chelsea travel baseball

Chelsea Baseball Club

Committed to the athletic and "life skills" development for each athlete in which it serves.

Recent Winners

Punishers win Grand Slam Gold bracket championship!

March 16, 2024 - Coach Andrew's 10U Punishers finish off the Grand Slam March Madness Tournament in Tuscaloosa as Champions!

11U Hornets come up just short but finish as runner-ups

March 16, 2024 - Coach Chamblee's 11U Hornet Squad battled hard but came up just short in the Championship game. They come home as runners-up in the NCS Opening Day Tournament in Albertville.

Punisher's bring home the Championship

March 10, 2024 - Coach Andrew's 10U Punishers were able to secure the championship in the Grand Slam Touch 'em All Tournament after a dominant performance in the championship game!

11U Hornets run the table for the Championship

March 10, 2024 - Coach Chamblee's 11U Hornets go undefeated on the weekend (4-0) to take the Championship in the Grand Slam Touch 'em All Tournament.

8U Blue Bombers take Silver Championship!

March 9, 2024 - Coach Pickett's 8U Blue Bomber Squad was able to bring home a Silver Bracket Championship after a one-sided championship game at the USSSA Diamond Cup Qualifier in Fort Payne.

News & Events

2023 KBI Scholarship Winners Announced

Kathryn Bryars and Kalob Johnstone were awarded the 2023 KBI Memorial Scholarships.

Chelsea Sports Complex nearing completion

Phase 2 of the Chelsea Sports Complex is nearing completion just in time for the Spring Season.

Become a CBC Sponsor!

Interested in sponsoring the CBC and have your logo on our site? Slide on over to the Contact Us Page and fill out the form to let us know!

Facilitating competitive travel baseball in Chelsea, Alabama

KBI Memorial Scholarship

Kristi Barker Ingram passed away on Friday, November 24th, 2017, after a grueling battle with breast cancer. She fought this battle with admirable strength, dignity, and courage while always maintaining a positive attitude and having a smile on her face. She inspired many people, children and adults, along her journey with her vibrant personality, will to live, and determination to fight this horrible disease for her family and friends. She had a never give up attitude and it carried her through many difficult situations.  

Kristi was loved very much by the Chelsea community, especially the kids. She was also a long-time supporter of the Chelsea Youth Club and Chelsea schools.

In effort to establish a lasting legacy of Kristi’s life on earth, the Chelsea Youth Club Executive Board is honored to partner with our individual sport’s boards, local businesses, and friends of the Ingram family to institute the Kristi Barker Ingram Memorial Scholarship. 

For more information or to apply, please visit the City of Chelsea KBI Memorial Scholarship page .

Our Sponsors

About the CBC

Who the CBC is

The Chelsea Baseball Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Established in 2013, the CBC is committed to the athletic and "life skills" development for each athlete in which it serves. While this incorporates utilizing the principles and strategies used by Chelsea High School and Chelsea Middle School baseball teams, it also includes a continued investment in the facilities and resources to make this possible at the highest level.

What the CBC does

The CBC facilitates travel baseball in Chelsea, AL. The goal is to keep Chelsea kids playing together until they compete in our school programs. CBC teams may begin forming at the 8U age group. Our teams are required to have 80% Chelsea school zone kids.

What the CBC is about

Chelsea Baseball Club aspires to be an outstanding educational-athletic organization that provides a high-quality experience, in which every athlete:

--Is coached using the principles and strategies used by Chelsea High School and Chelsea Middle School baseball teams

--Has fun playing the game

--Learns the skills, tactics and strategies of the game and improves as a player.

--Learns the importance of being an unselfish TEAM player

--Learns "life lessons" that have value beyond the playing field

--Build Character Traits such as Self-Confidence, Resilience, Mental Toughness, Respect for Others, & Self Control

--We recognize the coaches most directly make this possible, so we provide all coaches with the tools to succeed as CBC Coaches. We are committed to creating a culture in which coaches, parents, fans, and athletes work together to achieve our mission.

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Chelsea Lazkani Speaks Out After Filing for Divorce from Husband Jeff: Might ‘Break Down and Cry’

The ‘Selling Sunset’ star cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split in documents filed on March 27

Natalia Senanayake is an Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. She covers all things travel and home, from celebrities' luxury mansions to breaking travel news.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty

• Chelsea Lazkani revealed she might “break down and cry” in a video shared to her Instagram Stories on April 4 after filing for divorce from husband Jeff
• The Selling Sunset star cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split in the filing on March 27
• Jeff filed his own written declaration in response to Chelsea’s filing, in which he accuses her of being “physically aggressive” towards him
• The couple got married in 2017 and share two young children together 

Chelsea Lazkani is breaking her silence after filing for divorce from her husband Jeff Lazkani . 

The Selling Sunset star, 31, opened up about how she’s been feeling amid her split from her husband of nearly seven years in a video shared to her Instagram Stories on April 4. In the clip, she asks her followers to distract her by telling her a funny story.

“Share a funny or embarrassing story with me,” she says. “I’m in the mood to laugh at anybody else but myself because I’ve been trying to do that for the last two days. At this point I’m just going to break down and cry.”

In the next few slides, she then shares a photo of her and her son Maddox, 5, playing with legos. Along with Maddox, Chelsea shares daughter Melia, 3, with Jeff. 

Chelsea Lazkani/Instagram

The last slide shows a photo of the reality star all dressed up in a white outfit. She appears to throw some shade at her estranged husband through the simple caption: “fumbled.”

Chelsea officially filed for divorce on March 27 citing “irreconcilable differences," according to the filing obtained by PEOPLE.  

Per the documents, she filed for joint custody and spousal support from Jeff, whom she met in 2015. They tied the knot two years later in August 2017. Jeff is currently a managing partner at the advertising agency Icon Media Group, while Chelsea is an Oppenheim Group real estate agent who stars in the Netflix docusoap Selling Sunset .

In response to his wife’s filing, Jeff filed a written declaration on April 2 in which he states he also wants a divorce due to irreconcilable differences. 

He goes into more detail in the declaration and accuses his wife of "exhibiting suspicious behavior" since filing for divorce in March. He claims that many of his "personal belongings" have disappeared or were taken from their Manhattan Beach, Calif. home where they live with their two children. 

Later in the declaration, he claims that Chelsea has been "physically aggressive" towards him in the past and alleges that she once "struck" him "in the face in an aggressive manner, breaking his glasses and causing a small cut on the side of his face."

He also claims it was a text message from TMZ that notified him of his wife’s divorce filing, adding that he was “stunned” about the entire situation. 

In the document, Jeff also requests the "exclusive use and possession of" their five-bedroom home, which they purchased for $2.9 million in 2018,

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

He notes that he is the primary owner of the home and claims that both he and Chelsea should not be living there together for the wellbeing of their children. He alleges that she "provokes" him and "records him in an attempt to catch him overreacting to her."

Related Articles

Fall 23' tryouts 13U July 21 @5pm 14U July 28 @5pm   Chelsea Middle School

Our philosophy for teaching youth the game of baseball  is all about DEVELOPMENT

  Body & arm care with detailed routines that the kids will be able to adopt.

 The mental side of baseball with anticipation and awareness for the flow of the game.

Understanding player/ position responsibilities to improve baseball IQ.

Competing with control over anxiety and self pressure while maintaining a calm quiet mind.

Dealing with adversity and failure and using it as a learning experience.

LOS BRAVOS HEAD COACH EDGAR

edgar olmos 

Owner/Coach Blessed Baseball

I grew up in Southern California in a close knit family. I am the oldest of 4 siblings. I fell in love with the game of baseball at 4 years old. I went on to discover the joy of pitching at 8 years and I haven’t stopped since. I originally signed with the University of Arizona but then was drafted out of high school by the Florida (Miami) Marlins in 2008. 

I made my Major League debut in 2013 with the Miami Marlins and loved every minute of it.  Baseball is full of change and I went on to be part of the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, & Boston Red Sox organizations. My 2018 season was spent in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines. I was fortunate enough to play in two Arizona Fall Leagues (13' & 14'). I intended on pitching in Mexico with the Tijuana Toros but ended up having surgery for the 2nd time in my career. I have learned many valuable lessons during my exciting years in professional baseball. My goal is to give back & help kids understand the importance of the little things in baseball that play a huge role in development. 

My family & I moved to the Birmingham area at the end of the 2018 season. I am a blessed Husband & Father of 3 beautiful children. When I am not spending time with my family or working I am usually enjoying the outdoors, shooting pool, working in the yard, at church or watching sports. I am very excited & honored for this opportunity to help make a difference for you in your baseball and life journey.

Chelsea Baseball Club Tryouts: 9u thru 14u

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The Chelsea Baseball Club is a community-based travel baseball program made up of players from the Chelsea area. Our teams range from the young 9u through the older 14u. The leagues our teams are currently associated with are the Kensington Valley Baseball & Softball Association and the Cascades Area Youth League. Our coaching philosophies of staying positive, having fun, playing the right way, winning and losing the right way, is of the utmost importance to the club. The Club is meant to give the Chelsea Community an above average option for boys that are dedicated and families that are committed in wanting to play competitive baseball in an organized fashion that reflects our philosophies.

• Estimated Costs range from $350 to $800 depending upon age level

• Register Online through Chelsea Community Education Website:

  https://apm.activecommunities.com/chelseacommunityeducation/

Chelsea Chelsea , MI 48118 United States

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Travel Baseball Uncovered: A Guide For Parents And Players

Let’s talk about baseball—travel baseball, to be exact.

For many, moving from the Little League to travel baseball feels like catching a curveball. After all, it’s more than just a pace change; it’s about trading Saturday afternoon matches on a grassy field for serious club competitions that come with a higher price tag.

You might be thinking, “Is this the right play for my little slugger?” or “How do I even go about choosing a team?”

Well, here’s our chance at bat. We’ll walk you through everything youth travel baseball has to offer, including answering these questions and more.

Table of Contents

What is Travel Baseball [Explained]

Travel baseball is just what it sounds like. It’s when youth teams have to travel in order to have their games and tournaments. This is usually the next step after traditional recreational or Little League. 

Since the level of competition is much higher, it can help them develop their skills.

But preparation comes at a cost—literally. And all that time on the road can take up your schedule very quickly. But despite all that extra work, they’ll get an exciting adventure out of it. Now, they’ll face off against teams from different cities, states, and sometimes even countries.

The love for Travel Baseball is Growing Fast.

In recent years, travel baseball gained an exponential amount of popularity and saw thousands of teams pop up across the country. 

Before the 90s, it was a relatively niche experience only limited to players nestled in regions like Texas and California.

Nowadays, participation is considered necessary for young players wanting to sharpen their skills and go up against some really tough competition.

Instead of focusing on the local leagues like recreational youth baseball does, travel ball operates under various organizations, hosting hundreds of tournaments each year. 

Some big names include USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), Triple Crown Sports , and Perfect Game . 

The ambitious goal for any team is to face off against as many different teams as possible to gain experience and test their skills.

Everyone can create a travel baseball team. It doesn’t matter if you’re a parent, high school teacher, or someone who coaches college kids.

The highlight of the season is the travel baseball tournament. Bringing together talented teams from different parts of the world to compete. 

This lets players show their skills to a bigger audience, including scouts and college coaches. These tournaments are organized by many institutions and happen locally, regionally, or even nationally.

There’s nothing cooler than the USSSA World Series, though. Every year, it’s hosted by the United States Specialty Sports Association. 

You’ll find talent from all over America coming here to fight for that top spot. But another epic tournament is the Triple Crown Summer Nationals, where they hold it at Myrtle Beach 

in South Carolina. It attracts teams from everywhere and is known for great competition and vacation vibes.

A unique little competition is held in Cooperstown, New York, known as the Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament. 

Cooperstown, known as baseball’s birthplace, offers a unique week-long stay in baseball-style barracks. You can visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

These intense and challenging tournaments bring out some of the most talented players young kids have to offer. It’s also a great way to boost your young player’s confidence in playing on those big stages!

Different Levels Of Travel Teams And Their Requirements

It’s not just one level fit all for travel baseball teams. They’re organized into various levels based on skill, experience, and commitment from players. 

Imagine putting someone who only knows how to throw with moderate force into a contest against someone who does it with full force.

The team you choose for yourself should align with your skill level, how much free time you have, and your developmental needs as a player. Here’s an overview of different levels:

1. Local Travel Teams : For beginners starting their journey through travel baseball. The games they play are mostly local or within a close driving distance. Practices only happen a few times a week, and games during the weekend.

2. Regional Travel Teams : For players with more experience and higher skill levels. They go on trips for games and tournaments that will require overnight stays at places. Commitment level is higher, with practices being more frequent along with a longer season.

3. Showcase Travel Teams : The big leagues of young kid baseball players. These teams are made up of highly skilled people who are very serious about baseball. They have college scouts and recruiters present their games. This includes going to different states for showcase tournaments. 

You’ll need to be extremely committed to even think about trying out for this team, and their practices are rigorous and frequent, lasting all year round!

Benefits of Playing in a Travel Baseball Team 

A lot of benefits come from playing travel baseball. 

The biggest one? It can help players get to their goals. It’s not just about playing a game, especially when you want to make it big. It’s actually an experience that provides lifelong skills that can be applied everywhere else.

Competition in recreational leagues is nothing compared to this. It’s way higher. This allows players to grow new and old skills at a faster rate. 

There’s also an intense training schedule that demands discipline, resilience, and focus. These qualities go beyond just sports.

Participating in high-profile tournaments also gets the attention of other coaches and scouts. Which makes it easier for them to open doors for scholarships and professional contracts.

Traveling away from home just for games might seem like a drag, but it builds responsibility and maturity. It is a demanding journey for sure, but very rewarding.

Did MLB Players Play Travel Baseball?

Definitely! A lot of Major League Baseball (MLB) players used travel baseball as their starting point, too. It gives them all the exposure they need, honing skills at such a young age along with fierce competition.

Take Bryce Harper , for example. He’s one of the biggest names in MLB today. His journey started back when he was a child playing for the Southern Nevada Bulldogs 14U travel team. The opportunity came up where he could go against older players who were more experienced than him. This experience helped shape his professional career.

Albert Pujols also played travel baseball when he was younger on his team called Fort Osage Indians Travel Team before sailing into the Hall of Fame.

Clayton Kershaw ? Yeah, him too! Another name you hear often in MLB didn’t start there either — he played for the Dallas Tigers Travel Team where he developed early on gaining crucial skills and discipline that are instrumental in his success today.

How to Find a Travel Baseball Team in Your Region? 

If you’re a young baseball player who wants to take their skills to the next level, then joining a travel team is a great opportunity. If you are a parent and want to make your child the next MLB star, then travel baseball teams are a great place to start with. 

These teams play across the country and allow players to show their talents against top-tier competition. But how do you find one of these teams? 

Here’s a guide on how you can join a travel baseball team in the USA.

Check your local youth baseball organization.

Your first step should be checking with your local youth baseball organization. Chances are they have travel teams that play in leagues and tournaments outside of the regular season. If they don’t, then it’s likely they know someone who does.

Drop by showcases and camps.

In-person events like showcases and camps are great places to meet coaches and scouts from travel baseball teams. They’re designed specifically so players can showcase their skills and get noticed by recruiters.

The internet holds many answers, including finding a travel baseball team. Websites like USSSA Baseball, Perfect Game USA, and Travel Ball Select list lots of travel baseball teams based on state, age group, and skill level — all at a click away.

Talk to other parents and players.

If you want first-hand experience, then talk to other parents or players who have been through this process before. They can give useful insight into which teams are reputable, well-run, and competitive.

For example, if you live in Texas, then one option could be the Texas Bombers Baseball Club — an organization that has multiple teams at different age levels and is known for developing young talent. You can learn more about them by visiting their website or attending one of their tryouts.

How to Find the Perfect Travel Baseball Team? 

Identify the skill level and commitment of the player.

First thing first, you need to figure out how committed your child is to the sport and their skill level.  If he is naturally gifted athlete then you should help him to follow his dream. 

Research Local and Regional Teams

Begin by looking at teams that are close by. These teams usually have varying levels of skill and serve as great entry points for most players. 

You can check their websites and social media pages to learn more about them such as philosophy, coaches, players, and game schedule.

Attend Local Games and Practices 

Sitting in on local games and practices allows you to get a firsthand look at how they run things. You’ll be able to see their coaching style, how they interact with the players, and the overall team dynamic. With this insight, it’ll be easier to make a decision.

Speak with Coaches and Parents

While observing is good, it isn’t enough. Take some time out of your day or week to speak with coaches. 

This allows you to gain an understanding of their training methods, the expectations they have for your child, and the goals they want them to reach. It’s also good practice to talk to other parents so you can get a general idea of what people think about the team.

Consider Logistics

Logistical factors are important, too, so don’t forget about them. Make sure that the team’s practice location is suitable for you and your family’s schedule since it may be far away from where you currently live or work. 

The game schedule should be looked at as well because there could be conflicts in dates that would keep you from attending games.

Tryouts & Evaluations

Most teams hold tryouts or evaluations for people who are interested in joining. If this is offered, take advantage of it because it gives your child the chance to showcase their skills and for you to see if the team would be a good fit. 

A player’s evaluation is also helpful because it gives you insight into how strong the team itself is.

Travel Baseball Season Preparations 

Preparations before the pre-season.

Before the baseball season starts, you’ll want to make sure that your child is mentally and physically ready for the long days ahead. 

So, let’s start with an off-season workout routine to help build strength and agility. But don’t forget about eating well and getting enough sleep. Plus, practicing regularly can take their fielding, pitching, and hitting skills way up.

During the season

Once the season starts, it’s important to stay fit and perform at your best. You’ll want to communicate with their coach to keep track of your child’s progress as well as any areas they need improvement in. 

Another thing you should do is show up to their games and practices. It helps you stay in tune with how the team is performing and also supports your child. And finally, always keep their lines of communication open, whether it’s about pressure or their anxiety.

Post-Season

After a long season, it’s important to take a break. Reflect on the games you had together. Acknowledge all the good things they did but also focus on areas they can improve in. 

Give them some downtime so they can rest and recover. Even though they’re chilling around, don’t let them become bums — physical activity is still important for them during this time.

Travel Baseball vs. Little League

Both types of baseball have their own unique experience and benefits that come along with it. The choice of which one to put your kid into mostly depends on what they want out of it.

For example, travel baseball is more competitive. It attracts players who are committed to sports no matter what and are willing to travel around just for a game against top talent in various regions. Not only does this provide intense competition but also high-level coaching.

It does require a lot of time, as seasons are much longer than in little leagues with more games and practices.

If you want your child exposed more, then this would be a good option, as you can see from Bryce Harper, Albert Pujols, and Clayton Kershaw.

Now, little league baseball is less demanding. It’s generally more focused on the community and not so much on traveling and time. 

It’s actually a great option for kids who still love the sport but aren’t ready to commit to such a demanding schedule. They focus on learning fundamental skills, enjoying the game, and fostering a sense of community.

You can learn more here: Travel Baseball Vs Little League

The Cost of Playing Travel Baseball

If your kid has a future in baseball, you might want to consider enrolling them in travel baseball. The only problem is that this option is much more expensive than local leagues. 

Local leagues tend to have low costs because they don’t do as much traveling as travel teams have to do. On top of paying for the actual games themselves, there’s also the top-of-the-line coaching and amazing facilities that the team needs to cover. 

You’ll be hit with fees like equipment, uniform, tournament, travel (like gas and airfare), and a team fee.

The team fee alone can include things like league fees, practice facility rentals, and salaries for the coaches. 

And let’s not forget about any extra training or lessons they need in order to take their skills up a notch.

It’s always good to ask the people organizing the league what you’re paying for specifically because then maybe it won’t seem so bad (it probably will still seem bad, though). 

But it really does come down to where you live. 

Depending on that, it could cost you anywhere from $1,500-$3,000 per season. And if you’re on one of those elite teams competing at national tournaments, then I’m sorry, but it’ll probably cost way more.

Find Out How To Choose A Coach

A good coach doesn’t just teach how to play sports but also builds discipline and confidence, along with fostering a love for the game. Here are some tips on picking a coach:

Experience And Certification : A coach should always have some kind of experience coaching youth sports, but having proof that they passed some coaching program can give you peace of mind, knowing they know what they’re doing.

Coaching Style : Every coach is different and will treat their athletes differently, too. Some will be very intense in trying to push their players, while others are more relaxed yet inspiring. Pick what works best with your child’s personality.

Communication Skills : A good coach knows how to explain things in a way that’s easy for their athletes to understand. They should also be great at talking to you and other parents.

Focus On Development : It’s better for your kid to improve their skills rather than just win all the time. Look for coaches that will work with them on that.

Reputation : Finally, look into what other people say about the coach. Not only other players but parents, too. It doesn’t hurt to ask around or even watch them during practice if you can. 

Things to Know About Uniforms and Equipment in Travel Baseball

Uniforms and equipment are a necessary investment in travel baseball. It can be beyond what you expect from Little League. Here’s a quick rundown of what your child might need:

Uniforms : Most travel baseball teams have their own custom jerseys that come with pants, caps, belts, and socks. Some teams may even have home and away uniforms, so check with the manager first.

Gloves/Mitts : Get your child a good quality glove or mitt that suits the position they play. For example, catchers and first basemen have their own special mitts, while outfielders use bigger gloves compared to infielders. Check out the Best Youth Infield Gloves 

Bats : Bat rules can get very specific, depending on the league. Before you buy one, make sure you understand what kind is allowed. Also, consider their height, weight, and hitting strength when selecting the right bat size . 

You can check out my list of Best Youth Baseball Bats

Helmets : No matter how old or young your child is, they need a batting helmet. Some leagues even require faceguards as well. Check out the Best Youth Baseball Helmet

Cleats : Running on grass and dirt requires traction, which is why cleats are used in baseball. However, be aware that some leagues don’t allow metal spikes, so again, you should always check if there are any shoe restrictions.

Protective gear : Depending on the position they’re playing at, your kid may need extra protection such as shin guards for their legs or a chest protector for their torso

What is a good age range for travel baseball?

Travel baseball typically starts around 7 or 8 years old and goes through high school. However, the age that you can join may differ depending on the league or team.

How much does it cost to play travel baseball? 

The price of playing travel baseball could be greatly different depending on things like where you live, what team you’re on, and at what level you play. You’ll have to pay for league fees, uniforms, equipment, and even the costs of traveling and staying in other cities for away games.

How often would we need to practice? 

Usually, travel teams practice more often than recreational ones. It’s common for them to meet several times each week. But it will depend on the time and dedication your child’s coach expects.

How far do they have to go? 

Again, that’ll depend on what league your child signs up for. Some teams only need to go a couple of miles, while others will have to cross city lines.

Can my child also play another sport? 

It all depends on how much time both sports require. Understandably, travel baseball takes up quite a bit of time and energy, so consider if they have enough for both.

Overall Worth of Travel Baseball 

Traveling with a baseball team is no joke. For players and families alike, it’s considered a big commitment that takes up lots of time, money, and energy. 

And while it opens up new opportunities, the best reward for joining one is amazing! The skills learned, and knowledge gained from playing at higher levels is priceless. 

Plus, it builds character, helping to teach important lessons like teamwork, dedication, success handling, and, most importantly, failure handling. And let’s not forget about the friendships built along the way from spending hours with teammates in different places across the country. 

Even though some costs and sacrifices come with this commitment, most families say joining a traveling baseball team was totally worth every bit of it. 

Just remember, the end goal is to love the sport and grow as a person.

Hello everyone. My name is  Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player.  I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego. 

I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit. 

Travel Baseball: The Ultimate Guide for Parents and Players

Table of Contents

What is travel baseball, what to look for in a travel baseball team, travel baseball vs. little league, travel baseball pros and cons , criticisms and controversy, is travel baseball worth it.

For many families, the transition from Little League to travel baseball comes with stress, anxiety and questions about what to look for in a team and what to expect from the experience — not to mention the question of whether making the switch from a more laid-back rec ball program to a more competitive (and expensive) travel club is the right decision in the first place.

In this post, we’re going to go over everything you need to know about getting started with youth travel baseball. We’ll help you answer the questions above and determine whether travel baseball is a good fit for your son or daughter. 

If you have a softball player in the family, you may also want to check out our article “ What to Look For in a Travel Softball Team ,” which covers some of the same information from a softball perspective and dives deep into my personal experience as an elite-level amateur player and college recruiting prospect.

Table of Contents :

• How to Choose a Travel Baseball Team
• Travel Baseball Pros and Cons
• Is Travel Baseball Worth It?  

First, it’s important to understand what a travel baseball team is and how travel baseball is organized. 

There are tens of thousands of travel baseball teams around the country, and their popularity has exploded over the past two decades. As recently as the 1990s, travel baseball was a niche experience limited mostly to elite players in baseball-rich areas like Texas and California. Today, participation is seen by many as a near necessity for talented players to develop their skills and hone their game against the best competition they can find. 

Whereas Little League is the dominant organization when it comes to recreational youth baseball, there are multiple organizations throughout the country that host hundreds of travel tournaments each year. Some of the biggest and most popular are USSSA (United States Speciality Sports Association), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union), Triple Crown Sports , and Perfect Game . Travel baseball teams often participate in tournaments organized by more than one of those organizations. 

A team can be started by anyone. Many are formed by parents, but many others are formed by high school and former college coaches. Depending on their organizational goals, some programs have just one team that participates in one age bracket (such as 10 and under), while some are run like businesses and have teams that compete in every age group. 

Some huge organizations, such as California Baseball Academy (CBA), even have multiple teams within the same age group, located in multiple cities. CBA has teams not only in California, but also in Nevada, Texas, Utah and the southeast. High-level programs like that are often known for attracting top talent, for training recruits into elite players, and for feeding those players into nearby colleges and universities. 

Travel Baseball Competition Structure

Virtually all travel baseball games are played on weekends in a tournament format. Those tournaments can theoretically be held anywhere, but are frequently held at multi-field facilities in easily-accessible travel hubs. For example, many Florida tournaments are held in Orlando because it’s in the relative center of the state, it has plenty of hotel rooms, and it’s home to many great baseball facilities. The farther you live away from such a hub, the more you should expect to travel. 

Most tournaments begin with pool play, meaning that teams are guaranteed a number of games before heading into single elimination. A team can expect to play anywhere from three to eight games over the course of a two-day or three-day tournament, depending on how they perform.

There is no set number of tournaments a team must participate in. Each team decides which tournaments to enter on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as age level, skill level, and cost. In general, two tournaments per month can be seen as about average, although higher-level teams may play more frequently. 

Most organizations run regional and national championships, which are invite-only. For example, USSSA hosts “qualifier” tournaments, where the winner of the championship game (and sometimes the runner up) can earn a bid to the USSSA national tournament.

Additionally, beginning at age 14, some teams start participating in “college exposure tournaments,” where college scouts come from across the country to watch and evaluate prospects. These tournaments are typically more expensive than regular tournaments, and are often farther away.

How to Join a Travel Baseball Team

If you’ve decided to join a travel baseball team and aren’t sure where to find one, there are a number of resources available. 

It may go without saying, but word-of-mouth can be a valuable first reference point. If you’re thinking about switching to travel baseball, chances are that you already know someone in your area who has made the jump. If so, don’t be afraid to ask them questions about the team and their experience. It’s a big commitment — both in terms of time and finances — so it’s important to make sure you find the right club for your son or daughter.

In addition to word of mouth, many organizations offer a list of active teams on their website. For example, USSSA has a tool that lets you filter teams by age level, skill level, and location . There are also many state-based forums and Facebook groups where coaches post their team’s tryouts (and positions needed). As an example, here are Facebook groups for travel baseball teams in Florida and Michigan ⁠— you can find similar groups for every state. 

Another good option is FieldLevel.com , which (like the USSSA site) allows you to filter teams by state and level. While not every team is listed on that website, it does include over 4,000 clubs.

Here are eight things to think about when evaluating teams. These factors will make a big difference when it comes to your overall experience, so take the time to think about them, and don’t be afraid to ask questions of parents and coaches.

1. Coaching  

A coaching staff can make or break a team. How coaches manage players, keep the game fun, instill the fundamentals, and focus on development — not only as athletes, but as young men and women — is extremely important. 

Some travel baseball teams have parents or grandparents serving as the head coach. While that can be fine, it’s important to make sure those coaches don’t make keeping their own child on the field a priority. Before committing to a team, spend some time researching it by watching a practice and talking to current and/or former players and parents. 

What’s the coaching style? Do they have high expectations but still encourage and love their players? Or, on the other hand, are they screaming at players when they make a mistake? 

Additionally, are players treated equitably, or do some get preferential treatment based on their relationship to the coach or their financial contribution to the team?

Ideally, your child will be a part of that team and organization for consecutive years, rather than bouncing from team to team. As such, determining whether the coaching staff is a good fit is a crucial first step.

2. Cost  

For many parents, this is the most terrifying aspect of travel baseball.

Just how much of a toll is this going to take on your bank account? The specific answer varies, but the typical range of cost for participating in travel baseball is between $500 and $2,500 per year. 

That said, you can end up spending a lot more than that. Back in 2011, CBS News reported that one Georgia family paid $4,000 per year for their 9-year-old son’s travel team. You can imagine that older players in elite programs that travel all over the country can spend even more over the course of a season.

Typically, the more intensely focused a program is on developing its players for college baseball, the more money the program is going to cost. On the other hand, teams that are playing more for the fun of it — those looking for just a little more structure and competition than offered by Little League — won’t put as much of a dent in your wallet.

There are a number of specific factors that go into how much it costs to be on a team:

• Where you live . If you live in a baseball hub, like Texas or California, you won’t have to travel as far to get to tournaments. Many teams from rural areas regularly drive across multiple states (or sometimes even fly) to tournaments. As such, where you live will likely be the single biggest variable in your overall travel baseball cost.
• Whether you have to buy your own equipment . Some teams are sponsored by equipment companies like Easton and Rawlings and have their bats, gloves and cleats provided either for free or at a reduced cost. Obviously, this can be a huge savings. Also, keep in mind that (unfortunately) equipment is often viewed as a status symbol in travel baseball. If your child joins a team where every other player has multiple bats and position-specific gloves, he or she is going to press you for similar gear.
• Whether you have to rent facilities . Some teams practice exclusively at public fields. Others have little or no access to such facilities and have to rent fields and/or indoor space (especially for winter workouts). This can have a huge impact on the overall cost of participation.
• Whether or not coaches are paid . Some teams — typically the more competitive ones — pay their coaches small stipends and/or cover their cost of travel. On one hand, this tends to lead to better coaching. On the other hand, families are the ones who will ultimately foot that bill.
• How competitive the team is . Higher-level tournaments typically have higher fees. Lower-level tournaments, operated on a more sub-regional basis, are usually much less expensive to enter. If cost is a concern, make sure you know what types of tournaments the team usually enters over the course of the season. 

3. Location  

As stated earlier, location is a key factor in deciding which travel team to play for. If you’re fortunate enough to live in California, Florida or Texas, you’re going to have a lot of opportunities to play with and against high-level competition right in your backyard. 

But outside of those states, it’s a little bit tougher, and you have to decide how committed you are to playing at the highest possible level. 

For example, if you live in a medium-sized town outside of a major baseball hub, chances are you have at least a couple of travel ball options. However, the odds are that those options are not the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to coaching and competitiveness. In order to play for the absolute “best” team possible, you might have to commute from your mid-sized town to the nearest major city. 

So you’ll be faced with the following choice: play on a lower level team that’s closer to home, or drive a hundred miles or more for twice-weekly practices? It may sound crazy, but many families do just that. 

Why would they commit so much time and money to their son or daughter’s athletic pursuits? It comes down to goals. Better teams often provide better coaching and more opportunities for exposure to college and professional scouts. 

What’s the team’s mission? Is the focus on fun, player development, college exposure, or a mix of all there? Teams can have many different goals and missions, and there’s no right or wrong approach.

However, it is possible that a team’s mission does not align with your values and goals, and you need to think about this before committing, as a compatibility mismatch can lead to coach-parent and coach-player tension. 

5. Organization

Consider the reputation of the organization you’re evaluating. When you join a team, you and your son or daughter will essentially be endorsing everything the program stands for. If they’re known for dirty play or being disrespectful to the game, you’ll be associated with that. 

And believe it or not, the baseball world is a small and surprisingly tight-knit community. College coaches tend to know which programs produce bad apples — and they avoid them. In fact, many college coaches will completely write off an entire organization that has a reputation for not playing the game the right way or for having disrespectful players.

6. Playing Time

There’s an important balance between getting enough playing time and being challenged. Before committing, ask the coaching staff what kind of playing time your child can expect — including at what position. 

If there are two returning shortstops, he or she most likely won’t be playing there and might have to learn another position. That’s not a bad thing: college coaches want players that are versatile, and many players change positions as they get older and their bodies develop. 

Still, it’s helpful to know what to expect ahead of time. Getting game reps is important from a development perspective, but also just from a fun perspective: no kid wants to consistently travel to a tournament only to sit on the bench for most of the weekend. 

7. Skill Level

Be realistic about your child’s skill level, and pay attention to the level of competition around him or her at tryouts (i.e., the skill levels of the other players). If your kid has the fight and desire to compete for a spot (like they’ll have to do if they make it to college ball), then putting them on a team where they’ll be challenged is the best option. 

But if he or she is there to have fun and make friends, with no burning desire to be constantly improving, then choosing a travel team that’s more low-key will be the better call.

8. What You’re Giving Up

Travel baseball tournaments are on weekends, and players often have to sacrifice certain things that are part of a normal childhood. 

Is your son or daughter willing to miss out on things like birthdays, sleepovers and school dances, because most of their time is spent doing homework, traveling to and from games and practices, practicing on their own (possibly including private lessons), and spending nearly every summer weekend at the ballpark?

And are they willing to sacrifice the material things that matter to kids — things like clothes, video games, new smartphones, etc. — because so much money is being spent on baseball? 

As I wrote in THV’s guide to travel softball , my family made major sacrifices to support my athletic pursuits. 

For some, their love of the game is so great that giving up these things is a no-brainer. For others, they may regret missing out on these social activities. And that’s perfectly fine! Just be honest with each other and talk about the true costs of travel baseball — because it’s not just the sticker price.

There are some important similarities and differences between competitive travel baseball and recreational baseball. Both can teach many valuable life skills, such as work ethic, good sportsmanship, teamwork and bouncing back from failure. But they are very different when it comes to time commitment and competitiveness.

The Little League schedule usually runs from the late spring through early summer, with teams practicing twice per week and playing two games per week. The total number of games per season varies, but it usually ranges from 10 to 20. It’s a local program, which means travel is either limited or non-existent. In general, Little League coaches are parents.

Little League can be a great place for kids as young as 4-years-old to start playing the game. They’ll learn the rules and the absolute basics of hitting, pitching and fielding in a fun an easy-going environment (except for the occasional parent that takes their coaching position overboard). 

Overall, Little League fits the classic stereotype of youth baseball: kids having fun playing the greatest game in the world, without much pressure or focus on player development. 

Back in the day, Little League would feed into middle school and high school programs, which carried the bulk of the weight when it came to getting payers ready for college and the pros. But today, the reality is that it’s almost impossible to get the coaching and skill development you need by participating only Little league or other rec ball programs. 

That’s especially true when it comes to the gap between “Majors” Little League (12-and-under) and high school. Few middle schools still have baseball programs, and those programs that do exist tend not to be very good. Likewise, while Little League offers both a Junior division (12-14) and a Senior division (14-16), those leagues tend to pale in comparison to the coaching and competition offered by travel ball. 

So, if your son or daughter is serious about playing baseball at a high level, it’s especially important to focus on the transition to travel ball at around the age of 11 or 12.

There are positives and negatives when it comes to travel baseball. Here are a few of each.

• Better competition : Players are more serious about the game and more driven to improve. This higher level of competition will help push your son or daughter to improve their own skills.
• Better coaching : Travel baseball coaches tend to be better qualified, more knowledgeable, and better-connected. At the highest levels of travel ball, teams often employ former professional coaches.
• More exposure : Aside from high school baseball, travel ball is the primary means of exposure to college coaches and pro scouts. Plus, travel teams often attend showcase tournaments and camps.
• More games played : Travel teams play significantly more games per year than rec ball teams.
• Facilitates travel : Sometimes seen as an ancillary benefit, the travel itself can be a valuable and eye-opening experience for players. Many kids don’t have an opportunity to travel out of their own area or state, and travel baseball can provide that. 
• Encourages character development : Because travel teams are more serious, there’s a greater emphasis put on things like being on time, demonstrating maximum effort, and having a good attitude.  
• Cost : Travel baseball is expensive — sometimes absurdly so. Families often spend around $2,500 per year, but the costs can be even higher. 
• Time commitment : Even a moderately competitive travel team can consume an entire summer’s worth of weekends. 
• Ultra-competitive : On most travel teams, there’s a balance between player development and winning. What you won’t often find is an “everybody plays” approach. For the most part, the best players will play the most, which makes for a highly-competitive environment. 
• Tougher workouts : This can be a pro or a con, depending on the player’s perspective and goals. Tougher workouts can lead to better outcomes, but they can also be mentally and physically taxing if the player isn’t fully invested.
• Lack of diversity : Because travel baseball is expensive, it has often been criticized for a lack of socioeconomic and racial diversity. 

Travel baseball provides many benefits and can be a valuable opportunity for players who are serious about the game and committed to playing at the highest possible level. However, it’s not without its share of criticism and controversy. 

In an essay titled “ Left Out ,” MLB superstar Andrew McCutchen wrote about how kids like him, who grow up in low-income families, are often excluded from travel baseball and thus systematically disadvantaged when it comes to development and exposure: 

“When you’re a kid from a low-income family who has talent, how do you get recognized? Now, you have to pay thousands of dollars for the chance to be noticed in showcase tournaments in big cities. My parents loved me, but they had to work hard to put food on the table, and there wasn’t much left over. They didn’t have the option of skipping a shift to take me to a tournament over the weekend. […] That’s the challenge for families today. It’s not about the $100 bat. It’s about the $100-a-night motel room and the $30 gas money and the $300 tournament fee. 

[…] If you’re a poor kid with raw ability, it’s not enough.”

McCutchen was lucky: an AAU coach “discovered” him at the age of 13 and covered his travel ball expenses. But most kids from similar situations aren’t so fortunate. 

Why is this important for you, the parent of a child thinking about joining a travel team? 

On one hand, it’s important to be aware of how the systems we participate in affect our society. But on a much more specific level, you should know that your child will be entering a largely homogenous environment.

On top of that, kids from lower-income families can often feel out of place in travel ball — especially if they don’t come to the ballpark with the latest, top-quality gear like their teammates. This social dynamic can have a powerful impact on your child’s experience. 

Additionally, travel baseball means that both your family and your child will be spending less time within your own community.

There’s been a lot written in recent years about how travel baseball may be contributing to the erosion of communities , because it pulls families out of local baseball programs that once served as important civic institutions.

This is evidenced by the sharply declining participation in Little League. In the organization’s Southeast Region (a hotbed for a travel baseball), the number of Little League players has plunged by nearly 50% since 2007 . 

So we’ve come to the biggest question: Is travel ball worth it?

If you want to improve your skills and have the best chance to play in college or the pros, travel baseball is the way to go. But remember: there is a range of cost and time commitment within travel baseball. Your son or daughter doesn’t necessarily have to opt for the most expensive travel team in order to be sufficiently challenged (and later on, to get noticed by college coaches). 

Your goal in evaluating teams should be to find the right balance of: 

• Financial commitment 
• Time commitment
• Intangible sacrifices (school events, community involvement, etc.) 
• Baseball goals

After reading this article, you should have a very solid understanding of what Little League and travel baseball have in common, their differences, and what you should be looking for in a club. 

Remember, this is your child’s choice to. Help them see the pros and cons of each option. And although we stated it earlier, we cannot stress this enough: you cannot dictate your son or daughter’s commitment to the game of baseball. It’s up to them. So, support them in whatever capacity they want to participate. If you do, they’ll never regret or forget the amazing experiences, friends, and lessons learned playing this great game.

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Chelsea claims game two against Hewitt-Trussville to split area series

Published 1:17 pm Friday, April 5, 2024

By Andrew Simonson

Ethan Prickett came up with the go-ahead hit to take advantage of a complete-game performance by Grant Hill and claim an area win for Chelsea against Hewitt-Trussville. (For the Reporter/Cari Dean)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

TRUSSVILLE – While the Chelsea Hornets started area play with a 6-1 loss to the Hewitt-Trussville Huskies, they went into Trussville on Thursday, April 4 and claimed revenge in a 3-1 win to split the area series.

Grant Hill started the game strong on the mound by taking three strikeouts in the first inning. His effort was part of a solid effort by both defenses to start the game as the teams went to the bottom of the third in a scoreless tie.

After Hill took his fourth strikeout of the game to start the half-inning, Hewitt-Trussville put a pair of runners on base with a single and a walk.

A fielder’s choice got the second out but advanced a runner to third base, and a wild pitch during the ensuing at-bat put the Huskies up 1-0.

Chelsea had a strong opportunity to take the lead after Hewitt-Trussville loaded up the bases off a hit by pitch and back-to-back walks, but the Huskies got out of the inning unscathed.

However, the Hornets responded with a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the fifth before getting another chance at the lead in the top of the sixth.

After back-to-back walks to start the inning to put Aiden Hughes and Paxton Stallings on base, Mack Breazeale hit a sacrifice bunt to try to advance the runners, but he ended up reaching base off an error and loading up the bases.

Miller Bauman took advantage of having no outs on the scoreboard to hit into a groundout and bring a run home to tie the game at 1-1.

While the next batter struck out, Ethan Prickett came up big on a 3-2 pitch to hit a bases-clearing double and take a 3-1 lead.

Hewitt-Trussville never got a chance to respond as it only got one hit in the final two innings while Hill closed out the win on the mound.

Hill finished the complete-game win with seven strikeouts against just one run, two hits and four walks.

The Hornets will finish the regular season with a pair of county series in area play, first against Oak Mountain. They will hit the road for the first matchup of the series on Tuesday, April 9 at 5 p.m. before hosting the Eagles on Thursday, April 11 at 5 p.m.

More Chelsea High

Ussery pitches complete-game shutout as Spain Park out-duels Chelsea in area play

Thompson remains atop softball rankings as county teams move around in second baseball, softball rankings

Oak Mountain survives test from Chelsea as boys, girls soccer teams beat Hornets

Chelsea scores six straight runs to top Tuscaloosa County

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Chelsea could face a crippling financial position: New analysis shows without major sales, PSR penalties loom

Forget buying new players, chelsea's position means to avoid premier league penalties, they likely need to sell.

The early months of the English summer have long been a time of great anticipation along the Fulham Road. No matter whether the previous season had been one of distinction or disaster, the Chelsea squad could radically change in the space of a few weeks. If there was a burgeoning young star on the market or an established talent with trophies aplenty to their name, Roman Abramovich had to have it for Chelsea.

Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko, Eden Hazard, Kai Havertz: All were the big names on the market at some stage during Roman Abramovich's 19 years at the club. All were lured to Chelsea, no matter the cost or even their utility for the managers. Finances be damned, £900,000-a-week losses were the cost of doing business for an owner who viewed his club as a means for reflected glory, a burnished profile and pleasure.

Chelsea were never going to get a comparable benefactor when sanctions from the British government put the club on the market in 2022. Anyway, even if another Abramovich wanted to buy his way to silverware, the majority of Premier League owners do not want to compete with sovereign wealth funds and private individuals that run their football clubs for the benefit of global soft power.

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Hence a new era of curbs on extravagance, a time where the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have teeth. Don't Chelsea know it. Their current owners may not be ploughing their own personal wealth into a reputation management project, but they have been spending like people who do, with over a billion pounds committed into mostly young players on ultra long-term contracts. Had those prospects guided the Blues to Premier League contention and regular qualification for the Champions League, Chelsea's owners might have been hailed for setting a new recruitment blueprint for the industry. Instead, the club is extremely likely to miss out on the revenue from top tier European club football for a second season in a row at a time when its cost base has been swollen by the amortization of its transfer binge.

Now the summer sky is darkening with clouds, with supporters not dreaming who might arrive at Stamford Bridge but who ownership may feel compelled to sell. That is what they will have to do, preferably before the June 30 soft deadline that will inform the Premier League's 2023-24 PSR calculations.

Why Chelsea's 2024 summer looks bleak

As football finance expert Kieran Maguire puts it, "2024 is probably looking like a bit of a car crash."

According to analysis carried out for CBS Sports, prior to any summer sales Chelsea are on course for a second year out of three where their pre-tax losses are in excess of £100 million. This puts Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and the rest of the ownership group in an extremely tight position. The Premier League allows exceptions for PSR calculations that include spending on academy football, the women's game and community investment. Even with generous allowances for those, CBS Sports calculations estimate that Chelsea's losses post-mitigations for a three-year window would be around £210 million, double the Premier League's top limit.

Chelsea, for their part, maintain they are not concerned and that they are confident they can comply with all Financial Fair Play and PSR requirements, avoiding any league imposed penalties.

Across the league, those penalties have become realities for teams already. Everton and Nottingham Forest have already been hit by points deductions for breaches, some way short of what Chelsea's might be. Everton cleared their £105 million limit by £19.5 million and Forest's breach was £34.5 million over their threshold of £61 million (a lower amount as they had only just been promoted to the Premier League). Both were judged to be significant breaches by independent commissions.

There is certainly a path to compliance for next season for Chelsea. Sell, sell, sell. 

"I don't know how you can view the financial situation for Chelsea in 2023-24 and reach a conclusion that they won't be forced to sell before June 30 or at least try their best given the Nottingham Forest decision," says a leading analyst who spoke to CBS Sports on condition of anonymity. "When it is suggested that Chelsea need to get £100 million from player trading in that two-week window when the Euros is going on, that seems right to me."

Chelsea's most likely sales

Conor Gallagher, a crucial starter in midfield whose presence has often brought the best out of nine figure additions Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, is expected to leave as he approaches the final year of his contract. Ian Maatsen's contract is said to contain an attractive release clause that would be worth £35 million. Given his form at Borussia Dortmund, that may get activated. Newcastle have a £30 million purchase option on Lewis Hall that is widely expected to be activated as well. Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja might also go if a suitor can be found. 

As academy graduates, all four would represent pure profit in accounting terms, whereas other sales would have to be offset. One thing Chelsea have historically been very good at, even in their first post-Abramovich summer, is clearing their books. Maguire notes they have made five times more profit from player sales over the past decade than Manchester United and twice what Liverpool and Manchester City have earned.

Going into the summer, however, Chelsea may well be in the sort of high pressure situation that does not lend itself to good deal making. Beyond that, they simply may not have as many Champions League winners to offer.  While sources in Saudi Arabia expect some marquee names to move to the Pro League, there is not expected to be the same gold rush in Europe that ownership struck last year when they moved out Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and N'Golo Kante. 

Even so, there are plenty of first-teamers, loanees and academy prospects to offer to potential suitors. For that reason a strong majority of those surveyed for this article believe that the club can find their way to PSR compliance this summer. 

"It will be an interesting market," says Maguire. "There are some clubs that have done good business who have a huge amount of latitude when it comes to the ability to buy by the end of this financial year. A top player from Chelsea is not going to go to a club like Brighton or Brentford, no matter how good their finances are.

"I don't think we're really talking necessarily first-teamers. Manchester City sold four youth team players to Southampton 18 months ago, one of whom [Romeo Lavia] is now ironically at Chelsea. City have sold Cole Palmer for £40 million too, one of the best decisions Chelsea have made in recent years."

The June 30 deadline looks more ominous in light of an independent commission's scathing assessment of Forest's management of the sale of Brennan Johnson , who joined Tottenham on transfer deadline day for £47.5 million, long after offers from Atletico Madrid and Brentford had been dismissed. By then, he had played 240 of a possible 270 Premier League minutes, something which in itself convinced the panel it could not be used as a factor to mitigate Forest's four-point penalty. That precedent might rob Chelsea of any hope of letting negotiations ride late into the window in pursuit of the best deal but there is wiggle room.

"There is a little bit of latitude in the accounting rules," notes Maguire. "Let's say that Chelsea agree heads of terms with Newcastle for Gallagher: They've agreed a fee in principle, the player has agreed personal terms and we're just haggling over some of the small print. If he's then sold on July 4, you could backdate that to June 30. That's what is referred to as an adjusting post balance sheet event. The fact that the deal hasn't been physically signed by June 30 isn't actually an issue, provided you've got an audit trail.

"From the buying club's point of view, it doesn't mean much when the deal is concluded. If I buy a player on June 30, I don't start amortizing him until that date. I have not even paid him any wages. Buyers are quite sanguine about this, they just want the player for preseason, tours and the opening games."

Mason Mount's sale last summer to Manchester United, announced on July 6 and worth an initial £55 million, would appear to be one such post balance sheet event, according to the 2022-23 financial report of parent company BlueCo 22. Chelsea declined to comment on the subject when asked.

Whether taking that Mount sale off the 2022-23 books would have put Chelsea in PSR trouble when the Premier League made its charge last month is not entirely clear, though given the £90.1 million pre-tax loss they announced it is a fair question to ask. There are certainly good arguments for Chelsea to book a deal in an earlier year's accounts even if they don't need it to bring them into PSR compliance, especially if they expect their cost base to significantly fall in coming seasons. There's nothing untoward going on, simply the kind of strategic accounting that a more stringent PSR forces all clubs to contemplate. 

The issue at Stamford Bridge is that there is only so much that strategic accounting can do to chip away at deficits in the absence of new sales.

Problems don't end this summer for Chelsea

CBS' analysis of Chelsea's finances suggest that there is no imminent prospect of the picture improving. A projection for their 2024-25 accounts predicts another operating loss, this one in the region of £130 million. This far out, certain assumptions have to be made. One is that commercial revenue will remain static, given that they will almost certainly be out of the Champions League again. Soon after Clearlake Capital bought Chelsea, part owner Jose E. Feliciano spoke of his belief that the club could register a billion in revenue during their ownership. That's a far cry from theses assumptions.

"My suspicion is that when Feliciano said that he was looking at Chelsea's commercial revenue relative to the traditional big six," says the analyst. "It was an underperformer there and so there was a sense that Chelsea had low hanging fruit. The challenge with those assumptions is that they are conditioned on a certain legacy performance that's quickly moving away.

"In the absence of sporting improvement, it's not clear how they would get to those numbers."

Our second set of assumptions are based around involvement in competition outside Europe. Given the state of the Premier League table, the Champions League looks beyond Mauricio Pochettino's side, who would have to make up a 14-point gap in 11 games just to make the fifth spot that might, dependent on English club's performances in Europe this season, unlock another seat at the top table. The Europa League and Europa Conference League are possibilities either through the FA Cup, where Chelsea face Manchester City in the semifinals, or league finish. The former does not pay out significantly until teams reach the latter stages of the competition, and  it has been suggested that Chelsea might not even take up a spot in the Conference League.

There is, however, FIFA's Club World Cup to look forward to in the summer of 2025, where Chelsea will compete as one of the Champions League winners. CBS' projections assume that all income from that competition will be booked in the 2024-25 accounts. Finally, the model assumes a significant ticket price rise of 15 percent. Chelsea are consulting with supporters and no confirmation has been made as to whether prices will increase after more than a decade without price rises. This has caused much concern among fans, with the Chelsea Supporter Trust warning last week of "irreversible toxicity" if prices are hiked. 

A double-digit price rise might be at the outer end of realistic options, but adding that to the calculations gives Chelsea the most wiggle room to sneak under the £105 million, three-year rolling limit. Still, even after all those factors are considered, the indications are that there will be another £100 million-plus hole to be plugged by additional revenue. That will not be the Champions League, which earned the Blues around £80 million when they reached the quarterfinals in 2022-23. Adding 50% to their commercial revenue while out of the Champions League seems unlikely. Once more, player sales look to be the obvious avenue. There are only so many academy graduates that can be sold on for big money before awkward conversations have to be had about the Malo Gustos and, perish the thought, Cole Palmers.

The downside of Chelsea's amortization

And this is where Chelsea's great veil of amortization gets drawn back. The Blues were able to spend more than $1 billion in the transfer market since the takeover by spreading the cost of big money signings such as Mykhailo Mudryk, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez over contracts significantly longer than the usual four to five years that might be handed out. When it comes to reflecting those transfers in their accounts, clubs spread the cost over the life of a player's contract. Mudryk's $109 million deal might look staggering on paper, but spread over the cost of a seven and a half-year deal it is rather less of a burden in any one year. That Chelsea managed to secure these deals before UEFA and the Premier League moved to limit the number of years a fee could be amortized over made some see a whiff of genius from ownership. Few appreciated that governing bodies might have a point when they said they were acting to discourage clubs from locking themselves into squads over the extreme long-term when the side effects could be profound.

Chelsea's annual amortization costs are not that out of sync with the rest of the Premier League,  according to finance writer Swiss Ramble . The £160 million they have on their books is not even the highest in England, trailing Manchester United at £170 million. A key difference, however, (aside from the revenue gulf between those two clubs) is the speed at which United could bring theirs down. Per Capology , Erik ten Hag's side have 11 first-team players on their books, with three or four years left on their contracts come the end of the season, 20 who would be out of contract in two years. 

At Chelsea, there are 23 players who are tied to the club to 2028 and beyond. Many of their most expensive acquisitions -- Mudryk, Fernandez, Caicedo, Nicolas Jackson and Romeo Lavia among them -- are contracted until 2030. If the plan had clicked, Chelsea might just be in dream land now, a squad of bright young things achieving greatness while tied to contracts that are relatively cheap by Premier League big-six standards. Instead, they seem to have found themselves in the downside scenario. Amortizing the value over seven or eight years means that every year the book value of Chelsea's squad is cut by a far smaller fraction. For it to make any financial sense for Mudryk to be sold, for instance, someone needs to be paying more than the asset is worth to Chelsea. That almost certainly will not happen when his paper value remains so high.

Given how close Chelsea appear to be to the PSR line, there does not appear to be much room for creativity. In 2022, Chelsea wrote down the value of some assets on their playing staff -- widely assumed to be Romelu Lukaku -- but doing so again would still count against them when the Premier League looks at their books. 

How Chelsea can still recover

What ways out are there then? An upswing in results on the field leading to Champions League qualification would greatly help. It is worth noting that under Pochettino, they have not looked as far away from a top-four side as the table might suggest. They have the fifth-best expected goal difference in the Premier League, and according to Understat rank sixth in expected points. It is possible that a young team takes strides forward in its performances next season and that losses such as Gallagher are more than offset by regular minutes from the likes of oft-injured Christopher Nkunku and Reece James. If Chelsea are going to get back in the big time, they will probably need to do it largely with what they have. The figures above would suggest that there is precious little room to add players who cost as much as Victor Osimhen.

Even Champions League revenue would only ease the pressure on the books from 2025-26 onwards, but given how long the amortization charges will hang over Stamford Bridge, that would have to do. The club hierarchy clearly believe there is more to do to drive revenue growth, and in November, they appointed Casper Stylsvig, who has had great success at both AC Milan and Manchester United. Whatever the commercial department can achieve, it would not improve the revenue system quite like the 60,000-plus stadium the rest of the big six will have when Manchester City complete expansion work on the Etihad, likely in time for 2025-26. A modern stadium with top corporate facilities in one of the world's most affluent neighborhoods would change Chelsea's financial outlook, but progress on that front has been as slow under Clearlake as it was Abramovich.

The deus ex machina for Chelsea might just be that the rule book changes. The Premier League confirmed on March 11 that its clubs had "agreed to prioritize the swift development and implementation of a new league-wide financial system." It has been suggested that this could take on a form very similar to the squad cost controls UEFA is looking to introduce, which limit teams to spending a set proportion of their revenue on transfer and agent fees as well as player salaries. This will start at 90% next season before dropping to 80% the following year and settling at 70% in 2025-26. 

That might seem like manna from heaven to Stamford Bridge, but anything that includes amortized transfer fees will be hard to navigate if Chelsea wish to invest in their squad further. Swiss Ramble's analysis puts their squad cost ratio at 87 percent. Once again, the solution to that would be more profit from player sales. More radical changes to the Premier League handbook might enhance their wiggle room, but there are not many of Boehly's contemporaries who would want to be dragged into a scenario where sovereign wealth funds can spend with abandon. The curious thing about all of this is that no one would have imagined Boehly and the rest of Clearlake would be quite so profligate when they took the reigns from Abramovich. Private equity does not invest in businesses so it can  be depicted as clowns  running a loss-making business.

Whether Clearlake were investing for profit or pleasure, there is precious little of either for them now, following their billion-dollar splurge that looks to have seriously backfired. Looking at financial projections only makes this look worse. The real pain might just lie ahead for Chelsea.

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Kettle Moraine, South Milwaukee migrate south for early baseball games

As a blustery wintery mix continues to threaten playing fields across the Milwaukee area over the latter part of March and early April, some baseball programs are migrating south for more hospitable playing conditions.

Kettle Moraine and South Milwaukee found their way to Tennessee for games last week, starting their seasons with trips that fostered team bonds on and off the field.

It was the second trip for Kettle Moraine and head coach James Wolbert, who came across Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro prior to arranging the trip to compete in last season's Spring Classic. The tournament, hosted by Riverdale for 31 years, features programs from numerous states competing in three games each throughout a week-long tournament at the end of March.

The Lasers went 2-1 with a 14-0 win over Deerfield (Illinois), a 10-5 win over Beech (Tennessee) and a 5-2 loss to Riverdale. Beyond the games however, the trip was highlighted by activities such as hikes, swimming, pickleball, basketball and building campfires near the rental house where they stayed at. Phones are collected by the coaching staff while at the house, as players are encouraged to enjoy their present company.

"I do this not to punish them, but to spend quality time together," Wolbert said. "They spend enough time looking at those devices. It's nice to see them just be kids and enjoy the time together."

South Milwaukee coach Ben Parlier said his team's trip to Powell, just northwest of Knoxville, came about through an idea the coach had for a multifaceted journey for his program.

Class of 2022 graduate Nate Snead is a sophomore standout on the pitching staff of the Tennessee Volunteers, and their home schedule happened to line up with South Milwaukee's spring break. Parlier reached out to a few Knoxville area coaches to arrange exhibition games, creating a memorable week of watching, practicing and playing baseball outside for the first time this spring.

"It's clear the baseball fraternity is alive and well, as I had not known any of the coaches prior to this trip," Parlier said. "The coaches trusted that we would respect their facilities and offered to open them up whenever necessary. The coaches all went out of their way to ensure that we had every opportunity possible to make the trip a success."

Visits with Snead also left an impression on current student athletes for the Rockets. The sophomore is the ERA leader on a staff that leads the No. 4 ranked program in the nation as of the start of April.

"Nate went out of his way to spend time with our team, attended our games on Thursday and made sure we could get down to the field and take some pictures with him," Parlier said. "Our team was able to see that anyone, from anywhere, can accomplish their dreams through dedication, hard work and the help of others."

For both coaches, simply getting some warmer weather to practice in while fostering deeper bonds among teammates was well worth the challenges of arranging the trip.

"The biggest thing is creating a family atmosphere within the team," Wolbert said. "Baseball is a crazy game. In my experience, the most successful teams are not the most talented ones, they are the ones that are the closest and have the tightest bonds. Willing to sacrifice their own successes for the team's."

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Game results, tuesday, apr 2, 2024.

On Tuesday, Apr 2, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their game against Hewitt-Trussville High School by a score of 1-6 .

Baseball Recap: Chelsea's loss ends three-game winning streak at home

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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

On Friday, Mar 29, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their Finley Center game against Clarksville High School by a score of 4-14 .

Baseball Game Preview: Chelsea Hornets vs. O'Fallon Panthers

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

Baseball Game Recap: Chelsea Hornets vs. Stanhope Elmore Mustangs

On Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their Hoover SB Tournament at Hoover Met Field 2. game against Stanhope Elmore High School by a score of 2-1 .

On Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their game against Cullman High School by a score of 3-6 .

Saturday, Mar 23, 2024

On Saturday, Mar 23, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their at Tuscaloosa County High School game against Bob Jones High School by a score of 0-1 .

On Saturday, Mar 23, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Tuscaloosa County High School by a score of 6-1 .

Friday, Mar 22, 2024

Baseball Game Preview: Chelsea Hornets vs. Helena Huskies

Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024

On Wednesday, Mar 20, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Hoover High School by a score of 4-2 .

Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

On Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Mountain Brook High School by a score of 1-0 .

Saturday, Mar 16, 2024

On Saturday, Mar 16, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their Round Robin at Smiths Station game against Stanhope Elmore High School by a score of 7-1 .

Thursday, Mar 14, 2024

On Thursday, Mar 14, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Opelika High School by a score of 2-1 .

Tuesday, Mar 12, 2024

On Tuesday, Mar 12, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Pell City High School by a score of 5-4 .

Thursday, Mar 7, 2024

On Thursday, Mar 7, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Briarwood Christian High School by a score of 2-1 .

Wednesday, Mar 6, 2024

On Wednesday, Mar 6, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their game against Briarwood Christian High School by a score of 7-0 .

Tuesday, Mar 5, 2024

On Tuesday, Mar 5, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their game against Briarwood Christian High School by a score of 0-14 .

Saturday, Mar 2, 2024

On Saturday, Mar 2, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team won their PG HS Showdown - Hoover, AL game against IMG Academy Gray High School by a score of 3-2 .

On Saturday, Mar 2, 2024, the Chelsea Varsity Boys Baseball team lost their game against American Christian Academy High School by a score of 1-4 .

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Chelsea 4-3 Manchester United: Cole Palmer strikes twice in injury time to complete remarkable win

4 April 2024 4 April 2024 . From the section Premier League comments 3282

Cole Palmer scored twice deep into stoppage time to complete his hat-trick and earn Chelsea a remarkable win against Manchester United despite having previously given up a two-goal lead.

The latest winner scored in Premier League history, timed at 100 minutes 39 seconds, stunned United, who led through nine minutes of injury time, and sent Stamford Bridge into delirium.

United were ahead with 99 minutes 17 seconds on the clock, the latest a side has ever led in a Premier League match they have gone on to lose.

The two late strikes capped off a breathless game that started at pace, with Blues captain Conor Gallagher slamming the hosts in front, and barely relented throughout.

Inside 20 minutes Palmer doubled the hosts' lead from the spot after Antony fouled Marc Cucurella.

But Alejandro Garnacho sparked a United comeback when he pounced on Moises Caicedo's poor pass across the back.

Bruno Fernandes pulled United level just five minutes later when he headed in Diogo Dalot's cross.

Garnacho scored his second when he headed in an excellent outside-of-boot cross from Antony past goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, with what United thought was the winner.

That was before a dramatic end to the match saw Chelsea take all three points.

Substitute Noni Madueke was brought down by Dalot in the area and Palmer stepped up confidently to bring the scores level on 100 minutes.

Then in the 101st minute, Palmer picked the ball up from a short corner and his drilled shot was deflected past United goalkeeper Andre Onana to spark wild scenes in the stadium.

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Palmer continues to be Chelsea's shining light

Since signing for Chelsea in the summer for a fee of £42.5m, Palmer has hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

The 21-year-old has been the standout player in an inconsistent season for Chelsea and their young squad.

Palmer's hat-trick brings his goal tally to 16 in the league - joint-second and only behind Manchester City's Erling Haaland.

He has seven goals in his last four games for the club as he continues to be the shining light for Mauricio Pochettino.

He also has a 100% record from the penalty spot and has scored eight so far this season - such is his quality it did not feel in doubt that he would score both spot-kicks in this match.

Having made his England debut in November and been included in the most recent squad, on this form he is looking ever more likely to be included by Gareth Southgate for Euro 2024 this summer.

Stoppage time hurts United

It's been an inconsistent season for Manchester United and this performance summed up the campaign they are having so far.

They were pounced on by Chelsea at the beginning of the match, did not seem to have an answer to the Blues' intensity, and were lucky to not be further behind before they started their comeback.

Garnacho's effort was rewarded with a gift when Caicedo played him in for his first and he was the furthest United player forward when he got on the end of Antony's cross to score what looked to be the winning goal.

There are many questions for manager Erik Ten Hag to answer and the manner of this loss will bring an extra amount of scrutiny.

Ten Hag's side faced 81 shots across their three Premier League fixtures in March, another 28 here, and the question as to why they are so easy to create chances against will continue to be asked.

It is the second time in as many matches that United have not won a Premier League game when leading in stoppage time and this result leaves them 11 points away from an unlikely Champions League place.

Player of the match

Palmer Cole Palmer

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• Man Utd Manchester United Manchester United

Manchester United

Match Stats

Formation 4-2-3-1

• 28 Petrovic
• 27 Gusto Booked at 32mins Substituted for Gilchrist at 75' minutes
• 2 Disasi Substituted for Chalobah at 75' minutes
• 5 Badiashile
• 3 Cucurella
• 25 Caicedo Booked at 90mins Substituted for Chukwuemeka at 71' minutes
• 8 Fernández Booked at 35mins
• 23 Gallagher Substituted for Madueke at 89' minutes
• 10 Mudryk Substituted for Sterling at 71' minutes

Substitutes

• 6 Thiago Silva
• 13 Bettinelli
• 14 Chalobah
• 17 Chukwuemeka
• 42 Gilchrist
• 49 Tauriainen
• 29 Wan-Bissaka
• 5 Maguire Booked at 90mins
• 19 Varane Substituted for Evans at 45' minutes Substituted for Kambwala at 66' minutes
• 18 Casemiro Substituted for McTominay at 75' minutes
• 8 Bruno Fernandes
• 17 Garnacho Substituted for Mount at 86' minutes
• 11 Højlund Substituted for Rashford at 66' minutes
• 4 S Amrabat
• 10 Rashford
• 39 McTominay
• 53 Kambwala

Post update

Match ends, Chelsea 4, Manchester United 3.

Harry Maguire (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card.

Second Half ends, Chelsea 4, Manchester United 3.

Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.

Goal! Chelsea 4, Manchester United 3. Cole Palmer (Chelsea) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Enzo Fernández following a corner.

Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Scott McTominay.

Attempt blocked. Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Marc Cucurella.

Goal! Chelsea 3, Manchester United 3. Cole Palmer (Chelsea) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.

Penalty Chelsea. Noni Madueke draws a foul in the penalty area.

Penalty conceded by Diogo Dalot (Manchester United) after a foul in the penalty area.

Foul by Cole Palmer (Chelsea).

Diogo Dalot (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Attempt saved. Noni Madueke (Chelsea) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Enzo Fernández.

Offside, Chelsea. Enzo Fernández is caught offside.

Substitution

Substitution, Chelsea. Noni Madueke replaces Conor Gallagher.

Substitution, Manchester United. Mason Mount replaces Alejandro Garnacho.

Foul by Marc Cucurella (Chelsea).

Antony (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt missed. Benoît Badiashile (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cole Palmer with a cross following a corner.

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These T+L Editor-loved Hunter Rain Boots ‘Last Forever’ — and You Can Get Them for 41% Off

And they're "infinitely more packable" than other rain boots.

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Travel + Leisure / Tyler Roeland

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Hunter Play Short Rain Boots

Founded more than 150 years ago in perpetually soggy Scotland, one of the wettest countries in Europe, Hunter Boots brand is the holy grail of Wellington makers. They’re the unofficial rain boots of the royal family, worn even by Princess Diana ( the style icon!) as well as the impeccably dressed late Queen Elizabeth, beloved also by the fashion crowd from Kendall Jenner to Stella McCartney. The brand is known for its classic knee-high style, specifically in the quintessentially British green hue, but these shorties are a modern, more packable version.

On sale for up to 41 percent off right now, the Hunter Play Short Boots are made of 100 percent waterproof vegan rubber and are lined with recycled polyester. They hit just above the ankle, like your go-to Chelsea boots, and give you a subtle boost with the 1.5-inch heel. 

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Arsenal boss Arteta delighted with Havertz's all-round game

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Lille earned a 3-1 home win over Olympique de Marseille on Friday thanks to second-half goals from Jonathan David, Remy Cabella and Gabriel Gudmundsson, moving them provisionally into third place in Ligue 1.

The New Jersey Devils aren't where they had hoped or expected to be with six games left in the regular season.

You couldn't blame the Denver Nuggets for already thinking about another deep playoff run.

University of Michigan Athletics

Wolverines to Travel to Iowa for Big Ten Showdown With Hawkeyes

4/3/2024 3:57:00 PM | Baseball

By: Conor Stemme

SCHEDULE NOTE (4/4/24): Due to anticipated inclement weather in the Iowa City area, the series finale on Sunday (April 7) will now be played as part of a doubleheader on Saturday (April 6). The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. CDT. The series opener on Friday (April 5) at 2 p.m. CDT remains unchanged.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan baseball team (12-17, 4-2 Big Ten) travels to Iowa City for a three-game series against Iowa (15-11, 4-2 Big Ten). The series will begin on Friday (April 5) at 2 p.m. CDT on the Big Ten Network, a Saturday (April 6) game at 2 p.m. CDT and the series finale on Sunday (April 7) at noon CDT. The final two games will be streamed live on B1G+.

• The Wolverines are 2-0 in Big Ten series after defeating Penn State and ending Maryland's streak of 23 consecutive conference series wins to sit in a tie for third in the conference with Iowa and Ohio State. U-M dropped the first games in both series before rebounding to take the final two. Against Maryland on Saturday (March 30), Jacob Denner pitched 7.2 innings of one-run baseball while the offense produced an eight-run second inning. In the Sunday (March 31) rubber match, Michigan earned the win after strong days from Mack Timbrook and Mitch Voit . Timbrook continued his success in the midweek win over Eastern Michigan on Tuesday (April 2), setting a new career high in RBI en route to an 18-6 win.

• Denner earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday (April 1) thanks to his performance against the Terrapins on Saturday. He became the third different Wolverine pitcher to earn the honor this season, with Kurt Barr earning it on March 18 and Mitch Voit on March 4. This is the first time in program history that three different pitchers have earned the award and the 18th time in conference history.

• Against Maryland, Denner went 7.2 innings and allowed just six baserunners -- three hits, two walks and one hit-by-pitch. He struck out six Terrapins and allowed just one run. With the appearance, he now has 76 for his career which ties him with Ali Husain and Mike Ignasiak for fourth all-time in career appearances. He also moved up the career strikeouts list, passing Connor O'Halloran and Oliver Jaskie to sit ninth all-time with 226 and now trails Rich Hill by three.

• Timbrook had seven hits, four runs and four RBI against Maryland and followed it up with another three-hit performance against EMU. He also set a new career high with five RBI, doing so on a three-run double and two-run double. On Sunday, he hit his second home run of the season, a three-run bomb to add insurance runs. Timbrook raised his batting average by 65 points over the last week and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases at six.

• Voit has hit .389 over the last five games with seven runs and nine RBI. He leads the team in batting average, doubles (13), innings pitched (44.1) and strikeouts (29) among other categories. He is second in doubles and eighth in the conference in hits. Voit has five home runs on the season, two of which have come over the last five games. From the mound, he set a new career high with six strikeouts on Sunday against Maryland to bring his season total to 29, already surpassing the 25 Ks he collected all of last season.

• The Wolverines are second in the nation in double plays with 33 after turning one against EMU. U-M trails only Coastal Carolina's 34. Kyle Dernedde has been involved in 24 of the double plays while Timbrook is second on the team at 22. Last season, Michigan turned 39 and is just seven away from surpassing the total.

• Stephen Hrustich homered over the weekend and is tied with Drake Westcott of Illinois for the conference lead at nine. He also ranks third in the Big Ten with 26 walks and is eighth in slugging percentage at .634. Over the last 15 games, Hrustich raised his average by more than 100 points and is third on the team with a .287 batting average. He leads Michigan with 26 runs scored and is slashing .287/.455/.634 this season.

• Over the last four games, Cole Caruso has 10 hits with five doubles. He has slashed .625/.667/.938 over those games and added seven runs and six RBI. After his strong weekend, his average improved by 60 points and is hitting .245 on the season. On the season, he is second on the team in RBI with 24 and in a tie for third in doubles with seven. Caruso had four doubles over the weekend, including three on Saturday.

• Collin Priest has hit .333 in conference games this season with two home runs. He is second on the team in average at .300, home runs (four) and slugging percentage (.620). Priest has played in 25 games with 13 starts and made his first start in the field Sunday, making the start at first base.

• Thirty-five of the 38 players on the roster have seen game action this season with 22 players recording a plate appearance and 18 players seeing action on the mound. Joonsung Park was the most recent to do so and was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance. Five players have done both this season with Voit leading the way among those with six starts on the mound and 106 plate appearances.

• Iowa is 15-11 on the season and tied for third in the Big Ten standings at 4-2. The Hawkeyes have series wins over Minnesota and Purdue in conference play and have won eight of their last 10 games. All-time, U-M is 124-60 against Iowa dating back to 1893. In conference play, the Wolverines are 106-50 and 59-26 in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have taken five of the last seven games, including two games last season in the Big Ten Tournament, the second a 5-0 win that eliminated U-M.

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Chelsea vs Man Utd LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Cole Palmer wins it late on

Chelsea clinched a wonderfully thrilling contest with Manchester United on a drama filled night at Stamford Bridge. The Blues took the lead through Conor Gallagher in just the fourth minute as the hosts looked to impose themselves on the game. Things looked even better as Cole Palmer slotted home a penalty after Antony fouled Marc Cucurella in the box.

The first half continued in blistering fashion as Manchester United looked to fight back. It took a misplaced pass from Moises Caicedo to get United back into the game. Alejandro Garnacho took control of the ball, dipped into the box and scored past Dorde Petrovic.

Bruno Fernandes added the equaliser a few minutes later completing a fast and sweeping move with a header from the back post and the teams headed into the break on level terms. Garnacho’s next goal looked to have settled things in United’s favour but Palmer had the final say.

When Diogo Dalot brought down Noni Madueke in the tenth minute of stoppage time, Palmer slipped in the penalty before latching onto a corner a minute later and blazing a deflected strike into the back of the net. Chelsea took the match and Stamford Bridge erupted in jubilation.

Relive the action below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here :

Chelsea vs Manchester United LIVE

Chelsea defeat Man Utd with late double from Cole Palmer

90+11’ GOAL! - Palmer strikes from a corner (CHE 4-3 MUN)

90+10’ GOAL! - Palmer levels from the spot (CHE 3-3 MUN)

67’ GOAL! - Garnacho’s second sends United ahead (CHE 2-3 MUN)

48’ CLOSE! - Maguire’s run and shot just flies over the crossbar (CHE 2-2 MUN)

38’ GOAL! - Fernandes nods in the equaliser for the visitors (CHE 2-2 MUN)

34’ GOAL! - Garnacho pulls one back for United (CHE 2-1 MUN)

25’ CLOSE! - Disasi heads over the top from close range (CHE 2-0 MUN)

19’ GOAL! - Palmer calmly slots it home (CHE 2-0 MUN)

18’ PENALTY! - Antony fouls Cucurella in the box (CHE 1-0 MUN)

4’ GOAL! - Gallagher’s spinning shot beats Onana (CHE 1-0 MUN)

Chelsea FC 4 - 3 Manchester United FC

Cole Palmer reacts to ‘madness’ of his record-breaking late winner for Chelsea against Man United

23:16 , Karl Matchett

Chelsea were left celebrating an unlikely and topsy-turvy victory over Manchester United - thanks to the latest winning goal in Premier League history and a first senior hattrick for Cole Palmer .

The Blues attacker netted twice from the spot and a deflected third after 103 minutes to seal a 4-3 win , with Chelsea having been 3-2 down after more than 96 minutes.

After the game Palmer was typically composed when discussing his match-winning antics, which put the cap on a wild night at Stamford Bridge that saw the Blues give up a two-goal lead, fall behind and then score twice in as many minutes deep into stoppage time.

“I don’t know [what happened], we were 2-0 up and [made] silly mistakes but when eight minutes got added on it gave us a lift and it was madness,” Palmer said after full-time on TNT Sports.

More here from the match-winner:

Palmer reacts to ‘madness’ of his late winner for Chelsea against Man United

Cole Palmer’s late chaos leaves Erik ten Hag facing the end game at Man United

23:09 , Mike Jones

An end-to-end match perhaps had the only finish it could. Chaos as late as the 101st minute, and pure spectacle. It might well finish Erik ten Hag at Manchester United .

Cole Palmer rose above so much of it to score a 98th-minute penalty and then follow it with that late deflected winner. It summed up so much that the comeback - after the only period of the game where Chelsea were somewhat flat - came from a moment of unfortunate calamity. Poor Diogo Dalot slipped, and the referee felt he had no option but to point to the spot. Palmer of course scored.

Ten Hag will of course now face potentially unsustainable pressure. The worst was that you couldn’t even say his team really faced the same. Except, for the second game in a row, they conceded so late. They have now given up five points in five days due to three goals after the 97th minute.

Cole Palmer’s late chaos leaves Ten Hag facing the end game at Man United

Lack of concentration to blame for Manchester United’s late slip up against Chelsea says Rio Ferdinand

23:22 , Mike Jones

Former Manchester United captain and current TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand says Chelsea ’s chaotic victory over the Red Devils saw him go through a wave of emotions as two stoppage time goals ensured the Blues earned a 4-3 win at Stamford Bridge .

Cole Palmer netted both, the first from the penalty spot and the second from a short corner, becoming the hero of the night in a performance that emotionally connected with the watching Chelsea fans.

Ferdinand blamed a lack of concentration for United’s downfall and called the 21-year-old, who joined the club from Manchester City last summer, Chelsea’s ‘jewel in the crown’.

Rio Ferdinand blames lack of concentration Man Utd’s late slip up against Chelsea

FT Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd

23:06 , Mike Jones

In Premier League history, only Yaya Toure (11) and Dimitar Berbatov (nine) have taken more penalties and scored every one than Cole Palmer’s eight.

Palmer is just the third player to score two penalties against Manchester United in a Premier League game after Steven Gerrard (March 2014) and Mark Noble (April 2011).

23:03 , Mike Jones

Mauricio Pochettino speaking to TNT Sports after the match: “It’s difficult [to sum up] because the last five minutes was unbelievable. That is the Premier League, that is football, amazing.

“I think we started the game really well. It was a game we had under control but after conceding the two goals I saw the belief in Manchester United that they could win the game.

“We needed a game like this, a victory like this, we needed to connect to the fans. What we were missing, I think it’s possible to start the connection. I think we need to connect with the fans, if not it’s tough for the players. I think we need the support and the belief.

“[About criticising players before the game] Before I talk to the media we speak in the training ground and I explain what I’m going to say. It’s important to agree things, we have a young squad and they need to understand that we cannot compete in the way we did against Burnley. We are in a club where the demand is so high and they need to understand that. We need to try to do more and they need to realise what it means to compete in the Premier League.

“We have another game on Sunday and it’s important to approach it like today. It’s important to be consistent but that’s the most difficult thing. It should be an amazing boost for us to win in this way.”

23:00 , Mike Jones

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, speaking to TNT Sports: “Yes we started poor, kicking the ball away and defending poorly.

“But you saw we were dominating the game and it was brilliant how we played - we deserved to win the game. But, you cannot give it away like we did and we have to manage this game better.

“It is a team performance, you can point to one of the players but it is about team performance. When it gets chaotic you have to deal with it as a team and we made the wrong decisions and we didn’t help out as a team.

“Out of possession we made bad decision - a lack of concentration. Also, I think lucky at the end with the penalty situation, questionable and very soft but we have to do better.”

On shots conceded: “It is ridiculous. We showed we were fourth ranking goals in conceding and everyone is talking to each other after, we are good and we have good defending as a team and a good goalkeeper so I cannot do nothing.”

22:57 , Mike Jones

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes to TNT Sports: “We had the game in our hands and we gave it away.

“It’s frustrating. It’s difficult to take. We had good control in the last few minutes. But they got two chances and scored two goals.

“From the corner we have to be much quicker. We knew beforehand they take corners and throw-ins quickly.

“In the last games we’ve conceded too many shots. It’s about defending your box.

“It’s a big game [on Sunday against Liverpool]. I don’t need to say anything [to his team-mates]. If I need to say anything it’s a problem because this is a massive club.”

22:54 , Mike Jones

Alejandro Garnacho has scored three braces in the Premier League for Manchester United this season, becoming the first teenager to score 2+ goals in three Premier League games in a season since Michael Owen in 1998-99.

22:51 , Mike Jones

Manchester United were leading in this game at 99:17, the latest a side has ever led in a Premier League match they’ve gone on to lose.

22:48 , Mike Jones

More from Cole Palmer who spoke to BBC Sport after the match: "Crazy game. When we scored in the 98th minute I thought let's go for it. Madness.

"I didn't know what to do. I was running round when I scored. A hat-trick is a hat-trick. It was my first one, I'm really happy about it.

"I had a few penalties this season. I'm just going to continue to try to score them. If I get penalties, I'm going to try to score, I'm not going to try to miss.

"When we scored he [Pochettino] said two minutes, come on. He's always trying to drive us on. We went for it and thankfully we scored.

"It's a big winner. It's a massive momentum booster. It puts everyone in a good mood. Hopefully we can kick on."

22:45 , Mike Jones

Rio Ferdinand says he is devastated after that Chelsea comeback: “I’ve had every emotion today. At times I’ve been on the floor but at times I was high as a kite.

“For Man Utd to be 2-0 down and comeback to take the lead, to be in such command at 3-2 and composed at times. Madueke came on and changed the game but Cole Palmer was the shining light throughout the game. You have to pay respect to him, he’s the jewel in the crown now.

“This is what the Premier League is about, the Chelsea fans were leaving but came back in when that third goal went in. I’m devastated, the Man Utd fans are devastated but no one can deny that the desire and character of these players was there for all to see.”

22:42 , Mike Jones

Post-match reaction from TNT Sports pundit and former Chelsea star Joe Cole: “I’m delighted, I love football, I love moments like this. All of these people watching come here and watch their team never give up and give them a moment.

“This will go down as one of the great games in this stadium. For this team, this could be so important. It’s all about the moment, no other sport does this. It’s amazing.”

22:39 , Mike Jones

Since 2015-16 in the Premier League, there have only been two matches with 47 or more shots - and they are Chelsea’s last two games.

There were 51 shots on Saturday in the game with Burnley and 47 today.

22:35 , Mike Jones

Cole Palmer’s hat-trick goal (100:39) is the latest winning goal in Premier League history.

22:32 , Mike Jones

Reaction from Cole Palmer who won the game for Chelsea: “I dont know. 2-0 up and silly mistakes but when eight minutes got added on it gave us a lift and it was madness.

“We need to try and win as many as possible - to win like that is amazing. We thought when we scored the second we were lifted, we saw two minutes left and thought we’d go for it. Thankfully we scored.

“I’ve taken many penalties and I’m not gonna miss one am I? Touch wood. To score in the last minute is crazy. I’m buzzing [about scoring his first hat-trick].

“I just try, these teams I do my same thing, I’ve scored again so I’m buzzing. I just try and take each game as it comes and show the Chelsea fans what I came here to do and that’s play football.”

Full-time! Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd

22:21 , Mike Jones

90+12 mins: What an end to that game. Cole Palmer take a bow. He never believed that Chelsea were out of the game and popped up at the end of the match to score twice and win the game for the Blues.

Insane scenes.

GOAL! Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd (Palmer, 90+11’)

22:18 , Mike Jones

90+11 mins: What drama!

Chelsea win a corner that comes to Cole Palmer. He turns it into the back of the net, two goals in two minutes and Chelsea have won it at the death.

GOAL! Chelsea 3-3 Man Utd (Palmer, 90+10’)

22:16 , Mike Jones

90+10 mins: He scores! It’s the same corner as his first penalty kick and Andre Onana dives the opposite way once again. Chelsea are level.

Chelsea 2-3 Man Utd

22:15 , Mike Jones

90+9 mins: The decision stands. Penalty to Chelsea and Cole Palmer has the chance to level this match...

22:14 , Mike Jones

90+7 mins: Penalty to Chelsea!

What is Dalot doing? Noni Madueke goes past the left-back on his way into the penalty area. Dalot stumbles and falls down taking the Chelsea substitute with him.

The referee points to the spot but VAR is checking the decision. The ground wait for the results of the check.

22:12 , Mike Jones

90+6 mins: Alejandro Garnacho has been given the player of the match award for his two goals which have helped Man Utd come from two goals down to lead 3-2.

Can they see out the rest of the game and claim the three points?

22:09 , Mike Jones

90+3 mins: Fernandes and Dalot are both fouled in quick succession. Man Utd are trying to manage the game now, breaking up play and taking time out of the match.

They want to hold on to this lead.

22:06 , Mike Jones

90 mins: The Chelsea corner is played short to Marc Cucurella who rolls it across to Cole Palmer. The pass is poor and Palmer can’t strike one at goal.

Eight minutes of added time to play. Plenty of time for another goal.

22:05 , Mike Jones

88 mins: Chukwuemeka is cleaned out from behind by Mainoo in the United box but the tackle looks clean and the referee isn’t interested in the penalty.

The ball goes out for a corner and Pochettino takes off Gallagher, replacing him with Noni Madueke.

22:02 , Mike Jones

85 mins: Mason Mount receives a chorus of boos from the Chelsea fans as he’s brought onto the pitch for these closing stages. Alejandro Garnacho is the man who makes way for Manchester United.

21:59 , Mike Jones

82 mins: Inside the last 10 minutes now and Chelsea are the ones pushing for the goal. Man Utd seem a little stuck trying to decide whether to stick or twist.

They’re doing neither at present and Chelsea are bullying them off the ball.

21:56 , Mike Jones

79 mins: Scott McTominay, who’s replaced Casemiro, jars his knee in an attempted tackle. Antony then hacks down Cucurella and Chelsea have a free kick in a dangerous area.

Man Utd need to be wary. Gallagher’s delivery is turned behind by Marcus Rashford.

21:52 , Mike Jones

76 mins: Cole Palmer tests out Andre Onana from a free kick then picks out Axel Disasi from the resultant corner. The defender’s headed effort goes over the bar.

Trevoh Chalobah and Alfie Gilchrist come on for Chelsea with Disasi and Malo Gusto taken off.

21:48 , Mike Jones

73 mins: Mauricio Pochettino brings on Carney Chukwuemeka and Raheem Sterling to replace Mykhailo Mudryk and Moises Caicedo.

Will the substitutes have an impact on this game?

21:46 , Mike Jones

70 mins: 20 minutes to play at Stamford Bridge and this match is far from over. There are chances at both ends and you’d be a fool to call a winner at this stage.

United’s best option is to continue trying to score. They may need at least another goal before this game is done.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-3 Man Utd (Garnacho, 67’)

21:44 , Mike Jones

67 mins: Manchester United lead!

It’s a double for Alejandro Garnacho too. This goal is made from the pass off Antony. He’s given the ball on the right wing and sweeps the ball into the box with the outside of his foot to expertly find Garnacho.

The youngster nods the ball over the head of the goalkeeper and the ball rolls over the line.

Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd

21:42 , Mike Jones

66 mins: Rashford comes on for Rasmus Hojlund and Kambwala replaces Jonny Evans who only came on at half-time. He must have picked up an injury.

Kambwala has a big task on his hands to keep Chelsea at bay for the rest of this match.

21:40 , Mike Jones

63 mins: Aaron Wan-Bissaka is receiving some treatment on the pitch which is going to add some time onto this match towards the end of the game.

Erik ten Hag is preparing some changes for Man Utd. Marcus Rashford and Willy Kambwala are stripped and ready to come on.

21:37 , Mike Jones

60 mins: Hojlund gets in on goal and shoots but Disasi gets back, nudges him off the ball and deflects the effort behind for a corner. Fernandes’s delivery lands on the head of Casemiro who pings his header over the top of the crossbar!

21:33 , Mike Jones

57 mins: Chance! Man Utd bomb forward on the counter attack. Rasmus Hojlund carries the ball into the final third and slips it across to Bruno Fernandes who touches it into the box.

He shoots but leans back on the shot and scoops it high and wide. This is end-to-end now.

21:30 , Mike Jones

54 mins: Cole Palmer tricks his way down the top end of the pitch and does for Dalot and Maguire before slipping a pass to Enzo Fernandez.

He shoots but Jonny Evans gets his foot on the ball and makes the block. Chelsea are in the ascendancy at the minute.

21:26 , Mike Jones

51 mins: This game has resumed in the same manner it left off. Both teams in ultra attacking mode and wanting to get the next goal. There’s space all over the pitch and this result may come down to who can outscore the other.

Cucurella’s cross is blocked by Antony but Gallagher keeps the Chelsea attack alive. United throw numbers behind the ball and the Blues retreat to the halfway line.

21:24 , Mike Jones

48 mins: United ping the ball forward but Antony and Fernandes can’t bring it under control under pressure from the Chelsea defence.

The visitors come again with Fernandes taking a shot and getting it blocked by Badiashile. United appeal for handball as the ball comes back to Harry Maguire.

Maguire drives foward and sweeps into the left side of the box. He runs into space and smokes a shot at goal only for the ball to rise over the crossbar. That was close!

Second half! Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd

21:21 , Mike Jones

There’s a thriller going on here at Stamford Bridge and there’s a thriller being played out at Anfield as well. A rocket strike from Alexis Mac Allister has sent Liverpool 2-1 up with just stoppage time to play.

Back in London, Raphael Varane has been replaced by Jonny Evans at the break for Manchester United. The Red Devils kick off the second half.

HT Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd

21:15 , Mike Jones

Cole Palmer is the first player to score seven penalties for Chelsea in a single Premier League campaign since Jorginho in 2020-21 (7), while only Frank Lampard (10 in 2009-10) has netted more from the spot for the Blues in a single season in the competition.

21:11 , Mike Jones

Half-time! Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd

21:07 , Mike Jones

45+5 mins: There goes the whistle to end a blistering first half. Chelsea were the dominant side early on and took a two goal lead before a mistake from Moises Caicedo allowed the visitors to get back into the match.

Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes send Man Utd into the break on level terms.

What’s going to happen in the second half is anyones guess.

21:03 , Mike Jones

45+3 mins: Both these teams can make use of the half-time break. Casemiro and Enzo Fernandez exchange a few hostile words and the referee has to get involved to tame things down.

Raphael Varane has singled to the bench previously about a potentially issue but he seems to have shaken it off for now.

21:01 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Gallagher sends a half shot, half cross into the box before Chelsea win a corner. Mudryk’s delivery is cleared by the visitors but Chelsea are punching back after conceding those two goals.

Five minutes of added time to play.

20:59 , Mike Jones

41 mins: Both these teams are chasing European football so need to win tonight. That desire means the game has been quite open and the four goals proves that.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd (Fernandes, 38’)

20:55 , Mike Jones

38 mins: Equaliser!

What a turnaround. Andre Onana pings the ball out to Antony on the right side. He darts inside and sends the ball across to Alejandro Garnacho who lays it off for Diogo Dalot.

Chelsea are awry at the back as the cross comes into the back post. Bruno Fernandes tells Rasmus Hojlund to leave the ball and powers his header into the back of the net.

All square.

Chelsea 2-1 Man Utd

20:52 , Mike Jones

37 mins: Fernandes has a dart at goal from outside the box and sends the effort just wide of the target. There’s a confidence to Manchester United now and they may just change the direction of this game.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Man Utd (Garnacho, 34’)

20:50 , Mike Jones

34 mins: Gift!

Antony looks to control a looping ball from Bruno Fernandes but loses it to Moises Caicedo. He looks to play a pass across his own back line but Alejandro Garnacho bombs forward and nicks possession.

He carries it into the box and slots a lovely finish past Dorde Petrovic to score United’s first goal of the night.

Chelsea 2-0 Man Utd

20:48 , Mike Jones

33 mins: Malo Gusto gives away a free kick inside his own final third and Manchester United have a good opportunity to send the ball into the middle.

Chelsea deal with the initial ball but it comes out to Kobbie Mainoo. He drills one from range but can;t get the effort through the cluster of bodies in the box.

Better from United though.

20:45 , Mike Jones

31 mins: Diogo Dalot’s shot takes a deflection and goes out for a Man Utd corner. Bruno Fernandes whips the ball into the middle but Benoit Badiashile gets there ahead of Harry Maguire and heads the ball away.

20:42 , Mike Jones

28 mins: Chelsea look so quick and confident when they turn the ball over in the middle of the pitch. United are almost left scrambling to get into shape defensively.

Antony tries to run into space on the right wing for United but Gallagher sprints back and dispossesses the winger before he can form his next plan of attack.

The Chelsea fans enjoyed that tackle.

20:40 , Mike Jones

25 mins: Cole Palmer weaves and twists to get away from Diogo Dalot who can only foul the winger and gift a free kick to Chelsea on the right side of the pitch.

Chelsea should score. Conor Gallagher swings the ball in to the back post where Axel Disasi has a free header. He picks his spot and nods the ball over the crossbar!

20:36 , Mike Jones

22 mins: Manchester United have a big task on their hands now. They’ve not really created many chances at goal yet and now need to score twice just to draw level again.

Chelsea have their tails up, they’ll want to score more.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Man Utd (Palmer, 19’)

20:34 , Mike Jones

19 mins: Cole Palmer takes the penalty and slips it ino the bottom right corner as Andre Onana dives in the opposite direction. Chelsea are two goals to the good.

Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd

20:33 , Mike Jones

18 mins: Penalty to Chelsea!

Marc Cucurella gets in behind Antony as Myhailo Mudryk slips a pass into the box. The Manchester United man sticks out a leg and clips Cucurella who goes down.

It’s a clear foul and Chelsea have a spot kick.

20:31 , Mike Jones

16 mins: United lose possession in the middle of the pitch and thread a pass up to Nicolas Jackson. He touches it towards the box as Harry Maguire comes sliding across for the tackle.

He misses the ball and allows the forward to get in behind. Jackson looks to pick out Mykhailo Mudryk but the pass is intercepted and United boot the ball clear.

20:29 , Mike Jones

13 mins: Manchester United attempt to pass the ball around Chelsea’s final third but don’t manage to get into the penalty area. Bruno Fernandes tries a direct approach and is tackled on the edge of the box.

He wants a free kick but the referee isn’t interested.

20:25 , Mike Jones

10 mins: Mykhailo Mudryk wins and then delivers a corner for Chelsea but Casemiro is on hand to nod the ball clear for the visitors. United have recent history on their side as Chelsea haven’t won this fixture at Stamford Bridge for the last six years.

Erik ten Hag’s men don’t look too disheartened. They’re trying to play their own game and utilise the wide areas.

20:23 , Mike Jones

7 mins: Can Manchester United respond to that goal?

Bruno Fernandes looks to switch the play out to the left wing. Diogo Dalot takes control of the ball and manages to squeeze a pass into the penalty area.

There are plenty of red shirts to aim for but Chelsea manage to work it away.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd (Gallagher, 4’)

20:20 , Mike Jones

4 mins: Boom!

There’s the opening goal of the night and it comes to Chelsea. The hosts break on the right wing with Malo Gusto carrying it up alongside the box. He pulls it back and the ball deflects off Raphael Varane before bouncing up nicely to Conor Gallagher.

He shoots on the spin, keeps the effort low and beats Andre Onana to open the scoring.

Chelsea 0-0 Man Utd

20:17 , Mike Jones

3 mins: The first chance of the night falls to Manchester United as Antony drives it forward on the right wing. He slips it into the box for Aaron Wan-Bissaka who squares a pass.

The ball is blocked by a blue shirt and bobbles back to Antony who drills a shot at goal but hits the blocking Moises Caicedo.

Kick off! Chelsea 0-0 Man Utd

20:15 , Mike Jones

The Blues get the ball rolling at Stamford Bridge and boot the ball over to the right wing. They win it back and send the ball towards the defence in order to build an attack from deep.

Chelsea vs Man Utd

20:13 , Mike Jones

Here come the teams.

The players make their way out onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge. Mason Mount is on the bench for Manchester United on his return to his former club. He scored late for the Red Devils at the weekend, will have have an important role to play tonight as well?

Kick off is up next...

20:10 , Mike Jones

Raheem Sterling has failed to score in any of his 25 appearances against Manchester United in all competitions which may be why he’s not in the starting line up for Chelsea tonight.

20:05 , Mike Jones

Mason Mount scored his first competitive goal for Manchester United in the weekend draw at Brentford in his 14th appearance for the club.

Mount netted 33 goals in 195 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions before joining the Red Devils.

20:00 , Mike Jones

Cole Palmer has been involved in 21 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season, scoring 13 and assisting eight.

Only Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink (32 in 2000-01) and Diego Costa (23 in 2014-15) have been involved in more in their debut campaign for the Blues.

19:55 , Mike Jones

Manchester United have won more games (80) and have a higher win percentage (59.7%) in the month of April than any other side in Premier League history.

19:50 , Mike Jones

Chelsea are in the top three teams for the average number of big chances created per game in the Premier League, yet are 14th for scoring those big chances, with a 37.5% ratio.

Meanwhile, Manchester United faced 81 shots across their three league fixtures in March: 27 versus Manchester City, 23 versus Everton and 31 versus Brentford.

Mason Mount returns to Stamford Bridge to reveal painful reality of new Chelsea era

19:45 , Mike Jones

The poster boy for Boehlynomics will be back at Stamford Bridge. Not Todd Boehly himself, and not merely because, after two seasons of hubristic failure, he is keeping a lower profile these days.

But Mason Mount , sold to Manchester United for £55m of pure profit – in the Financial Fair Play lexicon that Boehly has helped bring to a wider audience – which, in a world of amortisation of transfer fees over several years, permitted Chelsea to spend many times as much; from an accounting perspective anyway.

Meanwhile, Mount returns on Thursday with his new employers. He has a solitary goal for Manchester United while Cole Palmer , the Mancunian who could be presented as his replacement, has 16 goals and 12 assists in his relatively brief Chelsea career. All that from a player signed for less than the Londoners banked for Mount. It is an advertisement of Boehly’s brilliance.

Mason Mount returns to Chelsea to reveal painful reality of new era

19:40 , Mike Jones

Manchester United have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games against London sides, losing four of the most recent six.

Is that a positive sign for Chelsea?

19:35 , Mike Jones

Chelsea have conceded 47 league goals this season which is as many as in the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign. Will they be sturdy in defence tonight or can Manchester United rip through them?

19:30 , Mike Jones

Manchester United have suffered 11 top-flight defeats this season, one short of equalling the Premier League club record of 12 in a single campaign: 12 in 2013-14 and 2021-22.

19:25 , Mike Jones

Chelsea’s only defeat in their last 15 home games in all competitions came in the league against Wolves in February. They have won 10 and drawn four since then.

Chelsea vs Man Utd team changes

19:21 , Mike Jones

Mauricio Pochettino names an unchanged Chelsea side from the one that drew with Burnley at the weekend.

Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, makes three changes to the Manchester United team. Marcus Rashford is dropped to the bench as Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Antony come in to the side.

Chelsea vs Man Utd line-ups

19:16 , Mike Jones

Chelsea XI: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher; Palmer, Jackson, Mudryk

Man United (H). Come on Chelsea! 💙 @ParimatchUK | #CFC | #CheMun pic.twitter.com/yVa4Bi92Jb — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 4, 2024

Man Utd XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund

BRING ON UNITED! 🗣️💯 #MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 4, 2024

Ten Hag on Champions League qualification

19:10 , Mike Jones

“I have high standards and I would be disappointed if we didn’t qualify [for the Champions League],” the Manchester United manager said, “I know it will be very difficult because we are not in a good position.

“But we want to win every game, that is the standard we have here among each other. We will keep going and keep believing in those standards. That will be the approach in every game.

“We will keep fighting until the end. I know we are not in a good position. We have to catch up. Also I know we have had a lot of problems so I am a realistic man also.

“In a competition that is so competitive and the teams are so close in terms of levels with each other then also you need the players to be available.”

Erik ten Hag ‘realistic’ about Man Utd’s bid to qualify for Champions League

19:05 , Mike Jones

Erik ten Hag has pledged to keep fighting for Champions League qualification but is “realistic” about the difficult task facing injury-hit Manchester United.

After winning the Carabao Cup during a promising first campaign in charge, things have gone downhill this term and the Red Devils’ hopes of returning to the continent’s top competition are fading.

Thursday’s trip to Chelsea is one of nine matches remaining for sixth-placed United, who are 11 points behind Aston Villa in fourth and nine behind Tottenham in what could prove a fifth and final qualification spot.

Pochettino on ‘demands of winning'

19:00 , Mike Jones

Tonight’s match is something of a test for Chelsea. If they beat Manchester United they will be on the correct path to challenging at the top of the table again. Lose and there is still work to be done for Mauricio Pochettino’s team.

“The demands of winning are completely different,” said the Blues boss, “You need to prepare yourself to win every game, be mature, know yourself and know all the people around you.

“We are still building this mentality that will help, [where a player] demands more of themselves and their teammates and is stronger.

“The example is the last game because I agree with the critical comments on me or the team. You know why? Because you cannot draw a game like this if you’re Chelsea – that is how I described the situation and the game.”

Ten Hag on Mason Mount

18:55 , Mike Jones

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag says they are still trying to manage the fitness of England midfielder Mason Mount.

United signed Mount from Chelsea for £55m last summer but he has managed just nine Premier League appearances so far.

“He is a fantastic football player but it is important, first, that he keeps fit because he has had three injuries,” said Ten Hag. “We have to avoid that, so we have to do this very carefully.

“To keep him fit is our first objective. Secondly, we want to use him so he can add benefit and contribute to the team.”

Palmer nominated for Player of the Month

18:50 , Mike Jones

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for March. He scored three goals and had a pair of assists to his name, with his fine form also earning him another call-up to the England side.

A shining star. 🌟 Cole Palmer has been nominated for the #PL Player of the Month for March! 🤩 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 4, 2024

Ferdinand on Rashford

18:45 , Mike Jones

“It’s a pivotal moment in his [Marcus Rashford’s] career now,” said Rip Ferdinand, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. “He’s not a kid anymore.

“A lot of people look at potential and talent. He’s 26 – what were you [the panel] doing at 26? We were still making mistakes, don’t get me wrong, but on the football pitch you had it locked down, you knew what you were doing, you knew what you were about, who you were.

“There’s a big decision to make for him. He’s got to look at who is around him. I know his family play a big part with him, which is great, but who are the external people around that? Are they the right people, are they enabling him to make excuses for himself behind closed doors, or are they saying, ‘Look at yourself, and be accountable for what you are doing’? He needs to look at that and own that and make big decisions.

“When I joined Leeds United, I could’ve gone to Chelsea, and they were probably the club I preferred to go to at the time. The reason I left [West Ham] to go to Leeds was because it was out of London, and the external people around me, I needed to get away from. He’ll need to either decide to get rid of them and stay in Manchester or leave Manchester and get rid of those people. It might be an accumulation of different things, but that could be a big part because the people around you do have a big influence on how you are – especially accountability.”

Rio Ferdinand reveals how Marcus Rashford can save his career

18:40 , Mike Jones

Rio Ferdinand has revealed what Marcus Rashford should do in order to save his floundering Manchester United career.

Rashford has been badly out of form this season, with the majority of his eight goals and six assists coming in a month-long spell around the turn of the year where he appeared to have turned a corner, only to regress and struggle again in recent weeks.

It’s a far cry from the 30 goals and 11 assists he racked up last season or his 35 goal involvements from the 2021 campaign and his struggles have coincided with Man United’s as they’ve fallen out of contention in the race for a Champions League spot, with Erik ten Hag unable to extract any consistency from his team.

18:30 , Mike Jones

Manchester United are looking to complete the Premier League double over Chelsea for just the second time, previously doing so in the 2019-20 campaign.

Poch ‘not happy’ after Burnley draw

18:25 , Mike Jones

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino wasn’t happy with his side’s performance in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Burnley and wants to see his players ‘behave like Chelsea’ against Manchester United this evening.

“Football is about players with talent and the right mentality,” he said. “Mentality means you can deal with the pressure and express your talent with freedom, without limitations in your environment.

“It’s about playing the same way you played as a child when you play at Chelsea in front of 40,000 people, with the cameras, and because you need to win a title.

“We have experience of this. We have worked with many big players when they were young and they evolved to be the top players in the world. We also have met world champions, so we know how to identify this type of player.

“It is a combination of mentality, heart and talent. That is the combination. So we need to push them and it’s about helping them reach their real level.”

Phil Foden v Wayne Rooney – how do the two players compare?

18:20 , Mike Jones

Phil Foden’s stunning hat-trick against Aston Villa stirred up memories of a young Wayne Rooney as the Manchester City midfielder continues to impress this season.

The 23-year-old starred on Wednesday night, restoring City’s lead just before half-time with a free-kick and adding a second in the 62nd minute before completing his treble shortly after.

His performance drew comparisons with Rooney post-match, with TNT Sports host Laura Woods saying: “The third goal, especially. We were chatting about this a second ago, Rio (Ferdinand) was saying it was almost like your Wayne Rooney moment, that something doesn’t go right, you get angry, and you bang in a goal.”

Foden replied: “You know it’s funny you said that because as I was celebrating I was walking with Jackie (Grealish), he also said about the Wayne Rooney goal, said ‘that’s what it reminded me of’.”

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how the two players compare:

Pochettino on motivation to succeed

18:15 , Mike Jones

Mauricio Pochettino gave an insight into his way of working and explained how he is motivated to succeed with Chelsea.

“When I was at Espanyol, my first experience as a coach, I was in at 7am at the training ground every morning,” Pochettino explained, “Then I moved to Southampton and was there at 6.30am every morning. At Tottenham, I was in at 7am or 7.30am.

“At Paris Saint-Germain, it was 6am. Here at Chelsea it is 6.40am or 6.45am – and you can ask the guys at security. I’m not going to change because after 15 years my motivation and passion is still football.

“After 15 years of working, I’m not in a comfortable zone where I arrive at 9am and leave at 2pm. I keep pushing myself and my coaching staff because we want to win and be competitive.

“It’s not that you arrived at Chelsea and believe you are so good – or that people believe you’re are so good – that you do the minimum effort. No, the responsibility is more now. For us, we feel that and it’s why we try to deliver on the job.”

18:10 , Mike Jones

Chelsea are winless in the last 12 Premier League meetings with Manchester United - seven draws, five defeats. It is their longest run without a league victory against the Red Devils.

Chilwell likely to miss United match

18:05 , Mike Jones

Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell is likely to be absent for this evening’s game after falling ill while recovering from a knee injury. The left-back has been a crucial player for Mauricio Pochettino and will be a big miss if he cannot take to the field.

Defenders Trevoh Chalobah and Malo Gusto should be fit to play, while goalkeeper Robert Sanchez may also return.

Erik ten Hag reveals what’s to blame for Manchester United’s injury problems

18:00 , Mike Jones

Erik ten Hag defended his training schedule and his decision not to bring a fitness coach with him to Old Trafford as he blamed Manchester United ’s injury problems on an accumulation of fatigue from his first 18 months in charge and international football.

United have had senior players sidelined by 53 injuries or illnesses already this season and Ten Hag believes he needs more footballers with the robustness of captain Bruno Fernandes , who has played 98 of the 103 games in his reign.

Ten Hag believes the workload on top footballers is too high and warned that standards are dropping when key players are ruled out because of injuries.

Schedule to blame for injuries claims United boss

17:55 , Mike Jones

Manchester United have only played 13 games in 2024 – an average of one a week – but Erik ten Hag blamed international football for some of their injury problems and pointed out that some of their rivals have lost just as many players.

“You can’t prevent [it],” he said. “It’s not only us who’ve had this. The standards of the Premier League from an intensity perspective are so high, the overload of the schedule and international football is so huge.

“We have internationals in our squad. [Manchester] City, Liverpool and Newcastle have problems, many other teams. In this moment, especially the defensive department [have injuries] but the midfield and frontline the players are available.”

Ten Hag gives update on injury crisis

17:50 , Mike Jones

It may not be all doom and gloom for Manchester United’s defence as Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane are both nearing comebacks.

United boss, Erik ten Hag provided an update on both saying: “On the frontline and midfield we are okay and we have options there but in the backline we have a lack of options.

“But the good thing is Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans are back in training this afternoon. Yesterday Harry Maguire was back in training.”

Manchester United face defensive injury crisis

17:45 , Mike Jones

Manchester United have suffered a double blow at the back with Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof both ruled out for at least a month with muscle problems to give manager Erik ten Hag a potential defensive injury crisis for Thursday’s trip to Chelsea.

Martinez, who suffered a calf strain in training, faces a third spell on the sidelines this season after his latest comeback – as a substitute at Brentford on Saturday – only brought him 21 minutes of first-team football.

Sweden international Lindelof came off in the second half against Brentford with a hamstring injury. The 29-year-old missed 10 games earlier in the campaign with a groin problem.

Only Harry Maguire is definitely fit while Ten Hag is also without his two specialist left-backs, in Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Marcus Rashford and the case to remain in England’s Euro 2024 squad

17:40 , Mike Jones

Marcus Rashford ’s first taste of the European Championships came as an 18-year-old for a side whose campaign culminated with ignominious defeat to Iceland.

His second brought another ill-fated ending: with injury reducing him to a bit-part role, he had a late cameo at right-back and as a specialist penalty taker in the Euro 2020 final. And he missed the spot kick: inches from perfection, he instead struck the inside of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s post. Perhaps a shootout swung on it: Harry Kane and Harry Maguire had scored before, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed afterwards.

Third time lucky in Euro 2024 ? It may have looked that way when Rashford scored a glorious goal to give England a modicum of revenge against Italy in October. Even as his form for Manchester United suffered, he excelled for England . Then Rashford looked a probable starter in Euro 2024. Now the danger is that he will not even be part of the squad .

Chelsea vs Man Utd prediction

17:35 , Mike Jones

Unlike some of the fixtures this week, this match is a close one to call.

If both teams perform at their best Manchester United probably have the edge. That said, both clubs tend to dip in form and quality as games go on meaning this result will come down to who turns up on the night.

Recently both Chelsea and Man Utd have been lacking in that area. The Blues don’t have a particularly strong recent record against the Red Devils but could secure a scappy and much-needed home win.

Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United.

Chelsea vs Man Utd predicted line-ups

17:30 , Mike Jones

Chelsea XI: Petrovic; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Mudryk; Jackson.

Manchester United XI: Onana; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Wan-Bissaka; Casemiro, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund.

Early team news

17:25 , Mike Jones

Malo Gusto is the latest to join the ever-growing injury list at Chelsea after the full-back limped off with a hamstring issue against Burnley. Pochettino will hope to have Ben Chilwell available for selection again after the left-back missed last weekend’s game having returned from international duty with a knock.

Manchester United are also contending with defensive issues after both Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof were substituted during the draw with Brentford. Harry Maguire could be in line to return to the starting XI having missed out with a knock picked up with England. Mason Mount, who scored on Saturday for the first time since his lengthy injury, could be in line to start against his former side.

How to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd

17:20 , Mike Jones

Chelsea vs Manchester United is due to kick off at 8.15pm BST on Thursday 4 April at Stamford Bridge.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 7.30pm BST. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Good evening!

17:15 , Mike Jones

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Premier League action as Chelsea host Manchester United.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are hoping to move back into the top 10 but know they need to defeat the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge if they have any hope of shooting up the table. Currently sitting 12th in the league three points could jump them as high as 9th and leave the Blues with some hope of securing European football next year.

That goal is also Manchester United’s though they specifically hope to finish inside the top four and earn a Champions League spot. Aston Villa’s defeat to Man City and a draw for Tottenham mean their two immediate rivals have dropped points so if Erik ten Hag’s men win tonight they will have a shot at overhauling the deficit during the run in.

We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and latest updates throughout the night so stick around as we build up to kick off at 8.15pm.

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On Soccer With Rory Smith

Is soccer’s model club actually … real madrid.

The club is strutting into a future different from the one envisioned by its president, Florentino Pérez. But its prospects are as bright as ever.

By Rory Smith

Florentino Pérez had a contented smile on his face, and with good reason. He had just watched Spain and Brazil share a thrilling, freewheeling draw at the stadium he has expensively, lavishly, reappointed. Now, Pérez, Real Madrid’s all-powerful president, found himself in a whitewashed tunnel, presented — completely by chance, obviously — with his favorite kind of photo opportunity.

To one side stood Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid’s standard-bearer and main event, dutifully introducing the man who pays his wages to his Brazil teammates. A little further along the corridor, hurrying to pay obeisance, was Rodrygo, another of Pérez’s employees.

But Pérez’s focus was on Endrick, the 17-year-old star-in-waiting who will complete his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabéu this summer. To say the two of them shared a conversation would be pushing it: In footage of their brief meeting , Endrick does not appear to speak. After a handshake, Pérez utters only one line, but it is perfect. “We’re waiting for you here,” he said.

Real Madrid has had Endrick lined up for some time: The club announced that it had reached an agreement to sign him from Palmeiras three days before the final of the 2022 World Cup. He would, as FIFA’s rules dictate, remain in Brazil, with the club that has sculpted him into the most coveted prospect in world soccer, until he turns 18 this July.

That kind of long-term planning feels just a little out of step with Real Madrid’s traditional modus operandi. The club identifies, correctly, as a titan, and — under Pérez’s stewardship, in particular — it has taken great pride in living the values associated with the classical definition of that term: impetuous, impulsive, irascible.

It fires coaches for failing to win the Champions League , signs players on the back of a stellar World Cup and airs a regular feature on its in-house television channel that has been interpreted as a pre-emptive attempt to influence and/or intimidate referees. Real Madrid has always been the sort of place that eats its own sons .

All of that remains hard-wired into the club’s fibers. In the past three years, Pérez has not only helped to concoct a Super League that was intended to reshape world soccer more to his liking, but defended it on a gaudy late-night talk show — a little like going on “Judge Judy” to announce the abolition of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — and then continued to promote it even after it was savaged by, well, just about everyone else.

But there is little question that there is something different about the current incarnation of Real Madrid. The club has always regarded itself as being the biggest, most powerful, most glamorous, most famous team not just in soccer, but in sports as a whole. Now, it is possible to make the case that it should be regarded as the best run, too.

Its mildly absurd record in the Champions League bears that out. In the last decade, it has won the tournament the club cherishes most five times. Should Carlo Ancelotti’s team fall to Manchester City over the next two weeks, it would mark only the third time since 2010 that Real Madrid has not reached at least the semifinals of Europe’s showpiece competition.

A better gauge, though, is what will happen this summer. As well as Endrick, already anointed as the finest player of soccer’s new generation, Real Madrid is expected (at last) to sign Kylian Mbappé, the standout of the current one. They should be joined, too, by Alphonso Davies, the Bayern Munich and Canada left back.

All three deals showcase how adroitly Real Madrid now navigates the transfer market. Endrick is another special from Juni Calafat, the club’s recruitment chief, who has long been tasked with bringing the brightest prospects from around the world — and from South America in particular — to Madrid.

Mbappé has been a case study in patience, with Real Madrid by turns seducing the player and biding its time, slowly and carefully positioning itself as his only realistic route out of Paris St.-Germain, waiting until the economic conditions were right to sign a player currently employed by a club that is in effect an arm of a nation state.

Davies, too, is a masterpiece of patience: Real Madrid will present Bayern Munich with the choice of losing him for a fee this summer, or for nothing when his contract expires in 2025. Bayern will resent it, of course. But it is familiar enough with that sort of strong-arm method that it might, privately, applaud just a little, too.

It would not be the first club to admire — however begrudgingly — how well Real Madrid has adapted to a financial landscape that, as the Super League project demonstrated, seemed to have shifted against Europe’s old aristocrats.

Real Madrid does not have the money, for example, to bully Premier League teams into selling players, and so instead it signed Antonio Rüdiger from Chelsea on a free transfer. It retains an impressively productive academy — according to the analysis firm CIES, 97 of its graduates are playing professionally in Europe — but has also moved quickly to gobble up players like Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham and Aurelién Tchouaméni before they fall into English clutches.

The result is a club that, almost alone among the grand old teams of the continent, can look to the future with relish. Barcelona has mortgaged many tomorrows to pay for the sins of yesterday. Bayern Munich is about to hire its fourth coach in three years. Juventus is still reeling from the mass resignation of its board in 2022 amid allegations of fraudulent accounting.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, should next season be able to name a midfield of Camavinga, Tchouaméni and Bellingham, and a forward line of Rodrygo, Vinícius and Endrick. Quite where Federico Valverde fits in is anyone’s guess. It certainly does not feel like the club’s destiny rests on whatever Mbappé decides to do.

It may, in many ways, remain an old-fashioned club, run as a personal fief by an omnipotent president. It does not pretend to be as data-driven, as avowedly modern, as Manchester City or Liverpool or Brighton, and it most definitely does not, at any point, feel any need whatsoever to tell anyone how clever it is.

But it is difficult to escape the impression that of all the game’s traditional elite, Real Madrid is now the one that needs a Super League the least. It is true that this is not the reality Florentino Pérez hoped to occupy in the spring of 2024. He wanted it to change, irrevocably, to suit his club. The converse, though, seems to have worked just as well. He has his modern stadium. He has his cluster of stars. The world remains, as it always was, much to Real Madrid’s liking.

Emma Hayes and the Last Word

The end, for Emma Hayes, is in sight. Next weekend, her Chelsea team will take on Manchester United in the semifinal of the F.A. Cup. A few days later, it has a Champions League semifinal with Barcelona to contemplate. There are five games left in England’s Women’s Super League; if Chelsea wins them all, Hayes may depart for her new job, as coach of the United States, with a valedictory championship.

One, two or three of those trophies would be a fitting way for Hayes, the W.S.L.’s greatest-ever coach, to wave goodbye to a league she has done much to build. Over the last few weeks, though, the 47-year-old Hayes’s farewell tour has taken on a decidedly, but unexpectedly, contentious aspect.

First, she suggested that — from a coaching point of view — it might be less than ideal for teammates to be romantic partners. She quickly rowed back from those comments after it appeared they had stoked resentment both inside and outside her squad.

Then, last week, she shoved Jonas Eidevall , her Arsenal counterpart, and then accused him of exhibiting “ male aggression ” in confronting a Chelsea player during the Blues’ defeat in the Women’s League Cup final. There, a retraction — or even a clarification — seems less forthcoming, something that may be explained by the fact that Hayes is not the first coach to find Eidevall’s touchline demeanor a little abrasive.

Hayes is habitually frank. She is eloquent and unafraid in equal measure. That is, in part, what has allowed her to develop a profile beyond women’s soccer. In these past few weeks, though, she has exhibited an openness that borders on straight-shooting. The overriding impression is that she does not want to leave England without setting a few things straight.

If We’re Taking Ideas From America

Curious to note, this week, that the idea of a luxury tax is being floated by certain Premier League teams as a more palatable alternative to all these infernal points deductions. Well, that is how it is being dressed up, anyway: What is actually happening is that some of the league’s clubs are trying to find a method, effectively, to abolish financial regulation.

This is an increasingly popular stance, because the Premier League has allowed the idea that cost controls are in some way “unfair” to fester. It is, though, a disingenuous one.

Those clubs who want to allow the market to run riot do not want to level the playing field. They want, instead, to take one unpopular elite and replace it with another. The primary difference, of course, would be that this new one includes and favors them. Nobody is thinking in the slightest about collective fairness.

Still, the idea is out there, so let’s debunk it. A luxury tax has benefits in American sports. It would not work in England, partly because there is no salary cap, and partly because some of the teams are owned by nation states, making the idea of a financial penalty pretty laughable. They would pay it and go on their merry way, driving other clubs to the wall as they do.

If you want a truly “fair” Premier League, you need more financial regulation, not less. And, as discussed a little while ago, if you are to take inspiration from the U.S., the best place to start would be with a commissioner, complete with both office and powers, who can enforce those rules in real time.

Rory Smith is a global sports correspondent, based in the north of England. He also writes the “ On Soccer With Rory Smith ” newsletter. More about Rory Smith

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