Elisabeth Terland scored two first-half goals to help Brighton get their Women’s Super League season off to a winning start against Everton.

Everton captain Megan Finnigan netted with 25 minutes remaining to give her side hope, but the hosts were unable to find an equaliser despite dominating the second half.

The win marks a positive start for Melissa Phillips’ team who were involved in a relegation fight last season.

More to follow.

RKC Waalwijk say their goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen “had a good night and has continued his recovery” after he was knocked unconscious during a match against Ajax on Saturday.

He lay motionless as he was treated on the pitch but regained consciousness while being taken off on a stretcher.

“We hope to see him again at the club soon,” added RKC Waalwijk.

“For Etienne, it is important for now to be able to recover in peace in the coming hours and days,” the Eredivise club wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“We would therefore like to ask you to give him and his family the time and rest for this.

“On behalf of everyone within RKC Waalwijk, we wish Etienne, and all the people around him, a lot of strength.”

Players frantically called for help and were in tears as medical staff worked on Vaessen on the pitch, with screens put up around him.

The Dutch top-flight match was abandoned with just six minutes of normal time remaining and visitors Ajax leading 3-2.

The stadium announcer explained that several players were “too affected to continue playing”.

Ajax later wrote on X: “This is about more than football. Praying you’re okay, Etienne.”

RKC confirmed after the match that Vaessen was taken to hospital for further medical examination.

“Serene” is not a word many would use to describe Duncan Ferguson.

Even when the hosts pulled two back to force a nervy conclusion to his first game in charge, the 51-year-old remained chilled.

There were no coming-togethers with combustible opposing manager Dick Campbell. There were no shouting matches with referee Don Robertson. There were no skelpings for his players, either. It was all so… even-tempered.

And that’s exactly what Ferguson was aiming for on his return to Scottish football. “I wanted to be calm,” he said afterwards.

On the touchline he was poised. But when he celebrated with the band of travelling supporters at full-time, a glimpse of the old competitor in him shone through.

Understandable, given the win was the first of the season for Inverness, and one which lifts them off the bottom of the table.

And if scenes, during and after the game, are anything to go by, then the only way may be up for the Highland side.

‘Caring’ Ferguson ‘has been through it all’

On his return to the seaside Angus town, where as a boy he spent time in the nearby amusement park, the former Scotland international was relaxed.

While he meandered around Gayfield – the venue where he scored his only hat-trick in Scottish football – Ferguson chatted amiably, stopped for those pleading for an autograph, and even managed to avoid being smothered by mascot Smokie Joe.

“I am a caring person,” he said. “I like connecting with people.”

His composure was captivating. Even for a man of his stature, it would be near impossible to brush off the expectations, pressure and noise that has been forced upon him on his eagerly awaited return home.

But he was unfazed, fully focused on the football and revitalising a low-in-confidence Inverness side.

One would imagine a Ferguson pre-match team talk would galvanise the troops. Or perhaps strike the fear of God into them.

And they were energised. There was a freedom to their play. Ferguson allowed them to express themselves.

“I try to give tactical instructions to the players and give them encouragement,” he said. “I have a lot of experience in football, I’ve been through it all, it’s never over.”

Not until the referee blows his whistle, anyway. Another thing Ferguson learned was there is no fourth official in run of the mill Scottish second-tier games.

He was left red-faced searching for one when desperate to know how long was left in the game…

When the final whistle did eventually peep, and the formalities with the opposing bench were done, a sighting of the passionate Ferguson peeked through.

Marching over to the Inverness fans – who had hailed their new leader throughout – he beat his chest and clenched his fists, reciprocating their adulation. They’ve bought in, and so has he.

“I am enthusiastic and know how much these fans are committed to the club,” he added. “They spend a lot of money going up and down the country and it’s the first time they’ve seen a victory this year.

“It was emotional, but it was the team that got the three points. I never headed a ball, I never scored a goal. I just set them up as pushed them as hard as I possibly could.”

All the fanfare may have been directed towards the former Dundee United and Rangers striker, but Saturday was never really about him, as far as he was concerned.

He couldn’t even remember that hat-trick here three decades ago. Instead, his lasting memory of Arbroath was scurrying around the floor of the arcade at the penny falls, searching for loose change.

Perhaps that’s the man he’s always been. But his first win as Inverness CT manager might just now be the first thought that springs to mind.

Darren England has been replaced as the fourth official for Sunday’s Premier League game between Nottingham Forest and Brentford after his error as the video assistant referee during Liverpool’s defeat at Tottenham.

Dan Cook was assistant VAR for the game and he has been replaced as assistant referee for the game between Fulham and Chelsea on Monday.

“Craig Pawson will now assume England’s duties as fourth official at the City Ground while Eddie Smart will take over from Cook as assistant referee at Craven Cottage,” said referees’ body PGMOL.

More to follow.

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United’s decision-making was “not good enough” after they suffered their fourth defeat of the season, losing 1-0 to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

MATCH REPORT: Palace claim impressive win at Man Utd

Watch highlights of Saturday’s Premier League action on Match of the Day on Saturday, 30 September at 22:30 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app.

Available to UK users only.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said he is concerned after his side suffered their worst start to a Premier League season with Saturday’s defeat by Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

It is also back-to-back defeats at home in the league, with Joachim Andersen’s first-half goal enough to secure all three points for Palace.

The last time Manchester United lost two consecutive home games in the Premier League was against Liverpool and Manchester City in October and November 2021, their last two home league games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The final whistle was greeted by boos from the home fans, and Ten Hag said he understood their frustrations.

“I understand fans are expecting a win and we didn’t win and we lost,” said the Manchester United boss.

“Of course it is a concern, we have to be more consistent, this is not the demand for Manchester United. The demand is we get a row of wins and get into a series. We have to do better than now.

“I can give you reasons but you will explain it as an excuse and there are no excuses, we have to win.”

The defeat was all the more frustrating for Manchester United after recent results had suggested they were heading in the right direction.

They beat Burnley in the Premier League last weekend and then followed that up with a comfortable win against Palace in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

But Palace were a different proposition on Saturday, helped by the return of several first-team players who were rested midweek.

They defended superbly and made the most of their few chances. In contrast, Manchester United were wasteful in the final third and became increasingly frustrated against their well-organised opponents.

The victory for Palace moved them up to ninth, with Manchester United dropping to 10th.

“We have to do better, and that is definitely the case. It’s not good enough,” Ten Hag added.

“We have to show it in our body language that Old Trafford is a fortress and you can’t get anything here, and the only way you can go away is with a loss.

“We have to do better here.”

‘A worrying afternoon for Ten Hag’

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has found a way to get results at Old Trafford, with this win extending his unbeaten run there to five successive games.

“A lot of talk will be about Manchester United, about them not creating well and playing well enough, but Palace deserve all the credit,” former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Their defensive display stopped the home side from playing.”

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton felt Manchester United did not do enough to deserve the three points, despite dominating possession.

“We know that if Crystal Palace get their noses in front they are a very, very difficult side to break down,” he said.

” A fantastic strike from Andersen and a fantastic defensive display.

“On the other hand Manchester United only forced Sam Johnstone into a few routine saves. There were a few good clearances from Palace defenders but aside from that they struggled to create.

“A worrying afternoon for Erik ten Hag.”

Jude Bellingham scored his seventh goal of the season as Real Madrid moved top of La Liga with a comfortable victory over high-flying Girona.

Bellingham completed the scoring with a smart second-half finish.

The win lifts Madrid above Girona and Barcelona, who beat Sevilla on Friday.

Girona, who topped the table going into the latest round of La Liga fixtures, started with a spring in their step and created two golden opportunities to take the lead.

Yangel Herrera headed narrowly over the crossbar from a central position inside the area, before Viktor Tsygankov struck the outside of the post from another free header.

Madrid gradually found their rhythm and eventually took the lead thanks to a marvellous piece of play from Bellingham, who picked out Joselu with the outside of his right boot to give the former Stoke and Newcastle forward an easy finish.

Tchouameni doubled Madrid’s lead four minutes later after being left completely unmarked from Toni Kroos’ inswinging corner.

The home side almost pulled one back five minutes into the second half, but Kepa Arrizabalaga was equal to David Lopez’s header and Eric Garcia was unable to steer home the rebound.

Bellingham got Madrid’s third with 20 minutes remaining, finding the far corner after Paulo Gazzaniga had parried Joselu’s initial effort. The 20-year-old is only the second player to score at least six goals in his first seven La Liga matches for Madrid this century, after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

The game ended on a sour note for the visitors as Nacho was dismissed deep into added time for a reckless challenge on Portu, who left the field on a stretcher.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team travel to Napoli in their second Champions League group match on Tuesday.

Aston Villa may only be three years into their Women’s Super League journey but they are already intent on closing the gap to the top four – and they are using the transfer market to do it.

BBC Sport takes a look at how Villa, who host United in their season opener on Sunday (12:30 BST), have successfully climbed their way up the table.

‘My job is managing people’

Manager Carla Ward joined the club from rivals Birmingham City in 2021 and has taken the team on an upward trajectory since.

Alongside the club’s head of women’s football, Lee Billiard, Ward set out a three-year plan which centred around recruitment and a style of play.

A key part of Ward’s philosophy was making each player feel valued and she did that by connecting with them on a personal level.

“I always go back to that human element. If you ask any of the players, like Jordan Nobbs, I know why she signed and what her reasons are,” Ward said.

“They are not just footballers, they are people. I’m a far better manager than I am a football coach. I have coaches who can coach very well. My job is managing people.”

Having achieved what they had set out to do a year earlier than planned, Ward admits there is a new challenge this season which they have not yet faced – a target on their backs.

“We finished as the best of the rest, which is what everyone wants,” Ward said. “We know it comes with it. But the expectation from within is far greater than those on the outside and that’s the reality.

“[The squad] are all ambitious and always want to be better. We won’t be resting on the fact we finished fifth. The success last year wasn’t just a Leicester City winning the Premier League moment. It was a long three years of work and continuing to build in every transfer window.

“In each window we’ve replaced players going out of the door with ones pushing to play in the starting XI. That’s really important in terms of our strategy. We had a very clear plan and we are well on track with it.

“It’s why I never want to get carried away because we are on a journey and if we can continue to develop then of course, top four, sooner or later, will be in sight.”

‘We always have a plan A, B and C’

Villa have made some big signings in recent windows, including last season’s Golden Boot winner and Player of the Year Rachel Daly.

The Euro 2022 winner has been joined by Scotland winger Kirsty Hanson, England midfielder Jordan Nobbs and defender Lucy Parker, and Netherlands goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.

“I’m quite picky and I know what I want in football. It’s important we went after them,” said Ward. “We got offered a lot of players after finishing in the top five but we can’t just take good players.

“We have to take players that fit into the way we play, our values and our principles. They also need to be the right person for our dressing room. That’s bigger than anything.”

Part of Villa’s recruitment strategy is to create ‘bands’ of players. That means they identify players to sign who are intended to improve the starting XI, others who can compete for a place and others who will provide squad depth.

“We know from now who we have [who have contracts] running out this summer, next summer and the summer after that,” added Ward.

“There are different types of players and bands. We then know that if a certain player’s contract is running out, when we can start negotiating and who we need to get in as replacements if [those contract negotiations] don’t happen.

“We always have a plan A, B and C. For example, Daphne van Domselaar was done at Christmas. Everyone who came in this summer, we were on track to do either last summer or in January. We were very clear what we were going after.”

‘People were asking silly money for players’

Not just recruiting talent, but retaining talent, has been key to Villa’s success since earning promotion to the WSL in 2020.

Only one high-profile player left the club this summer, with England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton joining Chelsea – but Villa replaced her with Van Domselaar.

They kept successful loanees Hanson and Anna Patten, while renewing contracts for regular starters Kenza Dali, Alisha Lehmann and Maz Pacheco.

“One of the things on my initial presentation to the board was to reduce the turnover of players,” said Ward.

“The players we have in the building now, there’s not many whose contract runs out next summer. If you look at our starting XI from last year – 90% of the games we had a similar team – all of those players bar Hampton are still here and that’s important.

“Now those players have competition [for places] which we didn’t have last year. If your strategy is water-tight and aligns with what you’re trying to do, you shouldn’t be in a position where you’re going after nine or 10 players.”

The WSL transfer market has changed rapidly in recent seasons with top clubs willing to spend large sums of money on the world’s best players, while longer-term contracts are now being offered.

“[The transfer market] is wild. One transfer of Bethany England going for £250,000 [from Chelsea to Tottenham in January] has inflated everyone’s prices,” Ward added.

“People were asking silly money for players which was utterly ridiculous. You have to make sure you grow alongside the inflation in the game otherwise we will crash.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp calls for further discussions to prevent incorrect VAR decisions in the future, after Luis Diaz’s goal was wrongly ruled offside in the Reds’ 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur.

MATCH REPORT: Spurs beat nine-man Liverpool with late own goal

Watch highlights of Saturday’s Premier League action on Match of the Day on Saturday 30 September at 22:30 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app.

Available to UK users only.