Ten Hag backs United to fight; Pochettino labels Spurs ‘contenders’: football news – live | Football

I was kind of hoping Mauricio Pochettino would give as good as he gets if he is peppered with verbal pelters at Spurs on Monday. But it sounds like he’s going to just soak it up and smile. Oh, Poch! Here’s Sachin Nakrani’s take on the press conference:

Who knew that Jarrod Bowen was on the verge of becoming a record-breaker? Certainly not West Ham boss David Moyes. The Hammers winger has scored in the first five away games of the season, a feat only achieved by one other player, Mo Salah. If he can find the net at Brentford he will be out on his own. Not that he’ll get a shiny award for it or anything. Here’s Moyes:

I wasn’t aware of it. Look, he’s made a really good start to the season, Jarrod, his form’s been good. There’s a consistency to him at the moment as well, he’s getting goals, so let’s hope he can break that record tomorrow.I think the length of his contract would suggest to you how long we want him for and what we think of him. I like Jarrod’s journey because I think he’s been a bit of the story where football always used to be, you start in the lower leagues and find your way up. You make your way to the top if you can, and it’s probably less and less happening in football nowadays. Now the kids are all getting taken in the academies so young and very few clubs now miss out on young boys. So for him to go from Hereford to Hull, Hull to West Ham and eventually become an England international, I think that says a lot about Jarrod and how well he’s done.

Here’s an extract of our daily football email handily called Football Daily. It’s on the big match this weekend between Bayern Munich and Dortmund Arsenal and Newcastle.

Hello again. Spurs v Chelsea is not the only London derby in the latest round of Premier League fixtures. There’s another one, too, an East v West-meeting when Brentford host West Ham. Both clubs are steaming into the fixture full of beans after big wins last time out, with the Bees beating Chelsea 2-0 in the league and the Hammers, erm, hammering Arsenal 3-1 in the Carabao Cup. If Brentford can get back-to-back wins they will leapfrog West Ham and could even go above United, if Erik ten Hag’s side have another off day. Here’s likeable Bees manager Thomas Frank, who has still not come down from that big win at Stamford Bridge:

Every Premier League win is something you should celebrate. When you play against a club like Chelsea, and when you manage to do it again at Stamford Bridge, it is very impressive. The performance, especially the second-half, made it so impressive. West Ham are a very good side. They’ve had a good start to the season and did excellently in the transfer market this summer with (Edson) Alvarez and (Mohammed) Kudus, who is a fantastic player. We trust ourselves and believe that if we top perform we have a good chance.

He was asked about Ivan Toney’s future, too. The striker’s ban will end in mid-January and Frank tried to play down reports that Arsenal could be tempted to bid for Toney, who is valued at around £100m by Brentford.

I want him to stay. Ivan is happy to stay. He is happy at the club. What happens in the future is impossible to guess about. He’s a top player, one of our most important players, if not the most important last year. Any player that can score 20-plus goals in the Premier League are very, very important. Ivan’s skillset in terms of finishing abilities with his left and right (foot), heading and his composure in those moments and his link-up play and his presence, character, is a very good package. It’s not (up to) me to put a price tag on him, it’s down to the club. But I’m happy with him, I hope he plays here forever and I’m the coach.

Here’s Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper, whose side have no wins to their name since 2 September. His side host in-form Aston Villa on Sunday …

You have to take a deep breath and think about how we are doing in general and we are in a much better place than we were a year ago, and definitely a much better place than where we were two years ago. When you think like that you realise that actually on the whole the club is making progress and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.

We want to win every game we play and are going to be disappointed when that doesn’t happen. We shouldn’t lose sight of how much more we need to grow as a club to really be competitive at this level, you can’t do that in just 12 months.”

With wins proving elusive, injuries up front are obviously troublesome – Chris Wood and Divock Origi are both confirmed as out, while Taiwo Awoniyi is having to manage a groin issue, as Cooper explained …

It’s not been as simple as he’s back training and he’s fully fit. It’s something that is going to be a managing process for a little bit of time now. We’ll see if he is available for the weekend. We hope he is, but it could go either way.”

With that, I’ll hand over to Gregg once more. Thanks for reading!

Barça’s fine for FFP rules breach upheld after appeal

Neto news … Wolves’ Gary O’Neil will doubtless have died a bit inside when he saw Pedro Neto clutching his hamstring in last Saturday’s battling 2-2 draw with Newcastle. However, he said today that the outlook is a lot more optimistic than it initially appeared …

“A few weeks is probably where we are at the moment. He won’t be available in the next two weekends and then we have an international break. We’re hopeful we’ll get him back quickly. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. He’s been so good this season but we have other players.”

The influential Portuguese midfielder has scored one goal and contributed assists for seven more in a side with 13 league strikes this season. A three-week absence would see him miss tomorrow’s visit to Sheffield United as well as a home game against Spurs. Post-international break, trips to Fulham and Arsenal await.

Unai Emery has been up, praising Villa’s Lev Yashin trophy-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. In-form Villa visit decidedly not-in-form Nottingham Forest on Sunday …

As a person he’s very competitive in all his career. When he came here to the Premier League 12 years ago, he’s progressively improved a lot. His mentality is really brilliant. Winning this award is magnificent for him, and for us we can be very proud of him – all Aston Villa workers and fans.

With his side fifth in the table and buoyant fans looking up rather than down, Emery says he is trying to keep things on an even keel.

I have to be in a good balance when we are winning and when we are losing. I have to be very clinical in my analysis of how we can improve and never be relaxed because we are always facing very difficult matches.

On Sunday, it’s the same. I don’t want to stop and I want to continue progressing. I want to be very demanding with each player in every match we are going to face.”

Tomorrow sees Der Klassiker … hot on the heels of Bayern being dropkicked from the German Cup by third-tier Saarbrücken on Wednesday.

Thomas Tuchel was in typically combative form in looking forward to taking on Borussia Dortmund …

There is no reason to be resigned at all. We are very disappointed but what I liked was that no one blamed the other because there is no reason for that. We wanted to got to Berlin to win the Cup. We have to write it off and digest it, you feel the pain and that won’t go away but there is no reason to be resigned.

We have a good run in the Bundesliga, we have a team we trust and we go to Dortmund to win the game.

We have a good run in the Bundesliga, we have a team we trust and we go to Dortmund to win the game. We have to reach our limits, get our best out from the first until the last minute.

We have enough quality and form and spirit to beat Dortmund. We go to Dortmund to win and stretch our run in the league. It is a great chance to show a reaction.

Tuchel will be without Matthijs de Ligt, while uncertainty remains over the availability of another central defender, Dayot Upamecano. “The loss of Matthijs is very bitter,” the manager added. “He will be out for several weeks.”

Hearts’ Steven Naismith has also been teeing up the cup tie, which sees him taking on the club he played for between 2007-12 …

The last couple of performances have been good and the confidence is there. We took a lot of confidence and positives from last Sunday’s game (the 2-1 defeat at Rangers). It was a really tight game. We scored a good goal and could probably have done better with a couple of other opportunities we had. And overall we defended well so that gives you the confidence and belief.

As much as the surroundings are different and I think the game will play out slightly differently, we believe that we can cause them problems.

We go into it probably with most folk not giving us a chance and expecting us not to go through but we’ve got to use that as motivation. That gives us the sense that there isn’t pressure there, everybody expects Rangers to go through.

That then gives us the opportunity that we’ve got nothing to lose so we can go out there with a freedom.”

Rangers’ Philippe Clement doesn’t like the idea that his side will be ultra-charged by the prospect of a cup occasion. Before his side take on Hearts in the Scottish League Cup on Sunday, the manager – unbeaten since taking over from Michael Beale last month – said …

“I hate this ‘extra motivation’ – I want that they are motivated for everything. So, if I think: ‘Oh, now they are motivated for the semi-final because we can win a cup’, it’s totally the wrong message. They need to be motivated every day, every game to show the best of themselves.

A football career is so short for them, it goes so fast that they need to be motivated to take the best out if every day, they have the best life in the world and that’s what I want to see from my players. And then the other things follow.”

Clement added that defender Ben Davies remains a doubt with a “small problem” after missing Wednesday’s 5-0 league win at Dundee and “there is a chance but no guarantee” that attacker Tom Lawrence will return. John Souttar, Nicolas Raskin, Rabbi Matondo and Kemar Roofe all remain out.

A minor but extremely welcome bit of history at Craven Cottage tomorrow. Rebecca Welch – who became the first female referee in the Football League three years ago – has become the first woman to be appointed as fourth official for a Premier League game. There is a slight caveat here as Sian Massey-Ellis has already pipped her slightly, having needed to take over such duties for the second half of a game in 2017 after getting injured while fulfilling the role of assistant referee.

Welch follows in the footsteps of Wendy Toms, Massey-Ellis and Natalie Aspinall, who have all been assistant referees in England’s top flight. Massey-Ellis will also be on duty at Fulham v Manchester United, as assistant VAR.

Here’s hoping that, before too long, such appointments will be so normal, everyday, mundane and unremarkable that nobody bats an eyelid.

Marco Silva has selection quandaries as Fulham look to heap the pressure on Ten Hag and Manchester United. Kenny Tete, Tosin Adarabioyo and Adama Traoré are said to be “in their last steps of their recovery” while Brazilian forward Rodrigo Muniz “is a selection headache … we are analysing in training every day and he’s doing really well.”

Silva faced United three times last season, including in the FA Cup, with no dice on any of the three occasions. Still …

I believe that performance-wise we were the better team but we lost. We want to write a different story this season. We want the Cottage to be bouncing from the first minute because the fan support can help us get the result. We need them to push the team forward.”

Guardiola’s Bournemouth counterpart, Andoni Iraola, has been in front of microphones. As a full-back, Iraola faced Guardiola sides several times in Spain with Athletic Bilbao. “His Barça team was amazing,” he said.

We are talking about one of the most successful managers in history. He makes his teams play a certain way that we analyse.

Every coach tries to minimise what they are trying to do but he has a lot of options. His teams are very difficult to play against.

Manchester City have very good players and they are coached in a perfect way so it’s tough to prepare for the games.

But as we did against Liverpool, we have to try to maximise our options, try to level it as much as we can and that’s what we have in our minds.”

The Bournemouth manager conceded that City’s non-Ballon d’Or-winning turbogrock may have it in his locker to pose them a problem or two …

The numbers speak for themselves. Normally he scores and he’s very difficult to stop. Even if you know what he’s going to do or what they are going to try to do, they are very good at it.

They are powerful. He’s involved in part of the offence but he’s much more dangerous inside the box.

With all the offence they produce and all the chances they create, to have someone with his ability and aerial threat makes the team much more complete.”

The love-in went both ways, however, with Guardiola saying of the Cherries manager …

They competed really well against Liverpool. Andoni (Iraola) was an incredible manager in Spain and did an incredible job at Rayo Vallecano, playing in an offensive, attractive way.”

More from Guardiola …

Every season is tougher. Compared to when I arrived, there are better managers and better teams. The important thing is we are close, and we are there. There are still 28 games to play, and a lot of things are going to happen. But we aim to keep getting better.”

Newcastle not ruling out action against Milan over Tonali

Manchester City host Bournemouth tomorrow. Pep Guardiola has addressed questions about Erling Haaland having to face the indignity of finishing runner-up in the Ballon d’Or standings to World Cup winner Lionel Messi.

I saw him so happy to be a contender so close to Messi, Mbappé. He has all his career ahead of him. He has to continue to win and think: ‘OK maybe next season I can be there.’”

Guardiola also rejected the suggestion that his side had found the second half “easy” and “comfortable” in the derby against Manchester United last Sunday.

It was not easy. It helped us to score the second goal early on (Haaland in the 49th minute). After that we had control. But it’s never easy – we have a lot of respect for United. We won because we played a good game.”

Women’s football has diversity problem – Arsenal’s Eidevall

Tristan Rutter emails re: the Old Trafford fun and games:

Ten Hag, Fernades et al, are akin to deck chairs on the Titanic: you can shuffle them all you want but the good ship United’s iceberg is mid-table mediocrity and nothing will change so long as Captain Glazer is at the helm.

Sadly, the demise won’t be cataclysmic but rather a slow descent into oblivion as people lose interest.”

Still, Sir Jim is apparently pledging to throw money in that can surely at least stop the roof leaking.

Jürgen Klopp on hopes that Luis Díaz’s father will be freed soon …

More from Pochettino. He admits the “strange feeling” of returning to the club he spent five years managing, and says: “There were times I thought to dress in a different way and maybe wear a mask” to watch the team.

It’s going to be a tough game. Son is one of the best players in the Premier League and we hope it won’t be a good night for him on Monday.

We need to pay attention to how we start. In our mentality and philosophy, we are looking at how to improve.”

Arsenal host WSL table-toppers Manchester City on Sunday. In the run-up, Gunners defender Jen Beattie spoke about some of the attendances she is starting to see more frequently, with her club having already sold 40,000 tickets for the 10 December match at the Emirates against Chelsea.

I‘m 32, I’ve been in the game for a long time, I’ve played in front of crowds that aren’t that big, so to still be a part of it now and to see the crowd numbers growing and becoming consistent is surreal, to be honest.

I don’t think selling out the Emirates will ever become normal for me. It will be just as surreal and just as exciting every single time. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

Beattie was speaking at the Scottish FA Grassroots Awards, which the piece of paper in front of me suggests I spell out takes place in partnership with McDonald’s Fun Football.

Despite the substantial and ever-growing appetite for WSL games … Sunday’s game takes place at Boreham Wood’s 4,500-capacity Meadow Park.

Pochettino: Spurs can vie for title … and Chelsea will again soon

Ten Hag continues.

(Thanks to Gregg – Stuart here again, jumping in while Erik is mid-flow.)

To paraphrase Aaron Sorkin, Ten Hag looks determined in front of the media. The Dutchman concedes that “we have to adjust” given injuries and absences, and that “the execution isn’t there” at the moment. More fundamentally …

We have to win. I don’t want to find excuses if we’re not winning. (Winning) is a demand. I don’t want to walk away from that.

(The players) want to put this right. We know the standards here, we have to match the standards every day. We had two setbacks but we’ll fight back.

These players … we have seen last year they can do a lot better. That’s up to me to let them play better. I will put every effort in.

I have a good squad, good players … the players are hard to beat. I’m convinced over the long term, they’ll be hard to beat.”

Ten Hag: Manchester United still have fighting spirit

While we’re still waiting for Erik ten Hag to emerge for his Manchester United press conference/grilling, why not get quizzical? There are plenty of football questions in here:

Vincent Kompany’s Burnley have floundered a bit since racing up from the Championship, taking just four points (all away from home). So with Crystal Palace visiting Turf Moor it feels like this is a chance to finally get some points on the board in Lancashire. He reckons his team are stuck between two worlds and need to settle in their new one.

Staying up is a way for this club to grow into this league. But this year is by far the hardest. You find yourself in the middle ground now between the two divisions where you’ve probably deservedly moved on from the Championship but to say you belong in the Premier League, there’s still a gap. I think the squad is still healthy in terms of you can go down really strong but you can also grow into this league and be stronger in the years to come. We’ll have to fight for every point but I don’t think we’re in a position where we have to be too surprised or panicking about anything.”

The fixture list was certainly not kind to Burnley, whose four home defeats have come against Manchester City, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea.

It’s a massive (opportunity) for us (against Palace). We’ve not played for a while at home so we are looking forward to playing in front of our fans. The type of league it is, I think there’s no game where you can expect but there’s every game where you have the opportunity and tomorrow we have to look at it as an opportunity to show to the fans something they’ve been waiting for in the Premier League. I’m a big believer of home advantage so I do think it’s part of the make-up of any successful team.”

Some news from the WSL now, with Manchester United manager Marc Skinner pointing out, fairly I reckon, that a 6.45pm kick-off at Brighton is not ideal for his team nor attendance figures.

It’s one of those that, for us, of course, it’s difficult, because it’s the travel then back, and I think it knocks into the week – but we’re part and parcel of that kind of cycle. It’s the fans. It will be interesting to see how many are at the game, because I’m sure, even local fans, with a 6.45 pm kick-off, there’s school the next day, you’re probably deterring some of the younger fans who really want to see their heroes, or the players they want to be like in the future. I think it’s also come out as well that we’re away against Tottenham at 6.45pm (on Sunday 10 December). If you want to grow the game, then the timing slots for availability for fans is really important. We can recover, we’ll move on. It’s not ideal. But I think for the fans, maybe in the next season, we can look at better slots that really make it available for fans, to get as many there as possible. Because it’s all well and good being available for TV, which we all want, and we want to grow that, but also you want an atmosphere in the stadium, because that is what makes the performances what they are. I would say hopefully in the future we can look at what that looks like, for more accessibility to fans.”

Hello, Gregg here while Stuart grabs some lunch. A bit more on Everton here, before they host Brighton tomorrow. Dwight McNeil is feeling pretty good about life at Goodison and reckons a group pow-wow back in August has helped the team fight through a sticky patch.

We had a discussion and we all came together and said that we want the same thing; (it was) about what we want as a collective mindset so everyone knows what is required. It is good for everyone to have that input because everybody’s input matters. We want the best for each other. We want the best for ourselves; we want the best for the club and the fans. Everyone believes we’ve got a good team, now we’ve got to show everyone that we’re a good team. It’s all good saying it, but now we’ve got to do it out on the pitch, and it’s down to us to do it. We want to build a good story at the club.

I’d argue that Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s return has probably had more to do with the upturn in form than a chat. But maybe I’m being cynical.

Much, much more on the Lisbie link-up between Kyrell’s eighth-tier club Cray Valley and his father Kevin’s old side Charlton. Morgan Ofori speaks to the pair in the run-up to Sunday’s FA Cup clash …

“Ten Hag – so much ink spilled on him … what more has to happen for people to see he is not up for the job?” emails Jeff Sax.

Being without a £70m midfielder against the backdrop of an investor being airlifted in, who has openly criticised the signing of said midfielder, probably won’t help. Mr Ten Hag is due to be up before the media in the next couple of hours.

United’s Casemiro ‘out for several weeks’

Doucouré signs Everton contract extension

More Premier League managers are in front of mics this afternoon. In the meantime, here’s Dan Morgan on how managers are starting to think differently about the five changes at their disposal …

A Bundesliga managerial development from last night: Bo Svensson has walked from Mainz, following a winless start to the season.

“Unfortunately, there are always many sides to the story in football, which can bring a successful collaboration to a point whereby it is perhaps better to go a different way,” Mainz sporting chairman Christian Heideil said. “Bo also felt the same and told us about this. Hats off to him for his openness and his close bond with Mainz.”

Mainz have three points from their opening nine league games, and they were beaten 3-0 by Hertha Berlin in the German Cup second round on Wednesday. Under-23 coach Jan Siewert has stepped in to helm matters pitchside at home to RB Leipzig tomorrow.

Iranian club receive stadium ban after statue stunt

Ratcliffe ‘to commit £245m for Old Trafford infrastructure’

More from Jürgen Klopp, this time on Darwin Núñez … who scored just about the most Darwin Núñez goal yet recorded in Carabao Cup victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday.

The first year was hard for him and then hard for me as well because you see this incredible talent, massive potential, but it is difficult to unfold it.

I am a manager who can help a player but I need contact for that, it can speed up a process by talking a lot with the player. I was not able to do that because I don’t speak Spanish and he didn’t speak English but his English is now that much better.

He is settled in the team and when you see him around the building everything is different and he is in a very good moment. It is still only the start for him.

It’s a good moment, hopefully it continues like that for ever. Then I am a bit afraid of the highs he could reach because there is so much there it is crazy.

Among the considerable FA Cup intrigue this weekend … bracket-tastic Isthmian League South East Division side Cray Valley (PM) – they dropped Paper Mills from their name 25 years ago – make the short, four-mile jaunt to visit Charlton on Sunday. Up front for them is set to be 19-year-old Kyrell Lisbie, the son of Kevin, who memorably scored a Premier League hat-trick for the Addicks against Liverpool in 2003.

Speaking to PA Media, the Cray Valley forward opened up on his joy at the draw:

It was amazing, with how close the two teams are to each other and everything else. I feel like it is written in the stars that we go out there and perform.

They are a good team, but the beauty of the FA Cup is you just never know what the result will be. The boys have fully deserved it. It is going to be a special day and occasion. There have been a few upsets and I just can’t wait for it.”

ICYMI … here’s 10 things from the weekend’s Premier League action. Featuring: West Ham facing bogey team Brentford, Brighton hoping to atone for the 5-1 shooing they endured against Everton last season, and fears about Forest’s form.

Tonight sees a big game in the Championship (8pm GMT), as early pacesetters Leicester host Leeds. After 14 games, the Foxes already have a 14-point cushion over their fellow relegated side from last season, who occupy third place. Leicester’s manager, Vincenzo Maresca, said:

We are going to try and do our best in and use our weapons to prepare in the way we want to play, but nothing more than that.

Our preparation will be the same as the previous one. We’re going to try to have a plan to see how we need to attack, to see how we need to defend when they want to attack us, and see how we can avoid transition.

It’s a special night for sure for the fans; for us it’s a special night because it’s a game.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Leeds’ manager Daniel Farke was effusive about tonight’s opponents:

They deserve this points tally (39) after 14 games … it’s remarkable. I just give them credit and applause. I think it’s a fantastic side, many top players, many players who have played Premier League level and lots of stability in the club … they kept the key players together.

It’s a great game, two big clubs … two quality sides, spotlight game, Friday evening, the floodlights on. Everybody who like the Championship and likes football is looking forward to this.”

Blades news … Sheffield United are currently rooted to the bottom of England’s top tier, with just one point from their opening 10 games. However, manager Paul Heckingbottom is hopeful that full-back George Baldock is ready to return to his starting lineup, having suffered a calf injury on international duty with Greece back in September.

Heckingbottom will reunite with Tommy Doyle when his side host Wolves tomorrow, the Manchester City-owned player who was key during a loan period for the Blades in their promotion campaign last season. He’s now on loan at Molineux, and Heckingbottom opened up on why that’s the case:

He wanted to (move) and we’d have taken him, without a doubt. But City were keen to sell. Finances, that’s all it was.

He had a couple of loans which were indifferent but someone I’d seen a lot of and knew a lot about. I knew his character and also his technical ability. I was pretty sure he was what we were looking for and what we were after. He did great. We were good for him and he was good for us. I have nothing but praise for him.”

The manager also confirmed that Anel Ahmedhodzic and Oli McBurnie will both be out tomorrow.

Eddie Howe speaks!

Last Saturday, Burnley were denied a late equaliser against Bournemouth. This followed a curious, circa six-minute-long VAR confirmation of an offside decision after Jay Rodriguez found the bottom corner in the 89th minute. Refreshingly, Kompany refused to dwell on it:

I have to put the game behind me. I don’t want to be constantly putting us in a victim situation. One of the positive things I have to highlight is that there are open conversations (with referees’ body PGMOL).

So we do voice our opinion – we don’t always agree – but at least there’s a discussion and there’s a way to maybe change some perspectives. It’s been a succession of events that we could have done without, but we have to move on and focus on the next game … and get our rewards tomorrow.”

Kompany confirmed that Lyle Foster will miss tomorrow’s game and is unlikely to feature before this month’s international break, meaning he could also be unavailable against Everton on Saturday week.

Tomorrow, Burnley host Crystal Palace. This sees the Premier League’s youngest manager, Vincent Kompany, test himself against the league’s oldest, Roy Hodgson. For context, Roy’s first job in management was at Sweden’s Halmstads … 10 years before Kompany was born.

Asked about the generational intrigue on the sidelines, Kompany said:

I’ve been looking at his history as a coach. He’s been through so many countries and he has such a huge knowledge of the world.

I can see why he’s still doing it – I can see the passion in his eyes. I’m lucky to have a father who’s around the same age, and still just as active as Roy Hodgson is at the moment. We all hope to be as healthy and energetic at his age.

While I roll back the tape on some Important Vincent Kompany Chat … check out this lovely piece from Paul McGreal, on the unexpected joy of sharing matchdays with his daughter: “What started as a slightly selfish opportunity for me to go to football matches masquerading as parental responsibilities morphed into important bonding trips …”

Martin Ødegaard in contention to start against Newcastle

Mikel Arteta speaks!

Luis Díaz back in Liverpool training

Luis Díaz’s father ‘expected to be freed’ – reports

Early dispatches from today’s Premier League press conferences are starting to land. More detail to follow but a couple of early notable highlights:

• Luis Díaz is back training with Liverpool – last week his parents were kidnapped in Colombia, and his father remains missing. Jürgen Klopp’s side visit Luton on Sunday.

• Martin Ødegaard is in contention to start against Newcastle tomorrow, having recovered from the hip problem that kept him out against Sheffield United last Saturday. Emile Smith Rowe, however, is expected to be “out for weeks”.

Here’s how the state of play with Erik ten Hag and Manchester United stood overnight …

Erik ten Hag is expected to continue as Manchester United’s manager for Saturday’s trip to Fulham but must oversee an upturn in results to keep his job.

Although there is no desire among the executive to replace Ten Hag, who they have backed as the right man for the long term, there is an acceptance after eight defeats in the first 15 games of the season that the Dutchman needs to turn around this run of form, starting at Craven Cottage.

After Saturday’s 12.30pm kick-off, for which Casemiro is a doubt, United go to Copenhagen for their fourth Champions League group match on Wednesday. Ten Hag’s side have taken three points from their opening three games but are point one behind Galatasaray, who are in the second qualifying position. Jamie Jackson

Read more below. Ten Hag is due to be up before the assembled media later today.

A nice curveball to start the day. Uefa have decided to geg in on the Ballon d’Or from next year …

The prestigious Ballon d’Or awards will be co-organised by Uefa from 2024. European football’s governing body has reached an agreement with Group Amaury, the owner of media companies France Football and L’Equipe, to “enhance the stature and global reach of the awards”.

The merging of the awards means an end to the Uefa awards handed out in August each year, with the exception of the President’s Award which will still be presented alongside the draws for the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.

There will also still be accolades for the best player in each of Uefa’s club competitions, which are determined by its technical study group and announced within days of each competition’s final.

Under the new partnership, Uefa said all existing Ballon d’Or awards will remain in place with the addition of men’s and women’s coach of the year prizes. Groupe Amaury retains control of the Ballon d’Or brand under the agreement and of the voting system, which will be unchanged. PA Media

Preamble