🔗 Share this article

First Story: Top Player Palmer Fit for Crucial London Derby with Arsenal

The Blues head coach Enzo Maresca announced on the final weekday that Cole Palmer is available for selection for the squad's vital Premier League match against local opponents Arsenal.

The young English midfielder was unavailable due to a fractured toe sustained after an accidental incident.

“He is available to start and to play,” Maresca said. “All involved are pleased.”

This season, Palmer has featured in just four games across all competitions, netting two goals.

After joining from Manchester City in 2023, he has achieved 45 strikes and 29 setups in 101 games for the London club.

“He is our top performer, we are delighted he is back, we need to allow him time to be 100% fit,” Maresca noted. “He has been brilliant historically and no doubt he is going to do exceptionally well for this club in the future.”

Second Story: The Toffees Get No Explanation for Rejected Gueye Red Card Appeal

Everton have failed in their protest against Idrissa Gueye's sending off for a fight with teammate Michael Keane during the team's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.

The 36-year-old Senegal midfielder was sent off only early on into the match after hitting Keane amid a disagreement over a misplaced pass.

Gueye quickly said sorry, and the pair were seen making up afterwards in a mock social media post.

However, the challenge against the dismissal was turned down, and Gueye must complete a three-game ban, leaving Everton short-staffed for their next fixture against Newcastle.

“We challenged the decision and it was rejected,” coach David Moyes revealed. “No explanation was provided for the rejection but we did appeal it.”

When asked about any further fallout from the incident, Moyes continued: “The matter was resolved instantly, it was done, that was it, we progressed quite quickly and it was all sorted within the dressing room.”

Third Story: Wissa Trains with Newcastle for First Time since Injury

The club's recent acquisition Yoane Wissa has practiced with his new teammates for the first time since suffering a knee problem soon after his arrival from Brentford in the autumn.

Head coach Eddie Howe confirmed the news on Friday but withheld a possible comeback timeline for the player.

The team brought in the striker for a significant fee to fill the void left by Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool for a record-breaking transfer fee.

Regrettably, Wissa was injured while on national team duty before he could play his first game for Newcastle.

“He is doing well, he trained with us for the first time on Wednesday, so I was extremely satisfied with how he looked,” Howe commented. “It was his initial competitive session with the team. Let’s see how he reacts today.”

Howe added: “We’ve got [a return date] in mind, but it’s likely best if I withhold that information. We aim to avoid letting people down. Of course, we want to include him as quickly.”

Additionally, Kieran Trippier will be sidelined for a four-week period with a hamstring issue.

4. The Reds' Slump ‘Irrelevant’, Says Hammers Boss Nuno

West Ham United head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has stated that Liverpool' dip in performance “doesn’t really matter” as his team prepares to face the struggling top-flight title holders.

The Liverpool manager's side has suffered six losses in seven recent Premier League games, dropping out of the top 10 of the table.

Nevertheless, Nuno stressed that there can be no room for overconfidence when the teams clash on the weekend at the their home ground.

“The Reds are a strong team and in football, what matters is what you do on the day,” Nuno said. “So what we expect is the champions of the Premier League, players that are talented and capable of doing great things, so we have to prepare.

“The past of the outcomes before, the form of the teams, is largely insignificant. It is about the day. Knowing that we are going to face a excellent team, that has players capable of doing fantastic things, so we have to prepare thoroughly, to compete.”

The Hammers will welcome back Lucas Paquetá after his ban, while Crysencio Summerville and Dinos Mavropanos are progressing in their recovery from fitness issues.

5. Gibbs-White in Contention for Nottingham Forest against Brighton

Nottingham Forest's manager Sean Dyche is optimistic that Morgan Gibbs-White will be fit for the team's at home match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

The England player was absent for the midweek Europa League game against the Swedish side due to a back injury.

“Hopefully it’s settling down,” Dyche commented as he got ready to face the Brighton manager's team, who have secured a decent haul from their past three matches.

“It’s like a bad back, but a morning sort of injury, one where you just rest awkwardly or twist funny. So we’re not anticipating, at this point anyway, that it’s too serious and it’s settling down already. So we’re confident that it’ll be okay for the weekend.”

The defender was experiencing discomfort in his hamstring muscle after the 3-0 Europa League victory, but Dyche indicated the player “should be fine”.

Meanwhile, the full-back (thigh injury), Douglas Luiz (thigh), Dilane Bakwa (hamstring), the striker (knee), and Oleksandr Zinchenko (hip) are likely to be unavailable.

Sixth Story: Oliver Glasner: European Loss Won't Set Back Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner believes that the disappointment of Thursday's European defeat to the French side is a indication of how much progress the club has come in competing on multiple fronts.

The FA Cup winners went ahead at the away ground through Tyrick Mitchell's opening period goal but were pegged back by the opposition manager's side, who climbed to second in the group standings.

Crystal Palace now switch focus to Premier League competition with a at Selhurst Park fixture against the Red Devils, and Glasner is optimistic his team can maintain their challenge for a top four spot.

“Similar to the late loss against Everton, it just feels that it was totally avoidable and it is our fault,” Glasner said. “On the other side, we have to take it on the chin. The commitment was there but it is a game we could have avoided losing.”

Glasner stated that Borna Sosa would be absent for the weekend's game after he stayed behind to Strasbourg, but Will Hughes, who went off during the first half against the opponents, is expected to be in the matchday squad.