That’s about all we’ve got time for today. It’s always a pleasure to helm the Friday football blog and this one has been jam-packed full of news.
There’s a big juicy weekend of action to look forward to, of course. And I’ll leave you with Football Daily, which has just landed online and will be coming to your email inbox any minute now. Mercifully, it’s not about Rúben Amorim – there’s plenty to read about him elsewhere on the website – but the entertaining world of the Championship. Bye and enjoy!
Updated
If you’ve already got Amorim fatigue then this comes with our apologies, but since it’s been the news of the day it’s interesting to see the reaction from inside the Manchester United camp.
And who better than Portugal international Diogo Dalot to provide the insight on his fellow countryman?
“He is a fantastic coach and knows what he wants. Very demanding is what I can expect. It’s a perfect match for a club like this,” Dalot told Sky Sports.
“The Premier League suits people from Portugal. We have a culture of constantly trying to improve ourselves as we come from a small country. I really hope that it is one more case. I am really excited to start working with him.”
Howe is Eddie faring? Louise Taylor with the analysis.
Updated
A native Portuguese speaker has helpfully advised us all how to pronounce the main man’s name.
Manuel Alves emails in: “In case anyone is interested in ‘hearing’ from a Portuguese speaker, here is how to pronounce Rúben Amorim: Roo-ben Amor-ing (say the “ing” part without sounding out the “g”).
“It’s almost as if you wanted to say the phrase ‘a moor’ with the same emphasis as you’d say ‘a door’. Most people say the first part of his last name well enough but then they make the mistake of closing their lips on the last syllable — that ‘m’ at the end is usually the problem.”
SO NOW YOU KNOW.
Updated
There’s not a whole heap of optimism re Rúben Amorim in my inbox. Sorry Roobs.
Norman Hansen: “The problem at Manchester United has not been the manager since Fergie left. The problem is that they have for many years now brought in players who are not good enough. Alexis Sánchez anyone? Pogba? Harry Maguire? Fred? Depay? Lukaku? Antony? And not only have they brought in mediocre players, they have overpaid for them. Until they fix the incoming transfer problem, they will not fix their position in the table.”
Andrew Benton: “The task ahead for Amorim is an impossible one – to bring back the glory days. They’ve gone and won’t return, they were once in a lifetime, so many things fell into place at the time and the team evolved into various forms of greatness, but with a core functionality that worked brilliantly for years. So he’s left with doing what? Staving off more failures, avoiding the drop? I give him until the end of the season at the latest.”
McKenna has his own message for Amorim as a former United coach – and one-time Old Trafford managerial candidate:
He said: “I wish him all the best. It is a club I have an affinity with and always want to see them do well, hopefully not in the game that is coming up [against Ipswich].
“Other than that I wish them all the best and I’m sure he will be a good addition to the league.”
Updated
Three teams are incredibly still winless after nine Premier League games this season, yet all three managers of said clubs have survived the chop thus far. There is the infamous November international break lurking, though, which will surely spell trouble for someone..
Of the trio, Gary O’Neil feels under the most pressure because, for all his ranting and raving against VAR and the lack of funds available to him in the summer, the simple truth is that few foresaw Wolves’ struggles this season. “We are going to attack it full throttle,” O’Neil says on their clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday teatime. There’s little room for failure.
The two other winless sides are promoted Southampton and Ipswich, with Saints’ Russell Martin seemingly facing far more scrutiny than Kieran McKenna. “We haven’t felt like we have come away with what we should have,” Martin told journalists today, presumably a nod to the impressive underlying numbers Southampton are racking up while failing to win. At home to Everton this weekend, only one number matters. They have to win.
The same can be said of Ipswich, who are at home to Leicester. It’s a big weekend down at the bottom.
Slegers to remain Arsenal Women interim boss
Renee Slegers says she will remain as Arsenal’s interim head coach for the team’s next five fixtures.
The Dutchwoman, who had been working as assistant boss, was placed in temporary charge when Jonas Eidevall resigned on October 15. Slegers has since overseen a 4-1 Champions League victory over Valerenga and 2-0 Women’s Super League victory at West Ham.
Between now and the next international break, Arsenal have WSL matches against Manchester United, at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday, Brighton and Tottenham, as well as facing Juventus home and away in the European competition.
And Slegers told a press conference on Friday: “I’ll be in the interim role for this block, that’s what I know. So this block, these five games.”
Asked if she could see herself doing the job longer term, Slegers said: “I definitely see myself doing it at the moment because I enjoy working with the girls, for the club, trying to get successes. I really enjoy the role, but obviously if you do it over a longer time it becomes different. But the work I’m doing now, I’m really enjoying my role at the moment.” PA
Uh, oh, bad news for Palace.
Oliver Glasner confirms that Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton will both miss Crystal Palace's trip to Wolves tomorrow, with Eze ruled out until after the international break and Wharton for around four weeks ⬇ pic.twitter.com/mnBoHVoq1V
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 1, 2024
Dwight Yorke named Trinidad and Tobago manager
Dwight Yorke has been appointed as the new head coach of Trinidad and Tobago.
It is the former Manchester United striker’s second job in management, after a spell in charge of Australian club side Macarthur and he will be tasked with World Cup qualification, as the nation target a spot at the 2026 tournament in North America.
Yorke said: “As a player I experienced some incredible moments in a Trinidad and Tobago shirt. With this squad I hope they can continue as head coach.
“The opportunity to work with this talented, close-knit group of players is something I look forward to.”
Yorke, who also played for Aston Villa, Sunderland and Blackburn, will work alongside former T&T teammate Angus Eve and the current interim head coach, Derek King.
United and INEOS have been smart with this transition and, although they should have sacked ETH in the summer, they deserve praise for reacting quickly. They identified their target and got the deal sorted ASAP – despite a hitch or two. #mufc
— Dominic Booth (@DomBooth19) November 1, 2024
Pep Guardiola has 'no advice' for Rúben Amorim
Some will view these comments from the Manchester City boss as a thinly-veiled dig at Manchester United and their incoming manager. In all likelihood, Guardiola is just probably not that interested in answering questions on another club, especially one 13 places below City in the table.
“Welcome to Manchester United, to England, and I congratulate him next Tuesday [when City play Sporting]. We faced each other two or three seasons ago in the Champions League so yeah, welcome...
No advice. I’m not the right person to give advice to colleagues. Not because he’s [at] United, I think they have a lot of people in United that will tell him the situation in the club, so I cannot give him advice…
Will Amorim say ‘mate’ as often as Big Ange? No.
Will Amorim become Big Ange’s big mate? Maybe.
"Looking forward to meeting him" 💬
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 1, 2024
Ange Postecoglou on facing Ruben Amorim as Manchester United's new head coach 👊pic.twitter.com/0U5argeHmd
From Ben to Rio – and the latter has a ringing endorsement of Rúben Amorim via Nani.
Rúben Amorim the new @ManUtd manager!
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) November 1, 2024
Welcome 👌🏽 #MUFC
pic.twitter.com/BIDe3mMJdm
“Hey Dom,” emails Ben Monroe-Lake. “I’m not a United fan, so as is customary, I’ve been greatly enjoying them flapping in the wind since Fergie left. Especially as they have taken the mantle of (sigh) banter club from my beloved Arsenal.
“The feeling I have now is exactly the same as I had when Ten Hag was hired. That of creeping fear. They’ve hired a systems manager! They are sorting out the backroom! Transfers won’t be overseen by a bunch of salesmen!
“Yet, as we all know, none of it mattered and it all went wrong and now everything is exactly the same as it was then. I have no idea if Amorim is good enough to take on this job but for the sake of my personal enjoyment, I hope he continues in Ten Hag’s illustrious work. (I’m sorry United fans).”
I wish I could tell United fans it’s all going to be different now but the evidence gives more weight to Ben’s argument, as it stands.
Maresca has also been asked about his fellow Enzo – Fernandez – with the Chelsea midfielder coming in for criticism of late and finding himself on the fringes of the Blues’ first choice XI. Romeo Lavia has partnered Moises Caicedo in Chelsea’s past two Premier League games – a combination that Maresca will surely stick with against United on Sunday.
“Don’t look just at Enzo,” said Maresca. “I still trust Enzo, there is no reason in the world I can lose confidence in him. The reason why he is not playing in the Premier League is because I take another decision but my confidence is 100% with Enzo.
“I like to say that we don’t have an A or B team. There are players that are fantastic but we don’t have indispensable players. If Cole [Palmer] isn’t playing, we play Joao [Felix]. If Nico [Jackson] doesn’t play, we play Christo [Nkunku]. There is not one we can’t change.
“The reason why we change players is because they’re all good. You are looking for some different reasons for Enzo but he is going to play for sure in the future. It doesn’t mean Romeo and Moises are always going to play.”
Postecoglou reveals Spurs injury issues for Villa game
A bit more from Ange on Van de Ven’s absence and Tottenham’s other injury issues:
Postecoglou: “He was disappointed, obviously, and he was looking forward to the [Man City] game so a bit emotional, but it’s definitely not a bad one like last time which kept him out for a while.”
Cristian Romero and Timo Werner were also brought off in midweek and will be assessed before Sunday’s fixture at home to Villa. Spurs captain Son Heung-min missed the City match after a setback with a recent hamstring injury, but returned to training on Friday.
Postecoglou added: “The others were Romero and Werner, but at the moment still a chance for the weekend. Son has trained today. If he gets through training tomorrow, he should be OK.”
I always enjoy your handover posts, John, triffic little stint that.
Have I missed anything? (Insert relevant emoji).
That’s my short but sweet hour on the blog done. Now for the Cheadle charmer, Dom Booth.
Good/bad news for Micky van der Ven, clearly distressed as he left the field against Manchester City. Here’s Ange, ahead of Tottenham’s Sunday game with Villa.
“He has strained his hamstring. It’s not too serious but probably after the international break for him. He was disappointed, obviously, and he was looking forward to the [Manchester City] game so a bit emotional, but it’s definitely not a bad one like last time, which kept him out for a while.”
If Amorim flops? (When, not if?) I made this rather popular suggestion earlier this week.
Perhaps the solution to Manchester United is to have ex-Fergie players managing the team on a rota. Two games maximum, an Overlap special, then on to the next man.
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) October 30, 2024
Joe Pearson gets in touch: “That post with the links to all the managerial appointments at Man U made this Liverpool supporter laugh out loud (no really). I wonder if the Germans have a word for that feeling.”
Maresca on Amorim: “First of all, all the best to him. If they took that decision, it’s because they think it’s the best one.’
Enzo Maresca on Manchester United v Chelsea. He and Ruud van Nistelrooy were teammates.
“I didn’t speak with Ruud. I will give him a big hug before the game. We expect a tough game. Fantastic guy. Humble, very professional. Unfortunately I share with him a time where he was already finished but you could still see how good he was. We had a very good group of human beings with Malaga. It’s nice to remember that kind of moment.”
Here’s those 13 outfield players Pep Guardiola has fit for Bournemouth tomorrow. Still good enough to beat anyone? Yes.
Defenders: Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis, John Stones, Josh Wilson-Esbrand
Midfielders: Phil Foden, Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, James McAtee, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva
Forward: Erling Haaland
We’ve been here before, haven’t we?
A new dawn has broken, has it not? Though there’s been a few new dawns over the last 11 years. Amorim is the youngest manager/head coach to take the Old Trafford reins since Wilf McGuinness in 1969: Wilf was 31, and all his hair fell out. Matt Busby was 36, a former captain of Manchester City.
And with that I’ll hand over to the excellent John Brewin.
I couldn’t think of a better man to usher in this new era at Manchester United.
Thanks all. Hope you enjoy the footy this weekend!
Jake Powell wins the quiz question of the day:
For Portuguese managers you’ve got: Mourinho, AVB, Marco Silva, Nuno, and the hard ones are Carlos Carvahal at Swansea and Bruno Lage at Wolves. I could have sworn Lage was Southampton but apparently not. He’s got Southampton vibes though.
That’s bang on. Of course Jose is the big dog with three league titles, five domestic cups and the Europa League he won with Man United.
Sporting have confirmed that they’ll receive around £10.6 million from Manchester United for Ruben Amorim.
This included extra payments to release him from his 30-day notice period.
A statement from Sporting read: “Sporting has reached an agreement with Manchester United FC (hereinafter MUFC) in relation to the terms and conditions of the departure of coach Rúben Amorim, in return for which MUFC will pay Sporting €11,000,000 (£9.2m).
“In addition, Sporting will have a benefit of €1,658,000 (£1.4m), relating to the extinction of credit rights, recorded as liabilities and contingent liabilities, as a result of the revocation and renegotiation of contracts relating to intermediation commissions. Lisbon, November 1, 2024. The Market Relations Representative.”
Updated
Here’s a story of hope and inspiration written by one of our best.
I’m such a fan of Ed Aarons, especially when he delves into stories like this one:
Ruben Amorim will only take charge of Manchester United on 11 November.
But hist first game as manager will come 13 days later when the Red Decils travel to Ipswich on Sunday 24 November.
There he’ll meet a former United coach Kieran McKenna, who was an outside chance for the top job at Old Trafford.
Ryan Yates wants to play for England.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has been instrumental so far this season, playing a key role in propelling the club to seventh in the league.
“It’s always a possibility,” the 26-year-old said of his international ambitions. “It is every young boy’s dream to play for their country. I feel like I am playing really well, but I feel like I can give even more.
“I feel I have got plenty more to come. I honestly take each day as it comes, but I want to keep improving and I never say never to anything.
“I just look back when I was on loan at Barrow, Scunthorpe and Shrewsbury and now I am playing in the Premier League with Forest, third season, anything is possible because there were some dark times when I was on loan.”
Amorim will become the seventh Portuguese manager in Premier League history.
Without Googling, can you name the other six? I’ll give it 30 minutes before sharing the answers.
Someone get in touch with the Football Cliches podcast crew, we’ve got something for Amorim’s “in-tray”.
Jokes aside, there’s a lot to fix and the new boss will have plenty to ponder as he settles in the hot seat.
Will Unwin has selected a few key areas that need a tweak, including centre backs, the midfield and a lack of goals. So basically everything:
There’ll be more to come on the main story of the day but we shift momentarily to hear from Steve Cooper who insists he’s not feeling any extra pressure as Leicester’s manager.
The Foxes head to Ipswich with both teams in the bottom six. Ipswich haven’t won a game yet and have just four points from nine games. Five points ahead of them in 15th, Leicester have found some form with seven points from their last four matches.
“I think they are all significant [games] because whoever you play, you get that win and it can make such a difference, as we’ve seen with the two wins we’ve got already,” Cooper said.
“I don’t think we should assume that anyone should be anywhere. It’s more about living in the moment, respecting who you’re playing against.
“You have to earn the right to make things happen against every opponent. When we’ve been at our best, it’s been about what we do in games.”
Is this the man who turns things around at Old Trafford?
It's done.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 1, 2024
Bem-vindo ao Manchester United, Ruben Amorim 🇵🇹🤝🔴#MUFC
Manchester United confirm appointment of Rúben Amorim as manager
The deal is done! Good luck to the 39-year-old who takes on what seems like the almost impossible job of restoring Manchester United to their former glory. Whether he succeeds or not, this will be a story to keep a close eye on.
Let’s hear from Brighton’s boss, Fabian Hurzeler now.
It’s a tough ask facing both Liverpool and Man City in back-to-back games, but he’s confident his Gulls can hold their own at Anfield this weekend.
“Now we can prove to ourselves how far we are as a team and how ready we are to really challenge the establishment,” Hurzeler said.
“In the end, that’s where we want to go, that’s the ambition from the club.
“That’s our responsibility to show it individually and also as a group if we are ready or not.”
Brighton are sixth in the league and could go as high as third if they do cause a seismic shock.
We’ve been chatting a bit about Manchester United and what the plan is with their interim boss, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Chants of “Ruuuuuuuud” filled Old Trafford this week, just they did when he was banging in goals across a five-year spell at the club.
The big man wants to help. But will be be around come the end of the season?
Will Unwin seeks out an answer:
Arteta promises to keep a lid on his emotions
He’s been known to throw his toys and spew at fourth officials, but Mikel Arteta has promised to be more zen on the touchline.
“I don’t want to miss any games, that is for sure,” he said. “I cannot promise you that if we score a goal I am not going to be jumping up and down the touchline. I cannot guarantee that. Hopefully as well they [the match officials] have adapted and they have understood that emotions are a big part of that. I cannot control myself in the scoreline and so far it has worked.”
I guess we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?
Is Chelsea simply Palmer plus 10?
Yes, says Krishna Moorthy:
“Good afternoon Daniel
Am a Chelsea fan (no jokes please) and since when beating Man United has become a yardstick for calling a team good?
I know we have better this year but we are now Cole Palmer ft Chelsea and we crumble faster than a in flight croissant”
Man City 'are in trouble' - Guardiola
It’s bad news for the champions.
Pep Guardiola has said that he has only 13 fit players to choose from after two more went down in the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
Already without six first choice players, Pep lost both Manuel Akanji (calf) and Savinho (ankle). Ruben Dias, who was repalced at half time, was also said to be “struggling”
Rodri, officially the best player in the world, is out for the season. Kevin du Bruyne, who is out with a thigh injury, does not have a return date. Nor does Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku or Jack Grealish.
Attacking midfielder Oscar Bobb is also out with a fractured leg and could be back after “three or four months”.
“Tomorrow we have two goalkeepers and Erling Haaland in the training session,” Guardiola said after the Tottenham defeat.
“The rest, we don’t have anything else.”
What to do with interim managers who turn this around?
That’s a question the Manchester United overlords might have to answer, and one posed by Rick Harris below:
Hi Daniel,
Manchester United look very close to finalising the Amorim deal with Sporting unless there is an 11th hour hitch and it falls apart, but three games for Ruud Van Nistelrooy to manage the team before the new Portuguese sensation or ‘special one’ takes over could be a tad embarrassing if the team were to win all three in convincing dominant style.
Of course they were there before with Ole Solskjaer who had a massive new manager bounce that had pundits screaming for him to get the permanent gig only for the balloon to deflate the instant he signed a three year contract. Unlikely that Amorim will want Ruud to hang around but it may make the appointment look a little rushed if United suddenly improve massively now Ten Hag has gone.
Two intersting points. The Ole situation probably means that Ruud could win the Champions League and the suits would still give him the axe.
Secondly, I fear you’re right. Amorim might want his own support team which could be bad news for any of the current coaches.
Our pal Krishna Moorthy has made my job a whole lot easier by posing some teasing questions:
- will Amorim have any sense and avoid the quicksand that is OT
- will anything come out of all the protest(!) around WC 2034 to Saudi “human rights” Arabia?
- Should The awards given to the team and manager of RM be announced null and void , a reverse tantrum, so to say?
- should there be a new award announced, named, the most entertaining manager in post match pressers , and given away to JM till he retires
- and Chelsea, where can I even begin, sigh!
I’ll take a crack at all of them:
No. The deal is as good as done as far as I can tell.
No. If it didn’t work with Qatar it’s not going to work with the Saudis.
I’d love it if RM had their accolades stripped from them. That’d teach ‘em!
Surely we’d name it after Marcelo Bielsa?
To be fair, they’re looking pretty good (Wednesday’s result aside). I fully expect them to beat United this weekend.
Planning on buying a ticket from a tout this weekend? Don’t do it! They might be fakes.
Liverpool have revealed they shut down 100,000 fake ticketing accounts and issued 75 lifetime bans and 136 indefinite suspensions last season as part of a crackdown on ticket touting.
Too right, if you ask me. Nothing grinds my gears as much as fans getting shafted at the turnstile.
Last year, at the Rugby World Cup final, friends of mine, who had spent around a thousand pounds in travel costs, accommodation in Paris as well as babysitters for the weekend, were denied just as they had their tickets scanned at the gate. I still yearn for justice on their behalf.
“What is it with England and captains?”
Well, Magnus Evander, I’m South African, but I take your point.
I did say that Trent Alexander-Arnold is perhaps indispensable because of his leadership potential. But no, he shouldn’t stay just because he may be captain one day. I also think he’s an outstanding footballer and Liverpool would do well to keep him at the club.
But, as you say, this apparent obsession with captains probably stems from elsewhere:
“It must be the cricket. In other countries it is not as important in football. Of course one should select a good captain, but its not such a big deal.”
The good news for Newcastle is that this little period will be one of the toughest they’ll have to navigate.
Last week they were at Stamford Bridge and lost 2-1. This weekend they host Arsenal. What does Howe make of the Gunners?
“They are a very good team with a very good manager. We play one of the most consistent teams in the Premier League for the last couple of years so the challenge for us is never easy, but we’re at home.
“Arsenal have done very well this season; they are very good from set-plays and a physical team. We need to be ready for that test.”
History is on Newcastle’s side. They’ve won two of their last three home games against Arsenal. What’s more, Mikel Arteta’s lads are leaking goals. They’ve conceded nine in their last five league game and two or more in four of those five.
Are they there for the taking?
Back to Eddie Howe and Newcastle.
The Magpies are sweating over the fitness of two of their best players – Anthony Gordan and Alexander Isak:
“They both feel OK,” Howe said. We will assess how they feel today. Sometimes 48 hours after the game you can feel different to 24 hours. It’s not necessarily a straight line with how the body feels. They have both had niggling injuries so we’ll make a decision today.
“There’s just general fatigue [across the squad], game fatigue. I think it was a good physical game against Chelsea - both on the Sunday [in the Premier League] and the Wednesday [in the Carabao Cup]. They were intense matches.
“Normal game fatigue you get 24 hours after a game and 48 hours, so we need to make sure that whoever enters the pitch against Arsenal is in their best condition.”
There’s a scandal brewing in the Caribbean.
No, it’s not England’s cricketers stinking up the islands, but something far more serious:
It’s nice to see Eddie Howe smile again.
It’s been a tough few months for the Newcastle boss and Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup lifted some tension from his slumped shoulders.
“It has been important, for a while here,” he said of the vibe at St James’. The environment again was second to none. It was a sell out, it was a really good feeling. I can’t thank the supporters enough for that. There was no hangover from recent results, it was really good and that helped us massively.
He also added that a large squad fill with talented players helps. Have we stopped caring about how they’re funded? Anyway…
“They certainly give you the ability to change the team. Many times I’ve said I don’t want the team to pick itself, but I also don’t want to go game to game, changing too many players, because I don’t think that’s healthy either.
“So I believe in a settled team, but of course, with midweek fixtures especially, the intensity of games now, you have to have the ability to rotate. I’ll pick the strongest team that I can, that can give us the best chance to win.”
Trent to go?
And breathe, Liverpool fans. That’s just John Potter answering my question on who is the least valuable of the three ‘Pool players running out their contracts: TAA, Virgil or Mo?
“TAA is out the door already to RM I believe,” says John.
“He publicly stated he wants to won’t the Balon d’Or, and we all know playing for them it’s pretty much nailed on for him.....oh.”
I see what you did there.
Three Liverpool players are out of contract at the end of the season and they’re big names.
Mo Salaha, Virgil van Dyk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all in talks about extensions, but will they all stay?
“The contract situation could become an issue if the players don’t perform as they do at the moment, but they are so mature. At the moment all three of them are in a good place and there are ongoing discussions, like Virgil has said. They are not with me, we talk about other things.
“Let’s wait and see but all that he says is completely right. He doesn’t know exactly what the future holds if he doesn’t sign the contract.”
Let’s play a game, Liverpool fans. If you had to lose only one of them, who would it be?
Van Dyk is probably the most important player in the team, but then Salah remains the most threatening moving forward. But Trent is the youngest and a potential future captain.
Is there a dilemma at left back for Liverpool?
No, there isn’t. But that’s how we have to talk about selection decisions in football.
Arne Slot, who now has options with Kostas Tsimikas challenging Andy Robertson for a starting berth, wasn’t having it either:
“I wouldn’t it’s say a dilemma. There are other positions where we have rotated.
“It probably also has to do with Robbo’s pre-season. He had no pre-season because he came back injured from the Euros so he missed almost the whole pre-season. For most of them it was only two weeks but for him it was only a few days.
“Kostas did really well in that period of time so it has to do with the quality Kostas has in that position but it also has to do with Robbo missing pre-season. That’s why we started rotating from the start a bit. That’s the situation.
“It was good for Robbo to play against Arsenal and against Brighton in midweek. That is making sure he is getting into that rhythm of playing twice a week.”
Alisson, Jota and Chiesa all out
Liverpool will have to find a way to beat Brighton without their first-choice keeper, and will likely have to do so again when they host Aston Villa next week.
So said Arne Slot, who added that it was “difficult to put an exact time frame” on the return of Alisson. The same applies for Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa.
But that means there’s a chance for other players to become heroes and Slot took some time to shine a light on Alexis Mac Allister.
“He’s a player I would play in all three positions in the midfield because he is so comfortable in all three.
“I saw a lot of him at Brighton because there was a manager I was quite interested in back then [Roberto de Zerbi].
“He is now at the moment the midfielder who plays a bit in between. Ryan [Gravenberch] is almost always the deepest. Dom [Szoboszlai] or Curtis [Jones] are playing a bit higher and then Alexis is in between.
“It depends on how dominant we are whether he is the second 10 or the second six. He is comfortable in both phases of the game. He can help us bring the ball out from the back and he is also capable of making the difference in and around the 18-yard box. We want to see him in both situations as much as we can.”
Arteta was the joint leader for Premier League manager yellow cards in 2023/24 but he promises he’s turned a new leaf.
“On the touchline, I haven’t got to the point I go into meditating mode. Maybe I should. When they change the rules about certain behaviours, we need to adapt and that’s what I’ve tried to do.
“I don’t want to miss any games. I can’t promise that if we score a goal, I won’t jump up and down the touchline. So far, it has worked.”
“It’s rare to see a talent like that at 17 years old”
High praise indeed from Mikel Arteta who was gushing about his young starlet, Ethan Nwaneri, who scored a goal in Arsenal’s EFL Cup win at Preston this week.
“I can talk about how good he is right now. At 17, to be in the position he is in at one of the biggest clubs in Europe sums up where he is. He is surrounded by the right people. My prediction is going to be very positive.
“We didn’t do it [select him] because it was a gift, we saw a path for him and wanted to show the trust in him.
“I think the biggest thing is to push him. Once you push, grab him from behind. When you see this talent, you have to push him. He has to see he can fly and not cut his wings.
“That shows in the building that there is a pathway and for other players to follow.”
Gabriel close to a return
While it’s bad news for Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Gabriel could make a return to the side if he navigate today’s training session without a hitch.
“We have a training session today, if he can complete that, he will be available,” Arsenal’s manager said.
However, Calafiori and Odegaard are “definitely out” and Ben White’s status is now “wait and see”.
“That is Ben’s quality, he can play two different positions” Arteta said of White, adding that his current injury is not a recurrence of his gammy groin and more related to a joint issue..
“He can adapt. We are demanding. For him to do that job, having not played there for over a year, was very impressive.”
Elsewhere, Takehiro Tomiyasu is also out and won’t be back before the next international break.
Mikel Arteta is the first PL boss to speak to the press this morning.
He started by sending his thoughts to those impacted by the horrific floods that have already claimed more than 150 lives in Spain.
“We are trying to pull together in this situation. We ask everyone to pull together and show their support. It is terrible what has happened,” Arteta said.
In a wide-ranging interview, his first with a newspaper since departing from his director of football role, Nils Nielsen covers a lot of ground with Tom Garry.
FA Cup First Round gets underway today
The world’s oldest cup competition, one stretching back all the way to 1871, gets going today.
Well, OK, we’ve already had four qualifying rounds, but today marks the official start of the first round of the FA Cup.
There are loads of games this weekend – too many to list in full here – but I will wish supporters of Notts County, Alfreton Town, Tamworth and Huddersfield the best of luck for this evening.
Notts County currently sit third in League Two and welcome Alfreton Town who occupy seventh spot in the National League North standings.
Huddersfield, who last played in the Premier League in 2019, are seventh in League One and make the trip to Tamworth who’d do well to upset the Terriers given that they’re down in 16th in the National League table.
Any of our readers going to these games? Anyone else heading off to an FA Cup game? Holla!
As always, we kick off our Friday fare with the 10 things to look out for this Premier League weekend.
Louise Taylor says its time for Tonali to take charge at a Newcastle outfit that could do with some leadership.
Andy Hunter shines a light on Arne Slot’s selection headaches.
And Will Unwin wonders if Manchester United’s midfield has enough oomph with Manuel Ugarte kicking lumps out of the opposition in those central areas. Can we keep Cole Palmer quiet?
Premier League fixtures this weekend:
Newcastle v Arsenal (12:30 Saturday)
Liverpool v Brighton (15:00 Saturday)
Ipswich v Leicester (15:00 Saturday)
Bournemouth v Man City (15:00 Saturday)
Southampton v Everton (15:00 Saturday)
Nott’m Forest v West Ham (15:00 Saturday)
Wolves v Crystal Palace (17:30 Saturday)
Tottenham v Aston Villa (14:00 Sunday)
Man United v Chelsea (16:30 Sunday)
Fulham v Brentford (20:00 Saturday)
Preamble
What a week of football that was. Rodri and Aitana Bonmati won golden balls. Real Madrid threw a tantrum. Manchester United sacked their manager, put five past Leicester with their interim boss and confirmed the signing of another.
We’ll pick at the bones of a mad few days and look ahead at the action taking place this weekend. Can’t stop, won’t stop!
As always, your thoughts and quips are welcome. Drop me a line and let’s have some fun together. I especially want to hear from United and Madrid fans so please, if you’re in the sharing mood, get in touch!
