Ruben Amorim responds to Ed Sheeran gatecrashing Sky Sports interview with Roy Keane dig​

The NWSL set a new attendance record in 2024, according to a report from Sports Business Journal, as clubs averaged 11,250 fans in attendance, a six percent increase compared to the previous year.

This year, the league expanded to 14 teams, up from 12 in 2023, giving it an even bigger boost in overall fan attendance. Two million fans attended matches for the first time in the NWSL’s history (12 seasons). That represented a 44 percent increase over 2023 and an impressive 96 percent increase over 2022.

Eighty-nine matches had at least 10,000 fans in attendance, beating the previous year’s mark of 55 matches. And the league announced that 14 million viewers tuned into regular-season matches on television.

Eight of 12 returning teams saw increases in attendance over the previous year, with the Chicago Red Stars seeing the biggest increase, thanks in part to a marquee match against Bay FC — an NWSL record crowd of 35,038 attended.

Angel City FC led the way with the biggest overall numbers, averaging 19,313 fans at BMO Stadium.

The Kansas City Current sold out every home contest in their new 11,500-seat stadium and hosted the NWSL Championship game, a 1-0 win for the Orlando Pride over the Washington Spirit.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this story.

Mikel Arteta said Tuesday’s 5-1 thrashing of Sporting CP is a “landmark win” and the best European away performance of his five-year tenure as Arsenal manager.

Sporting were previously unbeaten in 19 matches across all competitions this season, but were hammered at the Estadio Jose Alvalade as goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhães, Bukayo Saka’s penalty and substitute Leandro Trossard secured an emphatic victory.

It is the first time Arsenal have scored five goals in a Champions League away game since October 2008 and only the Gunners second win in nine matches on the road in the competition.

Arteta took charge of Arsenal in December 2019 and returned them to Europe’s premier club competition after a six-year absence. After exiting last season’s competition with a narrow 3-2 aggregate defeat at the quarterfinal stage, Arsenal were held at Atalanta and lost to Inter Milan on the road this term.

Asked if he this was Arsenal’s best European away win under his management, Arteta replied: “For sure, especially against the opponent that we played in their home. I don’t think they’ve lost here in 18 months. They’ve been in top form, they’ve been better than everyone they’ve played here. To play to that level with the fluidity that we’ve done today, very pleased.

“For sure [it is a landmark win] because the performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. We played Paris Saint-Germain and we were exceptional again. We played Bayern Munich and were exceptional.

“But we made some mistakes and it cost us. That’s the level. We have to be able to cope. You have to make it happen. That creates belief. We need that consistency because the ability is there.”

The result leaves Arsenal on 10 points after five games — inside the top-8 ahead of Wednesday’s games — with their next match against AS Monaco on Dec. 11 at the Emirates.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said he doesn’t fully understand how the new Champions League format worked after his team earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to improve their chances of reaching the knockout stage.

Bayern needed a first-half goal from defender Kim Min-Jae to battle past 10-man PSG and claim a third win in five matches.

“I don’t look at the table because, honestly. I don’t yet understand it,” Kompany told a press conference. “It will look good if we win a few more matches.”

The Bavarians climbed to 11th with nine points from five games, a point off the top-eight places that bring automatic qualification for the round of 16. PSG are 26th on four, outside the playoff spots with three matches remaining in the first phase.

In the new 36-team league format this season, teams face eight teams instead of meeting three opponents twice. They play half of those games at home and half away.

The top eight sides advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter a two-legged playoff for a chance to secure a spot in the next stage.

“What’s important is to reach our goal. If we win our remaining games we have a chance to make the top eight,” Belgian Kompany, in his first season in charge at Bayern, said.

“I’m obviously happy. Our pressing in the first half was very good. The discipline was there. We could have scored perhaps one or two more goals, but the result is good.

“We are on the right track, but working to become even better.”

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique acknowledged in an angry retort that he is to blame for Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.

Playing down with 10 men since the 58th minute after Ousmane Dembélé‘s sending off, PSG fell to a 1-0 loss in Munich, their third defeat in their last four games in the competition.

Asked by a reporter who was to blame for the loss, Luis Enrique said after the game: “Responsibility is always global in the good times and the bad times. It is not about looking for culprits or heroes. When defeats come, there is a great desire to attack and I repeat: if there is anyone to blame, it is me.”

He then added while touching the reporter’s arm: “You’ve found him! Relax! I accept all criticism, all for me, I have no problem.”

The Ligue 1 leaders have won just one game in the competition and taken one point of a possible 12 in their last four Champions League encounters.

“They are annoying defeats, obviously,” Luis Enrique said. “But to me they provide a lot of information about which players may be here in the future, if there is a future.”

PSG are 26th in the standings with three matches remaining.

“It’s very frustrating for us to be in this situation,” Luis Enrique said. “We lost a Champions League game at home and it will be difficult to get those points back. There are still three games left and we have to hope to qualify.”