Manchester City all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero thinks that the players need to be more like manager Pep Guardiola if they are to continue their golden era.

Aguero's rallying cry came after City's fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday, the first time Guardiola has gone this long without a victory in his career.

The Citizens have lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006, when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club and are 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League. 

But despite their recent run, the Argentine, who 260 times in 390 appearances for City, is confident that his former side can finish the season with more silverware.

"I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League," he told Sky Sports News.

"Whatever City has to play for, they'll be the firm favourites. I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it's not easy to always be the favourites."

Last season, City became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles but, with their form taking a dip and Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is the potential for instability at the Etihad.

But, according to Aguero, their manager is the key to their past and future success.

That frame of mind is understandable, given that Guardiola is the most successful Manchester City manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies – 50% of the major honours in the club's history – with a win percentage of 72%.

"I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality," Aguero said.

"For me, he's the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.

"Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it's normal, but Pep's team has been up there since he took charge, and that's something many people don't see.

"I think we have to acknowledge he's the reason his players have a winning mentality. He's strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.

"We should take our hats off because it's not easy to be there with the players every day, especially considering the players we're talking about.

"All the time, he's like, 'come on, we have to keep winning!' Living that every day can get exhausting sooner or later, but he's been doing this for days, months, even years, and I think that's why City are one of the favourites because Pep never rests and he never gives a rest to his players.

"That, for me, is the key to success for any team."

Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.

Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.

The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.

He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.

Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.

Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.

Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.

Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.

The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.

He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.

Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.

Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.

Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor was pleased with how his team stood up to the physical challenge of Hammarby in their 2-0 Champions League victory on Tuesday.

Laura Blindkilde Brown and Aoba Fujino were on target in the second half at the Joie Stadium, moving them three points clear at the top of Group D. 

City's win extended their unbeaten start to the season, having won every game in all competitions following a 2-2 draw against Arsenal on opening day.

The hosts dominated for large parts of the encounter, ending with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.75 from their 16 shots, while also accumulating 73.6% possession. 

But Taylor was happy with his side's display and explained the physical test against the Swedish champions was something his players will benefit from moving forward. 

“Difficult game for us, physical challenge, a physical team in Hammarby. I think they outnumber us a little bit in terms of size, considering when you look at our midfield. But I thought the girls handled it really well," Taylor said after the game

“I thought we dominated the game. In the early parts we were just a little bit off in our final action. We just needed to speed up a little bit in terms of being on the end of it, and we spoke about that at half-time, and we score with Laura getting into that type of position we’d been talking about.

“[The physicality was something] we were prepared for, but dealing with it is a different thing. Having Bunny [Khadija Shaw] and Alanna [Kennedy] on the pitch, two of our more physical players, is really important, particularly for set-plays.

“At 1-0 we were defending a couple of scenarios like that, Yama [Ayaka Yamashita] making a really good save at one point. Then Aoba [Fujino] got the goal that maybe allowed us to change things up a little bit more, get some people off that we’d like to manage.

“I think the girls have dealt with it really well tonight. We expected it, we thought it would be difficult, and they rose to the challenge.”

Taylor had made changes to City's starting XI, with Lauren Hemp among the trio to drop out from the weekend and she did not feature in the squad.

Ahead of their weekend game against Chelsea, who are second in the Women's Super League, Taylor explained the reasoning behind Hemp's absence.

“We’ve just got an issue with Lauren that we just need to analyse a little bit further, that’s all," he said.

“It’s something that potentially happened in the Palace game [on 3 November]. She was able to play in the Tottenham game [last Friday] but wasn’t able to tonight, so we’ll just take a little bit longer to assess and find out more.

“Hopefully [she can play against Chelsea]. There’s an opportunity there, we’ll just have to take a moment tomorrow, have a good conversation and find out where we’re at with the medical staff.”

Jamaica College (JC) once again demonstrated why they are a force to be reckoned with, as they made light work of rivals Kingston College (KC) with a comfortable 3-0 win in their ISSA/Digicel Group A quarterfinal encounter at Stadium East on Tuesday.

Led by Nashordo Gibbs’ 18th-minute penalty and a pair of clinical strikes from Jamoy Dennis (31st and 33rd) in quick succession, Jamaica College controlled the one-sided affair from start to finish, rarely allowing Kingston College to find a foothold.

With the win, Jamaica College moved into pole position in the group on four points, relegating Kingston College into second on three points. Tivoli Gardens (three points) kept their hopes of a semi-final berth alive with a surprise 3-1 win over reigning champions Mona High (one point) in the other group contest.

Jamaica College’s Head coach Davion Ferguson, expressed delight at the outcome.

“We understand the competition in terms of how we prepare to peak at the right time. Today was a difficult game, the scoreline might seem as if it was easy but it was a tough game because we played three days ago, and the key was just to get the boys recovered to come here and deliver a good performance.

“At this stage of the competition, it is not about the number in terms of goals, but more about continuity to ensure we consistently secure the three points,” Ferguson said.

His counterpart Vassell Reynolds, also had a positive outlook.

“I don’t think the scoreline was a true reflection of the game, but congrats to JC, they punished us. I thought that we gave away two easy silly goals, we weren’t concentrating, especially on the set plays. So there is no reason to be disappointed or hard on the boys, we just made some errors and we paid for them so it is just about refocusing and come again on Friday,” Reynolds said.

Jamaica College asserted their intent early, with a warning shot just seven minutes in as Donte Logan’s long-range effort forced Kingston College’s goalkeeper Malique Williams to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Excelsior in Group B action against Campion College which served as the curtain-raiser of the double header.

Dennis, an ever-present threat, continued to test Williams, firing off a quick shot in the ninth minute from Jabarie Howell’s pass, and then a powerful strike from just outside the box four minutes later, both of which were kept out by the custodian.

However, Jamaica College’s breakthrough inevitably came when Gibbs, a former Kingston College player, converted from the penalty spot after Jamone Lyle drew a crucial handball from Dejuan Green inside the area.

That opener laid the foundation for what would become a commanding performance as Kingston College's best chance of the game came in the 27th minute when Damaine Smith delivered a pinpoint cross to Deshawn Byfield, whose effort from point blank range was kept out by an alert Taywane Lynch in goal for Jamaica College.

Jamaica College quickly doubled their lead just four minutes later. Gibbs slipped past his marker and sent a precise pass to Dennis, who calmly slotted the ball past Williams to make it 2-0.

Barely two minutes later, Giovani Taylor capitalized on Kingston College’s defence that appeared momentarily disoriented from a quick free-kick, sending another slick pass to Dennis, who made no mistake in finishing his brace and putting Jamaica College 3-0 up.

The Old Hope Road boys again went close through Dyllan John, whose shot hit the upright in the 40th minute, adding to Kington College’s mounting frustrations.

Still, the North Street boys tried to fight back, with Shareef Ricketts attempting a powerful left-footed strike from distance in stoppage time, but Lynch proved equal to the task to preserve the shutout heading into the break.

The second half was a quieter affair as Jamaica College shifted gears to control possession and manage their lead.

Though showing more positive signs in attack, Kingston College’s struggles were compounded when Green received a second yellow card in the 86th minute, as they not only finished the game with 10 men but will be missing his presence in midfield when they take on Mona on Friday.

Tuesday’s Results

Hydel 2, St Catherine 0

Campion College 2, Excelsior 0

Jamaica College 3, Kingston College 0

Mona High 1, Tivoli Gardens 3

Manchester City maintained their perfect start to their Women's Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory at home to Hammarby.

The Citizens sit top of Group D with nine points from their opening three games, with their latest result following up wins over St. Polten and 2023-24 champions, Barcelona. 

Gareth Taylor's side also extended their unbeaten start to the campaign in all competition, winning every game since drawing with Arsenal on the opening day of the Women's Super League season. 

Both teams went in at half-time level following a first half in which quality was at a premium, following a couple of half-chances for the home side.

The hosts went ahead just two minutes into the second half after a finish from Laura Blinkilde Brown, after Aoba Fujino had struck the woodwork earlier.

Khadija Shaw and Fujino both went close to doubling the lead, with the former having a goal disallowed in the 67th minute for offside after being picked out by Mary Fowler. 

Fujino sealed a comfortable victory for City, netting their second on 79 minutes to seal a win in the first meeting between the two sides in the competition. 

And City were worthy winners in the contest. They ended with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.75 from their 16 shots, though only three of their efforts were on target. 

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich were also comfortable winners with a 3-0 home victory over Valerenga in a game the visitors never looked like taking anything from.

Bayern went a goal up in 10 minutes, with former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder heading home from inside the box for her fifth strike in three games in the competition. 

Just seven minutes later, they were firmly in control of the match as Giulia Gwinn doubled their lead with a penalty after Elise Thorsnes had fouled Weronika Zawistowska. 

The German side dominated the game, with more possession (76% to 24%), more shots (15 to 7) and a higher xG (1.95 to 0.47) than their opponents. 

Bayern were able to add a third that their performance merited in second-half stoppage time, with Sarah Zadrazil sending a stunning volley beyond Tove Enblom. 

The result leaves them top of their group with three victories from three matches, three points above second-placed Arsenal.

Valerenga are bottom of Group C and are still waiting for their first point of the competition.

Isaac Hayden is counting down the days to what promises to be a special milestone in his career—making his debut with the Reggae Boyz in the highly anticipated Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal clash against the United States.

The England-born midfielder has waited a long time for this moment, as his journey to this point has been marked by anticipation and heritage, and he’s ready to embrace both when he takes the field for the first-leg clash at the National Stadium on Thursday. The return leg is set for November 18 at Energizer Park.

“Yeah, things have been really, really good, and the first day has been fantastic. The lads and the staff have welcomed me in so well, and I’m just really, really excited to be here and hoping to contribute,” Hayden said with a smile.

For Hayden, this home leg, in particular, holds more than just competitive weight, as it also serves a family reunion of sorts given that his father and both grandparents were all born on the island.

Having represented England from the Under-16 to the Under-21 levels, Hayden declared his ambition to play for the Three Lions at senior level in 2019, but changed track to switch allegiance to Jamaica as he felt the significance of bringing those family ties full circle.

“I've still got some family members over here now who I think are going to come to the game on Thursday. It’s good to finally get it (the switch) done and get it over the line. It’s been a long time coming, and yeah, I’m just looking forward to it,” Hayden declared.

That said, the 29-year-old pointed out that adapting to the new environment has been an enjoyable process as he is quickly adjusting to the Caribbean conditions after his recent arrival.

“I had a good session with some of the lads. Obviously, some of the lads are still to come, but it was still a good group out there. Training and acclimatising to the weather... everything’s been fine; it has been smooth sailing. I am really enjoying myself so far,” Hayden shared enthusiastically.

Hayden’s smooth transition in the Reggae Boyz setup has been aided by a trusted figure in Head coach Steve McClaren, whose guidance and familiarity have given Hayden an extra layer of comfort.

In fact, the gravity of Jamaica’s World Cup ambitions is not lost on Hayden either. As a player with a wealth of experience from his days in England, Hayden is well aware of the task ahead.

“I've known the gaffer for a while. We had a few conversations before, and it was something he thought I could add to the group in a positive way. For me, I wanted to come in and contribute the best way possible to improve the team’s chances of getting to the next round of the Nations League, and then obviously looking further ahead is obviously World Cup qualification, which is a huge, huge goal of everyone here,” he noted.

Rated highly by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as a player whose key assets are concentration, intelligence, and strength, Hayden is energized and eager to parade his versatility in front of passionate Jamaican fans.

The Newcastle United defensive midfielder is also equally comfortable at centre-back and has previously featured at right-back and as a playmaker.

“I think playing on Jamaican soil in the first round is important,” he said, eyes lighting up at the thought.

“The atmosphere will be cracking with the amount of tickets sold and everything that comes around that, but the main thing for us is to go out there and do everyone proud in Jamaica,” he ended.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis revealed he was in a state of disbelief when he was told about his first call-up to the England senior team last week.

Harwood-Bellis, along with Newcastle's Lewis Hall, received their maiden Three Lions call-ups in Lee Carsley's final squad as interim head coach. 

The Southampton defender has impressed under Russell Martin this season, featuring in all of their Premier League fixtures so far this season. 

Harwood-Bellis has won more aerial duels (13) for the Saints in the top-flight this term, with only Jan Bednarek (888) completing more passes than the 22-year-old (684). 

He is also someone well known to the interim boss from his time in charge of England's Under-21's side, with his 21 appearances more than any other player during Carsley's tenure in the current Three Lions squad.

"Lee Carsley rang me in the morning and said, 'you'll be with us, with the seniors'. I didn't quite believe it at first," he told a press conference.

"My partner was next to me and I phoned my dad, who was very proud. He loves when I play for England, even the younger age groups.

"One of the first people to message me was Aaron Ramsdale. I was happy to see his name as he's one of my mates at the club."

Unfortunately for Harwood-Bellis, Ramsdale has since pulled out of the squad with a finger injury and has been replaced by Burnley's James Trafford. 

England travel to Athens to take on Group B2 leaders Greece on Thursday before returning to Wembley three days later as they square off against the Republic of Ireland. 

With a number of first-team regulars out through injury, Harwood-Bellis has the opportunity to become the first Saints player to represent England since Kyle Walker-Peters did so back in 2022.

The defender understood the potential ramifications of performing well for the Three Lions during this international break, with Thomas Tuchel taking over in the new year.

"It will be a big motivation for all of the lads, knowing that there's a new manager coming in and wanting to keep your spot," he said. 

"That's something that especially the younger lads will be pushing towards. 

"It's going to be difficult because of the quality and experience in some of the lads that aren't here is massive.

"It'll be difficult, but it'll be something that I'll focus on week in and week out for Southampton and if I get minutes here."

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has said that they will be without four key players ahead of their Champions League game away to Celtic on Wednesday.

Bompastor confirmed that Millie Bright, Mayra Ramirez, Sjoeke Nusken and Kadeisha Buchanan have not travelled to Scotland for their encounter at Celtic Park.

The Blues know a victory will seal their progression to the knockout stages, though have decided to rest a few of their key players during a hectic fixture schedule. 

Their trip to Scotland will be the second of three matches inside seven days in all competitions for Bompastor's side and, as a result, she has decided to rotate her squad.

"The squad is in a good place and we have a good dynamic and we are full of confidence," she told a press conference

"We have been playing a lot of games and this week we play three games so it’s important to manage players as individuals.

“We have some players who didn’t travel for this game. Kadeisha Buchanan, Millie Bright, Sjoeke Nusken and Mayra Ramirez didn’t travel."

Chelsea come into the game with a 100% record in all competitions under Bompastor, including two wins from two against Real Madrid and Twente in the Champions League.

And they will be confident of maintaining their perfect run, having lost just one of their previous 20 group stage matches in the competition (W14 D5) and are unbeaten across their last 14 (W11 D3). 

“As you know, Chelsea have a good squad with quality and a good team will start the game and be competitive because we want to finish first in this group," she said.

Their early-season form has them second in the Women's Super League and top of their Champions League group, at least three points ahead of any other team.

Despite resting players, Bompastor reassured people that it was Chelsea's ambition to fight on all fronts.

“The Champions League is important and we have ambition and we want to make sure we finish first in the group," she said.

“We have ambitions and if we want to go for all the competitions then you need to beat every team.

“It will start again in March and that’s when the really important games start, but right now we are focused on the group stage.”

Renee Slegers claimed the biggest win of her time as Arsenal's interim head coach as they beat Juventus 4-0 in the Women's Champions League on Tuesday. 

Since taking over from Jonas Eidevall, Slegers has led the Gunners to four wins from her five games at the helm, though their most recent result was their most impressive.

After seeing Alessia Russo and Emily Fox denied by smart stops from Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, the Gunners eventually made the breakthrough seven minutes from half-time. 

A well-worked team move saw Caitlin Foord pick out Frida Maanum inside the box, with the Norwegian remaining calm and finishing into the far corner. 

Fox again went close with an effort that crashed the crossbar, but Arsenal finally got their second when substitute Stina Blackstenius fired the ball home in the 75th minute.

Mariona Caldentey, another substitute made by Slegers, grabbed the Gunners' third before Foord sealed a statement win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora. 

Heading into Tuesday's match, Arsenal were winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), but were worthy winners in Italy this time around. 

They accumulated an expected goals (xG) total of 2.5 from their 17 shots, compared to Juventus' 1.06 from their 12 attempts during the contest. 

In the other early kick-off taking place on Tuesday, Barcelona romped to a comfortable 7-0 victory over St. Polten, helped by a flurry of goals at the end of the first half. 

With the game level after half an hour, Ewa Pajor opened the scoring in the 32nd minute after turning home Ona Batlle's cross at Carina Schluter's front post. 

Kika Nazareth then doubled Barca's advantage six minutes later before Pajor notched her second of the game after being picked out by Ballon d'Or Feminin winner Aitana Bonmati. 

Keira Walsh then curled a wonderful effort into the far corner from the edge of the box as Claudia Pina concluded the 13-minute onslaught on the stroke of half-time. 

Barca notched their sixth from the spot after Kamila Dubcova brought down Batlle, with Pina sending Schluter the wrong way, before Caroline Hansen completed the scoring to move her side onto six points in Group D. 

Dayot Upamecano believes a "lack of gratitude" has been shown towards France team-mate Kylian Mbappe after his latest omission from Les Blues' Nations League squad. 

Mbappe was not included for France's upcoming fixtures against Israel and Italy as a "one off", according to Didier Deschamps. 

The France captain also missed Les Bleus' last two matches, being rested despite his return to fitness in time for the October international break, with Mbappe coming under scrutiny for his absence.

The 25-year-old played the duration of Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Osasuna at the weekend, but was unable to find the target for the fourth game in a row. 

Mbappe has netted six goals in 11 LaLiga appearances since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, but has underperformed his season's expected goals (xG) total by 2.04.

He has also scored 48 goals in 86 outings for his nation, along with helping them claim the 2018 World Cup and 2020-21 Nations League title. 

Despite the recent speculation about Mbappe's absence from the side, Upamecano leapt to the defence of his team-mate and is hopeful for a swift return to the France set-up.

“Am I worried [about Mbappe]? No. You can’t forget what he’s done for the France national team. We lack a bit of gratitude towards him," Upamecano said. 

"I hope to see him again quickly. You can’t forget that he is our captain."

When asked if Mbappé’s absence could be due to physical or mental fatigue, Upamecano expressed understanding for his team-mate’s situation.

“There are many games, and I mentioned this at the start of the season. We’re human, and mental well-being is a big factor for us.

"I won’t go into details, but as I said, he’s our captain, and I hope he’ll be back with us soon. He’s very important to us.”

Cody Gakpo believes he has become a more "dangerous" player after returning to his preferred left-wing role under new Liverpool boss, Arne Slot. 

Gakpo, who joined the Reds in January 2023, was often deployed in a central striker role under Jurgen Klopp during his first 18 months at Anfield. 

Across his 53 appearances for Liverpool last season, 27 came as a centre forward, with the remaining 26 coming on either flank or in the attacking midfield position. 

The Dutchman, however, has registered eight goal contributions (six goals, two assists) in 17 appearances in all competitions this season, all but one of which has come from the left wing. 

Gakpo has found the net four times in his last four outings for the Reds, which included a brace against Brighton in the EFL Cup to propel them into the quarter-finals. 

Speaking about the switch, he told Men in Blazers: “Before I came to Liverpool I also played as a left-winger. Then I came here, and I started to play more as a central striker.

“At the Euros, I played as a left-winger again. Then this season the new manager came in. I had a talk with him, and he said, ‘You have to focus on the left-winger position.

"This is your position when you come on or when you start.’ Because he said there’s a lot of competition here, so you just have to show yourself. But he said, ‘That is going to be your position.’

“It felt a little bit, for me, like the old me, like what I did at PSV [Eindhoven] as well. I feel really good in this position. I try to show my best to everybody, what I’m capable of.

“I think I come into more one-v-ones now with my face towards the opponent, where I can really go inside and give a cross, shoot or go outside and give a cross – which is more my game, I would say, and where I think I can be really dangerous and help the team the most.”

Liverpool have enjoyed a fine start to the season, sitting top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables heading into the November international break.

Slot has earned 28 points from his first 11 top-flight games in charge (W9 D1 L1), the joint-most by a manager after as many games in the competition along with Guus Hiddink at Chelsea.

The Reds also remain the only side with a 100% record in the Champions League and have edged closer to defending their EFL Cup crown this season. 

And Gakpo, who played a part in the Reds' win over Chelsea in the final of that competition last year, is eager for that fighting spirit to help bring more success to the club.

“I see those [as] separate,” he said. “When I’m on the pitch, [I’m] really there to win the game, to show my quality," Gakpo said.

“I think one of my qualities is going inside and going for a goal or maybe going for an assist. As an attacking player, I think that’s also part of the job.

“Outside of the pitch, I tend to be a different guy – it’s more about life and development, mental growth, health growth with family, with friends.

"I just try to be myself and I’m very happy that people speak so nicely of me, so thank you everybody!

“Obviously when you come on the pitch, it’s game on. You have to think a little bit different – maybe not that nice in some ways because you have to win.

"But for me, it will never be personal. Out there, [I’m] just trying to do my best for the club and to win these games for the fans, for myself, for the team.

"When the referee blows the last whistle then the switch flips again and then I’m back to normal again.”

Scotland have confirmed that Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Stuart Armstrong has been recalled to Steve Clarke's ranks ahead of their upcoming Nations League fixtures. 

The Scots face Croatia at Hampden Park on Friday before taking on Poland in Warsaw three days later in the hope of picking up points in their bid for League A survival. 

This will be Armstrong's first appearance for his country since Euro 2024. He played for just 14 minutes in Scotland's loss to Hungary in their final group game of the tournament.

The 32-year-old's inclusion comes after the New York Red Bulls' Lewis Morgan and Torino's Che Adams pulled out, though Clarke confirmed he was happy with his forward options. 

Morgan has impressed in the MLS this season, registering 20 goal involvements (13 goals, seven assists) in the regular season for Sandro Schwarz's side. 

His 49 chances created is a total only bettered by John Tolkin (59) for the Red Bulls, while he also helped his side in their recent playoff series win over the Columbus Crew. 

Adams missed Torino's 2-0 defeat to Juventus last Saturday with a thigh injury, but upon further assessment from the Serie A side, has been ruled out of international duty. 

Scotland sit bottom of Group A1 after picking up one point from their first four games, which came in their last Nations League encounter with Portugal. 

Clarke's side, however, are both on their longest ever winless run at home (six games – D3 L3) and longest run without a victory in competitive fixtures (10 games - D4 L6).

They could also level their longest overall streak without a win, set in 1998 (nine games – D3 L5 currently), if they fall to defeat on Friday. 

Croatia, however, have never won away in Scotland (D2 L1), with this their first trip to Hampden Park since October 2013, losing 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier.

Though Dwight Yorke is committed to throwing his best efforts into his new role as senior Soca Warriors Head coach, former teammate Shaka Hislop believes it is the talent within Trinidad and Tobago’s setup that will ultimately determine the success of his tenure.

Yorke, the former Manchester United and Soca Warriors striker, was given a mandate by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) to qualify the Twin Island Republic to the 2026 Fifa World Cup or face the boot and the 53-year-old has declared his readiness to give of his best.

“Rest assured, I will give 100. I feel very calm, very excited at the same time, but fully aware of the challenge that is lying ahead. There’s lots of hard work to be done,” Yorke told TTFA media interview shortly after arriving in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.

“Not just me, the backroom stuff, the players to get where we want to get... obviously, trying to qualify for the World Cup. And yes, along the way, I’m sure they’re going to be some testing times for us. But that’s the challenges that lies ahead. So once we embrace it, once we are fully aware of it, and once we get the support, I fully believe, I’m fully confident that we can get the job done,” he added.

However, Hislop, while welcoming Yorke’s appointment, knows all too well that coaches coach but the results will ultimately come from how the players perform on match days.

In fact, Hislop, who along with Yorke represented the Soca Warriors at the 2006 global showpiece, was not shy to admit that the current squad lacks depth and sufficient talent, which he believes represent the toughest aspect of the puzzle at this point. This, as aside from AEK Athens striker Levi Garcia, Yorke’s current crop is made up of mostly lower leagues or home-based players.

“We’ve kind of stumbled from coach to coach over the last four or five years, probably dating back to Stephen Hart when he was in charge. But I think the TTFA got it right this time. That’s with the greatest respect to our teammate Dennis Lawrence and Angus Eve, who have both been in charge of the team, but results really didn’t go their way,” Hislop shared during a podcast.

“I think the big challenge for Dwight coming in with this squad is it’s not a very talented squad, if I may say so... certainly, on paper, and results would bear that out. How he’s able to find the right pieces for this puzzle is going to be Dwight’s biggest test,” the ESPN analyst added.

That said, Hislop also pointed to the significance of match fitness and, as such, urged the TTFA to ensure Yorke and his players consistently engage warm-up games during the November 2024 and March 2025 international windows.

Trinidad and Tobago currently sit second in Group B on four points, two behind Costa Rica, with St. Kitts and Nevis (three points), Grenada (one point), and the Bahamas (zero point) completing the group. Qualifying action will resume in June 2025.

“We’ve got some games during the international window as well. We’ve got the November window, which will be Dwight’s first time on the sidelines. So we have opportunity to see the squad, to make adjustments, to try to bring in players before things get very serious in terms of qualifiers,” Hislop noted.

Jamal Musiala said he remains focused on improving as a player after starring for Bayern Munich and Germany this season, with one eye on the 2026 World Cup. 

Musiala was on target in Bayern's 1-0 win over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday, netting his fifth goal of the campaign in just eight league appearances.

The 21-year-old has notched 13 goal contributions (nine goals, four assists) in all competitions for Vincent Kompany's side, with his impact on the side continuing to grow. 

Only Michael Olise (seven) and Harry Kane (16) have more goal involvements than Musiala (six) for Bayern in the Bundesliga this term. 

Musiala has also converted 89% of his big chances this season for Bayern in all competitions (8/9) - the best figure of all players from Europe's five major leagues with at least five big chances in 2024-25.

He has impressed on the international stage too. The midfielder notched four goal involvements (one goal, three assists) in Germany's 5-0 win over Hungary in September, becoming the youngest player to do so in a single game in the competition. 

After missing Germany's last Nations League fixtures through injury, Musiala is keen to continue his progression for his country. 

"The focus is to get better and keep putting in the work and not look around too much. For me it is important to take steps forward," Musiala said. 

"Last season I did that and maybe the goals and assists were missing a bit. I work on power, to be fit game after game.

"I want to have as few injuries as possible to make as many matches as possible."

"Over the years I have been looking less and less at all that," he said when asked about recent praise in the media. 

"I also do not do it when things are not going well. It is important in good times and bad times to have the same routine."

Germany take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday before travelling to Budapest three days later to square off against Hungary. 

Julian Nagelsmann's side have already qualified for the quarter-finals of the Nations League, sitting five points clear at the top of Group A3 with two games remaining. 

But Germany have struggled at major tournaments in recent years, falling in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 to eventual champions Spain. 

They have also failed to get out of the group stages in the last two editions of the World Cup, though Musiala was confident about his side's chances at the 2026 tournament, which takes place across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

"The Euro was not perfect as we all had wanted, but we still see the possibilities that are there," Musiala said.

"We have a year and a half until the World Cup, and we can take steps forward.

"Learn the lessons from the past two tournaments and hopefully play a good World Cup," he added.