Key events
Manchester City v Liverpool (Sunday, 4.30pm)
Dominik Szoboszlai, one of the players of the Premier League season so far, has been speaking ahead of Liverpool’s trip to the Etihad.
The season is long. If we were seven points clear at this stage nobody would be saying we had won the league already. We just need to focus on ourselves, win our games and then let’s see what other teams are doing.
I think everybody could see against Real Madrid all of us running, fighting, being there for each other, covering each other’s back. The most important thing is to keep going like this. Now it’s all about the Premier League and facing Man City at the weekend. We know how good they are now.
I just try to do my best on the pitch. If it seems like I am a leader, then I’ll keep doing that on the pitch, not outside the pitch. We are a really close team. Everyone protects each other, we are there for each other, that’s been the most important thing.
Ten things to look out for this weekend
Granit Xhaka was never the most popular figure at Arsenal. The old tweets of New York’s newly elected mayor and lifelong Gooner, Zohran Mamdani, surfaced this week after his victory. Mamdani took aim at the midfielder in the lead-up to Arsenal’s match against Chelsea on Boxing Day 2020. Xhaka proved his critics wrong that day, scoring a sensational free kick in a 3-1 win, and has done the same since leaving Arsenal. Xhaka has been a revelation at Bayer Leverkusen – where he won the Bundesliga title undefeated – and now Sunderland, where he is adored by fans for perfectly complementing the youth of Régis Le Bris’ surging side. The league leaders will go to the Stadium of Light wary of their former captain, who will surely be out to prove a point.
Interview: Taylor Hinds
Arsenal face Chelsea in the WSL, a cracking way to start any football-based weekend. Suzanne Wrack has been chatting to Arsenal – and now England – left-back Taylor Hinds.
This is the type of team that I want to be in. I have the utmost respect for Liverpool for everything they’ve done for me over the five years. There’s a little part of me that’s always going to love Liverpool. So many of my friends are still up there, scousers are just one of a kind too, and I definitely miss that side of it, the people, but I’m also loving it here and I’m really thriving and happy.
The difference is just the standard, the intensity and the quality. Everything’s so fast-paced and training every day is like playing in a game every day. That’s what you want: you want to train how you play and here I get to do that with world-class players and learn from them.
Amorim wins manager of the month award
Plenty of people thought Ruben Amorim would receive a freshly printed P45 in October. Instead he has won the Premier League manager of the month award for the first time.
United beat Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton in their three Premier League games, ending the month in sixth place in the table. It’s coming home!
Maresca responds to Rooney criticism
Some thinly sliced ultra-processed beef for you. Wayne Rooney was gently criticial of the extent to which Enzo Maresca rotates his Chelsea side after they draw with Qarabag in the Champions League. Maresca has responded thus:
We are in an era where anyone can say what they want. Since I joined the club, it’s my view to rotate players. No one complains when you win. When you don’t win I can understand no one is agreeing.
I loved rotation as a player. Football is a bit different compared to years ago in terms of physicality and intensity. It’s impossible to play with the same players 65 games in one season.
You cannot say: ‘why, years ago, was it possible?’ Because it was different. It was not so physical. I played for 20 years. Now it’s changed. You need to rotate.
If you want to see the season like a marathon, when you are in February and March, the last sprint, you have to think in a different way.
Brentford v Newcastle (Sun, 2pm)
Anthony Gordon, who is in the England squad, is waiting for the results of a scan on a hip injury and may miss Newcastle’s game at Brentford on Sunday.
Chelsea v Wolves (8pm)
Some more injury problems for Chelsea. Romeo Lavia will miss tomorrow’s game against Wolves; Pedro Neto is also doubtful.
Hearts manager Derek McInnes has won his third consecutive manager of the month award, and quite right too. Hearts are nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, though Celtic have a game in hand.
On this day in 1990… Aston Villa, 2-0 up from the first leg of their Uefa Cup tie against Internazionale, have their dreams crushed in the San Siro.
Sports quiz of the week
A defiantly mediocre 8/16 for me. Can you do better? I hope so, for all our sakes.
Sunderland v Arsenal (Sat, 5.30pm)
Mikel Arteta has been saying some nice things about Granit Xhaka, who will face his old Arsenal teammates tomorrow.
He made me a better coach. He helped us to develop and improve a lot as a team and a club. I will be eternally grateful because I have great memories with him.
I am laughing because I just visualised Granit and it makes me laugh because he was such a character, a huge personality, very funny, super professional,” Arteta added.
One of those guys who can change the spirit of a dressing room and a team. That’s a superpower to have. It wasn’t an easy decision (to let him leave) because I knew the impact he could still have. But then when you have one of those leaders, you need to have him in the right frame of mind, feeling committed.
West Ham v Burnley (Sat 3pm)
Nuno Espirito Santo has been talking about Freddie Potts, who made such an impressive full debut for West Ham in their win over Newcastle last week.
He played really, really good and did a fantastic match. He was balanced and almost all his actions were accurate. He did what I think the team needed in that moment, with his presence there in the middle of the park, but Freddie has started one (Premier League) game.
Freddie has played many games in Championship and League One, that is what made him. Now I think he is a good option for us but he started one game. We are here to help all the players improve. Freddie is one of those that has got so much talent, so we are looking forward to seeing what he can do.
Arne Slot on the return of Alexander Isak
He will train for the first time today with the team again, after being three weeks out. I know that I said three weeks ago that his pre-season has ended so now it’s time for us to see where he is. But I have to come back to those words, because if you are three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn’t bring you back to the levels he was three weeks ago.
You cannot compare rehab with games of football or training sessions with the team. As much as we try to replicate it, that’s simply not possible. So, again I have to say, give him some time.
Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to Pep Guardiola, who will manage his 1,000th game on Sunday.
Pep! I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to join the prestigious LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club.
Your deep love and passion for the game has always been so evident and you should be very proud of the indelible impact you continue to have across the global game.
Reaching 1,000 matches and achieving such longevity in football is a landmark that can never be underestimated and, to continue to deliver league, Champions League and domestic cup titles in three of Europe’s most competitive leagues is outstanding.
Wolves target Edwards cancel pre-match press conference
Ben Fisher
Wolves’ search for their next head coach has taken another twist: Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards will no longer be conducting his pre-match press conference. Wolves had an official approach for Edwards rejected on Thursday with Boro determined to keep the man who has led them to third in the Championship after taking over in the summer on a three-year contract.
Wolves are longstanding admirers of Edwards, who has a fondness for the club, having previously played and coached at Molineux. He also had a spell in caretaker charge in 2016, shortly after the Wolves owner, Fosun, assumed control of the club. Might he now take permanent charge?
A proud day for Guernsey
“With Alex Scott’s call up we now have a donkey (not a derogatory term!) in both men’s and women’s senior England squads!” writes Alex from Guernsey. “Maya Le Tissier has been representing the Lionesses brilliantly and hopefully Alex can follow for the men. Incidentally they are step-siblings, which is not widely known. Proud day to be a Guern!”
On this day in 1973… Ajax’s reign as European champions ends in stunning fashion.
More from Thomas Tuchel
Myles (Lewis-Skelly) was a very good teammate and played for us in the last camp in Riga. So were Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Gibbs-White and James Trafford. (Those four players) were outperformed by Nico (O’Reilly), by Alex Scott, by Jude and by Nick Pope in their positions.
Myles simply needs more starts, more minutes. Nico has played a lot more in his position so he is ahead for this camp. The door is always open.
On this day in 2010… Fernando Torres returns to form against his future club.
Ed Aarons
Mikel Arteta has said he is “super optimistic” that the Premier League will accept Arsenal’s request to move their game against Everton on 21 December to 24 hours earlier after holding positive talks.
Crystal Palace have also asked to move their Premier League match against Leeds to the 20 December to allow them more time to prepare for their rescheduled Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal to 23 December. The Premier League has yet to comment on the prospect of that happening but Arteta, whose side face Sunderland on Saturday looking for an 11th victory in a row, said “hopefully not” when asked whether they are likely to face two games in three days.
“I’m super optimistic that this is not going to be the case because from every angle, from the Premier League, from the EFL, from UEFA, all the time the only thing that we talk about is the welfare of the players and the supporters,” he said. “If we want to maintain that principle that cannot be the case and we cannot play Sunday and Tuesday. So we have very positive talks to the clubs and to the Premier League, and hopefully we’ll find a way to help as much as possible.”
Thomas Tuchel on his England squad
On the return of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden
We are delighted they are back – their contributions to their goals has been immense. Jude comes back as a No10; I think that’s his best position and one of his key strengths is to arrive and score goals a No9 would score. They can seem like easy goals (but they aren’t) – this is one of his key qualities.
I see Phil as being strongest where he played against Dortmund – close to the opponent’s box, maybe as a mix between a 9 and a 10. He’s on the half-turn, then he assists; he’s in the pockets. The main thing with Phil is that he gets a role in the centre of the pitch. I don’t see him as a winger. His role will be very flud – but in the middel of the pitch.
On Alex Scott and Adam Wharton’s inclusion
Two different positions, two different profiles. It’s the third time we’ve tried to call Adam up – I hope he stays fit! Elliot (Anderson) has done very well for us. He is playing through pain at the moment – nothing major – so we are aware of that and we added Adam to the squad. We need to learn about him and prepare ourselves if Elliot is not able to play both 90 minutes. Don’t forget Jordan Henderson please because we have both options.
Alex deserves to be with us. I first closely saw him in the Euros with the under-21s when he was excellent together with Elliot Anderson. Since then he has really satepped up and is a regular starter for Bournemouth, who are overperforming constantly in the league. He has come a long way. He will come as a No8 and hopefully he can show his talent and personality.
Bellingham and Foden earn England recalls as Wharton and Scott also picked
Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s news story on the recall of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden to the England squad – and the inclusion of Alex Scott and Adam Wharton.
On this day in 1993… a topsy-turvy derby at Maine Road.
“No Liverpool players in the England squad,” says our resident Wales/Liverpool fan Matt Dony, high-fiving allcomers in the deli aisle at Tesco. “So lower risk of injuries in games that don’t really matter to me. Excellent. Could other countries take note, please?”
From the (recent) archive: Alex Scott interview
England new boy Alex Scott was the Championship player of the year with Bristol City in 2022-23. He then joined Bournemouth in the summer. His first big interview was with our own Ben Fisher, and it’s well worth revisiting.
Asked then if the 2026 World Cup was on his radar, he replied: “What’s that, three years from now … I’ll be 22. Why not?” Five years on from Isthmian League Division One South East trips with Guernsey to Sittingbourne and Cray Valley Paper Mills, where he played in front of a crowd of 56, Scott’s impressive trajectory continues. He played against Jude Bellingham for Southampton at youth level, now they are England teammates. “It has been a bit of a whirlwind few years,” he said. “I don’t really want to look back on how it’s gone, I just want to keep going.”
Arne Slot’s press conferences are more interesting than most, and this morning’s was no exception. Here are some of the things he said.
On Florian Wirtz
Florian can play in more than only one position. He can play off the left, which he did almost all the time in Leverkusen when Xabi Alonso came and introduced his 3-4-3 system, and before he played as a 10 in a 4-3-3.
It is more about getting him positions where he is good, rather than be focused on ‘Is he a 10, is he an 11, is he an eight?’. We would like to have him in and around the 18-yard box, centrally or a bit more off the left or bit more off the right for him to create the amount of chances he has already created for us.
On Liverpool’s return to form
We always knew we were able to do so. It was helpful to us the other team (Real Madrid) did what I expected because in eight out of 10 games this season we have faced a different playing style than these teams played before, although there is still a lot of work to be done from the players to get a result like that.
On visiting Manchester City
What we can expect from City is the playing style we always see, but the difficult thing is they are very good at it and have very good players so that makes that challenge big again.
On Arsenal’s lead at the top
I only focus on ourselves. We have lost a few games, much more than we usually do, and now we have won two so our focus is on getting consistent, improving and getting players fit and then we will see where that will lead to. But at this moment in time definitely not the only focus we have is the league table.
On this day in 1999… Arsenal go down kicking at Tottenham.
Matthew Hall
Two years after receiving an 18-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting players under his care, a former Canada women’s national team coach is yet to appear on any public sanctions list published by Canada Soccer or BC Soccer, the regional governing body for soccer in British Columbia, where the crimes took place.
The revelation has prompted the executive director of the Canadian organization newly appointed to manage reports of abuse and misconduct to call for an international registry of offenders to track individuals who have been banned from sports for misconduct.
Bob Birarda, a former Vancouver Whitecaps women’s team and Canada under-20 women’s coach, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of forcible touching in 2022. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail in November that year.
Read more…
On this day in 1998… Dion Dublin enjoys a fairytale debut for the Premier League leaders Aston Villa.
Save the date: 13 June 2026
Jamie Jackson
Manchester United will trial a one-off day of tours of the club’s training complex next June which could raise £100k if the 20 time slots are sold out, and will be followed by further days and a more expensive VIP version of the experience.
United believe that the only other elite clubs which currently offer a similar tour of facilities are Liverpool and Barcelona. The executive view their initiative as being about creating new and memorable experiences for supporters while increasing revenues to improve financial robustness and maximise funds to invest in Ruben Amorim’s squad, it is understood.
On Saturday 13 June the usual Old Trafford tour will be expanded to include a coach to the Carrington facility, which is seven miles from the stadium.
While no photographs will be allowed, the whole day will take around four hours and is to take in the training ground dressing rooms, gym, recovery facility and press lounge plus the players lounge and views of the training pitches.
Tickets for the whole day including the training ground are £100 each for adults, senior citizens and U16s. The tour of the Old Trafford usually has a 50-person limit so if each of the 20 time slots, which start at 10am and finish at 2.45pm, are sold out the club would earn £100k from the single day.
After the trial a number of follow-up days are planned, all of which will be when the players are not at the club, with a VIP option also set to be available that will “offer once-in-a-lifetime features”, according to United sources.
Big interview: Leny Yoro
Will Unwin
A little under six months ago, Leny Yoro was sat on the San Mamés turf, head slumped, anguished by the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. It extinguished Manchester United’s last flicker of hope of Champions League qualification in a desperate season, the Frenchman’s first in England.
United visit the same opponents on Saturday, with optimism finally creeping back at Old Trafford after a run of four games without defeat. Yoro, who turns 20 next week, was one of the few successes of a grinding campaign. Ruben Amorim’s attempt to turn the behemoth around is starting to see results and a win at Tottenham would be a further indication of progress as the head coach begins his second year in charge.
“I think everyone knows last season was a really emotional season,” Yoro says. “Not just for the coach, for everyone. It was tough, honestly, it was tough for us to sometimes face the games, face training. So everyone was emotional, to be honest.
“I think this year is different. We don’t have the Champions League, but if you can take the good way of this, we have more time to train, we have more freedom in our head. So, the coach is not different than last year, it’s just the result that is different. And every footballer knows when you win on the day, you have a really perfect week after. It’s more about the result in the head. It’s not as emotional as last year.”
The omission of Myles Lewis-Skelly means England have three main options at left-back: Nico O’Reilly, Dan Burn and Djed Spence. And with Ollie Watkins not in the squad, Marcus Rashford is now the main cover for Harry Kane up front. Jarrod Bowen can also play there. Hell, they can all play there.
The full England squad
Goalkeepers Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle United)
Defenders Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Jacob Steinberg
Jude Bellingham is back in the England squad, as trailed yesterday. The other big name to return is Phil Foden, who has not played for his country since March, and there is also a first call-up for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott. Adam Wharton also makes the cut but Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ollie Watkins drop out
Tuchel calls up Scott and Wharton
Two young central midfielders, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, are also in the England squad. Scott, who helped England Under-21s win the European Championship in the summer, is called up to the senior squad for the first time.
Bellingham and Foden recalled to England squad
Thomas Tuchel is putting the band back together: Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, who have both shown signs of their utter brilliance in recent weeks, are back in the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.
On the ball – guess the footballer
The Guardian has kicked off a new chapter in cheesy metaphors puzzles with the launch of its first daily football game, On the ball. It is now live in the app for both iOS and Android … so what are you waiting for?
‘A moral crisis in Turkish football’
Turkish prosecutors said on Friday they had ordered the detention of 21 people, including 17 referees and the chairman of an unnamed Super Lig club as part of an investigation into alleged betting on football matches.
So far 18 of the 21 suspects have been detained, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported.
The move comes a week after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees and assistant referees after an investigation found the officials working in the country’s professional leagues were betting on football matches.
The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the detention of the 17 referees was on the grounds of abuse of duty and manipulating match results. A Super Lig club president, a former club owner and a former association president were also ordered detained over alleged match-fixing, it said.
One more person faced arrest for spreading misleading information on social media as part of the operation across 12 cities in Turkey, the statement said.
In its own separate probe, the TFF’s disciplinary board has imposed bans ranging from eight to 12 months on 149 officials for involvement in betting activity.
TFF President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu has described the situation as a “moral crisis in Turkish football”. Its probe revealed that 371 of 571 active referees in Turkey’s professional leagues had betting accounts, and 152 of them were actively gambling.
One referee had bet 18,227 times, and 42 referees had bet on more than 1,000 football matches each. Others were found to have bet only once.
From Reuters
Rooney: ‘Maybe I was bit unfair to Van Dijk’
The football news cycle cannot function without some ultra-processed beef. This week it’s been between Wayne Rooney and Virgil van Dijk, who had a face-to-face discussion on Amazon Prime about Rooney’s suggestion Van Dijk had “downed tools” during Liverpool’s recent slump.
Here’s what Rooney had to say on the latest edition of his BBC podcast.
Maybe I was a bit unfair with that comment (about downing tools). Maybe I was a bit unfair because I don’t know him that well as a person.
From a performance point of view I think I was speaking what I felt and what I was seeing and I felt I was right.
Van Dijk will judge himself by them (high standards). When he reflects on his performances this season he’d be the first to say they haven’t been at the standard he’s set.
Sunday’s game at the Etihad will be Pep Guardiola’s 1000th as manager. He’s come a long way since 2 September 2007, when his Barcelona B team drew 0-0 away to CE Premia.
Can anyone name the XI Guardiola picked that day? If so, we encourage you to seek urgent medical assistance.
Guardiola is the 39th manager in the modern era of English football to be inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club.
“Being a member of the League Managers Association is very important to me so I am really, really honored to join the LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club,” he said. “I am humbled to be inducted into such an esteemed club that includes Sir Alex Ferguson and many managerial peers that I have enjoyed competing against over the years.”
Manchester City v Liverpool (Sun, 4.30pm)
Arne Slot says Alexander Isak will return to training with Liverpool today, so you’d imagine he’ll be on the bench for Sunday’s game at the Etihad
Eleven arrests at Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv
Last night’s Europa League match between Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv was, as Barney Ronay put it, “perhaps the most un-football football match ever staged in England, a groaning platter of geopolitics with a tiny little sprig of sport dusted across the top”. Oh, Villa won 2-0.
Few things in football stir the soul like the emergence of young players. We profile six of the best from this Premier League season.
Middlesbrough reject Wolves approach for Edwards
Ben Fisher
Wolves’s approach for Rob Edwards has been rejected by Middlesbrough, with the Championship club determined to keep hold of their head coach. Wolves want Edwards to succeed Vítor Pereira but after Gary O’Neil pulled out of advanced talks on Monday, Boro dismissed Wolves’s attempt to lure Edwards on Thursday afternoon.
Edwards joined Boro in the summer on a three-year contract until 2028 and the club are adamant they want to keep him after leading them to third in the division. Wolves were hoping to tempt Edwards to swap a promotion charge for a relegation battle, with the Molineux club bottom of the Premier League after claiming just two points from their opening 10 matches.
Wolves and particularly their executive chair, Jeff Shi, are longstanding admirers of Edwards, who previously played and coached at the club. Edwards also had a short spell in caretaker charge in 2016, shortly after Fosun, Wolves’ owners, bought the club. Wolves were willing to pay Boro compensation to extract Edwards from his contract.
Manchester City v Liverpool (4.30pm)
Arne Slot, who looks a lot more relaxed after a superb week for Liverpool, is chatting to the media ahead of the trip to Manchester City on Sunday. We’ll post the most interesting quotes shortly.
Tuchel decides to recall Bellingham in key England squad
David Hytner
Thomas Tuchel has decided to give Jude Bellingham an England recall on Friday for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, the Guardian understands. The head coach sparked a major sideshow in October when he did not select Bellingham for the friendly with Wales and the qualifier against Latvia.
Bellingham was not in prime physical condition having returned to the Real Madrid squad after shoulder surgery only a couple of weeks before Tuchel’s announcement. It was nonetheless a bombshell call given Bellingham’s ability and status, with Tuchel doubling down on it when he said he might have excluded him even if he had been 100% fit.
Preamble
Morning one and all. Stop messing around on YouTube, watching old Top of the Pops episodes from 1991 again: we’ve got a busy (sic) day of football news ahead. At 10am, Thomas Tuchel will name his England squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, with Jude Bellingham set to be recalled.
We’ll also have all the build-up – okay, as much as we can humanly manage – ahead of this weekend’s domestic fixtures. Including this little lot in the Premier League.
Saturday
Sunday
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Crystal Palace v Brighton (2pm)
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Aston Villa v Bournemouth (2pm)
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Brentford v Newcastle (2pm)
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Nottm Forest v Leeds United (2pm)
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Manchester City v Liverpool (4.30pm)