West Ham have got their Championship campaign underway as the Hammers look to bounce back from last season’s dire relegation campaign.

Nuno Espirito Santos’ side finished the season in 18th place to end a 14-year stay in the top flight, a period which saw them regularly oscillate between European pushes and survival battles.

Throughout this time, West Ham have been heavy spenders in the transfer market, but according to one former Hammers star, their recruitment has lacked the foresight and planning to build a balanced squad.

Tony Gale on West Ham’s transfer policies

Ex-West Ham favourite Tony Gale believes that the constant turnover of directors of football and other key transfer figures has meant cohesiveness has been lacking, leading to the club falling behind one of their rivals from across London.

“Fulham’s buying strategy has been far and away the better of the two,” Gale tells FourFourTwo. “It's designed to build a more balanced squad, with a good sell-on value for players.”

This has seen the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table Premier League side following their 2022 promotion from the Championship, with finishes of 10th, 13th, 11th and 11th over the past four seasons.

An effective transfer model, where the ability to develop players so that their sell-on value increases alongside their effectiveness on the pitch is vital in the current financial climate, but for Gale, this is not something West Ham have been able to replicate.

“West Ham seem to have been more reactive than proactive in the transfer market, taking action when a weakness is exposed,” he bemoans.

Central to his problem has been the revolving door of decision-makers behind the scenes.

“Then there’s been the constant changing of directors of football and the people recruiting,” he adds, before raising the basic issues that this problem brings on.

“Who’s been doing the buying? An agent comes on the phone and sells you his player. Well, every agent is going to do that.”

Gale’s ultimate conclusion here is one of another former Hammers favourite.

“What was it Harry Redknapp said? ‘They’ll have your trousers down’.”

Matt Grimes begins the new season as one of Coventry City’s on-pitch leaders, with his experience a vital part of last year’s successful promotion campaign.

The 30-year-old joined the Sky Blues in January 2025, ending a decade-long stint at Swansea City, during which time he learned a thing or two about leadership.

As Grimes prepares for his latest challenge of defying the naysayers and setting about masterminding a Premier League survival bid, he has reflected on how his own leadership role has evolved.

Grimes on why he doesn’t always need to shout

While some leaders will go for the fire-and-brimstone approach, being the loudest voice in the dressing room with theatrics on display, Grimes believes experience has taught him that this approach is no longer necessary.

“If we’re having a stinker and I come in screaming and shouting at half-time, the lads aren’t going to take me seriously, because they know that’s not the type of person I am,” he tells FourFourTwo.

That marks a significant change from earlier in his career, as he now sees autheticity is vital when it comes to commanding a dressing room.

“I think gone are the days where you need to be the loudest, scream and shout,” he continues, underlining the point that modern football leadership has evolved from the days of the loudest voice carrying the most weight.

With more than 500 career games under his belt, Grimes’ messaging comes from a place of experience and consistancy, where setting the standard himself can be a far more effective way of rallying the troops.

And it is this kind of level-headedness that will be vital this season.

Coventry start their first Premier League campaign since 2001 as one of the bookies' favourites to go straight back down, but Grimes believes lessons were learned last year which they can bring forward.

“We dominated at the start, had a wobble mid-season, but then recovered and won again,” he recounts as he looks back at a season in which Frank Lampard’s side would eventually finish 11 points clear of the chasing pack.

“We won eight out of nine to cement our place at the top. Seasons like that don’t happen often.

“It will sink in eventually, but even now, I don’t think it’s fully sunk in,”

Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United as the Premier League throws up an exciting dose of Saturday Night Football, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Spurs and the Magpies are both in search of a first Premier League win of the season.

Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping his huge summer spend will prove too much for the Magpies, who have been, on the other hand, ripped apart by a tirade of exits.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch the opening game of the 2026/27 Premier League season online and from anywhere, as Tottenham Hotspur host Newcastle United.

Watch Tottenham vs Newcastle from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Tottenham vs Newcastle.

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How to watch Tottenham vs Newcastle in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Tottenham vs Newcastle on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League will have live coverage of this game, with kick-off at 5:30pm BST.

Outside the UK? Watch Tottenham vs Newcastle on Sky Sports via NordVPN.

How to watch Tottenham vs Newcastle in the US

As mentioned above, Peacock and NBC is showing Tottenham vs Newcastle in the US. Kick-off is at 12:30pm ET.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to watch Tottenham vs Newcastle on Peacock.

How to watch Tottenham vs Newcastle in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Tottenham vs Newcastle on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 2:30am AEST on Sunday.

Travelling outside Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch the Premier League on Stan Sport.

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Tottenham vs Newcastle: Preview

Tottenham were sent crashing back down to reality last weekend in an opening-day maul at Brentford, as the Bees scored three times without return to sink the Lilywhites.

A response was duly needed in the Carabao Cup in midweek, as Spurs hit Charlton for five on home soil, with new signing Savio grabbing a goal and an assist off the bench.

There has also been talk that his ex-Manchester City teammate Omar Marmoush is set to follow him to North London, after an agreement has been struck.

That would leave Roberto De Zerbi scratching his head over who to start in attack, with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison also still vying for a place in the Italian's starting XI.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Newcastle should have probably edged out Liverpool on the opening weekend, but a late penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai struck a dagger through their hearts.

The Magpies are unbeaten after seeing off Championship side West Brom to reach the next round of the Carabao Cup in midweek, thanks to goals from Bazoumana Touré and Harvey Barnes.

Matthias Jaissle showed good tactical nous to stand firm against Liverpool and this game promises to be an intriguing one given the summer of change at both clubs.

Nico Gonzalez was introduced to the crowd before the win against the Baggies and could make his debut in the capital.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Tottenham 3-3 Newcastle

We think this will be the game of the weekend, with 6 goals split equally.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

During his two-decade career as a professional footballer, Diego Forlan has played in eight countries across three continents and turned out in a World Cup semi-final on his way to winning more than 100 international caps.

This journey has thrown up plenty of career highlights, but for the former Manchester United man, the 2010 Europa League final remains a particular standout.

The forward was a key part of Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 extra-time success over Fulham in Hamburg that night, scoring both goals for his side, including a 116th-minute winner to end the Cottagers' fairytale run to their first European final.

Forlan on firing Atletico to Europa League glory

“That night in Hamburg was one of the best of my career,” Forlan tells FourFourTwo. “A dream final. Not so much because it was a brilliant match, but because of the script.”

Fulham’s remarkable run to the final in just their second-ever European campaign had seen them first navigate a group containing Roma, CSKA Moscow and Basel, before Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg were accounted for in the knockouts.

“Fulham arrived as the underdog, but they made life very difficult for us,” Forlan continues. I scored after half an hour, Simon Davies equalised, and the final went to extra time.”

With the clock continuing to run down, penalties loomed, only for Forlan to deliver when it mattered most, as he took full advantage of a chance that fell his way deep in the second half of extra time.

“When everything seemed to be heading for a penalty shootout, Sergio Aguero battled for a ball out wide and spotted me in the heart of the box,” he continues. “I managed to get the tip of my boot to it to give Atletico the title.”

Forlan’s reaction to the goal was as instinctive as his finish.

“I took my shirt off and threw myself onto the turf as if it were a swimming pool,” he recalls.

For Forlan, the significance of the goal stretched further than just adding another title to Atletico’s roll of honour.

“That goal tasted like glory, because it also marked a turning point for a club that started to feel important again,” he believes.

“Spain’s capital, a city used to seeing Real Madrid celebrating titles, was painted red and white, and thousands of fans gathered at Plaza de Neptuno in a huge display of pride.”

Watch Bournemouth vs Everton today as the Toffees look to continue their winning start to the Premier League season on the south coast, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Bournemouth were unlucky not to at least earn a point against Manchester City last weekend, as Enzo Maresca's side struck twice inside the final minutes to flip the scoreline on its head.

Everton, however, were a little more fortunate, winning 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace to get their campaign up and running despite conceding a host of chances.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information on how to watch Bournemouth vs Everton online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Bournemouth vs Everton in the UK?

Bournemouth vs Everton is not being televised in the UK. The game is being played on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm blackout'.

Those outside the UK are more fortunate with almost every other country broadcasting Bournemouth vs Everton. If you're visiting the UK, you can use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

Watch Bournemouth vs Everton from anywhere

A good VPN is your ticket to the game, even when you’re abroad.

Streaming platforms often block access outside your home country. A VPN changes your IP address, making your device appear to be elsewhere, so you can access your usual streams while abroad.

The tech experts at Tom's Guide review a lot of VPNs and right now they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN you can buy. And the good news is that NordVPN are currently offering an amazing deal on the service...

Watch Bournemouth vs Everton in the US

Bournemouth vs Everton will be shown live in the United States on Peacock and NBCSN.

NBCSN is available via a cord-cutting service such as YouTube TV and Fubo.

How to watch Bournemouth vs Everton in Australia

Premier League fans in Australia can watch Bournemouth vs Everton through Stan Sport.

Tickets

Bournemouth v Everton: Preview

Bournemouth will have felt extremely hard done by at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, before eventually succumbing to Manchester City's pressure late on, losing 2-1 in the final few minutes of the game.

New manager Marco Rose will have learned plenty from that and with Everton next on the horizon, you can imagine little will change from his first starting XI as Cherries' boss.

Evanilson fronted the forward line flanked by James Tavernier and Rayan, who continues to be linked with a late move in the window to Liverpool.

Djordje Petrovic will likely keep his place between the sticks, whilst youngster Eli Kroupi Jr is still sidelined with a foot problem.

See also ► Premier League TV guide

Everton were worthy winners at the Hill Dickinson as goals from Dewsbury Hall and Barry got their season off to a bang.

David Moyes is again slowly building something and you feel the Toffees may even be looking at another campaign with European football a strong possibility.

A right-back seems the biggest priority heading into the final week for Everton, with Palace defender Daniel Muñoz a potential option to explore.

Tim Iroegbunam seemed as if he could be on his way to Hull City, whilst Carlos Alcaraz also could be on his way before the deadline.

See also ► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season

FourFourTwo's prediction

Bournemouth 2-2 Everton

This could be a solid season for both the Cherries and the Toffees and a sweet mix of four goals will be shared on the south coast come Saturday at 5pm.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch Coventry City vs Hull City as two newly promoted sides face off in the Premier League, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Coventry City were served a dose of reality as they were beaten 3-0 by current Premier League holders Arsenal on the opening day of the season.

As for Hull City, their start couldn't have been much different, causing the shock of the weekend so far, emerging as 2-0 winners over Manchester United at the MKM Stadium.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Coventry City vs Hull City on the opening weekend of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Is Coventry City vs Hull City on TV in the UK?

Coventry City vs Hull City is not being televised in the UK. The game is being played on Saturday at 3pm, a time when football matches cannot legally be broadcast in the UK. This is known as the '3pm blackout'.

The irony is that you can watch the game in pretty much every country other than the one in which it's being played. If you're visiting the UK, you can use NordVPN to access your usual coverage.

Watch Coventry City vs Hull City from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Coventry City vs Hull City.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can make your devices appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Coventry City vs Hull City in the US

As mentioned above, USA Network is showing Coventry City vs Hull City.

Fans in the States can access USA Network on OTT streaming platforms including YouTube TV (10-day free trial), DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) and Sling Blue.

How to watch Coventry City vs Hull City in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Coventry City vs Hull City on Stan Sport.

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Coventry City vs Hull City: Preview

Coventry City have laid trust in Frank Lampard to hopefully guide the Sky Blues to Premier League safety after winning the Championship last season.

Starts don't come as tough as at the home of the current champions; however, with Lampard's side beaten 3-0 and outclassed on the whole.

They did progress to the next round of the Carabao Cup in midweek, beating League One outfit Plymouth Argyle 4-2.

The Sky Blues will have to be much better and there is often a common them that promoted sides who win their home games are much better placed to avoid the drop, and getting off the mark against Hull would allay those fears.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Hull City. Written off before a ball was kicked and yet worthy winners against Manchester United on the opening day of the season.

Goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy in the first half meant the Red Devils were mocked with chants of 'Mauled by the Tigers' as their trains back to the north-west were also cancelled from Yorkshire.

City defended well in a back five for most of the second half and, just like Coventry, progressed in the Carabao Cup in midweek, albeit on penalties against Stoke City.

Mohamed-Ali Cho and Ilyas Ansah are both expected to join Hull in the next seven days, but they won't be ready for Saturday's trip to Coventry.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Coventry City 2-1 Hull City

Coventry finished 22 points above Hull last season and I think Lampard's men get a first win of the season in this clash.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Less than two years ago, FourFourTwo sat inside the bowels of Al Ahli's inner city training ground in Jeddah, and whispers abounded. “If he loses this game, the manager might well be sacked,” one Saudi Pro League expert told us that evening, as we waited for Matthias Jaissle to arrive for his latest pre-match press conference.

Al Ahli had won only three of their first eight games of the new league season, and sat eighth in the table before the Jeddah derby with title-challenging Al Ittihad – a fixture that would attract a raucous crowd of 52,546. Given that Jaissle's club were one of the Saudi Pro League's big four – all owned by the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF) – their results were below expectation.

Back then, the main focus of our visit to Al Ahli had been the recent signing of Ivan Toney, rather than Jaissle, who was largely unknown to British audiences in October 2024. Our question was whether he could help his new frontman make England's next World Cup squad – Jaissle knew Thomas Tuchel, having played for him in the youth teams at VfB Stuttgart.

“Let's see if Thomas calls me and asks how Ivan is doing,” the smartly dressed Jaissle told FFT. “Ivan has the potential, definitely – he must deliver here to be seen in the UK, and we're doing our best to bring him into the best shape.”

Prior to this summer's World Cup, Tuchel did indeed call Jaissle to discuss Toney, revealing the “fantastic feedback” he received was enough to persuade him to pick the 30-year-old in his squad. By then, though, Jaissle could easily have been long gone as Al Ahli boss.

He did lose that Jeddah derby against Al Ittihad, a tetchy game interrupted by a sandstorm that blew dust from the nearby desert into the stadium. He avoided the sack, but was reportedly on his way out two months later after a loss at Al Kholood, with Max Allegri said to be his long-term replacement.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

That was until ultras protested at the training ground, putting up a banner declaring “Enough failure, leave!” The message was aimed at the club's hierarchy, rather than the manager. Jaissle stayed, and became an Al Ahli legend within months.

Jaissle was a central defender during a playing career that saw him help Hoffenheim to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2008, when he'd just turned 20. He'd been expected to be alongside Mesut Ozil, Mats Hummels and Manuel Neuer as part of the Germany under-21 squad that thrashed England in the final of the Euros in 2009, but damaged his ACL shortly before the tournament and would never be the same player again.

Further injuries forced him to retire in 2014, aged 25, before he got a job as a youth coach at RB Leipzig – his former Hoffenheim manager Ralf Rangnick had since become a key man in Red Bull's football project. Jaissle adopted a similarly high-pressing style, and has taken it with him ever since. After a stint as assistant at Danish club Brondby, he joined Red Bull Salzburg, led their feeder side FC Liefering to a joint-highest finish, then was handed the reins at the main club, replacing Jesse Marsch in 2021.

Working with young players such as Benjamin Sesko, Karim Adeyemi, Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson, he took Salzburg to a double in his first season, plus the Champions League's knockout stage for the only time in their history. They lost 7-1 at Bayern Munich in the last 16, while Jaissle was still only 33.

A season later, they went 30 matches unbeaten on the way to yet another domestic triumph. It was Salzburg's 10th straight title, but they haven't won the league since Jaissle left that summer. The German joined Al Ahli just a month after they'd been one of four clubs to be taken over by the Saudi PIF – together with Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr. Jaissle's new club had been Saudi Pro League champions in 2016 but relegated since, only returning to the top flight in the same summer as his arrival.

They quickly signed Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie and ex-Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin, finishing an encouraging third in Jaissle's first season – enough to qualify for the Asian Champions League.

Then came Toney's arrival, and that tricky start to 2024-25 when Jaissle so nearly lost his job. He knew the pressure he was under when we visited, but didn't let it show – remaining professional throughout, even taking time to greet visiting European media afterwards. It was hard not to warm to him.

“Things take time – the club has a long-term vision,” Jaissle told us, subtly calling for patience as he attempted to turn around results, while nodding to his ability to improve young players. “I hope we can do better by implementing the philosophy from the top down to the academy, because at some point we'll need the young talents. In my eyes, that is the right approach.

“A lot of signings were made before I arrived, so it's important as a coach that you're flexible enough to adapt to a new country, culture and player profiles. In the long run, it's important everyone is aligned, that you improve your squad and players in the way you want to play.”

Jaissle was afforded time to do that. Their progress to the knockout stage of the Asian Champions League had been a factor in him avoiding the sack – Al Ahli had a stronger second half of the league campaign, improving to fifth, then surprisingly became kings of Asia for the first time ever. The Champions League's final three rounds all take place in Jeddah, giving Al Ahli a home advantage that helped, but they still had to defeat reigning Saudi champions Al Hilal in the semis, before a final victory over Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale – conquerors of Ronaldo's Al Nassr.

Last term, while finishing third in a three-way domestic race, they went all Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest and became continental champions again. Toney was key, scoring 72 goals in two seasons under Jaissle.

When PIF-owned Newcastle were looking for a manager to replace Eddie Howe this summer, it shouldn't have been a surprise that they opted for the German. Howe will be a tough act to follow, having delivered the Magpies a first major honour in 56 years. Why have a manager who's won one historic trophy, though, when you can have a gaffer who's won two?

Watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion as the Baggies head to the Riverside Stadium aiming to continue their perfect start to the Championship season. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, including for FREE, wherever you are in the world.

After finishing one place above the relegation zone last season, West Brom have started 2026/27 in much better form and head into the third weekend of the campaign as one of just three teams with a 100 per cent record.

That will be severely tested against Boro, though, who are one of the promotion favourites and will be reeling from last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion in the Championship online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion for free?

Absolutely. Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion is one of a select number of games picked for live coverage on ITV1 and the ITVX streaming platform in the UK this season. You just need to register to watch at no cost.

Meanwhile, US viewers can stream the match for free on CBS Sports Golazo Network, which also has a select number of live games across the campaign.

Not in the UK or US? Use NordVPN to unlock your Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion in the UK

As well as being available to watch for free on ITV, Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion is also live on Sky Sports in the UK.

The Championship clash is being shown on Sky Sports Football, with kick-off at 12:30pm BST.

Not in the UK? Use NordVPN to watch on Sky Sports.

How to watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion in the US

As mentioned above, EFL fans in the US can watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion for free via the CBS Sports Golazo Network.

The game is also live on Paramount+, with kick-off at 7.30am ET. Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 a month and you'll get access to multiple EFL and Carabao Cup games this season, as well as every Champions League match.

Away from the US? Watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion on CBS Sports Golazo Network via NordVPN.

How to watch Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion in Australia

In Australia, Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion is live on beIN SPORTS.

The game kicks-off at 9.30pm AEST and will be live on beIN SPORTS 2, as well as the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform.

It is one of 155 Championship matches that will be shown live on beIN SPORTS Down Under this season, plus games from Leagues One and Two, and every Carabao Cup fixture.

Middlesbrough vs West Bromwich Albion: Preview

Middlesbrough return to the Riverside Stadium after consecutive away trips that brought both joy and frustration.

Familiar problems resurfaced in last Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship as Boro failed to convert several opportunities, before a 3-1 victory at League One Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup saw them return to winning ways.

Will Lankshear scored in that game and the 21-year-old already has four goals following his summer move from Tottenham Hotspur, with the striker showing a finishing touch that Kim Hellberg's side lacked on several occasions last season.

Centre-back Ashley Phillips - another recruit from Spurs - made his debut at Doncaster and could feature again here, while former Leeds United defender Sam Byram has trained with the squad after signing for the club this week.

SEE ALSO Should I use a VPN to watch football?

Boro's defence will be tested by James Morrison's free-scoring West Bromwich Albion, who have hit 11 goals in four games in all competitions this season.

Isaac Price has been the star of the show over the past week, with the 22-year-old Northern Ireland international following up his double in the 3-1 win over Burnley last Sunday with another two goals in the 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Premier League Newcastle United on Wednesday.

The Baggies have stayed in the North East over the past couple of days due to the tight turnaround between matches, with Morrison expected to make several changes to the side that started at St James' Park.

West Brom have already beaten Norwich City and Burnley, two teams tipped to challenge towards the top of the table, and another win here would further underline their promotion credentials.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Middlesbrough 1-1 West Bromwich Albion

The Baggies have shown they can mix it with the promotion contenders and could well leave the Riverside with a point.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest as both teams go in search of a first win of the new Premier League season.

Want to watch the game for FREE and in full? FourFourTwo is providing you with all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Liverpool left it late but escaped the cauldron of St. James' Park with a point in Sunday's 2-2 draw, thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai's late leveller.

Nottingham Forest were beaten by Leeds, and then Leeds again in midweek in the Carabao Cup, so Oliver Glasner's men have something to prove at Anfield this weekend.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest.

Watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest for FREE

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest is free-to-air on CazeTV's YouTube with no subscription or sign-up required.

Those outside Brazil can unlock the free stream using a VPN.

Watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can make your devices appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest on TNT Sports.

Live coverage is on TNT Sports 1 and its streaming platform HBO Max, with kick-off at 12:30 pm BST. Full coverage begins at 11:00 am.

How to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest in the US

As mentioned above, USA Network is showing Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest in the US. Kick-off is at 7:30am ET.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest on USA Network.

How to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 9:30pm AEST.

Travelling outside Australia? NordVPN is your ticket to watch Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest on Stan Sport.

Tickets

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: Preview

Liverpool's midfield has come under big scrutiny for its lack of balance in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United, but we at FourFourTwo think it's time the Reds' big-money signings come to the front.

Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz were again a little too passive, although there were flashes from the pair; if Andoni Iraola wants to be successful on Merseyside, he will need to get more from his big-name players.

That being said, signings are still being touted for them: Bradley Barcola appears to be close to joining after a £120 million fee was agreed with PSG.

New signing Jeremy Jacquet partnered Virgil Van Dijk in defence, whilst Cody Gakpo shined despite the speculation surrounding his future at Anfield.

SEE ALSO Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Nottingham Forest have had a sluggish start to life under Oliver Glasner, losing twice to Leeds United in both the Premier League and then the Carabao Cup.

It goes without saying that the Tricky Trees also failed to score in both contests, so pressure is already on to perform better against Liverpool this weekend.

Chris Wood's future is a fascinating one, with Liam Delap potentially available to make his debut at the City Ground following his £50 million move from Chelsea.

The New Zealand star spent the majority of last season on the sidelines with a knee problem and at 34, his Premier League days may be starting to become numbered.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Liverpool 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Liverpool should kickstart their season in style here and we expect a routine win for the Reds.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Tottenham Hotspur have splashed the cash this summer, but their spending has to continue if they’re serious about competing at the top of the Premier League again – and Victor Osimhen should be priority number one now.

It’s no secret that Spurs need firepower up top, after Richarlison showed precisely why he’s not up to the task with a poor performance against Brentford in the opening game of the season, and Dominic Solanke’s injury record making him an unreliable option.

Osimhen has long been regarded as one of the most talented strikers in the world, but has he ever truly lived up to that hype? Now is the time for him to prove it, and Tottenham is the perfect place to do that.

How much would Victor Osimhen cost Spurs?

One of the major stumbling blocks keeping Victor Osimhen from a move to the Premier League over the last few years has been his enormous wage demands. That’s arguably one of the main reasons he joined Galatasaray in the first place rather than securing a switch to one of Europe’s top five leagues.

The Turkish outfit paid roughly £35m up front for the Nigerian in the summer of 2025 after having him on loan the season prior. That deal also includes a reported £30m in additional payments down the line, taking the total transfer to around £65m (as per ESPN).

Osimhen is also thought to be on wages of approximately £310,000 per week (according to Capology), making him a very expensive man indeed. To put it into perspective, Tottenham’s wage budget has shifted this summer with the arrival of Sandro Tonali (on £200,000 per week) and Omar Marmoush (£250,000 per week, though it is unclear how much of that Spurs are paying during the loan from Manchester City).

Signing Osimhen would not only require Spurs to completely obliterate their current wage structure, but they would also have to splash out at least £100m on the 27-year-old.

Still, given Tottenham’s Financial Fair Play flexibility right now – largely thanks to the incredible revenue generated by the extra-curricular activities carried out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – that kind of money is, technically, feasible.

Spurs have spent roughly £320m so far this summer. However, under the Premier League Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) guidelines introduced this season, the club can allocate 85% of its total revenue on transfers and wages.

With that in mind, the Lilywhites could spend up to £480m without breaking any rules (they made £565m over the last tax year), and that’s before considering the potential sales of players like Richarlison, Pape Sarr and more still to come.

Victor Osimhen needs to prove himself in the Premier League

After modest spells with Charleroi in Belgium and Lille in France, Osimhen really hit the big time thanks to his goalscoring exploits at Napoli. There, he linked up with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to devastating effect and helped the Italian side win the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years.

Osimhen scored 26 league goals in that 2022/23 campaign, as well as another five in the Champions League. The following season, he scored another 15 in Serie A, and it seemed a move to the Premier League – namely Chelsea – was very much on the cards.

However, that move broke down amid Osimhen’s lofty wage demands. He rejected the switch to Stamford Bridge, while a move to the Saudi Pro League also fell through just before transfer deadline day, leaving him very much in limbo (as per ESPN). The only club left that was willing to pay Osimhen’s transfer fee and wages, and where the transfer window had not closed yet, was Galatasaray.

Two years later, it would probably be fair to say that Osimhen’s career is a little bit underwhelming. He’s got his goalscoring record, the Serie A title, and a couple of Turkish league titles, but he could and should have so much more. He should have been strutting his stuff in the Premier League, and I don’t think we can ever really credit him as one of his generation’s best strikers until he shows what he can do in England.

Tottenham’s system and style are ideal for Victor Osimhen

This summer, Osimhen is once again the subject of much speculation over his future. Reports from Turkey claim an offer of £128m from Al-Hilal has been rejected by Galatasaray. It is thought Osimhen would have even been given a pay rise had he moved to the Saudi outfit this summer, but money is not thought to be a driving factor in his thinking anymore.

Instead, it sounds like Osimhen is open to a big move – one that can truly further his career. Arsenal is a name that has been mooted. But, it’s the other side of North London that the forward should be looking at.

Under Roberto De Zerbi, Tottenham are back to a more slick, attacking style of play. Despite a lacklustre opening day defeat to Brentford, I firmly believe Spurs can challenge at the top of the table this season, especially once all the new signings click and De Zerbi’s methods really take hold.

Now, it would be safe to assume that, all being well, Omar Marmoush is going to lead the line for Spurs this season. However, one top player is not enough to transform this team, and that’s where Osimhen comes in. Having the Egyptian forward and Osimhen on rotation might be considered greedy or excessive by some, but it’s what Tottenham need if they’re serious about competing with Arsenal and the rest of the 'Big Six' once more.

For Osimhen, this system would provide the ideal platform to showcase his talents, too. Service out wide from players like Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, Mohammed Kudus, and new arrival Savio would be a dream for a poacher like Osimhen, who scores most of his goals inside the 18-yard box. He’s great in the air, so floated crosses would be a priority, but he’s just as adept at controlling the ball on the floor and working space for himself, before using his acute finishing to fire home.

Admittedly, creating chances has not been a strong point for Spurs in the last couple of seasons. But, even that wouldn’t necessarily be an issue for Osimhen, who is brilliant at creating opportunities out of thin air. The Nigerian striker has speed, strength, and a top football IQ, making him the kind of livewire that Tottenham have been lacking for a very, very long time.

Whereas Richarlison has always fed on those scraps in the box, and Dominic Solanke heavily relies on other players running around him and creating space, Osimhen can produce magic in the blink of an eye.

Tottenham’s attacking roster has improved massively, at least on paper, but Osimhen's arrival would turn a promising frontline into an almost unstoppable one.

I’ll start this week with the transfer talk concerning Julian Alvarez, who has his heart set on a move to Barcelona, despite Arsenal’s interest. He’d improve Mikel Arteta’s team considerably because he’s an out-and-out goalscorer, and is a different kind of player to Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz.

He's got pace, can cause problems, can drop in a hole, and score all kinds of goals. I think they’ll win the Premier League, but with that kind of player, you'd start thinking they could go on to dominate and win the Champions League as well.

Clinton was speaking courtesy of Free Bets, home of the best UK betting sites.

'Julian Alvarez signing takes Arsenal to the next level'

It’s clear that he wants to go to Barcelona, but Atletico Madrid don’t want to sell him to a rival. Although, if Barcelona are willing to pay the money, why wouldn’t Atletico sell him when they’ve got an unhappy player who’s lost the support of the fans?

Obviously, he can always win the fans back over by staying and scoring loads of goals for Atletico Madrid.

Another player who has been linked with a move away is Emiliano Martinez, who has reportedly been offered to Chelsea. He would improve them massively, particularly after Robert Sanchez’s performance against Fulham last Monday.

He can't get beaten by that Josh King strike. I don't like to be too critical of players, but it's not the first mistake he's made.

Even with the second Fulham goal — he's parried it back into the danger zone. I don't like to be too critical, especially as it was the first game of the season, but they clearly need to bring in a goalkeeper.

I know they've got Mike Penders from Strasbourg, but they need someone with more experience, and Martinez definitely fits the bill.

One player who’s already made a big-money move is Ayyoub Bouaddi. He’s someone with a lot of potential at just 18-years-old, and he’s a top talent. We saw what he could do at the World Cup, but the Premier League is a completely different type of test.

I like the way he takes the ball, and his confidence is something to admire. And everyone knows about Enzo Fernandez and his qualities.

He's going to get booed everywhere he goes this season, and will receive a lot of stick. But he's a good player, and I don’t think Chelsea want to lose him.

But it was interesting when Xabi Alonso said that he doesn't know what's going to happen, and wished the window was shut.

Usually when a manager says, 'No, my player is not for sale, he's not going anywhere,' then you know that's the truth. But he didn't say that about Enzo Fernandez. So, personally, I think it will happen.

I think Man City will pay the money and get Fernandez, after already signing Bouaddi. I hear they’ve also agreed a fee to sign the Brazilian winger Alan from Palmeiras, so it’s clear to see that City aren’t sitting still after losing Rodri.

Elsewhere, Ollie Watkins’ move to Al Hilal is an interesting one. It would be a massive coup for the Saudi League and their teams — because I cover a lot of the Saudi League and they're trying to sign a lot of top players. And you know why players are going there? Because the money looks after them and their families for years and years.

So I can probably understand why Watkins, who’s 30 and almost 31, and thinking that he could have a couple of years over there and look after his family.

He’ll be playing alongside the likes of Karim Benzema and Ruben Neves, with Al Hilal building a team that they feel can win the league, because Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, Al Nassr, won it last season. So it'll be interesting, and a good move for Watkins.

Finally, there are some cracking games to look forward to in the Premier League this weekend, and Aston Villa versus Arsenal on Monday night is one which stands out to me. Villa always give Arsenal a good game at Villa Park.

It'll be interesting to see if Ezri Konsa is involved, but more so to see how Villa react after their heavy defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

We know Villa are short — they've lost four key players in Lucas Digne, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Konsa. It looks like they’ll lose Watkins too, so they need to strengthen. But the Villa fans will rightly trust Unai Emery.

It's not an easy start for them, and they're playing against everyone's tip to win the Premier League, but I think they'll make it difficult for Arsenal.

Welcome back once again.

We're on the 68th FourFourTwo Weekend Crossword, and we're ready to go again if you are: 25 clues about all different levels and eras of the game – some connected, others not so much.

So kick back with a cuppa and get ready. How quickly can you crack the code?

Love football crosswords? Here are some handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

Let's move beyond the puzzle page to test your knowledge of opening-day history, top-tier domestic leagues, and record-breaking transfer sagas, demanding elite mental conditioning: we've got a few more quizzes for you to try, courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re starting with opening-day curtain-raisers and the rapid rise of the domestic game. First, test your memory of top-flight season openers by naming the first goalscorer of every Premier League season since 1992-93, tracing three decades of kickoff history. Once you’ve audited those early-August heroes, pivot to the modern domestic pyramid and see if you can name every team in the top two tiers of women's football in England, covering all the elite clubs across the WSL and Women's Championship.

If your scouting network excels at La Liga blockbusters, statistical longevity, and quick-fire tests, we have a relentless multi-front challenge waiting in the tunnel. Put your transfer memory to work by naming the 50 most expensive players signed by Barcelona and Real Madrid, before proving your knowledge of top-flight stalwarts by sorting these players by Premier League appearances. Wrap up your session by shooting for a flawless 20/20 in Friday Football Quiz, episode 130, and testing your elite-level logic on Pre-Match Poser no.41.

To keep your analytical edge sharp for every matchday, subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of hand-picked trivia. To take your game to the next level, join The Club, our free membership hub that serves as your digital dugout, where you can claim secret hints for our toughest quizzes, climb global leaderboards, and debate the latest topics directly in the comments section.

Watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City for free as the Premier League's second weekend gets underway at Selhurst Park, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

The return of the Premier League brought drama, excitement and shocks, as we dust ourselves off and go again as Gameweek 2 approaches.

The opening contest of the weekend sees Crystal Palace host Manchester City at Selhurst Park, with the Eagles still reeling from their defeat at Everton.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City from anywhere in the world and for FREE.

Watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City for FREE

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City isn't technically available to watch for free, but there is a way that viewers in the US can stream the game at no cost.

Live coverage in the States is on USA Network, which is available on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV - all of which have free-trial options of varying lengths for new customers.

Outside the US? Use a VPN to access your free Crystal Palace vs Manchester City stream from anywhere in the world.

Watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City from anywhere

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How to watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League will have live coverage of the game from Croydon, with kick-off at 8:00pm BST. Full coverage begins at 7:00pm.

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How to watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City in the US

As mentioned above, USA Network is showing Crystal Palace vs Manchester City in the US. Kick-off is at 3:00pm ET.

Fans in the States can access USA Network on OTT streaming platforms including YouTube TV (10-day free trial), DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) and Sling Blue.

How to watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City in Australia

Fans in Australia can stream Crystal Palace vs Manchester City on Stan Sport. Kick-off is at 5:00am AEST on Saturday, August 22.

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Tickets

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Preview

Pierre Sage's side made a dull start to his tenure as Crystal Palace boss, as the Eagles slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Everton on the opening weekend of the new season.

Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry sank the Eagles, with the uncertain future of Jean Phillipe-Mateta and Ismaïla Sarr adding to the Frenchman's early woes.

They will certainly need to be better in front of goal with four big chances missed last Saturday — something they can't afford against one of the Premier League's top sides.

Dwight McNeil made his debut in the defeat against his former side, with Jørgen Strand Larsen again left on the bench as Mateta got the nod on Merseyside.

SEE ALSO How to watch Premier League 2026/27: TV Guide, Streams & Fixtures

Enzo Maresca's men left it late to claim all three points against Bournemouth, with his defenders coming in clutch to spare their blushes.

Marcus Tavernier fired the Cherries ahead of 26 minutes, but two late goals from first Marc Guehi and then Josko Gvardiol ensured a quickfire turnaround.

City are bidding to continue their impressive recent form against Palace, with the Sky Blues having only lost once in the last five years against Friday's opponents, that being the FA Cup final.

Ayyoub Bouaddi could make his debut following his £85.6m move from Lille, while speculation surrounding Enzo Fernandez signing for them continues to rumble on off the pitch.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester City

City should win with ease at Selhurst Park, with Erling Haaland to get off the mark.

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Aston Villa’s pursuit of AC Milan star Rafael Leao has effectively been brought to an end following a major breakthrough in negotiations for Paris Saint-Germain starlet Ibrahim Mbaye.

As revealed by The Athletic's David Ornstein, Villa have reached an agreement in principle to sign the 18-year-old winger in a deal worth €55 million (£46.5m).

The strong personal relationship between PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris is cited to have been key in closing the agreement, with final formalities reportedly now underway.

Rafael Leao will not become an Aston Villa player - but PSG teenager might

Villa had emerged as serious contenders for Leao in recent days. According to reports from Sky Sports and Italian transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio, manager Unai Emery had even held direct talks with the Portuguese international to explain his vision.

However, a €55m outlay for Mbaye, who operates in the same left-sided attacking berth, signals that Villa have seemingly chosen their primary long-term option, drawing a firm line under a potential deal for Leao, too.

The acquisition of Mbaye comes amid a turbulent summer overhaul at Villa Park.

Following a high-profile squad firesale that has seen core members of their Europa League-winning squad including Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa, and Youri Tielemans depart, Emery has been forced to rebuild his unit under strict financial conditions.

With further uncertainty surrounding the futures of Ollie Watkins and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, bringing in fresh talent was deemed essential.

Mbaye has been involved in on-and-off talks with Villa for several months, with the Midlands club long identifying him as a target.

While discussions hit impasses earlier in the window and Mbaye entertained offers from other clubs, negotiations have clearly reignited as the transfer deadline approached. Now, the Senegalese international teenager is finally set to secure his move to the Premier League, while putting an end to the Leao rumours.

Watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City as two clubs with celebrity owners kick-off the Championship weekend in North Wales. FourFourTwo has all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

There will be plenty of attention on the directors' box at the Racecourse Ground, as Wrexham's Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney entertain their counterparts at Birmingham, who count NFL legend Tom Brady among their minority investors.

However, managers Phil Parkinson and Chris Davies will be more concerned about on-pitch matters, as their respective sides try to claim their first win of the Championship season.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City for free?

Wrexham vs Birmingham City is not technically being shown anywhere for free, but viewers in Australia can watch the Championship clash on beIN SPORTS, which includes a 7-day free trial for new users.

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Watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City from anywhere

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How to watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City in the UK

Wrexham vs Birmingham City is live on Sky Sports in the UK.

The Championship clash is being shown on Sky Sports Football, with kick-off at 8:00pm BST.

How to watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City in the US

US viewers can watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City on Paramount+, with kick-off at 3pm ET.

Paramount+ plans start at $8.99 a month and you'll get access to multiple EFL and Carabao Cup games this season, as well as every Champions League match.

How to watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City in Australia

As mentioned above, fans in Australia can watch Wrexham vs Birmingham City on beIN SPORTS.

The game kicks-off at 5am AEST (Sat) and will be live on beIN SPORTS 2, as well as the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform.

It is one of 155 Championship matches that will be shown live on beIN SPORTS Down Under this season, plus games from Leagues One and Two, and every Carabao Cup fixture.

Wrexham vs Birmingham City: Preview

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson will have grown used to welcoming A-list celebrities to the Racecourse Ground, so the experienced boss will be fully focused on getting his side's season up and running against Birmingham City.

The Red Dragons were seconds away from winning at Cardiff City on the opening weekend, only to concede a last-gasp equaliser, before they were held to a second successive 1-1 draw by Watford, with Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney watching on.

Since then, Parkinson's squad has been bolstered by the signings of Angers left-back Jacques Ekomie and right wing-back Issa Kabore from Manchester City, with the latter returning to Wrexham after making 32 appearances on loan last term.

It remains to be seen whether they go straight into the squad to face Birmingham, while doubts remain over the fitness of Ben Sheaf and Liberato Cacace, but influential forward Josh Windass is expected to return from injury.

SEE ALSO Should I use a VPN to watch football?

While Wrexham conceded at the death in their opening game, Birmingham were on the right side of last-minute drama in their 2-2 draw with Bristol City last Saturday.

Demarai Gray's penalty five minutes into stoppage time salvaged a point for Chris Davies' side, who were held 0-0 by Sheffield United on the opening weekend.

Birmingham were then thrashed 6-1 at home by Premier League Brentford in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday, although the fact that Davies made seven changes suggests that the competition was low on his list of priorities.

He will be without injured midfielder Max Bird for the trip to North Wales, where Gray could be pushing to start after scoring in each of the past two games.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Wrexham 1-1 Birmingham City

Draws have been the name of the game for both sides so far this season and it could lead to another cagey contest here.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart for FREE as the Bundesliga champions kick-off the new season at the Allianz Arena, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Bayern will be aiming to sweep all before them once again after winning the league and cup double last term, with Harry Kane leading an attack that scored an incredible 122 goals in just 34 Bundesliga games.

Stuttgart know where the goal is too, though, with striker Deniz Undav finishing as the second-top scorer behind Kane in 2025/26 (although he did hit 17 fewer goals), a season in which they also reached the DFB-Pokal final.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga online, on TV, and from anywhere.

Can I watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart for free?

Yes! Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart is live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. You just need a BBC iPlayer login and a TV licence, and away you go.

Fans in the US can also watch the game for free on Fandango, which will show around 270 Bundesliga matches at no cost this season.

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How to watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart in the UK

As mentioned above, BBC iPlayer will have live coverage of Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart. The broadcaster is set to show all Friday-night Bundesliga games for free throughout the season.

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How to watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart in the US

Streaming service Fandango is the place for US viewers to watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart for free.

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How to watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart in Australia

As mentioned above, fans in Australia can watch Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart on beIN SPORTS.

The game will be live on the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform.

Not in Australia? Stream beIN SPORTS from anywhere with NordVPN.

Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart: Preview

Bayern Munich remain the team to beat in the Bundesliga, so it is fitting that Vincent Kompany's free-scoring side kick-off the 2026/27 campaign with this Friday-night clash at home to VFB Stuttgart.

Die Roten breezed to a league and cup double last season, with England captain Harry Kane scoring just the 61 goals in all competitions to claim his third successive Torjägerkanone (literally translated as the 'goal hunter cannon').

Surprisingly, the striker wasn't on the scoresheet as Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the German Supercup last weekend, in a game that saw summer signing Nathaniel Brown find the net on his competitive debut.

The new recruit from Eintracht Frankfurt started in an attacking midfield role in that game and could do the same again, while Morocco striker Ismael Saibari is also set to make his league debut after his arrival from PSV Eindhoven. At the other end of the experience scale, 40-year-old Manuel Neuer is expected to play in goal as he begins his 16th season at the Allianz Arena.

SEE ALSO Should I use a VPN to watch football?

While it is hard to look past Bayern's brilliance, Stuttgart were arguably the big success story of the Bundesliga last season, finishing fourth to seal a return to the Champions League and reaching their second successive DFB-Pokal final.

Their tally of 71 league goals was bettered only by the Bavarians, with striker Deniz Undav scoring 19 of those and taking his form into World Cup 2026, where he found the net three times for Germany.

Head coach Sebastian Hoeness has added more firepower to his squad, in the form of centre forward Dzenan Pejcinovic from Wolfsburg, while attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss has joined from Leicester City.

It looks set to be the toughest league debut imagineable for the summer arrivals, but Stuttgart will believe they can hurt Bayern.

FourFourTwo's prediction

Bayern Munich 3-1 VFB Stuttgart

Both teams know where the goal is, but Bayern are specialists in outscoring the opposition.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

After waiting 22 years to win the Premier League again, Arsenal finally did it. Can Mikel Arteta’s side now defend their title?

It will be interesting to see their mindset and approach; whether the relief of getting over the line at last has an impact, or if it only sparks even more fire to do it again now they’ve experienced the success they craved.

With so much change to managers elsewhere in the league, Arsenal’s stability in the dugout and their settled squad could be key in them defending the trophy. Their strength in depth last season was a huge reason they got over some tough hurdles, and they’ve only added to the squad this summer. The Gunners signed even more quality and proven top-flight experience in Bruno Guimaraes, giving them one of the strongest midfields in the league.

There were a few question marks at the beginning of the season, with key players like Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke working their way back to fitness after reaching the final weekend of the World Cup, and William Saliba recovering from injury, but the hope was that there was enough in the squad to get through the opening weeks.

Arsenal also came so close to winning the Champions League for the first time in May, and perhaps that might become their main focus this season. There could be no bigger motivation than to become kings of Europe as well as winning back-to-back Premier League titles. With their quality, depth, stability and know-how, Arsenal are still the team to beat this season.

Rogers at Chelsea

Morgan Rogers to Chelsea was one of the summer’s surprise moves. There was an expectation that the 24-year-old would leave Aston Villa, but the record-breaking £117m deal is hugely exciting for the Blues.

With new boss Xabi Alonso at the helm, Chelsea come into the season with a new outlook, a refreshed squad, and two of the best number 10s in world football. It will be so interesting to see Rogers and Cole Palmer, good friends off the pitch, playing in the same team and how that chemistry can have a positive impact. Their versatility means they can play in the same line-up, or in each other’s position depending on the system Alonso opts for.

After finishing 10th last year, Chelsea have no European football to contend with. That affords Alonso and his many new additions time on the training pitch. They also have a player in Palmer who is fully rested after missing the World Cup, ready and energised to perform. Chelsea could be one of this season’s big challengers, especially in the domestic cups.

Newcastle’s new era

With many managers changing clubs and lots of new faces arriving in the Premier League, it makes for an unpredictable first few weeks. One of the most intriguing new bosses is Matthias Jaissle. The 38-year-old may be lesser known than some other arrivals, but he’s regarded as one of the best young coaches in Europe.

After suffering an ACL injury as a player, the German turned to coaching at an early age thanks to an opportunity through Ralf Rangnick at RB Leipzig. He moved to Red Bull Salzburg, who he steered to two Austrian titles, before heading for Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro League and lifting a pair of continental trophies.

He now arrives in England with a massive opportunity and desire to impress – and his attacking, pressing football will excite Geordies. Jaissle’s experience of developing young talent at Salzburg will have been a big pull for Newcastle given the new era the club have embarked on, targeting younger players after losing established stars Sandro Tonali to Spurs, Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona.

As fresh faces try to impress the new manager, along with the rest of the squad, the club are certainly an intriguing prospect during the 2026-27 campaign.

Jaissle’s predecessor Eddie Howe ended Newcastle’s long wait for silverware, so what can the young German bring? After last summer’s difficult window, the Alexander Isak saga and a bruising domestic season, a fresh start feels very welcome in the North East.

Liverpool and Chelsea have entered a late-window battle to secure the signature of AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.

Both Premier League clubs are reportedly weighing up a move ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline.

According to a report from Foot Mercato, both sides have registered interest in the 22-year-old Senegalese international as they scramble for late midfield reinforcements.

Liverpool and Chelsea go head-to-head for Senegal midfielder

At Stamford Bridge, the sudden urgency to land Camara stems from an impending major departure. Enzo Fernandez looks increasingly likely to join Manchester City before the window shuts, leaving the Blues searching for a dynamic replacement to replace the World Cup winner.

Losing the Argentine would certainly impact Chelsea's midfield structure, making the signing of a proven, high-energy operator a priority for the club's recruitment team.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are yet to submit a formal proposal but it's reported they admire the player and could yet make a move.

Camara could prove to be the solution to their own tactical vulnerability. Liverpool’s midfield has been having ongoing issues, and Andoni Iraola's side remain uncomfortably threadbare in central positions following recent squad moves.

With starting options facing demanding workloads across domestic and European commitments this season, securing an additional, durable midfield option before the deadline is viewed by many fans as vital business.

Camara is one of French football's most dynamic young midfielders. The former Metz and Generation Foot prodigy is a box-to-box operator who combines tackling and ball recovery with press-resistant traits such as ball-carrying and forward passing.

At Chelsea, Camara would likely slot in alongside Moises Caicedo, providing the mobility, counter-pressing, and defensive discipline needed to balance what is one of the league's most exciting attacks. His work-rate would go some way to cushioning the blow of Fernandez’s likely departure, too.

At Anfield, Camara’s versatile profile aligns neatly with Iraola's tactical and physical demands for his central pivot.

Capable of functioning either as a deep-lying midfielder or a roaming central box-to-box option, he would offer cover and rotation for both Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. Camara's ability to break up opposition counter-attacks before quickly advancing possession would give Liverpool the balance they appeared to lack on the opening weekend of the new season.

It remains to be seen what Monaco's asking price will be, but Camara is valued at €40m by Transfermarkt and has three years remaining on his contract, which is likely to be a lucrative deal given the tax exemptions afforded to players in the principality.

Arsenal could pivot to bring in Marcus Rashford from Manchester United before deadline day.

That's according to a new report that says there is “internal surprise” at London Colney that the Gunners are looking to sell Gabriel Martinelli after seven years of service before bringing in a replacement.

While Arsenal are still in the market for Julian Alvarez in the event that the Argentine opts to leave Atletico Madrid, there are fewer options at this stage of the market, with several big targets' futures decided.

Marcus Rashford could move to Arsenal in “temporary” deal

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has expressed his interest in keeping Rashford as part of his squad this season, even bringing the England international off the bench last week in the defeat to newly promoted Hull City.

With the forward one of the Red Devils' highest earners, however, owner Jim Ratcliffe has been happy to move Rashford on in the last few years, with loans to Aston Villa and Barcelona helping to alleviate the wage bill at Old Trafford.

Miguel Delaney of The Independent has now written that the United academy graduate remains an option for Mikel Arteta's side – though Arsenal aren't desperate to sign either Rashford or their big target, Alvarez.

“If Arsenal don’t get [Alvarez], they are relatively relaxed,” Delaney says, adding, “There is some internal surprise they let Gabriel Martinelli go before securing an alternative in that area, although some sources believe it could see Arsenal move for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford on a temporary deal.

“It’s just as possible they keep the money and wait.”

Arsenal have had a number of major setbacks in the transfer window this summer, with interest in Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Jr and Bradley Barcola at one stage or another.

While Rogers shocked the Gunners by going to Chelsea and Vinicius turned down Arteta's advances to sign an improved deal at Real Madrid, Barcola is on the cusp of signing for Liverpool, without Arsenal ever putting in a serious offer in the end for the Frenchman.

If Arsenal do sell Martinelli and fail in their pursuit of Alvarez, that would leave Arteta with just Christos Tzolis as an out-and-out left-winger – though the Basque brought Eberechi Eze on in his place last week in the win over Coventry City.

Noni Madueke could well play on that flank, too, while youngster Max Dowman could feature on the left as well.

Rashford is worth €40m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Jose Mourinho is set for an unexpected return to Stamford Bridge after Real Madrid were drawn against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League this season.

The Ukrainian champions have selected Chelsea’s home ground as their venue for European fixtures in 2026/27.

Shakhtar have been forced to play their designated 'home' matches thousands of miles away from home due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which renders hosting international fixtures in their homeland impossible.

Jose Mourinho can't stay away from Stamford Bridge

Having previously utilised temporary venues in Poland and Germany during recent continental campaigns, the Ukrainian side reached an agreement to stage their Champions League ties in London this year.

The arrangement was made possible because Stamford Bridge is vacant of European football this season, following Chelsea's failure to qualify for any continental competitions.

The fixture, due to be played on Tuesday, September 8, sets up a West London homecoming for Mourinho, who made a return to Real Madrid this summer for a second managerial stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Portuguese manager remains an iconic figure in Chelsea's history following two spells at the club. Across his reigns in SW6, he delivered three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups, famously declaring himself 'The Special One' during his unveiling in 2004.

Despite managing other clubs across Europe in the years since, Mourinho has repeatedly spoken of his enduring affection for Chelsea.

"When I am in London, I meet them every day on the street. I know that is going to be a relationship forever," Mourinho previously reflected when discussing his bond with the fanbase. "They belong to my history and I belong to their history. I will always be a Blue."

While Mourinho will occupy the technical area as Real Madrid manager against Shakhtar, his presence on the Stamford Bridge touchline is likely to be the focal point of the evening. For Chelsea supporters, watching their former manager return to the pitch under the Champions League lights, even in the opposition dugout as he did last season with Benfica, will stir plenty of emotions.

Jack Hinshelwood is a doubt for Brighton & Hove Albion against Chelsea this weekend.

The Seagulls star netted two goals on the opening day of the campaign, but missed Brighton's 4-0 win over Tromso in the Conference League last night with a knock.

Now, the utility man faces a quick turnaround ahead of facing a Blues side who have won both competitive matches under Xabi Alonso.

Jack Hinshelwood could be out for five to six weekes for Brighton & Hove Albion

Hinshelwood completed 63 minutes in the rout of Villa, scoring twice from just two shots on target.

But the midfielder picked up a knock on Wednesday, with manager Fabian Hurzeler, seemingly optimistic of him returning sooner rather than later when he spoke ahead of the European clash with Tromso.

“He had a small issue in training yesterday, so we have to go day by day with him and see how it progresses over the next few days,” the Brighton boss said after his side’s victory over Tromso. “I can’t give you a clear schedule for when he will be back: it could be a really short thing, or it could be a few days longer.”

“Let’s see how he presents himself, and then we can make a decision.”

According to The Athletic, the Brighton academy graduate will be out for five to six weeks – though the injury has not been confirmed.

Brighton have a number of injuries at this early stage of the season, with both wingers Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh sidelined right now – the latter of whom Hurzeler claims to have spoken to, to convince the Gambian to remain at the Amex.

Mitoma missed the World Cup with Japan through injury, while Georginio Rutter is still being monitored following a knock.

Rutter's absence could see Greek striker Charalampos Kostoulas get his chance to shine, while new signing Promise David could be in line for a Premier League debut after sitting on the bench against Villa.

A new Bundesliga season begins with a familiar question: can anyone stop Bayern Munich and Harry Kane? The Bavarian giants streaked to the title again in 2025/26, finishing 16 points ahead of second-place Borussia Dortmund and scoring a frankly obscene 122 goals in just 34 games. Kane bagged 36 goals in the league to win his third successive Golden Boot, so the England captain will take some stopping this season. FourFourTwo has all the broadcast information you need to watch every game live.

Bayern's front three of Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise scored 109 goals between them last season, and the bad news for the rest of the Bundesliga is that the champions have further boosted their firepower with the signing of Morocco striker Ismael Saibari. The other notable summer transfers include Dortmund's swoop for highly-rated RB Salzburg defender Joane Gadou and 21-year-old winger Afonso Moreira's move from Lyon to Bayer Leverkusen.

Die Werkself have also made a change in the dugout, appointing former Toulouse manager Carles Martinez Novell, while fellow Champions League hopefuls RB Leipzig have hired ex-Bayern defender Martin Demichelis. Elsewhere, Gelsenkirchen giants Schalke are back in the Bundesliga after three seasons away, along with Paderborn and debutants Elversberg. The latter represent the Saarland town of Spiesen-Elversberg, whose population of just 13,000 can almost fit inside the club's 10,000-capacity ground.

In this guide, we'll show you how to watch Bundesliga live streams in the UK, US, and around the world - including for FREE - and how you can use a VPN to tune in while you're abroad.

• Read More: How to watch Serie A 2026/27: TV Guide, Live Streams & Key Dates

How to watch Bundesliga from anywhere

Chances are you'll find yourself overseas when some Bundesliga games are taking place, but does that mean you have to miss the action? No, it doesn't... a VPN will ensure you get your coverage from anywhere.

Bundesliga live streams are geo-restricted on all streaming services, but a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a neat way around this, unpicking the geo-locks by altering your device's digital location. It's great for accessing your usual streaming services while on the move, and it does wonders for your internet security, too.

NordVPN is the best, so say our good friends across the office at TechRadar.

How to watch Bundesliga in the UK

The Bundesliga television rights in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland are shared by Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and BBC.

As mentioned above, BBC iPlayer will stream Friday-night games for free throughout the season.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports will have the top-pick Saturday evening match at 5.30pm BST, starting with Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburg on August 29. Sky Sports plans start from £35 a month on a long-term TV contract, while existing customers on a 24-month Sky TV contract can add Sky Sports for £22 a month. You can also stream short-term for a similar cost via Now TV.

Amazon Prime Video will show all Sunday afternoon Bundesliga games this season on a pay-per-view basis. Each game costs just £2.49 PPV.

How to watch Bundesliga in the US

As mentioned above, this is the first season of a new five-year broadcast deal to show the Bundesliga in the US.

This will see roughly 270 matches shown completely free on Fandango, while at least 30 games will be live on USA Network.

USA Network is a linear channel so you will either need a cable package or a cord-cutter, for example YouTube TV (10-day free trial), DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial), Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) or Sling Blue.

How to watch Bundesliga in Australia

Fans in Australia can watch every Bundesliga match this season live on beIN SPORTS, with all games available on the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform.

Plans start from $15.99 a month or $159.99 a year, with a one-week free trial available.

Prices will increase by $1 for the monthly plan and $10 for the annual plan from 1 September, so purchase now!

Other Bundesliga live streams around the world

The Bundesliga is one of the biggest leagues in world football, so it is no surprise that you can watch it in dozens of countries - here are a few providers in select locations:

Africa

MBC Shahid has the rights in MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa), while StarTimes is the official broadcast partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Canada

DAZN, Fubo and OneSoccer share the rights to Bundesliga live streams in Canada.

Hong Kong

Viewers in Hong Kong can tune into Bundesliga action on bein SPORTS.

New Zealand

beIN SPORTS is also the home of the Bundesliga this season in New Zealand.

South Africa

Bundesliga fans in South Africa can watch all the action via subscription service StarTimes.

What are the Bundesliga 2026/27 key dates?

The 2026/27 Bundesliga season starts on Friday, August 28 and ends on Saturday, May 29, 2027.

The fixtures on the opening weekend are as follows: (all times BST)

• Friday, August 28: Bayern Munich vs VFB Stuttgart (7.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: RB Leipzig vs Borussia Monchengladbach (2.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: Mainz vs Paderborn (2.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: FC Cologne vs Hoffenheim (2.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: Union Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt (2.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: SV Elversberg vs Bayer Leverkusen (2.30pm)
• Saturday, August 29: Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburg (5.30pm)
• Sunday, August 30: Freiburg vs Werder Bremen (2.30pm)
• Sunday, August 30: Augsburg vs Schalke (4.30pm)

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

It's Friday, it's a quiz about football – it's the Friday Football Quiz!

Welcome back to another 20-question pub quiz on subjects that this week fluctuate between Grasshopper and Robins, Tears in Turin and Jordan Henderson, in FourFourTwo's world-famous Friday Football Quiz.

A couple of tips and tricks for you: if you sign in, you can not just leave a comment with your score, but also eliminate a wrong answer in every question. Enjoy!

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Riding the high of a Friday Football Quiz triumph is standard procedure around these parts, but real footballing authority demands back-to-back performances when the weekend hits. Let's traverse the vast archives of mid-2000s top-flight nostalgia, Spanish transfer megaliths, and domestic league mapping, with more quizzes, courtesy of Kwizly.

We’re kicking off with mid-2000s domestic nostalgia and the astronomical ledger of La Liga giants. First, step into the time machine and see if you can answer 15 questions about the 2006-07 Premier League season, an iconic campaign defined by classic Barclays nostalgia, blockbuster transfers, and historic title clashes. Once you've conquered the mid-2000s archives, cross the continent to test your financial scouting knowledge: can you name the 50 most expensive players signed by Barcelona and Real Madrid?

If your footballing memory shines brightest when tracking cult phenomena or mapping the domestic pyramid, we have a relentless double-header waiting in the tunnel. Put your macro-vision of English football to the test by trying to name every club in the Football League right now, accounting for all 72 outfits battling across the Championship, League One, and League Two. Following that comprehensive map workout, shift your focus to top-flight flash-in-the-pans with our Big Quiz of One-Season Wonders, celebrating the legendary cult stars who took the Premier League by storm for one glorious year before fading from the spotlight.

Finally, take on FourFourTwo’s Weekend Crossword 67, with clues on nations, relegations and teen sensations – and make sure you never miss a matchday briefing, subscribe to our newsletter for your daily dose of curated trivia and tactical analysis. For the ultimate fan experience, lock in your spot in The Club, our free membership hub where you can claim secret hints for our toughest puzzles, climb global leaderboards, and debate the latest football topics directly with fellow readers.

The Basque province of Gipuzkoa is famous for its scenic coastline, foodie hotspots and stunning mountainous terrain.

But this small area of northern Spain, with a population of less than one million, has also become notable for producing multiple elite football managers, including four current Premier League head coaches: Xabi Alonso, Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery and Andoni Iraola.

It meant that there were more managers hailing from Gipuzkoa than from England on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, putting renewed focus on the lack of home-grown coaches in the top flight.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Why are there so few English managers in the Premier League?

The three men flying the flag for English managers in the Premier League are Michael Carrick at Manchester United, Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard and Ipswich Town boss Gary O’Neil.

This is not a new phenomenon. Go back 10 years to the start of the 2016/17 season and there were just four English head coaches - Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche at Burnley, Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew and Mike Phelan at Hull City. It was the same number on the opening weekend of the 2021/22 campaign.

Look down into the Championship and just 10 of the 24 clubs are led by English managers. If that seems low, it may be a surprise to learn that this isn’t a new phenomenon either. Just nine second-tier teams had English head coaches at the start of the 2016/17 campaign, while there were 10 going into 2021/22.

This doesn’t include the odd manager who was born in England and represented another country as a player, but the point still stands: the number of home-grown coaches at the top of the domestic game has been low for some time.

When you look at the identities of the three Englishmen currently managing in the Premier League, you start to see why.

Lampard and O’Neil both entered the division with promoted clubs, albeit the latter was hired over the summer after Kieran McKenna left Ipswich. Meanwhile, Carrick got the United job only after a trial run as interim head coach during the second half of last season.

Despite a generally positive two-and-a-half years in the Championship with Middlesbrough, it is hard to believe that Carrick would have been considered by the Old Trafford hierarchy if he hadn’t played for the club. Similarly, go back to summer 2019 and it is unlikely that Chelsea would have hired the coach that had just taken Derby County to the Championship play-off final in his first season in management if it wasn’t Lampard, a Blues legend.

It suggests that unless you are a famous ex-player, the most likely route into the Premier League for a second-tier boss is by getting your club promoted. But none of the current English managers in the Championship are in charge of one of the promotion favourites, so that is a tall order for the current crop.

You would think that if a coach performs well enough over a long period they would get a Premier League role sooner or later, but it rarely works out that way. Just three times in the past five years has a Premier League club plucked a manager directly from a Championship job - Wolves’ swoop for Rob Edwards from Middlesbrough last season, Chelsea hiring Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca in summer 2024 (and the Italian had just led the Foxes to the second tier title), and Southampton appointing Luton Town boss Nathan Jones in 2022.

In that time, 14 different English managers have been hired by Premier League teams, but only four hadn’t previously been a permanent head coach in the division. Those were Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa in 2021, O’Neil at Bournemouth in 2022, plus Liam Rosenior and Carrick this year. Once again, two of those were big-name former players, while Rosenior came from Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg.

It shows that almost every avenue to managing at the top level has been closed off. So, why is that the case?

Probably the most obvious explanation, although not the only one, is that the stakes are now so high at the top of the game that clubs aren’t willing to gamble on unproven coaches. As the riches on offer continue to grow, owners of Premier League teams are increasingly desperate to stay in the division, while those in charge of Championship sides are increasingly desperate to get there.

It means that new faces rarely get to ride the proverbial managerial merry-go-round - in the last five years, Keith Andrews at Brentford and O’Neil at Bournemouth were the only bosses hired permanently by Premier League clubs who were entering their first full-time role as a No.1.

Many young coaches have spoken out about their struggle to land a job. After becoming manager of Italian Serie B side Cesena in March, former England left-back Ashley Cole said he had felt ‘discouraged by a lack of opportunities’ at English clubs.

He told BBC Sport: “They like to throw the ‘you don’t have experience’ line. And I’m like, I get what you’re saying, I agree - but how am I going to get experience?

“That’s the battle you have to fight as a number two for six or seven years - you have to take a leap of faith, but a club also has to take a leap of faith.”

Cole’s former Chelsea and England team-mate John Terry echoed those sentiments last year. “It’s really disheartening, actually,” he told BBC Sport. “I have interviewed for a few jobs myself and not got them due to my lack of experience as a number one, but having captained Chelsea and my country, I’m not sure you can do much more in terms of leading teams and people.”

Terry holds a UEFA Pro Licence, which brings us on to another contributing factor. Here, England has traditionally lagged behind other major European nations, with a Guardian report in 2017 stating that 1,796 people in this country held a Pro or A Licence, compared to 15,089 in Spain. In 2021, the FA revealed that fewer than 500 coaches had completed their Pro Licence with England Football.

With a limited number of qualified English coaches in supply, and clubs unwilling to gamble on the ones that do have the necessary badges, it is no surprise that so few are managing in the Premier League.

Contrast that with Spain, where 12 of the 20 La Liga clubs are managed by Spaniards, while the national team won Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026 under a head coach, Luis de la Fuente, who led the country’s age-group teams for almost a decade.

Meanwhile, despite Gareth Southgate enjoying relative success after being promoted from England Under 21s to senior head coach, the FA replaced him with Thomas Tuchel in 2024 to win the World Cup - insinuating that they felt no home-grown coaches could achieve that goal.

It all adds up to a wider cultural issue that starts from the top. Whereas Spain’s FA and domestic league are committed to giving home-grown coaches opportunities, that is of secondary importance in England. That mentality has been ingrained for so long that it is difficult to see it changing.

No wonder Basque managers outnumber their English counterparts in the Premier League.

For a time, it wasn't that uncommon for sides outside the top flight to reach the FA Cup final: half of the finals between 1973 and 1982 featured a second-tier side, with Sunderland, Southampton and West Ham United even managing to win it.

But since the Premier League was founded in 1992, it has happened on just two occasions, with Millwall becoming the first club to break that run when they made it to their first-ever FA Cup final in 2004.

Former Dragons Den star Theo Paphitis was the club's chairman at the time, with player-manager Dennis Wise inspiring the side to a showdown with Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium.

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“I’m sure the FA hated it. You lot in the media definitely hated it!"

United ultimately ran out 3-0 winners on the day - but Paphitis told FourFourTwo: “It was unbelievable that Millwall were even in the cup final, absolutely unbelievable.

“I’m sure the FA hated it. You lot in the media definitely hated it! The FA wanted a showcase of two big teams, right? Well, they got Manchester United, then they had to deal with an underdog. You all had to accept a minnow. A good story for a day, I suppose.

“I never really had much time for the Football Association stuffiness, even though I was on the FA committee – because I was on the Football League board, I automatically got into it.

"But I wasn’t part of the blazer brigade, I wasn’t really interested in the pomp and ceremony, even though I’d already changed the outlook of the Football League by creating the new Championship, and renaming the others to League One and League Two.

"I instigated the revamping of the Football League, I was damned if I was going to let the Premier League run away with everything.

“We broke every protocol going. I certainly wasn’t going to the cup final dinner beforehand or anything like that, either.

"To me, Millwall were the people’s club. I had 99 little gold lion lapel badges cast, as souvenirs of the day – I had one for every member of the club staff, so they could remember the moment.

“The cup final was [referee] Jeff Winter’s last game, he was retiring, and someone told me he collected badges.

"So I managed to charm a lovely Welsh lady who believed everything I said to her and who took me all the way into the bowels of the stadium, all the way down to the referee’s room.

“I knocked on the door, it opened and I introduced myself, but they knew who I was.

"I said ‘Right Jeff, it’s your last game, I know you’re retiring’. I shook his hand and wished him a happy retirement.

"Then I said ‘I've cast these 18-carat gold lion lapel pins for all of my team and the Millwall backroom staff – everyone, including the groundsman’. I said, tongue in cheek, ‘They’re 18-carat gold, they’ve got a little bit of value, so you can of course turn them down or declare them to the FA, as you wish’.

“But I don’t think anybody in their wildest dreams was going to think that a little lapel pin badge was going to influence the decision-making of the FA’s top officials in an FA Cup final.

"I turned to Jeff cheekily and said ‘You won’t care a monkey, because you’re retiring’. Then to his assistants ‘You guys have got a career ahead of you’. They looked at me as if to say ‘So is this guy totally nuts?’

“Jeff said ‘Well, that’s very kind of you, Theo’, and he graciously accepted the gift, as did the others.

"So, I presented them with the pins, which I’m sure they still possess to this day, as a memento of that unbelievable day for Millwall Football Club.

"And I still think it was one of the best displays of refereeing I’ve ever seen. Jeff let it flow.”

Can you answer 10 football trivia questions in just 90 seconds? Let's see what you're made of with the latest FourFourTwo Quickfire Quiz!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has a lot more football quizzes courtesy of Kwizly. Let's start with our Big World Cup 2026 Quiz – 20 questions about this summer's extravaganza in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Domestic football is the name of the game in our challenge to sort these teams by the total number of league titles they've won in their histories and also when you take on the task of naming every team in the top two divisions of women's football in England.

Next up, can you name the 50 most expensive players ever signed by Barcelona or Real Madrid? We also want you to name every top-flight team in English men's football since 1945.

Do you have a solid grasp of the players who've completed football? You'll be able to name every player to have won both the World Cup and the Ballon d'Or during their careers.

Staying with the Ballon d'Or, can you name every Premier League player to have picked up a Ballon d'Or nomination since 2000?

We have puzzles too. Our Weekend Crossword is a regular football teaser for your Sunday, and remember to sign up to the newsletter for more quizzes in your inbox. Don't forget to join The Club for free additional membership benefits!

The Champions League 2026/27 sees the return of some big teams – and here's every league phase fixture.

There are 36 clubs in the first round of this competition, with eight fixtures each – each team plays two opponents from each of the four pots.

So without further ado… who does your team have in the Champions League?

Fixtures

Every Champions League league phase fixture

Real Madrid

Real Madrid

Inter (H)

Arsenal (A)

PSV (H)

Roma (A)

RB Leipzig (H)

Shakhtar (A)

LASK (H)

AEK Athens (A)

Manchester City

Manchester City

PSG (H)

Barcelona (A)

Sporting CP (H)

Porto (A)

Napoli (H)

RB Leipzig (A)

AEK Athens (H)

Lens (A)

Inter Milan

Liverpool (H)

Real Madrid (A)

Club Brugge (H)

B. Dortmund (A)

Shakhtar (H)

Feyenoord (A)

Stuttgart (H)

S. Bratislava (A)

Barcelona

Barcelona

Man City (H)

PSG (A)

Aston Villa (H)

Sporting CP (A)

Feyenoord (H)

Galatasaray (A)

Como (H)

Sabah (A)

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid

Bayern Munich (H)

Liverpool (A)

Man Utd (H)

PSV (A)

Fenerbahçe (H)

Bodø/Glimt (A)

Viking (H)

Stuttgart (A)

Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain

Barcelona (H)

Man City (A)

Roma (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Galatasaray (H)

Villarreal (A)

S. Bratislava (H)

Como (A)

Liverpool

Liverpool

Atletico Madrid (H)

Inter (A)

Porto (H)

Club Brugge (A)

Villarreal (H)

Fenerbahçe (A)

Lens (H)

LASK (A)

Arsenal

Arsenal

Real Madrid (H)

Bayern Munich (A)

B. Dortmund (H)

Real Betis (A)

Lille (H)

Napoli (A)

Sabah (H)

Slavia Praha (A)

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich

Arsenal (H)

Atleti (A)

Real Betis (H)

Man Utd (A)

Bodø/Glimt (H)

Lille (A)

Slavia Praha (H)

Viking (A)

Club Brugge

Club Brugge

Liverpool (H)

Inter (A)

Aston Villa (H)

PSV (A)

Bodø/Glimt (H)

Napoli (A)

Lens (H)

Stuttgart (A)

Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund

Inter (H)

Arsenal (A)

Real Betis (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Villarreal (H)

Bodø/Glimt (A)

AEK Athens (H)

Sabah (A)

Porto

Porto

Man City (H)

Liverpool (A)

PSV (H)

Real Betis (A)

Napoli (H)

Feyenoord (A)

Slavia Praha (H)

LASK (A)

Aston Villa

Aston Villa

PSG (H)

Barcelona (A)

B. Dortmund (H)

Club Brugge (A)

Fenerbahçe (H)

Galatasaray (A)

Viking (H)

Slavia Praha (A)

Real Betis

Real Betis

Arsenal (H)

Bayern Munich (A)

Porto (H)

B. Dortmund (A)

Feyenoord (H)

Lille (A)

Como (H)

S. Bratislava (A)

Roma

Roma

Real Madrid (H)

PSG (A)

Sporting CP (H)

Man Utd (A)

Lille (H)

Fenerbahçe (A)

S. Bratislava (H)

AEK Athens (A)

Manchester United

Manchester United

Bayern Munich (H)

Atletico Madrid (A)

Roma (H)

Sporting CP (A)

RB Leipzig (H)

Villarreal (A)

Sabah (H)

Como (A)

Sporting

Sporting

Barcelona (H)

Man City (A)

Man Utd (H)

Roma (A)

Galatasaray (H)

Shakhtar (A)

LASK (H)

Lens (A)

PSV

PSV

Atletico Madrid (H)

Real Madrid (A)

Club Brugge (H)

Porto (A)

Shakhtar (H)

RB Leipzig (A)

Stuttgart (H)

Viking (A)

Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar Donetsk

Real Madrid (H)

Inter (A)

Sporting CP (H)

PSV (A)

Fenerbahçe (H)

Leipzig (A)

AEK Athens (H)

S. Bratislava (A)

Villarreal

Villarreal

PSG (H)

Liverpool (A)

Man Utd (H)

B. Dortmund (A)

Napoli (H)

Fenerbahçe (A)

Sabah (H)

Slavia Praha (A)

Bodo/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt

Atletico Madrid (H)

Bayern Munich (A)

B. Dortmund (H)

Club Brugge (A)

Lille (H)

Napoli (A)

LASK (H)

Lens (A)

RB Leipzig

RB Leipzig

Man City (H)

Real Madrid (A)

PSV (H)

Man Utd (A)

Shakhtar (H)

Feyenoord (A)

Lens (H)

Como (A)

Fenerbahce

Fenerbahce

Liverpool (H)

Atletico Madrid (A)

Roma (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Villarreal (H)

Shakhtar (A)

Slavia Praha (H)

LASK (A)

Feyenoord

Feyenoord

Inter (H)

Barcelona (A)

Porto (H)

Real Betis (A)

RB Leipzig (H)

Galatasaray (A)

Como (H)

Viking (A)

Galasataray

Galasataray

Barcelona (H)

PSG (A)

Aston Villa (H)

Sporting CP (A)

Feyenoord (H)

Lille (A)

Stuttgart (H)

AEK Athens (A)

Napoli

Napoli

Arsenal (H)

Man City (A)

Arsenal (H)

Man City (A)

Club Brugge (H)

Porto (A)

Bodø/Glimt (H)

Villarreal (A)

Viking (H)

Sabah (A)

Lille

Lille

Bayern Munich (H)

Arsenal (A)

Real Betis (H)

Roma (A)

Galatasaray (H)

Bodø/Glimt (A)

S. Bratislava (H)

Stuttgart (A)

Lens

Lens

Man City (H)

Liverpool (A)

Sporting CP (H)

Club Brugge (A)

Bodø/Glimt (H)

RB Leipzig (A)

Como (H)

Slavia Praha (A)

Slavia Prague

Arsenal (H)

Bayern Munich (A)

Aston Villa (H)

Porto (A)

Villarreal (H)

Fenerbahçe (A)

Lens (H)

Sabah (A)

Sabah

Sabah

Barcelona (H)

Arsenal (A)

B. Dortmund (H)

Man Utd (A)

Napoli (H)

Villarreal (A)

Slavia Praha (H)

Viking (A)

Stuttgart

Stuttgart

Atletico Madrid (H)

Inter (A)

Club Brugge (H)

PSV (A)

Lille (H)

Galatasaray (A)

Viking (H)

S. Bratislava (A)

Como

Como

PSG (H)

Barcelona (A)

Man Utd (H)

Real Betis (A)

Leipzig (H)

Feyenoord (A)

AEK Athens (H)

Lens (A)

LASK

LASK

Liverpool (H)

Real Madrid (A)

Porto (H)

Sporting CP (A)

Fenerbahçe (H)

Bodø/Glimt (A)

S. Bratislava (H)

AEK Athens (A)

Viking

Viking

Bayern Munich (H)

Atletico Madrid (A)

PSV (H)

Aston Villa (A)

Feyenoord (H)

Napoli (A)

Sabah (H)

Stuttgart (A)

AEK Athens

Real Madrid (H)

Man City (A)

Roma (H)

B. Dortmund (A)

Galatasaray (H)

Shakhtar (A)

LASK (H)

Como (A)

Slovan Bratislava

Slovan Bratislava

Inter (H)

PSG (A)

Real Betis (H)

Roma (A)

Shakhtar (H)

Lille (A)

Stuttgart (H)

LASK (A)

Pots

Every Champions League pot

Pot 1

• Paris Saint-Germain (France)
• Bayern Munich (Germany)
• Real Madrid (Spain)
• Liverpool (England)
• Inter Milan (Italy)
• Manchester City (England)
• Arsenal (England)
• Barcelona (Spain)
• Atletico Madrid (Spain)

Pot 2

• Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
• Roma (Italy)
• Sporting (Portugal)
• Aston Villa (England)
• Porto (Portugal)
• Manchester United (England)
• Club Brugge (Belgium)
• Real Betis (Spain)
• PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)

Pot 3

• Feyenoord (Netherlands)
• Lille (France)
• Bodo/Glimt (Norway)
• Napoli (Italy)
• RB Leipzig (Germany)
• Villarreal (Spain)
• Fenerbahce (Turkiye)
• Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
• Galatasaray (Turkiye)

Pot 4

• Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
• Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)
• VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
• AEK Athens (Greece)
• LASK (Austria)
• Como (Italy)
• Lens (France)
• Viking (Norway)
• Sabah (Azerbaijan)

UEFA are looking to oust Gianni Infantino from power, as they consider criminal proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

UEFA are subpoenaing FIFA and the financial institutions involved in the United States to obtain documents related to the Swiss's plans to privatise the World Cup, which were revealed last month by Martyn Ziegler of The Times.

Yesterday, UEFA called off their threatened boycott of all FIFA tournaments, following Infantino backing down from selling off the Greatest Show On Earth – but it appears that the president is still hanging by a thread in his job.

A legal document, as seen by Sky News, claims that, “UEFA and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisors for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code and such further or alternative charges as the developed factual record may support, arising out of the secretive structuring, valuation, financing, and marketing of a transaction that inflicted direct and concrete injury on FIFA's reputation, governance authority, and commercial relationships to the detriment of FIFA as well as its 211 members, including UEFA's 55 member associations.”

The report claims that, “The application was lodged by UEFA in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against JP Morgan Bank as well as planned lead investor Thrive Capital and its CEO, Joshua Kushner, who is the brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.”

The original proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), planned to spin off and sell a minority stake in the commercial rights of flagship events organised by the governing body, such as the World Cup.

The plan aimed to raise over $4 billion in capital from private investors, led by Kushner’s Thrive Capital, with Infantino eventually becoming chair of this new spin-off organisation.

Infantino pitched the scheme by offering member associations increased development funding, scaling payouts significantly through 2030 if they backed the initiative – but was met by widespread backlash, with UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC all fiercely rejecting the move.

The controversial FIFA chief officially abandoned the project on August 1, claiming it had created unmanageable divisions that are “no longer in the interest” of its objective.

FIFA COO, Kevin Lamour, claimed that the governing body's own administration had been ‘deceived’ about the project, with Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger, adding that he hadn't seen the plans until they were revealed in the media.

Infantino remains under intense pressure, as he seeks re-election for a fourth term as president at the Fifa Congress in March

Doubt has been cast on Newcastle United’s anticipated sale of Nick Pope following a disastrous European night for Scottish champions Celtic.

The Bhoys' failure to secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League league phase this season has somewhat altered their financial outlook in the final days of the summer transfer window, placing Pope’s proposed move to Parkhead on the brink of collapse.

Celtic's drop into the Europa League will inflict a blow to their finances for the 2026/27 campaign.

Celtic may be forced to reassess Newcastle transfer

Under UEFA’s prize money distribution framework, reaching the Champions League league phase guarantees a club an automatic starting fee of €18.62m (£15.7m).

However, participation in the Europa League pays out just €4.31m (£3.6m) by comparison, representing a revenue deficit of €14.31m (£12.1m).

Overall, Celtic's defeat by Austrian side LASK Linz is expected to cost the club between £21m-30m in potential revenue - an especially bitter pill to swallow given the lead they held in the fixture.

This financial shortfall could leave last season's Scottish Premiership winners struggling to justify the expenditure required to land veteran goalkeeper Pope.

FourFourTwo understands Nick Pope's Newcastle deal saw the England goalkeeper remunerated increasingly year-on-year, meaning his current earnings are likely to surpass Celtic's current wage structure.

While Newcastle remain willing to sanction the move to streamline their own goalkeeping department, Celtic may not be able to comfortably accommodate Pope’s Premier League salary without a financial safety net of Champions League football.

Without Champions League participation and the revenue stream it guarantees, Celtic’s decision-makers could now be forced to reassess whether Pope remains an essential signing in the final days of the transfer window.

Watch Chelsea vs Luton Town in the Carabao Cup second round as Xabi Alonso looks to make it two wins from two as Blues boss.FourFourTwo bring you all the details on live streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

It was a perfect start for the Spaniard on Monday night as Chelsea showed all their attacking poise to see off Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage. Now they have arguably a much easier task as they welcome League One Luton to Stamford Bridge.

The Hatters have made a decent start to the season, with four points from six in their opening two games. They also tore apart Gillingham 3-0 in the Carabao Cup first round. Can Jack Wilshere's men cause an upset?

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch Chelsea vs Luton Town in the Carabao Cup second round online and from anywhere.

Watch Chelsea vs Luton Town from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss Chelsea vs Luton Town.

The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

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How to watch Chelsea vs Luton Town in the UK

Chelsea vs Luton will be live on Sky Sports, with coverage on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

How to watch Chelsea vs Luton Town in the US

Chelsea vs Luton will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the US. Kick-off is at 2:30pm ET.

Not in the US right now? Use NordVPN to unlock Paramount+.

How to watch Chelsea vs Luton in Australia

beIN SPORTS is the home of the Carabao Cup in Australia and will broadcast Chelsea vs Luton Town.

The second-round clash will be live on beIN SPORTS 2 and the beIN SPORTS Connect streaming platform. Kick-off is at 4:30am AEST on Wednesday.

SEE ALSO How to watch Carabao Cup 2026/27: TV Guide, Free Streams & Fixtures — Round 2

FourFourTwo's prediction

Chelsea 3-1 Luton

Luton will give Chelsea a scare but the Blues will have enough to secure safe passage to round three.

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Arsenal are readying themselves to potentially let go of a player who only joined this summer.

The Gunners have been measured during the transfer window, adding Ezri Konsa to the defence, Bruno Guimaraes to the midfield and Christos Tzolis to the attack, with Julian Alvarez targeted as the marquee buy of the window.

But it's actually in goal that Arsenal could well see a shock departure before deadline.

Arsenal readying themselves for Illan Meslier approach from Marseille

French custodian Illan Meslier was manager Mikel Arteta's first signing of the summer, arriving at London Colney to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga for a chance to be David Raya's backup.

World Cup-winning Spaniard Raya is an undroppable first choice between the sticks for the Gunners, having won the Premier League Golden Glove in each of the last three seasons – and FourFourTwo understands that his place is as untouchable in the side as the likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

There could well be movement in the goalkeeping department though, according to journalist Santi Aouna, who has claimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Marseille are looking at Meslier.

Aouna claims that “Marseille still need to trim the squad before they can make concrete progress”, but could well make a loan move for the Frenchman before next week's transfer deadline.

Arsenal have been widely expected to sanction a loan move for 20-year-old Tommy Setford, who served as a third-choice keeper for Arteta last season – however, this new development suggests that Dutch-born England youth international may well stick around for another season, with Meslier heading out instead.

The Premier League champions have had heavy turnover when it comes to goalkeepers, having signed one every year since Arteta took the reins as manager.

In 2020, FA Cup-winning Emiliano Martinez departed for Aston Villa, to be replaced by Alex Runarsson, who in turn was upgraded when the Gunners signed Mat Ryan on loan in January, and again in the summer of 2021, when Aaron Ramsdale signed to be the club's new No.1.

USMNT glovesman Matt Turner signed in 2022 to replace the ousted Bernd Leno as Ramsdale's backup, before Raya signed in 2023 on loan – and then permanently in 2024.

With Ramsdale exiting in the summer of 2024, the North Londoners brought Neto in on loan from Bournemouth, before Kepa became the club's cup keeper when he signed from Chelsea 12 months ago.

Meslier is worth €8m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur are still in the market for another striker, with one Bundesliga star targeted.

This summer has been the busiest in N17 for some time, with Jan Paul van Hecke, Sandro Tonali, Matheus Fernandes and Savio signed for a combined £300 million, and Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi both joining on free transfers.

But even though Tottenham are on the cusp of announcing Omar Marmoush next, the transfer business still isn't complete, as another Bundesliga hitman has been targeted.

Tottenham Hotspur in the market for another striker

Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed that Spurs are in for Igor Matanovic of Freiburg, along with Manchester United.

Despite the Lilywhites having landed Marmoush, to add to a forward line that also includes Richarlison and Dominic Solanke, they would reportedly like to add Croatian Matanovic – which is complicating Fiorentina's pursuit of the forward.

To add further drama to the saga, Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici is now at the Viola, as the North Londoners look to get one over on a familiar face from the Daniel Levy years.

Spurs and Paratici are believed, however, to be on good terms, and even did business over the summer with Fiorentina signing defensive flop Radu Dragusin on loan.

As relayed by Sport Witness, “The Italian side believe Matanovic is the heir to Mario Mandzukic for the Croatian national team,” thanks to his excellent aerial ability – something that Solanke offers a little more than Richarlison or Marmoush.

United are also looking to the 23-year-old to bolster their attacking depth, though their interest may hinge on Joshua Zirkzee's status as a Red Devil by the end of the transfer window.

Spurs were humbled 3-0 at the weekend against Brentford but recovered to beat Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the Carabao Cup third round last night, as manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to turn around a dreadful two seasons in North London, in which the club have suffered back-to-back 17th-placed finishes.

Heavy spending in the transfer market has been offset by big sales in the form of Cristian Romero, Djed Spence and Luka Vuskovic, all fetching over £30m each in transfer fees.

Spurs have also been busy renewing key players' contracts, with Ben Davies, Pedro Porro, Antonin Kinsky and Micky van de Ven all rewarded with bumper new deals.

Matanovic is worth €22m, according to Transfermarkt. Tottenham play Newcastle United when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Watch the Champions League 2026/27 draw as the top clubs in Europe find out who they will be facing in their eight league phase fixtures, with FourFourTwo bringing you all the details on free streams and TV channels, wherever you are in the world.

Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain are one of nine heavyweights in Pot One as they begin their quest for a third successive title, but there are plenty of clubs vying to snatch their crown.

Arsenal, last season's runners-up, are one of five English sides in the league phase, while the likes of Bayern Munich and Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid will also feel they can challenge the Parisians.

Read on as FourFourTwo brings you all the information you need to watch the Champions League 2026/27 league phase draw online, on TV, and from anywhere, as well as the start time, pots and key dates.

Can I watch the Champions League 2026/27 draw for free?

Yes! UEFA will be broadcasting the Champions League 2026/27 league phase draw live and for free worldwide on UEFA.tv, UEFA.com and the UEFA app.

It is also available to watch for free on TNT Sports' YouTube channel for those in the UK.

Watch the Champions League 2026/27 draw from anywhere

Away from home right now? You don't have to miss the Champions League 2026/27 league phase draw. The solution to your geo-restriction nightmares is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a piece of software that can set your devices to appear to be in any country in the world.

FourFourTwo’s tech-obsessed office-mates over at Tom's Guide know everything there is to know about VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPN you can buy.

How to watch Champions League 2026/27 draw in the UK

As well as being able to stream it on UEFA.tv, UK viewers can watch the Champions League 2026/27 draw live on TNT Sports.

The draw is scheduled to get under way at 5:00pm BST and will be shown on TNT Sports 1, via HBO Max and on YouTube.

TNT Sports will carry every Champions League fixture in 2026/27 with 52 Premier League games part of their package as well.

Champions League 2026/27 draw: Preview

It's that time of year when UEFA find ever more complicated ways to work out who will be playing who in the first stage of the Champions League proper.

These occasions have always been a drawn-out affair (if you pardon the pun) but it has reached new levels since the introduction of the league phase format in 2024/25, in which 36 teams play eight different opponents, with half of the games at home and half away.

The draw itself is explained in more detail below, but in terms of the clubs involved, there is a familiar make-up to this season's Champions League.

Back-to-back champions Paris Saint-Germain will start the competition as favourites to make it three titles in a row, while Arsenal are aiming to go one better after losing last season's final on penalties.

SEE ALSO Should I use a VPN to watch football?

Of the other main contenders, Harry Kane will once again be aiming to fire Bayern Munich to glory, while Jose Mourinho has a third Champions League in his sights - with three different clubs - having returned to Real Madrid this summer.

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is considerably greener when it comes to Europe's top club competition and will manage at this level for the first time, while Manchester City have Enzo Maresca in charge after he replaced Pep Guardiola.

Manchester United return to the Champions League under Michael Carrick, with Aston Villa also back in the competition after one season away.

Meanwhile, keep an eye out for competition debutants Como, managed by ex-Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas - it would not be a surprise to see the Spaniard come up against one of his former clubs in the league phase.

What are the Champions League 2026/27 draw pots?

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Why would you limit yourself? Has there ever been a player nicknamed ‘the somewhere someone’, who ever outshone the original? The Romford Pele, the Welsh Xavi and the Scouse Cafu were all tongue-in-cheek, at least; the Croydon De Bruyne, the Scottish Messi and the Yorkshire Pirlo now feel almost mocking.

The Stockport Iniesta felt like shorthand at best. Diminutive, innately intelligent in his movement, excellent in small spaces: a midfielder could play a rondo in a lift. Pep Guardiola infamously proclaimed that Andres Iniesta would retire them all in Catalonia – and perhaps that quote was at the heart of the Foden comparison: that despite the present riches of Pep's first wave, the future was arguably bigger and brighter and bolder than the Centurions' peak.

Not that Foden and Iniesta have been inextricably linked: the Manchester City academy graduate has been compared more readily to more relevant parallels. It was expected that Foden would assume De Bruyne's throne; even Bernardo Silva's. Most of us have forgotten that Iniesta was even a reference point at one point or another, simply a metaphor of grandiosity more than an explanation for his profile. Yet there is a comparison.

Iniesta was a true generalist: all things to all men in a Blaugrana shirt, from dictating play from deep in the 2006 Champions League final to turning his hand at being a left-winger later under Pep. He was so talented that he could play Xavi's role, a bit of Sergio Busquets' and even mirror Lionel Messi on the right. A player that you simply had to “know ball” to appreciate.

Foden has had similar connotations. Gary Neville notably claimed that regardless of what form the City star was in, he was undroppable for his country. Gareth Southgate seemed to agree towards the end of his England tenure, crowbarring Foden into the No.10 spot in his side. Jude Bellingham was shoved out left; Harry Kane started to get subbed more.

“Just give Foden freedom. Let him dictate. Let him roam.” It's commonly considered that he's always been at his best when given the space and time to bend a game to his will.

And this, is a lie.

Foden has two very obvious peaks, both for Manchester City. The first came in the 2020/21 season, his breakout season behind closed doors following David Silva's departure. Those who didn't care to notice assumed he was a like-for-like heir – yet in City's strikerless system, Foden was the left-winger most often, playing a Sane-esque role in which he held width, beat full-backs on the outside, and pressed relentlessly.

He operated as a false nine at times in this system, sometimes an advanced midfielder: but fluidity shouldn't be confused for freedom. This was one of Guardiola's most forensic systems, with Foden one of several following instructions to the letter. He wasn't free: he was completing a task.

And then in 2023/24, the England man had the season of his life. Either from the right, left or centrally – depending on who overlapped – Foden was an attacking midfielder, drifting into a spot in front of the penalty box, receiving on the half-turn and unleashing hell. This time, the team was geared to him, even Erling Haaland sacrificing a few goals to allow this shadow striker to flourish.

Again, there was nothing free about the role. Foden did not have autonomy to dictate play or create: he was there as an exclamation point. It suited him perfectly.

We've been going round suggesting Foden is a generalist: yet, Foden is a specialist. He is best not when he's given a blank canvas and a box of paints, but when you give him a toolkit and a timer.

And that's precisely why he's only drifted in and out of City's best teams. Generalists are useful in any scenario: Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan all adapted their roles depending on whether Pep went with inverted wingers, a double-pivot, a target man or a 3-2-4-1. Specialists like Jack Grealish or Aymeric Laporte were usually good at one or two things, though, and found their importance fluctuating.

It's not an insult to call Foden a specialist. Liverpool built a team of them, with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino doing basically the same thing for the entirety of Klopp's tenure to a league-defining standard. Perhaps it goes to explain, however, why neither Foden nor Trent have ever truly thrived for very long in an England shirt.

And maybe the expectations were too much on Foden. The No.47 was one of the first recipients of the ‘generational’ tags on social media, when really, none of us really knew what that actually meant. Was he the Second Coming of Gazza, peroxide-primed, 'n' all? Is Di Maria a lofty enough bar? Would Foden simply define an era of English attacking midfielder?

It just feels like we got him wrong back then, and we're continuing to now. Early signs under Enzo Maresca aren't that he's going to grab City by the neck and deliver a lightning bolt from the centre of chaos. And perhaps he was never that player: he was more of a Salah or a Mahrez or a Julian Alvarez that you could get to do a very specific job in a specific system.

There's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is Andres Iniesta, after all.

Ella Toone has been at the heart of Manchester United’s women’s team since its inception, and as the club enters a new era this season, the midfielder insists she has plenty more to give.

Marc Skinner’s five-year spell in charge came to an end this summer with former Hearts boss Eva Olid taking over as United’s new manager in her first Women’s Super League role. There has also been significant change within the squad - with Leah Galton, Hannah Blundell, Millie Turner, Lisa Naalsund, Melvine Malard and Gabby George among the departing names.

But Toone remains at the club she calls home, as United prepare for another competitive WSL campaign, with the 26-year-old determined to continue improving.

Ella Toone taking leadership role at Manchester United

“I know that as someone who has been here for a long time, sometimes it can be hard to find that motivation or be a bit complacent,” Toone said. “But because of the person that I am, I want to be the best I can be.

“As a player and a person, I always want to be better and push myself. I have that motivation to get up and give 100% every day.

“I feel like I've got a really high ceiling and there's still a long way for me to go as long as I come in and learn and develop every day."

With so much change at the club, Toone has emerged as one of United’s senior figures, a role she is enjoying growing into.

"I'm 26 and for some reason I'm now in the old category at this club," Toone said. "But I take a lot of pride in the fact that I've played a lot of games for Manchester United and I know that people can lean on me.

"I have to be a leader in this team and show them what it means to play for Manchester United. It’s something that I take in my stride."

'Bigger and better every year'

United face an increasingly competitive WSL this season, as the league continues to grow and attract some of the biggest names in world football.

Former Barcelona star Alexia Putellas is among those arriving in England this summer, joining London City Lionesses, while the league has expanded to 14 teams. Toone believes that increased competition is one of the reasons the WSL has become such an attractive destination for players from around the world.

“We know that this league is one of the best in the world because no matter who plays who, they can take points off anyone,” she added.

“No game is an easy game in this league, every game is really tough and that's why we attract such amazing players and talents from all across the world - they want to play in a league that's so challenging and competitive.

“It’s grown so much in the time that I've been a part of it and that's down to clubs investing more and bringing top world-class players in from all over the world.

“It gets bigger and better every year, so it's exciting to be a part of that change and that journey within women's football.”

That increased investment across the WSL provides an interesting backdrop to United’s own summer that has been dominated by departures that have raised questions over whether United are keeping pace with the investment of their rivals - champions Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, and the recently-ascended London City Lionesses.

Despite reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season in their first time in the main competition, they missed out on European football this season after a fourth-placed league finish.

Their reshaped squad now gives Olid further challenges to tackle to close the gap on the teams above them.

But for Toone, now the only remaining pioneer from the side established in 2018, her focus is on her continued development and fighting hard in another season at the club that made her fall in love with football.

And for a lifelong United fan, no moments come bigger than the opportunity to play at Old Trafford - where United will host Arsenal in their final home match of the season.

“It means everything to play at Old Trafford,” she added. “I think it means everything to everyone who plays for Manchester United to play at one of the best stadiums in the world in Old Trafford in front of our fans, family, friends. It's always an amazing opportunity for us and one that we enjoy doing.

“But Leigh Sports Village is our home and has been for a long time - we love it when we fill out that stadium, but of course we look forward to our Old Trafford games every year.”

Arsenal have reached an agreement for the purchase of Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid.

That's according to a new report, which says that the Argentine is closer than ever before to a return to the Premier League, following a breakdown in his relationship with Rojiblancos fans.

Alvarez was booed and whistled at the Metropolitano after publicly stating that it was his “dream” to leave – with Arsenal ready to capitalise on Atletico's refusal to sell to Barcelona.

An 'agreement exists' between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid

Sport Witness have relayed news from Spanish publication AS, which claims that Alvarez is “starting to see” that the Premier League champions are his only chance to leave Diego Simeone's team this summer.

Though Barcelona are interested in signing the World Cup winner, Atletico are unwilling to discuss a move for the star with a rival – and with a release clause set at over £400 million, negotiations can't begin without their consent.

Arsenal have been quoted a price of £128m, and now AS says that an “agreement between the clubs exists” for a €150m deal, plus Viktor Gyokeres heading to Spain in the opposite direction.

Gyokeres was manager Mikel Arteta's top scorer in all competitions last term as the club won the league and reached the final of the Champions League, but has come under criticism for his lack of all-round game and didn't make it off the bench for the first game of the season against his former club, Coventry City.

Now, all Arsenal need is an agreement with Alvarez – though that has always been the sticking point in any deal.

Earlier this summer, Arteta spoke to Alvarez personally to convince the former Manchester City forward to come to North London – but his preference remains to go to Barcelona.

Barça, meanwhile, have been linked with the likes of Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus to bolster their frontline following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Arsenal are closing in on the sale of Gabriel Martinelli to Al Hilal, with Alvarez an option to play either on the left or at centre-forward.

Alvarez is worth €120m, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Aston Villa when Premier League action continues next weekend.

Arsenal’s ongoing quest to bolster their frontline has seen them linked with superstar names such as Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. and the like.

However, smart recruitment often lies in identifying world-class potential before the price tag hits eye-watering figures.

Enter Olympique Lyonnais' 21-year-old winger Malick Fofana.

Arsenal have found their cut-price Martinelli replacement

The Belgian international, who operates on the left-hand side, has suddenly become much more affordable following the French outfit's failure to qualify for the Champions League.

In last night's agonising Champions League play-off second leg against Fenerbahce, Lyon fought back to level the aggregate score in the second half. What appeared to be their decisive goal, though, was ruled out by VAR, allowing Fenerbahce to prevail and consigning Lyon to the Europa League.

Lyon's failure carries significant financial consequences for a club that has been no stranger to balance sheet issues in recent times.

Under UEFA’s current distribution model, reaching the Champions League league phase guarantees earnings of €18.62 million (£15.7m) simply for participation.

By contrast, dropping into the Europa League yields a modest base fee of just €4.31m (£3.6m) - an immediate deficit of €14.31m (£12.1m).

Similarly, a victory in the Champions League yields €2.1m (£1.8m) compared to the Europa League's €450k (£386k).

Factoring in the diminished value pillar allocations alongside the smaller performance bonuses, Lyon stand to miss out on an estimated €30m to €40m (£25m–£34m) in total European revenue this season.

For a club already walking a financial tightrope, this shortfall is the worst case scenario.

Severe financial distress nearly saw Lyon demoted to Ligue 2 by the DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion) - the financial watchdog and regulatory body for professional football clubs in France - a couple of summers ago, compelling them to sell players like Rayan Cherki to Manchester City on the cheap.

According to French journalist Romain Molina, Lyon must generate €100m (£86m) before June 30, 2027 or risk sanctions from the relevant financial and regulatory bodies again. Most of that figure is likely to come from player sales, meaning members of the squad like Fofana will probably be jettisoned.

This hands Mikel Arteta, Arsenal and other interested suitors, something of a transfer open goal.

With Gabriel Martinelli looking set to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Fofana could offer Arteta an option as a replacement and long-term ceiling-raiser.

Where a player like Vinicius Jr. would have commanded an astronomical fee well over £150m alongside structure-busting wage demands, Lyon’s vulnerable negotiating position means Fofana can be acquired for a fraction of that cost. Arsenal have effectively been given the green light, but must move swiftly to capitalise before competitor clubs swoop in.

Only three people in history have ever scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final.

For 49 years, Sir Geoff Hurst was the only one, with that feat of course coming in the 1966 FA Cup final.

American Carli Lloyd matched it in the 2015 Women's World Cup final, and Kylian Mbappe became just the second man ever to do it when he scored all three of France's goals in a 3-3 draw against Argentina in the 2022 final, only to lose the tie on penalties.

Pick the ultimate 4-4-2 line-up from players in FourFourTwo's definitive Top 100 List

Sir Geoff Hurst: "I’m sure if you’d ask Mbappe he'd have swapped his hat-trick for a winner’s medal."

Sir Geoff told FourFourTwo he was not fussed to have to share what was once a unique distinction, however, saying: "Watching Mbappe decades later, I can honestly say I didn’t care. One, because two of his were penalties, which makes it different from mine.

"But, more importantly, because he ended up on the losing side. I’m sure if you’d ask Mbappe he'd have swapped his hat-trick for a winner’s medal."

Even if Mbappe had added to his the winner's medal he had claimed four years earlier, though, it would take nothing away from Sir Geoff's experience.

He said: "That final in ‘66 was so utterly life changing.

"I still bump into people that tell me they were there that day, or can recall where they watched the game or who they were with when my final goal went in.

"It was the biggest game in the world and I pulled off something special - so it means a huge amount to me, obviously."

Hurst laughed off the suggestion that he has not had to pay for a drink in the past 60 years, though.

He said: "I wouldn’t say they queue up, but people do offer to buy a drink for me from time to time!

"Not on a regular basis, or as often as people may think. It’s very flattering and very nice that people want to do that, but I always refuse.

"It's weird in a way, a complete stranger coming up to me, offering to buy me a pint, so I never accept."

How much can you remember about the Premier League one decade ago? This FourFourTwo quiz will put you through your trivia paces on all things top-flight in 2016-17.

In the summer of 2016, English football was reeling from Leicester City's shock Premier League title win. The Foxes couldn't quite match that achievement and 2016-17 was a very different experience for the champions. But what else do you know about that season?

This quiz has 15 questions to answer and you have 8 minutes to answer them all. Remember to let us know how you get on!

Handpicked football quizzes we know you'll love

FourFourTwo has many more football quizzes, all courtesy of Kwizly. To get started, we want you to name every top flight club in England since 1945 and every club in the Football League right now.

Next, can you name every club to have won any one of England's top four tiers and place each of these famous football statues outside the correct stadium? You might get most of them without much trouble. You won't get all of them easily.

If you're after more Premier League quizzing and we've got what you're looking for. Can you sort these players in order of their total numbers of Premier League appearances? Next, how about aiming for the lot in our one-season wonders quiz?

FourFourTwo's Weekend Crossword 67 features clues on shirt sponsors, EFL counties, and relegations. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for your daily afternoon briefing of football trivia and analysis, and don't forget to join The Club: our free membership portal where you can secret hints and get on the leaderboard.

Gameweek 1 doesn't always go to plan, and for managers who found themselves on the wrong end of a difficult opening week, the Wildcard is already on the table.

Whether it was loading up on players who didn't start, getting the squad structure badly wrong or simply finding yourself miles off the template, sometimes the cleanest solution is a full reset.

If that sounds familiar, here is the squad worth building around heading into Gameweek 2.

Goalkeepers

David Raya (£6.0m) is the standout set-and-forget option in goal, playing behind the best defensive unit in the league and as reliable a starting point as any manager could ask for.

Martin Dubravka (£4.0m) fills the backup slot as an affordable placeholder that keeps the budget flexible elsewhere.

Defenders

The defensive unit is built around depth and value across every price bracket.

Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) leads the line at the back, as safe and reliable as ever, the kind of player who quietly accumulates points week after week without ever needing to be the centre of attention.

Josko Gvardiol (£5.5m) got off to the perfect start with a goal in Gameweek 1 and is the Manchester City defensive pick of choice heading into a stage of the season with some very appealing fixtures on the horizon.