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Following a challenging week for English teams in European competitions, the focus swiftly shifts back to domestic affairs with an exhilarating weekend of Premier League football set to unfold.
Managers from the top-tier clubs will be speaking to the press throughout the day. Stay informed with the latest updates and insights from Daily Mail Sport.
Man United’s Mount boost
Manchester United might see the return of Mason Mount to their lineup for Sunday’s encounter against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, after his six-game absence.
Manager Michael Carrick has announced that the 27-year-old is ready to make his comeback and could play a part in the match against Villa.
“Having Mason back with the team is fantastic,” stated the United manager. “He’s a crucial player for us, and his return is certainly a positive step forward.”
‘He’s not 100 per cent in terms of back, because he’s only trained a very small amount of time. But he’s back, and that’s good for us. We’ll see whether he’s involved or not on Sunday, but it’s a big step for him, so we’re happy with that.’
United and Villa go into the weekend in third and fourth place respectively as they battle for Champions League qualification. It follows Carrick’s first defeat in eight games since taking charge at Newcastle last week, and he is looking forward to the challenge of facing Unai Emery’s side.
Mason Mount could be back in the Man United squad for Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa
‘I think we’re always in the test, you know,’ he added. ‘It’s always about what’s next, how you’re going to react, whether you’ve won, whether you haven’t won, whether you’ve drawn, what’s going to be the reaction, what’s the group, what’s the emotions in it, how do we make the best of it, what’s the motivation for the next game and driving that forward?
‘So, I understand with it being the first defeat, if you like, it feels a little bit different, but it’s going to come at some point. You look through the league, it’s a tough league. Most teams, if not every team, has suffered that in recent times, so it’s putting things in perspective really and kind of putting it in shape where we know where we can improve, what we can do better, what we’re taking a lot of confidence from, as a group, what we can and what we’re sure we can achieve and how we can play.
‘It’s been a really good week in many ways, excited, it’s an important game, there’s no getting away from it. It’s a fantastic game. We’ve put ourselves in a position now where there’s an awful lot to play for. So, yeah, I’m really embracing the situation at the moment and looking forward to the next game.’
Moyes sticks up for Arsenal’s style of playÂ
David Moyes has come to Arsenal’s defence amid criticism over their style of play – as his Everton side gear up to travel to the Premier League leaders on Saturday evening.
The Toffees boss was asked how he is preparing his side for the physical test posed by the Gunners, who have scored 21 goals from set-pieces in the league this season.
Moyes replied: ‘What’s up with any of those things you say? You are making it sound as if that’s a problem because they are good at set-pieces and they are a strong, physical side. I don’t see any problem with any of that. It’s part of the game.
David Moyes has come to Arsenal’s defence amid criticism over their physical style of play
‘If there’s this thing out there where everybody has to play the beautiful game and everything has to be perfect, well if we all do that then it would be boring. Football would be boring. Part of the reason you people are talking about it is because it might be slightly different from what we have seen for a few years.
‘It’s giving you something to talk about, but I would hate to be going to football matches all the time and seeing football only played the one way. I want teams to play different styles and in different ways.’
Howe defends Gordon over sickness
Eddie Howe has hit back at Alan Shearer and Roy Keane after they questioned Anthony Gordon for not feeling well enough to start versus Barcelona on Tuesday.
The Newcastle and England star was expected to lead the line for the Champions League last-16 first leg but was named on the bench after reporting illness.
Shearer, speaking on Prime Video before the game, said: ‘Maybe I’m old school, but if you’re fit enough to train in the morning, and I know he doesn’t feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight.’
Roy Keane then weighed in on The Overlap, when he said: ‘How can you be ill and come on for half an hour? It’s bizarre, isn’t it?’
Host Gary Neville defended Gordon, but Keane countered: ‘Oh Gary, because you did an interview with him last year and you thought he was a really nice lad! How can you be ill, but come on for half an hour?
‘You hear managers every week say, “He’s not fit enough to start, but he’ll be good enough for the bench”. Something might happen after five minutes. I don’t get it. If he’s that important, start him and take him off after half an hour.’
Eddie Howe has defended Anthony Gordon after criticism by Roy Keane and Alan Shearer
Wayne Rooney was on punditry duty with Shearer, and he said: ‘Eddie Howe said before the game that he probably has 20 or 30 minutes in him. That’s telling you the sports scientists and the doctors are (suggesting he can play). If you’re ill, you’re ill.
‘You shouldn’t be there. He walked past us before the game and wouldn’t shake our hands. He said he didn’t want us to catch anything, but then he’s going into the dressing room with his team-mates.’
Howe felt moved to address the criticism when he met the media on Friday ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.
‘I do have to clear something up with Anthony Gordon,’ he began. ‘He was absolutely willing to play in the game against Barcelona. I know there’s a lot of comments. It was my decision not to start him based on the fact that he’d been ill that morning and hadn’t attended the training session. So he was prepared to play, but in consultation with the medical team, we didn’t think he was fit to play.’
Howe added: ‘My perception is that he does face a lot of scrutiny, but I think that comes with being a top player. As soon as you play for England, you go to a different level in terms of scrutiny and expectation. I think Ant has done that well and he’s single-minded enough to blank out a lot of the noise. It’s one of his strengths.
‘I’d categorise him as a winner. He wants to win everything, he’s a real competitor. He’s got that streak to him that I think all top players need where he’s very single-minded, very focused on his development and his game. I can only speak really glowingly of him this year. He’s probably in the best moment he’s been this season.’
Gordon came on during the final half hour of the 1-1 draw against Barcelona, and afterwards Howe said: ‘We trained this morning and Anthony didn’t make it. So that’s a pretty good sign that he’s not in the best physical condition. The doctors and everyone did a great job to get him at the start line for us, albeit for a short period of time. I thought he made a good contribution when he came on.’
CRAIG HOPEÂ