Sunderland and Brentford are interested in AC Milan's 24-year-old Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Gavin Henderson
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesOn Saturday, Sunderland were taught a lesson on how you cannot underestimate any opponent in the Premier League - but, also, that sometimes by showing a side too much respect you can fall flat on your face.
Fulham, despite being on an awful run of form, have only lost once at home so far this season, so are clearly a decent outfit.
Yet, given our own great start to the season, it was not unreasonable to predict we might come away with three points. Had we actually showed up, we might have stood a chance, but it was all very easy for the home side and, while they left it late to get their winning goal, the truth is that a better side would probably have punished us a lot sooner.
Sunderland were probably the sloppiest they have been all season and could not get going. It wasn't all our own doing - I thought Darren England's officiating of the game was incredibly poor, and the weather conditions meant it was never going to be a fantastic game to watch - but we can have no complaints about coming away with nothing.
You probably wouldn't have been surprised when turning on your TV on Saturday night to see that Fulham vs Sunderland was last on Match of the Day.
Why were we so poor? Tactically, we got it wrong, and I haven't been able to say that very often this season. Five at the back didn't make sense to me before the game, and even when it was apparent it wasn't working, we left it far too late to change things.
Had we been proactive and made some changes at half-time, we might actually have kicked into gear, but it all felt a bit too little, too late - and in the end, Fulham were the ones who were rewarded for their persistence and for making good substitutions.
While most of this season has felt like a dream, we are going to have the odd day where nothing goes right. It happens to the best of them - just look at the result at Anfield, where Liverpool were trounced by Nottingham Forest. There are lots of good teams at this level and if you're not at it, you will be made to pay.
We have to look positively at the next one, as another tough test awaits us on Saturday when Bournemouth visit the Stadium of Light. Nothing can be gained from dwelling on any lingering negativity from our trip to Craven Cottage, particularly with trips to Liverpool and Manchester City following that one.
All of a sudden, Saturday feels like a huge game - but we have to relish it. The Premier League is the best league in the world and every game is a challenge... just look at what happened to us at Fulham for proof!
Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external
Chris Wise
BBC Radio 5 Live commenator
Image source, Getty ImagesIt is six months today (Monday) since Sunderland won promotion to the Premier League. Since then, they have accelerated through the gears far quicker than most imagined, which is perhaps why Saturday's defeat at Fulham felt more disappointing than it otherwise would have done.
It was not a good Sunderland performance at Craven Cottage, let us be clear on that. They did not create enough, and looked defensively vulnerable. It was everything that they have not been for most of the season to date. And you know that when Granit Xhaka is not having an influence on the game, you are probably going to struggle.
So could they tweak the system and play a 4-3-3 in some away games? It felt like they were missing an extra body in midfield at times on Saturday. Nordi Mukiele stepped up the pitch at times from centre-half, but it didn't work as well against Fulham as it did against Chelsea when Lutsharel Geertruida was given a similar role.
Sunderland have earned the right to be brave and, in Regis le Bris, they have a coach who will have already identified the solutions while others are still posing the questions.
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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Fulham and Sunderland.
Here are some of your comments:
Fulham fans
Richard: Fulham will continue to struggle to score goals unless they strengthen their squad and buy another striker.
Will: Very important win. Should have scored many more as we tormented their backline, but the finishing was very poor. However, the pressure eventually paid off and our excellent home record continues.
Jeff: Not out of the woods and Marco Silva still needs to do more to earn his contract extension. I feel a parting of the ways suits both parties in the summer.
James: Fantastic performance! We deserved to score all game and thank goodness Jimenez got the winner. Hopefully, we can bring that form to Tottenham.
Sunderland fans
Dean: Sunderland looked tired and lacked a cutting edge in front of goal. Sadly lacked the passion of previous games.
Frank: Sunderland were second best, with Fulham looked fitter and stronger. That being said, the referee and his team gave nothing to Sunderland in any 50-50 situation, stopping an attack when a Fulham striker feigned a head injury to stop the momentum of a Sunderland break. One of the assistant referees was apparently showboating to the fans. You couldn't make it up.
David: For the first time this season, we looked like a newly promoted team. Very poor.
John: Thought we looked tired, but as usual, never gave up. Fulham were good value for their win. Hopefully, we will be able to recharge the batteries for next week's home game.
Pundits Wayne Rooney and Rob Green join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.
And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
'It wasn't enough today' - Le Bris
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris speaking to Match of the Day: "I think they deserved to win this game. They imposed their style, their strength. We expected this game. First half was okay, we had the opportunity to be more composed with the ball and have more intensity in duels. Our second ball management wasn't good enough to change the momentum. We suffered, and then we created two and three chances, but it wasn't enough. Second half, we had chances but didn't use it properly. Their subs helped them a lot to create something new, and we were a bit tired, probably.
On his side's lack of chances: "For me, the main point is our ability to be competitive in duels, second balls. We were not at the level today. They managed that situation well. They pushed, pushed, pushed and in the end, they create something."
On his side's fatigue: "It's possible, and when you play away, it's always a bit harder. Once again, we have to have this intensity and to manage this situation. You have to win at least 50% of these situations, but that was not the case today."
On moving on from the loss: "For us, we are still enjoying the Premier League. Does not mean we are happy with the result today."
Did you know?
Sunderland have lost consecutive league games against Fulham for the first time since January 2006 (three in a row).
Sunderland had just four attempts in the match, their fewest in a Premier League game since January 2017 against Spurs (3).
Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesRobin Roefs made four saves for Sunderland as they lost to Fulham on Saturday
From the lack of shots to the abysmal weather, this was arguably Sunderland's poorest game since their return to the Premier League.
Sunderland had just four attempts in the match, their fewest in a Premier League game since January 2017, and would have barely deserved a point.
As often through this season, they looked to Robin Roefs to maintain a foothold in the match, and the Belgian keeper obliged with some good saves.
But the lack of chances may give manager Regis Le Bris pause for thought when it comes to deploying a 5-4-1 formation outside of games against the giants.
Versus mid-table teams like Fulham, it leaves Sunderland too lacking in chances to create and not enough openings to counter attack effectively.
And with the possibility of losing seven players during the Africa Cup of Nations looming on the horizon, these are puzzles Le Bris must find a way to solve.
Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies
Marco Silva makes just one change to the Fulham side beaten 2-0 at Everton before the international break, with teenager Josh King replacing the suspended Sasa Lukic in midfield.
Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, King; Wilson, Iwobi, Kevin; Jimenez
Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Cairney, Traore, Cuenca, Kusi-Asare, Chukwueze, Castagne, Smith Rowe
Sunderland are unchanged from the side which earned a late 2-2 draw against Arsenal, with manager Regis Le Bris sticking to a 5-4-1 formation.
Sunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Reinildo; Traore, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee; Isidor
Subs: Patterson, Neil, Talbi, Brobbey, Mayenda, O'Nien, Alderete, Adingra, Masuaku
There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.
Burnley v Chelsea (12:30)
Bournemouth v West Ham
Brighton v Brentford
Fulham v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Wolves v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v Manchester City (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated
Follow all of the action and reaction here
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Man City", for instance.
Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds
This is a huge game for Fulham, who have lost five of their past six matches.
They have got lots of quality in their squad but it still feels like they could be sucked into a relegation battle.
As for Sunderland, well they are the surprise package of the Premier League season so far.
Their performance in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last time out was superb. We've not seen anyone else rough up the Gunners like that this season, and Sunderland were more than a match for them.
The sensible thing to do would be to back the Black Cats here, because they are clearly capable of roughing Fulham up too and, the last time they were in west London, they beat Chelsea at the end of October.
But I am not going to do that. Instead, I really need to carry on going against Sunderland with my predictions. I am taking a lot of credit for their good results because they clearly love to prove me wrong.
Looking at Fulham's home record, the only team they have lost to is Arsenal. Marco Silva's side will be absolutely desperate for a positive result, so I am going to say they will pick up three much-needed points.
Sutton's prediction: 1-0
Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist
An underperforming Fulham side host a high-flying Sunderland at Craven Cottage. BBC Sport examines some of the key talking points surrounding this clash.
Not many would have predicted Fulham to trail one of the three promoted sides by eight points almost a third of the way into this campaign.
However, some fans might suggest they have been going through the motions since the back end of last season. The Whites set a club record Premier League points total in 2024-25 with a tally of 54 but suffered seven defeats in their final 11 matches between March and May (won four).
A summer of minimal recruitment followed with just four players arriving and although the club's transfer record was broken with a £34.6m outlay on Brazilian winger Kevin, manager Marco Silva bemoaned what he called a "passive" approach during the transfer window.
After a decent start to this campaign the club have struggled over the past two months and five losses from their past six league games has them sitting a point above the drop zone in 15th.
Comforts of the Cottage
Four of those past five losses have come away and their sole victory was a 3-0 win over Wolves at Craven Cottage, which has become something of a fortress for Fulham this season. No side has earned a higher percentage of their Premier League points at home than Silva's side.
The Whites have been victorious in three of their past four home league matches, losing the other 1-0 to Arsenal, and given that four of their next seven are at Craven Cottage they will be expecting results to improve.
They are also unbeaten in their past 10 Premier League meetings with promoted opposition (won five, drawn five), winning the previous three in a row. The last time they triumphed in four consecutive matches against Premier League newcomers was 14 years ago.
Black Cats flying high
Sunderland fought back to snatch a deserved point against league leader Arsenal in their last Premier League outing two weeks ago.
Brian Brobbey's 94th-minute equaliser in that 2-2 draw was the first time the Gunners have conceded twice this season in any competition and it helped silence any doubts about Sunderland's ability to compete with the division's best sides.
The Black Cats remain unbeaten at home this term but results on the road have been more mixed for Regis le Bris and his side, with two wins, a draw and two losses from five away matches.
Both of those defeats came in the north west, but recent visits to London have proved less problematic. Sunderland are unbeaten in 14 away league games against sides from the capital, a run that includes a 2-1 win over Chelsea last month. However, their last defeat in the city was a 2-1 loss to Fulham at Craven Cottage in April 2018.
That triumph at Stamford Bridge means Sunderland could win back-to-back Premier League games in London within a single season for the first time since Peter Reid's side beat West Ham and Chelsea in March 2001.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Premier League will from next season move to a new system of Financial Fair Play (FFP) based on squad costs.
The clubs met in London on Friday to vote on three possible methods of replacing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) got 14 votes in favour and six against, which is the minimum number that is required to exact a rule change.
Overall squad costs from next season will have to be limited to 85% of a club's revenue, although teams competing in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's maximum of 70%.
Squad costs comprise player and manager wages, transfer fees and agents' fees.
Rules around sustainability, which set out a club's financial spending plans over the medium and long term, were passed unanimously.
Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Premier League has announced the start and end dates for the 2026-27 season.
The first round of fixtures will take place across the weekend of 22 August 2026 - a week later than previous seasons.
The later start allows rest time for players - 89 clear days from the end of this season, and 33 days from the 2026 World Cup final.
The Premier League said the delay was a "priority" for player welfare in an "increasingly congested global football calendar".
The final matches of the season will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, with all fixtures kicking off simultaneously as usual.
The season will end a week before the 2027 Champions League final, which will be on Saturday, 5 June.
There will be 33 weekend and five midweek fixtures - the same as the current season.
For the festive period, the Premier League have said no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours.
It has not been confirmed if there will be any fixtures on 24 December 2026.
However, as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the Premier League has said there will be more matches scheduled than this season, when there is only one.
Sunderland have not ruled out a January move for Lazio and France midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, 26, who could be available for £22m to £26m (Northern Echo), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesOne of potentially the biggest moments in English football is coming on Friday, but precious few people understand how important it could be or even know about it.
The Premier League is considering 'anchoring' wages, which would cap the amount any club could spend on their squad at five times the smallest central Premier League broadcasting and prize money payout.
It is a complex argument. The league and some clubs are considering it because they want to ensure wage inflation does not continue to rise endangering their long-term financial security. From the other side - the players and their union, the PFA - this unnaturally limits the amount they can earn in what has until now been a free and open market.
Any changes to that position foisted upon the players without their prior consultation and agreement will not go down well. Remember, the players are the people that the paying public, the TV companies and the advertisers want to see, not a bunch of chairmen, executives and directors arguing over accounts, dividends and profit margins.
The game has increased the number of games played per season without consulting those who are physically doing it. No studies on how that will affect their health in the short and long term were considered, and so the PFA in England looks like it is finally ready to take a strong stand for its members.
Strike ballots are not unknown, I should know, as chairman of the PFA my name was on the bottom of every ballot paper when we last considered strike action over changes in working conditions. The modern owners may have forgotten, but we had 99% backing from our members.
Owners may think of footballers as ultra wealthy, mercenary, thickos who can easily be controlled - well they thought that last time and they lost.
It is time for serious and meaningful negotiation between equals and not a master and serf attitude from one side towards the other.
Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist
Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham at Craven Cottage (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Reinildo felt some "discomfort in his hamstring" while on international duty with Mozambique but it is "nothing serious" and he will be "fine".
Long-term absentees Dennis Cirkin and Romaine Mundle will both get minutes in their legs when the under-21s host Sporting Lisbon in the Premier League International Cup on Thursday. However, it is still "too early" for them to feature against Fulham this weekend.
Le Bris said the November international break was "important" for Sunderland because they are heading into an "intense" block of games that could "massively define" their season.
When asked what work was done over the international break, Le Bris replied: "The coaching staff have deeply analysed our last block of games to consolidate what went right so we can reinforce those things. We've shown it to the players so they can see what our strengths are. We've also deeply analysed our weaknesses because Arsenal really tested our limits by creating overloads and having more mobility."
He added: "It was good to understand these things and to have some time to implement one or two ideas. It's not easy to do that in a normal week, but when you have two weeks then it's possible."
Le Bris "absolutely" feels he is getting better as a manager with every passing Premier League game. He explained: "When you play against the best sides, every decision can have a really clear effect. I also manage the quality of my players, so if I can give them information on impulse then they can react quickly."
He didn't set a "specific expectation or target" for where his side should be after 11 league games because he wanted them to "experience the league, try their best and then see".
He also highlighted that the gap between fourth and 10th in the table is "really thin" so he believes it is better to focus on their "positive" points total.
Fulham are "really efficient" at Craven Cottage so he is expecting "another tough challenge" for the Black Cats: "They can create chances in different ways, they are really proactive and they are a side with good players. We know easy games don't exist in the Premier League."
Meanwhile, Sunderland are yet to receive "official communication" about which date they will have to release their players for the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament is set to start on 21 December, just one week after the Tyne-Wear derby, so it will be important to be "well aligned" with every country's coaching staff.
Asked if he would like to have all of his players available for the Newcastle United match on Sunday, 12 December, he replied: "Yeah, absolutely!"
Hear more from Le Bris on BBC Sounds
Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Full commentary of Fulham v Sunderland at 15:00 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live
Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Africa Cup of Nations kicks off earlier than usual this year, with up to 17 Premier League clubs set to be affected by players jetting off to host country Morocco.
The tournament runs from 21 December until 18 January.
There has been no official announcement about which date clubs will have to release their players by - and it could vary depending on agreements.
Players could miss up to six, or in some cases seven, Premier League matches - plus FA Cup and Carabao Cup games - if they reach the final.
The group stages end on 31 December, so quickly eliminated players may only miss half that amount.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds do not have any players due to play in the 2025 Afcon - with Sunderland and Wolves losing the most players.
Aston Villa - 1
Bournemouth - 1
Brentford - 2
Brighton - 1
Burnley - 3
Crystal Palace - 1 to 4
Everton - 2 to 3
Fulham - 3
Liverpool - 1
Manchester City - 2
Manchester United - 3
Newcastle United - 0 to 1
Nottingham Forest - 1 to 4
Sunderland - 7
Tottenham - 1 to 2
West Ham United - 2
Wolves - 5
Read the full article here to know which players will feature at Afcon
Gavin Henderson
Fan writer
Which player is flying?: Dan Ballard. He has taken to life in the Premier League like a duck to water and is showing everyone why proper old-school defending and bravery should not go out of fashion, as he is proving himself to be effective in both boxes and is causing an almighty nuisance to some of the best defenders and attackers in the country.
Which player is floundering?: Genuinely, nobody. Sunderland are performing across the board and there is not one player that I could point to and say they are struggling, which is a testament to how well we have started the season.
Tactically I think we... are excellent. Watching Sunderland this season has been like watching a game of 3D chess, with so many moving parts during the 90 minutes. Regis le Bris is proving himself to be one of the most astute tacticians in the game and his squad of players are so finely tuned into what he wants them to do.
I want my manager to give me... more of the same because if things carry on like they are, Sunderland are heading for an unbelievable season and a European finish, which is something we have never achieved in my lifetime. Whatever you are doing, Regis, just keep on doing it!
Our fans seem obsessed with... staying up. People are still talking about us like we are in the conversation for the drop, celebrating losses of struggling teams and mentioning how many points clear we are. I do not get it... we will not struggle this season, so it is pointless even thinking about it.
But they should be thinking about... qualifying for Europe! Look up, not down. If we keep on like we are and we have a good January window, there is no reason why we cannot finish in the top eight.
My expectations for the season were... staying up, but are now finishing as high as possible. I do not think anyone could have expected we would do as well as we have done, but it did not take long for expectations to switch after we battered West Ham on the opening day. The day I really started to believe was when we beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, as that was a game we were roundly expected to lose.
Score out of 10 for season so far... 10/10! How can I possibly fault the way things have gone?!
One sentence on how you're feeling right now... Absolutely on top of the world - and I don't want to come down any time soon.
Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external
Sunderland are monitoring Real Madrid's 21-year-old striker Gonzalo Garcaa ahead of a potential January loan move to strengthen their attacking options, with Leeds and Brighton also interested. (Mail), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column]
Over the past week, we have been asking you to send in the best Premier League XI your club could have put together.
We know football existed before 1992 but as a Leeds United fan asked our experts on the club to name theirs - using the Ask Me Anything form on the Whites - we stuck with their parameters.
Here's BBC Sport's Sunderland fan writer Gavin's effort.
And you can ask us about the Black Cats using the Sunderland Ask Me Anything form at the top of this page or here
Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external
We have, roughly, run the numbers and here is the XI your submissions have produced.
There is a sprinkling of old and new in this line-up with Regis le Bris' sturdy modern outfit complemented by past heroes such as Thomas Sorensen, Niall Quinn and Kevin Ball.
Oh and the small matter of the lethal Kevin Phillips upfront to fire in the goals.
The current side may be fourth in the Premier League but one could expect this selection below to be even higher.
