Juventus make their return to the Champions League next week, but head coach Thiago Motta says the Bianconeri's full focus is on this weekend's trip to Empoli.

Motta has made a strong start at Juve since joining from Bologna, with an unbeaten start to the Serie A campaign putting them level with Scudetto holders Inter at the summit.

Next week, the Bianconeri face PSV in their first Champions League game since 2022 before welcoming Napoli to Turin for a huge clash on September 21, but Motta will not look beyond Saturday's visit to the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

"The other two games of the week we have time to think and prepare for. The focus is tomorrow. Then we will think about the other games," Motta said on Friday.

"We only have to think about the game against Empoli. 

"Tomorrow will be a complicated match like all the games you face in Serie A, against a team that is doing well that knows what they want to do on the pitch."

Empoli are also unbeaten after three league games, sitting just two points behind Juventus in seventh place, and Motta won't be taking the Tuscan side lightly.

"We face an Empoli team that is doing well right now, they have played three really good games, but we are also in good shape," Motta said.

"We knew the calendar and the games to be faced. Tomorrow we have to be determined and focused and play a serious game.

"Then from game to game we will face everything as always, with maximum commitment and focused on doing our job well."

Motta began the season with a limited squad, still waiting on the club to bring in players, but the new coach now has plenty of options at his disposal, and Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners could both make their first starts next time out.

"They are two great players that I am lucky enough to have on our side, like many others in our squad. Let's see tomorrow who will start the game," Motta said.

"I'm happy because we have everyone available." 

Phil Neville says the Portland Timbers are "in it to win it" against the Colorado Rapids, though he expects a tough test versus a Coach of the Year candidate in Chris Armas.

Portland sit eighth in the Western Conference standings, occupying a wild-card spot but sitting one point adrift of the Houston Dynamo in the final automatic playoff place. 

They have taken four points from two games since the Leagues Cup break, drawing 4-4 with St. Louis City then beating their local rivals, the Seattle Sounders, 1-0 last time out.

Neville knows a visit to Colorado, who are four points and four places above them in the standings, will prove a tough assignment, but he has confidence in his side.

"We're coming up against a coach who is probably one of the Coach of the Year candidates in Chris Armas, he's done an incredible job," Neville said.

"The boys have trained well after having some rest, they've trained hard. Players have come back from international duty fit and well.

"We're looking forward towards one of the most pivotal periods in all of MLS. I think we're coming to probably the last 100 metres of the race, and as they say, we're in it to win it."

Colorado beat FC Dallas 3-2 on their return to league action last time out, having finished third in the Leagues Cup in August.

Head coach Armas said: "It's really good to be back after a few days off. The energy in the team is good, we're picking up where we left off after a really busy and successful August.

"We really have our sights set on this weekend, and then on what's ahead – and that's the playoffs. 

"For sure we're looking forward to another home game and we're going to take it one step at a time."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Colorado Rapids – Darren Yapi 

Yapi scored Colorado's winner against Dallas last time out on August 31, and both of his career MLS goals have now come in the 90th minute or later. 

He is one of three MLS players with multiple goals in 2024 with all of them coming in the 90th minute or later, alongside Miguel Berry and Julian Fernandez.

Portland Timbers – Evander

Evander has a goal contribution in eight straight MLS matches, the second-longest streak in the Timbers' history, behind Diego Valeri's nine straight in his MVP-winning 2017 season. 

Evander's 27 goal contributions (12 goals, 15 assists) overall in 2024 are the second most in an MLS season for Portland (Valeri – 32 in 2017).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW 

Portland's win over Seattle featured their sixth clean sheet in their last 15 games in all competitions. Through their first 15 matches of 2024, Portland did not record a single shutout.

Colorado, meanwhile, have won their last two MLS games by a 3-2 scoreline, versus Real Salt Lake and Dallas. Only once previously have the Rapids netted at least three goals in three straight MLS matches, doing so in April 1998.

Portland have won three straight matches against Colorado in all competitions for the second time (also doing so in 2017-18). Neither team has recorded a four-match winning streak over the other in the 32-match history of the series, so a draw could be on the cards.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Colorado Rapids – 40.2%

Portland Timbers – 33.2%

Draw – 26.6%

The New England Revolution are approaching Saturday's trip to Orlando City with a "chip on their shoulder" following a pair of disappointing results, says head coach Caleb Porter.

The Revs enjoyed a spectacular return to MLS action after the Leagues Cup break as they routed CF Montreal 5-0 on the road, but they were then beaten 2-0 at Real Salt Lake.

Last time out, New England squandered a 2-1 lead in a 2-2 draw with St. Louis City, leaving them five points adrift of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, albeit with two games in hand.

"It's really important that we make up for the two points we lost in the last game, so our mindset is to go on the road and get a result in Orlando," Porter said.

"Our guys have trained really well and they definitely have an edge or a chip on their shoulder to go and make up for the last game."

Orlando, meanwhile, occupy the final automatic playoff place in the East after thrashing Nashville SC 3-0 last time out, their first win since returning to MLS action.

Head coach Oscar Pareja believes having a week off for the international break has benefitted his side, saying: "Getting the boys ready for this game has been good, in training we've tried to keep the players in competition mode.

"It's just been exactly what we do normally, so we're good. We have the national team players here and we're ready."

Reflecting on Orlando's last win, he added: "It's a good base and a good foundation, but my thoughts are always the same.

"That has already passed and now we need to build a new gameplan for this one."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Orlando City – Facundo Torres

Torres scored twice in Orlando's 3-0 win over Nashville last time out on August 31, his ninth and 10th goals of the season in MLS play. 

Torres, who scored 14 goals last season, is the second Orlando City player to record consecutive 10-goal seasons, along with Cyle Larin (three straight from 2017 to 2019).

New England Revolution – Carles Gil

Including playoffs, Gil has scored six goals against Orlando, more than against any other opponent in his MLS career.

MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN 

Orlando have won their last two meetings with New England, including a 3-1 road victory on July 13. The Lions had managed two total wins in their first 16 regular-season matches against the Revs (seven draws, seven losses).

New England have only lost once in their last seven matches across all competitions (two wins, four draws), following a 2-2 draw with St. Louis last time out.

However, the trip to Florida is a tough one, with Orlando unbeaten in their last seven home matches (four wins, three draws), keeping clean sheets in each of their last two. The hosts go in as favourites.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Orlando City – 56%

New England Revolution – 21.3%

Draw – 22.7%

Former Jamaican footballer Jorghino James is set to appear before a court in Harris County, Texas, on October 28, 2024, where he faces serious assault charges. James, once a standout player for Kingston College and Jamaica's national team, is now a coach at a football academy in Texas. He has been accused of viciously attacking the mother of his child at a daycare facility in Friendswood, Texas, on August 30.

According to reports filed with the Friendswood Police Department, James allegedly assaulted the woman in the presence of their child. A video that has since gone viral shows a man, believed to be James, violently punching the woman inside the daycare facility before storming out and fleeing the scene. The shocking footage, released by the alleged victim, has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

James was subsequently arrested and transported to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, as the Friendswood Police Department serves only as a holding facility. He was later released on bond.

The former footballer now faces charges of assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Compounding his legal troubles, he has also been charged with violating bond conditions, as he was already out on bond for a similar charge stemming from a previous incident. That original charge dates back to March 5, 2024, in Harris County, when he was given bond conditions that prohibited further criminal activity. The new charge of assault is considered a violation of those bond conditions.

The violation report stated that being charged with a new misdemeanor or felony offense constituted a breach of the bond agreement, leading to the additional charge. James is facing a state jail felony, which carries a wide range of potential penalties, from fines to probation, or up to two years in jail, depending on the court's ruling.

As the October 28 court date approaches, James' future hangs in the balance as he faces the possibility of severe legal consequences if convicted.

Arne Slot insists Liverpool will not be distracted by the contract situations of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom are set to become free agents next year.

Liverpool are yet to tie down any of their star trio to new deals despite them entering the final 12 months of their contracts, with Salah's future in particular making headlines.

After scoring in the Reds' 3-0 win at Manchester United ahead of the international break, Salah said he was keen to enjoy this season in case it proves to be his "last year" at Anfield.

Since Alexander-Arnold made his Premier League debut in December 2016, only Salah (253) has bettered his 229 league outings for Liverpool.

Captain Van Dijk, who joined in 2018, is sixth on that list with 200 appearances, behind Andy Robertson (221), Roberto Firmino (211) and Alisson (204).

Speaking ahead of Saturday's meeting with Nottingham Forest, however, Slot outlined his confidence that any contract negotiations will remain in the background.

"Again, it's the boring answer, but we don't talk about contracts here," Slot said.

"Is it a distraction? No, it isn't, I am fully focused on the individuals and the team to work with them to get the best possible out of them. It's not a distraction for me at all."

Alexander-Arnold is yet to complete a full 90 minutes in the Premier League under Slot, being replaced by Conor Bradley in all three of Liverpool's games this term.

Slot believes he is now ready for a full outing, however, having impressed while playing the full 180 minutes as England beat the Republic of Ireland and Finland under interim coach Lee Carsley.

"He proved he could do 90 minutes. He became tired in the Ipswich game. He's completely ready to play 90 now," Slot said of Alexander-Arnold. 

"We have another player like Conor Bradley, who can do the job really well. We have a whole team to manage and it's also good for Conor to get his playing minutes. 

"It's not always the individual, I look at the team and the whole squad for the fixtures."

Arne Slot is "something special" and can have a sensational impact as Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool replacement, believes Eredivisie chief executive Jan de Jong. 

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, De Jong also backed Slot – alongside embattled Manchester United counterpart Erik ten Hag – to manage the Netherlands in the future. 

Slot has enjoyed a fine start to life at Anfield after leaving Feyenoord, leading Liverpool to three straight Premier League wins, including an impressive 3-0 triumph over United.

The Reds have won all three of their Premier League games this term while keeping a clean sheet in each victory. When they host Nottingham Forest on Saturday, they could become just the fifth team in English top-flight history to start a season with four straight wins without conceding. 

Manchester City last achieved that feat in 2015-16, following in the footsteps of Aston Villa (1900-01), Ipswich Town (1974-75) and Chelsea (2005-06).

Ten Hag has found things more difficult at Old Trafford, becoming the first United manager to start two Premier League seasons with the club by losing two of his first three matches.

However, De Jong expects both bosses to be successful in the long term, telling Stats Perform: "The Premier League is the highest goal you can reach. So if there are two Dutch coaches at such big clubs, we are very proud of it. It's the best we can do. 

"We hope that in the near future, both will be the coach of the Dutch national team. I think Ten Hag started very well, but Louis van Gaal says Manchester United is a very difficult team to manage. 

"So Erik is facing a lot of problems, but I think he's technical, a very good coach on a very high level and Arne Slot is something special. 

"I think he will be a sensation. You never know, but he has everything in him to be one of the greatest coaches of his time. "

De Jong's primary concern for 2024-25 is ensuring the Eredivisie maintains its position as Europe's sixth league, pointing to the importance of Champions League revenue going to multiple Dutch clubs.

"To be honest, we want to be the sixth league. There's a huge gap and we cannot bridge it between the big five and the others," he said.

"A couple of years ago, in 2018, we were number 14 in the UEFA ranking and now we are number six. That's very important and we have at least two teams participating in the Champions League. 

"That is crucial for us because the money the teams get out of Champions League football is much more than the local media rights. So this year is fully aimed at how we stay in sixth position."

The Eredivisie is one of several leagues to be threatened by the big-spending approach of Saudi Pro League clubs, with Steven Bergwijn swapping Ajax for Al-Ittihad in a €21million move earlier this month.

That switch led Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman to leave Bergwijn out of his squad for this month's Nations League fixtures, and De Jong admits the financial power of Saudi clubs is a real concern.

"When you make a step in your career, I hope that it's always out of an aim that you want to reach the highest level," he added.

"I'm a little bit naïve, but I hope winning prizes is more important than earning as much money as you can."

On Koeman's decision to exclude Bergwijn, he said: "He said that from his point of view, he would no longer take Bergwijn as a player of the Dutch national team. 

"He did not say that the competition was not strong enough, but he was very surprised that he did it at the age of 26. That was the point Koeman was trying to make."

St. Louis City interim head coach John Hackworth is confident his side can make a late push for the playoffs after going unbeaten since their return from the Leagues Cup.

St. Louis are building momentum at the right time, but remain six points adrift of this weekend’s opponents, Minnesota United, who sit on the right side of the playoff line.

Hackworth’s side were forced to share the spoils in their last MLS encounter against New England Revolution, but the 54-year-old preached positivity for the business end of the campaign.

“I personally believe that we're not out of time yet, you know, we still have control,” Hackworth said.

“We have to fix this little moment where we take our foot off the gas, where we don't play with the same initiative that we do to start the game. That's something we can fix. We have fixed it.

“We have gotten better. I'm going to say I'm blue in the face, but I believe in this group of guys. I still think we have a good chance.”

Minnesota, meanwhile, overcame the San Jose Earthquakes in their last match, keeping the gap between the teams below them to just a point with the luxury of a game in hand over most.

The Loons currently sit ninth in the Western Conference table and know a win is a must to keep their ambitions of remaining in that position alive.

Head coach Eric Ramsay acknowledged the enormity of the task awaiting his players but challenged his squad to deal with the raucous atmosphere inside CITYPARK.

“They have had a slight change in fortune over the last couple of games. They are fighting for their lives at the bottom in the same way that we are,” Ramsay said.

“They are a team I am sure that are looking at this game as being crucial for the remainder of their season and their fortunes.

“We have got to make sure we handle that situation well and that we understand the magnitude of the game for us and for them, because that will certainly play its part.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

St. Louis City – Marcel Hartel

Hartel has been involved in a goal in each of his first three MLS matches (one goal and three assists).

Since the start of 2023, four players have begun their MLS careers with goal contributions in their first three regular season matches, with three of them doing so for St. Louis (Hartel, Joao Klauss and Eduard Lowen).

Minnesota United – Robin Lod

Despite only playing the final half an hour in Finland’s Nations League defeat to England, Lod returns to the MLS with a record in his sights.

Lod has been involved in 54 regular season goals for Minnesota (28 goals and 26 assists), one away from equalling the club record of 55 held by Emanuel Reynoso (22 goals and 33 assists).

MATCH PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS CITY WIN

St. Louis City have not lost any of their last six matches against MLS teams in all competitions (W3 D3). This is their longest unbeaten run in the division during the club’s history.

But Minnesota have won two of their last three regular season matches (L1) after winning just two of their previous 14 (D4 L8). Minnesota’s triumph against San Jose last time out also ended a seven-match winless run away from home (D2 L5).

And it has often been the away side who have emerged victorious in this fixture. Both their MLS meetings last term ended with an away win, with Minnesota out to upset Opta’s data-led simulations at CITYPARK this time around.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

St. Louis City – 46.4%

Draw – 26.5%

Minnesota United – 27%

Renowned track and field coach, formerly of Munro College, Kingston College and Jamaica College, has taken his wealth of coaching experience to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), where he is set to play a key role in the development of the institution's sporting programmes.

Coach Harrison officially joined the STETHS team on September 2, after having worked with the school in an unofficial capacity during the summer.

Harrison, a seasoned Physical Education teacher and coach, will not only continue his role on the track but will also extend his expertise to the school’s football programme. His responsibilities at STETHS go beyond coaching, as he will be tasked with overseeing the school's entire sports programme, ensuring that there are comprehensive development initiatives in place for student-athletes.

Principal Keith Wellington, speaking on Harrison’s appointment, highlighted the coach’s experience and leadership qualities as crucial additions to the school’s sports culture. "Coach Harrison brings significant experience and maturity as a Physical Education teacher, coach, and mentor," Wellington said. "He is expected to provide guidance, mentorship, and technical leadership to our overall sports programmes. It is also expected that Coach Harrison's addition to the STETHS team will lead to more of our student-athletes optimizing their talents across our various school programmes."

In addition to his coaching duties, Harrison will serve as a classroom teacher at STETHS, fostering the holistic development of students both academically and athletically. His mandate also includes the coordination of sports activities, working closely with Wellington to ensure that STETHS’ co-curricular programmes are robust and inclusive.

Harrison’s distinguished coaching career includes stints at Kingston College, where he served from 2014 to 2018, and Jamaica College, where he led the school to victory in the ISSA Boys and Girls National Championships in 2021. Despite his success, his contract at Jamaica College was not renewed for the 2024/2025 academic year, paving the way for his new role at STETHS.

With his extensive experience and proven track record of success, Coach Harrison's presence is expected to enhance STETHS' already formidable sports tradition, especially in track and field and football. Principal Wellington remains confident that Harrison will provide the technical expertise and mentorship necessary to elevate the school's athletic achievements.

STETHS has long been known as a powerhouse in rural Jamaica, and the addition of Coach Harrison to the team signals their intent to continue that legacy while nurturing young talent for years to come.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has brushed aside Cristiano Ronaldo's latest comments as he continues to block out the criticism surrounding his tenure. 

Ronaldo, who recently surpassed 900 career goals during the international break, returned to Old Trafford in 2021 for a second stint at the club he made his name at. 

The Portugal international netted 27 goals in 55 appearances in all competitions across one and a half seasons but fell out of favour under Ten Hag before joining Al Nassr in December 2022.

During the 2021-22 season, no one registered more goal contributions in the Premier League for United than Ronaldo (21, 18 goals and three assists), while he also produced an expected goals tally (xG) of 17.75, also the highest in the Red Devils squad. 

And speaking to former United team-mate Rio Ferdinand on a podcast, Ronaldo said Ten Hag had been wrong to say in a pre-season interview that the club were "a long way away" from winning the Premier League. 

When questioned about the veteran forward's comments, Ten Hag said: "No, he said this, if you read the article very well.

"He is entitled to his opinion. It's OK. He is far away in Saudi, far away from Manchester."

United headed into the international break off the back of successive defeats in the Premier League, the latest coming in a 3-0 humbling against arch rivals Liverpool. 

The Red Devils have now lost as many as two of their first three league games in a season for the second time under the Dutchman's tenure (also 2022-23). 

They last lost three of their first four back in 1986-87, when Ron Atkinson was sacked and replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson. 

While United are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League away games against the Saints, the encounter at St. Mary's seems a seismic one for Ten Hag's future at the club.

The two-week break since the Liverpool defeat has seen Ten Hag's future widely discussed, but the Dutchman insisted that the outside noise did not bother him. 

"It doesn't impact me. I know where we are in the process and what we have to do and where we are going," Ten Hag said.

"I have said before we are still in a transition period.

"We have to integrate a lot of young players in the team and still have to deal with injuries and bring players back into the team.

"Before anyone thinks about excuses, no, we have to win every game. I know that. The team knows that. It doesn't matter who is available."

Chicago Fire head coach Frank Klopas insisted his side must overcome their slow start against D.C. United in order to push for the playoffs ahead of facing the New York Red Bulls this weekend.

Klopas watched on as his side conceded twice in three minutes midway through the first half against D.C. as Christian Benteke and Gabriel Pirani’s struck to secure the triumph for the visitors.

The result leaves the Fire 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, with Klopas stressing the importance of energy from the first whistle to his players.

“We needed to come out with energy. If we did that, I felt that we were in the game,” Klopas said.

“We got that goal. And then, if you see the second half, the amount of possession, and it's a team that was sitting back, looking to counter.

“We get in good spots, and then our ability in the final 25 yards from goal, whether it's just making a play, the quality of the crosses coming in, connecting, we get in really good spots and we need to be better and sharper in the final third, in those areas.”

The Red Bulls, meanwhile, played out a 13th draw of the season on home soil against Kansas City last time out, with 16-year-old Julian Hall snatching a point in the final minute of normal time.

It marked just their second goal from their last three MLS fixtures since returning from the Leagues Cup, and they have since lost pace with the top three in the Eastern Conference but are still four points ahead of rivals New York City FC in fourth place.

Head coach Sandro Schwarz acknowledged his side's difficulties in the final third of late but insisted that his squad have addressed their lack of confidence at the top end of the pitch.

“I think it is also from the mental side,” Schwarz said. “When you did not have the best game last week, and then you concede the first goal, it is not easy for a young team.

“On this point, I am very happy we were able to get this point. This is what we can improve, and this is what we have done also to create more of these moments in the final third.

“We had big chances throughout the game, but from this point you need a goal to give you confidence to believe in your quality – this is what we have to do."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chicago Fire – Andrew Gutman

Gutman scored Chicago’s only goal against D.C. from outside the box, the seventh Fire goal from outside the penalty area in 2024.

Chicago last scored more goals from outside the box in the 2012 season (13).

NYRB – Cory Burke

Burke has scored 28 career regular season MLS goals with eight of those coming against this weekend’s opponents.

The Jamaican has not scored more than three goals against any other MLS opponent but has scored at least once in every season he’s faced the Fire from 2018 to 2023.

MATCH PREDICTION: NYRB WIN

The Fire are unbeaten in four straight meetings with the Red Bulls (W1 D3), including a scoreless draw at Red Bull Arena in April. Chicago last went five straight unbeaten against New York in all competitions from August 2010 to June 2012 (W2 D3).

However, they have lost three straight home matches in all competitions for the third time since the start of last season. Chicago had lost three straight home matches in all competitions just twice in the club’s first 25 seasons and have never lost four in a row at home before.

While coming into the encounter as favourites, eight of the Red Bulls’ last 11 regular season matches have ended in draws (W2 L1), including all four on the road during that time. They are also winless in six straight regular season road games (D4 L2) since a win at D.C. United in May.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chicago Fire – 27.3%

Draw – 24%

NYRB – 48.7%

Mason Greenwood is "making a difference" for Roberto De Zerbi's Marseille amid their strong start to the Ligue 1 season, says the club's chief executive, Pablo Longoria.

Greenwood joined Marseille on a permanent deal from Manchester United in July, having spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Getafe.

Greenwood had not appeared for United since he was arrested and suspended by the club in January 2022. The forward was later charged with attempted rape and assault, which he denied, with the charges dropped in early 2023 following the withdrawal of key witnesses.

He has scored five times in his first three Ligue 1 appearances for Marseille, becoming just the second player to achieve that feat in the last 50 seasons of the French top flight, after Nice's Mario Balotelli in 2016.

He scored an 81-second brace in the first half of a 3-1 win at Toulouse prior to the international break, lifting Marseille to seven points from their first three games.

While Marseille's move for the 22-year-old drew criticism from many onlookers, Longoria has been impressed by his impact on the pitch.

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, Longoria told Stats Perform: "He's a great player. He's making a difference. 

"If you're asking all the players, all the people that are in the day-to-day with the team, they can tell you that his level is amazing and we are really happy having him. 

"We are really happy about the start of the season he is doing and the behaviour he's having with us in Marseille."

Marseille pulled off what many saw as a coup to appoint De Zerbi as their new head coach ahead of this season, following his surprise exit from Brighton.

Longoria believes the Italian has been a seamless fit at the Stade Velodrome, saying: "What I appreciated was the firmness of Roberto de Zerbi in all the conversations and the connection that he has created with us since the first day. 

"This is the biggest satisfaction that I can say, and I'm very thankful to the coach for how he's adapting himself to the project."

Marseille are currently second in the Ligue 1 standings, two points behind champions Paris Saint-Germain, who lost Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid ahead of the new campaign.

While Longoria believes Marseille's project is one for the medium-to-long term, he refuses to put a limit on their ambitions for 2024-25.

"They are having a great start to the season as well, to be honest. Our objective is to build a project over three years. That is the number one," he said of PSG.

"Second, we are really happy with how we started this season. Our goal has to be in the Champions League and improve our level. 

"After that, let's see what the competition will put on us. We need to be ambitious, but at the same time, we need to be realistic as well. I'm not saying that we cannot compete. 

"I'm asking for a bit of patience because this is a three-year project, and we really want to improve each day, each week, and each game day. We need to improve our level."

President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) Kieron Edwards, is optimistic that they will attract some high-quality candidates for the senior Soca Warriors head coach post, with hopes of securing qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Edwards, who along with his administration were heavily criticised for cutting former head coach Angus Eve without a suitable replacement, shared his optimism as he revealed that invitations to select the new coach will go out this week.

The Soca Warriors, currently being led by Derek King on an interim basis, closed the recent Concacaf Nations League window with a 0-4 loss to Honduras and a goalless stalemate with French Guiana, which left them at the foot of Group B in League A and facing relegation to League B. They now face a must-win scenario in their next two fixtures in October to survive.

However, Trinidad and Tobago remain alive in the World Cup qualifiers, which resume next year, as they sit second in Group B on four points, two points behind Costa Rica.

Edwards said the process of selecting the new coach has been delayed a bit, but they remain firm that the suitable candidate must meet the requirements outlined to secure the necessary results and, by extension, World Cup qualification.

“We recognise the importance of having a clear pathway for qualification, which requires the full support of the government, private sector, and citizens,” TTFA said in a recent release.

When asked if the decision to send out the invitation was due to the Soca Warriors loss to Honduras, Edwards said that result was expected. 

“I know we hardly have time, but we cannot rush the process. We know that the toughest game in the group would have been against Honduras, and what they told me is that they would have planned for that result,” Edwards explained.

Still, Edwards is hoping to receive applications from quality coaches to change things. It is reported that former Soca Warriors striker turn coach Dwight Yorke and former United States coach Gregg Berhalter were interested in the job.

The Premier League is back following the first international break of the season, and Sunday's headline fixture looks to be worth the wait as Tottenham host Arsenal.

The first North London Derby of the campaign comes after disappointing results for both sides on matchday three, with Arsenal losing early ground on Manchester City and Liverpool as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton.

Ange Postecoglou's Spurs, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 at Newcastle United, leaving them three points behind their rivals in the early-season standings.

What can we expect as these North London heavyweights go head-to-head for local bragging rights at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

By diving into the Opta data, we can bring you all the best pre-match facts, figures and storylines.

What's expected?

Arsenal have had the upper hand in the North London Derbies of late, and the Opta supercomputer makes them slight favourites despite the absence of home advantage.

They were victorious in 40% of the supercomputer's 10,000 pre-match simulations, with Tottenham triumphing in 34.1% and the remaining 26% finishing all square. 

Arsenal have won their last two Premier League away games against Tottenham, as many as in their previous 17 such visits (six draws and nine defeats). They last won three consecutive away North London Derbies between January 1987 and September 1988.

Draws have been a rarity at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has seen the lowest percentage of draws (9%, 9/101) of any ground in Premier League history, so perhaps we should not expect the spoils to be shared. 

When will Tottenham stop being Spursy?

The adjective 'Spursy' is not one any team wishes to be tagged with, coming to denote a side that flatters to deceive and ultimately falls short of expectations.

Postecoglou has made no secret of his desire to cast that perception aside and make Tottenham true contenders, but their start to 2024-25 has thrown up several familiar themes.

Spurs were utterly dominant on matchday one but could not hold onto a 1-0 lead at newly promoted Leicester City, starting their second straight season under Postecoglou with an underwhelming draw.

After routing hapless Everton, they were then beaten 2-1 at Newcastle despite firing off 20 shots to the hosts' nine, also enjoying 65.7% possession and playing almost as many passes in the final third (235) as Newcastle did overall (261). 'Spursy' indeed.

The North London Derby is a fixture in which Tottenham have struggled lately, losing five of their last seven Premier League meetings with Arsenal (one win and one draw).

That is more defeats than they suffered in their previous 16 against their rivals (six wins, six draws and four defeats).

These fixtures have so often been an acid test of Spurs' resilience, and they must improve their defending for a matchup that has not featured many clean sheets lately. 

Arsenal versus Tottenham has seen both teams score more often than any other fixture in Premier League history (43 times), while it is also the fixture to see the team who scored first fail to win more often than any other (29 times, 19 draws and 10 losses).

Can Gunners replace Rice?

There was much for Mikel Arteta to be frustrated about as Arsenal dropped their first points of the campaign last time out, squandering a 1-0 lead in a 1-1 draw with Brighton.

But it could be that the sending-off of Rice, who received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away early in the second half, proves more of an inconvenience than the result.

The first red card of Rice's Premier League career – coming on his 245th appearance in the competition – has handed Arteta a major selection dilemma in the engine room.

Rice started 37 of the Gunners' 38 Premier League games last season, appearing as a substitute in the other. It is often said that availability is the best ability, and Rice's 3,230 Premier League minutes in 2023-24 were only bettered by eight other outfielders – team-mate William Saliba (with a full 3,420) among them.

With Rice patrolling the midfield, Arsenal were a picture of control last season, giving up the joint-fourth fewest fast breaks in the Premier League (23) and the joint-fifth fewest shots from fast breaks (20).

Thomas Partey and Jorginho, the men likely to be tasked with holding the fort, will come up against a Spurs side with plenty of pace in transition, and the likes of Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson will be desperate to exploit his absence.

Tottenham scored three goals from 25 fast breaks in Premier League action last term, finding the net every 8.3 fast breaks on average – only eight teams netted from such situations at a greater frequency.

Rice did much to help Arsenal build the Premier League's most fearsome defence last term, and they approach Sunday's game with eight shutout victories in their last 10 away league games (nine wins, one draw).

Elsewhere, captain Martin Odegaard is a doubt after sustaining an injury on international duty with Norway, with their absences potentially handing Spurs a golden opportunity.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Tottenham – Son Heung-min

Tottenham skipper Son has scored eight goals against Arsenal in all competitions. In the history of the fixture, only Harry Kane (14), Emmanuel Adebayor (10) and Bobby Smith (10) have netted more North London Derby goals than the South Korean.

Seven of Son's North London Derby goals have come in the Premier League, with no other current Spurs player boasting more than two strikes against the Gunners in the competition.

Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

Saka scored home and away goals against Tottenham in the Premier League last season. The only previous Arsenal players to score in three or more consecutive North London Derby appearances in the competition are Emmanuel Adebayor (five between 2006 and 2008) and Robert Pires (four between 2002 and 2004).

Saka has also been involved in more attacking sequences than any other Arsenal player in the Premier League this term (22 – 10 shots, seven chances created and five build-up involvements), scoring once against Wolves on matchday one.

Wilfried Nancy has called for cohesion and understanding from MLS decision-makers after the Columbus Crew were forced to play with midfielder Sean Zawadzki in goal in their 4-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders.

Abraham Romero saw red at the end of the first half, and with both Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen away on international duty, Zawadzki found himself wearing the gloves.

Romero was the Crew’s only goalkeeper in the matchday squad as players from Columbus’ reserve side can only be called up four times before signing a professional contract. 

Nancy asked MLS to allow an additional call-up for a backup goalkeeper but that request was rejected, leaving the Crew head coach furious at the full-time whistle.

“We are at 39 matches played,” Nancy said. “We were mandated to have three goalkeepers on the teamsheet. This is what we did. We had to use a call-up for a friendly game against Aston Villa.

“Why I'm not happy before the game and all the week it happened, I was not happy about that because there is a rule, as you know, we can use only four times, four call-ups [for] one player from the reserve team who has a contract.

“You know the issue that we had with the goalkeepers with Evan Bush. We tried to anticipate, adding a fourth goalkeeper, knowing that we could have a situation like this.

“When we asked before the game to have another call-up for our goalkeeper for the reserve team, they said no, knowing that this game [against] Seattle we were supposed to play in [May].”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat to Inter Miami in style, comfortably dispatching CF Montreal 4-1 at the TQL Stadium last time out.

Pat Noonan’s side know the magnitude of their encounter this weekend, as a defeat would allow their opponents to leapfrog them in the Eastern Conference standings into second, with the Crew also having a game in hand.

While the pressure is seemingly on the hosts, Noonan is relishing the challenge of facing the Leagues Cup winners on home soil.

“Really pleased with the response from the last performance and just the overall play from our guys,” Noonan said.

“I thought on both sides of the ball they were outstanding – maybe a little bit fortunate on some of those goals – but I am very pleased with the outcome and how the guys stepped up.”

“We know the challenges that'll be ahead of us. The group can go win a game, it'll be a challenging match, but one that you have to be excited about.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has scored five times for FC Cincinnati against the Crew, tied for the most goals scored by a Cincinnati player against any opponent in MLS play.

The Argentine has also netted five goals against Toronto FC, with Brandon Vazquez also striking five times against Inter Miami.

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

With Columbus’ array of attacking options, Rossi has been the standout, registering 19 goals and eight assists in all competitions, netting six times in their Leagues Cup success.

But across his two spells in MLS with the Crew and Los Angeles FC, the Uruguayan has failed to score against five opponents, with Cincinnati being one of them.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

After starting the season winless in four on the road (D3, L1), Columbus have won seven of their last nine regular-season away games (L2). The seven away victories are the most the Crew have ever recorded in a single regular season.

However, they come into the encounter off the back of a 4-0 loss to the Sounders, their heaviest defeat since 2018. The Crew also have not lost consecutive matches in all competitions since a three-match losing streak last May.

Cincinnati also boast an impressive home record against this weekend’s opponents. They are unbeaten in five straight regular-season matches on home soil against the Crew (W2 D3) but did lose last season’s Eastern Conference Final at TQL Stadium.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 29.4%

Draw – 24.7%

Columbus Crew – 45.9%

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has announced that on August 31, its First Instance Body, awarded regional licenses to 11 clubs participating in this season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL): Arnett Gardens FC, Cavalier SC, Dunbeholden FC, Harbour View FC, Montego Bay United FC, Mount Pleasant FA, Portmore United FC, Racing United FC, Tivoli Gardens FC, Vere United FC and Waterhouse FC participating in this season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL).

The remaining 3 clubs - Chapelton Maroons FC, Humble Lion FC and Molynes United FC - received domestic licenses, meaning they will not be eligible for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Caribbean Cup or the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup if they finish in the top three of the JPL standings at the end of the season.

Each club was required to meet the minimum criteria outlined in the 2018 JFF Club Licensing Regulations. This season’s achievement of awarding 11 regional licenses marks a significant increase from last season, when only four clubs – Arnett Gardens FC, Cavalier SC, Harbour View FC and Mount Pleasant FA - received regional licenses.

Club licensing, introduced by FIFA, is a key element in promoting the professionalization of football worldwide. This system is based on principles-driven criteria and establishes minimum standards that clubs must meet to obtain a license and participate in competitions.

The Club Licensing Regulations focus on five key areas: Administration, Sporting, Financial, Infrastructure, and Legal. The goal of these regulations is to standardize and elevate football club management globally.

Carlene Edwards, Chairwoman of the First Instance Body, expressed gratitude for the commitment displayed by the clubs in meeting the requirements.

She stated, “The process was challenging initially, as we needed to review and update clubs simultaneously, ensuring they submitted correct and updated documents while adhering to established deadlines in the Club Licensing Regulations Support Manual. Nevertheless, we remained dedicated to the task and successfully delivered all decisions within the stipulated timeframe. We look forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with the clubs and anticipate achieving 100 percent compliance in delivering regional licenses next season.”

In a statement, Michael Ricketts, President of the Jamaica Football Federation, emphasized the Federation’s commitment to supporting the club licensing process.

He stated, “I am incredibly proud of our clubs for their dedication and hard work in achieving club licensing. This milestone not only reflects their commitment to excellence but also underscores our promise to elevate football in Jamaica. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the First Instance Body for their tireless efforts in ensuring we meet our commitments to CONCACAF. Their diligence in overseeing the licensing process has been crucial in raising the standards of our football community. JFF remains dedicated to empowering our clubs as they strive to excel on both national and regional stages.”

The next category of stakeholders to be on boarded in the Club Licensing process will include the Women’s Premier League teams and the JFF Championship teams.