Israel’s military said a missile launched from Yemen has hit the Tel Aviv area after air defence systems were unable to intercept the incoming projectile.

Medics in Gaza said Israeli air attacks killed at least 25 Palestinians on Friday after Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 77 people killed in Israeli attacks across the enclave over the previous 24 hours.



Israel's Iron Dome Fails To Intercept Houthis' Missile Strike

Yemen's Houthis Launch Ballistic Missile On Israel's Tel Aviv |

Israel’s military said a missile launched from Yemen has hit the Tel Aviv area after air defence systems were unable to intercept the incoming projectile.

Medics in Gaza said Israeli air attacks killed at least 25 Palestinians on Friday after Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 77 people killed in Israeli attacks across the enclave over the previous 24 hours.

Houthis Target Tel Aviv With Ballistic Missile 'Type Palestine 2'

Israel’s military said a missile launched from Yemen has hit the Tel Aviv area after air defence systems were unable to intercept the incoming projectile. Medics in Gaza said Israeli air attacks killed at least 25 Palestinians on Friday after Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 77 people killed in Israeli attacks across the enclave over the previous 24 hours.

BREAKING: Houthis Launch Missile Attack On Tel Aviv, 16 Injured

Houthis Hit Tel Aviv: Is Iron Dome Losing Missile Detection Ability?

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell says that other clubs must slip up for Arsenal to win the Premier Legue title this season. Campbell was recently in Kolkata as the global ambassador for the Tata Steel World 25k . Campbell also told Correspondent Arkodeepto Mukherjee that he is open to working in India. Watch in for more details!



Sol Campbell: Other Clubs Must Slip Up For Arsenal To Win Title

Arsenal legend Sol Campbell says that other clubs must slip up for Arsenal to win the Premier Legue title this season. Campbell was recently in Kolkata as the global ambassador for the Tata Steel World 25k . Campbell also told Correspondent Arkodeepto Mukherjee that he is open to working in India. Watch in for more details!

The Houthis' increasingly powerful arsenal poses a significant threat in the Middle East. With advanced weaponry and escalating tensions, their military capabilities are raising alarms among regional powers and international observers.

Houthis' Powerful Missiles: A Growing Threat in the Region

The Houthis' increasingly powerful arsenal poses a significant threat in the Middle East. With advanced weaponry and escalating tensions, their military capabilities are raising alarms among regional powers and international observers.



Mikel Arteta praised Bukayo Saka's "incredible talent" after the Arsenal forward's double inspired a 3-0 win over Monaco that moved his side closer to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. Saka struck late in each half at the Emirates Stadium before Kai Havertz wrapped up Arsenal's fourth win in six games in the revamped league phase of Europe's elite club competition.

The Gunners sit third in the table with two games remaining as they chase automatic qualification for the last 16 via a top-eight finish.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-ferran-torres-hits-brace-in-dortmund-win-as-barcelona-cruises-into-knockouts-783347">Champions League: Ferran Torres hits brace in Dortmund win as Barcelona cruises into knockouts</a>

With matches against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona to come in January that should be a simple task for Arsenal.

But if Arteta's team are to win the Champions League for the first time, they will need England star Saka to maintain his superb form. The 23-year-old has five goals in his last six games in all competitions and nine for the season, as well as a hatful of assists.

Even those impressive statistics don't do justice to Saka's influence on Arsenal.

Arteta knows better than anyone just how much Saka has developed since the Spaniard took charge in 2019.

"He looks really mature. What he has already done in the game at his age is incredible. Very humble, a great guy to have around and an incredible talent," Arteta said. "He's a special person. In his role his leadership is increasing. With the young kids he is amazing, with the seniors he is amazing. He is loved by everybody and he makes the difference on the pitch."

<h2>'The ambition he has'</h2>

Saka is a quiet, unassuming personality both on and off the pitch so there is little chance of him blowing his own trumpet.

But pundits are starting to rank the winger as one of the world's best forwards and Arteta agrees that he is on the right trajectory to be rated alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior.

"That is what he wants to do. That is the ambition he has and the quality he has. He is preparing himself every day so I'm not surprised," he said. "You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to prove yourself in that position.

"What he has done at that age, you can put him in those brackets. What he done in his six years in professional football is exceptional and that's it.

"That has been an evolution. He wasn't able to do that at 18 or 19. A year or two ago, he developed in the right way, his condition, his preparation.

"Now he has the habit to play every three days and he is doing that at the highest level."

Arsenal have won five of their last six games in all competitions, but Arteta admitted they still weren't at their best against Monaco.

They wasted a series of chances in the first half and were fortunate that Monaco missed opportunities to equalise before Saka's killer second goal.

"We should have scored four or five in the first half but it wasn't the case," Arteta said. "In the Champions League you will have difficult moments and we suffered but then with the second goal the game was in control."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta praised Bukayo Saka's "incredible talent" after the Arsenal forward's double inspired a 3-0 win over Monaco that moved his side closer to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta praised Bukayo Saka's "incredible talent" after the Arsenal forward's double inspired a 3-0 win over Monaco that moved his side closer to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday. Saka struck late in each half at the Emirates Stadium before Kai Havertz wrapped up Arsenal's fourth win in six games in the revamped league phase of Europe's elite club competition. The Gunners sit third in the table with two games remaining as they chase automatic qualification for the last 16 via a top-eight finish. ALSO READ: Champions League: Ferran Torres hits brace in Dortmund win as Barcelona cruises into knockouts With matches against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona to come in January that should be a simple task for Arsenal. But if Arteta's team are to win the Champions League for the first time, they will need England star Saka to maintain his superb form. The 23-year-old has five goals in his last six games in all competitions and nine for the season, as well as a hatful of assists. Even those impressive statistics don't do justice to Saka's influence on Arsenal. Arteta knows better than anyone just how much Saka has developed since the Spaniard took charge in 2019. "He looks really mature. What he has already done in the game at his age is incredible. Very humble, a great guy to have around and an incredible talent," Arteta said. "He's a special person. In his role his leadership is increasing. With the young kids he is amazing, with the seniors he is amazing. He is loved by everybody and he makes the difference on the pitch." 'The ambition he has' Saka is a quiet, unassuming personality both on and off the pitch so there is little chance of him blowing his own trumpet. But pundits are starting to rank the winger as one of the world's best forwards and Arteta agrees that he is on the right trajectory to be rated alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior. "That is what he wants to do. That is the ambition he has and the quality he has. He is preparing himself every day so I'm not surprised," he said. "You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to prove yourself in that position. "What he has done at that age, you can put him in those brackets. What he done in his six years in professional football is exceptional and that's it. "That has been an evolution. He wasn't able to do that at 18 or 19. A year or two ago, he developed in the right way, his condition, his preparation. "Now he has the habit to play every three days and he is doing that at the highest level." Arsenal have won five of their last six games in all competitions, but Arteta admitted they still weren't at their best against Monaco. They wasted a series of chances in the first half and were fortunate that Monaco missed opportunities to equalise before Saka's killer second goal. "We should have scored four or five in the first half but it wasn't the case," Arteta said. "In the Champions League you will have difficult moments and we suffered but then with the second goal the game was in control." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta lauds ‘incredible’ Saka for Arsenal win against Monaco in Champions League

Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal team for how they have coped with a punishing defensive injury crisis as he prepares his men to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Gunners are seventh in the new-look Champions League format after three wins in five matches -- one place above the Ligue 1 team.

But Arteta, whose men are also third in the Premier League, is juggling a lengthy injury list.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-champion-cyclist-rohan-dennis-admits-lesser-charge-after-wifes-death-report-782896">Australian champion cyclist Rohan Dennis admits lesser charge after wife's death: Report</a>

Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori, who both missed Sunday's draw at Fulham, were absent from Tuesday's training session, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey.

Right-backs Ben White&nbsp;and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still absent with knee injuries.

"We have to manage a lot of the players, so they're probably not going to be fit for tomorrow and are a doubt," Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"I still have 24 hours to make those decisions and hopefully the right ones.... In the ideal scenario, we have to be in charge to make those decisions because it's forcing us to make it for the wrong reasons, but as well, we need to accept the reality and move forwards."

Arsenal stumbled at the start of last month but won four straight games in all competitions before Sunday's 1-1 draw.

But the Spaniard said he was happy with how his men were coping in the absence of a settled back line.

"The good news is that the team still reacts and plays in the way that we want and becomes so dominant, and we want to do that regardless of who plays and I think that belief is within the team and it's really positive," he said.

Arteta said there was an opportunity for defender Kieran Tierney to return -- the 27-year-old Scotland international has yet to feature this season.

"He is ready and he's training really well and he's going to have an opportunity for sure with the way the team is looking at the moment," he said.

"It's for that reason and because he's earned it as well with the way he's behaved and the way he's been with us."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal team for how they have coped with a punishing defensive injury crisis as he prepares his men to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal team for how they have coped with a punishing defensive injury crisis as he prepares his men to face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Gunners are seventh in the new-look Champions League format after three wins in five matches -- one place above the Ligue 1 team. But Arteta, whose men are also third in the Premier League, is juggling a lengthy injury list. Also Read: Australian champion cyclist Rohan Dennis admits lesser charge after wife's death: Report Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori, who both missed Sunday's draw at Fulham, were absent from Tuesday's training session, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey. Right-backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still absent with knee injuries. "We have to manage a lot of the players, so they're probably not going to be fit for tomorrow and are a doubt," Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. "I still have 24 hours to make those decisions and hopefully the right ones.... In the ideal scenario, we have to be in charge to make those decisions because it's forcing us to make it for the wrong reasons, but as well, we need to accept the reality and move forwards." Arsenal stumbled at the start of last month but won four straight games in all competitions before Sunday's 1-1 draw. But the Spaniard said he was happy with how his men were coping in the absence of a settled back line. "The good news is that the team still reacts and plays in the way that we want and becomes so dominant, and we want to do that regardless of who plays and I think that belief is within the team and it's really positive," he said. Arteta said there was an opportunity for defender Kieran Tierney to return -- the 27-year-old Scotland international has yet to feature this season. "He is ready and he's training really well and he's going to have an opportunity for sure with the way the team is looking at the moment," he said. "It's for that reason and because he's earned it as well with the way he's behaved and the way he's been with us." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta dealing with defensive injuries ahead of Monaco clash

Liverpool's Premier League lead was cut to seven points by Arsenal and Chelsea after the Reds conceded a 90th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Chelsea thrashed 10-man Southampton 5-1 to go second on goal difference ahead of Arsenal, who beat Manchester United 2-0.

Manchester City snapped their seven-game winless run by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 to go fourth.

Mohamed Salah's second-half double was not enough to extend Liverpool's seven-game winning run in all competitions as they failed to win for just the third time in 21 games under Arne Slot.

Twice the league leaders were forced to come from behind at St James' Park as Alexander Isak blasted Newcastle into a 1-0 half-time lead.

Curtis Jones levelled before Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle's lead.

Salah twice converted Trent Alexander-Arnold assists to turn the game around, taking his tally for the season to 15 goals.

However, there was a late sting in the tale as a rare error from Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher allowed Fabian Schar to squeeze in a late equaliser for the Magpies.

"He has done remarkably well for us and even today he was good. Unfortunately, he misjudged the situation," Liverpool boss Slot said of Kelleher's blunder.

<h2>Arsenal take advantage</h2>

Arsenal took full advantage by inflicting Ruben Amorim's first defeat as Manchester United boss.

Once again the Gunners were able to rely on their prowess from set-pieces to get the job done.

Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock, heading in Declan Rice's corner nine minutes into the second half.

William Saliba did not know much about the second, as he diverted in Thomas Partey's header from Bukayo Saka's corner, but the Frenchman did not care as Arsenal had the breathing space they craved.

A fourth consecutive win in all competitions confirmed Arsenal's return to form and applied a little pressure on Liverpool.

"A special day. It's a joy to play in this stadium with that energy, it's something incredible," Arteta said.

"We scored two set-pieces, but we could've scored from open play many more."

Amorim added: "The set-pieces killed the game. They can put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it's almost impossible to fight for the ball.&nbsp;

"We already know we have to be better."

Chelsea put bottom-of-the-table Southampton to the sword at St Mary's even before the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens pulled Marc Cucurella's hair.

Axel Disasi's early opener for the Blues was cancelled out by Joe Aribo.

But Christopher Nkunku pounced on sloppy Southampton passing from the back to make it 2-1 before Noni Madueke added a third.

Stephens then saw red in a bizarre incident as he jostled with Cucurella from a Saints corner.

Cole Palmer made sure he got in on the act with Chelsea's fourth before Jadon Sancho's first goal since his loan move from Manchester United rounded off the scoring.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-202425-scott-boland-urges-australia-not-to-press-panic-button-after-perth-test-shocker-780594">BGT 2024/25: Scott Boland urges Australia not to press panic button after Perth Test shocker</a>

<h2>De Bruyne eases Man City crisis</h2>

City bounced back from their barren run thanks to Kevin De Bruyne's return to the starting line-up for the first time in nearly three months.

The Belgian teed up Bernardo Silva for the opening goal before firing in the second himself.

Jeremy Doku sealed a much-needed three points for Pep Guardiola's men, who are now nine off the top.

"Definitely we needed that after many games without winning," Guardiola said.

"Kevin De Bruyne was excellent. When he's fit he's so important for us. It's just one game but it was important to break this run."

Aston Villa ended their eight-game run without a win with a dominant first-half display to beat Brentford 3-1.

Morgan Rogers' wonder strike, Ollie Watkins' penalty and Matty Cash's effort made it 3-0 inside 34 minutes before Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard got one back.

Everton thrashed Wolves 4-0 thanks to two Craig Dawson own goals in a huge clash at the bottom of the table.

Ashley Young and Orel Mangala put the Toffees 2-0 up at half-time, before Dawson's goals twice rubbed salt in Wolves' wounds after the break.

Victory lifts Everton five points clear of the relegation zone, while Wolves sink to 19th.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool's Premier League lead was cut to seven points by Arsenal and Chelsea after the Reds conceded a 90th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Liverpool's Premier League lead was cut to seven points by Arsenal and Chelsea after the Reds conceded a 90th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday. Chelsea thrashed 10-man Southampton 5-1 to go second on goal difference ahead of Arsenal, who beat Manchester United 2-0. Manchester City snapped their seven-game winless run by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 to go fourth. Mohamed Salah's second-half double was not enough to extend Liverpool's seven-game winning run in all competitions as they failed to win for just the third time in 21 games under Arne Slot. Twice the league leaders were forced to come from behind at St James' Park as Alexander Isak blasted Newcastle into a 1-0 half-time lead. Curtis Jones levelled before Anthony Gordon restored Newcastle's lead. Salah twice converted Trent Alexander-Arnold assists to turn the game around, taking his tally for the season to 15 goals. However, there was a late sting in the tale as a rare error from Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher allowed Fabian Schar to squeeze in a late equaliser for the Magpies. "He has done remarkably well for us and even today he was good. Unfortunately, he misjudged the situation," Liverpool boss Slot said of Kelleher's blunder. Arsenal take advantage Arsenal took full advantage by inflicting Ruben Amorim's first defeat as Manchester United boss. Once again the Gunners were able to rely on their prowess from set-pieces to get the job done. Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock, heading in Declan Rice's corner nine minutes into the second half. William Saliba did not know much about the second, as he diverted in Thomas Partey's header from Bukayo Saka's corner, but the Frenchman did not care as Arsenal had the breathing space they craved. A fourth consecutive win in all competitions confirmed Arsenal's return to form and applied a little pressure on Liverpool. "A special day. It's a joy to play in this stadium with that energy, it's something incredible," Arteta said. "We scored two set-pieces, but we could've scored from open play many more." Amorim added: "The set-pieces killed the game. They can put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it's almost impossible to fight for the ball. "We already know we have to be better." Chelsea put bottom-of-the-table Southampton to the sword at St Mary's even before the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens pulled Marc Cucurella's hair. Axel Disasi's early opener for the Blues was cancelled out by Joe Aribo. But Christopher Nkunku pounced on sloppy Southampton passing from the back to make it 2-1 before Noni Madueke added a third. Stephens then saw red in a bizarre incident as he jostled with Cucurella from a Saints corner. Cole Palmer made sure he got in on the act with Chelsea's fourth before Jadon Sancho's first goal since his loan move from Manchester United rounded off the scoring. ALSO READ | BGT 2024/25: Scott Boland urges Australia not to press panic button after Perth Test shocker De Bruyne eases Man City crisis City bounced back from their barren run thanks to Kevin De Bruyne's return to the starting line-up for the first time in nearly three months. The Belgian teed up Bernardo Silva for the opening goal before firing in the second himself. Jeremy Doku sealed a much-needed three points for Pep Guardiola's men, who are now nine off the top. "Definitely we needed that after many games without winning," Guardiola said. "Kevin De Bruyne was excellent. When he's fit he's so important for us. It's just one game but it was important to break this run." Aston Villa ended their eight-game run without a win with a dominant first-half display to beat Brentford 3-1. Morgan Rogers' wonder strike, Ollie Watkins' penalty and Matty Cash's effort made it 3-0 inside 34 minutes before Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard got one back. Everton thrashed Wolves 4-0 thanks to two Craig Dawson own goals in a huge clash at the bottom of the table. Ashley Young and Orel Mangala put the Toffees 2-0 up at half-time, before Dawson's goals twice rubbed salt in Wolves' wounds after the break. Victory lifts Everton five points clear of the relegation zone, while Wolves sink to 19th. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Liverpool held in Newcastle thriller, Arsenal inflict first defeat on Ruben Amorim's team

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will need to be almost perfect if they are to catch runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool but feels momentum is building again after a poor run.

Arsenal, runners-up to Manchester City over the past two seasons, were expected to challenge again this year but instead Liverpool have raced eight points clear of second-placed City.

The Gunners go into Saturday's match against West Ham on a high after hammering Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League in midweek.

Last weekend they beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at home to end a four-match winless run in the league that cost them vital ground.

Victory at the London Stadium on Saturday would likely lift Arsenal to second in the table ahead of the Sunday matches, which includes a pivotal clash between Liverpool and City.

Arteta was asked at his pre-match press conference on Friday whether his team would have to be almost flawless to stand any chance of catching Liverpool, who have won 10 of their 12 games.

"If they continue that way, that's for sure, with the numbers they're producing and the amount of games they're winning," said the Arsenal manager.

"But the focus is on us, maintaining the consistency, especially in performances, that will give us the right to win a lot of games... this is a long run."

He said he felt momentum was building at Arsenal again after the international break.

"Winning lifts the energy and our confidence," he added. "They were two big wins for us and now it's about consistency, getting that momentum, take it further against a good opponent tomorrow and try to replicate the performance to win the game."

He added: "This is every three days so it doesn't matter what you did yesterday, it's about the next days, the next performance. Are you able to sustain high-level performance throughout the game as well because of how competitive every opponent is right now? And that's what we will try to do tomorrow."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-202425-rahul-should-bat-at-no-3-if-rohit-sharma-wants-to-open-in-adelaide-test-feels-pujara-780121">BGT 2024/25: Rahul should bat at No. 3 if Rohit Sharma wants to open in Adelaide Test, feels Pujara</a>

Arsenal's uptick in form has coincided with the return of captain Martin Odegaard, who spent two months on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Arteta said the "exceptional" midfielder had hit the ground running since his return earlier this month.

"Good players that are so consistent and so reliable, that can take the game to a different level and make the players better around them -- that's a huge quality of Martin's and he has been missed," he said.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will need to be almost perfect if they are to catch runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool but feels momentum is building again after a poor run.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal will need to be almost perfect if they are to catch runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool but feels momentum is building again after a poor run. Arsenal, runners-up to Manchester City over the past two seasons, were expected to challenge again this year but instead Liverpool have raced eight points clear of second-placed City. The Gunners go into Saturday's match against West Ham on a high after hammering Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League in midweek. Last weekend they beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at home to end a four-match winless run in the league that cost them vital ground. Victory at the London Stadium on Saturday would likely lift Arsenal to second in the table ahead of the Sunday matches, which includes a pivotal clash between Liverpool and City. Arteta was asked at his pre-match press conference on Friday whether his team would have to be almost flawless to stand any chance of catching Liverpool, who have won 10 of their 12 games. "If they continue that way, that's for sure, with the numbers they're producing and the amount of games they're winning," said the Arsenal manager. "But the focus is on us, maintaining the consistency, especially in performances, that will give us the right to win a lot of games... this is a long run." He said he felt momentum was building at Arsenal again after the international break. "Winning lifts the energy and our confidence," he added. "They were two big wins for us and now it's about consistency, getting that momentum, take it further against a good opponent tomorrow and try to replicate the performance to win the game." He added: "This is every three days so it doesn't matter what you did yesterday, it's about the next days, the next performance. Are you able to sustain high-level performance throughout the game as well because of how competitive every opponent is right now? And that's what we will try to do tomorrow." ALSO READ | BGT 2024/25: Rahul should bat at No. 3 if Rohit Sharma wants to open in Adelaide Test, feels Pujara Arsenal's uptick in form has coincided with the return of captain Martin Odegaard, who spent two months on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Arteta said the "exceptional" midfielder had hit the ground running since his return earlier this month. "Good players that are so consistent and so reliable, that can take the game to a different level and make the players better around them -- that's a huge quality of Martin's and he has been missed," he said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Arsenal must be near-perfect to catch Liverpool, says Mikel Arteta

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points. The Italian champions remain undefeated in the competition this season and sit fifth on 10 points at the midway point of the new league phase format. "I think we played a great game against a strong side who play with great intensity," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

Arsenal, on the other hand, experienced defeat for the first time in Europe this season and lie three points and seven places behind their opponents. The match at the San Siro looked set to go into the break goalless until a penalty was signalled against Mikel Merino after Mehdi Taremi's flick deviated the ball into the Arsenal player's raised hand from close range.

"We were very harshly done by," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. "There is no deflection, nothing you can do in the box, so can he get away from it?"

Calhanoglu stroked home the resulting spot-kick three minutes into first-half injury time. Yann Sommer and Denzel Dumfries combined on the line to deny Gabriel Magalhaes a leveller shortly before the hour.

Arsenal cranked up the pressure in the second half but were unable to break down Inter's solid defensive block as the Premier League side fell to a second defeat in four days.

Barcelona beat Red Star Belgrade 5-2 in Serbia to claim sixth spot in the standings. The Catalans took the lead on 13 minutes via a stooping header by defender Inigo Martinez. But Red Star struck back just prior to the half-hour when Silas Mvumpa sprang the Barca offside trap and lifted the ball past Inaki Pena.

Robert Lewandowski effectively ensured Barca stayed in the automatic qualification spots with a quick-fire double either side of the break. Raphinha and Fermin Lopez then netted, before Felicio Milson curled in a late consolation for the hosts.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/algerian-boxer-imane-khelif-takes-legal-action-over-gender-reports-774148">Algerian boxer Imane Khelif takes legal action over gender reports</a>

<h2>- PSG in trouble -</h2>

Atletico stunned PSG 2-1 in the French capital as Angel Correa's stoppage-time winner gave the Spaniards a second Champions League win this term. "Paris played very well, they attacked the whole match, but we were confident, we worked hard in defence and as a team, and we got our goal at the end to claim victory," Correa said to Movistar.

The loss means the French champions sit in the elimination zone with one win and a draw from four, with matches against Manchester City and Bayern Munich to come.

Warren Zaire-Emery sent PSG ahead with a dinked finish past Jan Oblak on 14 minutes, before Nahuel Molina drilled in an equaliser four minutes later.

The home team pressed as the match wore on but left themselves exposed as Oblak's throw found Antoine Griezmann on the break and the Frenchman's pinpoint pass landed at the feet of Correa, who cut in and finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Jamal Musiala struck in the 67th minute to get Bayern Munich's stuttering campaign back on course with a 1-0 win at home to Benfica. The six-time winners' record of two wins and two defeats leaves them mid-table with four matches remaining.

Aston Villa's 100 percent record in the Champions League ended with a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge, sparked by a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings.

After making his debut in the competition in just his second match back after a long injury lay-off, the England centre-half gifted Brugge a penalty in the 51st minute after he picked up a short goal kick taken by Emiliano Martinez.

Hans Vanaken stroked home from 12 yards to drop Villa to eighth.

Brest continued their excellent start to life at European football's top table, a 2-1 win at Sparta Prague taking them to fourth place.

Second-half strikes by Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo gave Europa League champions Atalanta a 2-0 win at Stuttgart.

RB Leipzig picked up their first points of the campaign with a 3-1 victory in the Netherlands against 10-man Feyenoord.

Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine defeated Young Boys 2-1, condemning the Swiss side to a fourth consecutive defeat in the competition.

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A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points.

A Hakan Calhanoglu penalty gave Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday, while a 93rd-minute winner ensured Atletico Madrid left Paris with all three points. The Italian champions remain undefeated in the competition this season and sit fifth on 10 points at the midway point of the new league phase format. "I think we played a great game against a strong side who play with great intensity," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi. Arsenal, on the other hand, experienced defeat for the first time in Europe this season and lie three points and seven places behind their opponents. The match at the San Siro looked set to go into the break goalless until a penalty was signalled against Mikel Merino after Mehdi Taremi's flick deviated the ball into the Arsenal player's raised hand from close range. "We were very harshly done by," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told TNT Sports. "There is no deflection, nothing you can do in the box, so can he get away from it?" Calhanoglu stroked home the resulting spot-kick three minutes into first-half injury time. Yann Sommer and Denzel Dumfries combined on the line to deny Gabriel Magalhaes a leveller shortly before the hour. Arsenal cranked up the pressure in the second half but were unable to break down Inter's solid defensive block as the Premier League side fell to a second defeat in four days. Barcelona beat Red Star Belgrade 5-2 in Serbia to claim sixth spot in the standings. The Catalans took the lead on 13 minutes via a stooping header by defender Inigo Martinez. But Red Star struck back just prior to the half-hour when Silas Mvumpa sprang the Barca offside trap and lifted the ball past Inaki Pena. Robert Lewandowski effectively ensured Barca stayed in the automatic qualification spots with a quick-fire double either side of the break. Raphinha and Fermin Lopez then netted, before Felicio Milson curled in a late consolation for the hosts. Also read: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif takes legal action over gender reports - PSG in trouble - Atletico stunned PSG 2-1 in the French capital as Angel Correa's stoppage-time winner gave the Spaniards a second Champions League win this term. "Paris played very well, they attacked the whole match, but we were confident, we worked hard in defence and as a team, and we got our goal at the end to claim victory," Correa said to Movistar. The loss means the French champions sit in the elimination zone with one win and a draw from four, with matches against Manchester City and Bayern Munich to come. Warren Zaire-Emery sent PSG ahead with a dinked finish past Jan Oblak on 14 minutes, before Nahuel Molina drilled in an equaliser four minutes later. The home team pressed as the match wore on but left themselves exposed as Oblak's throw found Antoine Griezmann on the break and the Frenchman's pinpoint pass landed at the feet of Correa, who cut in and finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Jamal Musiala struck in the 67th minute to get Bayern Munich's stuttering campaign back on course with a 1-0 win at home to Benfica. The six-time winners' record of two wins and two defeats leaves them mid-table with four matches remaining. Aston Villa's 100 percent record in the Champions League ended with a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge, sparked by a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings. After making his debut in the competition in just his second match back after a long injury lay-off, the England centre-half gifted Brugge a penalty in the 51st minute after he picked up a short goal kick taken by Emiliano Martinez. Hans Vanaken stroked home from 12 yards to drop Villa to eighth. Brest continued their excellent start to life at European football's top table, a 2-1 win at Sparta Prague taking them to fourth place. Second-half strikes by Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo gave Europa League champions Atalanta a 2-0 win at Stuttgart. RB Leipzig picked up their first points of the campaign with a 3-1 victory in the Netherlands against 10-man Feyenoord. Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine defeated Young Boys 2-1, condemning the Swiss side to a fourth consecutive defeat in the competition. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UCL: Inter Milan sink Arsenal, Atletico sting PSG late on as Barcelona back on track

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday.

City were unbeaten in their previous 32 league games dating back to a defeat at Aston Villa last year.

But Pep Guardiola's second-placed side saw that streak came to an unexpected end in a 2-1 loss on England's south coast.&nbsp;

The Cherries had never beaten City in their 21 previous meetings, losing 19 of those matches, yet Andoni Iraola's team sprang a huge upset to derail the champions' push for a fifth successive title.

Bournemouth recently damaged Arsenal's title hopes with a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and they inflicted pain on City as well.

Guardiola had claimed City faced an injury "emergency" after they suffered fitness problems in Wednesday's League Cup defeat at Tottenham.

But Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol all started against Bournemouth after injury doubts, with Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho and Jeremy Doku fit enough to be named among the substitutes.

Exhausted or not, City were rocked in the ninth minute when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo drilled Milos Kerkez's cross past Ederson from inside the area.

Guardiola's men were unable to muster a response to that blow and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's lead in the 64th minute with a composed finish from Kerkez's cross.

Gvardiol's header reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, but it was too late to save City from a second defeat in four days.

Newcastle put a huge dent in fourth-placed Arsenal's title aspirations with a 1-0 win at St James' Park.

Alexander Isak netted in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross.

Injury-hit Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta's team, runners-up to City for the past two years, have taken just one point from their last three games as their push for a first title since 2004 was derailed by a second league defeat this term.

"Today we weren't our best version. It's about how you react to that. We're not going to find the right words or answers to describe how we feel," said Arteta, whose side are seven points adrift of first place.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/because-of-hero-worship-former-india-player-on-rcb-retaining-virat-kohli-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-772722">'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

<h2>Liverpool's late power surge</h2>

At Anfield, Liverpool were in danger of a surprise loss of their own before regrouping to take advantage of their rivals' stumbles with a 2-1 win over Brighton.

Ferdi Kadioglu gave Brighton the lead in the 14th minute with a fierce strike that cannoned in off the post after Danny Welbeck flicked on Kaoru Mitoma's cross.

But Liverpool had beaten Brighton in the League Cup last 16 in midweek and they repeated the trick thanks to a late revival.

Cody Gakpo bagged the equaliser in the 70th minute with a cross that looped straight into the net.

Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, the Egypt forward curling a fine finish into the top corner for his ninth goal this season.

In Arne Slot's first season in charge, Liverpool are two points clear of City after their eighth win in 10 league games.

Nottingham Forest are up to third place after beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 to make it three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since 1999.

Chris Wood grabbed his eighth goal in 10 league games as the New Zealand striker headed home after 27 minutes.

West Ham had Edson Alvarez sent off in first-half stoppage-time for two bookings.

Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 65th minute and Ola Aina sealed the points 12 minutes from full-time at the City Ground.

Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich their first top-flight win since 2002 as Leicester rescued a 1-1 draw at Portman Road.

Leif Davis's 55th-minute volley put Ipswich ahead but the hosts had Kalvin Phillips sent off in the 77th minute.

Ayew levelled with seconds left to leave third-bottom Ipswich winless after 10 games.

Second-bottom Southampton earned their first league win this season as Adam Armstrong's 85th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 success against Everton.

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Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday.

Manchester City suffered their first Premier League loss since December as Bournemouth stunned the champions, while Arsenal were rocked by Newcastle and Liverpool seized top spot on Saturday. City were unbeaten in their previous 32 league games dating back to a defeat at Aston Villa last year. But Pep Guardiola's second-placed side saw that streak came to an unexpected end in a 2-1 loss on England's south coast. The Cherries had never beaten City in their 21 previous meetings, losing 19 of those matches, yet Andoni Iraola's team sprang a huge upset to derail the champions' push for a fifth successive title. Bournemouth recently damaged Arsenal's title hopes with a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and they inflicted pain on City as well. Guardiola had claimed City faced an injury "emergency" after they suffered fitness problems in Wednesday's League Cup defeat at Tottenham. But Manuel Akanji, Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol all started against Bournemouth after injury doubts, with Kevin De Bruyne, Savinho and Jeremy Doku fit enough to be named among the substitutes. Exhausted or not, City were rocked in the ninth minute when Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo drilled Milos Kerkez's cross past Ederson from inside the area. Guardiola's men were unable to muster a response to that blow and Evanilson doubled Bournemouth's lead in the 64th minute with a composed finish from Kerkez's cross. Gvardiol's header reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute, but it was too late to save City from a second defeat in four days. Newcastle put a huge dent in fourth-placed Arsenal's title aspirations with a 1-0 win at St James' Park. Alexander Isak netted in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross. Injury-hit Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and produced just one shot on target in the entire game. Mikel Arteta's team, runners-up to City for the past two years, have taken just one point from their last three games as their push for a first title since 2004 was derailed by a second league defeat this term. "Today we weren't our best version. It's about how you react to that. We're not going to find the right words or answers to describe how we feel," said Arteta, whose side are seven points adrift of first place. ALSO READ | 'Because of hero worship...,' Former India player on RCB retaining Virat Kohli ahead of IPL mega auction Liverpool's late power surge At Anfield, Liverpool were in danger of a surprise loss of their own before regrouping to take advantage of their rivals' stumbles with a 2-1 win over Brighton. Ferdi Kadioglu gave Brighton the lead in the 14th minute with a fierce strike that cannoned in off the post after Danny Welbeck flicked on Kaoru Mitoma's cross. But Liverpool had beaten Brighton in the League Cup last 16 in midweek and they repeated the trick thanks to a late revival. Cody Gakpo bagged the equaliser in the 70th minute with a cross that looped straight into the net. Two minutes later, Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, the Egypt forward curling a fine finish into the top corner for his ninth goal this season. In Arne Slot's first season in charge, Liverpool are two points clear of City after their eighth win in 10 league games. Nottingham Forest are up to third place after beating 10-man West Ham 3-0 to make it three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since 1999. Chris Wood grabbed his eighth goal in 10 league games as the New Zealand striker headed home after 27 minutes. West Ham had Edson Alvarez sent off in first-half stoppage-time for two bookings. Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 65th minute and Ola Aina sealed the points 12 minutes from full-time at the City Ground. Jordan Ayew's stoppage-time equaliser denied Ipswich their first top-flight win since 2002 as Leicester rescued a 1-1 draw at Portman Road. Leif Davis's 55th-minute volley put Ipswich ahead but the hosts had Kalvin Phillips sent off in the 77th minute. Ayew levelled with seconds left to leave third-bottom Ipswich winless after 10 games. Second-bottom Southampton earned their first league win this season as Adam Armstrong's 85th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 success against Everton. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Man City suffer first league loss in 2024; Liverpool win against Brighton

Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross from the right.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/its-now-or-never-ruben-amorim-reveals-how-he-signed-up-for-manchester-united-in-three-days-772644">‘It’s now or never’ - Ruben Amorim reveals how he signed up for Manchester United in three days</a>

Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game.

Mikel Arteta's men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam.

If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield.

Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola's City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big.

The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St James' Park, with&nbsp;Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide.

But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon's exquisite first-time cross.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker.

Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino's shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side.

Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock's shot saved by David Raya.

The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark.

Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide.

Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equaliser.

Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalise when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time.

The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week.

They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week.

The win lifts Eddie Howe's Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday.

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Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.

Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal's title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League. Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon's pinpoint cross from the right. Also Read: ‘It’s now or never’ - Ruben Amorim reveals how he signed up for Manchester United in three days Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game. Mikel Arteta's men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam. If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield. Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola's City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big. The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St James' Park, with Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide. But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon's exquisite first-time cross. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker. Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino's shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side. Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock's shot saved by David Raya. The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark. Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide. Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equaliser. Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalise when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time. The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week. They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week. The win lifts Eddie Howe's Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Arsenal's title hopes take hit after loss against Newcastle

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "right in the mix" at the top of the Premier League despite their stumbles over the past two weeks. The third-placed Gunners, hunting their first top-flight title since 2004, are five points behind leaders Manchester City after nine games, following a shock 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

They face a tricky away trip to Newcastle on Saturday, desperate to ensure the gap does not grow wider.

Arteta, whose team have pushed City all the way in the past two seasons, was asked on Friday whether he was concerned over the points difference, with Liverpool also four points ahead.

"You want to be first, you want to win every game," said the Spaniard. "We know the situations that we have to play with this season, but we're right in the mix.

"We know the tough challenge that we're going to face tomorrow, but we're fully ready for that."

Arteta said his injury-hit team had showed an "incredible capacity" to compete against Liverpool last week.

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"Unfortunately, a lot of things happened that we didn't even plan for," he said.

"I was suspecting, with the size of the squad that we had, to be very adaptable in the season and that's something that we worked on from day one in pre-season.

"But obviously, not to be that adaptable, especially in certain scenarios, but for sure the team showed an incredible capacity to compete, to be better than the opponent in many moments."

Arteta has ruled defender Riccardo Calafiori and long-term absentee Martin Odegaard out of the game at St James' Park while Takehiro Tomiyasu is still missing.

The Arsenal boss said he was unsure about Ben White's availability but Gabriel Magalhaes could feature.

Newcastle are 12th in the Premier League table, without a win in their past five games, but Arteta warned they would prove a stiff challenge.

"They're a fantastic team. They're really well coached, they're very intense," he said. "It's a great stadium to play in. You know what you're going to face there, so we're looking forward to it."

Arteta also spoke about Ethan Nwaneri's "rare" talent after the 17-year-old scored his third goal of the season in the midweek 3-0 win against Preston in the League Cup.

"I think the biggest thing is to push him, and then when he is being pushed, you always grab him right behind to make sure that he's always stable and protected," he said. "But with this talent, you have to push him. The protection is necessary to keep an eye on him and be at the right distance, but he needs to see that he can fly and don't clip any wings."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "right in the mix" at the top of the Premier League despite their stumbles over the past two weeks. The third-placed Gunners, hunting their first top-flight title since 2004, are five points behind leaders Manchester City after nine games, following a shock 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are "right in the mix" at the top of the Premier League despite their stumbles over the past two weeks. The third-placed Gunners, hunting their first top-flight title since 2004, are five points behind leaders Manchester City after nine games, following a shock 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw against Liverpool. They face a tricky away trip to Newcastle on Saturday, desperate to ensure the gap does not grow wider. Arteta, whose team have pushed City all the way in the past two seasons, was asked on Friday whether he was concerned over the points difference, with Liverpool also four points ahead. "You want to be first, you want to win every game," said the Spaniard. "We know the situations that we have to play with this season, but we're right in the mix. "We know the tough challenge that we're going to face tomorrow, but we're fully ready for that." Arteta said his injury-hit team had showed an "incredible capacity" to compete against Liverpool last week. ALSO READ: Ruben Amorim replaces Erik Ten Hag as Manchester United’s new manager "Unfortunately, a lot of things happened that we didn't even plan for," he said. "I was suspecting, with the size of the squad that we had, to be very adaptable in the season and that's something that we worked on from day one in pre-season. "But obviously, not to be that adaptable, especially in certain scenarios, but for sure the team showed an incredible capacity to compete, to be better than the opponent in many moments." Arteta has ruled defender Riccardo Calafiori and long-term absentee Martin Odegaard out of the game at St James' Park while Takehiro Tomiyasu is still missing. The Arsenal boss said he was unsure about Ben White's availability but Gabriel Magalhaes could feature. Newcastle are 12th in the Premier League table, without a win in their past five games, but Arteta warned they would prove a stiff challenge. "They're a fantastic team. They're really well coached, they're very intense," he said. "It's a great stadium to play in. You know what you're going to face there, so we're looking forward to it." Arteta also spoke about Ethan Nwaneri's "rare" talent after the 17-year-old scored his third goal of the season in the midweek 3-0 win against Preston in the League Cup. "I think the biggest thing is to push him, and then when he is being pushed, you always grab him right behind to make sure that he's always stable and protected," he said. "But with this talent, you have to push him. The protection is necessary to keep an eye on him and be at the right distance, but he needs to see that he can fly and don't clip any wings." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal ‘right in the mix’ in Premier League title race despite latest stumbles

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table. Vinicius struck three times in the second half as Madrid bounced back from two goals down to inflict further anguish on Dortmund -- in the repeat of last season's final which Real won 2-0.

First-half goals in quick succession by Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens had given Dortmund a two-goal lead at half-time.

"Things were very quiet when we got to the dressing room 2-0 down at half-time," Vinicius, 24, told Movistar. "But we listened to the boss (coach Carlo Ancelotti) and agreed one simple thing: if we can score first then we'll fight back and win once again."

The 15-times&nbsp;champions&nbsp;duly struck back early in the second period via Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius, before Lucas Vazquez sent Real ahead and the Brazilian netted two more inside the final 10 minutes.&nbsp;

After the surprise defeat at Lille last time out, Madrid's hunt for a record-extending 16th&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League crown is back on track as they move to ninth in the standings, on six points. Malen swept the Germans into the lead on the half-hour following a deft pass from Serhou Guirassy that split open the defence.

Madrid defender Eder Militao was then left beating the turf in frustration four minutes later when Gittens flew in at the back post to double Dortmund's lead.

Rudiger halved the deficit with a powerful header from a Kylian Mbappe cross on 60 minutes. Vinicius equalised two minutes later by tucking away a stray ball, the goal being awarded by VAR after Mbappe was shown to have been onside in the build-up.

A rare Dortmund foray forward resulted in a fine Thibaut Courtois save, with the holders then racing straight down the other end and Vazquez lashing home on 83 minutes.

Vinicius then completed his hat-trick in the 86th and 93rd minutes, his second coming after a lung-busting sprint down the line from inside his own half. Arsenal emerged 1-0 winners at home to Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk thanks to an own-goal from the visitors' goalkeeper.

Dmytro Riznyk could only grasp at thin air after Gabriel Martinelli had cut in from the left and smacked the ball against the near post before it rebounded back off the goalie and over the line.&nbsp;

Leandro Trossard missed a penalty near the end, but Arsenal had already done enough to secure their second win of the tournament.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-chris-wood-winner-for-nottingham-forest-adds-more-misery-on-poor-crystal-palace-769627">Premier League: Chris Wood winner for Nottingham Forest adds more misery on poor Crystal Palace</a>

<h2>- Table-topping Villa -</h2>

Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are enjoying an excellent return to European football's top table after 41 years as they won their third match in three&nbsp;Champions&nbsp;League outings this term with a 2-0 victory against Bologna. "We are playing seriously, we are playing focussed, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything," manager Unai Emery told TNT Sports.

John McGinn opened the scoring at Villa Park 10 minutes after the interval and Jhon Duran wrapped up the points in the 64th minute, sending Emery's side to the top of the league phase table on nine points with zero goals conceded.

Stuttgart sank Juventus 1-0 in Turin, thanks to a stoppage-time winner by El Bilal Toure.

The Italians were reduced to 10 men when Danilo picked up a second yellow while conceding a penalty in the 84th minute.

Mattia Perin looked to have saved his side when he stopped the resulting spot-kick from Enzo Millot, but Toure slammed home in the 92nd minute for Stuttgart.

PSV Eindhoven surprised Paris Saint-Germain with a Noa Lang goal against the run of play in the first period, before Achraf Hakimi hit back on 55 minutes to ensure the points were shared.

AC Milan beat 10-men Club Brugge at the San Siro with Christian Pulisic and a Tijjani Reijnders brace giving the Italians a 3-1 victory.

Monaco won 5-1 at home to Red Star Belgrade, while Sporting Lisbon beat Sturm Graz 2-0 in Austria. Last season's Spanish league surprise-packages Girona picked up their first points in the competition with a 2-0 win at home to Slovan Bratislava.

On Wednesday, five-time winners Barcelona host six-time&nbsp;champions&nbsp;Bayern Munich and Liverpool visit RB Leipzig.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table.

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday with Vinicius Junior scoring a hat-trick, as Aston Villa maintained their 100 percent record to go top of the table. Vinicius struck three times in the second half as Madrid bounced back from two goals down to inflict further anguish on Dortmund -- in the repeat of last season's final which Real won 2-0. First-half goals in quick succession by Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens had given Dortmund a two-goal lead at half-time. "Things were very quiet when we got to the dressing room 2-0 down at half-time," Vinicius, 24, told Movistar. "But we listened to the boss (coach Carlo Ancelotti) and agreed one simple thing: if we can score first then we'll fight back and win once again." The 15-times champions duly struck back early in the second period via Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius, before Lucas Vazquez sent Real ahead and the Brazilian netted two more inside the final 10 minutes. After the surprise defeat at Lille last time out, Madrid's hunt for a record-extending 16th Champions League crown is back on track as they move to ninth in the standings, on six points. Malen swept the Germans into the lead on the half-hour following a deft pass from Serhou Guirassy that split open the defence. Madrid defender Eder Militao was then left beating the turf in frustration four minutes later when Gittens flew in at the back post to double Dortmund's lead. Rudiger halved the deficit with a powerful header from a Kylian Mbappe cross on 60 minutes. Vinicius equalised two minutes later by tucking away a stray ball, the goal being awarded by VAR after Mbappe was shown to have been onside in the build-up. A rare Dortmund foray forward resulted in a fine Thibaut Courtois save, with the holders then racing straight down the other end and Vazquez lashing home on 83 minutes. Vinicius then completed his hat-trick in the 86th and 93rd minutes, his second coming after a lung-busting sprint down the line from inside his own half. Arsenal emerged 1-0 winners at home to Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk thanks to an own-goal from the visitors' goalkeeper. Dmytro Riznyk could only grasp at thin air after Gabriel Martinelli had cut in from the left and smacked the ball against the near post before it rebounded back off the goalie and over the line. Leandro Trossard missed a penalty near the end, but Arsenal had already done enough to secure their second win of the tournament. Also read: Premier League: Chris Wood winner for Nottingham Forest adds more misery on poor Crystal Palace - Table-topping Villa - Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are enjoying an excellent return to European football's top table after 41 years as they won their third match in three Champions League outings this term with a 2-0 victory against Bologna. "We are playing seriously, we are playing focussed, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything," manager Unai Emery told TNT Sports. John McGinn opened the scoring at Villa Park 10 minutes after the interval and Jhon Duran wrapped up the points in the 64th minute, sending Emery's side to the top of the league phase table on nine points with zero goals conceded. Stuttgart sank Juventus 1-0 in Turin, thanks to a stoppage-time winner by El Bilal Toure. The Italians were reduced to 10 men when Danilo picked up a second yellow while conceding a penalty in the 84th minute. Mattia Perin looked to have saved his side when he stopped the resulting spot-kick from Enzo Millot, but Toure slammed home in the 92nd minute for Stuttgart. PSV Eindhoven surprised Paris Saint-Germain with a Noa Lang goal against the run of play in the first period, before Achraf Hakimi hit back on 55 minutes to ensure the points were shared. AC Milan beat 10-men Club Brugge at the San Siro with Christian Pulisic and a Tijjani Reijnders brace giving the Italians a 3-1 victory. Monaco won 5-1 at home to Red Star Belgrade, while Sporting Lisbon beat Sturm Graz 2-0 in Austria. Last season's Spanish league surprise-packages Girona picked up their first points in the competition with a 2-0 win at home to Slovan Bratislava. On Wednesday, five-time winners Barcelona host six-time champions Bayern Munich and Liverpool visit RB Leipzig. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

UCL: Vinicius Junior hat-trick saves Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa go top

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka's injury is not serious and they are hopeful he will be available for their Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Saturday after picking up a problem on England duty, manager Mikel Arteta has said.

The 23-year-old was forced off during England's shock 2-1 loss to Greece in the Nations League at Wembley last week with a slight hamstring issue. Saka returned to Arsenal for further assessment, missing England's 3-1 win away to Finland.

Saka has scored two goals and provided seven assists in seven Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pep-guardiola-throws-weight-behind-fas-appointment-of-thomas-tuchel-as-englands-head-coach-768756">Pep Guardiola throws weight behind FA’s appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England’s head coach</a>

"(Saka) is not a serious injury," Arteta told reporters on Friday. "He is evolving really well. He has done a few things in the last two days. He wasn't fit enough to play with the national team in the second game, but we are hopeful.

"We have a training session this afternoon. He did some bits yesterday, let's see if he can make it on time."

Another injury concern is Kai Havertz after the forward missed Germany's Nations League matches against Bosnia and the Netherlands due to a knee problem. Brazilian left winger Gabriel Martinelli is also doubtful for the Bournemouth match.

Havertz, 25, has been enjoying a fine campaign, netting four times in seven Premier League games.

"He had a few issues, and we have been dealing with that. He has been absolutely brilliant. He has very good communication with the national team and the manager," Arteta said. "We have modified everything we could do here and if he trains well today, he has a good chance to be fit and available.

"Gabi landed yesterday afternoon here, so we had a very short time to be with him," added the Arsenal coach. "Yesterday he went outside to do a little bit and see how he is feeling, and today will be another step. (We will see) if we want to take the risk if he is fit because I know what the player is going to say."

Captain Martin Odegaard will miss Saturday's game as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, but Arteta said next week will be crucial to see how close the Norway midfielder is.

Last season's runners-up Arsenal are third in the standings with 17 points from seven matches and trail leaders Liverpool by a point. Bournemouth are 13th on eight points.

<h2>England Manager</h2>

Arteta was also asked about the appointment of German Thomas Tuchel as England manager.

Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is the first German to manage England and only the third foreigner after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and Italian Fabio Capello.

Arteta described Tuchel as one of the best coaches in the world.

"I understand it can feel sad for some people not to have an English manager there and the history tells you as well how important this could be but I think I would take a lot of pride that a lot of managers ... would do anything to become the England manager," Arteta added.

"I can say personally that you feel so related to where you are even though you are not from here and I think that is a huge thing. I think very few countries can say that."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka's injury is not serious and they are hopeful he will be available for their Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Saturday after picking up a problem on England duty, manager Mikel Arteta has said.

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka's injury is not serious and they are hopeful he will be available for their Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Saturday after picking up a problem on England duty, manager Mikel Arteta has said. The 23-year-old was forced off during England's shock 2-1 loss to Greece in the Nations League at Wembley last week with a slight hamstring issue. Saka returned to Arsenal for further assessment, missing England's 3-1 win away to Finland. Saka has scored two goals and provided seven assists in seven Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season. ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola throws weight behind FA’s appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England’s head coach "(Saka) is not a serious injury," Arteta told reporters on Friday. "He is evolving really well. He has done a few things in the last two days. He wasn't fit enough to play with the national team in the second game, but we are hopeful. "We have a training session this afternoon. He did some bits yesterday, let's see if he can make it on time." Another injury concern is Kai Havertz after the forward missed Germany's Nations League matches against Bosnia and the Netherlands due to a knee problem. Brazilian left winger Gabriel Martinelli is also doubtful for the Bournemouth match. Havertz, 25, has been enjoying a fine campaign, netting four times in seven Premier League games. "He had a few issues, and we have been dealing with that. He has been absolutely brilliant. He has very good communication with the national team and the manager," Arteta said. "We have modified everything we could do here and if he trains well today, he has a good chance to be fit and available. "Gabi landed yesterday afternoon here, so we had a very short time to be with him," added the Arsenal coach. "Yesterday he went outside to do a little bit and see how he is feeling, and today will be another step. (We will see) if we want to take the risk if he is fit because I know what the player is going to say." Captain Martin Odegaard will miss Saturday's game as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, but Arteta said next week will be crucial to see how close the Norway midfielder is. Last season's runners-up Arsenal are third in the standings with 17 points from seven matches and trail leaders Liverpool by a point. Bournemouth are 13th on eight points. England Manager Arteta was also asked about the appointment of German Thomas Tuchel as England manager. Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is the first German to manage England and only the third foreigner after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and Italian Fabio Capello. Arteta described Tuchel as one of the best coaches in the world. "I understand it can feel sad for some people not to have an English manager there and the history tells you as well how important this could be but I think I would take a lot of pride that a lot of managers ... would do anything to become the England manager," Arteta added. "I can say personally that you feel so related to where you are even though you are not from here and I think that is a huge thing. I think very few countries can say that." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Bukayo Saka expected to be fit for Bournemouth game, confirms Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City clinched a dramatic 3-2 win against Fulham on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's side suffered a first-half shock when Andreas Pereira put Fulham ahead at the Etihad Stadium.

But Kovacic, filling in for the injured Rodri, struck either side of half-time to settle City's nerves.

The Croatian midfielder's brace was followed by Jeremy Doku's blistering strike before Rodrigo Muniz netted Fulham's second to set up a tense finish.

City remain unbeaten in their first 10 games in all competitions this season, with five wins from seven league matches putting them firmly in contention for a fifth successive title.

They sit in second place, one point behind leaders Liverpool after ending a two-match winless run in the top-flight.

Questions have been asked over how City will cope without the influential Rodri after the Spain international was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

But while Guardiola may have been concerned at how Fulham were able to take control for spells, in Kovacic they have an able deputy.

City started strongly with Ilkay Gundogan driving just wide and Erling Haaland shooting across the face of goal.

Haaland also had a free-kick blocked and then headed at Bernardo Leno before City were caught napping on Fulham's first attack as Adama Traore broke away from Rico Lewis.

The Spaniard should have punished City but was denied by the feet of Ederson.

City switched off again in 26th minute and this time were made to pay.

They failed to deal with a deep cross from Antonee Robinson and the ball was worked inside to Raul Jimenez, whose clever backheel flick dropped perfectly for Pereira to volley home.

Fulham should have increased their lead moments later as Alex Iwobi teed up Traore but again the former Wolves man erred, scooping over the bar as Ederson closed in.

The Cottagers were to rue their misses as City began their fightback when Kovacic levelled just after the half-hour mark.

Kovacic drove in from the edge of the box, via a deflection off Joachim Anderson, after a corner fell to him invitingly.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/england-skipper-ben-stokes-ruled-out-from-first-test-against-pakistan-764759">England skipper Ben Stokes ruled out from first Test against Pakistan</a>

The former Chelsea star put City ahead with an assured finish two minutes after the break.

Silva created the chance with a nice lay-off and Kovacic did the rest, beating Sander Berge with a nice touch and curling in a shot from 18 yards.

Doku bagged the vital third goal in the 82nd minute as he cut inside from the left and rattled a shot into the top corner.

Fulham made City work until the end as Muniz turned to score with a deflected shot two minutes from full-time.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City clinched a dramatic 3-2 win against Fulham on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's side suffered a first-half shock when Andreas Pereira put Fulham ahead at the Etihad Stadium.

Mateo Kovacic scored twice as Manchester City clinched a dramatic 3-2 win against Fulham on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's side suffered a first-half shock when Andreas Pereira put Fulham ahead at the Etihad Stadium. But Kovacic, filling in for the injured Rodri, struck either side of half-time to settle City's nerves. The Croatian midfielder's brace was followed by Jeremy Doku's blistering strike before Rodrigo Muniz netted Fulham's second to set up a tense finish. City remain unbeaten in their first 10 games in all competitions this season, with five wins from seven league matches putting them firmly in contention for a fifth successive title. They sit in second place, one point behind leaders Liverpool after ending a two-match winless run in the top-flight. Questions have been asked over how City will cope without the influential Rodri after the Spain international was ruled out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury. But while Guardiola may have been concerned at how Fulham were able to take control for spells, in Kovacic they have an able deputy. City started strongly with Ilkay Gundogan driving just wide and Erling Haaland shooting across the face of goal. Haaland also had a free-kick blocked and then headed at Bernardo Leno before City were caught napping on Fulham's first attack as Adama Traore broke away from Rico Lewis. The Spaniard should have punished City but was denied by the feet of Ederson. City switched off again in 26th minute and this time were made to pay. They failed to deal with a deep cross from Antonee Robinson and the ball was worked inside to Raul Jimenez, whose clever backheel flick dropped perfectly for Pereira to volley home. Fulham should have increased their lead moments later as Alex Iwobi teed up Traore but again the former Wolves man erred, scooping over the bar as Ederson closed in. The Cottagers were to rue their misses as City began their fightback when Kovacic levelled just after the half-hour mark. Kovacic drove in from the edge of the box, via a deflection off Joachim Anderson, after a corner fell to him invitingly. ALSO READ | England skipper Ben Stokes ruled out from first Test against Pakistan The former Chelsea star put City ahead with an assured finish two minutes after the break. Silva created the chance with a nice lay-off and Kovacic did the rest, beating Sander Berge with a nice touch and curling in a shot from 18 yards. Doku bagged the vital third goal in the 82nd minute as he cut inside from the left and rattled a shot into the top corner. Fulham made City work until the end as Muniz turned to score with a deflected shot two minutes from full-time. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track; Arsenal beat resolute Southampton

Southampton have been on the wrong side of results in the Premier League, but the club continues to fly when it comes to nurturing academy products. Part of the academy product is the iconic and legendary figure Matt Le Tissier. The legendary player spoke exclusively to WION (World Is One News) on Friday (Oct 4) and opened up about the latest partnership between Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and Southampton.

<h2>Matt Le Tissier speaks to WION</h2>

Renowned for his ability on the field, Le Tissier’s down-to-earth approach was the highlight as he spoke to WION’s Aditya Pimpale. According to the former England international, Arsenal remain the favourites to win the Premier League title while Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham will tightly contest for the Ballon d’Or this season.

<h2>Question: How is Southampton looking forward to working in Indian football?</h2>

Yes, it is a great launch and we want Indian football to grow with our state-of-the-art facilities and assistance. There are a lot of things to be learned and I hope there will be a day when India will have a player in the Premier League.

<h2>Question: Where do you see Indian football 10 years after the latest collaboration?</h2>

Well, the aim is to get high rewards and if there is a player in the Premier League from India in the next 10 years, then that is a success for us. The BBFS will be of great help while Southampton will look to give every possible support to make it happen.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-have-no-idea-steve-smith-clueless-over-batting-position-against-india-in-border-gavaskar-series-764483">‘I have no idea’ - Steve Smith ‘clueless’ over batting position against India in Border-Gavaskar series</a>

<h2>Question: Who is the favourite to win the Premier League title?</h2>

Well, before Rodri got injured I had Man City to win the Premier League title, but now I am backing Arsenal to win the Premier League. They look like ready to go and take the next step and have shown the hunger in last two seasons. I just about give the nod to Arsenal if it goes down to the wire in the title race.

<h2>Question: Who is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or?</h2>

It is another tough call but I will back Erling Haaland to win as he keeps on scoring goals for Man City. I won’t be surprised if either Jude Bellingham or Vinicius Jr win the Ballon d’Or as they all had a great season. Rodri’s injury has somewhat put him behind in the race but it will be an interesting race to win the Ballon d’Or.

Southampton have been on the wrong side of results in the Premier League, but the club continues to fly when it comes to nurturing academy products. Part of the academy product is the iconic and legendary figure Matt Le Tissier.

Southampton have been on the wrong side of results in the Premier League, but the club continues to fly when it comes to nurturing academy products. Part of the academy product is the iconic and legendary figure Matt Le Tissier. The legendary player spoke exclusively to WION (World Is One News) on Friday (Oct 4) and opened up about the latest partnership between Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and Southampton. Matt Le Tissier speaks to WION Renowned for his ability on the field, Le Tissier’s down-to-earth approach was the highlight as he spoke to WION’s Aditya Pimpale. According to the former England international, Arsenal remain the favourites to win the Premier League title while Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham will tightly contest for the Ballon d’Or this season. Question: How is Southampton looking forward to working in Indian football? Yes, it is a great launch and we want Indian football to grow with our state-of-the-art facilities and assistance. There are a lot of things to be learned and I hope there will be a day when India will have a player in the Premier League. Question: Where do you see Indian football 10 years after the latest collaboration? Well, the aim is to get high rewards and if there is a player in the Premier League from India in the next 10 years, then that is a success for us. The BBFS will be of great help while Southampton will look to give every possible support to make it happen. ALSO READ | ‘I have no idea’ - Steve Smith ‘clueless’ over batting position against India in Border-Gavaskar series Question: Who is the favourite to win the Premier League title? Well, before Rodri got injured I had Man City to win the Premier League title, but now I am backing Arsenal to win the Premier League. They look like ready to go and take the next step and have shown the hunger in last two seasons. I just about give the nod to Arsenal if it goes down to the wire in the title race. Question: Who is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or? It is another tough call but I will back Erling Haaland to win as he keeps on scoring goals for Man City. I won’t be surprised if either Jude Bellingham or Vinicius Jr win the Ballon d’Or as they all had a great season. Rodri’s injury has somewhat put him behind in the race but it will be an interesting race to win the Ballon d’Or.

Exclusive: Arsenal will pip Man City to win the Premier League - Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight Champions League duel on Tuesday, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany.&nbsp;Dortmund&nbsp;were the biggest winners on a night which also saw Barcelona, Manchester City and Inter Milan claim one-sided victories and Champions League debutants Brest won 4-0 at Red Bull Salzburg.

The clash between Arsenal and French champions PSG in London was the big game of the day as the second round of matches in the new format of European football's elite club competition got underway. The Gunners were worthy winners with Kai Havertz heading in from a Leandro Trossard cross to open the scoring on 20 minutes and Bukayo Saka doubling their lead before half-time as his free-kick delivery from the right evaded everybody on its way in.

PSG saw Nuno Mendes strike the outside of the post from range in the first half while Joao Neves hit the woodwork after the break, but the visitors could not get back into the game. It is a first win in the Champions League this season for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who drew 0-0 away to Atalanta on matchday one two weeks ago.

"Really, really happy with the performance," Arteta told broadcaster Amazon Prime. "The Champions League brings different demands but I think we handled it really well."

<h2>- Adeyemi hat-trick -</h2>

Dortmund&nbsp;are currently on top of the 36-team league after they followed a 3-0 win at Club Brugge in their first game by trouncing Scottish champions Celtic in Germany. Karim Adeyemi scored a hat-trick in the first half for&nbsp;Dortmund, who were 5-1 ahead at half-time. Emre Can opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Daizen Maeda equalised, but Adeyemi then took centre stage.

Serhou Guirassy netted a penalty before the interval and made it 6-1 midway through the second half, with substitute Felix Nmecha wrapping up the victory late on.

It is&nbsp;Dortmund's biggest winning margin in the Champions League alongside a 6-0 win away to Legia Warsaw in 2016.

"There's no such thing as a perfect game, but it was very, very good," said Can. "This has to be the standard we aim to set."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpools-arne-slot-expects-diogo-jota-to-be-fit-for-champions-league-clash-at-home-763671">Liverpool’s Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to be fit for Champions League clash at home</a>

<h2>- Barcelona, Man City win -</h2>

Barcelona beat Swiss champions Young Boys 5-0 to bounce back from a 2-1 loss at Monaco a fortnight ago and their first defeat of the season in La Liga last weekend at Osasuna. Robert Lewandowski scored twice either side of goals by Raphinha and Inigo Martinez before a late Mohamed Ali Camara own goal wrapped up the victory.

"We knew after the game against Monaco in the Champions League we had to give a quick reply in the next game, which was this one, and we did that well," Raphinha told broadcaster Movistar.

Winners of the Champions League in 2023, Pep Guardiola's City were comfortable 4-0 winners away to Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia, with Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and James McAtee getting the goals.

Inter, who lost to City in the final in Istanbul two seasons ago, won by the same scoreline at home to Red Star Belgrade.

Hakan Calhanoglu set Inter on their way with a stunning early free-kick before Marko Arnautovic, Lautaro Martinez and Mehdi Taremi all netted in the second half, the latter from a penalty.

German champions Bayer Leverkusen got their second straight win in this season's competition as a Victor Boniface goal early in the second half allowed them to beat AC Milan 1-0.

<h2>- Brest surprise -</h2>

Meanwhile Brest, the French Champions League newcomers, also made it two wins out of two with a remarkable 4-0 victory away to Salzburg in Austria. Senegal striker Abdallah Sima, the forward on loan from Brighton who got their winner against Sturm Graz two weeks ago, scored twice.

Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage also found the target with Brest scoring three of their goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes.

Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys are the bottom three in the early standings. VfB Stuttgart and Sparta Prague drew 1-1 with Enzo Millot putting the German side ahead and Finnish international Kaan Kairinen equalising before the interval.

PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon also drew 1-1. Jerdy Schouten's opener for the Dutch champions was cancelled out by Daniel Braganca's late leveller.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight Champions League duel on Tuesday, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany.

Arsenal beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in their heavyweight Champions League duel on Tuesday, while last season's beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund gave Celtic a brutal reality check with an emphatic 7-1 win in Germany. Dortmund were the biggest winners on a night which also saw Barcelona, Manchester City and Inter Milan claim one-sided victories and Champions League debutants Brest won 4-0 at Red Bull Salzburg. The clash between Arsenal and French champions PSG in London was the big game of the day as the second round of matches in the new format of European football's elite club competition got underway. The Gunners were worthy winners with Kai Havertz heading in from a Leandro Trossard cross to open the scoring on 20 minutes and Bukayo Saka doubling their lead before half-time as his free-kick delivery from the right evaded everybody on its way in. PSG saw Nuno Mendes strike the outside of the post from range in the first half while Joao Neves hit the woodwork after the break, but the visitors could not get back into the game. It is a first win in the Champions League this season for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, who drew 0-0 away to Atalanta on matchday one two weeks ago. "Really, really happy with the performance," Arteta told broadcaster Amazon Prime. "The Champions League brings different demands but I think we handled it really well." - Adeyemi hat-trick - Dortmund are currently on top of the 36-team league after they followed a 3-0 win at Club Brugge in their first game by trouncing Scottish champions Celtic in Germany. Karim Adeyemi scored a hat-trick in the first half for Dortmund, who were 5-1 ahead at half-time. Emre Can opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Daizen Maeda equalised, but Adeyemi then took centre stage. Serhou Guirassy netted a penalty before the interval and made it 6-1 midway through the second half, with substitute Felix Nmecha wrapping up the victory late on. It is Dortmund's biggest winning margin in the Champions League alongside a 6-0 win away to Legia Warsaw in 2016. "There's no such thing as a perfect game, but it was very, very good," said Can. "This has to be the standard we aim to set." Also read: Liverpool’s Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to be fit for Champions League clash at home - Barcelona, Man City win - Barcelona beat Swiss champions Young Boys 5-0 to bounce back from a 2-1 loss at Monaco a fortnight ago and their first defeat of the season in La Liga last weekend at Osasuna. Robert Lewandowski scored twice either side of goals by Raphinha and Inigo Martinez before a late Mohamed Ali Camara own goal wrapped up the victory. "We knew after the game against Monaco in the Champions League we had to give a quick reply in the next game, which was this one, and we did that well," Raphinha told broadcaster Movistar. Winners of the Champions League in 2023, Pep Guardiola's City were comfortable 4-0 winners away to Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia, with Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and James McAtee getting the goals. Inter, who lost to City in the final in Istanbul two seasons ago, won by the same scoreline at home to Red Star Belgrade. Hakan Calhanoglu set Inter on their way with a stunning early free-kick before Marko Arnautovic, Lautaro Martinez and Mehdi Taremi all netted in the second half, the latter from a penalty. German champions Bayer Leverkusen got their second straight win in this season's competition as a Victor Boniface goal early in the second half allowed them to beat AC Milan 1-0. - Brest surprise - Meanwhile Brest, the French Champions League newcomers, also made it two wins out of two with a remarkable 4-0 victory away to Salzburg in Austria. Senegal striker Abdallah Sima, the forward on loan from Brighton who got their winner against Sturm Graz two weeks ago, scored twice. Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage also found the target with Brest scoring three of their goals in the space of 10 second-half minutes. Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys are the bottom three in the early standings. VfB Stuttgart and Sparta Prague drew 1-1 with Enzo Millot putting the German side ahead and Finnish international Kaan Kairinen equalising before the interval. PSV Eindhoven and Sporting Lisbon also drew 1-1. Jerdy Schouten's opener for the Dutch champions was cancelled out by Daniel Braganca's late leveller. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Arsenal beat PSG in Champions League duel, Dortmund thrash Celtic

Raheem&nbsp;Sterling&nbsp;scored his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club's youngest ever starter in a 5-1 rout of Bolton in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Liverpool reached the last 16 with a 5-1 win against troubled West Ham.

Sterling&nbsp;marked his maiden Arsenal start following his transfer deadline day move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium. The 29-year-old will hope his goal marks the start of a career revival after a disappointing two-year spell at Chelsea.

"He was great. He's started to show glimpses of what he can do. Physically, he needs to get to the level we require, but it was a massive step today," Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said.

Arteta had made seven changes from Sunday's stormy 2-2 draw at Premier League champions Manchester City, including giving goalkeeper Porter his record-breaking debut in place of the injured David Raya.

Aged 16 years and 72 days old, Porter was the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal, surpassing the previous record holder Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days when he played against Rotherham in 2003.

Porter was Arsenal's second youngest ever player overall after Ethan Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days, when he made his debut in 2022. "Jack has been training with us since pre-season. He reacted really well and was really composed. What an experience," Arteta said.

Arsenal will travel to Championship side Preston in the last 16, with the tie of the fourth round pitting Tottenham against Manchester City. Liverpool's bid to retain the trophy will continue at Brighton, while Manchester United face Leicester.

AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle, whose tie was rearranged due to flooding at the League Two side's stadium, will host Chelsea. Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead after 16 minutes with a clinical finish from the edge of the area for his first goal this season.

Nwaneri, 17, doubled Arsenal's lead in the 37th minute with his first goal for the club and struck again from 12 yards four minutes after half-time. Porter had to pick the ball out of the net in the 53rd minute when Aaron Collins jinked around him and slotted home.

Sterling&nbsp;netted in the 64th minute, tapping in after Saka's cross was spilled by Bolton keeper Luke Southwood, and Kai Havertz grabbed the fifth from close range in the 78th minute.

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<h2>- West Ham in turmoil -</h2>

At Anfield, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool's understudies demolished West Ham to increase the scrutiny on Julen Lopetegui. Under pressure after winning only one of his first five league games since replacing David Moyes, Lopetegui made eight changes from the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea last weekend.

That loss had made Lopetegui the first West Ham manager to suffer three consecutive defeats at home to start a season. The Hammers took a surprise lead in the 21st minute as Kostas Tsimikas's miscued clearance deflected in off Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah for a farcical own goal.

And Jota equalised four minutes later, the Portugal forward out-jumping West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski to nod in Federico Chiesa's volley.

Jota struck again in the 49th minute as he exchanged passes with Curtis Jones and drilled past Fabianski.

Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score in the 74th minute with a simple finish after Alexis Mac Allister's shot was pushed into his path.

West Ham were in disarray and Edson Alvarez was sent off in the 76th minute for a second booking after chopping down Salah.

Capping another torrid day for Lopetegui, Gakpo smashed home from 18 yards in the 90th minute and then guided a deflected effort beyond Fabianski moments later.

"We don't deserve this score because we did a lot of good things. They scored an offside goal. I'm sorry for our fans," Lopetegui said.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot added: "Since I've been here it's never been easy, although sometimes the result looks different."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Raheem Sterling scored his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club's youngest ever starter in a 5-1 rout of Bolton in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Liverpool reached the last 16 with a 5-1 win against troubled West Ham.

Raheem Sterling scored his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club's youngest ever starter in a 5-1 rout of Bolton in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Liverpool reached the last 16 with a 5-1 win against troubled West Ham. Sterling marked his maiden Arsenal start following his transfer deadline day move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium. The 29-year-old will hope his goal marks the start of a career revival after a disappointing two-year spell at Chelsea. "He was great. He's started to show glimpses of what he can do. Physically, he needs to get to the level we require, but it was a massive step today," Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said. Arteta had made seven changes from Sunday's stormy 2-2 draw at Premier League champions Manchester City, including giving goalkeeper Porter his record-breaking debut in place of the injured David Raya. Aged 16 years and 72 days old, Porter was the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal, surpassing the previous record holder Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days when he played against Rotherham in 2003. Porter was Arsenal's second youngest ever player overall after Ethan Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days, when he made his debut in 2022. "Jack has been training with us since pre-season. He reacted really well and was really composed. What an experience," Arteta said. Arsenal will travel to Championship side Preston in the last 16, with the tie of the fourth round pitting Tottenham against Manchester City. Liverpool's bid to retain the trophy will continue at Brighton, while Manchester United face Leicester. AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle, whose tie was rearranged due to flooding at the League Two side's stadium, will host Chelsea. Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead after 16 minutes with a clinical finish from the edge of the area for his first goal this season. Nwaneri, 17, doubled Arsenal's lead in the 37th minute with his first goal for the club and struck again from 12 yards four minutes after half-time. Porter had to pick the ball out of the net in the 53rd minute when Aaron Collins jinked around him and slotted home. Sterling netted in the 64th minute, tapping in after Saka's cross was spilled by Bolton keeper Luke Southwood, and Kai Havertz grabbed the fifth from close range in the 78th minute. Also read: Manchester United held at home by FC Twente in their Europa League opener - West Ham in turmoil - At Anfield, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo scored twice as Liverpool's understudies demolished West Ham to increase the scrutiny on Julen Lopetegui. Under pressure after winning only one of his first five league games since replacing David Moyes, Lopetegui made eight changes from the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea last weekend. That loss had made Lopetegui the first West Ham manager to suffer three consecutive defeats at home to start a season. The Hammers took a surprise lead in the 21st minute as Kostas Tsimikas's miscued clearance deflected in off Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah for a farcical own goal. And Jota equalised four minutes later, the Portugal forward out-jumping West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski to nod in Federico Chiesa's volley. Jota struck again in the 49th minute as he exchanged passes with Curtis Jones and drilled past Fabianski. Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score in the 74th minute with a simple finish after Alexis Mac Allister's shot was pushed into his path. West Ham were in disarray and Edson Alvarez was sent off in the 76th minute for a second booking after chopping down Salah. Capping another torrid day for Lopetegui, Gakpo smashed home from 18 yards in the 90th minute and then guided a deflected effort beyond Fabianski moments later. "We don't deserve this score because we did a lot of good things. They scored an offside goal. I'm sorry for our fans," Lopetegui said. Liverpool boss Arne Slot added: "Since I've been here it's never been easy, although sometimes the result looks different." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

EFL Cup: Raheem Sterling nets maiden Arsenal goal in big win over Bolton, Liverpool thrash West Ham

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists he has moved on from the Erling Haaland row as his side prepares for the League Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday (Sep 25). Arsenal, who&nbsp;almost won at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League were denied three points after John Stones scored a stoppage-time equaliser. After the goal, Haaland was deemed to have thrown a ball at Gabriel Jesus while there were also words exchanged between the Norwegian and Arteta.

<h2>Arteta moves on from Haaland row</h2>

"We have already moved on and we are now ready to battle again tomorrow," Arteta said while addressing the pre-match press conference ahead of the Bolton clash.

"The team, the desire that they have to compete in any context, to win, to adapt to different circumstances, different competitions, different ways of playing and handle that emotionally and physically, the way we've done it is superb."

The game at the Etihad Stadium saw both sides give their best with Arsenal taking the lead after Haaland had scored the opening goal. However, the referee was in the spotlight for two decisions that influenced the match. Arsenal pushed for an attack while the City skipper was out of position and speaking to referee Michael Oliver. On the other hand, Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away while he was already on a yellow card.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/just-accept-it-ravi-ashwin-on-india-pacer-jasprit-bumrah-calling-himself-fitter-than-virat-kohli-761506">'Just accept it,' Ravi Ashwin on India pacer Jasprit Bumrah calling himself fitter than Virat Kohli</a>

After City’s equaliser tempers flared as Haaland first threw the ball at Jesus which was not inspected by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) while the Norwegian attempted to shoulder push Thomas Partey after Arsenal restarted the match. He was not done there as he also exchanged words with Arteta after the match was over.

The 2-2 draw between Man City and Arsenal also meant both sides are unbeaten at the start of the Premier League season. Both are expected to give a tough fight for the Premier League title having been on the rise for the last two seasons.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists he has moved on from the Erling Haaland row as his side prepares for the League Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday (Sep 25).

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists he has moved on from the Erling Haaland row as his side prepares for the League Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday (Sep 25). Arsenal, who almost won at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League were denied three points after John Stones scored a stoppage-time equaliser. After the goal, Haaland was deemed to have thrown a ball at Gabriel Jesus while there were also words exchanged between the Norwegian and Arteta. Arteta moves on from Haaland row "We have already moved on and we are now ready to battle again tomorrow," Arteta said while addressing the pre-match press conference ahead of the Bolton clash. "The team, the desire that they have to compete in any context, to win, to adapt to different circumstances, different competitions, different ways of playing and handle that emotionally and physically, the way we've done it is superb." The game at the Etihad Stadium saw both sides give their best with Arsenal taking the lead after Haaland had scored the opening goal. However, the referee was in the spotlight for two decisions that influenced the match. Arsenal pushed for an attack while the City skipper was out of position and speaking to referee Michael Oliver. On the other hand, Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away while he was already on a yellow card. ALSO READ | 'Just accept it,' Ravi Ashwin on India pacer Jasprit Bumrah calling himself fitter than Virat Kohli After City’s equaliser tempers flared as Haaland first threw the ball at Jesus which was not inspected by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) while the Norwegian attempted to shoulder push Thomas Partey after Arsenal restarted the match. He was not done there as he also exchanged words with Arteta after the match was over. The 2-2 draw between Man City and Arsenal also meant both sides are unbeaten at the start of the Premier League season. Both are expected to give a tough fight for the Premier League title having been on the rise for the last two seasons.

'We have already moved on': Mikel Arteta puts behind Erling Haaland row as Arsenal get ready for Bolton

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will have an "advantage" when they face Arsenal on an extra day's rest, but the champions are sweating on Kevin De Bruyne's fitness for the crucial clash with their title rivals.

Guardiola's side played at home in their Champions League draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday, while Arsenal had to wait until Thursday to travel to Italy for their goalless stalemate against Atalanta.

Guardiola believes the additional 24 hours of recovery could play a role in deciding the first meeting this term between the clubs that have finished first and second for the last two seasons.

City won both of those title races to leave Arsenal still waiting for their first English crown since 2004.

A victory at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday would be a significant boost to City's hopes of an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title, with Guardiola grateful for a rare piece of help from the fixture schedulers.

"It is an advantage but I am going to make a list in the last six years of how many times we faced a tough team with an extra day of rest. It is a very long list," he said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

City's recovery time advantage might be offset by the potential absence of Belgium midfielder De Bruyne after he limped off during the goalless draw against Inter.

Asked if De Bruyne would be fit to face Arsenal, Guardiola said: "He feels a bit better today. Tomorrow we're training and we'll see. He could be involved."

Fuelled by Erling Haaland's nine goals, City have already established themselves as the team to beat once again this season.

<h2>Both years have been so close</h2>

The champions, who boast a 100 per cent record after four league games, sit two points ahead of Arsenal, who have won three and drawn one.

But Guardiola has a healthy respect for the threat posed by Arsenal after the north Londoners took the title fight down to the final day last season.

"The set pieces are not easy because they are taller than us. They defend the space, they are incredible with the runners," he said.

"It is always two against one with Gabriel (Magalhaes) and (William) Saliba focused on Erling. That is why it is difficult to play them. I have to read well the way we have to do it."

Although they finished above them, City failed to beat Arsenal last term, losing 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, drawing 0-0 in Manchester and suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat in the Community Shield.

"It's always been a tight game in the last few years," Guardiola said. "They do many good things. They're a complete team, which is why they've been our biggest rivals in the last two seasons.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-ban-rohit-sharma-richard-kettleborough-react-after-virat-kohlis-dismisal-in-second-innings-760451">IND vs BAN: Rohit Sharma, Richard Kettleborough react after Virat Kohli's dismissal in second innings</a>

"Every season they are better and better. Both years have been close, but we have been so strong and we are still strong."

City would move five points clear of Arsenal with a first victory over them since April 2023.

But Guardiola insists it is far too early in the season for the result to be regarded as significant no matter who wins.

"In this early stage of the season, nothing more than the mood over the next few games will be decided. In terms of the table it's not really important," he said.

"It'll be more important when we go to London in the second half of the season."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will have an "advantage" when they face Arsenal on an extra day's rest, but the champions are sweating on Kevin De Bruyne's fitness for the crucial clash with their title rivals.

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City will have an "advantage" when they face Arsenal on an extra day's rest, but the champions are sweating on Kevin De Bruyne's fitness for the crucial clash with their title rivals. Guardiola's side played at home in their Champions League draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday, while Arsenal had to wait until Thursday to travel to Italy for their goalless stalemate against Atalanta. Guardiola believes the additional 24 hours of recovery could play a role in deciding the first meeting this term between the clubs that have finished first and second for the last two seasons. City won both of those title races to leave Arsenal still waiting for their first English crown since 2004. A victory at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday would be a significant boost to City's hopes of an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title, with Guardiola grateful for a rare piece of help from the fixture schedulers. "It is an advantage but I am going to make a list in the last six years of how many times we faced a tough team with an extra day of rest. It is a very long list," he said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. City's recovery time advantage might be offset by the potential absence of Belgium midfielder De Bruyne after he limped off during the goalless draw against Inter. Asked if De Bruyne would be fit to face Arsenal, Guardiola said: "He feels a bit better today. Tomorrow we're training and we'll see. He could be involved." Fuelled by Erling Haaland's nine goals, City have already established themselves as the team to beat once again this season. Both years have been so close The champions, who boast a 100 per cent record after four league games, sit two points ahead of Arsenal, who have won three and drawn one. But Guardiola has a healthy respect for the threat posed by Arsenal after the north Londoners took the title fight down to the final day last season. "The set pieces are not easy because they are taller than us. They defend the space, they are incredible with the runners," he said. "It is always two against one with Gabriel (Magalhaes) and (William) Saliba focused on Erling. That is why it is difficult to play them. I have to read well the way we have to do it." Although they finished above them, City failed to beat Arsenal last term, losing 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium, drawing 0-0 in Manchester and suffering a penalty shoot-out defeat in the Community Shield. "It's always been a tight game in the last few years," Guardiola said. "They do many good things. They're a complete team, which is why they've been our biggest rivals in the last two seasons. ALSO READ | IND vs BAN: Rohit Sharma, Richard Kettleborough react after Virat Kohli's dismissal in second innings "Every season they are better and better. Both years have been close, but we have been so strong and we are still strong." City would move five points clear of Arsenal with a first victory over them since April 2023. But Guardiola insists it is far too early in the season for the result to be regarded as significant no matter who wins. "In this early stage of the season, nothing more than the mood over the next few games will be decided. In terms of the table it's not really important," he said. "It'll be more important when we go to London in the second half of the season." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Premier League: Man City have rest 'advantage' in Arsenal showdown - Pep Guardiola

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