Summary

  • Champions League build-up: Atalanta v Celtic (17:45), Man City v Sparta Prague, RB Leipzig v Liverpool (20:00)

  • Jose Mourinho suggests he may still get title bonus for his time at Man Utd if Man City are penalised over financial rules

  • Tottenham fined £20,000 for scuffle in West Ham game, Son Heung-min to miss Thursday's game against AZ Alkmaar

  • Leicester and Nottingham Forest news conferences

  • Aston Villa top league table after beating Bologna 2-0, Arsenal defeat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0

  • Man City boss Pep Guardiola was offered England job before Thomas Tuchel appointed, says journalist Guillem Balague

  • Get Involved: #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

Live Reporting

Craig Nelson, Ben Ramsdale, Holly Bacon & Jonty Colman

  1. Ready for Jose

    Fenerbahce v Man Utd (Thu, 20:00 BST)

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport's chief football news reporter in Istanbul

    Jose Mourinho left Manchester United in December 2018.

    However, his legacy at Old Trafford remains even though we are now onto the third manager since Mourinho's exit.

    Now Fenerbahce coach after his summer move to Turkey, Mourinho remains box office and who knows what he will say when he sits down in the media room at Fenebahce's training ground at 14:30 local time, 12:30 BST.

    There are plenty of people here to listen.

    Empty press desk at FenerbahceBBC Sport
    Full press room at FenerbahceBBC Sport

  2. Son Heung-min scored on his return from injury in Tottenham's 4-1 win at home to West Ham on Saturday, but was substituted with 20 minutes of that game remaining.

  3. Son & Spence miss Spurs training session

    Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar (Thu, 20:00 BST)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    Tottenham forward Son Heung-min and defender Djed Spence were both missing from today's open training session.

    A question for manager Ange Postecoglou in his news conference this afternoon, no doubt.

    Son Heung-min shakes hands with Ange Postecoglou after being substituted in Saturday's 4-1 win over West HamGetty Images

  4. Mourinho incoming

    Fenerbahce v Man Utd (Thu, 20:00 BST)

    Before then, we're set to hear from Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho as build-up to Thursday's Europa League clash at home to Manchester United.

    We'll bring you the best of what he has to say.

  5. Three news conferences to come

    All expected 13:30 BST

    A reminder that we have three news conferences to bring you from Premier League sides this afternoon.

    Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou will be previewing Thursday's Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar.

    Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Leicester City boss Steve Cooper will both be up to preview their Premier League match on Friday night.

  6. Who are the favourites to finish top eight in the Champions League?

    Ross Barkley celebrates with Aston Villa team-mates Jhon Duran and Leon BaileyGetty Images

    Aston Villa fans can be forgiven for getting excited.

    We reported earlier that Unai Emery's side had been given a 99.5% chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League and a 63% chance of progressing directly into the last-16 by finishing in the top eight of the extended league phase.

    Those predictions have been made by Football Meets Data, following "10,000 Elo-based simulations" made after Tuesday night's results.

    You can see the full table of predictions by clicking here.

    For the record, here is a full list of the sides predicted to finish in the top eight, in order of their percentage chances, along with their current league position (in brackets):

    1. Man City (12th) 65%
    2. Aston Villa (1st) 63%
    3. Bayer Leverkusen (8th) 62%
    4. Borussia Dortmund (5th) 57%
    5. Arsenal (4th) 55%
    6. Liverpool (10th) 53%
    7. Real Madrid (9th) 50%
    8. Inter Milan (13th) 48%

    NB: Celtic, who are currently 23rd in the table following a win and a defeat from their opening two matches, have a predicted finish of 24th - in the final knockout place - with a predicted 6% chance of finishing in the top eight.

  7. 'A golden age for Villa' - fans' views

    Aston Villa 2-0 Bologna

    Villa Park with a Tifo of three lionsGetty Images

    Unsurprisingly, Aston Villa fans had an altogether more positive view of their side's performance in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League win at home to Bologna:

    Peter: I’m not sure how far Villa can go in the Champions League but I’m just loving every moment so far. We waited a long time for this and Unai Emery is serving up a treat.

    Paul: For the first time this season, Villa played in something like top gear. And with a changed line-up, it was seamless! Our squad is so strong - it's a great time to be a Villa fan. Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans were immense.

    Dave: We look like we've been playing Champions League football for a solid decade, not in our maiden competition. Emery is too humble but the belief he has given us means the statue has to be coming. We are in a golden age for Villa.

  8. 'Awful, lacklustre, devoid of creativity' - fans' views

    Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk

    Arsenal

    Arsenal players in a huddle with a huge Gunners flag in the backgroundGetty Images

    We asked Arsenal fans for their thoughts after Tuesday's Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

    It seems Gunners supporters were less than impressed:

    MJS: Awful, lacklustre, devoid of creativity. It just shows who are the creative geniuses in our team. Kai Havertz was excellent with zero service. A better team would have punished us.

    Ugochukwu: Arsenal look worse than the previous season and have just been grinding out results. The beauty is fading fast. Hopefully, the returns of Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and later, Martin Odegaard, will help improve performances and results. The red cards have not helped either.

    Jay: A functional performance that lacked cutting edge. Can't dismiss a win in the Champions League but I'd like to see better end product in front of goal.

  9. Nottingham Forest and Leicester on the rise

    Leicester City v Nottingham Forest (Fri, 20:00 BST)

    A look at where both Leicester City and Nottingham Forest stand before their Premier League match on Friday evening.

    The Foxes managed to pull away from the bottom three after their incredible second-half turnaround against Southampton last weekend and are looking far more comfortable in 14th.

    Forest on the other hand moved up to eighth, just four points off of the top four after securing a narrow 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at the City Ground on Monday night.

    Who comes out on top on Friday?

    A graphic showing the Premier League table from eighth to 17th.

  10. 'Look who's top!'

    Wednesday's newspapers

    The Daily Telegraph

    John McGinn looks happy - and why wouldn't he? His Aston Villa side are top of the league phase in the Champions League, as noted by the Daily Telegraph.

    Telegraph sport pageDaily Telegraph

  11. Get Involved - are Villa Champions League contenders?

    #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Great job done by Villa last night. Looking at the bench and seeing a greater squad depth is really pleasing. Emery continues to get 100% out of the players. What a coach. UTV.

    Dan, Bath

    Spurs fan here that remembers how we got to the Champions league final against the odds. Villa can play some great football, but more importantly you can tell the team as a whole play for each other and the manager. I wouldn't be surprised to see them go a decent distance this year. They're unlikely to win it, but they'll give it a good go and give their fans some lasting memories.

    Laurie, Perth

    As a Villa fan, I believe that winning the Champions League will be very difficult for us, I'll be very proud if we go deep into the knockout stages. But who knows? We weren't expected to win it in 1982.

    Rob from Wolverhampton

  12. Thumbs up to Villa as UCL contenders & Rogers for England

    Morgan Rogers celebrates with his Aston Villa team-matesGetty Images

    We conducted a couple of unscientific polls earlier this morning as part of our content covering Aston Villa's impressive winning start to this season's Champions League.

    At the last count, 1,109 gave a thumbs up in agreement that Villa should now be considered genuine contenders to win the Champions League, compared with 788 who gave the notion a thumbs down.

    Villa's Morgan Rogers was given an even healthier vote of confidence by readers, with 1,198 agreeing that he was destined to move above Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer in the reckoning for England's main attacking midfield role, compared with 358 who didn't think he would.

  13. 'Disgusting contempt'

    Wednesday's newspapers

    The Guardian

    The Guardian leads on Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' five-match stadium ban over a spitting incident.

    In his defence, Marinakis claimed that he had a hacking cough because he smokes two or three cigars a day and the incident was unintentional.

    Guardian sport pageThe Guardian

  14. 'United's Xavi talks'

    Wednesday's newspapers

    The Daily Mail

    Former Barcellona boss Xavi Hernandez is in the frame for the Manchester United job should the club sack Erik ten Hag, according to the Daily Mail.

    Mail back pageDaily Mail

  15. We've met before...

    Fenerbahce v Man Utd (Thurs, 20:00 BST)

    Last time these two sides met it was in the same competition but Jose Mourinho was the man in the Manchester United dugout.

    Fenerbache won that 2016 tie 2-1 but United went on to win the Europa League that season.

    Simon Kjaer (R 2) of Fenerbahce argues with Zlatan IbrahimovicGetty Images

  16. A familiar face

    Fenerbahce v Man Utd (Thurs, 20:00 BST)

    Jose Mourinho's two-and-a-half year reign at Manchester United was a chaotic one.

    His first season in charge at Old Trafford brought silverware. He won both the League Cup and Europa League.

    After finishing sixth in the Premier League that year, they secured a second place finish in the 2017-18 season but after a poor start the following season - collecting only 26 points after 17 Premier League games, he lost his job.

    During his time at United, Mourinho signed 11 players for a total of £358.8m.

    Jose MourinhoGetty Images
    Jose MourinhoGetty Images

  17. Beautiful day in Istanbul

    Fenerbahce v Man Utd (Thurs, 20:00 BST)

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

    It has been a gorgeous morning in Istanbul at the start of what is set to be a busy day football wise.

    Fenerbahce play Manchester United in the Europa League tomorrow, which means a Jose Mourinho press conference at the Turkish club's training ground at 14:30 local time (12:30 BST).

    United are training at Carrington at 1000 BST and have permission from Uefa to hold their pre-match press conference at the team hotel once they arrive. That is due to be at 19:00 BST (21:00 local time) but it depends if Erik Ten Hag and his players land on time in Turkey.

    Fenerbahce's great rivals Galatasaray play later, also in the Europa League, against Swedish side Elsborg.

    ...BBC Sport

    Istanbul

  18. 'League chief and City in 'feisty' clash'

    Wednesday's newspapers

    The Times

    More on the Nottingham Forest owner in The Times, which also reports on tensions between the Premier League and Manchester City.

    The Times sport pageThe Times

  19. 'Spitty ground'

    Wednesday's newspapers

    The Sun

    Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' five-match stadium ban for spitting on the floor as match officials walked past in the tunnel leads the back page of The Sun.

    Sun back pageThe Sun

  20. Forest owner banned for spitting towards officials

    Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos MarinakisGetty Images

    Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was given a five-match stadium ban for spitting on the floor as match officials walked past in the tunnel, an independent regulatory commission has said.

    Marinakis was found guilty of improper conduct for the incident following Forest's 1-0 Premier League defeat by Fulham at the City Ground on 28 September.

    In publishing its written reasons behind the decision, the commission said there was "no excuse" for such an "an egregious display of disrespectful behaviour" that could "fuel disrespect towards match officials".

    Click here to read the full story.