Everton U21 boss Dave Hughes has highlighted his side's resilience in difficult conditions to earn a hard-fought Hartlepool victory. The post Won’t Always Be Like – Everton Talents Told Key Lesson By U21s Boss appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
Martin Odegaard has impressed Paul Merson in Arsenal’s first three matches (Picture: Sky Sports) Paul Merson has heaped praise on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard following the side’s derby victory over Chelsea, claiming the midfielder is looking like a ‘new £100million signing’ this season. Odegaard had a largely underwhelming season by his standards last term, managing just one goal while chipping in with six assists across Arsenal’s title-winning campaign. It represented a major drop-off in return when compared to Odegaard’s second and third years with the Gunners, when he provided a significant goal threat and was twice named Arsenal’s Player of the Season. However, Odegaard has hit the ground running this term, scoring Arsenal’s third goal in the Community Shield before finding the net versus both Coventry City and Chelsea in the Premier League. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. The 27-year-old ran the show in Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea and came away with the man-of-the-match award after completing an impressive 24 line-breaking passes as well as scoring the winner at the Emirates. He will no doubt be looking to pick up where he left off this evening when the English champions kick off their Champions League group-stage campaign away to Napoli. ‘I think if Odegaard got injured then Arsenal would get by, but he is back to what he was two years ago,’ Merson said of the Norwegian’s lightning start to the new season on Sky Sports News. Odegaard has flown out of the blocks this season (Picture: Getty) The Gunners have won three from three in the Premier League (Picture: PA) ‘If he can keep on playing like he’s been playing, that’s like a £100m new signing for Arsenal. ‘Over the last couple of years, his standards haven’t been good enough but the goal against Chelsea, they’re the goals you put up there for goal of the season. ‘The dummy by Kai Havertz and the finish by Odegaard… that’s football.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mikel Arteta speaks before Champions League match against Napoli","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/09\/08\/3761798954835882587\/480x270_MP4_3761798954835882587.mp4","description":"Arsenal's Mikel speaks to the press on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League match against Napoli on Wednesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.","duration":"T1M34S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/09\/08\/22\/111127717-0-image-m-34_1788904072537.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-09-08T22:46:27+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Merson believes Arsenal have to be considered among the favourites to win this year’s Champions League after being beaten by PSG in last season’s final. But the ex-Arsenal and England midfielder fears the club’s failure to make a ‘superstar’ addition me to their attack may cost them come the business end of Europe’s premier competition. Asked if Arsenal’s fanbase would prefer to win the Premier League or the Champions League this season, Merson replied: ‘Now they’ve won the Premier League after a long, long time, I think it would probably be the Champions League. ‘I don’t want to talk on behalf of everybody else but there’s a song th
Referee Chris Kavanagh was correct not to award a penalty to Everton at Bournemouth, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has said. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall went down inside the area after a collision with James Hill in the 55th minute, with the referee waving away the Toffees' spot-kick claims. The KMI Panel unanimously supported the decisions of Kavanagh and the video assistant referee, John Brooks.
Xabi Alonso has confirmed midfielder Kendry Paez will not be part of Chelsea's first-team squad after failing to secure a move before last week's transfer deadline. The 19-year-old Ecuador international is expected to join Cobham Next Gen - Chelsea's Under-21 side - after failing to find a loan move in the Premier League or Championship. Chelsea had wanted to send Paez on a domestic loan after Argentine club River Plate removed him from their first-team squad and forced them into recalling him.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
