United Kingdom

Former Chelsea and Napoli coach Antonio Conte said he was not in advanced negotiations to replace Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, and called reports that he had demanded full control at the club “unfounded”.

Conte, who won the Premier League with Chelsea and also managed Tottenham Hotspur in England, was responding to speculation that he had requested full control while also making financial demands of the struggling Old Trafford club.

United sit 13th in the Premier League and 20th in the Champions League standings following Wednesday’s humiliating 4-1 thrashing by Italian side Como, increasing scrutiny on Carrick.

“My name has been linked with numerous clubs, but there are currently no negotiations at an advanced stage,” Conte said in a statement.

“Following a wonderful and successful spell in charge of Napoli, I will take the time I need to consider how and when to return to management,” he added, referring to his time in Naples where he won Serie A in the 2024-25 season.

“It will be a carefully considered decision, one I will make when I believe the conditions are right.

“I have read reports of financial demands and requests for full control that I have supposedly already made to the clubs mentioned, as well as reservations about what has been described as my ‘strong personality’.

“These reports are unfounded, as there is currently no concrete basis for such assessments.”

Conte only interest in concrete opportunity with Man United

Conte, who last coached Napoli in the 2025-26 season, said that if a concrete opportunity arose, he would enter talks with the club involved and “jointly consider the terms of a potential agreement”, taking into account the needs of both parties.

“Until then, any assumptions about my demands and my professional future remain speculation and cannot be treated as fact,” the 57-year-old Italian added.

In an interview with The Athletic earlier this month, Conte said he would like to manage a club that has “lost sight of their history” so he can help “make it shine once more”.

Defeat against Como extended United’s winless run to seven games in all competitions, and skipper Bruno Fernandes said his team had adopted a “mood of defeat” while also questioning the tactics, with Carrick apologising for the performance.

Hurzeler ‘focused’ on Brighton job despite Man Utd links

Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler, another name linked with the United job, also distanced himself from the speculation on Friday.

The 33-year-old, England’s youngest top-flight manager, said he was focused solely on Brighton, who sit third in the Premier League after a string of impressive performances.

“I have no time to think about these rumours because we play every three days and, beside that, I have a lot of respect for Michael Carrick and what he has done with Manchester United the last season,” Hurzeler told a news conference.

“He’s a great human being, a great personality. There’s nothing more to say about that.”

Brighton’s free-scoring start to the Premier League season has seen Hurzeler touted as a possible successor should United make a mid-season managerial change for the third consecutive campaign.

The Seagulls sit third in the table, behind only Manchester City and champions Arsenal, before Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.

“I am really focused on my job here. I have no time to think about these rumours because we play every three days,” said the 33-year-old German.

Brighton’s scoring streak came to an end in a 0-0 draw at Czech side Jablonec in the Europa League on Thursday.

Despite an excellent start to the campaign, which also includes coming from 2-0 down to beat United 3-2 at Old Trafford in the League Cup last month, Hurzeler believes his side can still improve.

“There is still improvements we can do, still a lot of potential to get out of the players, and therefore I really want to work on that together with my players, together with my staff,” he said.

“I have great experts around me. I have a great group of players who support me, who give everything for this club, and we built this over the last years.

“We had tough periods, we have good periods, but I think to build these kind of relationships, you need time, you need connections, and you don’t take these things for granted.”

More than 400 people are expected to gather outside the United States embassy in London on October 31 in the latest act of mass defiance against the British government’s ban on the Palestine Action group.

Protesters plan to hold placards reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” and campaign group Defend Our Juries said a parallel action will take place outside the US consulate in Edinburgh, Scotland.

More than 3,850 people have been arrested for publicly backing Palestine Action since the United Kingdom’s government proscribed it as a “terrorist” organisation in July 2025, Defend Our Juries said.

The timing of the demonstrations is calculated. In June, the Court of Appeal sided with the government and overturned a High Court ruling that had found the proscription unlawful.

On November 4 and 5, the UK Supreme Court will hear an appeal by Palestine Action cofounder Huda Ammori.

‘Arrested again and again’

Among those Al Jazeera spoke to at the group’s previous action outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court was Teresa, a former teacher-turned-activist who has been arrested multiple times for protesting against the proscription.

“It’s a badge of honour, to be able to do this for Gaza” she told Al Jazeera.

She is not alone. Those arrested at recent actions include Massive Attack’s Rob del Naja, 94-year-old human rights barrister Margaret Owen, former government adviser Jonathan Porritt and the Reverend Sue Parfitt.

Why the US embassy?

Organisers want to raise the possibility that the UK move to ban Palestine Action came under pressure from US President Donald Trump.

The proscription followed an incident in which activists spray-painted Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Scotland. The US president labelled the action “terrorism” on his Truth Social platform and praised then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response.

During the legal challenge, it emerged that Trump and Starmer had spoken by phone twice about Palestine Action in March 2025. Starmer had requested updates from Police Scotland on the arrests and briefed Trump on developments.

The US president’s son Eric Trump also met Scottish First Minister John Swinney before the ban was announced, and documents released under the Freedom of Information Act showed the Turnberry protest was discussed.

The Halloween protests will also come three days after a hearing in the trial of the Turnberry protesters at the High Court in Glasgow. Prosecutors are now seeking to have the seven defendants sentenced as “terrorists”, a move critics called “completely disproportionate”.

The same week that the prosecutors made that call, Washington designated Palestine Action a “terrorist organisation”.

Defend Our Juries said the resulting sanctions have blocked Ammori from crowdfunding for her Supreme Court challenge.

Growing opposition

This week, actors Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley and Susan Sarandon along with broadcaster Gary Lineker signed a letter published on the cover of the New Statesman magazine urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government to drop the “draconian” legislation.

Campaigners said the ban on the group has also in effect halted UK sales of books by the Irish novelist Sally Rooney, a Palestine Action supporter.

However, when author Sarah Helm, wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, publicly declared her support for Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police took no action. Defend Our Juries said that exposes a ban that cannot be enforced evenly.

Shami Chakrabarti, a senior figure in the ruling Labour Party, has urged the home secretary to lift the ban.

Speaking to the LBC radio station, the former shadow attorney general said it “makes a mockery” of counterterrorism law and the power to proscribe should be exceptional and kept under constant review.

“I’d better be careful what I say, or I’ll be arrested,” she added.

The government’s case

The government argued that Palestine Action’s campaign of break-ins and criminal damage at defence sites, including those linked to Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems, meets the legal threshold for proscription. The Court of Appeal described it as a covert organisation operating through secret cells.

Defend Our Juries insisted its own protests are entirely peaceful.

“This mass defiance and the mass arrests expected to follow will lay bare the fundamental rights to free expression at stake in the Supreme Court hearing just days later,” a spokesperson said.

Rwanda’s controversial Formula One GP leads Lewis Hamilton to call for freedom for DR Congo, while renewing Palestine plea.

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has renewed his call for freedom for Palestine when pressed on the controversial decision to award a Grand Prix to Rwanda.

The 41-year-old is the only Black competitor in the motorsport and said an African race would make people more aware of the continent, but recognised there were concerns and used the issue to expand on his stance on humanitarian issues across the world.

Human rights campaigners Amnesty International recently accused Formula One of hollow words and offering Rwanda a “sportswashing prize” – an accusation levelled at countries perceived to be using sport to improve a tarnished image abroad.

Hamilton, who was speaking before Sunday’s US Grand Prix, has long called for a Gaza ceasefire amid Israel’s genocidal war and returned to the matter – as well as other conflicts – when asked about a Grand Prix in Rwanda.

“I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine,” Hamilton said.

“There’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage.”

Rwanda in the spotlight after Formula One GP award

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has been accused of repressive methods to keep his grip on power, with opponents dying in prisons, independent media muzzled, and other abuses.

Neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) joined the criticism of Formula One’s decision to award a race to Rwanda, which is accused by the DRC, the United States and United Nations experts of backing the M23 rebels fighting in the DRC.

“Of course, I don’t get to choose where we go,” Hamilton continued.

“Naturally, there are problems all over the world today, so I’ve seen many of the stories. But I think we really have to approach it with humility.

“Of course, going there doesn’t mean that you neglect the things that are happening there.

“So hopefully many people start to educate themselves a little bit more about what is happening there and what has happened there for hundreds of years. I hope that does spark the conversation.

“Growing up in England, they never taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum.

“A lot of the problems they have there are still results of colonialism and the West intervening.”

Formula One’s return to Africa has been Hamilton’s dream

Hamilton said a race in Africa was a dream that could keep him going longer in the sport now that Formula One has done a deal with Rwanda for a Grand Prix in the early 2030s.

The Ferrari driver will be 42 in January and has a contract for 2027. Fernando Alonso, the oldest active F1 driver, is 45 and recently signed up for another season with Aston Martin.

“I’m now forced to stay a lot longer because we have a race in Africa, and that’s been my dream, to be able to race in Africa,” Hamilton said on Thursday in a news conference alongside championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

“I have to keep fighting to try and stay fit. If I can still punch out good results over the next year, we’ll keep it going.”

Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton at Mercedes last season and is still only 20 years old, encouraged him: “You got to do at least the first one.”

Hamilton, the sport’s first and only Black champion, has long campaigned for a race in Africa – a continent that last hosted a race at South Africa’s Kyalami circuit in 1993 – and spoke of his efforts.

“Countless meetings with the stakeholders, so many meetings with (F1 CEO) Stefano (Domenicali) at his office in London, but also on race weekends, countless calls: ‘What’s happening? Where are we going? Who are you meeting with?’

“Many meetings with different presidents from different countries. Lots of phone calls with different presidents from different countries within Africa,” he recalled.

“I think for me, it’s a place that deserves to have a Grand Prix. It’s about more than just one country. It’s about the continent itself.”

Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country last season, is among the favourites for award with Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is hoping for a “special night” at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in his hometown of London, where the England captain is the bookies’ favourite.

The 33-year-old scored 73 goals for club and country last season, the second-best mark in history after Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2010-2011.

But in continuing his habit of tormenting old foes Arsenal on Wednesday, the former Tottenham striker again demonstrated how complete a player he has become since moving to Germany in 2023.

At one point, dropping back to take goal kicks to ignite Bayern’s attack, Kane also set up Alphonso Davies’s first-half equaliser with a pinpoint long-range pass.

In the second half, Kane won and then converted a penalty, giving Bayern the lead before England teammate Declan Rice scored late to grab a share of the spoils for Arsenal with a 2-2 finish.

Open field

Kane is odds-on to claim what would be his first Ballon d’Or, but the outcome is anything but certain in one of the most open fields in recent memory.

The Bayern striker faces stiff competition from Spain’s World Cup-winning duo Lamine Yamal and Rodri along with France captain Kylian Mbappe and teammate Michael Olise.

While Yamal and Mbappe in particular have taken to the airways to extol their suitability for the award, Kane has been typically circumspect despite constant media questioning.

Repeatedly asked about his chances after Wednesday’s star showing, Kane said: “I try not to think about it. Obviously, it’s hard.

“There’s rumours flying around, so you try and stay away from it. I’m going to try and enjoy Monday night as much as possible. It’s a big occasion and a big event.”

Officially, there are three broad criteria upon which the Ballon d’Or is awarded: individual performances and impressive character, team performances and class/fairplay.

In recent years, recipients have either won the Champions League and/or World Cup or have made their case through sheer weight of numbers. Kane clearly satisfies the latter criteria.

Long criticised for a failure to win team trophies at Tottenham, Kane brought his total to five with Bayern after last year’s league and cup double, but the Bavarian giants’ dominance of Germany may count against him.

Bayern made the semifinals of the Champions League, going out narrowly to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.

England finished third at the World Cup with captain Kane scoring six times and laying on an assist.

‘Ridiculous’ Kane

After scoring against Arsenal, Kane has at least one goal in each of his past 10 Champions League matches, one short of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 11.

“Whenever you’re in any conversation with Ronaldo it means you’re doing something special, especially in this competition,” Kane said.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany praised Kane’s team-focused efforts, saying: “What made Harry happy the most in recent years is that he finally won his first team trophies here.

“Now if he can crown his career or his season with the Ballon d’Or, that would be deserved for the way he plays for the team.”

After Wednesday’s match, Rice had special praise for his international captain.

“Harry is the clear winner [of the Ballon d’Or]. His numbers speak for themselves. The year he had is remarkable.

“For a striker to play that pass for their first goal, then take the penalty how he did, … he’s ridiculous. He’s such a good player.”

Former Three Lions midfielder Steven Gerrard on Wednesday joined Jude Bellingham in calling Kane “arguably the best England player there’s been” after Kane’s masterclass against Arsenal.

Michael Owen was England’s last Ballon d’Or recipient, winning it in 2001, while in 1981 another striker, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, was the last Bayern player to claim the honour.

“Monday could be a special night. We’ll have to wait and see,” Kane said on Wednesday.

“I’m trying not to think about it too much because we have important games and another one on Sunday.

“I know it’s a massive event. I am looking forward to it for sure. Hopefully, it’ll be a special night.”

When the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony gets under way at the London Palladium this Monday, much of England will hope it serves as a good omen.

After all, the English haven’t seen one of their own lift the golden ball – football’s most prestigious individual award – in 25 years.

Michael Owen was the embodiment of English pride when he won the accolade in 2001. Now, it is Harry Kane who could bring his nation an honour every footballer dreams of.

So, what are Kane’s odds of winning the Ballon d’Or? Al Jazeera takes a look:

The best season of Kane’s career bodes well for Ballon d’Or

Remember the time when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scored 50-plus goals for fun? When a football forward’s goal tally looked more like a batsman’s cricket score?

Kane’s 2025-26 goal-scoring exploit is the closest we have experienced to that in recent years.

The England captain’s 73-goal performance last season was the finest display the world has seen since Argentinian legend Messi’s 82-goal tally in 2011-12.

“I’ve never liked to talk about myself too much,” Kane said in an interview last month.

“The only thing I would say is that last season was incredible, on a personal level and as a team.

“It was, by far, the best season of my life.”

Age is no problem for England and Bayern Munich’s Kane

He scored an incredible 36 goals last season, making Kane the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the third year running and earning him a second European Golden Shoe, while finishing nine goals clear of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in the continental race.

The Bayern Munich forward’s statistics look even more impressive given he is seemingly peaking at 33, an age when most forwards are far beyond their prime.

Kane is bidding to join the ranks of Messi, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, some of the recipients of the last 10 editions who won the Ballon d’Or in their 30s.

Standing in his way, however, are two very talented juniors – Spain’s superstar-in-the-making, Lamine Yamal, who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup shortly after his 19th birthday, and France’s 2018 world champion, Kylian Mbappe, who is 27.

When Kane made his Premier League debut for Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, Yamal was still in primary school, and Mbappe was in high school.

Could Champions League and World Cup woes hurt Kane’s bid?

Since Kane moved from London to Munich, the forward has taken German club football by storm, and 2025-26 was no different. He finished the campaign with three trophies: the Bundesliga title, DFB-Pokal (the German Cup) and Franz Beckenbauer Supercup (the German Supercup).

But his failure to make an impact in the Champions League semifinal cost Bayern Europe’s most coveted club trophy, and the same was the case at the recent World Cup, where he finished third with England.

While World Cup success is not a strict requirement to win the Ballon d’Or, having a world title on your CV definitely helps. Furthermore, being pitted against 2026 World Cup winners Yamal and Rodri – also the 2024 Ballon d’Or recipient – could hurt Kane’s odds.

Recent history suggests that winning a title in one of the major tournaments has become almost a prerequisite.

Only four of the previous 19 Ballon d’Or winners failed to lift either the Champions League, World Cup, European Championship or Copa America during the year they won the honour.

Those exceptions include record eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient Messi and five-time winner Ronaldo.

Kane is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the Ballon d’Or

Only time will tell whether falling short in major competitions’ crucial knockout rounds will decide Kane’s fate, but for now, he is the bookmakers’ leading candidate for the trophy.

As of Tuesday, Kane holds about 65-70 percent market share to become the successor to Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.

Unlike other Ballon d’Or contenders, especially the outspoken Yamal and Mbappe, who are campaigning hard for the award, Kane has been relatively quiet.

Bayern are speaking up for their leader, having put together a video in which teammates said Kane should win.

“He deserves to win it, 100 percent, without a doubt,” said Colombian Luis Diaz, who is also on the shortlist.

If Kane wins the award, he would become only the fifth English player to do so after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen.

‘I have not given my own position any thought’, Carrick said after United’s 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League.

Michael Carrick has admitted that Manchester United were difficult to watch during an “unacceptable” 4-1 Champions League thrashing by Como, but insists he is not concerned about losing his job as manager.

The three-time European champions were outclassed by the Italian debutants at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Wednesday, as the embarrassing defeat extended their winless run to seven matches in all competitions.

Carrick’s position has come under scrutiny amid United’s slump, which has included their worst start to a league season for 40 years, but he told a news conference that he was not fearing for his position.

“I have not given my own position any thought,” Carrick said.

The Old Trafford boss insisted that his apology to the travelling fans at the end of the game held no extra significance as pressure builds on his position.

“I always go over to the fans regardless,” Carrick said.

“It wasn’t a particularly different reason why I went over. I think it’s the appreciation and acknowledgement of what they have gone through and what they have done over a period of a few weeks now. But particularly tonight.”

‘It was tough to watch’

United fell behind within two minutes to a Nico Paz goal, becoming the first English team ever to concede in the opening two minutes of two consecutive major European matches, having gone behind one minute into a 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid last week.

Cesc Fabregas’s side romped into a deserved 4-0 lead in northern Italy before substitute Joshua Zirkzee pulled back a stoppage-time consolation and Carrick admitted he was alarmed by the manner in which his team were outplayed.

“For us to play in that way, it’s not acceptable,” he said. “It wasn’t a good performance at all. We wanted to build on what we brought and the performance we had at Leeds.

“That bit of intensity, that spirit, that aggression, that real willingness to give everything. Tonight was the total opposite performance. I have to say, it was tough to watch.”

“There’s a lot going through my mind, watching that,” he continued. “Genuinely, it’s difficult to understand how it can be so different [from the Leeds performance].

“It shouldn’t be like that. We can all play well, we can all have poor performances, but to do it in that manner is really not right at all.”

Next up for Carrick’s side is a home Premier League game against Bournemouth on Sunday.

“I’m frustrated, more than frustrated, I’m really angry, to be honest,” Carrick said.

“You’ve got to move on, you’ve got to deal with what’s next and see what that looks like. At this moment in time, there’s a lot to do before that next game to get the team ready because that was a difficult night for everyone tonight.”

France and the United Kingdom have both moved to deploy military assets to Saudi Arabia, deepening their defence ties with the kingdom as its conflict with the Houthis, an armed group also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God), in Yemen escalates.

Paris last week said it had begun sending assets to Saudi Arabia as part of a previously announced agreement, after President Emmanuel Macron committed to deploying troops and air defence systems to help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, which has come under attack from the Iran-backed Houthis.

The UK, for its part, on Tuesday announced plans to deploy fighter jets to help shield Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks.

Both countries stressed that their support would be defensive.

Analysts say the European moves serve several geopolitical purposes: protecting Saudi oil exports that are important to European energy markets, shoring up their strategic alliance in the Gulf amid US reluctance to offer direct military assistance to Saudi Arabia, and strengthening deterrence against future Houthi attacks.

But the deployments also carry significant risks, many analysts say, potentially drawing the two European states more directly into the protracted Saudi-Houthi conflict.

“If insufficiently deterred, the Houthis may decide that the moment is ripe to test the resolve and resilience of Saudi Arabia’s defensive posture, and attempt to draw Saudi Arabia’s allies even further into the Yemen-Saudi confrontation,” Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow for Middle East Security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Al Jazeera.

‘Support during crisis’

The British and French military support measures come as Saudi Arabia faces a sustained Houthi missile and drone campaign against it, including targeting energy and transport infrastructure.

Houthi attacks targeting Saudi airports in Riyadh and Abha this month have killed 19 people and injured more than 300 others, according to the Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki.

Addressing the UK’s stepped-up military support for Saudi Arabia, UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called recent Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia “absolutely despicable”, specifically condemning the group’s targeting of Riyadh airport.

The UK Ministry of Defence said it would deploy Typhoon fighter jets to fly “defensive counter air missions” in Saudi Arabia, send UK military advisers to work with Saudi staff officers and provide an A400M transport aircraft to help move defence material within the kingdom.

French support for Saudi Arabia would include soldiers, radars and defence systems, Macron has said, without detailing the scale of the support.

Urban Coningham, a research fellow at RUSI, noted differences in the British and French roles, with the French mainly limited to protecting Saudi export infrastructure. The British, by contrast, will conduct “defensive patrols where they would shoot down incoming missiles or drones” in Saudi Arabia, as well as provide air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi bombers and jets heading into Yemeni airspace, he said.

Camille Lons, policy fellow and deputy head of the Paris office at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said France is limited in what it can provide to Saudi Arabia, particularly given the demands on European defences amid the war in Ukraine. Still, Paris sees its assistance as a way to “show support [for Saudi Arabia] in times of crisis, and a way to deepen the defence partnership”, Lons told Al Jazeera.

‘Freeing up’ Saudi aircraft

Saudi Arabia will welcome the European deployments, as it has struggled to translate some of its security partnerships into high-level military support.

In September, US President Donald Trump rejected multiple Saudi requests to participate in strikes on the Houthis, agreeing only to provide intelligence and targeting support, the news agency Reuters cited informed sources saying.

Turkiye and Pakistan have committed to “collective deterrence measures”, including potential troop deployments, under the newly signed Mecca defence pact with Saudi Arabia, but the agreement has yet to be ratified in Turkiye.

Egypt’s parliament has also postponed a vote that would authorise its armed forces to support Saudi Arabia.

Nawaf Obaid, a senior fellow at King’s College War Studies Department, called the UK and French deployments “militarily valuable and politically significant”, saying they could help shield the kingdom’s sprawling territory from persistent Houthi air attacks while giving Riyadh more room to focus its own assets on offensive operations.

“The British Typhoons can reinforce Saudi air defences and, crucially, free up Saudi Eurofighters for offensive operations,” Obaid told Al Jazeera. “France’s contribution is particularly important for protecting Yanbu.”

Saudi Arabia “does not need foreign assistance to conduct air strikes”, Obaid added, noting that the kingdom has its own powerful combat aircraft fleet. “What it needs is additional defensive coverage across its enormous territory, particularly for critical energy infrastructure.”

Ozcelik said the recent British move was “not insignificant”, but its deterrent impact was not immediately clear.

“The question remains whether the UK air missions will move the dial in deterring sustained Houthi attacks while Saudi air defences and interceptor stockpiles are stretched,” said Ozcelik. “The difference between deterrence and interdiction is an important one.”

‘Dragged into protracted conflict’

What also remains to be seen is whether the UK and France will maintain a purely defensive posture – and whether the Houthis will recognise that distinction at all.

Coningham said the Houthis could interpret European military involvement, especially the UK’s air-to-air support for Saudi bombers and jets, as “offensive” rather than defensive, leading the group to view those countries as belligerents and their forces as targets.

As a result, Coningham said, the Houthis could strike at British forces stationed in the region – whether in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, such as Cyprus – or reverse their position on allowing free transit to non-Saudi vessels, including European ships, in the Bab al-Mandeb strait – a key maritime route in the world.

Another potential flashpoint would be a Houthi attack in Saudi Arabia that kills British or French personnel, analysts noted.

“Whether it’s a direct attack planned by the Houthis or collateral damage, if the British or French have any casualties … then there becomes a pointed debate in those countries as to whether they should then retaliate,” said Coningham.

Ozcelik said the UK could face pressure to play a more offensive role in the event of a “mass civilian casualty event” caused by the Houthis or “debilitating attacks on Saudi’s energy infrastructure”, although London would likely view such a scenario as a “last resort”.

“Neither the Mecca signatories nor the UK are inclined to get dragged into deeper and likely protracted conflict inside Yemen,” said Ozcelik.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from left-wing politicians and environmentalists.

The United Kingdom’s government has approved a natural gas project off the coast of Scotland, as the Labour government seeks to balance its climate goals with energy security concerns.

Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said on Wednesday that the Jackdaw gasfield would begin supplying energy to UK homes by the end of the month and would help to boost the country’s energy security.

The government said the North Sea project would increase UK gas production by about 6 percent at its peak.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the decision will “protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm”, but stressed it would not hinder the government’s targets on renewable energy.

The government also announced a New Energy Wealth Fund, which will invest in renewable and low-carbon energy projects as part of the green transition.

The fund has been established with an initial 2 billion pounds ($2.7bn), with plans to raise additional funds through tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas.

Higher energy prices amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the United States-Israel war on Iran have weighed on households and businesses, dragging on Britain’s economy.

Fahnbulleh told UK radio station LBC that the development of Jackdaw would not bring down household energy bills.

“I think it’s really important that we’re honest about this,” Fahnbulleh said.

“That was not a consideration in the decision because it won’t mean cheaper bills. This was about energy security.”

The announcement has drawn criticism from left-wing politicians and environmental groups.

Zack Polanski, the leader of the opposition Green Party, described the decision as “climate vandalism”.

“Surreal to hear [the] energy secretary try and say this is a ‘pragmatic decision’,” Polanski wrote in a post on X.

“It will do nothing to lower bills. It will do lots for the profits of the oil and gas companies. And will continue us further down the path of floods and wildfires.”

Environmental group Greenpeace said the decision showed “the toxic grip fossil fuel lobbyists still hold over our energy policy”.

“True pragmatism means severing our reliance on expensive oil and gas that leaves British households broke, supercharges extreme weather, and leaves our energy security at the mercy of petrostates,” said Ami McCarthy, head of politics at Greenpeace UK.

Manchester United manager’s troubles grow as seven players are out injured before a Champions League trip to Como.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick says he needs no reassurances from the club’s hierarchy as he knows winning games is the only way to silence speculation over his future.

Before a Champions League trip to Italian side Como on Wednesday, United have won just two of their 10 games in all competitions this season.

The Red Devils are off to their worst start to an English top-flight campaign in 40 years, having been knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton last month and comfortably beaten by Atletico Madrid last week in the Champions League.

Carrick was appointed manager on a permanent basis in May only after an impressive spell as interim boss in the second half of last season.

But he has quickly become just the latest manager under pressure at Old Trafford at a club that has fallen from grace since Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

“I know we’ve got to win football games for everything to flow and everything to fit into place. That’s the great thing about it; we can do something about it,” Carrick told his pre-match news conference in Italy.

“I don’t need any reassurance. It’s pretty clear.

“I know the role, I know the responsibilities. I don’t need anyone else to kind of tell me that or tell me when it’s going well or when it needs to be better. I know that myself.”

Carrick’s hopes of turning things around have not been aided by a growing injury list.

Lisandro Martinez started Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds, despite his stinging criticism of the club’s lack of transfer activity following the defeat at Atletico, but had to be replaced at half time.

The Argentinian international will miss the trip to Como, as will Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven.

London, United Kingdom – There was a moment towards the end of Andy Burnham’s conference speech in Liverpool that, through silence, spoke volumes.

The new prime minister and Labour leader fell quiet.

For 20 seconds he stood, saying nothing. He hadn’t forgotten his words. He was gathering his emotions for a passage of the speech he hadn’t been able to make it through in rehearsals without crying.

Burnham’s father had died just a couple of weeks before, and this was the section where he’d talk about it.

As the audience realised what was coming they stood, applauding, and urging him on with shouts of “Come on, lad!’ and “Come on, Andy!”

Thanking them, he composed himself and continued.

Conference speeches are theatre, and contemporary British political standards require that a leader be relatable. But there’s little doubt that Andy Burnham handled this moment with an emotional register that struck many as genuine.

His predecessor Keir Starmer sometimes came across as wooden, almost robotic and uncomfortable in front of cameras. Burnham, the seventh prime minister in 10 years, is more emotional.

He talks big ideas and grand solutions and relishes the opportunity to communicate.

In the vibes-denominated currency of modern political discourse, this matters.

The polls speak for themselves. Politico’s Poll of Polls had the Labour Party retake top spot shortly after Burnham became PM – a position it has not relinquished since. At the end of September, Ipsos found Andy Burnham to be the only politician with a positive net favourability rating.

YouGov’s polling also judges him the most popular politician in the UK at the moment.

But to keep up, Burnham must deliver tangible change before the next general election. Unless he calls one early, that will be 2029.

According to political analyst Sam Freedman, “So many in Westminster keep coming back to an early election, despite Burnham ruling it out … No one can quite figure out how Burnham keeps the hope vibe going for three more years with relatively little visible progress.”

‘Going back to what Labour was in the 50s’

In the Welsh town of Port Talbot, terraces of workers’ cottages cluster beside the UK’s largest steelworks.

Like much of Wales, Port Talbot did vote Labour for a century – until elections for the Senedd Cymru or Welsh Parliament in May.

Labour was beaten to an unprecedented third place behind Plaid Cymru’s nationalists, and the anti-immigration Reform UK.

But that was before Burnham took over.

Myles Lewis, who organises social walks for the town’s elderly, told Al Jazeera that Labour had not convinced people on immigration, and Starmer’s communication wasn’t good enough.

“[But now], it’s kind of going back to what Labour was in the 50s and 60s, where they actually looked after the working-class people. I do believe Andy Burnham can get there because I think he has the interests of the working-class people.”

In his first weeks in power, Burnham delivered a quick flurry of eye-catching, domestic, cost-of-living-focused policies.

He capped bus fares, cut the value-added tax (VAT) on electricity bills, and cut business rates for pubs.

He said that he would end street homelessness, reindustrialise the country, take services back into public control, and start the biggest build-out of social housing since World War II.

The mayor of Greater Manchester for nine years, Burnham supports the devolution of powers from Westminster to the UK’s nations and regions.

In July, he announced mayors could keep a share of business rates from April 2027 and of income tax from 2028.

And his conference speech in September set out the contours of some big political battles to come, including a national social care service, free at the point of use, paid for by changing the UK pensions’ triple lock from 2030. It would arrive next parliament. Burnham also pitched a national commission on electoral reform, with a manifesto commitment to overhaul the voting system. And he delivered a blunt verdict on Brexit: that it “has done more harm than good”. He wouldn’t rule out an in-out referendum, or a pledge for the UK to rejoin the European Union, in Labour’s next manifesto, he said.

On foreign affairs, there is less blue water between Burnham and his predecessors.

When he travelled to Ukraine in August, the UK’s new prime minister came with a headline-grabbing gift – British know-how to build the long-range SCALP missile. He was the fourth British prime minister to visit Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and pledge steadfast support.

On Gaza, he has said the Labour government “didn’t get it right” and should have called for a ceasefire earlier. And in September, the Burnham government announced a sanctions package against illegal West Bank settlements.

But there has been no genocide declaration, and no full arms embargo against Israel. And Burnham hasn’t overturned the Starmer government’s proscription of the Palestine Action protest group as a “terrorist” organisation.

Defence spending is also a looming problem.

The government’s formal defence pledge is 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, and Burnham has declined to say whether he’d pay for it with tax rises or welfare cuts.

John Healey, who resigned as the UK’s defence secretary in June over underfunding, is now chancellor of the exchequer, and will not commit to the 3-percent-by-2030 target he set himself.

Burnham’s first budget comes at the end of this month. A full spending review follows next year. Much will be clearer after these.

His biggest pledges – reindustrialisation, control of public services, a new social care system – are expensive.

Burnham certainly has the vibes. The public likes them, for now. The budget will show whether he can afford them.

Ministry of Defence says warplanes will operate in ‘defensive role’ and not be used to attack Yemeni group.

The United Kingdom has said it will deploy fighter jets to help protect Saudi Arabia from attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.

In a statement on Tuesday, the British Ministry of Defence said the Typhoon warplanes would operate in a “defensive role” and not carry out attacks against the Iranian-backed armed group.

“The UK will fly defensive counter air missions to support the protection of Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure against aerial attack, using RAF Typhoon fighter jets,” it added.

The support includes an extension of air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi air operations, the ministry added.

The announcement comes amid heavy fighting between the Houthis – also known as Ansar Allah, Arabic for Supporters of God – and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have carried out missile and drone strikes against the kingdom, including Riyadh’s main airport, while the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government has launched air attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen.

“The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable. The targeting of the airport in Riyadh in particular shows the lengths the Houthis are going to escalate the situation in the region,” UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said.

“That’s why today I have approved further UK military support. RAF Typhoons will fly defensive air missions to help protect Saudi airspace from drones and missiles. This builds on the UK equipment and personnel we already have in the country to defend against Houthi air attacks,” he added.

A wave of youth-led protests has returned to the streets of India’s capital, Delhi, after media reports revealed that the Electoral Commission removed about 130 million names from voter lists.

These protests differ from the unrest that exploded in July, though, by the attacks on the media.

Dozens of journalists and content creators have been detained, assaulted or blocked from doing their jobs. But tightening the screws on critical reporting doesn’t appear to be working, as a new generation rises to challenge the government.

Contributors:
Saba Naqvi – Author and journalist
Smita Sharma – Multimedia journalist
Shyam Meera Singh – Founder, Strike Originals
Sushant Singh – Lecturer, Yale University

On our radar

Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, following protests calling for the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The state’s response has followed a familiar pattern: A media blackout and internet shutdown, while casting protesters as rebels.

Reporter: Tariq Nafi

The rise of digital micro-Bolsonaros

It’s been more than three years since Jair Bolsonaro fell from power, yet the right-wing movement he started is still without a clear leader. Into that gap has stepped a new crop of young evangelical political influencers, who are tapping into a decades-old religious media machine to build their audience.

Their viral content ricochets across social feeds, mobilising followers and voters in ways old-school politicians just can’t match.

The Listening Post’s Nicholas Muirhead reports on Brazil’s evangelical influencers and the political space they are looking to take over.

Featuring: 
Anna Virginia Balloussier – Journalist, Folha De Sao Paulo
Caro Evangelista – Executive director, Iser
Magali Cunha – Editor-in-chief, Berreia Project

Bryan Mbeumo’s goal is not enough to win it for beleaguered United as Dominic Calvert-Lewin levels for Leeds.

Manchester United ended a turbulent week with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday that does little to ease the pressure on beleaguered manager Michael Carrick.

The Red Devils travelled to the Yorkshire home of their bitter rivals desperate to find a spark after just two wins in nine games in all competitions this season.

The sense of a growing crisis at the club was exacerbated in midweek by an outburst from defender Lisandro Martinez, who took aim at the United hierarchy after a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

The Argentina centre-back said Carrick, in his first full season in charge at Old Trafford, had been left with an under-strength squad after an underwhelming summer transfer window.

The United boss insisted on Friday that the club had “moved on” from the incident and Martinez was named in the starting lineup at Elland Road.

Both teams were fully committed in a feisty start to the match in Leeds but there was little goalmouth action.

The first effort on target came in the 26th minute when United goalkeeper Senne Lammens clawed away a Nico Elvedi header destined for the top corner after bouncing up off the turf.

Bryan Mbeumo, playing as United’s target man, headed wastefully wide a minute later after a fine cross from Youri Tielemans and then shot tamely at Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford.

But he finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Tielemans again delivered a low ball from the right which Mbeumo guided into the bottom corner for his fourth Premier League goal of the season.

Martinez went off at half-time as Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui was brought into the action.

Leeds started strongly after the break and were level in the 51st minute when Dominic Calvert-Lewin controlled the ball on his chest and finished at full stretch after Tarik Muharemovic got his head to the ball following a corner.

The home team were now well on top, largely limiting Carrick’s team to counter-attacks.

The Man United boss made attacking substitutions in the search for a winner, bringing on Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha, but neither team could force a winner.

The point left 20-time English champions Manchester United in 13th place in the table with just one win in seven games while Leeds are seventh.

Brighton stun Crystal Palace with five-star display

Elsewhere on Sunday, Brighton leapfrogged Arsenal into second place, at least temporarily, after humbling Crystal Palace 5-0, including a sensational Diego Gomez effort from the halfway line.

Fabian Hurzeler’s team were three goals up inside 10 minutes after an own goal from Palace defender Jaydee Canvot, Gomez’s spectacular effort and a strike from Yasin Ayari.

Further goals from Charalampos Kostoulas and substitute Jack Hinshelwood in the second half deepened Palace’s pain.

The Gunners, six points behind Manchester City, are in action at Nottingham Forest in the late-afternoon kickoff.

Arsenal need a win to rein in City, who have won all seven of their league games this season.

Enzo Maresca’s men have put together their impressive run despite off-field distractions after the club was charged with multiple breaches of Premier League financial rules.

Bournemouth beat 10-man Sunderland 2-0 with goals from Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson for their first league win of the season.

The Argentinian goalkeeper is stretchered off after a collision during Chelsea’s visit to Everton and later undergoes surgery.

Goalkeeper Emi Martinez says he will be “back in a few weeks” after undergoing surgery following a clash of heads during Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Everton in the Premier League.

Martinez and Jarrad Branthwaite came together on Saturday when Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall whipped a free kick into the box, and although the Everton defender was back on his feet after treatment, the Chelsea goalkeeper required treatment from paramedics.

The 34-year-old ‌‌Argentinian was eventually strapped to a stretcher and carried off the field before being taken to hospital with a concussion as media in Argentina reported he had suffered a jaw injury in the collision.

Martinez, wearing a hospital gown, posted on social media on Sunday: “Thanks to everyone for the messages. The operation went well.

“The most important thing is that we won and kept a clean ⁠⁠sheet. In a few weeks we’ll be back.”

Martinez’s injury forced ⁠⁠Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso to give Mike Penders his Premier League debut, and the 21-year-old keeper helped Chelsea keep their first clean sheet in the league since January.

Penders, a Belgian youth international, will ⁠⁠likely have to step in until Martinez is cleared to return to training.

Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur in the league ⁠⁠next Saturday, followed by a League Cup fourth-round game ⁠⁠at Liverpool on October 28 and a home Premier League match against Manchester United three days later.

Champion dominates fellow British boxer in London before facing a challenge from IBO champion Hrgovic.

Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois has retained his WBO ⁠⁠heavyweight belt with a one-sided ⁠⁠and devastating second-round stoppage of fellow British boxer Fabio Wardley in their world title rematch in London.

The 29-year-old champion made a storming start at the O2 Arena on Saturday, and Wardley’s legs gave way within 17 seconds of the opening bell as Dubois floored him with a straight right punch.

Wardley, 31, beat the count and could have been stopped at the end of the first round when he took a further brutal pounding on the ropes but ⁠⁠was saved by the bell.

There was no escape from the onslaught of blows in the second round as Dubois picked up where he left off and Wardley took punch after punch until the towel was thrown in and referee Steve Gray brought the fight to a close.

“Fabio is a great warrior, coming in for a second time, but it was my time and my era,” said “Triple D”, never ‌‌a man for long speeches. “I had my intentions, bad intentions, from the beginning.

“Our back was against the wall the first time. This time, we just had to go out there and show that we mean business, and that’s what we did tonight.”

Dubois dealt Wardley his first defeat as a professional in May when he came back from two knockdowns, the first after 16 seconds, to take the title in the 11th round of a thunderous and bloody clash in Manchester.

Wardley, promoted to WBO champion in November after Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title, was ⁠⁠acclaimed for his courage and refusal to give in the first time around, but on Saturday, he ⁠⁠looked like a shell of the man seen in Manchester.

He now has a record of 20 wins and two defeats with Dubois on 24 wins with three defeats.

“I’ve always thrown myself in with the best competitors out there, the toughest, the biggest, hardest, meanest guys around. There’s no shame in testing yourself against the best,” he said.

“Daniel’s ⁠⁠a testament to coming up short and coming again. I’ll be looking to do the exact same thing.

“Boxing is a game of fine margins. It can be done and over in a ⁠⁠round or two, or it can go into a big old war like it ⁠⁠was last time.”

Dubois was previously the IBF champion, losing the title to Usyk in London in July last year before coming back to take the WBO belt from Wardley.

Croatian Filip Hrgovic, the IBF champion after beating the United Kingdom’s Moses Itauma in August, was ringside on Saturday and challenged Dubois to a fight with both belts ‌‌on the line.

“It was an easy night for Daniel. He did a good job, quick win. So he’s ready to fight me in March, right, Daniel?” Hrgovic said before promoter Frank Warren suggested he might have to deal with other candidates first.

Dubois beat ‌‌the ‌‌Croatian in June 2024 to take the interim IBF belt and was then upgraded to champion when Usyk vacated his title.

“I want to have a rematch with him. I want to get my old belt back and rule the division,” Dubois said.

Argentinian international taken to hospital for precautionary tests after a head clash with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

Pedro Neto’s double condemned Everton to a first defeat of the season as Chelsea won 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium despite the loss of goalkeeper Emi Martinez to a head injury.

Neto opened the scoring inside the first minute of the second half on Saturday and secured the three points during the 11 added minutes following the lengthy treatment given to the stricken Martinez.

The Argentinian international was involved in a sickening head clash with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and was taken to hospital.

“As far as I know he left the stadium conscious. Right now he’s in the hospital doing the precautionary tests, so let’s see,” said Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso.

A first away win of the season lifts Chelsea above the Toffees into the top four and the Blues also recorded a first clean sheet in 23 Premier League games.

“We needed one of these wins away. We have played very professional, very serious, looking solid. It is a very good win,” added Alonso.

“We need to get many more clean sheets for the rest of the league games but for sure the first one of the season feels good and now we need to keep going this way.”

After a slow start, a fiery-tempered encounter sparked into life when Everton midfielder Harrison Armstrong launched into a tackle on Josh Acheampong for the first of five first-half yellow cards.

‘This win is for him’

That challenge also enlivened the home crowd and spurred Everton on to their best spell of the game.

Thierno Barry was guilty of another wasteful day in front of goal as the Frenchman planted a header from Jack Grealish’s cross too close to Martinez.

Chelsea have made a habit of fast starts under Alonso, but it took until four minutes before half-time to threaten when Moises Caicedo blasted off the bar from a well-worked corner.

Everton were furious that Morgan Rogers escaped a second booking just before the break after a thunderous clash with England teammate James Garner.

That proved to be a huge decision as the visitors this time flew out of the blocks at the start of the second period.

Jorrel Hato got to the byline and his low cross fell to Neto, who had time to control before firing low past Jordan Pickford.

Chelsea had not kept a Premier League clean sheet since January, but were rarely troubled by an Everton side short on forward options, despite the loss of Martinez.

“I just felt that Chelsea had that little bit more flair and ability which we didn’t possess at the right moments today,” said Everton boss David Moyes.

The treatment for Martinez threatened to halt Chelsea’s momentum as they controlled the second half.

Belgian Mike Penders replaced the Chelsea number one for his first Premier League appearance but had little to do bar dealing with a few desperate Everton crosses.

At the other end Pickford made a fine save to deny Joao Pedro.

But Chelsea did get their second goal when Neto coolly stroked into the bottom corner after Jordan Henderson’s free-kick was blocked by the Everton wall.

“We are really ‌‌pleased. Shame for Emi but we wish you all the best. This win is for him,” Neto told TNT Sports after his first Premier League brace.

“We need a clean sheet, to be honest. I think we did a very good game. Emi deserved this, Mike did as well.”

Who: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: City Ground, Nottingham, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, October 18 , at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 12:30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

Arsenal will try to end their goal drought at the City Ground when they play Nottingham Forest on Sunday – the Gunners failed to score in their last two visits, as both matches ended in goalless draws.

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his side had learned lessons from their “extremely average” performance at Brighton before the international break as they returned to winning ways against Leeds last weekend.

The Spaniard was left to stew for 21 days after the 3-0 humbling at the Amex last month – the first defeat of the season for the Premier League champions.

But the Gunners got that performance out of their system at the Emirates last Saturday, coming from behind to beat Leeds 2-1.

Arsenal also cruised to a 3-0 home win over Lille in midweek to extend their perfect start in the Champions League.

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner was beaten on his return to Crystal Palace as Daichi Kamada’s first Premier League goal inspired the Eagles’ 3-1 win last weekend.

Arsenal headed into this weekend in second place in the Premier League, three points behind Manchester City, while Nottingham Forest were 15th.

What happened in Arsenal’s last Premier League game?

Arsenal got back on track as the Premier League champions survived a scare to beat Leeds, although Arteta’s side were in danger of a second successive loss when they fell behind at the Emirates Stadium.

James Justin fired Leeds ahead in the 55th minute after Arsenal failed to clear Gabriel Gudmundsson’s cross.

Arteta had admitted Arsenal were nursing a “pain in the tummy” from the Brighton loss, but Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori found the cure when he converted Ben White’s header from close range in the 62nd minute.

Arsenal showcased their strength in depth as substitute Bruno Guimaraes drilled the winner from the edge of the area just six minutes after coming off the bench.

The Brazilian’s first goal at the Emirates since his close-season move from Newcastle made it five wins from six league matches for the Gunners.

What happened in Forest’s last Premier League game?

Glasner had led Palace to a shock FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in 2025 and masterminded their UEFA Conference League success in May.

But the 52-year-old Austrian opted to quit Selhurst Park after reported issues with the club’s hierarchy over their transfer policy, opening the way for his move to Forest.

He was greeted warmly by Palace fans before kickoff and it looked like being a victorious return for Glasner when Forest’s Dan Ndoye opened the scoring in the third minute.

But Forest wasted a host of chances to increase their lead and Japan midfielder Kamada levelled in the 41st minute to end his long wait for a top-flight goal.

Jefferson Lerma nodded Palace in front in first-half stoppage time and Yeremy Pino’s 59th-minute goal sent Glasner home empty-handed.

What have the managers said about the game?

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager:

“We’re going to try really hard to score goals and to prevent goals as well. It’s going to be a really tough match, they’re an extremely well-coached team.

“We know that, we already have experience with Oliver [Glasner] in the past and they’re a team that at home can create a really special momentum, so we are ready for it.”

Oliver Glasner, Forest manager:

“In every game this season [Arsenal] were outrunning the opposition. It’s incredible. The effort and the mindset Mikel [Arteta] has created there is incredible.

“This makes it so tough to play against them and you see it from every single player. They have so many world-class players they can react from the bench.”

Prediction:

The Opta supercomputer has made Arsenal the clear favourites, with a win probability of 58.3 percent. Forest were given a 20.4 percent chance of winning, a draw is 21.3 percent.

Head-to-head

• Matches: 109
• Arsenal wins: 56
• Forest wins: 29
• Draws: 24

Last five encounters:

• January 17, 2026: Forest 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
• September 13, 2025: Arsenal 3-0 Forest (Premier League)
• February 26, 2025: Forest 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
• November 23, 2024: Arsenal 3-0 Forest (Premier League)
• January 30, 2024: Forest 1-2 Arsenal (Premier League)

The last time Forest beat Arsenal was a 1-0 victory at the City Ground in May 2023, courtesy of a goal by Taiwo Awoniyi, which ended the Gunners’ title hopes that year.

What happened the last time the clubs played?

Arsenal missed a slew of chances in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest in January as a dogged defensive performance from Forest and wasteful finishing from the Arsenal forwards meant they took only a point from a game they dominated for long spells.

The best chance of the game fell to Arsenal substitute Bukayo Saka, who headed a Declan Rice cross back towards the far post, but Forest keeper Matz Sels pulled off a superb fingertip save to deny him.

Forest’s team news

Striker Igor Jesus and defender Nicolo Savona remain unavailable due to calf and knee injuries, respectively.

Key playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White is struggling with a minor muscular problem and is a doubt, while centre-back Nikola Milenkovic is back in training after a knee injury and could feature.

Predicted starting XI:

Sels (goalkeeper); Aina, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Delap

Arsenal’s team news

Winger Christos Tzolis (hamstring) and centre-back William Saliba (back) are unavailable for the Gunners.

Arteta said midfielder Martin Zubimendi could be fit to face Forest, but defender Piero Hincapie would likely miss the trip to the City Ground.

The pair suffered freak ankle injuries during a training session on the Emirates Stadium pitch after last week’s win against Leeds.

“Piero is evolving really well,” said Arteta. “Knowing his character and the way he pushes everybody, I’m sure it’s not going to take long, but he will probably need another week or two.

“Zubi looks much better, he already looked much better today. We have another session tomorrow (Saturday) and after that we will assess whether he’s available to play against Forest.”

Predicted starting XI:

Raya (goalkeeper); White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Havertz

Who: Leeds United vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Elland Road, Leeds, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, October 18, at 2pm local time (13:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up from 9:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

Manchester United against Leeds United has long been one of the fiercest rivalries in football.

The former’s closest shot to ending their wait since 1967 for an English top flight title came in 1993 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were pipped to the title by the latter.

The following year United’s wait was over as Ferguson’s side – buoyed by the arrival of Eric Cantona from Leeds – lifted the inaugural Premier League crown.

The rest for United and Ferguson was history, but since the most successful manager in English football retired the Old Trafford club have been in decline.

The fortunes of Leeds, who have won three league titles, dipped dramatically after that last piece of domestic silverware. Ten years later, they were relegated and three years were even spent in League One, the third tier of English football.

Now the Elland Road club are back in the top flight, having won the Championship two seasons ago, and have an eye on the top four this weekend.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the match that for Leeds marks the arrival of their fiercest rivals, who have lurched to a 40-year low.

How have Leeds United fared this season?

Leeds have lost only one of their six league games this season, a 2-1 reverse at Arsenal in their last match when the Premier League holders were second best for much of the match and were forced to come from behind.

Two wins and two draws in their first five league matches saw Leeds holding onto the coat-tails of Arsenal and City.

That run culminated with a stunning 4-1 home win against Newcastle United.

A disappointing home draw with Crystal Palace sat in between the defeat at Arsenal.

A 6-3 defeat at Chelsea ended their League Cup hopes, but the home side needed two goals in the last ten minutes to pull clear in the thrilling encounter.

How have Manchester United fared this season?

United’s season – and Michael Carrick’s start as permanent manager – couldn’t have got off to a worse start with a 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull City.

When the Red Devils fell a goal behind against another promoted side, Ipswich Town, at Old Trafford in their next match, the warning signs were there.

Carrick’s side came back to win 5-2 – and that remains United’s only league win of the season.

A contentious 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City – in which a controversial VAR decision separated the sides – has been one of United’s better performances with deflating draws against Everton, Fulham and Tottenham surrounding the derby.

United were also dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton, who overcame the home side’s early 2-0 first-half lead to the disbelief of Old Trafford.

What is the latest on Lisandro Martinez’s Manchester United criticism?

Defender Lisandro ‌‌Martinez will be available for Sunday’s game after ⁠⁠United accepted ⁠⁠his apology for criticising its transfer policy, Carrick told reporters on Friday.

Martinez met Carrick and senior club officials on Thursday, two days after suggesting United ⁠⁠needed greater investment to compete at the highest level following their 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

The centre back later apologised for his remarks and Carrick ⁠⁠sought to downplay the episode when he spoke to reporters on Friday.

“We’ve moved on from that. It was one of those things. It’s really not a drama for the group,” Carrick said.

“The squad have trained really well and they are in good spirits. There is ‌‌a freshness about the group…

“He’s part of the squad [for Sunday].”

What happened the last time Leeds played Manchester United?

Leeds were 2-1 winners at Old Trafford when the sides met in the Premier League in April.

Noah Okafor scored both goals for Leeds to inflict the only defeat of Carrick’s interim tenure, having replaced Ruben Amorim as manager.

Martinez was sent off early in the second half, but Casemiro offered United some hope just after the hour mark.

What happened in the corresponding Leeds-Man Utd game last season?

The teams shared a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match at Elland Road last season. Leeds’ Brenden Aaronson opened the scoring in the 62nd minute with Matheus Cunha levelling three minutes later.

When did Manchester United last beat Leeds?

United were 2-0 winners when the sides met at Elland Road in Leeds’ relegation season in 2022-23.

Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho netted the goals.

When did Leeds last beat Manchester United at home?

Leeds haven’t beaten United at home since Harry Kewell scored the only goal of the game in a Premier League match in 2002.

There have been seven matches between the sides at Leeds since then, with United winning five of those.

Prediction – Leeds vs Manchester United

The Opta supercomputer has given Leeds a 42 percent chance of victory, while offering United a 32 percent chance of winning.

Head-to-head – Leeds vs Manchester United

This will be the 116th meeting between the sides, with United winning 50 and Leeds claiming the spoils on 27 occasions. Another 38 matches were draws.

Leeds United team news

Joe Rodon and Mateo Joseph will both miss the game due to injury, while former United winger Daniel James is a doubt with a back problem.

Predicted Leeds United starting lineup

Trafford, Justin, Elvedi, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Stach, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin

Manchester United team news

Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Benjamin Sesko all remain sidelined by injury, while Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo face late fitness tests. Matthijs de Ligt is nearing a return to action following his long-term back injury.

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw; Baleba, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Diallo; Cunha

Police reviewing social media post by writer Sarah Helm, wife of Burnham’s National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell.

British police are reviewing a social media post by the wife of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell in which she appears to endorse Palestine Action, a group proscribed in the country as a “terrorist” organisation.

“God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action,” Sarah Helm, a writer who is married to Powell – Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s national security adviser – wrote on X on Thursday.

She was responding to a post defending Irish novelist Sally Rooney, who this week announced her books would no longer be sold in the United Kingdom over her plans to use her royalties to support Palestine Action.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson on Friday said Helm’s post is “being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required”.

A government spokesperson cited by the Reuters news agency said the views expressed in Helm’s post “are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity”.

‘Absurdly authoritarian ban’

UK-based activist group Defend Our Juries defended Helm for defying what it called an “absurdly authoritarian ban on Palestine Action”.

“We know of 36 people who have been arrested and had their homes raided for similarly expressing support for Palestine Action on social media,” said a spokesperson for the group.

“We hope Sarah will not face the same treatment for standing up for free speech and Palestinian lives.”

The UK government outlawed Palestine Action in July 2025, after activists from the group broke into a Royal Air Force base and sprayed red paint on two aircraft to protest against UK military support for Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Being a member or a supporter is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Since the ban went into effect, police have arrested more than 3,500 people in the UK for alleged support of the group, many of them for holding up placards, according to rights group Amnesty International.

Palestine Action has contested its proscription, but the Court of Appeal upheld it in June.

The UK’s new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband last month said the government was “looking at” the Palestine Action ban, adding that he did not believe mass arrests resulting from its proscription were “anyone’s intent”.