William Gallas has urged Chelsea to be patient with summer signing Christopher Nkunku as he nears his long-awaited return from injury.

Nkunku played a prominent role in the Blues’ pre-season campaign before picking up a serious knee injury on the eve of the Premier League’s opening games.

The Frenchman, who joined from German side RB Leipzig in a deal worth £52m, has been working hard behind the scenes on his rehab and is now nearing full fitness.

Fans are desperate to see Nkunku in action following his impressive stint at Leipzig, where he registered 70 goals and 56 assists across 172 games.

Gallas has backed the 25-year-old to be a success at Stamford Bridge but has urged the club to not rush his return and risk a longer-term injury.

‘Everyone needs to be patient with Christopher Nkunku,’ the former Chelsea centre-back told Genting Casino. ‘We need to wait until he is completely ready to play before he can start to have an impact for Chelsea because he has been injured for such a long time.

‘When you’re out for four months, you need to manage your fitness very carefully. I think that Nkunku is a great player and he will bring a lot of quality to this Chelsea team.

‘He will bring a different attacking option to Pochettino, but we shouldn’t expect him to be the main man straight away.

‘He will need to be managed perfectly after being out for such a long time. The intensity of the games in the Premier League is so high, so it would be a massive risk if he came back too quickly.

‘Don’t push him too much. When he is ready, he can make the difference for Chelsea.’

Nkunku could be in line for his maiden league appearance for Chelsea when they travel to face Newcastle on Saturday.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side sit four points behind the Magpies and a further six off the top four, but could extend their unbeaten streak to three league games after impressive performances against Tottenham and Manchester City before the international break.

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Mikel Arteta insists he ‘really wants’ Takehiro Tomiyasu to stay at Arsenal, despite interest from Bayern Munich.

The Japan international has been linked with a move to the Allianz Arena, with Thomas Tuchel keen to bolster his defence.

Tomiyasu joined Arsenal from Bologna in 2021, and has become a fans’ favourite at the Emirates.

However, he’s yet to establish himself in the starting XI and still plays a rotational role under Arteta.

But, unsurprisingly, the Spaniard is fond of the defender’s versatility and wants him to remain at the club.

‘I really want him to stay,’ said Arteta.

‘I value the player a lot. He’s loved and respected by everybody at the club.

”He’s at the level we need to make an impact on the team. He’s going to be with us.’

MORE : Eddie Howe gives injury updates on Newcastle stars Alexander Isak and Kieran Trippier

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Newcastle United will be able to call upon the services of Kieran Trippier for Saturday’s Premier League match against Chelsea.

The Magpies’ right-back played the full 90 minutes of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta a week ago, but withdrew from the squad due to a ‘personal matter’ ahead of the 1-1 draw against North Macedonia.

Eddie Howe, however, confirmed the experienced defender would be available for selection, but was more evasive when asked for an update on striker Alexander Isak who has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury.

Newcastle would welcome the return of the Sweden international, particularly given the absence of Callum Wilson, who his likely to be out until the New Year.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s game, Howe said: ‘Fabian [Schär] was more precautionary rather than any injury, we saw him yesterday – he seemed good.

‘Miggy [Miguel Almiron] has worked really well since his hamstring. Kieran [Trippier] is fine, he has trained with us since his return from England. We will check on Sean [Longstaff] before tomorrow.

On Isak, he added: ‘I don’t want to give too much away.’

Having started the season impressively, Newcastle’s ambitions took a double blow prior to the latest international break with defeats against Borussia Dortmund and Bournemouth representing significant setbacks.

A return to St James’ Park, however, which has been something of a fortress since Howe’s appointment two years ago, will prompt a revival, according to Newcastle’s manager.

‘Our home form has been very strong – we have had some good results against some top sides.

‘You look back at our last league game here against Arsenal, it was a very strong performance, full of discipline and quality. Another performance and atmosphere like that would be more than welcome. There is a determination to put the Bournemouth result to bed.’

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Mikel Arteta was hopeful, but non-committal, on the fitness of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Ben White ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Brentford on Saturday.

The Gunners boss was speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the journey across London for the 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday against the Bees.

He sounded most hopeful of a return for Jesus, who played for Brazil over the international break, starting in the 1-0 defeat to Argentina, so is fit but may not be in peak condition after an intense match on Wednesday and a long journey.

‘He is available,’ said Arteta. ‘He played 96/97 minutes in a really competitive match. He had a long flight. I have to see the condition of every single player to make the final call in the line-up.’

Odegaard has been out of action due to a concussion issue, while White has had a muscle problem and Arteta was leaving a decision on their fitness down to the final training session of the week on Friday afternoon.

On Odegaard he said: ‘We have another training session today but he’s been progressing well. Hopefully he will be available.’

Asked whether the Norwegian had suffered a concussion, he said: ‘Yes. We didn’t know how many days, depends on certain things. In the end he got more delayed than we wanted, but we have to protect the player.’

On White, he added: ‘Hopefully if he’s able to train today he’ll be eligible to play, but it’s a question mark to be resolved in the next few hours.’

Due to David Raya being on loan from Brentford, the Spanish goalkeeper is unavailable to play this weekend and Arteta confirmed that Aaron Ramsdale will start in his place.

Meanwhile, Fabio Vieira is suspended and Thomas Partey remains injured and is not available.

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Raphael Varane’s relationship with Erik ten Hag has ‘broken down’ after a ‘frank’ exchange between the pair following the Dutchman’s decision to leave the defender out for the Manchester derby.

Despite injury to Lisandro Martinez this season, Varane has lost his spot as a regular starter.

Ten Hag favours a left-footer at left centre-back but in Martinez’s absence, he’s opted to play Jonny Evans there.

But, with Victor Lindelof ruled out of the derby, Varane had expected to start – only to be benched in favour of Evans.

That was the final straw for Varane, who made it clear to Ten Hag how angry he was according to the Daily Mail.

Varane has only made three substitute appearances since the derby, despite Evans being injured.

Bayern Munich are now looking to capitalise on the situation with a move for Varane in January.

The Germans value him at around £25m, though he would need to take a significant paycut to secure a move to the Allianz Arena.

MORE : Ronnie O’Sullivan in tears over impact he has had on ‘all-time great’ Judd Trump

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Ronnie O’Sullivan continues to be moved by the impact he has had on Judd Trump’s career, hailing the 34-year-old as ‘an all-time great’ of snooker already.

O’Sullivan’s new documentary ‘The Edge of Everything’ was released this week to a great reception, with the film coming to a climax with the 2022 World Championship final between the Rocket and Trump.

A memorable moment of that tournament was the epic hug between the two players after the match which seemed to last for an age on the Crucible floor.

The documentary revealed what the players said to each other during the mammoth embrace, with Trump thanking O’Sullivan for practicing with him years before and the influence he had on his young career.

Watching back that scene with the BBC, O’Sullivan became emotional again as he did at the time, clearly moved by the impact he had on the younger man.

‘That was a big match for me to play Judd,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘You know, he’s a phenomenal player. Me and Judd practised in the same facility and then Judd came down to London when he was about 18 or 19 [years old]. We used to practice in the same sort of place.

‘I think he kind of was watching and learning how I did my practice, what I practised. He even said it to me, he said when he decided to go back up to Bristol. I said “Why are you doing that?”

‘And he went “I learnt all I needed to learn off of you, the job was done. I knew there was nothing left for me to learn, so it’s time for me to go back to my family in Bristol”.

‘You know, that means a lot. I didn’t realise I had that impact on him.’

Trump has been the player of the season so far, lifting three trophies already and reaching two more finals as he looks to dislodge O’Sullivan from the world number one spot.

The Rocket would not be too upset to see the 2019 world champion do so, praising Trump’s snooker ethos and labelling him an all-time great even at this stage of his career.

‘I’ve always said I’d never begrudge Judd,’ O’Sullivan told reporters ahead of The Edge of Everything premiere. ‘He plays the game for the right reasons, he’s got a really good mentality toward the game.

‘I know him quite well, he’s quite quiet and shy, but he’s coming right out of his shell now. He’s matured a lot.

‘We’ve got great respect for each other, we really have. I’d say he’s an all-time great already and he’s still got years to go. A lot of respect for Judd.’

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The Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells believes there is a desperate need for a woman to shake up the world of British boxing behind the scenes having made her first steps back into the sport.

Swindells, a former amateur champion boxer herself, secured investment to the tune of £250,000 from Lord Alan Sugar to help set up her Bronx boxing gym in Camberwell earlier this year.

Since hanging up her gloves, women’s boxing has undergone huge growth with 2022 a crowning year, featuring the all-female card led by Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano tearing the house down on a historic night in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In the ring, the sport has taken on new life, with Taylor’s undisputed super-lightweight title rematch against Chantelle Cameron this weekend in Dublin serving as one of the biggest fights to see out 2023.

But outside of it, there is a lack of female figures at an administration level, as well as the promotional side of the game ruled by Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions in the UK.

Intent on building her own boxing gym empire to produce future world champions, Swindells also has an eye firmly on entering the world of boxing promotion, believing the sport is crying out for ‘a women’s perspective’ at the top table.

‘I have so much respect for the female pro boxers who have paved the way and been persistent,’ Swindells told Metro.co.uk in an exclusive interview.

‘From my perspective, there is still a huge gap in the market for a woman in boxing on the business side of things. When you look at the climate for promoters, managers and behind the scenes in the sport, there are no women on the business side of things. So I would like to bang on that door. The landscape has come on leaps and bounds but the more women involved, the more competitive things get, the more characters we have and the more fights we will see.

‘My ultimate goal is to open as many gyms as possible. But with that, there will come talented fighters and I will be damned if I sit back and watch them leave and go be with other managers and promoters.

‘I would eventually like to develop an inhouse pathway starting right at the bottom, bringing in amateurs and protecting them, pushing them up to the professional ranks and to put on professional shows as a promoter. I want people to know we have arrived.’

The landscape of boxing has undergone major changes with the rise of the influencer scene, spearheaded by KSI, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury and standalone promotions Misfits and Kingpyn Boxing.

Even compared to the wild west of professional boxing, its influencer and YouTuber alternative that attracts a huge following has drawn criticism. Out of control press conferences, bizarre match-ups and borderline dangerous fights have left the sport with a black eye at times with its traditional values of little concern to those looking to cash in ahead of others who have dedicated much of their lives to learning their trade.

Intent on growing her own stable of fighters, Swindells is eager to harness the best of both worlds, believing the traditional side of the game can learn something from its chaotic counterpart.

‘Professional boxing has a lot to learn from the likes of Misfits and what they do to build a fighter,’ Swindells said. ‘There is a lot of chaos but what they do around PR, branding, marketing, social media, that gets overlooked in the world of real boxing. There is a stigma there for real boxers who won’t recognise it as real. But what they do in terms of promoting themselves is incredible and I think pro boxing can take a leaf out of their book.

‘I think there is a little bit of jealousy there from the purists’ perspective,’ she continued. ‘I think they will see what the influencer boxers are doing and say, “hold on a minute, I’ve worked my a**e off all this time building an amateur career and I’m not getting anywhere near enough attention as these guys”.

‘Sometimes they do not appreciate the work that has gone into the marketing and that is where the influencer focus has been. That is where there is a bit of jealousy, where these guys are earning so much more than what a pro is earning for doing a very similar job.’

Swindells’ connection with boxing is not a recent development. After taking up the sport at the age of 17, she had a successful amateur run, winning the Haringey Box Cup while also coaching others before taking a new direction.

Her Bronx gym is growing, with the current premises in south London expanding with plans to add more sites in the near future. With some emerging young talent already working out the gym and a few ‘really interesting amateur prospects’ following suit, the aim remains to build a hybrid of the traditional gyms that have produced some of the country’s most decorated champions aligned with her own vision.

‘The ultimate thing for a boxer is training and what they do in the ring,’ she said. ‘I want them to have that at Bronx but also where all the other stuff is taken care for them too. We can pad everything else around them and that is not necessarily what you get at old school boxing clubs. While the coaching is unparalleled in those places, we can offer guidance and support from the business perspective to help shape their career.

‘A lot of fighters gets lost on the way up. A lot of talent gets lost because they can’t get the right the deals, they can’t make a genuine living out of it,  they can’t get sponsorships.

‘I’ve watched so many great talents dwindle away into nothing because they are having to buy their own tickets, promoters on that small hall show level need their cut and the house needs to get paid. There is a huge weight on their shoulders and more promoters, more avenues and routes to the top can alleviate that.’

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Chelsea have jumped significantly ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford in the January transfer window.

The Brentford striker, whose eight-month ban for breaking gambling regulations is set to expire in the New Year, has been identified as a primary target for two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

Both London giants would ideally like to strengthen their forward line at the earliest opportunity, but the Gunners will face an uphill battle to secure the services of a striker who scored 20 top flight goals last season.

While Arsenal have made a solid start to the new campaign, goals have been in short supply for their two recognised centre forwards Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus who has started just one Premier League game up front due a succession of injuries to himself and his teammates.

According to the Telegraph, however, if Toney is to depart Brentford for Arsenal, it will not be in January.

For starters, the Bees have little intention of selling their prize asset before next summer, and have placed a prohibitive £80million price tag on the 27-year-old.

With Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa set to feature in the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year, Toney’s impending return could not be better timed for Thomas Frank.

Arsenal, meanwhile, came close to flouting Financial Fair Play rules in the summer and it was only Brentford’s generosity that allowed them to sign goalkeeper David Raya on loan, initially, ahead of a £27m permanent move next summer.

While the Gunners have spent extravagantly under Mikel Arteta, they have tended to be more reserved in the winter window, with last year’s outlay of £50m on Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior an anomaly.

In any case, Arsenal believe that a striker no longer represents a priority with Jesus now, hopefully over his injury problems, with Trossard, Nketiah and even Kai Havertz representing solid alternatives.

Central midfield, however, has become an area of concern. Thomas Partey is set to return in January, but will then depart almost immediately for the Africa Cup of Nations where Mohamed Elneny is also likely to feature for Egypt.

That will place an even greater burden on the likes of Declan Rice and Jorginho, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not require the Glazer family to sign off significant football decisions once his investment in Manchester United is complete.

The 71-year-old is set to have a £1.3bn investment in the club ratified in the coming weeks, which will see him take a 25% stake in the Red Devils.

While it remains to be seen whether the deal will layout a roadmap for Ratcliffe to be made majority owner, it’s clear that the British billionaire wants a deal that will give him significant power.

Ratcliffe wants control over football operations, which would leave the Glazers as majority owners and overseers of the commercial side of the club.

But it had been reported that Joel Glazer would sit on a committee alongside Ratcliffe, which would effectively leave the Glazers in part control of the football side.

But the Independent say Ratcliffe will be given control, and will not need to run important football decisions past the majority owners.

Sir Dave Brailsford is expected to work alongside Ratcliffe, while the pair will appoint a new CEO when Richard Arnold steps down.

John Murtough’s role as football director is vulnerable, with Ratcliffe keen to appoint a sporting director.

Paolo Maldini, Paul Mitchell and Dougie Freedman are all under consideration.

MORE : UK Championship draw complete as heavyweights clash in opening round in York

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After six days of qualifying for the UK Championship the draw for the opening round in York has been set and there are some blockbuster clashes in the last 32.

Only the top 16 qualify automatically for the Barbican and the star power outside of that elite group is illustrated by this draw, which sees Mark Allen take on Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan face Anthony McGill in the first round of the main stage.

Allen and Ding contested last year’s final which the Northern Irishman won in 10-7 from 2-6 behind in a memorable showpiece clash.

O’Sullivan and McGill have played eight times in all competitions and the Scot has won just one of them, but it was a big one, knocking the Rocket out of the 2021 World Championship at the last 16 stage.

Other notable ties in the last 32 in York include Shaun Murphy taking on Hossein Vafaei and the player of the season so far Judd Trump facing young Chinese talent Pang Junxu.

There are a number of very recognisable names that didn’t make it through qualifying, including the likes of Stuart Bingham, Ryan Day, Gary Wilson, Stephen Maguire and David Gilbert.

Si Jiahui, this year’s surprise World Championship semi-finalist also fell early, as did Jak Jones, who enjoyed an unexpected run to the last eight at the Crucible a few months ago.

The last 16 ties are then played over Wednesday and Thursday, all the quarter-finals on Friday, both semis on Saturday before a two-session final on Sunday.

The winner will walk away with an enormous first prize of £250,000, while there is some pressure on the top 16 to win their first round matches for the ranking points that come with it.

The top 16 are guaranteed £10,000 in prize money for contesting the last 32, but they only get ranking points if they win their opening match, so any of the elite group falling at the first hurdle could face a tumble down the rankings ahead of the Masters in January.

UK Championship prize money

Winner: £250,000
Runner-up: £100,000
Semi-final: £50,000
Quarter-final: £25,000
Last 16: £15,000
Last 32: £10,000
Last 48: £7,500
Last 80: £5,000
Last 112: £2,500
Highest break: £15,000

After coming through his final qualifying game against Scott Donaldson on Thursday night, the always entertaining Hossein Vafaei had a rousing message for the crowd in York.

‘I love playing in the big events with a good atmosphere, as loud as possible,’ he said. ‘My advice to all the fans is to make it loud! Otherwise it’s tough for us to perform. Hopefully it will be a good match with Shaun, it will be an honour for me to share the table with him.’

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The 2023 Formula One season concludes this weekend in Abu Dhabi, bringing the curtain down on a record-breaking yet massively underwhelming year.

Incredible as Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s near-perfect season has been, it’s not one that fans will look back fondly on – a shame, because if you removed those two from the equation we would have had a tight title battle between several drivers from different teams.

And while the grid will barely be changing going into 2024, the performances of some drivers have shown next year could be a real firecracker, while others will be left thanking the racing gods that they still have a seat.

With that in mind, Metro Sport has taken a look at all 22 drivers to grace the track this season and rated their efforts from Perfection to Back to Formula 2:

• 10 = Perfection
• 9 = Outstanding
• 8 = Great
• 7 = Good
• 6 = Decent
• 5 = Acceptable
• 4 = Underwhelming
• 3 = Poor
• 2 = Very Poor
• 1 = Back to Formula 2

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 10/10

Not a lot more can be said about Verstappen’s near-flawless season so let’s just read off some of his stats and records instead:

Most wins in a season (18), most podiums in a season (20), 12 poles, eight fastest laps, never finished outside the top five, most points in a season (549), four Sprint wins, highest percentage of wins in a season (86%), most consecutive wins (10) and most laps led in a season (951).

Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 7/10

In comparison to his teammate, Perez has been made to look like an underachiever, constantly at threat of losing his seat. But at the end of the day Red Bull didn’t hire him to beat Verstappen but rather support him when things didn’t go to plan.

The Dutchman has only failed to win three times this season and Checo claimed victory on two of those occasions (Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan), and secured a career-best P2 in the standings, marking the first time Red Bull have pulled off a 1-2. It wasn’t pretty, but Perez has done exactly what was asked of him.

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 8/10

While he wasn’t able to end his winless run, Lewis Hamilton can take pride in finishing best of the rest behind the all-conquering Red Bulls. After a lacklustre 2022, this was a return to form for the seven-time champion.

Just don’t mention his crash with teammate George Russell.

Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) – 8/10

The man who prevented Red Bull from claiming a clean sweep in 2023, Sainz might be the most underrated driver of the year, with his victory in Singapore showing off what he can do when Ferrari get their act together.

While Charles Leclerc is heralded as the Scuderia’s best hope, Sainz has now finished ahead of his teammate in two of their three years together…

Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 8/10

Though the much anticipated 33rd win of his career didn’t materialise, this was still a fantastic year for Alonso, with eight podiums the most of any non-Red Bull driver.

Alas, Aston Martin’s dip in performance hampered his results in the second-half of the season but the 42-year-old is still one of the finest racers on the grid.

Lando Norris (McLaren) – 8/10

His talent may have been apparent since his debut, but 2023 will be remembered as the year Norris really arrived, with McLaren finally giving him a car capable of running at the front.

From Silverstone onwards, the young Brit frequently asserted himself as the fastest man on track not called Max, finishing on the podium seven times. If he and his team continue their upwards trajectory they could emerge as title challengers next season.

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 7/10

A deeply frustrating year for Leclerc who is quickly becoming the answer to the question: ‘Who is the most unluckiest driver in the history of F1?’

Five impressive pole positions shows that over one lap he might be the fastest on the gird, but it’s all for naught until results start going his way on a Sunday.

George Russell (Mercedes) – 6/10

After beating Hamilton in their first season together, Russell had the world at his feet but his sophomore year at Mercedes has been pretty underwhelming, with just one podium to his name.

He’s had some bad luck, but too often the Brit has made costly, sloppy mistakes, with his crash on the last lap in Singapore while battling for the win likely to haunt him for the rest of his career.

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 8/10

Two podiums and a sprint race victory in Qatar were the highlights for a successful rookie year for Piastri, solidifying his status as the hottest young talent in F1 and vindicating his move from Alpine to McLaren.

Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 5/10

Bar the occasional great performance, this season has proven more than any other that Stroll just isn’t cut it out to be racing at the highest level – no matter how much his dad invests into Aston Martin.

The gulf in quality to Alonso has cost his team in the championship battle and his immaturity after yet another awful qualifying in Qatar has only worsened his reputation.

Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 6/10

A backwards step for Alpine this year as their car mostly seemed to exist in a huge void between the top five and the bottom four. Gasly remained pretty decent throughout though, recording an impressive podium in Holland and a top-three finish in the Belgian Sprint.

Esteban Ocon (Alpine) – 6/10

If there was a prize for the most inconsistent driver, Ocon would easily take the crown. A Monaco podium and terrific drive in Las Vegas were offset by weekends where he was largely nowhere to be seen, including seven where the Frenchman failed to finish.

Alex Albon (Williams) – 7/10

Albon is far too good a driver to be scrapping for the occasional point with Williams, so should be greatly commended for amassing 27 points and single handedly firing the British team to seventh in the constructors’ championship.

Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) – 6/10

A frustrating year for Tsunoda who showed considerable improvement, yet his car was barely capable of scoring points. But though he scored more than his three teammates combined, it is Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson who look more likely to get promoted to Red Bull.

Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) – 5/10

Alfa Romeo maintained their status as the grid’s most anonymous team, as the Italian car company prepares to bow out of F1. Rather fittingly, Bottas was neither here nor there in 2023.

Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) – 5/10

Some eye-catching qualifying performances from Hulkenberg were undone by the Haas car’s ability to destroy its tyres at an alarming rate, meaning they were all but useless on a race day. Still, the German proved his doubters wrong on his comeback year.

Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) – 5/10

He’ll be back on the grid full-time next season but Ricciardo has a lot to prove if he is to replace Perez at Red Bull. Most races (bar a stunning drive in Mexico) just passed him by, while a broken hand allowed his understudy Lawson time to outshine him.

Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) – 5/10

Hard to tell how good (or bad) Zhou is given he’s never really had a competitive car to work with. Next year will be make or break for him.

Kevin Magnussen (Haas) – 4/10

Largely outshone by his teammate, Magnussen couldn’t quite find the same level of pace as Hulkenberg but can be forgiven somewhat due to his car’s weaknesses.

Liam Lawson (AlphaTauri) – 7/10

Lawson was snubbed twice for the AlphaTauri seat before Ricciardo’s broken hand finally gave him his F1 debut and boy did the Kiwi make the most of the opportunity. He won’t be racing in 2024, but this is not the last we’ve seen of him.

Logan Sargeant (Williams) – 3/10

At the time of writing, Sargeant is yet to secure his seat at Williams for 2024 andthings aren’t looking great for the American rookie, who has scored just one point and appears a bit out of his depth.

Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri) – 1/10

Given the lack of pace of the AlphaTauri and the brutality of his sacking, we gave De Vries a 2/10 in mid-season. However, seeing how Lawson and Ricciardo both performed far better in the handful of races they were given, we’ve been left with no choice but to degrade the Dutchman.

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Just as the Premier League was starting to heat up, in came a third, boredom-inducing international break of the season to interrupt all the fun once again.

You may have forgotten during the past two weeks of doldrum and dead rubbers, but a host of narratives were beginning to bubble to the surface. An injury-hit Tottenham gave Ange Postecoglou a masterclass in what it means to be ‘Spursy’, Chelsea and Manchester City shared eight goals in a thriller at Stamford Bridge and Bournemouth escaped the bottom three for the first time in a relegation battle that has just got a whole lot more interesting.

Everton’s 10-point deduction has breathed fresh life into the survival pushes of the three no-longer-quite-so-doomed promoted sides, while, at the other end of the table, the top five are separated by just three points.

So, as the Premier League finally resumes ahead of four months of uninterrupted action, here are the big talking points going into the weekend’s matches…

Are Chelsea actually good again?

This period was marked out as a particularly dangerous one for Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino, but a thumping win over Spurs and a pulsating 4-4 draw against Manchester City have flipped perceptions. Suddenly the west Londoners look transformed, from profligate huff-and-puffers into a cold and clinical attack – one that will soon be enhanced further by the returning Christopher Nkunku.

Albeit against nine men, Chelsea racked up 4.06xG (Expected Goals) in north London before accumulating 3.47xG against City – a combined tally that is only a little shy of Sheffield United’s total xG for the entire season so far. Admittedly the defence is looking a little leaky, but Chelsea’s midfield now boasts considerable craft as well as energy and bite, while the Cole Palmer-inspired frontline will worry any defence in the league.

They now travel to St James’ Park at an ideal time, with Newcastle missing a host of key players, though it will also represent a very different type of test. Spurs and City both tried to impose themselves on Chelsea with front-foot football, but Newcastle will make Saturday’s game stodgy and defensive – the type of match Chelsea have struggled in. If they have turned a corner, this is the fixture to show it in.

Man Utd to bear brunt of Everton outrage?

Manchester United ended the last batch of matches, somewhat surprisingly, as the Premier League’s form team. In amongst the doom and gloom of a lacklustre European campaign and early Carabao Cup exit, the Red Devils have picked up 12 points from the last 15 available to quiet some of the noise that has engulfed Erik ten Hag.

But if they could have chosen to avoid any fixture to restart the campaign, it would have been an away trip to Goodison Park. The Premier League’s decision to hand Everton an immediate 10-point deduction – the most severe penalty in the 135-year history of English top-flight football – has been met with derision and fury on Merseyside, and United are about to feel the full force of it.

Banners and flags have been prepared for the game, while protest cards which will be held aloft both during the Premier League anthem – which will be drowned out by boos – and in the 10th minute of the match. United have actually lost seven times at Goodison Park since 2009 and it is one of their unhappier hunting grounds, but rarely will they have encountered an atmosphere quite like what awaits them on Sunday.

Can teetering Tottenham get back on track?

After such a bright and encouraging start to the season, Tottenham’s campaign has rather abruptly been thrown into make-or-break territory. After back-to-back defeats against Chelsea and Wolves, the first of which saw the club lose five first-team players either to injury or suspension, they now face a challenging run of games that begins against high-flying Aston Villa, with Manchester City, West Ham and Newcastle all to follow.

Villa did the double over Spurs last season and are well-equipped to collect another win in north London. With Cristian Romero serving the second of his three-match ban and Micky van de Ven sidelined, a centre-back partnership of Eric Dier and Ben Davies looks ripe for pillaging. Postecoglou has already shown that he will not deviate from his principles, which means a precariously one-paced and very high back-line could be easy pickings for Ollie Watkins and the rapid Moussa Diaby.

Tottenham are also without Yves Bissouma for the match, after he picked up a fifth booking of the season last time out, but Spurs will be buoyed by Rodrigo Bentancur’s midweek performance for Uruguay against Bolivia. Still, this is a team that suddenly feels as though it has lost its spark and recapturing the sense of joy that permeated the first 10 games of the season will be a massive task for Postecoglou given the options available to him.

Title showdown at the Etihad?

It has gone a little under the radar due to the international break, but the Premier League returns with an absolute blockbuster of a lunchtime clash between Manchester City and Liverpool. The defending champions against the team many view as their biggest challengers – and the only side to thwart Pep Guardiola in the last six years.

City go into the match sweating over the fitness of top scorer Erling Haaland, who left the Norway camp early after picking up an ankle injury. In addition to longer term absentees John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne, the likes of Ederson, Mateo Kovacic and Nathan Ake are all dealing with knocks too. The champions are looking ever-so-slightly vulnerable while Liverpool are beginning to show signs of the ‘mentality monsters’ that were such a thorn in the side of Guardiola a few years ago.

Sure, Arsenal have only lost once and pushed City incredibly close last season, but in almost every metric it is Liverpool who stand out as the main challenger. They have the highest xG in the division while also only conceding 10 times – the joint-best defensive record. In Mohamed Salah they have an outstanding goalscorer, something Arsenal undoubtedly lack, while Virgil van Dijk is back to something close to his best. A win on Saturday would take them top and throw down a major marker.

Will Ramsdale seize his chance to impress?

With David Raya ineligible to face parent club Brentford, this weekend will see Aaron Ramsdale start between the sticks for Arsenal in a Premier League game for the first time since the beginning of September. Mikel Arteta has repeatedly said he has no number one goalkeeper and Saturday’s trip to the Community Stadium – and more so what happens afterwards – will prove whether that is really the case.

The goalkeeper situation has turned into something of a headache for Arteta, with Ramsdale’s dad criticising the handling of it last week and even taking a swipe at the two Spaniards: ‘David Raya has not pulled up trees so far, let’s say he’s not going to. Even though the way it’s been done, in my eyes, it’s been wrong.’

Yet the early stats would appear to support Arteta’s decision, with Raya’s save percentage 14% higher than his team-mate’s while Ramsdale also has the lowest post-shot xG per 90 of any goalkeeper in the league, meaning he is conceding significantly more goals than you would expect from the chances Arsenal’s back-line are giving up.

Brentford will provide a stern test on Saturday, particularly from set-pieces, but it is already starting to feel like the writing is on the wall and perhaps the question is not so much about whether Ramsdale deserved to be dropped, but whether Raya is of the quality required to be the long-term number one.

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In his latest column, the former Olympian and heavyweight contender looks ahead to the huge rematch in Dublin and gives his thoughts on Anthony Joshua’s decision to link up with a new trainer in Ben Davison

My fight prediction

Chantelle Cameron is one of those fighters who went under the radar for so long. If you look back on the wins she has had and the way she has performed, she is always in good fights and always operates on a very high level.

She has an outstanding skillset, is a very game fighter and she has a really great set up working with Nigel Travis and Jamie Moore, who have developed her as a pro.

I knew she would go out to Dublin in May and give a really good account of herself up against it, but I was surprised at how comfortably she managed to deal with Katie that night.

This fight at the same weight, it makes it interesting. I have to have Chantelle as the favourite. Performing like that in front of the home crowd on Irish soil, it will have given her invaluable experience and made her an even better a fighter.

She will have so much confidence going into this one. She’ll try to put Katie to bed. It’s close but I am giving it to Chantelle Cameron, edging another points win in a really close fight.

Cameron’s key to success

After Katie’s defeat earlier this year, there were a lot of theories and reasons put forward for why she wasn’t at her usual level. The jump up in weight, fighting the naturally bigger women, the fact she was another year older, the huge pressure that comes with fighting back home on the big stage.

But Chantelle was carrying something in her that made all that irrelevant. She hasn’t been given the rub of the green as a pro or given the attention she deserved and going further back, wrongly missed out on going to the Olympics in Rio.

I think she took all that frustration and pain into the fight, knowing if she beat Katie, all that changes. You make yourself a star. And that is what she did, she outpunched her, outworked her and outboxed her.

Chantelle knows exactly what she needs to do this time around. She will be so up for it. Katie will of course want her revenge, so many of us look up to her so I’m expecting nothing less than a really good contest.

Retirement an option for legendary Taylor

I love Katie’s style. Even after defeat, there is no trash talk, always respectful. It is about the job, the sport, not the business. She is a woman of the sport. The real champions, they come back and avenge defeats, they put things right and we have seen it time and time again at the top level. Katie belongs in that bracket of the all-time great champions.

It happens to every fighter, sometimes it doesn’t go to plan on the night and we will see this weekend if that was the case last time out, or if Chantelle truly does have her number.

There are no doubts over Katie Taylor’s legacy in boxing. She could retire today before the fight and would go away as a legend. But she has her pride and she wants the belts and I have so much respect for that. Whatever happens on Saturday, I think she could walk away because I am not sure what else she can do in this sport.

She has had the big fights, back home in Ireland and at Madison Square Garden in that unbelievable Amanda Serrano fight. She is a national treasure and a global icon. But it is down to her. There is no quit in her but I wouldn’t mind seeing her bow out in front of that Dublin crowd. Win lose or draw, she is a legend of the game.

No more games from ice cold AJ

We are seeing that meaner, no nonsense side of Anthony Joshua coming out and have done a lot more recently than previously in his career. The main focus for him and everyone involved is keep that energy going into the ring against Otto Wallin next month.

We need to see that attitude and intensity in the performances in the ring. That is what matters. But I can understand it fully. When a man like AJ wants something so bad like he wants those world titles back, there is no time to be playing games.

It is good to see and we hope to see it in the performances. We all want that. I’m a friend and a fan and I want to see him get the belts back and set up the Tyson Fury fight.

The Ben Davison link-up

There will be a new face in the corner for Joshua next month with Ben Davison taking the lead for this fight. Ben has been involved in some huge fights with Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders, Josh Taylor and Leigh Wood so he’s no stranger to the big stages.

He has got great enthusiasm for the sport, I have been around him a little bit, he is a student of the game and knows what he is talking about.

We are at the stage in Joshua’s career where you need guidance more than anything. You’ve done all the training camps, you’ve got all the experience in the world and you need someone to bring out the best of you.

We are not talking about reinventing the wheel here, it is more about having the right person to guide him though fights and the camps. Ben Davison seems to be a good person doing that.

He can be quite basic in what he does, expecting certain things from certain fighters, but it works and the results are there to see with what he has accomplished as a trainer. If they do what he is telling them, they come up with good results. It looks a good fit.

With trainers, you can sometimes only go off the fighters they have around them and he has got good fighters there.

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Novak Djokovic blasted British tennis fans and accused them of disrespecting him after his win over Cameron Norrie in the Davis Cup quarter-final.

Norrie needed a victory to keep Great Britain in the competition but Djokovic cruised to a 6-4 6-4 win that saw Serbia send them crashing out on Thursday night.

During a post-match interview with the world no1, UK fans continued to sing and bang drums while he was addressing the crowd.

‘Learn how to respect players, how to behave yourselves, learn how to respect people, you shut up, you be quiet,’ Djokovic said while gesticulating to a group behind the umpires chair.

‘It’s always a great emotion to play for your country even if after a long season you are feeling it in the legs,’ he added.

Djokovic had already been irked by the British supporters earlier in the contest, responding by cupping his ear and blowing kisses in their direction after winning one rally in the first set.

Djokovic is looking to seal a remarkable 2023 by helping his nation win the Davis Cup for the second time, having already won three of the year’s four Grand Slam titles.

Serbia will take on Italy in Saturday’s semi-final.

Great Britain, without the injured Andy Murray, went into the quarter-finals looking for Jack Draper to beat Miomir Kecmanovic in their singles opener.

Kecmanovic landed an early blow however, turning in a fine performance to beat Draper 7-6(2) 7-6(6) and leave Norrie in the unenviable position of needing to beat Djokovic ahead of the doubles match.

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Erling Haaland is ready to play when Manchester City host Liverpool on Saturday having returned to training after an injury suffered on international duty.

The Premier League’s top scorer picked up an ankle issue playing for Norway against Faroe Islands last Thursday. He later withdrew from the squad ahead of the Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland.

‘The injury is not serious, but he is in so much pain and somewhat restricted function that the Scotland game unfortunately comes a little too early,’ Norway’s team doctor Ola Sand said last Saturday.

Haaland returned to Manchester for treatment at the start of the week and the striker was seen in pictures of City’s training session shared on Thursday.

ESPN report the 23-year-old is expected to be fit when Liverpool come to the Etihad in Saturday’s early kick-off.

Pep Guardiola will provide a further update on his striker in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.

Nathan Ake also trained with the squad on Thursday. The Netherlands international missed the 4-4 draw with Chelsea prior to the international break with an unspecified injury but appeared to be fully involved with the rest of the group on the training pitch.

Mateo Kovacic, Mathues Nunes are John Stones are City’s other injury concerns.

City are top of the Premier League, a point ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight clash.

Liverpool meanwhile have received a boost of their own with four players returning to training today.

Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konate have all returned to training having missed the victory over Brentford before the international break.

Gomez missed out through an unexplained issue with summer signing Gravenberch absent due to a knee problem.

Jones sat out of the Europa League defeat to Toulouse and the win over the Bees with a thigh injury with Konate dealing with a hamstring issue that forced him to withdraw from the France squad during the international break.

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Richard Dunne doesn’t believe Arsenal will win the Premier League this season and says that Liverpool are still Manchester City’s biggest challengers.

12 games into the campaign and it appears we’re in for a cracking title race with just three points separating the top five teams.

City lead the way on 28, ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal on 27, Tottenham on 26 and Aston Villa on 25.

And it could all change after this weekend, with City hosting Liverpool on Saturday before Arsenal travel to Brentford, while Spurs take on Villa in North London on Sunday.

Many believe the Citizens will triumph again but there is debate over who will run them the closest, with many tipping either the Gunners or the Reds to do so.

Former City captain Dunne believes it will be Jurgen Klopp’s men, rationalising that there are too many question marks surrounding Mikel Arteta’s team.

‘City and Liverpool will be up there,’ Dunne told Betway when asked about the title race and who his former side’s biggest challengers would be.

‘I’m still not sure about Arsenal and if they can compete in all the different competitions. Is their squad big enough?

‘People have already spoken about their lack of a centre forward. They’ve created their own problems in the goalkeeping department, which now seems to be a big issue.

‘Tottenham have shown they’re just not strong enough with a few injuries. I’m more inclined to go with Liverpool.’

Arsenal are looking to strengthen in the January window, with Villa’s Douglas Luiz a name on their radar, and Dunne expects the defensive midfielder – who was previously on the books of City – to make a move in the near-future.

‘Luiz will have Champions League ambition. He will know soon enough if he can do that at Villa,’ he added.

‘There are certain clubs that need that position covering, so I expect he will be sought after in the January transfer window – if not, the summer.’

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The drivers and team personnel are normally pretty knackered at the end of a season but 2023 has pushed things to a new level. At 22 rounds from March through to now, this has been the longest year in F1 yet.

Las Vegas was particularly punishing, with a practice session that went on until 4am and a race that started on Saturday and finished on Sunday.

The day after the chequered flag in Sin City, the teams were reassembling their bases in Abu Dhabi.

The paddock has flown for at least 20 hours and had to readjust its time zone by 12 hours. After nine months on 
the road, people are walking around like zombies.

For next year, which is currently slated to finish on a triple-header of Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the drivers have begun pleading with the organisers to give them a week off after the US night race.

In such an exhausting situation, it is perhaps not surprising the sport’s decision-makers have faced suggestions of being forgetful.

Take Christian Horner, for instance, who told the Daily Mail this week Lewis Hamilton’s camp had been in touch about a Red Bull drive in 2024.

Speaking yesterday in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton dismissed that claim, saying: ‘No, I didn’t approach them. Christian messaged me.’

Hamilton says he recently switched on an old phone of his, and it vibrated with hundreds of unread messages.

He revealed: ‘There was one there from Christian, (asking) to get together and have a chat at the end of the season. He didn’t say (it was about driving for them). He just said about having a catch-up.

‘It was quite late on that I found the message. It was, like, months later. I just replied to him on my new phone.’

The Mercedes driver, who signed a new two-year contract in late August, says he sent congratulations to Horner on Red Bull’s dominant season, adding he hoped Mercedes would bring the fight in 2024. Horner apparently returned the sentiment.

With Sergio Perez securing the runner-up spot in the championship over Hamilton with his third place in Las Vegas, the Mexican’s position at Red Bull appears safe for next year – or at least the start of the season.

However, Hamilton suspects this is all less about securing the seven-time world champion’s services, and more about putting the cat among the pigeons.‘There’s a lot of people here that like to drop my name in many conversations, because they know it’s going to make waves,’ asserted the 103-time grand-prix winner.

‘If you’re a little bit lonely and aren’t getting much attention, it’s a perfect thing to do. Just mention my name. He is stirring things.’

Hamilton added although anyone would want to drive ‘the most dominant car of all time’, the RB19, he feels sticking with Mercedes is better for his ‘legacy’. He denied he was scared of squaring up to Max Verstappen in identical equipment, insisting: ‘I’d be more than happy to race against Max in the same car. That would be wonderful. [But] I don’t think he wants me to be his team-mate.’

This weekend at Yas Marina, we’re returning to the scene of their most explosive battle, in 2021. It would be poetic if Hamilton can take his first win in two years here and snatch the curtain-closing victory from his Dutch foe.

F1 fed up with f-bombs from bosses

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff and Ferrari grand fromage Fred Vasseur have received a ticking-off from the FIA for using bad language.

The pair were rather fruity in the lingo stakes during the teams’ press conference in Las Vegas, with Wolff laying into a reporter for being negative about the state of the circuit, while Vasseur was thoroughly fed up about a loose drain cover destroying one of his cars.

The two supremos have been told their F-bombs were ‘unacceptable’ and ‘the FIA will not tolerate the use of such language in any FIA forums by any stakeholder’.

Meanwhile, the American TV network CBS has commissioned a new workplace-based comedy, with F1’s sweariest team principal, Guenther Steiner, announced as an executive producer.

According to Hollywood site Deadline, the fictional series will be set in the world of sports, with a ‘Steiner-esque’ boss heading up a team.

We will wait and see if it features Steiner’s best-known catchphrase from Drive to Survive: ‘We look like a bunch of w*****s.’

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Chelsea have revealed that Wesley Fofana is back in training after rupturing his ACL back in July.

The young defender has been on the sidelines since undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery during the summer.

Such an injury usually takes between six months and a year to recover from and there were fears that he would miss the entire 2023/24 season, a massive blow for the player and club.

However, the 22-year-old has remained positive throughout the rehabilitation process and it appears his return is ahead of schedule.

Chelsea posted several photos of the France International on social media, accompanied by the caption: ‘Back on the grass’.

Though unlikely to be back playing football anytime soon, this will be a huge boost for all involved, especially given the centre-back’s ability and the fact that the Blues spent a whopping £70million on him in 2022.

In his first season at Stamford Bridge, Fofana performed well but struggled for fitness and regular game time, making just 15 Premier League appearances.

It was expected that he would play a huge part in Mauricio Pochettino’s project, and though he still likely will, he faces tough competition for a place in the starting XI from Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile.

Including Fofana, Chelsea currently have eight players in the treatment room with Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka ruled out for the foreseeable future.

However, there is a chance that Colwill, Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto and Christopher Nkunku could be back in time for the trip to Newcastle this Saturday.

As it stands, the Blues are 10th in the table and 10 points off the top four.

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Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konate have all returned to training ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City this weekend.

The quartet all missed the victory over Brentford before the international break. Gomez missed out through an unexplained issue with summer signing Gravenberch absent due to a knee problem.

Jones sat out of the Europa League defeat to Toulouse and the win over the Bees with a thigh injury with Konate dealing with a hamstring issue that forced him to withdraw from the France squad during the international break.

All four were back in training on Thursday, joined by the South American contingent of Alisson Becker, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister after returning to Merseyside this week.

Liverpool sit just a point behind City heading into Saturday afternoon’s clash at the Etihad after the champions were held to a 4-4 draw away to Chelsea last time out.

Jurgen Klopp remains without Andy Robertson who suffered a shoulder injury playing for Scotland against Spain during October’s international break.

The 29-year-old underwent surgery and has missed Liverpool’s last seven games.

In his absence, Gomez and Kostas Tsimikas have been deputising at left-back with Robertson unable to provide a clear timeframe for when he will be back to full fitness and ready to return to the starting XI.

‘I’ve not looked that far ahead yet,’ Robertson said this week. I’m just trying to take it week by week, I’m trying not to get frustrated.

‘I’m not the best injured so I’m trying to take small wins every single week.

‘I don’t want to put a game in mind and then I don’t make it or I come back before then.

‘I am just taking it slowly but surely and then there will be a time to start pushing it and when that comes I’ll try and get on the pitch as quickly as I can.’

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Rasmus Hojlund remains a doubt for Manchester United’s trip to Everton on Sunday with Erik ten Hag hopeful he will be back in action next week.

Luke Shaw however is in contention to make his return from injury at Goodison Park.

Hojlund, 20, limped off in United’s 1-0 win over Luton Town ahead of the international break, appearing to suffer a hamstring injury.

His countryman Christian Eriksen was also an injury casualty that afternoon, forced off in the first-half after suffering a knee injury. Both players were forced to withdraw from the Denmark squad as a result.

A club statement last week confirmed Eriksen is facing a month on the sidelines with Hojlund’s injury not as bad as first feared.

Speaking on Thursday, ten Hag played down the striker’s chances of featuring at Goodison Park on Sunday but suggested he will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness before then.

‘Christian will take a little bit longer,’ Erik ten Hag told the Premier League. ‘It will take some weeks until he will return.

‘Rasmus Hojlund, not too bad. Everton will be a close finish but we’re working on that.

‘We’re not sure if he can make that but, hopefully, in the next week, he will return to the squad.’

United have two pivotal fixtures next week away from home, first heading to Galatasaray in a game they must win to keep their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League alive.

They then head to St James’ Park next Sunday to take on Newcastle United, who thrashed United at Old Trafford to dump them out of the Carabao Cup in early November.

Shaw meanwhile could make his return to the side this weekend. The left-back has not played since suffering a muscle injury in September but was back in training this week ahead of the trip to Merseyside.

‘Luke Shaw has been training for two weeks with the team,’ ten Hag said. ‘We are quite hopeful that he will return to the squad for Sunday’s game.’

Andre Onana, who picked up a shoulder injury on international duty with Cameroon, has also trained this week.

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Paul Merson has urged Chelsea to stick with a front three of Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling when they take on Newcastle.

Chelsea travel to St. James’ Park on Saturday when the Premier League resumes after the international break.

Both sides are among the most exciting in the league and in desperate need of a result as they fight for a place in the top four.

Newcastle are seventh, six points off the Champions League spots as they deal with a massive injury crisis, while Chelsea are a further four points behind in 10th.

But the Blues do appear to have found their rhythm under Mauricio Pochettino, having lost just one of their last eight matches, most recently holding Manchester City to a draw and beating Tottenham 4-1.

Throughout this good run, the performances of their front three have been frequently praised, with Palmer, Jackson and Sterling registering 16 goals and six assists between them so far this season.

Merson has therefore urged Pochettino not to consider mixing things up this weekend, though he isn’t sure if they will be enough to beat the Magpies.

‘This is going to be another huge game. It’s one of those games where the result will be dictated by the availability of players,’ the Arsenal legend told Sportskeeda.

‘If Chelsea can get through the first 30 minutes without getting conceding a goal, this could be an extremely interesting encounter.

‘Chelsea are starting to adapt to Mauricio Pochettino’s style. They are able to give any side a run for their money at this point.

‘I think Chelsea have to stick with Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer in attack. Sterling and Palmer have been in great form and they will be key here once again.

‘Chelsea’s team, at the moment, is starting to pick itself and it’s a good thing. Earlier, we used to sit around wondering how they were going to line up. But that’s changed now.

‘Despite all that, Newcastle at home are always up for any challenge and I see this game ending in a draw. Predicted scoreline: Newcastle United 1-1 Chelsea.’

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Roy Keane was left stunned by Ian Wright’s prediction that Everton will do a job on Manchester United this weekend, insisting trouble at Goodison Park ‘won’t turn them into Barcelona’.

With the international break over, United head to Merseyside on Sunday afternoon with Everton reeling from a 10-point deduction for violating the competition’s profit and sustainability rules.

It leaves Sean Dyche’s side joint-bottom for the Premier League with Burnley on four points.

Everton will appeal the decision handed down last week with a charged atmosphere at Goodison expected when United come to town.

The Toffees head into that game unbeaten in their last four, beating Crystal Palace away last time out having also held Brighton to a draw.

Former Arsenal star Wright predicts a fierce response from the home crowd in support of their beleaguered side, backing them to beat United ‘3-1 or 3-0’ in his match predictions alongside Keane on Stick to Football.

The former United captain was having none of it, however.

‘The atmosphere won’t turn them into f*****g into Barcelona! It’s still the same players,’ Keane said.

Wright continued: ‘This Everton side with how they are going to feel against this United side, I fancy them. I’d go 3-1, no, 3-0 Everton.’

An incredulous Keane replied: ‘If United score the first goal they will be booing them. Everton are down and everyone thinks that because they have had bad news they will turn up and be like Barcelona. At home they are still a bit dodgy.’

The two, teaming up for their predictions against Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher, eventually settled on a 2-2 draw, not before Wright added: ‘I guarantee you it will be 3-2 Everton.’

United boss Erik ten Hag expects a response from the home side but says the weight of the problems at the club could also work against them.

Asked if his side are facing Everton at the an inopportune moment, ten Hag said: ‘That’s definitely the case. But we can’t do anything about it. You have to take it like it is but of course, they get more fuel but that can also work against them.

‘But it’s not about that, it’s about us. We have to focus on the game and our way of playing. We have to make sure we are ready and we start the game with the right attitude. It’s always about a winning attitude.’

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised Harry Maguire for his response to criticism and insists the defender has proved why he should remain at Manchester United.

Maguire’s future at Old Trafford looked over in the summer after Erik ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy.

The England international was also given the green light to leave United, however, West Ham were unable to reach an agreement during the summer transfer window.

Maguire has struggled for playing time during Ten Hag’s reign but the 30-year-old delivered several solid performances before the international break.

And Solskjaer has been impressed with Maguire’s resurgence at United.

‘I think he has dealt with it in a fantastic way,’ Solskjaer told Nettavisen.

‘It has not been easy. I have kept in touch with him and I have nothing but praise for the guy.

‘He has been in it. It’s not easy to leave Manchester United because you know there’s a downturn almost everywhere you go. You get paid for your efforts when you are that type, when you are a good footballer and show that you have a heart for the club,

‘I guess he has gradually learned who to listen to. I am very happy that Harry in particular shows what kind of player he is, but not least what kind of type and person he is. That’s why I made him captain. We in Norway call it ‘hell wood’.’

Solskjaer also praised Scott McTominay, who was another player heavily linked with a move away from United in the summer.

‘I knew they had it in them, and I think it’s these types of people who get paid for their efforts and get paid back for what kind of people they are,’ Solskjaer said.

‘They are the kind of people you want in a team.’

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Manchester United could be without Facundo Pellistri for Sunday’s trip to Everton after the winger sustained an injury on international duty.

The Uruguayan started twice for his country during the break, when Marcelo Bielsa’s side recorded back-to-back victories against Argentina and Bolivia.

Pellistri provided two assists in the win against Argentina, and has onw over Bielsa with his energetic displays.

Though the 21-year-old is yet to establish himself as a regular starter at Old Trafford, he’s been given more and more game time under Erik ten Hag.

With Antony struggling and Jadon Sancho exiled, the right-wing spot is up for grabs.

But the Manchester Evening News report that Pellistri sustained an injury on international duty and is unlikely to recover in time to face Everton.

It’s another absence in a growing injury list for United, who could be without up to nine first team stars for the trip to Goodison Park.

Andre Onana is a doubt with a back injury, while Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo and Tyrell Malacia are long-term absentees.

Christian Eriksen is out for a month, while Rasmus Hojlund is expected to miss out with a hamstring strain. Jonny Evans, too, is unavailable.

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Arsenal have already made the decision to sign David Raya permanently from Brentford.

The Spain international joined the Gunners during the summer transfer window but were granted permission to sign the goalkeeper initially on loan.

Brentford, willing to help Arsenal navigate Financial Fair Play Rules, gave the option to sign Raya on a permanent basis for £27million at the end of the season.

And, according to Fabrizio Romano, Mikel Arteta has already seen enough from Raya to decide Arsenal will take up that option.

The 28-year-old has endured a rocky start to his career at Arsenal but has maintained his place, despite being put under pressure from Aaron Ramsdale.

Raya will be ineligible to feature against his parent club on Saturday, which will allow Ramsdale an opportunity to feature in the Premier League for the first time since September 3.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman is hopeful Ramsdale seizes his opportunity amid growing concerns over his England chances, as well as his long-term future at Arsenal.

‘If he’s not playing it is going to affect his chances [of playing for England],’ Seaman told the BBC. ‘If I am right, he is going to be playing this weekend – Raya cannot play [against parent club Brentford] because he is on loan.

‘Aaron will come in, he will get a chance, and then I think after that is when we will see what is really going to happen.

‘If Aaron goes in on the weekend as is then left out for the next game then we know who [Arsenal manager] Mikel [Arteta’s] number one is.

‘It’s not good for Aaron. He is a top-class goalkeeper, there is no doubt about that, and Mikel has got a job keeping two really good goalkeepers very happy.

‘Going into next summer [and the European Championship] where Aaron is really pushing to be England goalkeeper, he needs to be playing, but I think January will be a little bit too soon [to think about seeking a move away from Arsenal].

‘I am putting a lot of importance on the game after this weekend. That’s when we will find out a lot of answers. From what Mikel was saying when they brought in Raya, when he was talking about rotating goalkeepers, we will have to wait and see until after that game.

‘But Aaron is too good to be a number two – there is no doubt that.’

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Casemiro is contemplating leaving Manchester United for one last payday in Saudi Arabia but is reluctant to force an exit, according to reports.

The 31-year-old has struggled for both form and fitness this season and has missed United’s last four Premier League matches as well as their crunch Champions League ties against Copenhagen.

He picked up an ankle problem while on international duty with Brazil last month and then suffered a hamstring injury on his return to action against Newcastle, with the veteran expected to be sidelined until after Christmas.

There is now the potential that Casemiro might not don a United shirt again, however, with Relevo reporting that he is considering his options ahead of the January window opening.

The former Real Madrid superstar, who was so used to being part of a winning machine at the Bernabeu, is slightly disillusioned by United’s lack of competitiveness this season.

He moved to Old Trafford in the hope of challenging for the title, but United have already lost nine of their 18 games in all competitions this season and now face a challenging run of games.

Casemiro still has two-and-a-half years left on his current contract, with the option for an additional year, but he is giving serious thought to jumping ship.

He is attracted to the possibility of playing in Saudi Arabia, particularly with so many of his former team-mates – for club and country – currently playing there.

Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino make up a glittering quintet of players Casemiro knows well, and who would help him settle in Saudi Arabia.

He does not currently have an official offer on the table from the Saudi Pro League but several clubs would be willing to submit a proposal – both to United and Casemiro – if he decides he wants to leave Old Trafford.

United are conscious of the fact that Casemiro could be tempted into leaving, but they want him to stay and feel he is a valuable part of the leadership group at the club.

They hope to convince him to stay for at least one more full season, while there is little chance he will be allowed to leave in January unless a gargantuan offer is made, with manager Erik ten Hag currently dealing with an injury crisis.

There is also optimism that United’s incoming injection of cash and fresh ideas from Sir Jim Ratcliffe might ease Casemiro’s concerns over their lack of form recently and get the team back on track to challenge for major honours.

While Casemiro would like to explore a potentially massive payday from Saudi, he has not ruled out staying at United either and certainly has no intention of forcing a move.

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Manchester United star Aaron Wan-Bissaka has received an offer to change international allegiance to DR Congo ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Born in London, Wan-Bissaka is eligible to represent the Democratic Republic of Congo through his heritage and did make one appearance for their U20 side way back in 2015.

He went onto play five times for England’s youth teams but has never been capped at senior level largely down to the national team’s great depth at right-back.

The 25-year-old was called up once by Gareth Southgate in September 2019 but had to pull out of the squad because of a back injury.

With his Three Lions career now non-existent, Wan-Bissaka’s international future has always been speculated upon, and now The Athletic report that DR Congo have approached him about representing them.

They hope to convince the Crystal Palace icon to switch allegiance quickly so he can play at the upcoming AFCON tournament which will be held in the Ivory Coast.

Should he accept, he’d arguably be the biggest name in the country’s roster that also includes Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa and former West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku.

But with the tournament set to take place from 13th January to 11th February, this could spell disaster for United who could potentially be without three key players during this time.

Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana and Morocco midfielder Sofyan Ambrabat are also expected to go to AFCON.

The trio could therefore miss Premier League clashes against Tottenham, Wolves, West Ham and Aston Villa.

And depending if and how they progress, they could also miss FA Cup matches as well as the first-leg of the Champions League round of 16 or Europa League knockout round play-off.

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Mikel Arteta is keen to resolve the long-term future of Takehiro Tomiyasu amid interest from Bayern Munich.

The Japan international is enjoying his best season in an Arsenal shirt since his move from Bologna two-and-a-half years ago.

Tomiyasu’s versatility has proven to be a key asset for his manager this season, especially given the long-term absence of summer signing Jurrien Timber.

The 25-year-old has featured predominantly at full-back, where he is comfortable on either flank, but also produced an accomplished display at centre-half in a Carabao Cup win at Brentford, while he has also excelled for his country.

Tomiyasu has 18 months left on his current deal and Arsenal have an option to extend by a further 12 months but are keen to commence talks on a long-term contract that would reward a key squad player with a significant pay rise.

According to The Telegraph, Bayern and their manager Thomas Tuchel are keen admirers of Tomiyasu and are on the lookout for a defender capable of playing in multiple positions.

Arteta spoke recently, however, of his admiration of a player who has never let him down, despite rarely being an automatic starter.

‘Yeah, he (Tomiyasu) was terrific in Seville,’ Arteta said last month. ‘I think he played a really, really good game when he came on against Chelsea as well.

‘Tomi is a player that everybody loves in there. He’s always the first (in training) and he’s always the last out. You tell him to do something and he will give his life for it.

‘He’s an exceptionally professional player who gives us a versatility and qualities that nobody else has in the squad. For me he’s a really important player.”

When asked to explain the value of his versatility, Arteta was keen to stress how difficult being truly ‘versatile’ is at the highest level.

‘Every game has a different story and that means you need versatile players to occupy different positions when needed, that are actually comfortable.

‘That’s something tricky because you start to train a player every single day in a different position, but then you demand him to play in a specific role.

‘It’s challenging because you lack familiarity and physically the demands are difficult, but Tomi always adapts to this in a really natural way.’

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Thomas Tuchel insists he wants Thomas Muller to remain at Bayern Munich beyond the end of the season.

Muller’s current contract expires next summer and the 34-year-old could end up leaving Bayern on a free transfer.

It’s understood that Muller has not begun talks with Bayern over a new deal, while the forward is expected to receive lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League and Major League Soccer.

Manchester United could also revive their interest after Erik ten Hag failed with a move for Muller last January.

But Tuchel is keen for Muller to see out his career at Bayern.

‘Of course we want him on our team,’ Tuchel said.

‘It goes without saying that he wants to continue.

‘He is in great shape, keen to train and play, he is a footballer through and through. Why shouldn’t he continue playing at the highest level?

‘Of course, we don’t know now what role he will have in the new season.

‘I see him very positively because he is someone who gives the team energy.

‘It’s only November now, so of course we can’t say how his role will develop, but he is a legendary player, an icon for our team and gets the maximum respect.’

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Max Verstappen says he ‘wouldn’t mind’ having Sir Lewis Hamilton as a teammate after it was claimed that he had held talks over joining Red Bull.

Team principal Christian Horner claimed that a representative of Hamilton had approached Red Bull earlier this year, enquiring about the possibility of moving from Mercedes to the Formula One champions.

Hamilton refuted this, accusing Horner of stirring the pot, though admitted he would: ‘100 per cent be more than happy to race against him [Verstappen] in an equal car.’

The two drivers enjoyed a titanic battle for the title in 2021, with the Dutchman emerging triumphant in controversial circumstances, and though the pair have barely raced against each other since there is still plenty of spice in their rivalry.

Nevertheless, there is also great respect between them and though Verstappen refused to get drawn in on the Hamilton to Red Bull story, he also said he’d be fine having the seven-time champion as a teammate.

‘What would it add to know [what I think]? Because it’s not happening so there’s no point to make up stories if it’s not happening,’ Verstappen bluntly said ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

‘I wouldn’t mind, it doesn’t matter, anyone. I don’t want to put it particularly on Lewis, there’s so many great drivers as well. So sometimes it just doesn’t work out like that.’

It’s been a remarkable year for Verstappen who has broken numerous records on the way to a third-straight title, with 18 wins – the most in a single season – to his name so far.

Asked to pick his favourite moments of the year, the 26-year-old said: ‘I think the comeback race in Miami was great, that was an important one.

‘Winning at home at Zandvoort was a very nice one, and I think winning at Suzuka [Japan], after the tough weekend we had in Singapore.’

Should he win at Yas Marina this weekend, Verstappen will claim a 54th F1 victory, moving clear of Sebastian Vettel and behind only Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) in the all-time list.

‘It’s quite a crazy number, but we’ve also had a crazy, crazy year,’ he added.

‘It would be very nice, but at the same time I’m very focused on what’s ahead of me, and hopefully also next year we have a competitive car again, and we can really continue that momentum [and] win more races.’

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