Manchester City head to Liverpool hoping to hang onto rapidly dwindling title hopes | USWNT in action

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🇺🇸 USWNT back in action

The end of 2024 is arriving for the U.S. Women’s National Team and it will come in Europe with the Stars and Stripes closing out the year with friendlies against England and the Netherlands. Emma Hayes’ side will face their toughest challenges since winning Olympic gold back in August, but with many different faces given that Olympic standouts Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson have been left behind in order to try out new players and tactics. In the group, 10 players have 10 caps or less while many are yet to even hit the 30-cap mark internationally, so this international break is very much geared towards experimentation and player development.

“Of course, we are coming to win at the weekend, but it is not my overarching goal,” said Hayes in London. “I want to win the World Cup. I am not going to put out a completely experimental team. There have to be connections and relationships but I also want to give opportunities so getting that balance in these two games is critical because there is going to come a moment. I want a player who has got one or two caps to experience what it is like to play in front of 80,000 people and it feels a bit hostile and a little bit cold.”

It will also be a farewell appearance for goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher who announced on Monday that she will retire from the national team following the game against the Netherlands. The longtime USWNT shot stopper will likely feature heavily before exiting ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup cycle officially beginning which will spark a scramble for her role. Pardeep Cattry explains more on what her departure means for the next generation of American talent. 

• Cattry on Naeher: “It will be a fitting tribute for Naeher, who was the last member of the 2015 World Cup-winning team that was still in the USWNT’s player pool and is one of only seven players from that roster who has not retired. Though she was Hope Solo’s backup nine years ago, she soon became the first choice in the spot and quietly became one of the team’s most consistent performers for the better part of a decade. She was one of a handful of players who took part in the USWNT’s 2019 World Cup win and their gold medal win at the Paris Olympics over the summer, playing a key role in both competitions. 
  
  “It is currently unclear who Naeher’s successor might be, though Hayes is making sure she has not limited her options. NWSL-based goalkeepers Casey Murphy, Jane Campbell and Aubrey Kingsbury – all of whom have years of experience in national team camps – were left at home for the final international break of the year, with Utah Royals’ Mandy Haught and Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce making the trip instead. Haught earned her first cap last month while Tullis-Joyce is one of two players who could make her debut in the next week, giving Hayes much food for thought as she starts to figure out who will be the USWNT’s next starting goalkeeper.”

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1️⃣ Champions League Power Rankings: USMNT stars shine as Liverpool and Barcelona stay top while Manchester City implode and it is panic time for Real Madrid as well as PSG as they remain near the bottom of the table.

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💰 The Back Line

💵 Best Bet

• Copa Libertadores: Atletico Mineiro vs. Botafogo, Saturday, 3 p.m. ET
  💰 THE PICK: Under 0.5 goals (+550) — Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo meet for a fourth all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final in five years this Saturday at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Mineiro ousted River Plate with a semifinal win over the Argentines while Fogo took out Penarol to get here. Gabriel Milito’s side base their success on defense with a potential second South American title on the line. Two goals conceded and three consecutive clean sheets is impressive although they are winless since late October’s goalless draw with River Plate. Milito has not seen his team win away from home in Libertadores this year but they are unbeaten in three away games although Mineiro have not beaten Brazilian opponents in the knockout round of Libertadores since 2013. Artur Jorge’s Botafogo got here with a series of narrow wins including edging out Palmeiras and Sao Paulo before the semifinal thumping of Penarol to book a place in the final for the first time in club history. Although Fogo have not won away in the knockout phase, the Rio outfit are unbeaten across five straight game in all competitions. With just two goals conceded in that time, O Glorioso are unbeaten in 19 against Brazilian sides with just one goal conceded in their last five meetings with Mineiro for just one loss. Do not expect many — if any — goals over the 90.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don’t miss out on CBSSports.com’s betting home page. 

📺 What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network

☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network’s flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you’ll never have to miss an episode.

3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Thursday,): The leading women’s soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women’s game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long. And don’t miss Wednesday live streams on YouTube at 11 a.m. ET.

⚽  Call it What You Want (Monday and Thursday): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States. You can can catch the show streaming live on YouTube every Monday at 1 p.m. ET and Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.  

🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can’t-miss goals from the day’s action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.

📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.