Right, thanks for your company. Have a cracking weekend! And do join us for MBM coverage of the following on Saturday:
Sheffield United v Liverpool, Premier League 12.30pm (BST)
Tottenham v Southampton, Chelsea v Brighton: clockwatch 3pm
Everton v Manchester City, Premier League 5.30pm
Atlético Madrid v Real Madrid, La Liga 8pm
Updated
Here’s an exclusive interview with Bournemouth’s Joshua King on everything from Ole Gunnar Solskjær to Eddie Howe and Erling Braut Haaland. King was absorbing company, none more so than when discussing former his team-mate, Ravel Morrison:
If you ask any player at United back then, Ravel was just different class. Ravel could have been the level just below Messi and Ronaldo. People have probably got the wrong impression of him. Sometimes when you grow up, it’s rough and you can’t control that but he’s got the biggest heart and he is easily the most talented player I’ve ever played with.”
Updated
“Regarding United fans overhyping their young players, I think they’re doing it to Dan James as well,” emails Ravikiran. “Both Rashford and Martial when they first came started really well. United began to fully depend on them, which left a toll in their (still young) legs. Already United look dependent on James.”
Updated
Get the lowdown on the big one:
Oh, we do spoil you. More too-hot-to-touch transfer news just in: former Chelsea youngster Josh McEachran has joined Birmingham City on a two-year deal after a trial with the Championship club. The 26-year-old, a free agent since leaving Brentford at the end of last season, had loan spells at Swansea and Watford. A fine day for freebies, with Danny Simpson earlier penning a deal at Huddersfield. Don’t say we don’t look after you.
Updated
Essential late-afternoon reading:
Updated
Arsenal news: Emery has been talking about how big a boost having Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney and Héctor Bellerín back in the fold is. “It’s amazing news,” he says. “We can be a better competitive team with them. For us being available with every player is the perfect moment. Now we have two injuries, [Alexandre] Lacazette and Emile Smith Rowe. Hopefully in a few weeks they can be training with us and available to play.”
Updated
Get a load of the Mauricio Pochettino derby:
Updated
More from Emery on naming Xhaka skipper. “I gave them [the squad] some values, some qualities and attributes to decide the captain and then I used a vote,” he says, rather passionately. “He [Xhaka] is a good man, a good professional, a good player. Sometimes he made a mistake – yes – but he can learn and correct that mistake. His challenge is to change that opinion and, above all, show his personality and give help every time [to the team].”
Updated
Xhaka confirmed as Arsenal skipper
Unai Emery confirms Granit Xhaka is the new permanent Arsenal captain, adding the palyers voted for the midfielder to assume the armband. Emery has also outlined his five-man leadership group, which sounds very David Brent but is genuine. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is vice-captain, followed by Héctor Bellerín, Alexandre Lacazette and then, er, Mesut Özil.
Xhaka is mature. He has experience. In the dressing room, the players vote him as first. I trust and believe in him. His challenge is to change opinion, improve and give us help each time.
Updated
Looking forward to the big one?
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start ...
Roll up! Roll up! Get yer match previews:
This is tenuous Premier League news at best ... but here it goes while we wait for Unai Emery, who is apparently running behind schedule owing to a longer-than-anticipated training session and a squad photo. Right, ready? The former Reading and Bristol City striker Leroy Lita has joined Southern League side Salisbury City, who are managed by Steve Claridge, on a short-term deal.
Nothing quite like some lukewarm Moussa Sissoko soundbites to get you pumped for the weekend, right? Fresh from signing a new four-year contract until 2023, the Frenchman mused: “Hopefully I can give my best to the club for a long time and hopefully we can get some trophies together. I think on both sides I’ve learnt a lot, both as a man and as a footballer [since joining Spurs in 2016]. The talent of the players and even talent of the coaching staff is unbelievable so you learn a lot from them, even as a person as well I’ve learnt a lot. Hopefully we can achieve some great moments.”
Updated
Some red-hot transfer news: Huddersfield have snapped up the former Leicester and Manchester United defender Danny Simpson on a contract until the end of the season. The 32-year-old right-back has trained with the Terriers for the past two weeks and has sufficiently impressed Danny and Nicky Cowley. And here’s a meaningless quirk: Simpson will wear the No 17 shirt at Huddersfield – the same number he wore when winning the Premier League title ...
Unai Emery is running late – so get yer fix below for the time being:
Unai Emery is up shortly, with the Arsenal manager expected to confirm Granit Xhaka as the team’s permanent captain. A youthful side breezed past Nottingham Forest in midweek, with the 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli, who scored twice, among those catch Emery’s eye. “He deserves it,” Emery said. “He has worked and trained with big spirit and a big performance.”
Leicester City team news: Brendan Rodgers says midfielder James Maddison is a doubt for the Newcastle game on Sunday. “He’s put some weight on his ankle so we’ll see over the coming days,” Rodgers says. “He’s a big talent and he’s been playing great. We’ve got a really strong squad. We made some changes in the week, and the rhythm, speed and intensity in the team was the same. It’s just the risk of whether he’s going to last the game or not. He’s such a talented player, we’ll give him every chance.”
Some murmurs in Manchester that Bernardo Silva submitted a letter to the FA on Thursday, in which he expressed regret for any unintentional offence caused as a result of that tweet, stressing that that was not his intention. Mendy has reportedly also issued a supporting statement, outlining he did not take offence. Earlier, his manager Pep Guardiola said: “It was just a joke. The same happened a thousand million times with white people, it’s the same. If someone is offended I can understand it. Bernardo is maybe going to take a lesson from it and it won’t happen again.”
Crystal Palace team news: Wilfired Zaha is fit to face Norwich after picking up a knock against Wolves but Saturday comes too soon for Connor Wickham, who has trained all week. Mamadou Sakho is touch and go with a “small problem” says Roy Hodgson. “The team has responded very well this week,” says the Palace manager after they were forced to settle for a point last weekend. “Those cruel blows are part and parcel of football. It’s a painful process but we’re looking forward to hopefully getting those points back tomorrow.” As for Norwich’s primary threat, he adds: “He was a little too young to play under me [for Finland, during 2006-7], but I remember Teemu Pukki coming through, I knew he was a major Finnish talent they were very excited about.”
Updated
Everton team news: Marco Silva confirms André Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin will miss Saturday’s game against Manchester City. Djibril Sidibé could feature. “Unfortunately for us he didn’t do the pre-season, he just arrived in the last days of the [transfer] market,” Silva says. “I believe every time we see Djibril play, the better he will be and the more he will integrate.”
Pep Guardiola speaks. He settles into his chair at Manchester City’s auditorium and is straight on to the defensive regarding that Bernardo Silva tweet. “If they believe, other people believe, if the FA believe Bernardo is this type of player, they are completely wrong,” he says. “They judge one joke, I judge three years of work with him, every single day how he is, his friendship. Benjamin is like a brother for Bernardo. It was just a joke. The same happened a thousand million times with white people, it’s the same. Maybe Bernardo will take a lesson and it will not happen again.”
Sissoko signs new Spurs deal
It’s not all doom and gloom at Hotspur Way, for Moussa Sissoko has signed a spanking new four-year contract. That’s a long-term renewal for a Spurs player in their 30s, which represents a considerable change of tack. The midfielder, a £30m signing from Newcastle in 2016, has made eight appearances this season.
Updated
Norwich City team news: goalkeeper Tim Krul is out but right-back Max Aarons will be part of the squad at Crystal Palace. “It’s still a bit doubtful with Ralf Fahrmann as well,” says manager Daniel Farke. “We are still missing Christoph Zimmermann and Timm Klose as well. Mario Vrancic is still out as is Onel Hernández. I hope a few players return after the international break. It’s important to gain points now, even with this situation.”
Updated
Aston Villa team news: Henri Lansbury is back jogging but remains out, while James Chester, who played in an Under-23s game on Monday, is still a few weeks away from first-team action. Jonathan Kodjia is back training, “looking like a super-hero”, says manager Dean Smith owing to the face mask he has been wearing after fracturing a cheekbone. Villa host Burnley on Saturday in search of a first Premier League win in four matches. “I look at the eight games we have played this season and I think only Tottenham have been better than us,” says Smith, whose Villa side enter the weekend in the relegation zone.
Updated
United’s season may well be grim, but it will still be gripping. They’re like the England cricket team now – forever landing on the ladder or the snake, skipping the dull squares in between
So, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, Hudson-Odoi and Reece James could all feature at Stamford Bridge this weekend. More brownie points incoming for the Chelsea academy. What about Christian Pulisic, a £58m signing? The USA winger started in midweek against Grimsby. Lampard has had his say.
I have four wingers to chose from now they are all fit. Pulisic we forget is 21 because of the price tag. It is normal to have an adaptation period. He has shown some good moments this season and in pre-season but he must do it daily. He needs time to adapt but we support him on that. His time will come.”
Chelsea team news: Antonio Rüdiger will not feature against Brighton owing to a recurring groin injury, says Frank Lampard. The Chelsea boss also confirms Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who featured in midweek, will be included in his 18-man squad. Andreas Christensen is ready to rumble, while Olivier Giroud could feature following illness. Emerson Palmieri, Lampard says, is likely to return after the international break. Another big plus that Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been outside jogging this week.
Updated
Championship leaders Leeds will want to return to winning ways at Charlton on Saturday – but, to do so, they will have to get one over on their former midfielder, Lee Bowyer, who has done a sterling job in south-east London. “Leeds were the best side I played for – we were relentless and ruthless,” said Bowyer, whose Charlton side are eighth. “My best memory was AC Milan. Scoring in the 91st minute and the place just erupted. We had the attitude we were never going to lose. When you have got that – and hard work – then you’ve got something special. We have got that here [at Charlton] as well. That is what I have tried to instil.”
Updated
Good news for West Ham! Manuel Lanzini is in the squad for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth after returning to training. Michail Antonio and Winston Reid remain absent from the travelling party. Asked if Bournemouth can battle their way into the top six, Manuel Pellegrini said: “We are just starting the season and we know that a lot of clubs – Everton, Aston Villa, and more –have a lot of good squads and can be involved in that position.”
Forget Dr Pepper, meet Dr Cool:
Updated
Manuel Pellegrini says he fancies West Ham to bounce back from a humbling 4-0 defeat to Oxford by giving Bournemouth a pasting:
I hope that was an accident. We must understand that we have to play against every team with 100% concentration. I don’t think that you can make a decision and think about one game. The performance was not what we expected but I see the players working on the training ground. I am absolutely sure they have the level to perform on another night.”
Of Saturday’s opponents, he says:
It is a team that plays offensive football, with two strikers and Joshua King on the left side, which is like another striker. We must be concentrated in defending but we will go for the three points like always and attack from the first minute.”
Some lunchtime listening:
And reading:
Below the line, bashooter is worried Mason Greenwood is being too heavily vaunted and overhyped by Manchester United supporters. “You’d think they’d know better after they said similar things about the likes of [Federico] Macheda and [James] Wilson,” he says. “Where are they now anyway? Hopefully Solskjær will be sensible about how he handles him, and doesn’t burden him with the task of saving an ailing club.” Well, Macheda, 28, is at Panathinaikos and Wilson – somehow still only 23 – is up at Aberdeen.
Updated
A quick glance at the Championship, and it’s a mightily big game for Nathan Jones and Stoke against Nottingham Forest tonight. Stoke host in-form Forest having not tasted victory since April and not won before their home fans for 209 days and counting. Jones did not speak to the media pre-match, with his assistant, Paul Hart, giving him a breather amid the pressure.
I’m sure he’s feeling it, but he appears to me to be dealing with it pretty well. He’s ok. It’s impossible to hide behind idiosyncratic words ... it’s serious. I don’t think he expected us to be in this situation, I don’t think any of us did, but we are here and it has to be dealt with in a positive way. I know this is trite, but you don’t become a bad coach/manager overnight. His presentations are excellent, his management of the players is excellent. Deal with the basics, win a football match. Alex Ferguson was a game away from the sack and the manager of Coventry [Mark Robins] pulled him out of it. We have to trust in the players.”
Updated
Get a load of Dani Alves talking Bahia, Brazil and Barcelona:
I’m going after that dream to be champion, to close an era with the Brazilian national team, to help my country get back on top. You know what motivates me most? When everybody stops believing in me. When they say: ‘This guy is worthless, this guy can’t play in midfield, can’t do this or that.’ Just wait. On the way there I’m going to work like a filho da puta, like I’ve done all my life. That’s why I came here. I was comfortable in Europe, but I like discomfort. Nothing in life is easy. If you want to reach you objectives, you have to make the effort. Unless your dad owns the team – when my dad ran our São Paulo, I always played and played up front.”
Tyneside 'takeover' latest
Here we go again – and down an extremely familiar path this time. We are talking potential takeovers of Newcastle United – reports of deals being supposedly close tend to average about two a year – and the news that Peter Kenyon is back for a second attempt at trying to buy Mike Ashley out.
This time the former Chelsea and Manchester United chief executive has teamed up with GACP sports – a Florida based investment firm who hold a 14 per cent stake in Bordeaux – and they have produced a 46-page document outlining their plans for Newcastle should Ashley agree to a £125m down payment with the remainder of the £300m asking price paid in instalments over three years. Kenyon would be chief executive.
While the brochure is genuine it all seems highly unlikely to actually happen. As Ashley himself said in a rare interview in the summer when a successful takeover at St James’ Park finally happens the overwhelmingly odds are that it will be conducted in such discretion no one bar the involved parties will get a hint of anything being in the offing until it is announced. Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi buyout serves as the template for the deals that actually happen rather than are merely talked up.
Newcastle, as is their habit in such situations – think Amanda Staveley, think the Dubai-based Bin Zayed Group, think Kenyon’s initial attempt – are saying nothing but the brochure raised more questions than answers. Not least why would a buyer confident of pulling off a takeover leak details to a newspaper?
As Steve Bruce, who said the first he heard of it was Friday morning and that he had not spoken to Ashley recently, said: “Watch this space”He did not add “with a considerable degree of scepticism” but such an approach is probably prudent ...
Updated
Steve Bruce says he is in the dark with regards to yet more talk of a Newcastle takeover. Reports this morning suggest Peter Kenyon, the former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive, has launched a £300m bid for the club. “It’s happened that many times,” said Bruce, “even from reading about it from afar. At this club, in particular, there’s always speculation surrounding it and it’s never happened. Let’s watch this space. You have to get used to it. It’s happened to me three or four times previously.”
Could 17-year-old Mason Greenwood get the nod against Arsenal on Monday? Well, Ole Gunnar Solskjær is playing his cards close to his chest and says he will spend the next 48 hours mulling over whether to include the teenager, who has scored against Astana and Rochdale over the past week, in his starting XI at Old Trafford. “Mason has proved when he gets in the box he is dangerous,” Solskjær said. “I am not worried about him at all but we have to manage him. You can’t throw him in at the deep end all the time. I have the weekend to think about it.”
Updated
Arsenal reportedly naming Granit Xhaka as captain does at least put an end to Unai Emery passing the armband around the dressing room. According to our friends at Opta, since the start of 2018-19, Arsenal are the only club to have had as many as six different players start more than one Premier League game as captain. Laurent Koscielny (13 games) Xhaka (10) Mesut Özil (eight) Petr Cech (seven) Aaron Ramsey (four) Nacho Monreal (two).
Updated
Klopp has been busy bigging up Chris Wilder ahead of their first duel since 2007. “It’s incredible what Chris is doing there,” says Klopp, whose side go to Bramall Lane. “A really great coach and I’m looking forward to facing his team, a really aggressive, good pressing [team] and an interesting pattern when the centre-halves overlap whoever is there, the winger or whatever. I’m four years in England now and I don’t know everything about every club but Sheffield seems to be a big club and deserves to be in the league.”
Updated
Thanks, Gregg. Let’s get stuck straight into some breaking Arsenal news, with the BBC’s David Ornstein reporting Unai Emery has named Granit Xhaka as the team’s new captain following a discussion with his players. Xhaka is expected to take the armband on a permanent basis, having led the side in six of their eight matches this season. Former skipper Laurent Koscielny left the club for Bordeaux in the summer.
Updated
I’m going to hand the blog over to Ben Fisher now. He’ll guide you through the lunchtime flurry of press conferences. Bye.
Jürgen Klopp is speaking at Melwood before Liverpool’s trip to Sheffield United. He’s confirmed that Xherdan Shaqiri is not available as he has a small calf tear. But Divock Origi and Sadio Mané are both fit again. He was also glowing in his praise for Liverpool’s stand-in goalkeeper, saying there is no need to fast-track Alisson back into the first XI even though the Brazilian is almost ready to train again.
Adrián’s progress has made everything easier. He is doing a brilliant job and makes everything easier 100%. We can’t rush injuries, we try not to do it. We don’t like to task risks. We will see when Ali ready and Adrian is our goalie for now. Shaqiri is not ready. Still in rehab. Curtis Jones has another knock but that is it. [Alisson] looks like he’s close but he’s not in contention for tomorrow. But it looks like he can train with the team from Sunday. I don’t know 100% but he’s really close.
Another player Klopp was cooing over, was Joel Matip, who he thinks has been one of Liverpool’s best signings (he was a free transfer). Klopp believes Matip will be vital on Saturday.
These second ball fights are so important. It is about being ready and aggressive and we have to show this. It’s a complex job but it is not the first time against a team like Sheffield United. [They] are settled and they are quite impressive. It’s their stadium. With the challenges you have, you grow. Joel [Matip] was always an incredible talent. He was 18 playing for Schalke, that’s not easy. In a world of big transfer fees, signing Joel on free transfer was incredible, one of best pieces of business we did. That’s what happens with footballers, with human beings, they grow.”
Updated
After a proposal for Bury to be readmitted to League Two next season was rejected by the English Football League’s 71 member clubs on Thursday, the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has taken up the fight. He’s an avid campaigner and does not give up a fight lightly. Not a bad man to have in your corner.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has just unanimously passed an Emergency Resolution calling on the @FA to intervene in the unfair situation facing @buryfcofficial & find a fair solution which respects the club’s proud history as twice winners of the FA Cup.
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) September 27, 2019
Liverpool have a few injury concerns before they travel to Brammal Lane. Xherdan Shaqiri felt a twinge in his calf in training so was not available to face MK Dons and Sadio Mané picked up a thigh strain against Chelsea. Though, as the picture shows above, he was in training yesterday so would appear to have recovered. Jürgen Klopp will issue an update in his press conference shortly. Liverpool haven’t beaten Sheffield United away in 29 years. The last time they won there was the last time Liverpool were defending champions – 25 August 1990.
In case you’ve been holding off on making plans to go to Qatar 2022 because you’re worried you might not be able to take your preferred refreshment while out following your nation, here’s a bit of news from Sean Ingle that might interest you.
Here’s more from Solskjær on Manchester United’s struggle this season. He says he’s not bothered about criticism in the media and he’s grateful to United fans for their support:
I don’t worry about what the press write about other teams or me and Man Utd. We are focused on what we have to do; to keep improving. Reading the papers doesn’t change my view. Sometimes my kids are asking: ‘What’s this [criticism] all about?’ When I was a player it was always Man Utd hogging the headlines. We wouldn’t want to scramble through the newspapers to see if things have been written about us. That’s our rightful place. I never said it was going to be easy this season. When we lose a game or go through difficult period we must keep our eyes on the prize and keep working in the direction we believe in.
As for the fans, he says they’re still behind him and his team:
[They’re] very, very positive – ‘We can see what you’re doing, keep going’. It’s easier to be positive when you meet face to face. I’m amazed again by our supporters. You listen to the crowd at Old Trafford and they’re amazing. Now’s the time to be doing that because we’re going through a difficult patch.”
Updated
Pogba a doubt to face Arsenal
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is in a “race” to be fit for Arsenal’s visit to Manchester United on Monday evening. The midfielder is a doubt because of an ankle injury sustained in the Carabao Cup win over Rochdale in midweek. Pogba picked up a knock to an ankle on Wednesday. His absence at a team-bonding meal led to further scrutiny on his Old Trafford future but United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær said:
The situation is he finished the game, which is fantastic, but he got a knock to his ankle which is very swollen. It was better for him not to go there with the team and he’s in a race, I would guess, for Monday.”
Pogba would be an eighth frontline player unavailable to Solskjær.
Updated
Eddie Howe is another manager who has risen early and got his press conference out of the way. Sixth-placed Bournemouth host fifth-placed West Ham tomorrow. Both sides had disappointing League Cup exits in midweek. The Cherries were beaten by Burton and the Hammers lost at Oxford but Howe is not too concerned having beaten Everton and Southampton in his last two Premier League games by the same scoreline, 3-1. The Cherries and the Hammers in a top-six clash? What a time to be alive!
Our early season form with the Everton and Southampton wins, in my mind it’s very positive as we approach West Ham and it’s important we put on a good show on Saturday. Our early game against West Ham last season was very early in the manager’s reign there and he was still implementing his ideas. I think they have very good players and they’ve had a good start to the season so it promises to be a good game. Their general performances have been very strong and it’s two teams who have been strong at the start of the season. We’d like to win three in a row, the first time we’ve done that in a while, and that’s a huge incentive for us.”
Howe has his captain, Simon Francis, available again on Saturday too. He played an hour at Burton without any worrying setbacks. “[It’s] great to have our captain Simon Francis back after a long time out. With the stoppages and the flood-light failures we felt we had to bring him off to make sure he wouldn’t stiffen up.”
Updated
Steve Bruce has been wheeled out early at Newcastle to talk about Sunday’s game against Leicester. He says he knows little about the possible £300m takeover by a Peter Kenyon-led consortium. “It’s news to me,” are his exact quotes. As for Sunday’s match, Newcastle will be without Jonjo Shelvey. “[He] has a grade two hamstring so he’ll be missing for a few weeks. Sean Longstaff will be OK. It will be good to see him again. Shelvey picked it up in the game last week. I think he has been hampered by a thigh injury. It’s still not 100% right.”
He also spoke to BBC Radio 5 earlier about Andy Carroll’s ongoing battle to get fit. It’s been a long one hasn’t it? “Of his type there isn’t anybody better,” he said, begging the question what is “his type”? “We just hope he has a bit of luck in terms of injuries. We know he’s a very good player. Our aim now is; how can we get him on the pitch frequently and regularly? Obviously you need some luck along the way. But a fit and firing Andy Carroll would help more teams.” Maybe Carroll should just be a 20-minute impact sub these days. An incredible jumping man who is just thrown into the fray towards the end of games.
Preamble
Morning all. The League Cup games are done and dusted and we’re straight back into the seventh round of Premier League matches. Eight of them are on Saturday which is quite a rarity in these days of spreading matches out across the weekend. Kicking things off tomorrow at 12.30pm are league leaders, Liverpool, who travel to Bramall Lane for a 12.30pm kick-off against Sheffield United hoping to go eight points clear of Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side are in action at Everton in a 5.30pm kick-off. Jürgen Klopp managed to rotate all 11 of his starters against Chelsea when they beat MK Dons 2-0, so there’ll be no worry of fatigue. The Blades face a daunting task against the Reds, who have won their last 15 Premier League matches stretching back to last season, but Chris Wilder is backing his on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, to perform well on what could be a busy day between the sticks.
“Liverpool’s forward three have been unbelievable for the past couple of years,” said Wilder. “In terms of the quality they’ve got, the mobility and way they interchange, we’re going to have to have an unbelievably great day to keep the ball out of our net. Our goalkeeper is going to have to make saves, we understand that, but I feel we have the best young goalkeeper in the country.”
In the 3pm kick-offs, the bottom two meet at Molineux. Watford and Wolves are yet to win a game this season. A six-pointer already? Nearer the top, fifth-placed West Ham face sixth-placed Bournemouth. The Hammers were, erm, hammered 4-0 by Oxford in the League Cup but Manuel Pellegrini made a raft of changes and their rock at the back, Angelo Ogbonna, did not start. Bournemouth are scoring for fun in the league at the moment, while the Hammers have conceded only two goals in their past five league games. It’s an intriguing one. Third-bottom Aston Villa host Burnley, who have yet to win away this season. Opportunity knocks for Villa to move out of the bottom three.
After the embarrassment of defeat at Colchester on Tuesday and murmurings of discontent in the ranks, how Maurico Pochettino could do with a win when his former club Southampton visit Tottenham. Saints beat their local rivals Pompey in the League Cup in midweek but in their last home game, against Bournemouth, they were second best as they lost 3-1. Ralph Hasenhüttl will expect a reaction. It could be a tricky one for Spurs.
There is Chelsea v Brighton and Crystal Palace v Norwich to look foward to on Saturday, too, and as mentioned earlier, Everton host Manchester City. Pressure is building on Marco Silva after an underwhelming start to the season, including the 2-0 home defeat by Sheffield United last time out. Silva is still struggling to work out what his best team is. He could do with figuring it out quick if City play anything like they did in last week’s 8-0 hammering of Watford. And on Sunday, Newcastle take on in-form Leicester at the King Power Stadium with takeover talk in the air during the buildup to the match. Manchester United host Arsenal on Monday night.
For further reading, here’s our 10 things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend.
Updated
