Key events
Here’s a fun quiz to chew over during lunch. Complete this sequence – England, France, DR Congo, Brazil, Netherlands, England, Cameroon, England, Sweden, Norway… ???
A clue: It’s in reverse order. Answer at 1pm.
Some more from Liverpool boss Arne Slot. This time he was talking about the threat posed by Matheus Cunha when Wolves visit Anfield on Sunday.
“He’s a type of player that I’m referring to when I always say when I compare the leagues that I’ve worked in and this league. I don’t know exactly where Wolves is at the moment – 17th? If you go to the Dutch league and you look at the number 17, there’s no player that can play for Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord. But Matheus Cunha is a quality player and he has the quality to play for one of the top five teams in England.
“That is also one of the reasons why it is so much more difficult to win a game against the number 17 in England than to win against the number 17 in Holland. Again, we already saw when we played against them with Gary O’Neil they had a very good performance back then as well – he [Cunha] in particular. We know that it’s going to be a tough game on Sunday again.”
Here’s more on the sad passing of esteemed football journalist Patrick Barclay. Nice tributes from Philippe Auclair and Barney Ronay.
Here are the weekend fixtures. Note that Liverpool are also in action away to Aston Villa on Wednesday night, the only Premier League fixture taking place in midweek. That means if Arne Slot’s men beat Wolves on Sunday and Villa on Wednesday, they could be 13 points clear if Arsenal lose at Leicester. The Gunners would have a game in hand, but still.
Friday
8pm Brighton v Chelsea
Saturday
12.30pm Leicester v Arsenal
3pm Aston Villa v Ipswich
3pm Fulham v Nottingham Forest
3pm Manchester City v Newcastle
3pm Southampton v Bournemouth
3pm West Ham v Brentford
5.30pm Crystal Palace v Everton
Sunday
2pm Liverpool v Wolves
4.30pm Tottenham v Manchester United
Nottingham Forest news now and boss Nuno Espirito Santo is confident that defender Ola Aina will sign a new contract. The Nigerian full-back has been superb for the Trees this season and, fun fact, is the joint-top scoring defender in the official Premier League fantasy game alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold. Both have 108pts but Aina is two million quid cheaper.
Asked about the discussions over a new deal for Aina, Nuno said: “Things are going well. I am positive and confident everything is going to be solved. He’s been performing fantastically, not only this season, the last season. He’s a big, big influence on the squad, but his experience means he is a role model for everybody, especially for the young guys in the team.”
Forest face Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.
Thanks John. Let’s start with our regular weekend preview of things to keep an eye one. The composite features Georginio Rutter, Raheem Sterling and Mathys Tel so there’s a clue for 30% of it.
Right, time to pass over to the blessed David Tindall.
Kylian Mbappé will be returning to a France shirt soon after a rapprochement with Didier Deschamps. He was not included in the squads for their Nations League fixtures in October and November after signing with Real Madrid in July.
DD: “Of course he’ll be there. Why wouldn’t he be? Yes, for very specific reasons (he was not here) But he’ll be there if nothing happens to him between now and then. He’s very attached to the French team, even if he’s had a complicated personal period. He’s back to full fitness, and you can see that in his game, and in his head too.”
Jimmy T gets in touch: “I’m wondering if you can shed and light on the obsession with proclaiming that United players who have moved elsewhere are BACK and FIRING!
“I was perplexed to read an article this week – which has bugged me all week in terms of wondering what is the psychological driving force behind writing such drivel. Is it simply that the generation who watched United dominate English football are now the ones writing the articles and engaging in clickbait backed schadenfreude. Is this their revenge?
”The article in question picks out Marcus Rashford, Jason Sancho, Antony and Malacia as players who are thriving away from Old Trafford. This seems to amount to Rashford nutmegging Pedro Porro in a game his team lost 1-0 whilst he was on the pitch, a graphic on Jadon Sancho that indicates he was better at United, Malacia’s PSV drawing with 12th place Willem II and losing top spot, and Antony being voted Man of the Match in a fan poll.
”By all means this is not me saying United are in any way a competent football team/club, but why is there such an obsession with that fact to the point such articles get written?”
Ian Sargeant gets in touch: “Hello John. The Forest chat reminded me of the last time they played at West Ham. I’m in the home end – we were revelling in our recent crowning of champions in (I can’t sing of – its not right) Europe. Couple of young lads then started pointing to the away end singing ‘Champions of Europe – you’ll never sing that’ Their dad was somewhat embarrassed – I blame the schools. What do they teach them these days?”
Could the yellow ticker be arriving in MLS? Graham Ruthven investigates.
Hasan replies to Raj Raj: “I’m afraid you can expect similar high jinks if Forest manage to qualify for any kind of European football next season. Cartel Six commentary dictates that only specific teams can be discussed, so you can expect a lot of umms, ahhhs, references to the weather and perhaps some polite whistling before any pundits even dare to utter the words “Nottingham Forest” in the same sentence as “title” or “Europe” – it’s pretty amusing.”
Russell George gets in touch with a nice story about Paddy Barclay: “On the news of the passing of Patrick Barclay, a long time ago – 1987 to be precise – I was really keen to become a football journalist. In fact, I used to write my own match reports, usually on Manchester United games. One of these ‘reports’ I posted to Patrick, who was at the Independent at the time, then forgot about it.
“Anyway, one Sunday morning my Mum called me upstairs to take a phone call. It was Patrick. I was 13 at the time, but I remember Patrick spent about 20 minutes talking to me about what I’d written, and giving me advice about what I could do to take it further.
“I never did become a football journalist. But I will always remember feeling absolutely over the moon that Patrick Barclay liked what I’d written, and that he was kind enough to pick up the phone and call a 13 year-old boy on his weekend. A lovely man.”
David Moyes on the derby fall-out. There are allegations Abdoulaye Doucoure received racist abuse amid that explosive aftermath.
“I feel a bit for Arne Slot too because it is the sort of thing I was always getting involved in when I was a younger manager. It tells me that he cares a lot about his club and is fighting for his players.
“I was disappointed in Doucoure because he played so well in the game and did a great job for the team. He wouldn’t have probably done what he did [if he had the chance again]. But it still doesn’t mean that people are allowed to abuse you. If that’s the case, it’s completely wrong.”
Eddie Howe was asked to compare Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.
“You look at Haaland’s consistency over a long period of time, there’s no doubt in that and Alex is certainly doing the same. Since he’s come to this club, I think he’s been been absolutely sensational for us. So we’re looking to try and get him in the game as much as we can and I always say the same thing, we need to provide the foundation for him to perform at his best levels.”
A correction, from Raj Raj: “Valentines Day so I thought there would be more love in the air? You start your day with the key games in the title race are…then you don’t mention Nottingham Forest.”
Yes, some red-hot Nuno content to come.
Everton news, via David Moyes, on Iliman Ndiaye, who was carried off in the Merseyside derby.
“He has got a medial ligament injury. It’s not looking great at the moment. But probably not sure about how long it is going to be. It’s certainly going to be a few weeks anyway.”
Eddie Howe is fired up for his Newcastle team visiting the Etihad, despite his horrible record against the Guardiola-era Manchester City.
“I think it’s going to be a great few weeks for us, in terms of trying to evaluate our strengths and see where we are, how competitive we are in the league. We’ve been pretty solid this season in that respect, we’ve given every ream good games. This will be a pivotal part of the Premier League season. A defining few weeks for us.
“For me they’re still the benchmark and we have to try and produce our best performance to try and get something for this match.”
Patrick Barclay 1947-2025
John Brewin
Sad news reached us this morning of the passing of Patrick Barclay – Paddy to many – a former Guardian and Observer journalist. Those of us who knew him – and everyone knew Paddy – will miss the tales, the laughter, the usually unshakeable, strident opinions and the love for football, particularly Dundee FC.
Paddy, a skilful writer, an opinion-former, worked for the whole broadsheet spread of Guardian, Times, Telegraph and Independent over his long career and was later the president of the Football Writers’ Association. A true Fleet Street veteran of the old school who also made time for the younger crew who had grown up reading his reports. It was always a pleasure to talk football – and much else besides – with him. He will be sorely missed.
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Arteta on that weight of injuries: “With the loads and minutes, it’s inevitable, It’s an accident waiting to happen. This season it’s the accumulation of that, the stress. Is it luck? Certainly the schedule is demanding, and for explosive players it becomes an issue.”
Better/good news on Bukayo Saka/Ben White from Arteta:
BS: “It’s too early, he’s in early stage of rehab. When he’s closer, doing more workload, we will see how he is.
“Ben White is in training more regularly now. We have to manage his load, but he is available.”
Mikel Arteta has also been on the early shift, and he’s been discussing that Kai Havertz injury at Arsenal’s warm-weather training camp:
“We were having a great camp in Dubai, recharging , training, connecting with nature and different environment. Then the injury happened in unexpected way, it’s a big blow because of injuries we have. Fortunately we have been through a lot this season, it’s the challenge I have. We love it. Let’s see what the team is made of.
“Any team in this league losses four players in frontline like that and I know what the answer will be.”
More Slot, on fellow red card Curtis Jones: “He will be out for one game. He came back from an injury, so he missed a few games already. I was planning to start him against Plymouth. He wasn’t completely recovered yet.
“I liked him a lot when he came in [against Everton]. He had a very good half hour. It was the best part of our game. That was the only part of the game where I felt a bit of comfort and maybe a bit of control.
“I liked a lot that he stood up for the team, but I also think there are other ways for the team and the fans to do that. I will talk to him about that. But it’s the same for me. I should have acted differently after the game as well.
“It is an emotional sport and sometimes individuals with emotions make the wrong decisions. That is definitely what I did.”
Slot on derby red: ‘I would love to do that differently’
Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted “emotions got the better of me” after his red card at the end of a dramatic final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
Slot was sent off after the full-time whistle after James Tarkowski’s goal in the eighth minute of added time to earn a 2-2 draw.
“There is an ongoing process now and I have to respect that,” he said. “I think what happened was that the extra five minutes ended up being eight. It happened a lot.
“Emotions got the better of me. If I could do that differently, if I look back I would love to do that differently and I hope to do that differently next time. There is an ongoing process and I don’t want to disturb that.”
Preamble
It never stops, never stops, never stops. But it’s fun fun fun so we continue. Quite a week it’s been, and there’s a whole weekend of Premier League action to come, kicking off tonight with Brighton v Chelsea – does this game always have to kick off at 8pm? That’s a repeat of last weekend’s FA Cup, a win for Brighton if you have forgotten.
The key games in the title race are Leicester v Arsenal on Saturday and Wolves v Liverpool on Sunday but also a top-four battle of Manchester City v Newcastle in the Saturday 3pm slot. Then there’s a clown-car derby Tottenham v Manchester United on Sunday. Team news and press conferences to come, when we expect Mikel Arteta to discuss his injury crisis in the Gunners’ forward line after Kai Havertz’s torn hamstring.
Plus all the news you can shake a stick at. Join us.
