Press conference highlights, Guardiola to stay at City, Spurs appeal ban

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18 minutes agoBy Jack Johnson

Huge blow

Leicester City have been dealt a major blow to their survival hopes as winger Abdul Fatawu has been ruled out for the season.

Fatawu suffered an ACL injury on international duty with Ghana.

Foxes manager Steve Cooper confirmed the bad news in his pre-Chelsea press conference this morning.

Cooper said: "To happen at such a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well."

20-year-old Fatawu had starred in his first few games in the Premier League, being a constant threat out wide.

He played the full 90 minutes against Man United before the international break, but now he's going to be sidelined.

Jordan Ayew is also expected to miss out against Chelsea while Jamie Vardy remains a doubt despite training this week.

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Today, 08:23By Sean O'Brien

Press conferences

The Premier League is returning - and this time it's sticking around for the long haul.

International football is going away until March 2025 as top-flight teams prepare for the infamously hectic Christmas schedule.

As we countdown to the return of club football, we have a host of Premier League press conferences to bring you on Thursday...

Thursday press conference schedule

09:00: Brighton

09:30: Leicester

12:00: Chelsea

13:00: Southampton

13:30: Nottingham Forest

13:45: Everton

14:30: Brentford

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20th Nov 2024, 22:27By Natasha Everitt

No Endrick to England

Well, if the rumours of Endrick going to Southampton raised your eyebrows, this may not surprise you.

According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid have not got any plan to loan out Endrick in January.

The Real Madrid starlet is not planning to leave either.

Spanish outlet Sport reported the Saints are one of a number of teams who have registered an interest in the teen.

But Romano says the reports about a Southampton loan move are not true at all.

The 18-year-old moved to Real Madrid from Palmeiras this summer in a deal worth up to £60m.

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20th Nov 2024, 20:26By Natasha Everitt

No Guardiola Get Away

Pep Guardiola does not have a break clause in his new deal if Man City are relegated, according to The Times.

The reigning Premier League champions are facing 115 charges.

But the Spaniard's new contract - which we reported news of on Tuesday - will not be affected by the outcome of their hearings, even if they're relegated as a result.

The Times say Guardiola's personal relationship with the chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, supersedes the need to have a clause in writing referencing the outcome of the charges.

City are being charged with alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

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20th Nov 2024, 19:38By Natasha Everitt

Rare Meetings

Only 39 previous matches have been played between teams starting the day in first place against those in last position in the Premier League.

But this weekend will mark number 40, as leaders Liverpool travel to basement club Southampton.

Unsurprisingly, not many of those relegation candidates have got one over table toppers.

But, there have been four shock results that Russell Martin's Southampton can look to for inspiration ahead of Sunday.

That includes the last time top played bottom in the competition, and ironically, it was the Saints who earned a 3-3 draw with Arsenal in April 2023.

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20th Nov 2024, 18:10By Natasha Everitt

Premier League return pending?

If the stats surrounding Sunderland's season are anything to go off, they could be back in the top flight next term.

The Black Cats - who famously dropped like a stone out of the Premier League and down to League One between 2017 to 2018 - have picked up 31 points in 15 Championship games this season.

That's their best start to a season at this level since 1998/99.

After play-off heartbreak the season prior, that was the campaign they won the league.

Sunderland are currently top of the Championship, level on points with Sheffield United but boasting superior goal difference.

Could this be the year the Wearsiders are finally back in the Premier League?

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20th Nov 2024, 16:17By Natasha Everitt

Bromance is Back

Al Ettifaq have confirmed the appointment of Michael Beale.

The former Rangers, Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland manager is back working in football, nine months since his Stadium of Light exit.

He will now serve as Steven Gerrard's assistant, replacing ex-Charlton boss Dean Holden who recently left the club.

The pair worked together at Rangers - leading the Scottish side to the league title in 2021 - as well as Aston Villa.

Gerrard and Beale formed their relationship whilst coaching in Liverpool's academy.

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20th Nov 2024, 15:37By Natasha Everitt

Superieur...

If we learnt anything over the last year, it's that Neal Maupay isn't afraid to say his opinion.

Now, he's had his say on Ligue 1 verses the Premier League.

The former Brentford and Brighton star is on loan at Marseille from Everton.

And while he thinks most aspects of the game are better in the Premier League, France is superior when it comes to one key element.

Quizzed on which league has the best atmosphere, he said: "Ligue 1. We have the best fans here."

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20th Nov 2024, 14:41By Jake Lambourne

Life of Bryan

Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo is reportedly being chased by Liverpool and Newcastle following his stunning start to the season.

The 25-year-old has chipped in with eight goals and one assist from 11 Premier League matches to help his side sit 11th in the table.

And according to The Sun, his form has caught the attention of both Liverpool and Newcastle ahead of a potential summer swoop next year.

It has been said that Mbuemo is considered as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah, with the Reds winger in the final year of his contract.

Though the Magpies are claimed to have made him their No.1 target, with the club even prepared to offer the Bees striker Callum Wilson as part of any deal.

Mbuemo's potential suitors know that the Cameroon international won't come cheap, with the player valued at around £50million.

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20th Nov 2024, 14:12By Joe Brophy

Spurs appeal Bentancur ban

Tottenham have confirmed the club have launched an appeal against Rodrigo Bentancur's lengthy suspension for making a racial slur.

Uruguayan midfielder Bentancur was handed a seven-match FA ban and fined £100,000 earlier this week.

The case related to a racial slur he made about club teammate Heung-min Son and South Koreans during an interview on Uruguayan TV.

Although Tottenham captain Son later confirmed Bentancur had apologised, which he'd also accepted, the latter was soon charged.

His punishment has meant the former Juventus star can only play Europa League games until Boxing Day.

Tottenham will be without Bentancus for several key fixtures including a home EFL Cup quarter-final versus Manchester United.

A statement on the club's website read: "We can confirm that the Club has appealed against the length of Rodrigo Bentancur's FA suspension, issued earlier this week.

"While we accept the guilty finding against Rodrigo by the independent regulatory commission, we believe the subsequent sanction is severe.

"Rodrigo will remain suspended from domestic competitions while the appeal is heard and the Club will make no further comment during this time."

Jordan blasts loophole that saw Bentancur get banned but Fernandez escape punishment

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20th Nov 2024, 13:39By Jake Lambourne

Pep talk

Pep Guardiola's imminent announcement of his contract extension at Manchester City could kickstart the Citizens' season.

That's the view of ex-Liverpool midfielder Danny Muprhy, who believes the club could see an upturn in form following four consecutive defeats.

Commenting on the news that Guardiola has agreed a one-year stay at the Etihad, with the option of a further year, Murphy said on White and Jordan: "I think he gives them a little boost.

"Everyone, the fans will be a bit more up for it, the players will be more settled, everything like that."

And Murphy then stated that news of Guardiola's new deal will be a major blow to City's rivals.

He added: "For the rest, it's bad news. You wouldn't think that anybody out there could come in and maintain the levels he seems to be able to produce season in, season out.

"So everyone else probably took a big sigh when they heard that [news] when it came out."

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20th Nov 2024, 13:10By Jake Lambourne

Sin City

Radu Dragusin's agent has done little to quash speculation that the defender could be on his way out of Tottenham.

The Romanian centre-back is approaching a year since he joined Spurs from Genoa in January 2024, where he has struggled for game time with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero preferred instead.

He has been limited to just four Premier League outings so far this term, resulting in him being linked with a return to Serie A with Juventus and Napoli rumoured to be interested.

And the 22-year-old's agent Florin Manea has now declared his client is proud about being linked with the two Italian giants, with his future to be decided next summer.

He told Telecarpi: "It's an honour for Radu to be wanted by teams like Napoli and Juve, but at the moment they are just rumours.

"We are focused on Tottenham, where he still has five years left on his contract. It's not easy to go to a top club and make an impact right away, he's still 22-years-old."

Manea added: "It's normal that evaluations will be made if he never plays, but he won't move in January. We'll re-evaluate in June."

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20th Nov 2024, 12:38By Jake Lambourne

Tuch and go

Thomas Tuchel has pulled off his first major coaching recruitment for England by taking Hilario from Chelsea.