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Old Trafford was silenced on Sunday when Marc Skinner's side were beaten by Man City, a result which highlighted several of the Red Devils' issues

Sunday was a huge day for Manchester United’s women’s team. The Red Devils welcomed bitter rivals Manchester City to Old Trafford and a club-record crowd of 43,615 fans streamed in to watch. Most of them were hoping to see a home win, one that would move United to within a point of Arsenal in second place in the Women's Super League, and four behind leaders Chelsea, while also leaving City nine points off the pace with only seven games played. But although it was an historic day at the 'Theatre of Dreams', the match was a nightmare for the hosts.

Despite home advantage, despite going 1-0 up after 21 minutes and despite playing against 10 players for almost half an hour, United came away empty-handed. They were sloppy, wasteful and uncomfortable in what turned into a 3-1 win for City.

Marc Skinner admitted after the match that his United team probably now need to go unbeaten for the rest of the season to stand any chance of winning the title. But based on what we saw on Sunday, that looks highly unlikely.

The 2022-23 campaign was an incredible one for Skinner's side. They were the only team to battle Chelsea for the WSL title until the final day, they secured a spot in the Women’s Champions League for the first time and they reached a maiden Women’s FA Cup final, too.

But the outlook is quite different with almost a third of this 2023-24 season gone. United couldn’t reach the UWCL group stages after landing a very tough tie in qualifying with Paris Saint-Germain, they’re seven points behind league leaders Chelsea and a defeat at Old Trafford to City has only intensified dissatisfaction among the fans. So, what is going wrong?

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  Key exits

  As well as losing highly-rated assistant manager Martin Ho, who has since guided Norwegian side Brann into the Women’s Champions League group stages, there were 13 first-team departures during the summer, two of which were hugely significant: Ona Batlle and Alessia Russo.

  Batlle is the best right-back in the women’s game and her return to Barcelona, the club she came through as a youngster, felt inevitable for some time. She was always going to be extremely difficult to replace as there is no one quite like the Spaniard, who excelled as an inverted full-back during her time in Manchester.

  Russo didn’t light the league up in her final season with United, scoring just 10 goals, but her move to Arsenal was an issue because of the way Skinner opted to tackle the task of replacing her. A flurry of new attackers have arrived, none of whom are providing the same kind of focal point as Russo.

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  Life after Russo

  Geyse – a tricky, direct and energetic forward who joined from reigning European champions Barcelona this past summer – is now playing the No.9 role on a regular basis. She is a wonderful talent and has shown flashes of her brilliance already. She is also a very different player to Russo.

  On her Man Utd debut in October, in a dramatically late win at Aston Villa, Geyse was a constant nuisance for the opposition but she drifted out wide so often that it left no one in the box to put chances away. That has been the case for most of her time in United red, too.

  "If the forward goes into the wide channel, then the other one has to come in and we have to flood the box because of the way that we play. That will come, I've no doubt about that," Skinner said after that win on the WSL’s opening weekend.

  “Geyse is different to Alessia. Alessia is a pin player and spins and switches. Geyse can hold it and turn you and go. That's a different type of forward. I think when we watch it back, we can be more positionally ruthless and I think that will come.”

  It was Rachel Williams who saved the day at Villa Park, the experienced forward coming off the bench to win the game in stoppage time. As a classic No.9, it was she who brought that penalty-box presence United had been lacking – and it wasn’t the only instance of that happening this season. The 35-year-old, the team’s top goal-scorer in the WSL this season, also came to the rescue away at Brighton earlier this month.

  It's fantastic when you have players on the bench who can make a difference but Williams’ goals have often shown that United simply lack a starter who can be in the right place at the right time to get on the end of the chances being created – and finish them ruthlessly.

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  The right combination

  Why is that the case? Well, Geyse has a lot of talent but her final product and decision-making aren't always convincing. She’s also not that orthodox centre-forward that will lurk in the box, waiting to sniff out a goal. Melvine Malard, however, appears to be a little more like that.

  The France international joined Man Utd on loan from Lyon this past summer but has largely operated in a wide role despite it feeling like a switch of positions between her and Geyse would be beneficial. When she gets in the box, she is deadly, as her four goals for the club already have shown. Yet, she is often stuck on the wing struggling to make an impact. Even Nikita Parris, who excelled in a central role against Everton, appears to be a better option as a starting No.9 than Geyse, whose talents could be maximised out wide.

  Skinner has tinkered a little with that front three this season but has yet to really nail down those killer combinations that can make United a more clinical side. He’s also stressed that the players are still adapting to life in England and learning the language to communicate with their new team-mates.

  “There are still barriers,” he said on Sunday, speaking about the glimpses of that relationship between Geyse and Malard. “It’s just the little details. For example, if we're going to play more direct, then we can play underneath, so maybe Geyse is the highest player but then Melvine drops underneath so if Man City see get the first contact, we're in the second space and once we're in that second space, I don't think Man City would live with us. But we end up being in a flat line because they can't quite communicate quickly as the ball is travelling. There are all those little details that they don't yet have the language skill to do.”

  But until Geyse and Malard are able to work in tandem in their current roles, can Skinner change things so that their abilities can be fully exploited while the relationship is still growing? After all, those partnerships take time to grow and there just isn’t a lot to spare in the WSL.

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  Issues aplenty

  There are only 12 teams in the WSL. Each side only plays 22 games in the division. So, when you’re seven points off the top of the table after as many matches, it’s quite a lot of ground to make up if you want to be a factor in the title race.

  Skinner has spoken about time, about how these players will gel and they will work together beautifully on the pitch, but nearly a third of the league season is now gone and he is still speaking about it. How long will it take?

  Let’s also not forget that Malard is a loan player. You don’t want to be waiting four months for someone on a temporary deal to make an impact. You need to make the most of their presence as soon as possible, especially if Skinner wants Man Utd to compete for the title and to have another go in Europe next season.

  The problems don’t just surround the forward areas and how this attack looks without Russo, either. Batlle’s departure has made United weaker at the back both in and out of possession. Errors when playing out from the defence are creeping in more and more frequently, with captain Katie Zelem caught on the ball in her own half in the build-up to City’s second goal on Sunday and Maya Le Tissier playing a short backpass to Mary Earps that proved costly for the third.

  There are also questions around the midfield, namely why so much of United’s play seems to completely bypass it, and why the balance does not seem right a lot of the time in the combinations of three that Skinner picks. Rectifying the latter could go a long way to putting a stop to Ella Toone’s poor form in 2023, too.

adidas' FUSSBALLLIEBE Euro 2024 match ball will help VAR make offside calls and also reduce time to make a decision.

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• Adidas unveiled the FUSSBALLLIEBE
• Ball to have a chip to assist VAR offside decisions
• Same technology was used in World Cup 2022

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Adidas introduced the FUSSBALLLIEBE match ball for Euro 2024, equipped with a chip to enhance semi-automated VAR offside decisions. Notably, this tech settled a debate around Cristiano Ronaldo's claimed goal in the World Cup during Portugal's 2-0 win over Uruguay and the strike was awarded to Bruno Fernandes after it was analysed through the 'Connected Ball Technology' data.

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  THE EXPLANATION

  This technology, previously used in the Adidas Al Rihla ball at the World Cup, employs a sensor recording data 500 times a second, synchronised with stadium cameras for 3D offside graphics. There is a sensor at the centre of the ball which can record data 500 times a second whenever it is in contact with a player during live action. Adidas claim that the time needed to make a VAR offside decision will also see a significant reduction as it should now take just 25 seconds to make a call since there will be no need to manually draw lines.

• BIGGER PICTURE

  Champions League balls lack the chip, as they rely on AI for offside calls. Fans both in stadiums and watching on TV will have visual access to offside graphics. Adidas claim that decision-making efficiency and accuracy will mark a pivotal shift in football with the help of this technology.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Premier League clubs plan a March vote on adopting automated offside tech, anticipating improved decision-making. It is already prevalent in the Serie A with a Puma matchball but it does not contain the chip.

Patrick Bamford looks increasingly likely to snub interest from Tottenham Hotspur and sign a new long-term deal with Leeds United, as reported by The Mirror.

The Lowdown: Tottenham search for attacking impetus as Harry Kane uncertainty refuses to die down

With long-term speculation surrounding Harry Kane’s next move amid strong links with Manchester City, Nuno Espirito Santo will no doubt look to strengthen his forward line if he wasn’t contemplating the prospect already due to a lack of depth behind the talisman

The Lilywhites have been quoted with an interest in Dusan Vlahovic and Bamford in recent weeks.

However, the former seems set for Atletico Madrid and the latter now looks very unlikely to rock up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

The Latest: Bamford set to snub Tottenham interest

Leeds United are said to be desperate to tie the 6 foot 1 Bamford down with a new contract at Elland Road in the near future [The Mirror].

The 27-year-old is believed to have signalled his happiness to stay put in Yorkshire, citing his nomadic career trajectory which has seen him play for nine different clubs so far.

This could well kill any notion of the frontman winding up at Spurs, with Leeds expectant that he will commit his future to the club, after giving him an opportunity to prove his quality in the English top-flight.

The Verdict: Expected

Despite Tottenham’s alleged attraction towards the former Chelsea star, there was always a strong likelihood that Bamford would elect to stay at Elland Road.

Multiple factors come into this, not least his strong relationship with manager Marcelo Bielsa and his status as a key player within the side – if Kane stays, one would have to assume he would arrive in north London simply as a back-up option.

In 2020/21, Bamford was in sparkling form, registering 25 goal contributions in 38 appearances for Leeds; 17 goals and eight assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, his appetite to constantly be involved in attacking play shone through, amassing an average of 2.8 shots per game across the piece [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘exceptional’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, the chase now looks all but dead in the water for the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy, signalling that they may need to move on to other targets [METRO].

In other news, Tottenham are in advanced talks to sign a Serie A ace.

Folarin Balogun was among those to pay the price for Monaco’s sloppy start against Lille, with the United States international hooked at half-time.

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• Striker included from the off
• Failed to make an impact
• Unable to add to goal tally

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old frontman was included from the off by Monaco boss Adi Hutter, but saw his afternoon cut short after just 45 minutes. That is because a forgettable performance saw the USMNT star struggle to make any kind of impact.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Monaco trailed by two goals at the break and the decision was taken to mix things up during the interval. Balogun was replaced by Myron Boadu, while former Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino made way for Maghnes Akliouche.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hutter saw his side dominate for long periods against Lille, with 16 efforts on goal fired in compared to seven from the hosts. Monaco were unable to find the back of the net, though, with Balogun drawing a blank alongside his attacking colleagues.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Balogun has registered two goals through seven appearances for Monaco following his summer transfer from Arsenal, but faces fierce competition for places when it comes to starting berths and will need to raise his game in order to nail down a place in Hutter’s plans.

Gerard Precheur has left his role as head coach of the Paris Saint-Germain women's team and has been replaced by his son.

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• Precheur criticised club last season
• Has stepped down after one game in 2023-24
• Replaced by his son

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Precheur was appointed PSG coach last summer but endured a disappointing season at the helm as they finished second in Division 1 Feminine, six points behind winners Lyon, and exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  PSG confirmed on Thursday that Precheur has stepped down, citing "personal reasons" in their statement.

  The remainder of his background staff will remain in charge and his son Jocelyn, who worked as his assistant last term, has taken over as head coach.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  The veteran manager's exit comes after he criticised the club at the end of last season, sparking reports of a likely departure.

  "PSG must provide guarantees to build a great club. Being competitive is not enough. I want to finish my career with a desire to win," he said.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  PSG won their first league game of the season before his exit and they will hope to make it two wins from two when they meet Lyon this weekend.

Writing on Twitter, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared some news on West Ham United and their transfer plans involving Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic.

The Lowdown: West Ham in centre-back chase…

Claret & Hugh first reported that strengthening the central defensive area was among manager David Moyes’ main summer transfer priorities.

In recent days, Sky Sports also lifted the lid on West Ham talks for Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma, with the player said to be open to a London Stadium switch.

ExWHUemployee also believes that signing a new centre-half for Moyes is now West Ham’s first priority before sealing deals for players in different positions (Patreon).

The Latest: Sheth shares Milenkovic news…

As per Sheth, writing on his social media, West Ham are also in talks to sign Serie A powerhouse Milenkovic as fellow centre-half target Zouma looks like a ‘tough deal’ to complete.

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The 23-year-old has emerged as an alternative to Chelsea’s centre-back as GSB enter negotiations over his possible signing this summer.

“Zouma to #WHUFC tough deal due to fee & wages,” Sheth explained (via Twitter).

“Zouma open to move but happy to stay at #CFC – contract to 2023. Zouma to #Sevilla as part of Kounde deal not impossible – but he prefers London stay.

“#WHUFC remain in talks with #Fiorentina over #Milenkovic.”

The Verdict: Sound alternative…

Milenkovic definitely comes as a viable alternative to Zouma going by his exploits for Fiorentina last campaign and praise from his teammates.

Averaging an impressive 86% pass accuracy out from defence over the 2020/2021 Serie A season, perhaps indicating a cool head on young shoulders, only one Irons player (Issa Diop) managed more blocks on average per 90 (2.1) compared to Milenkovic (WhoScored).

He has also been called ‘extraordinary’ by Spanish right-back Pol Lirola (SOSFantacalcio via x-sport.news), leaving little wonder why West Ham have identified him as a target.

Charlie Eccleshare, journalist for The Athletic, says Milenkovic could even leave Italy for as little as €15 million (£12.8m) this summer, with the player himself ‘keen to play’ Premier League football (Twitter).

Taking all this into account, swooping for the Serbian seems like a no-brainer.

In other news: ‘Advanced agreement’…Journalist says 93-goal forward now ‘very close to West Ham’, find out more here.

The Red Devils were expected to build on last season's progress, but instead it feels like they are back to square one

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United reign began with a home defeat to Brighton and, 13 months on, there was a huge sense of deja-vu after the Seagulls ran riot at Old Trafford on Saturday, winning 3-1 to end United's year-long unbeaten home run. Brighton had a different man in charge back then, and even though they were going places under Graham Potter, they have made a stunning improvement under the guidance of Roberto De Zerbi, who has led them into Europe for the first time.

United, meanwhile, look back to square one. They are as weak, if not weaker, defensively than at the start of last season, and they are seriously lacking creativity in attack. Marcus Rashford was the only player who looked capable of causing much damage on Saturday, with Bruno Fernandes looking stunted, Christian Eriksen struggling to have an impact and Casemiro looking shorn of all the power and class he showed last season.

Where do United go from here? Last August, they still had time to remedy their problems in the transfer market, signing Casemiro and then Antony. But now, they have already done their business and the transfer window shut two weeks ago. Meanwhile, they are without Antony and Jadon Sancho for indefinite periods for non-sporting reasons and have a worryingly long injury list, just three aspects of a spiralling of problems for Ten Hag over the last three months.

Ten Hag's arrival last season brought hope to United after a series of bad coaching hires since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. He delivered a first trophy in six years and seemed to have raised standards off the pitch. But rather than kick on this season and mount a title challenge, it feels as if they are going backwards.

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  Passive defending

  United actually made a good start against Brighton, looking dangerous for the opening 15 minutes. But the Seagulls scored with practically their first chance, aided by some very weak defending.

  Debutant Sergio Reguilon was caught out of position and a simple pass took him out of the equation, leaving Danny Welbeck to release Simon Adingra down the right wing and drift into the area. Lisandro Martinez made a feeble effort to try and block Adingra's cross while Victor Lindelof lost track of Welbeck and the ball, allowing the former United striker to score.

  The second goal from Pascal Gross, who scored twice in last season's victory, was another result of poor anticipation from United's centre-back pairing. Lindelof and Martinez were both flummoxed by Tariq Lamptey's through ball to Gross, with the Argentine not even sensing the danger until it was too late. There was also little co-operation between the midfield and the defence for Joao Pedro's goal.

  Based on their performance at Old Trafford and in their previous four matches, it is hard to comprehend how Ten Hag's side registered more clean sheets than any other Premier League side last year. They have conceded 10 goals so far this season; only Wolves and Burnley have shipped more.

  "We have to improve that. There are things from the team and individuals who have to step up," said Ten Hag on the defensive problems. "Sometimes you are in bad period, difficult periods, and you have to face that and deal with that. We can't blame anyone else, we have to do better and be more determined, more resilient."

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  Hojlund a work in progress

  When United were performing well at the end of last season it was clear they lacked a proper centre-forward. Once a top-quality striker was brought in, the theory went, the team could reach their true potential. But the idea was that the new striker would complement the team rather than carry them on his back.

  Rasmus Hojlund, however, came into his full debut appearing like a knight in shining armour, tasked with rescuing United from their woeful start to the season. It was always going to be a heavy burden for a 20-year-old with only one season in Europe's top five leagues under his belt.

  The Dane had an encouraging home bow, linking up well with Rashford and providing a much-needed focal point for the rest of the players to look to. But it is clear that the £72-million ($89m) man is very much a work in progress and will need time to properly dovetail with his new team-mates and acclimatise to the league. He also needs time to fully regain his fitness after arriving with a back injury which meant he could only make his first appearance for the club almost a month after joining from Atalanta.

  That was evident when Ten Hag substituted him in the 64th minute for Anthony Martial, to a chorus of boos. The manager felt that it was too risky for Hojlund to play 90 minutes so soon after returning from injury. He explained: "Everyone knows he came in with a small issue, we built him up over the last three to four weeks, he is not ready for a whole game. If he gets injured because he is not capable to play 90 minutes then we are much farther away than where we want to go."

  There was a great irony in Ten Hag bringing on Martial, United's most injury-prone player, to protect Hojlund, and the Frenchman offered very little in his time on the pitch, showing none of the spark or desire of the new signing.

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  Casemiro not a saviour anymore

  When United fell to their shocking 4-0 defeat at Brentford in the second game of last season, Casemiro sent a text message to his agent, who had been discussing his potential move to Old Trafford. "Tell them I'll fix," he said.

  Casemiro was signed for a fee rising to £70m a few days later and soon did fix United's problems, bringing world-class quality to the team and a winning mentality he had gained after so many years at Real Madrid.

  Fast-forward a year, however, and Casemiro looks tired and beyond the peak of his powers. That should not be such a surprise given he is 31, but his decline sure has been dramatic and steep. Against Brighton, his passes were routinely cut out and he was not so much a wall in front of the defence but an open window, and the visitors could pour forward on the break with little resistance from the Brazilian.

  Casemiro is normally the last player to leave the pitch, but he was hauled off after only 64 minutes, replaced by 20-year-old Hannibal Mejbri. He is no longer the man to fix United's problems. Instead, he could do with some mending himself.

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  No Sancho & no Antony

  It feels like a very long time ago now, but Sancho helped lead United's revival after their last miserable start to a season. After the twin defeats to Brighton and Brentford, Sancho scored the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Liverpool in the next game and the only strike in the 1-0 win over Leicester in their fifth match of the season.

  But now, Sancho is persona-non grata after firing back at Ten Hag's criticism of his performances in training and refusing to apologise. He has been forced to train separately from the rest of his team-mates, and on Saturday was not at Old Trafford. Instead, he went to watch United's Under-18s side in action against Nottingham Forest.

  Antony was another player who played his part in United's recovery from their poor start. He scored in his first three matches following his £85m ($105m) move from Ajax and became one of Ten Hag's most trusted players on the pitch.

  The Brazilian's productivity then sharply declined, although he remained a first-choice pick for Ten Hag and played a big role in the manager's style of play due to his work off the ball. But Antony is now also unavailable for selection after serious allegations – which he denies – were made against him by three women in Brazil.

  United really lacked a presence on the right wing against Brighton as Ten Hag's midfield diamond failed to sparkle, and the only width they got was from their full-backs Diogo Dalot and Reguilon. And it is unclear whether Antony or Sancho, who cost United a combined total of £160m ($198m), will ever play for the club again.

Check out the top-rated men's players from Ligue 1 on EA Sports FC 24!

It is almost time for the release of EA Sports FC 24, with fans across the globe gearing up to experience the new features, gameplay, and additions to the much-loved football video game.

Player ratings are one of the most-anticipated announcements made by EA Sports in the lead-up to a new game, and it looks like we may have already seen some in the official trailer videos, and sneak-peeks released by EA.

Despite Ligue 1 football having an unfair reputation as "The Farmers League," there are plenty of star names plying their trade in France's top flight, which includes arguably the best players in the world right now, Kylian Mbappe.

Find the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon USPre-order nowFind the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon UKPre-order now

What's more, Ligue 1 always have a pool of young and upcoming prospects, who have the potential for significant increases in their ratings. All in all, there are some great bargains to be found for Ultimate team and Career mode players willing to look for them in the French top flight.

The ratings for the best players in the game have been released and we take a look at who are the best players from the Ligue 1 to feature in the game. From PSG mega-star Mbappe to AS Monaco goal-machine Wissam Ben-Yedder, GOAL sheds light on the top-rated players in the game from France's top division.

Read more EA Sports FC 24 news

• EA Sports FC 24: Release Date, price & complete guide
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Players Ratings
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Saudi Pro League Players
• EA Sports FC 24: Ronaldo v Messi: Who is Better?
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Players from La Liga

• Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 91

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	97
  SHO	90
  PAS	80
  DRI	92
  DEF	36
  PHY	78

  There are no major surprises for who sits at the top of the Ligue 1 ratings. Kylian Mbappe is the joint best-rated star in FC 24 off the back of yet another exceptional season for club and country. He finished as the league’s top scorer once again and bagged a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final – becoming only the second man to do so. Needless to say, he is one of the fastest and best dribblers, making him truly unbelievable to witness in the game!

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  Marquinhos | PSG | 87

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	78
  SHO	56
  PAS	75
  DRI	74
  DEF	89
  PHY	80

  A defensive stalwart for both club and country, Brazilian defender Marquinhos is PSG's captain and has been an outstanding servant for the Parisians over the years. He has won almost every trophy with PSG save for the UEFA Champions League and the centre-back will be hoping that he can finally lift it in the upcoming season.

  Among the most elite defenders in the world, last season was unimpressive by the veteran's high standards, which has resulted in a -1 downgrade to 87 in FC 24.

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  Gianluigi Donnarumma | PSG | 87

  Attribute	Rating
  DIV	90
  HAN	82
  KIC	79
  REF	89
  SPD	52
  POS	82

  One of the highest-rated shot-stoppers in the game, Donnarumma had a fairly average for club and country last season, while his performances in the Champions League weren't good either. As a result, EA reduced his rating by one point for the second season running, making his new rating 87.

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  Ousmane Dembele | PSG | 86

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	93
  SHO	77
  PAS	81
  DRI	87
  DEF	36
  PHY	57

  After several injury-plagued lacklustre seasons at Barcelona, Dembele played a prominent role in their successful 2022-23 season, registering eight goals and nine assists from 35 games in all competitions as Barca won the La Liga crown. Now plying his trade at Parc des Princes, the 26-year-old Frenchman also starred for 2022 World Cup finalists France, which has seen his rating receive a +2 bump to 86.

GOAL asked several MLS All-Stars about Lionel Messi adjusting to the U.S. and how players will defend him.

Lionel Messi has arrived in MLS. It's still hard to really believe, isn't it? On Friday, he'll put on an Inter Miami shirt for the first time for his debut in the Leagues Cup, kickstarting an American adventure that still feels surreal.

And it isn't just surreal to the American public, who are now preparing themselves for the Messi era. It's also come as a major lift to players across MLS, who will now get a chance to play with and against a player that many consider the greatest of all time.

Players across MLS are thrilled by the idea of facing off with the Argentine star, with many of the league's younger stars growing up idolizing Messi. Some of MLS' more decorated players, meanwhile, are excited about the idea of seeing another world-class star help elevate the league to a new level.

It won't be easy, though. Life in MLS has its challenges, even for Messi. He'll need to make some major adjustments if he wants to thrive in a league that is unlike any other in the world.

Ahead of the MLS All-Star Game, GOAL caught up with several players to discuss Messi's arrival and what it takes to adjust to life in MLS.

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  'A pinch-me moment'

  John Tolkin grew up idolizing Messi. As a left-footer himself, the New York Red Bulls and U.S. men's national team fullback studied the ex-Barcelona star growing up. In his youth, Tolkin was drawn to lefties, and what better left-footer is there than Messi?

  Now a 20-year-old homegrown MLS star, Tolkin has a very real chance of facing the player he grew up idolizing. The Red Bulls host Inter Miami on August 26, and there's a very real chance that he goes head-to-head with Messi at some point in that match.

  "I expect packed stadiums and a lot of security and a lot of pitch invaders," joked Tolkin. "It's pretty insane. My Instagram and Twitter feed, you can't miss that he's here. I think it's so good for the league and for the country just to try and grow soccer as it is.

  "If I'm able to step on the field with him, that'll definitely be a pinch-me moment and I definitely won't believe it for a pretty long time. At the same time, though, I want to beat him! That would be pretty cool to say: I beat Messi."

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  Getting stuck in against a god

  Despite what he said above, Tolkin isn't planning on just standing there starstruck when the whistle blows at Red Bulls Arena. No, he's there to compete.

  Several European stars have received harsh welcomes to MLS. David Beckham, Messi's new boss at Inter Miami, was famously clattered by Jesse Marsch, sparking a melee between the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA. Messi will, no doubt, get a welcome-to-MLS moment, at one point or another, from a player on a far smaller salary than him.

  Tolkin isn't going to be two-footing Messi any time soon, though, and the hope is there are no brawls like the one between Beckham and Marsch. However, the Red Bulls fullback does say he plans on doing whatever it takes to slow Messi down.

  "He's like a god," Tolkin begins with a laugh, "but I want to get stuck in, you know what I'm saying? I've really been thinking about that, how to approach that, but in the end, I want to win. If I have to make a tackle or a tactical foul here or there, it's going to happen!"

• Twttier.com
  

  An easy adjustment to American life

  One of the aspects of MLS that is so enticing is the draw of American life. For superstars of Messi's caliber, the U.S. is a place where he can find some form of normalcy. We've already seen one example of that, as Messi was recently spotted at a Publix grocery store in a scene that would have looked much different in Europe.

  While life in the U.S. can be so different than life in Europe, it can also offer players a unique feeling of home. That's what Atlanta United star Giorgos Giakoumakis has experienced since arriving from Celtic earlier this year.

  "The Greeks and Americans have many things in common," he said. "We share the same cultural things and everything from the lifestyle and their sense of humor about everything. You can imagine that I even struggled a little bit when I was back in Scotland, but here I don't feel that.

  "The people of the club also played their part because they helped me so much, so much. I will always be grateful to them because coming to other parts of the world is never easy. Even if you share the same culture, it's not easy, but they made it really easy for me and my family."

  Messi will benefit from those same aspects of American life. Miami, in particular, has a large South American population that should make the Argentine feel right at home. MLS, as a league, also has such a strong Argentinian influence that many clubs even hold asado barbecues for team bonding.

  Giakoumakis, meanwhile, has only limited experience with Greek cuisine in America as he's taking his time to enjoy the other food the U.S. has to offer.

  "I can tell you maybe yes. [the Greek food in the U.S. is good], and maybe you're gonna ask another Greek guy and he says no," the Atlanta United star said. "I don't think the quality is the same, like the proper Greek, but that's something really objective! I feel that I don't need to try Greek food across the country because I'm here to try something different, but wherever I'm back in Greece, I'm going to eat only Greek food. That's a fact!"

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  Get ready for the travel

  Ask any player, past or present, that has arrived in MLS what their least favorite part of it was and you'll likely get the same answer. They're going to say the travel.

  It's something that makes MLS unique because no other league in the world has to deal with anything like this. The trip from Miami to Vancouver, for example, is twice the distance from London to Moscow. North America is a big continent and, for many players, the travel schedule can be overwhelming.

  Fortunately for Messi, the league has gotten better with travel. He surely won't be sitting in economy seats next to the general public. Still, there's no way to make six or seven hour flights an exciting part of the job.

  "Oh, it's the travel," Giakoumakis said. "Not that much nowadays, but before, they didn't have any charters so they had to fly for like four days when they were playing away games! Especially like Atlanta to LA, it's a long flight."

  Messi is obviously used to long flights, having spent his entire career flying from Europe to South America for international games. Miami's location probably played some part in his decision, as it'll make the trips back to Argentina much easier as he looks to prolong his international career.

  It's not just the travel that will surprise Messi, though, but what he walks into once he lands.

As per The Daily Record, Connor Goldson has agreed to sign a three-year deal to stay at Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Goldson future up in the air

The defender’s deal was set to run out at the end of the 2021/22 campaign (Transfermarkt), and for a while it may have been doubted whether he would put pen to paper on a new contract.

It was also reported that West Ham United were interested in signing the 28-year-old (Football Insider), but now there has been an update on the former Brighton man’s future in Glasgow.

The Latest: Goldson agrees new deal

As reported by The Daily Record, the Scottish champions have been handed a major boost with regards to Goldson.

The centre-back has agreed a new deal with the club which will extend his stay at Ibrox for another three years following several days of talks with sporting director Ross Wilson.

The Verdict: Huge boost

With the Gers closing in on the start of an important new season, uncertainty over the future of Goldson was a cloud over their preparations. While this news has not yet been formally announced by the club, it will come a huge boost for Steven Gerrard if there are no late hitches – the manager called the 28-year-old “immense” earlier this year (via The Scottish Sun).

The £6.75m-valued defender (Transfermarkt) was a rock at the heart of the Rangers backline last term as the they won the Premiership for the first time in 10 years. He played every single minute of every single game in all competitions as the Gers were defeated just three times, including once on penalties (Sky Sports).

In the league, Rangers conceded just 13 goals (thefishy.co.uk), illustrating his importance to the side. As the Gers attempt to defend their title and also qualify for the Champions League group stage, having Goldson’s future secured is exactly what they would have wanted.

In other news, this Rangers ace has revealed he is flattered by interest from one Premier League club.