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East London’s Vicky Park Rangers under-13s are mounting a legal challenge after being turfed out Vicky Park Rangers under-13s had a crunch game on Saturday. If the girls were going to top the league, it was a must-win fixture against last season’s champions. Preparations for the game had been far from ideal. A week after starting training on the Stepney Green astroturf, the council told them their time slot – which they shared with four other teams at Vicky Park Rangers, a grassroots club for 120 girls in east London – had been reallocated to a boys’ club. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/30/they-want-to-give-our-pitch-to-boys-girls-football-team-fight-to-take-up-space

US private equity firm Dynasty Equity pays about $100m-$200m Money used to pay off debt and will not go into January transfers Fenway Sports Group has sold a minority stake in Liverpool to the US private equity firm Dynasty Equity. The deal ends FSG’s search for investment and will be used to pay off debts. FSG and Dynasty, an investment firm that specialises in buying minority stakes in sports franchises, have not revealed the financial details of the deal but it is in the region of $100m-$200m (£82m-£164m). The investment does not equate to a “transfer war chest” for the manager, Jürgen Klopp. It will pay down bank debt incurred during the pandemic, capital expenditure on the new Anfield Road stand, the new Axa training centre and the repurchase of Melwood training ground, and acquisitions in the recent transfer window. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/28/liverpool-fsg-sells-minority-stake-dynasty-equity-ends-sear...

Light aircraft that can fly and loiter at very high altitudes could provide back-up for spy satellites.

In-form Liverpool travel to Tottenham while Manchester City look to continue their perfect start to the season at Molineux Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Villa Park Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/29/premier-league-team-news-predicted-lineups-for-the-weekend-action

The TUC says stakeholders in the high-speed rail line must be brought together "urgently".

Charities and consumer groups say many people will struggle to pay their energy bills again this winter.

Spurs have appointed the Swedish coach Robert Vilahamn and hope to avoid getting dragged into a relegation fight once again Things did not go to plan for Tottenham last term. The high of a fifth-placed finish in Rehanne Skinner’s first season was not backed up as Spurs flirted with relegation for two thirds of the 2022-23 campaign. Nine straight defeats eventually did for Skinner as she was relieved of her duties in March . Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/29/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-11-tottenham

Plastic cutlery is banned under new rules but plastic containers for takeaway and shop bought meals are not.

A maker of autonomous lorries is using AI software to prang computerised versions of the vehicles.

Italian club stops short of apologising for video Osimhen’s agent has threatened legal action Napoli said on Thursday they never intended to offend their striker Victor Osimhen with mocking social media videos, but the Serie A champions stopped short of apologising to the Nigeria international. The Italian side posted a video on TikTok with a high pitched voice showing Osimhen missing a penalty in their 0-0 draw against Bologna on Sunday, which was later deleted. Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda later threatened legal action , while the 24-year-old player removed all images of himself in a Napoli shirt from his social media accounts. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/28/napoli-had-no-intention-of-mockery-in-victor-osimhen-tiktok-video

The typical rate for a five-year mortgage has fallen to 5.99% after interest rates were held.

The stricken Chinese property giant suspends trading as reports emerge of its chairman being taken.

A team studded with England internationals need to kick on and secure European qualification after last season’s near miss To improve on last season’s fourth place and challenge for the WSL title. If missing out on Champions League qualification on goal difference last term hurt, Gareth Taylor and his players could cite mitigating circumstances. The summer of 2022 proved turbulent at the Etihad campus with four leading City lights exiting stage left and another retiring. While England’s Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh defected to Barcelona, their international teammate Georgia Stanway departed for Bayern Munich and Ellen White, the Lionesses’ record goalscorer, hung up her boots. By then Scotland’s Caroline Weir had also already left for Real Madrid. Given that context, a top-four place represented respectability. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/28/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-9-manchester-city

Napoli 4-1 Udinese, Inter 1-2 Sassuolo, Cagliari 1-3 Milan Girona go top of La Liga, Real Madrid sink Las Palmas Victor Osimhen was on the scoresheet for Napoli as the defending Serie A champions earned a welcome 4-1 home win over Udinese on Wednesday. The Nigeria forward struck in the first half and offered a muted celebration, after a week where his agent has discussed “the right to take legal action” after Napoli posted a bizarre video on TikTok that seemingly mocked the player. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/27/european-roundup-napoli-inter-milan-girona-real-madrid

Solanke injury mars Bournemouth win over Stoke Fulham will face Ipswich after edging out Norwich West Ham will host Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round while the draw set up a repeat of last season’s final with Newcastle travelling to Manchester United. The Hammers, who made 10 changes from the Premier League defeat at Anfield , edged past Lincoln City with a 1-0 victory at Sincil Bank. Tomas Soucek – the one player who retained his place – scored the winner in the 70th minute, heading home from Saïd Benrahma’s corner. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/27/carabao-cup-roundup-west-ham-bournemouth-fulham-blackburn

BBC pundit’s criticism of Rob Jones was a mistake – though the handball rule continues to confuse fans and managers alike Embarrassing. After another weekend of controversial VAR decisions, it would seem the only appropriate word. Yes, expectations are unduly high. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. But at the end of the day it’s not brain surgery: when Jermaine Jenas got his phone out to call the referee Rob Jones a “sh**house”, he should have taken a deep breath, counted to 10, then walked away. Jenas, the BBC pundit and pre-season face of – you couldn’t write it – an Football Association campaign to promote respect for referees, has made himself look permanently stupid. Just another weekend in the Barclays, you might say. But Jenas’s error-strewn social media message (full text: “Complete sh**house off a referee! They’re all ruining the our game!”) is hardly atypical. People are losing their stuff at refereeing decisions on a weekly basis. Continue reading... from Football | The Gua...

Supply is more secure this year suggesting less pressure on the network, the electricity system operator says.

Van de Donk in offside position to set up Lieke Martens’ goal Bright: ‘We do not have VAR which is mind-blowing’ England’s captain, Millie Bright, said it was “mind-blowing” that VAR has not been in use for the Nations League games, after England’s 2-1 defeat against the Netherlands where Daniëlle van de Donk was clearly offside for the Dutch opener. “This is international football and we do not have VAR in a competitive international game, which is mind-blowing,” Bright said. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/26/millie-bright-england-women-var-lionesses-netherlands-football

Development and production consents have been given to the offshore development west of Shetland.

They can return to work while they vote on whether to approve a three-year deal that offers pay rises.

Having just avoided relegation last season, Willie Kirk has overseen a squad overhaul with no fewer than 16 players leaving It was another season of relegation struggle and managerial turnover for Leicester last term. A terrible start under Lydia Bedford– who failed to get a single point on the board – led to Willie Kirk, then director of women’s football, taking the reins in November. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/27/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-7-leicester-city

League One side host Luton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday but as their chair says: ‘I’m sad at how other clubs judge success’ It is difficult to imagine there are too many other clubs where the manager can freely walk home from matches, regardless of the result, or has been gifted a tailor-made oak coffee table by a fan. Better still, the table in Gary Caldwell’s office at Exeter’s revamped Cliff Hill training base, given to him by a supporter who is a carpenter, has an integrated tactics board and the pitch dimensions are to the scale of the surface at their St James Park home. “The supporters go over and above in terms of what they give to this club,” Caldwell says. Then again Exeter are somewhat unique given their status as a fan-owned club, the 20-year anniversary of which is this month, a cause for celebration and a move that has since prompted intrigue and praise in their model from rivals and government. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardia...

Former Strategic Rail Authority boss says cancelling the leg to Manchester would hurt other projects.

The Denmark midfielder on the benefits of growing up in a place that had a thriving girls’ team, making the step up to the WSL and helping the game to grow When Kathrine Kühl was five, growing up in the small Danish town of Hillerød, she joined a girls’ football team. Hillerød has a tiny population of just over 36,000 but unlike many of the players around her at Arsenal, Kühl never had to play with boys because girls’ football was available to her. “I was really lucky that they had a girls’ team at almost every age range,” says the 20-year-old Denmark midfielder. “So, I just started playing. It was my parents who found the little club for me because I wanted to do a sport and then they were like: ‘Oh there’s something called football. Do you want to try?’” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/26/arsenal-kathrine-kuhl-women-football-interview-denmark

Ofwat orders companies to return £114m to households by cutting bills after missing targets.

Beijing-based news service Caixin reported several current and former Evergrande executives have been detained.

In a rare interview, Spotify boss Daniel Ek talks to the BBC about AI, regulation and Harry and Meghan.

The race to get back to the moon is fuelling US investment in private sector space firms.

Chelsea are hoping to win a fifth consecutive league title and have bought well to rebuild after the departures of Eriksson and Harder How do Chelsea maintain their dominance of women’s football in England? That’s the only question to ask of the side going into the start of the new season but, as they are aiming for a fifth consecutive title, it is less of a question and more an expectation of what will come to pass. The manager, Emma Hayes, is the master of building squads capable of winning when at their best or in transition and even out of kilter. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/26/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-5-chelsea

As Sam Bankman-Fried awaits trial for fraud, his former investors wonder if they will ever recoup their losses.

The former Labour PM wants the wealthiest oil producers to help poorer nations tackle climate change.

The World Cup and Olympic champion was a serial winner for her country. But fans at her final match also acknowledged her contributions off the field Megan Rapinoe ended her international career in familiar fashion: victorious and mischievous. The star and her USA teammates defeated South Africa 2-0 in a friendly at Soldier Field in Chicago. Though Rapinoe will play a few more games for her club team, OL Reign, Sunday marked her last with the US and was the final stanza in a near two-decade career in which she won 203 caps, two World Cups and an Olympic gold medal. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/25/megan-rapinoe-retirement-final-game-uswnt-soccer

Screenwriters hail an "exceptional" tentative deal to end a strike that has halted film and TV production.

The bank says wider economic problems led to a drop in the valuation of businesses it has invested in.

It secured a deal to control a fifth of Cambodia's coastline - 15 years on, it has barely got started.

Pauline Bremer is the key signing as Brighton target a new dawn after a turbulent and disappointing 2022-23 season Brighton had a tumultuous 2022-23 season, finishing second from bottom. Having been seventh the year before, it was a big slip down the table – and a far cry from the club’s overall strategy, unveiled in April 2022, to break into the top four. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/25/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-3-brighton

Midfielder’s two assists were a sign of his effortless confidence, an attribute which could be crucial to Project Postecoglou Shortly before kick-off here, James Maddison announced on Sky Sports that this was a bad time to play Spurs. Arsenal, Maddison explained with a patient smile, would be regretting the timing of this north London derby , would in effect already be afraid, already losing that small but significant battle. So, like, that’s just the way it is. Even better, Maddison explained all this while sitting in a private box decorated with a bespoke Maddison mural featuring assorted Maddison mottos and Maddison logos plus a huge picture of his own dog. “Yeah, they said you can decorate it how you want,” he explained. “My question was, where’s the line …?” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/sep/24/james-maddisons-action-hero-energy-is-the-perfect-fit-for-ange-era-spurs

Forward damaged his Rolls Royce near United’s training ground Incident happened after Rashford played in 1-0 win at Burnley Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United forward, escaped unhurt after being involved in a car crash on Saturday night. The crash is understood to have happened after Manchester United had returned to their Carrington training base following their 1-0 Premier League victory over Burnley at Turf Moor. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/24/marcus-rashford-unhurt-late-night-car-crash-manchester-united-carrington

Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham hails the "coming-of-age moment" for English devolution.

If the future ownership of Everton is a confused picture, there were few doubts about this being a season of struggle. Amid a highly welcome first win of the season were signs a thin squad has enough to survive, and whoever becomes their new owners might have a Premier League going concern on their hands. Though if Everton are to struggle, on the balance of their comprehensive win, the chances are Brentford, already short of Ivan Toney, now racked by an injury crisis, will be down there too. Though this was a first defeat of the season, home form has deserted them, energy levels failing to deliver the yield of the past two seasons; three points from four matches at the Community Stadium is way under par. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/23/brentford-everton-premier-league-match-report

The elite performance director talks about how every department at the club has the aim to be the best in the Premier League It is a beautiful, bright afternoon at Brentford’s Jersey Road training base adjacent to Osterley Park, a country estate on the western edge of London. A Turf Tank Two robot fitted with a club crest, known as Pontus after their former captain, Pontus Jansson, is marking white lines on to an otherwise spotless pitch, revamped last summer. Grass may seem an odd place to start but the green stuff is an example of how small details paint the big picture. “We can go toe-to-toe with Man City on those sorts of things because the bottom-line money isn’t going to stop us – it’s not a £100m striker,” says Ben Ryan, the club’s director of elite performance. “Every department here, we’re setting them the objective to be the best in the Premier League.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/24/brentford-ben-ryan-th...

Grant Shapps cites Ukraine war costs and a spike in inflation as reasons to weigh up the rail project.

The Gunners are strengthened by five signings but must turn Champions League disaster into a domestic advantage Leaving aside the failure to qualify for the Champions League group stage for a moment – which, make no mistake, is catastrophic – and Arsenal’s summer has been a good one. Jonas Eidevall has bolstered his side with five top-class players. Swedish defender Amanda Ilestedt, who scored four goals at the World Cup (one behind the Golden Boot winner, Hinata Miyazawa), World Cup winner Laia Codina, Canada striker Cloé Lacasse, Australia midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross and the England forward Alessia Russo have all come in to strengthen a squad that was so heavily depleted by the end of last season. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/24/womens-super-league-2023-24-previews-no-1-arsenal

Bristol City player-coach goes back on Saturday to club where he spent 16 years, rising from League One to a Premier League title Andy King knows a cocktail of emotions awaits on Saturday at the King Power Stadium and that his first trip to Leicester, the club that shaped him, as an opposition player is guaranteed to evoke memories. “It is going to be strange,” says the Bristol City midfielder, who this summer assumed a player-coach role. “It will be emotional. I had a lot of happiness in that ground, some sadness as well; Vichai’s helicopter [crash] was at that stadium and that guy changed my life. I’m looking forward to going out on to the pitch and in my mind, for a split second, reliving all of those amazing memories that made me who I am. Maybe I’ll go back out there and have a moment with myself after the game.” King’s 16-year association with Leicester, which began in digs on Aylestone Road after impressing on trial as a 15-year-old during February half-term and culminated wi...

The interest paid on savings is better than anything seen for years, so how can you save when bills are rising?

The full-back has taken the long way to the top, from Belo Horizonte to Burnley via Belgium, and he is not stopping now By Josué Seixas for the Guardian Sport Network Vitinho has come a long way but he wants to achieve even greater things. Having grown up in Belo Horizonte, resettled in Belgium as an 18-year-old and won the Championship with Burnley, he now dreams of representing Brazil at the next World Cup. The full-back was a regular for the Under-20s but he is yet to make his debut for the senior side. With Marcelo and Dani Alves no longer galavanting up and down the wings, Brazil need new blood at full-back. Fernando Diniz, the manager of the national side, picked Danilo at right-back and Renan Lodi on the left for their World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru earlier this month, but Vitinho believes he has what it takes to step up. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/23/vitinho-brazil-burnley-defender-belo-ho...

Urgent action is needed to help households cope with higher bills, MPs say.

The former PM airs concerns as firms seek clarity over the government's commitment to the rail link.

Farming fish has seen rapid growth in Africa but it can be an expensive, high-risk operation.

Although pay deals are now matching the rising cost of living, household finances are still facing a squeeze.

Decarbonising will cost money but some argue in the long run it will boost the economy.

The once-mass market UK music bible NME returns as a premium product with scarcity as a selling point.

The revised offer "opens the door" to the deal being cleared, the UK competition watchdog says.

The changes could prevent a repeat of the mistakes made in Liz Truss's mini-budget, the party says.

The project will see capacity at the Leavesden facility near London expanding by more than 50%.

The bank confirmed issues with its deposit machines after people reported difficulty accessing funds.

About 2,000 investors lost money on the JPEX platform which was advertised on Hong Kong's metro.

The dispute triggered volatile trading on energy markets over concerns it could hit global gas supplies.

There’s a north London derby, plus concerns over André Onana and a midfield quandary for Newcastle Fifteen points from the opening five Premier League games and a 3-1 win over Red Star Belgrade to start their Champions League campaign: all is going swimmingly for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Except, if more of his players join Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Jack Grealish, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic in the treatment room, then Guardiola may have to pray to the medical gods for succour. De Bruyne is out until next year, yet though Guardiola suggested after Tuesday’s victory that only Kovacic has a chance of returning for Nottingham Forest’s visit, there is hope for Grealish, too. Whatever the final medical bulletins, Guardiola still has the fit Matheus Nunes, Phil Foden, Kalvin Phillips (remember him?) and Rico Lewis, who can join Rodri in the team’s creative artistry department. Jamie Jackson Manchester City v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm (all times BST) Luton v Wolves...

Public borrowing was higher than most economists had expected last month.

Google had been asked to update its maps in the nine years before the father of two's death.

A group of investors plans to take the company private after buying more than 78% of its shares.

Chairman reveals existence of clause at fans’ forum Striker joined Bayern Munich in the summer for £100m Daniel Levy has confirmed that Tottenham have a buyback clause in Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich contract. The chairman was asked at a Spurs’ fans’ forum on Tuesday night whether the clause existed. “Of course,” he replied. Levy did not offer any detail. Kane moved to Bayern in August for an initial fee of £100m and Spurs said in a statement that he was “always welcome back … he’s a much-loved and valued member of the Spurs family, for ever in our history.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/20/tottenham-have-harry-kane-buyback-clause-daniel-levy-confirms

The grocery chain says stores across the country are struggling with a rise in retail crime.

An ongoing inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal examines the case of Lee Castleton.

Lyndon Dykes’s late equaliser for QPR denies Swansea Ipswich move up to second with win at Southampton Milutin Osmajic’s first goal in English football fired the Championship leaders Preston to a 2-1 comeback win against Birmingham . Jay Stansfield’s strike in the opening minute of the second half threatened to end Preston’s unbeaten start to the season but the league leaders were on level terms when Krystian Bielik headed into his own net in the 51st minute. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/19/championship-preston-birmingham-football

The government has launched a campaign criticising Meta for planned encryption of Facebook messages.

The price of a barrel of oil rose above $95 on Tuesday, stoking fears it could impact inflation.

Nissan and Asahi are among the companies that say they will not renew contracts with Johnny and Associates.

The billionaire suggested the social media platform, now called X, could charge for use of "the system".

Onana not finding his passing range, Guardiola’s strikers thriving and Sheffield United must up tempo Gabriel Martinelli’s disallowed goal at Goodison Park was another example of an offside law that has become almost too pedantic to function. The decisive action was a square pass from Gabriel Magalhães to Declan Rice that was intercepted by Beto. The ball ricocheted 40 yards in a completely different direction to Eddie Nketiah, who was running away from goal and gained precisely no advantage from being fractionally offside. He knocked it back to Fábio Vieira, whose through pass was finished majestically by Martinelli. The goal was disallowed because Beto’s interception, though deliberate, was not a “deliberate play” under the revised laws of the game . Instead of the deflection being one of the myriad variables that make football so compelling, Nketiah was technically offside. Nobody disputed that it was the correct decision, only the extent to which the law is an ass. When the FA’s E...

The Indian government's forthcoming tax on the industry doesn't apply to all types of games.

David Raya made his first start for club at Goodison Park ‘I cannot have two players in each position and not play them’ Mikel Arteta defended his decision to replace Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya for Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Everton by predicting goalkeeping changes will become the norm, and said he “didn’t have the courage” to substitute his keeper in the past. Raya made his first appearance for Arsenal since joining on loan from Brentford in the summer and was a virtual spectator during the visitors’ dominant display, capped by the substitute Leandro Trossard’s fine second-half winner. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/17/mikel-arteta-defends-dropping-ramsdale-for-arsenals-win-over-everton

Some 383 pubs were demolished or converted for other uses between January and June, government figures show.

Investors have been called on to report any cases of suspected fraud in the ongoing investigation.

Documentary charting club’s return to the Football League under celebrity owners moves on to its second chapter A new season of Welcome to Wrexham is upon us, which means another avalanche of media coverage for this critically under-publicised football club is well under way. The second Guardian piece on this popular series to see the light of day in 24 hours since the broadcast of the latest episode chronicling the stewardship of Wrexham by a pair of charismatic do-gooders, this column is almost certain to prompt plenty of entirely unjustified eye‑rolling from supporters of other teams who keep on plugging away in the Football League’s lower reaches, outside the spotlight cast almost exclusively on a small city in north Wales. We would love this column to be different. We would delight in promising you endless amounts of cynicism, schadenfreude and snark. But unlike other football fans born with breeze blocks swinging where their hearts should be, we still find ourselves too enthuse...

Shadow minister Pat McFadden says its policy on high speed rail will be set out in the party's manifesto.

Retail group Frasers is looking to sell the online clothing brand to the global fast fashion giant.

A £500m UK government pledge saved Port Talbot's steelworks from closure, Welsh secretary says.

The president urges Ford, General Motors and Stellantis to "go further" to meet the union demands.

Officials say the vessels will deliver 200,000 tonnes of wheat to world markets.

Updates from 3pm BST games in Premier League and beyond Live scoreboard | Wolves v Liverpool – live | Football Daily SPL Rangers are 1-0 up at St Johnstone in the early game in Scotland. Danilo got the goal for them. The leaders, Celtic and Motherwell, are at home to Dundee and St Mirren respectively. The team news should arrive just after 2pm. In the meantime, here’s a bit of clicky bait. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2023/sep/16/manchester-united-v-brighton-west-ham-v-manchester-city-clockwatch-live

Premier League updates from the 12.30pm BST kick-off Get in touch! Mail Barry with your thoughts or tweet him Those teams: Brought in from Strasbourg on Deadline Day, Jeanricner Bellegarde comes straight into the Wolves midfield, while their other last-minute signing Tommy Doyle starts on the bench. Hwang Hee-chan starts up front for Wolves in place of Fabio Silva, who drops to the bench. Nelson Semedo makes his 100th Premier League appearance for Wolves. Jurgen Klopp makes three changes to the side that swatted Aston Villa aside last time out, with Joe Gomez coming in at right-back in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold. A 20-year-old from Warrington who spent the second half of last season on loan at Bristol Rovers, Jarell Quansah starts in the heart of Liverpool’s defence in the absence of Virgil van Dijk. He’ll play his first Premier League game alongside Joel Matip, while Ibrahima Konate is on the bench. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardia...

United manager says club needed ‘good standards’ ‘It has never been when someone makes one mistake …’ Erik ten Hag has admitted to not knowing if he will ever select Jadon Sancho to play for Manchester United again. Sancho is training away from the first-team squad after refusing to apologise for claiming the manager did not tell the truth regarding why the forward was not in the match-day squad for the 3-1 loss at Arsenal on 3 September. Ten Hag said Sancho had not trained to the requisite standard in the buildup to the trip. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/15/erik-ten-hag-jadon-sancho-manchester-united

Asian Champions League features three PIF-owned Saudi clubs Two City Football Group clubs cleared to play in competition The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is facing a potential legal challenge after seemingly ignoring its own regulations on multi-club ownership to allow three clubs owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to take part in the Asian Champions League. The Guardian understands that several leading Asian clubs are considering taking legal action against the AFC and its chairman, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa. The 2023-24 competition is due to begin on Monday, with Al-Hilal, who are the most successful team in the history of the AFC Champions League with four titles and now boast Neymar and the former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in their squad, facing Navbahor from Uzbekistan. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad also qualified after PIF announced in June it had secured 75% stakes in all three clubs and Al-Ahli, who...

Bayer Leverkusen scored a stoppage-time penalty to rescue a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich and end the Bavarians’ 100% start to the Bundesliga season. Harry Kane was on the scoresheet once again for the German champions, heading home from a corner after only seven minutes to make it four goals in as many league starts since his move from Tottenham. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/15/harry-kane-nets-again-but-bayern-held-by-late-leverkusen-leveller

Roberto De Zerbi’s team are top scorers so far this season even though they sold two midfielders for £150m in the summer By Ben McAleer for WhoScored When Brighton lost Graham Potter to Chelsea a year ago , there were understandable concerns about how the team would fare after his departure. Potter had taken the club to the next level following the dismissal of Chris Hughton in 2019. Brighton had narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League in Hughton’s last season, picking up just 11 points in his final 18 games as manager. Potter led them up the table, securing their highest ever league finish – ninth in the 2021–22 season – before he left for Chelsea. Potter’s decision to replace Thomas Tuchel could have grounded the Seagulls. Instead, they are flying even higher. Roberto De Zerbi took over from Potter last September and immediately set about outdoing his predecessor. Brighton finished sixth in the top flight last season, a new high for the club. Continue reading... fr...

The American official has been chased by angry fans during her career but she has no regrets over a career that has taken her across the globe As a teenage referee, Tori Penso knew her job would involve running. Yet taking charge of a heated game played between 16-year-old boys, she never thought running would actually mean sprinting to her car to escape three men enraged by her performance. Penso, though, can run fast. She made it to her car, locked the doors, fled from her pursuers, and then burst into tears. “I said that I don’t want to do this,” Penso, now 37, says. “I don’t need people chasing me. I can do something else.” Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/15/womens-world-cup-final-ref-tori-penso-male-players-chip-in-about-everything

Some 22 flights from the airport were cancelled and more delayed due to an air control staff shortage.

Steelworkers say they have been kept in the dark amid reports of 3,000 job losses.

Sainsbury's and Tesco deny misleading customers on price offers through loyalty schemes.

Body denies investigation was a ‘secretive process’ Manager was given formal warning that was not made public The Football Association has denied it was secretive about an investigation into an unnamed manager for breaching betting rules. A report in the Athletic said the manager, who cannot be named for legal reasons unconnected to the gambling issue and is said to be still working in the top four divisions of English football, received a formal warning that was never made public. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/sep/14/fa-defends-investigation-after-manager-is-spared-ban-for-betting-breaches

Pamela Maynard, CEO of Avanade, shares her advice to get ahead at work.

Documentary charting club’s return to the Football League under celebrity owners moves on to its second chapter A new season of Welcome to Wrexham is upon us, which means another avalanche of media coverage for this critically under-publicised football club is well under way. The second Guardian piece on this popular series to see the light of day in 24 hours since the broadcast of the latest episode chronicling the stewardship of Wrexham by a pair of charismatic do-gooders, this column is almost certain to prompt plenty of entirely unjustified eye‑rolling from supporters of other teams who keep on plugging away in the Football League’s lower reaches, outside the spotlight cast almost exclusively on a small city in north Wales. We would love this column to be different. We would delight in promising you endless amounts of cynicism, schadenfreude and snark. But unlike other football fans born with breeze blocks swinging where their hearts should be, we still find ourselves too enthuse...

The retailer says inflation and investments mean its plan to return to profit will be pushed back to 2028.

Tim Gurner says "we need to see pain in the economy" to remind people they are lucky to have jobs.

The shares were priced at the top of the range that had been indicated to prospective investors.

Midfielder played with Bellingham in Birmingham youth teams Page hopes ‘everybody’s talking about JJ’s Latvia performance’ Rob Page has tipped the Birmingham teenager Jordan James to follow in the footsteps of his former club-mate Jude Bellingham and “go to the top” of the game. The 19-year-old excelled on his first competitive Wales start, Monday’s 2-0 victory in Latvia , and the manager said his emergence is a sign of the nation’s bright future. James travelled to last year’s World Cup despite not being part of the 26-man squad and made his debut in Croatia at the start of this Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. The midfielder impressed on his first start in a friendly against South Korea last week and shone as Wales clinched a much-needed win in Riga. Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/12/jordan-james-jude-bellingham-wales-rob-page

Payments made with notes and coins rose as the cost of living started to bite, but debit card use was higher.

Gareth Southgate hit out at the media's 'ridiculous' treatment of Harry Maguire following England’s 3-1 win over Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday evening. Maguire scored an own goal and was jeered by Scotland fans throughout the evening after he was brought on to replace Marc Guehi at half-time. Southgate’s anger was clear as praised the 30-year-old’s resilience and claimed that the discourse around him has become a joke. Angry Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire’s treatment is ‘a joke’ Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2023/sep/13/southgate-defends-harry-maguire-following-englands-3-1-win-over-scotland-video

Official figures show the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in July, more than economists predicted.

Ex-China Life Insurance chairman Wang Bin is the latest high-profile boss to be caught up in the crackdown.

The airline has been embroiled in several scandals related to its business practices during the pandemic.

Andy Robertson recovered after his mistake for England’s second but Jude Bellingham stole the show in Glasgow Angus Gunn Could not be faulted for England’s goals. Fine saves from Bellingham and Eze in the second half. 6/10 Continue reading... from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/sep/12/scotland-england-player-ratings-hampden-park-friendly

It will be the second significant rise in the state pension in two years, but could pull more into paying tax.

While the national team have stormed towards Euro 2024 qualification there is a disconnect with the domestic game Scottish football’s warm glow will extend to cartwheels and somersaults if England are seen off in the 150th anniversary match at Hampden Park. Success in Cyprus on Friday took Steve Clarke’s team to within touching distance of Euro 2024 . Acceleration under Clarke has captured the hearts and minds of a nation. It would be a mistake, however, to depict Clarke – an excellent manager – and his talented squad as reflective of the Scottish football scene. Clarke wants the best possible group at his disposal and can revel in the naming of nine English Premier League players in his squad for this double header. Kieran Tierney and Lewis Ferguson are plying their trade in La Liga and Serie A respectively. Half a dozen of those initially called up are based in Scotland, versus 14 from Clarke’s first contingent in the troubled times of 2019. Continue reading... from Football | ...

World’s most populous country do not currently consider those of dual nationality, missing out on talent from major leagues Fifa has already done its bit to help the national team of India, backed by a country with a population of 1.4 billion, qualify for the 2026 World Cup by increasing Asia’s automatic allocation from four to eight. Now there is growing pressure on New Delhi to make a change that would increase the chances of the men’s national team heading from south Asia to North America from slight to something more substantial: to allow overseas-born players of Indian heritage active in some of the biggest leagues of Europe to represent the Blue Tigers. Media and fans closely follow the fortunes of players of Indian origin (PIO) such as Manprit Sarkaria at Sturm Graz, Norwich’s Danny Batth, Dilan Markanday at Blackburn and Ross County’s Yan Dhanda, who would all be eligible to represent India if the country followed many others around the world. Continue reading... from Foot...

Regular pay rose by 7.8% in May to July compared with the same period last year, official figures show.

Fruit preserves and peanut butter giant JM Smucker is buying the producer of Donettes and Ho Hos.