Summary

  • Premier League news conferences

  • Everton lodge appeal over points deduction

  • Postecoglou makes football a better place - Guardiola

  • Friday's Women's Nations League matches live on BBC iPlayer

  • Liverpool Europa League group winners as other English and Scottish clubs progress

  • Crowd disturbances at Villa and Brighton games

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

  1. Thank you and goodbye!published at 16:17 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    That's all from us today, thank you for joining us on a busy Friday. Just scroll down to access all the latest news from today's Premier League news conferences.

    Tomorrow, as well as the usual live football, you can watch the Euro 2024 draw from 16:45 GMT on the BBC Sport website and app. Just click here for more details.

    For now, we'll leave you with some of the biggest news stories from today:

    Take care!

  2. Frank one of the best managers in the league - Edwardspublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Luton Town

    More from Rob Edwards on Brentford boss Thomas Frank and his Brentford side: "He’s done an amazing job. For me he is one of the best managers in the league. He's been there four, five years and had incredible progression year upon year. He has his team very well organised and well coached. They know exactly what to do, whether they’re playing a top team or a lesser team. We do things in our own way but Brentford are a really good model for us to aspire to."

    On VAR and sin-bins: "I don’t see it right now, we’ve got such a good product, had such a good product, I don’t think now we need too much interference with it. I am pro-VAR for the factual decisions. Technology, like goal-line technology, has been a good introduction to the game. When you bring in VAR for clear and obvious errors in handballs, fouls, etc, it is someone else's opinion.

    "The referees, although we want alignment in how things work, they’re still human beings and going to see things in slightly different ways. That’s where you get discrepancies from game to game. For me, it’s just got to be facts - offisides and goal-line technology.

    "With sin-bins, we need to be careful where we’re going otherwise games are going to go on too long. We’ve got a good product in this country, it is fast, that’s why the world loves it."

  3. 'I failed in trying to stay calm'published at 16:08 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Luton Town

    Rob Edwards celebratesImage source, Getty Images

    Luton Town manager Rob Edwards on the atmosphere after last week's win over Crystal Palace: "We’re not getting carried away. It was a good result, it wasn’t a perfect performance by any stretch, it was a close game. Crystal Palace have got some great players and they showed that as well, they could have easily got something from the game.

    "It's a credit to the players for finding a way to win, it was important to get that first win at home. It was a nice feeling to get three important points, but it’s been business as usual this week preparing for the next game."

    On how he kept his cool at the end of the game: "I didn’t! We tried to remain calm, but I saw myself on the touchline, when watching the game back down, trying to direct people. The players by that stage are in the zone and limited to what we can do but I failed in trying to stay calm."

  4. Nakamba out, Lokonga on the pitch soonpublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Luton Town

    Marvelous NakambaImage source, Getty Images

    And so, to our final Premier League manager of the day. Here's some team news from Luton Town boss Rob Edwards: "[Marvelous Nakamba] It’s his knee, it was swollen and he had some discomfort, but he’s had scans and checks and it’s not too serious. He’s been on the grass at times this week but he’s not quite right and won’t be ready this week.

    "Sambi Lokonga has been given the all clear, he’s trained fully and it’s about building him up in the right way. He’ll continue to work with the strength and conditioning guys but he’ll be on the pitch soon.

    “It’s been an up and down week. We’re managing one or two but training’s been good but we’ll have to see if one or two are ready or not.”

  5. 'We’ve put in 12 good performances'published at 16:02 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Brentford

    Brentford manager Thomas Frank sums up the season so far: "It is very encouraging that, in a season where we have been struggling massively with injuries, out of the 13 games we’ve put in 12 good performances. We’ve played two even-ish games against fantastic sides in Liverpool and Arsenal.

    "The expectation is that we will win. It’s natural that people have that expectation but the fact that is we are going to play against a very difficult team. If we are not on it, and the fans aren’t on it, it will be a tough challenge."

    BBC Sport has a dedicated Brentford page packed with news, analysis and fan views - get it here

  6. 'They are difficult to play against'published at 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Brentford

    More from Thomas Frank on Brentford and Luton's rise to the top: "In 2009, we were playing each other in League Two, now we are facing each other in the best league in the world. They are difficult to play against. If we don’t defend set-pieces well, don’t defend crosses well, and don’t defend well in second ball situations, we will lose."

  7. Luton will be a 'completely different challenge'published at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Brentford v Luton (Sat, 15:00 GMT)

    Brentford

    Thomas FrankImage source, Getty Images

    Brentford manager Thomas Frank on the challenge posed by Luton after the Bees' narrow defeat to Arsenal last time out: "I always try to look on the positive from each game and reinforce the positive messages, especially when they are linked to our principles. We kept Arsenal to two chances and offensively we were fine. Luton is going to be a completely different challenge.

    "These are two clubs similar in history. I expect us, in spells, to be more dominant but I expect them to be an equal level of difficulty in terms of the challenge they pose us. They have a different way of approaching the game."

  8. Postpublished at 15:56 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    OK, so it turns out Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi will not be holding a news conference today following their exploits in Athens on Thursday.

    So, we have just two more Premier League managers to hear from - Thomas Frank and Rob Edwards - before Brentford's match at home to Luton on Saturday.

    Frank is up first...

  9. 'We are going to try and impose our style and idea'published at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Bournemouth v Aston Villa (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Aston Villa

    A final word from Aston Villa manager Unai Emery on the test that awaits them at Bournemouth on Sunday: "They have increased their level and are progressively getting better at home. On Sunday it is going to be very difficult for us. We are going to try and impose our style and idea."

  10. 'We are together and feeling a connection with fans'published at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Bournemouth v Aston Villa (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Aston Villa

    Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says he has already moved on from Thursday's Europa League win over Legia Warsaw: "We closed yesterday’s match and are thinking about the Premier League match on Sunday. Of course, we are trying to create a strong structure in the squad with players. When we are winning, we are feeling comfortable. We are together and feeling a connection with fans. At Villa Park, we are very good."

    On the need to improve the club's record away from home: "We are being very strong at home but we have to try to be consistent in every competition and away. It is always very difficult to win away in every competition we are facing."

  11. Watkins 'not completely unavailable'published at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    Bournemouth v Aston Villa (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Aston Villa

    Ollie Watkins in trainingImage source, Getty Images

    The big news coming out of Unai Emery's news conference - for Aston Villa fans and fantasy league players alike - is that Ollie Watkins is a doubt but "not completely unavailable" and will be assessed before Sunday's match at Bournemouth.

    Villa go into the game after qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League on Thursday and on the back of wins at Tottenham and home to Fulham in the Premier League.

    Let's hear more of what Emery had to say...

  12. Holding could be out for a monthpublished at 15:42 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Crystal Palace

    Before we move on, here's a final bit of injury news from Palace manager Roy Hodgson: “[James] Tomkins is good, but it’s countered by the news that Rob Holding has been suffering from a grumbling ankle injury for a while.

    “When that was looked into, it turns out now he’s also going to be missing for maybe as long as a month.

    “We’re not quite as badly off as we once were, but we’re being hit by injuries in the wrong part of the field at the moment.”

    Jes Rak-Sakyi and Dean Henderson remain out.

    Rob HoldingImage source, Getty Images
  13. 'If we’re to start winning again, it’ll be a team effort'published at 15:39 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Crystal Palace

    On Michael Olise’s first start – and goal – of the season at Luton, Palace manager Roy Hodgson said: “He was champing at the bit for quite a while before we were given the green light to give him free rein to come into the team.

    “He played half a game against Everton and then, after getting through that, he was able to play the whole game against Luton, which is a positive.

    “He’s been out for a long time so I don’t think people should expect that much from him at the moment. One thing’s for sure: we won’t become a different team and suddenly go from losing to winning games just because we’ve got one player back in the team.

    “If we’re going to start winning games and playing well again, it’s going to be a team effort, and Michael will hopefully help us in that way.”

  14. Eze's out but Hodgson 'doesn't think' he will need surgerypublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Crystal Palace

    Ebere Eze was also injured at Luton last weekend, and Palace manager Roy Hodgson added: “He saw the surgeon at the start of the week and had his ankle put in a boot because it’s a ligament problem. He’s going to see him again today so we should know more after that.

    “It’s a high ankle ligament, which apparently is not quite as serious as it could be when you get a bad ligament injury lower down, but it’s still a considerable injury. We’re waiting on the advice from the surgeon again today to find out how long it will take before he gets back.”

    On whether Eze needs surgery: “I would hope not and think not from what I’m being told about the way the injury will potentially pan out, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to be ready to play on Sunday, that’s for sure.

    “It’s a real blow in a way that, at Luton, we had what we considered to be perhaps our strongest available team there for us for the first time in a long time, and by the time the second half had just started, we were missing two of them again.”

  15. 'It's bad' - Hodgson on Doucoure's Achilles injurypublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    Crystal Palace

    Cheick Doucoure injuredImage source, Getty Images

    Crystal Palace go into Sunday's game at West Ham without midfielder Cheick Doucoure, who was injured during the Eagles' 2-1 defeat at Luton.

    “It’s bad," said manager Roy Hodgson. "He’s snapped his Achilles tendon, so it’s a question of how long that takes [to heal].

    “It could take as long as the end of the season, but of course one remains optimistic. He’s young and a quick healer, so I don’t think it necessarily has to be that amount of time, but we know it’s a long-term injury and we’ll miss him.

    “It’s a massive blow, especially seeing as in his position we don’t have as much cover as we do in some other positions, so to lose him is a real blow.

    "To turn out to be such a serious injury, which will deprive us of his services for such a long period of time, is something we’re going to have to come to terms with and find a way around.”

  16. Moyes on West Ham's 'strong start'published at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    West Ham United

    West Ham manager David Moyes on the first part of the season: "I think we're only one point behind where we were two years ago, when we finished sixth, and we're in a good position.

    "We want to get the club at a consistently good level. It can be a bit up and down from one year to the next but we made sure last year that something special happened in winning a trophy.

    "We're a bit the same this year. We're still getting the new players integrated but we've made a strong start to the Premier League."

  17. 'We've needed someone to step up'published at 15:24 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    West Ham United

    West Ham manager David Moyes on Tomas Soucek, who has scored a goal in each of his last five games for club and country, including in Thursday's Europa League win in Backa Topola: "We've needed someone to step up and he's the one doing it at the moment. He's back on it at the moment and it's good for us."

    On the team's goalscoring form this season: "We're sharing the goals around, which I'm pleased about. We struggled to score last season and in the main we've had a squad that's been fully fit. Jarrod has got goals, which he hadn't done before the World Cup last season. Tomas is getting goals and Michail [Antonio] also got goals at the start of the season too."

  18. 'I hope Roy stays in football because it means I'm not the oldest manager'published at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    West Ham United

    David Moyes and Roy HodgsonImage source, Getty Images

    West Ham manager David Moyes on Sunday's opponents Crystal Palace: "Crystal Palace have always been a tough team to play against. Roy Hodgson's teams are always incredibly well organised. It will be a very tough game for us and we'll go about the job in our way and try to pick up the three points."

    On Palace manager Roy Hodgson: "I hope Roy stays in football because it means I'm not the oldest manager in the Premier League. He's done a fine job and I hope it continues. He's a fine ambassador for football, a real gentleman, and to still be doing it shows his love of the game."

  19. Moyes incoming...published at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 1 December 2023

    West Ham v Crystal Palace (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

    West Ham United

    Next to Sunday's all-London clash between West Ham and Crystal Palace, starting with Hammers manager David Moyes...