Brighton vs. Tottenham
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says he could face the sack unless he gets his team winning again, the Daily Mirror reports.
After starting the season with victories against Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester United, Spurs have now lost three successive matches - their worst run of form during Pochettino’s four-year reign.
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With no signings made in the summer transfer window and defeats against Watford, Liverpool and Inter Milan, Pochettino takes his “traumatised” side to Brighton on Saturday evening.
Speaking ahead of the clash the Argentine said he would not criticise the club for the lack of summer signings and is fully focused on getting three points. However, he acknowledged that if the poor run of form continues he could be out of a job.
He said: “I am going to stick with the club, I am not going to criticise the club. All the decisions are our decisions. Maybe we are still here in five years or maybe in one week we are not here, but we will always be talking well about the club and helping them to achieve all they want.
“The only way we can stop that [criticism] is winning games and if we don’t win, everyone is going to criticise more than now. And you know what is going to happen when we don’t win games - the first responsible is me.
“In football, something can happen with the situation but I am going to give my best until the end. I’m sure we will win games. The group is a little bit anxious, of course, about winning games.”
Saturday’s match between Brighton and Tottenham starts at 5.30pm and is live on BT Sport 1.
Cardiff City vs. Manchester City
Sergio Aguero has given Manchester City a major boost with the news he has extended his contract by another year.
City’s all-time leading goalscorer has penned a deal until 2021 and he told CityTV: “I am happy for this additional year. My idea was being here for ten years. I’ve been here for seven years, it’s going to be ten when the contract expires.
“Hopefully, that’s going to happen. This was the main reason I signed.”
City travel to Cardiff on Saturday looking to bounce back from the shock 2-1 home defeat to Lyon in the Champions League.
Arsenal vs. Everton
Everton forward Theo Walcott returns to his former club on Sunday when the Toffees take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
After spending 12 years at Arsenal and scoring 108 goals in 397 games, the 29-year-old left for Merseyside in the January transfer window. He admits it was a move that he needed to make in order to kick-start his career.
“I’m not going to lie, I fell out of love with football for a little bit,” he told Sky Sports. “Because I had some good performances, but then just didn’t get the chance to play on.
“Scoring over 100 goals for Arsenal is a great achievement for me personally, and then just the last year-and-a-half was tough, I can’t lie. It was really tough, not being able to get into the team, being in and out.
“I just felt I wanted to get the excitement of football again. I didn’t feel like it was going to be at Arsenal then.
“[At Everton] I got the buzz and enjoyment back, and I couldn’t be in a happier place to be honest, I’m playing football with a smile on my face. I just love football again.”
This weekend’s Premier League fixtures
Saturday 22 September (3pm unless stated)
- Fulham vs. Watford (12.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Burnley vs. Bournemouth
- Cardiff City vs. Manchester City
- Crystal Palace vs. Newcastle United
- Leicester City vs. Huddersfield Town
- Liverpool vs. Southampton
- Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Tottenham Hotspur (5.30pm, live on BT Sport 1)
Sunday 23 September
- West Ham United vs. Chelsea (1.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Arsenal vs. Everton (4pm, live on Sky Sports)
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