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.

Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino has backed Alexey Miranchuk to aid the Five Stripes’ push for the playoffs after his impressive showing against Charlotte FC.

Miranchuk, signed from Atalanta in July, showcased his individual qualities last time out, playing more passes into the final third (29) than any on the pitch at the Bank of America Stadium.

Atlanta currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference table, a point behind D.C. United with a game in hand, with Valentino confident the Russian can propel his side into the playoff positions.

"It was fantastic, it was good to get him integrated into the team as quickly as possible," said Valentino. "He’s going to help us a lot down the stretch.

“His teammates getting used to him, him getting used to his teammates, he pushes himself to a whole different level.”

Their success against Charlotte was also their first win in five away games, something goalkeeper Brad Guzan emphasised the importance of for the remaining league fixtures.

“It was a good result, I’m sure, as Rob probably said, there are times when in the game we had to suffer, we had to defend, we had to do a lot of dirty work tonight and that’s part of going on the road and finding a way to get a result," Guzan said.

For Nashville, however, their woeful run of results continued, with their 3-0 defeat to Orlando City last time out their eighth consecutive loss in the MLS.

Their recent form saw BJ Callaghan replace Gary Smith as the Coyotes' new head coach in July, but those losses have resulted in Nashville dropping to the foot of the Eastern Conference table.

But a 2-0 win against their reserve team, Huntsville City FC, last week, featuring a number of upcoming young talent, handed Callaghan an insight into the future of the club.

“A lot of times we can get focused on our week-to-week, our Saturday to Saturday. And we know that the most important thing in the first team is those Saturday performances,” Callaghan said.

“But tonight is the night that you get to step back. And we talked about celebrating the club and showcasing that young talent and understanding that we have a week-to-week responsibility.

“But the club also has a long-term vision and a long-term responsibility to the city of Nashville and the city of Huntsville, two cities that we’ve invested heavily in.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Atlanta United – Saba Lobjanidze

Lobjanidze has recorded at least one assist in each of his last three regular season home appearances, including recording two against Columbus Crew in July. 

Nine of Georgian’s 12 goal contributions this season have also come at home, including all six assists.

Nashville – Sam Surridge

With Nashville scoring just three goals in their last eight MLS fixtures, they will need top scorer Surridge fit and firing for their trip to Atlanta. 

The Englishman has 11 goals from 25 appearances in all competitions this season but faces an opponent he is yet to win or find the net against this weekend.

MATCH PREDICTION: ATLANTA UNITED WIN

Atlanta won their first two meetings with Nashville in 2020, but since, the Coyotes have lost only on of their last nine matches with the Five Stripes in all competitions (W4 D4).

The hosts, however, have only won two of their last 10 regular season home matches (D3 L5) dating back to April. But they have gone four games unbeaten in four consecutive games on home soil since (W2 D2).

Nashville come into the encounter in a wretched run of form having lost a club record eight matches in a row, failing to score in their last four. The only longer losing streak in MLS since the start of the 2019 season was FC Cincinnati’s league-record 14 straight defeats from September 2021 to March 2022.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Atlanta United – 50.4%

Draw – 25.1%

Nashville – 24.5%

Julen Lopetegui has refused to rule out Niclas Fullkrug’s involvement when West Ham return to Premier League action against Fulham on Saturday.

Fullkrug, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund during the transfer window, picked up an injury on international duty with Germany during their 5-0 win over Hungary, a game the 31-year-old scored in.

Lopetegui has picked up one win from his first three league fixtures at the helm, but the Spaniard says his side are still in the process of becoming the team he wants them to be.

"Let's see, he has a little problem, it was a pity,” Lopetegui said on Fullkrug. “But it's true that we will evaluate him too, today. 

“Yesterday we thought he was a little bit better, today we're going to see how he is exactly and tomorrow we are going to make the last decision about him.

"It's a process, and we have had 10 days here to work with the players. Unfortunately, a lot of them weren't here, so it's not easy, but we've done what we could.

“It's a quick turnaround now to Fulham, but we're putting all our focus on our next match."

Fulham, meanwhile, entered the international break off the back of a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road, with the Cottagers sitting in 12th in the early-season table.

Marco Silva’s new-look squad showed signs during their encounter with the Tractor Boys that they are close to kicking into gear, having taken four points from their first three Premier League games.

While Silva acknowledged his players were forced to adopt a different style of play in their last fixture, he is confident they can continue their unbeaten run on home soil.

"Tough Premier League game, as always, against a side that you know are going to be really hard to play against,” Silva said. “We know it can be tough to play here because last season we played against them in a different competition with great support from the home crowd.

"We were solid in the second half, but not in the way that we like to play, not with that quality in our build up, and it was more difficult for us to create chances.

"It's a game, of course, that we wanted to win, we wanted the three points. We got one point, and we move on to prepare for the next one."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham – Antonee Robinson

Since the start of last season, only Kieran Trippier (10) has more assists among defenders in the Premier League than Fulham’s Robinson (eight).

All eight have come in open play, with only Mohamed Salah (13), Brennan Johnson (10), and Anthony Elanga (nine) having a better 100% open-play assist rate in the division during that time.

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

Bowen has nine Premier League goals away from home since the start of last season, with only Erling Haaland (16) and Ollie Watkins (10) netting more, while his only goal this term came away at Crystal Palace.

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Fulham won both Premier League meetings with West Ham last season by an aggregate score of 7-0. They’ve not won three consecutive league games against the Hammers since between October 1965 and October 1966.

During his time in charge of the Cottagers, Everton and Watford, Silva has more Premier League wins against West Ham than any other side (P9 W6 L3), with the 17 goals his sides have scored against the Hammers in the competition also being his most.

Fulham have also lost only one of their four top-flight games that followed an international break last season (W2 D1), while West Ham lost three of their four such games in 2023-24 (W1). 

West Ham’s only win so far in the Premier League this season came away to Crystal Palace (2-0). They last won their opening two away league games of a season in 2015-16 (first three).

The Hammers have also won 16 of their 28 Premier League games against Fulham, their best win rate against any side they’ve faced at least five times in the competition (57%).

But so far this campaign, only Newcastle United (54) have faced more shots in the Premier League this season than West Ham (52), while their expected goals against total of 6.4 is also the second-highest, behind newly promoted Ipswich (6.9).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Fulham – 40%

Draw – 26.2%

West Ham – 33.8%

Orel Miller continued his hot scoring form to start the 2024 ISSA/WATA DaCosta Cup season after he notched up a second consecutive hat trick to lead last season’s beaten finalists Glenmuir High to a massive 13-0 trouncing of Porus High in their Zone I game at the Porus Community Centre on Wednesday.

Miller added to his three-timer scored in the team’s opening 5-0 win over Kemps Hill and was joined by Orane Watson who also scored a hat trick on Wednesday.

Dunsting Cohen and Ricardo Binns both scored braces while Nmuemonie Blackwood and Tajaun Cummings got one each with an own goal completing the tally.

Elsewhere in Zone I, Garvey Maceo defeated Vere Technical 1-0 at home.

Two other schools also moved to two wins from two games on Wednesday as Port Antonio High beat St Mary High 4-1 while Holmwood Technical outscored Bellefield High 4-3.

Kerone George scored a brace while Shaquone Hardware and Dwayne Rodgers also scored for Port Antonio High as they took over the lead in Zone M.

Holmwood Technical, who beat Alston High 4-0 in their opening game, outscored Bellefield High 4-3 in their Zone G encounter.

Green Pond High beat Maldon High 2-1 with a second half double from Garth-Dane Bromwell, who netted in the 50^th and 65^th minutes while Kevin Hawthorne scored a consolation goal for Maldon High in the 76^th minute.

Irwin High were held 2-2 at home by St James High also in a Zone A game.

Manning’s School also got off to a positive start in Zone C, beating Black River High 2-0 thanks to goals from Jarvis Meylor and Dainton Williams.

First time quarterfinalists from last season, B.B Coke, opened their season with a 5-1 win over Newell High to take over the lead on goal-difference in Zone E.

The day’s other Zone E game saw Munro College beat Lacovia 1-0 at Lacovia.

Knox College and Paul Bogle High who lost in their opening games, bounced back to beat Alston High and St Thomas Technical 2-0 and 3-0 respectively.

Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has no issues with the club's refusal to sell him this past transfer window.

Mateta had a strong second half of the season at Palace, and was a key performer for Oliver Glasner.

The striker subsequently helped France win gold at the Paris Olympics.

Mateta was, however, open to leaving Palace over the summer, though with the club having rejected interest, the 27-year-old is happy to put thoughts on his future to one side.

In an interview with L'Equipe, he said: "I'm a realistic person: the club didn't want to sell me.

"Well, I'm moving on and I'm doing everything so that the team obtains better results than last year. And when it's time to ask ourselves these kinds of questions [about the future], we will ask ourselves.

"In football, you have to adapt quickly, concentrate on the upcoming deadlines and not dwell on the past."

Palace face Leicester City on Saturday, and while the Eagles have only picked up one point from their three Premier League matches so far, Mateta has full confidence Glasner's team are worthy opponents for any team.

He said: "The coach sees, as [France Olympics coach Thierry] Henry did, that I'm trying to pull everyone up, because I work hard, I encourage everyone to do the same and I constantly repeat that we can beat anyone: City, Liverpool… anyone! Anyone!

"I only had a few days of rest between the Olympics final and the resumption of the Premier League, and Glasner asks us to chase the opposing teams high, it's very different from the game we played with France at the Olympics, because we had the ball."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace - Jean-Philippe Mateta

Mateta has made more targeted runs into the box than any other player in the Premier League so far this season (14). However, he is yet to open his account for 2024-25.

Leicester City - Abdul Fatawu 

Only Bruno Guimaraes (16) has won more fouls in the Premier League this season than Leicester's Abdul Fatawu (10), seven of which have been following an attempted take-on, more than any other player.

MATCH PREDICTION: CRYSTAL PALACE WIN

Leicester have won just two of their last 16 Premier League games in London (D3 L11), conceding 40 goals during that run (2.5 per game).

The Foxes have only opened the scoring in two of their last 24 Premier League games, conceding first in all three so far this season. Only in 1994-95 and 2001-02 have they conceded the first goal in each of their first four games in a Premier League season, being relegated in both of those campaigns.

Palace have won nine Premier League games against Leicester – against no side have they beaten more times in the competition.

Leicester lost 2-1 the last time they faced Crystal Palace in the Premier League (April 2023), having been unbeaten in their previous seven against the Eagles beforehand (W4 D3).

Since drawing consecutive home games 0-0 in September/October last season, Palace's last 16 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League have seen 59 goals scored (F34 A25, 3.7 per game). Only Chelsea (63) and Manchester City's (60) home games have seen more goals in the competition since the first game in that run.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace - 56.6%

Leicester City - 21%

Draw - 22.4%

Spain midfielder Gavi has returned to training with Barcelona almost 10 months after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Gavi underwent surgery after suffering the injury during Spain's Euro 2024 qualifying win over Georgia last November, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

He also sat out Euro 2024 as La Roja won a record-breaking fourth continental crown, beating England 2-1 in the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

On Thursday, Barcelona posted a video to social media of the 20-year-old training with his team-mates.

However, he is not expected to make his return to competitive action just yet, with Barca's next match seeing them face Catalan rivals Girona on Sunday.

Under new head coach Hansi Flick, the Blaugrana have made a perfect start to the season, with four wins from four games putting them top of LaLiga, four points ahead of defending champions Real Madrid. 

Laurent Courtois retains the backing of CF Montreal president Gabriel Gervais despite a miserable run of form hampering their playoff hopes ahead of Saturday's clash with Charlotte FC.

Montreal sit 13th in the Eastern Conference standings, five points adrift of the wild-card spots with seven games of the regular season remaining.

They were trounced 4-1 at FC Cincinnati prior to the international break, having suffered a humiliating 5-0 home loss to Inter Miami just one week earlier. 

Despite those results, Gervais remains convinced Courtois is the right man to oversee Montreal's push for the postseason.

"The expectations are the same and we want to get to the playoffs. I'm optimistic and I believe in it, but it's up to the coach and the players to find solutions," Gervais said.

"The last two performances have been unacceptable. Especially the 5-0 defeat at home. Personally, I haven't digested it as a director, as a former player and as a fan. 

"Laurent is a young head coach and there are a lot of things to work on, but I believe in him. I'm not one to panic or have an impulsive reaction."

Charlotte, meanwhile, sit sixth in the East and look good for a playoff spot in their first campaign under Dean Smith.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood has been one of their key performers this term, and he penned a new two-year contract with the club earlier this week.

"Life in Charlotte has been an incredible experience for me and my family, and I'm extremely happy to re-sign with the club," Westwood said. 

"I joined Charlotte FC at a very rough point following a serious injury, and it's been a breath of fresh air that has truly revitalised my career. 

"We know we can reach greater heights, and I'm excited to continue leading this group."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CF Montreal – Josef Martinez 

Five of Montreal's last seven regular-season goals have been scored by substitutes. 

Montreal have seen an MLS-high 12 goals scored by substitutes this season, including Martinez with a joint-league high four goals off the bench.

Charlotte FC – Karol Swiderski 

Two of Charlotte's last three goals have been scored from the penalty spot, with Swiderski netting both. 

Swiderski has a perfect six-from-six record from the penalty spot in his MLS career, one of six players to take at least six penalties over the last three seasons and convert all of them.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Montreal have gone unbeaten through their four all-time meetings with Charlotte (three wins, one draw). Montreal are the only team Charlotte have faced more than twice in regular-season MLS play without recording at least one win.

However, Saturday's hosts have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions (one win) after only losing two of their previous 11 dating back to late May (three wins, six draws).

Charlotte, meanwhile, have avoided defeat in five of their last six regular-season road games, winning three and drawing two. It would be no surprise to see the spoils shared.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

CF Montreal – 35.5% 

Charlotte FC – 38.5%

Draw – 26.1%

Troy Lesesne says everyone at D.C. United is focused on maintaining their position on the right side of the Eastern Conference playoff cut-off as they prepare to host New York City.

D.C. sit ninth in the East, occupying the final play-in spot with six games remaining of the regular season, one point clear of Atlanta United, who have a game in hand.

Lesesne's men have boosted their postseason hopes by putting together a strong run at an ideal time, winning four of their last five league games either side of the Leagues Cup break.

They beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 last time out with goals from Christian Benteke and Gabriel Pirani, leaving Lesesne to hail their resilience.

"You could just see everyone so committed to the three points and not letting that result slip away," Lesesne said. 

"That's the mentality we're going to need in the final six matches to stay in the position that we earned, which is to get above the playoff line. 

"That's a position that's good to be in, but it's a position we want to be in at the end of the season, not just with six games left."

New York, meanwhile, were beaten 4-2 by the Columbus Crew before the international break but remain in a strong position, sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference with a six-point cushion to the wild-card places.

Head coach Nick Cushing took plenty of positives from their most recent outing, saying: "We went to the most difficult place in MLS and dominated the majority of the game until the last five minutes.

"It's really frustrating because we created a lot of chances although we didn't take them, we dominated the ball, we dominated for long periods. 

"For me, coming here to the champions and the Leagues Cup holders, it was a top performance."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

D.C. United – Christian Benteke 

Benteke scored his 32nd regular-season goal since the start of last year in D.C.'s win at Chicago last time out. 

Only Raul Diaz Arce (38 in 1996-97) and Roy Lassiter (36 in 1998-99) have ever scored more in a two-season span for D.C. United.

New York City – Alonso Martinez 

Martinez has been involved in six of New York's 10 regular-season goals since the beginning of July (five goals, one assist). 

Dating back to May 31, Martinez has been involved in 11 of the club's 19 regular-season goals (eight goals, three assists).

MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK CITY WIN

D.C. and New York have alternated victories in each of their last five meetings, with NYCFC winning their last clash 2-0 on home soil on April 20. None of the last nine games between the sides have finished level.

D.C. have won four of their last five regular-season matches (one defeat) after only winning three of their previous 22 in league action (eight draws, 11 losses).

However, they could come unstuck here against an NYCFC team with just two defeats in their last eight road games (excluding penalty shoot-outs, one win, five draws).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

D.C. United – 32.4% 

New York City – 42.1%

Draw – 25.5%

Mikel Arteta has committed his future to Arsenal by penning a new long-term contract with the club.

Arteta took charge of the Gunners in December 2019 following Unai Emery's exit and has led them to successive second-placed Premier League finishes in the last two seasons.

The Spaniard, who made 150 appearances for Arsenal as a player between 2011 and 2016, also oversaw an FA Cup final victory over Chelsea in 2020 and has lifted the Community Shield on two occasions as the Gunners' head coach.

Arteta had entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Emirates Stadium, but reports earlier this week claimed he had agreed a new deal to run until 2027.

Arsenal confirmed he had put pen to paper on Thursday, with co-chairman Josh Kroenke telling the club's website: "We're delighted to have extended Mikel's contract.

"Mikel is a dynamic and passionate manager, who is relentless in the pursuit of excellence. 

"He has a deep understanding of Arsenal's values, and since joining us as head coach in December 2019, he has taken the team to another level in an Arsenal way.

"There is a great collective team spirit at the club, and with the strong relationships we hold between us and belief in what we do, we look forward with excitement and confidence, as we continue our aim – to win together."

Arteta has overseen 235 competitive games in charge of Arsenal, recording 139 victories for a 59.15% win ratio, with the Gunners scoring 437 goals and conceding 233 during that time.

The Gunners have improved their Premier League points tally in each of his four full seasons at the helm, going from eighth-placed finishers with 61 points in 2020-21 to runners-up to Manchester City with 89 points last term.

He has won 105 of his 175 Premier League matches in charge. Of Arsenal managers in the competition's history, excluding Pat Rice, who only oversaw three matches, Arteta has the best win percentage (60%).

Arteta told Arsenal's website: "I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next. 

"I'm proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club. I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. 

"I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we’ve already done together."

Arsenal have taken seven points from their first three games of the Premier League season and face Tottenham in the first north London derby of the campaign on Sunday.