^ ^ Mikel Arteta sends warning to Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri over Marseille loan

Ethan Nwaneri has struggled on loan at Marseille (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta insisted Ethan Nwaneri must ‘respond in the right way’ after having his commitment questioned during his loan spell at Marseille.

The Arsenal academy graduate joined the French side on loan in January after struggling for regular minutes during the first half of the season.

Nwaneri scored on his first appearance for Marseille, but his playing time has been greatly diminished following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi.

The 19-year-old is yet to start a match since Habib Beye’s arrival and has been an unused substitute in two of Marseille’s last three games.

And more recently, Beye has insisted that Nwaneri needs to ‘show us a lot more in his everyday commitment’ if he is to become a regular starter in his side.

Asked about those comments on Friday, Arteta said: ‘I think that’s the coach’s opinion.

‘He’s with him every single day and that’s it. He’s the one making the decision, he’s the one that sees and understands better what he’s doing.’

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with Ethan Nwaneri (Picture: Getty)

But Arteta urged Nwaneri to answer those doubts, and said it could be a pivotal part of his career development if he is able to.

‘Ethan has to respond to that in the right way,’ Arteta added. ‘It’s the same place that William Saliba was there, same club. The outcome – let’s see.

‘Maybe it’s the best thing that can happen for Ethan, for his career. Maybe, we don’t know.’

Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly face uncertain futures at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Nwaneri and fellow Hale End academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly both face uncertain futures this summer as a result of limited playing time this season.

Both signed new long-term contracts in recent seasons, but reports suggest Arsenal are willing to cash in on both teenagers in the summer.

Speaking last month, Arteta insinuated that both players – or anyone from the academy more generally – will not receive special treatment once in the first team.

‘At the end what has to define this football club is to seek for excellence and seek for the best, regardless if you’re coming from the academy or abroad,’ he said.

‘If we can have players from Hale End, much better because the identity is there. We grow with them and they know exactly what we’re looking for.

‘But at the end they have to earn it. Not for a week, not for a month, for years. Like anybody else, it doesn’t matter what department or role you have in the club.

‘You have to sustain performance and that has to be at the very highest level if we want to win and be where we want to be.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Arsenal vs Fulham: Predicted lineup today and confirmed team news

Odegaard came off after an hour against Atletico Madrid (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal will remain without Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber for tonight’s Premier League clash with Fulham.

Havertz limped off after 34 minutes in last weekend’s victory over Newcastle United, heading straight down the tunnel for treatment.

The Germany international missed the Champions League semi-final first leg with Atletico Madrid as a result having started his side’s last two matches and remains unavailable this evening.

Mikel Arteta did not provide any further details on Havertz’s absence or a timeline for his return when he spoke to the press on Friday.

But having been ruled out today, he will surely now also be a doubt for next week’s second leg against Atletico.

Timber meanwhile has missed Arsenal’s last nine games, also with a groin issue.

Arsenal’s first-choice right-back has not recovered in time for the visit of the Cottagers and, like Havertz, there is no clear return date yet.

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Havertz picked up a knock last weekend (Picture: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Martin Odegaard meanwhile was replaced before the hour mark in the Spanish capital midweek, sparking concern back in Norway he could still be dealing with a persistent knee injury.

The Gunners captain is a doubt for today’s game, with Arteta suggesting on Friday a late decision will be made on his fitness.

Mikel Merino also remains sidelined with signs this week suggesting he may not return before the end of the season.

Arsenal XI to face Fulham – Metro prediction

After being restored to the starting XI against Manchester City two weeks ago, the loss of Havertz is a huge blow for Arteta in the title run-in.

Viktor Gyokeres has struggled as of late but turned in one of his best performances for the club against Atletico midweek, one that will fully justify his return to the side tonight.

Arsenal vs Fulham TV channel, live stream and kick-off time  

Arsenal vs Fulham kicks off at 5:30pm this evening.

You can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event with streaming also available through the Sky Go app and NOW TV for subscribers.

You can also follow all the action with Metro’s LIVE matchday blog.

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Fifa president tries to stage Israel-Palestine handshake that goes all wrong

Up Next

Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s attempt to orchestrate a handshake between Israel and Palestine football officials failed spectacularly in a heated moment at the Fifa Congress.

Infantino invited the president of the Palestinian football federation Jibril Rajoub to join him on stage alongside Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman at the summit in Vancouver.

Both men had spoken in front of hundreds of delegates, with Suliman remaining in stage after his address.

After inviting Rajoub back on stage, Infantino called for both men to stand closer to him with Rajoub declining the photo op, making his protests known. Unperturbed, Infantino put his hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to come closer again.

As Suliman stood motionless, Infantino and Rajoub’s conversation grew more impassioned with the words largely not audible to those watching Fifa’s live stream of the event.

Asked what Rajoub said when he refused, Palestinian FA Vice-President Susan Shalabi, who was in the room, told Reuters: ‘I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and ⁠genocide. We are suffering.’

As the two delegates stood apart, Infantino returned to the podium alone.

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Palestinian FA president Jibril Rajoub walks away from Infantino (AP)

Rajoub refuses to stand together with Israel Football Association Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman (AP)

‘Let me please say something,’ Infantino said. ‘Let me thank the two representatives from Israel and from Palestine, who have the same rights, duties and obligations, who are members of FIFA. We will work together, let’s work together to give hope to the children, let’s work together for that. 

‘We have a beautiful under-15 tournament coming up, where we will invite all 211 countries to participate, all the children of the world, let’s do it for that. Let’s work together, you have my commitment, you have the support of the whole room.’

Infantino then hugged both men separately as they left the stage.

Infantino tried to convince Rajoub to join him closer on stage (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Infantino went onto confirm his intentions to stand for re-election for a third fill term as Fifa president next year.

But his attempts to orchestrate the he handshake were described as ‘absurd’.

Palestinian FA Vice-President Shalabi said: ‘To be put in a position where to ‌have a handshake after everything that was said, this ‌negates the whole purpose of the speech that the general (Rajoub) was giving.

‘He spent like 15 minutes trying to explain to everyone how the rules matter, how this could easily become a precedent where the rights of ⁠member associations are violated with impudence, and then we’ll just wrap this under the carpet. It was absurd.’

Comments Add as preferred source

^ ^ Fulham without three stars for Arsenal clash in boost for Gunners

Arteta’s side in need of another huge three points (Picture: Getty)

Marco Silva will be without three of his Fulham stars for their Premier League clash with Arsenal this weekend.

The Cottagers make the short trip across the capital for what is another must-win game for Mikel Arteta’s side on Saturday evening.

The Gunners have moved three points clear at the summit again with Manchester City involved in FA Cup action last weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side do not play Everton until Monday night, giving Arsenal the chance to move six points clear tomorrow.

One former Arsenal star will not be involved against his old side. Alex Iwobi was forced off before half-time in the goalless draw with Brentford two weeks ago after pulling up with a hamstring injury.

It ruled him out of last weekend’s victory over Aston Villa with Silva confirming the Nigeria international remains sidelined.

Ryan Sessegnon scored the winner in that game against Unai Eemry’s side before he was forced off late on. The knock will rule the 25-year-old out of the game at the Emirates and Fulham’s next game against Bournemouth.

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Sessegnon scored the winner against Aston Villa last weekend (Picture: Getty)

Summer signing Kevin, who has scored a respectable eight goals in his first season in England, remains sidelined having missed the last seven games with a metatarsal bruise.

Fulham are likely to have Kenny Tete available again, however.

‘It’s not good news about him,’ said Silva when asked about Sessegnon.

Iwobi will miss out against his former side (Picture: Getty)

‘Sessegnon is going to be out of the next game, and probably the one after will be the same story for him, and then we will have to assess him day by day. For the Arsenal game, for sure out. For the game after, for sure out.

‘Alex [Iwobi] is out still, plus Kevin. Kenny [Tete], we will have to see how he reacts from the last two sessions. He can probably be involved in the game.

‘We have some doubts on some players, but we will assess them tomorrow to see how they react from things that happened in the week.’

Arsenal beat Fulham 1-0 in the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage in October.

Comments Add as preferred source

#fulham

^ ^ Could Jose Mourinho really make a sensational return to Real Madrid?

Jose Mourinho looks like he’s heading back to the big time for a second spell at Real Madrid, and you’d be forgiven for wondering why.

The ‘Special One’ has been getting less and less special in recent years as his managerial career has spun downwards from Europe’s best sides to the likes of Roma and Fenerbache. But Madrid have had a disastrous time by their standards and are on track for a second trophyless season in a row for the first time in 20 years.

If there’s one thing President Florentino Perez cares about more than anything else, it’s winning.

That’s where he reportedly wants Jose to come in.

Mourinho was shown a red card when his current club Benfica faced Madrid earlier this season (Picture: Angel Martinez/Getty)

Madrid’s biggest successes over the past 15 years came with Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, two managers known for not overloading players with silly things like tactical instructions.

Perez tried to change last year by appointing a fancy modern coach in Xabi Alonso but sacked him as soon as the players decided they didn’t like being told where to stand or how to play.

Perhaps Perez thinks going back to basics will mark the start of a new era of continental dominance for Madrid.

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Mourinho was being coy when asked about a potential return this week.

‘My next goal is to get Benfica to the Champions League.’ he said.

‘If we win the next three matches, we’ll play in Europe’s biggest competition. That’s the only thing on my mind.’

Enjoying this? Read more in Metro's football newsletter In The Mixer

Get punchy analysis, transfer talk and previews of the biggest games direct to your inbox every Friday. Sign up here.

Would Mourinho be a success back at Real Madrid?

Let’s get the ‘for’ column out of the way first.

Madrid’s players are better than most other teams, so it only takes a bit of motivation to turn them from second place failures to league winners – Mourinho can probably still do that.

But even winning the league isn’t enough at Madrid, where the Champions League and style of play are king, and it makes the ‘against’ column much meatier. Mourinho has had mixed results wherever he’s been since his second spell at Chelsea ended in tears in 2015.

On the pitch his teams tend to look toothless and disjointed, and there’s a sense that his style of play doesn’t work at the highest level any more – especially when you consider how difficult it is to get the likes of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe to do any sort of defending.

That’s on the pitch, but it’s off the pitch where bigger problems may lie.

Just this season Mourinho robustly defended Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni after he was accused of making a racist remark towards Vinicius in the Champions League. Prestianni denied this, admitted he was being homophobic instead and got a six-game ban from UEFA.

Would Vinicius accept a manager who this week backed Prestianni yet again?

‘If I were in the stands, I’d be applauding too,’ Mourinho said after fans celebrated the winger’s return to the pitch on Saturday.

Given Madrid’s success relies on players feeling the love, it’s hardly a match made in heaven. 

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source

#mourinho