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As England are preparing to play Australia in the World Cup semi-finals so too, crucially, is Georgia Stanway. After playing through five matches at the tournament on a yellow card and with the threat of a one-match suspension hanging over her head, the combative Lionesses midfielder successfully walked the tightrope to reach the point where bookings are wiped. A younger Stanway perhaps wouldn’t have been so careful, and would have fallen foul of her instincts to challenge for balls that were not there to be won. There was, admittedly, one nervous moment, during the heat of battle against Colombia in the quarter-finals, when Stanway thought she had pushed her aggression too far after a mistimed tackle. Overall, though, the midfielder has shown restraint and control to reach the semi-finals in the clear. “I’m very, very grateful about that,” Stanway laughs, and England are as well. To do so, Stanway had to become “disciplined Georgia”, a change in mental approach that has been worked on with the help of an influential mentor, whose identity comes as a surprise to those who are gathered at England’s Terrigal training base. Stanway is candid as she credits much of her development as a player and as a person to Luke Chadwick, the former Manchester United winger, who she has been speaking to on the night before each match at the World Cup. Stanway reveals the advice and guidance she has received has proved crucial at a World Cup that has been full of challenges, with her pre-match chats with Chadwick providing her with a space and open platform to visualise and focus on what has been required. “We’ve spoken before each game and that just allows me to process the information that we’ve got from England, and process the information that I’ve done throughout the season,” Stanway says. “It’s about staying level and being consistent in the way that I am as a person and the way that I am on the field.” Stanway’s career could have taken a different direction without Chadwick’s support, however. Chadwick made 25 Premier League appearances for Manchester United after making his debut as an 18-year-old in 1999. But he struggled with his mental health in the early part of his career, after being routinely mocked on primetime BBC TV show They Think It’s All Over. As a young man, Chadwick bottled up his emotions but has since been empowered by opening up and highlighting the importance of talking. Following the end of his playing days, Chadwick has been determined that up-and-coming players do not suffer in silence like he did. “He went through his battles as a player and I was facing, not similar battles, but I was facing my individual battles at Manchester City,” Stanway reveals. “I’m not afraid to say it, I went through a time at City where it was a little bit up and down in terms of my mentality, my position, everything was changing and he [Chadwick] was my go-to in terms of getting clarity on my position, clarity on what I wanted to achieve in that season.” Chadwick’s role became even more important when Stanway made a big career move last summer and took the decision to leave City. Just days after starring in England’s Euros win – where she started in every game, scoring a crucial equaliser against Spain in the quarter-finals – Stanway packed her bags and joined German giants Bayern Munich. Stanway didn’t know anyone in Munich, and didn’t speak a word of German, but was determined to get out of her comfort zone. The decision has clearly paid off, and not just for her. Stanway arrived at Bayern as a European champion and made the central-midfield position her own, on her way to helping the club reclaim the Bundesliga title. In turn, it has benefited the Lionesses. Four years ago, Stanway was the youngest player in England’s World Cup squad – at 20, she was an 89th-minute substitute in England’s 2-1 defeat to the USA in the semi-finals – but she has since grown and matured into a leadership role and the Lionesses have needed her more than ever. “I’m in an environment where I’m not young anymore,” Stanway says. “I’ve been to major tournaments. I’ve been successful at a club in terms of domestic trophies, so you’ve got to mature and you’ve got to be more of a leader. I think Bayern has massively helped that. Then I come to England and get the freedom and have the players around me that I’ve built connections with over a long period of time.” The World Cup has been a test of that and Stanway has been required to step up due to the loss of key players such as Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby before the tournament. In Australia, Stanway has then had to fill in for midfield partner Keira Walsh when she was injured against Denmark. The suspension of Lauren James then meant Stanway had to assume more creative responsibility in the quarter-final against Colombia, where she set up Alessia Russo’s winner. Throughout the World Cup, it did not need to be pointed out to her that England could not afford another absence, which put pressure on Stanway from the moment she picked up an early yellow card in the opening game against Haiti. Stanway walked a fine line as England faced tough, physical and competitive games against both Nigeria in the last-16 and Colombia in the quarter-finals. It was a key topic during Stanway’s pre-match chats with her mentor Chadwick, where the midfielder told herself that she needed to be “disciplined Georgia”. It helped Stanway visualise what was needed, and bring a “sensible” approach to a playing style that relies on tenacity. “Over the last four games I think I’ve just picked and chosen when I do need to go for it and when I don’t,” she says. With her yellow card wiped, Stanway is set to be released against Australia, a fixture that appears purpose built for the full-blooded approach that Stanway would usually bring to every game. Stanway, though, is determined to take a long-term lesson from her spell of self-control, with the Lionesses set to require cool heads when they face the Matildas and a home crowd of more than 75,000 at Stadium Australia. One thing for certain though is that a call with Chadwick will remain key to her preparations. “I’ve found what works for me,” Stanway smiles. “So I’m not going to change that.” Read More How to watch England vs Australia: TV channel and kick-off time for Women’s World Cup semi-final Australia is having a moment — will Sam Kerr finally get hers against England? The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Millie Bright confident England can cope with hostile atmosphere in Sydney Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

As Sam Kerr declared herself “ready to go”, it was a warning for England that her World Cup has only just begun. With the Matildas enjoying their moment as Australia is gripped by World Cup fever ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final against the Lionesses, it will not have gone unnoticed in the England camp that Kerr has yet to have hers. Without a goal and without a start in the World Cup, the Australia captain has been building towards the stage where she can make her most important contribution. Indeed, if there was ever a team who knows that you don’t keep the striker quiet for long, it would be Australia’s next opponents. When it comes to the big occasions, Kerr often proves to be inevitable. Kerr’s goals have strengthened Chelsea’s domestic dominance since she signed for the club in 2019 but it is the timing of them that has led to her fearsome reputation. Before last season’s FA Cup final, she confidently pointed out that every time she had played at Wembley, she had won a trophy. When she scored the winner against Manchester United, she extended her remarkable record in domestic cup finals to 10 goals in seven appearances, including the last six in a row. But at the World Cup, Kerr’s tournament has not gone to plan. As Australia have hit great heights, reaching their first-ever World Cup semi-final in front of record-breaking attendances and viewing figures, Kerr has often been on the periphery. This was supposed to be her tournament – the striker’s face is everywhere and on everything, billboards, banks, TV adverts – but after being ruled out of the group stages due to a calf injury, Kerr was prevented from making her first appearance until the closing stages of Australia’s last-16 win against Denmark. Kerr’s return to the pitch remained one of the loudest moments of the World Cup so far, taking the noise and atmosphere inside Stadium Australia to another level, but with the Matildas “smashing it” in her absence she remained on the bench against France in the quarter-finals. Australia’s play sharpened when Kerr arrived, but she did not get a clear chance and the opportunity to be the hero in the shootout fell to others in the Matildas team. Although Kerr scored her penalty, so did six of her teammates. Cortnee Vine converted the winning kick, while goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was electric with three saves. Not that Kerr would mind, though, as Australia’s win in the quarter-finals set up the most important match in their football history against England. But the bigger the game, the bigger the moment, and the unavoidable concern for the Lionesses is Kerr finally gets hers against them. Everyone in the England team will be aware of Kerr’s powers, none more so than those who will mark her. Should Kerr start she will be directly opposed by Chelsea teammates Millie Bright and Jess Carter, who will start alongside Alex Greenwood in a defence that has only conceded once from open play all tournament. Bright will no doubt relish the opportunity to face her clubmate and close friend in battle, in what would also be the ultimate test of the England captain and a chance to show how far she has come since England’s last World Cup semi-final in 2019. Sent off then against the USA, Bright has been one of the best centre-backs in the world since, as key to Chelsea’s success under Emma Hayes as Kerr’s goals. Bright has impressively returned to form after being rushed back from injury to make the World Cup and has been pivotal to England’s defensive resilience in the knockout wins against Nigeria and Colombia. Kerr, though, is crafty, the ultimate poacher who can sniff out a chance from nowhere and who does not need to be in a game to change one. Outside of Bright, Carter, and Chelsea’s Niamh Charles, there won’t be a player in the England squad who hasn’t at some stage experienced the crushing blow of Kerr striking against them. Mary Earps, in particular, will know that feeling only too well; Kerr has scored nine goals against the England and Manchester United goalkeeper – in FA Cup finals, WSL title deciders, and in Australia’s 2-0 win over the Lionesses in April. That was England’s first defeat under Sarina Wiegman – the only time they have been beaten in the Dutch manager’s 37 matches at the helm. Tony Gustavsson’s side arrived with a plan and shut down England’s Keira Walsh, counter-attacking to perfection through Kerr. There isn’t too much that can be read into that, though, as England have been forced to become something different under Wiegman. A result of the challenges the Lionesses have faced since being at the World Cup is that Wiegman adapted her plans to a 3-5-2 system, which takes some of the pressure off Walsh in England’s build-up play. “We’ve changed a lot since then,” Walsh confirmed on Monday. Yet, Australia themselves have also become a different team since the start of the World Cup. Kerr’s injury led to other players stepping up in her absence; Caitlin Foord’s confidence has seen the winger become Australia’s biggest threat on the left, Hayley Raso has been their deadly finisher, while Mary Fowler’s ability to drop and create from deep has added a degree of unpredictability. The decision that Gustavsson faces is whether to break up the partnership between Fowler and Emily van Egmond at the head of the Matildas’ counter-attacking 4-4-2, with the impressive midfield duo of Katrina Gorry and Kyra Cooney-Cross providing balance and tying it all together. “They are aggressive, direct,” Walsh said. “They don’t look like they feel pressure.” But Australia’s quarter-final was also a fraught, nervy affair. Had the Matildas swept past France, then perhaps Kerr would have been unable to find a way back into the line-up, but Australia lacked a spark until their talisman was brought on. Fitness is potentially still an issue – after 11 minutes against Denmark and 66 against France, Kerr is confident she can last a full 90, but the possibility of lengthy stoppage time and even extra time means Australia’s captain may need to play a lot more. “With everything that’s been going on, the best thing was the plan we followed,” Kerr said this week. “When I hurt my calf, the plan was always to try to be ready for a semi-final, the final. We’ve had a plan this whole tournament and we just had to stick to it.” England won’t need to be told that at their home World Cup, Kerr and Australia’s plan will include a goal as well. Read More England and Australia’s old rivalry on a new stage for World Cup semi-final The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever How Georgia Stanway found World Cup ‘discipline’ for England thanks to surprise mentor Old rivalry has new stage as World Cup arrives at its biggest moment ‘This will change everything’: How World Cup fever took over Australia The key questions ahead of England’s World Cup semi-final against Australia

Spain face Sweden in the first Women’s World Cup semi-final as both nations go in search of their first tournament crown. Sweden produced their best performance of the World Cup to defeat Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals, knocking out the team of the tournament with a display of high-tempo pressing while continuing to take their chances at set-pieces. Centre-back Amanda Ilestedt is Sweden’s top-scorer with four goals so far, with the defender in the race for the World Cup golden boot. Spain required Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time goal to defeat Netherlands and have navigated a player mutiny under head coach Jorge Vilda to reach their first ever World Cup semi-final. Despite uncertainty off the field, Spain have shone on it, led by Barcelona stars Aitana Bonmati and the returning Alexia Putellas. The winner will play either England or Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final. Follow live updates from Spain vs Sweden as the semi-finals get underway, and get all the latest Women’s World Cup odds here Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today The Lionesses will need to beat an entire nation in the grip of World Cup fever Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

For Manchester United, the bare minimum was to make a better start to this season than last and the bare minimum was what they delivered. The least convincing of 1-0 wins required a goal from centre-back Raphael Varane when their midfielders and forwards rarely looked like scoring and when United often looked like conceding. They were spared by Wolves’ toothlessness as they scraped their way past a team widely tipped for relegation and whose manager had walked out last week. Even that is an improvement on 12 months ago, when Erik ten Hag’s reign began with a home defeat to Brighton and a 4-0 thrashing at Brentford, but this was a different kind of false start to a campaign. Even the clean sheet for the debutant Andre Onana was partly an indictment, of both his defence and the officials. The £43m goalkeeper somehow avoided conceding an injury-time penalty for clattering into the substitute Sasa Kalajdzic. He had already made two smart saves in as many minutes from another replacement, Fabio Silva. The problem was that he needed to. In a match where Wolves had 23 shots, six on target and an expected goals total of 2.23, all significantly more than their hosts’ tallies, perhaps the deceptive statistic was the scoreline. It flattered United. The more coherent gameplan came from Gary O’Neil, the manager getting to know his players, not Ten Hag, the one who has spent the best part of £400m assembling them. The side with the energy and the ideas were the one who were supposed to be in disarray, Wolves. If the players Julen Lopetegui left behind suggested his complaints that they needed new signings were overblown, they showed a solitary, but familiar, flaw at Old Trafford: they lacked a goalscorer. With one, they would surely have won. The division’s lowest scorers last season assembled a compilation of misses. United, the lowest scorers in the top six, discovered defenders were their best form of attack. After Bruno Fernandes dinked a pass forward, Aaron Wan-Bissaka lobbed a cross and Varane headed in. The presence of each in the box was a sign desperation was starting to take hold. As United had barely created anything of note since Jose Sa saved Marcus Rashford’s 11th-minute shot, their intervention assumed particular importance. Fernandes grew in influence in the latter stages but too many of the other attack-minded personnel were underwhelming. Mason Mount had been substituted at 0-0 and his was not a debut to savour. Alejandro Garnacho earned a starting spot with his performances in pre-season but, when it mattered, offered reminders he sparkled last season when brought off the bench, not when beginning games. One lob aside, Antony did not impress, even though his opponent, Rayan Ait-Nouri, is a left-back with defensive deficiencies. With injury denying Rasmus Hojlund a debut, Rashford led the line, threatening intermittently but often starved of service, in a performance to indicate why he is actually better coming from the left. Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez was booked for needlessly chopping down Pedro Neto and hauled off at half-time before he could be sent off. That Victor Lindelof replaced him was another slight to Harry Maguire, whose last taste of Old Trafford may be as an unused substitute. But United were less than the sum of their parts. If the statement results this weekend, in different ways, came from Manchester City and Newcastle, they can at least take solace in the fact they are not playing catch-up from the opening weekend. Wolves, meanwhile, may have the bittersweet distinction of producing the best performance among the teams who remain pointless. This was supposed to be an ideal time to play them after a summer of strife. They had done a fine impression of a club in chaos off the pitch, but not on it. O’Neil’s first game came five days after he was parachuted in, six after Lopetegui finally talked his way into unemployment, but the former Bournemouth manager seems a skilled troubleshooter. There was continuity on the pitch, however: all 11 starters were at Molineux last season and the sole newcomer, substitute Matt Doherty, is also a Wolves old boy. A team with technical excellence and considerable physicality missed only the finishing touch. Otherwise, they counterattacked well. Pablo Sarabia shot just wide after Matheus Cunha galloped 50 yards to lead a break. A barnstorming run, followed by an effort Onana saved, was another illustration of what the £44m man can bring Wolves; the problem is that, so far, he has not delivered goals. He drove a shot past the far post. He clipped the upright from four yards, following a delightful flick from Neto. He took his return since the start of last season to two goals in 38 games. Ridiculously, Wolves did not start with any player who scored more than two league goals last year. None opened their account for the season and United could be grateful for their impotence. Read More Gary O’Neil claims referees’ boss told him Wolves should have had penalty O’Neil derides decision to not award Wolves penalty at Man Utd ‘VAR is pathetic’: Stelling and the best reactions to Onana penalty incident Raphael Varane header earns Manchester United opening victory over Wolves Man United vs Wolves LIVE: Premier League result and reaction How Sandro Tonali and his Italian predecessors fared on Premier League debuts

The first week of Premier League action concludes tonight when Manchester United welcome Wolves to Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag has been working hard over the summer to update United’s squad with many fringe players being shipped out. The likes of Phil Jones, Alex Telles and Anthony Elanga have all left the club and not even big names such as David De Gea have survived Ten Hag’s overhaul. In bringing new signings, Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, to the club the United boss hopes to add depth to his team as he looks to improve on a third place finish from last season. The Red Devils are looking to kick off their campaign with a victory and will be banking on Marcus Rashford replicating his incredible form from last year. Wolves, meanwhile, are in a state of flux. They’re going through something of a rebuild themselves with a couple of key players exiting this summer. Adama Traore is out the door and Ruben Neves has been lured to Saudi Arabia. The midlands club still have a committed group of players though they’ll be hoping Gary O’Neil has the acumen to get the best out of them after the former Bournemouth boss replaced Julen Lopetegui earlier this month. Follow all the action as Manchester United host Wolves in the Premier League: Read More Erik ten Hag raises the bar for success at Man Utd and looks to shed underachievers tag Man United will not ‘rush’ Rasmus Hojlund back to fitness – Erik ten Hag Wolves move quickly to appoint Gary O’Neil following Julen Lopetegui departure

A man has died after being injured at the construction site where Everton FC are building their new stadium. The 26 year-old victim, a worker on the development, was involved in an “incident” at the Bramley Moore Dock site in Liverpool at around lunchtime. A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a man has died after an incident at Bramley Moore Dock this afternoon. At around 1pm it was reported that a man, aged 26, had been injured. “He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. His next of kin have been told and an investigation is under way.” A spokesperson for the club said they were ‘heartbroken’ by the unnamed individual’s death. Everton FC said: “Everyone at Everton Football Club is heartbroken by the news a male worker has died following an incident at the Everton Stadium site at Bramley-Moore Dock. “The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with Everton are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this unimaginably sad time. “Stadium contractor Laing O’Rourke has immediately launched an investigation and will work with the police and the Health and Safety Executive to establish the full details of the incident.” Work began on the new stadium two years ago, as part of a £500 million waterside scheme in the city. A spokesperson for contractors Laing O’Rourke said: “We can confirm that earlier today a member of our team, who was carrying out work for one of our sub-contractors, was seriously injured in an incident. He was taken to hospital via ambulance, where he sadly died. “We are shocked and saddened by today’s tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased man and our wider project team. “The police and the Health and Safety Executive are on site and we have suspended work until further notice. We will cooperate fully with any investigation that follows.” Read More Cook says Australian mushroom deaths were ‘accidental’: ‘I had no reason to hurt people I love’ Couple whose husky mauled their baby daughter to death allowed to keep pack of dogs Heartbreaking moment Hawaiian broadcaster reveals on air he lost four family members to Maui wildfires RAF jets launched to intercept Russian bombers off coast of UK Bibby Stockholm: A timeline of the government’s controversial migrant accommodation Public support for new Brexit referendum revealed

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to improve on Manchester United’s third place finish in the Premier League last season and get the new campaign off to a winning start when his side host Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight. United have been busy this summer with the manager deciding to overhaul the squad ahead of the new season. David De Gea, the last player remaining from Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, has been released with the likes of Fred, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Phil Jones also moved on. The arrivals of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund should bring an extra layer of dynamism and creativity to the team which should in theory help them close the gap on rivals Manchester City. Wolves, meanwhile, are hoping that a change of manager will not hinder their progress. The midlands team comfortably finished 13th last year but key players like Ruben Neves and Adama Traore have left the team. New boss Gary O’Neil kept Bournemouth in the top flight last year and may have a relegation battle on his hands again this term unless Wolves get off to a good start. Get all the latest football betting sites offers here and get the latest Manchester United vs Wolves tips here. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Manchester United vs Wolves? Manchester United vs Wolves is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Monday 14 August at Old Trafford in Manchester. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with coverage from 6.30pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via the Sky Go app. Team news Manchester United’s new striker, Rasmus Hojlund, will not feature in their opening match as he fights off a niggling injury while there are doubts over Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo. Andre Onana will make his Premier League debut for the club as goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Dean Henderson are definitely ruled out. Wolves have confirmed that they do not have any injury concerns ahead of the game with defender Matt Doherty primed to start after returning to the club this summer. Predicted line-ups Manchester United XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mount, Fernandes; Antony, Rashford, Garnacho. Wolves XI: Sa; Doherty, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Joao Gomes; Nunes, Sarabia, Neto; Cunha. Odds Manchester United win 2/9 Draw 4/1 Wolves win 17/2 Prediction Manchester United will open their campaign with a hard-fought for victory against a Wolves side that tend to play well against the Red Devils. Manchester United 2-0 Wolves Read More Sandro Tonali inspires Newcastle to stunning Premier League start in Aston Villa thrashing Sean Dyche hopes Everton are close to solving their goalscoring problems How Sandro Tonali and his Italian predecessors fared on Premier League debuts Football rumours: Manchester United weighing up approach for Amadou Onana Erik ten Hag sends strong message to Harry Maguire as Manchester United exit looms

The disconsolate trudge is becoming a disconcertingly familiar sight. Kevin De Bruyne has limped out of grander games than the curtain raiser to a Premier League. He has made an early exit from bigger occasions this summer. His Champions League final, like his evening in Burnley, came to a premature conclusion. A focus on De Bruyne’s body can concentrate on the remarkable right foot he uses to unlock defences, to pass and cross with an ability most can only envy. It may switch to his increasingly fragile hamstrings. For De Bruyne, Inter Milan may be bracketed alongside Burnley in the memory. His last two starts, two months apart, ended with him hamstrung. “He was injured again, unfortunately. A problem in the same position, he said to me as in the final of the Champions League,” rued Pep Guardiola. “It depends on the magnitude of the injury but it will be a few weeks out.” There will be no De Bruyne against Sevilla in the European Super Cup or against Newcastle in the first major test of Manchester City’s defence of their Premier League title. He could sit out the start of their Champions League campaign. A summer sandwiched by injuries suggests De Bruyne was rushed back. He had said after the Community Shield he was way ahead of schedule; he had targeted the Super Cup for his comeback. “It’s a pity because he had recovered well,” Guardiola said. “Maybe it was my mistake [to pick him] but if he is injured after 15-20 minutes it is not something wrong, when it is 65 or 70 it is the fatigue of the muscle. We have to talk with the doctors and him.” His plan, he had said, was to give the Belgian 50 or 55 minutes, rather than the cameo he had at Wembley. Which, as that culminated in the penalty he slammed against the underside of the bar in the shootout, has completed an ill-fated start to the season. “He is disappointed but he is strong and will be back,” added Guardiola. Yet for how long? De Bruyne may be increasingly injury prone. For a player who has never looked like a natural athlete, a red-faced figure who can seem a throwback to earlier eras, he has shown great durability. He has won 99 caps for Belgium – he would have brought up a century in the summer but for injury – and this was the 587th game of his club career. His 32nd birthday only came in June but to play almost 700 matches by that stage means he has plenty of miles on the clock. Or miles on the hamstring. He revealed after the Champions League final he had played for two months with the risk it could snap. By the time he is fit again, he will have spent the vast majority of six months with a hamstring problem of some description. It has prompted fears it will be a constant for the rest of his career. A reunion with City’s other talismanic Belgian could illustrate it. Vincent Kompany, a colleague for club and country, still made huge contributions in the latter years of his time at the Etihad Stadium but did not make 30 appearances in any of the last four campaigns. He played his final game at 33. De Bruyne should show greater longevity but his appearances will have to be rationed. All of which could create a problem, even in a squad as gifted as City’s. De Bruyne is a unique talent – “what a player he is,” gushed Kompany – and, as his total of 29 assists last season shows, reaches extraordinary levels of creativity. He is Erling Haaland’s supplier-in-chief and the shifting dynamics in the City squad has rendered his qualities perhaps still more significant. The departures of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan have stripped them of two of the likeliest providers of goals and assists amid the band of attacking midfielders and wingers. Mateo Kovacic won’t deliver as many as the German; should Lucas Paqueta arrive, another able technician won’t replicate Mahrez’s contribution in the final third. De Bruyne is irreplaceable in various respects: no one is a like-for-like alternative and, as he ventures further into his thirties, City will have to ponder the question of who his long-term successor is. In the short term, they can console themselves with memories of Phil Foden’s impact when he came on for De Bruyne in the Champions League final and that, when he was sidelined for much of the 2018-19 campaign, they did a domestic treble. But now each injury comes with the sense that it will not be the last, but that De Bruyne is nearer the end. A man who has illuminated many a game may miss more and more. Read More Kevin De Bruyne faces ‘a few weeks out’ after suffering another hamstring injury Pep Guardiola reveals extent of Kevin De Bruyne’s hamstring injury Erling Haaland at the double as Manchester City kick off new campaign in style

Erik ten Hag has told Harry Maguire to go to West Ham if he is not confident enough to fight for his place at Old Trafford. Manchester United have accepted a £30m bid from the Hammers for their former captain, who has dropped out of the team as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have become the first-choice centre-back partnership. But while Ten Hag insisted he wants to keep Maguire as he hopes to have two players for every spot in the side, he believes the England international should go if he does not believe he can get back into the side. “He has to fight for his place,” the United manager said. “He has the ability to be a top-class centre-back and he is the best for England so why shouldn’t he be the best for us? But he has to prove it. When he is not confident enough to fight then he has to go, then he has to make a decision, but I’m happy with him. “We don’t have a squad with 11 players, and the last year proved definitely we need all the players. That means you need some high-level players who are maybe not starting but that can change so there is an internal competition, everyone has to fight for his place. “Every player when they were good they will get their games but no one can play all the games and finally you find out what is the best team. In the squad now all the positions are double and every player has the perspective to fight for his place. You have to show with your contribution it’s the best team performance. It is up to the players if they have game time or less.” Ten Hag also suggested he could keep Dean Henderson. United have been in talks with Nottingham Forest about the goalkeeper but with third-choice Tom Heaton out for several weeks, United may be reluctant to let Henderson leave. Ten Hag added: “He was always in my mind so I think we have a strong keeper group with Onana, Henderson and Heaton.” Read More Manchester United agree deal with Fenerbahce for Fred David Moyes: Man City bid for Lucas Paqueta was nowhere near our valuation Erik ten Hag has no regrets over Harry Kane ahead of Bayern Munich move

So this is what happens when you don’t have a midfield plan fully in place. In either team. End-to-end, sometimes intermittently and sometimes non-stop, but in either case when one side attacked, they invariably reached the final third to present some potential of danger. Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp will be content enough to not have lost the opener of the season, perhaps both will feel they can win the upcoming off-pitch battle even though they couldn’t get over the line on it. On the balance of what we saw at Stamford Bridge, longer term that’s the more important confrontation to win and the one which can add the most points across the course of the season: landing the right holding player to add much-needed stability to these technical, speedy sides. Chelsea and Liverpool seem to both want the same two players, though at this point who wants which the most is anybody’s guess - even without considering the back-and-forth over which destination the players themselves want. What is certain: put Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia into the lineups here and it’s a very different chance of victory for whoever scores first, a very different task for one team trying to break down the other. Read this without having seen the game and it might seem to suggest Conor Gallagher and Alexis Mac Allister gave terrible performances – they absolutely didn’t. Both were aggressive, combative, tracked runners, made big tackles in key areas and passed out from deep with aplomb. But neither are true defensive midfielders, neither have the innate, automatic and natural instincts to be where they need to be at every moment: call it positional sense, spatial awareness or just an understanding of the team tactics; either way, neither have it right now and both are better-served playing elsewhere. Brighton’s hierarchy, we can be sure, watched on with a smile inching ever-wider each time either side scythed through on the counter-attack. The price tag for Caicedo surely won’t be coming down after this opening 90 minutes of the Premier League season, and Southampton too will feel utterly justified in sticking to their valuation for Lavia. For the Blues, Gallagher’s opportunity to start at the base of midfield came with notable knock-on considerations: he has been the subject of transfer interest this month to the tune of £40m or so - not enough for Pochettino to consider selling - while he also freed up Enzo Fernandez to play higher upfield. The Argentine was largely impressive, pushing forward to good effect in both link play and chance creation, amassing more touches of the ball than any individual other than centre-back recycler Thiago Silva. Gallagher scurried about relentlessly, not in his usual box-to-box manner but laterally, frustrating Mohamed Salah in the channel or nicking the ball away from Diogo Jota. Now 23, there’s still a question over whether Gallagher is good enough, consistent enough, impactful enough to command a regular starting role at Chelsea. This game showed the endeavour and intent to do so, if also the certainty that all that sprinting back to make recovery tackles was as a direct consequence of simply not being in the right position initially. Against that Mac Allister started life as the Reds’ newest No10 in a role most recently occupied by the former No 3. Such is the imbalance and upside-down nature of Klopp’s midfield after a total summer reset, the man who was signed to bring control and creativity from the middle has to initially be deployed as the principle defensive support – and this Liverpool side is one which really, really needs its holding players to do a lot of support work. Attacking-wise, they are excellent at times. In transitions and against direct passes or runners from deep, they remain a mess. As Fabinho showed toward the back end of last term, an in-form anchor can make a lot of difference; as he also showed, Liverpool now need one with far more athleticism and recovery speed than the Brazilian possesses. Mac Allister, like Gallagher, performed the job well in terms of both distribution and dirty work. The Argentine also has the added caveat to his game that he is merely weeks into learning a new team and system; the Englishman, for his part, is learning a new management approach. In spells, these two sides looked like what they are: tremendously talented, attack-minded big teams who will expect to win many matches and be among the top four in 10 months’ time – but also ones with gaping holes in the plan, particularly right through the heart of midfield where so many through-balls, so many dribbles, so many runners were able to penetrate. A draw on the road isn’t bad for Liverpool; a draw from behind isn’t terrible for Chelsea. But the manner of the game and its inherent uncertainty until the very final minute was nothing less than pitch-perfect for Brighton. 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Chelsea and Liverpool had disppointing seasons last year which resulted in plentiful changes at both clubs. Former Chelsea bosses, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, have been replaced with Mauricio Pochettino who hopes to ignite a new successful era at the club. Pochettino has plenty of options to choose from but his focus on passing, speed and improvement of young players offers Chelsea the opportunity to rebuild themselves as a big threat in the top flight. Nowhere is this more on display than 23-year-old Reece James being made captain of the club following the departure of Cesar Azpilicueta. Liverpool, meanwhile, have overhauled their ageing midfield with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho both shipped off to Saudi Arabia. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have been brought in to replace them but questions remain over the Reds’ defensive capabilities. Added to all this is the subplot of Moises Caicedo. Liverpool have had a bid of £110m accepted by Brighton for the midfielder but Caicedo prefers to join Chelsea with the Blues thinking about tabling an improved offer for the 21-year-old. The battle for Caicedo’s signature could play out on the pitch as the two clubs clash this afternoon. Follow all the action from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea host Liverpool: Read More Jurgen Klopp wants players to step up as ‘reloaded’ Liverpool look to hit stride Moises Caicedo transfer takes twist as Chelsea look to hijack Liverpool offer Why Axel Disasi could solve Mauricio Pochettino’s defensive problems at Chelsea

After disappointing campaigns last time around, both Chelsea and Liverpool will be hoping for better as they meet on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. The Mauricio Pochettino era begins for Chelsea as the former Tottenham and PSG manager sets about transforming a squad that finished in the bottom half. Another slightly scattergun summer leaves Pochettino with plenty of options at his disposal, but forging a winning side quickly may be tough, particularly after the injury to Christopher Nkunku. Liverpool’s investment has been more targeted, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister brought in to refresh the midfield. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Chelsea vs Liverpool? Chelsea vs Liverpool is due to kick-off at 4.30pm on Sunday 13 August at Stamford Bridge in London. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage on the channels from 4pm. Subscribers can stream the game via the Sky Go app. Team news Chelsea have confirmed that Christopher Nkunku will be out for “an extended period” after undergoing knee surgery. Mauricio Pochettino continues to chase midfield reinforcements, but centre-half Axel Disasi has been secured to provide the manager with another defensive option. Reece James has been appointed as captain. Jurgen Klopp’s side are also said to still be in the mix for another high-price midfield recruit despite adding Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who could make competitive Liverpool debuts at Stamford Bridge. Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic continue to work their way back from injury lay-offs and may be absent. Predicted line-ups Chelsea XI: Kepa; James, Silva, Colwill, Chilwell; Gallagher, Fernandez; Sterling, Chukwuemeka, Mudryk; Jackson. Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gakpo; Salah, Nunez, Jota. Odds Chelsea win 83/41 Draw 11/4 Liverpool win 7/5 Prediction An entertaining score draw to start the season. Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool Read More Liverpool, Moises Caicedo, and the £100m bid that Jurgen Klopp said he’d never make Liverpool offered hope in battle with Chelsea over Moises Caicedo transfer Jurgen Klopp wants players to step up as ‘reloaded’ Liverpool look to hit stride Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Moises Caicedo transfer takes twist as Chelsea look to hijack Liverpool offer Liverpool offered hope in battle with Chelsea over Moises Caicedo transfer