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Former Arsenal man Jermaine Pennant has told Football FanCast that Mikel Arteta could face issues if he relies too much on Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly during the business end of the Premier League season.

Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly now first-team regulars

Lewis-Skelly is now a regular name on the teamsheet for the Gunners, with the 18-year-old featuring in nine of the last ten Premier League games, most notably scoring the third goal in the 5-1 demolition of Manchester City at the beginning of February.

Despite being just 17, Nwaneri has also made 15 Premier League appearances this season, receiving increased game time amid the absence of Bukayo Saka, and the teenager has picked up two goals and one assist in his last four matches.

Breaking into the Arsenal first team at such a young age is no mean feat, and the duo’s performances indicate they could go on to be key players for Arteta in the years to come, but there are some concerns about their suitability for a title race.

Arsenal can sign striker with nearly 20 goals this season for £43m in July

The Gunners are still in the market for a centre-forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 18, 2025 Pennant skeptical about relying on youth

Speaking to Football Fancast, Pennant, who came through at Highbury at a similar age, has suggested it may be unwise to depend on the academy graduates as we enter the business end of the season, despite how highly he rates the pair.

West Ham (h)

February 22nd

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April 1st

Arteta’s side have a tough run of fixtures coming up, while they are also still to play Liverpool and Newcastle United in May, so it is understandable to have concerns about relying on young players.

However, the “fearless” duo have proven they can handle big matches already, setting a new record after both scoring in the 5-1 victory against Man City.

The potential return of Saka next month will allow Arteta to be a little less reliant on Nwaneri, but as suggested by Pennant, the lack of experience can also be a positive.

Having been uninvolved in the previous two title races, the young duo are less likely to be inhibited by the fear of failure, and they will be full of confidence after both putting in top-drawer performances against City earlier this month.

Olly Stone has the ability to bowl quickly and, even though it is April and wickets are tumbling everywhere, his career-best display at Edgbaston brought excitement

George Dobell15-Apr-2018
ScorecardIt generally pays to apply some scepticism to large hauls taken at this time of year. English pitches in April can flatter bowlers who might, on the surfaces prevalent in international cricket, look relatively toothless.But Olly Stone’s career-best haul against Sussex was a bit different. This haul was largely in spite of the surface – which was, inevitably in the circumstances, not especially quick – and not due as much to a ball that nibbled or swung much, but a ball that was propelled at unusual pace.The wicket of Luke Wright was especially eye-catching. Wright, an experienced international player, attempted to duck a well-directed short ball but could only manage to fend it off his face and to the keeper. It was the sort of dismissal that will have England coach Trevor Bayliss, watching the highlights in Australia, salivating. He has wanted such fire-power for some time.Taken in isolation, some of the other wickets might appear to owe something to fortune. Stiaan van Zyl, for example, edged his attempted upper cut to a short, wide delivery, while Michael Burgess’ impressive innings ended when he edged another attempted cut.But pace can provoke such errors. And, as Stone hurried and harried the batsmen, it became apparent that he rushed them as few can in English cricket at present. After a winter in which England’s lack of pace became painfully apparent – they have not won any of their most recent 13 Tests away from home – his success is timely.Stone has long been well thought off by the England management. He represented England U19, he has been on fast bowling programmes and he was invited to bowl at the Ashes squad during the recent Australia tour, when he was in the country playing club cricket. His success does not come out of the blue.Olly Stone in his Northants days•Getty ImagesBut there had been doubts over his fitness. This was only his second Championship match since a potentially career ending injury sustained in June 2016 (he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament when celebrating the wicket of Moeen Ali in a T20 game against Worcestershire) and to respond so dramatically – he has taken all six wickets to fall so far – was hugely encouraging.It took Stone only two deliveries to make the breakthrough. Phil Salt, who until then had looked comfortable, was undone by some late swing as he attempted to turn a fall delivery into the leg side only to see it take his leading edge and send a catch to point. Luke Wells wafted at one that may have left him a fraction and Harry Finch attempted to hook one that bounced more than he expected, took the top-edge and looped to short-leg. In conditions where the ball stopped swinging pretty early – Warwickshire’s bowlers felt the wet outfield was the cause – he continued to pitch the ball up, went round the wicket to the left handers and used the short ball sparingly but effectively. Four of the wickets came from shortish deliveries; Sussex’s top five were all dismissed in his first spell.Is talk of an England call-up premature? Maybe. Certainly Stone will have to back this performance up a couple of times before the first Test squad is picked in just over a month. But at a time when there is an acceptance that a new formula is required by England, Stone has skills that render him one to be watched.

While the likes of Northants may not have excelled in Championship cricket of late, so long as they continue to produce players, they serve a valuable function.

There are other options, of course. There’s Jamie Overton at Somerset. There’s Zak Chappell at Leicestershire. There’s the Toms – Barber and Helm – at Middlesex and a few more (George Garton, Josh Tongue, Stuart Meaker, Mark Wood etc) besides. But some of them aren’t playing and some of them aren’t taking wickets. A good few weeks here could catapult any of them into the mix. Stone’s early impression is not irrelevant.If nothing else, though, this performance – on his home, Championship debut – marked a heartening step forward. He has endured a long wait since that miserable day when he sustained the injury. There were, he admits, a few dark moments when he wondered if he would ever make it back. Few would begrudge him this success.It might also serve as a reminder of the value of the ‘smaller’ counties. Stone, like Ben Duckett, developed through the Northants youth system. While the likes of Northants and Leicestershire (where Chappell is developing nicely) may not have excelled in Championship cricket of late, so long as they continue to produce players, they serve a valuable function. It’s also worth noting the contribution of Norfolk – and the other non-first-class counties – where Stone’s journey began.Earlier Warwickshire went within one run of gaining a third batting bonus point before Ishant Sharma punished Tim Ambrose’s attempt to flick one into the leg side. Still the thenth-wicket stand of 77 had taken Warwickshire’s total far above what seemed likely when they sank to 147 for six mid-way through day two. It is just a shame that the rain that robbed us of the first four sessions of the match returned for much of the third and looks certain to have the final word.

Wolverhampton Wanderers crashed out of the Carabao Cup after a disastrous loss to Ipswich Town at Portman Road, with Gary O’Neil’s side suffering a 3-2 defeat to the Championship outfit.

Journalist Steve Madley described the fortune of the game as “infuriating”, as O’Neil’s side looked to be the squad in the second-tier for the majority of the tie, in a result that saw them exit the cup early on.

The manager made 10 changes from his side that played in the draw against Luton Town last weekend, switches that proved to be costly as the squad struggled to maintain their fast start.

Who scored for Wolves against Ipswich Town?

It was an opening 15 minutes that Wolves could have only dreamed of considering their lacklustre start to the season, as Hwang Hee-Chan netted his fourth goal of the 2023/24 campaign after just four minutes played.

The Korean’s goal was quickly followed by the Old Gold’s second, as Toti Gomes put the visitors 2-0 up early into proceedings, marking their dominance over the heavily-rotated Championship side.

At the point of the second goal, it seemed as though O’Neil’s squad had already started their trip back to the Midlands, as the hosts got back into the game before halftime via goals from Chelsea loanee Omari Hutchinson and Freddie Ladapo.

After the interval, Wolves’ hard work in the opening minutes was ripped apart, as Jack Taylor put Ipswich ahead with an ambitious strike and some questionable goalkeeping by Dan Bentley, who had a shocking night.

The Express and Star’s Liam Keen stressed in his match report that the keeper “could have done better” for the third goal, as well as the second as he earned an inadequate Sofascore match rating of just 6.0.

While it was more difficult to pick out the better performers from the poor on the night, one player suffered as much as Bentley, as O’Neil handed Santiago Bueno his full-debut for Wolves.

How did Santiago Bueno play against Ipswich?

Signed on deadline day from Girona, the lightweight defender was thrown into the mix in the cup, with the hope that he could show his worth against a theoretically lesser opposition.

That was far from the case as the defender was shunned by Talking Wolves founder Matt Cooper as enduring a “tough debut”, which was matched by his notable frailties in the back line.

The £30k-per-week Uruguayan won just four out of eight of his attempted ground duels, as well as losing possession five times and committing two fouls in the heart of defence, via Sofascore.

While his numbers were far from impressive, his lack of game time of late shone through, as he was beaten to the ball by Hutchinson for the Blues’ opener, where he was criticised for looking “flat-footed” by journalist Steve Madeley.

With Manchester City up next in the league, Wolves fans expressed their upset at Tuesday night’s result, as fan account ‘Official Wolves Fans’ described the squad as being “disjointed”, which was a fair account of the evening’s entertainment.

To look so out of place on his debut against a side in the Championship was a worrying sight for Bueno and Wolves, however on what was a pitiful night for all associated with Molineux, the 24-year-old will have a shot at redemption in the future.

The West Indies pacer said hitting the right lengths helped extract good bounce from a slow surface

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jun-2018Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel commended the West Indies bowlers for making best use of a pitch that was on the slower side, but had enough bounce to keep the batsmen on their toes. Gabriel led the way, snaring his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket and helping bowl Sri Lanka out for 253 on the opening day of the second Test in St Lucia.Dinesh Chandimal had chosen to bat first, the Sri Lanka captain judging the surface to be a good one. But Gabriel provided a preview of things to come when, with just his second delivery, he squared up the debutant Mahela Udawatte with a short of length delivery that jagged away, and had him fending to first slip. He finished with 5 for 59, while Kemar Roach took 4 for 49. Gabriel said hitting that ideal length to generate bounce was key to West Indies’ success.”I think I went out there this morning and concentrated on putting the ball in the right areas, because we knew there was a bit [in the pitch] this morning,” Gabriel said. “Thankfully, things went my way today. I think it was a little slow, but you’re still getting that bounce, so it was important to hit the right areas and the right length. Most of the guys did that today… Roach bowled well this morning, didn’t get the success he deserved.”West Indies took three wickets in the morning session – two for Gabriel and one for Roach. Gabriel could have had a third had Shane Dowrich held on to a leaping catch off the last ball before lunch. Kusal Mendis got an edge on an attempted ramp to a short ball, Dowrich jumped but could only tip the ball over his head for four.Gabriel claimed one more wicket in the post-lunch session by hitting the same back-of-length spot, when he found the shoulder of Roshen Silva’s bat and had him edging to third slip. Roach had more success as the day progressed, getting three wickets in the final session. Despite the dominance of the fast bowlers, Gabriel was also impressed with Devendra Bishoo’s performance and expected the spinners to play a central role later in the game.”I just thought Bishoo was good today, more consistent with his line and length, so hopefully as the game goes on he can play a bigger part.”After the bowlers had played their part, West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Devon Smith saw off the two overs before stumps without any damage. “I think once we get good weather and the sun comes out, it will dry out a bit,” Gabriel said. “And once our batsmen apply themselves and bat long, I think we will be capable of putting up a good score in the first innings.”

Newcastle United have been heavily linked with a move for Valencia star Javi Guerra in recent weeks, and a reliable journalist has now shared the chances of him moving to the Premier League in January.

Who is Javi Guerra?

Guerra is naturally a central midfielder who has plied his trade at the Mestalla Stadium since his childhood days having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first-team, and it’s fair to say he’s impressed in the senior fold.

Spain’s youth international has firmly established himself as Ruben Baraja’s second best-performing offensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Valencia statistics), so despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, he’s caught the eye at St. James’ Park.

The Magpies are reportedly one of the clubs to have been monitoring the 20-year-old since the start of the new term, but the same outlet state that his side are relaxed about their stance considering that he has a €100m (£86m) release clause included in his deal.

The La Liga outfit’s sporting director, Miguel Angel Corona, has even since warned his admirers that he’s not for sale, and whilst there will no doubt be a temptation to test his resolve, PIF and Eddie Howe don’t seem too convinced at this moment in time.

Are Newcastle signing Javi Guerra?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Newcastle could well be scouting Guerra alongside Manchester United, but right now, they are not considering an approach in January. He said:

"Javi Guerra – A report yesterday linked this promising Valencia youngster with Manchester United and Newcastle, but as far as I’m aware there is nothing concrete.

"Valencia consider him key player for present and future so not something concrete at this stage. More than five top clubs are scouting him but nothing else yet. For sure, he’s an excellent talent with top potential, so one to watch for the future."

How good is Javi Guerra?

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Guerra is an “orchestrator” for the way he dictates the game from the centre of the park, and considering the instrumental impact he makes in the final third, Newcastle securing his services next year would be a massive coup for the outfit in the northeast.

The Gilet native, who is sponsored by Adidas, has seven contributions (five goals and two assists) to his name in 45 appearances since the start of his career, but even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he still poses a constant threat to the opposition’s defence.

Guerra ranks in the 98th percentile for successful take-ons so loves to dribble past his marker and take aim, as he’s also recorded ten shots so far this season, which is the second-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef, making this a no-brainer of a deal to pursue should the opportunity present itself in January.

Sunderland were once a fractured club and the years that preceded their relegation to League One in 2018 were a damning inclination that the club were on a rapid decline.

In the early to mid 2010s, there was an ever-growing disconnect between the club and supporters as ill-fated managerial appointments and disastrous transfer dealings were ultimately the root cause of their demise.

While the likes of Jack Rodwell, Didier Ndong and Adnan Januzaj swallowed up the majority of the wage bill and contributed to their plight, the Black Cats were prone to missing out on talent who could have prevented their sinking ship from drowning.

One star who slipped through their net was centre-back Toby Alderweireld during Gus Poyet's tenure at the club.

According to Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws [via talkSPORT], the Black Cats had agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid to sign the Belgium international, with a view to making a move permanent the following year.

Alderweireld wasn't convinced by the project at Sunderland and rejected the transfer. He ended up joining Southampton on loan, playing 26 games for the club in the 2014/15 season and ultimately attracted interest from Tottenham, who snapped him up on a permanent deal from Atletico in 2015.

Another example of one who got away during this period was Georginio Wijnaldum.

Did Sunderland almost sign Georginio Wijnaldum?

According to the Guardian, Sunderland had lodged an £11m bid for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer of 2015.

The report detailed that their manager at the time, Dick Advocaat, had made contact with the club to register an interest in the 24-year-old.

Unfortunately, the Dutch manager was unable to persuade Wijnaldum to move to Wearside and instead, arch-rivals Newcastle United swooped in with a £14.4m offer to lure him to Tyneside.

With Newcastle winning that particular transfer battle, the "superb" Wijnaldum – as dubbed by Toon legend Alan Shearer – would go on to have a tremendous campaign, registering 16 contributions as the Magpies suffered relegation to the Championship.

Before joining Liverpool and staying in the Premier League, the Dutchman found room to become a cult hero on Tyneside, notably scoring four goals in one game against Norwich.

How good was Wijnaldum at Liverpool?

After snapping him up for £25m in 2016, he quickly became a crucial cog in Jurgen Klopp's gegenpressing system with the German dubbing him as "sensational" and insisting that he was the "architect of our success".

Wijnaldum made 237 appearances across a glittering five-year spell at Liverpool, playing crucial roles in their Champions League triumph in 2019 and in winning their elusive Premier League title in 2020.

The Reds came from 3-0 down in first leg to win 4-3 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona and Wijnaldum's contribution on the night will go down in the club's folklore for eternity.

He produced two moments of brilliance to flip the game on its head and all but single-handedly break Barca's spirit as Liverpool triumphed on the greatest European night Anfield has ever seen.

Remembered for showing up on the biggest stages and missed for the explosive power, sensational ball-carrying and insane press resistance that he brought to Klopp's midfield trio, the Reds have only just replaced those crucial attributes with the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer.

One of the German's most important signings in his first summer at the helm, the long-lasting legacy that Wijnaldum left behind following his departure from the club to Paris Saint Germain in 2021 is encapsulated by how long it took for the club to truly replace his world-class attributes. Just imagine had he been able to showcase those initially at the Stadium of Light…

Christian Pulisic scored a goal and drew a red card against Slavia Prague as AC Milan seized a first-leg advantage in the Europa League.

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Pulisic scores late goal for MilanDraws red card in first halfRossoneri defeat 10-man Slavia Prague 4-2GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

It was a chaotic affair, which certainly wasn't what Milan were going for. What could have, and probably should have, been a relatively straightforward win turned into a battle that nearly set up a fierce second leg.

After a tense start, the game totally opened up in the 24th minute when Malick Diouf was sent off for a studs-up tackle on Pulisic. Olivier Giroud scored shortly after for Milan, but the lead lasted just two minutes before David Doudera scored a stunner for the guests to level things at 1-1.

Milan, though, appeared to put things to bed before halftime. Tijani Reijnders restored the advantage in the 44th minute before Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, sending Milan to the break with a 3-1 lead – and a man advantage.

Slavia refused to roll over, though. Ivan Schranz's goal in the 65th minute set up a frantic finish, not just for the match but for the two leg-tie. Late on, though, Pulisic was able to add a bit of breathing room, finishing off a fantastic Rafael Leao move to secure the 4-2 win and the advantage heading into next week.

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Having been knocked out of the Coppa Italia and with Scudetto hopes looking slimmer by the week, the Europa League is Milan's best chance at winning a trophy this season.

They'll be disappointed not to have put the tie to bed on Thursday, particularly with the two-goal and one-man advantage heading into the second half, but Milan will still hold the upper hand when they head to the Czech Republic for the second leg thanks to Pulisic's late goal.

Away goals are not active in this year's edition of European competition, so the two strikes from Slavia Prague on Thursday hold no special advantage beyond the accumulated total from both legs.

Getty ImagesUSMNT IMPACT

Pulisic put in another big-time performance just days after a wild game against Lazio. In that match, he drew two of Lazio's three red cards, and he was back in amongst it on Thursday as he drew yet another red.

Leao should get much of the credit for the goal, having done most of the heavy lifting prior to Pulisic's finish. The American, however, does deserve credit for being in the right place at the right time, even if Leao's initial shot almost certainly would have gone in regardless.

The goal was Pulisic's second in Europe this season, having scored in a 2-1 Champions League win over Newcastle back in December. In total, he now has nine goals in all competitions this season, having been one of the stars of Milan's season so far.

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GOAL'S RATINGS

Chrsitian Pulisic (8/10):

Drew the red card and got the goal. Even outside of that, though, he had several good moments against an undermanned opponent as he put in a quality shift for the Rossoneri.

Yunus Musah (N/A):

Did not get off the bench as Stefano Pioli focused all but one of his subs on the attack and defense.

A series win will see the ninth-ranked West Indies swap places with the eighth-ranked Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jul-2018Shimron Hetmyer has recovered from the illness that kept him out of West Indies’ last Test against Sri Lanka to return to the squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh.Left-handed batsman Hetmyer was not picked in the XI for the first two Tests of the series against Sri Lanka, before being taken ill ahead of the third Test. Keemo Paul, the right-arm fast bowler who had replaced Hetmyer in the squad, keeps his place in the squad.There was only one change, with the uncapped reserve wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton left out.West Indies Squad

Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith

West Indies drew the series against Sri Lanka 1-1. They won the first Test by 226 runs, while a somewhat rain-affected second Test was drawn, but Sri Lanka came back well in the final match for a four-wicket win.While commending the team for the performance against Sri Lanka, the West Indies selection panel said they wanted more runs from the top-order. The selection panel “expects to see a greater effort from the top 5 batters and see them return to the focus and discipline we know they are capable of in the upcoming series against Bangladesh… We congratulate the team on a drawn series [against Sri Lanka] but recognise that victory was within our reach. The selection panel also acknowledge and commend the strong performances of captain Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel and man of the series Shane Dowrich.”This series is also an opportunity for West Indies to go past Bangladesh in the Test rankings. Bangladesh are currently in eighth position with 75 points, with West Indies ninth on 72 points. A win for the home side will see them overtake Bangladesh, while a drawn series will maintain the status quo. Bangladesh will remain in the eighth spot even if they win 2-0, though they will narrow the gap with seventh-ranked Pakistan.

A "wonderful" West Ham United player is reportedly "ready to leave" after being left unhappy with the club's latest offer of a new contract.

West Ham contract news

In the last few weeks, David Moyes and the Hammers board have been attempting, and often succeeding to tie down their most important senior and young stars with new deals. Star winger Jarrod Bowen, who recently put pen to paper on a contract extension till 2030, has committed his long-term future at the London Stadium and looks set to remain for many years to come.

The England international was reportedly attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, so this will come as a huge boost for West Ham, a fact not lost on Moyes who recently heralded the news.

“We’re delighted Jarrod has agreed a new deal. It’s a brilliant piece of business from the club to tie him down to a new long-term contract,” he said to the West Ham website.

“His goal in Prague will live long in the memory for everyone connected to West Ham – it’s given him a platform to go from strength to strength and we’re really reaping the benefits, he’s getting better and better. He’s a fantastic boy and an outstanding professional – I’m sure his positive progress will continue over the course of his new contract.”

The Irons also tied down promising young teenager Dan Rigge, coming as more brilliant news, but the same cannot be said for midfielder Tomas Soucek. The Czech Republic midfielder could apparently be sold in January if talks over an extension don't take a positive turn, with Football Insider recently claiming that discussions have stalled over the last year.

Ben Johnson contract update

Midfielders Pablo Fornals and Conor Coventry also look likely to leave upon the expiry of their contracts next summer. Now, according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, young defender Ben Johnson can be added to the list of 2024 departees.

They claim that the Englishman is "ready to leave" east London after being left unhappy over West Ham's latest new contract offer. Johnson, despite "wanting to stay", will apparently quit the club along with Coventry. He's likely to remain until the summer unless West Ham sign another full-back in January.

Plays the ball off the ground often

Likes to play long balls

Likes to cross

The 23-year-old, who's started just one EFL Cup match this season, has been praised for his contribution in past seasons by former West Ham coach and ex-England international Stuart Pearce.

"The most important thing about Ben is whenever you pass him or meet him first thing in the morning, he's got a smile on his face. He takes in all the knowledge you can pass on to him," said Pearce.

"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with. We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy.

"I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."

Hannah Hampton posed for pictures with fans after Chelsea's UWCL win over Ajax as others called for her to become England's starting goalkeeper.

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Hampton kept first UWCL clean sheetChelsea fans sing goalkeeper's praisesEngland competition for Earps heats up WHAT HAPPENED?

Hampton kept the first Women's Champions League clean sheet of her career as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 win over Ajax in Amsterdam in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. Vocal travelling Blues fans made their feelings clear about her international prospects after the final whistle, claiming that she is already England's best stopper.

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Hampton's decision to join Chelsea last summer was questioned when the Blues had already agreed to sign Belgium international Nicky Evrard on top of existing goalkeeping stars Zecira Musovic and Ann-Katrin Berger, especially when she spent the first two portion of the season sat on the bench. But the 23-year-old was given her WSL chance in the final game before Christmas – a 3-0 win over Bristol City – and hasn't looked back.

She has started every league game since and and was afforded only her second European appearance during this week's trip to the Netherlands. Establishing herself as Chelsea's regular starter is positioning Hampton, described by Emma Hayes as "absolutely superb" against Manchester City in the recent Conti Cup semi-final, as genuine competition to Mary Earps for England's number one shirt ahead of Euro 2025 next summer, with the Lionesses seeking to retain their title from 2022. The rapidly emerging Khiara Keating is doing something similarly impressive at Manchester City.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HAMPTON?

Now that she has ascended to No.1, Hampton will be focused on keeping her Chelsea place for the remainder of this season and beyond. The next few months could well bring a historic quadruple, with the Blues in control of the WSL title race, set to contest the Conti Cup final on March 31, into the FA Cup semi-finals and targeting the elusive Champions League as Hayes prepares to bow out.

There is no summer tournament for England this year, but six Euro 2025 qualifiers between early April and mid-July could give three-cap Hampton, an unused member of Sarina Wiegman's squads at both Euro 2022 and last summer's World Cup, the chance to begin staking her international claim.