UEFA warned Premier League charges for Man City could cause 'mutiny'

SHEFFIELD: Newcastle came close to matching the Premier League's record margin of victory as they thrashed Sheffield United 8-0 at Bramall Lane on Sunday. Eddie Howe's side ran riot with goals from Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak. The biggest winning margin in the Premier League era is 9-0, a score recorded by Manchester United against Ipswich and Southampton in 1995 and 2021 respectively. Liverpool won 9-0 against Bournemouth last year, while Leicester managed it against Southampton in 2019. Sheffield United's largest ever league defeat sent the Blades to the bottom of the Premier League table. With just one point from their first six games back in the English top flight, Paul Heckingbottom's future as manager is now in doubt. "The first-half goals we conceded were really poor, but it's the second half I'm upset with," said Heckingbottom. "The errors that led to goals, a lot of things I'd never seen before, and there's certain things that aren't acceptable." Newcastle had lost three of their opening five league games of the season to dampen expectations that the Saudi-backed Magpies could challenge for the title. Howe's men had been in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years on Tuesday as they played out a 0-0 draw away to AC Milan. But Newcastle showed no signs of fatigue and they exhibited their strength in depth as they became the first side in Premier League history to have eight different scorers in one match, not including own goals. "I thought we were really good, and once the goals came the confidence returned," said Howe. "What a response from the players in the past week." Sheffield United had started the game

Manchester City moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League despite having Rodri sent-off in a fiery 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Phil Foden and Erling Haaland struck inside the first 15 minutes as City extended their perfect start in the Premier League to six games. Pep Guardiola's men have now won 20 consecutive home matches in all competitions, but were made to work much harder by Rodri's moment of madness. The Spaniard grabbed Morgan Gibbs-White around the neck less than 60 seconds into the second-half and could face a costly suspension as a three-game ban would see him miss the Premier League visit to Arsenal next month.

Defending champions Manchester City host mid-table Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday. The holders sit top of the table with 15 points, ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal, who are all tied on 13 points. Pep Guardiola's men hold a perfect record so far after five matches, while Forest are eighth with seven points so far. Guardiola has ridiculed claims he should be concerned about the number of big chances Erling Haaland has missed for Manchester City this season. Haaland scored 52 goals in an extraordinary debut campaign last season as City powered to the treble. He has already netted seven times in eight appearances this term.

Manchester City will be going for six out of six this weekend as they host Nottingham Forest at The Etihad.

MILAN: Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has played down suggestions his side’s Champions League preparations have been dented by the Lombardy weather.

There was a sense of deja vu this week as a Saudi Arabia club went to the top tier of English football and signed one of the world’s best players. Al-Ittihad have recruited Ashleigh Plumptre from Leicester City which means that one of the stars of the women’s game has made the switch from the home of the Foxes in England’s East Midlands to join the Tigers in the port of Jeddah. With the 25-year-old on the radar of several big European clubs, the signing has whetted appetites for the second season of the Saudi Women’s Premier League which kicks off next month. Plumptre is a former England youth international who switched allegiance to Nigeria and was one of the stars of the World Cup that ended last month with the Africans losing to England after a penalty shootout in the knockout stages. “(I am) grateful to have signed for Al-Ittihad,” Plumptre reportedly said. “I am excited to start this journey alongside some incredible human beings.