The Warm-Up: Why the Europa League is better than Brexit

If you are keeping abreast of the Brexitshambles you’ll know that this week, the Bank of England articulated a rather alarming vision of what the damage to Britain’s economy would look like under a no-deal scenario. House prices dropping 30%; the pound plunging; a new recession; GDP shrinking by 8%; Jacob Rees-Mogg being happy. Basically a total f***-up. Even the most optimistic scenario, a soft Brexit of sorts, inflicts substantial economic damage.

Well that’s the serious consequences covered, but what about the not-so-serious stuff? For starters, the Football Association apparently wants to capitalise on the whole ‘end of free movement’ vibe by leaping on the opportunity offered by this gross national act of self-harm to try and increase the number of young British players getting a chance in the Premier League. Which might be nice but, if we are being honest, wouldn’t quite balance out the fact we’ll all be living in a bitter, backward country reliant on cheese and marmalade exports to prop up our nation's crumbling self-regard.

If anyone at the Football Association is reading this, The Warm-Up has a better strategy than jumping on board with the Brexiteers: just force all of England’s top clubs to play in the Europa League instead of the Champions League. In light of the fact that the resplendent new generation of English players, who have been winning youth tournaments galore, aren’t getting enough chances in the Premier League, Europe’s second competition could be the proving ground they need - based on Thursday night at least.

At Stamford Bridge, one of the very best of those emerging young talents, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, 18, lived up to the hype with a goal and a lively performance in Chelsea’s 4-0 win over PAOK.

Earlier in the evening, Arsenal finished their 3-0 win against Vorskla Poltava with no less than six teenagers on the pitch. Emile Smith Rowe, 18, was the star of the show with his third goal in four senior appearances while Joe Willock, 19, also got on the scoresheet.

There you have it, then. The Europa League is the answer to all England’s problems. Except Brexit. Someone else is going to have to have a proper look at that.

Less than 24 hours after reports emerged that Alexis Sanchez is determined to leave Manchester United after being omitted from the squad to face Young Boys entirely, the Chilean dog groomer managed to pick up a hamstring injury in training which could reportedly see him sidelined for four weeks.

Now, The Warm-Up isn’t actually suggesting that Jose Mourinho has started laying literal traps for the players who have wronged him at Carrington, and that Sanchez is currently still trying to free his leg from a rusty metal clamp carefully hidden next to a bush somewhere round the back of the first-team gym. It’s just that this is exactly the kind of statement we would release if that had happened (which it definitely hasn’t):

Madrid will have the honour of hosting the two biggest continental football finals in the same season after it was confirmed that the Santiago Bernabeu will be the venue for the rescheduled second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors. The Wanda Metropolitano is already hosting the Champions League final.

If you recall, an attack on the Boca bus prior to the weekend's match at River's El Monumental meant the game was called off amid chaotic scenes. Now both teams will decamp 6,000 miles away on December 9. Fans will be allowed to travel and watch the game, with the Spanish state on a high state of alert. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said:

Welcome to the first ever Goal of the Day competition on The Warm-Up!

Vote for your favourite below by writing to your local MP and complaining about rail prices rising again.

The former England international and Arsenal Invincible has been understandably complaining for some time that he hasn’t been given an opportunity as a manager when notable others have, so it was pleasing to see him take his first press conference as Macclesfield manager yesterday - after 15 failed applications elsewhere. Full credit to Campbell for getting a foot on the ladder wherever he could - even if that meant taking charge of the club bottom of the Football League.

And full credit for almost getting through the press conference without saying something, well, quite Sol Campbelly...

Two absolutely storming own goals from the French side last night in their 4-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

First, Luiz Gustavo with this gorgeous little rolled finish past the keeper:

Then Bouna Sarr with this effort:

Top work all round, that.

It's derby weekend in the Premier League with Chelsea v Fulham, Arsenal v Spurs and Liverpool v Everton all coming up. To mark the occasion, let's travel back to 1999 and that magical night when Sander Westerveld and Francis Jeffers were sent off for fighting, and Steven Gerrard got a red for trying to remove Kevin Campbell's legs from his body.

It’s the battle of two promoted teams tonight as Cardiff take on Wolves in your Friday night football offering.