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Captain Hugo Lloris believes Tottenham's transformation under Antonio Conte stands them in good stead as they build towards winning a first trophy in 14 years.

On the eve of Spurs' Champions League opener against Marseille, Lloris was asked about the wait for his first silverware with Spurs.

The goalkeeper said: "I am still looking for it. I believe that we are capable to make it.

"It is going to demand a lot of effort, a lot of work. I feel we are going in the right direction, but we know there are a lot of competitive clubs in England and in Europe, so that’s why we need to go step by step.

"The belief is there, that’s the most important. We feel we are ready to compete, we feel we are improving but we know that it’s ever enough. You always have to push to prove yourself and go over your limits if you want to succeed.

"We could feel the improvement very early when Antonio Conte and his coaching staff arrived. Obviously it was not perfect, but step by step we improved as a team.

"We improved our concept and I think in the last moment of the season we stepped up and we got fourth spot. If we are in this competition today it is because we deserve it.

"It is a new adventure for the club. It has been two years now without this competition, so we are all excited to be part of it, but we have to play with ambition. We know also that this competition is all about detail. Every team involved will try to do their best and play at their best level, so it demands a lot of focus. We are going to try and start in the best way with a win."

Matt Burns, The Boy Hotspur, external

Spurs continued their fine run of form, with not just a deserved win over a London rival, but one which was far more entertaining to watch than previous matches this season.

The most obvious improvement in Saturday’s game was Antonio Conte positioning his side further up and in a slightly tighter shape than the visitors.

Image source, Opta

This demonstrated that the boss had done his homework, as it was Spurs that pressed far more successfully. Tottenham’s expected goal ratio of 3.14 eclipsed Marco Silva’s side, whose 0.73 xG threat (Opta) was largely down to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s extremely skilful second-half performance.

Giving Richarlison his first Premier League start was another inspired move. His energy provided a refreshing change and, while he was brutally denied a debut goal, that will surely only embolden him.

We were also teased with the notable improvement of Son Heung-min. Sure, no goal, but this was by far his best attacking performance of the season. His form has been in a dip, yet against Fulham there were notable improvements in most statistical disciplines, including passing accuracy and crossing.

Well done, Antonio, and more, please.

Simon Gleave
Head of sports analysis, Nielsen Gracenote

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The draw barely changed Liverpool's chance of reaching the Champions League knockout phase and pre-tournament, they were one of the three teams - with Real Madrid and Manchester City to have at least 90% chance of progressing before a ball is kicked. Gracenote's Euro Club Index, external also gives Liverpool 78% chance of winning Group A.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport

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Expectation does not come much greater than being nicknamed after your club's most iconic ever player, especially when that player is Diego Maradona and the adoring fans are those in the Italian city of Naples.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's arrival may not have sparked the same feverish hype as El Diego's transfer from Barcelona 38 years ago, but a blistering start to life in Serie A has stirred excitement and even seen the winger dubbed 'Kvaradona'.

Kvaratskhelia spoke about the responsibility of being mentioned alongside Maradona and what the Argentine meant to the club when he signed, albeit admitting he liked the nickname.

"I can't come close to Maradona but I will give my all to be a big player for this club," he added.

The 21-year-old already looks a snip of a signing at £9m, arriving following a short spell with Georgian side Dinamo Batumi where he scored eight goals in 11 games after his contract with Russian side Rubin Kazan was suspended because of the invasion of Ukraine.

Tonight, he makes his Champions League debut when Napoli host Liverpool at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Read the full piece

Antonio Conte makes one change to his Tottenham team from their 2-1 win over Fulham at the weekend.

He has opted for Champions League experience at left wing-back with Ivan Perisic replacing Ryan Sessegnon.

Tottenham XI: Lloris, Royal Emerson, Romero, Dier, Lenglet, Perisic, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Richarlison, Son, Kane.

Subs: Forster, Doherty, Spence, Tangana, Sanchez, Davies, Sessegnon, Skipp, Sarr, Bissouma, Bryan, Kulusevski.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Marseille, who are currently second in France's Ligue 1 on goal difference, have made four changes from their 2-0 win over Auxerre at the weekend.

Manchester United loanee Eric Bailly and Samuel Gigot come in, as do Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares and former Gunners midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.

Manchester City loanee Issa Kabore, Leonardo Balerdi, former Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac and ex-Leicester loanee Cengiz Under drop out.

Marseille XI: Lopez, Mbemba, Bailly, Gigot, Clauss, Tavares, Veretout, Rongier, Gerson, Guendouzi, Suarez.

Subs: Ngapandouentnbu, Blanco, Balerdi, Payet, Under, Gueye, Kolasinac, Kabore, Harit.

Liverpool

Liverpool have only lost one of their past 12 opening matches in a Champions League campaign - though that was at Napoli in 2019-20.

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Liverpool's players are "not happy at all" with their start to the season but will "stay calm", says goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Speaking before tonight's Champions League Group A opener against Napoli, the Brazil international said: "We are football players, we have to deal with it.

"If we'd come here having won all the games we'd also not be too excited, because we know the season is long, the competition has just begun. We stay calm."

He also said new signing Arthur Melo, an international team-mate of Alisson's, is an "amazing guy" and "fantastic player".

"I'm looking forward to him being fit and settled in as soon as possible," he added. "I did the same move as him, it's not easy moving to a new country.

"But with his qualities and his desire he can overcome any small problems and I really believe he can bring a lot of quality to the team."

Scratch that, it's been disallowed.

With 20 minutes remaining, Rangers have pulled a goal back in Amsterdam but are still trailing Ajax 3-1.

Follow that match here

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Jordan Chamberlain, editor of Empire of the Kop, external

Mohamed Salah has created the most chances from open play (24) in the Premier League this season - 10 more than Kevin de Bruyne and a number of others next on Opta's list.

However, he's only had five shots on target, eight fewer than Anthony Gordon and 10 behind Erling Haaland and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

These stats show Salah is being used as a creator rather than a finisher, and the eye test does the same. At Goodison Park on Saturday, Salah toiled on the touchline, totally failing to link up with Darwin Nunez (central) and Luis Diaz (left-wing).

Liverpool's brilliant attack was once epitomised by its fluidity and the interchanging of positions. Salah was as much centre-forward as he was right-winger, but for some reason, the offence still looks much more rigid since Sadio Mane's departure.

After six games last season, Salah was on five goals. This term he's on two, scoring on the opening day against Fulham and in the defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford. When Salah got into the area late on against Everton, Liverpool almost snatched the game but his touches nearly all came on the flank.

There is a tactical evolution going on with the Reds. The full-backs are playing more centrally but it's currently harming the effectiveness of Liverpool's best player.

We'll keep an eye on that one.

Not what supporters need on a school night.

Jurgen Klopp makes three changes to the Liverpool side who drew with rivals Everton on the weekend.

Andy Robertson returns as Kostas Tsimikas drops to the bench. James Milner is in for midfielder Fabio Carvalho, while Roberto Firmino starts up front ahead of Darwin Nunez.

There is a boost on the bench as Thiago returns.

Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Elliott, Diaz, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Adrian, Davies, Thiago, Jota, Tsimikas, Nunez, Arthur, Matip, Bajcetic, Phillips.

On-loan Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele is on the bench for Napoli but exciting winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia starts.

Napoli XI: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Olivera, Lobotka, Anguissa, Politano, Zielinski, Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen.

Subs: Sirigu, Jesus, Rui, Elmas, Lozano, Simeone, Zerbin, Ostigard, Zanoli, Gaetano, Raspadori, Ndombele.

Brighton & Hove Albion

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Chelsea are set to hold talks with Brighton boss Graham Potter about replacing the sacked Thomas Tuchel.

Ex-Swansea and Ostersunds FK coach Potter, 47, has been given permission by the Seagulls to talk with Chelsea.

Tuchel was dismissed after losing the confidence of Chelsea's players and the new ownership, who took over at the club in May.

Potter, who has been tipped as a future England boss, has led Brighton to fourth in the table this season after winning four and drawing one of their six Premier League games.

Read the full piece

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Chelsea's ruthless reputation for sacking managers, irrespective of previous success and reputation, lives on with the brutal dismissal of Thomas Tuchel.

If anyone believed new owner Todd Boehly would adopt a lighter and more sympathetic touch to those inhabiting the manager's office at Stamford Bridge than predecessor Roman Abramovich they can now think again.

The same rules apply. Poor results equal the sack. Quickly.

Boehly's turbulent first 100 days in charge at Chelsea ended with the abrupt removal of the man who won the Champions League in May 2021, six months after arriving to replace sacked Frank Lampard.

The American's hands-on approach, coupled with the lack of a sporting director after key figures such as director Marina Granovskaia and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech left, has made Stamford Bridge appear to be an unsettled and somewhat chaotic place.

Read the full piece

Thomas Tuchel was "angry" at himself after Chelsea's performance in their 1-0 defeat by Dinamo Zagreg in the Champions League.

Watch, what turned out to be, his last outing as Blues boss.

Chelsea

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We begin with the shock news from this morning...

Chelsea have sacked manager Thomas Tuchel on the new owners' 100th day in charge after their third defeat of the season.

The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris St-Germain boss exits after winning three trophies in 20 months.

Owner Todd Boehly has placed Tuchel's coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

A club statement said the owners believed it was "the right time" to bring in a new head coach.

BBC Sport understands the decision would have been taken regardless of the 1-0 defeat in Chelsea's Champions League opener at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night.

Read the full piece

Three British sides in action tonight, here's the rundown:

Ajax 3-0 Rangers (half-time)

Napoli v Liverpool

Atletico Madrid v Porto

Club Bruges v Bayer Leverkusen

Barcelona v Viktoria Plzen

Inter Milan v Bayern Munich

Eintracht Frankfurt 0-0 Sporting Lisbon (half-time)

Tottenham v Marseille

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Thomas Tuchel - SACKED

Domenico Tedesco, external - SACKED

The opening round of this season's Champions League is quickly becoming a managerial graveyard.

There'll be a few nervous bosses taking charge of their side's tonight.

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