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Rafa Benitez appointed Panathinaikos boss
Premier League: The 65-year-old former Liverpool, Valencia, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Inter boss has signed a two-year deal to become the new head coach of the Greek side Panathinaikos. It’s his 17th different managerial job but his first in Greece. Benitez has not worked as a head coach for 19 months, since being sacked by the Spanish side, Celta Vigo. His new club currently sit seventh in the Grrek Super League table with nine points after six games.
Friday press conferences: I am a habitually early riser and can rarely be found in my cot after 6am but it’s not often I’m up and about before Eddie Howe, who invariably forces the ladies and gentlemen of the north-eastern press pack out of their beds at the crack of dawn for his Friday morning press conferences. There’s no word from the Newcastle head coach yet but I’m told we’ll be hearing from him soon ahead of his team’s match against Fulham at St James’ Park tomorrow …
Nottingham Forest: Following an eight-game winless run under Ange Postecoglou, Nottingham Forest kept their first clean sheet for 21 games in beating Porto 2-0 at the City Ground last night, in the process consigning the Portuguese side to defeat for the first time in 12 matches this season. It’s small wonder Sean Dyche, Postecoglou’s replacement, looked pleased with himself and his players afterwards.
“When you are on the side you don’t hear every word, you hear a noise and you know if it’s a positive noise or a negative noise,” he said. “I’m not here to judge or question anything, just deliver what I can to the job. It’s nice when they support you from the off, winning helps.
“These fans are pretty fair, win, lose or draw if they see a team out there wearing the shirt with pride and I think they’ll accept that. To get it off with a good performance and a win is very pleasing for them. If they can accept me and my staff and what’s going on that’s got to be a bonus. Hopefully it will fast track the feeling around the ground.”
James Tavernier: "A disgraceful performance"
Rangers: With his side anchored to the foot of the 36-strong Europa League group stage table with zero points from three games, Rangers captain James Tavernier did not mince his words after he and his teammates suffered a chastening defeat at the hands of Brann in Norway last night.
“It’s just a disgraceful performance, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “All the years I’ve been here, the consistency of poor performance that we’re putting in, I’ve not experienced it before. Some of us show our aggression after the games, after we get beaten - you expect all the lads to take that in, but we have to look at ourselves much harder.”
Just a thought, James, but maybe try showing some of that aggression during the games?
Marcus Rashford: "Sometimes you just need a change"
In news that is unlikely to come as much of a surprise to many, Marcus Rashford has made it clear he wants to stay at Barcelona as he gears up for his first El Clasico against Real Madrid this weekend.
Rashford moved to Barcelona on loan from Manchester United this summer and the La Liga giants have the option of making the deal permanent next year. Having scored five goals in 12 games including a double in the midweek Champions League thrashing of Olympiacos, the 27-year-old is clear where his future lies.
“Oh yeah, for sure,”” he said, upon being asked by ESPN if he wants to stay at the Spanish champions. “I’m enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it’s an honour.”
Rashford has a contract at Old Trafford until 2028 but having also spent a brief spell on loan at Aston Villa last season it is highly unlikely he will return under current boss Ruben Amorim. “People forget this, but 24, 23 years of my life was with Manchester United, so sometimes you just need a change,” added Rashford. “I think maybe this is the case with me and I’m enjoying everything.”
Celtic 2-1 Sturm Graz
Europa League: On a night when Rangers and Aberdeen were humbled in Norway and Greece respectively, Celtic flew the flag for the Scottish Premiership with a come-from-behind win against Sturm Graz, writes Ewan Murray from Celtic Park.
Brann 3-0 Rangers
Europa League: Newly appointed Rangers boss Danny Röhl discovered his new side’s problems run deeper than their former manager Russell Martin as they were blitzed 3-0 by Brann in Bergen.
Crystal Palace 0-1 AEK Larnaca
Europa Conference League: Oliver Glasner’s side were handed a harsh lesson about what it takes to be successful at this level by the team from Cyprus. Ed Aarons reports from Selhurst Park …
Go Ahead Eagles 2-1 Aston Villa
Europa League: Emi Buendia missed a late penalty and Aston Villa suffered a Europa League humbling as they failed to do it against the Dutch minnows on a wet and windy Thursday night in Deventer.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Porto
Europa League: Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus got the goals as Sean Dyche managed to achieve in one match what his predecessor Ange Postecoglou couldn’t pull off in eight – victory for Nottingham Forest. Ben Fisher reports from the City Ground ...
This weekend’s Premier League fixtures
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Leeds United v West Ham (Friday 8pm)
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Chelsea v Sunderland (Saturday 3pm)
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Newcastle United v Fulham (3pm)
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Manchester United v Brighton (5:30pm)
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Brentford v Liverpool (8pm)
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Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest (Sunday 2pm)
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Arsenal v Crystal Palace (2pm)
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Aston Villa v Manchester City (2pm)
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Wolves v Burnley (2pm)
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Everton v Tottenham Hotspur (4.30pm)
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Friday and Saturday times BST
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Sunday’s times GMT
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Clocks go back at 2am on Sunday morning
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In case you didn’t know
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And yes, your smart phone does know
Something for the weekend ...
Greetings all and welcome to your Friday football fix at a time when the Premier League weekend is so close you can almost taste the over-priced, simultaneously lukewarm and volcanically hot half-time pie. As well as the usual glorious chorus of managerial clichés that precedes each weekend’s action, we’ll be bringing you updates on varous touch-and-go “knocks”, insistences that there “no easy games in this league” and assorted solemn declarations that various head coaches are “taking it one game at a time”.
We’ll also have slightly bleary-eyed reaction to last night’s Europa League and Europa Conference League action. Who played a full-strength side and won? Who rotated their squad and lost 2-1 to a team whose shirt sponsor is a Dutch 3D printing company? And which coach is most likely to blame the “Thursday night effect” for any domestic Sunday struggles?
Beyond the main talking points, we will, as usual, cover any other news that may present itself as the day unfolds. It’s all to play for, so settle in and let’s get this show on the road.
