Premier League

Liverpool are readying a bid of €20 million ($27 million) to re-sign Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold as soon as the January transfer window opens. (Source: Fichajes)

Manchester United are exploring a possible move for Crystal Palace winger Ismaïla Sarr, who is also wanted by both Newcastle United and Sunderland. The Red Devils still have striker Jean-Philippe Mateta on their radar, too. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Mateta would be interested in leaving Palace in January and sealing a switch to Man Utd. (Source: talkSPORT)

Roma right back Wesley, who is comfortable on the left side of defense, is also being lined up by Man Utd ahead of the winter window. (Source: Football Insider)

In the face of interest from Real Madrid, Arsenal have made it clear they will not listen to offers below €100 million ($112 million) for left back Riccardo Calafiori. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Manchester City have set an asking price of €110 million ($123 million) for attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who is another of interest to Real Madrid. (Source: Fichajes)

Arsenal and Man Utd are keen on Bournemouth forward Evanilson, who could be a target for both clubs in the winter window. (Source: fussball-news)

Brentford striker Igor Thiago has his own admirers ahead of January. Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur are all interested, as are La Liga giants Atlético Madrid. (Source: 4-4-2)

Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland are all tracking Strasbourg winger Gessime Yassine, but Chelsea already have long-term plans to bring the 20-year-old to Stamford Bridge. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Brazilian outfit Vasco da Gama could reignite their interest in signing Tottenham striker Richarlison after seeing a summer move collapse. (Source: Torcedores)

La Liga

Real Madrid are ready to reignite their interest in Man City midfielder Enzo Fernández, believing they made a mistake not bolstering in that area of the pitch during the summer. (Source: Fichajes)

Despite reports to the contrary, Man City striker Erling Haaland would happily link up with Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid, but his representatives are trying to push him towards Barcelona, where it is believed there is a better environment for the Norway international. (Source: El Nacional)

Man Utd center back Lisandro Martínez remains of interest to Atlético Madrid and favors a transfer to La Liga if he leaves Old Trafford in the aftermath of his explosive interview. (Source: The i Paper)

Getafe are open to signing Sergio Ramos on a free transfer to bring the 40-year-old defender back to La Liga for the first time since the summer of 2024. (Source: Radio Nacional de España)

Following approaches from Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona did not hesitate to extend the contract of young defender Xavi Espart, who is viewed as untouchable at the Camp Nou. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Barcelona are watching Man City defender Joško Gvardiol in the hope that any sanctions against the Premier League side could see him made available for transfer. (Source: Fichajes)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Haaland’s Real Madrid U-Turn; Martinez Decides Man Utd Future.

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino will be content with how his players are performing overall, especially ahead of Concacaf Nations League play in less than a month; however, not every single American is meeting the standard.

Here is Sports Illustrated’s weekly stock up, stock down analysis for USMNT players.

USMNT Stock Up

Yunus Musah

Pochettino recently remembered Yunus Musah, and the AC Milan star is making sure the manager won’t so easily forget him again.

After being a consistent starter at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and a stalwart in the USMNT’s midfield, Musah was absent from Pochettino’s ranks for over a year—missing out entirely on the 2026 home World Cup—before being called back into duty for the first time this fall. He played over an hour as a starter in the opening friendly against Peru, forming a strong partnership with captain Tyler Adams in the midfield double pivot; however, both his minutes and his impact dwindled in the subsequent games.

He rejoined the starting lineup for the final friendly against Canada, but he was soon substituted off after a sluggish 45 minutes in which he had just 20 touches on the ball.

After that final affair, Pochettino may have counted out Musah for good; however, the 23-year-old is now making a strong bid to be reconsidered.

Musah has dazzled this season for AC Milan and most recently helped the Rossoneri secure a 3–2 win over his former club Atalanta on Sunday. Starting in the midfield beside Luka Modrić, Musah had an unprecedented 98% passing accuracy, completing 54 of 55 total passes, and made four defensive contributions, including two tackles.

He will look to continue dominating in Milan’s starting XI—his first time being a consistent starter since 2022 with La Liga’s Valencia—and await Pochettino’s call next month.

Tim Weah

La performance XXL de Tim Weah contre Angers 🔥🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0W34uLPjsg

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) October 20, 2026

Speaking of being remembered, 26-year-old wingback Tim Weah is currently fighting to regain Pochettino’s attention.

Once a consistent starter on the USMNT’s right flank, including at the 2022 World Cup, Weah served a minimal role at the tournament this summer. He was a late substitute in the opener against Paraguay and played just under an hour in the dead rubber against Türkiye. He did not come off the bench in the knockout stages.

Pochettino then did not call up Weah for the September-October window, perhaps evidence of his decision to move in a different direction.

Weah won’t be so easily forgotten, though. As a right fullback for club side Marseille, he led them to a thrilling 5–2 win over Ligue 1 foe Angers on Sunday. Weah was everywhere on the right flank, assisting two goals and playing seven passes into the final third, while also making seven defensive contributions and four key recoveries, including a highlight-reel worthy slide tackle. He won every single ground duel he engaged in and was also Fotmob’s Man of the Match.

The USMNT may have considerable depth on the right side with the likes of Alex Freeman, Sergiño Dest and now Cavan Sullivan; however, if Weah can continue that caliber of well-rounded play, Pochettino will have no choice but to continue dressing him in red, white and blue.

Matt Turner

It is uncertain times for Matt Turner. He could be the best goalkeeper in all of Major League Soccer week in and week out, and Pochettino may still never call him up again.

Turner served as the back-up goalkeeper to Matt Freese this summer; however, now with an eye to the 2030 World Cup, Pochettino has been adamant to find younger prospects that could reach their peak in four years’ time. The Argentine boss called up four goalkeepers this fall, none over the 28 years old, and left 32-year-old Turner at home.

Meanwhile, Turner continues to dominate at the club level. He has been a critical part of the New England Revolution’s rise up the Eastern Conference standings this season. Having already clinched a playoff spot, the third-ranked Revolution sit just one win behind second-ranked Inter Miami.

Most recently, he made six saves to secure a narrow and vital 1–0 victory over fourth-ranked Chicago Fire on Saturday, preventing 1.21 goals. He also had 10 recoveries, taking total command of his 18-yard box.

Cat-like reflexes from Matt Turner 🙀#NEvCHI pic.twitter.com/F96EVexG9o

— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) October 18, 2026

Turner’s most impressive save was perhaps the one in the 47th minute, in which he initially dove on the ground in response to a low, driven shot from outside the box. At the last second, though, a Fire attacker intercepted his teammate’s shot to trick Turner and flick the ball over his head. The goalkeeper responded immediately, throwing his hand up to make the save, even while still falling over onto the ground. He was named the Player of the Match and was even selected to MLS’s Team of the Matchday.

Even if Pochettino doesn’t see Turner in his long-term plans, it remains to be seen if he is too vital to exclude in the short term.

USMNT Stock Down

Chris Richards

This weekend, Chris Richards was perhaps brought back to that fateful Seattle summer day against Belgium.

The USMNT suffered a humiliating 4–1 thrashing to the European foe in the World Cup round of 16 back in July, crashing out of the tournament. Richards’s loss with Crystal Palace over the weekend was even worse.

The Eagles were dominated 5–0 by Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, a match that saw Richards fail to lock down his three-man backline for 90 minutes. But just like the Belgium game, it wasn’t all Richards’s fault. In fact, the 26-year-old had a game-high 13 defensive contributions and won all three of his aerial duels, meaning the scoreline could have actually been a lot worse for the away team.

Nevertheless, it was the worst loss that Richards and Co. have suffered in 18 months, when they fell to Newcastle by the same scoreline in April 2025. Palace are now 14th in the Premier League standings, with just two wins this season.

Pochettino will most certainly overlook the blunder, though, knowing that Richards is his strongest central defender.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Return of Yunus Musah, Belgium Flashbacks for Chris Richards.

Chelsea kept their first top-flight clean sheet since January; Dejan Kulusevski played his first Tottenham Hotspur match in 526 days; Manchester United had their first “fresh start” since midweek and Enzo Maresca became the first manager to win his opening seven Premier League games at a new club—ever.

It remains to be seen what fragments of history are preserved once Manchester City’s ongoing battle with the Premier League is brought to a merciful conclusion. But amid this legal limbo, the action on the pitch is the only solid ground we have to stand on.

Ranking Criteria

• Performance: This is the crux of the exercise: How well did each team play when considering the flow of a game divorced from the final score. If it was simply a judgement of scoreboard statistics you may as well go straight to the table.
• Expectations: Not all results are equal. Teams that upset the odds with their display are rewarded more favorably.
• Venue: As the behind-closed-doors season of 2020–21 proved, playing in front of your home fans is a huge advantage, so any away results are given a little extra bonus.

20. Sunderland (2–0 Loss vs. Bournemouth)

Kevin Danso’s 17th-minute red card can only partly be used as mitigation for this desperate implosion. Sunderland were already 1–0 down (thanks in part to a Danso blunder) and could have conceded another by the time the defender was dismissal.

“If I have to be honest with you, we are not good,” the Black Cats fullback Nordi Mukiele damningly admitted. “Maybe because we became arrogant, maybe. This is what I think.”

19. Crystal Palace (5–0 Loss vs. Brighton)

Pierre Sage summed it up pretty succinctly: “My feeling after the game is shame.” It would have been a common sensation in the Crystal Palace locker room.

18. Hull (1–0 Loss vs. Fulham)

“It’s easy to analyze this game,” Hull City boss Sergej Jakirović quietly fumed. “We were out of everything.”

The Tigers were dutifully outshot, outrun and out-thought by their under-pressure hosts. Fulham dominated every conceivable aspect of the contest, making a mockery of their 1–0 margin of victory. Jakirović offered a more telling reflection that the scoreline: “It was men against boys.”

17. Newcastle (1–0 Loss vs. Aston Villa)

This was an damning contrast of control and chaos for Newcastle United. While Aston Villa played with the collective calm of a team benefitting from a three-second radio delay, the Magpies were left to thrash around in real time, haphazardly haring about the place, never too near to goal.

For a team that is so willfully gung-ho, and spent more than $225 million on forwards in less than two years, Newcastle were left to rely upon the 6'7" merchant of chaos, Dan Burn, as a late striker option.

“We were not smart enough,” Matthias Jaissle curtly concluded.

16. Coventry (3–1 Loss vs. Tottenham)

During Frank Lampard’s playing days at Chelsea, Tottenham’s home ground was uncharitably known as “Three Point Lane” rather than White Hart Lane, such was the lopsided nature of the London rivalry at the time.

Lampard’s Coventry City left the capital with zero points on Monday after failing to capitalize upon a strong start and fast finish to a night of rare euphoria for the hosts.

15. Everton (2–0 Loss vs. Chelsea)

It says everything that David Moyes hailed Harrison Armstrong’s crunching challenge on Josh Acheampong as “the best part” of the goalless first half.

Considering the Toffees conceded two cheap goals while taking just two shots in a tame second 45 minutes, that tackle was probably the highlight of Moyes’s afternoon. And it was a foul.

14. Brentford (2–1 Loss vs. Liverpool)

This game swung violently on the tamest act that could conceivably be deemed as violent conduct. Yehor Yarmoliuk’s timid brush of his head toward Jérémy Jacquet warranted the red card which it received, although his battling teammates scarcely deserved the change in momentum they would be unable to control thereafter.

13. Ipswich (3–2 Loss vs. Man City)

Zian's second goal for Town. 👊 pic.twitter.com/eRB81mBOQI

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) October 18, 2026

“The aim was to come here and cause them problems and get points,” Dara O’Shea reflected. Ipswich achieved half of that, bloodying Manchester City’s nose without coming too close to getting that knockout blow.

12. Leeds (1–1 Draw vs. Man Utd)

🎯 "DCL WITH A CLINICAL FINISH!" pic.twitter.com/ScKix8gXjO

— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 18, 2026

It says plenty about where Leeds are at that Daniel Farke could come away from a draw with Manchester United and be justifiably disappointed with a point. Yet, this was not a case of wasted chances or bad luck.

Leeds played the occasion rather than the opposition in the first half, timidly prodding at a United side very much there for the taking. As underwhelming as the visitors have been, even this iteration of the Red Devils can’t be given a 45-minute head start and still lose.

11. Man Utd (1–1 Draw vs. Leeds)

Back-to-back #PL goals for @BMbeumo19 ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/tWTDqIXc3i

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 18, 2026

The bright lights perennially beaming down upon Manchester United seem to be more blinding than most. A much-improved display against Atlético Madrid inspired Lisandro Martínez to give Jason Wilcox a public job review. A performance at Elland Road worthy of little more than a disinterested shrug somehow convinced Michael Carrick to hail a “fresh start.”

There was a fresh tactical approach which spelled out United’s place in the current hierarchy. Carrick didn’t deploy a new formation so much as set his players with 11 individual tasks, each one predicated on what their Leeds counterparts were doing at that exact moment. This grand show of inferiority did not tighten a leaky rearguard or improve their porous press but it did at least get a point.

10. Arsenal (1–0 Win vs. Nottingham Forest)

Noni delivers the defining moment 🎯 pic.twitter.com/c8o1UErdlJ

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 19, 2026

The James Bond villain Auric Goldfinger tells 007: “Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is enemy action.” Arsenal were their own worst enemies for the third match in succession at the City Ground.

Just as in the wins over Leeds and Lille, Mikel Arteta’s champions didn’t bother turning up for the opening hour. Just as in those narrow victories, the team’s substitutes inspired a win which didn’t offer an overwhelming amount of confidence.

Arteta has publicly vaunted the positives of this sequence, namely Arsenal’s strength in depth and an ability to “manage the emotional part” of matches. Yet, if fans hope to endure any overriding emotions aside from frustration (followed by relief) it may be an idea to start brightly for once.

9. Nottingham Forest (1–0 Loss vs. Arsenal)

This was an 80-minute masterpiece in how to play Arsenal from Nottingham Forest. Martin Ødegaard was put in a jail of red fabric, Bukayo Saka shunted to the fringes and Eberechi Eze bulldozed into a halftime withdrawal. Matz Sels didn’t even have to make a save. Unfortunately, Forest’s goalkeeper would end the game without denying Arsenal’s only shot on target, which was diverted by a cruel double deflection.

The only criticism for Oliver Glasner’s side was a familiar one: no clinical composure. It’s now more than eight hours of soccer since Forest last scored a goal in front of their home fans.

8. Liverpool (2–1 Win vs. Brentford)

Everyone wants to do the Isak celebration. pic.twitter.com/DqyWgNnxKn

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 17, 2026

Andoni Iraola may have been more concerned with the two players who ended the match in the treatment room, but there was plenty of positives for the Reds to take from a win that has to be put in the context of Yehor Yarmoliuk’s first-half red card.

Alexander Isak got another goal, Jérémy Jacquet looked even more imperious than Virgil van Dijk and Florian Wirtz was a central creative hub, misleading statistics or not.

7. Aston Villa (1–0 Win vs. Newcastle)

Manzambi at St. James' Park for the Villa 😏 pic.twitter.com/4PR6McfDs4

— Aston Villa (@AstonVilla) October 17, 2026

This serene away win was made all the sweeter by the goalscorer. Newcastle had reportedly agreed a fee for Johan Manzambi only to be gazumped by Aston Villa a few days later this summer. Naturally, the Swiss World Cup star scored the game’s only goal at St James’ Park.

6. Man City (3–2 Win vs. Ipswich)

"I had to wait for my moment” 💫

🩵 @PhilFoden pic.twitter.com/WcS1MFemtq

— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 19, 2026

“Bananas, no bananas, it makes no difference to me,” Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil sighed. It would appear to make no difference to Manchester City either.

Putting aside the tumultuous off-field machinations clanking around in the background, Enzo Maresca has set about constructing one of the best starts the Premier League has ever seen. City were not as faultless as their record may suggest against Ipswich—they have an odd habit of delivering more porous displays at the Etihad this term—but when there is a striker as remorselessly relentless as this current iteration of Erling Haaland, the league leaders don’t look like slipping on a banana peel just yet.

5. Tottenham (3–1 Win vs. Coventry)

Dejan Kulusevski is back 💪 pic.twitter.com/RtkOf27NxY

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) October 19, 2026

This was like being briefly transported back to May 2025. James Maddison was scoring goals, Dejan Kulusevski was on the pitch and Tottenham were winning home matches. There’s been three managers, 20 signings, a new institutional figurehead and more than $700 million spent but Spurs finally got back to that hazy memory of better days.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side did their best to delay this gratification for that little bit longer against Coventry, starting shakily before a nervy conclusion was mercifully spared by an increasingly common phenomena, a Ben Davies goal.

4. Bournemouth (2–0 Win vs. Sunderland)

Ice cool from our number nine 🧊

His third goal in as many games 🇧🇷 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8w5teBlLEi

— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) October 19, 2026

Marco Rose put Bournemouth’s rampant victory down to “mentality.” The Cherries were unified in one mindset of barreling straight through their limp-wristed visitors to earn a laughably one-sided win.

Bournemouth racked up 29 shots to Sunderland’s three, amassed an outrageous xG of 4.23 to 0.07 and set up camp inside the opposition’s penalty area with 56 touches.

3. Chelsea (2–0 Win vs. Everton)

Chelsea's track jacket is straight out of the 90s. pic.twitter.com/Q1PmbwP7Mc

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 17, 2026

“Today was not just about playing nice football,” Xabi Alonso reflected. Very little nice football was played by either side in an arm wrestle of a game defined by Emiliano Martínez’s concerning head injury.

Yet, Chelsea’s ability to win in ugly circumstances will be a minor triumph for Alonso, who has seen his side’s scintillating attacking play countered by a flimsy rearguard. “We needed a result like this,” the manager pointed out after Chelsea racked up the club’s first Premier League clean sheet at the 24th attempt.

2. Fulham (1–0 Win vs. Hull)

Álvaro Arbeloa needed this. After six winless games to start his managerial career in the Premier League, the former Real Madrid manager was staring down the barrel of a swift dismissal. Fulham belatedly got that win and with a performance which vindicated all Arbeloa’s stubborn beliefs.

“Today was finally the day,” he smiled.

1. Brighton (5–0 Win vs. Crystal Palace)

This was a symphony from Brighton. Five goals, one of which was a contender for the best of this season or any other, against your chief rivals is a day to savor. As poor as Crystal Palace were, this was a moment to celebrate the Seagulls, whose scoring blitz ensured that only Barcelona have racked up more goals across all competitions this season.

“We have to stay very humble,” Fabian Hürzeler insisted without much success. “I’m more happy that the fans have a good night out.” That part he could at least count on.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 20 Premier League Teams’ Performances on Matchday 7.

Premier League

Arsenal and Manchester United are both considering moves to sign Sporting CP left back Maxi Araújo for around €65 million ($73 million). (Source: fussball-news)

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has requested the signing of Arsenal center back William Saliba, with a bid of €90 million ($101 million) set to test the Gunners’ resolve. (Source: El Nacional)

Man Utd have “set their sights” on Real Betis striker Troy Parrott, whose price tag has been set at his €80 million ($90 million) release clause. (Source: Ficherio)

Club Brugge striker Nicolò Tresoldi, 22, is being followed by both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. (Source: Tuttosport)

Liverpool are leading Chelsea in the race to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott. (Source: Daily Mail)

Scott remains high in Chelsea’s thinking, and the Blues could even sign two midfielders in the January transfer window. (Source: Simon Phillips)

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has asked Chelsea to invest €120 million ($135 million) in two Barcelona players: midfielder Frenkie de Jong and right back Jules Koundé. (Source: El Nacional)

Both Arsenal and Liverpool have registered interest in Brentford forward Kevin Schade. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has requested the signing of Real Betis center back Natan in the January window. (Source: Ficherio)

Man Utd face disappointment in their winter pursuit of Sevilla loanee Youssouf Fofana, who has no desire to cut short his temporary deal in favor of a switch to Old Trafford. (Source: Vamos Mi Sevilla)

Juventus are ready to rival both Chelsea and Liverpool in pursuit of emerging Benfica right back Daniel Banjaqui. (Source: Tutto Juve)

Roberto De Zerbi has a list of five striker targets for Tottenham to pursue in January. Under consideration are Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Espanyol’s Roberto Fernández, Real Madrid’s Endrick, Freiburg’s Igor Matanović and Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Beşiktaş are ready to offer a contract to Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock when he enters the final six months of his existing deal in January. (Source: Fotomaç)

Sporting CP midfielder Issa Doumbia is a target for both Brentford and Newcastle. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

La Liga

Real Madrid have settled on Arsenal’s Martín Zubimendi and Napoli’s Scott McTominay as their two top targets to bolster in midfield. (Source: SPORT)

Jude Bellingham has snubbed interest from Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City in favor of signing a new contract with Real Madrid. (Source: Fichajes)

Jules Koundé is prepared to consider leaving Barcelona over his drop in minutes. Alongside Chelsea, there is Premier League interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd, while Bayern Munich continue to explore a deal as well. (Source: 4-4-2)

An emotional Alejandro Balde is also looking to leave Barcelona after accepting defeat in his quest to win over manager Hansi Flick. Man Utd could try to strike a deal in January. (Source: Juan Jesus)

Real Madrid want a new center back and are looking at Brighton & Hove Albion’s Luka Vušković, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck. (Source: Fichajes)

Atlético Madrid have joined the race to sign Club Brugge striker Nicolò Tresoldi amid doubts over the future of Julián Alvarez. (Source: Mundo Deportivo)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: PSG Make Saliba Bid; Bellingham’s Premier League Decision.

Premier League

Manchester United and Manchester City are among the two clubs vying for the signature of Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović, with the potential of a bid in excess of €100 million ($111.2 million) in the offing. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also in the market but Bayern have no intention to sell. (Source: Fussball News)

Frenkie de Jong has turned down interest from both Manchester United and Chelsea to prioritize his Barcelona future. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Versatile Juventu fullback Pierre Kalulu is on Liverpool’s shortlist of potential replacements for Jeremie Frimpong. (Source: TuttoMercatoWeb)

Brentford are demanding more than €70 million ($78.4 million) for Kevin Schade amid widespread interest across the Premier League. (Source: Sky Germany)

Despite his public outburst, Manchester United have no intention of hurriedly shunting Lisandro Martínez out of Old Trafford’s revolving door. However, the expectation is that he moves on this summer, when his contract expires. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Manchester United and Arsenal are keeping tabs on Newcastle United’s jet-heeled winger Bazoumana Touré after his promising start to life on Tyneside. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Liverpool are ramping up their interest in Mexican starlet Gilberto Mora. Club Tijuana have set an asking price of £30 million ($39.5 million), to make sure he would be the most expensive sale in Liga MX history. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Chelsea are one of several clubs sniffing around Philadelphia Union forward Malik Jakupovic, who also of interest to Borussia Dortmund. (Source: Sky Germany)

Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to consider a move for Real Madrid’s veteran center back Antonio Rüdiger. However, the defender’s most likely option would appear to be the Saudi Pro League. (Source: Football Insider)

Despite struggling for playing time, Alejandro Garnacho is targeting a permanent move to Aston Villa from Chelsea this summer. (Source: Flashscore)

Atlético Nacional midfielder Juan Manuel Rengifo has caught the eye of Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle. Bournemouth, Brentford and Crystal Palace are also in the mix. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Crystal Palace center back Jaydee Canvot would be open to a Selhurst Park exit if PSG are interested. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

After ruling out Galatasaray’s prolific frontman Victor Osimhen, Barcelona are prioritizing an approach for Bournemouth’s young gem Junior Kroupi. (Source: El Nacional)

Real Madrid are leading Barcelona in the race for Manchester United’s wantaway teenage star JJ Gabriel. (Source: Fabrizio Romano)

In an unexpected twist, Real Madrid could be in line to hijack Pedro Porro’s much anticipated move to Barcelona, where he is highly coveted by Lamine Yamal in particular. (Source: El Nacional)

Getafe have emerged as the leading contenders to usher former Manchester United, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho in from the wilderness. (Source: DAZN España)

In a blow to the likes of Real Madrid and several of the Premier League elite, Michael Olise is on the cusp of agreeing a new Bayern Munich contract. (Source: El Nacional)

MLS

Paul Pogba’s most likely destination is MLS, where D.C. United have been touted as potential suitors. Saudi Arabia is not considered a likely option. (Source: Daily Mail)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd’s $110 Million Bidding War; Real Madrid Hijack Yamal’s Dream Target.

Ten games brought a total of 36 goals and plenty of drama. We saw Manchester City respond to their guilty verdict in style while Manchester United extended their struggles with a miserable draw against Tottenham Hotspur. There’s never a quiet week in England’s top flight.

Using FotMob’s player ratings, here’s a run through the top 10 individual performers of the weekend.

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10. Declan Rice (Arsenal)

FotMob Rating: 8.3

We kick things off with the first top performance of the weekend. Saturday’s early fixture saw Arsenal battle to a 2–1 comeback victory over Leeds United, with midfielder Declan Rice right at the heart of the Gunners’ win.

Nobody had more than his 89 touches, with included a match-high 10 defensive contributions and a delightful flick that set up Bruno Guimarães’s winning goal. One of those crucial performances that can easily fly under the radar.

9. Morgan Rogers (Chelsea)

FotMob Rating: 8.3

You might have guessed there would be a few Chelsea players in this week’s list. First up is Morgan Rogers, the Blues’ second goalscorer in their 5–1 thumping of Bournemouth.

Rogers continues to settle into life at Stamford Bridge with terrifying ease, catching the eye with a series of impressive dribbles and a cross-cum-shot that took his tally to four goals in just six Premier League games this season. Add in his match-high 13 defensive contributions and you’ll see why Chelsea fans are loving their new signing.

8. Yéremy Pino (Crystal Palace)

FotMob Rating: 8.3

Oliver Glasner’s return to Selhurst Park was a miserable one as his Nottingham Forest side fell 3–1 to Crystal Palace. Among the goalscorers was Spain international Yéremy Pino, who prodded home his side’s final goal of the game.

Pino was a constant menace through, creating more chances than anybody else on the pitch (three) with his relentless running and dangerous passing that, on any other day, could easily have led to an assist or two.

7. Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)

FotMob Rating: 8.3

The only player to match Pino’s chance-creation numbers in the game was midfield maestro Adam Wharton, who pulled the strings to perfection yet again and grabbed an assist with a devilish corner delivery.

Palace had to dig in at times, but Wharton never shirks the ugly side of the game. He completed 75% of his ground duels and won 100% of his aerial battles without committing a single foul.

6. Jérémy Doku (Man City)

FotMob Rating: 8.3

If you look up the meaning of the phrase “maximize your minutes,” you’ll find a picture of Jérémy Doku coming off the bench for the final 35 minutes of Manchester City’s 3–0 victory over Liverpool.

Despite his restricted role, Doku still ended up with the most dribbles (five) and most chances created (three) across the entire game, and he crowned an excellent cameo with a stunning strike that effectively killed the game off. Ruthless.

5. Elliot Anderson (Man City)

FotMob Rating: 8.5

There have been questions as to whether a defensive midfielder can ever be worth the record-breaking money Man City spent to sign Elliot Anderson. His performance against Liverpool should put that narrative to bed.

To say Anderson was everywhere still feels like it would not do him justice. The England international covered every blade of grass in a relentless, creative performance that he capped off with the assist for Doku’s screamer.

4. Rayan Cherki (Man City)

FotMob Rating: 8.6

Leading the way for City against Liverpool was Rayan Cherki, arguably the team’s top performer of the Enzo Maresca era so far.

His goal to finish off the scoring was a delight to watch and a perfect example of everything that is great about Cherki. He plays with flair, confidence and an undying desire to simply make things happen on the pitch. If he keeps this up, he could easily go down as one of the Premier League’s all-time great bargains.

3. João Pedro (Chelsea)

FotMob Rating: 8.8

João Pedro just knows how to impact games. He had two different roles for Chelsea in the win over Bournemouth and managed to do both to absolute perfection.

Primarily tasked with a physical battle to occupy Bournemouth’s center backs and keep them away from Rogers and Cole Palmer, Pedro still managed to end the day with two goals from just 25 touches of the ball.

2. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Everton)

FotMob Rating: 8.9

There’s a debate flying around Merseyside social media as to whether fans would rather have Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall or Florian Wirtz in their team. The Everton man is comfortably winning against the fifth-most expensive player in Premier League history, which is not something you would have predicted 18 months ago.

Dewsbury-Hall has firmly brushed off his unmerited reputation as a Chelsea struggler and produced yet another excellent performance in his side’s 2–2 draw with Hull City that yielded both a goal and an assist.

1. Jordan Henderson (Chelsea)

FotMob Rating: 9.2

Jordan Henderson had fans and rivals alike rubbing their eyes and adjusting their television sets. The summer signing had faced plenty of criticism, with many questioning his value to a team like Chelsea, but those voices have faded into oblivion.

Two glorious goals. A stunning free kick. A smart assist. The most distance covered across the entire game. Constant leadership. Henderson brought absolutely everything to the win over Bournemouth and sealed it off by slapping the Chelsea badge in celebration. What a way to remind the world he is not just here to babysit.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 10 Best Players of Premier League Gameweek 6.

Manchester City currently lead the division with a faultless record from the first six games of the season, but what good will that do them if the independent commission dolls out a swingeing points deduction?

The tangible reward for City’s second-half romp through a crumbling Liverpool could soon be erased, but the quality of their performance, that strike from Erling Haaland, the ingenuity of Rayan Cherki, is crystallized in the moment.

On these shifting sands, everyone has to hold onto the few certainties there are.

Ranking Criteria

• Performance: This is the crux of the exercise: How well did each team play when considering the flow of a game divorced from the final score. If it was simply a judgement of scoreboard statistics you may as well go straight to the table.
• Expectations: Not all results are equal. Teams that upset the odds with their display are rewarded more favorably.
• Venue: As the behind-closed-doors season of 2020–21 proved, playing in front of your home fans is a huge advantage, so any away results are given a little extra bonus.

20. Sunderland (2–0 Loss vs. Brighton)

Any team stripped of their top scorer and talismanic defender is going to suffer but Régis Le Bris was rightly concerned by Sunderland’s distinct lack of “quality or composure” in possession. The Black Cats had 62% of the ball against a team so used to being the protagonist but came up short of ideas without Brian Brobbey to look for.

19. Bournemouth (5–1 Loss vs. Chelsea)

Bournemouth have played better than their meager points total of three, but they were never in danger of earning that elusive first win under Marco Rose at Stamford Bridge.

“The last games we had some good performances,” the incoming manager admitted, “but today we struggled.”

18. Man Utd (1–1 Draw vs. Tottenham)

If this was a clip from the Bundesliga it'd have 50k likes. pic.twitter.com/23QX4zKhlM

— Marc Geschwind (@MarcGeschwind) October 10, 2026

Manchester United have so many problems that people can get bogged down by the irrelevant ones.

Rather than running statistics, Michael Carrick would be wise to dwell on how his collection of players (or strangers?) can look so woefully exposed against a Tottenham Hotspur side that started the game in 20th.

Old Trafford has been a far more forgiving atmosphere than most grounds throughout the club’s 13 years of angst since Sir Alex Ferguson but even match-going fans are starting to lose their patience. Carrick has no defense, in a metaphorical or literal sense. “I understand the disappointment,” he shrugged, “the reality is what it is.”

17. Fulham (2–1 Loss vs. Ipswich)

“Maybe you don’t know me,” an increasingly prickly Álvaro Arbeloa put it to a journalist this weekend, “but I played for the best team in world. I have coached the best team in the world. Maybe you don’t know, but just to let you know, that pressure is part of my life since I was a kid.”

The former Real Madrid player and manager (for all of four months) is being subjected to a torrent of deserved pressure after another listless display and more dropped points.

16. Newcastle (4–1 Loss vs. Coventry)

Another Monday night and another 4–1 thumping. Matthias Jaissle could be forgiven for channeling The Boomtown Rats but Newcastle’s hefty reverse against Coventry City was nowhere near as damning as their implosion at the hands of Leeds United in September.

For large swathes of the weeknight clash, the Magpies had Coventry City on the ropes, creating a glut of chances they found creative ways to spurn. “The result is not what happened in the game,” Nico González fairly claimed. Yet, the backdoor was constantly left open during Newcastle’s attacking raids and the newly promoted hosts were in ruthless mood.

15. Liverpool (3–0 Loss vs. Man City)

Putting aside the mental gymnastics of what this result means in the grand context of the Premier League’s existence, this was an excellent game decided by the referee—as Andoni Iraola has been at pains to point out.

For all Liverpool’s promise across that opening hour of numerical parity, the extent to which the Reds collapsed after Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal cannot get lost in the fog of another refereeing controversy. Liverpool may have only had 10 players but they still collectively completed fewer passes than Cherki managed on his own across those final 30 minutes.

14. Crystal Palace (3–1 Win vs. Nottingham Forest)

Another day at the office for Walter 😅 pic.twitter.com/LbP6mXgI2Z

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) October 12, 2026

Despite getting royally outplayed by their visitors, Crystal Palace’s players were still given a reward by the forgiving Pierre Sage. Sunday’s win ensured that they could have Monday off, sparking very loud festivities bursting out the locker room. Considering the roster were initially facing just a single rest day throughout the entirety of a busy October, some celebration is understandable—even if it wasn’t deserved.

13. Everton (2–2 Draw vs. Hull)

https://t.co/IrHjItUkMl pic.twitter.com/egGdiN5hTx

— Everton (@Everton) October 12, 2026

One of the old clichés that David Moyes has fallen upon one or two times during his 1,202 matches of management is the need for a team to be at their best in both boxes.

Well, Everton were guilty of two defensive blunders while Thierno Barry missed even more chances in the attacking penalty area. Against that backdrop, it’s impressive the Toffees were able to emerge with any points.

12. Hull (2–2 Draw vs. Everton)

Some finish from Mo! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RDHkGJ08Hr

— Hull City (@HullCity) October 12, 2026

Hull haven’t been declawed just yet. The Tigers have bolstered an unexpectedly bright start in the Premier League’s glamor ties with the kind of dogged battles for points which could be enough to evade a relegation the vast majority had predicted.

Sergej Jakirović captured the mood of one point well earned on Sunday when he concluded: “Congratulations to both teams.”

11. Aston Villa (2–2 Draw vs. Brentford)

Come for the goal, stay for John McGinn’s celebration 😅 pic.twitter.com/X8vYwvnaLf

— Aston Villa (@AstonVilla) October 10, 2026

Things are tentatively crawling in the right direction for Aston Villa, even if the sort of form which propelled them to fourth place last season is still some way off. As Unai Emery tellingly admitted: “We need to build the team.” Some vague semblance of structure looked a little clearer on Saturday.

10. Brentford (2–2 Draw vs. Aston Villa)

Frame by Frame of Kris Ajer 📷 pic.twitter.com/jDx14bCGmx

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) October 11, 2026

“You’re unhappy. I’m unhappy too,” Larry David lamented in season four of Curb Your Enthusiasm. “Have you heard of Henry Clay? He was the Great Compromiser. A good compromise is when both parties are dissatisfied, and I think that’s what we have here.”

Brentford’s 2–2 draw fit the bill of an ultimate compromise. Keith Andrews was left to fret over the sluggishness of his returning internationals while Emery was tearing his immaculately gelled hair out at the sight of his side’s lax rearguard action.

9. Tottenham (1–1 Draw vs. Man Utd)

Roberto De Zerbi may have taken heart from Rodrigo Bentancur’s headbutt, yet there were some more orthodox positives washing around Tottenham’s 1–1 draw at Old Trafford.

On another day—perhaps in another season untainted by the club’s current crisis of confidence—Spurs would have long since put the contest to bed before Bryan Mbeumo’s unexpected opener. Dominic Solanke snatched a draw in stoppage time to secure Tottenham the very least they deserved.

8. Nottingham Forest (3–1 Loss vs. Crystal Palace)

Funniest thing this season. Liam Delap is hilarious. pic.twitter.com/NFbSxqMMrg

— Kris Rose-Peters (@danny_rose_p) October 11, 2026

Oliver Glasner came away from Selhurst Park being applauded by both sets of fans. The former Crystal Palace manager had little reason to clap himself after watching his Nottingham Forest side do everything but score.

The visitors had eight of what Opta define as “Big Chances.” Seven were squandered, none more impressively than Liam Delap’s point-blank range close-your-eyes-smash.

The fates had conspired against Forest to such an extent Glasner tied himself in knots while trying to assign blame. “Today it looks like it is just me who is responsible for this,” he shrugged, “call it karma or whatever but it was like I didn’t deserve to win at Selhurst Park because the players did everything.”

7. Ipswich (2–1 Win vs. Fulham)

What it means. 💙 pic.twitter.com/EqFd5DOxOd

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) October 11, 2026

Ipswich only led for five minutes of stoppage time but they were the better team for the vast majority of Saturday’s clash with Fulham. “We were in control,” Gary O’Neil fairly surmised. “The players were excellent and deserve a lot of credit.”

6. Arsenal (2–1 Win vs. Leeds)

This was a lesson in the bare minimum. Arsenal groggily rose from their slumber for barely 15 minutes of Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff and managed to emerge with three points against a spirited Leeds.

Is that the sign of champions—winning while playing poorly—or a grim portent of what is to come? All’s well that ends well? The coming weeks will tell.

5. Coventry (4–1 Win vs. Newcastle)

Our first ever @PremierLeague win at the @CBSArena. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/u4OkZl6gRx

— Coventry City (@CoventryCityFC) October 12, 2026

“It’s so hard to win,” Frank Lampard reflected at fulltime of Coventry City’s first Premier League home victory in a quarter of a century. It is a lot easier to pick up three points when you score four stunning goals from just six shots on target and a combined xG of 1.43.

4. Chelsea (5–1 Win vs. Bournemouth)

“When you put it in the corner, which corner are we celebrating in?” Cole Palmer turned to ask Jordan Henderson as Chelsea lined up a free kick against Bournemouth. “Just that one to the right, there,” Henderson replied before stuffing his second goal of a staggering afternoon beyond the dive of Djordje Petrović.

Chelsea have developed a slightly concerning habit of letting the opposition back into a game once taking the lead (invariably inside the opening seconds of kickoff), but when Xabi Alonso’s fearsome front three is complemented by the renaissance of a reborn 36-year-old, there can’t be too many complaints.

3. Man City (3–0 Win vs. Liverpool)

Rayan Cherki plays for the love of the game. pic.twitter.com/UUtf6GjE18

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 11, 2026

In the face of hostility, Enzo Maresca turned to what he trusts most: control. Manchester City managed to survive a shaky start and had already started to inch in front of their energetic hosts before Gravenberch’s red card paved the way for a procession.

Whether it was an act of defiance or futility can only be decided in the court room. On the pitch, City showed precisely how good you can be after almost a decade of fiddling the finances.

2. Leeds (2–1 Loss vs. Arsenal)

👏 Thank you for your terrific support as always, Leeds fans! Have a safe journey back home and we’ll see you on Sunday at Elland Road! pic.twitter.com/ZzicvMXbJf

— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 10, 2026

Daniel Farke described himself as “heartbroken” to emerge from the Emirates without anything to show for outplaying Arsenal on their own patch. It’s a forgivable reaction considering the quality and consideration of Leeds’ performance against a side Farke hailed as “the best team in Europe.”

Leeds struck a brilliant balance between aggression and cohesion, laying a series of traps in which the champions repeatedly fell. Arsenal only salvaged a win with a brief burst of excellence that stretches far beyond the remit of what Leeds’ budget should be able to withstand.

1. Brighton (2–0 Win vs. Sunderland)

😛💙 pic.twitter.com/QXTQfe6twv

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@BHAFC) October 12, 2026

Brighton are collecting new ways to win. The Seagulls have suffocated opponents with a blistering press, ruthlessly exploited weakened teams and overwhelmed opposition with a remorseless monopoly of the ball.

Fabian Hürzeler added a new string to his bow on Saturday, orchestrating a classic smash-and-grab despite being reduced to 10 men with almost the entire second half still to play.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 20 Premier League Teams’ Performances on Matchday 6.

Premier League

Erling Haaland has his heart set on a “dream” move to Barcelona, with Catalonia his preferred Manchester City exit route thanks to the allure of playing with Lamine Yamal. Barcelona expect to pull off the deal for far less than his €175 million ($196.1 million) buyout clause. (Source: El Nacional)

Doubts over the future of Leny Yoro have convinced Manchester United to consider offers for the France international. (Source: Football Insider)

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid target, Alex Scott, has now landed on the radar of AC Milan. (Source: TuttoMercatoWeb)

Manchester United are part of the pack chasing after Atlético Madrid forward Giuliano Simeone, who can also count Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur among his admirers. (Source: TEAMtalk)

The impressive performances of Morgan Rogers could convince Chelsea to offload the lesser spotted Jamie Gittens next year. Roma have been tipped as a potential suitor. (Source: Football Transfers)

Rangers will face competition from a host of unnamed Premier League clubs in the battle to secure the services of Arsenal’s young gem Max Dowman. (Source: Football Insider)

Alongside an impeding agreement for Declan Rice, Arsenal are also expected to seal new contracts for Jurriën Timber and Martin Ødegaard. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Chelsea are unwilling to pay the €70 million ($78.3 million) which Monaco are demanding for Lamine Camara. (Source: GOAL)

Newcastle United are vying with Arsenal for the signature of RB Leipzig’s fleet-footed forward Antonio Nusa. (Source: Football Insider)

Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul has been heavily linked with a move to Everton amid competing interest from Aston Villa and Leeds United. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Unfazed by their ongoing legal battle with the Premier League, Manchester City have made an approach for Borussia Dortmund’s U.S. prodigy Mathis Albert. (Source: GOAL)

Everton are also interested in a January move for Bayer Leverkusen’s center forward Christian Kofane. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

None of Aston Villa, Liverpool or Manchester United are willing to pay the €40 million ($44.8 million) asking price Barcelona are demanding for Alejandro Balde. (Source: El Nacional)

Barcelona have got U.S. men’s national team record breaker Cavan Sullivan on their list of youthful targets. The Philadelphia Union phenom already has a pre-agreement to join Manchester City, though that could be scuppered by Barça’s interest and the Premier League charges facing the Etihad outfit. (Source: SPORT)

Real Madrid chiefly admire Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, although it would take in excess of €100 million ($111.9 million) to lure the England international away from south London. (Source: DefensaCentral)

Bayern Munich are willing to offer as much as €90 million ($100.9 million) for Barcelona playmaker Dani Olmo, who is not for sale for any price. (Source: El Nacional)

Raúl Asencio will be put on the transfer list once he recovers from surgery in 2027. (Source: Fabrizio Romano)

In the face of interest from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Barcelona have set Xavi Espart’s asking price at €80 million ($89.6 million). (Source: Fichajes)

If Pedro Porro is to leave Tottenham for Barcelona, the Catalans will have to raise €50 million ($56 million) in sales. (Source: El Nacional)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Haaland Swayed by Yamal; Barcelona Eye USMNT’s Sullivan.

Manchester City’s most convincing voice won the hearts and minds of supporters reeling from the seismic Premier League verdict before thrashing in the opening goal of Sunday’s win over Liverpool. Rather than focusing on the clash of flesh which he had just endured, Haaland tellingly called the contest a “mental battle.”

Until City’s appeal is heard and a punishment is dished out, every Premier League match involving the club lambasted as a “sham” by their own competition will require some mental gymnastics. The meeting between Liverpool and City was rightly billed as the most important game of the weekend but if the Etihad outfit are deducted enough points to guarantee relegation, it will have been an entirely meaningless endeavor.

In light of the few certainties which exist in this legal limbo, there is always Opta’s supercomputer to turn to.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Premier League Title Winner

In a world where City aren’t sanctioned—the reality which the club’s owners refuse to leave—Arsenal still remain favorites to claim a second successive Premier League, but only just. The Gunners labored to a win against Leeds United on Saturday which still left them three points adrift of Enzo Maresca’s faultless leaders by the weekend’s finish. Mikel Arteta has a formidable roster of talent, but City aren’t exactly short of star power themselves—and still will be thanks to the lack of relegation clauses in players’ contracts.

Remarkably, Brighton & Hove Albion are third favorites to win the Premier League title. The Seagulls dismantled Arsenal before the international break and returned from the three-week hiatus to claim a fourth win from six top-flight fixtures. They also dumped Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup.

However, Fabian Hürzeler is keen to avoid getting ahead of himself. “Maybe I sound a little old school now but there’s an old phrase: Defense wins championships—and we’re not speaking about championships,” he quickly interjected, “don’t get me wrong, but defense wins also games.”

Chelsea could do with learning that lesson. Xabi Alonso’s free-wheeling entertainers haven’t kept a Premier League clean sheet since January.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Champions League Race

Once again, any sporting sanction for Manchester City will surely disrupt the race for Champions League qualification. Yet, at this point in time there would appear to be a clear top four, with Liverpool ranked as one of the likeliest European qualifiers despite their teething problems under Andoni Iraola.

Manchester United, by contrast, have a long road ahead if continental competition is to be on the cards next season. The Red Devils have made their worst start to a league season in 40 years. They would finish that campaign with the club’s greatest ever manager at the helm but even Sir Alex Ferguson could only oversee an 11th-place finish.

The likes of Brentford, Everton and Newcastle United habor lofty dreams of their own after making strong starts. The Bees appear best-placed to mount the strongest challenge, while Everton and Newcastle may struggle to maintain their form with such thin squads.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Premier League Relegation Battle

Hull City and Ipswich Town have the same points as Liverpool after six games of the new season. The two freshly promoted clubs are still focused on survival but it’s been an encouraging start to life back in the top flight. The same cannot be said of Coventry City, even if Frank Lampard’s side did end a 25-year wait for a Premier League win before the international break.

Tottenham Hotspur are still waiting for that sweet taste of victory, but at least Roberto De Zerbi’s side are predicted to avoid relegation. It’s a testament to the new realities of N17 that the manager can take heart from his midfielder heatbutting an opponent simply because it shows some character. Spurs will have to balance that fight with some finesse if they are to fulfill the supercomputer’s prediction.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Supercomputer Predicts Premier League Table As Man City Send Arsenal Title Statement.

The punishment for the eight-time Premier League winners is not yet known, but what’s guaranteed is a hostile, box-office reception when table-topping City travel to former title rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

In case you’ve forgotten about how things have played out on the field so far, here’s a quick reminder: City are being closely pursued by Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are still finding their feet under new managers and Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are barreling toward crisis.

There have been plenty of upsets, too, with Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Hull City all punching above their weight, but fewer surprises when it comes to the likes of Fulham and Crystal Palace struggling under untested Premier League coaches.

With a full weekend of action to look forward to, here’s Sports Illustrated’s predictions for Gameweek 6.

Arsenal vs. Leeds Prediction

Prediction: Arsenal 2–0 Leeds

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Emirates Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 12:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Paul Tierney

Arsenal re-emerge with an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of their stomach. It’s been quite some time since the reigning champions were humiliated, but there’s no other way to describe their dismal 3–0 defeat to Brighton before the international break.

The Gunners had enjoyed a perfect start to the season before being deservedly thrashed on the south coast, and it’s now up to Mikel Arteta, fresh from signing a new contract, to inspire a return to winning ways.

Leeds United will be an awkward visitor in Saturday’s early kickoff. Currently fifth in the table and unbeaten in the Premier League thus far, they journey to north London brimming with belief and ready to capitalize on any uncertainty in the Arsenal ranks.

Aston Villa vs. Brentford Prediction

Prediction: Aston Villa 1–1 Brentford

• Location: Birmingham, England
• Stadium: Villa Park
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Craig Pawson

After being gutted during the summer transfer window, Aston Villa can be forgiven for taking time to adjust this season. Following three wins from their last four in all competitions, however, Unai Emery’s men appear to have hit their stride.

They’ve scored three times in each of those victories and will expect another triumph in front of the excited Villa Park faithful. It might not be forthcoming, though.

Keith Andrews continues to work miracles with Brentford, who have claimed nine points in the Premier League this season and hammered Chelsea 3–0 before the international period. They will set out to frustrate their hosts this weekend—and they might just succeed in doing so.

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Chelsea vs. Bournemouth Prediction

Prediction: Chelsea 3–2 Bournemouth

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Stamford Bridge
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Sam Barrott

Brentford’s joy was Chelsea’s misery during Gameweek 5.

A weakened midfield and the absence of João Pedro proved costly at the Gtech Community Stadium, where Xabi Alonso oversaw his third consecutive league match without victory.

Chelsea’s exceptional forward line continues to instil fear in opposition backlines, but the club’s woeful defensive record undermines their progress. It’s a problem Alonso must fix soon.

Luckily for the Spaniard, he faces one of three winless sides remaining in the Premier League. Bournemouth surrendered leads in all four of their opening matches, before their profligacy cost them in the 1–0 defeat to former manager Andoni Iraola and his Liverpool team before the break.

Their last two trips to Stamford Bridge have ended in 2–2 draws. They might just miss out on another stalemate this weekend.

Ipswich vs. Fulham Prediction

Prediction: Ipswich 1–1 Fulham

• Location: Ipswich, England
• Stadium: Portman Road
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Lewis Smith

Gary O’Neil will be very content with six points on the board at this stage of the season, especially considering Ipswich Town have faced Manchester United and Liverpool already. The Tractor Boys have shown signs of life in chaotic wins over Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Unlike Ipswich, Álvaro Arbeloa’s new-look Fulham have picked up points against Man Utd and Liverpool, but the problem is they suffered three straight defeats before those impressive stalemates.

That means they’re currently 19th in the standings and still desperately awaiting a first Premier League win under the Spaniard.

Sunderland vs. Brighton Prediction

Prediction: Sunderland 1–2 Brighton

• Location: Sunderland, England
• Stadium: Stadium of Light
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Tom Bramall

Few expected 35-year-old Pascal Groß to be the joint-top provider of goals and assists come the first international break of the season, but the veteran midfielder has been unplayable during a dazzling period for Brighton.

More clever business over the summer has helped propel Fabian Hürzeler’s side up the table early in the season, with only Man City and Arsenal currently ahead of the Seagulls. There is no more confident team in the Premier League right now.

They will need to use that self-belief to overcome Sunderland, who are never simple to beat on their own patch. The Black Cats have suffered just five losses at the Stadium of Light since their return to the top flight.

Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur Prediction

Prediction: Man Utd 3–1 Tottenham

• Location: Manchester, England
• Stadium: Old Trafford
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
• Kickoff Time: 5:30 p.m. BST / 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Stuart Attwell

Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur. Or in other words: ‘El Crisisco’.

It’s Spurs who certainly have the greater concerns heading into the weekend’s meeting. They are bottom of the Premier League table after two goalless draws and three losses from their opening matches and are showing few signs of turning a corner under Roberto De Zerbi.

An astronomical summer spend has failed to stop the rot and the club’s new acquisitions have underperformed to date. Spurs don’t have a dreadful record at Old Trafford in recent years, but one must be brave to bet in their favor this time around.

Michael Carrick is also feeling the pressure in the United dugout after collecting just four points from an appetizing run of league fixtures, and the momentum which underpinned the club’s resurgence during the second half of last season has been lost. Still, United enter the weekend as strong favorites.

Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction

Prediction: Crystal Palace 0–1 Nottingham Forest

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Selhurst Park
• Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
• Kickoff Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Peter Bankes

The Oliver Glasner derby is unlikely to produce fireworks this Sunday.

The Austrian returns to Selhurst Park for the first time since his bitter summer exit for a battle between two of the Premier League’s least convincing performers this season.

Both clubs have picked up just one victory from their opening five as they adjust to new regimes and they will be determined to avoid defeat this weekend at all costs.

That pretty much guarantees a scrappy, stop-start affair. Forest might just shade it, though.

Hull City vs. Everton Prediction

Prediction: Hull 0–0 Everton

• Location: Hull, England
• Stadium: MKM Stadium
• Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
• Kickoff Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Michael Salisbury

Hull and Everton have both enjoyed excellent starts to the campaign. The former have managed to stun Man Utd and Chelsea en route to eight points, while the latter remain unbeaten and have claimed two victories alongside three stalemates.

Impressive early runs have been built on sturdy defenses and cautious soccer, which means Sunday’s clash is unlikely to be particularly high-octane.

In fact, there’s a decent chance of a goalless draw being played out at the MKM Stadium, with a point acceptable for both Sergej Jakirović and David Moyes.

Liverpool vs. Manchester City Prediction

Prediction: Liverpool 2–2 Man City

• Location: Liverpool, England
• Stadium: Anfield
• Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
• Kickoff Time: 4:30 p.m. BST / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Liverpool vs. Man City always delivers drama on the field, but the latest iteration of the fixture will be dominated by off-field discussions.

This is City’s first outing since they were found guilty of 115 breaches of Premier League financial regulations and while a final punishment remains some distance in the future, the discourse is bound to have a major impact on the mentality of the club’s players ahead of the trip to Liverpool.

Nobody knows how Erling Haaland and Co. will react once they step over the white line and Anfield is hardly a forgiving setting. Liverpool supporters will crank up the atmosphere on Sunday as they voice their grievances—the Reds have finished runner-up to title-winning City teams three times since 2009.

This is a must-watch fixture regardless of the outside noise and it’s the first time in over a decade that neither Jürgen Klopp nor Pep Guardiola will be on the touchline for it.

Enzo Maresca has won all five Premier League games since replacing Guardiola, but things have been trickier for Andoni Iraola at the beginning of his reign. Six points already separate the sides.

Coventry vs. Newcastle Prediction

Prediction: Coventry 0–1 Newcastle

• Location: Coventry, England
• Stadium: Coventry Building Society Arena
• Date: Monday, Oct. 12
• Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: John Brooks

Coventry City finally got off the mark last time out, clinching a much-needed first victory away at Midlands foes Nottingham Forest. The timing of the international break was sub-optimal for the Sky Blues as they seek to build some momentum.

They will certainly fancy their chances of taking something from Monday’s match against an inconsistent Newcastle United still discovering itself under Matthias Jaissle.

The Magpies will still be considered the favorites heading to Coventry, however, especially considering the quality they possess in the final third. Yoane Wissa and Harvey Barnes have made bright starts to the season and could prove the difference-makers.

Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 6

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Premier League Predictions: Man City at Liverpool, Man Utd Host Tottenham.

The Premier League’s punchy statement was released right in the midst of a three-week international break. A lack of club action allowed for heightened focus on the fallout from a decision which Manchester City are vehemently appealing, but also prevented so many of the main characters directly affected by this decision from commenting.

Enzo Maresca had used the time well, delivering a clear and defiant defense of his employers before the rest of the Premier League’s managerial class were entitled to have their say.

Unai Emery had Aston Villa’s press officer to thank for blocking any and all questions about the topic, but others weren’t so fortunate.

‘Relentless’—Condemnation Hard to Come by

“The consequences City are staring down look stark.”

Manchester City could face a range of punishments over the 115 Premier League charges. From financial penalties and points deductions to suspension, expulsion and potentially even the stripping of titles.

Sports Illustrated… pic.twitter.com/BU5ksJAzt2

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 25, 2026

Almost two weeks on from the official verdict, the media officers across the Premier League had clearly warned against the type of strident reaction which those from outside the division’s elite bubble were brave enough to offer. While no one went anywhere near the extremes of former Blackpool manager Ian Holloway—who called City’s owners “a disgrace” when reflecting on his relegated season with Tangerines during the period in question—there was some tentative twisting of the knife.

It was an interesting choice of the word “relentless” from Sunderland’s Régis Le Bris, echoing the term used by Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano in his unblinking address to staff when detailing the club’s response to the verdict.

”The relevant authorities have to be relentless otherwise you lose the value of your competition,” Le Bris bristled. “My position is simple, football has rules on and off the pitch. You have to respect those rules. When they are broken, you should have consequences, otherwise it’s not fair and we want fair competition, we want fair play.”

Crystal Palace’s Pierre Sage called it “a national problem,” while David Moyes had a distinctly Everton-tinged view of the punishment.

As the Toffees manager pointed out, his club were docked six points in 2023 for one breach of the financial regulations which City are found to have flouted more than 100 times. “Looking at it now from where I am sitting, it looks terrible that we have been docked points and pay some fines and not that long ago,” Moyes mused.

“There’s other things that have been going on—nearly 10 years ago—that have not been dealt with. I find that really difficult. I hope it’s not just Everton who are getting picked on here.”

On the other side of Merseyside, Liverpool’s Andoni Iraola added that “uncertainty is not good for anyone involved.”

Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner fretted at the potential consequences for the rest of the division. “The most important thing is the integrity of the league because as soon as the fans can’t trust it, they won’t watch it any more,” he warned.

Mikel Arteta’s Common Stance Does Himself No Favors With Fans

Instead of condemnation for an official guilty verdict, the overriding response from the Premier League’s managers was one of caution. As so many were keen to point out, City are still protesting their innocence and are awaiting the outcome of an appeal.

It felt pointed that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who served as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at City during the tail-end of the period under investigation, should be so at pains to refrain from saying anything even mildly critical of a legal verdict.

“I fully understand the question but it’s very important that we respect the process, the timelines and the ongoing process that’s not resolved—because it’s been appealed,” Arsenal’s manager insisted, contrasting starkly with the mood of indignation in the club’s fanbase. “And my position—and the club’s position—is to not make any further comments until it’s resolved.”

Arteta added: “The people are responsible to manage this process with the right conclusions. I’m sure it will be done and it will be done in the right way.”

Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso made the same argument, warning: “We need to be respectful.” “We need to wait until the final sanctions from the panel,” the former Liverpool midfielder outlined. “They are independent enough to assess all of the situations. I am not an expert. We need to respect the decisions and be patient.”

Alonso was hardly the only manager who weaponized his ignorance. “They have taken a lot of time and analyzed everything,” Iraola added. “My opinion is not valid as I have not read as much.”

Marco Rose admitted to consuming the vast quantities of analysis on the topic but still feigned cluelessness. “I’m not this kind of guy who blames someone with not enough information,” the former RB Leipzig manager, who once lost 7–0 to Manchester City, said. “Of course, I hear everything, I read everything, but I do not have all the information.”

“I’m a football coach not a politician and I love to be a football coach and it should stay like this.”Marco Rose

Newcastle United’s Matthias Jaissle was keen to underscore the scope of his own profession as well: “It is not in my job description to judge on that.”

Keith Andrews also felt any discussion on this topic fell beyond his remit as Brentford manager. “As you’re probably aware, I’m not much of a speculator,” he told assembled media. “I tend to see what’s in front of me and discuss it and deal with that. To speculate, would certainly not be my style. So that’s why I won’t.”

Fabian Hürzeler went as far as admitting it was “a distraction,” although the Brighton boss stressed: “I can’t control anything from that!”

Michael Carrick Lays Out Demands Ridiculed by Jose Mourinho

One manager with a vested interest in this case was Manchester United’s Michael Carrick. Not only is he the head of City’s fiercest rivals, but the former midfielder was part of the United teams that twice finished second to a side now found to have misrepresented their finances to the tune of £900 million.

“I’ve got my own questions about it,” the normally serene head coach seethed. “It’s affected me personally in different ways over a period of time.”

Wary of overplaying his hand before the appeal had been concluded, Carrick limited himself to calling for a swift verdict. “What I will say, the sooner it gets sorted, I think for everyone’s benefit, is essential,” he urged. “Speed is essential for everyone to be clear, to be able to deal with it, to be able to move on, whatever happens. It’s a unique situation to be in at this level, with such a huge impact in so many ways. So we all need to know what’s going to happen.”

Glasner wanted the same thing but warned: “There are thousands of pages to read. I read a book every night and it takes a long time to read a thousand pages. So it takes a bit of time, we have to be patient.”

José Mourinho, Carrick’s Manchester United manager when the Red Devils finished behind City in the 2017–18 season, was not getting his hopes up. “I think that we will reach a conclusion but, being in my 60s, I will have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives,” the current Real Madrid incumbent scoffed in an interview with Corriere dello Sport. “Now a ruling will come, then an appeal ... I’ll be 80.”

Former Premier League Champions Agree on Stripped Titles

The question of reassigning past titles was also raised by the two current Premier League managers who actually lifted the top-flight trophy during their playing days. Both Carrick and Coventry City’s Frank Lampard accepted that any chance of glory had already evaporated.

“It’s the moment that you strive for, to win and achieve in that moment. So the medal here or there, not getting blown away, but that doesn’t bring the feeling of whether you initially win or you don’t win,” Carrick lamented. “In the moment, you can’t take it back. Whether we did end up at some point, something along the lines of if something changes, it doesn’t change the emotion of that moment. Can’t get that back, won’t get that back.”

“That was a moment in time that I got to accept, and I’ll never get back.”Michael Carrick

Lampard was the heartbeat of Chelsea’s midfield for most of the period under investigation before he curiously signed for City in 2014. The three-time Premier League champion was not losing any sleep over his trophy haul. “I have titles and I don’t have my titles hanging on my wall at home but I have them in my head,” the Coventry boss explained.

“I think it would be very hard to take someone’s title away as a player individually because they should be in your head as opposed to, you know, in this beautiful glass cabinet or whatever.”

The Tide of Apathy

Fulham’s Álvaro Arbeloa had a curt response to the question of how quickly he would like a resolution to the biggest story in Premier League history:

“I don’t care.”Álvaro Arbeloa

Forest’s Glasner was perplexed by the 24-hour coverage of a case which could have repercussions stretching all the way to U.K. foreign policy. “Is this is the only problem in the world we have right now?” the Austrian coach asked.

“It’s not a big topic at our training ground. For us it doesn’t matter.”

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke made the same point. “Not my topic,” he pointed out. “My topic is football.” Gary O’Neil of Ipswich Town freely admitted he had “not even given it a second’s thought.” “It would be crazy of me to try and give you an opinion on something that I know absolutely nothing about,” he shrugged.

Tottenham Hotspur’s press officer wanted to make sure it wasn’t a topic at all for Friday’s news conference, sending out a warning that any questions relating to Manchester City’s case would go unanswered. One sneaky reporter circumvented the blanket ban by raising the topic of Calciopoli, a scandal in Italian soccer which Roberto De Zerbi experienced as a player. The Spurs boss took the bait.

“When you’re a player you don’t think too much, when you’re a coach, the focus is on your players,” he claimed. “I have no time to think about other problems other than my team, my club.” Considering Tottenham sit rooted to the foot of the Premier League table, winless after spending more than $400 million, De Zerbi could be forgiven for overlooking City’s plight.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Looks Terrible’—How Every Premier League Manager Reacted to Man City’s Guilty Verdict.

October’s first taste of top-flight action brings with it some tantalizing duels up and down the country. It’s the perfect reward for our patience during club soccer’s lengthy hiatus.

Naturally, the division’s big-hitters will steal focus, especially with two fixtures staged between traditional ‘Big Six’ sides. There are awkward clashes for Arsenal and Chelsea, too.

With that in mind, here are five storylines to keep an eye on during Gameweek 6 of the Premier League campaign.

Arsenal’s Ability to Bounce Back Tested

Exactly five months separated Arsenal’s previous Premier League defeat and their shock implosion at Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break. A perfect start to the new season was smashed to smithereens on the south coast during a humbling and deserved 3–0 loss.

Given just how excellent the Gunners have been over the past year, they can be forgiven for having an off-day. After all, Brighton are more than capable of upsetting the odds with their high-octane pressing and raft of unassuming stars.

But Arsenal’s response will be definitive. Will they make an immediate recovery? Or will uncertainty linger?

Leeds United are hardly ideal visitors to the Emirates Stadium this Saturday having made an unbeaten start to the season. They’re currently fifth and just three points behind Mikel Arteta’s men, as well as one of just two teams to have actually conceded fewer than Arsenal’s usually watertight defense.

History suggests Arsenal will be fine, though. They have won their last eight matches against Leeds across all competitions, scoring 13 times during the three most recent triumphs.

Chelsea Out to End Winless Streak

Chelsea joined Arsenal in suffering a humiliating 3–0 defeat on the road during Gameweek 5. Brentford were their conquerors as Xabi Alonso’s weakened side self-destructed late in proceedings at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Unlike Arsenal, however, this was not a one-off for Chelsea. In fact, it was their third successive league match without victory, as well as the third time they have conceded three goals in a match this season.

It’s Alonso’s defense that continues to undermine his progress in the Stamford Bridge dugout and Bournemouth will prove no pushovers this Saturday, either.

Marco Rose’s side might be winless in the Premier League, but the Cherries have taken points off Chelsea in four of the last six matches between the sides. With the likes of Evanilson, Rayan and Marcus Tavernier in their offense, they will capitalize on any rustiness in the home defense.

Chelsea have injury issues to contend with, too, as a host of important first-team faces await late fitness tests. Alonso is sweating over the fitness of João Pedro, Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo and Reece James for Bournemouth’s visit—four crucial assets whose absences could prove decisive.

Crisis Clubs Collide

Manchester United supporters have been forced to endure familiar struggles at the start of the new season. The summer’s midfield rebuild and positivity manufactured by last term’s impressive resurgence under Michael Carrick offered hope to the Old Trafford faithful before a ball was kicked. Unfortunately, the Red Devils have reverted to type.

But things could be worse for the club’s fanbase—they could support Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs have been in crisis for quite some time after narrowly avoiding relegation last season and starting the current campaign in similarly worrying form. A trip to Old Trafford this weekend appears likely to end in yet more misery for Roberto De Zerbi and his players.

Both sides enter the upcoming clash under significant pressure and the loser—if there is one—is certain to come under unbearable scrutiny.

Tottenham need the points more. They’re currently bottom of the Premier League table following two goalless draws and three dreadful defeats, with their army of expensive new signings failing to deliver early in their Spurs careers.

But United are also desperate for victory after collecting just five points from a palatable run of fixtures. Defeats to Hull City and 10-man Manchester City have soured the mood, with uninspiring draws against Everton and Fulham only exacerbating things.

How Will Man City Respond to Guilty Verdict?

Club soccer still managed to dominate the discourse during the international break as Manchester City were found guilty of 114 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. After a three-year investigation, the damning verdict was finally delivered.

The Cityzens take to the field for the first time since the revelation when journeying to Liverpool this weekend for the Premier League’s headline fixture, and all eyes are on how Enzo Maresca and his players will respond.

While they’re blameless for the club’s current predicament, they will be forced to answer uncomfortable questions both on and off the field. How will they react to being at the center of a remarkable scandal?

City have won all five of their Premier League fixtures under Maresca thus far and will still fancy their chances of extending their perfect record at Anfield. On paper, a sixth successive triumph is certainly on the cards—albeit they have won just three times away at Liverpool this century.

But this is an unprecedented situation City and their employees find themselves in. Nobody knows what impact it will have on their performances, even before a definitive punishment has been handed out.

Andoni Iraola’s Biggest Test Yet

It’s fitting that Liverpool are City’s first opponents since their guilty verdict. The Reds have thrice finished runner-up to title-winning City sides since their cheating began back in 2009 and were the most consistent challengers to Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering outfit over the past decade.

The Anfield crowd will be certain to air its grievances this Sunday.

The atmosphere created by an understandable sense of injustice could prove the catalyst for an era-defining performance from Andoni Iraola’s new-look team. This is by far the Spaniard’s toughest test to date after a fairly tame schedule in the Premier League.

A cacophonous crowd should fuel his high-pressing system.

Liverpool have made progress under Iraola, especially in comparison to last season’s dismal performances under Arne Slot. Even during disappointing results, the Reds have generally been much more enjoyable to watch.

Iraola will be determined to harness the power and passion of the Anfield faithful as he looks for the first major victory of his tenure—and there’s no better time to be facing City.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Storylines to Watch When the Premier League Returns.

City were found guilty by an independent commission over charges spanning almost a decade from 2009–10 until 2017–18. The club continues to vehemently deny wrongdoing, refusing to accept the verdict—going as far as calling it an “opinion”—and already lodging an appeal.

Should that process be unsuccessful and the original verdict upheld, rival teams appear keen for sanctions to be wide ranging, according to BBC Sport. That said, when the times comes the decision will solely lie with the original three-person panel who found the club guilty.

Not all clubs are desperate for City to be stripped of titles, but that is the opinion of some. However, they are not necessarily seeking to claim the spoils for themselves—Manchester United and Liverpool were runners-up to City during the league campaigns in question. Rather, it would be to primarily “take honors away,” at which point they would remain vacant. At least one club is concerned the “credibility of the Premier League would be lost” if City keep their titles.

Another club considers it “obtuse” if City are allowed to be active during the January transfer window, even if the process remains ongoing and sanctions have not been applied. The deadline for this appeal verdict to be passed down is Jan. 23, 2027, but City could continue to escalate it up the chain if unsuccessful, suggesting the end is not exactly near.

Retrospective Financial Reparations

In terms of retrospective punishment, one possibility that has been floated is an alteration of City’s Premier League finishes during the nine seasons in question via historic points deductions. By essentially applying a “tariff” to City’s points tally in each season, it would have the effect of rewriting the final Premier League table each time.

That does more than potentially strip titles, but could also be used as a way to then compensate other clubs who might have finished higher up the table and have been entitled to greater prize money had it not been for the financial cheating judged to have taken place.

It’s not only important for seasons in which City finished as Premier League champions. For example, Manchester United were marginally knocked down into fifth place and missed out on Champions League qualification in 2015–16 after finishing level on points with City, but with an inferior goal difference. It would be less likely to affect teams who finished near the bottom of the table, but would of course depend on the severity of each season’s deduction.

Man City Premier League Finishes, Points Tallies During Financial Cheating

Single-Season Points Deduction Insufficient

Sky Sports notes that “sympathy is in short supply” among the others clubs, who “do not expect City to be in Premier League next season” if the appeal is unsuccessful.

The Premier League cannot strictly demote the club by one division—or even two or three—because the EFL is a separate entity and doesn’t have to accept them. The far more severe punishment would be expulsion from the Premier League and an application to join a league much lower down the English soccer pyramid. Such a fate is usually reserved for teams who fall on hard times, go out of business and re-emerge as phoenix clubs with a similar name.

Relegation into the EFL could happen with a stern enough points deductions, which is the clearest way to ensure that City remain punished in future seasons, beyond just historic losses. But, as the BBC report explains, “at least four” Premier League clubs believe a single-season deduction would be “insufficient punishment given the severity.”

Applying anything north of a one-off 60-point deduction would be a massive, record-breaking sanction that would almost certainly condemn City to relegation. However, there is an expectation that relegation in that scenario would result in immediate promotion.

FALLOUT ON MAN CITY CHARGES VERDICT

• Man City Punishment Timeline: How Long Will Appeal Take, When Will This End?

• Seven Takeaways From Official Report Into Man City’s Nine Years of Cheating

• Premier League Stun Man City With Scathing Official Guilty Verdict

• Man City Charges: The Premier League’s Multi-Year Investigation Explained

• The Potential Punishments Facing Man City for 115 Premier League Charges

Given that City players are not believed to have relegation clauses in their contracts, there could be no undervalued poaching of stars like Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki against the club’s will, increasing the chance of keeping them for a year in the EFL Championship and bulldozing the second tier at a canter.

With swift promotion, City could be free of punishment sooner rather than later, which feels unfair when the rule-breaking took place over nine years.

The tougher sanction would be spreading a points deduction, which could mathematically be in excess of 450 given the number of charges and the previous sanctions applied to Everton and Nottingham Forest for comparatively minor financial breaches, over multiple years.

Starting season after season on minus points would likely result in repeated failure to qualify for UEFA competition and serve to severely suppress revenue for as long as it is in place. The added consequence of that is City losing appeal for both existing and prospective future players. It is not something that could so easily be cleared and washed away.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Tariff-Based System’—The Sanctions Rival Premier League Clubs Want Man City to Face.

Premier League

In the face of rampant interest from half of Europe, Erling Haaland has narrowed his Manchester City exit routes down to two options: Real Madrid or Barcelona. (Source: El Nacional)

Interest from Juventus and Barcelona in Benjamin Šeško has prompted Manchester United to set an asking price of €75 million ($84.4 million), which would represent a loss on what the Red Devils paid a little over a year ago. (Source: TuttoJuve)

Manchester United are prepared to battle Liverpool for the signature of Micky van de Ven, although Tottenham Hotspur are opposed to his sale entirely. (Source: Fichajes)

Any chance of a move as soon as January for Van de Ven is deemed to be minimal despite competing Premier League interest. (Source: Football Insider)

Xabi Alonso has given the green light for Chelsea to plough forward with a €120 million ($135 million) offer for Barcelona star Fermín López. (Source: El Nacional)

Liverpool have identified Brentford fullback Michael Kayode as a priority defensive addition next year. There will, however, be competition from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Chelsea are weighing up a move for Barcelona’s demoted right back Jules Koundé in January. (Source: El Desmarque)

Liverpool and Chelsea are both in the market for Nottingham Forest’s imposing center back Murillo. (Source: Football Insider)

Juventus are monitoring the future of Mateo Kovačić amid his uncertain Manchester City future. (Source: Tuttosport)

Not content with midfield reinforcements, Juventus are also keeping a close eye on Liverpool center back Giovanni Leoni as he returns from an ACL tear. (Source: Gazzetta dello Sport)

Tottenham have emerged as surprise suitors for Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae, who is no longer a nailed-on starter in Bavaria. (Source: Football Insider)

Athletic Club are supposedly struggling to fund Nico Williams’s vast salary and could be forced to combat these economic issues by selling the Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal target. (Source: El Nacional)

Long-term Manchester United target Jean-Philippe Mateta is being put on the market by Crystal Palace this January. AC Milan and several Saudi Pro League sides are also thought to be keen on the France international. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

Alex Scott—Bournemouth’s talented English midfielder on the radar of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool—has now been billed as a target for Real Madrid. It is expected to take north of £75 million ($99.3 million) to prise the 23-year-old away from the south coast. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah has also emerged as a figure of interest for Real Madrid. The Reds inserted a €70 million ($78.8 million) buyback clause into the deal which sent the center back to Bayer Leverkusen in 2025. (Source: BILD)

Real Madrid are eyeing up Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız but the Turkish winger will cost in excess of €100 million ($112.6 million). Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also sniffing around a potential deal. (Source: Fichajes)

Remarkably, Atlético Madrid have been credited with interest in Barcelona’s glittering academy graduate Marc Bernal. (Source: El Nacional)

If Barcelona are to sign their first-choice replacement for Jules Koundé next year, Sporting CP are expected to demand €80 million ($90.1 million) for Iván Fresneda. (Source: Fichajes)

Roony Bardghji is heading toward an immediate Barcelona exit once he returns from injury. (Source: El Nacional)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Haaland’s Two Choices; Real Madrid Eye $100 Million Premier League Star.

Premier League

Manchester United are ready to take legal action if they lose 15-year-old midfielder JJ Gabriel to an overseas club, fearing they would only be able to receive a small compensation fee for a player widely hailed as one of the best youngsters in the world. (Source: The Sun)

Tottenham Hotspur are readying an offer of €130 million ($146 million) for Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez in January, and they hope to convince the Argentina international with the promise of a release clause to facilitate a future transfer to Barcelona. (Source: El Nacional)

Leaving Tottenham could be right back Pedro Porro, who wants a move to Spain before the start of the 2027–28 season and it prioritizing a switch to Barcelona. (Source: Juan Jesus)

Inter Milan and Juventus both want to sign Liverpool center back Giovanni Leoni to boost the number of Italian nationals in their teams, but the Reds have already ruled out sending the 19-year-old out on loan once he returns from injury. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

Liverpool are preparing a move for Tottenham center back Micky van de Ven, but Spurs have zero interest in discussing an exit for a player who signed a new contract in the summer. (Source: Football Insider)

Scouts from Man Utd are watching midfielder Youssouf Fofana during his loan with Sevilla from AC Milan. The Spanish side are unlikely to be able to afford a permanent transfer because of the competition from the Premier League. (Source: Ficherio)

Man Utd’s search for a new striker has seen them express interest in Brighton & Hove Albion striker Charalampos Kostoulas. The 19-year-old is valued at over £51 million ($67.5 million). (Source: Fichajes)

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is another target for Man Utd, but a move will only be pursued in January if the Red Devils can first offload Joshua Zirkzee. (Source: Football Insider)

Arsenal and Chelsea have both joined Man Utd in showing an interest in 23-year-old Freiburg striker Igor Matanović. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Meanwhile, Arsenal are readying a bid of £34 million ($45 million) for RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa in the hope of fending off competition from Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham. (Source: fussball-news)

Granada forward Owen Emeka, 17, is being chased by Arsenal, Everton and Newcastle. (Source: Matteo Moretto)

Uncertainty surrounding the future of Manchester City has seen a number of the club’s rivals try to lure the top prospects from the Cityzens’ academy away. (Source: BBC Sport)

La Liga

Real Madrid and Liverpool both remain in the hunt for Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, who has yet to indicate whether he wants to leave or sign a new contract with the German giants. He is, however, adamant that any fresh terms would have to include a release clause. (Source: SPORT BILD)

José Mourinho has been unimpressed by Vinícius Júnior and is ready to drop him from Real Madrid’s starting lineup. However, this is not the start of a plan to sell the Brazilian, with Mourinho instead hoping it lights a fire under the winger and brings him back to his best. (Source: Defensa Central)

Barcelona are ready to let left back Alejandro Balde leave the club on loan in January. Man Utd wanted him in the summer, but Everton, Fulham, Liverpool and Sunderland have all been contacted about joining the race. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Juventus winger Kenan Yıldız remains a target for Real Madrid. While the Türkiye star is committed to his current team, there is an awareness that Juve will have to return to Europe’s elite if they are to keep hold of Yıldız in the long term. (Source: Gazzetta dello Sport)

Lamine Yamal has urged Barcelona not to pursue moves for a big-name striker like Julián Alvarez or Erling Haaland in favor of putting their trust in 18-year-old Egyptian Hamza Abdelkarim. (Source: El Nacional)

Plans are in place for Barcelona to tie Raphinha, Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart down to new contracts in the near future. (Source: Fabrizio Romano)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Mourinho’s Shock Vinicius Jr Decision; Alvarez’s New Premier League Suitor .

Whether you want to call it “the findings of an independent commission” or a “Premier League conspiracy theory,” City have been found guilty. The club have launched an appeal but, at this point in the process, a “systematic” evasion of the competition’s financial rules for nine seasons through a “Disguised Funding Scheme” has put all results since 2009 into question.

It remains to be seen what will be done about those previous seasons, but there is the current campaign to worry about as well. A wide array of punishments are on the table for City, with a points deduction of any size very much in the offing. Opta have helpfully crunched the numbers on how the differing scales of punishment could affect City’s league finish, offering up figures which could impact the title race, battle for European qualification or even relegation.

Supercomputer Predicts Man City’s Chances of Winning 2026–27 Premier League Title

City may sit top of the Premier League with a faultless record after five games but they aren’t favorites to reclaim the title even with their points tally intact. That status belongs to defending champions Arsenal, whose claim for the retention of glory would only be enhanced by some sporting sanctions for their closest rivals. According to Opta’s 100,000 simulations of the season’s remaining fixtures, it wouldn’t take much for City to be knocked out of the title race entirely.

A five-point penalty would almost slash City’s chances in half, while anything beyond 10 points sees their ambitions rapidly dwindle. Given the size of the sanctions dished out to Everton and Nottingham Forest—clubs who were charged with single-digit breaches, not more than 100 like City—Enzo Maresca’s side can expected to receive a much steeper punishment.

If the Premier League dish out a deduction of 25 points or more, City can effectively kiss the title goodbye. However, that may be the least of their concerns.

Premier League Title Favorites Besides Man City

1. Arsenal: 44.2%
2. Liverpool: 5.4%
3. Brighton: 3.8%
4. Brentford: 1.2%
5. Chelsea: 1.1%

FALLOUT ON MAN CITY CHARGES VERDICT

• Seven Takeaways From Official Report Into Man City’s Nine Years of Cheating

• Premier League Stun Man City With Scathing Official Guilty Verdict

• Man City Charges: The Premier League’s Multi-Year Investigation Explained

• The Potential Punishments Facing Man City for 115 Premier League Charges

• The Premier League Champions If Man City Are Stripped of Titles

Supercomputer Predicts Man City’s Chances of Champions League Qualification

City’s aspirations for Champions League qualification appear to be remarkably durable. The 2023 competition winners would still have a better chance of finishing in the top four with a 20-point deduction (around 28%) than Chelsea do right now (18.8%).

Those odds tumble rapidly once the punishment jumps beyond 30 points, with Opta predicting that City’s chances of finishing in the top four fall below 1% with a 38-point penalty. Should fifth place in the Premier League also earn Champions League qualification—as it has done for the past two seasons—it would take 40 points to all but guarantee City’s non-qualification.

Champions League Qualification Favorites Besides Man City

1. Arsenal: 90.8%
2. Liverpool: 46.4%
3. Brighton: 39.4%
4. Chelsea: 18.8%
5. Brentford: 18.1%
6. Man Utd: 16.4%
7. Everton: 15.9%
8. Newcastle: 14.5%
9. Aston Villa: 13.6%
10. Leeds: 12.2%

Supercomputer Predicts Man City’s Chances of Relegation

The Premier League do not have the power to relegate Manchester City directly to the Championship. England’s top flight—which is a separate body to the Football League that governs the second, third and fourth tiers—can expel the club from their competition, but the most likely route for relegation could be a points deduction so big that demotion is guaranteed. It will take an unprecedented penalty.

Even a points deduction as large as 20—comfortably the biggest in the competition’s history—would still see City relegated in less than 5% of scenarios. For comparison, Aston Villa’s current chances of demotion stand at 7.9%.

The stakes are raised with a 30-point penalty but it’s not until 40 points are on the table that the balance actually tips. Maresca’s side is effectively guaranteed a finish of 18th or below with a 60-point deduction but, if the Premier League want to play it safe, Opta have found that City are relegated in all 100,000 of their simulations if they have 74 or more points taken away.

Relegation Favorites Besides Man City

1. Coventry City: 44.9%
2. Fulham: 42.3%
3. Tottenham: 29.8%
4. Ipswich: 27.8%
5. Crystal Palace: 27.1%
6. Sunderland: 24.1%
7. Nottingham Forest: 21.7%
8. Hull City: 19.8%
9. Bournemouth: 18.6%
10. Aston Villa: 7.9%

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Supercomputer Predicts Premier League Table for Every Possible Man City Points Deduction.

Premier League

Manchester United are ready to hold talks over a new contract with Luke Shaw as he approaches the final six months of his existing deal. (Source: Football Insider)

On the other hand, Man Utd are expected to provide the strongest competition for Juventus in pursuit of RB Leipzig left back David Raum, whose own contract is set to expire in the summer. (Source: Gazzetta dello Sport)

Arsenal would make a strong push to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland if the club’s uncertain future prompts him to search for an exit. (Source: FootballTransfers)

Midfielder Elliot Anderson, meanwhile, is back on the radar of Real Madrid, but both Arsenal and Man Utd are looking at the Man City midfielder as a possible target if a significant punishment is handed down to the Cityzens. (Source: Fichajes)

Liverpool are following Man City wing duo Jérémy Doku and Antoine Semenyo with a view to pouncing on any opportunity to sign the pair. (Source: indykaila)

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has identified Inter Milan center back Alessandro Bastoni as his priority target and talks are expected to be held in January. (Source: El Nacional)

Despite reports to the contrary, Liverpool have no interest in bringing Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold back to the club now or even in the near future, believing fans would not respond well to his hypothetical return. (Source: Football Insider)

Bournemouth want midfielder Alex Scott to sign a new contract before January to try to fend off interest from both Chelsea and Liverpool, but would be prepared to agree to a release clause to facilitate a future transfer for the England international. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Juventus are ready to part ways with underperforming midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, who is on the radars of both Everton and Newcastle United. (Source: Gazzetta dello Sport)

Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are among the admirers of Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni. (Source: O Jogo)

Arsenal have made Como center back Jacobo Ramón their top defensive target and have already started working on a future transfer for the 21-year-old. (Source: Tuttomercatoweb)

Tottenham have made an offer of €80 million ($91 million) to sign Atlético Madrid midfielder Álex Baena. (Source: Fichajes)

La Liga

If goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma leaves Man City over the club’s financial scandal, then Real Madrid would be the most likely landing spot for the Italian, who is seen as an ideal long-term replacement for Thibaut Courtois. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Real Madrid are also monitoring Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk as his current deal at Anfield winds down. (Source: Mundo Deportivo)

Bayern Munich are considering a January move for Barcelona right back Jules Koundé, who has struggled for regular minutes this season. (Source: SPORT)

Martín Zubimendi wants to leave Arsenal in January and sees Real Madrid as his preferred destination. A bid of €75 million ($85 million) could get a deal done. (Source: El Nacional)

Real Madrid have also added Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott to a shortlist that includes AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. (Source: Látigo Serrano)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Real Madrid Want Van Dijk; Haaland Leads Mass Man City Exodus.

Premier League

Arsenal are not prepared to loan out striker Viktor Gyökeres amid interest from AC Milan, who face needing to pay upwards of €70 million ($80 million) to convince the Gunners to sell. (Source: Carlo Pellegatti)

Despite reports to the contrary, Arsenal have had no contact over Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who is fully focused on the Cityzens despite the uncertainty surrounding the club. If he is to leave, a move to La Liga is seen as his preference, but both Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain would consider joining the race. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Chelsea are pushing to sign Barcelona left back Alejandro Balde in the January transfer window. Liverpool are also admirers of the 22-year-old but it is the Blues that are making the strongest move. (Source: Juan Jesus)

Manchester United are readying a defensive overhaul and have added Roma right back Wesley to a list of targets that also includes Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, Nottingham Forest’s Murillo, Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell and Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall, who remains a target despite his recent contract extension. (Source: Theatre of Red)

Porto right back Alberto Costa is another under consideration by both Arsenal and Man Utd. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Stuttgart have raised their asking price for center back Finn Jeltsch to €45 million ($51 million) following increased interest from Arsenal, Real Madrid and Juventus. (Source: Tutto Juve)

Chelsea are set to make a bid of £60 million ($80 million) for Arsenal midfielder Martín Zubimendi, who has already given his approval to joining Xabi Alonso’s side in January. They previously worked together for a season at Real Sociedad B (Source: El Nacional)

Liverpool remain in contact with the representatives of Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, despite the fact the has agreed a new long-term contract at the Bernabéu. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Brentford forward Kevin Schade has played his way on to the radars of Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd. (Source: Mark Brus)

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are both among the admirers of Schade, with Brentford looking to thrash out a new contract and end any speculation. (Source: Sky Sports News)

Newcastle could reignite their interest in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yasin Ayari if talks over a new contract fail to reach an agreement. (Source: Football Insider)

Boca Juniors midfielder Tomás Aranda, 19, is a target for Liverpool. The Reds are ready to make a bid in January to try and beat Aston Villa, Arsenal, Chelsea, Como and Inter Milan to his signature. (Source: El Intransigente)

La Liga

Uncertainty at Man City has seen both Barcelona and Real Madrid register interest in disrupting the Cityzens’ planned move for Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who is due to move to the Etihad when he turns 18. (Source: SPORT)

Hansi Flick has made it clear he does not want to lose midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is equally as committed to Barcelona despite interest in his services from Chelsea. (Source: Juan Jesus)

Real Madrid center back Raúl Asencio rejected approaches from Chelsea, Liverpool and an unnamed Turkish side in the summer. (Source: MARCA)

Juventus want to sign Barcelona left back Alejandro Balde in January but are not prepared to meet his price tag and are instead proposing a loan deal that would include an option to buy. (Source: El Nacional)

Bolstering at left back is a priority for Barcelona ahead of next summer, when RB Leipzig’s David Raum and Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell will be targets if they allow their current contracts to expire. (Source: SPORT)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Haaland Race Heats Up; Chelsea Ready Zubimendi Bid.

Premier League

Manchester United are willing to spend €95 million ($108.3 million) on Athletic Club and Spain star Nico Williams, which would make him the club’s joint-second most expensive purchase of all time. (Source: El Nacional)

Chelsea have been met with firm resistance from Bournemouth when it comes to the pursuit of Alex Scott. If the Blues are to prize the England midfielder away from the south coast in January, they would have to meet his €110 million ($125.4 million) asking price. (Source: Flashscore)

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are both closely tracking Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield gem Ibrahim Maza. (Source: TEAMtalk)

So keen are Manchester United to swoop in and whisk Raphinha away from Barcelona, the Premier League side is willing to offer the Brazilian a “blank check.” (Source: El Nacional)

A return to the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich is one of the options to have presented itself to Erling Haaland, whose future at Manchester City has been thrown into disarray by reports of the club’s guilty verdict in their seismic case with the Premier League. (Source: Fichajes)

Liverpool and Manchester City are battling one another for the signature of Marcos Llorente, who could very well leave Atlético Madrid as a free agent next summer. Bayern Munich and even Barcelona are also swooning over the World Cup winner. (Source: Fichajes)

Crystal Palace fullback Tyrick Mitchell has attracted interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Juventus, but it is Manchester United who are leading the race. (Source: Sportowy)

Barcelona are keeping close tabs on Chelsea’s benched teenage gem Estêvão, with contact between sporting director Deco and the Blues set to commence in 2027. (Source: Foot Mercato)

Tottenham have been tipped to pursue a move for Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae, who is also on the radar of Aston Villa. (Source: Christian Falk)

Former Real Madrid academy graduate Jacobo Ramón has ruled out the prospect of returning to the Bernabéu. Instead, Arsenal and Chelsea are billed as the leading suitors for the Como center back. (Source: AS)

La Liga

José Mourinho is leading the charge at Real Madrid to snap up Virgil van Dijk once he becomes a free agent. The Liverpool captain can sign a pre-contract agreement with Los Blancos as early as Jan. 1, 2027. (Source: Fichajes)

Barcelona have also been offered the chance to sign Van Dijk next summer as the 35-year-old considers his options. (Source: El Nacional)

Barcelona and Real Madrid are circling Mexican superstar Gilberto Mora with menacing intent. The 17-year-old Club Tijuana midfielder will be eligible for transfer by January, paving the way for a bidding war this winter. (Source: AS)

Hansi Flick has already decided that Alejandro Balde’s time at Barcelona has come to a conclusion, with offers from Juventus, Liverpool and Manchester United all expected in January. (Source: El Nacional)

Since being relegated to the role of Eric García’s substitute, Jules Koundé has been valued at €50 million ($57 million) and is of interest to Bayern Munich as well as three unnamed Premier League clubs. (Source: SPORT)

Frenkie de Jong’s days at Barcelona are numbered, with the Catalans willing to accept offers in the region of €60 million ($68.4 million) as soon as January. (Source: El Nacional)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Break the Bank for World Cup Winner; Mourinho’s Liverpool Raid.

Premier League

Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk will end up joining AC Milan “sooner or later.” The Serie A giants are now preparing to try and secure his signature on a free transfer at the end of the season. (Source: Carlo Pellegatti)

Following Manchester City’s guilty verdict, both Arsenal and Real Madrid have reached out to register their interest in signing striker Erling Haaland if the Norway international looks to leave the Etihad. (Source: Football Insider)

Despite interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold is not looking to leave Real Madrid and return to the Premier League. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Manchester United remain interested in a deal to sign Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey, who was previously targeted by the Red Devils during Erik ten Hag’s time as manager. (Source: Football Insider)

As well as Man Utd, Brobbey is also being followed by Aston Villa, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. In mainland Europe, the likes of Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus are all known admirers. (Source: Flashscore)

Liverpool and Man Utd are both eyeing future moves for Tottenham center back Micky van de Ven, although his recent new contract means his price tag may be far too high for either side. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Cole Palmer remains 100% focused on succeeding with Chelsea and forcing his way back into the England setup, with rumors of a potential move to Man Utd not believed to be of interest to the attacking midfielder. (Source: Flashscore)

Juventus have joined the long list of suitors of Crystal Palace left back Tyrick Mitchell, whose current contract is due to expire at the end of the season. (Source: Tuttosport)

Meanwhile, Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa is considering returning to Juventus in a bid to reignite his stalled career. (Source: Tutto Juve)

Monaco midfielder Mamadou Coulibaly, 22, is being followed by Brentford, Newcastle United, Atlético Madrid and Napoli. (Source: fussball-news)

Tottenham right back Pedro Porro remains the dream target for Barcelona manager Hansi Flick. (Source: El Nacional)

La Liga

Alejandro Balde could reconsider his determination to remain with Barcelona once the January transfer window arrives if he continues to struggle for minutes. The left back remains a strong target for Man Utd. (Source: Mundo Deportivo)

Barcelona will not make any concrete plans to sign Man City striker Erling Haaland amid uncertainty over the future of the Premier League side, but the focus will be on raising money in future transfer windows to ensure they are in a position to join the race for his signature if the Norway international does leave. (Source: Fichajes)

If that situation arrives, Rodri plans to reach out to Haaland to convince his former teammate to join Barcelona. (Source: El Nacional)

Real Madrid are watching Man City’s situation closely. Alongside Haaland, they would love to sign attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki and defender Joško Gvardiol, while the midfield trio of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernández were all high on Madrid’s wish list this summer. (Source: SPORT)

Juventus are ready to reignite their interest in Bernardo Silva, hopeful that his limited minutes could see him decide to leave Real Madrid next summer. (Source: Tutto Juve)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Arsenal Eye Haaland Raid; Palmer’s Man Utd Decision.

Liverpool were in the market for multiple wingers this summer. Bradley Barcola would eventually be purchased from Paris Saint-Germain at great expense to complement Víctor Muñoz’s earlier arrival, yet there had been rampant speculation about a potential exit for Cody Gakpo, valued at north of $100 million, who would need a replacement. This is where Sarr entered the picture.

“A club [Liverpool] came in and, with the amount of money they bid, they couldn’t seriously think in that market it was going to get done at that level, and then they didn’t come back in for him,” Parish bluntly outlined in an interview with The Athletic.

“If you’re selling players for £90 million [$119.3 million] and then you want to bid us half of that for the replacement, it’s fine, you can do it. I’m not criticizing anybody for doing it. But it’s not going to happen.

“You could understand Ismaïla would have liked to go and if it wasn’t five days before the end of the window and the money was right, then we would have tried to facilitate it.”

Even with the limited days left in the transfer window, Palace’s stance still had time to send plenty of ripples across the Premier League.

The Fallout at Palace, Liverpool, Man City and Tottenham From Sarr’s Failed Move

Sarr Sulks at Selhurst Park

Sarr had been linked with Turkish champions Galatasaray before he quickly set his heart on a move to Liverpool. The saga was played to a backdrop of the winger’s agent, Diomansy Kamara, accusing Palace of treating his client like a “commodity.”

“For Ismaïla, [his situation] is difficult for him to come to terms with,” Parish accepted. “He didn’t like it. Maybe it’s been painted to him in a certain way, which isn’t really the whole story.”

Palace’s chairman swiftly shifted the blame onto Sarr’s representative.

“I don’t care what [Kamara] thinks in the context of accusations against us,” Parish added. “If any football club gets a bid for their top scorer five days before the end of a transfer window, that’s going to be a difficult deal to get done. I would say to those representatives that the good ones would be managing those expectations with the player and not making it everybody else’s fault.

“It’s their job to get that bid earlier. They get paid by the player and the club and are there to help everybody oil the wheels. It doesn’t help anybody when you go in the media and make unfounded accusations.”

The least believable groin injury kept Sarr out of action for Palace’s first five fixtures of the new season, but the 28-year-old, who Parish hailed as a “professional,”has since returned as a substitute for Pierre Sage’s side in recent weeks.

Gakpo Taken Off the Table

Gakpo had one foot out the Anfield door during the final days of August. The Dutch international had been a figure of interest for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, reportedly agreeing terms with the latter in what threatened to be an $112.6 million (£85 million) deal.

However, once it became clear that Liverpool could not sign Sarr or Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh as his replacement, Gakpo was taken off the table.

Unlike Sarr, Gakpo dutifully played through the uncertainty and even managed to discover his best form in years. Across the first three weeks of the new campaign, Gakpo directly contributed to three goals, which is as many as he managed in his final 16 appearances of last season.

Man City Trump Tottenham

Tottenham were forced to pivot away from Gakpo earlier than City and swiftly settled upon another goal-shy Premier League winger, Iliman Ndiaye. Spurs had reportedly drawn up an agreement with Everton to buy Sarr’s compatriot for $79.5 million (£60 million) while sending Richarlison back to Merseyside for $46.4 million (£35 million).

It was an arrangement which seemingly suited everyone, until City elbowed their way into the conversation.

Despite possessing a sophisticated database compromising of 650,000 players, as the club are all too keen to boast about, City’s tactics this summer did appear to boil down to following Tottenham’s shadow. Gakpo didn’t work out so Ndiaye suddenly became their top target, storming in to agree a sum which could climb to $86.2 million (£65 million). As Ndiaye would later reveal, the allure of Champions League action—which Spurs could not offer—was too inviting to turn down.

In a sequence which began with Liverpool missing out on Sarr, Tottenham still somehow managed to emerge as the chief figures of disappointment.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Liverpool’s Ismaila Sarr Transfer Collapsed—and Its Huge Repercussions.

Premier League

Despite reports to the contrary, Manchester United are not planning a move to sign Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. (Source: Football Insider)

Chelsea are looking into a deal to sign Al Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo once the January transfer window opens. (Source: Match Fire)

Atalanta are close to securing a new contract for center back Giorgio Scalvini, but that has not impacted ongoing transfer interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid are all tracking the development of Real Sociedad center back Jon Martín with a view to a future bid for the 20-year-old. (Source: fussball-news)

Aston Villa and Tottenham are both interested in Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae, who is waiting to see whether the German side want to offer him a new contract before considering other options. (Source: Christian Falk)

River Plate goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán, 21, has been approached by both Inter Milan and Man Utd over a move to Europe before his contract expires at the end of 2027. (Source: ESPN Argentina)

Galatasaray have approached Arsenal over a January deal for unsettled striker Viktor Gyökeres and will look to step up their interest closer to the window if he continues to struggle for minutes. (Source: Turkish-Football)

Chelsea have made Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton their top midfield targets ahead of the January transfer window, when a move for Manchester City center back Abdukodir Khusanov will also be considered. (Source: Sébastien Vidal)

Liverpool are tracking former academy youngster Tyler Morton after his impressive start to the season with Lyon. The 23-year-old has plenty of Premier League admirers, including Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Also on Liverpool’s radar is Everton center back Jarrad Branthwaite as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk. (Source: Football Insider)

There is no break clause in Alejandro Garnacho’s loan from Chelsea to Aston Villa, meaning both clubs would have to negotiate an early termination in the January transfer window if he remains on the fringes. (Source: The Telegraph)

Beşiktaş, having failed with a summer move, are determined to try and strike a deal for Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock in the winter window. (Source: Fotomaç)

Aston Villa are keen to thrash out a new contract for midfielder Emi Buendía to remove any uncertainty over his future as he approaches the final six months of his contract. (Source: Daily Mail)

La Liga

Real Madrid are monitoring Bayern Munich winger Lennart Karl, hoping that competition for minutes in Bayern’s crowded forward line could offer them an opportunity to sign a player who has openly admitted he dreams of a move to the Bernabéu. (Source: Christian Falk)

Having swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain during the summer, Spain hero Ferran Torres is hoping to convince midfielder Pedri to make the same move. (Source: El Nacional)

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has made RB Leipzig center back Castello Lukeba his top target and is ready to compete with Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd for his signature. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

AC Milan and Roma are both hoping to tempt Real Madrid striker Endrick away on loan in January. (Source: Football Italia)

Officials at Barcelona are increasingly confident they will find a permanent buyer for goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen once his loan with Ajax ends, believing he has already proven his value on loan with the Eredivisie side. (Source: SPORT)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Chelsea Plot Ronaldo Move; European Giants Want Gyokeres.

There were 11 managers fired during a tumultuous 2025–26 campaign in England’s top flight, two of which had already been dismissed by the time October rolled around.

While no manager has yet been canned this campaign, the vultures are already circling above Premier League touchlines up and down the country.

The opening weeks of the new season have been arduous for a number of the division’s tacticians, who remain under pressure after a lackluster return to club soccer following the September-October international break.

With that in mind, here are the five Premier League managers most at risk of being fired first.

Michael Carrick

After masterminding Manchester United’s resurgence as interim manager last season, Michael Carrick earned himself a permanent position in the hot seat, and deservedly secured an abundance of good-will from the club’s decision-makers, players and, perhaps most crucially, supporters.

But the beginning of his first full season in charge has served as a reality check. United have regressed during the opening weeks, with thumping home wins over Ipswich Town and Sabah FK hardly glossing over some truly dire displays in defeats to Hull City, Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Atlético Madrid.

Carrick hasn’t been aided by the club’s recruitment department, who neglected to bolster the defense or attack when reinventing a tired midfield—a fact Lisandro Martínez highlighted in an explosive rant following the team’s defeat at the Metropolitano. Plus, United have often been reluctant to part ways with managers prematurely, even during miserable spells for the likes of Ole Gunnar Solsjkær, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

However, with the good-will toward Carrick slowly dissipating already, a continuation of their alarming early season form will slide him closer to the chopping block. The former United midfielder doesn’t have an extensive managerial portfolio or distinct philosophy which could help allay fears, meaning results must improve rapidly if he wants to dodge the sack.

Roberto De Zerbi

After saving Tottenham Hotspur from relegation in unspectacular fashion last season, even a gargantuan summer transfer spend has been unable to help Roberto De Zerbi steer the ship clear of choppy waters.

As was the case last term, Spurs have underwhelmed in every department. Their defense has proved porous, their expensively assembled midfield too weak and their forward line toothless.

Those malfunctions resulted in Tottenham trailing the Premier League table at the international break, after amassing just two points from their opening five matches. Goalless draws with Nottingham Forest and Everton have been sandwiched in between dismal defeats to Brentford, Newcastle United and Aston Villa. Oh, and they’re already out of the Carabao Cup.

A 1–1 draw with United following the international break hardly silenced the concerns mounting in north London, no matter how gutsy Spurs played once going down to 10 men.

Naturally, De Zerbi has been criticized for his inability to inspire a positive change, especially with $424 million spent on new faces. The Italian is renowned for his combustibility and the increasing pressure is certain to test his patience—as well as Tottenham’s.

Spurs sacked two managers during their disastrous 2025–26 campaign and have grown accustomed to pulling the trigger without caution. De Zerbi is already in the crosshairs.

Álvaro Arbeloa

Álvaro Arbeloa was an unorthodox replacement for Marco Silva at Fulham. The now Benfica manager had regularly over-performed in west London, ensuring stability and the odd scalp despite the club’s lack of genuine ambition. Turning to Arbeloa marked a seismic risk—one that could well backfire in the very near future.

The Spaniard’s temporary, strange and ultimately unsuccessful five months as Real Madrid manager hardly inspired confidence in the decision, even if he’s been able to lean on his connections in Spain’s capital to improve Fulham’s roster.

Three Premier League defeats on the spin immediately raised alarm bells, with some comical defending culpable for two of those losses at the hands of Chelsea and Crystal Palace. He clawed back some faith from Fulham fans following draws with Liverpool and Manchester United, but his position once again became precarious after a late collapse against Ipswich Town.

Arbeloa deserves the time to correct the early mistakes of his reign, but Premier League clubs are hardly known for their patience. It’s perfectly conceivable that Fulham make a managerial change before the end of the calendar year.

Pierre Sage

Despite guiding Crystal Palace to FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League titles, Oliver Glasner’s departure at the end of last season left a sour taste. The Austrian’s subsequent decision to join Nottingham Forest—rather than one of Europe’s bigger clubs—only added to the confusion and frustration among the Selhurst Park faithful.

No matter the manner of Glasner’s exit, though, he’s set an incredibly high bar—one that new manager Pierre Sage will struggle to reach or surpass.

The Frenchman worked miracles during his year with Lens in his homeland, winning them their first-ever Coupe de France title and guiding them through a title race with Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. But those achievements will mean very little to his Palace prospects if results and performances don’t improve from the opening weeks of his reign in south London.

Wins against Fulham and Forest remain the only Premier League victories thus far, and the Eagles have conceded the second-most goals (12) in the league. Palace’s presence in the Europa League will only stretch a threadbare squad further as the season progresses.

Off the field, there have already been reports of a dressing room fallout, as well as rising tensions between Sage and the board following an unremarkable summer transfer window.

Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has rebuilt his reputation at Coventry City after some difficult spells as Chelsea and Everton manager. After swallowing his pride and accepting a return to the Championship, he propelled the Sky Blues back into the Premier League for the first time in 25 years courtesy of an exceptional title-winning campaign.

As a result, Coventry will be reluctant to part ways with Lampard, no matter what happens this season. He deserves time and support as he attempts to steer Coventry to survival in the world’s most competitive division.

However, even following recent wins against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United, the pressure is mounting. Lampard has overseen four defeats in six Premier League matches, during which his side has scored just five times—four of which came against the Magpies—and conceded 10 times.

The fixture list has been tough on Coventry early in the campaign and their upcoming schedule looks much more palatable. They have a glorious chance to build on their two victories and put some more points on the board before the next international period.

But the Premier League is merciless—something Lampard knows all too well. If results don’t continue to improve, Coventry might be forced into a managerial change.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Candidates to Be First Manager Fired in the 2026–27 Premier League.

Premier League

Manchester United’s left back search could be coming to an end in January. Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell wants to make Old Trafford his new home and has already informed the club of his decision. (Source: inindykaila)

Chelsea’s sights remain on Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott and Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton. The Blues would take either player in the January transfer window, but are prepared to play the long game if they have to wait until the summer. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Despite links to Bayern Munich, Florian Wirtz is not in line for a return to Germany. The Liverpool man is too expensive for Vincent Kompany’s side to buy in January. (Source: Christian Falk)

Bayern Munich instead are focusing their efforts on securing Morgan Gibbs-White’s signature. The German champions are the frontrunners to sign the Nottingham Forest star, who would reunite with England teammate Harry Kane. (Source: talkSPORT)

Arsenal are expected to make an official offer for 17-year-old midfielder Luca Weinhandl in the winter window. Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa are also keen on the Sturm Graz gem. (Source: TEAMtalk)

After 10 seasons at Anfield, Virgil van Dijk is in for a new challenge at the end of the season. Liverpool are not prepared to offer him a contract extension and will instead allow him to leave as a free agent this summer. (Source: Football Insider)

Official approaches from Arsenal and United are expected to come this winter for Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey. Chelsea are also in the running after they inquired about the No. 9 this summer. (Source: Hooligan Soccer)

Tottenham Hotspur’s dreams of signing Raphinha are dead. The forward has pledged his future to Barcelona with a new contract. Spurs were the Premier League side that pushed the hardest—to no avail—to sign the Brazilian this summer. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Liverpool outcast Federico Chiesa is ready to move on from Merseyside in the January window if his position in the team does not improve. (Source: Calciomercato)

Speaking of outcasts, Chelsea loanee Alejandro Garnacho is being monitored by clubs in Spain after limited minutes in the early stages of his time at Aston Villa. La Liga could be a potential escape route for the winger. (Source: Daily Mail)

Aston Villa are hoping to hijack Brighton & Hove Albion’s move for 18-year-old center back Mauro Coronel, whose contract with Club Nacional expires at the end of December. (Source: TEAMtalk)

La Liga

Despite Jude Bellingham having two years left on his current contract, Real Madrid are planning to offer the midfield maestro an extension. The renewal could be finalized much quicker than anyone expected—potentially as early as the next two weeks. (Source: Matteo Moretto, via Radio MARCA).

Barcelona midfielder Gavi is Luis Enrique’s top target for the winter and summer transfer windows. Paris Saint-Germain are considering making a €45 million ($51.2 million) offer for the Spaniard. (Source: Fichajes)

AC Milan view Real Madrid striker Endrick as the perfect signing. Ruben Amorim has the Brazilian at the top of his transfer wishlist. (Source: Calciomercato)

Atlético Madrid forward Julián Alvarez will not get his Barcelona wish—at least in January. The Catalans have instead made signing a center back their priority for the winter window. (Source: Fichajes)

Real Sociedad center back Jon Martín is attracting interest from top clubs across Europe. Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are closely monitoring the 20-year-old, while Real Madrid and Barcelona keep tabs as well. (Source: fussball-news)

Atlético Madrid are keen on Montpellier striker Laciné Megnan-Pavé. Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica are also monitoring the 16-year-old. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Get Left Back Green Light; Bellingham’s Real Madrid Twist.

There was a sense that the division needed to heal after a campaign dominated by set-piece attrition, and the departure of Pep Guardiola after a decade in Manchester has arguably left the top-flight in a state of stylistic flux.

We’re still some distance away from the table taking shape—though comparisons have inevitably been made to 12 months ago—and three weeks out from Matchday 6 as a result of the September and October international breaks joining forces.

Still, there’s plenty to discern from the first month or so of action, and the lengthy pause until domestic action returns means there’s ample time to reflect, too.

Arsenal

Has Underwhelming Summer Transfer Window Left Door Ajar?

A smothering at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion has allowed doubt to fester on the red half of north London, as Arsenal’s title defense hit its first stumbling block.

The Gunners had been deemed infallible before their trip to the Amex Stadium, seemingly on course to cruise to back-to-back titles. But retaining the Premier League crown is no mean feat, and there was a sense at the end of the summer transfer window that the champions hadn’t done enough to steer further clear of their rivals.

Bruno Guimarães is an excellent addition, yet to establish a groove due to injury, while Christos Tzolis is an adequate Leandro Trossard replacement. However, in their trickiest outing of the season to date, Arsenal’s untinkered attack was found wanting.

Martin Ødegaard’s return to prominence certainly aids the watchability of Mikel Arteta’s team, but concerns remain about the firepower at the Spaniard’s disposal. They require the very best version of Bukayo Saka, and have curiously yet to strike from a set-piece. Perhaps Pro Ref’s crackdown has nerfed Nicolas Jover’s cunning ways.

They may go back-to-back, but it’s likely to be a slog to the finish.

• ANALYSIS: Arsenal Set Fire to Four Core Mikel Arteta Principles in Brutal Reality Check

Aston Villa

Will First Victory Ignite Much-Needed Upsurge?

Johan Manzambi has arrived. pic.twitter.com/Kix2Er1JTw

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 19, 2026

Aston Villa certainly aren’t unfamiliar with slow starts. In fact, they were even worse off after five games last season, and things worked out okay in the end.

There was always going to be a nasty period of transition for Unai Emery to manage, given that he was forced to completely rebuild his core in the summer. Fortunately, the Villans did some rather astute work in the transfer market, and several of their new additions played starring roles in their first Premier League victory of the season.

Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson were both on the scoresheet, and João Gomes, nightmare debut still fresh in the memory, was at his scrappy best against Tottenham Hotspur’s expensive new-look engine-room.

Spurs are a mess, but that doesn’t mean Emery and Villa can’t build on their opening victory of a new era.

Bournemouth

Is It Europa League or Bust?

Andoni Iraola’s mightily successful three-year reign at Bournemouth concluded with a Europa League berth, and the Spaniard’s parting gift was to ensure the new man at the helm was up to speed.

Marco Rose ranked among the most exciting coaching prospects in Europe when he was working wonders at Borussia Monchengladbach, but his subsequent spells at Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig somewhat soured his reputation.

Still, the astute minds at Bournemouth deemed the German the ideal candidate to succeed Iraola.

Their winless start to the Premier League season is concerning on paper, but there’s no sense of any early panic at the Vitality. Understat rates Bournemouth as the biggest underachievers through five games, believing they should’ve mustered closer to eight points rather than three.

Nevertheless, the Premier League is a side note for the Cherries this term. They’re living the European dream, and an opening matchday victory at Real Sociedad will only embolden hopes of the Premier League maintaining its stranglehold over the competition. A deep run in the Europa League is surely Bournemouth’s priority this term.

Brentford

Is This the Premier League’s Toughest Away Day?

It’s a small sample size, but Brentford have notched the most expected points on home soil this season, per Understat.

The Bees, tipped for relegation last term after losing Thomas Frank, didn’t merely survive in Keith Andrews’ first season at the helm; they went on to enjoy their joint-highest Premier League finish (ninth) and only missed out on European competition due to Brighton’s superior goal difference.

A strong start to 2026–27 suggests Brentford are primed for another European push, and their form at the Gtech Community Stadium will be absolutely crucial. As Chelsea and Spurs have already found out, they’re a nightmare to play against in front of their supporters.

Andrews’s side are a robust, dogged unit that are unrelentingly physical. They can run all over you and are dominant from set plays. According to Opta, 38.54% of their total xG has been generated from set-pieces (second-highest in the Premier League), and their set-piece xG of 3.82 is the most in the division.

This is 2026’s answer to Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok and Tony Pulis’ Stoke City at the Britannia. Everybody dreads a trip to the Gtech.

Brighton

Can Pressing Dominance Be Sustained?

Brighton were so impressive against the champions that manager Fabian Hürzeler, such is modern media, found himself explaining how he masterminded such an emphatic victory on talkSPORT’s mid-morning radio show.

The Seagulls are the flavor of the month, and what they’re doing out of possession has tacticos purring.

Hürzeler’s side boast the lowest passes per defensive action (PPDA) in the Premier League (7.4) and have notched a league-high 56 high turnovers. In the absence of their two starting wingers and having lost Danny Welbeck in the summer, Hürzeler has gone all-in on pressing and the results have been outstanding so far.

However, in a busier season that will soon possess European midweeks, you do wonder whether Brighton’s out-of-possession dominance can be sustained. The first month has at least showed they have the depth to compete on multiple fronts.

Chelsea

How to Fix A Porous Defense?

There was an assumption that Xabi Alonso, a cultured midfield player, was an idealist on the touchline, and the epitome of a "modern-day manager".

But the more you see Alonso away from the Bundesliga, the less convinced you are of him. His achievements in Germany were undoubtedly outstanding, and failing at Real Madrid is hardly a fair indicator of the Spaniard’s long-term outlook.

However, it’s been a concerning start to his Chelsea tenure. Alonso’s Blues have so far been far more comfortable surrendering territory and playing on the counterattack, but their out-of-possession structure has been horribly exposed by several teams after five games.

The personnel is underwhelming, and the structural flaws are glaring. They’ve conceded a league-high 12 goals and surrendered 72 shots. At this moment, Chelsea are a soft touch and easy to play against. It’s not an easy fix, but perhaps Alonso should reconsider shifting to a back four.

Coventry City

Who’s Scoring the Goals?

Coventry City notched their first Premier League win in over 25 years before the break, presenting Frank Lampard with a semblance of hope after a gloomy start.

Coventry had appeared woefully overmatched in their first four games, posing the question whether it was they, rather than Hull City, who’d threaten Derby County’s all-time low points tally of 11.

A 1–0 win at Nottingham Forest has offered some much-needed respite, but they still need a goalscorer to emerge if they’re to secure enough points to remain in the division. Wingback Jay Da Silva isn’t the answer despite his strike at the City Ground.

Ellis Simms has seldom looked cut out for this level, so the burden is likely to fall on Taiwo Awoniyi, whose 10 Premier League goals helped keep Forest up in 2022–23. Perhaps Haji Wright will embrace the top-flight when he returns from injury later this year.

Crystal Palace

Is Pierre Sage Already on Borrowed Time?

Pierre Sage’s stellar work with Lens after he was harshly sacked by Crystal Palace‘s former co-owner John Textor at Lyon rendered a step up inevitable, and he’s taken his coaching talents to south London.

However, the Eagles embarked on a rather panicked summer window that ended with a glut of new arrivals and the retention of two disgruntled stars.

The conditions Sage entered the club with, despite the foundations laid by Oliver Glasner, didn’t exactly point towards immediate success, and the most impatient supporters may have called for his head had his team succumbed at Elland Road before the break.

Despite the gritty stalemate, Palace have conceded the second-most goals in the division (11) and have the highest xGA (9.46). The higher-ups are unlikely to give up on the project so soon, but two huge games beckon for Sage after the break. First, he faces Glasner and his new employers, Nottingham Forest, at Selhurst Park, and then takes his side to Brighton for the A23 Derby.

Everton

Can Thierno Barry Hold Up Until January?

Gross negligence: the final few days of Everton’s 2026 summer transfer window.

As a result of recruitment mishaps, David Moyes must survive until January with one recognised striker and two senior fullbacks. Remarkably, the mood at the Hill Dickinson Stadium remains rather upbeat, but Everton’s situation is certainly precarious.

Fortunately, Thierno Barry has shown signs of developing into a useful Premier League striker. Sure, he continues to miss more than he scores, but if Billy Beane could offer a phrase of encouragement to Toffees supporters, he’d probably say: "He gets on base." Or the soccer equivalent.

"He gets in positions to score" doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, though.

Anyway, it’s Barry until January thanks to another Folarin Balogun debacle.

Fulham

Are There Positive Shoots Emerging?

Most will feel vindicated by projecting Fulham to struggle without Marco Silva, given that the Cottagers currently sit 19th and without a Premier League win.

But there’s reason to believe that ideas man Álvaro Arbeloa could soon spark a shift in momentum. He was too gung-ho very early on, with Fulham’s aggressive rest defense structure seized upon by opponents. He’s altered the structure slightly to offer greater protection in transition, and Fulham have since earned results against Liverpool and Manchester United.

The control Arbeloa wants to assert on games still isn’t there, and Craven Cottage is hardly the most imposing of atmospheres. Still, there are principles for this team to fall back on, and the underlying numbers are more encouraging than the reality.

Understat believes they should’ve notched at least five points from as many games. Hardly inspiring, but a sign that Fulham could improve after the break. Games against the three newly-promoted clubs are on the horizon, too.

Hull City

Is This Just A 2008–09 Repeat?

Hull City have exceeded absolutely everybody’s expectations during the first month of the season. They’re up in eighth, having lost just once. However, the Tigers have been here before.

Phil Brown led the Premier League debutants to six victories in their first nine games in the competition at the start of the 2008–09 season, and they were joint-top after a 3–0 victory at West Brom on Oct. 25.

The honeymoon was delightful, but the reality of Premier League soccer crept in soon after. They won just twice more the rest of the way and escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth.

Ipswich Town

Who Should Lead Gary O’Neil’s Attack?

Ipswich Town had to be busy in the summer, and their work in the market has given them a fighting chance of staying in the top-flight.

The addition of Argentinian international Exequiel Palacios was a serious coup, and his arrival seemed to overshadow Zian Flemming’s signing on Deadline Day. A No. 10 for much of his senior career, Flemming scored double-digit goals for the relegated Burnley last season, and is competing with fellow newbie Emersonn for a starting role in Gary O’Neil’s side.

Both have made promising starts, and the fight to secure first-choice status looks set to be a competitive one.

Leeds United

Is it Time for Ambitions to Shift?

Ever since Daniel Farke switched to a back three away at Manchester City last November, Leeds United have been one of the toughest teams to beat in the Premier League.

Their upsurge during the second half of last season meant they survived with relative comfort, and the additions they made in the summer, particularly those of goalkeeper James Trafford and defender Tarik Muharemović, means the Yorkshire club shouldn’t at all be threatened by the possibility of succumbing to the second tier.

Their 4–1 battering of Newcastle United was one of the standout collective performances of the season to date, and like Brentford, they should benefit from the punchy middle-class being subject to frequent European outings midweek.

This is a team that’s capable of competing in Europe next season.

Liverpool

Will Merseyside Ever See the Best of Florian Wirtz?

Jamie Carragher certainly doesn’t believe so.

The Sky Sports pundit has been vocal in his criticism of the German playmaker, believing this rather meek iteration of the former Bayer Leverkusen star to be the version that Liverpool will continue to put up with.

It was a modest debut season for Wirtz, who seldom looked like one of the most expensive players in soccer history. But there were at least mitigating factors at play, potentially explaining why Wirtz struggled to acclimatize.

The Reds are still transitioning, yet the performances of Wirtz remain a source of concern. There’s no sense that anything will be different from Year One, and Liverpool supporters are seemingly banking on his new national team coach, Jürgen Klopp, to light a fire within the 23-year-old.

Manchester City

Is Anything But the Title A Disappointment?

The vast majority expected Arsenal to cruise to back-to-back titles in preseason, and not because of what they’d done in the transfer market.

Their competitors were deemed to volatile to compete, with the removal of Pep Guardiola from power in Manchester convincing many that City couldn‘t challenge. That projection was emboldened by Arsenal’s 3–0 victory in the Community Shield.

But the Cityzens completed their midfield rebuild before Deadline Day, and have an array of difference-makers in support of the inevitable Erling Haaland. Enzo Maresca’s side have won handsomely and ugly at the start of his reign, and are the only perfect team heading into the international break.

Given their early success and their summer expense, should anything but a title triumph be considered an underperformance? Guardiola’s successors have typically thrived, despite the weight of expectation.

Manchester United

Do They Need to Start Running?

Gary Neville was left aghast on commentary. How dare these Manchester United players follow their manager’s instructions and sit in their zonal 4-4-2 mid-block?

Man Utd aren’t running as much as the rest of the Premier League, that is true, with Carrick less man-oriented out of possession than his counterparts. They’re also averaging the fourth-highest share of the ball, so will naturally run less than most.

This Red Devils team aren’t high-octane, but it’s with the ball that they’re primarily suffering from a lack of intensity, not without it. It’s not an attitude or a laziness issue. This is what Carrick wants.

The fact that Man City’s running numbers are similar suggests that there’s no correlation between distance covered and Premier League victories.

Newcastle United

Can the ’Vertical Soccer’ Please Stand Up?

Newcastle United supporters have wondered if there’s a difference between ’vertical’ and ’long ball’ soccer. New manager Matthias Jaissle has tried to present a delineation, albeit rather unconvincingly.

Moreover, Newcastle‘s metrics suggest they aren’t playing the high-energy, Red Bull-inspired soccer that Jaissle supposedly preaches.

While they’ve scored nine times (as the Premier League’s second-biggest xG overperformers), the Magpies rank 12th in the Premier League with six direct attacks, 17th for direct speed (defined by Opta as the ’average speed of ball movement towards opponent goal line during sequence’), 16th with 44 pressed sequences and 17th with 24 high turnovers.

Jaissle talks a good game, and Newcastle’s start to the season has perhaps been more encouraging than some suggested, but the Magpies are still trying to forge an identity under their new manager.

Nottingham Forest

Is James McAtee Morphing Into Adam Wharton?

James McAtee has surely once been described by Harry Redknapp as a "t’riffic little player", given the way the silky left-footed midfielder goes about his work.

Oliver Glasner was taken aback by his quality in preseason, surprised by his lack of minutes during the time at the City Ground. McAtee has previously meandered through contests higher up the pitch, but has been reinvented as Forest’s answer to Adam Wharton, who Glasner helped mould into the midfielder England supporters pine for at every major tournament.

While Forest’s first month has been a mixed bag, McAtee has been a standout. He ranks 11th in the Premier League with 2.58 chances created per 90 minutes and fifth with 0.86 through balls per 90. Probing.

Sunderland

How Long Can They Hold Onto Brian Brobbey for?

There’s not a single Brian Brobbey watcher who hasn’t yet described him as a “handful.”

The Dutch striker undoubtedly epitomizes that trope, but he’s proving to be a little bit more than a nuisance. Before the break, Brobbey became the first Sunderland player since Jermain Defoe in 2016 to score a Premier League hat trick—and he did it away at Manchester City.

The 24-year-old hasn’t been prolific away from his homeland, but his outstanding physical attributes almost render his goalscoring a bonus. If he can emerge as a reliable sharpshooter for the Black Cats, it won’t be long until the Premier League’s aristocracy start sniffing around, given the dearth of standout center forwards on the continent.

Tottenham Hotspur

Are They Headed for Another Relegation Scrap?

We’ve all assumed that Tottenham Hotspur would just be better. More than $400 million spent on 10 new signings does that to public opinion.

However, the opening act of the new season has been a disaster for Roberto De Zerbi’s side. None of the new signings have immediately settled, and although some of the work between the boxes is tidy enough, Spurs are troubled at both ends of the pitch.

They’re bottom of the pile as a result, and the fatalism that’s innate within this soccer club is rearing its ugly head once more.

Surely, the results will come. There’s certainly enough talent at De Zerbi’s disposal to avoid a relegation scrap, but how can you back a team that’s forgotten how to win?

This article was originally published on www.si.com as One Burning Question for Every Premier League Club After Five Games.

Premier League

Liverpool have offered Barcelona the chance to sign attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz in a swap deal that would take Dutch international Frenkie de Jong to Anfield. (Source: El Nacional)

Also on Liverpool’s radar is Benfica right back Daniel Banjaqui. The 18-year-old, who was the subject of a failed bid from Arsenal during the summer, is valued at €50 million ($57 million). (Source: Anfield Watch)

Bayern Munich are ready to join the race for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland further down the line, believing a move could be possible once Harry Kane’s time in Germany comes to an end in a few years. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Arsenal hope to thrash out new contracts with both midfielder Declan Rice and right back Ben White during the current international break. The latter will not leave in January even if an agreement cannot be found. (Source: FootballTransfers)

AC Milan and Juventus are both plotting moves for Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres following his fall down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta. (Source: Calciomercato.it)

Gyökeres does not want to sit on the Arsenal bench and would rather leave the club in search of regular minutes. (Source: FourFourTwo)

Tottenham Hotspur hope to sign a proven, top-level striker in the January transfer window to come in and make an immediate impact, but there is an awareness players may have to be sold to raise the required funds. (Source: Football Insider)

Manchester United are weighing up the future of center back Leny Yoro as they consider moves for potential replacements. Lecce’s Tiago Gabriel, Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite are all being tracked. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Arsenal and Chelsea are both looking closely at 22-year-old Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Having failed with an approach during the summer, Juventus are expected to reignite their interest in Man City left back Rayan Aït-Nouri once the January transfer window opens, believing his lack of minutes could facilitate an exit. (Source: Bianconera News)

Newcastle United hope to find a young center back and a right winger in the next two transfer windows, believing they could soon become areas of concern for the team. (Source: The i Paper)

Chelsea owners BlueCo are back on the tail of 18-year-old AC Milan striker Francesco Camarda. The highly-rated teenager has also received interest from Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Man City and Tottenham. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Crystal Palace could look to terminate Evann Guessand’s loan deal and send the striker back to Aston Villa if he continues to struggle for minutes. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

Barcelona continue to monitor Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane as a possible target if he decides against extending his contract, which expires at the end of the current season. (Source: Fichajes)

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have grown concerned that star winger Michael Olise has had his head turned by interest from Real Madrid. The belief inside the club is that he is already looking for a house in the Spanish capital. (Source: El Nacional)

Endrick is growing increasingly frustrated with his limited role at Real Madrid, particularly given that the struggles of compatriot Vinícius Júnior do not appear to be creating any more opportunities for him. (Source: Joaquín Maroto)

Galatasaray have made Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga their top target for the January window, with a loan deal likely to be proposed. (Source: Fotomaç)

Málaga face competition from an unnamed Spanish side and Russian giants CSKA Moscow and Krasnodar in their bid to finalize the signing of free agent striker Anthony Martial. (Source: L’Équipe)

Man Utd youngster JJ Gabriel and his representatives have decided that moving to Spain would be best for his development. The 15-year-old is thought to be particularly interested by Barcelona, but Real Madrid still have a strong chance of getting a deal over the line. (Source: SPORT)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Bayern Munich Hatch Haaland Plan; Olise Considers Real Madrid Switch.

One can only imagine what he would have made of video assistant referees. The Premier League glitterati certainly don’t approve.

Despite an attempt to implement a “light touch” this season, the English top-flight’s officials have been repeatedly guilty of heavy-handed interventions in the highest profile fixtures of this embryonic campaign. Howard Webb has already made his first groveling apology which has been swiftly rejected while the rest of the division are awaiting their own letters of explanation about a glut of other contentious incidents. The season, lest anyone forget, is just five games old.

Even at this stage of the campaign, the Premier League table would look a lot different had every referee taken the same approach as Rodrigues.

Premier League Table Without VAR

Manchester United lie at the center of the Premier League’s biggest VAR blunder since the mistakenly labeled “good process” which saw Luis Díaz’s onside goal for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur denied in 2023. As Webb, the head of the competition’s referee committee, has been forced to sheepishly admit in various mediums, Erling Haaland’s winner in the Manchester derby should not have been awarded by VAR.

The officials were blinded by “tunnel vision,” to use Webb’s excuse, and failed to spot that Enzo Fernández’s full-length leap in front of Lisandro Martínez could be construed as a deliberate interference with play from an offside player. VAR Matt Donohue instead became focused on finding that Haaland was in fact onside when he bundled the ball past Senne Lammens.

Yet, despite the impact of that goal, which condemned United to a humiliating defeat against City’s 10 men, Michael Carrick’s side would still be sat in 12th place even with the extra point.

Arsenal and Liverpool, by contrast, would be on the rise. The Gunners would benefit from Manchester City’s downfall while the Reds were denied a win against Nottingham Forest thanks to Florian Wirtz’s fairly disallowed offside goal.

Forest themselves would climb all the way up to 10th. Oliver Glasner’s new side has been denied an additional three points by the influential hand of VAR. Neco Williams had the only ‘goal’ of an otherwise scoreless draw with Tottenham Hotspur chalked off by VAR for an alleged handball while bundling into a 50-50 on the goal-line with Sandro Tonali.

The officials at Stockley Park were not shown a camera angle which definitively proved that Williams had handled the ball but still chalked the goal off—much to the fullback’s frustration. “Clear and obvious they say,” he sulked on social media after the match.

Just last weekend, Forest were again denied a goal which could have salvaged a point against Coventry City as Igor Jesus was deemed to have tripped up Caleb Yirenkyi before sliding the ball into the bottom corner. “Of course I have thoughts but I don’t want to speak about it again,” Glasner fumed.

Man City’s Offside Vindication

When the flag was raised after Haaland had smuggled the ball past Lammens at Old Trafford earlier this season he was momentarily confused. “I thought there was maybe someone who had flicked it, I don’t normally go offside,” he would later reflect. “I talked to [referee] Michael Oliver and I told him I took it personal that he thought I went offside.”

Haaland’s confidence in timing his runs was entirely justified. As the footage would show, City’s No. 9 had done his job, even if the VAR didn’t. This is no new occurrence. Despite constantly hanging on the shoulder of the last defender, Haaland has only been correctly flagged offside once all season.

Joško Gvardiol appears to have learned the same deceptive trait. On two separate occasions this season, the Croatian defender has forced an erroneous offside flag in the buildup to a goal. Unlike Haaland’s derby decider, both were right to be awarded. Gvardiol’s stoppage-time winner against Bournemouth set Enzo Maresca up for a perfect start which was taken into the international break by a bonkers win over Sunderland on Sunday, the last goal of which was set up by Gvardiol and scored by Haaland.

Without these retroactive offside reviews, City would be four points worse off and down in third rather than top of the table with an unblemished record. Yet, even Maresca is still arguing with the video tape, raging into the ether about supposedly incorrect decisions from three years ago.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026–27 Premier League Table Without VAR: Major Overhaul As Man City Tumble.

The band of 28 Americans touched down in Atlanta on Monday for the start of a two-week, extended international camp, reuniting for the first time since the 2026 World Cup in July.

There was joyful embraces and excited chatter among the Stars and Stripes, but also much work to be done. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have four fall friendlies on the docket, beginning with Peru on Saturday in Orlando. The Argentine boss has called up a dozen newcomers, meaning the 13 returning World Cup stars will have heightened responsibilities in order to catch the debutants up to speed.

Some players are in better positions than others for the weeks of international play ahead, while others are stuck watching from home.

Here is Sports Illustrated’s weekly stock up, stock down analysis for the USMNT players.

USMNT Stock Up

Chris Richards

Reportedly joining the rest of the USMNT on Wednesday, Chris Richards will surely barge into camp red-hot. The 6'2" center back has always held an unshakeable place in Pochettino’s backline, but he’ll feel extra confident in his abilities after his performances with club side Crystal Palace over the last week.

The 26-year-old played a starring role in Palace’s 4–0 victory over Polish side Lech Poznań on Thursday in the first round of the Europa League. It’s just the third time in club history that the Eagles are participating in a European competition and their first time competing in the Europa League specifically.

Richards scored a pinpoint header off of a corner kick in the 27th minute. Posting up near the back corner of the penalty box, the American had to whip the ball nearly 15 yards through the fingertips of goalkeeper Mateusz Lis and into the opposite corner of the net.

It may have marked Richards’s first European goal, but the clean sheet is what stuck with the defender most.

“That meant more to me than the goal,” Richards said postgame on TNT Sports. “It was very exciting for us. Obviously keeping clean sheets is what keeps me going everyday. And also for me to have a goal on top of it, it was a perfect day.”

Richards followed up Thursday’s display with another clean sheet over the weekend, holding Leeds United to a scoreless draw in Sunday’s Premier League match on the road. He alone had 10 defensive contributions and eight clearances to make the result possible.

Peyton Miller

One of Pochettino’s first-timers, 18-year-old Peyton Miller has a recent dazzling display to call upon to calm his jitters.

The winger scored a brace on Saturday to lift the New England Revolution to a 4–2 victory over Orlando City at Gillette Stadium and into second place in the Eastern Conference standings, leapfrogging Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami. It marked the teenager’s first-career brace and brings him to seven goals so far this season.

His first of the night came at the hour mark and put Miller’s speed to the test. He sprinted roughly 75 yards from deep inside New England’s half into Orlando’s final third, outpacing three Lions’ defenders to get on the end of a through-ball before taking a left-footed blast just inside the 18-yard box.

Miller’s second goal was even more thrilling—a game-winner in the third minute of stoppage time. He once again used his speed to blow past a defender and get on the end of a through-ball into the box. It was another left-footed finish from the youngster, who walked away with MLS Player of the Matchday honors.

USMNT Stock Down

Ricardo Pepi

A successful few weeks for club side PSV Eindhoven saw Ricardo Pepi earn the nod from Pochettino for the upcoming international window, the only World Cup player to be included in the list of forwards—the only forward with a senior cap, for that matter.

It would have been a key opportunity for the 23-year-old striker to establish himself as a starter in this new, younger era of the Stars and Stripes, especially amid the absence of Folarin Balogun, for whom he served as a back-up all summer.

However, Pepi will now be forced to watch the matches from home. He suffered an injury on Sunday in the match against FC Twente and has been replaced by 22-year-old forward Damion Downs in Pochettino’s roster.

Pepi went down in just the eighth minute of PSV’s game, sinking to the turf with a suspected muscular injury. He was able to walk off the pitch, however gingerly. The specifics of his injury are not yet known, nor is the timeline for his recovery.

Johnny Cardoso

It seems like no matter what Johnny Cardoso does, he cannot capture the attention of Pochettino.

The 25-year-old Atlético Madrid midfielder missed out on a chance to play in the World Cup, suffering a high-grade ankle sprain in May, which required surgery. He has since returned to the pitch and is dominating in one of the world’s most competitive leagues. Nevertheless, he cannot seem to re-situate himself within the national team radar and was not called up for the September–October window.

He logged nearly 90 minutes in both of Atléti’s last two La Liga matches. He provided an assist in Wednesday’s 4–0 victory over Osasuna, before playing a pivotal role in Sunday’s massive 2–1 Madrid derby win over Real Madrid. In the latter, he was responsible for curbing the advances of the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé through the center of the park.

If Cardoso continues performing like this—and even leaves his mark in the Champions League this season, how much longer can Pochettino ignore him?

READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC

This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Chris Richards Soars, Ricardo Pepi Tumbles.

A bumper break beckons, meaning it’s the ideal time to take stock of the campaign’s opening act. The English top flight won’t be back until Oct. 10.

While five games is enough to gauge patterns and trends, it’s certainly too early to suggest that the table has taken shape. The 20 teams remain relatively bunched, with one result capable of drastically altering the division’s make-up.

Things could look drastically different come next May, but don’t be surprised if the first five outings serve as an indicator of what’s to come for some. Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United were the Premier League’s bottom two after five games last season, while the strong starts made by Bournemouth and Sunderland were converted into historic European berths.

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Premier League Table - How 2026–27 Compares to 2025–26

After Arsenal were beaten at Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester City head into the break as the only Premier League team with their 100% record still intact.

The Cityzens’ 5–3 victory over Sunderland means they’ve matched Liverpool’s 15-point haul from last season, but trouble lay ahead for the Reds, who eventually struggled their way to a fifth-place finish. City are aiming to recapture the Premier League title from the Gunners and have made a drastically improved start compared to 2025–26.

They were ninth and eight points worse off at this point last season.

Brentford and Brighton are both five points better off, jumping 13 and 11 places, respectively. The Bees were tipped for the drop in Keith Andrews’ first season in charge, but are now being discussed as a potential European contender. They’re one of five unbeaten teams.

Leeds United were 12th after five games last term with seven points, a bright enough start upon their return to the top flight. They suffered until Christmas before Daniel Farke changed to a back three and completely transformed the mood at Elland Road. Their momentum from the second half of last season has survived a World Cup summer, permeating into the new campaign.

Leeds signed astutely in the transfer window, and are reaping the rewards already.

Newcastle United have improved steadily on last season’s start despite their summer turnover and recent shellacking at Elland Road. Everton and Aston Villa are the only other teams to have made improved starts compared to last season, even if the latter didn’t secure their first win until the weekend. That’s how poorly they started last term.

Nottingham Forest have earned the same number of points but are two places higher (13th) in the table.

The Biggest Downturns in Form

Thomas Frank’s tenure in north London started brightly, with back-to-back wins over Burnley and Man City meaning Tottenham Hotspur were the very early pace-setters last August. That early momentum quickly faded, but Spurs nonetheless sat in third after five games with 10 points.

Roberto De Zerbi was tasked with clearing up Frank’s (and Igor Tudor’s) mess down the stretch, saving Spurs from relegation to the Championship before embarking on a $405 million summer splurge on 10 new signings.

But things, it’s fair to say, haven’t clicked. As a result, Spurs are rock-bottom of the Premier League table heading into the break with just two points. It took them five games to score their first league goals of the season, which arrived after Aston Villa had taken a 3–0 lead.

It doesn’t feel like Bournemouth have suffered as much as they actually have during the first five weeks, but they’re yet to notch their first league victory of the Marco Rose era. Andoni Iraola had the Cherries all the way up in fourth with 10 points at the same stage last season.

Fulham are no longer at the bottom of the pile after claiming a point against Manchester United, yet they’ve also declined after parting ways with Marco Silva. The Cottagers, like Liverpool, are six points worse off, while Crystal Palace are down five points and 10 places after swapping Oliver Glasner for Pierre Sage.

Sunderland have only had to juggle one midweek European outing, but their slow start to the season can be mitigated by a relatively tricky schedule.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd, despite downbeat coverage of the latter two, are only subtly worse off after five games.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as How 2026–27 Premier League Table Compares to 2025–26 After Five Games.

Some unruly classes exchanged goals freely, with five different teams scoring three or more across a flurry of chaotic affairs. Others simply waited for the bell to ring, something almost impressive in the way they managed to expend so much time, energy and sweat without achieving anything noteworthy.

Before focus shifts away from the Premier League for the next three weeks as the fall blur awaits, there was time for one last report card.

Ranking Criteria

• Performance: This is the crux of the exercise: How well did each team play when considering the flow of a game divorced from the final score. If it was simply a judgement of scoreboard statistics you may as well go straight to the table.
• Expectations: Not all results are equal. Teams that upset the odds with their display are rewarded more favorably.
• Venue: As the behind-closed-doors season of 2020–21 proved, playing in front of your home fans is a huge advantage, so any away results are given a little extra bonus.

20. Arsenal (3–0 Loss vs. Brighton)

The tone was set after just 18 seconds. Arsenal were pressed into their own corner from the first throw-in of the contest and never recovered, as Mikel Arteta damningly pointed out after the 3–0 reverse.

Brighton converted two crisp long-range strikes to somewhat distort the scoreline, but Arsenal were clearly second best on a brisk afternoon. The fall chill has swept across the south coast and blown away the Gunners’ cloak of invincibility with it. This was a defeat so damaging it sparked questions as to whether future teams could replicate Brighton’s success.

19. Nottingham Forest (1–0 Loss vs. Coventry)

Thank you for your support this evening. pic.twitter.com/AvfnJtH6r5

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 19, 2026

Oliver Glasner lamented that the “entire City Ground was nervous” and his side didn’t do anything to soothe those qualms. Faced with Coventry’s stubborn block, Nottingham Forest failed to find any moment of inspiration, leaving their manager “frustrated” and “disappointed.” Once the anxiety had surpassed, those were the same emotions shared by the crowd.

18. Tottenham (3–2 Loss vs. Aston Villa)

Conor pulls one back! pic.twitter.com/PW7TYp0J3f

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 19, 2026

At this point, Tottenham’s performances are enough to send Roberto De Zerbi into an existential crisis. Not because they are so woefully inept—quite the contrary. Spurs seem to have mastered the art of playing just well enough to get everyone’s hopes up before once again crumbling to defeat.

“These players, they don’t need to play better,” the beleaguered Italian boss sighed, the neck of his black T-shirt as loose as Tottenham’s rearguard after he pulled the top over his head to hide from the 3–2 reverse. What Spurs need, according to De Zerbi, is more “blood” and “fight.” Three points would also help.

17. Chelsea (3–0 Loss vs. Brentford)

In Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises, the character Mike Campbell is asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways,” he says, “Gradually and then all at once.”

Chelsea’s demise at Brentford followed a similar trajectory.

There wasn’t anything egregiously wrong with Chelsea’s opening hour on the other side of west London. If anything, the Blues were fulfilling their manager’s demand to be more “boring.” Yet, this suddenly toothless iteration of Xabi Alonso’s evolving side was rapidly condemned to a sound thumping.

16. Ipswich (1–0 Loss vs. Everton)

Thank you for your support, Town fans.

See you next month. 💙 pic.twitter.com/iRcrndHrOg

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) September 19, 2026

Despite falling behind after 11 minutes and playing the final quarter of the contest with 10 players, Ipswich never let themselves get entirely shut out of a tight trip to Everton. “The only disappointment is the result,” Gary O’Neil fairly surmised.

15. Hull (2–1 Loss vs. Newcastle)

Fantastic support as always, #hcafc fans 🧡🖤

Back to the MKM after the break. We'll see you there 👊 pic.twitter.com/VfhnjIbyv6

— Hull City (@HullCity) September 19, 2026

“We were in the better team in the second half,” Sergej Jakirović pointed out with plenty of merit. “Unfortunately, we weren’t in the first half and this is maybe where we lost the game.”

14. Leeds (0–0 Draw vs. Crystal Palace)

In a game of few chances, Leeds’ best sight of goal fell to the one player they would have chosen for the task, their top scorer and freshly re-called England international, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Yet, such are the fickle fates of this bedeviling sport, he could not convert.

13. Crystal Palace (0–0 Draw vs. Leeds)

World class support 👏

Thanks, Eagles ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/FClkOvfq2J

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 20, 2026

At this point in the Pierre Sage experiment, a clean sheet represents positive progress. It took a heroic intervention from Walter Benítez but Leeds’ goalkeeper, James Trafford, was busier than his Crystal Palace counterpart on Sunday.

12. Man Utd (1–1 Draw vs. Fulham)

“I’ve watched Manchester United since the age of 5,” Gary Neville seethed, the flecks of boiling spittle almost visible on the screens of televisions everywhere as he fumed on the match commentary of Sunday’s trip to Fulham, “and that was the worst 15 minutes I’ve ever seen.”

The retired United defender was referring to the first quarter-hour of the second half, which saw the Red Devils sleepwalk into a 1–0 deficit. The previous 45 minutes and the half-hour that followed had a lot more fight about it but this was a performance which did little to ease the pressure on Michael Carrick.

11. Fulham (1–1 Draw vs. Man Utd)

CB3 assist, right? 😅 pic.twitter.com/wpIGhOr555

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 20, 2026

Calvin Bassey offered the most insightful summary of Fulham’s “frustrating” 1–1 draw on Sunday. “It was a game of luck, we both had it on our side,” the defender lamented.

10. Everton (1–0 Win vs. Ipswich)

Tarky 🤜🤛 Thierno

Combining for today's winner! 💙 pic.twitter.com/Ndz3OMnzmX

— Everton (@Everton) September 19, 2026

The nature of Thierno Barry’s decisive goal reflected Everton’s performance, and their season as whole thus far: not too pretty but effective. James Tarkowski’s volley cannoned off the chest of his striker, who turned around in a mix of bemusement and embarrassment before accepting the acclaim of the game’s only goal.

9. Aston Villa (3–2 Win vs. Tottenham)

goodnight, villans pic.twitter.com/YT46ScjsEo

— Aston Villa (@AstonVilla) September 19, 2026

After one goal and as many points to start the new season, Aston Villa needed this. That much was evident from Unai Emery’s visceral celebration of Nicolas Jackson’s crafty finish which saw him wheel away to smack a bag of balls in his technical area.

The fact that Villa had to ride their luck and wait for Tottenham to implode will only be dwelled upon when the swelling on Emery’s hand subsides.

8. Bournemouth (1–0 Loss vs. Liverpool)

“You don’t get points for playing well,” Marco Rose huffed. In this article, you do.

The Cherries didn’t squander a lead this time but still left the Vitality Stadium with the hollow feeling of starting much better than their opponents while ending the match without three points.

7. Sunderland (5–3 Loss vs. Man City)

A performance that had everything. A performance to be proud of 🫶

You deserve that match ball, Brian. pic.twitter.com/M2n8iPcDA2

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 20, 2026

Not many clubs come away from the Etihad with three goals, a hat-trick for their striker and a laughable xG of 4.15. Sunderland managed all that and still came away with a defeat, yet their pride was very much in tact.

“We are really proud to play our football,” Régis Le Bris reflected. “We went toe-to-toe with one of the best sides in Europe today.”

6. Newcastle (2–1 Win vs. Hull)

Opening the scoring with his third of the season! 💫@Joewillock pic.twitter.com/kLB2aNnvPw

— Newcastle United (@NUFC) September 19, 2026

After Monday night’s horror show against Leeds United, nothing aside from all three points would have sufficed for Newcastle United. The Magpies delivered—just. The “trauma,” to borrow Matthias Jaissle’s expression, of so many dropped points from last season nearly saw another lead frittered away but Newcastle ultimately held firm.

5. Liverpool (1–0 Win vs. Bournemouth)

Jérémy Jacquet is making it look effortless. pic.twitter.com/uPoZZizfMG

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 20, 2026

This was a curious win for Liverpool. There were a lot of surface-level positives to take from a match which saw Andoni Iraola get three points against his former employers, Alexander Isak extend his scoring form and Jérémy Jacquet shined in a third straight clean sheet for the visitors.

However, the Reds were second-best for large chunks of the contest and had to rely upon Bournemouth tiring in the second half after their European excursions on Thursday night.

4. Man City (5–3 Win vs. Sunderland)

“Too many goals,” Enzo Maresca concluded, “I prefer 1–0, it’s much better.” In reality, this contest could easily have tipped into double digits, such was the wealth of incisive attacking and erroneous defending from both sides.

City simply couldn’t contain Brian Brobbey, who came away with a hat-trick despite the defeat and left Maresca with problems to balance his positives. “I’m always concerned, always trying to see what we can do better,” the Italian manager admitted. This showing offered even more reason for that caution.

3. Coventry (1–0 Win vs. Nottingham Forest)

ABSOLUTE LIMBS. 🫨 pic.twitter.com/VhvN9mn8GU

— Coventry City (@CoventryCityFC) September 19, 2026

Coventry City have waited more than 25 years for a Premier League win, dropping all the way down to England’s third tier without a permanent home during that time. Frank Lampard was right to savor the occasion, sealed with a deft strike from Jay Dasilva which gave way to 35 minutes of defensive resilience (and a fortuitous VAR decision).

2. Brentford (3–0 Win vs. Chelsea)

For many watching a durably drab affair unfold across the opening hour of Friday night’s Premier League offering, Brentford’s three-goal blitz came as a surprise. But not to Keith Andrews.

The bubbly Bees boss assured reporters that he had sensed a performance was coming just from the look his players’ eyes during training this week. They waited until the 61st minute to start delivering it but Chelsea certainly had no answer.

1. Brighton (3–0 Win vs. Arsenal)

Pascal Groß deserves his flowers. pic.twitter.com/fL8PfylD5W

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) September 19, 2026

Fabian Hürzeler was asked after a near-perfect afternoon if the 3–0 bludgeoning of Arsenal ranked as the best performance of his tenure. The German boss allowed himself a wry smile before deflecting the question but there could not really have been much competition.

Brighton not only nullified the champions but carved them open, playing the type of suffocating and sophisticated soccer which has underpinned the success of Mikel Arteta’s side. Hürzeler won’t allow it, but some revelry would be just rewards for such a brilliant display.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 20 Premier League Teams’ Performances on Matchday 5.

Five games into the campaign and Arsenal are once again competing with Manchester City at the division’s summit. However, the Gunners were the first of the pair to sully their perfect record, putting in a disastrous display against Brighton & Hove Albion in the last fixture before September’s international break.

Manchester City responded by coming out on the right side of an eight-goal romp with Sunderland to claim top spot with an unrivaled 15 points.

“I’m sure we’re going to be very close and then the destiny will decide what happens,” Arteta predicted. Opta’s statistical model has run 10,000 simulations of the season’s remaining fixtures to put a cold, hard number on that inkling offered up by Arsenal’s manager.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Premier League Title Winner

Heading into the new campaign, Opta gave Manchester City just a 19.6% chance of winning the title in Enzo Maresca’s first season. That appeared to be a generous proportion after City’s limp showing in defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield, yet last term’s much-changed runners-up have made a faultless start to the new campaign, doubling their odds of success in the process.

It’s not been an entirely serene waltz to a perfect 15 points—Bournemouth, Coventry and Sunderland have all strongly tested City’s resolve. Yet, when you have a team bookended by the brilliance of the world’s best goalkeeper and the sport’s most ruthless striker, most matches will end with a celebration.

Arsenal had been similarly imperious until a deeply concerning 3–0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, who remarkably rank as one of the four top contenders to win the Premier League title. The Seagulls, however, have been here before. Given the financial limitations they are working under, few could begrudge Fabian Hürzeler’s side slipping toward a familiar festive fall-off.

Liverpool’s extravagant backing has only entitled Andoni Iraola’s side to a 4.44% chance of winning the league. That is at least more than Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea can warrant after an oddly muddled opening handful of fixtures.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Champions League Race

The race for European qualification was one of the most enduring and entertaining sub-plots last season. It went down to the final day and Brentford only missed out by virtue of a marginally inferior goal difference. The Bees could yet make their way onto the continent this season, stringing together the kind of form which has, remarkably, given them a better chance of qualifying for the Champions League than Manchester United.

Michael Carrick’s middling outfit are deemed to have marginally better odds of finishing third (5.87%) than ending the season in the bottom three (5.59%). United aren’t the only slow starters whose aspirations of the European elite remain in tact, although Aston Villa will also have to dramatically improve if they are to return to the Champions League once again under Unai Emery.

Supercomputer Predicts 2026–27 Premier League Relegation Battle

As the Premier League shutters its windows for the first, elongated international break of the season, Tottenham Hotspur remarkably find themselves at the foot of the table. Spurs, who accounted for the second-largest net spend in the division this summer, are relegated in more than 30% of Opta’s simulations.

This is a staggering state of affairs for a club which, at last count, boasted the ninth largest revenue in the entire sport. No wonder Roberto De Zerbi is “very disappointed, very sad, very frustrated.”

The mood was a lot brighter at Coventry City after they collected their first Premier League win in 25 years under Frank Lampard. That it came after four straight defeats to start the season may be the most salient fact.

Fulham, despite holding Manchester United to a draw, remain the favorites to join Spurs and Coventry. Álvaro Arbeloa has constructed a Real Madrid crèche in west London which can’t seem to attack and defend in the same game.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Supercomputer Predicts Premier League Table After Man City Punish Arsenal Stumble.

We’re typically treated to monthly disruptions at the start of new campaigns, as a busy international schedule takes hold. FIFA is doing things a little differently this time around, which means supporters will have ample time to ruminate over the past five weeks.

There had been fears of an almost uncompetitive Premier League, with champions Arsenal looking ominously dominant at the summit. However, their perfect record was sullied by Brighton & Hove Albion before the break, suggesting that the Gunners aren’t quite as infallible as initially believed.

Such discourse will be pushed to the side for a little while, as international soccer returns to the fore.

National teams are convening for the first time since the 2026 World Cup, and while some may use this window to regroup and refocus, there will be much for soccer lovers to get their teeth into over the next couple of weeks.

Why is the Premier League Taking a Three-Week Break?

The Premier League will be away for the next two weekends as a result of the extended international break, with the next matches scheduled for Oct. 10. Arsenal kick things off on Matchday 6, welcoming the impressive Leeds United to Emirates Stadium.

The FIFA Council decided in 2023 to alter the international calendar, meaning there will only be three international breaks this season. The September and October breaks have essentially merged into one longer window, and there will be international fixtures as usual in November and March.

Of course, it’s not just the Premier League enjoying a three-week hiatus. Club soccer across Europe has been put on pause until the second weekend of October.

Who Is Playing During Extended International Break?

It’s a particularly busy time for European nations, with the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League getting underway. Teams are playing four times in this window, and there are a few belters to keep an eye on.

In League A, there‘s a repeat of the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain on Sept. 26, while historic rivals Germany and the Netherlands face off on Sept. 24. France host Italy on Oct. 2, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal lock horns with Erling Haaland’s Norway on Oct. 4.

South American nations are in friendly action, with Argentina facing Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, and Brazil traveling to Australia for two matches, before moving onto India.

The USMNT has four outings, all on home soil. After colliding with CONMEBOL pair Peru and Chile, Mauricio Pochettino’s side take on World Cup co-hosts and neighbors, Canada and Mexico.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why are There Three Weeks Until the Next Premier League Games?.

Townsend, most famously of Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace during his Premier League days, was warming up before a match for Thai club PT Prachuap when the incident happened. A member of the pitch staff was driving the roller onto the field while the players were out practicing prior to kickoff. In trying to control a ball in one of the drills, Townsend inadvertently strayed into its path and ended up being mowed down when the machine couldn’t stop of turn.

Fortunately, the former England international was relatively unscathed and in good enough spirits to joke about it on social media. “It turns out Stoke away wasn't so bad after all,” he wrote on Instagram.

Crazy Scenes as Andros Townsend gets ran over by a Roller!

Luckily he wasn’t badly hurt afterwards, could’ve ended soo much worse

Welcome to the Thai League pic.twitter.com/EGI2jGfK6r

— Josh (@ayooo2772) September 19, 2026

The 35-year-old was hit and then went under the roller, which rode up on his left leg and had him briefly trapped. It could have been a really serious accident with horrendous consequences for Townsend, but luck was on his side.

A few light cuts and bruises on his left thigh appeared to be the extent of his injuries. Townsend did eventually play in the match, but only as a substitute in the final minute. He’d previously started both of Prachuap’s fixtures in Thai League 1 so far in 2026–27. His absence wasn’t felt, though, with three goals and a shutout enough to beat Pattani.

Townsend Extends Career After Leaving Premier League

Townsend has been in Thailand for just over a year. He left England in 2024 after 12 consecutive seasons as a Premier League player, following spells with Everton and Luton Town. The first stop on his journey abroad came in Türkiye with Antalyaspor, heading to Thailand to sign with Kanchanaburi Power at the start of 2025–26. The team was newly promoted at the time but soon suffered relegation from the top division and Townsend joined Prachuap instead.

In May 2026, Townsend was accused of waging a war on sunglasses, questioning the need for people to protect their eyes from the natural light of the sun. He urged his social media followers to “let your eyes do their job” after claiming exposing eyes to the sun makes the brain protect the body from UV. The U.K. Met Office says UV “significantly increases the risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of the eyes lens and the leading cause of blindness in the world.”

The following month, Townsend stunned social media users again by appearing to eat raw meat as part of his diet.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Stoke Away Wasn’t So Bad’—Ex-Premier League Star Jokes After Getting Run Over Pregame.

Premier League

Chelsea are the leading English suitors for Manchester United sensation JJ Gabriel, although both Real Madrid and Barcelona have held recent talks with the 15-year-old, who is giving serious consideration to moving to Spain. (Source: TEAMtalk)

As for Man Utd, the Red Devils are battling to sign Barcelona forward Raphinha and are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League to convince him to make the move. (Source: El Nacional)

Arsenal hold a “very real” interest in signing Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi. (Source: football.london)

Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is of increasing interest to Chelsea, who could make a January offer worth close to £80 million ($107 million) to land his signature. (Source: Mark Brus)

Free agent striker Mauro Icardi remains of interest to Tottenham Hotspur, who are working to convince him to reject a return to Italy’s Serie A. (Source: Giulio Cardone)

Bayern Munich are considering a move to sign unsettled Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in January. (Source: Topskills Sports)

Manchester City have approached Barcelona over center back Pau Cubarsí, but the La Liga champions made it clear they have absolutely no interest in even entertaining the conversation. (Source: El Nacional)

Atlético Madrid winger Álex Baena is being followed by Aston Villa, Man City and Newcastle United ahead of the January transfer window. (Source: Esto Es Atleti)

Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock has emerged as a priority target for Turkish giants Beşiktaş in the winter. (Source: Turkish-Football)

Scouts from Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham all took the chance to scout AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit during his team’s midweek trip to Sunderland. (Source: TEAMtalk)

La Liga

Real Madrid will make winger Rodrygo available for transfer in January if he recovers from injury in time. (Source: indykaila)

Negotiations over a new contract between Barcelona and Raphinha are progressing well and are at an advanced stage, with a significant salary increase on the cards. (Source: Matteo Moretto)

Benfica center back Tomás Araújo, whose contract includes a release clause worth €40 million ($46 million), is being tracked by Real Madrid. (Source: Fichajes)

Barcelona have given their blessing to the agent of defender Jules Koundé to speak with a number of Premier League clubs over a possible transfer that could be worth as much as €70 million ($80 million). (Source: El Nacional)

Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez, a target for Arsenal and Barcelona, is considering changing agents after a difficult summer transfer window. Javier Pastore, who represents Enzo Fernández, is being lined up to represent him. (Source: Mundo Deportivo)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Eye Record Raphinha Offer; Fresh Twist in Alvarez Saga.

The extended hiatus means England’s top-flight sides won’t reconvene until Oct. 10, adding pressure on them to finish September with a flourish and enter the upcoming international period on a high.

That will prove easier said than done for many clubs, with even the division’s big-hitters facing some awkward fixtures. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all have troubling away days to overcome.

Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the next round of Premier League fixtures to pan out.

Brentford vs. Chelsea Prediction

Prediction: Brentford 2–2 Chelsea

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium
• Date: Friday, Sept. 18
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Andy Madley

A west London derby kicks off the action on Friday as Chelsea make the arduous but short journey to unbeaten Brentford.

Xabi Alonso has been left frustrated by his new-look side in recent weeks after defeat to Arsenal and a surprise draw at home to Hull City, with defensive frailties exposed and offsetting the club’s fearsome forward triumvirate.

Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are expected to strut their stuff again at the Gtech Community Stadium, but João Pedro’s likely absence through injury is a blow for a team whose backline has been disjointed to say the least.

Brentford are the kind of side that could take advantage of such shortcomings, with a victory and three draws from their opening matches. In Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago, they have two attacking stars capable of hurting the leaky Blues.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa Prediction

Prediction: Tottenham 1–1 Aston Villa

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kick-off Time: 12:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Sam Barrott

Defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday means Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi are still awaiting a first victory of the season, although Spurs at least ended their agonizing goal drought at Anfield.

In the Premier League, back-to-back goalless draws have left them in a familiar 17th place and devoid of confidence, despite this summer’s eye-watering spend on new personnel. Their summer signings are yet to click and they face one of their least favorite fixtures on Saturday, with three of their last four home games against Aston Villa ending in a 2–1 defeat.

That said, Villa are going through a period of transition too, and they sit below Spurs in the Premier League table after picking up just a point from their opening four. Wins in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, over Club Brugge and Coventry City, suggest a turning point is coming for Unai Emery and Co.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Arsenal Prediction

Prediction: Brighton 1–2 Arsenal

• Location: Brighton, England
• Stadium: Amex Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Darren England

Brighton & Hove Albion’s lightning fast start to the season reached new heights on Wednesday as they came from two goals down to beat Manchester United 3–2 at Old Trafford. Fabian Hürzeler’s tactical acumen was on show as the Seagulls soared into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

They’re currently the Premier League’s top goalscorers with 13 strikes in four outings, but their attackers face the ultimate test in Arsenal’s ridiculously stubborn rearguard.

The Gunners have conceded just once in the league this season and are masters at edging finely-poised affairs. They’re simply unflappable and even their in-form hosts appear unlikely to knock them off their stride.

Arsenal have won their last seven in all competitions. That should become eight on Saturday.

Everton vs. Ipswich Town Prediction

Prediction: Everton 1–0 Ipswich

• Location: Liverpool, England
• Stadium: Hill Dickinson Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Stuart Attwell

Six matches, zero defeats for Everton.

The Toffees have made an encouraging start to the new campaign despite a disastrous end to the summer’s transfer window, with six points collected in the Premier League and back-to-back Carabao Cup victories offering them increased hope of ending their 31-year wait for major silverware.

Ipswich, meanwhile, have also gathered six points, but in very different circumstances. Defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool were sandwiched in between last-gasp victories over Sunderland and Crystal Palace, with their sizable summer spend having paid some dividends already.

A trip to Merseyside appears unlikely to yield another win, but a draw isn’t off the table.

Newcastle United vs. Hull City Prediction

Prediction: Newcastle 1–1 Hull

• Location: Newcastle, England
• Stadium: St James’ Park
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Tony Harrington

Who predicted this, eh? Hull City, who were expected to make a swift Championship return, are currently fourth in the Premier League standings after an astonishing unbeaten start to the season—and the trip to Newcastle United offers another grand opportunity.

Sergej Jakirović is working wonders with the Tigers, perfectly blending his existing cast with a host of summer signings. They will fancy their chances of extending a remarkable unbeaten run at St James’ Park.

Newcastle are on a revenge mission after their humbling 4–1 defeat to Leeds last Monday, and they remain a work in progress under Matthias Jaissle. A quick start to the season has decelerated and another underwhelming result is looming this weekend.

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Nottingham Forest vs. Coventry City Prediction

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2–0 Coventry

• Location: Nottingham, England
• Stadium: City Ground
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
• Kick-off Time: 5:30 p.m. BST / 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Jarred Gillett

Nottingham Forest were in desperate need of the victory they collected late in the day at Villa Park last weekend, which marked the opening win of the Oliver Glasner era at the fifth attempt.

One would expect them to follow up one triumph over Midlands opposition with another as Coventry City, bottom of the table without a point, visit the City Ground.

Frank Lampard’s men, who were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Villa midweek, are still awaiting their first Premier League goal since returning to the big time, and last weekend’s humiliating 5–0 defeat to Brighton has knocked their confidence even further.

It could prove another frustrating outing for the Sky Blues.

Bournemouth vs. Liverpool Prediction

Prediction: Bournemouth 2–2 Liverpool

• Location: Bournemouth, England
• Stadium: Vitality Stadium
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
• Kick-off Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Michael Oliver

Andoni Iraola’s first trip back to Bournemouth arrives on Sunday after a mixed beginning to his Liverpool reign.

The Carabao Cup win over Spurs extended the Spaniard’s unbeaten run on Merseyside, but three disappointing Premier League draws to Newcastle, Forest and Fulham have underscored the need for improvements.

Bournemouth were draw specialists under Iraola and they have continued in that vein under new boss Marco Rose. They have surrendered leads in all four of their Premier League matches, three of which have ended in stalemates.

Another draw appears the most likely outcome to the upcoming duel.

Leeds United vs. Crystal Palace Prediction

Prediction: Leeds 3–1 Crystal Palace

• Location: Leeds, England
• Stadium: Elland Road
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
• Kick-off Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Adam Herczeg

Leeds United have enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, picking up from where they left off at the end of last season. The demolition of Newcastle was their finest piece of work, and it’s now over six months since they were last defeated at Elland Road.

That makes them significant favorites for Sunday’s encounter with Crystal Palace, whose 3–2 victory over Fulham was followed by defeat at the hands of Ipswich by the same scoreline.

One worries for Pierre Sage’s Eagles, who now begin the process of juggling European and domestic duties with an underbaked squad in poor form.

Manchester City vs. Sunderland Prediction

Prediction: Man City 2–0 Sunderland

• Location: Manchester, England
• Stadium: Etihad Stadium
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
• Kick-off Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Rob Jones

The controversial Manchester derby victory made it four consecutive Premier League wins to kickstart the Enzo Maresca era, but some of Manchester City’s displays have left much to be desired.

The Cityzens performed admirably with 10 men at Old Trafford last weekend and must capture that same spirit when Sunderland come to town, with Régis Le Bris likely to set his side out in the most defensive of setups.

City haven’t found it straightforward breaking through low blocks under Maresca—an issue Chelsea had previously under the Italian—but they should have enough firepower to get the job done, especially with Erling Haaland in typically mesmeric form.

Fulham vs. Manchester United Prediction

Prediction: Fulham 1–2 Man Utd

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Craven Cottage
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
• Kick-off Time: 4:30 p.m. BST / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Peter Bankes

Will a miserable week for Manchester United get even worse on Sunday?

The Red Devils suffered a catastrophic implosion against Brighton midweek that exacerbated their post-Manchester derby woes. Defeat to Hull on the opening weekend set the tone, and the draw at Everton only added to frustrations.

Michael Carrick desperately needs a reaction from his players at Craven Cottage, but they might not need to be at their absolute best to overcome a shaky Fulham team with huge defensive issues.

Bar their clean sheet at Liverpool last weekend, Álvaro Arbeloa’s side have been woeful at the back, and the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha should find plenty of space to create chances.

Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 5

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sports Illustrated Predicts Every Premier League Gameweek 5 Score.

Premier League

Arsenal remain interested in Real Madrid winger Rodrygo and plan to monitor his return to fitness from a serious knee injury with a view to a future transfer, perhaps even as early as January. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Liverpool are in talks with Bayern Munich over a swap deal for star winger Michael Olise. The trio of Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Rio Ngumoha have all been discussed as potential makeweights, with the Reds open to making such an offer. Olise wants the move. (Source: indykaila)

Ngumoha, however, has shown no desire to leave Liverpool despite the emergence of interest from Arsenal. (Source: Daily Mail)

Finding a direct replacement for Mohamed Salah remains a priority for Liverpool despite the arrival of Bradley Barcola during the summer. Bournemouth forward Rayan is among those under consideration. (Source: Globo Esporte)

As he approaches the end of his contract, Crystal Palace left back Tyrick Mitchell is being monitored by Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United. (Source: Football Insider)

Aston Villa and Manchester City have both emerged as suitors of 21-year-old River Plate goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán. (Source: El Intransigente)

Monaco defender Melvin Gomes, 18, has rejected an approach from Chelsea in favor of signing a new contract. (Source: L’Équipe)

Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City are all hoping to lure 18-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder Lennart Karl to the Premier League, but Barcelona and Real Madrid are also chasing the teenager’s signature. (Source: fussball-news)

Fiorentina are expected to demand around €35 million ($40 million) for midfielder Cher Ndour following approaches from both Aston Villa and Newcastle United. The 22-year-old is also being tracked by Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Hull City. (Source: Sébastiaen Vidal)

Everton are not planning to reignite their interest in wantaway Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison in January after seeing talks with the Brazilian collapse late in the summer. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

Real Madrid are leading the race to sign 15-year-old Man Utd sensation JJ Gabriel after his request to leave Old Trafford. (Source: The Guardian)

Raphinha has demanded Barcelona double his salary and make him the club’s top earner in talks over a new contract, well aware that suitors like Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd and Al Hilal are all prepared to offer superior wages. (Source: El Nacional)

Arsenal midfielder Martín Zubimendi will join Real Madrid in January to offer some much-needed control at the base of José Mourinho’s lineup. (Source: Javi Roldán)

Former Man Utd striker Anthony Martial is nearing an agreement to join Málaga on a free transfer. (Source: Foot Mercato)

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is readying a €40 million ($46 million) raid on Barcelona for left back Alejandro Balde, whose departure could be authorized in January if he continues to struggle for minutes. (Source: El Nacional)

Espanyol striker Roberto Fernández, 24, has been added to Barcelona’s list of targets following a request from manager Hansi Flick. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Liverpool Step Up Olise Talks; Raphinha’s Barcelona Threat.

Premier League

In their pursuit of Barcelona sensation Fermín López, Manchester United are willing to reach the eye-watering valuation of $161.5 million (£119.9 million, €140 million). (Source: El Nacional)

Chelsea have valued Estêvão at as much as $138.5 million (£102.8 million) amid rival interest from Liverpool and Barcelona. (Source: Ekrem Konur)

Nico Williams could fill that void at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea mull over a $103.8 million (£77.1 million, €90 million) bid for the Athletic Club forward. (Source: El Nacional)

Manchester United are amping up their interest in Everton center back Jarrad Branthwaite, a player tracked by Atlético Madrid and Manchester City valued by Everton at $107.8 million (£80 million). (Source: TEAMtalk)

Noni Madueke has emerged as a figure of interest for Atlético Madrid and Juventus after falling down Arsenal’s pecking order. (Source: CaughtOffside)

While there is still a lot of road left to run, Bayern Munich haven’t completely dismissed the idea of potentially swapping Michael Olise with Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz should the French winger try to run down his contract. (Source: CF Bayern Insider)

Amid ongoing negotiations over a new contract, Raphinha has inspired lucrative contract offers from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Al Hilal. (Source: El Nacional)

Sturm Graz’s teenage midfield gem Luca Weinhandl has caught the eye of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Liverpool have entered the cluster of teams tracking Fiorentina midfielder Cher Ndour. Brighton, Crystal Palace and Hull City have also been linked. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Bayern Munich have singled out Nick Woltemade as Harry Kane’s eventual replacement. The unorthodox German frontman is currently on loan at Juventus from Newcastle United after being deemed surplus to requirements at St. James’ Park. (Source: Fichajes)

La Liga

Manchester United and Inter Milan target Alejandro Balde has seen a price tag of $46.2 million (£34.3 million, €40 million) slapped on his head. (Source: Fichajes)

Barcelona have set an asking price of $80.8 million (£59.9 million, €70 million) for Frenkie de Jong, who is a major figure of interest at Liverpool. (Source: El Nacional)

AC Milan are keeping tabs on Real Madrid’s utility gem Brahim Díaz, who is a target for the January transfer window. (Source: Fichajes)

Espanyol forward Roberto Fernández has been added to Barcelona’s watchlist at the express request of Hansi Flick. (Source: El Nacional)

In an attempt to beat the rush, Chelsea have floated the prospect of bidding $23.1 million (£17.1 million, €20 million) for Barcelona gem Xavi Espart. (Source: Fichajes)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd Eye $160 Million Barcelona Raid; Olise’s Liverpool Swap.

The 67th edition of the tournament kicked off in August with clubs across the Premier League, EFL Championship, League One and League Two all fighting for a place at Wembley Stadium come March 21.

The first two rounds unfolded under the veil of slight obscurity before many of the biggest Premier League threats entered the mix in the third round. Last season’s Carabao Cup runners-up Arsenal cruised past Ipswich Town, while Liverpool decisively eliminated Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United suffered a shock collapse at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, and defending cup holders Manchester City eased past Norwich City in the final tie of the round on Thursday.

Even bigger matches are in the cards in the fourth round. Check out the full slate of fixtures coming in late October.

2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw

• Fleetwood Town vs. Arsenal
• Manchester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
• Everton vs. Newcastle United
• Sunderland vs. Brentford
• Liverpool vs. Chelsea
• Bradford City vs. Peterborough
• Fulham vs. Crystal Palace
• Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa

When Is the Carabao Cup Fourth Round?

The fourth round matches will unfold during the week of Oct. 26. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City will have to continue balancing the competition alongside Premier League and Champions League action.

Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace must do the same, just with the Europa League. Brighton are the only Conference League representatives in the Carabao Cup, but they won’t mind navigating a packed schedule after their epic comeback against United.

The aforementioned clubs will have six matches to play across all competitions in just three weeks of October following the newly combined fall international break.

Every Team Eliminated in Carabao Cup Third Round

Tuesday, Sept. 8

• Lincoln City (Lost 4–0 to Bournemouth)
• Middlesbrough (Lost 3–0 to Crystal Palace)
• Leyton Orient (Lost 3–1 to Bradford City)
• Hull City (Lost 1–0 to Sunderland)
• Millwall (Lost 1–0 to Newcastle)

Wednesday, Sept. 9

• Leeds United (Lost 6–3 to Chelsea)

Tuesday, Sept. 15

• Barnsley (Lost 7–6 on penalties to Peterborough)
• West Ham United (Lost 3–2 to Fulham)
• Ipswich Town (Lost 4–2 to Arsenal)
• Tottenham Hotspur (Lost 3–1 to Liverpool)
• Reading (Lost 2–1 to Brentford)

Wednesday, Sept. 16

• Wolverhampton Wolves (Lost 1–0 to Everton)
• Sheffield United (Lost 1–0 to Fleetwood Town)
• Coventry City (Lost 3–1 to Aston Villa)
• Manchester United (Lost 3–2 to Brighton)

Thursday, Sept. 17

• Norwich City (Lost 5–0 to Man City)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw: All Fixtures.

The proceedings kicked off shortly after Manchester United were shockingly eliminated by Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford. Fabian Hürzeler’s side became the second to last team to punch its ticket to the last 16, joining the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the fourth round.

Defending cup holders Manchester City, who take on Norwich City on Thursday, are expected to be the final club advancing in the competition. The winner of that fixture gets to face Brighton in the next round.

All eyes will undoubtedly be on Chelsea’s trip to Merseyside, though. The Blues were not scheduled to take on Andoni Iraola’s men until December, but now get a crack at the Reds two months earlier than expected.

A London derby is also in the cards between Fulham and Crystal Palace. Arsenal, meanwhile, get the pleasure of taking on League Two side Fleetwood Town. The Gunners are the only Premier League side not playing another Premier League side in the fourth round.

Take a look at the full draw below.

2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw

• Fleetwood Town vs. Arsenal
• Manchester City/Norwich City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
• Everton vs. Newcastle United
• Sunderland vs. Brentford
• Liverpool vs. Chelsea
• Bradford City vs. Peterborough
• Fulham vs. Crystal Palace
• Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa

2026–27 Carabao Cup Round Dates

The Carabao Cup fourth round unfolds the week of Oct. 26. The competition returns three weeks after domestic action resumes following the newly combined September-October international break.

The quarterfinals then are set for the week of Dec. 14, right before the holiday madness kicks off in the Premier League and beyond. There’s little time to regroup from the action-packed Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s fixtures before the first leg of the semifinals kicks off on Jan. 11.

A lengthy layoff forces the semifinalists to wait until Feb. 1 to play the second leg of their respective ties. The two winning teams will punch their tickets to Wembley Stadium on March 21.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea Learn Fates.

While the international break won’t offer competitive games, it provides a chance to bring in new faces alongside veterans, with the hope of learning where the USMNT player pool stands heading into November’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal. 

Pochettino will still seek a balanced roster as he looks for his first wins against Canada and Mexico since taking over the Stars and Stripes. There will still be opportunities, though, for young talents to leave their marks, given the lack of pressure now compared to the pre-World Cup window. 

Here, Sports Illustrated dives into three teenagers who could earn a call when Pochettino’s roster is announced Thursday. 

Cavan Sullivan

• Club: Philadelphia Union
• Age: 16
• Position: Winger

If it were entirely up to Pochettino’s discretion, calling in a 16-year-old likely wouldn’t be in his plans, considering his use of the terms “confidence” and “arrogance” when describing the attributes young players need to use in the right way to mature into a senior national team player. Yet, the Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan might just be making it undeniable at this point, given his impressive form in MLS. 

The Union winger is a superstar in the making and has had a breakout under interim manager Ryan Richter, who has ushered the club into MLS Cup playoff contention despite sitting last in the Eastern Conference heading into the break. 

Sullivan’s deft touch, command of the ball at his feet, audacious dribbling and intelligent off-ball runs are well beyond his years and have been evident in his recent form. In his last seven games, he has five goals and seven assists, headlined by a backheel flick goal in a recent 5–0 win over San Diego FC. 

With 11 assists this year, he’s already surpassed Alphonso Davies’s record for the most in a single MLS season by a teenager, and combined with his six goals, he sits just three goal contributions behind Diego Fagúndez’s record for the most by a teenager in a regular season campaign. 

Should the Manchester City prospect crack the roster, expect Pochettino to be far more careful with his involvement than Philadelphia have been, likely only giving him a few minutes off the bench across the four games as he gets used to the responsibility and demands of wearing a national team shirt.

Neil Pierre

• Club: Philadelphia Union
• Age: 18
• Position: Center back

Rising alongside Sullivan in a youthful push in Philadelphia, Neil Pierre is quickly establishing himself as one of the premier center backs in MLS. At 6'7”, there are no players similar to him in the player pool. Add in a likely vacancy in the heart of defense, given Tim Ream’s age, and Pierre could contend for a starting role sooner than many would otherwise expect of an 18-year-old. 

Pierre has quickly adjusted to starting demands with the Union through the second half of this season, after returning from a loan with Lyngby in Denmark’s top flight. In addition to his defensive prowess and vision to build out of the back, he is establishing himself as one of the best set-piece attackers in the league, scoring four times off set pieces in the Union’s good run of form. 

Like Sullivan, he probably isn’t ready to take on full-time USMNT duties just yet, but the first window of a new cycle should allow him to get a taste of the space, and zone-in on the aspects that could make him a better option in the future. Next year, he’ll also likely play alongside USMNT center back Mark McKenzie with the Union, a partnership that could further pave his road to becoming a key part of the national team. 

Zavier Gozo

• Club: Crystal Palace
• Age: 19
• Position: Wingback

Zavier Gozo made a late push for the 2026 World Cup roster but ultimately missed the cut despite his six goals and five assists in 16 MLS games. While his contributions weren’t enough to get into Pochettino’s summer plans, they were enough to earn him an MLS All-Star Game call and then a $15 million transfer from Real Salt Lake to Premier League side Crystal Palace. 

The 19-year-old versatile fullback and wingback has bounced between Crystal Palace’s U-21 squad and the senior team so far in 2026–27, but has proven a step too slow for the physical and speed demands of the Premier League at this point, highlighted in his second appearance against Ipswich Town after a slightly more promising debut against Manchester City. 

At this point, given Gozo’s sporadic playing time and the USMNT depth at the position, he’s unlikely to get meaningful minutes at the senior level. However, he has great potential and could develop into a more significant international talent, while also contending for Steve Cherundolo’s squad for the U-23 U.S. team competing at the L.A. 2028 Olympics.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Teenagers Mauricio Pochettino Could Call Up for USMNT’s Fall Friendlies .

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More Quizzes From SI FC

• Premier League Quiz: Name the 10 Most Expensive Summer Signings of 2026

• Premier League Quiz: Name the Golden Boot Winners of the 2020s in One Minute

• Ballon d’Or Quiz: Name Every Winner in History—It’s Harder Than You Think

The Premier League’s Greatest Winners

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United: The most dominant force the Premier League has ever seen, the Red Devils achieved glorious runs to the title in several different guises under the illustrious Sir Alex Ferguson. The Scotsman lifted the trophy 13 times during his remarkable spell at Old Trafford, often reinventing his squad to achieve unparalleled success. Ruthless, demanding and awe-inspiring, it’s unlikely anybody will match his legacy in the years to come.

Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal: The Gunners raised eyebrows by appointing Arséne Wenger from Japanese side Nagoya Grampus, but the Frenchman proceeded to help revolutionise the Premier League and, most importantly, Arsenal. Becoming the first non-British manager to win the title in 1997–98, he also remains the only coach to have ever overseen an undefeated season in the competition in 2003–04.

José Mourinho’s Chelsea: Like the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, José Mourinho crashed into the Premier League and immediately left his mark. Appointed by Chelsea after his remarkable Champions League success with Porto, the divisive Portuguese coach won titles in his first two seasons after constructing a watertight defense and clinical attack, and then won a third crown during his Stamford Bridge return in 2014–15.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City: After coaching and constructing one of the greatest club teams ever seen in late 2000s/early 2010s Barcelona, Guardiola won it all with Bayern Munich. But his real challenge came when he headed to the Premier League in 2016, tasked with making Manchester City an all-conquering force capable of domestic and European glory. Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard did just that, dazzling English audiences with his tiki-taka, possession-based style. He won four successive Premier League titles and six overall before leaving in 2026.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Premier League Quiz: Name Every Winner, Including the Two Surprise Champions.

Following a preliminary four-team playoff, the remaining League Two sides joined at the first round alongside League One and Championship clubs, with the Premier League teams not involved in European competition then tagging in at the second round.

But the third round is where the Premier League’s giants entered the fray, with Champions League participants Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United all joining the hunt for silverware.

While there are matches still to be played in the current round, here’s everything you need to know for the imminent fourth round draw.

When Is the Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw?

The fourth round draw for the Carabao Cup will be staged following the conclusion of Manchester United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

It’s impossible to know exactly when the draw will take place, especially with the clash at Old Trafford potentially heading to penalties, but the match kicks off at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET, 12 p.m. PT).

How to Watch the Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw

In the United Kingdom, audiences can tune into the fourth round draw on Sky Sports.

The Carabao Cup’s official social media channels will also offer live updates of the draw, which is being hosted by Pien Meulensteen with former professionsal Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young doing the plucking of the balls.

Ball Numbers for the Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw

1. AFC Bournemouth
2. Arsenal
3. Bradford City
4. Brentford
5. Chelsea
6. Crystal Palace
7. Fulham
8. Liverpool
9. Newcastle United
10. Peterborough United
11. Sunderland
12. Coventry City or Aston Villa
13. Everton or Wolverhampton Wanderers
14. Fleetwood Town or Sheffield United
15. Manchester United or Brighton & Hove Albion
16. Manchester City or Norwich City

When Will the Carabao Cup Fourth Round Take Place?

It’s over a month until fourth round ties will be staged across England, with the fixtures played on the week commencing Oct. 26.

The quarterfinals are then held in December, followed by the two-legged semifinals at the start of 2027.

The final, which is once again hosted by Wembley Stadium, will be held on March 21, 2027.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026–27 Carabao Cup Fourth Round Draw: Date, Time, Ball Numbers.

The fourth round of fixtures in England’s top flight were dictated by the clumsy influence of officials who came under heightened scrutiny. Hands were wringed, teeth gnashed and future of the sport put into question by a series of steaming managers, players and fans.

Between the bursts of controversy and frame-by-frame replays, some actual soccer broke out over the weekend.

Ranking Criteria

• Performance: This is the crux of the exercise: How well did each team play when considering the flow of a game divorced from the final score. If it was simply a judgement of scoreboard statistics you may as well go straight to the table.
• Expectations: Not all results are equal. Teams that upset the odds with their display are rewarded more favorably.
• Venue: As the behind-closed-doors season of 2020–21 proved, playing in front of your home fans is a huge advantage, so any away results are given a little extra bonus.

20. Newcastle (4–1 Loss vs. Leeds)

All of the energy and excitement of Newcastle’s season under Matthias Jaissle evaporated into the night air above Elland Road on Monday. The Magpies were meek bystanders on what their manager fairly described as a “tough night.”

19. Crystal Palace (2–3 Loss vs. Ipswich)

Another Jørgen Strand Larsen goal at the weekend 🦅 pic.twitter.com/OB0pnjoIn4

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 14, 2026

Pierre Sage insisted that his Crystal Palace team “deserved at least a point” against Ipswich Town—but he was in the minority. Axel Disasi’s bone-headed red card set the Eagles up for failure which eventually arrived in stoppage time.

18. Coventry (5–0 Loss vs. Brighton)

Bart's Player of the Match performance! 🇳🇱🧤 pic.twitter.com/VpZP9vcg08

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@BHAFC) September 14, 2026

It will be washed away by torrent of Brighton goals after they had Taiwo Awoniyi sent off to start the second half but Coventry actually started brightly. By halftime, Frank Lampard’s side were only trailing 1–0 and had forced Bart Verbruggen into three crucial saves.

“We did some good stuff,” Lampard offered before admitting, “then the game became very, very difficult for us.”

17. Man Utd (1–0 Loss vs. Man City)

It can only really be viewed as a feat of mismanagement when a team gets so demonstrably worse after their opponents are reduced to 10 men.

United came close to breaking Manchester City’s resolve, hitting the post twice before Bryan Mbeumo only succeeded in finding Gianluigi Donnarumma’s right palm from point-blank range, but the fact that they let that contest in those favorable circumstances be decided by a refereeing error is damning.

16. Aston Villa (2–1 Loss vs. Nottingham Forest)

At this point, Unai Emery’s inferiority to Oliver Glasner must play on his mind. Aston Villa’s beleaguered boss has failed to beat his Austrian counterpart in eight encounters, losing six. This worryingly toothless iteration of Villa never really threatened to end that streak during another home loss.

15. Chelsea (2–2 Draw vs. Hull)

Chelsea are quickly becoming a must-watch for neutrals but Xabi Alonso is already sick of his team’s chronic chaos. “I hope one day you will say it was a boring game and we won,” the adventurous tactician sighed during a press conference cut suspiciously brief.

The brilliance of the Blues’ front three contrasts violently with the ineptitude of the other eight positions on the pitch. For every penetrative surge forward, Chelsea give up a golden chance of their own. Across just six games, 12 goals have been conceded.

14. Sunderland (2–0 Loss vs. Arsenal)

Take the positives and move onto the next.

Thank you for your outstanding support at the Stadium of Light this evening ❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/A4Sb88MHuU

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 12, 2026

When he wasn’t tearing into the officials, Mikel Arteta found time to praise Sunderland’s resilience: “They are a really, really good side,” the Arsenal boss fretted, “and in any other moment we could’ve conceded.”

13. Brentford (2–2 Draw vs. Bournemouth)

🛑 6 interceptions
🔙 6 recoveries
↪️ 4 clearances
🆚 3 tackles
🧱 1 block

Another outstanding performance from Vita yesterday 👏 pic.twitter.com/2XZvo5F3wR

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) September 13, 2026

It was a typically chaotic encounter between the two most volatile clubs in the Premier League. Possession changed hands 206 times at the Vitality Stadium, more than any other fixture this season. The ball threatened to break the way of Bournemouth but the Bees would escape the south coast with a fortuitous point. “We did not hit the levels we set for ourselves,” Keith Andrews quietly seethed.

12. Tottenham (0–0 Draw vs. Everton)

TEL “but I was here to play football”

Fair to say that’s the last we see of him pic.twitter.com/CdgZycyVfq

— Mikey Mike (@MikeyHotspurs) September 13, 2026

After a second consecutive goalless draw, Roberto De Zerbi came out swinging: “In Italy, I should be the best coach, no? Two games, two clean sheets.” Whether La Gazzetta dello Sport would ignore Tottenham’s distinct lack of goals or any cohesion in the final third is not as clear as De Zerbi may argue.

11. Everton (0–0 Draw vs. Tottenham)

Jordan Pickford is just the fifth English goalkeeper in @premierleague history to reach 100 clean sheets. 🧤 pic.twitter.com/D6IsDcOtfg

— Everton (@Everton) September 14, 2026

This was a typical Everton display under David Moyes; solid but not entirely satisfying. To borrow the manager’s expression, it was “gutsy.” Glitzy has never been his chief consideration.

10. Liverpool (0–0 Draw vs. Fulham)

This was the most worrying display of Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool tenure thus far. Liverpool not only failed to create any clear-cut chances against one of the most defensively inept sides in the division, but seemingly struggled to even run.

One of Iraola’s Anfield predecessors Brendan Rodgers likened management to “building an aircraft while it is flying.” It remains to be seen if Liverpool’s new manager can improve the stamina of his squad during the blast furnace of an ongoing Premier League season.

9. Fulham (0–0 Draw vs. Liverpool)

Super save from SBLIG. 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/8PjrdoOtFr

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 14, 2026

Some matches don’t deserve a goal. This one barely deserved a corner. After coming out on the wrong side of three thoroughly eventful and unsuccessful fixtures, Álvaro Arbeloa was perhaps grateful for the respite.

8. Ipswich (3–2 Win vs. Crystal Palace)

Zian Flemming. 🎶🕺🗣️ pic.twitter.com/lPLtBm9kYw

— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) September 13, 2026

The sweet satisfaction of securing a precious win won’t be dampened by Ipswich’s defensive frailties for many fans, although Gary O’Neil should be concerned by how a 10-man Crystal Palace side scored twice against his team.

7. Arsenal (2–0 Win vs. Sunderland)

This was an arm wrestle of a victory won in the space of 121 seconds. Bruno Guimarães proved to be the fitting matchwinner on his return to the north east but only after David Raya’s stunning penalty save two minutes earlier.

For all the focus shifted towards the divisive refereeing, Arsenal won’t maintain their 100% for much longer if they continue to be beholden to moments of individual brilliance.

6. Bournemouth (2–2 Draw vs. Brentford)

His first goal of the campaign 🎯

Love it, Justin 👊 pic.twitter.com/qDKFM0wWQN

— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 13, 2026

At what point to Bournemouth just stop taking the lead? Marco Rose’s side failed to capitalize on a winning position for the fourth game in succession after some typically wayward finishing, but the way that the Cherries played their way into that lead by passing Brentford off the park will surely inspire some encouragement.

5. Hull (2–2 Draw vs. Chelsea)

Fantastic support from a sold out away end 🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/J4V7eiaTzG

— Hull City (@HullCity) September 12, 2026

Sergej Jakirović could afford to joke around in the aftermath of his side’s entirely deserved 2–2 draw at Chelsea. Sorba Thomas was likened to F1 star Max Verstappen after his car crash in the week by a jovial manager soaking up a start to the season he could scarcely have envisaged.

4. Nottingham Forest (2–1 Win vs. Aston Villa)

That flick from MGW. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/51K4sv4Sjx

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 14, 2026

Nottingham Forest had not left Villa Park with a win since 1994, before every outfielder who started Saturday’s triumph had even been born. Thanks to a wonderfully cohesive and coordinated team performance in the image of Oliver Glasner, that drought was broken.

3. Brighton (5–0 Win vs. Coventry)

Dunky's Goal of the Season contender! 🤯🚀 pic.twitter.com/tUHNtdxKTr

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@BHAFC) September 13, 2026

When Lewis Dunk is stuffing the ball into the top corner from 30 yards out, you know it’s your day.

2. Man City (1–0 Win vs. Man Utd)

The way Enzo Maresca and his players celebrated the narrow derby win said everything about the 90 minutes of tactical, technical and mental endeavor which had been expended at Old Trafford.

Maresca hailed the impact of his perennial matchwinner after the 1–0 victory—“How do you say in English? Happy wife, happy life? For us, happy Erling, happy life. My wife will be upset with me for that one,” he chuckled—but this was a mightily impressive victory for the collective.

1. Leeds (4–1 Win vs. Newcastle)

✨ The conductor of Elland Road! pic.twitter.com/7Wa6cGA1MV

— Leeds United (@LUFC) September 15, 2026

Even a cheap concession of a 90th-minute consolation couldn’t take away the sheen of Leeds’ emphatic thrashing. “My boys were brilliant,” Daniel Farke justifiably beamed.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking All 20 Premier League Teams’ Performances on Matchday Four.

Premier League

Chelsea plan to submit another bid for Roma midfielder Manu Koné as soon as the January transfer window opens after learning of rival interest from Liverpool. (Source: Tuttomercatoweb)

The next few months will also see Chelsea open talks over a new contract with young winger Estêvão. Despite reports to the contrary, Estêvão is remaining patient in the face of a reduced role under Xabi Alonso. (Source: Fabrizio Romano)

Stuttgart are ready to rebuff interest in young defender Finn Jeltsch from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Juventus. (Source: Tutto Juve)

Another Stuttgart star, attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, is being followed by Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur after rejecting an offer from Saudi Arabia. (Source: Fichajes)

Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all keen on signing Borussia Dortmund center back Nico Schlotterbeck. (Source: El Nacional)

Liverpool officials have taken interest in Atlético Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios after being impressed by the 23-year-old when the two sides met in the Champions League. (Source: Space)

Sunderland are readying a renewed push to sign Sporting CP winger Geny Catamo in January, when Tottenham are also expected to explore a move. (Source: Record)

Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu is being followed by a number of clubs in the Premier League, including Aston Villa, Liverpool, Man Utd and Tottenham. (Source: fussball-news)

Aston Villa and Liverpool have both shown interest in signing Fiorentina midfielder Cher Ndour. (Source: CaughtOffside)

Arsenal still want to boost their depth in defense and are monitoring 24-year-old Kike Salas of Sevilla with a view to a possible January bid. (Source: Fichajes)

Despite interest from Man Utd, Man City are planning to keep hold of left back Rayan Aït-Nouri beyond the January transfer window. (Source: Football Insider)

La Liga

Barcelona will make an offer of $58 million (€50 million) for Tottenham right back Pedro Porro once the January transfer window opens. (Source: Fichajes)

Also on Barcelona’s radar is Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz, whose potential arrival has already been approved by manager Hansi Flick. (Source: El Nacional)

Real Madrid regret their failure to sign midfield general Rodri this summer and plan to rectify that mistake in January, when Martín Zubimendi of Arsenal could enter their sights if he struggles for minutes with the Gunners. (Source: SPORT)

Eduardo Camavinga rejected an approach from Galatasaray this summer despite Real Madrid’s willingness to negotiate a deal. (Source: Matteo Moretto)

Following interest from Barcelona, Inter Milan are working to close an agreement over a new contract with left back Federico Dimarco. (Source: Gazzetta dello Sport)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Real Madrid Consider Zubimendi; Chelsea Decide Estevao Future.

There was a clean sweep of victories for English teams on the continent, while Hull City were the division’s only losing representatives in the cup. Celebrations will be short-lived, however, as attention immediately turns back to climbing the Premier League table.

Sunday’s Manchester derby is unquestionably the standout fixture of Gameweek 4, which boasts favorable home ties for Chelsea and Liverpool alongside an awkward away day for reigning champions Arsenal.

With plenty to enjoy over the coming round, here are Sports Illustrated’s predictions for how things might pan out.

Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction

Prediction: Aston Villa 2–1 Nottingham Forest

• Location: Birmingham, England
• Stadium: Villa Park
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Andy Madley

Midlands derbies are few and far between in the Premier League this season, and while the rivalry between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest is one of soccer’s tamer—or arguably non-existent—feuds, there’s plenty riding on Saturday’s meeting.

Both clubs journey to Villa Park without a victory in the Premier League, eager to set the record straight and ascend the standings.

Villa will be considered favorites, especially after their midweek triumph over Club Brugge. They won this fixture twice last season—including a 4–0 win in the Europa League semifinal—while Forest have lost their last five away days against Unai Emery’s side.

Bournemouth vs. Brentford Prediction

Prediction: Bournemouth 1–1 Brentford

• Location: Bournemouth, England
• Stadium: Vitality Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Jarred Gillett

Bournemouth drew 47% of their Premier League matches last season under Andoni Iraola. New manager Marco Rose has decided to build upon that stalemate culture early in his reign, with the Cherries still awaiting their first victory under him.

Successive draws with Everton and Newcastle United have both seen them concede late equalizers, and history could repeat itself for a third time this weekend.

Brentford have also drawn their last two matches, both of which finished 1–1, and there appears little to separate them from their upcoming hosts.

It should prove an efficient if unspectacular occasion.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH SI FC’S QUICKFIRE QUIZZES

• 8 Minute Quiz: Name Every Winner of the Ballon d’Or—It’s Harder Than You Think

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Chelsea vs. Hull City United Prediction

Prediction: Chelsea 3–0 Hull

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Stamford Bridge
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Farai Hallam

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object this weekend as Chelsea’s fearsome forward line collides with an impenetrable Hull City defense.

There is a rather large caveat to Hull’s incredible start to the season, which has seen them collect seven points, keep three clean sheets and beat Manchester United. Their 5.0 expected goals (xG) conceded is one of the worst records in the division, hinting at an unsustainable run of form.

Chelsea should bring them back down to earth at Stamford Bridge as Xabi Alonso’s attack-heavy team looks to deliver more chaos. They have already recorded 3–2, 4–3 and 6–3 wins this season, but Saturday’s triumph could be more routine.

Crystal Palace vs. Ipswich Town Prediction

Prediction: Crystal Palace 2–1 Ipswich

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Selhurst Park
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Chris Kavanagh

How quickly the mood can change, eh? Crystal Palace appeared in real trouble after defeats to Everton and Manchester City, but last weekend’s thrilling win over Fulham was followed by a 3–0 midweek victory against Middlesbrough to further raise morale in south London.

Selhurst Park welcomes Ipswich Town this weekend as Pierre Sage seeks a third straight triumph.

The newly-promoted outfit kicked off by beating Sunderland, but defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool have served as a reality check. Gary O’Neil’s side have spent a fortune in the transfer market, but they remain one of the division’s weakest teams.

They will be desperate for a point at the very least from their trip to the capital.

Liverpool vs. Fulham Prediction

Prediction: Liverpool 3–1 Fulham

• Location: Liverpool, England
• Stadium: Anfield
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
• Referee: Tom Bramall

The Andoni Iraola era has been ignited by back-to-back wins over Ipswich and Atlético Madrid. Liverpool remain an imperfect force with issues persisting in defense and midfield, but they’re taking some crucial steps in the right direction.

The resurgence of Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak has been a welcome sight early in the season—although the former could be absent through injury this Saturday—and the addition of Bradley Barcola makes an exciting forward line even stronger.

Fulham have the unenviable task of thwarting a confident group of attackers, and three defeats from three Premier League games makes for grim viewing ahead of Álvaro Arbeloa’s return to Anfield.

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Everton Prediction

Prediction: Tottenham 1–1 Everton

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 5:30 p.m. BST / 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Darren England

Despite their $425 million outlay over the summer, Tottenham Hotspur remain without a victory in the Premier League this season. Bruising defeats against Brentford and Newcastle United exposed familiar flaws, while the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest last weekend was only a marginal improvement.

Roberto De Zerbi desperately needs victory from Everton’s visit to north London, and a midweek free from distractions should have facilitated extra work on the training field. There can be no questions over the quality present in the Italian’s roster, but pressure is already growing.

The Toffees, who remain unbeaten and staged a dramatic late comeback against Man Utd last time out, will be awkward adversaries, even if they’ve lost their last five trips to face Spurs.

Sunderland vs. Arsenal Prediction

Prediction: Sunderland 0–1 Arsenal

• Location: Sunderland, England
• Stadium: Stadium of Light
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
• Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: John Brooks

Arsenal’s perfect start to the campaign continued in Italy on Wednesday as they edged past Napoli. The 1–0 scoreline wasn’t reflective of their dominance, with the Gunners racking up 4.05 expected goals but only finding the net once through the in-form Martin Ødegaard.

They’re no strangers to shading tight affairs. It’s a habit that helped them secure the title last season and make it to the Champions League final, and they might lean on a narrow win again at the Stadium of Light.

Goalscoring has been an issue for Sunderland this term, and they have only netted once in each of their four competitive games. Coming up against the world’s strongest defense, their lack of attacking spark could prove costly.

Coventry City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Prediction

Prediction: Coventry 1–3 Brighton

• Location: Coventry, England
• Stadium: Coventry Building Society Arena
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Kickoff Time: 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
• Referee: Tony Harrington

Coventry City are one of only two teams who are without a point this season, but their wait for a first Premier League draw or victory since May 2001 might be extended when Brighton & Hove Albion come to town.

The Seagulls have been largely impressive early in the campaign, even if they dropped one of their weaker performances in last weekend’s draw with Leeds United. Their attacking quality could make the difference, with eight goals already scored in their three league matches.

Coventry, meanwhile, are yet to score in the Premier League this season, and they will likely need more than one goal to get anything from Brighton.

Manchester United vs. Manchester City Prediction

Prediction: Man Utd 1–1 Man City

• Location: Manchester, England
• Stadium: Old Trafford
• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13
• Kickoff Time: 4:30 p.m. BST / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
• Referee: Michael Oliver

Arsenal vs. Chelsea delivered our first blockbuster Premier League encounter of the season last Sunday, and certainly lived up to its prematch billing. Can the Manchester derby do the same?

For the first time in over a decade, Pep Guardiola won’t be in the away dugout at Old Trafford for this local rivalry, with Enzo Maresca eager to make a winning start to what he hopes will be a long string of derby days.

The problem for the Italian is that despite his side’s four successive victories, City’s performances have been largely underwhelming to date as his players adapt to new demands and, for the summer recruits, an entirely new environment.

United haven’t been any better, however, delivering shaky performances away at Hull and Everton. Thrashings of Ipswich and Sabah on home soil aren’t enough to fill the stands with optimism ahead of Sunday’s affair.

This one really could go either way.

Leeds United vs. Newcastle United Prediction

Prediction: Leeds 2–2 Newcastle

• Location: Leeds, England
• Stadium: Elland Road
• Date: Monday, Sept. 14
• Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Michael Salisbury

Leeds will still be slightly dazed on Monday after shipping six goals at Chelsea in the Carabao Cup midweek, but that shouldn’t knock Daniel Farke’s side off course. They’ve made an unbeaten start to their Premier League campaign and should extend that streak when Newcastle visit.

The Magpies were gutted over the summer, losing their manager and an array of their prized assets, but they have responded admirably under Matthias Jaissle. Like Leeds, they too have collected five points from their three outings.

For the third time this season, Newcastle could be involved in a 2–2 draw, with their counterattacking threat capable of hurting a Leeds team who have created plenty of chances themselves.

Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 4

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sports Illustrated Predicts Every Premier League Gameweek 4 Score.

Premier League

Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United are all chasing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who expects to seal a blockbuster transfer at some point over the next two windows. (Source: Hooligan Soccer)

Arsenal and Chelsea are both ready to double the salary of Barcelona forward Raphinha to convince him to return to the Premier League. (Source: El Nacional)

Meanwhile, Chelsea are also following Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal as a potential long-term replacement for Enzo Fernández. (Source: GIVEMESPORT)

Tottenham Hotspur failed with a bid worth $24 million (£18 million) for Athletico Paranaense center back Arthur Dias during the summer window, with the 19-year-old valued closer to $35 million (£26 million). (Source: Globo Esporte)

Liverpool are still open to a loan move for Real Madrid striker Endrick but will have to convince the Brazilian, whose future hinges on the minutes he receives over the next three months, to snub a rival approach from AC Milan. (Source: Tribal Football)

Manchester United are ready to try and sign Bournemouth left back Adrien Truffert and winger Rayan in a double deal that could cost them as much as $203 million (£150 million). (Source: Football FanCast)

Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Bayern Munich are all chasing Stuttgart’s 20-year-old center back Finn Jeltsch. (Source: Fussballdaten)

Inter Milan midfielder Aleksandar Stanković remains a target for Liverpool after the Reds asked about the 21-year-old during the sale of Curtis Jones. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Scouts from Arsenal watched Roma right back Wesley in action during Thursday’s Champions League meeting with Fenerbahçe. (Source: 4-4-2)

Ronald Araújo has already made clear his interest in remaining with Liverpool when his loan with Barcelona ends next summer. (Source: Daily Mail)

La Liga

Yan Diomande is growing impatient with his limited role following his arrival at Real Madrid, believing he was promised more minutes. José Mourinho retains full faith in the young winger and is trying to introduce him to the team slowly to reduce the pressure on his shoulders. (Source: Okdiario)

Real Madrid are planning to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland next summer. Those close to Haaland insist a release clause can help facilitate a move, but City have denied the existence of such a mechanism. (Source: José Félix Díaz)

Barcelona are ready to make a swap offer for Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez that would see them part ways with both midfielder Gavi and $93 million (€80 million) in cash. (Source: El Nacional)

Also of interest to Barcelona is Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller. Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus are known admirers of the 23-year-old. (Source: fussball-news)

Having failed with a summer pursuit, Barcelona are planning to reignite their interest in FC Twente center back Ruud Nijstad at a later date. (Source: Matteo Moretto)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Transfer Rumors: Man Utd’s $200 Million Raid; Arsenal, Chelsea Battle for Raphinha.

Although Premier League fixtures for 2026–27 were made public in June, pretty much every match—with certain midweek exceptions—is provisionally scheduled for 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, with dates and kickoff times subject to change until just a few weeks before.

That is because TV rights holders in the U.K. will take their pick of which matches to broadcast live, which involves changing the time—earlier or later—or potentially the day—to Friday, Sunday or Monday. If this happens too close to the event it can wreak havoc for fans attending matches, usually regarding transport to and from the stadium—and particularly for the away support.

The vast majority still use public transport to attend Premier League matches.

Accessing transport at certain times—like Sunday nights—is bad enough year round. But it’s even worse at Christmas when bus and train services run less frequently or shut down altogether. So, as much advance notice as possible is helpful.

The Daily Mail writes Manchester United were involved in talks with the Premier League and broadcasters to request that fans “be looked after” when considering TV picks. Several other clubs are believed to have been in similar contact.

Things are still not perfect. Manchester City fans traveling to and from Newcastle for an 8 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 26, will be a challenge, for example. But at least the game chosen for a late start on Sunday, Dec. 27, is an all-London clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace.

Big Change to Christmas Fixtures From Last Season

Soccer during the Christmas period has long been a big deal in England. Although matches haven’t been played on Christmas Day since the early 1960s, Boxing Day—Dec. 26—has become a sacred part of the calendar.

It was once the case that all 20 Premier League clubs would play on Boxing Day, regardless of what actual day of the week it fell. Change has meant TV picks spread the matchday over two or three days, yet as recently as 2024–25, most clubs still played on Dec. 26, which was a Thursday that year. Last season, there was criticism and major disappointment because only one match—Manchester United 1–0 Newcastle United—actually took place on Boxing Day.

This season, which sees Boxing Day fall on a Saturday, there are seven matches scheduled. The other three for that matchday will happen on Dec. 27.

Part of the attraction to Christmas soccer in England is the relentlessness of it. While other leagues—La Liga included—take time off during and/or after the holidays, the Premier League goes harder. In addition to Dec. 26/27, there is a full slate of matches on Dec. 29/30, on Jan. 1/2/3 and on Jan. 5/6/7. Every club will play four times within a maximum of 13 days.

Premier League Christmas Fixtures—Dec. 26–Jan. 7

Saturday, Dec. 26

• Aston Villa vs. Leeds United (12:30 p.m. GMT, 7:30 a.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Sunderland (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Brentford (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bournemouth (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Hull City vs. Liverpool (5:30 p.m. GMT, 12:30 p.m. ET)
• Newcastle United vs. Manchester City (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Dec. 27

• Coventry City vs. Chelsea (2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET)
• Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest (4:30 p.m. GMT, 11:30 a.m. ET)
• Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal (7 p.m. GMT, 2 p.m. ET)

Tuesday, Dec. 29

• Hull City vs. Leeds United (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Manchester City (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Dec. 30

• Coventry City vs. Brentford (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Crystal Palace vs. Bournemouth (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Arsenal (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Manchester United vs. Sunderland (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Newcastle United vs. Nottingham Forest (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Aston Villa vs. Liverpool (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Chelsea (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Friday, Jan. 1

• Leeds United vs. Everton (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

Saturday, Jan. 2

• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United (12:30 p.m. GMT, 7:30 a.m. ET)
• Arsenal vs. Ipswich Town (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Brentford vs. Crystal Palace (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Liverpool vs. Coventry City (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Nottingham Forest vs. Fulham (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Sunderland vs. Hull City (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa (5:30 p.m. GMT, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Jan. 3

• Chelsea vs. Newcastle United (2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET)
• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (4:30 p.m. GMT, 11:30 a.m. ET)

Tuesday, Jan. 5

• Arsenal vs. Brentford (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Bournemouth (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Aston Villa (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Nottingham Forest vs. Hull City (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Sunderland vs. Liverpool (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Jan. 6

• Crystal Palace vs. Chelsea (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Tottenham Hotspur (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Coventry City (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Leeds United vs. Manchester City (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Thursday, Jan. 7

• Manchester United vs. Newcastle United (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Full Premier League 2026–27 Christmas Schedule: Big Changes, Boxing Day Mayhem.

As the USMNT approaches its first games since falling out of the 2026 World Cup on home soil in the round of 16 against Belgium, the new roster and path to 2030 begin in earnest. For Pochettino, it comes with a new contract and a long-term vision, with the LA 2028 Olympic U-23 tournament also a priority for U.S. Soccer. 

In the coming weeks, Pochettino will call in an expected expanded roster for friendlies against Peru, Chile, Canada and Mexico, with all of those considerations a part of the mix.

Here, Sports Illustrated dives into four currently uncapped players who could make their way onto the list later this month. 

4. Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg)

SV Elversberg, representing a town of just 11,000 people, is one of the best stories to start the 2026–27 European season. In the latest chapter of their meteoric rise from the depths of German soccer, they have secured three wins in their first three Bundesliga matches.

Cole Campbell, a 20-year-old right winger, has played a big part in the early-season success, scoring in an opening 3–2 win over Bayer Leverkusen and amassing 129 minutes through the first two games. 

While Pochettino’s attacking positions have relative depth at this point, it would be borderline malpractice for the Argentine not to give an in-form youngster a chance this fall. At the very least, he is worth a look at the national team level and could be a perfect fit for the Olympics in just under two years. 

3. Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace)

Zavier Gozo is not in as good a position to contribute to the USMNT as he was when he made a late push for the World Cup roster amid a stellar start to the season with Real Salt Lake. While he set a record for the most expensive outgoing homegrown sale this summer with his $15 million move to Crystal Palace, he has played just 39 minutes since leaving MLS at the senior level. 

Still, bringing in the transition-minded wingback could be worthwhile in the expanded roster and would at the very least give him some needed minutes. It is also expected that Steve Cherundolo will be a part of the camp, and giving Gozo a chance to impress in front of the U.S. Olympic manager for the Los Angeles 2028 Games could be worthwhile, given the likelihood that Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest maintain their starting roles on the USMNT’s first-choice squad.

2. Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union)

The future of the center back position is in serious doubt with the expected retirement of World Cup captain Tim Ream. Crystal Palace stalwart Chris Richards will maintain a leadership role at the heart of defense, but the other position on the backline will see experimentation over the next period. 

Neil Pierre will certainly get a look at some point, and the relatively low-stakes fall friendlies, with an expanded roster, could be the perfect time to give him a first look. Standing at a towering 6’7”, the 18-year-old has enjoyed a breakout MLS campaign alongside Cavan Sullivan with the Philadelphia Union, amassing 754 minutes this season and developing into a starting-caliber central defender. 

While he’s not likely to be the option next to Richards in important fixtures just yet, that potential is there and is a worthwhile look. His height and set-piece threat, with four goals this season, would also add an aspect the USMNT doesn’t currently have.

1. Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union)

It would be very easy for Pochettino and the USMNT to fully dive into the Cavan Sullivan hype. 

The 16-year-old phenom is starring for the Philadelphia Union in MLS and has hit breakout form with three goals and six assists in his last six games,  pushing his side back into the MLS Cup playoff picture.

But standing in his way is Pochettino. Speaking to reporters this week, the Argentine boss poured cold water on those hoping to see a mass influx of young talent into the senior men’s national team. He emphasized the need for targeted arrogance and confidence, as well as patience, to balance experience and youth in this new wave. 

It’s clear Sullivan’s play is deserving of a call-up and he will probably get his first this fall. Once the teenager gets into the camp, though, expect a much more sheltered approach than he is experiencing with the Union. 

“We need to be careful,” Pochettino said of young players, “because when you are young, of course you need to be confident. You need to have the trust in yourself, the belief that you can perform and you can do well, but the thing is that there’s a limit. The balance is the most important, and one of our responsibilities is to protect these guys.”

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Four Uncapped Players the USMNT Could Call for Fall Friendlies—Ranked.

Premier League

Arsenal are readying a bid of $139.5 million (£103 million) to sign Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez once the January transfer window opens. (Source: Fichajes)

The idea of a swap deal involving Alvarez and Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres was discussed during the summer. Gyökeres is not seen as untouchable and was even touted to officials in Saudi Arabia. (Source: Ben Jacobs)

Erling Haaland intends to leave Manchester City at the end of the season and has already held meetings to plan his next move. He would rather join Barcelona over Real Madrid, where he has concerns over the balance of power in a squad that already features Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande. (Source: El Nacional)

Liverpool and Manchester United are both tracking Newcastle United center back Malick Thiaw as a possible future target. (Source: CaughtOffside)

But Man Utd face frustration in pursuit of left back Lewis Hall, who has reached an agreement to extend his contract with Newcastle. (Source: Ben Jacobs)

Adam Wharton is expected to leave Crystal Palace by next summer at the very latest. The midfielder is eager to play regular European minutes, handing Liverpool a boost ahead of fellow suitors Newcastle. (Source: TEAMtalk)

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd are all tracking Atlético Madrid center back Marc Pubill. (Source: fussball-news)

Chelsea, Man Utd, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur and Atlético Madrid are all following 21-year-old Palmeiras striker Vitor Roque, formerly of Barcelona. (Source: Sportowy)

As they sought a replacement for Enzo Fernández during the summer, Chelsea showed late interest in Sander Berge from rivals Fulham. (Source: BBC Sport)