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It’s been a gruelling start to the season for Arsenal so far.

In their five Premier League games, Mikel Arteta’s side have played Liverpool and Manchester United away from home, and hosted Manchester City at the Emirates.

Then, in the Champions League, they kick-started their campaign away to Athletic Bilbao, who finished fourth in La Liga last season.

Fortunately, the Gunners’ opening League Cup fixture tonight is against what should be easier opposition in Port Vale. As such, Arteta has the chance to make some changes, including the dropping of Viktor Gyokeres, but not for Mikel Merino.

Why Gyokeres should be dropped

Now, while there are undoubtedly going to be some fans who want to see Gyokeres start tonight, there are several reasons why we think that is a bad idea, notably the state of the squad.

Jesus

Knee

01/26

Havertz

Knee

11/25

Madueke

Knee

11/25

Odegaard

Shoulder

09/25

Hincapie

Groin

N/A

Arsenal are already going through an injury crisis at the moment, and one of the players who is out of action and looks set to be out for some time longer is Kai Havertz.

So, while other players could start league games up top, the former Sporting CP star is the only natural option who plays there, and therefore, should be protected in a game like this.

Moreover, while some might argue that it’s the perfect fixture to help play the Swede into some form, the struggles of other top sides against lower opposition in recent weeks should serve as a warning that it may not be as easy as some expect.

In other words, if the Stockholm-born star starts and then doesn’t score against Port Vale, the narrative around his ability and suitability in this side will reach new levels and could totally derail his integration into the team.

Anyway, should the Gunners find themselves a couple of goals to the good late on in the game, Arteta could always bring him off the bench for 25 mins or so to run at a tired defence and grab a goal or two that way.

With all that said, then, the Spaniard has to drop Gyokeres to the bench tonight and go with another one of his attacking stars and not Merino.

The Arsenal star Arteta should start in place of Gyokeres

So, if Arteta does decide to start Merino in place of Gyokeres tonight, it wouldn’t be a terrible move, as we’ve already seen that he can do well up top.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, we think that the far better option for this game would be Gabriel Martinelli.

Yes, it’s not something he’s done all that often over the years, but the manager should play the former Ituano gem through the middle, and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, the Brazilian is probably the club’s most inform attacker at the moment, as coming off the bench in Spain, he scored the opening goal and then provided an assist for Leandro Trossard to get the second.

Then on the weekend, as it looked like Man City were going to get all three points, he once again came off the bench to score a wonderful chip and prevent what would have been a minor disaster so early on in the campaign.

So with the 24-year-old being directly involved in the team’s last three goals, the manager should reward him with what would be just his second start of the season.

Another reason why he should be in the starting lineup is that, over the last few years, the rapid “monster,” as journalist Mark Mann-Bryans once dubbed him, has proven himself to be a real confidence player.

In other words, not only would starting him be the right thing to do as a reward for his form, but it’d also be best for the squad overall, as Arteta would have another inform free-scoring option he can call upon on the bench in league games.

Ultimately, Gyokeres should be rested tonight, and while Merino would likely do a fine job leading the line, Martinelli is in red-hot form in front of goal and deserves his chance to lead the line – it might just prove to be a game-changing development for Arsenal.

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Celtic are back from the international break and find themselves preparing for a tough run of fixtures, including the start of their Europa League campaign under Brendan Rodgers.

The Irishman has spoken in frank fashion about the frustration he faced during the summer transfer window, claiming his side ‘weren’t ready’ for their Champions League playoff match against Kairat Almaty after the Parkhead hierarchy failed to push critical deals over the line.

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Nevertheless, the Bhoys brought in ten new players by the end of the market period before Kelechi Iheanacho was released from his Sevilla contract to sign as a free agent.

However, the lack of synergy between the Celtic board and Rodgers has been on show for all to see, and one of his lesser-spotted summer signings has now sent an intriguing social media message that may explain his own situation in a little more detail.

Celtic loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey sends cryptic Instagram message

Taking to Instagram, Celtic summer signing Jahmai Simpson-Pusey changed his profile picture on the platform to reflect a message that said ‘Delays teach patience, which prepares you for blessings’ after failing to make a first-team appearance since arriving on loan from Manchester City.

Becoming the Hoops’ eighth addition of the window, the 19-year-old has also been left out of the Bhoys’ Europa League squad by Rodgers alongside Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, causing some to question why he was acquired in the first place.

For now, Lennoxtown product Dane Murray appears to be ahead of Simpson-Pusey in the pecking order and is usually first in line to come off the bench when Rodgers decides to shuffle his backline around.

Regardless, there is a long season ahead for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions, and there is every chance that the England youth international could have a part to play as his loan club pursue another domestic treble.

What has Brendan Rodgers said about Jahmai Simpson-Pusey?

Shortly after his arrival in Glasgow was confirmed, Rodgers admitted to the press before his side defeated Aberdeen in August that Simpson-Pusey may be some way off featuring regularly due to his lack of a full-intensity pre-season.

He stated via Sky Sports: “He’s a little bit away in fairness to Jahmai. He’s been training with the small group at Manchester City and isn’t quite up to speed yet. You can see his quality straightaway and it’s just going to take a bit of time in terms of his fitness and the intensity.”

Clearly, Simpson-Pusey is a man with plenty of talent, given he claimed the Premier League 2 Player of the Season award last term and also made six appearances in the first-team under Pep Guardiola.

Now, he faces the challenge of nailing down a regular slot in Celtic’s backline, which may require persistence as the Manchester-born man looks to unseat the likes of Liam Scales, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty over the coming months.

يستعد فريق برشلونة، بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك، لخوض مباراته في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم عصر السبت، وذلك ضد نظيره جيرونا.

ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا، في خضم منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز الثاني في الدوري الإسباني برصيد 19 نقطة، في حين أن جيرونا لديه 6 نقاط حيث يحتل المركز السابع عشر.

ويسعى برشلونة إلى مصالحة جماهيره بعدما خسر في مباراتين متتاليتين، حيث سقط أمام باريس سان جيرمان بهدفين لهدف في دوري أبطال أوروبا، قبل هزيمته الثقيلة على يد إشبيلية بأربعة أهداف لهدف. موعد مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 5:15 عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

سيعلق أحمد البلوشي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.

كشف مصدر داخل النادي الأهلي عن تفاصيل إصابة محمد شريف مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، ومدة غيابه المتوقعة، بعد تعرضه لإصابة خلال مواجهة فريق إيجل نوار البوروندي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وكان الأهلي قد حل ضيفًا على إيجل نوار في ذهاب الدور التمهيدي (دور الـ32) من البطولة القارية، ونجح في تحقيق الفوز بهدف دون رد خارج الديار.

طالع أيضًا | مدرب إيجل نوار لـ”بطولات”: لم نستحق الخسارة أمام الأهلي.. وسنذهب إلى القاهرة من أجل التأهل

وأوضح المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات، أن محمد شريف تعرض لإصابة بشد في العضلة الضامة، وسيغيب على إثرها لمدة تقارب ثلاثة أسابيع، مؤكدًا أن اللاعب بدأ بالفعل برنامجًا علاجيًا وتأهيليًا تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي للفريق.

ومن المقرر أن تُقام مباراة الإياب بين الأهلي وإيجل نوار يوم السبت المقبل في القاهرة، حيث يكفي المارد الأحمر التعادل أو الفوز بأي نتيجة لحسم التأهل إلى دور المجموعات.

يُذكر أن بطولة السوبر المصري ستنطلق في 6 نوفمبر المقبل بدولة الإمارات، وأصبح من الوارد عدم لحاق محمد شريف بالمشاركة في البطولة بسبب الإصابة وفترة الغياب المحددة له.

After a pretty miserable couple of weeks in which West Ham United lost games against Sunderland, Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers, there is finally reason to be optimistic about this season.

Yes, after weeks of stories about offers being made and rejected, Graham Potter has finally been handed his new midfield star in Mateus Fernandes.

The former Southampton ace cost the club in excess of £40m, but considering how well he played in his first Premier League season last year, that’s not bad value at all.

Moreover, if reports are to be believed, the Hammers are now keen to add another signing to the squad, someone Fernandes would love to play with.

West Ham target perfect teammate for Fernandes

While things aren’t looking great on the pitch at the moment, West Ham’s summer is starting to look like a decent one, at least from an incomings perspective.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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For example, in addition to Fernandes, the club have signed the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Soungoutou Magassa, who is should be announced before the team play Nottingham Forest tomorrow afternoon.

Moreover, the East Londoners appear keen to make further additions to the squad and are eyeing a move for someone who’d be a brilliant teammate for Fernandes.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who has claimed West Ham are interested in Quinten Timber.

The German journalist has revealed that the Hammers are now “exploring” a deal to sign the Netherlands international, who Feyenoord value at £25m, per reports from earlier this summer.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his quality, Timber would be more than worth it, especially as he’d be a great teammate for Fernandes.

Why Timber would be a great teammate for Fernandes

So, the first, and arguably one of the most important reasons Fernandes will love playing with Timber is his surprisingly decent level of output.

We say surprisingly decent for the simple fact that the Dutchman is primarily a central midfielder, but as his numbers from last season show, he is more than capable of producing goals and assists.

For example, in his 26 appearances last season, totalling 2054 minutes, the “extraordinary” midfielder, as dubbed by Mikel Arteta, scored six goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.71 games, or every 293.42 minutes.

Timber’s 24/25

Appearances

26

Minutes

2054′

Goals

6

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

Minutes per Goal Involvement

293.42′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

While those aren’t ground-breaking numbers, it will be reassuring for the Hammers’ new Portuguese manager to know that the responsibility of producing goal involvements won’t fall solely on his shoulders.

The next reason the Dutchman would be such a brilliant teammate for the Irons’ new ace is his experience and leadership.

Despite still being just 24 years old, the former Ajax prospect has made 105 appearances for Feyenoord and 33 for Utrecht, and has won five senior caps for the Netherlands.

Moreover, he’s also the captain of De Stadionclub, so, in addition to knowing he can contribute with goals and assists, the former Saints gem will be able to rely on the “superb” midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, for guidance and leadership.

Ultimately, Timber would be an excellent signing on his own, but by playing him alongside Fernandes, West Ham could maximise the potential of both.

Related Their new Rice: West Ham now exploring move for £17m star after Magassa

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 28, 2025

Pep Guardiola hailed Erling Haaland as “better than ever” after the striker’s derby double inspired Manchester City to a 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United. Haaland’s ruthless brace, alongside a crucial opener from Phil Foden, saw the Citizens dominate at the Etihad. Guardiola later labelled Foden as “the heart of the club” in a glowing tribute to the Englishman.

Manchester City destroy United at the Etihad

Haaland scored twice to take his Premier League tally to five goals in four matches this season. The Norwegian also surpassed Didier Drogba in the league's top scorers list, underlining his lethal form in front of goal. Foden opened the scoring in the 18th minute, netting his first Premier League strike since January to set City on their way. Guardiola has now praised both the goalscorers after the Manchester derby win.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALHaaland on fire this season — Foden picking up pace

Haaland has now netted 16 times in his last 10 appearances for club and country. Guardiola believes the 24-year-old is performing at an even higher level than during City’s treble-winning season. With Foden rediscovering his form, City’s midfield and attack look sharper and more balanced than ever.

Guardiola praises Haaland and Foden after goals

“Erling has been incredible since the start but this season he is better than ever. I would say better than the Treble year. He’s dynamic and I don’t judge him for the clearance, we want him to score goals and to help us,” Guardiola told reporters.

On Foden, he added: “We missed him so much and the season before he was the best player in the Premier League so we need him, he has a work ethic. Phil is the core, the heart of the club, from the academy and he loves City. To have him back is good news.”

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Getty Images SportMan City preparing for duel with Kevin de Bruyne

Manchester City have eyed Foden as the final replacement for Kevin de Bruyne; however, the Englishman will now have to go toe-to-toe with the Belgian when City take on Napoli in the Champions League opener on Thursday, September 18.

Leeds United have made a couple of much-needed signings in midfield this summer. After their incredible 100-point campaign in the 2024/25 Championship season, the Whites have made two new additions in the middle of the park to replace Josuha Guilavogui and Joe Rothwell, who have now left.

The first midfielder Leeds signed this summer was Newcastle United academy graduate Sean Longstaff. He joined for a reported fee of £12m from the Magpies. Daniel Farke’s side also signed German midfielder Anton Stach from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim. He cost a reported £17.4m up front, with further add-ons.

However, the Yorkshire outfit are not seemingly done there when it comes to signing new midfielders this summer. They have recently been linked with a further man in the middle of the park.

Leeds’ next midfield target

So, there is a clear transfer policy at Elland Road this season, for the midfield to be strengthened ahead of a huge season back in the Premier League. With Longstaff and Stach through the door, it seems Leeds have identified their next target.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a recent report from journalist Gianluigi Longari, Leeds are one of the sides who ‘have come forward’ about signing Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis. The Portuguese midfielder is a player who his club ‘might consider the departure of’ in the coming weeks.

However, this is not going to be an easy deal to do. Benfica have also ‘had inquiries from Serie A clubs in the past’, and recently other Premier League sides have shown interest. Fellow newly-promoted side Burnley are one side in the race, as are Everton.

It was reported last May that the Toffees made a bid of around £26m for Luis, so perhaps he would cost Leeds a similar fee.

Why Luis would be a good signing for Leeds

The 25-year-old defensive midfielder played an important role in the Benfica side last season. He’s become an established player for his boyhood club in the last few seasons, after having a couple of loan spells, including one for Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.

Last term, he made 45 appearances in all competitions, slotting in at the base of their midfield. In 26 appearances in the Portuguese top flight, he played 90 minutes in 15 of those games, helping to steer his side to a third-place finish.

The former Portugal under-21 international, who is yet to make a senior appearance for his country, was described as an “exceptional talent” by former boss Rui Vitoria.

As well as his strong defensive contributions, he also chipped in with two goals and one assist.

Luis is certainly consistent as a defensive midfielder. It could be argued that the 25-year-old has shades of former Leeds hero Kalvin Phillips. Although his career has taken a downward trajectory since departing Elland Road, his impact at his boyhood club was superb.

In 234 games for the Whites, the England international became a pivotal figure at the base of their midfield, scoring 14 goals and assisting 13, too. He was once described as ‘the best English midfielder there is by far’ by Gary Neville.

The statistics between Phillips’ debut campaign in the Premier League back in 2020/21, and Luis from Benfica’s most recent season, further reinforce the fact he is so similar to Leeds’ homegrown hero.

When looking at the numbers on FBref, the Benfica star averages 6.12 tackles and interceptions and 5.8 progressive passes per 90 minutes. In comparison, Leeds’ former midfielder averaged 4.41 tackles and interceptions and 5.07 progressive passes each game.

Progressive passes

5.8

5.07

Blocks

1.51

1.81

Tackles and interceptions

6.12

4.41

Aerial duels won

1.23

1.11

Ball recoveries

5.66

7.93

Not only will Luis bring quality out of possession, but his progressive nature will aid Leeds in build-up, too. There are certainly aspects of his game that are similar to Phillips’, especially his defensive work.

For a fee of around £26m, this could be a fantastic deal for Leeds to further enhance the quality in midfield.

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