Neymar admits he felt ‘nervous’ after he was hit in the head by a box of popcorn following Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred after the game had ended as a box of popcorn was thrown by a supporter and hit Brazil’s talisman on the side of the head as he made his way towards the tunnel.

Neymar angrily confronted the group of fans before he was led down the tunnel by his Brazil teammates.

‘I didn’t even see what it was, but when it hit me, I got nervous,’ Neymar told TNT Sports Brazil.

‘I condemn this kind of attitude, it shouldn’t be done, it’s bad for football, for human beings.

‘A person who does this kind of thing is not an educated person, he will not be able to educate a child in the best possible way. If he complains so much he should have trained better and been on the pitch himself instead of me.

‘Obviously we were on the pitch giving our best, and many times the result doesn’t come, it’s not what the fans expect.

‘I don’t come here on holiday, much less to take a stroll, I came to do what I love the most, which is to play football and represent my country.’

Brazil now face a tough match against Uruguay in their next World Cup qualifier on Tuesday evening.

Neymar, meanwhile, is representing Brazil having completed his £86 million move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in the summer.

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Gareth Southgate hit out at England supporters who booed Jordan Henderson at Wembley during the 1-0 win over Australia on Friday evening.

Ollie Watkins’ second-half goal sealed the victory in the friendly, while England will now play Italy in their crucial Euro 2024 qualifier next Tuesday.

Henderson started as captain for Friday night’s game but was jeered by fans when he was substituted in the second half.

The former Liverpool captain has faced heavy criticism from the LGBT+ community over his decision to join the Saudi Pro League in the summer.

But Southgate is unhappy with the negative reaction Henderson received at Wembley.

‘I really don’t understand it,’ Southgate said after the game.

‘He’s a player who I think has 79 caps now for England, his commitment and what he’s delivered for England is exceptional.

‘His role within the group on and off the pitch is phenomenally important. He’s the one that has taken the likes of Jude Bellingham under his wing as soon as he came in the squad, provides a brilliant role model for all of the group in his professionalism, in his approach to every part of his work.

‘Some people decided to boo, I don’t really don’t understand what that is for.

‘You’ve got players in England shirts, come on, we play Italy here on Tuesday, I know we weren’t at our best tonight but that was due to a lot of changes that we made and we gave the players we put out there a really difficult task because to be cohesive with so may changes is tough.

‘I will just say this is a team that is delivering a lot, they all deserve everyone’s support.’

Asked if he feels Henderson is still playing at the name level after his move to Saudi Arabia, Southgate replied: ‘We’re reviewing all of the games. I think he knitted things together, he held things together quite a bit today.

‘We didn’t have as many physically strong players on the pitch today, it was the team we needed to pick to preserve people, to give people opportunities, and so you need leadership, we didn’t have a lot of experienced leadership on the field, we didn’t have a lot of caps on the field, so Hendo’s influence before the game, during the game, was hugely important. He helped other players to get through the game, no question about that.’

Asked if he believes Henderson’s decision to support Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup was a factor behind the boos, Southgate said: ‘What has that got to do with a guy supporting an England shirt?

‘I don’t really know where we’re heading with everything. I’m hugely impressed with the impeccable values and decisions that everybody in our country is making. Clearly… I don’t understand it.

‘I know what’s created it and I know why it’s happened but it defies logic to me that you would give a player who is playing and putting his heart and soul into laying for England, why boo him? How is that going to help him or the team?’

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France, Portugal and Belgium are the latest teams to qualify for Euro 2024.

As the host nation, Germany have already secured a place in next summer’s tournament and they will be joined by three of Europe’s heavyweights after their wins on Friday evening.

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Portugal run out 3-2 winners at home to Slovakia, which has secured top spot in qualifying Group J for Roberto Martinez’s side.

Portugal have currently won all seven of their qualification games so far and can extend that against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday evening.

France also have an unblemished record in Group B and sealed their place at Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over Netherlands on Friday.

Kylian Mbappe scored both of France’s goals but Netherlands threatened a late comeback with Quilindschy Hartman’s effort with seven minutes remaning.

The defeat leaves Netherlands third in Group B and Ronald Koeman’s side are in desperate need of a win against second-placed Greece in their next qualifier on Monday evening.

Belgium survived a late revival to beat Austria 3-2 to book their place at Euro 2024.

Sevilla forward Dodi Lukebakio scored twice before Romelu Lukaku found the net. Belgium are set to take top spot in Group F, while Austria are in line to finished second.

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Ollie Watkins second-half goal edged England past Australia in their friendly at Wembley on Friday night.

As expected, Gareth Southgate made several changes to his starting line-up as Chelsea defender Levi Colwill made his debut, while Sam Johnstone started in goal.

A diligent Australian defence prevented England from creating clear-cut chances in the first half, and Watkins came the closest in the opening 45 minutes as he rounded Matt Turner but his effort from a tight angle hit the post.

Australia were limited to counter-attacking opportunities and their best chance came shortly before half time as Ryan Strain’s low strike inside the area beat Johnstone but Lewis Dunk was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

England stepped up their efforts after the break and were rewarded in the 57th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out Jack Grealish with a fine cross. The Manchester City midfielder was able to get the ball down and fire an effort towards goal and Watkins was on hand to poke home from two yards out.

When asked about his goal after England’s win, Watkins said: ‘I think Jack [Grealish] has gone to shoot and he’s dragged it, I don’t know if it’s going in.

‘My first thought is that it was, but I took it off him, look, when you get the opportunity you have to grab it with both hands, I had to take it off him even if it was going in.

‘I said [to Grealish] I didn’t know if it was going in, not sorry, but I was kind of looking at him saying I’m not sure. I knew I wasn’t going to come off this pitch without a goal, I just had to keep arriving and knew I’d get a chance.’

Marcus Rashford was brought on in the 61st minute and looked dangerous on England’s left flank.

However, Southgate’s side were unable to find a second, while several substitutions also disrupted Australia’s flow towards the end of the game.

England now face Italy in their Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday evening.

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Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with Brazil.

The 31-year-old was forced off with 11 minutes remaining in Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Venezuela on Thursday evening.

Brazil are due to play Uruguay in their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night but it remains to be seen whether Casemiro will play any part in the fixture.

Speaking after his side’s draw, Brazil’s head coach Fernando Diniz said: ‘Casemiro asked to come off due to a blow to his ankle.’

Casemiro, who was signed in a £70 million deal from Real Madrid last year, has started all eight of United’s Premier League fixtures so far this season.

Meanwhile, United’s football director John Murtough has confirmed the club are investigating the patterns behind their lengthy injury list and claims Erik ten Hag’s side have been disrupted by fitness issues during the start of the season.

‘There are some strong mitigations for the mixed results so far, including 16 first-team players being injured or unavailable for periods since the start of the season,’ Murtough said.

‘That’s two-thirds of the squad and means that Erik has not been able to pick his strongest XI once this season. Thankfully, we’ve started to see some of the injured players returning and that should make a difference, including our new signings Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount who are still bedding into the team.

‘We’re also looking at why we’ve had so many injuries to see if there’s any patterns to improve prevention in future.

‘Some of them have been impact injuries such as Kobbie’s and Amad’s, which are unpredictable. Others have been muscular and could reflect the sheer volume of games played over the past year, including last year’s World Cup.’

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Armando Broja has left the Albania squad early to return to the Chelsea training ground.

The 22-year-old suffered a knee ligament injury during a mid-season friendly against Aston Villa last December.

He was back in the Blues starting XI in games against Fulham and Burnley prior to the international break, marking his return with a goal at Craven Cottage.

Chelsea have meticulously managed his return to the side with the striker called into the Albania squad ahead of the European Championship qualifiers against Czechia and friendly with Bulgaria.

Broja was left out of the squad that won 3-0 on Thursday night and ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Albania and has since returned to London.

‘As for Broja, I have to give bad news,’ Albania boss Sylvinho said.

‘He was with the team for only two days. After consulting with our doctors and Chelsea’s, he can’t make it, he won’t be ready for tomorrow. We have other players to evaluate.’

Chelsea are keen to manage Broja’s fitness with Arsenal coming to Stamford Bridge in their first game back after the international break on Saturday 21 September.

The club’s other striker Nicolas Jackson has also returned from international duty ahead of schedule. The summer signing from Villarreal has undergone a minor wrist surgery having been spotted wearing a split in those wins over Fulham and Burnley.

He was included in the Senegal squad for games against Cameroon and South Sudan but withdrew this week.

Jackson however is expected to be ready for the visit of the Gunners.

Chelsea are however facing an anxious wait over Axel Disasi. The 25-year-old has been ever-present in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI this season, called into the France squad to replace the injured Dayot Upamecano.

Disasi himself withdrew shortly after however, undergoing a scan which revealed ‘a tear in the quadriceps of the left thigh’, according to a statement released by the French FA.

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Iran have denied reports suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo faces 99 lashes for kissing artist Fatemeh Hamami.

Ronaldo travelled to Iran with his Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr last month as they played Persepolis in the AFC Champions League.

Before Al-Nassr’s match, Ronaldo met with Hamami in Iran’s capital Tehran where she presented him with two portraits which she had painted with her feet due to her paralysis.

During his meeting with Hamami, Ronaldo hugged her and kissed her on the head, and his actions led to reports in Iranian media which claimed that lawyers have filed charges against the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for committing adultery.

Law in Iran forbids affectionate gestures between a man and a woman who are not married.

However, Iran ‘strongly denies’ reports that Ronaldo will face punishment if he returns to Iran.

A statement from the Iranian embassy in Spain read: ‘We strongly deny the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in Iran.

‘It is a matter of concern that the publication of such unfounded news could overshadow crimes against humanity and war crimes against the oppressed Palestinian nation.

‘It should be noted that Cristiano Ronaldo travelled to Iran on September 18 and 19 to play in an official football match and was very well received by the people and the authorities. His sincere and humane meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities.’

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Richard Dunne has tipped Brighton star Evan Ferguson to join either Manchester United or Liverpool in a ‘dream’ move for the Irishman.

United made a £50m bid to sign the Irish teenager in the summer transfer window, an offer which was laughed off by Brighton, who want much more.

The Red Devils view Ferguson as a potential replacement for Anthony Martial and are hopeful of securing a deal given that the striker is a boyhood United fan.

But United are not the only club linked to Ferguson with rivals Manchester City thought to be keen on the 18-year-old.

Given his Irish background, though, Dunne has predicted Ferguson to join either United or Liverpool when the time comes for him to leave the Seagulls.

‘I’m sure Evan Ferguson would be delighted at the thought of playing for Liverpool and Manchester United as most Irish boys would dream of that,’ Dunne told BoyleSports.

‘I think it’ll happen for him in the future, but he’s still learning his trade at the moment at Brighton.

‘He’s in for some games, rested for others, and is still developing as a player. I’m sure Brighton will help him move on when he feels the time is right.

‘He’ll have the pick of all the top clubs when he does. You rarely get young players as versatile as him.

‘I think it’s too soon for him at the moment, but it won’t be long before it’s time to move on.’

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West Ham United are considering a new offer for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire having been encouraged a deal can be agreed in January.

Maguire was stripped of the United captaincy by Erik ten Hag in the summer and held talks over a move to east London.

It was reported the England international was keen to stay at Old Trafford to fight for his place in the first-team having started just eight Premier League games during the 2022-23 season, falling down the pecking order behind Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

However, while on international duty this week, the defender explained the opportunity to join the Hammers ‘wasn’t there’ as the clubs failed to agree a fee. United were thought to be asking for £40million for his services.

Maguire started his first game of the season against Brentford prior to the international break and aired his frustrations over a lack of opportunities ahead of England’s game against Australia on Friday.

‘I am not going to sit here all my life and play once a month. If it carries on I am sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat about things,’ Maguire said.

West Ham’s interest has not gone away with ESPN reporting they have been offered hope of reviving a deal when the January window opens, with United not expected to stand in Maguire’s way.

United’s defence has been decimated by injury in the opening months of the season with Martinez expected to be sidelined until December and Varane has also struggling to stay fit.

But with Victor Lindelof preferred by Erik ten Hag at the back, Maguire is expected to return to the bench once Varane is fit again with Jonny Evans also vying for starts.

Luke Shaw, currently sidelined with injury, was also preferred at centre-half on occasion ahead of Maguire last season.

West Ham’s hand could be forced in January with Saudi Pro League sides interested in signing Kurt Zouma.

The former Chelsea star was handed the captain’s armband by David Moyes following Declan Rice’s departure in the summer with the club keen to tie him down to a new contract.

But Zouma is believed to be one of the names targeted by Saudi sides.

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Glen Johnson has urged Chelsea to keep ‘calm and composed’ star Armando Broja amid rumours that Inter Milan are plotting a January move for him.

The Albania international, who came through Chelsea’s academy, recently took Nicolas Jackson’s spot in the starting XI after the Senegal star’s suspension.

Broja has only just returned from a long injury and was handed a start against west London rivals Fulham as he registered a goal in a 2-0 victory.

He was rewarded with another start in Chelsea’s last game, a 4-1 win at Burnley, but only lasted 45 minutes as he was hauled off following a poor performance.

According to reports in Italy, Inter Milan are interested in bringing in Broja when the January transfer window opens and they have been monitoring him for years.

Johnson, though, is a big fan of the 22-year-old and would like to see his old club keep the striker.

‘I think he could potentially become a top player for Chelsea,’ Johnson told Betfred.

‘He’s got age on his side, he’s a very good technical player and he’s calm and composed in front of goal, which is something you need if you’re going to be a striker for a top team.

‘He’s yet to hit the heights, but he’s young and definitely worth having as an option for Chelsea and it’s better than them spending an awful lot of money on somebody else.’

Speaking last week, Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino described Broja as a ‘very talented player’ but urged fans to give him time to develop.

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Martin Keown has warned Arsenal over the potential pitfalls of signing Ivan Toney from Brentford in January.

The 27-year-old appears destined to leave the Bees when the transfer window reopens and once he finishes serving his eight-month ban for breaching betting regulations.

Toney has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most potent strikers in recent seasons and has been identified by Mikel Arteta as Arsenal’s No.1 target, despite a prohibitive asking price of £80million.

The Gunners have made an impressive start to the new season, collecting 20 points from eight games, capped by last weekend’s 1-0 win over title rivals Manchester City.

A lack of goals from their only recognised centre forwards, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus, has, however, been identified as a possible cause for concern.

And while Toney would provide a genuine goalscorig outlet, Keown fears Arsenal may not yet be ready to accommodate a player of Toney’s ilk in the same way that City were able to integrate Erling Haaland.

He told talkSPORT: ‘Once Man City secured the midfield with De Bruyne, Gundogan and Rodri they then went OK let’s bring that striker in. It’s whether or not Arsenal are ready for that.

‘When Jesus is playing striker we often see him back at left-back and all over the pitch. Maybe he has to do that because the team wasn’t strong enough defensively.

‘It’s about where the team is but I get it. Ivan Toney is a prolific goalscorer although a lot of them would’ve been penalties.

‘Now they’re looking Brentford can they deal without him? They realise a huge offer is coming in for him and Arsenal would probably be at the top of the list.

‘But it’s about the structure of the team and whether they’re ready for that. He’s going to be an out and out striker, he won’t be popping back to be helping out in the way that Jesus does, but I think they could do with a third striker.’

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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could be facing another headache with Ajax considering a move to bring in his assistant Mitchell van der Gaag as their new head coach.

Van der Gaag followed ten Hag to Old Trafford last summer but turmoil back in Amsterdam could see him offered a route back.

Ajax are currently sat 16^th – third from bottom – having taken just five points from their opening six games.

After ten Hag’s departure, the club appointed Alfred Schreuder as their new head coach last year but he left the role in January after a disappointing start to the season.

Former defender John Heitinga took the reins until the end of the season where Ajax failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2009.

Maurice Steijn was appointed on a three-year deal in June but his position is in doubt amid the club’s rotten start to the 2023-24 season.  

United’s assistant head coach van der Gaag is in the frame to replace him, according to De Telegraaf with ten Hag understandably eager to keep him by his side in Manchester.

There has also been turmoil off the pitch at Ajax with Louis van Gaal returning to the club on an advisory basis to work alongside  Michael van Praag and Leo van Wijk.

Before van Gaal’s arrival, interim director Jan van Halst was thought to be working behind the scenes to find a replacement for Steijn with van der Gaag featuring prominently on that list.

However it remains to be seen whether former United boss van Gaal would support the move.

Ten Hag meanwhile has endured a difficult start to his second season in charge with United slumped in 10^th place after eight games played.

The Dutchman however is thought to have retained the full backing of the United board and the players.

United are back in action away to Sheffield United following the international break.

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Ange Postecoglou has written himself into the Premier League history books after the Tottenham boss was named Manager of the Month for September.

The Australian has become the first manager to pick up the award in his first two months working in the competition after he took charge of Spurs in the summer.

Postecoglou, who left Scottish champions Celtic to take the job in north London, has enjoyed a remarkable start and has led Tottenham to the top of the table.

Spurs remain unbeaten in the top-flight this season – winning six and drawing twice – with impressive victories over Manchester United and Liverpool.

That sees them sit above last season’s champions Manchester City as well as north London rivals Arsenal, considered by many to be the two biggest title favourites.

Tottenham’s glowing form comes despite losing Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window, a move which most felt was going to hinder Spurs.

But Kane’s absence has been bringing the best out of the likes of Son Heung-min and summer signing James Maddison, who were named Premier League Player of the Month in September and August respectively.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has dismissed Tottenham’s chances of winning the Premier League title despite their eye-catching start.

‘The title race will be between Arsenal and Manchester City, Spurs will collapse, as usual,’ Sagna told Paddy Power. ‘And that’s not just me speaking as an Arsenal fan. I don’t see them being consistent enough all season.’

Postecoglou, though, will take encouragement from the fact that the last manager to win the first two awards of any season was Jurgen Klopp in 2019-20, when Liverpool went on to lift the Premier League trophy.

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The Football Association has been criticised for the ‘mind-blowing’ decision not to light up the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag before Friday’s friendly between England and Australia.

Following attacks by Hamas militants on the country’s territory last weekend, the British Government had written to UK sports bodies encouraging them to mark events in Israel appropriately.

The Hamas attacks have led to the Israeli government responding with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, with a ground invasion also reported to be a possibility.

Ahead of Friday’s friendly between England and Australia at Wembley, the FA announced players would wear black armbands and that a period of silence would be observed to remember the victims of the conflict.

The FA also confirmed flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality beyond those related to England or Australia would not be allowed inside Wembley.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer criticised the decision not to light up the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag. The arch had previously been lit in yellow and blue in an expression of solidarity with Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

The Culture Secretary posted on social media: ‘I am extremely disappointed by the FA’s decision not to light up the Wembley Stadium arch following last weekend’s horrific terrorist attacks in Israel, and have made my views clear to the FA.

‘It is especially disappointing in light of the FA’s bold stance on other terrorist attacks in the recent past. Words and actions matter. The Government is clear: we stand with Israel.’

The Board of Deputies of British Jews criticised the FA statement – pointing out that it made ‘no mention of the mass terrorist murders of hundreds of innocent Israelis last Saturday’, while the Government’s antisemitism adviser, Lord John Mann, also made his feelings clear.

He told LBC on Friday morning: ‘I made it easy for them (the FA). I said, ‘Why don’t you put up the Jewish prayer colours which have been there for thousands of years?’

‘The Wembley arch is seen by the Jewish community in north London more than any other icon, and the fact they couldn’t do that for an hour or two last night just to give that message of hope and comfort, I find depressing.

‘I find it quite mind-blowing.’

England manager Southgate was asked for his thoughts on the FA’s stance at Thursday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Australia game, and accepted it was ‘one of the most complex situations in the world’.

Southgate said: ‘Firstly (there have been) incredibly harrowing pictures. (Our) thoughts and feelings are to everybody who has suffered, who have lost relatives and friends in these attacks. It is incredibly disturbing to see.

‘On a broader scale, in my lifetime it is one of the most complex situations in the world and I think everybody is grappling with how best to deal with that.

‘I don’t know what it is like to walk in the shoes of people on either side of that conflict. What I do know is people at the FA will have consulted with everybody they possibly can and will have tried to make the best decision with good intentions.

‘Clearly whatever decision they came to would have been criticised in one way or another, so I also recognise how difficult it was for them. I wasn’t involved in those discussions, (but) they went on for a long time I know.

‘They (FA) have decided to take the stance they have and we will get on with that.’

Teams in the EFL and Premier League will pay tribute to the victims of the conflict in their next rounds of matches.

There will also be a period of silence ahead of kick-off at the weekend’s matches in the Women’s Super League, Women’s Championship and Women’s National League to ‘remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine’.

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Thierry Henry gave a coy response when asked if he would like to become the Arsenal manager one day, insisting he has too much respect for Mikel Arteta.

Henry, one of the most adored players in Arsenal history, registered 228 goals and 103 assists across 377 games for the Gunners, helping the north Londoners win two Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

Given the Frenchman’s long association with Arsenal, some have tipped the 46-year-old to one day become manager of the club, especially given that he has already stepped into coaching.

Henry, who has had two spells as an assistant coach for Belgium, took charge of France U21s this summer and will lead the French Olympic team at the 2024 Games.

The former striker has also previously worked as head coach of Ligue 1 club Monaco and Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact.

Henry, who appeared on The Rest is Football podcast on Friday, was quizzed by Micah Richards if he could ever see himself taking over at Arsenal, with the former Manchester City defender insisting that he was not trying to create ‘headlines’.

‘It will make headlines!’ Henry said. ‘One time, I was stupid enough to say it’s the dream of any fan. They said Thierry Henry wants to be manager of Arsenal.’

Richards then referenced Burnley manager Vincent Kompany – who has been backed by Pep Guardiola to one day take the City job – and asked Henry if it was the same with him and Arsenal.

‘It’s very difficult for me to say that because when I say something about Arsenal, it goes places,’ Henry added.

‘I have mad respect for Mikel. He’s done extremely well in the last two years. I have realised when it comes to talking about coaching, talking about Arsenal… I have too much respect for the overall situation.

‘Otherwise, Mikel will be asked, ‘Thierry Henry said…’ – you don’t need this type of question in a press conference. We don’t need to do that!’

Talking about his ambitions of coaching and managing in general, and if he would prefer to stay in the France camp to one day succeed Didier Deschamps or step back into club football, Henry said: ‘Whatever level it is, for me, improving players is what I love the most.

‘People will say, ‘Oh, yeah, great, amazing…’ – but I swear, I remember more the coaches who made me smarter than the ones who made me win.

‘When I talk about Pep Guardiola, I talk about what he gave me, not what we won.

‘Also there was a Brazilian coach when I was young, I was 13, he said, ‘Thierry, today you cannot use your speed, you have to work on your movement’ – another time, he said I could not pass the ball back. You have to find a way.

‘I will always remember that guy and I speak to him until now, I value that.’

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Wayne Rooney’s appointment as Birmingham City’s new manager ‘stinks’, according to the club’s former striker Chris Sutton.

The former Manchester United and England striker, who previously coached DC United and Derby County, was appointed Birmingham manager on Wednesday with the club lying sixth in the second-tier Championship.

Birmingham, who were taken over by US-based Shelby Companies Limited in July and had seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady become a minority owner the following month, sacked boss John Eustace on Monday, despite him masterminding an impressive start to the new campaign.

‘I have total respect for Wayne Rooney as a player,’ a furious Sutton told the Daily Mail.. ‘And actually, you know, what he did at Derby County as a manager, but it (this situation) stinks.

‘The whole thing absolutely stinks. It stenches. It just does – the whole Eustace sacking and then, you know, that period of time before Rooney was announced. I mean, this was always bound to happen.

‘This was the worst kept secret in football, wasn’t it? When Eustace lost his job, we all knew who was going to take over. But there was that.

‘I feel for John use just more than anybody else. Look, it’s up to Birmingham and the owners, the route they want to go down. And essentially, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

‘If Wayne Rooney does a really job, a good job and gets Birmingham back to the promised land, the Premier League, then you’ll have to say it’s the right decision. But based on where Birmingham were and the direction they were heading in under John Eustace…’

He continued: ‘This is a major gamble from Birmingham. And they’re probably looking at the commercial value, the sponsorships, that people will look at Birmingham in a different way.

‘But essentially if you’re a Birmingham City fan you just want to get promoted. And you want the best person in place, the best person for the job.

‘And it’s questionable whether Wayne Rooney is the best person for the job. But you have to give him a chance, of course.’

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Arsenal have sent their physiotherapist Simon Murphy to Ghana in order to keep check on Thomas Partey during the international break.

Partey has struggled with a groin injury this season, ruling him out of four straight Premier League matches before he returned in the 1-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday, coming off the bench for the last 15 minutes of the match.

The 30-year-old, a key part of Arsenal’s title challenge last term, also missed the Champions League win over PSV and Carabao Cup victory against Brentford.

Having only just returned from the groin issue, Arsenal have decided to send out physiotherapist Murphy to Ghana to avoid Partey making the injury any worse.

The Black Stars are set to face Mexico and the United States in international friendlies on Sunday and Wednesday respectively.

Arsenal, meanwhile, travel to Chelsea after the international break on October 21 and want to ensure that Partey is fully fit for the clash at Stamford Bridge.

It is not the first time Arsenal have sent physiotherapist Murphy out to Ghana to manage an injury to Partey, with the north Londoners doing the same in March.

Partey is not the only injury concern for the Gunners with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard having all withdrawn from international duty.

Meanwhile, Gunners legend Ian Wright has suggested that Kai Havertz should take Eddie Nketiah’s spot in the XI.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also has a decision to make over who to start in goal after David Raya’s error in the Champions League defeat to RC Lens and shaky first-half performance against City, which saw him criticised by pundits.

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Chelsea have been handed an update on Cole Palmer after he picked up an injury on international duty with England U21s on Thursday night.

The young forward hurt himself in the first half of a 9-1 win over Serbia and appeared to come out after the break with his right thigh bandaged.

Palmer was forced to pull up just six minutes into the second half and was subbed off after struggling to deal with the pain, leaving Blues fans sweating.

It was thought that Palmer had picked up a thigh injury and England U21s boss Lee Carsley has now revealed that the Chelsea star suffered ‘a dead leg’.

Carlsey added: ‘There are a few bumps and bruises and we will monitor Cole but we will not be taking any chances.’

Palmer is a doubt for England U21s’ European Championship qualifier against Ukraine on Monday but Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping to have him back when Chelsea host Arsenal after the international break on October 21.

The 21-year-old, who swapped Manchester City for Stamford Bridge this summer in a £42.5m deal, has made six appearances for the Blues thus far, registering one goal and two assists.

Pochettino hailed Palmer this week as the Chelsea head coach said: ‘[He] is a good player that links all the team-mates.

‘We are giving him a starting position on the right but after we give freedom to play in between the lines.

‘He’s ready to read what the team needs and to be unpredictable, because football is a game where you need to be unpredictable and he has the capacity to be like this.’

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Vanessa Souza, the lawyer of Antony’s ex-girlfriend’s Gabriela Cavallin, has stopped working on the domestic abuse case against the Manchester United star for ‘personal reasons’, according to reports.

Cavallin has alleged that she has been physically attacked by the 23-year-old on multiple occasions during their time together in Manchester and in their native Brazil.

Antony, who strongly denies the accusations made by Cavallin, was placed on an indefinite leave of absence by United in September.

But United have since welcomed him back while ‘police inquiries proceed’ into his actions.

Antony has featured both in the Premier League and Champions League since his reintroduction with Erik ten Hag insisting the Brazilian has ‘cooperated fully’ and was ‘not charged’.

The United manager later added: ‘Of course, our minds were with him and of course also the allegations.

‘We took them very serious, but we took the leave of absence to deal with this and he was fully co-operative with the police in Brazil and in Manchester.’

It has now been reported that Souza, who was assisting Antony’s ex-girlfriend Cavallin in the UK, has stepped away from the case, telling Brazilian outlet Metropoles the decision was down to ‘personal reasons’.

Cavallin, meanwhile, has said that she spoke to Greater Manchester Police on Thursday and will be ‘back soon’ for more discussions.

‘I did go to the police station, I just went at a different time,’ she said. ‘I just went at a different time than announced, for safety reasons, to avoid harassment at the door, as I’m alone here. And I’ll be back soon for another conversation.’

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Jack Grealish admits emulating Arsenal’s Invincibles had been a target for the treble holders heading into the new season.

Pep Guardiola’s relentless winning machine completed a clean sweep of the major honours back in May, capped by their first ever Champions League triumph.

City refreshed their squad over the summer with the likes of Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes arrving to bolster an already formidable unit.

Having won everything possible since his appointment seven years ago, Guardiola has little left to achieve in the English game but Grealish confirmed he, himself, had contemplated the prospect of going an entire Premier League season campaign unbeaten.

That prospect was being touted as a possibility following a six-game winning streak at the start of the new campaign, but that run came to an abrupt end at Wolves, before last weekend’s defeat at Arsenal.

‘I don’t mean this to sound weird but it is difficult in a way because you have such a high of winning the treble and then you do think ‘what would ever top that?’,’ said Grealish on the difficulty of setting targets and motivating himself ahead of another grueling campaign.

‘Obviously doing something at international level definitely would. But then even at club-level you think ‘what would top it?’

‘Maybe to win all four including the Carabao Cup but we went out of that last week.

‘You probably think about doing an ‘Invincible’ season but we got beat. To do what we did last year again would be unbelievable and to do something at international level with this group of players would be unbelievable.

‘After the season that I had with City, it was an unbelievable season, one of the best of my career especially in the second half of the season when I was playing a lot more, playing with confidence. I think now we (England) have the perfect team, the perfect manager guiding us.

‘We’ve come close on two occasions and I feel like we are just getting better and stronger.

‘You look at the players we have in our team, there’s quite a few that could play for any club in the world or any international team in the world.

‘That (trophy with England) would be the next on the list, hopefully.’

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Jack Grealish has dismissed suggestions that Manchester City are in crisis after their defeat to Arsenal last weekend.

Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected effort sealed a 1-0 win for Mikel Arteta’s side against last season’s treble winners at the Emirates Stadium last Sunday.

The result leaves City two points behind Arsenal and Tottenham, who have both registered 20 points from eight Premier League games so far.

Pep Guardiola’s side have now suffered back-to-back defeats in the Premier League for the first time since 2018, while they are also out of the Carabao Cup after they were beaten by Newcastle United last month.

However, when asked if City’s record of three losses in four games is considered a crisis, Grealish said: ‘Come on, no chance.

‘Obviously I’ve never lost two games in a row for City before. But it’s nowhere near a crisis.

‘We had a brilliant start to the season. We didn’t win the Community Shield but then we won the Super Cup. We then won six in a row and we’ve obviously lost the last two.

‘Rodri has been a big miss for us. There’s no doubt about that.

‘For me, I come [to England] this week and I’ve tried to do little bits of extra fitness after training, just to try and help myself get back to full fitness.

‘I feel like when I am fit, I can help any team in the world, whether that be here at England or at City.

‘As soon as I go back to City, I need to get myself back in that starting XI because towards the end of last season, I was playing every single game so that’s how I want it to be.’

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Chelsea forward Cole Palmer suffered a thigh injury during England Under-21s’ 9-1 win over Serbia on Thursday evening.

The 21-year-old suffered the injury during the first half at the City Ground but was able to make it out for the second half with his right thigh bandaged.

However, Palmer was forced to pull up just six minutes into the second half after suffering further pain to his right thigh.

Palmer was able to walk off the pitch unaided and was seen removing the bandage as he made his way towards the touchline.

The forward is now a doubt for England Under-21s’ European Championship qualifier against Ukraine on Monday.

Speaking after his side’s win, England Under-21s head coach Lee Carsley said: ‘There are a few bumps and bruises and we will monitor Cole but we will not be taking any chances.’

Palmer joined Chelsea in a £42.5 million deal from Manchester City in the summer transfer window.

He has made six appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, scoring one goal and registering two assists.

Meanwhile, England Under-21s recorded their biggest win since their 9-0 win over San Marino in 2013 with their 9-1 victory over Serbia.

Jaden Philogene, Harvey Elliot and Noni Madueke all scored twice. Liam Delay and Jonathan Rowe also found the net while Luka Subotic scored a late own goal.

The win keeps England top of Group F with three wins from three games.

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Liverpool defender Andy Robertson suffered a shoulder injury during Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Spain on Thursday evening.

Robertson was forced off shortly before time after colliding with Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Robertson and Simon were both jumping for the ball when the Spain goalkeeper landed directly on top of Robertson.

The Liverpool left-back required immediate treatment from Scotland’s medical staff and his right arm was placed in a makeshift sling with his shift as he left the pitch.

Scotland, who are on the brink of qualifying for Euro 2024 next summer, are due to play France in a friendly next Tuesday.

Robertson has completed all eight of Liverpool’s Premier League games so far as Jurgen Klopp’s side sit fourth in the Premier League and three points off top spot.

Speaking before Scotland’s clash with Spain, Liverpool winger Ben Doak credited Robertson with keeping him ‘grounded’.

‘He’s done everything in the game,’ Doak said.

‘He’s won everything. He keeps me grounded. I was with them [the first team] a little bit last season, but now I’m properly training with them every day and just trying to learn from them all because some of them are the best in the world.’

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Arsenal must make a ‘big sale’ if they are to sign top target Ivan Toney in January, according to reports.

The Gunners have made a fantastic start to the season, unbeaten in the league after eight games, they are second in the Premier League table, behind leaders and arch-rivals Tottenham only on goals scored.

Having most recently beaten title favourites Manchester City, there is real belief that Mikel Arteta could really end Arsenal’s 20-year wait for a league title, though of course there is still a long way to go.

One area of concern that the club do have is in their strikers, with some unconvinced that Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are good enough to fire them to the title.

The pair have only got three goals between them in a combined 14 league appearances so far this campaign, and it is heavily rumoured that Arteta is hoping to bring in a new No.9.

There are not many strikers who fit the profile the Gunners are looking for however, but Toney certainly does, having demonstrated both great physicality and great goal-scoring ability for Brentford.

The 27-year-old has scored 68 goals and made 21 assists across 124 games for the Bees, but is currently suspended from playing until January after breaching betting rules.

The England international is also wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United but is said to be coveting a move to the Emirates, though Thomas Frank wants at least £60million for his talisman.

And that is where Arsenal run into difficulty, having already spent £202million over the summer and only generating around £59m in sales.

The Mirror reports that if Toney was to be signed for Brentford’s asking price, Arteta would ‘have to make a big sale to balance the books’, something that is a lot easier said than done.

There are not many disposable assets in the current squad, and those that could be considered as such, like Cedric Soares and Mohamed Elneny, are out of contract next summer and therefore have very little value.

The only notable player that could be sold for a significant fee is Emile Smith Rowe who has struggled for game time over the past year, managing just 135 minutes so far this season.

Arsenal value the attacking midfielder at around £50m, and they might have a buyer for them, with Newcastle reportedly readying a January move for the 23-year-old.

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Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo have been removed from Italy’s squad ahead of their crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against England after being quizzed by police over alleged betting breaches.

Tonali and Zaniolo both made the move to the Premier League this summer as Tonali was signed by Newcastle United in a £55 million deal from AC Milan, while Zaniolo joined Aston Villa on loan from Galatasaray.

Both Tonali and Zaniolo have been accused of gambling on football during their time in Italy, which could result in ban of at least three years if found guilty.

The two players were initially named in Italy’s squad for Euro 2024 qualifier against Malta on Saturday, as well as their match against England at Wembley next Tuesday.

But after being interviewed by police on Thursday, Italy’s football federation (FIGC) confirmed Tonali and Zaniolo have left the squad.

A statement from the FIGC read: ‘The Federation announces that, in the late afternoon of today, the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Turin has notified investigative acts to footballers Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, currently meeting with the national team at the Federal Technical Center of Coverciano.

‘Regardless of the allegations, we believe in this situation the players are not in the necessary condition to face the commitments scheduled in the next days. The Federation has decided, also to protect them, to allow them to return to their respective clubs.’

Even though both players are no longer playing in Italy, any ban would be enforced in UEFA and FIFA competitions.

Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli is also under investigation by Italian authorities for alleged betting breaches.

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David Beckham has urged the Glazers to sell Manchester United but insists he has not held talks with Sheikh Jassim over a potential role at Old Trafford.

The Glazers had initially put United up for sale last November as a clear intent to end their 19-year reign.

However, the Glazer family have now taken United off the mark as neither Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe would meet their £10 billion valuation.

It’s understood that the Glazers intend to wait until the market picks up before entertaining new offers for United.

But Beckham believes now is the right time for United to be sold in order to bring ‘stability’ back to the club.

‘At the moment there’s been no discussion of that, but everybody knows that I’m a Manchester United fan and I’ve been very vocal about the situation at United and that’s been happening for a number of years,’ Beckham told CNBC.

‘I grew up at Manchester United from a very young age and there was a lot of stability – same manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and same owners.

‘Man United will always be Man United, they will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world. Now we need to get back to that for the fans, the players, the coaching staff and the manager because at the moment there’s not stability. We need to get the talk back on the field, rather than off it.

‘I want to see an ownership group that will take it back to what it should be. I’m not saying the past owners have done a bad job because we’ve still been very successful on the field and off the field, but for me it’s the right time for somebody else to take over.’

Asked if he had held talks with Sheikh Jassim over a potential role at United, Beckham said: ‘At the moment there’s been no discussion.

‘Obviously I have a long-standing relationship with Qatar because of my involvement with PSG. Obviously there’s some connection there and people talking about my involvement in Man United because you put myself in Manchester plus PSG and there’s a connection so people will obviously talk about that but no discussions at the moment.

‘Something is going to happen. I think there will be a takeover, I think it’s the right time. We all have our own opinions on who we feel should take over but in my opinion it’s whoever cares about the club the most and who can take it back to where it should be.’

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Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Bacary Sagna has defended Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

United have endured a torrid start to the new season, plagued by various issues on and off the pitch, the team have lost six of their opening 11 games.

Fernandes has played every minute of their Premier League and Champions League campaign so far, registering two goals and two assists.

For some, those numbers are nowhere near good enough, while Erik ten Hag’s decision to hand the attacking midfielder the armband has continued to divide opinion.

The 29-year-old skippered United in the absence of Harry Maguire last season and was officially made club captain over the summer after the England defender was stripped off the position by Ten Hag.

Many pundits have said they don’t believe Fernandes is the right man to lead the club however, due to the way his confronts officials and moans when results are going in his favour.

But Sagna believes it is this attitude that makes the Portugal International a perfect choice for the role, telling Paddy Power: ‘Bruno Fernandes has been decisive for the team, and he has lots of personality.

‘He’s a good captain because he hates losing. You can see his body language whenever Manchester United concede that he hates losing and that’s an important element in what defines a captain. 

‘He is technically good; he can lead the team and he’s been there a few years so is one of the more experienced players in the dressing room – to me, he’s a good captain and there’s no need to change captain.’

With the season on pause for the international break, Ten Hag and his players have time to work on how they can back on track, with a trip to Sheffield United up next on 21st October.

Sagna backs them to bounce back, adding: ‘Manchester United is a huge club and it’s still going through a big change since Sir Alex Ferguson left.

‘It seems like they’re still trying to find their form. I’m sure that they will be back to their best but it’s always a challenge to find stability and to get them back to the club they were in previously. 

‘This United side are in the re-building process, and we would like to see them in the best form possible, but you can’t rebuild overnight, it takes time. They need to be patient but Manchester United will be back to the top.’

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Manchester United have opened talks with their young star Omari Forson over a new long-term contract and want to send him out on loan in January, according to reports.

The 19-year-old forward has not yet made his professional senior debut for United but is thought to have already caught Erik ten Hag’s attention.

Forson started out in the youth ranks of Tottenham and West Ham before switching to Old Trafford in 2019, where he has hugely impressed.

He was playing for United U18s when he was just 16-years-old and signed his first professional United contract two years ago.

Forson helped United win the FA Youth Cup last year and joined the first-team this summer for the pre-season tour of the United States, where he was handed a start against Borussia Dortmund.

He was named on the bench when United faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League this term while he has been in top form at youth level – scoring six goals and providing two assists across six games in the Premier League 2, the UEFA Youth League and the EFL Trophy since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign.

Forson has entered the final year of his current deal and according to the Manchester Evening News, United are looking to hand him a new long-term deal and he is one of the players they may send out on loan in the January window.

Meanwhile, United intend to trigger extensions in the contracts of Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka but are yet to decide on the future of Anthony Martial.

All three are in the same situation as their deals run until the end of the current season, but the club has the option to extend the contracts by a further year, until 2025.

United have largely struggled since the start of the season with Alan Shearer blaming the club’s owners for the current problems at Old Trafford.

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Arsenal forward Beth Mead has stepped up her long-awaited return from a knee ligament injury by returning to full training.

The 28-year-old has been out since November 2022 when she ruptured her Anterior Cruciate Ligament in a 3-2 defeat against Manchester United.

The forward missed the World Cup as a result, which was a blow to England’s chances as the Lionesses finished as runners-up in Australia.

Mead has been in light training in recent weeks but she was able to participate in an in-house match with the Gunners’ youth team on Tuesday.

Since joining the Gunners in 2017, Mead’s netted 57 goals in 148 games.

The Gunners have made a disappointing start to the campaign, by exiting the Champions League and losing their WSL opener to Liverpool.

Mead’s return, though not imminent, will be a huge boost to the Gunners.

Arsenal face Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday.

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Former Liverpool, Chelsea and England striker Daniel Sturridge is the subject of an arrest warrant in the United States after failing to pay a reward for his missing dog.

Sturridge was handed the warrant for failing to appear in a Los Angeles court over the incident.

The 34-year-old had offered a reward to anyone who could safely return his pet dog Lucci in July 2019 after it was stolen from his house during a burglary in LA.

Foster Washington, an American rapper known as Killa Fame, reunited Sturridge with the dog but claimed that he never received a reward, which subsequently resulted in a civil lawsuit.

Sturridge was ordered to pay Washington $30,000 (£24,400) by an LA court and the former England international was due back for a ‘debtor’s exam’ last month to answer questions on his finances – but he did not turn up – resulting in the arrest warrant.

Washington, who claims to have spent over $10,000 [£8,100] on legal fees, told MailOnline: ‘For me, it’s a point of principle. He promised me the money. It’s a substantial amount of money that could change my family’s life.

‘He thinks he is above the law. He thinks because he’s rich he doesn’t have to respond to what’s going on. That’s why I had to have the judge issue a warrant so he has to pay the money.’

Thomas Scully, Washington’s attorney, said: ‘A lot of people just decide to ignore lawsuits for whatever reason, and a lot of times they get away with it because they don’t have any money. But it doesn’t seem that Daniel Sturridge should get away with it. He has the money to pay and he has the money to hire a lawyer.

‘He just doesn’t feel like it. He probably doesn’t feel like he is beholden to California courts and so he is probably just going to continue ignoring it. But I have some other tools in the Californian civil procedure and I am going to keep on trying to pursue with that. This isn’t the end of the story. I am certainly not giving up yet.’

Sturridge has previously claimed that a ‘young boy’ found Lucci and a reward was paid.

‘Just to let you know the truth at Christmas. I met a young boy who found my dog and paid him a reward, which he was delighted with, as was I to get my dog back because he was stolen,’ Sturridge posted on Twitter.

‘Other people are trying to benefit for their own personal gain. Thank you to the young boy once again. I’m very grateful Lucci is back with our family.’

It is thought that a new hearing has now been set for November 30 in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Sturridge has been without a club since leaving Perth Glory in 2022 and was recently working as a pundit for Sky Sports.

Sturridge enjoyed the best spell of his career at Liverpool, where he registered 68 goals and 26 assists across 160 games from 2013 to 2019.

Before that he spent four years at Chelsea – scoring 24 times and providing nine assists in 96 appearances – while Sturridge has knocked up 26 caps for England.

He has also played for Manchester City as well as Turkish side Trabzonspor and spent time out on loan at Bolton and West Brom in 2011 and 2018 respectively.

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