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The Championship side have confirmed that a supporter has tragically died following a medical emergency at The Valley on Saturday afternoon. The fixture between Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth was halted in the 12th minute while staff dealt with the incident. After a delay, referee Matthew Donohue told the players to return to the dressing rooms, and the match was later called off.

MLS's dream contest should yield plenty of storylines, and seems finely-poised to be a highly watchable fixture between two well-matched teams

Chelsea's summer signing Liam Delap looks set for more time on the sidelines after being forced out of Saturday's game against Bournemouth at the Amex Stadium with a shoulder injury. The forward landed heavily and looked to be in real pain in the first half of the game following a duel at a corner. Manager Enzo Maresca sent on Marc Guiu in his place and now faces an anxious wait to discover the severity of his injury.

Enzo Maresca questioned the quality of Chelsea's bench strength after the Blues suffered a shock loss to Leeds United. It was a disjointed and error-strewn performance that saw the Blues fall 3-1 at Elland Road on Wednesday night. The defeat has reignited concerns over the club’s squad depth as the Italian guides a young squad who are still learning to navigate the Premier League’s unforgiving rhythm.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed his frustration after the Real Madrid star was ruled out for around two months with a thigh injury sustained against Athletic Club. The 27-year-old has endured an injury-hit first season in the Spanish capital, making just 11 appearances in all competitions. This latest injury setback makes his diminishing World Cup hopes look all the more at risk.

Emi Buendia struck with the last kick of the game to earn Aston Villa a 2-1 win against Arsenal and condemn Mikel Arteta's Premier League leaders to a first defeat in 19 games in all competitions. It looked like the Gunners had battled back to claim a hard-earned point when Leandro Trossard came off the bench to cancel out Matty Cash's first-half opener, but substitute Buendia was on hand to fire in a dramatic winner in the final seconds of stoppage time to move Villa to within three points of the top of the table.

Gabriel Jesus has taken another significant stride toward ending his lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the striker set to feature in a friendly against Manchester United with the Arsenal Under-21s on Saturday as part of his carefully managed rehabilitation programme. It marks the latest stage of a gradual return from a devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out since January.

The draw delivered clarity, confidence and a challenge. Now Pochettino and his players know the route - and, inspired by Herb Brooks and the Miracle on Ice, they’re daring to dream big.

Stina Blackstenius came to the rescue as a beleaguered Arsenal limped to a nervy 2-1 win over Women's Super League basement side Liverpool on Saturday. Former Reds star Olivia Smith banged in a sublime individual goal before Beata Olsson levelled up for a well-earned first-half equaliser. The Gunners were poor for lengthy spells but substitute Blackstenius' quality finish gave the home fans a huge sigh of relief.

Mikel Arteta has revealed the unorthodox technique he used to get Arsenal players and staff onside when he first arrived at the club in 2019. Having arrived at the Emirates during a transitional period, he used the metaphor of making a "big mess" to represent how those outside the club viewed the Gunners at the time. Urging the players to accept his help in rediscovering "the standards" needed at the club, Arteta's words appear to have had the desired impact.

Erling Haaland has given a candid response to Norway’s daunting World Cup draw, admitting on social media that he faces a brutal challenge in what supporters are already calling the tournament’s 'group of death'. Next summer’s World Cup will be the largest ever staged, expanding to 48 teams across 12 groups as FIFA introduces a round of 32 for the first time. Yet even within a broadened field, one Group I stands out for its sheer competitiveness.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says star midfielder Rodri is "suffering" due to a troublesome hamstring injury. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner picked up the issue in early October, just months on from returning from a long-term knee problem. And while the Spain international is "getting better", he is "struggling" with this newer setback.

Arne Slot has moved to quell mounting anxiety around Alexander Isak’s rocky start at Liverpool, insisting that comparisons to Erling Haaland are pointless and that the club must work harder to create meaningful chances for their record signing. The Reds paid a staggering £125 million ($167m) for the Swedish international last summer, but his first months at Anfield have been defined by injuries, sporadic appearances and a visibly disrupted rhythm.

Enzo Maresca has singled out one Chelsea player following their dismal 3-1 loss to lowly Leeds United. The Blues came into the Elland Road clash off the back of a 3-0 win over Barcelona and a 1-1 draw with Arsenal - a game where they were a man down for more than 45 minutes. Although they were beaten by Daniel Farke's side in midweek, Maresca doesn't think their lack of experience had much to do with it.

Alexander Isak has admitted he expected to do "much more" at Liverpool after a slow start to life at Anfield. The striker joined the Reds from Newcastle United for a Premier League record fee of £125 million ($167m) but so far he has failed to fire. The Swedish international also admits that injuries have hampered his progress, and he has never felt at 100 per cent so far.

Carlo Ancelotti says he doesn't "owe" anyone a place in his Brazil 2026 World Cup squad after once again being asked about Santos star Neymar's prospects. The Brazil icon has repeatedly been left out of recent national squads due to injury issues, but after scoring a hat-trick for his club last time out, speculation over his World Cup place is intensifying. However, the Italian made it clear he will not be pressured into certain picks.

Thomas Tuchel believes England's 2026 World Cup draw is "tough" and claimed that the group stage is "always the most difficult". The German coach, who will lead the Three Lions into a major tournament for the first time next summer, stressed that Group L - featuring Croatia, Ghana and Panama - provides no margin for complacency.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has hinted that the glitz and glamour of the 2026 World Cup ceremony was rather unnecessary. The Three Lions eventually found out that they will face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama at next year's competition in North America. However, those watching the draw had to wait a long time to find out the results, something Tuchel believes they could have "done without".

USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted to harbouring a desire to make a Premier League return after coming "so close" to winning the title with Tottenham. The Argentine has confessed that he still feels the pull of the English top flight, even as he prepares to lead the United States men’s national team at the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Ghana boss Otto Addo has urged Antoine Semenyo to take the "next step" and leave Bournemouth amid links with Liverpool and Manchester City. The 25-year-old has a £65 million ($87m) release clause, which is only active until a specific date in the January transfer window. As teams consider a move for him, his national manager thinks it is "natural" for the flying winger to secure a transfer away.

This Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Brighton and London City Lionesses should have produced an enticing showdown between two of England’s most exciting young strikers, with Euro 2025 hero Michelle Agyemang in the Seagulls’ corner and rising star Isobel Goodwin representing the newly-promoted big spenders.

On April 11 of this year, Liverpool posted a video on their social media channels accompanied by the words 'The story continues' and a crown emoji. Nobody had to press play to understand what it all meant: after months and months of incessant speculation over Mohamed Salah's future, Anfield's Egyptian King had finally agreed a new contract with the club.

Brenden Aaronson is fighting for minutes at Leeds, Johnny Cardoso needs fitness at Atlético, and both Weston McKennie and Haji Wright have chances to make statements in key matches across Europe.

The Canadian side, who might not even play in their home country next year, are just one away from a title - and that is no accident

There were nods of approval and even a sigh of relief after the World Cup draw was concluded and England appeared to have avoided some of the major potential banana skins as the pots were drawn to decide the group stages. But, as the dust settled, it became clear that England’s route to the World Cup final in New Jersey next July would be anything but straight forward. GOAL plots the path Thomas Tuchel's side will (most likely) need to navigate on their way to the ultimate title glory.

Lamine Yamal has been crowned La Liga Player of the Month after a sensational November in which the 18-year-old produced goals, assists and match-winning performances that powered Barcelona to a perfect month in the league. His three goals and three assists established him as the competition’s leading creator, reaffirming his return to form after an injury-ridden start.

Alexi Lalas was upbeat after the United States landed in Group D for the 2026 World Cup, where they will face Paraguay, Australia and the winner of Play-Off C (Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo). He called the group not just good, but “great,” and said the USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino should be expected to advance.

Arsenal have been hit with another damaging defensive setback as summer signing Cristhian Mosquera is expected to miss at least six weeks after suffering a complicated ankle injury in the midweek win over Brentford. With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined, the Gunners now face a mounting crisis at centre-back during a pivotal period of their season.

Well, it certainly could have been easier. If England could have picked their opponents for the 2026 World Cup group stage, they probably would not have chosen a Croatia team that finished third at the last tournament and knocked them out in the semi-finals at the previous one in Russia, or a Ghana side containing two of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League.