Florian Wirtz has a chance to shine, there’s a Red Bull reunion on Tyneside and Chelsea face litmus test at ArsenalFlorian Wirtz is easing himself into his second season at Liverpool after a forgettable first. There were signs of promise against Nottingham Forest, where he set up the second equaliser and would have had a goal of his own if not for an offside in the buildup. It is clear the German needs to become more influential as a No 10 given the quality of players he has around him, especially after the expensive arrival of Bradley Barcola this week. Bruno Fernandes showed there is plenty of fun for an attacking midfielder to have against Ipswich and Wirtz can follow suit as a protagonist. Liverpool have drawn both their opening fixtures 2-2 and need something to kickstart their campaign, with a Friday night visit to promoted opposition a fine place to start. Wirtz should cause problems but, if he does not, the internal competition will be after his spot. Will UnwinIpswich v Liverpool (Friday 8pm, all times BST)Newcastle v Bournemouth (Saturday 12.30pm)Brentford v Sunderland (Saturday 3pm) Continue reading...
Luis Enrique reiterated his belief that a PSG player should win the 2026 Ballon d'Or after the club's back-to-back Champions League titles. PSG coach Luis Enrique reignited his push for a Ballon d’Or winner from within his own squad during his press conference on Thursday, ahead of the club’s Ligue 1 clash with Monaco. The comments echo the stance he took last season, when he openly campaigned for Ousmane Dembele to win the award after PSG claimed their first-ever Champions League title, and come off the back of the club retaining that trophy this year. “I don’t care who wins the Ballon d’Or. But, in my opinion, it has to be a PSG player,” Luis Enrique said. He pointed to several players within his squad as deserving candidates, citing their achievements over the past year. “We have players who have won the Champions League. We have Fabian Ruiz, who won the World Cup… Ousmane Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or last season,” he continued, before adding: “That’s my opinion. But I’m not interested in individual awards, the most important thing is the collective”. The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be awarded on October 26 at The London Palladium, with this year’s ceremony evaluating performances between July 2025 and July 19, 2026, a window that includes the World Cup final. L.Enrique: “A real pleasure to reconnect with our supporters” 💬❤️💙The press conference before #PSGASM.📺 https://t.co/pL69iJE18Q pic.twitter.com/0h4bzp07B2— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 3, 2026 Who are the favorites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or Unlike previous years, there’s no clear frontrunner, with at least eight players in serious contention: Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, Dembele himself, and Lionel Messi. Rodri enters as a strong candidate after winning the World Cup with Spain and being named the tournament’s best player, while Kane dominated domestically with Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga and finishing as its top scorer with 36 goals in 31 games, despite falling short in the Champions League and World Cup semifinals. Messi, meanwhile, also remains in the conversation after a standout World Cup at 39 years old, scoring eight goals in what statistically became his best tournament, and could become the first player to reach nine Ballon d’Or trophies if he wins it again.
Liverpool’s new investors could have a major say in the club’s January transfer plans, with Lamine Camara emerging as a potential first major recruitment target under the evolving ownership structure. The Monaco midfielder is reportedly convinced that he can still secure a move to Liverpool in January after his £47 million transfer to Chelsea dramatically […] The post Report: How Liverpool’s new owners are preparing for first major transfer decision appeared first on CaughtOffside.
After a frustrating stretch dominated by injuries and limited opportunities, Pulisic could finally have a chance to change the narrative against a familiar opponent. Christian Pulisic and Ruben Amorim are heading toward an important weekend at Milan, with the American winger closing in on his first appearance of the 2026-27 season. After a frustrating stretch dominated by injuries and limited opportunities, Pulisic could finally have a chance to change the narrative against a familiar opponent. The return would carry extra meaning given what happened the last time Milan visited Juventus. Pulisic has unfinished business in Turin, but Amorim is taking a cautious approach to his comeback, creating an intriguing situation for the American. Pulisic has endured a difficult 2026, with injuries repeatedly interrupting his momentum. His latest setback came at the World Cup, where bone edema in the area connecting the tibia and fibula of his right leg disrupted his preseason preparations and left him playing catch-up. The winger also has a particularly painful memory of Juventus‘ home stadium. On October 5, 2025, Pulisic missed a penalty in a 0-0 draw, another frustrating moment in a period when injuries prevented him from consistently showing his best form for Milan. Now, almost a year later, the American is looking for redemption. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan has a shot saved by Michele Di Gregorio of Juventus MilanNews reports that Pulisic is determined to return to the Allianz Stadium and make a positive impact after failing to score for the Rossoneri during 2026. The weekend could therefore represent an opportunity to begin putting several difficult months behind him. What did Amorim say about Pulisic’s playing time? Pulisic has already been named among the substitutes twice this season without seeing a single minute of action. That has raised questions about when Amorim will finally feel comfortable enough to put one of his most talented players back onto the pitch. The Milan manager explained after the victory over Venezia that Pulisic remains extremely important, but his workload must be carefully controlled. Amorim told reporters: “He has great talent. I simply have to manage my players’ workloads and at this moment we need to win. So it is difficult for Pulisic to find space, but he remains a hugely important player for us.” That approach is unlikely to change against Juventus, even with the 27-year-old forward eager to make his return. Amorim’s priority is to avoid rushing the American back and risking another setback, particularly given how demanding his system is physically. Christian Pulisic (left) and Ruben Amorim (right) Will Pulisic play against Juventus? That brings us to the twist surrounding Pulisic’s potential comeback. He is expected to start on the bench against Juventus rather than return directly to the starting lineup, with Amorim likely to introduce him for a limited spell if the match situation allows. There is no guarantee that Pulisic will play, either, because much will depend on how the game develops. His absence from the starting XI reflects his current fitness level rather than a lack of confidence from Amorim, who still views him as an important technical asset. As reported by MilanNews, Pulisic is expected to be given his first minutes of the season from the bench, provided the circumstances of the match allow it. That could actually be the ideal route back. A controlled appearance would allow Pulisic to rebuild his rhythm without immediately being asked to handle a full match, while also giving him the chance to rediscover the confidence that made him such an important part of Milan’s attack.
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