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Rob Page hopes the presence of Aaron Ramsey can help Wales realise their Euro 2024 dream after the injured captain joined them on their long trek to Armenia. Midfielder Ramsey has not played since mid-September after damaging a knee tendon, missing last month’s stunning victory over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia that has left automatic qualification in Wales’ own hands entering the final two games. The 32-year-old, however, has taken the unusual step of an injured player being present for Wales’ 4,600-round mile trip to Yerevan, one of European football’s most remote outposts. “Rambo’s travelled with the lads, which is brilliant,” Page said ahead of Saturday’s penultimate qualifier at the Republican Stadium, the scene of their only previous visit to this corner of Eastern Europe in 2001 – a game the manager played in. “It’s the presence around the changing room. I used to say it with Gareth Bale. Aaron falls into the same category for me. “The wealth of experience he’s got. Just being around young JJ (Jordan James), who can pick his brains on just about anything. He’s the captain and he’s been wanting to travel. He’s been with the group all week. “He’s done his little bits of work that he’s needed to for Cardiff. He’s got a plan and gone off and done his own bits. “We’ve had to find a training ground for him, but he wants to be around the boys and I think that speaks volumes about what we’ve got as a group.” Wales know two closing victories – already-qualified Turkey are the visitors to Cardiff on Tuesday – will see them secure qualification for a fourth tournament out of five. Dropped points will leave them relying on favourable results elsewhere and the prospect of avoiding the play-offs in March where the likes of Norway, Poland and Ukraine could be lurking. “The camp has been great all week. The positivity has been incredible,” said Page, who has a difficult selection call to make with Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson available after missing the Croatia win through injury. “There’s enough experience in that changing room of big games, when you need big players to step up for big games – and this is a big game for us. “Our full focus is on this game. We’re not even talking about Tuesday’s game. We’ve got enough experience to cope with this. “We haven’t got anything where you need that siege mentality (like Wales did in October) but we’re coming off the back of one of the best performances we’ve ever had, certainly of my tenure. “We can’t be complacent, we need consistency when it comes to that level of performance. If we do that the result will look after itself.” Ben Davies, as he did against Croatia, will lead Wales in the absence of Ramsey and playing at Euro 2024 would represent the Tottenham defender’s fourth major tournament – three European Championships and the 2022 World Cup. Davies said: “This is the dream for us and it doesn’t matter if you’ve done it once or three or four times. “We’re confident as a group that on the day we can beat anybody. We’ve done that in the last two and we want to show that again. “We’re a good group, a tight-knit group, and it’s nice to see the same faces every time you come. “You end up playing as a family and I think that where our success has been gained, being a band of brothers out there.”

Rob Page hopes the presence of Aaron Ramsey can help Wales realise their Euro 2024 dream after the injured captain joined them on their long trek to Armenia. Midfielder Ramsey has not played since mid-September after damaging a knee tendon, missing last month’s stunning victory over World Cup semi-finalists Croatia that has left automatic qualification in Wales’ own hands entering the final two games. The 32-year-old, however, has taken the unusual step of an injured player being present for Wales’ 4,600-round mile trip to Yerevan, one of European football’s most remote outposts. “Rambo’s travelled with the lads, which is brilliant,” Page said ahead of Saturday’s penultimate qualifier at the Republican Stadium, scene of their only previous visit to this corner of Eastern Europe in 2001 – a game the manager played in. “It’s the presence around the changing room. I used to say it with Gareth Bale. Aaron falls into the same category for me. “The wealth of experience he’s got. Just being around young JJ (Jordan James), who can pick his brains on just about anything. He’s the captain and he’s been wanting to travel. He’s been with the group all week. “He’s done his little bits of work that he’s needed to for Cardiff. He’s got a plan and gone off and done his own bits. “We’ve had to find a training ground for him, but he wants to be around the boys and I think that speaks volumes about what we’ve got as a group.” Wales know two closing victories – already-qualified Turkey are the visitors to Cardiff on Tuesday – will see them secure qualification for a fourth tournament out of five. Dropped points will need them relying on favourable results elsewhere and the prospect of avoiding the play-offs in March where the likes of Norway, Poland and Ukraine could be lurking. “The camp has been great all week. The positivity has been incredible,” said Page, who has a difficult selection call to make with Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson available after missing the Croatia win through injury. “There’s enough experience in that changing room of big games, when you need big players to step up for big games – and this is a big game for us. “Our full focus is on this game. We’re not even talking about Tuesday’s game. We’ve got enough experience to cope with this. “We haven’t got anything where you need that siege mentality (like Wales did in October) but we’re coming off the back of one of the best performances we’ve ever had, certainly of my tenure. “We can’t be complacent, we need consistency when it comes to that level of performance. If we do that the result will look after itself.” Ben Davies, as he did against Croatia, will lead Wales in the absence of Ramsey and playing at Euro 2024 would represent the Tottenham defender’s fourth major tournament – three European Championships and the 2022 World Cup. Davies said: “This is the dream for us and it doesn’t matter if you’ve done it once or three or four times. “We’re confident as a group that on the day we can beat anybody. We’ve done that in the last two and we want to show that again. “We’re a good group, a tight-knit group, and it’s nice to see the same faces every time you come. “You end up playing as a family and I think that where our success has been gained, being a band of brothers out there.” Read More Everton hit with 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules Carlos Alcaraz sets up Novak Djokovic clash with win at ATP Tour Finals Fine finish hands Nicolai Hojgaard two-shot lead at halfway stage in Dubai Exeter captain Poppy Leitch hoping for more progress during inaugural PWR season Street Child Cricket World Cup gives youngsters chance to shine Wales v Armenia: Key talking points as Rob Page’s side face crunch qualifier

Everton have been given a 10-point deduction after an independent commission found them guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial fair play (FFP) rules. The club plan to appeal against what they regard as a disproportionate and “unjust” punishment and said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the decision and the sanction. But as it stands, Sean Dyche’s men will drop from 14th to 19th place in the Premier League table and be plunged into greater danger of relegation as they only stay above bottom side Burnley on goal difference. The Toffees become the first English top-flight club to receive such a punishment for falling foul of FFP guidelines. They are just the third club in the Premier League era to be deducted points for any reason: Portsmouth saw nine points taken away for entering administration in 2010 and Middlesbrough were slapped with a three-point deduction for illegally postponing a game in 1997 – both teams subsequently suffering relegation at the end of the season. A statement from the Premier League read: “An independent commission has imposed an immediate deduction of 10 points on Everton FC for a breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs). “The Premier League issued a complaint against the club and referred the case to an independent commission earlier this year. During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending season 2021-22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute. “Following a five-day hearing last month, the commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted under the PSRs. The commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.” Last month, the Premier League had recommended a deduction of up to 12 points for the Toffees, as they urged the independent commission to impose a severe sanction. Everton responded in a club statement that said: “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s commission. “The club believes that the commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the club’s case will be heard by an appeal board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course. “Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. “The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. “The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.” Manchester City face 115 charges for allegedly breaching FFP rules in a case that has not yet been heard while Chelsea could also face charges relating to former owner Roman Abramovich’s reign. Everton had announced a total loss of over £300m for the three-year period from 2019 to 2022, far above the £105m permitted. However, clubs were also permitted additional losses related to the Covid-19 pandemic and infrastructure costs are exempt, meaning there is a grey area in terms of interest payments on the costs of building Everton’s new stadium. Everton contend that that is where the discrepancy lies and that it is a matter of the interpretation of accounting. In addition, Everton had a £200m pre-agreement for a naming rights deal for their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium with USM, Alisher Usmanov’s company, which they had to abandon after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Everton have willingly operated under a de facto salary cap since then. The Premier League provided the club with financial guidelines and Everton have a net profit of £28m from the last four transfer windows – the third largest, after Leicester and Brighton, in that time. The Independent has previously reported that an extra layer of political pressure was exerted by the anticipated introduction of an independent football regulator – as laid out by prime minister Rishi Sunak in the King’s Speech earlier this month – with other figures in the sport believing the Premier League is attempting to show the government it can regulate itself. Eyes will now turn to Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City, who had threatened to sue the Merseyside club for financial losses should they be found guilty of an FFP breach. Read More Watch: Everton CEO responds to Premier League after point deduction Everton vow to fight to ‘unjust’ Premier League points deduction Victor Lindelof: Scoring more goals is next step for Manchester United Sean Dyche: Everton are starting to show belief on the road after latest win Everton edge Crystal Palace in five-goal thriller On this day in 2014: David Moyes appointed Real Sociedad head coach

Everton have criticised the Premier League’s decision to issue the club with a 10-point deduction as punishment for breaching financial fair play rules, and have vowed to appeal against the decision. The Premier League referred Everton to an independent commission in March for an alleged breach of its profitability and sustainability rules in the period ending in the 2021-22 season, and the league recommended a deduction of up to 12 points. On Friday a Premier League statement said: “The Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5m, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105m permitted. The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.” Everton reacted with anger at the news and rejected the finding that they failed to act in good faith during the Premier League’s investigation. “Everton Football Club is both shocked and disappointed by the ruling of the Premier League’s Commission,” it said in a statement. “The Club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction. The Club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the Club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course. “Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. The Club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the Commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. “The Club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. “Everton cannot comment on this matter any further until the appeal process has concluded.” The sanction was put into immediate effect, meaning Everton dropped from 14th to 19th in the Premier League, and from 14 points to four. Everton had announced a total loss of over £300m for the three-year period from 2019 to 2022, far above the £105m permitted. However, clubs were also permitted additional losses related to the Covid-19 pandemic and infrastructure costs are exempt, meaning there is a grey area in terms of interest payments on the costs of building Everton’s new stadium. Everton contend that that is where the discrepancy lies and that it is a matter of the interpretation of accounting. In addition, Everton had a £200m pre-agreement for a naming rights deal for their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium with USM, Alisher Usmanov’s company, which they had to abandon after Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Everton have willingly operated under a de facto salary cap since then. The Premier League provided the club with financial guidelines and Everton have a net profit of £28m from the last four transfer windows – the third largest, after Leicester and Brighton, in that time. The Independent have previously reported that an extra layer of political pressure was exerted by the anticipated introduction of an independent football regulator – as laid out by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the King’s Speech earlier this month – with other figures in the sport believing the Premier League is attempting to show the government it can regulate itself. Eyes will now turn to Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City, who had threatened to sue the Merseyside club for financial losses should they be found guilty of an FFP breach. Read More Watch: Everton CEO responds to Premier League after point deduction Everton rocked by points deduction as Premier League toughens on financial fair play Victor Lindelof: Scoring more goals is next step for Manchester United Sean Dyche: Everton are starting to show belief on the road after latest win Everton edge Crystal Palace in five-goal thriller On this day in 2014: David Moyes appointed Real Sociedad head coach

With qualification secured for Euro 2024, England now bid to secure top spot in Group C and a high seeding at next summer’s tournament. Gareth Southgate’s side face Malta in their penultimate fixture of the qualifying campaign. The Mediterranean nation are bottom of the group and without a point with just one match left to play, losing the reverse fixture 4-0 in June. Malta failed to register even a shot on that occasion but will be hoping for better against an England side missing a couple of regular squad members. Here’s everything you need to know. Get all the latest football betting sites offers here. When is England vs Malta? England vs Malta is due to kick off at 7.45pm GMT on Friday 17 November at Wembley Stadium in London. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Channel 4, with coverage on the channel from 7pm GMT. A live stream will be available via the Channel 4 website and app. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news England have suffered a number of withdrawals from their squad for this fixture and their final qualifier against North Macedonia, with Jude Bellingham and James Maddison the headline names pulling out after strong starts to the season. There is still no place for Raheem Sterling among Gareth Southgate’s group, though, with Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer earning a call up instead and perhaps in line for a senior international debut. Kemar Reid has earned a first call up for Malta, with the Floriana player now a naturalised citizen of the country. Jodi Jones of Notts County is among the foreign-based contingent and should feature up front, while midfielder Teddy Teuma is also back amongst things after missing the fixture against Italy earlier in the month with an ankle injury. Predicted line-ups England XI: Pickford; Walker, Maguiere, Guehi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Galllagher; Saka, Kane, Foden. Malta XI: Bonnello; Mbong, S. Borg, Pepe, J. Borg, Camenzuli; Teuma, Guillaumier, Muscat; Jones, Nwoko. Odds England win 1/66 Draw 20/1 Malta win 66/1 Get the latest football odds here. Prediction A comfortable England win. England 5-0 Malta Read More Everton rocked by points deduction as Premier League toughens on financial fair play Everton deducted 10 points for breach of Premier League financial rules Trent Alexander-Arnold shares feelings on England midfield role Everton rocked by points deduction as Premier League toughens on financial fair play Everton deducted 10 points for breach of Premier League financial rules Trent Alexander-Arnold shares feelings on England midfield role

Everton have been deducted 10 points by an independent commission after being found to have breached Premier League financial rules. The league referred Everton to the commission in March for an alleged breach of its profitability and sustainability rules in the period ending in the 2021-22 season. The rules allow clubs to lose a maximum £105million over a three-year period or face sanctions. Everton issued a statement confirming their intention to appeal against the sanction. The Premier League said in a statement published on its official website: “During the proceedings, the club admitted it was in breach of the PSRs for the period ending Season 2021/22 but the extent of the breach remained in dispute. “Following a five-day hearing last month, the Commission determined that Everton FC’s PSR Calculation for the relevant period resulted in a loss of £124.5million, as contended by the Premier League, which exceeded the threshold of £105million permitted under the PSRs. “The Commission concluded that a sporting sanction in the form of a 10-point deduction should be imposed. That sanction has immediate effect.” Everton said they were “shocked and disappointed” by the sanction imposed by the commission. “The club believes that the Commission has imposed a wholly disproportionate and unjust sporting sanction,” the Toffees statement read. “The club has already communicated its intention to appeal the decision to the Premier League. The appeal process will now commence and the club’s case will be heard by an Appeal Board appointed pursuant to the Premier League’s rules in due course. “Everton maintains that it has been open and transparent in the information it has provided to the Premier League and that it has always respected the integrity of the process. “The club does not recognise the finding that it failed to act with the utmost good faith and it does not understand this to have been an allegation made by the Premier League during the course of proceedings. “Both the harshness and severity of the sanction imposed by the commission are neither a fair nor a reasonable reflection of the evidence submitted. “The club will also monitor with great interest the decisions made in any other cases concerning the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.” Read More Exeter captain Poppy Leitch hoping for more progress during inaugural PWR season Street Child Cricket World Cup gives youngsters chance to shine Wales v Armenia: Key talking points as Rob Page’s side face crunch qualifier Athletics’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas approved by MLB owners On This Day in 2013: David Haye has to rethink his plans Cincinnati Bengals lose Joe Burrow as they go down to Baltimore Ravens

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min issued an update on his fitness after suffering an injury scare while on international duty for South Korea. The South Koreans were playing their first qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup against Singapore and Son curled home a stunning left-footed strike during the comfortable 5-0 win. But more concerningly, he also needed treatment after sustaining a nasty knock to his right knee late in the second half, as he went down in pain. The South Korean skipper did finish out the game and played down the severity of the issue when talking to reporters after the match. “We are making a team for the World Cup, I can’t give up a game just because I feel pain,” said Son. “If I can’t run anymore, then I can’t do anything about it but when I can run, I have to give 100 per cent for the team. “I am fine now, I don’t like to lie down [on the pitch] in the winter. At that moment [when he went down] I couldn’t feel anything on my foot. I’m fine, no injury.” He added: “I am not the only one hurting out there. Everyone plays with some bumps and bruises.” South Korea are looking to qualify for an 11th straight World Cup and take on China in Shenzhen on Tuesday. Singapore took a ‘park the bus’ approach to the Asian qualifying opener, consistently setting up with 10 men behind the ball in Seoul but the favourites systematically broke them down over the course of 90 minutes. And South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann was particularly impressed with the creativity of Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Lee Kang-in to help defeat the minnows. “When you play teams that play against you very defensively, you need creativity,” Klinsmann told reporters, according to the Yonhap News Agency. “You need players that can cross the balls in, you need runs into the box, you need fast passing, high tempo and getting balls if possible behind the backline if there’s a little bit of space. “Kang-in can play these balls. He can score himself. The growth of Kang-in over the last six months is a joy for us as coaches.” Klinsmann also praised Lee for tracking back, adding: “We coaches try to teach him that it always goes both ways, Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain does the same thing. “It’s fantastic for Korean football and the national team to have a player like him to go to a completely new level.” Additional reporting by Reuters Read More Tottenham eye Juventus and England U-21 star as part of January plans The pain of football – Ange Postecoglou says Spurs need to accept Wolves loss Wasteful Wolves showed Spurs’ sudden problems – Postecoglou needs a quick fix Wolves vs Spurs LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Ange Postecoglu gives injury update for Tottenham star James Maddison James Maddison withdraws from England – only hours after Gareth Southgate picked him

Wales play their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier in Armenia on Saturday. Automatic qualification is in Wales’ own hands as two closing victories will book their place in Germany next summer. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the main talking points of the game in Yerevan. Deja vu The parallels between Wales’ successful Euro 2020 qualification and the current campaign are hard to resist. Wales reached Euro 2020 with a fast finish – holding 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia to a Cardiff draw before winning in Azerbaijan and downing Hungary after back-to-back summer defeats. Having suffered another pointless June and just beaten Croatia in Cardiff, Wales head to the Caucasus region again to take on Azerbaijan’s neighbour Armenia before finishing with a visit from Turkey. Six more points will do. Brennan’s back The loss of Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson to injury last month was a big blow. Johnson’s pace and movement can trouble any defence, but boss Rob Page plugged the gap against Croatia by utilising a three-man forward line of David Brooks, Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore. All three performed superbly with Wilson claiming a match-winning double. Johnson is expected to return, however – possibly at the expense of Brooks – with Page also likely to use the pace of Daniel James from the bench. Midfield promise There was much wailing in Wales when Joe Allen hung up his international boots following the World Cup in Qatar. Allen played a massive role over the last decade and midfield was seen as a problem area in the wake of his departure. But Ethan Ampadu, with nearly 50 caps at the age of 23, has shown his leadership qualities in striking up an effective partnership with 19-year-old Jordan James. The pair were magnificent in getting the better of Croatia’s much-vaunted midfield last month. Repeat or revenge? Wales have failed to beat Armenia in three meetings. There were two draws in 2002 World Cup qualifying, 2-2 in Yerevan when John Hartson scored a brace, before a goalless Cardiff clash. Wales were expected to breeze past Armenia – 71 places below them on the FIFA rankings when they met in June – but a 4-2 defeat damaged their Euro 2024 qualification hopes. More than one Welsh player has mentioned avenging that loss in the build-up to the Yerevan return. Yellow peril Defensive pair Chris Mepham and Neco Williams will be walking disciplinary tightropes in Armenia. Both players have picked up two bookings in the campaign, and a third would rule them out of Tuesday’s final qualifier against Turkey. Wales have yet to lose any player to three bookings, although Joe Morrell and Kieffer Moore served two-match bans for respective red cards against Turkey and Armenia in the summer. Read More Athletics’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas approved by MLB owners On This Day in 2013: David Haye has to rethink his plans Cincinnati Bengals lose Joe Burrow as they go down to Baltimore Ravens Harry Wilson knew he had to step up for Wales after Gareth Bale retirement ‘Great spectacle of cricket’ – Australia relishing World Cup final against India Mallory Franklin: Kayak cross unknowns add to excitement ahead of Olympic debut

Scotland manager Steve Clarke praised his side for keeping their cool and using Georgia’s time-wasting “shenanigans” to their advantage after Lawrence Shankland headed a stoppage-time equaliser in Tbilisi. Georgia twice took the lead through the impressive Napoli attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but late call-up Shankland earned Scotland a 2-2 draw when he headed home fellow substitute Stuart Armstrong’s cross two minutes into added time. Despite Scotland having already sealed their Euro 2024 place and Georgia knowing they face a play-off in March, there was a real competitive edge to the game, with three yellow cards for each team and a melee in each half. Clarke felt his side reacted well to some lengthy stoppages for treatment to home players and took advantage of the eight minutes added on. Clarke said: “That’s one of the challenges when you come here, you know they will do everything they can to get a positive result. “You have to react to that. We have to make sure we control ourselves and don’t get involved, don’t encourage any sort of shenanigans. “We just kept going, kept plugging away, we knew there was going to be extra time because now they have a better handle on time wasted, and it was nice to score in injury time.” Shankland was dropped from the squad last month but responded by hitting five goals in his last five games for Hearts. And the striker seized the chance presented by Che Adams’ withdrawal. Clarke said: “When you are going into the last 10 minutes, and knowing we would get a lot of injury time because Georgia spent a lot of time on the floor, we knew there was time left. “We needed a goal and you know Lawrence has always got a chance of getting a goal. I am delighted for Lawrence and delighted for the team as well.” Scott McTominay had earlier netted in the 49th minute as Scotland improved after a slack first half. The late goal ended a run of three defeats and a losing run in Tbilisi. “If you can’t win the game, don’t lose,” Clarke said. “We did that and showed good character to come from behind twice here in a difficult place. “Georgia are a good team with one exceptional player in Kvaratskhelia. He got two great goals and made it difficult for our defenders. “Overall we got lots of shots on goal, we could have been a little bit more clinical, only five on target with the 16 or 17 shots we had. But we showed resilience and it was important not to lose. “We knew coming here would be tough. Scotland had been here twice before and didn’t score, lost both games. So we knew it would be a tough game. “We wanted to come here and hopefully get back to winning ways, but we have broken that run of defeats and we will look to build on that in the Norway game on Sunday. We will look to finish with a good performance and a home win.” Georgia head coach Willy Sagnol felt some of his players’ lack of game time showed as Scotland dominated after the hour mark. Sagnol said: “I was very happy with the first hour, we did exactly what we wanted to do with and without the ball. “The problem is, we have a lot of talented players, but they don’t always play with their clubs. They sometimes play 15-20 minutes. At some point tiredness will come because they are not used to playing 90 minutes. “We lost a bit with the changes and it’s frustrating to lose a goal in extra time. “But Scotland didn’t steal the point, they played a good match.” Read More Scotland secure late draw in Georgia after Kvaratskhelia brace Still plenty to play for – Scotland v Georgia talking points Clarke targets winning return for Scotland after back-to-back defeats Liam Cooper wants Scotland to ‘do ourselves justice’ at Euro 2024 John Carver urges Lawrence Shankland to make the most of late Scotland call-up Gareth Southgate highlights Sir Bobby Charlton legacy ahead of Wembley tribute

Gareth Southgate showed footage of Sir Bobby Charlton to his squad ahead of England paying tribute to the 1966 World Cup winner at Wembley. The jewel in the crown for club and country, the news of Charlton’s death at the age of 86 on October 21 reverberated around the world. Southgate was at Charlton’s funeral at Manchester Cathedral on Monday and further tributes will be paid to the England and Manchester United great on Friday evening at Wembley. The Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta is the senior men’s team’s first match since Charlton’s death and a crowd mosaic is planned, along with a video celebrating his life. There will be a pre-match ceremony, period of applause and players will wear black armbands in memory of a man whose importance to English football was reiterated to the squad this week. “A big part of what we’ve wanted to do with our players is to talk about our identity as a team,” England boss Southgate said. “Part of that is knowing the history of our team and having an understanding of how special some of the players that have been England internationals before are. There were lots of messages within that for all of the players but, most importantly, an incredible player, an incredible man. Gareth Southgate on Sir Bobby Charlton “We’ve had the chance to do that this week. We showed some footage of Sir Bobby to the players, the first day we arrived. “A reminder that, of course, even a Liverpool man (like Trent Alexander-Arnold next to me) given Bobby’s performances with England can relate to his importance for English football. “You can have a fabulous club career and an international career. “At times those things can come into conflict because club managers of course have got to look after their own roles and responsibilities, and that can put players in difficult positions with all international teams, frankly. “But your international team will always be there as well and if you can win something with your international team, it’s probably bigger than anything else you’re going to experience. “So, there were lots of messages within that for all of the players but, most importantly, an incredible player, an incredible man.” Southgate has underlined the history and importance of representing England throughout his reign, with their training pitch at St George’s Park renamed in Charlton’s honour in 2017. The former defender has overseen an impressive turnaround in performances and a reconnection with supporters since first taking charge, initially on a temporary basis, in October 2016. That match was a home qualifier against Malta and the Mediterranean minnows return to Wembley for the first since then in Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier. England secured progress with two games to spare and it appears can seal their place among the top seeds by winning on Friday, yet Southgate is never far away from criticism. “Well, the reality of that is however well we play tomorrow people will just say it’s a lower ranked opponent, so it’ll be irrelevant,” he said with a laugh. “People are going to have opinions. I’m probably tired of trying to fight that. “In the end, it will be what it is. So, I’ll just let our results and performances speak for themselves. “You’re never going to please everybody, so the best way as a football manager is keep winning matches, frankly.” Southgate heads into England’s final home match of 2023 without a glut of key players, with five withdrawing, two absent for part of this week and three new faces brought in. Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer and Ezri Konsa will be dreaming of making their debut, but the likes of Anthony Gordon remain on the outside looking in. The 22-year-old has shone for Newcastle this season and reports have emerged that Scotland are looking to call up the England Under-21 European champion. “He’s a good player,” Southgate said. “He was very good with our Under-21s last year. He’s very close, I have to say. “I like his attitude, I like the way he works so hard for the team. “Of course, I’m sure he was hoping to get a call at this moment, but there are good players playing well in that position on the field. “But I think, like a couple of others, they’ve always got to think a little bit further ahead as to, you know, opportunities that can come up. “I think for somebody like Anthony that’s eminently possible with us.” Read More Watch: Prince William arrives at Bobby Charlton’s funeral in Manchester Manchester United players arrive at Bobby Charlton’s funeral to pay tribute Sir Alex Ferguson and Prince William among mourners at Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral Glazer family set to miss Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral Rasmus Hojlund says ‘a matter of time’ until Erik ten Hag improves Man United Steve Clarke praises Scotland for keeping their heads after late draw in Georgia

Luis Diaz scored twice as Colombia stunned Brazil 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier, days after his father was released by kidnappers. The Liverpool striker netted twice in four minutes late in the second half, watched by his father Luiz Manuel Diaz who was held for 12 days before his release last week. Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli had put Brazil in front after just four minutes. Colombia’s first win over Brazil for eight years lifts them into third in the South American qualifying table with Brazil, who suffered a second successive defeat in the competition, down to fifth. On a night of surprises, goals from Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez saw Uruguay beat Argentina 2-0. Lionel Messi struggled to impose himself, hitting the crossbar in the second half as Argentina’s 100 per cent record since lifting the World Cup was ended. Uruguay’s win lifts them to second in the table, two points behind Argentina. Venezuela are in fourth after a goalless draw with Ecuador, Chile and Paraguay also drawing a blank while Bolivia won the battle of the bottom two with a 2-0 win over Peru. PA Read More Moment Liverpool star Luis Diaz reunites with father after 12-day hostage ordeal Luis Diaz reunited with kidnapped parents after returning to Colombia Father of Luis Diaz reveals details of kidnapping ordeal

Gareth Southgate feels privileged to be anywhere near a century of matches at the England helm as he prepares for a repeat of the fixture where it all began for him seven years ago. Having rebuffed the Football Association’s initial approach after Euro 2016, the then Under-21s boss was parachuted into the hotseat after Sam Allardyce’s swift, ignominious exit. Southgate’s first game in temporary charge was a World Cup qualifier against Malta, with Daniel Sturridge and Dele Alli securing a 2-0 win in October 2016. Friday sees the Mediterranean minnows return to Wembley for the first time since then – a night when the England boss will take charge of his 90th senior international. “I know the numbers and I am aware that Bobby Robson was 95 games,” Southgate said. “If you had said to me the first time we played Malta that would be the case, I don’t know how I would have thought about that. “It has been a privilege to take as many games as we have and we have had some wonderful experiences and incredible nights along that journey. “I am very happy to be in with the sort of names that have managed that many games.” I am very happy to be in with the sort of names that have managed that many games Gareth Southgate Southgate is on track to become the first England manager to oversee a century of matches since Sir Alf Ramsey – a feat that could be achieved in the Euro 2024 knockout phase. But silverware in Germany rather than individual milestones is the only focus ahead of potentially his final tournament in charge. England sealed progress to next year’s Euros with two games to spare, yet a packed Wembley crowd will still be in attendance on Friday for the home game of an unbeaten year. Southgate wants to bring the curtain down in style against Malta after a disruptive build-up in which five of his players withdrew through injury, two were absent for personal reasons and three uncapped players were called up. “We want to play well,” Southgate said. “We’ve got close to 90,000 people coming – this is the last time we play at home in this calendar year. “Our performances across the calendar year have been very good and we want to finish the year well. “There are some individual things we would like to see and like to learn a little bit more about. “But clearly that is tempered by the sort of test that is going to be. “There are specifics for this game where you are going to have to break down a packed defence and we have to make sure we have the players in the starting team that can unlock those doors as well. “So, you are always trying to achieve a number of different objectives. “It has been a complicated week in that the five days leading into the camp, we lost a lot of players. “Each day, somebody else seemed to go so there has been a lot of change within the squad and it has not been easy to get all of the players on the pitch every day. “Tuesday, we hardly did anything training-wise so it has been a much shorter week and we are pleased with where the team is for the game and we are looking forward to seeing them play.” England complete this year’s schedule away to North Macedonia on Monday, before attention turns to the Euro 2024 draw in Hamburg on December 2. Preparations are well under way and Southgate says winning is “implicit in everything” he does as he looks to turn seven years of learnings into silverware. “I guess the biggest thing I have experienced is that you take charge of one of the most high-pressured jobs in world football and had to manage some of the biggest matches in world football,” he said. “There is only a World Cup final that we haven’t done. “You understand what that means in the longer term, in terms of what you have learned, what you have taken from those experiences. “And the fact we have dealt with those challenges and that pressure, which can sometimes really inhibit people and, frankly, a lot of people could not cope with that pressure, so I feel pleased we have shown that we can do that. “I am sure there will have been a lot of doubts some years ago whether I was capable of doing that and, of course, there will be other doubts people will have and that will always be the same. “You will always have questions asked of you but as a person, and as a coach, you will always learn through every experience you have and every day will throw a different challenge and you are learning all the time.” Read More Gareth Southgate highlights Sir Bobby Charlton legacy ahead of Wembley tribute How Gareth Southgate can make England vs Malta exciting If England were playing Malta in my front garden, I’d close the curtains Jude Bellingham and Levi Colwill injuries add to England absences Sir Alex Ferguson and Prince William among mourners at Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral Alexander-Arnold studying Gerrard and Pirlo to master midfield role