Author: Andrew Rogers

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s strengthened squad is helping them cope with a growing injury list, as he confirmed Kai Havertz will be out for several more weeks. The German forward, sidelined since August after knee surgery, suffered a setback during rehab and “could not go to the next level,” delaying his return. Arteta must now decide whether to continue with Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker against Brentford or bring back Viktor Gyökeres, who recently returned from injury. Gabriel Jesus is also pushing for involvement after nearly a year on the sidelines. Arsenal may again be without William Saliba and…

West Ham plan to provide Lucas Paquetá with psychological support following his red card for dissent in Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool. While the club is unhappy with his behaviour—two yellows for dissent in seconds—they also recognise the emotional toll of the FA’s two-year spot-fixing investigation, which cleared him only in July. Figures at the club believe Paquetá has been left “bitter and let down” by the ordeal and that the pressure contributed to his outburst. He later apologised but criticised football authorities on social media for offering no mental-health support during the investigation. Paquetá will miss Thursday’s trip to Manchester…

Liverpool ended a miserable run of six defeats in seven league games with a hard-fought win at West Ham, in a match that offered relief rather than entertainment. Alexander Isak finally scored his first league goal for the club since his high-profile move from Newcastle, before Cody Gakpo added a late second. The first half was lifeless, with neither side offering much threat. An important subplot emerged before kick-off, as Mohamed Salah was dropped following Liverpool’s defensive collapse in recent games. Arne Slot reverted to a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Dominik Szoboszlai deployed on the right to offer more defensive protection…

Tottenham midfielder Archie Gray admitted Spurs’ heavy defeats have been unacceptable but insisted there were encouraging signs from their 5–3 Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking after the game, Gray said the performance was an improvement on the previous 4–1 derby defeat to Arsenal, highlighting Spurs’ attacking output as a positive. Goals from Richarlison and a brace from loanee Randal Kolo Muani showed more threat going forward, even though defensive errors proved costly. “It’s not good enough these losses at a club like Tottenham,” Gray said, while adding that scoring three goals against one of Europe’s best teams showed…

Arsenal moved to the top of their Champions League group after a deserved 3–1 win over Bayern Munich at the Emirates, maintaining their perfect record. Jurriën Timber opened the scoring with a header from a Bukayo Saka corner before Bayern’s teenage star Lennart Karl equalised. In the second half, Noni Madueke restored Arsenal’s lead after Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano gifted possession to Declan Rice, and Gabriel Martinelli wrapped up the victory late on after a Neuer mistake. Harry Kane was kept quiet throughout as Arsenal grew in control, with Rice and Martín Zubimendi dominant in midfield. The win leaves Mikel…

Idrissa Gueye received applause from Everton’s squad after apologising for being sent off for striking teammate Michael Keane during their 1-0 win over Manchester United. The midfielder was dismissed in the 13th minute after slapping Keane following a misplaced pass that led to an argument. Despite playing with 10 men for most of the match, Everton secured a rare victory at Old Trafford. After the game, Gueye addressed the team and personally apologised to Keane and the squad for leaving them in a difficult situation. His apology was warmly received and met with applause in the dressing room. Gueye later…

Paul Pogba has finally stepped back onto a football pitch after more than two years away from the game, ending a long period defined by a doping ban, legal drama and repeated injury setbacks. The French midfielder made a brief nine-minute appearance for Monaco at Roazhon Park, bringing his long absence to a symbolic end. Since his last match for Juventus in September 2023, Pogba has remained in the spotlight despite not playing, following a four-year doping ban that was later reduced to 18 months, his release from Juventus, and a high-profile extortion and kidnapping case that resulted in his…

Virgil van Dijk has delivered a brutal assessment of Liverpool’s form, admitting the reigning champions are “a mess” and questioning whether his teammates are taking enough responsibility for the club’s slump. Speaking after Saturday’s 3–0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, a team that began the day in the relegation zone, the Liverpool captain said his side are letting down new manager Arne Slot and themselves. The loss left Liverpool in the bottom half of the Premier League with a negative goal difference and marked their sixth defeat in seven league matches. Van Dijk described the performance, particularly at the start…

Chelsea eased past Burnley to avoid any slip-ups, securing a controlled victory at Turf Moor despite missing injured Cole Palmer, who fractured a toe in a domestic accident. Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández were the decisive figures as Chelsea moved to within three points of the Premier League summit, making it four consecutive wins without conceding. Enzo Maresca admitted his side could have performed better but felt the result was deserved ahead of a demanding week against Barcelona and Arsenal. Burnley started brightly and matched Chelsea for large spells of the first half, with Loum Tchaouna and Jaidon Anthony finding…

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has said Spurs are not close to spending £100m on a single player, despite comparisons with Arsenal’s big-money approach. Following recent leadership changes at the club, Spurs are aiming to grow both on and off the pitch, but Frank believes matching Arsenal’s £105m signing of Declan Rice is not imminent. Tottenham’s current record transfer remains the £60m signing of Richarlison in 2022. Frank said he does not expect Spurs to make such a huge outlay soon, stressing the importance of long-term planning, smart recruitment and player development over headline-grabbing spending. He added that while investment…