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China’s local government financing vehicles are showing more signs of stress, with a record number missing payments on

England face their biggest test of the Women’s World Cup yet as the Lionesses take on Nigeria in the last-16 in Brisbane. It’s been a tournament of shocks and surprises so far and Sarina Wiegman’s side will be wary of becoming another, after the defending champions United States joined Germany, Canada and Brazil in exiting the competition on Sunday. But it means the tournament is opening up, with England among those who are looking like contenders in Australia and New Zealand. The Lionesses produced a brilliant performance to thrash China 6-1 last time out, so confidence is high among the camp. Follow LIVE: England vs Nigeria in Women’s World Cup last-16 as Keira Walsh starts Nigeria are dangerous opposition: led by star striker Asisat Oshoala, the Super Falcons stunned Australia and held Canada on their way to qualifying for the knockout stages. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of England vs Nigeria at the Women’s World Cup. When is England vs Nigeria? The match will kick off at 8:30am BST on Monday 7 August. What TV channel is it on? England’s first match of the knockout stages against Nigeria will be shown on BBC One, with coverage starting from 8am. The match will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer. What is the England team news? Keira Walsh has made a stunning return for England’s last-16 Women’s World Cup clash against Nigeria. Walsh was carried off on a stretcher late in the first half of the Lionesses’ 28 July victory over Denmark, with fears that the influential midfielder’s tournament could be over, but scans revealed her knee injury was not as serious as first suspected. And after taking part in full training over the weekend, Walsh is back in England’s starting line-up. She is the only change to Sarina Wiegman’s side from the team that thrashed China 6-1, replacing Katie Zelem in midfield. It means England keep their 3-5-2 formation, Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly start at full-back, either side of a back three of Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood, with Mary Earps in goal. Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp started as a front two against China and keep their places after both finding the scoresheet in the 6-1 win, while Lauren James is the first name on the teamsheet after her stunning two-goal and three-assist display against China. Walsh partners Georgia Stanway in midfield, with the Bayern Munich star impressing in the number six position in Walsh’s absence. One thing Wiegman may consider is she has three players, Stanway, Hemp and Greenwood, who are on yellow cards and would miss the quarter-final if they pick up another and England make it there. Yellow cards are not wiped until after the last-16. Read More Sharpened England face a World Cup test with a different edge Millie Bright on England captaincy: ‘I don’t give the orders - everyone has a platform’ USA’s dominant era ends on a night of chaos, confusion and heartbreak England vs Nigeria LIVE: Women’s World Cup build-up and team news Sarina Wiegman reveals stunning Keira Walsh fitness update on eve of Nigeria clash Millie Bright: ‘I don’t give the orders - everyone has a platform’

If there’s one thing football fans never learn from, it’s the year-to-year optimism which flourishes right ahead of a new season’s kick-off. Suddenly, regardless of disappointments or despair which came only a few months earlier, positivity and possibility reigns supreme once more. Naturally, that can ebb and flow once the campaign actually gets started, not just with results but with those within the club talking up, or down, the prospects of success. For Liverpool fans, while 2022/23 was a year to forget as fast as possible, the regeneration in the centre of the park and promise of still-new attackers taking another step up offers the tantalising prospect of an immediate return to fighting for honours in 23/24. For that to happen, it’s almost certain that one factor needs to play out perfectly: the qualities and availability of Trent Alexander-Arnold, the team’s greatest creator and new vice-captain, must be consistently on show in the roving, scheming role he occupied in the final months of last term. Add that to the reduced initial midweek demands of a club in the Europa League instead of the Champions League, and there’s a real possibility of Jurgen Klopp’s team going full tilt across 38 domestic matches this time around. Good news for Kopites, bad news for defences around the country: that’s precisely what the England international expects, and demands, to happen. “It gives a chance to focus on the Premier League a lot more. We respect the competitions we play and want to win them all but definitely going into the season, our aim is to win the Premier League,” Alexander-Arnold told The Independent from an Under Armour training camp. “[The Europa League] gives us a good chance to focus on it. It’s not about coming second or third and building on that, we’re a team full of winners. We know what it takes, we have the culture and the manager to win. “It’s positive pressure to go and do it again because we’ve got the team to win it.” Bold words, and ones the Anfield faithful will be desperately hoping ring true. But even the hardest of Liverpool fans would find it tough to align what was on show at times last year with potential title-winners this time, regardless of summer dealings and an effective reset. Failing challenges, though, before overcoming them in an even more emphatic manner, is arguably what this team has been built on. “It was a difficult season but that’s football. We’ve faced those times before and definitely will again. We’ll learn from it and move forward; as long as last season was a one-off that’s a good thing. We never want those kinds of seasons but if this one is much better then we’ve proven to ourselves we’re still a top team,” Alexander-Arnold added. His own campaign mirrored that of the team: uneven in parts, way out of form in others – and yet he ended the season in more influential, impactful form than any other Premier League central player, with the possible exception of Ilkay Gundogan. He certainly noticed when he had an upturn in fortunes, but the Reds’ No 66 never wavered in his approach, he insists. “Nothing changed for me throughout the whole season mentality-wise. You keep working. I just wanted to be the best player on the pitch and that never changed – but toward the end of the season I felt I had my powers back, being able to do it consistently.” That switch came after Klopp altered the midfield dynamic, Trent drifting centrally from right-back to play-make from deep. That the alteration came around quickfire fixtures against Arsenal and Chelsea might have been a surprise; that he adapted so well definitely wasn’t. “It wasn’t weeks of planning, it was more information-based rather than practice on pitch,” he explained. “The coaches trust me to fulfil my role when I do have a change. This was probably the biggest one so far but I asked a lot of questions and we were able to make it work – it’s just a lot of information, learning how to make it work and everybody bought into that. “Most enjoyable is the freedom to drift, get on the ball and make things happen. That comes with challenges too, you have to be disciplined and stick to a game plan. There are pros and cons, it’s freedom but with a lot of responsibility to control the game.” Liverpool, as a whole, struggled with the latter aspect last season and the same has perhaps been on view in pre-season, too. Alexander-Arnold acknowledges it’s “still being worked on”, particularly with regards “to nail down the spaces and who fills them” along with “who covers around” when he has made runs from deep and the other defenders are dealing with counter-attacks. It’s not the most simplistic of tactical roles to deal with, either for himself or the team, but Alexander-Arnold has never shied away from the unusual. Even this particular interview can be termed as such: he’s preparing to receive an AI-generated “ultimate team talk” designed as the most inspirational, motivational one possible. He’s on board with taking on “unconventional” off-pitch projects if they pique his interest; after all, this is a player who has raced a Formula E car from standstill and competed against a chess master. “I do what I’m passionate about, to be honest – I like anything that brings the best out of me. I’ve had hundreds of team talks; some hit you, some don’t. The project is exciting and something I’m looking forward to.” Back to on-pitch matters, the Scouser hailed new teammates Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister as “two quality players” and the type that Liverpool “needs to continue to make”. It’s notable that even Klopp has acknowledged more needs to be done in that same area of the park and Alexander-Arnold makes the point that “the best teams have the best squads”, which probably – with still almost a month of the window left – doesn’t immediately point to Liverpool at this moment. More arrivals will likely follow. And more honing of the Reds’ newest system will take place in the meantime. Uncertainty currently reigns with regard to both. But elsewhere there’s absolute certainty: for the title or other silverware this season and for how long that summer optimism lasts, Alexander-Arnold will play the biggest and most central of roles. :: We were speaking to Trent Alexander-Arnold from Under Armour’s Human Performance Centre in Portland where he was taking part in a pre-season training camp. Trent features in Under Armour’s new Protect This House campaign, where Under Armour has used generative AI technology to create the “Ultimate Team Talk,” a motivational speech that is scientifically proven to be the most effective of all time. See www.underarmour.co.uk for more details. Read More A new era for old empires? How a summer of rebuilding could change the Premier League Liverpool left with midfield muddle – but Reds handed reason for optimism Jurgen Klopp wanted a midfield change at Liverpool – instead he got a revolution Man United join Lavia chase as midfield transfers shape the market A new era for old empires? How a summer of rebuilding could change the Premier League Liverpool transfer news: Lavia, Andre, Doucoure, Thiago and more

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What the papers say The Daily Mirror reports Kevin de Bruyne is high on the list of targets Saudi Arabian clubs intend to pursue next year. The paper says Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal’s whopping £259million bid for Kylian Mbappe was a wake-up call for the Premier League, with some sides already resigned to losing some of their best players. De Bruyne’s former Manchester City team-mate Riyad Mahrez joined Al-Ahli this summer, joining a growing list of high-profile players making the switch. Speaking of Kylian Mbappe, the Mirror also reports the 24-year-old would be prepared to spend a season in the Premier League on loan before securing his dream move to Real Madrid. The Paris St Germain and France forward’s representatives are believed to have held discreet discussions with a selection of Premier League club intermediaries – with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool rumoured to be interested in his signature. Kasper Schmeichel is in line for a shock return to the Premier League. According to the Leicester Mercury, citing Eurosport Denmark, the 36-year-old is in discussions with Nottingham Forest over a move from French club Nice. And The Telegraph reports Chelsea are gearing up to make an improved bid for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo. Social media round-up Players to watch Mohamed Salah: Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad are set to offer £51.8m for the Liverpool forward, reports Arabic publication Al Riyadiah. Tosin Adarabioyo: The Sun says the Fulham defender has rejected a proposed Tottenham move in favour of a potential transfer to Monaco. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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England boss Sarina Wiegman is confident the Lionesses are capable of getting creative should Nigeria target breakout talent Lauren James in their last-16 clash in Brisbane. Chelsea forward James was awarded player-of-the-match against China in England’s final group stage contest after contributing two goals and three assists in the 6-1 victory. Having shown the world just how dangerous she could be, it would not be a surprise if Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum spent plenty of time planning a corresponding response to mitigate the potent threat posed by the 21-year-old. Asked if she was prepared for that to happen, England boss Sarina Wiegman grinned and said: “Well, first of all we didn’t make the starting line-up yet. “But I think some countries mark us and want to take out players. Not only one, but more players. So that’s good when you have so many good players on the pitch that they have to be aware of all those players. “And we know when players are marked that you find other ways to build or create and hopefully create chances to score goals. “So we are aware of that and we will be prepared for that.” Wiegman could be bolstered by the return of midfielder Keira Walsh, who was carried off on a stretcher late in the first half of England’s 1-0 victory over Denmark in their second group stage game. The knee injury sustained by the 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona was not as serious as some suspected, and while Wiegman would not disclose Walsh’s specific diagnosis, the FA previously revealed it was not an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and on Sunday the England boss also confirmed it was not a ligament issue. Walsh also stepped up her recovery on Sunday, joining the other 22 members of the England squad on the Central Coast Stadium pitch before the Lionesses flew to Brisbane ahead of their first match of the knockout stage. On the eve of the Nigeria clash, Wiegman said: “She is doing well. She started her rehab straight after we knew what was going on. “She has been on the pitch, she has been training today. Now we will wait until (we see) how she recovers from that training session and if she does well then she is available tomorrow.” The 2023 World Cup saw the tournament expand to 32 teams for the first time, with some initially worried that the gap between the top and lower-ranked nations would be detrimental. Yet the reality has so far been the opposite, with four of FIFA’s top 10 sides already eliminated including double-defending champions USA, who crashed out after losing a dramatic penalty shootout to Sweden. Number two side and Euro 2022 finalists Germany, number seven Olympic champions Canada, and Copa America winners Brazil, ranked eighth, have all been eliminated. Those giant-slayings – Canada’s at the hands of 40th-ranked Nigeria – also marked the last likely World Cup appearances for icons and pioneers in Brazil’s Marta, Canada’s Christine Sinclair and the USA’s Megan Rapinoe, who missed a penalty against Sweden and announced pre-tournament that she would be retiring at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. Wiegman added: “It is very, very competitive. The development of the game all over the world has gone really quickly, at a very good level. “But I’m mainly focused on my team and on the next match with my team, so I’m not into every game. I don’t have the full context, but that’s the main thing I have noticed.”