Sheffield Wednesday handed 12-point deduction
A very bad day in the history of the storied football club that is Shefield Wednesday has just got a little bit worse following the news that the club has been docked 12 points with immediate effect by the EFL after going into administration.
The penalty was inevitable but has now been confirmed. Wednesday host Oxford United at Hillsborough tomorrow and will go into the game bottom of the table on -6 points after 11 games.
“The EFL can confirm that it has now received formal notice that Dejphon Chansiri, the director of Sheffield Wednesday football club, has taken the necessary steps to appoint administrators to both the club and also the company which owns Hillsborough,” said an EFL statement.
“Whilst this development results in the automatic deduction of 12 points in accordance with regulations agreed by all clubs, it also presents Sheffield Wednesday with the opportunity to move matters towards a successful sale and secure future under new ownership. The Championship league table will be updated with immediate effect.”
The Cultue Secretary Lisa Nandy, a longtime critic of the manner in which Chansiri runs Sheffield Wednesday has also had her say on today’s events. “For the fans, staff and players of Sheffield Wednesday this is an extremely worrying situation,” she said. “Having been in this position with my own team, Wigan Athletic, I know everyone who loves the club will be hoping for a resolution as soon as possible.
“Situations like this are exactly why this Government set up the new Independent Football Regulator. Owners should be good custodians who act with their club’s best interests in mind and clearly, in this instance, that has not been the case.
“We are working quickly to give the Regulator the powers it needs so it can better secure the future of football clubs and ensure they remain at the heart of their communities.”
A protest message projected onto the side of the stadium ahead of the Championship match at Hillsborough Stadium between Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough on Tuesday night. The match was boycotted by thousands of Wednesday fans. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PAShare
Updated at 08.19 EDT
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That’s my cameo done. I’ll hand you back to Barry with more hot news and press conference reaction.
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Sheffield Wednesday: Some quotes here from The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust, who have described today’s news as “one of the most bittersweet days in our club’s proud 158-year history”.
“Entering administration was the inevitable outcome of years of financial mismanagement, a lack of accountability and repeated failures to engage credible buyers,” the Trust statement continued.
“Administration is not to be celebrated. It needn’t have ended this way. But we are overjoyed to have Dejphon Chansiri out of our club for good.”
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El Clasico: It’s the latest showdown between Real Madrid and Barcelona this weekend (3.15pm Sunday), with the hosts looking to end a run of four straight defeats across league and cup. It’s fair to expect goals!
11 May 2025: Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid
26 Apr 2025: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
12 Jan 2025: Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona
26 Oct 2024: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona
21 Apr 2024: Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona
14 Jan 2024: Real Madrid 4-1 Barcelona
Here’s Sid Lowe’s report from the last meeting when Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick but ended up on the losing side.
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Wayne Rooney is 40! Wazza shares his birthday (October 24) with Roman Abramovich, Bill Wyman, Drake, Kevin Kline and former Emperor of Ancient Rome, Domitian.
Let’s take a look back at his best bits…
I think we know what No.1 is.Share
Fun and games at IFAB: Extending VAR’s reach, potentially to cover second yellow cards, could be discussed at a meeting of football’s lawmakers next week.
Olympiacos player Santiago Hezze was controversially dismissed against Barcelona in the Champions League this week when he was shown a second yellow for what was deemed a foul on Marc Casado.
Replays showed minimal contact between Hezze’s arm and Casado’s face as the pair challenged for the ball, but the Barca player’s reaction convinced Swiss referee Urs Schnyder to issue a second yellow.
Under the current protocol, the VAR could not send Schnyder to review the decision. However, that could change in the future.
The football and technical panels of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the laws of the game, will meet next Tuesday. The panels, which include former players, are free to raise topics they wish to discuss, which could include a debate around the effectiveness of the existing VAR protocol and whether it should be extended.
That could be the first step to decisions being taken at a later date by the IFAB directors – the chief executives of the English, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh football associations and Mattias Grafstrom, the secretary general of FIFA.
The PA news agency understands there have been debates around the inclusion of second yellow cards since ‘day one’ of VAR’s introduction, but there have been – and remain – concerns around whether extending the protocol may change referee behaviour in awarding first or second yellow cards.
The panels are also set to discuss whether fresh measures to tackle time-wasting should be looked at.
The introduction of the eight-second rule for goal kicks out of hand has generally been deemed a success, and consideration is set to be given by the panel to whether time limits could be brought in for throw-ins and dead-ball goal kicks.
Trials may then be approved as early as the IFAB’s annual business meeting in January.
The offside law is also on the agenda for Tuesday. Panellists are set to be updated on trials of the ‘daylight’ offside law – where an attacker is onside if any part of his body that can score is level with the second-last defender.
The trials, backed by FIFA chief of global football development Arsene Wenger, were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic but have now taken place in youth competitions in countries such as China and Canada.
Panellists will be asked to take a step back and have a discussion on what the issues are around the offside law that football would want any law change to solve – would the change aim to cut out ‘marginal’ offsides, or to promote attacking play, for instance.
There is acceptance that care must be taken not to change the law purely for the benefit of top-level football, where VAR is in use, and that it must be applicable and understandable all the way down to grassroots.
(PA Media)
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Premier League table: It’s 16th plays 19th tonight and, apparently, this is the first time Elland Road has staged a Friday night Premier League game since December 2020 when the visitors were… West Ham. The Hammers won that one 2-1 via goals from Tomas Soucek and Angelo Ogbonna.
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Thanks Barry. Just under eight hours until the first of this weekend’s Premier League matches – Leeds v West Ham. I’m 37 minutes away from Elland Road according to my Sat Nav. Currently sunny with a moderate breeze although rain forecast for later. Some more interesting facts for you here:
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With just four points in eight Premier League matches, this is West Ham’s worst ever start to a Premier League season, while in the top-flight they last had as few as four after eight games in 1988-89 (also 4), eventually finishing 19th and being relegated.
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Leeds are averaging 13 shots per game in the Premier League this season, the highest rate by a promoted side since Leeds themselves in 2020-21 (13.7). However, their conversion rate is just 6.7%, their lowest on record in a league season (since 2013-14).
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Handover: David Tindall is here for an hour while I take a break.
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Lionesses: England women head coach Sarina Wiegman has confirmed Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley has joined the Lionesses squad as Hannah Hampton recovers from a “small injury” that will keep her out of Saturday’s game against Brazil at the City of Manchester Stadium. Wiegman has also confirmed that Lotte Wubben-Moy has withdrawn from the squad after “feeling unwell.”
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Sheffield Wednesday file for administration
Breaking news: Championship side Sheffield Wednesday have filed for administration amid the club’s mounting financial issues, a court filing from this morning showed. The English Football League (EFL) had previously charged the club with multiple breaches of regulations for the persistent late payment of players’ wages.
This is the latest in a series of off-field setbacks for Wednesday, whose owner Dejphon Chansiri has failed to pay players and staff on time in five out of the last seven months. Thousands of fans boycotted their home defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough earlier this week in protest against the club’s ownership. Wednesday have been placed under various embargoes amid tax debts and for their late payments to players and staff, including in September.
Under EFL rules, Wednesday, who are already bottom of the Championship, will now receive an automatic 12-point points deduction for going into administration. The penalty would leave them on -6 points after 11 games. Wednesday host fellow strugglers Oxford United tomorrow.
Even the Government has joined calls for Chansiri to sell up. “The Government’s view is very strongly that football club owners are custodians of those clubs, and they have a responsibility to hand them on in better shape to the next owner and to the next generation of fans,” the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told a select committee on 10 September.
“In Sheffield Wednesday’s case, I am really extremely concerned about the current ownership and the lack of willingness to sell the club and invest in the club, something I’ve been discussing very closely with local MPs. The Government is keeping a very close eye on it and our message to those owners is that change is coming.”
A projection of protest on the side of Hillsborough Stadium urging Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri to leave the club. Photograph: Matt West/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 06.55 EDT
Brighton: Fabian Hurzeler’s side travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United tomorrow evening and the Brighton head coach has been discussing the tactics he envisages Ruben Amorim’s side employing.
“I think they are playing more direct and more vertical style so more long balls trying to target [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Benjamin] Sesko, trying to win the second balls and continue on the wing,” he said. “Trying to attack the box with deep runs and of course they have a lot of individual qualities. They can change the game with one action. No matter who it is. They are a danger for us and we have to be staying alive for 90 minutes because they can score from every phase.”
Asked about United’s difficulties when it comes to stringing back-to-back victories together, the young German was understandably both diplomatic and complimentary. “It’s not my job to comment on that but the only thing I can say is that I am really looking forward to competing against one of the best managers,” he said. “I think [Amorim] is one of the best, of course he’s not in an easy phase with Manchester but he’s proved in the past how good he can be. Why can’t they win three games in a row? I don’t know because I’m not there.”
Should United win tomrorow it will be the first time they have won three consecutive Premier League matches since Amorim took charge almost a year ago. In January this year they won back-to-back-toback games in two different competitions against Rangers, Fulham and the Romanian side FCSB.
Fabian Hurzeler takes his Brighton side to Old Trafford to face Manchester United tomorrow. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Neal Simpson/Apl/SportsphotoShare
Updated at 06.15 EDT
Slot unconcerned about Salah’s lack of goals
Liverpool: Arne Slot is sitting before reporters and tells them that both Alexander Isak and Thomas Gravenberch are “a doubt” for tomorrow’s away trip to Brentford. Jeremie Frimpong has definitely been ruled out with the hamstring injury that put a stop to his midweek gallop against Eintracht Frankfurt early on Wednesday night. Alisson also remains sidelined with a hammy he picked up against Galatasaray.
As is becoming customary, Slot was asked about Florian Wirtz who had one of his better games in a Liverpool shirt against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday. “It was more difficult to do what he did against Manchester United [to provide an assist for Cody Gakpo] than his assist for Dominik Szoboszlai,” said Slot. “His general game I have liked, but if you lose a game then you hear about the negative things. On Wednesday we generated the same amount of chances from open play than we did in those recent defeats.”
Asked if this is a difficult time for Mo Salah, who is enduring a slump in form by his own usual high standards and was dropped against Frankfurt, Slot had this to say: “It’s a difficult moment for all of us because no one is used to losing. Players miss chances and he is a human being. We are not used to him missing chances.
“The main thing is that he always has scored goals for Liverpool. The last thing I worry about is Mo scoring goals again. He’s done that his entire life and I expect him to do that again in the coming weeks and months. Quite a few changes in the squad means everyone needs to find new connections.”
Mo Salah was dropped for Liverpool’s midweek match against Eintracht Frankfurt and failed to impress after coming on as a second-half substitute. Photograph: Javier García/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 07.08 EDT
Chelsea’s Liam Delap is back in training
Chelsea: Speaking of the hamstrung Chelsea striker, Enzo Maresca has just told reporters that Delap is back training with the first team squad after recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him out of his side’s match against Fulham at the end of August and has kept him sidelined ever since. Tomorrow’s match against Sunderland has come too soon for the 22-year-old but all going well he will be in the Chelsea squad for next week’s Carabao Cup match against Wolves.
Liam Delap receives onfield treatyment for the hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of August. Photograph: David Cliff/EPAShare
Updated at 06.35 EDT
Sunderland: Staying in the north-east, the head coach of the region’s biggest club has been talking ahead of his team’s trip to Chelsea tomorrow afternoon. Level on points with their hosts but behind them on goal difference, Sunderland have defied the expectations of many (including me and I’m a fan) by taking 14 points from the first 24 available since coming up through the Championship playoffs and their youthful side will take on any even younger one tomorrow in what should prove a stern test of both sides’ metal at Stamford Bridge.
“You can’t solve everything with money,” said Regis Le Bris, presumably after being asked about the £170m on new players his employers spent during the summer. “You need money to be competitive in the market, but after that, you have to develop your own expertise according to the profile you need and the identity you have at the club. I think the identity of the club is totally open with the young profiles we need for the squad, and the balance of the squad with more experienced players.”
Sunderland will be without Paraguayan defender Omar Alderete due to concussion, but Reinildo Mandava is available again after serving a three-match suspension. Noah Sadiki has overcome a minor ankle knock.
Le Bris shrugged off the prospect of facing striker Marc Guiu, who joined Sunderland on a season-long loan from Chelsea in August only for the deal to be terminated less than a month later after Liam Delap suffered a serious injury. “We appreciated the short spell we had with Marc, but now it’s another story,” he said, of a youngster who scored one in three appearances before leaving with the best wishes of fans. “The market is the market and sometimes you have to face unpredictable situations.”
In Regis we trust. Photograph: Scott Heppell/ReutersShare
Newcastle: Eddie Howe’s side were mightily impressive in Champions League victory against Benfica in midweek, arguably a performance of the season that stood in contrast to last weekend’s defeat at the hands of Brighton and their stuttering start to the Premier League campaign. Howe was asked to explain the differences between his side’s two performances.
“It’s all down to mentality,” he said. “It is down to our attitude. There is no difference to me between a pre-season game or Premier League game. Whatever the competition, our attitude has to be the same. Our attitude against Benfica was very, very good but now we need to back that up with a consistent performance and a will to win.”
Newcastle host Fulham tomorrow in one of only two Saturday kick-offs scheduled for three o’clock.
Anthony Gordon stares down the barrel after scoring in Newcastle United’s midweek demolition job on Benfica. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Ed Sykes/Apl/SportsphotoShare
Updated at 05.26 EDT
Brighton: Following his recent run of good form, there have been calls for Thomas Tuchel to consider the Brighton veteran Danny Welbeck for selection when picking his next England squad. The 34-year-old has not played for England since 2018 but scored his highest ever tally of 10 Premier League goals last season for Brighton and already has four to his name this time around.
While those numbers are far from mind-blowing, given the paucity of quality back-up for Harry Kane in Tuchel’s squad, calls for the German to give him a run-out are understandable although his chances of getting on The Plane to the World Cup would appear to be fairly slim unless he qualifies as a commercial pilot or flight attendant in the next seven or eight months.
“I didn’t talk to him about that but I’m sure he’s only focused on performing here and performing well, that’s the only thing he can influence, the rest isn’t in his hands and he can’t control,” said Fabian Hurzeler, his head coach at Brighton this morning.
“It’s only about performance and improving every week and being ready to play at the highest level. I’m sure Thomas [Tuchel] will watch him and I’m happy to see that England are progressing well with Thomas so I’m sure he will make the right decision and let’s see what he will decide regarding Danny.”
In news that came as a total shock to those of us who had always presumed that he routinely banged in between 12 or 15 Premier League goals a season, Danny Welbeck hit double figures in the English top flight for the first time in the last campaign. Photograph: David Horton/Sports Press Photo/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 05.14 EDT
Bernardo Silva lauds “special” John Stones
Jamie Jackson
Manchester City: Bernardo Silva is clear that “special” John Stones maintaining his fitness can be the key to Manchester City again being a force.
“John gives us something that is difficult to find in terms of him as a central defender: that with the ball he can go into the midfield to help us in the buildup,” said the City captain. “And that’s something that is very difficult to find. Look, it’s my ninth season at Man City and when John is fit, the team always plays much better. It’s not a coincidence. He’s a special player. He just needs to take care of his body and make sure that he’s available. Because I’m pretty sure that if he’s available, he’s going to be a real force.”
City are unbeaten in nine games, drawing two. Silva pointed to the rearguard as fundamental to their good run. “We found a bit more of our rhythm,” he said. “We found the stability at the back; I think that gives the freedom for the guys at front to play in a different way. I always say that when you’re stable at the back, when the team defends properly, and we’re now defending quite well, then that’s when you can win football games.
“The guys up front can make a difference. That’s what we didn’t have for a long time last season, and that’s what we’re getting back to, to having that stability. We’re happy with the momentum, but still a long way to go. It’s just one month that we were quite good. If we want to be successful this season, we need to keep it that way for much longer than just one month.”
Rodri may return soon from a hamstring problem. “He’s almost there,” said Silva. “He’s almost training with the team. He feels better. We need to be calm because he’s coming from an injury [anterior cruciate ligament sustained in September 2024] that we all know about. His body hasn’t been working for a long time, but little by little he’s coming back. We need him a lot. He’s very important to us.”
Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has been singing the praises of his teammate John Stones. Photograph: Nicola Mastronardi/IPA Sport/ipa-agency.net/ShutterstockShare
Newcastle United: Eddie Howe is in the house and his first order of business is to discuss Sandro Tonali, who sat out Newcastle’s impressive midweek Champions League win over Benfica with a knee injury. It was revealed during the week that the Italian midfielder had signed a new deal with Newcastle during the 10-month ban for gambling he served from October 2023. Tonali is now contracted to Newcastle until May 2029, while the club have an option to extend the deal for another year.
Howe revealed that Tonali is a doubt for tomorrow’s match against Fulham but is being monitored. “A lot happened around the time that he was banned,” he added. “A lot of discussions between Sandro’s representatives and the football club. Obviously there was the contract situation involving him and sacrificial wages that Sandro volunteered, which I thought spoke volumes for his mentality and how he conducted himself in that period.
“And the club came to an agreement so he had an extension of his contract which is a great thing but most importantly how he conducted himself in that ban – I thought he was brilliant and that has led to his brilliant performances. It’s a two-way thing. Sandro has felt the love with everyone connected to the club.
“The supporters have been absolutely incredible with him, during the ban for one but that support during the ban then followed through with helping Sandro return to football and helping him with his issues off the pitch. He needed that support at that time and now we are seeing the benefits. He has been brilliant since returning to football.”
Sandro Tonali has been an outstanding performer in Newcastle’s midfield since returning from the 10-month ban imposed upon him by Italian authorities following his move to Tyneside. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty ImagesShare
Rafa Benitez appointed Panathinaikos boss
Greek Super League: The 65-year-old former Liverpool, Valencia, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Inter boss has signed a two-year deal to become the new head coach of the Greek side Panathinaikos. It’s his 17th different managerial job but his first in Greece. Benitez has not worked as a head coach for 19 months, since being sacked by the Spanish side, Celta Vigo. His new club currently sit seventh in the Greek Super League table with nine points after six games.
“What’s the deal with airplane food?!?!” Photograph: Pierre Teyssot/IPA Sport/ipa-agency.net/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 04.46 EDT
Friday press conferences: I am a habitually early riser and can rarely be found in my cot after 6am but it’s not often I’m up and about before Eddie Howe, who invariably forces the ladies and gentlemen of the north-eastern press pack out of their beds at the crack of dawn for his Friday morning press conferences. There’s no word from the Newcastle head coach yet but I’m told we’ll be hearing from him soon ahead of his team’s match against Fulham at St James’ Park tomorrow …
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Nottingham Forest: Following an eight-game winless run under Ange Postecoglou, Nottingham Forest kept their first clean sheet for 21 games in beating Porto 2-0 at the City Ground last night, in the process consigning the Portuguese side to defeat for the first time in 12 matches this season. It’s small wonder Sean Dyche, Postecoglou’s replacement, looked pleased with himself and his players afterwards.
“When you are on the side you don’t hear every word, you hear a noise and you know if it’s a positive noise or a negative noise,” he said. “I’m not here to judge or question anything, just deliver what I can to the job. It’s nice when they support you from the off, winning helps.
“These fans are pretty fair, win, lose or draw if they see a team out there wearing the shirt with pride and I think they’ll accept that. To get it off with a good performance and a win is very pleasing for them. If they can accept me and my staff and what’s going on that’s got to be a bonus. Hopefully it will fast track the feeling around the ground.”
Sean Syche applauds home fans at the City Ground following his new side’s win over Portuguese league leaders Porto. Photograph: MI News/NurPhoto/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 04.29 EDT
James Tavernier: “A disgraceful performance”
Rangers: With his side anchored to the foot of the 36-strong Europa League group stage table with zero points from three games, Rangers captain James Tavernier did not mince his words after he and his teammates suffered a chastening defeat at the hands of Brann in Norway last night.
“It’s just a disgraceful performance, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “All the years I’ve been here, the consistency of poor performance that we’re putting in, I’ve not experienced it before. Some of us show our aggression after the games, after we get beaten – you expect all the lads to take that in, but we have to look at ourselves much harder.”
Just a thought, James, but maybe try showing some of that aggression during the games?
Rangers captain James Tavernier was not a happy bunny following the latest in a long line of embarrassing performances at home and abroad that have left his side bottom of the Europa League ladder with no points after three matches. Photograph: George Tewkesbury/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 04.23 EDT
Marcus Rashford: “Sometimes you just need a change”
In news that is unlikely to come as much of a surprise to many, Marcus Rashford has made it clear he wants to stay at Barcelona as he gears up for his first El Clasico against Real Madrid this weekend.
Rashford moved to Barcelona on loan from Manchester United this summer and the La Liga giants have the option of making the deal permanent next year. Having scored five goals in 12 games including a double in the midweek Champions League thrashing of Olympiacos, the 27-year-old is clear where his future lies.
“Oh yeah, for sure,”” he said, upon being asked by ESPN if he wants to stay at the Spanish champions. “I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it’s an honour.”
Rashford has a contract at Old Trafford until 2028 but having also spent a brief spell on loan at Aston Villa last season it is highly unlikely he will return under current boss Ruben Amorim. “People forget this, but 24, 23 years of my life was with Manchester United, so sometimes you just need a change,” added Rashford. “I think maybe this is the case with me and I’m enjoying everything.”
Marcus Rashford is contracted to Manchester United until 2028 but has decalred that he wants to stay at Barcelona, where he is currently on loan. Photograph: Image Photo Agency/Getty ImagesShare
Celtic 2-1 Sturm Graz
Europa League: On a night when Rangers and Aberdeen were humbled in Norway and Greece respectively, Celtic flew the flag for the Scottish Premiership with a come-from-behind win against Sturm Graz, writes Ewan Murray from Celtic Park.
Celtic’s players applaud their fans after coming from behind to beat Sturm Graz at Celtic Park. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/ShutterstockShare
Brann 3-0 Rangers
Europa League: Newly appointed Rangers boss Danny Röhl discovered his new side’s problems run deeper than their former manager Russell Martin as they were blitzed 3-0 by Brann in Bergen.
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl looks pensive ahead of his post-match debrief with travelling fans following his new side’s defeat in Bergen. Photograph: Kirk O’Rourke/Rangers FC/ShutterstockShare
Crystal Palace 0-1 AEK Larnaca
Europa Conference League: Oliver Glasner’s side were handed a harsh lesson about what it takes to be successful at this level by the team from Cyprus. Ed Aarons reports from Selhurst Park …
AEK Larnaca’s players milk the plaudits of their travelling fans after seeing off Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Josh Smith/PPAUK/ShutterstockShare
Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 Aston Villa
Europa League: Emi Buendia missed a late penalty and Aston Villa suffered a Europa League humbling as they failed to do it against the Dutch minnows on a wet and windy Thursday night in Deventer.
Go Ahead Eagles captain Mats Deijl allows himself a smile after his side had come from behind to beat profligate Aston Villa on a filthy night at the Stadion De Adelaarshorst. Photograph: Marcel ter Bals/MTB-Photo/ShutterstockShare
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Porto
Europa League: Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus got the goals as Sean Dyche managed to achieve in one match what his predecessor Ange Postecoglou couldn’t pull off in eight – victory for Nottingham Forest. Ben Fisher reports from the City Ground …
Morgan Gibbs-White pointedly holds a finger to his ear as he wheels away after scoring Nottingham Forest’s opener from the penalty spot. Photograph: Andrew Kearns/CameraSport/Getty ImagesShare
This weekend’s Premier League fixtures
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Leeds United v West Ham (Friday 8pm)
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Chelsea v Sunderland (Saturday 3pm)
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Newcastle United v Fulham (3pm)
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Manchester United v Brighton (5:30pm)
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Brentford v Liverpool (8pm)
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Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest (Sunday 2pm)
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Arsenal v Crystal Palace (2pm)
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Aston Villa v Manchester City (2pm)
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Wolves v Burnley (2pm)
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Everton v Tottenham Hotspur (4.30pm)
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View the Premier League table
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Friday and Saturday times BST
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Sunday’s times GMT
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Clocks go back at 2am on Sunday morning
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In case you didn’t know
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And yes, your smart phone does know
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Something for the weekend …
Greetings all and welcome to your Friday football fix at a time when the Premier League weekend is so close you can almost taste the over-priced, simultaneously lukewarm and volcanically hot half-time pie. As well as the usual glorious chorus of managerial clichés that precedes each weekend’s action, we’ll be bringing you updates on varous touch-and-go “knocks”, insistences that there “no easy games in this league” and assorted solemn declarations that various head coaches are “taking it one game at a time”.
We’ll also have slightly bleary-eyed reaction to last night’s Europa League and Europa Conference League action. Who played a full-strength side and won? Who rotated their squad and lost 2-1 to a team whose shirt sponsor is a Dutch 3D printing company? And which coach is most likely to blame the “Thursday night effect” for any domestic Sunday struggles?
Beyond the main talking points, we will, as usual, cover any other news that may present itself as the day unfolds. It’s all to play for, so settle in and let’s get this show on the road.
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Updated at 04.30 EDT
