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This week's top-flight developments, a key midfielder has been handed a substantial suspension, a manager has singled to a defender's mistakes to prove a point, and the Manchester City manager has demanded backline betterment after an erratic victory.

1. Mejbri Issued Four-Game Suspension and Financial Penalty

The Clarets' player Hannibal Mejbri has been given a four-game suspension and a £15,000 penalty following misconduct in a recent fixture against Leeds United. The Football Association stated Mejbri was referred an independent regulatory commission following an incident where he spat in the direction of visiting fans at the 67-minute point during a 2-0 victory for Burnley.

An FA release read: “A Regulatory Commission has punished the Hannibal Mejbri due to misconduct in the top-flight game with Leeds on 18 October. The charge was that the player behaved in breach of the rules of the game and/or in an improper manner and/or using abusive and unacceptable behaviour by spitting towards the area of Leeds United fans.”

The statement continued, “Mejbri later accepted the charge, and the panel handing down a four-game suspension and £15,000 following a hearing. The panel's written reasons for the sanction will be published at a later date.” Burnley, now 19th in the Premier League table, visit 12th-place Newcastle this Saturday.

2. Maresca Points to Adarabioyo's Errors to Prove a Point

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has argued that a lack of experience is not an issue at team, pointing out that centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo's age did not stop him from having poorly during the loss to Leeds United.

The Italian coach, who manages the most youthful team in the division, does not feel that inexperience was a factor in the poor result. He made his case by singling out Tosin, Chelsea's oldest player in the lineup, who produced a mistake-riddled display at the back.

“People always talk about experience after we drop points,” Maresca said. “After we defeated Barcelona, the draw with Arsenal, no one was mentioning experienced players. I know that if we don’t win, people are always looking for the reason why, but I think why we lost against Leeds is not because of the experience, it was because we were not at our best.”

Maresca continued, “Who was the oldest one on our team in the match? It was Tosin. Did he play any good? So, it isn't related to experience. It’s about those 11 players, they were not up to standard.”

3. Guardiola Says Defence 'Has to Improve'

Pep Guardiola has insisted his team have learnt from their midweek scare at Fulham with the episode is now forgotten. The team held on to claim a 5-4 victory in a incredible clash at Craven Cottage, having led 5-1 with about an hour played.

Coming after they resisted a comeback to win 3-2 in the prior game, prompting further doubts regarding if they are resilient required to sustain a challenge against pace-setters Arsenal. “That game is forgotten,” he commented. “Valuable lessons, I hope. In the Premier League, at all the clubs, one must learn from both good and bad performances and bad things and think of the next one.”

“Of course I am worried,” Guardiola added. “We are trying to understand what happened, to not allow so many goals. After conceding three scored against Leeds, and the five goals by Fulham you can see our sides, right? Therefore, we have done many good things. Yet the number of shots on target had Leeds have? Three? Scored two. That ratio is good. How many shots on target did Fulham ? Five, six? So the average of chances conceded we can see too high. We must be better.”

4. Newcastle Prioritise New Defenders' Contracts

The Magpies' recently appointed football chief, Ross Wilson, has made contract negotiations involving important defenders Tino Livramento and Sven Botman at the top of his agenda at St James’ Park. He arrived from Nottingham Forest in October and is reassured that playmaker Sandro Tonali has a contract that runs until 2029 with an option until 2030.

This allows Wilson free to focus on talks with Livramento and Botman's representatives. With the former’s agreement ending in 2027 and the latter’s a year later, Newcastle's talks have assumed some urgency.

“The initial few days after starting was when I found that Sandro’s contract situation was much more secure than the one I had thought,” he stated. “However, it is no secret that the club would want to renew Tino’s deal and also would want to extend Sven Botman’s too. These talks are ongoing.”

Manager Eddie Howe will be without Botman for the home game with Burnley on Saturday, with the defender expected to remain out for another week.

5. Nuno Confirms Paquetá Will Start Against Brighton

West Ham head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Lucas Paquetá will return to start for they play Brighton this Sunday, after serving his suspension following a sending-off he received Liverpool.

“It is in the past,” the manager said. “I am confident it will not be repeated as he personally admitted the error. We discussed it in the dressing room. I believe it is over and will not be repeated.”

Nuno also understands the significant strain on his side, who are 18th ahead of Saturday's matches. “We can't ignore it,” he admitted. “It is a reality. We have to confront it. We are battling for survival. We can't shy away from it.”

6. Arteta Impressed by Striker Stand-in Merino

Mikel Merino may keep his place leading the line for Arsenal centre-forward despite the club's usual frontmen are fit again. Merino 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 against Brentford before assisting Bukayo Saka for their second in a 2-0 victory that maintained {their|