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• Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw credits teammates after historic FWA Player of the Year win

  Manchester City Women and Jamaica striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw graciously credited her teammates after being awarded the Football Writers’ Association Women’s Footballer of the Year. Shaw, who received the prestigious accolade on Thursday, expressed her gratitude towards her fellow players for their role in her success.

  The prolific Jamaican striker received an impressive 53 per cent of all votes cast, setting a new record for the highest percentage received by a player in FWA history for a women’s award. She edged out colleagues Alex Greenwood and Chelsea’s Lauren James to claim the top spot, capping off another phenomenal season where she scored 22 goals and provided five assists before an unfortunate injury cut short her campaign.

  Reflecting on her achievement and the season, Shaw emphasized the importance of her teammates in her individual accolades. "I’ve had a little hiccup, but overall it’s been a good season and I’m happy," Shaw commented at the FWA awards evening. "It’s been a good season. I’ve always said that the team makes me look good. I’m playing with world class players and that makes me look good at the end of the day."

  Shaw highlighted her team-first mentality, focusing on contributing to the collective success rather than individual accolades. "I just try to do the bits I can at the end of the pitch and work for the team and ultimately arrive at the end of the season winning stuff. Here we are," she added.

  Despite being sidelined due to injury for Manchester City Women's crucial WSL match against Aston Villa, where a victory could secure them the league title, Shaw expressed her confidence and support for her teammates. "It’s exciting times. I’m going to be very nervous to be honest but I believe in my team and I love every single one of them out there," she shared. "Once we do our best, hopefully the best is good enough."

  As Manchester City Women aim to clinch their second-ever league title, Shaw's recognition as the FWA Player of the Year underscores her impact and the team's collective drive for success. With inspiration drawn from the club's men's team and a shared commitment to achieving excellence, Shaw and her teammates are poised to continue pushing boundaries and striving for further glory in women's football.

   

   

• Klopp: Premier League cannot continue with current version of VAR

  Departing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would vote to remove VAR in its current guise from the Premier League, though he also believes officiating standards are a problem.

  On Wednesday, it was revealed that Wolves – who have been on the wrong end of several contentious decisions this season – had tabled a motion to abolish VAR from the top flight.

  The club listed several "negative consequences" brought on by the technology's introduction, including an impact on in-stadium atmospheres, diminished accountability of match officials and its role in furthering "completely nonsensical" allegations of corruption from fans. 

  The role of VAR is now set to be discussed at an annual shareholders' meeting on June 6, though Wolves' motion is thought unlikely to garner the 14 votes needed to pass. 

  Liverpool were on the wrong end of perhaps the most high-profile VAR error this season, when Darren England mistakenly cleared an incorrect offside call on a Luis Diaz goal against Tottenham.

  Liverpool face Wolves in their final game under Klopp on Sunday, and the Reds boss believes they are right to say VAR is not working in its current guise.

  "I don't think they're voting against VAR, I think they'll vote about how it gets used, because that's definitely not right. I understand that," Klopp said.

  "In the way they do it, I would vote against it, because these people are not able to use it properly.

  "I do not think VAR is the problem but the way we use it is the problem. You cannot change the people, it's clear. You need them. So yeah, I would vote for scrapping VAR."

  Meanwhile, it was also announced on Friday that midfielder Thiago Alcantara will leave Liverpool when his contract expires in June, after four injury-hit years at Anfield.

  Thiago has been limited to just 68 Premier League appearances throughout his time with the Reds, including one match this campaign. 

  "Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play," Klopp said of the Spaniard.

  "Technically, he is so, so good, a talent who could play in any team in the world, and it was a privilege to have him with us."

• Shaw struggling to be fit for FA Cup final after injury setback

  Manchester United defender Luke Shaw is fighting against the odds to be passed fit for the crucial FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City.

  Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag revealed the left-back’s injury has proven more complicated than first thought and added his chances of making the game are low, but has not definitively ruled out the England international.

  He is more optimistic about Harry Maguire, though even the centre-back was only rated as having a “fair chance” of being passed fit to face Pep Guardiola’s men at Wembley on May 25.

  Before that, United will finish their Premier League campaign with a match away to Brighton on Sunday.

  Despite a desperately disappointing campaign, there are still two potential routes for United to make it into Europe for next season.

  Ten Hag's side are eighth in the table, level on 57 points with seventh-placed Newcastle United, who visit Brentford on the final day.

  If United beat FA Cup holders City, they will play in the Europa League next season.

  Failure to do so would mean they must have finished seventh in the league to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League, so they will need to better Newcastle’s result on the final day.

  Shaw has been restricted to playing in 15 games for United across all competitions this season. He was expected to return before the end of the campaign when he suffered a muscle problem in the away win over Luton Town in February.

  Ten Hag was asked about Shaw and Maguire ahead of the last two games of United’s season, a fitness update which has added importance due to their likely inclusion, if fit, in England’s squad for Euro 2024 this summer.

  "For England, I can't say, it's not up to me," Ten Hag said. "But for the cup final, we're working on it.

  "Harry Maguire, it's a fair chance that he will be available. 

  “Luke is more complicated, in this moment, let's say it's a low chance that he will make it. But there is still a very small, reduced chance."

  As well as giving Maguire a chance of making the final, Ten Hag also confirmed fellow defenders Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof have returned to training in a boost ahead of the Man City clash.

  Varane is leaving Man Utd at the end of the season, with a number of other players expected to follow him out the exit door, but Ten Hag wants his squad fully focused amid frenzied speculation over transfer activity.

  "All the issues will only distract us,” he said.

  “We know what we are building on, and we have to keep this process going.”

  Shaw, 28, played in last season’s FA Cup final defeat to City and has also been a runner-up at the Euros, having scored in England’s eventual defeat on penalties to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.