Ipswich Town has defended a visit by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, asserting its commitment to remaining “apolitical” and engaging with representatives “from across the political spectrum”.

The club’s stance comes after Farage’s appearance at Portman Road on Monday sparked criticism from some supporters.

Sources close to the Championship club initially indicated that no official invitation had been extended to Mr Farage, who was in Ipswich for a rally later that day. However, Reform UK sources disputed this, insisting that club representatives had indeed invited him.

During his visit, Mr Farage was photographed and filmed in the dressing room, press room and pitchside, where he thanked the club for the “lovely welcome”.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Ipswich Town did not refute that the visit had official approval.

The club clarified its position, stating: “Ipswich Town Football Club has, over several years, hosted representatives from a range of political parties. The club remains apolitical and does not support or endorse any individual or party. The club will continue to engage with representatives from across the political spectrum as part of its role within the community.”

The statement further emphasised the club’s pride in being an “inclusive, diverse and welcoming organisation”.

The visit drew sharp reactions from some Ipswich supporters online. One fan described it as “PR suicide for a family club” on X, while another, identified as Alex, told the Press Association he was “disgusted and ashamed”, calling it “a slap in the face to supporters and players, past and present”.

Reform UK actively promoted Mr Farage’s visit on social media. On Monday evening, the party posted “Portman Road awaits”, followed by a post from Mr Farage’s account on Tuesday morning, which read: “I’ve never been too bad on the right wing”, accompanied by images from his time at the stadium.

The party also used a photograph of Mr Farage holding an Ipswich number 10 shirt as the banner on its official X account.

A further video posted by Reform UK on Tuesday afternoon showed Mr Farage joking about potentially managing the club if they failed to secure promotion to the Premier League.

“It’s a big end of the season for Ipswich, they’re really in contention to go back into the Premier League,” he said. “Let’s hope they do, but if they don’t, I think there’s a chance here – I’ve had a chat with a few people on the manager’s job coming up next season, and I’m definitely on the shortlist.”

The video then cut to the door of 10 Downing Street, implying his true ambition.

Rival club Norwich City appeared to mock the situation on X, posting: “Book a stadium tour of Carrow Road – new dates now available. Terms and conditions will most definitely apply,” accompanied by a “clenched teeth” emoji.

Mr Farage responded to Norwich’s post with “See you next week” and a winking face emoji. On Tuesday evening, Reform UK posted “Leeds tonight. Not the football club” with a laughing face emoji.

Ipswich Town FC is facing a backlash after Reform Party leader Nigel Farage staged a photo opportunity at its Portman Road stadium.

But the club is understood to have been unaware of the full extent of the event until social media posts emerged.

No official invitation was extended by Ipswich to Mr Farage for the Monday event, it is understood.

Portman Road Events, which manages private tours of the stadium, is understood to have taken a booking on behalf of Reform for Monday afternoon. However, the Championship club only became aware of what was involved later that day when posts appeared on the party’s official account.

Reform posted "Portman Road Awaits" on X on Monday evening, and Mr Farage followed up with a post on Tuesday morning.

He shared photos of him ‘signing’ for Ipswich and one of him holding up a number 10 Ipswich shirt.

I’ve never been too bad on the right wing. ✍️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/edW9hulPrO

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) March 24, 2026

“I’ve never been too bad on the right wing,” he wrote on his official X account.

The party subsequently made a photo of Mr Farage holding the shirt the banner on their official X account.

It came after Reform held a party rally at nearby Trinity Park.

The club has declined to comment.

However, some supporters have criticised them on X, with one describing it as "PR suicide for a family club".

Sources close to the party insisted that Mr Farage had been invited by representatives of the club.

Reform posted a further video of Mr Farage at Portman Road on Tuesday afternoon, where he thanked the club for a “lovely welcome”.

He said: “It’s a big end of the season for Ipswich, they’re really in contention to go back into the Premier League.

“Let’s hope they do, but if they don’t, I think there’s a chance here – I’ve had a chat with a few people on the manager’s job coming up next season and I’m definitely on the shortlist.

“The trouble is, there’s only one job I’m really after.”

The video then cut to the door of 10, Downing Street – the prime minister’s residence.

Dozens of individuals have been detained by Czech police in connection with a widespread football match-fixing scandal.

David Trunda, head of the Czech Football Association (FA), revealed on Tuesday that the organisation had initiated the investigation years ago, alerting authorities to suspicions of bribery and rigged matches.

Local media reports suggest the scandal encompasses the top four club leagues and potentially youth competitions.

Trunda confirmed that 47 people are now facing a disciplinary investigation, vowing: "We will do everything to ensure that the betting mafia disappears from the Czech sports."

State prosecutors corroborated the detentions, adding that officers from the organised crime unit conducted raids across the country.

The scandal emerges just two days before the final stage of World Cup qualifying.

The Czech Republic are set to play Republic of Ireland on Thursday in Prague in their World Cup play-off semi-final.

The victor will then host Denmark or North Macedonia for a spot in this summer’s tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Czechs last qualified for the World Cup in 2006.

There is also an ongoing investigation into alleged match-fixing and illegal betting in Turkish football right now.

Last month, Turkish authorities detained 32 individuals, including several football club executives.

According to a statement from the prosecutor's office, those apprehended are suspected of placing bets on games involving their own clubs, with some even wagering on opposing teams during official fixtures.

Police operations spanned 10 provinces to apprehend the suspects.

Details regarding the identities of the suspects or their club affiliations have not been disclosed.

Back in November, over 1,000 players were suspended by the Turkish Football Federation amid the widening betting scandal.

This included national team defender Eren Elmali who had been a Champions League regular for Galatasaray in the early part of the season.

Lens have vehemently opposed Paris Saint-Germain’s request to postpone their crucial Ligue 1 clash which is sandwiched between their two Champions League quarter-final matches against Liverpool.

The French club are locked in a title race with the Parisian giants, sitting just a point behind Luis Enrique’s side in the table, and have claimed any rescheduling of the contest would see Ligue 1 risk sporting fairness.

PSG’s trip to Lens is scheduled for Saturday 11 April - three days after their quarter-final first leg in Paris and three days before the second leg in Liverpool - meaning they face the challenge of three potentially season-defining matches in less than a week.

They have therefore made a request to France's Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP) to move the league meeting but Lens have responded by issuing a forceful statement.

Insisting that fixture details were finalised and agreed upon on 6 March, Lens highlight the “troubling sentiment” that is seeing the league “gradually relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some”.

They also point out how a date change will not just greatly benefit PSG - by far the richest, most powerful in the division - but will also harm Lens, forcing their fixtures to become congested.

A club statement read: “Changing the date of this match today would mean, for Racing Club de Lens, being deprived of competition for 15 days and then chaining matches every three days - a rhythm that corresponds neither to the one defined at the start of the season, nor to the resources of a club that could absorb this type of new constraint without consequence.

“It would therefore be understood that the tenth budget in the league should adapt to the demands of the most powerful, in the name of interests that, evidently, now extend beyond the domestic framework, which has already been lightened in recent seasons.”

Communiqué du Racing Club de Lens

Le 6 mars dernier, la programmation de la rencontre opposant le Racing Club de Lens au Paris Saint-Germain a été arrêtée, officialisant un cadre auquel chacun était alors convié à se conformer.

Dans un esprit de responsabilité et de mesure, le… pic.twitter.com/qsjBpmJaNN

— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) March 23, 2026

The club say they did not plan to take the issue public but after making PSG aware of their “intention not to see this date changed” from “the very first requests”, they claim growing suggestions that a potential postponement is in the works has forced them into a vocal response.

A PSG spokesperson has told BBC Sport that "this type of rescheduling has been carried out regularly by the LFP in the past for the benefit of French clubs" and "in no way calls the league into question", arguing that “the performances of French clubs competing on the European stage benefit French football as whole”.

PSG, the reigning European champions, also had a league match postponed for their Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea, moving a game with Nantes that was scheduled for the weekend in between the two legs to help them prepare as effectively as possible. They went on to win that tie 8-2 on aggregate.

The LFP have also received a similar request from Strasbourg, who want their meeting with Brest on Sunday 12 April postponed as it falls in between their Conference League quarter-final matches against Mainz.

The final decision will fall to the LFP, whose stance historically sees them assist French teams playing in Europe.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe says the knee injury that kept him sidelined for almost two months is "behind him" and there had never been a concern he would miss this year's World Cup.

The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker admitted he had not been at his best mentally during the 54-day absence -- the longest of his career.

"There was a lot of frustration, anger and anxiety," the French captain said.

Mbappe, who along with the French squad flies to the United States on Tuesday for friendlies against Brazil on Thursday and then Colombia Sunday, came on as a substitute for a few minutes in last week's Champions League last-16 match at Manchester City.

He also played over 25 minutes for Real -- for whom he is top scorer this campaign with 38 goals in 34 appearances -- in the 3-2 derby win over Atletico on Sunday.

"It is behind me," he said of the injury.

"I put myself under a regime where I wanted to return gently but with a hunger to play.

"I hope I am going to be able to play during the international break and make a difference."

The France captain -- a World Cup winner in 2018 and runner-up in 2022 -- said he had been annoyed by the rumour mill suggesting his injury was more serious than it actually was.

He had avoided undergoing surgery after scans he had in Paris at the beginning of March revealed he would not require an intervention.

"Lots of people gave their own diagnosis, I heard many false things," said Mbappe, who was appearing at an event of an insurance company he invested in in Paris on Monday.

- 'Not at my best' -

Mbappe said there had never been a doubt about the injury preventing him from playing at what will be his third World Cup finals in June.

"No, that was never a topic of discussion," he said.

"At worst I could have had a partial rupture (of the ligament) which would have ruled me out till April.

"There was never a debate about the World Cup or the climax to the season with Real Madrid."

In spite of the sprain and the resulting pain the former PSG star played part of January and February, admitting he and Real "had tried to manage it as best as possible".

"One has to look at the positive, today, I have no pain and we are still in the hunt for trophies, that is what is most important," he said.

"We will have time afterwards to assess how it was handled.

"I am not going to go into the details, I will say I was not at my best in handling this period, I was not the happiest of players but I am delighted that is behind me now.

"All (the pain) is gone."

Mbappe said he was looking forward to pitting his wits against the Brazilians, who are managed by Carlo Ancelotti, who coached the Frenchman in his first season at Real.

"It might be a friendly but when you play Brazil, the greatest footballing nation with five World Cup wins, it is unbelievable to play against them," he said.

"It is a team who could win the World Cup, it is good to compare how we are at the moment with them.

"Even if we cannot take a lot of learnings out of this get together, we can nevertheless take some.

"One thing is for sure we are not going there for a holiday, we are going there as a step in our preparations for the World Cup."

ali/bm/hpa/pi/jc

The Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and Euroconsumers have filed a lawsuit with the European Commission against football’s world governing body FIFA over “excessive ticket prices” for this year’s World Cup final.

“Euroconsumers and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) have filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against FIFA, alleging that the football body has abused its monopoly position to impose excessive ticket prices and opaque and unfair purchasing conditions and processes on European fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup,” the FSE said in a statement on Tuesday.

“FIFA holds a monopoly over ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup and has used that power to impose conditions on fans that would never be acceptable in a competitive market,” the group added.

The FSE said the prices for the July 19 final are far higher than those for the 2022 final in Qatar.

“The cheapest openly available final tickets now start at $4,185 – more than seven times the cost of the cheapest 2022 World Cup final ticket,” they said.

By contrast, it said the cheapest UEFA Euro 2024 final tickets were 95 euros ($100).

“FIFA’s own bid documents projected an average ticket price of $1,408 but that number has been left far behind,” FSE added.

According to FIFA, almost seven million tickets have been made available for the sport’s showpiece event, being hosted jointly by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Each person can buy a maximum of four tickets per match and a total of 40 for the entire competition.

A total of 104 matches will be played at this expanded World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, and ticket prices have soared for the most in-demand games.

The FSE said the North American bid had initially promised tickets would be available from as little as $21, but instead the cheapest tickets to go on sale have been for $60, for example, for the Group J opener between Austria and Jordan at Levi’s Stadium in California.

Most tickets cost at least $200 for matches involving leading nations.

Some tickets on offer for the final on FIFA’s official resale site are being offered at astronomical prices.

One category three seat for the game at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was being advertised for an eye-watering $143,750, more than 41 times its original face value of $3,450.

Eritrea will end 18 years of isolation from the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday when they host Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, in the Moroccan city of Meknes in the first qualifier for the 2027 tournament.

The preliminary round first leg at the 20,000-seat Stade d’Honneur has been moved from East to North Africa because Eritrea lacks an international-standard venue.

Eswatini will stage the return match on March 31, and the aggregate winners will advance to the group stage, which will consist of 12 four-nation mini-leagues from September.

Popularly known as the Red Sea Camels, the East African country have not played in the premier African national team competition since drawing a 2008 qualifier in Swaziland.

Eritrean football officials have never explained their absence from nine subsequent Cups of Nations, but it is widely believed to be due to players seeking asylum when playing abroad.

The United Nations estimates about 80 footballers and coaches have defected, citing political repression and lengthy military service as the main reasons.

Eritrea has been governed by President Isaias Afwerki since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, and human rights groups consistently describe his rule as “highly repressive”.

Speaking in Morocco before the 2025 Cup of Nations, Eritrean National Football Federation President Paulos Andemariam announced that the isolation would end.

“After positive discussions with our government, we have registered to play in the 2027 AFCON, and I believe we will have a strong team, including many Eritreans playing outside Africa,” he said.

Local head coach Ermias Tewelde was recently replaced by Hesham Yakan, a former defender with famed Cairo club Zamalek and part of the Egypt squad at the 1990 World Cup.

Lack of match practice

A 24-man squad includes 10 locals and Eritreans playing in Australia, Egypt, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines and Sweden.

Siem Eyob-Abraha is with English second-tier club Sheffield United, having previously been part of the Manchester United youth squad.

Eyob-Abraha and Egypt-based fellow striker Ali Sulieman are expected to start against Eswatini, whose 16 previous attempts to qualify for the Cup of Nations tournament have all failed.

Yakan rates Sulieman highly: “He is a quick, left-footed striker who has been scoring regularly in Egypt and also creating goals.”

A lack of match practice could count against Eritrea. Their last competitive international was a World Cup qualifying defeat in Namibia seven years ago.

Inactivity led FIFA to omit Eritrea from the national team rankings. Eswatini are 46th in Africa and 159th in the world.

Sifiso Ntibane succeeded Croatian Zdravko Logarusic as Eswatini coach after the Southern African kingdom came last in a 2026 World Cup qualifying group with just three points from 10 games.

He chose 13 locals and seven playing in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe for what will be a third-ever match against Eritrea. The previous two were 2008 Cup of Nations qualifiers, and both ended goalless.

There are five other preliminary ties, and Djibouti, Seychelles, Lesotho and Sao Tome e Principe will be limited by being unable to play at home because of inadequate stadiums.

Security concerns prevent Somalia from hosting Mauritius. They have moved the first leg to the Mozambican capital, Maputo.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will co-host the 2027 Cup of Nations tournament on dates to be announced.

First Thomas Tuchel could give out the good news. In a couple of months, the England manager will have to dispense the bad.

By naming 35 players in his squad to face Uruguay and Japan, and then adding Harvey Barnes and Ben White as replacements, Tuchel is guaranteeing he will have to disappoint plenty when reducing that to the 26 who make his cut for the World Cup.

And yet, in a way, part of the German’s task is how he goes from 23 to 26: the strategy involved in the finding the last three members of his party. If Tuchel takes two players for every position, and has to choose a third goalkeeper, he has three other slots available: what should be his thinking in filling them.

A fifth centre-back?

The logic of it may depend upon his best central defender. Because John Stones has played so little football for Manchester City, with no Premier League start since October, it would be a risk to take him as one of just four centre-backs, despite the excellent fitness records of Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi. Selecting five could also aid the chances of the recalled Harry Maguire, who has spent spells on the sidelines himself in recent years. Few of Tuchel’s full-backs are plausible centre-back options: only the late addition White and Reece James, his first-choice right-back, so that may be an added reason to go with five specialists in the middle.

Five full-backs?

James had spent longer on the sidelines than Stones in recent seasons but, while he is sitting out the current squad, he has made 36 appearances this season. Before the Chelsea captain was hurt, the sense was that Tuchel was likelier to take four full-backs, in part because there are ways it still gives him three choices on either flank. Tino Livramento and Djed Spence can play on both sides of the back four while he has used two centre-backs – in Konsa and Jarell Quansah – at right-back, plus Dan Burn can be the world’s tallest left-back. It may count against Trent Alexander-Arnold that, with James cemented as the first-choice right-back, Tuchel seems to prefer versatility to a second specialist.

Five central midfielders?

Another area where it had looked like Tuchel would be content with a quartet. There are other ways of bolstering the contingent in the centre of the pitch: if Jude Bellingham is classed as a No 10, he can nevertheless operate in a deeper role while Nico O’Reilly seems likely to travel as a left-back, but spent his youth in midfield, and has played there at times in 2026. But the call-up for James Garner offers another dimension and a different way of configuring his squad. Garner is a central midfielder by preference but has flourished for David Moyes in a series of roles. Take him to the World Cup as the fifth midfielder and the 25-year-old could double up as the third right-back. Or if Tuchel took both Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton, he may have five out-and-out central midfielders.

Three No 10s?

It has looked a likely scenario, simply because of the depth of talent in the position. As it is, Tuchel may still have to omit a supposedly generational talent, in either Phil Foden or Cole Palmer, because Morgan Rogers and Bellingham – despite being excluded from the squad in October – seem shoo-ins. It would nevertheless appear imbalanced if Tuchel took four No 10s. The saving grace is that each is versatile: while Tuchel seems to want game-stretching width on the flanks, which is not Palmer’s forte, he can play off the right. Foden was used in attack in November. Eberechi Eze has scored for England as a left winger. Morgan Gibbs-White, only really a No 10, has faded from the picture.

A fifth winger?

Of course, Eze could be that fifth winger. If Tuchel only takes four, difficult decisions beckon. On the left, two of his favourites have been Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford, each offering similar pace, but Eze can come infield more; Barnes’ addition to the group only complicates the equation. On the right, he has so far avoided making a definitive decision as to who is Bukayo Saka’s immediate deputy, whether Noni Madueke or Jarrod Bowen.

A third striker?

Tuchel has three No 9s in his group: an intriguing element is that Ollie Watkins, often Harry Kane’s understudy, is not one of them. If he remains out in the cold, it could seem a straight shootout between the two Dominics, Solanke and Calvert-Lewin, for the back-up role; it is harder to see both being chosen. There are other ways of finding another centre-forward: Foden did well as a false nine against Serbia in November, Bowen sometimes leads the line for West Ham, Gordon is now Newcastle’s central figure and Rashford has played more games than any as the spearhead of a side. Gareth Southgate took three centre-forwards to Euro 2024 – though Ivan Toney’s selection was partly for his penalty-taking. Tuchel is likelier to only go with two and to use one of his extra three picks elsewhere.

Arsenal and Chelsea collide in a massive Women’s Champions League quarter-final that is a first knockout meeting between two sides from the same city.

A clash of London clubs brings together the defending champions and reigning Women’s Super League winners – though both appear out of things domestically this season with Manchester City clear at the top of the table.

That places greater importance upon this competition, and a crunch tie across two legs with a semi-final place on the line.

Arsenal host the first leg and will have confidence from their last league meeting in January, when they won at Stamford Bridge for the first time.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Arsenal vs Chelsea?

Arsenal vs Chelsea is due to kick off at 8pm GMT on Tuesday 24 March at the Emirates Stadium in London.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC Two, with coverage on the channel from 7.30pm GMT. A live stream will be available via the BBC iPlayer, or on Disney+.

Team news

Arsenal defender Leah Williamson is a out with a hamstring issue, but Frida Maanum is back available after illness. Australian trio Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord have not arrived back in time from the Asia Cup final to play a part.

Just eight outfield Chelsea players appeared in the open portion of training ahead of the tie, with Aggie Beever-Jones, Lucy Bronze and Lucy Bronze among those absent. Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr were also part of Australia’s Asia Cup defeat to Japan.

Predicted line-ups

Arsenal XI: Borbe; Holmberg, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Little, Caldentey; Smith, Russo, Kelly; Blackstenius.

Chelsea XI: Hampton; Bronze, Buchanan, Girma, Baltimore; Kaptein, Walsh, Cuthbert; Rytting Kaneryd, Thompson, James.

Thomas Tuchel indicated he still has an "open door" policy with his England selection for the World Cup by recalling Ben White, but he also values "windows open".

That’s because the manager has demanded an "intimate" hotel base that will allow his players some freedom, which might not have been the case in a typical huge American chain with hundreds of bedrooms.

Tuchel especially mentioned "a hotel where you can open the window", which is one of the key reasons behind England’s decision to stay at their Kansas City base for as long as they're in the tournament. He wants his players to feel like they’re at home.

When it was put to Tuchel that the World Cup will involve a lot of internal travel, the former Chelsea boss explained how that will dictate his side staying in Kansas City longer.

"We're trying to because, basically, that was the choice, to have a home, to have a home base, to have a bed that you're used to sleep in, to have a bed with a good mattress, to have a hotel with privacy, a small hotel, not a 400-, 500-, 800-bed hotel where we see each other maybe just in the elevators or in the floor between breakfast and meeting,” Tuchel explained.

“The air-conditioning is on and you cannot open the windows, so there are a lot of these hotels in America and I think that makes a difference, so we chose a hotel where you can open the window, we chose a hotel where it's an intimate and small place, I think once we get used to that place, it makes sense to go back."

With England's first game - against Croatia - not coming until 17 June in Dallas, a full nine days after the tournament starts, Tuchel consulted his squad members on tournament preferences. England will travel to Kansas City around 13 June, after an initial pre-World Cup camp in Florida.

"I have feedback from the players that they like that we start late, that they like that it then becomes condensed, so you have no chance to get bored once you go hopefully through the tournament,” Tuchel added.

“Looking at it for longer than just the players, I had the feeling that a day more could be quite useful, so, yeah, these are some decisions that had to be made, and maybe the headline is 'we try to be as often in Kansas as possible'."

Starkville Academy (Miss.) football has had strong stability and familiarity at the head coaching position over the past decade, but on Monday decided the program needed to go in a new direction.

According to a report by the Starkville Daily News, the Volunteers have parted ways with longtime head coach Chase Nicholson after 11 years at the helm. Nicholson leaves Starkville Academy as the program’s all-time winningest head coach with a 89-45 record and is the only lead man to be at the school longer than 10 years.

“I’ve loved every kid that I’ve ever coached and taught at this school,” Nicholson said in the Starkville Daily News report. “I love Starkville Academy and the people that I’ve worked with for 17 years. I wish the program nothing but the best and I’m excited to see how our kids grow and develop in the coming years.”

BREAKING NEWS: Head football coach Chase Nicholson and Starkville Academy have parted ways after 11 years as the head coach and 17 years at the school.

Nicholson leaves as winningest coach in school history at 89-45 and the only coach in school history to coach 10 or more years pic.twitter.com/cuTHNjTvRT

— Robbie Faulk (@robbiefaulkSDN) March 23, 2026

Overall, Nicholson was at Starkville Academy for 17 years, 11 as the head coach and six as an assistant. During his time leading the Volunteers, Nicholson guided the program to multiple district championships and the team only had only below .500 campaign coming in 2024 when the team went 4-7.

Besides the one off season, Nicholson led one of Mississippi high school football’s top programs on an annual basis. Nicholson received high praise from Starkville Academy athletic director Brian Merkel, according to the report.

“His resume speaks for itself,” Merkel said to the Starkville Daily News of Nicholson. “When you look back 20 years or so and what he did at Starkville Academy, it’s really impressive. He hired me as a basketball coach when he was AD and I was really impressed with him initially and had such a great relationship with him in that role, too, but it’s everything else that he did that really stood out. The type of colleague, teacher and mentor he has been. He was a guy that loved Starkville Academy through and through. The school is going to miss his presence.”

The Volunteers this past 2025 season finished with a 7-5 record and as the No. 99 in the state, according to the final Mississippi 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

How to Follow Mississippi High School Football

For Mississippi high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Magnolia State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Mississippi high school football excitement across the state.

Arsenal have been dealt a major injury scare with Gabriel pulling out of the Brazil squad for their international friendlies this month.

The centre-back, who has been integral to Arsenal’s title push this season, will miss the Selecao’s meetings with France and Croatia after complaining of “pain in his right knee” following Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, which he started.

Gabriel has undergone imaging tests which confirmed he was not fit to feature for Brazil during the March international break, though the exact severity of the injury is not yet known.

It acts as a potentially huge blow for the Gunners off the back of their 2-0 final defeat to Manchester City at Wembley, which dashed their hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple this season.

The development comes after Gabriel’s centre-back partner William Saliba, who he started alongside against City, was also ruled out of international duty, pulling out of the France squad due to to “recurring pain in his left ankle”.

The French Football Federation (FFF) said that the Arsenal defender required treatment and a “minimum rest period of 10 days” in an official statement, with Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix selected to replace him for his first France call-up.

Brazil, meanwhile, have confirmed they will not replace Gabriel in their squad for their two internationals, which are being held in the United States ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Arsenal have already felt the curse of the international break with Gabriel this season, with the 28-year-old missing 10 games during the festive period due to a thigh injury after being forced off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal in November - a game that was played at the Emirates Stadium.

Saliba has also seen his season hampered by injuries, with this being the third instance an ankle problem has left him sidelined.

In what would have seen the Arsenal defensive duo go head-to-head if not for their injury woes, Brazil will take on France on March 26 at the Gilette Stadium in Boston before facing Croatia at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium on 31 March.

Arsenal have also seen Leandro Trossard and Eberechi Eze ruled out of their respective international assignments for Belgium and England as they continue their rehabilitation, while Norway’s Martin Odegaard and Dutch defender Jurrien Timber were already deemed unavailable for their countries.

Italy’s national football team faces a pivotal moment as they battle to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup, with coach Gennaro Gattuso candidly admitting the immense pressure weighing on his squad.

The former midfield enforcer, known for his fiery playing style, acknowledged that "only someone without blood running through their veins" wouldn't feel the nerves ahead of their crucial play-off match against Northern Ireland on Thursday.

The Azzurri's recent history in World Cup qualifiers is a painful one, having been eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia in the play-offs for the previous two tournaments. Now, they stand on the brink of another potential failure for the upcoming North American World Cup, following two defeats to Norway in qualifying.

To secure a spot, Italy must first overcome Northern Ireland at home in Bergamo, followed by an away fixture against either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina next week. Failure would mean a staggering 16-year absence from football's most prestigious event.

Gattuso, who lifted the World Cup with Italy in 2006, is resolute. "There are no alibis," he declared. "It’s useless to think if we could have done better. The only thing we should be thinking about is Thursday’s game.

“Forget that we’ve won four World Cups, two Euros and an Olympic title. For us, the only game is Thursday’s." He stressed that "All of the players that are here today know what we’re playing for and how important it is."

Adding a layer of controversy, Gattuso confirmed the decision to send talented winger Federico Chiesa back to Liverpool, despite his recent return to the national team after a nearly two-year absence.

"He had some minor (physical) issues and we decided that it was useless for him to stay," Gattuso explained.

This move raises eyebrows, particularly given Gattuso's earlier pledge upon taking over from Luciano Spalletti in June that injured players would remain with the squad to foster team spirit.

When questioned why other injured players like Sandro Tonali, Gianluca Scamacca, and Alessandro Bastoni were retained, Gattuso offered a nuanced response: "Because not every player has the same frame of mind. When I hear that someone is wavering that’s when I know I need to make a choice. We decided it together. He felt he wasn’t up to it and he went home. I need to accept it."

Bologna winger Nicolò Cambiaghi has been called up as Chiesa's replacement. Chiesa has seen limited action since joining Liverpool two years ago, starting only one Premier League match this season.

Northern Ireland also faces its own injury challenges, with centre-back Daniel Ballard ruled out due to a hamstring injury. The Sunderland defender is one of the few with Premier League experience in the squad. Captain Conor Bradley, a Liverpool right-back, was already sidelined.

Recognising the importance of cohesion, Gattuso and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon embarked on a unique "dinner diplomacy" tour across Italy, London, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Unable to secure a training camp, these informal gatherings aimed to build team spirit. "There was no white board or markers," Gattuso revealed. "We didn’t go to talk about football or tactics. We were there to create team unity."

The choice of Bergamo's 23,500-seat stadium for the home leg was a deliberate one, according to Gattuso, designed to cultivate a more positive atmosphere.

He recalled the negative reception at the San Siro during Italy's loss to Norway in November, where "at the first errant pass you start hearing the whistles." In contrast, he noted, "when we played in Bergamo we got cheered at halftime when it was 0-0."

Reflecting on the Norway game, where Italy squandered a 1-0 halftime lead to lose 4-1, Gattuso emphasised mental resilience. "I really worked a lot over these months at dealing with adversity. One event shouldn’t change the dynamics of a match," he stated. "It depends on how you react and deal with it."

The football team's struggles contrast sharply with a string of recent successes for Italy in other sports, from the Winter Olympics to Formula 1, tennis, volleyball, and even baseball.

"These things go in cycles," Gattuso mused. "When I see us winning in other sports it gets me motivated. It makes me feel pride. Right now our history tells us that we’re struggling. But we’ve got a big chance here to reach our goal."

Should Italy navigate these treacherous playoffs, they would find themselves in Group B at the World Cup, alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

Tottenham interim head coach Igor Tudor is mourning the death of his father, a loss confirmed by his former club Juventus on Monday.

The news meant Tudor was unable to attend post-match media duties following Spurs’ damaging 3-0 home defeat by relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Tottenham assistant Bruno Saltor stepped in for Tudor, initially declining to provide details on what he described as a "family issue”.

Juventus, where Tudor previously played and managed, released a statement expressing their condolences.

"Juventus stands with Igor Tudor and his family at this difficult time. Juventus joins in mourning the passing of his father," the club said.

It is understood that Tudor was informed of his father's passing after the final whistle of Sunday's match.

Saltor later commented on the situation, stating: "It’s a personal family issue and obviously it’s a difficult moment for him. I’m just trying to support the best way we can."

The devastating personal news for Tudor comes at a time when he is facing an uncertain future at Tottenham, with the north London club finding themselves in a battle to avoid relegation after a horrendous run on form.

Spurs have not won a Premier League game in 2026, and Tudor has been unable to turn their fortunes around since replacing Thomas Frank last month.

Tottenham have lost four of their five league games under Tudor and are now just one point above the bottom three with seven games remaining.

They also exited the Champions League last week following a 7-5 aggregate defeat by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

The club’s board could decide now is the time to make another change, given that Spurs are not due to return to action for almost three weeks.

Tottenham’s next game is against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 12 April.

Former France midfielder Dimitri Payet has announced his retirement from professional football after a 21-year career.

The 38-year-old, who has been without a club for nine months following a stint with Brazilian side Vasco da Gama, made the announcement during an emotional live interview at halftime of the Ligue 1 match between hosts Marseille and Lille at the Stade Velodrome.

Payet struggled to contain his tears as he confirmed the decision at the home of the club where he enjoyed some of his most successful years across two separate spells.

The Reunion-born player began his professional career at FC Nantes in 2005. He went on to earn 38 caps for France, scoring eight goals, and was a prominent member of the squad that reached the final of the European Championship in 2016, where they were defeated 1-0 by Portugal after extra time.

"I want to take two minutes to thank everybody, to thank all those who shared these 20 years with me. It was something exceptional," he said.

"I come from an island and my dream was to become a professional. I made it and did it for 20 years at the highest level. I managed to play for the national squad, and today is the end of a beautiful journey."

Despite a career without a major trophy, Payet established himself as a premier creative midfielder at both Marseille and Premier League side West Ham.

Reuters

Taiwo Awoniyi inflicted the final blow on Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend as Nottingham Forest eased their Premier League relegation fears with a convincing 3-0 away win.

The Nigerian has struggled for minutes under four different Forest managers this season but could prove an important impact player in their quest to avoid the drop and win the Europa League.

Algerian Ramy Bensebaini maintained a remarkable record of not missing any of 14 penalties he has taken for club and country by converting two in a Borussia Dortmund victory.

AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

TAIWO AWONIYI (Nottingham Forst)

Awoniyi produced a clinical finish to Neco Williams' cross late on to register just his second goal of the season. Victory lifted Forest to 32 points, three above the relegation zone.

BETO, ILIMAN NDIAYE (Everton)

Beto and Ndiaye combined to deliver Everton's best win yet at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Guinea-Bissau's Beto set the Toffees on course for a 3-0 win over Chelsea with a double either side of half-time. Beto then turned provider for Senegal forward Ndiaye to fire a brilliant strike into the top corner. 

CHEMSDINE TALBI (Sunderland)

Talbi kickstarted the Sunderland fightback as they inflicted more pain on Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby. The Black Cats came from a goal down to win 2-1 at St. James' Park and extend their unbeaten league run against Newcastle to 11 games. The Moroccan turned in from close range after Newcastle failed to clear a corner for his fourth Premier League goal.

SPAIN

ILYAS CHAIRA (Real Oviedo)

Morocco's Chaira headed home his third goal in his last eight games in Oviedo's 4-2 La Liga defeat by Levante. The 25-year-old winger sparked a short-lived comeback from the Asturian team, who now seem likely to be relegated.

NICOLAS PEPE (Villarreal)

Ivory Coast winger Pepe showed his pace to burst forward and finished with the aid of a deflection to put Villarreal three goals up in a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. The former Arsenal forward has been in excellent form recently with three goals in his last eight appearances for the high-flying Yellow Submarine.

GERMANY

RAMY BENSEBAINI (Borussia Dortmund)

Bensebaini again demonstrated his value from the spot, converting two penalties as Borussia came from two goals down at half-time to beat Hamburg 3-2 at home. Before his brace, Dortmund won a penalty late in the first half, but midfielder Felix Nmecha, attempting his first spot kick in senior football, fired wide. 

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy showed his capacity for improvisation by scoring an equaliser in the comeback win of Borussia. His 78th-minute header was saved but the Guinea international connected with the rebound while falling to bring his side level. 

PHILIP OTELE (Hamburg)

Otele scored his first goal since arriving in January as Hamburg lost at Dortmund. After 19 minutes, the Nigerian winger was perfectly positioned to turn in a Michael Mikelbrencis pass.

bur-dl/iwd

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not Sunday, and not this season. Tottenham Hotspur are in freefall. They are plummeting to earth without a parachute, and hoping West Ham can cushion their landing. The relegation fears are real.

The 2025-26 campaign was said to be the one Spurs really pushed on. The Europa League triumph was expected to be the springboard for further success. They’d finally won. But at what cost? Out went Ange Postecoglou, and in came Thomas Frank. A steady hand on the tiller, or so it seemed.

To the Dane’s credit, it started off well enough. Spurs went blow-for-blow with Champions League winners PSG in the Super Cup. They were minutes away from a second European trophy in the space of three months. They beat Manchester City and West Ham in the opening weeks with ease. The north London side made a solid start to their Champions League campaign, beating Villarreal 1-0 in front of their fans.

The wheels, though, started to come off at the beginning of November. Spurs’ home form had already been called into question. Their sole league win in their opening four at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium came on the first weekend of the season against Burnley. It took a late Joao Palhinha equaliser against table footers Wolves to ensure they didn’t lose the subsequent three.

In a bid to correct their form, Frank called on the fans to back the team as Chelsea made the short trip across the capital. Spurs needed the supporters to drag them over the line. “We need the fans behind us,” the former Brentford head coach outlined. Reader, Spurs put in one of the worst performances of the season. That was the game the penny dropped for most. ‘I’m beginning to think that Thomas Frank was not the brilliant tactician I thought he was’.

Following that (un)eventful London Derby, the only way has been down for Spurs.

Since the start of November, Tottenham have beaten as many German teams as they have English sides. That would be somewhat forgivable if Spurs plied their trade in the Bundesliga.

Frank, unsurprisingly, was sacked last month. In came the master firefighter, Igor Tudor. To Dare is Tudor. The ultimate interim manager, who’d saved Udinese – twice – and hauled Lazio and Juventus to Europe with a final season flourish. Fans are yet to see the best of Tudor. Truth is, they probably never will.

Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest marked Spurs’ fifth defeat from his seven games in charge. They’ve lost to Arsenal, Fulham, Crystal Palace, and now the Tricky Trees in a relegation six-pointer. The only victory was a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Spurs lost the two-legged tie 7-5. They won the battle but lost the war.

And with seven games to go, Spurs are very much staring into the abyss. Sunday was supposed to be the turning point. Spurs rescued a late point at Liverpool last week. The aforementioned home triumph of Atletico followed suit, a morale-boosting victory if you will.

Yet as Spurs have found out all too often this season, the Premier League and the Champions League are a whole different kettle of fish. The capital side won all five home European games this season. They’ve won twice in front of their fans in England’s top tier this term. Only a Sheffield Wednesday side in administration and on the receiving end of two points deductions have a worse home record than Spurs in the top four tiers of English football.

In truth, Spurs will have welcomed the international break, if only to ease the relentlessness of the season. It’s a chance to actually take stock of the perilous situation they find themselves in. Years of underspending, cutting corners and mismanagement are finally catching up on Spurs. The departure of Daniel Levy was supposed to usher in a new era with “The Lewis Family” in charge. A leopard, though, never changes its spots. ENIC have exhausted their patience with the fanbase.

The appointments of Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange were questionable on paper. In practise, they’ve arguably been the worst the club has ever made. And with Tudor unlikely to be in charge in time for the trip to Sunderland next month, the question on everyone’s lips is: what next for Tottenham?

It’s a question few, if any, can answer. If Tudor goes, who comes in? And how do they correct the club’s current predicament? Defeat to Forest extended Spurs’ winless streak in the league to 13 matches, their longest such run in 91 years, according to Squawka. Are there any positives the club can take?

Well, they have key personnel still to return from injury. Mohammed Kudus is expected back after the international break. Spurs have missed his spark down the flank. Despite not playing since the 1-1 draw with Sunderland in January, the Ghanaian still ranks fourth for successful dribbles (52) in the Premier League this season.

Rodrigo Bentancur will at least provide a semblance of experience in the middle of the park once he recovers from a hamstring issue. Saying that, we’re clutching at straws here.

This is very much a Spurs side in dire straits. “Every time I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it's usually been an oncoming train,” Postecoglou said when he spoke of Tottenham’s injury crisis last season.

At least the Australian had hope. For Spurs fans, there is none. The tunnel has been plunged into darkness and is taking the north London powerhouse straight into the Championship.

What now? As the Tottenham hierarchy contemplate whether the emergency removal of Igor Tudor might be necessary to avoid the very real prospect of a humiliating relegation to the Championship, the club’s 58,000 fans who watched their latest – and perhaps most damning – disastrous defeat now find themselves in a quandary.

They have tried walkouts – both of the organised variety and on impulse halfway through a particularly dreadful loss against Crystal Palace little over a fortnight ago. They have repeatedly, vocally, made their anger clear over the course of a dismal campaign. Now their final roll of the dice failed to yield any sort of response from their comatose players.

The rapturous pre-match reception some 10,000 or so home supporters gave the two Spurs buses on arrival at Tottenham High Road was the kind usually reserved for trophy parades. People scaled bus stops, hung off lampposts and filled the streets with blue and white flares in a forlorn bid to inspire.

“All together, always,” was the message of unity Tottenham fans conveyed in the wake of encouraging performances against Liverpool and Atletico Madrid over the previous week. The fight to avoid second-tier football was deemed too important for entirely justified recent fury to in any way hinder that mission.

For a beleaguered group that has witnessed just one Premier League home win since the opening day of the season, it was admirable. They sang, they cheered and they implored a response that never arrived. Instead, they were forced to endure a gutless performance against a relegation rival that must now make the end of Spurs’ top-flight tenure more likely than not given their 13-game winless league run. So what do the fans do now?

It was a question that could not be asked of Tudor, who did not attend post-match media duties after he was reportedly informed of an immediate family bereavement. In his absence, assistant manager Bruno Saltor said: “The fans were outstanding since the first minute when we were coming in, to the last minute.

“They stayed, they showed their support. It was quite emotional for everyone on the bus [before the match]. That’s what we need because, right now, all of us have the same goal: fight until the end of the season and stay in the Premier League as this club deserves.”

Yet, by the end of a win that was as important for Nottingham Forest’s safety mission as it could prove devastating for Tottenham’s, there were more empty seats around the ground than those occupied. The latest mass exodus followed the visitors’ third goal, tucked home by Taiwo Awoniyi with three minutes of normal time remaining after earlier goals from Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White. Then came the familiar refrain of boos at the final whistle.

It was a result that a truly insipid second-half performance deserved, but not those who had paid to watch. For much of the past two seasons, the primary sound around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has veered between deafening silence and irate jeers – neither of which have been unwarranted. During the majority of this match – even after going two goals down – supporters put aside frustrations and ran through their songbook, to no effect.

The finger will be pointed at a manager who supposedly thrives in such difficult situations, but has now earned one point from his five Premier League matches.

Given the absence of Spurs creativity that was pervasive in spite of significant time spent in Forest territory, it was something of a surprise that Xavi Simons remained on the bench until the 67th minute. The Dutchman had been one of the brightest lights in the midweek victory over Atletico Madrid (which did not prevent a Champions League exit), but Tudor opted against his inclusion from the outset. Such was the weakness of the Tottenham collective that it is hard to envisage one player making much of a difference in any case.

All sense of a cohesive plan appeared entirely absent; there was little structure and no obvious method through which to win the game. Forest did not dominate anything like as much as the scoreline might suggest, but they did not need to.

Jesus’ headed opener, scored on the stroke of half-time, came after an opening period in which Spurs benefitted from eight corners. The hosts did in fact twice hit the crossbar in that first half, through a misdirected Jesus defensive header and a long-range Mathys Tel shot.

But if a stirring fightback was expected after the break, the opposite occurred, as Tudor’s side became increasingly disjointed. When a ball was squared into the Tottenham penalty area just after the hour, an alarming absence of marking allowed an entirely untroubled Morgan Gibbs-White to drill home.

By the time Awoniyi tucked a third from close range, all hope was already extinguished. Forest eased to their first Premier League victory since January, with Spurs yet to win in the league this calendar year.

“A good week for us,” said Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira, whose side advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday and are now three points clear of the relegation zone. “It is good for belief because we need to believe in ourselves. It is about what we want to be as a team. We are alive, we are committed and we are ready to fight.”

Whether Tudor will be given the opportunity to locate some sense of spirit among his floundering Tottenham players following the international break must now be in severe doubt. Saltor insisted the coaching staff “feel the support from everyone at the club”. If that does not now include the fans, then who could blame them?

Pep Guardiola set off down the touchline, unleashing his inner Jose Mourinho on a joyous run into the history books. Given how much else Guardiola has achieved, a fifth League Cup – more than any other manager in the competition’s history – may be a footnote. But a first trophy for his new-look Manchester City side has a significance for Guardiola, offering proof of his ability to renew and revive.

And denying his former assistant Mikel Arteta silverware, and a quadruple, meant this was not the day to prove there has been a changing of the guard. Guardiola is still a serial winner, Arteta a manager accustomed to coming second to his old mentor. A day when Arsenal paid a price for both their dullness and the lone risk Arteta took – in his choice of goalkeeper – was an occasion when City could celebrate one of their own.

Blimey O’Reilly? There have been points in Nico O’Reilly’s remarkable rise when the temptation has been to assume he cannot continue defying logic. A Wembley brace in four minutes instead felt the most extraordinary element of it. The secret to breaking down Arsenal’s robust, redoubtable defence, it transpired, was to have a marauding left-back who materialised in the centre-forward position.

Arsenal had only lost three games all season; but then they encountered O’Reilly, who ensured it mattered not that Erling Haaland extended his drought both at Wembley and in finals for City. The penalty-box poacher instead was O’Reilly, a midfielder for much of his life, a defender now and yet only the second player – after Alejandro Garnacho – to score twice in a game against Arsenal this season.

The man with the Manchester telephone code tattooed on his body may want to mark other numbers; 2-0, for instance. And while City’s rebuild has required some distinctly large figures, with around £430m spent in the last three transfer windows, it was the man on their books since the age of eight who earned Guardiola his 19th trophy with City.

There were some similarities with his second Carabao Cup, though, as Arteta ought to remember; he was Guardiola’s sidekick in the 2019 final when Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to come off so the penalty specialist Willy Caballero could take his place in the Chelsea net for the shootout.

Seven years on, Arteta, the manager who usually leaves nothing to chance, chose one Spaniard instead of another, benching David Raya. Sadly for Arrizabalaga, he became the calamity Kepa again.

There had already been one lapse of judgement from him, leaving his penalty area, being fooled by a bouncing ball, tugging back Jeremy Doku. He was spared a red card by the acute angle. But City could be glad he was still on when he spilled Rayan Cherki’s cross to leave the predatory O’Reilly with a tap-in.

The second goal was full-back to full-back, City outflanking Arsenal as Matheus Nunes crossed for O’Reilly to beat Bukayo Saka to it to head in. Cue Guardiola’s touchline charge, a brown-trousered figure heading towards his players, leaving the four-time winners Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian Clough and Mourinho behind him in the all-time standings.

For O’Reilly, it was quite a weekend in another respect. He has come of age, in more ways than one. He turned 21 on Saturday. His birthday may forever remain less memorable than the afternoon after the day before, however: a Wembley double.

He had been recalled and it was a day when Guardiola’s decisions, whether enforced or inspired, paid off. Cherki sparkled in the second half, justifying his inclusion. Nathan Ake’s return was the consequence of losing Ruben Dias; with Marc Guehi ineligible and Josko Gvardiol already injured, City nevertheless shut Arsenal out.

If it shaped up as the duel of the second-string goalkeepers, City’s was superb when called upon. James Trafford made a seventh-minute triple save to deny Kai Havertz and Saka.

For the first half, it seemed a case of Arteta’s grind to glory, a slugfest of the unimaginative when Arsenal seemed marginally the likelier to prevail.

Then City raised the tempo, showed more ambition and ruthlessness and illustrated that Arsenal needed to create more when they were marginally the superior side. They missed Eberechi Eze, ruled out, and Martin Odegaard, not fit to return, but they were too drab.

When Arteta tried to respond in kind after O’Reilly struck, it was with a goalscoring left-back. The substitute Riccardo Calafiori volleyed against the foot of the post; yet it was an indictment of his teammates that the Italian was the greatest goal threat. Another replacement, Gabriel Jesus looped a header on to the bar.

He had seemed a winner imported from City. And yet Arsenal’s wait goes on, even if perhaps not for much longer. Arteta has been stuck on one major trophy for almost six years, since the 2020 FA Cup final.

Guardiola first won at Wembley as a Barcelona player in the 1992 European Cup final and has rarely returned here since then as an underdog. But as he did, he reminded Arteta he can still be top dog.

Coach Nils Nielsen warned Monday that Japan need "different tools" to win next year's Women's World Cup after sweeping to the Asian title with a series of barnstorming performances.

Japan beat Women's Asian Cup hosts Australia 1-0 in Saturday's final in Sydney to lift the trophy for the third time in four tournaments.

Nielsen's side dazzled along the way, scoring 29 goals and conceding just one to lay down a marker ahead of next year's World Cup in Brazil.

Japan are the only Asian team to have won the world title and Nielsen said they would need to keep improving if they want to do it again.

"We found some parts of ourselves that are really strong," the Greenland-born coach said after returning to Tokyo.

"There are also elements that we saw, we had some difficulty getting the final to be on our terms because of the opponent's strength.

"We will see that again at the World Cup, that means we need to find some different tools how to get the game to be the way we want it."

Japan won the World Cup in 2011 and reached the final again four years later, losing to the United States.

They have not gone past the quarter-finals at either a World Cup or Olympics since.

Nielsen's squad in Australia featured 16 England-based players including captain Yui Hasegawa and forward Maika Hamano, who scored a spectacular winner in the final.

The coach said his team had "grown a lot together already and that's not going to stop".

"You need to grow more, you need to constantly be moving," said Nielsen.

"If you are satisfied and accept status quo, you're not going to be good enough in the end."

Japan's win capped off a landmark tournament with more than 350,000 fans through the turnstiles, reinforcing the growth in popularity of women's football.

This was around six times as many as the previous record set in 2010 in China, with the 74,397 fans at the Sydney final setting a new attendance mark for a single game in tournament history.

There was palpably less excitement in Japan, with the final not being shown on terrestrial TV and a muted media reaction to the team's win.

Nielsen urged Japanese media companies to provide more coverage, saying "you will get your value back if you do because they are worth following".

"We are not at the same place as they are in Europe and around the world," he said.

"We are competing with other sports that are very popular."

amk/pst

South Mountain High School’s (Ariz.) football program has gone five straight years finishing either .500 or below and are looking to change their fortunes around. On Sunday afternoon, the school announced the hiring of their next head coach they hope can shake things up for the Jaguars.

According to a press release, South Mountain announced the appointment of former Corona Del Sol assistant head coach Larry Davis as the program’s next lead man. With the Aztecs, Davis also coached the defensive line along with his assistant head coaching duties.

“I’m honored to announce that I have been named the new Head Football Coach at South Mountain High School. It’s a privilege to lead and serve the Jaguars program and be part of such a strong community. I’m ready to get to work. Special thank you to the South Mountain Administration and PHX Union School District with trusting me with this opportunity,” Davis said via his social media post.

I’m honored to announce that I have been named the new Head Football Coach at South Mountain High School. It’s a privilege to lead and serve the Jaguars program and be part of such a strong community. I’m ready to get to work. Special thank you to the South Mountain… pic.twitter.com/MlfAnW1zrw

— Coach Larry Davis (@JustServeCoach) March 22, 2026

Davis will have a tall task ahead of him as South Mountain has only had five winning seasons since 2006, with only one finishing in the double digits back in 2007 when the Jaguars went 10-3.

“Coach Davis understands our community and shares our commitment to building a strong football program centered on discipline, academic accountability, and character,” South Mountain said in the press release regarding Davis’ hiring. “We are excited to welcome him back to lead Jaguar Football.”

South Mountain is coming off a 1-9 campaign and finished the 2025 season as the No. 156th ranked team, according to the final Arizona 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

How to Follow Arizona High School Football

For Arizona high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Grand Canyon State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Arizona high school football excitement across the state.

The 2026 NFL Draft is approaching quickly, and several prospects are boosting their stock. The NFL Combine, Senior Bowl, and Pro Days have given teams extended looks at draft hopefuls.

These events have also raised some concerns. Teams have uncovered medical, character, and other issues through their due diligence.

MORE: NFL, Tisch family learn New York Giants current valuation

While many players still have time to address these concerns, others may not have that flexibility. Here are three prospects to watch as their stock takes a hit and leaves evaluators with questions.

Jordyn Tyson

Medical evaluations have shaken Tyson’s stock slightly. Like many of his peers, he has undeniable, overflowing talent.

However, reports indicate Tyson has dealt with a nagging hamstring injury, and it may be a growing concern as the draft approaches.

MORE: 3x All-Pro WR teases partnership with Kyler Murray, Justin Jefferson on Vikings

Tyson skipped drills at the NFL Combine, likely won’t participate in Pro Day workouts, and now faces injury-related questions. He looks like a first-round pick, but will teams select him in the back half of the first round instead of his original top-10 projection?

Caleb Downs

Like Tyson, Downs carries medical concerns. Teams once viewed him as a unanimous top-five pick, but perceptions have shifted since the NFL Combine.

Reports flagged Downs with an ACL concern during the combine, though evaluators continue to debate its severity.

Still, knee injuries can derail careers. Downs remains an elite talent and a surefire first-round pick, but will this new information cause teams to hesitate early in the first round?

MORE: UTSA college football kicker raises 2026 NFL Draft stock with insane Pro Day

It remains unclear whether he will participate in Pro Day drills after skipping combine workouts.

Caleb Banks

Banks may be the biggest mystery in this draft. His talent level could make him the top defensive lineman in the class.

However, a lingering foot injury clouds his outlook. Banks reportedly injured his foot at the end of the 2024 season, re-injured it during 2025 camp, and broke it again before the combine—clear red flags for teams.

For context, Larry Ogunjobi dealt with a foot injury in 2022 that took two years to fully heal. Banks showed toughness by participating in combine activities despite the injury, but will teams drop him on their boards because of it?

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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Ian Wright has questioned Arsenal’s mentality following their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, suggesting their performance at Wembley fell short of the standards required to win major trophies.

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Mikel Arteta’s side were second best after the break as City found another gear, with Nico O’Reilly scoring twice in quick succession to seal a deserved victory and leave Arsenal still waiting for silverware.

What Ian Wright said after full-time whistle

"A very disappointing one for me… a really poor performance."

Ian Wright reacts to a disappointing afternoon at Wembley for his beloved Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/jj8KhOPk33

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 22, 2026

Speaking on Sky Sports via BBC Sport, Wright made it clear that the display raised concerns, particularly when viewed against Arsenal’s ambitions in the Premier League title race.

“Arsenal’s project is about them trying to win the league. It’s a different team that’s going out there [in the league]. The mentality has got to be better than it was today.”

The former Gunners forward’s comments point towards a gap between Arsenal’s league form and what they produced on the biggest domestic stage, with the performance lacking both intensity and belief once City took control.

Arsenal performance raises questions ahead of title run-in

There is no doubt that Arsenal remain in a strong position domestically, sitting top of the Premier League table, but this defeat will inevitably raise questions about how they handle pressure in decisive moments.

Declan Rice, who has been widely praised this season and even tipped as a Player of the Season contender, was among those criticised after the match for failing to influence the midfield battle, with City’s technical quality proving decisive.

Arteta’s decision to persist with Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal also came under scrutiny after the Spaniard’s costly error led to the opening goal, a moment that shifted the momentum firmly in Manchester City’s favour.

With a crucial run of league fixtures still to come, including a meeting with City at the Etihad Stadium, Wright’s warning about mentality could prove significant if Arsenal are to turn their promising campaign into tangible success.

For a team chasing the title, performances like this serve as a reminder that consistency in high-pressure matches remains the final step in their development.

The post Ian Wright questions Arsenal mentality after Man City loss appeared first on CaughtOffside.

There was a notable moment of sportsmanship involving Kepa Arrizabalaga after Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, with players from both sides offering support following the final whistle at Wembley.

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The Spanish goalkeeper endured a difficult afternoon, with his costly error leading to City’s opening goal before Pep Guardiola’s side went on to secure victory with a dominant second-half display.

What happened to Kepa after the final whistle

According to BBC Sport reporter Alex Howell at Wembley, the immediate reaction from fellow goalkeepers highlighted the respect within the position.

“The goalkeepers union really is a thing.

All of the goalkeepers on the pitch from both Manchester City and Arsenal have consoled Kepa Arrizabalaga and had some words for him.”

It was a small but telling moment after a high-pressure final, with the 31-year-old clearly affected following a mistake that ultimately shifted the momentum of the contest in City’s favour.

Kepa error proved decisive in Arsenal defeat

The Arsenal stopper had been trusted to start in the competition ahead of first-choice David Raya, despite some uncertainty from Mikel Arteta earlier in the week when discussing his selection, and that decision unfortunately backfired in the second half.

Kepa’s dropped cross allowed Nico O’Reilly to head City in front, and the same player doubled the lead just minutes later, leaving Arsenal chasing the game with little response.

That contrasted sharply with Manchester City’s own goalkeeping display, with James Trafford producing a crucial triple save in the first half to keep his side level before the breakthrough arrived.

Declan Rice was among those criticised after the match for failing to influence proceedings in midfield, but it was the decisive moment involving the Spain international that proved the turning point in a final where fine margins were always likely to be decisive.

Despite the disappointment, the reaction from both teams’ goalkeepers ensured Kepa was not left to dwell on the error alone, underlining the unique bond that exists within the position even on football’s biggest stages.

The post What opposition players did to Kepa after Arsenal final loss appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to select Kepa Arrizabalaga in the League Cup final after the Arsenal goalkeeper's costly mistake sparked a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City on Sunday.

Kepa was guilty of a horrendous blunder in the second half at Wembley when he let Rayan Cherki's cross slip through his fingers, gifting Nico O'Reilly the chance to head in City's opener.

Arsenal never recovered and O'Reilly struck again four minutes later to leave the Gunners still waiting for their first major trophy since 2020.

Arteta had opted to keep faith with Kepa instead of picking first-choice stopper David Raya because the former Chelsea star has been a regular in the League Cup this season.

The gamble backfired as Kepa endured another League Cup final moment to forget after his 2019 refusal to be substituted by Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri prior to a penalty shoot-out defeat against Manchester City in which he failed to save a kick.

Kepa also missed a penalty in a shoot-out loss to Liverpool three years later.

Asked about the criticism of his decision, Arteta said: "I understand but I have to do what is right and fair. 

"Kepa had played all the competition, I think it would have been unfair to him and the team to do something different.

"He had gone all the way through this competition. Errors are part of football and unfortunately it happened today at a crucial moment."

Sitting nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, Arsenal were favoured to beat City but they failed to rise to the occasion.

Far too conservative for long periods at Wembley, Arsenal remain without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup after their quadruple bid came to a painful end.

"Very sad, very hard one to take. We know how much it means and how much we wanted it. The fact we haven't delivered that is disappointing and leaves a bad taste," Arteta said.

"First half we were the better team and had the biggest chance of the game, if we scored that it would have changed the game. 

"In the first 20 minutes of the second half we weren't at our best. We struggled to get out of our block and conceded the goal in an unexpected manner obviously.

"You have to give credit to the opposition. They raised their level and capitalised on their moments. We didn't."

smg/nf

Declan Rice faced criticism following Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, with the midfielder unable to impose himself on a game that swung decisively in the second half at Wembley.

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Mikel Arteta’s side had competed well during a cagey first period, but were ultimately overpowered after the break as City found another level, scoring twice in quick succession to secure the first trophy of the season.

What has been said about Declan Rice performance

Writing in The Guardian, Daniel Harris offered a blunt assessment of Rice’s display, suggesting the England international struggled to match the technical quality of City’s midfield.

“I know Declan Rice is a fantastic player, but what we saw – or didn’t see – from him today is why I rank him just below the top tier.

“He didn’t affect the match at all, the superior craft of the City midfielders too much for a player who is too heavily reliant on physicality.”

It is a harsh critique of a player who has been central to Arsenal’s push at the top of the Premier League this season, but it reflects the reality of a final where the midfield battle ultimately slipped away from Arteta’s side.

City midfield dominance exposes Arsenal limitations

The contrast between the two midfields became more apparent as the game wore on, with Manchester City increasing the tempo and control after half-time while Arsenal struggled to regain their earlier foothold.

Rice, so often the driving force behind Arsenal’s best performances, found it difficult to influence proceedings either defensively or in possession, with City’s movement and technical sharpness limiting his usual impact.

Performances like this are why pundits like Paul Scholes have criticised the former West Ham midfielder.

That will inevitably fuel debate, especially given that the 27-year-old has been tipped as a Player of the Season contender for his consistency, leadership and ability to dominate matches physically and technically.

However, this was one of those occasions where the England international couldn’t dictate the rhythm or wrestle control back, and with Arsenal chasing the game after Nico O’Reilly’s quickfire double, the midfield became an area where City’s superiority was clear.

For a player of Rice’s stature, performances in games of this magnitude often shape wider perceptions, and this was a difficult afternoon for the Arsenal No.41 to assert himself against elite opposition.

The post ‘Below the top tier’ – Rice criticised after Arsenal defeat to Man City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jeremy Doku came in for criticism from Gary Neville during a subdued first half of Manchester City’s Carabao Cup final meeting with Arsenal, with the Belgian winger struggling to make his usual impact in a game that took a long time to properly spark into life.

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For all City’s territorial control in spells, particularly later in the opening period, Pep Guardiola’s side lacked incision in the final third and the 23-year-old was one of several attacking players who found it difficult to impose himself at Wembley.

What Gary Neville said about Jeremy Doku

Speaking on Sky Sports via BBC Sport, Neville suggested Doku was well below the level normally associated with his one-v-one threat.

“Doku has not quite been able to get going. Ordinarily, he’s a nightmare to play against one on one.”

It was a fair observation in the context of a half in which Arsenal appeared determined to crowd the City wide man out of dangerous areas, with Mikel Arteta’s side often doubling up and forcing the former Rennes attacker backwards rather than letting him drive directly at defenders.

That naturally blunted one of City’s most unpredictable attacking weapons, and it contributed to a first half that was more tense than entertaining despite the significance of the occasion.

Arsenal’s plan limited one of City’s main attacking threats

The Gunners started the stronger of the two sides and created the clearest opening of the first half, with Kai Havertz denied by James Trafford, but City gradually took more control in the first 45 without ever looking especially convincing in the final third.

That made Doku’s lack of influence stand out even more, especially given that Antoine Semenyo looked the sharper threat on the opposite flank and Erling Haaland was feeding on scraps for much of the contest.

The Belgium international has been linked with a possible Manchester City exit this summer amid interest from Atletico Madrid, and while that remains one for the months ahead, this wasn’t the kind of display that will quieten debate about his long-term place in Guardiola’s plans.

With Ruben Dias also missing the final through injury, City were already dealing with disruption before kick-off, and they needed their attacking players to provide the edge that their reshuffled side lacked elsewhere.

The post Gary Neville says one Man City player has not got going vs Arsenal appeared first on CaughtOffside.

A controversial refereeing decision involving Piero Hincapie became one of the early talking points as Arsenal faced Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

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The Ecuador international found himself in the book during the opening stages, with referee Peter Bankes quick to brandish a yellow card following a challenge on Matheus Nunes.

Matt Upson questions referee Peter Bankes decision

As reported by BBC Sport, the incident drew immediate criticism from former Arsenal defender Matt Upson, who was unconvinced by the decision.

“First big moment for referee Peter Bankes. Piero Hincapie arrives very late on Matheus Nunes in midfield and the ref gives the Arsenal man a yellow card.”

Offering his verdict shortly after, Upson was particularly critical of the referee’s interpretation of the challenge.

“Piero Hincapie doesn’t really catch Matheus Nunes. The referee was very rash with that yellow card, it was nowhere near a booking.”

The 46-year-old pundit’s view reflected a wider sense that the contact itself was minimal, even if the timing of the tackle from the Arsenal defender appeared mistimed at first glance.

Early booking impacts Arsenal approach at Wembley

Hincapie’s caution had the potential to shape Arsenal’s defensive approach for the remainder of the contest, particularly given the intensity and pace Manchester City brought in wide areas.

The South American, who is set to join Arsenal permanently in the summer after an agreed deal worth around €52 million, has impressed with his versatility this season, operating both centrally and at full-back depending on Mikel Arteta’s needs.

Arsenal’s line-up for the final already featured notable absentees such as Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber, placing greater responsibility on players like the Ecuadorian to maintain defensive discipline against City’s attacking threats.

In a game where fine margins often decide the outcome, an early yellow card inevitably added an extra layer of caution to Hincapie’s performance, while also fuelling debate over whether the referee had set the bar too low for disciplinary action in such a high-stakes fixture.

The post ‘Very rash’ – Upson slams referee after Hincapie yellow vs Man City appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The USA Flag Football team made a huge statement during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.

Team USA rolled over teams consisting of current and former NFL stars and celebrities on March 21 in Los Angeles. The national squad won its three games by a combined score of 106-44, showing the world that flag football is a different ballgame.

Flag football makes its Olympics debut during the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Several NFL players expressed an interest in playing for the USA squad before the Fanatics event.

MORE: Pat McAfee mocks NFL stars after awful Fanatics Flag Football Classic display

According to Front Office Sports, each member of the USA Flag Football team received $100,000 for winning the championship.

USA defeated the Wildcats and Founders, teams made up of current NFL stars Joe Burrow, Jayden Daniels, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Von Miller and Alvin Kamara, among others. Retired stars Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Odell Beckham Jr. also joined in, along with celebrities Logan Paul and iShowSpeed.

As a result of the event, USA quarterback Darrell “Housh” Doucette III, the MVP of the classic, felt vindicated. In 2023, Doucette said it was “disrespectful” that NFL players assumed they could join the USA team for the Olympics.

“We came out this weekend with that on our mind to say hey, ‘Let’s show these guys that we are talented, that we are flag football, and not to be overlooked by anyone in the world,'” Doucette said, per The Sporting News.

The current USA squad has won six of the past seven International Federation of American Football world championships.

Brady, who helped organize the event, gave the USA team credit.

“Really happy for the USA flag team,” he said, per Yahoo Sports. “They did a great job. Really, they got a lot of talented, humble kids. And they did a great job. Really well coached.”

Manchester City were dealt a significant setback ahead of the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, with Ruben Dias missing out due to injury as the game began at Wembley.

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The absence of the Portuguese centre-back immediately raised questions about Pep Guardiola’s defensive options, particularly against an Arsenal side arriving with pace and attacking fluidity.

What happened to Ruben Dias before the final?

According to Sam Lee of The Athletic, the issue stems from a hamstring problem suffered earlier in the week.

“Manchester City centre-back Ruben Dias will miss the Carabao Cup Final due to a hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old came off at half-time during the 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, having been an unused substitute in the Premier League draw away to West Ham at the weekend.

Dias missed eight games at the beginning of this year with a hamstring injury, returning in early February. And he has not been called up by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez for their upcoming friendlies against Mexico and the USA.

City will already be without starting centre-back Marc Guehi. The 25-year-old, who joined City in January, has already played for former club Crystal Palace in the competition and is cup-tied.

Pep Guardiola is also without fellow defender Josko Gvardiol, who is still recovering from the broken leg he suffered in January.”

The 28-year-old’s latest setback continues a frustrating run of fitness issues this calendar year, with the Portugal international already having missed a spell earlier in the campaign with a similar problem.

Man City forced into defensive reshuffle vs Arsenal

Dias’ absence left Guardiola short of trusted options in central defence, forcing a reshuffle at the back for one of the biggest matches of the season.

When Manchester City’s line up to take on Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final was confirmed, with Phil Foden only on the bench, while Erling Haaland and Rodri started at Wembley, it underlined the strength elsewhere in the side despite the defensive concerns.

Still, not so long ago it would have been unthinkable for a big name like Foden to be benched for a huge match like this, though the bigger talking point remains their missing No.3 at the heart of defence.

Arsenal, for their part, were also without key duo Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber, though Mikel Arteta still named a competitive XI as his side looked to capitalise on City’s weakened back line.

With the first trophy of the season on the line, Dias’ absence ultimately shaped the tactical battle from the outset, leaving City more vulnerable than usual in high-stakes moments.

The post Man City rocked as Ruben Dias ruled out of Carabao Cup final appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham slipped ever closer to relegation from the Premier League with a 3-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest on Sunday as Sunderland stretched their hex over local rivals Newcastle.

Spurs have not tasted life outside the English top flight since 1978 but remain the only side without a Premier League win in 2026.

Goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi inflicted the latest in a series of damaging defeats on interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor.

West Ham's 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa ensured Spurs remain one point outside the relegation zone with seven games remaining.

Vitor Pereira's first league win as Forest boss propels his side four points above the drop zone.

Tottenham fans gathered in north London en masse before kick-off to line the streets in a show of support under the banner "all together, always."

But nerves quickly took over the state-of-the-art 63,000 capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Jesus rose highest to head in a corner just before half-time.

Gibbs-White could have been starting in white rather than red had Forest not stood their ground after Spurs reportedly met his buyout clause last summer.

The Forest captain instead signed a new deal at the City ground and has played a big role in leading his side away from trouble.

Gibbs-White was left completely unmarked to turn in Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross on the hour mark for his third goal in four league games.

No side has taken fewer points at home in the Premier League this season than Tottenham and they failed to muster a response.

Awoniyi inflicted the final blow when he met Neco Williams' cross three minutes from time.

- No excuses for Newcastle -

Villa took full advantage of defeats for Liverpool and Chelsea on Saturday to close in on a return to the Champions League next season.

Unai Emery's men had taken just one point from a possible 12 in their previous four league games.

But the return of skipper John McGinn from injury has been a timely boost.

The Scotland international curled in from outside the box to give Villa the perfect start.

Ollie Watkins then pounced after Mads Hermansen spilled Morgan Rogers' shot to bounce back from his exclusion from Thomas Tuchel's England squad on Friday.

Villa open up a six-point cushion on sixth-placed Chelsea with the top five set to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Newcastle's European ambitions and local pride were dealt a major blow as Sunderland came from behind to win 2-1 in the first Tyne-Wear derby at St. James' Park for 10 years.

Bryan Brobbey struck a 90th minute winner for the Black Cats, who have not lost to Newcastle in the league for 15 years.

Defeat compounded a miserable week for Newcastle, who were humbled 7-2 by Barcelona in exiting the Champions League in midweek.

"I've got very little to use as an excuse. Once you haven't performed and you know how much the game means you have to accept the criticism," said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.

Defeat sees the Magpies slip below Sunderland in the table to 12th.

Newcastle also promised to identify and hold accountable anyone guilty after Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida reported an incident of racist abuse from the crowd in the second half.

kca/dmc

Tottenham suffered a potentially seismic 3-0 defeat to Premier League relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday, failing to rise to a rallying call from their massed ranks of fans. 

Thousands lined the streets to cheer the squad before the crunch fixture in north London and there was a crackling atmosphere in the ground as kick-off approached.

Spurs bossed the first half but Forest took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Brazilian forward Igor Jesus headed home a Neco Williams corner.

Forest doubled their lead just after the hour mark when Morgan Gibbs-White finished under Guglielmo Vicario and substitute Taiwo Awoniyi compounded Tottenham's misery with a late strike.

The vital win for Vitor Pereira's men lifts them above Spurs, who are now just one point and one place above the bottom three.

Last year's Europa League winners are staring at the nightmare prospect of relegation from the top tier of English football for the first time since 1977 unless they can arrest their steep decline.

As if to underline the club's current plight, a few miles across London, bitter rivals Arsenal were gunning for their first trophy of a potential quadruple in the League Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

Spurs, led by interim boss Igor Tudor, came into Sunday's game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without a win in the Premier League since late December.

But they were buoyed by last week's 1-1 draw at Liverpool and a midweek win against Atletico Madrid, even though they exited the Champions League on aggregate.

- Fans rally -

Fan groups set up a initiative ahead of the game called "Show Up, Sing Up, Stay Up", calling for supporters to rally.

Fireworks were let off and a section of fans chanted the name of former boss Mauricio Pochettino before the team bus was serenaded with chants of "Come on you Spurs" as white and blue smoke filled the air.

A message on the stadium screens from captain Cristian Romero said: "We'll fight for everything, all together."

Forest, who started the day just outside the drop zone, looked the more dangerous team in the early minutes but Tottenham settled and started to enjoy the bulk of the possession, with Richarlison heading wide.

However, the home side struggled to create clear-cut chances and paid the price when Jesus put Forest ahead in the 45th minute, meeting Williams' corner with a bullet header.

Spurs came within a whisker of levelling at the other end but Forest goalkeeper Matz Selz touched Mathys Tel's powerful shot onto the crossbar in the dying seconds of the opening period.

As the half wore on the home fans among the crowd of 61,519 became increasingly edgy.

And they were shocked into silence when Gibbs-White, a target for Spurs in last summer's transfer window, slotted home in the 62nd minute from Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross.

Tudor made a number of attacking changes, bringing on Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons, but to no avail.

Awoniyi's goal in the 87th minute sent home fans scurrying for the exits.

The only chink of light for Spurs on Sunday was a 2-0 defeat for West Ham against Aston Villa, which leaves the Hammers in the bottom three.

jw/iwd

All the ways to watch free streams of Arsenal vs Man City from anywhere in the world in the Carabao Cup 2025-26 final.

The Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle and Sunderland was briefly halted after allegations of racist abuse from the crowd towards Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida.

Five minutes into the second half, the Premier League encounter at St James’ Park was paused by referee Anthony Taylor, who called both teams’ captain over to the dugout to discuss the situation with the respective benches.

There was already a break in play after Newcastle centre-back Sven Botman was caught by a high boot, for which he was forced off as a concussion substitution, and Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka took the opportunity to run over to Taylor and alert him to the abuse of Geertruida – the Dutch defender on loan with the Black Cats from RB Leipzig – that had come from the crowd.

The game was stopped for three minutes, in line with the competition’s on-field anti-discrimination protocol, and only resumed after Taylor had spoken to Geertruida, Xhaka and both teams’ benches.

The Premier League quickly released a statement confirming that the incident will be fully investigated.

“Today’s match between Newcastle United and Sunderland was temporarily paused during the second half after a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd, directed at Sunderland’s Lutsharel Geertruida,” read the statement.

“This is in line with the Premier League's on-field anti-discrimination protocol. The incident at St James’ Park will now be fully investigated.

“We offer our full support to the player and both clubs. Racism has no place in our game or anywhere in society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.”

The match was the first Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park since 2016 and the build-up was marred by violent clashes between both sets of fans outside the stadium.

A small cluster of Sunderland fans reportedly made their way to the stadium without a police escort and were eventually attacked after antagonising a large gathering of Newcastle supporters, with punches thrown and objects hurled in violent clashes.

Earlier on, the Sunderland team bus had also been a target for the home fans, with bottles and cans thrown as the visiting team arrived. Police were seen scrambling to put an end to the incidents, and reports suggest the violence was over quickly.

The Black Cats went on to win the game 2-1 as Brian Brobbey grabbed a 90th-minute winner to extend Sunderland’s unbeaten league record against their bitter rivals to 11 matches, stretching all the way back to 2011 – the longest such streak by either side in the 128-year history of the fixture.

All the ways to watch Arsenal vs Man City live streams, as the Premier League's top two meet in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

The build-up to the Tyne-Wear derby was marred by ugly scenes as Newcastle and Sunderland fans clashed outside St James’ Park.

The bitter rivals were playing in a 12pm kick-off in the Premier League on Sunday, though there was drama outside the stadium before the game even got underway as a small cluster of Sunderland fans made their way to St James’ Park without a police escort.

The visiting fans were eventually attacked after antagonising a large gathering of Newcastle supporters, with punches thrown and objects hurled in violent clashes. Earlier on, the Sunderland team bus had also been a target for the home fans, with bottles and cans thrown as the visiting team arrived.

Videos posted on X show large groups of fans outside the stadium, with home supporters seen throwing objects at a group of Sunderland supporters. Police were seen scrambling to put an end to the incidents, and reports suggest the violence was over quickly.

Fighting outside of St James’ Park. One fan appeared in a bad way. CPR administered before being taken away. Not good 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/PwZuo8248l

— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) March 22, 2026

Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards was at St James’ Park, and reported “brief violent clashes” as “small pockets of Sunderland supporters decided to walk to the stadium without a police escort”.

Edwards said the group disappeared “under a mass of bodies as they unveiled a Sunderland flag which was subsequently stolen, with punches “clearly thrown and missiles hurled”.

“It was over very quickly and nobody seemed to be seriously hurt as police moved in to separate the two rival groups,” he added.

The two teams face off in just the second Tyne-Wear derby in the last decade, with only two points separating them ahead of kick-off.

Sunderland began the day in 13th, with Newcastle sitting in 11th as they look to hunt down Chelsea and Liverpool in their bid to return to the Champions League next season.

Northumbria Police had revealed details of the policing operation prior to this weekend's match, including advice for Sunderland fans coming to the game.

Their statement read: “We can confirm for the safety of all that a police-supported escort to St James’ Park for Sunderland supporters will depart Newcastle Central Station at 10.15am.

“This will mirror the escort seen at the reverse fixture in Sunderland in December last year, and is expected to be utilised by the vast majority of away fans.

“Those who arrive later face having to wait at the station until officers are able to facilitate a second escort, which given the time needed for the journey and the required safety and ticketing checks unfortunately poses a risk of them not being in their seats in time for the 12pm kick-off.

“Sunderland fans are therefore urged to do their utmost to arrive into Central Station ahead of the 10.15am start time. Once inside the station, Sunderland supporters will be directed by officers and partners to the start location where they can gather ahead of departure.”

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All the ways to watch Newcastle vs Sunderland live streams online and from anywhere, with the latest edition of the Tyne-Wear derby scheduled for Sunday.

Newcastle return to action after their 8-3 hiding by Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 with possibly an equally hotly anticipated game: the Tyne and Wear derby.

Eddie Howe’s men largely acquitted themselves well over two and a half legs against the Spanish giants but capitulated in the second half on Wednesday, ultimately losing 7-2 on the night and 8-3 overall.

Now they face North-East rivals Sunderland and will bid to avenge their defeat in the reverse fixture earlier this season - and end an 11-game winless run in this most fiercely fought of fixtures.

In a highly congested mid-section of the Premier League table Sunderland - who lost 1-0 to Brighton at home last time out - sit four places behind their local rivals but just two points behind, so a win would see them leapfrog them into ninth place and be a huge boost going into the final few weeks of the season.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When is Newcastle vs Sunderland?

Newcastle host Sunderland at St James’ Park on Sunday 22 March, with kick-off at 12pm GMT.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK will be able to follow the game live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, as well as streaming service Sky Go.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Team news

Sandro Tonali is a doubt after going off in the defeat to Barcelona, joining Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley and Fabian Schar on the injury list.

Dan Ballard, Robin Roefs, Enzo Le Fee and Nordi Mukiele are being monitored and require late fitness tests but Reinildo is available.

Predicted line-ups

Newcastle XI: Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Willock, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes; Gordon

Sunderland XI: Ellborg; Hume, O’Nien, Alderete, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Diarra, Le Fee; Brobbey

The 2026 NFL Draft is full of college football studs, but UTSA kicker Jaffer Murphy is rising up draft boards after his unbelievable Pro Day.

College stars like Fernando Mendoza and Jeremiyah Love headline the 2026 draft. However, UTSA has its own standout special teams player entering April’s event that is starting to garner lots of attention.

MORE: Giants’ Cam Skattebo apologizes amid CTE comment backlash

On Wednesday, the UTSA kicker put together one of the most impressive non-quarterback Pro Days in recent memory. Murphy ran a 4.50 40-yard dash while also drilling 12 of 13 field goals in front of NFL scouts.

What happened at UTSA's Pro Day on Wednesday was insane, and I don't see anyone talking about it:

Kicker (!!) Jaffer Murphy was clocked as low as 4.47 in the 40-yard dash and made a 70-yard FG. He also made 12 of his 13 attempts.

Murphy spoke with over a dozen teams, I'm told. pic.twitter.com/NH8OsnE07f

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) March 21, 2026

Meanwhile, Murphy’s signature highlight from the UTSA Pro Day came when he drilled a 70-yard field goal. The current NFL record is 68 yards after Jacksonville Jaguars star Cam Little broke the mark during the 2025 season.

Although the UTSA kicker likely won’t be a first-round draft pick, more NFL teams are beginning to recognize the importance of the position. The Dallas Cowboys have a lethal weapon in the kicking game with Brandon Aubrey.

MORE: Pat McAfee mocks NFL stars after awful Fanatics Flag Football Classic display

However, Murphy has the chance to become the sixth-ever kicker selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Sebastian Janikowski, Charlie Gogolak and Steve Little are three of the others that went early in drafts, but Gogolak is the only top-10 selection ever.

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly even made a “special trip” to visit Murphy’s Pro Day. Meanwhile, other NFL teams were in attendance to watch the future pro show off his leg.

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Chelsea failed to take advantage of another Liverpool stumble in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League on Saturday, thumped 3-0 by Everton to remain outside the top five.

Champions Liverpool had slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Brighton in the early kick-off -- their 10th loss of a dismal Premier League title defence.

But Chelsea's thumping reverse at the Hill Dickinson Stadium gives renewed hope to a clutch of clubs below them, including Everton themselves, Brentford and Fulham.

The top five teams in the Premier League are almost guaranteed to play Champions League football next season due to the strong showing of English clubs in Europe.

Arsenal are hot favourites to land the Premier League title for the first time since 2004, with second-placed Manchester City well clear of city rivals Manchester United in third. 

United, who drew 2-2 at Bournemouth on Friday, are four points clear of fourth-placed Aston Villa, who host struggling West Ham on Sunday.

Liverpool arrived on the sunny south coast after a morale-boosting 4-1 aggregate win over Galatasaray at Anfield in midweek to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

But they were well beaten by Fabian Hurzeler's hungry Brighton, for whom evergreen forward Danny Welbeck scored twice, either side of Milos Kerkez's well-taken goal for the visitors.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot pointed to key injury absentees and a swift turnaround from Champions League commitments to explain the damaging defeat.

The Dutchman was without goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Mohamed Salah at the Amex Stadium, while top-scorer Hugo Ekitike limped off early.

Defeat left the reigning champions with only one point from the past nine after they conceded late goals in a 2-1 loss at bottom club Wolves and last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to relegation-threatened Tottenham.

"Brighton away, that's a difficult game for any team, especially if you miss out on a few very influential players," said Slot.

"Of course now, looking at the league table, this loss hurts a lot and it should hurt us a lot."

Brighton's Welbeck, who made his Premier League debut for Manchester United in 2008, is enjoying his highest-scoring season in the league, though was not included in Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad.

Liverpool are still alive in the Champions League and the FA Cup but face the real prospect of ending the season trophyless, with daunting quarter-finals to come against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

- Chelsea slump -

Chelsea collapsed to their fourth straight defeat in all competitions against Everton, giving new coach Liam Rosenior a major headache as he tries to salvage their season.

With United drawing and Liverpool losing, Chelsea had the chance to go fourth, four points behind the Red Devils, but they blew it in spectacular style.

Everton's win, courtesy of two goals from Beto and a curler from Iliman Ndiaye, lifted them within three points of neighbours Liverpool with a home Merseyside derby to come next month.

Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca in January, must now find a way to lift his expensively assembled squad, who won the Club World Cup and the UEFA Conference League last season.

Chelsea are still in the FA Cup but were humiliated 8-2 on aggregate by PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Fulham leapfrogged Brighton, moving to within five points of Liverpool, after coming from behind to beat relegation-bound Burnley 3-1.

Zian Flemming gave the Clarets a shock lead at Craven Cottage, but Fulham hit back through Joshua King, Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez.

Burnley are nine points adrift of safety with just seven games remaining.

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Serge Gnabry scored twice and Harry Kane inched closer to the Bundesliga single-season goal record as Bayern Munich beat Union Berlin 4-0 at home on Saturday. 

Kane's second-half strike took him to 31 this campaign -- the same number Union have scored all season -- and 10 short of Robert Lewandowski's mark from 2020-21, with seven games to play. 

Michael Olise struck for the brilliant Bavarians. 

"It's still possible, I just have to keep doing what I'm doing," Kane told reporters about the record. 

"All it takes is a hat-trick or a couple of braces in a row and then it'll look a bit more likely."

Bayern have 97 goals this season, four short of the best mark set in 1971-72, when Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Mueller helped the Bavarian giants tear through the Bundesliga. 

Coach Vincent Kompany made five changes from the side which thumped Atalanta on Wednesday to set up a Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, but kept Kane front and centre. 

Union, who had never beaten Bayern in 14 clashes, held out until the 41st minute, when Olise collected a punted Leon Goretzka pass and curled the ball into the top corner. 

Gnabry made it two just before the break, knocking in a rebound at the far post. 

Kane pirouetted and curled in Bayern's third just after the break, boosting his tally to 48 in 40 games in all competitions this season. 

Gnabry was again in the right place to volley in with 67 minutes gone to add gloss to another big Bayern win. 

- Wild comeback for Dortmund, Leverkusen 'speechless' -

Ramy Bensebaini scored two second half penalties as Borussia Dortmund came from two goals down to win 3-2 at home against promoted Hamburg and all but lock up second spot. 

Philip Otele and Albert Sambi Lokonga scored to put Hamburg two goals up at half-time, after Dortmund's Felix Nmecha missed a penalty just before the break. 

Bensebaini converted a penalty after 73 minutes to bring Dortmund back into the match and Serhou Guirassy hammered in a rebound while off balance five minutes later. 

With six minutes left, Jobe Bellingham tried a long-range effort which hit Miro Muheim's hand, bringing Bensebaini to the spot again. 

The Algerian nervelessly converted to bring Dortmund in front and put the hosts on track for victory. 

Second-placed Dortmund are 11 points clear of RB Leipzig in third but remain nine points behind leaders Bayern. 

Bayer Leverkusen's top-four hopes took a hit with a 3-3 draw at rock-bottom Heidenheim after leading 2-0 at half-time and 3-2 with five minutes remaining. 

The draw leaves Leverkusen sixth, four points behind Leipzig, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim, who are all level on 50 points. Stuttgart have a game in hand. 

"I'm speechless," goalkeeper Mark Flekken told DAZN. "We talked at half-time about not getting complacent."

Hoping to bounce back from Tuesday's Champions League exit at Arsenal, first-half goals to Malik Tillmann and Patrik Schick had Leverkusen on course for a routine win. 

Heidenheim fought back through a Hennes Behrens goal and a Marvin Pieringer penalty. Schick once again gave Leverkusen the lead with a header but Pieringer levelled  again from a corner with 85 minutes gone. 

Justin Njinmah scored the only goal as Werder Bremen won 1-0 at Wolfsburg to push their hosts closer to a first ever Bundesliga relegation. 

Second-last with just one victory in the calendar year, 2009 German champions Wolfsburg could be six points from safety if St Pauli beat Freiburg on Sunday. 

Elsewhere, Rhine rivals Cologne and Borussia Moenchengladbach played out a 3-3 draw. 

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Chelsea's hopes of Champions League qualification suffered another damaging blow as Everton stormed to a 3-0 win on Saturday to compound a miserable week for Liam Rosenior's men.

Dumped out of the Champions League 8-2 on aggregate by holders Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, the Blues have now lost four consecutive games to put Rosenior under pressure just over two months into his reign.

Beto struck twice for the Toffees as they surged into contention for a top-five finish, before Iliman Ndiaye rounded off Everton's best win so far at their new home.

Only two points now separate the sides as Chelsea remain in sixth, while Everton climb to seventh.

A place in the top five will almost certainly guarantee Champions League football next season due to the strong performance of English sides in European competitions this season.

But Chelsea's chances are fading fast with a tough run-in after the upcoming international break with Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool to come in their remaining seven games.

The debate over who should start in goal for the Club World Cup winners will also rage on after another error-strewn night for Robert Sanchez.

James Garner celebrated his first ever call-up to the England squad with a brilliant pass that allowed Beto to beat Sanchez for the opening goal on 33 minutes.

Moments later Jordan Pickford proved the value of a top goalkeeper with a stunning save to tip over Enzo Fernandez's blistering strike.

Worse was to come for Sanchez after the break when he allowed Beto's fiercely struck shot to slip between his legs just after the hour mark.

Beto even played a part in his side's third as he bullied the Chelsea defence to head Pickford's long ball into the path of Ndiaye.

The Senegal international wriggled into the box before blasting into the top corner to this time give Sanchez no chance.

Everton have struggled to settle into their new 53,000 capacity stadium.

But for the first time they have won back-to-back home league games this season to climb within three points of neighbours Liverpool.

And they face off in the first ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Everton's next home game on April 19.

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Danny Welbeck scored twice as Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to deal a major blow to the Reds' push for a Champions League spot next season.

Arne Slot's men came into the match on the sunny south coast in buoyant mood after hammering Galatasaray 4-0 in midweek to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

But a goal in each half from the evergreen Welbeck gave the home team a fourth win in five Premier League matches, keeping alive their own hopes of European football next season.

Liverpool were missing both goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Mohamed Salah at the Amex Stadium.

And they suffered a further injury blow early in the game when topscorer Hugo Ekitike hobbled off with an apparent dead leg after a firm challenge from former Liverpool stalwart James Milner.

The champions found themselves behind when Welbeck scored his 11th Premier League goal of the season in the 14th minute, nodding home from close range after Diego Gomez headed a cross-field pass back across goal.

That made the 35-year-old former Manchester United and Arsenal forward the top English goalscorer in the league this season.

Liverpool found some rhythm after falling behind and Alexis Mac Allister went close to an equaliser in the 22nd minute but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen got down smartly low to his left to claw the ball away.

However, the visitors were level in the 30th minute after some clever opportunism from left-back Milos Kerkez, capitalising on an error from Brighton captain Lewis Dunk, who paid the price for heading a high ball back to his goalkeeper without looking behind him.

Hungary defender Kerkez nipped in and produced a composed finish, flicking the ball over the stranded Verbruggen.

Brighton started the second half brightly and were back in front in the 56th minute, with Welbeck again on the scoresheet.

Yankuba Minteh's pinpoint cross was played into Welbeck's path by Jack Hinshelwood and he finished confidently, with the goal confirmed following a VAR check.

Welbeck, who made his Premier League debut for United in 2008, is enjoying his highest-scoring season in the league.

Slot threw on teenager Rio Ngumoha, Andy Robertson and Federico Chiesa in a desperate search for an equaliser but it was Brighton who remained the more threatening team.

Defeat leaves Liverpool fifth in the Premier League, two points behind Aston Villa and one ahead of Chelsea, with the top five almost certain to qualify for the Champions League next season.

The club's Premier League title defence collapsed earlier in the season but they remain alive in the Champions League and face Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals early next month.

Liverpool's Brazilian international goalkeeper Alisson posted on social media that he would be "out of action for a while".

jw/jc

With Barcelona defending their crown, here's our full guide to watching La Liga 2025/26 season live streams, broadcasters and TV channels around the world.