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In the latest top-flight news, a notable player was issued a substantial suspension, a manager has pointed out a player's mistakes to prove an argument, and Pep Guardiola has demanded backline improvements after a chaotic win.

1. Mejbri Given Four-Match Suspension and Fine

Burnley's player Hannibal Mejbri was handed a four-match ban and a £15,000 fine following misconduct during a recent match versus Leeds United. The governing body said the player was referred an independent regulatory commission after allegations of spitting towards visiting supporters at the 67th point of a 2-0 win by Burnley.

An FA release read: “A Regulatory Commission has punished the Hannibal Mejbri due to his actions in the Premier League game with Leeds on 18 October. It was alleged that he behaved against the laws of football and/or in a poor way by engaging in abusive and indecent behaviour through spitting at or in the direction of Leeds United fans.”

It added, “Mejbri subsequently admitted the allegation, and the Regulatory Commission handing down a four-game suspension and £15,000 following a hearing. The Regulatory Commission’s written reasons for the sanction will be published in due course.” Burnley, now 19th in the Premier League standings, travel to 12th-placed Newcastle on Saturday.

2. Maresca Singles Out Tosin's Mistakes to Prove a Point

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has argued that not having seasoned players is no an issue for his club, highlighting how centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo's age did not prevent him from playing a bad game in the defeat to Leeds United.

Maresca, who manages the most youthful squad in the division, does not feel that mentality played a part in the poor result. He made his case by singling out Tosin, the most experienced player in the lineup, who produced an error-strewn performance in central defence.

“People always mention a lack of experience after we fail to win,” the coach said. “After we beat Barcelona, the draw against Arsenal, nobody was mentioning older personnel. I understand that when we don’t win, we are always searching for an explanation, but I think the reason why we lost to Leeds was not down to the experience, it was because we just weren't at our best.”

He added, “Who was the oldest one for us on the pitch? It was Tosin. Did he play good? So, it isn't related to his age. It’s about those 11 men, they were not up to standard.”

3. Guardiola Says Defensive Solidity 'Has to Get Better'

The Manchester City manager has insisted his team have learnt from their midweek scare at Fulham and the episode is now in the past. The team held on for a 5-4 victory in a remarkable clash on Tuesday, having led 5-1 with about an hour gone.

Coming after they resisted a Leeds fightback and won 3-2 in their previous game, it raised more questions regarding whether they are resilient required to mount a title challenge against pace-setters Arsenal. “It’s behind us,” Guardiola commented. “Valuable learnings, hopefully. In the Premier League, for every team, one must learn from what happens in the good things and results and focus on the next one.”

“Naturally I am worried,” he admitted. “We try to understand what happened, to not concede so many goals. After conceding three scored by Leeds, and five by Fulham you can see our sides, right? Therefore, we have we have done plenty of good things. But how many attempts did Leeds ? Three? They scored two. That ratio is bad. And attempts did Fulham have? Five, six? So the average of shots conceded is too high. We must improve.”

4. Newcastle Prioritise New Defenders' Deals

Newcastle United's recently appointed football chief, Ross Wilson, has placed new deal discussions with key backline players Tino Livramento and Sven Botman at the top of his to-do list for the club. He joined after leaving Nottingham Forest recently and was reassured to learn playmaker Sandro Tonali has a deal that runs to 2029 with an option until 2030.

This allows Wilson free to focus on negotiations for Livramento and Botman's agents. With the former’s current deal set to expire in 2027 and the latter’s in 2028, the club's talks are being treated with some importance.

“The initial few days in the job is when I found that Sandro’s deal is much more secure than the one I was expecting,” said Wilson. “But it’s no secret that the club wishes to renew Tino’s contract and we would want to renew Sven Botman’s as well. These talks are ongoing.”

Manager Eddie Howe will be missing Botman for the home game against Burnley on Saturday, with the defender expected to be sidelined for at least a further period.

5. Nuno Confirms Paquetá Will Start for West Ham

West Ham head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Lucas Paquetá is back to the starting lineup when they play Brighton on Sunday, after serving a ban following a red card against Liverpool.

“It is in the past,” Nuno remarked. “I am confident it will not happen again because he personally acknowledged the error. We discussed it internally. I believe it is over and it will not be repeated.”

Nuno also acknowledged the intense strain on his side, who are in the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's fixtures. “We cannot ignore it,” he admitted. “It's the situation. We have to face it. We are fighting for survival. We can't hide it.”

6. Arteta Impressed by No 9 Deputy Merino

The Spanish midfielder could continue as Arsenal’s central striker despite their regular frontmen are fit again. The midfielder has been playing as an emergency number nine due to fitness issues to Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

Merino found the net for the opener versus Brentford before assisting Bukayo Saka for their second during a 2-0 victory that maintained {their|