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MATT BARLOW: The pursuit of Frank Lampard (left and top right) by Roman Abramovich (with Lampard, top right) and director Marina Granovskaia (bottom shot, left, unveiling Petr Cech as Chelsea's new technical and performance adviser) confirms the unique circumstances in play at Chelsea, with a transfer ban and a determination to try something different. As the club’s record goalscorer and icon of their most glittering era, Lampard’s legendary status is secure. He cannot claim experience as a coach, he is starting a 12-month UEFA Pro Licence course and has one season behind him at Derby when he failed to win promotion with one of the biggest budgets in the Championship. But he offers an understanding of Chelsea and an ability to connect with its masses which will afford him respect, patience and time from fans who did not grant Maurizio Sarri the same.

Earlier this month, Manchester City appealed to the Court of Arbitration to Sport over a sentence that hasn't even been handed down yet. It is symptomatic of the sometimes murky, always confusing process that is the UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. With a decision expected soon, and with implications that affect not just City, Pep Guardiola (left) and owner Sheikh Mansour (centre) are desperately hoping for a positive outcome. City have adamantly denied the allegations and said the emails were hacked or stolen and their contents taken out of context.

The last official post that Rodrygo Goes made on his social media profiles until today was a heartwarming photo of him, his young parents and little sister sat in business class as they waited to be whisked off from Sao Paulo Guarulhos International to the Spanish capital early on Monday morning. The posts afterwards represented a crowning moment on the Bernabeu's hallowed turf taken directly from his official unveiling for the 13-times European champions Real Madrid.  There the 18-year-old will link up with fellow Brazilian starlet Vinicius Jr, Japanese sensation Takefusa Kubo and more senior recent signings such as Eden Hazard. Possibly, still to come, is Manchester United's Paul Pogba.

Reece Miller (inset), 18, has been named as one of the revellers involved in the shocking 10-man brawl at Royal Ascot in Berkshire on Friday. The brazen teenager even posed for a photo while holding up a story about the fight. A Watford Football Club spokesperson said he had been suspended after it was shown footage of the brawl. They added: 'We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. The club will not tolerate any behaviour which tarnishes its image and a full disciplinary investigation is now in process.'

JOE BERNSTEIN: Manchester United are heading back to the future next season - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to build a new team based on youthful energy like Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson did in the past. Expensive big hitters Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez look on the way out. In their place, whizzkid winger Daniel James (third left) has already been signed, England under 21 defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka (left) looks on the way and 21-year-old local lad Marcus Rashford (third right) is set to be the 'star' of the team should Pogba join Real Madrid and Sean Longstaff (second left), Scott McTominay (second right) and Tahith Chong (right). We've had the Busby Babes and Fergie's fledglings (inset). This is how Solskjaer's students could line up in 2019-20....

The referee of England's last-16 victory twice overruled VAR [video assistant referee] to stop Cameroon players from walking off, according to reports. Referee Qin Liang was reportedly worried that the Cameroon players would stop playing when she decided against listening to Fran Kirby's penalty appeal and failed to send off Alexandra Takounda for a tackle on Steph Houghton. FIFA has said it will deal strongly with Cameroon over their disgraceful behaviour during the game, with retrospective bans possible for those who spat at and stamped on Phil Neville's players. 

HOLLAND 2-1 JAPAN: A last-gasp penalty coolly converted under pressure by Lieke Martens sent Holland through to the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup at the expense of Japan. The late drama spilled out as the game entered stoppage time, with the score finely poised at 1-1. Holland had broken the deadlock earlier in the tie after Martens flicked home a corner with a sublime back-heel, only for Yui Hasegawa to equalise with an equally impressed chipped finish.

PAUL NEWMAN AT LORD'S: It's hanging by a thread now. The best and probably last chance England will ever have of finally breaking their 50-over World Cup duck is rushing agonisingly away from them. This was a seismic blow to the tournament favourites and No1 ranked one-day side in the world. Not quite the day their dream died but one that has left them needing to win every remaining game if they are to have a chance of averting one of the most crushing blows in even their cock-up laden history. And, of course, it had to be Australia who inflicted the third and most damaging defeat of this tournament on Eoin Morgan's side at a stunned Lord's. It had to be an old enemy England have defeated in 10 of their last 11 one-day matches.

Kate Cross left fans scratching their heads after suffering a hilarious brain-fade during England Women's T20 victory over West Indies on Friday. The England bowler missed an easy run-out opportunity at the non-striker's end while the hosts attempted to defend a run total of 181 in Northampton. After receiving the ball from cover, Cross was presented with the chance to dismiss the non-striking batswoman who was some way off the safety of the crease.

CAMEROON 2-0 GUINEA-BISSAU: Cameroon started their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign as they mean to go on with a routine win over unfancied Guinea-Bissau. Clarence Seedorf's players took a while to warm up but found the net twice in three minutes midway through the second half to wrap up an opening group victory. Goals from centre back Yaya Banana and substitute Stephane Bahoken were the difference.