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"It sharpens your mind, and there are clear similarities to football," said Erling Haaland when he announced his investment in the Total Chess World Championship this week. "You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and think several moves ahead. Strategy and planning are everything." The Manchester City striker’s strategy cannot be faulted except at one stadium in particular: Wembley.

Arsenal will look to end their six-year trophy drought on Sunday when they take on rivals Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Going back even further, the Gunners haven't won silverware in front of live fans since their 2017 FA Cup triumph, a time when Arsene Wenger was still manager and Mikel Arteta had just completed his first season as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

The Arsenal defender can't wait to return to the national team.

Edin Terzic could soon make his return to the dugout, taking over from a former FC Barcelona manager. News and rumours about BVB.

Gabriel Jesus has challenged his Arsenal teammates to shed any lingering fear as they hunt a historic quadruple. The Brazilian striker insists the Gunners are more mature than in previous seasons and ready to conquer both England and Europe.

Steven Gerrard has been informed that his dream of managing Liverpool has “died”, with an emotional return to Anfield being ruled out. There was a point, when winning the Scottish Premiership title at Rangers, that Gerrard was considered to be a Reds boss of the future. Emile Heskey has told GOAL why that may no longer be the case for his former teammate.

The FIFA Council approved a new legislation that mandates that a woman head coach or a woman assistant coach must be on every team across all of FIFA's youth and senior women's football tournaments, national team competitions, and club competitions. This initiative and mandate are to increase the number of women coaches and fit into FIFA's long-term strategy to do so.

Liverpool have been dealt a significant setback as head coach Arne Slot confirmed Mohamed Salah will miss the upcoming trip to Brighton. The Egyptian forward sustained an injury during midweek Champions League action against Galatasaray, leaving the Reds to find a new attacking solution for the weekend.

Roberto Martinez has named a Portugal squad missing the iconic duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva for the upcoming international fixtures. The Selecao boss has opted for a mix of caution and experimentation as he prepares his side for the road to the 2026 World Cup.

Feyenoord boss Robin van Persie has revealed that Raheem Sterling is feeling "increasingly fresh" as he adapts to life in the Netherlands, and has called on the former Chelsea and Arsenal star to step up with his mentoring responsibilities to the club's young players.

Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch insists that despite mounting pressure, Arne Slot still has a unique chance to cement his legacy at Anfield. The transition from Jurgen Klopp’s era has caused friction and debate among fans regarding the tactical direction. However, Crouch believes the season is far from settled and a historic conclusion remains possible.

Jamie Carragher claims we are in a "strange new world" where neutrals favour Man City over Arsenal for the Premier League title, as well as this weekend’s Carabao Cup final. He argues that Mikel Arteta’s pragmatic "win-at-all-costs" style, plus a polarising fanbase, has flipped the "anyone but City" sentiment into a resounding "anyone but Arsenal."

Bruno Fernandes has revealed his fury after Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw by Bournemouth on Friday evening. The Portugal international scored from the penalty spot in the game, but he was incandescent at the Red Devils being denied a second spot-kick after Amad Diallo was pushed over in the area, especially as Bournemouth were awarded a spot-kick for a similar-looking foul.

Timo Werner admitted it will be a special meeting when his San Jose Earthquakes face off against Thomas Muller's Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. The duo shared the pitch consistently for Germany, and have played against each other at the highest levels in Europe on a number of occasions. Werner has tallied two assists in three appearances since signing for San Jose last month.

Manchester United are finalising new deals for Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire. Under Michael Carrick’s leadership, the club is moving fast to reward key performers and solidify a squad currently sitting third in the Premier League. This resurgence marks a tactical shift, securing both a rising prodigy and a veteran leader for the long term.

Liverpool will be without the services of Alisson Becker for Saturday’s early kick off against Brighton. The 33-year-old shot stopper did not travel with the rest of the Reds squad to the South Coast, dealing a significant blow to Arne Slot’s plans as they look to keep up their pursuit of Champions League qualification.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has revealed that he could have joined Bayern Munich instead of the Gunners, before developing into a likely Premier League title winner in north London. The Spain international has become one of the best stoppers in Europe under Mikel Arteta's tutelage but it nearly didn't come to pass at all, given the interest from the Bundesliga giants.

Thomas Tuchel has unveiled his England squad for this month's friendlies at home to Uruguay and Japan. These fixtures will be the final two chances for the German to examine his squad in detail before the end of the club season, and he's gone a bit rogue in how he's decided on his roster, naming an expanded 35-player selection but effectively splitting the team in two.

Harry Maguire marked his return to the England squad in an unwanted manner as he was sent off in Manchester United's disappointing 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. The Red Devils twice took the lead in the second half, from a Bruno Fernandes penalty and then an own goal by James Hill. But they were pegged back each time and had reason to complain for the Cherries' first equaliser.

Newcastle United are intensifying their search for a new number nine this summer, with Chelsea strikers Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap emerging as primary targets. The Magpies have struggled to fill the void left by Alexander Isak, who moved to Liverpool last September for £125 million ($166m), as neither Yoane Wissa nor Nick Woltemade have fully convinced as a leading option.

At the press conference, Antonio Conte made no secret of the fact that he has his sights set on top spot: can Napoli win the Scudetto?

The controversial incident in the second half of the Genoa v Udinese match

Jose Mourinho has paid tribute to former coach and long-time friend Silvino Louro after he tragically passed away. The former Manchester United and Chelsea coach has died at the age of 67, leading to an outpouring of emotion from the Benfica boss, as well as former Red Devils goalkeeper David de Gea.

During Mainz’s 2-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc in the Conference League, Mainz player Danny da Costa found himself in a most bizarre situation.

Tottenham boss Igor Tudor has revealed he is hoping for a "nice surprise" when it comes to the availability of James Maddison and Mohammed Kudus before the end of the season. The two first-team stars are nursing long-term injury issues but, with Spurs locked in a serious relegation battle, Tudor has revealed they may well boost the north London club's survival hopes before the campaign is out.

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has vehemently dismissed reports claiming that Bruno Guimaraes is in "advanced talks" to join Manchester United. Howe expressed visible frustration over the timing of these rumors, as the ninth-placed Magpies fight to secure a European spot for next season.