All the buildup to the weekend’s top-flight actionPremier League: 10 things to look out forEmail Ben, tweet @benfisherj or comment below 11.22am GMT
A bit of breaking news in the Championship ... Stoke are understood to have sacked Nathan Jones, with the club set to confirm his dismissal shortly. Stoke are second bottom in the division having lost 10 of their 14 games this season, including their past two matches at Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall. Stoke take on league leaders West Brom on Monday. After victory over Swansea last month, Jones, who has won just six of his 38 matches in charge, said: “I’ve done a lot of thinking and soul searching over the last week and I’m a passionate guy, [and] that’s got me the career I’ve had. I’ve had to work my socks off to get where I am because I was never blessed with any ability. I never had four-year contracts where I could chill out, relax and get a cigar out. I had to fight for every part of my career and it’s the same as a manager.” 10.55am GMT
What more could you want?
[Thierry] Henry tells me to shut up, this time with a lot of swear words included. And in hindsight it is good advice. But I am not taking it on. I shout back that he is the one who should shut up. He runs in my direction, confronts me, yells into my face, says all kinds of things. He totally ignores the fact that the game is going on around us. Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell get involved: ‘Carry on, Nicklas, keep on running and shut your mouth.’ And I do. I become unusually calm. That is what happens if one of the best forwards in the world stands there and shouts at you.”
Related: Nicklas Bendtner: ‘Henry tells me to shut up. I shout back that he should shut up’