It is a big game, but then they all are now for Newcastle. By Christmas, they will have played Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund twice each, and Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Brighton once apiece. The definition of a major match can shift according to reason, to the quality of the opposition – despite the size of their fanbase and stadium, Newcastle may not have been underlined on the fixture list by the elite during their wilderness years – but the sight of the massive Signal Iduna Park is another reminder they are back in the big time now. Whether they remain there in spring is still to be determined. Dortmund may have always been the biggest game of perhaps the biggest week thus far for Newcastle – a triple header of Manchester United, Arsenal and last season’s Bundesliga runners-up – but Eddie Howe’s side arrive in Germany having proved masters of brinkmanship. Short of players, but high on spirit, they are looking to complete a famous hat-trick. In four days, they could have exited the Carabao Cup and been distanced from the Premier League’s top four; instead, they overcame United and Arsenal. Now for the side who inflicted their only defeat in their last 12 matches. Three points would put Newcastle on course for the knockout stages. “Every game is a must-win,” said Howe. “The term is probably overused in football.” And if he was right to note that too much of the language can be hyperbolic – certainly some was at St James’ Park on Saturday – a setback could be very damaging. With a trip to Paris next, defeat in Dortmund could mean Newcastle are out of the Champions League after five games. Howe will have to navigate the rest of the group stage without the symbolic hero of their demolition of Paris Saint-Germain. Dan Burn’s aerial ability brought a goal then, but he landed awkwardly on his back after going up for a header on Saturday. “A long-term problem, a couple of months is a speculative number,” said Howe. “He has been gigantic for us.” It was not just a reference to Burn’s height and, with Matt Targett out for around three months, Newcastle are now short of left-backs. They were already missing the spine of a side, in the flagship signings Sven Botman, Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak. With Burn, Targett and Harvey Barnes absent as well, Newcastle are shorn of players who have cost more than £200m of their £400m outlay in Howe’s reign. Big numbers have given way to small ones. Newcastle have too few players. There was no room in the Champions League squad for Emil Krafth and Matt Ritchie, two fit players. Selection could be a process of elimination. “You just see who is fit and who is available,” Howe said. “The games have come at a cost.” Nor is there much respite for the overworked. “The problem we have is a lot of the injuries are on a longer-term scale, which means there’s no relief coming around the corner,” he said. The last men standing will have to carry on running for quite some time. It is something depleted groups managed to do against United and Arsenal. But, deprived of some of the players who brought stardust, Newcastle feel still more reliant on hard work. Certainly, it is harder to outclass teams. And, while a 4-1 scoreline against PSG was spectacular, otherwise Newcastle are yet to score. The statistics are explained in part by the toughness of a pool without a minnow who can be thrashed but of the 32 teams in the Champions League, so far Newcastle have the third-lowest expected goals and the fourth fewest shots. They rank fourth from bottom for completed passes and have had the third-fewest touches. Only three goalkeepers have made more saves than Nick Pope; of those who have played two or more games, only one has a higher save percentage than his 86.7; as he is Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, it could add to a struggle to score. They drew a blank at home two weeks ago and the realist in Howe was apparent when he reviewed Dortmund’s victory at St James’ Park. “It was a tight game but they deserved to win,” he said. The sense is the rematch could be tight; so, too, the pool. At the start of the competition, Opta’s predictive statistics gave Newcastle a 54 per cent chance of qualifying from Group F. Halfway through it, their supercomputer now thinks there is a 54 per cent likelihood they will go through. That said, Opta gave Newcastle a 78 per cent chance of a top-two finish before the defeat to Dortmund two weeks ago. It could shape up as the pivotal result of their European campaign. And yet, as Howe is very aware, there are worse problems than being deprived of key players for a marquee match against one of Germany’s great clubs. Wednesday marks the second anniversary of his appointment. Dortmund were not on his agenda then. “The vision was short-term. It was, can we stay in the Premier League?” he recalled. Now the question is whether Newcastle can stay in the Champions League. Read More Sporting director Dan Ashworth believes Newcastle are on ‘an upward trajectory’ How Anthony Gordon became central to Newcastle’s Champions League hopes Arsenal lose unbeaten start as Newcastle keep their heads in the battle of St James’ Park

Former England captain Wayne Rooney has described his abuse of alcohol early in his football career as a “release”. The Birmingham manager appeared on the new podcast of ex-rugby league star and Motor Neurone Disease campaigner Rob Burrow, and opened up on the difficulties he faced in finding a way to deal with the pressure of fame as a young man. Rooney first broke into Everton’s senior side at the age of 16, became an England international at 17, and joined Manchester United at 20, but has said his high profile came with a cost. The 38-year-old told Burrow: “My release was alcohol when I was in my early 20s. I’d go home, and spend a couple of days at home and not leave the house. I’d drink almost until I’d pass out. “I didn’t want to be around people, because sometimes you feel embarrassed. Sometimes you feel like you’ve let people down and ultimately I didn’t know how else to deal with it. “When you don’t take the help and guidance of others, you can be really in a low place, and I was for a few years with that. Thankfully, now I’m not afraid to go and speak to people about issues.” Former Leeds Rhinos star Burrow and his wife Lindsey have launched a new series called Seven on the BBC’s The Total Sport podcast, in which they interview seven sporting greats and ask seven questions, with Rooney the first guest. Burrow uses AI technology and a computerised voice with a Yorkshire accent to communicate. Rooney said Burrow’s approach to the disease had inspired others. “I know first hand the impact this (illness) can have on yourself and people around you,” he said. “Everyone must change the way of living and I had that with my sister-in-law, who suffered not the same illness but something as severe. “But your energy and positivity helps everyone else around you. I can see the money you have raised for charity and to help others - it’s really inspiring.” Read More Ian McKellen and Wayne Rooney lead tributes to theatre producer and ‘great man’ Bill Kenwright Sir Bobby Charlton turned tragedy into triumph with unique style and perseverance Wayne Rooney appointed new Birmingham boss and teams up with ex-England team-mate I know my worth – Rasmus Hojlund ready to build on promising start at Man Utd Bill Kenwright: Theatre producer who went from terraces to boardroom at Everton Mikel Arteta doubles down on VAR comments and vows to ‘talk loudly’ after criticism

Players from the Afghanistan men’s team are boycotting their World Cup qualifying match against Qatar over their treatment by the football federation. A substantial number, 18 players, have reportedly refused to play in the match, due to take place in Qatar on 16 November. Three footballers who play overseas sent a letter last month to the Asian Football Confederation and Fifa detailing complaints and allegations of serious corruption by the Afghanistan Football Federation, the Guardian has reported. “The last straw came at the last camp when a big group of us decided that we’d had enough – 18 players got together and said: ‘If we’re going to move forward, we have to put a stop to this,’” Noor Husin, who plays in the National League for Southend United, told the Guardian. “We really want change. We want to help domestic players because the money they are getting from Fifa is not being used in the right way. “We have the worst flights possible and we have to stay in substandard hotels. “We’ve come together as a group because we want football in Afghanistan to move forward and we believe that it’s not going to move forward with the people that are in charge at the moment.” Faysal Shayesteh, who is a former captain and also signed the letter, said: “Every year our federation gets financial support from Fifa and from the AFC. “We want to show a positive Afghanistan to the world so we are asking Fifa to stop supporting our federation financially because the money is going into the pockets of a gang who is ruling football in the country.” The federation’s secretary Behram Siddiqui has denied the allegations. While players have argued that the AFF executive committee kept half of the bonus that should have gone to the squad for reaching the next stage of the World Cup qualifying among themselves, and that they have been holding on to money from plane tickets of players travelling to games. A Fifa spokesperson said: “Fifa was informed of these allegations very recently and is currently looking into the matter.” Read More Afghan players watch Morocco's team practice for Women's World Cup, hoping to get their chance Women's World Cup brings attention to abuse in soccer Russia consider leaving Uefa after invite to Asian competition

A farce that sums up a lot of modern football, or one of the games of the season? It maybe sums up how confusing and contradictory this game was that it could genuinely be both. Chelsea’s eventual 4-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur could have huge effects for both of their seasons too. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have got the win it feels like they have been waiting for, and that at the stadium that still means more to him than any other in football. Ange Postecoglou’s scarcely believable high line with nine men and no main centre-halves did make it borderline for some time. Such a creditable approach earned the applause of the home crowd when it finally went wrong for Nicolas Jackson’s decisive second goal, but there was that unsettling feeling of momentum being undone. Spurs have not just lost their first league game under Postecoglou but also Destiny Udogie and Cristian Romero to suspensions and possibly James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to injury. That all has the feeling of bringing down a flight that had been improbably soaring for some time. Postecoglou could of course tell his players it was a freak game. That’s one way of putting it. It was almost several different events in one, as we saw a spell akin to the infamous Battle of the Bridge as well as Saturday’s Copa Libertadores final, a grand staging for every debate about VAR over and over and then what amounted to a bizarre but brave training session, where Postecoglou seemingly set up the irrepressible Guglielmo Vicario against the entirety of Chelsea’s young attack. To top it off, and turn everything on its head, the previously misfiring Jackson got a hat-trick late on. It wasn’t quite an exhibition of finishing but there was enough to show the potential that is there. Whatever about this evening exhibiting various types of football events in one, mind, there were alternating periods that looked like it could have come from completely different matches. It was incredible to contemplate this by even the half-hour mark, but the first 18 minutes looked like it would be a comprehensive and confident Spurs win to continue their early-season surge. They were shredding Chelsea, especially on the wings. Both sides were being targeted, something inevitable given all the space, and the first real attack brought a goal. Dejan Kulusevski shot and the ball cannoned off Levi Colwell and past Robert Sanchez. Reece James was even more exposed on the other side, allowing Brennan Johnson to just saunter through and square for Son Heung-Min to slide the ball in. It was all so easy that Spurs were getting ahead of themselves, as the Korean’s wayward foot saw the goal ruled out for offside. That was what made what happened next all the more inexplicable, as Udogie went in with a dismally reckless challenge on Raheem Sterling. He didn’t get sent off – yet – but it was like the entire tone changed. It was also a bit of Chekov’s foul, as Udogie would go for similar later on. That itself was influenced by what the match briefly became, which was somewhere between an old storyline from this fixture like the Battle of the Bridge and the Libertadores final. Cristian Romero was at the centre of it, with two challenges of his own that each could have received red cards. He was eventually sent off as part of the same sequence that saw a second Chelsea goal chalked off, to bring a penalty. It was almost difficult to keep up, the sense of dislocation added to by how the match was played at a frenetic pace and yet also frequently stopped for long VAR checks. Cole Palmer’s ensuing penalty consequently may not have been as pure as he’d have liked but it did make its way in. For Pochettino’s part, Udogie’s challenge wasn’t the only big change. He altered Chelsea’s formation to ensure they had taken tactical control of the game even before Romero’s red card. It probably shouldn’t have got to that for Spurs, though. It was going to get worse. Both Maddison and Van de Ven had to go off injured before Udogie eventually got his red card. What happened next was perhaps the most unexpected development of all, though. Postecoglou refused to back down. He doubled down. Despite nine-man Spurs losing two of their leading players to injury, with both of their main centre-halves off the pitch, Postecoglou seemed to go even higher with his line. Spurs basically offered up the entirety of their half to Chelsea’s attack. It was bold, to say the least. It immediately led to Chelsea setting up a series of one-on-ones, the game almost becoming a training exercise between their forwards and Guglielmo Vicario, with some vague use of the offside trap in between. And yet this might well have been where there was a clear logic. Given how inexperienced this Chelsea squad is, many of them seemed to keep making the bad choices when such good chances were offered. There was rarely a third-man run. Mykhailo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson kept going outside when they should have gone inside, or vice versa. Vicario, for his part, was brilliant. Every unlikely stop amplified the atmosphere. It was as if every wasted one-on-one – and they were becoming countless – was further eroding their confidence. This could have been a hugely embarrassing game for Chelsea, rather than the humiliation for Spurs it was almost set up for. Except, the risk was just too great. A team with someone as experienced as Sterling was eventually going to get one right. It was duly his pass that set up Jackson. At 2-1, Spurs had no choice but to go for it even more. Jackson claimed even more, twice scoring in stoppage time. That may be a turning point for him as well as Spurs, but only after a night that really did the rounds. You can try to make sense of it – but maybe it’s just best to be experienced. Read More Ange Postecoglou reacts to VAR calls as Spurs earn two red cards in defeat to Chelsea Ange Postecoglou’s high line epitomised Tottenham’s optimism - and their downfall Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Spurs went down with flag held high but loss hurts a lot

Mikel Arteta has stood by his VAR outburst following Arsenal’s loss at Newcastle on Saturday and insists he will continue to “talk loudly” until he believes the situation improves. The Gunners lost 1-0 at St James’ Park on Saturday – their first Premier League defeat of the campaign – as Anthony Gordon scored a controversial winner for the hosts. The second-half goal was checked for three separate VAR offences – the ball going out of play, a foul by Joelinton on Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and a potential offside – but survived them all to ultimately earn Newcastle the three points. Speaking after the defeat, Arteta said it was “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” that the goal stood – while Arsenal issued a statement on Sunday in support of their manager’s forthright views. Asked on Tuesday if he would have done anything differently, the Spaniard replied: “It is my duty to stand in front of you, to stand in front of the cameras, and give a very clear and honest assessment of what happened in the game. “And this is what I did, reflect very openly on how I felt that the team played and how the game was conditioned by this results with the decisions that were made. It is the duty. “My duty is to be defending my players, supporting my players, supporting my club, defending my people in the best possibly way and this is what I am going to time after time. We have to talk loudly. If you have a problem and you put it in your draw, the problem is in the draw and it’s going to stink at some point Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta “I do it, not the way I feel, (but) with the evidence and being as clear as possible. And I always do it, when we play real I need to say it, when we have lost, to take my responsibility, the first one is me to do it. It is the way that I am and I have to defend my club.” Arteta suggested it is the duty of managers to discuss VAR and the issues it is currently presenting within the game. “If you guys and everyone watching football are there, we have to give our opinion in an honest way and clear,” he added. “Don’t talk about other things. Be very clear and respectful, but clear and honest and value what we have. “Errors are part of evolution. The trajectory is never going to be like this (gestures straight up), there are always going to bumps in the road and these things are necessary to improve the game in the right way. “But we have to talk loudly. If you have a problem and you put it in your draw, the problem is in the draw and it’s going to stink at some point. If you have a problem, let’s talk about it, try to improve it. That’s what we are trying to do. Nothing else.” Arsenal’s statement claimed “yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors” occurred during the loss at Newcastle as the club “wholeheartedly supports” Arteta’s comments, stating players, coaches and supporters “deserve better”. The statement has been criticised in some quarters with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville labelling it “dangerous”. Arteta, though, believes it does not legitimise those who abuse referees for perceived poor decision-making against the club. “No, the support we have given to everybody is not going to change. I will be in meetings trying to reinforce that,” he said. “This is not the topic. Everyone wants the same thing, but we have to understand that we (managers) have to be there. “We have a duty to express how we feel with all the evidence we have and the history of what happened. “We have to stand for our people, our values and who we are. When the club has done it, it’s been in very specific moments for the right reasons. “It shows the unity and understanding that is within the club to position ourselves in a really clear and honest way. That’s our duty as a club.” Arteta was speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Sevilla, where victory on Wednesday night could see his side qualify for the knockout stages with two Group B games to go. “The moment you have a chance in football to put it to bed, do it,” he said of wrapping up qualification early. “We have to do a lot of things right tomorrow to earn the right to win it and against a really good team with enormous experience in this competition. “We have to prove it tomorrow in front of our people how excited we are to play that game and what it means for us.” Read More Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Spurs went down with flag held high but loss hurts a lot From Aguero winner to Keegan dismay, Spurs-Chelsea joins Premier League classics England assistant Carl Hopkinson insists Netherlands clash is no ‘dead rubber’ Always need to improve – Nicolas Jackson keen to push on after hat-trick heroics On this day in 2009: David Haye becomes a heavyweight world champion Los Angeles Chargers demolish New York Jets 27-6

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said Tottenham went down with “the flag held high” in their 4-1 loss to Chelsea and has backed the squad to cope with the absence of key personnel. Spurs lost their unbeaten start to the Premier League season in a pulsating London derby in which five goals were disallowed and the hosts played the final 35 minutes with nine men. To add salt into fresh Tottenham wounds, Micky van de Ven was forced off with a hamstring injury and James Maddison had to be withdrawn due to an ankle knock, while Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, who were both sent off, will sit out this weekend’s trip to Wolves. Ange Postecoglou’s side battled admirably, first with 10 men from the 35th minute and then when down to nine early in the second half, but Nicolas Jackson grabbed the first of his three goals with quarter of an hour left to finally break the hosts’ resolve. Hojbjerg said: “I think we went down with the flag held high. We gave it our all but the result hurts a lot. “We showed what we had in our hearts but the result hurts. “Tuesday we have a day off and when we see each other on Wednesday, we’ll gather the pieces and focus on the next game, as we have to. “Everyone has to show their availability and show they are prepared to do what it takes. We lost the game, we hate to lose, it was the first of the season, but we have to make sure this doesn't happen again and play 11 v 11 because then it is much harder to beat us. Tottenham attacker Dejan Kulusevski “A good squad is not 11 players. It is 18 or 25 players and this is what we have to show. The result hurts a lot but we have to keep going.” Mauricio Pochettino’s first return to Tottenham had initially started in the worst possible fashion when Dejan Kulusevski’s curled effort deflected off Levi Colwill and beyond the helpless Robert Sanchez after six minutes. The wheels started to fall off during a 57-minute first half where four goals were chalked off by video assistant referee John Brooks at Stockley Park, who decided that Romero’s tackle on Enzo Fernandez was worthy of a red card and a penalty in the 33rd minute. Spurs’ uphill task increased further when Udogie was shown a second yellow after 10 minutes of the second period, but Postecoglou deployed a high line and Guglielmo Vicario starred in the sweeper-keeper role before Jackson made it 2-1. Tottenham remained resolute and started to create chances with substitute Eric Dier marginally offside when he volleyed home soon after Jackson’s first goal before Rodrigo Bentancur and Son Heung-min squandered opportunities. Jackson made the points safe in stoppage time when he lashed in from Conor Gallagher’s pass, but Spurs supporters greeted the goal with a standing ovation for their crestfallen players. Kulusevski said: “It was unbelievable, honestly. Some things are bigger than life, bigger than football, bigger than the wins. “Honestly I was really proud of that moment and the fans. I was grateful and it makes me want to give more back. “It has to give us fuel. We lost the game, we hate to lose, it was the first of the season, but we have to make sure this doesn’t happen again and play 11 v 11 because then it is much harder to beat us.” The consequences of this defeat could be long-lasting with Romero set for a three-match ban, which will rule him out of matches with Wolves, Aston Villa and Manchester City. Of bigger concern is centre-back partner Van de Ven after he pulled up at the end of the first half in a sprint with Jackson, which saw him helped off the pitch and he was later seen on crutches. Udogie will also miss Saturday’s clash at Wolves and with Ben Davies nursing an ankle knock, Postecoglou could use Under-21 defenders Ash Phillips or Alfie Dorrington this weekend. “It will be a test for sure. They (Van de Ven and Maddison) are amazing players and I hope they are back very, very soon, but as you saw the players that came in were amazing,” Kulusevski said. “We train really hard every day and everybody is ready. You saw Eric Dier, he came in, did his first appearance and was unbelievable. The guys are ready. “Everybody wants to play and it is so high level the training. So, if (Phillips) will be called, he will be ready.” Read More From Aguero winner to Keegan dismay, Spurs-Chelsea joins Premier League classics England assistant Carl Hopkinson insists Netherlands clash is no ‘dead rubber’ Always need to improve – Nicolas Jackson keen to push on after hat-trick heroics On this day in 2009: David Haye becomes a heavyweight world champion Los Angeles Chargers demolish New York Jets 27-6 Injury blow for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones

Chelsea ended Tottenham’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season with an extraordinary 4-1 win over their London rivals on Monday evening. A hat-trick from Nicolas Jackson helped Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino enjoy a successful return to his former club, but only after a pulsating contest with two red cards and five disallowed goals. Here, the PA news agency looks at 10 of the greatest games in the Premier League era. Manchester City 3 QPR 2 (May 2012) Perhaps the most significant of all. City started this game knowing a win would earn them a first Premier League title but when they went 2-1 down – even against 10 men – it looked as though rivals Manchester United would take the trophy. However, Edin Dzeko scored in the second minute of time added on to level and Sergio Aguero (or, to quote Sky commentator Martin Tyler, “Agueroooooooooo”) won both the match and the title with 93:20 on the clock. Arsenal 4 Tottenham 4 (October 2008) Best remembered for David Bentley’s stunning opener for Tottenham against his former club, this game saw Spurs come back from 4-2 down to earn a point. Trailing to Bentley’s amazing volley, the Gunners exposed Spurs’ weakness at defending set-pieces to lead through Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas. Emmanuel Adebayor added a third for the hosts before Darren Bent pulled one back. When Robin van Persie restored Arsenal’s two-goal cushion it had looked all over, but Harry Redknapp’s men showed a new resilience and Jermaine Jenas’ late strike gave them hope before Aaron Lennon struck at the death. Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 (April 1996) Sure to feature on everyone’s classic list, this was the game which saw Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan slump over the front of the dugout as his side’s title chances went up in smoke. Liverpool came back from 2-0 down to level, only to see Faustino Asprilla make it 3-2 seconds later. Stan Collymore soon levelled and then won it two minutes into added time, with Tyler again taking over with his line of “Collymore closing in”. Newcastle 4 Arsenal 4 (February 2011) The game that demonstrated why supporters should never leave early. When Theo Walcott scored for Arsenal 44 seconds into this game it set the tone for a blistering period of away play, with Johan Djourou and Van Persie, who netted twice, putting Arsenal 4-0 up. However, the game turned as Abou Diaby saw red for Arsenal and Newcastle mounted a stellar comeback. Two penalties from Joey Barton and a Leon Best goal gave them a foothold, but they still needed a brilliant 87th-minute volley from Cheick Tiote to get a point. Leicester 3 Arsenal 3 (August 1997) Perhaps best remembered for Dennis Bergkamp’s brilliant solo goal, this game had far more to it. The Dutchman’s wonder goal, which sealed his hat-trick, was actually to put Arsenal up after Matt Elliott had scored in the third minute of stoppage time for Leicester to make it 2-2, but there was still time for Steve Walsh to score another dramatic goal and make it 3-3. Norwich 4 Liverpool 5 (January 2016) Reds boss Jurgen Klopp lost his glasses amid wild celebrations on the touchline after Adam Lallana’s last-minute strike gave Liverpool an astonishing first Premier League win of 2016. Klopp’s men had trailed 3-1 with under 30 minutes to go, then led 4-3 before Sebastien Bassong’s stoppage-time goal levelled matters. But there was still time for substitute Lallana to mis-hit a shot into the ground and secure a 5-4 victory. Chelsea 2 Arsenal 3 (October 1999) Nigeria forward Kanu took centre stage as the Gunners mounted a terrific comeback against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Headers from Tore Andre Flo and Dan Petrescu got Chelsea 2-0 up, but then Kanu took control. He pulled two back from close range in regulation time and then, in stoppage time, broke free, skipped past goalkeeper Ed de Goey by the corner flag and then curled in the winner from an improbable angle. Tottenham 4 Leicester 4 (February 2004) Just 18 days after squandering a 3-0 half-time lead against 10-man Manchester City to be dumped out of the FA Cup, David Pleat’s Spurs needed a late equaliser from Jermain Defoe to avoid another embarrassing defeat in the league. Defoe had put the home side 2-1 up after 13 minutes and Robbie Keane made it 3-1 before half an hour had elapsed, but Les Ferdinand pulled one back against his former club before James Scowcroft was sent off. Leicester’s 10 men improbably took the lead through goals from Ben Thatcher and Marcus Bent before Defoe’s leveller. Tottenham 4 Arsenal 5 (November 2004) Four years before the 4-4 thriller at the Emirates, White Hart Lane hosted a similarly high-scoring affair prolific tie between the two local rivals. The home side took the lead through Noureddine Naybet, but Arsenal equalised through Thierry Henry and then went 3-1 ahead through Lauren, who converted a penalty won by Freddie Ljungberg, and Patrick Vieira. Jermain Defoe pulled one back almost immediately before Ljungberg and Ledley King traded goals and, although Robert Pires added Arsenal’s fifth nine minutes from time, Freddie Kanoute’s goal made for a frantic finish. West Ham 5 Bradford 4 (February 2000) West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop suffered a broken leg just minutes into the game to hand a debut to 18-year-old Stephen Bywater, who conceded four goals but still ended up on the winning side. The comeback from 4-2 down started with 25 minutes left when Frank Lampard and Paolo Di Canio argued over who would take a penalty, Di Canio eventually winning the tussle and converting from the spot. Joe Cole soon equalised and Lampard scored the winner from the edge of the box with seven minutes remaining. Read More Coroner concerned over future deaths if neck guards are not worn in ice hockey England assistant Carl Hopkinson insists Netherlands clash is no ‘dead rubber’ Kieran Reilly says ‘sights set’ on winning BMX freestyle Olympic gold Always need to improve – Nicolas Jackson keen to push on after hat-trick heroics On this day in 2009: David Haye becomes a heavyweight world champion Los Angeles Chargers demolish New York Jets 27-6

When Mauricio Pochettino was asked about Ange Postecoglou’s surprisingly high line at nine, he wasn’t too willing to get into it. The Chelsea manager instead pointed to his side’s own impact on proceedings, how proud he was. He probably wasn’t the only one unwilling to indulge too much praise of Tottenham Hotspur, after a 4-1 defeat Postecoglou’s side unnecessarily lost control of. There is already that sense of rival fans, if for rather obvious tribal reasons, bristling at the regular appeals to “mate”. The explanation of that high line was probably extreme Postecoglou, the Australian in his ultimate form. “It is just who we are, mate, it is who we will be for as long as I am here,” the Spurs manager said on TV. “If we go down to five men, we will still have a go.” And yet the last six words are why there was a sense of pride around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, almost because of a 4-1 defeat where they went against the grain to their own cost. Postecoglou was willing to abandon himself to the “purity of the game”, as he actually said later about VAR. It is so different to what Spurs fans feel they have had to put up with over the past four years. As incredible as the sight of eight outfield players at the halfway line was, going against most football convention, it’s obviously more invigorating than just keeping 11 back as both Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte did. It wasn’t all self-defeating purism, either. There was some pragmatic logic to it, in the calculation that an inexperienced Chelsea weren’t guaranteed to take advantage. This wasn’t Manchester City, for all the post-game discussion of how Pep Guardiola’s side might have scored around nine in that situation. That appreciation could be sensed in the loud applause that went around the stadium after Nicholas Jackson’s first goal, and Chelsea’s eventual second. There was the feeling they’d made the best of a bad situation, and given themselves the best chance of victory. Spurs did waste one big chance at just 2-1, and it could have been very different had Eric Dier delayed his run for that offside goal by a millisecond. That doesn’t mean discussion should stray too far into describing this as a moral victory. It was a largely self-inflicted defeat. There’s even an argument that is Postecoglou’s very excitable approach with a young team maybe played into a certain recklessness. Spurs were in complete control at 1-0, only for an inexplicable series of rash challenges to see them lose the lead, two players and - eventually - the game. Through that, they have also lost crucial momentum, that had felt like it had been elevating what would still have been an encouraging start to the season even without the winning run. It’s difficult to argue Spurs haven’t been overperforming now. Within that applause was also the awareness this was also about to get a lot more difficult. As well as that emotional momentum, they won’t have Cristian Romero, Micky van der Ven, Destiny Udogie or James Maddison for a time. That is going to take some adjustment. It might represent the start of a period where things start going the other way. That doesn’t mean discussion should go too far the other way, mind. One temptation from Postecoglou’s line was to dismiss it as typical Spurs, all talk about romance and no victories. It’s abundantly clear that the Australian is changing things here. They have just been markedly overperforming, and ahead of schedule. They shouldn’t now be overly criticised for that, as they probably face up to a trickier period that was always going to come. Postecoglou’s approach will bring more wins than they would otherwise achieve. His willingness for adventure shouldn’t be confused with tactical naivety. There is a serious coaching mind underneath. That is something that has also become clear to everyone at the club. It was why the players, after the game, were only too content with the approach. They weren’t questioning it. Postecoglou, after all, has far more answers than just that high line. Read More Ange Postecoglou laments ‘theatre’ of VAR checks after Chelsea defeat Ange Postecoglou appears to aim barb at Arsenal and Mikel Arteta over VAR controversy Ange Postecoglou reacts to VAR calls as Spurs earn two red cards in defeat to Chelsea Chelsea triumph over Tottenham in Premier League clash that had everything and more Tottenham vs Chelsea LIVE: Premier League result and reaction Ange Postecoglou happy with Daniel Levy relationship but rules out rafting trip

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson promised to work even harder after his hat-trick earned boss Mauricio Pochettino a statement victory at former club Tottenham. Jackson’s second-half treble settled a pulsating London derby where five goals were disallowed and red cards were shown to Spurs pair Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie either side of half-time. While Chelsea were far from vintage on their way to a 4-1 victory, Jackson eventually made the difference. The Senegal attacker side-footed home his first goal in the 75th minute from Raheem Sterling’s cross before he grabbed a similar second after Conor Gallagher’s pass and completed his treble in the seventh minute of stoppage time when he rounded Guglielmo Vicario. After receiving more yellow cards (five) than goals (three) during the first three months of the campaign, the £31million summer signing from Villarreal was pleased to start to pay back his price tag on Monday night. Jackson: “Yeah, very happy. It was a difficult time for everybody in the team, but now we are coming back slowly, slowly and I am very happy to score three goals. “It has been very difficult (for me) but life is like this. Now my first hat-trick and I am very happy I did it in the biggest club in England and everywhere. “Always need to improve, always need to work harder. We continue working and now this (hat-trick) is the past, so we forget about it and move forward. He just needs to work hard on the training pitch and keep his head down. Then I think he will get many more hat-tricks. Chelsea's Cole Palmer on Nicolas Jackson “We were dreaming about this, playing big games and winning big games. Now we continue to work hard and the confidence is coming slowly, slowly.” Chelsea’s youthful side had struggled for consistency during the early months of Pochettino’s tenure, with battling draws against Liverpool and Arsenal married with home defeats to Nottingham Forest and Brentford. Pochettino watched the Blues struggle to make their numerical advantage count against Tottenham until captain Reece James played through Sterling, who squared for Jackson to slide home with quarter of an hour left in N17. Next up for the 10th-placed Blues is the visit of champions Manchester City on Sunday, which means a reunion for Cole Palmer against his old club. Palmer, who took his Chelsea goal to three with the equaliser against Spurs, told Sky Sports: “This was a big game, we knew it was before we came into it. Big stadium and obviously they were unbeaten, but we thought we could come here and get a result and we did that. “Obviously it is easier to play against nine men, but we knew we needed to win the game when they went down to 10 and then when they went down to nine especially. “We knew we needed to score and if we kept pressing, making the runs in behind, because their line was so high, we would get in and we did eventually. “It has obviously been a difficult start for Nico, no hiding from it, but he was brilliant. “He just needs to work hard on the training pitch and keep his head down. Then I think he will get many more hat-tricks.” Read More On this day in 2009: David Haye becomes a heavyweight world champion Los Angeles Chargers demolish New York Jets 27-6 Injury blow for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones Luton ‘saddened’ by tragedy chanting and threatening to ban those involved Eddie Howe makes no apologies for Newcastle’s no-nonsense approach to winning Young Boys expect to face fearsome Man City side, with or without Erling Haaland

England internationals Ben Chilwell and Beth Mead are fronting a new player-led initiative to better deal with mental health issues within football. The pair are among several top-level footballers to back ‘Create the Space’, a long-term movement working alongside Common Goal aimed at training individuals – either externally or within clubs – on how to help those with mental ill health. The goal is to eventually have such volunteers available to players throughout the whole football pyramid, helping to provide a safe space for conversations around mental health and well-being. Chelsea full-back Chilwell has openly spoken about his own battles in the past and wants ‘Create the Space’ to normalise conversations around the subject. “I have had my own mental health journey and I felt unsure about where to turn to for support,” he said. “It’s down to our generation to change this and ensure that throughout football, all the way from the elite level to young people in community organisations, we have each other’s backs and we’re equipped with the tools to help ourselves and those around us. “We need to move from talking about mental health to taking action, and ‘Create the Space’ provides the platform for everyone wishing to take action to play a role in tackling mental health issues, whether they are playing in the Premier League, in the playground, or in the park.” Mead won the Golden Boot and was named Player of the Tournament as she helped the Lionesses win the Women’s Euros last year but has since suffered setbacks on and off the pitch that have tested the 28-year-old. “In January I lost my Mum and because of the injury I couldn’t play football, which was always my escape, my happy place,” the Arsenal forward said. “Moments when people thought I was fine because of my outgoing personality, were very dark. It’s been a tough process to understand. Team-mates, people at the club, family and friends that supported me were so important, without them I could have been in a far darker place. “I want to help create an environment in which it’s totally normal to address mental health. There’s not a perfect way of dealing with it, but if you feel you’re not alone it helps so much. “We need to normalise mental health and in doing so that would go a long way.” Other names to back the initiative include Mead’s Arsenal team-mate Vivianne Miedema as well as Tottenham captain Molly Bartrip and former England Under-21 international and mental health advocate Marvin Sordell. Bartrip, in particular, recalled a moment in her own life where she needed help. We need to normalise mental health and in doing so that would go a long way Beth Mead “Some years ago I was in a position where I wanted to commit suicide,” she said. “You feel like you’re a burden, but it’s the strongest thing to ask for help. Mental health shouldn’t be a forbidden subject, it should be as open as having an injury. “I want football to become a safe space and hope that from the top level down to grassroots that’s what we can achieve with ‘Create the Space’.” Launched in 2017, Common Goal is a collective movement in global football and now 250 players and managers contribute a minimum of one per-cent of their football earnings to take action against challenges such as gender equity, racial justice, LGBT+ inclusion and mental health. Former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata was a trailblazer for the scheme, which is now also backed by household names across the men’s and women’s game. Read More Joe Truman has ‘point to prove’ in pursuit of Paris Olympics place Football rumours: Chelsea and Arsenal leading the race for Ivan Toney Iga Swiatek beats Coco Gauff in fault-filled match at WTA Finals Rodrigo Muniz gives Marco Silva a selection headache with Fulham cup display Mauricio Pochettino will not take risks with Chelsea captain Reece James Sean Dyche wants Everton squad to be happy playing three times a week

Kevin de Bruyne has admitted that his hamstring was so flimsy it was like a wet kitchen towel before he was injured. The Manchester City midfielder played with a hamstring problem for the final two months of last season before being injured in the first half of the Champions League final win over Internazionale. And after making a comeback, he was hurt again in the Premier League opener against Burnley, lasting just 23 minutes before undergoing surgery. The Belgium captain could be back in December and is confident this time he will last longer on his comeback. He said: “It was a serious operation. It’s actually going very well. There will be a major scan next week and then we will know how the injury is progressing. In the end, everything is going according to schedule. I have not been given a time when I could play football again. “It is important that I get this injury 100 per cent right. There were a lot of cracks. Those hamstrings could have torn at any time. It was - on paper - a wet kitchen towel. Ultimately, I had a major maintenance carried out after 700 matches, a bit like you do with your car. “I had been struggling for two months, but I was able to hold on well and with the club we were able to manage everything. I was able to arrange to be there at the right time. During the week when I felt at my best, but my body said that it was enough. I still had a lot of stress in that final. Because of all those movements I may have made the crack a little bigger. But it was worth it. “This has never happened to me before. It is a serious surgery and something like that doesn’t happen very often with a hamstring injury. But all the surgeons said an intervention was necessary.” Read More Pep Guardiola responds to concerns over artificial pitch ahead of Young Boys clash Watch: Jurgen Klopp’s amusing reaction to Man United being thrashed at home ‘I am a fighter’ insists Erik ten Hag after chastening Manchester United defeat

Erik ten Hag promised he was a “fighter” after Manchester United slumped to a 3-0 Carabao Cup home defeat to Newcastle United to pile more pressure on him. Defeat in the rematch of last season’s final – which United won to highlight a promising first season in charge for the Dutchman – meant United have lost eight of their opening 15 fixtures in all competitions this term, their worst start since the 1962-63 campaign. Goals from Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock ensured a second consecutive 3-0 home defeat for United, comfortably beaten by rivals Manchester City on Sunday, and they were booed off at both half-time and full-time as Ten Hag was left facing some serious questions. “I am a fighter and I know it is not always going up,” he said. “We have a lot of setbacks this season so far, but also you have to deal with it and that is never an excuse. “I have said that before I know when there are setbacks the routines are not the same, but even then you have to get results in. Obviously, Sunday and tonight were far from that so we have to do things right and at a certain level, at the minimum level to win games.” Questions of Ten Hag were already being asked after Sunday’s derby defeat left United 11 points from the top of the Premier League table after 10 games. The former Ajax boss said he accepted that, but insisted he had no doubts about his own abilities. “I understand it when the results are not there,” he said. “It is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well, but at this moment we are in a bad place. “I take responsibility for it. I see it as a challenge. I am a fighter and I am in that fight and I have to make sure that I share the responsibility with my players and that we stick together and fight together, and get better results.” Both sides made several changes from the weekend, but even with Newcastle’s resources stretched by injuries they looked by far the sharper of the two sides, winning the midfield battles and finding space going forward, often far too easily down United’s right-hand side in the first half. “It is below the standards everyone expect from Manchester United,” Ten Hag said. “It is not good enough by far. We have to put it right. I take responsibility for it. It is my team and they are not performing. I have to share it with my players, but I am responsible.” Defeat was not the only blow for United with Casemiro, back after a three-game absence, withdrawn at half-time with an unspecified injury which Ten Hag said would rule the Brazilian out of Saturday’s trip to Fulham. While United assessed the damage, Newcastle enjoyed lengthy celebrations with their loud travelling support after their first Old Trafford victory since December 2013. “It was a massive performance from the players and I can’t credit them enough,” said Eddie Howe. “Some great stories, only (an injury to) Matt Targett the negative, but even more credit to the players and some giant performances. “I personally have always found it a difficult ground and Newcastle the same so another thing to be really proud of the commitment showed by everyone. I thought we showed some great goals, the quality was a real highlight. “We are determined to try and do well in every game. We picked a team we felt could win and now we will do the same for Arsenal (on Saturday).” Read More Football rumours: Chelsea and Arsenal leading the race for Ivan Toney Manchester United and Arsenal knocked out of the Carabao Cup Man United given look at how far they’ve fallen as Newcastle win at Old Trafford Football fan convicted of racially abusing Rio Ferdinand Sir Bobby Charlton died after fall at care home, inquest hears Manchester United kit ‘too tight’ as players forced to wear replicas