Mikel Arteta insisted Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus can play in the same Arsenal team but said he cannot make promises about anyone s first-team opportunities.
The 23-year-old Nketiah, who had been tipped to leave the Gunners last term amid frustration over a reduced role, ultimately signed a new deal after a strong finish to the 2021-22 campaign.
But the arrival of Jesus from Manchester City has pushed the striker back down the pecking order, keeping his chances at a premium amid the Brazilian s rich form.
Ahead of Thursday s Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt, Arteta spoke of Nketiah s current status, and mulled whether both the Englishman and Jesus could combine, stressing he does not take his decisions lightly.
I know with Eddie, I am sure he want…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not interested in bulls*** stories about the destinies of teams that spent Christmas Day top of the Premier League.
A 2-0 victory over Wolves on Friday ensured the Reds would be top of the pile on December 25, while Manchester City s 3-2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday kept their advantage at four points.
Only twice since the start of the 2008-09 season has the team who led the way at Christmas failed to win the title, and on both occasions it was Liverpool.
Klopp was emphatic in declaring the fact irrelevant to this year s race and underlined that the Reds are only thinking about their next match against Newcastle United at Anfield on Boxing Day.
I heard all these things … [about] how many times in the la…
England’s Nations League group games conclude on Tuesday with a clash against Scotland at Hampden Park.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points ahead of the contest.
Big win could be required
All to play for in Group A1 – with one game remaining!
— Lionesses (@Lionesses)
Only table-toppers advance to the Nations League semi-finals, and England are currently second in Group A1, level on nine points with leaders the Netherlands, who the Lionesses beat 3-2 at Wembley on Friday. While the two sides are locked on head-to-head record, the Dutch have a goal difference that is superior by three – so it could be that Sarina Wiegman’s side need not only a victory, but a high-scoring one. The Netherlands face a Belgium outfit that …
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has told his players to park their Europa League heroics and stay humble ahead of Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final.
Rangers reached the last 16 of the competition when they beat Real Betis 3-2 in Seville on Thursday to claim top spot in Group G.
It was the first time a Rangers team had won an away game against Spanish opposition in Europe and a first home defeat of the season for a Betis side that had drawn with Real Madrid earlier in the month.
Clement has now gone 13 games unbeaten since replacing Michael Beale but the Belgian knows that silverware is the true litmus test for Rangers managers and he has the chance to succeed at the first attempt on Sunday.
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC)
Rangers tak…
Manchester City s battling 2-1 win over Southampton meant they stayed in touch with Premier League leaders Liverpool ahead of a blockbusting trip to Anfield next weekend.
The gap at the summit remains six points after Sergio Aguero cancelled out James Ward-Prowse s first-half opener from a rare Ederson error, before Kyle Walker proved to be an unlikely matchwinner.
But Pep Guardiola s champions are undeniably some way short of the supreme form that saw them amass 198 points over the course of back-to-back Premier League titles, having laboured for long periods against a Southampton side that shipped nine goals eight days ago.
A repeat of Wolves win at the Etihad Stadium last month appeared on the cards until Aguero intervened.
Liverpool retained their adv…
West Bromwich Albion have the signing of Bakary Sako on a free transfer.
Sako was available after his contract with Crystal Palace expired this summer. He began his career with French side Châteauroux, where he spent four seasons before joining Saint-Etienne in 2009. In England, he made his name playing for three years at Wolverhampton Wanderers and then joined the Eagles in 2015 on a three-year deal. Over those six years in English football, he made a total of 174 appearances in all competitions and found the opposition net 46 times.
The winger has revealed it was the passion of the Baggies manager Darren Moore that convinced him to move to The Hawthorns despite being wanted by several Premier League clubs. For his part, Moore is looking forward to having the option…
West Ham United are interested in signing Mohammed Kudus from Ajax in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Premier League club West Ham are in advanced talks with Eredivisie outfit Ajax over a deal for Kudus, who is a very versatile player and can operate as an attacking midfielder or as a winger.
Kudus has been on the books of Ajax since 2020 and has established himself as one of the best young players in the Netherlands. The 23-year-old has scored one goal in one Eredivisie game this season. Last season, Kudus made 19 starts and 11 substitute appearances in the Eredivisie, scoring 11 goals and providing three assists in the process.
West Ham will play in the UEFA Europa League this season after winning the UEFA Europa Conference Leagu…
Del Bosque, Zidane, Lopetegui – The former Castilla coaches Solari follows into Real Madrid hot seat
Real Madrid appointed Santiago Solari as a full-time successor to Julen Lopetegui on Tuesday, agreeing a deal until 2021, and he follows a long line of coaches to graduate from the club s Castilla side to the first team.
Solari was installed on an interim basis in October after Lopetegui had been dismissed following a dismal run of five defeats in seven matches across all competitions.
The 42-year-old enjoyed a perfect audition for the role, guiding Los Blancos to four successive wins, making him the first Madrid coach to start with such a run since Manuel Pellegrini in 2009.
Solari, who also played for Madrid, had been in charge of Castilla – their reserve team – for two years and was held in high regard by the club s hierarchy.
But how have other…
Patrick Cutrone is grateful to AC Milan but claims he was sold by his former club because there is a preference for Italian teams to field foreign players.
The one-cap Italy international ended his 12-year association with boyhood club Milan in July after taking up Wolves offer of a four-year deal.
He came through the Rossoneri s youth ranks and scored 18 goals in all competitions in an impressive breakthrough campaign in 2017-18, but the 21-year-old was less prolific last term and was moved on for a reported €22million during the close season.
Portuguese forward Rafael Leao, 20, was brought in as a replacement and Cutrone believes that move as well as Moise Kean s switch from Juventus to Everton is indicative of the way teams operate in Serie A.
3 Patr…
Wayne Rooney is close to an agreement with Birmingham to become their new manager.
Talks are progressing well and there is no expectation of any hold-ups, the PA news agency understands.
The former England skipper will replace John Eustace at St Andrew’s after leaving DC United last week.
Rooney, who was Derby boss between November 2020 and June 2022, is expected to be joined by Ashley Cole and John O’Shea as part of his backroom staff.
US-based Shelby Companies Limited completed a takeover of Birmingham in July and owner Tom Wagner has been reportedly seeking to make a change of management, with Rooney’s name linked with the club in September.
In August seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club.
Bi…