It is as you were between Jamaica's Cavalier FC and Dominican Republic's Moca FC in their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-final tie, after they played out a scoreless stalemate in first leg action at Estadio Moca 85 on Thursday.

The result means that both teams will still have all to play for in next Wednesday's second leg at the National Stadium to secure a spot in the final and, by extension, in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup.

Cavalier was the more dominant outfit throughout, as they bossed possession and created the best of chances to break the deadlock. Jerome McLeary got the first look at goal in the 26th minute, but he dragged his effort just wide of the target.

Dwayne 'Busy' Atkinson proved his usual menacing self and also went close in the 31st, but Moca's custodian Miguel Baez proved equal to the task.

Moca tried to play their game and had their best effort on goal courtesy of Clifford Thomas, whose 51st minute shot from just outside the 18-yard box did little to bother Vino Barclett in goal for Cavalier.

In the 55th minute, Atkinson worked his way into the danger area and pulled the trigger from close range, but Báez again came up big to deny him.

The nippy former Kingston College standout again showed his class to open space for a 65th-minute effort but put too much force behind his attempt, which sailed over the crossbar.

With Moca's defence struggling to contain him, Atkinson again found himself in a sweet spot with Baez at his mercy. However, it was not to be, as his strike from deep inside the box veered just wide of the right upright on the stroke of full time.

Steve Cherundolo believes Los Angeles FC's home fans can play a decisive role in the MLS Cup Playoffs as last season's runners-up prepare to host the Vancouver Whitecaps.

LAFC sealed the Western Conference's top seed in dramatic fashion last week, pipping the LA Galaxy after their cross-city rivals suffered a last-gasp defeat to the Houston Dynamo.

Cherundolo's men – who were beaten by the Columbus Crew in last season's MLS Cup final – play host to wild-card side Vancouver in the opener of a three-match series on Sunday, and he believes home advantage could be key.

"We are always really focused on the next play and doing our jobs, and our jobs are to win games, to collect points and to be there if the other teams slip up," Cherundolo said.

"That's what happened, and when you do stay close to teams and don't let them run away with it, the pressure can mount up."

Touching on the impact of playing at home, he added: "Our crowd is like nothing else I've seen live in LA, it's pure passion, it's electrifying and it really has the ability to make our players better. 

"We're trying to make memories and the fans are integral part of that. For us to be able to make another long or deep run in the playoffs, we need them."

Vancouver reached this stage by trouncing the Portland Timbers 5-0 in the wild-card round, equalling the second-largest margin of victory in playoff history.

"Everything went in our direction, it was possible because of the work rate of everyone," head coach Vanni Sartini said, reflecting on that comprehensive road win.

"Hopefully from now on it's going to be about improving and getting the team in that rhythm.

"Playing in LA is always really hard so we have a goal as a team to go there and be in their face and be aggressive, because we have a second chance even if it doesn't go well."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga 

Bouanga has scored seven goals in eight appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

His figure of 0.84 goals per 90 minutes in the postseason is the second-best of any player that has played 500 or more playoff minutes in MLS history (Carlos Ruiz – 0.87).

Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld 

Gauld scored the seventh hat-trick in MLS playoff history against Portland on Wednesday and the first by a Whitecaps player. 

It marked the second hat-trick by a Whitecaps player against a Cascadia rival in an MLS match (including playoffs) after Kekuta Manneh scored three for Vancouver against the Seattle Sounders in October 2013.

MATCH PREDICTION – LOS ANGELES FC WIN

This will be the third knockout tie between Los Angeles and Vancouver with LAFC sweeping each of the previous two. 

LAFC won both legs by a combined scoreline of 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League before eliminating the Whitecaps in two games in the first round of last year's playoffs.

The hosts have also won six straight playoff matches against Western Conference opponents, outscoring them 15-5 en route to the last two MLS Cup Finals. 

The only longer in-conference playoff winning streak in MLS history (excluding breakaway shootout wins) was a seven-match run by Seattle between 2018 and 2020.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Los Angeles FC – 64.1%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 16.7%

Draw – 19.2%

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are not "feeling sorry" for themselves ahead of welcoming Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium, despite their depleted squad.

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, who went off in their Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, are all injury doubts for this match, while Martin Odegaard is also unavailable.

Arteta also has to contend with a suspension, with William Saliba out after being sent off against Bournemouth in Arsenal's 2-0 defeat last weekend.

The Gunners have a worrying record without the Frenchman in their starting line-up; he has missed just 11 games since his debut in 2022, with Arsenal boasting a 74%-win rate with him in the side compared to just 45.5% without him.

Arsenal are, however, in good form against Liverpool at home, winning their last two such Premier League matches, and Arteta is upbeat ahead of their latest clash against the Reds.

"This is the game. We obviously don't want to be in this situation, but we are lucky to have the squad we have and the attitude to react to difficult situations," Arteta said.

"We don't feel sorry for ourselves, we face it, and we know how good we are.

"We have different options [in defence]. That partnership [between William Saliba and Gabriel] has been very stable but we have to find a solution.

"[There's] so much going on with the backline, but we have had to adapt to that and the versatile players have been really useful.

"We had a day off after the Champions League and two days to prepare the game. This is a big match, a big opportunity, and we love these kind of matches at the Emirates. The team is really looking forward to it.

"We have to maintain playing with dominance and belief. Our belief, energy and commitment is needed in a big match like this."

Liverpool sit top of the table going into the weekend's fixtures having lost just one of their 12 matches under Arne Slot so far. Arsenal are currently four points adrift of the pacesetters, who could sit second by kick-off if Manchester City beat Southampton.

Arteta was full of praise for the work Slot has done since moving to Merseyside, but brushed off the idea that this game was his biggest test as Arsenal boss so far.

"Arne Slot's start has been very good. They are in a really great moment and run. They're a team who, for nine years, have been competing at the highest level.

"We have had very difficult and challenging moments, but I don't think this is one of them. We are so energised; the atmosphere will be tremendous, and we are really looking forward to the game.

"I never think about losing. I don't spend one second on the preparation thinking about if we lose it. It is just very bad luck [with the injuries].

"They are difficult issues and traumatic injuries. International ones are difficult to control. It can happen, but it is about how we can react to it and change it. The team have to mentally adapt to that and maintain the belief that even with the team like this, we are still a great team."

Carlo Ancelotti said he has the utmost respect for Barcelona, but he does not fear the LaLiga leaders, who they meet in Saturday's Clasico.

Barcelona currently have a three-point lead at the top of the table, having won all but one of their 10 matches. 

But Madrid are unbeaten in the league this campaign and are in fact on the cusp of history. They are one game away from matching the longest unbeaten run in the history of LaLiga, recorded by Ernesto Valverde's Barca (43) between 2017 and 2018.

They have won 31 and drawn 11 of the matches in that timeframe, with their last league defeat coming against rivals Atletico Madrid on September 25 last year.

And Ancelotti, who pointed out that Madrid are the reigning champions in Spain, said his team will not be intimidated by the task ahead of them.

"Fortunately, at the moment nobody keeps me awake at night," Ancelotti told a press conference on Friday.

"[Barcelona] are doing very well. But in a match like the Clasico, it's very difficult to pick a favourite beforehand. It depends on the dynamics of the match. It's a matter of how you are able to handle the pressure, to deal with the tempo and how to identify the moments of the match...

"Barca have a very clear idea of how they play the game, they are performing very well. They are a very brave team, and we need to prepare well for the game and try to play our best version."

Barca travel to Madrid on the back of a 4-1 Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, maintaining Flick's outstanding start with 11 wins from 13 matches in all competitions.

Madrid, however, have come under moderate criticism from pundits about starting their games slowly, raising questions about their motivation after winning both the LaLiga and Champions League titles last season.

The latest example was in their Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, when they had to fight back from two goals down after a dismal first half, only to score five goals after the break, with Vinicius Junior netting a hat-trick.

Ancelotti is not worried about his players' mindset, though, and believes they will be ready from the start due to the seriousness of their rivalry.

"Usually, in this style of match, you don't have to talk as much beforehand... The idea is to define a very clear, very simple strategy... and nothing else," Ancelotti added.

"It's not a type of match where you have to give big speeches. Playing like we did in the second half against Dortmund for 90 minutes is impossible, but that should be our starting point, what we will try to achieve. I think we did a lot of things right.

"We will prepare the game to do the right things with and without the ball. We have to play a complete game to win, and we will try to do that."

Greg Vanney says the LA Galaxy's failure to top the Western Conference was a reminder that "every play is precious" as they prepare for their first-round playoff tie against the Colorado Rapids.

The Galaxy suffered a last-gasp defeat to the Houston Dynamo on the final matchday of the regular season, allowing cross-city rivals Los Angeles FC to pip them to the West's top seed.

Vanney's team are now gearing up to host Colorado in Game 1 of a three-match first-round series, and the Galaxy coach says they must work to be on the right side of the fine margins.

"Obviously Colorado had a couple of little knocks near the end of the season, which from their perspective I'm sure they never really wanted," Vanney said.

"But we just have to prepare ourselves for whatever we might see and be the best version of us. 

"The result in Houston was a reminder that every play matters and every play can be the difference in a championship, winning the West or being out of the playoffs quickly.

"So that's what we can take away from Houston, the reminder that every play is precious when it comes to this time of year."

The Rapids, meanwhile, only just held onto an automatic playoff spot after ending the regular season with four straight losses – the latest a 3-2 defeat at Austin FC.

"We'll take many things from it heading into the playoffs, but there are also good things in there," head coach Chris Armas said of that loss.

"The way we started the game, there was a good energy, a real focus and intensity to what we were trying to do. 

"Overall, I think we had discipline and control, where in other games recently we were vulnerable in transition, so for the most part in areas where we wanted to get better, we did."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec

Galaxy trio Pec (16), Dejan Joveljic (15), Riqui Puig (13) and Joseph Paintsil (10) are the first set of four team-mates to all score at least 10 goals in a single regular season in MLS history. 

Pec (16 goals, 14 assists) is the fourth Galaxy player to record 30 goal contributions in a single season, meanwhile.

Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic 

Mihailovic tied the Rapids' single-season club record with 23 goal contributions in 2024 (11 goals, 12 assists) while team-mate Rafael Navarro had 19 (15 goals, 4 assists). 

Only one Rapids player posted 19 or more goal contributions in a single season from 2011 to 2023 (Diego Rubio – 23 in 2022).

MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY 

This will be the sixth playoff tie between the Galaxy and Rapids with LA advancing from each of the first four before the Rapids progressed from the most recent meeting in 2016. 

The Galaxy have won three of their four home playoff matches against Colorado (one draw), keeping a clean sheet in all four games.

The Galaxy have also won 30 of their 36 all-time home playoff matches (three draws, including a breakaway shootout loss, three defeats) including their last nine in a row. 

LA have not lost a home playoff game in 12 years, since a 1-0 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2012 Western Conference semifinals, and they approach Game 1 as favourites. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

LA Galaxy – 56.2%

Colorado Rapids – 21.1% 

Draw – 22.6%

Arne Slot knows Liverpool must improve against their direct competitors if they are to have any chance of lifting the Premier League trophy, ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal.

Liverpool lead the Premier League table after eight matches under new boss Slot, taking 21 points to sit one clear of champions Manchester City.

Third-placed Arsenal are four points behind the Reds after suffering a surprise defeat at Bournemouth last time out, giving Slot's team the chance to put real distance between themselves and a rival this week.

Last season, Liverpool did not manage a victory in four matches against City and Arsenal, recording three draws and one defeat – a 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium in February.

Indeed, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against Liverpool (two wins, two draws), taking more points from these four games (eight) than in their previous 14 against the Reds (seven).

Speaking at Friday's pre-match press conference, Slot said: "We all know that taking points from your competitors is important. 

"Nobody knows in this early stage who is going to be your competitor or your biggest competitor, but I think we all know that Arsenal will be one of them and dropping points against them or winning points against them... that is always important. 

"So, you're right, I think it was three draws and one loss [against Arsenal and Manchester City] last season.

"So if you use simple mathematics, if Liverpool could have won all three of them I think the league table would have been a bit different. 

"It's difficult to win an away leg against Arsenal, City or all the other ones but it's something we are trying to do on Sunday, definitely."

If Liverpool win Sunday's game, it will be their second-best ever start to a Premier League season after nine games (24 points – currently on 21). 

The only other occasion on which they have won 24 or more points through nine games in a Premier League campaign was in 2019-20, when they last won the title (25 points).

Asked whether his start had surpassed expectations, Slot insisted he was simply focused on implementing his style of play and said results will take care of themselves.

He added: "There were no expectations from me. It wasn't that I was on my holiday thinking, 'after 10 games how many points do I want to have?' 

"No, the only thing I was thinking was, 'how am I going to try to bring the best out of this team, that has been done for so long by Jurgen [Klopp]?' 

"How can we continue that and how am I going to do the individual meetings with the players, the team meetings with the players? You don’t think about points. 

"For me, the way I think about it, it's about the process we are doing, what we do on a daily basis, and that – in my experience until now – leads in the end to points."

Borussia Dortmund need to claim their first Bundesliga away win of the season this weekend, according to head coach Nuri Sahin.

The German side were beaten 5-2 by Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, having initially gone 2-0 up at the Santiago Bernabeu, and travel to Augsburg in the Bundesliga this weekend.

An inconsistent start to the domestic season has them seventh in the table, while they are still waiting for their first victory away from the Westfalenstadion.

But the setbacks the team have faced, according to Sahin, have all contributed to the team's development, and a first win on the road would be a great confidence booster.

"It has to work now with an away game win," he told a press conference. "It is an important game. Especially with a look at the table where we need to stay in touch with the top spots.

"The demands we have set for ourselves mean we have to win away games. You cannot reach your goals without away wins."

Dortmund do have a 100% record in all competitions at home this season and come into the weekend having beaten St. Pauli 2-1 in their last Bundesliga outing.

But they have not won back-to-back matches in the league so far this season, while they have picked up just one point in three away games.

Their patchy form has already seen a gap of four points open to league leaders Bayern Munich.

"Our demand is to get the three points and finally to reward ourselves on the road," Sahin said.

Sahin found himself the subject of much criticism in midweek, with his team having conceded five goals in 30 second-half minutes following his tactical substitutions.

"We need to keep working, remain clear. Every day, every match, every training session is important to progress. We will keep going down that road," he said.

"When you hit this flow it will be easier. We are not in that flow yet. It is a bit bumpy but, I have to accept it. Hopefully, [on Saturday] it will work out."

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca was full of praise for Mykhailo Mudryk following their 4-1 victory over Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday.

Maresca made 11 changes to Chelsea's starting team from their 2-1 defeat at Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, which worked to great effect.

The Ukrainian was one of those changes and put in a great performance, scoring one and registering another two assists to help maintain his side's 100% record in the competition.

"We're working with him and all the wingers," Maresca told TNT Sports. "They need to arrive inside the box in the position where Misha [Mudryk] scored.

"He's struggled to arrive there, now he's started to. That's where we're going to score goals. We want the best for Misha - since day one we've tried to help him."

Mudryk's goal was only his eighth in all competitions since joining Chelsea in January 2023 and his first of the season, having started just one league game so far under Maresca.

The winger only lasted 45 minutes in that match – Chelsea's 6-2 victory over Wolves in August – and Maresca confirmed things had been a bit slower than expected with him since joining the club.

"Probably he's one of the guys that the learning process is more slow compared to the rest. But he's improving.

"I'm sure that slowly, slowly we're going to arrive where he will score more goals and to be more important for us."

Following Mudryk's performance in Greece, no player has assisted more goals than him in. It is the first time since 2018-19, meanwhile, that Chelsea have opened a European campaign with back-to-back victories.

But Maresca was more concerned about the bigger picture, with every player being able to carry out a specific style.

"The most important thing is no matter how many players we change, you can see the identity of the team," he said.

"The identity is quite clear. What we want is exactly what they're doing - taking the chance when we give it to them. Tonight, once again, they showed that."

The victory puts Chelsea top of the Conference League table and when asked if a club of Chelsea's size could ever prioritise the competition, the head coach explained why they were currently at the right level.

"If we are a Champions League club, why are we in the Conference League? It's because in this moment we belong to the Conference League," he said.

"Football in the end always puts you where you deserve to be."

With a respective seven and four-point gap having already developed between first and second and their nearest challengers, Barcelona and Real Madrid look likely to go head-to-head to rule LaLiga once again this season.

After the two sides lit up the Champions League in midweek – Madrid recovering to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2, while Barcelona trounced Bayern Munich 4-1 – Saturday's Clasico is the must-watch fixture in the European calendar this week.

Hansi Flick's side lead the way with nine wins from his first 10 league games in charge, while Madrid have one of two unbeaten records remaining in the division, alongside neighbours Atletico Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti's reigning Spanish and European champions have an opportunity not only to knock Barca off the top this weekend, but to earn a slice of history.

They are one game away from matching the longest unbeaten run in the history of LaLiga, recorded by Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona (43) between 2017 and 2018.

Can Los Blancos match their great rivals' feat at the Santiago Bernabeu? Here, we dive into the Opta data to preview the first Clasico of the campaign.

 What's expected? 

Despite Barcelona making a flying start to Flick's reign, it is Madrid who are made favourites by the Opta supercomputer at home.

Ancelotti's team were victorious in 56% of the 10,000 match simulations conducted by the supercomputer, with Barca winning 21.3% and 22.7% finishing all square. 

Madrid have an excellent record versus Barca lately, winning each of their last four matches against them in all competitions. They could now record five straight victories in El Clasico for just the second time in the last 59 years, having done so between 2020 and 2022.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, could become just the third coach to win five or more successive Clasicos in the history of the fixture, after Miguel Munoz between 1962 and 1965 (seven) and Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2010 (five).

Jude Bellingham struck dramatic winners in both league fixtures between these great rivals last season – a 2-1 triumph in Catalonia last October and a 3-2 victory in Madrid in April.

On their own turf, Madrid have won four of their last five meetings with Barca (one defeat), winning each of their last two.

They have not won three straight home Clasicos in the competition since they enjoyed a run of four consecutive wins between 1988 and 1991, a period in which they won LaLiga three times in four campaigns. 

History beckons for Los Blancos

Incredibly, Madrid have not been beaten in league action since September 25 last year, when they went down 3-1 to rivals Atletico.

Their unbeaten run in LaLiga now stands at 42 matches, with 31 wins and 11 draws in that timeframe. 

Saturday's game offers them the chance to draw level with the mark brought up by Valverde's Barca between April 2017 and May 2018 (34 wins, nine draws). With bottom club Valencia their next opponents after this match, they have a great opportunity to snatch that record outright.

While last season's Clasico hero Bellingham is yet to score in LaLiga this term and has only provided one assist in his six appearances, Madrid have another player with a knack of breaking Barca hearts.

Vinicius Junior has been involved in seven goals in his last four games in El Clasico in all competitions, scoring five goals and laying on two assists.

In total, the Real Madrid forward has scored seven goals in 17 games against Barcelona. They are his second-best goalscoring opponent after Valencia (eight goals).

Vinicius also got Los Blancos' winner as they overcame Celta Vigo 2-1 in their last league game on Saturday, then scored a wonderful hat-trick in Tuesday's comeback victory over Dortmund, taking him to 35 goal involvements (20 goals, 15 assists) in his last 35 Champions League starts.

With the Brazilian dovetailing with Bellingham, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe, Madrid have the firepower to halt Barca's brilliant start to life under Flick, and seal their own place in the record books in the process.

Major test for Flick

Flick could hardly have wished for a better start to his tenure at Barca, with a 4-2 defeat at Osasuna last month the only blot on his record in LaLiga. 

Last week's 5-0 rout of Sevilla also took the Blaugrana to 33 goals in 10 league games under Flick. Only Zinedine Zidane has enjoyed a more prolific start through 10 games as a manager in LaLiga this century (34).

Three of the nine players in the big five European Leagues to be involved in 10 or more goals this season, meanwhile, represent Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski (12 goals, two assists), Lamine Yamal (four goals, six assists) and Raphinha (five goals, five assists). 

Only three players from those five leagues have at least five goals and five assists this term: Mohamed Salah (five goals, five assists with Liverpool), Cole Palmer (six goals, five assists with Chelsea) and Raphinha.

Flick got one over on his former club in style on Wednesday, with Raphinha's hat-trick helping them end a run of six straight Champions League meetings with Bayern.

If that result was not enough of a statement, Barcelona achieved it with a youthful starting XI with an average age of 24 years and 185 days, their youngest lineup for a Champions League match since December 2011 versus BATE Borisov (23 years, 93 days).

A trip to the Bernabeu, however, will surely represent Flick's toughest test to date.

Each of the last five Barcelona coaches – Xavi, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setien, Valverde and Luis Enrique – have lost their first competitive Clasico, with Gerardo Martino the last to oversee a victory in his first one (2-1 in 2013). If Flick can buck that trend, it will be advantage Barca in the title race.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Real Madrid – Vinicius Junior

As well as having a fine record in Clasico matches, Vinicius has also been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six matches in LaLiga (four goals, three assists), netting the winner at Celta Vigo last weekend.

The Brazilian is widely considered the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or and last time out against Dortmund, led all players on the pitch for xG (1.26), shots (seven), shots on target (four) and dribbles completed (six), also creating two chances and contesting a joint-high 16 duels.

Barcelona – Lamine Yamal 

While Raphinha stole the headlines against Bayern in midweek, his fellow winger Yamal also shone, recording an assist as he became the youngest player to make 10 Champions League starts, aged 17 years and 102 days.

He already has six assists in LaLiga this season, becoming the first Barca player to reach that figure within the opening 10 matchdays since Lionel Messi in 2014-15 (seven).

Andre Onana says Manchester United's draw with Fenerbahce in the Europa League "is a big disappointment" after the club failed to hold out for their first win in the competition.

Christian Eriksen had given the Red Devils the lead in the first half, but they were pegged back by Youssef En-Nesyri four minutes after the break in their 1-1 draw.

United have now won just one of their last eight games in Europe when scoring first (D5 L2), drawing each of their last four games when going 1-0 up.

It was a third consecutive stalemate in the Europa League for United, who were indebted to their goalkeeper as he made three saves, including an incredible double stop to keep his side in the lead at half-time, but he was left frustrated by the result.

"It is a big disappointment for me and the fans, for the club, as a Manchester United player you have an obligation to try to win," Onana told TNT Sports.

"We didn't win, but at least we didn't lose. Not happy, of course, but we move on, take responsibility and go again.

"We conceded an early goal in the second half, we had to show character, and I think that is what we did. We didn't win, but I thought we were better than them."

United were without a number of players through injury or suspension, with Bruno Fernandes one of those to miss out after being sent off against Porto.

In fact, United have failed to win any of their last five away games without their captain in all competitions (D2 L3), with the Red Devils scoring just two goals in total across those five matches.

Despite the result, Erik ten Hag was keen to take the positives from a game which also saw them lose Antony, who came on as a second-half substitute, to injury.

"We've shown we are a team which is hard to beat," said Ten Hag. "We can take confidence and take it into the game against West Ham.

"We have to win, and we came in the position to win. We created the chances, but we have to be killing more. We let the opponent get away with a point.

"[Antony's] training performances are that good that he deserved to come on. When you have to come off so quickly, that is really sad to see. Hopefully, it's not too bad, we have to wait 24 hours for what the assessment is."

Tomas Soucek says West Ham's mentality must improve after they were trounced by Tottenham last week, ahead of Sunday's headline clash with Manchester United.

West Ham have taken eight points from as many Premier League games under Julen Lopetegui, but the low point of the Spaniard's reign to date came at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last week.

The Hammers shipped three goals in the space of eight second-half minutes in a 4-1 defeat, and Soucek has revealed stern words were required in the dressing room after that match.

"It's very frustrating, and we're all angry," Soucek said. "We said in the dressing room that this cannot happen because it's a derby for us, for the fans, and it's a massive game. 

"We also said this is only one result, and we have the whole week to overcome this setback and make sure we're ready for the game against Manchester United.

"We went in with a draw at half-time, but in the second half we were not good enough for an eight-minute spell and conceded three goals in that space of time. That killed the game. 

"We spoke about mentality after the game and if we concede a goal, we can't concede again like we did."

Opponents United are only three points better off than Sunday's hosts, having fought back from 1-0 down to beat Brentford 2-1 in their last league match.

Erik ten Hag's under-fire side then squandered a 1-0 lead in a 1-1 Europa League draw with Fenerbahce on Thursday, however, leaving goalkeeper Andre Onana frustrated. 

"It was a big disappointment for me and the fans, for the club, as a Manchester United player you have an obligation to try to win," Onana told TNT Sports.

"We didn't win, but at least we didn't lose. We're not happy of course, but we move on, take responsibility and go again.

"We had more control than them in the second half and more chances. We conceded an early goal in the second half, we had to show character and I think that is what we did.

"We didn't win but I thought we were better."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

West Ham will be without the suspended Mohammed Kudus after his red card at Spurs, but they have not lost any of their five games without the Ghanian since his Premier League debut last season (two wins, three draws).

Bowen is one of three other West Ham players to match Kudus' return of two league goals this term, also creating a team-high 20 chances in 2024-25.

Manchester United – Alejandro Garnacho 

Garnacho has scored 12 goals for Manchester United in the Premier League. 

Only eight non-British players have ever scored more in the competition before turning 21, with the only player to do so for the Red Devils being Cristiano Ronaldo (14).

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

West Ham have won their last two Premier League home games against United without conceding – they have never kept three consecutive home clean sheets against the Red Devils in their league history.

They last managed three straight home league wins against the Red Devils, meanwhile, between 1974 and 1977 (a run of four).

Indeed, United have suffered more Premier League defeats in eight trips to the London Stadium (four – three wins, one draw) than they did in 20 trips to the Boleyn Ground (eight wins, nine draws, three defeats).

Despite their struggles, United have kept three straight clean sheets on the road in the Premier League. They last recorded four successive shutouts on the road in July 2020.

Their last two road trips, however, have been goalless draws at Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. Given their attacking shortcomings, another draw would be no surprise.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 34.6%

Manchester United – 40.3%

Draw – 25.1%

Oliver Glasner believes Crystal Palace's problems are mental, rather than tactical, as the pressure builds on the Eagles boss ahead of Sunday's London derby versus Tottenham.

Palace are one of four teams yet to win a Premier League match this season – a new record through eight games of a single campaign.

That is despite them winning six of their final seven games of 2023-24, leading some to tip them as surprise candidates for European qualification in pre-season.

Reports have suggested Glasner's position could be under threat if results do not improve before the November international break, but the Austrian is simply focused on giving his players the support they need.

"At the moment we don't score goals, we should score more. Then it's always tough, one mistake and we get punished," Glasner said. 

"I think we've all had better times in football, better times in sports. The players tried everything to win the game, but at the moment, we have to be honest, it's not enough.

"Everybody's frustrated, everybody's disappointed. It's our responsibility, especially mine now, to get chins up, the head up of every single player, to support them.

"At the moment I don't think it's a tactical problem, it's a mentality problem. It's a lack of confidence, we can see it, and so this is what we have to change."

Tottenham, meanwhile, have won three of their last four league games after fighting back to beat West Ham 4-1 in another London derby last week.

Ange Postecoglou withdrew James Maddison at half-time in that game, allowing Dejan Kulusevski to thrive in a number 10 role, and he thinks there is more to come from the Swede.

"Deki's been great all year. He obviously feels more comfortable in that area, he's much more involved in the game, which I think is key with Deki," Postecoglou said.

"He wants to be involved and playing on the wing, sometimes he could get a bit frustrated in himself that he wasn't involved.

"I think we can get more goals out of him, more assists. All season, he's been great. I think he's maturing, as well. He's been captain of his country, which gives him even more self-belief. I think there's more to come."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Crystal Palace – Eddie Nketiah

Since scoring a hat-trick against Sheffield United in October 2023 for Arsenal, Palace striker Nketiah has played 804 minutes in the Premier League without finding the net.

He is currently on a run of 30 shots without scoring in the competition, and if the Eagles are to ease the growing pressure on boss Glasner, they may need him to find his shooting boots.

Tottenham – James Maddison

Spurs midfielder Maddison could make his 200th Premier League appearance in this match. 

Maddison ranks first in the competition for passes played into the opposition penalty area this season (72), while he has five assists in his last 11 games.

MATCH PREDICTION – TOTTENHAM WIN

Tottenham have won 19 of their 30 Premier League games against Palace (seven draws, four losses), their highest win rate against any fellow London side in the competition's history (63%).

They will be confident of another victory here. Postecoglou's side have won three of their last four Premier League matches (one defeat), as many as they had in their previous 11 games (three wins, one draw, seven losses).

One could argue their performances have warranted more points this season, too. Spurs are second only to Manchester City for shots (145), shots on target (55), touches in the opposition box (355) and successful opposition half passes (2,069) in the Premier League. 

Tottenham also rank top for passes played into the opponent penalty area (306) and expected goals (16.95 xG).

Palace, meanwhile, won five of their first seven home leagues matches under Glasner (one draw, one defeat), scoring 22 goals, but have since gone four without victory at Selhurst Park (two draws, two defeats), failing to net in three of those games.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 25.9%

Tottenham – 50.1%

Draw – 24%

Eddie Howe admits to being concerned about Newcastle United's attacking shortcomings as they prepare to visit Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

After taking 10 points from their first four games of the campaign, Newcastle have since failed to win any of their last four, drawing two and losing two.

They were beaten 1-0 by Brighton and Hove Albion last time out, a game in which they fired off 21 shots worth 2.02 expected goals (xG), but only hit the target six times.

The Magpies have now gone over a month without scoring from open play since a 3-1 defeat to Fulham in September, failing to net in their last two matches.

"We are going through that spell where we are not scoring. That is always a difficult period for any team," Howe said as he looked ahead to Sunday's trip to Stamford Bridge.

"The positive is we have been creating chances. We had the moments and maybe in previous games we haven't had those opportunities.

"I always believe if you continue to create you will get your rewards. I think that is what we have to work towards.

"We can't feel sorry for ourselves. We have to get on with it on the training ground and focus on those big games."

Chelsea, meanwhile, suffered just their second Premier League defeat under Enzo Maresca last week, going down 2-1 to Liverpool at Anfield.

Their last three league defeats have come against last season's top three sides (also 0-5 versus Arsenal in April, 0-2 against Manchester City in August). The Blues are unbeaten in 19 games against all other teams (13 wins, six draws), scoring 54 goals across these matches.

Maresca received a double boost despite the result at Anfield, as Reece James and Romeo Lavia returned from injury lay-offs, and the Italian was delighted to see them back in action.

"I am very pleased," he said of the duo. "I am very happy for Reece, for Romeo, for both of them. Hopefully they can stay fit.

"There were many positives, probably the only thing which wasn't positive was the result."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Chelsea – Nicolas Jackson

Jackson has been involved in 13 goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances (nine goals, four assists). He also netted the opener in a 3-2 win over Newcastle back in March.

Newcastle United – Harvey Barnes 

Barnes has been involved in four goals in his last five away Premier League appearances (three goals, one assist), scoring in his last two games in London against Brentford and Fulham. 

The only two Magpies players to score in three in a row in the capital are Peter Beardsley in 1994 and Callum Wilson in 2020.

MATCH PREDICTION – CHELSEA WIN

Newcastle have won two of their last four Premier League games against Chelsea (one draw, one defeat), as many as they had in their previous 13 (one draw, 10 losses).

They have a poor record at Stamford Bridge, though, where Chelsea have only lost one of their 29 Premier League matches against Newcastle (21 wins, seven draws) – a 2-0 defeat in May 2012 memorable for Papiss Cisse's stunning volley.

Howe has won two of his Premier League games against Chelsea in charge of Newcastle – only Alan Pardew (four) has beaten the Blues more in the competition with the Magpies. 

Howe also beat the Blues four times while with Bournemouth, meaning he could become just the third manager to win three Premier League games against them with two different clubs, after Kenny Dalglish (Blackburn/Liverpool) and David Moyes (Everton/West Ham).

However, since enjoying an eight-game unbeaten run in London in the Premier League between October 2022 and October 2023, Newcastle have lost five of their last seven games in the capital (two wins), so they approach Sunday's contest as outsiders.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chelsea – 51.2%

Newcastle United – 25.8%

Draw – 23.1%

Antonio Conte is anticipating an emotional occasion when his Napoli side meet his former club Lecce on Saturday, but he knows the Serie A leaders have a job to do. 

Conte started out in the youth ranks at Lecce in 1985 and made his debut the following year, before going on to become a household name as a midfielder with Juventus and Italy.

Napoli, who went through three coaches and finished 10th last season, have taken 19 points from his first eight matches at the helm to lead the Scudetto race at this early stage.

While Conte is looking forward to his reunion with Lecce, his primary focus is on keeping the Partenopei's strong run going.

"There are feelings, but there is also professionalism as well. You have to separate those things," Conte said on Thursday. 

"Lecce represents my origins, the dusty pitches, my father's team, where I grew up and went through the ranks up to Serie A.

"It's always held a special place in my heart. Nobody will take that away from me, but there's still an opponent to take on."

Discussing the options in his squad, the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss added: "I make choices based on what I see, maybe certain things that aren't always seen by everyone else, even if you seem to know at least 85% of what goes on. I try to put the best team out in the formation that I think suits us best.

"It's an important game against Lecce if we want to continue getting results. I still have tomorrow to make the final decisions and draw up my starting XI."

Napoli are yet to field star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and close-season signing David Neres in the same lineup, but Conte feels the pair can play together in the right scenario.

"It's important to remember that when you play against a team that blocks off five channels, there's a need to drop a winger into midfield, like [Matteo] Politano, or drop a midfielder deeper to create a five like other teams do," Conte said.

"We could also play [Stanislav] Lobotka or [Billy] Gilmour deeper so that there's not a numerical inferiority.

"If teams don't line up against us like that, then there's a possibility of seeing Kvara and Neres together, but balance is the basis of everything."

Jose Mourinho sarcastically branded referee Clement Turpin "one of the best in the world", following his dismissal during Fenerbahce's draw with former club Manchester United.

The Turkish side earned a share of the spoils in Istanbul, where Youssef En-Nesyri was on target in the second half to cancel out Christian Eriksen's earlier effort.

Although, it could have been more for the hosts, who saw a penalty appeal waved away after Manuel Ugarte collided with Bright Osayi-Samuel.

Mourinho was sent to the stands for his furious reaction to the challenge, and the former United boss lifted the lid on his interaction with French official Turpin later in the referee's room.

"I watched the incident back, and I don't want to speak about it," he told TNT Sports.

"He told me something incredible. He told me that at the same time, he saw the action in the box and my behaviour. I congratulate him, it's incredible - his peripheral vision!

"He had one eye on the penalty situation and one eye on my behaviour on the bench – that's why he's one of the best referees in the world!"

Nevertheless, Mourinho was full of praise for his players following their performance, after they took their points tally to five after the opening three matchdays.

"They got a point against us, not us against them," he added. "We played amazingly. I told the players: 'if we play like this in the Turkish league, we will destroy every single team'.

"The Premier League has more quality, more intensity, more pace, more everything. 

"In England, you'll probably talk about one or two players from United who didn't play. You don't know how many of our players didn't play, we had injuries. We had to solve an amazing puzzle.

"My boys played an amazing match. We had a phenomenal performance. My goalkeeper didn't make a save."