Ten Hag outlines what Man Utd must do in Champions League quest
It's the weekend again and a wave of Premier League action is just around the corner, but there is also plenty to contend with off the pitch. From takeovers to refereeing controversies, Express Sport will keep you up to date with every major development as the day unfolds.
Manchester United are in the midst of a hugely important period in their recent history, with supporters preparing to gleefully wave goodbye to a controversial 18-year ownership stint by the Glazers and say hello to a new spearhead in the boardroom.
With eight Premier League fixtures scheduled for Saturday, all eyes will be on referees and VAR after a miserable sequence of events last weekend. Lee Mason left the PGMOL after his error in the Gunners' draw with Brentford and his former colleagues will be under significant pressure to avoid any obvious blunders.
We'll be keeping you up to date with build-up, so tune into Express Sport's live updates below...
Just the two Premier League fixtures tomorrow but plenty on the line for all four teams
Manchester United host Leicester in the 2pm kick-off as Erik ten Hag's side look to close in on rivals Manchester City.
Leicester will also be in need of a win to move further away from the relegation zone.
It's a similar - but far more urgent - story for West Ham in their trip to Tottenham later in the day.
David Moyes' side dropped into the relegation zone after both Everton and Bournemouth won on Saturday while Tottenham will be hoping to move back into the top four with a victory.
Chelsea head coach Graham Potter looks set to continue in his role for the time being, despite the club's 1-0 defeat to Southampton increasing the pressure on the under-fire manager.
The Blues slumped to another hugely disappointing result against the Premier League's bottom club on Saturday to leave their top-four hopes in the balance.
The west London club are 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Newcastle and 21 points behind leaders Arsenal despite spending £600million since Todd Boehly's takeover in May.
However, according to the Daily Telegraph's Matt Law, the club's board position 'has not changed' and Potter still retains their support despite their abysmal run of form.
A comfortable win for Liverpool in the end after Nunez and Gakpo's goals early on, with Newcastle unable to launch a fightback following Pope's sending off.
Newcastle reserve stopper Martin Dubravka is on, with Elliot Anderson sacrificed.
But that sending off could have further ramifications because Pope will be banned and Dubravka is cup-tied, so he can't play in the Carabao Cup final next week.
Karl Darlow is out on loan at Hull City, meaning Loris Karius - who hasn't played a senior game in two years - could be brought into the side.
Oh dear. A nightmare start for Newcastle has gone from bad to worse, as Pope handles way outside his area and the referee Anthony Taylor has no option to pull out the red card.
He will be suspended for the Carabao Cup final. What a huge shame for the goalkeeper.
Nick Pope: The Newcastle goalkeeper is sent off (Image: Getty Images)
Darwin Nunez thunders home after a superb ball over the top from Trent Alexander-Arnold and a VAR check for handball proves to be inconclusive, so the goal stands.
His first goal in the Premier League since November.
Newcastle are another one of the clubs Christian Atsu played for in his career and the club have paid tribute to the Ghanaian with a minute's applause.
Chants of "You'll Never Walk Alone" emerge from the away end. Nice to see.
Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta was taken off with a serious looking injury after a horrendous clash during their Premier League clash with Southampton.
The club captain suffered a nasty blow to the head inside his own penalty area after an accidental collision with Saints forward Sekou Mara and was unable to continue as medical staff treated him on the pitch.
The incident occurred when Azpilicueta and Mara challenged for an aerial ball from a corner and Azpilicueta immediately hit the ground, with both sets of players gesturing to the bench to come onto the pitch.
Replays showed the Southampton player had struck the Chelsea man in the face with his boot after attempting an overhead kick.
FULL STORY
Chelsea: Cesar Azpilicueta suffered a horror injury vs Southampton (Image: Getty Images)
Raheem Sterling has been a man possessed since coming on at half time, he is the danger man and the 27-year-old has had two great chances to get his side level.
First, he sees his goal-bound effort blocked by Maitland-Niles and then Perraud does exceptionally well to clear his effort off the line.
38 mins: Remarkably, it is STILL goalless in the Premier League.
Struggling Chelsea have been way off the pace against Southampton in the first half, while Manchester City are yet to test Keylor Navas in the Nottingham Forest goal.
A poignant moment at Stamford Bridge today before Chelsea's game with Southampton.
After learning of his passing this morning, the Blues paid tribute to their former player Christian Atsu, who lost his life in the devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey.
KICK OFF: Chelsea vs Southampton, Forest vs Man City
We're underway in the 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League, with Chelsea vs Southampton and Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City the clashes to keep an eye on.
90+3 mins: CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? Arsenal have surely won it!
You just cannot write this script. Jorginho, not his best game, pops up on the edge of the box and cracks a stunning effort against the bar. It comes back off the underside and ricochets off Martinez to roll into the net.
Scenes on the Arsenal bench - they know how crucial that goal could be in the title hunt.
Heartbreak for Aston Villa, who could have won it themselves.
If there's ever a time to score your first Premier League goal, it's when you need an equaliser to go back to the top of the table.
The corner is played short to Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Ukrainian, waiting on the edge of the box, pumps a low effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: The Arsenal man makes it 2-2 (Image: Getty Images)
Eddie Nketiah can only look on in bemusement as he wonders how he didn't score.
It's a great cross into the box from Ben White as he lifts the ball to the far post and Nketiah rises high above Ezri Konsa, only to see his header clip the bar and go over.
32 mins: Is this Aston Villa or the Harlem Globetrotters?
Alex Moreno attacks down the left and sends in a low cross, Emi Buendia dummies it and Philippe Coutinho coolly slots into the bottom corner, sending Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way.
The striker has scored in his fourth consecutive game and it's a brilliant goal, as he takes on William Saliba and strikes into the bottom corner with a drilled finish.
Not the start Arsenal wanted.
Ollie Watkins: The Aston Villa striker puts his side ahead (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has confirmed his switch to a No 10 against Barcelona was not a one-off.
The target man was deployed there against Leeds United in the 2-0 win at Elland Road and the Dutchman, 30, has held talks with Erik ten Hag about remaining in the role for the foreseeable future.
“Yeah, that was really in my younger days, to be honest!” said the Netherlands international.
“I think I was like 17 or 18 at the time, playing still as an amateur in the Netherlands but no, he mentioned it to me [at Leeds] at half-time that it could be an option to do some tactical switches."
Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho is considering whether to play for Spain over Argentina, according to reports.
It’s claimed the forward was left ‘disappointed’ after failing to make it to the World Cup in Qatar with La Albiceleste.
And it seems he could be about to play for Luis Enrique, rather than Lionel Scaloni at international level, according to The Mirror, who say Garnacho is considering a U-turn when it comes to his allegiances at international level.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been slammed by broadcaster Natalie Sawyer for his comments after the Gunners drew to Brentford last weekend.
The Spaniard claimed that he would only be satisfied if his team were 'given two points back' after a VAR error allowed Ivan Toney to equalise in the 74th minute.
"That has riled me a lot," Sawyer told talkSPORT. "That's very deluded and very disrespectful to assume that, with 20 minutes or so to go, they were going to win that game against Brentford.
"I think that's totally wrong and disrespectful to a Brentford team that had more chances in the game. Why would you assume that you would have won that game? That's what I don't understand."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could make a host of changes from Wednesday's defeat to Manchester City.
The Gunners have benefitted from having a settled starting XI this term, so eyebrows were raised when Takehiro Tomiyasu came in for Ben White against City. Jorginho also played ahead of Thomas Partey, who was missing through injury.
Arteta faces a big decision on Gabriel Martinelli, who was poor in midweek and faces competition from Leandro Trossard.
Clue up on the team news ahead of the tie HERE, as Express Sport takes you through Arsenal's expected XI.
Former Newcastle and Chelsea footballer Christian Atsu has been found dead after devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, according to his agent.
The 31-year-old had been missing since the earthquakes hit on February 6. Atsu most recently played for Hatayspor in the Turkish Super Lig but also turned out for the likes of Everton and Bournemouth.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce to all well-wishers that sadly Christian Atsu's body was recovered this morning," read a statement from the player's representative, Nana Sechere.
"My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones."
Saturday's early kick-off is an exciting one, with Arsenal heading to Aston Villa in a bid to return to the top of the Premier League table.
Mikel Arteta's side have set the pace this season, but they were knocked off their perch in midweek when Manchester City pulled off a spectacular win at the Emirates.
The Gunners do have a game in hand on the table-toppers, and with City not playing until 3pm, they could go back to the top of the table with a point against Villa.
We'll keep you updated with the latest build-up throughout the day.
English referee Lee Mason will no longer take charge of Premier League matches after leaving referees' body PGMOL.
The 51-year-old made a glaring error while on VAR duty for Arsenal's draw with Brentford last weekend, missing an offside in the immediate build-up to Ivan Toney's equaliser.
PGMOL chief Howard Webb reportedly called an emergency meeting after a string of refereeing errors last weekend.
Mason oversaw almost 300 top-flight matches in 15 years as a Premier League official.
The soft deadline for bids to acquire Manchester United was set for 10pm on Friday night, with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitting proposals.
Al Thani's offer is thought to be worth at least £4billion, which would make United the most expensive sports team in history. Also thought to be involved in the process is his father, who served as Prime Minister of Qatar between 2007 and 2013.
More offers are expected from the United States and Saudi Arabia. Al Thani's proposal includes significant investment into various aspects of the club and the promise to make United debt free.
Happy Saturday and welcome to Express Sport's Football news LIVE!
No less than eight Premier League fixtures will unfold over the course of the day with Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea among those in action.
We'll also keep you up to date with the Man Utd bidding process and the latest refereeing controversies.
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