Everton

Image source, Getty Images

American businessman and film producer Dan Friedkin has written a message directly to the Everton fans, on the club website:, external"Following the completion of the takeover of Everton football club, I want to express my gratitude for your continued support and introduce the incoming executive chairman of Everton, Marc Watts.

"I take immense pride in welcoming one of England’s most historic football clubs to our global family, the Friedkin Group. Everton represents a proud legacy, and we are honoured to become custodians of this great institution.

"The Friedkin Group is a diverse family of companies with a global footprint spanning industries such as sports, automotive, entertainment, hospitality, and adventure. Across all our endeavours, we strive to deliver extraordinary experiences that ignite people’s passions. We are thrilled to bring this ethos to Everton and the Liverpool city region.

"Whilst we are new to the club, we fully understand the vital role Everton plays in local culture, history, and the lives of Evertonians here and around the world. We are deeply committed to honouring this legacy while contributing positively to the community, economy, and people of this remarkable city.

"Once again, thank you for your continued support."

Everton

Marc Watts, incoming executive chairman of Everton Football Club, said: "Today marks a momentous and proud occasion for the Friedkin Group as we become custodians of this iconic football club.

"We are committed to leading Everton into an exciting new era both on and off the pitch. Providing immediate financial stability to the club has been a key priority, and we are delighted to have achieved this.

"While restoring Everton to its rightful place in the Premier League table will take time, today is the first step in that journey."

Everton

Now we have some breaking news to bring you.

The Friedkin Group have completed its protracted takeover of Premier League club Everton.

It has bought the club from owner Farhad Moshiri, who became Everton's majority shareholder in February 2016 before gradually increasing his stake.

More to follow.

The Carabao Cup semi-finals will take place over two legs, on the weeks commencing 6 January and 3 February.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United are already through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after winning their quarter-final ties on Wednesday.

Tottenham host Manchester United later (20:00 GMT) to decide which team completes the last four.

The semi-final draw for the Carabao Cup will take place later today, after the conclusion of Tottenham's quarter-final tie with Manchester United (20:00 GMT).

Rob from sunny Bournemouth: In response to Chris message at 9:23: Are you mad, as a Spurs fan who have been on a drought for what feels like eternity, we are desperate to get our hands on it! As I'm sure Newcastle fans would feel the same. Desperate times call for desperate measures....

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Manchester United will be without Mason Mount at Tottenham tonight after he suffered another injury during Sunday's Premier League victory at Manchester City.

Mount was starting only his fourth Premier League game of the season at City but lasted just 14 minutes before coming off with yet another muscular problem.

The 25-year-old was visibly distressed as he left the field and United are still to confirm the length of his absence.

"In the dressing room he was really, really sad so we need to help him," said Amorim.

"When the player is in this moment, with a lot of injuries and with this schedule, and we have to maintain the load and we have to travel and with travelling you cannot train, it’s really hard for them.

"We will try to find a better way to recover these kind of guys like Mount and Luke Shaw because after a few weeks and a few months they will be ready to cope with a lot of things."

Image source, PA Media

Re Alan @ 08:48: This can't be serious right? Games in the league cup have been essential for players like TAA, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Connor Bradley breaking into the first team in recent years.

And with top 8 in the Champions League all but guaranteed it'll only really be Chelsea who are likely to have two less games to play because of it.

Not to mention it's a chance to defend a trophy they're currently the holders of.

Thomas

One question remains for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal - could Gabriel Jesus be the long-term answer in the central striker's role?

The 27-year-old Brazil striker has never delivered a 20-goal season in the Premier League since joining Manchester City in January 2017.

Arteta said that Jesus "wants to work harder and help the team in every way", but does he do too much?

His touch map against Crystal Palace shows that Jesus covered a lot of ground, but do all those touches outside the box take him away from his key role in the team - to score goals?

Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta certainly believes that, if Gabriel Jesus can maintain the levels he showed in scoring a hat-trick against Crystal Palace, the Brazil striker can "really deliver" for the Gunners.

"It's about confidence," said the Spaniard. "You know, when you haven't scored a goal [in front of your own fans] for almost a year, it is tough. It's in your mind and you are thinking about it.

"Gabby is someone who wants to do more. He wants to work harder and help the team more in every way. Today it got rewarded.

"The movement, the quality of his touches, the way he finished, his reactions - that is a big, big thing for him and the team. It is a big message for the team in that we have got Gabby back at his best. Playing at that level he can really deliver for us."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus helped to turn Arsenal from a top-four team into title contenders when he arrived in July 2022 from Manchester City.

In his first campaign for the Gunners, the Brazil striker scored 11 league goals after starting in 24 of his 26 league appearances.

But he has struggled to re-establish himself as a consistent starter following a run of injury problems and subsequent drop in form.

Last season, Jesus scored just four league goals for Arsenal after starting in 17 of his 27 league games, while this season he is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League after starting in just two of his 13 appearances.

So Arsenal fans, could Jesus' EFL Cup hat-trick against Crystal Palace be a turning point for the Brazil striker? Thumbs up for yes, down for no.

Image source, Getty Images

When Gabriel Jesus signed for Arsenal from Manchester City for £45m in July 2022, it marked the end of manager Mikel Arteta's long search for a central striker.

The pair had worked together at City and Arteta said at the time of his arrival: "I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.

"This is a position that's been on our radar for a long time now and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I'm really happy."

Image source, Reuters

Gabriel Jesus joined Manchester City from Palmeiras in January 2017 so had five full seasons with the Blues before joining Arsenal in the summer of 2022.

The Brazil striker is now in his third season with the Gunners and the 27-year-old has claimed a total of 73 goals and 40 assists from 225 appearances in the Premier League.

Jesus has made it into double figures for league goals on three occasions:

• 2017-18 - 13 from 19 appearances with Man City
• 2019-20 - 14 from 34 appearances with Man City
• 2022-23 - 11 from 26 appearances with Arsenal

We're set to hear from three Premier League managers today, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler the first scheduled to speak to the media from 09:00 GMT.

News conferences with Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Brentford boss Thomas Frank are scheduled for this afternoon.

Arsenal

Image source, Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus acknowledged his problems in front of goal after Wednesday's game: "I have scored a lot of goals but sometimes I have this problem with a lack of goals.

"I can create, I can make assists, I can run and help the team defending. When I score everyone sees, but when I don't they want their striker to score goals and I agree with that.

"That is why I am working a lot in training, finishing more, putting myself in a good position to finish the action. I think my hard work has paid off."

Gabriel Jesus went into Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final with just one goal to his name this season - from a 3-0 win at Championship side Preston in an earlier round of the competition.

His first goal against Crystal Palace came from a cool dink over goalkeeper Dean Henderson, while the second and third were fired in across goal from a similar spot on the corner of the six-yard box.

Amazingly, they were the Brazil striker's first goals at the Emirates since 17 December 2023.