Arsenal and Manchester City enjoyed important away victories at Liverpool and Tottenham respectively to keep pace with Women’s Super League leaders and defending champions Chelsea.

Vivianne Miedema, who sat out 312 days with an anterior cruciate ligament injury before making an October comeback, netted her first goal since December 2022 at the hour mark of Arsenal’s 2-0 victory at Prenton Park.

Leah Williamson returned from her own ACL recovery as a substitute in Arsenal’s midweek Conti Cup victory over Reading and was named in the Gunners squad by boss Jonas Eidevall – celebrating both his 41st birthday and 100 games in charge – but did not play.

January signing and player of the match Emily Fox was instrumental in the build-up to both goals, Arsenal�…

Thursday in Tokyo sees three of the United States flagship teams in the limelight.

The USA s women s football team were stunned by Canada in the semi-finals to compound a disappointing tournament that also saw them well beaten by Sweden in the group stage.

Megan Rapinoe and her team-mates can salvage something from the Olympics in the bronze medal match against Australia.

The men s basketball team also have Australia for company in their semi-final, while the US baseball team are similarly still in contention for gold as they take on Korea Republic in the final four.

Here, Stats Perform looks at these and other potential highlights on day 13, where the men s 400 metres final is the showpiece event in the Olympic Stadium.

KING JAMES SET FOR SECOND …

There are many things fans might not like regarding the MLS. The fact that there is no promotion-relegation system might create a stir on some of the “traditional” football fans, who believe one team should be punished from having a poor season, while the ones from the lower categories should be rewarded for their success. The lack of importance given to the playoffs – the stage where the trophy is ACTUALLY decided – could become a cause of concern, too.

However, there is one particular thing that is becoming quite disturbing regarding the MLS. And that’s none other than their expansion system. At first it seemed nice to add more teams, but right now the league has gotten crazy. And there are no signs of it stopping any time soon.

How did the expansion process ca…

According to Fabrizio Romano, the future of Bayern Munich s Matthijs de Ligt is currently uncertain. The Dutch defender feels he hasn t been playing enough under Thomas Tuchel, but with Tuchel set to leave the club at the end of the season, whether De Ligt is allowed to leave too will up to the new head coach, once the Bavarians make their choice on that front.

Once a hot prospect from the famous Ajax academy, the 24-year-old spent three seasons with Juventus before joining Bayern for €67 million in 2022. However, things haven t been going very well for him this season of the 22 Bundesliga matches Bayern have played so far, he was a part of the starting XI in just nine, due to injuries and Tuchel s preference towards Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, now Eric Dier as well.

…

Former Bayern Munich defender Rafinha has returned to Europe with Olympiacos after a brief stint with Flamengo.

Rafinha, 34, joined Flamengo in June 2019 and enjoyed a trophy-laden spell that included the Campeonato Brasileiro and Copa Libertadores last year.

But, following coach Jorge Jesus decision to move back over the Atlantic Ocean to re-join Benfica, Rafinha has also opted to return to Europe, where he had previously spent 14 years of his career.

The former Brazil international spent five seasons with Schalke from 2005, before a solitary campaign in Italy at Genoa.

He then joined Bayern in 2011 and was there until completing his move to Flamengo last year.

Μέλος της οικογένειας του Ολυμπιακού ο Ραφίνια…

Pep Guardiola is the world s best coach despite Manchester City s Champions League exit, according to Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde.

The Premier League champions were eliminated by Tottenham after a remarkable quarter-final, exiting on the away-goals rule following a 4-4 aggregate draw.

Guardiola has faced some criticism over City s failure, but is a two-time winner of the competition as a coach, leading Barcelona to the title in 2009 and 2011.

Valverde said the Spaniard, who could lead City to a treble this season, was the world s best tactician in his eyes.

For me, the best coach is Pep Guardiola, no doubt about that, he told a news conference on Friday.

FULL-TIME | We gave it everything.

 4-3 (4-4)

— Manchester City (@M…

While the Manchester derby might steal most of Sunday’s headlines, we have a stacked schedule from across Europe’s elite this weekend.

With a host of eye-catching affairs from the likes of Ligue 1 and Serie A, we have taken a look at a pair of intriguing Sunday betting markets that are available.

14:00 Brest vs Le Havre

While Brest might have spent the majority of last season looking over their shoulder at a looming Ligue 1 relegation scrap, Sunday’s hosts have enjoyed a stunning domestic flurry this time around. In the midst of what has been a history-making flurry and with the mood in Eric Roy’s camp at a real high, the Pirates will certainly be smelling the chance to make another statement here.

Remarkably opening this weekend’s fixtures s…

Simone Inzaghi wants Inter to take their anger out on Juventus when they do battle in the Derby d’Italia at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

The Nerazzurri have slipped from the top of the table to third after winning just one of their past seven Serie A games.

Inter are six points behind leaders Milan with a game in hand and in-form Juve will move above the champions if they win the derby in Turin.

Head coach Inzaghi expects his side to show what they are made of in such a huge game after the international break.

He told reporters on Saturday: We have only been back in full training for two days. Yesterday we trained well, we need anger, but also character.

We know that in the last seven games we have lost points and results, rather than perfo…

Eintracht Frankfurt clinched a place in the Europa League final and ended West Ham s dream run as Rafael Borre netted in a 1-0 win over the 10-man visitors.

David Moyes team had Aaron Cresswell sent off for preventing a clear goalscoring chance early on, before Borre put Oliver Glasner s hosts in front with a neat finish after 26 minutes.

West Ham struggled to create clear-cut chances despite putting in a spirited performance, as their strong European run came to a disappointing end with a 3-1 aggregate defeat.

Despite sitting 11th in the Bundesliga, Frankfurt could end the campaign by securing a major European trophy and a spot in next season s Champions League by winning the May 18 final in Seville.

After a scrappy start, West Ham were dealt a huge blo…

Football has produced few more divisive figures than Diego Maradona.

The Argentina great died on Wednesday at the age of 60 following a cardiac arrest and, while opinions on his legacy may differ depending on where you live, his remarkable impression on the game is undoubted.

The abiding image of Maradona for most likely stems from the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England.

For so many in England, he will forever be remembered for arguably the most controversial goal in the history of football, which saw the diminutive Maradona somehow rise above the comparatively towering figure of Peter Shilton and divert a sliced clearance from Steve Hodge into the empty net with his hand.

But that act of what can at best be considered deceit did n…