Premier League Daily Report - 2026-09-15

Manchester United’s 15-year-old academy forward JJ Gabriel has formally asked to cancel his registration with the club, according to reports from Fox Sports, The Sun and Yahoo News. Gabriel, whose full name is Joseph Junior Andreou Gabriel, has been with United since the age of 11 and is widely known by the nickname “Kid Messi”. He is not believed to be seeking an immediate move to another club, but instead wants to become a free agent. Gabriel does not turn 16 until 6 October, meaning he cannot yet sign a scholarship agreement, while professional contracts are unavailable until he is 17.

United can challenge the request under Premier League registration rules. The regulations require agreement between the club, player and parent or carer for a registration to be cancelled, although any party can ask the Premier League to make a binding decision if agreement cannot be reached. The situation has emerged after Gabriel scored a hat-trick on his UEFA Youth League debut against Sabah and was expected to feature in the League Cup squad against Brighton. United sources reportedly believe the issue can be resolved, while fears have also been raised that Manchester City could become interested.

Leeds United beat Newcastle United 4-1 at Elland Road on Monday to extend their unbeaten start to the Premier League season. The hosts established control early and led 3-0 at half-time before adding a fourth after the interval. Lewis Miley was officially credited with an own goal for the opener after Ao Tanaka’s shot took a series of deflections, while Jayden Bogle was awarded Leeds’ second when Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header went in off him. Calvert-Lewin then scored in first-half stoppage time, and Noah Okafor completed the victory. Newcastle’s defeat left them heavily beaten in a fixture Leeds dominated for long spells.

Daniel Farke described the display as a top-class performance, while acknowledging that Leeds still made errors, including the concession of a goal. The result moved Leeds to third with eight points from four matches, according to Digital News Report, and reinforced the impression that the promoted side have adapted quickly to the division. FourFourTwo highlighted the influence of Elland Road’s atmosphere and Leeds’ consistency, contrasting their steady start with Newcastle’s early-season transition. Farke’s team now have momentum and a platform from which to establish themselves in the top flight.

Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at Anfield in the League Cup third round on Tuesday, ending Spurs’ hopes of a morale-boosting run. Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai scored for Liverpool, who secured a comfortable result against Roberto De Zerbi’s side. Tottenham’s difficult start continued after they had gone four Premier League matches without a win or a goal, with their only previous victory coming against second-tier Charlton in the same competition. Liverpool, meanwhile, maintained their unbeaten start under new manager Andoni Iraola, although they had drawn three of their opening four league fixtures.

The defeat increased the pressure around Tottenham after successive 17th-place finishes and a summer in which the club spent more than £300 million on 10 signings. The investment has yet to produce a league goal, and the cup exit removed one of the clearest opportunities to rebuild confidence. Liverpool’s attacking response offered a more positive outcome after their goalless draw with Fulham at the weekend, but the priority will remain converting that result into stronger league form. For Spurs, De Zerbi must quickly find a way to make a heavily reshaped attack function.

Sunderland were due to begin their Europa League campaign against AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, marking the club’s first European match in 53 years. The fixture followed a remarkable recovery from League One, where Sunderland were playing just over four years ago, to promotion back to the Premier League through the play-offs in May 2025. They finished seventh in their first season back in the top flight, earning a place in Europe and giving the 49,000-capacity stadium a continental night to anticipate. Sunderland have not won a major trophy since the 1973 FA Cup final, but retained strong support through their years outside the top flight.

Granit Xhaka said the Premier League remained Sunderland’s priority, describing Europe as a bonus and a major challenge for the squad. The midfielder also spoke of his personal ambition after losing two Europa League finals, while expecting the stadium to be filled with excitement. Sunderland’s campaign therefore carries both sporting and symbolic weight: it tests whether last season’s seventh-place finish was a one-off and measures the squad against European opposition. Managing the extra fixtures alongside domestic demands will be central to maintaining their progress in the Premier League.

Pro Ref acknowledged that Manchester City’s winning goal against Manchester United should have been disallowed for offside, according to AOL and JOE.co.uk. Erling Haaland’s goal stood after VAR officials decided that Enzo Fernandez had not interfered with play, but Pro Ref later described the decision as an error of judgement. The goal proved decisive and allowed City to draw level with Arsenal on points at the top of the Premier League table. JOE’s account also included a fan-based reconstruction of how the division might look if disputed VAR decisions from the opening month were removed.

Former referee Janie Frampton warned that a Premier League club could eventually pursue legal action over a VAR decision with consequences for the title race, European qualification or relegation. Speaking to BBC Radio 4, she said such a challenge was coming if a season ended with a decisive margin of only a few points. The comments added to scrutiny of the league’s “lighter touch” approach after a weekend of controversial reviews. Although the legal threat remains hypothetical, the dispute underlined how a single officiating decision can carry consequences far beyond one match.

David Moyes has been praised by a former Everton player for keeping the club unbeaten after five matches despite operating with a severely limited squad. The Liverpool Echo reported that Everton had only one recognised striker, one right-back and one left-back available in the group inherited by Moyes. The former Everton player described the situation as a real disappointment for the manager and argued that the Friedkin Group had let him down. Moyes had publicly said in August that the team still needed several additions, while chief executive Angus Kinnear had stated that the ownership believed the squad was in a good place.

Everton’s unbeaten opening gives the criticism added force because results have so far masked the squad’s lack of depth. Moyes is reportedly regarded as working a minor miracle by keeping the side competitive, but the physical and tactical demands of a Premier League campaign will make the shortage of specialists increasingly important. The disagreement also exposes a disconnect between the manager’s assessment of his needs and the ownership’s public confidence in the squad. Further recruitment, or continued reliance on an unusually small group, will shape Everton’s ability to sustain their early momentum.