The English Football Pyramid officially extends to Level 11. For the 2026-27 season my choices to follow are: Arsenal & Brentford, Wrexham, Plymouth, Exeter, Worthing, Torquay, Wimborne, Exmouth, Bovey Tracey, Teignmouth & Elmore. I am also following the women's pyramid which extends to Level 7. My womens teams are Arsenal, Bristol City, Exeter, Torquay, Yeovil, Feniton & Teignmouth.
Women's Super League: Arsenal beat Manchester United to boost Champions League hopes
Manchester United boss Casey Stoney described the refereeing as "atrocious" in her side's Women's Super League defeat by Arsenal.
Jill Roord's deflected strike off Millie Turner and Lotte Wubben-Moy's header after the break boosted the Gunners' Champions League qualification hopes, as they moved to within three points of third-placed United with a game in hand.
But Stoney believed her players - Lauren James in particular - were the victims of overly aggressive tackles by Arsenal and criticised referee Amy Fearn, who sent off Gunners forward Beth Mead shortly after the hour mark for a second bookable offence.
"How you can have somebody fouled and fouled and fouled and fouled and we do nothing?" Stoney told BT Sport.
"I thought the referee was atrocious at best tonight and that's not an excuse for my team losing but we've got to improve the officiating in this league, we really have to because if Lauren James reacts to any of those she ends up off the pitch. She gets no protection. It's disappointing."
The standard of refereeing in women's football has come under increasing scrutiny, with all officials in England's top two divisions part-time.
Former London Bees boss Lee Burch, ex-England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis and Wales international Natasha Harding are among those to criticise officiating this season, but in February the Football Association said it had no plans to introduce full-time referees for at least three years.
Defeat all but ends United's chances of challenging top two Chelsea and Manchester City for the WSL title as they are nine points behind the leaders with five fixtures left.
The battle for a place in the top three and a European campaign in 2021-22 now appears to be between Arsenal and Manchester United, with fifth-placed Everton 10 points behind United.
Stoney's side dominated possession after going behind, but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal, with teenager James guilty of missing the best chance when she blasted over from just inside the box.
Wubben-Moy's thumping header early in the second half gave the Gunners a cushion before Mead's second yellow card for a lunge on Lucy Staniforth made for a nervy final 30 minutes.
Arsenal's next match is the north London derby against Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, 27 March, while Manchester United host struggling West Ham on the same day.
Youssef El-Arabi's 20th goal of the season briefly gave Olympiakos hope of a shock at the Emirates
Arsenal were given a scare by Olympiakos but had enough from the first leg to beat the Greek side on aggregate and reach the Europa League last eight.
Leading 3-1 from the game in Greece, the Gunners were comfortable throughout the first half in London.
Some nerves began to show after Youssef El-Arabi's shot found the net via a deflection off Gabriel to give the visitors hope of repeating last season's shock - when they knocked the Gunners out of the Europa League in the last 32 by scoring in the final minute of extra time at Emirates Stadium.
However, Olympiakos were unable to build on El-Arabi's goal as Arsenal managed the remainder of the tie adequately to progress, helped by a red card shown to Ousseynou Ba for dissent late on.
They will discover their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made in Switzerland at 12:00 GMT on Friday.
Arsenal have developed a habit of making life hard for themselves under Mikel Arteta.
Once again, they were their own worst enemies at Emirates Stadium with a tame and occasionally sloppy second-leg display that offered the incentive to their opponents.
Thankfully for the Gunners, most of the heavy lifting for this win had been done in the first leg in Pireas, where late goals from Gabriel and Mohamed Elneny made amends for some poor defending which allowed the Greek side to briefly regain parity in the tie.
That frailty at the back resurfaced again in London, though, with Dani Ceballos' loose pass allowing the Greek side to set up El-Arabi for his goal.
The Morocco striker could also have scored before then to offer an earlier incentive to the visitors, but Bernd Leno's save made amends for the lax defending that allowed him to get within sight of the target from a long ball.
The poor Gunners defending was allied with a profligacy in attack.
Pepe could have settled the tie for good after beating the onrushing keeper but saw his subsequent finish from an angle deflected just wide by a covering defender.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, recalled after being left out of Sunday's north London derby win over Tottenham for breach of "pre-match protocol", could have had a hat-trick and certainly should have taken at least one of the numerous good chances that came his way.
Arteta has called for his side to demonstrate better game management - and while the Spaniard was visibly angered by some of the choices his side made after the deadlock had been broken, he can take some satisfaction from the fact they were able to draw the sting out of the Greek champions after El-Arabi scored.
The fight had already drained somewhat from Olympiakos, but Ba's dismissal - courtesy of a second yellow for throwing the ball down in disgust following a foul - eradicated it.
It was a far from perfect display but more than enough to ensure that the Gunners remain in the hunt for a European trophy and the sought-after prize of a Champions League place that comes with it.
'Nowhere near the levels we could be'
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking to BT Sport: "Really happy to be through. Sometimes we have to be fair with ourselves - we were nowhere near the levels we could be.
"We were unstable with the ball and we gave it away. It's impossible when you give the ball away to have any structure. We created enough chances to win but were nowhere near the levels in which we can perform.
"We can't use any excuses. We had fresh players in the side. We started the game really well but then we had a lack of stability. We need to keep the ball and play some passes together and not just keep giving the ball away in transitions.
"We'll get better. When it comes to decision-making and execution, it's a little bit more difficult.
"We need another win in the Premier League and it's a big chance after the international break to get a run together."
Four quarters out of last five for Arsenal
Arsenal have made it to the quarter-finals for the fourth time in their last five Europa League/UEFA Cup campaigns (knocked out at Last 32 stage last season), after failing to reach that stage in each of their first five attempts.
Olympiakos have failed to reach the quarter-finals in any of their 23 Europa League/ UEFA Cup campaigns.
Arsenal have now conceded in each of their last 11 matches across all competitions - their longest run without a clean sheet since a stretch of 14 matches without a shutout between October - December 2019.
Arsenal have lost three consecutive home matches against an opponent in European competition for the first time ever.
Arsenal games have produced seven red cards this season in all competitions (5 for, 2 against), the joint-most of any Premier League side (also seven for Aston Villa).
Olympiakos forward Youssef El-Arabi became just the fourth player to score in three consecutive matches against Arsenal in major European competition, after Lionel Messi (March 2016), Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski (both March 2017).
On-loan half-time substitute Lee Gregory scored only his second goal since joining Derby from Stoke on deadline day last month
Derby County came from 2-0 down at half-time to earn a deserved draw with Championship high fliers Brentford.
After 27-goal Championship top scorer Ivan Toney's eighth-minute penalty and a low shot from Sergi Canos, Lee Gregory got one back before fellow half-time substitute Louie Sibley's stunning left-foot curler just four minutes from time.
Brentford, who now trail second-placed Watford by five points, looked on course for a fourth win in five games.
But Derby boss Wayne Rooney shook things up with a three-man half-time substitution.
And it paid off as the Rams hit back to earn only their second point in five matches in March - and edge eight points clear of danger.
Derby had previously endured a miserable month, having picked up just one point and drawn four successive blanks in front of goal.
Ivan Toney's early penalty was the Championship top scorer's 27th goal of the season
It looked bad for the Rams when Bryan Mbeumo was brought down by Lee Buchanan and Toney converted from the spot.
Then Canos cut in from left on 23 minutes to drill a low right-foot shot which beat keeper Kelle Roos at his near right post to seemingly put the Bees on course for another win.
But Gregory was one of three half-time substitutes and the on-loan Stoke City striker, who replaced Louie Watson, scored within two minutes of coming on.
He steered home Nathan Byrne's low cross from close range for only his second goal for the Rams since arriving on the final day of the transfer window last month.
That gave the Rams the confidence to look for more and they got their point when Sibley came up with his first goal in almost eight months - since the 3-1 win at Birmingham last July.
Another of Derby's subs Patrick Roberts, who had only just come on, slipped a pass to his left inside and Sibley neatly feinted to give himself the space he needed to send a superb 20-yard shot arcing beyond the reach of David Raya.
Derby boss Wayne Rooney:
"The first half was everything we didn't want. We looked a bit nervous and if you leave teams like Brentford that space they'll hurt you so I had to make changes at half-time.
"We showed great energy and great character and fully deserved a point in the end. We came out at half-time and played with no fear.
"I know sometimes it's difficult to do that but that's what we have to do. We have to believe we are a good team.
"If we play on the front foot, are aggressive, take chances and are not scared of the consequences then we'll do well. The second half was very good. We had Brentford on the back foot."
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:
"Definitely a game of two halves. We were absolutely excellent first half, maybe one of the best we've played so far in the season, totally in control on and off the ball.
"We could have been up by more than two and we talked at half-time of needing to up the tempo, as we knew they would come flying out.
"They changed three players so we knew something would happen. Then they got that goal so now it's a master-stroke by Wayne and his coaching staff and was well deserved.
"Definitely they deserve some respect because they did what they did to change things. But we need to do better. We simply didn't keep the ball well enough."
Scott Fraser's late penalty earned MK Dons a 2-1 win over Plymouth at Stadium MK.
Plymouth started well and came close nine minutes in when Niall Ennis rounded Andrew Fisher before playing in Luke Jephcott, whose shot was saved before his rebounded header went over.
MK Dons took the lead on 22 minutes when Cameron Jerome headed home from Matthew Sorinola's left-footed cross at the far post for his fourth assist in two games and Jerome's 15th goal of the season.
Jerome almost doubled the advantage 15 minutes later when his powerful strike on the half-volley was parried by Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper.
Plymouth piled on the pressure early in the second half and made it pay with an equaliser in the 61st minute.
A ball from the right was squared to Conor Grant and his powerful long-range strike went in off the post.
But Dons grabbed a late winner from the spot after a handball, with Fraser burying the spot-kick in the bottom-left corner.
Jake McCarthy's spectacular late goal earned Weymouth a 1-1 draw at Dagenham and Redbridge in the National League.
Daggers' Scott Wilson was denied from close range and Will Wright went close at the other end before Liam Gordon brilliantly gave Dagenham a 43rd-minute lead.
The on-loan Bolton full-back burst forward from halfway and was allowed to cut inside before curling a right-foot shot into the top corner.
Myles Weston's cross was almost deflected in for a second Dagenham goal and, at the other end, Kenny Clark and Dean Rance produced brave blocks to preserve their side's lead.
But they were denied victory in the third minute of stoppage time when McCarthy's acrobatic effort flashed past keeper Elliot Justham.
Erik Lamela's 'rabona' finish came just 14 minutes after he replaced the injured Son Heung-min
Arsenal came from behind to secure a fully deserved north London derby win and inflict damage on Tottenham's hopes of a place in the Premier League's top four.
The Gunners were vastly superior until a Spurs rally in the closing stages but fell behind to a piece of genius from Erik Lamela - on for the injured Son Heung-min - when he curved a magnificent 'rabona' finish beyond Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno in the 33rd minute.
Arsenal, who had seen Emile Smith Rowe's long-range shot smack against the bar, then suffered more ill-luck when Cedric Soares hit the post, but were level on the stroke of half-time when Martin Odegaard's effort was deflected out of the reach of Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris.
Mikel Arteta's side continued to dominate a largely dreadful Spurs and took the lead from the penalty spot after 64 minutes when Alexandre Lacazette missed his kick but was fouled by Davinson Sanchez.
Lacazette recovered to send Lloris the wrong way for his 12th goal of the season.
Spurs' day got worse when Lamela was sent off for a second yellow card, shown by referee Michael Oliver for a hand-off into the face of Kieran Tierney with 14 minutes left.
But they almost snatched a point in the closing moments when Harry Kane's free-kick bounced off the post, with Arsenal defender Gabriel heading Sanchez's goal-bound shot off the line from the rebound.
Arsenal, who dropped captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the game for disciplinary reasons, stay in 10th place but Spurs are now six points adrift of Chelsea in fourth, although with a game in hand.
Arteta showed discipline is paramount - and no one is above his law - by dropping skipper and main striker Aubameyang to the bench for what Arsenal described as "a breach of pre-match protocol".
It was a big game to have to make this choice but Arteta demonstrated who was boss and was rewarded not just with an important derby victory but also a fine performance, watched from the sidelines by the solemn figure of the chastened Aubameyang.
Arsenal, even without their captain and most prolific marksman, were by far the more dangerous side, taking control from the start and only showing signs of nerves when Spurs mounted a belated late surge which almost brought them a point they did not merit.
Smith Rowe was outstanding for Arsenal while Odegaard got his first Premier League goal and Lacazette won and scored the decisive penalty.
Arsenal remain a team in transition but they played some fine football here and this will surely boost confidence and self-belief as they try to navigate a route into Europe next season, the three points tasting even sweeter as they were taken at the expense of their arch-rivals.
Aubameyang will no doubt return in due course, punishment served, but Arteta showed the courage of his convictions and this turned out to be a highly satisfactory day for Arsenal's manager.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not used from the bench by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Spurs pay price for negative approach
Jose Mourinho has been subjected to criticism this season for a perceived negativity in big games - and this was another when he deserves to have his approach questioned.
This was a miserable day all round for Mourinho and Spurs as they lost Son early on to a hamstring injury, goalscorer Lamela was sent off and they wasted the opportunity to make up ground on the top four with a performance that was, for the most part, abject and negative.
Lamela's moment of genius, his rabona finish, a rare shaft of light for Spurs, ultimately counted for nothing as the visitors left it far too late to raise the tempo.
Indeed, it was only after Lamela was sent off and they were at a numerical disadvantage that Spurs applied any serious pressure, although that almost brought a point as Kane hit the post and Sanchez's shot was cleared off the line by Gabriel.
Why Spurs waited until their backs were against the wall and their cause desperate to show any urgency is a mystery. They must see this as a missed opportunity.
Gareth Bale's long cross in the build-up to Lamela's goal was his only serious contribution before he was substituted in the second half and Spurs failed to get any meaningful service to Kane.
Spurs have now lost six and drawn four of their past 10 Premier League games at Arsenal and have now been beaten in nine league games this season, the joint most Mourinho has lost in a campaign in his managerial career.
This was a day that did not contain much good news for either Mourinho or Spurs.
'I draw the line' - what they said
Arsenal manager Arteta says Aubameyang will be available for selection having sat out Spurs win
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking to BBC Sport:
"We had a really strong performance right from the beginning, we created many chances and went a goal down with their first shot.
"But I love the reaction of the team, we stayed composed and in the end we won the game. Scoring before half-time was really important as it put us in a good position for the second half.
"We scored the second goal, we got a bit nervy in the final 10 minutes and that is one of the things we need to improve as a team."
On Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: "As I said before the game, I draw the line, it's done, we move on and enjoy this victory."
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho, speaking to BBC Sport:
"First half we were poor, 1-1 is not a reflection of what happened on the pitch. They were more intense, aggressive, moving the ball better than us.
"In the second half we recovered control of the game. In our good moments we made changes to try to win the game and when the game was there to be played, the referee made a wrong decision [awarding the Arsenal penalty], the VAR confirmed the wrong decision from the referee.
"And then at 2-1 it was time for the team to step up and show a good reaction to get an equaliser, but I cannot say much more than this."
On Lamela's goal: "The goal was sensational no doubt. But the most important thing is the result and we lost the game.
"Trying to be honest and pragmatic: the first half was their half. The second half: Michael Oliver and Paul Tierney, the VAR. They decided the game."
Referee made a wrong decision - Mourinho
Gunners continue home derby dominance - the stats
Arsenal are unbeaten in their past 10 Premier League home games against Spurs (W6 D4).
Spurs have dropped 45 points from winning positions against Arsenal in the Premier League - the most of any team against a specific opponent in the competition.
Since losing his first London derby at the Emirates in the Premier League (2-1 v Chelsea in December 2019), Mikel Arteta is unbeaten in his past five such games, picking up four victories (D1).
Alexandre Lacazette is the first Arsenal player to score in three consecutive home league games against Spurs since Emmanuel Adebayor in October 2008.
Martin Odegaard is the fourth player to score his first Premier League goal in a north London derby for Arsenal, after Nicklas Bendtner (2007), Per Mertesacker (2012) and Lucas Torreira (2018).
Erik Lamela became just the fifth substitute in Premier League history to score and be sent off in the same game, after David Lee (1993), Bobby Zamora (2007), Ivan Klasnic (2010) and Hal Robson-Kanu (2017).
What's next?
Arsenal will bid to protect a 3-1 lead when they welcome Olympiakos to The Emirates for a Europa League last-16 second-leg tie on Thursday (17:55 GMT), while Tottenham will kick off in Dinamo Zagreb at the same time, taking a 2-0 advantage to Croatia.
The Gunners' next Premier League assignment is a trip to West Ham United on Sunday (15:00 GMT) with Tottenham travelling to Aston Villa later that same evening (19:30 GMT).
