We take a look at who could fill the top eight spots in each of the men’s events over the next 10 days

Here are our predictions for the men’s events at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. Generally, we have gone with the rankings and form book and if a Briton is ranked 20th, we won’t predict a medal even if we have a sneaking suspicion that he might do much better than the rankings suggest.

We list a possible top eight and what we think the winning mark might be.

Whether you agree or disagree with our predictions, get vocal on Twitter and Facebook and let us know! Make sure you check out the September 26 edition of AW magazine for our full guide to the action, including rankings, news, interviews, facts, stats and more. A digital edition is available to buy and download here.

Online day-by-day guide | Final entries list

100m

Defending champion: Justin Gatlin (USA) 9.92
Olympic champion: Usain Bolt (JAM) 9.81
Though he has not raced since July, US and world indoor champion Christian Coleman is expected to go one better than in 2017. European champion Zharnel Hughes is an outside bet.
Prediction: 1 C Coleman (USA); 2 J Gatlin (USA); 3 A Simbine (RSA);4 Z Hughes (GBR); 5 A De Grasse (CAN); 6 Y Blake (JAM); 7 Xie Zhenye (CHN); 8 M Rodgers (USA). Winning mark: 9.74

200m

Defending champion: Ramil Guliyev (TUR) 20.09
Olympic champion: Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.78
Even though world and European champion Ramil Guliyev is in good form, it will be a surprise if he comes within three metres of US champion Noah Lyles, who averages 19.68 in his five finals in 2019! All three British runners are capable of medaling but may need a British record to do so.
Prediction: 1 N Lyles (USA); 2 R Guliyev (TUR); 3 A de Grasse (CAN); 4 C Coleman (USA); 5 A Gemili (GBR); 6 Xie Zhenye (CHN); 7 M Francis (GBR); 8 A Quinonez (ECU). Winning mark: 19.36

400m

Defending champion: Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA) 43.98
Olympic champion: Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03
Fred Kerley surprisingly beat world leader and Diamond League winner Michael Norman in the US Championships but the latter starts favourite, having run 19.70 for 200m this season. The 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James could be back in the medals but Steven Gardiner looks the best non-US bet.
Prediction: 1 M Norman (USA); 2 F Kerley (USA); 3 S Gardiner (BAH); 4 K James (GRN); 5 A Bloomfield (JAM); 6 M Cedonio (TTO); 7 V Norwood (USA); 8 M Hudson-Smith (GBR). Winning time 43.44

800m

Defending champion: Pierre Ambroise-Bosse (FRA) 1:44.67
Olympic champion: David Rudisha (KEN) 1:42.15
World leader Nijel Amos has a poor World Champs record but starts favourite with his 1:41.89 clocking this summer. However, any one of 10 could win, with Emmanuel Korir and Donavan Brazier dangerous in a fast race and Adam Kszczot in a slow one.
Prediction: 1 N Amos (BOT); 2 E Korir (KEN); 3 A Kszczot (POL); 4 D Brazier (USA); 5 F Cheruiyot (KEN); 6 C Murphy (USA); 7 B McBride (CAN); 8 A Tuka (BIH). Winning mark: 1:43.55

1500m

Defending champion: Elijah Manangoi (KEN) 3:33.61
Olympic champion: Matt Centrowitz (USA) 3:50.00
The Diamond League winner Timothy Cheruiyot should easily improve on his London second place. It looks open for second with Roland Musagala and Jakob Ingebrigtsen the best of the rest but the latter might be vulnerable in a slow race to the likes of Marcin Lewandowski and even possibly one of the Brits.
Prediction: 1 T Cheruiyot (KEN); 2 J Ingebrigtsen (NOR); 3 M Lewandowski (POL) 4 A Souleiman (DJI); 5 R Musagala (UGA); 6 F Ingebrigtsen (NOR); 7 J Wightman (GBR); 8 G Manangoi (KEN). Winning mark: 3:35.35

5000m

Defending champion: Muktar Edris (ETH) 13:32.79
Olympic champion: Mo Farah (GBR) 13:03.30
Defending champion Muktar Edris was 18th in Lausanne, his one 5000m, but Ethiopia still have the fastest three on 2019 times. Telahun Haile, only fifth in the 2018 World Juniors, is the fastest but lacks championship guile and no one stands out as in the Farah era. The World Indoors runner-up Selemon Barega has been consistent and European champion Jakob Ingebritsen will be a danger though neither has won at 5000m this year.
Prediction: 1 J Ingebrigtsen (NOR); 2 S Barega (ETH); 3 H Gebrhiwet (ETH); 4 T Haile (ETH); 5 N Kimeli (KEN); 6 S McSweyn (AUS); 7 P Chelimo (USA); 8 M Ahmed (CAN). Winning mark: 13:11.45

10,000m

Defending champion: Mo Farah (GBR) 26:49.51
Olympic champion: Mo Farah (GBR) 27:05.17
With six sub-27 men to choose between, Ethiopia have the men in form with world indoor mile record-holder Yomif Kejelcha certain to be dangerous on the last lap. World junior champion Rhonex Kipruto is the fastest of the Kenyans while the 2017 runner-up Joshua Cheptegei is bound to be a factor.
Prediction: 1 Y Kejelcha (ETH); 2 J Cheptegei (UGA); 3 R Kipruto (KEN); 4 H Gebrhiwet (ETH); 5 L Lomong (USA); 6 A Belihu (ETH); 7 M Ahmed (CAN); 8 R Chumo (KEN). Winning mark: 27:34.65

Marathon

Defending champion: Geoffrey Kirui (KEN) 2:08:27
Olympic champion: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:08:44
Unless Eliud Kipchoge is competing, championship marathons are hard to predict and even more so when most of the big names are missing and athletes are competing in 35 degree-plus temperatures. Based on his 2:02:55 Ethiopian record in London, Mosinet Geremew is the favourite if he copes with the heat but also in the field is London third-placer Mule Wasihun, who ran 2:03:16 there. Defending champion Geoffrey Kirui has not shown the same form this year but has past sub-27 10,000m pace to call upon. Callum Hawkins might be wary to attempt to place highly in the conditions after his Commonwealth DNF.
Prediction: 1 M Geremew (ETH); 2 G Kirui (KEN); 3 M Wasihun (ETH); 4 Y Kawauchi (JPN); 5 S Mokoka (RSA); 6 T Abraham (SUI); 7 P Lonyongata (KEN); 8 S Kiprotich (UGA). Winning mark: 2:15:45

3000m steeplechase

Defending champion: Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 8:14.12
Olympic champion: Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 8:03.28
The world and Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto has struggled with injury and dropped out of the African Games and Kenyan trials, but can’t be written off entirely. The 2017 runner-up Soufiane El Bakkali is marginal favourite but African Games winner Benjamin Kigen and Diamond league winner Getnet Wale are at around the same level.
Prediction: 1 S El Bakkali (MAR); 2 G Wale (ETH); 3 B Kigen (KEN); 4 C Kipruto (KEN); 5 A Kibiwot (KEN); 6 L Bett (KEN); 7 C Beyo (ETH); 8 F Carro (ESP). Winning mark: 8:11.35

110m hurdles

Defending champion: Omar McLeod (JAM) 13.04
Olympic champion: Omar McLeod (JAM) 13.05
Omar McLeod is another multi global champion yet to show his best this season but a Berlin win in 13.07 suggests he is hitting form. The Americans Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts top the rankings but this is their first major championships. More used to big events, Orlando Ortega and Sergey Shubenkov should also be in the medal mix.
Prediction: 1 O McLeod (JAM); 2 G Holloway (USA); 3 O Ortega (ESP); 4 D Roberts (USA); 5 S Shubenkov (ANA); 6 Xie Wenjun (CHN); 7 P Martinot-Lagarde (FRA); 8 R Levy (JAM). Winning mark: 12.97

400m hurdles

Defending champion: Karsten Warholm (NOR) 48.35
Olympic champion: Kerron Clement (USA) 47.73

This could be the race of the championships between the main contenders who make up three-quarters of history’s sub-47 performers. Defending champion Karsten Warholm is a far better athlete now than the one who won in London but he will have to be when up against local star Abderrahman Samba and US champion Rai Benjamin, who pushed him all the way in Zurich. It could take a world record to win.
Prediction: 1 K Warholm (NOR); 2 R Benjamin (USA); 3 A Samba (QAT); 4 K McMaster (IVB); 5 Y Copello (TUR);6 L Vaillant (FRA); 7 T Holmes (USA); 8 A dos Santos (BRA). Winning mark: 46.85

High jump

Defending champion: Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.35
Olympic champion: Derek Drouin (CAN) 2.38
The 2017 winner Mutaz Essa Barshim will have huge home support but with a 2.27m season’s best and a 2.20m in his last competition, he does not appear to have the form. 22 athletes have jumped 2.30m this year and that distance could well medal. European runner-up Maksim Nedosekov, with a Diamond League victory in Zurich and a ranking-topping 2.35m, looks the marginal favourite.
Prediction: 1 M Nedosekov (BLR); 2 B Bondarenko (UKR); 3 M El Dein Ghazal (SYR); 4 I Ivanyuk (ANA); 5 M Przybylko (GER); 6 M Essa Barshim (QAT); 7 M Akimenko (ANA); 8 Wang Yu (CHN). Winning mark: 2.33m

Pole vault

Defending champion: Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.95m
Olympic champion: Thiago Braz Da Silva (BRA) 6.03m
The three six-metre jumpers this summer – defending champion Sam Kendricks, European winner Armand Duplantis and London runner-up Piotr Lisek – start as the likeliest contenders. However, the next three in the rankings are Olympic champion Thiago Braz da Silva, European indoor champion Pawel Wojciechowski and world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie in what should be a cracking quality event.
Prediction: 1 S Kendricks (USA); 2 P Lisek (POL); 3 A Duplantis (SWE); 4 R Lavillenie (FRA); 5 T Braz da Silva (BRA); 6 P Wojciechowski (POL); 7 R Holzdeppe (GER); 8 C Walsh (USA). Winning mark: 6.00m

Long jump

Defending champion: Luvo Manyonga (RSA) 8.48m
Olympic champion: Jeff Henderson (USA) 8.38m
The Diamond League winner Juan Miguel Echevarría has dominated 2019 thus far and should add a world outdoor title to his indoor one. The reigning champion Luvo Manyonga has not been in such convincing form this year but still should medal. Shontaro Shiroyama jumped 8.40m last month but has nothing to back up that form.
Prediction: 1 J Echevarria (CUB); 2 L Manyonga (RSA); 3 M Tentoglou (GRE); 4 T Gayle (JAM); 5 J Henderson (USA); 6 Y Hashioka (JPN); 7 R Samaai (RSA); 8 T Montler (SWE). Winning mark: 8.71m

Triple jump

Defending champion: Christian Taylor (USA) 17.68m
Olympic champion: Christian Taylor (USA) 17.86m
Christian Taylor has won five of the last six global outdoor championships and is cracking form but his great rival, the world indoor champion Will Claye, looks in even better shape with a pair of 18 metre jumps this summer. Claye has five global outdoor medals but not gold. Omar Craddock could make it a US sweep.
Prediction: 1 W Claye (USA); 2 C Taylor (USA); 3 O Craddock (USA); 4 P Pichardo (POR); 5 F Zango (BUR); 6 J Diaz (CUB); 7 D Scott (USA); 8 B Williams (GBR). Winning mark: 18.11m

Shot

Defending champion: Tom Walsh (NZL) 22.03m
Olympic champion: Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.52m
Eight athletes have thrown 22 metres this summer and a further seven 21.40m or better so a high-class competition looks guaranteed. Consistent defending champion Tomas Walsh has the best overall record but Olympic champion Ryan Crouser tops the rankings.
Prediction: 1 T Walsh (NZL); 2 R Crouser (USA); 3 M Haratyk (POL); 4 D Romani (BRA); 5 K Bukowiecki (POL); 6 D Hill (USA); 7 J Kovacs (USA); 8 J Gill (NZL). Winning mark: 22.16m

Discus

Defending champion: Andrius Gudzius (LTU) 69.21m
Olympic champion: Christophe Harting (GER) 68.37m
Daniel Stahl was runner-up in the World and European Championships but has been the man in form this summer. Commonwealth champion Fedrick Dacres looks likely to win his first global senior medal.
Prediction: 1 D Stahl (SWE); 2 F Dacres (JAM); 3 A Gudzius (LTU); 4 L Weisshaidinger (AUT); 5 P Malachowski (POL); 6 C Harting (GER); 7 O Isene (NOR); 8 T Smikle (JAM). Winning mark: 68.86m

Hammer

Defending champion: Pawel Fajdek (POL) 79.81m
Olympic champion: Dilshod Nazarov (TJK) 78.68m
This looks on paper to be a battle between the two Polish 80-metre throwers. Three-time world winner Pawel Fajdek has the better record but Wojciech Nowicki defeated him at the Europeans and has the longer marks this year.
Prediction: 1 P Fajdek (POL); 2 W Nowicki (POL); 3 B Halasz (HUN); 4 D Lukyanov (ANA); 5 N Miller (GBR); 6 J Cienfuegos (ESP): 7 E Henriksen (NOR); 8 D Nazarov (TJK). Winning mark: 80.44m

Javelin

Defending champion: Johannes Vetter (GER) 89.89m
Olympic champion: Thomas Rohler (GER) 90.30m
European bronze medallist Magnus Kirt has been the man in form with the best overall marks but defending champion Johannes Vetter beat him in The Match with a 90.03m throw. This is open and any one of the sixteen 85m throwers this year could come out on top.
Prediction: 1 J Vetter (GER); 2 M Kirt (EST); 3 C Chao-Tsun (TPE); 4 A Hofmann (GER); 5 J Yego (KEN); 6 T Rohler (GER); 7 A Peters (GRN); 8 E Matusevicius (LTU). Winning mark: 88.90m

Decathlon

Defending champion: Kevin Mayer (FRA) 8768
Olympic champion: Ashton Eaton (USA) 8893
Though he has not completed a decathlon this summer, defending champion and world record-holder Kevin Mayer will win if he avoids making an error as he did in the Europeans where he failed to get a long jump mark. Gotzis winner Damian Warner easily looks the best of the rest.
Prediction: 1 K Mayer (FRA); 2 D Warner (CAN); 3 L Victor (GRN); 4 K Kazmirek (GER); 5 N Kaul (GER); 6 P LaPage (CAN); 7 I Shkurenyov (ANA); 8 T Duckworth (GBR). Winning mark: 8876

20km walk

Defending champion: Eider Arévalo (COL) 1:18:53
Olympic champion: Wang Zhen (CHN) 1:19:14
Japan dominate the ranking lists and will be keen to lay down a marker before next year’s Olympics. Asian champion Toshikazu Yamanishi heads the rankings from Universiade winner Koki Ikedi.
Prediction: 1 T Yamanishi (JPN); 2 K Ikedi (JPN); 3 V Mizinov (ANA); 4 E Takahashi (JPN); 5 M Stano (ITA); 6 C Bonfim (BRA): 7 C Linke (GER); 8 P Karlstrom (FIN). Winning mark: 1:21:32

50km walk

Defending champion: Yohann Diniz (FRA) 3:33:12
Olympic champion: Matej Toth (SVK) 3:40:58
Defending champion Yohann Diniz will have to repel a strong Chinese challenge and survive the heat. Also in contention are Japan’s 20km world record-holder Yusuke Suzuki and Olympic winner Matej Toth, who has yet to complete a 50km walk this year.
Prediction: 1 Y Suzuki (JPN); 2 Y Diuniz (FRA); 3 M Toth (SVK); 4 Wang Qin (CHN); 5 Niu Wenbin (CHN); 6 T Noda (JPN); 7 Luo Yadong (CHN); 8 H Haukenes (NOR). Winning mark: 3:45:55

4x100m

Defending champion: GBR 37.47
Olympic champion: Jamaica 37.27
USA will have the fastest sprinters but will they be the best drilled? Britain won in London and will be in contention again if their best sprinters survive the 100m and 200m. On paper both Japan and China have sufficient quality performers to be well inside 38 seconds and are usually technically proficient. Jamaica, without Usain Bolt, don’t look the same force but will also be in the medal hunt.
Prediction: 1 USA; 2 JPN; 3 GBR; 4 CHN; 5 JAM; 6 BRA; 7 NED; 8 GER. Winning mark: 37.66

4x400m

Defending champion: TTO 2:58:12
Olympic champion: USA 2:57:30
If most of their best quartet run, USA will win very easily. Defending champions Trinidad and Jamaica should take the other medals. Britain could squeeze into the finals and even be a factor if Matthew Hudson-Smith is at his best.
Prediction: 1 USA; 2 TTO; 3 JAM; 4 BOT; 5 POL; 6 BEL; 7 GBR; 8 JPN. Winning mark: 2:56.32

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa — Two former USRA national champions, a past Iron Man Challenge titlist and a previous event winner were among the four drivers to visit victory lane Thursday night as the Hamilton County Speedway kicked off the sixth annual Summit USRA Nationals presented by MyRacePass.

Seven years after winning the USRA Modified national championship, Brandon Davis took another step toward securing his second crown with an impressive $1,000 Thursday night triumph.

Davis led all 20 laps while 2014 Summit USRA Nationals winner Rodney Sanders edged Lucas Schott for the second spot.

Dustin Sorensen was fourth at the checkered flag and track champion J.D. Auringer was fifth.

Eric Stanton won the Mensink Racing Products USRA Hobby Stock feature race Thursday to set himself up at a run for a second Summit USRA Nationals crown. The racer from Carlisle captured the win at the inaugural event in 2014.

The two-time defending track champion emerged on top after a furious 16-lap battle with runner-up Dustin Gulbrandson and Tyson Overton.

Despite falling back to third on the start, Stanton picked his way around Overton on lap four and then snuck by Gulbrandson three laps later but not before Overton overtook both of them to complete the seventh lap.

It only took Stanton two more laps to get back around Overton before pacing the last half of the race. While Stanton picked up the win, Gulbrandson narrowly edged out Overton for runner-up honors while Brandon Nielsen and Brady Link competed the top five.

In a repeat of a wheel-to-wheel battle here during the “Rumble By The River” in June, Kris Jackson bested a tough field of Out-Pace USRA B-Mods to capture the opening night win.

The defending Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national champion tussled with track champ Ty Griffith after he led the first 13 laps, but once in front there was no catching Jackson-the current national points leader.

It was the 25th feature win of the year for Jackson, who holds a slim lead over 2017 national champion Ryan Gillmore.

Gillmore used a last-lap pass to snag the runner-up paycheck from Arnold Motor Supply Iron Man Challenge points leader Jared Boumeester on the final lap.

Griffith held on for fourth with two-time defending Iron Man champ Dan Hovden taking the fifth spot.

In American Racer USRA Stock Car action, 2016 Iron Man points champion Kyle Falck led wire to wire in claiming the victory over Dillon Anderson.

Lynn Panos came from eighth to claim the third spot while graphics great Stefan Sybesma clawed his way from 14th on the grid to fourth at the finish line.

Polesitter Jesse Brown rounded out the top five.

LOCUST GROVE, Ark. — After having the first two scheduled nights postponed due to rain, the third annual Race For Hope 71 got underway Thursday night at Batesville Motor Speedway.

Ninety-five of the best IMCA Modified drivers from across the country were checked in for action at the high-banked three-eighths mile oval.

Inaugural Race For Hope 71 champion, Ricky Thornton Jr. cruised to the 30-lap qualifying A-main feature win. Thornton started on the inside of row two and quickly moved by front row starters D.J. Shannon and Curtis Cook.

Once out front, Thornton distanced himself from the rest of the field.

“The car was really good. We were able to get into the lead on the first or second lap, then I just kind of rolled around the bottom,” said Thornton. “I looked at the track right before our feature and decided to make a few changes. I think that really helped us a bunch. We should be sitting on the front row for Saturday night, which I think will help us a lot.”

Thornton will indeed line up in the middle lane of the front row of Saturday’s 30-car, three-wide championship main event.

Perhaps the best battle on the track midway through the feature was the fight for second between David Stremme and Zane DeVilbiss.

Stremme and DeVilbiss raced hard for the runner-up spot for several consecutive laps. Both drivers fought for the bottom groove around the fast and tacky racing surface, but ninth-place starter, Stremme, was able to hold off DeVilbiss, who was charging his way forward from 13th.

Cook and Tanner Black rounded out the top five.

The finish:

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr, [3]; 2. 35-David Stremme, [9]; 3. 18Z-Zane DeVilbiss, [13]; 4. 601-Curtis Cook, [2]; 5. 44T-Tanner Black, [4]; 6. 0-Jake O’Neil, [10]; 7. 2A-Casey Arneson, [23]; 8. 6M-Wendell Wallace, [26]; 9. 83-Kellen Chadwick, [11]; 10. 32-D.J. Shannon, [1]; 11. 01A-Drew Armstrong, [27]; 12. 777-Jared Landers, [6]; 13. 75-Terry Phillips, [25]; 14. 23-Brandon Smith, [8]; 15. 12T-Tyler Townsend, [29]; 16. 37-Randy Foote, [14]; 17. 5L-Cody Laney, [28]; 18. 21M-Tyler Madigan, [16]; 19. 77T-Tripp Gaylord, [17]; 20. 8C-Chad Andersen, [30]; 21. 19XX-Brandon Spanjer, [18]; 22. 117-Toby Herring, [24]; 23. (DNF) C5-Chris Carter, [21]; 24. (DNF) 7M-Peyton Taylor, [20]; 25. (DNF) 12-Jason Hughes, [12]; 26. (DNF) 2T-Tyler Stevens, [7]; 27. (DNF) 30G-Jordan Grabouski, [22]; 28. (DNF) 9S-Ken Schrader, [15]; 29. (DNF) 11-Richie Tosh, [19]; 30. (DNF) 8-Kyle Strickler, [5]

MANCHESTER, England -- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not expect Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial to be fit for Manchester United's clash with Arsenal on Monday with Paul Pogba also a doubt.

Martial has missed five games with a thigh problem while Rashford sat out the Carabao Cup penalty shootout victory over Rochdale because of a groin injury.

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Pogba was not able to take a penalty against Rochdale or attend a team meal on Wednesday after aggravating an ankle injury and could miss Arsenal's visit to Old Trafford.

"I wouldn't put my life on it [having Martial and Rashford available]," Solskjaer told a news conference on Friday.

"It's part of the game, working with what you have.

"The situation [with Pogba] is he finished the game [against Rochdale] but he got a knock to his ankle which is very swollen so it was better for him not to go there [to the meal] with the team and he's in a race for Monday

"Luke [Shaw] is back in training [on Friday]. He's working really hard and we hope to see him before the international break. Maybe Monday."

Injuries to Martial and Rashford could mean a first Premier League start of the season for 17-year-old Mason Greenwood, who scored for the second consecutive game against Rochdale.

The teenager is the only fit striker in the squad and Solskjaer insists he would have no problem picking him to play Arsenal.

"He's proven when he's been on the pitch -- Astana and Rochdale -- when you get him in the box he's dangerous," Solskjaer said.

"What's pleased me about him is he doesn't turn down chances to finish.

"He's proved in those games he's ready for it. I'll have the weekend to think about it."

United will line up against Arsenal -- who have not won in the league at Old Trafford since 2006 -- eighth in the table after winning just two of their opening six games.

Goals have been a problem with United only scoring more than once in a game on one occasion so far this season.

United have scored eight league goals -- fewer than Norwich in 16th -- and failed to score more than once in 17 of their last 20 games in all competition.

"You can see how much we've improved defensively, that;'s where we put the big money in," Solskjaer said.

"We don't concede many chances, concede too many goals.

"The other way going forward is where we've struggled with injuries. We've had some bad luck in that respect, about building relationships, doesn't help when you lose players but sometimes the finishing could be better.

"I never said it was going to be easy this season. There are going to be ups and downs, highs and lows, and when we lose a game we have to trust ourselves and what we're doing."

Lawyers representing Barcelona and Neymar will meet in court on Friday in the end after a late U-turn in negotiations to settle a dispute over an unpaid loyalty bonus.

Sources had told ESPN FC that both parties would ask for the case to be delayed following a meeting between Neymar, his father and Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu in the Catalan city on Thursday.

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The meeting followed days of discussions between Barca representatives and Neymar's lawyers and sources said there was a positive outcome, with Neymar flying back to Paris on Friday morning.

There was no universal agreement on how to settle the case, but there was a desire for everything to be resolved in a friendly manner.

Talks were expected to continue between the two parties with the hope of reaching a resolution without the need to appear in court, but sources have told ESPN FC there was a late twist when Barca refused to accept various demands put on the table at the eleventh hour by Neymar's representatives.

The Spanish champions and Neymar are in dispute regarding a payment related to the contract he signed with the club in 2016.

He was paid an initial €14 million when he penned the terms but was due an additional €26m on July 31, 2017, just four days before his world-record €222m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain was made official.

Barcelona refused to make the payment, though, depositing the money with a notary at first as they awaited the outcome of the forward's switch to PSG, arguing that "the agreed conditions [had] not been met."

Barca subsequently sued Neymar for breach of contract, claiming they are also owed money which the player was paid as the first part of his bonus when he signed a new deal at Camp Nou in 2016. They are also claiming €8.5 in damages plus interest.

The case was originally due to be heard in January, but was postponed until March and then until September before this latest delay.

During that time, the relationship between Barcelona and Neymar, which deteriorated when he quit for PSG, has improved. The Blaugrana even tried to re-sign him this summer, but failed to come to an agreement with the French champions over a deal.

Neymar had told PSG that he wanted to leave and that his desire was to return to Barcelona, where he previously spent four years between 2013 and 2017 after joining from Santos.

All you need to know about this weekend's Premier League action, all in one place.

Jump to: Liverpool need to rotate | Man United's defensive test | Watch Wolves vs. Watford | Everton need luck vs. City | Fantasy tips | Weekend guarantee | Pulisic's last stand? | Reckless predictions

THE WEEKEND'S BIG QUESTIONS

Just how bad are Tottenham?

It was instructive to hear Mauricio Pochettino's response to Tottenham's defeat at Colchester in the Carabao Cup this week. His postmatch comments basically waved a broad hand of blame at these unnamed malcontents in the squad and the club's failure to buy more players in the summer, as if the reason his side lost to the team 10th in League Two was because Christian Eriksen fancies a move to Real Madrid or they didn't get the Paulo Dybala move over the line, rather than anything to do with him.

Pochettino may have a point in the wider scheme of things, but the result on Tuesday and their general performances throughout the season have been so devoid of inspiration and direction that it's impossible to think there aren't deeper problems at Spurs. Like water collecting on a flat roof for months before eventually the ceiling falls in, Tottenham allowing their squad to go stale could ultimately manifest itself in a spectacular collapse this season, unless they really turn things around. That needs to start at Southampton on Saturday.

Will Liverpool use some sensible rotation?

Liverpool are currently in the middle of a run in which they play seven games in 21 days. Then it's the international break, which is fine in theory, but most if not all of their players will then embark on long trips with their countries. After that it's another seven in 21 days before the next international break, then we're into late November and before you know it, the madness of the Christmas schedule.

Liverpool have a good enough squad now that Jurgen Klopp can afford to rotate a little, to give his most overworked stars a bit of rest, but he will have to choose the times to do that judiciously. So will he regard a trip to Sheffield United -- a newly-promoted side but one who have proved ticklish to say the least so far this season -- as a time to do that, or does he play it safe and use the big guns, in the knowledge that there might not be another good time to rest them on the horizon?

Will the return of some first-choice defenders boost Arsenal?

Not many reliable conclusions can be drawn from Arsenal flexing aside Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, given the performance of their Championship opponents. But one plus from the game was the return to fitness of Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin, the latter of whom set up a goal within a minute of coming on as a substitute.

Admittedly, neither man can do much to solve the chronic issues the Gunners have in the centre of defence, but Arsenal can only benefit from the addition of what could potentially be the best full-back pairing in the division outside of Liverpool. Against a fragile Manchester United, even that could be enough.

THE GAME YOU'RE NOT PLANNING TO WATCH ... BUT SHOULD

If you've got room on your DVR or in your busy schedule for one match this weekend away from the title race, we've got you covered.

Wolves vs. Watford

Broadly speaking the reason we watch Premier League football is to see good quality play, to witness the sides at the top of their games display their skills. But sometimes you also want to see a couple of desperate sides scrapping away for whatever they can get, and that's what you'll find at Molineux on Saturday afternoon. The last two sides without a victory meet to see who can clamber out of this spiral of incompetence, with the very real possibility that whoever loses will graduate from "poor start" to "actual relegation battle."

A TEAM THAT NEEDS A BIT OF LUCK

Luck is everything in sports. Get acquainted with ESPN's Luck Index as we pick out the team most desperate for good fortune amid a difficult run. Here are the big takeaways from the 2019 edition as explained by Gab Marcotti.

Everton: It wasn't so long ago that Everton watchers were purring after their side beat Wolves, but two avoidable defeats in their last two games have awoken discontent in the Goodison Park stands. Questions are inevitably being posed about Marco Silva's tenure, about his selection and balance of his team, so they could really do with a straightforward game to get their heads right. No such luck: Manchester City are in town on Saturday, fresh from sticking eight past Watford last weekend. If Everton get a bit of luck, maybe they can sneak a result against City...but they will need that luck.

FANTASY TIPS

Kieran Darcy has some tips for the weekend action. Read his full preview here and set your team line-up!

Must-have player: Sergio Aguero, Tier 1 forward

Last week Aguero became the first player to score in each of the opening six games of a Premier League season. He only notched one of Manchester City's goals in their 8-0 thrashing of Watford, but he deserved more, hitting the woodwork twice.

Worth considering: Raul Jimenez, Tier 2 forward

Wolves are 19th in the table, but they host the only team below them in Watford on Saturday. Raul Jimenez has just two goals so far this season, but had 13 (and seven assists) last year, and could break out this week.

Avoid at all costs: Bernardo Silva, Tier 1 midfielder

Silva was promoted from Tier 2 to Tier 1 following his hat trick against Watford, but he only scored seven goals in 36 appearances last season. There are much better options in this tier, including teammates Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne, and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

ONE THING THAT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN

Manchester United's defence will get a chasing from Arsenal

Despite spending north of £130 million on defenders this summer, Manchester United's backline has hardly been watertight. Even a 16-year-old from Rochdale got the better of them in midweek, and while the personnel will be very different for the visit of Arsenal on Monday, you can be sure that they will be in for a difficult night against whoever plays in attack for Arsenal. Alexandre Lacazette won't be around, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe will provide a handful enough for the likes of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof: if United can keep them quiet, that's half the battle.

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STATS OF THE WEEKEND

Information provided by ESPN Stats & Information Group

- Liverpool have a 15-game winning streak in the Premier League, tied for second longest in English top-flight history. Only Man City has a longer streak having won 18 in a row in 2017. The Champions League holders have outscored opponents 42-13 during the streak and last dropped points in the league on March 3 vs Everton.

- Chelsea have won all eight of their league meetings against Brighton. A win on Saturday would set the English record for the most wins against an opponent without a loss or draw since the Football League began in 1888.

- Tottenham have won seven of their last eight Premier League home matches against Southampton, losing the other 2-1 in May 2016. Meanwhile, Southampton are looking to win three consecutive away road matches in the top flight for the first time since February 2015, when they had won four in a row.

MAN TO WATCH

Christian Pulisic: Admittedly, Frank Lampard was not involved in Chelsea's decision to buy Christian Pulisic in January. It's nevertheless slightly odd that the £58 million signing has only thus far made three starts under Lampard, especially when you would think this is a team that needs all the inspiration it can get. Pulisic stayed on the bench against Liverpool last weekend and started in their 7-1 thrashing of Grimsby Town. But he could play against Brighton on Saturday, and with Callum Hudson-Odoi returning to fitness with a fat new contract in his back pocket, might this be Pulisic's last big chance for a while to make his case for more regular selection?

OUR BOLD/RECKLESS PREDICTIONS

Sheffield United 1-3 Liverpool: The Reds train should keep on rolling
Tottenham 2-2 Southampton: This draw will feel like a loss to Spurs
Wolves 1-2 Watford: Hornets will be buzzing after shipping eight to City
Aston Villa 1-0 Burnley: Villa will climb out of the relegation zone
Bournemouth 1-2 West Ham: In-form Hammers will continue to rise
Chelsea 3-2 Brighton: Elusive clean sheets continue for the Blues
Crystal Palace 2-1 Norwich City: The Man City win seems a long time ago
Everton 1-4 Manchester City: The holders will pile on the Toffees woes
Leicester 3-1 Newcastle: No shock to see the Foxes stay in top four
Manchester United 1-3 Arsenal: Further proof of United's poor form

She is 36, and she recently gave up T20I cricket. But Mithali Raj is far from done with top-flight cricket, and wants a "last chance" of winning the top prize in ODI cricket, a trophy she has twice led India to within one win of.

India reached the final of the 50-over World Cup in 2005 and in 2017, both times with Raj as captain. She is still the captain of the ODI team, and is motivated enough to play - and try to win - the 2021 edition.

"Something that has motivated me to think about and have a goal of 2021 is the World Cup. Twice India has been to the final and we could not cross that line," she told Mumbai Mirror on the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai on Thursday. "This is the last chance I would have. I wanted to give myself another go at the World Cup and win the title that has eluded the Indian team and me for a couple of times."

ALSO READ: 'Series win in Australia was a turning point in the journey of Indian women's cricket' - Mithali Raj

Raj is the leading run-scorer in women's ODIs, with 6720 runs at an average of 51.29, followed by former England captain Charlotte Edwards (5992 runs at 38.16), with West Indies' Stafanie Taylor (4561 runs) at fifth place and the closest to Raj among active players. Raj has been a star performer at World Cups too, with an average of 54.23 from 31 games across five tournaments.

She started playing international cricket in 1999 at just 16 years of age. Raj said she would have benefitted more if the scheduling then was as it is now.

"More than the [T20] leagues, what I have felt is that if we had more ratio of international series back then, things would have been much, much better. Because we would not have struggled to again develop momentum for a series," she said. "It was a very challenging phase for any cricketer. If you had a good five-match one-day series, the next series would be like eight months [later]. So again you are going back and restarting your momentum. By that time the series is over.

"Whereas now you have back-to-back series so any player who is in good form can continue it. Any player who is struggling for form also knows that there is another series they can get."

Raj was part of one of the most high-profile bust-ups in Indian women's cricket - then team coach Ramesh Powar the other - last year, a war of words that made headlines for weeks. The change in the way women's cricket in India has received media attention over the last couple of decades is also something Raj has experienced closely.

"See I have come from a generation where we did not have much of media coverage, to a time when we are scrutinised for everything, whatever we say or do. Initially it took a while to adjust. But I have come to realise that it is part of the sport now," she said. "It is important that women's sport comes to a point where people follow it, but this is the other side of it.

"It cannot be all good. There will be criticism. There will be people who will not like it. But at the end of the day, if you are very clear as to what your priority is, it gives clarity in your mind."