Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said “I’m disappointed with myself” after his side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the fourth round following a 3-1 defeat by West Ham. Arteta made six changes to his starting XI, with Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard on the bench. The Arsenal side selected produced a below-par display – for which Arteta took the blame. “I’m very disappointed. I’m responsible for that,” he said. “We’re out of the Cup, we wanted to play a very different game and compete. “The game took a direction because of the first goal but we have to see much more from the team and earn the right to win.

“I’m disappointed with myself. We wanted to play in a different way and we weren’t able to do that. Every time we lose the pain is there. “We have to use this pain and this defeat to prepare the best way for Newcastle [in the Premier League] on Saturday.” West Ham took the lead via an own goal in the 16th minute, with Jarrod Bowen swinging a corner in close to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, before Ben White nodded it past him. Tomas Soucek had hold of Ramsdale’s shirt, but with no VAR at this stage of the League Cup, the complaints of the England international – making his first club appearance since 27 September in the previous round – fell on deaf ears.

Arsenal dominated possession but failed to break through, and they were punished five minutes after the break when Mohammed Kudus beautifully trapped Nayef Aguerd’s 50-yard cross-field pass before finishing low through the legs of Gabriel. West Ham’s win was safe shortly before the hour when Bowen collected a poor defensive header from White and fired in a volley from the edge of the area, a deflection off Gabriel’s thigh wrongfooting Ramsdale. Odegaard slotted into the bottom corner with the final kick of the game, but the Gunners’ 30-year wait to win the League Cup goes on. West Ham are into the quarter-finals for the third successive season, where they will face Liverpool away.

Eddie Nketiah struck his first Premier League hat trick in exquisite style as Arsenal maintained the pressure on North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the table with a crushing 5-0 victory over winless Sheffield United. The Arsenal academy graduate controlled the ball and calmly slotted it past Wes Foderingham to open the scoring just shy of the half-hour mark, before smashing a stunning second into the roof of the net shortly after the restart.

And the best was still to come as the forward picked up Emile Smith Rowe’s pass and fired an unstoppable 25-yard piledriver beyond the helpless Foderingham, who could only watch the ball nestle into the top corner. Arsenal weren’t finished and there was still time for Fabio Vieira to add a fourth from the penalty spot, before right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu made it a fantastic five in the dying seconds to cap a breathtaking afternoon at the Emirates. And when referee Tim Robinson took a VAR check to see that substitute Fabio Vieira had been fouled just inside the box by Blades skipper Oliver Norwood, he wanted the chance to add to his tally. But Veira had won it and he wanted it. The Portuguese snatched the ball from the striker’s hands before sending United keeper Wes Foderingham the wrong way.

The challenge is for Nketiah to find the back of the net with enough consistency to keep his manager happy. Gareth Southgate saw enough to hand Nketiah his first England cap earlier this month – and that recognition seems to have taken his game to another level.

Gabriel Jesus scored a goal and grabbed an assist to help Arsenal get back to winning ways in the Champions League with victory at Sevilla. After losing 2-1 to Lens in their previous European outing, the Gunners came through a difficult test against the seven-time Europa League winners. Gabriel Martinelli got the visitors off and running by marking his Champions League debut with a goal, racing on to Jesus’ brilliant ball and rounding the goalkeeper in first-half stoppage time. Jesus then increased Arsenal’s lead early in the second half with a superb strike into the top corner. Sevilla, backed by a vocal home crowd, got back into the game when Nemanja Gudelj headed in from a set-piece.

From then on, Arsenal had to withstand some pressure as the hosts tried to find an equaliser, and David Raya tipped Mariano’s shot on to the crossbar, although it may not have counted because of a possible handball. Mikel Arteta’s side then suffered a late blow as Jesus went off with a suspected hamstring injury, but they held firm to secure a victory that moves them top of Group B. The Gunners are back in the Champions League after a six-year absence but have a squad that is still finding its feet in the competition, with several players having never played in it until this season. That included the scorer of Arsenal’s opening goal, Martinelli, but he will be thankful for Jesus’ European experience, which showed in this performance.

Facing a hostile atmosphere at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, the Gunners needed their big players to step up and Jesus did just that with a superb display. A Champions League runner-up with Manchester City in 2021, Jesus’ assist for the opener was a thing of beauty as he brought the ball down and then spun to beat two players with one movement, before showing great vision to send Martinelli away with a perfect pass. His goal in the second half gave the visitors the breathing space they needed as Sevilla piled on the pressure looking to rescue something from the game. With three goals in three Champions League games this season, Jesus is a crucial player in Europe for the Gunners. However, he faces a spell on the sidelines as Arteta confirmed after the match that he went off late on with a possible hamstring injury.

Arsenal staged a stunning late fightback to earn a point at Stamford Bridge just as Chelsea looked about to enjoy their finest victory under manager Mauricio Pochettino.Chelsea were in complete control after Cole Palmer put them ahead from the penalty spot in the 15th minutes, with William Saliba penalised for handball following the intervention of the video assistant referee. Arsenal looked certain to slump to their first Premier League defeat of the season when Mykhailo Mudryk’s speculative effort from out wide caught Arsenal keeper David Raya stranded and out of position three minutes after the break.Arsenal were sloppy and struggled to create anything until they were gifted a lifeline with 13 minutes left, Declan Rice sending Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez’s poor clearance back past him into the net.

And, remarkably, they were level seven minutes later when substitute Leandro Trossard made a decisive first contribution, stealing in at the far post to score as Chelsea hesitated in dealing with Bukayo Saka’s cross. Arsenal will be delighted to have secured a point at Chelsea after struggling for their usual fluency. The Gunners deserve full credit for sticking in there to maintain their unbeaten Premier League run with a result that looked unlikely for most of the game. Manager Mikel Arteta was berating his players regularly for their carelessness, but there can be no questions about their character as they snatched a point with that late rally. It was not a display without question marks, though, and the biggest will be over David Raya’s poor performance in goal.

Arteta took a big decision when he replaced long-time first choice and England keeper Aaron Ramsdale with his summer signing from Brentford for the visit to Everton in September. For all Arteta’s talk of competition for places, it is clear he was installing the 28-year-old Spain international as his main keeper and much was riding on his choice. It is a move that has not yet worked as Arteta hoped, with Raya looking uncertain in recent games, at fault for a goal in the Champions League defeat away to Lens and getting away with moments of hesitation in the win against Manchester City.

Here, he cut a nervous figure throughout and was embarrassed when he was caught badly out of position as Mykhailo Mudryk’s delivery from the left flew over his head for Chelsea’s second. Raya almost made matters worse when he passed the ball straight to Cole Palmer in front of goal shortly afterwards, but Chelsea let him off the hook. Arteta appears to have backed Raya but certainly needs the keeper to start performing better – and quickly – to deliver any sort of convincing case that he is a genuine upgrade on Ramsdale.

Gabriel Martinelli scored a dramatic late winner as Arsenal earned a statement victory over defending Premier League champions Manchester City at Emirates Stadium. A largely disappointing game was given a stunning finale four minutes from time just as both sides looked certain to have to settle for a point. Making his return from a hamstring injury as a substitute, Martinelli’s strike deflected in off Nathan Ake to earn Arsenal a first league win over City since December 2015. It was a moment that sparked wild celebrations and put the Gunners level on points with north London rivals Tottenham at the top of the table.

The biggest talking point until the goal was how Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic somehow stayed on the pitch after successive late tackles on Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. City had the better early opportunities when Rice cleared off the line from Josko Gvardiol before Ake scooped a shot over the bar from close range. Arsenal keeper David Raya, who had an uncertain time, was twice almost caught in possession on his line by Julian Alvarez. But it was the home side who were elated as Martinelli, introduced off the bench for the second half, made that vital contribution. Arsenal seemed gripped with nerves early on against a City team who have maintained such a stranglehold on them in the Premier League in recent years.

Raya was hesitant, especially with the ball at his feet, and even the Arsenal fans who have been so supportive of Mikel Arteta’s side were showing signs of impatience. The introduction of Martinelli for Leandro Trossard after the break made a huge difference as the Brazilian ran at the City defence and finally posed problems – even though visiting keeper Ederson was initially largely untroubled. Arsenal were organised and resilient in defence, keeping Erling Haaland at bay, and all their hard work was rewarded with the winner, albeit with it coming through that crucial deflection off Ake. City and Pep Guardiola have cast a shadow over Arsenal in recent years, not least when they hauled them in at the critical point of last season’s title race, but this victory will surely give the Gunners huge self-belief.

Elye Wahi starred as French side Lens came from behind to shock Arsenal in the Champions League. Wahi’s first-time finish into the bottom left corner from a Przemyslaw Frankowski cross in the 69th minute saw the home side seal a notable success. The below-par Gunners rode some early pressure from Lens before Gabriel Jesus claimed a 14th-minute opener from a through-ball from Bukayo Saka, who went off injured with a muscular problem. Lens levelled 11 minutes later as Adrien Thomasson curled a superb finish into the far corner.

As Arsenal suffered their first loss of the season on a difficult night, they were dealt another blow before Sunday’s crunch Premier League meeting with Manchester City as England forward Saka went off after just 33 minutes. But Lens were worthy of a win that took them to the top of Group B on four points, with Mikel Arteta’s side second on three. The hosts threatened from the start with Kevin Danso shooting just wide and Thomasson’s header going close before the offside flag was raised. Jesus’ finish into the bottom left corner did not dampen the spirits of the home crowd who were experiencing their first Champions League game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis since 2002. The Brazilian striker has now been involved in 16 goals in his last 16 Champions League starts, scoring 13 and assisting three.

But Lens hit back following a poor clearance from Arsenal keeper David Raya out to the left. Wahi, a summer signing from Montpellier, provided the assist, expertly controlling a long ball before laying off the pass for Thomasson to finish. Gabriel was also caught out of position when given a loose pass in the Lens half and the hosts carved an opening with a well-struck effort from Salis Abdul Samed which rippled the side-netting. The 20-year-old Wahi had the final say when he swept home the winner. In doing so, he became the youngest Frenchman to score and assist in a Champions League match since a 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe did so for Paris St-Germain in December 2018.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised “exceptional” Aaron Ramsdale on his return to the team as the Gunners won at Brentford in the Carabao Cup third round. Reiss Nelson scored the decisive goal in the eighth minute after a mistake in defence by the hosts. But the display of goalkeeper Ramsdale, benched in favour of David Raya in Arsenal’s last three games, proved pivotal in ensuring Arteta’s side booked a fourth-round meeting at West Ham.

He caught the eye when he made a crucial second-half save from Yoane Wissa as Brentford put the visitors under heavy pressure in the second half. Arsenal will travel to Premier League rivals West Ham United in the week commencing 30 October for a place in the quarter-finals. Ramsdale had started the season as Arsenal’s first-choice, but Arteta caused a stir by replacing him with Raya for the 1-0 win against Everton on 17 September. It was a quiet start for him as Brentford struggled to create opportunities in a first half where they didn’t manage a shot on goal.

But the hosts were much improved after the break and Ramsdale was called upon to superbly push Wissa’s shot on to the post before the rebound was cleared. It proved a crucial intervention as Arsenal weathered the storm to stretch their unbeaten start to eight games.

Tottenham came from behind twice to secure a hard-earned point in the north London derby against Arsenal in a thriller at Emirates Stadium. In a relentless encounter, Arsenal took the lead after 26 minutes when Bukayo Saka’s shot was deflected into his own goal by Spurs defender Cristian Romero. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had made the big decision by keeping David Raya in of goal ahead of Aaron Ramsdale and he justified that faith with two fine saves from Brennan Johson as Spurs went in pursuit of an equaliser. Raya should have done better, however, when Spurs levelled three minutes before half-time. He could only claw away a cross allowing an attack to continue, ending with James Maddison crossing for Son Heung-min to equalise with a deft finish.

Arsenal restored their lead after 54 minutes when Romero was penalised for handball following the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee, Saka scoring from the spot. Spurs, illustrating their new positive approach under manager Ange Postecoglou in his first north London derby, were back on terms almost instantly when Jorginho, as a half-time substitute for the injured Declan Rice, lost possession to Maddison, who played in Son for another cool finish. The headline news before kick-off was Mikel Arteta’s decision to stay with Raya in goal, a move that surely ends the debate about who is Arsenal’s number one keeper, the Spaniard getting the nod ahead of England’s Ramsdale. It was a mixed afternoon for Raya, who made two important interventions but was also culpable for Spurs’ first equaliser when he should have held a cross, allowing Spurs to maintain pressure and score.

For Arsenal, there will be real frustration in being held to a point and one of the key moments came when they were leading 1-0 and Gabriel Jesus caught James Maddison in possession, only to shoot wildly over the top with just Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario to beat. Arsenal were never at their most fluent, not helped by losing Rice to injury at half-time, and paid the price when his replacement Jorginho was robbed by Maddison for Spurs’ second goal. The Gunners staged a late show to beat Manchester United but there was no repeat here, even in 10 minutes of added time, and Arteta’s side had to settle for a point against their great rivals.

Arsenal returned to the Champions League in style as they started their first campaign in six years with an impressive win over PSV Eindhoven at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners wrapped up victory in their opening Group B game with a scintillating first half display that saw them race into a 3-0 lead on a rain-soaked night in north London. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring after eight minutes, pouncing on a rebound when PSV keeper Walter Benitez could only push Martin Odegaard’s into the England winger’s path. Saka was involved again when Arsenal doubled their advantage 12 minutes later, laying the ball perfectly into Leandro Trossard’s pass for a smooth low finish after Gabriel Jesus had broken clear.

Jesus was outstanding and thoroughly deserved to add Arsenal’s third seven minutes before half-time with a rising drive that gave Benitez no chance. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made a host of second-half changes with Sunday’s derby at home to in-form Tottenham in mind, but his side still retained complete control, and Odegaard made it 4-0 with a powerful 20-yard strike with 20 minutes left. Elsewhere in Group B, French side Lens held Sevilla to a 1-1 draw in Spain as they played in their first Champions League match in 20 years. Arsenal had been waiting for this day since 2017, and the home crowd celebrated their return to the Champions League with a thunderous roar before kick-off as the tournament’s anthem rang around Emirates Stadium.

And manager Arteta could hardly have wished for a better outcome as Arsenal dominated from the outset, those two early goals emphasising their superiority over PSV and a giving them a control they never looked like relinquishing. Striker Jesus was a perfect leader of the line, scoring one, helping to create another with a surging break, and also forcing a superb diving save out of keeper Benitez after some outstanding footwork. David Raya was again chosen ahead of Aaron Ramsdale in goal, and while he was hardly examined, he showed again why Arteta rates him so highly by demonstrating safe handling in conditions difficult as well as some excellent distribution with the ball at his feet.

The added bonus for Arteta was that Arsenal’s victory was so comfortable that he was able to make changes early to keep players fresh for that fixture against Spurs on Sunday. Saka, Jesus, Trossard, Declan Rice, and Oleksandr Zinchenko were all given an early night to conserve energies for what is shaping up as one of the biggest games of the Premier League season. The Gunners’ spirits could not be higher after following up their vital win at Everton last weekend with a display full of enough of their trademark fluency to outclass their Dutch opponents.

Arsenal dug deep to secure a narrow but well-deserved win over struggling Everton at Goodison Park. The Gunners – who replaced England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya – have suffered away at Everton in recent years, losing on four of their past five visits. But the Toffees, still without a Premier League win this season, were desperately short of quality and Arsenal substitute Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock with a classy side-foot finish after 69 minutes. Arsenal had Gabriel Martinelli’s sweeping first-half finish narrowly ruled out for offside against Eddie Nketiah in the build up, but the home side could not hold out in the second period as Trossard finished off some patient Gunners probing around the box.

Manager Mikel Arteta was clearly elated as his side maintained their unbeaten start to the season and moved back to within two points of leaders Manchester City. The home side, meanwhile, look destined for a season of relegation struggle and were a far cry from the side who overpowered Arsenal in manager Sean Dyche’s first game in charge in February. Arteta’s beaming smile in front of the visiting fans after the final whistle said it all. The Spaniard was celebrating a vital victory at a venue where he was adored as a player but where he has endured painful experiences as a coach. The Gunners have cracked in the past in the hothouse atmosphere of Goodison Park, notably last season when they suffered a damaging defeat on Dyche’s introduction as Everton boss.

There were no such problems here as they controlled matters against a desperately poor Everton side who gave Raya the most comfortable of games on his Premier League debut for the club. The new signing from Brentford looking at ease with ball at his feet and was able to indulge in some pretty tame catching practice from a succession of aimless Everton crosses. The early departure of Martinelli, who went off with a hamstring injury moments after seeing his goal ruled out for offside, was a blow but Trossard made his mark with a clever side-foot finish following neat build-up from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal’s former club record signing Nicolas Pepe has joined Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer, ending a disappointing four-year spell at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners paid £72m to sign the Ivory Coast winger from Lille in 2019.

Pepe scored 27 goals in 112 games for Arsenal and spent last season on loan with French side Nice. The 28-year-old was not involved in any of the club’s matchday squads this season. Pepe had one year left on his Arsenal contract and had been their record signing until the £100m arrival of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice this summer. After a proposed move to Saudi Arabia this summer fell through, Arsenal agreed to terminate the 28-year-old’s contract a year early so that he could move to Turkey’s Super Lig.

Trabzonspor – who won the Turkish Super Lig title in 2021-22 and are currently seventh in the standings – announced Pepe’s arrival late on Thursday evening. In a video posted on the club’s social media accounts, Pepe said he has joined the club “to become a champion and achieve success.”Pepe’s relationship with Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta soured somewhat towards the end of his time at the Emirates, with the player failing to earn pitch time and then training away from the first-team squad. The winger lost his squad number when Leandro Trossard was given the number 19 shirt upon his arrival from Brighton in January.

Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to secure a dramatic victory over Manchester United at Emirates Stadium. In a chaotic finale to a largely scrappy game, United first thought they had snatched three points only to see Alejandro Garnacho’s 88th-minute finish ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee with the score 1-1. The drama then switched to the other end in eight added minutes as Declan Rice’s deflected shot gave Arsenal the lead before substitute Gabriel Jesus raced clear to wrap up the win as the stadium exploded in elation. United had taken the lead in the 27th minute when Christian Eriksen’s outstanding pass played in Marcus Rashford, who cut inside to send an unerring right-foot drive past Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale.

The Gunners, who had already spurned a golden chance when the struggling Kai Havertz miskicked with the goal at his mercy, were level almost instantly when captain Martin Odegaard was given too much space and sent an emphatic finish into the bottom corner. In an encounter that rarely hit the heights despite lots of effort, Arsenal – who had seen a penalty over-turned by the VAR after referee Anthony Taylor originally ruled Havertz had been fouled – missed a glorious late opportunity when Bukayo Saka shot straight at Andre Onana. United saw celebrations cut short with two minutes left when substitute Garnacho raced clear to score, but the VAR ruled he was just offside – opening the door for Arsenal to produce two devastating blows.

Arsenal put their fans through the emotional wringer before sheer joy swept around Emirates Stadium at the sound of Taylor’s final whistle. For most of this match, the hosts could not find the pace and fluency that made them such an attractive, winning proposition last season as there was simply too much tension around their play. Havertz continues to look an expensive luxury item, his role in the Gunners set a mysterious one, but when it mattered Mikel Arteta’s side raised themselves to deliver a vital win when it looked like they would drop points for a second successive home game after being held by Fulham. For a few moments it looked like defeat would be Arsenal’s fate until VAR ruled Garnacho had gone just too soon before beating Ramsdale with a composed finish.

Rice deserved his goal, albeit one deflected off Jonny Evans at the near post, for an outstanding individual display that illustrated once again why Arteta made his £105m signing his main summer priority. And then Jesus showed what value he brings to Arsenal when, with United chasing an equaliser after being stunned by Rice’s goal, he embarked on a weaving solo run before beating Onana. It means Arsenal are still in touch with Manchester City and there is a real feeling of optimism going into the international break.

Crystal Palace are delighted to announce the signing Rob Holding from Arsenal, with the versatile defender joining on a three-year deal. The 27-year-old heads to south London after seven years at the Emirates Stadium, where he made 162 appearances and collected two FA Cup winners’ medals. The defender is Palace’s fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Jefferson Lerma, Matheus França and Dean Henderson. Holding has featured in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League for Arsenal, and made 24 appearances last season as the Gunners took the title race down to the wire.

“I’m excited to get started and get involved,” said Holding upon putting pen to paper. “Playing against Crystal Palace the number of years I have, seeing the fans and how intimidating Selhurst Park can be, and how loud it can get, I’m looking forward to being on the right side of that this time!” Club Chairman Steve Parish commented: “Rob is a player who will bring tremendous quality, possessing considerable Premier League experience for his age. Rob gives us options in two positions at the back, and we warmly welcome him to Crystal Palace.”

A former England U-21 international, Rob was part of the side which won the prestigious Toulon Tournament in 2016. Everyone at Arsenal thanks Rob for his contribution during his time with us and wish him all the best in his new chapter with Crystal Palace.

Nottingham Forest is delighted to announce the signing of Nuno Tavares from Arsenal. The defender arrives at The City Ground on a season-long loan deal, which includes future options. Tavares, 23, joins Forest having enjoyed an impressive loan spell in France with Marseille last season, with the full-back scoring six goals in 31 Ligue 1 appearances.

Born in Lisbon, the defender had spells with Casa Pia and Sporting CP as a youngster before joining Benfica in 2015, going on to spend six years with the club before moving to Arsenal in 2021. Tavares has since played 28 times for the Gunners, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-1 Premier League win over Manchester United in April 2022. Capped 16 times for Portugal U21s, Tavares made 39 appearances across all competitions for Marseille last season, playing the entirety of their six UEFA Champions League group stage fixtures.

Nuno Tavares, who will wear the number 3 during his time on Trentside, said: “I’m really happy to be here. “Forest is an historic club which won two European Cups and to be part of it makes me really happy. “I’m really happy to stay in the Premier League as it’s the best league in the world and I’m thankful to Forest for giving me that opportunity.” Forest’s Chief Football Officer, Ross Wilson added: “We are pleased to welcome Nuno to the club today. “I know how determined he is to do well here and our staff are all looking forward to working with him.”

Nuno isn’t fazed by a debut, he has scored on his first competitive starts for both Benfica and Marseille last season. His first-ever appearance for us, also came with a goal in a 2-2 draw against Rangers in a pre-season friendly the same month he joined.

AS Monaco are delighted to announce the arrival of striker Folarin Balogun from Arsenal. The 22-year-old American international has signed a five-season deal and is now tied to Monaco until June 2028.

Born in 2001 in New York, Folarin Balogun moved to London with his family at the age of 2. The young Anglo-American grew up in England and began his football career with London club Albersbrook.

A precocious talent, he was soon spotted by Arsenal, whom he joined at the age of 8. There, he trained at every youth level from 2009 to 2019, before signing his first professional contract at the age of 17.

After spending a season with Arsenal’s reserves (from 2019 to 2020), Folarin made his first-team debut on 29 October 2020 in a Europa League match against Irish side Dundalk Football Club. Shortly afterwards, still in Europe, the 1.78m striker scored his first professional goal against Norwegian club Molde FK. He played a further 8 games for the Gunners before joining Middlesbrough Football Club on loan in the winter of 2022 for the second half of the season. With “Boro”, Folarin made 18 Championship appearances (3 goals, 3 assists). That year, Folarin and his teammates had an excellent run in the FA Cup. They eliminated Manchester United and then Tottenham Hotspur to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.

After that experience at Middlesbrough, Folarin joined Stade de Reims on loan and discovered Ligue 1 Uber Eats. In Champagne, the American had a convincing season (22 goals and 6 assists in 39 games), earning him several UNFP Player of the Month nominations. A regular in the youth England national teams, where he played 28 games and scored 10 goals, Folarin later decided to play for the United States. Last June, the Brooklyn native received his first call-up to the US national team and played in the final stages of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Kieran Tierney has joined LaLiga side Real Sociedad on loan for the 2023/24 season. Scotland international defender Kieran joined Arsenal in August 2019 from Celtic and during his time with the Gunners he has made 124 appearances in all competitions. The 26 year-old enjoyed success in his first season, finishing the campaign scoring his first Arsenal goal in our 3-2 home win against Watford on the final day of the Premier League campaign. This was followed days later with Kieran starting in the 2-1 FA Cup Final win over Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, playing an integral role in the club lifting the FA Cup for a record fourteenth time.

During his four seasons with us, Kieran also featured in our FA Community Shield winning teams in both 2020 over Liverpool and the recent Wembley victory over Manchester City. Before joining Arsenal, Kieran enjoyed huge success at boyhood club Celtic, winning four league titles, two Scottish FA Cups and two Scottish League Cups in a four-year spell after making his debut as a 17-year-old. He was named PFA Scotland Young Player of Year for three consecutive seasons in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Kieran is a regular with the Scotland national team and currently has 39 international caps for his country. The loan deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.

Joao Palhinha secured a point for 10-man Fulham in an entertaining Premier League draw at Arsenal. Palhinha’s first-time finish from a corner in the 87th minute earned the away side a share of the spoils. The Cottagers had Calvin Bassey sent off four minutes earlier after he fouled Eddie Nketiah on the counter-attack. Andreas Pereira got Fulham off to a flying start, scoring after just 57 seconds. Pereira latched onto a loose ball from Bukayo Saka and fired in a curling shot, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale out of position.

Saka equalised from the penalty spot for the Gunners after Fabio Vieira was caught by Kenny Tete. Nketiah scored Arsenal’s second as they came from behind to take the lead, before Fulham had the final word. A resilient performance against Crystal Palace on Monday saw the Gunners end with 10 men but all three points; however, they swiftly fell behind against Fulham. Pereira’s finish meant Arsenal became the first team in Premier League history to concede a first-minute goal three times inside a calendar year. Quickfire strikes from Saka and Nketiah midway through the second half saw Arsenal surge into the lead. After winning the penalty for the equaliser, Vieira found space on the left to drive in a low cross for substitute Nketiah to finish.

Yet even with Arsenal having a man advantage for the closing minutes, they could not see out the game. Palhinha was left unmarked and punished sloppy defending to snatch a point for Marco Silva’s team. In games against Nottingham Forest and now Fulham, Arsenal have conceded in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with the defending that cost them towards the end of last season’s title challenge still an issue. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s red card at Palace meant Jakub Kiwior came into Mikel Arteta’s home side, with Thomas Partey playing as a makeshift full-back, and it was clear to see the defence was unbalanced by the changes. After getting into their winning position, Arsenal switched off and were punished.