Farke backs under-fire Carrick, Mourinho defends ‘disrespected’ Vinícius, and Premier League buildup – as it happened
Our writers with all the news, discussion and buildup ahead of Saturday’s action
12.01pm BST
OK, that’s it from me on today’s matchday live. Thanks for following along and your correspondence, it’s been as lively as ever below the line.
11.53am BST
Countdown to kick-off is on at Hill Dickinson Stadium, join Scott Murray for updates on Everton v Chelsea:
Related: Everton v Chelsea: Premier League – live
11.39am BST
Florian Wirtz has struggled at Liverpool, you can definitely see the player in there but he is not performing to the lofty expectations placed on him by his £100m+ fee.
Ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Brentford this afternoon, two of our writers Andy Hunter and Andy Brassell, pick over the German’s contribution to Liverpool:
Related: The Florian Wirtz mystery: why has he not found Leverkusen form at Liverpool?
Updated at 11.39am BST
11.19am BST
Mourinho: ‘If I was Vinicius, last summer I would have forced an exit’ Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has said if he were winger Vinicius Junior he would have left the club this summer.
The Brazilian was sent off during Madrid’s win over Villarreal last weekend for hair pulling and was banned for four matches, meaning he will miss the Clasico against Barcelona on 25 October. Vinicius, 26, has also been targeted regularly by opposition fans and been racially abused on many occasions since joining Madrid in 2018.
“He’s a spectacular kid who it’s easy to have a good relationship with,” Mourinho told reporters. He’s a fantastic boy, tremendous credit to him for the fact that he keeps living and surviving and still having a smile.
“If it were me in his place, probably I wouldn’t be here. In this last summer I would have forced an exit to a league, a country, to somewhere there are rival clubs and stadiums that respect him.” Agence France-Presse
11.09am BST
Our first football liveblog of the weekend is up and running, team news from Everton v Chelsea with Scott Murray shortly:
Related: Everton v Chelsea: Premier League – live
11.07am BST
A match delayed by missile attack warnings is not what Cristiano Ronaldo and co signed up for but it’s the new reality; the Saudi sporting juggernaut is stalling Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the scarf in the colours of the Saudi Arabian flag and waved it at the sparse but enthusiastic crowd, who responded with rapturous cheers. It was a gesture of defiance rather than a victory salute, encapsulating the Saudi equivalent of “Keep calm and carry on”.
Monday night’s Asian Champions League Elite game between Al-Nassr and the Uzbek side Neftchi Fergana had ended with a 3-1 win for the Saudi club coached by Ange Postecoglou, with Ronaldo, supported by Sadio Mané, scoring, the smattering of star names indicative of the lure of the Saudi Pro League. Yet this isn’t quite how Ronaldo and co would have anticipated life in Riyadh. The meagre attendance aside, Monday’s game was delayed by a threat of missile attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. A safety warning issued 15 minutes before kick-off came two days after 13 people died and more than 300 were wounded by Houthi strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport.
Related: Houthi conflict casts shadow as Saudi Arabia scales back sporting pipe dreams
10.51am BST
William Hargreaves has emailed in on my question earlier about Arsenal’s start in the WSL: ”You pose an interesting question: why are Renée Slegers’ team struggling? A simple answer is that they’re not scoring enough. A more complex answer might have to begin by asking what lay behind her initial success? As is frequently the case, a managerial change gives the new coach the opportunity to build on what has been accomplished. (I remember wondering how much of Leicester City’s magnificent year under Ranieri was a result of what went before under Nigel Pearson?)
“It might be that Renée was the perfect foil for Eideval, who might have become the wrong man, possibly experienced fracture or dysfunction within the squad, but who had put together a great group of players and coached great skills. It just needed redirecting to release potential and win. Renée released this capability. But now that rebuilding is required, how well placed is she? They lost talent over the summer and recruited more. Maybe they just need time to gel?
“Anyway, it all makes for great theatre and chat fodder.”
10.49am BST
Match preview: Newastle v Aston Villa Saturday 5.30pm Sky Sports Premier League Venue St James’ Park
Referee Jarred Gillett This season G4 Y15 R0 3.75 cards/game
Probable starters contenders in italics
Newcastle
Subs from Pope, Gillespie, Harris, Burn, Dedic, Schär, Pivas, Bamba, Joelinton, M Miley, Steur, Thompson, Mills, Osula, Salia, Touré
Doubtful Touré (knock)
Injured Elanga (unknown, 25 Oct), Livramento (hip, 25 Oct), Ramsey (thigh, 25 Oct), Jaouen (hamstring, Dec)
Suspended None
Form DWDLWL
Leading scorers Elanga, Willock (2)
Aston Villa
Subs from Bizot, Wright, Cissé, Harwood-Bellis, Torres, Barkley, Bogarde, Goretzka, ,Jimoh-Aloba, Hemmings, Abraham, Alysson, Garnacho, Madjo, Mbaye
Doubtful Cissé (knock), Hemmings (knee), Madjo (ankle)
Injured Maatsen (ankle, 24 Oct), Ruggeri (hamstring, Nov) Onana (ACL, Apr)
Suspended None
Form LLDLWD
Leading scorer Jackson (2)
10.46am BST
Match preview: Manchester City v Ipswich Saturday 3pm Venue Etihad Stadium
Referee Farai Hallam: G2 Y9 R0 4.5 cards/game
Probable starters contenders in italics
Manchester City
Subs from Bettinelli, Rulli; Aït-Nouri, Dias, Khusanov, Lewis, Reis, Braithwaite, Bouaddi, Kovacic, F Samba; Allan, Haaland, Ndiaye, McAidoo
Doubtful None
Injured None
Suspended None
Form WWWWWW
Leading scorer Haaland (6)
Ipswich
Subs from Palmer, Scherpen, Button, Furlong, Greaves, Kipré, Matusiwa, Mehmeti, McAteer, Núñez, Palacios, Taylor, Compton, Akpom, Clarke, Egeli, Fatawu, Flemming
Doubtful None
Injured None
Suspended None
Form WLLWLW
Leading scorers Emersonn, Davis (2)
10.33am BST
Match preview: Fulham v Hull Saturday 3pm
Venue Craven Cottage
Referee Chris Kavanagh: G4 Y20 R2 5.5 cards/game
Probable starters contenders in italics
Fulham
Subs from Lecomte, Borto, Andersen, Cuenca, Tete, Cairney, Larsson, Manuel Ángel, Palacios, Reed, Sessegnon, Smith Rowe, Kevin, Muniz, Kusi-Asare, Works, Zepa
Doubtful Larsson (groin)
Injured None
Suspended None
Form LLLDDL
Leading scorer King (2)
Hull
Subs from Phillips, Howard, McNair, Norton-Cuffy, Dowell, Hjertø-Dahl, Iroegbunam, Morita, Mouzakitis, Omur, Stroud, Zambrano, Belloumi, Vaz
Doubtful None
Injured Cho (knock, 25 Oct), Gourna-Douath (calf, 25 Oct), Mendy (groin, 31 Oct), Gyabi (thigh, Nov), Butland (shoulder, Dec), Ansah (back, unknown), Hughes (groin, unknown), Matazo (ACL, unknown), Targett (ankle, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WWDDLD
Leading scorer Belloumi (3)
10.15am BST
Match preview: Brentford v Liverpool Saturday 3pm BST
Venue Gtech Community Stadium
Referee John Brooks: G4 Y20 R1 5.25 cards/game
Probable starters contenders in italics
Brentford
Subs from Balcombe, Valdimarsson, Avenell, Collins, Fredrick, Henry, Hickey, Kim, Van den Berg, Carvalho, Damsgaard, Jensen, Sangaré, Nunes, Ouattara, Wilson
Doubtful Schade (shoulder), Schuster (ankle)
Injured Dasilva (hamstring, unknown), Furo (knee, unknown), Milambo (knee, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WDDDWD
Leading scorer Schade (3)
Liverpool
Subs from Mamardashvili, Woodman, Jaros; Frimpong, Gomez, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Endo, McConnell, Chiesa, Ngumoha
Doubtful Szoboszlai (hamstring)
Injured Bradley (knee, Nov), Leoni (knee, Dec), Ekitiké (achilles, Dec), Isak (thigh, unknown), Gakpo (ankle, unknown)
Suspended Gravenberch (one match)
Form DDWDWL
Leading scorer Isak (4)
Updated at 10.15am BST
10.08am BST
Match preview: Everton v Chelsea Saturday 12.30pm BST (TNT Sports 1)
Venue Hill Dickinson Stadium
Referee Paul Tierney: G3 Y9 R0 3.0 cards/game
Probable starters contenders in italics
Everton
Subs from Travers, King, Keane, O’Brien, Alcaraz, Hackney, Nørgaard, Röhl, Dibling, Johnson, Graham
Doubtful Branthwaite (dead leg), Mykolenko (muscle), Nørgaard (achilles)
Injured None
Suspended None
Form WDDDWD
Leading scorer Barry (3)
Chelsea
Subs from Penders, Sharman-Lowe, Anselmino, Fofana, Gusto, Hato, Palestra, Barco, Lavia, Nicoll-Jazuli, Watson, Estêvão, Quenda, Welbeck
Doubtful None
Injured Emegha (knock, 24 Oct), James (knee, Jan), Gittens (foot, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WWLDLW
Leading scorer João Pedro (5)
10.01am BST
Fun and games in Spain…
Real Madrid have again demanded the resignation of the president of La Liga after he compared the club’s efforts to discredit referees with the propaganda techniques of Nazi Germany.
Javier Tebas lashed out at Madrid on Friday on social media with a long post that criticised how its club television channel says referees hurt its chances of winning. The channel regularly runs reels of what it considers gross errors by match officials who are set to work upcoming games for the 15-time European champions.
Tebas compared the tactic with those used by Joseph Goebbels, the minister of propaganda in Nazi Germany during the second world war. “The executive of Real Madrid has an orchestra of mouthpieces and Real Madrid leads the way,” Tebas wrote. “Its script is always the same: select plays that favor it, repeat the alleged affront, increase suspicion and name enemies. It reminds one of the propaganda techniques that Goebbels used.”
Tebas added: “The comparison is with the techniques, not with the ideology or, of course, with Madrid fans.”
Full story:
Related: Real Madrid demand La Liga president resign over Goebbels comparison
9.42am BST
Carrick produces a masterclass in dialling down emotion before a tricky trip to Leeds Michael Carrick returned his most impressive performance precisely when required as he took questions in the midst of the first crisis engulfing him as Manchester United’s manager.
His team are bombing in the league after the club’s poorest start since 1986 and out of the Carabao Cup, and after Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid Lisandro Martínez showed up ruptures at United by calling out the director of football, Jason Wilcox.
All of this two months into a first full campaign piloting United after last term ended so rosily for the former United midfielder.
On the final day of last season, United won 3-0 at Brighton and Carrick secured an impressive third-place finish, 48 hours after agreeing a two-year deal to continue as head coach.
By last Saturday, United had six points from the first six games after drawing 1-1 with Tottenham at Old Trafford, placing Carrick’s job in jeopardy as the walls closed in on him a fortnight before the clocks go back.
Read Jamie Jackson’s full analysis of the latest drama at United here:
Related: ‘It’s really not a drama’: Carrick sticks to the script after Martínez storm
Updated at 9.42am BST
9.29am BST
There is only one fixture in the WSL today, that’s 12.45pm BST kick-off at the Emirates between Arsenal and Birminham. It’s been a slow start to the season for the Gunners, who are currently 10th in the table, and only a few spots above the Blues. There was a further blow for Arsenal this week with the news that key midfielder Mariona Caldentey would miss about two months of action because of a hamstring injury. Why are Renée Slegers struggling? If you have any thoughts on that or anything else WSL-related drop me an email via the link at the top of the page.
9.20am BST
Leeds' Farke jumps to defence of under-fire Carrick Daniel Farke has jumped to the defence of Michael Carrick, claiming the under-fire Manchester United boss has done “an amazing job”.
Carrick delivered Champions League football via a third-placed finish last season after replacing Ruben Amorim on an interim basis in January and was rewarded in May with a permanent two-year contract. However, the former Middlesbrough manager has come under mounting pressure following United’s poor start to the season and Farke said it is undeserved.
The German, whose side face the Reds at Elland Road on Sunday, said: “We don’t have too many young British managers in the Premier League, and right now we have someone, a really promising young manager, who has done for me an excellent job at Middlesbrough, and he came in (at United) last season.
“[He] has helped a lot to stabilise the club, more or less like to steady the ship, and has done amazing job and right now, after six gamedays … the criticism starts already. I don’t like it. If we have young, promising managers, come on, let’s look after them a bit, especially if they have a British passport.”
Farke, who jokingly described himself as “half-British”, added: “When you keep in mind what he has done for the club for many years as a player, what he has done last season, where many people would have been hesitant … he has done a tremendous job.
“I like it when young British managers come through and for that, I don’t see why there’s so much negativity. I think we should be happy that we have someone with so much potential and don’t question them too early.” Press Association
Updated at 10.20am BST
9.09am BST
James McClean speaks to Donald McRae The perception of me is that, basically, I am a madman. I’m outspoken. I’m a loudmouth. I’m very opinionated and I hate all things British. That’s from people who don’t know me. The reality is quite the opposite. I’m pretty boring. I go training, go home and switch off. A lot of my days are quite bland, quite basic.
The former Republic of Ireland international has been speaking to Donald McRae about on growing up in a community still reeling from the Troubles and the controversy that scarred his career:
Related: James McClean: ‘Wearing the poppy was just never going to happen’
8.58am BST
Burnley 1-2 Wolves: Wolves extend Burnley’s home woes to a full year as Vardy strikes in vain
There was some Friday night domestic action, in what would have been a Premier League fixture last season, as Wolves came from 1-0 down to beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor. Jamie Vardy got his first goal of the season to open the scoring for the Clarets, but Fernando Lopez and Tawanda Chirewa saw Wolves secure the three points that took them up into the playoff places.
Full report here:
Related: Wolves extend Burnley’s home woes to a full year as Vardy strikes in vain
Updated at 8.58am BST
8.40am BST
Speaking ahead of the 12.30pm kick-off on Merseyside, Xabi Alonso has been speaking about the need for his porous defence to tighten up. Chelsea have shipped 13 goals already this season, more than double what their opponents Everton have let in.
Alonso is also dealing with the absence of Reece James for three months after the defender underwent knee surgery after picking up an injury in training. In the absence of his captain, Alonso is determined to build on Chelsea’s strong display in 5-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend at the Hill Dickinson against Everton.
“You need a lot of clean sheets to win trophies,” he said. “But you [also] need to score a lot of goals. So it’s about being strong in defence, being good in attack and we are in that process. We are still early days; to do a very deep analysis, it’s too early. We can maybe talk in February. Those tweaks … they need to come naturally and we are not in that moment yet.
“The obsession is to win and to compete in the best possible way. The clean sheets will come, I’m pretty sure of that, because we want to play with good balance and good control.”
Meanwhile David Moyes believes Jordan Pickford will relish the challenge to his England place from James Trafford and remains the nation’s undisputed No 1 goalkeeper.
Pickford and Trafford shared goalkeeping duties during the recent four-game international break as part of an arranged plan by manager Thomas Tuchel. The 24-year-old Leeds player is considered the biggest threat to emerge to Pickford’s long-held position with the national team but Moyes insists the Everton keeper has been sharper than ever this season.
“When Jordan came back from the World Cup, it might be the best I have ever seen him,” the Everton manager said. “He was lean, he was sharp, his footwork was brilliant, he was fast across the goal and if you look at some of the saves he has made between now and then he has made a couple of brilliant, brilliant saves.
“I spoke to him when he came back and said: ‘You know you have a bit of competition now with Trafford, how are you going to deal with it?’ I don’t see Jordan falling away at the moment. I think if it really mattered to England then Jordan would still be the one who was there because he makes saves. He did that in the Argentina game. He has that experience and he is not ageing.”
Check out the talk, for more from the Premier League managers ahead of the weekend fixtures:
Related: Premier League news: go bananas: Maresca loving fans’ show of defiance; Alonso backs his defence
Updated at 8.57am BST
8.21am BST
Looking to the Championship a few games stand out, we have early leaders Swansea welcoming West Ham to south Wales and third plays fourth as Birmingham City take on QPR at St Andrew’s.
8.17am BST
Good morning, another Premier League weekend is upon us, kicking off with an intriguing fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium between Everton and Chelsea.
Here’s a quick glance at today’s top-flight fixtures:
Everton v Chelsea (12.30pm BST)Brentford v Liverpool (3pm BST)Fulham v Hull City (3pm BST)Manchester City v Ipswich (3pm BST)Newcastle v Aston Villa (5.30pm BST)
8.00am BST
Preamble Tom will be here shortly on what promises to be another lively day in the Premier League and beyond. In the meantime, here is Barney Ronay’s column on … the former Crystal Palace chair’s rage in the age of the algorithm constantly churning.
Related: Savaged by Simon Jordan – and thanks to the algorithm I want to be savaged again
Updated at 8.01am BST
