1. \u2018Big confidence\u2019 in Tottenham\u2019s injury team <\/p>\n
Roberto De Zerbi has insisted Tottenham\u2019s medical staff bears no responsibility for the numerous selection issues he faces against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday where his club will attempt to win for only the second time in 42 matches in all competitions.<\/p>\n
The head coach has been boosted by the return of Pedro Porro from injury while he reported that Andy Robertson, Omar Marmoush and Dominic Solanke were \u201cgood\u201d in light of fitness concerns. De Zerbi had bad news elsewhere, however, saying Destiny Udogie was still out and Tosin Adarabioyo was a doubt.<\/p>\n
James Maddison did not train for three days after the home win over Coventry on Monday and may not be ready, while caution will remain the watchword with Dejan Kulusevski, who played his first minutes since May 2025 against Frank Lampard\u2019s side. De Zerbi could be without nine players due to injury when the longer-term absentees are factored in, including Lucas Bergvall and Savio. Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended.<\/p>\n
Spurs appointed a new performance director last season in Dan Lewindon and he oversaw a clutch of new hires in the performance department in July. De Zerbi made the point that the club would make a \u201ctotal report\u201d on injuries at the end of the season but \u201cso far we can\u2019t say anything bad about the medical staff\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am convinced our medical staff this season is high level. I have big confidence because I know how they are working and they are good enough to believe in. We are suffering a normal situation in football.\u201d<\/p>\n
De Zerbi went into detail on the cases of Porro, Bergvall and Robertson to reinforce his argument. \u201cPedro won the World Cup with Spain,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe with the head or body he didn\u2019t recover enough to start this season without a pre-season. He already suffered in the World Cup the muscular problem of the hamstring. He felt it in training and played anyway against Aston Villa [on 29 September] because he pushed to come back before the right time and he suffered another injury. What is the responsibility of the medical staff?<\/p>\n
\u201cBergvall turned his knee and felt pain in the first minute against Manchester United [on 10 October]. He finished the game and the day after he felt pain. What is the responsibility of the medical staff? Nothing. Robertson played four games in a row for Scotland [during the recent international window] and after that felt a small problem and did not play in Manchester. He played 65 minutes against Coventry and was fatigued. It\u2019s normal fatigue for a player who played [so much].\u201d<\/p>\n
On Spurs\u2019s terrible record at Stamford Bridge, De Zerbi said: \u201cWhat is the problem? We didn\u2019t play in the past for Tottenham and I was not the Tottenham coach in the last seasons. We have already many problems and this is not a problem.\u201d David Hytner<\/p>\n
2. Alonso: \u2018We keep calm, don\u2019t lose our heads\u2019 <\/p>\n
Xabi Alonso has said greater emotional control is behind the improvement of Chelsea\u2019s disciplinary record, one that saw them picked up 11 red cards last season.<\/p>\n
Alonso focused on the problem after becoming manager last summer and has been rewarded with better behaviour from his new side. Chelsea, who can expect a feisty encounter when hosting Tottenham on Saturday evening, have not had a red card this season and showed intelligence when they won 2-0 at Everton last weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me it comes a lot with emotional control, with the control of the game,\u201d Alonso said.\u00a0\u201cIf you are focused on what you have to do, you are prepared for what\u2019s going on.\u00a0Normally you don\u2019t make that many mistakes and don\u2019t overreact to certain situations.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a fundamental part of the game, to have that emotional control. The momentum is coming \u2013 we keep calm, I don\u2019t lose my head and I don\u2019t get stupid yellow cards, make stupid penalties.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso pointed to Chelsea signing more experienced players last summer. \u201cI think it helps,\u201d he said. \u201cAbsolutely.\u00a0It helps for that composure that you need in certain moments. You have players that sometimes, even during the game, they take a step back to see this is happening and now we need to keep focused and calm.\u201d<\/p>\n Stamford Bridge is usually at its loudest when Spurs turn up at a ground where they have not won since 2018. Alonso expects an \u201celectric\u201d atmosphere but admitted that playing with control in the Premier League can be tough when crowds feed off duels and end-to-end football. \u201cIt is really difficult,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has played down the impact of his influence from the touchline: \u2018I have from the touchline some kind of input but the real one is from the players.\u2019 Photograph: Phil Noble\/Reuters<\/p>\n \u201cTo find a total dominance in a game when you are in full control and you have few problems like in other leagues, it\u2019s difficult to find it in the Premier League unless you have become a top, top, top team. That\u2019s why you can\u2019t rest on your laurels when you are 2-0 up.\u201d<\/p>\n Alonso played down the impact of his influence from the touchline. \u201cIt is people on the pitch,\u201d the Spaniard said. \u201cI can say many things but sometimes I don\u2019t reach [the players], I don\u2019t control. I can do it in advance. I have from the touchline some kind of input but the real one is from the players. Normally the most experienced ones. It\u2019s the ones that feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n Chelsea are without Emiliano Mart\u00ednez after the goalkeeper broke his jaw against Everton. Mike Penders will start and Alonso sees similarities between the young Belgian and his compatriot Thibaut Courtois. \u201cI spoke with Thibaut as well when he was in the World Cup, asking about Mike, and he even said that he could see resemblances with Mike,\u201d Alonso said.\u00a0Jacob Steinberg<\/p>\n 3. Go easy on Ngumoha, says Iraola<\/p>\n Andoni Iraola has insisted Rio Ngumoha must be allowed to make mistakes and not have his development stifled by \u201cimpossible\u201d demands.<\/p>\n The 18-year-old sparkled for Liverpool in their Champions League comeback<\/a> against Villarreal on Tuesday while still adapting to playing on the right wing. It was only a fifth start under Iraola for Ngumoha, who last month became the third-youngest player to make his competitive debut for England, after Wayne Rooney and Jude Bellingham.<\/p>\n The Liverpool head coach has described it is a \u201cprivilege\u201d to coach the teenager but is wary of too many expectations being heaped on such a young talent.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel very lucky to have him but this is a moment when, because he has played well, we cannot straight away put expectations on him super high because it is not fair for him,\u201d Iraola said. \u201cHe will still have to make mistakes, he will still have his moments where it is up and down, because this is a natural process that every player goes through.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot straight away put demands on Rio that are impossible to beat. No, we have to help him in this process knowing that he will have good games and probably some games when it is not so good.\u201d<\/p>\n Iraola believes Ngumoha\u2019s personality offers reassurance that he will not be unduly affected by the growing attention. The winger has two years remaining on the contract he signed on turning 17 but is expected to be rewarded with a new deal.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t felt that he\u2019s very affected, positively or negatively, by all the things that are said about him,\u201d Iraola added. \u201cHe\u2019s very focused on the football side, on improving his performances and trying to get the things that we need from him. It\u2019s not easy when you are 18 and everyone is talking about you but he knows that what matters is what is happening today in training and the things that he can add to his game. He\u2019s very focused on that.\u201d<\/p>\n Liverpool will again be without the injured Dominik Szoboszlai when hosting in-form Brighton on Sunday and Victor Mu\u00f1oz is doubtful with a knock sustained in last weekend\u2019s win at Brentford. Andy Hunter<\/p>\n The 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha sparkled for Liverpool in their Champions League comeback against Villarreal on Tuesday. Photograph: Adam Vaughan\/EPA4. Farke faces triple injury blow<\/p>\n Daniel Farke has been dealt a blow before Sunday\u2019s Premier League game at Sunderland after revealing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor are all injury doubts.<\/p>\n Calvert-Lewin, whose fourth league goal of the season earned Leeds a 1-1 home draw against Manchester United last week, and midfielder Stach both sustained foot injuries in that match. Winger Okafor is struggling with a thigh strain and all three players are rated \u201cmajor doubts\u201d after missing out on team training this week.<\/p>\n Farke confirmed Daniel James is in restraint after recovering from his recent injury, while Lukas Nmecha, Harry Wilson and Jean-Matt\u00e9o Bahoya will also be hoping to feature. Nmecha has made six league appearances off the bench this season and Farke added: \u201cOverall you have to say for a back-up striker, Lukas has scored I think seven goals last season,\u201d said Farke.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, if he doesn\u2019t play each and every minute due to the fact that Dominic was so outstanding, I think this is a really good record and I would have to say in the last game he looked sharp.\u201d Press Association<\/p>\n 5. Nothing has changed for us, says Arbeloa<\/p>\n Alvaro Arbeloa maintains \u201cnothing has changed\u201d as his Fulham side look to build on a first Premier League win. The Spaniard \u2013 who took over as head coach at Craven Cottage in the summer \u2013 has come under scrutiny following a testing start to the campaign before easing some of the pressure with a 1-0 victory over Hull at Craven Cottage<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fulham come up against another promoted side at Coventry on Saturday and Arbeloa wants his players to continue to show the same focused mindset. \u201cNothing has changed for us,\u201d Arbeloa said. \u201cWhen we were not winning games, we believed that we were doing so many things well, and now we have the same targets, so we should come in and try to win a tough game.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, now we have the reward that we were looking for, and now it is another week, another game, so we need to fight again for the win.\u201d<\/p>\n Arbeloa added: \u201cWhen you are working and you are not winning, it is not easy, so everything is easier when you play well, in the way that you want and you win matches. That is the most important thing, and it is very important for your confidence, and I think we deserve it.\u201d Press Association<\/p>\n 6. Richest clubs face \u00a31.8m bill for regulator<\/p>\n The highest-earning Premier League clubs will pay up to \u00a31.8m towards the cost of the independent football regulator (IFR) from next summer, but could face paying much higher amounts in the years ahead.<\/p>\n The IFR has opened a consultation proposal on the levy needed to fund it, and has projected a total cost to the 116 clubs in the top five divisions of English football of \u00a320.3m in the first year of its licensing regime \u2013 2027-28 \u2013 rising to \u00a320.9m in 2028-29. That figure is double the government\u2019s original estimate of \u00a310m a year being required for the IFR.<\/p>\n It is thought Premier League clubs will cover around 85% of the total annual IFR costs, though the amount each club repays will be designed to be proportionate to their revenues. The highest-earning clubs will pay up to \u00a31.8m in year one, the IFR said, but it added that most Premier League teams would pay \u00a3600,000.<\/p>\n However, costs could rise significantly in the future, with the consultation document confirming that set-up costs for the regulator ran to around \u00a345m. Only \u00a31m of that is being recovered in 2027-28, and \u00a32m the year after, leaving some \u00a342m to be recovered over the next eight years. A further \u00a31m of the 2027-28 levy is a contribution to building up reserves for any future litigation costs.<\/p>\n