Everton boss Sean Dyche has refused to rule out the prospect of losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the end of the season. 

Calvert-Lewin made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees last year, having completed just 38 outings across the previous two campaigns. 

The 27-year-old scored seven times for Dyche's side in the Premier League last year and was the club's joint-top scorer in the league alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure. 

Calvert-Lewin has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park in the transfer window, with a reported move to Newcastle falling through in July. 

Manchester United and West Ham have also registered their interest in the striker, who has just one year remaining on his current Everton contract. 

But with Everton's financial situation, which saw them deducted eight points last season for two breaches of Profitability and Sustainability Rules, they can ill-afford to lose him for nothing. 

When asked what would happen if a decent offer came in, Dyche said: "That would be the challenge for the club - for any player, not just Dom.

"You saw Amadou (Onana) leaving us. There was a level where they think: 'Right that's it, it's got to be done'.

"That is the current situation of the club. It's not just about the players mentioned, it's about any player.

"The club has got an outside picture and that's not something I can control. They do need to balance the finances better.

"We have done a lot of work with that since I've been here."

Everton begin their Premier League campaign against Brighton on Saturday, with Dyche hoping that Calvert-Lewin can continue his scoring streak against the Seagulls. 

Calvert-Lewin has three times in his 13 appearances against Brighton, only managing more against Burnley (four), Crystal Palace (five) and Newcastle (six). 

Everton boss Sean Dyche has refused to rule out the prospect of losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the end of the season. 

Calvert-Lewin made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees last season, having completed just 38 outings across the previous two campaigns. 

The 27-year-old scored seven times for Dyche's side in the Premier League last year and was the club's joint-top scorer in the league alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure. 

Calvert-Lewin has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park in the transfer window, with a reported move to Newcastle falling through in July. 

Manchester United and West Ham have also registered their interest in the striker, who has just one year remaining on his current Everton contract. 

But with Everton's financial situation, which saw them deducted eight points last season for two breaches of Profitability and Sustainability Rules, they can ill-afford to lose him for nothing. 

When asked what would happen if a decent offer came in, Dyche said: "That would be the challenge for the club - for any player, not just Dom.

"You saw Amadou (Onana) leaving us. There was a level where they think: 'Right that's it, it's got to be done'.

"That is the current situation of the club. It's not just about the players mentioned, it's about any player.

"The club has got an outside picture and that's not something I can control. They do need to balance the finances better.

"We have done a lot of work with that since I've been here."

Everton begin their Premier League campaign against Brighton on Saturday, with Dyche hoping that Calvert-Lewin can continue his scoring streak against the Seagulls. 

Calvert-Lewin has three times in his 13 appearances against Brighton, only managing more against Burnley (four), Crystal Palace (five) and Newcastle (six). 

Luis Enrique said questions regarding Kylian Mbappe are "boring" as Paris Saint-Germain begin life without the Frenchman this weekend against Le Havre. 

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in June, scored on his maiden outing for Los Blancos in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win against Atalanta on Wednesday. 

The 25-year-old became the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut in the Super Cup since Marco Asensio did so against Sevilla back in 2016. 

And despite no longer being a part of Enrique's squad, the PSG head coach was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the encounter unfold in Warsaw. 

"My God these Spanish people are boring. I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," Enrique said as he shook his head.

"But I don't have anything to hide. I have always adored Kylian Mbappe and he is a unique and exceptional person. I wish him the best, and that Madrid lose against us."

The Parisian's will need to find a new source of goals for the upcoming season after Mbappe posted his best figures in a campaign since his move from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe managed 34 goal contributions in Ligue 1 (27 goals and seven assists), with Goncalo Ramos (12) and Ousmane Dembele (11) his closest challengers. 

However, Enrqiue is relishing the challenge that lies ahead as he goes in search of a fourth major honour at the Parc des Princes. 

"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," Enrique said.

"But based on my experience, it is better to have four players scoring 12 - that would make 48, which is more than 40.

"I think it's a fascinating challenge. It's a challenge to show that football is a collective sport."

Luis Enrique said questions regarding Kylian Mbappe are "boring" as Paris Saint-Germain begin life without the Frenchman this weekend against Le Havre. 

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in June, scored on his maiden outing for Los Blancos in their 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win against Atalanta on Wednesday. 

The 25-year-old became the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut in the Super Cup since Marco Asensio did so against Sevilla back in 2016. 

And despite no longer being a part of Enrique's squad, the PSG head coach was asked by a Spanish journalist if he had watched the encounter unfold in Warsaw. 

"My God these Spanish people are boring. I didn't imagine you were going to ask me a question about Kylian again," Enrique said as he shook his head.

"But I don't have anything to hide. I have always adored Kylian Mbappe and he is a unique and exceptional person. I wish him the best, and that Madrid lose against us."

The Parisian's will need to find a new source of goals for the upcoming season after Mbappe posted his best figures in a campaign since his move from Monaco in 2018.

Mbappe managed 34 goal contributions in Ligue 1 (27 goals and seven assists), with Goncalo Ramos (12) and Ousmane Dembele (11) his closest challengers. 

However, Enrqiue is relishing the challenge that lies ahead as he goes in search of a fourth major honour at the Parc des Princes. 

"If someone else scores 40 goals, that would be great," Enrique said.

"But based on my experience, it is better to have four players scoring 12 - that would make 48, which is more than 40.

"I think it's a fascinating challenge. It's a challenge to show that football is a collective sport."

Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the new coach of the United States national team according to multiple reports.

The USMNT job would be a significant change for the 52-year-old as he has previously only managed at club level.

He spent three years with La Liga side Espanyol before spending a year at Southampton in the Premier League.

He then had the most successful spell of his managerial career, so far, during his six years at Tottenham Hotspur, including leading them to a UEFA Champions League final in his last full season there in 2018-19.

After being sacked by Spurs the following season, Pochettino then managed Paris St Germain for one season in 2021-22 before taking charge of Chelsea last season, leading them to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.

Pochettino is expected to be on the sidelines for the USMNT’s friendly against Canada on September 7 in Kansas City.

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Yves Bissouma has been suspended for Tottenham's opening game of the Premier League campaign against Leicester. 

Bissouma, who made 28 appearances last season, posted a video of himself inhaling nitrous oxide on social media last weekend. 

The incident occurred hours after Spurs' final pre-season clash, where they lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich in the Visit Malta Cup.

The 27-year-old later issued an apology, saying: "I want to apologise for these videos. This was a severe lack of judgement.

"I understand how serious this is and the health risks involved, and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously.”

However, Spurs have since taken the decision to exclude the midfielder from the squad for their trip to the King Power Stadium on Monday. 

"I've been in the game for a long time. When a situation like this arises, I've tried to look at them in a couple of ways," Postecoglou said in his pre-match press conference. 

"First, there's a person. That's Biss and he's made a poor decision.

"There are still sanctions involved, and some of those are educational. The second part of that is he's a footballer, with responsibilities.

"He won't be available on Monday. We've suspended him for Monday's game. He needs to build that trust back with both me and the group.

"The door is open for him and hopefully we can help him realise the decisions he makes impact the group.

"[It's down to] behaviour, it's that simple. It's about making better decisions. He was very apologetic to me, the club and everyone involved, but that's just part of it."

Cody Gakpo is confident he can replicate the form he showed at Euro 2024 for Liverpool in the Premier League under the guidance of Arne Slot. 

Gakpo, who shared the Golden Boot with five other players at the European Championships with three goals, has failed to nail down a starting spot since his move to Anfield last year. 

The Dutchman scored 16 goals across 53 appearances in all competitions last season, eight of which came in the Premier League for the Reds. 

However, his performances in Germany saw him star for Ronald Koeman's side.

Gakpo's display against Romania in the last 16 saw him become the first Dutch player to score and assist in a knockout-stage game at the tournament since Frank Rijkaard in the 1992 semi-final versus Denmark.

The Liverpool man also led all Netherlands players for shots (12), shots on target (eight), chances created from open play (11) and expected assists (1.9).

He created 10 chances from ball carries at Euro 2024, five times shooting himself and five times setting up teammates, with only Lamine Yamal (15) and Kylian Mbappe (11) bettering that total. 

"I'm very confident. It was a good Euros for me [but] unfortunately we lost to England," Gakpo told Liverpool's website. 

"It was a good one for us as a country as well, even though we could do better maybe.

"I'm very happy to be back, full of confidence and I need to keep performing like that here as well.

Since his arrival from PSV Eindhoven, Gakpo has often fluttered across the forward line, with the ability to play out wide or as a central striker. 

Last season, 27 of his 53 appearances were played as a lone striker, proving to be his most effective with 15 of his 22 goal contributions coming in that position. 

But with the Reds under Slot's stewardship this campaign, Gakpo was able to detail the position he will play for much of the upcoming season. 

"Yeah, I spoke to him and obviously he sees me as a left winger. That's how I think he sees me," Gakpo said.

"We have a lot of players in the front line and you know the season is long and there can be some injuries in every position.

"So he said, 'You're playing there but maybe I need you in another position, you can play there as well. Just be ready.'

"For me, I'm here and I try to play the best football I can and help the club as much as I can with my qualities."

West Ham have announced that Jarrod Bowen will captain the side for the upcoming Premier League season in Julen Lopetegui's first campaign in charge. 

Bowen, who has made 202 appearances for the Hammers since his move from Hull in 2020, takes the armband from Kurt Zouma, who is in talks over a move to the UAE.

The 27-year-old scored 16 league goals for West Ham last year, equalling Paulo Di Canio's record from the 1999-2000 campaign for the most goals scored by a Hammers player in a Premier League season.

The England international's 22 league goal involvements was the joint-ninth highest in the division, level with new Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke

Bowen recently captained West Ham to victory in their final pre-season fixture against Celta Vigo in the Betway Cup on Saturday, finding the net before a 6-5 penalty shootout saw them triumph at the London Stadium. 

Bowen will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds and Mark Noble, an honour he was thrilled to accept. 

“I am incredibly proud and happy to be West Ham United captain,” Bowen told West Ham's website. “We’ve had many great moments here as a club.

"I’ve been here four-and-a-half years now, so to be named Club captain is a really proud moment and one that I’ll wear with great honour.

“Since I’ve been here it’s just been an upward trajectory in what we’ve done on the pitch, what I’ve done off the pitch.

"To get to this moment is another statement of love I have for this club, along with when I signed my new deal last year.

"I said then that I want to stay here for the rest of my life and I haven’t come off that page. If I can go down as a legend here in years to come, that would be great.”

Bowen will lead the Hammers out for their first fixture of the new Premier League season on Saturday when they welcome Aston Villa to the London Stadium. 

Another new season, another new head coach at Stamford Bridge. 

And Enzo Maresca could hardly have been handed a tougher assignment as he leads Chelsea in the Premier League for the first time, with champions Manchester City the visitors to SW6 on Sunday.

It has been another busy off-season for the Blues, with the Todd Boehly regime sanctioning a £161million outlay on nine signings, including Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

City, on the other hand, have been largely quiet as Guardiola continues to put his faith in the group that delivered an unprecedented fourth straight league crown last season.  

As two of English football's giants prepare to go head-to-head on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, we dive into the best Opta stats to preview Sunday's clash.

What's expected? 

It will come as a surprise to nobody to learn City are overwhelming favourites to defend their title in 2024-25, the Opta supercomputer giving them an 83% chance of topping the pile.

The supercomputer is also firmly on their side ahead of matchday one, with simulations of Sunday's game resulting in City being assigned a 59.6% chance of victory.

City's last trip to Stamford Bridge resulted in what was surely the game of the 2023-24 season, as Cole Palmer scored a last-gasp penalty in a 4-4 draw last November.

The chances of the points being shared again on Sunday are rated at 20.8%, with Chelsea only triumphant in 19.6% of scenarios.

The Blues are winless in their last six Premier League meetings with City, recording two draws and four defeats since Thomas Tuchel led them to a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium in May 2021.

That result was swiftly followed by another victory in the 2021 Champions League final, but City have since gone unbeaten through nine meetings with Chelsea in all competitions (seven wins, two draws), the joint-longest run without defeat against the Blues in their history (also nine between 1936 and 1949).

This will be the first time Chelsea have opened a top-flight campaign against the reigning champions since 1971-72, when they were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal at Highbury.

City, meanwhile, have made a habit of starting quickly in recent years, winning their opening match in 12 of the last 13 Premier League seasons, the only exception being a 1-0 loss at Tottenham in August 2021.

Maresca thrown in at the deep end

Maresca is set to become the fourth Chelsea boss to face the defending champions in his first Premier League game at the helm, with none of the previous three starting with a win.

Claudio Ranieri oversaw a 3-3 draw with Manchester United in September 2000, Avram Grant's tenure started with a 2-0 defeat to the Red Devils in September 2007, and Rafael Benitez's Blues held City to a goalless draw on his November 2012 bow.

Despite leading Leicester City to the Championship title with an impressive haul of 97 points last season, Maresca – who previously served as manager of City's Elite Development Squad in 2020-21 – was a somewhat left-field appointment by Boehly. Banking some early credit – something Mauricio Pochettino failed to do – could prove crucial.

As a coach straight out of the Guardiola school, Maresca is expected to instil a heavy pressing, possession-based style in West London. The question is how quickly his Chelsea players will take to it. 

Pochettino's Chelsea only lost one of their final 15 Premier League games last season (nine wins, five draws), including winning their last five in a row, yet their players have found themselves on another tactical crash-course in pre-season, which included a 4-2 defeat to City in Columbus, Ohio.

Many members of Chelsea's bloated first-team squad should be suited to Maresca's demands, though. The Blues averaged 12.2 pressed sequences per game in the Premier League last season, compared to Leicester's 11.3 in the Championship under Maresca, also forcing 9.0 high turnovers per 90 minutes to the Foxes' 7.9.

Sunday's game may not offer a perfect representation of what is to come under the Italian, though, with City likely to dictate proceedings. 

If Maresca is willing to tweak his approach, there could be joy to be had on the counter-attack, and new £51.4million winger Neto could relish coming up against City's high line.

The former Wolves man travelled 14.53 metres per carry in the Premier League last season, ranking third in the division behind Chiedozie Ogbene (15.13) and Anthony Elanga (14.54).

Only 12 players, meanwhile, managed more assist-ending carries than Neto's three, despite the jet-heeled winger being limited to just 1,518 Premier League minutes by injury. City will have to be on their toes if he makes his debut. 

Will City be without Rodri?

City ended last season by winning nine straight league matches by two goals or more, the longest such run in their Premier League history, with their final three victories all coming against London clubs (4-0 versus Fulham, 2-0 against Tottenham, 3-1 versus West Ham).

While Phil Foden claimed the Premier League's Player of the Season prize after a series of talismanic performances in the run-in, Guardiola's side surely could not have done it without Rodri.

Rodri has taken his all-round game to a new level, scoring eight Premier League goals and adding nine assists last season – both career-high figures – before going on to claim Player of the Tournament honours as Spain won Euro 2024.

Since the start of the 2022-23 season, City have only lost six of the 102 matches they have played with Rodri in their starting lineup, suffering the same number of defeats in just 18 games without the Spaniard during this span.

In the Premier League last term, they boasted a record of 27 wins, seven draws and no defeats when Rodri appeared, but lost three of four games (one win) when he was absent.

City's ability to cope without the 28-year-old could be put to the test on Sunday, however. He did not return to training until Wednesday following his Euro 2024 heroics, making it unlikely – though not impossible – that he will play a full part at Stamford Bridge.

Guardiola's champions did show defensive frailties at times last season, conceding the joint-most goals from fast breaks in the Premier League (seven, alongside Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion) despite giving up the seventh-fewest fast breaks in total (26).

If Rodri misses out or sees his participation limited on Sunday, City's competitors will be interested to get a look at their midfield depth.  

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea – Cole Palmer 

Palmer showed his old club what they were missing last season with his last-gasp penalty at Stamford Bridge, one of 33 Premier League goal involvements (22 goals, 11 assists) he recorded in 2023-24 – more than any other player.

Sixteen of his goals came in home games, the joint-most a Chelsea player has ever netted at Stamford Bridge in a single campaign, alongside Didier Drogba in 2006-07 and Frank Lampard in 2009-10.

With Palmer also making a sizeable impact for England at Euro 2024, including coming off the bench to net in their final defeat to Spain, another productive campaign is expected of him.

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Palmer's fine debut season did not result in a Golden Boot win, though, with Haaland retaining the prize with 27 Premier League goals in 2023-24.

Haaland has 63 goals in 66 Premier League matches since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, and if his previous opening-day performances are anything to go by, Chelsea should be fearful.

The Norwegian has started both of his Premier League seasons with a matchday-one brace, scoring twice versus West Ham in 2022-23 and Burnley in 2023-24.

He could become the first player in Premier League history to achieve that feat in three different seasons, let alone three in a row.

Carlo Ancelotti said his Real Madrid players "were suffering" during their record sixth UEFA Super Cup triumph over Atalanta on Wednesday. 

Ancelotti watched on as his side struggled in the opening exchanges, registering just three shots in the first-half with an expected goals (xG) total of 0.38. 

Madrid's best chance in the first 45 minutes saw Rodrygo rattle the crossbar, but a much-improved display after the interval saw Federico Valverde and Kylian Mbappe strike to secure the win. 

Ancelotti, who drew level with Miguel Munoz as the Madrid coach with the most titles (14), was delighted with the result, but acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter. 

“It is an honour and a privilege to live these nights here," Ancelotti said. "We were suffering, fighting and winning too.

“We suffered a bit in the first half, because Atalanta pressed a lot and play very well defensively. They won more duels than us and we had more difficulties.

"The game opened up a bit in the second half, they felt tired and we had more space. With that space, Rodrygo, Vinicius and Mbappe are very dangerous.”

Ancelotti's success in Warsaw was his fifth in the Super Cup, taking him clear of Pep Guardiola (four), with three of those titles coming with Los Blancos.

But much of the noise surrounded Mbappe's debut, becoming the first Madrid player to score on his competitive debut for the club since Jude Bellingham did so against Athletic Bilbao 12 months ago. 

Mbappe contributed 44 goals and 10 assists in his final season with Paris Saint-Germain and targeted a haul of 50 in his debut season in Madrid, with Ancelotti believing the Frenchman can surpass that total. 

“He has the quality to score a lot of goals, more than 50," Ancelotti said after full-time.

"We have to look for the balance of the team and today we had it, although in the first half the game was difficult. But the team played a great game defensively.”

Madrid now turn their attention to the opening match of their 2024-25 La Liga campaign. Ancelotti and his players head to Son Moix on Sunday, where they will take on Mallorca.

Kylian Mbappe targeted a haul of 50 goals in his first season with Real Madrid after scoring on his debut in their UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta, declaring: "I have no limit".

Mbappe joined Federico Valverde on the scoresheet as Champions League holders Madrid won the Super Cup for a record-breaking sixth time on Wednesday, beating La Dea 2-0.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward slammed into the top-right corner after being teed up by Jude Bellingham after 68 minutes in Warsaw, where Madrid were arguably unfortunate not to win by a greater margin.

Having contributed 44 goals and 10 assists during his final campaign in France, Mbappe is hopeful of an even more impressive return in his debut season with Los Blancos. 

"We're at Real Madrid, we have no limit, I have no limit," Mbappe told Movistar.

"If I can score 50 goals, it's 50. But the most important thing is to win and improve as a team, because we're going to win as a team.

"It was a great night. I've been waiting for this moment a long time, to play in this shirt, with this badge, for these fans. It's a great moment for me.

"Winning a trophy is very important, we know that we always have to win. I'm very happy, for sure with the goal, for a forward like me, being decisive in my first game, but more importantly, it's a pleasure to play."

Mbappe played as a central striker flanked by Brazil internationals Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, with Bellingham playing in a slightly deeper role than that he occupied in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

After Vinicius and Bellingham combined to tee up his goal, Mbappe said he was excited to develop alongside the two Ballon d'Or contenders. 

"They're two great players," Mbappe said when asked about Vinicius and Bellingham. 

"Here we have the best in every position. I'm happy to play with the entire squad we have, we'll improve for sure, me first of all, but today is a positive step."

Brajan Gruda has left Mainz for Brighton and Hove Albion in a reported £25.8million (€30m) deal.

The Germany Under-21 international established himself as a key man for Mainz last season, scoring four goals and assisting three more in 28 Bundesliga appearances.

As well as contributing in the final third, Gruda thrilled supporters with his dribbling style.

Indeed, his 76 carries with a take-on ranked third in the Bundesliga in 2023-24, behind only Leroy Sane (94) and Chris Fuhrich (83).

The 20-year-old earned admiring glances from around Europe, but it is Brighton who have moved to sign him on a contract until 2028.

Gruda becomes Brighton's second big right-sided winger signing of this transfer window, with the Seagulls having also bought Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United.

Minteh, who has shone for Brighton in pre-season, spent last season on loan at Feyenoord and scored 10 Eredivisie goals across 27 matches, also netting once in the Champions League.

Newcastle United will visit Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the second round of the EFL Cup.

Newcastle reached the final of this competition in 2022-23, also qualifying for the Champions League.

But Eddie Howe's men narrowly missed out on European football ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, meaning they enter the EFL Cup at this early stage.

The Magpies were handed one of the tougher possible draws, although they have won at the City Ground in each of the past two seasons. Newcastle and Forest will meet in Nottingham in the league in November.

Forest have enjoyed the sides' recent cup encounters rather more, knocking Newcastle out at this stage in both 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Elsewhere, Wednesday's draw, which was split into northern and southern sections, also pitted West Ham and Bournemouth against one another in a second all-Premier League tie.

Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle are to head to fellow Championship outfit Watford, while Middlesbrough host Stoke City after making the semi-finals last term and then beating Leeds United in the first round.

Rooney's former side Everton were drawn against Doncaster Rovers, the same opponents they defeated a year ago.

Ties will be played the week commencing August 26.

EFL Cup second-round draw in full:

Coventry City v Oxford United
Swansea City v Wycombe Wanderers
Wimbledon v Ipswich Town
Birmingham City v Fulham
Watford v Plymouth Argyle
West Ham v Bournemouth
Queens Park Rangers v Luton Town
Brighton and Hove Albion v Crawley Town
Crystal Palace v Norwich City
Cardiff City v Southampton
Millwall v Leyton Orient
Colchester United v Brentford
Grimsby Town v Sheffield Wednesday
Everton v Doncaster Rovers
Blackburn Rovers v Blackpool
Fleetwood Town v Rotherham United
Shrewsbury Town v Bolton Wanderers
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United
Barrow v Derby County
Leicester City v Tranmere Rovers
Middlesbrough v Stoke City
Barnsley v Sheffield United
Harrogate Town v Preston North End
Walsall v Huddersfield Town
Wolves v Burnley

Jude Bellingham hailed Kylian Mbappe as the ideal team-mate after the Frenchman began his Real Madrid career with a goal in their UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta.

Mbappe hammered his finish into the top-right corner to give Madrid daylight after 68 minutes at the Stadion Narodowy, having been picked out near the penalty spot by Bellingham.

That strike made the former Paris Saint-Germain star the first Madrid player to net on his debut since Bellingham made an immediate impact last August, scoring in their opening match in LaLiga against Athletic Bilbao.

Asked whether Mbappe's debut goal was written in the stars by TNT Sports, Bellingham said: "I think so, he's just one of those players, isn't he? 

"He's brilliant, he's so sharp and he has so much technical quality. He's a great team-mate as well. 

"He doesn't just rely on the quality he has, he works like a dog as well. Full credit to him and he deserves it tonight."

Many had queried how Carlo Ancelotti would field Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in the same lineup, but the quartet combined to great effect in the second half.

Playing in a slightly deeper position than that he occupied in his first campaign in Spain, Bellingham enjoyed the most touches (75) and created the most chances (three) of any Madrid player.  

He has now registered an assist on all three of his final appearances for Madrid, also laying on goals in last season's Champions League and Supercopa de Espana showpiece games.

Asked how he found playing alongside Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo, Bellingham said: "We've got a new-look team, I think in the first half we were still adjusting but in the second half it all came together. 

"I thought we were brilliant. It was really nice. It's going to be a long year for us if we do well in everything, which is want we want to do. So we've got to enjoy nights like tonight.

"It's all about being patient, we're going to suffer at times but we've just got to find our rhythms and play with a smile, enjoy it.

"I think we just need to get a feel for our positions. I can go higher when I need to, and I can come back and help in the build-up as well.

"Whatever the coach wants from me, I'll do it. I don't know if I'm always going to score or make goals but hopefully I'll always be involved in helping the team win."

Wayne Rooney claimed his first win in charge of Plymouth Argyle with a 3-0 victory over fourth-tier Cheltenham Town in the first round of the EFL Cup.

Manchester United and England great Rooney was appointed as Plymouth boss ahead of the 2024-25 season, returning to the Championship after an unsuccessful stint at Birmingham City last season.

But the former striker's league bow saw Plymouth thrashed 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday, with Rooney criticising his players following the first match of the campaign.

This cup meeting with Cheltenham eased the pressure on Rooney and Plymouth a little, however, even if they had to wait until past the hour mark for Ben Waine's breakthrough goal.

Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu then added to the scoring in the final 10 minutes to send Rooney's side safely into the second round.

Argyle are joined there by league foes Wednesday, who continued their strong start to the season by beating Hull City 2-1 courtesy of an early Charlie McNiell brace.

Meanwhile, in the third and final tie on Wednesday, Middlesbrough dumped out fellow Championship promotion candidates Leeds United, winning 3-0 at Elland Road.

Leeds, beaten play-off finalists last season, had been held at home by Portsmouth on the opening day of the league campaign and were frustrated again in front of their own fans, who booed the team off at full-time.

Anfernee Dijksteel's fine individual strike was followed by goals from Delano Burgzorg and Josh Coburn to ensure Boro boss Michael Carrick joins former team-mate Rooney in the draw for the next stage.