Key events
So today then. As mentioned earlier, the Premier League lunchtime kick-off will be at Turf Moor, where Scott Parker’s side will hope to create a gap between themselves and the other relegation candidates. Armando Broja was carried off in Albania’s loss to England, but there is hope that his ankle problem is not as serious as first feared.
The visitors won’t have Cole Palmer in their ranks but Alejandro Garnacho could make history as the youngest South American player to make 100 appearances in the Premier League at 21 years old, overtaking a 22-year-old Gabriel Martinelli.
Last night Blackburn continued their climb up the Championship table as they earned a fourth win in five with a 2-1 derby victory at Preston. The hosts would have climbed to second if they had won, but Andri Gudjohnsen’s winner ended those hopes.
Although Alfie Devine cancelled out Lewis Miller’s opener within seconds in a frantic finish to the first half, Blackburn were the better side after the break and Gudjohnsen’s 62nd-minute header extended Rovers’ unbeaten run at Deepdale which dates back to 2019.
Their fifth win in eight away from home moved Blackburn up to 16th as they continue to recover from a poor start while Preston rued a missed opportunity after losing at home in the league for only the second time this term.
Valérien Ismaël hailed the complete performance from his side, saying: “we showed all the faces you need in the Championship. You have to stay strong, you have to suffer, you have to play football and you need set-pieces. The game was the Championship clearly defined.
“We were able in all phases of the game to show the quality and what we’ve learned from all the games. Now the next step is the home games. We struggle to win at home. The performance is right but we are not winning.
“This is what is missing this season. If we can combine it now this will be good for our confidence and momentum.”
The talk at Chelsea’s pre-match Premier League press conferences was Cole Palmer’s freak accident at home, resulting in a broken toe and further delaying his much-anticipated comeback from his recent groin injury.
Chelsea visit Burnley in today’s lunchtime kick-off, and Enzo Maresca hoped the 23-year-old would be available for Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Barcelona or next weekend’s home game against Arsenal. The head coach confirmed that would no longer be the case but confirmed the unusual incident would not keep the forward out for too long.
It can happen. I wake up many times during the night to go to the toilet. I hit my head, my legs, my everything, so it can happen.
The last time I saw him was yesterday morning, and he was without socks, without flip-flops, he was without nothing. He was working OK. The problem is that it’s a small toe, so the contact with boots can be painful.
Below’s roundup of the Premier League press conferences include Andoni Iraola on speculation surrounding Antoine Semenyo’s future, Eddie Howe’s hopes for Nick Woltemade and Marco Silva’s future at Fulham.
Preamble
Hello, football. Welcome to the Guardian’s matchday live, where we will be building up to today’s matches and running through any breaking news and big stories. Readers, any plans for the day? Favourite moment of the international break? Game you’re most looking forward to this weekend? Let me know in the comments.
Whether you’re heading off to the ground later today or not, feel free to get stuck in with all of today’s fixtures right here, along with the latest tables. And to get you set for the Premier League’s return …
