Thanks for reading. Time to sign off although don’t forget there is Premier League action this evening in the form of Aston Villa v Everton. That one kicks off at 8pm BST and we’ll have full minute-by-minute coverage. Bye for now.
Bury: An addition to the statement. “The EFL will move to confirm the position as soon as possible, with an update to be provided on Saturday 24 August.”
Meanwhile, here’s David Conn reporting on how former club secretary Jill Neville wrote a heartfelt letter to Steve Dale, asking him to give up control of Bury.
EFL says there has been no change in Bury’s situation
A statement fresh from the Football League:
“The EFL Board has this afternoon been appraised of the very latest position in respect of ongoing matters at Bury Football Club.
“As of 5pm there has been limited progress made either by the current ownership providing the required evidence in regard to outstanding financial information, or through a change of control being achieved with new owners.
“The EFL will continue to provide all support available and will keep working to find a resolution to the ongoing issues ahead of the Notice of Withdrawal deadline, which remains at 11.59 PM on Friday 23 August.
“If a successful solution is not found ahead of tonight’s deadline, the Club’s share in the EFL will be withdrawn and its membership in the League will come to an end.”
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Liverpool v Arsenal: The top two clash at Anfield in Saturday’s 5.30pm BST. There must surely be goals.
Sheffield United v Leicester: Time for Leicester to show us their top six credentials? It won’t be easy against the buoyant Blades.
Watford v West Ham: The two W’s have accumulated just a single point between them so far this season. Who wins on Saturday?
Brighton v Southampton: The sun appears to have returned so let’s head to the south coast for a bit of derby fun.
Man Utd v Crystal Palace: Zaha v Wan-Bissaka. Upgraded from a training ground duel at Selhurst Park to a full-on encounter at Old Trafford. Here’s our preview of Saturday’s game.
Norwich v Chelsea: Let’s ping some previews your way, starting with Saturday’s 12.30pm BST kick-off at Carrow Road.
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Bury: Could closure prove a blessing in disguise for Bury? That’s a hard idea to swallow but Chester director Jeff Banks believes a fresh start would be no bad thing. Chester went bust in 2010 and were expelled from the National League but are now a fan-owned team in the National League North. They average just under 1,800 fans in the sixth tier but their long-term goal is a return to the English Football League.
Speaking to PA, Banks said: “My advice to Bury fans now would be to stay strong. If the worst happens, it might end up being the best thing in the long run. If they haven’t already started, start planning for the future and stop thinking about the past. It will take unity and a lot of hard work but it can also be a lot of fun.”
Bury: The clock ticks on although the PA news agency understands that there is another buyer in talks with the league. It qualifies the glimmer of hope by pointing out owner Steve Dale’s demands, the club’s “chaotic balance sheet” and the lack of time available to seal such a deal.
Manchester City: Few would question Pep Guardiola’s judgement of a player but the City boss admits he got it all wrong about David Silva when the Spanish playmaker moved to the Premier League from Valencia in 2010.
With Silva set to make his 400th City appearance on Sunday, Guardiola said: “He’s a tiny little player. My image of English football when I was outside, I thought, ‘Maybe he’s going to suffer’, but I was happily, happily wrong.
“To do 400 games means many years, many bad moments and many good moments and being there day-by-day, week-by-week and I admire that. You can make a good season, but he’s done it for almost 10.
“It’s incredible. For City fans, me included, it’s a privilege to see what he’s done at the club. He’s one of the most incredible, intelligent players.”
Here he is in 2010 stood next to a table tennis net
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Tottenham: “Football is about today and tomorrow not yesterday,” says Spurs Mauricio Pochettino, sounding a bit like that man the Beatles went to see. Except without the football reference. His point is that he doesn’t owe it to players who did well in the past and, boy, does he labour it.
“We are not a charity first of all. It is about performance and we are the coaching staff and we have a lot of options to play to play different players.
“If I play Davinson (Sanchez) and Toby (Alderweireld), why not play Jan (Vertonghen)? If play Davinson and Jan, why not Toby?” Okay, we get the point but he continues ... “If play (Ben) Davies, why not Danny (Rose)?”. Got ya. Nope, wait, there’s more. “If I play Danny why not Davies? (Harry) Winks and not (Eric) Dier? Dier, why not (Victor) Wanyama? We can stay here one hour talking about that.” It certainly felt like that.
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Chelsea: Ever the optimist, Frank Lampard believes Chelsea could have won all three games so far had they been more clinical in attack. That’s something of a stretch given that one of those was a 4-0 loss but let’s not quibble with such minor details.
Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi have a combined tally of zero goals in the Premier League so far but Lampard is backing his striking trio to come good.
“As I said before, if we’d have been more clinical in front of goal we possibly could have had three wins. The competition is there and that’s the challenge for the strikers.
“I’ve got no problems with their attitude and training. We work hard on the training ground as a team to create and also to finish. I used to love practising my finishing in training.
“What I have got is great attitude in the three strikers. But others in the squad also always want to stay out, want to work harder.
“Tammy’s goal goes in off the post against United, different story for him, different story for the game. But we can’t get too down about that, we’ve got to stay positive and it will come.
“We’ve got some great attacking players here and it will come.”
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Bury: And now the Liberal Democrats have chimed in on the situation at Bury. Jane Brophy MEP, Chris Davies MEP and Councillor Andy Kelly – all senior Liberal Democrats in the North – have released a joint statement setting out a plan to ensure the financial security of professional clubs in the region.
“With 134 years of history set to be wiped at midnight, the North West Liberal Democrats are calling for radical action to save Football League clubs which are being hit by financial and mismanagement issues. The reckless actions of Steve Dale are proof of this.
“The lack of financial support Bury FC has received from the football community demonstrates that now is the time for political parties to step forward and find a solution to their problems. Lib Dems are therefore calling for the immediate creation of a means-tested ‘Greater Manchester Football Fighting Fund’, which each of the region’s professional clubs will contribute towards.
“This will help preserve the historic footballing institutions that our city has become so famous for and ensure staff can rest assured that their jobs are no longer hanging in limbo.
“Finally, we insist Steve Dale sells the club at the earliest possible opportunity. It cannot be right that one man’s actions can hold a much-loved institution such as Bury FC to ransom. Our plans today will mean that history does not repeat itself.”
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Bury: As the clock ticks, here is Burnley boss Sean Dyche on the troubling events down the A56.
“I don’t think any of us want to see clubs struggling, and certainly not in this location. When I came here it was a hotbed of football and there’s been a few ups and downs round here over the last few years.
“I don’t think anyone wants football clubs going out of business, or whatever comes next if someone doesn’t save them.
“It is the trials and tribulations of football - spending against the balance against the safety of a club, the health of a club. We’re certainly one that’s on the right side of that.
“For whatever reason, clubs find themselves in difficulty and then someone usually has to come and clean all that up and sort everything out. I’m sure we’re all hopeful that something does happen today.”
Rangers: Here’s the full story of Rangers being ordered to close a section of Ibrox when they host Legia Warsaw after Uefa ruled some of their fans were guilty of “racist behaviour” – specifically, sectarian chants.
Applauded off: Thanks to Barry, who put in a stint alien to any England batsman at Headingley.
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Handover: I’m going for a lie-down in a darkened room, but thanks for your time and attention. Dave Tindall will take over, to bring you news of any further updates on the situation at Bury and the world of football in general.
Manchester City: In news of a slightly less impoverished outfit in the north-west, Manchester City will be without John Stones for their visit to Bournemouth on Sunday. The defender is sidelined with a muscle problem, while Benjamin Mendy is back in training but not yet ready to play following the knee injury which kept him out for most of last season.
City have never lost to or even drawn with against Bournemouth City head to Bournemouth on Sunday to face a team they have never lost to. “We know each other quite well for the fact that it is the same managers from four years ago,” Guardiola said. “They have the same points as us after two games and they won away [against Aston Villa] when it is difficult to go to a newly promoted team in the first game of the season. They are defending incredibly well, setting up deep with a 5-4-1 or a 5-3-2, and they attack really well in the channels and from set-pieces so it is always tough.”
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Bolton Wanderers: “Former Bolton boss Phil Parkinson has spoken out following his resignation from the club this week, to say he left with “a heavy heart”. Along with his assistant Steve Parkin, the 51-year-old resigned from from the beleaguered League One club yesterday.
Two days previously, Bolton’s fixture against Doncaster was postponed amid welfare concerns for the club’s younger players - who have had to play this season due to a transfer embargo imposed after the club went into administration.
“It has been an honour to represent Bolton Wanderers Football Club over the past three years,” said Parkin in a statement released by the League Managers’ Association. “It was with a heavy heart that I made the decision to leave. Despite the testing times for all involved, I am proud of the efforts of everyone who has fought for the integrity and survival of this historic club.
“Despite the various challenges we faced, I will always reflect on my time here with fondness. Especially our memorable promotion season in 2016/17, in which we became the first club to achieve a promotion under a transfer embargo, and the following season, as we retained our status as a Championship club.
“My staff and I were keen to continue to lead the club through the summer and prepare the squad for the new season whilst the possible take-over options were explored. Having worked through this period and into the new season, I believe it is now the right time to step aside and allow a new manager the opportunity to rebuild the squad and take the club forward.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff at Bolton Wanderers Football Club, for their constant support. I would like to thank the loyal supporters who have backed the players and coaching staff through thick and thin and I would like to thank the players, past and present, who have worked hard to improve the fortunes of this club on the pitch.
“I wish Bolton Wanderers the very best of luck and I hope for a brighter future, as those who support this club truly deserve to see Bolton Wanderers thrive again.”
Bolton’s protracted takeover by Football Ventures has dragged out into the start of the current season, with the club having only seven senior players on their books. Wanderers started on minus 12 points but earned a goalless draw at home against Coventry on August 10 with what was the youngest ever team in the club’s history. Academy boss Jimmy Phillips will take charge for the home match against Ipswich on Saturday.
Meanwhile at Headingley: Things have gone from bad to worse to downright diabolical for England, who have been skittled for 67 runs in their first innings of third Ashes Test against Australia, who have put on a masterclass of bowling and catching today. Geoff Lemon oop north to bring you the latest ...
Chelsea: N’Golo Kante could miss Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Norwich due to an ankle injury, while Antonio Rudiger is not quite ready for a return from a spell on the sidelines being tipped to play some part this weekend.
“Kante has got an injury he has carried all week, so we’ll assess that over the next 24 hours,” said Frank Lampard. “Rudiger’s not fit yet, hopefully for next week. That’s the only changes from where we were last week.”
Liverpool: Jürgen Klopp has been singing the praises of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has signed a new deal that will tie him to the club until 2023. “It was a very good week for him and for us,” he said of the midfielder. “He’s in the best shape I remember and mentally is very good.”
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is still out indefinitely, having injured his calf during Liverpool’s opening day win against Norwich. “Alisson is not that close,” said Klopp. “He’s in a good mood but there’s no date in my mind.”
Still at Headingley: The good news is that England have got two more runs. The bad news is that they’ve lost another wicket and are 56-8.
Meanwhile at Headingley: Oh dear. Australia have taken another English wicket with their first ball after lunch. England are on 54-7 and trail by 125 in the third Ashes Test. Follow the action here ...
Rangers: Meanwhile in Scotland, Rangers have been ordered to close a section of Ibrox for the return leg of their Europa League qualifier against Legia Warsaw next Thursday. About 3,000 seats will be empty as Rangers attempt to qualify for the group stages of this year’s competition, following yesterday’s scoreless draw in the first leg in Poland.
The punishment comes after Uefa found Rangers fans guilty of sectarian chanting in a an earlier qualifying win over St Joseph’s from Gibraltar. “Rangers has been ordered by Uefa to close a section of Ibrox Stadium for the return leg of the club’s Europa League play-off tie against Legia Warsaw on Thursday, August 29,” read a club statement.
“Uefa has ruled that a group of Rangers supporters were guilty of racist behaviour – which includes sectarian singing – during the match against St Joseph’s at Ibrox on July 18. Our supporters have been asked repeatedly by the club to refrain from indulging in this, and other forms of unacceptable behaviour. Sadly, the warnings have fallen on deaf ears and the actions of this minority will cause the club and the majority of good and decent Rangers supporters to pay a heavy penalty.
“Uefa has ruled that a section, or sections containing no fewer than 3,000 seats must be shut off during the club’s next European match, which is the home match against Legia Warsaw. The area, or areas to be closed will be announced in due course and the club will do its best to restrict the impact to offending supporters.
“Unfortunately a significant number of supporters, innocent of any wrong doing, will be unable to attend next week’s match. This is deeply regrettable to all at the club and we hope that the guilty parties, who attracted the attention of Uefa might reflect on the damage their unacceptable behaviour is causing Rangers and their fellow supporters.
“If any individual supporter is unable to behave in a civilised manner then please stay away from Ibrox and our club. You are harming Rangers and that is something a genuine supporter would never wish to do.”
Sheffield United: Chris Wilder has been speaking ahead of his side’s match against Leicester city at Bramall Lane tomorrow, telling reporters how much he admires Jamie Vardy, a Sheffield Wednesday supporter.
“I have got nothing but respect for his career and what he has done,” he said. “It is a great inspiration for a lot of non-league players. My career in coaching and management started out in non-league and I have a lot of affiliation and love for the grassroots game. He is the star performer in terms of where he started and where he has finished.
“There is a lot of respect from me towards Jamie and how well he has done. And still, looking at the clips against Chelsea last weekend and the desire in his face, he still has that desire and hunger that has taken him to the very top.”
Callum Robinson has recovered from injury and is expected to be involved against Leicester, after being forced off during the win against Crystal Palace. John Fleck also hobbled off with an injury last weekend and a late decision will be made on the midfielder’s fitness.
Arsenal: As his side prepare to face Liverpool tomorrow, Unai Emery has told reporters Arsenal must improve their record against the Premier League’s best sides if they are to force their way back into the top four. Arsenal failed to beat any of their top six rivals away from home last season.
“We need to [improve] because, when we are playing against them, it’s three points that you can take and they cannot take,” he said. “But after that you need also to achieve the three points in other matches against other teams. “In 38 matches you are going to play at home and away 19 matches - against the top four and every team.”
Mesut Ozil could make his first appearance of the campaign for Arsenal tomorrow evening, while Granit Xhaka is also in contention after missing the win over Burnley with back bruising. Emery has told defender Shkodran Mustafi and midfielder Mohamed Elneny they should find new clubs before the European transfer window closes.
Tottenham Hotspur: In what will come as good news for Newcastle, Tottenham have revealed that they will be without their record signing Tanguy Ndombele for the meeting of the two sides at White HArt Lane on Saturday. The French midfielder has a “minor injury” and has been ruled out for Sunday’s clash, but Dele Alli is back training following a hamstring problem. Son Heung-min is back after suspension, but Ryan Sessegnon and Juan Foyth are both injury victims.
Meanwhile at Headingley: Things could scarcely be more grim for England, who are 45-6 in the first innings of the third Ashes Test against Australia. Jonny Bairstow has just gone for four runs and Geoff Lemon has the latest from the ground ...
Leicester City: Brendan Rodgers has been shooting the breeze ahead of Leicester’s match against Sheffield United this weekend and has said he is unconcerned that Jamie Vardy, who scored 18 Premier League goals last season, has yet to get off the mark in this campaign.
“I’m sure he would love to go back to Sheffield and open his account, I hope so.,” he said of Vardy, who is a Sheffield Wednesday fan. “He’s gone close on a few occasions. It’s only a matter of time and he’s a top class operator at this level. You can sense the fear when he’s in front of goal and running towards goal and if he just keeps getting into those areas then the goals will come for him. I see that in training and in matches.”
Manchester United: Speaking on the future of Alexis Sanchez, Ole Gunnar Solskjær said that the Chilean playmaker could go out on loan before the European transfer window closes, but added that he had played in a behind-closed-doors practice match against Sheffield United at United’s training ground on Tuesday.
“There are still talks with some clubs,” Solskjaer said, ahead of United’s Premier League meeting against Crystal Palace. “But he played in that game and he played well. As I have said he is working well. Let’s see in September what is going to happen.”
In recent days, Sanchez has been strongly linked with a loan move to Serie A side Inter.
Meanwhile at Headingley: England are wobbling after a bad start to their first innings against Australia in the third Ashes Test. They’re 20-3 with two batsmen on zero at the crease. Follow the action with Geoff Lemon ...
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Steve Dale, the Bury owner, has been a director of over 20 companies that are either dissolved, in liquidation or a CVA. There’s a lot of money to be made by becoming involved in companies in distress... #BuryFC #Shakers #FitAndProper pic.twitter.com/VELwYxxNMg
— PriceOfFootball (@KieranMaguire) August 15, 2019
Bury FC: While Steve Dale was making his quite extraordinary request on Talksport, Phil Neville, whose mother, Jill, and late father, Neville, had long associations with the club has been speaking to BBC 5 Live about the situation at the stricken club. The England women’s manager confirmed that his mum has resigned her position as club secretary after 30 years.
“My mum has worked there for 30 years, my dad’s got a stand named after him and to consider that today they might not have a football club is so upsetting,” he said. “My mum’s devastated. She resigned on Friday because she couldn’t work with the current ownership. Today common sense has to prevail. One man cannot stop one football club that has hundreds of years of history going out of existence. I pray that common sense today prevails and that somebody is allowed to buy that club and the town has something to be proud of again.”
On social media, Bury’s fans have reacted with fury to their owner’s request for pledges from both them and local businesses and urged anyone thinking of offering Dale money not to give him a penny.
Bury FC: Speaking to Talksport presenter Jim White, Bury owner Steve Dale has pleaded with supporters and local businesses to club together and pledge £2.7m to help save the club, despite claiming he doesn’t actually need the money and is not looking for charity.
“Fans, anyone out there who will pledge money to come to us … if they come to us and say we’ll put £100 in, £1000 in, if the big players put in £100,000, £500,000 .., whatever it is, we want it pledged to the company,” he said. “We need a pledge of £2.7m plus to save Bury. If the company, Bury Football Club, needs the money and needs to use it, they’ll put up shares and pay 2.5% interest on that money. We don’t need it, let me say that, unless the EFL pull another stroke.
“So what we’re looking to do now is go out there and say to local businesses – we’ve got massive firms in our areas, we’ve got the Boohoo boys, Together Finance, the old card guy Ron Wood, we’re got loads of people within Bury who will maybe look at it and think: ‘well it’s short change out of my pocket, I’ll pledge some money’.
“If we take any money off someone we’ll pay interest on it and we will secure it on shares in the club. Let me make this clear, we’re not looking for charity here, because we don’t need it. But the EFL want it. The EFL have made this ridiculous claim that we need this money, but we’re saying we don’t!”
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D-day for @buryfcofficial. Fans close to tears have been making their way to Gigg Lane this morning, hoping for a saviour. Messages imploring Steve Dale to sell pinned outside the stadium. pic.twitter.com/oKecmScDwF
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) August 23, 2019
Sunderland: US billionaire Michael Dell, the world’s 25th richest man, is part of a group of investors closing in on a £40m deal to take a controlling share at the League One club, according to the Sunderland Echo.
“Stewart Donald revealed last weekend that he was ‘confident’ a deal could be reached that would help the club realise the current hierarchy’s long-term vision for the club,” the Echo reports. “American businessmen John Phelan, Glenn Fuhrman, Robert Platek and Michael Dell are understood to be the four prospective investors. Multi-billionaire Dell, ranked as one of the richest men in the world by Forbes, is the tech magnate behind Dell Technologies.”
It’s good news for Sunderland, who not so long ago looked like they might be going the way of Bury and Bolton.
Bury FC: Former Port Vale owner Norman Smurthwaite believes it is too late to save Bury because the crisis-hit club’s owner Steve Dale wants at least 1million to walk away, according to PA Sport. Smurthwaite has made the only credible offer to save the club so far but it was rejected by Dale on Tuesday because it offered him nothing.
“If Steve Dale accepted that neither he nor any of his associates get anything from [July’s Company Voluntary Arrangement], or any other payment, then I am willing to step in,” said Smurthwaite. “They are the two conditions of my offer. But I fear it is now too late to save the club because there is simply not enough time to do this deal. It could take three months. And if Dale finds some novice to take it on, Bury will be back in this mess next year.”
22-year-old midfielder Renato Sanches to undergo medical with Lille this afternoon after a €20m deal was struck with Bayern Munich https://t.co/0hHZ8HHlNH
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 23, 2019
Bury FC: It seems that Steve Dale has appeared on Talksport to appeal to the club’s fans to have a whip-around to save the club from going out of business. If nothing else, you have to admire his brass neck. More on this as we get it ...
Celtic: Fraser Forster has completed a loan move to Celtic, who he left for Southampton in a £10m move five years ago. The goalkeeper was reintroduced to Celtic’s fans at half-time during their Europa League qualifier against AIK Solna last night. Forster has three years left on his deal with Southampton, but has made just one appearance for the club since Boxing Day in 2017, after falling behind Angus Gunn and Alex McCarthy in the pecking order. At Celtic he will be vying with Scott Bain and Craig Gordon for a place in the first team. Bain is expected to be out for the next four to six weeks with a thumb injury.
Liverpool: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has inked a new deal committing him to Liverpool until 2023. The 26-year-old England international, who missed most of last season through injury, has extended his deal by a year.
“I’m really, really excited,” he said. “It’s kind of been talked about for quite a while now. It’s been in the pipeline for a little while, so it’s nice to finally get it done and just extend my time here, which I am really looking forward to. I feel like I missed out on a year, which I obviously did, but it’s really exciting for me to be able to sign. It’s something that I feel is an opportunity to give that year back and make up for lost time – and hopefully put in some good performances to make amends for not being around last year.”
Newcastle United: Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has called for calm as many of those around him – specifically his defenders and many of the club’s fans – lose their heads following defeats at the hands of Arsenal and Norwich City, with a visit to White Hart Lane looming large.
“After two games, there’s a so-called mini-crisis and all the rest of it and, as you say, that is over-sensationalised,” he told reporters this morning. “Everything seems to be that way. But look, I understand that, it’s the nature of the club - it always has been. There’s always a storm in Newcastle and at the minute, we’re in one. The only way we can do it is to get a couple of results and the team to perform, and after two games, it’s very, very early to judge just yet.”
Southampton: Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy has resumed full training following the unspecified fitness issue which saw him sit out the game against, with Fraser Forster - on the verge of completing a loan move to Celtic - replacing him on the bench.
On loan from Augsburg, central defender Kevin Danso will be hoping to be involved, having been an unused substitute last weekend, but midfielder Mario Lemina is not expected to play and looks ready to leave before the end of the European transfer window. The midfielder has been linked with a move to Monaco.
Provisional squad: Gunn, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Bednarek, Valery, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Hojbjerg, Adams, McCarthy, Soares, Danso, Djenepo, Armstrong, Ings, Obafemi.
Brighton: Brighton boss Graham Potter has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game with Southampton at the Amex Stadium.
Jurgen Locadia is pushing for a recall after being dropped to the bench in favour of Leandro Trossard for last weekend’s draw with West Ham, while winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh is hoping to be included in Albion squad for the first time this season. Winger Jose Izquierdo, defender Ezequiel Schelotto (both knee) and midfielder Yves Bissouma (shoulder) remain sidelined.
Provisional squad: Ryan, Button, Montoya, Bernardo, Bong, Burn, Dunk, Duffy, Balogun, Webster, Stephens, Propper, Mooy, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, March, Locadia, Trossard, Murray, Andone, Maupay.
Manchester United: Solskjær also spoke about the far more serious of Pogba being racially abused by anonymous keyboard warriors on Twitter. “Paul’s fine,” he said. “Paul’s a strong character and it makes him stronger. I just cannot believe we still sit here in 2019 talking about these instances. Social media is a place where, as Harry [Maguire] said, people can hide behind fake identities. I don’t think it’s down to me to change it but we’ve got to do something about it and the authorities have got to do something about these ones that spread this hate. You just feel sorry for them really. They must have problems themselves when they have to do this.”
As Jamie Jackson, the Guardian’s Reni hat-wearing man on the Manchester beat, reported yesterday, Manchester United and and Kick It Out will meet representatives of Twitter regarding concerns over racism and other abuse aimed at footballers on the social media platform.
Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjær has been addressing the ladies and gentlemen of the Fourth estate ahead of Manchester United’s match against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford tomorrow. Quizzed on Paul Pogba’s controversial penalty miss against Wolves on Monday night, he remains unfazed by the fact that the midfielder, who has missed four spot-kicks in 11 attempts for Manchester United, took the latest one ahead of Marcus Rashford. “I’m sure you’re going to see Paul Pogba score a penalty for Man United again,” he said. “Definitely. Let’s see when we get the next one. We’re practising penalties still and Marcus and Paul are still on them.”
On the subject of having two designated penalty takers, Solskjær had this to say: “It’s not that I’ve left it to the players to sort out, we’ve nominated two. It’s not like there’s anarchy and do whatever you want. Last season we had Marcus, Jesse [Lingard], Paul, who all scored penalties, probably more as well. There’s absolutely no fighting among them. We’re disappointed that we didn’t win the game but the talk is always more difficult when you don’t get a result.”
Premier League: Ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, beginning with Everton’s trip to Villa Park tonight, we’ve been surveying the top flight landscape through our binoculars, looking out for “things”. Read on ...
David Conn has the latest on Bury, who could get a short extension on their 11.59pm deadline for expulsion, but only, according to EFL executive chair Debbie Jevans, if there is a “tangible” reason such as realistic, well advanced takeover negotiations.
The weekend starts here ...
Greetings and welcome to our countdown to another weekend of piping hot football action across the UK and beyond. Or inaction, in the case of Bury Football Club, the beleaguered club whose fifth consecutive League One fixture of the season has been postponed. The Shakers are staring down the barrel of expulsion from the Football League unless their owner, Steve Dale, can sell the club or satisfy the EFL he has the funds to pay their debts and the £1.5m running costs for the season by 11.59pm tonight. We’ll keep tabs on the situation at Gigg Lane and keep you up to date on all the other football news that’s fit to print – and much else that probably isn’t as the day unfolds.
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