Clubs complain to PGMOL

GM football fans. Route One here, and we’re covering clubs complaining about Arsenal’s ‘dark arts’, the anger towards the PGMOL and much more. Enjoy Route One? Share us with a friend on WhatsApp with this link.

CARABAO CUP STATS

Liverpool vs West Ham (20:00 UK). Liverpool barely broke a sweat in a 5-1 win over the Hammers in the 2023-24 quarter-finals. But West Ham made partial amends with a 2-2 league game in April – ending a five-game losing streak against the Reds. The game where Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah had their touchline spat. Arsenal vs Bolton (19:45 UK). These sides have met 133 times in all competitions, with the Gunners winning 58 times compared to 39 for Bolton. It’s been 12 years since their last meeting in the League Cup, with Arshavin, Park Chu-Young and Oxlade Chamberlain as the front-line for the Gunners. Full results from last night’s fixtures here.

Plus…

• Premier League Matchday 6 officials released (More)

• Europa League predictions (More)

• Lebanese FA postpones all matches amid conflict (More)

• The first El Clasico date confirmed as October 26 (More)

• Postponed AFC Wimbledon vs Newcastle rescheduled for October 1 (More)

• Aliko Dangote says that the "time has passed" for him to buy Arsenal (Watch)

• Martin Odegaard’s return ‘weeks’ away (More)

ARSENAL’S ‘DARK ARTS’

Premier League clubs complain to PGMOL about Arsenal’s use of ‘dark arts’

Premier League clubs have sent concerns about ‘gamesmanship’ and Arsenal’s use of the “dark arts” to the PGMOL. The officiating group also confirmed that Myles Lewis-Skelly was booked for telling David Raya to waste time during Sunday’s bout against Manchester City. New footage suggests manager Mikel Arteta asked the teenager to relay the message.

The main source of delay came through goal-kicks, with each one taking Raya 45.3 seconds on average – meaning that nine minutes of the game were wasted. That’s almost a minute longer than the next highest this season. Arsenal have delayed restarts more than any other Premier League team. On average, Arteta’s side delay corners, freekicks and throw-ins by 34 seconds, a second more than Aston Villa.

But Arteta dismissed claims that his side engages in ‘dark arts’ saying that he prefers “facts to words”. In fairness, despite the time wasted, Opta calculated that the ball was in play for 63:28 minutes overall, the fifth-longest total in a game so far this season. Still, coaches and analysts complained about Arsenal’s apparent gamesmanship last season and have re-upped the issue with the PGMOL. Former Arsenal boss and Fifa chief Arsene Wenger reiterated last year that time-wasting rules will improve and “the team who wants to play [should] be rewarded”.

POLL

HEAD START

🏆 Vini Jr told he’s Ballon d’Or winner, reportedly. Spanish outlet Marca claims that France Football has already told Vinicius Jr that he will win the Ballon d’Or at next month’s ceremony. Last season, the Brazilian winger bagged 24 goals and 11 assists, as well as a goal in the Champions League final and two in the semi-finals against Bayern Munich.

🎟️ Liverpool and West Ham groups unite. Both sets of supporters’s groups will protest against ticket prices before their Carabao Cup clash tonight. Their respective unions have been pushing back against various changes to ticket price structures, including the removal of concessions for seniors, youth and disabled fans.

💰Everton takeover expected by December. Everton expect to be under new ownership by Christmas after Dan Friedkin agreed a £500mn package to buy the the club. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval. 

PREMIER LEAGUE OFFICIATING

Howard Webb to avoid Premier League clubs’ criticism over referring by avoiding Thursday’s meeting 

Former referee Howard Webb was set to sit down with Premier League clubs who are seeking questions on refereeing standards this season. The questioning was meant to take place during the league’s shareholders’ meeting on Thursday. But new reports say that the PGMOL chief is now not attending the meeting – and will leave it to Tony Scholes, the Premier League chief football officer, to answer clubs’ questions.

Several top flight clubs have expressed anger about what they claim are mistakes by officials in the early weeks of the season. Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City are said to be the least happy. 

The criticism comes after consecutive weekends with controversial officiating calls. Last week, Leicester manager Steve Cooper claimed he had proof that the PGMOL used “false images” for VAR in his side’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Forest are angry over a red card issued to their head coach Nuno Espirito Santo in their 2-2 draw with Brighton on Sunday. Nuno, Morgan Gibbs-White and Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler have all been charged by the FA following their red cards. PGMOL believes many of the decisions that clubs dispute were, in fact, correct.

AROUND THE FOOTBALL WORLD

🇮🇹 Italy: Uefa won’t give 2027 Champions League final to San Siro as it looks for a new venue (More); they’ve reopened bidding (More)

🇪🇸 Spain: Enzo Zidane, the eldest of Zinedine Zidane’s four sons, is retiring from football at the age of 29 to focus on the family’s investments (More)

🇫🇷 Ligue 1: Lyon’s parent company, Eagle Football Holdings, is considering job cuts amid financial stress; The company is owned by John Textor, the billionaire who was interested in buying Everton (More)

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Neymar is supporting Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup (Watch); while chief executive denies sports washing behind bid (More)

🇦🇷 Argentine Primera Division: Boca Juniors banned ex-Man United goalkeeper Sergio Romero for two games for losing his cool with club supporter (More)

WEEKDAY RESULTS ROUND-UP

Carabao Cup

Chelsea breeze past Barrow 5-0. Christopher Nkunku scored a hat-trick to take him to six goals in eight appearances this season for the Blues — his second of the night is worth a watch. Manchester City advance with a 2-1 win over Championship side Watford. Matheus Nunes scored his first City goal to hand Watford their 16th straight defeat against the current Premier League champions. Aston Villa go through with a 2-1 win over League One Wycombe Wanderers. You guessed it, Jhon Duran found himself on the score sheet with an 85th-minute penalty. Leicester City squeeze through on penalties against Walsall. After a goalless match, Leicester keeper Danny Ward saved all three penalties for the Foxes to win 3-0 in the shootout.

La Liga

Real Madrid narrowly beat Alaves 3-2. Despite a comfortable start, Alvares scored two late goals to produce a nervy end. Kylian Mbappe scored in his fifth consecutive match, taking him to seven goals in nine appearances for Los Blancos.

ROUTER’S VOICE

Yesterday, we asked you: Can a match be considered a classic without any tension or animosity between the teams?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 ✅ Yes, great football doesn’t need animosity... (59%)

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ❌ No, the tension makes it a classic... (39%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (2%)

Your punditry takes:

• ✅ W.S: “Yes, but there must be SOME history behind the fixture - for example, Bayern against Real is considered as a classic. However, if they didn't clash a few times at late UCL stages, it wouldn't be considered as one.”

• ❌ M.B: “If it just feels like another game in terms of atmosphere of course not, there needs to be an actual level of emotion towards the other team.”

• ✍️ P.T: “I want to see high-level football with players that put everything on the line. But it shouldn't be at the expense of the players’ safety or the flow of play. In recent years, the City vs Liverpool rivalry found the right balance.”

EXTRA TIME

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PSG launch third kit in collaboration with Jordan. / w images

Mbappe’s laughs off goalkeeper taunts with hilarious response.

Actor Matthew McConaughey is better at football than we thought.

Keane and Viera spark rivalry again.

Don’t climb over seats in front of Hansi Flick.

City vs Arsenal bench footage released.

Phil Jones slams Ralf Rangnick’s man management.

Napoli are loving Scott McTominay.

GAME FACE ON

Question: Only five players have achieved more than 100 assists in the Premier League. Can you name all five?

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Carabao Cup 3rd Round

• Arsenal vs Bolton (19:45)

• Liverpool vs West Ham (20:00)

Europa League

• Man United vs Twente (20:00)

• Galatasaray vs PAOK (20:00)

• Nice vs Real Sociedad (20:00)

• All fixtures can be found here.

La Liga

• Girona vs Vallecano (18:00)

• Barcelona vs Getafe (20:00)

*All times in UK. EST -5. PST -8. CET +1. CST +8. JST +9.

Answer

• Ryan Giggs – 162 assists

• Kevin De Bruyne – 113 assists

• Cesc Fabregas – 111 assists

• Wayne Rooney – 103 assists

• Frank Lampard – 102 assists