FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2026 — The international break giveth, and the international break taketh away. English football returns this weekend with the biggest game of the season so far — and neither side is at full strength. Liverpool confirmed Friday that Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo, the two men behind five of the club’s seven league goals, will miss Sunday’s Super Sunday showdown with Manchester City. At the other end of the story, Enzo Maresca finally faced the cameras and told the world he completely trusts the club found guilty of 114 financial charges. And in north London, Arsenal are quietly having the best week of any title contender: Mikel Arteta signed a new contract on Wednesday, and Declan Rice is about to. Here is the state of the soccer world as club football roars back.
Liverpool’s attack, decimated at the worst moment
Andoni Iraola confirmed the bad news Friday, per Reuters: Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are out of Sunday’s clash with Manchester City. Gakpo hurt his ankle for the Netherlands against Serbia — “a really bad tackle,” Iraola said, and it’s now about managing the pain; he’s working individually. Isak suffered what Iraola called a “small” thigh injury with Sweden against Romania; Sweden boss Graham Potter didn’t think it was serious. Neither looks long-term, but neither trains for Sunday.
There is a crumb of comfort: Jeremy Jacquet is fit after a hamstring scare with France, and Hugo Ekitike remains out. The cruel math: five of Liverpool’s seven Premier League goals this season came from Isak or Gakpo — Isak had finally found form with four goals in the opening five league games. That likely means Bradley Barcola leading the line — yet to score for club or country this season — or 21-year-old Wales forward Lewis Koumas, of whom Iraola said: “Koumas has our trust.”
City, meanwhile, are 5-0-0 and top of the table. Liverpool are unbeaten but sixth, six points back, with two wins and three draws. Kickoff Sunday 4:30pm UK time — 8:30 in the morning in Las Vegas — live on NBC.
Maresca’s defiant Friday
Enzo Maresca held his first press conference since the September 29 guilty verdict — 45 journalists, 16 minutes, almost every question about the charges — and he did not flinch. “I completely trust the club,” he said, naming the owner, the CEO, the sporting director, the whole organization. Asked whether the club’s titles felt tainted, he answered: “Absolutely not” — noting he was on Pep Guardiola’s staff for the 2022-23 treble and knows exactly what went into it. Asked if he would have taken the job had the verdict come first: “100%, yes.” Asked if he would stay if City were relegated, he said: “I won the Championship with Leicester. League One? We will see.”
City lodged their appeal on October 1, in a statement that said the club holds a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence” and called the commission’s opinion full of “clear material errors, of law, principle and fact.” Under Premier League rules the appeal hearing must finish within 12 weeks — by December 24 — with a decision within 30 days after, Reuters reports. Sanctions get a separate, confidential hearing. Erling Haaland also addressed the verdict publicly this week. Sunday at Anfield is City’s first game of the guilty-verdict era.
Rice stays — and Arsenal are locking the whole thing down
The champions are having a week. Mikel Arteta signed a new contract on Wednesday — “It’s a privilege to commit my future to the club,” he said. And now, per BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel, Declan Rice is close to agreeing a new long-term deal, with final details being discussed. The numbers: Rice is on a reported £240,000 a week; Arsenal are ready to put him on roughly £350,000 — parity with Bukayo Saka, making them the club’s joint-highest earners.
Fabrizio Romano posted Friday morning: “Arsenal are closing in on new deal for Declan Rice after Mikel Arteta, plan 100% confirmed… Rice has already decided to stay.” That ends Real Madrid’s long-standing interest before the January window even opens. For a squad limping through the break — Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis out with hamstrings, Rice himself withdrawn from England for load management — this is the other kind of good news: the core is staying. TeamTalk also claims Martin Ødegaard is expected to sign a new long-term contract. Arsenal host Leeds on Saturday in the early kickoff, three points behind City. We have the full Arsenal vs Leeds preview.
Matchweek 6: the full weekend guide
Saturday: Arsenal vs Leeds (12:30pm UK) opens it; then Aston Villa vs Brentford, Chelsea vs Bournemouth, Ipswich vs Fulham, Sunderland vs Brighton (3pm); Manchester United vs Tottenham (5:30pm) under the lights. Sunday: Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest (2pm), Hull vs Everton (2pm), Liverpool vs Manchester City (4:30pm). Monday: Coventry vs Newcastle (8pm).
The United-Spurs game is a beautiful mess: United sit 12th on five points under Michael Carrick with an injury list that reads like a ward — Manuel Ugarte (knee, long-term), Matthijs de Ligt (back), Benjamin Sesko (shin, major doubt), Patrick Dorgu (hamstring, major doubt), Noussair Mazraoui (back, major doubt), plus Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford both doubts after withdrawing from England, per Sports Mole’s latest injury roundup. Summer signing Carlos Baleba could finally debut. Spurs are somehow worse off: bottom of the table with two goals scored all season under Roberto De Zerbi, missing Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert (both ACL), Mykhailo Mudryk (ankle), and Jan Paul van Hecke (foot). Somebody has to win. Probably.
MLS: Haile-Selassie gets paid, St. Louis won’t lose
Chicago’s statement 3-1 win over Western leaders Vancouver on Tuesday — Bamba, Zinckernagel and Maren Haile-Selassie on the scoresheet — keeps looking better, and now the Fire have locked down the breakout star behind it: Haile-Selassie agreed a long-term extension Thursday, Reuters reported. Nine goals and nine assists in 27 league games (21 starts), leading the club with 18 goal contributions in a career year. “Not only is he a really good player, but he’s a tremendous person,” coach Gregg Berhalter said. “This long-term contract extension is a great signing for the club.” The Fire sit fifth in the East on 42 points, two off third.
Out west, St. Louis City carry a 17-game unbeaten streak into Sunday’s clash with the LA Galaxy — MLSsoccer.com notes the Galaxy have won three straight themselves and João Klauss is scoring again, so something has to give. Nashville (60 points) keep cruising toward the Supporters’ Shield. One to watch: MLS commissioner Don Garber publicly named Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane — under contract through June 2027 — as a dream target for the league, per AS USA. And FC Cincinnati finally get reinforcements for the league’s leakiest defenses: Tyrell Malacia has his work visa and is eligible for Saturday’s trip to Atlanta, with David Douděra and Julián Malatini also available. In the NWSL, Boston Legacy FC completed a $500,000 trade for Nigerian forward Gift Monday from the Washington Spirit.
The calendar ahead
Champions League Matchday 2 lands October 13-14 — Manchester City host PSG in a game that now carries a very different charge, Roma welcome Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid face Manchester United, and Arsenal go to Lille. Then on October 26, the Ballon d’Or at the London Palladium, with Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal headlining. And if you want to watch Super Sunday with a few thousand friends, NBC’s Premier League Mornings Live fan festival takes over Denver this weekend.