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The England left-back is capable of sparking a revival at Old Trafford after returning from injury ahead of schedule

Manchester United have endured plenty of lows in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, but they hit rock-bottom after a 3-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford on November 1. That result saw the Red Devils exit the Carabao Cup at the round of 16, capping a miserable defence of the trophy they had won after a final win over the same opponents in February.

It was also their eighth defeat in their first 15 matches across all competitions in 2023-24. The last time United started a season that badly was way back in 1961, when they were still rebuilding the squad after the tragic Munich air crash of '58.

Erik ten Hag's side have been leaking goals in domestic and European competition, while also looking alarmingly toothless at the other end of the pitch. United have won four of their last five Premier League games, but only by a solitary goal, and they are already seven points behind leaders Manchester City.

Even another top-four finish looks beyond United right now given their poor level of performance, and they certainly won't be qualifying for next season's Champions League by winning it. Only maximum points from their final two group games against Galatasaray and Bayern Munich will prevent them from falling at the first hurdle.

And yet, all is not lost. There is no denying that bad luck with injuries has played a key role in United's decline. Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Amad Diallo and Tyrell Malacia are all currently on the treatment table, while Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have also missed a significant portion of games.

Any team would struggle with such a depleted squad, but the absence of Luke Shaw has been the most significant for United. The 28-year-old has been out of action since sustaining a muscle issue in United's 2-0 loss at Tottenham on August 17, and wasn't expected back until December.

However, Shaw made a surprise early return to training this week, and is being tipped to start against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday. United's first-choice left-back has rarely received the credit he deserves at Old Trafford, but he's the most important player in Ten Hag's ranks – and his reintegration might just spark a rapid turnaround in fortunes.

GettyPartnership rekindled

Marcus Rashford won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for the 2022-23, finishing top of the voting among United fans ahead of Bruno Fernandes and Martinez. He also picked up the club's Player's Player of the Year award as he was deservedly recognised for his most prolific season yet in the famous red shirt.

But he owed a great debt of gratitude to Shaw for giving him the platform to reach those heights. The defender's overlapping runs drew opposition players out of position so that Rashford could cut inside or dart into the penalty area and provide the finish or decisive final pass for United.

Without Shaw, he has been unable to make the same in-roads. Rashford has only scored once in 14 appearances since the defender's injury against Spurs, and has been very lucky to retain his place in Ten Hag's line-up.

Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof and Sergio Reguilon have all filled in for Shaw, but none of them have had the same natural rapport with Rashford going forward. Consequently, United have carried next to no threat down the left flank, which was where the majority of their goals came from last season.

Rashford has been guilty of overrunning the ball in an attempt to create openings and shooting from ridiculous positions out of frustration. His confidence is completely shot and he's in desperate need of a boost, which Shaw can provide. The England duo built up one of the most effective partnerships in English football in Ten Hag's debut season in Manchester, and there's no reason why they can't now rekindle it.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHungry Hojlund

United forked out £72 million ($90m) to bring Hojlund to Old Trafford from Atalanta in the summer window, which was a huge investment considering his lack of experience. And so far, the gamble hasn't paid off. Hojlund has gone nine Premier League games without a goal, and appears to be struggling with the pace of the English football.

The Danish striker's work-rate can't be faulted, but there are a lot of raw edges in his game that still need to be ironed out. Going all out for Harry Kane would have made more sense, and there must be a part of Ten Hag that regrets his decision after watching the former Tottenham man break every scoring record in the book in his first few months at Bayern Munich.

That's not to say that Hojlund is a lost cause, though. In actual fact, it's quite conceivable that the 20-year-old could go on to reach a similar level to Kane in the future. Hojlund has hit five goals in four Champions League appearances for United to date, and his link-up play has been generally very impressive. The Denmark international is also intelligent with his movement off the ball, but many of his runs have been ignored or overlooked.

Former United defender Rio Ferdinand recently compared Hojlund's situation to the one Ruud van Nistelrooy found himself in after Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at the club back in 2003. “Ruud van Nistelrooy more or less had Cristiano Ronaldo in tears almost one day, saying, ‘How can I make my runs when you don’t cross the ball?’ That’s how Hojlund must feel right now with the wide players he’s playing with," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel .

The Red Devils have quite simply not been playing to Hojlund's strengths. He hasn't played with Shaw yet, and must be licking his lips at the prospect of some quality service from out wide. Shaw put more crosses into the box than any other United player last term, and was also top for passes into the final third.

He would have probably led the way for assists too, if he'd had a proper centre-forward following in, which he admitted he was "desperate" for before the new season got underway. He will finally get his wish in the coming weeks, and it will be no surprise if Hojlund's output suddenly increases dramatically.

Getty ImagesDefensive balance

Shaw is widely considered to be one of the best left-backs in the business, not least because of his quality on the ball and strength in one-on-one duels. He has the most to offer United in that position, but Ten Hag has also experimented with him as a centre-half – with impressive results.

Eleven of Shaw's starts for United last season came in the heart of the defence as the Dutch manager favoured the left-footer over Harry Maguire. The England international put his body on the line and read the game brilliantly to cut out attacks in those matches, but it was his passing that stood out most.

Ten Hag has always stressed the importance of his centre-backs playing through the lines to ensure that United build attacks from both sides of the pitch. Shaw delivered those incisive balls time and time again, while also pushing forward himself on the counter.

With Martinez not expected to return until the new year, Shaw might just be the best option to partner Maguire, who has won his place back as the right-sided centre-back in recent weeks. He offers far more than Lindelof and surprise summer signing Jonny Evans, with both men lacking the technical ability to step into midfield and mobility to keep close track of runners.

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GettyFull faith in Ten Hag

When United lose games, the manager comes under the spotlight. Ten Hag learned that quicker than most, after opening his reign with back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Brentford. The Red Devils also suffered heavy losses against the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Sevilla in 2022-23, but the campaign was ultimately deemed a success because Ten Hag delivered a trophy and Champions League qualification.

All the players seemed to be behind the Dutchman, and for the first time since Ferguson's departure in 2013, there was a real sense that United were heading in the right direction. And no one believed that more than Shaw.

"It's clear to see what he has brought in and how he has changed the way we think, the way we play," he told at the end of May. "I think he wants to bring a lot of intensity. I think everything he wants the team to do is high intensity, he wants us to be aggressive, on the front foot, pressing as high as possible.

"With the ball he has made us better. We have to be challenging for the title with this team. Our aim at the beginning of next season has to be winning the Premier League and the Champions League. That's how we've got to think from now on."

Shaw also called for new signings, and Ten Hag was able to bring in Hojlund, Mount, Onana, Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat in the summer market. United then began the season with a scrappy home win against Wolves and the defeat to Spurs, which saw Shaw suffer his unfortunate fitness setback.

But he would never imagined that the team would fall so far from that point. The Red Devils have completely lost their identity, and many of Ten Hag's signings, from this year and last, are either underperforming or clearly now past their best.

Dressing room leaks have also re-emerged – the kind that undermined the authority of previous managers such as Ralf Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho. Consequently, it has been suggested that Ten Hag no longer enjoys the full trust of his players.

Right now, it feels like a daunting task for him to turn the situation around. But he should still have a strong ally in Shaw, given the fact he hasn't been involved for the majority of this turbulent period. His opinion on Ten Hag is unlikely to have changed, and he can play a key role in getting the rest of squad to believe in the manager again.

United might not be able to achieve the lofty goals he previously set, but there is still plenty to play for in the second half of the season.

The Reds are running out of time to strengthen at the No.6 position after their two primary targets both rejected them to sign for Chelsea instead

We knew that Liverpool would sign some midfielders this summer. The engine room effectively broke down last season and the Reds unravelled as a result, failing to finish in the Premier League's top four. As such, reinforcements were essential, even just from a numbers perspective, with the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all heading for the exit door.

It came as no surprise, then, to see Liverpool move quickly in the transfer market, adding some much-needed dynamism and creativity to the midfield by activating buy-out clauses to bring in both Alexis Mac Allister, from Brighton, and RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai.

What we didn't expect, though, was a complete clear-out, an absolute overhaul of the entire department – and yet that's exactly what has played out, with Liverpool having made the surprising decision to cash in on both first-choice No.6 Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson, who often stood in for the Brazilian in front of the back four.

As a result, at least one more signing is required, a defensive midfielder of considerable skill and stature to tie the whole midfield together. For a long time, Romeo Lavia looked like being that player. However, Chelsea now look likely to beat the Reds to Lavia's signature.

It's a bitter blow, especially considering the Blues already secured the services of Moises Caicedo ahead of Liverpool this week, and it leaves the club in a seriously tricky position. The clock is ticking towards Deadline Day and the Reds seem a million miles away from securing the holding midfield player that they so desperately need.

Ahead of what is set to be a frenetic final few weeks of the summer, GOAL takes a look at the alternative targets Liverpool could look to sign…

GettyKalvin Phillips (Manchester City)

A transfer link that appeared to come out of nowhere at the start of the summer, but one that does make a modicum of sense. Kalvin Phillips only arrived at Manchester City a year ago, and many players need a season to get to grips with Pep Guardiola's complex tactical approach.

However, the mere fact that the treble-winners made a move for Declan Rice underlined that Phillips is considered neither an heir to – or an adequate understudy for – Rodri. So, it's just really difficult to see the England international belatedly breaking into the City side, even if he gets over his injury issues.

A transfer, then, appears inevitable, and it was thought that West Ham might sign Phillips as their Rice replacement. But with the Hammers opting for James Ward-Prowse instead, the Reds could rekindle their apparent interest in the England international.

Liverpool would be understandably reluctant to pay too much money for a 27-year-old with just 49 Premier League games under his belt, though Phillips could agitate for a move after being an unused sub once again in his side's Premier League opener against Burnley.

AdvertisementGettyBoubacar Kamara (Aston Villa)

Steven Gerrard may not have got a lot right at Aston Villa, but there's no denying the genius of snapping up Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Marseille, with the midfielder enjoying an excellent first season in England.

Douglas Luiz may have made more headlines for his contribution to Villa's remarkable revival under Unai Emery, but Kamara proved just as integral to the Spaniard's game plan on account of his ability to break up opposition attacks and move the ball on quickly to other, more creative colleagues. More importantly, Kamara would be capable of covering a huge amount of ground in a similarly effective manner to peak Fabinho.

Villa, though, have absolutely no need to sell, as Kamara is under contract until 2027. It would take a massive bid to even get Villa to the negotiating table and even then, Emery would do his utmost to block the sale of a player that is so important to his side.

GettyFlorentino Luis (Benfica)

Enzo Fernandez earned himself a massive move to Chelsea in January thanks to his fine form for Benfica during the first half of last season and, more importantly, the pivotal role he played in Argentina winning the World Cup. However, one of the main reasons why he excelled for the Eagles was his partner in Roger Schmidt's midfield, Florentino Luis, arguably the revelation of the club's campaign.

Indeed, he had spent the previous two seasons out on loan, at Monaco and Getafe, and, truth be told, he didn't play particularly well for either club. There was certainly no indication that he would suddenly explode upon his return to Estadio da Luz – but that's exactly what he did, earning himself a new, improved contract with his fantastic performances in front of the Benfica back-line.

A buy-out clause of €120m (£103m/$131m) was inserted into that deal, and while it won't require quite so much money to persuade the Portuguese club to part company with Florentino, a sizable fee will undoubtedly be required. Benfica, as Liverpool know only too well, drive a very hard bargain…

Florentino certainly ticks a lot of boxes, though. He may not be particularly creative, but he's highly effective when it comes to both winning and distributing the ball. Whether Liverpool are really willing to pay top dollar for a player that has yet to be capped by Portugal remains to be seen, but the 23-year-old's potential is obvious.

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GettyJoao Palhinha (Fulham)

Liverpool have a tendency to target younger players in the transfer market, particularly when there's a need to spend big, but an exception could be made for Joao Palhinha. The Portugal international proved one of the signings of last season's Premier League, impressing all and sundry as newly-promoted Fulham finished 10th in the table.

Palhinha popped up with three goals, but what stood out was the way in which he dictated the play and implemented Marco Silva's footballing philosophy. He is, as Jurgen Klopp put it, Fulham's "connector", the man that linked the whole team together.

Liverpool's scouting department, who have followed Palhinha for some time now, firmly believe that he could perform a similar role at Anfield, but he won't come cheap. West Ham reportedly had a £45m ($57m) bid rejected several weeks – would Liverpool really be prepared to go much higher for a 28-year-old?

Considering how much his fellow Premier League defensive midfielders have gone for this transfer window, Fulham are hardly likely to shift in their sky-high valuation either.

Manchester United have finalised a £73 million ($93m) transfer for Rasmus Hojlund, but when will the striker be unveiled at Old Trafford?

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Red Devils buying into potentialAcquiring long-term option in No.9 roleMost expensive striker they have ever signedWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils have been in the market for a new No.9 from the moment that five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was released as a free agent in November 2022. Several targets are reported to have been identified since then – from Harry Kane to Victor Osimhen via Kolo Randal Muani and Goncalo Ramos.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United have eventually settled on Denmark international Hojlund, with the highly-rated 20-year-old considered to be a shrewd addition for the present and future. He is being lured away from Serie A giants Atalanta in a deal that will make him the most expensive frontman ever signed by the Red Devils.

AND WHAT'S MORE

Hojlund arrived in England to finalise his deal later than planned, with the youngster taking in a medical on Tuesday. reports that he has passed all of those checks and officially signed a five-year contract. Hojlund is now set to be unveiled to the United faithful ahead of a pre-season friendly clash with Lens at Old Trafford on Saturday.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

United – who have used Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as central strikers in recent times, while also taking Netherlands international Wout Weghorst on loan in January – will be hoping to see Hojlund hit the ground running, with it possible that his competitive debut will come in a 2023-24 Premier League season opener at home to Wolves on August 14.

Everything you need to know about Inter Miami's 2024 pre-season preparations.

With Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez leading its attack, Inter Miami is expected to become a dominant player in MLS in 2024.

Watch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream now

While Messi's arrival mid-way through last season inspired a Leagues Cup triumph, Inter Miami struggled to seal a playoff spot and David Beckham will be eager to see that change this year.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about Inter Miami's 2024 pre-season preparations, including where to watch the games and more.

GettyInter Miami 2024 pre-season fixtures & results

Date Fixture Kick-off time TV channel

Jan 19El Salvador 0-0 Inter Miami8 pm ETMLSSoccer.comJan 22FC Dallas 1-0 Inter Miami6 pm ETMLSSoccer.comJan 29Al-Hilal 4-3 Inter Miami1 pm ETApple TVFeb 1Al-Nassr 6-0 Inter Miami1 pm ETApple TVFeb 4Hong Kong XI 1-4 Inter Miami3 am ETApple TVFeb 7Vissel Kobe 0-0 (4-3P) Inter Miami5 am ETInter Miami YouTubeFeb 15Inter Miami 1-1 Newell's Old Boys7:30 pm ETApple TV

Inter Miami's 2024 pre-season saw them travel to Central America, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan before they concluded matters back in Florida.

The game preparations got underway on January 19 with a road game against El Salvador. New signing Luis Suarez featured alongside his former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, but the game finished 0-0.

A 1-0 defeat to MLS franchise FC Dallas followed before Messi and Co. headed to Saudi Arabia for a couple of crunch showdowns against Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. Unfortunately for Miami fans, there was no showdown with Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portugal star unavailable due to injury. The Saudi sojourn was a disappoining one, with a 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal followed by a 6-0 thrashing by Al-Nassr.

Inter Miami then went to Hong Kong for a game against a Hong Kong national selection, winning 4-1 (without the injured Messi). After that, Miami's disappointing results continued as they lost 4-3 on penalties to Vissel Kobe after playing out a 0-0 draw.

Finally, pre-season preparations were wrapped up at home, with Messi's boyhood club, Argentina's Newell's Old Boys, coming to town. The game finished 1-1.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWhere to watch Inter Miami pre-season gamesWatch Inter Miami with the MLS Season PassStream now

The bulk of Inter Miami's 2024 pre-season games were available to watch live with the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV across the world. The MLS Season Pass gives you access to every MLS game, including the playoffs. You can find out more about how to watch MLS games here.

For fans based in MENA, the games involving Saudi Pro League teams were available to stream live on DAZN.

@InterMiamiCFHow to buy tickets to Inter Miami games

If you were interested in seeing Inter Miami up close and in the flesh, you could buy tickets to watch their pre-season games live through StubHub.

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GettyWho is in the Inter Miami pre-season 2024 roster?

Position Players

Goalkeepers:Callender, Dos Santos, JensenDefenders:Alba, Allen, Aviles, Boatwright, Freire, Hall, Kryvtsov, McVey, Sailor, YedlinMidfielders:Bright, Busquets, Gregore, Gressel, Robinson, Ruiz, Sunderland, TaylorForwards:Borgelin, Campana, Messi, Suarez

Tata Martino brought a strong panel into pre-season, with Messi, Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all fit and ready to go.

However, Facundo Farias suffered an ACL injury in the opening pre-season friendly game against El Salvador and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.

As well as Suarez, Julian Gressel was one of the new signings in 2024, joining on a free from Columbus Crew. Yannick Bright, the 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick, was included too.

Goal looks at the best and worst from men's soccer in the region this year including Mexico's Gold Cup stars and Honduras' roller-coaster season

FREDERIC J. BROWNBest Player – Raul Jimenez, Mexico

What a year for Raul Jimenez. He scored eight goals for Mexico, including five during the Gold Cup when he helped lead El Tri to the regional title.

With his club, he's been unstoppable as well, helping Wolves push into the knockout stages of the Europa League and also playing a big role in upsets over teams like Manchester City.

With eight goals in Premier League play, Jimenez sits just outside the top 10 in the Premier League. Combine his nine Europa League goals, though, and you'll begin to understand why he was the most important Concacaf player in Europe this season and is Mexico's No. 9 for the foreseeable future.

AdvertisementFrederic J. BrownCoach of the Year – Marc Collat, Haiti

Marc Collat's Haiti ended the year on a bitter note, getting relegated from its Concacaf Nations League group. Yet, you have to understand the challenges with which Collat is working.

Haiti wasn't able to play its second set of CNL matches at home because of political turmoil in the country, and already the manager is pulling players from all over the globe.

Now, the path back to the Gold Cup involves extra qualification. So why is Collat the Coach of the Year? Because in this year's Gold Cup, Haiti was the story of the tournament, getting into the semifinals and pushing eventual champion Mexico to extra time.

They did it thanks to strong game plans from Collat and a collective mentality the coach instituted despite cultural and language barriers few other teams have to overcome.

Getty ImagesBreakout Star – Charly Rodriguez, Mexico

Carlos Rodriguez already is such a fixture with the Mexico national team that it's difficult to remember that his debut came in this calendar year. With Hector Herrera out of a March friendly, Rodriguez stepped into the void and didn't look at all out of place in a 3-1 win against Chile.

His showings with Monterrey also have been quality, with the 22-year-old midfielder impressing during the Club World Cup and eventually lifting the Liga MX title with Rayados.

Now, he's being asked questions about heading to Europe, something that would only help him become a bigger star in the region.

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GettyFuture star flying under the radar – Jonathan David, Canada

Jonathan David was the Golden Boot winner at this summer's Gold Cup with six goals in four matches.

He scored a dozen goals with Gent last year, a mark he's set to surpass with nine already this season. Oh, and he's 19. Why are we not talking more about this guy?

Sure, the Gold Cup goal tally was run up thanks to a hat-trick against a hapless Cuba, but as Canada pushes to make the World Cup in 2022 before hosting four years later, we're going to be seeing David have plenty of success against more formidable teams in the very near future.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has hit back at Gary Neville's scathing criticism of his side after the Carabao Cup final defeat to Liverpool.

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Neville labelled Chelsea 'billion pound bottle jobs'Pochettino says Neville comments 'not fair'Liverpool win 10th Carabao CupWHAT HAPPENED?

Pochettino explained that he is respectful of Neville and his opinions, but felt the commentator had gone too far in assessment of the Blues. During the game, Neville criticised Chelsea for bowing to the Liverpool pressure stating: "It’s Klopp’s kids against the billion pound bottle jobs." Pochettino was far from happy with the assessment.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT POCHETTINO SAID

Responding to Neville, Pochettino said: “I didn’t hear what he said but if you compare the age of the two groups, I think it’s similar. I have a good relationship with Gary [Neville]. I can respect his opinion.

"We made a few changes, like [Conor] Gallagher and [Ben] Chilwell in extra-time. But it’s true, we didn’t keep the energy how we finished the second-half.

"For sure I feel proud. They made a big effort. We have a young team, and nothing to compare with Liverpool because they finished with young players on the pitch.

"It’s not fair to talk in this way, if he said that. We’re going to keep being strong and believing in this project."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While under Todd Boehly's ownership Chelsea's transfer activity has exceeded the £1 billion ($1.3 billion) mark, they have largely invested in young players. Of course, this does not excuse how poor Chelsea have been under the American's stewardship, but barring a small number of exceptions, Pochettino possesses an inexperienced squad at the top level. Perhaps this explains his frustration.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Pochettino and Chelsea will have to respond to adding yet another disappointment to the collection under Boehly. They face a tricky tie in the FA Cup next weekend against Leeds United as they look to return some winning fervour to Stamford Bridge.

Sarina Wiegman's side backed up Friday's 7-2 win over Austria as another goal-filled outing in Marbella capped off a strong start to 2024

There were only 60 seconds on the clock when Lotte Wubben-Moy, making just her third England start, set the tone for the Lionesses' second fixture of 2024. With exactly a minute played, the Arsenal defender adjusted brilliantly to direct Alex Greenwood's corner up and over Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani in what was the first of three set pieces the Azzurre would concede from in an emphatic 5-1 win for Sarina Wiegman's side.

There was a lot of talk about Italy ahead of this game. After disappointing at back-to-back tournaments, at the European Championships in 2022 and then last year's World Cup, they have made big improvements under new head coach Andrea Soncin, with an impressive and intense pressing game even helping them to beat world champions Spain recently. But England faced up to the challenges Italy presented and exploited one big weakness that Soncin is yet to fix, that inability to defend dead-ball situations.

Wubben-Moy nearly had a second only moments after breaking the deadlock, Chloe Kelly's delivery wreaking havoc this time, before Lauren Hemp made it two on 20 minutes when an attempted clearance ricocheted off her and into the back of the net. If she couldn't take much credit for that one, she could for the second, a fantastic header from Stanway's cross far too well-placed for Giuliani to reach.

Italy did pull a goal back before the break, capitalising on sloppiness at the back from Greenwood with an incisive move that Michela Cambiaghi finished off. But England restored that three-goal cushion thanks to the impact off the bench when Lauren James teed up Ella Toone for a brilliant volley in the latter stages and then Rachel Daly made it five, pouncing on a mistake and showing wonderful composure to net for the second successive game as a substitute.

GOAL rates England's players from Estadio Nuevo Mirador…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Mary Earps (6/10):

Made herself big for a fantastic stop to deny Cantore in the first half but nearly gave Italy a goal when she passed right to the same player in the second.

Lucy Bronze (7/10):

Brilliant effort to keep the ball in play in the build-up to Hemp's second. Defended well.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (7/10):

Broke the deadlock with a fantastic header after 60 seconds and almost had a brace moments later. Solid performance.

Alex Greenwood (6/10):

Delivered superb set pieces, including the assist for Wubben-Moy's opener, and played an excellent ball for James for England's fourth. Made a sloppy error that led to Italy's goal, however.

Niamh Charles (5/10):

Better going forward but a poor backpass nearly allowed Italy to pull a goal back and her marking wasn't tight enough when they eventually did. Off at half time.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Keira Walsh (8/10):

Dictated play well with some nice passes to break the lines and get attacks going. Classy display.

Georgia Stanway (8/10):

Excellent with her trademark late runs into the box and her energy in the press. Great assist for Hemp's second.

Grace Clinton (8/10):

Lovely footwork in midfield, which often helped England win free-kicks in dangerous positions. Always positive when she picked the ball up.

GettyAttack

Chloe Kelly (6/10):

She and Greenwood were a great tag-team on set pieces to cause Italy problems.

Alessia Russo (5/10):

Didn't have many chances and did well to hit the target with her only notable opening. Off at half time.

Lauren Hemp (8/10):

Didn't know much about her first goal but took her second brilliantly. So close a hat-trick at the end, too.

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Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Lauren James (7/10):

Replaced Russo at half time and nearly got on the scoresheet with a wicked left-footed effort from range that was well saved. Got an assist, though, with a superb run and cross for Toone.

Jess Carter (6/10):

Also on at the break, at left-back for Charles, she was solid in her defending and got forward well.

Ella Toone (7/10):

Replaced Stanway just past the hour and volleyed home impressively just a few minutes later.

Jess Park (6/10):

Had just under half an hour to make an impact and did get involved, though not as much as other subs.

Rachel Daly (7/10):

On for the final 20 minutes or so and managed to get on the scoresheet, pouncing brilliantly on a poor pass at the back.

Millie Turner (N/A):

Made her long-awaited England debut in the final stages of the game.

Sarina Wiegman (8/10):

Got a look at several different players again with another round of rotation. Will have liked what she saw from Wubben-Moy and could be onto something with the midfield trio of Walsh, Stanway and Clinton.

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You can't go wrong with a pair of Nike

Everywhere you look in the twentieth-century history books of fashion and footwear, you'll find it hard to avoid Nike and its iconic Swoosh logo, such is the brand they have built over more than half a century.

As one of the leading sportswear companies in the world, they've risen through the ranks over the years, having started as Blue Ribbon Sports in the sixties, changing its name in the seventies and hitting superstar heights in the eighties.

As they continue to grow from strength to strength, they remain at the top of their game, matching ideas and innovation to deliver a one-of-a-kind success – and we've got some of the best you can buy right here.

Shop: Best women's Nike trainers

Best new releaseNike Air Force 1 PLT.AF.ORMNike£114.95 at Nike

This new release from Nike is truly premium and easily the best option for the latest pair of trainers to add to your collection. It's a classic revamp to the AF-1 style, which is a raised midsole for that ultimate on-trend chunky style. The leather is easy to break in, and these trainers are a great addition to your hoops franchise and will be in your wardrobe too.

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The Nike Air Max collection has become well known for being super comfortable, but the 270 brings that to another level. A Max Air 270 unit brings unrivalled comfort, which is enhanced by the foam midsole to add a soft feel. You get a light, airy feel too from the woven synthetic upper, which not only looks good but provides ventilation too.

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Gio Reyna made his first appearance of the season for Borussia Dortmund, coming on as a substitute in a win over Brenden Aaronson's Union Berlin.

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Reyna makes season debutAaronson also on as subDortmund win 4-2

Reyna's appearance comes just two days after it was announced he would join up with the U.S. men's national team for upcoming friendlies, marking his return for the first time since the Nations League this summer. That was also the last time we'd seen Reyna on the field prior to Saturday, as the midfielder had been kept on the bench for the past several weeks after returning from injury.

The American was tossed into the match in the 64th minute, seven minutes before Julian Ryerson scored Dortmund's final goal in a 4-2 win. Aaronson, who is also headed for USMNT camp, was a substitute himself for the other side, having come on in the 55th minute.

Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

It was a match that started as it meant to go on: chaotic.

It took just seven minutes for Dortmund to seize the lead in front of their home supporters on a goal from Niclas Fullkrug, but Union Berlin fired back two minutes later on a goal of their own from Robin Gosens.

The visitors were the next to strike on a goal from Leonardo Bonucci, with the ex-Juventus star stepping up to take a penalty for his new club.

The score remained 2-1 until the 49th minute as Dortmund roared back through Nico Schlotterbeck before, five minutes later, retaking the lead thanks to a Julian Brandt finish. Ryerson then all but sealed the in the 71st minute, earning Dortmund all three points.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Dortmund began the match with Donyell Malen, Marco Reus and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in attack behind striker Fullkrug, with Reyna once again taking his place on the bench. The American has been out of Edin Terzic's preferred starting XI even dating back to last season, when Reyna proved himself a fantastic supersub as Dortmund came oh so close to a Bundesliga title.

He made his way onto the field in the 64th minute, replacing Malen. He played a part in Ryerson's big goal, as it was Reyna's cross that deflected out to the defender as he made it 4-2.

Aaronson, meanwhile, has largely been a sub for his side since the international break, coming off the bench in four of the club's five matches, with the lone outlier being a start against Hoffenheim. The Leeds loanee missed a chance in the Champions League against Braga and, on Saturday, he missed another opportunity to equalize, albeit a tough one, as he put a volleyed attempt wide in the 65th minute.

It's been a rough run for the club as Union Berlin have now lost seven in a row in all competitions.

Getty/GOALUSMNT IMPACT

Reyna's return is big news for the USMNT as the midfielder now has some sort of minutes under his belt as he heads off to national team camp.

Gregg Berhalter was asked plenty about Reyna during his media availability on Thursday, with most of the discussion centering around the duo's off-field relationship. In terms of the on-field aspect, though, Berhalter said the plan is to give Reyna limited minutes as they look to build his fitness ahead of his return to Dortmund.

At this point, the main goal is to put Reyna in a place where he can contend for a starting spot at Dortmund over the next few months before, perhaps, reassessing in January. The first order of business, though, is for Reyna to be fit and to find good form.

The hope will be that the international break can help in that regard as Reyna is now officially on the comeback trail.

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Getty ImagesGOAL'S RATINGS

Brenden Aaronson (6/10):

Had a few okay moments, but once again missed a chance at a big goal. It was a tough finish, for sure, but, after missing a sitter in the Champions League, he'll be extra frustrated. If these chances can start going in, the mood will change very, very quickly.

Gio Reyna (7/10):

Played a part in the goal, even if he won't get credit for it. A decent return from a long layoff, as Reyna looked crisp enough for a player that hasn't played in several months.

UEFA has decided to replace the group stage with one big league from 2024 on, meaning more games but far less drama

Silvio Berlusconi always felt that the principal problem with the old European Cup was that "the imponderable prevails''. As far as he was concerned, there were too many variables; just too great a chance of bad breaks or incorrect calls ending a continental campaign.

For more than 30 years, the European Cup was a straight knockout between domestic champions, meaning an unlucky draw could see a heavyweight contender dropped in the first round – as happened in 1987, when Real Madrid got the better of Napoli 3-1 on aggregate.

Berlusconi was present at the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu and was disgusted by the inevitability of either the champions of Spain or Italy being eliminated at the earliest possible stage of the competition. The following year, after Berlusconi's Milan had taken Napoli's Serie A title, he told the : "We must transform the European Cup into a continental league, a formula that would afford clubs economic certainties. Imagine that with a couple more players you could play double the number of games. We would go to play in Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon – not in some remote provincial town.

"There is no point in demagoguery: teams of a certain level, capable of counting on a certain audience and consequent revenues, must have the right to compete with one another on a regular basis."

Getty'We need a European league'

Such thinking was nothing new – even at Milan. In 1964, the club's technical director at the time, Gipo Viani, told the fanzine : "We need a European league. The ideal version of the football of the future is to be able to provide a super-spectacle.

"Don't you understand why people are deserting the stadium? You need to give the public [games against] Real Madrid, Benfica etc. and then you will see that the stadiums will fill up again, even without ticket price reductions. You have to try to create a championship with all the best European teams. It could be done by linking the Italian league and the European league, with the intensification of the teams’ calendar.

"So, each club would have a suitable number of players, and this would serve to enhance many young players who today, unfortunately, cannot be conveniently launched into the senior side and instead languish, sometimes for months, among the reserves."

Berlusconi, of course, was more concerned with the monetary benefits for the clubs involved than player welfare – and discussed the idea of creating a European Super League (ESL) with Madrid president Ramon Mendoza.

As former Milan director Umberto Gandini said during a conversation with on Twitch, "The birth of the Champions League in 1993 was a consequence" of those talks, as UEFA sought to remove the threat of a Berlusconi-led breakaway by adding a group stage to the old European Cup.

Advertisement(C)GettyImages'The lesser of two evils'

The ESL threat never went away, though. It instead became something of a 'boogie-man', regularly summoned by Europe's elite to scare the game's governing bodies into giving them more power – and more money.

UEFA's nightmare was finally realised in 2021 when an ESL was hastily formed, but Berlusconi and Mendoza's dream – which had long since been embraced by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his Juventus counterpart Andrea Agnelli – died a sudden death, with a fan backlash in England leading to a collapse of support among Premier League clubs that proved fatal to the breakaway competition's hopes of success.

UEFA nonetheless sought to appease Europe's biggest clubs – still reeling from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic – by giving them an expanded Champions League. So, next year will herald the arrival of the 'Swiss Model', which will see 36 teams (up from 32) competing in one giant league stage. Every club will play eight different opponents, with four of the games at home, and four away. The top eight sides will progress directly to the last 16. The teams ranked ninth to 24th will face a play-off to reach the knockouts, essentially providing the strongest sides with a safety net if they do slip up in two or three games.

It could have been worse, of course. The original plan was to have 10 rounds in the league stage – and include two teams based on past performances in the Champions League. Thankfully, both ideas were abandoned after a major backlash – but, at the end of the day, UEFA has still managed to squeeze four new match days into an already-congested calendar, so it’s no wonder that Ilkay Gundogan argued that in comparison to the ESL, the revamped Champions League was merely "the lesser of two evils", and felt compelled to ask, "Is no one thinking of us players?"

Getty ImagesVicious cycle of sustained success

Furthermore, while the 'Swiss Model' is obviously a hugely positive development for regular participants in the Champions League, it is a major negative for those that do not.

Broadcasting money is obviously a hugely significant source of revenue for clubs. For example, the Premier League, with its colossal overseas TV rights deals, is now being accused of killing European football because of its staggering dominance of the transfer market.

However, the biggest distortive force in European football over the past decade is the distribution of money derived from featuring in UEFA club competitions (UCC) – which is precisely why we see the same sides winning certain domestic titles season after season, and the same teams competing in the Champions League year after year.

European qualification, then, is self-perpetuating, in that it generates a level of increased income among the participants that creates a vicious cycle of sustained success that is almost impossible to break. Consequently, European Leagues fought hard for an increase in solidarity payments to non-participating clubs during the next UCC cycle (2024-27) and, thus, welcomed UEFA's decision to increase the projected annual €4.4 billion (£3.8bn/$4.7bn) share from four to seven percent.

"In absolute figures, this will result in distributing €308m to non-participating clubs (up from the current €175m) as from season 2024-25," read a European Leagues statement. "This is an important result for the whole European professional club football ecosystem and the leagues are proudly supporting UEFA in such an achievement."

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Getty ImagesSome clubs more equal than others

However, because of the ever-increasing prize money on offer in the Champions League, the rich are still going to get richer, and the gap between the haves and have-nots will only continue to grow.

That suits the elite just fine, of course. The pandemic put the fear of god into them, as it brutally exposed the financial fragility of an industry that has long since lost the run of itself. Their ridiculously brittle business models very nearly collapsed because of the loss of revenue during lockdowns.

Consequently, while Agnelli, Perez and others tried to argue that the ESL was essential for the survival of every European club, they were obviously only interested in protecting their own economic interests. Agnelli, let’s not forget, was horrified by Atalanta – the kind of club from a provincial town that Berlusconi arrogantly mocked – 'taking' Roma's place in the Champions League just because they had proven themselves to be the better team on the field of play.

Roma, Agnelli argued, should not have been 'punished' with exclusion from Europe just because they had underperformed for a solitary season – which obviously undermines the whole point of playing games. It is the very antithesis of not just football but sport in general, as it renders results irrelevant, and sporting merit meaningless.

So, when Perez argued that "the best should always play the best", he was really talking about maintaining a sporting status quo through economic inequality. Europe’s aristocrats really do not like new faces upsetting the old order. Indeed, while Perez and his kind proclaim that all clubs are equal, just like the pigs in , they believe that some are more equal than others.