Kaoru Mitoma’s superb solo effort and Solly March’s second-half double helped lift Brighton top of the Premier League table after an impressive 4-1 win at Wolves.
Japan midfielder Mitoma’s mesmeric run and finish gave Brighton a slender half-time lead before Roberto De Zerbi’s side put Wolves to the sword with three goals in nine minutes at the start of the second half.
Pervis Estupinan doubled Brighton’s lead within 60 seconds of the restart and two carbon-copy goals from March, both assisted by teenage forward Julio Enciso, sealed the Seagulls’ second-straight win.
Wolves responded through substitute Hwang Hee-chan’s header just after the hour mark, but it was mere consolation for Gary O’Neil’s side, who were emphatically punished for missed first-half chances and lost Matheus Nunes to a late red card.
Mitoma gave Brighton a 15th-minute lead with a brilliant effort, cutting inside 40 yards from goal and beating three Wolves defenders before sliding the ball beyond goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Brighton deserved their lead, but Wolves spent the rest of an end-to-end first half chasing an equaliser.
Fabio Silva was brilliantly denied by Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele’s out-stretched boot in the 28th minute after the Portuguese forward had ghosted on to Joao Gomes’ deft through-ball.
The home side went close again when Nunes curled a shot off-target following impressive Brazilian Matheus Cunha’s powerful run and Pedro Neto flashed an angled drive just wide.
Brighton continued to threaten on the counter – Mitoma and Paraguayan Enciso were a constant menace – but Wolves passed up another chance just before the break.
Rayan Ait-Nouri found himself clear in front of goal after exchanging passes with Silva, but the Algeria defender blazed over shortly before half-time.
Wolves were made to pay inside 60 seconds of the restart as Brighton extended their lead and then put the game to bed with two more strikes, all within the space of nine minutes.
Estupinan tucked home the visitors’ second, stepping on to Mitoma’s cut-back after Danny Welbeck’s fierce drive had been parried by Sa.
March then slammed home his first as he charged on to Enciso’s lovely weighted ball inside the penalty area to make it 3-0 in the 51st minute and that became 4-0, just four minutes later.
Enciso this time found himself free on the opposite edge of the area and his ball in was turned home again by March to leave Molineux stunned.
Wolves responded just after the hour-mark as Hwang headed home fellow substitute Pablo Sarabia’s corner and they drove gamely forward in a bid to mitigate the damage.
Efforts from Sarabia and Pedro Neto were held by Steele and rebounded off Evan Ferguson respectively, while March was twice denied his hat-trick with goal-bound shots blocked by Toti Gomes and Steele.
Wolves’ misery was complete in stoppage-time when Nunes was sent off for his second yellow card after pushing Estupinan to the ground.
Hundreds of Tottenham supporters staged a protest ahead of the club’s home match against Manchester United over the decision to increase matchday ticket prices for this season.
It was first revealed in July that Spurs planned to raise the price of matchday tickets for the 2023-24 campaign, a decision heavily criticised by Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust.
THST unveiled plans on August 1 to demonstrate against the increase ahead of Manchester United’s visit and a large group of fans gathered outside the stadium at 3.45pm with banners held up urging the club to reverse its decision.
Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the second year in a row, but THST confirmed in July that the club planned to raise matchday ticket prices.
It was also revealed there would now be six Category A fixtures, the most expensive ticket, with Newcastle bumped up from Category B.
A Tottenham spokesperson told the PA news agency at the time: “We are fully aware of the current rising cost of living – and as such are one of only three Premier League clubs to freeze Season Ticket prices for the coming season.
“Our match ticket prices are comparable to other London clubs, with a wide range of price points available for fans to choose from.”
After THST described the club’s decision to increase matchday tickets as “excessive”, earlier this month the Supporters’ Trust produced a ‘Call to Action’ plan alongside a number of key facts around the price rise.
The highest matchday ticket is now £103 and THST state the club’s decision to increase prices “will generate approximately £2.5million”, which they allege contributes to only 0.6 of the club’s total income.
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Upon revealing plans to hold a peaceful protest, THST urged the club to reverse its decision, guarantee there would be no price increase for next season and for a full commitment to consult the Supporters’ Trust and the Fan Advisory Board on a “fair and sustainable” ticking strategy.
“I hope the club listen and do retract the matchday ticket price increase,” THST chair Martin Buhagiar told PA earlier in August.
“People can’t afford their mortgage, can’t afford their shopping, can’t afford their utility bills, so now is not the time to price loyal fans out of football.
“My concern is the stadium will always sell out because of day-trippers or people on holiday coming to games, but fundamentally you will end up with a passionless stadium if you price out the passionate fans.”
After plenty of promotion on social media alongside the hashtags #StopExploitingLoyalty and #StopTicketPriceRises during recent weeks, a large number of fans turned up for Saturday’s demonstration.
Around 300 supporters stood on the High Road outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and held up banners with one reading: “Greed is a choice. No to ticket price hike” and another stating: “Stop Exploiting Fans.”
While some of the chanting briefly turned to calling for chairman Daniel Levy to leave Spurs, the majority of the singing was repeatedly calling for the club to reverse its decision before supporters moved on after half an hour.
Martyn Waghorn scored for the second time in four days to give Derby a 1-0 win over Fleetwood that ended a run of three home defeats.
Derby swarmed all over Fleetwood from the start and got the goal their dominance deserved in the 23rd minute.
Conor Washington’s shot was deflected to Waghorn, who swivelled to send a low shot inside Jay Lynch’s left post.
Danny Mayor fired over as Fleetwood responded and Derby survived a scare in the 45th minute when Jayden Stockley headed against Joe Wildsmith’s right post.
It was a reminder that Derby needed a second and they went close several times at the start of the second half through Liam Thompson and substitute James Collins.
But Fleetwood almost equalised in the 72nd minute when Promise Omochere’s header was tipped against the bar by Wildsmith, who pushed away a Junior Quitirna shot six minutes later.
Quitirna flashed a ball across the six-yard box in stoppage time but Derby held on for their second win of the season.
Jobe Bellingham scored a brace to help Sunderland come from behind and secure their first points of the Championship campaign with a 2-1 win over Rotherham.
Hakeem Odoffin had given Rotherham a shock lead 20 minutes into the contest but Bellingham’s close-range header drew his side level almost immediately, and his smart finish early in the second half secured three deserved points for Tony Mowbray’s side.
The 17-year-old came close to scoring a remarkable hat-trick, but instead had to settle for a match-winning brace and the adulation of 40,000 supporters when brought off with 10 minutes to play.
Sunderland had been left to rue the lack of a senior striker in the opening weeks of the campaign, struggling to turn their good play into points. Twenty minutes into this game it felt a familiar tale, the home side enjoying almost 70 per cent of the ball but yet to produce a shot.
When the first effort of the game was registered shortly after, it was the visitors who took the lead.
It was a lovely move to work the ball into the box, where Odoffin was surprised to find himself free. The forward took one touch and rifled a low effort past Anthony Patterson.
There was relief in the Stadium of Light when it took just a minute for Mowbray’s side to respond, the ever-dangerous Jack Clarke cutting inside and standing up a cross to the back post. Dan Neil was there to meet it and Bellingham was able to convert his first senior goal from a matter of yards out.
Sunderland continued to enjoy the better of the contest and took the lead in the second half when Bellingham again was found free in the box, this time curling an effort past Viktor Johansson.
The midfielder came close to landing a remarkable hat-trick when he was found with a cross just moments later, but a strong block allowed Rotherham to stay in the game.
The visitors continued to threaten from set plays even if it was the hosts who were enjoying the better of the play, and substitute Tolaji Bola in particular will feel he could have done better when meeting a delivery into the box.
The scoreline meant the hosts were never comfortable even as substitute Luis Hemir went close with a powerful long-range effort late on, but the Black Cats were ultimately able to see out five minutes of stoppage time to secure a welcome victory.
Swansea summer signing Jerry Yates bagged his second goal of the campaign to earn his new side a 1-1 draw with Coventry in the Championship.
The visiting Sky Blues were wasteful in the first half but took the lead through what was one of their only two shots on target in the game as Matty Godden netted in the 39th minute.
But Yates, who arrived from Blackpool for a reported £2.5million this summer, equalised two minutes later with his second goal in as many home appearances for the Swans.
Having been lacklustre for the majority of their 3-2 defeat at West Brom a week earlier, Swansea boss Michael Duff urged his side to play with more zip against Coventry.
The hosts certainly took his words on board and started on the front foot as Jay Fulton drilled just wide after neat play from Joel Piroe.
Coventry soon settled and created openings of their own as club-record £7.7m signing Haji Wright was off target with three efforts in the space of seven minutes, the last of which fizzed inches wide of Carl Rushworth’s goal.
Mark Robins will undoubtedly have been pleased with the control his side had on the game as Coventry’s sharpness continued to pose problems.
But Swansea registered the game’s first effort on target just before the half-hour mark. A corner from Charlie Patino – on his first start since joining on loan from Arsenal – found Harry Darling who headed straight at Ben Wilson.
Coventry took the lead six minutes before half-time as the lively Tatsuhiro Sakamoto squared to Wright who teed up Godden to rifle home his third goal of the season.
It sparked wild scenes of celebration in the away end, but the Sky Blues were pegged back within two minutes.
Harrison Ashby latched on to Darling’s ball over the top on the right flank before crossing to Yates who nodded over Wilson to ensure the score was level at the break.
The second half proved to be a slow burner until Coventry duo Bobby Thomas and Kyle McFadzean headed over from corners in quick succession.
Piroe and Yates then combined on the right to send Fulton into the visitors’ box, but the midfielder could only drill straight at Wilson from an acute angle.
Duff sent on Liam Cullen, Joe Allen, Azeem Abdulai and Josh Ginnelly late on while Wright was replaced by Ellis Simms as the contest remained finely poised.
But Coventry were unable to trouble goalkeeper Rushworth following a barrage of set-plays as they remained without a win at Swansea since 1981.
Ryan Trevitt and Demitri Mitchell netted as Exeter beat Carlisle 2-0 at Brunton Park.
Exeter found the breakthrough when Trevitt struck 20 minutes from time for his first professional goal.
Mitchell stroked home with eight minutes left to make the points safe, but Carlisle may have felt aggrieved he was not sent off in the first half after a possible second bookable offence.
United started well and Sean Maguire pulled a first-minute shot narrowly wide of the Exeter goal, before Fin Back’s volley whistled close as the home side dominated the early moments.
Maguire again created an opening for Carlisle, heading a decent chance into Viljami Sinisalo’s grateful grasp. The City keeper was called into action again when Maguire fired low on 53 minutes.
Despite the Carlisle pressure, Trevitt fired home from the edge of the box to give the Grecians the lead on 70 minutes.
On 82 minutes, Mitchell got on the end of a Jack Aitchison cross and picked out the bottom corner to seal the game for Exeter.
Mitch Pinnock scored a remarkable goal in the final minute of normal time as Northampton picked up their first win of the Sky Bet League One season by beating local rivals Peterborough 1-0 at Sixfields.
Pinnock’s volley from 40 yards out, carried over the line by goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic, gave the Cobblers their first win in this fixture since 2006 and ended Posh’s 100 per cent start to the season.
A shaky start from Northampton allowed Peterborough to take control and two early chances went begging for Will Randall, who blazed over and then glanced a header wide of the far post.
Bilokapic saved from Kieron Bowie at the other end but Posh continued to carry the greater threat in the first half and Kwame Poku was particularly dangerous as he went close with a couple of efforts.
The visitors continued to edge things in the second half as Ephron Mason-Clark had a goal ruled out for offside.
Northampton grew stronger though and finished well, and they snatched victory in the 90th minute when Pinnock’s volley from the right was carried over the line by Bilokapic.
Goals from substitutes Koji Miyoshi and Lukas Jutkiewicz gave Birmingham a 2-0 Championship away win against a Bristol City side who finished with 10 men.
The visitors took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Keshi Anderson’s corner was not cleared and Miyoshi, just introduced for the injured Ethan Laird, found the roof of the net with a sweet right-footed volley.
The home side’s task became more difficult when centre-back Rob Dickie was shown a second yellow card on 75 minutes for blocking a run by substitute Jordan James, having already been booked for dissent in the first half.
And any hope the home side had of a recovery was snuffed out six minutes from time when Jutkiewicz, introduced on 73 minutes as a replacement for Anderson, converted a low right-wing cross from close range.
Birmingham were good value for a win that maintained their promising start to the season, while inflicting a first defeat on their hosts.
Robins boss Nigel Pearson gave a first start of the season to winger Anis Mehmeti, while Birmingham were unchanged from their 1-0 home victory over Leeds.
Blues made a bright start and their first attack saw Scott Hogan head over from Juninho Bacuna’s left-wing cross.
Defences dominated for much of the first half and chances were at a premium. Siriki Dembele fired over from distance for Birmingham on 21 minutes.
Four minutes later the hosts’ first meaningful goal attempt saw Sam Bell’s shot blocked. Dickie headed over from the resulting corner.
Birmingham looked more dangerous and Max O’Leary had to save a Bacuna shot on 35 minutes. Then came the injury to Laird that saw Miyoshi sent on as a 40th-minute replacement.
The Japanese substitute made an immediate impact, forcing a good save from O’Leary before breaking the deadlock deep into three minutes of injury time.
Both managers made changes at the break, Pearson sending on Haydon Roberts and Mark Sykes for Cameron Pring and Harry Cornick while Blues boss John Eustace introduced James for Dembele.
Bristol City began the second half on the front foot, Zak Vyner failing to make contact with a Mehmeti corner and a Sykes run halted by a foul that earned Lee Buchanan a booking.
But Birmingham soon responded and Bacuna grazed a post with a left-footed shot before Miyoshi sent another effort wide.
Both sides were fully committed but still it was Blues creating more openings as a James shot brought a diving O’Leary save.
Dickie’s dismissal only seemed to fire up the home side and substitute Nahki Wells should have equalised on 82 minutes when shooting wide from Bell’s low cross.
It proved an expensive miss as Jutkiewicz quickly settled the outcome.
Liverpool overcame a torrid start and a red card for Alexis Mac Allister to beat Bournemouth 3-1 for their first win of the Premier League campaign.
Antoine Semenyo gave the visitors a stunning third-minute lead but Luis Diaz levelled with a neat finish and before half-time Mo Salah tucked in the rebound from his own missed penalty, his 187th Liverpool goal moving him ahead of Steven Gerrard and into fifth in the club’s scoring charts.
Liverpool could have been rocked when Mac Allister was harshly shown a straight red for catching Christie on the foot just before the hour mark, but instead they scored a third moments later as Diogo Jota rifled in a rebound to settle it.
The hosts were fortunate they had not dug themselves an even deeper hole in a chaotic opening few minutes which illustrated the work still ahead as Jurgen Klopp reshapes his side.
With new signing Wataru Endo watching on from the bench after receiving international clearance, the need for such a defensive midfielder was clear as Liverpool repeatedly played themselves into trouble and were made to pay a price by Bournemouth’s energetic press.
The visitors, who have never won a league match at Anfield and who lost here 9-0 12 months ago, thought they had an opener inside 60 seconds as Alisson and Ibrahima Konate both went to try to intercept a long ball down Bournemouth’s left channel, but Jaidon Anthony was offside before tucking the ball in.
No matter, as the opener came two minutes later. Virgil van Dijk played a routine pass to Trent Alexander-Arnold but the England man showed his deficiencies in an inverted role, with a loose touch allowing Philip Billing to prod the ball through for Dominic Solanke.
Andy Robertson prevented the ex-Liverpool man from getting a shot away but the ball fell for Semenyo to thump home.
Van Dijk then headed against the crossbar from Robertson’s corner, briefly lifting the mood inside Anfield before Alisson provided another moment of panic.
The Brazil goalkeeper mis-placed a pass and then felled Anthony just outside the area as he threatened to race through on goal, his punishment limited to a booking with Konate covering.
The brittle nature of Liverpool’s midfield was seen again in the 25th minute when Marcos Senesi strode out of the Bournemouth defence and simply kept going all the way to the final third, slipping in Solanke who was sandwiched by Robertson and Van Dijk but made no great appeal for a penalty.
Moments later, Liverpool were level. Jota’s ball from the right was slightly behind Diaz after Senesi got a touch, but the Colombian adjusted well to control and then fire home from close range.
The penalty came eight minutes later as Dominik Szoboszlai made the most of a dangling leg left by Joe Rothwell and went down in the corner of the box. Neto saved a relatively tame effort from Salah but the Egyptian was there to finish at the second opportunity, his ninth goal in nine against Bournemouth.
Liverpool looked much more settled in a strong start to the second half as Jota and Salah threatened.
It might have all changed when Mac Allister’s home debut was cut short just before the hour, but if anything a sense of injustice fired Liverpool up.
Endo was waiting to come on for his debut in a midfield reshuffle when Neto could only parry a deflected shot from Szoboszlai and Jota tucked in the rebound.
Endo slotted in well as Liverpool adopted a more conservative approach to see the game out, although Alisson still needed to make a fine late saves from Solanke and Hamed Traore to prevent a more nervous finish to the afternoon.
Livingston booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Viaplay Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ayr United.
The Scottish Premiership hosts avoided a potential banana skin, with goals in each half from Joel Nouble and Cristian Montano seeing off their Championship visitors.
Livingston, defeated 3-0 by Inverness in last season’s Scottish Cup, looked in no mood to allow lightning to strike twice against second-tier opposition.
It took them just 12 minutes to take the lead, with a second goal of the season for Nouble.
Jason Holt lifted a diagonal pass to the edge of the box, where Kurtis Guthrie won the aerial duel to flick the ball into the path of the overlapping Montano.
The wing-back burst to the by-line and his cutback was hammered into the net by the lurking Nouble.
It was just the start needed to settle any nerves as they dealt with the expectations of facing lower-league opponents.
Ayr, who defeated St Johnstone in an unbeaten group stage campaign, recovered quickly from going behind, however, and pushed forward in search of the equaliser.
Aiden McGeady, making his first start since joining in the summer, found space on the left side of the box in the 18th minute and cut back onto his right-hand side with enough room for a curling shot but Livi goalkeeper Shamal George held on.
The match was getting bogged down in a fierce midfield battle with few clear-cut opportunities at either end.
Stephen Kelly did have a chance with a set-piece in the 29th minute but his curling free-kick was saved by Ayr number one Robbie Mutch.
Kelly was also to the fore at the start of the second period as Livi sought a killer second.
In the 51st minute, Nouble could not quite find the room for a shot in a crowded box and laid the ball off to Kelly but the midfielder skied his effort over the bar from 18 yards.
Moments later, the former Rangers youngster threaded a superb pass through for the breaking Montano but Sean McGinty and George Stanger got back to crowd out the Livi man.
However, there was to be no stopping Montano in the 64th minute as the home side doubled their advantage.
The wing-back powered forward on the left side of the area to latch onto a through ball and when his initial shot was saved by Mutch, it rebound back off him and into the unguarded net.
Montano was denied a second with 14 minutes remaining when his low drive from a Bruce Anderson cutback was turned round the post by Mutch.
When Ayr substitute Fraser Bryden failed to get enough on a Logan Chalmers cross nine minutes from time, allowing George to smother from close range, the visitors’ hopes of staging a late comeback slipped away.
It says something about England manager Sarina Wiegman that even her own players have to remind themselves that their boss is a mere mortal.
One of the most memorable moments of this World Cup came when, on the eve of the Lionesses’ final group stage match against China, midfielder Georgia Stanway relayed an anecdote about meeting members of Wiegman’s family in Australia that concluded with the quip, “Sometimes you don’t realise your head coach is actually human.”
it would be easy to look at the 53-year-old’s incredible record and insist she must be some kind of superhero from Planet Football who six years ago arrived on Earth with the mission of conquering as many major competitions as possible, beginning when she steered the Netherlands – her actual place of origin – to the Euro 2017 title.
The reality is far more interesting – and relatable. In 2007, the part-time coach and PE teacher was offered a semi-professional role leading ADO Den Hag in the newly-formed Eredivisie Vrouwen, a risky move she resolutely replied she would only make if it was upgraded to a full-time gig.
“I never talk about my husband (Marten Glotzbach) that much but then it was about my family,” she told the PA news agency.
“I quit my job. We didn’t earn a lot of money by being a professional coach, but I really wanted to do the job. And he said, ‘this is your passion. Go for your passion, and we’ll be alright with the two daughters.’
“And that was for me the most important thing, that we as a family were OK, and I could do this job properly. I said I want to do it full time because I want to focus on football, and if I couldn’t do it full-time I wouldn’t have done it, because then I couldn’t bring the quality that was needed to develop the game.”
Under the former Netherlands midfielder, who as a child cut her hair and pretended to be a boy to evade a ban forbidding girls from playing football, ADO Den Haag won the national championship in 2012, and the FA Cup-equivalent KNVB Cup in 2012 and 2013.
Wiegman, who earned 104 caps for her country, had witnessed what investment in the women’s game could yield from her time spent playing for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels – also the alma mater of current Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy – in the late 1980s.
The opportunity to play in America came after a chance meeting with then-US women’s national team head coach Anson Dorrance at a 1988 FIFA-sanctioned proof-of-concept tournament in China that would eventually lead to the establishment of the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991.
Dorrance, who still works at UNC and remains in touch with Wiegman and her playing trio, told the PA news agency: “You could see something in her even incredibly early that set her apart.”
Writing in the Coaches’ Voice, Wiegman said: “America was like a soccer paradise for me. There was recognition, the facilities were great and we had good coaches – passionate coaches.
The year I spent there changed my life. It changed my mindset.”
Seven years after turning full time, Wiegman was back in the national team set up, this time as head coach Roger Reijners’ assistant.
She soon upskilled, interning with men’s side Sparta Rotterdam whilst on her pro license course, in the process anointing Wiegman as the first woman to coach with a Dutch men’s professional club.
The true pioneer was handed the Netherlands’ top job permanently in 2017, just six months before she would guide the hosts to a maiden Euros victory.
Less than a year after leaving the ‘Orange Lionesses’ for the English ones in 2021, Wiegman steered her new side to the same trophy, the first coach to do so with two different countries.
When England sealed their trip to a first-ever World Cup final with Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over co-hosts Australia, Wiegman also became the first manager to reach the showpiece’s final hurdle with two different teams.
Four years ago in France, the Netherlands finished runners-up to the United States.
England – and Wiegman – are determined to do one better this year. The Lionesses have lost just once in 38 games under Wiegman, a record they are aching to extend to 39 on Sunday.
Both Wiegman and Dorrance would describe the England boss as “serious”, someone who has imported a sense of Dutch directness to the culture at St George’s Park.
That reputation – combined with a reluctance to steal any of the spotlight away from her players – belies a delightful and often self-deprecating sense of humour, impeccable comedic timing, and awareness that she does often have a resting “focused face” until she erupts with emotion after a goal or final whistle.
Despite her reputation as a serial winner, who FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said this week “could do any job in football”, Wiegman revealed her biggest motivation and “love”, no matter how full her trophy cabinet gets, “is to work with work with very ambitious, talented people.
“Connecting people, trying to help players to support players and help them a little bit in their development, which helps them in life too.
“Yes I want to win and I want to be the best too but that gives me the energy.”
Willie McCreery’s Vespertilio ran out a smooth winner of the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes at the Curragh.
Having shown a good level of form in her two races to date having been third at Fairyhouse on her debut before chasing home the smart Ylang Ylang in a Group Three last time out, she was sent off a 4-1 to shed her maiden tag in Group Two company.
She was ridden extremely confidently by Billy Lee, who dropped her out last of the eight runners, as Gavin Cromwell’s Royal Ascot winner Snellen helped force the pace, along with Betula.
Briefly Aidan O’Brien’s Pearls And Rubies looked a big threat, but all of a sudden on the outside Lee was sat there motionless.
The response was immediate as Vespertilio streaked away, with the Ger Lyons-trained Sakti keeping on for second, a length and three-quarters away.
“That was lovely. She ran a lovely race the last day,” said McCreery.
“Billy apologised for sitting back last, he didn’t want to sit that far back but he said she just got squeezed early and got lit up for a few strides so he just wanted to settle her.
“He did that first and she just happened to be back last. They were going a good gallop along and he was happy with her the whole way. She took him into the race beautifully and quickened up lovely.
“She gets a free entry now for the Moyglare and we’ll stick her in that now, I’m always trying to save a few quid!
“We’ll stay local, she actually qualified for a race in France today because she was bought in Arqana but I really wanted to come here instead of travelling at this time of year.
“She’s lovely, gorgeous, and she has tactical speed as well.”
Richarlison is not capable of filling the hole Harry Kane has left at Tottenham, according to former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.
Kane joined Bayern Munich for a Bundesliga-record €117million (£100m) earlier this month, leaving Tottenham as the club's all-time top goalscorer having netted 280 times in 435 appearances in all competitions, including 30 in 38 Premier League games last season as Spurs finished a disappointing eighth.
Kane's departure has left Tottenham fans concerned over their attacking options for this season, with the striker's impressive output last term making up for disappointing campaigns from the likes of Son Heung-min and Richarlison, who only scored 11 league goals between them.
Richarlison particularly struggled in his first season with Spurs, netting just once in the Premier League after joining from Everton for £60m, and Redknapp doubts whether the Brazil international can step up in Kane's absence.
"[Richarlison] can't fill Harry [Kane's] boots," Redknapp told Stats Perform. "No, he's not on the same level as Harry Kane.
"He's got to do better than what he did last year for sure. He's played for the Brazilian team and is a regular for them, he played at the World Cup. [He] scored goals at Everton, did okay there.
"I think Son will play through the middle. They'll let him off the leash and stick him through the middle. I think that's where he wants to play. He'll score goals, he will get between 15 and 20 goals, I think.
"But Harry Kane and Son together is definitely better than Son on his own. So that is the problem."
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy decided to cash in on Kane with a year left on the striker's contract, a decision that Redknapp understands but does not necessarily agree with, adding: "It's difficult. Daniel had that problem with him at the end of the year as a free agent.
"So do you wait and let him walk away for free, or do you take the 100 million? Could he have bought in that type of money by just staying this year and getting them back in the Champions League? Quite possibly.
"I thought Tottenham made some good signings, [James] Maddison coming in would be a big plus for Harry. He'd supply and make goals for him.
"[It is a] difficult one, but Daniel does what he feels is right for the football club at the end of the day, and he obviously feels it's better to take the 100 million now than get nothing at the end of the season."
Kane's exit is one of several big changes at Spurs, with former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou appointed ahead of this season as Tottenham bid to return to the top four.
Redknapp feels Postecoglou is in for a baptism of fire in Premier League management, having to cope without Kane in a league that will prove to be very competitive at the top end again, explaining: "He's got a great job. He's got a result as he's come from nowhere, really, in the last few years to manage Celtic and then manage Tottenham.
"I like him. When I see him, I like him an awful lot. It looks good. He's a good character. And I think he'll do a good job. I suppose when he came he always knew that he would have Harry for a year at most.
"I'm sure he's excited with the players he's working with, it will be the best players he's ever worked with anyway.
"He's never worked with a squad of players near that standard before. It's going to be a tougher division this year and he needs time.
"There's Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle [United] and Tottenham. Seven teams here scrapping it out for four places.
"I think Spurs will be okay. I think Maddison was a great signing. They just took the centre-half now, the Dutchman [Micky van de Ven], who is supposed to be a good player. They'll bring two or three more in.
"They will be pushing for a top-four place, [but] whether they can make it without Harry Kane, I'm not sure now."
Sophia’s Starlight rewarded the brave call of her connections to pitch her in against far more experienced rivals in the William Hill Great St Wilfrid at Ripon, gamely holding off the late run of favourite Summerghand.
Only a three-year-old, trainer Grant Tuer threw her in at the deep end against a host of seasoned handicappers, headed by an Ayr Gold Cup winner in Summerghand.
She had been in great form this season, winning three of her last six starts and rising to a rating of 89 for the Nick Bradley Racing Club.
Ridden by Sam James, with usual partner Ollie Stammers unable to make the weight of 8st 7lb, the 7-1 chance was in control with two furlongs to run, fully two lengths clear on the far side.
With the usually favoured stands side beaten off, it was David O’Meara’s veteran Summerghand, having his third run in the race, who burst out of the pack but failed to get there by a head. Wobwobwob was third, with Temple Bruer fourth.
“All credit to Grant and Nick, they took a chance running a three-year-old in this but she is improving,” said James.
“I always felt like I was going to win easy, she was just looking for company late on and Danny (Tudhope) nearly caught me which quite annoyed me, but she was just lugging off the rail.
“She’s improving all the time. She’s Ollie’s ride really, I’m sure he’ll be back on her as he’s done a great job.”
James went on: “I was confident the whole way, I always felt I had the far side beat, I was going a good gallop but I was in my comfort zone the whole way while I was taking others out of theirs, which is impressive for a three-year-old against older horses.
“Nick likes to take his horses to France and I would have thought they’ll be looking for black type.”
Bradley’s racing manager Ian Hutchinson said: “She’s in a seven-furlong handicap at York next week and we’ll see how she is before deciding if she goes there or not.”
The consolation William Hill Silver Trophy went the way of multiple course winner Roundhay Park (11-1).
Nigel Tinkler’s eight-year-old was winning at Ripon for the third time and for jockey Faye McManoman it was their sixth victory together.
“This horse means a lot to me as I also won the Ayr Bronze Cup on him which was a huge day for his all,” she said.
“I was doing a rain dance last night and when it came I fancied our chances.”
Danny Tudhope won the the first two races on the card, the Juddmonte EBF Restricted Novice Stakes on Michael Bell’s 13-8 favourite Prepschool and the William Hill Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes on Eve Johnson Houghton’s Government Call at the same price.
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