Premier League reaction & build-up to Thursday's matches

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Premier League reaction & build-up to Thursday's matches
  • Thanks for joining us today - and remember you can follow live coverage of the two Premier League matches later:

    • Everton v Newcastle 19:30
    • Spurs v West Ham 20:15

    Meanwhile, here's some of today's top stories to check out:

  • "Newcastle have lost Nick Pope for several months and, like with any position, if your main player is out and someone else comes in, as a player in the team you sometimes don’t have as much confidence. If you ask any team or player, it’s that you just need the confidence and belief that a deputy will do alright.

    "Where Newcastle are well places is they have experienced back up in Martin Dubravka.

    "They will have to adapt as Pope has been amazing.

    "But broadly, Newcastle are clearly getting stronger. Their display as a defensive unit at Paris St-Germain was phenomenal. You really saw their strength to go there and perform like that with no substitutions to make.

    "There have been some revelations in the team, like Joelinton. But let's be truthful, when a team gets stronger and better, individuals begin to look better and better as they rise with the players they are surrounded by."

    BBC Sport has a dedicated Newcastle page packed with news, analysis and fan views - get it here.

  • Tottenham host West Ham this evening in the late kick-off with six points separating either side.

    Ange Postecoglou had a fast start to life in the Premier League, however his points collection has begun to slow as he is without a win in four games.

    David Moyes' West Ham currently sit ninth in the Premier League, but have won just two of their last 21 Premier League away games versus Spurs.

    Tottenham are without a victory in their previous four league games (D1, L3), despite scoring the opening goal in all four of those matches.

    Spurs have dropped 13 points from a winning position in this season's Premier League - only Burnley have dropped more.

  • "After Tottenham’s draw at Manchester City, everyone went away happy. Once again they were on the charge. I had a text off a Tottenham-supporting friend saying “City couldn’t beat out reserves”.

    "That kind of thing tells you the spirit the fans are in. They feel confident that the squad can go places with a manager in an attacking style.

    "Now they’ll be tested. I am working at the West Ham game and they’ll have to win.

    "They have not got results because of an incredible list of injuries and suspensions. No team can deal with that. In my view now they have to balance, set themselves away again and try to develop consistency into the New Year. If they lose one or two in December, I don’t see that as a big deal. I really believe Ange Postecoglou has credit in the bank and time.

    "The players clearly love it under his management. You can see it in their celebrations.

    "And their points tally could have been different. Against Chelsea, Cristian Romero gets sent off for a mistake. The key will be limiting those mistakes. In those moments of danger, it’s being calmer and realising you don’t have to make that desperate tackle because you’re a good team. You can trust in that fact, be a little more calm and believe you’ll get results without the desperate acts."

  • Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

    This week, he takes on CBeebies presenter Rhys Stephenson.

    Everton v Newcastle

    Sutton's prediction:1-2

    This should be a really good game. between two teams who will throw everything at it.

    Everton's home form is not great, but they have total belief in their approach under Sean Dyche and they play like they share the same cause.

    But Newcastle's unity is also great to see - they are all in with Eddie Howe and fully invested in his playing style as well.

    I was tempted to go for a draw but with former Everton winger Anthony Gordon going back to Goodison Park, I have a sneaky feeling he might make the difference.

    Rhys' prediction: 0-2

  • We'll have a quick look ahead to tonight's matches before we close for the afternoon.

  • Steve Cooper deserves more time and more importantly more commitment from his players. Last night at Fulham was an embarrassment. He deserves better from them. He's transformed the club, its culture and the relationship with the fans. Without him we'd still be swanning around the championship in mid table or lower. Better performances from those available and some passion and commitment is what's needed now

    Paul

    I found myself defending Steve Cooper last night but also agreeing his time is up. Very confusing times for Forest fans.

    Gary, Season Ticket Holder

  • It’ll be a really pleasing performance and result for JurgenKlopp, they weren’t at their best, I think everybody in the ground could seethat but they just won the game, they did the job that was needed and that’llplease Jurgen I’m sure.

    I just noticed the way that they [Sheffield United] kept the low block, they triedto frustrate Liverpool as best they can. They were a 4-5-1 without the ball,dropping deep into their shape to try and frustrate Liverpool the best theycould and hit them on the counter attack.

    Whether they can sustain a titlechallenge, I’m not sure, the one thing that will please Jurgen Klopp is that they're inthe mix. We know Liverpool are a tough match on the day, They need to keep grindingout these performances and if they are going to be in that title race, theyjust need to keep grinding these results out and winning at whatever means possible.

  • Manchester City are winless in four Premier League games - including a defeat to Aston Villa on Wednesday.

    However, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told press that "if somebody would write City off that would be the biggest joke in the history of football."

    The German coach was speaking after his side's 2-0 win away to Sheffield United, which saw them move above City into second place, two points behind leaders Arsenal.

    "Arsenal are fighting and had a similar experience [to what] we had," the Liverpool manager added, referrinng to Arsenal's 97th-minute winner to beat Luton 4-3 on Tuesday.

    "Aston Villa is incredible. [Manchester] United is there, don't play yet maybe exactly the football whoever wants - the media or whatever - but they have points like crazy."

  • Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has his personal hearing with the FA thisafternoon following his comments over Newcastle's controversial winner against the Gunners last month,

    He branded the officials “a disgrace and embarrassing”after the 1-0 defeat at St James' Park where they decided not to overturn Anthony Gordon's winner.

    Arteta is already suspended for this weekend after his“excessive celebration” at Luton that led to a third yellow card of the season.

  • Match of the Day pundits Mark Chapman, Ashley Williams and Martin Keown discuss how Manchester United went from a "flat" performance against Newcastle United to a "hungry" & "energetic" one against Chelsea in the Premier League.

  • Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson talks about the United's manager's decision making on the Football Daily podcast.

    "Erik ten Hag is not afraid to make big decisions, he's come under fire, he's come under criticism and rightly so because of the results his team has had and the way they have played. The application of his team wasn't one that weren't playing for the manager. Off the ball that was their best performance of the season."

  • Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson talks about ManchesterUnited's 'really good' performance in last night's win over Chelsea on theFootball Daily podcast.

    "There were talks this week about the potential divide in theManchester United dressing room, but we didn't see that on the pitch.Right from the first whistle they pressed Chelsea high. Man United set thetraps and Chelsea fell into them, they are a very good team.

    "They have absolutely set an expectation or desire to win games,not only home games but away games as well. The game last week againstNewcastle probably hurt the players. listening to Scott McTominay speak afterthe game and said that the game against Newcastle had affected the players andthat is something they didn't want to continue coming into this game, that issomething that was very apparent from the first whistle and in the way they setup.

    "United won 2-1 but it could have been so much more. At half-timethey could have been 2 or 3-nil up and it wouldn't have been unjust. It was areally good performance by Manchester United."

  • Qatar Sports Investments, the owner of Paris Saint-Germain, has sold a minority stake in the Ligue 1 club to US investment fund Arctos Sports Partners.

    It is understood the deal is up to 12.5% and values theclub at around €4.25bn.

    QSI bought PSG for €70m in 2011.

    Arctos will support funding of PSG’s real estateprojects, including stadium plans. They will also focus on development of thewomen’s side of the club.

  • Would take Steve Cooper at Palace. Was always a mistake to keep Hodgson on for this season, there is a sad end coming for a good man and it's a shame. Going backwards at an alarming rate

    CPM, South London

    I feel like the vast majority of Forest fans want Cooper to stay. But when you consider recent performances and our next couple of games, which are going be tough and unlikely to yield many (if any) points, if Evangelos Marinakis is going to swing the axe he should act promptly.

    Simon

  • "There was a point in the summer when United manager Erik ten Hag was willing to sell Scott McTominay.

    "If West Ham - or any other suitor - had come in with an acceptable bid for the Scotland midfielder, it would have been accepted.

    "A bit like Harry Maguire - but without the external noise - McTominay kept his counsel, got his head down and forced his way back into Ten Hag's team.

    "For the second time this season, McTominay has delivered the goals that gave United a priceless home win in a game they could not afford to lose.

    "When he was caught towards the end of the first-half and it seemed he might have to go off, McTominay gritted his teeth and got on with it, completing the full 90 minutes.

    "United have spent millions on various midfielders over the years. But right now, it is a home-grown player who is dragging them through."

  • "It is a case of one step forward, two back for Chelsea at the moment.

    "Bad performance at Newcastle, good one against Brighton, average one at Old Trafford.

    "Mauricio Pochettino clearly has injury problems to deal with and he was correct in saying Manchester United had more time to prepare for their Premier League encounter.

    "But he omitted to mention United also had a midweek trip to Turkey before that while Chelsea had a full week on the training ground at Cobham.

    "As each game passes, it feels like another season of treading water for Chelsea's expensively assembled squad. Pochettino needs some consistency over Christmas - and for that, he needs to tighten up his team because at the moment they are giving their opponents far too many opportunities to score."

  • Manchester United have a massive couple of weeks coming up inthe Champions League and they have to win.

    They cannot keep going on this cycle where they turn over another manager.

    In my time Sir Alex Ferguson went through a terrible season inthe 1989-1990 season around Christmas time.

    In the end Mark Robins helped fire in those goals to get himto the FA Cup final and the rest is history.

    But it must be said Manchester United are only three pointsoff fourth position.

    It is a tough time but there comes a time to say enough isenough and we are going to stick with this guy [Erik ten Hag].

  • It's phenomenal. Unai Emery has got Aston Villa together working asa unit, as a team. The attitude from every single player, the belief from everysingle player, the fact that there was no fear at all, at any point in thisgame against Man City, who are obviously the league champions, one of the bestteam’s we’ve seen for many many years.

    This is a special team that he’s puttogether now. People think they’re just visitingbut I think they can stay in the top four and a lot of that will come down towhat happens at the weekend against Arsenal, that'll be a cracker to watch.

  • Manchester City have to go off to play the World Club Championshipand Arsenal are now in the Champions League which is a lot different to the Europa leagueof last season.

    The one team that everyone has to be very careful of isLiverpool they can afford to play there second string side in the Europa league.