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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola saw his side have just two shots against Aston Villa, the fewest ever by a team under his management.

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City lost 1-0 at Villa ParkChampions had just two shots on goalTitle race wide openWHAT HAPPENED?

City were roundly outplayed by Villa on Wednesday evening in a 1-0 defeat away from home. The Premier League champions had just two shots on goal, the fewest ever recorded by a team managed by Guardiola. Villa, by comparison, had 22 shots, the joint-most faced by a Guardiola side in his career, per .

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City have been in poor form in recent weeks and have failed to win their last four games. The defeat to Villa has followed draws with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, and has left them six points behind leaders Arsenal. They are also now two points behind fourth-placed Villa, who leapfrogged them in the table.

DID YOU KNOW?

The two shots recorded by City came within seconds of each other, as Erling Haaland first saw a shot and then a header saved by Emiliano Martinez. After the 11th minute, the champions failed to test the opposition goalkeeper, and Leon Bailey's goal proved decisive.

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The champions must refocus. They have not gone on a run of four games without a win since before Guardiola was manager. They face Luton Town this weekend and will be out to break their unwanted streak.

Even the most optimistic of Tottenham fans would be pushing it to expect a deadline day before the close of play today, with murmurs emerging from the club strongly hinting that the long-term strategy will take precedence over knee-jerk, short-term thinking. 

The end of the transfer window is looming on the imminent horizon and Tottenham look set to go back-to-back windows without making a single new addition to their squad.

Reports linking the club with a handful of talented players have run rife this month but nothing by way of a formal bid appears to have been lodged for a rumoured target.

It seems clear that the stadium move and the need to offload a handful of players deemed surplus to requirements is dictating their activity, but a recent report from football.london appears to suggest that this short-term phenomenon should become a thing of the past in the summer.

The report claims that Spurs are monitoring the development of Jarrod Bowen, Max Aarons, Jack Clarke, Che Adams and Luca Connell, all of which are young English players under the age of 22, with Adams and Bowen representing the oldest of the bunch.

Clearly, Levy and Pochettino have devised a long-term strategy which is well aligned with the club’s identity and current philosophy. The Argentine has made no secret of his desire to trust in young players, and the fact Spurs are targeting five of the Championship’s most promising talents is far from surprising.

Supporters may well feel frustrated by the club’s refusal to spend money once again this month, but it must be considered that the short-term suffering will merely represent an anomalous blip in their history as they prepare to undergo a transition both on and off the field.

Once they have freed up their wage budget by offloading the likes of Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, Vincent Janssen and Fernando Llorente, Levy will be in a strong position to assess Tottenham’s financial capabilities and make accurate judgements on exactly the type of players they need to bolster the squad.

Bringing in some of the most talented players the Championship has to offer, such as Clarke and Bowen, will give Pochettino some of the tools he needs to lay the foundations for a glowing future.

Naturally, Spurs will also need to enter the market for experienced players to ensure the club are well prepared to remain strong in the event that Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld follow Mousa Dembele out the exit door.

It’s a tempestuous time in north London right now both on and off the field, but the long-term transfer strategy which has been put in place should guarantee the arrival of an influx of precocious homegrown players ahead of the first full season at the new White Hart Lane.

Tottenham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

The Three Lions coach's legacy is secure after turning the team's fortunes around dramatically since 2016, but his days in the hot seat feel numbered

While Gareth Southgate and England will have their attention fixed on Euro 2024 having secured their place in Germany, a great abyss lies beyond the summer amid uncertainty over the manager's future. After a testing few months on and off the pitch, cracks have finally begun to show in Southgate's perpetually composed demeanour.

Despite everything he has done for the national team and its standing on the world stage over the last eight years, his selection decisions, performances and, indeed, words have arguably never been under more scrutiny.

With a golden opportunity to end England's agonising wait for silverware on the horizon, and a momentous decision facing him beyond that, it feels as though we are already witnessing Southgate's final days as England manager.

Getty'Not where we want to be'

Southgate should predominantly be judged on qualification for major tournaments and England's performances at those showpieces, with lulls in the months in between perhaps par for the course. However, inconsistent and disjointed displays since the 2023-24 season began are cause for concern with so few games between now and Euro 2024. Their form was even worse going into the 2022 World Cup, courtesy of a forgettable Nations League campaign, and that was arguably reflected in an overall underperformance as they bowed out in the quarter-finals.

Since September, the Three Lions have been held to draws by Ukraine and North Macedonia on the road, and only managed unconvincing victories over Australia and Malta at Wembley. Southgate has a knack for getting the best out of his team when the cards are down, but it's evident that something is amiss.

Speaking after edging Malta recently, the manager rather alarmingly admitted: "We know the level we've got should be better, can be better. Those games that you know you can win at a canter, the number of games these players are playing, it's almost a self-regulation. There are positives, but we know we were not where we want to be and can be."

AdvertisementGettyQuestionable selections

Despite the relative success he has delivered and his usually inoffensive, calm demeanour, Southgate has become a polarising figure for England fans – not least because of his squad and team selections.

While there has always been light-hearted debate over who should start on the wing or at right-back, the manager has come under intense scrutiny in recent months for inexplicably continuing to call upon Jordan Henderson, despite his money-motivated move to the inferior Saudi Pro League at the age of 33 and the political connotations that go with that decision.

There have been some glaring inconsistencies, too, with blind loyalty shown to those who are out of form or out of favour at club level, such as Kalvin Phillips, Marcus Rashford and, previously, Harry Maguire, while in-form Raheem Sterling has been consistently overlooked despite having been one of Southgate's most trusted lieutenants.

No more Mr. Nice Guy

Southgate's vehement defence of Henderson's continued involvement was particularly telling. This is a manager who is revered as someone who, alongside his players, has united the country – taking a stand against racism and discrimination while promoting progressive politics. Indeed, his open letter ahead of Euro 2020, 'Dear England', has even been adapted into a West End stage production.

A self-proclaimed LGBTQ+ ally, Henderson's lucrative move to Saudi Arabia – where homosexuality is punishable by death – belies those supposed values, and Southgate is now complicit in that. However, to date his response and defence of both himself and Henderson has been tone deaf and disappointing, with his exasperated tone suggesting that media scrutiny might be getting to him.

In a fraught press conference in September, he said: "My job is to pick a football team. I don’t think you can pick a football team based on any prejudice about where they might be playing their football. I am a bit lost with some of the questioning. You walk in to talk about a squad for football and we are wading into complex political situations, which I am not really trained to do."

He then doubled down when Henderson was booed during the friendly with Australia at Wembley, saying: "I really don’t understand it. He’s a brilliant role model for all of the group in his professionalism and his approach. Some people deciding to boo I really don’t understand what that is for. Come on.

"I don’t really know where we are heading with everything. I’m hugely impressed with the impeccable values and decisions that everyone in our country is making now. I know what’s created it and it’s happened but it defies logic to me that you would give a player – who is putting his heart and soul into playing for England – why you would boo him? Is that going to help him or the team? I don’t understand it.”

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Getty ImagesAn underwhelming World Cup

Southgate has built an unlikely reputation as an adept tournament manager since taking the reins from Sam Allardyce in 2016, memorably guiding England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the Euro 2020 final in consecutive major tournaments, although they came up agonisingly short on both occasions.

Expectation, then, was heightened when last year's World Cup rolled around, with the hope that England could finally go one step further. However, although they swiftly clicked into gear and cruised into the quarter-finals, their hopes were brought to an abrupt end by France as Harry Kane missed that crucial penalty.

There is no doubting the quality in the French squad, but a quarter-final exit was quite literally a step backwards for Southgate's England given what had come before, resulting in the nagging sense that a golden opportunity had been passed up by an exceptional set of players. Indeed, with the tools he has at his disposal, Southgate arguably should have delivered some form of silverware, with the Nations League also eluding him.

Liverpool will face LASK and Union SG in the group stage of the 2023-24 Europa League, while West Ham are set to take on Olympiacos and Freiburg.

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Reds reached the final in 2016Gers fell narrowly short in 2022Hammers won UECL last seasonGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Elsewhere, Brighton’s first experience of continental competition has seen them drawn against Ajax and Marseille, with Scottish giants Rangers – who failed to progress through the Champions League qualifiers – due to come up against Real Betis and Sparta Prague.

AdvertisementEUROPA LEAGUE GROUP STAGE DRAW IN FULL

Group A

West Ham, Olympiacos, Freiburg, TSC Backa Topola

Group B

Ajax, Marseille, Brighton, AEK Athens

Group C

Rangers, Real Betis, Sparta Prague, Aris Limassol

Group D

Atalanta, Sporting, Sturm, Rakow

Group E

Liverpool, LASK, Union SG, Toulouse

Group F

Villarreal, Rennes, Maccabi Haifa, Panathinaikos

Group G

Roma, Slavia Prague, Sheriff, Servette

Group H

Leverkusen, Qarabag, Molde, Hacken

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Liverpool last played in the Europa League back in 2015-16, when they made it all the way to the final before coming unstuck against tournament specialists Sevilla. West Ham reached the semi-finals back in 2022, before going one better in the Europa Conference League last season as they claimed a prestigious trophy. Rangers have also graced a final in recent times, with the Glasgow heavyweights suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021-22.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The first round of group stage fixtures will take place on September 21, with a further five matchdays playing out from that point – taking things through to December 14. Every team involved in the competition is hoping to steer a course to Dublin on May 22, 2024 – when major silverware will come up for grabs at the Aviva Stadium.

Harry Kane has lifted the lid slightly on his private life, with the Bayern Munich striker revealing what he likes to get up to away from the pitch.

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England captain now in GermanyHas always been a model professionalFamily comes first for prolific frontmanWHAT HAPPENED?

The England captain has never been one to chase the limelight, with the humble 30-year-old frontman happy to let his football do the talking. That has continued to be the case in 2023-24, with Kane rewriting the history books while netting 22 goals through 18 appearances for Bayern – with three hat-tricks recorded along the way.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT KANE SAID

Kane has now told of how he spends his time off the field, with there never any desire on his part to enjoy wild nights out. He has said: “I like to keep things private and I think that’s all down to the type of person I am. I’m a pretty normal guy and do normal things. I’ve never been someone who goes out to nightclubs. When I have spare time, I like to spend it with my wife and kids, I like to play some golf. Unfortunately, there are some things that are a bit more difficult to do when you are going to a busy place and people recognise you. In general, I’m just a pretty normal guy.

“People have different personalities and take different paths in their life. You can’t say one is right and one is wrong, but this is just the way I have always been. I don’t tend to give too much of my personal life away and like to keep my children away from the spotlight as there is so much out there on social media and you have to be careful. That is all part of learning to be a dad, being a parent. You need to protect your kids from seeing things you don’t want them to see. There are advantages to the internet and social media, but you don’t want to expose your kids to too much too young.”

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Kane is yet to be joined in Germany by his young family, with a house hunt in Bavaria having dragged on, but they will soon be reunited and the expectation is that stability off the pitch will help the record-breaking forward to take his game to even greater heights.

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Kane is already the all-time leading goalscorer for Tottenham and England, but a €100 million (£86m/$109m) transfer to Bayern was completed in a bid to get his hands on elusive major silverware – with the Bundesliga title holders in the hunt for another domestic crown and continental glory in the Champions League.

While United's manager has used his selection headaches as an excuse for failure, the Merseysiders brushed aside their injuries to win another trophy

Liverpool's Carabao Cup win over Chelsea was a tale of both senior leadership and youthful exuberance. One defining image was the sight of Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk lifting the trophy together. Klopp shook the club up and rebuilt it in his image while Van Dijk's defensive steel completed their transformation, delivering the latest in a long line of trophies with a towering header deep in extra-time.

The other takeaway was Liverpool's long cast of academy graduates, all born in 2003 or after, streaming off the bench and being utterly unawed by the occasion. As Gary Neville put it so succinctly: "Klopp's kids against the billion pound bottle jobs." Liverpool resembled the walking wounded last week, losing Diogo Jota, Cutis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah in the days before the final, in addition to the already-missing Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker.

And their injury crisis was aggravated during the game as Ryan Gravenberch, Andrew Robertson and Alexis Mac Allister were all forced off. But far from being knocked down by the absence of their best players, Liverpool rose to the occasion. "Liverpool have been absolutely sensational," Neville added. "Those young players have been incredible. Klopp must be so proud."

What a contrast to Neville's own club Manchester United, who had fallen apart against Fulham a day earlier after losing two players to injury. Erik ten Hag pointed to the key absences of Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund as he sought to explain their latest dire home display this season, but he is beginning to sound like a broken record.

After all, Liverpool have demonstrated that injuries do not matter if you have a clear playing identity and rally behind your coach.

GettySenior players not helping out

Ten Hag had taken a chance on youth the day before by handing 19-year-old Omari Forson his full debut against Fulham to cover the absence of Hojlund. It meant there were four academy graduates in the line-up (including three from the 2022 FA Youth Cup winning side) and four more on the bench.

No one could accuse the Dutchman, whose young Ajax team took the Champions League by storm, of not believing in young players. The difference was that while the likes of Van Dijk, Wataru Endo and Luis Diaz led the way for Liverpool, United's senior players shrunk.

Marcus Rashford was anonymous at centre-forward and Bruno Fernandes was incapable of sparking any danger, save for long-range shots. Casemiro and Harry Maguire were clumsy in the tackle and Victor Lindelof again looked lost trying to deputise for Shaw, whose absence for several months has left United with no natural left backs.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesYou win nothing with (just) kids

After the Carabao Cup triumph, Klopp said: "I got told outside you don't win trophies with kids. Write it new." The German was referring to former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen's infamous declaration on in August 1995 after watching United sink to a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on the opening day of the season.

Those words came back to haunt Hansen at the end of that season when a United team containing David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt went on to win the Premier League title and FA Cup.

But Hansen's words have been taken out of context. He meant you can't win anything with kids. The catalyst of that great double winning side, after all, was Eric Cantona, who was still suspended at the time for kicking a fan but who galvanised the team when he returned in October.

United have a lot of exciting young players such as Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo and Hojlund, but they badly lack a talismanic figure like Cantona. Current captain Fernandes has not scored a league goal since November, while Rashford is a shadow of the brilliant player who scored 30 times in all competitions last season.

Getty ImagesPressing problems

Another huge difference between United and Liverpool could be seen in the way the two teams are set up and work as a unit. Reds youngsters are educated in the art of 'Gegenpressing' from an early age, allowing the likes of Bradley and Bobby Clark to fit so seamlessly into Klopp's team. But United's senior players seem incapable of pressing together, allowing Fulham to repeatedly play their way through them at Old Trafford.

Fernandes is a big part of the problem as he is a free spirit, often blindly chasing down opponents and ruining United's shape. Jamie Carragher said recently: "He's emotional. He runs 30 yards to close the goalkeeper down. People sometimes get kidded by it and say, 'look at him working hard'. No, he's killing the team."

Neville has also criticised Fernandes' free role. "He must be told to go and do what you want. Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go there, there, there. And that means you can never have a combination or a pattern because you've got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch."

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(C)Getty ImagesLost without Martinez

Ten Hag has acknowledged that not all of his squad fully get his methods or understand what he wants them to do, which becomes a huge problem when just a few key players like Shaw, Hojlund or Lisandro Martinez are unavailable.

"They know what the routines are but definitely things are changed [with injuries]," he said after losing to Fulham. "Not everyone [gets the ideas], other players coming in, different identities, different skills, that is what we have to adapt as a team."

But the fact that a number of players are unable to implement his style and demonstrate the 'automatisms' he talks about ultimately falls on him. More than 18 months into the job, it is still unclear what Ten Hag's playing philosophy is. It seems that with a full squad available, he wants his team to play on the front foot, with Martinez and Andre Onana starting moves from their own area.

But when the Argentine is absent, as has been the case for most of the season, United seem only capable of playing on the counter, leaving Onana with little option but to launch the ball forward with long punts.

And without Hojlund, they have no one capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, leading to the hurried attacks they fashioned in the closing stages of each half against Fulham.

Carlo Ancelotti brushed aside speculation linking Real Madrid with a move for Kylian Mbappe and insisted that he remains focused on the job at hand.

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Mbappe continues to flirt with Real MadridAncelotti refused to be drawn in by rumoursInsisted balance is most important thing(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe has reportedly informed Paris Saint-Germain of his intention to depart the club, once he hits free agency in the summer. Real Madrid have been long-term admirers of the 2018 World Cup winner and after being snubbed on two occasions in the past, it seems that they would finally achieve their target.

AdvertisementWHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

However, Ancelotti remains unfazed about the growing speculations and told reporters: "I see and hear everything but nothing else. I understand that it’s the topic of the day for you but not for us. We have prepared for tomorrow’s game and that’s what we have talked about, not about anything else. I’d like to work on this season, there’s a long time to go before next season."

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Aurelien Tchouameni reached for the popcorn after Mbappe's bombshell exit news went viral. However, Ancelotti asserted that the ongoing speculations won't be a distraction for the squad as they continue to fight for silverware on multiple fronts.

"If I’m worried about Mbappe, do you see me worried?" he asked. "I think it’s going to be the same for the next few press conferences, I’m not worried."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Ancelotti currently has Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, Joselu, and Brahim Diaz at his disposal in attack, with Jude Bellingham firing on all cylinders in midfield in an extraordinary debut campaign in Madrid’s colours. When asked if the inclusion of Mbappe would disrupt the equilibrium of the squad he explained: "Yes, I agree that good players can play together, but the important thing is to keep the balance. The most important thing is quality and balance. If you combine those two aspects well, it’s good."

Real Madrid will be in action against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in a La Liga encounter.

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun scored on his return to Reims as Monaco stayed top of Ligue 1 with a comfortable 3-1 win.

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Balogun scores on return to ReimsMonaco stay top of Ligue 1USMNT striker gets standing ovation

Balogun got USMNT fans excited with his 21-goal league campaign with Reims last season, and it appears that he has hit the ground running at Monaco

The 22-year-old scored his third goal in five appearances for his new club since a €30 million (£26m/$32m) move from Arsenal, setting Monaco on their way to a 3-1 away win that keeps them top of the pile.

GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The opening stages of the match were certainly not for the purists; both sides could barely string more than a few passes together and instead exchanged petty fouls and misplaced passes.

It was starting to look like an extremely uneventful first half would end goalless, but Ismail Jakobs tore up that script when he side-footed home a few minutes before half-time.

If Balogun played a minor role in the opening goal – his presence in the middle of the penalty area forced the Reims defenders to leave Jakobs unmarked at the back post – he was the protagonist of the second.

Play had barely restarted when the 22-year-old found himself with grass to run into on the right of the box. Youssouf Fofana slipped Balogun in on goal and he kept his cool to rifle into the roof of the net, albeit via a slight deflection.

The youngster held his hands up in apology to his former fans, but moments later he was celebrating another goal. This time strike partner Wissam Ben Yedder applied the finishing touch, heading home Jakob's dangerous cross across goal.

Reims pulled one back from the penalty spot through Teddy Teuma, but it was Balogun and Monaco who emerged victorious in northeast France.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Balogun was a revelation in France last season, scoring 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances during a season-long loan at Reims from Arsenal. Finishing fourth in the scoring charts made clubs across Europe sit up and take notice, and it was Monaco who won the race to sign him.

There were some worries about whether Balogun would be able to replicate his scoring antics at a club with greater standards, expectations and pressure, but three goals in five appearances this term seem to have put those concerns to bed.

At Monaco, Balogun has already formed a partnership with veteran marksman Ben Yedder. The 33-year-old scored his 150th Ligue 1 goal on Saturday; there are probably worse strikers Balogun could learn from.

After suffering the embarrassment of missing two penalties in a 1-0 defeat to Nice a couple of weeks ago, Balogun has shown maturity and resilience in scoring in back-to-back outings.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter will be pleased that the youngster has now started three consecutive games for his new club, and that his goal-scoring exploits at Reims last season clearly wasn't just a flash in the pan.

Balogun has started all four of the USMNT matches he has featured in since making his senior debut in June, suggesting that Berhalter sees him as his best striking option.

That the 22-year-old has found his shooting boots in Monaco is only a good thing for the national team.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Folarin Balogun (7/10):

Balogun was a constant thorn in Reims' side, using his pace to lead dangerous counter-attacks and his technical ability to link up with Ben Yedder and Aleksandr Golovin.

The Arsenal academy graduate took his goal well, and would have bagged a brace had he not lost the ball under his feet moments after Reims pulled a goal back.

He did lose nine duels – more than any other player on the pitch – so that's something to work on.

New USWNT boss Emma Hayes delayed start with the U.S. poses an issue, per sporting director Matt Crocker, but the USSF is happy to wait for her.

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Emma Hayes delayed start presents issues for U.S. SoccerUSSF 'hopeful' Hayes can travel to meet squad

USWNT host China PR on December 2

WHAT HAPPENED?

In a press conference on Monday, Crocker said that despite the complications with the current situation regarding Hayes' status with the USWNT, he's 'hopeful' that the new boss will be able to visit the squad in Florida next week. The U.S. has a pair of December international friendlies against China PR to end the calendar year.

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Hayes is a picture-perfect hire for the USWNT, and the way they negotiated her contract, she will still end on good terms with her beloved Chelsea; it's an ideal scenario. The 47-year-old manager will still be on the touchline for at least four games prior to her first major tournament with the national team in the Paris Olympics, too. However, the one negative is that for any matches played in 2024 from January until the end of the WSL season, Hayes won't be on the bench with her squad.

WHAT CROCKER SAID

"It's not ideal Emma can’t start with us right away. But from my perspective, what was important is that we’ve got the best candidate for the long term rather than wrong candidate for short term," he said.

The USSF Sporting Director added: "We're just again working to final details around her schedule… it would be an ideal situation for her to come and meet the players and staff and we're very hopeful that that can happen."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HAYES AND THE USWNT?

The current Chelsea boss will continue out the WSL season with the Blues before joining up with the USWNT on a permanent basis in 2024. They're back in action on Thursday in the UEFA Women's Champions League against Paris FC. The U.S. meanwhile, announced the November camp roster Monday morning ahead of a pair of December friendlies against China PR.

Sam Kerr's long-standing record as the youngest player in A-Leagues history has been broken by 14-year-old Talia Younis.

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Younis came on for Western SydneyAged 14 years, 11 months and 26 daysBeats Kerr's record by 49 daysWHAT HAPPENED?

Kerr, a star for Australia and Chelsea, held the record as the youngest player to appear in the A-League, making her debut at the age of 15 for Perth Glory. Now, though, that has been broken by Talia Younis.

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Younis came on as a substitute for Western Sydney Wanderers at the age of 14, and she is 49 days younger than Kerr was when she made her bow for Perth. She is also the first player born after the inception of the competition in 2008 to make her maiden A-League appearance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Western Sydney required an exemption to allow Younis to play on Sunday, such is her age; she was born in 2008.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Western Sydney Wanderers' women's team play Western United on Saturday. It remains to be seen if Younis will start.