First Up: Football - A Daily Football Briefing

Gabriel Martinelli struck a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue Arsenal a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates, cancelling out Erling Haaland’s early opener. The Brazilian’s lob from Ebere Eze’s assist earned Mikel Arteta’s side a precious point in the title race. Elsewhere in the Premier League, 10-man Manchester United beat 10-man Chelsea 2-1, Liverpool edged Everton in the Merseyside Derby, and Fulham came out on top in a West London clash with Brentford.

Across Europe, Lorenzo Pellegrini sealed a Derby della Capitale victory for Roma, Ajax and PSV shared the spoils in De Topper, while Marseille v PSG was postponed due to storm warnings. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich both stayed perfect in their leagues thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and a Harry Kane hat-trick.

And tonight, football’s biggest individual prize will be awarded at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal are among the frontrunners for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, with England’s Alessia Russo and Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí leading the women’s race.

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Marcus Rashford scored twice as Barcelona beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park in the Champions League. His second goal, a thunderous strike off the underside of the bar, sealed victory despite Antony Gordon’s late reply for the Magpies. Elsewhere, Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku secured a 2-0 win for Manchester City against Napoli, while Club Brugge stunned Monaco 4-1 and Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt both won heavily.

In the day’s other news, Wolves surprised fans by offering under-pressure boss Vítor Pereira a new three-year contract despite four straight defeats. José Mourinho was unveiled as Benfica’s new manager with a typically fiery press conference, and Manchester United’s women qualified for the Champions League group stage.

And off the pitch, Manchester United’s famous long-haired fan “The United Strand” has a new rival: a Liverpool supporter who completed the same challenge in just 33 days thanks to the Reds’ flying start to the season.

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Liverpool left it late once again, as Virgil van Dijk’s 94th-minute header secured a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield. Elsewhere in the Champions League, PSG hammered Atalanta 4-0, Bayern Munich beat Chelsea 3-1 thanks to another pair of Harry Kane goals, and Inter Milan won 2-0 away at Ajax. There was also history for debutants Bodo/Glimt, who earned a dramatic draw at Slavia Prague, while Pafos claimed a first-ever Champions League point at Olympiakos.

In the Carabao Cup, Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest threw away a 2-0 lead at half-time to lose 3-2 to Championship side Swansea City - capped off by Cameron Burgess’ stoppage-time rocket. Manchester United, meanwhile, posted record revenues of £666m, and Jose Mourinho is set to return to Benfica as manager, more than 20 years after resigning from the club.

And in one of the strangest football travel stories in recent memory, Monaco’s players were forced to strip down to their underwear after the air-conditioning failed on their private jet to Belgium. The squad eventually had to evacuate the aircraft at Nice airport.

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The Champions League group stage is back - and it delivered a night full of drama. Arsenal beat Athletic Club 2-0 in Bilbao with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, while Tottenham returned to Europe’s elite competition with a helping hand from Villarreal’s goalkeeper. Borussia Dortmund and Juventus shared a wild 4-4 draw, Real Madrid edged Marseille thanks to two Kylian Mbappé penalties, and Benfica suffered a shock home defeat to Qarabag - the first ever group-stage win for an Azerbaijani club.

In the Carabao Cup, Brentford knocked out Aston Villa on penalties despite conceding their first goal of the season, Crystal Palace edged Millwall in a shootout, and Grimsby Town’s dream run continued with a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.

Looking ahead, Liverpool host Atlético Madrid tonight with record signing Alexander Isak set for his European debut, while Bayern face Chelsea, PSG meet Atalanta, and Ajax take on last year’s finalists Inter.

And finally, a row has erupted over the EA Sports FC soundtrack. Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, performing as KMB, was hailed as the first pro footballer to feature on the game’s soundtrack - but former Luton midfielder turned musician Kamakaze quickly pointed out that he beat him to it on FIFA 20.

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On today's First Up: Football, we dive into a blockbuster Tuesday of Champions League action, from Arsenal’s trip to Bilbao to Juventus' clash with Dortmund. We explore Chris Wilder’s return to Sheffield United, Liverpool’s transfer interest in Brighton star Carlos Baleba, and Strasbourg’s fan controversy over Emanuel Emegha. Plus, why a Manchester City steward was sacked for a cheeky stunt.

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Erling Haaland stole the show in Sunday’s Manchester Derby, scoring twice as Manchester City cruised to a 3-0 win over rivals United. The Norwegian followed up his five-goal international haul with another match-winning display. City dedicated the win to Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton, who sadly passed away at the age of 48.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Mo Salah struck a stoppage-time penalty to give Liverpool yet another late win, Arsenal comfortably saw off Ange Postecoglou’s Forest, and Spurs claimed a big victory at West Ham. Fulham finally picked up their first win thanks to one of the strangest own goals you’ll ever see, while Brentford rescued a point against Chelsea through Fabio Carvalho’s late equaliser.

In Italy, 19-year-old Vasilije Adžić scored a wonder goal to seal Juventus’ 4-3 Derby D’Italia win over Inter. Bayern hammered Hamburg again in Germany, Real Madrid and Barcelona stayed unbeaten in Spain, and in MLS, Charlotte stunned Inter Miami with a 3-0 win - a match that also witnessed av Lionel Messi’s Panenka blunder.

And finally, Aston Villa’s season has gone from bad to worse. Four games in, no goals, no wins - the only men’s team across England’s top seven divisions yet to score. To make matters worse, a pre-season club video asking players who’d score first has resurfaced and gone viral. With Sunderland up next, can Villa finally break the curse?

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The Premier League is back - and it returns with a bang. Ange Postecoglou takes charge of Nottingham Forest for the first time as they face Arsenal, but the headline act comes on Sunday with the 197th Manchester Derby. After Amad’s heroics gave United a famous win at the Etihad last season, can the Red Devils upset City again? We preview all the weekend’s action across England and Europe, from London derbies to the South Coast showdown between Southampton and Portsmouth.

Elsewhere, the World Cup ticketing process for 2026 has already angered fans and... wannabe mayors as FIFA’s dynamic pricing model sparked fierce debate. Tickets start at $60 but can rise to more than $6,000, and critics say the system shuts out ordinary supporters.

And in the UK, an employment tribunal judge has ruled that it could be legal not to hire someone based on the football team they support - raising questions about just how far workplace rivalries can go.

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We break down a big night of internationals as the USMNT finally grab a statement win over Japan, Bolivia stun Brazil in World Cup qualifying, and Colombia edge Venezuela in a nine-goal thriller.

We also dive into Newcastle fans’ fury over leaked ticket deals, Barcelona’s latest stadium setback, and a supercomputer’s bold Premier League title predictions.

And to wrap it all up, a cheeky trick for football fans hoping to get some time off over the 2026 World Cup…

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Nottingham Forest wasted no time replacing Nuno Espirito Santo - confirming Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach on a two-year deal. The Australian returns to the Premier League just three months after leaving Tottenham, and will take charge against Arsenal this weekend. We look at the contrasting styles between Nuno and Ange, the challenges he faces with Evangelos Marinakis, and what Forest fans can expect from “Ange-ball.”

Elsewhere, England impressed in Belgrade with a big win over Serbia, moving within touching distance of qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Norway hit double figures in an 11-1 thrashing of Moldova, while Cape Verde are one win away from a first-ever World Cup after a historic victory over Cameroon. There was also frustration for Nigeria and Ireland as their qualifying hopes took major blows.

And in the United States, legendary co-commentator Ray Hudson announced his retirement. Famous for his exuberant, poetic turns of phrase and unforgettable Lionel Messi soundbites, Ray leaves behind one of football’s most beloved commentary legacies.

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We begin with the big breaking news as Nuno Espirito Santo is set to leave Nottingham Forest after months of tension with owner Evangelos Marinakis. Despite leading the club into European competition, Fabrizio Romano reports that Nuno will depart with immediate effect, with three candidates including Ange Postecoglou under consideration.

Elsewhere, World Cup qualifying delivered fireworks. Tunisia sealed their place at the 2026 finals, Italy survived a 9-goal thriller against Israel, Kosovo stunned Sweden, and Luka Modrić rolled back the years on the eve of his 40th birthday. We also preview tonight’s crunch qualifiers, including England’s trip to Serbia, Portugal away in Hungary, and Nigeria facing South Africa.

In the Premier League, Manchester City have settled their Associated Party Transactions case with the league, Tottenham insist they are not for sale despite takeover rumours, and Liverpool’s Arne Slot could be set for a new contract. Over in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen have appointed Kasper Hjulmand as manager, while Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Álvarez has been suspended for 10 months following a failed doping test.

And finally, Spain crushed Turkey 6-0 on Sunday - but the headlines belong to 18-year-old Lamine Yamal who lost his passport after the match, and Jorge de Frutos, whose entire village erupted in joy as he made his international debut.

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