Premier League team news, previews and Chelsea v Tottenham buildup – live!

Only a smattering of days ago, Raheem Sterling’s agent said his client was solely focused on all things Manchester City, but the man himself has opened the door to a future switch to Real Madrid. In an interview with Spanish outlet AS, the 25-year-old was asked whether he would, one day, fancy a move to Madrid: “How do I answer that one? Is the camera live or is it just taking pictures? No one knows what the future will hold. I am a player and I am always open to challenges but right now my challenge is at City and I’m really happy. I have a contract with City now and I have to respect this. Real Madrid are a fantastic club. When you see the white shirt you know exactly what the club stands for, it’s massive.”

Asked about speculation linking him with a move to the Bernabéu, Sterling said: “It’s something that you see all the time, but I’m a City player and I’m enjoying it at the moment, even if things haven’t gone quite planned in the league. We now have a massive opportunity in the Champions League.”

City play Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first leg at the Bernabéu on Wednesday and the return game at Etihad Stadium on 17 March. Sterling is facing a race to be fit in time for the tie after suffering a hamstring injury against Tottenham at the beginning of February.

Bury AFC will begin life in the 10th tier of the English pyramid:

Own up, how many times have you replayed Rúben Neves’s delicious and, frankly, preposterous volley last night?

Neves does not score that many goals but when he does they tend to be spectacular. Adama Traoré ran at Dídac Vilà and crossed towards the far post but Victor Gómez could not have suspected what was to follow as he headed away. Neves got in front of his man, chested the ball gently down and unleashed such an aesthetically-pleasing volley that many Wolves fans were on their feet celebrating even before the ball reached the back of the net.

If Monk v Clotet round two does not steal the show at St Andrew’s, then ludicrously good 16-year-old Jude Bellingham probably will:

Technically, he is a first-year scholar earning £145 a week, unable to sign a professional contract until he turns 17 in June. Those who work with Bellingham highlight his work ethic and notably the physical strides he has made over the past months – his manager revealed Bellingham had grown 2.4cm since August – and there is a sense he will end up as a No 8, though he has thrived on both flanks.

New balls please. Phwoar, just listen to this. The Premier League are set to give Nike’s latest hot prospect ‘Tunnel Vision Merlin’ a debut this weekend at Stamford Bridge, for Chelsea’s showdown with Tottenham. As if the fare was not exhilarating enough already, the league have laid on a real treat with news that Merlin, which frankly sounds like a club mascot, will be given its first runout. Nike say the ‘tunnel-vision’ aspect “highlights the balance of clarity and disorder with bright orange circles amid a flurry of graphics”. Cute. Oh, and one of the panels features the Premier League trophy, as if the teams needed reminding.

The Championship is hotting up, with Wayne Rooney’s Derby™ taking on Fulham on Friday evening before a whole host of intriguing ties on Saturday afternoon, notably promotion-chasing Brentford against in-form Blackburn, who are lurking just outside the play-off places under Tony Mowbray, who will celebrate three years in charge this weekend. Elsewhere, Leeds host Reading and Garry Monk returns to Birmingham with Sheffield Wednesday, inevitably stirring memories of his stinging verbal attack on former assistant Pep Clotet before the sides met in November, when Monk refused to shake hands with the Spaniard.

I don’t speak with him. I think what’s most important to me when I’m assembling a staff around me is to give them opportunity. You show them complete trust and you hope they repay that trust with hard work and loyalty. Sadly not everyone has those values in their character. Some choose to pursue their own opportunities in the worst possible way. I think the most important thing for me is you live and you learn. I didn’t listen to a lot of people in football circles who warned me about the type of character he is. It was an error in judgment by me, but it’s an error I won’t make in the future.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has been bigging up Anthony Martial after the Frenchman’s star turn in Brugge, backing the Manchester United forward to break the hallowed 20-goal barrier. “I think Anthony can step up, get a few more and get to the 20 mark,” Solskjær said. Definitely. He’s got quality of course, he’s a very good finisher. He takes his chances really well. There’s good technique in his finishing. He’s good receiving the ball at times and dropping off. He can play almost like a false nine as well. Sometimes I’d like him to be stronger physically.”

Now then, could Olivier Giroud return to haunt José Mourinho? Will Emi Buendía come up trumps for Norwich? And does Ismaïla Sarr hold the key to Watford’s survival hopes?

Roll up, roll up! Get yer rumours:

Steve Bruce has welcomed the walking wounded back into the fold at Newcastle United this week and says Jonjo Shelvey, Emil Krafth and Big Andy Carroll are not too far away from action either. “It’s the first time we’ve had 18 or 19 players training for weeks so it’s a welcome boost,” he said. “Dwight Gayle has trained all week and puts himself in contention, so does Yoshi Muto. Christian Atsu is sick and we’ve got a slight doubt about Joelinton, who has a bit of a sore thigh, but we expect him to be OK.”

Eddie Howe is also an early bird, and there’s a mini-boost for Bournemouth in the sense that David Brooks is edging back to fitness, though this weekend’s trip to Burnley still comes too soon for the Wales winger. “No one will return [from injury] for this game but there is a group of four who are making good progress,” said Howe, who remains without Charlie Daniels and Arnaut Danjuma. “David has had his best week in terms of his recovery, but there is still a way to go.”

We are in for a blockbuster. Not only will we chew over every last word from the Arsenal, Wolves and Rangers camps following a jolly good night’s work in the Europa League, and doubtless a healthy dosing of Manchester United reaction after their outing to Brugge, but there is also the small fry of Chelsea v Tottenham, aka Lampard v Mourinho, and Leicester v Manchester City to look forward to. And that’s before we get stuck into the chaos of the Championship and beyond, namely

Middlesbrough’s
Barcelona’s Martin Braithwaite and Fulham’s trip to Derby tonight.

Saturday’s Premier League action

Chelsea v Tottenham, 12.30pm (GMT)
Burnley v Bournemouth
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Sheffield United v Brighton
Southampton v Aston Villa
Leicester v Man City

Sunday

Manchester United v Watford, 2pm
Wolves v Norwich City, 2pm
Arsenal v Everton, 4.30pm

Monday

Liverpool v West Ham, 8pm