LiveScore Daily: Today's football news in bite-sized chunks

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Toney speaks

Ivan Toney says missing last winter's World Cup hurt him more than his eight-month ban from football.

The Brentford striker, 27, will not play before January 2024 after being found guilty of breaching the FA's betting rules last month.

Toney was still called up to Gareth Southgate's England squad in March but believes the timing of announcements around his breaches may have cost him an appearance at Qatar 2022.

Speaking on Kick Game's YouTube channel, he said: "How it came out just before the England camp — missing out on the World Cup, that would've been the biggest dream for me.

"In a way I thought it was like, 'Get it out now so he can't go with England', then all of a sudden they wanted to wait until the end of the season to decide the punishment.

"It is what it is. I'd call it a bit spiteful, but it is what it is. 

"I feel like that was a bigger punishment. Even though I'm missing eight months of football, missing out on the World Cup, which is everybody's dream."

Back on top

Diogo Jota is determined to get Liverpool back challenging on all fronts next season.

The Reds finished a disappointing fifth in the Premier League and failed to pick up any silverware aside from the Community Shield.

It was also a frustrating campaign for Jota on a personal level with the 26-year-old restricted to 12 league starts due to hamstring and thigh injuries.  

And the Portuguese ace is determined to make 2023-24 a more memorable campaign.

He said: "As a player, you obviously always want to achieve more and more.

"I feel I've reached a level that allows me to look back and realise I've completed a great journey to get here and I should be proud of where I am.

"Now it is for us to create new history from next season. I am always motivated to do my best possible and as a Liverpool player it comes with a lot of responsibility.

"We are a club that needs to fight for titles and next season we have a perfect opportunity to do that."

Carlo sues Toffees

Carlo Ancelotti is suing his former club Everton in London's high court.

Only basic details have so far emerged over the Italian manager's claim, with court documents suggesting it relates to "general commercial contracts and arrangements". 

Lodged on Friday, the case will be heard in the commercial court and is the latest financial headache for the struggling Toffees.

The club took out a bridging loan against their new stadium only last month to provide a cash injection while talks continue over a potential change of ownership.

Not a wind up

League One crisis club Wigan have been served with a winding-up order by HMRC.

The Latics are in a dire state of affairs, having already been placed under a transfer embargo last week for breaching EFL rules on tax payments.

That followed two consecutive four-point deductions for unpaid staff wages, which means the Lancashire outfit are set to start next season on minus eight points. 

Talks are said to be ongoing about a takeover and supporters will be desperately hoping for some form of progress before the club's hearing date on July 26.

Ready to rock

Beth Mead has assured Arsenal fans she will be raring to go when the WSL kicks off again.

Sports Personality of the Year winner Mead, 28, has been out since November with an ACL tear that will see her miss this summer's Women's World Cup.

But the Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner has now set her sights on the return of domestic action in September for a comeback.

Mead said: "My motivation was to get as close to the World Cup as possible and that's what I've been striving to do with my rehab. 

"I'm not gonna make that but it's given me a target to push towards. Striving for a goal has meant that after the summer, I’ll be ready and super fit for next season.

"I've been working hard to be ahead of what I should be and that's a motivation in itself. It makes me feel good."

Berlusconi passes away

Former Italian prime minister and AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has died at the age of 86.

Berlusconi ran the Serie A giants for 31 years between 1986 and 2017, with the highlight of that era seeing Arrigo Sacchi's side win back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990.

More recently, he had endured a long battle with leukemia.