Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs sees the rise of Manchester United as a major force in the Women’s Super League as something to be welcomed.

After being relaunched in 2018, winning the Championship and then coming fourth in the WSL for three successive years, United this term have had their best top-flight campaign to date.

Marc Skinner’s side had been top of the table and are close to securing Women’s Champions League qualification for the first time.

City, who United face in Sunday evening’s derby at Leigh Sports Village, are in danger of missing out on Europe.

But on the topic of United’s rise, Coombs told the PA news agency: “I think every player prefers the league more competitive.

“I think it now puts our league as probably the best in the world, because it’s the most competitive. So the more teams that can rise up, the better in my opinion.”

With two rounds of games to go, United are second in the table, two points behind Chelsea.

Arsenal, Chelsea’s opponents at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, are three points further back in third, with fourth-placed City another two points behind in the battle for the three Champions League berths.

Asked about the fact that if Chelsea win, City could then end their derby rivals’ title push, Coombs said: “We want to beat United. If that result then stops them, I wouldn’t say that’s why exactly.

“We just want to go in and get the result to give us every chance to get top-three, that’s really our main motivation.”

City are looking to avoid what would be a first finish outside the European places since 2014, their inaugural WSL campaign.

Yet to be beaten by United in six WSL meetings, winning three of those, City take them on a week after Skinner’s side lost 1-0 to Chelsea in their debut Women’s FA Cup final appearance.

Coombs – scorer of an equaliser in December’s 1-1 Manchester derby draw at the Etihad Stadium, a moment she describes as a “highlight of my career” – has no doubt United will “come all guns blazing”.

And the 32-year-old added: “Like us, they lost their last game so they want to put that right straight away. They always give us a good game, and I think every year the games between us are getting more and more competitive. It’s really exciting to be a part of.”

After a notable turnover of players last summer, City started their WSL campaign with back-to-back losses before going unbeaten across the next 14 games, winning 12.

That momentum has slowed with two defeats in the last four for Gareth Taylor’s side, 2-1 at Arsenal and then Liverpool last time out.

Coombs, whose season has included signing a new deal with the club running to 2025 as well as returning to the England squad, said: “I think it has been a bit of a rebuilding year.

“We bounced back pretty quickly after the first two games of the season and we’ve got ourselves in a place now where we’re a solid group, and there won’t be a big turnover at the end of the year.

“So I think going into next year that puts us in a really strong position. We have had large periods of the year where we’ve played some really great stuff and we’ve got back to a competitive place in the league. So I think if we look at it as a building year, it makes next year really exciting for us.”

Manchester City moved within three wins of the treble by thrashing Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Pep Guardiola’s side need one victory from their three remaining Premier League fixtures to secure the title, while they can also win the FA Cup and Champions League by beating Manchester United and Inter Milan respectively.

City are seeking to emulate their local rivals United who achieved glory on the same three fronts under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1998-99.

Here the PA news agency compares the two sides.

Premier League

There are several parallels between this season’s title race and 1998-99.

Neither City or United topped the table for a prolonged period until the second half of the campaign and both trailed Arsenal at various points during the run-in.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners were eight points clear of Guardiola’s side with nine games to go at the beginning of April, while Arsenal were three points ahead of Ferguson’s men with two matches remaining in 1999 – although both City and United had a game in hand.

Just as United edged out Arsene Wenger’s team with a 20-match unbeaten run, City have gone 14 Premier League games without defeat to move within touching distance of claiming a fifth title in six years.

Statistically, Guardiola’s treble-chasers have had the better season. They have amassed 85 points and scored 92 goals with three fixtures still to play, while United ended the campaign with 79 points and 80 goals scored.

Dwight Yorke top-scored for Ferguson’s side with 18 goals, which is half as many as Erling Haaland has managed for City (36).

That said, Andy Cole (17) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (12) also reached double figures for United, while only Phil Foden (10) has done so for City.

Defensively, Guardiola’s men have conceded 31 goals so far – the joint-fewest in the league alongside Newcastle. United shipped 37 goals in 1998-99, which was more than Arsenal (17), Chelsea (30) and Leeds (34).

Champions League

City topped their group ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Copenhagen, while United finished second behind Bayern Munich but ahead of Barcelona and Brondby.

Guardiola’s side have since gone on to beat RB Leipzig, Bayern and Real Madrid over two legs, thanks mainly to crushing home wins in each tie.

Ferguson’s men had fewer rounds to negotiate in 1999 – when the Champions League was contested by 24 teams rather than 32 – but they still had to get past Inter Milan and Juventus across two legs before facing Bayern in the final.

United’s European campaign was considerably bumpier than City’s, who have scored 31 goals and conceded only five on their path to the final.

The Red Devils – by contrast – lifted the trophy having scored 29 and conceded 16.

While City are yet to concede more than once in a Champions League game this season, United were involved in several high-scoring thrillers including a pair of 3-3 draws against Barcelona in the group stage and a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against Juventus in the semi-final second leg.

FA Cup

As with the Champions League, City’s route to the final has been largely serene while United’s 1998-99 campaign was filled with trials and tribulations.

Guardiola’s team have cruised past Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, Burnley and Sheffield United without conceding a goal, becoming the first side to reach the final with a perfect defensive record since Everton in 1965-66.

Meanwhile, as well as coming back from a goal down against Middlesbrough and Liverpool in rounds three and four, United needed replays to see off Chelsea in the quarter-finals and Arsenal in the semis.

The latter victory was especially dramatic, with Peter Schmeichel saving a Dennis Bergkamp penalty to keep the game at 1-1 and Ryan Giggs scoring a wonder goal in extra time.

Friday marks the 10th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson’s last game as Manchester United manager, with the club still searching for a return to their glory days under the long-serving Scot.

Here, the PA news agency compares those years to the last decade of Ferguson’s triumphant reign.

Ferguson’s last 10 years

United won the Premier League in five of Ferguson’s last 10 years in charge, taking his total to 13 titles overall.

That included a run of three in a row from 2006-07 to 2008-09, before he added the 2010-11 title and signed off in 2012-13 with another.

They never finished outside the top three in that time, with an average league position of 1.7, and averaged 84.4 points per campaign.

His sides won 68 per cent of their league games and 66 per cent overall as they also collected three League Cups, an FA Cup and the 2007-08 Champions League title. Their 10 major trophies were supplemented by the 2008 Club World Cup and five Community Shields.

They scored an average of 1.94 goals per game and had a goal difference of +632 across their 578 games in all competitions.

The decade since

United have been through five permanent managers in the years since Ferguson’s departure, in addition to last season’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick and caretakers Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick.

Ferguson’s anointed successor David Moyes did not even make it through the first season of his six-year contract while Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also failed to bring sustained success.

Current boss Erik ten Hag has impressed in his first season in the role and offers hope the club are turning the corner, but their statistics in the last 10 years stand in stark contrast to Ferguson’s record.

Most glaring is the lack of a league title, with local rivals Manchester City instead chasing a sixth win in those 10 years, Chelsea winning two and one each for Leicester and Liverpool.

Mourinho’s 2016-17 season is the high water mark, with United winning both the League Cup and the Europa League. Ten Hag has already matched the former and will have the chance against City next month to emulate the FA Cup won in 2016 in fellow Dutchman Van Gaal’s last match in charge.

Even a pair of Community Shields can only lift the trophy count ahead of that final to six, and the club’s league record paints a similar picture.

They have gone from constantly battling for the title under Ferguson, and winning it half of the time, to a similar record in the battle simply to qualify for the Champions League.

Should Ten Hag’s side hold on to their top-four spot this season that will be five in 10 years, with an average position of 4.5 after finishing second twice, sixth on three occasions and once each in third, the fourth place they again occupy this season, fifth and seventh.

They have averaged 68.2 points over the nine completed seasons, 16 fewer than in Ferguson’s last decade. With 66 this season and three games remaining, they are at least on course to improve on that mark.

They have won 52 per cent of league games, rising to 55 per cent across all competitions, scored 1.68 goals per game and have a goal difference of +381 in 559 games.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s trophy-laden reign at Manchester United was illuminated by his often fiery rhetoric.

From withering put-downs to sparkling praise, the Scot produced many an apposite phrase and created a catalogue of memorable quotes.

Ten years on from his final match at the helm (May 19, 2013), the PA news agency takes a look at some of the most notable.

On challenging times

“My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f***ing perch. And you can print that.”

On Manchester City’s emergence as a Premier League force

“There has been a lot of expectation on Manchester City and, with the spending they have done, they have to win something. Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour and have to live with it. You can’t do anything about them.”

On Jose Mourinho

“He was certainly full of it, calling me ‘Boss’ and ‘Big Man’ when we had our post-match drink after the first leg. But it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint-stripper.”

On Arsene Wenger

“They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages. I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!”

On Rafael Benitez

“I think he is very concerned about his CV. He refers to it quite a lot.”

On his bust-up with Newcastle boss Alan Pardew

“The press have had a field day. The only person they have not spoken to is Barack Obama because he is busy.”

On the incident which saw former midfielder David Beckham struck on the head by a flying boot

“It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”

On the mind games employed by Italian teams

“When an Italian tells me it’s pasta on the plate, I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”

On seeing Ryan Giggs as a schoolboy

“I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”

On Wayne Rooney’s decision to sign a new contract

“Sometimes you look in a field and you see a cow and you think it’s a better cow than the one you’ve got in the field.”

On Real Madrid’s hopes of signing Cristiano Ronaldo

“Do you think I would get into a contract with that mob? Jesus Christ, no chance. I wouldn’t sell them a virus.”

On United’s dramatic Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999

“Football, bloody hell.”

On retirement

“The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly. It is the right time.”

On handling star players

“Superstars with egos are not the problem some people may think. They need to be winners, because that massages their egos, so they will do what it takes to win. I used to see Ronaldo, Beckham, Giggs, Scholes… practising for hours. They realised that being a Manchester United player is not an easy job.”

On his football philosophy

“Fear has to come into it. But you can be too hard; if players are fearful all the time, they won’t perform well. You play different roles at different times. Sometimes you have to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a father.”

On his supposed influence with referees

“This is a guy who has the worst record of any manager in the history of English football, fined £100,000 by them, suspended so many times. That’s some influence, I must say. It’s a little bit Walter Mitty.”

On the England manager’s job

“I don’t think the manager’s job with England is a good one. I think it’s a horrible job.”

On turning down the England job

“It took me about 10 seconds to say ‘No way’. I couldn’t manage England in a million years. Think of me going back to Scotland doing that.”

On David Beckham’s celebrity

“David is the only player I managed who chose to be famous. He thought he was bigger than Alex Ferguson.”

On his recovery from a brain haemorrhage

“I knew I was alive but, on my own, I started thinking, ‘I wonder if they’re telling me the truth?’ The operation was a success, but you’re in that loneliness. It can be frightening.”

What the papers say

Paris St Germain are looking into making a fresh bid for Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, according to the Daily Telegraph. After this season the 28-year-old, who scored twice against Real Madrid on Wednesday, will have two years left on his contract. The fee is expected to be £70million.

The papers continue to discuss Declan Rice‘s future. The Telegraph says Arsenal are preparing a £92m offer for the West Ham midfielder – which would be a club-record transfer – while the Daily Mirror reports Bayern Munich are also interested in the 24-year-old England international.

Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp is “desperate” to keep James Milner at Liverpool, the Mirror reports, adding that the 37-year-old midfielder has been offered a coaching role at Anfield. Brighton and his former club Leeds are said to be interested in signing Milner.

Metro reports via Italian publication Il Mattino that Manchester United have moved a step closer to signing Napoli defender Kim Min-jae after agreeing personal terms. The 26-year-old only joined the club last summer in a £17m deal from Fenerbahce.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Martin Odegaard: 90min reports the 24-year-old Arsenal and Norway midfielder is set to sign a new deal with his club.

Albert Sambi Lokonga: The Daily Express says the 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder could be interested in a move to Burnley to be reunited with his former Anderlecht manager Vincent Kompany.

Liverpool lost to Sevilla in the Europa League final on this day in 2016 as Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of a first trophy on Merseyside were ended.

Daniel Sturridge fired Liverpool ahead on 35 minutes in Basle but the Spanish outfit rallied after the break to win 3-1 and secure a third successive triumph in the competition.

Kevin Gameiro began the fightback just 17 seconds into the second half before a double from Coke completed the turnaround for Unai Emery’s team.

Liverpool had strong claims for a penalty turned down in the first period after Daniel Carrico appeared to handle as Roberto Firmino attempted to take the ball past him.

They went in front when Sturridge flicked a fine shot beyond David Soria with the outside of his left boot.

Sevilla found a way back into the game from the restart after a ball into the box was cleared only as far as Mariano Ferreira and he squared for Gameiro to tap in.

Liverpool never regained the momentum and Coke punished them when he steered in from the edge of the area on 64 minutes.

Coke grabbed his side’s third just six minutes later, driving in from close range after the ball came to him via a deflection. Liverpool appealed for offside but to no avail.

The result meant the Reds not only missed out on a return to the Champions League but failed to qualify for European football at all from Klopp’s first campaign in charge.

Liverpool finished eighth in the Premier League that season, below Southampton and West Ham, and 21 points behind champions Leicester.

Yet, having also reached the Carabao Cup final, there had been clear signs of progress under the German, who had succeeded Brendan Rodgers the previous October.

They went on to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League the following year.

They then reached the final of Europe’s top competition in 2018 and won it in 2019 before claiming a first Premier League title the following season.

Manchester City are celebrating a return to the Champions League final after crushing holders Real Madrid with one of the greatest performances in the club’s history.

Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing side overwhelmed the 14-time European champions 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, booking their place in next month’s Istanbul showpiece 5-1 on aggregate.

Victory was as convincing as the scoreline suggests with Madrid struggling to live with the pace and power of City and grateful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for preventing an even bigger landslide.

Bernardo Silva set City on their way to a final date against Inter Milan with two first-half goals before Eder Militao turned into his own net and Julian Alvarez added a late fourth.

City will now hope to lift the trophy and make amends for their loss in the 2021 final as part of what could be a glorious treble.

The first of those trophies could come on Sunday if they beat Chelsea to clinch the Premier League with the FA Cup final against Manchester United on June 3.

City manager Guardiola said: “In the Premier League we are close, we know we need one more game.

“We play against our neighbours and against an Italian team in the finals. The season is really, really good. Now we have to lift it. We are close and of course we are going to try.”

Last week’s semi-final first leg against Madrid in the Bernabeu Stadium had been an even contest.

City dominated possession for large spells but Real were more incisive on the counter-attack.

This time City refused to allow their opponents to sit back and feel comfortable soaking up pressure. They were far more dynamic and the Spanish giants could not handle their speed and movement.

The resounding win made for sweet revenge for City’s heartbreaking loss to Real and the same stage last season.

Guardiola said: “It was really tough losing the way we lost. In that moment we had to swallow poison but football and sport always gives you another chance.

“When the draw was Madrid, I said, ‘yeah I want it’.

“Everything was there – the energy we had from a year of being criticised as players for not having character when we lost.”

Carlo Ancelotti, coach of the dethroned champions, could not begrudge City their victory.

“I think that Manchester City deserved to win because they played better than us,” the Italian said.

Chelsea coasted past West Ham 4-0 to move top of the Women’s Super League table.

Niamh Charles, making her 100th WSL appearance, put the Blues ahead in the 13th minute after Sam Kerr’s shot was blocked.

The FA Cup winners doubled their lead three minutes into the second half through Pernille Harder, who drilled her angled shot into the bottom corner.

Chelsea wrapped up another impressive victory in the 65th minute when Magdalena Eriksson’s header from a corner was pushed onto the crossbar by Irons keeper Mackenzie Arnold and Sophie Ingle nodded in the rebound.

In stoppage time, substitute Erin Cuthbert fired in a fourth to cap another impressive display.

Emma Hayes’ side edge two points clear of Manchester United – runners-up at Wembley on Saturday – as they close in on what would be a fourth straight title, which could be confirmed this weekend should all results go their way.

Arsenal had earlier consolidated third place with a 4-1 win at Everton, where midfielder Lia Walti suffered an injury in the second half after being fouled by Aggie Beever-Jones who was sent off.

Caitlin Foord, making her first start since recovering from a hamstring injury, fired the Gunners in front after 29 minutes when she converted a cross from full-back Noelle Maritz.

Arsenal captain Katie McCabe doubled the lead with a long-range effort before Australian Foord grabbed a second, nodding in a rebound after Stina Blackstenius’ header was saved.

Lotte Wubben-Moy headed in a fourth just before the break from Frida Maanum’s free-kick.

Arsenal were dealt another injury concern in the second half.

Midfielder Walti was brought down just inside the penalty area by Everton forward Beever-Jones, shown a straight red card for the late challenge, and had to be taken off on a stretcher with what looked an ankle problem.

Katja Snoeijs headed in a late consolation for Everton, who suffered another heavy defeat following a 7-0 thrashing by Chelsea.

Jonas Eidevall’s side, meanwhile, sit three points clear of Manchester City in third place with Champions League qualification in their own hands heading into the final two matches.

Bernardo Silva struck twice in the first half as Manchester City produced a sensational performance to dethrone holders Real Madrid and reach the Champions League final.

Eder Militao also turned into his own net and Julian Alvarez added another late on as City claimed a comprehensive 4-0 win at the Etihad Stadium to power into next month’s Istanbul showpiece 5-1 on aggregate.

City’s victory was every bit as comprehensive as the scoreline suggests with the 14-time European champions struggling to live with the pace and movement of Pep Guardiola’s mesmeric side.

Toni Kroos did hit the woodwork at 1-0 but it was a rare bright moment from a Real team that was simply overwhelmed.

It was sweet revenge for City after defeat at the same stage last season and the upcoming final against Inter Milan could now be the crowning glory of a magnificent treble.

Callum Smith scored against his former club Hamilton to give Airdrie a 1-0 win in the first leg of their cinch Championship play-off final at the Excelsior Stadium.

Smith, who joined Airdrie from Hamilton in 2021, struck early in the second half to help his side into a slender advantage before Saturday’s second leg at the ZLX Stadium.

Hamilton, relegated from the Scottish Premiership two seasons ago and bidding to avoid relegation to the third tier for the first time since 2004, were first to threaten through on-loan Hearts midfielder Connor Smith.

Connor Smith, playing against his brother Callum, fired an early angled shot inches wide, while Airdrie went close through Callum Fordyce’s half-volley, which was turned away by Hamilton goalkeeper Jamie Smith.

Accies threatened again through Connor Smith before the break when his shot from outside the box was well saved by Airdrie goalkeeper Joshua Rae.

Airdrie, buoyed after sealing a 7-2 aggregate play-off semi-final win over Falkirk on Saturday, edged ahead in the 56th minute when Callum Smith produced a neat near-post finish after a fine run into the penalty area.

Accies defender Daniel O’Reilly went closest to an equaliser when he headed a corner narrowly over in stoppage time, while Airdrie defender Craig Watson was sent off late on after his foul on Connor Smith earned him a second yellow card.

Incoming Rangers chief executive James Bisgrove is working on a plan that aims to make them the “dominant club in Scotland” and promised supporters transfer plans were reasonably advanced.

Commercial and marketing director Bisgrove will officially take over from Stewart Robertson on July 31 but is already working on a plan alongside recently-appointed chairman John Bennett and manager Michael Beale.

Beale is set for a major overhaul of his squad during his first close season in charge after ending the campaign without a trophy.

In an interview with Rangers TV, Bisgrove revealed the club had a clear strategy until 2025.

“Right across the club there are a number of objectives that underpin that but ultimately it’s about being successful as a football club and being the dominant club in Scotland,” he said.

Bisgrove added: “The manager has spoken about this summer being quite a transformational one for the squad and he has presented a very clear plan that is a body of work that’s taken place across many months, led by John Park the chief scout from a recruitment point of view, and presented a plan of what he wants the squad to look like next season.

“That plan is fully supported by the board and we are reasonably well advanced in a number of discussions that will underpin that plan in terms of player recruitment, and I think there will be some updates on that in due time.

“The plan Michael has presented to the board is a really exciting one in terms of the transformation of the team.

“There are various discussions and negotiations that are taking place but I think we are ahead of the game in terms of engaging in some of those conversations.

“And while the focus will be absolutely on recruitment we will also have an eye on player trading out because that’s important for the model and there are individuals and clubs we are talking to that may mean we see players going out as well as coming in.

“We will always take those decisions in the best interests of the club but ultimately this is about delivering on Michael’s plan for next season.”

Bisgrove is also focused on filling vacant leadership positions including academy director, sporting director, chief financial officer and a commercial and marketing director to replace himself.

“Some of those conversations have shown us how attractive Rangers are in the market and we are having some really, really interesting conversations and we will have some announcements that we will be able to make in the coming weeks,” he said.

Bisgrove promised to “engage frequently” with supporters and signalled that improved communication would also focus on stakeholders such as UEFA, other clubs in Scotland and the media.

“We want to build relationships and be visible and outward facing to make sure the brand of Rangers is portrayed in the best possible light,” he said.

He also revealed the club were looking into the feasibility of safe standing at Ibrox and said close to 45,000 season tickets and 2,000 hospitality packages had been renewed for next term.

Barry Robson plans to give Aberdeen talisman Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes until the last minute to prove his fitness for Saturday’s third-place shootout with Hearts at Tynecastle.

The 18-goal striker went off with a muscle injury in last weekend’s goalless draw against Hibernian.

Robson gave little away with regard to Duk’s availability this weekend when he faced the media on Wednesday.

“We’ve not got anyone definitely out,” he said. “I want to give every player every opportunity to get back for the weekend so we’ll see how we go with that.

“We’re taking it 24 hours at a time at the minute. I’m sure Hearts will have players the exact same as that. All teams will have players with niggles or slight niggles.

“We’ll sit down on Friday and find out where we are with Duk and a couple of others. We’ll see where we are with that but we’ve got to give it every opportunity to get everyone fit and available.”

Robson revealed that Ross McCrorie, who has missed the last two games through injury, is making good progress in his recovery.

“100 per cent,” he said when asked if he is likely to play again this season. “I’m looking forward to having him back. He’s not far away.

“He did 100 per cent on the training pitch there today. He’ll be back sooner rather than later. We can’t make a decision about the weekend yet but the way he’s going, he’s ahead of schedule.”

Aberdeen can all but secure third place in the cinch Premiership and likely European group-stage football next term if they win at Tynecastle on Saturday. The Dons are five points clear of the Jambos – and six ahead of Hibernian – with three games remaining.

“It’s another big game, we know that,” said the Aberdeen boss. “When you’re at a club like Aberdeen, they’re all big games. That’s why we’re here. We enjoy it.

“Pressure is a good thing, it makes you play. We’re under pressure, they’re under pressure. Just go and enjoy the game.

“Would I rather be in our position than Hearts? Yes. We need to go and play well to get a result down there because they’ve got some terrific players and they’ll have their fans behind them.

“I loved going to Tynecastle as a player, it’s a great place to go and play. The players are really looking forward to it. What a good game. That’s what we’re here for.

“We’ve turned our away form around and we’re in a good place, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Brentford forward Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity for eight months, the Football Association has announced.

Toney was charged by the FA in November for 262 alleged breaches of betting rules over a four-year period and has now discovered his punishment.

Bees forward Toney will be banned until January 16th and has been fined £50,000 after he admitted to 232 of the alleged breaches.

“Ivan Toney has been suspended from all football and football-related activity with immediate effect for eight months, which runs up to and including 16 January 2024, fined £50,000 and warned as to his future conduct for breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules,” an FA statement read.

“The Brentford FC forward was charged with 262 breaches of FA Rule E8 in total between 25 February 2017 and 23 January 2021. The FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches and he admitted to the remaining 232. “

An independent regulatory commission imposed Toney’s sanctions and he will not be allowed to train with his Brentford team-mates until September 17.

The one-cap England forward has scored 21 goals in 35 appearances for Brentford this season.

The FA statement continued: “His sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent Regulatory Commission following a personal hearing. He is permitted to return to training only with his club for the final four months of his suspension starting from 17 September 2023.

“The independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for these sanctions will be published in due course, and The FA will wait to review them before commenting further.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins has agreed a new four-year deal with the club.

The 53-year-old is set to sign a contract which will keep him at the Coventry Building Society Arena until 2027 later this week.

Robins joined the Sky Blues for his second spell in March 2017 and the new deal could therefore see him reach a decade of service with the Sky Bet Championship side.

He has achieved much with Coventry having won the Checkatrade Trophy in 2017 before guiding the club out of League Two via the play-offs in 2018. He earned another promotion in 2019-20 from League One into the Championship, finishing top of the table to win the title.

Robins will be hoping to toast more success with Coventry when they host Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening.

Should they come through their play-off second leg – the tie is poised at 0-0 after a stalemate at Boro – they will get the opportunity to face Luton in the final at Wembley on May 27, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.

Robins told Coventry’s official website: “I am delighted to agree terms of a new contract with Coventry.

“While our focus is on tonight’s game, the journey that we have been on together as a club has been amazing so far.

“I look forward to continuing that work in the next four years and the improvement on and off the pitch of this great football club.

“This was an easy decision to make and I thank the club for their continued support.”

Ashley Barnes will join Norwich on a two-year deal after leaving Burnley.

Barnes, 33, will move to Carrow Road from July 1 having helped the Clarets win promotion back to the Premier League as they secured the Sky Bet Championship title.

The veteran forward joined Burnley from Brighton in 2014 and went on to make 293 appearances, scoring 55 goals.

After his Burnley contract was not renewed, Barnes will continue his career in Norfolk as David Wagner’s squad look to mount their own successful promotion campaign having faded to finish 13th this season.

“I think the ambition to get back into the Premier League was the main thing,” Barnes said on the Norwich club website.

“The conversations I had (with sporting director Stuart Webber and David Wagner) were brilliant.

“They showed me how they wanted me to play and how they want me to fit in to the group and I’m happy to totally push us forward and try to get us promoted next season.”

Canaries head coach Wagner believes Barnes’ experience can help galvanise the squad, with several players having departed at the end of the season including forward Teemu Pukki.

“Ashley is a player I have come across on a number of occasions and he knows exactly what it takes to be successful in this league,” said Wagner, who took over in January following the departure of Dean Smith.

“It was very clear from our conversations that he has a real hunger and desire to continue to perform at the highest level.

“It was a feeling that we both have, the determination to do whatever it takes to win football games.”