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Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat pulled out of Morocco’s upcoming international games because of injury, the Premier League club said Friday. Amrabat, who completed a loan move to United from Fiorentina last week, will return to the club’s Carrington training base for rehabilitation work on an unspecified problem. He was due to make his 50th appearance for Morocco, which plays Liberia in an African Cup qualifier on Saturday. The World Cup semifinalists then play Burkina Faso in a friendly on Tuesday.Morocco coach Walid Regragui called up Yahya Jabrane to replace Amrabat for the games. United manager Erik ten Hag will hope his new signing will be ready for the team’s upcoming game against Brighton on Sept. 16. United has had a rough start to the season. The team lost two of its first four league games and Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane are all injured. Also, Rasmus Hojlund missed the start of the campaign because of an existing tissue injury after his move from Atalanta. United has also had to cope with comments made by Jadon Sancho, who said he had been made a “scapegoat for a long time” after he was dropped for the 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Sunday. Ten Hag said Sancho’s performances in training were the reason why he was not selected. United also said it is taking seriously allegations of domestic abuse made against Brazil winger Antony, which saw the player dropped from his country’s games against Bolivia and Peru. Read More Manchester United deny attempting to ‘cover up’ allegations Antony attacked ex-girlfriend Sofyan Amrabat talks up importance of Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag on his career Manchester United refuse to reveal if Antony is available for selection

Josh Sheehan is determined to revive his Wales career after injury destroyed his World Cup dream and provoked the “dark days” that followed. Bolton midfielder Sheehan won his fourth Wales cap – and his first for two years – by coming on as a second-half substitute in the 0-0 friendly draw with South Korea on Thursday. It was reward for a tough journey that began on November 17, 2021 – a date inked in Sheehan’s mind. “An FA Cup game against Stockport, I was running down the line against their full-back and he just gave me a little nudge,” said the 28-year-old from Carmarthenshire. “I felt something in my leg, and it just went. I went down for a second and then I carried on for five minutes, but every time I felt like turning it would give way. “I should have come off thinking about it now. But I’m not the type of player to go down and go off, I’d rather just try and get through.” The reality was that Sheehan had ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament and would spend nine months out of the game. Sheehan’s return to league football at Bolton came just weeks before Wales went to Qatar for their first World Cup in 64 years and time was against him to make Rob Page’s squad. He said: “It was a tough ask to come back and hit my peak straight away. A tough ask for any player. “It’s disappointing because sometimes a World Cup is a once in a lifetime thing, and there are a lot of dark days when you have that sort of injury. “A dark day would be when the boys are all out training, and you’re just watching from the side or you’re in the gym. “Sometimes I would literally be on my own because the physio would be with someone else – and it’s such a long injury. “There’s no rush to get back, but you still have to do everything to the top level and perfect each section coming back from the injury. “Watching games at 3pm on Saturday in the stands knowing you can’t affect the game, that’s probably the dark days mentally.” Sheehan said he got through the rehabilitation process with the help of family and friends – “I’ve got a little daughter and that takes your mind away from football” – and he eventually helped Bolton into the League One play-offs last season. Kicking on this term sealed the return of the Swansea product and former Newport player to the Wales squad during a vital stage of Euro 2024 qualification. Wales play Latvia in Riga on Monday knowing three points is essential to keep alive hopes of a top-two place in Group D. “How I was playing before the injury, I was doing as much as I could, scoring goals at Bolton,” Sheehan said. “It’s disappointing (what happened), but you move on and use it as motivation. “We all know what we have to do in Latvia. We know what our game plan is, and as long as we stick to it, we know we’re good enough to win.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Mike Catt: Ireland wing Mack Hansen’s dropping not due to disciplinary matter Football rumours: Jadon Sancho deal for Saudi move falls at last hurdle Protesters steal the US Open headlines as the heat keeps rising

What the papers say With the Saudi transfer window closed, Al-Ettifaq did not manage to secure Jadon Sancho in time, with the Daily Mail reporting the deal failed as Manchester United wanted to put a £50m obligation to buy the player in the agreement between the clubs. Turkey is emerging as a likely destination for Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe. According to the Evening Standard, Besiktas and Trabzonspor are keen on taking the 28-year-old from Arsenal. Former England striker Wayne Rooney, now DC United manager, may be the man to take over at Birmingham City if current boss John Eustace leaves the club, the Daily Telegraph reports. Social media round-up Players to watch Harrison Reed: Fulham are understood to be in talks for a new contract with the 28-year-old midfielder after turning down a £3million bid from Wolves. Jesse Lingard: The 30-year-old will play in a behind-closed-doors friendly for West Ham against Ipswich as the club mulls over a contract offer. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Gary Maddison was not a Tottenham supporter. Not until the last few weeks, anyway. But there was a time when he paid particular attention to Spurs, and a reason. “My dad’s favourite player when I was growing up was Gazza,” said his son, James, who has inherited the mantle Paul Gascoigne had more than three decades ago, of Tottenham’s resident creator and entertainer, part technical talent, part bubbly character. If some summer signings require time and explanation, Maddison and Tottenham seemed a synergy of player and club, a perfect match. It was the impression the £40m buy forged. “That was one of the reasons I wanted to go to Tottenham, purely because I could just see myself playing for Tottenham. I’m not even 100 percent sure what I mean by that, so don’t ask me. But I could just see myself in that team, in that kit, in that stadium. It just fitted well for me.” Even as Maddison struggled to define what a Tottenham player he is, he nevertheless appears to belong in a tradition. For a club without a league title in 62 years, Spurs have had a disproportionate number of flair players, many of them attack-minded midfielders or wingers. The club of Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle, Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, Gascoigne and David Ginola, Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart tended to offer excitement. “And they’ve always had that type of player,” Maddison added. “And that sort of midfielder who wants to be creative and entertain the fans and be a personality. Christian Eriksen in more recent years but since him they probably haven’t had that type of player. I’d put myself in that category, I’m not putting myself on the same level. But I’m that type of player.” As he indicated, it is one they have lacked of late, under a trio of managerial puritans, in Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte. Maddison, appointed vice-captain before he debuted, can look the face of ‘Angeball’, the more attacking ethos of Ange Postecoglou. It helps that Eriksen was a player he admired during his rise. David Silva and the Liverpool version of Philippe Coutinho were other inspirations. But if his father idolised Gazza, the young Maddison also looked up to Wazza. “I would probably say Wayne Rooney was the big one in my childhood,” he said. “I used to love Wazza. He was a bit more feisty than me – a bit harder into a tackle – but his personality and the way he came through in the way he played. That childhood was videoed by his father, producing YouTube montages of an emerging talent. Maddison jokes that Premier League copyright rules prevent him from carrying on. Perhaps that explains why he has long seemed comfortable on camera, gravitating towards the limelight. “I loved watching players who had a little bit of cheekiness about them; Gazza was a perfect example,” he said, chuckling at the thought of the midfielder sticking his tongue out during the national anthem in the 1990 World Cup. Maddison’s exuberant streak is reflected in his style of play. It is an outgoing attitude, rather than arrogance. “It’s not a conscious effort to try and be the showman,” he said. “That’s just how I play football. That’s just how I am as a person, [when] I go for a roast dinner with my family, I like to be the main man.” That confidence can equip him for the most daunting tasks. Tottenham’s record scorer and, Maddison said, arguably their greatest ever player vacated the No 10 shirt this summer when Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich. He took it. “I wasn’t naive enough to go in there thinking there wasn’t a chance Harry Kane could leave Tottenham,” he said. “The club asked me, then of course I wanted to wear it. It’s my favourite number. I’ve got it tattooed on me, I loved that number growing up as a kid so I was never going to say no.” Thus far, four games in the shirt have brought a Kane-esque return of two goals and two assists, plus a place in the England squad. Once on the outside looking in, he is now becoming a regular choice. “I think I’m probably too intelligent to think that I’m in and cemented,” he nevertheless said. He only has three caps; perhaps the absences of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling will afford him the chance to add to that against Ukraine and Scotland. That tally might be higher but for a knee injury that meant he was unavailable for the group games at the World Cup; by the time he was fit again, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford were all in form. “I think a younger version of myself would have been a bit more sulky, a bit more moody, a bit more moany,” Maddison admitted, but, more mature now, he tried to be supportive and highlighted the empathetic man-management of Gareth Southgate. “Gareth gave me a massive compliment as we were leaving,” he said. “He said he knew it has been tough with the injury and not featuring, but he was really impressed with the way I had carried myself round the group. Him putting his arm around me and saying that as we were leaving stuck with me.” It gives Maddison an extra motivation to play at Euro 2024 but, as he looks for further opportunities with England, he is looking a natural fit for a white shirt at his new club. Read More Bukayo Saka keen to improve after winning England men’s player of the year again Reinvented at new-age Brighton, Lewis Dunk has a second chance with England James Maddison grew up loving Gascoigne ‘cheekiness’ and ‘feisty’ Wayne Rooney James Maddison, Julian Alvarez and 5 players to target for FPL Gameweek 5 Ange Postecoglou expects Brennan Johnson to ‘fit in really well’ at Tottenham

Michael O’Neill admitted poor defending cost Northern Ireland dear in a damaging 4-2 defeat to Slovenia but it was another game of fine margins in Ljubljana. Northern Ireland ended the night having created more chances than their hosts but on the wrong end of the scoreline as they struggled to contain Slovenia’s strike pairing of Benjamin Sesko and Andraz Sporar. Isaac Price’s first international goal had cancelled out Sporar’s third-minute strike but all too quickly Northern Ireland were behind again when Petar Stojanovic’s strike deflected off Jonny Evans in the 17th minute, with Sesko giving Slovenia breathing space before the break. Although Evans got O’Neill’s side back into it in the 53rd minute, almost immediately Sporar settled it to deliver what is surely a fatal blow to Northern Ireland’s hopes of progressing from Group H as they lost for a fourth straight match. But although they conceded four, O’Neill could be happy with the attacking intent showed by his side, with Conor McMenamin carrying the threat after getting the nod on the right wing. “It was a game full of incident clearly, six goals,” O’Neill said. “I thought we played very well in the game. We defended poorly at times, we struggled to deal with Sesko and Sporar who we knew would be the biggest threat and they proved to be that. “But we did a lot of good things in the game. Some of the attacking play was very very good, we created a lot of chances and that was the best attacking play we’ve had in the campaign so far. Playing with two wingers helped us with the chances we created. “The most disappointing thing in the game is how we managed the period in the game from 1-1 to 2-1, I think that was the period where we needed to be stable and we weren’t. Also from 3-2 to 4-2, we conceded too early after the game went to 3-2. “We were trying to find a way back in the last 15 minutes and asked some questions and again the goalkeeper makes two or three good saves. It was an open game. I was disappointed to lose the game but pleased with a lot of aspects, some of the younger players were terrific.” There were late chances for McMenamin and substitutes Josh Magennis and Paul Smyth, but although Northern Ireland had more possession and more chances than their hosts, they lacked the sort of firepower offered by RB Leipzig’s Sesko and Sporar of Panathinaikos. After coming out on the wrong end of three consecutive 1-0 defeats, this was a very different result, but a similar story of Northern Ireland not being outplayed. “The biggest difference in the game was probably the front two,” O’Neill said. “It’s a big part of the team. I don’t think we saw a lot between the teams on the night but they were clinical. “Both Sorpar and Sesko were a threat all night. Some of our players were excellent as well and the chances we created, we’re probably disappointed we only scored twice in the game. We have to accept the defeat and move on.” McMenamin was the brightest spark, with the 28-year-old showing the confidence gained from his summer move from Glentoran to St Mirren. “Conor had a great game, he was very, very positive from the outset,” O’Neill said. “He’s a player who has come late to international football, late to professional football. “In the summer he got his first move into the Scottish Premiership and I think he’s made great strides in the space of six to eight weeks he’s been in the there so there’s a lot more in Conor.”

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Rob Page believes Wales are heading into their crunch Euro 2024 qualifier in Latvia with renewed confidence after holding South Korea to a Cardiff draw. Wales have now won only once in 13 games, but Page accentuated the positives after a goalless stalemate against opponents who reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. “There’s lots of positives and we take that momentum and confidence into a tough game on Monday,” Page said after Wales had returned to action following damaging Euro 2024 qualifying defeats by Armenia and Turkey in June. “JJ (Jordan James) has had a very good debut and he’s had that experience under his belt against a world-class team. “It’s building confidence ahead of Monday and getting rid of the disappointment of June’s camp. “They’ve reacted in a positive way. We’ve had meetings through the week regards to the defenders and the goals we’ve conceded. “We’ve kept a clean sheet against a technically good team with one of the best strikers (Son Heung-min) in world football, and at the end we could have won it 1-0 with Kieffer’s header.” Substitute Kieffer Moore almost broke the deadlock after 66 minutes when his header came back off a post. Skipper Aaron Ramsey, who has just entered the action on the hour, was unable to prod home the rebound from a yard out. Brennan Johnson played the first 45 minutes after completing a £47.5million move from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham on deadline day as Page selected a far stronger side than most had expected before their Latvia test in Riga. Page said: “There’s been lots said since the last camp. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. It’s not a problem. “I know what I’ve got in the changing room and the staff room. It’s about winning games of football, I get that. The transition we’re in, we’ve lost some world-class players. “You would have seen the reaction of the players. I’m really pleased with them. “I’m proud of how we defended. That was back to our identity. “That’s the level of performance we reached in March, away against Croatia and at home against Latvia. “We didn’t meet those standards in June and that’s what disappointed me the most, but we were back to those standards here.” Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed as South Korea head coach in February and has failed to win any of his five games in charge – drawing three and losing two. “It was a very good test for us and I am pleased with what the players showed,” said Klinsmann, the former Germany and United States boss. “Wales had a back five that was very difficult to break. As a team we want to see development, we want to see them grow and every game helps us. “This is the moment in these friendly games to try these things out, you can see that the team has changed since my first game in March.”

Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram left the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 dream hanging by a thread as France maintained their perfect start to qualification with a regulation 2-0 win in Paris. The pair struck either side of half-time at the Parc des Princes to claim a fifth successive Group B victory and leave Ireland with just three points from their first four games, a statistic which means Sunday’s clash with the Netherlands in Dublin could all but decide their fate. Stephen Kenny’s men were organised and dogged, but with Ousmane Dembele tormenting Enda Stevens to such an extent that he was replaced at half-time and Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann delighting a passionate home crowd, were unable to cause the hosts enough problems with the notable exception of a Chiedozie Ogbene header which prompted a fine save from Mike Maignan. Much had been made in France ahead of the game of Ireland keeper Gavin Bazunu’s propensity to concede from distance, but there was little he could have done to keep out Tchouameni’s sweetly-struck 19th-minute shot, and he was left exposed as substitute Thuram extended the lead after 48 minutes. While the outcome in Paris was never likely to define their campaign, June’s defeat in Greece left Ireland up against it and a repeat against the Dutch would effectively extinguish all hope. France set off in determined fashion, Adrien Rabiot thumping a shot into Bazunu’s midriff from Dembele’s pull-back before John Egan had to make a vital block to keep out Olivier Giroud’s strike after Theo Hernandez had out-stripped the cover down the Irish right. Mbappe might have done better from the resulting corner, scooping a tame attempt over the top after Adam Idah had taken Griezmann’s corner out of Bazunu’s reach, and the Ireland keeper was relieved to see the Atletico Madrid star’s swinging 15th-minute free-kick smuggled away after it reared up at him off the turf having sailed through a crowded penalty area. However, he was beaten four minutes later when, after Griezmann had headed down for Dembele, his cross was headed away by Nathan Collins only for Mbappe to recycle the loose ball to Tchouameni, who curled a delicious shot across the Southampton keeper and inside the far post from 25 yards. Giroud departed injured after going to ground under Egan’s 24th-minute challenge and was replaced by Thuram and with Mbappe dropping deep to pick up possession, the visitors found themselves under almost constant pressure, with Ogbene’s occasional, but largely unsupported, forays down the right their only meaningful outlet. Bazunu fielded a speculative effort from Mbappe comfortably, but was relieved to see an offside flag come to his rescue after the Paris St Germain star had stabbed a 42nd-minute shot between his legs. Stevens departed at the break to be replaced by James McClean, but his side fell further behind within three minutes of the restart when, after Mbappe had failed to make the most of a Theo Hernandez cross, Thuram span on the lose ball to rifle into the roof of the net. With little left to lose, the Republic threw caution to the wind and might have reduced the deficit from Ogbene’s header but for Maignan’s brilliance after Idah had beaten the offside trap, and the Luton striker curled a left-foot shot inches over seconds later as the anxious keeper could only look on. Ireland’s new-found sense of adventure left them vulnerable at the back and Mbappe’s blushes were spared by a late offside flag after he had missed the target in a one-on-one battle with Bazunu, who then did well to parry another Tchouameni piledriver 23 minutes from time. Dembele rattled the upright from a tight angle with France in cruise control, and only stout defence, a series of less than effective final balls and a bad miss by Thuram spared the visitors further damage. Read More Northern Ireland’s Euro 2024 hopes suffer huge blow with Slovenia defeat Steve Clarke did not seek Elliot Anderson assurance over Scotland allegiance Wales share predictable stalemate with South Korea in Cardiff friendly Northern Ireland’s Euro 2024 hopes suffer huge blow with Slovenia defeat Steve Clarke did not seek Elliot Anderson assurance over Scotland allegiance Wales share predictable stalemate with South Korea in Cardiff friendly

Northern Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024 are all but over after they slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat, losing 4-2 to Slovenia in Ljubljana. Although Isaac Price’s first international goal quickly cancelled out Andraz Sporar’s third-minute strike, Petar Stojanovic’s strike deflected off Jonny Evans to put the hosts back in front in a frantic start to the match, and Benjamin Sesko added a third before the break. Evans got Northern Ireland back into it with a deflected strike in the 53rd minute, but only briefly as Sporar got his second moments later. Defeat leaves Northern Ireland three places and seven points off second in Group H going into Sunday’s trip to Kazakhstan, with the dream of heading to Germany next summer effectively dead. After three straight 1-0 losses Michael O’Neill could again claim his side had not been hugely outplayed, with Conor McMenamin particularly impressing as they created more chances than Slovenia. But Northern Ireland’s defensive solidity deserted them and they simply do not have the firepower to match the likes of RB Leipzig’s Sesko. The 20-year-old was involved as Slovenia breached the Northern Ireland defence inside three minutes. Shea Charles missed an interception and Sesko easily flicked the ball into the path of Sporar, who had time to beat the exposed Bailey Peacock-Farrell. It was a dreadful start, but somehow Northern Ireland roused themselves to equalise with their first goal since the opening qualifier against San Marino in March. McMenamin and Matty Kennedy – earning his first cap since March 2021 – came into the side as O’Neill stuck to his word to choose players in form at club level, with all but Evans having been regulars in the opening weeks of the season, and both were involved in the equaliser. McMenamin’s cross from the right was aimed at Kennedy and when his shot was blocked by Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, it fell for Price to fire in. But soon after Slovenia were back in front. Stojanovic left Ciaron Brown in a heap as he cut in from the right, with the Sampdoria man’s cross taking a deflection off the luckless Evans to beat Peacock-Farrell as Northern Ireland appealed in vain for a foul. It was the last involvement for Brown, who became the 17th Northern Ireland player to suffer an injury in this campaign, hobbling off to be replaced by Craig Cathcart – playing his first competitive football since June a day after signing for Belgian club Kortrijk. McMenamin’s cross narrowly evaded Paddy McNair but it was Slovenia who thought they had a third 10 minutes before half-time when Sesko finished from close range, with the loud celebrations cut short once the stadium DJ belatedly noticed the flag was up for offside and play had resumed. But Sesko would have his goal before the break. After Kennedy missed a chance to clear, Sesko wriggled away from Evans with his back to goal before hitting a powerful low left-footed strike on the turn to find the corner of the net. O’Neill sent on Josh Magennis and Conor Washington for Kennedy and Dion Charles at the break but it was Slovenia who threatened again, with Sporar seeing a powerful effort cannon back off the crossbar from close range. Hope was rekindled in the 53rd minute when a deflected strike from Evans beat the scrambling Oblak. But that hope lasted barely three minutes before Sporar raced through the centre of the pitch, rounding Peacock-Farrell and rolling the ball into an empty net, and Northern Ireland could not capitalise on late chances for Magennis, McMenamin, and substitute Paul Smyth. Northern Ireland’s injury curse struck again 15 minutes from time as the substitute Cathcart hobbled off, as if to underline the problem that has dogged Northern Ireland since before this doomed campaign began. Read More Talking points ahead of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifier in Slovenia Erik ten Hag says Rasmus Hojlund could make Manchester United debut at Arsenal Tchouameni and Thuram on target as France dent Republic of Ireland hopes Tchouameni and Thuram on target as France dent Republic of Ireland hopes Steve Clarke did not seek Elliot Anderson assurance over Scotland allegiance Wales share predictable stalemate with South Korea in Cardiff friendly

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