Roma striker Evan Ferguson will miss the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup play-off campaign after being ruled out for the remainder of the season with a significant ankle injury.
The 21-year-old’s loan spell in Serie A is set to end prematurely as he returns to parent club Brighton & Hove Albion to undergo surgery.
It serves as a major blow to manager Heimir Hallgrimsson’s plans ahead of the crucial semi-final tie against the Czech Republic next month.
Season cut short by surgery
Ferguson has netted five times in 22 appearances during his time in Italy, though his progress has been disrupted by recurring fitness issues.
Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed the forward would play no further part in the current campaign before Sunday’s fixture against Genoa.
“It is now clear that he will finish the season here and will have surgery on his ankle,” said Gasperini.
“He will no longer have time to recover even in the end of the season.”
Ireland’s route to the World Cup
The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to face the Czech Republic in Prague on 26 March.
Should they navigate that semi-final, they will face either Denmark or North Macedonia for a place at the tournament.
The Brighton loanee was instrumental during the qualifying phase, scoring three goals for his country.
However, fitness struggles forced him to miss notable victories over Portugal and Hungary which secured this play-off opportunity.
If Hallgrimsson’s side qualifies for a first World Cup since 2002, they will join co-hosts Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa in Group A.
England beat Iceland in World Cup qualifier thanks to Bronze and Stanway
England secured back-to-back wins in their Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign as goals from Lucy Bronze and Georgia Stanway sealed a 2-0 victory over Iceland.
Bronze marked a personal milestone with the opening goal after earning her 145th cap for the Lionesses.
The appearance moves the defender up to third in the nation’s all-time rankings.
Sarina Wiegman’s side were dominant throughout at a sold-out City Ground but were forced to wait to make the game safe.
Lionesses lack clinical edge
The hosts controlled the tempo from the first whistle in Nottingham.
Despite enjoying the majority of possession, England held only a slender 1-0 lead at the interval.
The European champions registered 31 shots during the contest but struggled to replicate the ruthlessness shown in their six-goal demolition of Ukraine just four days earlier.
That lack of a clinical edge almost allowed the visitors a route back into the match.
Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was called into action on the hour mark to deny Sandra Jessen from equalising.
It was Iceland’s only shot of the entire game but served as a warning to the dominant home side.
Stanway secures the points
The tension was finally lifted when Stanway doubled the advantage.
The Bayern Munich midfielder fired home her 32nd international goal to ensure the result matched the performance.
Victory means England maintain a 100% start to their qualifying campaign.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has faced intense scrutiny from the Spanish press following his performance in Real Madrid’s narrow 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo.
The England international completed a high-profile move from Liverpool to the Bernabeu last season but has found life difficult in the Spanish capital so far.
While Real Madrid secured three points thanks to a 94th-minute winner from Federico Valverde, the right-back’s defensive display dominated the post-match analysis.
Defensive lapses highlighted
Alexander-Arnold played the full 90 minutes but struggled to impact the game at either end of the pitch.
He was highlighted as the primary fault for Celta Vigo’s equaliser, allowing Williot Swedberg to bypass him on the flank before setting up Borja Iglesias.
The 27-year-old has now played 13 La Liga matches, registering just two assists and failing to score, leading to growing frustration regarding his output.
Spanish journalist Albert Ortega offered a particularly scathing assessment of the defender’s work rate on social media following the match.
“The problem with Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t that he doesn’t know how to defend. It’s that he can’t be arsed to bother.”
Albert Ortega, Spanish Journalist
Ortega added that the full-back “only understands football from the ball” and described his performance as a “right disaster”.
Media ratings reflect poor form
The criticism was not isolated to social media, with major Spanish outlets handing the former Liverpool man low match ratings.
Football Espana awarded the defender a 4/10, noting that his offensive production does not currently justify his defensive vulnerabilities.
The outlet stated that he “hooked in several wayward crosses” and was beaten “too easily” for the equaliser.
Managing Madrid offered a slightly higher score of 5/10 but observed that aside from one pass to Vinicius Junior, he was not his “usual self” in possession.
This latest wave of criticism follows a difficult outing in the Champions League play-off against Benfica, where local reports described his marking as “nonexistent”.
Coventry City have moved five points clear at the Championship summit under Frank Lampard as they close in on a return to the top flight after 25 years away.
The Sky Blues are now firm favourites to secure automatic promotion following a crucial run of form.
Lampard has steadied the ship after a difficult post-Christmas period where the club suffered four defeats in seven games.
Title charge gathers pace
A vital 3-1 victory over promotion rivals Middlesbrough sparked a resurgence that has seen the league leaders record four consecutive wins.
Victory against Bristol City on Saturday would further increase the pressure on the chasing pack, with Middlesbrough not in action until Sunday.
Owner Doug King’s controversial decision to replace club legend Mark Robins in November 2024 now appears vindicated with just 11 games remaining.
McAllister backs title bid
Former Coventry midfielder Gary McAllister believes the squad must now target the trophy rather than settling for second place.
The Scot insists the mentality within the dressing room must remain aggressive to secure the silverware.
I think that’s got to be the target. Not just being happy with getting promotion, which obviously they would be, but their target will be maintaining that lead and going up as champions.
Gary McAllister
Lampard focused on the job
Despite the growing excitement at the CBS Arena, the former Chelsea manager remains focused on the task at hand rather than personal glory.
Lampard admitted to BBC Sport that his perspective on management differs significantly from his playing days.
Adulation was more important to me in my 20s than it is in my 40s. It’s always an amazing feeling hearing people sing your name but, as you get older, you realise it’s more a case of ‘this is my job’.
Frank Lampard
The West Midlands club last featured in the Premier League in 2001 and have since navigated relegations to League Two and unfamiliar ground-sharing arrangements.
Bayern Munich beat Monchengladbach 4-1 to go 14 points clear at top
Bayern Munich have extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 14 points after thrashing Borussia Monchengladbach 4-1 for their fifth consecutive victory.
The result ensures the Bavarian giants continue their relentless march towards another league title.
It was a dominant display that secured a fifth straight win for the league leaders in Germany.
Relentless run of form
Borussia Monchengladbach were unable to contain the hosts’ attacking fluidity throughout the contest.
This victory puts substantial daylight between the table-toppers and the chasing pack in the division.
The result underlines the sheer consistency of the Munich outfit as they look to secure the Bundesliga shield once again.
Championship within reach
While the visitors attempted to gain a foothold, the gap in quality eventually told with a convincing scoreline.
Moving 14 points clear represents a significant step towards securing the championship with games to spare.
Pep Guardiola has admitted Manchester City are “not a complete team” following their draw with Nottingham Forest but insists they remain in the Premier League title race.
The defending champions suffered a significant setback in their pursuit of Arsenal after being held to a 2-2 draw in midweek.
That result leaves the Etihad club trailing the league leaders by seven points.
Despite the gap, the City boss remains confident his side can recover their form as the season approaches its climax.
“Normally we react well,” said Guardiola. “We have the ability to forget quick.”
‘In the process of changes’
While the Spaniard remains optimistic about the immediate future, he conceded the squad is currently in a transitional phase.
“We are not a complete team to compete, that is the reality, we are in the process of many changes,” he explained.
“But if we can learn quicker, still nothing is lost, we can arrive in the last month with the chances.”
Guardiola also offered a strong hint regarding his long-term future at the club.
With speculation surrounding his tenure beyond his current contract, the 53-year-old suggested he is planning for the long haul.
“But I’m pretty sure next season will be better,” he added. “I don’t have doubts about that.”
Fixture congestion concerns
City’s immediate focus shifts to the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Newcastle United on Saturday.
The 20:00 GMT kick-off time has drawn a mixed reaction from the manager due to the proximity of their Champions League fixture against Real Madrid next Wednesday.
While the late start allows for extra recovery following the Nottingham Forest encounter, it significantly shortens preparation time for the trip to Spain.
“Recovery is massively important,” Guardiola stated. “Rest, sleep, food, training, we know how to handle it.”
“Of course when we arrive early at home it’s better than late for the recovery, but it is what it is.”
The Catalan coach noted that while other European leagues often reschedule matches to aid their teams in continental competition, he does not expect similar assistance in England.
He said: “For here in England it is more important what happens in the Carabao Cup than Champions League games for English teams. It’s happened since day one, so it’s no surprise.”
“I don’t ask for anything and if we to play at 8pm, we’re going to play at 8pm.”
“I don’t pay much attention to that. I’m not going to call [anyone]. I could do that but I gave up a long time ago.”
World Cup co-hosts Mexico will deploy nearly 100,000 security personnel to protect fans at this summer’s tournament following a surge in drug cartel violence.
President Claudia Sheinbaum presented the strategy on Friday to guarantee the safety of the competition.
The move follows significant unrest in Jalisco state after the death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.
Operation ‘Plan Kukulkan’
Named after a Mayan deity, the new security initiative covers the three host cities and surrounding tourist destinations.
Roman Villalvazo Barrios, head of the coordination centre, confirmed a total force of "just over 99,000 personnel".
This figure comprises 20,000 military troops, 55,000 police officers and various private security contractors.
The massive operation will utilise 2,500 vehicles, 24 aircraft, anti-drone technology and specialist canine units to detect explosives.
Regional instability
Security is a top priority after the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartel reacted violently to the death of their leader.
Known as ‘El Mencho’, the wanted fugitive was killed in a military operation and buried on Monday near a base in Zapopan.
While Guadalajara has seen recent disturbances including roadblocks and shootouts, fellow host cities Mexico City and Monterrey have been spared.
The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July across Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Fifa support
Despite the volatile backdrop, global football chiefs have backed the extensive security arrangements.
Fifa and President Sheinbaum insisted the ongoing conflict would have no impact on the sporting spectacle.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino added that he feels "very reassured" by the plans for the event.
Jurgen Klopp has reportedly opened talks with Atletico Madrid regarding a return to management as a potential replacement for Diego Simeone.
The former Liverpool boss is currently serving as Red Bull’s head of global soccer following his emotional departure from Anfield in 2024.
However, reports in Spain suggest the German is now discussing a shock move to the Metropolitano Stadium.
Spanish outlet El Chiringuito claims Klopp has entered advanced negotiations with Mark Rowan, the CEO of the club’s majority shareholders Apollo.
Simeone under pressure in Madrid
Current head coach Simeone is approaching the final year of his contract in the Spanish capital.
The Argentine has not guided Los Colchoneros to a major trophy since their La Liga triumph in 2021.
Despite being the highest-paid manager in world football, faith in his long-term tenure appears to be waning among the club’s hierarchy.
Simeone recently faced Liverpool in the Champions League, where his side lost 3-2 during the initial league phase.
Red Bull tenure and Anfield links
Rumours regarding Klopp’s dissatisfaction with his current strategic position at Red Bull have circulated in recent weeks.
While the Austrian organisation previously denied seeking a replacement for the 57-year-old, speculation over his future persists.
A rapid return to the dugout could theoretically set up a Champions League meeting with his former club Liverpool later this season.
Klopp remains a legendary figure on Merseyside after ending the club’s 30-year wait for a league title and lifting their sixth European Cup.