Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has revealed that he may still be in interim charge of the club when they face Dundee at Parkhead on Wednesday night in the Scottish Premiership.

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph claims that there has been a delay in finalising the deal to bring Wilfried Nancy to the club from MLS outfit Columbus Crew, which is why the Northern Irishman may still be in the dugout in midweek.

The French boss will surely be keeping close tabs on how the team fared under O’Neill in November, and will already be thinking about how he wants to set the side up moving forward.

The Celtic players who will have impressed Nancy against Hibernian

In the 2-1 win over Hibernian in the Premiership on Sunday, several players showed that they can be key players for the next head coach, whenever he finally takes charge.

Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels are the two obvious ones after they both got on the scoresheet in the first half, with the former tapping into an empty net and the latter bravely burying a header in just seconds later.

Reo Hatate also excelled in a number ten role ahead of Callum McGregor and Engels, biting into the tackle to then set up Maeda for the opening goal.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also made a couple of impressive stops late on in the match to secure all three points, and he will surely be Nancy’s number one, in the short-term at least.

Whilst several players, mainly the ones mentioned here, will have impressed the incoming boss, Nancy may already have an idea of the players he wants to move on when the January transfer window opens up.

The first Celtic player Nancy should sell in January

After a confident first-half showing, academy graduate Colby Donovan was forced off with an injury at the break and replaced by experienced full-back Anthony Ralston.

Within minutes of his introduction, the Scotland international was caught out defensively before playing a poor pass back that went straight out of play on the right touchline.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ live coverage of the game, former Hoops striker Chris Sutton described Ralston’s play as “really sloppy” and claimed that the defender “hasn’t recovered” from his below par showing against St Mirren.

Vs St Mirren

Ralston

Minutes

72

Tackles won

0

Ground duels won

1/2

Aerial duels won

0/2

Dribbled past

1x

Key passes

0

Crosses attempted

0

Stats via Sofascore

In that win over the Saints, as shown in the table above, the Scottish flop lost 75% of his duels and offered virtually nothing to the team from a creative perspective.

His disappointing displays against St Mirren and Hibs in recent weeks have not been a blip, unfortunately, as he also left far too much to be desired from his performance against Midtjylland in the Europa League at the start of November.

Ralston made it far too easy, as shown in the clip above, for Mikel Gogorza to beat him and score, which came just moments after the Spaniard had danced past the defender to cross for the opening goal.

He ultimately left the pitch with 45 touches, nine fewer than goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, while he also failed to have a shot, provide a cross or key pass and he also only made one interception.

Therefore, the 27-year-old dud’s performances on and off the ball this season have not been up to scratch, which is why he may already be a player who could be on the chopping block for Nancy.

With Alistair Johnston to come back from his hamstring injury and Donovan emerging as a genuine first-team level option at right-back, Ralston may not be needed beyond January, as potentially the third-choice option in his position.

That is why the incoming Celtic boss should make the experienced flop the first player he axes at Parkhead when the January transfer window opens for business, whether that is by sending him out on loan or by selling him on a permanent basis.

Related Forget Maeda: Celtic have signed a star who's worth even more than Engels

Celtic have signed an impressive star who is now worth even more than club-record signing Arne Engels.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

Whilst you never know who will shine with a clean slate under Nancy, it is hard to look past Ralston as the first player he needs to move on from the squad when the next transfer window rolls around at the turn of the year.

Manchester United’s defeat against Everton on Monday night once again highlighted the issues of Ruben Amorim’s reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system.

The Red Devils spent 77 minutes playing against just 10 men, but he refused to budge from his philosophy, which no doubt cost the side a chance of claiming all three points.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half strike was enough to secure all three points for the Toffees, with the hosts’ impressive five-game unbeaten run coming to an abrupt end.

Since the final whistle, the manager has come under fire for his stubbornness in implementing a more attacking system, especially after the visitors’ early dismissal.

During the loss to David Moyes’ men, one first-team member massively failed to take advantage of the rare starting opportunity that was handed his way in the Premier League.

Joshua Zirkzee’s stats against Everton for United

After Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury against Tottenham Hotspur, Joshua Zirkzee was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign against Everton yesterday.

The Dutchman had previously had to settle for minutes off the substitutes bench, but the clash at Old Trafford was his maiden start of the 2025/26 league season.

However, he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity that was handed his way, with the 24-year-old struggling to match the demands of the manager’s system.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but was only able to post a measly tally of 35 touches, with only five of his total touches coming within the opposition’s penalty area.

Zirkzee also completed just 15 passes at a success rate of just 60%, which resulted in the forward gifting the ball back to the opposition on 12 separate occasions.

His lack of quality was further outlined in his tally of one big chance missed and just four duels won, with James Tarkowski often pocketing the stand in centre forward.

Not just Zirkzee: United star must not start again under Amorim

In the 12 months since Amorim’s arrival, many United players have often struggled to match the expectations placed upon them – ultimately leading to their lowly Premier League finish last season.

Their performances, as seen by Zirkzee yesterday, will have led to the £200m spending spree during the summer window, but it should only be the start of the overhaul.

The midfield department should be next on the hierarchy’s agenda, with the manager no doubt wanting added reinforcements in such an area of the pitch.

Casemiro is getting towards the end of his current deal at Old Trafford, with Kobbie Mainoo seemingly not fancied by the manager after failing to start a single league game in 2025/26.

However, the defensive unit should also be one that the board are targeting, especially given the failures in that area over the past couple of seasons at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw is one player who remains in such an area, but like Zirkzee, he’s often failed to deliver when called upon by Amorim over the last 12 months.

The Englishman has now spent over a decade on the books of the Red Devils, but ultimately, he’s entering the latter stages of his career – something which is starting to show.

He’s started every league game to date in 2025/26, but that’s not without question, with his performance against Everton one that failed to catch the eye for the right reasons.

The 30-year-old featured for the entire contest, but was only able to win 50% of the aerial duels he entered and was even dribbled past on two separate occasions.

He also only made one interception and one clearance, subsequently being unable to keep the side’s second clean sheet of the Premier League campaign.

Shaw’s tally of zero completed crosses out of his attempted four showcases his inability to find a teammate in attacking areas, which led to criticism from Gary Neville.

The former United star, now turned pundit, stated that the player is becoming a “waste of time” at United and that his performances at Old Trafford aren’t fooling anyone.

His latest showing under Amorim is further evidence that he’s unable to match the levels he did during the early years of his career – with Amorim needing to exclude him from his starting eleven.

Shaw and Zirkzee are certainly nowhere near the levels the club need if they are to be successful in the Premier League, with the hierarchy needing to offload them to free up funds in January.

Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd man who was among the 'world's best' must be axed

Manchester United’s flaws were brutally exposed in Monday’s dismal defeat to Everton.

By
Robbie Walls

Nov 25, 2025

حسم التعادل السلبي نتيجة مباراة صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي ومولودية الجزائر، في إطار منافسات دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

وواجه فريق مولودية الجزائر نظيره صن داونز في التاسعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، على ملعب 5 جويليه بالجزائر، في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا. 

طالع.. فيديو | صن داونز يكتسح سانت إيلوي بثلاثية في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

ويقع صن داونز في المجموعة الثالثة من مجموعات دوري أبطال إفريقيا، رفقة أندية مولودية الجزائر والهلال السوداني وسانت لوبوبو. 

بهذه النتيجة رفع فريق صن داونز رصيده إلى 4 نقاط، في صدارة ترتيب المجموعة الثالثة من دوري الأبطال.

بينما رفع فريق مولودية الجزائر رصيده إلى نقطة وحيدة في المركز الثالث بجدول ترتيب المجموعة. 

Mikel Arteta has shared his belief that Chelsea deserve to be in the Premier League title race, ahead of Arsenal's showdown with the Blues on Sunday. The Spanish manager reiterated his admiration for Enzo Maresca's side, sharing that he enjoys watching them play in his pre-match press conference. The Gunners head to Stamford Bridge with a six point lead over the London rivals.

• Arteta praises Chelsea ahead of London derby

  Arteta has not been shy in heaping praise over one of his club's fiercest rivals. When the sides last met in March, the 43-year-old described Chelsea as the "best attacking team in the league by a mile", despite the Gunners coming out on top with a 1-0 home win. 

  Those comments were put to Arteta in his pre-match press conference earlier today. The FA Cup winning manager reiterated his assessment of his next opponents', while also confirming the Blues as credible contender to the Premier League crown this term. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Arteta: Chelsea "deserve" to be in the title race

  When asked if Chelsea are worthy title challengers, Arteta said: "I think we are all there, and they are there because they fully deserve what they have done in the last few years. I think the squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have, the number of coaches they have it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there."

  In reply to a question about whether he still views Chelsea as the league's best attacking force, he replied: "They were [the best last season], the sample now this season is early so it's difficult to say.

  "But it is one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching and they have a lot of fluidity, they have a lot of threat, they have a lot of individual talent, they are very clear what they want to do and that's why they are very tough."

• Arteta provides injury update ahead of Chelsea game

  The Spaniard was also pushed on the current injury status of a number of his squad. 

  Leandro Trossard is awaiting another test of a calf problem he sustained in the Gunners midweek win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz's return could depend on the results of repeat scans on hamstring and knee issues respectively. 

  Asked whether either of those attacking options returned clear scans, Arteta replied: "Clear, not yet, but they are getting closer and closer. We are very positive with both of them and that's it."

  The Arsenal boss also gave an update on the return of Gabriel Jesus. tofirst team action. The Brazilian striker took part in a behind-closed-doors game at Arsenal's training ground against Watford on Thursday. Jesus had not played since undergoing knee surgery in January.

  While Arteta said the 29-year-old was "very close" to return to first team action, he addedd: "We see every single day how he's reacting to the change that he had in load and then he needs to get into the chemistry of the team, understanding the things on match time which are very different to anything that he tried to replicate in training obviously and those gaps try to make them as short as possible."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chelsea and Arsenal in white-hot form ahead of crucial London derby

  The depth of Arsenal's squad has allowed them to weather a mini-injury crisis over the past few weeks. Arteta heralded his players preparation after their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday. That triumph was the most impressive win in a 16-game unbeaten run that dates back to their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool back in August. 

  Chelsea also enjoyed a statement win in Europe this week, beating Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. The Blue have quietly asserted themselves over the past few weeks, scoring eight goals and conceding goals in their past three games in all competitions. 

  Sunday's game feels like a crucial juncture in the title race. If Chelsea can play up to Arteta's assessment, it could trigger a three-way title race with Pep Guardiola's side also entering the fray. However, if the Gunners can take all three points, they will establish a nine point gulf. With the league's best attacking and defensive record, that's an imposing lead even with so much football still left to play. 

The visitors lasted only 30.1 overs in Dhaka, getting bowled out for 117 in a chase of 297

Mohammad Isam23-Oct-2025

Bangladesh blazed a hole through West Indies in a 179-run win in the third ODI, achieving their first series victory since March last year. Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar put together a scintillating 176-run opening stand which provided the backbone for Bangladesh’s 296 for 8. The visitors lasted 30.1 overs, getting bowled out for 117 in reply.Rishad Hossain claimed three wickets to take his series haul to 12, becoming the first Bangladesh bowler since 2015 to take more than ten wickets in a bilateral ODI series. Nasum Ahmed also picked up three wickets while Tanvir Islam finished with 8-0-16-2.Bangladesh got off to a fast start, unusual for this series as it was played on mostly dark, cracked, spin-dominated pitches. Sarkar (91 off 86) and Saif (80 off 72) went on a boundary spree that lasted 25 overs. The two stylish batters matched each other stroke for stroke as they raised Bangladesh’s second-highest opening partnership in ODIs and the first century opening stand at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in ten years..Saif struck Akeal Hosein for two fours in the first over, followed by his first six in the left-arm spinner’s next over. That inside-out strike over the covers set off the big-hitting spree. Sarkar struck Roston Chase for two sixes, both reverse-hits early in the innings. Saif focused on hitting straight, blazing Chase for his second six before he overturned an on-field lbw decision when he was on 28 and extended his innings.Alick Athanaze pulled off a stunning catch off his own bowling•AFP/Getty Images

Justin Greaves broke a sequence of 59 consecutive overs of spin from West Indies, across two matches, and Sarkar welcomed him two fours through fine leg. Saif, then, played the shot of the innings. He charged Greaves who tried to cramp him, but the batter backed himself and the result was a lovely high-elbow loft that went for a big six down the ground.Saif struck two boundaries in the 16th over, one bringing up Bangladesh’s 100-run opening stand, and the next one taking him to his maiden fifty. Sarkar wasn’t done at the other end. He slammed Khary Pierre for a straight six before he went after Motie with a six and four in the 25th over. Just like that he was into the nineties.Chase ended the opening stand in the 26th over when he had Saif caught at long-on. Sarkar was left distraught when he also holed out in the deep, at midwicket, nine short of his fourth ODI ton.The rest of the Bangladesh batters couldn’t quite do justice to the Saif-Sarkar double act. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy added 50 runs for the third wicket. Alick Athanaze took a tremendous catch to remove Shanto, running back from his bowling mark before diving full length.West Indies had a bit of respite when Hosein removed Mahidul Islam, Rishad and Nasum, all in the 46th over. Still, Bangladesh’s 296 – which included a record-equalling 14 sixes – looked like a formidable total on the Dhaka surface.West Indies never got their chase going, as they ran into Nasum who took their first three wickets. Athanaze fell lbw trying to paddle Nasum in the fifth over, before Ackeem Auguste, playing a similar shot, also fell lbw for a duck.Brandon King, who struck a six and two fours, was Nasum’s third wicket, bowled for 18. Shai Hope fell for just 4, mishitting Tanvir Islam in the 14th over. Sherfane Rutherford became Rishad’s first wicket, when he inside-edged one to Mehidy Hasan Miraz at midwicket, having made 12. He had a particularly poor ODI series.West Indies’ lower half caved in steadily. Rishad bowled a full toss and had Chase out for a duck, before trapping Gudakesh Motie for his third. After winning the first ODI and losing the second in a Super Over, the emphatic victory in the third match sealed the series 2-1 for Bangladesh.

Charlie Stobo was nearly the hero for New South Wales, as Victoria held on in the last over for their first one-day win of the season.Stobo, batting at No. 8, made 47 from 41 balls in a riveting finish, after NSW had collapsed again at Junction Oval in the wake of last week’s Sheffield Shield loss.Stobo’s impressive knock, which included 19 off the penultimate over from Todd Murphy, brought them to within five runs of a comeback win, before he holed out to Murphy at mid-off off the bowling of seamer Sam Elliott with four balls left.”It was a cracking game in the end … obviously very happy with the result,” said Elliott, who is back from an Australia A white-ball tour of India. “Anyone who says they don’t get nervous is a liar. I was definitely nervous at the end there.”Luckily, we’ve played a lot of cricket together now. Being able to have that clear communication towards the end, that definitely does help.”The game had been shortened to 36 overs per side because of morning rain.The visitors were well on their way at 97 for 3 in the 21st over. Young quick Austin Anlezark then struck twice in three deliveries and part-time spinner Campbell Kellaway took another wicket in the next over to wrest control from NSW.Kellaway starred with 2 for 25 from seven overs with his left-arm spin after anchoring the Victorian innings at No. 3 with 43.Captain Will Sutherland top-scored with 46 from 44 balls after NSW won the toss.Stobo top scored for NSW with four fours and a six in his rearguard knock after taking 3 for 32 to lead their attack.Sam Konstas and Kurtis Patterson gave NSW a solid start with their opening stand of 54, before wickets fell steadily.On Friday, Victorian Test paceman Scott Boland rifled through the NSW tail with five wickets to decide their Sheffield Shield match.”A frustrating week – we were in the game, both games, and we let it slip,” said NSW captain Jack Edwards. He [Stobo] held his nerve, gave us a chance. He showed in the last game as well, what he can do with the bat – he’s a very handy cricketer.”It’s a shame he couldn’t get over the line there. We need to be more ruthless if we want to be a good side. We let them back in the game, they take the opportunity and run with it.”NSW are 2-2 in the One-Day Cup after Monday’s loss, with Victoria 1-3.NSW will regain Test star Steve Smith for their next Shield game from October 28, against Queensland at the Gabba.

Daniel Farke will is set to be sacked by 49ers Enterprises if Leeds lose their next two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Liverpool.

Farke frustrated by Man City tactics at the Etihad

The Whites were left heartbroken by a late Phil Foden winner at Manchester City on Saturday, as a crucial point slipped through Farke’s fingers.

The German bemoaned City’s dark arts after the match, believing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down with a “fake injury” that allowed Pep Guardiola to give his players a team talk.

“It is within the rules,” Farke said. “It is smart. If I like it, if it is in the sense of fair play, if it should be like this, I keep it to myself and I leave it to the authorities to find solutions for it. It is within the rules.

“I asked the fourth official at this point if you want to do something and he said: ‘No, our hands are tied, we can’t do anything’.

“If we don’t educate our players in football, what to do in terms of fair play, sportsmanship, if you just try to bend the rules to your advantage and you can do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is nothing I personally like but if it is within the rules I can’t complain about it.”

49ers keen on hiring Farke upgrade at Leeds who's a "bit like Bielsa"

Leeds fans can expect high-octane football with this manager

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 30, 2025 Leeds want new manager in before January transfer window

The Leeds manager is feeling the pressure with his side now sat in the bottom three heading into two huge fixtures, as they take on Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday before welcoming Liverpool to Yorkshire on Saturday evening.

And according to a report from The Guardian, ‘multiple sources at Leeds have privately conceded that Farke’s fate is in the balance’.

He is likely to be relieved of his duties if they lose both games, despite some within the club feeling the performances have deserved better results.

More intriguingly, the report states the 49ers want to a new boss in before the January transfer window if they do indeed make a change, as they would like to make signings in January to mould the team to the new manager’s needs.

And while just who that is remains to be seen, a report shared by Give Me Sport claims Gary O’Neil is now the frontrunner to take over.

The former Wolves manager has been out of work for nearly a year after he was sacked in December 2024, but was looked on favourably during his time at Molineux.

“It’s unbelievable and you think the summer they had as well,” Shay Given said on BBC Match of the Day last year.

“I’ve just wrote some names down Nunes, Neves, Collins, Coady, Jimenez, he had to sell all them to balance the books up.

“So the job he’s done under such restraints and Financial Fair Play is just phenomenal.”

The Boston Red Sox enjoyed an exciting win on Wednesday, with Ceddanne Rafaela hitting a comically short walk-off home run around the Pesky Pole to take down the Los Angeles Angels, 11-9. But they were only in need of those late-game heroics to begin with thanks to a particularly brutal start from Lucas Giolito.

Giolito, who was signed by the Red Sox in 2024 but didn't make his first start for Boston until this season due to UCL surgery, got absolutely rocked from the moment he stepped on the mound. He lasted 1.2 innings against the Angels and gave up eight hits along with seven runs in the process. The Red Sox have already been dealing with struggles from starters to go deep into ballgames recently, and were forced to lean on the bullpen for almost the entire game.

They won anyway, but Giolito was very unhappy with his showing, as evidenced by his postgame exchange with reporters.

"It was terrible," Giolito said of his start on Wednesday. "I'm super proud of the team. Everyone came to play today. Big-time. Bullpen was incredible. A lot's being asked of them. I put them in a terrible position. Guys that are down had to throw. But everybody came to play, we were able to get that win, that's huge."

When asked a follow-up, Giolito offered a blunt NSFW review of the situation.

"There's no excuse," the former All-Star said. "I mean, it's super poor. I gotta figure it the f— out."

Giolito was an All-Star in 2019 and earned a placement in Cy Young award voting in three separate seasons with the Chicago White Sox. Now with Boston, he's had a tough go in his first few starts post-surgery; entering Wednesday Giolito had posted a 1-1 record with a 4.78 ERA in six starts in 2025.

The Red Sox themselves are floundering despite the improbable win, and currently sit fourth in the AL East with a 30-34 record. Giolito rediscovering his former form would go a long way towards turning the ship around.

Sheffield Wednesday have reportedly responded to the chance to merge with Sheffield United by their most unexpected takeover candidates yet.

Kris Wigfield sends fresh Sheffield Wednesday warning

The Owls have set a soft deadline of December 5 and have received proof of funds from several candidates as they look to narrow their list down to those ready to launch worthwhile bids.

The gravity of their situation was slammed home by their defeat in the Steel City derby last weekend, with Sheffield United brushing them to one side in dominant fashion. Destined for League One after their points deduction, Sheffield Wednesday desperately need their takeover to go to plan.

Co-administrator Kris Wigfield admitted after that defeat that there may be more difficult news on the way, too. He told the club’s social media accounts: “It will not be like this forever.

“At the same time, I have to be honest: there may be more difficult news coming, including the possibility of a further points deduction. I want to be upfront about that because our supporters deserve transparency. But I also want to be clear: the period between now and January should be as tough as it gets.”

Reports have already mentioned a number of names among the takeover candidates, including former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley. The former Magpies chief is seemingly looking to get back into English football and could restore his reputation at Hillsborough. But he’s not the only candidate.

John McEvoy has also been mentioned since Sheffield Wednesday entered administration and it will be interesting to see if he’s among the final names. What is for sure is that he’s unlikely to be joined on the final list of names by those at Bramall Lane who reportedly offered a shock merger.

Owls respond to Sheffield United offer

As reported by the Telegraph, Sheffield United’s American owners were among the Sheffield Wednesday takeover candidates and were planning to merge the two clubs if their approach was successful. To no surprise, the Owls quickly shut that down and have been fortunate enough to have plenty of interest from elsewhere.

Not many at Hillsborough believed it could get worse than Dejphon Chansiri, but a merger with Sheffield United would be their nightmare scenario.

It would take their club from administration to the very end. It would end a historic rivalry and change the landscape of football in Sheffield. The Owls, thankfully, saw sense and shut down any idea of a merger or takeover by the Blades’ American owners.

Sheffield Wednesday now braced for imminent "concrete" takeover bid

Things are looking up for the Owls.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 14, 2025

Instead of seeing Barry Bannan in Sheffield United colours, Wednesday fans will be looking ahead to December 5 when they’re likely to find out much-needed information on their next owners.

Arsenal have identified a marquee Nottingham Forest star as one of their top transfer targets heading into 2026, according to a report this week.

Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on new recruits last summer, and the Italian’s investments have paid dividends thus far.

This was evident in the North London derby last weekend, when Arsenal put arch rivals Tottenham to the sword in a 4-1 win, piling pressure on Thomas Frank and cementing Mikel Arteta’s side as the overwhelming Premier League title favourites.

A hat-trick from summer signing Eberechi Eze, who was once on the verge of joining Spurs before Berta hijacked the deal, and Leandro Trossard’s strike saw Arsenal claim all the bragging rights on Sunday while extending their lead at the top of the table to six points.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Another new recruit, Piero Hincapie, was also handed his first Premier League start by Arteta with star defender Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined due to a thigh injury.

The Ecuadorian shone in Gabriel’s stead, with Arteta hailing his exceptional display against Spurs on the eve of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline is one of the major reasons why they’re top of the pile and unbeaten in all competitions since August, with Arteta very well-stocked in defence after both Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera’s arrivals in the summer.

Both men have performed exceptionally when called upon, but according to Spanish media sources, Berta and co are still planning to reinforce their backline in future windows.

Arsenal identify Nottingham Forest star Murillo as top target

Indeed, it is now believed that Arsenal have identified Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as a priority transfer target, entering a three-way battle with Chelsea and Barcelona for the Brazilian’s signature.

Arteta has apparently earmarked the young defender as crucial to strengthening his backline for the long term.

The Spanish tactician particularly values Murillo’s ball-playing prowess, ability to break defensive lines and his left-footed profile, which Arteta believes would bring even more balance to Arsenal’s central defence.

However, Forest have set a large price tag for their defensive jewel, and Evangelos Marinakis could charge up to £79 million for Murillo to ward off potential suitors like Arsenal.

Since arriving from Brazil, Murillo has become a cornerstone of Forest’s backline.

The 23-year-old’s links with a move away are nothing new, and Arsenal have been named as suitors for Murillo even before now. Despite their many options at the back, Berta’s admiration for the South American hasn’t gone away, and it is clear to see why.

Murillo ended 2024/2025 as Forest’s best-performer by average match rating in the Premier League last season, according to WhoScored, with only Matz Sels and Nikola Milenkovic playing more minutes than the ex-Corinthians sensation.