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From the world of Premier League updates, a notable midfielder was issued a significant ban, a head coach has singled out a player's errors to prove an argument, and Pep Guardiola has called for backline betterment following an erratic victory.

Mejbri Issued Four-Game Ban and Financial Penalty

Burnley's midfielder Hannibal Mejbri has been issued a four-game suspension and a financial penalty following misconduct in October's fixture against Leeds United. The Football Association said Mejbri faced an independent regulatory commission following an incident where he spat in the direction of visiting fans around the 67-minute mark during a 2-0 win for Burnley.

A release said: “A disciplinary panel has punished Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri due to his actions in their top-flight game against Leeds of 18 October. The charge was that the player behaved against the laws of the game and/or in an improper way by engaging in abusive and/or unacceptable behaviour by spitting at or in the area of Leeds United fans.”

The statement continued, “Mejbri subsequently admitted the allegation, with the panel handing down a four-game ban and £15,000 after a hearing. The panel's full explanation for its decisions will be published in due course.” Burnley, currently 19th in the standings, visit 12th-place Newcastle on Saturday.

Maresca Singles Out Tosin's Mistakes to Prove a Point

The Blues' head coach Enzo Maresca has stated that not having experience is no an issue for his team, highlighting how defender Tosin Adarabioyo's age did not stop him from having a bad game in a 3-1 defeat against Leeds United.

The Italian coach, who manages the most youthful team in the division, rejected the idea that inexperience played a part in their setback. He made his case by singling out Tosin, the most experienced player on the pitch, after he delivered an error-strewn performance in central defence.

“People always talk about a lack of experience when we drop points,” Maresca said. “When we beat Barcelona, we drew with Arsenal, no one was mentioning experienced players. I know that if we don’t win, people are constantly searching for the reason why, but I think the reason why we didn’t win to Leeds is not because of inexperience, it’s because we were not at our best.”

Maresca continued, “Who was the oldest one for us on the pitch? Who was? Was he any good? Therefore, it isn't related to his age. It’s about those 11 players, they were simply not up to standard.”

Guardiola Insists Defensive Solidity 'Must Improve'

Pep Guardiola has insisted the champions have taken lessons from a midweek scare at Fulham with the episode has now been forgotten. City survived to claim a 5-4 win in a incredible clash on Tuesday, having led 5-1 with about 60 minutes gone.

Coming after they resisted a Leeds comeback to win 3-2 in their prior fixture, prompting further doubts about if City are resilient required to mount a title challenge to leaders Arsenal. “That game is forgotten,” he commented. “Valuable lessons, I hope. At this level, for every team, you have to take onboard both good and bad performances and results and focus on what's next.”

“Of course I’m concerned,” Guardiola added. “We are trying to understand what happened, so as not to concede so many goals. After conceding three scored against Leeds, and the five goals against Fulham you can see our versions, right? So, we have we have done many good things. Yet how many shots on target did Leeds have? Three? Scored two. It’s not good. How many attempts did Fulham have? Five, six? So, the average of shots conceded we can see is high. We must improve.”

4. Newcastle Prioritise on Defenders' Deals

Newcastle United's new sporting director, Ross Wilson, has made contract discussions with key defenders Tino Livramento and Sven Botman at the top of his agenda at St James’ Park. He arrived after leaving Nottingham Forest recently and is reassured that playmaker Sandro Tonali is on a contract extending until 2029 and, potentially, 2030.

This allows Wilson to prioritise talks with Livramento and Botman's agents. With the former’s agreement set to expire in 2027 and the latter’s a year later, Newcastle's talks are being treated with a certain importance.

“My first few days after starting is when I discovered that Sandro’s deal is significantly more secure than I had thought,” he stated. “But it’s no secret that the club would want to extend Tino’s contract and we would want to renew Sven Botman’s as well. These talks are ongoing.”

Head coach Eddie Howe is missing Botman for the match against Burnley this Saturday, with the defender likely to be sidelined for another week.

Nuno Says Paquetá Will Start Against Brighton

The Hammers' manager Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Lucas Paquetá will return to start for the side face Brighton on Sunday, after serving his suspension following a red card against Liverpool.

“That incident is in the past,” Nuno said. “I am confident it won't be repeated because he personally acknowledged the error. We spoke internally. I believe the matter is closed and it will not be repeated.”

He also understands the intense strain on his side, currently 18th before the weekend matches. “We can't ignore it,” he admitted. “It is a reality. We must confront it. We are fighting for our top-flight status. We cannot hide it.”

6. Arteta Pleased with Striker Stand-in Merino

The Spanish midfielder could continue as Arsenal’s centre-forward despite their regular strikers are fit again. The midfielder has been playing as an emergency No 9 due to fitness issues to Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

He scored Arsenal’s first goal against Brentford before assisting Bukayo Saka for their second during a 2-0 victory which preserved {their|