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• Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with AC Milan

  Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to AC Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.

  Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.

  "I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.

  "Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."

  Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.

  Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.

  "I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.

  "This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."

  Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A, but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.

  "It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.

  "We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."

  Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.

• Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls

  New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.

  The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.

  They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.

  Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.

  "To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.

  "Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.

  "Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."

  Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.

  Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.

  "I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.

  "The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.

  "And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez

  Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.

  Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.

  New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg

  Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.

  No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.

  MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN

  This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.

  The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.

  NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).

  The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  New York City FC – 46.5%

  Draw – 26.5%

  New York Red Bulls – 27%

• Arsenal players are not in the best condition according to Arteta

  Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal are still struggling to get key players back to fitness ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

  Captain Martin Odegaard made his first start since August in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea prior to the international break, having suffered an injury with Norway in September, but his side are struggling elsewhere.

  Both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were substituted in the second half of that match with injuries and subsequently pulled out of the England squad.

  "We are still missing a lot and some of the guys out there are not in the best condition," Arteta told BBC Sport.

  "That is all we are asking, that they are fit and available and in the physical condition to play at this level. We have not had any of that.

  "It was patch after patch, after patch. A lot of players starting and not in the condition to finish games, so that is what I am praying for."

  Nuno Espirito Santo, meanwhile, insists his side will take lessons into this weekend from their 3-1 defeat against Newcastle last time out.

  "When you lose and win there is always a lesson to be learnt. We must learn an important lesson, we have been punished the way we have been punishing other teams," he said.

  Despite the loss, Nottingham Forest are still fifth in the Premier League table after 11 matches, level on points with Arsenal. Nuno himself was also named September's Manager of the Month.

  "Even though we lost the game, everyone at Forest should be proud of the players and how we have been working together. OK, let’s go again," he said.

  "I’m just proud from day one of the way we have been working as a team."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

  No player has supplied more assists in the Premier League than Saka (seven), with Mohamed Salah trailing by one.

  The winger has also scored three goals for the Gunners and is one behind Kai Havertz as the club's leading scorer.

  Nottingham Forest – Chris Wood

  Wood is equal-second alongside Bryan Mbeumo and Salah in the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals.

  The 32-year-old has opened the scoring on six occasions in the league this season, while he has the best conversion rate (38.1%) of any player to have made more than 10 appearances.

  MATCH PREDICTION: ARSENAL WIN

  Arsenal are currently in fourth place, one position above their weekend opponents Nottingham Forest.

  They are unbeaten in eight home games in all competitions so far this season (W6 D2), including in their five home games in the league (W3 D2).

  The Gunners have won six of their last seven Premier League games against Nottingham Forest, including back-to-back victories last season.

  The visitors come into this on the back of a 3-1 defeat at home to Newcastle last time out, which ended a four-match unbeaten run.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Arsenal – 67.1%

  Draw – 18.8%

  Nottingham Forest – 14.1%