Merson: Alonso has to figure out his best defence
Paul Merson thinks Xabi Alonso has to figure out his best Chelsea defence
Preston sack Heckingbottom
Preston have sacked Paul Heckingbottom.
The Deepdale club sit second-bottom in the Championship after Saturday's 1-0 home loss to Lincoln. Preston have won just one out of their seven second tier games so far.
A statement from the club read: "Football is a results business and despite significant investment in the playing squad since Paul joined, the results during 2026 and the start of this current campaign have not been acceptable."
Jason Euell has been put in temporary charge while Preston search for a new manager.
'Forest suits him' - Clinton hails Delap display at Villa
Clinton Morrison thinks Nottingham Forest suits Liam Delap's play after his fantastic strike against Aston Villa.
De Zerbi explains tense exchange with Tel at full-time
Roberto De Zerbi explains his exchange with Mathys Tel at full-time after Tottenham Hotspur's 0-0 draw with Everton.
Man City's midfield options more than make up for the loss of Rodri
The captures of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez by Manchester City this summer nullify the loss of Rodri, writes Your Site' columnist Laura Hunter.
Sesko: I'm feeling way better at Man Utd
Benjamin Sesko says he is feeling "way better" mentally at Manchester United as his second season at the club kicks off.
Sesko had a mixed debut season at Old Trafford last term but his second season has started slowly as he recovered from an injury picked up at the end of last season.
On Thursday, the United forward scored in the 4-0 win over Sabah after finding the net in the 2-2 draw at Everton last weekend - and Sesko says he has no complaints about how he's doing at Old Trafford at the moment.
Asked how he's feeling about his time at United, Sesko told reporters: "Way better especially than last season, because obviously I changed the country, everything was new for me.
"But now for me it's like I'm really enjoying, I'm happy here, I love life here, my teammates are perfect and I can't really complain about anything.
"Obviously the more games I'm getting, the more comfortable I feel, the more free I feel in the game.
"Then obviously for me focus is all scoring goals, to provide everything for this club, whether that's link-up play, or just this little bit things that can be all-around.
"I think it would just come in time but again I'm here and I feel every day better and better and this is the most important."
Sesko has good memories of the Manchester derby at Old Trafford when United won 2-0 in Michael Carrick's first game i charge - and he wants a repeat performance.
"The game was very, very nice," he said. "I'm really hoping for the moment like this again on Sunday. I think we put a great performance and it's important also to transfer that again."
Papers: Richarlison takes aim at Spurs after failed Vasco da Gama move
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...
New signing Martinelli scores hat-trick for Al-Hilal as Watkins bags brace
'It's a worry' - Merson says Alonso has to figure out his best defence
Paul Merson thinks Xabi Alonso has to figure out his best Chelsea defence
Cleverley: Spurs loanee Irow has the 'X-factor'
Plymouth boss Tom Cleverley claimed Oli Irow has the "X-factor" following the on-loan Tottenham winger's sensational first-minute strike in a 3-0 Sky Bet League One win at home to Barnsley.
Ronan Curtis doubled the Greens' lead before the break and striker Bim Pepple made it three in the 50th minute.
Cleverley said: "Thinking back, it's the best goal I've seen at Home Park.
"Twenty seconds into the game, the first touch is really impressive to take it inside his full-back then produce a strike of such direction, power and quality.
"In Oli we've got a player who's got the X-factor. The kind of player who can turn tight games into winning games, draws into wins.
"It's a superb strike."
