1. \u2018Best player\u2019 Palmer to return against Arsenal<\/p>\n
Cole Palmer is available for Chelsea\u2019s Premier League top of the table meeting with Arsenal, Enzo Maresca said on Friday, with the midfielder\u2019s return providing a boost as the Blues look to close a six-point gap on their London rivals at the top of the table.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old England international stubbed his toe on a door<\/a>, fracturing it and further delaying his return after a groin injury had already limited his availability this season. \u201cHe is available to start and to play,\u201d Maresca said. \u201cEveryone is happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Palmer has made only four appearances for Chelsea across all competitions this campaign, scoring twice. Since joining from Manchester City in 2023, he has recorded 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 matches for the Blues. \u201cHe is our best player, we are happy he is back, we need to give him time to be 100% fit. He has done fantastic in the past and no doubt he is going to do very good for this club in the future,\u201d Maresca said. Reuters<\/p>\n 2. \u2018No reason\u2019 given for Gueye\u2019s failed red-card appeal <\/p>\n Everton have failed with an appeal against Idrissa Gueye\u2019s red card for fighting with his teammate Michael Keane<\/a> in Monday night\u2019s 1-0 win at Manchester United<\/a>. Gueye saw red 13 minutes into the match at Old Trafford, slapping Keane as they argued over a misplaced pass, and then needed to be hauled away by Jordan Pickford before the referee Tony Harrington sent off the veteran midfielder for violent conduct.<\/p>\n Idrissa Gueye slaps his Everton teammate Michael Keane. Photograph: Adam Vaughan\/EPA<\/p>\n Gueye immediately apologised and it was all smiles during training this week as he and Keane staged a mock boxing match on social media, but the 36-year-old Senegal midfielder must still serve a three-match ban which leaves Everton shorthanded for Saturday\u2019s match against Newcastle.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have appealed it and our appeal was turned down,\u201d Moyes said. \u201cWe haven\u2019t been given any reason why it was turned down but we did appeal it.\u201d Asked if there had been any further fallout this week, Moyes added: \u201cIt was over immediately, it was done, that was it, we moved on quite quickly and it was all sorted within the dressing room.\u201d PA Media<\/p>\n 3. Wissa trains for first time at Newcastle<\/p>\n Yoane Wissa, who suffered a knee injury days after his arrival at Newcastle from Brentford in September, has trained with his new club for the first time, Eddie Howe said on Friday, without disclosing a possible return date.<\/p>\n Newcastle signed the striker for \u00a355m to replace Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool for a British record transfer fee. But the 29-year-old was injured on national duty before he was due to make his Newcastle debut.<\/p>\n Yoane Wissa was injured on national duty before his Newcastle debut. Photograph: Bradley Collyer\/PA<\/p>\n \u201cHe is doing well, he trained with us for the first time on Wednesday, so I was really pleased with how he looked. That\u2019s his first time competitively with the group. Let\u2019s see how he responds today,\u201d Howe said in the buildup to Saturday\u2019s game at Everton. \u201cWe\u2019ve got [a return date] in mind, but it\u2019s probably best if I keep that to myself. We don\u2019t want to disappoint anyone. Of course, we want to involve him as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Kieran Trippier, however, will be sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury. PA Media<\/p>\n 4. Liverpool slump \u2018doesn\u2019t matter\u2019, insists Nuno<\/p>\n Nuno Esp\u00edrito Santo insists Liverpool\u2019s poor form \u201cdoesn\u2019t really matter\u201d as West Ham prepare to take on the ailing Premier League champions. Arne Slot\u2019s side may have lost six of the last seven in the Premier League to drop out of the top 10, but the Hammers\u2019 head coach maintains there can be no sense of complacency on Sunday at the London Stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cLiverpool is a good team and in football, what matters is what you do on the day,\u201d Nuno said. \u201cSo what we expect is the champions of the Premier League, players that are talented and capable of doing good things, so we have to get ready.<\/p>\n West Ham will have Lucas Paquet\u00e1 available following suspension. Photograph: Nigel French\/PA<\/p>\n \u201cThe history of the results before, the form of the teams, doesn\u2019t really matter. It is about the day. Knowing that we are going to face a very good team, that has players capable of doing fantastic things, so we have to get ready, to compete.\u201d<\/p>\n West Ham will have Lucas Paquet\u00e1 available after suspension, while Crysencio Summerville and Dinos Mavropanos are stepping up their recovery from injury. PA Media<\/p>\n 5. Gibbs-White in frame to face Brighton<\/p>\n