Tottenham Hotspur
Frank confirms Bissouma will return for Burnley; Udogie remains unavailable
Frank confirms Bissouma returns for Burnley after internal disciplinary action; Udogie not ready now
Thomas Frank has confirmed Yves Bissouma will be back in the Tottenham squad for the match against Burnley after being left out of the Super Cup trip to PSG. The midfielder was omitted from the squad following repeated lateness, a matter Frank described as disciplinary.
“Bissouma isn’t here because of disciplinary reasons,” the Tottenham boss said. “He has been late several times, the latest one too many.”
Frank said the issue has been dealt with internally and that Bissouma will be included for the Burnley game. “Bissouma was a situation,” he said. “I addressed it, there was a consequence. He will be in the squad tomorrow.”
The manager stressed the decision reflected consistent standards he applies across his career. “Yeah, you can say that, but I would have done exactly the same at Brentford or anywhere else I have worked.
”I have certain standards and demands. I think players need a lot of love, but there also needs to be consequences and in this case there was a consequence.”
Frank added that the matter is closed and that the focus has shifted to the upcoming fixture. “We have now dealt with the situation internally so I am looking forward to the big game tomorrow and that is where the main focus should be.”
Tottenham carry several injury concerns into the match. Dominic Solanke made his first minutes since last season in the PSG game, but Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin all missed out through injury.
On Udogie, Frank was clear that it is too early for a return. “Every player who was available is available for the team,” he said. “Destiny is progressing but it’s too early for him to be involved in the squad.”
Off the field, Tottenham have signed Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha this summer and sold Heung-Min Son to LAFC. James Maddison will be sidelined for most of the season after suffering an ACL injury against Arsenal earlier this month. Reported talks over Eberechi Eze and Savinho continue, and Frank reiterated the club is still active in the market.
“We are looking in the market, of course, not only for the number 10 position, but just to see if we can strengthen the squad.”
“The players we are looking for are only players that we think can improve the squad. I think the right thing to do is to pick the right player that fits, and if we find them we will do something.”
Arsenal
October Premier League award nominees announced
Premier League October award nominees include standout performers and managers across the division.
The Premier League has named the contenders for its October 2026 Player and Manager of the Month awards, with eight players and six managers included on the respective shortlists.
Bournemouth forward Evanilson enjoyed a productive month, finishing October with four goals and one assist from four appearances as his team beat Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds United after a slow opening to the season.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson also reached four goals in the month. The former Chelsea player scored twice in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and also found the net in draws against Brentford and Fulham.
Arsenal are represented by Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice after a perfect month. Konsa impressed in defence while William Saliba was absent, keeping two clean sheets in three outings and scoring his first goal for the club. Rice contributed two important assists at the other end.
Jack Rudoni’s form has helped Coventry City. The newly promoted side took two wins from four matches in October, with Rudoni scoring three times as they moved further away from the relegation zone.
Tottenham Hotspur also had an unbeaten month, and Jan Paul van Hecke played a key role in wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No player attempted or completed more passes than the Dutch defender last month.
Brighton have two nominees in Luka Vušković and Bart Verbruggen. Three clean sheets in four matches brought recognition for the Seagulls’ defence.
On the managerial shortlist, Chelsea scored more goals than any other team in October with nine, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta guided his side to the top of the table. Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler and Marco Rose complete the list after strong runs during the month.
Month
Player
Club
August
João Pedro
Chelsea
September
Pascal Groß
Brighton
Month
Manager
Club
August
Sergej Jakirović
Hull
September
Arsenal
Opta Supercomputer Favors Arsenal After Anfield Win Reshapes Premier League Race
Arsenal’s Anfield win has transformed Opta’s 2026/27 Premier League forecast, boosting their title odds.
Arsenal’s visit to Anfield was supposed to expose the scars of a difficult week. Instead, it produced a result that changes the feel of the 2026/27 Premier League season after only nine matches.
The Gunners arrived with the memory of their defeat at League Two Fleetwood Town still fresh, but they handled the occasion with the sort of control usually associated with champions. Kai Havertz’s early strike gave them the platform, and although Liverpool tried to respond with pressure and noise from the Kop, Arsenal refused to bend. Their victory was built on discipline, patience and defensive resistance, and it leaves the look of a collapse far behind them.
Opta’s latest supercomputer forecast now places Arsenal firmly on top of the table. They are projected to finish with 81.21 points and hold a 68.23% title chance, while Manchester City sit second on 71.98 projected points and 18.86% title odds. Brighton are third in the model, Liverpool fourth and Chelsea fifth.
Arsenal’s surge has also pushed their probability of retaining the Premier League title to 68.23%, a sharp rise after Manchester City suffered a second straight defeat. City remain the nearest challengers, though even their prospects are listed below 19%, not including any possible points deduction. Liverpool, already nine points back, have only a 3.06% title chance, despite being considered the most obvious alternative challenger.
Brighton remain one of the stories of the season after beating both of the top two, but Opta still gives them just a 6.86% chance of winning the league. Their more realistic target is Champions League qualification, where they are the only side outside Arsenal and City with better than even odds.
Further down, Manchester United’s position is bleak. Their winless run in all competitions has reached nine games, and Opta now gives them just a 1.48% chance of qualifying for the Champions League. In the relegation projection, Tottenham have moved clear of danger after three wins in a row, while United are suddenly among those with the greatest risk of dropping into the second tier.
Arsenal
Gameweek 9 verdicts: Chelsea edge United, Arsenal stun Liverpool
A full set of Gameweek 9 predictions, including Chelsea vs Man Utd and Liverpool vs Arsenal.
Gameweek 9 brings a stacked Premier League schedule, with several meetings that carry clear weight in the early-season picture. The most eye-catching fixtures are Chelsea against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge and Liverpool’s home clash with Arsenal, while there are also plenty of tight contests elsewhere across the division.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are tipped to come through 2-1 against a Manchester United side under pressure after back-to-back three-goal defeats to Como and Bournemouth. Michael Carrick remains in charge for the trip to west London after talks with Bruno Fernandes and the rest of the squad, but this feels like a critical test. Chelsea have their own issues, yet home advantage and the absence of João Pedro could still matter in a narrow contest.
Bournemouth’s strong run is expected to continue with a 2-1 win over Leeds United. The Cherries have produced a striking sequence of results across multiple competitions, and with Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson supported by Eli Junior Kroupi’s return, they look well placed to extend that momentum.
Other calls point to draws for Brentford against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United against Everton, while Coventry and Sunderland are forecast to cancel each other out. Hull are backed to edge Ipswich 1-0, and Manchester City are favoured to beat Brighton 3-2 in what could be the weekend’s most open game.
Tottenham are projected to keep improving with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, while Aston Villa are expected to defeat Fulham 3-0 after their recent uptick in form. The standout result, though, is at Anfield, where Arsenal are predicted to win 2-1 after Liverpool’s recent consistency meets a team looking to respond after a cup setback. The final matchup, Newcastle versus Everton, is also forecast to finish level.
