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Mikel Arteta admits that Mauricio Pochettino is a role model for him, owing to the time they spent together as players at Paris Saint-Germain.

Liverpool's Mo Salah is proving age is just a number, but the clock ticks for everyone. Five potential successors are standing in the wings, each with unique talents and potential to fill the superstar's shoes.

Everton winger Jack Harrison took advice from Frank Lampard about the importance of having an on-field ego and believes he is reaping the benefits. The rookie professional had to pluck up the courage to knock on the experienced England international’s hotel room door when they were team-mates at New York City. He asked about confidence and Lampard, who was sacked as Everton manager six months before Harrison arrived, spoke to him about ego and self-belief. It is advice he has carried with him since moving back to England with Leeds and now on loan at Goodison Park. His confidence was boosted further by his maiden Everton goal – a brilliant instinctive lob over Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto – in only his third appearance in which the wise words of Lampard probably played some part. “I remember going to Frank’s room one time, knocking on his door asking for advice on certain mentality, how to be. I sat in his room and just chatted for half-an-hour,” said Harrison, who gained more valuable information after four seasons with Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road. “I think having that ego and confidence on the pitch was something that maybe challenged me a little bit. It was difficult for me to bring out. “But after talking to Frank (he said) it was something he applied to himself. When you step out on that pitch he used to tell himself he was the best player. “It doesn’t have to be in a nasty way or anything but it’s definitely important to have. “I was watching an interview Zlatan Ibrahimovic did where he said he felt like God when he was on the pitch. Maybe I’m not at that level but it’s nice to hear similar stories. “When you are lining up against Mo Salah you have to do your best against them. That mentality, feeling like you belong, is a big part of it.” Harrison’s two seasons in New York playing alongside Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and David Silva and managed by Patrick Vieira were formative but after being brought home by Manchester City his real development came at Leeds. Bielsa’s methods were so intense the 26-year-old still has ‘flashbacks’. “It was beyond anything I’d seen before,” said Harrison ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby. “Because everything was so regimented and we were working so hard the three years almost flew by. I don’t think in all of that time I took a step back to really enjoy playing with him. “Looking back now, I just wish I enjoyed it a little bit more in the moment but I’m super grateful. “It has made me the player I am today working with him, building those foundations when I first came back to England. “I know what the standard is. If I’m ever struggling or lose sight of where I need to be, I can always go back to that time. “Sometimes even on a day off I will have in the back of my mind, ‘OK, I need to do something today.’ Some of the guys here (at Everton) will say ‘Bielsa has drilled you so much’. “It is a good kind of characteristic to have in your back pocket just in case you need it.” For all the football input the biggest influence on his career is mum Debbie, who took him away from Liverpool’s academy when he was a six and Manchester United’s when he was 14 to send him to a United States boarding school for a better chance of success. “Her providing me with that opportunity at the time was definitely outside the box. I was an only child and she was a single mother. I have to give all the credit to my mum,” said Harrison. “Coming back to England I wanted to do everything I could to repay here for that, be it a house or a car or she doesn’t have to work any more. “Going to New York and playing professionally for the first time I was really thankful to my mum because there were a lot of people saying ‘Oh why didn’t you stay at Man United?’. “I’d always had that in the back of my mind because I’d seen the likes of Scott McTominay come up and absolutely smash it with the first team. I did think, ‘What could have happened if I’d stayed at United?’. “But as soon as I made it to New York and saw where I was it gave me a different perspective where I was able to thrive. “At that point I thought ‘It doesn’t matter what would have happened, this is my path now’. There’s nothing you can do about the past so you have to keep looking forward.” Read More Tom Curry counting on experience against South Africa for World Cup semi-final Eddie Howe insists Newcastle are committed long-term to Sandro Tonali The World Cup final beckons: talking points ahead of England-South Africa Mikel Arteta hails career-long support of ‘big brother’ Mauricio Pochettino Emma Raducanu to keep ‘provoking and asking questions’ of coaches on her return Rugby World Cup: How England fared in their previous semi-finals

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Eddie Howe has insisted an “emotional” Sandro Tonali has a future at Newcastle as he awaits the outcome of an investigation into alleged betting breaches. The 23-year-old Italy midfielder, who joined the Magpies from AC Milan in a £55million summer move, could face a lengthy ban as the club considers its options. However, Howe has vowed to offer all the support he can to a player he believes can play a major role in his team. Asked if Tonali has and wants a future at St James’ Park, he said: “That’s not even been discussed because that’s a yes on both sides. “We will support him and back him and we see him being part of our team for many years, and I know that’s the same back from his side to us. “There are some things I feel you don’t have to say. We are committed to him long-term.” Howe added: “The most important part of this whole incident is Sandro and his welfare. It’s very easy for people to forget how young he is, the changes he’s had in his life coming from Italy to England. He's been obviously emotional, but handled himself with respect and dignity Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe “That’s hard enough to deal with, and now he has, of course, this situation, so we as a football club straight away, it was throw our arms around him and protect him and try to give him the love and support that he needs to find solutions to the problems that he’s had. “That’s what we’re endeavouring to do with a lot of conversations, a lot of communication with him and his family, because it’s not just Sandro, it’s the people around him that are going to be so important to him as well. “I have to say, he’s handled himself superbly well. He’s been obviously emotional, but handled himself with respect and dignity.” Tonali, along with Italy team-mate Nicolo Zaniolo, is subject to investigation by the Italian Prosecutor’s Office and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in relation to illegal betting activity. His agent Giuseppe Riso has claimed the player is dealing with a “gambling addiction” with reports from Italy suggesting he had bet on former club AC Milan winning games. Howe said: “I got a phone call from (sporting director) Dan Ashworth during the international break and it was a total surprise to me, to him, to everybody. “But these are things that can happen and my immediate thought process was for Sandro and making sure he’s okay so yeah, a difficult period for him.” Howe, who revealed Tonali has trained this week and is under consideration for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace on Tyneside, was more reticent when asked about the deal which brought the player to the club, and the relationship between football and gambling. When asked if the club was exploring the intricacies of the deal, he added: “I’m sure the club will be doing what the club needs to do. But from my side, I can’t comment on that because I’m not party to those conversations. “That is one for Dan and people above me to answer.” Tonali’s situation has once again highlighted the links between sport and gambling. Newcastle currently have partnerships with three betting companies, FUN88, BetMGM and Sportsbet.io. Asked if that was a concern, Howe said: “That’s a difficult one for me to comment on. My job is to coach the team, manage the team and that’s what I’ll do. It’s probably best that I stick to those subjects.” Read More The World Cup final beckons: talking points ahead of England-South Africa Mikel Arteta hails career-long support of ‘big brother’ Mauricio Pochettino Emma Raducanu to keep ‘provoking and asking questions’ of coaches on her return Rugby World Cup: How England fared in their previous semi-finals 5 past Rugby World Cup meetings between England and South Africa New England captain Jack Welsby keen to banish World Cup heartache against Tonga

Fantasy Premier League managers will have experienced another weekend of frustration or elation after some surprise results and plenty of eye-catching performances. With the international break on the horizon and plenty of injuries to key players from the first part of the season, now could be the time to think about a wildcard to bring in some in-form players and rebalance your squad. Here are five players we think could help you in gameweek 9 and beyond, regardless of whether you are thinking of a whole-squad overhaul or just a small differential gamble to catch up with your rivals. Ollie Watkins - Aston Villa, forward (8.1 m) While Villa’s three-match winning streak may have come to an end after a 1-1 draw with Wolves, Unai Emery’s star striker continued his impressive form with another assist. The 27-year-old has earned a recall to Gareth Southgate’s England squad and it’s easy to see why with four goals and four assists in his last four games. After the international break, Villa have an enticing run of fixtures against West Ham, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest and Fulham - three of which are at home - and the English striker should be highly coveted by many managers. Antony Gordon - Newcastle, midfielder (5.6m) If you’re looking to fund a move for Watkins in attack, the Newcastle winger could offer a budget-friendly option in midfield. Gordon sat out the Magpies’ clash with West Ham having picked up his fifth yellow card of the season and so should be well rested by the time gameweek nine rolls around. Home fixtures against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth lie ahead in the next four and with one goal and three assists in his last three starts, it’s clear that Gordon is beginning to show the kind of form that warranted his big-money move from Everton last January. Tyrick Mitchell - Crystal Palace, defender (4.5m) Palace’s backline wracked up their third clean sheet in a row in gameweek eight and statistically are the fifth-best defensive side, conceding just 10.35 expected goals so far this season, a figure better than league leaders Tottenham and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool. Tyrick Mitchell has shown his capabilities going forward already this season - with an assist in the 3-2 win against Wolves - and could be a good long-term rotation option in defence. Tricky fixtures against Newcastle and Spurs are on the horizon in the next two gameweeks but the following home games against Burnley and Everton could offer the potential for returns. David Raya - Arsenal, goalkeeper (4.8m) With four Premier League starts in a row, it’s clear that Raya has usurped Aaron Ramsdale in the pecking order at the Emirates. The Spaniard has made a promising start to life in an Arsenal shirt with three clean sheets in his first four games and is the cheapest starting goalkeeper out of the clubs currently occupying the top five spots in the league. Home fixtures against Sheffield United and Burnley feature in their next four games and with just 3.4% of managers owning the Arsenal shot-stopper, he could represent a smart differential pick for the weeks ahead. Pedro Neto - Wolves, midfielder (5.7m) After an upset victory over Man City and a well-deserved point against Villa, there are signs that Gary O’Neil may be beginning to find his footing with this Wolves side. A large part of that has been the form of Pedro Neto who has one goal and six assists in his last six games. The Portuguese international set up Hwang Hee Chan’s opener on the weekend and currently has the ninth-highest number of points out of all midfielders in the game, putting him above much-fancied assets like Moussa Diaby and Kaoru Mitoma who are both around 1m more expensive. Games against Bournemouth and Sheffield United - two of the league’s bottom three - await in Wolves’ next three fixtures so the in-form winger is certainly one to consider if you’re looking for an outside-the-box pick over the next few weeks. Read More FPL GW9: Watkins, Gordon and five players to consider for transfers How Sean Dyche turned Everton into a better attacking team than Liverpool Eddie Howe reveals Sandro Tonali availability amid betting investigation How Sean Dyche turned Everton into a better attacking team than Liverpool Eddie Howe reveals Sandro Tonali availability amid betting investigation Mikel Arteta hails career-long support of ‘big brother’ Mauricio Pochettino

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reflects on the disappointing manner of his departure from Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta rates Bukayo Saka & William Saliba's chances of returning for Arsenal against Chelsea.

Jude Bellingham credits the Real Madrid fans for inspiring his excellent form this season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed Mauricio Pochettino as a “big brother” and believes he is already turning things around at Chelsea. The pair played together for a year at Paris St Germain, both arriving in 2001 and striking up a friendship that lasts until the present day. They have since gone on to become top coaches – but their meeting at Stamford Bridge on Saturday will be the first time they have faced off as opposing managers. Pochettino, 51, is 10 years older than Arteta and while they may have signed for PSG at the same time, the Arsenal boss credits the Argentinian for taking him under his wing. “First of all, it was my first professional opportunity in Paris and we arrived at the same time and lived together in a hotel for three months,” Arteta explained. “He was critical, has been one of the most influential people in my career. Firstly as a player, he took me under the arm and looked after me like a little child, a little brother, and he was a big part of the success I had in Paris. “It was because of him because he really looked after me, gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of advice. “He has been a role model for me since that day, not only when I was a player but as a manager as well, when I had to make the decision to leave playing and start my coaching career he had a big say on that and I will always be grateful.” Arteta has been in charge of Arsenal since December 2019, just a month after Pochettino was sacked as head coach at north London rivals Tottenham. Pochettino returned to the Premier League when he took the reins at Chelsea in May and, despite a turbulent start, Arteta feels his old colleague is starting to turn things around. Asked if he felt Pochettino could rise to the challenge, he replied: “Yes, you can see already that something has changed very quickly. “It’s a big game and there is a big history between the two clubs. We know the types of games we’ve played together with them in the past but this is a different one. I’ve been really impressed by Chelsea. “I think they deserve much more than what they’ve got in the table. What Mauricio has done in a short time is phenomenal. We’ll be have to be at our best.” Arteta also revealed the best advice Pochettino had offered after he had hung up his boots: “’Don’t go into coaching — it’s too hard’! “That is the first thing. I knew he was going to be a coach and I followed him very closely because as a player he was already a leader. “The way he understood the game was phenomenal. I used to have him at my back and he was constantly coaching me. Very proud of what he has done and the way he has done it through his coaching career.”

Amazon Prime's TNF broadcast screwed up big-time ahead of the Saints-Jaguars game.