Key events
Eddie Howe wants a short trip to whoever Newcastle get in the Champions League playoff draw – that’s coming up soon, by the way. “Monaco possibly makes sense,” he says before adding: “but whoever we get it will be a great moment for us. We head with real positivity and I am excited to see who we get.”
Monaco or Qarabag are the only possible opponents for the Magpies.
“Hi Dominic. How delightful to see my beloved Gas mentioned in (almost)
the same breath as the Champions League,” says Bristol Rovers fan Richard Woods on email.
“However, that’s as close as it gets. Our form has been beyond awful since September ended, with just one win in the last 17 including a club record eight home losses in a row leading into tomorrow’s game. It doesn’t inspire confidence for a match against a Newport team that has been doing (relatively) well recently, and my fingernails are already bitten to the bone while I contemplate what tomorrow might hold. We did beat Newport away in September, but playing well and scoring goals feels like ancient history.
“Anyway, slim Steve Evans has done a lot of work in the transfer market already this month and there is expected to be more happening in the next two days, and we weren’t absolutely dreadful against MK Dons on Tuesday. These are causes for hope, right? Right?”
Hope springs eternal, Richard.
Brighton defender Diego Coppola has joined Paris FC on loan for the rest of the season.
Fabian Hürzeler said on the 22-year-old, who arrived from Hellas Verona last summer: “We definitely saw him more for the future. He had an incredible start for the club, he has an unbelievable attitude. Now it’s about improving small details regarding his game in possession. I’m definitely looking forward to working with him here, because he has big potential and can be a big player for us in the future.”
In the meantime please enjoy this lovely piece from Nick Ames on a great time for Polish football.
The Polish league is in its best shape for at least 30 years, according to Nick, with three clubs qualified for the Conference League knockout phase.
Mikel Arteta and Eddie Howe will be speaking soon. Two titans of management speak.
This was interesting from Slot. He was asked why Premier League teams are becoming so dominant in Europe, with Liverpool particularly impressive in the Champions League this season especially compared to many of their domestic showings. See also: Spurs.
“The Premier League has become a bit more of an ‘in the box’ game, while in the Champions League there is more play in between both boxes. That is my take on it.”
Could Liverpool make a late move in the January window? Arne Slot has teased us a tad …
He said: “If we have addressed a player we think can help us and the figure is possible then we will do so – those are conversations that take place not far away from here, but not in this room.”
Arne Slot has held his Liverpool press conference bright and early.
He’s revealed that Jeremie Frimpong is “out for a few weeks but not as bad as we thought” after picking up and injury against Qarabag on Wednesday. Ibrahima Konaté returns after being granted compassionate leave following the death of his father, while Curtis Jones is available after sickness. Joe Gomez is still out.
Liverpool are just three points ahead of their Saturday opponents, Newcastle, and one point off fifth-placed Chelsea. So it’s another crucial game for their hopes of Champions League qualification.
Tom Garry
Marc Skinner has said Manchester United are unlikely to sign any more players in this transfer window, as Tuesday’s WSL deadline day approaches, and that the club are pleased with the early business they did this winter.
United added Hanna Lundkvist, Lea Schüller and Ellen Wangerheim, while Geyse and Rachel Williams left and the full-back Hannah Blundell was among those to go on loan.
“Right now, there’s nobody that’s imminent,” the head coach said before Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool. “I’m really happy with the work that we’ve done as a collective, in this window, but we’re still working towards summer targets as well.
“Unless there’s a miracle, probably not [any more signings in this window], at this moment. We’ll wait and see, but right now we’re in a space where nobody is imminently coming in.
“We’ve prepped and we’ve done our work early [and] you can already see them coming up to speed.”
Forgive me for picking out my own passage in the Rumour Mill. This, on clubs’ summer plans, I found extraordinary. We’ll wait to see if any of it comes to pass.
Plenty of clubs have seemingly given up the ghost on the notoriously tricky January window and are already plotting their summer swoops. In totally-feasible transfer news, Chelsea want Jude Bellingham, Arsenal and Liverpool are chasing Eduardo Camavinga and Real Madrid, in this scenario having been gutted and stripped of their best assets, are targeting … Diogo Dalot.
The Rumour Mill is certainly spinning. And how on earth did Raheem Sterling – who hasn’t kicked a competitive football in eight months – find himself at the centre of the speculation?
Crystal Palace’s proposed move for Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is reportedly on the rocks after the Eagles signalled their intention to walk away from a £50m deal.
It is claimed Wolves expected a formal offer to arrive on Thursday but that’s not been forthcoming, and Palace are apparently ready to pull out.
Jean-Philippe Mateta might be a little unhappy to hear this news, as Palace would surely veto his exit if they cannot seal a deal for the Norwegian striker.
Just another regular day in the Premier League transfer circus.
Let’s kick off with 10 things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to our Friday football news blog – the place you can join us to count down to the weekend’s action. As well as bringing you the latest from today’s Premier League press conferences and previewing the games, we’ll also be all over the Champions League and Europa League knockout phase play-off draws, which take place in Switzerland from 11am GMT (but most likely a bit later knowing Uefa draws).
Leeds v Arsenal, Liverpool v Newcastle and Tottenham v Manchester City are probably the standout games in the English top flight this weekend, but there’s a lot to play for down the EFL and across Europe, as always. Take Bristol Rovers v Newport County for example: a Severnside derby between two fourth tier clubs scrapping for their lives at the basement of the Football League.
From the glitz and glamour of European knockout draws to the muck and nettles of League Two, consider us your one-stop-shop for all things weekend football buildup. Oh, and there will be a whole heap of transfer news as that January deadline looms large – expect a few deals to get done today. So get your emails in, grab a coffee and stay tuned.
