That’s it for the day from me. There will be further news to follow on the Europa League, Arsenal v Spurs and hopefully some better news on Bury on the site. Thanks for reading.
Fourth plays eleventh, positions both would settle for at the end of the season.
Poch dismissed out of hand those rumours about an imminent departure.
Denis Irwin, Manchester United ambassador and legendary full-back, has been speaking like an ambassador about United’s Europa League draw of FC Astana, Partizan Belgrade and AZ Alkmaar.
It’s an interesting draw - we’ve not played Astana before and it’s a long way away. So, logistically speaking, it’s not the easiest but we’ll have to take it on board. Belgrade is always a great place to play football and Alkmaar is only a short hop. But we’re in this competition to win it. People might think we’re in it for the sake of it but we’re in it to win it. We won it a couple of years ago and we’re looking forward to it. We’ve got a big squad and I’m sure the manager will utilise that. We would rather be in the Champions League, obviously, but we’ll be out to win this competition.
More on Ritchieanklegate: Manager Brendan Rodgers has defended Choudhury after Newcastle boss Steve Bruce criticised his tackle on Matt Ritchie.
I spoke to Steve after the game. It’s one of those challenges, it’s very committed. He’s a real genuine, honest boy, Hamza, so he certainly wasn’t looking to injure anybody. It was a strong challenge, he went in with the intent to win the ball, which was clear, and then maybe just on the follow through has just slightly injured Ritchie.
Updated
Big Zlat’s third coming is unlikely.
Updated
Bury legal action launched
The BBC reports that legal action has been launched by members of the club executive against the EFL for expelling the club.
The club have since sent a letter to the EFL setting out a list of questions - seen by BBC Sport - including:
Why a late bid from Brazilian multi-millionaire pastor Gustavo Benedito, which emerged on Tuesday afternoon, was not accepted.
Why the EFL said that a bid from an Italian consortium had not been received when the club insist that it had.
Why the offer from C&N Sporting Risk was the only one accepted by the EFL and the only one granted an extension.
Why is it proportionate to consider dropping Bury five leagues - the club want the EFL to consider dropping them down to League Two instead
Why owner Steve Dale passed the fit and proper person test.
Why the EFL refused to meet with representatives of Bury on Friday.
Why ex-Port Vale chairman Norman Smurthwaite was not considered to be an appropriate owner.
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Peter Oh continues the wolverine theme, invoking Romulus and Remus themselves: “Arguably, there’s a fourth lupine club in the Europa League: Roma. Their crest prominently features a wolf - and they’re in the same group as Wolfsberger! That should be a howlin’ good pair of fixtures.”
The Danny Wallace derby.
Kyle Walker-Peters didn’t get a call either.
Rob Geddes on that wolverine near-miss in the Europa League draw. “It’s obviously a shame the three lupine teams weren’t drawn together - but we can all hope for a Wolfsburg/Wolves Round of 32 match (no offence Wolfsberger). Of course, the best thing would have been if Wolfgang Wolf were manager of a Pot 2 team, and had been drawn against the three Wolves - but according to Wikipedia he’s no longer an active coach :( “
Jordan Ayew takes on his old club...
Pep Guardiola began his press conference today by sending his personal condolences and those of Manchester City to former Barcelona coach, and his former Barça teammate, Luis Enrique following the death of his nine-year-old daughter Xana, who had been battling bone cancer.
“We knew it was not good, but always you dream everything is going well,” Guardiola said. “I don’t have words, there is absolutely nothing to say. Always you try to find reasons why, but there is no argument for a little girl, only nine years old. From Manchester City and my family, we are here, and hopefully soon I can see him and tell him how I love him and his family.”
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Nicklas Bendtner nostalgia corner.
A goal from Lord Bendtner! 🇩🇰
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 30, 2019
Here's a throwback to the last time we visited @Standard_RSCL 🇧🇪
🏆 #UEL pic.twitter.com/d7LmyHum4z
A revenge mission for Celtic in the Europa League. They will face Cluj, who knocked them out of Champions League qualifying. Their manager, Neil Lennon, has been talking. “It’s a great draw,” he said. “There’s a couple of glamour games there and obviously a chance to maybe exact some sort of retribution to Cluj as well.
“Rennes are a good side, they won the cup last season, which is no mean feat beating PSG in the final. They have some very talented, quick players. And of course Lazio is a great draw, very glamorous and a trip to Rome as well. That’s something everyone here will look forward to.”
Good news for fans. Sense at last, though horse bolted some years ago.
The Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny will travel to Istanbul where he is expected to undergo a medical before completing a one-year loan move to Besiktas.
Arsenal have given Elneny the green light to make the move and all that remains before the transfer goes ahead is for the final details over payment of bonuses to be agreed.
Besiktas sporting director Ali Naibi said “We have reached an agreement with Arsenal over Mohamed Elneny. He will undergo his medical next, if he passes we will add him to our squad on a loan transfer.”
Besiktas have been in talks with Elneny over the past week as a replacement for Gary Medel who is set to complete his move to Serie A side Bologna.
There will be more to follow from Mauricio Pochettino later but he has quashed the rumours he would be quitting Tottenham this weekend. Per PA Media
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino insists he will not walk away from the club after Sunday’s game. Rumours began to spread on social media that the Argentinian will quit, leading to some bookmakers no longer taking bets on him becoming the next Premier League manager to leave his job. But Pochettino has labelled the speculation “stupid”. He said: “That stupidity can happen through some rumour sending to social media that creates a big, big problem that doesn’t exist. “I am not going to walk away after the north London derby. I will be here on Monday and Tuesday.”
N’Golo Kanté has been ruled out of Chelsea’s game against Sheffield United on Saturday and France’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania and Andorra next month as the Premier League club seek to ensure he makes a full recovery from a persistent ankle injury.
Frank Lampard has spoken with the French national manager, Didier Deschamps, to explain the situation and Kanté will be permitted to rest over the international break in the hope he will be ready to return for the Premier League match at Wolves in mid-September. The 28-year-old, whose pre-season was wrecked as he recovered from a knee injury, had complained of discomfort in his ankle in the aftermath of the draw against his former club, Leicester City, and missed last weekend’s win at Norwich.
“(His absence) is a setback, of course,” said Lampard. “But my focus is now on making sure he’s okay. He’s had four years of constant football at an incredibly high energy and output level. We have to get that right. I had a conversation with Didier Deschamps and we both agreed it’s the best thing for him. Let’s try and get him fit over the break.”
Chelsea will also be without Pedro against Sheffield United, while Antonio Rudiger will continue working on his own match fitness by playing for the under-23s against Tottenham Hotspur this evening. “That will be his last under-23s game in terms of gaining proper match fitness,” added Lampard. “The hope is he’ll then be in contention after the international break.”
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Thanks to those who pointed out the difference between Wolfsburg, Wolfsberger and, yes, Wolves. Robert Plant only supports one of those teams.
Quiz! Quiz! Quiz!
Read our story on today’s Europa League draw:
Updated
And some more Premier League previews.
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And Jacob Steinberg on Javi Gracia’s turmoil at Watford.
Reaction will flow in to that draw presently, meanwhile here’s Suzanne Wrack’s tribute to Lucy Bronze.
That 2019/20 Europa League draw in full
Group A
Sevilla
Apoel
Qarabag
Dudelange
Group B
Dynamo Kiev
Copenhagen
Malmo
Lugano
Group C
FC Basel
Krasnodar
Getafe
Trabzonspor
Group D
Sporting CP
PSV
Rosenborg
LASK
Group E
Lazio
Celtic
Rennes
CFR Cluj
Group F
Arsenal
Eintracht Frankfurt
Standard Liege
Vitoria FC
Group G
Porto
Young Boys
Feyenoord
Rangers
Group H
CSKA Moscow
Ludogorets
Espanyol
Ferencvaros
Group I
Wolfsburg
Gent
St Etienne
Olexandriya
Group J
Roma
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Istanbul Basaksehir
Wolfsberger
Group K
Besiktas
Braga
Wolves
Slovan Bratislava
Group L
Manchester United
Astana
Partizan Belgrade
AZ Alkmaar
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And here’s a cut-out-and-keep guide to the Europa League group stage.
The 2019/20 #UEL group stage draw! 👊
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 30, 2019
Which games are you excited for?#UELdraw pic.twitter.com/aZkjcfj4lD
Those Brits clubs know their fate:
The final place in group K goes to @SKSlovan!
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 30, 2019
🇹🇷 @Besiktas
🇵🇹 @SCBragaOficial
🏴 Wolves
🇸🇰 @SKSlovan #UELDraw
🏆#UELdraw – Group E
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 30, 2019
🇮🇹 @OfficialSSLazio
🏴 #CelticFC
🇫🇷 @staderennais
🇷🇴 CFR Cluj
Happy with that, Celts? 🍀 pic.twitter.com/ni6x2KnEm2
🆕 @EuropaLeague Group G
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 30, 2019
Pot 1: @FCPorto
Pot 2: @BSC_YB
Pot 3: @Feyenoord
Pot 4: Rangers pic.twitter.com/wL1Gz6g1qW
#UEL Group L confirmed ✅#UELdraw #MUFChttps://t.co/3FTtvpGF0A
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 30, 2019
(Arsenal’s social media team presumably on holiday, though they got a decent enough draw.)
Group J is missing amid all that confusion: Roma, Monchengladbach, Istanbul Basaksehir and Wolfsberger.
Group L: AZ Alkmaar join Manchester United, Astana and Partizan.
Group K: Slovan Bratislava, Beskitas, Braga and Wolves
Group G: Ferenvaros, CSKA, Ludogorets and ...
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Group F: Vitoria, Standard, Eintracht and Arsenal
Group I: FC Oleksandriya, Wolfsburg, St Etienne and Gent
Group E: Cluj join Lazio, Celtic and Rennes
Group D: Lask, Sporting, PSV and Rosenborg.
Group G: Rangers, Porto, Young Boys and Feyenoord
Group C: Trabzanspor, Basel, Krasnodar and Getafe.
Group B: Lugano, Kiev, Malmo, Copenhagen.
Group A: Dudelange, join Sevilla, Apoel and Qarabag
Pot 4: They are ploughing on here, having said there was a “disconnect” with the previous lot.
Group K: Partizan join Manchester United and...or do they? Seems to be confusion.
Group F: Standard Liege join Arsenal and Eintracht
Group J: Istanbul Basaksehir join Roma and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Group I: Saint Etienne join Wolfsburg and Gent.
Group H: Espanyol join CSKA and Ludogorets
Group E: Rennes join Lazio and Celtic.
Group D: Rosenborg join Sporting Lisbon and PSV
Group G: Feyenoord join FC Porto and Young Boys
Group C: Getafe join Basel and Krasnodar.
Group B: Malmo join Dynamo Kiev and FC Copenhagen
Group A: Qarabag join Sevilla and Apoel
Here comes the third pots...Wolves are in this lot.
Group L: Astana enter Manchester United’s group. That is a long trip.
Group K: Braga join Besitas
Group I: KAA Gent join Wolfsburg
Group J: Monchengladbach join Roma
Group H: Ludogorets join CSKA Moscow
Group G: Young Boys join FC Porto
Group F: Eintracht Frankfurt draw Arsenal
Group E: Celtic join Lazio
Group D: PSV Eindhoven join Sporting.
Group B: FC Copenhagen join Dynamo Kiev
Group C: Krasnodar join Basel.
Group A: Apoel of Cyprus
Ok, the second pots, and here’s where the complications may begin.
Group L: Manchester United, with Denis Irwin looking on, and looking confused.
Group K: Besiktas
Group F: Arsenal
Group J: Roma
Group I: Wolfsburg
Group H: CSKA Moscow
Group G: FC Porto, winners in 2003.
Updated
Group E: Lazio
Group D: Sporting Lisbon.
Group C: Basel, of Switzerland.
Updated
Group B: Dynamo Kiev.
Group A: Sevilla, who have won this trophy five times.
Off the balls go, as the first pot is spun....
Small, significant note: teams from Russia and Ukraine will not be drawn in the same group together.
A reminder of the pots.
Pot 1: Sevilla, Arsenal, FC Porto, AS Roma, Manchester United, Dynamo Kiev, Besiktas, FC Basel, Sporting Lisbon, CSKA Moscow, VfL Wolfsburg, Lazio
Pot 2: PSV Eindhoven, FK Krasnodar, Celtic, FC Copenhagen, Sporting Braga, Gent, Borussia Monchengladbach, FK Astana, Young Boys, Ludogorets Razgrad, APOEL Nicosia, Eintracht Frankfurt
Pot 3: Saint Etienne, Qarabag, Feyenoord, Getafe, Espanyol, Malmo, Partizan Belgrade, Standard Liege, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stade Rennes, Rosenborg, Istanbul Basaksehir
Pot 4: AZ Alkmaar, Vitoria Guimaraes, Trabzonspor, FC Oleksandriya, F91 Dudelange, LASK Linz, Wolfsberger, FC Lugano, Slovan Bratislava, Rangers, CFR Cluj, Ferencvaros
The second man to make the draw? Paulo Ferreira, Ash’s former full-back partner at Chelsea, and someone very much involved with the club now. He won this competition with Porto (as the Uefa Cup in 2003) and Chelsea in 2013 ten years later. He wishes Frank Lampard all the best with Frank Lampard’s Chelsea this season.
Here come the Uefa suits to make sure this all goes swimmingly. Giorgio Marchetti starts on a sombre note by paying tribute to Luis Enrique, who lost his daughter to cancer yesterday.
Who will be making the draw? Why, it’s none other than Ashley Cole. “When you know, you know,” he says of his recent retirement, as he looks ahead to his coaching career which will start with Chelsea Under-15s.
Andrzej Buncol, the ambassador for Gdansk, and a winner of the Uefa Cup with Bayer Leverkusen in 1988, recalls (in German) his memories of that two-legged win. Bayer were 3-0 down in the first leg to Espanyol and won 4-3.
Three players are up for the Europa League player of the year: Olivier Giroud, Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic, then of Eintracht Frankfurt, now Hazard’s teammate at Real Madrid.
No surprise: the winner is Hazard, who appears by video and offers good luck to everyone playing. “Ciao, Ciao,” he signs off.
⚡️ 2018/19 #UEL Player of the Season!
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 30, 2019
🏆 𝐇𝐀𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐃#UEFAawards | #UELdraw pic.twitter.com/xcL4rwNdaW
Bravo, @hazardeden10! 👏
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 30, 2019
The 2018/19 #UEL Player of the Season! 🥳#UEFAawards | #UELdraw pic.twitter.com/fjDapeXQ9W
Updated
The Europa League draw is here...
The balls have been warmed, the bon mots have been prepared and it’s time to find out what “Euro away” your team has. Will there be a Battle of Britain? Who will get the furthest flung trip to Eastern Europe? We are just about to find out. Friend of the Guardian Darren Tulett is the master of ceremonies in Monaco. At present, we are watching a montage of the teams involved and some of the action from last season’s competition, where Chelsea were the winners. The final this year will be in Gdansk.
Like Lucy Bronze, Virgil van Dijk was gonged last night.
Looks like Fernando Llorente, most recently of Spurs and linked with a potential move to Manchester United, is off to Napoli.
Fernando Llorente to Napoli, here we go! He’ll arrive as a free agent and will sign until June 2021. Done deal. 🔵 @SkySport @DiMarzio #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2019
The aforementioned Hamza Choudhury, not in Steve Bruce’s good books after that tackle on Matt Ritchie, has signed a new deal at Leicester.
Academy graduate Hamza Choudhury has signed a new contract with the Foxes! 📝#Hamza2023
— Leicester City (@LCFC) August 30, 2019
The Manchester United manager Casey Stoney has been talking ahead of next week’s WSL big kick-off.
Get your previews here. The first for all the Premier League matches this weekend has landed and there will be more to follow.
The England U21 squad has been announced. Aidy Boothroyd has selected Mason Greenwood, just 17, of Manchester United, in the squad to face Turkey and Kosovo.
Norwich trio Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey and Todd Cantwell are included for the first time along with Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, on loan at Leeds, Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster and Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
It is Boothroyd’s first squad since the summer’s disappointing Euro 2019 where England failed to win a game and were knocked out in the group stage.
Just three of the squad for Italy and San Marino who are still eligible have returned, Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson and Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
Goalkeepers: Ellery Balcombe (Brentford), Aaron Ramsdale (AFC Bournemouth), Nathan Trott (AFC Wimbledon, loan from West Ham United)
Defenders: Max Aarons (Norwich City), Trevoh Chalobah (Huddersfield Town, loan from Chelsea), Ben Godfrey (Norwich City), Marc Guehi (Chelsea), James Justin (Leicester City), Jonathan Panzo (AS Monaco), Steven Sessegnon (Fulham), Ben Wilmot (Swansea City, loan from Watford)
Midfielders: Todd Cantwell (Norwich City), Tom Davies (Everton), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Morgan Gibbs-White (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Dwight McNeil (Burnley), Omar Richards (Reading), Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur), Joe Willock (Arsenal)
Forwards: Rhian Brewster (Liverpool), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United), Reiss Nelson (Arsenal), Eddie Nketiah (Leeds United, loan from Arsenal)
Updated
Chris Wilder has been praising Frank Lampard, while seeking his Sheffield United team to bury Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
There’s always been a lot of focus on Frank. His first game as manager of Derby was at Reading and got the season under way on a Friday night, right until the end at Derby in the play-off final. There was always all that ‘Frank Lampard’s Derby County’ stuff going around. Lots of folk used to laugh at it but, do you know what, for me that shows he was ready to deal with the pressure and knowing all eyes were on him. Now he’s at Chelsea it’s the same, it’s even more intense. But he’s doing a good job. He’s got the job I think most of us knew he was always destined for given his history with the club and legendary status there, and I’m sure he’ll do very well. He worked under some great managers at Chelsea and he’ll have picked up lots from them. I’m sure he will want to replicate the kind of career he had as a player at Chelsea now he is manager.
Updated
That Europa League draw is coming at 12pm UK time, and here’s a reminder on the pots.
Wolves, Celtic and Rangers all went through. Hard lines on Linfield, who went out on away goals to Qarabag.
CONFIRMED: #UELdraw pots! ✅
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) August 30, 2019
Which city would you like to visit? pic.twitter.com/NRYwFBr8Y6
Here’s Jamie Jackson from that Solskjær presser.
Taking of transfers, here’s some tittle tattle from this morning.
More Ole on United departures.
I can see maybe Matteo [Darmian leaving]. There has been some interest in Matteo over in Italy, wanting to go back home. Marcos [Rojo], he’s staying definitely. We’ve got a squad now that’s less in numbers, but still big enough and strong enough to have coverage in all positions.
And on Alexis Sánchez:
I think Alexis needed to go. Because at the moment we know he has been here now for 18 months and it’s not really worked out for him. For him as well to restart and get himself playing regularly, getting himself scoring goals, that loan will benefit everyone in the end. For us, we’re going to watch every weekend now to see Romelu (Lukaku) and Alexis playing together.
And on Big Zlat, eyeing a comeback.
“Well, if he was 28 and not 38 next month it’s a big difference! But Zlatan has had a great time here and of course he’s still doing well. He was just unfortunate that he got his injury when he got it here. Who knows? He knows my number. He never rented my house but he was looking at it and we can speak a native language. If he’s serious, I’ll always speak to Zlatan... don’t think that’ll happen, no. I think he’s had his time at the club. He’s had a fantastic career and I wouldn’t expect him to be serious either when he said that.
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On King Eric...
As JB Priestley said of Tony Hancock, Cantona is overdrawn on his intellectual bank balance
Can he play centre-forward?
Never supported a club,always wanted to but never loved football enough really,my first ever football top was actually a Tottenham one,it was the blue and yellow kit with Thomson on the front. But after getting sent this I guess I’m now officially a Spurs fan @SpursOfficial #coys pic.twitter.com/VqaxgRSF9I
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) August 30, 2019
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is on his way to Italy to finalise a loan move to Roma, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has revealed in his morning news conference. Phil Jones to Lazio?
Of course we sat down yesterday and discussed it. At the moment we’ve got six fit centre-backs. I couldn’t promise Chris regular football. He’s on the plane over now. I think he’ll enjoy the experience over there. It’s a big club, a good league. There’s not many English players who have had the chance to play in Italy and I’m sure he’ll come back stronger and better for it.
Updated
News from the Bundesliga, per Reuters.
Former Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn is set to return to the club as a board member next year and will take over as chief executive in 2022.
On the day current Bayern president Uli Hoeness announced his retirement from his decades-long involvement with the club, the German champions appointed another successful former Bayern player to succeed current CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Kahn, nicknamed ‘the Titan’ who won eight league titles between 1994 and 2008 with the Bavarians, signed a five-year contract after the board voted unanimously in favour of the move in Thursday’s meeting.
“It is a great honour to initially become a member of the board and then take over the chairman role at Bayern Munich,” the 50-year-old Kahn, a former Germany captain, said in a statement. “I am deeply linked with the club that has marked my life considerably.”
Trouble for Steve Bruce and Newcastle. Matt Ritchie could be out for up to two months with the ankle injury he suffered against Leicester after a ‘tackle’ by Hamza Choudhury.
Quoth Brucey: “It’s not great news. We think he’s going to be maybe two months, eight weeks. There is ankle ligament damage too, bone bruising, cuts. The kid, as I said to you the other night, was a mess. Thankfully it’s not six months, but it’s bad enough when it’s the best part of eight weeks. These tackles are the ones that damage you. Let’s hope the young lad learns from it because he’s a good player, the kid. But obviously, it doesn’t help us and Matt in particular, who’s going to miss at least a couple of months.”
Eric Cantona, the Zeus years.
Eric Cantona's speech at tonight's #UCL draw was...something 😳 pic.twitter.com/S1YpDHFS8M
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 29, 2019
Updated
Talking of the England’s women team, they drew 3-3 with Belgium last night.
Doesn’t look like Slavia Prague fancy their chances much.
Love the reaction of the Slavia Prague delegation after drawing Barca, Inter & Dortmund in their group 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4ESgSgXBjn
— Chris Sorace (@UnfitFUTCoach) August 29, 2019
Bronze’s award followed the Champions League draw, which Nick Ames ran the rule over.
Some quotes from Lucy Bronze, unable to attend as she was playing for England against Belgium but whose mum wanted to go in her stead to Monaco to meet Cristiano Ronaldo.
I’m ecstatic and super-humbled to have won the award up against two fantastic players who I know really well at Lyon. I want to say a huge thanks to the Lionesses, the England team. We had a great summer and I don’t think I would have won this award if it wasn’t for them. The same goes for the Lyon team. We had an amazing season, we won the treble. I think any one of those girls could have been up here receiving this award.
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Preamble
Congratulations, then, to Lucy Bronze, crowned Uefa’s player of the year on Thursday in that glitzy ceremony in Monaco, give or take Eric Cantona’s choice of evening wear. What a year she had, as a Champions League winner with Lyon and as England’s star at the World Cup this summer. Her performance - and stunning goal - against Norway in the quarter-finals must have gone some way to pushing her to that award, though if the European body weighted its award on what she achieved in their competitions then Bronze was one of the stars of the European club season, too. Playing in the World Cup where Ada Ada Hegerberg sat out the final in France must have played their part for Bronze.
Receiving the @UEFA Women's Player of the Year award - @OLfeminin and @Lionesses🏴 defender @LucyBronze 🏆🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 https://t.co/n9aKsOCEP7 pic.twitter.com/EfpqlOdyCR
— #UWCL (@UWCL) August 29, 2019
Words surpass me 😅
— Lucy Bronze (@LucyBronze) August 29, 2019
Truly grateful to be named uefa player of the year.
Having played with and against so many great players this year, it really is a great honour and a huge surprise 😁 pic.twitter.com/VT2nHCwfOW
The men’s Uefa player of the year was Virgil van Dijk, for the defensive mastery that guided Liverpool to winning the Champions League in June.
No rest for the wicked, no resting on laurels. Even ahead of the final set of Premier League matches ahead of the international break, there is the Europa League draw, which starts around midday London time. And that will feature Arsenal, Manchester United, Wolves, Celtic and Rangers.
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Uncle Albert's moved on from his "During the war" speeches at least.