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From new managers and new signings to pre-season form and emerging talents, here's the lowdown on how the top 20 are looking...A lot of Arsenal's transfer talk has surrounded Vinicius Junior and Bradley Barcola this summer, but has Christos Tzolis given Mikel Arteta a reason to think differently?There was not a great deal of fanfare when the Greek winger moved for £34m from Club Brugge early in the window, but Tzolis has shown quite a lot of threat since arriving.July 25: Arsenal 3-0 MK Dons - Arsenal training ground August 1: Girona 1-4 Arsenal - Girona August 5: Arsenal 1-3 Real Betis - Dublin August 9: Arsenal 2-3 Borussia Dortmund - Emirates Stadium August 12: Arsenal 1-1 Como (4-3 pens) - Emirates Stadium August 16: Arsenal 3-0 Man City, Community Shield - CardiffIn six pre-season games, Tzolis has six assists and one goal - including making two in the Community Shield against Man City. He is by no means flashy - he completed none of his dribbles in the win over Cardiff, for example - but he is very effective.That pre-season form mirrored his form last season - getting 51 goal contributions in 52 games for Club Brugge. A set-piece threat too; if he gets anything close to those numbers in the regular season, then Arsenal have found themselves a £34m bargain.Sam BlitzThe doom and gloom mood of pre-season following the departures of Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans was momentarily lifted with the performance of Aston Villa against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup final.Not got Sky? Get instant access with no contractNew signing Joao Gomes and 17-year-old Brian Madjo have impressed in pre-season and stood out once again against PSG, despite the loss.July 21: Walsall 0-5 Aston Villa - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium July 25: Porto 2-1 Aston Villa - Estadio Do Dragao July 28: Aston Villa 2-4 Real Sociedad - Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium August 1: Indonesia All-Stars 1-3 Aston Villa - Jakarta August 4: BG Pathum United 1-3 Aston Villa - Pathum Thani August 7: Aston Villa 1-2 Bayern Munich, Hong Kong August 12: UEFA Super Cup - PSG 2-1 Aston Villa, Salzburg August 15: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 Aston Villa - Borussia-ParkHowever, Unai Emery was dealt another blow when reports emerged of injuries for both players as they approach the season opener against Brighton. They will now join both Amadou Onana and new signing Johan Manzambi on the sidelines.It has been a summer of change at Villa Park and navigating key player exits is difficult enough. Injuries and the absence of any form of pre-season for Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins due to their extended World Cup breaks now mean both the line-up and performance itself could throw up a few surprises at the Amex Stadium.Pat RoweAfter a free-scoring pre-season under new head coach Marco Rose there are hopes that life after Andoni Iraola can be just as bright for Bournemouth despite a first season in Europe to contend with.The Cherries' succession plan is as strong for players as it is for managers and Rose will tinker with rather than overhaul Iraola's work and getting their transfer business done early has helped his squad settle ahead of their most testing season.July 24: St Pauli 1-4 Bournemouth - Saalfelden July 30: Augsburg 2-5 Bournemouth - Saalfelden August 4: Bournemouth 10-1 Genoa - Bournemouth training ground (behind closed doors - 120 minutes) August 8: Real Betis 2-2 Bournemouth - Seville August 15: Mainz 2-1 Bournemouth - Mewa ArenaAn injury to Eli Kroupi Junior's foot injury will stop him from carrying on his superb form from last season for the foreseeable but there is already intrigue about the prospect of Alvaro Rodriguez, a summer arrival from Elche.There are concerns over a lack of depth in central defence, especially with 22-year-old Antonio Silva expected to slot straight in to replace Marcos Senesi. But the ex-Benfica man has plenty of pedigree, making 20 appearances for Portugal already and 41 in the Champions League.Ron WalkerGoal difference alone prevented the Bees from qualifying for Europe in May, but that's been forgotten now.They've spent over £60m this summer, breaking their transfer record to sign Mali international midfielder Mamadou Sangare from Lens, while also adding proven Premier League players Callum Wilson and Jaidon Anthony to bolster the attack.July 15: Brentford 3-2 AFC Wimbledon - behind closed doors August 8: Rennes 2-4 Brentford - Stade Rennais August 15: Brentford 7-0 Eintracht Frankfurt - Gtech Community StadiumKeith Andrews' side blew Eintracht Frankfurt away with a 7-0 win at the Gtech last Saturday, which set tongues wagging about what might be possible this term. Reaching Europe is sure to be the target internally - and this could well be the campaign they go one better.Dan LongIt was a blow to Brighton to lose Danny Welbeck in the summer - but few fans will begrudge him the move at this stage of his career after he gave a lot to the club. Likewise, Brighton will feel they got brilliant money in for Jan Paul van Hecke and Carl Rushworth - the latter of which could be challenging James Trafford for the England jersey in the coming years.In terms of incomings, it's the usual case of 'trust the process' with Brighton's recruitment team. The incredible hit rate has slowed a little in recent times, but the club have generally rebuilt pretty well year on year.July 18: Brighton 4-1 Wycombe - Brighton training ground July 25: Annecy P-P Brighton - France August 1: Strasbourg 3-4 Brighton - Austria August 8: Brighton 3-0 Roma - The Amex August 15: Brighton 1-0 Bologna - The AmexAims for the season? Nothing matters other than winning the Conference League. Having watched Crystal Palace lift the trophy last season, anything other than victory in Istanbul in June would be disaster.Simeon GholamXabi Alonso appears to be replicating his successful 3-4-3 formation, which delivered the Bundesliga title for Bayer Leverkusen, at Chelsea after testing the system in pre-season.Alonso had fielded a 4-2-3-1 in their first three friendlies, but after switching to a back three against AC Milan - their best performance of the summer in a 3-0 win - it seems he could stick with it heading into their opening match against Fulham on Monday Night Football.July 28: Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers - Sydney August 1: Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham - Sydney August 5: Chelsea 0-1 Juventus - Hong Kong August 8: Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan - Jakarta August 9: Johor Darul Ta'zim 3-3 Chelsea - Johor August 15: Chelsea 3-1 Real Sociedad - Stamford BridgeMaxence Lacroix was at the heart of the back three in their final pre-season game against Real Sociedad while Morgan Rogers started on the left of a dangerous frontline including Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer. Marco Palestra struggled at left-wing back with Pedro Neto operating on the other side. It remains a work in progress.David RichardsonA friendly win over Monaco was an encouraging way to finish pre-season and a clean sheet for 'keeper Carl Rushworth, who has signed on a permanent deal after his impressive loan last year, will add confidence to the backline which was the meanest in the second tier.That belief could be tested with an extremely difficult opener at Arsenal on Friday night but after 25 years away expect Coventry and their fans to relish their Premier League return.July 11: AFC Wimbledon 3-2 Coventry - behind closed doors July 18: Northampton 0-0 Coventry - Sixfields August 8: Coventry 3-1 Espanyol - Coventry Building Society Arena August 14: Coventry 2-0 Monaco - Coventry Building Society ArenaThey'll hope the creative Gustavo Hamer and powerhouse Taiwo Awoniyi can give Frank Lampard's side threat at the other end to cheer. But can they continue their front-foot approach at the highest level?Peter SmithCrystal Palace started pre-season with a new manager in Pierre Sage, but the Frenchman's attempts to implement a new playing style have been hampered as a host of first-team players were focused on the World Cup, rather than an opening 5-1 win over Swindon Town.The reappearance of Matheus Franca, a forgotten Brazilian youngster, has been one of the rare positives as he scored a hat-trick against Swindon and has featured regularly.July 18: Palace 5-1 Swindon - Palace training ground (behind closed doors) July 25: Bromley 3-0 Palace - Hayes Lane July 28: Palace 0-3 Lens (45-minute match) July 28: Palace 0-0 Famalicao (45-minute match) July 31: Palace 3-1 Al Ula - Giuseppe Sinigaglia August 7: Fulham 1-2 Palace - Fulham training ground (behind closed doors) August 15: Freiburg 3-0 Crystal Palace - Europa-Park StadionA 3-0 loss to Bromley would not have offered much optimism to Sage, who then had to endure a stinging defeat by the same scoreline to former club RC Lens in a swift reunion at the Como Cup. Palace defeated FC Famalicao on penalties before scoring their first goals of the tournament, albeit in a consolation 3-0 victory over Saudi side Alula SC.The returning Ismaila Sarr should be a key player for Sage, and he was on target with Franca in a 2-1 win over Fulham, but a 3-0 loss to Freiburg has left the new Palace boss to admit that he needs to temper his desire to tinker.Richard DamerellEverton's summer business has been steady with the addition of highly-rated Hayden Hackney plus Christian Norgaard from Arsenal offering extra bite and quality in midfield.But strength in depth remains an issue elsewhere with the potential requirement of Jake O'Brien or even James Garner to cover at right-back for another season unless the Toffees can add some more quality at right-back.July 18: Dundee 0-4 Everton - Dens Park July 25: Bolton 0-0 Everton - Toughsheet Community Stadium July 28: Stoke 1-0 Everton - bet365 Stadium August 1: Hamburg 1-2 Everton - Volksparkstadion August 8: Stuttgart 3-1 Everton - MHP Arena August 12: Everton 3-1 Newcastle - Murrayfield August 15: Everton 1-1 Lille - Hill Dickinson StadiumThey were linked with Daniel Munoz and expressed an interest in Djed Spence before his move to Inter Milan, but have yet to get a new face through the door. That has not been a problem on the right of their attack, where Brennan Johnson has added some extra pace which the counter-attack minded David Moyes will look to exploit at every opportunity.Can Everton put their end-of-season drop behind them to reach Europe this time around? Moyes might not always be flavour of the month at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but you can never rule it out with him around.Ron WalkerAlvaro Arbeloa's arrival from Spanish giants Real Madrid has injected some Castilian culture into Craven Cottage. Rather than looking to the domestic market to fill the void left by Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, Arbeloa tapped into La Fábrica, Real Madrid's renowned youth academy.In a stunning, double-transfer, Fulham completed a €50m deal for two of Real Madrid's brightest young players: striker Gonzalo Garcia and attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios. In behind them, £30m signing Shea Charles will provide a solid anchor in midfield. Fulham are evolving their squad nicely.July 28: Al Ahli 1-1 Fulham - Portugal August 7: Fulham 1-2 Palace - Fulham training ground (behind closed doors) August 15: Fulham 1-0 Stuttgart - Craven CottageArbeloa has also looked to put his Spanish stamp on the team's tactical identity. In pre-season, they've adopted a high-intensity, high-pressing approach. This new style of play has excited Fulham fans. But with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United among their early opponents, Los Blancos will need to settle into their new identity pronto.James ColeHull were shock play-off winners in the Championship last season, defying the odds and a transfer embargo to seal a return to the Premier League.Once again, they have their doubters this summer but predicting how they will fare has been further complicated by a flood of new arrivals - and with more expected in the final days of the window.July 25: Hull 3-0 Konyaspor - Slovenia July 28: Hull 2-1 Caykur Rizespor - Slovenia August 1: Hull 1-1 Kasımpasa - Istanbul August 8: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 Hull - Germany August 15: Hull 0-0 Nice - MKM StadiumAn injury to one of those new additions, goalkeeper Jack Butland, is a major blow, with the former England stopper likely out until Christmas due to arm surgery.But the Tigers will hope they have secured some savvy buys, a la Sunderland last season, with Nobel Mendy, Konstantinos Tzolakis and 18-year-old Aussie centre-back Lucas Herrington ones to watch. Goals, though, could be an issue - they hit the net just once in their final three friendlies.Peter SmithIpswich return to the top flight looking a very different entity to the one which was relegated in May 2025. Victories in their last three pre-season fixtures have featured encouraging displays from new additions and a hint at how they will potentially set up with a back three under new boss Gary O'Neil.Experienced Premier League players rather than upcoming domestic and Championship talent have been targeted, while Daizen Maeda's arrival from Celtic arrives after goalscoring feats north of the border.July 29: Ipswich 1-2 Osasuna - Colchester August 1: Oxford 2-0 Ipswich - Kassam Stadium August 1: Wycombe 1-2 Ipswich - Adams Park August 4: Ipswich 1-0 Le Havre - Portman Road August 8: Ipswich 3-0 Rayo Vallecano - Portman Road August 15: Union Berlin 2-4 Ipswich - Stadion An der Alten ForstereiBrazilian striker Emersonn is still largely an unknown quantity despite two goals in his last two pre-season starts. There are potentially more additions to come before Sunderland visit Portman Road on Saturday.Adam WilliamsDominic Calvert-Lewin has been on fire in pre-season, with three goals and two assists - is he set for an even better season than he had last term?The Leeds striker had a pretty good campaign last time out with 14 Premier League goals - but it was even more impressive because he didn't have a pre-season, as he completed his Elland Road move on the eve of last term.July 26: Leeds 2-3 Wrexham July 31: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds - New Jersey August 2: Leeds 4-2 Liverpool - Chicago August 8: Leeds 2-0 RB Leipzig - Elland Road (120-minute game) August 12: Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens) - Dublin August 15: Leeds 4-0 Augsburg - Elland RoadHaving had a relatively full pre-season and with his injury woes behind him, plus the likes of Harry Wilson now in the team to support Leeds' attacking threat - is Calvert-Lewin going to lead Daniel Farke's wish for the Whites to be more competitive?Sam BlitzAndoni Iraola has probably been under more scrutiny during pre-season at Liverpool than in three years in charge of Bournemouth. From recruitment to the balance of the squad, from the style of play to the ability to maintain it for 90 minutes, eyes are on him.July 25: Liverpool 4-2 Sunderland - Nashville July 30: Liverpool 1-0 Wrexham - New York August 2: Liverpool 2-4 Leeds - Chicago August 9: Liverpool 2-3 Monaco - Anfield August 16: Liverpool 2-0 Como - AnfieldAlexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will surely improve, but it still feels like a rebuild. The Liverpool fans are ready to embrace his rock and roll football. But can Iraola, coaching in Europe for the first time in his career, deliver the results that will sustain that support?Adam BateMuch of Man City's tactical approach under Enzo Maresca will mirror that of predecessor Pep Guardiola. They share similar philosophies. But a key change can be seen in how the Italian wants to use his wide players as more traditional wingers. Throwback to a bygone era of Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane and it's something close.Maresca has got two of the best wide ball carriers in the league in Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku; the intention is to use them as such. But an issue has arisen. Does Maresca have a midfield capable of servicing this system?August 1: Man City 1-1 Inter Milan (1-3 on pens) - Hong Kong August 5: K-League All Stars 1-3 Man City - Seoul August 9: Man City 3-1 Atletico Madrid - Seoul August 16: Arsenal 3-0 Man City, Community Shield - CardiffIt was clear against Arsenal in the Community Shield that they do not. Semenyo landed five assists in pre-season but cut an isolated figure in that palling 3-0 defeat. With Bernardo Silva gone and Rodri's exit close, City's midfield reshuffle needs some serious work in order to get the team functioning and flowing as Maresca wants.Laura HunterManchester United ended their Premier League preparations with a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan, but the good news for Michael Carrick and United is that two players, in particular, have stood out in pre-season.Having perhaps looked a bit tired towards the end of last season, Carrick will be purring to see Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo back to their electric selves.July 18: Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham - Helsinki July 24: Man Utd 5-0 Rosenborg - Trondheim August 1: Man Utd 2-1 Atletico Madrid - Stockholm August 8: Man Utd 1-1 PSG - Gothenburg August 12: Leeds 1-1 Man Utd (4-5 pens) August 15: Man Utd 2-4 AC Milan - WroclawIt was quite clear last season that United would largely defend on the edge of their own box. What we've seen in pre-season has been a deviation - or, perhaps, progression. United are pushing higher and working harder to press and counter-press the opposition.The game was a perfect illustration of why United need to invest seriously in a left-back: not just because Luke Shaw will need to be rotated with the increased number of games that comes with European competition, but also due to the way United clearly want to play going forward.Danyal KhanEddie Howe called for this summer to be different for Newcastle. It certainly has been, though not quite how he intended.The now ex-head coach had hoped for early incomings and strong investment in a side which suffered after a messy transfer window 12 months ago but instead the loss of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali left the Magpies playing catch-up again while Bruno Guimaraes' departure was the final straw for Howe to walk.July 18: Newcastle 3-0 Darlington - Newcastle training ground (behind closed doors) July 25: Gateshead 1-1 Newcastle - Gateshead International Stadium July 29: Bristol City 1-4 Newcastle - Ashton Gate August 8: Valencia 1-2 Newcastle - Mestalla August 12: Everton 3-1 Newcastle - Murrayfield August 15: Newcastle 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen - St James' Park August 16: Newcastle 1-1 Strasbourg - St James' ParkMatthias Jaissle, another graduate of the Red Bull franchise, replaced him with an expectation of attractive, attacking football but his more pressing concern will be that four of his five new signings, costing almost £140m combined, are aged 20 or under.That loss of experience on the pitch and in the dugout suggests another season of transition on Tyneside, but with the club still maintaining aims of a Premier League push within four years Jaissle and his players will have to come good sooner rather than later.Ron WalkerOliver Glasner arrives at Nottingham Forest having won three trophies in two seasons with Crystal Palace and is looking to put his stamp on things at the City Ground. Forest have switched to his favoured system and are quietly reshaping the squad to his needs.July 18: Notts County 0-2 Forest - Meadow Lane July 22: Forest 3-0 Blackburn - Estadio da Nora (Portugal July 26: Vitoria 1-1 Forest - Portugal (behind closed doors) July 31: Portimonense 1-2 Forest - Algarve July 31: Sporting 4-1 Forest - Estadio Algarve August 8: Udinese 1-0 Forest - Udine August 8: Barcelona 1-0 Forest - Udine August 12: Forest 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen - City Ground August 16: Forest 2-0 Brest - City Ground, 2pmOusmane Diomande appears to be the standout signing and - for now at least - the key men remain. Forest fans would settle for Premier League progress after their European adventures but do not rule out fireworks from owner Evangelos Marinakis late in the window.Adam BateSunderland spent over £180m revamping their squad for their return to the Premier League last summer - and there was method in the madness. The Black Cats stepped up admirably and qualified for the Europa League, qualifying for Europe for the first time in over half a century.A year on, the only first-team signing they've made so far is that of 34-year-old Belgian right-back Thomas Meunier on a free from Lille, though Dayann Methalie is also set to join and become their record signing for £25.7m. That has been more than paid for already, with in excess of £30m recouped from the sales of fringe players.July 18: York City 1-5 Sunderland - LNER Community Stadium July 25: Sunderland 2-4 Liverpool - Nashville July 31: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds - New Jersey August 2: Sunderland 1-0 Wrexham - Philadelphia August 8: Lens 4-1 Sunderland - Lens training ground (behind closed doors) August 8: Lens 0-2 Sunderland - Stade Bollaert-Delelis August 15: Sunderland 2-1 Rennes - Stadium of LightThe most significant moment of the summer, however, was when Granit Xhaka opted to stay at the club despite interest from Chelsea, who tabled an £8m bid for him to reunite with his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso. Their captain was pivotal in 2025/26 and will be going forward, too.Dan LongAn unbeaten pre-season for Tottenham has maintained optimism around Roberto De Zerbi's side after a big summer of spending.The six new arrivals have all impressed in pre-season, with the new £185m midfield pairing of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes both scoring.New defenders Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke looked a solid centre-back pairing in Saturday's clean-sheet win over Hoffenheim - and their display was even more encouraging considering Micky van de Ven did not play a pre-season minute, raising concerns he might not be for the Brentford trip.Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus and Destiny Udogie also failed to feature in pre-season, meaning new left-back Andy Robertson, who impressed against Hoffenheim, should start this weekend.July 22: Tottenham 1-0 MK Dons - Spurs training ground July 26: Tottenham 2-0 Auckland FC July 29: Tottenham 1-1 Sydney FC (4-2 on pens) - Sydney August 1: Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea - Sydney August 8: Tottenham 1-1 Getafe - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors - 70-minute game) August 15: Tottenham 3-0 Hoffenheim - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium August 16: Tottenham 2-2 Hoffenheim - Spurs training ground (behind closed doors)With Porro's late World Cup-winning arrival, Archie Gray is set to start at right-back where he has played all of pre-season.The 20-year-old has also been captain in pre-season after Cristian Romero's exit, so it will be interesting to see who De Zerbi gives the captaincy to for their first competitive match of the new campaign.Declan Olley

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Wales goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel has joined Watford on loan from Manchester United for the duration of the 2026-27 season.Middleton-Patel spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan with the Hornets but is now poised for a full season with the club in Women's Super League 2.The 21-year-old made her senior bow for the Red Devils against Newcastle United in December 2024.She made three appearances under Marc Skinner last season, including in her side's Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Old Trafford.A Manchester United statement read: "We will be tracking Saf's progress closely and wish her the very best of luck."'I love my fans, but also dread meeting them' - life as an autistic elite footballerShe will bid to retain the number one jersey as Rhian Wilkinson's side face Albania in a double header in October in the play-off first round.The winner of that tie will take on either Romania or Norway in the second round.

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The summer transfer window will close for Premier League and EFL clubs at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, 1 September.The window opened for a second time this year on Monday, 15 June.Last season, the transfer window for clubs in the Premier League and English Football League closed at 19:00 to move it in line with the working day. However, it has returned to its usual 23:00 slot this season.The windows in Spain, Germany, Italy all close on the same day, but earlier in the evening. In Ligue 1, the window shuts a day earlier.Clubs in Scotland have until 17:00 on Thursday, 3 September to complete their business.The Women's Super League transfer window also closes on Thursday, 3 September.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.Contact formContact formMore questions answered...What has changed in FPL for 2026-27 season?

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It is one of three measures brought in by the Premier League, external to improve transparency, alongside the publishing of direct explanations of officials, and broadcasting RefCam with audio of a referee talking to players.The five members of the KMI Panel have met since the 2022-23 season, but until now the results have been kept private - though there was a tendency for clubs to leak the information.Every major incident is assessed and voted on, with feedback provided to clubs and officials.The Premier League believes releasing the document will give full transparency about the evaluation of decisions.Selected direct quotes of the referee and/or the video assistant referee will be published on the Premier League's Match Centre account on X, on the Premier League website and the Premier League app to try to provide the rationale behind a decision.Previously, the account published a general summary of an incident rather than the real-time explanations and thought processes of officials.This will include a referee's description of why they have given a decision, or the VAR's direct reasoning for why they have not intervened.The expansion of the use of RefCam will for the first time allow the broadcast of audio between the referee and the players.This will not be live, nor will it include any of the conversation between the referee and the VAR, but it will be used in-game one or two times in each round of fixtures.The Premier League and Pro Ref are trying to take steps to increase the transparency over decisions while still being limited by the International Football Association Board's (Ifab) refusal to permit the live broadcast of VAR discussions.The Premier League is to continue discussions with Ifab about allowing more VAR communication to be shared with the public.The KMI Panel meets every week to dissect each decision, from goals to penalties to red cards.It has five members: three former players and coaches, plus one representative each from the Premier League and referees' body Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO).The KMI Panel was created by the Premier League clubs in 2022 to take performance stats out of the hands of the refereeing body.It is not intended to look at each incident like any fan or manager would. It takes into account the laws of the game and, crucially, how the Premier League expects its games to be refereed.That is why the list of errors is not as extensive as supporters would expect.The KMI Panel first looks at the decision of the on-field referee team, and then of the VAR.As the VAR is operating to a higher threshold - clear and obvious - there are times when the KMI Panel will say the referee was wrong but the VAR was correct not to intervene.The KMI Panel also considers situations which are not reviewable by VAR, such as second yellow cards missed.A simple majority is then required to determine if the decision was correct or not.Last season's judgements, seen by BBC Sport, show there were 25 VAR errors, up from 18 in the 2024-25 campaignIt was still a marked improvement on previous years, with 31 errors in 2023-24 and 38 in 2022-23.The results also come with comments from the members of the panel to explain the reasoning for their decision.It is also used to create the performance-related payments to referees at the end of each season.

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Right-back worked with Matthias Jaissle at RB SalzburgSunderland to announce signing of Dayann MethalieThe chance to be reunited with Matthias Jaissle convinced Amar Dedic to swap Benfica for Newcastle in a £29.5m transfer. Dedic becomes Newcastle’s sixth signing of a turbulent summer on Tyneside and the 24-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international is likely to start at right-back at home to Liverpool on Sunday.“Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me,” said Dedic who previously played for Newcastle’s new manager at RB Salzburg. “We know each other well; he knows what I can bring to the pitch and I’m really happy to play for him again. It’s a special feeling and a real honour to join Newcastle.”With Tino Livramento still recovering from a calf injury, Newcastle’s lack of senior right-backs has been highlighted in pre-season and, soon after replacing Eddie Howe earlier this month, Jaissle advised club executives that Dedic could fill the void. It helps that a defender also comfortable at left-back understands the German’s playing philosophy.Sunderland, meanwhile, are set to announce the acquisition of a new left-back on Tuesday after fending off competition from Roma and Newcastle to sign the 20-year-old Toulouse defender Dayann Methalie for £25.6m.The France Under-21 international made 28 Ligue One appearances last season and will compete with Reinildo for a place in Regis Le Bris’s team. Methalie, who has signed a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light, is also comfortable operating as a left-sided central defender or at wing back.

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"A lot of people questioned it," Scott Chickelday tells Sky Sports. "Those same people are now looking at it and thinking, hang on, we might have got a bit of a bargain here." Such has been the start that Will Lankshear has made to his Middlesbrough career.Boro paid a fee that could rise to £20m to sign the young striker from Tottenham Hotspur and have been rewarded with a volleyed winner against Wrexham on debut in the Carabao Cup and a brace to turn around their Championship opener against Lincoln.Striker coach Chickelday, who has done one-on-one finishing work with Lankshear for the past two years, is far from surprised. He works with top Premier League players but rates him as the best finisher of the lot. "He has got all the finishes in the book," Chickelday explains."He has got the little flicks around the corner, tap-ins, headers, volleys. Just an all-round No 9 and there are not many around at the minute. His finishing is incredible. I tell people and they laugh at me, but this boy is the closest thing I have seen to Harry Kane."It is a big claim to compare the 21-year-old hopeful to Kane, who has scored more goals for England than any man in history, the reigning holder of the European Golden Shoe. But others see it too and there are parallels in their route, trajectory and attitude.Like Kane, not all of Lankshear's loan moves away from Spurs were instant hits. A move to West Bromwich Albion ended without a goal. But things went better on a personal level at Oxford United even as the club suffered relegated from the Championship."Oxford was a big step for Will. He had gone out on loan before and it had not quite worked out," Matt Bloomfield tells Sky Sports. Bloomfield was the man who took over as head coach of Oxford in January with the club one place off the bottom of the table.He was soon impressed by Lankshear, the young forward tasked with leading the line for a struggling side. It demanded different qualities from him. "He worked incredibly hard for us, left everything out on the pitch," says Bloomfield. The experience improved him."With very limited senior football behind him, he just needed help to round his game off. We were out of possession a lot so it was about being in position when we won it back. We did a lot of work on his hold-up play and being a nuisance when we cleared the ball."In context, Lankshear's total of 11 goals in the Championship last season was an encouraging effort. "In a team that got relegated, that is some going," says Chickelday. "It is tough when you are down there." At Middlesbrough, he will be able to show more."He is in a totally different environment now," agrees Bloomfield. "Middlesbrough will dominate the ball and that will suit him even more with the opportunities that they create. He is born to score goals. He is obsessed. All he wants to do is train and score."That is where those Kane comparisons return. There is that same laser-like focus on maximising his ability. "He is a lovely lad but he has got an edge to him," says his old boss. "He wants to be successful. All the top players are single-minded and driven."Bloomfield adds: "He has a massive natural instinct but you can see the hours of practice too. It is the same with Harry Kane and his goals. It is not just natural instinct. These guys are born goalscorers but they also work so incredibly hard at their craft."The stories from his time at Oxford illustrate this clearly. When training was over, Lankshear wanted to keep going. "He would just stay out there finishing all day. We had to push him back in the building. We had a game the next day and needed his legs."With that in mind, Bloomfield is not surprised to discover that Lankshear has been working with a one-on-one coach to do those extras. Even Chickelday has become used to the youngster who reached out to him for help doing extras on top of the extras."He does not just turn up, do a session and go. He will get there 40 minutes before the session starts, do a warm up and then do the hour with me. Then they will stay for another 25 to 30 minutes doing running after the session. That shows you his mentality."Lankshear attends these sessions alongside older brother Alex, who scored himself for Gateshead at the weekend. But what does he actually work on? "It is a lot of repetition work, match scenarios. Headers, volleys, finishes from cutbacks. All types of finishes."Chickelday adds: "Did you see the one that he scored for Oxford from outside the box?" He is referring to the second of Lankshear's goals against Sheffield Wednesday in April. "It was the typical Kane finish where he cuts in and bends the ball into the top corner."It is a trademark. "He likes to drift out on the left and cut inside. But whatever he can do on his right foot, he can do on his left. That is what gives him that unpredictability when he is finishing as well. He does not mind which way that the defender shows him."It is his ruthlessness in front of goal and his consistency in hitting the target. His shots-on-target ratio is phenomenal. In our sessions, he rarely misses the target at all. I am not saying that he is scoring with every single shot but he does work the goalkeeper."Bloomfield's point about having the dedication to match the talent is key - and the reason why there is such excitement about Lankshear. He can score great goals but there are the near-post runs, the ones where he follows in to capitalise on a fumble.Among the 72 players in the Championship last season who had 50 shots or more, Lankshear ranked third for expected goals per shot. Even at Oxford, he was getting high-quality chances because of the work that he was putting in. There is more to come too."He never gets to take them but he is a really good free-kick taker," says Chickelday. He is convinced there are great things ahead. "Sometimes you come out of the session and you are like, this one is special. You just get that feeling." But can he explain why?"It is his mentality. He wants to be the best. He wants to be the No 1 striker in England. And then obviously he wants to be the No 1 in the world too. And I really would not be surprised in two years' time if he is Harry Kane's replacement."I do not want to talk about moves at the minute because Middlesbrough will probably kill me. He has only been there five minutes. But I think he is two moves away from being a £100 million striker if he keeps developing and doing well - and I think he will."That is for the future. The present is about firing Boro to the Premier League. One way or another, those who know him are certain that is where Will Lankshear is heading. "I have absolutely no doubt about that," adds Bloomfield. "Will is going to the very top."

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Amazon Prime captures strain of manager’s final seasonClub chair says Spaniard threatened to leave ‘100 times’Pep Guardiola clashed with his captain and almost broke down in tears as he railed at players during his worst run as Manchester City manager.The Spaniard stood down at the end of last season after winning 20 trophies in a glorious 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium. One of the lowest point of his glittering reign came during a testing run in the autumn of 2024, when City lost nine times and won just once in the space of 13 games. Guardiola outwardly showed signs of strain, notably when he scratched his face after City surrendered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League.Behind closed doors he was also angry and upset with his players, as shown in a new fly-on-the-wall Amazon Prime documentary, A Beautiful Obsession.At one point he argued in the dressing room with then captain Kyle Walker, who felt he was being unfairly singled out.“You keep saying my name in every meeting,” complained Walker after a defeat at Liverpool. “Every fucking meeting it’s my name. You’ve somehow brought my name into it.”Walker, who had been voted captain by his team-mates, also claimed Guardiola did not want him to be skipper.Guardiola responded by saying Walker was taking the issue too personally but also showed signs of emotion as he explained why he had extended his contract despite their poor run.“If I am a problem you have to tell me,” said Guardiola in a broken voice. “I won’t stay here for the money or just for the fact of staying. I extended my contract because I want to be with you. I want to fight. I don’t want you to feel like I’m leaving or running away.”Another extraordinary outburst came in November 2025 after a dismal 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Guardiola, whose decision to make 10 changes had backfired, threatened to quit in the dressing room afterwards.He said: “It’s unacceptable this lack of courage, passion and love and desire to win and do it better. I work for you. I leave my life, my divorce and my family is away, and everything for all of you. And what do you give back? The fucking performance you have done. It’s a disgrace guys. I’m really fucking tired. When I see that I’m exhausted, I’m drained. I want to quit.”Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the Manchester City chairman, recently said Guardiola must have threatened to leave “100 times” during his tenure but he too had his concerns after the Leverkusen game.In a remarkable release of voice notes between Khaldoon and chief executive Ferran Soriano, the chairman said he was “so angry” after “probably one of the lowest points we’ve had”.Soriano said the response should not be “too negative or aggressive” but “not too kind or accommodating either”.The four-part series, which covers the past two seasons, also includes some frank boardroom discussions about transfer policy and the long-serving Kevin De Bruyne’s disappointment after being told his contract would not be renewed.A Beautiful Obsession launches exclusively on Prime Video in UK + Ireland 19 August 2026.

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There are reunions for players to cherish. Alexander Isak's return to St James' Park on Sunday will not be that. The Newcastle supporters will make their feelings known. That is beyond his control. Isak's job is to focus on winning over those fans in Liverpool red.This classic Premier League opener comes one year on from the incendiary statement by the Swedish striker that his relationship with Newcastle "cannot continue" due to broken promises and trust. And one year on, his Liverpool career has not yet ignited.Isak was absent from this meeting last season, although his spectre loomed over it. Some might say the real Isak is yet to reappear. Three Premier League goals for Liverpool last season barely hinted at the reasons why they committed to paying £130m for him.Without a proper pre-season, he arrived at Anfield not fully fit and that hampered his ability to make a fast start. A fractured fibula in December denied him the chance to find the sort of rhythm that strikers rely on. But there is a reason why the fee was so high.The acrimony awaiting Isak reflects the sense of betrayal felt by those in the Gallowgate End and beyond, but it also speaks to his record. In his final two seasons at Newcastle, only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah scored more goals in the Premier League.He was the man who scored what turned out to be winner - against Liverpool of all teams - to end the club's 56-year trophy wait. Elegant and willowy, he does not have the frame of a typical terrace idol, but his cool and clinical finishing from all angles made him a favourite.There is little point relitigating last summer but what is clear is that Isak's first year in a Liverpool shirt was largely wasted. Their fans have not seen nearly enough of those first-time finishes, the man who glides across the ground, always seeming to have time.For Isak, 27 next month, that needs to change. And it is why a fixture loaded with meaning is actually more about the future than the past. One year on from that record-breaking move, can he still become the player who Liverpool thought they were buying?Speaking at the start of pre-season, new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola said: "I think he was good in the World Cup. He will have three or four weeks of quality training, I hope we can put him in a good place because he is going to be massive for us this season."Unlike many others for whom fatigue must be a concern, Isak's World Cup involvement should be a help not a hindrance. There have been some positive signs. He scored against Monaco. Watching him against Como, you had to look a bit harder to find them.His best moment came early, a measured shot on the angle as he connected beautifully to strike the foot of the far post. It was an effortless finish, Isak at his best, all precision over power, an attempt to leave you wondering how the goalkeeper had been beaten."I am asking them to do things that are a little bit different, especially without the ball and I think they are trying to get it," said the Liverpool boss after the Como game. Isak himself commented on it after Monaco. "We are all working hard to make things work."It is the physical demands rather than anything technical or tactical that are likely to dictate his success. For example, Isak actually outperformed his expected goals for a fourth consecutive Premier League season last time out. He remains a fine finisher.While Arne Slot complained about the team's inability to take their chances, the issue for Isak was that he was not getting on the end of those chances. That is the reason why his strike-rate last season was at its lowest level since his arrival in English football.Again, the explanation is most likely physical. Isak's top speed last season was down. Rediscovering that spark is vital. In the sixth minute of the match against Como, there was applause when he chased a ball down the right channel but could not get there.Wirtz talked of working on the connection after Monaco when both scored. It did not quite click for the pair at the weekend. Their best bit of interplay came early in the second half when Isak skewed a shot well wide after being set up by the German playmaker.There were other nearly moments. Isak hesitating on the edge of the box after 70 seconds and the chance disappearing. Cody Gakpo brilliantly darting between two only for Isak's touch to be loose. Groans as he failed to read a Dominik Szoboszlai dummy.Hints and clues, then, but not the emphatic proof that Isak is fully fit and ready to fire, not the man Liverpool bought, the sure thing, the goal machine, the difference maker. When he steps out at St James' Park on Sunday afternoon, it would be some time to show it.

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Newcastle United have signed Bosnia and Herzegovina international Amar Dedic from Benfica on a five-year deal.The 24-year-old full-back becomes the sixth senior addition of the summer and will wear the No 37 shirt at St James' Park.Dedic, who can operate on either flank, previously worked with Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle at Red Bull Salzburg and Liefering."Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me," Dedić said. "We know each other well, he knows what I can bring on the pitch and I'm really happy to be playing for him again."Jaissle said Dedić would bring "both defensive and attacking qualities" to his squad, adding: "He's athletic, aggressive and technically very good, but also has a lot of potential to develop further."Sporting director Ross Wilson described Dedić as a "modern full-back" capable of playing on either side and adds that he will "strengthen" the Newcastle squad "straightaway".Stream the Premier League with no contractDedic made 95 appearances for Salzburg before loan spells with Wolfsberger AC and Marseille, and joined Benfica permanently last summer.He featured for Benfica at St James' Park in last season's Champions League and has won 31 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing his nation at the World Cup.

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Today’s gossip is being advertised in imaginative waysA new Premier League season is just days away, so it stands to reason that a few clubs are getting panicky in the transfer market. Newcastle are certainly in need of some fresh faces after being raided earlier in the summer so, after being linked with Christopher Nkunku, could move for RB Leipzig midfielder Nicolas Seiwald. The Austria international played under Matthias Jaissle at RB Salzburg.Newcastle have shunned Manchester United’s attempts to snare Lewis Hall, so the Old Trafford club are still in the market for a left-back. Joaquin Seys, 21, of Club Brugge, is said to be a carbon copy of Hall and the Belgian has apparently been shunted to the top of United’s hitlist. Barcelona midfielder Marc Casadó is also a potential United midfield target with the Catalans ready to move on the 22-year-old after agreeing a deal for Rodri.Let’s stay in Spain for a moment, where the future of Julián Alvarez has been a hot topic all summer. The former Manchester City forward remains keen to join Barcelona, but Atlético Madrid are understandably a bit edgy about selling their best player to a domestic rival. It seems Atléti would prefer him to go to Arsenal. A meeting between Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, club’s chief suit and Alvarez is scheduled, where the latter’s future will be thrashed out. Stand by, Gunners fans.Liverpool have danced with Bradley Barcola all summer and now want another Paris Saint-Germain winger in the shape of 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye. A combined fee of £155m has been mooted for the pair. Manchester United are possible Mbaye suitors, too, along with a number of others.Leeds United have done some solid business so far this summer and are now interested in Nelson Deossa from Real Betis. The midfielder, along with Marseille wide man Igor Paixão, is on the Whites’ radar, though it’s claimed Paixão could be lured by the riches of the Saudi Pro League instead. Zian Flemming from Burnley is another possibility, though he could cost nearly £20m, as Leeds look to replace West Ham-bound Joël Piroe.One Championship player on the move may be Blackburn goalkeeper Balazs Toth. The £4m-rated Hungarian international is wanted by Celtic as a Kasper Schmeichel replacement. Rangers, meanwhile, are set to finalise the transfer of Aston Villa defender Kosta Nedeljkovic, and also want to add Kevin Kelsy, a striker for Venezuela and Portland Timbers. Rangers desperately need a transfer boost or two, that’s for sure.And finally, could Jamie Vardy be set for a final hurrah in Brazil? West Ham had previously been linked with the former Leicester striker, who is still a free agent after leaving Cremonese, but São Paulo may enter the market for the 39-year-old.

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10 CommentsNewcastle United have signed defender Amar Dedic from Benfica for around £30m.Dedic has joined the club on a five-year deal after having a medical on Tyneside on Monday.He has reunited with manager Matthias Jaissle, with whom he previously won the Austrian title at Red Bull Salzburg in 2023."It's a special feeling and a really big honour for me to join Newcastle United," he said after the move was announced on Tuesday, his 24th birthday."I'm really happy to be here and can't wait to start playing for the club and the amazing fans."Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me. We know each other well. He knows what I can bring on the pitch and I'm really happy to be playing for him again."Playing Premier League football at St James' Park is going to be really special. Every game feels like a big occasion, with an amazing atmosphere. I'm really excited to get started."Newcastle at best when 'us against world' - BurnTeen shows grit Newcastle need but Jaissle wants signings

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1 CommentsWith three days to go until the start of the Fantasy Premier League season, there are plenty of questions still to be answered about how teams will line up and which players are worth selecting.Here, BBC Sport's team of FPL experts - Pras, Holly Shand, Gianni Buttice and FPL Heisenberg - debate some of the big talking points to help you start the season with a bang.You can join the BBC Sport League on the official Fantasy Premier League game using the code bbcfpl - or by clicking this link, external - before Friday's 18:30 BST deadline.Manchester City's Erling Haaland beat Bruno Fernandes by four points to be last season's top FPL scorer. His total of 239 points was still 33 shy of his best season, in 2022-23, yet his price has risen from £14m to £15.5m, making him the most expensive FPL player of all time.Will he still be worth the money for FPL managers?Holly: Haaland carries the potential to justify his high price tag. He generally makes a fast start to the campaign.However, a busy World Cup could make a big difference in terms of how he starts the campaign, having not had his usual full pre-season.Pras: At a record £15.5m he still looks essential because captaincy matters so much early on. He is the standout option for gameweek one and gameweek three and starting the season without him means you risk falling behind the template immediately.The only real caveat is the World Cup hangover. He did look leggy in his 53-minute Community Shield performance on Sunday.Gianni: In a season of very few premium options, you can have a balanced squad even after picking Haaland. Gone are the days of Mohamed Salah and several other players with double-digit price points.Without Haaland, you give yourself a headache with the armband most weeks too. Of course, Bruno Fernandes (£12m) is an option but outside of the Manchester United playmaker you're struggling for reliable assets on a consistent basis.Captaincy is such a major part of this game and more often than not, Haaland will be the best candidate.Heisenberg: At £15.5m, it is a huge commitment, but I still think he's worth it. Going without him when he hauls points hits your rank way too hard if the majority of managers have him as captain.I recommend having him to begin with. If his form dips and the fixtures get tough later in the season, then there could be an opportunity to jump off at this point.Bruno Fernandes was the second highest-scoring FPL player last season and is in nearly 50% of teams this time round. But is it worth having another Manchester United player in your line-up?Gianni: Since the moment I drafted my team, I've had Bryan Mbeumo (£8m) alongside Fernandes to target the first couple of games, against Hull and Ipswich.Mbeumo has had a full pre-season and I think that matters in the first couple of weeks where I hope he is half a yard sharper than the rest. He's also likely to start as the central striker.Luke Shaw (£4.5m) is a cheap route to a good backline and, while fitness may become a concern when the Champions League kicks in, I'm happy to start the season with him.Pras: The early fixtures make the defence interesting. Hull away and Ipswich at home offer genuine clean sheet potential, so Harry Maguire (£5m) and Shaw both look viable, along with Senne Lammens (£5m) in goal.If you prefer to double up in attack rather than defence, Mbeumo remains the clear pick.Holly: I'm all for tripling up at the start of the season, with promoted sides Hull City and Ipswich Town in the first two gameweeks. Mbeumo has the advantage over Matheus Cunha (£8m) for me for an attacking double-up, with his minutes more secure.In defence, goalkeeper Lammens makes my team, after eight clean sheets last season.Heisenberg: Both Mbeumo and Cunha got 14 attacking returns last season, but the Brazilian edges it for me, given his versatility to play in numerous positions across the front line. However, it's a close call between them and I like both at £8m.In defence, Maguire is probably worth the extra £0.5m over Shaw because of his greater goal threat - he's more likely to get defensive contribution points too.Chelsea have a new manager in Xabi Alonso and have spent £117m on Morgan Rogers. But how will he and Cole Palmer, both number 10s, fit into the same line-up? And will they both be able to be productive in FPL?Holly: I'm expecting Xabi Alonso's Chelsea side to line up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Palmer and Rogers in the middle and Joao Pedro (£7.5m) ahead of them.We know Palmer (£9.5m) carries bags of potential, if he can stay fit, but we need to see form before investing.Rogers (£7.5m) will look to hit the ground running following his transfer from Aston Villa, but I still think Joao Pedro could be the one to go with from gameweek one. He's had the summer off and finished last season as their highest-scoring fantasy asset.Heisenberg: Alonso makes Chelsea one of the most intriguing teams to watch. His Leverkusen side was built around attacking wing-backs, so Chelsea's wing-backs could offer significant attacking upside.Palmer seems a little expensive at £9.5m after a disappointing season, but he has those all important penalties. If I had to pick one right now, I'd go for Rogers purely for the £2m saving.Alonso has specifically spoken about getting the best from both players, and I think both will have good seasons.Pras: This situation feels like one to monitor rather than go all in. Palmer missed one of the last friendlies with an injury and Rogers is still easing back after England duty, so Joao Pedro looks the sensible starting point for now.There are three gameweeks to assess them properly before the more attractive Hull home fixture. The plan is simple: if Palmer or Rogers start showing clear upside, add one or both then. I won't be starting with either.Gianni: In pre-season we have seen a mixture of a back four and back five from Alonso and in both systems, they have looked attacking and front foot. I expect Chelsea to be up there with the best attacking numbers of all teams this season.Having no European football and full midweeks on the training ground will help them no end.Joao Pedro still feels like the best value Chelsea attacker. Rogers has missed most of pre-season so don't be surprised if he doesn't start gameweek one.Heisenberg: I'm not particularly worried about it. We should gain information leading up to deadline regarding those players who went deep at the World Cup.The Premier League deliberately pushed the season back to 21 August, giving players more than a month between the World Cup final and the start of the campaign, which should provide enough of a break.The big one is Haaland, who didn't look great in Manchester City's 3-0 thrashing by Arsenal in the Community Shield and only played 53 minutes. But even so, he surely starts City's first game against Bournemouth.Holly: I think the World Cup will have a huge impact on the early parts of the season, with a significant number of players from Manchester City, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Liverpool going deep into the competition. Those who made the semi-finals were only scheduled to join pre-season a week ago.I'm actively trying to avoid picking players who were involved in the latter stages of the competition. The football calendar is becoming increasingly more congested, with a full pre-season crucial to avoiding fatigue.Pras: It is hard to look it as a blanket rule - everything depends on how far each player went in the tournament. The key checkpoint is the final pre-season friendlies, which took place over the last weekend. Anyone who logged 50 minutes of more there should be fine for gameweek one.Players from the semi-finalists (Spain, France, England, Argentina) who are only just returning to training carry more risk. Popular assets still look largely OK, but it remains a case-by-case decision rather than a blanket avoid.Gianni: A lack of pre-season could really impact some of FPL's big names and I'm curious to see how many players that got to the final rounds of the World Cup start gameweek one. With this in mind, I am being cautious picking players such Rayan Cherki (£7.5m) and considering those who have had an extra month to prepare, such as Phil Foden (£7m).The Gunners kept an incredible 19 clean sheets in 38 games last season but can they repeat the feat? They will start the season without injured defenders William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.Gianni: They're super consistent and I can't see them slowing down. Mikel Arteta is a master at setting his teams up to keep clean sheets and with the individual quality they have I expect them to top all the defensive metrics again this season - their expected goals conceded (xGC) total last season was just 27.45, with the next best tally being Liverpool at 47.45.I'm probably doubling up on their defence - both Riccardo Calafiori and Christhian Mosquera cost £5.5m and will be first choices early on.Heisenberg: The concern for me is Saliba's long-term injury - Arsenal could concede more goals per game while he's out.Gabriel is the standout for attacking potential - he had three goals and five assists last season alongside 18 clean sheets - but he's pricey at £8m.David Raya (£6m) and Mosquera (£5.5m) offer more affordable routes into what should still be one of the league's best defences.Holly: Earning 19 clean sheets in a Premier League season is no mean feat. Goalkeeper Raya has secured the Golden Glove for three consecutive seasons - it's the kind of consistency we can believe in.However, the absence of Saliba at the start of this campaign may have an impact. I also think the Gunners may play with a bit more freedom under Arteta, having secured a historic title win, which may mean a reduction in clean sheets.Pras: Even with Saliba sidelined for the short term, the unit still looks strong enough that holding one or two Arsenal defenders feels like good practice.Mosquera, Ben White (£5.5m) and Calafiori are all viable, though need monitoring - Timber's fitness for White, Piero Hincapie's (£5.5m) minutes for Calafiori, and any potential new signing for Mosquera. Raya remains a solid alternative if you prefer a keeper.Who to pick, who to avoid - your team's FPL assets analysedThese eight players will help you win FPLWhat has changed in FPL for 2026-27 season?How to win at FPL - our experts give their best tips