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Basel 0-0 Aston Villa. Dominik Schmid meets a cross looping in from the right by steering a shot with the inside of his foot towards the bottom left. Easy enough for Marco Bizot in the Villa goal.

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GOAL! Celtic 0-1 Roma (Mancini 6)

Roma win the first corner of the evening, and score from it. Matias Soulé swings it in from the right, Gianluca Mancini rises above Liam Scales and plants a header into the top-right corner. Simple as that. In the dugout, Wilfried Nancy sits expressionless.

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Shelbourne 0-0 Crystal Palace. In the Conference League, Marc Guéhi is this close to prodding home amid a penalty-box meleé.

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Celtic 0-0 Roma. Itâ€s all Roma in the early exchanges. The home side struggling to get a touch.

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Celtic 0-0 Roma. Celtic are wearing black armbands tonight, on account of John ‘Dixie†Deans, who passed away this week at the age of 79. A bona-fide club legend, Deans scored hat-tricks in both the 1972 Scottish Cup final and 1974 League Cup final, against Hibs on both occasions.

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The 8pms are go. Itâ€s all happening, all over Europe.

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This is the Europa League after the 5.45pms and before the 8pms. Nottingham Forest in the top-eight places for now, Rangers as good as out.

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The early full-times

• Dinamo Zagreb 1-3 Real Betis

• Ferencváros 2-1 Rangers

• Ludogorets 3-3 PAOK

• Midtjylland 1-0 Genk

• Nice 0-1 Sporting Braga

• Sturm Graz 0-1 Red Star Belgrade

• Stuttgart 4-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv

• Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest

• Young Boys 1-0 Lille

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FULL TIME: Ferencváros 2-1 Rangers

Findlay Curtis has one final effort tipped around the post, and thatâ€s it. Robbie Keaneâ€s side, who wear green and white hoops, have done a number on Rangers. Danny Röhlâ€s team are as good as out of this yearâ€s Europa League.

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FULL TIME: Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest

A huge win for Sean Dycheâ€s side. Forestâ€s first away win in Europe for 30 years, since a 1-0 win at Auxerre in the 1995-96 Uefa Cup, Steve Stone the hero that day. Their dreams of a top-eight finish are still alive!

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Ferencváros 2-1 Rangers. Findlay Curtis sends another fine cross in from the left. Dujon Sterling extends a leg to meet, six yards out, but slices over the bar. Curtis holds his head in his hands and screams: “Come on, man!†Pure frustration.

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Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest. Callum Hudson-Odoi nearly wraps things up by steering a drive towards the bottom right from 25 yards. Vasilis Barkas saves spectacularly.

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GOAL! Utrecht 1-2 Nottingham Forest (Igor Jesus 88)

Morgan Gibbs-White wedges a ball down the inside-left channel. Callum Hudson-Odoi cut-chips it back for Dan Ndoye, whose header is parried. But the ball drops to Igor Jesus, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He slots, having been on the pitch for a grand total of 88 seconds!

Igor Jesus scores for Forest! Photograph: Maurice van Steen/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 14.42 EST

Ferencváros 2-1 Rangers. Rangers havenâ€t achieved much in their search for an equaliser. But now they launch a rare attack, Findlay Curtis making good down the left and crossing long for Dujon Sterling, who heads powerfully over the bar from six yards. Itâ€s not much, but itâ€s something, with time running out for Rangers, who will be as good as out if they donâ€t scrape a point.

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Stuttgart 3-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv. Some bonus content here. No need to thank us! And there really is no need to thank us, because it comes courtesy of our old MBM and Clockwatch pal Kári Tulinius. “Stuttgart looked like they were heading to the most comfortable of home wins when they went 3-0 up after yet another defensive rick by Maccabi, when the normally reliable Alexander Nübel tried to save Roy Revivoâ€s shot with a hand so weak it seemed like it was made out of cottage cheese. The comedy defending moment still goes to the visitors, though, who let in an opener after a covering defender simply fell on his behind while tracking a high ball, giving Lorenz Assignon all the time in the world to measure the aim on his volley.â€

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GOAL! Ferencváros 2-1 Rangers (Varga 72)

Callum Oâ€Dowda swings a ball in from the left wing. Barnabás Varga heads into the top-right corner from close range. He couldnâ€t miss, partly because the nearest defender, Emmanuel Fernandez, was the wrong side of the striker, facing upfield, then span around in confusion, making no challenge whatsoever. Comically poor defending.

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Updated at 14.22 EST

GOAL! Utrecht 1-1 Nottingham Forest (van der Hoorn 73)

A free kick swung in long from the right. Mike van der Hoorn stoops at the far post to guide a header home from close range. Dan Ndoye was in the area but powerless to do anything.

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Celtic v Roma. Wilfried Nancyâ€s first match as Celtic boss ended in a 2-1 home defeat to Hearts. Nevertheless, heâ€s named the same starting XI tonight, fielding a back three of Kieran Tierney, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty. Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson starts for Roma.

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Basel v Aston Villa. Villa make several changes after the 2-1 win over Arsenal. Emi Buendía is rewarded for his late winner with a starting spot, while Jadon Sancho gets a runout. Marco Bizot starts in goal in place of Emi Martinez. Xherdan Shaqiri, once of Liverpool and Stoke City, captains Basel.

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Utrecht 0-1 Nottingham Forest. Arnaud Kalimuendo is this close to his second goal, but canâ€t bundle home a corner whipped long from the left to the far post. Forest are on top and looking pretty comfortable.

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Updated at 14.04 EST

The big 8pm team news

Basel: Hitz, Tsunemoto, Adjetey, Daniliuc, Schmid, Metinho, Leroy, Bacanin, Traore, Shaqiri, Otele.
Subs: Salvi, Pfeiffer, Vouilloz, Koindredi, Broschinski, Soticek, Salah, Ajeti, Barisic, Ruegg, Cisse, Ze.
Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Digne, Bogarde, Onana, Guessand, Buendia, Sancho, Malen.
Subs: Wright, Oakley, McGinn, Tielemans, Watkins, Garcia, Maatsen, Rogers, Kamara, Hemmings.

Celtic: Schmeichel, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, Yang, McGregor, Engels, Tounekti, Nygren, Maeda, Hatate.
Subs: Sinisalo, Doohan, Balikwisha, McCowan, Iheanacho, Kenny, Bernardo, Murray, Donovan, Ralston.
Roma: Svilar, Mancini, Nâ€Dicka, Hermoso, Celik, Soule, El Aynaoui, Rensch, Pisilli, El Shaarawy, Ferguson.
Subs: De Marzi, Gollini, Angelino, Cristante, Pellegrini, Tsimikas, Kone, Dybala, Ziolkowski, Bailey, Franca, Ghilardi.

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GOAL! Utrecht 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Kalimuendo 52)

Arnaud Kalimuendo breaks the deadlock in the Netherlands. He absolutely barges his way down the inside-left channel, through rather than past two challenges, and slots across the keeper Vasilis Barkas and into the bottom right. An old-fashioned strikerâ€s goal.

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Updated at 13.57 EST

… the half-time scores are:

Rangers had been leading thanks to an acrobatic Bojan Miovski bicycle kick, but Bence Ötvös equalised at the very end of five additional minutes. File under: Could Be Worse.

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Preamble

There are a couple of big games in the Europa League tonight.

• Basel v Aston Villa

• Celtic v Roma

See? Also in the Conference League Shelbourne welcome Crystal Palace while Aberdeen host Strasbourg, so weâ€ll keep an eye out for those too. All of those games kick off at 8pm GMT. But what of the ones that started at 5.45pm, such as Ferencvaros v Rangers and Utrecht v Nottingham Forest, you ask? Well …

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Watch Celtic vs Roma for a standout clash in matchweek six of the Europa League today, with all the details on live streams and TV channels right here in this guide.

Celtic vs Roma key information

• Date:Thursday, 11 December 2025

• Kick-off time:8:00pm BST / 3:00pm ET

• Venue:Celtic Park, Glasgow

• TV & Streaming: TNT Sports / Discovery+ (UK), Paramount+ (USA), Stan Sport (Australia)

• Free stream:Auvio (Belgium)

• Watch from anywhere:Get this NordVPN deal

This is Wilfried Nancy’s second game in charge of Celtic since taking over from interim boss Martin O’Neill last week, and pressure is on after that first game ended in a defeat to Hearts.

The pressure is certainly on in the Europa League table, with Celtic 21st on seven points and needing a win to have a chance of challenging for the top eight places that earn automatic qualification for the knockout rounds. Defeat could see them drop into the direct elimination zone of 25th to 36th.

Roma are in a similar position, six places and two points ahead. They’ve won their last two in the Europa League but have stuttered at home in Serie A, losing two in a row to cede top spot in the table.

It should be a great game, and FourFourTwo has all the information you need to watch Celtic vs Roma online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Celtic vs Roma for free?

You can watch Celtic vs Roma for free in Belgium, where RTBF is showing the game on TV and on its Auvio streaming platform. Coverage is geo-restricted.

Watch Celtic vs Roma from anywhere

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How to watch Celtic vs Roma in the UK?

Fans in the UK can watch Celtic vs Roma on TNT Sports 3 and the Discovery+ streaming platform.

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Celtic vs Roma is available for streaming in the United States on Paramount+.

How to watch Celtic vs Roma in Australia

Football fans in Australia can watch Celtic vs Roma live through Stan Sport.

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He has never managed in Europe, far less in the Glasgow goldfish bowl. So Nancy, if he is to be successful, is going to need help. From his board of directors, from his players and from the Celtic support.

There is a possible parallel here with the first few months of Ange Postecoglou’s reign. He too was a relatively unheralded arrival back in the summer of 2021, although far more experienced and successful than Nancy, who took his first-ever management job in senior football that same year.

The Australian’s style of play was immediately appealing to a large section of the Celtic support, who then gave him the latitude to lose half of his first six Premiership matches.

From a slow start, he was able to overhaul the league leaders by February and never looked back.

Nancy’s problem is that he is coming to the table mid-season, with a weaker squad.

He will have to rely heavily on his captain, Calum McGregor. The man who’s been an integral part of a successful dressing room for well over a decade now.

Rodgers and Postecoglou leaned on McGregor heavily. Doubtless, Nancy will do the same, at least initially, until the Frenchman finds a foothold in the Scottish game.

He developed Alastair Johnston at Montreal before selling the right-back to Celtic. Is the Canadian a future Celtic captain under his old coach? One for the future that.

As for relationships with the Celtic directors, two words should help Nancy realise the importance of managing upwards – Brendan Rodgers.

It was all going swimmingly for the talismanic Northern Irishman, laden with trophies bedecked in green and white ribbons. Until it was not – and the club’s major shareholder let rip.

Nancy will know, now more than ever in Celtic’s recent history, that the current board is not popular with elements of the club’s fanbase but can give him the tools he needs to melt the ongoing ice if he can keep them all onside.

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Martin O’Neill has heaped praised on the Celtic players he will lead for the last time on Wednesday as the interim manager prepares to bid farewell.

The 73-year-old will make way for Wilfried Nancy after the home game against Dundee and is hoping to make it seven wins from eight games in charge.

With a 100% record in the league, O’Neill has helped narrow the gap on Premiership leaders Hearts from eight points to two, while there was a League Cup semi-final success against Rangers and a win away to Feyenoord in the Europa League.

The only blemish came with defeat to Midtjylland in the same competition.

“I just think the nice thing about the players is that they have responded,” said O’Neill. “They’ve shown a willingness to try and implement some of the things that I think are important about the game.

“They’ve been great and I couldn’t praise them highly enough. There’s one more game for me. They’ve got big, big matches ahead.

“When I was watching Celtic from afar, you can form an opinion about players and then find out that when you’re actually working with them, that’s different, either good or bad.

“For instance, I thought from afar that the captain [Callum McGregor] was a really good player. I didn’t realise how good he is.

“Some players who have played almost every single minute of games have been absolutely outstanding.

“And then you’re getting to know some players. And I said to some of the lads, I mean [Michel-Ange] Balikwisha hasn’t played under me. The next manager will step in, play him and find out he could be the best – and I’ve made that point to him.

“And that’s for all of them. The incoming manager will have maybe a different opinion on some players than I would have. That does not mean I’m right.”

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Martin Oâ€Neill continued his resuscitation of Celticâ€s season by overseeing a fourth consecutive Premiership victory, at Hibernian, on the day it emerged his caretaker stint is to last a while longer.

The hard-fought 2-1 win, secured with first-half goals from Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels, moved the resurgent champions within two points of the faltering Hearts with a game in hand.

It was widely expected the trip to Easter Road would represent Oâ€Neillâ€s farewell outing, with Celtic having planned to announce Wilfried Nancy as their new permanent manager on Monday. But the 73-year-old Northern Irishman revealed before kick-off that he had received a call on Saturday to say “the process is still ongoing†and that “thereâ€s a really decent chance†he would still be in charge for the visit of Dundee on Wednesday.

Hibs presented the champions with the opener after 27 minutes. Playing out from the back, the goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger – under no real pressure – opted to pass to Miguel Chaiwa despite the fact he had Reo Hatate breathing down his neck. The Japanese midfielder nicked possession, advanced into the box and rolled it into the path of his countryman Maeda, who slotted into the empty net from eight yards out.

Having looked comfortable until that point, Hibs suddenly found themselves two down within a minute when Yang Hyun-jun clipped in an inviting cross from the left and Engels stooped to power home a header from just outside the six-yard box.

Hibs came back into the match after the interval and they reduced the deficit in the 56th minute after being awarded a penalty. Jack Iredaleâ€s goalbound header from a Jordan Obita corner was deemed to have been blocked by the arm of Liam Scales after a video assistant referee check and Martin Boyle duly slotted his spot-kick to the left of Kasper Schmeichel, who remained rooted to the spot.

The hosts chased an equaliser thereafter but – aided by a big save from Schmeichel to deny Chris Cadden – Celtic held firm to make further ground on Hearts.

Hearts had their goalkeeper, Alexander Schwolow, to thank as they survived a late onslaught to claim a goalless draw against MotherwellonSaturday. The German made a string of quality saves to keep out Motherwell, who also had two goals ruled out for offside.

The Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow makes one of several saves against Motherwell. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Derek McInnes admitted he was disappointed with the way his Hearts side finished the game. “We spoke at half-time about more belief in our work and more belief to step into the game,†he said. “We had some good moments and stifled Motherwell. I donâ€t think they had any rhythm.

“I thought the game was there to be won, but then in the last 15 minutes we took a step back again. Weâ€ve got Alex to thank for our point – if anybody looked like they were going to win it, it was Motherwell. I thought we were good enough for our point, though not enough for three points.â€

Despite failing to win for the third game on the spin, McInnes believes there is a need for perspective. Hearts are now five points ahead at the top of the Premiership, though their nearest challengers Celtic have two games in hand.

McInnes said: “Our points tally is good. Weâ€ve had one defeat in 14 games, weâ€re trying to get a bit of perspective. Everybody was getting a bit excited, and rightly so, at the start. Other than two or three games, every win has been hard-fought.

“A lot of people leaning into this game were probably anticipating Motherwell beating us. Itâ€s a point on the road. We came with a big support and a lot of expectation – itâ€s our fault the expectation has risen, and weâ€re all right with that.â€

Danny Röhlâ€s winning start to Premiership life as Rangers head coach come to a halt on Sunday as Falkirk secured their second point against them this season. The Bairns held Rangers to a goalless draw at Ibrox with Scott Bain making a brilliant one-handed stop from Djeidi Gassama midway through the second half.

The hosts struggled to put the former Celtic goalkeeper under serious pressure, though, and a four-match winning run in the league ended. The result leaves Rangers in fourth place and nine points adrift of Hearts, while Falkirk have now lost just once in eight matches.

Rangers†Bojan Miovski can find no way past Falkirkâ€s Scott Bain. Photograph: Kirk Oâ€Rourke/Rangers FC/Shutterstock

The first game in that run was a home draw with Rangers that cost Russell Martin his job amid supporter unrest and the home fans again showed their displeasure as boos met the full-time whistle. Their biggest cheer of the day came when the former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield came off the bench for the visitors.

Dundee came from behind to end a run of four defeats and secure a 3-1 victory against St Mirren at Dens Park. St Mirren took the lead through Mikael Mandron, but the home side hit back twice before the break thanks to an Alex Gogic own goal and a cracker from Drey Wright before Joe Westley sealed the win late on with his sideâ€s third.

The result lifted Dundee to ninth and relieved some of the pressure on Steven Pressley. St Mirren slipped to 10th after a third defeat on the bounce.

Jim Goodwin fumed at Matthew MacDermidâ€s hugely controversial decision to award Kilmarnock a penalty after Dundee Unitedâ€s 1-1 draw at Rugby Park. Both struggling sides shared the spoils after Craig Sibbald levelled for United after the hosts opened the scoring on 34 minutes from the spot.

MacDermid judged that Krisztian Keresztes barged into the back of Marley Watkins, but contact was extremely minimal. Dave Richards saved Bruce Andersonâ€s initial effort but the Kilmarnock striker slammed home the equaliser and Goodwin wasnâ€t at all pleased with the decision.

The United manager said: “The big talking point is the penalty kick that gets awarded to Kilmarnock. I canâ€t, for the life of me, having watched it back now half a dozen times after the game, believe that weâ€ve been done with a decision like that.

“I donâ€t understand how the referee is not called to the monitor to reassess the decision. And I think if he sees it again, I would be confident that he would have overturned it and not given the penalty.â€

Later on Sunday, Danny Röhl will be hoping to build on his four-match winning run in the league when Rangers host Falkirk. After two defeats in the Europa League, Röhl picked up a first point against Braga on Thursday.

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Goals from Yang Hyun-jun and Reo Hatate put Celtic in front after Ayase Ueda had given Feyenoord the lead, before Benjamin Nygren’s late goal sealed a landmark victory.

It is Celtic’s first win in the Netherlands since 2001, when O’Neill was first in charge and they knocked Ajax out of Champions League qualifying.

“We played really well,” he said. “There was a period where we were dominant, controlling the ball and exuding a lot of confidence, which was lovely to see.

“Going a goal behind, we could have crumbled. But we showed character and resilience and then when we got the equaliser, the confidence flooded into the side.

“I said to the players ‘you will get a chance to play tonight’. We took that chance.”

Celtic play Roma and Utrecht at home, either side of a trip to Bologna, in their three remaining league-stage fixtures. They sit 21st in the 36-team table on seven points.

“Judging from last season, you are looking for 10 or 11 points to qualify,” O’Neill added. “It won’t be easy, but Celtic have two home games and the confidence is in the side now.”

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy appears close to being appointed as Rodgers’ permanent successor and O’Neill thinks Celtic are well placed for the new man in charge, whoever it may be.

“He has got some players who are big winners,” O’Neill said. “I’m sure he will lean on some of those lads and then it’s about improving some of the other players.

“The restoration of confidence is big and it’s keeping it going after that.

“Winning away from home is terrific – it’s not easy away from home in Europe. It gives them belief that they can come and compete.”

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It feels cruel in part to use Thursdayâ€s meeting of Feyenoord and Celtic to reflect upon illustrious times. The Dutch side are 29th in the 36-team Europa League table, with Celticâ€s position in 27th only more slightly more palatable to supporters because Rangers are bottom of the pile.

Those fans disrupted an annual general meeting to the point of abandonment last week, demonstrating the disharmony that has engulfed Celtic for months. A club that progressed to the Champions Leagueâ€s knockout phase last season, looking an overdue but serious European force, have starkly regressed. Celtic have the spending power to outshine clubs who routinely embarrass them in a bigger pond than St Mirren and Motherwell occupy.

The European Cup final of 1970 remains so curious in a Celtic context because it is the showpiece occasion the club would rather forget. It provided rare missteps from Jock Stein and triggered the break-up of the Lisbon Lions. Celtic have never returned to the continentâ€s marquee match and, on all available evidence, never will. Feyenoordâ€s success at San Siro suitably incentivised Ajax to win the next three European Cups.

Celtic fans from Glasgow heading to Milan for the 1970 European Cup final. Photograph: Herald and Times /Shutterstock

“The European Cup final was a disaster for Celtic,†said the clubâ€s official magazine. “Nothing could be more futile than to try to deny this. It was a disaster for the players, for the management and perhaps most of all for the supporters.â€

Those fans were expectant; not unreasonably so after watching their team lift the trophy in the searing heat of Lisbon three years earlier. Celtic were domestically dominant. As written in The Story of Celtic of the 15th European Cup final: “It was to be the crowning glory on five fabulous years, the final seal of greatness and ultimate proof to some biased scribes south of the border that the men from Parkhead were no flash in the European pan.†Multiple European Cup winners are held in higher esteem.

Received wisdom is that Stein, ordinarily so detail-obsessed, badly underestimated Feyenoord. Not enough was known about Dutch footballâ€s emerging threat in Glasgowâ€s east end. Ajax had been comfortably beaten by Milan in the 1969 final, albeit their 5-1 thrashing of Liverpool in 1966 should have turned heads. The Celtic managerâ€s confidence had been fuelled by his teamâ€s victory over Leeds in the semi-final.

Less than two weeks later, Stein attended Feyenoordâ€s messy 3-3 draw with Ajax, an end-of-season fixture played in low-key conditions in a spartan stadium in Amsterdam. Celtic viewed the final with boldness; a sense that was to come back to haunt them when Stein handed out unwanted champagne bottles to supporters during a multiple-hour delay at Milanâ€s Malpensa airport post-match.

Celtic goalkeeper Evan Williams goes to pick the ball up from the net after Rinus Israëlâ€s equaliser. Photograph: Alamy

Tommy Gemmellâ€s opener for Celtic just before the half-hour was supposed to fuel a procession, even if the advantage was hardly merited. Rinus Israël equalised two minutes later. A replay would have been required had the teams finished level at the end of extra-time but the Sweden striker Ove Kindvall capitalised on an uncharacteristic Billy McNeill error with three minutes remaining.

McNeill was candid. “Two-one in extra time makes it seem close but we know the real difference was about four goals,†he said. “Everywhere that mattered, we got stuffed.â€

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Wim Jansen, who would later manage Celtic to a crucial Scottish top-flight win in 1998, was an architect of Steinâ€s downfall. Stein, under pressure to overhaul what had been a celebrated team, turned towards a group of young players known as the Quality Street Gang. Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari, Davie Hay, Danny McGrain, Paul Wilson and George Connelly may well have forged strong reputations in green and white anyway, but there is no question their progression was accelerated by events at San Siro.

Willem van Hanegem embraces Evan Williams at the end of extra time. Photograph: Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy

Feyenoord, captained by Jansen, lifted the Uefa Cup in 1974, seeing off Tottenham in what was then a two-leg final. Celticâ€s domestic dominance continued post-Milan, but their subsequent European sojourns peaked only in European Cup semi-final losses in 1972 and 1974. It was Martin Oâ€Neill, now back in charge on an interim basis, who guided them to the Uefa Cup final almost three decades later.

That night, of epic football drama in Seville against José Mourinho and Porto, remains a regular point of reference. The same cannot be said of 1970 and Feyenoord. Celticâ€s lost final. It was unquestionably also their missed opportunity.

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Former NBA player Rick Fox is running for political office in the Bahamas, he said Monday.

Fox announced his run for the Bahamas’ House of Assembly in 2026 via a statement on social media:

“The Bahamas must be first and it must start now.

“Today, Iâ€m announcing that I will be a candidate in the next general election.

“For months, Iâ€ve been listening closely to the hopes and frustrations of my fellow Bahamians. One truth is clear: the future of The Bahamas will depend on the choices we make right now.”

Rick Fox is running on a platform of affordable housing and healthcare in his native Bahamas.

(REUTERS / Reuters)

Fox, 56, was born in Toronto to a Bahamian father and Canadian mother. His family moved to the Bahamas when he was a child, and he grew up in Nassau. Fox picked up basketball in high school and went on to attend North Carolina, where he played four years for Hall of Fame head coach Dean Smith.

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Fox went on to a 13-year NBA career split between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Fox joined the Lakers in 1997 after five seasons with the Celtics and went on to win three championships while playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Fox retired from basketball in 2004 and has since embarked on a career that’s included acting and business ventures in gaming, private equity and sustainable construction. He’ll make his run for office as the Bahamas continues to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

In his announcement, Fox noted “world-class healthcare, affordable housing, and safe communities” as pillars of his platform.

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Here is a bit more from todayâ€s fiery Celtic AGM, with details from a pre-prepared video made by chairman Peter Lawwell, chief finance officer Chris McKay and chief executive Michael Nicholson now coming to light. The trio have been at the centre of demands for change from supporters groups following discontent over summer transfer business and failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Fans have grown increasingly frustrated over the clubâ€s ambition and transfer strategy and departed manager Brendan Rodgers did not hide his dissatisfaction with the speed of new arrivals during the summer.

McKay defended the clubâ€s summer cash reserve position of £77m as he stressed they had broken their transfer record twice in the 2024 summer window with the purchase of Adam Idah and Arne Engels.

The year-end cash figure was a consequence of a very successful year in terms of Champions League performance and player trading,†said McKay. “But itâ€s important to note thatâ€s a point of time, 30 June, which also happens to coincide with our cash high point in the year. But since then, weâ€ve invested in major infrastructure projects, weâ€ve been through a transfer window, and weâ€ve dropped to the Europa League this year. And all of that has an impact on cash, so the position today looks different. We would never be so presumptuous to assume that we would be in the Champions League every year, because history tells you something different.

Over the last year we invested the highest sums of money ever in the history of the club in the transfer window. We broke our transfer record twice. We had the highest first-team cost in the history of the club. We had the highest squad-carrying value in the history of the club. Thatâ€s not lack of ambition. Thatâ€s a willingness to back a football department and progress our team, and thatâ€s exactly what we did.

The summer transfer window was absolutely nothing to do with the sums of money we had in the bank. We indeed wanted to spend more, but for circumstances which weâ€ve covered elsewhere, we were unable to deliver on that.†PA Media

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Hello everyone! Given those injuries to Gabriel and Calafiori, who will line up, then, for Arsenal in the north London derby? Left back seems an easy fix, with Myles Lewis-Skelly waiting in the wings. The teenager will be eager to impress, not only so he can stay in Artetaâ€s starting XI, but also so he can force his way back into the England reckoning by the time the next international break (in late March!) rolls around.

Replacing Gabriel is not as straightforward, and not just because the Brazilian has been one of the standout defenders in world football this season. Arteta will choose between Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié, their two summer arrivals who were signed for exactly this sort of crisis hiccup (this is not a crisis). Arsenal fans, who would you prefer to start, and why?

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With that, I shall pass over to Michael Butler.

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Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has been talking about the derby atmosphere as Tottenham cross town to the Emirates.

“When you have everybody playing with that passion and emotion with the team in every single ball, it makes a difference. Weâ€re privileged with the way our fans have been with us at the Emirates. It is a game that emotionally requires something else. You cannot be too hot but the game demands that in every action you have to be at it a bit more than in any other game.â€

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Quiz, quiz, quiz: I got 15/17 though flubbed a football question.

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Arteta issues Gabriel update – ‘out for weeks’

Arsenal: Not good – or certain – news for Gunners. The star centre back got hurt when Brazil played Senegal, and thereâ€s another injured defender.

Mikel Arteta: “Yeah, Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury and heâ€s going to be out for weeks. We need to have another scan next Wednesday and we will have the timeline much more clear.â€

Riccardo Calafiori has a knock, too, after Italy duty: “Yeah he wasnâ€t available, heâ€s been carrying a few things and we had to bring him back. He hasnâ€t trained yet, we have a session tomorrow so we will see.â€

There may be some returnees: “We have put in a lot of energy to bring them back as quick as possible. Tomorrow we will have more clarity. I am hopeful that we will take another step tomorrow.â€

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Celtic: Martin Oâ€Neill, the interim manager, has been speaking after that stormy club AGM meeting was abandoned.

I thought it was a really sad, sad morning, really sad morning. I just wonder what the great Jock Stein would have thought of it all, who preached unity at the football club, said that a club not united would never be successful. Itâ€s as sad a morning as Iâ€ve seen. I mean Iâ€ve been to a few of these AGMs before and I suppose because weâ€ve been doing well at the time that it was nice. Not even sure I was ever asked a question in them at the time. But that was rather raucous.

There were people who would have wanted to ask questions and the board have said that theyâ€ve made mistakes. Thereâ€s only so many times that you can apologise and then you have to get on with things again. So weâ€ll start again and hopefully that will start when the new manager comes in. A united Celtic will be far better equipped to compete and try and win again.

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Tottenham: Thomas Frank has been speaking

“Pape (Sarr) trained today, ready and available. Lucas (Bergvall) trained today and is available. Kolo Muani, yes trained today, available – of course he has a mask he needs to play with…Dom [Solanke] is not ready yet. We are very aware that when we put him out there, we want to be as sure as we can that there will be no setback going forward. I am comfortable he will soon be ready.â€

Defenders Ben Davies and Kota Takai also returned to training this week and centre-back Radu Dragusin took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier this month to step up his recovery after he sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage in January.

Archie Gray is another back and Mohammed Kudus, who missed international duty with Ghana, has also returned to training in a further boost for Frank. James Maddison, Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski

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Via PA Media: “The Premier League announced details of the 2026-27 season on Friday, and it is understood that commitment to a greater number of Boxing Day matches remains.

“The league has pledged that no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours over the Christmas and New Year period, in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested festive schedule within the expanded international calendar.

“The season will kick off on 20 August, 2026 – 33 days on from the 2026 World Cup final.
The league said the 2026-27 season would conclude on Sunday, 30 May, 2027, ahead of the Champions League final which will be played on June 5, 2027.

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Manchester United: Good news for Ruben Amorim on Benjamin Seskoâ€s injury. “Itâ€s not that serious. Have to be careful. In a few weeks, expect to have him.â€

He hopes Sesko will be back by the time Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo take off to the AfCon. He also thinks Lisandro Martinez might return to play in a midfield position.

Itâ€s a year since Amorim was appointed, and heâ€s been reflecting on that.

“It was everything going really fast. The first thinking was the environment was different in the Premier League and I was excited with that. Right away I knew that we would struggle with some things but there was a feeling that yes, it was the best league and best club in the world. But at the same time it was a big job and it is going to take a lot of work.

“We are showing that [improvements] but the important thing is that it doesnâ€t matter what we did in the recent games we cannot forget that we still started in that point and suffered a lot last year and we have to take that into account. We have to play every game like it is the last one or the first one. But if you ask me, I expect a team with more control and more dominance, playing better football and the most important thing that we are more competitive in every way.â€

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More Fulham: These quotes from Marco Silva are not exactly fully committed to staying on at the Cottage.

“Not many things to share. First of all, grateful for the interest from the club. Even last season, we had some conversations. I am in permanent contract with the owner, but more with our CEO every single day. I was with Mr Khan a month ago when he showed again the interest to renew.

“We had some meeting like we normally have, not just about the contract but about the next man, the situation about Rodrigo [Muniz], the situation about what we want to do, and what will come in December and January for us and for us to be ready for it.

“They know I love to be in the football club, the Premier League is very hard, I am not an easy guy to deal with sometimes because I am very ambitious. And after almost five years with me to show the interest to keep me with the project going with the same person here is a very good sign.

“With myself, they should never worry. I never let them in this situation. Football is about results, about progressing, developing things. We know and they know, I know what the club needs to progress and develop. The feedback is there.’â€

Iâ€d be worried if I was a Fulham fan. Silva has done a fine job.

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Fulham: Marco Silva, with talk heâ€s been offered a new contract this week, has been short of firepower all season. Now, his best striker Rodrigo Muniz, has broken down in his recovery from injury.

Magic Marco. “Sad news for us, for [Rodrigo] Muniz. Painful for himself, a player that has big aims for the season to improve his numbers. Itâ€s always difficult when you see a player has taken a long time to come back, to recover from the injuries, and has a setback that obligates him to go for surgery and sort it out. The middle of February could be the time for him.â€

Fulham play Sunderland tomorrow at Craven Cottage. Thereâ€s been wild rumours Silva could be replaced by Brendan Rodgers.

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Wolves: A bit more Rob Edwards here, hitting the cliches pretty hard.

“Not looking at the table right now, just next session and game. Iâ€ll be clear with players this is what we are going to do and how to win games of football and get points. Itâ€s going to come from hard work.â€

When do managers start looking at the table?

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Liverpool: Interesting line from Arne Slot on Alexander Isak and Dominik Szoboszlai from earlier: “Alexander Isak with Sweden have 1 point out of 6 games in their group, and they still have a chance to reach the World Cup because they won Group ‘C†of the Nations League. Meanwhile Szoboszlaiâ€s Hungary played 2 good years of football, picking up quite a lot of points, but has no chance to qualify anymore. But luckily heâ€s used to disappointments lately here with this club [laughs].â€

Seems Szob may be in for a new contract soon. He deserves one on current form.

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Wolves: Ahead of his first game as manager, Rob Edwards has been speaking. “I did not want there to come a moment in 10/20 years where I look back and turned down this job,†he says. His team face Crystal Palace tomorrow, and need to start winning at home or he will be back in the Championship. “Feels amazing to be back. Really proud. Genuinely proud. I told staff and the players that. I will not lie, it has been an aim of mine since I got the under 18s job. It is something Iâ€ve always wanted to do. I want some clarity and to get to know the players. Interesting week with international break. Trying to get our messages across with as much clarity as possible, while trying to get to learn the lads. Thereâ€s no perfect job in football. I know the scale of the task. But also really excited by the challenge as well and got full belief in group.â€

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Handover: John Brewin is here to take up the cudgels, while I go for a lie-down.

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Andoni Iraola: Semenyo will continue to be our player

Bournemouth:Andoni Iraola endured a rather miserable international break, losing his Scottish winger Ben Gannon-Doak to a serious hamstring tear and his Dutch forward Justin Kluivert to an adductor muscle injury. Bournemouthâ€s Spanish head coach has also had to listen to – or try to ignore – no end of gossip linking Antoine Semenyo with a January move to a dizzying array of other clubs at home and abroad.

“We are in November,†he told reporters ahead of tomorrowâ€s match against West Ham at the Vitality Stadium. “Antoine is our player, he will continue to be our player. In January, you can ask me about the market but right now, I am not worried about the next market. I am not worried about the situation. In January, we will talk about whatever happened, the players we need.â€

In slightly better news for Iraola and Bournemouth fans, both Adam Smith and Tyler Adams have been cleared to play tomorrow after undergoing concussion protocols that curtailed their training schedules during the international break.

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has little or no appetite for discussing transfer rumours linking Antoine Semenyo to other clubs. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/ReutersShare

Updated at 08.30 EST

Paul Pogba set to return after 811 days out

Ligue 1:Paul Pogba is expected to return to action for the first time in 811 days when he is named in Monacoâ€s squad to face Rennes in the French top flight tomorrow. The 32-year-old midfielder joined the Ligue1 club during the summer after having a four-year doping ban reduced to 19 months upon taking his case to the Court of Aribitration for Sport (CAS). He has spent the intervening months working on his fitness.

Pogbaâ€s last competitive appearance was for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli in September 2023. The World Cup-winning France international and former Manchester United midfielder was due to make his Monaco debut against Lens just before the international break but had to delay his return due to an ankle injury. Monaco currently sit in sixth place in the French top flight, seven points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Should Pogba get a run-out tomorrow, he will make his Ligue1 debut.

Paul Pogba poses with his new Monaco jersey after signing a two-year deal with the club in July. Photograph: Frederic Dides/AFP/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 07.49 EST

Brighton: On the eve of his 50th Premier League game in charge (P49 W20 D17 L12) of the club, Fabian Hurzeler has been talking about what an honour it is to manage Brighton. “Iâ€ve always emphasised that being the head coach of Brighton is a privilege,†he told reporters this morning. “So, I am really proud and really proud of working with really good staff members, really good experts that drive a really good culture.

“I am really privileged that I work with great leaders, great personalities as players, with a really great group, a group that drives the togetherness and tries to get better every day, no matter the circumstances or adversity that they face. The biggest thing I really love about the job is to see a team developing, an individual developing, and all these kinds of things, I really enjoy doing it.

“I always emphasised that this club is special, this club has a great identity, and I think identity is the most important. We are going to keep on trying and working hard. We are known for our great values, but we want to be known for success.â€

Brighton host Brentford tomorrow and ahead of the game, Hurzeler revealed that it isd “not easy to predict†when Karou Mitoma will return from the ankle injury that has kept him out since the end of September. Solly March, Adam Webster and James Milner all remain out. Jack Hinshelwood has recovered from ankle ligament damage and should be among Brightonâ€s substitutes after being sidelined for over two months.

Jack Hinshelwood will be on the Brighton bench tomorrow afternoon after missing his teamâ€s last nine games due to an ankle injury. Photograph: John Walton/PAShare

Premier League clubs reject top-to-bottom anchoring

Paul MacInnes

Explainer: Premier League clubs have voted overwhelmingly against the introduction of controversial anchoring plans but agreed a squad cost ratio system, as the top flight moved to a new era of financial regulation, writes Paul MacInnes.

Top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA) would have tied the spending of the leagueâ€s clubs to a multiple of the revenue earned by the divisionâ€s bottom-placed side the previous season in central payments passed on by the league. The plan has long been opposed by the top flightâ€s two Manchester clubs and a vote in London on Friday brought 12 votes against the measure and seven for, with Burnley abstaining.

The vote on squad cost ratios proved less divisive, with the necessary majority of 14 clubs voting in favour and six against. This means that from next season clubs will be limited to spending no more than 85% of their “football revenue†and “net profit/loss on player sales†on “on-pitch spendingâ€, which includes player transfer fees and wages.

A third measure, referred to as sustainability and systematic resilience (SSR), which will bring real-time monitoring of finances and the introduction of liquidity buffers, was approved unanimously.

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Updated at 07.31 EST

Brentford: The west London club announced last night that Fabio Carvalho has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury that will rule the Portuguese winger out for the rest of the season and end any hopes he might have had of staking a claim for a place in the Portugal squad for next summerâ€s World Cup. Keith Andrews has been discussing the latest misfortune to befall the injury prone player.

“Itâ€s been a tough week for obvious reasons – itâ€s devastating for him,†he said. “He did it around a week ago in training, unfortunately. Devastating news for him. I feel for him. Heâ€s someone who I have a lot of respect for as a man. This season heâ€s not been given as much of an opportunity as I ideally wouldâ€ve liked. He knows that.

“We were in constant communication before the injury about his development as a player and ambitions. Unfortunately, thatâ€s been taken away from him for a period. Weâ€ll support him really well as we always do. Fabio knows heâ€ll get support from everybody at the football club during this difficult period.â€

Brentford winger Fabio Carvalho has suffered a season-ending knee injury. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PAShare

Updated at 07.03 EST

Premier League rejects top-to-bottom anchoring

Football finance: Premier League clubs have rejected the idea of introducing top-to-bottom anchoring (TBA), which would prevent any club from spending more than five times the money earned the previous season by the leagueâ€s last-placed side in central payments passed on by the league. They did, however, at a meeting on Friday agree to bring in squad cost ratio (SCR) and sustainability and systematic resilience (SSR) proposals.

A league statement said: “SCR will regulate clubs†on-pitch spending to 85% of their football revenue and net profit/loss on player sales. Clubs will have a multi-year allowance of 30% that they can use to spend in excess of the 85%. Utilising this allowance will incur a levy and once the allowance is exhausted, they will need to comply with 85% or face a sporting sanction. The new SCR rules are intended to promote opportunity for all clubs to aspire to greater success and brings the Leagueâ€s financial system close to Uefaâ€s existing SCR rules which operate at a threshold of 70%.â€

The Sustainability and Systemic Resilience rules assess a clubâ€s short, medium and long-term financial health through three tests – Working Capital Test, Liquidity Test and Positive Equity Test.

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Updated at 07.32 EST

Celtic AGM abandoned inside five minutes

Celtic: The clubâ€s annual general meeting was adjourned moments after it began when board members were jeered. Directors were met with boos and dozens of red cards from shareholders as they entered the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park.

Cries of “Out! Out! Out!†followed before there were cheers for interim manager Martin Oâ€Neill when he was introduced by chairman Peter Lawwell. As a season review video began to play on big screens, Celtic Trust vice-chair Jeanette Findlay approached the top table to ask that the meeting move immediately to questions. As more shouts and chants of “sack the board†came from shareholders, Lawwell said: “This disruptive behaviour is not on. Itâ€s got to stop. We have to have respect for everyone else in the room.â€

Amid shouts of “you respect usâ€, Lawwell called a 30-minute adjournment before the meeting resumed shortly after 11am. The board has been under major criticism from supporters†groups over the clubâ€s summer transfer business and failure to qualify for the Champions League. Principal shareholder Dermot Desmond was not present at the meeting, which took place in a packed Kerrydale Suite. Other fans watched via video link from another function suite.

The Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell was the subject of chants of derision at a club AGM that was hastily adjourned. Photograph: Jeff Holmes/PAShare

Updated at 07.51 EST

Cole Palmer broken toe update:So it turns out he stubbed it on a door. Iâ€ve done it myself, pulling the door open over an uncovered big toe and while I managed to avoid breaking mine, it doesnâ€t half hurt!

If my experience is anything to go by, I suspect that the effing and jeffing emanating from chez Palmer at the exact moment the bottom edge of the door struck his toe and started removing the skin from the knuckle could be heard from miles around.

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Updated at 06.27 EST

Brighton: Fabian Hurzeler plans to celebrate his 50th match in charge of Brighton with the acquisition of three points, but wants more tangible success moving forward. The 32-year-old become the youngest permanent boss in Premier League history when he was hired in the summer of 2024 and after an eighth-placed finish last season, the Seagulls are 11th with 16 points after 11 games this term.

Brighton have often been talked up as one of the most innovative clubs in England for their ability to develop players and deal with constant changes to staff, but Hurzeler wants to be known for bringing success on the field. “I am really proud of being head coach and really proud of working with really good staff members,†he said ahead of tomorrowâ€s match against Brentford at the Amex Stadium.

“I think the biggest thing what I really love of the job is to see a team developing, to see an individual developing and all these things I really enjoy. I always emphasis that this club is special, it has a great identity and identity is the most important. We try to keep on driving and keep on working hard.

“On the one side, we are known for great values but on the other side we want to be known for success and this is really what we live for, what we work for and we have to keep pushing to achieve it.â€

Of the job being done by his opposite number, the Brentford boss Keith Andrews, Hurzeler had this to say: “Yeah, really impressed. I know him a little bit and he is a great person. He had a great start with Brentford and they really understand how to win games.â€

Fabian Hurzeler will oversee his 50th match in charge of Brighton tomrrow. Photograph: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty ImagesShare

Newcastle United: Having spat the dummy in a bid to get a move from Brentford to Newcastle during the summer transfer window, Yoane Wissa has yet to make his debut for his new club having missed pre-season before injuring his knee while on duty with DR Conga in the first international break of the season. Eddie Howe has been discussing the strikerâ€s fitness or lack thereof …

“I have not got a clear, defined return date for you,†he told reporters. “Heâ€s working well. Heâ€s not back training with us yet but heâ€s close. Heâ€s working with the sports science team and almost entering a pre-season with them currently.

“Heâ€s doing a lot of work, heâ€s looked good and looked better with every session. Heâ€s close to training with us but until he gets there, itâ€s very difficult to give you a return date.â€

Upon being asked if Wissa might be fit enough to go to play at Afcon, which kicks off on 21 Dec and ends on 18 January, Howe said:“Well, we will wait and see what happens.†DR Congo are also in the Global Intercontinental World Cup playoffs which are scheduled for March, when they will play either New Caledonai or Jamaica in Guadalajara for a place in next summerâ€s tournament.

The only sighting of Yoane Wissa wearing a Newcastle shirt was recorded at his unveiling almost three months ago. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 05.59 EST

Manchester City: Weâ€ve mentioned elsewhere that despite it only being November, Erling Haaland has already scored a phenomenal 32 goals for club and country this season. The 25-year-old banged in his most recent four for Norway in two World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Italy during the international break to help his country qualify for next summerâ€s jamoree in North America. The City striker goes into tomorrowâ€s match against Newcastle having scored eight goals in his past five games.

“He has been incredible this season,†said Pep Guardiola. “He has broke all the records and is breaking a lot of personal and individual records in the Premier League and for Norway.

“Iâ€m happy for him and his national team. Many of the squad from Norway were not even born when they were last at the World Cup. They have had an incredible qualification, scoring lots of goals and playing very good. He is a world class player and deserves to play in the World Cup. He is the perfect age. I am so happy for him.â€

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Pep Guardiola: ‘The real season starts now’

Manchester City: Pep Guardiolaâ€s side begin the weekend four points behind Arsenal in the title race but will reduce the deficit to just one and ramp up the pressure on their rivals ahead of Sundayâ€s North London derby if they beat Newcastle tomorrow evening. Pep was asked for his thoughts on the strong start to the season enjoyed by Mikel Artetaâ€s side and how he thinks his own team is getting on.

“The truth is the team as strong as Arsenal in the last season, they have been impeccable in many things,†he says. “The feeling that I have had in the past, where we have fought incredibly against Liverpool, I have had the feeling that we will not drop many points and if they can take a lot of distance it will be difficult to catch up with them.

“When the distance is too big it is more difficult but at the same time we are in November and in November, in this league, nothing is defined. What happens in February, March? Be careful. But now is the start of the season.

“Now, the international break is done, we have games every three or four days and the real season starts now. The important thing is to be there and to be close and after that, arrive at the end of the season with a chance that we can fight it. Winning tomorrow would be an important step for us.â€

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Updated at 05.39 EST

Newcastle: Eddie Howe on the threat Newcastle face tomorrow: “Manchester City have lots of threats from lots of different areas of their team so if you focus too much on one, I donâ€t think thatâ€s right,†he says. “But of course, Haaland is an outstanding goalscorer and can score all different types of goals so weâ€re going to have to defend really well.

“Thereâ€s not one way of doing it. If you press high thereâ€ll be weaknesses and if you drop low there will be weaknesses to that – you have to do what you think is right based on the players you have.â€

Weâ€re only in November but Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will be hoping to add to his tally of 32 goals for club and country this season when he visits St James†Park tomorrow. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Richard Sellers/Apl/SportsphotoShare

Updated at 05.24 EST

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola faces the press ahead of Manchester Cityâ€s trip to St James†Park to play Newcastle tomorrow. He says that all his players are fit and available for selection apart from Mateo Kovacic and Rodri. He also tells reports that “the real season starts hereâ€. Grrrr!

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Chelsea: It seems Palmerâ€s toe is broken. Jacob Steinberg has the latest from Enzo Marescaâ€s press conference: “Bad news for Chelsea fans, who have been left reeling by the revelation that Cole Palmerâ€s comeback from a groin injury has been delayed by the forward fracturing a toe in a freak accident at home,†he writes.

â€Speaking ahead of his sideâ€s trip to Burnley, Enzo Maresca said: ‘He is not available for tomorrow for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe but it is nothing important but he wonâ€t be back in the next week. Itâ€s fractured.†Iâ€m reminded of this …â€

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Updated at 05.20 EST

Domestic mishap delays Cole Palmer’s return …

Chelsea: Enzo Maresca has revealed that Cole Palmerâ€s eagerly awaited return to the Chelsea line-up following his recovery from a groin injury will be delayed because the midfielder has hurt his toe in some unspecified accident at home. The Chelsea head coach says he doesnâ€t know whether or not the little piggy in question is broken.

“I wake up many times in the night to go to the toilet,†he says. “I hit my head and leg and everything. It can happen. He was very close. He was back with us almost with the groin, which is very good news, but he has this small problem. We donâ€t know itâ€s fractured. The only thing we know he is not available for this week and next week.â€

Palmer will miss tomorrowâ€s match against Burnley, Chelseaâ€s midweek Champions League match against Barcelona and next weekendâ€s visit of Arsenal to Stamford Bridge.

Cole Palmer has been ruled out of Chelseaâ€s next three matches at least after injuring a toe in a possibly nocturnal domestic mishap. Photograph: John Walton/PAShare

Updated at 05.05 EST

Burnley: Scott Parker says forward Armando Broja “maybe dodged a bullet†with an ankle injury he suffered against England appearing to be less serious than first feared. Broja could yet face former club Chelsea on Saturday having trained since Wednesday but that certainly had not looked like being the case when he left Albaniaâ€s World Cup qualifier against England on a stretcher on Sunday.

The 24-year-oldâ€s reaction was understandable given the number of injury problems he has faced in recent seasons, but this time the news appears to be better. “It was his ankle,†Parker said. “I think maybe the mechanism of the injury, I think maybe there was an element of shock for him and obviously a bit of fear there because it looked like he rolled the ankle and felt it was on an ankle that heâ€s previously done as well.

“Iâ€m sure there was an element of, ‘Oh, Iâ€ve done something serious hereâ€. But while there was initial pain, it seems to have settled down really, really quickly. Thereâ€s an injury there, but itâ€s very, very, very minor and it looks like weâ€ve maybe dodged a bullet.â€

Burnley go into Saturdayâ€s game hovering above the relegation zone on goal difference, with Parker looking for his side to improve on a number of details in their game but generally happy with the progress shown. “Weâ€ve developed and definitely Iâ€ve seen a massive improvement from us,†he said. “Theyâ€re just little tiny bits at this present moment in time [we need to work on].â€

A visibly distraught Armando Broja left the field on a stretcher during Albaniaâ€s match against England in Tirana but could be fit to face Chelsea when they visit Turf Moor tomorrow. Photograph: Armando Babani/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 04.51 EST

Newcastle: Eddie Howe is rocking the mic and has some injury updates. Anthony Gordon has “worked very hard over the break†to recover from his hip injury and is touch-and-go for tomorrowâ€s match against Manchester City. Tino Livramento is “very close†after recovering from the knee ligament injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of September and is also in contention for tomorrowâ€s game. Nick Pope is “fine†after undergoing concussion protocols, while Joelinton and Sandro Tonali are also both fit to face City.

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Liverpool: Slot has been asked about Liverpoolâ€s title chances and in light of Andy Robertsonâ€s heartbreaking post-match admission that he spent the day leading up to Scotlandâ€s win over Denmark thinking about and crying over the tragic summer loss of his good pal Diogo Jota, has also addressed the subject of grief.

““Iâ€ve said many times, at this moment in time we are not thinking or talking about it,†he says of Liverpoolâ€s hopes of retaining their title. “Same last season when we were top of the league, it is just about the next game. The best way to judge a league table is after 38 games. The next best, in my opinion, is after 19 games. Letâ€s see where we are then. For now, the only focus we have is on winning games of football.â€

On Robertsonâ€s interview: ““We are always judged, sometimes fair, sometimes not fair. But I saw the interview live and I know that it is an issue for us, which is completely normal. At this moment in time, I always think how must it feel for his wife and his children?

“Because it is so, so, so much harder for them than it is for us. But that we will miss the player and the person is completely clear. Now we play Nottingham Forest, last season there we were 1-0 down and it only took him [Jota] one minute to score the equaliser. So now I am talking about the player that we miss for sure. That we also miss him as a person is also clear.â€

On grief: “It is good for us to remember him [Jota] at all times it is possible because of the person and player he was. It is impossible to measure what it does to the players and to our results. The last thing I would do is use it as an excuse. I donâ€t know. What I do know is that we miss the player, that is 100% sure, and we miss the person, but I cannot measure the impact that has on our results. That is impossible for me to say and we will never use it as an excuse.â€

Diogo Jota celebrates scoring Liverpoolâ€s equaliser against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in January. The Liverpool forward was killed alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident in July. Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesShare

Bradley, Wirtz and Frimpong all out for Liverpool

Liverpool: Hurzeler and Howe must be watching the cricket, because itâ€s Arne Slot who is the first managerial cab off the rank. He comes bearing mixed tidings for Liverpool fans ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest at Anfield tomorrow.

A quick summary: Alisson has fully recovered from his hamstring injury, but Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong will be out for at least three weeks. Florian Wirtz is also unavailable, while Joe Gomez missed training yesterday but should be OK for today. However, Slot is reluctant to risk him for 90 minutes. “Maybe one or two players have to play in positions they normally donâ€t do,†he says.

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Premier League press conferences: I donâ€t have todayâ€s schedule to hand but itâ€s normally a toss-up between early birds Fabian Hurzeler and Eddie Howe to see who is first out of the traps. Itâ€s a state of affairs that ensures football reporters on the Brighton and Newcastle beats have to be up with the lark on Friday mornings.

Brightonâ€s form this season has been up and down like an Eiffel Tower elevator but their home form is good, so youâ€d fancy their chances this weekend against a Brentford side who arenâ€t great on the road under Keith Andrews.

If you havenâ€t been paying close attention to Newcastle, it may come as a shock for you to learn they could finish this weekend in the relegation zone if they lose at home to Manchester City and results elsewhere donâ€t go their way. Itâ€s an unlikely scenario but not one thatâ€s totally inconceivable.

The omens for the Mags arenâ€t great because Howeâ€s record against Pep Guardiola in the Premier League is little short of dismal. In 18 attempts to mastermind a league win against him as Bournemouth or Newcastle manager, heâ€s drawn twice and lost 16 times.

Eddie Howe will be hoping to mastermind his first Premier League win over Pep Guardiola this weekend at the 19th time of asking. Photograph: John Walton/PAShare

Updated at 04.12 EST

Not football: Theyâ€re still playing in the final session of the Ashes series opening day in Perth, where Englandâ€s seam bowlers have helped their team mount a stirring recovery following a depressingly chaotic and kamikaze first innings with bat in hand. The doyen of over-by-over reporting that is Rob Smyth has the latest from Western Australia, mate …

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Updated at 03.58 EST

Premier League fixtures

• Burnley v Chelsea (Sat 12.30pm GMT)

• Liverpool v Nottingham Forest (3pm)

• Bournemouth v West Ham (3pm)

• Wolves v Crystal Palace (3pm)

• Brighton v Brentford (3pm)

• Fulham v Sunderland (3pm)

• Newcastle v Man City (5.30pm)

• Leeds v Aston Villa (Sun 2pm)

• Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur (4.30pm)

• Man United v Everton (Mon 8pm)

• View the Premier League table

Kyle Walker, Alexander Isak and Antoine Semenyo are all likely to be in action for their respective teams this weekend. Composite: Getty ImagesShare

Preamble

And just like that, a chaotic, emotionally charged and often wild international break is over. Selected highlights: Troy Parrott knocking Portugal and Hungary off their respective perches, Erling Haaland propelling Norway to the World Cup, a magnificent seven from Wales, and Scotland sealing their place in the tournament courtesy of a bonkers, late-night, six-goal Hampden Park thriller against Denmark.

After all that excitement itâ€s back to the weekly grind. The Premier League returns this weekend, kicking off its twelfth match-week with all the glorious, high-stakes drama we love. The big questions, as always: whose star players have survived the past fortnight unscathed.

Weâ€re here to filter through the noise so you donâ€t have to. The Guardianâ€s Friday Football blog is open for business, bringing you all the pithiest quotes, rambling monologues and pertinent team news from todayâ€s pre-match press conferences. Weâ€ll be flagging up every significant injury scare, tactical hint, and managerial mood swing ahead of kick-off tomorrow.

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Japan forward Daizen Maeda has informed Celtic of his desire to depart in the January transfer window, with Brentford, Everton, Leeds United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers all interested in the 28-year-old. (TeamTalk), external

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has revealed he expects to hold talks in February about a new contract with the Scottish champions. (Sun), external

Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has refused to respond to reports suggesting he is being considered for the vacancy at Celtic. (Herald – subscription required), external

Meanwhile, Columbus Crew general manager Issa Tull has said Nancy is “locked in” for next season amid reported interest in their head coach from Celtic. (Record), external

Celtic will likely have to pay Columbus Crew a multi-million dollar compensation package if they want to land Nancy and his coaching staff, according to US experts. (Glasgow Times), external

Former Celtic striker Robbie Keane has reiterated he remains focused on his work at Ferencvaros amid links with the Scottish champions’ manager’s job. (Record), external

Celtic have been holding talks in London this week with various targets as they continue their search for a new manager, with Nancy, Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna among the names being considered. (Sky Sports), external

Celtic could be in line for a sell-on fee in January for Kristoffer Ajer, with Wolfsburg linked with interest in the Brentford centre-half. (Sky Sports via The Scotsman), external

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