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English football generates around £9 billion a year, yet 94% of clubs across its top five men’s divisions are operating at a loss, according to a landmark report from the Independent Football Regulator (IFR). The watchdog’s first draft State of the Game report, published on Tuesday, 13 October, paints a troubling picture of a sport whose commercial success has failed to provide financial security for many of its clubs. Its findings reveal that 32 clubs could not survive more than 30 days without continued financial support from their owners. Seventeen would remain loss-making even if they paid nothing in player wages. The figures raise an uncomfortable question for English football: how can a game generating billions in revenue leave so many of its clubs dependent on their owne...

Matheus Cunha rescued Manchester United with an 89th-minute equaliser as Michael Carrick’s side escaped Craven Cottage with a 1-1 draw against Fulham. Lisandro Martínez’s own goal had put Fulham ahead midway through the second half and Álvaro Arbeloa’s side were within minutes of their first Premier League victory of the season. But Cunha’s speculative effort took a heavy deflection off David Affengruber and left Bernd Leno wrong-footed, denying Fulham at the end of a match in which both teams had opportunities to take all three points. For Manchester United, the late goal prevented a third defeat in the space of a week. It did not, however, disguise another uneven performance. A surprisingly open first half The opening minutes gave little indication of what was to ...

Alexander Isak scored the only goal as Liverpool battled to a 1-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The Sweden striker struck in the 57th minute after Cody Gakpo created the opening down the right, giving Andoni Iraola a winning return to his former club and Liverpool three valuable points before the international break. It was not Liverpool at their most fluent. Bournemouth were the stronger side during the opening stages and made the visitors work hard, but Iraola’s team gradually grew into the contest before showing enough defensive discipline to protect their lead. Bournemouth set the early tempo Bournemouth began with considerably more intensity and Liverpool initially struggled to get a foothold in the game. The home side pressed aggressively, com...

For Coventry City, this was never going to feel like an ordinary three points. Jay Dasilva’s second-half goal at Nottingham Forest gave the Sky Blues a 1-0 victory and their first Premier League win in 25 years. It also brought their first goal and first points since returning to the top flight this summer. After four league defeats and a difficult introduction to life back among England’s leading clubs, Frank Lampard’s side finally had something tangible to show for their work. Dasilva delivers the breakthrough The decisive moment arrived in the 55th minute at the City Ground. Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth launched an accurate long pass towards Dasilva, who controlled the ball, moved beyond Daniel Muñoz and finished past Matz Sels. It was Dasilva’s first goal in 127 Co...

Chelsea and Manchester City have named their teams for this afternoon’s FA Cup final at Wembley, with both managers making major calls for the showpiece. Pep Guardiola brings Rodri back into the Manchester City midfield, while Erling Haaland returns to lead the line after being rested in midweek. Omar Marmoush is also handed a start in attack, with Rayan Cherki left out of the XI. For Chelsea, Robert Sanchez returns in goal after recovering from the head injury he sustained against Nottingham Forest. Captain Reece James is also fit to start and is expected to operate in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo. Kick-off at Wembley is at 3pm BST. Chelsea team news Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane has gone with Sanchez in goal, with Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato formin...

Manchester City team:  Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Marmoush, Foden, Haaland Subs: Ortega Moreno, Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Reis, Savinho, O’Reilly, Lewis, McAtee Chelsea team:  Sanchez, James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Enzo, Madueke, Palmer Sancho, Jackson Subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Acheampong, Tosin, Gusto, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Nkunku, Guiu Manchester City vs Chelsea kicks off at the Etihad Stadium at 17:30 GMT on Saturday 25th of January 2025.

Leicester team: Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Winks, Soumare, El Khannouss, Mavididi, Buonanotte, Vardy. Subs: Iversen, Okoli, Wilson-Brown, Thomas, Skipp, Choudhury, De Cordova-Reid, Alves; Daka. Manchester City team: Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Savinho, Foden; Haaland. Subs: Carson, Walker, Grealish, Doku, Gundogan, Simpson-Pusey, Mubama, O’Reilly, McAtee. Foxes make two changes Ruud van Nistelrooy adjusts his Leicester line-up following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool. Goalscorer Jordan Ayew is swapped out for Facundo Buonanotte, while Jamie Vardy comes in to replace Patson Daka. City make one change Pep Guardiola alters his Manchester City line-up from the 1-1 draw against Everton, bringing Kevin De Bruyne back into the...

Brighton team: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Julio, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Ayari, Rutter; Adingra, Welbeck, Mitoma Subs: Steele, Gruda, Pedro, Enciso, Moder, Baleba, Wieffer, Ferguson, O’Riley Manchester City team: Ederson; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol, Lewis; Kovacic, Gundogan, Nunes; Savinho, Haaland, Foden Subs: Ortega, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Akanji, Wright, O’Reilly, McAtee, Wilson-Esbrand Adingra in Brighton XI, Pedro and O’Riley on the bench Brighton make a single change from the side that lost to Liverpool. With Ferdi Kadioglu out of the squad, Simon Adingra takes his place on the right wing. The Seagulls’ bench brings good news, as Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley are both available as they work back from injury. Lewis Dunk remains sidelined, while Carlos Baleba is ...

West Ham team: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Rodriguez, Soucek, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen, Antonio. Subs: Foderingham, Cresswell, Soler, Coufal, Mavropanos, Guilherme, Ings, Irving, Scarles. Everton team: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Mangala, Gueye, Doucoure, Ndiaye, Lindstrom, Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Virginia, Begovic, Patterson, Keane, Harrison, Beto, O’Brien, Armstrong, Bates. Soucek and Antonio return to West Ham’s starting XI Under-pressure manager Julen Lopetegui has made two adjustments to his West Ham lineup following their 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Konstantinos Mavropanos is left out, and with Edson Alvarez suspended, Michail Antonio and Tomas Soucek are brought into the starting eleven. Doucoure and Branthwaite enter Everton’s...

Newcastle Utd team: Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Willock, Isak, Gordon Subs: Dubravka, Tonali, Barnes, Krafth, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, A.Murphy, Miley Arsenal team: Raya; Partey, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Merino, Trossard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli Subs: Neto, White, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Sterling, Nwaneri, Jesus Tonali on the bench, Gordon and Willock in the starting XI Newcastle make three changes from the side that faced Chelsea last Sunday. In a somewhat unexpected move, Sandro Tonali is on the bench, with Sean Longstaff stepping into midfield. Anthony Gordon returns to the Premier League line-up as Harvey Barnes moves to the bench, and former Arsenal player Joe Willock replaces Miguel Almiron. Gabriel and Saliba return ...

RB Leipzig team: Gulacsi; Geetruida, Orban, Lukeba; Henrichs, Vermeeren, Haidara, Nusa; Simons, Sesko; Openda Subs: Vandevoort, Bitshiabu, Elmas, Poulsen, Baumgartner, Silva, Kampl, Gebel Liverpool team: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez Substitutes: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Quansah, Robertson, Endo, Jones, Morton, Nyoni, Diaz, One change for Leipzig Henrichs replaces Klosterman Nunez, Mac Allister, and Tsimikas start for Liverpool With Diogo Jota unavailable due to injury, Darwin Nunez leads the attack. Alexis Mac Allister is back in the starting team, replacing Curtis Jones, while Kostas Tsimikas comes in for Andy Robertson. RB Leipzig vs Liverpool in Champions League Round 1 kicks off at the Red Bull Arena at ...

Wolves team: Sa; Semedo, Bueno, Dawson, Toti, Ait-Nouri, Andre, Lemina, J Gomes, Cunha, Larsen. Subs: Bentley, Doherty, R Gomes, Doyle, Sarabia, Forbs, Bellegarde, Guedes, Lima. Manchester City team: Ederson, Lewis, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Savinho, Doku, Haaland. Subs: Ortega Moreno, Carson, Ake, Grealish, Akanji, Nunes, Foden, O’Reilly, McAtee. Wolves make two changes Jose Sa is back in the starting line-up for Wolves, with Sam Johnstone missing from the squad. Gary O’Neil has also tweaked the formation, adding Santi Bueno as a third centre-back, replacing Carlos Forbs. Savinho and Doku named in Man City starting XI Manchester City have made three alterations to the team that defeated Fulham before the international break. John Stones replaces Manuel Aka...