Graham Potter pledged to develop a team Chelsea's fans can be proud of after succeeding Thomas Tuchel as the Blues' head coach on Thursday.

Chairman Todd Boehly made the decision to part company with Tuchel amid an underwhelming start to the new campaign on Wednesday, and has turned to Potter in his search for a replacement.

After leading Brighton and Hove Albion to 13 points from their first six games of the Premier League campaign, Potter has signed a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge

Speaking to the club's website upon his appointment, Potter expressed his excitement at the making the step up while also thanking his former employers. 

"I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea FC, this fantastic football club," he said.

"I am very excited to partner with Chelsea's new ownership group and look forward to meeting and working with the exciting group of players and to develop a team and culture that our amazing fans can be proud of. 

"I would also like to place my sincere thanks to Brighton and Hove Albion for allowing me this opportunity and in particular Tony Bloom and all the players, staff and supporters for their continued support during my time at the club."

Brighton expressed their gratitude for Potter's efforts in a statement of their own, with chairman Bloom saying: "I am very disappointed that Graham will be leaving us. 

"He has done exceptionally well over the past three-and-a-bit seasons, he is an exceptional head coach and an exceptional person. He will be hugely missed at our football club. 

"He leaves an excellent legacy for his successor with the club in its highest ever position, and on the back of leading us to our highest finish in the club's history last season."

Having overseen Ostersunds' rise from the fourth tier of Swedish football to European qualification in his first coaching role, Potter impressed by leading Championship outfit Swansea City to the FA Cup quarter-finals in a single season in Wales in 2018-19.

Having been appointed as Brighton's head coach in 2019, Potter transformed the Seagulls' style of play and led them to a ninth-placed Premier League finish last term.

Only Manchester City and Liverpool won possession in the final third more often than Brighton among Premier League clubs last season, while only the division's top three (City, Liverpool and Chelsea) recorded fewer than their 11 defeats.

Potter inherits a Chelsea side which was strengthened significantly in the recent transfer window, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang among their high-profile additions.

When Graham Potter landed his first managerial role in the fourth tier of Swedish football in January 2011, few would have expected him to be leading one of the Premier League's elite teams within little over a decade.

But after overseeing Brighton and Hove Albion's fine start to the Premier League season, Potter has stepped up to succeed Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.

It remains to be seen how Potter, a coach with high potential, fares with new owner Todd Boehly but his arrival in west London marks the culmination of one of the most intriguing coaching journeys in recent memory.

From Ostersunds to Chelsea, Potter's rise has been Football Manager-esque.

Here, Stats Perform delves into his coaching career to date and what it could mean for the Blues.

From humble beginnings: The stunning journey at Ostersunds

Having featured prominently for the likes of West Brom, York City and Macclesfield Town during a playing career spent entirely in England, Potter made the unconventional move to Scandinavia in 2011.

Potter, whose previous coaching experience took in roles at the University of Hull and Leeds Metropolitan University, was recommended to Ostersunds by Graeme Jones, then Roberto Martinez's assistant at Swansea.

They would not regret taking him on. Within seven years, Potter was masterminding Europa League wins against Galatasaray, Hertha Berlin, and most noticeably of all, Arsenal.

Having led the side to three promotions in five seasons, Potter oversaw a terrific Svenska Cupen triumph in 2017, earning the chance to face some of Europe's biggest names.

That 2-1 success at the Emirates in February 2018 put Potter on the map, despite Arsene Wenger's men triumphing 4-2 on aggregate at the end of their round-of-32 tie. 

Despite his limited resources, Potter became the first English manager to beat the Gunners in a European tie at the Emirates Stadium, while Ostersunds were the first Swedish team to win away at an English side since 1995, earning him a move to Wales. 

Making waves on the Welsh coast: Reinvigorating Swansea

Swansea City were considered one of the Premier League's best-run clubs for much of their seven-year spell among the top flight between 2011 and 2018.  

But the team inherited by Potter was not built for an immediate promotion challenge following their relegation that May. Having let several key men leave, their biggest outlay in Potter's first transfer window was the £3million signing of Manchester City youngster Bersant Celina.

Potter's men may have finished some nine points adrift of a Championship play-off spot, but a run to the FA Cup quarter-finals, where they suffered a controversial 3-2 defeat to City after going two goals up, put the tactician on the radar of Premier League clubs.  

Despite only enjoying one season in Wales, Potter was key to the early development of the likes of Dan James and Joe Rodon, both of whom went on to join top-six clubs. 

When a Premier League side were in the mood to change their style of play in 2019, Potter's sterling work in Wales put him high on their shortlist.

Seagulls soar to new heights: Potter in the Premier League

In the 2018-19 season, Chris Hughton's Brighton staved off relegation by just two points, scoring a mere 35 league goals across a dull campaign.

Potter's subsequent arrival at the club was not universally welcomed, with several pundits highlighting his lack of experience at the top level, but he quickly made them eat their words.

Although finishes of 15th and 16th in his first two campaigns may not have demonstrated obvious progress, Potter's ability to implement a progressive style was clear: having averaged 41 per cent possession in Hughton's final season, Brighton averaged 52 per cent the following year. 

But the 2021-22 campaign saw Potter conduct some of his finest work to date, masterminding a ninth-place finish while losing only 11 games. Only Liverpool (two), City (three) and Chelsea (six) were beaten on fewer occasions. 

In addition to the top three, only Tottenham and Wolves posted better defensive records than Brighton last term, and their high-press style was demonstrated by the fact only Liverpool and City won possession in the final third more often than the Seagulls.

On Sunday, Brighton's outstanding start to the new season went up a level, as they scored five goals in a top-flight match for the first time (in 364 outings) to blow Leicester City away.

But the Seagulls have now fallen victim to their own successes, with Potter unable to resist the advances of Chelsea.

London calling: Can Potter's methods work at Chelsea?

New owners often like to bring in their own coach upon taking charge of a club and, in that sense, Boehly's decision to dispense with Tuchel makes some sense – though doing so mere days after the end of a busy transfer window has attracted justifiable criticism.

Roman Abramovich's Chelsea tenure was characterised by success in the absence of an on-pitch identity, winning trophy after trophy despite a plethora of coaches, sackings and controversies.

If a more progressive, long-term approach is Boehly's aim, then Potter's past work suggests he could be the perfect man for the job.

Todd Boehly has made his first appointment as Chelsea owner, drafting in Graham Potter from Brighton and Hove Albion to succeed Thomas Tuchel.

The decision to axe Tuchel just a week after the close of the transfer window was a bold call but problems have reportedly stemmed throughout the summer, with defeats to Southampton and Leeds United proving to be problematic, and a decision is said to have been made before the surprise defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

In Potter, Chelsea have appointed one of the most highly-rated young managers within English football, the 47-year-old guiding Brighton to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League last season – the highest in the club's history.

He will inherit a talented and staggeringly expensive squad at Stamford Bridge, with key decisions to be made across the squad. Here, Stats Perform looks at the winners and losers of his appointment.

Winner – Marc Cucurella

Signed from Brighton for a reported £60million ahead of the 2022-23 season, many eyebrows were raised as to whether the Spain international was a worthwhile addition given Ben Chilwell's position in the squad already.

After a 15-minute cameo on the opening weekend, Cucurella has subsequently started all five of the following Premier League matches, with Chilwell demoted to the bench after he started the curtain-raiser against Everton.

Cucurella's position as first-choice down the left should be even more secure following the appointment of Potter, a player he brought to Brighton from Getafe in 2021 and one that was a staple in his side last season, appearing in 35 of the 38 league matches in a variety of position.

Loser – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Brought back to the Premier League on deadline day from Barcelona, former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spoke about his delight of playing under Tuchel again following the pair's time together at Borussia Dortmund.

That reunion proved to be short lived, though, with Aubameyang now having to prove himself to Potter and potentially having to shake off the troublesome reputation he earned from Mikel Arteta in his time in north London.

Potter is a manager who has a set approach to play and Aubameyang must fill into that fully, though the new boss may not have the patience to try to make it work, instead looking to younger options that can be crafted to fill that role.

Winner – Armando Broja

Having impressed on loan with Southampton last season, Armando Broja was linked with further loan moves for the 2022-23 campaign but opted to remain at Stamford Bridge and fight for regular football.

The Albania international could secure exactly that under Potter if he quickly learns his style of play, with Potter's time at Brighton showing he is fully prepared to trust in the youth to fill voids in the squad – shown by Moises Caicedo's meteoric rise following the sale of Yves Bissouma to Tottenham.

Finding a long-term solution to Chelsea's striker woes is likely to be one of the biggest tasks on Tuchel's agenda after his arrival in west London and Broja should get the chance to prove he is exactly what is needed.

Loser – Ageing defenders

Chelsea spent heavily to bolster their defensive ranks after losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana brought in as replacements.

The duo reportedly cost just over £100m and those fees will likely ensure they are Potter's first-choice pairing this season, with Chelsea keen to ensure they don't sustain another huge loss in the transfer market like they did with Romelu Lukaku.

That could be bad news for 37-year-old Thiago Silva and 33-year-old club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, both of whom will be vying for regular football ahead of the World Cup in Qatar but face considerable competition for a starting berth.

Thomas Tuchel's loss is Graham Potter's gain.

A lot can change in football in 24 hours, and the old idiom has borne fruit again. On Wednesday, Tuchel was surprisingly sacked as Chelsea head coach. By Thursday, Potter had left Brighton and Hove Albion to replace him.

Potter emerged as the leading candidate from a strong list, including former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Many have long considered Potter a candidate to coach one of the Premier League's elite sides, not least due to the attractive brand of football his sides employ.

Yet, there are many who think the Chelsea job is not necessarily the right fit for the Englishman.

Two of Stats Perform's experts, Pete Hanson and Josh Challies, have argued the toss of his appointment.

WHO KNOWS WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL COME AGAIN? IT'S A NO BRAINER FOR POTTER – PETE HANSON

Most pundits in England rage at the perceived lack of opportunities for British coaches at the so-called Premier League's "Big Six". A surprise opening has now arisen and all of a sudden we're told that Potter should steer well clear. To an extent, I understand the basis for that argument. Chelsea are not exactly known for patience and long-term planning when it comes to their head coaches, even a change in ownership has seemingly done little to alter that perception. But, from Potter's perspective, who knows when a chance like this could arise again? Moreover, Todd Boehly has shown in his first transfer window that he's not afraid to get the cheque book out. Potter will have a squad already brimming with talent, and the knowledge there are resources available to mould the team into his own look in the future. A high-potential coach, at a high-potential project. If it doesn't go to plan, surely it's better that he will live with the regret of never knowing? If it does go to plan, then the future possibilities for Potter are vast.

A LACK OF STRUCTURE MAY HURT POTTER AT STAMFORD BRIDGE – JOSH CHALLIES

It was less than 12 months ago that Brighton fans were booing their side during a goalless draw with Leeds United, a situation that is a far cry from what is currently being witnessed on the south coast after a stellar start to the season. The Seagulls remained patient with Potter and he duly delivered, a ninth-place finish last term being the highest in the club's history, and he has excelled while working in a well-oiled machine at the AMEX Stadium. The departures of previously key players Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella have scarcely been noticeable, with replacements quickly lined-up by the Brighton hierarchy. And it is a lack of that system that may prove to be Potter's downfall at Stamford Bridge. Roman Abramovich's sale also saw the departures of transfer guru Marina Granovskaia and technical director Petr Cech, with Chelsea not yet replacing those important cogs in the machine. Potter therefore could find himself with much more responsibility than just working with the players on the training pitch, and that may prove his undoing.

Graham Potter has been confirmed as the new head coach of Chelsea, succeeding Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel was surprisingly dismissed as Chelsea boss on Wednesday, just a day on from the Blues' disappointing 1-0 setback at Dinamo Zagreb to begin their Champions League campaign.

It followed an indifferent start to the Premier League season, which saw Chelsea take 10 points from a possible 18 after a bold spending spree in the transfer window under new owner Todd Boehly.

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Potter quickly became the frontrunner to replace Tuchel and Chelsea have acted upon a reported £16million release clause in his contract to bring the 47-year-old to Stamford Bridge.

"We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the Club," Boehly said in the club's announcement.

"Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful Club. He has had a major impact at his previous Clubs’ and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea.

"We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years."

Potter's path to west London has certainly been an interesting one. He spent seven years in charge of Swedish side Ostersund, who he led from the fourth tier to the top flight and earned domestic glory in the Svenska Cup.

His team also enjoyed a run to the last 32 of the Europa League in the 2017-18 season, where they were beaten by Arsenal.

The impressive work in Sweden led to a move to Swansea City, where he spent just a solitary season before Brighton came calling after sacking Chris Hughton.

After finishing 15th and 16th in his first two top-flight campaigns, Potter led Brighton to ninth last term and has earned plenty of admirers for the attacking brand of football his teams employ.

Potter's first assignment will be the derby at Fulham this weekend, with the announcement saying he will take charge of the team "immediately".

Richarlison described his Champions League debut as "one of the best days of my life" after scoring his first two Tottenham goals in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Marseille.

The Brazil international opened the scoring for Spurs in the 76th minute of the Group D contest with a header after Chancel Mbemba had been issued a red card.

Richarlison, a £60million signing from Everton, glanced in a second five minutes later as Tottenham won their opening match in the competition for only the second time.

He became the 39th Brazilian to score on his debut in the competition, the most of any nation, and is the first Brazilian since Oscar in September 2012 to net a brace on his bow.

The 25-year-old was in tears at the end of the game as he embraced his father in the stands and later took to social media to reflect on a day to remember.

"After hearing the anthem, I started to smile, it was my dream as a kid," he said in an Instagram post, alongside an image of himself with his father as a youngster and an adult.

"Being there, listening to the anthem, playing the match, I got very emotional and I was rewarded after scoring these two goals with the help of my friends.

"The whole team helped me a lot. I'm very happy, it was one of the best days of my life with my father and family here.

"My father was here, he has been with me through all my career. He helped me a lot to make my dreams come true.

"To have him here today was very emotional for me because he's a huge part of my success."

Richarlison's double came in his sixth match since arriving from Everton, just two of those being starts, with the versatile forward also contributing a couple of assists.

Spurs boss Antonio Conte hailed the former Watford player's impact after the game.

"First of all, I am happy for Richy," said Conte, who ended a run of four games without a home victory in the Champions League.

"He deserved to have a night like this. I remember very well when we signed him, he said he cannot wait to listen to the Champions League music and play in the competition. 

"This morning I said I remember what he said and you have your opportunity and chance. I think he did his best."

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Graham Potter is among five nominees for the Premier League's Manager of the Month award as his move to Chelsea draws closer.

The 47-year-old is widely reported to have agreed terms to take charge at Stamford Bridge following the departure of Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday.

Having been nominated for August's Manager of the Month gong, Potter's arrival at Chelsea could coincide with him being rewarded for a stellar start to the season with Brighton.

The Seagulls won three of their five games in August, drawing with Newcastle United and losing to Fulham, and finished the month in fourth place behind Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal.

Those three sides have also seen their leaders nominated, with Mikel Arteta, Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola shortlisted alongside Fulham's Marco Silva.

Arteta led Arsenal to five wins from five matches in August, while Conte and Guardiola did not taste defeat during the month and Silva led Fulham to two wins and two draws.

The nominations for Manager of the Month were released alongside the shortlist for August's Player of the Month, where City's Erling Haaland is the firm favourite to pick up the award after scoring nine goals in five matches.

Arsenal are the only side to have two nominees up for the award, in captain Martin Odegaard and striker Gabriel Jesus, with the eight-man shortlist dominated by players outside of the established 'top six' in the Premier League.

Brighton's Pascal Gross, Fulham's Aleksander Mitrovic, Newcastle United's Nick Pope, Leeds United's Rodrigo and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha are the other nominees.

Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool must stick together to end their poor form after their underwhelming start to the season continued with a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Napoli.    A return of nine points from their first six Premier League games puts Liverpool some way off the pace set by Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham, and their woes were deepened on a chastening trip to Italy on Wednesday.   A Piotr Zielinski brace, as well as goals from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Giovanni Simeone, condemned the Reds to the joint-heaviest defeat in their Champions League history.    Not since Arsenal against Inter in 2003-04 (a 3-0 loss) has an English team started a Champions League campaign with a three-goal reverse, while Liverpool conceded three first-half goals in the competition for the first time since October 2014 (v Real Madrid).   Despite enduring a torrid outing that saw him give away a first-half penalty, Van Dijk expressed his confidence in the Reds' ability to bounce back.   "We're not in the best shape, the best situation, but we're going to make this right – that's the confidence I have," he told the club's website.   "We need each other, we need to stick together – not only us as players but the whole club.    "Obviously we've been through it all and that's the message. Obviously we're all human beings, we want to try to perform as good as we can. Sometimes you can have a bad patch and at the moment we're in it. But I'm confident we can get out of this and enjoy our football again.

"Stick together, don't point fingers. Everyone knows that everyone can do better. What I said, we're not robots, we're trying to perform and you can have bad moments. 

"It's how you deal with them and now we'll definitely have a good look at what happened, speak with each other and focus on the game ahead of us. 

"It's good for us that there's a game quite quickly after this and hopefully [we] get a great performance and result."

Liverpool host Wolves in their next Premier League outing on Saturday, before resuming their continental campaign against Ajax on Tuesday.

Van Dijk knows the importance of getting their Champions League group-stage campaign back on track as quickly as possible, adding: "It can change, definitely. 

"There's so many games still to play but you wanted to have a good start. The situation is how it is. 

"Next game in the Champions League will be Ajax at home and we need the fans, we need a good performance from us. 

"It starts obviously on Saturday with a good opportunity against a good side as well, so we'll give everything. What I said, the key is to be together. We need everyone. 

"If you start blaming others and don't look at yourself or create negativity around the club, then you're not getting out of this. I'm fully confident that we'll turn this around together."

Wednesday's demoralising reverse means Liverpool have lost on all three of their trips to Napoli under Jurgen Klopp, the most they've travelled to a particular side without avoiding defeat during his tenure.

West Ham forward Michail Antonio has declared VAR should be "binned" following a weekend of controversy in the Premier League.

The Hammers saw an equaliser against Chelsea ruled out after Jarrod Bowen was perceived to have fouled goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, which stood among several contentious VAR decisions in England's top-flight.

Newcastle also saw a Tyrick Mitchell own goal against Crystal Palace chalked off for a foul on Vicente Guaita, with the PGMOL admitting on Sunday that both decisions were incorrect.

Those incidents have sparked a debate around the application of VAR in England and Antonio has made his feelings clear by suggesting the technology should no longer be used.

 "It was a madness, that's what I am going to call it. An actual madness. I have said this many times. It needs to be binned," he told the BBC's Footballer's Football Podcast.

"As a player we all knew it [the incident] was nothing. It is all about opinions - about the referee's opinion, about the fourth official's opinion and about the opinion of whoever is watching.

"If the referee makes a decision, then there is another person who goes 'that might not be the right decision'. He goes to the referee 'you might have to have another look at that'.

Graham Potter will forego his pre-match media duties with Brighton and Hove Albion on Thursday as he closes on a move to Chelsea.

The Blues surprisingly parted company with Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday, just a day after a shock 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener.

It quickly became apparent Brighton boss Potter was a leading candidate to take over at Stamford Bridge, with talks said to have taken place over a switch.

Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino had also been linked with the position, but Potter now looks like a clear front runner.

As such, local media reported Potter would not be speaking to the press on Thursday prior to Brighton's trip to Bournemouth, another apparent pointer that he will switch to Stamford Bridge.

Losing Potter will be a huge disappointment for a Brighton side who have taken 13 points from a possible 18 to sit fourth in the infant Premier League table.

The timing of Tuchel's dismissal came as a surprise, even accounting for the Blues' indifferent start to the campaign, with three wins, two losses and a draw in the league coming before their Zagreb setback.

New owner Todd Boehly bankrolled a spending spree in the transfer window, which saw the likes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang bolster Chelsea's squad.

Six days on from the window closing, and Champions League winner Tuchel became the second boss to lose his job in the Premier League this season, after Scott Parker departed Bournemouth.

Chelsea dismissed Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday following their 1-0 Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb.

New Blues owner Todd Boehly wielded the axe after a slow start to the 2022-23 season for the London club.

Several names have been linked with the vacant post already, including Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter.

TOP STORY – VERBAL AGREEMENT IN PLACE FOR CHELSEA AND POTTER

Chelsea will formally offer their vacant manager role to Brighton and Hove Albion's Graham Potter, according to several UK reports.

Brighton had granted Chelsea permission to speak to Potter, with the two parties locked in talks on Wednesday evening following Thomas Tuchel's dismissal.

Ben Jacobs from CBS Sports claims that a verbal agreement is agreed between Chelsea and Potter, with Sky Sports' Rob Dorsett stating he could be unveiled as their new boss on Thursday.

ROUND-UP

– The Sun claims that Manchester United are ready to open discussions with Marcus Rashford on a new deal. Rashford, who has three goals this season, is contracted until mid-2023.

– The Sun also reports Wilfried Zaha is set to be offered a new deal by Crystal Palace. Zaha, who has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea, is into the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Juventus are preparing for a straight swap deal in January with Aston Villa, which would see Moise Kean and Douglas Luiz trade places, according to JuveLive. Douglas Luiz's contract at Villa Park expires at the end of this season.

–  Everton and Arsenal both remain interested in Mykhaylo Mudryk but Shakhtar Donetsk want more than £30m (€34.5m) for the 21-year-old Ukrainian winger, claims Gianluca di Marzio.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool's owners "expect me to sort it out" when asked if he feared going the same way as compatriot Thomas Tuchel.

Klopp's fellow German coach was dismissed by Chelsea on Wednesday, with new Blues owner Todd Boehly cutting ties with the former Paris Saint-Germain boss in the wake of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

That was Tuchel's 100th match in charge of Chelsea in all competitions. In his 18 months at the helm, he guided the Blues to a Champions League success, a Super Cup triumph and Club World Cup glory, as well as three domestic finals.

Chelsea failed to win any of those three domestic finals, with two of them coming as penalty shoot-out losses to Klopp's Liverpool last season.

The Reds, meanwhile, have hardly enjoyed a strong start to the new campaign. A 9-0 hammering of Bournemouth aside, Liverpool have looked a shadow of their best, and were thrashed 4-1 by Napoli in their opening Champions League match on Wednesday.

It was the heaviest defeat suffered by an English side in their Champions League opener since Arsenal lost 3-0 to Inter in 2003, while it also marked Liverpool's joint-worst loss in the competition.

Yet asked if he was worried for his future, Klopp – who has been at Anfield since 2015 – told reporters: "Not really, but who knows? The difference [between us and Chelsea] is we have different kinds of owners.

"Ours are calm and expect me to sort it and not think someone else will."

Klopp has plenty of goodwill in the bank, given the enormous success he has enjoyed at Liverpool, taking the Reds to three Champions League finals, and winning one in 2019, as well as their maiden Premier League title (2020) and winning both of England's domestic cups this year.

Jamie Carragher, who helped Liverpool win the Champions League in 2005, is concerned as to what the immediate future might hold, however.

Carragher, a pundit for CBS Sports, said: "The problem is not that game, forget this game, for me the big worry is that is this almost something that’s going to carry on through the season, is this the end of a cycle, have Liverpool massively got their transfer ideas wrong?

"This team looks so far off it and it has been at full pelt for five or six years under Jurgen Klopp and in seven games Liverpool have played this season, they've conceded the first goal in five, so they're not starting games well.

"I'm not going to criticise their attitude because what this team have done, certainly in Europe, the Premier League – the mentality is fantastic – but is this a massive drop off physically? Can this team get it back, that's the worry for me. What's going to happen in the future for this team?

"This is only the fourth game Liverpool have lost in 2022, it shows how consistent they've been, but the performances, more than the results, are what's worrying me right now."

Serge Aurier has agreed to join Nottingham Forest on a free transfer as Steve Cooper's side announced their 22nd signing since being promoted to the Premier League.

The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain defender became a free agent after leaving Villarreal at the end of last season.

Ivory Coast captain Aurier racked up 77 Premier League appearances for Spurs, also reaching the Champions League final in 2019.

Djibril Sidibe was reported to be a target of Cooper to provide competition for Neco Williams, who arrived from Liverpool in July, but Forest have instead signed Aurier, subject to international clearance.

Forest are yet to confirm the terms of Aurier's contract, with the full-back providing more cover on the right-hand side after Cooper's side failed to re-sign loanee Djed Spence, who joined Spurs.

Aurier joins the likes of Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Moussa Niakhate, Morgan Gibbs-White and Emmanuel Dennis as Forest's squad reshaping continues past the end of the transfer window.

Forest sit 19th in the infant Premier League table and will look to recover from a 3-2 defeat to Bournemouth when they visit Leeds United on Monday.

Gareth Southgate is set to be without Jordan Pickford for England's final fixtures before the World Cup.

Stats Perform understands that Everton are optimistic the goalkeeper, who has been struggling with a thigh injury, will miss no longer than four weeks.

A club statement published on Wednesday, following reports of Pickford's injury, confirmed he would not return until after the international break, which starts on September 19.

It is a blow for Frank Lampard's team, who are winless in the Premier League this season, despite having shown promise in recent outings, including the 0-0 derby draw with Merseyside rivals Liverpool on Saturday.

Pickford was outstanding in that match, making eight saves, including an excellent fingertip stop to deny Mohamed Salah a stoppage-time winner at Goodison Park.

It is also bad news for Southgate, whose side face Italy on September 23 and Germany three days later in the Nations League.

England are without a win in the Nations League this year and lost 4-0 to Hungary in their last outing back in June. They do not have another match before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21.

Pickford's injury will, however, present a chance for Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson to prove their worth to Southgate ahead of the tournament in Qatar.

Everton, meanwhile, will be without their goalkeeper for Sunday's trip to Arsenal and a home match against West Ham on September 18. Pickford might recover to face Southampton on October 1, though a meeting with Manchester United a week later is perhaps more likely to mark a return to action.

After his efforts against Liverpool, Pickford – who was crucial to Everton staying up last season – is the best-performing goalkeeper in the Premier League this term for goals prevented, which uses Opta's expected goals on target conceded (xGOT) model to calculate how well a shot-stopper has performed.

Pickford's 2.6 goals prevented tops the league, though before the Merseyside derby that figure stood at 1.11 (the fifth-best in the competition), showing just how well the 28-year-old performed against Liverpool.

Asmir Begovic, who was reportedly of interest to Manchester United late in the transfer window, will likely fill in for Everton in Pickford's absence.

Mikel Arteta expressed his surprise after Bernd Leno suggested he was forced to leave Arsenal due to "politics" rather than performances.

The Germany goalkeeper swapped London clubs ahead of the 2022-23 season as he ended a four-year stay at Arsenal to join fellow Premier League side Fulham.

Leno penned a three-year contract with the Cottagers in a bid to boost his hopes of featuring at the World Cup for Germany later in the year, after falling behind Aaron Ramsdale in the Arsenal pecking order.

The 30-year-old departing Emirates Stadium came as no surprise after Arsenal brought in goalkeeper Matt Turner from New England Revolution, though Leno says he was forced out the club.

"When I realised that it wasn't about performance or quality, I knew I had to go," Leno told German newspaper Sport Bild.

"During the preparation I saw that it's not about performance, it's just about politics. It was clear to me: I have to get out of here."

Arteta appeared bemused when Leno's comments were put to him ahead of Arsenal's Europa League clash at Zurich on Thursday, claiming the suggestions were unexpected.

"I'm really surprised and I don't know if he's talking about the politics when he was starting every match or when he wasn't playing," the Arsenal manager said. "Really surprised about it."

As Leno looks to settle into life at Craven Cottage, Arteta looks ahead to a European campaign with Arsenal, who have been drawn in a group with Zurich, PSV and Bodo/Glimt.

The Gunners are among the pre-tournament favourites to go far in the Europa League, alongside their Premier League exploits that have seen them win five of their opening six games.

A 3-1 defeat at Manchester United ended the perfect start for Arsenal, who remain top of the league by a point, but Arteta knows he must balance players' workloads – especially Bukayo Saka.

"We will try to do our best to manage [Saka's] load, understanding that after November we have something that we've never experienced before," the Spaniard added, referencing the World Cup later in the year.

While Arteta may have to be cautious with star winger Saka, competing on the European front will offer other players a chance such as recent arrival Fabio Vieira, who signed from Porto in the transfer window.

"Hopefully you're going to see a lot more of him in the next few weeks and I'm sure you're going to enjoy," Arteta said of Vieira, before confirming the Gunners will be without Emile Smith Rowe due to injury.

"Emile felt some discomfort again in an area that he's been dealing with now for a few weeks. He hasn't trained in the last few days so he's out of the squad."

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