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Phil Foden is back to his best at the perfect time for Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola full of praise for the England star ahead of Sunday's blockbuster clash with Arsenal. After a difficult 2024-25 season, Foden has rediscovered his spark in recent games, scoring against Manchester United on Sunday and assisting versus Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday.

• Foden back in form after forgettable 2024-25 season

  Foden struggled for form throughout the 2024-25 campaign, netting just seven league goals after being crowned Player of the Season a year earlier. However, he has reignited his impact this term with goal contributions in back-to-back matches against Manchester United and Napoli. His standout performance came against the latter on Thursday in the Champions League, where he created eight chances – the most in his Manchester City career to date.

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  Guardiola lays praise on 'the Phil that we know'

  "You could not imagine how much I missed him," Guardiola said in his post-match press conference. "The last two games have been the Phil that we know. He brings a sense of danger close to the box and he could have scored again.

  "We are so happy because I know that he is happy and has joy. Life is fine so the rest is natural with his incredible talent. Some people are sensitive, and he is a guy who needs to feel embraced. With me, with the club. After that he is the player that he is."

• Man City need Foden's resurgence

  Foden’s resurgence comes at a vital time, with City already under pressure in the title race following early defeats to Tottenham and Brighton. Guardiola’s faith in using him centrally rather than out wide has helped him rediscover his best form. With Arsenal up next, Foden’s creativity and energy could prove decisive in a match that feels crucial even at this early stage.

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  Foden and Man City up against Arteta's Arsenal

  Manchester City head to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday for a huge Premier League test against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Guardiola will be hoping Foden can extend his purple patch and make the difference in a game that may set the tone for the title race.

Florian Wirtz opened up on his slow Liverpool start and insisted that he is desperate to bring out his best form amid Jurgen Klopp's "give him time" message. The German star arrived at Anfield with the weight of expectation on his shoulders after tearing up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen last season. And the £116 million summer signing neither wants sympathy nor excuses for his rusty beginning.

• Klopp's words met with defiance

  While Liverpool have stormed out of the gates with a perfect start to the campaign, Wirtz himself has yet to light up the scoreboard with either a goal or an assist in the Premier League. Klopp urged both fans and his compatriot to keep calm, reminding everyone that adaptation to the Premier League takes time. Yet Wirtz isn’t buying into that narrative.

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  Wirtz wants to 'just stay cool'

  Speaking to , Wirtz was blunt: "Yes, of course I would have liked to have scored a goal or collected a few points. But no matter what anyone says, I’m staying cool. I know what I’m capable of and I also know that I’ll really bring it onto the pitch at some point, so I’m just staying cool. That’s a good reminder. I don’t want to hear it all the time, 'give him time, give him time.' Instead, I just try to do better each time than before."

• Wirtz convinced of turning form around

  Wirtz admitted that this is unfamiliar territory, a run of games without a tangible end product. "Sometimes there are just phases where things might not go your way; I haven’t had that very often in my career," he added. "Once I’ve got through it, that’s perhaps harsh, because I’m not playing badly, I just haven’t got the scoring points yet, it will come at some point, and then everything will be fine. It’s no secret that I’d like to have more so far, but I’m patient, and as I just said, I know full well that I can play good football. Sooner or later, I’m sure that things will return to normal."

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  Slot needs to solve the Wirtz puzzle

  Arne Slot has been praised for Liverpool’s blistering start across all competitions, but the question remains: how do you get the best out of Wirtz? At Leverkusen last season, he thrived in an advanced creative role, racking up 12 goals and 22 assists. At Anfield, he has been shuffled around as Slot tinkers with his system, and the fine margins of Premier League football have kept him quiet.

  Wirtz was benched for the Merseyside derby against Everton, only coming on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win. But with competition fierce and the Reds already firing, he’ll need to seize his chance soon to become more than just the expensive passenger in a flying machine. The German ace has his next opportunity to silence doubters on Tuesday night when Liverpool host Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

This summer transfer window has acted as a period of change for Liverpool, and it has felt at times like the transition from the end of the Jürgen Klopp reign to the start of the Arne Slot one. Whilst this will be Slot’s second season at the club, last year’s Premier League-winning campaign was predominantly done with his predecessor’s signings, with the exception of Federico Chiesa.

Prominent members of Liverpool’s front line have departed the club this summer, including Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, which have helped fund new faces. Liverpool’s opening day win against Bournemouth has demonstrated Slot’s favour towards his own signings, as four of the starting eleven were signings from this summer.

Slot now looks likely to remove another one of Klopp’s favourites as a German club are prepared to offer Liverpool a massive return on their investment.

RB Leipzig preparing bid for Elliott as personal terms agreed

RB Leipzig are preparing to submit a bid worth £25.9 million for Liverpool and England attacking midfielder, Harvey Elliott. This report comes from the Empire of the Kop, who stated that Liverpool’s valuation of Elliott is closer to £34.5 million, and the gap between the two figures will “potentially be bridged through structured payments and add-ons”.

This deal will see Liverpool receive more than 500% profit on Elliott, given that he only cost them £4.3 million when they signed him from Fulham in 2019.

Elliott has fallen out of favour at Liverpool since Slot took over, with his appearances dropping from 53 in all competitions during the 23/24 campaign to 28 appearances in all competitions in the 24/25 campaign. Since departing Liverpool, Klopp has taken over as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull and may be one of the figures behind recruiting Elliott.

Empire of the Kop also report that Elliot has come to terms with the fact that he does not feature heavily in Slot’s plans and is accepting a move to the Bundesliga, having already agreed personal terms in principle. These personal terms include a pay rise where he’ll increase from the £2.08 million that he earns each year at Liverpool to a new salary between £2.6 million and £3.4 million a year.

Elliott's transfer adds to Slot's forward depth issues

While Elliott didn’t feature prominently for Slot last season, his departure would still add to the minutes that need to be made up. Slot’s new-look forward line will have to make up for the minutes of the recently sold Diaz and Nunez, as well as those of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away in the summer.

Whilst it may seem like a mammoth task to make up 5,082 minutes, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké came close to that last season. Across the last Bundesliga campaign, the pair racked up 4,933 minutes of game time, only 149 minutes short of what the listed players played combined.

Arsenal have their eyes on an “extraordinary” attacker amid their transfer talks for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.

Andrea Berta has enjoyed an extremely busy and productive first summer window at the Emirates Stadium already, and Hincapie could be their latest in a long line of excellent additions for Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners have quietly transformed their squad this summer through purposeful reinforcements, with Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks, Martín Zubimendi anchoring the midfield, Christian Nørgaard offering depth, Noni Madueke adding pace on the wing, Cristhian Mosquera bolstering the defence, Viktor Gyökeres adding a proven goal return and Eberechi Eze injecting serious creativity behind the striker as their new number 10 in place of the injured Kai Havertz.

While Berta’s spending has been lavish, with reports placing the total close to or over £270 million, it has been strategically spread across key positions rather than wasted on a single marquee name.

This approach has reinforced multiple areas across the pitch and allows for serious tactical flexibility, as well as responding to the inevitable injuries of a demanding season – which has already happened following Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka’s injuries last weekend.

While Saka is expected to miss four weeks, Odegaard could play against Liverpool on Sunday (football.london). Still, the north Londoners now have quality players to jump in their place, unlike last season.

Arsenal have covered every base: creativity, goals, stability and versatility. With the structure now there, Arteta’s side look ready and raring to take the final step and bring home a Premier League trophy after over two decades of waiting.

They’ve already made an excellent start to the campaign, scoring six goals in two games whilst conceding zero – beating both Man United and Leeds respectively as Arteta’s side gear up for a tough trip to Anfield.

Despite their flurry of transfer activity this summer, they may not be done there, with Arsenal in talks to sign Piero Hincapie after agreeing terms with the Ecuador international as a replacement for FC Porto-bound Jakub Kiwior.

As well as this, with Arsenal often conducting their transfer plans months in advance, the club are scouting future targets.

Arsenal targeting Ajax forward Oscar Gloukh

As per The Mail and journalist Simon Jones, Arsenal have their eyes on four young stars ahead of potential moves, and one of them is highly-rated Ajax forward Oscar Gloukh.

The Israel international has only just signed for Ajax this summer from RB Salzburg for around £12.5 million, but Arsenal are believed to be eyeing Gloukh as a potential future signing alongside the likes of Jon Martin (Real Sociedad), Arnau Martinez (Girona) and Caleb Yirenkyi (FC Nordsjælland).

The 21-year-old Gloukh is a particularly interesting name, as he’s been linked with a move to the Premier League before and already boasts a fantastic reputation.

Wayne Rooney has jumped to the defence of under-fire Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglou, branding the mounting calls for his sacking "absolutely crazy". The former Manchester United star has urged patience amid growing unrest at the City Ground after a disastrous start to the season. Rooney is no stranger to short-lived managerial spells himself, having been sacked by both Birmingham and Plymouth.

• Forest crisis deepens under Postecoglou

  Postecoglou, who only took charge a month ago following Nuno Espirito Santo’s shock dismissal, is already battling for his job after going seven matches without a single win. The Australian’s reign has started with a Carabao Cup exit, a Europa League draw and defeat, and just one Premier League point. The frustration from the stands is palpable. Fans have already turned on the new boss, chanting for Nuno’s return and venting fury at a campaign that’s threatening to collapse before it’s really begun.

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  Rooney calls for patience

  Speaking to the , Rooney didn’t mince his words as he blasted the rumours surrounding Postecoglou’s potential dismissal.

  “It’s crazy. All the rumours that you heard about him, that he could get sacked after six or seven games, it’s absolutely crazy. And I like him, I think he’s a good man," he said.

  "He obviously struggled in the league with Tottenham last season, but then he went and won the Europa League. It was strange seeing Nuno [Espirito Santo] get sacked at Forest, and then they brought Ange in. If he does get sacked, I think it’s absolutely wrong."

  Rooney questioned the management and went on to stress the challenge Postecoglou inherited. "I’ve not heard anyone talking about the ownership and the decisions they’re making. They’re the ones making the decisions, so if they do sack him, someone has to be responsible for hiring him in the first place," he added. 

  "The difficulty he’s got is that the style Nuno played compared to what Ange wants to play is completely different. I watched them against Burnley, I thought Forest were very good. And against Real Betis in the Europa League, I thought they were very good in that game as well. He’s been unlucky on a couple of occasions. The problem is, the Forest fans really liked Nuno, and it doesn’t look like they’re willing to give Ange the time.

  “It’s tough, but Ange Postecoglou is a good man. He’s won trophies everywhere he’s been, and I hope he gets the time. But from everything you hear, the Forest fans don’t look like they’re willing to give him that time.”

• Could Ange make unwanted history?

  If the axe falls, Postecoglou risks joining one of football’s most notorious lists: the shortest managerial reigns in Premier League history. The current holder is Sam Allardyce, who lasted just 30 days at Leeds United in 2023. Just above him sits Steve Coppell, who quit Manchester City after 33 days in 1996.

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  Time to fight back

  Whispers inside the club suggest the international break could be decisive, with owner Evangelos Marinakis expected to review the situation before Forest’s next Premier League game. That crucial fixture comes on October 18, when the Tricky Trees host Chelsea, a clash that could determine whether Postecoglou stays or goes. Tactically, he’ll need to conjure something special. Postecoglou has shown promise but lacked consistency, and without results, even the most loyal fans are starting to lose faith.

Arsenal are now preparing an opening bid for a “quick” star, who has agreed personal terms on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Berta has work to do before transfer deadline

It has undoubtedly been a fantastic summer transfer window for Arsenal, with Andrea Berta strengthening the squad significantly, and the recent hijack of Tottenham Hotspur’s move for Eberechi Eze was the icing on the cake.

However, the sporting director still has work to do before the September 1st deadline, considering there may well be some departures before then, with Fabrizio Romano revealing FC Porto are set to make an offer for Jakub Kiwior.

On Monday, it was revealed that another stunning hijack could be on the cards, with Berta lining up a move for Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie, who is also of interest to Tottenham, and there has now been a promising further development.

Taking to X, Romano has revealed that Arsenal are now preparing an opening bid for Hincapie, who has already “said yes” to signing for the Gunners, with personal terms agreed and a long-term deal ready.

Mikel Arteta views the defender as an “ideal signing”, and the deal is now looking increasingly likely, as the Ecuadorian favours a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal reach agreement to sign "explosive" attacking gem after Eze deal

The Gunners are set to sign another attacker…

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 24, 2025

The deal is likely to be an initial loan, which would include an obligation to buy, with the defender being brought in as a direct replacement for Kiwior, who is set to move to FC Porto “soon”.

"Quick" Hincapie could be perfect Kiwior replacement

Arsenal-supporting scout Ben Mattinson has given an overview of the Ecuador international’s abilities in the past, and makes the suggestion that he could be a perfect fit in an Arteta system.

At 23-years-old, the centre-back is at a good age to be a long-term successor to Kiwior, and he is clearly a forward-thinking defender, having performed well across some key metrics over the past year.

Hincapie is clearly an archetypal modern-day centre-back, and his versatility is an added bonus, with the Leverkusen defender also comfortable at left-back, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to get a deal, which is expected to amount to £52m, over the line.

Pep Guardiola has explained how he keeps Erling Haaland motivated after the Manchester City striker took his season tally of goals to 18 in only 11 games for club and country. Haaland scored the only goal of Sunday’s 1-0 win away to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, showing an impressive amount of strength to fire home the winner.

• Haaland downs Brentford with superb goal

  With only ten minutes on the clock, Haaland took a pass from Josko Gvardiol in stride and managed to completely outmuscle Bees defender Sepp van den Berg, powering his way into the penalty area and firing beyond goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for what proved to be the only goal of a close game in west London.

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  Guardiola tells GOAL about talks with Haaland

  In a post-match press conference, GOAL asked Guardiola what his instructions even are for Haaland anymore given his near-guarantee of goals. 

  "Always to try play better and better, to try and play more balls to him to score goals," he replied. "Phil [Foden] is the same. In the first half, there was two or three decisions that was not in the final third perfect, but his commitment was really good. Even defensively. We talked after Monaco, that was really good.

  "Last season, I don’t know if we were in the position we are in right now, we’re a little bit away from everything. But listen, it’s just seven games in the Premier League. From my experience, it never ends. I would say three weeks ago, Liverpool had already won the Premier League, and now apparently not. So this is so long. The important thing is we see the team [getting] better and better. Liverpool is an incredible team, like Arsenal and Chelsea and Tottenham. Bournemouth is there, Brighton is. They’re very good teams. The question is [how to] improve, improve, improve. Winning helps to improve better, but the way we play, the way we defend, the way we do things to help us in the end, to make it close to try to fight like always, except last season."

• Haaland working to become complete forward

  Guardiola also expressed his desire to continue developing Haaland as an all-round striker and not only someone that can score ‘50 million goals’. He added: "I said one month ago he is the best and that year we won the Treble, I don’t know how many goals he scored – maybe 50 million goals.

  "But now he signed a contract for many years – we have to find him more, but he is more involved in the game, not just in the finishing, he is more on the ball and he work a lot his ethic, pressing and I am really pleased and I hope this week with Norway he can score more and come back fit for the Everton game."

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  Haaland eyeing Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe

  Haaland already has nine goals this Premier League campaign alone, three more than the closest challenger – Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth – in the race for the Golden Boot. The only match he has not scored in during 2025-26 was City’s 2-0 defeat at home to Tottenham on the second weekend of the season.

  Only four players have won the Premier League Golden Boot three times or more. Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah have picked it up four times apiece, while Alan Shearer and Harry Kane have taken it home three times each. Haaland, victorious in 2022-23 and 2023-24, is looking to join an exclusive club and regain the top-scorer gong from Salah, who was triumphant for 2024-25. The Norwegian has also spoken of his wish to win the European Golden Shoe, awarded to the top scorer across the entire continent, with Kane, now of Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe seen as his closest challengers on that front.

Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas praised midfielder Diego Luna for his substitute appearance against Ecuador in a 1-1 draw on Friday, highlighting the Real Salt Lake star’s unique flair and presence in midfield. Lalas noted that Luna offers a different look than No. 10 Malik Tillman, bringing a commanding touch to the U.S. attack.

• 'A different look out there'

  Following the October friendly against Ecuador, Lalas praised Luna’s impact after he replaced Weston McKennie in the second half. The FOX Sports commentator acknowledged Tillman’s quality but drew a clear distinction between their styles.

   “Luna wants to be on the ball and he does bring something different," Lalas said on his State of the Unionpodcast. "We've talked about how Tillman – while I think is a really good player and absolutely you can make a case for him starting – he's not going to run the show. That's not that's not what he does.

  "And so I think Luna, maybe as a sub primarily, but I see you can certainly start. I think he gives something different and gives a good look and a different look out there.”

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  USMNT impact grows

  Luna's substitute appearance against Ecuador represents another step in his development with the national team after an impressive showing at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The attacking midfielder has become one of Major League Soccer's premier playmakers since joining Real Salt Lake, recording nine goals and seven assists during the 2025 MLS regular season.

• Tactical flexibility

  Lalas' comments highlight the tactical options available to head coach Mauricio Pochettino as World Cup qualification continues. With the emergence of Luna alongside established players such as Tillman, the USMNT coach can adapt his midfield approach depending on the opposition and match situation.

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  Australia next

  The USMNT face Australia on Tuesday at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

Leeds United had a disappointing end to the summer transfer window because they failed to bring in the attacking reinforcements that Daniel Farke wanted for his squad.

The Whites reportedly had a deal agreed to sign Harry Wilson from Fulham on a permanent deal before their Premier League rivals backed out of a move at the last-minute.

Farke did not get any new attackers through the door on deadline day, partly because of the Cottagers pulling the plug late in the day, and will now have to work with what he has at his disposal.

The Championship champions did add attackers in other positions earlier in the summer transfer window, signing Noah Okafor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Lukas Nmecha.

Leeds won their opening game of the season, against Everton, thanks to a penalty from Nmecha on his debut, but they have failed to score in their two Premier League outings since then.

The centre-forward position is an intriguing one for the Whites because they do not appear to have a clear, standout, starter at this moment in time.

Why Leeds have a striker problem

Farke has a problem with his number nine position because Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha, and Joel Piroe are all fairly unconvincing options on current evidence.

It does not seem realistic to expect any of them to score goals on a regular basis in the Premier League when you consider their form this season and in recent seasons.

Calvert-Lewin, for example, scored three goals in 26 Premier League games for Everton last season, and has failed to score more than seven goals in a league season in each of the last four campaigns, per Sofascore.

The former England international has also missed four ‘big chances’ and missed in a penalty shoot-out against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup in his first two appearances for Leeds, per Sofascore.

These statistics do not suggest that Calvert-Lewin is likely to establish himself as a regular scorer for the Whites, but his physicality could still give him the edge over Piroe.

As you can see in the table above, the Dutch striker struggled badly in the first two games of the season, particularly in physical battles, and was then an unused substitute against Newcastle United.

This has not come as a surprise, though, because Piroe lost a whopping 73% of his duels in the Championship last term, but was able to score 19 goals, per Sofascore, because of how dominant his team were in possession.

Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, won 45% of his duels and 51% of his aerial contests in the Premier League with the Toffees in the 2024/25 campaign, which suggests that he can provide significantly more to the team as a physical presence up front.

However, the English forward’s lacklustre goal return in recent seasons suggest that there could still be a chance for Piroe to get game time if the former Everton man fails to deliver in front of goal.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Whilst Calvert-Lewin, despite his physicality, may not put an end to Piroe’s career at Elland Road, there is a player in the academy who could make the step up to make the Dutchman reconsider his future in West Yorkshire.

We have seen Rio Nguhoma, 16, and Max Dowman, 15, make their Premier League bows for Liverpool and Arsenal this season, and Leeds could follow suit by unleashing Harry Gray in the top-flight.

Why Harry Gray could end Joel Piroe's Leeds career

Supporters already know his brother’s story and how Farke trusted him to play week-in, week-out in the Championship as a 17 and 18-year-old, which led to him moving to Tottenham Hotspur and winning the Europa League.

Farke handed Harry Gray his debut at the age of 16 against Stoke City in the Championship in April, which shows that the youngster is a player who is in the manager’s mind for the first-team.

The England youth international, who turns 17 next month, has enjoyed a sensational start to the current campaign at U21 level and the manager could end Piroe’s career by taking inspiration from Dowman, Nguhoma, even Lamine Yamal, to unleash Gray in the Premier League.

Analyst Ben Mattinson, as shown in the post above, described the teenage forward as a ‘powerful’ and ‘pacy’ player, two attributes that could make him more effective as a physical presence than Piroe, who would not typically be described as either of those things.

Gray, who has also been described as “the real deal” by Mattinson, also has an impressive goalscoring record to back up his physical attributes in the number nine position.

As you can see in the table above, the 16-year-old marksman has scored 14 goals in 22 games for the club at U18 and U21 level to date, which speaks to his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

That haul includes three goals and two assists in four matches for the U21s in all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign, showing that he is currently in form and flying in front of goal.

This plays into why now could be the perfect time for Farke to make the bold call to unleash him at Premier League level, because Gray is full of confidence and on fire for the U21s, which could provide him with a fearless and confident attitude to take into the first-team.

If the England U17 international can make that step up, whether it comes now or in the coming months or seasons, then it could spell the end of Piroe’s time at Elland Road.

Leeds can forget Wilson by signing "extraordinary" free agent once worth £33m

Leeds United could solve their right-wing woes with a move for this free agent star.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 3, 2025

The Dutchman was an unused substitute behind Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin last time out and Gray’s emergence in the senior side could leave him struggling to make the bench, and forcing him to consider his future.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente gave a huge billing to Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as the La Roja boss claimed that the Gunners star is as good as Rodri and Pedri. On Tuesday, Merino scored twice as Spain thrashed Bulgaria 4-0 in a World Cup qualifying game at home. The win also helped the reigning European champions maintain their 100 per cent record in the qualifying rounds.

• Merino enjoying purple patch with Spain

  After featuring in six out of Arsenal's seven Premier League matches in the 2025-26 campaign and scoring one goal, Merino is enjoying the form of his life for the national team. On Tuesday, the Spaniard found the back of the net twice to help Spain register a thumping 4-0 win over Bulgaria and maintain their perfect record in their 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Spain can now secure a berth in the World Cup next summer by winning their next game in November, provided Turkey drop points.

  Merino now has six goals to his name in the last four matches he has played for Spain, and only Manchester City goal-machine Erling Haaland and former Manchester United star Memphis Depay have more goals than the Spaniard in the qualifying rounds in the UEFA region.

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  Merino at Pedri and Rodri's level

  Following a sensational performance against Bulgaria, Merino received praise from Spain head coach De La Fuente, who spoke particularly about the Arsenal midfield star's versatility on the pitch.

  Speaking to reporters, the 64-year-old coach said: "He is an exceptionally complete player with great adaptability. There are few players as versatile as him, and it is a privilege to have him with us. He reads opponents and situations superbly. He is a fantastic footballer, on the same level as Pedri, Oyarzabal, Rodri… we have an outstanding squad."

  De La Fuente added: "It’s not a coincidence, but you need a little bit of luck to score. I’ve been wanting to improve this aspect of my game for years and also be more decisive with assists. I hope I can keep this streak going. All teams are well prepared physically and technically. When you build up a group of players in a low block, it’s always difficult, but the credit lies in the number of chances we created and in controlling the game from start to finish. We have little time left, and the team knows that until everything is finalised, nothing is certain. Now it’s time to focus on the club and keep this momentum going."

• Merino showed his versatility for Arsenal last season

  The Gunners lost their first-team forwards, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, to injuries in the second half of last season, which prompted Mikel Arteta to turn Merino into Arsenal's makeshift No.9. The Spaniard performed his duties with distinction despite being in an unconventional role as the Gunners finished second behind Liverpool in the Premier League.

  Merino later told that he initially laughed when the idea was proposed to him. The 29-year-old said: "We’re on a training camp in Dubai and Kai Havertz unfortunately gets injured. There’s a plague of injuries and we don’t have any attackers. On social media, even from friends, I was seeing messages about me playing up front and just laughed. I’m thinking ‘the things people come up with’, ‘the stuff they invent’. But during the morning stroll before the Leicester game, one of the analysts mentions playing as a forward, a false nine: drop to receive, ‘fix’ the centre‑backs. He asks how I feel about it, was I OK with it? And I said: ‘Whatever you need.’ I think they did it deliberately, not telling me until the last minute because they know I like to have everything under control, have lots of information, and by not telling me earlier they removed the ‘stress’."

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  De La Fuente's side equal record set by World Cup-winning squad

  With the win over Bulgaria, the current Spain squad equalled their own record of 29 unbeaten games in competitive matches. The milestone was previously set by Vicente del Bosque’s legendary World Cup-winning team. In November, the European champions are scheduled to take on Georgia and Turkey.