Premier League news: Glasner clears air while West Ham turn down Paquetá bid

1. Glasner clears air after Palace ‘thunderstorm’

Oliver Glasner has revealed he had a “long dinner” with the Crystal Palace chair, Steve Parish, this week to resolve their differences and has insisted he is “100% committed” to seeing out his contract until the end of the season.

Glasner accused Parish and the Palace board of abandoning him and his squad after telling them the captain, Marc Guéhi, would be sold to Manchester City the day before they were due to face Sunderland. A 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light made it 10 games without a victory under the Austrian, who had confirmed before the game that he would be leaving in the summer.

Parish decided against sacking Glasner over his outburst and the 51-year-old is hoping the return of Ismaïla Sarr from the Africa Cup of Nations and Daniel Muñoz from injury can help to lift spirits after a difficult fortnight. “I was quite emotional after the game and I think it shows how much the players, how much Crystal Palace means to me,” Glasner said.

“I agreed one year ago in February to sell Marc. It’s all about timing and replacement. That was the whole situation. I know that Crystal Palace will always sell players if they have big offers from other clubs. But it was just the situation, telling the team 28 hours before a Premier League game that the captain is leaving. This was my feeling at that moment and this is what I tried to express. I know it feels like criticism, but for me it was just telling the feelings, the emotions I had, the team had.”

He added: “I had a very long dinner with Steve this week and we talked about this situation. Not to sell Marc, it’s the timing and the possible replacement. This was the situation I wanted to explain and the talk was a very good talk for both of us. But nothing changed what I said at the press conference before the Sunderland game, when I said I will give my best to play a great season. Steve and I are 100% committed that we will do our best to have a great rest of the season, a great four months together.

“Dani Muñoz came back at the beginning of the week. Ismaïla Sarr came back as an Afcon winner from Senegal. Now we are preparing for the rest of the season. It was a thunderstorm, but always after a thunderstorm the sun is shining.”

Glasner also denied Jean-Philippe Mateta had submitted a transfer request, with Aston Villa and Juventus interested in signing the striker this month, and said Mateta would start against Chelsea on Sunday. “To be very clear, he didn’t hand in a transfer request, and we have no bid received right now,” said Glasner. “I think with every player there is a price where a club says: ‘OK, we agree to a deal.’ But again, no bid came in, and he didn’t hand in a transfer request, so he will play tomorrow.” Ed Aarons

2. West Ham turn down new Paquetá bid

West Ham have rejected an improved offer for Lucas Paquetá from Flamengo. The bid was in the region of €40m (£34.7m) and it remains to be seen whether the Brazilian champions try again. West Ham are reluctant to lose Paquetá during this transfer window, although they would be willing to sell the midfielder if the deal included an agreement for him to return on loan for the rest of the season.

That arrangement does not appeal to Paquetá or Flamengo although sources close to negotiations have suggested it may be the only way to ensure talks reach a successful conclusion. West Ham are in a relegation battle and want their record signing to help them to safety. However, Paquetá has grown disillusioned with life in England and is keen to return to his homeland. The Brazil international has missed West Ham’s past two games and is not available for Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland at the London Stadium. Jacob Steinberg

3. Rosenior says Palmer is happy at Chelsea

The Chelsea head coach, Liam Rosenior, said Cole Palmer is “very happy” at the club following reports the England international is homesick. Palmer moved to Stamford Bridge in 2023 from Manchester City where he had progressed from the academy to the first team but struggled for minutes under Pep Guardiola.

It has been the most difficult period of the 23-year-old’s career as injury and poor form have caused his goals and assists to dry up. He has scored only four times in the Premier League this season and was visibly frustrated during the second half of last Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Brentford.

“I’ve had numerous conversations with Cole and he seems very happy to be here, he is very happy to be here,” said Rosenior. “He’s a huge part of our plans in the long term. He’s an outstanding player. Every player goes through difficult moments in their career in terms of injury. It’s not any reflection of his quality. I want to make sure the players come though this period with wins and in full health, and Cole is one of those players.”

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer during the warm up before the match against Brentford

Chelsea have been fined £150,000 after a bottle was thrown at the Aston Villa bench at Stamford Bridge last month. The incident occurred after Villa’s 2-1 win and led to a complaint from the club. The Football Association has found Chelsea guilty of failing to ensure their “players and/or other relevant personnel around the technical area did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way after the final whistle”.

Stuart Attwell, the referee, told the FA’s independent regulatory commission that he was told after full-time of someone on Chelsea’s bench throwing a plastic bottle in the direction of Villa’s dugout. Chelsea admitted the charge, although the investigation was unable to identify the individual responsible. The club and the FA analysed footage showing the bottle being thrown from the home bench. Jacob Steinberg

4. Carrick backs Mainoo as key to United’s future

Michael Carrick has backed Kobbie Mainoo, saying the academy graduate is vital to maintain the foundations of Manchester United. Carrick gave the 20-year-old a first Premier League start of the season in last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Manchester City, the midfielder impressing after previously falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim. The interim manager believes Mainoo is the prime example of the type of player who is crucial to United’s future.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Kobbie,” said Carrick. “I’ve known him since he was young. This club needs young players coming through and being the foundation for understanding what the club means – not just for the players or the squad, but for the club and for the supporters. It’s something that we need to grasp and we need to keep building on. Kobbie’s a prime example, to come through so quickly and have his rapid rise is impressive.”

Mainoo joined United when he was six, and made his debut at 17 in a 3-0 EFL Cup win over Charlton in January 2023. He scored the winner in the following season’s 2-1 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City and started for England in that summer’s 2-1 Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Carrick said: “To impact those big games at such a young age shows an awful lot of quality in terms of the character and to be able to handle it. Part of a career is a few ups and downs and sometimes it goes in different trajectories. But I think we’ve seen last week what Kobbie can bring. It was great [against City]. He’s quite straight-faced and he doesn’t give you an awful lot, but you could see the way he played and he expressed himself. He was enjoying himself and to see him like that was great.”

Carrick has been appointed only until the end of the season, and it is unclear if his input on strengthening the squad will be considered. “Looking too far down the track hasn’t happened just yet – I think it’s been the initial thoughts of what’s happening now,” he said. “The important thing for me is any decision I make or my staff make or the club make – it’s not short-term, not just to get through to the end of the season.

“I’ve got responsibility for whatever happens next for the club to make sure it is in a good place and moving forward. So, as time goes on I’m sure I’ll be part of it and we’ll work our way through it.” Jamie Jackson

5. Haaland doesn’t have to say sorry – Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has defended Erling Haaland, saying the striker has nothing to apologise for amid a poor run in front of goal. The Norwegian has scored once in his past eight Manchester City appearances and said sorry for not finding the net in Tuesday’s defeat at Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League.

City host bottom-placed Wolves on Saturday, seeking a result to reenergise their season, and hope to get Haaland back in form. Guardiola’s side are winless in four Premier League games, convincingly defeated by Manchester United last week after three straight draws. Haaland has scored 39 goals in 36 matches for City and Norway this season despite the relatively barren patch in which his only goal has come from a penalty.

“He [doesn’t have] to apologise,” Guardiola said. “He has to do his best and he is trying. When the team doesn’t win it doesn’t belong to one player. It is for everyone. You only apologise to yourself if you didn’t give everything but it is not necessary.”

Another player below their best is Rodri, who was sent off against Bodø, having had numerous injuries over the past 14 months. A cruciate ligament injury forced him to miss most of last season and muscle problems have since limited his playing time. “Eleven months injured, give him time,” Guardiola said. “He remains the best, he needs time to recover.”

City begin the weekend second, seven points behind the leaders, Arsenal, whom Guardiola described as “the best team in the world right now”, adding: “In the Champions League, in the Premier League, look in [the] FA Cup, in Carabao Cup – it’s the best team right now. Hopefully we can be close and getting better, getting better and have the chance to catch them.”

Marc Guéhi will make his debut after his £20m move from Crystal Palace and his fellow new signing Antoine Semenyo is available too. Will Unwin

6. Moyes reeling from Grealish blow

David Moyes admitted it was a “big blow” to lose the on-loan winger Jack Grealish to a broken foot that has left a question mark over his immediate future at Everton. The Manchester City forward was injured in last weekend’s win at Aston Villa and diagnosed with a stress fracture after seeing a specialist, who will conduct further examinations before providing an estimate on how long he will be sidelined. Not only is it a blow for Everton, whose loan agreement includes a £50m option to buy, but for any hope the player had of making a late bid for the World Cup.

“It’s not for me to give the timescales – we’ve not got it yet from the doctors – but he has a stress fracture in his foot, that’s all I can tell you,” said Moyes. “It’s a big blow because he’s been hugely important to us since the start of the season, he’s played a big part in the team.”

Speculation this week suggested the lay-off could be as long as three months, but Moyes added: “I wouldn’t say anything here at the moment. I wouldn’t speculate and I wouldn’t put any numbers to it.” PA Media

7. Abraham on verge of Villa return

Aston Villa are increasingly optimistic of re-signing Tammy Abraham as Unai Emery continues to reshape his squad with the club still competing on three fronts. Abraham is on loan at Besiktas from the Serie A side Roma. Emery has targeted an established No 9 this month to bolster his attack.

The 28-year-old was on loan at Villa in 2018-19, when he scored 26 goals in 40 appearances on loan from Chelsea at the then Championship side. Abraham left Chelsea in 2021, joining Roma in a £34m deal. Villa are also prioritising a midfielder before the transfer window shuts. They are interested in a loan deal for Ruben Loftus-Cheek with the key duo Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn both sidelined with knee injuries. It is feared Kamara could miss the rest of the season. Ben Fisher