Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has been speaking to the media - and he says Gareth Bale will "probably" play against West Ham on Sunday. The Wales forward has yet to feature for Spurs since his loan return from Real Madrid.

"He wanted to play since the day he arrived, but it was not possible," Mourinho said. "I am not going to tell you if he is going to play, what I can tell you is that he is working very well, he is working in the way he was not able to do for a long time.

"The last week, especially Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, the planning of the sessions, had a big focus on him and he is in pretty good condition."

Manchester United

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was asked earlier about his side responding to that 6-1 home defeat by Tottenham last time out.

"We know we've started the season badly and that game ended really badly," he said. "But we've now had two weeks to think about it and work on it.

"We need a response, as we always do. After we lose a game you want to win the next one. We want to try to dominate the game.

"The result is very important but you want to see positive body language and mindset. You don't get anywhere being negative, so go out there go for the win. You want to see players who want to work for the points."

Burnley's 20-year-old winger Dwight McNeil, who had been linked with a return to Manchester United, has extended his contract with the Clarets by a year to June 2024, with the option of a further year.

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce says he is wary of Manchester United as they recover from their last Premier League outing. The Red Devils were thrashed 6-1 by Tottenham before the international break.

"I always fear when they've had a bad result because usually they come out all guns blazing, and that backlash is what we've got to be wary of," Bruce said.

"They will be disappointed, I am sure, and the one way to get over a bad result is the next game and they have got us next time up. We have to be ready for that and ready for the challenge."

BBC Radio Lancashire

With Blackburn having signed Barry Douglas on loan from Leeds, the Championship side are willing to let fellow Scottish defender Charlie Mulgrew leave, with the 34-year-old former Scotland international expected to join League One club Fleetwood Town.

Rovers have today signed Douglas and Norwich City midfielder Tom Trybull on season-long loan deals.

BBC Sport

Crystal Palace are attempting to sign Stoke’s former England goalkeeper Jack Butland before this afternoon’s 17:00 BST transfer deadline.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson gave Butland his England debut in 2012. However, in recent times, the 27-year-old’s career has nosedived.

He was relegated with Stoke in 2018 and despite a belief Butland would move on, he has remained with the Potteries outfit.

His present contract runs to the end of this season. However, as Butland remains one of the club’s highest earners, Stoke have been open to a move, particularly as Wales international Adam Davies has taken over as their number one keeper.

Ironically, it is an injury to Wales’ Wayne Hennessy during Wednesday’s win in Bulgaria, which led to Davies being introduced for his competitive debut, that means Hodgson is looking for goalkeeping cover.

BBC Radio Humberside

An East Midlands source is suggesting that League Two side Grimsby Town are in for Nottingham Forest striker Virgil Gomis on loan.

The 21-year-old French forward has had loans at Braintree, Notts County and Macclesfield. He joined Forest in 2015 but has yet feature for the Championship side's first team.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, Reuters

West Ham are trying to resolve an issue that has arisen around the £25m transfer of Said Benrahma from Brentford.

Benrahma had the first part of his medical on Thursday and the Hammers were confident of concluding a deal before today’s 17:00 BST deadline.

However, it is understood a complication has arisen.

Sources have told the BBC they still expect the transfer to go through.

Yet, amid claims the problem relates to his medical, the move is still to be completed, with club sources indicating they are trying to find a solution.

Image source, Getty Images

And to round off a bumper derby day, Inter Milan face AC Milan in what could well be the best, most enthralling and most unpredictable Milan derby of the past decade. And possibly the strangest of them all, with the Giuseppe Meazza an empty cathedral.

Because of Covid-19 safety measures, there will be only 1,000 lucky spectators at the San Siro but it comes at a time when both sides appear to be on the up after periods of stagnation - neither has won any major silverware since 2011.

This weekend's derby could provide clues as to whether a challenge to Juventus' nine-year strangle hold on the Serie A title will come from a Milan club, but some signs are already there.

Inter proved their worth last season by reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals and finishing runners-up in the Europa League and Serie A, one point behind serial winners Juventus.

AC Milan also have plenty to be happy about. Unbeaten in 19 games in all competitions, the Rossoneri were the best Serie A team after the lockdown, finishing the season on a high with nine wins and three draws in their final 12 matches.

At the very same time as the Merseyside derby kicks off, the Old Firm derby gets under way in Glasgow, with Scottish Premiership champions Celtic hosting current leaders Rangers, who are a point above them at the top of the table.

If you're interested in that clash, there's also a live page running here right now with all the build-up.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport

This weekend's Merseyside derby is a mouthwatering match-up between the unbeaten Premier League leaders Everton and the all-conquering defending champions Liverpool, still reeling after losing 7-2 at Aston Villa last time out.

The size of that scoreline was shocking - but a decade ago, any defeat was hardly a surprise for either side. On the morning of 17 October 2010, they were both in the bottom four after losing three of their opening seven league games.

It was the Reds who were suffering the greatest crisis - as well as lying in the relegation zone, they were seemingly at war with themselves.

Going into the derby at Goodison Park, Liverpool had made their worst start to a season since 1953. They had not only lost at home to Blackpool in their previous match, they had been totally outplayed and booed off the pitch at full-time.

On top of that, they had just suffered a humiliating penalty shootout defeat at Anfield by League Two minnows Northampton in the League Cup, manager Roy Hodgson was receiving abuse from fans just three months after taking charge, and there were also protests against owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, as John W Henry attempted to push through his takeover before the derby.

No wonder Everton fancied their chances.

Image source, BBC Sport

But the game of the weekend in the Premier League is undoubtedly the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool are the defending champions having finally ended their wait for a 19th league title, yet Everton are the early-season pacesetters having won all four games so far.

And it'll be 10 years to the day since the Toffees last beat Liverpool in the Premier League, winning 2-0 at Goodison Park in October 2010.

And yes, that's current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta doing his thang for the Blues.

Could Thomas Partey make his debut on Saturday after making a £45m move from Atletico Madrid to Arsenal?

While the Ghana international's journey to stardom may have had humble beginnings in the town of Krobo Odumase, it's Madrid where the 27-year-old established himself as one of Europe’s best midfielders.

Partey’s arrival has excited many Arsenal fans who feel that, with him in the team, their beloved club will be able to once again challenge for the Premier League title.

Another international break has trudged by - so who should you bring into your team for the Premier League's resumption?

The international transfer deadline day itself on 5 October was quiet but there are still some new faces worth taking a good look at.

Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani, Thomas Partey... there are some big names now up for grabs. Click here to see if any of the new boys catch your eye.

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Getty Images

Swansea City are in talks over a deal to bring former Liverpool and AC Milan forward Fabio Borini back to the Liberty Stadium.

Borini, 29, is without a club after leaving Verona at the end of last season.

The one-cap Italy international helped Swansea win promotion to the Premier League during a loan spell in 2010-11.

Swansea do not have to complete a deal for Borini before Friday's transfer deadline because he is a free agent.

BBC Radio Kent

Gillingham have made a fine start to the season, sitting fourth in League One after 10 points from five games, and manager Steve Evans hopes to secure one more signing before the deadline – which would be Gills’ 16th of the window.

"There is only one possibility, which would be a permanent signing," Evans said.

"The chairman has given his blessing to try to make that happen. We'll be one of a number of clubs trying to sign the player."

Speaking live on BBC Radio Kent Breakfast this morning, chairman Paul Scally added: “We’re looking at all kinds of things but we’ll have to see how the day pans out.”

BBC Radio Cumbria

Couple more bits of EFL news now, firstly on Carlisle United as BBC Radio Cumbria Sport understand the League Two side have approaches in for three players, including Jahmal Hector-Ingram, with the Blues in advanced talks with Championship side Derby County over a loan for the 21 year-old forward.

Barry Douglas may have joined Blackburn on loan from Leeds but he's made a big impression at Elland Road.

The club's director of football Victor Orta has written an open letter to the Scottish left-back, who made 44 appearances in the last two seasons for Leeds, helping them win promotion back to the Premier League.

Swansea City are set to sign midfielder Kasey Palmer on loan from Bristol City.

They had been in talks over Liverpool's Wales winger Harry Wilson but rivals Cardiff City have agreed a £1.2 loan fee.

Swansea have now agreed to take Palmer, 23, on loan from fellow Championship side Bristol City having previously tried to sign the former England Under-21 midfielder last summer.