Former Manchester United goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain described City’s win as a “huge statement” to Europe’s elite.

“They didn’t just win by luck, they didn’t just rely on their goalkeeper to keep them in it, they fully deserved to win the game and win the game comfortably,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“That is going to give them so much confidence in any competition they are playing in this season.

“It’s a huge statement, a brilliant performance, a brilliant result and one that will remain in their record books and will be talked about for a long, long time.”

From the start, City pressed Barcelona and put pressure on the defence and goalkeeper Cata Coll.

As well as Layzell’s aggression down the right, Lauren Hemp was a constant threat on the left, Khadija Shaw was through the centre and Yui Hasegawa was a strong foundation in midfield.

Barcelona, usually so composed and intimidating, were not allowed to settle and though they improved in the second half, they were caught out by Layzell’s well-timed pass for Shaw which confirmed City’s victory with just over 10 minutes to go.

“But if you want to talk about winning competitions and tournaments, it needs to be sustained. It can’t be a one-off performance,” Chamberlain added.

“It’s got to be maintained. That’s the challenge that faces them now. Can you maintain this week in, week out?”

TEMPLEGATE tackles Thursday’s action confident of building the bank for another monster weekend of racing.

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MELINDA (1.40 Ayr, nap)

Looks a handicap snip for Lucinda Russell. We usually think of the Scottish trainer sending out staying chase winners but she can strike on the Flat with this daughter of Churchill who has been brought along nice and slowly. She had just one run for Joseph O’Brien in Ireland before moving to Russell’s yard. There was plenty to like about her staying-on fourth at Carlisle last time to earn a fair looking handicap mark of 70. She is certainly bred to be better than that and can go close at fair odds in what looks an open contest.

FAIRY GLEN (3.10 Bath, nb)

Left it a stride too late when second in a Longchamp Listed contest last month. She sees out this trip strongly and can score for the Crisfords.

HARRYS HOPE (4.43 Exeter, treble)

Was an impressive winner on chase debut, coming home with seven lengths to spare at Southwell. She will be hard to stop under a 7lb penalty.

INDIVAR (6.00 Southwell, Lucky 15)

This son of Blue Point clocked a speedy time when winning at Newcastle and today’s trip is his favourite.

Templegate’s tips

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Reigning champion Luke Humphries secured his place in the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester.

The 29-year-old world number one defeated German Ricardo Pietreczko 3-1, producing a 180 to set up a 130 checkout and clinch an important third set.

Rob Cross, who beat pre-tournament favourite Luke Littler in his opening match, reached the last eight for the first time with a 3-1 victory over Martin Schindler.

Jonny Clayton, winner in 2021, came from a set down to beat Ross Smith 3-1, but 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall is out following a 3-2 loss to Ryan Joyce.

Following Littler’s first-round defeat, Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith were both surprise first-round exits on Tuesday.

Humphries, who celebrated his maiden TV ranking title with victory over Gerwyn Price 12 months ago, had to fight back from a set and two legs down to beat Masters winner Stephen Bunting in his first-round match.

He continued his title defence on Wednesday thanks to a superb checkout in the third set after Pietreczko had levelled the match, seeing out victory to set up a meeting with Clayton.

The second-round matches conclude on Thursday, with Gary Anderson – having beaten world number two Smith – up against Mike de Decker from 19:00 BST.

Wales’ 2020 champion Price faces two-time winner James Wade, Northern Ireland’s 2017 champion Daryl Gurney takes on Joe Cullen, and two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall meets Dimitri van den Bergh in best-of-five contests.

All four quarter-finals take place on Friday, before the tournament concludes at the weekend.

LAS VEGAS – Junyong Park wishes he could’ve fought Brad Tavares in July as originally scheduled, but he’ll have to settle for UFC Fight Night 244 on Saturday.

The first date between Park (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Tavares (20-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) was canceled when, after both men made weight, the doctor investigated a scratch on the South Korean middleweight’s ear that was determined to be a staph infection.

That decision did not make Park very happy.

“So there was a small scar or small scratch on the back of my ear, and the physician said it was staph infection, so the fight got canceled, unfortunately,” Park told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 244 media day. “It was kind of whack. … I told (Tavares) what happened and I was sorry. We both cut weight, and we were both looking forward to this, and unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Brad was very understanding. Things happen, you know?”

Although Park admits he’s annoyed he has to cut weight for a second time against the same opponent, he is happy he ultimately pleased with the situation, and intends to get the win in the co-main event clash, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+).

“I’m a company man and I’ll fight whoever the UFC says,” Park said. “When I got the contract and it said Brad Tavares again, it was just another day at the job. … Nothing really changed for the game plan. It’s the same opponent. I’m the same guy. The only thing that’s changed is we are going to cut weight twice for this fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

EX-RACING star Billy Monger has been banned from driving after crashing into three parked cars.

Monger, 25, whose nickname is Billy Whizz after the Beano comic character, was convicted of driving without due care and attention at Guildford Magistrates’ Court in connection with the incident in Limpsfield, Surrey, on January 19.

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The former Celebrity Race Across The World contestant had smashed into three parked cars and damaged a lamp post and a wall in a front garden, said Surrey Police.

Pictures showed the smashed-up black Toyota Supra he was driving in a front garden.

Monger was disqualified from driving for 49 days and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £2,694, the force said.

His trail of destruction also saw him knock over the homeowner’s wheelie bin and smash into a lamppost – which can be seen bent out of shape and later had to be replaced by Highways England.

A silver VW Golf and a red Citroen can also be seen covered in dust from the smash, with the red vehicle’s bumper caved in and almost falling off.

A spokesperson said: “Billy Monger was driving a black Toyota Supra when he was involved in the collision in Snatts Hill around 11.55pm on January 19, 2024.

“Monger was driving along the 30mph road when he collided with a Volkswagen Lupo, a Volkswagen Golf, and a Citroen, causing damage to all three cars.

“Damage was also caused to a lamp post and a hedge and a wall in the front garden of a nearby property.”

Rick Scholey, supervisor for the road traffic collision team, who investigated the case, said: “Monger was not paying attention when he lost control of his car which resulted in him colliding with three parked cars, causing significant damage to the vehicles before then colliding with a hedge and wall belonging to a nearby house.

“Thankfully, no one was in the road at the time otherwise this could have had far more serious consequences.”

A court heard last week how Monger left the scene of the 11.55pm crash with his female passenger before police arrived, but later returned to provide his insurance details and reported he had been driving the car.

Appearing via videolink at Guildford magistrates court last Friday, Monger pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention after losing control of the black Toyota Supra when he went too fast round a bend.

A witness who was sat in his parked car at the time said the ex-racing star tried to “oversteer” and lost control of his car again, catapulting it into a lamppost and a hedge, before it flattened a brick wall and hit two more cars – a silver VW Golf and a red Citroen – on the front driveway of one home.

The witness estimated Monger was driving at between 40mph and 50mph at the time, because it caused his own car to “shake” as he zoomed past, with another witness describing hearing a “loud raging engine”.

The court heard Monger reported the accident to police the next morning but gave no explanation of how the crash happened.

Representing Monger, of Horley, Surrey, lawyer Duncan Jones petitioned the court to spare the youngster a driving ban owing to his restricted mobility.

In mitigation, Mr Jones cited the near-fatal smash Monger was involved in 2017 when he crashed at high speed in to the rear of Finnish driver Patrik Pasma while competing in the British F4 Championship at Donnington Park on April 17.

Monger had both legs amputated after a high-speed crash during a Formula 4 race at Donington Park when he was 17.

‘EXCESSIVE SPEED’

Mr Jones added: “This is an unusual case, given Mr Monger’s personal background.

“This accident was caused by excessive speed and Mr Monger accepts that he drove without due care and attention and his lapse was driving too fast around the bend.

“He accepts that he was driving too quickly and this accident would not have happened otherwise.

“Mr Monger wants to make it clear that he does not want to get special treatment, but the impact of a disqualification for a young man with his disability is a relevant consideration for the court.

“He has no previous convictions and has shown remorse by his guilty plea and you will see the impact and feelings of guilt this has had on him and he takes full responsibility for it.”

Mr Jones added: “The accident has also brought back distressing memories from the racing accident that changed his life, causing anxiety, effected sleep, guilt and uncertainty as to what was going to happen today.

“I would ask you to take an exceptional course and impose five points or less. Perhaps there is no alternative, but a disqualification would have a serious impact on him.”

But at the time of the crash, Monger already had six penalty points for speeding on March 7, 2021 and October 28 2023 which resulted in him becoming a disqualified driver after the latest incident.

Monger is a commentator on Formula 1 for Channel 4 and is training for the annual Ironman World Championship.

Monger was a part of the presenting team for this summer‘s Paris Paralympics and provides expert analysis for Channel 4’s F1 coverage.

Last year, he and sister Bonny were on track to win the BBC’s Race Across the World programme as they attempted to make the journey from Morocco to Norway, but were forced to withdraw due to a family emergency back in the UK.

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