James Maddison has been left out of England’s 26-player squad for Euro 2024 and has departed the Three Lions camp.

The Tottenham midfielder is the first name from Gareth Southgate’s 33-player provisional squad to not make the final cut for the tournament in Germany.

Southgate has to cut his extended squad down to 26 names by 11pm on Friday – an hour after England’s final Euro 2024 warm-up friendly against Iceland at Wembley.

England then begin their Euro 2024 campaign on June 16 against Serbia.

Maddison’s wait for a major tournament appearance with England goes on, having made the final 26 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar – but he failed to make an appearance before the Three Lions’ quarter-final exit.

What is England’s current 32-player training squad?

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), James Trafford (Burnley).

Defenders: Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Curtis Jones (Liverpool), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace).

Forwards: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).

More to follow.

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Seam bowler Brad Wheal says going to toe to toe with reigning champions England has strengthened Scotland’s belief that they can cause a stir at the T20 World Cup.

Openers Michael Jones and George Munsey laid down a marker by sharing an unbeaten stand of 90 in 10 overs against a high-quality English attack on Tuesday, with rain delays raising the target to a formidable 109 on DLS.

Scotland’s chances of bowling their way to a famous win never got off the ground as the heavens opened and left the sides with a point each but, as a statement of intent, it was mission accomplished for the associate nation.

“Munns and Jonesy going out there and putting the right foot forward has given the rest of the squad some good confidence to go on through the rest of this tournament and believe we’re good enough to be here,” said Wheal.

“We believe we’re good enough to compete and beat the best teams in the world. We feel like we’re in a good position to win some games. We showed a small glimpse of what we could have done against the current world champions.

“It was definitely a defendable target, I mean they would have been chasing 11 an over. That’s definitely something that our bowling line-up could have defended.”

Scotland class themselves as favourites against Namibia

Scotland do not have long to wait to work their frustrations out, with Namibia next up at the Kensington Oval on Thursday (8pm first ball, live on Sky Sports Cricket).

Namibia won their opening game against Oman after a Super Over and have a 3-0 record against the Scots in the 20-over format over the last five years.

But Wheal insists his side are in no mood to play second fiddle as they look to qualify from Group B as one of the top two teams.

He added: “Realistically our best chance of getting into the Super 8 stage, competing and turning some big teams over is looking at the next game and then the Oman game after that.

“One game at a time, but we’ll take the belief in what we’ve done against England.

“I think in our eyes, we definitely see ourselves as favourites because we know that these are games we can and we should win. We’re going into the game with the belief that we’re going to win.

Wheal forceful with Hampshire about World Cup involvement

Scotland’s attack is missing the experienced Josh Davey after he was not released for duty by Somerset, but Wheal had no such issues after a frank discussion with Hampshire over his availability.

“It’s a bit of a tricky one…but I was pretty open and honest with Hampshire. I said, ‘listen, I want to go to the World Cup’,” he explained.

“I wanted to be available for selection and they were pretty happy with that. They understand that it’s an opportunity to go out there and play against the best of the best. It’s a learning experience.

“Every opportunity to put the Scotland shirt on is an incredible one and one that I’ll cherish forever.

Watch Scotland’s T20 World Cup clash with Namibia live on Sky Sports Cricket from 7.30pm on Thursday (8pm first ball). Every match from the tournament is live on Sky Sports.

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The Off the Court Podcast took a deep dive into the big questions that have been asked since the eight clubs have been confirmed for the Netball Super League’s relaunch from 2025.

Tamsin Greenway and Caroline Barker were joined by Managing Director of the Netball Super League, Claire Nelson, and the Managing Director of the Netball Players Association, Liz Bloor, to discuss the fear over the loss of clubs like Team Bath and how the decision was made to decide who will be included in the top league.

The new era of Netball will see 50 per cent of games played in major arenas across the country to draw bigger crowds and enhance the match-day experience for fans.

The average salary will increase by at least 60 per cent, with the minimum salary payment more than doubling.

However, there are currently 10 teams in the Netball Super League (NSL), so there will be two fewer from next year, the Birmingham Panthers and Nottingham Forest Netball joining the league and Team Bath, Severn Stars, Strathclyde Sirens, and Surrey Storm missing out. Squad sizes will also be reduced from 12 registered players to 10.

Nelson opened up on the tough decisions made to take netball professional and how they had to prioritise “infrastructure” over “heart and passion” when picking the eight sides.

“This is where we are at today. We have got eight clubs that can meet these criteria and we have talked about other opportunities where we think there could be other regions and investing partners who want to come into the sport,” she told Off the Court.

“For now, we would not have been doing the right thing for the sport if we went with heart, passion, hard work, legacy, and hope.

“We have to build this on infrastructures that, we believe, are built to last and that is why we wanted to give information to players sooner but we have had to go through financial scrutiny and look at the people and organisations that are committing to doing this for us.

“We have had to have the evidence of that and we have had to make sure, as an independent panel, as a governing body, as owners of a sport, can say we have confidence that we have made the right decision for us in order to professionalise the sport and take the sport on this journey.

“It doesn’t mean we have all the boxes ticked. We know there are some gaps and we are working really, really hard to make sure we don’t lose pathways or participation opportunities.

“But for professionalisation, we had to make the right decision that was going to give us the best shot of moving forward into this new era.”

Bloor: Loss of Team Bath is ‘not a disaster’

One of the main concerns that arose since the announcement was the loss of some clubs in the top league, particularly Team Bath as a long-standing presence in the South West.

However, Bloor is not worried that a “generation of players” will be lost due to the lack of having a team in Bath in the professional league.

“I am not (worried). I live in Bath. I have been involved in Team Bath almost since its inception. I represented them in 2005 at the launch of the iteration of Super League,” she said.

“I am obviously passionately disappointed that they are not going to be there, but I understand that they did not make the cut in the brave new world.

“So, we have to park that and look at how it can not be a disaster.

“Across the South West for years there have been very healthy netball leagues in all the Counties.

“Those hubs, as long as someone is leading the pathway, all of those things will still happen.

“Yes, they won’t have the matches seven times a year in which a Super League match happens.

“There is only a relatively few people who go every time or take a trip up once a season to watch.

“There will still be top-level netball visible on the television, on streaming services, so you can still see what you are aspiring to do.

“There is the opportunity to move to other places if you are going to get into that Super League time so I don’t think we should catastrophise it.

“It is difficult, it is disappointing, but netball was running in the South West before Team Bath came.

“I don’t think it is a disaster. My heart goes out to Asha (Francis) and the players there. But I don’t think we should say this is the death of netball in the South West.”

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Saturday’s men’s Challenge Cup final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves will kick-off at 3.07pm in honour of former Leeds Rhinos scrum-half Rob Burrow CBE.

Burrow died aged 41 on Sunday after a four-and-a-half-year battle with motor neurone disease and the Rugby League will pay homage at Wembley to one of its all-time greats.

A minute’s silence will be observed before both the men’s and women’s Challenge Cup finals, the latter kicks off at Wembley at 11.45am, and there will also be a minute’s applause after seven minutes.

The Rugby League said the game “celebrates the life of Rob Burrow CBE – the former Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain scrum-half who wore the number 7 jersey with such courage and distinction throughout his playing career”.

A statement read: “Following Burrow’s death at the age of 41 last Sunday, supporters will be able to leave tributes at the Rugby League Statue outside Wembley Stadium from 9.45am on Saturday morning – offering the opportunity to fans of all clubs to show their appreciation and admiration for his courage and humanity, as so many Leeds devotees have done already at AMT Headingley.

“There will be further chances to demonstrate that affection with the Wembley crowd invited to join in one minute’s applause after seven minutes of each of the four finals on Rugby League’s traditional showpiece occasion – starting with the inspiresport Champion Schools final in the morning, followed by the second Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup final to have been played at Wembley, which features Burrow’s beloved Leeds Rhinos taking on the holders, St Helens.

“There will also be one minute’s silence before the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final and the men’s Final that follows – in each case following Abide with Me, the hymn which has long been part of Challenge Cup Final tradition, and which will be sung this year by Maxwell Thorpe and Katherine Jenkins OBE.”

He won eight Super League titles, two Challenge Cup trophies and three World Club Challenges at Leeds, while he also represented England and Great Britain internationally.

After being diagnosed with the illness, he dedicated himself to raising awareness and funds for the MND community with the support of close friend and former Leeds team-mate Kevin Sinfield.

McGuire: Rob was a selfless warrior

His long-time halfback partner Danny McGuire paid an emotional tribute to him on Wednesday, alongside whom he won eight Grand Finals in a 25-year partnership at the Leeds Rhinos.

“It has been a tough, emotional, sad few days,” McGuire told Sky Sports.

“The tributes are amazing and the outpouring everywhere across the whole country has been amazing to see.

“For me now, I am in the mode of remembering all the good times and the memories that we had throughout thirty-odd years off friendship.

“It is really sad. Rob was a warrior for the last five or six years since his diagnosis and I think for me now, it is about remembering everything that he stood for – his selfless acts when he played and how strong he was in his battle against his disease.”

With Manchester City taking legal action against the Premier League, Sky Sports aims to answer the key questions following the unprecedented move.

City are attempting to end the Premier League’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, with a two-week arbitration hearing beginning on Monday.

The claim comes amid 115 Premier League charges against Man City over alleged breaches of financial rules with a hearing set for November, according to The Times, who first broke the legal action story on Tuesday.

In a special Q&A, Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes and football finance expert Kieran Maguire answer all the important questions regarding Man City’s legal action against the Premier League…

What are Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules?

Hughes: “It’s all to do with money and commercial revenue that’s brought in by a club. In this case, it’s commercial revenue that the club receives from a company that has a connection to that club. The best example to give on this is Manchester City having a sponsorship deal with the airline Etihad Airways, which has links with the club’s Abu Dhabi owners.

“In the Premier League handbook, how a fair price is determined for commercial revenue like sponsorship is through an independent company. They set a parameter, look at that deal, investigate it, interrogate it, audit it and they will see whether that deal is fair or not.

“What Man City are saying is that it is unfair. It is anti-competitive. It is anti-business. It is not in line with UK business law. They are arguing that there shouldn’t be a statutory rule and you should be able to bring in what you find from that sponsorship.”

Why did the Premier League implement APT rules?

Maguire: “The Premier League confirmed in February the new rules, but this is carrying on from rules that were introduced very shortly after Newcastle United were acquired by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

“That appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction from the Premier League clubs who were concerned that Newcastle would sign commercial contracts with partners and sponsors in the Middle East that would be towards the upper-end of the scale and therefore that would give them a competitive advantage.

“That was seen to some extent as effectively shutting down Newcastle’s ability, and Manchester City were interested observers at that point. They weren’t keen on the rules then and they are now moving a couple of years later to see how things will happen going forward.”

Why have Man City gone to such an extreme to sue the Premier League?

Maguire: “Manchester City feel that they have historically been disadvantaged – as have many clubs. We’ve had spectacular success in the Premier League which has allowed the creation of global brands such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and so on.

“If Manchester City want to be competitive with those clubs, they’ve had to go through the commercial route and with owners’ assistance as opposed to building a global fanbase first and maintaining it.

“City also feel that they have a disadvantage being in Manchester. They will point out that ticket prices at the Etihad are much cheaper than at the London clubs because London is a bigger tourist market and has a price premium and therefore being able to compete on the commercial side of things gives them an opportunity to be at the top table, where they want to be.

“They’re not saying they want to be ahead of the competition but on a par with them as otherwise you end up with a duopoly. We have now arguably a Big Seven, given the Newcastle takeover.”

What do the other Premier League clubs make of this?

Hughes: “We’re finding that the majority of the Premier League are actually in favour of backing the Premier League’s position on the APT rules have been.

“In fact, one Premier League executive has said that if those rules are scrapped then it would be like the Wild West – the idea that a club’s ability would be unlimited for things like player transfers or player wages, and you couldn’t control it.

“The Premier League are going to vigorously fight this.”

How will next week’s hearing work?

Hughes: “Arbitration, in its simplest form, can be used in many ways between companies, individuals and employment. In this case, it’s over a dispute about rules and It’s a way of avoiding court. It could well end up in court, but essentially what happens is Manchester City here are the claimant and the Premier League are the responder, and this arbitration panel will have somebody who effectively acts as a judge.

“It doesn’t happen in a courtroom. It can happen in any room anywhere in the country. But the hearing, however long it lasts, effectively becomes a courtroom.

“They will hear the arguments from both sides here. Manchester City and the Premier League will outline their positions, they’ll hear evidence from witnesses that are brought by both parties either written or oral, that’s determined by the arbitration panel.

“It is independent and their decision is called an award. Now it’s legally binding, but arbitration is a way of keeping things out of court. If it’s not satisfactory for either side, however, then going to court is an option.

“In terms of when an award will be made then that is literally how long is a piece of string. So it could be quick or it could be very long.”

What do Man City need to prove in order for their complaint to be justified?

Maguire: “City need to prove that the extension of the rules under these associated parties is anti-competition and is preventing them from going out to the markets in the Middle East and other international parties to negotiate contracts and sponsorship deals.

“City’s argument is that if the rules in their current form if applied can take many months to sign off and therefore their potential partners will go elsewhere – LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A – because City will say they are in a competitive global market for commercial partners.”

What could be the implications of this legal action?

Hughes: “If City lose this then they can go to the courts, which will be even more expensive and even more time consuming than this.

“If they are successful, it could mean there wouldn’t be a Premier League rule in the Premier League handbook about it. That is a possibility, but if they are not successful, it stays in the rulebook and it goes to the majority vote which requires 14 of the 20 clubs to vote in favour of something to pass a new rule or regulation.”

If City lose this legal battle, could that open the door to a European Super League?

Maguire: “Manchester City were always very reluctant partners among the six clubs that initially chose to join the European Super League. If, however, they lose this case and they feel that their position in the Premier League has been disadvantaged to such an extent that they might look at other alternatives, that is a business decision to make.

“There’s no indication from City that it is a route they would consider. They were one of the first clubs to drop out of the European Super League when it began to crumble.”

Could an Independent Football Regulator impact on a case like this?

Hughes: “The short answer is yes and no, because it depends what kind of independent regulator for English men’s football that it gets. You could get an independent light which is not interventionist at all, allows the Premier League to set their own financial rules and allows those clubs to work within it.

“Or there is a regulator who could be quite heavy on intervention, and in that case, they may well have a say in the rules that are set by the Premier League.”

Is this legal action linked to the 115 charges case?

Hughes: “They are completely separate. However, this is the legal world and there are grey areas, so an award from this arbitration panel in favour of Manchester City or the Premier League then lawyers will argue that could have some bearing on some of the chunk of those 115 charges.

“They are absolutely separate, but positives that could be taken or perceived to be taken by a party, either Manchester City or the Premier League, may be used legally when it comes to those 115 charges, which we think are being heard towards the end of this year.”

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has urged the game’s administrators to show “more sensibility” in how they regulate football finances.

Khaldoon made the remarks in an in-house interview recorded last Saturday, prior to The Times reporting on Tuesday that City had issued a legal claim challenging the validity of the Premier League’s associated party transaction (APT) rules.

In the same interview, Khaldoon admitted it had taken “longer than anyone hoped for” for the 115 Premier League charges against the club over alleged breaches of financial rules to be heard.

Khaldoon on the transfer market: You won’t see the same level’

Khaldoon was asked for his views on the regulatory landscape City and all clubs across Europe face, and whether he envisaged it having an impact on this summer’s transfer market.

Clubs involved in UEFA competitions next season will only be able to spend 80 per cent of revenue on squad costs such as player wages, transfer and agents’ fees, with the figure dropping to 70 per cent thereafter.

Khaldoon said in the interview, which was released on Wednesday: “I hope there’s a bit more sensibility in regulating, (that there is) always a balanced approach.

“This is good for all the leagues, be it in England or the rest of Europe. I think you won’t see the same level (of transfer spending) as we’ve seen in the past few years because of the level of regulations that have come into place over the last 12 months.”

Khaldoon said he believed the focus of regulators should be on player workload rather than club spending.

“My message here is let’s focus on the mental health. Let’s focus on the physical health of our players,” he said.

“I think that is very important, rather than spending so much time on the regulatory issues that just kind of slow down the growth of the game.”

The Times reported that City’s challenge to the APT rules will be aired at an arbitration hearing starting on Monday.

The APT rules are designed to ensure that any commercial deal or player transfer between a club and entities with links to that club’s ownership are conducted at fair market value, so that club revenues are not artificially inflated.

The Times says the rules will be challenged under competition law, and that the Premier League has sought the support of other clubs in conducting its defence against the claim.

A successful challenge which declared the APT rules unlawful would give clubs free rein to strike commercial deals without independent oversight. A ruling in City’s favour could even have a wider impact on Premier League governance, where rule changes are decided by a majority vote among clubs.

‘The reference is always frustrating’

City are also preparing to defend themselves against 115 charges laid by the Premier League over alleged breaches of its financial rules.

The hearing in that case is expected to begin in the autumn, and Khaldoon said it was “frustrating” that the charges were referenced frequently as City got closer to – and ultimately sealed – a fourth straight Premier League title last month.

“Of course, it’s frustrating,” Khaldoon added in the interview. “I think the reference is always frustrating. Having it being talked about the way it’s being talked about, I can feel, of course, for our fan-base, for everyone associated with the club, to have these charges constantly referenced.

“We as a club have to respect that there’s a process that we have to go through, and we’ll go through it.

“It’s taking longer than anyone hoped for but it is what it is. Let’s be judged by the facts, and not by claims and counterclaims.”

Man City chairman eager to find ‘right solution’ to Pep Guardiola future puzzle

Meanwhile, Khaldoon Al Mubarak expects to find the “right solution” regarding manager Pep Guardiola’s future – but has given no indication what that might be.

Guardiola, who is contracted until 2025 at the Etihad Stadium, hinted after steering City to a fourth successive Premier League title last month that next season could be his last at the club.

Yet throughout his tenure the Spaniard has preferred to sign relatively short contracts and has previously gone into the latter stages of deals before recommitting.

The situation beyond the end of next season therefore remains unclear.

Speaking in his end-of-season review, Khaldoon told the club’s media channels: “With Pep, we’ve had this conversation many times before over the years of the contract.

“Pep has always been fully committed to this club, fully committed to every contract he’s signed with us.

“The decision on his future is always a decision we take together, and I have no doubt we will find, as we always have done, the right solution that works for Pep and works for us.”

Guardiola has won six Premier League titles in the past seven years as well as the Champions League, the Club World Cup, two FA Cups and four League Cups since taking charge in 2016.

Khaldoon said: “It’s hard to put into words what Pep has given this organisation, this club.

“You can look at just records for history’s sake, and there I think he’s racked up almost every record in the book.

“These are records that I think will be very, very hard in the future to ever break, from winning six out of the last seven leagues, to winning four in a row, to the number of wins. The records go on and on and on.

“But also beyond that, I think what his impact has been on football. English football has changed with the evolution to the type of football that Pep has brought in to the league.”

What’s next for City? ‘We’re going for five in a row’

After becoming the first club in the history of English football to win four top-flight titles, Khaldoon is in no doubt the next aim is to make it five.

He said: “We’ve done four in a row. Now we’re going to go for five in a row.

“By the way, that (aim for) five in a row, in our minds, happened the second that final whistle went against West Ham.

“I remember just going down to the pitch and telling almost everybody I saw, ‘excellent, fantastic result, we’re so proud – but now we’re going for five in a row’.”

The 2023/24 campaign ended on a low note with defeat by Manchester United in the FA Cup final but Khaldoon expects to use the loss as motivation for next term.

He said: “For sure everybody wanted to win. It’s the FA Cup, it’s against Manchester United, it’s doing the double-double back-to-back. From that perspective, (we’re) very disappointed.

“But always you have to think of the silver lining. One of the things you always want to avoid is complacency. You never want to be content, you want to keep that hunger.

“Now we come back hungrier because we want to win this again. We want to go for the treble again. We’re going to try to win every competition we compete in.”

The first Muslim member of the FA Council has told Sky Sports News that “football has a blind spot when it comes to Islamophobia” amid a four-fold increase in the number of incidents reported to Kick It Out in the first half of last season.

Yunus Lunat, who is the former chair of the FA Race Equality and Advisory Board, pointed to a spate of incidents over the last 18 months – and how they have been dealt with – which he believes illustrates how Islamophobia is not being treated as seriously as other forms of discrimination.

It comes after a Player Care consultant for Burnley Football Club received a formal warning from the Football Association for liking a number of Islamophobic posts on social media in the latest unsavoury incident over the last year-and-a-half.

Burnley and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have been approached by Sky Sports News for comment.

‘A stain on the English game’

Lunat, who served on the FA Council in 2013, told Sky Sports News: “It’s a stain on the English game. I’ve been saying for many years now that, sadly, football has a blind spot when it comes to Islamophobia.

“Whilst it has made improvements in its processes and dealing with complaints of discrimination, that includes Islamophobia, there seems to be almost a double-standard or a lack of seriousness when it comes to complaints of Islamophobia.

“Football deals pretty well with racial complaints, complaints of homophobia and around other protected characteristics, but football does not appear to have the ability or wherewithal to deal with Islamophobia with the same seriousness.

“There almost seems to be a hierarchy of discrimination around what gets acted upon.

“I just do not understand why football continues to have this problem and issue.”

FA: Islamophobia has no place in football

A Football Association spokesperson told Sky Sports News:

“We treat all forms of discrimination, including Islamophobia, very seriously and we are very clear that it has no place in our game.

“We continue to work with our partners across English football to collectively drive out this unacceptable behaviour, and through new measures and tougher sanctions for perpetrators, we want to make sure that everyone can play and enjoy the game in a safe and welcoming environment.

“We are pleased to have FA representation on Kick It Out’s Islamophobia Working Group and we welcome the opportunity for football to have a shared understanding. As the national governing body, we are looking at how and where we can practically apply a working definition of Islamophobia within the governance structure of our game.”

Lunat calls for consistency

At the beginning of last year, a former Aston Villa Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) officer was also warned, rather than charged, for a number of historical Islamophobic posts made on social media.

But the FA were successful in appealing a 17-month suspension handed down to former Crawley Town manager John Yems by an Independent Regulatory Commission for discrimination.

Yems had admitted to one charge and was found guilty of 11 of a further 15 charges brought against him for breaches of FA Rule E 3.2 over comments that “included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race and/or nationality and/or religion or belief and/or gender” to Crawley players between 2019 and 2022 while he was manager.

The ban was upgraded to three years – the longest ever issued to a participant in English football for discrimination – after the appeal board said the initial finding against Yems was “untenable”.

But the FA did not appeal an eight-week suspension and fine handed to Millwall’s head of youth recruitment by an Independent Regulatory Commission at the beginning of 2023/24 season for a breach of their social media activity rules, relating to an anti-Islamic post.

Lunat, who is a member of Kick It Out’s newly-formed Islamophobia working group, said there needs to be more consistency when it comes to charges for rule breaches in order to restore trust and win back the trust of diverse communities across the game.

“There needs to be a consistency of approach,” Lunat added. “It sends out a message to communities that Islamophobia is not a priority.

“Communities lose confidence, because it sends out the wrong message and we go backwards.

“Football seems to have a blind spot when it comes to Islamophobia and these recent cases sadly highlight and confirm our fears.”

Football’s Islamophobia problem

There was a four-fold increase in reports of Islamophobia in football in the first half of the 2023/24 campaign compared to the same period the previous season. That followed on from a 300 per cent increase in reports of Islamphobic abuse received by Kick It Out during the 2022/23 season.

Kick It Out’s Islamophobia working group members include the organisation’s chief executive Tony Burnett, Aldershot Town chair Shahid Azeem, former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq, FA director Yasir Mirza, broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury and Muslimah Sports Association chair Yashmin Harun.

Kick It Out wrote to football’s governing bodies earlier this year urging them to adopt the working definition of Islamophobia after receiving a rise in reported incidents during the season.

The letter was sent ahead of March 15 – the United Nations’ International Day to combat Islamophobia – after consultation with Kick It Out’s Islamophobia Working Group.

The call came after Kick It Out successfully lobbied football to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in 2021.

Anti-Muslim hate across the UK rose by 375 per cent in the four months between October 2023 and February 2024.

The charity Tell Mama recorded 2,010 Islamophobic incidents – up from 600 during the same period the previous year – which is the largest number over a four-month period since the charity began in 2011.

Kick It Out also revealed last year that they had received a record 496 reports of discrimination at grassroots level during the 2022/23 campaign, up 51 per cent from the previous season.

Jack Grealish’s cameo against Bosnia and Herzegovina was a welcome reminder of what he can bring to this England team. His substitute appearance was brief but he was still able to fashion perhaps the clearest three openings of the match.

“He creates free men when he has the ball,” Pep Guardiola once said. His vision found Trent Alexander-Arnold for the second goal and his clever pass opened up the defence for the third. A square ball to James Maddison might have earned another assist.

The noises have not been good for Grealish of late. Guardiola admitted that he has struggled to find his best form this past season, with the player himself acknowledging that he fears for his place. Gareth Southgate is blessed with wide options in his squad.

But for all the justifiable excitement about the emergence of Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon and others, for all the talk of their superior statistical output, to overlook Grealish for the trip to Germany would be a mistake. He has qualities that others do not.

Some of the statistics do not do him any favours. The last time that he played 90 minutes for Manchester City in the Premier League was in a 4-2 win at Crystal Palace in April. Grealish did not register a goal or an assist but he was involved in all four that City scored.

“It is just a shame that everyone in the world now just loves stats,” he said afterwards. Guardiola has argued much the same, although his decision to overlook Grealish recently – an unused substitute in their final three games – has added fuel to the fire.

The bigger picture reveals that while Grealish started only 10 Premier League games, he was in the line-up for both legs of City’s Champions League quarter-final against eventual winners Real Madrid. Guardiola has often trusted him in the biggest matches.

When the margins are tightest, there are a number of elements to Grealish’s unusual skill-set that are worth considering. He might not be fond of statistics but even in a season in which he was not at his eye-catching best he managed to top one particular metric.

Grealish was still fouled more regularly than any other Premier League player, winning 3.68 decisions per 90 minutes this past season. In total, he has won 451 fouls for his team over the past five campaigns in the competition, far more than any other player.

His willingness and ability to hold onto the ball in tight areas, invites those challenges and either alleviates pressure or creates a dangerous situation. It is certainly not as impressive as scoring a goal or setting one up but it can be the step that precedes both.

The importance of set-pieces in international football is well known to Southgate. At the 2018 World Cup, 75 per cent of England’s goals came from dead-ball situations. They were one of 15 teams at that tournament to score at least half of their goals that way.

Another statistic worthy of mention is his passing accuracy in the final third of the pitch – 83.7 per cent. He has perfected a bespoke role as the hold-up winger under Guardiola. It is Grealish not Erling Haaland they feed to help keep the ball high up the pitch.

The assumption might be that his completion rate merely reflects the options available to him at City but data from Second Spectrum suggests there is more to it. Tracking data enables them to calculate the likelihood of an attempted pass being completed.

The results show that Grealish completes far more passes than he should be able to – 6.09 percentage points more. The statistics indicate that he is better at this than any other England forward. He is not crossing the ball into the box, he is picking out a player.

It has become fashionable to focus on what Grealish has lost from his game under Guardiola rather than what he has gained. It is true that those devilish dribbles are not so meandering these days. But there are ways in which he has become a much better player.

There are few in Southgate’s squad with more experience of opening up a packed defence. Others, Bowen, for example, are accustomed to wide open spaces in which to work. When England are expected to pick their way through instead, Grealish knows how.

That will surely be the case in the early matches of this tournament. If England go deep into the knockout stages, when tired legs and minds may test them against top-class opposition, the emphasis will be on ball retention. Grealish is ideally suited to that too.

A player made for international football?

He has always had the personality for the big stage, now he has the experience for it too. As for his game, he gave everyone a glimpse that this is still intact. Southgate has been sparing in his praise but he should be loath to leave the country without him.

Newton Abbot and Ripon host UK action on Wednesday with all 13 races live on Sky Sports Racing.

4.10 Newton Abbot – Uggy Uggy Uggy faces Swift Hawk

Keiran Burke’s Uggy Uggy Uggy bounced back to form to land a third career success at Warwick last month and looks to have strong claims as he bids to follow up off this 6lb higher mark.

Paul Nicholls fields one of two four-year-olds in the race with recent Hereford victor Swift Hawk hoping to take this step up in class in his stride under Harry Cobden in the plate.

Of the others, Clearance produced a superb display to land a course and distance handicap on his last outing but might struggle to back that up in this deeper Don’t Miss The Newton Abbot Country Show Handicap Hurdle.

6.20 Ripon – Sonic Blue on Royal Ascot trial

Tom Dascombe’s Sonic Blue made a winning debut when justifying favouritism at Doncaster last month and with normal progress expected he could prove hard to peg back under Pierre-Louis Jamin.

Wathnan Racing have been making a splash in the Breeze-up markets and they will be hoping for a big run from recent £350,000 purchase Artagnan. A son of Mehmas, the Karl Burke-trained youngster is a half-brother to useful sprinter Marshman and represents a trainer who has won this twice in recent years.

Art Design is another to watch in the market as she debuts for William Haggas, while Blue Point Express is certainly bred to be quick and cannot be underestimated in a red-hot renewal.

7.55 Ripon – Fortamour and Sibyl Charm clash

Ben Haslam’s course specialist Fortamour has been in good heart of late when winning at the track in heavy ground in April before finishing a solid fourth last time and a big run can be expected off the same mark here.

The Iain Jardine-trained Sibyl Charm has been steadily progressive, scoring on three occasions and should appreciate the drop in class having been well beaten at Newcastle last time.

International Girl will be expected to build on her reappearance here last month, while Tim Easterby’s Bay Breeze has slipped to a workable mark and is another for the shortlist.

Best of the rest

King’s Castle looks the best of 11 runners going to post for the Book Our Winning Post Restaurant Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot, although Colonel Lesley could also pose a threat. Later on at Ripon (6.55), Golden Strike – saddled by Richard Fahey – clashes with Manhattan Mirage.

Racecards | Sky Bet

Watch every race from Windsor and Brighton live on Sky Sports Racing on Monday June 3

Even Josh Thewlis struggles to believe how long he has been a Betfred Super League player for. Still only 22, the Warrington Wolves winger is in his sixth season and now has his first major final to look forward to this weekend.

A product of renowned community side Waterhead, a club which has produced Super League greats such as Kevin Sinfield, Barrie McDermott and Paul Sculthorpe, Thewlis made his Wolves bow as a 17-year-old in 2019 and has since become a regular in the first team.

It is only in the past three seasons the Oldham native has truly established himself at Warrington, but he is delighted to see his hard work paying off as he prepares for being part of the Wolves’ bid to lift the Betfred Challenge Cup at Wembley on Saturday.

“I got told this year it’s my sixth season and I couldn’t quite believe it,” Thewlis told Sky Sports. “When you look back, there are a lot of lessons along the way and it’s not been plain sailing, but they’re something I’m grateful for.

“The last three years I’ve been playing more regularly, building combinations with players and playing with some of the top players.

“George Williams, Danny Walker, Matty Ashton – they’re all playing for England at the moment and that’s where I want to be, and I’m just learning every day.

“It’s my first final and I’m looking forward to it. I’m only 22, I’ve got no honours to my name yet, so I’m hoping to change that this weekend, get a medal around my neck and enjoy it with the lads.”

Thewlis, who is capable of playing at full-back as well, has already shown his try-scoring prowess this year. He has scored a career-best 11 in all competitions with eight of those coming in Super League, which makes him the joint-ninth highest scorer in the league and joint top at the Wolves with Matt Dufty.

Super League’s young player of the year for 2023 is keeping alive rugby league’s fine tradition of goal-kicking wingers as well, taking over duties from the tee in the absence of Warrington’s regular kicker Stefan Ratchford earlier this season and landing 25 of 32 attempts at goal so far.

That was a responsibility Thewlis has regularly shouldered during his younger days and when head coach Sam Burgess asked him to take it on again ahead of the 2024, he immediately went to Ratchford for advice on perfecting his technique.

“When I was younger, I always kicked goals,” Thewlis said. “I probably let it slack a little through the academy because Stef was there and he’s an unbelievable kicker – he’s a master at it.

“When Sam spoke to me about kicking, I went straight to Stef. When you kick a football, you never lose it, but it’s just looking at the finer details Stef looks at.

“He talks about his plant foot, his lead in, his pace going into the ball – stuff I’ve never worried about. I’ve been trying to get with his pace a bit, he has his own way and that’s it.

“He’s very focused and doesn’t sway away from that, and I’m a bit more of a relaxed kicker. He understands that as well and is a brilliant mentor. I’d be stupid not to learn from him.”

Ratchford, who was part of Warrington’s Challenge Cup final triumphs in 2012 and 2019 and has played just about every position on the field at some point in his career, has proven to be a mentor for Thewlis in a more general sense as well.

Having England captain George Williams as a team-mate and Burgess as a head coach, both of whom have vast experience from Super League and Australia’s NRL, means he has plenty of resources to tap into there as well, while Warrington director of rugby Gary Chambers has been there as a guiding hand ever since Thewlis joined the club’s academy.

The England Knights international is determined to keep picking up all he can from those around him and putting in the hard work to ensure he achieves his ambition of representing the full national team at Test level.

But first up comes coping with the mental side of playing on one of rugby league’s grandest stages for the first time as the Wolves take on reigning Super League champions and World Club Challenge winners, not to mention fierce north-west rivals, Wigan Warriors, in the Challenge Cup final.

“Super League games, I’m normally okay, but I’ve heard you’re in the tunnel for quite a while at Wembley and there’s a lot going on,” Thewlis said.

“That’s something I’ve never experienced before, but I’m pretty laid-back anyway so I think I’ll be okay. I’m just really looking forward to getting out there and putting my best foot forward for the team.

“These are the games you dream of playing in when you’re younger, these are the games your mum and dad commit to driving over to Warrington three times a week for.

“I can’t wait to walk out and see them in the crowd, and it’ll all be worth it. Hopefully we’ll get that win as well – it would be an unbelievable feeling.”

Watch every match of the 2024 Betfred Super League season, including Magic Weekend, the play-offs, and men’s, women’s, and wheelchair Grand Finals, live on Sky Sports. Also stream with NOW.