1. City manager says 'we need to make our noise’

Enzo Maresca has called on Manchester City fans to bring inflatable bananas to help inspire the team in their first Premier League home game since being found guilty of financial breaches when they take on Ipswich on Saturday. Supporters packed the away end at Liverpool with the novelty items as a nod to the club’s history last weekend.

Blow-up bananas became popular among City fans in the 1980s and 1990s when they spent time in the second and third tiers, and have been revived in reaction to the threat of being sanctioned with relegation and to show there is plenty to reflect on before the 2008 takeover.

“Very nice,” Maresca said of the inflatables. “I didn’t know the history behind the banana. I hope tomorrow I can see many bananas in the stadium. I think it creates a nice environment for the fans and for everyone that is in the stadium. I have four kids, they already asked me [for bananas], but tomorrow they’re going to be at the stadium and we’ll see.”

It comes after Maresca dropped points for the first time as City manager, losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. City are three points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and victory would make Maresca the first manager to win their first seven Premier League games with a club. City are playing against a backdrop of being the focus of anger around the country.

“We need to try to make our noise,” Maresca said. “And to make our noise means win at Anfield, try to win tomorrow. And this is the way we can make our noise. The different kind of noise, we are not able to control that. I think Rúben [Dias] said that people don’t like the City win. But we like to win. So I think that is a good message for everyone. Probably since the noise, we can see, I can see from my personal point of view, the fans, the club, the team, more together for sure. But we’ll see.” Will Unwin

2. James could be sidelined until after Christmas

Xabi Alonso said Reece James will not be hurried back from injury following knee surgery, with Chelsea set to be without their captain possibly until the new year. The 26-year-old was injured in training before last weekend’s 5-1 win at home to Bournemouth and has undergone successful surgery, described by the club as a “minor” operation.

James played 29 times in the Premier League last season, the most appearances he had made in a league campaign since 2020-21, having previously sustained a succession of injuries.

“We’re all disappointed for him,” said Alonso. “He wanted to have a good start after the international break, but in the last training he picked up an injury. We wanted to be cautious and to wait for the results of the tests, but now the surgery has been successful. We’ll keep supporting him. He’s a great influence even when he’s not available. We wish him the best recovery.

“It’s not going to be short, it’s not going to be two or three weeks, it’s going to be longer. We’ll see before Christmas, after Christmas. Time will tell. Things have to be done properly.”

James was not one of the five players to withdraw from England duty during the break, though he does now look set to miss the next international window when England will face Croatia at Wembley and an away game against Spain.

Moises Caicedo made his first start of the season against Bournemouth and made an immediate impact in helping the team to control the game, something that the side had struggled with during Alonso’s first few matches. Jordan Henderson started alongside Caicedo and scored his first two Blues goals, while Romeo Lavia, another player to have suffered badly with fitness since joining Chelsea, has made an injury-free start to the season.

“I think we’ll be able to manage well with the players we have, the ones who have been playing and who are available,” said Alonso. “Reece is still a very important player. He’s the captain, a great influence. He has a good mentality and we need him.” Press Association

3. Lampard will keep driving Coventry revival

Frank Lampard is not prepared to relax after watching his Coventry side record back-to-back wins in the Premier League. The Sky Blues looked to be in for a long season after losing their opening four games without scoring a goal on their return to the top tier, but they have kickstarted their campaign with wins against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle and Lampard wants to keep the foot on the gas.

“Keep driving it,” he said. “It’s very important to look at the good things out of the game, also the things we can improve. But when we talk about the good things, I’m not overly patting them on the back because we have to work hard to get better.

“Every game brings different challenges, so I think the players understand me and my approach and the staff’s approach here. We never want to rest. I don’t. I’m always fearful of resting on something and thinking that you’ve made it. This league’s too difficult for that.

“So one of my first jobs is to keep pushing from that front, and the players need to feel that.” Press Association

4. Iraola has faith in teenager Nyoni

Andoni Iraola, the Liverpool head coach, has every faith in Trey Nyoni as the 19-year-old looks set for his first Premier League start. The teenager put in a composed display in the 6-3 Champions League win over LASK in midweek, and with Ryan Gravenberch suspended and Dominik Szoboszlai still struggling with a hamstring injury, it is likely he will line up alongside Alexis Mac Allister at Brentford.

Nyoni has made 26 appearances since his debut in February 2024, 10 of which have been as a substitute in the top flight, but after playing 85 minutes on his first Champions League start in the midweek win, Iraola has no doubts about the youngster’s quality.

“Trey is a player that is very young with not a lot of minutes in the first team, but is very mature, he understands the situation very well, he understands the game very well and tactically he is very smart,” Iraola said. “But he has to continue doing the steps in the right direction, I am confident with him.

“He has been involved in most of the last games but he has to keep this level of performance, of training, he has to play as a six, as an eight, he has to start and play a game like LASK, putting pressure on the other midfielders. It is very good for us that we can put in these young players with not a lot of experience and they can perform in a competition like the Champions League or the Premier League.”

Liverpool are in a run of six games in 18 days and Iraola knows he will have to call on Nyoni regularly. “In this period, especially, where we are basically playing every three days, less than three days, you need more players,” he said. “That’s why we changed the team [in midweek] and we need to change again at the weekend and change again when we face Villarreal in another three days.

“We will need everyone in one moment or another, everyone has to be ready because we will need him probably. But this is the challenge of playing, no? It’s competitions like the Champions League and it’s not going to just happen this week, it is going to be a constant thing this season so we have to adapt.” Press Association

5. Gibbs-White a doubt for Arsenal encounter

Nottingham Forest are sweating on the fitness of Morgan Gibbs-White before Sunday’s clash with Arsenal. The England international picked up a “minor” calf injury in last weekend’s defeat at Crystal Palace and will be assessed before the visit of the champions.

“Morgan Gibbs-White is a doubt, he couldn’t train the entire week with us,” the manager, Oliver Glasner, said. “But it looks like he can join tomorrow’s session. He had an individual session today with our rehab coaches. Then we have to see how he reacts today and how he deals with tomorrow’s session, and then how we take the final decision.”

Forest will also assess Nikola Milenkovic, who has returned to training after a bone bruise. “Milenkovic trained for the first time today,” Glasner said. “Let’s see now how he reacts. He could be in the matchday squad, but let’s see, because he’s now out for several weeks.” Press Association