Manchester United and the Very Hungry Kaneterpillar

Reading about how the Spanish FA just seems to continually muck up its handling of the goings on with the women’s team, it does beg the question: is this Elon Musk’s next business acquisition? It seems to be another never-ending bin fire, just like you know what” – Stuart McLagan.

Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our letter o’ the day is … Stuart McLagan, who wins a copy of The Blizzard: Issue 50. Readers can get £3 off and free shipping for the print edition with the promo code FD3, while those who would rather get the digital version can get £1 off with code FD1. We’ve more to give away all week so get tapping those keys.

It’s the latest edition of our sister email on the new Women’s Nations League, which promises a format in which “every game matters”. Here’s Sophie Downey on how it will work and and whether it could stall younger nations’ progress. If you don’t already, sign up to get the full email each Wednesday.

All but two of Spain’s World Cup winners have agreed to end their boycott after a marathon six-hour meeting that also brought an agreement from the football federation to make “immediate and profound changes”. Meanwhile, the Spanish government has accused the RFEF of making a “fool” of the country.

Referees in Cyprus have gone on indefinite strike after an apparent arson attack on a car belonging to an official’s mother.

After denying an earlier report that manager Stefan Kuntz was being given the heave-ho, Turkey have now given him the heave-ho.

Eddie Howe has showered Nick Pope with praise after Newcastle’s 0-0 draw with Milan. “There’s not many keepers who could have made all those saves,” cooed Howe, eyelashes fluttering at the big stopper.

In less surprising Big Cup news, Manchester City have begun their defence with a 3-1 home win over Red Star, while Joe Hart reckons he wasn’t to blame for conceding a weak free-kick in nine-man Celtic’s 2-0 loss to Feyenoord. “You have got to hold your ground, especially when it’s very close to people’s shoulders,” he wibbled. “Once it went past Kyogo [Furuhashi], I couldn’t get across quickly enough with the skip and the curl.”

Hindsight dept: Ole Gunnar Solskjær has admitted that signing a 35-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t the best idea. “It was a decision that was very difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong,” he sniffed.

Daniel Levy has revealed at a fans’ forum that Spurs have a buyback clause in Bayern’s contract if they want to make Harry Kane one of their own again.

Preston are top of the Championship, a point clear of Ipswich, after the pair beat Birmingham and Southampton, respectively.

And Exeter City’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy hopes don’t look good after they went down to a 9-0 defeat at home to Reading. “You’ll remember it forever, I just said that to them,” fumed Grecians boss Gary Caldwell. “I’ve been there as a player and you have to do something about it – you have to be a resilient person if you want to have a career in football.”

Erik ten Hag and Manchester United’s fans will be reminded of what could have been as they come face to face with Harry Kane and Bayern Munich in Big Cup, writes David Hytner.

There’s also a bigger picture to view ahead of the Group A game in Germany. Matt Ford looks at how Bayern supporters show United fans a way to hold owners to account.

Which player is the most prolific scorer against a former club? And who never played for England again after scoring a hat-trick? The Knowledge knows.

James Nalton on why Inter Miami’s support of striking hotel workers in California matters.

Mo Salah has tweaked his game to become a provider – but he is still showing why Liverpool were wise to reject £150m for him, writes Ben McAleer.

And Andy Hamilton looks back on his first trip to Stamford Bridge in 1960 and feeling a “thunderbolt of instant adoration”.

The Football Weekly Book is out on 28 September and you can order your copy (with a discount) now, now, now.

There’s a live event on 26 September to mark that launch. More details and tickets are here. And then the pod goes on tour again in November. Several dates are now sold out, but there are still some tickets available elsewhere.

Bill Shankly resigned as Liverpool manager in 1974 and it is well known that he struggled to fill his time without the day-to-day activities of running a football club. Here he is at home, a year later, filling some of his spare hours by typing out letters on a little desk in his front room.