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• Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United ‘suffering’ after death of Maddy Cusack

  Sheffield United men’s manager Paul Heckingbottom says the club is “suffering” following the death of women’s player Maddy Cusack.

  The 27-year-old, named vice-captain last month, had just started her sixth season with the Blades in the Women’s Championship and was the longest-serving player in their current squad when her death was announced on Thursday.

  The Blades intend to pay tribute to Cusack, who also worked in the club’s marketing department, during Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle.

  Heckingbottom said: “First and foremost everyone’s thoughts are with Maddy’s friends and family, a lot of Maddy’s friends work at this football club.

  “Maddy, especially in my time here, has been a big part of everything, a senior figure among the women’s team and the media team as well.

  “Everyone would see her about all the time. It’s tough and we need to make sure everyone is OK at the club and we all support each other because it is sad, sad news.

  “(Chief executive) Steve Betts called me yesterday and it knocked me back a bit, I’ll admit. As much as we are preparing for a huge, huge game and wanting to get on with everything, it has affected a lot of people.

  “Maddy has been to so many people in the club, there are a lot of people suffering and feeling it, without a doubt.

  “We look after everyone here, but first and foremost we are thinking of Maddy’s family. And we send them our best.”

  Cusack’s picture will appear on the front of the club programme, players will wear black armbands, while discussions are ongoing over other possible tributes.

  “There are plans and discussions going off for a tribute, we want to be very respectful to Maddy’s family as well and make sure they are heavily involved and understand what we want to do,” Heckingbottom added.

  “As much as we want to show our respect and thoughts and how we are feeling we want to make sure her family lead on it.”

  The Football Association is also in contact with the Blades over an appropriate tribute.

  Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, said the organisation was offering its support to the club.

  “On behalf of the FA, the Lionesses, the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Maddy’s family, friends, team-mates and everyone at Sheffield United,” Baroness Campbell said.

  “Maddy also represented England at age-group level and we will pay tribute to her at an appropriate point.”

  Billy Sharp, the former captain of United’s men’s team, also paid tribute to her on social media.

  “Such a lovely girl. Enjoyed some amazing times with Maddy and the Blades. Such a sad loss. RIP Maddy,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

  Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out also said it was “deeply saddened” by the news of Cusack’s death.

• Ange Postecoglou: Performance against Arsenal more important to me than result

  Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham’s performance at Arsenal and not the result will be the biggest measure of their progress under him.

  Spurs have enjoyed a flying start to life under the Australian and optimism is rife following last weekend’s dramatic victory over Sheffield United, which puts them joint-second alongside Liverpool and Sunday’s opponents Arsenal in the Premier League.

  Tottenham have not won in the league at the Emirates since 2010 and while Postecoglou understands the significance of the fixture, his yardstick for progress will be if his team produce his front-foot philosophy in a white hot atmosphere.

  Postecoglou said: “The supporters, irrespective of your past record, always see the next derby as the one they want to win and that doesn’t change.

  “From our perspective, it’s a great challenge for us as a football team that’s beginning on a journey and trying to have an identity on the way we play.

  “There’s no greater test than playing one of the top teams in the comp away from home, who also happens to be your biggest rival.

  “It’s a great test for us, a great challenge for us. We’ve got to go out there and see how we cope with all of that.

  “We’re five games in. I understand that for many people, they will see this as our first real test and I get that. It is pretty easy, you could almost write two stories now: if we are successful, great we’re on the right track. If we’re not, we’ve still got a long way to go.

  “For me, what is going to be more important is how much of our football I see in a big game like this. How much of us can I see against a top opponent?

  “That will give me the biggest indicator of where we’re at, but ultimately we’ll still be six games into a new cycle, a new group of players, a very young group of players.

  “Either way, irrespective of the outcome, I’d say the performance will be my biggest measure but knowing we have still got a long way to go.”

  Similarities can be drawn between the rebuilding job Postecoglou has been tasked with at Tottenham and the work achieved by Mikel Arteta during the past four years at Arsenal.

  There has been plenty of change on and off the pitch since Postecoglou was appointed by Spurs in June and this week saw Scott Munn finally begin his role as chief football officer.

  Chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini has also left the club, with Tottenham set to appoint a new technical director to run transfers following Fabio Paratici’s resignation as director of football in April.

  Postecoglou is used to sweeping changes upon arriving at a new club, and he insisted: “Normal for me. Wherever I have gone.

  “I’ve constantly said that if you want to change, you need to change. All these things happen, sometimes not sequential or all at the same time, but over the course of time you find we are heading off in a new direction and some people make their own decisions about whether they’re involved in that and other times we look for, or the club look to bring new people in.

  That’s the kind of position we’re in as a club. As I said, it wasn’t going to take one window for us to build the squad we wanted and it wasn’t going to take a couple of months to have the structure we wanted.

  “It will evolve over the next 12 months, couple of years I think you’ll find, and we will have a constant evolution of people and the way we play, the way we train and the environment itself.

  “All these kind of things are a natural consequence of the club deciding to change direction from last year.”

  Spurs will be without Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Giovani Lo Celso (quad), Bryan Gil (groin) and Ivan Perisic (knee) for Sunday’s derby.

• Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praises Ange Postecoglou ahead of Tottenham’s visit

  Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised opposite number Ange Postecoglou’s impact at Tottenham ahead of the north London derby on Sunday.

  Postecoglou’s free-scoring Spurs have netted 13 times in five Premier League matches to make an unbeaten start to the top-flight campaign.

  And Arteta admitted he is a fan of the Australian, who has positively changed the atmosphere at Spurs despite the summer departure of star striker Harry Kane.

  “They have a new challenge, a new opportunity, they have a new manager who is doing really well and he’s managed to change the vibe around the club and with a different style too, so we need to be ourselves and produce the performance to beat them,” Arteta said.

  “I really like him. I have players who had him before and they always speak really highly of him, which is not a coincidence because straight away he’s fitting in the right way and that’s the beauty of the league where there are top managers, competition and every game is very difficult.

  “The recent year has been beautiful (against Tottenham – Arsenal won twice last season) and it’s about being with our supporters when we manage to win the game and the satisfaction that you give to everyone. It’s a special day for everybody and hopefully we can do that again.

  “They have many qualities (despite Kane’s departure) so it’s a big change but they have adapted well to it.”

  Goalkeeper David Raya has started ahead of Aaron Ramsdale in Arsenal’s last two games, against Everton and then PSV in the Champions League.

  Arteta insisted he understands Ramsdale’s frustration of not starting and highlighted the competition for places which forced a change at number one.

  “I understand (his frustration) and it’s very difficult for every player and I suffer and care about every player who’s not playing but this is the competition and this is my job as well to make decisions in the best possible way for the team,” Arteta added.

  “He’s been very supportive and good around the place and that’s what I expect from every single player because when you’re on the field there is someone else who’s not so it works both ways. So far he’s been very good.

  “It is hard and with other players it’s the same. Aaron (Ramsdale) is an exceptional character and has a charisma and aura around him and we all know that so I fully understand that (why he’s frustrated at being benched), we have to deal with that but I need to make a line-up to prepare for the game.

  “I haven’t decided who will start.”

  Arteta lauded captain Martin Odegaard after the midfielder signed a new long-term deal at the Emirates.

  He said: “He’s got a really good balance (as a captain) and you notice him around the building because he always does the right things, he’s funny and likeable, committed and I’m really happy to have him as a captain.”