “I think this season he has shown in some games he is still at the level and I have no doubts he will be the best centre-back in the league this season.” Despite their good start to the season there has been scrutiny on Liverpool’s defence, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold now operating in a hybrid midfield playmaker role in possession and opponents seeking to exploit the space in behind. The focus is likely to intensify following the news left-back Andy Robertson will be sidelined for three months after shoulder surgery, with Kostas Tsimikas having to deputise. I have no doubts he will be the best centre-back in the league this season Sami Hyypia on Virgil van Dijk But Hyypia has faith in both Liverpool’s full-backs, adding: “Trent is like a midfield player. He can pass short and long and has the vision to see the passes. “I think this role suits him well and when he is in the midfield position he doesn’t have that big distance to go back defending when we lose the ball.” On Tsimikas, the former Finland international said: “I think he will get a lot of responsibility now and he has his chance to show what kind of player he is. “Hopefully he is courageous and takes his chance. If that is not going to work then Jurgen (Klopp) needs to think of something else to solve the problem but I have confidence in Tsimikas that he can do the job.” Having come through a testing set of fixtures Liverpool sit third in the table, a point behind leaders Manchester City. With games to come against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Luton – all teams in the bottom six – and Brentford before a late November trip to the Etihad Stadium, Hyypia believes the platform has been laid for another title challenge. “The ambition is to win the league,” he said. “As long as we are competing until May to be the champions I think we can say we will have had a successful season. “The top four is always the minimum target to reach but everyone wants success and some trophies this season. “It would be foolish to look at what the others are doing. We just concentrate on what we are doing and do what we do best and then we see what the result is.” The first three years of Game On programme, funded by Nike and delivered by the LFC Foundation, has engaged more than 8,000 children – including 950-plus disabled and 1,000-plus ethnically-diverse participants – aged between seven and 12 and 46 grassroots sports clubs with coaching delivered in 15 different sports. “Game On is about using the power of sport, Nike and Liverpool to engage local young people in sport – unusually for us not football,” said LFC Foundation chief executive Matt Parish. Read More Brydon Carse backed to take on Liam Plunkett role after England World Cup call The sporting weekend in pictures Philadelphia Eagles sink Miami Dolphins as Super Bowl rivals set the pace Man Utd expect to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton on Tuesday night Pep Guardiola admits winning treble has taken toll on Manchester City Gary O’Neil determined to repay Wolves for their faith after Bournemouth sacking

Manchester United are expected to pay further tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton ahead of Tuesday’s night’s Champions League match at Old Trafford. The United Trinity statue outside the ground was awash with tributes to Charlton on Sunday as supporters laid flowers and scarves, with many leaving deeply personal thoughts for one of the club’s most famous sons, following his death aged 86. A book of condolence was opened at the International Suite inside the stadium, while current boss Erik ten Hag and members of the United squad were adding their own messages at Carrington. United confirmed discussions were continuing to take place with Charlton’s family and UEFA for further commemorative plans ahead of Tuesday’s night’s Champions League Group A match against Copenhagen. It is expected players will wear black armbands, with wreaths to be laid on the Old Trafford pitch and a minute’s silence observed ahead of kick-off. A key member of England’s victorious 1966 World Cup team, Charlton also enjoyed great success at club level with United, who became the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968. Charlton made his debut for United in 1956 and went on to play 758 matches, scoring 249 goals. Both were long-standing club records until they were overtaken by Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, respectively. He was knighted for services to football in 1994. Having won three league titles and one FA Cup at Old Trafford, Charlton left United in 1973 and went on to manage Preston before returning to the Red Devils 11 years later as a club director. David Moyes took over from Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United manager in the summer of 2013, but the former Everton boss left the club after just 10 months, with the team seventh in the Premier League table. Now in charge at West Ham, Moyes reflected on the support shown by Charlton during what was one of the most testing spells of his managerial career. “I’m deeply saddened and I send my condolences to all his family. The biggest thing everyone remembers, more than anything, is how great a man he was. He was such a good man,” Moyes said, quoted on West Ham’s club website. “For me, it was difficult at times at Manchester United and he was incredibly supportive and always had something to say to me. “He had a great wife in Lady Norma and even when I lost my job, she phoned my wife up, which was really important at the time. “For me, he carried off all the things that Manchester United were good for. He showed the traditions, he showed exactly how it should be, he showed great humility wherever he went, but not only that at Manchester United, he was ultimately one of the main people in English football over the years. “When you think of the greats who have come through English football, Bobby Charlton would definitely be in there.” It was announced on Saturday afternoon that Charlton had died peacefully in the early hours of the morning surrounded by his family. Born in Ashington on October 11 1937, Charlton played in the World Cup final alongside his brother Jack – who died aged 85 in 2020 – and won 106 caps for England, scoring 49 goals. European Cup success with United came 10 years after the Munich air disaster, which Charlton and manager Sir Matt Busby survived, but which claimed the lives of eight of his team-mates. Former team-mate Denis Law said on manutd.com: “Another sad day. What can I say. Sir Bobby was an unbelievable player and a gentleman. Manchester United meant everything to him. “We had many special and successful years together and he was a joy to play with. He knew where every player was on the pitch and for me that was a dream. I knew, if Bobby had the ball, it would find me and it did. “What a striker of the ball he was. He could hit the ball so hard that I knew most keepers didn’t stand a chance. On the rare occasion they did manage to deflect it, it would drop nicely to me to finish it off. “Along with George (Best), our partnership was sealed. The great part of playing with Bobby and George was that if one of us was having a bad day, the other two knew and that’s what made our relationship special. I am saddened by the news, like all football fans today.” Charlton was diagnosed with dementia and his condition was made public in November 2020, two days after his United and England team-mate Nobby Stiles died following his own battle with the illness. Tributes were left at Old Trafford this weekend, one which read: “Thank you Sir Bobby, a hero to the worldwide football family,” while a message from fan group The 1958 said: “History, dignity and integrity is what you gave to our great club. Our promise to you is to make sure it stays.” Manchester United Women manager Marc Skinner dedicated Sunday’s 5-0 win at Everton to Charlton. “He changed football in my opinion, especially at my club, so that was for him and for his family,” Skinner said. Read More Pep Guardiola admits winning treble has taken toll on Manchester City Gary O’Neil determined to repay Wolves for their faith after Bournemouth sacking Ange Postecoglou hopes Fulham clash offers ‘escape’ from troubles amid conflict Courtney Lawes to retire from England duty when Rugby World Cup ends Sjoeke Nusken bags brace as joint leaders Chelsea strike back to beat Brighton The tributes in pictures as football family remembers Sir Bobby Charlton

The Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles each could only manage a field goal during the first quarter on Sunday Night Football but the home team finally broke

Gary O’Neil revealed he expected to still be job hunting at this point in the season after being sacked by Bournemouth in the summer, and is determined to repay Wolves for the faith they showed in him. The 40-year-old’s first trip back to former employers Bournemouth ended in a 2-1 comeback victory on Saturday for his new side, now on a four-game unbeaten run in the top flight while the Cherries still remain in search of their first win of the season. O’Neil, who took over at Molineux on a three-year-deal in August, oversaw a return of 36 points from his 34 top-flight games in charge to help Bournemouth avoid relegation in 2022/23 and was even a candidate on some pundits’ lists for manager of the season before he was sacked in June. He said: “I didn’t really think about the level that I would be going in at (after sacking), I just knew I was ready to go back in and I expected it to be winter. I expected managers to start the season, some of them struggle, some of them do well, and then there would be an opportunity around now or the next few weeks. “So the timing of it was a surprise. I know I’m capable of managing a big club, so I’m extremely grateful to Wolves because to give a young manager with only 10 months experience the reins is big belief and I’m hoping to repay them like I did when I was [at Bournemouth]. “I’m just working as hard as ever. Leave the office at half 10 at night, get in at seven o’clock in the morning, just in a different part of the country.” O’Neil was appointed interim Bournemouth boss in August 2022 following the departure of Scott Parker, and made his Premier League managerial debut against Wolves, that goalless draw marking the beginning of a six-game unbeaten run that eventually helped earn him the permanent position. By the end of the campaign the Cherries had survived a tense relegation battle, with O’Neil’s subsequent exit leaving many wondering if Bournemouth’s new owners would eventually rue their decision to let him go. He said: “The world of football maybe sees my departure from [Bournemouth] differently to what I did, I would guess, which I understand. I’m guessing consensus was probably, ‘Oh, that’s a harsh one’, where was I was like, ‘that’s life. I’ve had an opportunity, I’ve done the best I can with it.’ “What I set myself was to leave [Bournemouth] in a better place than I found it. I left with my head held high and I started my managerial career, and that’s all it is. There’s never any more than that.” Andoni Iraola, the man now in charge of the Cherries, is under more pressure than ever to deliver results after Saturday’s home contest derailed in the second half. Dominic Solanke fired the hosts to a 1-0 lead that stood at half-time, but Matheus Cunha levelled within minutes of the restart before Lewis Cook’s needless red card sent what had been a resilient side down to 10 men, and a late defensive gaffe allowed Sasa Kalajdzic to score the winner. Iraola, whose team sit second-bottom with three points from nine contests, said: “Especially when you are in the relegation spots like we are now, we have to be worried. I’m the first one to be worried. “Now it’s a matter of finding ways to win. I think we prepared very well, we had the plan more or less quite clear, but it’s not enough with the things we are doing.”

Sjoeke Nusken scored a brace to help Chelsea secure a 4-2 Women’s Super League comeback victory over Brighton at Kingsmeadow. The Germany midfielder netted her first two goals in blue after her summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt, with her first coming in first-half added-time before she scored again just after the break. This came after Brighton’s Pauline Bremer scored the opener for Melissa Phillips’ side, who failed to take advantage of their early lead. Seagulls defender Guro Bergsvand scored an own goal in the 74th minute and Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones came off the bench to put the game out of reach. Elisabeth Terland’s second-half stoppage-time goal was merely a consolation as Brighton’s losing run was extended to three. Three points for Chelsea put them joint top with title rivals Manchester City after their 1-0 win at Leicester on Saturday. In east London, West Ham’s equaliser in the fifth minute of second-half added time stole a late point against Liverpool. Marie Hobinger opened the scoring for the visitors in the 52nd minute to give them a 1-0 advantage. But Japan international Riko Ueki bundled the ball home at the death to grab a late share the spoils. Nikita Parris returned to haunt her former club once again as Manchester United comfortably beat Everton 5-0 at Walton Hall Park to enter the international break unbeaten. Liverpool-born Parris, who began her career at Everton, scored two second-half goals and set up one to take her record against the Toffees to eight goals in nine Super League appearances. United substitute Rachel Williams also enjoyed her afternoon by picking up a brace of goals in the final 15 minutes after being introduced for France international Melvine Malard, who had earlier opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Parris’ goals in the 58th minute and three minutes into stoppage time were a reward for her energy and non-stop harrying of an Everton defence that eventually buckled in the second half under the intense press of United. In Sunday’s late kick-off, a Katie McCabe double handed Arsenal a narrow 2-1 victory away to Bristol City. The clinical McCabe scored the first after seven minutes courtesy of a wonderful effort from range. After City’s Rachel Furness cancelled the goal out in the 16th minute, McCabe scored once more just before the hour to give Jonas Eidevall’s side a much-needed victory on the road. Read More The tributes in pictures as football family remembers Sir Bobby Charlton We’re after seven teams – Unai Emery plays down Villa’s Champions League chances Anthony Joshua teases ‘mega-card’ of Wilder bout sharing bill with Fury v Usyk 5 things we learned from the Storm Babet hit Premiership this weekend Really good but not perfect – Shaun Wane wants more from England after Tonga win Such a good man – David Moyes hails Sir Bobby Charlton help as fans pay tribute

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery played down his side’s Champions League credentials despite thrashing West Ham. Villa are just two points off Premier League pacesetters Manchester City and Arsenal following Sunday’s 4-1 win. Douglas Luiz’s double and clinical finishes from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey ended Villa’s Hammers hoodoo, for their first victory over West Ham since 2015. They returned to fifth spot, just a point adrift of the top four, with games against Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham coming up next. “There are seven teams contending. We are after seven teams; Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle,” said Emery, with fifth potentially offering a Champions League place this term. “Dream, always. My dream is to win the Champions League but now we are fifth and we are going to face each match trying to get a good performance. “It’s 38 matches and we lost at Newcastle, we lost at Liverpool. They are matches we are not going to play again. “I prefer to speak about the matches we won but I have to speak about the matches we lost. This is the balance. We have to be very demanding. “In the table West Ham were two points behind us and the level we have now, they have as well. It was very important. “The process is going in the right way, it’s going to be difficult. In the end we won 4-1.” Luiz had already tested Alphonse Areola from distance before opening the scoring after half an hour, firing in from the edge of the box after good work by Nicolo Zaniolo and Watkins. Six minutes after the break Villa were gifted a second when Lucas Paqueta sold Edson Alvarez short and he brought down Ezri Konsa for Luiz to convert from the spot. But Jarrod Bowen grabbed a lifeline for the Hammers soon after when his shot hit Pau Torres to creep into the corner. The visitors sensed a recovery, Matty Cash heading over Nayef Aguerd’s shot, but with 16 minutes left Watkins ended any ideas of a comeback. He latched onto John McGinn’s long ball, skipped past Kurt Zouma and lashed into the roof of the net. There was still time for Bailey to get in on the act in the final minute, beating Areola from six yards after giving Aguerd the slip. It was just West Ham’s third league defeat of the season, leaving manager David Moyes frustrated. “I’m not having my teams losing four goals as soft as we did today. There were things which I can say we did quite well but I didn’t think we were hard enough to play against,” said Moyes, whose side are now ninth. “Today wasn’t so good. More importantly nearly every ball we played around the box was the wrong decision and it led to us hardly creating enough opportunity to score. “The lads kept on fighting and it looked like we were the team in ascendancy at 2-1 but they punished us really quickly and that took the game beyond our reach. “Villa are probably just behind the top three or four in the Premier League and today was a challenge to see what level we were at and I thought we fell below that. “It was a very close first half, we missed opportunities to score. We had opportunities to make chances to score and that was the bit bugging me at half-time.” Read More Anthony Joshua teases ‘mega-card’ of Wilder bout sharing bill with Fury v Usyk 5 things we learned from the Storm Babet hit Premiership this weekend Really good but not perfect – Shaun Wane wants more from England after Tonga win Such a good man – David Moyes hails Sir Bobby Charlton help as fans pay tribute Virgil van Dijk: Liverpool finally had some luck go our way against Everton Tom Johnstone second-half brace helps England edge out Tonga in series opener

Aston Villa maintained their Champions League charge with a thumping 4-1 win over West Ham. Douglas Luiz’s brace, including a second-half penalty, plus goals from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey moved them to fifth in the Premier League, just two points off top spot. Jarrod Bowen’s deflected effort made it 2-1 but the hosts recovered for Watkins to smash in a crucial third before Bailey wrapped things up late on. The Hammers, now five points adrift of Villa, slipped to just a third defeat of the season after struggling to match the hosts. Villa had waited long enough for a victory over the Hammers, their bogey side. They had recorded just one win in the last 10 years, a 1-0 victory when Villa were already on the slide in 2015, but under Unai Emery they are a different beast, having earned 10 straight home league wins for the first time in 30 years coming into this match. Emery put his faith in Nicolo Zaniolo, starting while he assists the Italian authorities in their investigation into alleged illegal betting activity. A Sunday afternoon slumber hung over Villa Park in the opening stages but it was roused when Alphonse Areola brilliantly turned Luiz’s 25-yard effort wide. It was a stunning save from the West Ham goalkeeper but he should have been beaten five minutes later. Moussa Diaby’s pass evaded Kurt Zouma for Watkins to turn Vladimir Coufal. The hard work done, the striker had just Areola to beat but dragged inches wide from 12 yards. The momentum was with Villa so there was little surprise when they went ahead after 30 minutes. Zaniolo and Watkins linked on the left with the England striker collecting a cute return pass to tee up Luiz on the edge of the box and he drilled low past Areola. In scoring, the midfielder became the first Villa player to net in six straight home matches in the Premier League. The hosts deserved their lead, Watkins close to doubling it two minutes later when he grazed the side-netting, and West Ham were too compliant as Diaby, Watkins and Zaniolo caused problems. Villa were slicker than the Hammers, who waned in the last third with a final ball missing and Michail Antonio haphazard. Any hopes of a comeback rested on a strong start to the second half but, instead, the Hammers self-destructed after 51 minutes to gift Villa total control. There was little danger when the Hammers looked to play their way out in the corner but Lucas Paqueta’s wretched pass put Edson Alvarez in trouble. Ezri Konsa darted ahead and Alvarez clattered the defender to concede a penalty which Luiz coolly converted. It looked like a Villa cruise but the visitors pulled a goal back out of the blue five minutes later when Bowen’s shot from 25 yards clipped Pau Torres and rolled in the corner. The rarely-seen jitters returned to Villa Park and Matty Cash headed Nayef Aguerd’s strike over before turning Antonio’s dangerous cross behind. Yet Villa ended any hopes of a recovery with 16 minutes left. The Hammers had the hosts on the ropes briefly but were caught out by John McGinn’s long ball to Watkins. The striker, fresh from his winner for England against Australia during the international break, still had plenty to do but sold a dummy to Zouma before drilling into the roof of the net from an angle. Substitute Bailey then wrapped up the points with a minute left, collecting Youri Tielemans’ pass, sidestepping Aguerd and finding the top corner. Read More Sir Bobby Charlton’s glorious career in pictures Mauricio Pochettino hails Reece James’ leadership and defends captain after ban Charity urges players to take stance against link between gambling and football Anwar El Ghazi suspended by Mainz for ‘unacceptable’ post on Israel-Hamas conflict The sporting weekend in pictures Arsenal vs Aston Villa LIVE: Latest Women's Super League updates

Both Celtic and Rangers enjoyed comfortable wins in a cinch Premiership fixture card hit by Storm Babet. The Hoops completed a Glasgow double over Edinburgh after three matches were called off for safety reasons. Here, the PA news agency looks at five things we learned from the reduced schedule. Happy honeymoon for Philippe Clement Rangers fans wanted to see something different under Belgian manager Philippe Clement and they certainly did in a 4-0 Ibrox win against Hibernian. Michael Beale had been criticised for the ponderous style of his Gers side but Clement’s version played at high tempo and got the ball forward quicker. The manager himself declared himself “happy” but not yet impressed. “Impressed is a big word,” he said. “I still saw a lot of details we can make better but I saw a team who stayed well in the structure and made the runs and the tempo we played at. It is like the honeymoon. Everything is new. They need to confirm this the next week, the next month.” Nick Montgomery felt Clement was too keen Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery felt Clement’s debut should have been largely watched from the stand after accusing the Rangers boss of stepping on the pitch and controlling the ball before it went out. Referencing a red card for Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes against Dundee in similar circumstances, Montgomery was surprised to see the Gers manager get away with it. He told BBC Scotland: “I think everyone can see the ball had not gone out. When that happens, you probably think it’s not going to be your day because at that point they have 12 men on the pitch. The worst thing about it was they got the throw-in. Away at Ibrox you don’t expect any favours, but that’s not within the laws of the game.” Celtic hitting top gear The Hoops restored their seven-point lead with a 4-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle. Normally a tricky venue, the champions took the sting out the game inside four minutes when Matt O’Riley met Luis Palma’s lofted pass on the volley. Brendan Rodgers’ side dominated the bulk of the game to take their winning league run to six matches. If they come through another trip to Edinburgh next weekend when they face Hibs, there is a strong chance they will go on to extend their seven-point lead before hosting Rangers on December 30. Tynecastle tickets decision has mixed results Hearts more than halved Celtic’s usual allocation of tickets to 576 but the Tynecastle atmosphere was not at its usual level after O’Riley’s early opener. The crowd of 17,608 was the lowest league attendance at Tynecastle this season and some Celtic fans watching on television would no doubt have been frustrated at the sight of a virtually-empty section right next to the away support in the Roseburn Stand. Kyle Vassell shows his worth for Kilmarnock Kilmarnock captain Kyle Vassell’s double proved the difference in a 3-1 win over Livingston which ended a seven-game run without victory and lifted them into fifth place following a weather-hit fixture card. Vassell came into the league campaign still finding his fitness following a knee injury but he now has three goals in the Premiership. Read More Really good but not perfect – Shaun Wane wants more from England after Tonga win Such a good man – David Moyes hails Sir Bobby Charlton help as fans pay tribute Virgil van Dijk: Liverpool finally had some luck go our way against Everton Tom Johnstone second-half brace helps England edge out Tonga in series opener Danny Care hoping England’s World Cup efforts have won over disillusioned fans Manchester United fans head to Old Trafford to pay tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton

The 2023/24 Premier League season is under way and you can follow every game and every goal right here with The Independent. Nicolo Zaniolo was named in Aston Villa’s starting line-up for the visit of West Ham despite assisting Italy’s authorities in their investigation into alleged illegal betting activity. He was the only change in Unai Emery’s side, replacing defender Diego Carlos, from Villa’s 1-1 draw at Wolves before the international break. West Ham, who are two points behind their sixth-placed hosts in the Premier League, are unchanged. The Hammers held Newcastle to a 2-2 draw last time out at the London Stadium. Follow updates from the Premier League clash, below:

The NFL is threatening players or teams that take part in fights either before or during games with "significant" punishment,

Going on the field is never worth the injuries that accompany it.