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75 minMan Utd have been poor on the ball since Liverpool switched to 4-2-4 in the 62nd minute; at the moment an equaliser looks more likely than a second for United. Jones surges into the area and drives a speculative left-foot shot that is held to his left by Lammens. Comfortable save.

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Updated at 13.06 EDT

74 minJones nicks the ball off Fernandes and pushes it into the area towards Chiesa. His touch is slightly heavy – it wasnâ€t an easy ball to take – and Shaw makes a crucial, if desperate challenge.

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72 min: Liverpool substitutionFederico Chiesa replaces Alexander Isak, who had a relatively quiet game. His one big chance was a low shot across goal that Lammens kicked away with his right foot; Isak may feel he should have scored. If the bugger ever answers my WhatsApps, Iâ€ll let you know.

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71 minA nervy moment for Lammens. Dalot heads a cross up in the air and back towards his own goal. Lammens almost runs past the ball and has to jump backwards to grab it. Allâ€s well that ends well.

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70 minYou have to admire Arne Slot for taking this much risk so early in the game. Federico Chiesa is about to come on as well. “He might play centre-back…†chirps Jamie Carragher on commentary.

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69 min Ekitike leads a Liverpool break, cutting inside from the left before rifling wide from the edge of the area. That wasnâ€t a bad chance either.

This game is so open; thereâ€s no chance it will end 1-0.

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Updated at 12.59 EDT

68 min“I think Slotâ€s smart to take Alexis Mac Allister off,†writes Kári Tulinius. “Heâ€s been poor this season and Liverpool play better when heâ€s off the field. He doesnâ€t get on the ball as much as he did last season, and when he does, it slows the team down. Last season he was crucial at controlling games once Liverpool had taken the lead, but now he seems indecisive.â€

Before the game, Jamie Carragher said he hadnâ€t been the same since an injury in the second half of last season.

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66 minVan Dijk volleys a United cross into the face of Kerkez and over the bar. That could have gone anywhere too.

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65 min: Great chance for Salah!

Kerkezâ€s cross from the left evades everyone in the middle – and there were an army of Liverpool players in there – before reaching the unmarked Salah beyond the far post. He controls it deftly but then thrashes wide from six yards as Lammens flies towards him. Salah mishit that completely with his left foot; in his defence there might have been a slightly strange bounce. Thereâ€s no time to check because this is now a basketball game.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah reacts after a missed opportunity. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PAShare

Updated at 13.03 EDT

64 minEkitike fires over from distance after a fine run infield from the left, the kind that gets a home crowd going.

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63 minDorgu plays a sharp square pass into the area for Fernandes, whose left-foot shot is well blocked by Konate. These are the revised line-ups.

Liverpool (4-2-4)Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Wirtz, Jones; Salah, Isak, Ekitike, Gakpo.

Man Utd (3-4-2-1) Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Cunha; Sesko.

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62 min: Triple substitution for LiverpoolFlorian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Curtis Jones replace Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool are going for it – Szoboszlai has moved to right-back, Wirtz is playing in centre midfield.

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Updated at 12.54 EDT

61 min: Man Utd substitutionBenjamin Sesko replaces Mason Mount, so Cunha will move to No10.

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60 minSalah beats Dorgu to a loose ball just outside the area and pokes it to Mac Allister, who drives over the bar under pressure. Pretty good effort but never troubling Lammens.

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60 minThese are the revised line-ups.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1)Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak.

Man Utd (3-4-2-1) Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Mount; Cunha.

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59 min: Man Utd substitutionsIn fact itâ€s a double change. Manuel Ugarte and Patrick Dorgu replace Casemiro and Amad Diallo, who was excellent on the ball but became vulnerable after that yellow card.

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57 minCasemiro is booked for a brazen but necessary tactical foul on Salah. Heâ€s struggling with cramp as well and is about to be replaced.

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56 minI said Gakpo hit the post three times. Thatâ€s essentially true but strictly speaking I think the second time – the deflected cross – would have been a Bruno Fernandes goal had the ball gone in.

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54 minGakpoâ€s deep, inswinging corner from the left is volleyed into the ground and over the bar by Salah. He saw it late because Van Dijk was jumping in front of him; it was still a decent chance for a player of his etc.

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Updated at 12.46 EDT

52 minDalot is booked for a foul on Gakpo. He took the ball with a sliding tackle but was punished for a studs-up follow-through. The Sky co-commentators Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville both think heâ€s very unfortunate.

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Updated at 12.44 EDT

51 minGravenberch needs treatment after twisting his ankle when fouled by Mbeumo. Gravenberchâ€s grimace suggests his afternoon could be over.

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50 min: Gakpo hits the post for the third time!

This is getting silly. Salahâ€s long cross from the right reaches Gakpo on the far side of the area. He controls the ball on his thigh, moves onto his right foot – Shaw inexplicably showed him inside – and hits a sizzling rising drive back across goal. Lammens doesnâ€t move and the ball thumps off the right-hand post.

Cody Gakpo (obscured) hits the post again. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 12.50 EDT

47 min“The dreamer in me knows how this game will end: two sublime pearlers from Florian Wirtz followed by a Rio Ngumoha volley off the crossbar and in. The realist in me knows a Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 89th minute will make it 2-0 to the Ref Devils.â€

It depends which band youâ€ve been listening to: Livin†Joy or The Cribs?

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46 minLiverpool get the second half under way.

No substitutions yet.

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“Greetings from sunny and breezy California!†says Peter Oh. “My biggest concern is that this match, so far, has been a huge step backwards in terms of computing technology. Generative Al (Alexander Isak) hasnâ€t delivered on its promise, and Man United have got their tails up like itâ€s Y2K!â€

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Half-time reading

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Man Utd through a startlingly early goal from Bryan Mbeumo.Both teams came close in a scruffy but compelling half. Cody Gakpo and Bruno Fernandes hit the post at either end, then combined in advertently to do so again when Gakpoâ€s cross deflected off Fernandes, over Senne Lammens and off the far post.

Lammens saved well from Alexander Isak; at the other Giorgi Mamardashvili made an old-school centre-halfâ€s challenge to deny Mbeumo a second.

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Updated at 12.24 EDT

Half time: Liverpool 0-1 Man Utd

Peep peep!

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45+2 minMbeumoâ€s goal was timed at 62 seconds, which makes it the fastest in this fixture in the Premier League era.

The previous fastest was lost in the exploits of two fellas called Cantona and Fowler.

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Updated at 12.20 EDT

45+1 minFour minutes of added time.

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45 minBruno Fernandes curls a long pass towards Mbeumo, forcing Van Dijk to come across and clear. He shakes his head as he walks back to his position, presumably in disgust at how open Liverpool are defensively.

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43 minCunha curls well wide from distance – pretty similar, in fact, to the position from which he scored on this ground for Wolves last season.

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40 minA free-kick from Fernandes, deep on the right, bounces up awkwardly and is sliced onto the roof of own net by Gakpo. He could have had a hat-trick!

The resulting corner is missed by Mamardashvili, who looks surprisingly uncomfortable, and headed clear by Konate on the line. I donâ€t know whether it was going in or not but Mamardashvili was certainly out of the game.

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38 min“That penalty appeal for the Amad ‘handball†would have stopped the game for at least five minutes up here,†writes Simon McMahon. “Then, depending on the eventual outcome, there would have been a weekâ€s worth of media coverage about ‘agendas†and how thereâ€s a conspiracy against Celtic Rangers whoever.

“Honestly, all I want from football is to see Dundee United win the Scottish Cup again in my lifetime with my daughter, Evie. That seems realistic and not too much to ask, right? Though Dundee havenâ€t won the Scottish since 1910, so, you know. But they did beat Celtic today, leaving Hearts five points clear at the top. I really hope the Jam Tarts donâ€t have to go to Dens on the last day needing just a point…â€

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37 minThis is a good spell for Liverpool, probably their best in terms of sustained pressure.

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35 min: Chance for Isak!Konate shapes a fantastic long pass around Shaw and into the path of Isak, whose shot on the run is kicked away at the near post by Lammens. Thereâ€s an argument he should have come off his line to beat Isak to the ball, but having stayed at home he made a really good save and is being congratulated by his teammates.

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34 min“Hey, guys,†writes Matt Dony, “have I ever told you how much I hate football? Like, really hate it! This is not fun. Iâ€m watching the match while playing pool with my son, who is currently (and unprecedentedly) 3-0 up. This is looking like a bad day. I regret allowing a drunk AI to write an email on my behalf.â€

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32 min: Gakpo hits the post again!

This time it was a deflected cross from the left that looped over the helpless Lammens and hit the inside of the far post. Liverpool keep the ball alive undtil Salahâ€s header from Kerkezâ€s cross is saved comfortably by Lammens.

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29 minDalotâ€s poor clearance goes straight to Isak on the edge of the area; he controls it smartly only to mishit his shot well wide.

This is a flawed but fascinating game.

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More chances for Man Utd

27 minMount shoots over from close range after Mamardashvili pushes Cunhaâ€s cross into a dangerous area; it was a tough chance because the ball bounced almost behind him.

Moments later, Mamardashvili is forced into a desperate lunging tackle on Mbeumo eight yards out when Kerkez makes an interception and inadvertently knocks the ball across the face of his own goal.

Finally, after that Mamardashvili tackle, the ball runs to Mount 25 yards from goal. He whistles a left-foot shot that is pushed away to his left by the diving Mamaradashvili.

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Updated at 12.01 EDT

26 minMac Allisterâ€s low shot from 20 yards is comfortably saved by Lammens. Thatâ€s the first shot on target at either end apart from the goal, though both teams have hit the post.

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24 min: Fernandes hits the post!

Oof, and now it should be 2-0 to Manchester United. Cunha sprayed a superb crossfield pass out to Amad, who ran at the backpedalling Kerkez and into the Liverpool area. Eventually Amad flicked an inviting pass back towards Fernandes, who was charging onto the scene as if world peace depended on it. Fernandes slammed a first-time shot from 15 yards that clipped the outside of the post and flew wide. For a player of his quality, thatâ€s a glorious chance.

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20 min: Gakpo hits the post!

A thrilling break from Liverpool almost leads to the equaliser. Szoboszlai feeds a pass into the centre circle for the unmarked Salah, who turns and curls an excellent pass to Gakpo in the inside-left channel. Gakpo veers to the right, uses the last United defender as a screen and flashes a curling shot towards goal from 20 yards. It beats Lammens and bounces off the face of the right-hand post. That would have been a lovely goal.

Cody Gakpo of Liverpool reacts after missing a chance. Photograph: Carl Recine/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 12.05 EDT

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Half-time reading:

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Half-time: Tottenham 1-1 Aston Villa

Spurs have shaded the half, but a sensational strike from Rogers means the two sides are all square at the break.

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45+3 min: After a wonderful take on the run from Porro, the Spurs right back appeals for a penalty after booting a ball towards his compatriot Torres. Replays show it hit the Villa centre back on the backside. Porro is a very good player, but he does have an irritable temperament.

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45 min: Five minutes added on.

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44 min: Spurs are pushing for a second. Villa seem content to hold onto the 1-1 score until half-time, at least.

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41 min: Tel misses a glorious chance for Tottenham! From a free-kick, Spurs work the ball out to Kudus on the right, who delivers an outrageous ball across the six-yard box with his weaker right foot. Van de Ven canâ€t quite strain to reach the cross, but Tel is there at the back post … he just has to volley a finish into the empty net … but completely miscues the connection!

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38 min: In these rainy conditions, it was a slip from Simons that allowed Rogers to create some space. But the England international expertly took his chance – I would not be surprised to see that on the Goal of the Month shortlist.

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GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Aston Villa (Rogers 37)

As if baited by my previous post, Rogers lets fly from 25 yards, and finds the top corner! It was a scrappy passage of play, but Rogers found a pocket on the edge of Spurs†area and pings an unstoppable shot past Vicario, dipping over the Italian goalkeeper and just underneath the crossbar. Rogers†first goal in 20 games for Villa!

Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa scores his team’s first goal. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 09.49 EDT

34 min: We are over a third of the way through this match, and Villa are yet to trouble Vicario in the Spurs goal.

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32 min: Onana is OK, after some attention from the Villa physios.

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31 min: Onana is left crumpled on the turf after another robust tackle from Paulinha in midfield. This is the Belgianâ€s first Villa starts since August. He wonâ€t want another spell on the sidelines.

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29 min: I have mentioned Spurs†physicality and Malen is really struggling to make his mark against the Tottenham centre-back duo of Danso and Van de Ven. Ollie Watkins, huddled under a puffer jacket on the Villa bench, will be eager to get some minutes later.

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27 min: A raking diagonal pass from Bencancur finds Odobert in plenty of space on the left, and the winger drives inside on his right foot, lashing a bouncing awkward shot at goal, which Villaâ€s Martínez gathers at the second attempt. That was strong, direct play from the home side.

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25 min: Villa are normally a good pressing side, but look very pedestrian in defence today. Spurs are able to advance with the ball up the pitch quite easily, as Porro wins another corner for the home side. The delivery from Kudus is deep towards Odobert at the back post, and even though the Frenchman beats Rogers to the ball, he is unable to control it.

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23 min: Odobert goes down in a heap on the edge of Villaâ€s box, claiming a foul. There is contact from Onana, but nowhere near enough to send somebody tumbling over, and the referee waves play on. Good decision.

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21 min: Yellow card for Van de Ven, who catches Rogers in midfield shortly after being nutmegged. No complaints.

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18 min: Villa are playing a very high line, which is a dangerous thing against the pace of Odobert, Tel and Kudus. Tel is constantly threatening to get in behind, but hasnâ€t quiet timed his run correctly. Yet.

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15 min: Tottenham give the ball away cheaply just outside their own box, and Cash finds a pocket of space, shooting just wide from 20 yards out. That should be a bit of a wake-up call for Spurs.

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14 min: Perhaps this is not a surprising development, given Thomas Frank is the manager, but Iâ€m impressed by how physical Spurs are. The arrival of Paulinha has massively bolstered Tottenhamâ€s midfield, which also includes Bentancur, Sarr and Bergvall. They are all big lads, can run for days.

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12 min: Villa begin to edge into the game with some possession, and force a couple of corners, well defended by Spurs. McGinnâ€s delivery for the latter was particularly poor.

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FOUL THROW ALERT!

10 min: I repeat, FOUL THROW ALERT! Cash creeps up the touchline a little too much for the refereeâ€s liking and Simon Hooper overturns the throw-in from Villa to Spurs! Lots of cheers go up with the home crowd. A rare treat, that.

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GOAL DISALLOWED! Spurs denied a second!

7 min: Van de Ven pumps a ball long from the back, Tel and Kudus combine with the latter firing a shot through the hands of Martínez and into the net! The Villa keeper has his blushes spared by the offside flag, with both Tel and Kudus correctly ruled offside from Van de Venâ€s initial ball.

Mohammed Kudus of Tottenham Hotspur scores but it is later disallowed. Photograph: Alex Morton/Tottenham Hotspur FC/ShutterstockShare

Updated at 09.23 EDT

GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Aston Villa (Bencancur 5)

Villa clear the initial corner, but Spurs recycle the ball and Kudus, from the left, swings a brilliant ball to Paulinha a the back post. The Portuguese nods the ball back across goal and Bencancur is there to sweep in an easy finish from the penalty spot!

Rodrigo Bentacur of Tottenham Hotspur scores the opening goal. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 09.08 EDT

4 min: Sloppy play from Onana allows Tel to win the ball back inside Villaâ€s penalty box, and the Frenchman wins a corner for Spurs.

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3 min: A brief delay, with the earpiece of referee Simon Hooper coming loose.

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2 min: Sky Sports had suggested that Guessand would be playing as part of a front-two with Malen, but the Ivory Coast international is looks like he is playing on the right, with Malen as a lone striker, supported by Rogers in the No 10 role.

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Peeeeeeeeep!

Weâ€re underway in London!

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The teams are out! Itâ€s raining on north London, so weâ€ll have a slick surface.

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Some breaking news, before Manchester Unitedâ€s trip to Anfield later.

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Villa manager Unai Emery is asked by a Sky Sports reporter if the decision to leave Ollie Watkins on the bench was a tactical one or a fitness one.

I wonâ€t respond to the question, itâ€s something private. But Watkins is getting better.

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Cristian Romero injured in the warm up!

A big blow for Spurs, with their captain Cristian Romero injured in the warm-up. Kevin Danso will replace the Argentinian, and Micky van de Ven will take the armband.

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Thomas Frank, Tottenham manager, is speaking to the cameras:

On Destiny Udogie being left out the squad today:

He came back from international duty with minor irritation in the knee.

Randal Kolo Muani making the bench:

Heâ€s nowhere near ready to start. Iâ€d like him to be ready of course.

On Mo Kudus:

Heâ€s been exceptional since the first day of the season. Heâ€s such a threat, one versus one. His work rate is very good. You need to get goals, and Iâ€m so happy he got one.

On the stat that Frank has never beaten Unai Emery:

Itâ€s about time to change it. Hopefully we do it today. Unai I respect massively. He has worked wonders with Villa. Itâ€s going to be a super tight game. It will be a small goal that decides the game. I hope we can get that moment.

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We wrote extensively on the police ban this week.

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Aston Villa stadium must not be a no-go area for Jews, says Ed Miliband

Some breaking news, as the UKâ€s energy secretary has called for the lifting of a police ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters at the upcoming Europa League fixture.

Birminghamâ€s safety advisory group is meeting next week and is expected to produce proposals about the extra resources West Midlands police would need to allow the match to go ahead safely with away fans.

The force last week barred Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from the match because of concerns that officers would not be able to police it safely. They cited “violent clashes and hate crime offences†at a Maccabi Tel Aviv match in Amsterdam in 2024.

Asked on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News whether Villa Park was a no-go area for Jews, Miliband replied: “No, and it canâ€t be, and Iâ€m very, very clear about that.

“We cannot have a situation where any area is a no-go area for people of a particular religion or from a particular country, and weâ€ve got to stamp out all forms of prejudice, antisemitism, Islamophobia, wherever we find them.â€

Asked about a petition calling for a boycott of Israeli teams in the UK, Miliband said: “I profoundly disagree with that approach, with what is being said in that petition.â€

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Letâ€s unpack those teams a little.

For Spurs, interesting that Odobert is the preferred option on the left wing. Tel gets the nods ahead of Richarlison, with Solanke still out with an injury. Randal Kolo Muani could make his Premier League debut following his loan move from PSG in the summer – the Frenchman has also been sidelined for the past six or seven weeks.

For Villa, Watkins is only fit enough for the bench, but Donyell Malen excelled against Burnley a couple of weeks ago, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win, and the Dutchman leads the line again today. Guessand also gets a start, but otherwise Villa are unchanged and as expected. A penny for the thoughts of Harvey Elliott, he canâ€t get a kick at the moment.

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Team news!

Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, Kudus, Simons, Odobert, Tel.
Subs: Kinsky, Danso, Richarlison, Gray, Bergvall, Johnson, Sarr, Muani, Byfield.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Kamara, Guessand, Rogers, McGinn, Malen.
Subs: Bizot, Lindelof, Barkley, Elliott, Buendia, Watkins, Sancho, Maatsen, Bogarde.

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)

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Preamble

Welcome everyone to the match that absolutely nobody knows as the Alan Hutton Derby!

For all the talk of a poor home record, Tottenham have had a fine start to the season. Yes, he had a full pre-season to bed in his ideas, but Thomas Frank should be given a lot of praise for improving this Spurs team from the get-go. By the end of today, Tottenham could well be second in the table (even if they are still trailing Arsenal).

After a disappointing start to the season, in which Villa failed to win any of their opening six matches (in which they scored just twice), Unai Emeryâ€s side have now won their last four matches in all competitions, and looking much more like their old selves. Fluidity is still something of an issue and there are questions marks over the form and fitness of Ollie Watkins (although Emery did confirm he was fit to feature today), but the return of Tyrone Mings following a two-game absence is a bonus for the Birmingham side, who will be looking to avoid defeat here before the next two league matches against Manchester City (home) and Liverpool (away).

Here is where the teams start today in the Premier League table.

Kick-off: 2pm BST.

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Oct 18, 2025, 12:12 PM ET

Ange Postecoglou has been sacked by Nottingham Forest after just 39 days and five Premier League matches in charge following a 3-0 home loss to Chelsea.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis saw enough an hour into the contest at the City Ground and took just 19 minutes after full-time to announce the end of Postecoglou’s reign.

Postecoglou’s dire spell in charge after taking over on September 9, made him the 10th permanent manager to last less than 100 days as a permanent manager during the Premier League era.

Here, ESPN take a look at all the managers who failed to make a positive impact in the early days of their reign.

Nathan Jones, Southampton – 84 days

Nathan Jones, Southampton Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images

Welsh manager Nathan Jones left Luton to succeed Ralph Hasenhuttl on the south coast in November 2022 but, for the second time after his miserable 10 months at Stoke City in 2019, it proved an unsuccessful spell away from Kenilworth Road.

While in charge of Southampton, Jones secured fell to nine defeats in 14 games and left Saints seeking a third boss of the season.

Quique Sánchez Flores, Watford – 85 days

Quique Sanchez Flores, Watford Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Watford’s managerial merry-go-round under the Pozzo family’s ownership stands out among Premier League clubs and Sánchez Flores has taken two rides, serving for 44 games between June 2015 and May 2016 but only a dozen — with two wins — on his return three years later.

Bob Bradley, Swansea City – 85 days

Bob Bradley, Swansea Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images

The first American to manage in the Premier League, Bradley lasted from October to December of 2016 — though, unlike Reed, he made it through Christmas before being axed on Dec. 27.

Bradley took eight points from 11 games and left Swansea 19th in the table, having also struggled under Francesco Guidolin, but they finally found their man as Paul Clement secured top-flight survival.

Frank De Boer, Crystal Palace – 77 days

Frank de Boer, Crystal Palace Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Lasting two days longer than Meulensteen, former Netherlands international Frank De Boer took charge at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2017.

After just four games of the 2017-18 season — the lowest amount of games a permanent manager has ever been in charge for — De Boer was dismissed without yielding a single point or goal.

Rene Meulensteen, Fulham – 75 days

Rene Meulensteen, Fulham Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images

After a 12-year period in various coaching roles with Manchester United, Meulensteen replaced fellow Dutchman Martin Jol as manager of Fulham in December of the 2013-14 season.

Meulensteen failed to see out the season, as his side slipped to the bottom of the table after losing nine of his 13 games in charge.

Javi Gracia, Leeds United – 69 days

Javi Garcia, Leeds United Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Gracia lasted 69 days in charge of Leeds United before being replaced by Allardyce. Garcia took over in Elland Road following the sacking of Jesse Marsch in their tumultuous 2022-23 season.

The Spanish coach managed just 12 games in all competitions before his reign was cut short. He ended his tenure with three wins, seven losses and two draws.

Les Reed, Charlton Athletic – 40 days

Les Reed, Charlton Athletic Photo by Nick Potts – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

After suffering eight defeats in 12 games in 2006, Les Reed took over at Charlton but failed to improve matters for the south London club.

Reed picked up just four points in seven games, suffered a League Cup exit against Wycombe Wanderers and was sacked on Christmas Eve.

Sam Allardyce, Leeds United – 30 days

Sam Allardyce, Leeds United Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

In 2022-23 Sam Allardyce took over his eighth different club in the Premier League when he became the manager of Leeds United on May 3, 2023. The former England manager was brought in to Elland Road in a last-ditch attempt to stay in the top flight after the club fired Javi Gracia.

Leeds were above relegation on goal difference when Allardyce took the reins on a short-term contract, but he failed to keep them up after claiming just one point in the final four games of the season.

Allardyce’s contract ran out on June 2, leaving his stint in charge of Leeds as the shortest of any permanent Premier League manager in history.

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This weekend, players across the Premier League are taking a knee in solidarity with the No Room for Racism campaign.

Players across Europe began taking the knee in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd in the United States, with the return of the Premier League following its COVID-19-enforced break seeing players donning ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the back of their shirts in support of the movement.

Players took the knee every week at one point but now sporadically make the gesture – so why is that?

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When do players take the knee in the Premier League?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Players only take the knee these days for selected matches.

The Premier League’s opening weekend fixtures saw players across the country take the knee, with the gesture since reserved for ‘No Room for Racism’ weekends.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

These weekends are dotted across the season with the hope of drawing more attention to the cause.

The 20 captains of the Premier League sides often decide to make statements such as these, with all of them agreeing this time around to offer the gesture.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

Many Women’s Super League sides have already decided against taking the knee in matches marking Black History Month, believing the act is no longer meaningful.

Of course, it is not mandatory, for players to take a knee.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This weekend, Dominic Calvert-Lewis opted not to, while in the past, Wilf Zaha and Marcos Alonso have refused to take the knee, too.

The Premier League’s No Room for Racism campaign is separate to Black Lives Matter movement of the United States.

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Enzo Maresca has said Cole Palmer will miss another six weeks with a groin injury, raising doubts over whether the Chelsea forward will be able to regain his England place before the 2026 World Cup.

Palmer, who has been unavailable during the past two international breaks, has been struggling with his fitness since the start of the season and has not played since limping off against Manchester United last month. Chelsea have tried to manage the 23-year-oldâ€s groin injury with rest and are confident it does not need surgery but Maresca has dashed hopes of his most influential player making a swift return.

“Unfortunately he needs to be out for another six weeks,†Chelseaâ€s head coach said as he prepared for his sideâ€s trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. “We try to protect Cole as much as we can. The most important thing is when he comes back he is fully fit. The medical staff are not magicians. We hope six weeks are enough.â€

Cole Palmer will be sidelined for longer than initially expected. Photograph: John Walton/PAShare

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner revealed yesterday that club captain Marc Guehi will leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season. Guehi came close to joining Liverpool in a £35million transfer on deadline day before the deal collapsed at the last minute. He will now leave as a free agent next summer.

Glasner said: “I think Marc has already told us that he doesnâ€t sign a new contract, so he will leave next year. The club wanted [him to stay]. They offered Marc a new contract. But he said, ‘no, I want to make something differentâ€. And thatâ€s normal.

“And for us, itâ€s how we can deal with this situation? [What] is the best way to get this next step done? And thatâ€s all about how we are talking together.â€

Marc Guehi will leave Crystal Palace as a free agent at the end of the season. Photograph: Matt McNulty/Getty ImagesShare

Speaking of Nottingham Forest, Ben Fisher will be on hand at 11am this morning to answer any questions you may have about the club.

Be sure to email matchday.live@guardian.co.uk with your questions for the Q&A session or leave a comment below the line.

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Ange Postecoglouâ€s future at Nottingham Forest is on the line this afternoon. The 60-year-old is yet to win a match with Forest and is already at risk of being sacked – despite only arriving just over one month ago.

Postecoglou urged the clubâ€s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, to maintain faith in him during his press conference yesterday.

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Todayâ€s Premier League fixtures

• Nottingham Forest v Chelsea (12:30pm BST)

• Sunderland v Wolves

• Burnley v Leeds United

• Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

• Brighton v Newcastle

• Manchester City v Everton

• Fulham v Arsenal (5:30pm BST)

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Preamble

Hello, good morning and welcome to another Matchday live! Premier League and EFL football is finally back after (what felt like) a long international break and business resumes as normal. Iâ€ll be bringing you all the latest updates until the early kick-off which sees Nottingham Forest take on Chelsea at the City Ground.

Weâ€ll also go over some of the top talking points from yesterdayâ€s press conferences – including a huge update on the future of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi – and preview each of todayâ€s Premier League fixtures.

So, without further ado, letâ€s get cracking.

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Updated at 03.18 EDT

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Premier League clubs are divided over whether to introduce a controversial new ‘salary cap’ prior to next month’s vote on financial regulations, BBC Sport has been told.

The ‘top-to-bottom anchoring’ model – or TBA – would restrict the amount any club can spend on player wages, agents and transfer fees to five times the income earned from broadcasting and prize money by the bottom club in the English top flight.

The approach means that a cap would be imposed on clubs’ spending, regardless of their own income.

TBA is currently being trialled by the Premier League, alongside a ‘squad cost ratio’ (SCR) system of financial control that allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

On 21 November the Premier League will meet and vote on whether to adopt either, or both, models, and replace the current Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

Nine of the Premier League’s 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa’s SCR rules as a result of qualifying for Europe, and some believe it makes sense to align the regulations.

In order to encourage sustainability, Uefa permits participants in its competitions to spend up to 70% of their revenues on their squads, while the Premier League has said it would allow a more generous 85%.

However, BBC Sport has been told that a number of Premier League clubs would only vote for SCR to be implemented if it was accompanied by ‘anchoring’, so that those with the largest revenues did not get too far ahead of the rest, and competitive balance was protected.

This stance has been hardened by concern over additional money the top clubs are receiving from expanded European club competitions and the Club World Cup.

Last year 16 clubs voted to conduct detailed analysis of TBA, with only Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa voting against.

All three were known to be concerned that being pinned to the revenue of the league’s bottom-placed club would risk putting them at a disadvantage compared to some of their European rivals, who only have to adhere to SCR rules.

At the time, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said anchoring would “inhibit the top clubs in the Premier League, and the last thing you want is for the top clubs in the Premier League not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain – that’s absurd”.

In the 2023-24 season, 20th-placed Sheffield United earned around £110m. So last season no top-flight club would have been able to spend more than a total of £550m on player wages, amortised transfer fees and agents if TBA had been in force.

Meanwhile, a European club generating revenues of £1bn, for example, would be able to spend £700m while still adhering to Uefa’s SCR rules.

Manchester City spent £413m on wages last year, with total revenue of £715m.

Ahead of its meeting next month the Premier League has now sent proposals to its clubs, which reportedly include a suggestion that those in breach of anchoring rules could be punished with a points deduction.

Everton and Nottingham Forest were handed points deductions in 2023 and 2024 as a result of breaching PSR.

Back in February the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) issued what the Premier League described as “legal demands” over concerns it had about the impact that anchoring could have on player contracts if introduced.

The league said that the players’ union had been given “multiple opportunities to provide feedback”. The PFA remains opposed to TBA, and has hired barrister Nick de Marco in case it decides to launch legal action.

In 2021 the PFA’s claim that a planned salary cap by the EFL for League One and League Two was “unlawful and unenforceable” was upheld by an independent arbitration panel.

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Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez withdrew from the Argentina squad during the latest international break with an apparent knee injury.

The combative midfielder has played in every Premier League game so far for the Blues, and was an integral part of the group that won the Club World Cup in the summer.

Fernandez, who signed for Chelsea from Benfica for £106.8m in 2023, has enjoyed a fruitful start to the 25/26 season – scoring three times and registering two assists so far.

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Will Enzo Fernandez be available for Chelsea this weekend?

Enzo Fernandez has played a lot of football for Chelsea in 2025 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea had gone three league games without a win before surprising reigning champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge last time out.

A win against Nottingham Forest this weekend could see them climb back into the top four, and manager Enzo Maresca will be hoping his star midfielder will be available to help lead the charge at The City Ground.

Enzo Fernandez withdrew from the Argentina squad (Image credit: Getty Images)

Despite having to leave the Argentina camp, Fernandez is expected to be fit to face Forest on Sunday.

It is thought that the midfielder “had always planned to miss the friendly match with Puerto Rico this week and had planned to see family during his leave”, according to BBC’s Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella.

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Considering the amount of football he has played over the last year, including during the summer off-season at the Club World Cup, it seems the decision was made with a view to managing his load.

It’s Forest up next for Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime, a side that haven’t won since the opening day of the season.

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The treatment that Ange Postecoglou is getting from Nottingham Forest fans is just ridiculous.

It saddens me, actually, that they are calling for him to be sacked after just seven games – and I don’t think it’s fair at all.

I covered Forest’s defeat at Newcastle before the international break. That was the result I expected, and Newcastle thoroughly deserved to win too, but it still showed all this talk of how Ange can only play one way is wrong because Forest were not open at all at St James’ Park – they tried to contain Newcastle and played on the counter.

The problem they had was that they could not get up the pitch, but if you were a Forest fan watching that game then you would be thinking that Ange did try and play with a bit of balance.

Now they are at home, the onus will be on them to go forward more against Chelsea, whose manager Enzo Maresca has also come under pressure this season.

Chelsea’s late victory over Liverpool last time out was important for Maresca after back-to-back league defeats.

In many ways I hope Forest win, to take the heat off Postecoglou a little, but I don’t see it happening.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

Addison’s prediction: Forest will put up a good fight but Chelsea will edge it. 1-2

Aya’s prediction: The Forest manager is under pressure and that is going to take its toll on the players as well. 1-2

AI’s prediction: 1-2

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“I am a bit biased,” said Giggs. “I was a winger who liked to make things happen and excite the fans.

“Sir Alex [Ferguson] used to say ‘give the guy who works in the factory something to smile about’.

“I liked to pass it forward, to run and try a difficult ball with the outside of my foot knowing the manager wasn’t necessarily going to have a go at me.”

While the current generation are highly skilled and technical, the criticism is that their individuality has been taken away by micro-management, in an era when every positional change is detailed and coaches are a constant presence on the sidelines telling players where to go.

Grealish’s experience is often cited as an example – a player who arrived at Manchester City from Aston Villa in 2021 as a British record signing, capable of the kind of magic Giggs possessed, but then had his ‘off-the-cuff’ style taken away by Pep Guardiola’s demand for possession.

“You don’t like to go back to your time, but it does look a bit strangled with certain quality players,” added Giggs.

“There are some, like Josh King at Fulham, and Martin Odegaard, who get me excited as well, so it is not everyone but yes, from when I first started, I think it is a bit more robotic, with the patterns of play and more defensive minded teams.”

With conventional wing play seemingly a dying art it appears the inverted winger will be around for a while.

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Five substitutes were introduced in the Premier League in May 2020 before football resumed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The league reverted back to three for the 2020-21 season, before five was voted in permanently from the 2022-23 season. A sixth substitute is allowed to replace a player without a suspected head injury.

Three extra squad places are seen as being able to reduce the workload on players after threats of strikes.

Last season Tottenham defender Archie Gray was included in 80 matchday squads for club and country, including friendlies, the joint highest in Europe with Real Madrid’s 20-year-old midfielder Arda Guler.

Gray, 19, made 48 appearances as Spurs won the Europa League and helped England Under-21s win Euro 2025 in the summer.

Sources close to the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have doubts if 28-man squads would help players, given it would not stop them from travelling in a matchday squad or ease mental fatigue regardless of whether they play.

In June Uefa, the EFC, FifPro Europe and European Leagues launched a study to better assess different types of injuries, performance levels and player welfare.

Last month FifPro, the world players’ union, released its fifth annual report on the issue, looking at how much players played and travelled in 2024-25.

It wrote: “Even if the player does not end up playing any minutes, they still have to be physically present and fully participate in team preparations, mentally prepare, while often spending time away from home and undertaking international travel.

“As such, these occasions are also part of the player’s working time commitments.”

The EFC represents more than 800 men’s and women’s clubs from 55 countries, with Paris St-Germain, Inter Milan and Barcelona among those who attended last week.

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