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Premier League news LIVE: Postecoglou doubles down on Werner criticism, Arsenal and Liverpool in action, Manchester derby build-up

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Arsenal and Liverpool are among the teams in top-flight action on Saturday, before attention turns to the Manchester derby on Sunday.

League-leaders Liverpool are four-points clear of Chelsea - who host Brentford on Sunday - with a game in hand.

Tottenham v Liverpool predicted line-ups and how to follow: Salah eyes Premier League history as Reds look to be top at Christmas	Who will win Premier League title? Writers deliver verdicts amid Liverpool and Chelsea battle	Football news LIVE: Solanke scores opener against Man United, Nkunku pelted with tape, Pereira unveiled as new Wolves manager

Gameweek 16 fixtures

Saturday

Arsenal vs Everton - 3pm - LIVE on talkSPORT 2

Wolves vs Ipswich - 3pm

Newcastle vs Leicester - 3pm

Liverpool vs Fulham - 3pm

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa - 5.30pm

Sunday

Brighton vs Crystal Palace - 2pm

Man City vs Man United - 4.30pm

Southampton vs Tottenham - 7pm - LIVE on talkSPORT

Chelsea vs Brentford - 7pm - LIVE on talkSPORT 2

Monday

Bournemouth vs West Ham - 8pm - LIVE on talkSPORT

21 minutes agoBy Sean O'Brien

Premier League football will continue to confuse fans with an erratic fixture schedule as there will be no early kick-off this Saturday.

England's top-flight will be without a 12:30pm kick-off for a third successive Saturday after the Merseyside derby was postponed.

Leaders Liverpool's trip to local rivals Everton was due to be last weekend's early kick-off before Storm Darragh intervened.

However, the typical Premier League schedule has not reverted to normal on Saturday ahead of the busy festive run of fixtures.

This means that Chelsea's 2-1 away win over Leicester City on November 23 was the last 12:30pm kick-off and here's why…

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31 minutes agoBy Sean O'Brien

Ange Postecoglou has been questioned after his latest verbal attack on Tottenham forward Timo Werner.

He was surrounded by very experienced and senior players.

"We believed it was the right context for him to succeed."

The 18-year-old has made seven appearances for the Gunners so far this season having made his debut back in September whilst still 17.

Lewis-Skelly will hope to be involved again at home to Everton on Saturday afternoon.

Credit: GettyCopied

13th Dec 2024, 21:00By Ciaran Wiseman

Thomas Tuchel will take charge of his first match as England manager on March 21.

The Three Lions will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Albania.

England will also host Latvia during the March international break as they kick off their road to Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Tuchel's men are set to face visit Andorra in June next year before the reverse fixture in September 2025.

Away matches against Serbia and Latvia will be followed by the final two fixtures in November 2025 at home to Serbia and away in Albania.

Thomas Tuchel will take charge of his first match as England manager on March 21.

The Three Lions will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Albania.

England will also host Latvia during the March international break as they kick off their road to Canada, Mexico and the USA.

Tuchel’s men are set to face visit Andorra in June next year before the reverse fixture in September 2025.

Away matches against Serbia and Latvia will be followed by the final two fixtures in November 2025 at home to Serbia and away in Albania.

England's World Cup qualifiers

March 21, 2025 – Albania (H)

March 24, 2025 – Latvia (H)

June 7, 2025 – Andorra (A)

September 6, 2025 – Andorra (H)

September 9, 2025 – Serbia (A)

October 14, 2025 – Latvia (A)

November 13, 2025 – Serbia (H)

November 16, 2025 – Albania (A)

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13th Dec 2024, 20:00By Ciaran Wiseman

Unai Emery has provided an update on Ollie Watkins' fitness ahead of Aston Villa's clash with Nottingham Forest.

The two sides are set to meet at the City Ground on Saturday evening.

Watkins was withdrawn at half-time against RB Leipzig on Tuesday, with his replacement Jhon Duran scoring in a 3-2 away win.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Emery explained: "We trained yesterday but it was a recovery day and some players as well rested.

"Today we are going to try to train and to know how we are after four matches in a few days.

"Tomorrow is going to be as well a very difficult match and we have to try to play with the best players we have or with the best players who are, more or less, full in everything – energy, fitness, good rest.

"This afternoon is the key for how we can go tomorrow."

Watkins has scored seven goals and provided three assists in 15 Premier League appearances so far this season.

Credit: GettyCopied

13th Dec 2024, 19:00By Ciaran Wiseman

Russell Martin has revealed Manchester United wanted to bid £21million for Tyler Dibling.

However, the Southampton boss believes you would not even get the youngsters left foot for that.

Discussing Dibling's contract, Martin told reporters: "There is an option that we can extend, I don't think we want to do that, I think we want to reward Tyler for his performances.

"I spoke to Ty's mum and dad about it.

"And be at St George's Park to get a feeling, create an atmosphere and get known to all the people who work there, and work there passionately for the same targets.

"So I'm more than happy to start in January."

Credit: AFPCopied

13th Dec 2024, 14:16By Robert Calcutt

Ruben Amorim says he never held conversations about potentially replacing Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

The Manchester United head coach joined from Sporting Lisbon in November following previous links with other Premier League sides.

One of those was City before Guardiola agreed to extend his contract until 2027, but Amorim has played down these links.

Ahead of this weekend's Manchester derby, he was asked if there were any talks regarding him joining City and he said: "Never, never heard [from them] and this was my only option.

"When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I already had something in my mind, it could be a possibility.

"With Manchester City or Hugo Viana [City's incoming director of football, currently at Sporting], nothing about that."

Credit: GettyCopied

13th Dec 2024, 13:58By Robert Calcutt

Gary O'Neil has confirmed that Nelson Semedo will take over Wolves captaincy duties from Mario Lemina.

Lemina cut a visibly angered figure at the end of Wolves' 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Monday night and clashed with Jarrod Bowen.

He even squared up to his own team's assistant coach Shaun Derry.

O'Neil said after that 'He took a bit of calming down but everything's fine now', although revealed on Friday that he's no longer captain.

"The discussions with Mario were good.

The duo are the third and fourth officials to have progressed through the programme following the appointments of EFL referees Alex Chilowicz and Matt Donohue on numerous occasions during the 2024/25 season.

They have added to the smaller pool of officials operating as VAR in the Premier League on a regular basis.

Davies will operate as an assistant to referee Darren England on Sunday when Southampton host Tottenham.

Credit: GettyCopied

13th Dec 2024, 13:08By Robert Calcutt

Pep Guardiola has claimed that he knows why his Manchester City side have lacked consistency in recent matches.

City are on torrid run of form that has seen them lost seven of their last ten matches in all competitions and win just once.

They have looked far off the Premier League winning side of last season, with a title defence now seemingly all but over.

However, Guardiola believes that he may have the answer as to why they have struggled of late.

"In our jobs we will always do our best and when the best doesn’t happen you are more uncomfortable than when the situation is going well," he said ahead of the derby against Manchester United.

We just have to keep working and moving forward."

Credit: AFPCopied

13th Dec 2024, 12:47By Robert Calcutt

Chelsea are reportedly hopeful of Enzo Maresca becoming a record-breaking head coach at the club.

Maresca joined the Blues in the summer from Leicester and has had a thoroughly impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge

The Italian has Chelsea sitting second in the Premier League and in the last 16 of the UEFA Conference League with a 100 per cent record.

Maresca have received plaudits for his squad and in-game management, with Chelsea keen for him to have a lengthy tenure.

As reported by The Athletic, their aim is for Maresca to become the longest-serving head coach since the beginning of the 21st century.

Chelsea also hope he can match the Premier League longevity of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp at Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.

Sir Alex Ferguson holds the title as the longest-serving manager in the history of the Premier League as he spent 26 years and 194 days at Manchester United.

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13th Dec 2024, 12:21By Jake Lambourne

March 21-25June 6-10September 4-9October 9-14November 13-18

World Cup play-offs

March 26-31, 2026Copied

13th Dec 2024, 12:18By Jake Lambourne

England's first matches of the qualifying campaign will take place during the international break in March.

The full fixtures for the Three Lions will be released in full in the near future.

But for Thomas Tuchel, his first game in charge of the 1966 World Cup winners will be a competitive fixture as opposed to a friendly.

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13th Dec 2024, 12:12By Jake Lambourne

England have been handed a hugely favourable draw in the World Cup.

Ranked fourth in the world by FIFA, Thomas Tuchel will be looking to claim maximum points in Group K.

England have not been drawn against a nation in the top 30 of FIFA's world rankings, with Serbia in 32nd spot.

Albania meanwhile sit in 65th spot, with Latvia in 140th place.

Completing the group is Andorra, who are way down in 171st.

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13th Dec 2024, 12:05By Jake Lambourne

A reminder, the below list includes Nations League quarter-final placeholders.

Group A: Winner of Germany/Italy, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg

Group B: Switzerland, Sweden, Slovenia, Kosovo

Group C: Loser of Portugal/Denmark, Greece, Scotland, Belarus

Group D: Winner of France/Croatia, Ukraine, Iceland, Azerbaijan