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Change is happening fast in women’s soccer and a leveling of the playing field is being showcased across the globe in the biggest Women's World Cup to date

The Women's World Cup suddenly seems wide open with the elimination of many of the top teams in the world

It is a team from another time, a glimpse of Arsenal’s post-Wenger identity crisis and Mikel Arteta’s decidedly imperfect inheritance. There are David Luiz and Shkodran Mustafi, Dani Ceballos and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe. They assume a greater pertinence now, and not merely as signs of the transformation of a side in three years. They remain the only Arteta side to beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, 2-0 in the 2020 FA Cup semi-final, courtesy of a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Now, as Arteta’s current and former clubs prepare to meet at Wembley again, this time in the Community Shield, there is the probability that the Arsenal starting 11 will feature no survivors of one of the manager’s first major wins. Perhaps Kieran Tierney but Granit Xhaka, the last regular in Arteta’s strongest side, was sold in the summer. And while Emi Martinez left Arsenal and went on to lift the World Cup, few of the others have experienced better times since Arteta’s FA Cup win. Since that deceptively good start, the apprentice has begun to pose more of a threat to the master: in the bigger picture, anyway. Arsenal topped the Premier League for 248 days last season; their return of 50 points at the halfway stage put them on course, albeit briefly, to equal City’s record of 100. There was the danger that Guardiola had taught Arteta just too well. And yet the season ended with Guardiola having done different kinds of hat-tricks. There was the treble of trophies. There were also three wins over Arteta: 1-0 against a weakened Arsenal side in the FA Cup and, more emphatically and more importantly, 3-1 and 4-1 in the Premier League. It extended an increasingly impressive record in their private battles: the older man now has an 88 per cent win rate and eight victories against his old assistant. Among managers Guardiola has faced at least nine times, he only has a better record against Sean Dyche, Eddie Howe and Graham Potter, and the majority of those games came when they coached bottom-half teams, not supposed peers. Beating Guardiola over 38 games can entail beating him in two. Thus far this year, Arteta has another kind of triumph: he beat Guardiola to Declan Rice; Arsenal’s prime target attracted City’s attention and yet preferred the capital. Rewind three decades and the most coveted young midfielder outside the title contenders was courted by the top two, rejected Kenny Dalglish and Blackburn after a volte-face and signed for Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Which isn’t to say Rice is necessarily the next Roy Keane. But if Arteta spent last summer signing City’s squad players, in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, pipping them to one of their targets felt they were conducting transfer business at another level. For City, Rice’s decision may have been a sign Arsenal are here to stay, that last season was not a one-off. It shapes the possibility that Arteta against Guardiola is the division’s new defining rivalry. If so, it would be the third to involve the Catalan, though the first, and most hyped, actually proved less compelling and enduring than the second. Guardiola against Jose Mourinho was a battle of ideas that the Catalan won and, even when the Portuguese won twice in charge of Tottenham, had lost some of its lustre. The knockout blow had already been struck as the ball was caressed around Guardiola’s midfields. Mourinho has the second most wins against Guardiola – seven – while coming off second-best in their feud. Guardiola against Jurgen Klopp had epic status for at least four seasons, between 2017-20 and then 2021-22. Twice they were only separated by a solitary point at the top of the table. Once, Liverpool knocked City out of the Champions League. Once, they knocked them off their perch as champions of England. The overall score stands at 8-7 to Klopp in one respect, with more victories in their meetings in this country, and 5-1 to Guardiola in another: they have shared the last six Premier League titles, but not equally. Liverpool’s second underwhelming campaign in three, albeit for different reasons in 2022-23 to 2020-21, prompts the question if, like Ferguson against Arsene Wenger, a previously even contest will become more one-sided and if this is a rivalry whose best days are in the past. Then there is the emerging rival in Arteta, lacking Klopp’s record of defeating Guardiola – something the German still did twice last season, including in the Community Shield – but with the more recent title challengers and the transfer business that has the stamp of ambition. Not every manager who runs Guardiola closest proves capable of overhauling him. Mourinho did in Spain, after finishing runners-up in LaLiga with Real Madrid. When his Manchester United came second, however, he was sacked by the end of the calendar year. The same fate befell Ole Gunnar Solskjaer three years later. If Arteta seems to have more staying power, as Klopp did before him, the next challenge is to overcome Guardiola over both 90 minutes and nine months. Read More Eddie Nketiah ready to step up again after Gabriel Jesus’ injury Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus to miss start of season after knee surgery Arsenal transfer news: Raya, Balogun, Kudus, Pepe and more On this day in 2020: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads Arsenal to FA Cup glory Statue of former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger unveiled outside Emirates Stadium Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun set for Serie A move as Italian giants spark bidding war

Anthony Joshua has some admiration for Tyson Fury’s uncompromising attitude but believes his British rival should be fighting professional boxers and not mixed martial artists. Fury argued he was unable to arrange a showdown with Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk, which led the WBC heavyweight champion agreeing to box MMA star Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While Fury’s handlers have denied the crossover bout is an exhibition, the 34-year-old will not be defending his world title against the former UFC heavyweight champion, who has never boxed professionally before. Fury has been accused of holding up the division and Joshua, who has a rematch against Dillian Whyte on August 12 at London’s O2 Arena, admitted he has some sympathy with boxers having to stand by for a title shot. “I’m not frustrated by that because I’ve been champion and I know my process and I’m on this rebuilding phase but I can understand for people waiting in line it must be massively frustrating,” Joshua said. “To become champion for some people is the be all and end all. That’s all they want to do and then they can pack up. I feel sorry for the people who want to know where they are going with their career. “But Fury has to do what Fury has to do for him. I admire the guy for his confidence to do what’s right for him – he has an ‘eff it’ mentality. I think we all need a bit of that in today’s society. “If you want to hold him accountable then yes he should be fighting active fighters and he should wait until the end of his career, when he’s not champion anymore, to compete with MMA fighters.” Negotiations for an undisputed fight between Fury and WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk broke down earlier this year, with the British fighter attracting the most criticism which intensified after the Ngannou announcement. The WBC has given Fury special dispensation to take on his Cameroonian-French opponent, in a fight which is expected to be highly lucrative for both combatants, as there is no mandatory challenger in place. Joshua ruefully reflected that he would still be a world champion now had he ignored his mandatory and vacated one of the crowns now held by Usyk, who outpointed the Briton twice. “When all is said and done it will just be part of (Fury’s) legacy and I think we will all forget about it sooner or later,” Joshua added. “Usyk was my mandatory and I ended up losing to him. I would have loved to have gone to Saudi to compete with someone else and make a s*** load of money and swerve my mandatory. “I would still be champion if I could do that but I didn’t get that opportunity and I had to take it on the chin. But life isn’t always fair.” Read More What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? The hidden side of Jake Paul Mike Tyson to train Francis Ngannou for Tyson Fury clash Errol Spence Jr lifts lid on Anthony Joshua’s training sessions in Dallas Jake Paul’s latest fight is not about Jake Paul What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout?

Raise your hand if you thought Jake Paul’s boxing venture had come to an end with his loss to Tommy Fury in February. It’s okay, you don’t look silly; you weren’t the only one. So, go on: Raise that hand, nod your head, or let out a sigh. You don’t have to carry the burden anymore. Many believed that fight marked the endgame of this particular endeavour, even before it had played out. A win would have allowed the YouTube star, 26, to say he had beaten a professional boxer, after several wins against mixed martial artists; a loss would have signalled the dissipation of any momentum and intrigue that the American had built over the last few years. Except even in defeat by Fury – a points loss to the half-brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson – a degree of intrigue has remained, though Paul’s momentum did indeed take a hit. In the lead-up to that bout in Saudi Arabia, Paul had already hinted that his next challenge could be a boxing match with Nate Diaz, who left the UFC with the most unique of legacies in September. Paul’s plan, of course, was to defeat Fury, stay unbeaten, then move on to face Diaz, but the master promoter has managed to stay on track in spite of his loss. In Dallas this Saturday, Paul will take on Diaz in another fight that will be deemed a circus act but that will nonetheless attract a significant audience. This time, it could be argued, Diaz is doing the heavy lifting, which may sound ironic given the American’s trademark apathy in the run-up to the fight. That’s because the focus of this Jake Paul fight is different than the focus of the last Jake Paul fight. When Paul fought Fury, the narrative centred on whether the divisive social-media star could actually beat a ‘proper boxer’, even though Fury’s pedigree does not line up with his lineage. That question, which had existed for years, was finally answered in Diriyah, leaving Paul’s detractors delighted. Now, though, it is not about how Paul will fare; the intrigue surrounds Diaz, and it comes from the MMA community. This does actually provide a familiar feeling around a Paul fight, if not his bout with Fury. In previous outings, Paul knocked out ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley after outpointing him in their first fight; he knocked out Ben Askren, who was an MMA champion before joining the UFC, and he beat the consensus greatest MMA striker of all time – Anderson Silva – via decision. Each opponent was willed by MMA fans to stop this ‘pretender’, Paul, from making a mockery of their preferred sport, even though Paul’s success against these athletes said very little about MMA and how the YouTuber would fare in a cage fight. Even so, MMA fans feel similarly about Diaz’s contest with Paul, and perhaps even more strongly, such is the adoration that most have for the 38-year-old. Silva, too, is adored by the community, while Askren and Woodley are divisive in their own ways but command respect nonetheless. Yet they all failed against Paul. There were asterisks, admittedly: Silva was 47, while Askren and Woodley are ageing wrestlers. Askren had even retired from competition and Woodley was on a brutal losing streak. So, how does Diaz compare? The welterweight’s record has always been mixed, with the American becoming a fan favourite for his personality, soundbites and style, rather than for any significant winning streak or title triumph. The Californian’s jiu-jitsu is his greatest asset, though his cardio and volume striking have aided him significantly. In 2016, when he stepped in at late notice and submitted Conor McGregor, Diaz achieved mainstream popularity. When he narrowly lost the pair’s highly-anticipated rematch five months later, his star hardly fell. His octagon outings have been sporadic in the years since: an impressive points win against ex-lightweight champion Anthony Pettis in August 2019, a TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal three months later – when Diaz’s so-often-leaky blood betrayed him and forced a doctor stoppage – and a decision defeat by soon-to-be welterweight champion Leon Edwards in 2021. Then, of course, came his fitting UFC exit on the night he submitted Tony Ferguson. A key reason for Diaz’s decision to leave the UFC was a dispute over his pay – the same issue that many fighters have raised in recent years, but one that Diaz had additional ammo to combat, given his pulling power. Even so, he didn’t make much of a dent in the UFC’s armour, and the option of a clash with Paul made too much sense to ignore. That is, in a monetary sense at least. In other regards, this is a dangerous proposition. Diaz is 12 years Paul’s senior, and while his boxing fundamentals are solid, he is not known as an out-and-out striker. Furthermore, he is especially prone to suffering cuts, which cost him against Masvidal – although he was admittedly losing that fight anyway. It may yet cost him against Paul. Many MMA fans fear an unceremonious end for Diaz in this fight, much as the veteran is known for his perseverance. Maybe such an end will not come via the sort of one-punch KO that ruined Woodley, but maybe it will come courtesy of a doctor deeming Diaz unfit to continue. Then again, maybe it won’t come at all. “The thing about [Paul] is, he knows that MMA fighters can’t box and they’re in over their heads,” Diaz said on Wednesday, “because he went in there and worked a bunch over in training and in fights. MMA fighters don’t know this, but the thing about that is: I’m in on the same secret, and I’ve been in on that since I was 15. I’m not your average wrestler, MMA fighter. When these guys he fought were in the wrestling room at five, six, seven, 10, 15 years old, I was boxing the whole neighbourhood, boxing every pro I could find. I was boxing the highest level I could find, my whole career.” Diaz believes that will be the difference this weekend. The MMA community will hope it is. Read More Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Nate Diaz reveals ‘secret’ that he and Jake Paul share The hidden side of Jake Paul

What the papers say Romelu Lukaku has reportedly agreed to personal terms in a move to Juventus this summer as Chelsea look to offload the striker and pick up a striker in a swap deal, the Star reports. Chelsea are eyeing Serbian Dusan Vlahovic. Juventus want more than just Lukaku as part of the deal, though, asking for an additional £35million for the 23-year-old. Manchester City and Chelsea are reportedly in the race to sign Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, but the Daily Mail says there is confusion with his release clause. Widespread changes could be on the cards under Tottenham’s new manager Ange Postecoglou, with the Evening Standard reporting Hugo Lloris, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele and Bryan Gil are up for sale. The club are also interested in signing 19-year-old forward Alejo Veliz from Rosario Central, who is worth around £12million. West Ham’s pursuit of Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse may be coming to an end, according to the Guardian, with the club’s technical director against the move, despite manager David Moyes’ interest. Social media round-up Players to watch Harry Maguire: Everton now look like the favourites to sign the Manchester United defender, with Tottenham and West Ham also interested in the 30-year-old, Football Insider says. Tyler Adams: The Daily Mail says Aston Villa are open to activating the 24-year-old Leeds midfielder’s £25million release clause, with Chelsea also interested in his signature. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Phoenix Mercury star Skylar Diggins-Smith said in a social media post that she’s been barred from the team’s practice facility while she is on maternity leave from the team

Diana Taurasi, the Phoenix Mercury star who stands atop the WNBA's all-time leading scorer list, reached another milestone in her highly decorated career by becoming the first player to score 10,000 points in league history.

Freddie Freeman had three hits, Miguel Rojas and Amed Rosario both drove in two runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics 8-2 to complete a three-game sweep

Shohei Ohtani left the mound after only four scoreless innings due to cramping in his pitching hand and fingers, but then hit his major league-leading 40th homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners

Double World Cup-winning coach Jill Ellis confesses even she is blown away by the utter unpredictability of the 2023 tournament, which has already seen six top-20 sides bow out at the group stage. The most shocking of those upsets came on Thursday night, when world number two Germany were dumped from Group H after never failing to reach the quarter-finals in eight previous tournaments. Counter to the disappointed faces of the two-time champions were those of group rivals and debutants Morocco who, in a viral clip, huddled around a phone on the pitch before erupting in elation after learning their world number 72 side had made it to the knockouts. “It’s been a doozy so far,” said Ellis, who guided the USA to back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2019 and now heads the tournament’s technical study group. “I think we all feel this. Gone are the days of total predictability. Progress sits very clearly at the core, and certainly the competitiveness can be felt [with] giants in the game getting knocked out, we see debutants advance to the next round, which I think lends itself to this being just one of the most unpredictable and arguably exciting World Cups we’ve seen to date. “If I’m candid, I really am surprised. I think when you suddenly see a Germany or a Brazil get knocked out of a World Cup in group stage. “I don’t think any of us could have predicted that. I’m excited by the development, of course, for sure. But I think I was thinking that one more iteration of the World Cup before we started to see even more parity that we’re starting to see right now.” Olympic champions Canada (seventh) and Brazil (eighth) were the other two top-10 sides to be sent packing after the group stage, joining China (14th), Italy (16th) and South Korea (17th) amongst some of the world’s top-ranked teams eliminated. For the first time, three African nations – Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa – all advanced to the knockouts, while Jamaica made history by reaching the last-16 for the first time, despite an ongoing dispute with their federation over pay, resources and conditions that resulted in players airing their grievances in an open letter on social media before the World Cup. Nigeria and South Africa are among other qualifying nations who were involved in pre-tournament disputes with their respective federations – a group that also includes England, who have vowed to fully focus on winning a first World Cup before resuming discussions with the Football Association over bonus payments and commercial structures. Each nation competing at this World Cup also received US $960,000 (£753,830) to exclusively cover preparation costs. While some sides seem to be defying the odds, Ellis and her expert panel have pointed overall to a clear correlation between investment and resourcing and performance. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation, for example, has significantly invested in girls’ and women’s football since a system overhaul in 2009, and six years ago created a women’s football academy where players have access to the same facilities as the men’s national team. Ellis said: “I was blown away by the facility. It’s one of the nicest I’ve ever seen, and it just kind of made me realise that yes, there are federations that are taking this very seriously.” FIFA’s data after the group stage also reflect an increasingly competitive pool. The proportion of goals scored in the first half of matches has increased by nine per cent since the 2019 tournament, while the proportion scored in the first half by teams who did not advance increased by 18 per cent, from 5 per cent in 2019 to 23 per cent in 2023. We can arguably say that there aren't gaps Jill Ellis At the same time, Ellis’ team also observed a rise in the quality of goalkeeping, which saw the average save percentage increase from 70 per cent four years ago in France to 77 per cent in 2023, while the percentage of matches ending in a draw has increased from eight per cent to 21 per cent. Add in more players signing with clubs in increasingly well-resourced leagues and national teams developing clearer tactical identities shaped to their individual strengths and weaknesses, and this becomes perhaps the most open Women’s World Cup yet. Ellis added: “We hear this constant comment about gaps and where are the gaps. We can arguably say that there aren’t gaps. That on any given day, a team can come out here and be competitive against another team. “And so it’s going to be incredibly exciting to see how this plays out.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Anthony Joshua admires Tyson Fury self-will but critical of fight with MMA star James Maddison wants ‘world’s best number nine’ Harry Kane to stay at Spurs Gold for Will Tidball and silver for British women’s sprint team in Glasgow

Singapore’s preparations for this year’s Formula One Grand Prix are at an advanced stage and the race will