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It’s make-or-break time for Eddie Howe in the Newcastle United dug-out.

Howe has now overseen 190 games in charge of the Magpies, with recent 3-1 defeats picked up away at West Ham United and Brentford surely ranking high when scanning over some of the most abject performances served up during his long-standing tenure.

Former Magpies goalkeeper Tim Krul has come out to say Howe will still go down as “one of the legends of the club”, despite his poor current form in the hot seat, resulting in Newcastle sitting in a lowly 14th position in the Premier League.

All these glowing words will ultimately mean nothing, though, if Howe can’t turn around this concerning rut, with many a selection decision for the under-pressure boss to ponder over now during the international break, in an effort to save his job.

How Howe can save his job at Newcastle

Howe must know he’s under pressure now, with the usually calm and relaxed 47-year-old cutting a dejected figure after the away defeat at the Bees.

He will surely have come to the realisation he cannot rely on the first-teamers he has picked throughout his spell on Tyneside to continue to come up trumps, with the likes of Nick Pope and Joelinton potentially put to one side – owing immediately to injury – but also due to their recurring poor performances as the Toon slide down the division.

It’s a sad decline in real time for both the Brazilian and the ex-Burnley shot-stopper, with Aaron Ramsdale the likely candidate to replace Pope long-term, after he kept a clean sheet when last selected in the EFL Cup.

The faltering Magpies could look to the January transfer window to try and nail down a lasting replacement for Joelinton, but Jacob Ramsey did impress in flashes at the Gtech Community Stadium, winning five duels and amassing two key passes.

Howe could also be willing to gift Harvey Barnes some more first-team chances to save his skin, with the number 11 bagging his first Premier League goal of the season against Brentford to raise a rare smile.

With Anthony Gordon also being stricken by injury, and Anthony Elanga yet to get off the mark after a £55m summer move, the manager’s dependable super sub could be in for a start against Manchester City, after the break concludes.

There is also the major problem of Newcastle’s leaky defence that Howe will need to address, with one first-team figure – who was once even likened to Magpies’ great Alan Shearer – now in grave danger of being shelved for good.

Newcastle's "Shearer-like" star could be given the boot

As the aforementioned Krul touched upon, Howe will be viewed as a heroic icon down the line when his Newcastle tenure does expire, having guided the often trophyless Toon to an EFL Cup triumph just last season.

On that memorable day at Wembley, Dan Burn, all 6-foot-7 of him, got the ball rolling against the heavily fancied Liverpool, with that powerful header too fierce for Caoimhin Kelleher to palm away.

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville even heralded this moment as being “Shearer-like” from the Blyth-born defender, as the passionate number 33 scored an all-important strike, much like Shearer managed during his Tyneside peak, time after time.

Still, Howe cannot afford to be swept up in sentiment right now involving the ageing defender, with a red card picked up against Brentford resulting in the away side collecting a depressing fifth league defeat of the season.

Minutes played

73

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Accurate passes

20/32 (68%)

Accurate crosses

0/1

Possession lost

18x

Tackles won

1/2

Interceptions

0

Clearances

11

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

1

Total duels won

8/17

It wasn’t just the dismissal, though, that would sting from Burn’s off-performance, with the four-time England international also failing to lead by example when only winning eight of his 17 duels, on top of also giving away possession 18 times.

For Howe to save his job, he will need to ditch using Burn as a left-back option, with one content creator certainly right in his assessment now from earlier in the season, that the 33-year-old staying in that spot for the foreseeable future is the “stuff of nightmares.”

It will be a tough call to get rid, with Burn even once being noted as one of the “best signings” his manager has ever made, by Howe himself.

But, with his fralities being exposed all campaign long now, it could be a necessary alteration to bring Lewis Hall in, so Howe lives to see another day at St James’ Park.

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Gary Lineker is reportedly in talks with Netflix to feature in its US coverage of the 2027 Women's World Cup. The former Match of the Day host left the BBC's flagship football show in May after a string of controversies. Now, the former England international could return to sports broadcasting in 2027, with fellow Rest is Football podcast hosts Alan Shearer and Micah Richards potentially also being involved.

Lineker's long stay with BBC ends

In late May, Lineker announced his exit from MOTD after 25 years in the role. The ex-Tottenham striker eventually left the organisation after sharing an Instagram post about Zionism that included an antisemitic symbol. Now, The Times claims he is in discussions with Netflix about presenting at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. This follows after the streaming giant secured the rights to show live coverage in the US of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Quit or be quitted'

Following his BBC departure, the 64-year-old revealed his exit from the broadcaster was not entirely of his own volition.

In July, when asked if his exit was "of his own volition, or a case of quit or be quitted?", Lineker told The New World, via The Independent, "the latter".

He also apologised for his actions, saying, "I made a mistake and I immediately took it down and apologised, which I thought should have been enough."

'A defining voice in football coverage'

At the time of his departure, Tim Davie, the BBC's then director general, praised Lineker, while also alluding to his error of judgement. 

"Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season," he said. "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

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Getty Images EntertainmentWhat comes next for Lineker?

While those talks with Netflix continue on in the background, Lineker will continue hosting his popular football podcast with Shearer and Richards. Aside from football, he is currently fronting the ITV game show, The Box.

تحدث النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي مانشستر سيتي، عن مباراة فريقه أمام ليفربول ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض مانشستر سيتي مباراته أمام نظيره ليفربول مساء اليوم، الأحد، في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السابعة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليفربول في الجولة الحادية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

وقال هالاند، في تصريحات حول قمة الجولة الـ11 عبر الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “أشعر أن هذه هي أفضل نسخة من نفسي، لم أشعر أبدًا بتحسن أكثر من الآن”. (لمزيد من التفاصيل اضغط هنا).

وأضاف عن مواجهة ليفربول: “أعتقد أنهم فريق قوي حقًا، إنهم أبطال الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لذلك فهم فريق رائع، ولديهم العديد من اللاعبين الجيدين”.

وأكمل: “لا أعتقد أن لديهم الكثير من نقاط الضعف، لقد عانوا من بعض الصعوبات لكنهم فريق جيد ومتكامل وهذا يجعلهم أحد المرشحين للفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز مرة أخرى”.

وأردف صاحب الـ25 عامًا: “إنهم أبطال تلك البطولة ويلعبون بالشعار الذهبي على أكمامهم، لذلك ستكون مباراة صعبة، لقد أنفقوا مبالغ طائلة في الصيف، فماذا يمكن أن أقول؟ لا أعتقد أن لديهم نقاط ضعف كثيرة”.

وعن فرص مانشستر سيتي في المنافسة بقوة على اللقب هذا الموسم، قال هالاند: “لا ينبغي لنا أن نفكر كثيرًا في أي شخص آخر وأن نركز فقط على أنفسنا”.

وأتم: “إن التحسن في الأداء على أرض الملعب كفريق واحد وتحسن أداء كل فرد هو الأفضل بالنسبة لنا وفي النهاية، علينا فقط أن نحاول الفوز في كل مباراة على حدة”.

Newcastle United’s wait to see Yoane Wissa in action goes on. The £55 million summer signing has suffered another delay in his recovery from a Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) injury sustained while on international duty with DR Congo. Eddie Howe has confirmed that Wissa is “not close” to making his debut and will almost certainly remain sidelined until after the November international break.

Wissa's wait for Newcastle debut goes on

Wissa’s highly anticipated debut for Newcastle United has been pushed back yet again as Howe revealed that the striker is still far from returning to full training. The 29-year-old sustained a PCL injury just a week after completing his £55 million transfer from Brentford on September 1, having picked up a knock while representing DR Congo. Despite earlier optimism that he could return before the next international break, Howe has confirmed that Wissa’s fitness is not yet at the required level for him to rejoin the first-team setup.

Newcastle had initially hoped the DR Congo international might be available for selection ahead of their Premier League clash against West Ham this weekend. However, those plans have been scrapped after the medical team advised caution, prioritising Wissa’s long-term fitness.

The injury setback is a frustrating twist for both player and manager, given how central Wissa was to Howe’s summer plans. Newcastle identified him as the ideal successor to Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool for £130 million, but the club’s new marquee forward has yet to even train with his teammates since signing.

AdvertisementAFPHowe admits Wissa still not ready for action

Howe admitted his frustration at Wissa’s slow progress but stressed the importance of allowing the striker the time to recover fully. “It (his comeback) is definitely not West Ham (on Sunday),” the Newcastle boss confirmed. “He’s working very hard. He’s on the grass. He’s getting the fitness work in that he needs.”

The manager added that while Wissa is over the worst of his injury, he is still short of the physical sharpness needed to train with the squad. “I’d say he’s not close to training with the group at the moment, not through injury but through fitness, and making sure we build his robustness. I’m not trying to be evasive. I don’t know when the moment will be when he’s back with the squad.”

Howe also praised the DR Congo forward for his attitude during what has been a mentally testing period since his arrival on Tyneside. “He has a very strong character and that comes across,” Howe continued. “He’s good with the players, he’s very positive. He’s a leader. You can see that already.”

Wissa's spectacular move to Newcastle this summer

Wissa’s arrival on deadline day was seen as a major coup for Newcastle, following months of pursuit by the club’s recruitment team. The DR Congo star had been a standout performer for Brentford, scoring 19 Premier League goals in the 2024/25 season and earning widespread praise for his relentless pressing and clinical finishing. His £55 million transfer was part of Newcastle’s broader rebuild after Isak’s high-profile sale to Liverpool, with Wissa viewed as the perfect stylistic fit for Howe’s high-energy system.

However, the timing of his injury, sustained during international duty just days after signing, has been an immense blow. The 29-year-old forward has yet to train with his new teammates and has spent the past several weeks in an intensive individual recovery programme. Newcastle’s medical staff have been careful not to rush him, given the nature of the ligament injury and the risk of recurrence if he returns too early.

Off the pitch, Wissa has already made a strong impression in the dressing room. “He’s trying to inspire and help the players, which is sometimes very difficult when you come to a new club and you’re injured straight away,” Howe said. “That’s a real tough mental challenge for him to take on, especially with his transfer fee. There’ll be a lot of emotions going through him, but all he can focus on is trying to get fit and trying to make a difference on the pitch.”

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Getty ImagesWissa won't return before the November international break

Newcastle are mindful of easing Wissa into a squad that has struggled with injuries last season. Several key players, including Harvey Barnes, spent extended spells on the sidelines, making depth in attack a persistent issue.

Newcastle’s upcoming schedule means Wissa will likely be absent for their next two fixtures — the Champions League home clash with Athletic Bilbao and the Premier League trip to Brentford, ironically against his former club. Should his recovery continue smoothly, his debut may finally arrive after the November international break, potentially giving him the chance to feature in a string of key matches leading into the festive period.

With his job seemingly hanging by a threat, one managerial candidate is now reportedly a serious candidate to replace Russell Martin at Rangers.

Russell Martin Rangers sack update

Without a win in the Scottish Premiership in five attempts, the pressure is mounting on Martin at Ibrox. Reports have insisted that he still has the backing of the 49ers, but Martin admitted that there were a number of fans who didn’t want him at the club in the first place.

It has reached a stage where even attempts to enjoy a team bonding session at Loch Lomond have received a fair share of criticism. Simply put, Martin can currently do no right in Scotland.

Other reports have claimed that it will be game over if Martin fail to defeat Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final this weekend. Defeat would make it six straight games without a win in all competitions and it would be hard to argue a case that the former Southampton manager should still be in charge.

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For the 49ers, it would be back to square one if they chose to sack the manager that they had so much faith in at the start of the summer. Whether one particular name would take the job would be the big question in the face of such a decision.

Gerrard now a serious option to replace Martin

In an unexpected turn of events, it could be out with the new and in with the old at Ibrox. According to TeamTalk, Steven Gerrard is now a serious option to replace Martin now that he is free from previous contractual issues from his time at Al-Ettifaq.

The emergence of the former Rangers boss comes after the news that Jose Mourinho is set to return to Benfica, rather than remain a candidate to join the Gers. The so-called ‘Special One’ was considered an option, but Rangers’ ability to reach his wage demands have often been questioned whenever those rumours have emerged.

So, the attention has gone back towards Gerrard. The 45-year-old remains the last Rangers manager to win a Scottish Premiership title, sealing victory in 2020/21, but will have some making up to do after ditching the club for Aston Villa midway through the campaign that followed.

That said, if the 49ers are looking for someone who knows how to transform Rangers into winners, then Gerrard is arguably their man ahead of the likes of Sean Dyche and Danny Rohl.

Dhoni, the CSK captain, said the dew had already set in, which made it a no-brainer to chase

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Apr-20252:45

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Mumbai Indians won the big toss at Wankhede Stadium, and decided to field first in the so-called El Clasico, in IPL 2025. MS Dhoni, the CSK captain, said the dew had already set in, which made it a no-brainer to chase.A day after the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi dazzled for Rajasthan Royals as the youngest player to play the IPL, Chennai Super Kings handed out a debut to Mumbai’s Ayush Mhatre, now their youngest player at the age of 17 years and 278 days. It was also a T20 debut for Mhatre, who is yet to play T20s for his domestic team Mumbai. He made a big impression with 458 runs at an average of 65.42 and a strike-rate of 135.5 in his debut season in Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic 50-over tournament.Mhatre replaced Rahul Tripathi, who has averaged 11 and struck at under a run a ball this IPL. CSK resisted the temptation of blooding in the former MI player, Dewald Brevis, whom they drafted in mid-season. Interestingly, they did name R Ashwin in their possible Impact Players. If Ashwin were to be brought in to bowl later, Anshul Kamboj would be the casualty.Related

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Mumbai Indians made a forced change to their side. Karn Sharma split open his hand during the last match, which paved the way for fast bowler Ashwani Kumar. Their bowling-first XI didn’t have the name of Rohit Sharma, who was expected to come in as the Impact Player later.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Shaik Rasheed, 3 Ayush Mhatre, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 8 Jamie Overton, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Matheesha PathiranaPossible Impact Players: Anshul Kamboj, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Sam Curran, R AshwinMumbai Indians: 1 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 2 Will Jacks, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Hardik Pandya (capt.), 6 Naman Dhir, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashwani KumarPossible Impact Players Bench: Corbin Bosch, Rohit Sharma, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, S Raju

Arsenal cantered their way past Nottingham Forest at the Emirates to return to winning ways in the Premier League and put the pressure back on Liverpool.

Having fallen to a slender defeat at Anfield before the international break after Dominik Szoboszlai’s late free-kick, the Gunners knew they needed a big performance, and Mikel Arteta must be delighted with the slick and stylish showing from a side lacking the injured Bukayo Saka and with Declan Rice on the bench ahead of the midweek return to the Champions League.

That’s four defeats in a row for Ange Postecoglou against Arsenal, the Aussie coach making his bow for Forest after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur before the summer.

But few will care of an Arsenal persuasion. This is no time for point-scoring, not in that way. With new signings starting to come together, the Londoners are gearing up for a shot at the Premier League title, having finished runners-up three years in a row.

And there’s so much to like about this side; something feels different. Arsenal are more complete, more polished and tuned in an attacking sense. Andrea Berta has overseen some impactful summer transfer business.

Arsenal's impressive summer signings

Arsenal enjoyed a spree of signings throughout the summer transfer window, and they all look to be coming together nicely.

Chalkboard

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

In particular, Martin Zubimendi’s spectacular strike got things rolling against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and he scored again but only after Viktor Gyokeres had bagged himself another after the break, making it three goals from four games in the Premier League.

Zubimendi struggled against Liverpool two weeks ago, but the midfield maestro adds such control and flair to Arsenal’s midfield. He contributes to defensive security and fluency in attack. He scored two goals.

And his controlled passing and enterprising nature on the ball fed into Noni Madueke’s latest standout performance. Saka is injured, but it hasn’t mattered too much for a side showing a new level of depth.

The former Chelsea winger won nine duels and created five key passes as he zipped up the right wing, with journalist Miguel Delaney noting that he was “shredding Morato” in the opening period, in particular.

He didn’t score, but Eberechi Eze enjoyed a fantastic full debut himself, setting up his striker’s finish and threatening throughout.

Perhaps the biggest testament that this new crop could be awarded is that they look like they have been playing under Arteta’s wing for months. Years.

They haven’t. These are new players, integrated into a new system and adopting new variations to new roles. It doesn’t look that way, and the quiet pick of the bunch might actually have played at the other end of the field, with Cristhian Mosquera standing tall against the Tricky Trees’ frontline.

Mosquera looks like "one of the best signings in the PL"

Chris Wood might have fancied his chances at the Emirates. After all, William Saliba was absent after picking up that injury against Liverpool before the international break.

But Forest’s powerful striker was subdued by a collective defensive effort that has become a given for Arsenal, who have kept three clean sheets from four matches so far and have been breached only by a stunning set-piece.

Long gone are the days of fragility at the rear, and Mosquera already looks the part in what reinforces the tactical brilliance that has shaped Arsenal into a superpower once more.

Gabriel Magalhaes is one of the best centre-backs around, and he played well against Forest, but Mosquera more than held his own beside the Brazilian, maybe even putting in the better performance all told.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals conceded

0

0

Touches

83

93

Accurate passes

62/66 (94%)

76/83 (92%)

Key passes

0

0

Dribbles

1/1

0/0

Tackles

4

4

Interceptions

2

2

Clearances

2

2

Ground duels

5/5

2/2

Aerial duels

1/4

1/2

Arsenal only paid around £13m when bringing the 6 foot 3 defender over from Valencia in the summer, and already that looks to be a bargain.

Mosquera, 21 years old and with one cap for the Spanish national team, has even been described as “one of the best signings in the Premier League this season” by pundit Leo DaSilva, who made the comment after watching the player’s performance.

Football.london even handed the young star an 8/10 match rating for his labours, drawing attention to his defensive efforts in keeping the enemy at bay with a series of well-timed challenges and stooping headers.

Gabriel, by the way, was handed a 7/10 match score following his dependable display.

But how could we do anything other than circuit back to Mosquera’s imperiousness, and his meagre price tag, which seems a steal? Could it be that this young centre-half is quietly establishing himself as the signing of the summer in a team bearing superstars like Eze, Gyokeres and Zubimendi?

Madueke would fancy himself a shrewd purchase, even though he cost a pretty penny at £48.5m. And anyway, Madueke just played out his 71st Premier League match, whereas Mosquera completed his maiden 90 minutes in a Premier League setting.

There’s no doubt that Arteta and Arsenal have a knack for finding talented young defenders and fashioning them into stars, but they must feel all the same that they have hit the jackpot on Mosquera, who plays with such poise and power and purpose.

Arsenal were missing Saliba, you say? It didn’t feel like it. Arsenal have the tools to forge a successful campaign for themselves, with depth and dimensions to compete across multiple fronts and finally get their hands on some silverware.

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Sunderland supporters are now strapped in for the 38-game ride of the brand-new Premier League season.

There will be many ups and downs to come on the unforgiving top-flight rollercoaster, but nothing can take away from the fact that Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats managed to comfortably cruise to a 3-0 opening day win over a dejected West Ham United side.

Wilson Isidor will be hopeful he can write himself into Sunderland folklore, too, by being the hero who fired home the goals to keep the Black Cats afloat in such a gruelling league.

Isidor's heroics for Sunderland

He has already proven himself to be a goalscoring favourite to the die-hard Wearside masses.

Indeed, the French striker would bag a respectable 13 goals last season across 46 Championship appearances, which included Isidor firing home the opening goal in Sunderland’s first leg clash against Coventry City in the playoff semi-finals.

He popped up with another memorable effort against Graham Potter’s visitors, as well, as his late effort secured the resounding three points.

However, it will be about maintaining this clinical edge across the full season to come, with Isidor also prone to a goal-shy appearance or two.

When examining that output in the second tier in more detail, it’s clear that the former Zenit St. Petersburg man can be wasteful, as seen in him squandering 20 big chances last season, as per Sofascore.

If he is displaying the same carelessness in front of goal in the top-flight down the line, Le Bris’ men could well be in danger of suffering an instant relegation.

Therefore, it’s no great shock to see that the Black Cats are going after some fresh, clinical targets up top, which includes a major Isidor upgrade potentially joining the camp.

Sunderland could land major upgrade on Isidor

Isidor will already be worrying about competing with Marc Guiu as the young, Chelsea hotshot attempts to make a name for himself on Wearside on a season-long loan deal.

He would be even more anxiety-ridden about his chances at being Sunderland’s main marksman moving forward if AS Roma ace Artem Dovbyk were to join the building.

Indeed, as per reports from Italy earlier this week, Le Bris’ men and Leeds United are now locked into a battle to win the Ukrainian’s services, who is reportedly available for a fee around the £23m mark.

This feels as if it would be a steal, therefore, for a lavish Sunderland side unafraid to splash the cash, especially when you consider Dovbyk’s recent goalscoring exploits in both Serie A and La Liga.

While the 28-year-old did come up short last season in Serie A next to Isidor’s numbers, with one less strike to his name than his French counterpart, it’s his blistering form when he was on the books of Girona that will have really caught Sunderland’s attention.

Dovbyk would close off his breakout 2023/24 campaign in Spain with a deadly 24 strikes picked up from 36 clashes, coming in at an average of a strike every 109 minutes for the Catalonia-based outfit.

Isidor, on the contrary, doesn’t have such a glittering track record in the top divisions he’s called home – away from already breaking his Premier League duck – with zero goals in the senior ranks at AS Monaco, on top of only finding the back of the net a meagre four times, lining up for Zenit.

Amazingly, the 6-foot-2 forward’s ice-cold nature in front of goal has even seen him be dubbed as “similar to [Erling] Haaland” by ex-Serie A great Mario Balotelli, alongside being hailed as “elite” by journalist Zach Lowy.

Isidor had his own moments of magic for Sunderland as the Black Cats triumphantly returned to the big time.

But Le Bris will know he can’t turn down opportunities such as these to land a major upgrade on his number 18, as Dovbyk prepares to be the spark that guides the underdogs to a comfortable Premier League finish.

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أوضح جابرييل جرافينا رئيس الاتحاد الإيطالي لكرة القدم، الموقف من لانسحاب من المباراة أمام الكيان الصهيوني، في ظل حالة الغضب التي يشعر بها المنتخب الإيطالي.

وتقع إيطاليا في مجموعة واحدة مع الكيان الصهيوني، في إطار تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

ووُجّهت دعوات ليقاطع المنتخب الإيطالي للمباراة أمام الكيان الصهيوني على ملعب فريولي، خاصة بعد أسبوع من الاحتجاجات الجماهيرية في إيطاليا على الوضع المستمر في غزة تجاه ممارسات الاحتلال الغاشم.

اقرأ أيضًا | جاتوزو يعلن قائمة إيطاليا لمباراتي تصفيات كأس العالم.. موقف كييزا

قال جرافينا في بودكاست “سيتي فيت”، بحسب ما نشر موقع “فوتبول إيطاليا”: “اتصلت بجاتوزو وقلت له، رينو، لقد نمتُ نومًا سيئًا جدًا، لقد رأيتُ كابوسًا، لذا أخبرني بشيء إيجابي لأعيد هذا اليوم إلى مساره الصحيح، طمأنني، ثم قضيتُ يومًا رائعًا بالفعل”.

وأضاف بشأن سبب عدم الانسحاب من مواجهة الكيان الصهيوني: “هناك فرق واضح بين دوري كمواطن، رجل عالمي غاضب مما نراه، والمسؤولية كشخصية رياضية، أؤكد أن للرياضة دوراً رائعاً في التوحيد والجمع، وتمكين مشاركة كل تجربة، نؤكد على ضرورة لعب المباراة مع إسرائيل، وسنلعبها، ثم سنبذل قصارى جهدنا لتحقيق أفضل نتيجة ممكنة”.

فازت إيطاليا على إستونيا 5-0، ثم تغلبت على الكيان الصهيوني 5-4 في سبتمبر، في مباراة شهدت جدلاً واسعًا لرغبة الجماهير في قيام المنتخب بمقاطعة المباراة.

والآن، تعود إيطاليا للمنافسة بمواجهة إستونيا يوم السبت القادم، تليها استضافة مثيرة للجدل للكيان الصهيوني في 14 أكتوبر الجاري.

A lot has changed since the last round of action in England's top flight, meaning this weekend's fixtures are full of intrigue

Two weeks is a very long time in football, and so much has changed since a ball was last kicked in the Premier League. We might be three games in already, but the closure of the transfer window after the pause for the international break means the picture has altered dramatically.

We've seen transfer records smashed, very early changes in the dugout and complete overhauls behind the scenes, as squads took their final shapes and clubs made extremely last-minute preparations for the 35 games to come.

The three rounds that preceded the break were just the warm-up; now the international break is out of the way, here are the biggest storylines to look out for as the Premier League season begins in earnest…

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  Ange is back (already)

  Saturday's early kick-off will witness the return of Ange Postecoglou to a Premier League dugout, as the Australian makes a swift comeback after being unceremoniously ditched by Tottenham in the summer despite guiding the club to a first trophy in 17 years in the form of the Europa League.

  Ultimately, though, he didn't get away with a dismal 17th-placed finish in the league – but just three months later, he's back, having been appointed at Nottingham Forest in the immediate aftermath of agitator Nuno Espirito Santo being relieved of his duties following a behind-the-scenes feud with the club's hierarchy.

  Seemingly a tactical misfit for a defensive-minded counter-attacking side, straight-talking Postecoglou has been typically bullish in his opening gambits, doubling down on his commitment to attacking football and insisting he intends to win more silverware at the City Ground. 

  His first match in charge? A return to north London to face Arsenal. Pure narrative.

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  Big Nick's Newcastle bow

  Newcastle will be incredibly relieved to see the back of what was a painful and energy-sapping transfer window on Tyneside. While the Alexander Isak saga dominated the headlines, the Magpies were also snubbed by a string of key targets including Benjamin Sesko, Liam Delap, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and James Trafford.

  Shortly before Isak finally departed in a British-record £125 million ($169m) right at the close of the market, Newcastle finally managed to land the man they hope will replace the striker in towering German frontman, Nick Woltemade.

  The £69m ($93m) outlay represents a big risk given that the 23-year-old only has one strong Bundesliga season under his belt having impressed with Stuttgart in 2024-25, but with excellent feet and a 6'6 frame, he has the attributes to succeed in English football.

  The big man could make his big bow against Wolves at St James' Park, where he will come up against another failed Newcastle target in Jorgen Strand Larsen.

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  Can Simons spark Spurs?

  With Xavi Simons being hailed as Tottenham's biggest signing for a generation in some quarters, there is huge expectation on the shoulders of the attacking midfielder following what looks like a bargain £52m ($70m) move from RB Leipzig.

  The 22-year-old may feel he has a point to prove after Chelsea failed to make good on their summer-long transfer interest in him, despite the player's keenness on the switch. If he can hit the ground running, the fact he ended up at Spurs rather than their bitter London rivals will make him all the more popular.

  With Thomas Frank's team in dire need of creativity due to James Maddison's untimely pre-season injury, Simons will be expected to be the attacking fulcrum of the revamped Tottenham team.

  His journey will begin at West Ham's London Stadium on Saturday and it would be little surprise to see him thrown in from the start against a side that has struggled defensively.

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  Chelsea sweat on Palmer

  Chelsea may well be regretting their decision to pass up on the chance to sign Simons, with their own attacking talisman struggling with his fitness in the early stages of the new campaign. Cole Palmer has missed the last two league games and England's World Cup qualifiers this month with a niggling groin injury.

  The Blues face a tricky trip to west London neighbours Brentford on Saturday evening, and it's still unclear whether their key man will be available having seemingly only just returned to training despite being afforded extended time off during the international break.

  "Cole took part in a session yesterday for the first time – but not the entire session," head coach Enzo Maresca said in his pre-match press conference. "Today [Friday] in the afternoon, we have one more session, and we are going to try with him if he is OK. Otherwise, he will be out tomorrow again.

  "He had an injury. He has recovered from the injury. So, it's not managing him; it’s recovering from the injury. From the moment he is available, we have to think about how to manage him a little bit because of the amount of games [we have coming]."