Maresca says Manchester Metropolis hyperlinks ‘100% hypothesis’; Gyökeres wants a ‘tweak’: soccer – reside | Premier League
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Key occasions
In case you missed it earlier this week: The Soccer Every day Christmas Awards 2025.
Forty-one of the Guardian’s 100 male gamers on this 12 months’s checklist got here from the Premier League, which is unhealthy information for the competitiveness of the European competitions. Right here’s Marcus Christenson on whether or not any of the opposite leagues can shut the hole on England’s high flight.
It’s an enormous recreation in Scotland this weekend as leaders Hearts host Rangers on Sunday. For all their struggles this season, Rangers are usually not out of the title race, particularly in the event that they win at Tynecastle.
When Danny Röhl took over from Russell Martin in October, the Rangers had been in turmoil, eighth within the league with one win in seven. Though the Europa League has proved too excessive a degree for the Ibrox aspect underneath Röhl, Gers have moved into third place within the home league with six wins and two attracts in eight recreation. Right here’s what Röhl has stated in his pre-match press convention.
“With a win on Sunday, we will probably be simply six factors behind them, another recreation in hand. In case you take this then it could possibly be three after which the scenario will change from once I arrived to now. However we all know there’s nonetheless an extended solution to go, nonetheless lots of video games to play.
“I feel my workforce really feel it now, you’re feeling the boldness. I feel the win on Monday was an enormous one for us, it was an excellent begin in a busy schedule. The following six video games are essential till the (Scottish) cup recreation after which we’ll know precisely the place we’re. We’ve got made the primary steps to date and now it’s about making the following step.”
Röhl is working with the membership’s new soccer marketing consultant and advisor, Stig Inge Bjørnebye, to bolster his choices in January. “The desires are to get lots of gamers in on the primary of January. However I feel on this window will probably be about timing, that’s the primary half, and the second factor is preparation. We’re making an attempt to arrange some issues now.
“We’ve got talks with brokers, with possibly potential gamers, ongoing conversations, however I feel that is regular,” added Röhl. “It is a regular course of. However crucial key’s that I’ve an excellent dialog with my recruitment workforce and with my guys round me. Then we’ll make it possible for we discover the proper gamers.”
Rotten information for former wonderkid Houssem Aouar – the French-born Algeria worldwide has been injured on the eve of Afcon. He was injured in coaching on Thursday, an Algerian soccer federation assertion stated, and will probably be changed for the event in Morocco by Angers’ Himad Abdelli. No particulars of the damage got.
Some switch information, courtesy of Jamie Jackson. Semenyo is a superb footballer and is definitely price £65m in at present’s market. Premier League prepared, and many others.
Nevertheless, promoting Garnacho to Chelsea for £40m, being very quick handed on the left for half of this season after which signing a alternative (who’s 4 years older) for £25m extra is VERY Manchester United.
Luis Diáz was ranked No 31 in our high 100 male footballers checklist. Is that truthful? Appears a bit low to me, however you’ll find out how our 219-strong voting panel – which included Didi Hamann, Romário and Dunga – got here to their selections proper right here.
Here’s a contemporary Q&A with the previous Liverpool winger, courtesy of Luis Miguel Echegaray. I loved his description of Bayern teammate Harry Kane.
He does issues in coaching the place I say to myself, “this may’t be.” He’s so good. So good. It’s the reality! He performs a lot and does every part properly. Hunts for the ball, passes, defends – you watch him defend, he dedicates himself a lot, somebody so calm … and but he scores targets. This man lives for them. Each that involves him – as soon as, twice, thrice – he scores all of them. He’s additionally an amazing particular person. Very down-to-earth, family-orientated … only a spectacular particular person.
Leeds’ Daniel Farke ‘choosy’ about January signings
Daniel Farke has revealed the membership are “open and prepared” to attempt to enhance their squad however careworn the pitfalls of a troublesome market in January.
Farke stated: “In case you signal (gamers) in the summertime you may have pre-season to arrange and combine them and to allow them to adapt to your type and processes. It’s a bit harder in January. You both get a participant the place they’re very often an issue as a result of he’s getting back from damage. Or you need to spend heaps to get a participant in his rhythm and they are often over-priced. I’m very choosy in January.
“You want many issues to come back collectively to discover a resolution, however we’re engaged on an expert degree. If we discover an addition who’s reasonably priced and makes us higher, you need to be open and prepared for it. We are able to discuss January when January has arrived. My complete focus is simply on this group.”
Leeds face Crystal Palace at Elland Highway on Saturday having lifted their followers by taking 5 factors from their final three video games towards Chelsea, Liverpool and Brentford. Farke has been rewarded for switching to a versatile 3-5-2 formation, with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 4 targets in his final 4 matches – proving the principle beneficiary. PA Media
Guardian again on the Amex: After constructive discussions between the Guardian and Brighton & Hove Albion, the membership has agreed Guardian reporters can return for this weekend’s recreation towards Sunderland.
Forest’s Sean Dyche: ‘I am famend for being the Grinch’
Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche is having fun with being “the Grinch” as he works his squad onerous on the sphere. Forest are having fun with a uncommon clear week within the fixture checklist, with no midweek recreation earlier than Monday night time’s go to to Fulham. It’s Forest’s final recreation earlier than Christmas, however Dyche just isn’t letting up.
“I’m famend for being the Grinch presently of 12 months! Christmas comes and goes fairly rapidly in my life, as you possibly can think about with being in soccer since I used to be 16,” he stated. “It is among the downsides of the job. It’s a working interval, because it at all times has been for me.
“It has been a reasonably onerous day of labor at present, then they are going to be recovering tomorrow and we’ll construct into the sport. I feel it’s been an excellent break for the gamers, simply due to the travelling and the sport schedule they’ve had. It has fallen good for us this time. I feel it’s an excellent change for the gamers to have a couple of additional days this week to get well. And for gamers popping out of accidents, they’ve had extra coaching days.”
Right here is a little more of Mikel Arteta from his Arsenal press convention. The sport towards Everton on Saturday will mark six years to the day since his appointment with the Gunners. Arteta additionally performed for Everton supervisor David Moyes for six years earlier than shifting to the Emirates as a participant in 2011.
“I feel [Moyes] taught me the love that he’s received for the sport after which the integrity that the sport requires at any value. I feel he’s a outstanding man … I’m very grateful for every part that he did *for me and for Everton as properly.”
Arteta additionally offered some damage updates: Arsenal is not going to see any of their injured gamers return this week, with defender Ben White *out for the following few video games, however ahead Kai Havertz and centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes shut near restoration.
Our Afcon quiz is reside!
Michael Owen blind ranks his Christmas dinner, with predictable outcomes. Absolutely the state of gravy at No 9, sprouts at No 5 and turkey at No 1.
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Arsenal’s Arteta backs Gyökeres to enhance in 2026
Ed Aarons
Mikel Arteta has backed Viktor Gyökeres to enhance within the second half of the season however admitted Arsenal have to construct on their understanding with the £64m striker.
Gyökeres hasn’t scored since getting back from damage towards Chelsea final month and has six targets in 18 appearances. Arteta is optimistic Kai Havertz will probably be again from a long-term knee damage within the new 12 months, and Gabriel Jesus has returned after 11 months and will characteristic towards Everton on Saturday.
Gyökeres is predicted to retain his place having began forward of the Brazilian Mikel Merino within the last-gasp win over Wolves and Arteta believes one of the best is but to come back from the 27-year-old.
“We purchased a participant with an unimaginable goalscoring file that needed to adapt to the league,” Arsenal’s supervisor stated. “He had no pre-season. The primary few weeks had been troublesome as a result of bodily he wasn’t in his finest state. And he’s a participant that wants that, like some other participant on this league nearly, to carry out at that degree.
“Then he kicked on. I feel he had a extremely good interval and received injured. And now he’s again. However I noticed lots of constructive issues within the final two video games that he’s finished. We have to proceed to tweak and perceive him a bit bit higher in sure conditions. And he must do the identical. However that’s about time. And we’ve full assist for him.”
Requested whether or not anticipated Gyökeres to go to a different degree within the second half of the season, Arteta stated: “I feel so, sure.”
Slot: Liverpool have ‘moved on’ from Salah controversy
Arne Slot feels Liverpool have “moved on” from the Mohamed Salah controversy and hopes the participant’s Africa Cup of Nations involvement takes additional warmth out of the scenario.
Salah sparked disaster on the membership with an explosive interview a fortnight in the past during which he, amongst different issues, claimed he had been made a scapegoat for a poor run of type.
He was consequently dropped for a Champions League recreation at Internazionale however, after talks with supervisor Slot, returned instead in final week’s Premier League victory over Brighton. The 33-year-old is now on worldwide obligation, for doubtlessly as much as one other month, with Egypt.
Slot stated: “As I stated final week, actions converse louder than phrases and we moved on. He was within the squad and he was the primary substitution I made. However now he’s on the Afcon, enjoying huge video games for himself and the nation, so I feel it’s truthful to them, and in addition to us as a result of we’re going to play some vital video games, that each one the main target is for him over there and there shouldn’t be any distraction from me saying issues about his time at Liverpool.
“We’ve got moved on after the Leeds interview and he performed towards Brighton. Now he’s there, so it’s truthful for his nation, and for him and us, to speak about Tottenham and different video games.”
Liverpool will give a health take a look at to Dominik Szoboszlai forward of Saturday’s journey to Spurs after the Hungarian suffered an ankle damage late within the Brighton recreation. PA Media
I’m unsure what kind of discussions had been had between Newcastle United and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, however Yoane Wissa has not joined his compatriots at Afcon following his latest damage lay-off. I can’t actually think about the identical scenario occurring on the Euros or Copa América, the place a match participant would select to not (or be prevented from) enjoying for his nation and a significant worldwide event.
Eddie Howe is clearly delighted that his striker is match once more and scored for the primary time in Wednesday night time’s Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Fulham. These are contemporary quotes from the Newcastle press convention:
“Yoane might be extra intently linked to Alex [Isak]’s type with out being Alex himself. Yoane has received his personal strengths, and his operating in behind specifically on Wednesday night time, I believed, was wonderful. His motion for slip passes and for stretching their backline, I believed, was proper out of the highest drawer. It was an amazing lesson for any younger striker to observe his motion in that recreation.
He’s his personal man and he’ll convey his personal strengths. It’s nice to have him obtainable and I feel having that participant there’ll profit Nick as properly, so he positively makes us stronger.
That’s to not say that Nick can’t be massively profitable right here and the workforce can’t achieve success with him in it, however we simply want to search out methods to play higher and really feel these rhythms and partnerships that we pleasure ourselves on.”
Newcastle will welcome Chelsea to St James’ Park determined to erase the higher reminiscences of final weekend’s derby defeat at Sunderland, however with full-back Tino Livramento having joined a prolonged damage checklist with a knee downside which is able to sideline him into the brand new 12 months.
“I don’t suppose it’s a critical damage,” Howe added. “The complication we’ve is Tino has injured that knee earlier than in a really comparable space, in order that at all times makes the potential restoration time a bit bit longer, so I don’t suppose we’ll see him presumably earlier than 2026.”
The Guardian’s high 100 male footballers: No 10-1 revealed
The winner has been revealed …
Re the gamers which have made it to Afcon, this can be a useful explainer of the extent to which Premier League groups will probably be affected.
Some of the names not that includes at Afcon are outstanding, and have a few of the most gifted footballers from the continent. The principle purpose for that is that their nation has not certified (for instance, Ghana), however there have additionally been omissions from squads which have made it (unexpectedly Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, who was voted one of the best younger participant at Afcon 2023, offering a advantageous help for the winner within the closing) and there has even been an surprising retirement on the eve of the event (Nigeria’s William Troost-Ekong, who was voted the participant of the event on the final Afcon).
Here’s a non-exhaustive checklist of gamers which are additionally not on the event.
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)
André Onana (Trabzonspor/Cameroon)
Yoane Wissa (DRC/Newcastle United)
Mohammed Kudus (Ghana/Tottenham)
Antoine Semenyo (Ghana/Bournemouth)
Ola Aina (Nigeria/Fulham),
Yankuba Minteh (Gambia/Brighton)
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco/Wydad AC)
Nicolas Pépé (Cote d’Ivoire/Villarreal)
Mohammed Salisu (Ghana/Monaco)
Cheick Doucoure (Mali/Crystal Palace)
Amine Adli (Morocco/Bournemouth)
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Cameroon/Napoli)
Victor Boniface (Nigeria/Werder Bremen)
Afcon kicks on Sunday, which is fairly thrilling. Morocco v Comoros is the primary recreation and Osasu Obayiuwana has penned this preview on your eyes solely.
An electronic mail from Dave Estherby.
“I’ve to disagree with Neville, Carragher et al that every part needs to be dealt with “in-house”; doing pressers earlier than and after video games is one thing I think about most managers wouldn’t do had been it not a contract stipulation. I don’t suppose a little bit of honesty right here and there’s a purpose to start out throwing mud/beginning rumours/no matter it might be. Maresca is clearly pissed off about one thing, he an enormous boy so I’d guess he’s already aired these grievances in non-public, if that’s fallen on deaf ears I feel he has each proper to talk his thoughts publicly. Don’t the followers have a proper to know that’s occurring?”
Completely, Maresca has a proper to air the soiled laundry in public, nevertheless it hardly ever ends properly for managers once they do that, significantly at golf equipment like Chelsea. If Maresca does survive, will probably be attention-grabbing to see if Chelsea again their supervisor in January. There are rumours that Maresca is demanding an(different) elite midfielder, maybe as a result of Roméo Lavia can’t keep match for longer than 5 minutes. No matter occurred to ‘making do’?!
A reminder that the highest 10 of our 100 finest male footballers on the earth 2025 will probably be revealed within the subsequent jiffy.
Right here is the checklist 100-11.
Probably the most attention-grabbing line from that Maresca press convention was: “It’s vital to grasp the explanation why this [Manchester City] information was there.”
Since we’re nonetheless at midnight about Maresca’s feedback final weekend, that may be a clear message to the Chelsea hierarchy. A veiled menace of types. The Italian is enjoying a harmful recreation, even when he spent 90% of the press convention saying all the proper issues as Chelsea supervisor: ignoring the experiences, enjoying down the hypothesis, specializing in the following recreation, and many others.
A bit extra Maresca for you:
I’ve rather a lot to attain right here [at Chelsea]. We achieved the third semi-final in 18 months the opposite day. Final 12 months was good for trophies, we end fourth within the Champions League, now we wish to enhance on that this 12 months.
He additionally supplies some damage information, for all you FPL freaks.
Liam Delap and Dario Essugo are in all probability obtainable for Aston Villa and Roméo [Lavia] remains to be out, Levi [Colwill] remains to be out.
Maresca: Manchester Metropolis hyperlinks are ‘100% hypothesis’
Chelsea’s press convention has began.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea supervisor, is requested concerning the tales linking him to the Manchester Metropolis job.
It doesn’t have an effect on me. It’s 100% hypothesis. On this second, there’s not time for these sort of issues. I’ve a contract [at Chelsea] till 2029. I’m very proud to be right here. I don’t take note of that. One week in the past, it was the identical with Juventus so I don’t listen.
It’s vital to grasp the explanation why this [Manchester City] information was there. I’m targeted on the Newcastle recreation. It will be a troublesome recreation.
Maresca is requested if he has spoken with the membership hierarchy concerning the Everton feedback. A reminder that the Chelsea supervisor claimed final weekend that “the final 48 hours had been the toughest since I joined the membership as a result of so many individuals didn’t assist me and the workforce.”
In regards to the Everton press convention? No. About different issues? Sure.
Ashton Gate to stage the Ladies’s League Cup closing
Tom Garry
Ashton Gate, the house of Bristol Metropolis, will stage the Ladies’s League Cup closing on Sunday 15 March 2026, it has been introduced.
It’s the first time the venue has staged this closing, though Ashton Gate hosted a Ladies’s FA Cup closing in 2012.
The match will probably be a 2:15pm (all instances GMT) kick-off, broadcast reside on BBC One and Sky Sports activities. Solely Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis have lifted the trophy for the reason that cup was based in 2011.
The quarter-finals are going down on Sunday, with Liverpool internet hosting the holders, Chelsea. Crystal Palace, the one remaining aspect from beneath the highest flight, are at house to Arsenal.
Final season’s overwhelmed finalists, Manchester Metropolis, are away towards managerless West Ham, whereas in one other all-WSL tie, Manchester United host Tottenham. All 4 quarter-finals get underneath manner at 1pm.
Preamble
Whats up world! We’re properly and really into the festive fixtures now. The video games come thick and quick, and staying on high of 1’s type and health is paramount. Given their Membership World Cup efforts, Chelsea are worse off than most with regards to accidents.
It’s outcomes that matter, although, and the warmth is on Enzo Maresca after his feedback final weekend.
Failure to elucidate them has solely elevated the scrutiny on the Italian, who is because of give his pre-weekend press convention imminently earlier than Chelsea’s journey to Newcastle tomorrow. There are numerous experiences flying round that Maresca is combating with the Chelsea board over signings and can be being linked with changing Pep Guardiola at Manchester Metropolis, ought to the Spaniard depart. Keep in mind, Maresca was one in every of Guardiola’s assistants 2022-2023.
So we’ll have the newest from that, plus all the remainder of the Premier League information and evaluation going into this weekend.
Do electronic mail me on michael.butler@theguardian.com with any ideas. Let’s do that.
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