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The Premier League have hit back at Andy Burnham’s claims that they are guilty of “regulatory malpractice” and “abuse of process” by deducting Everton 10 points, insisting that they “entirely refuted his allegations.” Burnham – the mayor of Greater Manchester and an Everton season-ticket holder – last week wrote an open letter to Premier League chair Alison Brittain in which he said there had not been a fair process when enforcing the deduction. Everton were deemed to have breached Profit and Sustainability Rules by an independent commission, which determined they had losses of £124.5m over three years – £19.5m over the permitted threshold. But Burnham, a former Secretary of State for Health, was critical of the Premier League for adopting a sanctions policy in August, after Everton had been charged and before their case was heard. “The fact that the Premier League sought to introduce a new sanctions policy in the middle of this process amounts, in my view, to an abuse of process,” he wrote. “It could be argued that the Premier League handing a new penalty regime to the commission in this way is akin to the Government handing new sentencing guidelines to a judge in the middle of a trial. Any right-minded person would see that as an inappropriate attempt to influence the process.” However, The Telegraph and The Daily Mirror are reporting that Brittain has written a three-page letter in response to Burnham that lays out the organisation’s process around the decision and refutes all allegations of impropriety. She explained that the Premier League do not have a set sanction in place because a fixed penalty would hinder the ability of the independent panel to display any discretion or take mitigating circumstances into consideration. And she claims that having no fixed sanction actually provided a greater threat. Brittain went on to say that a commission hearing a case independently invites submissions from both sides on appropriate sanctions and added that Premier League clubs were asked about the potential introduction of a fixed set of sanctions in 2020 but the consensus feedback among the 20 at the time – Everton included – was not to impose any. The two major offences for which the Premier League does have fixed sanctions are a nine-point deduction for clubs entering administration and a 30-point deduction for clubs seeking to join an unsanctioned competition – a la the European Super League plans in 2021. Brittain also detailed that the Premier League worked closely with Everton during the period of the club’s breach and that they ignored clear warnings over their spending, opting not to stop buying players that put them in breach of profit and sustainability rules. Burnham insisted that his open letter was in his capacity as an Everton season-ticket holder, rather than a politician, while he has also claimed that Sky Sports pulled an interview with him ahead of the Toffees’ clash with Manchester United on Sunday. Sky responded to that complaint by insisting they have presented a balanced view of the situation throughout and the Premier League confirmed they have not requested any interview to be pulled. Everton have announced plans to appeal against the 10-point deduction and wider verdict, which they have called “wholly unjust”. Read More Defender Manuel Akanji admits Man City made ‘a lot of mistakes’ against Leipzig Rodrigo Bentancur set to be out until February after tearing an ankle ligament Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink wants aspiring black managers to get ‘a fair chance’ Former Sheffield United and Everton defender Phil Jagielka announces retirement VAR costing ‘livelihoods and reputations’ fumes Wolves boss after latest problems What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?

Manchester United’s match at Galatasaray is set to go ahead after bad weather throughout the day in Istanbul had put the Champions League clash in doubt. Relentless rain has been falling in the Turkish city throughout the day and there are concerns over the state of the pitch at Rams Park. A statement from UEFA said: “We are closely monitoring the weather forecast and at this time the match will go ahead as scheduled.” United and Galatasaray arrived as planned, beginning their warm-ups as scheduled. Erik ten Hag’s men go into the match bottom of Group A having lost three of their four games so far in this season’s competition, and without a win away to Galatasaray in their last three visits. Galatasaray twice came from behind to win 3-2 when the sides met at Old Trafford in October, with Mauro Icardi scoring an 81st-minute winner after United midfielder Casemiro had been sent off. Read More Judd Trump marches into UK Championship quarter-finals Steve Borthwick ‘fully behind’ Owen Farrell’s break from international rugby Luke Donald humbled by players’ support for his return as Ryder Cup captain

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd cut his press conference short after criticising the media for being negative about

Manchester United travel to Turkey to face Galatasaray in a vital Champions League group stage clash as they look to salvage their withering campaign in Europe’s top competition. Defeat to Copenhagen last time out has put Erik ten Hag’s men firmly on the back foot and it is likely that they will need to win both of their final group games in order to reach the knockout rounds. The first of those matches is against Galatasaray, who defeated United 3-2 at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture. The second match, and last of the group stages, is against Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions have already secured their spot in the next round and have won every one of their four games so far. Copenhagen, meanwhile, are in second place thanks to a better goal difference than Galatasaray with United only a point behind both. Defeat tonight though would eliminate Ten Hag’s men from the competition and the best they could hope for would be a spot in the Europa League. Follow the action below plus get all the latest odds and tips for the match right here:

Manchester United’s Champions League match at Galatasaray is under threat from bad weather in Istanbul. Heavy rain has been falling in the city throughout the day and there are concerns over the state of the pitch at Rams Park. A statement from UEFA said: “We are closely monitoring the weather forecast and at this time the match will go ahead as scheduled.” United go into the match bottom of Group A having lost three of their four games so far in this season’s competition, and without a win away to Galatasaray in their last three visits. Galatasaray twice came from behind to win 3-2 when the sides met at Old Trafford in October, with Mauro Icardi scoring an 81st-minute winner after United midfielder Casemiro had been sent off. Read More Longer rounds should mean bigger payday, says Natasha Jonas Luke Donald humbled by players’ support for his return as Ryder Cup captain Exeter’s Rob Baxter urges football law-makers to be careful over sin-bins trial

Galatasaray welcome Manchester United to Turkey in a crucial Champions League group stage fixture. Bayern Munich are streaking clear in Group A and have secured their spot in the knockout rounds for with four consecutive wins, but the second representative in the latter stages of the competition looks set to be contested fiercely. Copenhagen currently possess second place on goal difference from the Turkish club, with Manchester United only a point behind the pair but out with defeat here. A win away from home could well be a must regardless for Erik ten Hag’s side, though, with a tough encounter at Old Trafford with Bayern to come in their final fixture. Here’s everything you need to know. Get the latest match odds and tips here. When is Galatasaray vs Manchester United? Galatasaray vs Manchester United is due to kick off at 5.45pm GMT on Wednesday 29 November at Rams Park in Istanbul. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 5pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the action via discovery+. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news Defensive pair Abdulkerim Bardakci and Davinson Sanchez were absent from Galatasaray training on Monday, but both could yet feature with Okan Buruk and both players keen on their involvement. Reports suggest Bardakci’s problem is more minor than that of Sanchez. Manchester United are certain to be without Marcus Rashford, who will serve a one-match ban after being sent off in the 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen. Rasmus Hojlund is a doubt after missing the win at Everton with a muscle strain sustained against Luton, while Antony could be back from a knock. Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro all remain sidelined, and Mason Mount has joined the injury list. Predicted line-ups Galatasaray XI: Muslera; Boey, Bardakci, Sanchez, Angelino; Torreira, Demirbay; Ziyech, Mertens, Zaha; Icardi. Manchester United XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw; McTominay, Amrabat, Fernandes; Antony, Hojlund, Garnacho. Odds Galatasaray win 13/8 Draw 11/4 Manchester United win 29/20 Full odds here. Prediction A draw. Galatasaray 2-2 Manchester United Read More Man Utd’s crucial Champions League game in doubt after torrential rain Galatasaray vs Man Utd LIVE: Latest Champions League updates Erik Ten Hag outlines how ‘calm’ Man Utd can negotiate Istanbul atmosphere Bruno Fernandes excited for ‘amazing’ atmosphere at Galatasaray Mike Phelan warns Man Utd not to get distracted by fierce Galatasaray atmosphere Bruno Fernandes talks up Alejandro Garnacho after stunning goal at Everton

Manchester United’s crucial Champions League clash against Galatasaray will be subject to a pitch inspection after hours of torrential rain in Istanbul left the match in danger of being postponed. Uefa officials were forced to examine the surface RAMS Park after thunderous downpours on Wednesday afternoon, with the Group A clash set to kick off at 8:45pm local time (5:45pm GMT) this evening. The Uefa Youth League match between Galatasaray and United, held earlier in the day and at a different stadium, was played during the torrential rain, which left the pitch sodden and the ball holding up on the surface. There is still time for conditions to improve ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash but there is also the prospect of further rain and the pitch becoming completely waterlogged. For now, Uefa are insistent that the match will go ahead and preparations are continuing as usual, but the conditions could still play a part on what is an important night in United’s season. United cannot afford to lose in Turkey and will be out of the Champions League if they are beaten by Galatasaray, who won 3-2 at Old Trafford earlier this season. Erik ten Hag’s side come into the match having shown some improved form, however. United have won their last three games in the Premier League and last suffered defeat when they were beaten 4-3 by Copenhagen following Marcus Rashford’s red card. United conclude their Champions League group stage campaign against Bayern Munich on matchday six, with the German side currently top of Group A with four wins from four. Read More Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16? Man United’s teen sensation who could offer salvation - and it’s not Garnacho Why Bruno Fernandes is the only choice as Man Utd captain

Injury has ruled out Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker for more than a fortnight but manager Jurgen Klopp admits it could have been worse and the Brazilian should be fit to face Manchester United next month. The keeper appeared to sustain a hamstring problem late in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City and although he managed to complete the match he is set to miss the next five matches – two of which he would not have played in as Caoimhin Kelleher deputises in the Europa League. Alisson will miss European ties against LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise as well as Premier League games against Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace but should make a timely return for the visit of their arch-rivals on December 17. Forward Diogo Jota was also injured in City game but his prognosis is not as good. “Both are out. Ali is a bit lesser, so we have to see. Not day by day – he cannot play tomorrow or Sunday. Probably not the week after should be kind of OK,” Klopp said ahead of the Europa League visit of LASK. “Alisson is not as bad (as we thought) but still bad enough. Diogo will take a little bit longer, don’t know exactly. Have to see.” Kelleher has made only five appearances this season but last played back-to-back matches in January 2022 and has never played more than three matches in a row in his Liverpool career. In the summer there was speculation about the 25-year-old wanting to seek first-team football elsewhere but Klopp said the current situation was exactly why the Republic of Ireland international was persuaded to stay. “Yes, that’s pretty much exactly it. That’s why we knew we wanted to have Caoimh here for these moments,” added the Liverpool boss. “Nobody, Caoimh as well, wanted Ali to get injured, but if these things happen then you need the strongest possible option and that’s Caoimh for us. “That’s the only positive about that, to be honest, that we can put in Caoimh. That’s fine. “Now he gets an opportunity that he deserves, he would have played tomorrow night anyway, that’s clear, but now he will have a few more games and hopefully he can show his full potential.” Defeat in Toulouse earlier this month made Liverpool’s task of guaranteeing top spot in the group – and thereby avoiding a play-off round in the knockout stages – slightly more difficult but it could be secured on Thursday at home to LASK if Union Saint-Gilloise beat the second-placed Ligue 1 side. But Klopp rejected the suggestion that result was a reminder that his much-changed European sides have standards to maintain. “It was not needed but it wasn’t helpful. It was three weeks ago and a lot of things happened since then. It just made the situation more difficult, that’s how it is,” he said. “Toulouse was maybe a one-off performance-wise – it was around Luton (a 1-1 draw) which was not too great either – but this was in a very short period of time. “Besides that the boys usually perform and that’s what we should concentrate on. “We want to win tomorrow night and we want to win in Belgium as well but if we don’t win tomorrow night the game in Belgium, in a super intense period, will be tough so it’s all about performing tomorrow night and really going for it, that’s the idea.” Read More Exeter’s Rob Baxter urges football law-makers to be careful over sin-bins trial Defender Manuel Akanji admits Man City made ‘a lot of mistakes’ against Leipzig Will Zalatoris back in the swing after enduring ‘golfer’s worst nightmare’ John Turner aiming to push T20 World Cup hopes on England’s tour of Caribbean On this day in 2015: Great Britain end long wait for Davis Cup win First half was the worst I’ve seen us – Phil Foden savours thrilling fightback

Arsenal will be looking to get the better of Lens in the Champions League, having lost in the reverse fixture in France. The Gunners only need a point on Wednesday to qualify for the knockout stages of this season’s top-tier European competition. After beating Sevilla both home and away, Arsenal have nine points from a possible 12 already in the campaign. After a less-than-perfect performance against Brentford at the weekend, Mikel Arteta will want his side to find their feet and perform well on Wednesday. Here’s everything you need to know about the fixture and get the latest odds and tips here. When is Arsenal vs Lens? The Champions League match is at the Emirates Stadium in London with a kick off time of 8pm GMT. How can I watch it? Arsenal vs Lens will be shown live on TNT Sports 2 with coverage starting from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the actions via the Discovery+ app. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider. Team news David Raya will be available again after he missed the game against Brentford on Saturday due to being ineligible to face his parent club. Martin Odegaard was also fit enough to play, but Ben White could return for the Champions League clash. Jurrien Timber, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey remain on the long-term injury list. Predicted line-up Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli Odds Arsenal 1/4 Draw 10/3 Lens 15/2 Full Arsenal vs Lens odds here. Prediction Arsenal will secure the victory in front of the home fans, despite losing against Lens earlier in the campaign. Arsenal 2-0 Lens. Read More Champions League: What do Man United, Arsenal and Newcastle need to reach last 16? Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe Football rumours: Juventus eyeing swoop for Thomas Partey On this day in 2015: Jamie Vardy scores in 11th game in a row Beth Mead scores first goal in over a year as WSL top three maintain momentum Kai Havertz gives Arsenal the perfect ‘example’ to follow in title race

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Manuel Akanji admits Manchester City need to cut our the errors after being exposed in their comeback victory over RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium. The holders trailed 2-0 after a lacklustre first-half display in Tuesday’s Champions League encounter before a Phil Foden-inspired recovery saw them fight back to win 3-2. With their place in the last 16 already secure, there was little cause for alarm on the night but, after recent Premier League draws against Chelsea and Liverpool, the champions are not fully firing. Switzerland defender Akanji said: “We didn’t play well in the first half. We did a lot of mistakes, (in) a lot of duels. “We had it change it in the second half. We spoke in half-time that we needed to do better. It still wasn’t great but we improved a lot, we didn’t do many of the mistakes. “It happens sometimes. We didn’t plan to go into the game like this. The first goal was me losing a duel off the long ball, the second one was Ruben (Dias) after the pass and it happens sometimes. “Normally we don’t do these mistakes but the good thing is we’ve got a good team. “Now we have important games before the Club World Cup against Spurs and Villa and we need to really focus on these games. We need points because we drew twice so it’s really important to get winning again.” Akanji was indeed at fault for the first of Lois Openda’s two first-half goals, with Dias caught out for the second. Foden sparked the comeback when he teed up Erling Haaland to become fastest player to reach 40 Champions League goals in just his 35th appearance. The England midfielder then scored a sublime equaliser before showing further nimble footwork to set up the late winner for substitute Julian Alvarez. The victory ensures City, who travel to Red Star Belgrade next month, will finish top of Group G. With John Stones again not fit enough to feature, Akanji played in the defence-midfield hybrid role his colleague has excelled in. “I like it,” Akanji said. “I play wherever the manager puts me but also in the Chelsea game and the weekend against Liverpool I felt more comfortable in there because I got used to the position. “When you come from defence into midfield it’s a big difference because normally you have all the game in front of you and suddenly there are players coming from all angles. “But I got a better orientation with the game set-up so I felt more confident. I can adapt pretty good. I play in different positions. I try to listen and do what the manager wants from me.” Read More Will Zalatoris back in the swing after enduring ‘golfer’s worst nightmare’ John Turner aiming to push T20 World Cup hopes on England’s tour of Caribbean On this day in 2015: Great Britain end long wait for Davis Cup win First half was the worst I’ve seen us – Phil Foden savours thrilling fightback Rodrigo Bentancur set to be out until February after tearing an ankle ligament Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink wants aspiring black managers to get ‘a fair chance’

A video review official has been removed from his Champions League game on Wednesday, one day after having a key role in a disputed decision to award Paris Saint-Germain a stoppage-time penalty for handball against Newcastle which contradicted Uefa’s own advice to referees. The VAR specialist from Poland, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, is no longer listed to work at the Real Sociedad-Salzburg game and has been replaced by a German match official. In Paris on Tuesday, Kylian Mbappe scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw after a ball struck Newcastle defender Tino Livramento in the chest and then deflected off his arm, and a penalty was awarded by Polish referee Szymon Marciniak following a VAR review. Marciniak refereed the Champions League final last season and the 2022 World Cup final with Kwiatkowski in his team. Marciniak initially allowed play to continue Tuesday but awarded the penalty after he was advised by his video assistant to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. However, a Uefa panel of storied coaches and former players said in April that “no handball offense should be called on a player if the ball is previously deflected from his own body, and, in particular, when the ball does not go towards the goal.” The advice to be given to match officials this season was detailed by the panel, chaired by Uefa Chief of Football Zvonimir Boban, in an April 25 statement headlined “Uefa Football Board urges more clarity on handball rule.” “The handball rule, for example, will always be disputed, but we can make it more consistent and aligned with the game’s true nature,” Boban, the former Croatia and AC Milan great, said in April. Uefa declined to comment, in line with a policy not to discuss field of play decisions. The current laws of the game allow for handballs to be penalized even if the contact was not intentional and after a deflection if a defender’s arm is judged to be in an unnatural position. “But his hand is not in an unnatural position,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said after the game, “(his hands) are down by his side, but he is in a running motion.” The cross from Ousmane Dembele that struck Livramento was also going backward — and not towards goal. The penalty decision in the PSG game directly affected the standings in the tightly fought Group F, as it kept PSG two points clear of Newcastle in the second qualifying place for the round of 16 behind group leader Borussia Dortmund. “I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us as you know how little time there is left in the game,” Howe said. “There is nothing we can do about it now.” Newcastle must now win its home game against last-place AC Milan on Dec. 13 and hope PSG fails to win at Dortmund. The second-place team advances to the Champions League round of 16 and the third-place team goes to the Europa League knockout playoffs. Read More ‘He is the future’: Newcastle and Lewis Miley robbed of night to remember VAR the villain as late penalty call denies Newcastle rearguard win in Paris Newcastle fans attacked in Paris before Champions League match On this day in 2015: Jamie Vardy scores in 11th game in a row Football rumours: Victor Osimhen keen on making Chelsea move The sporting weekend in pictures