Southampton boss Russell Martin applauded Shea Charles for a “good foul” after the midfielder was sent off towards the end of a 1-0 win at QPR.

With the Saints under pressure, midfielder Charles, on as a second-half substitute, halted a Rangers attack in the 89th minute by bringing down Albert Adomah.

It led to Shea being dismissed for a second yellow card and meant the visitors saw out the final stages with 10 men before securing a valuable three points in the race for promotion.

Martin said: “Shea took one for the team, which is unfortunate for him but was a big moment because such a strength of theirs is on the counter-attack.

“(I’ll criticise) if you get sent off for something stupid – dissent or a wild tackle and all that stuff.

“If you’re on a yellow card and one of their biggest threats is the counter-attack, I think it’s a good foul. There are good fouls in the game and that was one.

“Now he misses a game, but I’m never going to criticise someone for taking one for the team.”

A Taylor Harwood-Bellis header three minutes before half-time was enough to clinch victory for Martin’s side, who are fourth in the Sky Bet Championship and now unbeaten in 15 matches – Southampton’s longest unbeaten run since 1950.

The Saints took their chance to close the gap on second-placed Ipswich, who were thrashed 4-0 by fellow promotion challengers Leeds earlier in the day.

“We had an opportunity to make up some points today and thankfully we took it,” said Martin.

“We limited them to very little in terms of big chances. We defended the box brilliantly. On the whole I’m really delighted.

“We were OK in the first half – a little bit of a lack of energy compared to recent weeks – and in the second half I thought we were great.”

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes insisted he took encouragement from his team’s display despite the loss.

Rangers remain third from bottom and have suffered back-to-back defeats, having recently won three matches in a row under the recently-appointed Spaniard.

“I’m disappointed because of the result. We want to win matches and today we were not good enough to do it,” said Cifuentes.

“At the same time, I can feel proud and encouraged about what’s coming because I saw a team that produced a good performance and tried to play positive, attacking football against one of the best sides in the league.

“We made things very difficult for Southampton. We had a good period in the first half and then unfortunately we conceded a goal from a set-piece.

“At half-time we spoke about putting a lot of pressure on them and I think the guys did that excellently.

“Perhaps we lack this clinical part in the last third, because we got in a lot of situations but should have produced more.

“Overall a very positive performance, but when you lose games you can never be satisfied.

“Now it’s time to look forward. I think if we play at the level we did today then we can collect a lot of points.

“I feel quite calm and the most important thing is that the team keeps progressing and improving.”

Charlton head coach Michael Appleton wants to add more savviness to his squad in the January transfer window after they let more points slip through their fingers in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against managerless Burton.

The Addicks have drawn the joint most matches in League One, with five of their eight draws coming during their current seven-game unbeaten run.

Lloyd Jones headed Charlton in front from Michael Hector’s cross – the centre-back’s first goal since he joined on a free transfer after leaving Cambridge – in the 19th minute.

But the Addicks failed to kill the contest off and were made to pay in the first minute of second-half stoppage time with Ryan Sweeney slotting past Ashley Maynard-Brewer after a Joe Powell free-kick dropped kindly for him in the penalty area.

Appleton said: “It was difficult to take because I didn’t see them scoring – at all.

“It’s just experience (in terms of players he wants in the window). They bring an understanding of situations in games. We’ve got a corner with 88, 89 or 90 minutes on the clock and we’re still putting the ball into the box as if it is almost an embarrassment to play it short – take 60 seconds off the clock.

“The teams that win on a regular basis and are successful do those type of things on a regular basis and the make sure they win those games 1-0. We’re just not there at that point.

“It comes down unfortunately to a lack of experience. Whether you have got a number 10, a number six or a number eight, the reality is whether they are very much attack-minded they have got an awareness and can manage those moments better than maybe one of the young players would do.

“We don’t look like conceding goals, we just are conceding goals at poor moments at the minute. Ash (Maynard-Brewer) isn’t having to make save after save after save. We’re not having things cleared off the line.”

Burton had been on a run of five straight league defeats before Sweeney’s late leveller.

It was a first point on the board for caretaker boss Gary Mills, and he said: “We started brightly and we had a chance after about 15 or 20 minutes from a corner, I don’t know how it didn’t go in.

“Three or four minutes later they score a goal from a second phase, we’re disappointed with that. Between then and half-time it rocked us a little bit. We had a little chat at half-time and tactically changed a few things and we were good value.

“Joe’s quality (from deadballs) is very good. His left foot is as good as you get in League One. It’s all about timing and arriving in the box – we do work on it. With Powelly’s delivery you’d be mad not to.

“It’s a huge confidence boost for us. The performance was good and I don’t think the result was against the run of play. Second half we had a real good go and we attacked in numbers.

“You’d never believe he (Sweeney) was a big, ugly centre-half who heads it and kicks it. He showed good composure.”

Richarlison scored for the third consecutive match to haunt old club Everton and ensure Tottenham would spend Christmas in the Premier League’s top four thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 home win.

It was harsh on Sean Dyche’s visitors, who created the better of the chances in the capital and crucially had a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort ruled out following a VAR review in the 51st minute which could have changed the complexion of the match.

Everton also hit the crossbar deep into added time through substitute Arnaut Danjuma, whose effort was then cleared by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario before it could cross the line. Although the offside flag was raised, the goal would have been given on VAR review as Danjuma was marginally onside.

Those missed chances cost the away side and enabled Ange Postecoglou’s team make it three wins in a row after first-half goals by Richarlison and Son Heung-min, with Andre Gomes’ late effort a mere consolation.

Dyche’s team had won their last four league fixtures and started well in north London, with the fit-again Vitalii Mykolenko testing Vicario early on before Cristian Romero slide in to deny Calvert-Lewin.

It had been a sloppy opening period from Postecoglou’s men, but an Everton old boy corrected that in the ninth minute.

A slick team move saw Pape Sarr play in Brennan Johnson down the right and his cross was perfect for Richarlison, who flicked home impressively at the near post before declining to properly celebrate against his former team.

Everton responded well to going behind, with Dwight McNeil dragging an effort wide and Calvert-Lewin having a header excellently tipped wide by Vicario before Tottenham punished their profligacy again with 18 minutes played.

A short corner routine did the trick, with Pedro Porro slipping the ball through to Johnson, who was denied by Jordan Pickford, but Son was on hand to scramble home from eight yards.

It was Son’s 11th Premier League goal of the campaign, which bettered his tally from last season, and Everton’s problems increased when Idrissa Gueye limped off soon after.

Spurs were in control by this point and almost produced a couple of wonderful team goals but allowed sloppiness to creep in towards the end of the half.

The hosts did not heed their warning, but made it through to half-time with a two-goal advantage after Vicario denied James Garner and Jack Harrison in quick succession.

Everton’s pressure continued, though, and they thought the deficit had been reduced in the 51st minute, only for VAR to intervene.

Substitute Gomes won back possession from Emerson Royal and found Calvert-Lewin, who rifled home, but referee Stuart Attwell was told to review the incident.

Replays on the pitchside monitor showed Gomes had caught Emerson’s left ankle and, while the contact was soft, it was deemed enough to disallow the effort.

Another chance was squandered when Garner dragged wide from Harrison’s delicious outside-of-the-boot pass and Postecoglou had seen enough, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg introduced for Richarlison with 27 minutes left.

It worked initially and Dejan Kulusevski almost put the game to bed in the 75th minute, but Pickford produced a superb finger-tip save.

With eight minutes left the Toffees broke through when Garner’s corner was cleared to Gomes and he lashed home for his first Everton goal in 18 months.

It could have been 2-2 minutes later when ex-Spurs loanee Arnaut Danjuma let fly, but his deflected left-foot strike was brilliantly pushed over by Vicario.

Six minutes were added on and Everton were camped in the hosts’ half, but in the dying moments Danjuma could only volley against the crossbar and watch as the ball agonisingly failed to completely cross the line before Vicario cleared.

Andros Townsend’s first-half goal saw Luton beat Newcastle 1-0 at Kenilworth Road to boost their Premier League survival hopes.

Eddie Howe’s visitors were made to look ordinary by a side tipped widely for the drop.

The winner came during Newcastle’s only spell of sustained first-half pressure as Luton’s star pair of Townsend and Ross Barkley combined at a corner.

The gap to safety now stands at just two points after a third victory on the Hatters’ top-flight return.

Luton had laid out the kit of captain Tom Lockyer in their dressing room, seven days after he suffered a cardiac arrest that forced the abandonment of their game against Bournemouth. The 29-year-old’s name rang around the ground throughout.

The hosts dominated the opening 15 minutes, though the game produced few chances. Jacob Brown stood up Jamaal Lascelles on the left and drilled into the arms of Martin Dubravka, who covered his near post well, while at the other end Callum Wilson nodded wide under pressure after Lewis Miley’s shot was blocked.

Bruno Guimaraes whacked an effort from 18 yards that cracked off the ribs of Gabriel Osho.

Luton failed to clear the resulting corner and Anthony Gordon’s ball back in was met by the head of Wilson, who planted Newcastle’s best chance of the half too near to Thomas Kaminski.

Newcastle were growing into the game until Luton’s opener after 25 minutes against the run of play.

Barkley was brave in getting his head to the ball six yards out as Alfie Doughty’s corner was whipped in, flicking it on to the back post where Townsend had slipped marker Kieran Trippier and nodded past Dubravka. Townsend held aloft the shirt of absent captain Lockyer in tribute.

Luton had led here against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City and taken just a point from those three games, but against a Newcastle side stretched by injuries, belief swept around Kenilworth Road that a big name would finally tumble.

Just after the half-hour mark it was almost two. Barkley, fresh from his hand in the goal, received the ball in space 30 yards from goal and tried his luck.

His effort flew over the goalkeeper before hammering back off the underside of the bar as home fans decried their luck.

Howe had seen enough. Eight minutes from the end of the half he gambled on two changes, Miley and Lascelles departing for Alexander Isak and Sven Botman.

It yielded little respite for this side. Within minutes Doughty had wrestled past Trippier into the box, Newcastle failed to clear as the ball broke loose, and Townsend was left free to test Dubravka with a firm effort.

The second half began in the same vein, Newcastle increasingly unsure of themselves in countering Luton’s threat. Adebayo was strong on the edge of the box to keep the ball and slide in Brown who rattled the bar with a rasping drive as the visitors clung on.

Newcastle finally rallied a response, and Gordon might have done better when he poked into the side netting from Trippier’s inviting cross. Isak thought he had levelled, bending the ball into the net but denied by the offside flag having moved early from Miguel Almiron’s pass.

Thereafter Newcastle bombarded Luton’s defence, which would not yield as the hosts put bodies on the line in a manner to make their captain proud.

Erik Ten Hag insists Manchester United have goals in them despite drawing another blank in a dispiriting 2-0 defeat at West Ham.

The Red Devils have now gone four matches in a row without scoring for the first time since 1992 after another limp display.

But beleaguered boss Ten Hag said: “We have players who can do it. They’ve proved in the past they can do it.

“But we also have to acknowledge the fact that we didn’t do it as a team. We have to take responsibility. Football is about winning games and scoring goals.

“We have issues. We have had many setbacks and injuries, etc. But the players on the pitch are good enough to win the game. Get into the box, make sure you’re there, make sure you have the willingness to arrive and willingness to score goals.

“They are capable of it. I know (Marcus) Rashford can score, (Rasmus) Hojlund can score, (Alejandro) Garnacho can score, Bruno (Fernandez) can score, Scott McTominay can score.

“We have scoring abilities in our squad and also from set plays. At this moment we’re not doing it. They have to stick together and believe in themselves that they can do it.

“To get where you have to be to score and that is to get in the box especially in the double six-yard box, you have to arrive as a striker.”

The stats make grim reading for United following a 13th defeat in 26 matches this season – the most they have lost before Christmas since 1931.

A 20th defeat in 2023 is also their worst tally in a calendar year since 1989.

Late goals from  Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus secured victory for West Ham to lift them above United in the Premier League table.

Yet for 72 minutes two poor teams were cancelling each other out in a dreadful spectacle until Bowen broke the deadlock.

“I thought whoever scored the first goal would probably win the game and thankfully we got it,” admitted manager David Moyes.

West Ham are now back in and around the top six, an achievement Moyes feels is all the more impressive given the rebuild he has undertaken since selling Declan Rice to Arsenal.

“I think when you sell England’s best player at the moment and you’re still challenging… we’ve tried to pull another team together, we’ve made some signings, now at this time of the season we’ve got 30 points,” he added.

“It’s a brilliant number of points for us at West Ham because we’re not going to be a club rattling right at the top – we’ll try to, but until we keep growing and improving a bit every year that’s all we can do.

“I think we’re making pretty good strides and today was another good victory. We can do better but while we’re doing that we’re still picking up points and moving along.”

Rasmus Hojlund’s scoreless start to Premier League life continued as Manchester United lost 2-0 to West Ham on Saturday.

While his Champions League form has been better, the Dane has no goals or assists in his first 14 league appearances for the club.

Here, the PA news agency looks at his record.

Slow start

Hojlund’s arrival in the summer from Atalanta, for an initial £64million, potentially rising to £72m, was intended to provide United with the out-and-out goalscorer they have lacked.

While he scored only 10 goals in all competitions last season, United saw enough potential in the 20-year-old, who also netted 12 times in 21 appearances for Sturm Graz before moving to Italy, and has seven in 10 caps for Denmark, to move for him rather than continuing their pursuit of Harry Kane.

But while the England captain got to 20 Bundesliga goals in a record 14 games after joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham, Hojlund has yet to break his Premier League duck in the same number of appearances.

He has taken 18 shots, seven of them on target, without a single attempt to his name against the Hammers before he was substituted approaching the hour mark.

Lack of service has been identified as a factor in his struggles, but the Premier League website lists nine “big chances missed” for Hojlund.

While it is a somewhat subjective measure, that is the fifth most of any Premier League player this season and the players ahead of him largely rank among the league’s top scorers.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, with 14 goals, is leading the chase to retain his Golden Boot from last season and, while Darwin Nunez went into the weekend with just four goals for Liverpool, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson have scored nine and seven respectively.

Champions League contrast

Hojlund’s performances in Europe have demonstrated some of what United saw in him this summer, even as they finished bottom of Champions League Group A behind Kane’s Bayern side, Hojlund’s formative club FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

He got United’s first in a 4-3 defeat to Bayern, scored his only Old Trafford goals to date as he twice gave his side the lead in an eventual 3-2 loss to Gala and netted twice more on his return to Parken Stadium before Copenhagen came back to win 4-3.

That makes him the joint top scorer in the group stage alongside Haaland and Atletico Madrid duo Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata, though United’s elimination means he will fall down the standings once the knockout rounds commence in the new year.

All five goals came from inside the area, with three from his left foot, one with his right and a header demonstrating the finishing skills United were searching for.

A pair of scoreless Carabao Cup substitute appearances leave Hojlund’s season record at five goals in 22 games overall.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus consigned makeshift Manchester United to another defeat as West Ham snatched a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium.

England hopeful Bowen scored his 12th goal of the season and Ghana winger Kudus his seventh in 12 appearances as United were sent spinning to a 20th loss of 2023, their worst tally in 34 years.

For 72 minutes two poor teams were cancelling each other out in a dreadful spectacle until Bowen broke the deadlock.

And six minutes later Kudus added a second which, while flattering West Ham, condemned United to a 13th defeat in their last 26 matches.

With Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane all absent, United boss Erik Ten Hag was forced to draft 19-year-old Willy Kambwala in at centre-half for a first senior appearance.

Kambwala acquitted himself well enough but it was another lifeless performance from a thoroughly dispirited side.

The only saving grace for United for long periods was that West Ham, ‘fresh’ from their midweek Carabao Cup mauling at Liverpool, were just as bad.

That was despite David Moyes playing his strongest team, having made six changes for the chastening 5-1 Anfield defeat.

After 33 turgid minutes Antony came up with United’s first shot on target, a tame 20-yard effort easily held by Alphonse Areola.

Moments later came the best chance of the opening period, Antony playing in Alejandro Garnacho whose low finish was kept out by the right boot of Areola.

Garnacho saw another chance deflected over before Areola fumbled a Kobbie Mainoo drive which he was relieved to see roll wide.

Antony’s low cross then just evaded Rasmus Hojlund with a stretching Garnacho only able to turn the ball into the side-netting.

Just before half-time Tomas Soucek met a James Ward-Prowse free-kick with a header which flew wide.

But a horrible, hotch-potch of a first half was probably best summed up when Soucek needed lengthy treatment on a facial injury inflicted by the back of the head of his own team-mate, Emerson Palmieri.

After the break Andre Onana did well to tip a powerful Bowen header from Ward-Prowse’s corner over the crossbar.

Ten Hag introduced the out-of-favour Marcus Rashford for the ineffective Hojlund just before the hour.

But it was Bowen who made the breakthrough when he played the ball to Lucas Paqueta, collected the return pass and bundled the ball in off Onana.

And Brazil star Paqueta was the creator once more with his fifth assist in a row in the Premier League.

He slipped in Kudus to kill off United with a fine low finish to deepen the gloom surrounding Ten Hag’s sorry side.

Leeds kick-started their bid for an instant Premier League return with a thumping 4-0 win against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich at Elland Road.

Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty left the home fans bouncing at half-time as the Tractor Boys hurtled towards only their third league defeat of the season.

Joel Piroe crashed home an emphatic finish early in the second half and Leeds, who dropped five points in their previous two matches, could have added more.

Piroe and Georginio Rutter both saw efforts hit the woodwork and while Conor Chaplin’s first-half shot clipped a post, it was one-way traffic in the lunchtime kick-off.

Daniel Farke’s side extended their unbeaten home record this season to 12 matches and cut the gap between themselves and second-placed Ipswich to seven points.

Leeds will be hoping Kieran McKenna’s side drop more points against leaders Leicester on Boxing Day.

Ipswich defender Davis had a game to forget back at his former club as it was also his clumsy first-half challenge on Summerville which led to Leeds’ penalty.

Since losing to Leeds at Portman Road in a seven-goal thriller in August, Ipswich had lost just one of their following 18 matches.

But in front of an expectant home crowd they fell behind in the eighth minute.

Piroe’s header from Summerville’s corner was saved by Vaclav Hladky and Struijk was first to the rebound to head Leeds in front from two yards.

Ipswich responded through Nathan Broadhead’s effort from outside the box and began to force their way back into the game.

The visitors were never allowed to settle, though, and Leeds turned defence into attack to double their lead in the 25th minute.

Teenager Archie Gray won possession deep in the right-back position before a swift exchange of first-time passes sent Summerville hurtling into Ipswich’s box and his low cross was turned into his own net by Davis.

Ipswich came within a whisker of pulling one back when Chaplin’s superb shot skimmed Illan Meslier’s left-hand post.

Summerville was then heavily involved again as Leeds went three-up on the stroke of half-time.

He was sent charging into the area again, this time by Dan James, and after being bundled over by Davis, he picked himself up to bury the subsequent spot-kick for his 11th league goal of the season.

Leeds kept their foot to the floor at the start of the second period, with Piroe’s rising drive hitting the underside of the crossbar.

The Dutch forward was not to be denied soon after, crashing home his ninth league goal of the season from the edge of the area after another Leeds counter-attack.

The home fans were in raptures, baying for more and Leeds responded via Rutter, whose deflected shot from the edge of the box struck the crossbar.

Dundee’s home game against Aberdeen was called off about an hour before kick-off to become the second cinch Premiership casualty of the wet weather.

The game between Ross County and Hibernian was earlier postponed after a 10am pitch inspection with the surface at the Global Energy Stadium deemed unplayable because of a waterlogged pitch.

Dundee announced after 2pm that their game had been called off by referee David Munro.

A short statement read: “Due to persistent heavy rain this afternoon’s match against Aberdeen has been called off. The referee deeming that the goalmouth area of the pitch is unplayable. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to supporters.”

Aberdeen added: “Our game with Dundee this afternoon has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and concerns over player safety.”

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has signed a new deal with the club.

The 24-year-old has extended his stay with the reigning Serie A champions until 2026.

Osimhen had been linked with a move away from the club, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid just three of the clubs reportedly interested in signing the prolific forward.

After beginning his senior career with Wolfsburg, the Nigeria international arrived in Naples from Lille in July 2020 and has been a key cog up front.

Osimhen topped the Serie A goalscoring charts last season with 26 in 32 appearances as Napoli secured the Scudetto by 16 points and scored 31 goals in all competitions.

He has endured an injury-hit start to the current campaign, forcing him to miss some games, but has still managed to score seven goals in 12 league games, with his last coming against Cagliari last Saturday.

Teenager Kenan Yildiz scored his first goal for Juventus on his full debut to help his team to a 2-1 victory over Frosinone.

With Federico Chiesa nursing a knee problem, 18-year-old Turkey international Yildiz was given his first start, and, in only the 12th minute, he beat three Frosinone players on the edge of the area before drilling his shot inside the near post.

The hosts levelled six minutes after the break through Jaime Baez but Dusan Vlahovic headed in an 81st-minute winner.

The victory sees Juve close to within one point of Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table ahead of their clash with Lecce later on Saturday.

Frosinone have been strong at home this season, losing only once previously to Napoli in August, while they went into the clash buoyed by a 4-0 hammering of the same side in the Coppa Italia in midweek.

The visitors would have taken the lead in the seventh minute but for a brilliant block from Simone Romagnoli to cut out Weston McKennie’s cross with Arkadiusz Milik waiting for a tap-in.

They did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, though, Yildiz showing his talent with some brilliant skill after Stefano Turati had been hurried into a clearance.

Both teams were forced into early changes, with Federico Gatti replacing Alex Sandro and Baez coming on for Pol Lirola.

Frosinone were growing into the game and they forced Wojciech Szczesny into his first save in the 36th minute after on-loan Juventus starlet Matias Soule broke into the penalty area on the right and shot from a very tight angle.

Juve then created a good opportunity at the other end but Filip Kostic shot wildly wide of the near post after being played in by Milik.

Six minutes into the second half, the home side drew level. Right-back Ilario Monterisi was the creator with a brilliant pass that allowed Baez to get around the back of the Juve defence and slot first time past Szczesny.

Soule then almost put the hosts ahead with a curling effort from the edge of the box that evaded his team-mates and went just past the far post.

Vlahovic came off the bench as the visitors sought a response and he nearly provided it after being set up by Milik but Turati produced a smart block.

Szczesny then pulled off a fine fingertip stop to deny Abdou Harroui while McKennie left the bar shaking with a thunderous leaping volley as both sides chased a winner.

It eventually came from Vlahovic, who met McKennie’s cross from the right with a perfect header into the top corner.

The Serbian thought he had scored again late on but it was ruled out for offside.

The European Super League needs English clubs more than they need the breakaway competition, says football finance expert Dan Plumley.

The European Super League was initially announced back in April 2021, with 12 of the continent's biggest clubs announcing their intention to join. Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all agreed to participate.

However, a fan backlash eventually forced nine of the clubs to back down, including all six English teams, and the Super League looked to be a thing of the past.

A ruling this week may have given it a second life, though, with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg deciding FIFA and UEFA "abused a dominant position" in blocking the Super League.

A new proposal was swiftly announced, but all six English clubs invited to join rejected the request.

Plumley believes the Super League would need the support of English clubs to get off the ground, though he did warn their involvement could still be a possibility despite the heavy opposition seen after the initial launch in 2021.

When asked if the Super League required the English clubs' involvement, Plumley told Stats Perform: "Yes, I think that's absolutely the way to position it at the moment.

"And I'm not saying that it would never happen. The Premier League clubs don't really need to go following the Super League, but the Super League would be better with English clubs.

"I don't think the Super League idea is ever going to be fully dead in the water. I think we'll see it in some way, shape or form, and maybe it will happen.

"When you're talking about lots of money on the table, a lot of clubs will often look for the best deal on the table and if that is a European Super League in the future, that's when heads might start to be turned.

"But the English situation is a bit of a problem for them, because you're talking about wanting the biggest clubs in the world to be part of it. And there are some very big English clubs that have already ruled themselves out."

Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the clubs spearheading the Super League project, with the latter's president Florentino Perez hailing the ECJ's ruling as a "great day for the history of football".

Plumley feels the poor financial situations of Barcelona and Madrid are a key reason behind their Super League support, as well as the recent power shift towards the Premier League in terms of revenue and talent.

"I think, certainly for them, the driving force over the last couple of years has been financial," Plumley stated. "We know the financial situation at Barcelona has not been great. We know Real Madrid have had problems as well.

"I think the other thing with those two clubs that we've seen is a real stubbornness to dig their heels in. They wanted to be proved right and in a way that verdict does prove them right. Part of their argument was that UEFA and FIFA were acting unlawfully by blocking it.

"I think what's hurt Barcelona and Real Madrid along the way is all the other clubs that have moved away from the project.

"I think it's symptomatic also of Barca and Real's position in Spain. Yes, they are dominant, but where are they seeing the growth?

"I don't think they're seeing as much growth as potentially the Premier League's got to offer and those are little things where it becomes about, 'well, now I'm going to look at my own self-interest'. You can see how they've tried to leverage that through the Super League.

"At the end of the day it comes down to finance, and certainly in the early stages of it, it was all about money for those two clubs. Don't get me wrong, it probably still is, but I think a lot of it then was they felt like they needed to see the case through because they dug their heels in."

Manchester City’s Jack Grealish has denied being disrespectful towards Fluminense during Friday’s Club World Cup final victory.

Tempers briefly flared after the final whistle as City captain Kyle Walker and Fluminense defender Felipe Melo grappled in a heated argument.

Melo subsequently blamed Grealish for stoking tensions, claiming the City winger had shouted ‘ole’.

Grealish insisted that was not true, writing on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter: “Not once did I say ole.”

The situation quickly calmed down before City lifted their fifth trophy of the year following a comprehensive 4-0 win over the Brazilian side in Saudi Arabia.

Julian Alvarez scored twice, with Phil Foden also netting in the second half after a Nino own goal had put City two up.

Tottenham took the gamble of confirming managerial novice Tim Sherwood as their new head coach on this day in 2013.

Sherwood had no experience at leading a club prior to assuming Spurs first-team duties one week earlier in the wake of Andre Villas-Boas’ sacking.

Yet after one defeat and one win, the Tottenham board had no trouble in supporting Sherwood to lead them further up the Premier League table, with the then 44-year-old appointed on a contract running to the end of the 2014-15 season.

The north London club had been expected to challenge for a top-four finish after a heavy outlay over the summer, yet they sat seventh in the table and were four points adrift of the Champions League places.

Villas-Boas was dismissed a day after a demoralising 5-0 home defeat against Liverpool, while Tottenham had also shipped six goals at Manchester City.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy admitted he was loath to dispense with the services of Villas-Boas, but gave his backing to Sherwood, who played for the club as a midfielder from 1999 until 2003.

Levy told the club’s official website: “We were extremely reluctant to make a change mid-season, but felt we had to do so in the club’s best interests.

“We have a great squad and we owe them a head coach who will bring out the best in them and allow them to flourish and enjoy a strong, exciting finish to the season.

“We are in the fortunate position of having within our club a talented coach in Tim Sherwood. We believe Tim has both the knowledge and the drive to take the squad forward.”

Sherwood oversaw Tottenham finishing sixth in the table in the 2013-14 campaign before parting ways with the club two days later, with Levy saying in a statement: “We agreed an 18-month contract with a break clause at the end of the season and we have now exercised that option.”