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Manchester United are in no rush to start swinging the axe amid their underwhelming start to the Premier League season, a report says.

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Man Utd have three points from three gamesCalls for Ten Hag to be sacked have returnedCoach under pressure but club won't panicWHAT HAPPENED?

After winning their first game of the new campaign – thanks to a late winner from Joshua Zirkzee – the Red Devils lost to Brighton via a stoppage time goal before being humbled at home in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool last week.

Their disappointing performances have resulted in calls for the Red Devils to sack Ten Hag just three weeks into the new campaign, even after they refrained from firing him in the summer and instead offered him a contract extension.

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However, reports that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team are not considering turning back on their summer decision just yet as they will give Ten Hag time to turn the situation around. However, the club chiefs' patience will not last forever, meaning the Dutchman must start producing more positive results soon.

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United finished eighth in the table last season – their worst ever Premier League finish – but the new part-owners decided against bringing in a new coach as they addressed the flawed structure around Ten Hag. Now that signings like Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt have come in along with new background staff for Ten Hag and a new CEO and sporting director, Ratcliffe and Co. hope to bear the fruits of their work soon.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?

Ten Hag will hope the international break gives him enough time to work out the kinks in his strategy as the Old Trafford side look to bounce back when they meet newly-promoted Southampton, who are joint-bottom with zero points, on September 14.

Leeds United are now preparing for the Championship playoffs after missing out on automatic promotion to Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Daniel Farke and his side can still gain promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking and will take on Norwich City in the semi-finals. To achieve that, they'll be hoping to avoid further injuries.

The treatment table at Thorp Arch has been pretty busy over the last few months, so Football FanCast can keep you up to date with all the latest Leeds news involving injuries and suspensions ahead of their trip to Carrow Road on Sunday.

Latest Leeds injury news

The Whites have a few injury concerns to worry about at this time.

Pascal Struijk has undergone surgery, and won't return until next season. The two recent names on the list are Patrick Bamford and Dan James, with updates emerging on both ahead of the trip to Norwich.

Pascal Struijk

Groin/adductor

1st January 2024

Out for the season

Dan James

Costal cartilage

April

Could return v Norwich

Patrick Bamford

Bruised knee

April

Out v Norwich

Dan James – costal cartilage

It was announced last month that Dan James suffered a costal cartilage injury and an oblique abdominal muscle tear. In good news, though, the winger could play a part in the first leg, with Farke saying he has returned to parts of training.

"Daniel James is making good progress, coming closer and closer. Joined in parts of team training. Perhaps available, depends on next 48 hours."

Patrick Bamford – bruised knee

Patrick Bamford is another who has been out in recent weeks and won't return for the semi-final against Norwich. Farke said in his recent press conference.

"Patrick will definitely miss both legs of the [semi-final]. He’s seen a different knee consultant and there is a mini trauma in the patellar tendon. He definitely needs a couple of weeks to recover."

Pascal Struijk – groin

Pascal Struijk has been out since Boxing Day and won't appear in a Leeds shirt until what will now be next season. Farke provided an update in a previous press conference, where he revealed that he's undergone surgery:

"A decision was made, he’s already had his surgery last Monday, it was long and complicated. It went well, he’s already started his first steps, but he’ll definitely miss the rest of the season and back for pre-season.”

Latest Leeds suspension news

Leeds currently don't have anyone serving a suspension or at risk of a suspension.

West Indies batsman hoping to fulfill Test potential three years after Headingley heroics

Alan Gardner16-Jun-2020Shai Hope’s twin hundreds at Headingley in 2017 can rightfully take a place among the finest batting achievements in the history of the game. No man had ever scored a century in each innings of a match – never mind a Test – in over 100 years of cricket played on the ground before Hope did so, in the process leading West Indies home to a memorable five-wicket win.But the marker has also become something of a millstone around Hope’s Test career, symbolic of what he could still become rather than the moment he arrived. In the two-and-a-half years of international cricket since, Hope’s coruscating ability has shone most brightly in the one-day arena, where he has scored eight hundreds and averaged 55.52 (while keeping wicket, too); but he has yet to raise his bat on reaching three figures in another Test.The 265 runs Hope scored in Leeds three summers ago currently constitute almost 18% of his career total. Yet, despite an average of 27.23, his wicket will rank alongside that of Kraigg Brathwaite (who narrowly missed out on pipping Hope to Headingley history with 134 and 95) as the most important for England’s bowlers to target.ALSO READ: West Indies pace attack ‘can challenge any team in the world'”We want to change that around,” Hope said of how his Test numbers pale in comparison to ODIs. “Red-ball batting is definitely my favourite part of the game but the runs and the stats aren’t exactly where we want them to be, but I’m working towards that. I can’t pinpoint anything [wrong] at this stage, because I wouldn’t say my preparation has changed. I don’t think it’s anything major when it comes to my technical side of the game. There are certain things you can tweak, as you go along. I would probably say it’s more of a mental thing. Hopefully I can turn it around and move on from there.”Obviously you’re going to be hard on yourself, especially when you know you can get something done but it’s not really portraying on the stats. Just [need to] have the continued belief in myself, back my ability because I know I can get it done, it’s not like I haven’t done it before. Case of making sure I make the most of these opportunities and do whatever I can to make the team win.”Hope’s ideal role within the Test side is perhaps still to be determined; his Headingley hundreds came at No. 5 (due to use of a nightwatchman) and No. 4, but he has since moved up to three and also batted down the order when deputising for regular wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich. “Regardless of which position I bat, I have to contribute in whichever way I can,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if I start at the top or the middle order, the case is to get as many runs for the team.”With West Indies possessing the calibre of pace attack to make life hard for England, their chances of capitalising may hinge on how the batsmen fare. Missing Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer, two players who contributed to beating England in the Caribbean 18 months ago, the burden of expectation is likely to fall on Brathwaite and Hope.Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope and Rahkeem Cornwall wear face masks•ECB/Getty ImagesOpener Brathwaite, too, has experienced a dip in form since 2017, averaging 25.33 in his last 20 Tests. Roston Chase has enjoyed most of his batting success in the Caribbean, Jermaine Blackwood scored his only Test century five years ago, while players such as John Campbell, Shamarh Brooks and Nkrumah Bonner are relatively untested – but Hope said it was important for someone to “put their hand up” over the coming weeks.”It’s very important, especially for the team dynamic that we have right now, we’re missing a few key players so it’s very important for us as top-order batters to get those runs on the board,” Hope said. “Especially first part of the game against the new ball, make it easier for the batters coming down the line.””It’s more a case where the performances will matter. Yes, we’re definitely going to miss those guys [Bravo and Hetmyer], they play a big role in the team, but it’s more the performances that we’re going to miss. Because they could be here and it just doesn’t go their way, that’s how cricket goes sometimes. We really just want someone to put their hands up, and I want to stress that. Just keep making sure that we as batters put those runs on the board.”West Indies’ training at Old Trafford was interrupted by rain on Tuesday, but Hope said the players had settled in well and would be hoping to turn the heat up on England by the time the first Test rolls around on July 8.”We expect the seamers to bowl some fire in the series. Pitches have been pretty decent, it’s just trying to acclimatise to everything, get used to the conditions and I think we’re settling in nicely.”

The Reds missed out on their top transfer target this summer, but a forgotten man is helping them swiftly get over this disappointment

"We’ve seen this four or five times in the game where he just opens those legs up and runs away from people. [Kobbie] Mainoo has to bring him back [and] gets the yellow card. It’s almost [Patrick] Vieira-like."

That was Jamie Carragher's take after Ryan Gravenberch got the pundit's tongue wagging with a dominant display for Liverpool against Manchester United. The Dutchman had just helped new Reds boss Arne Slot pass his first, proper test since taking over at Anfield with flying colours, starring in his side's 3-0 demolition of United at Old Trafford. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah may have got the goals, but this game was won in midfield.

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Gravenberch were all sublime: a fluid but rock-solid pyramid that drove their United counterparts into the ground. After the game, Carragher took the opportunity to poke fun at a particularly bold claim that partner-in-crime Gary Neville made ahead of the game. "Would you still not swap midfields?" he jibed.

We are used to witnessing these sorts of performances from Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, who reached similar heights during their first season at Anfield. But with Gravenberch, his eye-catching display – and excellent start to the campaign in general – came as more of a surprise.

AFPFuture of Dutch football

Indeed, Gravenberch's recent career has been a tale of unfulfilled potential. There was a time when he was hailed as the future of Dutch football. In 2018, he became Ajax's youngest-ever Eredivisie debutant, beating the legendary Clarence Seedorf's record by over 100 days as a 16-year-old.

In the seasons that followed, he established himself a first-team regular, helping Erik ten Hag's side to successive league titles in 2021 and 2022, scoring in the Champions League and following Frenkie de Jong, Christian Eriksen and Matthijs de Ligt by winning the Johan Cruyff Trophy, a prize awarded to the best Under-21s player in the Netherlands. He received international recognition too, making Frank de Boer's squad for Euro 2020.

Comparisons to footballing icons were common, with Paul Pogba among those mentioned as a reference point, due to both players' blend of technical and physical prowess as well as their ability to occupy multiple midfield roles seamlessly. Gravenberch wasn't afraid to encourage these lofty expectations either.

"I see people comparing me to such celebrities as a compliment and doesn't put me under any extra pressure," he said to . "I think I should try to be myself. Ten years from now, if young footballers are told they look like Ryan Gravenberch, then I've done well in my career."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWasted potential

It was always a question of when, not if, Gravenberch would tread a familiar path by leaving Ajax behind for one of the continent's big boys. And after a couple of summers of tussling, Bayern Munich would emerge victorious in that particular transfer battle in 2022.

Gravenberch claimed he didn't take long to decide on Bavaria as his next step, immediately vowing to "win lots of titles". The club were perhaps even more enthused by the transfer, though.

"He's one of the biggest talents in Europe, has superb technical ability, always finds solutions in tight spaces, is very dynamic and a goal threat," sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said at the time. "The fact he’s chosen FC Bayern shows that he’s convinced by us as a club and the opportunities here. We love players with that mentality. We’re confident that we’ll enjoy lots of success with him."

But as it turned out, that confidence was misplaced. Gravenberch went from one of the first names on the team sheet in Amsterdam to scrapping for playing time on the bench. In the end, he would make just four Bundesliga starts, while minutes in the Champions League were even harder to come by. Despite Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich enduring their worst seasons in recent memory, both Julian Nagelsmann and his replacement Thomas Tuchel were simply not convinced he warranted a larger role.

Gravenberch wasn't happy either, venting his frustration to at the end of that season. "I expected to play more minutes than I did. I thought I would get some more chances… I told everyone that I don’t want another year like that. Of course, you can’t always be in the starting XI, but you can still play regularly – you can get a lot of minutes."

Getty Images SportMore of the same on Merseyside

A few months after these pointed comments, Gravenberch jetted off to Liverpool for, in his own words, "a fresh start". The final piece of the Reds' much-discussed midfield rebuild, following the arrivals of Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo, he experienced similar struggles during his maiden Anfield campaign.

There were moments of promise, particularly in the Europa League, but on other occasions he failed to influence proceedings in any meaningful way. Jurgen Klopp summed up his 2023-24 season perfectly in February, saying: "He had outstanding performances where he was Man of the Match for us internally and other matches where you think ‘where was he actually today?'"

This inconsistency is not unusual for a player still developing, but there was a feeling that the current campaign represented a significant moment for Gravenberch. He was even tentatively linked with an Anfield exit this summer. Fortunately for him, it appears things are finally starting to click under Slot.

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Getty Images SportUnlocked by Slot

One of the main reasons Liverpool hired Slot this summer was his track record for improving players. It may still be early days, but there's been plenty to suggest that this knack will be continuing at Anfield.

Diaz, long derided for his lack of composure in front of goal, has already scored three times following intense one-to-one work with the Reds boss. Szoboszlai, meanwhile, has been liberated, showcasing his explosive dribbling ability and leaving his poor end to the season in the rearview mirror. And then there's Gravenberch, who's flourishing in Slot's 4-2-3-1 system.

Fielded alongside Mac Allister in a double pivot, but with license to roam, his reinvigoration began right from the first whistle of his side's Premier League opener against Ipswich Town. During that victory, Gravenberch used the ball better than any other Liverpool player, completing nine passes in the final third and setting Salah free in the build-up to his side's opener.

His manager was left satisfied, with his deployment in a nominally deeper role initially raising some eyebrows before kick-off. "Ryan is attacking-minded, but if we play with him [in defensive midfield], the rest of the team needs to help him as well… But what we do know with Ryan is that he can play the ball forward if he sees options to do so. So, that helped us today, especially in the second half."

Everton manager Sean Dyche has told the club to sign an "outstanding" Premier League giant in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Everton transfer news

The Blues have once again preserved their top-flight status and focus now turns to new signings for Dyche between now and the beginning of next season. Southampton are on the verge of getting back into the big time, with a Championship playoff final against Leeds United to come this weekend, but striker Che Adams looks almost certain to leave the south coast club this summer.

The Scotland international is set to be a free agent, and has been linked with a move to Everton, with the Blues viewing him as a player who could add much-needed firepower to the team.

Meanwhile, AZ Alkmaar right-back Yukinari Sugawara is another rumoured target for the Merseysiders, following a season that has seen him chip in with four goals and seven assists in the Eredivisie. He is potentially seen as an upgrade on the likes of Seamus Coleman, Ben Godfrey and Nathan Patterson in his position, providing more attacking thrust there in 2024/25 and beyond.

There is also plenty of exit news surrounding some current Everton players, however, and while Jarrad Branthwaite is believed to be a target for Manchester City, teenage Blues goalkeeper Douglas Lukjanciks is also wanted by the Premier League champions.

Dyche wants "outstanding" striker at Everton

According to TEAMtalk, Dyche has told Everton chiefs to sign Elijah Adebayo from Luton Town this summer, seeing him as a strong option to come in and bolster his attacking options. The report states that the Blues "are ready to offer Luton striker Elijah Adebayo the chance to stay in the Premier League", with the £12,500-a-week ace impressing for the Hatters in their debut season in the division, despite them being relegated back to the Championship.

Dyche is "a big admirer" of the towering 6 foot 4 ace, and "sources say he sees him as a key addition to his plans at Goodison Park".

Adebayo has proven that he can handle the quality and physicality of the Premier League in 2023/24, with 10 goals in 27 appearances in the competition an excellent return for a relegated team, only 16 of which were starts.

Luton manager Rob Edwards has described the 26-year-old as an "outstanding" player, clearly valuing him greatly, and the fact that Dyche personally wants Kevin Thelwell and Co to strike a deal for him suggests that the manager sees him as an ideal option.

Man City want another Everton youngster alongside Branthwaite in £10m move

The Premier League champions are showing concrete interest.

ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2024

Adebayo actually scored more headed goals in the league this season than Everton ace Dominic Calvert-Lewin – the Luton man has netted four times in that manner, compared to the Blue hero's tally of just one – highlighting his aerial prowess and how ideal he could be for Dyche's notoriously longer-ball style of play compared to other managers.

Veteran seamer targets 2021-22 Ashes as he says team-mate is becoming England’s greatest

Andrew Miller22-Jul-2020Ben Stokes has already surpassed the feats of Andrew Flintoff, and is well on his way to overtaking Sir Ian Botham as England’s greatest allrounder, according to James Anderson, who has reiterated his desire to carry on playing alongside his team-mate at least until the next Ashes tour of Australia in 2021-22.However, speaking in the build-up to the third Test at Emirates Old Trafford – a match for which he hopes to be recalled after being rested for last week’s 113-run win – Anderson warned that the issue of workload was every bit as applicable to Stokes as to the rest of England’s ever-rotating seam attack, after an extraordinarily wholehearted display.Not content with a total of 254 runs across two of the most vastly contrasting innings ever compiled in a single Test match, Stokes also chipped in with three wickets, including a vital last-day breakthrough that set England up for a series-squaring win. And, at one stage in the victory push – with attacking fields leaving no men in front of the bat – he sprinted full-tilt to the long-off boundary to intercept a straight drive off his own bowling.”Ben was very stiff yesterday after doing pretty much everything over the five days of that Test match,” said Anderson. “He was chasing balls off his own bowling, he batted for most of our two innings, and he got wickets as well. It can take its toll so we’ve got to look after him and make sure we can keep getting the best out of them for as long as possible.”Anderson is perhaps uniquely placed to pass judgment on Stokes’ status among England allrounders. He played alongside Flintoff in 25 Tests in his formative years in the England set-up, between 2003 and 2009, during which time Flintoff transformed into the world-beating cricketer who dominated the 2005 Ashes. Then in Antigua in 2015, Anderson overhauled Botham’s longstanding figure of 383 to become England’s leading Test wicket-taker, and has since added more than 200 scalps to reach his current tally of 587.Stokes’ sheer weight of numbers don’t yet match up to those of Botham, who also amassed 5200 runs in his 102-Test career. And yet, in 45 Tests since the start of 2016, Stokes’ averages rise to 43.60 with the bat and 28.00 with the ball – reminiscent of Flintoff’s three-year zenith between 2003 and 2006, when he averaged 41.30 and 27.78 in 38 Tests. Since the start of the 2019 Ashes, Stokes has averaged 59.38 with the bat alone.James Anderson appeals for the wicket of Roston Chase•Getty Images”He’s certainly the best allrounder I’ve ever played with,” Anderson said, “and he’s becoming the best allrounder that England’s ever had. There’s no reason why he can’t go on to become even better. With the bat he’s averaging in the 40s, with the ball he’s below 30, and he’s taking spectacular catches. It’s just incredible that we’ve got him on our team and he’s great to watch.”Stokes’ display in Manchester enabled him to overhaul West Indies’ captain Jason Holder as the No.1 allrounder in the ICC’s player rankings, and he has risen to No.3 in the batting rankings too – with only Australia’s Steve Smith and India’s Virat Kohli sitting above him at present. After the match, England’s captain, Joe Root, dubbed him “Mr Incredible” in tribute to a performance that evoked his game-changing displays with ball and bat at Headingley last summer.”It’s hard to say how good he is because it’s hard to find the words,” added Anderson. “Joe said the other day we were in the presence of greatness and he’s spot on. He gets into any team as a batsman, while his bowling gets better and better each time he goes out there. It’s just amazing to have that talent in our team, and to be able to watch it first-hand as well was amazing.”ESPNcricinfo LtdWhile Anderson is anticipating a recall on his home ground at Old Trafford – a stadium that now bears his name as one of its two ends – there are no guarantees that he will be reunited with his long-term sidekick, Stuart Broad – a player alongside whom he has claimed 471 wickets in 116 Tests, and who expressed his own disgruntlement at being omitted from the opening match of the series.Anderson turns 38 at the end of the month and Broad is already 34, so with a pack of fit and eager fast bowlers queuing up for opportunities after cricket’s lengthy lockdown suspension, he acknowledged that opportunities for regular starting berths may be harder to come by now than at any previous stage of their respective careers.ALSO READ: Botham, Flintoff, Stokes – who is England’s greatest allrounder?”I’d love to think that we’ve got plenty more games together in the future,” Anderson said. “Our record together speaks for itself. Obviously, there will be moments in the future where we’re not bowling together, which is happening in the series already and in the last two years. But I’d like to think that, if we’re in a situation where we’re both fit and England are picking their strongest bowling attack, we both be in that.”You always want to be in that best team,” he added. “That’s all I’ve ever tried to do and it’s the same with Stuart. But we’ve got six or seven world-class bowlers in this group, so we’re making sure that everyone’s in the right place, and the right frame of mind to go out and bowl their best for England if called upon.”Although he has played in just four of England’s last 14 Tests, Anderson’s stature as a swing and seam bowler is undiminished. At Cape Town in January, he became the oldest English quick to take an overseas five-wicket haul since Freddie Brown in 1951, and though he will be approaching 40 by the time England next head down under in 2021-22, his desire to make up for missing last summer’s Ashes has encouraged him to take a more phlegmatic attitude to the team’s rotation policy.”I think I can deal with it a bit better now than I did a few years ago,” he said. “Looking at the bigger picture, I want to be around when we go to Australia for the next Ashes, so to be able to do that, I’ve certainly got to do things slightly differently.”It might mean missing the odd game here or there to make sure that I’m in the best possible situation,” he added. “I want to keep bowling and keep my form, but I also want to look after my body as much as I can as well. I’m a bit more open to it now than I was, say, two or three years ago.”

Nottingham Forest have another season of Premier League football to look forward to in 2024/25, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side winning two of their last three matches to secure their top-flight status for a second successive season.

Wins against Burnley and Sheffield United allowed the Reds to secure safety, despite having a four-point deduction earlier in the campaign following a breach of the Premier League’s PSR rules.

However, the deduction inspired the club to get the job done, with Nuno putting his stamp on the side and showcasing some brilliant free-flowing attacking football that has caused some teams no end of problems this season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga’s blistering pace have often been useful for the Reds, with the duo finishing the campaign with 23 goal contributions between them.

In their second successive season back in the Premier League, the club have found it easier to find the back of the net, largely down to one player, with his creativity levels increasing further during 2023/24 following his move to the City Ground back in 2022.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s stats in the PL 2023/24

Over the last 12 months, there’s no role in the midfield or forward line that Morgan Gibbs-White hasn’t featured in – but best of all, he’s looked at home in every one of them.

Whether it’s central midfield, the number ten role or even off the left, he’s excelled producing some excellent numbers for the Reds in the process.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man finished the campaign with five goals and ten assists – a superb return for a player leading a club away from any form of relegation threat.

He’s also registered 74 chances created – a tally that is more than double any other Forest player could manage in 2023/24, with Hudson-Odoi taking second spot with just 36.

Assists

10

1st

Chances created

74

1st

Big chances created

16

1st

Expected assists

6.8

1st

Goals + Assists combined

15

1st

His xG of 6.8 expected assists, which like his chances created is the highest in the squad, demonstrates that he’s exceeded the tally he should be achieving based upon the goals he’s laid off for his teammates.

Gibbs-White has been at the heart of everything for Nuno’s side during the second half of the season, with his market value taking a sharp rise as a result.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s market value in 2024

Nearly two years on from his £25m move to the City Ground from Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 24-year-old has proved a lot of doubters wrong, with his value rising to a respectable £34m, as per Transfermarkt.

His subsequent increase sees him top as the Reds’ most valuable player, overtaking fellow midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, who’s now only worth £27.2m just over eight months after his £30m move to the East Midlands, which has seen him only feature 17 times.

Morgan Gibbs-White

£34m

Ibrahim Sangare

£27.2m

Taiwo Awoniyi

£23.8m

Danilo

£23.8m

Murillo

£21.2m

There’s no surprise that after the campaign he’s had for Forest, Gibbs-White is being linked with numerous clubs with a move away from the City Ground during the off-season.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are just two of the sides previously credited with an interest in luring him away from the Reds, but it would take a bid of at least £50m for the club to part ways with their star man.

The “unbelievable” talent, as described by writer Nathan Joyes, has been exceptional for the club since promotion, being a real spearhead in the attempts to avoid relegation – often proving to be the difference with his creativity.

It’s not outrageous to say that he’s simply irreplaceable for Forest, with the board and Nuno needing to stand firm in the window to avoid allowing him to depart for pastures new ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Nottingham Forest could also lose £80k-a-week hero alongside Gibbs-White

What a blow this would be for Nuno Espirito Santo.

ByHenry Jackson May 24, 2024

Mikel Arteta admitted to being "more than influenced" by Jose Mourinho and also addressed the "dark arts" allegations made by Manchester City players.

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Ten-men Arsenal held Man City to a 2-2 drawArteta took inspiration from MourinhoDismissed 'dark arts' claims by Man City playersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Leandro Trossad was given the marching orders after he picked up his second yellow for kicking the ball away – an almost identical offence that led to Declan Rice's dismissal against Brighton earlier this month. This forced Arteta to take a leaf out of Mourinho's coaching manual and park the bus in front of David Raya between the sticks, in an attempt to defend the lead in the second half against a marauding City side.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Arteta almost pulled off the stunt on rival territory but for John Stones who found a late equaliser deep inside stoppage time to earn a valuable point for the hosts. Nonetheless, credit must be given to the Gunners who dug deep and almost weathered the storm in a fashion that Mourinho would have been proud of.

WHAT ARTETA SAID

When Arteta was asked if Mourinho has influenced him, he replied: "More than influence, I think you learn a lot from other top coaches and you try to understand why they’ve been successful. But if it goes in a different direction, do you have the ability to adapt?"

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DID YOU KNOW?

After the match, Stones created quite a furore by claiming that Arsenal have "done [dark arts] for a few years" as Rodri went out injured with a suspected ACL tear.

Arteta rubbished those claims and said: "I always prefer the facts to words or supposing things. Let's see who is available tomorrow and then we can talk about 'dark arts' or these things or if it's a reality. Unfortunately, yes there will be a few players not available. I don't know. It's opinions and that's it."

When asked if the Arsenal injuries were serious, he said: "We have to wait on one of them. As I mentioned before I think other things will be factors and that's it. We will use the facts. (What are the other factors?) Well, if a player is faking something that means he will carry on and be involved in the squad and play."

From when the squad flies out to if players can train straightaway after reaching England, we answer all your queries

Andrew McGlashan14-Aug-2020When does the squad fly out?The 21-man squad, along with coaches and support staff will come from around Australia and link up in Perth for a direct chartered flight to London on August 23 which avoids the need for any international stopovers on route which may have complicated the journey. They will arrive in London the following day and immediately transfer to the County Ground at Derby which will be their first biosecure base for the tour. The ground has been used by Pakistan and the England Women’s team this season.How have the players been getting ready?The Australia selectors named a 26-man squad last month so that those in the frame could start to prepare. However, things have differed state-to-state because of the various levels of Covid-19 restrictions in place around Australia. Melbourne is currently in a Stage 4 lockdown after a spike in number of cases, which has made things more challenging for Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell. The New South Wales-based Australia players have trained away from their state team-mates and been told to avoid public places – such as cafes and restaurants – in recent weeks to minimise the risks. In other states it’s been more like normal pre-season. South Australia had nets in Adelaide on Friday and Marnus Labuschagne, the only Queensland player in the squad, made 92 when the state players trialled the Hundred format recently.Can Australia train straightaway?Yes, once they shake off the jetlag, they’ll be straight into preparing for the internationals. Because they are moving into a biosecure environment, plus the fact there is an approved air bridge between Australia and the UK, it means they won’t be confined to their rooms for a quarantine period on arrival. The reason they won’t go straight to the Ageas Bowl, which hosts the T20Is, is that England’s Test series against Pakistan isn’t due to finish until August 25. That tour then returns to Old Trafford, the other major biosecure venue, for the T20Is so Australia need a base for a few days before heading to the Ageas Bowl on August 27.ALSO READ: Warner, Smith, Maxwell, Cummins set to miss start of IPL 2020How will Australia prepare?Like West Indies and Pakistan, it will be with intra-squad matches (only Ireland, who played England Lions, have faced genuine opposition). Australia are due to play three T20 and one 50-over warm-up before facing England. They are taking 21 players with them which isn’t quite enough for a proper 11-a-side match, so there will need to be some creativity in the games themselves, but if the intra-squad match before last year’s Ashes is any indication, they could still be lively with established players up against those looking to make an impression.So what about the internationals?They will come in two batches, beginning with the T20Is on September 4, 6 and 8 before the squads relocate to Manchester for the ODIs, which are part of the World Cup Super League, at Old Trafford on September 11, 13 and 16. That journey between the venues will be under strict biosecure protocols as well, which is where Jofra Archer found himself in trouble earlier in the season after a detour home. The fact the two grounds have hotels onsite has been a key factor in the ECB managing to pull together this season.Remind me, when did Australia last play?The men were last in action on March 13 when the world was already changing. They played a behind-closed-doors ODI against New Zealand at the SCG – so were the first team to experience what has become the norm, for now at least – before that series was called off the next day when New Zealand had to return home due to borders being closed. Although they reached the World Cup semi-finals a little over a year ago, Australia’s ODI form has been very patchy with just two wins in seven matches since then. However, they have had much more success in T20Is and were shaping as one of the favourites for the now-postponed T20 World Cup. Going back to February 2019, they have won nine of their last 11 T20Is.What happens after the tour?This is where things get a bit complicated again and there are still some aspects to be confirmed. The players who take up their IPL deals will be dropped off in the UAE (Australia and England players will share the same flight) from which point on they come under the umbrella of the IPL’s protocols. The remaining Australia players and staff will continue back to Perth where, under Australia government regulations, they will have to quarantine for 14 days. CA hopes they will be able to negotiate that players will be able to train during that period but that’s an ongoing negotiation with the Western Australia government. It would be especially problematic for the pacemen if they weren’t able to keep their bowling loads up. After that period, they will be able to rejoin their states but it is likely they will miss some early-season games if the summer gets up and running on schedule.

De Klerk will join New Zealand duo Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green with the defending champions

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2020South Africa allrounder Nadine de Klerk, who impressed in the T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia, has signed for the Brisbane Heat ahead of this season’s WBBL with Cricket South Africa confirming their players will be allowed to travel to Australia for the tournament.De Klerk, who competed nationally as a javelin thrower before being selected for the 2017 World Cup as a 17-year-old, took 3 for 19 at the SCG in March but was unable to help South Africa into the T20 World Cup final as Australia won by five runs amid the drama of the rain. She will join New Zealand duo Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green as the Heat’s overseas contingent for the WBBL.”I’m pretty excited, it’s always been a dream and that’s what you work for,” de Klerk said. “It’s a really great opportunity and I’m really excited to play against some of my team-mates and alongside some legends.”Earlier this year was my first time in Australia but I loved every bit of it and there’s no better tournament than the WBBL. Hopefully I can perform well for the Heat.”Heat coach Ashley Noffke said: “Anyone who saw Nadine charge in and bowl without fear against the best team in the world would have been impressed. She’s got very good skills and is certainly a player who likes to lead by example. We’re very confident she will complement the squad we are assembling, and it will be exciting for our fans to see her in action when we get underway.”On Tuesday, CSA confirmed that individual athletes are able to get exemptions from the government to travel while South Africa’s borders are shut due to Covid-19. The national side had to cancel their tour to England in September due to the restictions.”National teams are restricted from travelling but individual players competing in events deemed as work are permitted to travel subject to them being COVID-19 compliant in the country they are travelling to and upon their return to South Africa,” the statement said.”This means that several Proteas will have opportunity to feature in this year’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) from 17 October until 29 November.”There are expected to be changes to the WBBL schedule due to various Covid-19 travel and border restrictions with the possibility that the tournament will be staged entirely in one state.”Everyone is quite eager to get out on the park, four months is a long time and we haven’t played any cricket,” de Klerk said. “It’s a great opportunity with the England tour being cancelled.”