Manchester United are aiming to overcome their historic struggles against Chelsea when the two sides meet in Sunday’s Women’s League Cup final at Ashton Gate.
The Blues have traditionally dominated this fixture, sweeping the domestic trophies last season and defeating United 3-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
However, manager Marc Skinner insists his squad are heading into the 14:15 GMT kick-off completely devoid of fear.
The Red Devils are carrying significant momentum into the weekend, sitting second in the Women’s Super League and having recently secured a place in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.
Closing the gap on domestic rivals
Chelsea possess a formidable historical record against the Manchester club, having never lost in 12 WSL encounters between the sides.
Despite that dominance, recent meetings suggest the historical gulf in quality is rapidly shrinking.
The Londoners required an extra-time winner to eliminate United from the FA Cup fifth round earlier this season, while October’s league clash ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
Skinner’s side currently sit one point and one place above their opponents in the domestic league standings.
“We don’t fear Chelsea – we respect them because you have to,” Skinner told BBC Sport.
“This is a different Chelsea team and this is a different Manchester United. We’re more experienced now and we’ve got good depth.”
Capitalising on vulnerability
It has been a turbulent period for the reigning champions, who currently trail WSL leaders Manchester City by nine points.
Manager Sonia Bompastor has faced mounting pressure amid off-field structural changes, including the recent departure of head of women’s football Paul Green.
Despite this apparent vulnerability, the United boss is refusing to underestimate the pedigree of his opponents.
“I don’t want to use this moment of vulnerability to do anything other than pretend we’re playing them at their best,” Skinner added.
“We all know they’re an incredible team. Nobody’s denying that. But if we can get to our best levels in any game, I genuinely believe we can beat any team.”
Chasing sustained success
Sunday’s showpiece marks the fourth consecutive season the Manchester club have reached a domestic cup final.
They secured their first major trophy since turning professional eight years ago by lifting the 2024 FA Cup.
A victory at Ashton Gate would further cement their status as genuine challengers to the established order of English women’s football.
Four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson is facing severe scrutiny following the financial collapse of his Grand Slam Track league amid fresh allegations regarding unpaid creditors.
The ambitious athletics venture aimed to revolutionise the sport but has quickly unravelled following its spring 2025 launch.
Reports claim the 57-year-old paid himself half a million dollars before settling debts with remaining creditors.
Grand Slam Track strongly denies these allegations, but the saga threatens to permanently damage the legacy of the track icon.
High-profile athletes reject venture
The league severely struggled to attract elite competitors despite offering a lucrative $100,000 prize for race winners.
World 100m champion Noah Lyles publicly questioned the business model and quickly rejected an offer to participate.
The American sprint star argued the financial compensation did not appropriately match his commercial value within the sport.
“Have you heard of Grand Slam Track? That proves my point!”
Other prominent athletes, including Femke Bol and Keely Hodgkinson, also declined invitations due to major concerns over scheduling and injury risks.
Format flaws and field event snub
The doomed competition faced heavy criticism for its convoluted format and the controversial decision to exclude field events entirely.
The former 400m world-record holder claimed he was focusing solely on track events in a desperate bid to save the sport.
However, alienating jumpers and throwers meant the fledgling league immediately missed out on several major box-office draws.
This exclusion notably sidelined Swedish-American pole vault sensation Mondo Duplantis, who captivated global audiences during the Paris Olympics.
Financial missteps seal fate
The abrupt collapse ultimately highlights the immense difficulty of establishing a new sports league in an already crowded marketplace.
Flawed financial planning and an inability to deliver on grand promises proved instantly fatal for the upstart organisation.
The rapid downfall leaves the legendary sprinter fighting to protect his personal integrity and long-standing reputation within international athletics.
Celtic have identified Robbie Keane as the leading candidate to become their permanent manager at the end of the current season following Martin O’Neill’s interim tenure.
The 45-year-old is highly regarded by the Scottish Premiership club’s hierarchy as they prepare to restructure their football operations.
The former Republic of Ireland striker has built a strong coaching reputation during an impressive two-year spell with Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros.
His current side are on course to secure back-to-back domestic league titles and recently reached the Europa League round of 16.
Return to Glasgow
The potential appointment would mark an emotional return to Celtic Park for the former forward, who previously enjoyed a prolific loan spell in Scotland.
During the second half of the 2010-11 campaign, he registered a remarkable 16 goals in just 19 appearances across all competitions.
However, the Glasgow giants anticipate significant competition for his signature from several other British clubs.
Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur have also been credited with an interest in bringing their former player back to North London to resolve their own managerial uncertainty.
Alternative managerial targets
According to reports from the Guardian, the reigning Scottish champions have compiled a comprehensive shortlist of alternatives should they fail to land their primary target.
Wales head coach Craig Bellamy is understood to be heavily admired by the Celtic board.
Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou has also emerged as a viable candidate following his commendable work within the Scottish top flight.
Luka Doncic scored a Lakers career-high 51 points to lead Los Angeles to a 142-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, marking a successful return for LeBron James following a three-game injury absence.
The Slovenian playmaker delivered an offensive masterclass, eventually checking out late in the fourth quarter to a standing ovation.
His historic haul was supported by a remarkable collective effort from the hosts’ starting line-up, who combined for a staggering 137 points.
That tally represents the highest-scoring output by a starting five in a regulation NBA fixture since the 1970-71 season.
James returns to support starring cast
James had missed the previous three games with foot, elbow and hip issues, but adapted seamlessly to a supporting role upon his comeback.
The 41-year-old veteran finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while deliberately taking a back seat to his team-mates.
“I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to.”
Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised this selfless approach, highlighting the forward’s desire to let his red-hot colleagues flourish.
Los Angeles now boast an 8-3 record this season when their all-time leading scorer is not one of the top two players in field goal attempts.
Reaves milestone fuels Western Conference surge
Austin Reaves continued his own spectacular form with a 30-point performance, exceeding the 25-point mark for the third consecutive outing.
The American guard also surpassed 5,000 career points during the contest, becoming just the 46th undrafted player in league history to achieve the feat.
Further offensive firepower was provided by Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura, who contributed 23 and 15 points respectively.
The victory secures a seventh win in eight matches for Los Angeles, propelling them to third place in the Western Conference standings with just 16 regular-season games remaining.
Doncic later revealed that a verbal exchange with 21-year-old Chicago forward Matas Buzelis provided the extra motivation for his scoring explosion.
“Somebody started talking to me, so that woke me up.”
Harry Wilson has handed Wales a major boost by declaring himself fit for their crucial World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia-Herzegovina later this month.
The Fulham midfielder missed his club’s previous two matches after sustaining an ankle injury against Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the 28-year-old has now resumed full training ahead of a potential Premier League return against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
“I’m good. I had a bit of a knock after the Spurs game, which took a week or so to go, but I’m back training now, so I’m hoping I’ll be good to go for Sunday and definitely good to go for the Wales games,” Wilson told BBC Sport Wales.
Crucial role in international setup
Craig Bellamy’s side will host Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cardiff on Thursday, 26 March.
A victory would see the Dragons face either Italy or Northern Ireland five days later for a guaranteed place at this summer’s World Cup.
The dynamic playmaker has been instrumental for his country recently, netting a hat-trick during a 7-1 thrashing of North Macedonia last November.
He has scored 12 of his 17 career international goals across the past three years.
Transfer speculation surrounds expiring contract
The Welsh international has also enjoyed a sparkling domestic campaign, registering nine goals and six assists for the Cottagers.
His current deal in London expires at the end of the season, meaning he could depart on a free transfer this summer.
Both Aston Villa and Everton have shown strong interest, with the Toffees having a formal bid rejected in February.
“It happens when players are in good form or their contract is coming to an end. I think that’s natural talk but I don’t try and listen to that,” he added.
“I don’t want any distractions. My job is to play football.”
“The contracts and transfer talk comes with that, but I try and leave that to my agent, especially with big games coming up. That’s all I want to be focused on.”
British heavyweight Moses Itauma is poised to challenge for a world title in 2026 if he can defeat American contender Jermaine Franklin in Manchester this March.
The 21-year-old has surged through the professional ranks and is heavily backed by promoter Frank Warren for championship glory this year.
Despite having only 13 professional bouts to his name, the explosive prospect is already ranked number one by both the WBA and WBO.
Tough test awaits in Manchester
Before looking ahead to world honours, the rising star must negotiate a scheduled clash with Franklin at the Co-op Live Arena on 28 March.
The seasoned American represents a significant step up in durability, having never been stopped in his professional career.
Franklin heads into the contest carrying momentum following a victory over Olympic bronze medallist Ivan Dychko last September.
“It’s a tough fight,” Warren said.
“[Franklin’s] only lost two fights, a debatable, according to some people, loss to Dillian Whyte and that was four years ago.”
Rapid rise up the heavyweight rankings
The undefeated Briton has built a formidable reputation for his devastating power and rapid finishes.
His two appearances in 2025 lasted a combined total of less than three rounds.
That devastating run included dismantling former world title challenger Dillian Whyte in under two minutes last August.
“It’s very important to see how he comes through, what he looks like,” added his promoter.
Championship aspirations within reach
A dominant display against a durable opponent like Franklin would make a mandatory title challenge almost inevitable.
The heavy-handed southpaw is also ranked number three by the WBC, placing him in prime position across all major governing bodies.
“Me, if he comes through this fight and he comes through how I hope he’ll come through then I think he’ll be there ready to go,” Warren concluded.
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today to face two additional counts of rape following authorisation by the Crown Prosecution Service.
The new charges against the player relate to allegations made by a fourth complainant who contacted the Metropolitan Police in August 2025.
These non-recent offences are alleged to have taken place in 2020, predating the incidents cited in his previous legal proceedings.
Total allegations reach eight
Following these latest developments, the Ghana international now faces a total of eight charges involving four different women.
The comprehensive charge sheet comprises seven counts of rape alongside one count of sexual assault.
In July 2025, the former Premier League star was originally charged with six offences relating to three women.
Those initial allegations were said to have occurred during a period between 2021 and 2022.
Denials and bail conditions
Through his legal representatives, the midfielder has consistently denied all allegations.
His defence team maintains that he has fully cooperated with police throughout the multi-year investigation.
The player currently remains on conditional bail, which permits him to continue his professional football career in Spain.
Upcoming trial scheduled
These bail terms also allow him to represent his national team, provided he notifies authorities of his travel arrangements and strictly avoids any contact with the complainants.
While today’s hearing specifically addresses the newest allegations, a broader legal process is already well underway.
A full trial concerning the original six counts is firmly scheduled to commence at Southwark Crown Court on 2 November 2026.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews sustained a leg injury following a controversial knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks defenceman Radko Gudas during Thursday’s 6-4 victory.
The U.S. Olympic captain was forced to leave the ice in the second period after colliding heavily with the bruising Czech defender.
Gudas was immediately handed a major penalty and a game misconduct for the dangerous challenge.
Calls for suspension
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was visibly frustrated by the incident and suggested further disciplinary action is required.
“Dirty play. League’s going to obviously look at it and see what the suspension will be or whatever happens.”
Toronto winger Matthew Knies also referenced the opposition blueliner’s track record for crossing the line.
“He’s done a few of those before in his career.”
The Anaheim defenceman recently ended Canadian captain Sidney Crosby’s Olympic campaign with a similarly aggressive hit during the quarter-finals.
Pre-match comments raise eyebrows
Prior to the morning skate, the Ducks veteran had publicly stated his intention to severely restrict space for Toronto’s talisman.
“We go to be on top of him. We got to make sure that he doesn’t get space in the middle of the ice… make his night’s not enjoyable.”
Despite these comments, Anaheim head coach Joel Quenneville staunchly defended his player’s actions.
“There’s no premeditation. Reflexes did it.”
Crucial blow for Toronto
Losing their prolific centre would be a significant setback for the Canadian franchise as the regular season progresses.
The star forward had just snapped a 12-game goal drought with a clinical power-play strike earlier in the same period.
He now boasts an impressive tally of 27 goals and 26 assists across 60 appearances this campaign.
Toronto medical staff will urgently assess the severity of the knee issue over the coming days.