The Argentine scored 260 goals for City on his way to pocketing five Premier League winners’ medals, an FA Cup and six League Cups.

But as Aguero looks back at his decade-long stint at City, he insists his legacy is not entirely in the past, with the club’s continued success helping keep his generation in the spotlight.

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Aguero on his City legacy

“I left in 2021, after 10 happy years, but I want City to continue to be successful,” he tells FourFourTwo.

Aguero turned out 390 times for the club to cement himself as a Premier League great, and still remains emotionally invested in the club.

This means that Aguero sees a direct connection between City’s current successes and the legacy of his side who helped City break through and end a four-decade wait for a title win.

“If they keep winning titles and signing really good players, even now, that also continues to increase my legacy at the club,” he believes.

And conversely, he is of the opinion that should City lose their sparkle, it will impact those who helped build the club in recent years.

“If they go down the wrong path, people won’t talk about City as much any more,” he adds.

“The longer City are at the top, the more people talk about the club, and the more they talk about those of us who played for the club.”

And for Aguero, this recognition is not solely for himself, despite the countless match-winning contributions and iconic moments he provided during his ten-year stint in Manchester.

“For myself and the other guys who I played with, our names will continue to be up there.”

After a victory in their opening WSL fixture, Renee Slegers' Arsenal only managed a draw against newly-promoted Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have had a difficult start under new manager Eva Olid, and will be desperate to bounce back from their recent 5-0 defeat to Chelsea.

FourFourTwo has all the information on live streams and TV channels so you can watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the WSL online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Arsenal vs Manchester United for free

US viewers can watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the WSL at no cost on CBS Sports Golazo Network, which will show selected WSL fixtures throughout the campaign.

Outside the UK or US? Use a VPN to access your free stream from anywhere in the world.

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How to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the UK

As mentioned above, Arsenal vs Manchester United is live on Sky Sports in the UK, with kick-off at 5:30pm BST.

Outside the UK? Watch Arsenal vs Manchester United via NordVPN.

How to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in the US

As mentioned above, US viewers can watch Arsenal vs Manchester United for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Kick-off is at 9:45am ET.

Paramount+ also has live coverage of the WSL clash.

How to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Arsenal vs Manchester United on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 11:45pm AEST.

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Arsenal vs Manchester United: Women's Super League preview

Arsenal welcome Manchester United to the Emirates on Saturday.

The Gunners finished second in the WSL last season and will be aiming to go one better this time around, but they have made a slow start in front of goal.

After a 1-0 victory away to Brighton on the opening weekend, Renee Slegers' side were held to a goalless draw by newly-promoted Crystal Palace at the Emirates last weekend.

While Arsenal have started the season unbeaten, they have only scored once so far - their lack of goals might be a concern as they look to mount another title challenge.

After strengthening their squad over the summer, Slegers will be hoping her new additions can help provide some of the spark they have been missing.

For United, they will be looking to bounce back from a tough start to their season.

Following Marc Skinner's departure over summer, Eva Olid's reign began with a 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses before United were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea last weekend.

It leaves United with plenty to prove at the Emirates, where they will be looking to avoid a third straight defeat and give their new manager something to build on.

Alessia Russo will be facing her former club and close friend Ella Toone, Russo was maid of honour at Toone's wedding this summer, but the pair will put friendship aside when they face off at the Emirates.

With both sides still searching for their best form, this could be an important early test for two teams with very different questions to answer.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United

Arsenal will prove too much for a struggling United

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Nottingham Forest got a first win of the campaign at Villa Park last weekend, as summer signing Liam Delap netted his first goal for the club, with Igor Jesus scoring the winner just two minutes from time in the Midlands.

Coventry City are currently 0-4 after last weekend's 5-0 hammering against Brighton. Taiwo Awoniyi was also sent off in the defeat, with Lampard's men suffering even more misery in midweek as they were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City online and from anywhere, including for free, as the 2026/27 Premier League season continues.

Can I watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City for free?

Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City isn't technically available to watch for free, but there is a way that viewers in the US can stream the game at no cost.

Live coverage in the States is on NBC, which is available on YouTube TV, which currently comes with a 10-day free trial for new customers.

Outside the US? Use a VPN to access your free Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City stream from anywhere in the world.

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How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City in the UK

Viewers in the UK can watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City live on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League will have live coverage of the Premier League clash, with kick-off at 5:30pm BST.

How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City in the US

As mentioned above, NBC is showing Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City in the US. The game is also live on Peacock, NBC's streaming platform. Kick-off is at 12:30pm ET.

How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 2:30am AEST on Sunday.

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Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City: Preview

Forest are in much happier spirits after their first win of the season against Unai Emery's side last weekend at Villa Park.

Igor Jesus sealed the win after Liam Delap had opened his Forest account, which helps ease the pressure on Oliver Glasner's ideas at the City Ground, having made the switch to his favoured 3-4-2-1 system over the summer.

Daniel Munoz came straight in and impressed following his move from Crystal Palace, whilst Morgan Gibbs-White continued to be Forest's star man in all creative areas, with a goal and two assists to his name in four games already.

The biggest omission remains centre-back Nikola Milenkovic (thigh), with Jair Cunha (thigh) and Nicolo Savona (knee) both also sidelined.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Coventry have lost every single game to begin the season, which isn't helping Lampard's case or plans to keep the Sky Blues in the Premier League.

A 3-1 defeat in the EFL Cup in midweek won't help matters, nor will the fact City are one of two teams yet to score in the Premier League so far this season, the other being Tottenham.

Victor Torp scored a stunning free-kick in the defeat against Villa and will be hoping to make his first start of the season at the City Ground this weekend.

In terms of injuries, Coventry are still missing Haji Wright (thigh), Kaine Kesler-Hayden (thigh), Luke Woolfenden (knee), and Frank Onyeka is a doubt with a wrist problem.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Nottingham Forest 3-0 Coventry City

Forest are beginning to find their groove and we expect them to ease past a struggling Coventry on Saturday.

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The Lions had convinced Wise to drop down a division to join the club, but remarkably, Millwall’s then-boss Mark McGhee had no idea it was happening.

That’s because a chance conversation between Lions owner Theo Paphitis and another former England and Chelsea star in Ray Wilkins brought about a deal that was made at breakneck speed.

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Paphitis on how he signed Dennis Wise

“I had a heart to heart with Mark McGhee the previous week,” he Paphitis recalls to FourFourTwo. “He said that we needed a Dennis Wise style character in midfield.

“We had Tim Cahill, then a promising kid, learning his job, box to box. Dennis at the time had just left Leicester after an incident.”

And as fate would have it, Paphitis was soon handed the opportunity to act on McGhee’s request. “It just so happened that I went for a drink with Ray Wilkins, who was a neighbour. Over that drink... “Ray asked if I’d thought about Dennis. I didn’t like Dennis’ agent at the time, that raving monster Eric Hall character. He was really rude when I tried to sign Dennis when he left Chelsea. So, Ray made a discreet enquiry directly to Dennis on my behalf.

“I ended up speaking to Dennis and said, ‘I guarantee they’ll love you at The Den’, even though he thought I was having a laugh by trying to get him to Millwall. I told him, though, that I wouldn’t deal with his agent – I said, ‘You have to deal with that’. We didn’t have an agent present doing the deal. I broke loads of taboos, as it all happened really quickly.

“While we made him our highest-paid player, it didn’t lock us into some long-term commitment. It wasn’t going to hurt the club financially, and once Dennis was mentally committed, he made it very easy, for which all Millwall supporters have always been grateful.”

The speed of the deal meant that Paphitis had no chance to involve McGhee.

“We did the deal, then I rang Mark and told him there was a press conference organised for tomorrow,” he continues. “I said ‘I’ve got you a new player’. He was a bit surprised.

“I reminded him that he’d asked for a Dennis Wise style character for midfield and said ‘Well, I’ve got you one’. He asked ‘Any chance you’re going to tell me who?’ I said ‘Yes, Dennis Wise’.

“There was silence on the other end of the line.”

Newcastle United are still reeling following a 4-1 drubbing at Elland Road last weekend, with Matthias Jaissle feeling the heat in the dugout at St. James' Park.

Hull City have two wins and two draws from their opening four games, which includes last week's 2-2 draw at Chelsea, which raised eyebrows around the division.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Newcastle United vs Hull City online and from anywhere in the world as the Premier League 2026/27 season continues.

Is Newcastle United vs Hull City on TV in the UK?

Newcastle United vs Hull City is not being televised in the UK. The game starts on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm blackout'.

Outside the UK, the game is available in virtually every country across the globe. If you're visiting the UK, you can use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

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How to watch Newcastle United vs Hull City in the US

Viewers in the US can watch Newcastle United vs Hull City on Peacock. Kick-off is at 10:00am ET.

Peacock is NBC's streaming platform, which not only streams NBC games but also exclusively shows several other Premier League matches each week.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to watch Newcastle United vs Hull City on Peacock.

How to watch Newcastle United vs Hull City in Australia

In Australia, Newcastle United vs Hull City is live on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 12:00am AEST (midnight) on Sunday morning.

Visiting the UK from Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch Newcastle United vs Hull City on Stan Sport.

Newcastle United vs Hull City: Preview

Newcastle United are still continuing to come to terms with a summer of mass change, with player exits galore, as well as a huge one in the dugout.

The Magpies look like a shell of their former 'dogged' football under Eddie Howe, almost rolling over against Leeds United on Monday, conceding four times at Elland Road in their 4-1 loss.

The only small shining light was Bazoumana Toure's first goal in black and white off the bench, which may earn him a starting spot against the Tigers this weekend.

The last time these two sides met in the north-east in the Premier League, it was a 2-2 draw, with Papiss Cisse scoring a brace for United.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Hull City are continuing their reputation as shock of the season, especially after leading at Stamford Bridge in the eventual 2-2 draw with Xabi Alonso's side last week.

Sitting deep and opting to counter and frustrate the Blues, Hull's 5-4-1 is providing Premier League sides with no space through the middle of the pitch nor out wide, and when they do get going, goals aren't proving a problem at the other end either.

It's five goals in four games so far, with Bachir Belloumi netting twice last week in the draw in the capital.

Nobel Mendy suffered a concussion and is likely to miss the game due to protocol's around head injuries. The Tigers will also be without Eliot Matazo, Darko Gyabi, Jack Butland, Ilyas Ansah, Charlie Hughes and Hidemasa Morita, while Paddy McNair is a doubt.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Newcastle United 1-0 Hull City

Newcastle need a response and we think the Tigers may come unstuck for the first time this season without one of their star men at the back in Mendy.

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Albion have had an excellent week, hammering Coventry City 5-0 in the league last Sunday before fighting back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Manchester United in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday.

The Gunners are also in fantastic form and have won seven matches out of seven across all competitions so far this term, while they lead the Premier League table.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Brighton vs Arsenal online and from anywhere, including for free, in the 2026/27 Premier League.

Watch Brighton vs Arsenal for FREE

CazéTV in Brazil is showing Brighton vs Arsenal for free on YouTube.

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Is Brighton vs Arsenal on TV in the UK?

Brighton vs Arsenal is not being televised in the UK. The game kicks-off on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm blackout'.

Outside the UK, the game is available in virtually every country across the globe. If you're visiting the UK, you can use Proton VPN to access your usual coverage.

How to watch Brighton vs Arsenal in the US

As mentioned above, Brighton vs Arsenal is live on USA Network in the US. Kick-off is at 10:00am ET.

How to watch Brighton vs Arsenal in Australia

Viewers in Australia can watch Brighton vs Arsenal live on Stan Sport. The game kicks-off at 12:00am (midnight) AEST on Sunday.

Tickets

Brighton vs Arsenal: Preview

This Saturday-afternoon clash on the south coast pits the Premier League's highest goalscorers heading into the weekend against its best defence.

It is no surprise to see Arsenal keeping goals out, but Brighton's free-scoring start to the campaign has been more of a shock - particularly when you consider they sold striker Danny Welbeck to Chelsea in the summer and have been without key attackers Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter due to injury.

The Seagulls have scored at least three goals in five of their past six matches and if they continue that trend against a miserly Gunners defence, their fans will have every reason to get excited.

Rutter returned from injury during the 3-2 comeback win against Manchester United in midweek, but deadline-day signing Femi Azeez won't be available until after the international break as he works his way back to full fitness.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Arsenal continued their perfect start to the campaign with a 4-2 Carabao Cup third round victory at Ipswich Town in midweek to make it seven wins out of seven across all competitions.

Mikel Arteta made nine changes to his starting lineup and his fringe players stepped up, with 16-year-old Max Dowman scoring twice and Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino also on target.

The Arsenal manager is likely to revert to an XI that more closely resembles the one that started the 2-0 win at Sunderland last Saturday and he will have some decisions to make, with defensive quartet Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie all expected to be available despite fitness concerns.

They will further bolster a Gunners defence that conceded just one goal in their opening four Premier League matches, putting them top of the table.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Brighton 1-2 Arsenal

The Seagulls will fancy themselves to breach the Gunners' watertight back line, but the champions have to be favourites here.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

David Moyes' side have quietly enjoyed a strong opening month of the campaign, taking six points from their first four league games and reaching the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

Ipswich are also on six points and will be reasonably happy with how they have started life back in the Premier League following their promotion last season.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Everton vs Ipswich Town online and from anywhere in the world as the Premier League 2026/27 season continues.

Is Everton vs Ipswich Town on TV in the UK?

Everton vs Ipswich Town is not being televised in the UK. The game kicks-off on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm blackout'.

You can access the game in multiple countries including the likes of the US and Australia where you will find great deals for watching EPL football.

If you're visiting the UK, you can use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

Watch Everton vs Ipswich Town from anywhere

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How to watch Everton vs Ipswich Town in the US

Viewers in the US can watch Everton vs Ipswich Town on Peacock. Kick-off is at 10:00am ET.

Peacock is NBC's streaming platform, which not only hosts a live stream of the NBC games but also exclusively shows a number of other Premier League matches each week. Plans start from $12.99 a month or $129.99 a year.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to watch Everton vs Ipswich Town on Peacock.

How to watch Everton vs Ipswich Town in Australia

Everton vs Ipswich Town is live on Stan Sport in Australia. Kick-off is at 12:00am AEST (midnight) on Sunday morning.

Stan Sport is getting cheaper for 2026/27, thanks to the newly introduced Basic with Ads plan, bringing the monthly cost down from AU$32 to AU$29.99.

For comparison, that is roughly £15.50/month for every Premier League and Champions League game.

Travelling outside Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch Everton vs Ipswich Town on Stan Sport.

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Everton vs Ipswich Town: Preview

Everton head into their home clash with Ipswich Town unbeaten in all competitions this season, although a run of three successive draws in the Premier League takes the shine off that statistic ever so slightly.

The Toffees showed guts and determination to score last-minute equalisers against Bournemouth and Manchester United, and hold Tottenham Hotspur to a 0-0 draw in North London last Saturday.

They returned to winning ways with a 1-0 home victory over Wolves in the Carabao Cup third round in midweek, with fringe players Charly Alcaraz - who scored the only goal - and Tyler Dibling impressing, while Jack Grealish made his first start since returning on loan from Manchester City.

Manager David Moyes rested centre-back duo James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite for the cup clash, so both are expected to return here - with the latter riding the crest of a wave after being recalled to the England squad for the upcoming international break.

SEE ALSO Football fixture calendar for the 2026/27 season

Ipswich have already gained half the number of wins they managed all season the last time they were in the Premier League, thanks to deadline-day signing Zian Flemming's 90th-minute strike at Crystal Palace last weekend.

That 3-2 victory was the Tractor Boys' second of the campaign and they will hope to add to their tally on their first trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium, having claimed seven points from their final three visits to Goodison Park.

Manager Gary O'Neil almost has a fully-fit squad to choose from, with only Jack Taylor absent and Azor Matusiwa back available, while striker Emersonn is also fit after recovering from a tight quad.

Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom started and scored in Tuesday's 4-2 Carabao Cup home defeat by Arsenal, although neither are likely to keep their place in the XI.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Everton 1-0 Ipswich Town

The Toffees are strong at home, so they will be targeting all three points here.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The frontman would later find the net nearly 50 times in the Premier League, but he’ll forever be associated with Sky commentator Bill Leslie and his iconic cry of “DEEEEEENEY!”, as he slammed home a 97th-minute play-off semi-final winner for Watford in 2013, 20 seconds after Anthony Knockaert had missed a penalty that would have clinched it for Leicester at the other end. It’s one of the great Football League moments.

“You can call it that, I can’t!” Deeney laughs, attempting to remain modest as he sits down with FourFourTwo. “In the moment, I was so calm – it felt like everything slowed down, like you see in the movies. I thought, ‘Just kick it straight and I’ll score’. As soon as it hit the net, it felt like an eruption of noise. The celebration was wild.”

Seven goals while drunk

Plenty of other things had been wild about Deeney’s life until that point, too – in his younger days, he admits he was a very different person. “God, you wouldn’t have been having this conversation with me, let’s put it that way!” he says. A lifelong Birmingham fan, he was expelled from school but could have joined rivals Aston Villa, had he turned up for all of the four-day trial.

“At 15, yeah,” he explains. “I was trying to be the cool kid. My mates were down at the local park playing football, a few of them smoked. I knew all of the birds were there and it was summer holidays, so I didn’t want to go to Villa. I knew on the last day of the trial that there was a match, so I turned up on the first day and the last day, that was it. My brother was already at Villa so it wouldn’t have been that bad playing for them – I didn’t have a Blues tattoo at that point! I just wasn’t in the right headspace for it.”

Instead, Deeney was soon playing for non-league Chelmsley Town. “I played central midfield at first, I loved a tackle, had loads of energy and enjoyed passing the ball, hitting big diagonals,” he says. “I was 16 playing with lads who were 34, so I instantly knew how to look after myself and learned the dark arts – the pulling of the shirt, things like that.

“I loved my time at Chelmsley, it shaped who I am. If I’d gone straight from getting kicked out of school to joining Walsall, I would have struggled, but at Chelmsley Town there were so many different ethnicities and ages. Some had families, some were going out straight after games, some were turning up drunk to games…”

The latter group included Deeney himself – Walsall spotted him on a day when he reportedly scored seven goals in a game while intoxicated. “I can’t tell you if I actually scored seven, but I was definitely drunk!” he laughs. “I was 18 – my job on a construction site finished on the Friday, I got my last pay packet, paid my mum what she needed, then I went out, had a few too many with the lads, then played on the Saturday and Sunday. I went out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – then I’d figure out getting another job on the Monday.”

What was it like playing while drunk?

“It was normal, that was the problem, we were doing it quite a lot!” he says. “At 18 you don’t get hangovers, you go again. I grew up in a community where when you’re drunk, you have one more to level yourself. So I had a Jack Daniel’s before the game and was good to go.

“Walsall just happened to come to the game. Mick Halsall – a legend, I’ll always give him the credit – saw something in me that I didn’t think was possible. He gave me not only an opportunity, but a lifeline, and thought, ‘Do you know what? If I push this kid…’ I didn’t realise how much of a listener and a learner I was – he was just trying to punch things in all the time, ‘Do this, do that’.”

Deeney went from a raw youngster to a regular goalscorer in League One before joining Watford, who were then a mid-table Championship outfit. The forward says he couldn’t have imagined the journey he’d go on while at Vicarage Road, scoring 140 goals across 11 years, including five full campaigns in the top flight. “No, not at all,” he says. “The first 18 months were representative of where I was at – mentally all over the place, not turning up, not applying myself in the right way, and not realising what an opportunity I actually had.

“I always had impostor syndrome – ‘this will end soon, they’ll kick me back out and I’ll go back and play with my mates’. I had this big fear of, ‘Oh God, it’s going to be over, it’s going to be over’. Unfortunately, it took my dad getting sick and me getting arrested to make me realise I needed to liven up.”

During the first half of 2012, Deeney’s father battled throat cancer aged only 47, while the striker became embroiled in an early-hours brawl outside a club in Birmingham. Deeney, his brother and two other men were charged with affray, after an attack on a group of students left one with a broken jaw.

Aged 23, Deeney responded on the pitch with the best form of his Watford career so far over the remaining weeks of the 2011-12 campaign. “I’ll give him the credit every time, Sean Dyche was brilliant for me,” he says. “For his first six months as manager, I hardly played or played on the left wing, but he kept challenging me and telling me, ‘You’re going to quit’. He understood there was not a quitter in me, so he kept trying to go, ‘You’re going to quit, you’re going to go back to doing this or that’.

“Then he handed me an opportunity when Marvin Sordell moved on. I took it – we were playing Millwall away and I scored. I got 10 goals from January through to the end of that season, but then ended up going to jail.”

"In jail, all you have is time"

Three days after attending his father’s funeral that June, Deeney was given a 10-month prison sentence. He served just over three months of it, and admits that he wouldn’t have hit the heights he later reached as a footballer had it not been for that time in jail. “No, I would have been dead – if I didn’t go to jail, I would have been dead,” he emphasises, repeating his words to make clear that he really means it. “I was living too recklessly away from football, but all things happen for a reason.

“There was a family on the other side and I never ever want to glorify what I did, there was a victim so I don’t ever want it to come across as that. On the flip side, it was like a hard reset for me. I had to sit for 13 weeks in jail and figure out who I was – ‘My dad’s dead now, what’s going to happen?’

“I buried my dad on the Friday and went to jail on the Monday, so I had to figure out what was going on and why I was being like that. All while surviving, while not knowing how my career was. In jail, all you have is time. You’ve got nothing but time, you’re just sat there.

“I write a lot, I still do to this day. I’ll write and write, and I think. I remember writing down a list. What am I going to do when I get out of here? It was like, ‘I’m going to have a career, I’m going to buy a house, I’m going to buy a car’. I was making good money, sure, but I was also going out every week, and had a leased car and a rented house. Then when you get locked up and stop being paid, it’s like, ‘Oh s**t, actually I haven’t got anything’. It was the hard reset that I needed and hopefully from that, I’ve made my dad and my grandad, the people who passed away, really proud of me. I certainly hope so.”

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Watford were taken over by the Pozzo family that summer, with Gianfranco Zola appointed as manager. Deeney scored the winner on his first start after his release from prison, and went on to bag 20 goals for the first time that term. The last of those was his famous strike against Leicester in the play-offs.

“I didn’t appreciate that goal for a long time – we lost in the play-off final,” he says, remembering defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley. “But with TikTok, my five-year-old recreates it around the house and celebrates it. I went to the Club World Cup with Talksport and my wife said she’d been mobbed by people going, ‘Oh my god, that goal’. They can tell you where they were and what they were doing when it happened. I’m very fortunate – there are people who had much better careers than me, but they haven’t got a moment like that, while I managed to have one.”

Leicester were so irritated by that play-off defeat that they responded by winning the Championship a year later, then the Premier League within three years. “I take all the credit for that!” Deeney laughs. “I tell big Wes Morgan all the time that he owes me a watch or something. My kids are at the age now where they like to watch YouTube, and my daughter managed to find the whole game, so we watched it when we were on holiday recently. Harry Kane was on the bench for Leicester, Jamie Vardy was on the bench. It was two teams attacking, we both just went for it. My goal came from that.”

Given Kane’s penalty prowess since then, and the fact that he was on the pitch at the time, Deeney’s moment might never have happened at all if Knockaert had passed the ball over to Leicester’s teenage loanee.

A year later, Deeney was appointed Watford captain, at the beginning of their own promotion season – it was quite the turnaround for him, although asked how he ended up as skipper, he’s none the wiser. “F**k knows!” he smiles. “For the first game of the season, the armband was on my seat, no-one had said, ‘You’re going to be captain’, it was just there. I thought, ‘Oh, OK’.

“I bluffed it for two years, remembering what Tommy Mooney, Michael Ricketts and Michael Dobson did for me when I was at Walsall, and John Eustace at Watford. I thought ‘OK, let’s try to blag it’. I knew the whole thing about ‘work hard, be in first’, but never really believed in that. I was like, ‘You get in when you get in, but you leave when the job’s done’. I’ve always outworked people.”

After winning top-flight promotion, Deeney would be rewarded with his first Premier League goal, even if it required 10 games to find the net. “That meant everything to me,” he says. “It was at Stoke away – I’d been playing really well but hadn’t scored yet. Thierry Henry was working as a pundit for Sky and against Newcastle, I’d brought the ball down on my chest, turned and played a pass for Odion Ighalo to score.

“Henry was saying, ‘If any of the big players did that, we’d be talking about it all the time – he’s a great player, but he has to start scoring in the Premier League for us to see that’. You listen when people say that, and I was like, ‘F**king hell, can I do it?’

“Then we played Stoke, and there was the joke of, ‘But can you do it on a cold, wet night in Stoke?’ I remember thinking ‘Well, it’s actually a beautiful day, but we’re in Stoke, it’s cold and I’m going to do it today’. The ball came to me and the defender dived in to make a slide tackle, which gave me the time to take a touch and pass it into the far corner. As soon as I hit it, I was like, ‘Goal’. I got 13 in the Premier League that season.”

Dale Vince: No love lost

Many more goals after that, Deeney departed Watford in 2021 as a club legend. He spent the next two years with his boyhood team Birmingham before making a switch to League Two side Forest Green Rovers, initially as a player-coach. Just four months on, he was appointed as head coach of the West Country outfit at the age of 35.

Rovers were fighting to avoid a second successive relegation and Deeney won none of his first six games in charge–after a home loss to Harrogate, he told the media that were “too many babies” in his squad, claiming that he’d rather watch Antiques Roadshow than one of his own team’s matches. Deeney also described right-back Fankaty Dabo’s performance as “awful”.

Days later, he was given a four-game touchline ban for his conduct towards a match official during a previous game, and he was sacked. Rovers owner Dale Vince later claimed that he hadn’t necessarily wanted to appoint Deeney in the first place, but the club’s director of football had promised to give the frontman a shot at the manager’s job when it next became available, as part of enticing him into the player-coach role. Nobody at the club expected the opportunity would arise so soon.

“Lessons were learned,” is Deeney’s assessment of his time with the club.

“Although he tries to give me stick any time he needs to, I appreciate Dale Vince giving me the opportunity – he says he didn’t give me the opportunity, but he did. It’s about the environment there, because they’ve got the talent, they’ve got the ownership with the money, they’ve got all the grand plans, so it’s about having someone pull it all together. We tried to do that in the short time we were there, with Dave Horseman and Louis Carey.

“It’s a great place. Robbie Savage went in as manager, and I’ve genuinely been wishing them all the best; I just wish Dale would stop talking about me.”

Did Deeney almost care too much, hence his emotional outbursts? “My rant was just immaturity,” he admits. “It wasn’t caring too much for myself – since then, I’ve been all right, life is good. It was caring so much for those players who didn’t realise they were letting the opportunity slip through their hands – not to stay in the League, forget that, because people get relegated, it happens. It was the opportunity to be a professional footballer.

“Some of those people don’t have jobs now, so ultimately I was right, but how I said it was wrong, you have to own that. The timing of saying it was wrong as well, but in hindsight I was dropped into a position where I was expected to fail. We were at the bottom of League Two, the director of football was in his first role, the CEO was in his first role and I spoke to Dale once. Then you go, ‘By the way, get that all sorted as quick as you can’. I wasn’t allowed to bring in everybody I wanted, either. We tried to make the best of it and I made some mistakes along the way, but it hasn’t deterred me. If anything, it’s made me more focused to want to do it again.”

Indeed, Deeney is very open to making a return to management. “Absolutely,” he says. “But now with the hindsight of that experience, you’d ask so many more questions. The bit of satisfaction for me is that everything I said turned out to be true – like when I made the ‘cojones’ comment about Arsenal.”

On that occasion in 2017, Deeney implied that the Gunners had lost at Vicarage Road due to a lack of mental fortitude. “It’s not a thing that a player normally says, even though it was right – it was right at that moment and it’s played out to be right for the years since,” he says. “But it’s not the done thing to say it, then people take offence to it. Paul Merson was hammering me, loads of the pundits were hammering me, but you fast forward and they’ve all been saying what I said, they just didn’t want Troy Deeney saying it.

“At Forest Green I could have done so much better, but that hasn’t deterred me, I’ll come again. I’ve done my LMA manager’s diploma so I’m not sitting here sulking, and when it’s that time, we’ll do what we need to do.”

Deeney recently took part in filming for a celebrity version of the TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins, and became a television presenter for the first time, co-hosting BBC reality series Last Pundit Standing. Everything he’s achieved over the past decade and more would have blown the mind of the wild child who started out at Chelmsley Town.

“I would’ve thought, ‘Who did I have to kill to do all that?’” Deeney says now. “I played in the Premier League, I was Watford captain, I had the Leicester moment, I had so many moments that were iconic for me, and I’m really happy to have provided for my family. I don’t like looking back – I’m like, ‘What’s next, what else can I do?’ But I’m so grateful.” Maybe missing half of that Aston Villa trial was the right decision after all.

But if the scenery is right, even some that are little more than a patch of grass can become a footballing work of art.

With a little globe-trotting FourFourTwo have picked out ten stunning grounds tucked away in places you'd never expect to watch the beautiful game being played.

1. Henningsvaer Stadion

One of football’s numerous beauties is that it can be played virtually anywhere – this venue is a monument to that. It’s mainly the host of local amateur matches in Henningsvaer, a fishing village straddling multiple islands in northern Norway, but that hasn’t stopped it gaining global recognition.

2. Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena

Europe’s highest stadium is the best part of 7,000 feet above sea level. It’s home to amateur outfit FC Gspon, in the south of Switzerland near the Matterhorn. Named after the legendary Ottmar Hitzfeld, who spent much of his career in the country, it can only be reached by cable car – or a steep hike, if you’re feeling adventurous…

3. Estadio Hernando Siles

The biggest stadium in Bolivia is 11,932 feet above sea level in La Paz, the globe’s highest capital city. That altitude has made it difficult for visiting national teams – FIFA even banned World Cup qualifiers from being held there. With the ban lifted, last year Bolivia moved games even higher, at 13,412 feet in El Alto. They then went unbeaten across six home qualifiers to reach the World Cup play-offs.

4. Subaru Park

This ground is a bit of a rarity in the USA: a stadium that was built specifically with the association brand of football in mind. Home to MLS side Philadelphia Union, it sits right on the Delaware River’s waterfront, beneath the looming frame of the Commodore Barry Bridge – it makes for quite a striking setting, we have to say.

5. Gospin Dolac

With a capacity of 4,000, this ground was somehow built among jagged rocks right next to the medieval Topana fortress overlooking Croatian tourist hotspot Imotski, not too far from the border with neighbouring Bosnia. It’s also situated near the stunning Blue Lake, and gets its name from the Croatian translation of the Our Lady of the Angels church at the entrance to the fortress. So now you know…

6. Qeqertarsuaq Stadium

OK, so really it’s just a pitch, but the Qeqertarsuaq Stadium boasts the most awe-inspiring surrounds. Home to Greenlandic Football Championship side G-44 Qeqertarsuaq on Disko Island, the complete lack of stands makes for unobstructed views of icebergs in Baffin Bay, which stretches all the way to Canada.

7. Svangaskard

The Faroe Islands national team don’t play any games here these days, which is a crying shame, because Svangaskard is one of the most scenic venues in all of international football. Small enough that you could watch from the rock face that juts out above one corner of the pitch, the stunning ground in Toftir affords gorgeous views of the adjacent fjord. Make a day of it by taking a spin on the world’s first undersea roundabout nearby. FFT are a blast at parties, honest…

8. Changlimithang Stadium

Bhutan’s national sport is archery, which takes place alongside football at the Changlimithang Stadium – not simultaneously of course, that would be dangerous. Located in Thimpu, capital city of the tranquil mountain kingdom, the ground is filled with traditional architecture and ornate details, and looks truly majestic set against the backdrop of the Himalayas. The Bhutanese government runs the tiny nation on the philosophy of Gross National Happiness – no arguments from groundhoppers.

9. Victoria Stadium

Gibraltar’s primary football venue is Victoria Stadium, the usual base of the national team. Look one way and you’re unable to miss the colossal Rock of Gibraltar. Look the other and you can pass time watching planes land at and take off from the airport. Bad news, though: they’re knocking it down and building a modern stadium on the same site, which may restrict those views. Boo!

10 Cape Town Stadium

Built for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the venue played host to eight games at the tournament, including the Netherlands’ thrilling semi-final win over Uruguay and England’s dour draw with Algeria. Right by the Atlantic coast, it seats almost 60,000 punters – pick the right spot and you can see the iconic Table Mountain peering out from behind the roof.

Spurs' 0-0 draw at home to Everton last Saturday saw them set an unwanted record, having failed to score in the opening four games of a league season for the first time in the club's history.

Villa managed only one goal and one point in their first four Premier League matches, so both teams are in desperate need of a victory here.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa online and from anywhere, including for free, in the 2026/27 Premier League.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa for FREE

You can stream Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa for free in the US thanks to YouTube TV's 10-day free trial, which carries USA Network.

Outside the US? You need NordVPN to access your stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa in the UK

Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa is live on TNT Sports in the UK.

TNT Sports 1 and its streaming platform HBO Max will have coverage of the Premier League clash, with kick-off at 12:30pm BST.

Outside the UK? Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa on TNT Sports via NordVPN.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa in the US

As mentioned above, USA Network has live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa in the US. Kick-off is at 7:30am ET.

Remember: Use NordVPN to unlock your Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa stream on USA Network.

How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa on Stan Sport, with kick-off at 9:30pm AEST.

Not in Australia? NordVPN will unblock your Stan Sport stream of Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa.

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa: Preview

Tottenham Hotspur begin the fifth weekend of the Premier League season still searching for their first win, although even a goal would represent progress for Roberto De Zerbi's side.

Spurs are yet to get off the mark in the league despite spending more than £300m on signings in the summer, while they suffered another blow on Tuesday night as they exited the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 defeat at Liverpool.

De Zerbi can at least point to back-to-back clean sheets in the stalemates against Nottingham Forest and Everton, but the scrutiny will only increase if Tottenham fail to pick up a result - or score - against Aston Villa.

They have been boosted by the news that James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Sandro Tonali will be available for the visit of Unai Emery's side after the trio recovered from their various injury concerns.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Villa aren't in much better shape than Spurs, starting the weekend in the Premier League relegation zone after taking only one point from their opening four games.

However, they have been in better form in other competitions, scoring three goals apiece in away victories over Club Brugge in the Champions League and Coventry City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Those results on the road should give them belief for their trip to North London, where Emery looks set to rotate his side after making several changes for the win over the Sky Blues.

Ibrahim Mbaye is pushing for his first start after a bright start to his career at Villa Park, while Nicolas Jackson is expected to return up front despite Tammy Abraham scoring twice against Coventry.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Aston Villa

Spurs' goalless run surely can't continue, but whether they can pick up a first league win is another matter.

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There's nothing in the world quite like Millwall vs West Ham. For better and worse, this is a rivalry that harasses the senses and spills over into genuine animosity.

Of course, both of these London clubs have bigger fish to fry this season than one another. For the people in the stands, those targets might be briefly forgotten for the duration of this lunchtime kick-off.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Millwall vs West Ham United in the Championship online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Millwall vs West Ham for free?

Yes! Millwall vs West Ham is one of the Championship matches that will be shared between Sky Sports and ITV this season, meaning you can watch it for free on ITV1 or stream it on ITVX.

Not in the UK? Use NordVPN to unlock your beIN SPORTS stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Millwall vs West Ham from anywhere

What if you're away from home when Millwall vs West Ham is on, and find access to your usual streaming service geo-blocked? The solution is a VPN, a piece of software that sets your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to unblock the streaming services you're subscribed to, with a host of privacy and protection benefits on top – that sounds like a result.

FourFourTwo’s colleagues TechRadar are experts in this field, and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider on the market.

How to watch Millwall vs West Ham in the UK

Millwall vs West Ham will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, as well as on ITV1.

The Championship clash is being shown on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with kick-off at 12:30pm BST.

How to watch Millwall vs West Ham in the US

In the US, Millwall vs West Ham is being shown on Paramount+. Kick-off is at 7:30am ET.

How to watch Millwall vs West Ham in Australia

Football fans in Australia can watch Millwall vs West Ham on beIN SPORTS.

The game kicks-off at 9:30pm AEST and will be live on beIN SPORTS 2, as well as the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform.

Millwall vs West Ham: Preview

Millwall were the Championship's surprise package last season. As their great rivals slid towards relegation, the Lions were plotting to replace them in the Premier League.

Manager Alex Neil's weapon of choice was a brand of football that was attractive to watch but always Millwall. It guided them as far as third in the final table only to come unstuck at home against Hull City in the play-offs.

A return to the top division would have been the preference but getting a crack at the Hammers might have been a welcome consolation, if only the form guide hadn't cast them in the role of clear second favourites this afternoon.

Still, they say form goes out of the window on days like today, and The Den won't be troubled by Millwall's two league games without a win any more than it'll be concerned about West Ham winning the last four and giving Wrexham both barrels last week.

SEE ALSO Four Days of Derbies: Stream Dons Derby, Dockers Derby, Le Classique & More...

The Hammers' 6-0 win over Wrexham took them to the top of the Championship and that's exactly where manager Nuno Espirito Santo and captain Jarrod Bowen will intend them to stay.

It also made them the only team in the top five divisions of English football to hit 20 goals in 2026/27. As preparation for the mother of all difficult away trips go, it could hardly have been any better.

Millwall and West Ham last shared a division in 2011/12 and it was today's visitors that came out on top, marginally, in that season's two matches.

After a goalless draw at The Den, the Boleyn Ground's last visit from Millwall ended in a 2-1 win for West Ham courtesy of goals from Carlton Cole and Winston Reid – both scored long after they lost Kevin Nolan to a red card.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Millwall 0-1 West Ham

Millwall will make this a very difficult afternoon for West Ham but the Hammers' surge should continue. Just.

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It was a moment that prompted a collective sigh from the travelling Spurs support. They’d witnessed this sort of output time and time, and time, and time again. It was Mathys Tel in a nutshell. All style and no substance.

When Spurs signed Tel in January 2025, beating off competition from Manchester United for the Frenchman, fans were understandably excited. The former Rennes man was viewed as a diamond in the rough. A forward with potential that needed the rough edges smoothed down. Bayern Munich’s decision to loan out Tel was for the 21-year-old to garner regular game time.

Hard to Tel

In truth, Bayern’s willingness to allow Tel to depart should have been a red flag. At the time, though, Spurs were desperate. Mired in another injury crisis, Tel was a welcome and exciting addition to the squad. A forward who could take a marker on and get a shot away – he was exactly what Spurs needed.

Despite an indifferent start to life in the capital, Spurs made the decision to make the move permanent for a reported £30m last summer. It was a low-risk, high-reward transfer, especially as Tel was a forward who was showing plenty of promise. Managerial uncertainty hasn’t aided the former Bayern man, but in time, there’s an argument to be made that he’s proven to be one of the worst signings in the club’s history.

That he was locked up by Jeremie Frimpong, the Dutchman proving to be one of the poorest defensive right-backs in the Premier League, should set alarm bells ringing. Indeed, Tel failed to have a shot. He failed to create a goalscoring chance. He completed just two of five successful dribbles. He’s a player devoid of confidence, and one that doesn’t look as though he’ll regain it anytime soon.

Tuesday’s dire showing comes just days after Tel’s disappointing cameo in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Everton. As Spurs dominated against the Toffees, they again drew another blank. Tel was called upon for the final half hour, yet again wasted his chance to impress head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Tel didn’t create a chance. He managed just one shot. He didn’t complete a successful dribble. Even Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford completed one. It prompted an animated discussion with De Zerbi at full time. While the Spurs boss played down the incident, the frustration on De Zerbi’s face mirrored that of every supporter, be it those in the stadium or those watching at home.

Essentially, Tel has become more of a hindrance than a help in the final third for the north London side. What’s concerning still is that he’s a player who has topped key attacking metrics for De Zerbi’s side. No player has completed more dribbles for Spurs than Tel (10) in the Premier League this season, though new teammates Omar Marmoush and Savio will overhaul the former before long, the former Manchester City pair having completed nine apiece.

Additionally, Tel ranks top for touches in the opposition box (24) of all Spurs players. He’s capable of beating a man and getting into the right positions in the penalty area. The issue, however, is that he doesn’t know what to do when he gets into said positions. Tel has created just three chances in four Premier League outings this season. He’s managed just one shot on target. A deer caught in headlights shows more composure.

Mikey Moore has outperformed Tel for the latter stat, and he jetted off to FC Köln on loan last month. It says it all for a player who is evidently struggling, and one whose decision-making is questionable, at best.

It’s a crying shame for a player who has undoubtedly been affected by managerial upheaval over the last 18 months. In his senior career, Tel has played under eight managers. Four of those have been in north London, and the playing styles of each have differed considerably. Admittedly, it’s tough not to feel a pang of sympathy for a young striker who was parachuted into a turbulent mess in January 2025.

Conversely, he’s had his opportunities to stake a claim for a regular spot in the capital. With Marmoush and Savio available for selection, and Mohammed Kudus close to a return to full fitness, fans are hoping Tel’s minutes will be limited, at most. For most, cutting ties with Tel in January would be the best move for all concerned.

There are 25 clues in this week's FourFourTwo Weekend Crossword. You know the drill. Get one right and it'll help with the next. Keep on going until you resolve the whole grid. Simple.

Remember to let us know how you got on in the comments.

Love football crosswords? Here are some handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

To keep your football trivia chops sizzling away, we've got a huge collection of quizzes to get your teeth into. They'll test your knowledge of every team, player and manager you can think of all over the football world – all powered by Kwizly.

We have quizzes of all shapes and sizes, from this one focused on football's most legendary one-club men to this epic challenge to name as many Champions League teams between 1992 and 2026 as you can.

Over in the technical area, we're headed north of the border and straight underneath it again to name 15 of the Premier League's Scottish managers from one clue each. With those managers sorted, it's Premier League goalscorers next on the list: can you name the first goalscorer of every Premier League season since 1992-93?

Next, can you go three better and name every player to have scored a top-flight hat-trick in the Premier League era? You'll do well to get the lot, but we believe in you.

We're not leaving international football experts behind, and some insight into how names are constructed around the world wouldn't go amiss for our final recommendation. Can you guess the team from the line-ups' nationalities, decoding iconic starting XIs purely through flags and geographical footprints?

To keep your wits about you for every matchday, subscribe to our newsletters for regular briefings and hand-picked trivia. And, to complete your transfer to terrace legend status, lock in your spot in The Club, our free membership hub where you can unlock secret hints for our toughest quizzes, climb global leaderboards, and debate the latest topics directly in the comments.

I was actually covering the game for Sky, and I thought: ‘Wow, what a goal that is!’ But that’s not surprising from Szoboszlai. He's got one of the best techniques I've seen in Europe at the moment, when you consider his ability in shooting from distance. He just caught the ball so sweetly and it just arrowed past Martin Dubravka in the Tottenham goal - it was a fantastic strike. It killed the game off at the end of a nervy period for Liverpool, because Tottenham were pushing on and piling on pressure.

Clinton was speaking courtesy of Free Bets, home of the best betting sites in the UK.

'Dominik Szoboszlai's technique reminds me of Beckham or Rooney'

There are a few players in the past who struck a ball like that. David Beckham had great technique, maybe not so much from that distance on the ground, but more so from free kicks. Wayne Rooney could also score spectacular goals, so they’re the two players that immediately spring to mind.

Meanwhile, the result was obviously disappointing for Roberto De Zerbi, but I think there were positive signs for Tottenham. Mohammed Kudus was a bright spark, and looked like he's getting back to good form after being out for so long.

Today's game against Aston Villa is huge, because they’re yet to score a Premier League goal after four games after all the money that’s been spent in the summer.

But De Zerbi is always going to back his team, and keep belief in the project. The hierarchy will support him and I do think they'll get it right.

Whatever happens, let’s hope there won’t be any further VAR controversy this weekend after Erling Haaland’s goal was allowed to stand in the Manchester derby. It was a ridiculous decision!

People talk about having ex-footballers in VAR, but my friend who doesn't play football would have told you it was offside. It's common sense. I think the referee's assistant probably flagged thinking Haaland was offside. But then when Haaland's onside, you've got to check that Enzo Fernandez has gone for the ball. He's interfering with Lisandro Martinez and he's interfering with Senne Lammens. So he's interfering with two players. If you can't see that on VAR, when you can slow it down and see every angle on a monitor, then it's not good enough. It's nowhere near good enough, because Michael Carrick's under a bit of pressure now.

VAR have got more time than the people on the pitch. The referee and the linesman made a split-second decision. VAR can take their time and it did take their time. And I knew the longer it went, the more I felt they were going to give the goal.

Rugby and cricket do it properly, as you can see how the officials reach their decisions. Whereas in football, you're just looking at an image. Most football fans would have been looking at that image thinking Haaland looked offside. Admittedly he wasn't. But then you look at Enzo and go, ‘Well, he's interfering.’

And then the decision comes, and fans are wondering what’s happening. Then to have these apology statements turns everything into a bit of a farce.

Despite the nature of their win, I've been really impressed with Manchester City and their business in the summer. They brought in Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Fernandez for close to £300 million, but they're reaping the rewards. Anderson has been outstanding, while Bouaddi is only 18 and is going to be sensational for years to come. And Fernandez is a top player. They even brought in Allan, a winger who’s a top player. They’ve also still got the likes of Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Haaland, Rayan Cherki, and Phil Foden. The list goes on and on with Man City. Even if those players aren't delivering or doing well, they've still got others that can come off the bench.

Their squad depth is fantastic. Just like Arsenal's. You see the young man, Max Dowman, starting and scoring two goals against Ipswich Town. Sometimes he can't even get in the squad! It's ridiculous the amount of quality these teams have at the moment. I think those two teams are the outstanding ones.

Talking about Dowman in particular, I don't think he's going to play as many games as the fans want him to because you've got to realise that Arsenal's squad is fantastic. He's only 16 years of age, and you can't just expect him to be good week in, week out. But Mikel Arteta knows how to handle him, and I feel like it's a similar situation to when Foden was breaking through at Man City and people were saying that it was best for him to go out on loan and play regularly.

He stayed at City, and I think that's what Dowman will do too. He's a super-talented boy, and is going to be a world-class player. But you don't want to throw him into the deep end straight away. You've got to manage his minutes. And that's what Arteta's doing. This is why the Carabao Cup and cup competitions are good for Arsenal, because players like Dowman get the opportunity to go and showcase their abilities.

He's got plenty of time to be starting loads of football matches. Just nurture the young man, let him come through and give him minutes in these kinds of games.

For the likes of Liverpool in the 1970s and 1980s, and Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, it reached a point where you simply couldn’t imagine them not winning.

While it is admittedly a stretch to compare these all-conquering sides to a club who have never lifted a major trophy, nor even qualified for the Champions League, there is a similar phenomenon surrounding Brighton & Hove Albion.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Why Fabian Hurzeler isn't getting the credit he deserves

Mentioning the Seagulls in the same breath as those teams may sound ridiculous - particularly if you support Crystal Palace - but the south coast outfit are an era-defining club in a different way.

For the best part of a decade, Brighton have been the model club of English football. Under the ownership of Tony Bloom, Albion have risen up the pyramid and become an established Premier League side through a mix of data-driven recruitment, exemplary player trading and smart managerial appointments, while boasting a state-of-the-art stadium and top-class training facilities.

It is now expected that every unknown player they buy for next to nothing will be sold for a huge profit, following in the footsteps of Moises Caicedo, Carlos Baleba, Jan Paul van Hecke and many more.

It is now expected that the next manager they appoint will raise the level of the team, in the way that Graham Potter built on the work of Chris Hughton, and Roberto De Zerbi built on the work of Potter.

It is why everyone expected Fabian Hurzeler to be a good fit when he succeeded De Zerbi in summer 2024, despite the German being just 31 years old at the time, making him the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history.

But De Zerbi was a hard act to follow. The Italian is a tactical innovator, hailed by Pep Guardiola as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years”, and led the Seagulls to sixth place in 2022/23, the highest finish in their 125-year existence.

Furthermore, in the era of Squad Cost Ratio and Profit and Sustainability rules, there is something of a glass ceiling for those outside the Premier League elite, as Aston Villa and Newcastle United - clubs with far richer histories than Brighton - have discovered.

As a result, the bare facts suggest Hurzeler has not taken Brighton to another level in the same way as his predecessors. Under the German, the Seagulls have not matched or bettered their sixth-place finish of 2022/23. That saw them qualify for the Europa League, something Hurzeler is yet to achieve. They haven’t reached the semi-finals of a cup competition, as they did under De Zerbi in the 2022/23 FA Cup.

The De Zerbi factor and the way it helped further raise expectations of Brighton means that Hurzeler isn’t getting the credit he deserves, externally at least. But dig a little deeper and it quickly becomes clear that he is doing an excellent job.

The former St Pauli boss has led the Seagulls to successive eighth-place finishes, which last season was enough to secure a place in the Conference League (they would have also qualified in 2024/25 if Palace hadn’t won the FA Cup).

Meanwhile, the Seagulls’ points tally of 61 in Hurzeler’s first campaign was only one shy of the 62 that saw them finish sixth under De Zerbi two years earlier. The 33-year-old also boasts a better win percentage than the Italian over a near identical period: 44.2 per cent across 95 games, compared to 42.7 per cent in 89 matches.

There were other eye-catching statistics doing the rounds after Brighton hammered Coventry City 5-0 last Sunday. In the first four rounds of matches, the Seagulls were the best-performing team in the Premier League for goals scored (13), Expected Goals (10.05), big chances created (19), crosses (107) and shots on target (24, which was the joint-highest tally). They were also equal second for shot conversion rate, at 16.7 per cent.

You could argue that Hurzeler’s side have had a favourable set of fixtures, playing Villa and Coventry at a good time and facing a Chelsea side who have been leaky defensively. Meanwhile, a high shot conversion rate that has them overperforming their xG suggests they have been unsustainably clinical.

But Brighton’s attacking numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Hurzeler has had to completely revamp his forward line in the early weeks of the campaign. The Seagulls sold Danny Welbeck to Chelsea this summer, while Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood and Georgino Rutter have all missed games due to injury.

As a result, Hurzeler has been fielding a front four of Charalampos Kostoulas, who made just two top-flight starts in 2025/26, Malick Yalcouye, who spent the past two seasons out on loan, Maxim De Cuyper - a full-back by trade - and Diego Gomez. That quartet boasts six goals and three assists between them this term.

It is only seven months since some Brighton fans wanted Hurzeler sacked during a run of one win from 13 league games. Those results would put any manager under pressure, but context is key: when that run began last December, the Seagulls were fifth in the table. When it ended, they were 14th. The club didn’t finish higher than 15th in their first four seasons back in the top flight - another indicator of how expectations have been raised.

Hurzeler turned it around, but the achievement of returning to Europe was overshadowed by Bournemouth and Sunderland ending the campaign in sixth and seventh respectively, which were bigger stories than another top-half finish for the Seagulls.

The season before, Nottingham Forest’s seventh-place finish and Palace’s FA Cup triumph grabbed the headlines. Those were both shocks, whereas eighth was simply par for the course for Brighton.

It feels like Hurzeler needs to lift the Conference League, reach a domestic cup final or qualify for the Champions League for the job he is doing to be fully appreciated.

Achieve any of those and it would rank as one of the greatest seasons in Brighton’s history - maybe then he will step out of De Zerbi’s shadow.

The Frenchman has been sponsored by Nike since he was a child, but has now cut ties with the American company to join their Swiss rivals.

On has plans to launch its first football boots next year, and then hopes to manufacture kits in the future - but who are they?

Running and tennis brand has grand ambitions for football move

The Swiss brand is serious about its move into football, having also appointed Mbappe's fellow Frenchman, Thierry Henry as its director of football.

It's also developed a 'LightSpray' technology, made using robots no less, which it hopes will help it standout from established competitors like Nike and Adidas.

Mbappe will be seen as a huge coup for On, who have previously held long-term partnerships with sporting stars like Roger Federer.

He became an investor in the brand back in 2019 and has worked with them on product development, helping to create its tennis products. Mbappe will be doing the same for its football products.

In a statement on Friday, On said that Mbappe will be "at the heart of On’s football journey, uniting one of football’s defining players with one of sportswear’s most innovative brands.

“He will work directly with On’s product teams, integrating his elite perspective into the development and testing of future football footwear and apparel.

"He will also become a global ambassador for On, extending the partnership beyond football into movement, performance and contemporary design.”

The company has been around for 16 years, after being founded back in 2010 by former Swiss ironman champion Olivier Bernhard.

Whether or not they will be able to break into the football market remains to be seen, with Under Armor and Skechers both trying to break the stranglehold Nike and Adidas have held for years.

Signing arguably the biggest player on the planet isn't a bad place for them to start.

The Bees are aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the season, although manager Keith Andrews will be keen to turn draws into wins after three of their first four league games ended level.

Sixth-place Chelsea start the weekend one position and one point above tonight's opponents following an exciting but sometimes chaotic beginning to manager Xabi Alonso's tenure.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Brentford vs Chelsea online and from anywhere, including for free, in this week's Friday-night Premier League clash.

Watch Brentford vs Chelsea for FREE

Live coverage in the States is on USA Network and this is available for free thanks to YouTube TV, which currently comes with a 10-day free trial for new customers.

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Watch Brentford vs Chelsea from anywhere

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How to watch Brentford vs Chelsea in the UK

Viewers in the UK can watch Brentford vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports.

The game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Coverage starts at 7:00pm BST, with kick-off at 8:00pm.

How to watch Brentford vs Chelsea in the US

As mentioned above, Brentford vs Chelsea is live on USA Network in the US. Kick-off is at 3:00pm ET.

This is a linear channel, so you will need a cord-cutting package. YouTube TV (10-day free trial), DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) and Sling Blue all carry the channel.

How to watch Brentford vs Chelsea in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch Brentford vs Chelsea live on Stan Sport. The game kicks-off at 5:00am AEST on Saturday.

Stan Sport is down in price for 2026/27 from AU$32 to AU$29.99 and comes with access to every Premier League and Champions League game — bargain!

Tickets

Brentford vs Chelsea: Preview

Brentford are aiming to claim their first home league victory over Chelsea since 1938 when they face their West London counterparts in the Premier League tonight.

Despite beating the Blues three times at Stamford Bridge in the last five seasons, the Bees have been unable to replicate that form in the return fixture, with the last four meetings at the Gtech Community Stadium ending level.

Draws have become a theme for Brentford recently with 10 of their last 14 Premier League games going that way, including three out of four this term, but manager Keith Andrews will surely be happy with an unbeaten start to the campaign that has also seen them reach the Carabao Cup fourth round.

The Bees will be without injured quartet Mathias Jensen, Nathan Collins, Sepp van den Berg and Josh DaSilva tonight, while Kevin Schade and Vitaly Janelt will hope to continue a positive week personally after both players were selected in Jurgen Klopp's Germany squad for the upcoming international break.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

If Brentford's speciality this season has been draws, Chelsea's has been goals - but not all at the right end.

The Blues' six matches in all competitions have featured 30 goals, with 18 scored and 12 conceded, in an entertaining but also frustrating start to manager Xabi Alonso's reign.

The Chelsea boss will see last Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Hull City as two points dropped, but will be encouraged by the form of £117m summer signing Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, which earned the latter a recall to Thomas Tuchel's England squad.

Alonso is sweating over the fitness of Pedro, who was released from the Brazil squad due to injury, as well as captain Reece James and Moises Caicedo, who are both doubts for the short trip to Brentford.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Brentford 2-1 Chelsea

The Bees have made a strong start to the campaign, so tonight could be the night they end their 88-year wait for a home league win over the Blues.

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Vincent Kompany's side start the weekend two points behind early pace-setters Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund, so they will return to the top of the table - albeit potentially for less than 24 hours - if they take all three points at the Allianz Arena.

Union have been leaking goals in the opening few weeks of the season, so a trip to the champions looks a daunting task for Mauro Lustrinelli and his players.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin in the Bundesliga online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin for free?

There are several ways you can watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin for free.

The game is live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website, like every Friday-night Bundesliga match this season. You just need a BBC iPlayer login and a TV licence, and away you go.

Fans in the UK and selected territories can also stream Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin live on the Bundesliga's official YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, US viewers can watch the game on Fandango, which is showing around 270 Bundesliga matches at no cost this season.

CazéTV in Brazil is also showing Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin for free.

Abroad? Use NordVPN to unlock your free Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin from anywhere

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How to watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin in the UK

As mentioned above, BBC iPlayer will have live coverage of Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin, with kick-off at 7:30pm BST.

UK viewers can also watch the game on the Bundesliga's official YouTube channel.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin in the US

Streaming service Fandango is the place for US viewers to watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin for free. The game starts at 2:30pm ET.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin in Australia

As mentioned above, fans in Australia can watch Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin on beIN SPORTS.

The game will be live on the beIN SPORTS 2 and the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform. Kick-off is at 4:30am AEST on Saturday.

Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin: Preview

It feels strange for Bayern Munich not to be top of the Bundesliga, but Die Roten begin the weekend fourth in the table after an awkward pair of away assignments at two newly-promoted teams.

Vincent Kompany's side looked set to sweep all before them again this season when they thrashed VFB Stuttgart 5-1 on the opening night of the campaign, but that was followed by a 0-0 draw at Schalke and a 2-1 win at Elversberg in which Harry Kane secured victory 18 minutes from time.

It is early days, of course, and Kane will be looking to score in back-to-back Bundesliga games after failing to find the net in Bayern's first two league matches - a goal drought by his standards.

Kompany made seven changes to his starting lineup against Elversberg and several of his stars could be set to return to the XI tonight, including Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala and Luis Diaz.

SEE ALSO Four Days of Derbies: Stream Celtic vs Rangers, Millwall vs West Ham, Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid and more...

Bayern's inability to dispatch Schalke and Elversberg may offer Union a source of hope heading into tonight's game, following a difficult start under Mauro Lustrinelli.

After a thrilling 3-3 opening-day draw with Eintracht Frankfurt, Die Eisernen were thrashed 4-0 at Bayer Leverkusen and lost 3-1 at home to Schalke, leaving them 16th in the table after three matches.

Union appear to have lost the defensive solidity that has been a key factor in the club establishing themselves in the Bundesliga, which is not a good sign when you are about to play a team that scored 122 goals in 34 league games last term.

Their chances of a shock result are not helped by a lengthy injury list which includes defenders Josip Juranovic, Andrik Markgraf, Marvin Friedrich and Stanley Nsoki, plus forwards Andrej Ilic and Oliver Burke.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Bayern Munich 4-0 Union Berlin

We expect Bayern to rediscover their killer instinct against a Union side who are going through a difficult patch.

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The Three Lions are due to play against Spain, Czechia and Croatia over the next three weeks, in what looks like an opportunity for them to prove a point of their own.

At his squad announcement today, the England boss has said that both Palmer and Alexander-Arnold show the best versions of themselves during the upcoming games.

England face Spain, Croatia and Czechia in upcoming fixtures

The duo were left out of Tuchel's World Cup squad, as England reached the semi-finals of the competition.

But both have started their respective seasons well and are now in a good position to make an impact on the international stage.

Speaking at his squad announcement, Tuchel said: "Cole has his start that he always had but he has his numbers back, he has his assists back, he has decisive goals back so that is why he is in the squad. I think he has a point to prove and the same goes for Trent.

"He was never off the list, he was never non-selectable for us and it is his chance to show, come to camp and be the best version of himself."

Also returning to the squad is Lewis Hall, who also missed out on the World Cup squad, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also been recalled.

Tuchel said that the door is "100% always open" for players to return if they have been left out of the squad.

Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott both received full call-ups after being among three players who travelled to the USA to help with pre-tournament training, alongside Fulham youngster Josh King.

King was close to getting a call-up as well, but Tuchel said he wanted a "tight" squad to work with.

He continued: "Josh especially had a fantastic start to the season with Fulham, it was very close but in the end I felt like we keep the squad tight and keep the players that come into the camp with trust in the number.

"Josh is there with the U21, but he was close and on the radar."

The full squad is: Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarrell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

Comfortable wins against Ipswich Town and Sabah aside, they've lost to newly promoted Hull City, drawn with Everton's massively depleted squad and lost a Manchester derby against a City side playing with only ten men.

However, Wednesday evening's home collapse against Brighton and Hove Albion might have been the lowest point of the campaign so far, and it was entirely self-inflicted.

Carrick needs to look at his decision making

It was the first time since 1976 that United had lost after taking a two goal lead at Old Trafford, a record that Michael Carrick will now have on his CV for the rest of his career, and the blame has to be put squarely at his feet.

His team selection, chiefly a second-string outfit with a couple of first-teamers thrown in, wasn't anywhere near strong enough, and so it proved.

Granted, the problems at Man United aren't entirely Carrick's fault, there were definitely positions that needed to be bolstered during the summer that were ignored by those in charge of recruitment, but he isn't helping himself with team selections like the one against Brighton.

First of all, the inexperienced centre back duo of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven was clearly a huge gamble, with neither particularly experienced or dependable enough to play without the support of a trusted guiding hand alongside them.

The lack of cohesion and understanding between the two was clearly on display for Brighton's equaliser when they were split as easily as Carol Vorderman tackling two divided by two.

Further baffling choices were seen behind the two defenders, with Karl Darlow getting his Red Devils debut. Given that Man United's next game isn't until 4:30pm on Sunday, was Senne Lammens really going to be tired from playing on a Wednesday night?

Darlow was very easily beaten for Brighton's first, which changed the complexion of the game right before half-time, while getting a grip on his inexperienced defenders was a distraction he struggled to cope with. Given the pressure Carrick finds himself under at such an early stage in the season, these choices look like unnecessary risks to be making when it ought to be imperative for him to start building momentum and picking up wins where possible.

Though a club of Manchester United's size should have loftier ambitions than the Carabao Cup, it is a winnable piece of silverware that is now off-limits for this season.

But the Premier League and Champions League are also beyond the realm of possibility for them this season, and likely will be for the foreseeable future, so any trophies should be welcomed.

Instead of taking it seriously, Carrick gambled and lost and has now further limited how much he can achieve in this campaign, while also increasing the amount of scrutiny he will be under from here on in.

His rested players need to perform against a struggling Fulham side this weekend, or things could turn nasty barely half way through September.

Given how much they've struggled so far, it wouldn't be wise to bet on them to succeed.

With two wins from their opening two games, Manchester City are hoping to continue their winning form.

The champions host Liverpool at Joie Stadium, hoping to extend their lead at the top of the WSL table.

FourFourTwo has all the information on live streams and TV channels so you can watch Manchester City vs Liverpool in the WSL online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Watch Manchester City vs Liverpool for free

The Manchester City vs Liverpool match in the WSL will be available on YouTube.

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Watch Manchester City vs Liverpool from anywhere

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How to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool in the UK

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How to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool in the US

US viewers can watch Manchester City vs Liverpool on Paramount+ Kick-off is at 2:00pm ET.

How to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Manchester City vs Liverpool on Stan Sport.

Travelling outside Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch Manchester City vs Liverpool on Stan Sport.

Manchester City vs Liverpool: Women's Super League preview

Champions Manchester City host Liverpool at the Joie Stadium on Friday night, with both sides unbeaten after the opening two games of the Women's Super League season.

City have made a perfect start to their title defence, beating newly promoted Birmingham City 3-1 before following that up with a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa. They are the only team to have won both of their opening matches and currently sit top of the WSL.

Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw has already picked up where she left off last season, scoring three goals in her first two league appearances. The Jamaica international won the WSL Golden Boot and PFA Women's Player of the Year award last season, while she has also been named on the 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist.

Shaw scored twice against Birmingham before finding the net again in the win over Villa, and unsurpisingly already leads this season's Golden Boot race.

Meanwhile, Liverpool opened their campaign with an emphatic 4-0 victory over newly-promoted Charlton Athletic before drawing 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur. Aurelie Csillag came off the bench to rescue a point against Spurs after Liverpool fell behind.

These results are already a marked improvement on last season's start. The Reds went without a win in their first 12 WSL matches in 2025-26, before improving during the second half of the campaign.

Liverpool boss Gareth Taylor spent almost five years in charge of Manchester City before his departure in March 2025 and will return to the Joie Stadium in the Reds' toughest test yet.

City will be looking to maintain their perfect start and continue their title defence in style, while Liverpool will be hoping to cause an upset

FourFourTwo's prediction

Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool

A tight game will see City just clinch it

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The Magpies are preparing for their final league clash before the international break, with this season's surprise package Hull City travelling up to Tyneside for this weekend's match.

However, Elanga will be among several Newcastle players who will play no part in the match.

Matthias Jaissle 'sad' to be without Elanga

Speaking before this weekend's match, Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle said Elanga was due to go for an MRI scan to get more "clarity" on his situation.

He said: "No real update on Anthony. I've spoken with him now, he is heading for an MRI scan. We will get more clarity after that, and hope it's not too serious.

"It is sad after the great start he had. He is a key strength in our squad and we want to stay positive."

Among Newcastle's growing list of injury concerns are striker Will Osula, Amar Dedic and Jacob Ramsey, while Nico Gonzalez will also be absent for the Tigers' visit due to concussion protocol.

The ex-Man City man had to be removed during Newcastle's heavy defeat to Leeds on Monday night, after taking a knock to the head.

Jaissle added: “It was just unlucky. It was not a big hit, but the hit was was strong enough and precise enough to knock him out.

"We need to be smart, we have the responsibility then to follow the protocol from the league, which I really think it's so good that we're so advanced in that approach, so he's missing the Saturday's match."

Jaissle is wary of this weekend's opponents, who have shocked with their performances so far, beating Manchester United and drawing away at Chelsea.

He added: "Hull are doing a great job, they have a clear identity. They know exactly what they are doing and what their strengths are and how to execute them on the pitch.

"We need to take their strengths away and use their weaknesses to get a good result."

The newly assembled group signals a fresh chapter for the Three Lions as they look to bounce back from their World Cup semi-final exit in North America over the summer.

Tuchel has made several notable adjustments to his squad to kickstart the new campaign, blending established veterans with exciting young prospects.

England squad for Nations League matches in September and October

The most prominent talking point is the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The versatile defender has been recalled after being left out of the World Cup squad.

Tuchel is also set to hand greater opportunity to the England youth, handing call-ups to rising stars like Rio Ngumoha and Myles Lewis-Skelly, alongside defender Jarell Quansah. Meanwhile, Jason Steele joins James Trafford and Jordan Pickford make up the goalkeeping union.

Here is Tuchel’s England squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como 1907); Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United); Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid); Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth)

Forwards: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool); Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

The 24-year-old has started this season in tremendous form, scoring three goals and providing one assist.

However, during last weekend's 2-2 draw with Hull City, the Brazilian picked up a knock that is expected to rule him out of this evening's game.

Pedro has dropped out of Brazil squad

Pedro has pulled out of Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the upcoming international break.

The forward was due to be involved in two friendlies against Australia next week, but has since withdrawn.

However, despite his withdrawal from international duty, Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has refused to rule out Pedro's availability for this evening.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Alonso suggested there was a possibility that the 24-year-old could be involved.

He said: "In terms of injuries and in terms of the squad, we are having the last training session tomorrow so no one is ruled out for us for Friday.

"I prefer to be cautious and we will wait until tomorrow to take the final decision on every player."

Nevertheless, Pedro was absent from an open training session earlier this week and reports in Brazil claim that he's been advised to rest for three weeks.

According to ESPN Brasil, the striker has been recommended to rest for three weeks and is therefore unlikely to play this evening.

That could pave the way for a first Chelsea Premier League start for Danny Welbeck.

The ex-Brighton man has scored three goals this season in the Carabao Cup and made two substitute's appearances in the league.

His inclusion marks a turning point for the 27-year-old, who was left out of the Three Lions' squad for the recent 2026 World Cup in North America.

While some players might have considered stepping away from international duty following such an omission, the ex-Liverpool star has remained resolute in his desire to represent his country again.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is back in the England squad

His timely recall shines a new light on a public plea he made just weeks ago.

Speaking to the Mirror in August, as the dust settled on the summer's tournament, Alexander-Arnold made his position clear, that his international ambitions were far from over.

"Until I retire, I'm still an England player, whether I'm selected or not," he declared. "I'm always available if and when the manager needs me. There's no bigger honour."

That dedication appears to have resonated with Tuchel as the England manager freshens up the squad for the Nations League campaign.

Alexander-Arnold's passing range and versatility presents the German with a valuable asset. Whether deployed as an attacking full-back, wing-back in a back five, or in an inverted midfield role, his creative output is undeniable.

The upcoming Nations League matches will offer Alexander-Arnold the opportunity to cement his place in Tuchel’s long-term plans ahead of Euro 2028. Having been forced to watch the World Cup from afar this summer, his determination to prove his worth on the international scene should be greater than ever.

For England fans, his return injects additional creativity back into the setup. The likes of Cole Palmer, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Alex Scott, Jarrad Branthwaite and Rio Ngumoha have also been called up to Tuchel's group this time around.

It is easy to understand why. Switzerland’s captain arrived on Wearside shortly after the Black Cats’ unlikely play-off triumph over Sheffield United, with the club heavily tipped to finish bottom of the Premier League.

Many wondered why the 16th-best player on the Ballon d’Or list would leave a club that won the German double a year earlier. Was the Stadium of Light his retirement home? Absolutely not.

If anyone can, Xhaka can

As leader of the Régis Le Bris machine, the 33-year-old has galvanised his teammates and transformed the club not only into a top-flight side but into a club supporters can be proud of again as they enjoy their first European campaign in over 50 years.

However, while Xhaka may draw regular plaudits from pundits and the general Premier League consumer, there is another man who has been integral to Sunderland’s rise, with the potential to outshine his captain and etch his name into the club’s history as a modern-day legend.

When Sunderland were sniffing around the Championship promotion places in January 2025, the club’s owner and chairman, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, sensed an opportunity.

The Swiss-French businessman, who went on to orchestrate the signing of Xhaka among others, somehow managed to lure former French U21 international Enzo Le Fée from Serie A club AS Roma to come and play second-tier football in the North East of England.

Joining on an initial loan, it was evident within seconds of his first touch that Le Fée was a special talent, and with a permanent move hinging on promotion, the Wearside club would have to make it to the Premier League or lose their most talented footballer in years.

“I was in Rome, I was a bit sad because I didn’t enjoy football,” the midfielder told Opta Analyst a month after completing his loan. “I wanted to find my confidence again, so that’s why I came here, because I knew [Le Bris] could bring me everything I need to perform on the pitch.”

Of course, we all know what happened, and off the back of the Wembley party, the French wizard’s loan was turned permanent for £19.3 million, a club-record deal at the time. In truth, injury prevented the magician from showcasing all his talent in the Championship, but his joy and confidence were brewing.

The Premier League is a step up for any player and, surprisingly, Le Fée, he was exiled from Le Bris’ starting lineup for the opening encounter vs West Ham United. That was partly due to the newfound strength in Sunderland’s midfield, with Noah Sadiki flourishing in pre-season, while Le Fée had been adequate.

While everyone purred at Xhaka’s early influence, Le Fée worked tirelessly not only to reclaim his place in Le Bris’ side but also to cement his status as the club’s most creative outlet, playing on the wing when required, or in a more central role in front of his captain.

Key goals and assists against Brentford, Bournemouth and Liverpool highlighted the Frenchman’s importance to this team, but he knew he had to do much more to remain in the starting XI. By the end of the season, the attacking midfielder had completed more running and covered more distance than over 93 per cent of players in his position, according to FotMob.

Such was the Frenchman’s influence that he played every minute in 22 of his final 23 Premier League appearances of the 25/26 campaign (his five-minute cameo in the Tyne-Wear derby a knock-on effect of injury). Five goals and six assists in his first top-flight season were by no means groundbreaking, but the Frenchman has gone about his business quietly in Xhaka’s shadow, producing moments of magic with the swing of a boot.

Of course, there is a reasonable argument that Xhaka will be remembered on Wearside longer than Le Fée, the events of the summer have slightly tarnished what was viewed as an untouchable reputation. There was a period when it seemed like Xhaka’s love affair with Wearside would end abruptly to link up with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea, and while there have been conflicting reports on what actually transpired, there must have been some desire on his part.

At 33, Xhaka has shown no signs of decline, but realistically, he has a few seasons left at the highest level, meaning he will likely leave a short but lasting impression on the Wearside faithful as a player. As for Le Fée, he is flourishing and entering his prime years at 26 and can continue as a Sunderland mainstay as long as he maintains his form under the man he calls a father figure.

With Sunderland now on a Europa League adventure that will include trips to Milan, Anderlecht and Lech Poznan, there is a seismic opportunity for this squad to make history, especially if the club go deep into the competition. The omens are good, as all of the last eight English clubs to qualify through their league placement have advanced past the group or league phase, with six reaching the quarter-finals and Aston Villa winning it last season.

If Sunderland are to pull off another upset, then Xhaka and Le Fée will be integral, particularly in the business end of the competition. Le Fée, which means 'the fairy ', might just be the man to write a new chapter in the Black Cats’ history books.

The then-Brighton striker was involved in a collision with Gunners stopper Bernd Leno back in summer 2020 that forced the German to go off with a knee injury.

Leno's Arsenal teammates were none too happy, with Matteo Guendouzi, in particular, sniping at Maupay throughout the rest of the game....only for the Seagulls forward to put away a 95th-minute winner.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

" I was 100 per cent convinced I would score and get into his face and say, ‘You’ve got more money, but we won and I scored'"

That games helped mark the beginning of the end for Guendouzi at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta dropping the midfielder for the next game and explaining: "Whatever internal issue we have, we deal with it privately."

Maupay told FourFourTwo: "It was a good memory for me, and for the Brighton fans as well. I think it was the first game back after lockdown on a really hot day in June.

"During the game, there was a lot of talking between Dan Burn and some of the Arsenal players.

"Then I had that contact with Bernd Leno when he got injured, and that started to heat things up a little bit.

"That French guy [Guendouzi] was talking about money, how Arsenal is a big club and we were nothing compared to him and Arsenal.

"That’s not the trash talking I like because that's just nonsense.

"So, I kept that in my mind the whole game and I was 100 per cent convinced I would score and get into his face and say, ‘You’ve got more money, but we won and I scored'.

"I scored in virtually the last kick of the game and went straight up to him and said what I thought about him. He showed zero humility and I told everyone in my post-match interview.

"I think if you say stuff like this, you face the consequences, so I wanted to make sure everybody knew what he said."

The interview with Neal was arranged by YRDS.

Happy Friday and Happy International Break Eve, one and all: we're four weeks into the new Premier League season but the international calendar - whether you like it or loathe it - is about to get underway for 2026/27 with a UEFA Nations League kick-off.

Your one constant through it all is the Friday Football Quiz: an end-of-week treat to put your knowledge to the test, this week. We've got 20 questions ready whenever you are.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

Mastering the weekly football trivia task? Nice one. Now, let's stretch your footballing IQ across every era, continent, and iconic quotes catalogue, as we delve into more quizzes, courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting at maximum intensity with a battle of raw passion and clinical penalty-box execution. First, step directly into the crossfire of football's most outspoken pundit and captain by seeing if you can tell us who these iconic Roy Keane quotes were about, testing whether you remember his most devastating put-downs and fiery assessments. Once you've survived Keane's verbal tackles, pivot to pure top-flight firepower and try to name every player to score 20+ goals in a Premier League season.

If your scouting radar excels at tracking global movements or mapping out international heritage, we have two formidable challenges waiting in the tunnel. You can put your visual deduction and transfer memory to the ultimate test by trying to name these 100 players just from their career path, tracing everyone from nomadic journeymen to one-club stalwarts. Following that career-path marathon, test your chronological precision on the global stage by naming every nation to have hosted the World Cup in order, tracing the tournament's geopolitical journey from 1930 straight through to the modern era.

Then, settle down for FourFourTwo’s Weekend Crossword 70, with clues on convincers, princes and principalities, featuring a brilliantly clever blend of tactical visionaries, royal folklore, and cryptic clues. To ensure your analytical edge stays razor-sharp for every matchday, subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To complete your transfer to terrace legend status, lock in your spot in The Club, our free membership hub where you can claim secret hints for our toughest puzzles, climb global leaderboards, and debate the latest topics directly in the comments.

It's the worst-ever start to a Spurs season in goalscoring terms but they have at least conceded half as many as the Sky Blues. New signing Jan Paul van Hecke is one of the reasons the major problem appears to be at the attacking end of the pitch.

The transfer of Van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion was a big investment in a proven Premier League central defender but it came with a catch, and not in hindsight.

Van Hecke and Vuskovic 'swap' will be profitable for Brighton on and off the pitch

Elite football's regulatory environment now incentivises player trading. Selling and buying, in combination, are broadly more compliant than keeping. Clubs twist that might otherwise be motivated to stick.

Players swapping between the same two clubs in the same window is becoming increasingly common but the same regulations make it clear that dealing them independently rather than as swaps is usually the way to go.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

The spreadsheet rules all, and these de facto swap deals are happening more frequently than true swaps ever did. The transfer fees are for accountants. It's the players and the difference between their values that mean something.

Van Hecke's move to Spurs was officially unconnected to 19-year-old Luka Vuskovic going the other way but the deals will always be linked in the minds of Spurs supporters. They might come to view them with regret.

The young Croatian never played a first team game for Spurs before joining Brighton for a reported fee in the region of £46 million. Van Hecke, the older and more expensive of the pair, has been overshadowed by his successor in the early part of the season.

Vuskovic looks like a genuine talent, with all the technical ability, physicality and intelligence to succeed at the highest levels of the game.

He's dominant in the air and a major factor at set pieces in both boxes, and Fabian Hurzeler has been able to lean on him and Lewis Dunk in what's become a very fine start to the season.

Brighton's business model suggests that a player of Vuskovic's prodigious talent will eventually be sold on again for an even greater fee. Van Hecke himself is evidence of that.

For Spurs, the sale of Vuskovic marked the exit of a white-hot prospect who they wanted enough to sign three years ago but only had ownership of for a year before shuffling him off in exchange for a more established player.

Down the road, a cornerstone of Arsenal's 2025/26 Premier League title win was signed all the way back in 2019, and sent on three loans - the same number as Vuskovic - before working his way into the Gunners' starting lineup.

William Saliba may be injured currently but his 184 appearances for Arsenal over the past four seasons are testament to long-term squad planning and a club being able to see the bigger picture.

The worry from a Spurs point of view is that Vuskovic, potentially, could have been a short-term win too. Watching him continue to develop could make for difficult viewing.

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. First up, a real tester for you. Can you name every player ever to have scored a Premier League hat-trick?

If you get up into the hundreds there, this will be a breeze. We also have 15 questions each on English football's top men's division in the 2016-17 season, the 2006-07 season and the 1996-97 season.

Next, we want you to name the first goalscorer in every single Premier League season. We're also challenging you to try to arrange these players in order of their Premier League appearances from most to least.

Women's football experts will find this one easy. Can you list out every team currently competing in the WSL or WSL2, the top two divisions of the women's game in England?

Last but not least, here's a quiz for fans with a special skill for delving into history. Can you name every club to have played in England's top flight, either the First Division or the Premier League, since 1945?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

Man United were beaten by Grimsby Town on that occasion. Their third round exit from the same competition on Wednesday night was a major blow to Michael Carrick as he seeks to give lie to the idea that a football club should never appoint a caretaker manager on a permanent basis.

Losing to Premier League opposition in a cup game is just a hazard of the job, but throwing away a two-goal lead at home against Brighton & Hove Albion and not even getting to penalties was a bitter pill to swallow after a less-than-stellar start to the league campaign.

Next permanent Manchester United manager odds

United won just one of their first four league fixtures, the kind of drop in run-rate from the second half of last season that's bound to attract scrutiny after the Red Devils invested heavily to reinforce the midfield.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans both started the Carabao Cup game at Old Trafford but were powerless to halt United's collapse from 2-0 up to 3-2 down. Consequently, Carrick is having one of those days where it's best to avoid the internet.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

As the bookmakers slash the odds on Carrick becoming the first Premier League manager to face the sack this season, related markets on who would replace him as United's next permanent manager have gone into overdrive.

Based on an average of the various markets already available, the favourite is former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe at 6/4 – an English boss with lots of Premier League experience but likely to be a divisive choice among United fans.

England manager Thomas Tuchel is available around 7/2 in the betting but not, the FA would say, available to move back into the club game after previous spells that included Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Somewhere around 4/1, you'll find another manager whose most recent job was in international football. Julian Nagelsmann left the Germany job after the World Cup this summer and remains out of work, but is a less attractive offer following his performance over the summer.

Antonio Conte is listed around 9/1, while Gareth Southgate and Kieran McKenna – both available – are at odds of 15/1 on average.

Darren Fletcher leads the inevitable group of former Red Devils players, with 20/1 on offer if you think he'll get a chance to reprise his caretaker role on a permanent basis.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney are also on the list along with former United managers Ralf Rangnick, David Moyes and Erik ten Hag. Their odds are appropriately long.

Other potential candidates with marginally more convincing odds include Carlo Ancelotti (20/1), Fabian Hurzeler (25/1), Mauricio Pochettino (25/1) and Diego Simeone (50/1).

The 2,000 Bournemouth fans who have travelled to San Sebastian will surely be pinching themselves when their team walks out at the 40,000-capacity Reale Arena, as a club who have spent most of their history in the bottom two divisions of the EFL play in Europe for the first time.

Sociedad will be targeting three points from this league phase opener, but they have endured a mixed start to the season and lost 3-0 at home to Atletico Madrid last weekend.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth online and from anywhere, in the Europa League 2026/27.

Can I watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth for free?

Yes, Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth is free-to-air in Brazil on Caze TV's YouTube Channel.

No subscription or account is required.

NordVPN can help unlock your free stream if you're outside Brazil this Thursday.

Watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth on TNT Sports and its streaming partner HBO Max.

The game is live on TNT Sports 2 and TNT Sports 6, with kick-off at 8:00pm BST.

How to watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth in the US

Viewers in the US can watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth on Paramount+. Kick-off is at 3:00pm ET.

How to watch Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth in Australia

Stan Sport has live coverage of Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth in Australia. Kick-off is at 5:00am AEST on Friday.

Tickets

Real Sociedad vs Bournemouth: Preview

Real Sociedad start their 2026/27 Europa League campaign in the way they finished their previous one: with a tie against English opponents.

La Real were last in the competition in the 2024/25 season, when they lost 5-2 on aggregate to eventual finalists Manchester United in the Round of 16.

This league phase opener against Bournemouth should be another tough test for the La Liga outfit, who have taken seven points from their first six league games of the campaign and lost 3-0 at home to Atletico Madrid last Sunday - although the game was goalless with seven minutes remaining.

Igor Zubeldia and Pablo Marin are injury doubts for Sociedad, while right back Jon Mikel Aramburu is suspended having been sent off in the United tie two seasons ago.

SEE ALSO Europa League 2026/27 TV Guide

Bournemouth's historic first steps in European competition have been on the cards for some time, after their ninth-place finish in the Premier League in 2024/25 was followed by last term's club-record position of sixth.

The manager who led them to that feat, Andoni Iraola, would have been set for a Basque homecoming had he still been in charge, but his excellent work with the Cherries landed him a job at Liverpool.

He was replaced by Marco Rose and the German appears to have settled quickly into the role, although Bournemouth's performances in the Premier League haven't necessarily been backed up by results after they conceded late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle United, before drawing 2-2 with Brentford last weekend.

Rose remains confident that his team are on the right path and that is certainly true of a club who will make history tonight with the first European fixture of their 127-year history.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Real Sociedad 1-2 Bournemouth

The Cherries are rookies on the European stage, but they shouldn't be underestimated.

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A 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses was followed by a 5-0 thrashing by Chelsea, leaving Olid’s side with plenty of questions to answer after just two Women’s Super League games.

With a new manager, a significantly reshaped squad and no European football this season, there are already reasons for concern at United.

A huge summer of change

Olid was brought in to replace Marc Skinner after United finished fourth in the WSL last season, missing out on European football.

The club have also seen a significant number of players depart this summer, with Hannah Blundell, Leah Galton, Gabby George, Melvine Malard, Lisa Naalsund and Millie Turner all leaving the club.

In their place, United brought in Rebeca Bernal, Monica Jusu Bah, Janina Leitzig and Andrea Medina, but questions around whether the club had done enough business in the transfer window were rife amongst fans.

The lack of investment in the women’s team has long been a concern at Manchester United, and something Skinner struggled with over his five-year tenure.

In April he said: "I'm absolutely passionate about what we do. But we have to make some changes in the summer. We have to make some changes to make sure that we can compete with what's clearly a financial market at times.”

The summer rebuild was then compounded by the arrival of Olid, who has never managed in the WSL before. Having only joined at the start of August, she has had limited time to implement her playing style and get a new squad up to speed.

Poor results and worrying performances

United's opening two results have done little to settle those questions.

The defeat to London City was disappointing, with Alexia Putellas’ new side outplaying United for most of the match. Simi Awujo scored a consolation goal deep into stoppage time, but United offered little attacking threat before then.

The Chelsea loss was more concerning.

United managed just two shots compared to Chelsea's 24, while nobody in a United shirt received a FotMob rating above 6.5.

Unsurprisingly, defenders Dominique Janssen and Maya Le Tissier were particularly low-rated, receiving scores of 2.8 and 4.6 respectively.

It was not simply the result that was concerning. United were repeatedly exposed defensively, struggled to press Chelsea effectively and made a number of individual errors.

There will be an inevitable adjustment period as Olid implements a new system, but the Chelsea performance suggested some of the problems go beyond simply learning a new style. United struggled to play out from the back, were slow off the ball and lacked creativity in attack.

There have been positives, with Medina impressing in both games before being forced off injured against Chelsea. Bernal also made her debut and could provide another option in midfield. But there is clearly plenty of work to do.

The pressure starts now

There is still a long way to go in the season and two games should not define a campaign.

But United's lack of European football means their progress will be judged almost entirely on their domestic results, while rivals around them have strengthened.

Having made history last season by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time, United must return to European competition to show progress. But right now, finishing third in the WSL seems a long way off.

For Olid, the challenge is to get the team on board as she establishes a new identity, while restoring confidence before a difficult starts develops into a rut.

Two games do not make a season, but United have already given their new manager plenty to fix.

The 3-2 defeat, which saw the Seagulls come back from a 2-1 deficit, has prompted bookmakers to drastically slash odds on Carrick's dismissal.

Another defeat adds to what has been a tricky start to Carrick’s first full season as permanent manager. With the Red Devils languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table after picking up just four points from their opening four matches, an early cup exit leaves the club fighting on fewer fronts when silverware could have papered over the cracks of an otherwise sub-standard season.

Michael Carrick sack odds

In response to the defeat, Sky Bet has priced Carrick at 10/3 to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post, down from his 33/1 pre-season standing.

The former Middlesbrough boss was 11/1 in the same market at the start of September, and 15/2 prior to Wednesday's elimination.

Bookmakers have also priced the ex-Man United midfielder at 5/2 to leave the Old Trafford hotseat before Christmas Day.

And for those punters bullish enough to back an immediate exit, Carrick is 6/1 to be sacked before the end of September or during October. November, meanwhile, represents the shortest individual month for his potential departure at 7/2.

The road ahead offers little relief for the under-fire boss with Sky Bet offering 10/1 on Manchester United to lose their next two Premier League matches against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

Should their poor form snowball further, odds stretch to 50/1 for four straight league defeats - which would encompass losses to Leeds United and AFC Bournemouth - and 100/1 for five consecutive Premier League defeats.

Bookmakers haven't completely written off the former England international, though. Carrick remains 2/1 to weather the storm and remain in charge until the end of the season.

However, with patience wearing thin among supporters and Man United already drifting from the top four race, upcoming fixtures will prove crucial in determining whether Carrick can stabilise the ship or become the latest managerial casualty in Old Trafford's turbulent post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Man United are away at Fulham on Sunday, 20 September in the 4:30pm kick-off on Sky Sports.

Their next league match after that comes following the extended September-October international break, at home to Tottenham Hotspur on October 10.

The Wales international has built her own platform, giving fans an insight into life as a professional footballer.

And for Morgan, it is about more than simply creating content - she hopes building her profile can help create more opportunities for herself and other female players who might not always have the spotlight.

Ffion Morgan: ‘I had to make my own luck’

For Morgan, building a profile away from the pitch has been about taking control of opportunities rather than waiting for them to arrive.

That realisation led her to social media, where the 26-year-old has built an audience by showing the reality of life as a professional footballer.

Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo, she said: “For me, I don't necessarily have the opportunities that others do.

"Where I sit as a Welsh player, and not necessarily at one of the top clubs. So I had to make my own luck.

“Branding is a huge part of that. To grow my brand on social media, which inspires a generation and shows people what it's really like as a footballer. There's not many negatives in what I'm doing, which is fantastic.”

It was not something she immediately embraced. In fact, when her sister first suggested Morgan start putting herself out there online, she was far from convinced: "My sister encouraged me to do videos and at the time I was like, no, nobody does it, that's weird, I don't want to do it.

“But she said I could be one of the first and pave the way for more people to create opportunities for themselves. So I went for it. I put myself out there, and if people know my name, even if it's from social media, it might get them at a game, and then it'll get them supporting West Ham, and then it'll go on from there.”

‘It’s more than just football’

Morgan's content offers an unfiltered look at professional football, from matchdays and recovery to food, training and the reality of life away from the pitch.

“I just like showing all the game days, what our schedule's like, what recovery's like. So if you're a young footballer watching it, they're going to love that.

“I also want to use my content to show my lifestyle and what's important to me, which is family, friendship and relationships, because in football it can be quite lonely, so showing that is important as well.”

That openness has already had an impact, with Morgan regularly receiving messages from people who have been inspired by her content, especially young players.

“I get messages all the time,” she added. “Saying things like ‘I didn't want to play football anymore, but you've got me back into it.'

“I've met so many people through them liking my vlogs. I know that's so silly, but they've got group chats and they've met friends, which is just lovely. And that's what football is. It's a community and it's more than just football, especially in the women's game, it's fantastic.”

‘You’re hungry for more’

Morgan’s next big opportunity could come with Wales, who are targeting qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup after making history by reaching Euro 2025.

“After the Euros and our success in qualifying for that, we've always wanted more as players and wanted to show ourselves on the big stage.

“Now that we've done it once, you're hungry for more, which is a good thing, but also a bad thing.

“We're all so excited to get going and the playoffs are coming up quite soon. Hopefully everyone stays fit and healthy and then hopefully we'll smash that and Brazil would be fantastic.

“I think my parents would love me if we qualified because they definitely want a Brazil trip!”

The Man United teenager's decision has thrust him even further into the spotlight than his playing prospects already had. Gabriel is 15 years old and the truth is nobody should be taking an interest in anything he does.

That's a bigger problem that football as a whole needs to start taking seriously, but as far as Gabriel goes, it's likely to prove a mis-step for Man United to fumble his progress.

Arsenal's Max Dowman is a demonstration of what might have been

Man United have had opportunities to demonstrate their faith in Gabriel and show him that the route to first team football has been laid out.

While it's possible to question the youngster's desire to leave before he's even 16 years of age, the advice he's receiving, and the rights and wrongs of other clubs sniffing around him, there is an example in the Premier League that points to a better outcome.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Down at Arsenal, 16-year-old Max Dowman has been given chances and taken them. The Premier League champions have a young talent of their own, and he made his league debut at 15.

Dowman is increasingly being tipped for a senior England call-up, a stark contrast with Gabriel even at this absurdly early stage in both of their careers.

Arsenal have managed Dowman through without over-use. He has six Premier League appearances to his name and another eight in the cups. He's played in the Champions League three times but his lone senior appearance this season was in Tuesday's Carabao Cup win at Ipswich Town.

He scored twice, and therein lies the clue that might have served Man United in Gabriel's case. Dowman is an obvious talent but he won't be thrown in for frequent appearances regardless of those goals.

Mikel Arteta is biding his time. Notably, though, Dowman has had sufficient chances to impress.

Dowman and Gabriel are different people with their own minds and their own advisors, but it's hard to ignore the sense that Man United could have thrown him a bone if they'd wanted.

It wouldn't have been to their detriment either; the Red Devils obviously believe he has huge potential. He might have been in line to play against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but took himself out of contention with his request to leave.

But when Man United were preparing to play their Champions League opener against Azeri champions Sabah, Gabriel was scoring a hat-trick against them in the UEFA Youth League.

Perhaps the young forward is getting ahead of himself for whatever reason – that isn't and shouldn't be any of our business, and Man United have their own reasons to select him or not – but there's a good chance Dowman would have been selected in an equivalent Arsenal match.

If that's the difference between keeping and losing a top prospect, it could be a decision they come to regret.

Ligue 1 had cancelled the remainder of its season early in April, while the Premier League, LaLiga, and Bundesliga resumed after months of delay. France Football argued that comparing players across leagues with vastly different season lengths and match counts would be unfair.

Competitions like the Champions League had to switch to single-leg knockout tournaments behind closed doors, changing standard evaluation conditions. The temporary introduction of five substitutes per match and postponed summer international tournaments like Euro 2020 and Copa America further altered the landscape.

And the winner was...

Rather than hold the traditional journalist vote, France Football replaced the 2020 award with the ‘Ballon d'Or Dream Team’. An international jury voted for an all-time best XI in football history instead of a player of the year.

But here’s the thing, FourFourTwo, held the vote anyway...

At the end of 2020, FourFourTwo undertook the huge task of polling football journalists ourselves to reveal who the true winner of the Asterix Ballon d'Or was.

An in-house shortlist was created consisting of the 30 players who had had the best season. This was then passed to 101 football journalists from 101 nations, across six continents. Each picked their top five players for 2020.

If you recall, the Ballon d'Or's voting format changed in 2022, but prior to that, the system was: one journalist from over 100 different FIFA member nations picked their top five from a 30-man shortlist, with their picks earning 6, 4, 3, 2, and 1 point(s) respectively.

FourFourTwo's 30-man 2020 shortlist

• Alisson
• Trent Alexander-Arnold
• Karim Benzema
• Alphonso Davies
• Kevin De Bruyne
• Angel Di Maria
• Bruno Fernandes
• Serge Gnabry
• Leon Goretzka
• Erling Haaland
• Jordan Henderson
• Ciro Immobile
• Harry Kane
• Joshua Kimmich
• Robert Lewandowski
• Romelu Lukaku
• Sadio Mane
• Marquinhos
• Lionel Messi
• Kylian Mbappe
• Thomas Muller
• Manuel Neuer
• Neymar
• Sergio Ramos
• Andrew Robertson
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Mohamed Salah
• Son Heung-min
• Thiago Alcantara
• Virgil van Dijk

The results

In what was an open-and-shut case, FourFourTwo proved Lewandowski won the 2020 Ballon d'Or with 561 points. Interestingly, the 441-point gap between Lewandowski and 2nd place (Kevin De Bruyne) would've broken the record for the biggest winning margin, beating the 429-point gap Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2016 Ballon d'Or by.

Petition to remove the 2020 asterix, Your Honour, as per the evidence below:

• 1 Robert Lewandowski (561 points)
• 2 Kevin De Bruyne (120 points)
• 3 Sadio Mane (113 points)
• 4 Lionel Messi (101 points)
• 5 Cristiano Ronaldo (98 points)
• 6 Manuel Neuer (69 points)
• 7 Virgil van Dijk (67 points)
• 8 Kylian Mbappe (64 points)
• 9 Joshua Kimmich (59 points)
• 10 Neymar (48 points)
• 11 Erling Haaland (43 points)
• 12 Mohamed Salah (42 points)
• 13 Thomas Muller (36 points)
• 14 Sergio Ramos (27 points)
• 15= Thiago Alcantara (23 points)
• 15= Serge Gnabry (23 points)
• 17 Ciro Immobile (21 points)
• 18 Son Heung-min (18 points)
• 19 Alphonso Davies (15 points)
• 20 Romelu Lukaku (14 points)
• 21 Trent Alexander-Arnold (13 points)
• 22 Karim Benzema (11 points)
• 23 Bruno Fernandes (10 points)
• 24 Alisson (7 points)
• 25 Marquinhos (4 points)
• 26= Leon Goretzka (3 points)
• 26= Andrew Robertson (3 points)
• 28 Harry Kane (2 points)
• 29 Jordan Henderson (1 point)
• 30 Angel Di Maria (0 points)

⤵️ The working out

See in full how each journalist from all the nations voted. Spare a thought for poor Angel Di Maria – the only man to get nil points. Curiously, four on the panel felt Robert Lewandowski deserved zilch. Tough crowd...

🇩🇿 ALGERIA

✍️ Maher Mezahi 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Manuel Neuer

Sadio Mané

Neymar

🇦🇴 ANGOLA

✍️ Ivan Capuepue 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Ciro Immobile

Sadio Mané

Erling Haaland

Son Heung-min

🇦🇷 ARGENTINA

✍️ Martin Mazur 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Thomas Muller

Virgil van Dijk

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇦🇺 AUSTRALIA

✍️ James Dampney 🗞️ Finder

Virgil van Dijk

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Manuel Neuer

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇦🇹 AUSTRIA

✍️ Thomas Middler 🗞️ The Other Bundesliga

Robert Lewandowski

Erling Haaland

Alisson

Serge Gnabry

Kevin De Bruyne

🇦🇿 AZERBAIJAN

✍️ Rasi Movsumzadeh 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Serge Gnabry

Sadio Mané

Erling Haaland

🇧🇩 BANGLADESH

✍️ Mehedi Sujan 🗞️ New Age

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Mohamed Salah

Kevin De Bruyne

Manuel Neuer

🇧🇧 BARBADOS

✍️ Renaldo Gilkes 🗞️ Loop News

Robert Lewandowski

Ciro Immobile

Sergio Ramos

Cristiano Ronaldo

Romelu Lukaku

🇧🇪 BELGIUM

✍️ Samindra Kunti 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Joshua Kimmich

Erling Haaland

Romelu Lukaku

🇧🇴 BOLIVIA

✍️ Paola Perez 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Neymar

Lionel Messi

Manuel Neuer

Joshua Kimmich

🇧🇦 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

✍️ Sasa Ibrulj 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Kylian Mbappe

Cristiano Ronaldo

Thiago Alcantara

🇧🇷 BRAZIL

✍️ Mauricio Savarese 🗞️ AP

Robert Lewandowski

Neymar

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Serge Gnabry

Kevin De Bruyne

🇧🇬 BULGARIA

✍️ Metodi Shumanov 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Virgil van Dijk

Serge Gnabry

Sadio Mané

Romelu Lukaku

🇧🇮 BURUNDI

✍️ Elvis Iradukunda 🗞️ BETV

Manuel Neuer

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Kylian Mbappe

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇨🇲 CAMEROON

✍️ Njie Enow 🗞️ CRTV

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Sadio Mané

Virgil van Dijk

Lionel Messi

🇨🇦 CANADA

✍️ Kiyan Sobhani 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

Cristiano Ronaldo

Neymar

🇹🇩 CHAD

✍️ Nesta Yamgoto 🗞️ Tchadinfos

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Cristiano Ronaldo

Karim Benzema

Neymar

🇨🇳 CHINA

✍️ Jiang Mengxi 🗞️ CGTN

Robert Lewandowski

Mohamed Salah

Kylian Mbappe

Kevin De Bruyne

Joshua Kimmich

🇨🇴 COLOMBIA

✍️ Carl Worswick 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Neymar

Sadio Mané

Erling Haaland

🇨🇰 COOK ISLANDS

✍️ Rashneel Kumar 🗞️ Cook Islands News

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Thomas Muller

Karim Benzema

🇨🇷 COSTA RICA

✍️ Rodrigo Calvo 🗞️ Buzon De Rodrigo

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

Marquinhos

🇭🇷 CROATIA

✍️ Ivan Tomic 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Neymar

Andrew Robertson

Manuel Neuer

Sergio Ramos

🇨🇿 CZECH REPUBLIC

✍️ Karel Haring 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kevin De Bruyne

Erling Haaland

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇩🇰 DENMARK

✍️ Johan Lyngholm-Bjerge 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Virgil van Dijk

Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇨🇩 DR CONGO

✍️ Michel Tobo 🗞️ foot.cd

Robert Lewandowski

Kylian Mbappe

Ciro Immobile

Lionel Messi

Serge Gnabry

🇪🇬 EGYPT

✍️ Marwan Saeed 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Virgil van Dijk

Mohamed Salah

Bruno Fernandes

🇸🇻 EL SALVADOR

✍️ Claudio Martinez 🗞️ Pencho y Aida FM

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Lionel Messi

Ciro Immobile

Sergio Ramos

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ENGLAND

✍️ Chris Flanagan 🗞️ FourFourTwo

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Kevin De Bruyne

Neymar

Erling Haaland

🇪🇪 ESTONIA

✍️ Angelo Palmeri 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Romelu Lukaku

Ciro Immobile

Erling Haaland

Mohamed Salah

🇪🇹 ETHIOPIA

✍️ Haileegziabher Adhanom 🗞️ SuperSport

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

🇫🇴 FAROE ISLANDS

✍️ Trondur Arge 🗞️ Sosialurin

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kevin De Bruyne

Thomas Muller

🇫🇮 FINLAND

✍️ Joonas Partanen 🗞️ Iltalehti

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Joshua Kimmich

Bruno Fernandes

Erling Haaland

🇫🇷 FRANCE

✍️ Fabien Fougeray 🗞️ CANAL+

Robert Lewandowski

Thiago Alcantara

Son Heung-min

Erling Haaland

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇬🇲 GAMBIA

✍️ Momodou Bah 🗞️ CAFOnline

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Sadio Mané

Bruno Fernandes

Manuel Neuer

🇩🇪 GERMANY

✍️ Jonathan Harding 🗞️ DW Sports

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Erling Haaland

Leon Goretzka

Manuel Neuer

🇬🇭 GHANA

✍️ Bernard Neequaye 🗞️ Daily Graphic

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Kylian Mbappe

Sadio Mané

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇬🇷 GREECE

✍️ Vasilis Sambrakos 🗞️ gazzetta.gr

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Manuel Neuer

Thomas Muller

Kevin De Bruyne

🇭🇺 HUNGARY

✍️ Gyorgy Szollosi 🗞️ FourFourTwo Hungary

Robert Lewandowski

Kylian Mbappe

Joshua Kimmich

Cristiano Ronaldo

Manuel Neuer

🇮🇸 ICELAND

✍️ Johann Sigurdsson 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

Virgil van Dijk

🇮🇳 INDIA

✍️ Mihir Vasavda 🗞️ Indian Express

Robert Lewandowski

Kylian Mbappe

Kevin De Bruyne

Sadio Mané

Joshua Kimmich

🇮🇩 INDONESIA

✍️ Tio Prasetyo 🗞️ Box2Box

Robert Lewandowski

Bruno Fernandes

Virgil van Dijk

Alphonso Davies

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇮🇷 IRAN

✍️ Babak Golriz 🗞️ Sport360

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

Karim Benzema

Sadio Mané

🇮🇱 ISRAEL

✍️ Michael Yokhin 🗞️ Freelance

Thomas Muller

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Joshua Kimmich

Trent Alexander-Arnold

🇮🇹 ITALY

✍️ Emanuele Giulianelli 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Thomas Muller

Kylian Mbappe

Mohamed Salah

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇯🇵 JAPAN

✍️ Koki Harada 🗞️ Tokyo Chunichi

Robert Lewandowski

Virgil van Dijk

Cristiano Ronaldo

Son Heung-min

Ciro Immobile

🇯🇴 JORDAN

✍️ Mohammed Awaad 🗞️ Alroeya

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Lionel Messi

Kylian Mbappe

Romelu Lukaku

🇰🇪 KENYA

✍️ Charles Nyende 🗞️ Nation

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Serge Gnabry

Lionel Messi

Karim Benzema

🇽🇰 KOSOVO

✍️ Bajram Shala 🗞️ RTV 21

Robert Lewandowski

Sergio Ramos

Sadio Mané

Joshua Kimmich

Kylian Mbappe

🇱🇧 LEBANON

✍️ Mohamed Fawaz 🗞️ Almustaqbal

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Mohamed Salah

🇱🇷 LIBERIA

✍️ Anthony Kokoi 🗞️ KMTV

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Sergio Ramos

Kylian Mbappe

🇱🇾 LIBYA

✍️ Morad Dkeel 🗞️ WTV-Libya

Joshua Kimmich

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Erling Haaland

Thiago Alcantara

🇲🇴 MACAU

✍️ Pedro Santos 🗞️ Ponto Final

Cristiano Ronaldo

Mohamed Salah

Manuel Neuer

Lionel Messi

Bruno Fernandes

🇲🇬 MADAGASCAR

✍️ Haja Lucas Rakotondrazaka 🗞️ L’Express de Madagascar

Robert Lewandowski

Thiago Alcantara

Lionel Messi

Neymar

Manuel Neuer

🇲🇼 MALAWI

✍️ Peter Kanjere 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Manuel Neuer

Kevin De Bruyne

🇲🇾 MALAYSIA

✍️ Vijhay Vick 🗞️ Johor Darul Ta’zim

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi

Mohamed Salah

🇲🇽 MEXICO

✍️ Jason Marquitz 🗞️ soccermexicana.com

Sadio Mané

Robert Lewandowski

Neymar

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Serge Gnabry

🇲🇪 MONTENEGRO

✍️ Danilo Mitrovic 🗞️ ND Vijesti

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Neymar

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Thomas Muller

🇲🇦 MOROCCO

✍️ Mohamed Amine El Amri 🗞️ Le Matin

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Romelu Lukaku

Sadio Mané

Karim Benzema

🇳🇦 NAMIBIA

✍️ Sheefeni Nikodemus 🗞️ The Namibian

Robert Lewandowski

Son Heung-min

Marquinhos

Ciro Immobile

Sadio Mané

🇳🇱 NETHERLANDS

✍️ Guus Hetterscheid 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Kevin De Bruyne

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇳🇿 NEW ZEALAND

✍️ Gordon Watson 🗞️ OFC TV

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi

Virgil van Dijk

🇳🇮 NICARAGUA

✍️ Gunther Kuse 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kevin De Bruyne

Joshua Kimmich

Virgil van Dijk

🇳🇬 NIGERIA

✍️ Tolu Olasoji 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Neymar

Serge Gnabry

Kevin De Bruyne

🇬🇧 NORTHERN IRELAND

✍️ Keith Bailie 🗞️ County Down Spectator

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Alphonso Davies

Kevin De Bruyne

Erling Haaland

🇳🇴 NORWAY

✍️ Thore Haugstad 🗞️ NRK Sport

Robert Lewandowski

Virgil van Dijk

Lionel Messi

Kevin De Bruyne

Thomas Muller

🇴🇲 OMAN

✍️ Ashok Purohit 🗞️ Muscat Daily

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Cristiano Ronaldo

Mohamed Salah

Sergio Ramos

🇵🇰 PAKISTAN

✍️ Umaid Wasim 🗞️ dawn.com

Robert Lewandowski

Thomas Muller

Neymar

Kevin De Bruyne

Romelu Lukaku

🇵🇪 PERU

✍️ Victor Zaferson 🗞️ Freelance

Thomas Muller

Erling Haaland

Kylian Mbappe

Thiago Alcantara

Leon Goretzka

🇵🇭 PHILIPPINES

✍️ Ryan Fenix 🗞️ GMA News Online

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Kevin De Bruyne

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇵🇱 POLAND

✍️ Zbigniew Muchag 🗞️ Pilka Nozna

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Joshua Kimmich

Sergio Ramos

Sadio Mané

🇵🇹 PORTUGAL

✍️ Valter Marques 🗞️ Record

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Virgil van Dijk

Thiago Alcantara

Kylian Mbappe

🇶🇦 QATAR

✍️ Mitch Freeley 🗞️ beIN SPORTS

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Virgil van Dijk

Kylian Mbappe

Sergio Ramos

🇮🇪 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

✍️ David Sneyd 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Thiago Alcantara

Serge Gnabry

Sadio Mané

Erling Haaland

🇷🇴 ROMANIA

✍️ Emanuel Rosu 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Lionel Messi

Manuel Neuer

Thiago Alcantara

Cristiano Ronaldo

🇷🇺 RUSSIA

✍️ Artur Petrosyan 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Lionel Messi

Virgil van Dijk

Son Heung-min

🇷🇼 RWANDA

✍️ Peter Kamasa 🗞️ The New Times

Sadio Mané

Neymar

Mohamed Salah

Kylian Mbappe

Thiago Alcantara

🇸🇦 SAUDI ARABIA

✍️ Atef Nahass 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Mohamed Salah

Sadio Mané

Thiago Alcantara

Kylian Mbappe

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SCOTLAND

✍️ Kenny Millar 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Mohamed Salah

Virgil van Dijk

Erling Haaland

Alphonso Davies

🇸🇳 SENEGAL

✍️ Adama Ndione 🗞️ RTS

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Thomas Muller

Karim Benzema

Kevin De Bruyne

🇷🇸 SERBIA

✍️ Vladimir Novak 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Virgil van Dijk

Neymar

Manuel Neuer

Joshua Kimmich

🇸🇱 SIERRA LEONE

✍️ Alusine Rehme Wilson 🗞️ Northern Times

Alphonso Davies

Sadio Mané

Mohamed Salah

Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe

🇸🇬 SINGAPORE

✍️ Jeremy Lim 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Mohamed Salah

Serge Gnabry

Virgil van Dijk

Sadio Mané

🇸🇰 SLOVAKIA

✍️ Martin Rendek 🗞️ Hospodarske noviny

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi

Joshua Kimmich

🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA

✍️ Juandre Joubert 🗞️ FourFourTwo SA

Virgil van Dijk

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Erling Haaland

Kevin De Bruyne

🇰🇷 SOUTH KOREA

✍️ Steve Han 🗞️ Goal

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Kylian Mbappe

Karim Benzema

Jordan Henderson

🇪🇸 SPAIN

✍️ Jon Prada 🗞️ Marca

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Sergio Ramos

Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi

🇸🇷 SURINAME

✍️ Desney Romeo 🗞️ ABC TV

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Kevin De Bruyne

Virgil van Dijk

Sergio Ramos

🇸🇪 SWEDEN

✍️ Lee Roden 🗞️ Sveriges Radio

Virgil van Dijk

Lionel Messi

Robert Lewandowski

Cristiano Ronaldo

Erling Haaland

🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND

✍️ Eva Tedesco 🗞️ 20 Minuten

Joshua Kimmich

Robert Lewandowski

Sergio Ramos

Romelu Lukaku

Sadio Mané

🇹🇿 TANZANIA

✍️ Salim Masoud Said 🗞️ SandalsForGoalposts

Robert Lewandowski

Kylian Mbappe

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Sergio Ramos

🇹🇹 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

✍️ Lasana Liburd 🗞️ wired868.com

Robert Lewandowski

Kevin De Bruyne

Sadio Mané

Neymar

Lionel Messi

🇹🇳 TUNISIA

✍️ Abdesslam Dhaifallah 🗞️ Radio Mosaique FM

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Kylian Mbappe

Cristiano Ronaldo

Mohamed Salah

🇹🇷 TURKEY

✍️ Simge Yazici 🗞️ FourFourTwo Turkey

Robert Lewandowski

Alisson

Neymar

Cristiano Ronaldo

Erling Haaland

🇺🇬 UGANDA

✍️ Ismael Kiyonga 🗞️ Kawawo Sports

Robert Lewandowski

Sergio Ramos

Erling Haaland

Kevin De Bruyne

Alphonso Davies

🇺🇦 UKRAINE

✍️ Andriy Kudyrko 🗞️ ua-football.com

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Kevin De Bruyne

Ciro Immobile

Erling Haaland

🇦🇪 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

✍️ John McAuley 🗞️ The National

Robert Lewandowski

Joshua Kimmich

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Sadio Mané

🇺🇸 USA

✍️ Martin Harasimowicz 🗞️ Freelance

Robert Lewandowski

Son Heung-min

Mohamed Salah

Sadio Mané

Lionel Messi

🇻🇪 VENEZUELA

✍️ Hugo Chavez 🗞️ Lider

Kevin De Bruyne

Robert Lewandowski

Sadio Mané

Thomas Muller

Neymar

🇻🇳 VIETNAM

✍️ Tran Duc Truong 🗞️ zing.vn

Robert Lewandowski

Manuel Neuer

Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi

Neymar

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 WALES

✍️ Huw Davies 🗞️ Freelance

Kevin De Bruyne

Robert Lewandowski

Son Heung-min

Harry Kane

Alphonso Davies

🇿🇼 ZIMBABWE

✍️ Grace Chingoma 🗞️ The Herald

Robert Lewandowski

Erling Haaland

Kevin De Bruyne

Sadio Mané

Alphonso Davies