England took a huge step toward Uefa Nations League promotion with a resounding 3-0 win away in Greece on Thursday.

Avenging their shock defeat at Wembley, the Three Lions put their hosts to the sword with goals from Ollie Watkins and debutant Curtis Jones, either side of an Odisseas Vlachodimos own goal forced by a Jude Bellingham shot that hit the post.

The result takes England top of the group, level on points with Greece but now boasting a better goal difference and head-to-head record.

Any sort of win against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday will return England to League A at the first time of asking.

For now, read on for full England player ratings from a huge win in Athens.

England player ratings vs Greece: Curtis Jones ‘outstanding’ on debut

Jordan Pickford – 9/10 – Made some vital saves to preserve the win and clean sheet, while reminding everyone how important he is for England.

Kyle Walker – 6/10 – A little negative with his play, going backwards when he’d taken up some great positions. Slotted in well enough at centre-back in the second half.

Ezri Konsa – 7/10 – A solid performance, completing 100% of his passes and winning both of his contested ground duels. Brought off at half-time, presumably with an injury.

Marc Guehi – 8/10 – Tidy with the ball and made a couple of important interceptions and tackles to keep the Greeks at bay.

Rico Lewis – 8/10 – Used the ball brilliantly and popped up in some dangerous positions. Perhaps should have got himself on the scoresheet in the second half but was denied by a good save.

Conor Gallagher – 8/10 – Got through plenty of defensive work and did his best to drive England forward once he turned the ball over.

Curtis Jones – 9/10 – Absolute class on the ball and alert to any Greek counter-attacks. Misplaced just three of 68 attempted passes. Capped off an outstanding England debut with a beautifully taken goal. ‘Outstanding’ according to former England and Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie.

Noni Madueke – 8/10 – Set up Watkins’ goal with a great run and cut-back and was a menace all game, creating a match-high three chances and having five touches in the opposition box.

Jude Bellingham – 9/10 – The Greeks couldn’t handle Bellingham once he got into full flow, powering through midfield with immense force. Hit the post twice, first with a header, then with a shot from the edge of the box which hit Vlachodimos and went in. Unlucky not to be credited with a goal but did the damage.

Anthony Gordon – 6/10 – A few dangerous flashes but was more subdued than Madueke.

Ollie Watkins – 8/10 – Took his goal well and provided England with a good focal point, even if he was a little isolated at times.

Substitutes:

Lewis Hall (46′, for Konsa) – 7/10 – A solid England debut from a youngster with the potential to be his nation’s left-back for years to come.

Harry Kane (67′, for Watkins) – 7/10 – Did a lot of work off the ball, including his run to create the space for Bellingham’s shot on the second goal.

Morgan Rogers (67′, for Gordon) – 7/10 – Won’t be credited with an assist on the second goal but it was his smart pass inside to Bellingham that set England away.

Jarrod Bown (67′, for Madueke) – 7/10 – Did well in the build-up for the third goal.

Morgan Gibbs-White (79′, for Gallagher) – 7/10 – Set up Jones as England finished the job.

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Jamie Carragher has made it clear he thinks the Premier League rules need to change after witnessing a “nonsense” incident during Newcastle’s win against Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

Newcastle came from behind to win 3-1 at the City Ground, thanks to goals from Alexander Isak, Joelinton, and Harvey Barnes, but there was one moment of controversy as well.

There was one moment when Tino Livramento went down with a knock, but then couldn’t help his team defend against a Forest attack due to being told to leave the pitch.

Carragher clearly feels this is a current rule that needs looking at, as he described it as “nonsense” to give Forest a one-player advantage in that situation.

Jamie Carragher calls for Premier League rule change

“The way that rule has been set up at the moment, it’s something to be looked at,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“I mean, Livramento has had a whack there, should have had a free kick.

“Nottingham Forest have got a free kick, Livramento can’t defend it. They are actually down to 10 men. That has to change. That’s nonsense that.”

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It didn’t matter too much on this occasion as Newcastle still won the game, but it does seem like one of those strange regulations that needs clearing up to improve the game.

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Julen Lopetegui’s job appears to be hanging by a thread at West Ham, but that hasn’t stopped the Spaniard from demanding even more signings in January.

West Ham players remain unhappy with the Spaniard, the 0-0 draw against Everton at the weekend keeping the Hammers down in 14th position in the Premier League.

Their poor form since Lopetegui took over has even seen one elite manager tipped to take over at the London Stadium should the West Ham board decide that enough is enough.

Lopetegui chasing Brighton and Hove Albion ace

If David Sullivan goes against the grain and decides to give his manager a while longer to implement his strategies, one player that Lopetegui wants is 24-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion ace, Tariq Lamptey.

CaughtOffside sources have indicated that Lamptey could consider leaving Brighton at the end of the season but, given that his contract ends in June 2025 (transfermarkt), a decision may be made by the Seagulls themselves as early as January.

Lamptey has shown no sign of extending his current deal, and sources understand that this is because the right-back is unhappy with how things have panned out under Fabian Hurzeler.

The Ghanaian international is certainly looking to move, though CaughtOffside sources note that the East Londoners could face competition for his services.

Premier League clubs Everton, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have already expressed interest in signing him, without taking things further at this stage.

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The former Chelsea academy player has been with Brighton since 2021, and whilst it’s understood his preference is to stay in the Premier League, foreign clubs such as Juventus are also showing interest.

Clearly, a decision needs to be made soon, and ultimately Hurzeler will be the one to decide whether Lamptey can be considered as surplus to requirements as early as the first month of 2025.

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Liverpool want to sign a new centre-back whether Virgil van Dijk stays or leaves the club, with Nottingham Forest defender Murillo among their top targets, CaughtOffside understands.

The Reds are having a superb season under Arne Slot, who has done a remarkable job since replacing Jurgen Klopp in the summer, so there doesn’t seem an urgent hurry to strengthen this squad.

Still, in the background there is a worry over the future of star players Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom are just a few months away from becoming free agents.

Murillo could be an ideal long-term replacement for Van Dijk, but sources have indicated to CaughtOffside that LFC could move for Forest’s Brazilian defender whether Van Dijk stays or goes.

Murillo transfer seems a no-brainer for Liverpool

Murillo has really impressed during his time at Forest, with the 22-year-old also thought to be on Chelsea’s radar, while other top clubs will also surely get involved soon if he carries on performing like this.

Liverpool would do well to move for him quickly in order to ensure they don’t miss out, and there’s surely a role for him in Slot’s squad, whether that’s as a direct replacement for Van Dijk, or as someone to partner him for a while before replacing him in the starting XI later.

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Forest won’t want to lose such an important player, but Liverpool would be hard for Murillo to turn down, so one imagines this is a deal that Forest could be under pressure to agree to, as long as the terms are also favourable for them.

CaughtOffside understands that Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio is another name that is under consideration by the Merseyside giants, while RB Leipzig’s talented young French defender Castello Lukeba has also been linked with the club in recent times.

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Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest are all on alert as Mathys Tel looks set to be made available to sign on loan from Bayern Munich in the upcoming January transfer window.

The talented young Frenchman is struggling for playing time at Bayern at the moment, though CaughtOffside understands that the club still view him as a key part of their long-term future.

Tel could perhaps benefit from a temporary spell away from the club so he can get more first-team minutes under his belt, and a host of Premier League clubs would be ready to bring him in until the end of the season.

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Sources with a close understanding of the situation have told CaughtOffside that Palace, Fulham, Leicester and Forest are all keen on Tel, who was previously also approached by Manchester United.

Man Utd are not thought to be among the clubs looking at the 19-year-old now, but it does seem his situation has changed to make him available on loan, which could mean other clubs will soon join the long list of potential suitors for him.

Some initial talks have taken place, but Bayern remain adamant that Tel is not available on a permanent transfer, and ultimately the final decision on a January move will rest with the player.

Mathys Tel transfer could be smart business for struggling Premier League clubs

Palace could do really well to land Tel this winter if possible, with Oliver Glasner’s side making a really poor start to the season.

The Eagles could find themselves in a relegation battle if they don’t improve soon, and signing a top young talent like Tel for their attack could help them a lot in the second half of the season.

Eddie Nketiah has flopped since joining Palace from Arsenal in the summer, so a goal threat like Tel coming in could be crucial to lift this team away from the danger zone.

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In truth, United are having a pretty dire season as well and look weak up front, so a few of their fans might even wonder if they should be in the running for Tel again.

It could be a gamble, but at the moment it’s hard to see Tel being any worse than Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee up front.

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Manchester City remain innocent until proven guilty of any of the 115 charges being levied against them, however, their Premier League opponents will sue them if they are, ultimately, found guilty.

The fall out from the case which is currently ongoing could change the face of English football as we know it.

Man City could be sued for many millions by EPL clubs

An unprecedented punishment against the Cityzens has already been mooted, with other potential avenues for taking the serial champions down a peg or two also being discussed.

Arguably, any and all discussions are irrelevant at this stage given that City haven’t yet been found guilty of a single charge.

Given the severity of the charges, it will take some time before any decision is reached in any event, and were the outcome to be unfavourable to City, there’s some certainty to the club launching an appeal, delaying the outcome even further.

According to The Times (subscription required), a number of Premier League clubs are reserving the right to seek compensation for lost earnings were City to be found guilty.

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Essentially, some clubs will have been denied the right to finances that a title win would’ve seen them achieve, and/or the prize money involved in qualifying for the latter stages of European competitions.

There is a need for those clubs to protect their positions now given that its understood they could be time barred from doing so if they wait until the end of the trial and/or a subsequent appeal.

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Any potentially successful cases against City would cost the club many millions of pounds, though the loss of prestige would be far more humbling for the club.

Such scenarios may not even come to pass if City’s legal team manage to ensure that the club’s name, and that of their directors emerge successfully from the case.

The post True cost of being found guilty of 115 charges will shock Man City as EPL opponents seek compensation appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Edu Gaspar is understood to be set to leave Arsenal in a morning hammer blow to the club.

The 46-year-old Brazilian re-joined the club in an off-the-pitch role in July 2019, signing up as the club’s first-ever technical director. Success in the role later saw the former Gunners footballer rewarded with a promotion to sporting director in 2022 (again, the club’s first-ever).

Further developments and explanations around the exit – and, perhaps, potential successors for the role – are understood to be forthcoming over the next 24 hours.

Why is Arsenal sporting director Edu leaving the Emirates Stadium?

Given the wide-ranging success Edu has enjoyed working alongside Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium, this decision has understandably come as a bit of a shock for all involved.

Intriguingly, Sky Sports suggests there may be some early indications as to why the former Corinthians executive has taken this decision.

“Sources have told Sky Sports News that the Brazilian has been under consideration for a role with Evangelos Marinakis’s group of clubs,” the broadcaster informed fans on X (formerly Twitter).

“Which currently include Nottingham Forest, Olympiakos, Rio Ave and, in the future, potentially, a fourth club they’re looking to buy in Europe.

“It’s unclear yet whether that is a reason why Edu has made this decision. We understand this decision has taken Arsenal by surprise that Edu will be leaving Arsenal as their sporting director.”

It’s difficult to imagine the former central midfielder agreeing to what would be, objectively, a step-down with regards to roles with one of Nottingham Forest, Olympiakos or Rio Ave.

There is the mysterious possibility of a fourth club to consider, of course, but there isn’t a vast multitude of projects more exciting in world football than Arsenal.

One could theorise that Edu has possibly been offered another major promotion that may give him overarching powers to oversee the development of Evangelos Marinakis’s network of clubs. Miguel Delaney’s latest report for the Independent would certainly suggest something akin to that is on the table.

“The Independent understands Edu had held ambitions to become CEO at Arsenal, a position the Marinakis group is willing to meet, while also improving his wages by more than three times that of his existing salary at the Emirates,” the journalist reported.

Liverpool, for instance, have gone in this direction with the return of former sporting director Michael Edwards as the club’s CEO of Football. Might the Nottingham Forest owner have a similar purview in mind for the Arsenal executive?

It’s an unconfirmed possibility – it must be stressed – but a possibility nonetheless.

BREAKING: Sporting director Edu has taken the decision to leave Arsenal ?

Sources have told Sky Sports News that the Brazilian has been under consideration for a role with Evangelos Marinakis’s group of clubs. pic.twitter.com/9IeC0Y9Bv9

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 4, 2024

Arsenal transfers: Who did Edu help sign for the Gunners?

Edu leaving Arsenal is, without question, going to be a painful new reality to acclimatise to.

The Brazilian played a key role in bringing in game-changing additions from Martin Odegaard to Declan Rice whilst working in north London.

The Norway international has registered 60 goal contributions in 156 games (across all competitions) since making his permanent Premier League switch from Real Madrid in 2021.

Credit should likewise go to Edu and his recruitment team for seeing value in the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. The Germany international has since gone on to become a key part of the setup at Arsenal, delivering 29 goal contributions in 66 games.

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Liverpool are reportedly looking set for a transfer battle with Chelsea over Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, who could cost as much as £70million.

The talented young Brazilian has impressed during his time in the Premier League and it seems he has now ‘forcefully’ worked his way into Liverpool’s plans as they look for a replacement for Virgil van Dijk, according to Team Talk.

Murillo has also been on Chelsea’s radar and it’s also not guaranteed that Van Dijk will be leaving Liverpool at the end of his current contract, with a new deal not being ruled out, but it certainly makes sense for Liverpool to plan for the future in that position.

Murillo might not be at Van Dijk’s level yet, but he looks like someone who could eventually grow into that role and become a key player for a top club like Liverpool.

Murillo transfer: Will he make the move to Liverpool or Chelsea?

Murillo will have an interesting choice to make if he has to choose between Liverpool or Chelsea, while one imagines other big names might get involved soon as well if he continues to impress like this.

The 22-year-old could do well to put his faith in this ambitious long-term project at Stamford Bridge, with Enzo Maresca doing a good job this season after plenty of investment in talented young players.

Murillo could fit in well as part of that youthful project, and he’d surely get a lot of playing time as he looks like he’d be an upgrade on unconvincing duo Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile.

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Liverpool, however, might be more tempting as they currently look closer to completing for the biggest trophies, with Arne Slot continuing the superb work done by Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside.

Still, if Van Dijk ends up staying then it might be tricky for Murillo to compete with him and Ibrahima Konate for a place in Slot’s first XI.

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The team of the week from the latest round of Premier League action is in, with players from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and more featuring in Troy Deeney’s line up.

Still, it’s perhaps a bit of a surprise to see that Deeney didn’t select a single Liverpool player in his team of the week, given that the Reds fought back well to earn a 2-2 draw away to Arsenal.

See below for the full XI on BBC Sport, with Arsenal’s Thomas Partey doing well to earn a place after filling in well in an unfamiliar role at right-back, while there’s also no way Chelsea’s Cole Palmer could have been left out after his starring role for the Blues as they beat Newcastle United…

Elsewhere, it’s a real mix from across the Premier League as we also see impressive performers from the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and Wolves.

Brentford’s Bryan Mbuemo is also a name that’s becoming harder and harder to ignore as his superb season continues, so this probably won’t be the last team of the week we see him in.

Team of the week: Liverpool harshly overlooked?

Liverpool might not have been at their brilliant best against Arsenal, but Mohamed Salah came up with a crucial equaliser in the second half and was a threat throughout, while Trent Alexander-Arnold had a role in the goal and helped the Reds control the game a bit better when he inverted into midfield slightly more in the second half.

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Liverpool fans won’t care too much, though, as they’ll simply be happy with a well-earned point from one of their toughest fixtures so far, with Arne Slot still only having one defeat to his name after a terrific start since replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield in the summer.

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Newcastle United endured a difficult summer transfer.

Not only did the Magpies fail to sign any exciting new additions, but they were also forced to offload two promising stars to comply with the Premier League’s rules on Profit and Sustainability (PSR).

Yankuba Minteh moved to Brighton and Hove Albion in a deal worth £30 million with Elliot Anderson joining Nottingham Forest for £35 million (Sky Sports).

The pair are thriving at their new clubs with Anderson’s performances under Nuno Espirito Santo, which have included two assists in eight starts, catching the English FA’s attention.

Elliot Anderson set for senior England call-up

And following what has been an impressive start to life at the City Ground, according to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Anderson; a former Newcastle United academy graduate, is in line to receive his first-ever England call-up.

Despite representing Scotland at under-16, 17, 18 and 21 level, Anderson, who was born in Whitley Bay in 2002, has pledged his allegiance to the Three Lions.

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With the FA pleasantly surprised by the start Anderson has made to the new season, the 21-year-old is tipped to be named in Lee Carsley’s final Nations League squad next month before he hands control over to Thomas Tuchel.

England will travel to play Greece on 14th November before hosting Ireland at Wembley Stadium three days later.

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