West Ham United

We are expecting to hear from David Moyes shortly, before Sunday's match at Fulham.

The West Ham manager described Thursday night's win at Tottenham as one of the greatest of his career.

While we wait for the start of the Hammers news conference, let's hear more of what Moyes had to say after that 2-1 victory at Spurs.

Arsenal

A final word from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who has scored eight goals and has also weighed in with six assists in the Premier League this season.

"He's been tremendously consistent over the last few years and he's a real threat," said Arteta.

So how do you stop him?: "Like with any striker, don't give him the ball in the box. That is his main quality."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Mikel Arteta said he had three great goalkeepers and was happy with the goalkeeping situation in general at Arsenal.

On his continued selection of David Raya ahead of Aaron Ramsdale, the Spaniard added: "There is no debate when you look at his [Raya's] form and what he has achieved since he has been with us. He has been really impressive.

"We have to support our players and protect them and get the best out of them. Every player deserves right support and right love."

Mikel Arteta has been speaking about the goalkeeping dynamic at Arsenal, we will have those quotes for you next.

In the meantime, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards have been weighing up the pros and cons of having two top goalkeepers in one squad, as Arteta contends with keeping both David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale happy.

Here is another quick look at the top of the Premier League table.

Mikel Arteta will probably have taken a six-point lead over Manchester City at this stage, if asked at the start of the season, but Liverpool and Saturday's opponents Aston Villa cannot be discounted, can they?

Image source, .

Arsenal

On the title race, Mikel Arteta said: "When you look at the competition it’s so open and it will be open right until the end.

"It shows the quality and competitiveness of the league."

Arsenal

Speaking about his touchline ban and having to watch Saturday's game at Aston Villa from the directors' box, Mikel Arteta said: "I’ll have a nice view! I don’t know how to stop it when it’s such an emotional moment. I lost where I was.

"It’s unfortunate because I can’t be on the touchline, but if you look at the rules then you know you can’t do what I did. In the moment you can get carried away."

On whether he thinks the rule of not celebrating with players should be scrapped, Arteta added: "If I was given the opportunity then no [there shouldn't be a rule] because I want to be there with my players. When you get those moments you should be able to be there, but I get there has to be boundaries and I crossed that.

"Hopefully they’ll play better! We have experienced coaches that will be next to them. We’ve done it in the past from home, so let’s do it now. At least I have a little experience!"

Image source, Getty Images

George Cummins
BBC Radio 5 live

Arsenal have navigated lots of difficult tests this season, but they will face a new one on Saturday when they try to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League without Mikel Arteta in the dugout.

The Arsenal manager picked up his third booking of the season celebrating Declan Rice's winner at Luton on Tuesday and will have to watch Saturday's match against Aston Villa from the stands.

Arteta has missed a Arsenal match before. In January 2022, he had to watch the loss to Manchester City at his home in London because he had tested positive for Covid.

Assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg, coach Carlos Cuesta and specialist set-pieces coach Nicolas Jover will lead the team in Arteta's absence.

Arsenal

Image source, Getty Images

On opponents Aston Villa and their manager Unai Emery, Mikel Arteta said: "I’ve followed him [Emery] and seen what he’s done for every team, which is remarkable.

"He always improves players, teams and clubs. He’s a manger I always admire. He’s done it in many countries and at different levels, so I’m very happy for him.

"Tactically, they’re very well set up and they’re brave to play from the back. They’re a constant threat and then you have the atmosphere and intensity of them being at home.

"They fully merit where they are."

Villa are third in the Premier League, four points behind leaders Arsenal, following Wednesday's victory over Manchester City.

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed that there are no new injury concerns after Tuesday's victory over Luton Town.

On when they are hoping to have midfielder Thomas Partey back from injury, Arteta said: "We don’t know, it’s a bit early to get a time frame.

"If he’s back by Christmas then it will be very fast. We’re missing key players but we have to continue."

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal

Image source, Getty Images

They may both play for my old club, but I'm not being biased when I say Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are the two modern-day wingers that I admire the most.

I'd love to be playing in this current Gunners team myself too, of course, because they are an exciting side that is expected to challenge for the title - but I would have to get in ahead of Saka down the right, and there would be no chance of that!

My old position itself has changed so much, in any case. I only retired in August but I don't see myself as having been a modern-day winger. Not in the way Saka and Martinelli operate, anyway.

Some of the demands of the role now probably don't quite work for me, in that part of the freedom I had in certain areas of the pitch has gone.

I was sort of old-school, in that I wanted to be direct and aggressive straight away, and put defenders on the back foot.

Now, it feels like the idea is more about draining the defender. So, a lot of the time the winger will dribble a bit but then he will come back out with the ball. The move continues and the same might happen again, and again, grinding them down.

Read more here

Image source, Getty Images

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

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My footballing sporting hero is Mr Cyrille Regis.

He’s no longer with us. What a man and what a player. He looked great, he had a great physique and he scored great goals and I wanted to try and emulate the way he played.

Arsenal

Now then, we promised you a flurry of manager news conferences. Here is the first.

Arsenal's Mikel Arteta is now talking before Saturday's crunch clash at Aston Villa.

He said former Gunners boss Unai Emery deserves "huge credit" for the work he has done at Villa and described the match as a "big challenge" for the league leaders.

The Daily Mail

We finish the round-up of this morning's newspapers with this story in the Mail.

Matt Hughes reports that Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag is refusing to give into demands from senior players for more days off after complaints over workloads and scheduling.

Image source, Daily Mail

The Guardian

The Guardian is one of the newspapers to have run with a story on former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui being on Nottingham Forest's "radar" as a possible replacement for Steve Cooper.

Image source, The Guardian

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Steve Cooper retains the backing of Nottingham Forest's fans.

He also has his job - for now.

It seems owner Evangelos Marinakis will leave Cooper in charge for Saturday's trip to Wolves.

But defeat at Molineux could signal the end of Cooper's time at the City Ground.

Evidently, Marinakis has not spent so much - to get promoted and then stay in the top flight - to become embroiled in a second protracted battle against relegation.

Everton are now three points behind Forest and they have had a 10-point deduction.

Ironically, former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is one of the potential candidates to take over if the axe falls.

The Daily Star

Everton's Dwight McNeil provides the headline image in the Star, but Nottingham Forest supporters may well be drawn to manager Steve Cooper's headshot, which sits next to a story claiming his is in the "last-chance saloon" at the City Ground.

Image source, Daily Star

BBC Radio 5 Live

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Former Everton centre-back Alan Stubbs told BBC Radio 5 Live that the team will have a psychological boost from the Toffees being out of the relegation zone.

Reflecting on Thursday's win over Newcastle, Stubbs said: "I thought in the first half, both teams had chances. Everton were on the front foot and in the second half, as the game grew on, Everton got stronger in the game and whoever got that first goal was going to be so important to them.

"I think it’s a reflection of how Everton have been at home this season. They’ve actually performed really well without getting results and last night was one of them where everything went well for them and they won it in the end.

"It’s created an us against them feel. Sean Dyche has not really had an opportunity to put his best 11 on the pitch for a while, mainly through injuries. For me, this is Everton’s best 11 now.

"I don’t want to talk about the point deduction, it is what it is, but I think it’s wrong. Everton would have been in ninth place after last night’s result and that’s a reflection of how well they’ve done this season. The most important thing psychologically is they’re already out of the bottom three."

The Times

Things are certainly looking up for Everton on the pitch, but there remains issues off it.

The Times reports that 777 Partners, the American company looking to take over the club, has loaned Everton more than £100m since talks began but is not prepared to carry on providing funds past the end of the year if the deal is not given approval by the Premier League and Financial Conduct Authority by then.

Image source, The Times