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Europe's secondary competition is derided in some quarters, but it makes perfect sense for the Reds as they look to rebuild after a dreadful season

Jurgen Klopp would never admit it publicly, but Liverpool’s hopes of Champions League qualification this season are all but over.

With nine games remaining, the Reds need a perfect end to their own campaign, as well as an almost unprecedented collapse from at least two of the sides above them, if they are to take their place at Europe’s top table next term.

That would have seemed unimaginable when the season started amid a wave of optimism back in August, but a testing autumn and a miserable winter mean the skies over Anfield have changed dramatically. Try finding optimism now.

Liverpool currently sit eighth in the Premier League, 12 points off both Newcastle and Manchester United, who occupy third and fourth place. Even Europa League qualification, at this point, looks a tall order – the Reds are nine points behind fifth-placed Tottenham, and have surprise packages Aston Villa and Brighton in front of them too.

To some fans, that last point may not be seen as a bad thing. It may seem like a damning indictment of modern football and its ‘need it now’ culture, but there are plenty who would prefer Liverpool to miss out on European football entirely if they are unable to qualify for the Champions League. 

The idea of Thursday nights in the Europa League – or worse still, the recently-formed Europa Conference League – is unpalatable for some, but from the club’s perspective there are clear benefits to qualifying for Europe’s consolation competition…

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  How would Liverpool qualify?

  Finishing fifth would guarantee qualification for the Europa League next term, while sixth place is also likely to secure a spot, depending on who wins the FA Cup.

  Manchester City, of course, are favourites for that, but are already pretty much guaranteed a Champions League place next season. Fellow semi-finalists Manchester United, too, will almost certainly qualify for either the Champions League or Europa League via their league position.

  That means that only if Championship side Sheffield United won the FA Cup, or if Brighton were to win it and also finish outside the top six in the Premier League, would sixth place be insufficient for a Europa League spot next season. 

  In that instance, sixth would qualify for the Europa Conference League. Otherwise, that place will go to the seventh-placed team in the Premier League.

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  The money side

  Of course, the main headlines when discussing Champions League qualification, beyond the obvious prestige angle, tend to revolve around money. Namely, a quite significant loss of revenue for any club that misses out.

  Liverpool have benefited from Champions League money for the past six seasons, earning an estimated £500 million ($624m) in that period. Last season, when they made their way all the way to the final, they earned more than £100m ($117m), and even though they were dumped out in the last 16 by Real Madrid this season, the expectation is that the Reds will pocket more than £65m ($81m) in prize money and TV revenue.

  The Europa League, of course, offers far less in terms of financial incentive, but it is worth noting that last year’s winners, Eintracht Frankfurt, earned an estimated £33.5m ($42m) from their Europa League run, while semi-finalists West Ham pocketed around £28m ($35m).

  There is also the money made from hosting additional home matches, of which there would be six if a team was to make it to the semi-finals. That, at a conservative estimate, would be worth an extra £12m ($15m) to Liverpool.

  That’s far less than would be earned in the Champions League, of course, and a season in the Europa Conference League would be even less lucrative, with last season’s winners, Roma, only collecting around £17m ($21m) from that competition.

  But it is still more than a season without European football of any kind. Liverpool are far from paupers, but as they seek to rebuild after a quite dramatic fall from grace, they are hardly in a position to be turning their nose up at that kind of cash, either.

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  Another route back to the Champions League

  Another key point to make about the Europa League is it offers clubs a direct route back into the Champions League.

  The winners qualify automatically for the group stage, a fact which heavily benefited Frankfurt, who finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season and would have missed out on Europe entirely were it not for their Thursday night escapades. As it happened, the Germans made it to the last 16 of this year’s Champions League, where they were beaten by Napoli.

  With competition at the top of the Premier League fiercer than ever – Arsenal’s rise this season has caught many by surprise, while Newcastle are only likely to get stronger under their Saudi Arabian ownership – finishing in the top four is far from a guarantee for a club like Liverpool. They could, in theory, have a decent season next year and still finish fifth.

  It makes sense, then, to give yourself a back-up option if you can – and that means embracing, and attacking, the Europa League.

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  Making more history

  And hey, let’s address another issue here; competing for, or potentially winning, a European trophy is something that no club should be scoffing at, especially one with as rich a continental history as Liverpool’s.

  The Reds have won the competition three times, albeit in its former guise as the UEFA Cup. It was the first European trophy they ever won back in 1973, and nobody who was in Monchengladbach that night, or indeed in Bruges three years later or in Dortmund in 2001, would ever accept the idea that it is a trophy that doesn’t matter.

  Of course the Champions League is where the glamour is at, and that will always be the case, but this season’s Europa League has featured Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus, Roma and Ajax, among others. Recent winners include Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and Villarreal, clubs who are regulars in the Champions League.

  Sure, games against Qarabag or Pyunik or Bodo Glimt may not exactly set the pulse racing, but big ties are there if you can navigate your way through the group stage. Manchester United and Barcelona fought out an epic battle in the last 16 this season, while Rangers saw off both Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig en route to last season’s final.

  In terms of prestige, such games matter. Liverpool have suffered badly this season, the club’s pride damaged by its domestic drop off and its Real Madrid hiding. They want to come again, and they believe they can, and playing as many high-pressure, high-profile games as possible can only help that process, particularly as Klopp looks to make significant changes to the side which conquered Europe previously.

  For supporters, too, it’s a no-brainer. This is a fanbase brought up on tales of European football, of continental glory. Why would they want to be without that prospect, and those trips, next season?

A winner deep into extra time saw Wolfsburg progress to the Champions League final at Arsenal's expense after a thrilling semi-final tie.

Wolfsburg will play Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final in June after beating Arsenal 5-4 on aggregate in an absolutely thrilling semi-final tie.

The second leg was set up brilliantly after the two played out a 2-2 draw in Germany and it was the Gunners who struck first, taking the lead just 11 minutes in at the Emirates through Stina Blackstenius.

However, the visitors were ahead before the hour after former Arsenal midfielder Jill Roord equalised late in the first half and Alex Popp headed home from a corner, but an effort from defender Jen Beattie sent the game into extra time.

It was there that Wolfsburg won it, with Pauline Bremer profiting from a mistake from Lotte Wubben-Moy and popping up at the back post to tap in the decisive goal with only one minute of the added period remaining.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Emirates…

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  WINNER: Pauline Bremer

  Pauline Bremer will leave Wolfsburg at the end of this season and she will leave so having made an incredibly big contribution after a difficult few years with the club.

  The forward has been plagued with injuries since she joined Manchester City in 2017 and has struggled to make an impact after joining the German side from there in 2020, making just 21 league appearances in that time. Indeed, she was only playing her seventh game for the club when she ruptured her ACL back in October 2020.

  That it was her who popped up at the back stick to win this tie was an incredibly heart-warming story given all she has been through.

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  LOSER: Lina Hurtig

  Lina Hurtig had a huge, huge chance to put Arsenal ahead in extra time and she will no doubt be replaying it in her head over and over again after the result panned out the way it did.

  Frida Maanum had picked Dominique Janssen's pocket on the right wing and perfectly teed up the Swede with a low cross into the box, but she couldn't beat Merle Frohms with her first-time shot.

  It was a gilt-edged chance and potentially a match-winning one.

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  WINNER: Alex Popp

  It was Bremer's goal that won this game but Popp's contributions were incredibly decisive.

  The versatile veteran was a thorn in Arsenal's side all game, especially from set pieces. For Wolfsburg's first goal, Popp headed the ball down nicely for Roord to strike home, having got in front of her marker to do so.

  For the second goal, she escaped the attention of both Rafaelle and Maanum to flick on a lovely near-post header into the back of the net.

  Now, she has a chance to win a fourth Champions League title – 14 years after her first and nine years after her last.

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  LOSER: Arsenal on set pieces

  One of the most disappointing things for Arsenal from this game will be that the two goals they conceded in the first 90 minutes were both so avoidable.

  Both came from set pieces and both were as a result of poor marking, one of the very basic things that you just cannot afford to get wrong on such a big occasion.

  When there is a player like Popp on the other side, who is so good in those situations, it becomes even more important that you are switched on. Arsenal just weren't and they were made to pay.

Erik ten Hag wants to add a No.9, but has limited funds after signing Mason Mount, with the only solution to cash in on a number of his squad players

Manchester United's need for a striker could not have been more obvious as they stumbled through the final few weeks of last season. As it became increasingly clear Wout Weghorst was incapable of scoring, Erik ten Hag's side had to rely on a worn-out Marcus Rashford and a half-fit Anthony Martial to get them over the line in their bid for Champions League qualification.

Ten Hag made his feelings clear about the need for a striker but, one month after the season came to an end, the only new player to have arrived at Old Trafford is midfielder Mason Mount, burning a £60 million ($76m) hole in an already tight budget. The Red Devils have a maximum of £120m ($153m) to spend this summer due to the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability rules, and they also need to sign a goalkeeper after doing a U-turn on a new contract for David de Gea.

It could take around £50 million ($63m) to get No.1 'keeper target Andre Onana from Inter, which would mean maxing out the budget with no new striker to show for it. But there is a way out of United's spending dilemma, and that is to sell players.

The club have been notoriously imprudent when it comes to selling players, pocketing a mere £133m ($170m) since 2013, the lowest of their fellow Premier League 'Big Six' teams and in stark contrast to Chelsea, who have earned £706m ($901m) from sales in the same period.

But United have plenty of players they can make money from, and selling them wisely is key to regenerating Ten Hag's squad. GOAL takes a look at who they can sell and for how much…

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  Jadon Sancho (£50m)

  Sancho has fallen way short of what was expected from him after his £73m move from Borussia Dortmund. In two seasons and 79 appearances, he has contributed just 12 goals and six assists. It is a remarkable drop off from his time in Germany, when he scored 50 goals and provided 64 assists in 137 matches.

  His second season at Old Trafford was no easier than his first, and despite making a good start by scoring against Liverpool, his confidence faded and Ten Hag removed him from the squad for over two months to work on his fitness and confidence.

  There were some flashes of the Sancho who Dortmund fans knew and loved, but tangible, important contributions were few and far between. United know they will make a loss on Sancho if they do sell him, and if an offer in the region of £50m arrives they will surely bite.

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  Harry Maguire (£40m)

  Maguire played in fewer than half of United's league games last season, making only eight starts. And when he did play, he oftenstruggled badly.His stock has fallen so much that he has fallen to fifth-choice centre-back,even dropping behind left-back Luke Shawin the pecking order.

  He is ill-equipped for the type of football Ten Hag wants United to play, but his career at the top level is by no means over. He remains first-choice for England despite everything that has happened this season, and he would have plenty of takers from mid-level clubs in the Premier League.

  United will have to swallow their pride and admit they made a mistake making Maguire the most expensive defender in the world in 2019. But if they can make back even half of that fee then they should take it, especially as he has two years left on his contract.

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  Scott McTominay (£35m)

  McTominay saw his playing time severely squeezed by the arrivals of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, starting only 10 league games in 2022-23. And just when he was starting to get back in contention for a starting berth in April, he got injured. The arrival of Mount, even if not a like-for-like replacement, has seen him drop yet further down the pecking order.

  But the Scotland midfielder has been in sensational form for his country, scoring five goals in his last four international appearances. He is still a player in demand and, at 26, has a fine career ahead of him.

  Even though it would hurt to let one of their own go, a fee of between £30m and £40m would likely be enough to persuade United to part with McTominay.

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  Anthony Martial (£15m)

  Since returning from a disappointing loan spell at Sevilla, Martial has proved two things most United fans already knew. Firstly, that he remains a quality player on his day, scoring six Premier League goals from only 11 starts. But secondly, that he is incapable of staying fit for long periods.

  The Frenchman, who United paid £50m for in 2015, suffered five injuries last season, missing a total of 27 matches and never once completing 90 minutes. His frail fitness means that he is not much use as a back-up striker, and he missed the FA Cup final after suffering a hamstring injury in the final league game of the season.

  Although it has been reported the club are looking for £25m for Martial, his long-running injury problems and the fact he only has one year left on his contract means his sell-on value is fading fast. An offer of £15m should be enough to convince the club to sell.

Prolific wide-forwards, and creative midfielders who love a late run into the box are the order of the day in terms of savvy FPL picks.

Wondering who could the best Fantasy Premier League midfield picks for 2023-24? (including summer transfers) You've come to the right place.

Midfielders are more likely to get goals and assists and earn an extra point for a goal compared to forwards, plus the extra point for keeping a clean sheet. They are also highly likely to be 'captainable' options than players in other positions.

Explosive wingers who cut inside are constantly in demand, as are playmakers who can not only get assists but earn a goal themselves with late runs into the box. There are some great value midfield options from every price point: budget enablers, mid-priced picks, and premium options.

With the game now open for another season, GOAL has a list of the top midfielders to help you pick the strongest and most productive possible squad.

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  Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | £12.5m

  Liverpool's Egyptian king Mohamed Salah(239 points in 2022/23) was the highest-scoring midfielder on FPL once again last season after coming out on top of the list and will be eager to defend his 'midfield' crown.

  Despite the Reds underperformance last season, Salah posted incredible numbers with 19 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League, and there's no reason why he can't repeat the same feat in the new season.

  Liverpool are one of the best-attacking teams in the league and have been for a good few years. The Reds have also bolstered their midfield ranks with the exciting additions of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, couple this with the fact that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be playing more as a playmaker next term, Salah's potential for both scoring and setting up goals will be as high as ever in 2023-24.

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  Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | £10.5m

  Kevin De Bruyne was once again the king of assists last season, mostly sent in the direction of Erling Haaland. 16 in the Premier League, six in the Champions League, and four in the FA Cup.

  With 10 goals and a mind-boggling 31 assists to his name in all competitions last season, the Belgium playmaker was the driving force behind City's treble despite making a slow start.

  Although he is still recovering from that hamstring tear, and this may impact the start of the 2023-24 campaign, he has come back strongly from injuries before and is still at the top of his game in a very dominant City team, so we should expect similar numbers from him as last term.

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  Marcus Rashford | Manchester United | £9.0m

  Last season, Marcus Rashford rediscovered his scoring boots as he spent plenty of time up top, recurring injuries to Anthony Martial, the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and some not-so-prolific displays from Wout Weghorst seeing Erik ten Hag turn to the 25-year-old to spearhead the Manchester United attack on several occasions.

  Only five players scored more Premier League goals than Rashford last season, with the England international finding the net 17 times and hitting a double-century for FPL points for the first time. Indeed, this sort of goalscoring exploits have led to a steep price rise from starting last season at £6.5m to £9m.

  Still not reclassified as a forward, and United are unlikely to buy an elite striker due to FFP issues this summer, Rashford will surely have plenty of opportunities to reach the same heights in the upcoming campaign.

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• Son Heung-Min | Tottenham Hotspur | £9.0m

  Following a 23-goal season in which he shared the Golden Boot with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Son began 2022/23 with his highest-ever opening price of £12.0m. However, the South Korean produced only 10 goals, six assists and 152 points.

  The plummet in Son's price is therefore understandable, but the arrival of former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou – who is expected to deploy an expansive 4-3-3 system– and the addition of creative midfielders James Maddison may make him too appealing to pass up, especially with teammate Harry Kane's price climbing to £12.5 million.

  If Son can get back to his best under Postecoglou, he will offer incredible value across the season.

The club took three months to release a statement on the claims made against the Brazilian winger – which is just not good enough

When Mason Greenwood left Manchester United to join Getafe on loan last week, minutes before the transfer deadline window closed, there must have been a huge sense of relief within the club.

In the words of one source, the situation had left United "on a knife edge all summer". And when it emerged that the club were planning to bring the striker back six months after charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour against Greenwood had been dropped, it caused huge damage to United's image and reputation, even though they eventually decided that the striker could not continue his career at Old Trafford.

Greenwood, who denies all the allegations against him, is Getafe's problem now and the Liga side's coach Jose Bordalas is the one who has to field questions about him – not Erik ten Hag.

But just when United thought they had put one extremely comfortable situation behind them and could just focus on football, another volcano has erupted after serious allegations of domestic violence were made against Antony by his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin.

The Brazilian's case is different to Greenwood's but it is no less shocking and it presents the club with another huge dilemma. Do they allow Antony to continue playing or do they remove him from the squad until the case against him is resolved?

United are struggling on the pitch after two defeats in four Premier League matches and while he has done little to justify his £85 million ($106m) price tag, Antony is a regular starter and key to Ten Hag's style of play. But after bungling the Greenwood situation, they must show leadership and act decisively. The spotlight is on them yet again and they must do the right thing.

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  Slower to act than with Greenwood

  Based on the precedent United set with Greenwood back in January 2022, Antony should already have been suspended from the team. Although United faced a huge backlash for wanting to reintegrate Greenwood last month, when the allegations against the striker first emerged on social media, they acted swiftly.

  The club released a statement on their website acknowledging the accusations shortly after they appeared. Later that day, after Greenwood had been questioned by police, they announced the striker would "not return to training or play matches until further notice".

  When the charges against Greenwood were dropped, they conducted a thorough, six-month internal investigation before eventually deciding he could not continue his career there following fan protests and a backlash from the general public.

  They made big mistakes during that investigation, such as not consulting domestic abuse charities, who they deemed would be "hostile" to bringing Greenwood back. But they took the matter very seriously.

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  No comment for three months

  Their initial reaction to the Greenwood story contrasts with how they responded to the accusations against Antony. When news that Cavallin had filed a police report in Sao Paulo against the winger emerged on June 6, United did not release any public statement, merely telling Brazilian media: "We will not make official comments until the facts are clear."

  United maintained their silence when Cavallin spoke out publicly for the first time about Antony's behaviour later in June, and when Antony denied the allegations in a post on Instragram later that month. The player went on United's pre-season tour of the United States and started the club's first four matches of the Premier League season. Ten Hag was never asked about Antony by the media.

  Even when United faced criticism about their attempt to bring back Greenwood, there was little discussion about Antony. Although the accusations against the Brazilian were in the public domain, the fact that the complaint had been filed in Sao Paulo and not Manchester seemed to shield the player from the scrutiny Greenwood had faced.

  And unlike with Greenwood, there was little publicly-available evidence of Antony's misdemeanours. Although fans were aware he was facing accusations, most did not know the details. That allowed United to avoid making any public comment on the player until they released a five-line statement on Wednesday, exactly three months after Cavallin filed her first complaint against Antony.

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  Shocking interview

  Cavallin's interview with Brazilian website – released on Monday and containing excruciating detail of three separate, abusive incidents between the DJ and Antony – blew the case wide open.

  Cavallin told she was first assaulted by Antony on June 1 2022, while she was pregnant and on holiday in Brazil. She claimed Antony, who was then at Ajax, put her in a car, attacked her and threatened to throw her from the moving vehicle at speed.

  "He said that if I didn't stay with him, I wouldn't stay with anyone. I told him that I was pregnant, that he was scaring me, making my heart race. I was shaking with fear," Cavallin said.

  The DJ also alleged that in January 2023 Antony headbutted her and dislocated one of her breast implants. She also claimed that in May 2023 he locked her in a house after throwing a glass at her, which led to cutting her finger down to the bone.

  Greater Manchester Police confirmed later on Monday it was making enquiries into the case. Still, there was no response from United. There was plenty of reaction from elsewhere, however.

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  'Culture of impunity'

  "The world is watching Manchester United to see how one of the biggest clubs responds to these latest reports of domestic abuse," said Andrea Simon, director of End Violence Against Women Coalition.

  "We once again call on the Premier League and FA to take meaningful action as it is clear that these are not incidents they can take in isolation, but part of a pattern of behaviour within a culture that enables footballers to perpetrate violence against women with impunity."

  Refuge, meanwhile, lamented the way clubs had dealt with previous cases of abuse.

  "Refuge is deeply concerned by the number of domestic abuse allegations involving high profile sports figures, such as footballers, that have been emerging in the media over the last few months, and the responses that clubs have had to these," said Tracy Blackwell, director of strategic insights and partnerships.

  "It is important that the FA, Premier League and clubs make it clear to their fans that they do not condone any forms of violence against women and girls. Domestic abuse is a crime and should be treated as such. Swift action needs to be taken to adopt a zero-tolerance policy to abuse and address this culture of violence against women and girls within football."

The Englishman is one of the most stylish footballers of all-time and his car collection is enviable.

In the world of sports and entertainment, few names shine as brightly as David Beckham's. Renowned for his exceptional football career, fashion sense, and philanthropic endeavors, Beckham's influence spans across multiple domains.

Born in London in 1975, Beckham's passion for football was evident from a young age. He rose through the ranks of the sport, making his professional debut for Manchester United in 1992. His years at Manchester United were nothing short of iconic, helping the team secure numerous titles, including six Premier League titles and the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy.

Beckham's career trajectory led him to play for other renowned clubs such as Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Paris Saint-Germain, earning him recognition as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. Beyond his club success, Beckham was a stalwart for the English national team, amassing 115 caps.

While Beckham's prowess on the football field is undeniable, his passion for luxury cars is equally impressive. His car collection is a testament to his impeccable taste and appreciation for fine automobiles

GOAL takes a look at the beautiful rides that find home in Beckham's garage.

• Jaguar F-Type Project 7 | $165,925 / €157,629 / £136,059

  Becks is well known for his passion for Jaguars. In fact, in 2014, he served as brand ambassador for Jaguar China. In 1998, he was photographed driving his wife Victoria in a shiny blue Jaguar XK8.

  Now, he owns a Jaguar F-Type Project 7. A supercharged, 5.0-liter V8 engine powers Beckham's 2015 Jaguar F-Type Project 7. It has an 8-speed automatic transmission and produces 575 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque. Jaguar claims that the F-Type Project 7 has a top speed of 299 kmph (186 mph) and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.8 seconds.

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• Aston Martin V8 Vantage | $182,500 / €173,375 / £149,650

  The costliest vintage ride in Beckham's garage is the 1988 Aston Martin V8 Vantage. But he has listed the car, which is valued $182,500, for sale for £445,000.

• McLaren MP4-12C Spider | $265,750 / €252,463 / £217,915

  This car originally cost $265,750, but Beckham reportedly spent more than $319,000 to get it. Given the model's current rarity, its value has multiplied many times over. A 616 horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine powers the 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider. The twin-turbo V8 has a 7-speed automated transmission and generates 443 lb-ft of torque. According to McLaren, the MP4-12C Spider can reach a top speed of 328 kmph (204 mph) and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.3 seconds.

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• McLaren 720S | $299,000 / €284,050 / £245,180

  The McLaren 720S is among the most recent purchases by Beckham and was an upgrade to his older McLaren MP4-12C Spider. A 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine powers Beckham's McLaren 720S. The twin-turbo V8 has a 7-speed automated transmission and produces 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. According to McLaren, the 720S has a top speed of 341 kmph (212 mph) and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 2.8 seconds.

Arsenal Women boss Jonas Eidevall says his team are at fault for not qualifying for the Champions League and refused to blame the competition format.

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• Arsenal knocked out of UWCL
• Man Utd eliminated by PSG
• Eidevalls says WSL must improve

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal were knocked out at the qualifying phase when they were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Paris FC. That, coupled with Manchester United's defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the following round, means Chelsea are the only Women's Super League to make the group stage of the competition this season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United manager Marc Skinner slammed the competition's format as he argued that United and PSG should not have been paired against each other so early, saying: "We deserve to be at this level. There are teams that are going through that are not good enough."

  However, Eidevall believes that it is up to English teams to improve to reach the same level as their French and German counterparts and pointed out that they could have ended up with no WSL teams in the competition at all.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  "We’re number four in Europe [in UEFA's coefficient rankings]. We can’t say that’s anyone else’s problem except our own. We need to improve. English teams have not done well enough in Europe," he told reporters.

  He added: "The reality is that if Wolfsburg had beaten Barcelona in the Champions League final [last season], the WSL wouldn't have had a single direct qualifying spot for the group stage. Our league is ranked fourth in Europe and why is that? The English teams have done worse than the Spanish and the German and the French teams for the last five years. That is no one else's problem: that is our own.

  "If I look at it from the Arsenal's perspective, being in the WSL is a very competitive league. Do I think there is a lot of themes in the WSL that could compete in the group stage in the Champions League? I do. I think the Conti Cup group that Man United have been drawn into might actually be tougher than some of the Champions League groups. But those who decide on the UEFA Women's Champions League, they need to grow the whole of women's football in Europe. They are not just taking the WSL into account."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Arsenal, who beat Aston Villa 2-1 last week, are in WSL action on Sunday as they visit Bristol City.

The U.S. men's national team announced Monday morning that the 22-year-old midfielder was removed from their November camp following an ankle injury.

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• Johnny removed from USMNT camp
• Diagnosed with right ankle injury
• Linked with January La Liga move

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  In an announcement Monday, U.S. soccer said that no replacement will be added for the Internacional midfielder, despite him leaving camp due to injury.

  It's unknown how the injury occurred or what the severity of it is.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That leaves the USMNT without both Tyler Adams and Johnny in the midfield – meaning – it will be a big window for Luca De La Torre on top of both Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah. The one to watch, though, will be Gio Reyna.

  With no Christian Pulisic or Tim Weah, the USMNT could alter their positioning on the pitch, utilizing the attacking midfield role even more than usual.

  Reyna is listed as a forward – not an attacker – on the roster.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Cardoso is linked with a January move to La Liga side Real Betis after some impressive performances on the international stage with the USMNT, as well as with his Brazilian club Internacional.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JOHNNY AND THE USMNT?

  The young midfielder will have to miss out on November's matches against Trinidad and Tobago, as the USMNT look to book their spot in the 2024 Copa America.

  Gregg Berhalter's squad play November 16 and 20 against the Island nation.

The Norwegian was a constant handful for the Blues defence all evening but the champions were a shambles at the back…

Erling Haaland helped Manchester City move one point clear at the top of the Premier League but Pep Guardiola was left with plenty to ponder after his defence went missing in a crazy 4-4 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

The Norwegian put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot after winning a highly contentious spot-kick but the Blues came storming back, equalising through Thiago Silva, who was left criminally unmarked at a corner, before Raheem Sterling put the finishing touches on a brilliant breakaway.

Manuel Akanji headed City level before Haaland struck again, with the the Norwegian bundling a Julian Alvarez cutback over the line shortly after the restart. Ederson gifted Chelsea a leveller when he spilled a Conor Gallagher shot at the feet of Nicolas Jackson but City looked to have one the game when Rodri's speculative effort from outside the area found the back of the net courtesty of a deflection off Thiago Silva.

However, Guardiola's defence let him down again in injury time, with the usually flawless Dias putting the seal on a shocking display by giving away a penalty that City academy graduate Cole Palmer stuck away to earn the hosts a deserved draw.

Below, GOAL rates all of the City players on show during a wild evening in west London…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (4/10):

  Nothing he could have done about the first two goals but he was to blame for the third, for parrying the ball back into a central area.

  Kyle Walker (5/10):

  Not one of his better games from a defensive perspective and was also poor in possession.

  Ruben Dias (3/10):

  Saw plenty of the ball but the Portuguese wasn't his usual impeccable self. On the contrary, he was a liability for once and it was no surprise to see him give away at penalty in injury time.

  Manuel Akanji (6/10):

  Probably City's best player at the back (although that's not saying much), with the Swiss capping a solid showing with a well-taken headed goal.

  Josko Gvardiol (4/10):

  The Croat never looked comfortable. Really doesn't look anything like one of the most expensive defenders in the world.

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  Midfield

  Rodri (7/10):

  A typically composed performance and thought he'd won the game with a deflected effort.

  Bernardo Silva (8/10):

  A constant threat as usual, with the highlight of another industrious display the pinpoint cross that Akanji headed homed.

  Jeremy Doku (5/10):

  A real box of tricks but took too much time on the ball on several occasions. No surprise, then, to see him hooked midway through the second half.

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  Attack

  Julian Alvarez (6/10):

  Wasn't involved as much as he would have liked but still teed up Haaland for a goal just after the break.

  Erling Haaland (9/10):

  A goalscoring machine, the Norwegian looked like scoring anytime the ball went near him. As well as scoring twice, he was also involved in everything City did going forward, with his hold-up play particularly impressive.

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  A joy to watch at times but, for once, there was no real end product from the Englishman.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jack Grealish (5/10):

  Brought on just before the hour mark but made no impact.

  Mateo Kovacic (N/A):

  Only introduced for the last 10 minutes for Alvarez as Guardiola looked to shore things up in midfield.

  Pep Guardiola (5/10):

  City never looked comfortable, particularly at the back, and the Catalan failed to gain control of a wild game with his changes.

Ex-USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann has been sacked from his post as South Korea coach, with the KFA president firing a parting shot at the German.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Klinsmann sacked by South Korea
• KFA fire brutal parting shot
• Crashed out of Asia Cup semifinals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After a shock semifinal exit at the Asia Cup to Jordan, with a report following that the Korea players had a bust-up over ping-pong that led to captain and superstar Son Heung-min suffering a dislocated finger, Klinsmann was removed Friday. The ex-USMNT boss was in charge for just one year with the Asian nation.

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  WHAT KFA PRESIDENT CHUNG MONG-GYU SAID

  In a harsh, but honest review, the German was given a brutal send-off with the KFA taking a shot at his managerial tactics and attitude.

  “The KFA has decided to change the national head coach following a comprehensive review,” president Chung Mong-gyu said.

  "Klinsmann has failed to display managerial capability and leadership expected of a national head coach in areas ranging from tactics, personnel management to work attitude and others required to bring about competitiveness to the team. Klinsmann’s attitude and competitiveness as head coach has fallen short of people’s expectations and it was agreed that this would not be improved going forward, so we have decided to change leadership ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifying games."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to , Klinsmann's refusal to move to South Korea also played a role in his sacking. Him opting to stay in the United States instead was not well received by the fans or his players, and as a result, he never won over the trust of his followers or team.

  He wrote on social media: “Thank you so much for all your support taking us to the semi-final of the Asian Cup and an incredible journey over the last 12 months with not losing 13 games in a row.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JURGEN KLINSMANN?

  The former German international, and now ex-South Korea boss, will have to have a long think about what the future holds for him. Whether or not management is involved remains to be seen.