Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has now spoken to the media and, after Max Dowman's red card in midweek, he has warned the Gunners' teenage winger Max Dowman that playing professional football is not like a trip to a theme park.

Dowman reacted to a heavy challenge from a Fleetwood player while Arteta was more concerned with how Dowman's team-mates dealt with going a man down than his own comments to the youngster as he left the field.

"We are not in Disneyland," said Arteta.

"You want to see the reaction of his team-mates when they have to play with 10? When we don't win, I am [expletive] off."

FPL Heisenberg
Fantasy Premier League expert with seven top-30k finishes

Yes, absolutely. Erling Haaland (£15.7m) remains the standout captaincy option for me, even after Manchester City's first Premier League defeat of the season.

He scored again against Aston Villa in gameweek eight and continues to be the player I'd back to deliver the biggest points haul in any given match.

This doesn't mean you have to captain him every single gameweek of course - there will be opportunities to look elsewhere at times. However, he's the only reliable premium asset in the game right now.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City knocked Brighton out of the Carabao Cup on penalties on Wednesday but I don't think we learned too much because both sides made so many changes.

I backed both teams to win last week - and was wrong both times - but I felt City played well against Aston Villa and were a bit unlucky to lose, and the same applied to Brighton in their defeat against Liverpool - they definitely had enough chances to get something from the game.

I am covering this game for Radio 5 Live. There should be some goals in it, and I can see Erling Haaland getting a couple of them.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca on the concept of 'Big Six' clubs still existing: "There are, every season, I think for instance Aston Villa, Newcastle, in the last seasons, they have always been there.

"I think every season you can have one or two surprises, they are there, but now the level is so similar that you can drop points against any team, you can win against any team, so it is a more similar level."

Manchester City

While Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca wouldn't comment on Jack Grealish missing training at Everton, he did say he still thinks the on-loan City midfielder "is a good guy, a good boy with a big heart. I still think that."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca on the possibility of Rayan Cherki being a future leader at the club: "Can be, yeah, can be. But I think it is important that all the players step up in these kinds of things, in terms of leadership, and it is very good from Rayan for sure."

On Cherki and Phil Foden, he added: "It's very important because it is one more weapon for us. They can play together for sure. Depends a little bit on the game, but no doubt they are both fantastic players."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca on if he sees Brighton as contenders for a Champions League place next season: "I think it is still too early for all the clubs but for sure, they are doing very good.

"It is a team that in any game they score many goals - three, four, five goals. They create many chances against any team. It is going to be a tough game but where they can be at the end of the season, I don't know."

He added: "They're doing very good, on the ball and off the ball. They are very aggressive, man-to-man oriented in all the games. They attack very good with so many players - full-backs, wingers, attacking midfielders - so it is going to be a tough game."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca on team news: "They are all available, [apart from] Antoine Semenyo. The rest, they are all available."

The likes of Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Gianluigi Donnarumma were left out of the squad altogether for Wednesday's Carabao Cup win over Brighton.

Aadam Patel
Football Reporter

Sunday will be Liverpool's fourth game at Anfield in the space of two weeks and having won the first three, there's a feel-good factor around the club right now.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored the winning goal when these two sides met last season but he hasn't played since the game against Brentford on 17 October due to injury and Andoni Iraola will likely be able to give an update on his fitness.

We'll also get an update on Victor Munoz, who hasn't played since the Brentford game.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport Arsenal reporter at Arsenal's training ground

It's a big news conference for Mikel Arteta, who will be addressing the Max Dowman red card for the first time since it happened on Tuesday.

Arsenal tried to have the red card overturned but the appeal has been dismissed.

Arteta said words to Dowman as he went off and it will be interesting to see how he reflects on what happened the other night.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

There is nothing that creates scrutiny quite like not winning football matches.

Xabi Alonso is under nowhere near the same pressure as his opposite number, Michael Carrick, before Chelsea host Manchester United on Saturday.

However, a home league defeat by Tottenham has brought increased scrutiny, with questions raised about his tactics, while a penalty shootout loss at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup added to his problems.

The latter result on Wednesday was notable for who did not play: namely, Estevao Willian.

The Brazilian teenager is regarded as one of the world's brightest young attacking talents but has played only 172 minutes for Chelsea since the start of the season, the equivalent of less than two full matches.

Given the cup exit and no European competition, there are now even fewer matches available to Estevao and others on the fringes of Chelsea's large 27-man squad.

It is a curious situation that has driven discussion after travelling supporters on Merseyside chanted his name despite Estevao remaining an unused substitute.

Furthermore, Alonso's injury concerns are mounting.

Defender Maxence Lacroix is expected to be out until after the international break, joining Emiliano Martinez, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Reece James and Pep Chavarria on the sidelines.

More worryingly for Chelsea, Alonso cast doubt over the fitness of midfielder Moises Caicedo and Malo Gusto following a "physical" match against Liverpool.

There will be plenty to discuss when Alonso speaks to the media shortly.

One of the biggest other games this weekend sees the struggling Manchester United visit a Chelsea side that lost at home to Tottenham last week and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties at Liverpool in Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta isn't the only Premier League manager we're set to hear from.

No less than seven bosses are scheduled to speak to the media over the next hour:

• Arsenal's Mikel Arteta
• Brentford's Keith Andrews
• Chelsea's Xabi Alonso
• Liverpool's Andoni Iraola
• Manchester City's Enzo Maresca
• Tottenham's Roberto de Zerbi
• Aston Villa's Unai Emery

Ray Parlour
Former Arsenal midfielder

I thought Max Dowman was a little bit unlucky. After the game, he'd be sitting on the coach going to the airport disappointed.

But he's got to get back into training, train hard and wait for his opportunity again.

He'll learn from it. Being a footballer is like a rollercoaster ride, with highs and lows - and that's one of his lows.

[Mikel Arteta] has got his standards. He'll [also] have a word behind closed doors. He'll put his arm around him and say 'you've got to be careful in these situations because you're going to get people trying to kick you'.

He's got to get used to that because he's going to be a talent going forward. But I'm sure he'll be fine with Mikel. Mikel has been a young player himself, so he probably knows how to treat the players.

Image source, Getty Images

What did you think about Max Dowman's red card? Was it a bit harsh or did he leave the referee with no option?

And how about Mikel Arteta's reaction? Was it fair to have a go at his teenage winger or did he go too far?

Let us know your thoughts by clicking the Get Involved tab above or to the left.

Image source, Getty Images

As Max Dowman left the field, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta gave him a scathing look and made what appeared to be an angry comment to the young winger.

Arteta said after the game: "When we prepared the context of the match, we were very clear on the things to respect, the things that emotionally we have to dominate. It was very clear."

Dowman was dismissed for violent conduct, which according to the laws of the game is when a player "uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball... regardless of whether contact is made".

The Gunners were already light on options on the wing as Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis and Noni Madueke are currently out injured.

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal's Max Dowman will miss three matches, including Sunday's trip to Anfield, after an appeal against his sending-off during Tuesday's Carabao Cup loss at Fleetwood was rejected.

The 16-year-old midfielder was shown a straight red card in the 85th minute after reacting to a heavy challenge by Fleetwood's Harrison Neal.

Although Dowman did not fully kick out, his foot did make contact with Neal.

The game finished 1-1 before League Two Fleetwood beat the Premier League champions 5-3 on penalties.

Arsenal appealed Dowman's sending-off on Wednesday.

It was Dowman's second red card this month having also been sent off while representing England's Under-19s.

While Fleetwood celebrated a memorable win over the Premier League champions in midweek, the main talking point was Mikel Arteta's reaction to Max Dowman's red card late in the game.

The Arsenal boss is sure to be asked about that incident when he speaks to the media later. We're expecting to hear from the Spaniard from about 13:30 GMT.

FPL Heisenberg
Fantasy Premier League expert with seven top-30k finishes

I'm not looking to sell my Arsenal players just because they face Liverpool away in gameweek nine.

David Raya (£6.2m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£6m) remain quality defensive options, but the Liverpool fixture does make a clean sheet less likely than usual.

After that, Arsenal face Hull, Newcastle, Manchester City and Brentford. There are opportunities in that mixed fixture run, and Arsenal being one of the best teams in the league makes them favourites going into the majority of games.

If you've got Arsenal defensive assets, I'd be happy to hold rather than spend transfers trying to chase fixtures. If Calafiori is injured, I'll probably just bench him against Liverpool and hope he's ready for Hull at home the following gameweek.

However, I wouldn't necessarily be buying Arsenal assets this week as several other teams offering more attractive short-term fixtures.

I'd prioritise those options before bringing in another Arsenal defender.