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Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Real Sociedad all booked their places in the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare on a dramatic night of European action. Bayern made it four wins out of four in Group A but only after a frantic finish in their 2-1 win over Galatasaray. The visitors had the ball in the net just after the hour but Lucas Torreira was offside, and Bayern took the lead when Harry Kane flicked in Joshua Kimmich’s free-kick with 10 minutes to go, with the goal awarded following a VAR check after initially being ruled offside. Kane then doubled the lead with his 25th career Champions League goal, turning in Mathys Tel’s cross in the 86th minute, and they needed the cushion as Cedric Bakambu scored for Galatasaray in stoppage time. Galatasaray dropped to third behind Copenhagen after they won 4-3 in a chaotic game with Manchester United, who blew a 2-0 lead after Marcus Rashford was sent off in Denmark. Rasmus Hojlund’s early brace against his former club put United in control despite the loss of Jonny Evans to injury, but the night changed when Rashford saw red for a challenge on Elias Jelert following a VAR intervention in the 42nd minute. Ex-Southampton forward Mohamed Elyounoussi pulled one back before Diogo Goncalves levelled from the penalty spot after a Harry Maguire handball deep into first-half stoppage time. Bruno Fernandes restored United’s lead with a 69th-minute penalty after Lukas Lerager handled, but the Copenhagen midfielder made amends with an 83rd minute equaliser before Roony Bardghji won it four minutes later, leaving United bottom of the group before their trip to Istanbul. Real Madrid cruised through with a 3-0 win over Braga. They overcame an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors after Lucas Vazquez fouled Cristian Borja just four minutes in, but once Brahim Diaz put them in front in the 27th minute there was no looking back. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the scoreline with two goals in five minutes early in the second half, and there was no way back for the visitors. The other Group C game between Napoli and Union Berlin ended 1-1 as David Fofana’s first Union goal – and the club’s first away from home in the Champions League – cancelled out Matteo Politano’s opener. Inter edged out RB Salzburg 1-0 in Austria to secure their progress, with the game decided by Lautaro Martinez’s 84th-minute penalty after Mads Bidstrup handled in the area. And that result also saw Real Sociedad go through from Group D after their 3-1 win over Benfica earlier in the evening. Early goals from Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal had Sociedad in control after just 11 minutes and it was 3-0 10 minutes later as Ander Barrenetxea fired into the roof of the net. Brais Mendez hit the post with a penalty just before the half hour and Rafa Silva pulled one back for Benfica early in the second half, but Sociedad comfortably took the points. Arsenal are in control of Group B after goals from Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka earned a 2-0 win over Sevilla. The Gunners top the group with nine points, four clear of PSV Eindhoven and Lens, who are level on five after Luuk de Jong’s 12th-minute header was enough for 1-0 win over Lens, who had substitute Morgan Guilavogui sent off late on. Read More Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli dazzle to lead Arsenal towards Champions League last-16 Manchester United’s latest farce points to an early Champions League exit Real Madrid issue Jude Bellingham shoulder injury update Real Madrid stay second in LaLiga after goalless stalemate with Rayo Vallecano Cristiano Ronaldo scores 400th goal since turning 30 as Al Nassr beat Al Khaleej

Arsenal took a huge step towards qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League as Bukayo Saka starred in victory over Sevilla before limping off late on. Saka set up the opening goal for Leandro Trossard before scoring the second himself as the Gunners secured a straightforward 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium that leaves them on the cusp of the last 16. Mikel Arteta opted to play Trossard through the middle as his central striker with Eddie Nketiah joining Gabriel Jesus in the treatment room, with the Belgium forward the only change from Saturday’s contentious defeat at Newcastle. There was not such drama here although four early fouls on Saka went unpunished as both Nemanja Gudelj and Kike Salas left their mark on the England international. Kai Havertz, without a goal from open play since his £65million summer move from Chelsea, fluffed his lines with an early headed chance, but Arsenal set out their intent from the off. Saka went down again under close contact from Salas, but this time Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs was unmoved as the hosts wanted a penalty. Just moments later, however, and the deadlock was broken. The lively Saka unsurprisingly laying on the assist for Trossard to tap home – but Jorginho was the architect with a slide-rule pass to start the move. It proved to be the only shot on target of a forgettable first half as Sevilla, without a LaLiga or Champions League win under head coach Diego Alonso since his appointment last month. Havertz bent an effort inches wide as Arsenal went in search of a second after the break and Trossard should have done better soon after, but curled his strike the wrong side of the post. It was Saka, though, who made the difference once again, beating the offside trap to race onto a Gabriel Martinelli pass before cutting inside Adria Pedrosa and tucking home with aplomb. Gabriel Jesus had provided the goal and assist that ultimately saw off Sevilla in Spain a fortnight ago, but he was injured during the game and has not played since. The same went for Saka here, who fell awkwardly and limped off with five minutes to go, with England manager Gareth Southgate – who announces his next squad on Thursday – watching from the stands. Arteta had said on the eve of the game that Arsenal should “put to bed” qualification for the last 16 with two games to spare and his players did their bit. But PSV Eindhoven’s win over Lens leaves Group B open, although a draw against the Ligue 1 side at the Emirates Stadium in three weeks time would be enough for Arteta’s side to advance. Read More Jarell Quansah could fill in for Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk in Toulouse Gareth Southgate ponders defensive options ahead of naming latest England squad Jos Buttler wants to remain as England one-day captain despite poor World Cup Lauren Williams opens up on challenging time coping with Tokyo heartbreak Michael O’Neill expecting a tough international window for Northern Ireland Sunderland defender Niall Huggins earns first senior Wales call-up

Manchester United travel to Denmark to face Copenhagen in the Champions League group stages tonight in a must-win fixture in Group A. The Red Devils come into the match sitting third in the table behind leaders Bayern Munich and second-placed Galatasaray. Those clubs face each other in this evening’s other Group A clash. Harry Maguire’s header and Andre Onana’s last ditch penalty save ensured Erik ten Hag’s men defeated Copenhagen last time out in the Champions League but United have dipped in form since. Two embarrassing 3-0 defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle mounted pressure on the manager but the ended that poor run with a fortunate 1-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday. Should United pick up anything less than three points this evening they will face an uphill battle to progress through the group. Beating Copenhagen would be a big step in settling the side into a winning mindset but defeat would raise more questions about the leadership group. Follow all the Champions League action below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here:

John Stones’ injury has given England manager Gareth Southgate the chance to explore his centre-back options in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia. The City defender was forced off with a problem in Tuesday’s Champions League win over Young Boys with boss Pep Guardiola admitting it is “deep bad news”. Stones only returned to action in October after a two-month absence with hamstring and hip problems but Southgate had no hesitation in starting him in the important qualifying win over Italy. But with qualification for the summer’s tournament in Germany already secured, Southgate – who names his squad on Thursday – can afford to look at his back-up options. Brighton captain Lewis Dunk and AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori started together in last month’s friendly win over Australia but Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi was the man Southgate opted to replace Stones for the final 27 minutes against Italy and has the most caps of the trio. Injuries to Ben Chilwell and Luke Shaw meant Kieran Trippier filled in at left-back against Italy but Chelsea’s Levi Colwill started against Australia and could be another one to benefit from any experimentation. Colwill’s club captain Reece James could be in for a recall having returned from injury while Chelsea team-mate Raheem Sterling will be hoping two goals and some improved form in his last five matches will earn him a call-up for the first time since the World Cup. Those chances could be enhanced depending on the extent of the ankle injury sustained by James Maddison during Tottenham’s loss to Chelsea on Monday and how significant the hamstring problem which forced off Callum Wilson in Newcastle’s Champions League defeat against Borussia Dortmund. But Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka should return after withdrawing from the squad in October. Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips’ 49 minutes of action since his international start against Italy is unlikely to count against him, but James Ward-Prowse is knocking on the door of a first call-up in 14 months after a number of good performances for West Ham. Read More Jos Buttler wants to remain as England one-day captain despite poor World Cup Lauren Williams opens up on challenging time coping with Tokyo heartbreak Michael O’Neill expecting a tough international window for Northern Ireland

Arsenal look to return to winning ways in the Champions League tonight as the Gunners host Sevilla at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta’s side have lost their last two matches following their Carabao Cup exit at West Ham last week and a controversial first defeat of the Premier League season away to Newcastle on Saturday. Arsenal are in a strong position in their Champions League group after securing an important 2-1 win in Seville last time out - a result that left the Gunners top of Group B, a point ahead of second-placed Lens and four clear of both Seville and PSV. Qualification for the last-16 could be secured tonight should Arsenal beat last season’s Europa League winners and PSV fail to beat Lens at home. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Champions League fixture; get the latest match odds and tips here. When is it? Arsenal host Sevilla on Wednesday 8 November with kick-off at 8pm at the Emirates Stadium. How can I watch it? The match will be shown live on TNT Sports, with coverage getting underway on TNT Sports 2 from 7pm. TNT Sports customers can also stream the match live on Discovery+. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best 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. What is the team news? Martin Odegaard missed the defeat at Newcastle due to injury and is a doubt - while Gabriel Jesus, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey remain out. Spain great Sergio Ramos is a major doubt for Sevilla due to a calf injury. Predicted line-ups Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Rice, Jorginho, Havertz; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli Sevilla: Nyland; Navas, Gudelj, Bade, Acuna; Sow, Soumare, Rakitic; Ocampos, En-Nesyri, Lukebakio Odds Arsenal 1/3 Draw 19/4 Sevilla 9/1 Full odds here Prediction Arsenal 2-1 Sevilla Read More Jonas Eidevall hits back at Gareth Taylor over ‘bullying’ claim: ‘It’s slander’ Rumours: Chelsea and Man Utd want £43m full-back as Arsenal delay Toney chase FA asks Mikel Arteta and Arsenal for observations after referee comments Arteta vows to ‘talk loudly’ about VAR as he stands by outburst after Newcastle loss What do Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Newcastle need to reach last UCL 16? Mikel Arteta doubles down on VAR comments and vows to ‘talk loudly’ after criticism

There's a chance we get some new developments in the Michigan sign-stealing saga later today so the topic is all over the morning shows. Get Up devoted a fair a

Manchester United take on Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday as they bid to finish in the qualifying places of Group A. Erik ten Hag’s side sit third in the group, six points behind Bayern Munich in top spot, and one point behind second-placed Galatasaray. United were able to end a poor run of form with a fortunate 1-0 over Fulham on Saturday, although it had looked for most of the game like they might be about to lose out again. Wednesday will offer another chance for Ten Hag to restore some pride to the club who go into the match eighth in the Premier League table and with pressure building on the manager, especially following last week’s 3-0 home defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. Here’s everything you need to know about the match and get the latest tips and odds for the game here. When is it? Manchester United take on FC Copenhagen in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday 8 November at 8pm GMT at the Parken Stadium. How can I watch it? The match will be shown live on TNT Sports 1 with coverage starting at 7pm GMT, TNT Sports can be streamed via the Discovery+ app. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best 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 Manchester United have had a host of injury issues so far this season, and the club are likely to continue to be without Casemiro for the match, but Marcus Rashford could be included in the squad after only being ruled out of the Fulham game by a late fitness test. Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo are all on the long-term injury list however and will not be included. Predicted line up Manchester United XI: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Evans, Dalot, McTominay, Eriksen, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Hojlund Odds Copenhagen 11/4 Draw 21/10 Manchester United 8/11 Full odds here Prediction Despite United’s recent form, it is still hard to look past them against the team bottom of Group A. Copenhagen 1-2 Manchester United. Read More Manchester United’s latest moment of inspiration covers up the same old problem Marcus Rashford faces disciplinary action after ‘unacceptable’ partying The Fulham star set to show Man United the midfield move they should have made Dortmund won the battle but are losing the war for the future of football John Stones injury leaves Manchester City ‘in trouble’, says Pep Guardiola Newcastle discover brutal truth – it’s so much harder in the Champions League

Over the last few weeks, in what has been a highly pressurised period in games, the Manchester United squad have noted a shift in training. Erik ten Hag has been doing a conspicuous amount of fitness work. Some players feel this has been more of a focus than tactical sessions. Critics and opposition analysts might well say that’s obvious, given that even FC Copenhagen dominated the ball for long periods of that Champions League-saving win at Old Trafford. One of the themes of the season has been how United just haven’t played anything close to Ten Hag’s supposed tactical ideal. Many of the recent games have actually been reminiscent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time, especially in how individual inspiration has brought wins out of unconvincing collective displays. That’s also why their fitness work may be important. Durability has been one of the few current qualities keeping United going, and may well prevent Ten Hag from emulating Solskjaer in another way. It may stop them from going out in the group stage again, just as they did in 2020-21. Early elmination isn’t just something that should be put at Solskjaer’s feet, though, nor is it the sole motivation for Wednesday’s game in the Danish capital. United are in some way playing for their modern Champions League legacy. The club’s dismal recent record in the world’s elite competition is as telling a measure as any other of their recent malaise. They may have never dropped out of thhe Deloitte Football Money League top five in terms of revenue, but they barely trouble the Champions League last eight. United haven’t even been to the last four since 2011, which was also the last time they reached the final. In the time since, United have qualified for the competition eight times and gone out at the group stage three times. That is more than they’ve reached the quarter-finals, which has been just twice. Among the clubs to finish above them in their groups since then are Benfica, Basel, PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg, Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain. One of a few ambitions for Copenhagen here is to become another name on a fairly moderate list. They’re well aware they can claim a potentially decisive result, as performance in the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford showed. Copenhagen got significant confidence from it, despite is ending. They know they should have claimed at least a draw, only for Andre Onana to stop Jordan Larsson’s penalty in what could yet prove to be a hinge moment in the campaign. For the moment, the feeling in Copenhagen is one of huge excitement. It can be sensed in all of their pre-match talk, and how they consider themselves favourites. Ten Hag was diplomatic there. “They are entitled to feel like they are favourites,” the United coach said, before playing all that down. “We’ll go into the game with confidence and aiming to win as well.” That latter point may have raised more eyebrows than Copenhagen’s proclamation since United just do not look like a confident side right now. They instead seem to be playing with the knowledge that one thing going wrong can lead to everything going wrong. A relatively fortuitous late 1-0 win at Fulham doesn’t wave away what happened against Manchester City and Newcastle United. A second victory in a row would admittedly help a bit more, especially one so important for their Champions League future. That sums up where United are right now. It’s like they’re constantly just trying to just get through it, to get to the next step in order to give themselves, the many injured players and their manager some breathing space. Bigger ideas about tactical philosophies can wait. Ten Hag referenced this when he discussed how to improve performance. “By getting more to our best 11 and getting routines in the team. So far, we’ve had to change a lot. The midfield balance is also not there. I'm sure once we get there, we’ll play better.” This is one match when they can’t afford to wait. Otherwise, it will be more of the same in the Champions League, while making that record worse. Ten Hag badly needs to avoid defeat. Physical form can be decisive there, since United do just have higher quality than Copenhagen. That might make it another of those where superior execution late on proves decisive. It shouldn’t really be coming down to games like this, though, when the financial gap between the two clubs is so vast. You just wouldn’t guess it from United’s Champions League record. Read More Rumours: Chelsea and Man Utd want £43m full-back as Arsenal delay Toney chase Jacob Neestrup: Parken atmosphere is 100 times more intense than Old Trafford Manchester United receive devastating Casemiro injury update Alejandro Garnacho to face no punishment over Andre Onana gorilla emoji post What do Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Newcastle need to reach last UCL 16? Christian Eriksen’s trip to Copenhagen is a homecoming with a difference

Newcastle United may have had a close-up view of Borussia Dortmund’s two best performances of the season but Eddie Howe rued: “I don’t think Dortmund have seen the best Newcastle.” Paris Saint-Germain have, but that might not be enough to spare his side. The Champions League may not see much more of Newcastle for this season and the group of death might lead to an early autopsy. After Tuesday night’s 2-0 reversal made it twin defeats to Dortmund, Howe conceded Newcastle probably need two wins – away to PSG, at home to AC Milan – to extend their participation beyond Christmas. His downcast air suggested it is unlikely. From topping their pool two weeks earlier, Newcastle prop it up. And there was a death of sorts in the Signal Iduna Park on a night to showcase where, after it went spectacularly right on the night against PSG, it has gone wrong for Newcastle. Callum Wilson had four touches and went off at half-time, Howe citing a tight hamstring, others wondering if an ineffectual performance was the reason. Kieran Trippier, so good for much of the campaign, had a second underwhelming outing against Dortmund, his poor free kick leading to their second goal. Bruno Guimaraes, without Sandro Tonali to share the load, was no better; Newcastle had looked over-reliant on each to conjure something. Lewis Hall’s Champions League debut was curtailed after 45 minutes in which he was booked and because Howe was concerned he might be sent off. Tino Livramento’s bow at this level was more encouraging but he had to play three different positions and Joelinton wasted the chance he made. Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron began on the bench, players who are reliant on sharpness suffering from their recent workload, and without Harvey Barnes, Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy, there were no alternative forwards. The eventual analysis may be that Newcastle were wounded before they suffered a fatal blow. They ran out of players, losing some of those who may have made a difference. Isak played only 14 minutes at home to Dortmund, none away. Barnes has played one minute in the competition. Sven Botman has a lone appearance, and it brought Newcastle’s sole clean sheet. Without Dan Burn, three different players took turns at left-back in the Signal Iduna Park. Injuries have been compounded by another absence, and the prospect of it: but for his impending betting ban, Tonali may have started when Dortmund visited St James’ Park. Their build-up disrupted, that defeat deprived Newcastle of momentum. The Italian was supposed to add Champions League experience. Should the standings stay the same, should Dortmund progress, the knowhow of annual entrants may appear crucial; Newcastle are rookies at this level and Howe did not dispute that his side have not always replicated their domestic form in continental competition. There is a contrast between their fortunes in England and Europe. Edin Terzic had studied the statistics. “We manged to win twice against Newcastle, their only two defeats in 13 matches, every time with a clean sheet,” noted the Dortmund manager. Only Manchester City and Brighton have shut Newcastle out in the Premier League or Carabao Cup; Milan have done once and Dortmund twice in the Champions League. Newcastle have not scored away in Europe. “I think we have had chances in both games,” said Howe. “Maybe haven’t been as clinical as we would like.” Yet they had a lone shot on target in San Siro, from Sean Longstaff in injury time, and if Joelinton was profligate in the Signal Iduna Park, others did not get the opportunity to be. Newcastle felt insufficiently creative. Maybe it would have been different had Gordon been able to set the tone by rousing, riling and rattling. “Anthony played 90 minutes against Arsenal and gave everything,” Howe explained. “The turnaround was too quick for him to start so we wanted to use him as an impact player.” There was reason behind the rotation but it backfired. Yet Dortmund showed what they lacked. Newcastle have no player of the inventiveness of Julian Brandt, no specialist in picking the lock. Their system contains no space for a No 10; their squad has no one with that skillset, though Brandt excels playing off the left for Dortmund. Perhaps European football necessitates more of an artist; maybe a future spending spree should be focused around someone with those qualities. That lack of a genuine creator in the final third is a partial explanation of their inability to score in three of four Champions League games. Some of the goals they did score in the other - Burn’s magnificent header, Fabian Schar’s long-range strike – were the most special because they had the feel of one-offs. In contrast, Nick Pope’s heroics have come to seem the norm. The goalkeeper has been Newcastle’s finest player in three of their other supposed elite players were out of sorts, on the bench or absent altogether, it wasn’t enough. Maybe Newcastle’s efforts won’t be, either: and if this is a learning curve, a lesson may be that overachieving in England is one thing. Doing it in Europe is altogether harder. Read More Outclassed Newcastle left on the brink of anticlimactic Champions League exit What do Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Newcastle need to reach last UCL 16? Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle LIVE: Champions League result and reaction Lascelles hits out at Jorginho after Arsenal star snubs handshake Arsenal decry ‘unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors’ after Arteta outburst How Anthony Gordon became central to Newcastle’s Champions League hopes

Rob Page says he has cleared the air with Football Association of Wales chief Noel Mooney after their public spat last month. Mooney put Page’s future in the spotlight four days before the Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia by saying the manager’s position would be reviewed if Wales did not qualify for Euro 2024 automatically. Subsequent media reports suggested Mooney had wanted fellow Irishman Roy Keane, the former Sunderland and Ipswich manager and TV pundit, to replace Page following June defeats to Armenia and Turkey. Page is just over 12 months into a four-year contract and promised to “ignore the noise” during the build-up to a game that Wales eventually won 2-1 to move into the second automatic qualifying place in Group D. Captain Ben Davies described Mooney’s comments as “not helpful”, and Page said the issue has since been addressed at a meeting between himself, the chief executive and FAW president Steve Williams. “It was a conversation all three of us needed,” Page said when announcing his squad on Wednesday for this month’s final Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey. “I’m not going to go into details of what was said. It needed to be done and only positives will come from it. “I’m due to meet him (Mooney) after the press conference and we’ll have a coffee and a chat. It was frustrating, unnecessary. But I don't want to spend any more time thinking about it. We're all on the same page Wales manager Rob Page “Things were said and that was it. We all move forward in the same direction. Full focus is now on the football. “It was frustrating, unnecessary. But I don’t want to spend any more time thinking about it. We’re all on the same page. “We all know what we’ve got to do. It would be disrespectful from me now to the players to keep going on about it.” Tottenham forward Brennan Johnson returns to a 23-man squad after missing the win over Croatia with a hamstring injury. Page maintains stand-in skipper Davies will be fit for both qualifiers, despite the defender missing Spurs’ 4-1 Premier League defeat against Chelsea on Monday and also being in danger of sitting out his club’s weekend game at Wolves. Sunderland defender Niall Huggins has won his first senior call-up and Portsmouth midfielder Joe Morrell returns after a two-match suspension. But Aaron Ramsey is again ruled out with the knee injury he sustained in September, and Page says the Cardiff midfielder has suffered a “setback” in his recovery. He said: “It’s disappointing, I found out on Friday last week. As we all know Aaron was pushing and pushing to be part of this camp. “Unfortunately it’s come a little too soon for him. He’s had a setback. He got up to about 90 per cent. If you’d seen him on the grass, straight lines, everything was fine. “But there was something stopping him from going to that last step. So it’s not great for us, but it gives others an opportunity. “He’ll be a part of it (the squad). I had that conversation with him last camp. He knew he wasn’t going to play any minutes in regards to the changing room, but to have Aaron around the lads is definitely beneficial.” Wales can avoid the play-offs in March by beating Armenia in Yerevan on November 18 and Turkey in Cardiff three days later. Dropped points in either game will leave them relying on other results to join already-qualified Turkey at next summer’s European Championship in Germany. “June was a bump in the road,” Page said of damaging defeats to Armenia and Turkey in the space of four days. “We didn’t like it. We didn’t appreciate it. We didn’t like what we saw, but we put it right in September (by beating Latvia) – and some. “We built on that in October and capped it off with arguably one of the best performances that I’ve seen. “We have to build on that. It will count for nothing if we don’t follow it up.” Read More Ben Stokes century gets England out of trouble against Netherlands Sunderland defender Niall Huggins earns first senior Wales call-up John Stones injury leaves Manchester City ‘in trouble’, says Pep Guardiola Kevin Sinfield to run seven ultramarathons in support of Rob Burrow Never-say-die attitude gives Newcastle Champions League belief – Kieran Trippier On this day in 2004: Jason Robinson named as England’s first black captain

Phil Neville has described his role with Portland Timbers as a “dream” after being appointed manager of the Major League Soccer (MLS) club. Neville has replaced Giovanni Savarese at the Oregon side on a deal that runs until 2026. It is the former England international’s first managerial role since leaving Inter Miami in June. The 46-year-old has worked with Canada’s men’s national team since his departure from a club owned by ex-Manchester United teammate David Beckham. And Neville has insisted that he chose his new job with the Timbers from a number of appealing options. “I was lucky to have plenty of coaching opportunities to take,” Neville explained at his unveiling. “But my gut said straight away I had to follow this dream to become the Portland Timbers head coach.” Neville’s appointment has been cricitised by fans of the Timbers, who finished 10th in the Western Conference and missed out on the 2023 MLS play-offs. The Timbers Army fan group said in a statement that it was “deeply disappointed” that the club had appointed a manager with “a history of sexist public statements”. Neville has previously apologised for a series of posts on X, then known as Twitter, made more than a decade ago that resurfaced after the former full-back was appointed as manager of the Lionesses in 2018. The 59-cap international has reiterated that his social media posts were “wrong” and said he hopes to build “incredible trust” with Portland supporters. “The big part of this city is the supporters, and the statement they put out showed that this club cares about their people,’ Neville said. “In reference to the tweets I made in 2011, I addressed these in 2019 when I was named the head coach of the England women’s team. [They are] by no means a reflection of me as a person, of my character, and without a shadow of a doubt, the way I was brought up by my mother and father in terms of the values they instilled in me. “The tweets I put out were wrong in 2011, and they’re wrong today. I want to get to know the Timbers Army, I want to get to know everybody in the city, and I want them to get to know me as a person, as a character. And I want to make sure there is an incredible trust between us.” Read More Dortmund won the battle but are losing the war for the future of football Man City in Champions League knockouts as Celtic embarrassed and Shakhtar stun Barca Matildas join Australia men’s football team on commercial pay deals Dortmund won the battle but are losing the war for the future of football Man City in Champions League knockouts as Celtic embarrassed and Shakhtar stun Barca Matildas join Australia men’s football team on commercial pay deals

Manchester City duly booked their spot in the Champions League knockout stage after cruising to a 3-0 win over Young Boys at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland’s 23rd-minute penalty sent them on their way and superb strikes from Phil Foden and Haaland again sealed victory over the Swiss side, who had Sandro Lauper sent off early in the second half. Also in Group G, goals from Xavi Simons and Lois Openda proved enough to give RB Leipzig a 2-1 win at Red Star Belgrade, as Leipzig joined City in sealing a last-16 spot with two games to spare. Atletico Madrid served up another Champions League nightmare for Celtic with both Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata bagging braces in a 6-0 win at the Metropolitano. Celtic were left incensed by the sending off of Daizen Maeda after just 23 minutes following a VAR review of his challenge on Mario Hermoso. Atletico’s win moved them top of Group E after previous leaders Feyenoord fell 1-0 at Lazio, for whom Ciro Immobile scored the only goal of the game in first-half stoppage time. The result of the night came as Shakhtar Donetsk delayed Barcelona’s hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stages after claiming a shock 1-0 win in their Group H clash in Hamburg. Danylo Sikan headed the only goal in the 40th minute from a cross by Giorgi Gocholeishvili, while Shakhtar had a second effort from 18-year-old Newerton ruled out for offside. The defeat ended Barcelona’s 100 per cent start to the group and enabled Porto to pull level on nine points at the top after they beat 10-man Royal Antwerp 2-0. Evanilson’s early penalty and a late strike from Pepe sealed victory for the hosts and left the Belgians, who had Jurgen Ekkelencamp sent off in the 52nd minute, still hunting their first points. Goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Julian Brandt proved enough for Borussia Dortmund to sink Newcastle 2-0 in Germany and move to the top of Group F as Paris Saint-Germain dropped down after a 2-1 defeat at AC Milan, despite former Inter defender Milan Skriniar firing them in front after just nine minutes. Rafael Leao equalised for Milan within three minutes and Olivier Giroud hit what turned out to be the winner five minutes into the second half. Read More John Stones injury leaves Manchester City ‘in trouble’, says Pep Guardiola Newcastle discover brutal truth - it’s so much harder in the Champions League Stones injury dampens Manchester City joy at Champions League progress Erling Haaland back with a bang as Man City cruise into Champions League knockouts Celtic suffer Champions League embarrassment as Atletico Madrid show gulf in quality Eddie Howe knows Newcastle need two wins to keep Champions League hopes alive