List of All Articles with Tag 'pg'

You may have seen the video of Jordan Henderson promoting Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup. It is a moving watch. There’s his giant face plastered across the screen, while wearing the famous green and black colours of Al Ettifaq FC. “Very excited about the announcement,” Henderson says in his excited voice. “Go Saudi Arabia 2034.” It is important to note that his World Cup promotional work is voluntary. We know this because he said so in an interview with The Athletic. So when we see raw emotion like this on social media, we know we are getting real Henderson, authentic Henderson, out there backing the bid. Not a paid ambassador, just a boy who fell in love with a gulf state. Henderson is having one of his all-time great seasons: four assists in eight games as captain of Steven Gerrard’s Ettifaq outfit; still in the England squad despite no discernible superior attributes to James Ward-Prowse; all while getting the chance to grow the Saudi Pro League, one of his big motivations for moving there. He is not the only one excited. Gerrard described the prospect of a Saudi World Cup as “potentially one of the best shows the world’s seen”. Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema was stunned, tweeting: “Wow! Amazing news.” Al-Ahli winger Riyadh Mahrez was relieved the world will finally get to see the country’s “passion and love of the game”. If it sounds like they think the bid is already won, that’s because it might be. To catch up on a whirlwind week at Fifa HQ, it was announced on Wednesday that six countries across three continents would host the 2030 World Cup. That satisfied the confederations of Europe, Africa and South America. And barely an hour later, Saudi Arabia publicly launched its bid for 2034. Things have fallen into place quite nicely. Fifa’s rules on rotating the World Cup around the globe mean there are only two possible federations left to stage the 2034 World Cup: Oceania and Asia. That doesn’t leave a lot of competition. What’s more, Fifa gave any rivals to the Saudi bid a 25-day deadline for submission. Australia has hinted at joining the race, but a cynic might conclude it would be the tortoise chasing a wealthy and well-prepared hare that’s already crossed the finish line. The World Cup is a logical endpoint to something much bigger. Sport is a mirror to the world order, and Saudi’s emergence in football is both a consequence and a signal of a gravitational shift. As Rory McIlroy put it recently, upon accepting the increasing influence of Saudi Arabia on the game of golf: “You see everything else happening in the world, you see big private equity companies in America taking their money, the biggest companies in the world … if this is what’s happening, then the way I’ve framed it is that the world has decided for me.” There is an inevitability to all this. Even so, given the rapid emergence of an oppressive dictatorship in the world of football, it might have been nice for even just one press conference with Fifa’s dear leader, Gianni Infantino, to scrutinise this flurry of announcements that appear to pave the way for Saudi 2034. This, remember, is an organisation whose “corruption” section on Wikipedia is longer than this article. Infantino has himself taken on the distinct air of a dictator in recent years. He was sworn in for another term as Fifa president in March after winning an election unopposed, annointed to obedient applause at a ceremony in Rwanda. Fifa presidents are supposed to serve a maximum of three terms, but Infantino recently “clarified” that his first three years in the job didn’t count as he was only filling in for the deposed Sepp Blatter. It seems likely he will serve until the bitter end in 2031, capping a 15-year stint as the most powerful man in football. Infantino and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have a friendship of sorts and have been pictured at various matches together, most notably in Qatar last year. The 2034 World Cup might be the first tournament after his reign ends, a parting gift to Bin Salman, like a prime minister handing out one last peerage to an old ally. The road to 2034 will no doubt be smoothed by Saudi’s many levers of soft power. It will host the Fifa Club World Cup in December, and will continue to invest heavily in the Saudi Pro League. Lionel Messi remains an ambassador and Cristiano Ronaldo is its marquee player. The league is set to go after more big, bright stars closer to their prime, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah a high priority. All that will lay the groundwork for the ultimate goal, hosting the World Cup, a platform like no other to project Saudi Arabia’s global standing. So as Henderson put his enthusiastic support behind the message, emitting slight hostage energy, perhaps one day he might reflect that he was just a tool. Read More Jurgen Klopp: We haven’t looked for Alexis Mac Allister’s best position yet Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen make England return but Raheem Sterling left out Harvey Elliott hails team spirit after Liverpool’s new look midfield impresses Paul Pogba faces lengthy ban after anti-doping failure confirmed Liverpool’s new double-act are surprising even Jurgen Klopp Erik Ten Hag has endless problems, but Man Utd have a way out of toxic mess

Manchester United host Arsenal in an early meeting of two Women’s Super League title challengers. United finished second to Chelsea in the WSL title race last season with Arsenal third, and both clubs will be looking to stop the Blues from winning a fifth consecutive title this campaign. Marc Skinner’s side found an injury-time winner to defeat Aston Villa away from home in their opening fixture last weekend, while Arsenal were stunned by Liverpool in front of a record WSL crowd at the Emirates. The Gunners will therefore need to respond and a second consecutive defeat to start the season would be another early setback to their WSL title hopes. United, who won both meetings against Arsenal last season, will also come up against former striker Alessia Russo, after the England star switched to the Gunners at the end of her contract this summer. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Women’s Super League clash and get all the latest football odds and tips here. What time is Manchester United vs Arsenal? The match will kick off at 7:30pm BST on Friday 6 October and will be played at Leigh Sports Village. How can I watch it? The WSL clash will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with build-up starting on the latter at 7pm on Friday night. 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? Manchester United lost Scotland international Emma Watson to an ACL injury before the start of the season but have reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of facing Arsenal. The new signing and Brazil international Geyse had her first start of the campaign against Villa and is set to stay in Skinner’s line-up. Arsenal striker Alessia Russo should start against her former club. Beth Mead is close to a return but remains out for his one, as are Leah Williamson and Vivianne Miedema. Predicted line-ups Manchester United: Earps; Blundell, Le Tissier, Turner, George; Ladd, Zelem; Garcia, Toone, Galton; Geyse Arsenal: Zinsberger; Lacasse. Wubben-Moy, Ilestedt, Catley; Walti, Little, Maanum; McCabe, Foord; Russo Prediction Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal Read More Arsenal break Women’s Super League record – but suffer shock Liverpool defeat Alessia Russo to Mary Fowler – five Women’s Super League players to look out for Can anyone stop dominant Chelsea? – WSL talking points ahead of new season Jonas Eidevall: Alessia Russo won’t put herself under pressure on Man Utd return Man United and Tottenham eye move for Atletico Madrid’s transfer guru Erik Ten Hag has endless problems, but Man Utd have a way out of toxic mess

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton has tweeted his apparent support for Kevin Keegan’s assessment that he doesn’t enjoy female footballers talking about men’s football. The former Newcastle, Fulham and England national team boss was talking to an audience in a Bristol event recently and made the comments saying he doesn’t like to “listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that.” Keegan’s comments drew ire from support groups and female fans, but Barton took to X/Twitter to issue a terse few lines of support, seemingly in agreement with Keegan’s sentiment that former Lionesses and their peers shouldn’t be joining in the assessment of men’s action. “Kevin Keegan. Ballon D’or winner 1978. England manager. He’s bang on,” Barton wrote on social media. Keegan had insisted he was a fan of women’s football in general and backed the presenters themselves as being of the highest calibre - Gabby Logan was singled out by Keegan at the time as a top example. “The presenters we have now, some of the girls are so good, they are better than the guys. It’s a great time for the ladies,” he added. “But if I see an England lady footballer saying about England against Scotland at Wembley and she’s saying, ‘If I would have been in that position I would have done this,’ I don’t think it’s quite the same. I don’t think it crosses over that much.” Keegan added he saw it as “a great time for the ladies’ game” in general and that the standard of play when he visited the Lionesses while England manager was higher than he had expected it to be. Barton has his own long history of making headlines, from altercations on the pitch and in dressing rooms as a player to more recent episodes as a manager. Last year he told the FA to “stop rewarding failure” and sack Gareth Southgate from the England national team job, while across 2021 and 2022 he was cleared of assault against both another football league manager and against his wife, the latter after a judge ruled he could not have a fair trial because prosecutors would not call the alleged victim to give evidence. Several years ago Barton, then Fleetwood boss, made a comment saying women’s football was essentially a “different sport” and should be tailored accordingly with smaller balls and goals, to avoid it remaining “an inferior product”. More recently, he was reported this season to have called one of his own players at Bristol Rovers an “idiotic young boy” for contributing to conceding a goal while injured, insisting his team needed to remove such “weak, feeble-minded individuals” to achieve promotion. Read More Kevin Keegan ‘has a problem’ with ‘lady footballers’ as TV pundits Government pressed for answers on Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour Rumours: Brazilian is Liverpool’s January target and City want Haaland renewal

Liverpool face Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League tonight as the Reds return to action after a controversial week of VAR fallout. The Reds saw their winning run come to an end in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, but Jurgen Klopp’s side were furious after the VAR failed to overturn Luis Diaz’s wrongly disallowed opener and finished the match with nine men after Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off. And after a contentious week that has seen Klopp call for the Tottenham match to be replayed following the VAR error, Liverpool will look to make it two wins from two in Europa League Group E following their opening victory at Austrian side LASK. Liverpool have never played Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in a competitive match. The Belgian side, who reached the Europa League quarter-finals last season, drew 1-1 in their opening match against Toulouse. Follow live updates from Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League and get the latest match odds here. Read More Jurgen Klopp should know better — calling for replays sets a dangerous precedent Is Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch Europa League Jurgen Klopp calls for Liverpool’s match at Tottenham to be replayed over VAR blunder

Freiburg welcome West Ham to Germany for a Europa League Group A fixture. The two sides will hope to continue strong starts to their continental campaigns - Freiburg were impressive in a 3-2 win at Olympiakos, while West Ham overcame Backa Topola. David Moyes’s men ended a rough run in the Premier League with a solid performance against Sheffield United at the weekend, and would take a significant step towards progressing with a win away from home. But Freiburg, though short of goals, have made an encouraging start in the Bundesliga and will hope to take control of the group. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fixture; see all the latest Europa League odds and tips for tonight here. When is Freiburg vs West Ham? Freiburg vs West Ham is due to kick off at 5.45pm BST on Thursday 5 October at Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage on the channel from 5pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via discovery+. 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 Yannik Keitel went off after just 20 minutes of Freiburg’s weekend win against Augsburg, and would appear unlikely for involvement. Manager Christian Streich has used both a back-four and a back-three this season. West Ham have Edson Alvarez back available after the former Ajax midfielder served a competition suspension in his new club’s Group A opener. Veteran goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski should feature having lost his place as first choice to Alphonse Areola, but Aaron Cresswell is out with a hamstring injury. Predicted line-ups Freiburg XI: Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Lienhart, Schmidt; Hofler, Eggestein; Doan, Sallai, Grifo; Holer. West Ham XI: Fabianski; Kehrer, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Paqueta; Kudus, Ings, Benrahma.. Odds Freiburg win 31/20 Draw 13/5 West Ham win 8/5 Get the latest football odds here. Prediction A draw. Freiburg 1-1 West Ham. Read More Every VAR apology so far: From Liverpool offside to Man City handball VAR officials who missed Liverpool’s ‘onside’ goal to be replaced Why Europa League offers unmissable opportunity to Premier League sides Liverpool-Tottenham replay possible under Uefa rules loophole Jonas Eidevall: Alessia Russo won’t put herself under pressure on Man Utd return Gareth Southgate says: ‘I think we should just accept referees’ decisions’

A replay of Liverpool’s match at Tottenham could be possible on a legal interpretation of Uefa’s rules, according to those within football legal circles. Premier League sources are adamant that a replay of the controversial clash will not happen, especially since their rules only allow for a replay in the event of a club being guilty of an offence, but there is a belief that the fact the competition's own rules make no other mention may allow a new precedent to be set. Jurgen Klopp became the first figure to publicly raise the prospect of a replay in his Wednesday Europa League press conference. The Liverpool manager said he would prefer that as an outcome of this controversy, but admitted it's unlikely. Liverpool have not made such a request up to now, as the fall-out from the decision to wrongly disallow Luiz Diaz's goal continues. It was the nature of how that goal was ruled out that could create a problem for the game if the club do decide to pursue that route. A replay could be possible over incorrect application of laws, rather than an outright mistake: since the VAR actually identified that Diaz was onside, the correct application of the laws of the game would have been to award a goal, but that evidently didn't happen. That takes it beyond the threshold of a simple mistake, and could fall under the provisions for a protest to Uefa. The European governing body do allow clubs to submit protests - albeit within 12 hours of the game finishing. The current principles of the International Football Association Board [IFAB] regarding “admissability of protests” state that “protests may not be lodged against factual decisions taken by the referee”” and that “in principle, a match is not invalidated because of: malfunction(s) of the VAR technology (as for goal line technology (GLT)); wrong decision(s) involving the VAR (as the VAR is a match official); decision(s) not to review an incident; review(s) of a non-reviewable situation/decision”. Since it has been acknowledged by the PGMOL that this did constitute a “factual error”, there is a belief that this could be legally pursued. Liverpool themselves were involved in a potential precedent, when Roma complained about the incorrect decision of a corner - rather than a penalty - from a Stephane Henchoz handball in their 2000-01 Uefa Cup semi-final. Referee Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda initially pointed to the spot only to change his mind and indicate a corner. While a drop-ball should actually have been given in this situation, it was felt by Uefa that no further action should be taken as a corner actually ended up benefitting Roma more than the drop-ball. Had that not been the case, though, the governing body's use of language in the situation had some sources involved fearing the prospect of a replay might at least have been raised. Liverpool were surprised at the time that Roma's complaint got that far. Protests do usually have to be submitted within 12 hours of the end of the game in such cases, but the fact that the Premier League make no mention of replays means that the Uefa example could be pointed to in any legal case. Where Liverpool could find a greater likelihood of success is in suing for compensation, but there is an internal acknowledgement of how deep the repercussions could be depending on what happens next. The club are currently assessing what steps to take, as the PGMOL are set to improve their protocols following the biggest VAR error the Premier League has seen. Read More Jurgen Klopp calls for Liverpool’s match at Tottenham to be replayed over VAR blunder Gary Neville responds after Jurgen Klopp calls for Liverpool replay: ‘That’s madness’ MP condemns TalkSport presenter Simon Jordan over Liverpool ‘victim culture’ comment PGMOL rejects Ben Foster’s claim that refs pressured Sky into VAR cover-up Jurgen Klopp should know better — calling for replays sets a dangerous precedent Gary Neville responds after Jurgen Klopp calls for Liverpool replay: ‘That’s madness’

Aston Villa return to Europa Conference League action as they try to get their qualification hopes back on track against Bosnian champions Zrinjski Mostar. Playing European football for the first time in 13 years and having successfully negotiated Hibernian in the play-off round, Villa’s group stage started in disappointing fashion as they twice came from behind to equalise through Jhon Duran and Lucas Digne away to Legia Warsaw but eventually went down 3-2 in the Polish capital. That means victory over eight-time Bosnian title winners Zrinjski, who have climbed back to the top of the domestic game since Krunoslav Rendulic took over as manager last November, is a must and Unai Emery’s men are in good form since that defeat in Warsaw. They have beaten Chelsea and Brighton in the Premier League – the latter in a shock 6-1 thumping at the weekend – and will be heavy favourites to triumph on home turf, although Zrinjski are currently top of Group E after stunningly coming from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AZ Alkmaar 4-3 in their Europa Conference League opener. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fixture; see all the latest Europa League odds and tips for tonight here. When is Aston Villa vs Zrinjski Mostar? The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Thursday 5 October at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage on the channel from 7:45pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+, which is also available via Amazon Prime. 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? Villa were hit by the news that Boubacar Kamara, Moussa Diaby and Jacob Ramsey would all miss the match earlier this week, while Alex Moreno is out until after the international break and both Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia are long-term absentees. Leon Bailey should be back in contention after a thigh strain, however. Krunoslav Rendulic normally favours a 4-3-3 formation with Tomislav Kis and Nemanja Bilbija in contention to lead the line and Zvonimir Kozulj pushing for a start after scoring twice in Zrinjski’s remarkable comeback against AZ last month. Predicted line-ups Aston Villa: Olsen; Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne; Luiz, Tielemans; Traore, McGinn, Zaniolo; Duran Zrinjski Mostar: Maric; Corluka, Jakovljevic, Radic, Memija; Ivancic, Balic, Kozulj; Cuze, Kis, Ticinovic Odds Aston Villa win 1/10 Draw 10/1 Zrinjski Mostar win 30/1 Get the latest football odds here Prediction Villa to build on their impressive Premier League form and get their qualification hopes back on track. Aston Villa 4-1 Zrinjski Mostar Read More Unai Emery urges Aston Villa to adapt quickly to demands of European football Ollie Watkins scores hat-trick as rampant Aston Villa hit Brighton for six Unai Emery savours ‘special’ Villa Park atmosphere in rout of Brighton England boss Gareth Southgate hoping for positive news over Bukayo Saka fitness Arsenal renew Pedro Neto interest but face competition from two Premier League rivals Consistency the key for Vincent Kompany as he bids to lift Burnley

Gareth Southgate has named Bukayo Saka in his England squad, despite the Arsenal winger being an injury doubt ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. The England manager has also recalled Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen ahead of upcoming matches against Australia and Italy during October’s international break. Saka came off in the first half of the Gunners’ 2-1 Champions League defeat at Lens on Tuesday night and manager Mikel Arteta said he had suffered a hamstring injury, admitting it was a concern ahead of the match against Manchester City this weekend. Among the other key calls from this announcement is Southgate’s decision to stick with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson, while there is no place for Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse or Anthony Gordon. Follow along for all the updates as England’s latest squad is announced: Read More Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen make England return but Raheem Sterling left out

The PGMOL has rejected Ben Foster’s claim that Premier League match officials conspired with Sky Sports to cover up the VAR mistake during Liverpool’s defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The referees’ body has faced severe criticism over the error, in which VAR Darren England misunderstood an on-field decision and allowed a legitimate goal by Liverpool’s Luis Diaz to be chalked off for offside. He failed to alert his colleagues on the pitch, telling his replay operator “there’s nothing I can do” as the match continued. The incident sparked online conspiracy theories around football’s governance plotting against Liverpool. And Foster weighed in when he accused both the PGMOL and its VAR team at Premier League headquarters of putting direct pressure on Sky Sports not to broadcast replays of the incident. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ben Foster - The Cycling GK which has 1.4 million subscribers, the former Premier League goalkeeper said there was only one replay shown of the offside goal in its immediate aftermath, and his suspicions were further raised when the incident was only briefly discussed by Sky Sports’ pundits at half-time. “That tells me Sky are in bed with the people at VAR and [the PGMOL],” he claimed. “Because they must have got straight on the phone and said ‘do not highlight the fact that we’ve cocked up here, do not show it, do not bad-mouth us, do not nothing’. “I guarantee you that’s what’s happened. So that’s why Sky were under direct orders to not say a single word about it.” The Independent understands that the PGMOL feels Foster’s allegations are unfounded and completely untrue. The Premier League’s match centre, rather than the PGMOL, communicates only factual information to broadcasters, and it is understood that the referees’ body has no say or sway in what TV companies show. Indeed Sky Sports would have leapt at the chance to highlight a major VAR mistake, and did so once it had clarification of the error. Sky Sports did not want to comment on Foster’s claims, but sources pointed out that the half-time segment of the programme needed to cover two goals and a red card in an action-packed first half. The broadcaster later read out a PGMOL statement live on air and has since delved into extensive coverage of the incident, unpicking the moment in detail both on its Sky Sports News programmes and during Monday Night Football. Analyst Jamie Carragher criticised the decision by England not to intervene and halt the game once he understood that the wrong decision had been taken. “The bit where I’m really struggling is that they [VAR officials] must know within two seconds because Tottenham have taken a free-kick,” Carragher said. “I’d be screaming at the referee that a mistake has been made but maybe they’re saying they have to wait until the ball goes out of play. They’re saying they stayed with protocol, that they’re not allowed to stop [the match] but I don’t believe that. They panicked, they froze. “I know that’s the rule but that’s a red-tape rule. If they had reversed it, we’d have been praising their leadership. “There’s talk that the officials didn’t know until half-time that a mistake had been made but when that ball goes out of play [after the incident] the look on that referee’s face... it’s a look of something has gone wrong.” The Independent has contacted Foster’s representatives for comment. Read More Man United and Tottenham eye move for Atletico Madrid’s transfer guru Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall signs new long-term contract Manchester City can put a stamp on the season with Arsenal win – Rico Lewis Man United and Tottenham eye move for Atletico Madrid’s transfer guru Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall signs new long-term contract Manchester City can put a stamp on the season with Arsenal win – Rico Lewis

Newcastle stunned Paris Saint-Germain on their first Champions League match at St James’ Park in 20 years as goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar sealed a famous 4-1 win. Newcastle took the lead midway through the first half when Almiron steered a composed finish inside the post before Burn doubled their lead before the break with a towering heder, awarded following a VAR check. Longstaff added a dream third for Eddie Howe’s side and although Lucas Hernandez pulled one back for the visitors, the French champions and star forward Kylian Mbappe were subdued as they suffered a shock defeat. Schar then scored a screamer in stoppage time to cap a stunning night, and Newcastle’s victory puts them top of Group F after two games, with Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan playing out a goalless draw in Germany.Here are how the players rated from St James’ Park. Newcastle United Nick Pope, 7 PSG barely had a shot in the first half and the England international - who was so busy last time out to earn a point in the San Siro - was mainly a spectator here. Could not do too much about Hernandez’s header, as PSG pulled one back. Kieran Trippier, 8 The right back faced the sizeable task of marking Kylian Mbappe but was faultless against the best player in the world. Add in the quality of his set-pieces and an assist and this was another great performance from the England international. Jamaal Lascelles, 8 Newcastle’s captain would not have expected to start but was excellent as a replacement for Sven Botman. Was solid in the heart of defence and made an outstanding recovering challenge on Dembele. Fabian Schar, 9 The defender’s stunning strike from the edge of the box capped off another impressive night from the centre-back, who was sharp to PSG’s movement and kept the visiting stars quiet throughout. That he also has so much quality going forward is a real bonus. Dan Burn, 8 You feared the worst when the towering full-back lined up against the tricky Ousmanne Dembele, but it was Burn who gave PSG more problems. Doubled their lead with a dream goal, powering a header past Donnarumma. Sean Longstaff, 8 If anyone deserved a Champions League goal at St James’ Park, it was him. Shone in midfield on what was the biggest night of his career. Barely gave the ball away and smashed in a stunning third goal after half time. Bruno Guimaraes, 7 The Brazilian was full of quality touches and flicks to help Newcastle break forward against PSG. The timing of his pass is so often excellent. Sandro Tonali, 7 Helped Newcastle settle with his energy and drive in the opening stages, and looked more at home on the left side of the midfield three. Miguel Almiron, 9 Even with the talent on display at St James’ Park, Almiron was the most dangerous forward on the pitch. Kept his head to steer a precise first-time finish past Donnarumma for Newcastle’s opening goal and was a menace throughout. Alexander Isak, 7 Led the line well and was a handful the PSG centre-backs could not deal with, even if it was others in the Newcastle side who made the difference on the night. Anthony Gordon, 7 Another who rose to the occasion. Pressed furiously from the front and set the tone from the first few minutes as he closed down Hakimi and Marquinhos and then made sure he did his defensive work at the other end. Paris Saint-Germain Gianluigi Donnarumma, 3 The Italian was faced with an onslaught of shots and crumbled. If the fact both of Newcastle’s first-half goals came from rebounds suggested he could have done better, there was no doubt about the third as Longstaff’s shot went through his hands. A big player who went missing, but far from the only one. Achraf Hakimi, 4 The right back looked to be a key outlet for PSG with his runs forward but was largely pinned back by the lively duo of Gordon and Tonali. Fortunately for him, the defensive mess in the PSG back four was on the other side. Marquinhos, 3 What was the PSG captain thinking with his careless ball into midfield? The experienced centre-back was punished by Almiron and looked spooked by the occasion. Milan Skriniar, 3 Left an ocean of space for Longstaff to run into for Newcastle’s third goal. It summed up a complete mess of a defensive performance from PSG. Lucas Hernandez, 4 The Frenchman was run ragged by the excellent Almiron and was nowhere to be seen for Longstaff’s third goal. Popped up to pull one back. Manuel Ugarte, 4 If PSG’s approach seemed to leave him isolated in midfield, the defensive midfielder struggled to adapt. Needed to move it quicker and looked overwhelmed. Warren Zaire Emery, 7 Despite his age, the 17-year-old led by example and was the key link between PSG’s defence and attack with his bursts forward from midfield. Perhaps the only PSG player to come away with any credit tonight. Ousmane Dembele, 6 Went close at 0-0 with a wicked volley from Mbappe’s cross that just went past the post. You thought he could have troubled Burn but hardly tested him enough, although he was still the brightest of PSG’s forwards and stun Pope’s palms with a sharp volley late on. Kylian Mbappe, 3 Found no joy on the wing in the first half so drifted along the frontline after the break - but still struggled to get into the game until very late on. This is Mbappe’s team now and you expect him to take more responsibility, but he looks like a player who is ready to move on. Randal Kolo Muani, 3 A largely anonymous performance. Hardly saw the ball and it was no surprise that he was taken off before the hour. Goncalo Ramos, 4 The striker was unlucky with a strike that was deflected just wide but was otherwise quiet. Read More Newcastle’s local heroes stun PSG to twist a tale of geopolitical tension The twin tensions which explain Newcastle and PSG’s very modern rivalry

Newcastle United entertain Paris Saint-Germain as they continue their exciting Champions League journey with Eddie Howe’s side hoping to kick-start their campaign after a goalless draw in Milan. Kylian Mbappe is leading a newlook PSG outfit, with Luis Enrique reshaping the profile and philosophy behind the Qatari-owned side as they look to claim a first European crown after the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar. A thrilling display to ease past Dortmund last time out, with goals from Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi, makes Les Parisiens one of the strongest challengers to Manchester City and Real Madrid. Howe's side defeated Burnley 2-0 last weekend, with Miguel Almiron and Alexander Isak on the shoresheet. Follow the latest news and updates from Newcastle vs PSG below and get the latest odds and tips here. Read More The twin tensions which explain Newcastle and PSG’s very modern rivalry Champions League faces future rival as Saudi Arabia looks to transform Club World Cup Eddie Howe worried over growing injury list as Newcastle prepare for PSG clash

Celtic welcome Lazio to Glasgow seeking their first points of this season’s Champions League campaign. The Scottish club suffered an opening defeat at Feyenoord in Group E, with both Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm sent off. Lazio, meanwhile, opened with a home draw against Atletico Madrid as goalkeeper Ivan Provedel scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser. Maurizio Sarri’s side are struggling in Serie A, though, having won just twice in their first seven league games. Here’s everything you need to know. Get all the latest football betting sites offers here. When is Celtic vs Lazio? Celtic vs Lazio is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 4 October at Celtic Park in Glasgow. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 3, with coverage on the channel from 7.30pm BST. Subscribers can also stream the action via discovery+. 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 Celtic’s Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm are suspended after their red cards against Feyenoord, but Joe Hart is back available after serving a domestic suspension at the weekend and should start in goal. Centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers is expected to remain out until after the international break with his hamstring issue, while Liel Abada remains absent after picking up an injury to his thigh while away with Israel in September. Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri had hoped to give Ciro Immobile a day off before the 2-0 league defeat to Milan, but was forced to use the striker from the bench despite Immobile’s hip flexor issue. It may be that the Italian is able to start up front here, while a midfield reshuffle is also likely after youngster Nicolò Rovella started in that Serie A loss. Line-ups Celtic XI: Hart; Johnston, Phillips, Scales, Taylor; O’Riley, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Furuhashi, Palma Lazio XI: Provedel; Marusic, Romagnoli, Casale, Pellegrini; Kamada, Vecino, Alberto; Anderson, Zaccagni; Immobile. Odds Celtic win 9/5 Draw 13/5 Lazio win 11/8 Get the latest football odds here. Prediction A score draw. Celtic 2-2 Lazio. Read More Champions League faces future rival as Saudi Arabia looks to transform Club World Cup Every VAR apology so far: From Liverpool offside to Man City handball Victor Osimhen ends feud with own club Napoli in Instagram post Gary Neville responds after Jurgen Klopp calls for Liverpool replay: ‘That’s madness’ Manchester United are in crisis and Erik ten Hag is right about only one thing Chelsea’s Reece James fined and banned for abusing match official