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• Hayes enjoying tense WSL tile race as Chelsea stint winds down

  Emma Hayes is determined to enjoy the thrill of a title race going to the wire in her final days as Chelsea boss.

  Following their defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, Chelsea's hopes of winning a trophy to mark Hayes' final season in charge looked slim heading into the run-in of the WSL season.

  Yet Manchester City's defeat to Arsenal, combined with an 8-0 victory for Chelsea over Bristol City last time out, has left the Blues in with a great chance.

  With the goal difference having swung in Chelsea's favour, victory over Tottenham on Wednesday would see Hayes' team go into the final day of the WSL season in top spot.

  And while the pressure is on, Hayes is eager to have fun as she soaks in her final matches of a 12-year tenure.

  "I'm going to enjoy being in this position," Hayes said.

  "You don't often get into a position where you are competing for a title going into the last two games of a season. For those of us who have won titles, we know how hard it is.

  "I’m happy to be in the position we're in. I know we have two tough games but I'm looking forward to them.

  "You can't win everything all of the time. But to be in a position to compete for our fifth title in five years, I'd like to see another team do that over the next five years. The reason I say that is nobody really understands how hard that is to keep winning.

  "To be in a position to compete for that, that’s all I wanted the team to be in. I just want them to enjoy the next two games."

  Tottenham have lost all eight of their WSL games against Chelsea by an aggregate score of 20-5, with the Blues the only team Spurs have never won at least a point against in the competition. 

  Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost three games in the WSL this season, their most since also recording three defeats during the 2016 campaign.

  After facing Spurs, Chelsea round off their season with a trip to FA Cup winners Manchester United, while City take on Aston Villa in their final game.

• Milan striker Giroud to join LAFC

  Olivier Giroud will join Los Angeles FC once his contract with Milan expires.

  It was confirmed on Monday that Giroud would be leaving Milan to head to Major League Soccer.

  And LAFC have now been revealed as the 37-year-old former Arsenal and Chelsea striker's destination.

  Giroud has signed a one-year deal with LAFC, with the option to extend his stay through to 2026.

  "His championship ambition and his qualities as a man and as a player directly align with ours as a club," LAFC general manager John Thorrington said.

  Giroud, who has scored 14 Serie A goals this term, is France's record goalscorer, and is set to appear for Les Bleus at Euro 2024.

  He will link up with his long-time international team-mate, Hugo Lloris, at LAFC.

• Swiatek soars past Keys to seal Italian Open semi-final spot

  Iga Swiatek soared through to the Italian Open semi-finals following a dominant straight-sets victory over Madison Keys.

  The world number one took just 76 minutes to wrap up a commanding 6-1 6-3 win - matching the scoreline which saw her overcome the American in the Madrid Open last four a fortnight ago.

  Swiatek broke her opponent four times and saved all 10 break points she faced on the way to setting up a semi-final showdown with either Coco Gauff or Qinwen Zheng.

  Yet to drop a set this week, the Pole remains on course to complete a hat-trick of titles in Rome and land her fourth silverware of 2024, in which she now boasts a 36-4 record.

  Data debrief

  Reaching her 16th WTA 1000 semi-final from 30 main draws entered, Swiatek (53.3 per cent) surpasses Serena Williams (53.1 per cent, 26 from 49) for the highest rate of last-four appearances in such tournaments since the format's introduction in 2009.

  The Pole also took her tally of WTA match wins on clay to 75 from 85, with only Monica Seles, Nancy Richey (both 80), Chris Evert (81) and Margaret Court (82) reaching that figure on surface in fewer matches during the Open Era.