Gary Lineker insists Arsenal are ‘one of the favourites’ to win the Champions League but could be denied by Barcelona following the signing of Manchester City legend Rodri.

Premier League champions Arsenal kick-started their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win over Serie A side Napoli on Wednesday.

The Gunners enjoyed a memorable run to the final last season before suffering a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to back-to-back winners PSG.

Lineker believes Arsenal are once again one of the leading contenders to become European champions after a productive summer and strong start to the new season.

Mikel Arteta bolstered his title-winning squad with the signings of Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, England defender Ezri Konsa and Greece winger Christos Tzolis during the summer transfer window.

Arsenal already look like favourites to retain their Premier League crown, with Manchester City the only other team to still boast a perfect record after three games.

While Lineker expects Arsenal to go back-to-back in the Premier League, he believes they could be a ‘superstar’ short in the Champions League, where he expects Barcelona to thrive.

Hansi Flick’s Spanish champions were minutes away from the Champions League final two years ago before reaching the quarter-finals last season.

Barca, who are already three points clear of La Liga rivals Real Madrid, welcomed Ballon d’Or Rodri to the Nou Camp in the summer in a £65m deal from Man City.

‘Arsenal will be one of the favourites but I don’t think overall they’ve got quite the superstars that some of the other big guns in Europe have,’ Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.

‘I do think Barcelona might be quite tasty and take some beating this season now they’ve got Rodri in there as well in that crucial position.’

Ex-Man City defender Micah Richards has also questioned whether Arsenal have the attacking flair to go one better in the Champions League.

Arteta tried to sign Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez in the summer but the Brazil icon stayed at Real Madrid while the Argentine striker failed to force his way out of Atletico Madrid.

‘I’ve got no doubts about them in the Premier League but I’m not sure about Arsenal in the Champions League,’ Richards added.

‘If you go back to last season they were actually favourites early doors because of how good they are defensively.

‘I think for them to be real force in Europe, Julian Alvarez would have been perfect.

‘There’s obviously been reports he only wanted Barcelona but if you look at the way he plays for Argentina, there’s times where if Arsenal had more pace on the counter they could be an even bigger thread.

‘If you look across Europe, teams like Barcelona and PSG have probably more pace than Arsenal going forward.

‘I just feel at times that for Arsenal to take their game to the next level, they would be almost complete if they had that superstar striker. Julian Alvarez would have been perfect for that position.’

Martin Odegaard continued his superb start to the new season with the winner as Arsenal beat Italian giants Napoli in their Champions League opener.

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Weather maps show temperatures hitting 24C in the UK later this month in what could be the last heat surge for the country after a record breaking year

Brits can look forward to balmy Autumn temperatures of 24C later this month with 24 areas enjoying at least 22C, according to Met Office charts.

In a year with a succession of heatwaves and unprecedented high temperatures, the warm weather is not over yet.

Met Office maps show temperatures dropping into the teens in the coming days but the mercury is then set to rise again with highs of 24C in London on Monday, September 21.

Warm air is set to be brought to the UK by a high pressure system from the Continent with the south of the country seeing the highest temperatures. There are 24 areas set for at least 22C according to the charts, with the West Midlands the furthest north.

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Some of the home counties could see 23C but it will be cooler along the south coast and Cornwall.

Further north, it will still be pleasant in the sunshine with temperatures in the high teens or 20C but there are also rain clouds over Scotland from a lurking low pressure front.

A Met Office forecast from September 14 to 23 says there will be “some rather warm days at times” during the period.

It states: “Remaining changeable, with occasional rain or showers arriving from the North Atlantic, most frequent across northern and western parts of the UK, where some strong winds will also be possible at times.

“However, there will also be some reasonable dry and more settled periods, especially across southern areas. Later in the month, high pressure may become more dominant in the vicinity of the UK, perhaps bringing more widely settled conditions for a time, especially away from the far north.

“Temperatures for the period as a whole will probably be close to average overall, but there is scope for some rather warm days at times, along with occasional relatively cool nights.”

Looking further ahead to the end of the month and early October, the forecaster says that the weather could become “more changeable”.

It says: “High pressure initially close to the UK, with a continuation of more settled conditions at times, may start to weaken its influence on the weather later in the month and into early October.

“As a result, it may become more changeable with a greater chance of rain or showers in places, and perhaps some strong winds at times too. Temperatures will likely be a little above average overall, with relatively cool nights possible at first tending to reduce in frequency later in the period.”

UK areas seeing 22C or higher on Sept 21

• Somerset
• Wiltshire
• Gloucestershire
• Oxfordshire
• Berkshire
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Surrey
• Greater London
• Buckinghamshire
• West Sussex
• East Sussex
• Kent
• Herefordshire
• Worcestershire
• Warwickshire
• Northamptonshire
• Bedfordshire
• Cambridgeshire
• Essex
• Suffolk
• Norfolk
• West Midlands
• Monmouthshire

WARNING – ARTICLE ONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES: The dog was in so much pain it had to be put down

Two pet owners from Bolton have been banned from keeping dogs after their German Shepherd was left to suffer with a tumour.

John Cochran, 32, and Kerry Harwood, 41, failed to get vetinary care for their elderly female dog Copper despite her screaming in pain and being so unwell she had to be put down.

An RSPCA inspector attended an address on Moss Bank Way in Bolton, where the pair were living, in August last year following a tip-off. They found Copper shut into the kitchen of the property.

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She had a large ‘pendulous’ mammary tumour, the medical term for a swinging tumour..

RSPCA Inspector Jess Pierce said: “I could see a large tumour hanging from her abdomen and [there was] a strong smell which smelled like rotting flesh and infection. The tumour appeared ulcerated as it was very red and swollen and leaking fluid in different areas.”

Inspector Pierce said Hrwood told her that ‘she knew something needed to be done about the dog’ and said she knew that Copper needed to be put to sleep. Cochran, who also lived at the address and who the charity said was responsible for Copper, was out at the time of the visit.

The inspector took Copper to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital and said she ‘screamed before the vet had even placed his hand near the lump on her abdomen.’

Vets concluded that putting her to sleep was ‘the most humane option.’

Cochran, of Chorley New Road and Harwood, of Moss Bank Wa were prosecuted and both pleaded guilty to causing unneccessary suffering to a protected animal.

They were both disqualified from owning and keeping dogs for a period for three years when they appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court for sentence last Tuesday (September 1).

They were also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and do 20 rehabilitation acitivty requirement days, as part of a 12 month community order. They must also pay £925.30 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

In a statement issued following the sentencing, Inspector Deborah Beats, who carried out the investigation, said: “This was such an upsetting case to investigate as poor Copper had been let down so badly by her two owners.

“It was unquestionable that Copper was in pain and suffering from the extremely large tumour, yet her owners did not provide her with appropriate veterinary care.

“It’s so essential that pet owners seek prompt treatment for their animals, and whilst we appreciate some can struggle to afford veterinary costs, there is help available and we all have a responsibility to make sure our animals are properly cared for.”

Kate Middleton and Prince William dropped their son, Prince George, at Eton College this week, and one subtle gesture the Princess of Wales made has captured fans’ attention

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Kate Middleton displayed a subtle gesture as she accompanied her eldest son, Prince George, to begin at Eton College this week, revealing much about her character.

The 13-year-old son of Princess Catherine and Prince William commenced his first term at the prestigious all-boys boarding school on Tuesday (8th September). He was accompanied by his parents as he received a welcome from Head Master Simon Henderson and Provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge.

George’s enrolment at the esteemed establishment sees him following in the footsteps of his father, the Prince of Wales, and his uncle, Prince Harry, who both attended the institution during their younger years. While it was undoubtedly an emotional moment for George’s parents to say goodbye to him, there was one understated gesture made by the Princess of Wales that sparked discussion online.

Footage of Kate, William, and George arriving at Eton College was posted on X on Tuesday, and observers were swift to spot one detail about the clip that they suggest demonstrated Kate’s true nature.

In the footage, as the trio approached Henderson and Coleridge, Kate could be seen deliberately slowing her pace to ensure that George greeted the school heads first, with fans describing the action as evidence of her “impeccable decorum”.

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One fan who shared the footage wrote: “The way Catherine steps back while William and George greet first.”

Commenters on the post lavished praise on Princess Kate, suggesting she was well aware the occasion was entirely about her son, and had therefore “selflessly” stepped back to allow him to take centre stage and greet the school’s senior staff without her involvement.

One person said: “Her manners and decorum are impeccable.”

Another added: “Masterclass in grace and poise.”

A third posted: “I am amazed at the consistently classy way William and his family act. Catherine even holds her umbrella perfectly – made me laugh. The ‘boys’ go without one. Catherine must be in a puddle of emotions- this is a big transition.”

Others remarked that the understated gesture was evidence of her being a “good mum”, while numerous commenters noted the occasion was likely an emotional one for Kate, given that Eton College is a boarding school, meaning George will be departing the family home to reside there.

Some also noted that Kate has consistently demonstrated an instinct for allowing her children their moment in the limelight, pointing to an occasion during the summer when she permitted her daughter, 11-year-old Princess Charlotte, to walk ahead of her at Wimbledon.

During Tuesday’s visit to Eton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, who also share eight-year-old Prince Louis, first arrived at School Yard, the Berkshire institution’s historic quadrangle, overlooked by Lupton’s Tower, a Tudor landmark, with a statue of King Henry VI, who founded Eton in 1440, standing at its centre.

The family then made their way through a doorway into one of the oldest sections of Eton, where Kate was spotted placing her hand gently on her son’s back in a tender and maternal gesture.

Eton College is a highly prestigious institution, with an exceptionally competitive admissions process that requires prospective pupils to sit rigorous assessments before being accepted.

George will follow in the footsteps of a host of notable alumni, including his father and uncle, actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Redmayne, numerous prime ministers including Lord David Cameron, authors George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and explorer Bear Grylls.

Line of Duty star Martin Compston appeared live on BBC’s The One Show on Wednesday

Line of Duty star Martin Compston has opened up about the return of the hit BBC series live on The One Show.

The Scottish actor appeared on the green sofa alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Lara Pulver on Wednesday (September 9). He spoke to hosts Alex Jones and Vernon Kay about his new series Living Las Vegas and the seventh series of Line of Duty.

During the show, Vernon asked: “Martin, you’ve got great chemistry with Vicky [McClure] and Adrian [Dunbar], as well, on Line of Duty. Has it always been like that?”

Martin replied: “I think with Vick, it was probably quite instant. We’re from similar backgrounds, I mean we’ve got the same birthday, you know. And just [our characters] as a team, we were together. And then, I don’t know anybody could have foreseen what Adrian [did] with Hastings and how he became such a huge part of the show,” reports the Mirror.

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“So, I think that kind of eventually grew, but now, yeah, they’re two of my best pals rather than castmates. We speak pretty much if not on a daily, on a weekly basis.”

Martin then opened up about how their friendship has helped them through filming the upcoming series, which he described as “the hardest one” they’ve had to shoot. “It was a pretty brutal shoot,” he shared.

The actor explained that they’ve had to film a lot of interview scenes, which had been a “mental test”. “[We’re] really having to rely on each other when one of us is having a down day and just going, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to learn an 18-page scene in the next couple days,’” Martin went on.

“We’re just kind of there for each other and we always make sure we run [the scenes] and work. It’s a really good little support network.”

Martin then teased that the new episodes would mark “the end of the story arc” which has been building since the first series. He added: “Everything’s coming to a head and it’s pretty explosive.

“I think, as well, that’s one of the great things, the gaps we have in filming. Sometimes there’s this really bad habit with TV series and you get the first few scripts, and you go, ‘Oh, this is great.’ And you start filming and they haven’t written the ending, and then halfway through, you start reading the ending and you go, ‘Oh no.’

“But with this, it was fully formed. [At] our read through, we had the first five episodes, so we just had one to go. So, we knew exactly what Jed [Mercurio] wanted to do with it. Hopefully it’s going be everything [that] the fans wanted.”

As well as several other returning stars, the seventh season of Line of Duty is also set to welcome some fresh faces. Robert Carlyle has joined the cast as guest lead Detective Constable Shaun Massie.

He will also be joined by Tom Weston-Jones as Detective Inspector Dominic Gough, Laura Aikman as DC Paula Beckman, Levi Brown as DC Luke Tobin, and Amy-Leigh Hickman as DC Nira Rashid.

Line of Duty is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

Her daughter said she had ‘so much left to live for’

A “bubbly” mum from Cambridgeshire died suddenly at her home. Gemma Connor, aged 40, from Peterborough, died at her home on October 12, 2024.

An inquest into Gemma’s death held last week heard Gemma, a mental health practitioner, had a history of health conditions including acute pancreatitis and fatty liver condition. The mum had also been prescribed several medications.

The death of the 40-year-old came as a shock to her family. Jasmine Connor, Gemma’s daughter, said her mum’s heart “just stopped overnight and she couldn’t be resuscitated”.

Alongside Jasmine, Gemma left behind her son, Callum. Jasmine, who lives in Nottingham, previously told the Nottingham Post: “She was amazing. She was bubbly and had so many friends. She lit up every room. She had so many people who cared about her and so much left to live for.”

The hearing heard that on October 11, 2024, the 40-year-old went to bed at her home in Peterborough at about 11.30pm. Around 30-minutes later, her partner woke up to find Gemma unresponsive with shallow breathing before calling 999.

He was advised to begin CPR and the emergency services rushed to the scene. Paramedics performed medical treatment on Gemma and she was deemed in cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at 2.02am on October 12.

A toxicology report revealed prescribed medication in her system, including morphine. The level of morphine was at a high, possibly toxic level, the hearing heard.

Coroner Jones was unable to confirm the level as toxic as this depends on the individual’s tolerance. Gemma’s cause of death was confirmed as respiratory failure due to morphine toxicity with contributing conditions of chronic pancreatitis and liver disease.

A woman from south Wales has died after being run over by a taxi in Liverpool. Her family have remembered her as a “beautiful, caring, funny and loving young lady who was following her dreams and her chosen career in a city she loved.”

Isobel Reyland, 26, died in a crash on Aigburth Road on Wednesday September 2. Emergency services were called to the scene of a crash in the city shortly before 5.40pm. The crash involved a white Toyota Voxy private hire taxi and a pedestrian.

Ms Reyland was taken to hospital for treatment but sadly died from her injuries shortly afterwards.

Her family have issued the following tribute: “Izzy was a loving and deeply loved daughter, sister, aunty, granddaughter, niece, cousin and sister-in-law who was tragically taken from us far too soon and will be missed beyond words, always.

“She was a beautiful, caring, funny and loving young lady who was following her dreams and her chosen career in a city she loved and living her life to the fullest.

“We are totally devastated and utterly heartbroken as a family at the loss of our darling Izzy.

“Izzy – you will always be with us and our deepest love for you is everlasting.”

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said the driver of the taxi, a 41-year-old man, stopped at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving while under the influence of drugs. He has been released under investigation.

Anyone with information on the incident can contact Merseyside Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0151 777 5747 quoting incident reference 26000720150.

The iPhone 18 Pro is more of the same (but pricier than ever)

Unlike previous Apple launches, the standard iPhone 18 model is due to be revealed at a later date. Reports indicate that it will release early next year.

The Wednesday showcase instead focused on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models. Aside from the price, the only difference between the two versions is size: the Pro has a 6.3-inch screen, while the Pro Max has a 6.9-inch display.

Both phones have a smaller and less intrusive “Dynamic Island” selfie camera cutout at the top of the screen compared to older models. And like the iPhone Duo, they are powered by Apple’s latest A20 Pro chip, which should be up to 40 per cent faster than the previous iPhone 17 Pro.

The biggest change is with the camera system. The main camera now features a “variable aperture”, which allows you to manually adjust the amount of light passing through the lens, much like a regular camera. This means you should get better nighttime images with extra detail and more control.

Apple says that the 18 Pro Max has the longest-lasting battery life of any iPhone to date, thanks to a new internal heat management system, revamped battery design and efficiencies with the new A20 Pro chip. Battery life is quoted at 36 hours for the 18 Pro when playing video, and 45 hours for the 18 Pro Max. It also charges faster, providing 50 per cent charge after just 15 minutes plugged in.

Elsewhere, the colour-matched aluminium and back glass comes in two new colour choices: burgundy and blue, alongside black and silver.

Both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are more expensive than last year’s models. The 18 Pro costs £1,199 (a £100 increase), while the 18 Pro Max starts at £1,299. Rival smartphone firm Samsung raised the price of its Galaxy S26 Ultra by £30 earlier this year.

This change aligns with Apple recently raising prices of the iPad and MacBook by up to £300. At the time, CEO Tim Cook said that the price increases were due to the soaring costs of memory chips, which are in high demand thanks to the AI data centre boom.

New AirPods and Apple Watches

Apple also revealed new AirPods headphones. Called the AirPods 5, these headphones come with active noise-cancelling technology, which the company says has been improved by 50 per cent compared to the previous AirPods 4.

AirPods 5 now automatically adjust between noise-cancelling and transparency modes, depending on where you are, and support Apple Intelligence features, such as asking for restaurants nearby. Live translation is also supported.

Apple says the AirPods 5 are more durable than ever and now offer four hours of listening with noise cancellation switched on.

The AirPods 5 start at £129. A slightly more expensive model, which comes with a wireless charging case, an additional hour of battery life and on-device touch controls, costs £149.

Andrew and Tristan Tate have lost their bid to be released from a Florida jail as they fight potential extradition to the UK to face charges of rape and trafficking.

A federal judge in Miami denied them bail, saying the dual US-UK citizens’ wealth and frequent international travel “constitute quintessential flight risks”.

The brothers have been held in US custody since their July arrest, after the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unveiled new charges against them. The UK has until 16 September to submit a full extradition request.

They will “continue to defend themselves against the allegations” and “engage with the appropriate legal processes in each jurisdiction”, their lawyers said.

The two are facing a total of 59 charges in the UK, including rape and counts relating to sex trafficking and indecent images of a child.

CPS originally brought 21 charges, but added 38 more in July for alleged actions spanning between 2010 and 2017.

US authorities took the men into custody in July after the UK announced the new charges.

Last weekend, Romanian prosecutors officially indicted the polarising social media influencers with a range of trafficking and sex offences.

The former kickboxers had primarily been based in Romania since 2017, drawing a large audience – primarily young men – through controversial messages about women and images of a luxury lifestyle. Self-proclaimed “misogynist” Andrew Tate first rose to fame after a 2016 appearance on the British version of reality TV show Big Brother.

The brothers also faced sex-trafficking charges in Romania in 2022, and were under a travel ban until they were allowed to come to the US in 2025.

Several prominent US politicians, including Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, objected to the Tate brothers’ arrival in the US.

The brothers have denied all charges and allegations.