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Galatasaray vs Man Utd LIVE: Champions League team news and line-ups as Rasmus Hojlund starts
Galatasaray vs Man Utd LIVE: Champions League team news and line-ups as Rasmus Hojlund starts
Manchester United travel to Turkey to face Galatasaray in a vital Champions League group stage clash as they look to salvage their withering campaign in Europe’s top competition. Defeat to Copenhagen last time out has put Erik ten Hag’s men firmly on the back foot and it is likely that they will need to win both of their final group games in order to reach the knockout rounds. The first of those matches is against Galatasaray, who defeated United 3-2 at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture. The second match, and last of the group stages, is against Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions have already secured their spot in the next round and have won every one of their four games so far. Copenhagen, meanwhile, are in second place thanks to a better goal difference than Galatasaray with United only a point behind both. Defeat tonight though would eliminate Ten Hag’s men from the competition and the best they could hope for would be a spot in the Europa League. Follow the action below plus get all the latest odds and tips for the match right here:
1970-01-01 08:00
Is Galatasaray vs Manchester United on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Champions League fixture
Is Galatasaray vs Manchester United on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Champions League fixture
Galatasaray welcome Manchester United to Turkey in a crucial Champions League group stage fixture. Bayern Munich are streaking clear in Group A and have secured their spot in the knockout rounds for with four consecutive wins, but the second representative in the latter stages of the competition looks set to be contested fiercely. Copenhagen currently possess second place on goal difference from the Turkish club, with Manchester United only a point behind the pair but out with defeat here. A win away from home could well be a must regardless for Erik ten Hag’s side, though, with a tough encounter at Old Trafford with Bayern to come in their final fixture. Here’s everything you need to know. Get the latest match odds and tips here. When is Galatasaray vs Manchester United? Galatasaray vs Manchester United is due to kick off at 5.45pm GMT on Wednesday 29 November at Rams Park in Istanbul. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 5pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news Defensive pair Abdulkerim Bardakci and Davinson Sanchez were absent from Galatasaray training on Monday, but both could yet feature with Okan Buruk and both players keen on their involvement. Reports suggest Bardakci’s problem is more minor than that of Sanchez. Manchester United are certain to be without Marcus Rashford, who will serve a one-match ban after being sent off in the 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen. Rasmus Hojlund is a doubt after missing the win at Everton with a muscle strain sustained against Luton, while Antony could be back from a knock. Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro all remain sidelined, and Mason Mount has joined the injury list. Predicted line-ups Galatasaray XI: Muslera; Boey, Bardakci, Sanchez, Angelino; Torreira, Demirbay; Ziyech, Mertens, Zaha; Icardi. Manchester United XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; McTominay, Amrabat, Fernandes; Antony, Hojlund, Garnacho. Odds Galatasaray win 13/8 Draw 11/4 Manchester United win 29/20 Full odds here. Prediction A draw. Galatasaray 2-2 Manchester United Read More Man Utd’s crucial Champions League game in doubt after torrential rain Galatasaray vs Man Utd LIVE: Latest Champions League updates Erik Ten Hag outlines how ‘calm’ Man Utd can negotiate Istanbul atmosphere Bruno Fernandes excited for ‘amazing’ atmosphere at Galatasaray Mike Phelan warns Man Utd not to get distracted by fierce Galatasaray atmosphere Bruno Fernandes talks up Alejandro Garnacho after stunning goal at Everton
1970-01-01 08:00
Manchester United’s crucial Champions League game in danger after torrential rain in Istanbul
Manchester United’s crucial Champions League game in danger after torrential rain in Istanbul
Manchester United’s crucial Champions League clash against Galatasaray will be subject to a pitch inspection after hours of torrential rain in Istanbul left the match in danger of being postponed. Uefa officials were forced to examine the surface RAMS Park after thunderous downpours on Wednesday afternoon, with the Group A clash set to kick off at 8:45pm local time (5:45pm GMT) this evening. The Uefa Youth League match between Galatasaray and United, held earlier in the day and at a different stadium, was played during the torrential rain, which left the pitch sodden and the ball holding up on the surface. There is still time for conditions to improve ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash but there is also the prospect of further rain and the pitch becoming completely waterlogged. For now, Uefa are insistent that the match will go ahead and preparations are continuing as usual, but the conditions could still play a part on what is an important night in United’s season. United cannot afford to lose in Turkey and will be out of the Champions League if they are beaten by Galatasaray, who won 3-2 at Old Trafford earlier this season. Erik ten Hag’s side come into the match having shown some improved form, however. United have won their last three games in the Premier League and last suffered defeat when they were beaten 4-3 by Copenhagen following Marcus Rashford’s red card. United conclude their Champions League group stage campaign against Bayern Munich on matchday six, with the German side currently top of Group A with four wins from four. Read More Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16? Man United’s teen sensation who could offer salvation - and it’s not Garnacho Why Bruno Fernandes is the only choice as Man Utd captain
1970-01-01 08:00
Is Arsenal vs Lens on TV? Channel, kick-off time and how to watch Champions League fixture
Is Arsenal vs Lens on TV? Channel, kick-off time and how to watch Champions League fixture
Arsenal will be looking to get the better of Lens in the Champions League, having lost in the reverse fixture in France. The Gunners only need a point on Wednesday to qualify for the knockout stages of this season’s top-tier European competition. After beating Sevilla both home and away, Arsenal have nine points from a possible 12 already in the campaign. After a less-than-perfect performance against Brentford at the weekend, Mikel Arteta will want his side to find their feet and perform well on Wednesday. Here’s everything you need to know about the fixture and get the latest odds and tips here. When is Arsenal vs Lens? The Champions League match is at the Emirates Stadium in London with a kick off time of 8pm GMT. How can I watch it? Arsenal vs Lens will be shown live on TNT Sports 2 with coverage starting from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the actions via the Discovery+ app. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news David Raya will be available again after he missed the game against Brentford on Saturday due to being ineligible to face his parent club. Martin Odegaard was also fit enough to play, but Ben White could return for the Champions League clash. Jurrien Timber, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey remain on the long-term injury list. Predicted line-up Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli Odds Arsenal 1/4 Draw 10/3 Lens 15/2 Full Arsenal vs Lens odds here. Prediction Arsenal will secure the victory in front of the home fans, despite losing against Lens earlier in the campaign. Arsenal 2-0 Lens. Read More Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16? Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe Football rumours: Juventus eyeing swoop for Thomas Partey On this day in 2015: Jamie Vardy scores in 11th game in a row Beth Mead scores first goal in over a year as WSL top three maintain momentum Kai Havertz gives Arsenal the perfect ‘example’ to follow in title race
1970-01-01 08:00
Poland’s Top Refiner Orlen Plunges on New Windfall Tax Plan
Poland’s Top Refiner Orlen Plunges on New Windfall Tax Plan
Poland’s largest listed company Orlen SA tumbled the most in nearly two years on plans to force the
1970-01-01 08:00
Guardiola admits concern after Man City’s 3-2 comeback Champions League win
Guardiola admits concern after Man City’s 3-2 comeback Champions League win
Pep Guardiola admits he was concerned after Manchester City’s 3-2 comeback win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League. The holders trailed to two breakaway Lois Openda goals at half-time of Tuesday’s clash (28 November) at the Etihad Stadium. Phil Foden sparked their recovery after the interval, teeing up goals for Erling Haaland and substitute Jeremy Doku either side of scoring a sublime effort himself. “If you talk about the game, we could do better,” Guardiola admitted at full-time. “Sloppy goals, in football you have to win duels and it was quite similar against Chelsea. We were solid and now we’ve had two warnings already.” Guardiola also made a plea to City fans ahead of the Leipzig fixture. Read More Pep Guardiola pays tribute to Terry Venables: ‘A true gentleman’ NHL mass brawl as referee sends players off the ice Watch: F1 fans spark chaos and launch bottles of prosecco in Abu Dhabi brawl
1970-01-01 08:00
Uefa drop VAR official who gave controversial PSG penalty vs Newcastle
Uefa drop VAR official who gave controversial PSG penalty vs Newcastle
A video review official has been removed from his Champions League game on Wednesday, one day after having a key role in a disputed decision to award Paris Saint-Germain a stoppage-time penalty for handball against Newcastle which contradicted Uefa’s own advice to referees. The VAR specialist from Poland, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, is no longer listed to work at the Real Sociedad-Salzburg game and has been replaced by a German match official. In Paris on Tuesday, Kylian Mbappe scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw after a ball struck Newcastle defender Tino Livramento in the chest and then deflected off his arm, and a penalty was awarded by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak following a VAR review. Marciniak refereed the Champions League final last season and the 2022 World Cup final with Kwiatkowski in his team. Marciniak initially allowed play to continue Tuesday but awarded the penalty after he was advised by his video assistant to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. However, a Uefa panel of storied coaches and former players said in April that “no handball offense should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body, and, in particular, when the ball does not go towards the goal.” The advice to be given to match officials this season was detailed by the panel, chaired by Uefa Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban, in an April 25 statement headlined “Uefa Football Board urges more clarity on handball rule.” “The handball rule, for example, will always be disputed, but we can make it more consistent and aligned with the game’s true nature,” Boban, the former Croatia and AC Milan great, said in April. Uefa declined to comment, in line with a policy not to discuss field of play decisions. The current laws of the game allow for handballs to be penalized even if the contact was not intentional and after a deflection if a defender’s arm is judged to be in an unnatural position. “But his hand is not in an unnatural position,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said after the game, “(his hands) are down by his side, but he is in a running motion.” The cross from Ousmane Dembele that struck Livramento was also going backward — and not towards goal. The penalty decision in the PSG game directly affected the standings in the tightly fought Group F, as it kept PSG two points clear of Newcastle in the second qualifying place for the round of 16 behind group leader Borussia Dortmund. “I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us as you know how little time there is left in the game,” Howe said. “There is nothing we can do about it now.” Newcastle must now win its home game against last-place AC Milan on Dec. 13 and hope PSG fails to win at Dortmund. The second-place team advances to the Champions League round of 16 and the third-place team goes to the Europa League knockout playoffs. Read More ‘He is the future’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember VAR the villain as late penalty call denies Newcastle rearguard win in Paris Newcastle fans attacked in Paris before Champions League match On this day in 2015: Jamie Vardy scores in 11th game in a row Football rumours: Victor Osimhen keen on making Chelsea move The sporting weekend in pictures
1970-01-01 08:00
David Cameron wants post-Brexit Gibraltar deal with Spain ‘as soon as possible’
David Cameron wants post-Brexit Gibraltar deal with Spain ‘as soon as possible’
The UK and Spain are close to agreeing a deal on the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar, the Spanish foreign minister has indicated. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said Lord Cameron had underlined the UK’s desire to get “a UK-EU treaty on Gibraltar as soon as possible” during his discussion with counterpart Jose Manuel Albares. Mr Albares first revealed he had been in crunch talks with Rishi Sunak’s new foreign secretary David Cameron on resolving the long-running row over trade and immigration arrangements. He told Spanish media that he had spoken with Lord Cameron over the phone on Monday, and they had also agreed to meet in person during a Brussels summit on Tuesday. The Spanish minister suggested the outline of a deal was now in place for a “zone of shared prosperity” in the Spanish area next to the British territory to avoid a hard border on the flow of people and goods. “I would sign a deal with Britain over Gibraltar tomorrow,” Mr Albares told the television channel Telecinco – saying both sides “agree that we have to move forward as soon as possible”. A UK-EU deal on arrangements for Gibraltar’s border – primarily on trade and free movement – was not struck in time for the Brexit deal worked out by Boris Johnson’s government. Conservative ministers have been nervous about signing any bilateral deal that could be viewed as reducing British influence over the territory. The Spanish foreign ministry has said the deal would allow Spain to use the Schengen agreement – which allows for the free movement of EU citizens around the bloc – to ease controls on the movement of people. Spain, the UK and the EU have previously agreed to the principle that Gibraltar should remain part of EU agreements on free movement. Mr Albares suggested the UK was also now keen on a frictionless border when it comes to the movement of goods – something akin to the thorny arrangements for Northern Ireland His ministry said a “zone of shared prosperity” deal would see limited checks “without increasing the risks for the EU internal market” – meaning the UK would have to agree to alignment on Brussels regulations. The Spanish foreign minister told reporters in Brussels: “I think this deal … is better for everyone than the application of European legislation after British citizens democratically decided to leave the European Union.” “There’s already been political will on the part of the Spanish government for many months,” Mr Albares said on the “generous and balanced deal on the table”. He added: “What’s needed now is that political will on the part of the United Kingdom to move forward decisively, which is what I’ve seen so far. But we won’t know until the end. Nothing will be agreed until it’s all agreed.” Despite optimism that a deal is now close, there was no word from Lord Cameron’s team on the prospects of an agreement being signed within days. Britain’s decision to leave the EU was very unpopular in the British overseas territory, where thousands of people cross the border with Spain every day for work. Just over 95 per cent of the territory’s population voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum. The territory’s business leaders have been keen for a deal to be struck. Brian Reyes, editor of the Gibraltar Chronicle wrote: “Seven years on [from the Brexit referendum], the Brexit levanter still hangs over our heads.” Meanwhile, Lord Cameron is expected to try to meet EU Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic during his Brussels summit visit – his first trip to the EU capital since his fateful Brexit referendum. The foreign secretary is reportedly ready to raise the issue of post-Brexit tariffs set to be imposed on the automobile industry into force in January if he meets Mr Sefcovic this week. Mr Sunak’s government is pushing the EU Commission to agree to delay the costly new “rules of origin” set to damage the electric vehicle (EV) market due to come in at the start of 2024 as part of Mr Johnson’s trade deal. The Independent has contacted Lord Cameron’s team and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for comment. Read More ‘History and justice’ on side of Greek claim to Elgin Marbles, says minister Brexit red tape risks extending inflation crisis, retailers warn ‘Terrible legacy’ left by death of Bloody Sunday Parachute Regiment commander Hamas to release more hostages as thousands set for Gaza ceasefire march Lord Cameron says UK needs to engage with China Israeli safety depends on long-term Palestinian ‘security’, warns Cameron
1970-01-01 08:00
‘He is going to be the future of this club’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember
‘He is going to be the future of this club’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember
Gary O’Neil insisted on Monday, after his team were again on the wrong end of a controversial VAR call, that livelihoods were at stake over this misuse of the technology so controversially gaining a further stranglehold over football around the world. But there is something greater at stake – something that is irreplaceable, that untold millions cannot make up for. Lewis Miley’s performance in the Parc des Princes deserved to be talked about for generations of Geordies. The 17-year-old from County Durham should have been able to tell his future grandchildren about the time, on his full Champions League bow, against the might of Paris Saint-Germain, on their own turf, he went toe-to-toe with one do the best players in the world in Kylian Mbappe and won. It was a performance of honour. There were no spectacular goals or moments of jaw-dropping skill, more that a teenager not yet legally allowed to buy fireworks and his injury-ravaged side held the Parisien millionaires at bay for the second time in three months to achieve their greatest-ever European away result. Instead, we are talking about a ball brushing against an arm, again, and whether the interpretation of a single rule needs to be rectified. How depressing. “I just try to enjoy football and I’m just tired of discussing these matters,” Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier said. “If you’re on the end of it, in a good way or a bad way, nothing can change it. The referee makes a decision. “He had the chance to go to the monitor, which he did. So I don’t understand it, from my point of view you can clearly see that’s come off his chest and onto his arm. I’m standing here, discussing the decisions, why can’t officials? Why can’t the referee come out and explain why he gave that penalty? “We didn’t make one sub, it was 11 against 16 tonight. The lads have given absolutely everything, as I’ve said over and over again. We’ve all just got to keep stepping up. Everyone can see it is just not a penalty.” Trippier was well placed to be able to witness what Miley had just done to one of the world’s best players. Between them, Miley being 16 years Trippier’s junior, they nullified Mbappe for long periods of the encounter down the Newcastle right, and when presented with the opportunity, especially in the first half, the pair countered at will. There was no shirking responsibility or any appreciation for the magnitude of the occasion, Miley looked for the ball and carried it forward at every opportunity. In fact, no player in black and white made more entries into the final third than the talented teenager. “He was quality, again,” Trippier added. “Seventeen-year-old. He can go all the way to the top. “To come to a place like this, against this opposition, he wasn’t out of place. He was showing he is calm on the ball. He is an unbelievable player. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. “The good thing about him is he it feels like he’s played 500 games already. He is going be the future for Newcastle.” Such composure under pressure, authority on the ball, spirit to lead his team forward should not be forgotten, but it will. In 20 years time, the next generation of Geordies should have been the ones searching out clips of Miley’s coming of age – the moment one of the greatest players in the club’s history, which many who know him now keep suggesting he can become, announced himself to the world. Instead, such a performance will be lost in the vitriol. Something nobody asked for when technology was brought into our beautiful, storied game. Read More Xavi hails Barcelona winning mentality while Dortmund top ‘group of death’ Jamie Carragher and John Terry split opinion on sin bin trial in football Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe Xavi hails Barcelona winning mentality while Dortmund top ‘group of death’ Jamie Carragher and John Terry split opinion on sin bin trial in football Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe
1970-01-01 08:00
Louis Vuitton baffles TikToker with £2000 human leg shoe
Louis Vuitton baffles TikToker with £2000 human leg shoe
Louis Vuitton’s boots made to look like a human leg, costing almost £2000 ($2,500), have been branded “creepy” by a TikTok user. The Illusion High Boots come in two skin tones and are designed to replicate a leg wearing a white sock and a black high-heeled shoe. They also come in a shorter ankle boot version for the same price. TikTok user @izzipoopi burst out laughing as she unboxed the bizarre footwear. “This is like the ultimate Polly Pocket shoe. It’s almost creepy, it’s giving doll legs,” she said. Read More Omid Scobie opens up on ‘upsetting’ revelation about Harry and William’s relationship Martin Lewis reveals top saving accounts with best interest rates Martin Lewis urges billpayers to claim from £8bn pot
1970-01-01 08:00
Jamie Carragher and John Terry divide opinion on sin bin trial in football: ‘I don’t like it’
Jamie Carragher and John Terry divide opinion on sin bin trial in football: ‘I don’t like it’
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes a trial of sin bins at higher levels of football could rescue the game from being “ruined” by red cards - but former England captain John Terry says it could make the sport “boring”. Football’s lawmakers IFAB have backed a trial of temporary dismissals of players for offences such as dissent and tactical fouls and a proposed change to the laws of the game will be considered at its annual general meeting in March. If approved, sin bins could be introduced at the higher levels of the game by the start of next season and those backing the changes will now look to develop a protocol and a system for trialling after its successful implementation at grassroots levels. Like in rugby union, which operates a 10-minute sin bin for yellow card offences, players would be removed from the pitch temporarily under the new rules, with the emphasis on improving behaviour towards the referee. Sin bins were introduced across all levels of grassroots football from the 2019-20 season in an attempt to to improve levels of respect and fair play in the game and the rule change was implemented up to step five of the National League system. The IFAB also backed a proposal which would only allow the team captains to talk to the referee in certain in-game situations. Carragher said he has not been a “fan” of sin bins in the past but said football could benefit from a system of “orange cards” where players are not sent off for the full match for accidental dangerous play. The Sky Sports pundit cited recent red cards shown to Liverpool’s Curtis Jones at Tottenham and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford at Copenhagen where the punishment awarded was too severe. “I’ve never been a fan of sin bins before, but we are watching too many games that have [red] cards and for me it ruins the game,” Carragher wrote on Twitter/X in response to former England team-mate Terry, who said he was against the proposed change. Terry argued teams would be encouraged to sit back if they had a player sent to the sin bins and warned it could lead to “inconsistencies” from week to week. “I personally don’t like it because the level of tolerance and inconsistencies from referees will differ every week!" Terry wrote on social media. "Also what will happen is the team that goes down to 10 men for three minutes will go into a low block and make it difficult to break down, which will become boring for every one watching!" he added. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the Fifa referees committee who sits on the IFAB’s technical subcommittee, said the proposed trials would “very probably” involve professional football. “The idea is to go deeper into all of the details because it’s easy to say we do (it) and it’s a bit more difficult how to regulate everything,” he said. “But the idea is to start working on this as soon as possible to provide those who would be involved in the trial a protocol to be used. “The trial was very successful in a grassroots competition. Now we are talking of a higher level, very probably professional or even high professional football. We need to draft something that works or is worthy for top football.” IFAB board members also agreed any new VAR measures should not result in any additional delays to matches, while supporting the need to continue developing semi-automated offside technology. Additionally, they discussed potential strategies to address time lost in matches and tactics aimed at disrupting the game’s tempo, including in relation to the six-second restriction for goalkeepers, delaying restarts and managing injuries. A possible law amendment, which would result in handball offences for which penalties are awarded being punished in the same way as fouls in terms of yellow and red cards, was a further consideration. Includes reporting from PA Read More ‘He is the future’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16? ‘He is the future’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16?
1970-01-01 08:00
Beth Mead on her England return: ‘The things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger person’
Beth Mead on her England return: ‘The things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger person’
Beth Mead says she is rediscovering the joy of football after a year shaped by loss and grief. The last time Mead played at Wembley, her mother, June, was still alive to see it. Wembley was the scene of Mead’s greatest triumph, when England won the Euros and she finished as the tournament’s top scorer and best player. What followed was the toughest year of her life, as she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament and then lost her mum after a long battle with ovarian cancer. But on Friday, Mead has the chance to return to Wembley and make her first appearance for the Lionesses in 385 days. It is another significant milestone, both in the resumption of her career as a footballer, and in her grieving process. While she has required emotional resilience, Mead is proud of her journey and believes her mum would be too. “Growing up I would say I was mentally quite weak,” Mead says. “I’d like to think the things I’ve dealt with have made me a stronger and better person.” Injury not only robbed the 28-year-old of a place at the World Cup, but it took away an outlet to process the loss of her mother as well. Instead of having that focus, Mead was limited to a repetitive cycle of rehabilitation, a routine she got through along with her Arsenal team-mate and partner Vivianne Miedema, who was sidelined along with Mead after rupturing her ACL a month after she did. There were dark moments during rehab but Mead says those bad days feel better now she is back on the pitch and doing what she loves. On Sunday, Mead scored her first goals since returning to the pitch in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over West Ham. She dedicated both to her mum, a moment she had waited 11 months for. If that finally provided some closure, returning to Wembley is set to as well, even though it is the place where they shared some of their happiest memories. As with scoring her first goals, it can be a reminder that her mum is not there to see them and that can make it difficult as well. But Mead is back and the Lionesses have been lifted by her presence ahead of a pair of must-win fixtures against the Netherlands and Scotland. England manager Sarina Wiegman didn’t want to rush her return and said the forward needed more time when she named her squad for last month’s double-header against Belgium: but as Mead got minutes off the bench, and then starts, the confidence returned. “I’ve been feeling more like myself again,” she says. Instead of being in Australia with the Lionesses this summer, she was at home watching the World Cup on TV with captain Leah Williamson, who suffered the same injury four months after Mead. If missing the World Cup was cruel, having to watch as England narrowly lost the final to Spain was just as hard. The final was a tough watch for them both. “We struggled,” Mead admits. “We just want to help the team do the best that they can do. We got that taken away from us.” How England are in need of the return of the Euros golden boot winner. Defeat last month to Belgium left the Lionesses in third place in their Nations League group, with top spot required to secure a place for Great Britain at the Paris Olympics next summer. England, who have lacked a spark in games since the World Cup, must now beat both the Netherlands at Wembley and Scotland at Hampden while hoping other results go their way. Mead, who missed out on the 2020 Olympics after she was controversially left out of Hege Riise’s Team GB squad, famously sparking the form that led into the Euros the following summer, is as motivated as anyone to get the job done. Now she returns to the Lionesses with a renewed perspective, taking to each training session with a sense of fresh enthusiasm. “I feel like a kid again,” she smiled. After all, the thought of returning to England was Mead’s motivation during rehab. Now Wembley also offers a meeting that perhaps Mead could not have dared for during the dark days, the chance to face Miedema on the pitch when the Lionesses host the Netherlands, now both players have recovered from their ACLs. Even thinking about those moments with the people who lived and breathed what Mead went through during rehabilitation is enough to make her emotional. “I think it’s a nice moment for both of us,” Mead says. “It’s a hard journey - who does their ACLs at the same time?” she laughs. “We’ve seen the good and bad days from each other. But I’m proud of my journey and I’m very proud and happy to have had the support around me that I’ve had during this time. I feel very lucky and blessed to have had that.” Read More Beth Mead ‘smiling like a Cheshire cat’ on England return WSL and Women’s Championship poised to break away from FA The sporting weekend in pictures
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