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By LEWIS STEELE, FOOTBALL REPORTER and CHRIS WHEELER, NORTHERN SPORTS WRITER Published: 23: 19 AEDT, 27 February 2026 | Updated: 02: 21 AEDT, 28 February 2026 5 View comments A big weekend of Premier League action awaits and several managers are taking their press conferences today to preview the matches. Stay here with Daily Mail Sport for all the latest. .. Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team have ‘earned the right’ to a favourable Champions League draw as they face Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 next month. If the Gunners get past the German side, either Bodo/Glimt or Sporting Lisbon await in the quarter-finals. It’s a kind draw on paper which has Arteta relishing the pathway ahead. He said: ‘Well, we are very excited to play the next round. We have earned the right to be in a strong position (with) what we've done in the group stage, and that's it. ‘And now we need to start to analyse them and find ways to be better than them (Bayer Leverkusen), to try to go through the tie. ’ Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team have ‘earned the right’ to a favourable Champions League draw When asked about whether the route ahead gives him excitement, Arteta added: ‘Yeah, we are really excited. ‘Obviously, being in the forefront and the way the team is consistently performing gives you a lot of hope and positive thoughts about what can be coming. ‘But we can only focus on the present. That's where we're going to put our energy, and that's on Sunday (against Chelsea). ’ Arteta confirmed that Kai Havertz will train tomorrow ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea and Max Dowman will play for the Under 21s tonight. Michael Carrick hopes Harry Maguire can extend his career at Manchester United as talks continue over a new contract at Old Trafford. Maguire’s current £180, 000-a-week deal runs out in June, when he will be able to walk away as a free agent, but there is growing optimism that the two sides can come to an agreement. United want Maguire to reduce his salary, and the length of the contract is also under discussion as the player prepares to turn 33 next week. It’s understood that the England defender wants to stay after turning down offers from in abroad in January, and United are keen to keep him after he started all six games under new head coach Michael Carrick. Asked about the situation on Friday, Carrick said: ‘Harry's an impressive character. He's had a great career so far, and hopefully there's a lot more to come. ‘He has been here in the journey and the experiences that he's had, and with England as well. I think it shows exactly what he is. I think we all know the player that he is and what he's capable of doing. ‘Again, the other night there (at Everton), I thought he was fantastic. Experience helps and his attributes help with that and his character, his willingness to put himself out there and he is really impressive and he has been really important for us. ’ Harry Maguire has been backed to extend his Man United career by Michael Carrick United value Maguire’s experience, especially with veteran midfielder Casemiro leaving the club this summer. Combined with his enduring ability in central defence, Carrick believes that Maguire might be playing better than ever. ‘There's a case, ’ he added. ‘I think as your career goes, when you're a young player everything's fresh and everything's new and you're fearless and there's not many scars there, so you're full of excitement. ‘You get to your peak years which is kind of where you're at and you feel good and everything's there, but obviously you've had a few ups and downs along the way. Then I think you start getting towards the later times and the experience that you've gained then makes you a better player, or should make you a better player, from learning from that. ‘I think we've seen that with Harry's performances of late really, of what he's brought to the team. He's been so important, as well as many others. I think that's why experience is important to use it. ‘I certainly felt that when I was playing that it was it was 30, 31, 32 that probably were my best my best years really, just being at that sweet spot of being able to do it physically still, but using the kind of experiences to know what's coming and probably seeing a bit of everything by that stage so it's not a surprise. ‘Within the squad, there's always that balance. Experience is massive, it's hard to put a price on how valuable that can be. Whether that's individuals, whether that's experience as a whole group, but Harry's gained an awful lot of experience in different ways through this club, and Casemiro leaving is another one with experience and it's something we've got to obviously understand and what that means. ’ CHRIS WHEELER Manchester United midfielder Mason Mount has resumed training on the grass at Carrington, but Matthijs De Ligt is still some off returning from a back injury. Mount hasn’t played since Michael Carrick’s first game as head coach in the Manchester derby in January, while De Ligt has been out since the end of November. Asked to give an injury update on the pair ahead of United’s game at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, Carrick said: ‘Mason is getting closer. He’s on the grass, and he’s looking to be around it pretty soon. We've had to be patient. He’s a good player, so we’re looking after him and making sure he’s ready for a big finish to the season. ‘Matthijs has had a back issue which has been a bit slow to progress. It’s something we’ve been working through. He’s in the right direction but a bit further behind. It’s the nature of the injury, the issue in the back. It’s a difficult one to pin down time wise. He’s definitely improving. ’ Carrick was also asked about his decision to use Benjamin Sesko off the bench despite the Slovenian striker scoring his sixth goal in the last seven games in Monday’s 1-0 win at Everton. Mason Mount is closing in on a return for Man United after returning to training at Carrington ‘The whole thing is a real positive, ’ added Carrick. ‘It’s certainly not a decision that is one I look at in a negative way. We’re playing well as a team, we’re not getting carried away and thinking that carries on. ‘The forwards have scored a good number of goals, Ben has been so good in so many ways. It’s really not a drama. It just shows the quality Ben has got. If he starts the next game or the one after, it is what it is, but he’s doing so many good things. ‘‘Even though it’s the same players, game to game we have tweaked things. Some of the front players have changed in different positions. Bryan (Mbeumo) has played high on the last line a lot of the time. We’ve played in different ways. Four points in two games away from home isn’t so bad, so being able to change it from the bench is a real strength. ‘We’ve had quite a big break before the last game. When there is a lot more games, we have rotation or having to change things physically. There are huge positives with the results we’ve had, playing well and winning games. There is a big awareness from me and the staff how important everyone is in the group, but there is a feeling of trying to keep the momentum. ’ CHRIS WHEELER Liverpool will be without key man Florian Wirtz again for the visit of West Ham on Saturday. The Premier League champions struggled without their German creator-in-chief last weekend at Nottingham Forest, needing a stoppage-time goal to win a tight game. Wirtz hurt his back in the warm-up at the City Ground and Liverpool hoped it was only a minor issue, Slot saying after the match that he expected him back for the next game. But the £116m summer signing will not play this week, either. 'I don't expect Florian to be available, so that is a disappointment, of course, ' said Slot. 'Every time when a player is not available is a disappointment and also something I didn't expect after last week, but sometimes that is how things can evolve, and this time not in a positive way. ' Pushed on if he had a more definitive timeframe, Slot replied: 'No, at this moment of time. Usually, when I say that I do know that but don't want to share that, but now I honestly don't know. Florian Wirtz will be absent when Liverpool host West Ham at Anfield on Saturday 'He has a rhythm of course. It is a big accomplishment of him that he stayed fit for such a long time because he had to make a step from where he played towards Liverpool and the Premier League. 'That he stays fit all the time tells you a lot about the mentality and the work rate of the player, and the performance staff, but this week and last week he is not available and that's a disappointment for him and us because he played really well lately. ' The Reds will be boosted, though, by the return of right back Jeremie Frimpong. The Dutchman has missed the last five games with a groin problem and midfielders such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo have been needed to fill in at right back. LEWIS STEELE  Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has revealed midfielder Lewis Cook has sustained a hamstring injury and will be out of action for a number of weeks. The 29-year-old will miss the Cherries' upcoming Premier League clash with Sunderland when they will be looking to extend their seven-match unbeaten run and continue their push for Europe. Cook has had a stop-start campaign so far following a knee injury at the start of the season and a three-match suspension in December and that is set to continue. Iraola said: 'We did an MRI after he felt something the day before the last game against West Ham. He has a hamstring injury. 'I think he will be out some weeks. I think he will try, but I think it's going to be difficult that he comes (back) before the international break. Then we are talking about two or three weeks. Probably he will be out before the break. ' Lewis Cook is set to be ruled out of action for several weeks with a hamstring injury Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner credits Michael Carrick for imbuing Manchester United with a 'great spirit' and 'clear structure' since his appointment last month. No team has picked up more Premier League points in 2026 than United, with Carrick winning five of his six games in charge since replacing Ruben Amorim. Palace have been a thorn in United's side in recent years, winning three of their five last encounters, but Glasner expects Carrick's side to be in fine form on Sunday when the Eagles head to Old Trafford. 'Of course, when Man United plays at home against Crystal Palace, everybody there is expecting now a win, ' said Glasner. 'They are a very good team now. They gave a very good balance between, it's a very experienced team, with really, very experienced Premier League players, and very young players with huge talent. 'It's a good mix they have now, but I think the most important thing for them is they are consistently playing with their team and have a clear structure in the way they are playing. This is what I could see against Everton. 'They have a great spirit right now. It was really impressive seeing Matheus Cunha celebrating winning a duel in their own box. 'This, I think, is what Michael Carrick brought into this team. '

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