Key events
Also in the world of football this weekend, in a lovely twist of narrative, England’s women play Germany at Wembley tonight.
The friendly clash is the first meeting between the sides since the Euro 2022 final and comes JUST DAYS after England’s men’s side appointed a German, Thomas Tuchel, as manager. Of course, the Lionesses have had an overseas manager for some time and she’s done rather well.
Leah Williamson has been speaking some sense, as usual, about the situation.
Williamson said: “You can’t pick and choose when it suits us [to have a foreign coach], just based on the result. We’ve had great times with Sarina, I think she’s an honorary Brit now anyway. I know that we’ve all been very happy with Sarina.”
Preamble
Good morning and happy (nearly) weekend, football fans. Mercifully, it’s one of those more enjoyable autumn weeks that doesn’t call itself an international break and so it’s been jam-packed with juicy action. From the idiosyncratic touchline antics of peak José Mourinho in Istanbul last night, to a historic European win for Welsh minnows TNS, to all the fallout from the Champions League, which will quickly turn into domestic league buildup as the press conferences rev into gear today.
And it is a doozy of a weekend in the Premier League, to be fair. Arsenal host table-topping Liverpool – (will Bukayo Saka be fit? Probably not) – Erik ten Hag faces a somewhat tricky away trip to West Ham and the team Manchester City will put five past at the Etihad on Saturday is … checks notes … Southampton.
Myself and John Brewin will be here until the afternoon, at which time the right honourable Barry Glendenning will take over to see you through. Let’s start off with some classic Friday preview reading.
