Man United’s summer transfer window ended with a whimper but there are still options to provide a short-term fix for Michael Carrick

We are five games into the Premier League season and already, Manchester United are seeing the consequences of their transfer window coming back to bite them. The focus this summer was on rebuilding the midfield. Casemiro left on a free transfer leaving United with Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte to play in the centre.

Even before his serious injury, Ugarte was not seen as part of the Old Trafford plans, so serious investment was needed. To their credit, United managed to bolster their midfield. Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba all arrived to provide Michael Carrick with options.

However, that is where the investment ended. A left-back was the next priority, but despite a last-minute attempt to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri, that position remains unstrengthened. Also lost in the midfield focus was the centre-forward role. United were looking to offload Joshua Zirkzee, but with time running out to sign a replacement, the Dutchman remains.

While Luke Shaw’s recent absence has been a problem, he at least is back and starting matches. On the other hand, Benjamin Sesko missed the entirety of pre-season with a shin injury sustained in May. Since then, he has yet to complete 90 minutes and has pulled out of international duty with Slovenia as he focuses on recovery.

In the meantime, United have been putting square pegs in round holes. Amad’s injury has meant Bryan Mbeumo is not leading the line, so Matheus Cunha has filled in at centre-forward. That has not worked.

With Zirkzee not trusted, Mbeumo needed on the right and Cunha struggling up top, United clearly need reinforcements – whether that’s in January or, potentially, before. So with this in mind, MEN Sport has taken a look at three free agents that United could sign right now, to strengthen their attack.

Karim Benzema

Of course, Benzema is not the player he once was – United would not be signing a Ballon d’Or candidate. But the French striker could still add quality to this team.

Benzema left Al Hilal at the end of August. Last season, he scored nine goals in 10 appearances for the Saudi Pro League club. He scored in one of his two appearances this year too, before having his deal with the club terminated, after they replaced him with Ollie Watkins.

There is an issue for United if they wished to sign Benzema, beyond his age. The 38-year-old is contracted to the Saudi Pro League until 2030 in what is described as an ‘ambassadorial role’. In this role, the Saudi league holds Benzema’s image rights.

According to L’Equipe, Lyon were hoping to bring Benzema in and the forward was willing to forego his salary to play for them again. However, as he is keen to honour his ambassador role, negotiations to reach an agreement on his image rights, did not begin.

This is a major sticking point for United, but the lure of the Premier League could make Benzema change his mind.

Mauro Icardi

Bizarrely, Icardi has not been picked up yet. The 33-year-old forward scored 14 goals for Galatasaray last season, but left the club at the end of his contract.

Icardi’s agent has ruled out a move to Argentina and the suggestion is that he wants to keep playing in Europe. This week Tottenham, who are in a tougher position than United, were linked with the forward. However, reports have suggested that he is not on their radar.

This deal makes more sense than the Benzema approach. Icardi is at a better age, has done well in Europe recently and clearly still fancies a shot at a top club.

The problem for United would be that he has missed pre-season. But if the Reds were to move quickly, they could put him through his paces during this three-week international break and get him up to speed for the return of the Premier League in October.

Joselu

The former Stoke City and Newcastle man has come a long way since his first stint in the Premier League. Joselu did well to return to Real Madrid in 2023, after impressing for Espanyol. He scored 17 goals in the 2023/24 season before joining Qatari side Al-Gharafa, the following year.

He left the Middle Eastern club in the summer and has since been linked with a return to the Bundesliga. Unlike Icardi, the 36-year-old has a greater physical presence, and is more suited to leading the line when Sesko is absent.

Like all of these selections, Joselu is not the striker United fans would have dreamt of signing in the summer. However, their options are limited.

The Reds need a recognised centre-forward who can provide competition and cover, to Sesko. They can’t continue with this strikerless system because it is just not working.

Matheus Cunha produced the goal that saved Manchester United from three straight defeats, but the problems for the Reds’ forward are glaringly obvious

Matheus Cunha won’t have been expecting a hero’s reception after scoring Manchester United’s all-important equaliser against Fulham. It was another underwhelming result for the Reds, this time against a side in worse form than themselves. Cunha’s equaliser saved United from even more harsh scrutiny.

After failing to carve out enough chances in the defeat to Manchester City last weekend, it seemed United were given the instruction to shoot on sight. The Reds peppered shots towards goal – a whopping 17 in the first half and 12 more in the second. However, those efforts were, by in large, comfortable for Bernd Leno to deal with. According to Opta, United managed just a 1.06 xG in the first half from their 17 shots. On the other hand Fulham, who only had nine shots, managed a superior 1.49 xG.

United’s xG was better than Fulham’s in the second period as the game tightened up, but 0.54 xG is a poor showing. Despite their xG being so low, the Reds’ forwards were getting into the box to force their shots. As shown in purple on the graphic below:

However there was one exception. Cunha managed just three shots in the game for a total xG of 0.05. All of his shots were outside the area, cutting in from the left. But for a fortunate deflection, the Brazilian forward would not have troubled the scorers.

You had to feel for Cunha though. He is not a centre-forward and being forced to lead the line for United is a struggle. You also have to feel sympathy for Michael Carrick too. Had a bit of luck fallen their way, he would have been able to start Benjamin Sesko at Craven Cottage.

Unfortunately for United, Sesko did not travel to London after suffering some pain in his shin. On Monday morning, United assessed the issue and ultimately he withdrew from international duty with Slovenia.

The problem for United is they haven’t been hit by a massive injury crisis which has forced them to play Cunha out of position.

This is a case of one injured player forcing United to put square pegs in round holes. With each passing game that Sesko misses, it begs the question as to why United did not sign a striker.

Joshua Zirkzee is clearly not trusted to lead the line. Bryan Mbeumo did play up front in pre-season, but has instead been picked on the right while Amad is injured – despite Shea Lacey providing some positive performances this season.

Heading into the international break, it is becoming harder and harder to ignore the issues of the transfer window. United did not add enough depth to their squad to ensure they could deal with run of the mill injuries.

Cunha is being forced to play centre-forward in Sesko’s absence but it is clearly not his position. He was most effective on the left last season and was rarely used as the lead striker. But due to one or two injuries, United’s hand has been forced.

Carrick will be hoping Sesko’s injury issue is not too serious and that he will be able to return to the team the other side of the break. If not, it could be another slog ahead for Cunha up top.

Here is the schedule for Week 5 of Lubbock-area high school football.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24

DISTRICT 2-5A DIVISION I

Frenship at Amarillo Tascosa, 7 p.m.

DISTRICT 2-5A DIVISION II

Abilene Wylie at Coronado, 7 p.m.

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NON-DISTRICT

INTERCLASS

Canyon West Plains JV at Lockney, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A

Guthrie at Woodson, 7:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25

DISTRICT 2-5A DIVISION I

Abilene High at Lubbock High, 7 p.m.

Amarillo High at Frenship Memorial, 7 p.m.

Monterey at Amarillo Caprock, 7 p.m.

NON-DISTRICT

INTERCLASS

Levelland at Littlefield, 7 p.m.

Snyder at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.

Farwell at Friona, 7 p.m.

Lamesa at Eunice (N.M.), 7 p.m.

New Home at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.

Trinity Christian at Slaton, 7 p.m.

Baird at Kingdom Prep, 7 p.m.

Christ the King at Kress, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS 4A

Estacado at Pecos, 7 p.m.

Plainview at Lubbock-Cooper Liberty, 7 p.m.

Seminole at El Paso Riverside, 7 p.m.

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CLASS 3A

Crane at Brownfield, 7 p.m.

Denver City at Dimmitt, 7 p.m.

Idalou at Shallowater, 7 p.m.

Odessa Compass at Muleshoe, 7 p.m.

CLASS 2A

Abernathy at Spearman, 7 p.m.

Clarendon at Hale Center, 7 p.m.

Floydada at Ralls, 7 p.m.

Hawley at Post, 7 p.m.

Morton at Bovina, 7 p.m.

Ropes at New Deal, 7 p.m.

Seagraves at Sundown, 7 p.m.

Shamrock at Olton, 7 p.m.

Smyer at Crosbyton, 7 p.m.

Sudan at Tulia, 7 p.m.

Tahoka at Iraan, 7 p.m.

Van Horn at Plains, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A

Booker at Motley County, 6:30 p.m.

Anton at Dawson, 7 p.m.

Lazbuddie at Lenorah Grady, 7 p.m.

McLean at Nazareth, 7 p.m.

O’Donnell at Springlake-Earth, 7 p.m.

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Whiteface at Borden County, 7 p.m.

Whitharral at Sands, 7 p.m.

Amherst at Follett, 7:30 p.m.

Ira at Meadow, 7:30 p.m.

Klondike at Wellman-Union, 7:30 p.m.

Loop at Lorenzo, 7:30 p.m.

Petersburg at Southland, 7:30 p.m.

Spur at Paducah, 7:30 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Week 5 schedule for Lubbock-area high school football

Over the past week, several WWE superstars appeared in their home countries and got a hero’s welcome. Stephanie Vaquer won the title in Chile, and Penta appeared in Mexico City to face Roman Reigns for the title. Sami Zayn also became the first Muslim Grand Slam Champion in Saudi Arabia when he won the WWE title a few months ago. In honor of these electrifying crowds, here are several from the 21st century, starting with a tough one.

Post 9/11 SmackDown and Unforgiven

WWE held SmackDown two days after the tragic event, and fans appreciated the whole show as a way to unite after what happened. Lillian Garcia sang a wonderful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. Several days later at Unforgiven, Kurt Angle won his first WWE Championship in his home state of Pennsylvania in front of his family to promote patriotism and unity.

ECW: One Night Stand 2006

Rob Van Dam won the Money in the Bank and chose the Hammerstein Ballroom (ECW’s home) to face John Cena for the WWE title. Neither man was prepared for the crowd. Cena entered the ring to thunderous boos, and fans threw his T-shirt back at him three times. Chants of ‘F*** You Cena’ and ‘You Can’t Wrestle’ echoed. RVD won the match, and a crowd of this magnitude has not been seen since.

Money in the Bank Cash-In: Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler’s cash-in was the loudest among all 34. Alberto Del Rio was hurt, and then Ziggler’s music hit. He beat Rio to win the World Heavyweight Championship, but Nic Nemeth admitted it was just a short-term plan. Either way, that crowd reaction was undeniable.

WrestleMania 30: New Orleans

WrestleMania has delivered many special moments, but this show had every emotion. Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock kicked off the show. Cesaro won the inaugural Andre the Giant Battle Royal, and Daniel Bryan won in the main event. Lastly, Brock Lesnar conquered the Undertaker’s streak. Vince McMahon made the decision hours before the show started on WWE Network to have Brock go over.

Monday Night Raw: Post-WrestleMania 33

Roman Reigns was the second WWE superstar to beat the Undertaker at WrestleMania. The night after, Reigns kicked off the show. For seven straight minutes, fans booed the Big Dog mercilessly and chanted profane language. Roman Reigns finally said, ‘This is my yard now’, and left the ring. Mind you, he was supposed to be a face at the time.

Backlash 2023: Puerto Rico

This crowd is one of the loudest in WWE history. They gave three Puerto Rican stars a warm reception. Zelina Vega was emotional, carrying the country’s flag before her match. Carlito got the LOUDEST pop of the night and maybe even of the 21st century. The fans sang Bad Bunny’s song during his entrance, and he won a San Juan Street Fight against Damien Priest.

AEW ALL IN: London 2026

Call it recency bias, but this crowd was like no other. Will Ospreay had the greatest entrance in pro wrestling history. Not to mention the NEW LEVEL’s debut and Britt Baker’s return. This will be the best pro wrestling show of the year.

Royal Rumble Surprise Entrants:

This PLE is many fans’ favorite because of the participation. Every fan stands up and counts down until the buzzer, and waits for the next entrant.

A few of the biggest crowd reactions were John Cena (2008), AJ Styles (2016), Trish Stratus (2018), and Edge (2020). Also, a shoutout to Tye Dillinger (aka Shawn Spears), who entered at #10 in the 2017 Royal Rumble. His gimmick was being the ‘perfect ten’, and fans got exactly what they wanted.

Westlepalooza will be in Perth, Australia, on December 12th. Rhea Ripley is on the sidelines, but an appearance would send the crowd into a frenzy. This PLE is rumored to host the John Cena Classic, where fans will witness the next generation of WWE superstars.

“It is beautiful. I mean, the time we landed, we saw the people very cordial, generous, and helpful in nature, which we see at back at home as well. The hospitality is brilliant, and yeah, I mean, it is too early to talk about it, but I’m sure that I’ve heard special things from people about Japan as a country and Tokyo as a city as well, so looking forward to exploring more,” he said.

“It is going to be a thrilling and exciting match for us. This is the first time we would be playing Japan, and do not know much about the conditions, the wicket, but looking forward to have a great match,” he added. 

The Netherlands are set to face Germany, with both sides fielding new managers. Gianni Infantino has taken a step back in the FIFA crisis. In basketball, Nicolas Batum has announced his retirement after 21 seasons.

In the final game of Week 2, the Los Angeles Rams host the New York Giants on “Monday Night Football.”

The Rams were embarrassed in their season opener by the division rival San Francisco 49ers, falling 27-7 in Australia. The Rams, who led the NFL in both yards and points last season, managed just 290 yards of total offense against San Francisco and turned the ball over twice. Meanwhile, the defense allowed 5.9 yards per play and was repeatedly gashed on the ground. Worse yet, the Rams saw Myles Garrett head to injured reserve after he ended up having knee surgery. L.A. gets Aaron Donald back on Monday night, but the so-called super team looks like anything but so far. And it may not have Puka Nacua on Monday night, either.

The Giants, meanwhile, got off to just about as good a start to the John Harbaugh era as one could imagine. New York did whatever it wanted offensively against the division rival Dallas Cowboys in Week 1, controlling both the ball and the clock all evening as it ground Dallas into dust. Jaxson Dart had arguably the single-best game of his career, Cam Skattebo rumbled through the defense all night, Malik Nabers made it through his return game unscathed and emerged with six receptions and Isaiah Likely lit up the second level of the Dallas defense for a pair of touchdowns.

Follow the game live in our live blog.

Will the Rams bounce back, or will the Giants move to 2-0? We’ll find out soon enough. Before we break down some key matchups on each side of the ball, here’s a look at how you can watch the game.

Where to watch Rams vs. Giants live

When the Giants have the ball

The Giants did whatever they wanted against the Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” last weekend. New York ran the ball 37 times for 165 yards and a touchdown. Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three scores. The Giants controlled the ball for 36 minutes and 40 seconds of the 60-minute game. They had three second-half drives; they scored a touchdown on each of the first two and ran the clock out on the third. All three drives lasted 12-plus plays. It was surgical stuff.

New York’s offensive line controlled that game, leaning on the Dallas defensive front throughout the night. A similar dynamic developed in Australia, where the 49ers controlled the game up front against the Rams. New York finished second in the NFL with a 60.3% offensive success rate during Week 1, per Tru Media. Only the 49ers finished ahead of the Giants, with a 62.5% success rate. San Francisco averaged 2.77 yards before contact per rush against L.A., a figure that would have easily led the NFL last season. New York was at 2.16 per rush against Dallas.

Things will likely be a bit different here. The Rams won’t have Myles Garrett for this game, but they will have Aaron Donald, who is reportedly expected to play around 30 snaps. It’s probably unfair to expect Donald to be at full strength, and it’s definitely unfair to expect him to single-handedly fix what ailed the Rams’ defense in Week 1. He is a superstar, though, and he wouldn’t be coming back in the first place if he didn’t feel like he could still be a dominant player. 

I expect him to make a difference on the defensive interior, challenging the trio of Francis Mauigoa (who was excellent in his NFL debut), John Michael Schmitz and Jon Runyan Jr. throughout. Poona Ford and Kobie Turner are also good run players, and they should theoretically have more success against the Giants’ rushing attack than did the Cowboys, who were an utter mess of miscommunication, missed assignments and simply getting blown off the ball. That could still happen, obviously, but I don’t expect as many mental miscues from the Rams, who aren’t breaking in a first-time defensive coordinator on the road in his first NFL game.

The second level of the L.A. defense is also far better than the second level of the Dallas defense. The Rams’ cornerback trio of Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Quentin Lake did not have the best debut, but it is far more talented than the overmatched group the Cowboys threw out there against the Giants last week. They will still have to deal with the problems caused by Malik Nabers, though, and Nabers should ramp up his snap count in his second game back from a torn ACL. The Giants also got good contributions from Darnell Mooney and Malachi Fields last week.

The biggest issue the Giants may pose for the Rams is actually over the middle of the field, where Isaiah Likely will work against linebackers, whose strength is not coverage, and a depleted safety room. Kamren Kinchens is out with a hamstring injury, and Kamren Curl was limited throughout the week with an ankle issue, though he has no game status. If Likely can get free on the second level, that will give Jaxson Dart easy opportunities for completions to keep the chains moving. 

When the Rams have the ball

L.A.’s offense in Week 1 looked nothing like the unit that led the NFL in yards and points last season. The Rams ran the ball with some success early on but didn’t do much else. They finished the game with just 290 total yards and 5.2 yards per play, compared with their averages of 372.7 per game and 6.2 per play a year ago. Their 49.1% success rate, via Tru Media, was only slightly above average for the week, when last year it sat at a league-best 53.1%. 

New York’s defense actually allowed the Cowboys to move the ball fairly well last week, yielding a 55.8% offensive success rate that ranked fifth-best in the NFL. Dallas averaged 1.83 EPA per drive, second in the NFL in Week 1 behind only the Giants, at a preposterous 2.82 per drive. For context, consider that the Rams led the NFL at 0.79 EPA per drive last season. The Cowboys just didn’t have the ball enough for it to matter. Dallas only had six true possessions in the game and touched the ball just twice in the second half.

Matthew Stafford and Co. should have more success here … but will be without Puka Nacua, who was ruled inactive. The Giants are banged up on the back end after putting Paulson Adebo on injured reserve, and Deonte Banks is listed as questionable with a calf injury after a limited practice Thursday and no participation Friday or Saturday. If the Rams can give Matthew Stafford time, there should be openings for Nacua, as well as the likes of Davante Adams and all of the tight ends on the second level.

Jordan Whittington is also doubtful for the game, and if he’s also out, the Rams would be left with just Tutu Atwell, Konata Mumpfield and sixth-round rookie CJ Daniels (who was inactive for Week 1) behind Adams. They would surely lean on more and more multi-tight end sets, putting pressure on Terrence Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen (questionable) and possibly second-round rookie Max Klare to produce through the air. Really, though, they might just lean more into the run game, hoping to wear the Giants down up front and avoid their pass rush, which had a strong day pressuring Dak Prescott last week.

The Cowboys barely tried to run the ball against the Giants in Week 1, and they didn’t have much success when they did, as Javonte Williams finished with just 30 yards on 12 carries. L.A. ran the ball more successfully in its opener as Kyren Williams and Blake Corum combined for 95 yards on 21 totes, with Corum in particular looking explosive when he got into open space against San Francisco’s defense. It’ll be interesting to see which side wins the battle up front in the run game after the Giants weren’t really tested in that way in their opener.

Prediction

Two of the biggest surprises of Week 1 were the Rams laying a total egg against the 49ers in Australia and the Giants coming out and clobbering the Cowboys for four quarters. I’m not necessarily expecting either of those things to continue through the rest of the season. It’s easy to overreact to what we saw in debut games and take the Giants here because they were so impressive against Dallas and the Rams were so inept against San Francisco. But I’m going to lean on the preseason priors for a little while longer and take L.A. to win. If Puka Nacua suits up, the Rams win comfortably; if not, they win close. Pick (if Nacua plays): Rams 27, Giants 17. Pick (if Nacua sits): Rams 17, Giants 16

When London City Lionesses beat Manchester United on the opening night of the 2025-26 season, it suggested times were changing in the English women’s game.

For some, that had become clear about an hour before kick-off in Bromley when the team news revealed a starting XI without any English players – the first time a Women’s Super League side had done so on the first day of the season.

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Two days later it happened again, when Scotland striker Kirsty Hanson was the only British player to start for Tottenham in their win over West Ham.

Both instances speak to the increasing ability of WSL clubs to attract top talents from across the globe, creating a league many now view as the world’s best.

But, with the Women’s Champions League returning this week, is what’s good for the WSL good for homegrown players, and by extension the home nations?

Or is it, as The Guardian’s Tom Garry puts it, “alarming” for the hopes of the home nations?

The changing make-up of the WSL

Ten years ago when current champions Manchester City last won the WSL title, they did so with an all-British starting line-up.

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Much has changed since.

In 2018, the WSL went fully professional, the subsequent success of the Lionesses in the 2020s rapidly grew the game’s audience and revenues have increased accordingly.

As a result, clubs have expanded their scouting pool and been able to attract players from a wider variety of nationalities – with transfer fees exploding since the turn of the decade.

Over recent windows, WSL clubs have recruited heavily from Germany and Sweden, while two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas exchanged the trophies of Barcelona for big-spending London City this summer.

The proliferation of players from Japan and Australia also highlights the WSL’s attractiveness for those at the top of the game as those clubs with the deepest pockets pack their squads with players from across the globe.

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“Our league has grown significantly and attracted world class athletes from all over the world,” says Birmingham City manager Amy Merricks. “Unfortunately that blocks some of the pathways for the youngsters coming through.

“We need [this] talent in our league because our league is growing, but at the same time we have got to try and address this issue.”

Looking at the proportion of homegrown players (English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish) to start 11 or more matches, half of a WSL season, the data shows a steady decline over the past three seasons to under a third.

The first three weeks of 2026-27 have offered a bump on last season, but that can partly be attributed to the WSL’s expansion from 12 teams to 14 teams and the greater proportion of homegrown talent in the promoted trio of Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic.

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It is a downward trend that is not mirrored across other major European leagues.

For 2025-26, 61% of those to start half or more of Premiere Ligue matches in France were French, 63% of those in Frauen Bundesliga games were German, and 69% of Liga F players in Spain were Spanish.

And, while WSL managers say they appreciate the importance of cultivating homegrown talent, the reality of the job ensures it is not their first priority.

“The club has a responsibility to raise young players, give our own talents possibilities to be in the squad and compete every week,” says Manchester City boss Andree Jeglertz.

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“But when it comes to team selection, I always need to pick the team that gives us the best chance of winning the game. If that contains eight young and promising English players or zero, I don’t care. I just want to win the game.”

What is the potential impact on the national team?

It feels like a crossroads has been reached between clubs wanting to be competitive, the WSL continuing to grow, and the need to regenerate an England squad that has not changed much over the past three major tournaments.

After all, England are the two-time European champions but seven of the team that started against Spain in June also played in the Euro 2022 final against Germany – while two of the remaining starters in this year’s game were on the bench four years ago.

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Sarina Wiegman’s side were outclassed in Majorca, losing 4-0 to miss out on automatic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. They must now navigate two rounds of play-off matches, starting against Greece next month.

Discussions on England’s future is pertinent given the biennial Women’s Under-20s World Cup is ongoing in Poland.

Last Thursday, Lydia Bedford’s young side were dismissed 3-0 from the last 16 by Nigeria, albeit with the caveat a number of players such as US-based Erica Meg Parkinson and Laila Harbert were not released by their clubs to play.

Nevertheless, in 2022 and 2024, like the other home nations, they did not even qualify.

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It is a far cry from the class of 2018 where the likes of Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp and Georgia Stanway led the Lionesses to third place in the Under-20s World Cup, setting the tone for the incredible subsequent success.

Wiegman has handed debuts to 21 players since her arrival in September 2021, but only Lauren James, Hannah Hampton and Lucia Kendall have become established starters.

When England kick off in Crete on Friday, 5 October (20:00 BST), it is likely to be the same faces once again.

To try and facilitate the pathway to top level football for young academy players, Football Association rules require WSL sides to include eight homegrown players in their squad lists.

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The quota for WSL 2 clubs is higher and works on a sliding scale depending on squad size.

Former England striker Ellen White told the Women’s Football Weekly podcast this was insufficient, saying: “We should be updating that quota of eight players, tweaking it to best help and complement our international structure, our homegrown talent.”

“I would love to see them go much further – something mandated, a minimum on the pitch at any one time,” the Guardian’s Garry told BBC Women’s Football Weekly. “London City’s line-up was alarming.

“It’s great for the product over here, but will we see pain in 15 years’ time if England are struggling to go deep in major tournaments because we’re not developing players?”

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Last month, the FA approved a controversial plan to allow some WSL academy sides to play in the National League from 2027-28, saying it would “strengthen the women’s football pyramid, raise standards across the league, and improve the development pathway for young players”.

The FA believes this reform will address the relative lack of competitive minutes young English players receive.

Chelsea have already confirmed they plan to enter an academy side in the third tier and Manchester City women’s managing director Charlotte O’Neill has previously said she would want to enter a team too.