GM football fans. It’s Thursday, Feb. 06 - VAR changes are incoming, NWSL settles a long-standing abuse case and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

Editor’s Note: As ever, the Route One team would love to hear from you on how we can make the Daily Brief the best email you open every day. We read and appreciate every response. Share your thoughts here.

Enjoy reading Route One? Share with a friend using this link.

English League Cup: Liverpool FC vs Tottenham Hotspur, Agg 0-1, 20:00 / 15:00. Liverpool are unbeaten in 15 home matches since September and have scored at least two goals in each. Spurs lead on aggregate (1-0) and have kept four clean sheets in their last eight games in all competitions, but they’ve failed to win at Anfield since 2011.

Results…

The Premier League hopes to introduce semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) before the end of the season. The English top flight will become the second domestic league to introduce the technology, following the Serie A.

SAOT employs 12 dedicated tracking cameras mounted underneath the stadium's roof. The cameras track the ball and up to 29 data points per player. See a video of how it works here. The system automatically alerts VAR officials to potential offsides, with FIFA stating that decisions can be made in approximately 25 seconds—compared to the current 40-second average with VAR this season.

While the Premier League claims that 100 per cent of offside decisions have been correct this season, it wants to introduce SAOT to speed up the process. Nevertheless, there have been 13 VAR mistakes in the Premier League so far this season, down from 20 at the same point last term. See the errors the league admitted to here.

The Premier League also plans to allow its referees to explain VAR decisions to the crowd inside the stadiums for top-flight matches by the start of next season.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women’s football in the United States, has agreed to pay $5m to a "Restitution Fund" to "compensate current or former players" who've suffered from abuse while playing in the league. It’s not immediately clear how the funds will be distributed.

This settlement follows extensive investigations initiated in 2021, which uncovered widespread allegations of verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse across multiple NWSL clubs. These revelations led to the dismissal or resignation of several head coaches and the resignation of the NWSL commissioner.

In addition to financial compensation, the settlement includes a long list of requirements (see here) for the NWSL to continue protecting players. The league’s leadership is required to report to the attorney generals who led the investigation every six months for the next three years. The report acknowledges that the league has already worked to implement safeguards outlined in a previous report.

All 72 National League clubs have written to the English Football League (EFL) demanding the fifth tier a third promotion place from the start of next season. Any team within the top four tiers of the English football pyramid are considered fully professional (see pyramid tiers here).

Only two teams earn promotion from the National League to League Two each season–the champions and the play-off winners. This structure has been in place due to historical concerns about a quality gap between League Two and the National League. However, ample evidence suggests that top National League teams are on par with, or even superior to, struggling League Two sides.

The EFL’s leadership has said it’s open to exploring the possibility of a three-up, three-down system for the fifth tier. However, it wants to introduce this alongside the so-called ‘new deal’ with the Premier League, where EFL clubs are pushing for the top flight to share more of its broadcast income.

> The Premier League refuses to delay the start of the next season to accommodate for Man City and Chelsea playing in the Club World Cup (More) | Liverpool manager Arne Slot wants 23-player match-day squads to be introduced in England (More)

> Tyrell Malacia joins PSV Eindhoven on a loan deal from Man United; €10m buy option, salary covered, 30% sell-on clause (More)

> Olympique de Marseille become the first Ligue 1 club to establish an amputee football team (More)

> Republic of Ireland international Denise O'Sullivan has again hit out at the FAI over their handling of Colin Healy’s departure from the women’s managerial set-up (More)

> The Argentine Primera Division match between Godoy Cruz and Talleres Cordoba was suspended late on Tuesday after an assistant referee was struck by an object from the crowd (More)

> The US Soccer Federation has updated its Referee Abuse Prevention Policy after 90% of referees reported that abuse has increased over the last five years (More); Roster rules and regulations have also been published (More)

> Sao Paulo have confirmed the signing of Brazilian left-back Wendell from FC Porto on a free transfer (More)

> The upcoming SheBelieves Cup is being used as an opportunity to develop womens players in the US ahead of the 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup (More)

> Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium is set to officially open on March 1, as the venue hosted about 50,000 people as part of a stress test earlier this week (More)

> Jhon Duran will reportedly (unconfirmed) travel over 500km a day to train with Al-Nassr, taking an 80-minute flight to training every day; the striker has chosen to live with his girlfriend in Bahrain (More)

Yesterday’s Poll: Do you agree with Cristiano Ronaldo's claim that he's the greatest footballer ever?

🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🐐 Absolutely... (22%)

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👎 Nope... (73%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other... (5%)

Your punditry takes:

Remembering Cristiano Ronaldo’s career as he turns 40…

… and the first time he hit his ‘SIUUU’ celebration.

The numbers behind Burnley becoming the best defence in Europe.

Meet Club Brugge’s women’s team doing things differently.

Opta’s updated Premier League predictions.

Muller and Pavlovic in a time travel interview.

How a YouTuber and author funded the most unusual transfer of the window.

Neymary’s penalty practice in Santos training. (via X)

Austin FC’s home kit revealed…

… and Real Madrid’s 1980s-inspired remake shirt.

Alphonso Davies announces his Bayern contract extension with his own rap song.

Question: Mohamed Salah scored his 20th goal of the Premier League campaign on Saturday, hitting that milestone for the fifth time. Which three players are the only ones who have scored 20+ goals in more campaigns?

Scroll below for the answer.

English League Cup, Semi-Final

Copa Del Rey, Quarter-Final

Serie A

Women’s League Cup, Semi-Final

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer

Alan Shearer (7), Sergio Aguero (6), Harry Kane (6).