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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed centre-back Gabriel will be sidelined for "weeks" after picking up an injury playing for Brazil.

The 27-year-old was forced off in Brazil's win over Senegal during the international break and Arteta has described Gabriel's absence as a "blow", with the defender set to miss Sunday's North London derby against Tottenham - live on Sky Sports.

The clash with Spurs is the first of three crunch games for Arsenal, who host German champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the Champions League before travelling to Chelsea on November 30 - live on Sky Sports.

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Arteta said: "Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the national team. He will be out for weeks.

"We need to have another scan next Wednesday. We will have the timeline much more clearly than we have at the moment."

Gabirel has been an ever-present this season in an Arsenal side who have conceded just five Premier League goals.

Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are both in contention to deputise for the Brazilian against Spurs.

"It's clearly a blow," Arteta added. "It's our leader in our backline.

"To miss him is never a positive thing. The good thing is we have some very good options. They need to stand up now."

Viktor Gyokores, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard have all been on the injured list for Arsenal in recent weeks, but Arteta hopes to have positive news about at least a couple of them ahead of Sunday.

"We put a lot of energy during the international break with all the medical staff to try to bring them as quickly as possible," added the Spaniard.

"So tomorrow we have another training session, to see how some of them are feeling, whether it's a bit too close to bring him in this game or we feel that they can have a contribution in the game. Tomorrow we'll have more clarity."

On how confident he is having some injured players retrurn, he added: "I am [more optimistic than at Sunderland that they will be back]. Now is the final stage. There is contact around them and pushed into the things they haven't done.

"I think they're going to be with us soon. But I don't know if Sunday is too soon."

Who should replace Gabriel at centre-back?

Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:

It's a big week for Arsenal and the injury to Gabriel is threatening to derail it.

Tottenham at home - the biggest game in the Arsenal fixture calendar. Bayern Munich at home - where they welcome arguably the best striker in the world in Harry Kane. And then Chelsea away - who have "the best attack in the league by far" according to Arteta earlier this year. All in the space of seven days.

With the defender now set to be out for weeks, Arteta will have to find a way around not having one of the best defenders in the league for such a crucial period.

One option to replace him is Piero Hincapie, who was signed on Deadline Day to act as cover for Gabriel in the left centre-back role.

However, he is yet to start a Premier League game for the club - and four out of his five Arsenal appearances have come at left-back. His only start came in the Carabao Cup win over Brighton, a game which saw Arsenal concede six shots on target - which is very unlike them.

Another option is Cristhian Mosquera, who could line up alongside William Saliba. However, the 21-year-old has not started in the Premier League since the win over Newcastle, which saw him make a mistake for the Magpies' opener and was hooked off at half-time.

The only game in which he has started alongside Saliba came at League One side Port Vale. Spurs at home on Sunday is a very different proposition.

Another option is to play Riccardo Calafiori at centre-back, and bring in a left-back option - either Hincapie or Myles Lewis-Skelly. But Arteta has spoken in the past about not wanting to change two positions when only one player is injured.

Kolo Muani injury boost for Tottenham ahead of north London derby

Meanwhile, Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has been given a major boost ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal with forward Randal Kolo Muani available.

The Paris St-Germain loanee suffered damage to his jaw in Spurs' 2-2 draw with Manchester United on November 8 and subsequently missed international duty with France.

He joined a lengthy injury list for Tottenham, but Frank provided positive updates on a number of players and Kolo Muani can unexpectedly play after he was fitted with a protective mask in order to train this week.

"Pape [Sarr] trained today, ready and available. Lucas [Bergvall] trained today and is available. Kolo Muani, yes trained today, available - of course he has a mask he needs to play with," Frank revealed.

Defenders Ben Davies and Kota Takai also returned to training this week and centre-back Radu Dragusin took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier this month to step up his recovery after he sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage in January.

Archie Gray is another back and Mohammed Kudus, who missed international duty with Ghana, has also returned to training in a further boost for Frank.

James Maddison, Yves Bissouma and Dejan Kulusevski remain sidelined along with Dominic Solanke, who has not featured since August 23 and had minor surgery on his ankle last month.

Frank added: "Dom is not ready yet. We are very aware that when we put him out there, we want to be as sure as we can that there will be no setback going forward. I am comfortable he will soon be ready."

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Our football betting expert Jones Knows provides his insight across the Premier League and makes a case for Tottenham to win at Arsenal.

Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm

There is a trend developing in Chelsea's matches against relegation threatened teams in that they are making very slow, stodgy starts in games. When assessing their last 11 Premier League matches against promoted teams or Wolves, they have only been winning at half-time on three of those occasions.

Sometimes these trends have little substance but I think it makes sense here as Enzo Maresca is a notoriously control-focused manager who doesn't overly like taking risks even against the lesser teams. So that can lead to low scoring first halves - under Maresca, seven Premier League teams have scored more first half goals than Chelsea.

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Teams can also struggle to find their rhythm in the first fixture back after this break which is something that can be used to our advantage here to get against Chelsea in the first half.

The half-time/full-time market looks a market to get involved with the Draw/Chelsea paying 7/2 with Sky Bet in a game where Chelsea should improve their attacking output as the game goes on.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Brighton vs Brentford, Saturday 3pm

The betting guru derby always is a fixture with a nice edge as Tony Bloom and Matthew Benham's algorithms go at it.

All the data shouts loud that Brighton are a top team waiting to happen in terms of their style of play but they are a team that come with risks when fancied by the market. They can struggle against low blocks and when enjoying the share of possession owing to a lack of killer instinct in the final third.

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In their last 21 games where they've enjoyed more possession than their opponents, they have won just four of those games. So if you are backing their opposition in these spots on the double chance you are making a very high return on investment based on the prices. Brentford, who have beaten Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle this season, in that market at 5/6 with Sky Bet are the obvious play here.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Brentford double chance (5/6 with Sky Bet)

Bournemouth vs West Ham, Saturday 3pm - PLAY SUPER 6!

When these two managers meet, history tells us: there's goals.

Andoni Iraola has faced Nuno Espirito Santo four times and there's been 14 goals scored - that's an average of 3.5 goals per game and both teams to score has copped in each meeting.

Iraola obviously knows how to exploit the transitional moments in Nuno's defensive setup but West Ham, who have scored six goals in their last three games and have found a winning formula, have the quality to punish mistakes.

Premier League fixtures live on Sky: Manchester derby, Arsenal vs Man Utd among games to be broadcast in January

This should be another game where both sides push hard early on and leave nothing behind, which makes the 11/10 with Sky Bet on both teams scoring and over 2.5 goals a very appealing play to consider.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2

Fulham vs Sunderland, Saturday 3pm

If Fulham are to be dragged into a relegation scrap this season, there have to be worries about this team coping with the sustained stress and physical pressure that comes with fighting the drop.

Marco Silva's men want rhythm, control and the ball zipping around in pretty triangles. What they don't want is a team who arrive, roll their sleeves up and ask them to defend the ugly stuff. And that's exactly what Sunderland will bring - just ask Arsenal.

Dan Ballard, who scored against the Gunners and is 14/1 to score anytime here, looks seriously overpriced.

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Ballard has become Sunderland's biggest set piece threat: he times his runs superbly, attacks the ball like a centre-forward and doesn't need volume - just one clean delivery to cause panic. Against a Fulham defence that struggles to pick up powerful movers in the box, he should get that moment in what looks a great opportunity for Sunderland to bag another three points.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Dan Ballard to score (14/1 with Sky Bet)

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm - PLAY SUPER 6!

Sean Dyche's teams are notoriously comfortable soaking up pressure. They don't always invite high-quality chances, but they will concede a lot of low-probability shots. In 28 Premier League matches playing away at either Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal, Dyche's teams have conceded 20.1 shots per 90.

That tendency to soak it up plays right into Liverpool's hands: the Reds are more than happy to take lots of shots, even from distance or awkward positions. I'm fully expecting Arne Slot's men to dominate possession, apply sustained pressure and force plenty of attempts - even if Forest don't give up many clear-cut chances which may lead them to staying competitive in the game.

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This looks a great opportunity to back the overall Liverpool shots line of 20 or more at 5/4 with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-0

Wolves vs Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm - PLAY SUPER 6!

Football clubs love a reset button. New manager, new message, new mood music, new hope.

But sometimes a reset is just a rebrand, not a rebirth - and Wolves hiring Rob Edwards feels dangerously close to a case of putting lipstick on a pig.

Not because Edwards isn't a capable coach, far from it. His work at Luton, Forest Green and his early games at Middlesbrough showcase his ability. But this Wolves squad, in its current state, has deeper issues that stem from the hierarchy that changing the face in the dugout won't magically fix.

Crystal Palace, by contrast, are a team who know who they are. Compact without the ball, efficient with it and blessed with final third quality who don't need 10 chances to make one count.

They're physically stronger, better organised and operate with a clarity Wolves simply can't match at the moment. The away win at 19/20 with Sky Bet should land.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-2

Newcastle vs Manchester City, Saturday 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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When it comes to Eddie Howe vs Manchester City, the stats don't lie: Pep Guardiola has his number in a big way. Howe has never won in 18 Premier League meetings with City, losing 16 times.

That kind of dominance from Guardiola's side is not just a quirk, it's a pattern that we can put lots of trust in when it comes to making betting decisions.

Man City are Premier League title contenders again - here's how

Despite City's dominance in the head to heads, Howe is unlikely to change the way he sets his team in matches of this nature. He knows he's likely to be overrun, so instead he tries to limit the damage with a focus on being defensively secure. In big matches like this, Newcastle have shown they can be a bit cagey: they'll absorb, cut down the spaces and make it hard for City to feed Erling Haaland.

This means backing a City victory alongside the under 3.5 goals line at 15/8 with Sky Bet rates as the smart way to boost the odds on an away win.

SCORE PREDICTION: 0-2

Leeds vs Aston Villa, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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The offside trap is back at Aston Villa.

It's not just a quirk, not just a tactical flourish, it's become the heartbeat of the defensive identity under Unai Emery. And crucially, there's a genuine correlation between Villa getting that line right and Villa winning football matches.

Whenever Villa's back four snap into line as one, they suffocate opponents. Attacks stall, runners misfire and dangerous moments dissolve into a raised flag and a reset.

Villa are catching the opposition offside 4.5 times per game across their last 12 games. And, in the last seven Premier League games they've caught 28 players offside - the most of any team by 10.

It's no-coincidence then they've managed to win five of their last six Premier League matches. And Leeds do like to commit bodies forward in direct fashion. That tactical philosophy is tailor-made for Emery's razor-precise trap to flourish once again.

All roads lead to backing Aston Villa to win at 6/4 with Sky Bet. If the flags are flying, Villa should be too.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Arsenal vs Tottenham, Sunday 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6!

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Gabriel is the lynchpin of this Arsenal defence - their high line, their aerial insurance policy and their most physical presence in the back four. Without him, Arsenal may have a problem in the next few weeks if his abductor injury is as bad as early reports suggest. Starting here.

Tottenham under Thomas Frank will enjoy this derby day assignment.

Few managers in the league coach 'underdog football' as effectively as the former Brentford boss.

Frank's Brentford side made a habit of punishing big teams. The smart money says he'll try to copy-paste that blueprint here: frustrate, pounce, exploit the absence of Arsenal's defensive enforcer from both open play and set pieces. Spurs have the quality to make a big move in the game - like they did away at Manchester City and in the Super Cup vs PSG.

Premier League title race: Pros and cons - Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City assessed

The betting is obviously trending towards Arsenal at 2/5 with Sky Bet but that doesn't fully account for the defensive reshuffle forced by Gabriel's absence. Arsenal can and still probably will win, of course, but Tottenham suddenly have a real foothold in the match-up, and the market doesn't quite reflect it.

Tottenham double chance it is then at 2/1 with Sky Bet. And, the 7/1 on an away win needs a good look, too.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2

Manchester United vs Everton, Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports

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Manchester United should come with a disclaimer: 'entertaining but structurally unstable.'

Ruben Amorim has a team overflowing with attacking talent, energy and moments of genuine quality yet one that carries enough defensive looseness to turn every 90 minutes into a wild ride. There have been 37 goals in their Premier League games - working to an average of 3.36 per 90. No team averages higher.

They are the must-watch team in the Premier League because of it.

Amorim has realised that they are a team built for moments - not for consistency - and he's embracing it.

And, goals at both ends are becoming the smartest angle in United's games.

This looks a clash where both teams will fancy themselves going forward and neither will fully trust themselves without the ball. Sky Bet go 10/11 on both teams to score and over 2.5 goals, and that looks very backable considering the direction of travel in United games.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Over 2.5 goals & both teams to score (10/11 with Sky Bet)

Jones Knows' best bets:

With the 198th north London derby on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, we take a look at the big talking points as Arsenal host Tottenham in one of the fiercest rivalries in British football...

Arsenal's massive week | Can Spurs stay unbeaten away?

Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea - all in the space of seven days. Is this the week where Arsenal's season is decided?

First is the north London derby - the biggest game in the club's fixture calendar. Then comes Harry Kane - arguably the best striker in the world - to the Emirates a few days later. Then it's Chelsea - with Mikel Arteta describing Enzo Maresca's side as the "best attacking team in the league" earlier this year. It's a massive run.

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Win all three and Arsenal will be top of the Premier League and the Champions League - you would probably back them to be favourites in both. Slip up anywhere and it will show Mikel Arteta's side have a lot of work to do to earn that status, particularly with Man City on their Premier League coat-tails.

Ironically, if Arsenal want to know how tough that run can be, then they should just ask their women's team. Renee Slegers' side have just played those exact three opponents, all in a row, and failure to win any of those games has left their season in tatters.

Arsenal's men's side cannot afford the same, or all their early-season momentum would have evaporated.

For Spurs, their unbeaten away record in the Premier League and Europe this season faces its toughest examination in the space of four days.

Spurs have only won once in the league at the Emirates Stadium - that 3-2 comeback win under Harry Redknapp coming exactly 15 years ago - while they have avoided defeat just once in their last five league visits there.

If Frank's side can maintain their immaculate away league form on Sunday, then another almighty test awaits on Wednesday if they are to preserve their unbeaten Champions League away record as they visit holders Paris Saint-Germain.

What a blockbuster week ahead for the two north London clubs.

Eze's awkward meeting with Spurs

Wednesday, August 20. The day everything changed.

Eberechi Eze was heading for Tottenham when he called Mikel Arteta. The Arsenal manager was about to go into a board meeting when Eze asked if there was any chance his boyhood club were still interested in him, before a move to their arch-rivals.

"That shows you how much he wanted to come," said Arteta about that phone call with Eze on the following Saturday, after his new midfielder signed on the dotted line.

Despite a high-profile transfer, Eze is biding his time when it comes to life at Arsenal. There have been glimpses, but two goals and three assists from 15 games has left some wanting more.

Eze's already scored against his former club in Crystal Palace while in Arsenal colours. A goal against the team he so nearly joined would take his Gunners career into lift-off.

Spurs' Eze alternative, Simons, struggling

If Eze's start at Arsenal has been a little slow, then Xavi Simons' has not even got off the line at Spurs.

The player Tottenham moved for after Eze's late change of heart is yet to score in his first 14 appearances.

The £51m signing has struggled to adapt to the pace, power and intensity of the Premier League - and Sunday's game will have this in abundance.

But there have been signs that Simons is just starting to find his feet at Tottenham. He was awarded player of the match in their 4-0 Champions League home win over Copenhagen, and his substitution in the following 2-2 home draw against Man Utd was booed by fans, who were enjoying his positive display.

The 22-year-old's confidence and form continued to move in the right direction during the international break as he scored in the Netherlands' 4-0 home win over Lithuania to help book their place at next summer's World Cup.

Simons will now be targeting his first goal for Tottenham at their fiercest rivals, with Thomas Frank's side badly needing his creativity and spark if they are to come away from the Emirates with something.

Will injured players from both sides return?

Injuries have been a huge issue for these two rivals this season.

Arsenal ended the international break with Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke all absent.

And while some could return for Sunday, there is another blow in defence with Gabriel set to miss Arsenal's big week due to an adductor problem picked up in Brazil's Emirates Stadium friendly with Senegal.

That Brazil-Senegal game also delivered an injury blow for Spurs as midfielder Pape Sarr went off in the second half.

The Senegal boss played the injury down afterwards, but if it is more serious than first thought, then Frank could be without 12 first-team players against Arsenal.

The Dane will be particularly sweating over the availability of attacker Mohammed Kudus, who has missed their last two games, and midfielder Lucas Bergvall, who is recovering from a concussion.

Battle of the set-piece experts!

Arsenal and Spurs are united in their joy of set pieces. If the real prize on offer was goals from set pieces, then Sunday's meeting would be a title decider.

The comparisons go further. When Nicolas Jover - Arsenal's set-piece guru - left Brentford in 2019 to join Man City, the man who replaced him a year later at the Bees was Andreas Georgson, who is now Spurs' set-piece coach.

Not only that, but the two north London sides rely on set pieces for a lot of their chance creation output. These two sides rank second and third for the percentage of their overall Expected Goals coming from the dead ball.

Top of that list is Sunderland - who used set pieces to create a chink in Arsenal's armour via the 2-2 draw before the international break. Dan Ballard's goal from a free-kick put the Gunners on the back foot in the game - meaning three out of the four goals Arsenal have conceded this season have come from set plays.

There were similar concerns last season, with 14 out of the 27 league goals Arsenal allowed last season coming from set pieces. If Sunderland can exploit this weakness in Arsenal's system, then Spurs are also capable of it too.

Frank's faltering attack

But if Spurs' set-piece game stutters at the Emirates, then the spotlight will be firmly on Tottenham's open-play threat.

Despite Spurs being the joint-fourth top scorers (19) in the Premier League this season and having the best shot conversion rate of any team, the underlying numbers tell a different story.

Spurs are outperforming their xG by almost eight goals - the biggest overperformance in the league. They also rank bottom of the league for through balls attempted (4) and completed (2), while only two teams have had fewer shots and created fewer chances than Tottenham.

Frank's uncertainty over his best attack - not helped by their lengthy injury list - has seen him use 16 different attacking combinations in 18 games this season in all competitions.

The Dane has only started the same attacking combination in successive games twice this season, the last time coming in the first two games of October, with Kudus, Simons, and Wilson Odobert the three behind striker Mathys Tel.

And that front four could well be the one which starts at the Emirates after Tel came off the bench to score an equaliser in the Man Utd draw to push his case for a start over the frustrating Richarlison, with Randal Kolo Muani now injured.

Odobert also made a huge impact off the bench in the draw as he helped in the build-up to Tel's goal and then provided the cross for Richarlison's stoppage-time header before Man Utd equalised minutes later.

Spurs' attack has been heavily biased towards the right-hand side, with Kudus and right-back Pedro Porro creating the most chances for Tottenham this season.

It is why Frank should start Odobert at left-wing and Destiny Udogie at left-back on Sunday to provide better balance.

Udogie has had a stop-start season due to injury, but his recent displays against Copenhagen and then off the bench against Man Utd were eye-catching.

Udogie's drive from left-back gives genuine width down the left, which the right-footed and inverting Djed Spence cannot, and so the Italy international's thrust from defence should help improve the speed of a so far spluttering attack.

Man Utd 0-0 Everton

Sky Sports' Danyal Khan at Old Trafford:

"This is a huge opportunity for Joshua Zirkzee - his first start of the season. He’s notably started as the striker despite Amorim saying he’s seen him as a no.10 previously.

"I know speaking to those at the club that they have highly rated his positive attitude and bubbly personality around Carrington considering he’s had limited minutes this season."

Man Utd 0-0 Everton

Fortunately for him, the delivery is over hit for a goal-kick.

Man Utd 0-0 Everton

Sky Sports' Sam Blitz:

"Amad starting on the left, with Mbeumo on the right for Man Utd.

"Coleman - making his 443rd start for Everton tonight - was 14-years-old when Amad was born. The two players are marking each other tonight."

Man Utd 0-0 Everton

KICK OFF! Everton get us underway at Old Trafford. This has been the most one-sided fixture in Premier League history, in favour of Man Utd. Let's see if they can keep it up here tonight.

Here come the players!

Manchester United and Everton are making their way out onto the pitch at Old Trafford.

We're set for what should be a great Monday Night Football. Kick-off just around the corner...

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What do Everton need to win?

Former Everton boss Roberto Martinez on Monday Night Football:

"Everton need to carry a threat. You cannot go to Manchester United and just defend.

"When you look at the Everton front four, they have a lot of threat. They need to get them in the game as much as possible."

Teams reminder from Old Trafford

Is the heat now off Amorim?

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

“Definitely in terms of the results and he needed that. When you look at the start of the season, it feels like a long time ago. You look at the Grimsby game and the other performances didn’t look too different from the season before.

“But it’s been a tough year for him so the last four or five results have taken the heat and the focus off them. It’s a game you’d expect them to win, Everton at home, they’ve got a great record against them.”

CL contenders? What is a good season for Man Utd?

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

“Gary Neville predicted them to get into the top four at the start of the season and we all laughed, but the inconsistencies of everyone else now means they’ve got an outside chance of Champions League football.

“No matter how bad the previous season has been, if Manchester United could get into Europe this season, that would be good. They spent money in the summer, they’ve got good players in that squad and should have done better than what we saw last season. So I think bringing European football back to Old Trafford would be a very good season.”

Martinez: Fernandes could have played for any Man Utd team in history

Former Everton boss Roberto Martinez on Monday Night Football on Bruno Fernandes:

"He is the king of the assist, he can see players in front of him. If you use him as a No 6, he's the decisive player. If you use him as a No 10, his goalscoring ratio increases a lot.

"He's the first person who can press. There's a Man Utd with Bruno and a different Man Utd without Bruno.

"He understands the game, so he can be used by the coach in different positions. He delays the attack when he needs to, he plays the hardest ball which is in front of the centre halves.

"He's a player who could have played in any of the top Manchester United teams in their history."

Neville praises Lammens

Sky Sports' Gary Neville at Old Trafford:

"It's the toughest positions in football. The most scrutinised position at this football club. The other two goalkeepers were so erratic.

"I thought we needed someone with experience, since he's come in, he's showed composure.

"Don't get too carried away, but it's looking good so far.

"De Ligt is the constant. he's much more dominant and certain in that central role. When Maguire plays, De Ligt goes into the right channel where he gets caught out and doesn't look comfortable.

"The back three tonight are United's best back three. Maguire's a fantastic player but it makes De Ligt more comfortable."

Are Grealish and Ndiaye the key for Everton tonight?

Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:

“They are the players who can unlock the door, do special things. Ndiaye is a fantastic player, he was Everton’s best player last season and I’d argue he’s been their best player this season.

“We know Jack had a brilliant start to his time at Everton. I remember Jack scored a brilliant goal for Aston Villa a few years ago, so Everton fans will be hoping for the same again.”

Man Utd set to open largest safe standing section in PL

Latest from Sky Sports News' Danyal Khan:

Manchester United will officially open one of the largest safe standing sections in the Premier League on Monday night when they take on Everton, live on Sky Sports.

Over 6,000 (6,141) rail seats have been added to the second tier of the Stretford End since September.

United announced last week that the work is now complete as it's now been certified by the Sports Grounds Safety Authority for safe standing.

Total number of rail seats OT will now stand at 13,577 - 18 per cent of the total capacity of the stadium, which is 74,412.

Amorim reflects on first 12 months at Man Utd

Manchester United's match against Everton tonight signals 12 months since Ruben Amorim's first game in charge.

The head coach sits down with Pien Meulensteen to reflect on the past year.

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Is the tide turning for Amorim?

Manchester United are currently five games unbeaten in the Premier League, which is Ruben Amorim's best run since taking charge at Old Trafford.

The last time United went six games without loss in the league was under Erik ten Hag between November 2022-January 2023.

Last time out for Man Utd

Manchester United snatched the latest of late points at Tottenham in their last Premier League outing.

It was as dramatic finale as you will see in the Premier League. Watch it back with our highlights here.

Moyes aiming to end Old Trafford hoodoo

David Moyes endured a torrid time at Old Trafford as Manchester United manager, sacked nine months into a six-year contract.

But his record here as a visiting manager isn't too great, either.

In 17 attempts, Moyes has never won a Premier League game at Old Trafford.

Moyes explains Coleman and Barry picks

Everton head coach David Moyes to Monday Night Football:

"Seamus has done very well for Ireland in the games. He did really well against Portugal. It feels like the right game to bring him in.

"We're trying to give Thierno that bit of consistency to get the goals, which we badly need. I don't think there are many clubs who don't need their centre forward to score goals.

"We're missing a lot of key players as well. Man Utd are a good squad with good players. We can only focus on ourselves and see how we go.

"Our away form at the end of last season was so good. We haven't started great this season."

Kick Off 5.30pm: Newcastle vs Man City - Live on Sky

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Man City aiming for win to move one point off leaders Arsenal

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How the Premier League table stands...

Man City can leapfrog Chelsea into second place with a win this evening.

Newcastle will want to register more points on the board, currently in 15th place.

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Good evening!

The Premier League is back in full swing, and Saturday Night Football comes from the north east as Newcastle host Man City.

The Magpies have won their last five at home in all competitions - in stark contrast to their away form - but face an in-form Man City, who have won seven of their last eight matches.

It's set to be an intriguing clash at St James' Park, which you can watch live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm.

We'll also have in-game clips and free match highlights shortly after full-time right here. Don't move a muscle.

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Howe offers injury update with Gordon and Livramento 'close' to return

Eddie Howe has offered an injury update on a number of Newcastle players ahead of the weekend's Premier League game against Man City on Saturday Night Football...

Anthony Gordon: "Ant is very close. He has worked very hard over the break. He is touch-and-go for the game, and we will make a decision on him today [Friday]."

Tino Livramento: "He is very close. He has trained in the break. It is great to see and have him back.

"He has been out a while, his injury was serious enough we treat him right. He is in pretty good shape.

"He is an outstanding player, he has the technical qualities, together with Lewis Hall, I am really pleased to have them both potentially available."

Yoanne Wissa: "He's working well. He's not back training with us yet but he's close. He's working with the sports science team and almost entering a pre-season with them currently.

"He's done a lot of work, he's looked good and looked better with every session. He's close to training with us but before he gets to there it's difficult to give you a return date."

Howe also added that there are no problems with Nick Pope and Sandro Tonali also returned from international duty with no issues.

Howe: We have to prove something in every game

Eddie Howe says Newcastle have looked 'deep into everything' and have 'something to prove every game' after losing back-to-back away games in the Premier League.

They are back at St James' Park on Saturday as they face Man City, live on Sky Sports, and know they face a difficult game against the in-form side.

"It's a really tough fixture, we know Man City's qualities, but we want a raucous St James' Park," he said.

"The home support this season has been incredible and we've played well at home too.

"Regardless of results, you have something to prove every game. I want the players to respond this weekend - everyone is hurt by those two away games we had, no one more than myself.

"We've been looking deep into everything we do and planned and plotted a route ahead.

"Man City have lots of threats from lots of different areas of their team so if you focus too much on one, I don't think that's right.

"But of course, Haaland is an outstanding goalscorer and can score all different types of goals so we're going to have to defend really well.

"There's not one way of doing it. If you press high there'll be weaknesses and if you drop low there will be weaknesses to that - you have to do what you think is right based on the players you have."

Rodri and Kovacic still out for Man City

Manchester City will be without Mateo Kovacic and Rodri for the trip to St James' Park.

Manager Pep Guardiola did say that the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner had been making good progress in their recovery, but that the game against Newcastle was too soon for him.

"Everybody is fit apart from [Mateo] Kovacic and Rodri.

"Rodri is making good steps, almost three weeks since he had the last little bit of a setback.

"He knows that we have to take real time to recover fine with the problems that he had to be consistent between now and to the end."

Select your Newcastle and Man City teams and predict the score!

It's a big Saturday Night Football as Man City travel to St James' Park to face Newcastle, live on Sky Sports.

Can City pile the pressure on leaders Arsenal ahead of the North London derby with a win at Newcastle?

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe will be targeting a positive result as Newcastle look to end a run of back-to-back defeats in the league.

It's time to have your say on the huge SNF clash by predicting the teams you think should start at St James' Park and predicting the score...

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Watch Newcastle vs Man City live on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm.

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Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has a £65m release clause that becomes active in January, Sky Sports News understands.

Semenyo's release clause stands at £60m plus £5m in add-ons, but it is only active to a certain date in the January transfer window.

The release clause price drops in the summer of 2026.

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Bristol City, who sold Semenyo to the Cherries for around £10m in January 2023, would be due 20 per cent of any profit made on the 25-year-old.

Sky Sports News reported last week that Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham were watching Semenyo as teams look to add his pace, power and goalscoring ability to their squad in the winter window.

Semenyo signed a new five-year deal in the summer after several teams enquired about his availability, but he would not have signed a new contract without a release clause.

Despite reports of Semenyo demanding a move, he has not. He has full respect for Bournemouth, knowing he will get his move if he continues to perform because of his release clause.

How well he does between now and the turn of the year will dictate the calibre of club he can go to in January - that is, if anyone wants to pay his release clause.

Semenyo is enjoying a stellar season, having scored six Premier League goals - only Man City's Erling Haaland (14) and Brentford's Igor Thiago (8) have scored more this campaign.

It follows on from a return of 11 league goals and five assists last season for the Ghana international.

Semenyo returns injured from international duty

Semenyo has returned early from international duty with an injury, which Bournemouth are currently assessing.

The ex-Bristol City forward suffered a ligament sprain during Ghana's 2-0 defeat to Japan on Friday.

Semenyo was taken off with the injury early in the second half of the Black Stars' defeat.

Andoni Iraola's side will be sweating on his fitness for the visit of West Ham on Saturday as the ninth-placed side look to overcome back-to-back Premier League defeats.

Semenyo glad to have committed to Bournemouth amid transfer links

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this month, Semenyo said he is not oblivious to the speculation around his future, but revealed he was glad he remained with Bournemouth in the summer.

Ahead of the Cherries' defeat at Manchester City, the winger spoke to Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp and was quizzed about his future.

"I don't think about it too much," Semenyo said. "I try to stay present as much as I can. You see the news all the time, I see it as well, I'm not oblivious, but I try to keep focused.

"I'm enjoying my football here. If I'm not scoring goals, all of that goes away. I try to stay present, do the best I can for the team, score goals and whatever happens in the future happens.

"When they [his former team-mates] all left [in the summer], there was a lot of interest and back and forth with the club.

"But I knew in my head that the manager's got something up his sleeve this year. How we finished off the season last year was so good and we could continue, especially with the players we've bought in as well.

"I wasn't too sure at the start but we've kicked on like a house on fire. I'm glad I committed to staying here because I'm enjoying every moment."

"I will never have a better night in my whole life. It is a fairy tale. You can't even dream about something like that."

When Troy Parrott arrived for international duty with the Republic of Ireland last Monday, little did he know that six days later, he would have catapulted his country to the World Cup play-offs.

First, there was an impressive 2-0 win against Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the headlines for his red card, but it was Parrott's name being sung by the Ireland supporters after he scored both goals.

'What dreams are made of' - Troy Parrott hat-trick keeps Ireland's World Cup hopes alive

As it happened | Teams | Match stats

WC 2026 European qualifying schedule | Who has qualified so far

The AZ Alkmaar striker was the hero again for Ireland on Sunday against Hungary. He equalised twice at the Puskas Arena, before a dramatic 96th-minute winner saw his team win 3-2 - a night he says will never be bettered.

Dublin Airport even changed their name to the 'Troy Parrott International Airport' on social media in a celebratory, tongue-in-cheek nod to the 23-year-old's heroics.

Two vital games. Five goals. Parrott has had a huge say keeping his country's hopes alive of a first appearance at the World Cup since 2022.

For fans of AZ or the Eredivisie, it is perhaps no surprise. For others, the striker is often thought of as the Tottenham youngster who never quite hit the heights he was earmarked for.

But his career proves that the prospect of success does not end if you take a chance and leave the big Premier League club. In fact, it might lead one of the best moments of your life.

Beginnings at Spurs

After beginning his career with Belvedere in his native Dublin, Parrott joined Spurs' youth ranks in the summer of 2017 at the age of 15.

Two years later, he signed a professional deal and began training with the first-team squad. He made his senior debut in a Carabao Cup loss to Colchester in September 2019.

Some had compared him to Robbie Keane in his early career, while Parrott trained alongside Harry Kane in the same position. It restricted his opportunities and minutes, despite there being times when he was the only fit striker in the squad.

Despite making his Premier League debut against Burnley in December 2019, he would make just one more substitute appearance in the competition for Tottenham under Jose Mourinho.

Then came the well-trodden EFL loan track.

Stuttering EFL loans - but success in the Netherlands

Parrott had five loans in his time at Tottenham, four of them in England. His first to Millwall in August 2020 was hampered by injury, and it was curtailed when he was recalled in January with just 14 appearances and no goals.

A few weeks later Parrott joined Ipswich, who were then in League One, scoring twice in 18 appearances.

Next came season-long spells at MK Dons (2021/22) and Preston (2022/23). The former saw Parrott help the Dons to the play-offs, scoring in the semi-final second leg against Wycombe, but the club were beaten 2-1 on aggregate.

But with another underwhelming loan at Preston, the next move had to be a big one. Speaking to Sky Sports in October 2024, Parrott said: "There have been seasons that I have had before where I have not enjoyed it too much" - referencing his time on loan in the EFL.

It was time for Parrott look away from England, landing at Excelsior in the Eredivisie. Moving to the Netherlands proved to be the making of the young striker.

"The most important thing was to start enjoying football again without any pressure on it," the 23-year-old told Sky Sports. "Not telling myself I need to do this, I need to do that. I know the talent I have so if I am feeling good in myself and happy then that is always going to show itself on the pitch.

"But it was a big step because I did not have any idea what to expect when I first came over. Moving from Ireland to England is one thing but to move somewhere where they speak a different language, a different culture, it was always going to be a challenge."

He scored 17 goals for Excelsior in all competitions, with 10 of those coming in the league. Despite hat-tricks in both the semis and final of the two-legged Eredivisie play-offs - each scored at home - Parrott could not stop the club from being relegated.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, Parrott was finally showing the potential many had laid upon his head since he was a teenager at Spurs.

Speaking on his Excelsior loan, he said: "The thing that helped me the most was that I realised I was a striker who needed to be in the box. On a couple of the loans that I had, I tried to show my ability to come deep and link play. A lot of the time, I was too far away from the goal to score.

"I worked a lot with the coach at Excelsior on just being in the box, being there when the ball is getting crossed. I think for me that was the biggest thing, just drilling it into my own head that ultimately you're a striker and you need to be in the box to score goals."

Flourishing at AZ Alkmaar

Having found a home in the Netherlands, Parrott made a permanent move from Spurs to AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024 for a reported fee of £6.7m.

Reflecting on his time at Tottenham a few months later, he added to Sky Sports: "No, I don't think I have any regrets. I am grateful for how the club treated me, helping me to grow up as a person and a player.

"Those expectations are hard for any young player. I'm speaking like I am old, I'm still young now! It is just the experience I had, being out on all the loans and stuff, is more than what I should have at this age. But it is something a lot of young players go through.

"I believe for me I've learned to just put that to the side. It does more harm than it does good. Just to block all that out. I am happy now, being able to showcase what I can do week in and week out at a big team playing in Europe. It is what I wanted when I moved here."

Parrott has kept up his standards with AZ. Last season, he scored 14 goals in 30 Eredivisie games - the league's third highest scorer. One of the highlights was four goals against Heerenveen in a 9-1 win in September 2024.

His form continued into the 2025/26 campaign, with 10 goals in seven games across all competitions, but found himself halted by a knee injury at the end of August. He has scored three more league goals since his return, with AZ four points ahead of Ajax in the Eredivisie table.

Such is his form, a return to the Premier League has been mooted in some areas, although he is contracted to AZ until 2029. Those transfer links will only have increased after his star turn in November's qualifiers.

More good times to come for Parrott and Ireland?

In just two games this month, Parrott has doubled his international goals tally. Before stepping out against Portugal, he had scored five goals in 31 caps and only once since 2022.

While he remains a regular call-up for the Republic of Ireland, he has been guilty of squandering chances with some of his good club form not quite translating to his country.

Now, it appears the two have began to merge, and Ireland will need more of the same as they navigate a huge few months at the start of 2026.

Parrott rightly said he struggles to see how the night in Hungary can be bettered, but there are still the play-offs to come and maybe even a first World Cup. The good times can roll even further.

Given the momentum and confidence both Parrott and Ireland have after this international break, it would be hard to deny them more nights like Sunday.

"I will never have a better night in my whole life. It is a fairy tale. You can't even dream about something like that."

When Troy Parrott arrived for international duty with the Republic of Ireland last Monday, little did he know that six days later, he would have catapulted his country to the World Cup play-offs.

First, there was an impressive 2-0 win against Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the headlines for his red card, but it was Parrott's name being sung by the Ireland supporters after he scored both goals.

'What dreams are made of' - Troy Parrott hat-trick keeps Ireland's World Cup hopes alive

As it happened | Teams | Match stats

WC 2026 European qualifying schedule | Who has qualified so far

The AZ Alkmaar striker was the hero again for Ireland on Sunday against Hungary. He equalised twice at the Puskas Arena, before a dramatic 96th-minute winner saw his team win 3-2 - a night he says will never be bettered.

Dublin Airport even changed their name to the 'Troy Parrott International Airport' on social media in a celebratory, tongue-in-cheek nod to the 23-year-old's heroics.

Two vital games. Five goals. Parrott has had a huge say keeping his country's hopes alive of a first appearance at the World Cup since 2022.

For fans of AZ or the Eredivisie, it is perhaps no surprise. For others, the striker is often thought of as the Tottenham youngster who never quite hit the heights he was earmarked for.

But his career proves that the prospect of success does not end if you take a chance and leave the big Premier League club. In fact, it might lead one of the best moments of your life.

Beginnings at Spurs

After beginning his career with Belvedere in his native Dublin, Parrott joined Spurs' youth ranks in the summer of 2017 at the age of 15.

Two years later, he signed a professional deal and began training with the first-team squad. He made his senior debut in a Carabao Cup loss to Colchester in September 2019.

Some had compared him to Robbie Keane in his early career, while Parrott trained alongside Harry Kane in the same position. It restricted his opportunities and minutes, despite there being times when he was the only fit striker in the squad.

Despite making his Premier League debut against Burnley in December 2019, he would make just one more substitute appearance in the competition for Tottenham under Jose Mourinho.

Then came the well-trodden EFL loan track.

Stuttering EFL loans - but success in the Netherlands

Parrott had five loans in his time at Tottenham, four of them in England. His first to Millwall in August 2020 was hampered by injury, and it was curtailed when he was recalled in January with just 14 appearances and no goals.

A few weeks later Parrott joined Ipswich, who were then in League One, scoring twice in 18 appearances.

Next came season-long spells at MK Dons (2021/22) and Preston (2022/23). The former saw Parrott help the Dons to the play-offs, scoring in the semi-final second leg against Wycombe, but the club were beaten 2-1 on aggregate.

But with another underwhelming loan at Preston, the next move had to be a big one. Speaking to Sky Sports in October 2024, Parrott said: "There have been seasons that I have had before where I have not enjoyed it too much" - referencing his time on loan in the EFL.

It was time for Parrott look away from England, landing at Excelsior in the Eredivisie. Moving to the Netherlands proved to be the making of the young striker.

"The most important thing was to start enjoying football again without any pressure on it," the 23-year-old told Sky Sports. "Not telling myself I need to do this, I need to do that. I know the talent I have so if I am feeling good in myself and happy then that is always going to show itself on the pitch.

"But it was a big step because I did not have any idea what to expect when I first came over. Moving from Ireland to England is one thing but to move somewhere where they speak a different language, a different culture, it was always going to be a challenge."

He scored 17 goals for Excelsior in all competitions, with 10 of those coming in the league. Despite hat-tricks in both the semis and final of the two-legged Eredivisie play-offs - each scored at home - Parrott could not stop the club from being relegated.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, Parrott was finally showing the potential many had laid upon his head since he was a teenager at Spurs.

Speaking on his Excelsior loan, he said: "The thing that helped me the most was that I realised I was a striker who needed to be in the box. On a couple of the loans that I had, I tried to show my ability to come deep and link play. A lot of the time, I was too far away from the goal to score.

"I worked a lot with the coach at Excelsior on just being in the box, being there when the ball is getting crossed. I think for me that was the biggest thing, just drilling it into my own head that ultimately you're a striker and you need to be in the box to score goals."

Flourishing at AZ Alkmaar

Having found a home in the Netherlands, Parrott made a permanent move from Spurs to AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024 for a reported fee of £6.7m.

Reflecting on his time at Tottenham a few months later, he added to Sky Sports: "No, I don't think I have any regrets. I am grateful for how the club treated me, helping me to grow up as a person and a player.

"Those expectations are hard for any young player. I'm speaking like I am old, I'm still young now! It is just the experience I had, being out on all the loans and stuff, is more than what I should have at this age. But it is something a lot of young players go through.

"I believe for me I've learned to just put that to the side. It does more harm than it does good. Just to block all that out. I am happy now, being able to showcase what I can do week in and week out at a big team playing in Europe. It is what I wanted when I moved here."

Parrott has kept up his standards with AZ. Last season, he scored 14 goals in 30 Eredivisie games - the league's third highest scorer. One of the highlights was four goals against Heerenveen in a 9-1 win in September 2024.

His form continued into the 2025/26 campaign, with 10 goals in seven games across all competitions, but found himself halted by a knee injury at the end of August. He has scored three more league goals since his return, with AZ four points ahead of Ajax in the Eredivisie table.

Such is his form, a return to the Premier League has been mooted in some areas, although he is contracted to AZ until 2029. Those transfer links will only have increased after his star turn in November's qualifiers.

More good times to come for Parrott and Ireland?

In just two games this month, Parrott has doubled his international goals tally. Before stepping out against Portugal, he had scored five goals in 31 caps and only once since 2022.

While he remains a regular call-up for the Republic of Ireland, he has been guilty of squandering chances with some of his good club form not quite translating to his country.

Now, it appears the two have began to merge, and Ireland will need more of the same as they navigate a huge few months at the start of 2026.

Parrott rightly said he struggles to see how the night in Hungary can be bettered, but there are still the play-offs to come and maybe even a first World Cup. The good times can roll even further.

Given the momentum and confidence both Parrott and Ireland have after this international break, it would be hard to deny them more nights like Sunday.

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