
James Maddison, Julian Alvarez and 5 players to target for FPL Gameweek 5
Fantasy Premier League managers get one free transfer a week to make but with the competition in full flow some may have saved up for two free switches to their teams while others will be considering a four-point hit or more to maximise the chances of success. Here are five players who we think are worthwhile considering as the Premier League heads into the new gameweek, judging by upcoming fixtures and individual player form. Destiny Udogie, Tottenham - Defender (4.7) In his last three matches, the defender has recorded 22 points, making him a good option for those looking to move some things around and free up some money in their team. He has already notched up two assists this season, and Spurs’ next match is against Sheffield United, although rotation may be expected with Liverpool and Arsenal to come afterwards. After those two difficult matches however it is a good run for Tottenham going forward. Udogie could be a high-scoring option, especially if there is flexibility to rotate him out for the difficult matches. Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford - Midfielder (6.8) Mbeumo has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, averaging 8.2 points per match and has already scored four goals. While Newcastle away next week might be a tough ask for Brentford, there are matches against Everton and Nottingham Forest afterward. While not necessarily a cheap option, he can offer a more affordable option than other midfielders. Julian Alvarez, Manchester City - Forward (6.7) Forwards, and in particular Manchester City forwards often come with a high price tag, which makes Alvarez a relative bargain. He has averaged seven points a match, scoring two goals and recording three assists, especially during his 14 points during City’s dominant 5-1 win over Fulham at the weekend. With City’s next three fixtures coming against West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves it could also be the ideal time to add in some extra support. James Maddison, Tottenham - Midfielder (7.8) Tottenham have won their last three matches, so on paper they look strong and it’s the right time to add their players to a squad. Maddison has been outstanding since joining the club, averaging 7.2 points a match, scoring two goals and providing two assists. It is a high price tag but could be worth the investment in the long run. Alphonse Areola, West Ham - Goalkeeper (4.1) Areola was known for his shot-stopping abilities when he was at Fulham, and seems to have taken over the number one spot at West Ham this season. As goalkeepers go he is a cheap option at just 4.1 million but he has averaged five points a match, including a memorable 10 points during the second gameweek against Chelsea. At a minimum, he is guaranteed to play every week, and with West Ham’s impressive start to the season he could be a good addition if the rest of your budget is allocated in other positions. The Hammers face Man City at home and Liverpool away next, but Areola could be a cheap option to pair with a more expensive goalkeeper who has difficult fixtures in gameweeks seven and eight, with the potential to score points against Sheffield United at home and Newcastle at home. Read More James Ward-Prowse, Raheem Sterling and 5 players to buy ahead of FPL Gameweek 4 Fantasy Premier League: 30 players you must consider for 2023/24 season Bryan Mbeumo, Nicolas Jackson and 5 players to buy ahead of FPL Gameweek 3 Ange Postecoglou expects Brennan Johnson to ‘fit in really well’ at Tottenham Tottenham ‘still at the beginning’ despite Burnley rout – Ange Postecoglou Erling Haaland on fire again for Man City and Tottenham continue fine start
2023-09-04 19:57

France imposes abaya ban on first day of school
French authorities were on Monday imposing a newly-announced ban on the abaya Muslim dress for women in schools, with over 500 establishments under scrutiny as children across...
2023-09-04 19:54

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus hopes he has seen the last of knee niggles
Gabriel Jesus wants to kick on and get his rhythm back after the Arsenal striker scored for the first time since overcoming a nagging, frustrating knee issue. The 26-year-old impressed after joining from Manchester City last summer but was laid low in December with an injury sustained in Brazil’s World Cup group game against Cameroon. Jesus did not return to action for Arsenal until mid-March and had to go back under the knife last month due to irritation with the original knee problem. The striker made his second substitute appearance since then on Sunday, when he completed a memorable late 3-1 Premier League comeback win against Manchester United. “I’m feeling good,” Jesus said after the Emirates Stadium triumph. “It’s tough when you just come back from injury. “After a holiday, I started to feel in my knee again. It was unlucky for me. It’s tough. “After pre-season, you go and try but you feel in pain. And then I made the decision to do surgery as quickly as possible to come back stronger. “That was tough, but now I’m getting back. It’s so important to get the rhythm again, so, yeah. I’m back. I feel good and I’m happy.” Jesus says he felt completely fine at the end of last season and only once felt his knee play up at the end of a training session, but even then it felt fine the next day. His right knee continued to feel fine during his post-season holiday and the start of pre-season, only for the issue to flare up again. “When I came back, in the first week, still nothing,” Jesus said. “Then after I started to feel it. And for me, it was (a case of) if I’m not 100 per cent, I won’t be myself. I was trying. “Personally, I’m good with the pain, so I was keeping playing and training. “I was feeling it a little bit, but for me it was nothing. But then we hit a point when I couldn’t run or move, so I decided to do a surgery and that was it.” Asked how mentally tough he found that, Jesus said: “First day is s*** when you just find out. Then the day after you realise you have to keep going, fighting and smile because I have a life. “God has given me a life, God let me wake up every morning, so I have to be grateful, I’m blessed. “I can walk, I can be here, I can smile, so nothing to complain. Just believe in God and keep fighting.” That belief extends to collective success at Arsenal, who head into the international break with 10 points from their first four matches after beating United on Sunday. Marcus Rashford’s opener was immediately cancelled out by Martin Odegaard, before Declan Rice and Jesus struck in stoppage time after Alejandro Garnacho saw a goal ruled out for the visitors. “That’s the Premier League,” the Brazil forward said. “Sometimes the game changes a lot. We conceded, we came back, we had a penalty, didn’t have a penalty. “In my opinion there were some bad decisions from the referee. “Even with their (disallowed) goal, maybe it was a foul on me, but it was offside. “Then, after the game changed again, we scored two and we won the game. That’s it. “When you play a massive game like this against a tough opponent, it’s always like this. “We tried to win but they have quality as well – behind, in the middle, up front. That’s the Premier League, that’s why it’s the toughest league in the world.” Jesus now has a fortnight to recuperate and continue to build fitness, while fellow striker Eddie Nketiah gets his first taste of senior international football. England Under-21s’ all-time top scorer has been named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the first time having scored twice in the opening weeks of the campaign. “First of all, competition is always good – for me and for him,” Jesus said. “In all positions when you have competition it’s a good thing. “From day one, I’m a big fan of Eddie because of the way he works and the way he trains is amazing. It’s not easy to come from the academy at a massive club and fight to play in the first team. “Congrats to him, he’s doing so well and he deserves to be called into the England national team. “For me personally, it’s good competition. It’s always good for the club because for sure he’s making me better and I’m making him better as well.” Arsenal return to action at Everton on September 17, with United back in action the previous day as they look to return to winning ways at home to Brighton. Manager Erik ten Hag said: “We have to improve, definitely. But you see, and also what we have seen last year, we can beat everyone. It was such small margins today, so it could also have been our side.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brennan Johnson’s potential is ‘quite scary’ – Wales captain Aaron Ramsey Andy Robertson expects Mohamed Salah to stay at Liverpool despite Saudi interest Police launch investigation following alleged assault on Roy Keane
2023-09-04 19:28

10 all-time biggest winners in Jeopardy! history
Find out where Ken Jennings stands in the list of the 10 biggest winners in the Jeopardy! game show
2023-09-04 19:26

Niall Horan leads Irish crowd into moving tribute to late Sinead O'Connor
Niall Horan performed 'Nothing Compares 2 U' in honour of fellow Irish star Sinead O'Connor.
2023-09-04 19:24

'The best actress in the world': Why casting Jessica Chastain was a 'no-brainer' for Michel Franco
Michel Franco insisted it was a "no-brainer" to cast Jessica Chastain in 'Memory' because she is the "best actress in the world".
2023-09-04 19:22

Wisconsin GOP weighs moves to sideline elections chief and liberal Supreme Court majority
Wisconsin Republicans, after a string of losses in hotly contested statewide races, are taking steps toward sidelining the state's nonpartisan elections chief and undercutting the new liberal majority on the state Supreme Court.
2023-09-04 19:20

Damien Chazelle pays tribute to William Fiedkin at Venice Film Festival
Damien Chazelle paid a moving tribute to the late William Friedkin - who died last month aged 87 - at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday (03.09.23).
2023-09-04 19:20

UB40 and Ali Campbell are embarking on The Hits Tour 2024
The Reggae legends will tour the UK next April.
2023-09-04 19:17

Alex Albon, James Vowles and the start of a Williams renaissance
Alex Albon has a habit of leaving no stone unturned. Another victim of Red Bull’s brutal driver merry-go-round in 2021, dropped as Max Verstappen’s team-mate for Sergio Perez, the British-Thai driver was desperate for a race seat for 2022. Aware of George Russell’s impending move to Mercedes, Albon approached then-Williams CEO Jost Capito with a list of resources: a CV and an Excel spreadsheet, comparing his superior lap times to his rivals. Suitably impressed by both his determination and statistics, a deal was agreed. “Albono” was back on the grid. So to now, and the rebirth of the 27-year-old at a team rejuvenated. Albon has carved out 21 points in the first 14 races of this season at a team who managed only 39 points from 2018-2022. A five-year period where they were bottom of the pile, the wooden spoon holders, in four of those five years. Sunday’s seventh-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix was Albon’s best performance yet for Williams, more impressive than an identical result in Montreal in June. A display of crisp driving to qualify sixth on Saturday was coupled with dogged defensive work lap after lap on Sunday, even with his tyres dropping off in the final stages in Monza. Though the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull of Sergio Perez had too much pace, Albon had the McLarens on his gearbox for most of the afternoon. But using exquisite car placement and intimate driver nous, that’s exactly where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri stayed. First to acknowledge Albon’s display was Williams team principal James Vowles, whose influence on this team in his first six months cannot be overstated. Arriving after years of success and experience as Mercedes’ chief strategist, the highly astute 44-year-old was ready to step out of Toto Wolff’s shadow. Tasked with rebuilding a team whose level and morale was rock bottom – the years of title triumphs under Sir Frank Williams in the 1990s a very distant memory now – Vowles was under no illusions to the scale of the challenge. “The main thing is this: what I want to see is positive progress and it won’t be weeks or months, it will be more than that – it’s on a years [long] timescale,” Vowles said, back in March. “There are no short-term solutions, everything is long-term.” Yet if this is what short-term progress looks like, how far can Vowles take this sleeping giant of the sport in the long-term? Williams are currently seventh in the constructors’ standings and a clear seventh at that, leapfrogging Alfa Romeo, Haas and AlphaTauri this season. In Albon, they have a driver who is flourishing as a clear No 1 in the garage. And in Vowles they have an experienced head whose obsession with F1 means, much like his driver, every ounce of effort and second of lap-time will be eked out to the maximum. For example, he was attuned to McLaren’s “dummy” pit-stop late in the day at Monza, with the papaya even shuffling out their mechanics in an attempt to trigger Williams to pit Albon instead. Vowles, who has seen such moves numerous times in his 12 years at Mercedes, could not help but laugh about it afterwards. He also stole a march on Alpine – next up the road, sixth in the standings – by poaching Pat Fry in July to be Williams’ new Chief Technical Officer. The straight-line speed of the FW45 has contributed to top-10 finishes in Bahrain, Silverstone and Zandvoort this year. Even Lewis Hamilton was bemoaning Williams’ pace in qualifying on Saturday – who could have predicted that a few years back? There are still issues to solve, the most prescient their second seat currently occupied by Logan Sargeant. Albon’s sturdy points-tally is in stark contrast to the American rookie, languishing at the bottom of the standings. Point-less after 14 races, another glimpse of a top-10 finish went astray for Sargeant on Sunday. Speculation is rife that Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher could be thrust into the seat for 2024. Sargeant has eight races left, including two in the US, to prove his worth to Vowles and keep a seat which will be highly sought after if Williams continue in the same direction. Race wins and championships are still some way off. The tally of nine constructors’ crowns and seven drivers’ titles will not change anytime soon. But the gradual renaissance of one of Formula 1’s staple teams – who celebrated their 800th grand prix earlier this year – is one of 2023’s feel-good sub-plots in a season dominated by Red Bull and Max Verstappen. Albon has committed until at least the end of 2024 and is likely to extend further should the top-dogs not come calling. Vowles is, quite clearly, in it for the long-haul. How quick the ascension can arrive remains unclear in the unrelenting arms race that is F1, but both driver and team principal have reinvigorated all personnel in the famed dark blue kit both in the pit-lane and back at base in Oxfordshire. What’s more, neither want to seal the sole limelight. There is no room for overinflated ego. Is this an Alex Albon story? Is it a James Vowles story? What is abundantly clear is that it is a bit of both. Read More The moment McLaren failed with a ‘dummy’ pit-stop over shrewd Williams Max Verstappen breaks new ground with record victory at Italian Grand Prix ‘It was totally my fault’: Lewis Hamilton admits mistake in Italian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz chases down thieves and recovers £500,000 watch in scary Milan incident ‘Box to overtake’: The moment McLaren failed with a ‘dummy’ pit-stop over Williams ‘It was totally my fault’: Lewis Hamilton admits mistake in Italian Grand Prix
2023-09-04 19:17

Violent protests after Quran burning in Sweden
Police arrest three people and detain 10 after a violent protest sparked by the burning of a Quran.
2023-09-04 19:17

On this day in history, September 4, 2002, Kelly Clarkson becomes first-ever American Idol; here's what happened to the other contestants
Kelly Clarkson, the then-20-year-old waitress from Texas, has gone on to become a Grammy-winning superstar
2023-09-04 18:59