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Gillingham’s veteran banned for “clear act of simulation”
The Football Association have handed Gillingham winger Garath McCleary a two-match suspension for “committing a clear act of simulation” that won his side a late, late penalty in their League Two match against Bromley last Saturday. Gillingham scored the penalty awarded in the fourth minute of added time, earning themselves a 2-2 draw in the process but having investigated the incident, an independent regulatory commission took the view that McCleary had conned the referee.
“It was alleged that the player committed a clear act of simulation around the 94th minute of the game, which led to a penalty kick, and this behaviour amounts to improper conduct,” read a statement. “Garath McCleary denied the charge against him but the regulatory commission found it to be proven following a hearing and imposed his sanction.”
Gillingham have mounted a stirring defence of their 38-year-old veteran, who is a former Jamaica international, citing his lack of a rap-sheet for simulation despite having played the game professionally for almost two decades. “Both the club and Garath strongly refute the claim that there was a deliberate attempt to deceive the match official,” they said. “Garath has been a professional footballer for the best part of 20 years, in which time he has never received even a caution for simulation or any similar offence. Whilst we accept there may be a debate as to whether a penalty should have been awarded or not, to suggest any wrongdoing on Garath’s part seems unfair and inappropriate.”
It will be intriguing to see if similar retrospective bans are imposed for players adjudged to have dived while playing for clubs higher up the food chain, although the smart money suggests we shouldn’t hold our breath.
Gillingham winger Garath McCleary has been handed a two-match ban for simulation after going down under this challenge from Bromley goalkeeper Grant Smith in added time during the League Two match between the sides at Copperjax Community Stadium last Saturday. Photograph: Steven Paston/PAShare
Unai Emery: “Emi Martinez staying here is good news”
Ben Fisher
Aston Villa: Unai Emery said Emi Martinez is “happy again” after the Aston Villa goalkeeper did not secure a summer transfer and has no doubts over the Argentinian’s commitment after reintegrating him into the squad.
Emery omitted Martinez from his squad defeated at home by Crystal Palace before the international break, with No 2 Marco Bizot deputising in his place. At the time Emery suggested Martinez was not sufficiently focussed to feature.
Martinez, who is under contract until 2029, sought a fresh challenge but a move did not materalise. The sole offer Villa received for the 33-year-old was a loan inquiry from Manchester United in July, which was swiftly dismissed.
“Emi staying here is good news, I am so, so happy,” Emery said. “He is the best goalkeeper in the world, his commitment to Aston Villa is massive.
“He is always training to get his best, respecting Aston Villa. Some circumstances happen, everyone is happy, the energy today was very good. Emi is happy again now he knows his challenge is with Aston Villa and his national team.”
Villa travel to Everton on Saturday in search of their first win of the season after a disappointing start. They are the second Premier League team to visit the Hill Dickinson Stadium, after Brighton lost there last month.
“I am excited and motivated and I am wishing to play the game tomorrow against everyone in a new stadium and they are playing very well,” added the Villa manager.
“They are playing fantastic, I watched the matches, they are playing good football. It’s a club with a new stadium, they are so excited with the supporters, the players, the club. It’s the Premier League, I want to play matches like this.”
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West Ham: Before Saturday’s derby between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, extremely disgruntled home fans can’t help but wonder if it might not be so bad to have a person in charge like Daniel Levy, who delivers occasional success on and off the pitch. Jacob Steinberg reports on a club whose mutinous fans want Karren Brady and David Sullivan out …
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Ruben Amorim: “I think we are a better team”
Manchester United: Despite Manchester United’s embarrassing exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Grimsby on a wet night at Blundell Park, Ruben Amoirim says that this season’s Manchester United are a better side than the rabble he took over from Erik ten Hag and proceeded to make worse. While his side have looked okay(ish) in their opening three league games, it has to be said that the bar is low.
“I think we are a better team,” he told reporters. “If you see any aspect of the data we are a different team. We are ready to play the game but we have to show on Sunday. So I think we are a better team today.
“We believe in our team and I have that feeling. It will be a very good game. We know what to do. I have one more training. The table in the moment, it doesn’t matter. I just worry about maintaining the same principles. The way we fight for every ball.”
Manchester United have won just one of their three Premier League games so far this season, a somewhat fortuitous 3-2 victory over Burnley. Photograph: Conor Molloy/ProSports/ShutterstockShare
Amorim: “Altay [Bayindir] will start”
Manchester United: Ruben Amorim has explained his reluctance to give United’s new goalkeeper Senne Lammens a potential baptism of fire at the Etihad on Sunday. “Altay is going to continue,” he says. “It is a different league, a different country, different training, different ball. So we will try to maintain that and they will fight for the position but for me in this game is clear, Altay will start.”
On Lammens: “He is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential,” he says. “I know that we are in a moment where the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience. We are also in the moment where we have to look at the present but also with a focus on the future – so it is a little bit of both. He’s a guy with a great potential that is one more option [for us] to play, and he will be ready.”
On United’s decision to sign Lammens over Emi Martinez: “We have an option that can give us different things in the moment but also has a great potential to be our goalkeeper for a lot of years so that was out choice in the end.”
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Altay Bayindir to start derby in goal for Manchester United
Manchester United: Ruben Amorim is speaking to the media and has announced that Altay Bayindir will start in goal for Manchester United against Manchester City, despite the recent arrival of new signing Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on transfer deadline day.
It is news that is unlikely to fill United’s fans with confidence, given the shakiness of Bayindir’s performances in United’s opening three league games. Amorim has also revealed that Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Diego Dalot will miss the game through injury.
Altay Bayindir is being given the nod to start in goal for Manchester United against Manchester City on Sunday. Photograph: Conor Molloy/ProSports/ShutterstockShare
Manchester City: Asked if he can envisage spending 27 years in charge of Manchester City like Sir Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United, Pep is understandably non-committal. “I’ve said many times I don’t know what will happen [in the future],” he says. “Results dictate the positions and I have to make a good season. I will not stay if the club feels it needs change but right now I want to do it more than ever after what happened last season.
“I am not saying that just because of what I have done in the past. I like to look forward. But the time I am going to stay? When I first joined and signed for three years I would never expected to have stayed for a decade. I am so proud of that. I want to help the team, the club, again and again.”
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Manchester City: During his press conference this morning, Arne Slot made the bold and somewhat absurd claim that Alexander Isak is the best striker in the world. Pep Guardiola begs to differ as he is asked if he ranks Erling Haaland above the Swede.
“A little bit above,” he says. “Isak is an exceptional player. You asked me about Erling and he is top. Isak must be a top player because of what [Liverpool] paid. Another one would say Mbappe, Messi, Cristiano … I wouldn’t change Erling for anyone. I know him. I like him.”
Erling Haaland scored six goals in two victories for Norway during the international break, while Alexander Isak spent all but 18 scoreless minutes of Sweden’s two matches (one draw, one defeat) on the bench because he wasn’t match fit after spending the past six weeks on strike. Photograph: Fredrik Varfjell/APShare
Updated at 14.35 CEST
Manchester City: Having replaced Ederson, who was fabled for his ability to ping a 60-yard pass with laser-like precision, with Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is comaparatively weak with the ball at his feet, Pep Guardiola is quizzed about the qualities of his new Italian acquisition but seems to suggest that James Trafford will be first choice goalkeeper for now.
“I will not demand that Gigi [Donnarumma] does something he is not comfortable with,” he says. “We didn’t take Gigi to do what Ederson has done. Gigi has another quality. We have the potential with the keepers that we have to use them. Gigi is so tall, he is so huge. He is a big presence on the big stages. He did it in the Champions League last season. He is going to concede goals but all the while we will try and help him. James Trafford is a keeper for Man City, the keepers we can only have one. We have a season with many games and everyone will be involved.”
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Updated at 15.01 CEST
Manchester City: Pep Guardiola was late for his press conference but kicked it off by saying that while Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush are his only definite absentees through injury for Sunday’s Manchester derby, John Stones could feature. City have also included Kalvin Phillips in the 25-man squad they submitted to the Premier League this season, despite the midfielder not having played for the club since a Club World Championship match against Urawa Red Diamonds in December 2023.
Following underwhelming loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town, Phillips had been expected to move on this summer and was even relieved of his shirt number, so Tijjani Reijnders could wear it. A mooted return to Leeds United fell through because Phillips has been struggling with an achilles injury.
Kalvin Phillps has not played for Manchester City in almost two years. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PAShare
Manchester United women’s boots go walkabout
Women’s football: Manchester United have begun an investigation after a number of players’ boots were lost en route to their Women’s Champions League qualifier away to Norwegian side SK Brann yesterday.
The club had to buy a number of replacements in Norway in the hours before the first leg of the qualifying tie, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for Marc Skinner’s side. A local shop owner, Andre Gullord, told BBC Sport that the club had spent several thousand pounds replacing the boots.
“We are a big store but they were very lucky we had enough boots in stock that were the right size,” Gullord said. “They paid between £200 and £230 for each pair and £30 for the shin guards. We have had the odd player come in because they have left their boots behind but never the entire team.”
Midfielder Lisa Naalsund, who is from Bergen, told TV2 after the match that she had asked her mother to bring some boots to the stadium for her. A United spokesperson said: “A bag containing some of our players’ boots went missing during the journey to Bergen. We are investigating how this happened. In the meantime, we have secured new boots for all the affected players.”
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Ange Postecoglou ready for Sunday-Thursday demands
Ben Fisher
Nottingham Forest: Ange Postecoglou believes he is “better equipped” to juggle the Premier League and the Europa League at Nottingham Forest after struggling to perfect the balance at Tottenham. Spurs triumphed in Europe in May, clinching their first trophy since 2008, but their domestic form suffered as they lost a club-record 22 top-flight games and ended 17th, their worst Premier League finish.
The Australian, whose first game in charge of Forest is at Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime, revealed his new club had been doing their homework prior to his arrival in preparation for their return to European competition for the first time since 1996-96. Postecoglou said Forest have been studying how Spurs and Aston Villa, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season, coped with playing in Europe in recent years.
“I know the demands of Thursday-Sunday football, particularly when you’re playing away in Europe, and I think I’m better equipped to handle it as a manager and [so are] the staff I have,” Postecoglou said. “The club itself [Forest] has done a lot of work into understanding what it looks like; they’ve studied whether that was Spurs or Villa the last couple of years, so they’ve got a lot of information about the way each club handles these things. They’ve done all the right things but myself and the coaching staff have real-life experience and I think that will help us navigate it a bit better.”
Forest visit Real Betis in their opening Europa League match a week on Wednesday. “It is a massive challenge for all clubs in Europe,” added the new Forest head coach. “You’ve seen in recent years that very few clubs have been able to navigate that. Sitting where I am now there’s a squad there that has the ability to navigate the different competitions because playing in Europe is very different to playing domestically and is robust enough to handle what’s ahead.”
Ange Postecoglou hosted his first pre-match press conference as Nottingham Forest manager this morning. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAShare
Jack Grealish wins Premier League Player of the Month for August. While I know there is (or certainly used to be) a “curse” attached to this for managers, I have no idea if it applies to players. Everton’s on-loan winger will find out soon enough as he’s just won this particular gong for the first time in his career, becoming the first Everton player to do so since Dominic Calvert-Lewin received it for his performances in September 2020. Grealish has provided four assists in his first three appearances for Everton, more than any other player in the top flight at this early stage of the season. While it’s great to see Grealish given licence to play his natural game and doing so with a smile on his face, one suspects he will have to provide plenty more assists and chip in with a few goals if he is to weasel his way into England manager Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans.
Jack Grealish is congratulated by David Moyes after providing two assists in Everton’s 3-2 win over Wolves just before an international break the England international was not involved in. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/ReutersShare
Goalkeeping news: The question of who will line up between the sticks for their teams this weekend is certain to be one asked of Guardiola, Amorim and Emery. Gianluigi Donnarumma signed for Manchester City from Paris Saint-Germain for about £30m (€35m) on transfer deadline day but was unconvincing in Italy’s 5-4 win over Israel during the international break. Will he displace City’s other summer signing James Trafford for the Manchesterr derby?
Across the city, Manchester United have brought Senne Lammens in from Royal Antwerp and it will be interesting to see if Amorim is happy to throw the £18m signing in at the deep end at the Etihad. Meanwhile at Villa Park, Emi Martinez spent most of deadline day waiting on a move to Manchester United that failed to materialise. Will Emery re-integrate the Argentinian back into his squad or stick with Marco Bizot when his side try to win for the first time this season at Everton? Martinez is clearly the better goalkeeper but his apparent desperation to leave Villa during the window may not have gone down too well with the club’s fans or his head coach.
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Good afternoon everybody. We have high- and low-octane chat from no fewer than 12 different top flight press conferences coming up this afternoon, with Pep Guardiola, Ruben Amorim, Oliver Glasner and Unai Emery among those managers who may have a thing or two to get off their chests following the closure of the recent transfer window.
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Time to hand over to Barry Glendenning, who will keep you across all the latest news this afternoon.
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New England women’s friendlies announced
The England women’s team have announced three new friendly fixtures as part of a “homecoming series” for the double European champions. The Lionesses will face Brazil, Australia and Ghana in Manchester, Derby and Southampton respectively, in addition to a previously announced Wembley friendly against China.
“It is great that we can return to action after our incredible summer with four exciting fixtures at home,” said the head coach, Sarina Wiegman. “Each opponent will challenge us in different ways, which is exactly what we need with World Cup qualification beginning early next year. We love taking the team around the country … [it] gives us a lovely way to say thanks for the incredible support we have had this year and before.”
Here are the fixtures:
England v Brazil, Etihad Stadium (Sat 25 Oct, 5.30pm)
England v Australia, Pride Park (Tue 28 Oct, 7pm)
England v China, Wembley (Sat 29 Nov, 5.30pm)
England v Ghana, St Mary’s (Tue 2 Dec, 7pm)
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Updated at 13.02 CEST
More from Enzo Maresca on his Brazilian players, who are struggling to be ready for Saturday’s trip to Brentford having played at altitude in Bolivia this week.
João Pedro, Estêvão and Andrey Santos all featured in the 1-0 defeat on Wednesday, arrived back in England on Thursday. Midfielder Moisés Caicedo also returned late on Thursday night following Ecuador’s victory over Argentina.
“The three Brazilian players arrived yesterday, they didn’t train, they did some recovery sessions,” said Maresca. “Moisés arrived last night. They’re all a question mark for tomorrow.”
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In the Women’s Super League, Olivia Smith enjoyed an excellent debut for Arsenal after joining the Gunners for a then-world-record fee in July. It’s a sign of the pace of change in the women’s game that Smith’s £1m price has been surpassed three times already.
Orlando Pride set a new record in signing Lizbeth Ovalle from Tigres, before Alyssa Thompson (Angel City to Chelsea) and Grace Geyoro (PSG to London City Lionesses) moved for £1m+ on the WSL transfer deadline day.
Geyoro, the new record-holder, could make her WSL debut on Sunday as her Lionesses take on Manchester United, while Thompson will travel to Aston Villa in hope of getting her debut. Smith and Arsenal visit West Ham later tonight, with Manchester City v Brighton the other Friday evening kick-off.
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Philipp Lahm takes a look at two expensive Bundesliga imports – Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade – and how their careers compare so far.
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Grealish wins player of the month award
After a flying start to his loan spell at Everton, Jack Grealish has been named Premier League player of the month. Here he is receiving the award, which still looks like a bottle of Christmas gift-set shower gel, from teammate Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
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A little more from Eddie Howe, who said in his earlier presser that his relationship with Alexander Isak fundamentally changed after the player effectively went on strike.
“Alex and I always enjoyed a great relationship. I loved working with him and I hope he loved working with us,” Howe said. “He helped us achieve some unbelievable milestones [and] was part of a very successful team.”
The moment he went on strike, our relationship did change. I think that was probably a turning point in our relationship. Communication became difficult from that point onwards. I won’t go into any more detail than that.”
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With all three promoted clubs getting at least one win on the board in the opening three games, it feels like the gap between Premier League and Championship may be closing again – with the help of heavy investment, of course.
The effect can also be seen in the second tier, where relegated Ipswich and playoff final losers Sheffield United are both winless after four matches. They meet at Portman Road tonight in what feels like a high-stakes game already, particularly for Blades manager Rubén Sellés, whose team are bottom of the table after four straight losses.
As for Kieran McKenna, he has credit in the bank at Ipswich and has at least scraped three draws from four games – but those Chelsea and United links feel a long time ago.
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More from Maresca, on Cole Palmer’s injury recovery: “Cole took part in training yesterday for the first time, not the entire session. We are going to see if he’s okay [this afternoon], otherwise he will be out tomorrow.
On striking options in Delap’s absence: “For us, the only No 9 is [Marc] Guiu but João [Pedro] can play there, and against Fulham we used Ty [George].”
On new arrival Alejandro Garnacho: “He arrived here not 100% fit. He needs to work … he is working well and we will see. Hopefully we can give him minutes.”
Chelsea visit Brentford on Saturday (8pm BST kick-off), their fourth league game in a row against a fellow London team after drawing with Crystal Palace and beating both West Ham and Fulham before the international break.
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Enzo Maresca has discussed Thursday’s news of 74 historical FA charges against Chelsea relating to agent regulations – without really saying anything about it.
“I know from the club that they are satisfied about the process,” the Chelsea head coach said. “Personally, I have nothing to add. I have no idea, to be honest. I want to focus on the pitch, something I can control. The rest is not in my hands.”
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In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich are already looking formidable with two wins from two, including a 6-0 gubbing of RB Leipzig, but Vincent Kompany is warning against complacency when they host promoted Hamburg on Saturday.
“Every game has its dangers as teams want to win points against us,” Kompany said. “It is a match against a team with a lot of confidence and motivation. They won a lot of matches last season. You carry that from the second division when you are promoted,” he added, suggesting he has taken his eye off the Premier League in recent years.
The last time Hamburg avoided defeat in Munich, Kompany was on their subs’ bench – and he revealed that was the reason he decided to up sticks and join City, 12 months before their Abu Dhabi-backed takeover. “Hamburg brought me back [from the Olympics] and then I sat on the bench in Munich. On principle, it was unacceptable.”
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So, today’s theme appears to be expensive summer signings picking up costly injuries. Just bad luck, or a sign that the current transfer window setup isn’t that sensible? I personally think closing the window a week or two before the Premier League season starts would be better all round, but what do I know? Your thoughts welcome.
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Brighton part company with technical director David Weir
Some big news from Brighton, who have confirmed the departure of their technical director, David Weir. “David has served our club very well but we now wish to refresh our technical area with new leadership and direction,” said the Brighton owner. “I’d like to thank David for everything he has done for us, and to wish him well for the future.”
Having joined Brighton as pathway development manager in 2018, Weir became assistant technical director before replacing Dan Ashworth in May 2022. The club’s chief executive, Paul Barber, will oversee the role until a replacement is brought in.
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Liam Delap out for up to 12 weeks with injury
Another summer signing facing a long injury layoff is Chelsea’s Liam Delap. Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the striker faces up to 12 weeks out with the hamstring injury he picked up against Fulham.
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Manchester United visit City in Sunday’s derby, but will do so without André Onana. The Cameroon keeper completed his loan move to Turkish side Trabzonspor last night, so either new recruit Senne Lammens or Altay Bayindir will be in goal.
There is equal uncertainty over who will be between the sticks for the hosts. Will James Trafford keep his place or will Pep Guardiola throw new arrival Gigi Donnarumma straight into action?
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More from Eddie Howe, this time on the summer transfer window and the Alexander Isak affair. “That’s for another day and for probably people behind the scenes to reflect on,” Howe said. “For me, I have just got to focus on the future and look forward.”
“It was a challenging window but also a successful one, hopefully. Time will be the best judge of that. Our clear focus now is just the football. There are no off-pitch distractions and we are looking forward to that. I’m excited by the possibilities of this squad.”
Newcastle signed six senior players this summer – Wissa, Ramsey, Nick Woltemade, Anthony Elanga, centre-back Malick Thiaw and keeper Aaron Ramsdale (on loan).
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Updated at 11.29 CEST
Some transfer news announced on Thursday: Hull have signed João Mendes, the son of Brazil great Ronaldinho, on a one-year deal. Mendes, a 20-year-old winger, was on Burnley’s books last season and is expected to join the Tigers’ development squad.
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Eddie Howe has revealed that another of Newcastle’s summer recruits, Jacob Ramsey, will be out until after the next international break in October after suffering an ankle injury against Leeds.
In better news, Joelinton is “fit and available” for what his head coach called “a storm of games” in September. Newcastle face Wolves, Bournemouth and Arsenal in the league, Barcelona in the Champions League and Bradford in the Carabao Cup this month.
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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will be meeting the press shortly – but first, here are some thoughts on the women’s team from minority investor Alexis Ohanian.
Speaking in Tokyo, Reddit founder (and Mr Serena Williams) Ohanian backed the Blues to become “America’s team”, and “the first women’s football team to be worth a billion dollars.” Chelsea signed the US forward Alyssa Thompson from Angel City on deadline day for a fee in excess of £1m.
“[US interest] is not the only factor, but it’s a huge factor,” Ohanian added. “What I would like to point to is the number of Premier League teams that are easily worth billions of dollars, that have tremendous American and global fanbases. That is a valuable, valuable market for athletes. I absolutely want every American to have that one team in the WSL they cheer for, and I want it to be [Chelsea].”
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Wissa to see specialist over knee injury
In what could potentially be a big blow for Newcastle, Yoane Wissa is to see a specialist over the knee injury he suffered in DR Congo’s World Cup qualifier defeat by Senegal.
Eddie Howe has revealed the 29-year-old forward – a £55m deadline-day signing from Brentford – will definitely miss Saturday’s Premier League clash with Wolves. Wissa faces an anxious wait for an update before Thursday’s Champions League opener against Barcelona.
“He won’t make [the Wolves] game,” Howe told reports on Friday. “I saw him for the first time yesterday. He’s feeling the effects of the injury he sustained just before he came off. So we are going to have to see how he is.”
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Updated at 10.50 CEST
Slot on Isak: ‘we have to build him up gradually’
Will Unwin
Arne Slot has given his thoughts on the arrival of Alexander Isak, how he will be brought into the team, and criticism that the player received over his Newcastle exit.
“A lot of things happened on the last day, which is not always the situation because last season we hardly did anything during the whole window. The thing that pleased me most is us getting the deal for Alex over the line. Richard [Hughes], the ownership, everyone worked so hard to get the deal done, so it is very good for the club, for the fans, the players, for me that all the work they put in resulted in Alex signing for us.
“First of all, the Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson deserves a big compliment because he gets one of the best strikers in the world, maybe the best striker in the world, and needs to play two very important games, but he understands if he plays him twice for 90 minutes then probably the player would have been injured for multiple weeks. That is not always easy for a manager that he takes care of the interest of a player. He deserves a big compliment for that. We will treat Alex the same as he did.
“Don’t expect Alex to [play] 90 minutes on the pitch every single game. That’s definitely not going to happen for the next few weeks. He missed a proper pre-season … so now we have to build him up gradually. That is going to be a challenge, but we have signed him for six years so this is what we have to keep in mind, and what the fans have to keep in mind if I take him off in a certain moment or I only bring him in for a few moments. That is all for the fitness of the player.
“In football there is always criticism, sometimes people cheer for you. I think when he [Isak] won the League Cup [with Newcastle] everyone was really happy with him and in other moments you get criticised. This is part of his life, my life, our jobs. Now he is a player for us and I am really happy with that.
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot is up in front of the press pack early on, and he’s been talking about the failed deadline-day move for Marc Guéhi. “It would be ridiculous to deny we were close, that is out in the open,” Slot said.
“These things happen in football. We would have liked to sign him. It’s a pity for us and the player, but he is in a good place at Crystal Palace. Let’s see what the future brings for him and us … it’s not like we suddenly don’t have options in that position any more.”
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A busy morning awaits, and there’s no better place to start than with our big weekend Premier League preview …
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Preamble
The international break just gone was, relatively speaking, quite a lot of fun. That said, even with Norway hitting 11, Italy winning a nine-goal thriller, Suriname and Cape Verde heading towards the World Cup and – most shocking of all – England looking good, the Premier League’s unfinished business was never far from the headlines.
Since the last top-league fixtures were played in the heady final days of August, the table has remained frustratingly frozen three games in, but there are stacks of new signings from Alexander Isak to Gianluigi Donnarumma – and a new manager at Nottingham Forest in the shape of Ange Postecoglou.
He takes his new team to Arsenal tomorrow in what looks the weekend’s biggest game, save for a Sunday Manchester derby both teams would probably prefer to skip. Elsewhere, Everton v Aston Villa, West Ham v Spurs, Brentford v Chelsea and Burnley v Liverpool all offer chances for early-season form to be reinforced or flipped on its head.
It’s also back to work in the EFL and around Europe, and the Women’s Super League continues with West Ham v Arsenal and London City Lionesses v Manchester United among the more intriguing fixtures. Team news, buildup, previews and plenty more to come, so let’s put on our classics and we’ll have a little dance, shall we?
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