Chelsea kicked off the Premier League weekend in style by coming from behind to thrash Graham Potter’s West Ham 5-1.
Nuno Espirito Santo has put himself on a collision course with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Antoine Semenyo believes racist abuse in football should be subject to stricter punishments.
Chelsea make light of Palmer absence
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said Chelsea’s thumping 5-1 win at West Ham showed again that his side do not rely on Cole Palmer.
The 23-year-old withdrew from the starting line-up minutes before kick-off after feeling discomfort in his groin during the warm-up, opening the door for Brazilian winger Estevao Willian to make a highly-impressive full debut that included an assist for Enzo Fernandes.
“The ones that say ‘we are just a Cole team’, for sure Cole is our best player no doubt,” said Maresca.
“For sure with Cole we are much better team, but I think we already showed last year in the two or three months where Cole was not a hundred per cent, when we achieved top four that no one expected.”
Hammers boss Graham Potter, who has now won just two of his first 10 league matches in charge, reflected on a difficult night in front of home fans.
“A tough evening for us, of course,” he said. “Bitterly disappointed with the result, with the manner of the goals. We have to say that to concede the goals in the manner we have is an impossible task.”
Nuno raises question marks over Forest future
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo faces growing uncertainty after fuelling speculation of a rift with club owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Nuno signed a new contract in June after guiding Forest into Europe last term but used his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s clash with Crystal Palace to muse openly on his relationship with his boss.
“We know each other very well, and we have all been in the industry for a while now,” he said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game at Crystal Palace.
“And where there’s smoke, there’s fire, so I know how things work, but I’m here to do my job. I understand, because I’m worried. I’m the first one to be worried. I’m the first one to be concerned.”
Semenyo calls for greater action against racist abuse
Antoine Semenyo believes prison sentences could be appropriate for those found guilty of racially abusing footballers.
Semenyo reported an incident of alleged racial discrimination by a supporter during his side’s Premier League curtain-raiser against Liverpool last week.
A 47-year-old man was subsequently arrested and released on bail on suspicion of an aggravated public order offence and has been banned from any regulated football match in the UK as part of his bail conditions.
In his first interview on the matter, Semenyo told ITV News the available sanctions should be even more severe.
“It could be jail time, it could be banned from stadiums for a lifetime, it could be anything along the lines of that, but I feel like there has to be something else,” he said.
“I’m speaking out for all players: if it does happen, make sure that the maximum punishment is something that happens. Those (anti-racism) campaigns, they’ve worked for a while but for the long term it hasn’t really worked. I feel like something else needs to be done.”
Eze transfer fallout continues
With Eberechi Eze set to complete his move to Arsenal, Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has brushed off his side’s failure to land the England forward. Spurs had looked set to complete a deal with Crystal Palace until their North London rivals swooped late in the process.
Frank has attempted to brush off the disappointment insisting he only wants players who are ready to give everything for Tottenham.
“Just to generalise to make it very, very clear, I don’t want any players that don’t want to come to the club…and wear this fantastic badge – we don’t want them here. I think that’s very clear,” he said.
“I’m also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same.”
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, sees the imminent capture of Eze as the culmination of a satisfying transfer window.
“We all have big smiles on our faces with the understanding that we have done really well, but the market is not closed and we have to stay very alert because there are a lot of things that can happen still….but so far, so good,” said the Spaniard.
What’s on today?
Frank’s Tottenham head to Manchester City in the 12.30pm kick-off, while Arsenal host Leeds following the newly-promoted side’s winning start to the season. Bournemouth v Wolves, Brentford v Aston Villa and Burnley v Sunderland also feature in Saturday’s fixture list.
Stoke, Middlesbrough and West Brom will all have the chance to make it three wins from three in the Championship. SPL pace-setters Celtic and Hearts host Livingston and Motherwell, respectively.
