USMNT's Pochettino era begins with first press conference; North London Derby hype as Premier League returns

Happy Friday, people! The weekend is here and the international break is over which means that club soccer is returning. However, Mauricio Pochettino will be officially unveiled as the U.S. Men's National Team head coach and here is also the North London Derby to look forward to this weekend. Jonathan Johnson here to tee you up ahead of a busy weekend in the world of soccer.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Friday, September 13
🇩🇪 Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs. Heidenheim, 2:30 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EFL Championship: Hull City vs. Sheffield United, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+

Saturday, September 14
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EFL Championship: Leeds United vs. Burnley, 7:30 a.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network
🇮🇹 Serie A: Como 1907 vs. Bologna, 9 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇸 La Liga: Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🇲🇽 Liga MX: Club America vs. Chivas Guadalajara, 8:50 p.m. ➡️ Univision

Sunday, September 15
🇮🇹 Serie A: Genoa vs. Roma, 6:30 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EPL: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal, 9 a.m. ➡️ USA Network
🇪🇸 La Liga: Girona vs. Barcelona, 10:15 a.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🇺🇸 MLS: Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting KC, 7:15 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass

⚽ The Forward Line

🇺🇸 USMNT's Pochettino era begins

Friday marks the start of new era for the U.S. Men's National Team as newly appointed head coach Mauricio Pochettino will face the press in New York City for the first time since being announced as Gregg Berhalter's replacement following his firing post-Copa America. U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker and Pochettino will work together again having already been colleagues with Southampton and they will present a joint vision for the FIFA 2026 World Cup which will be played across Mexico, Canada and the U.S. 

Although the 52-year-old has his tactical ideas, his future formation and setup may well depend on his preferences once he gets to know his players better with Friday likely to be the first indication of the methods that he will seek to impose. As Chuck Booth pointed out, Crocker has an expedited process in mind while Pochettino will very quickly get a taste of CONCACAF life looking ahead to the October international period.

• Booth: "Crocker has spoken about how there's an accelerated plan to get Pochettino up to speed on the USMNT and soccer in the United States over the next six weeks and he'll get to quickly put that to the test. In the October international window, Pochettino will face Panama and then travel to Guadalajara to face Mexico in a true welcome to CONCACAF gauntlet."

September's loss to the Canucks and draw with New Zealand was disappointing but now it is time to look to the future with optimism and Friday's first impressions will be key in setting the tone. Pochettino has become the highest-paid coach in U.S. Soccer History, per reports, after the Argentine's time with some of Europe's top clubs which include Premier League pair Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea as well as French giants Paris Saint-Germain. 

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🔗 Midfield Link Play

⚔️ North London Derby fever

The outstanding fixture anywhere in world soccer this weekend is Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal in the Premier League's North London Derby with the two teams coming into this one keen on taking all three points. For Spurs, a slow start to the season has produced four points from nine games and a home win this weekend would pull Ange Postecoglou's side level with Mikel Arteta's, with the Spaniard and his players already two points adrift of early pacesetters Liverpool along with defending champions Manchester City. Both sides have areas which require attention ahead of Sunday, notably Arsenal after international break injuries to captain Martin Odegaard and new boy Riccardo Calafiori on top of Declan Rice's suspension.

Spurs

Postecoglou's debut campaign with Tottenham was not the easiest and a fast start made way for a disruptive mix of injuries and unavailabilities which contributed towards a fifth place finish in the Premier League. Spurs' rebuild was clear for all to see as the Harry Kane era got underway but the Londoners still feel like they are in a transitional period which was not expected this term. The team has been added to in certain areas with the likes of Dominic Solanke, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, but it is not exactly like this group feels primed for success right now -- especially after such a sluggish start as Pardeep Cattry observed.

• Cattry: "This is not inherently unfamiliar territory for Spurs, who have a history of betting on youngsters and did so successfully during Mauricio Pochettino's impressive spell at the club. Though summer signings should not be considered the be-all and end-all of a team's ambition, the transfer strategy feels not just like a bet on the future -- it also feels like a bet that Postecoglou's tweaks will be enough to keep them competitive now. It is too early in the 2024-25 season to actually suggest that is a poor wager, especially considering Postecoglou has already put in the hard work of building a tactical foundation that is effective at its best. Spurs play with a clear, attack-minded identity, the first building block for any successful team. The problems that cost them at times last season, though, have gotten in their way again this season."

Arsenal

The Gunners come into this one with concerns over Odegaard and Calafiori added to Rice's suspension, but buoyed by the news that manager Mikel Arteta has committed his future to the club. The Spanish tactician's contract was due to expire at the end of this season but that has now been renewed by three years with a pay rise to match from his previous $9 million a year salary. The 44-year-old has secured back-to-back runners-up spots behind City, although he is yet to land silverware since the 2020 FA Cup win. The news could not have come at a better moment, providing a major boost ahead of the North London Derby this weekend.

"I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next," Arteta said in a statement. "I am proud to be where I am and have the relationships that I have with everyone at the club. I feel extremely lucky to work every single day with good people and the ambition we have here. I feel very inspired, I feel challenged, I feel supported and I want to do much more than what we've already done together. Together with the players and everyone at the club, we are looking forward to the coming years, with our supporters, who have emotionally transformed the club and the team. Our supporters have transformed individuals and we are different now. You can tell that we are different and for me, that is down to them. We look forward to continuing the journey together."

"We are really happy that Mikel has signed a new long-term contract," added sporting Director Edu of the news. "It is a very positive and proud moment for everyone at the club and an important part of what we are all working towards. Mikel has shown his qualities since the very first day he joined us, not only as a football manager, but as a person with wonderful values. We have a strong belief in what we are doing and what we want to achieve together. Mikel's new contract gives us stability and clear direction as we aim for new heights."

🔗  Top Stories

🔮 UCL picks: Scores and predictions for every Game from the Champions League's brand new League Phase as defending champions Real Madrid aim to repeat.

🌎 2026 FIFA World Cup: Brazil, Nigeria, Australia and the other teams at risk of missing out on qualifying for the North American world soccer showpiece in two years' time.

🆙 Genoa's Serie A blueprint: Genoa sporting director Marco Ottolini reveals how he built his team up from Serie B into a topflight side safe in midtable within two seasons.

🎭 International break winners and losers: USMNT, Kylian Mbappe and Brazil all had a horrible couple of weeks but Mauricio Pochettino's arrival is finally confirmed and it's not a minute to soon for the red white and blue.

💰 The Back Line

💵 Best bet

• Liga MX: Club America vs. Chivas de Guadalajara, Saturday, 8:50 p.m. ET
  💰 THE PICK: Under 1.5 goals (+225) -- Mexican soccer loyalties will split this weekend when Club America and Chivas de Guadalajara -- two of the country's most historic soccer teams -- meet in the Clasico Nacional on Mexico's Independence Weekend. This encounter will not be at Estadio Azteca due to renovation work ahead of the opening game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup and Club America are temporarily without a home. Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes will be a sell-out for this one although Las Aguilas are ropey on and off the field after injuries to key players and Julian Quinones' recent exit. The defending Liga MX champions are struggling to make Liguilla playoffs pace as they seek a third consecutive title and are 12th after seven games. Chivas are in improving form and unbeaten in four with Fernando Gago boosted by goals from U.S. Men's National Team international Cade Cowell as well as Mexicans Roberto Alvarado and Armando Gonzalez. America's poor form is very real but Chivas' record is not the best so expect a scrappy and tight encounter with one goal possibly all it needs to separate these two.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page. 

📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network

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⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and co. cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States. You can also catch the show streaming live on YouTube every Monday at 11 a.m. ET.

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