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The Premier League is back this weekend after a busy midweek of European fixtures. League leaders Manchester City are yet to drop points this season, while Bournemouth, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur are yet to record a league victory. Throughout the 2026-27 season, you can watch highlights from every game on Match of the Day, get live updates in our text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app and keep across all the goals as they go in on Final Score. You can get live score updates on your phone lock screen simply by following your favourite teams. And you can listen to match coverage wherever you are in the UK via BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds app. Digital highlights will be available post-match on the BBC Sport website and app in the UK. Tottenham Hotspur v Coventry City (20:00) Match of the Day will bring you all the best of the action and talking points from the Premier League on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday at 22:25 BST and Sunday at 22:30. The BBC Sport website has featured highlights of every Premier League match during the 2026-27 season. At weekends, these will be available in the UK on the BBC Sport app, website and iPlayer on Saturdays and Sundays - usually from 20:00. Don't miss any of the goals as they go in on Final Score - starting on iPlayer and Red Button at 14:45 and BBC One from 15:45. And make sure to hang around for Final Score: The Reaction on iPlayer from 17:15. BBC Radio 5 Live brings you more Premier League commentaries than anywhere else this season, with 209 live matches. You can listen to selected commentaries, plus updates from around the grounds, on BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport app and website and via your smart speaker. BBC Sounds is the place to find every 5 Live Premier League commentary this season, with more ways to listen via the app than ever before. Sports Extra 2 and Sports Extra 3 are new radio streams available only on BBC Sounds, offering you the chance to discover more coverage from the Premier League and listen to your team live. The Football Fix collection now brings you every 5 Live Premier League commentary in one place, plus build-up, reaction, and all the BBC's football podcasts. Find it here and on the BBC Sounds homepage throughout the season. Here are ways to download the BBC Sounds app: You can also listen to 5 Live Premier League commentaries via your smart speaker, so if you're busy at home you don't need to miss a moment. Just ask your smart speaker to 'play 5 Live' or 'play Sports Extra 3', for example. To find your Premier League team's commentary, you can also say, 'Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Arsenal match' or 'Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Arsenal v Brentford', for example. This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.

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Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has said a last-minute change of seats on the team coach may have saved his life while he was at Borussia Dortmund. The Spaniard was 20 years old when Dortmund's bus was hit by explosives on its way to the home leg of their Champions League semi-final against Monaco in 2017. Three bombs that had been filled with metal pins and hidden in a hedge, exploded as the bus passed. A huge piece of shrapnel ended up lodged in the headrest of the seat Merino usually occupied but he had opted to sit elsewhere because his "legs were feeling a bit tight". "The seats in the front reclined so I sat up there instead, and it may have saved my life," said the Premier League and World Cup winner in an interview with The Players' Tribune., external "I think I have an angel on my shoulder. I'm actually fortunate to be alive at all. "A lot of young people probably would not even believe that it happened, or how bad it was, but it marked us all. There was a deafening noise, and then I remember the bus nearly tipping over." Merino recalls seeing blood on the floor, the smell of smoke and the sound of screams, and he went to the hospital afterwards to wait for his team-mate Marc Bartra, who had an operation on a broken wrist. The match against Monaco was postponed until the following day, which was criticised by Dortmund's manager, current England boss Thomas Tuchel. Sergei Wenergold, a German of Russian origin, was sent to prison in 2018 after he admitted to the attack. Merino's comments featured in a wider interview which detailed his remarkable comeback from a stress fracture in his right foot in February to lifting the World Cup with Spain five months later. "The doctor said, 'six months'," said Merino, referring to the length of time he was expected to be out. "I was too shocked to even feel sad. I just did the math in my head. The World Cup was four months away. "When I told my wife, Lola, that's when I broke down. My brain already understood, but my heart needed me to say it out loud." Merino added that "when the fog had cleared a little" he used his near escape on the Dortmund bus to spur him on because "things happen for a reason". He had played in the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup but was not selected for the final squad. He did not want to contemplate missing out again. "I have to play. I will be at the World Cup, no matter what," said Merino. "I put all the meat on the barbecue, as we say in Spain. They told me they could drill two screws into my foot to give it support. I was like, Vamos, put 'em in." Merino watched his Arsenal team-mates secure a first Premier League title in 22 years and celebrated with them, but his focus was on their final game of the season at Crystal Palace on 24 May, with Spain boss Luis de la Fuente naming the World Cup squad the following day. "Zero minutes in four months. How do you call up a player like that?" Merino reasoned. "I spent all week arguing with the [Arsenal] boss [Mikel Arteta] and the physios. The plan was for me to return for the Champions League final [against Paris St-Germain on 30 May], and even that was risky. But I had to show Luis that I was ready. Finally, they agreed to give me half an hour against Palace. "That day, I was playing for the World Cup, 100%. And after that, I thought I had a good chance. "The next day, I turned on Spanish TV. I was sitting on the sofa going, please, please please. "At some point, the screen showed a woman in a vineyard... Mikel Merino!" "I hugged Lola. I kissed [my son] Marco. My phone blew up with messages. "I was going to the World Cup." Latest Arsenal news, analysis and fan views Ask about Arsenal - what do you want to know?

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"I was a big football fan growing up. My dad got involved with powerchair football through me," England goalkeeper Chris Gordon says of his father Colin. "But he's now coaching Argentina, so we'll be facing each other in the World Cup." For Gordon Jr, who is playing at his fourth Powerchair Football World Cup for England, Sunday's meeting with hosts Argentina carries extra significance with his dad in the opposite dugout in Buenos Aires. Gordon Sr is himself a former professional footballer, a striker at clubs including Birmingham City, Fulham and Leicester City in the 1980s and 90s, who later became a football agent. "My dad and I have worked together at West Brom for a number of years and then he coached me for the England national team," Chris says of their working relationship. But this one is more personal. At the last World Cup in 2023, Colin managed England to the final, where they lost on penalties against France. But this time around, Chris is hoping to get one over his father. "England will definitely come out on top [against Argentina], so bragging rights will be coming my way," the Kidderminster resident told BBC Sport. Powerchair football, also known as power football or wheelchair football, is a four-a-side sport played by people with impairments including muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and spinal muscular atrophy. All it requires is a basketball court, a bigger football and powerchairs with front bumpers on that allow players to shoot, pass and dribble the ball. In England, the game has two top divisions in which teams from around the country compete. Hundreds of players also play in regional leagues around the country. Leagues also exist in Scotland and across the island of Ireland, while teams are developing apace in Cardiff and Wrexham. Over the next week, 10 teams - ranging from hosts Argentina and neighbours Uruguay to as far afield as Australia and Japan - will compete for the World Cup. Games begin on Saturday, with the final on Friday 23 October. All matches will be streamed live on YouTube, external as teams compete to be crowned world champions. England are among the favourites for this year's tournament - alongside France and the USA - and there's a real sense of optimism that they could bring the trophy back home. The England squad has youth and experience. Dan McLellan, 17, is preparing for his second World Cup, while England captain Jon Bolding is heading to his fifth. "I've been playing powerchair football for 25 years now. Back in the day, we used to use our NHS wheelchair and just put car tyres round the front," said Bolding, who is from near Reading. McLellan recently took over the captaincy of his club side, Aspire PFC, from Bolding. "I've been playing since I was eight years old. I got into the [England] squad at 14," the winger, who is from Peterborough, said. "It's not every 17-year-old that gets to two major tournaments, but I try to maintain my level and improve on it. "We believe in ourselves to get to that final. We've got enough to do it this time," he said. Bolding added: "It would mean so much to bring [the World Cup] home for England. We've been trying for so many years now. We won the Euros in 2019; this is the only thing that we're missing." Head coach Adam McEvoy is hopeful the side can go one better than they did three years ago. "I'm really looking forward to this World Cup to showcase how we play, who we are, and our style of football [but] it's going to be the toughest World Cup there has been so far," McEvoy said. "With the group that we have and the way that we try and play, there's no reason we can't go very deep into the competition." 'Labelled a hazard' to England captain - Gough's football journey

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Chelsea have announced captain Reece James has undergone successful surgery on a knee injury. The defender, 26, was injured in training before Chelsea's 5-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend, and the decision was taken for him to have surgery. James is now undergoing rehabilitation with Chelsea's medical staff, with no time-frame given for his return. Chelsea next travel to Everton in the Premier League before hosting London rivals Tottenham and Manchester United in a difficult run of fixtures. A trip to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup is sandwiched between those two home matches. James has suffered multiple injuries over the past few seasons, causing him to miss several international tournaments with England since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His injury record improved significantly last season, allowing him to play a prominent role in England's World Cup campaign, during which they reached the semi-finals before winning the bronze medal match. James was among the players to withdraw from England duty during the most recent international break. The next international break begins at the start of November, when England are scheduled to face Croatia at Wembley Stadium. Did Chelsea benefit most from extended international break? Bournemouth open to selling Scott for £100m in January

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Under pressure Watford manager Alessio Dionisi said reports he would lose his job after Tuesday's heavy defeat at Cardiff were "fake news". The Hornets were beaten 5-1 in the Welsh capital, just days after a similarly crushing defeat against Burnley at Vicarage Road. Watford are 22nd after 10 games of the Championship season, losing six of those matches and all of the past four, but Dionisi will take charge of Saturday's home meeting with Charlton Athletic. The Italian, who was appointed as manager in June, said it was "normal" for there to be speculation over his future. "There is good news, bad news or fake news probably. In this case for the moment, it is fake news. But I don't decide," he told BBC Three Counties Radio. Watford started the season with a three-game unbeaten run, including an opening-day victory over Southampton but have won only one Championship game since, against bottom side Preston. Following the defeat against Burnley, former Watford owner Elton John said he was "upset and disappointed" by the club's form in a now-deleted post on Instagram. Ex-Watford midfielder Tom Ince has also weighed in, telling BBC Sounds' 72+ Plus podcast that he feared for the club after their "soulless" display at Cardiff. "I have a lot of respect for everyone," said Dionisi. "For Elton John, I am sorry because I don't know him. But football is wonderful because everyone speaks [their mind]. There are supporters, there are journalists. There are a lot of people. "I have been a coach for 14 years, and it is normal. In my past there was negative and there was positive moments. At the moment it is a negative moment." Dionisi added that he was in regular contact with the club's ownership group, including Gino Pozzo. "Inside the training ground there is only one mentality, only one street for everyone," Dionisi said. Pre-match, post-match and topical Hornets content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about Watford Latest Watford news, analysis and fan views

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They are only 20 miles apart yet have barely played each other. Indeed, the last time MK Dons hosted Luton Town was in November 2004 at the former National Hockey Stadium. Contrasting promotions and relegations means their paths have not crossed until Saturday's League One game at Stadium MK (12:30 BST) They are not rivals as such, nor is the fixture comparable with Luton's traditional, deep-seated hatred of Watford. Still, for some Hatters fans, the resentment towards MK Dons runs deep. Many remain angry about the controversial move of Wimbledon to Milton Keynes in 2003, a so-called 'franchise team' encroaching in their own backyard. They saw it as a betrayal of a club and its community. "I don't dislike Milton Keynes, I dislike what they stand for," said Mike Fanning, a Luton Town fan. "They're a franchise and that's not what football is about. "It's a working men's game, about a club and its community and it matters. It can't be taken away. You can't up sticks and go elsewhere because someone wants you to." Luton were nearly that club back in the 1980s. The club were in financial strife and there were serious proposals to move to Milton Keynes and become 'MK Hatters'. The Football League initially approved the concept in 1983. Luton's then chairman Denis Mortimer believed the move could attract new fans. They were close to becoming a franchise themselves. But after a huge backlash from supporters, who marched and protested with thousands signing a petition, the plans were eventually scrapped. "I was on the action committee to fight the move to MK back in the 1980s," said Luton fan John Pyper. "We could have lost our club, but we fought the decision of our then directors to take the offer to move to MK. We boycotted games back then. "I was so upset when they took a club to Milton Keynes in the end. Why didn't they set up their own club using their own different towns and villages within their own vicinity?" "We could have been the MK Hatters," said Mike Fanning, who was at school when the demonstrations took place. "We are still in existence because of those loyal people who protested and marched. "Many of those fans are still going to games now, so it's raw. "Saturday will be an emotional moment." As for MK Dons, they are used to the anger. Jon Scudamore has been supporting the club for years and regularly goes with his family. He went to the last game between the two sides played in Milton Keynes in November 2004. "MK Dons have had this directed at us for 22 years," he said. "We have grown used to it and grown hard because of it. "The Luton fans will understand that. Luton have been through some hard times and I have the greatest respect for them. But we MK fans are solid." Dons manager Paul Warne recently put on a presentation about the MK story to his players because some of his squad did not know the history of the club. "I don't think anything that happened 20-odd years ago has anything to do with my players," he said. "Having thousands of fans from Luton helps my team because our fans will turn up and sing against them which makes for a great atmosphere." Despite one fans' group originally asking Luton fans to boycott the game on Saturday, more than 6,000 Hatters fans will attend at Stadium MK. Their decision to go has been respected although many promise not to spend any money when they get there. "It's down to the individual," said Kevin Rouse of Loyal Luton Supporters group. "As a committee we will not go. It burns very deep and we will not recognise them (MK Dons). "But there is no right or wrong in this."

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It's been a whirlwind 10 weeks for Eva Olid since she became manager of Manchester United. Her surprise appointment at the start of August after Marc Skinner's departure meant she joined one of the biggest clubs in England just a month before the Women's Super League season started. When we meet in a Manchester coffee shop - an unlikely setting for someone who doesn't drink coffee - it is her first real pause in a schedule that has left her with little chance to discover the city she now calls home. "It's been good but really busy," Olid tells BBC Sport. "It's just been work, home, work, home." Olid, 41, enjoyed exceptional success in her previous role at Hearts - taking them from bottom of the table to Scottish Premier League champions within five years. Despite that, she was relatively unheard of south of the border, so top of her to-do list when she arrived at the team's training base at Carrington was to explain to her players what she was all about. "My first day I showed them what I did in the past and who I was," she says. "I tried to be myself from second one. I showed that I'm a person before a coach. "I didn't have time to be aware of where I was. I just went there, be myself trying to transmit to the players how I see football, to work hard, that I'm going to be there for them, that I want to make them better players. Trying to transmit the key messages that I wanted the players to take from the first moment." Olid's introduction to life at United was far from straightforward. She inherited a thin squad and new policy of prioritising developing academy players over making signings, while also wanting to implement a new attacking style of football. It was a big ask. Perhaps too big. In her opening two games, United lost 2-1 at London City Lionesses before a galling 5-0 home defeat by Chelsea. Olid believes that humbling loss to a title rival - in front of United's own fans - proved to be a turning point in her relationship with the team. "It was a difficult week," she says. "There were honest conversations. I took responsibility for a lot of things. I think that was a good starting point for the players. "I was confident. It's crazy to say, I was confident because I knew what the problem was. And when you know the problem, you can change that." Olid - a defensive midfielder during her playing career, who took pride in doing the simple things well - decided to strip things back. "I spoke, they spoke, and we knew what we had to do," she says. "That week was difficult - a lot of emotions - but going to Arsenal, we fought for each other, there was hard work. I think it was the perfect starting point for a good moment." A 1-1 draw at the Emirates was the start of a five-game unbeaten run during which they have climbed from the bottom of the WSL to seventh. "When you are in Manchester United, you need to find a way to win," she says. "It's a challenge - how you can win and at the same time develop players and at the same time implement a new style of play. "You need to find the balance of all that together. And I think these last weeks, we got to that point." Now Olid has settled into her role, she is keen to explore what Manchester has to offer, starting with finding some decent Spanish food. "I have to say that the tapas... sorry, but some of the tapas bars are not 100% authentic," she says. "I had this experience in Scotland and I needed time to find a good tapas bar. Because you want it to feel like home. A little taste of home." Olid admits she has yet to embrace driving on British roads but has become a fan of public transport. "I was not brave [enough] to drive here," she says. "In Scotland I was moving a lot by bus and here I need to find the ways to move by tram." And there is one Manchester landmark Olid has already visited: Old Trafford. "I came 13 years ago to a game - as a fan of football, and what I remember was amazing," she says. "On Saturday I went for second time and they showed me the changing rooms. The day that we play there this season, I will feel the happiest person in the world, like really like a dream." 'I want to discover Manchester' - Olid hunts recommendations No WSL experience but who is new Man Utd boss Olid? Find interviews and extra content on the BBC Women's Football Weekly feed

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The leaves are turning, the shadows of British Summer Time are lengthening and you can't move for Halloween paraphernalia in the shops. It's a special time of year, not least in the EFL where teams are already jostling for position in the race for promotion, and survival. We're still a week away from the clocks going back but a glance at the top of the Championship might convince you we've rewound well over a decade already, with seven of the current top nine teams having sat outside the top flight for at least half a dozen seasons, and plenty of them more than double that. The third tier is also as intriguing as ever while you can pretty much throw your cap over the League Two promotion chasers. Here are some of the standout fixtures and narratives across the EFL that you should be keeping your eyes on this weekend. Tuesday's last-gasp winner at Millwall made it four straight wins for Swansea either side of the international break to keep the Swans top of the Championship, 16 years since they last won promotion. Title favourites West Ham, seeking to make an immediate return to the top tier, are four points back in third place after their 6-0 romp at nine-man Lincoln the following night. The Hammers are the leading scorers across the top four tiers of English football with 29 goals in 10 games, but at 15:00 BST on Saturday will come up against the meanest defence in the division, with Swansea conceding just seven so far. The Irons have fallen behind in eight of their 13 games in all competitions this season but remain unbeaten in the league on their travels, while the Swans have yet to lose at home, conceding only twice in five games. Birmingham as the leading West Midlands club? QPR the best in London? Not many would have pegged that as the case after 11 matches of the Championship season, but it could well be the case come Saturday tea-time. Blues have not been promoted to the Premier League since 2009 but, after drawing their first four home games of the campaign, Chris Davies' side romped to a 4-0 win over lowly Preston on Tuesday to go fourth, making it 10 points from a four-match unbeaten run. They sit ahead of the fifth-placed Hoops by virtue of goals scored after Julien Stephan's side ended a four-match drawing run by walloping Derby 4-1 on Wednesday. Rangers, who last went up in 2014, remain unbeaten in five league games on the road, conceding a division-best four goals in that span, and Saturday's result will give us a good idea of which of these sides, if not both, are here to stay in this year's promotion race. There's no place like home - unless, of course, you're Leicester City. The Foxes have had a rare week to work on the training pitch, but might have been happier with an away game on Saturday, rather than the visit of Doncaster to the King Power (15:00 BST). Last Saturday's dismal 3-1 defeat by lowly Peterborough was a third defeat in their past four league games at home - during which they have shipped nine goals - and heaped further pressure on Russell Martin who later said there will be "no quick fix" in sacking him after supporters chanted for his dismissal. Midfielder John Lundstram also spoke of the team playing with "anxiety" at home and it's worth noting the Foxes remain unbeaten on their travels, where six of their nine points have come. City lie 17th, one point off the drop zone, and below Rovers on goal difference, with Grant McCann's men having won their past three games in all competitions without conceding. If you like your promotion chases to be unpredictable, you'll love League One. Just four points separate the top seven sides in the third tier and any one of four teams could sit top come Saturday evening. It might have been even closer, had Huddersfield not conceded a 98th-minute equaliser at home to Sheffield Wednesday last time out, which leaves the Terriers three points off the summit before Saturday's (15:00 BST) 600+-mile round trip to leaders Plymouth. The Pilgrims left it nearly as late to see off AFC Wimbledon last weekend to stay on top, albeit having played a game more, but Saturday looks like an even bigger day with second-placed Bradford hosting Stevenage while Stockport, in third, and Cambridge and Reading, in fifth and sixth respectively, all face sides in the bottom six. If you thought League One was tight, just wait until you hear about League Two. The top 14 sides are separated by just seven points - indeed leaders Salford and 20th-placed Rotherham are only nine apart after playing 10 matches. The Ammies will seek to stay at the summit as they host rock-bottom Crawley, with whom they have a fair bit of recent history. Salford came from 3-2 down with five minutes to play in this fixture last November to win 4-3, but were held to a goalless draw in the return in Sussex on the final day of the regular season which denied City automatic promotion and they eventually lost in the play-off final to Notts County. Unbeaten Barnet look best placed, sat a point back in second with games in hand before their trip to Tranmere while third-placed Crewe, also unbeaten, welcome Rochdale and Gillingham, in fourth, make the trek to Accrington. BBC Sport will have live text coverage of all the weekend's EFL action, starting with Burnley v Wolves (20:00 BST) on Friday and throughout Saturday's fixtures across the Championship, League One and League Two.

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When Brighton lost at home to Crystal Palace in February, Fabian Hurzeler was booed by his own supporters and subjected to chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning". "There are only two options," said the German after the 1-0 defeat by their fierce rivals left his team floundering 14th in the table with one win in 12 Premier League matches. "Give up or keep pushing harder, and that's always the option I choose in my life." Eight months on, Brighton are reaping the benefits of keeping faith with the man who became the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history when he was appointed in June 2024 at the age of 31. Palace return to Amex Stadium on Sunday (14:00 BST kick-off) to face opponents who are third in the table after statement wins over defending champions Arsenal and Europa League winners Aston Villa. Hurzeler's stock has rocketed after 11 wins in 18 top-flight games, a run that has propelled the Seagulls back into Europe and left fans - who shouted "you don't know what you're doing" at him just a few months ago - worried that he could be lured away. Following last Saturday's win at Sunderland, there was chat on the post-match phone-ins that Hurzeler, rewarded with a new long-term contract before the end of last season and given £150m to spend on signings in the summer, could be a prime target for a big club looking for a manager. "You learn more about yourself and the people around you when you are losing games," former Brighton striker Glenn Murray told BBC Sport in reference to last season's poor run. "Hurzeler has come out the other side and the way he has got this group of players performing is exceptional." Scott McCarthy, from the We Are Brighton fan site, said Hurzeler appeared to have lost the crowd to such a degree at one stage last season than even a few wins would not be enough to turn it around. "He looked like a manager who was out of ideas," McCarthy told BBC Sport. "Leaving the stadium after losing at home to Palace, the only conversation fans were having was: 'he has got to go'. "It's totally different now. It's worked out phenomenally." Will Brighton manage to keep hold of Hurzeler, who has gone from managing in Germany's fifth tier to reported interest, external from Manchester United? Hurzeler signs to 2029 as Brighton rival elite clubs Hurzeler's Brighton choice and Barber's favourite moment - fans' forum The determination Hurzeler demonstrated in the face of anger from fans following last season's defeat by Palace has been evident throughout his 10-year coaching career. In 2016, after one injury too many following spells in the reserves at Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim and 1860 Munich, the former midfielder gave up playing professionally to accept a player-manager role at German fifth-tier side Pipinsried at the age of 23. It was the start of a coaching journey that has led to the Premier League. To make ends meet at village club Pipinsried, which is about 30 miles from Munich, football-obsessed Hurzeler worked for an art dealer selling paintings to wealthy Bavarians. In an interview with the Guardian, external in 2024, he revealed he was fired from that job because he was spending too much time watching games. "If you want to sell something to a person, you have to try to convince them by doing something," he said when comparing selling pictures to managing Premier League players. "And you can't go there and say: 'Look at this picture, it's an amazing picture'. You have to understand the needs and the wishes from the clients. "That's a little bit similar to being a coach. "The most important thing is to understand the person behind the player. What are his needs? What are his values? How is he educated? How was his past? Where does he get education?" Hurzeler's obsession to succeed runs deep. While managing St Pauli - who he left in 2024 to join Brighton after guiding the Hamburg club back to the Bundesliga following a 13-year absence, external - he was invited to Tottenham's training ground to watch Ange Postecoglou's side train. Hurzeler - who was born in Houston, Texas, before moving to Germany at the age of two - asked so many questions that Postecoglou had to ask another member of his coaching staff to step in and take over. He also picked up tips from Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton, a few months before replacing him after Kieran McKenna,, external who had been heavily linked with the job, opted to stay at newly promoted Ipswich. Despite respectable back-to-back eighth-placed finishes, Hurzeler's time at Brighton has not been without its difficult moments. In addition to fans calling for his dismissal last season, the Seagulls were thrashed 7-0 at Nottingham Forest in his first season in charge, while former Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown labelled Hurzeler "wet behind the ears", external on the BBC's Final Score following Brighton's 4-2 defeat at Chelsea in September 2024. So what is the reason for the shift in fortunes since his own fans called for his dismissal? "It's partly because Hurzeler went back to basics," adds McCarthy. "He relied on an experienced core in the side to get out of the hole, which is testament to him because it shows his pragmatic side. You get managers who are wedded to their philosophy and won't change. "Hurzeler realised what he was doing was not working and that it could cost him his job, so tried something else. You can now see this is a team more in his image, because they press insanely." Will Hurzeler leave Brighton if another club comes for him, or stay and attempt to write his name in club folklore by qualifying for the Champions League? "I personally don't think he will go," says McCarthy. "The money would obviously be tempting but he is a very intelligent guy. He didn't become a Premier League manager at the age of 31 without having his head screwed on. "Does he want to go to another club where he isn't going to get time? What has happened at Brighton has shown he needs two-and-a-half-years to build a squad." Back in Pipinsried, Hurzeler's name is still revered - and he has not forgotten where his coaching journey began. "Yes, he does enjoy coming back every now and then - to see if everything's in order," Sepp Ankner, their chief finance officer, told The Athletic, external in 2024. "When he does, he talks to everybody. He's really retained that connection with Pipinsried." But his rapid ascent means gilded surroundings might not be far away for Europe's hottest managerial property. Follow Brighton & Hove Albion on BBC Sounds Pre-match, post-match and topical Albion content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Seagulls Latest Brighton news, analysis and fan views Ask about Brighton - what do you want to know?

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For years the Premier League has had a defined 'Big Six', comprised of Arsenal , Chelsea , Liverpool , Manchester City , Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur . They were not just the sides who often dominated the top positions in the table, but also had the biggest fanbase, most financial clout and were usually the league's most successful sides. But that has not been in the case in more recent seasons. In the last couple of years Tottenham and Manchester United have found themselves fighting at the wrong end of the table, while teams like Aston Villa, Brentford and Brighton have been battling at the top. Meanwhile, Manchester City - the top-flight's dominant side over the past decade - are facing a period of uncertainty after the club was recently found guilty of breaching financial rules over nine years. The 'Big Six' remains in financial terms, with City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea all inside the top 10 of highest revenue generating clubs in world football. , external But is the era of the traditional 'Big Six' on the field at an end? One of the most memorable stories of the Premier League era was Leicester City upsetting the odds to win the title in the 2015-16 season. It captured the imagination of football fans everywhere, because it seemed so difficult for anyone outside the 'Big Six' to get even close to being champions. But it seemed as though it was destined to be a one-off as, for the following three seasons, the 'Big Six' locked down the top positions once more. Indeed, the gap between them and the rest was bigger than ever, with the smallest deficit between seventh and sixth place during those three seasons being eight points. Between 2010-11 and 2018-19, the so-called 'Big Six' finished in those leading positions five times. They also finished in the top seven twice and top eight once. In only one of the six seasons since have they all finished in the top six, with Aston Villa, Newcastle and Brighton in those places at some point. Tottenham, in particular, have struggled and ended one place above the relegation zone in each of the past two campaigns and are currently second bottom on three points after failing to win any of their first six games. This season, albeit early days, Manchester United are in 13th spot and Liverpool ninth. Since 2021-22, Chelsea and United have finished out of the top six twice, while Spurs have missed out three times - twice finishing 17th. Five of the top six places have gone to clubs not in the traditional six in the past three years - the same as the previous eight years combined. One reason for the end of their dominance as a collective is because other clubs have closed the financial gap. Newcastle are an example following a £305m takeover led by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund in 2021. They went from finishing 11th in 2021-22 to fourth in the following campaign and then fifth two seasons later. Meanwhile, others, like Brighton, have leaned into data and smart recruitment to help them close the gap. The Seagulls have an impressive record of buying promising talent for low prices before selling them on for significant fees. In 2021 they signed 19-year-old Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo from Independiente del Valle for £4m and sold him two years later to Chelsea in a deal a worth £115m - a British record at the time. They also signed Marc Cucurella for £15m and sold him to Chelsea for £62m and brought in Alexis Mac Allister for £7m before selling him to Liverpool for a deal worth £55m. "Our recruitment strategy and philosophy has been something that we've built on over a long period of time now," sporting director Mike Cave told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "The data element of it gets a lot of attention because going back a few years it was quite novel in comparison to some other clubs. "Really it's just a component of a bigger process that goes on. It's an important component, it helps us to identify talent from around the world in quite an efficient way which allows us to move quickly in what is a really competitive transfer market." How Brighton attract and develop the best young players ahead of their rivals Has your team made the list of the world's richest football clubs? Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, Manchester United have struggled to get close to the success they enjoyed under the 26-year reign of the legendary Scot. The 20-time top-flight champions have had a high turnover of head coaches in recent years in an effort to find the winning formula and since the start of the 2020-21 season they have had four different permanent managers. But they are not alone in this high amount of chopping and changing - and not even the worst. In the same period, Chelsea have had seven different people in charge on a permanent basis, while Tottenham have had six as they too have tried to find a way to challenge for trophies. Meanwhile, Arsenal have shown patience can pay dividends by giving Mikel Arteta - appointed in 2019 - time to build a squad that resulted in the Gunners ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last season. The 'Big Six' hasn't always been a thing in the Premier League, so an evolution of what it is and who they are was always likely to happen. Indeed, when the league was first formed back in 1992 there was a 'Big Five' of Arsenal, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham - clubs who were seen at the time as the ones with the biggest fanbase and financial power. That evolved into a 'Big Two' during the late 1990s and early 2000s as Manchester United and Arsenal dominated, before expanding to a 'Big Four' as Chelsea and Liverpool regularly finished in the top four. The 2010-11 season was the first time in English league history where the top six was made up of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham. It was then repeated in 2014-15, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 as the 'Big Six' became known for what it is now. Arguably the most open the top division has ever been was in the 1960s, when Burnley, Tottenham, Ipswich, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Leeds all won league titles. While it still feels that a Premier League winner is likely to come from one of the 'Big Six' sides, we are moving away from the concept of the top six being exclusively those sides - with it now being four years since they all finished in those positions. Currently, Brighton, Brentford and Everton all find themselves in the top six and, while there is still a lot of football to be played this season, the top end of the division seems as open as it has ever been - and that can only be a good thing, right? Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill chose to focus on the second-half positives from his side's 4-1 Europa League defeat by Benfica and insisted they can still reach the knockout stages despite their slow start. In stark contrast, Chris Sutton branded his former side as "flat-track bullies". Celtic have lost four of their past five games. Every high-stakes match this term - both meetings with Rangers and both European outings - has ended in a defeat. By the time their performance improved in Lisbon on Thursday, they were three goals down and effectively already out of the contest, hamstrung by their own sloppy mistakes. Dane Murray upended Jhon Duran to concede a penalty inside four minutes, an error which characterised the first 45 minutes. Sebastian Tounekti then allowed Alexander Bah to run past him for Benfica's second and goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was beaten too easily as Duran scored the hosts' third. Celtic suffer fourth defeat in five against classy Benfica Visit our Celtic page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views Camilo Duran pulled one back after the break and struck a post as the Scottish champions improved, but Vangelis Pavlidis struck Benfica's fourth late on to kill any faint Celtic hopes. "Last thing you want to do is concede so early on," O'Neill said. "We could've capitulated, but I thought the second-half performance was terrific. We created chance after chance. "The second-half performance gives me the determination... I think we can still qualify. We can still do it. "We came roaring back. We could've scored a number of goals. I accept on the break they could have scored themselves, as they did with their fourth goal." Even the most ardent Celtic supporters would struggle to share their manager's optimism given they sit 34th of 36 teams in the competition after two games. Captain Callum McGregor admitted Celtic were masters of their own downfall in the first half. "First half we didn't help ourselves," he told TNT Sports. "Unforced errors lead to the second and third goals and you have a mountain to climb. "We know at this level if you don't look after the ball you're going to get punished." Although Celtic conceded four, the scoreline did not flatter Benfica. The Portuguese side created chances aplenty in both halves and hit the woodwork twice in addition to their four goals. Celtic's lack of depth in defence was exposed once again in the absence of the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers as Gianluca Prestianni and Duran tormented the visitors' back four. However, it is in forward areas where O'Neill perhaps has his biggest headache. Club record signing Kasper Hogh was hooked at half-time and has now failed to score in 10 of his first 11 outings since joining from Bodo/Glimt in the summer. Duran shifted inside for the second half and posed far more of a threat than his Danish team-mate. "If I'm a creative midfield player and I've got Duran and Hogh to pick from, I'm taking Duran every day of the week," former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan said. "He looks to get off the side of defenders, if you put a ball in the area, he's more likely to be alive to it. "Hogh just isn't firing on all cylinders. I can take that if he's doing the other side of the game a lot better than he is. "You can see why Martin O'Neill made the substitution at half-time and there's no doubt Celtic looked much better going forward." O'Neill admitted he sees Duran as being better through the middle, when asked about his Colombian talisman post-match, but given Hogh's price tag he might not be inclined to pull him out of the firing line just yet. "[Duran] has played wide at his previous clubs," O'Neill said. "But I personally feel his best position is through the middle. "It's now a matter of us trying to fit him in and I think we can do that. It's a real battle for places now."

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It was a night soundtracked by the Impossible Dream. And it was no coincidence that was the song chosen at the Vitality Stadium before Bournemouth's first European home game in the club's 127-year history. As supporters lucky enough to bag a ticket for the historic occasion waved flags to the Andy Williams classic, a giant tifo rose from behind one of the stands, bearing the words 'Minus 17 to European dreams. AFC Bournemouth, established 1899'. As recently as 2008, a night like this would have been unthinkable for Cherries supporters. Just 18 years ago, Bournemouth were facing the prospect of no longer existing. After entering administration, the club were relegated from League One after being handed a 10-point deduction. But that was not the end of their troubles. To be allowed to compete in the 2008-09 season, Bournemouth, then managed by Eddie Howe, had to accept a further 17-point deduction in League Two. It left them at the bottom of the Football League and seemingly destined for life as a non-league side. By the end of the season, the Cherries had not only completed one of the greatest escapes in English football history to secure a 21st-place finish and survival, but had also laid the foundations for a decade of success, which culminated in a first promotion to the Premier League in 2015. Fast-forward to the present day and Bournemouth are making history for all the right reasons in the Europa League. Thursday's 3-0 win over Sturm Graz meant they became only the second English side to win their first two matches in a major European competition since Bolton achieved the feat in the Uefa Cup 21 years ago. "It's a moment that will live long in their memories," former defender Joel Ward told TNT Sports. "The club should relish this night. "The owner [Bill Foley] manifested this moment when he first came into the club. He set the standards for this club, he has invested a lot into it and he wanted to see this club in Europe. "He got his wish, and they have certainly started incredibly well so far." Bournemouth earn historic win over Sturm Graz It was a night that always seemed destined to produce a fairytale storyline, such has been the nature of Bournemouth's rise since 2008. At Wednesday's pre-match press conference, defender Adam Smith - the club's longest-serving player after initially joining on loan from Tottenham in 2011 - admitted he would never have imagined captaining the Cherries in Europe. But there was more to come for Smith. The right-back earned his own piece of history by providing the assist for Bournemouth's first European goal on home soil, with Evanilson heading his cross home late in the first half. "It's been a long time coming. The fans were up for it, the players were up for it, so we are very happy," Smith told TNT Sports. "We had a chat with each other and we got a reaction today. That's an AFC [Bournemouth] performance right there." Since making his move from Tottenham permanent in 2014, Smith has made more than 430 appearances for the Cherries. In that time, the 35-year-old has helped Bournemouth secure three promotions, two of which have taken them to the Premier League. When he was replaced by James Hill midway through the second half, the home supporters rose to their feet and chanted Smith's name as he departed the field. "He's an example to everyone of what hard work looks like and the rewards that you get, even towards the latter stages of your career," added Ward. "He's extremely professional, and he fully deserves the success he's getting now. Nights like this are what you live for. To walk out captaining that side is emotional and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck." It was no surprise to see Bournemouth supporters remain in their seats long after the final whistle as they attempted to soak up as much as they could of a landmark night on the south coast. For Marco Rose and his players, though, the focus will quickly shift to Sunday's Premier League clash with Sunderland. Despite soaring to new heights in the Europa League during the opening weeks of the season, their Premier League campaign is yet to get going. The Cherries sit 18th in the table and are one of only three teams, alongside Fulham and Tottenham, yet to win a match this season. "If we stick together and play like this and we have our fans, then we are hard to play against and it's hard to beat us," said Rose, who succeeded Andoni Iraola in June. "That's what we should take into the next game." Bournemouth's remarkable story will enter arguably its most glamorous chapter yet when AC Milan visit the Vitality Stadium next week. Pre-match, post-match and topical Cherries content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Cherries Latest Bournemouth news, analysis and fan views Ask about Bournemouth - what do you want to know?

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Harry Kane is close to signing a new deal at Bayern Munich, Arda Guler has agreed a new contract with Real Madrid and Liverpool are leading the race for Bournemouth 's Alex Scott. England striker Harry Kane, 33, has agreed a new deal in principle with Bayern Munich, who are finalising the paperwork on a contract extension until summer 2029. (Sky Sports), external Turkey midfielder Arda Guler, 21, has agreed a new deal at Real Madrid after summer interest from Arsenal and Manchester City . ( Teamtalk ) , external English winger Jacob Murphy's current deal at Newcastle United runs until next summer and the 31-year-old is close to agreeing a one-year extension. (Mail - subscription required), external Liverpool are in pole position to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 23, with the England international valued at £100m. (Mail - subscription required), external A number of Premier League clubs watched Austria's 19-year-old midfielder Jacob Hodl at Vitality Stadium on Thursday as Sturm Graz played Bournemouth. (Football Insider), external Leeds United striker Lukas Nmecha, 27, is yet to agree a new deal as the German, who is out of contract in the summer, wants more playing time. (Teamtalk), external Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is under increasing pressure at the Championship club and ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is open to the role should a vacancy arise. (Talksport), external Martinez's future at Man Utd in doubt - Thursday's gossip Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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The pressure is mounting on Manchester United boss Michael Carrick after his side's poor start, but will things improve when they face rivals Leeds on Saturday? "I cannot remember the last time Leeds were seen as favourites going into this fixture but I don't fancy Manchester United's chances at all," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton. "Leeds are just a much more rounded team. Their fans must be relishing this game." Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests. For week seven, he takes on former heavyweight boxing world champion Fabio Wardley, who supports Ipswich Town. Wardley can reclaim his WBO title when he meets Daniel Dubois at London's O2 Arena on Saturday. The fight, a rematch of their thrilling battle in May, when Dubois stopped Wardley in the 11th round to take his crown, will be shown live on DAZN and you can listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live as well as following a live watchalong on BBC iPlayer. Wardley took Sutton on at predictions before that first fight too - so will either outcome be different this time? "I beat Fabio last time - he's from Ipswich so he doesn't stand a chance of beating me," Sutton said. "But good luck to him on Saturday night and I hope he wins his rematch - he's got a better chance against Dubois than he has against me." Do you agree with their predictions? You can pick your own below. The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page. A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points. Want to make more predictions? You can play BBC Sport's new Match of the Day predictor game every week, featuring six fixtures from domestic and European competition. It took Ipswich 19 matches and until 30 December to rack up three wins the last time they were promoted to the Premier League, in 2024-25, but their new-look side have already matched that total in their first six games. "Whenever you get promoted there is going to be a large amount of player turnover because, if you want to stay up, then you need to bring some players in who are going to be game-changers, and are going to offer you the different perspectives or different outlets you will need at this level," Wardley told BBC Sport. "With a bunch of new players and a new manager in Gary O'Neil too, there was always going to be a question mark as to how well they would gel, or even how quickly, but the team are looking great. "You only have to look at the start we've made to the season to answer the question of whether we look like we belong in the Premier League. "Three wins from six games is a great start for any team coming up from the Championship and the boys are doing really well right now." Wardley has seen two of those wins for himself, with both of them coming thanks to last-gasp goals. "My training camp has been very strict and very stringent so I've been very busy with a lot of what I've got going on, but of course I've tried to make it to Portman Road as much as possible," he added. "I went to the first game of the season against Sunderland, which ended with a nice little last-minute winner for us, with Jack Clarke sticking that one in. "And just before I came away for the build-up to my fight, I was at Saturday's game against Fulham, which ended in a similar fashion really. "We went 1-0 down early on but clawed it back and then scored two goals in three minutes, with the winner coming in added time. "Winning like that proves the team have got character. The boys are showing a lot of resilience and we are going to need it this season." Chris Sutton and Fabio Wardley were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan. The AI predictions were generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to 'predict this weekend's Premier League scores'. Everton are still unbeaten and, as well as their results, they have really impressed me with the way they have played so far. Bournemouth had a better xG than Chelsea last weekend, but lost 5-1. That game showed again how Xabi Alonso's side are going to be enjoyable to watch this season but very difficult to predict. You just don't know what you are going to get with Chelsea at the moment but at least you know what to expect from Everton. They are always so well organised and should probably have beaten Hull last time out, with the number of good chances Thierno Barry had. I can see them making things awkward for Chelsea and maintaining that unbeaten start. Brentford are another team to have made an unbeaten start, and while I thought they were a bit lucky to get a draw at Aston Villa last week, they have plenty of momentum. Liverpool got a big win on their travels in the Champions League against LASK on Wednesday but there are two ways to look at that result. On one hand, they looked good going forward and it was great for Bradley Barcola to open his account with a hat-trick. But, at the same time, they conceded three goals and they still have that vulnerability about them at the back. If the Reds empty the midfield again in this game then they are going to be in trouble, because Brentford are quite direct and will keep looking to run in behind the Liverpool defence. The sceptics will say Barcola needs to start delivering in the Premier League too, and Florian Wirtz has been taking a bit of a battering for his performances. The question I asked on the Monday Night Club was 'what kind of player actually is he?' They have paid so much money for him but is he a dribbler? No. He's not the kind of player to shoot and score from the edge of the box either. He's got an intelligent football brain but Liverpool wanted more than that. When you spend so much on a player, you want some numbers from him. This is a tricky game for Liverpool, and I don't think they will win it. They definitely won't keep a clean sheet, either. This feels like a massive game for Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa, who is still waiting for his first league win. They had it in the bag against Ipswich last week so losing that game so late on was just desperate for them. I've watched Fulham a couple of times this season, against Liverpool and Manchester United, and they played well both times without getting over the line. After this game, they go to Coventry next. I know the Cottagers are not a club known for going through managers but if they lose this then the pressure will really be on Arbeloa. Hull, in contrast, will be relishing this after the start they have made. Their identity is as a team who will have a real go at you and their approach is a bit like a bull in a china shop. It has been working pretty well so far and I think they will fancy their chances against a Fulham side who might be lacking a bit of belief. Despite that, I am going to go with Fulham here. I don't think their results have really reflected their performances so far, but that might change on Saturday. Manchester City will have learned a lot from their defeat by Paris St-Germain. I was there for Radio 5 Live and I thought City's second-half display was a magnificent response. For those teams to meet at this early stage of the Champions League it was always going to be a good game, but it was never going to be tense because neither side were going to be knocked out. PSG showed how good they are in the first half hour, but City will have gained a lot of confidence from their response. If they end up playing PSG again later in the competition, that second half will have done them the world of good psychologically. There is obviously a lot of noise around City at the moment but in that game and against Liverpool last week, you could see the unity in their team. They played with such intensity in the second half against PSG that I wonder how much that has taken out of them, but they will want to keep their foot on the throttle. Fair play to Ipswich, for coming back to beat Fulham the way they did, but I don't see them getting anything here. We know Gary O'Neil's side will have a go and I really like their approach this season, but City will have too much quality for them. Fabio on the Ipswich players who have impressed him this season: A few do stand out. Julio Enciso is doing a lot in the middle of the park and then there is Leif Davis, who has been there for a long time and is part of the core of the team. Another one who doesn't always get much of a mention is our goalkeeper Christian Walton. He had to battle for his place and has been in and out of the side but he always seems to claw his way back in and he has proved why he is the main man between the sticks. Fabio's prediction: The boys have got a tall order on Saturday. Look, playing City is no joke for anyone in the Premier League, especially a team that has just come up, but as I've been saying this week about my own situation in my fight, having an underdog mentality can be a good thing - it does free you up and kind of take the weight off your shoulders, and it allows the boys to play and just do their thing. It's a big ask to go away to City and get a result but hopefully they can pull something off and come away with at least a point. 1-1 Newcastle's defeat at Coventry on Monday was such a wild game. The way the Magpies play, they just go for it, and load players into the front line. They lost 4-1 in the end but the scoreline could have been anything with the number of chances Newcastle had. Aston Villa have made a slow start to the Premier League season results-wise but I think they done all right, bearing in mind what their manager Unai Emery has had to deal with in terms of the players they lost. Johan Manzambi is getting fitter every game and Nicolas Jackson has found some great form. It takes time for a team to come together but I thought they were really good against Brentford last weekend, but just weren't ruthless enough. That wasn't a problem against Fenerbahce on Wednesday, though. This is a really hard one to call and the only thing I know for certain is that there will be a few goals. Both these teams play in Europe on Thursday but neither of them are in great form. Sunderland have lost three in a row, while Bournemouth have not won in the league so far this season. The Cherries have been a team who have got in front but let things slip a few times this season but, against Chelsea, they went 2-0 down right from kick-off, then did it again with their third goal inside the first few seconds of the second half. Bournemouth boss Marco Rose had probably told his players "don't do anything stupid" at the break, so he must have been absolutely livid at that. They really need a positive result here but so do Sunderland. It's going to be close, and I can't pick a winner. I am not quite sure how Crystal Palace beat Nottingham Forest last week, because Forest had some incredible chances. I don't see the Eagles getting anything here, though, because Brighton are absolutely flying at the moment. The Seagulls showed great resilience to hold on at 1-0 with 10 men in their win against Sunderland last week and ended up scoring a second goal right at the end too. Again, both teams play in Europe on Thursday so they will have to find the right balance with their team selections - but I don't see it affecting Brighton any more than it will Palace. I found Lisandro Martinez's outburst about Manchester United's recruitment very strange, especially after his mistake that cost his side victory over Tottenham. You'd think Martinez would keep his head down after making a mess of the cross that let Dominic Solanke equalise - If I am United's director of football Jason Wilcox then, in January, I am buying a big left-sided centre-half who can deal with crosses to take his place. While some Manchester United fans might agree with what Martinez said, there is a time and a place to do it and it felt like a really poor error of judgement. It just shows what kind of state Manchester United are in at the moment, though. Don't forget that Spurs played them off the park early on in that game. Maybe they will up their game and find a way to win this time because they are getting desperate - but I don't see it. I think Leeds will beat them, and beat them convincingly. So far this season I have backed Manchester United most weeks but I have had enough of that. I must have lost my head to stick with them so long - not any more. Nottingham Forest held Arsenal 0-0 here last season but I don't think they have got a clean sheet in them this time. Forest were actually pretty good in their defeat against Crystal Palace, but just didn't take their chances. I can't see them causing Arsenal too many problems, however. The Gunners had a good win over Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday and this should be just as comfortable for them. Tottenham will be fresh from their training camp in Marbella and we are about to find out if it worked. If they don't beat Coventry and get their first win of the season, then they will probably have to go back out there next week as well. Being serious, they do look like they are improving already and they played well against Manchester United last week. Coventry are a dangerous counter-attacking team, and their pace in forward areas will cause problems, but this is going to be Tottenham's night. Chris was the only predictor who saw Manchester City's win at Liverpool coming. Including City's 3-0 victory at Anfield, he got four correct results with no exact scores from the 10 games in week six, giving him 40 points. His guest, Starsailor frontman James Walsh, managed two correct results with no exact scores, leaving him on 20 points. The collective efforts of the BBC readers saw them get five correct results with no exact scores, to end up on 50 points. But it was AI who took the weekly win with a total of 80 points, thanks to four correct results plus an exact score in Aston Villa's 2-2 draw with Brentford. There was only one game where everyone picked the right outcome, Chelsea's 5-1 victory over Bournemouth, although hardly anyone got the correct score. From more than 35,000 predictions, the most popular scoreline was a 2-1 Blues win. Almost 9,000 of you went for that, while only four of you got it spot on. Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has issued an apology following his controversial remarks criticising the club's hierarchy. After United's Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday Martinez said that the club had left head coach Michael Carrick with an under-equipped squad. Following talks with the club on Thursday, the Argentina international released a statement saying "I want to apologise". It is also understood Martinez has been formally punished for his outburst with a fine. Carrick will hold a news conference on Friday, prior to the game against Leeds United on Sunday. He takes his side to Elland Road on the back of just two wins from nine games this season, placed 13th in the Premier League with six points from as many games. Martinez, 28, is out of contract at the end of the season, though there is an option to extend his deal by another year. Man Utd a circus after Martinez comments - Keane Outburst came out of 'anger and frustration' - Martinez Wilcox the target again in another damaging Man Utd fallout Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast