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• Arteta impressed with 'different' Jesus after Leverkusen thrashing

  Mikel Arteta has said he has seen "something different" from striker Gabriel Jesus since last season, as the Brazilian impressed against Bayer Leverkusen. 

  Jesus, who scored four goals in 27 Premier League appearances last term, was on target with a fine finish against the Bundesliga champions on Wednesday. 

  The 27-year-old failed to score in his last 10 league appearances after returning from a knee injury, with Kai Havertz starring in the number nine position in his absence. 

  However, Arteta has been impressed with Jesus' displays in pre-season, but has set his striker a challenge of becoming more consistent this year. 

  "I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different," Arteta said.

  "I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it.

  "Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes.

  "If you produce in those circumstances? It looks good."

  The encounter against Xabi Alonso's side saw the return of both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka into the first-team fold after their Euro 2024 campaign with England. 

  But there was no sight of Jurrien Timber and new £42m signing Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta able to explain their omission from the squad. 

  "Jurrien had a little discomfort in his foot in the last few days and obviously, after the amount of time he’s been out, we didn’t want to take any risks with him," Arteta said. 

  "In regard to Riccardo, so much happened to him in one week! He’s come into a new environment with a different methodology and different training, so we are managing him, and we want to do it slowly and in the best way possible.

  "Hopefully he will be available to play some minutes on Sunday."

  Arsenal conclude their pre-season preparations against Lyon this weekend ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves at the Emirates six days later.

• Earps targets a 'few more trophies' at PSG after Man Utd exit

  Mary Earps says she hopes to add "a few more trophies to the cabinet" with Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Manchester United.

  The goalkeeper was at United for five years, helping them to lift their first-ever FA Cup in May.

  However, they failed to challenge for the Women's Super League title last season, finishing fifth, 20 points behind winners Chelsea.

  Earps' biggest successes have come in an England shirt, with their European Championship victory in 2022, while she was also awarded the Golden Glove at the 2023 World Cup, in which the Lionesses reached the final.

  She joined PSG as a free agent in July, signing a two-year deal with the club, who finished as runners-up in the Premiere League last season and are set to play for a sixth-straight season in the Women's Champions League.

  Earps admitted that while it was a difficult decision to leave Manchester, she is hungry for even more success.

  "I cannot wait. I'm so excited to get going," Earps told the Tooney & Russo show.

  "It was a tough decision to make because I was there [at United] for so long and I have great relationships with people, so you don't just pick your life up and move on a whim.

  "But equally, the opportunity to play for a great team in top competitions, being in a position to win silverware, I've been fortunate enough to have a really good few years and win a few trophies, and it's just a feeling that's hard to explain because people think she's won some silverware, she's done.

  "But it's like an itch you can never scratch enough. I'm looking forward to doing that and hopefully adding a few trophies to the cabinet."

  Earps started all 22 of United's WSL matches last season, keeping seven clean sheets and making 60 saves.

  She was one of three players to leave the Red Devils on a free transfer at the end of last season, with captain Katie Zelem and forward Lucia Garcia also leaving the club.

• Rodgers lauds Celtic's 'critical' start to title defence after Kilmarnock demolition

  Brendan Rodgers knows no Scottish Premiership title is secured after the first game, but says Celtic managed a "critical" step after thrashing Kilmarnock on Sunday.

  Reo Hatate, Liam Scales, Nicolas Kuhn and Anthony Ralston were all on target as the Scottish champions hammered their visitors 4-0 at Celtic Park.

  Celtic have won their league opener in 16 of the last 17 seasons, losing the other 2-1 away to Hearts in 2021, though Rodgers acknowledged this is just the start for the Hoops.

  "I thought we were very connected, some of our passing and the speed of our game was very good," the Celtic manager told BBC Scotland.

  "Defensively we were very strong, the first goal came from that counter press. I have to be so pleased for the first game of the season.

  "Being at the top of the league at the end of the season is what's important but the first steps are critical and we made a really good step today."

  Matt O'Riley continues to draw attention from Premier League clubs, as well as Serie A's Atalanta, as the Celtic midfielder's future remains uncertain.

  The Denmark international assisted Scales' header in the first half against Kilmarnock, reminding potential suitors of his quality with transfer speculation continuing.

  Rodgers is focused on adding to his Celtic squad, though, as he aims to build a side capable of competing in the Champions League and Scotland's top division.

  "Currently our focus is very much the players that are here but naturally we want to improve the squad," Rodgers added.

  "It's our duty to do that for the players and we'll speak about that. I will never say anything that I've not spoken to my bosses about.

  "We want to take the club forward, we know the challenges that we have on every front and for that we want to improve the squad. Hopefully, we can get in the players that can help us kick on this season.

  "I'd love to have more tools to have a go at the Champions League, that's one of our big goals this season. We want to get into the play-off phases and for that, we want to improve the squad."