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Bruno Fernandes followed Lisandro Martínez in revolt after his team’s 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League You have to credit Manchester United. Your local rivals have turned the Premier League into an almost meaningless farce. We are questioning the validity of anything we’ve seen over the past 20 years; wondering how many goals Erling Haaland will get in the Championship. We are looking at the league table from second position down and wishing we’d invested in inflatable bananas a month ago. And yet here comes the Old Trafford machine: from players to the captain to the manager to the director of football, to the director of the director of football, to a minority owner who feels the UK is being “colonised by immigrants”, to debt-leveraging majority owners who take vast sums out of the club and are collectively saying hold my Ineos-sponsored high-performance wellness immune boost smoothie. Yes, it’s time to dust down the Manchester United bin-fire article. Read this and compare and contrast. From 11 August 2022: “Reds rinse and repeat: will we ever break the Manchester United crisis cycle?” There are others. It is some feat to be more newsworthy than Manchester City, even for an evening. The defeat in Como wasn’t surprising. We’re getting to the stage where the large pieces of furniture Barney Ronay keeps comparing Harry Maguire to are fighting back. @19thCenturyArmoir: “mate i’m a hundred and sixty years old, of course my legs have gone.” @CoffinFridge69: “#BeKind Ronay, appliances have feelings too.” Everyone knows the problems at Old Trafford lie deeper than the defensive line held by Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt on Wednesday. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Bruno Fernandes’s constant on-field complaining spilled off the pitch. An exercise in throwing his manager under the bus, where presumably Michael Carrick found Jason Wilcox, still lying in hiding under the 250 to the Trafford Centre after Lisandro Martínez’s post-match intervention in Madrid. Carrick did push back on the criticism: “Whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win. ” But it’s hard to throw someone under the bus when you’re already under the bus you’re trying to throw people under. Poor Carrick, who may well be gone by the time I finish this tram ride, never mind by the time you get around to reading this. It was one of those funereal press conferences: Carrick being as earnest as it is possible to be, while journalists take it in turn to sound even more earnest, as if they’re questioning a man who’s just failed to blow up the asteroid coming to destroy the Earth. At this rate, that meteor will arrive long before United have recaptured past glories. Ineos presumably has a big blame pie chart constantly updating on a PowerPoint. Spin the wheel – who’s to blame today? Maybe the players? Does anyone genuinely know any more whether any United player is good? I have analysis paralysis when trying to work out whether Fernandes is world class or why Youri Tielemans never lumbered at Aston Villa. How bamboozled will we be when Joshua Zirkzee has 25 goal involvements for Real Sociedad next season? As for Carrick, while most of us (me included) felt he’d earned the right to manage the side this season, a more ruthless and efficient ownership would have made a different call. It wouldn’t have been popular. He may turn out to be a world-class manager – he may not. Football decides pretty quickly about these things. But if he is sacked, there is a path to redemption. Daniel Farke has moved beyond “only good in the Championship”. Frank Lampard could reasonably expect an apology from anyone who comments on the game for his achievements at Coventry. But at this stage it is fair to say Carrick doesn’t have the tactical ability or experience of almost all his competitors in the division. Above him, is Jason Wilcox good? Perhaps the last time someone yelled at him like Martínez, it was Mike Newell after an overhit cross at Ewood Park in 1991. What will Omar Berrada’s CV look like after the independent panel delivers its punishments? It is fair to say that barring the odd All or Nothing documentary, I have almost no knowledge of what happens behind the scenes. But £1bn spent by United to create this squad over the past five years, plus the randomness of Rangnick/Ten Hag/Van Nistelrooy/Amorim/Carrick, gives us limited evidence to suggest high performance. And at the top, what does Jim Ratcliffe care about? Apart from enjoying the tax rates of Monaco while opining about the fallen British empire. The good old days where you could just colonise and get a pat on the back, eh Jim. And then there’s the Glazers. Even for someone whose brain shuts down as soon as they hear the words “leveraged debt” the fact they have extracted about £1bn out of the club since the takeover in 2005 is an outrage. Perhaps if they had overseen a period of sustained success, but it is the opposite. So when you add bad (maybe bad?) players, bad (or at least disrespectful) captain, bad (not great yet) manager, bad technical director, bad chief executive, bad minority owner, bad majority owners – apologies if I’ve missed anyone – it is, well, bad. So what’s the best plan of action now? Did someone say Antonio Conte? For the wind and the rain make it happen. As Paul Watson said on the latest Guardian Football Weekly, he might resign during his unveiling. Lots of us who lived through the Fergie success can’t help but enjoy a Manchester United crisis, but it’s possible to laugh and at the same time sympathise with powerless United fans under that dripping roof in the East Stand.

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Midfielder says there were a lot of tears as he said goodbye at St James’ Park but he is enjoying the remorselessness at his new club For Bruno Guimarães, it was a time to show his steeliness, to fix his eyes on the prize – even if he knew it would surely mean them welling up. And then some. It was a tumultuous summer for the Brazil midfielder. A fine World Cup on a personal level was marred by a crucial penalty miss in the last-16 loss against Norway. Now he had the dream move lined up to Arsenal but it could not happen without breaking some hearts at Newcastle. Guimarães admits he lay awake at night as the emotions swirled. How could he leave Newcastle, the club where he made so many connections and enjoyed so many highs after joining from Lyon in January 2022? There were the Champions League qualifications and, above all, the Carabao Cup triumph in 2025 that ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy. On the other hand, how could he resist Arsenal and the prospect of competing regularly for the game’s top honours? Sometimes, you simply have to take a deep breath and the plunge. Nobody wants to die wondering. Guimarães knew the Newcastle team was breaking up. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali had gone to Barcelona and Tottenham. The manager, Eddie Howe, was at the end of the line and he would also leave. Guimarães went through with the £75m transfer and nobody can say it has not worked out so far. Arsenal felt he would provide a different element for them, different ways of unlocking defences. Plus his trademark work rate and snarl. Guimarães has brought all of that. Already he has made a difference. He even gave a little back to Newcastle when he scored his first Arsenal goal at Sunderland in September. It paved the way for a 2-0 victory. Two Premier League games later, he scored the winner at home against Leeds. Guimarães almost got another vital goal on Wednesday in the Champions League tie at Bayern Munich only for Manuel Neuer to deny him with an outrageous save. That would have put Arsenal 2-1 up. The game finished 2-2, Arsenal fighting until the end and equalising through Declan Rice in the 82nd minute. Still, it has not been easy for Guimarães and he surely has Arsenal’s visit to Newcastle on 21 November circled in his diary. His greatest hope is that he can build the same relationships at his new club. “It was not just hard to tell Eddie but to tell the owners and my teammates [about deciding to leave Newcastle],” Guimarães says. “But I think the club went to a new rotation; a lot of players left, as well. The gaffer left. It was tough because my connection with the club was unbelievable. I never felt so loved like the way I was at Newcastle. I hope I can have the same love here at Arsenal. “It was hard for me to say bye. I remember when I said bye to the lads, I was crying. They were crying as well because we were a family there. I lost many, many nights of sleep because it was difficult for me, for my family. But sometimes in your life you have to make decisions and in my mind, I needed a new challenge. I wish Newcastle all the best because they were so nice to me. It is just time to move on and I’ve been enjoying my time here at Arsenal, as well.” Guimarães is enjoying his burgeoning midfield partnership with Rice, not to mention Martin Ødegaard, who tends to be the most advanced of the trio. That said, there is plenty of fluidity between the positions. There is the sense that the manager, Mikel Arteta, is searching for the perfect balance. “Declan can play – like me – as a No 6, No 8 or No 10,” Guimarães says. “The manager is still trying to get the best version of ourselves. Against Bayern, I played more as a No 6, Declan played more as a No 8. I enjoy playing with him a lot; with Martin, as well. We have been on a good run so far.” Guimarães’s battles when he was at Newcastle against Rice have been well documented. He said Rice had messaged him as he prepared to sign for Arsenal, saying: “No more fights, now we’re friends.” Guimarães is the player you loathe when he is against you but love when he is in your ranks. What was the worst thing Guimarães said to Rice when they were in opposition? “It is difficult to say,” he replies with a smile. “I am like this when I play against teams. When we were playing against each other, I was not nice to him, he was not nice to me! Now we try to help each other on the pitch.” Guimarães cannot believe how Neuer kept out his close-range header; the 40-year-old goalkeeper clawed the ball up against the crossbar and away. “He pulled off a miracle,” Guimarães says. “I asked him after the game: ‘How did you manage to save that?’ He said: ‘I don’t know. I just saved it!’ He’s unbelievable, one of the best keepers in the world. No matter how old he is, he is top.” What Guimarães has seen with clarity is the remorselessness of the collective attitude at Arsenal; the insatiable will to win, which comes from Arteta. Next up for them is Everton at home on Saturday. Guimarães knows he is in the right place. “The mentality of the club has changed a lot and Arteta shows this perfectly,” Guimarães says. “We don’t accept a draw at Bayern. We always want to win. That is the mentality that we go to the training ground with every day. Arteta is always a little bit addicted to videos and the way that he can make us feel better on the pitch. We have a top manager with a top mentality. We want to win everything possible.”

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The reigning champions must deal with the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for some time, while fans at Anfield were thrilled by Rio Ngumoha Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday, but the reigning champions lost the best player in last season’s tournament, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This autumn has seen much lobbying for the Ballon d’Or, with the Georgian a popular choice, despite his absence from the World Cup. He is expected to be out for six months, although Rodri’s comeback from serious injury – he was rested by Barcelona on Tuesday until coming off the bench in the 60th minute – shows it can take far longer than that for players to rediscover their highest level. “Why me?” Kvaratskhelia asked his Instagram followers. The PSG policy of resting players in Ligue 1 to save them for the Champions League failed to protect him. By resting Rodri, Barcelona followed a wider practice among major clubs in European competition of saving stars’ legs for big domestic occasions. Barcelona face Real Madrid this weekend though Lamine Yamal is not being spared; his brilliant goal in Paris made it 10 goals, matched by 10 assists, from 10 matches. Another heavyweight battle saw Arsenal lose Bukayo Saka to a first-half quad injury in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich. Declan Rice powered in a late equalizer after Harry Kane had put on a show that included a goal and an assist. Does the Ballon d’Or beckon for Kane? The prediction markets suggest so. Matching Barcelona’s perfect record this season at home and abroad are Manchester City, who continue to thrive amid infamy. A resurgent Phil Foden scored a hat-trick and new signing Allan impressed. The official crowd for their 5-1 defeat of AEK Athens was 40,402, but it looked smaller, and mockery duly descended on the club. There is mitigation for those who stayed away, including high ticket prices for Champions League matches in tough economic times, and a run of five home matches in 17 days. Still, City remain in the crosshairs, and the empty seats raise eyebrows for a club reporting record revenues. Equally, it is fair to point out that Anfield was not full, either, for Liverpool’s 4-3 defeat of Villarreal. A clean sweep of wins for Serie A, with three of their clubs scoring four goals. Inter let the side down with their 1-0 defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk. Roma defeated Slovan Bratislava 4-0, and Como beat Manchester United 4-1, but the game of the week came in Naples. Scott McTominay scored twice, his first goals since a procedure on a benign heart arrhythmia as Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3 for their first win of the group stage. “I still need to find my best form, but I am not far away,” said McTominay. Liverpool were a mess in the first 30 minutes against Villarreal and it was Rio Ngumoha who led the recovery. The 18-year-old played off the right, supplying two assists with his left foot: the long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah may already be at Anfield. Liverpool have nursed Ngumoha along, though this was his fifth start of the season. “Everyone is chipping in but for him to work with Mo [Salah] last year was obviously massive,” Virgil van Dijk said of the teenager. With traditional Serie A giants Juventus and Milan in the Europa League, Como are enjoying their first season in the Champions League. If Manchester United were dreadful on Wednesday, Como’s rise hit its highest point yet. The club’s success carries echoes of Brighton and Bournemouth’s ascents, although Como’s is even more remarkable. They were a Serie D club in 2008, and the city is now known for something beyond its glorious scenery. Champions League winner Thierry Henry is among the investors in the club as is Como’s coach, Cesc Fàbregas, although the prime financiers are the Indonesian billionaire Hartono brothers. Jamestown Analytics, the Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s company, has been consulting Como. Arsène Wenger, Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho and Antonio Conte are the elite coaches Fàbregas played under, and he has forged a high-pressing style against Italian orthodoxy. As United labored, they were swarmed by Como’s worker bees. Real Madrid have a buy-back option for Nico Paz, bought by Como in 2024, and the scorer of two fine goals against United. Argentina’s latest Messi replacement is rather beefier than his country’s idol. As Como deepened Michael Carrick’s plight, thoughts moved to potential replacements. Fàbregas has been mentioned, though United fans will recall the summer of 2013’s unsuccessful chase for him. Had a deal been done, his midfield partner would have been … Carrick. Another week, another Manchester United PR crisis. This one involved Carrick hitting back at his players, a rarity in his managerial career. “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence,” Bruno Fernandes said. Carrick’s riposte: “If you don’t run and you don’t run forward and you don’t run back, you ain’t going to win.” On CBS, Jamie Carragher weighed, saying of Fernandes: “They all think he’s working hard. He’s not. He’s killing the rest of the team doing it.” The Amazon All or Nothing documentary series currently in production for United’s season will be appointment viewing. After two consecutive weeks of action, we have a fortnight off. Will Carrick still be at United by the time they host Roma on 3 November? Aston Villa, who have three wins from three and are second place in the table, have a glamour trip to Barcelona. Real Madrid, another side on three wins, travel to AEK. After defeat to Inter, Shakhtar’s adopted home, Stamford Bridge, hosts Sporting Lisbon, who this week were on the wrong end of Lask’s first ever group-stage win.

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Manchester United's 4-1 defeat to Como was the latest chapter in their continued downward trajectory in recent years. The problems go way beyond what supporters saw on the pitch in Italy. It is the culmination of over two decades of instability, mismanagement and tension. With there seemingly being no end to Manchester United's fans discontent, Sky Sports News' Chief Correspondent Kaveh Solhekol takes a look at how the club got here and what could happen next. I don't have a problem with what Bruno Fernandes said. I think it's quite refreshing. I understand the perspective of it should be kept inside the dressing room. I think these players are just so frustrated with the way the club is being run. They want to communicate to the fans that there is something wrong here. Lisandro Martinez in his comments was saying there is something wrong upstairs. Especially in the transfer window. Fernandes was letting fans know that there was something wrong in the dressing room. What was Fernandes supposed to say? What's the point of him talking to the media? This is a bit of a distraction. The big story is, Manchester United have been falling apart since the Glazers bought the club. This is just a symptom of what is going wrong. He and Martinez are performing a useful role for Manchester United fans by letting them have a little peek in what is going on behind the scenes at the club. Why in football is everyone allowed an opinion but the players? One thing I will say is, how many of these players are good enough to play for Manchester United? How many would get into the starting XI's of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City? It's not Fernandes' fault. He is probably looking around going 'why am I still here?' The only positives at Manchester United is that their revenue is at record levels even though they didn't play in Europe last season. Apart from that, there are absolutely no positives whatsoever. I don't think anything is going to change at Manchester United unless new owners come in and pay off the debt that the Glazer family have put on Manchester United. Being owned by the Glazer family has cost Manchester United more than £2bn over the last 20 years. That is during a period of time where others are putting money into their clubs. I even heard from United fans over the past few days that 'it would be good if we were to get relegated. If we were relegated, the owners could sell the club and we can start again.' That is how bad things are. They are saying this team is worse than the team who finished 15th. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that this team is going to be stuck in a relegation battle for the rest of the season. Maybe those United fans will get what they are asking for. Is it the impossible job? I don't think so. I think there are harder jobs in the EFL. I think it is a very difficult job with the ownership structure. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have come in and tried their best, but Jim Ratcliffe lives in Monaco. He is only allowed to be in the country for 90 days a year. The Glazer family live in the United States. You have owners that aren't even in the country for the vast majority of the time.

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While head coach Michael Carrick is expected to be in charge for Sunday's match against Bournemouth, Manchester United have already begun the process of identifying possible replacements. Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte and Julian Naglesmann are understood to have their eyes on the Old Trafford job. Sources say Carrick is carrying on as normal and has not been made aware of any imminent change following Wednesday's humiliating 4-1 defeat by Italian side Como. That defeat was followed by captain Bruno Fernandes questioning Carrick's tactics in the Champions League loss. The players have been given Thursday off, while United are still to confirm arrangements for Friday's planned news conference to preview the Bournemouth match. Some senior figures at United are of the view that chopping and changing mangers so regularly in recent years has failed to arrest United's decline, and that Carrick has been let down by players who are under-performing. That does not necessarily mean that Carrick is safe, of course. There remains major uncertainty over his future. But there is also an appreciation in some quarters of the progress that he and his squad made last season, and a view that he should be given more time to turn things around. For weeks, managers - in and out of work - have grown aware that the United job may become available. Howe, for example, is available and would be considered. Sources have indicated that the former Newcastle boss is open to returning to management with Manchester United after leaving St James' Park in the close season. Former Chelsea boss Conte and ex-Germany manager Naglesmann, who are also out of work, are also interested. Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler's stock is high with those in the corridors of power at United - but extracting them away from their respective clubs would be difficult. 'Not what a captain should be' - the debate around Fernandes' outburst Man Utd humbling by Como leaves Carrick job in danger For the third year in a row, United have publicly and financially backed a manager in the summer, but positive results have not followed. Ruben Amorim staggered on to January, but the shock League Cup defeat at League Two side Grimsby last August and the awful performance at Brentford less than a month later stripped away his safety net and gave United's hierarchy nowhere to go when he attacked their influence. United looked extensively at other candidates, including Thomas Tuchel and Roberto de Zerbi, in the summer of 2024 before deciding to stick with Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was dismissed in the October. There were dissenting voices when he was appointed on a permanent basis in May, but the majority of supporters felt 12 wins from 17 in interim charge and a place in the Champions League after a two-year absence meant the 45-year-old former United midfielder deserved a crack at the job. There are numerous reasons behind the club's poor form this season and blame can be apportioned across a variety of departments and to the very top of the club. However, the brutal truth is two wins from 11 games, and none in seven, their worst run since 2015-16 when eight matches without a win took Louis van Gaal to the brink of dismissal, is simply not good enough. And as head coach, Carrick bears significant responsibility for that. There is certainly a view from senior figures around the club that while overall recruitment can be questioned – specifically the strategy of strengthening midfield in the most recent transfer window, at the expense of bringing in striking support for Benjamin Sesko or competition at left-back for Luke Shaw, part of a long list of absentees in Como – the players have to take a significant amount of responsibility for the current situation. The proximity of United's next Premier League game doesn't make immediate change straightforward even if that was the thinking. Following Amorim's dismissal in January, former United midfielder Darren Fletcher took over as interim manager for two games. Fletcher subsequently returned to his role as Under-18 coach, but two of the coaches who helped him, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion, stayed with the senior set-up as part of Carrick's team. United have a clear midweek coming up following their EFL Cup defeat by Brighton, who came back from two down to win at Old Trafford last month. That, in theory, would allow time to take stock without the immediate pressure a match can bring. Bournemouth secured their first Premier League win under new boss Marco Rose last week. They drew 4-4 in a memorable encounter at Old Trafford last season, prior to that, they won 3-0 on both of their previous two visits. It remains to be seen if Carrick will be in charge, and if so, how long after that. It seems the only certainty around Manchester United just now, is the sense of uncertainty – again. Pre-match, post-match and topical United content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Red Devils Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan views Ask about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes appeared to question their tactical approach after Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como. "We started off on the wrong foot," the Portuguese said. "They scored very early, [we had] not much pressure on the ball. "It's a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave some space behind, to try and get the ball in the first moment [by] waiting for them, [giving] them the ball. "Sometimes when you give too much of the ball to these teams, they get confidence. They have so many bodies behind the ball, they make you run a lot, people get frustrated." His quotes are tactically dense so warrant breaking down, but what did Fernandes mean, and does he have a point? Since Michael Carrick became United manager in January, they have largely defended in a zonal 4-2-4 or 4-4-2 shape that springs into a press in moments. When Fernandes said United "leave some space behind, to try and get the ball in the first moment" he was referring to them not immediately pressing across the pitch in a man-to-man fashion. Holding their 4-2-4 shape a little bit deeper, United allow opposition defenders time and space on the ball, looking to set traps before pouncing. The overarching idea is with four players narrow and high, United's attackers are well positioned to score from turnovers should they win the ball back. At times during Carrick's stint as caretaker head coach last season, it worked well - as we saw when Bryan Mbeumo scored in United's 3-2 win at Arsenal in January two weeks after Carrick took over But the same approach has been less effective this season. On the same night defender Lisandro Martinez questioned United's recruitment - after their 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid - he also spoke about the ever-changing tactical landscape. "You can't stay with what you did last season." he said. "Teams know you, how you play, know every detail, and if you don't change, next season is a big problem." Last season, the introduction of the 4-2-4 shape as a defensive tactic caught a number of teams off guard, making it more effective. Pep Guardiola and Pep Lijnders used the same shape at Manchester City - a tweak that underpinned their Carabao Cup final win over an ill-prepared Arsenal. Having replaced Guardiola, Enzo Maresca redeployed it for the Community Shield in August, but this time Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had the solutions and the Gunners won. Within a few games, Maresca had abandoned the 4-24 and moved to a more man-to-man style of defending. Perhaps that is the sort of change Fernandes is hoping for - recognising the reduced effectiveness of United's defensive approach, with signs of weakness visible as early as pre-season. AC Milan - now managed by former United boss Ruben Amorim - repeatedly found joy playing around the 4-2-4, with a back five that outnumbered the Red Devils' front four. United's two central attackers would look to block passes into Milan's midfield two before pressing the central defenders. The wide position of one of the central defenders would force a United winger to step out, and Milan's wing-back - dropping deep and wide - gave them an easy way out. United's full-back would then have to cover a large distance to close down the wing-back but by the time pressure was applied, the ball was gone. The same problems were seen in United's defeat by Atletico Madrid. Atletico took the risk of employing the same tactic with a back four rather than a back five, which left them an extra attacker high up the pitch. As United's front two looked to stop passes into the central midfielders, the wide position of the centre-backs drew out United's wingers. That, in turn, meant left-back Alejandro Grimaldo found himself in space out wide. This required Diogo Dalot, or if he was pinned back by winger Alex Baena, Youri Tielemans to cover large distances in an attempt to apply some pressure to Grimaldo. So while Fernandes may have been referring to himself when he said "they make you run a lot, people get frustrated", it could easily have applied to these team-mates. When Fernandes' quotes were put to Carrick after the game, he pushed back. "We actually half-pressed, man-to-man in the second half and then ended up conceding a goal from that," he said. "It's a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, but if you don't run and you don't run forward and you don't run back, you aren't going to win." While the less aggressive 4-2-4 has its weaknesses, it often leaves an extra player in the backline, giving United a numerical advantage in defence. It also aims to funnel attacks down the flanks, where they are - in theory - less dangerous than chances conceded through the middle. United's backline have also - under both Carrick and Amorim - struggled to track and duel with their opponents in one-against-one situations when they have committed to a full press. When using a man-to-man press, losing an individual battle, or lacking the intensity to arrive at your opposing player quickly, makes the system fall apart as we saw for Como's second goal. In the Premier League, United have also had spells during which they have attempted to press in a more man-to-man fashion, but these have also been imperfectly executed. In fact, against Spurs, it was Fernandes who misread moments and positioned himself incorrectly. Despite Amorim's flaws, one of his strengths was in improving United's physical base and intensity. There is a question as to whether Carrick's United, with one game a week last season, were beneficiaries of that. This season they look unable to sustain the intensity to execute a man-to-man press with the effectiveness of, say, Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton - a physically fit squad aligned on how and when to press. For United, more concerningly, there appears to be a disconnect - at least in how Fernandes sees the game and the messaging from the coaching staff. This misalignment makes it hard to execute any defensive approach, with good defending built on intensity and co-ordination between players. "Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure," said Fernandes. "Take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable." But bravery is subjective and one might argue that Carrick defending with four forwards - ready to attack quickly - is an incredibly brave, if not naive, decision. Going for a 'half man-to-man' approach - looking to lock opponents into one area of the pitch - while allowing some players to defend more zonally feels like a fair trade-off from Carrick. But how United defend in the 4-2-4 feels outdated already, and is being exposed. So while both Fernandes and Carrick seem to have a point, if United are to win regularly, any solution this season is likely to lie somewhere in between their views.

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An innocuous swing of his left boot, a "sharp pain" in his quadriceps, and now an anxious wait for Arsenal. Bukayo Saka's injury was a blot on a positive night against Bayern Munich. Mikel Arteta offered a gloomy initial prognosis after his 10th-minute withdrawal, revealing his medical staff were "concerned" and adding that it "doesn't look good at all" in his press conference. The injury is the latest in a string of setbacks for Saka, who was almost always available between 2020/21 and 2023/24 but has struggled with hamstring, Achilles and hip issues since. Saka was pictured limping as he left the Allianz Arena and his latest injury comes with Arteta's attack already depleted by the absence of summer signing Christos Tzolis, who was said to be "weeks" away from returning from a thigh issue last week. Arsenal's frontline is already lighter than the club hoped it would be after they were unsuccessful in their efforts to sign Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez during the summer transfer window. Saka's importance can be seen in Arsenal's record with and without him. Since his emergence as a regular starter in the 2020/21 season, Arsenal have a win rate of 64.2 per cent in Premier Leagues games he has started compared to 53.3 per cent in games he hasn't. The Gunners also average significantly more shots and goals per game with Saka starting. The difference in results was especially stark last season, when Arsenal won 76 per cent of their games with him starting compared to 53.8 per cent without him. Saka's form has come under scrutiny lately. He was below-par in the recent Premier League wins over Nottingham Forest and Leeds. But there was a goal and an assist off the bench against Lille last week and he continues to add immense value to their attack. He is Arsenal's leading scorer in the Premier League this season with three goals and also ranks top among Arsenal players for shots, touches in the opposition box and expected goals. The underlying data suggests he is in fact more of a goal threat than ever. Gradient Sports' grading system has Saka as the Premier League's best-performing player in terms of execution this season, above Elliot Anderson. He even ranks top among Arsenal players for tackles, showing how his value extends to his off-the-ball work. Eberechi Eze came on for Saka against Bayern Munich. But his goalscoring performance came from the left-hand side, with Noni Madueke switching over to fill Saka's spot on the right. Madueke impressed from the left in place of Tzolis in the wins over Leeds and Nottingham Forest, scoring the winning goal from the bench in the latter game to earn his start at the Allianz Arena. But his natural position is on the right, where, like Saka, he is able to cut inside and use his left foot. The 24-year-old adjusted well against Bayern, playing an important role in Declan Rice's equaliser with his incisive, first-time pass to Viktor Gyokeres from that side. Madueke offers more explosive pace and greater directness than Saka but is far less reliable technically and has frustrated Arsenal supporters with his erratic end-product. Against Lille, for example, he made 14 unsuccessful crosses before assisting Jurrien Timber's opener. Saka, by contrast, set up the second goal for Eze with his first touch after coming off the bench. There is a gulf in the quality of their decision-making but Arteta values the volume of Madueke's offensive actions. "When you talk about players being 'clinical', sometimes that means scoring five in every 100," said the Arsenal boss after the Lille game. "It's about generating volume, more actions and getting him into the good positions, because he will decide matches." Eze is also capable of playing on the right but his only Premier League minutes under Arteta on that side have come as a right-sided No 8 rather than a right winger, and he may now be needed on the left, where he earned plaudits from his manager against Bayern. "I thought Ebs had a great game, not just the goal but his actions, overall performance and without the ball as well," said Arteta. With Tzolis unavailable, Arsenal's only other natural wide option against Bayern Munich was Max Dowman. The 16-year-old is considered a full-time member of the first-team squad and made history when he made his breakthrough last season. After becoming Arsenal's youngest starter against Brighton in the Carabao Cup aged 15 years and 302 days old last October, Dowman became the Premier League's youngest scorer with his breakaway goal against Everton aged 16 years and 73 days old in March. Dowman provided another exhibition of his huge potential with a brilliant two-goal performance against Ipswich in the Carabao Cup in September, joining Wayne Rooney as one of only two players aged 16 to score twice in a game for a Premier League side. Dowman's display at Portman Road increased the clamour for Arteta to hand him more chances in the Premier League but he has so far taken a cautious approach. Dowman, who suffered a minor injury with England's U19s, has only played nine Premier League minutes. Arteta vowed last month that he will get opportunities. "Max will have his chance," he said. "He will have his minutes and he will have to earn them like anybody else." Everton, Arsenal's visitors on Saturday, have first-hand experience of just how dangerous Dowman can be. Arsenal's upcoming Carabao Cup and Champions League games against Fleetwood Town and Slavia Prague might present chances for him too. A Saka lay-off would be a heavy blow to Arsenal but it may work to Dowman's advantage as he presses his claim for more minutes.

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Player has scored four goals in last two games for City Aston Villa the next test for Premier League leaders Enzo Maresca has revealed he held heart-to-heart conversations with Phil Foden to help the midfielder back to his best. Foden has struggled over the past two years but has scored four goals in his past two games to give hope he can recapture the form that won him the a Professional Footballers’ Association players’ player of the year award in 2023-24. City travel to Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime aiming to continue their perfect Premier League start under Maresca, with Erling Haaland fit after sitting on the bench for Wednesday’s Champions League win over AEK Athens. “Since we started I sat down with Phil two or three times, especially at the beginning,” said Maresca, who knew Foden from a spell as Pep Guardiola’s assistant. “Maybe love is not the right word to use but just to show him how important he is. “I said many times that I know Phil from years ago so I know how good he is. For different reasons the last few years he was not good enough but again I think when you have more players like Phil available you are a better team because at the end it’s a matter of improving players. If you improve the players you improve the team, so for me it’s my duty to try to help Phil to be again one of the best players in England. But it’s not just about one game – the season is very long.” Foden, 26, needs to remain consistent to keep his place in the team, with plenty of competition for the attacking roles, including from Rayan Cherki, who Maresca has described as “one of the best players in Europe”. City’s only competitive defeat under Maresca came against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, and they have seven straight wins in the Premier League to sit three points clear at the top. Maresca is waiting to find out whether Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and Nico O’Reilly are available after missing the AEK game. “The mood is good, we are happy with our start but we are still hungry for more wins,” Maresca said.

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Austrian’s tactics need adapting to but Forest are in the bottom three and their owner is not the patient type Sitting 19th in the Premier League was not the plan for Nottingham Forest after the arrival of a highly acclaimed manager and a £45m striker to fuel their ambitions. The fates of Oliver Glasner and Liam Delap are intertwined and with the stark stats of zero home goals and a solitary point at the City Ground: it is not the dream start they were aiming for. As Delap prepares to return to Ipswich, where his career ignited, on Friday night, Forest are remaining calm. There is a desperation to get away from the short-termism that caused so many problems; 12 months ago, they were on their third head coach of a disappointing season. This summer they were ruthless with the removal of Vítor Pereira, who had done a fine job to escape the drop, because they saw an opportunity to upgrade with Glasner, hoping he could transform Forest like he did Crystal Palace. It cost plenty to acquire Glasner and Delap, which many fans believe should lead to instant results, but that is rarely the case in an industry as complicated as football. For the coach it is a case of learning the club inside out while influencing performance through an implementation of his carefully choreographed methods. For the striker he needs to rebuild confidence and that comes via goals. In Glasner’s first full season at Palace, they won one of their first 13 league matches but ended comfortably in mid-table and as FA Cup winners. It was similar at Eintracht Frankfurt, getting one victory in 10 but going on to win the Europa League. Learning the Glasner way is not straightforward for a team; it is different from what they have known. Playing three at the back is rarely the norm and nor is having two No 10s, all for Forest with the background of losing the club’s best player Elliot Anderson. The recruitment was measured, targeting positions that required strengthening and avoiding needless purchases, which dogged the club after promotion. Replacing Anderson became a priority but Glasner felt James McAtee could adapt to a deeper role in midfield alongside the shrewd free signing Xaver Schlager. Ousmane Diomande was a coup in defence and Glasner’s lure convinced Daniel Muñoz to follow him from Selhurst Park. Behind the obvious figures, there is plenty of underlying encouragement for Forest. Based on chances created and conceded, Glasner has had the best start of any Forest manager in the Premier League era. His team rank seventh, according to Opta, for expected goals (xG) but have scored the fewest – five – and are the biggest xG underperformers at -6.2. It is a huge discrepancy, missing out on almost a goal a game. It includes 62 shots at home that have come to nothing and if Glasner wants buy-in from the fans, that needs to change quickly. If every team had scored and conceded the goals measured by xG, Forest would be fourth. . It is understandable that Delap is yet to find his feet, after a disappointing year at Chelsea and lack of pre-season set him back. Forest tried to sign him before he went to Stamford Bridge and have great faith in him but he needs to improve his record of one goal every five league appearances. The striker is the ideal No 9, possessing pace, power and sharp finishing, but unless he is on peak form, turning that into guaranteed output is not straightforward. Delap has scored once for Forest but is putting in the effort through being the front line of defence, relentlessly pressing opposition centre-backs. He has shown plenty of quick thinking, demonstrated by his quick throw-in to set up a goal at Anfield, something almost replicated against Arsenal only for Chris Wood to miss the chance. Forest allowed Arsenal a single shot on target last Sunday – it just happened to be deflected in for a winner. Glasner can also point in that match to the absence of his captain, Morgan Gibbs-White, the team’s attacking fulcrum. “It feels very unfair,” Glasner said of the result. “We have to accept we are missing some bits. But the performance in many parts was very good.” In two full seasons at Selhurst Park, Glasner won two major trophies for a club that had gone almost 120 years without one. He has two European titles and his own distinctive formation and execution, something he has harnessed over 12 years in coaching, so he knows how long it takes to develop the complexities. The picture looks clearer after almost four months together. The hope at Forest is that the endeavour is rewarded with greater luck, the missing ingredient among well thought-out recruitment led by the chief football officer, George Syrianos, and his team and clever coaching. Syrianos is Glasner’s biggest advocate and told fans the manager would be given time. Friday will be Glasner’s eighth Premier League match at Forest, three more than Ange Postecoglou was permitted before being sacked this time last year by the owner, Evangelos Marinakis. Glasner, unlike the Australian, can show progress and will be justifiably confident points will come.

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Bruno Fernandes' comments after Manchester United's humbling by Como have got fans and pundits talking - but what now for the captain? United's 4-1 Champions League defeat in Italy was the result of a wretched performance and Fernandes questioned boss Michael Carrick's tactics. "It's a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence," said the Portugal attacking midfielder on TNT Sports. Asked if Carrick got his tactics wrong, the 32-year-old continued: "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me." Fernandes rounds on Carrick after Man Utd humiliation Man Utd humbling by Como leaves Carrick job in danger Not according to former Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher, working as a summariser, on CBS Sports. "He's reacted like that because he's been embarrassed by the manager [who] brought him off," said the ex-England defender. "And when he talks about pressing, whether it's man-to-man or zonal, for years, Bruno Fernandes has meant Manchester United can't press because he does things for the crowd. "He runs all over the place like a kid in the schoolyard for the supporters. They all think he's working hard. He's not. He's killing the rest of the team doing it." He added: "Watching him throw his arms up every week in a game is an absolute disgrace [and] calling the manager out considering how he's performed this season on the pitch. "[It's an] awful attitude and not what a Manchester United captain should be." Fernandes' comments come a week after defender Lisandro Martinez made similar headlines following United's previous Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid. The Argentine said he expected more investment in the squad and "more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]". He later apologised. And while Martinez's outburst sparked debate, Fernandes' comments could have even larger repercussions. Carrick, who was under huge pressure already following a terrible start to the season, said in reply: "There's a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win." United have not won in their past seven games since beating Champions League minnows Sabah. They have just one win in their seven Premier League games this season. Not many people have defended Fernandes' public questioning of the tactics. Former Leicester and Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel, whose dad Peter won the Champions League, five Premier League titles and three FA Cups as a United player, said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Given last week and what's happened, he probably should not be saying these things because it's only going to add to the problems. "With experience you learn that you need to keep these things in-house. It's a problem, with everything that happened during the week. "Michael Carrick didn't need this, the club didn't need this. It's exposing all of the issues that are at Manchester United. "It's very plain to see that there are loads of issues but you need to be fixing them, you need to be having meetings within the club, which I'm sure that they are, but it's obviously not resolved. It's just translating on to the pitch." The issue that most pundits have is not that Fernandes has these opinions - but that he has let the world know them. Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock, speaking on BBC Match of the Day, said: "I think there will be ex-players now from Manchester United saying, 'why are you letting this get out, this should be a collective in the changing room where we come together'. "Whether you like the manager or not, you've got to come together and say 'OK how do we correct this?' "Senior players go to the manager and say 'listen we didn't agree with the tactics, we didn't think we got it right, how do we go about this, how do we move forward', because you start airing it in public and it doesn't end well for anyone." Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on TNT Sports called it "sacrilege". "I've played for managers where I don't agree with the tactics but you might say that to your mate or to your wife. You don't come out as captain of the club and question the manager," he said. Andy Mitten, editor of United We Stand, told BBC 5 Live Breakfast that Fernandes has "thrown his coach under the bus". "It's a terrible look," he continued. "And Manchester United fans are divided as to whether he should or should not do that. Last week, Martinez was also critical. A lot of Manchester United fans agreed with him. "Again, there's mitigation, he wants a new contract. That's because he's not been playing enough, because he's been injured. And injuries are a real problem for Manchester United. There's no recognised centre-forward. So it is a really difficult time for United." Former United midfielder Carrick, who took over in January initially as caretaker manager, seemed to blank his players at full-time before heading over to the United fans. "I don't blame him for ignoring the players," said Mitten. "He went to the fans and he held his hands up and he said, 'I'm sorry'. "You can tell he's hurting. He's a Manchester United fan himself. He was a season ticket holder only a year ago before he took the job. I think he's trying his best, but it's just not working at the moment. Manchester United are really, really struggling." Fernandes has been Manchester United's one consistent outstanding player since a £47m move from Sporting in January 2020, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager. He has scored 111 goals and made 106 assists in 338 games for the club in all competitions. Former manager Erik ten Hag made him the skipper in the summer of 2023 after taking the armband off Harry Maguire, whose place in the team was far from certain. But this is not the first time his body language, attitude and behaviour as captain has been criticised. He was called a "disgrace" and "embarrassing" by United legends Gary Neville and Roy Keane after the 7-0 loss to Liverpool in 2023, while Chris Sutton said he should never captain the club again. However, last season Fernandes was named the Premier League's player of the year after a record 21 assists in a season. "That award was on the back of Michael Carrick becoming the manager," said Carragher. "He wouldn't have got that award without Michael Carrick, because Michael Carrick put him back in his rightful position and he then went on to have a fantastic season because he's a talented footballer. "But in terms of attitude and the way he goes about things, it's not right at all." Fernandes has made headlines with his comments before. In August 2025 he said the club needed to make more signings. That December he was asked about the fact United had been willing to sell him to Al-Hilal and told Canal 11: "From the club I felt it was, 'If you go it's not so bad for us'. It hurts me a bit. "More than hurting me, it makes me sad. I'm a player that no-one can criticise, I'm always available, I always give my best. "I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money. "I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club." But now the narrative might change entirely after his latest comments. Many will be wondering whether he should even start in Sunday's game against Bournemouth. Martinez did keep his place, after apologising, at Leeds last Sunday. But as United fan Mitten says: ''There was mitigation with Martinez because he wants a new contract. Fernandes is captain." There has been no word from the club about whether Fernandes' role as captain is in jeopardy after his outburst. Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan views Ask about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

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Norwegian forward might look to Harry Kane for inspiration on the pitch, but when north London derby comes around, she needs no lessons on what the rivalry means “It means more than just three points. It’s for the whole club. It’s for the whole place. It’s for the whole of Tottenham.” One only needs to be in the presence of Tottenham Hotspur’s Cathinka Tandberg for a few minutes to feel the passion that emanates from her when it comes to this weekend’s north London derby. As a lifelong Spurs fan, the forward understands more than most the intensity of the rivalry that exists between her side and Arsenal, one that she cannot wait to experience once again on Saturday. “It will just be an incredible feeling,” she tells Moving the Goalposts. “I think you will feel a few nerves that you maybe don’t feel in a normal game but that’s good.” “All the Spurs fans hate Arsenal and Arsenal hate Spurs. That’s how it is. You want to show that you’re the best team. Simple as that. You just want to fight for the club, the badge and for the people around you.” It has been a significant 13 months for the 22-year-old who made her dream move to London in September 2025. After catching the eye as a goalscorer in the Damallsvenskan at first Linköping and then Hammarby, the Norwegian was signed by Martin Ho on deadline day to bolster the team’s attacking options. She made her mark on her first start, scoring a spectacular 40-yard goal against Everton. “I settled really well,” she reflects. “I’m really enjoying it and want to push myself forward. It’s been a tough start [to this season] and I haven’t really got what I wanted. But there’s loads of games left. I’m still young. I’m still improving and learning. I just have to trust the process and trust what I’m surrounded by.” “It’s a big difference from Sweden,” she continues. “You meet World Cup players week in, week out so you have to perform every week if you want results. I feel like my physicality has changed a lot. I’ve got stronger and fitter. Playing under Martin has made me think more away from the goals. I think more about how I play with the ball, how I press and all of those things that I maybe didn’t focus on before … it’s a bit like Harry Kane. The older he gets, he has developed his game as well. He needed to be deeper in the pitch because that’s how they wanted to play and then he has to be better with the ball. That’s a bit how I also need to be. I can’t only just stand in the box. I need to be good everywhere else.” Spurs have been transformed under Ho and finished fifth last season. However, with success, comes expectation, ambitions that Tandberg clearly shares but with a sense of perspective. “Tottenham has always been a Champions League club for me,” she says. “But I’m a fan so I can’t really talk for the other players. When I came to the club, I said that I want to get top three. But you also need to be realistic and to see where the team has been before. The transformation that Martin has done in a season is unbelievable. I don’t think anyone else could do that. That tells you everything about him. He’s one of the greatest coaches I’ve worked with and I think everyone that comes here, one of the reasons is because of him. We all trust him and the process.” That faith is currently being tested. After an unbeaten start, Tottenham have suffered back-to-back defeats, shipping six goals to both London City Lionesses and Chelsea. “You can call it a dip in form but I still feel like we also showed our qualities in those games,” Tandberg says. “It’s just about ourselves. We maybe need to change our mentality a bit, find that fire and dig a bit deeper when we play those top teams. I feel like maybe it’s good that it’s come because it had to at some point. It’s about how we respond. ‘We also have to realise where this team has been. Two years ago, it was a relegation club. We need to realise how quickly it has [changed]. But, of course, we have expectations and levels that we want to come to and we know that we can. I feel like we’re working so well … we just have to believe in everyone.” For Tandberg, putting that right against a struggling Arsenal in front a home crowd would be the perfect tonic. “I’ve always been a passionate player and I’ve been a supporter,” she says. “I play for the supporters because I just enjoy it and I know how it is to be in the stands. I think [that connection] is very important because we have their back and they have ours. To give them something back is important and to show that we see and hear them every time.” If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email moving.goalposts@theguardian.com. This is an extract from our free email about women’s football, Moving the Goalposts. To get the full edition, visit this page and follow the instructions. Moving the Goalposts is delivered to your inboxes every Tuesday and Thursday .

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Long-standing Bromley manager Andy Woodman has left the League One club following the mutual termination of his contract. Woodman joined Bromley in 2021 in his first managerial role and oversaw the most successful period in the club's history, winning three trophies in guiding them into the Football League for the first time in their history. Bromley lifted the League Two title in May this year to secure a second promotion on his watch, with Woodman named the division's manager of the year for 2025-26. But the Ravens have found life in the third tier challenging as they lie 23rd, just one point above Wigan Athletic on the bottom. They have won just two of their 10 league games this season and conceded an EFL-high 25 goals. Assistant manager Byron Webster will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis with Peterborough United the visitors to Hayes Lane on Saturday (15:00 BST). Bromley owner and chairman Robin Stanton-Gleaves said Woodman had been "fundamental" in helping the club reach new heights. "On a personal note, Andy has been a pleasure to work with, and I wish him all the best for the future," Stanton-Gleaves added. Woodman's five years and seven months in charge of Bromley was the third-longest spell across the 92 clubs in the Premier League and EFL, behind only Arsenal's Mikel Arteta and Nigel Clough of Mansfield. Pre-match, post-match and topical Ravens content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about Bromley

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Returning from months on the sidelines is a huge challenge for any footballer. To do it twice in succession is a daunting prospect — but Chelsea’s Nathalie Bjorn has overcome the odds to do just that. The defender suffered a hamstring injury in December 2025, keeping her out for three months. She made her comeback during the then-named League Cup final against Manchester United in March - but lasted just 120 seconds until she picked up another injury and was forced off. "It was really difficult having your comeback, getting subbed out after two minutes and then you win a trophy, but you're crying at the same time and you're happy. It was a weird roller coaster of emotions that day and really difficult to handle," Bjorn exclusively told Sky Sports of that day. This time, it was her calf - and begun the process of rehabilitation once again. This time, it sidelined her for six months. "The first injury was really difficult," the Sweden international reflected. "I've had longer injuries before, so I felt confident in the help I got around here. I felt confident in myself and my body. "It's not nice to miss games, but I was very hopeful. I had a very good rehab, I was aiming for the League Cup final and thinking 'towards the end of the season, I'll be back.' "Then that didn't go according to plan. I felt quite early in the game against Man Utd that 'oh this feels different'. "The second time around, it was a really tough rehab, I'm going to be honest. There were days where I felt like 'I can't do this. I don't want to be in the gym. I don't want to be here'. "But I had really good help from Andy Walling, who was my physio here at Chelsea. We had a really good relationship and he allowed me to feel all the emotions that I had to feel, which really helped, so I could have days where I felt like 'I just want to go home' and he was like 'that's completely fine. You do that'. "He really helped me and along with my team-mates, who came in the gym asking 'how are you? How's it going?', but it was a lot of ups and downs. "I did think 'am I going to come back in the same way that I was before?'. There had been doubts in my mind during my rehab and learning how to walk, learning how to run, learning how to do everything from scratch, because the season before was probably the best season of my career. "It was going from the highest of highest to the lowest of lowest." And Bjorn does feel like she is getting back to her best, adding: "I feel strong. I feel good in the [training] sessions and good in the games that I've been managing to play. "After this period of being out for so long, I really learned how to appreciate my body and day-to-day training. People always ask me 'what are you looking forward to?' and I'm just happy to be right here right now. "That's been the biggest learning point for me in this 10 months of rehab is to enjoy every day." Bjorn made her Chelsea latest return at the end of September against Birmingham, coming on as an 87th minute substitute. "The reception was unreal," she said of the game. "I didn't understand it was for me at first, but then when I started looking around and I saw my teammates looking at me smiling, I thought 'oh OK, this is for me'. "I got a bit shy, but it was one of the highlights in my career, and my mum and my sister were there as well. "The emotional feeling after was more like 'I did it, like I'm finally back. I've been through hell and back and I'm here now'. All the days where you don't want to do your rehab, every day when you're doubting yourself, it's all worth it in the end. That just came washing over me. It was a bit weird, but it was amazing." Erin Cuthbert will be supported by Nathalie Bjorn and Lucy Bronze, who have been named Chelsea vice-captains ahead of the new WSL season.See you at the Bridge tomorrow. 👊 This summer, Bjorn was also named as one of Chelsea's vice captains alongside Lucy Bronze, supporting new captain Erin Cuthbert. It helps, Bjorn says, that they all have different traits as leaders that make them a good team - confirmed by a personality test. Reflecting on her own qualities, the 29-year-old said: "I'm a very calm leader outside the pitch. I'm very social, I see everyone, I think I'm very easy to talk to. "On the pitch, I want to be reliable. I want to keep my standard high at all times. I don't have to be the one who is making the most tackles or scoring the most goals. I always put the team in front of me and I whatever role I have, I will play it to 100 percent. "I think that is my way of leading the team. I want to be the person they can rely on." Bjorn's return has coincided with an uptick in Chelsea's form and performances. The 2025/26 season was a test after an unbeaten previous campaign - Sonia Bompastor's first at the club - but the Blues are unbeaten in all competitions this term. Chelsea have also conceded the fewest goals this season (3) - something pleasing for a defender like Bjorn. "Since we came in this summer, the intensity and the way we practice during the [training] sessions has been brilliant," she said. "To drive that quality all the time, it really helps us. There are also world-class players in this environment, so every training is important and it's difficult. We challenge each other really well. "From last season, we've managed to build more relationships to understand each other and what each player needs in certain situations or during the game. "The first season when Sonia came and we went unbeaten, everything was high and we were living our best lives, we also felt like 'there will come like a bump in the road and how are we going to handle that situation?'. "Last season was a test for us in many aspects and it's how you come out from those situations that proves how strong you are as a team. "It's very important that we learn from those games and the mistakes that we made. What can we do better so we don't end up in that situation again? "That also reflects a little bit on the Aston Villa game. We didn't get that point, we know we had many opportunities to put the game to bed, so take that as a learning and then strive to be better." Facing Crystal Palace this weekend, live on Sky Sports, will be another opportunity not only for Bjorn to get more minutes under her belt, but for Chelsea to continue their unbeaten start to the season. The Eagles have already shown their competitiveness, drawing 0-0 with Arsenal at the Emirates in September. "It sounds so cliché, but everything can happen in football," Bjorn remarked. "Like we say in Sweden, 'the ball is round', so everything can happen. We need to set the tone directly from the beginning, put them under pressure and play our game."

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Bayern Munich and England striker is odds-on favourite ‘I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to’ Harry Kane would love to know now whether he has won the Ballon d’Or because the uncertainty and constant questions are driving his family to distraction. But the Bayern Munich and England striker accepts the suspense before the big reveal at the London Palladium on Monday night is part of the show. Kane is the odds-on favourite to win the prestigious individual honour after a prolific run of form. The 33-year-old scored 61 goals for Bayern last season and 12 for England. This time out, he has 10 for Bayern and six for England. He scored from the penalty spot in Wednesday night’s 2-2 Champions League draw against Arsenal at the Allianz Arena, although his stand-out moment was the inch-perfect through ball that set up Alphonso Davies to make it 1-1. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is the second-favourite for the Ballon d’Or and Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid is next in the betting. “I think my wife would prefer to know and my family … it’s very stressful for everyone,” Kane said, when asked whether he would prefer to be told in advance of the ceremony. “I can see why they don’t tell people. They want everyone to go, all the big names, and there will be more people watching it if they don’t know so I can understand why. “From my point of view, of course I’d love to know to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night. But it is their decision, I can’t control that. We’ll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much. I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours and stuff flying around so you try to stay away from it.”

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Sheffield Wednesday forward Jamal Lowe has revealed his wife was sent a message racially abusing him on social media. The comment was posted multiple times on his partner's Instagram photos after the 32-year-old Jamaica international was sent off in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Notts County. The League One club released a statement, external on Wednesday saying "racism is abhorrent. It has no place in football or in society, and we condemn this abuse in the strongest possible terms." "Bad performance or not, racially abusing a player from the team you 'support' is miles off it," Lowe posted on his Instagram account. "Parents educate your kids, call out family members who display this type of sick behaviour. "To think we're only one bad result away from being called a monkey is actually insane. "This is happening way too often! Do better." BBC Sport understands the UK Policing Football Unit are investigating and have been contacted for comment. It is the second time this year that racist abuse has been directed at a Sheffield Wednesday player in the aftermath of a game. In April, an unidentified Owls player was targeted by what the club called "disgraceful and completely unacceptable racist messages" following a 1-1 draw against Leicester. Wednesday's club statement added: "This is not the first incident of its kind involving our players, staff and their families this season. The continued targeting of individuals and their loved ones is utterly unacceptable. "Only last weekend, we stood alongside the EFL in supporting its Together Against Racism campaign. Incidents such as this reinforce why collective action and meaningful consequences remain so important." In 2024, the club was fined £12,500 and an Owls fan was banned for five years after Kasey Palmer of Coventry was subjected to a racist gesture during a Championship match. Latest Sheffield Wednesday news, analysis and fan views Listen to Sheffield Wednesday content on BBC Sounds Pre-match, post-match and topical Owls content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about Sheffield Wednesday