Football News

Medical staff rushed to the aid of Luton midfielder Tahith Chong, who collapsed on the pitch during his side's Championship clash at Plymouth. The former Manchester youngster was immobile on the edge of the penalty area just before the half-time interval. The 24-year-old was quickly seen to, with a stretcher brought onto the field. However, fortunately, Chong was quickly seen back on his feet and was able to walk back to the visitor's dressing room.

Jack Grealish was partly responsible for Joleon Lescott's infamous 2016 car tweet that angered Aston Villa fans, the former Aston Villa defender has revealed. Lescott infuriated already-irate supporters after tweeting a photo of a £121,000 Mercedes following a 6-0 thrashing against Liverpool with no caption or context. He then drew mockery for insisting his phone accidentally tweeted the picture from his pocket. Lescott apologised to fans after Villa's 'lack of commitment' in the home drubbing, with the club bottom of the league.

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has reportedly set a target date for the club to return to the top of English football. The Red Devils have got off to a poor start this season, winning just two of their opening five matches so far. Erik ten Hag's side currently sit 11th in the table and, barring a massive shock this term, their wait for a title looks set to extend to 12 years having last won it under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

CRAIG HOPE:Darren Eales is set to discuss the findings of a feasibility study into the expansion of St James' Park with the club's Fan Advisory Board - but no decision has been made on the next course of action. Confidential understands the chief executive will first meet with the nine members of the FAB and take feedback from them. Their next scheduled meeting is for early next week, although Eales' attendance has not yet been confirmed.

A Turkish football pundit was shot in the foot after covering a Europa League game on Thursday night. Former Turkey international, Serhat Akin, had been working as a pundit for Fenerbahce's clash with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in Istanbul. Akin confirmed he was shot in the foot after the game in a post on social media, while he has since been pictured in hospital where he reportedly was set to undergo surgery.

CRAIG HOPE: After a week of scrutiny for a performance on the pitch, Eddie Howe was back to his best off it. During a 30-minute media briefing on Friday, the Newcastle head coach was calm, clever and calculated. Give him a blank bit of paper, he said in reply to a Mail Sport question about not knowing his best team, and he could write down the 11 names. The problem, he said, was that those stars are not shining on grass. It was a warning, you felt, to the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon .

Paul Stewart bares his soul no more than three times a week. The limit is self-imposed for the good of his own mental health because the experience never fails to fire emotions, the content is brutal and the torment for him real and present. To see the former England international pour his trauma all into one-hour safeguarding session for the benefit of academy scholars of Wrexham, aged 16 to 18, and their staff on a wet weekday afternoon in North Wales is to understand only a fraction of what he must be putting himself through.

A football match in Colombia had to be suspended after mass violence broke out in the stands, reportedly leaving 20 people injured. Atletico Nacional and Atletico Junior were in the second half of their Prima A clash when fights between the two sets of fans caused the match to be halted. After Marino Hinestroza netted to make it 2-0 to the hosts, away supporters appeared to break into the home section. Once it became clear that a mass brawl had broken out, referee Nolberto Ararat decided to pause the match with 55 minutes on the clock, and it did not restart. Reports have suggested that several of the 20 fans who had been harmed were taken to medical centres near the Atanasio Girardot Stadium.

Mikel Arteta's side are afflicted with multiple injury concerns, including to key players David Raya, Martin Odegaard and Ben White. It has formed a headache for the Spaniard and he has been forced to get creative, starting 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter in place of Raya in the 5-1 midweek demolition of Bolton. Despite the piling medical concerns, Arsenal have started the season rosily on the pitch, having won three and drawn two of a challenging run of fixtures, and only being denied victory at Manchester City on Sunday after a 98th-minute John Stones equaliser.

'We didn't lose but it feels like a loss,' was a reflection from Manchester United's Christian Eriksen following an underwhelming draw in their Europa League opener on Wednesday night. The Dutchman scored but was caught in possession for the equaliser, as FC Twente celebrated clinching a point at Old Trafford. While the Dutch outfit were lauding an impressive result against one of the competition favourites, familiar noises were beginning to emerge from the Man United camp.

Ajax extended their unbeaten streak to five matches by thrashing Besiktas 4-0 in the Europa League on Thursday night but captain Jordan Henderson was not happy. The former Liverpool skipper tore into team-mate Bertrand Traore the winger had given away possession cheaply. Ajax were 3-0 up at this point but Henderson still deemed it necessary to publicly berate Traore, who appeared to respond with some choice words of his own.

MATT BARLOW AT THE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM: Ange Postecoglou had made six changes to the team that started the Premier League win against Brentford on Saturday but selected his strongest forward line and it was to his credit that he kept all three of them on after the red card. Reward for his risk came quickly when Solanke and Pape Matar Sarr forced an error from Julio Romao and Johnson produced a clinical finish, first time from Solanke's pass.