Loan Watch: Gale makes debut, Harwood victorious

Ethan Nwaneri and Tommy Setford were both out of domestic action over the weekend, having each been named in the England Under-21 squad during the current internationals.

Lee Carsley’s side bolstered their Euro U21 qualifying campaign with a 4-2 win over Kazakhstan at Wolves’ Molineux on Friday, Ethan starting in the victory and playing 69 minutes. Tommy served as goalkeeping backup to James Beadle, and the two Gunners will return to club duty with Borussia Dortmund and Stevenage respectively after the break.

Ismeal Kabia was not in action for St Mirren over the weekend, with the Scottish Premiership also taking a backseat during the internationals which span the end of September and beginning of October. Ismeal is set to be back on the pitch when the Buddies visit Hearts in a fortnight’s time.

The same applies to Charles Sagoe Jr, who has been playing for the past few months in the summer season of the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s top flight, with survival-hunting Kalmar. In a bid to avoid relegation, Charles’ side will play a friendly contest next week against Varberg, enabling match fitness ahead of a tricky league trip to Malmo on October 12.

With England’s Under-20 Lionesses having recently bowed out of the World Cup in Poland, Jessie Gale and Cecily Wellesley-Smith have returned to their respective loan clubs. Jessie thus made her competitive WSL 2 debut for Newcastle United on Sunday, as the league leaders thrashed Leicester City 4-0 in Gateshead to maintain their 100% start to the season, seeing out the final eight minutes. Cecily has not yet returned to domestic action in Sweden, though her Rosengard side secured a potentially pivotal 1-0 win over Pitea on Sunday to move two points clear of the Allsvenskan relegation play-off place.

It was a bittersweet week for Sophie Harwood’s Sheffield United side, who endured two hugely contrasting results. Wednesday’s League Cup league phase opener ended in a 10-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United, before the Blades responded in style in Sunday’s league match against Durham, winning 4-1 at Bramall Lane. Sophie played a combined 106 minutes across the two matches, gaining invaluable experience under her belt.