Lauren James' brilliance took centre stage as Chelsea retained the Women's League Cup on Sunday, the England international once again coming back to haunt Manchester United as her goal was backed up by Aggie Beever-Jones' opportunistic finish to give the Blues a 2-0 win and the first piece of silverware of the season. In a tight game of few chances, James' clinical touch looked set to prove decisive before Beever-Jones made sure of the win in the latter stages, rounding off a remarkable effort from a Chelsea side plagued by injuries.
Manchester United came up short in Sunday's Women's League Cup final, losing 2-0 to Chelsea after a catastrophic Dominique Janssen error gifted Lauren James the opening goal. Marc Skinner's side did have plenty of the play in Bristol across the course of the 90 minutes, but their hopes of a fightback were extinguished by substitute Aggie Beever-Jones in the second half.
Bruno Fernandes made history by inspiring Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Aston Villa as they homed in on a return to the Champions League. The Red Devils captain recorded his 15th and 16th assists of the season as United saw off fellow top-four contenders Villa and tightened their grip on third place, opening up a three-point gap with Unai Emery's side.
Former referee Mark Clattenburg has strongly criticised match official Paul Tierney for standing inside a Chelsea pre-match huddle during their Premier League clash against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Following Newcastle's 1-0 victory, Clattenburg described the bizarre moment as a terrible look, insisting Tierney's perceived arrogance understandably angered the visitors.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has opted for caution regarding Lamine Yamal at a crucial time in the season. The German boss has left the teenager out of his starting XI for his team's league match against Sevilla at Spotify Camp Nou. Barcelona are hoping to take all three points and restore their four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table.
Joao Felix found his name on the scoresheet in the Saudi Pro League for the first time in 2026. The former Chelsea and Barcelona man had gone 14 matches without a goal, a streak stretching back to a 2-2 draw with Al-Ettifaq in December. Despite the lack of goals, Felix remained a vital cog in the Al-Nassr machine, providing seven assists in his previous 10 outings before finally finding the back of the net again with a brace.
Real Madrid face a dilemma over Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City clash as France and Nike demand his presence for international friendlies. The World Cup winner may be called upon by his country despite sitting out matches at club level.
Everyone wants to win the World Cup, but what does the trophy actually symbolise? GOAL takes a deep dive into the meaning behind the grandest prize in football.
The numbers behind Erling Haaland's recent performances make for grim reading by his own sky-high standards. After a blistering start to the campaign that saw him net 19 times in his first 17 Premier League appearances, the goals have dried up significantly. The striker has now managed just three goals in his last 12 league outings, a run of form that has left pundits stunned.
Liverpool have reportedly triggered the 12-month option to extend Alisson's contract, ensuring the Brazilian remains on Merseyside for at least another season. The 33-year-old’s previous terms were set to expire this summer, which would have made him one of the most high-profile free agents on the market. Instead, he is now under contract through to the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
The huddle, which has become a staple of Chelsea's pre-match routine, is believed to be the brainchild of Willie Isa — Chelsea's ‘cultural architect’ who was recruited from rugby league. Isa reportedly developed the ritual in conjunction with Reece James and other senior figures in the dressing room to foster a sense of collective identity and strength.
Manchester United are hoping to raise the price of Marcus Rashford's transfer to Barcelona as doubts are emerging over the initial deal struck with the Red Devils last summer. Rashford made a blistering start to his loan move after making the switch from Manchester to Spain last summer, raising the prospect of clinching a permanent move to Camp Nou for €30m (£26m/$34m).
Olivia Smith and Stina Blackstenius got the goals as Arsenal beat London City Lionesses 2-0 on Sunday, a result which allowed the Gunners to move within one point of the Women's Super League's European places. With Chelsea playing in the League Cup final on Sunday, Arsenal knew the short journey across the capital presented an opportunity to close the gap and put some pressure on the third-placed Blues, and they took it, winning their seventh game in a row in comfortable fashion.
Manchester City's march towards the Women's Super League title was stalled somewhat on Sunday as the runaway leaders were held to a 0-0 draw by Aston Villa. Andree Jeglertz's side struggled to create chances against the most porous defence in the division, and if not for some excellent Khiara Keating saves, they may well have fallen to just a third defeat of the campaign.
Football fans will be denied a dream showdown between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal after the 2026 Finalissima between Argentina and Spain was officially cancelled. Following the forced relocation of the fixture from Qatar due to geopolitical issues, a complete breakdown in negotiations saw the Argentinian FA reject multiple UEFA proposals - including a clash at the Bernabeu - leaving the highly anticipated meeting of champions scrapped over unresolvable scheduling conflicts.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole is reportedly in talks to join Serie B side Cesena in his first senior managerial role after previously serving as England's assistant coach. Cole has also spent time working alongside Frank Lampard at Everton and Wayne Rooney with Birmingham City. The 45-year-old is now ready to step out on his own.