Related items

• Miedema joins Man City after Arsenal exit

  Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Vivianne Miedema on a free transfer.

  Miedema announced in May that she would be leaving Arsenal after a seven-year stay when her contract expired at the end of last season.

  She is the Women's Super League all-time top goalscorer, netting 79 goals, and set the league record for the most goals scored in a single season with 22.

  Miedema, who has signed a three-year contract with the Citizens, said: "The reason I chose City is because they have the same ambitions as me. They want to win the league and titles.

  "Looking to the future, I've always said I want to play with the best players in the world and I think City have got that.

  "I want to challenge myself every day in training but also every single week in the games we play."

  Miedema joined Arsenal from Bayern Munich in 2017, scoring 125 goals and providing 50 assists in 172 appearances for the club in all competitions.

  However, the forward struggled with injuries during her last two seasons in North London and was limited to just 13 appearances last season after having knee surgery.

  She won the WSL title in 2018-19, lifted three Conti Cups during her time with the Gunners, and won the Golden Boot in two consecutive seasons.

• CF Montreal v Vancouver Whitecaps: Sartini aiming to keep winning feeling in playoff fight

  Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini has urged his team to keep fighting for a playoff place as they travel to CF Montreal in MLS.

  The Whitecaps have lost just two of their last six matches and got back to winning ways on the road with their 3-1 win over Minnesota United in midweek.

  They are now up to fifth in the Western Conference, but Sartini knows they cannot rest on their laurels with the teams below them closing in.

  "We hit like three or four performances where we were a little bit poor, and two wins where we didn't really deserve to win," Sartini said.

  "Playing more defensive allowed us to get points, but in the last two games, we've returned to the form that got big results at the start of the season.

  "We need to put the costume from [Sporting] Kansas City on so we can fight to get the win. We need to keep going, everyone's happy when we're fighting for the playoffs and making a result in Montreal would be fantastic."

  Montreal, meanwhile, are 12th in the Eastern Conference, just two points off a playoff place after picking up just one win in their last six outings.

  Though they are unbeaten in four at home, they have struggled on the road, with goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois lamenting a disjointed forward display.

  "Our forwards had a little bit more trouble finding each other and combining [against New York City FC]," Sirois said.

  "I think there are days like that, and it's up to us, the whole team, to find solutions together, but unfortunately, we didn't do that.

  "Yes, we created chances, but I think there were too few and that's why we didn't score."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim

  Sunusi Ibrahim has scored six goals for Montreal this season, more than anyone else in the team.

  The Nigerian is without a goal in his last three games though, and after managing just one shot in the defeat to NYCFC last time out, he will be keen to regain his scoring touch.

  Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld

  Ryan Gauld may be Vancouver's joint-top scorer with nine goals this season (level with Brian White), but he turned provider on Wednesday against Minnesota.

  He assisted all three goals as the Whitecaps secured another win, lifting him to the top of their assists chart with six for the season.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  There has not been much to split the sides across the last eight meetings, with Montreal and Vancouver winning four apiece. The Whitecaps came out on top when they last met in April 2023 with a 5-0 thrashing.

  Montreal have won just one of their last six matches (drawing three and losing two). However, that victory was in their last home match as they beat the Philadelphia Union 4-1.

  After back-to-back defeats, Vancouver have since won their last two on the bounce, scoring seven goals across those victories.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  CF Montreal – 38.4%

  Draw – 26.5%

  Vancouver Whitecaps – 35.1%

• Mikel Arteta drops hint on new Arsenal contract

  Mikel Arteta hinted that he will sign a new contract to stay on as Arsenal manager, insisting "it will happen".

  The Gunners boss sees his present deal expire in June 2025 and as yet there has been no official word on an extension.

  Arteta, though, has been making plans for the upcoming season his main focus rather than his own future and remains confident his tenure as boss will continue.

  Speaking to ESPN at a training camp in Marbella, Arteta said: "There is no update at the moment. 

  "The thing that hasn't changed is how happy I am and how valued I feel here and how much I love representing this club.

  "Things happen in a natural way and our relationship is that good that I don't predict any issues happening. But things have to develop in the right way and it will happen."

  When asked whether a new contract would provide stability at Arsenal, he replied: " "I understand that but the focus now is, 'okay, how we can improve things around the team? How we can improve now the things in the transfer window that we have?' 

  "We have time to sit down and discuss that."

  The Gunners finished runners-up to Manchester City for the second campaign running last term, with Arsenal aiming to go one better in the Premier League this time around.