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Key events
Latest WSL scores
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Aston Villa 0-0 Crystal Palace
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Brighton 0-1 Charlton Athletic
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Everton 1-1 Birmingham City
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Tottenham 0-1 London City Lionesses
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West Ham 0-0 Chelsea
The first goal in the WSL today has come at Brighton, who are losing 1-0 to Charlton following Cassandra Korhonen’s third minute goal.
There’s five games in the WSL kicking off at 2pm.
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Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (2pm)
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Brighton v Charlton Athletic (2pm)
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Everton v Birmingham City (2pm)
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Tottenham v London City Lionesses (2pm)
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West Ham v Chelsea (2pm)
Some footage from the Thomas Tuchel press conference in Croatia.
It’s been a quiet morning, but I’m pleased to say the actual football starts in a bit. l shall guide you back into the loving embrace John Brewin for that.
A reminder of today’s WSL fixtures
We’ll have a dedicated liveblog for Man City v Arsenal, plus updates from the five 2pm games.
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Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (2pm)
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Brighton v Charlton Athletic (2pm)
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Everton v Birmingham City (2pm)
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Tottenham v London City Lionesses (2pm)
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West Ham v Chelsea (2pm)
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Man City v Arsenal (4:30pm)
On this day in 1995… a seven-goal thriller between Valencia and Real Madrid.
Here’s Jonathan Wilson’s take on Manchester City and all that
At half-time in the 2014 League Cup final, Sunderland led Manchester City 1-0. Yaya Touré equalised with a casually brilliant 30-yard clip 10 minutes after the break, and City went on to win 3-1. City, we now know from the independent commission, were at the time involved in a prolonged and calculated act of cheating, while Touré, the leaks in Der Spiegel suggested, was being paid via a dual contract to disguise exactly how much City were spending. Although precise details were left to the appendices, the commission’s report refers to payments “not recorded in an employment contract … but instead recorded in a consultancy agreement”.
Had Sunderland won, they would not merely have ended a 41-year wait for a trophy but would have qualified for the following season’s Europa League. It’s possible, of course, that the strain the extra games placed on the squad would have led to relegation in 2015, rather than the familiar trope of sacking a manager, in this case Gus Poyet, midway through the season, and surviving thanks to a bump under his successor, Dick Advocaat.
But it’s also possible that the greater exposure brought by European football, the surge of positivity engendered by unfamiliar and unexpected silverware, may have led to Premier League consolidation, stability and semi-regular European qualification.
Should Sunderland feel cheated? Of course they should, just as those who came second behind Lance Armstrong should feel cheated; just as Liverpool and Arsenal should feel cheated over the League Cup finals of 2016 and 2018; just as Stoke should feel cheated over the 2011 FA Cup final; just as Manchester United should feel cheated over the Premier League titles in 2012 and 2018 and Liverpool should in 2014; just as every club who played in the same competitions as City between 2009 and 2018 should feel cheated. But does that mean the 2014 League Cup should be taken from City and awarded to Sunderland?
On this day in 2003… a mighty comeback victory at Anfield for Arsenal’s soon-to-be-Invincibles.
It’s probably fair to say not everybody loves Jesse Marsch, but I’m sure we can all agree* he’s a great talker. Here he is in conversation with Joe Callaghan.
* May not actually be sure we can all agree, this being the year 2026 and that.
Andy Robertson isn’t quite the elemental force of a few years ago, when he was one of the best left-backs in the world, but he is still going strong and last night he was his 100th cap for Scotland.
It feels unbelievable. To hit the 100 mark is pretty special. It’s something that I feel as if I’ve been chasing forever. But since became close, I then really wanted to just get it over the line. A hundred caps for your country is incredible. Not many people get to achieve that and I know how lucky I am to be able to be one of the ones to do that.
Robertson is on course to overtake Kenny Dalglish as Scotland’s most-capped player by the end of year. Dalglish played 102 times for his country.
Hopefully I can [overtake Dalglish] because I want to keep playing and I want to be in a Scotland jersey for years to come, which obviously results in me hopefully taking over Kenny. But I’m only the second male player to get to 100 caps and I have to enjoy that. I think us footballers are a bit guilty of not enjoying it and not realising sometimes what you’ve achieved, so I’ve made a conscious effort to try to do that.
I know what I’ve achieved for me and my family and it was a really special night for us. I’ve had lots of messages, more than normal. A lot of ex-players, a lot of managers, a lot of family members and things like that, so it’s been pretty nice to be on the phone, and I’ll start getting back to them slowly but surely.
Plenty more Nations League action today. These are the fixtures, all 7.45pm BST kick-offs unless otherwise stated.
Group A2
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Greece v Germany
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Netherlands v Serbia
Group A4
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Portugal v Norway
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Wales v Denmark
Group B3
Group D1
Group D2
John Stedman writes in with another on this day from 1989: Southend United 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup (3-3 agg; Spurs go through on the away goals rule).
“A plausibly – and pleasingly – contemporary scoreline,” says John. “Were Spurs not already out of the League Cup, of course. Schadenfreude is a dish best eaten very cold.”
Another plug for Barney Ronay’s piece from Rijeka
So … can we play another World Cup, then? Can we just undo and rewind? Forget whatever it was you thought you saw in Atlanta. We’re actually ready now.
Although not, repeat not, if any part of this involves playing football in front of 6,000 excitable children, the combined effect of which was to create an atmosphere in Rijeka the adult human ear is simply not designed to process.
This was a dreamlike occasion on many levels, from its quietly farcical staging, to a relentlessly high-grade England performance and a deserved 7-0 win, all of it glossed in the moment by the striking beauty of the setting.
Rijeka is a gently crumbling Italianate coastal town, the stadium lodged up in the hills facing into the blue of the Adriatic. From the stands here you could switch between watching Jude Bellingham cruise about the pitch like a human superyacht to following the cargo ships crawling across the curve of the bay, the grey-green fade of the hills below, white towers by the shore, like a pocket-sized Balkan Rio de Janeiro.
Against this background, two key things happened.
On this day in 1997… Dennis Bergkamp provides further evidence that Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are the real deal.
“Even the most bigoted football fan would not speak ill of Luka Modric,” writes Krishnamoorthy V. “What a treasure. Not one controversy, not one ‘I am bigger than the game or the team’ moment, a commitment that borders on surreal, a work output that would put an 18-year-old to shame. A true role model if there ever was one. Relax, Luka, everyone has an off day. Ask Brazil, Real Madrid, Man Utd and Aston Villa.”
On this day in 1989… Scarborough put Chelsea out of the League Cup.
Sassuolo forward Kieron Bowie was full of the joys after scoring his first goal for Scotland in their 2-0 win against North Macedonia. Bowie’s goal set up Scotland’s first victory under Sebastien Pocognoli.
The manager’s put a lot of trust in me to start the last two games. It’s a fresh start for me with a new coach and different ideas. He said to me, ‘You don’t need to prove yourself, just go and do what I know you can do’, and I feel like I’m doing that.
Bowie felt the goal was the most significant of his career to date.
In terms of the meaning for me and for Scotland, and for the coach, it’s the first goal for him and our first win, so I think that tops the lot.
It’s been a very good international window for Bowie, who was left out of Steve Clarke’s World Cup squad but now appears to be a regular starter.
Obviously I was disappointed. I felt like I’d done as much as I could. I moved to Serie A, I scored goals for a struggling Verona team and that was as much as I could do so I was happy with where I was at and how I’d played. But these things happen, you’ve just got to bounce back, and I feel like I’m doing that.
I think people, obviously Scottish fans, have an idea of how I was when I was at Hibs, and that’s all they can remember. But I feel like since I moved to Serie A, it’s a different challenge against more experienced players and at a higher level, so I feel like I’ve definitely kicked into another gear, and I feel like I’m showing that.
On this day in 1998… Phil Babb has an accident.
Get your live blogs here!
If you prefer live actual sport to live sports news, we have a couple of pieces of F5able goodness for you.
We’ll be launching our Next Generation 2026 feature next week. In the meantime, why not check in on the class of 2025? Here’s our October 2026 update on Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl.
Already a superstar after playing a big part in Bayern’s double in 2025-26 and hopes were high that he would make a big impact at the World Cup, but Karl suffered a torn muscle in his left thigh on the eve of the tournament. “It hurts incredibly to miss the biggest tournament,” Karl wrote in an Instagram post. “Unfortunately, injuries often come at the worst possible time.”
Thanks John, morning everyone. Let’s start this mini-session with Thomas Tuchel’s comments on Bournemouth Alex Scott, who made an outstanding full debut against Croatia.
First start and what a start, what a performance. He is so smooth on the ball, his decision making is at the highest level. He plays with so much confidence. He is so active, so confident. The work rate off the ball. He is just the complete package. He gave us a lot of mobility and a lot of variety and work rate in the centre of the pitch.
Tuchel was also understandably effusive in his praise of England’s attacking quartet of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon (with help from Morgan Rogers). After a 7-0 win, it’d be a bit rum if he called them out.
The movements in the last line are at the highest level and are getting better and better. That’s why I didn’t want to change so much from match to match, to get the fluidity going and to get the movements going and to get the automations right within the front four.
They are very good together at the moment and they enjoy playing together. These are complete performances. It’s a team effort but the front four look very dangerous.
They just want to play like this. It’s their belief and it’s also their wish and conviction to play like this. So this is not something that we have to convince them to do. It’s just the way they want to play.
Right, Rob Smyth is set to grab the reins. Back later.
Talking of 7-0 wins, Argentina beat Burkina Faso by that very same scoreline, as they prepared for the big Messi send-off against Benin.
Lautaro Martínez, Gianluca Prestianni, Nico Paz, Julián Álvarez, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone and an own goal by Moumoune Diallo got the goals. The visitors to Buenos Aires. Burkina Faso’s squad arrived in Buenos Aires just five hours before kickoff after a flight from Morocco was cancelled. Several senior players had already declined to travel.
Slaven Bilic, the Croatia coach, also had his say, speaking to Jutanrji, the Croat newspaper: ““It is difficult to say anything after a night like this. We are sad, disappointed, and I feel sorry for the fans and the children who were at the game.
“We talked, it is hardest for us, and we did not expect this could happen. I don’t know what to call it, whether it’s a blackout, but it’s hard to analyse a game when you lose 7-0. We knew they were a top team, but that we couldn’t match them in any part… that then attacks your confidence, your will, everything falls apart and goes the wrong way.
“I said this to myself and to everyone, I don’t believe that England would beat Estonia 7-0 at this moment. That is unforgivable for us. We can get out of this with a good performance against Spain, there is time for that. Now is the right time to show unity and character. I’m talking nonsense saying we will beat Spain, but we need to show a brave and good Croatia. We need to show heart.”
Modric ‘ashamed’ after England hammer Croatia
The veteran spoke after the 7-0 Nations League defeat: “It is difficult to find an explanation for such a performance without duels, fouls, aggressiveness, togetherness… I’ve been here for 20 years, but for the first time I feel ashamed after a game.
“You can lose, or play against an opponent who is better – and they are right now. But in any case, losing like this and squandering the reputation we’ve built over the years is unacceptable.
“You can’t play football like that. You can’t play with two players less, you can’t play like this, and we looked like we had 4-5 players less. A catastrophic night.
“We need to pull ourselves together, stay together because a new difficult game awaits us. And we have to show our true colours, that there is defiance and pride in us, desire, willingness, togetherness, these things cannot be lost overnight.“
Big win for Manchester United in the WSL on Saturday.
WSL fixtures today:
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Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (2pm)
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Brighton v Charlton Athletic (2pm)
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Everton v Birmingham City (2pm)
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Tottenham v London City Lionesses (2pm)
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West Ham v Chelsea (2pm)
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Man City v Arsenal (4:30pm)
A second meeting of the Republic of Ireland and Israel was preceded by further stormy scenes in the press conference.
One reporter questioned Hallgrímsson on his thoughts about the incident on Wednesday during a Flydubai flight from the UAE to Israel.
“What do you say about the people that you support? Their ideology is based on murder,” the journalist asked. “Just this week, one of them tried to kill 170 Israeli passengers, including 27 innocent children and thousands of others.” An Irish press officer replied: “We are not doing any questions like this today. We are doing football questions.”
Another journalist then addressed the Ireland manager: “Your players call our players monkeys during the match …”, only to be immediately interrupted by an FAI official repeatedly insisting “that is completely untrue”, while the microphone was taken away from the reporter.
World Cup 2034 news, via Reuters.
Saudi Arabia is quietly shelving plans to build one of its most ambitious stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, two sources familiar with the matter said, after delays and downscaling of the futuristic development housing it.
The Neom Stadium was billed as an elevated arena in a glitzy 100-mile (160-km) steel and glass structure known as The Line, in turn part of the broader development known as Neom.
Neom was introduced about a decade ago as a centrepiece of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify the economy and cut reliance on oil. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Neom’s owner the Public Investment Fund, confirmed in April that The Line was no longer a priority, and said it was not vital before 2030, the original delivery target for its first phase. He denied any projects had been cancelled.
However, according to two sources, plans to build the Neom Stadium have now been shelved indefinitely.
Saudi Arabia is quietly shelving plans to build one of its most ambitious stadiums for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, two sources familiar with the matter said, after delays and downscaling of the futuristic development housing it.
Further background reading here.
Sébastien Pocognoli got his first win as Scotland manager. Will Kieron Bowie’s goal be the beginning of golden years?
John McGinn’s 22nd goal for his country, coming from the penalty spot, meant the scoreline at least almost reflected Scotland’s dominance. Only Scott McKenna’s late sending off and a failure to notch three, four or five could have irked Pocognoli. Scotland remain alive and kicking in section B1 of the Nations League while aware they will face far, far stiffer challenges. Scotland needed to be professional in North Macedonia and met that task appropriately.
South Korea’s Asian Games football captain, Lee Gi-hyuk, has apologised for boasting that his gold medal meant he did not have to do military service, report AFP.
South Korea defeated hosts Japan 1-0 on Saturday in the men’s final. Afterwards, Lee smiled as he held up his gold medal to reporters and said: “I’m not going to the military.” Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28. But the government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption, meaning they will carry out just weeks of light basic training instead.
The 26-year-old Lee, a defender who plays in the domestic K League, apologised for “the thoughtless remarks I made and the way I behaved after the match, things I should not have said or done, both as captain and as a player”. In a statement on Instagram he said he was “caught up in the happiness, adrenaline and excitement of the moment”.
“I am deeply sorry to the fans who are currently fulfilling their military duty, as well as to all those who sincerely supported us. As an adult I should have thought carefully before speaking. I deeply regret having spoken so carelessly, and I will continue to reflect on my actions. I sincerely apologise to all the fans who have supported us wholeheartedly and who are doing their utmost to fulfil their military duty.”
Cavan Sullivan became the youngest player to score a goal in USMNT history , fellow teenager Julian Hall added another goal and the Americans cruised to a 3-0 victory over Mexico.
Kane: England are ‘hungry’
Harry Kane, now on 89 international goals from 124 games, says the Croatia performance has to be the blueprint for how England play.
“Even when we were 1-0 up, we went for two, went for three, went for four, and that’s got to be our mentality. When you have a certain style of playing, you can’t just pick and choose when you want to do it. It’s just relentless. It’s non-stop.
“You get four, you want five. You go and have a really hungry mentality. That’s needed to change, especially in the bigger games, in the bigger tournaments, and these games will only help us.
“We’re playing against a really good side. We can’t take this type of win for granted because it could have been a really tricky game for us. And it’s always just sending messages – not just to yourself, but to the other teams around Europe. I think we’ve done that again.
“We’re hungry. We’re a young team. We have players in amazing form right now, and I think everyone’s just excited to be out there on the pitch. And performances like this will only make us more motivated.”
Kane is set to become England’s joint highest-capped player on Tuesday against Czechia. He will draw level with Peter Shilton on 125 caps.
Pro-am golf news. And tennis? The Celtic majority owner Dermot Desmond saw his round at the Alfred Dunhill links course interrupted.
Celtic said the club would not be “intimidated or coerced by organised acts of disruption”, adding “there is a line between protest and deliberate disruption. Today that line was crossed … The club will protect its employees, directors, shareholders and supporters. The reputation of Celtic Football Club is non negotiable.”
So then, Manchester City, the story that’s completely overshadowed the international break. Jonathan Wilson enters the debate.
How can those trophies be left in the record books for future generations unquestioningly to see? How can City stand as the fourth-most successful side in league history when so much of that success was achieved by cheating?
To League One, where Sam Cunningham took in Bradford’s first game without Graham Alexander, who has departed to Preston.
On forums and social media, fans shared a mixture of sadness, anger and anxiety. Most believe Alexander has left the club stronger, but frustration is shared among a sizeable minority about the timing – less than two months into a season after a summer spent recruiting specifically for his aggressive, direct, high-pressing football.
Spain continue to march on, with Lamine Yamal hitting his straps.
Lamine Yamal had scored after 104 seconds at Wembley and 70 in Seville, as Spain defeated England and Croatia. And the silly thing was that here, his goal might have come even sooner. Fifteen seconds in, the first frisson of excitement went round this place as he chased down the goalkeeper and after just fifty-seven Oviedo almost exploded. But, running on to a Dani Olmo pass, Lamine Yamal calmly guided a shot past the goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky … and past the post.
He would just have to wait until the sixth minute was up instead. Playing a quick one-two with Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal took possession on the top right corner of the area and curled another outrageous shot into the far corner, the ridiculous becoming routine. They had been playing five minutes 20 seconds, another stadium letting out a roar that spoke of delight but also a kind of disbelief. 320 seconds he had been out there, taking him to 494 seconds to score three.
Beyond the result, most memories of Croatia v England will centre on the children who populated the crowd, their high-pitched voices making the match resemble a teen idol pop concert. Writes Barney Ronay.
It is at the very least a confusing message. It seems to say: racism and children, this is a good combination. And given this seems to happen quite regularly, that racism is now a kind of children’s holiday event around here, football Christmas. And here’s your bonus bag of free tickets, brought to you by today’s matchday sponsor, racism.
Did that crushing win wipe away the tears of Atlanta and Argentina? Not really, admits Thomas Tuchel.
“If you feel pain you have to lay with the pain,” the manager said. “The same with disappointment. It was not easy at the beginning of the camp. We had an excellent performance against Spain. The focus in the meetings, the translation of the meetings on the pitch, to bring it within these circumstances in Croatia, to win this dominant performance is the way to move on. We’ll always have a scar, feel pain, but this is the way to move forward. We’ve played in the same manner all three matches.”
Saturday saw a historic win for England last night, and a historic defeat for Croatia.
Everything clicked. England could have had double figures against opponents ranked 13th in the world but they settled for seven. Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka were in lightning, goalscoring form on the flanks and another story was an exceptional full debut from Alex Scott. The 23-year-old proved that he belongs, impressing with his tenacity and quality on and off the ball, and made it hard to shake off the sense that Tuchel missed a trick by not taking him to the World Cup.
Saturday’s Nations League results
Preamble
Good morning, and welcome to coverage of the day’s football news, as we build up to another round of Nations League action, and continue to hear the fallout from the Manchester City saga.
Join us.
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