Football

Sterling joined Arsenal on loan from Chelsea late in the summer transfer window.

However, the 30-year-old has so far managed just four starts for the Gunners, featuring 10 times overall in all competitions.

He has scored one goal and provided two assists in 356 minutes of action in total, but Arteta, who worked with Sterling at Manchester City, wants to hand the forward more playing time.

"It's been tough and very difficult for me as well to accept that I haven't given him more [minutes]," Arteta told reporters.

 

Sterling has been subbed off in three of the four matches he has started, including after 37 minutes of October's Premier League defeat at Bournemouth when William Saliba was sent off.

"When he hasn't started the games, 90% of the subs that I make is related to saving minutes or because of injuries or avoiding injuries," Arteta added. "It's not tactical reasons."

"I would like him to play much more as I think he can impact the team in a very good way. He's very good in the dressing room and is absolutely desperate to play.

"He has had a very important role and suddenly you are in this position, not only here but when he was at Chelsea as well.

"I feel a lot of sympathy for players when they are in this moment and hopefully we can change it."

After battling to a 2-2 draw against Manchester City last Sunday, the Gunners booked their place in the EFL Cup fourth round with an emphatic win over Bolton Wanderers, with several of their emerging talent starring at the Emirates.

Ethan Nwaneri and Jack Porter stole the limelight in midweek, with the former grabbing two goals on his senior Arsenal start, with Arteta also giving four more teenagers the chance to shine against the League One outfit.

But speaking ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Leicester, the Arsenal head coach believes his squad’s hunger to achieve this season is the difference when looking at the previous groups he has managed for the Gunners.

“Well, I think it’s the time in your career, you know that you start to dream, or to pursue certain objectives, targets and when you have accomplished them you want something else,” Arteta said.

“At that moment if the team, the club cannot provide that you need to do it elsewhere, it’s something natural, I think.

“I have all kinds of dreams, but it’s a nice one to have it’s a positive. What is a reality of a dream is the team I have that I have to manage.”

Leicester, meanwhile, needed penalties to ensure their progression in the EFL Cup against Walsall on Tuesday, with Danny Ward saving all three of the hosts’ spot-kicks.

While progressing to the next round, the travelling Foxes faithful made their opinions heard at the end of the contest, and their players face an almighty task of getting their first three points on the board at the Emirates on Saturday.

The Leicester head coach acknowledged the enormity of the task at hand, explaining he has lofty ambitions of his side reaching the level that was on show when the Gunners faced Pep Guardiola’s side last Sunday.

"It was an intriguing game for sure. They've played another game since, watched the game closely last night against Bolton Wanderers,” Cooper said.

“Our focus is on us, so we've got to do everything really well in the game.

“This is the level we want to be at, these are the games we want to be playing but we want to be playing them with the right attitude, with the right mentality, like I said, with the ambition of being able to succeed and If we can get the result that we're craving for then there's no better time."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Raheem Sterling

After marking his first start for Arsenal with a goal in the EFL Cup in midweek, Sterling will be pushing for a start against an opponent he has flourished against in recent years.

The 29-year-old has netted a brace in his last two Premier League appearances against the Foxes, one with Man City (December 2021) and one with Chelsea (August 2022).

Only three players have scored multiple goals against an opponent in a Premier League match with three different clubs – Robbie Fowler vs Bolton (Liverpool, Leeds, Man City), Darren Bent vs Bolton (Charlton, Tottenham, Sunderland) and Andrew Cole vs West Ham (Newcastle, Man Utd, Man City).

Leicester – Jamie Vardy

Vardy has started the season with two goals in five appearances, moving him eight goals away from scoring 200 goals for Leicester in all competitions.

But during his time in the Premier League, he has often loved coming against the Gunners. The veteran striker has scored 11 goals in 16 games against Arsenal, the joint-most he has netted against a single club in the competition alongside Watford.

MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

Arsenal boasts an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents, winning their last five Premier League games against Leicester, their joint-longest winning run against the Foxes in their league history (also five between 1908 and 1914 and between 1930 and 1932).

The Gunners have also won 16 of their last 17 Premier League games against promoted sides, with the exception being a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in May 2023. At home, the Gunners are unbeaten in 39 such games (W34 D5) since a 1-0 loss to Newcastle in November 2010.

But Arteta will be hoping for cooler heads upon their return to the Emirates. Arsenal have received six cards (four yellow and two second yellow) for either time-wasting or not retreating in the Premier League this season, two more than any other club.

Leicester, meanwhile, travel to the capital in hopes of improving their record in North London. The Foxes have won just one of their last 26 away league games against Arsenal (D4 L21), picking up a 1-0 victory in October 2020.

But since their return to the division, they have shown little signs that may change. Cooper’s side remain winless in their five Premier League games so far this season, drawing three and losing two. Only in their relegation campaign of 2022-23 have they gone six without a win from the start of the campaign in the competition.

But the Foxes have both scored and conceded in all five of their league games so far this season – only in their title winning campaign of 2015-16 have they had a longer such run from the start of a campaign in the competition (first nine).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 75.9%

Draw – 14.5%

Leicester – 9.6%

A stunning free-kick from former Stevenage midfielder Read gave the U’s the much-needed points in their quest to move away from the bottom end of the table.

A scrappy game saw Read produce a moment of quality before the break with a 25-yard free-kick that found the top left-hand side of the Morecambe goal with goalkeeper Archie Mair helpless.

Morecambe did have a chance to level the scores with a penalty 50 seconds into the second half when Riley Harbottle brought down Jake Taylor, but Ged Gardner’s effort was well saved by Owen Goodman.

The home side thought they had levelled after 54 minutes when Jacob Bedeau volleyed home Farrend Rawson’s knock down but the goal was ruled out for an offside.

Bedeau went close with a header – four minutes into second-half injury time – and Rawson went close again for the Shrimps but it was Cowley’s side who took the points.

Read produced the game’s telling moment with a 27th-minute free-kick that flew into the top left-hand corner of the Morecambe goal with Cowley likening it to a Gazza effort at his peak.

Cowley said: “I’m delighted with the three points and they came from a goal worthy of winning any game at any level.

“When Arthur stepped forward to take it, I said ‘Gazza only scores from here’ and he nailed it with a brilliant execution that took us to a really good place in the game.

“Owen Goodman made a fantastic penalty save early in the second half and it was a brilliant outcome for us.

“I’m delighted with the performance and I’m delighted with the process for us from a team that is coming together and growing.

“There were times in the game when we had real control and it was a good day for us with some incredible performances.”

Morecambe boss Ged Brannan was left fuming with his side’s performance, saying the first half was “unacceptable” and bemoaning Ged Gardner’s penalty miss.

He said: “It was very disappointing today, especially the first-half because we weren’t at the races.

“We have got a few injuries and we missed a few players and it showed because we were nowhere near the levels we need to be, before the break.

“We had players just jogging around the pitch which was unacceptable and we will go through the match on Monday with the players.

“We had a right go in the second half and missed a penalty which was vital because I’m sure that if we had scored that, we would have gone on to win the game.

“We are going through a bit of a bad run at home at the minute and we are looking a bit nervous in front of our own fans for some reason and we need to change that sooner rather than later.”

Artificial intelligence is already prominent in officiating, with the use of VAR and goalline technology, but it is expected to heavily increase in the future.

With more high-quality data available, it could be possible for matches to be officiated by an AI-powered machine, taking away the need for an on-field human referee.

“Computer vision will be more and more effective in the next few years and the number of cameras on the pitch will only increase,” Aldo Comi, chief executive of leading global football analytics provider Soccerment, told the PA news agency.

“The amount of data that is tagged and the quality of the models that are trained with that data will increase exponentially and thanks to that you will have AI models that can make refereeing decisions on the back of what they see on the pitch.

“So we might get to the point where we don’t need a referee at all.

“Before that, you will maybe have a referee but not linesmen, maybe they will be the first to disappear from the game. And you will have the referee connected to the virtual assistant, guiding them to make better decisions.

“Ultimately in a matter of 20 or 30 years probably the referee will be just an AI. I am not saying this is positive, I’m just saying it is likely to happen.”

The increase of AI and machine learning in football will not be restricted to officiating and it is already present in the game.

The use of data analytics have helped the likes of Brighton and Brentford disrupt the established Premier League hierarchy as they have unearthed high-quality signings which they have sold on for significant profits.

But the improvement in the integration of data could see managers using a virtual coach to help them with team selection and tactics.

“AI can become a source of new ways of thinking about the game in the next few years,” Comi added. “If you give AI enough high-quality data, you will have the possibility to have a virtual assistant, which will have a better understanding of what is going on the pitch.

“By having the data analysed by AI you can train models to better understand what will happen in the future, for example understanding the probabilities of what is happening in the next five or 10 minutes.

“By having this predictive analytics, the AI can give you a so-called prescriptive analytics. It says, ‘Things are expected to go this way, in order to improve your chances I have 10 ideas’.

“That could be swapping two players or changing the structure of the team.

“The things that the AI suggests will be filtered by the assistant coach and then pass on the information to the manager and it will be up to him to accept.

“There will be AI, but not replacing professionals, but it is more of a high-quality support. The clubs that can get this sport will outperform the ones that refrain from having it.”

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Comi, whose company serve several Serie A and Serie B clubs, says that people will need to learn to trust AI but the evidence of it working is already out there.

He added: “It will take time to trust, but in the same way with data analytics, there are enough positive cases to say that you can out-perform the others, we have seen it with Brentford and Brighton.

“The advantage that AI can give you is X times more important than data analytics.”

:: Soccerment has launched a new platform, xvalue.ai, which has introduced never seen before metrics such as Gegenpressing Intensity (GPI), Expected Offensive Value Added (xOVA), Gegenpressing Efficiency (GPE) and BuildUp Disruption Percentage (BDP%), providing users with more data insights than ever before. For more details visit www.soccerment.com

Cayman Islands vs. Aruba

The first match-up of the day saw Aruba come away with a late 2-1 win over the Cayman Islands in Group B at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands.

With the win, Aruba moved to the top the group with three points after one match, while Cayman Islands are third with one point.

Fans could not have asked for a more exciting start with two goals inside the first six minutes of play.

Striking first was Aruba inside the first 90 seconds, as a ball played in from the left wing met the stabbing foot of Rovien Ostiana for a 1-0 lead to the visitors.

The hosts answered right back in the sixth minute, as Christhofer Nunez got loose on the left edge of the area and from the slimmest of angles, fired in a shot that deflected off the leg of Aruba GK Matthew Lentink and into goal to make it 1-1.

Some heroic defending from the Cayman Islands in the 58th with a ball cleared off the goal-line kept the draw intact, but Aruba would land the decisive goal 21 minutes later in the 79th through Darryl Baly, who got low to steer home a header off a corner kick for the 2-1 Aruba victory.

Saint Martin vs. Bonaire

The second game of the day in League C was decided on some late fireworks, with Saint Martin rallying to edge Bonaire 2-1 in Group A action at the SKNFA Technical Centre in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

With the result, Saint Martin now sit firmly atop the group with six points through two matches, while Bonaire are still with no points after one match.

An even first half in which neither side were able to break through gave way to a more open second stanza, but the first goal would not arrive until the 67th.

The man to do it was Sheehander Martinus, who was at the right place at the right time, turning in a rebound after back-to-back shots off a free kick for a 1-0 Bonaire lead.

Saint Martin quickly got back on level terms though, thanks to Axel Raga, who scored his fifth goal of this CNL in the 75th.

Keelan Lebon’s shot from distance took a deflection off a Bonaire defender and fell right to Raga at the far post, making for an easy stroke into net for Raga.

The momentum was now with Saint Martin, and they made the most of it, getting the winning goal in the 87th, after an own goal from Bonaire’s Jurven Koffy when a cross deflected off his leg and into net.

Departures are likely to prove as crucial as new signings and there has been plenty of movement in both directions, with expectation that the bulk of the activity is still to come.

The PA news agency looks at what has been done and what to expect ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s first season in charge.

How urgent is it all?

Very. Chelsea have a bloated first-team squad following owner Todd Boehly’s scattergun first 12 months at the helm, with more than £600million spent on transfers.

Successive managers in Graham Potter and Frank Lampard admitted to finding the job of accommodating so many players an almost unworkable challenge, and since January there has been little consistency in team selection or shape, with cohesion amongst the squad lacking.

There is also the matter of satisfying Financial Fair Play rules. With sky-high outgoings and no income from European football, something has to be done to balance the books, ideally before the June 30 deadline for keeping everything on last season’s accounts.

Who’s on the way in?

Christopher Nkunku has joined from RB Leipzig for £53m after a pre-contract agreement was reached in January for the France international.

With the team having recorded their lowest goal tally in almost a century last campaign, more attacking arrivals are necessary, and a deal for Villarreal’s Nicolas Jackson has reportedly been struck.

Moise Caicedo of Brighton is a long-term target but no bid has been made since the Seagulls rebuffed Chelsea’s repeated overtures in January.

Who has already left?

So far the departures have been predictable ones, with N’Golo Kante leaving for Al-Ittihad and Kalidou Koulibaly joining Al-Hilal, both in the Saudi Arabia Professional League.

Kante had looked close to agreeing a new contract at Stamford Bridge last season but talks had long since broken down by the time he accepted a reported £86m-a-year offer to become the latest star name to swap a major European club for the Gulf.

Defender Koulibaly was in and out of the team during his one season in blue, and with manager Pochettino well stocked in central defence he has left the club less than 12 months after joining from Napoli.

Who will be next?

Deals have been agreed for forward Hakim Ziyech and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to join their former team-mates in Saudi Arabia for £8m and £16m respectively.

Ziyech has been eager to depart since a deadline-day move to Paris St Germain fell through in January, after Chelsea failed to submit the correct paperwork in time.

Despite a strong first two seasons in west London, Mendy has lost his place as first-choice keeper to Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Kai Havertz is on the verge of joining Arsenal in a reported £65m deal, with an announcement expected this week, while Mateo Kovacic will join Manchester City after the clubs agreed a £30m fee for the Croatia international.

Who else is surplus to requirements?

Striker Romelu Lukaku is eager to rerun to Inter where he spent last season on loan, though Chelsea have reportedly been unwilling to agree to another temporary move as they seek a permanent transfer.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is another outcast to have been linked with the Saudi Pro League and is unlikely to have a future at Stamford Bridge, though it is thought he remains unconvinced about a move to the Gulf.

What about Mason Mount?

As it stands, Manchester United have had three bids for the England midfielder rejected and are at the point of walking away from the deal to focus on other targets.

The 24-year-old rejected new terms last season but there is no offer on the table from the Blues, with his contract about to enter its final 12 months.

United reportedly believe an asking price of £65m is too high for a player who will be available on a free this time next year and can begin negotiating a pre-contract agreement with another club in January.

That leaves the player with three options: see out the final year of his deal, hold out to see if another bidder emerges, or ask Chelsea back to the negotiating table.

“No regrets,” she told ITV. “We gave it everything we could. We tried different tactics. You have to give credit to Spain.

“When you see how many challenges we have had before the tournament and in the tournament, how we picked up and took every challenge – no regrets.”

1405 – Spain’s Aitana Bonmati tells BBC Sport: “It’s unbelievable, I’m so proud.

“We have been working a lot of years for this moment and we have the trophy.”

1400 – A word for Olga Carmona as the dust settles – the full-back and stand-in captain scored a superb 89th-minute winner against Sweden to get Spain to the final, then netted the winner once they were there.

1345 – England coach Sarina Wiegman admits the best team won on the day.

“After all, I think Spain were just a little better than we were today,” she told BBC Sport. “They had a great tournament, so congrats to Spain.

“I think we can be very proud of ourselves, only it doesn’t feel like it at the moment.”

1340 – Former England star Karen Carney, now part of ITV’s studio summary team, believes England have continued to inspire future generations despite their defeat.

She said: “As a little girl, all you ever wanted to do was play in a World Cup final and these girls have done this.

“They have been incredible and the conversations of tomorrow will be about women’s football. When I was growing up, this would not have happened.

“Okay, we have not got the gold medal and we are devastated, but what that team has done is put women’s football again on the map.”

1335 – Carmona, goalscorer and captain on the day, is first up as Spain collect their medals before squad captain Ivana Andres, who did not feature in the final, lifts the trophy.

1330 – Spain form a guard of honour as England, led by captain Bright, head up to collect their runners-up medals.

1325 – Spain’s Salma Paralluelo is named young player of the tournament before England keeper Mary Earps collects the Golden Glove award.

Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati is next up to collect the Golden Ball as player of the tournament.

1322 – England captain Millie Bright tells ITV: “It’s hard, but it’s football. It can go either way. They’re a fantastic team.

“First half wasn’t our best, second half we had chances – we hit the bar. Congrats to them but this is the hard part of football.

“A lot of emotion but I’m really proud of the team. To come this far, to play in the World Cup final, not many get to do that.

“This is not it for us, we’ll bounce back.”

1320 – Contrasting emotions.

1315 – Plenty of pride in the England team despite the result in the final.

1310 – Spanish celebrations in Sydney.

90+15min – Goalkeeper Cata Coll claims an England corner and Spain have beaten England 1-0 to win the World Cup!

90+8min – Frustration for England as attacks break down with no clear sight of goal. Paralluelo wins a corner off Lucy Bronze at the other end to eat up some more time.

90+2min – Earps saves England again, with her left foot at the near post after Ona Batlle’s shot took a slight deflection off Carter.

90min – We are entering 13 (thirteen) minutes of stoppage time…

89min – A crucial block from Jess Carter denies Hermoso a clinching goal for Spain.

84min – A stoppage in play with two Spain players down injured, including Hermoso who slid awkwardly and was then caught by Georgia Stanway.

76min – Lauren James goes close for England with a languid strike from the left of the penalty area, tipped over by Coll.

72min – England’s men’s Test cricket captain enjoyed Mary Earps’ save!

69min – Jennifer Hermoso steps up for Spain… and Mary Earps saves! Poor penalty from Hermoso but take nothing away from Earps, who timed her dive low to her left.

67min – Penalty given, after a long time spent looking at the pitchside monitor.

64min – VAR is checking for a possible Spanish penalty, for handball against Keira Walsh.

61min – Aitana Bonmati zips a shot just over as Spain look to put this game beyond England.

55min – Spain still on top early in the second half, with Mariona Caldentey drawing a good save from Mary Earps. Hemp shot just wide for England but Kelly looked offside in the build-up.

46min – Sarina Wiegman has wasted no time in making changes. On come Euro 2022 hero Chloe Kelly and the returning Lauren James for the second half, with Russo and Daly making way.

Half-time – So if England are to lift the trophy they must come from behind – like they did against Spain at Euro 2022. Here’s how the country has taken in that first half.

45+1min – Salma Paralluelo clips the right-hand post for Spain on the stroke of half-time! The whistle blows and England will be relieved to go in only one down.

43min – England seek an equaliser before half-time, but Toone is just unable to connect in the six-yard box and Daly’s pass does not quite pick out Russo.

35min – Can England find a response? Spain are looking comfortable in possession inside the Lionesses’ half at the moment.https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/1693209685673890139

29min – Spain open the scoring! The ball is worked forward down the left and full-back Olga Carmona fires low across Mary Earps and inside the far post.

17min – And immediately a glorious chance for Spain at the other end! Paralluelo fails to connect at the near post and Redondo somehow sidefoots straight at Mary Earps! Hemp then draws a straightforward save from Coll.

16min – Lauren Hemp hits the bar! Daly teed the forward up on the edge of the box but her left-foot curler was just too high with Coll beaten.

12min – Alessia Russo almost breaks through but is crowded out by the Spanish defence. Alex Greenwood’s corner is well claimed by Coll.

7min – Spain put together their first attack of note but Alba Redondo’s cross is overhit and Rachel Daly shepherds Aitana Bonmati’s delivery to safety.

5min – Hemp has the first shot on goal, but a weak left-footed effort is easily fielded by goalkeeper Cata Coll.

2min – England start on the front foot with Lauren Hemp leading the press. Jess Carter’s long ball is just too far ahead of Ella Toone.

1100 – Kick-off in Sydney! Here we go…

1055 – A final reminder of today’s line-ups as we prepare for kick-off.

1050 – Spain have plenty of support as well.

1040 – FIFA and Adidas have pulled out all the stops with a golden matchball for the final!

1030 – England fans are showing their support at Stadium Australia.

1025 – England are taking in the scene ahead of kick-off in Sydney.

1020 – Spain are ready to go, with Salma Paralluelo looking focused as she prepares to start.

1010 – Sarina Wiegman was characteristically restrained when asked about Lauren James’ return from suspension.

Wiegman told BBC Sport: “First of all we hope everyone on the pitch, starting, will have an impact on the game.

“We have players on the bench who can make an impact and it’s really nice to have LJ on the bench too, and if necessary she’s ready.”

1005 – England full-back Lucy Bronze is calm before kick-off, telling BBC Sport: “I’m just enjoying the moment like I have in every game.

“We’ve played in this stadium twice before so it’s quite familiar territory for us now, so I think a lot of the girls are pretty relaxed and just excited for the next 90 minutes.”

1000 – Pre-match preparations in Sydney.

0940 – England have arrived at the stadium, having earlier been cheered onto their bus by fans outside their hotel.

0935 – England have named an unchanged XI for the final, meaning Ella Toone keeps her place with Lauren James on the bench.

0920 – “If you bring this home, man, I’ll be in Trafalgar Square, I’ll be topless, I’ll be in the water!”

Rio Ferdinand promises he will be crying in the Trafalgar Square fountains if England win the trophy…

0915 – Kelly Smith, second on the Lionesses’ all-time goalscoring list with 46, is tipping England to win 2-0.

“I’m really calm, confident, I’ve got no nerves,” Smith told Sky Sports. “The way they played against Australia, they managed the game so well, all three forwards scored so that will have given them great confidence.

“It’s the belief they’ve experience winning a trophy last year at the Euros, it’s the manager – the best manager in the world, Sarina Wiegman.”

0910 – Support from former Lionesses forward Toni Duggan.

0855 – Former captain Faye White was fired up by the Lionesses’ hype video.

0845 – Spain have gone early with their team announcement! Super-sub Salma Paralluelo steps into a starting role for the big game, with Alexia Putellas on the bench.

Will Sarina Wiegman follow suit by unleashing Lauren James from the start? We await news of the England XI.

0840 – England fans gathered ahead of the match have some live rugby to entertain them as well as a visit from Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.

0830 – Our reporter Rachel Steinberg is in Sydney for the occasion and is bringing us some pre-match flavour, with both teams having strong support.

0820 – Euro 2022 hero Beth Mead tells Sky Sports: “I’m sure the nerves are setting in and I’m sure they’ll be excited and ready to go, and I’m super excited for them.”

“There’s a lot of experienced players on that bus, a lot who’ve experienced that final last year, and they can share that with the girls who’ve not been there before.

“It’s been a tough tournament to sit there and watch the games when you know you could have been involved if I didn’t have the injury. I’ll be so proud if the girls lift that trophy but a little touch of sadness because I want to be there with them. I know the others will be feeling the same, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby and the other girls.”

0810 – England men’s captain Harry Kane urged the Lionesses to “bring that trophy home” and James Maddison said they are “putting so many smiles on faces that (they) probably don’t even realise” in a message of support on social media.

Coach Gareth Southgate admitted: “There is of course no advice because you’ve done more than us already!”

0800 – Good morning and welcome to the PA news agency’s Women’s World Cup final blog. Stay here for all the build-up, key match action and post-game reaction as England and Spain clash at a sold-out Stadium Australia.

Auckland were set to participate at the 18th edition of FIFA's global tournament, which is due to take place in February in the United Arab Emirates.

Champions League winners Chelsea and Copa Libertadores holders Palmeiras are the headline teams as UEFA and CONMEBOL's respective entries, though FIFA has been forced into a late change with Pirae nominated as the OFC's representative following Auckland's withdrawal.

FIFA announced the decision on Friday in a statement that said the "delayed reopening of the borders in New Zealand due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic" as well as the reintroduction of quarantine protocols in the country had forced Auckland to "reluctantly withdraw".

Monterrey, Al Hilal, Al Ahly, as well as UAE champions, Al Jazira, make up the rest of the entrants for the tournament, which Bayern Munich won last season.

The annual tournament featuring the champions of six global confederations was originally scheduled for Japan in 2021, but COVID-19 concerns within the country forced the competition to be moved to the UAE last October.

England followed up reaching the World Cup semi-final in 2018 by making their first major final in 55 years, where they lost to Italy on penalties at Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium last July.

Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho all missed from 12 yards against Gianluigi Donnarumma, before the English trio were met with racial abuse online in the aftermath of the defeat.

England players and supporters rallied in support of Rashford, Saka and Sancho as the messages were greeted with widespread condemnation.

Bellingham has admitted his shock and disgust at seeing fellow young, black team-mates sent such abuse as he called for change.

"You look at the run into that final and you felt as though the country had united," 18-year-old Bellingham told The Mirror.

"Then as soon as they missed a penalty, they were not English, just black. Anyone can miss a penalty. Anyone can make a mistake in their line of work.

"But to be criticised like that should never happen. They are human.

"They are all top, top characters. To see them brought down like that was disgusting. As a team-mate it's hard to take because that could have been me. What if I'd missed a penalty? You're English for seven games and then all of a sudden, you're nothing.

"I know these are select idiots, of course, and it's not the whole nation turning against them. I'm sure that they probably had a bigger comeback of support. But the only support they should need is for missing the penalty, not for the racism that they've received after it."

Gareth Southgate labelled the abuse as "unforgivable" as he insisted his England team were a side built around bringing a country together, with players from a variety of backgrounds.

Bellingham expressed his gratitude towards the England manager's response, hailing the work Southgate is doing to make the Three Lions setup inclusive and open.

"To be fair, Gareth Southgate was brilliant," the Borussia Dortmund midfielder added. "He has always brought it up as a topic in meetings when we are aware that we going to [a country with a history of racism].

"We went to Hungary shortly after the Euros and the same thing happened again but we felt more prepared. We felt more supported because of what Gareth had put in place. As a black player you feel very grateful for that."

Bellingham was fined £34,000 by the German FA for his outburst questioning the appointment of referee Felix Zwayer in a 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich last December.

The Dortmund midfielder referenced Zwayer's six-month ban from refereeing in 2005, with Bellingham saying more was made of that episode than his first experience receiving racist messages.

"There's not a single job in the world where you deserve to be criticised with racism," he said. "I'll never forget the first time I properly got a batch of messages.

"My club were quick to send someone to message me and make sure I was alright and I really appreciate that. I had team-mates message me and family members.

"I didn't receive anything from the DFB or FA. And I always kind of compare it to when I said the thing about the referee in December.

"They were very quick to get into contact to give me my fine, give me my punishment and kind of make it a big drama in the media."

With the win, Dominican Republic moved up to 12 points, one behind leaders Bermuda, who were awarded a 3-0 win over St Vincent and the Grenadines by the disciplinary committee. The top two are scheduled to meet on Tuesday's final matchday to decide group honours.

On Friday, Mia Asenjo opened the scoring in the 21st minute when she connected with a pass over the top to beat Barbados goalkeeper Rhea Holder.

Acacia Small pilled Barbados level in the 32nd after she dispossessed a defender and later finished a lobbed attempt from outside the 18-yard box.

However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Dominican Republic regained the advantage in a minute later through Asenjo, who connected with another ball over the top and expertly headed past Holder.

Lucia Marte added a third for the visitors in the 48th with a strike at the left post from a Kathrynn Gonzalez cross.

Alyssa Oviedo notched a fourth for Dominican Republic in the 68th with a right-footed shot inside the box.

Gonzalez then got on the board in the 77th on a free kick hit with enough force that gave Holder no chance at a save.

Winibian Peralta extended the gap in the 82nd when she applied the finishing touch to a tidy build-up orchestrated by Jazmin Jackson.

Marte completed her brace in the 87th with a curling free kick to add the exclamation point and keep the Dominican Republic in the race for first place.

Asensio, who is on duty with La Roja at the World Cup, is set to become a free agent when his existing deal with Los Blancos expires at the end of June.

Repeatedly linked with a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu, with Barcelona reported to be among his possible destinations, the forward has started just once in LaLiga for Madrid this season.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old hopes he can prolong his stay with the reigning Champions League winners, for whom he has made 250 appearances since arriving from Mallorca in December 2014.

"There is talk that I am changing Real Madrid's mind. But I have always tried to give the maximum that I have inside, and then it will be known," he told Radio Marca.

"The one that decides, too, is the club, it not only depends on me. After the World Cup, we will both make a decision.

"What if I want to renew? Hopefully, it can happen, and I will be very happy at Real Madrid for many years. Hopefully, everything will be given to stay 10 more years."

Asensio also offered his commiserations to team-mate Karim Benzema, who was ruled out of the World Cup after failing to recover from a quadriceps problem in his left thigh.

The France international became the first reigning Ballon d'Or winner to miss the finals since Allan Simonsen's Denmark failed to qualify for the 1978 tournament.

"I send him all my encouragement and support from here," Asensio added. "These are things that happen in football, and it has weighed on him not being able to reach 100 per cent. He was very excited about this World Cup."

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five of the main talking points ahead of the international encounter.

Some Ashes revenge for England?

There is a long sporting rivalry between these countries and revenge would be sweet after an epic Ashes summer ended with the urn returning Down Under. Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping by Alex Carey particularly stuck in the craw during a dramatic 2-2 series draw that saw emotions run high. England have the chance to exact a slither of revenge under the arch on Friday, when Gareth Southgate expects the sporting rivalry to “add an extra edge” to the occasion.

…or will there be a famous second Socceroos win?

This will be the first time these nations have met at Wembley, with the only previous two encounters on English soil played at the Stadium of Light and Upton Park. Wayne Rooney made his debut in the latter friendly in February 2003, but it was Australia that won 3-1 on the night. It is the only time England have lost in seven meetings with the Socceroos and Graham Arnold’s side, ranked 27th in the world, would love nothing more than to repeat the feat on Friday.

A chance to experiment for Southgate

Last month’s friendly against Scotland ended a run of 16 successive competitive matches for England, covering last year’s Nations League campaign, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 qualification. Southgate said before the game that over-experimenting at Hampden Park would be “ridiculous” but still managed to try a few things as his side ran out 3-1 victors. Lewis Dunk made his second international start – five years after his first – in central defence alongside Marc Guehi, while Aaron Ramsdale got the nod in goal. Southgate will be tempted to look at several areas of the squad again this time, including uncapped Levi Colwill at left-back, returning Jarrod Bowen in attack and Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.

Can Watkins or Nketiah stake claim to be Kane deputy?

Harry Kane’s goalscoring feats are as impressive as they are well documented. Already the highest scoring man in England’s history, he will match Sir Bobby Charlton’s 23-goal international haul at Wembley if he scores against Australia. But Southgate may well be tempted to try a different striker given their inability to find a reliable back-up to the Bayern Munich player. Callum Wilson fulfilled the role in Qatar but is injured this time around, with in-form Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins receiving his first call-up since March 2022. Uncapped Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, England Under-21s’ all-time top scorer, is another man looking to push his claim to be Kane’s deputy ahead of the Euros.

Israel-Palestine victims to be remembered

Black armbands will be worn and a period of silence observed before Friday’s friendly to remember the innocent victims of the conflict in Israel and Palestine. The Football Association has confirmed its plans to pay tribute, having come under pressure to illuminate the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag following attacks by Hamas militants over the weekend which were followed by Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality not linked to England or Australia will not be permitted inside Wembley.

Carsley is promoted from his role with the England Under-20 team to replace Aidy Boothroyd, who has left after almost five years in the position.

Cole won 107 caps in an illustrious playing career and will be the chief support to Carsley, combining the position with his role as a coach in Chelsea's academy.

"I'm really happy to get this opportunity to support Lee and work with the best youngsters in the country," said Cole, who began his coaching career with Derby County.
 
"I loved playing for the national team and to now get the chance to work as an England coach is a special feeling. 

"St. George's Park is an amazing place and I can't wait to get started. I want to do my best to help young players to develop, and also learn from some brilliant people at the same time."

Boothroyd left the Under-21 job on a disappointing note after failing to progress through the group stage of this year's European Championship.

He had taken the role, initially on a caretaker basis, in 2016 after Gareth Southgate was promoted to the senior team.

The new regime will start with matches against Romania and Kosovo in September.

FA technical director John McDermott added: "I'm very happy to be able to confirm Lee's appointment, and to be able to bring in someone of Ashley's stature as his number two, with thanks to Chelsea for their support."

Former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Cole, 40, has also worked as a television pundit since retiring as a player with Derby in 2019.

Victory lifted the Harriers off the foot of the National League table, while Ebbsfleet remained stuck in the relegation zone.

Kidderminster settled the contest by scoring twice in first-half stoppage time.

Sammy Robinson played the ball through to Hemmings, who slotted the ball into the far corner for the opener.

Hemmings then added a second just two minutes later from a free-kick.

The Harriers looked on course for a third successive defeat only for Hemmings to secure a point from the spot late on.

Billy Sass-Davies headed home from a corner early in the second half as Wood made the most of their superior possession.

But Kidderminster held on and left Meadow Park with a share of the spoils as Hemmings tucked home a penalty after Krystian Pearce had been tripped in the box.

Ashley Nadesan scored the only goal of the game with a superbly taken 10th-minute finish at Gander Green Lane.

Tom Nichols robbed home defender Omar Sowunmi and provided a low cross for Nadesan to strike first time.

Sowunmi came close to atoning for his early error when his hooked shot was cleared off the line by Scott Malone.

Jake Turner smothered Lee Angol’s effort, whilst George Lapslie fired wide on the angle.

Sutton substitute Scott Kashket was denied a goal against his former club by the linesman’s flag early in the second half.

Later in the second period, the former Wycombe man saw a fine volley kept out by Turner as Sutton piled on the pressure for an equaliser.

But Gillingham ensured they were the only side in the division to have won their first three games as they saw out a third successive 1-0 win.

Summer signing Nadesan calmly slotted past Stanley goalkeeper Toby Savin in the 29th minute after converting Tom Nichols’ pass.

Savin kept Stanley in the game with an excellent reaction save to deny Robbie McKenzie six minutes later, after the visitors failed to clear a Gillingham corner.

Accrington’s on-loan striker Josh Andrews headed wide shortly after the break, before Jack Nolan’s curling free-kick from 20 yards sailed inches past a post as the visitors chased an equaliser.

Gillingham, who knocked Sky Bet Championship side Southampton out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, came close to doubling their lead when Nadesan’s poked effort was deflected wide by Seb Quirk.

Substitute midfielder George Lapslie failed to hit the target from close range and Scott Malone almost scored a spectacular solo effort on his home league debut, but Neil Harris’s side had already done enough to secure their first home victory over Stanley since March 2013.

In April 2022, the distraught 33-year-old suffered a devastating ankle injury as he challenged for the ball with West Ham’s Nikola Vlasic.

For a while Westwood’s 286th Premier League appearance looked set to be the last match he would ever play.

The gruelling journey back to fitness took its toll on the usually upbeat midfielder, who did not play again for Burnley before leaving last January.

Westwood took a calculated gamble by moving to Charlotte, playing in what was their second Major League Soccer season, and could not be happier with the outcome.

“It’s incredible,” the smiling Charlotte skipper said. “Even last year I was close to retiring, very close.

“I broke my ankle, made a mess and then it got to halfway through the rehab and I was like ‘I’ve had enough, I’m done’.

“Even before that I was getting fed up with it. With what Burnley did, it was just constantly trying to stay above the relegation.

“I had like 10-12 years of it, and it gets a lot. Mentally it gets tough, so then I fell out of love with it.

“But then (came) the opportunity to come here and it’s just the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Westwood says Burnley “still hold a special place in my heart” and returned to visit Vincent Kompany and his former team-mates over Christmas.

The Crewe youth product is eternally grateful to the Clarets for allowing him to join Charlotte – somewhere he sees as his long-term home having been unable to place it on a map until not so long ago.

“It’s given me a massive boost, a new lease of life,” the former Aston Villa midfielder said of life in the Queen City, where Dean Smith was recently appointed head coach.

“I could have some regrets because I asked to leave Burnley and Vinny (Kompany) was brilliant, he let me go.

“I was honest with him. I went in and said ‘listen, this has come about’ but they needed to get me on a free because of the wage structure.

“So, I spoke to Vinny and he said ‘we don’t want to lose you but I respect the decision’ and he sent me on my way.

“And it has given me a new lease of life. It’s been the best thing for me and my family – the kids are thriving, the wife’s enjoying it.

“Hopefully I’ll be going until I’m 40. I want to stay here a long time.”

Westwood moved to MLS at an exciting time for the sport in North America, with the 2026 World Cup following on the back of Lionel Messi’s blockbuster move to Inter Miami.

Little wonder some former team-mates, from England internationals to Premier League regulars, have expressed interest in following him across the pond.

“You’ve got Messi, (Luis) Suarez and even now I get texts from mates saying ‘what’s it like? I’d love to do it’, so it’s getting more appealing,” Westwood added.

“They’ve got the World Cup here and if they get that right it could take off. There’s a lot around the budgets and the way the wage cap is.

“Our owner is willing to do it (and pay more), he wants to go for it, but it’s just about getting all the other owners on board. If they get right, it can take off.”

Ashworth had spent just 159 days with the club before his surprise exit was announced on Sunday, although Amorim believes the club's vision for the future remains unchanged.

"The first thing I want to say is that, since the first day, I felt great support from the ownership," said Amorim, who took charge on November 11.

"From Omar [Berrada, chief executive], from Dan also, from Jason [Wilcox, technical director]. Dan was part of that, and I really felt support from Dan also.

"But this is football and sometimes these things happen. It happens with players, with coaches.

"I know that it's not the best situation but the important thing is we continue in our way. The path is really clear for everybody and I think this can happen in football."

Amorim himself has only been in the job at Old Trafford for one month, having won two and drawn one of his five matches in charge in all competitions.

During the same press conference, he was asked whether he felt that the club was more unstable than when he had arrived last month.

"I don't think so," he said. "I've felt since day one the support from everybody, so one person leaving doesn't change anything.

"Of course, it's a bad situation, because we are talking about a human being, a professional, that supports us as a team.

"But I think the most important thing is that your vision is really clear and that vision doesn't change if only one person leaves."