Arne Slot has asserted Mohamed Salah’s future is “up to him and the club”.

The Liverpool star has yet to make a decision on whether to renew his contract, and as it stands, will be leaving Anfield at the end of the season.

Salah remains a key player for the Reds, and leads the club for Premier League goals (seven) and assists (five) this term.

He scored the winner in the 72nd minute to complete Liverpool’s comeback against Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, as they moved to the top of the table.

And despite the question marks over Salah's future, Slot is not concerned.

"[His future] is not what I think about. The only thing I think about is he is so important for us. Scores important goals, works hard for the team," the Liverpool boss told TNT Sports.

"I’m hoping he can enjoy that feeling many, many, many more times. Especially if I’m here but also if I’m not here. I’m hoping he can do this many more times.

"He’s been incredible for Liverpool over the past eight years. He’s been incredible for us this season and I hope he can continue doing this for the rest of the season and maybe longer to come, but that’s up to him and the club to find the idea about the future."

Salah could be in for a historic night on Tuesday when Liverpool face Bayer Leverkusen, having scored in each of his last five Champions League appearances at Anfield.

The last player to score in six consecutive home games in the competition for an English club was Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United in April 2003.

Salah sparked renewed talk over his future after posting on Instagram on Sunday, saying that the feeling of scoring at Anfield would remain unforgettable “no matter what happens.”

But Slot was keen to quash any deeper meaning in the post.

"I haven’t spoken to him about that. You interpreted it in a way that maybe other people don’t," he told the press.

"I don’t look at Instagram posts of my players, I only talk to them which you can’t, which is the advantage I have.

"Mo is in a very good place at the moment. As long as he has been at Liverpool, he has been in a very good place, but this season again as well. I am hoping he will make a post after tomorrow and on Saturday again. What he said with that, that is not important.

"For me what is important is how he plays and what he tells me when we have conversations. That is what matters and not how you guys interpret one of his posts."

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards has given recently appointed Head coach Dwight Yorke a mandate of qualifying the senior Soca Warriors to the Fifa Men’s World Cup or risk being replaced.

Edwards made the declaration during an interview on I95.5 FM on Saturday, as he pointed out that their World Cup qualifying ambition was the driving force behind the move to replace Angus Eve.

“It’s not just about selecting a coach. It is about the process, the journey and qualifying to the World Cup,” Edwards said.

Still, Edwards, who was elected TTFA president in April, explained that getting to the World Cup was a medium-term goal for his administration and, as such, they opted for a change in approach to accomplish that objective.

“We had to get the process right. We had to get where we wanted to go and make sure we had the mechanics within the TTFA right to make sure we get there and I think we reached the best choice for the men’s national senior team,” he shared.

“The entire team met and we laid out our short-term goals, medium-term goals and long-term goals. The medium-term goal was to qualify for the World Cup in the next two years. When we evaluated everything, we thought we needed a change...and the executive decided we wanted to go in a different direction.” Edwards added.

That said, Edwards reaffirmed his unwavering support for the current crop of Soca Warriors players to get the Twin Island Republic to another World Cup for the first time since 2006.

In fact, he revealed that Yorke’s two-year contract is with an agreement that he successfully qualifies the team to the 2026 global showpiece.

The Soca Warriors currently sit second in Group B on four points, two points behind leaders Costa Rica ahead of the resumption of qualifying action in 2025.

“With the right support and with the guys we have, I do believe we can qualify for a World Cup. We need a coach that understands the culture we have, with players coming back in two, three days before a game. Dwight was the ideal choice for us and he understands the culture of teams in Concacaf as well,” Edwards noted.

“In terms of that professional to approach the game, I think Dwight really brings that to T&T football. I think this project for our executive and for Dwight is about qualifying for the World Cup. It’s qualifying for the World Cup or nothing. I am sure I know Dwight’s pride. He will not stay on with the TTFA or with any club if he has failed to live up to his high standards,” the TTFA president opined.

Beyond the on-field obligations Edwards said it will take an estimated US$4 million to ensure Yorke and his team has the best possible chance throughout their campaign.

“The government through the Ministry of Sport has been involved in every campaign. We truly believe qualifying for the World Cup, taking it to the back end of 2025 will take about US$4 million. When we relate the proposal, we are hoping to get 30-33 per cent from the government,” Edwards said.

Celtic may be four points clear of RB Leipzig in the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers is not underestimating the challenge that his side face on Tuesday.

The Hoops welcome Leipzig to Celtic Park on matchday four, for what will be the fifth meeting between the sides.

Leipzig have won three of the previous four encounters, with Celtic winning 2-1 in a Europa League match in November 2018.

While Leipzig, who are second in the Bundesliga, have lost all of their Champions League matches this term, Celtic bounced back from their heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund by holding Atalanta to a 0-0 draw in their last European outing.

Rodgers' team come into Tuesday's clash on the back of a resounding 6-0 defeat of Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, but Rodgers knows his side are in for a stern test.

"Leipzig are no different to Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta," said Rodgers. "A top team. They have everything you would want - speed, power, technique.

"It's a brilliant challenge for us."

After conceding seven goals against Dortmund on MD2, Rodgers explained Celtic knew they had to step up.

"You always have to learn and be better and we were against Atalanta, a really outstanding team," said Rodgers, who were perhaps fortunate not to concede against the Serie A side, given they conceded 2.4 expected goals (xG).

"We'll look to bring our energy to the game but we also know we'll have to defend for good periods of the game, play with concentration and commitment like we did against Atalanta," he said.

"There will be moments when we press with aggression and moments where we have to be controlled. Top teams will push you back and you have to have resilience."

After a run of 12 home games without a win at Celtic Park in the Champions League between 2013 and 2023 (D3 L9), Celtic have won their last two home games. They last had three wins in a row back in November 2007 under manager Gordon Strachan.

"Home games are very important at this level and when you want the result the supporters can bring you closer to that," said Rodgers.

"What the noise generates here is absolutely incredible.

"We will also need that bit of patience as well because we have to be educated in our pressure.

"We've got ourselves into a really good position after three games and now we have another opportunity to show we can pick up a result against a top team."

Neymar does not feel his latest injury is anything to be overly worried about.

The Brazilian star had to be substituted off late on in Al-Hilal's 3-0 win over Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday.

Aleksandar Mitrovic's hat-trick propelled Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal to a comfortable win, though it was soured when Neymar clutched his right thigh and left the field just 29 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

It was only the 32-year-old's second appearance since he returned from a year-long lay-off due to a serious knee injury.

However, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona attacker allayed fears over a serious injury.

"It felt like a cramp, only very strong!" Neymar posted on Instagram. "I'm going to have some tests and I hope it's nothing too serious.

"It's normal for this to happen after a year, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."

Neymar has played only seven games for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal since joining from PSG in a blockbuster transfer last year.

Milan have no need to fear Real Madrid and their coach Paulo Fonseca is targeting a statement win in the Champions League.

Despite having won more Champions League/European Cup titles (seven) than any other club apart from Madrid (15), it has been 17 years since Milan last lifted the trophy in 2007.

On the other hand, holders Madrid have won the Champions League six times since 2013-14.

But Fonseca sees no reason to fear Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Carlo Ancelotti's side were recently hammered 4-0 by Barcelona.

"We're playing against a team that aspires to win the Champions League every year and for us it's a great opportunity to grow," Fonseca said.

"We'll play without fear of anything, with courage, because we believe we can play a great game and do great things.

"I always transmit to my team the desire to win and tomorrow will be no different. Real Madrid are a great team, but we will go out there thinking about winning. After that, anything can happen, but that's the mentality.

"To win a match like this, we have to defend well, have possession of the ball and create dangerous situations. A match against Real Madrid is a chance to show the world our quality and the way we are growing."

Madrid are 12th in the 36-team Champions League table with six points, while Milan are languishing in 25th spot – just outside the play-off places – with three points after three games.

Fonseca explained Milan had carefully studied Barcelona's 4-0 win over Madrid in last month's Clasico.

"I saw the derby, it's impossible not to watch it. They are teams I like to watch and I paid close attention to the game," Fonseca said.

"We are different from Barcelona but it was important to see Real Madrid's intentions against them because Barca have a similar way of defending with us. We made the whole team watch the game.

"It is the match between the two clubs that have won the Champions League the most. There are many games in the continent that are big, but this one is obviously something special, a match between two clubs that are attractive.

"We hope to put on a good show for people who enjoy good football."

Milan are winless in their last three Champions League games against Madrid (D2 L1) since they won 3-2 in October 2009 with goals from Andrea Pirlo and Alexandre Pato.

Madrid have won five of their seven home matches against Milan in the competition (D1 L1), beating them 2-0 in the most recent such match in October 2010.

Girona have plenty to gain and little to lose when they visit PSV in the Champions League, coach Michel claimed.

Despite securing a maiden European triumph over Slovan Bratislava last month, Girona are still struggling to find their best form, dealing with a long list of players out injured.

Following a LaLiga win over Leganes on Saturday, Michel said his players may not be full of energy but have the mentality to look for points at the Philips Stadion.

A positive result could be vital, given Girona then take on the likes of Liverpool, Milan and Arsenal.

"We have a lot to win and little to lose," Michel said ahead of Girona's first ever meeting with PSV.

" We are playing against a historic team with European titles. We don't come with all the energy I want, but we do come with a mentality.

"We need the points and, of course, every game is important. I don't know how high the bar will be to get into the top (places) but we are on a privileged stage and we will compete."

Girona occupy the 24th and final play-off place in the 36-team Champions League table, with three points from three games. PSV are in 28th with two points.

"We have to try to be the ones who dominate and who have the ball. We have to try to make them look towards their goal, if we give them control it will be very difficult for us to keep up the pace and hold them off," Michel added.

"PSV have been practically unbeaten at home for two years in a row. They are a great team with tremendous pressure and pace.

"We know how difficult it will be and if we want to get anything out of them we have to match their intensity."

Spanish teams have lost all four of the away games they have played in the Champions League this season. 

PSV, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last five home matches in the UEFA Champions League; their longest run without a home defeat in the competition since December 2005 (11 games). However, four of the five games in their current run have ended in stalemates (W1), including each of the last three.

Marco Silva believes Fulham claimed a "deserved win" against Brentford, though admits they should have secured the three points much earlier in their 2-1 victory.

It looked like Vitaly Janelt's 24th-minute strike against the run of play was going to wrap up all three points for Brentford, but Harry Wilson proved the Cottagers' hero off the bench, scoring twice in stoppage time to snatch the three points.

Fulham had dominated from the first whistle and had 26 shots, 12 of which were on target, though they struggled to find a way past their opponents' staunch defence until the 92nd minute.

Wilson became just the sixth player to score an equalising and match-winning goal from the 90th minute onwards in the Premier League, while his second goal was Fulham's latest-ever Premier League winner at 96:46.

Silva was delighted with how his team pushed until the final seconds to ensure they came away with a win.

"It was definitely a deserved win. We started on the front foot and dominated all the game. In the first 20 minutes, we had two clear chances to score," Silva told BBC Sport.

"After they scored, we didn't lose the confidence and the trust in ourselves, we kept pushing them back, and we created enough to not be losing at half-time.

"I told the players this is football, it can happen, but we have to keep pushing, working hard and playing our way.

"It was late, it should've been much before, but that's football."

Brentford, meanwhile, have now dropped a league-high 14 points from winning positions in the Premier League as they suffered a fifth consecutive away defeat in the competition.

In fact, they are the first side in the competition's history to score the first goal in four consecutive away games and lose all four.

They had defended resolutely until their late lapse in concentration, and even had a chance to win it, only for Bernd Leno's impressive save to keep out Fabio Carvalho in the 95th minute.

Thomas Frank, though, admitted he was not yet ready to take the positives from the performance after the disappointment of their late defeat.

"It was tough. It is emotionally very tough right now," Frank told Sky Sports.

"When you are leading in the 92nd minute, and you lose, it is tough. I don't think we hit our highest level. I think on the day Fulham were better.

"There was a lot of good defending and effort, and I thought that would have given us the win. We could have won it with the chance for Fabio Carvalho and then we lost.

"When we look at the game back, and we are more cool-headed, we will probably be very happy with the defensive standard. I thought there were unbelievable blocks, and recovery runs and all that we did well. On the ball, we didn't do enough."

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's current injury problems will make it harder for them to repeat the success of recent years.

Depleted by a number of injuries to key players, the Premier League champions saw a 32-game unbeaten league run ended by a loss at Bournemouth on Saturday after a midweek reverse at Tottenham in the EFL Cup fourth round, marking the first time City have lost successive matches in all competitions since September 2023.

While Guardiola says he is aware of the expectations surrounding his team, he knew they were likely to suffer more defeats due to injuries and the increasing level of their opponents. 

"I know our standards, but we've lost just one game. Maybe we are going to lose again in the Premier League against Brighton and against Tottenham and against Liverpool," Guardiola told reporters, referring to their next three Premier League games.

"We are just two points behind Liverpool, who are a top-class team. We've started well in the Champions League, but I know people expect us to win 38 league games and win the treble every season as these are our standards.

"The reason it is difficult is because we have had a lot of absentees, which can happen in some seasons.

"Sometimes, to win the treble, everything has to be on the same page with injuries, but this is not possible this time. The teams are very strong and everything is more difficult, and we have to accept that. That is the challenge."

City will be without Ballon d'Or winner Rodrigo and Oscar Bobb for most of the campaign, while John Stones, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias remain sidelined and have not travelled to Portugal.

Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker still have problems despite being in the squad, Guardiola said, and Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho are improving, while Erling Haaland is fit.

City sit third in the Champions League standings after two wins and a draw and are looking for a third consecutive European win at Portuguese champions Sporting CP, who are eighth but also have seven points and are unbeaten across all competitions this season.

Guardiola's side claimed a resounding 5-0 win at Sporting when they met in the 2022 Champions League last 16, and are looking to extend their record run of unbeaten games to 27 in the competition.

"They play quite similar like we faced two seasons ago, the pattern is so clear," Guardiola added.

"They have changed players but have the same manager and same mentality," he said, referring to Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, who will take over at Manchester United at the start of the international break.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso hailed his former club Liverpool as "one of Europe's best" as he prepares for his Anfield return.

Alonso, who spent five successful years at Anfield and helped Liverpool win the Champions League in 2005, returns to his former stomping ground when Leverkusen take on the Reds on Tuesday.

Arne Slot has won 12 of his first 14 matches in charge of Liverpool, including all three in the Champions League so far.

Leverkusen have only won one of their 11 away major European matches in England (D3 L7), and have lost their last two visits to Anfield, and Alonso is under no illusion as to the scale of the task that awaits the reigning Bundesliga champions.

"For us, it is a big challenge," he said.

"Liverpool at the moment are one of the best, if not the best, in Europe, they are showing that in the Premier League and Champions League, a good squad, great coach. We're looking forward to it. Let's see what happens.

"You can play 70 minutes great but in 20 minutes it [the game] is gone, so it is mentally and emotionally we need to be ready.

"In all areas, they are really strong, so the process works really well. [Slot] has done a fantastic job in three months."

Alonso played 210 times across all competitions for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009, scoring 18 goals and providing 20 assists. 

After winning the Champions League with the Reds in 2005, he helped them reach the final in 2007, though they lost to Milan on that occasion.

However, the Spaniard does not think he will have too much time for a trip down memory lane.

"Unfortunately, there is no time for tourism – maybe a little run or walk," he said.

"I know the city very well, I love it, but tomorrow I will focus on the game and only the game.

"It feels great to be back here after a few years. It's always special. You notice the development of the club; the new stand looks amazing.

"It is a big game against Liverpool, it cannot get much better than that."

The omens are not great for Leverkusen, though.

Liverpool have lost one of their last 21 European meetings with German opponents (W14 D6), albeit that one defeat came against Leverkusen in 2002. 

General Secretary of the Jamaica Football Federation, Dennis Chung, is hoping that Jamaicans come out in their numbers to support the Reggae Boyz during both legs of their CONCACAF Nations League Quarter-final at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday, November 14 and Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday, November 18.

The Reggae Boyz will be looking for revenge over their American counterparts after suffering defeat to them at the semi-final stage of last season’s Nations League 1-3 in extra time. The USA went on to win the whole thing with a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the final while the Reggae Boyz beat Panama 1-0 to claim third place.

If the Boyz are to get over the hump this time around, Chung understands that a massive part of it will be the energy they receive from the thousands of Jamaican fans in attendance.

“We are at the quarterfinal stage. We want to ensure that we are there in our numbers supporting the Boyz because we have to make it past the mighty USA which, after we finish with them, they won’t be so mighty,” Chung said in press conference on Monday.

As such, three support groups for Jamaican football-Reggae Boyz Supporters Club, Reggae Football Fans Club and Reggae Boyz Community, are all making it possible for fans from all over the diaspora to have an opportunity to cheer on the Reggae Boyz live and in person.

“We want to welcome this partnership because this is a way for us now to reach our fanbase. We want to ensure that everyone is involved. At the last two games we had over 17,000 people in attendance and that, for us, is very important. It’s not just about playing football. It’s about getting everybody involved,” Chung said on Monday.

Errol Walters and Louis Grant, members of the Reggae Football Fans Club, were also on hand on Monday and gave an overview of this initiative.

“It’s an honor and a pleasure to be serving our country in this way. What we’re trying to do is create an opportunity for fans in the diaspora that we use our collective bargaining power to negotiate to go to the games,” Walters said.

“There are times when I’m in London and want to go to a game and I have no one to travel with so it was always my dream to create a database to say listen, who’s going to the game from where,” Walters added.

Grant explained that this idea came about because of the desire of members of the diaspora to be a driving force behind the support of the team on their journey to the World Cup in 2026.

“This was birthed out a desire to be the proverbial 12^th man for our football teams and more so for the second iteration of the historic trip to the World Cup. We, as members of the diaspora here in the United States, think it’s only right that we play our part in drumming up support as far as leveraging air travel, accommodation, and support,”

“For example, we’ve been in touch with US Soccer with regards to the game in St. Louis. We’ve gotten a section that we can have all or most of our supporters concentrated to create that ‘Office’ vibe,”

“In my experience, we’ve gone to games in my area and you’d see our supporters and our flag sparsely across the various stadiums and we are of the opinion that if we were more concentrated in one section, it bodes well or it is a better look and feel for our team,” he added.

Harry Wilson scored twice in stoppage time as Fulham came back to beat Brentford 2-1 in an enthralling West London derby.

Wilson was the hero from Fulham's bench on Monday, as Marco Silva's team – who were on the wrong end of a late comeback against Everton last time out in the Premier League – salvaged a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Fulham will feel it was a win they earned from a match they dominated from the off, with the Bees having taken the lead against the run of play through Vitaly Janelt's stunning 24th-minute strike.

But the Fulham pressure finally told when Wilson rose high to flick in his first in the 92nd minute, and – after Bernd Leno made a superb stop to thwart Brentford at the other end – the former Liverpool midfielder nodded in again to send Craven Cottage into raptures.

Fulham's win takes them up into ninth, while Brentford drop to 12th after suffering a fifth league loss of the season.

Data Debrief: Super-sub Wilson to the rescue

Fulham will feel they deserved to come away from that match with three points, having had 26 shots, 12 of which were on target, in an incredibly dominant display.

They also had 46 touches in the opposition box compared to Brentford's nine, but they could not make those count, at least until Wilson's late intervention as he finally broke through Brentford's stubborn defence. 

The Welshman scored with both of his shots on target, having three attempts overall, with his goals coming from a combined 0.19 expected goals.

The Bees looked sure to get a first away win, and first clean sheet, of the Premier League season until their late lapse in concentration, and they have now dropped 14 points from winning positions in the competition this season, more than any other team. 

Thiago Motta stressed the importance of Juventus playing at their very best when they face Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Juve face a tough task against a side who have already upset Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in this season's competition.

This will be the first ever meeting between these teams.

However, Juve have lost three of their last four Champions League matches against French opponents (W1), including both against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2022-23 campaign. and Motta warned against any complacency.

"All matches are important. We, as Juventus, always want to win. The most important thing is always trying to improve," Motta told reporters on Monday.

"Lille are very confident, and we want to face them in optimal condition. We aim to give more than our maximum.

"There are no favourites in a match. It's a beautiful game, in a beautiful stadium, and we hope the pitch will be in good condition tomorrow. We can only talk tomorrow about who played better."

Motta will have midfielder Douglas Luiz from injury, but is still without a glut of players.

"He's [Luiz] one more player who can help the team. We’ll be missing Arek [Arkadiusz Milik], Gleison [Bremer] and [Nicolas Gonzalez]."

Lille boss Bruno Genesio knows Juve will present a stern test for his team, despite their shock wins over the Madrid clubs this term.

"Every Champions League match is different, but there is one essential parameter to get a result - commitment," he said.

"Like all Italian teams, Juventus are very well organised, very difficult to play against. Having already achieved two big results in this competition, we are going to give it our all again and we have our fans who will give us strength."

Jonathan David will be one of the standout Lille players Juve have to keep a close eye on.

The Canada international has scored six goals in his last eight Champions League appearances for Lille.

Lille have won all five games he has scored in but have not won any of the six games he has featured in without scoring (D2 L4).

Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand hailed his team-mate Viktor Gyokeres as a superior striker to Erling Haaland ahead of Tuesday's clash with Manchester City.

Sporting, who will lose head coach Ruben Amorim to Manchester United next week, face the Red Devils' fierce rivals in their fourth Champions League game of the season.

That contest will pit two in-form Scandinavian strikers against one another as Sweden international Gyokeres takes on Norway superstar Haaland.

Gyokeres has been a revelation since swapping Coventry City for Sporting last season, scoring 34 goals in the Portuguese top flight this calendar year.

That is more than double the figure managed by the competition's next-most prolific player, with Porto's Galeno netting 16 times.

Gyokeres' haul has come from an expected goals (xG) figure of 28.17, while his shot conversion rate of 27.9% also dwarfs that of nearest rival Galeno (19.5%) and he has scored 31 of 47 big chances in 2024.

His 61.2% big-chance conversion rate is the second-best of any player in Europe's top 10 leagues, behind Jan Kliment, who has managed a 75% ratio for Czech side Sigma Olomouc.

As Gyokeres prepares to do battle with Haaland, who has 11 goals in 10 Premier League games this term, he has received a glowing endorsement from his skipper.

Asked which striker was the better player at Monday's pre-match press conference, Hjulmand said: "Gyokeres, because he plays for Sporting."

Outgoing boss Amorim, meanwhile, knows Sporting's financial position means they will one day cash in on the Swede, who has been linked with several Premier League clubs.

"I don't know Sporting's plans, but if the right offer arrives they will have to sell," Amorim said on Monday. 

"He is an athlete who is at his peak and can give a lot, both in terms of money to his club, and income to the future club".

Gyokeres already has 16 league goals for Sporting this season, the most of any player in Europe's top 10 leagues ahead of Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, who has 14.

Haaland is tied for third place, alongside Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Atalanta's Mateo Retegui.

Gyokeres has also been directly involved in 10 goals in 12 appearances for Sporting in European competitions (seven goals, three assists), scoring on all four of his European starts at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

He still has some way to go to match the Champions League exploits of Haaland, though.

The City talisman has been directly involved in 49 goals in 42 appearances in the competition (44 goals, five assists). 

If he scores or assists on Tuesday, he will become the fastest player to 50 goal contributions in the competition's history (43), overtaking Ruud van Nistelrooy for fewest appearances to reach that figure (45).

Arsenal have confirmed Edu has resigned from his role as the club's sporting director.

Edu, a former Arsenal player who was part of the "Invincibles" squad in the 2003-04 season, has been involved in the behind-the-scenes running of the Gunners since July 2019.

He first returned to the club as technical director, and was promoted to sporting director in November 2022.

Edu has played a key role in supporting Mikel Arteta, and helping the Spaniard transform the Gunners into Premier League title contenders.

Reports emerged on Monday, however, that the Brazilian was quitting his role, with speculation mounting that he will be joining Evangelos Marinakis' footballing organisation - the Greek magnate owns Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos.

"This was an incredibly hard decision to make," Edu said in a statement released on Arsenal's website.

"Arsenal has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and the chance to be a part of something so special in the club’s history. It has been a special journey.

"I've loved working with so many great colleagues across our men’s, women’s and academy teams, especially Mikel, who has become a great friend.

"Now it is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things and all the very best."

The news comes after Arsenal were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United on Saturday to leave them seven points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Arsenal face Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Ruben Amorim joked Manchester United fans will think he is the next Alex Ferguson if Sporting CP manage to beat Manchester City in the Champions League.

The head coach has agreed to join the Red Devils and will take charge from November 11 after signing a contract with the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Before then, he has two games left in charge of Sporting, starting with their Champions League match against Pep Guardiola's men on Tuesday.

Sporting have made a perfect start to the Primeira Liga, winning all 10 of their games, and have made an unbeaten start in Europe, but Amorim is prepared to come under more scrutiny while on the touchline against City.

"Winning tomorrow would be brilliant. Would I be a hero at Manchester United before I land? I don't think about that, my focus is on winning the game for Sporting," Amorim told a press conference.

"The inferences that people will draw from this game are not important to me because they can be misleading. If the result was very negative, expectations will be lowered, and I don't think that is a bad starting point when I start at United.

"If we win tomorrow, they will think that the new Alex Ferguson has arrived and that will be very difficult to maintain. What interests me is to win tomorrow, to have a farewell at Alvalade, then win in Braga and then start in Manchester.

"It can increase or decrease expectations. I don't know what is better. I want to leave the fans and the players happy and confident and qualify the team for the play-offs."

Sporting won their first European meeting with City in March 2012 in the Europa League, but are winless in their last three against them (D1 L2).

However, they are unbeaten in their first three Champions League games so far this season, and if they avoid defeat on Tuesday, they will equal their longest-ever unbeaten run in the competition (four between September 1982 and March 1983).

The 39-year-old boasts the best win ratio of any Sporting coach on record in the Primeira Liga, winning 120 of his 156 such games in charge (76.92%), but captain Morten Hjulmand said the team are ready to prove they do not need Amorim, who agreed with the sentiment.

"Yes, [Sporting is prepared for his departure]. You heard Hjulmand say that they no longer need the coach," he added.

"They are very mature; they understand the game very well. They are prepared, it won't make any difference in the end.

"There is a change, of course, but the team is prepared and has enough maturity to move forward."