1
Spurs search to keep away from Postecoglou pressure
If Ange Postecoglou refuses to alter his fashion, and Tottenham merely can’t change their tradition, the place does that go away each events? Spurs are nonetheless a way off a disaster, nevertheless it’s an deadlock that would trigger combustion. “I didn’t get right here by doing what everybody else is doing,” Postecoglou advised Australian media this week, admitting that “sitting” on the Brighton loss – wherein Spurs utterly collapsed within the second half – has made for an agonising worldwide break. Regardless of profitable 5 on the bounce earlier than the journey to the south coast, something lower than victory in opposition to West Ham will put additional pressure on the connection between Tottenham’s supervisor and their supporters, which might more and more lurch from one excessive to the opposite. Dominic Sales space
2
Thrilling Traoré wants crowning glory
Not many wingers could make Kyle Walker eat mud. Then once more, not many wingers are as fast or sturdy as Adama Traoré. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old remains to be looking for an finish product to match his coruscating velocity. Entering into goalscoring positions will not be the issue. Traoré had three clear alternatives throughout Fulham’s defeat by Manchester Metropolis earlier this month however was unable to supply a medical end on every event. It was irritating to look at and Fulham will hope to see an enchancment from the Spain worldwide after they host Aston Villa. Traoré, who has one purpose this season, has a lot going for him. He can be devastating if he may discover extra composure. Jacob Steinberg
3
Stakes excessive for Tractor Boys and Toffees
Eight video games in and it’s already relegation six-pointer time. Ipswich in seventeenth are one of many Premier League’s 4 winless wonders. In beating Crystal Palace on 28 September Everton, sixteenth, exited that choose membership, and subsequent held Newcastle to a draw because of Jordan Pickford saving a penalty from Anthony Gordon. Evertonians will hope for extra of the identical, fairly than the chaotic efficiency Pickford delivered in opposition to Greece for England final week. Ipswich will search to bounce again from their first poor efficiency of the season at West Ham, who drove a bus via Kieran McKenna’s adventurous ways in profitable 4-1, notably throughout a ruinous second half stuffed with poor defending. Axel Tuanzebe’s continued absence after reducing his hand within the depths of a washing-up bowl is a major blow to Ipswich’s defence. Equally, Everton have missed Jarrad Branthwaite, whose comeback in that Palace sport visibly improved the staff earlier than he then tweaked a thigh muscle. He’s again in coaching. John Brewin
4
United’s questions and doubts pile up
All eyes on the chief field at Outdated Trafford to see if Sir Alex Ferguson, his profitable ambassador stipend chopped by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, takes his seat. In the meantime, Erik ten Hag fights on, his employment prospects most likely improved by Thomas Tuchel turning into England supervisor. United’s dour, forgettable draw at Aston Villa additionally becalmed the whirl of hypothesis if not the run of accidents which have plagued the Dutchman’s reign. The lack of Harry Maguire has added to choice points, as have Noussair Mazraoui’s coronary heart palpitations requiring minor corrective surgical procedure. Manuel Ugarte can also be reported to have a suffered a muscle downside whereas on Uruguay responsibility. The midfielder is an costly signing presupposed to anchor the midfield however has accomplished 90 minutes for United solely as soon as, his new supervisor seemingly reluctant to make use of him. Has one thing comparable occurred with Matthijs de Ligt, who was dropped for the sport in opposition to Villa? JB
5
Minteh out to show level on Tyneside
Yankuba Minteh makes his first return to Newcastle since becoming a member of Brighton for £33m in late June. In actuality the 20-year-old Gambia proper winger was very not often on Tyneside after signing from Odense for just below £6m in the summertime of 2023. Nearly instantly after arriving at Newcastle, a purchase order pushed by the membership’s former sporting director Dan Ashworth, Minteh went out on a season-long mortgage to Feyenoord. After starring below Arne Slot final time period, Eddie Howe harboured excessive hopes for Minteh however, as an alternative, PSR considerations prompted a rushed sale that some at St James’ Park worry will show an enormous mistake. Up to now this season Minteh has began 5 of Brighton’s seven league video games, scoring his first purpose for Fabian Hürzeler’s facet in the 3-2 comeback win in opposition to Tottenham. The winger is claimed to have been extraordinarily reluctant to go away Newcastle however now he threatens to indicate his former public, supervisor and teammates exactly what they’re lacking. Louise Taylor
6
Will pragmatic Foxes stymie Saints?
Southampton search to interrupt their Premier League duck after a pair of very totally different 3-1 defeats. After shedding at Bournemouth, Russell Martin laid into his gamers, “harm by the dearth of spirit and struggle” whereas after Arsenal he had “taken quite a lot of coronary heart, encouragement and perception from the efficiency”. Regardless of Saints’ outcomes, a major proportion of followers are supportive of Martin’s dedication to his fashion of soccer. The identical might not be true of Leicester’s supporters for his or her supervisor. Maybe it’s the Nottingham Forest connection, maybe it’s that Steve Cooper’s pragmatism means Leicester not play within the adventurous trend they did below Enzo Maresca. The win over Bournemouth final day out was Leicester’s first victory within the league. Cooper’s star man has been Facundo Buonanotte, the Brighton loanee. It’s hoped his passage again from Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers is comfy sufficient for him to be included. JB
after publication promotion
7
Merino in however Saka out for Gunners?
The break was each a blessing and a curse for Mikel Arteta. He can have been buoyed by the sight of Mikel Merino turning out for Spain of their Nations League victories over Denmark and Serbia, the summer season signing taking part in 90 minutes throughout the 2 fixtures. It should absolutely give Merino’s membership supervisor the inexperienced mild to unleash him alongside Declan Rice at Bournemouth in his most popular midfield pairing. But the break additionally introduced ache for Arsenal as Bukayo Saka hobbled off in England’s Nations League nightmare in opposition to Greece. The winger’s damage could present one other hurdle for Arteta to clear in his quest to topple Pep Guardiola and Manchester Metropolis. The Gunners have been largely lucky with accidents up to now two seasons as they’ve challenged for the title, however the trendy schedule implies that was unlikely to final for ever. DB
8
Metropolis’s McAtee making strikes
Few gamers had a extra bittersweet worldwide break than James McAtee. The 21-year-old Manchester Metropolis midfielder scored 3 times for England Beneath-21s, together with twice in opposition to Ukraine, the primary of which was a rasping free-kick. After the sport McAtee devoted his double to George Baldock, whom he spent two years alongside whereas on mortgage at Sheffield United. “Once I was there he welcomed me with open arms, he sorted me,” mentioned McAtee, who celebrated by lifting his shirt to disclose a message which learn: “GB 2 REST EASY BROTHER X.” McAtee, a fixture in Metropolis’s squads this season, is unlikely to start out at Wolves on Sunday however, having scored on his final membership look, in a 4-0 Champions League win in opposition to Slovan Bratislava at the beginning of this month, if required Pep Guardiola is aware of he can flip to a person in kind. Ben Fisher
9
Shuffled back-lines for Anfield conflict
Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca have benefited from comparatively settled defences all through their spectacular begins to life at Liverpool and Chelsea, with the previous boasting the perfect defensive file within the Premier League at current, however each face disruption to their backlines for what must be a revealing contest at Anfield. The guests will probably be with out the suspended Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella after every collected a fifth reserving of the season in the feisty draw with Nottingham Forest earlier than the worldwide break. Mohamed Salah’s duel with Renato Veiga, Cucurella’s potential alternative at left-back, could possibly be intriguing. Liverpool’s loss is proscribed to at least one, however a vastly influential one nonetheless, with Alisson sidelined till after November’s worldwide break together with his second hamstring damage of the marketing campaign. Caoimhín Kelleher proved an in a position deputy within the wins over Bournemouth and West Ham, because the Republic of Eire worldwide normally does, and possesses the temperament to place Sunday’s mistake in opposition to Greece instantly behind him. Andy Hunter
10
Forest dealing with out-of-sorts Eagles
It’s a battle between two of the shock packages below the Monday evening lights. However whereas Nottingham Forest have defied most pre-season predictions by shedding simply as soon as of their first seven video games, Crystal Palace have confounded expectations for the mistaken causes. It’s too early to recommend Oliver Glasner’s job is at risk given the influence he had final season, however the reality Palace have did not win a league sport up to now can’t merely be defined by the summer season sale of Michael Olise. There’s been a bluntness to the Eagles, an absence of cohesion the Austrian should tackle, beginning with this journey. With video games in opposition to Tottenham and Aston Villa lurking across the nook, it received’t get any simpler. The glimmer of hope for Glasner is Forest’s house kind; they’ve not received at house in 4 makes an attempt in all competitions this season. DB
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