Even if Erling Haaland is expected to miss out on the Ballon d’Or next week, his campaign to win the bauble in 2025 is well underway.
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior is the favourite to take soccer’s most prestigious individual prize on Monday in Paris, but Haaland has been in near-unstoppable form this season in England.
The Norwegian goal machine scored for the 14th time in 13 games for Manchester City to send the Premier League champions to the top of the standings after beating Southampton 1-0 on Saturday.
He needed just five minutes to score the decisive goal at Etihad Stadium, following on from his double against Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, which included a spectacular mid-air, heeled volley.
His close-range effort against Southampton was more routine, but it was enough to send City two points clear of second-placed Liverpool, who play Arsenal on Sunday.
City manager Pep Guardiola described Haaland as a “guarantee for us” after the forward sealed three points against a Southampton team yet to win in the league since promotion last season.
Getty Images.
Haaland, the EPL’s top scorer for the past two seasons, leads the way again with 11 goals. Bryan Mbeumo is second with eight for Brentford, while Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood has seven.
On a day of late drama in the Premier League, third-placed Aston Villa dropped home points after Evanilson scored in the sixth minute of added time to earn Bournemouth a 1-1 draw.
Villa were moments away from moving within a point of Liverpool after Ross Barkley’s goal in the 76th looked like being enough before Brazilian Evanilson’s last-ditch equaliser.
“At the last moment we didn’t control the match,” Villa manager Unai Emery said. “It’s painful but we have to accept it.”
Brentford have been known for their fast starts this season after becoming the first Premier League team to score in the opening minute in three consecutive games.
Against Ipswich, though, Thomas Frank’s team had to rely on a last-gasp goal from Mbeumo to seal a comeback 4-3 win.
His second goal of the match came in the sixth minute of added time and settled a thriller, in which Brentford went 2-0 down early and blew a 3-2 lead.
“Let’s put it this way, when we play, it is exciting,” Frank said.
Wolves also staged a dramatic fightback by scoring in the 88th minute and then in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw at Brighton.
After experiencing the agony of going down to John Stones’ late winner for Man City last week, Wolves responded impressively.
Gary O’Neil’s team went behind to goals from Danny Welbeck in the 45th and Evan Ferguson in the 85th, but staged an improbable comeback through Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha.
Wolves are second from bottom on two points, one ahead of last-placed Southampton.
Continuing the late goals theme in the day’s late match, substitute Beto’s stoppage-time header earned Everton a point as they drew 1-1 with Fulham at Goodison Park.
The striker nodded home in the fourth minute of added time to cancel out former Everton winger Alex Iwobi’s 61st-minute strike and extend the hosts’ unbeaten run to five matches.
Erik ten Hag faced plenty of criticism over his signings and recruitment before Manchester United sacked him as manager on Monday.
Antony and Casemiro are often mentioned as two of Ten Hag’s worst buys, with one pundit claiming the former would struggle in the second-tier Championship.
The Red Devils have finally decided to get rid of Ten Hag, though, with Sunday’s defeat to West Ham the final straw after a horrific start to the 2024-25 season.
As United begin the search for a new permanent boss, let’s take a look at Ten Hag’s worst signings across his two-year spell and how much money he spent…
Antony is considered as one of Erik ten Hag’s worst signings (Picture: Getty)
How much money did Erik ten Hag spend in total as Man Utd manager?
Manchester United have spent a total of £617,000,000 on 21 players across five transfer windows since Ten Hag took charge ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
They are the second biggest spenders in the Premier League across that period, with only Chelsea (£1,300,000,000) having splashed out more.
Erik ten Hag signed Casemiro from Real Madrid for £70m (Picture: PA)
Who were Erik ten Hag’s worst signings as Manchester United manager?
Antony is considered by many to be among the very worst players United signed under Ten Hag.
Ten Hag worked with Antony at former club Ajax and paid the Dutch club £85m to bring the Brazilian winger to Old Trafford in 2022.
He hasn’t come close to justifying that transfer fee, though, producing just 12 goals and five assists across 87 games to date.
Every player Man Utd signed under Erik ten Hag
Antony – £85m
Rasmus Hojlund – £72m
Casemiro – £70m
Mason Mount – £60m
Lisandro Martinez – £57m
Leny Yoro – £52m
Manuel Ugarte – £50.8m
Andre Onana – £47.2m
Matthijs de Ligt – £43m
Joshua Zirkzee – £36m
Noussair Mazraoui – £17m
Tyrell Malacia – £14.6m
Altay Bayindir – £4.3m
Christian Eriksen – Free
Jonny Evans – Free
Sofyan Amrabat – Loan (£8.5m)
Sergio Reguilon – Loan (no fee)
Marcel Sabitzer – Loan (undisclosed or no fee)
Wout Weghorst – Loan (£2.5m compensation to cancel Besiktas loan, £2.6m fee to Burnley)
Martin Dubravka – Loan (£2m)
Jack Butland – Loan (undisclosed or no fee)
Casemiro is also widely thought to be one of Ten Hag’s worst signings with the club paying out a eyebrow-raising £70m to recruit him from Real Madrid.
United’s decision to make Casemiro the fourth-most expensive midfielder of all time at the time of his move – and one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League – was questionable, given that Casemiro was already 30 years of age.
Pundit Jamie Carragher said in May that Casemiro was no longer good enough for the Premier League and should move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States or the Saudi Pro League.
Mason Mount arrived at Old Trafford under Ten Hag’s management too and he is another player who has failed to justify his hefty transfer fee thus far.
Mount, who has struggled with various injury problems, has only managed 25 appearances since he joined the club in July 2023 in a deal worth £60m.
Even when he is fit, the England international hasn’t looked at his best and has struggled to get into the United XI ahead of captain Bruno Fernandes.
The biggest game of the young season sees Thiago Motta’s side trying to turn the tide after a couple of disappointing performances.
Photo: Getty Images
We knew that Juventus’ post-October international break slate of games was not going to be very simple. That’s not just because it’s a whole lot of fixtures within a 22-day period that doesn’t allow for much rest at all for a squad that is already shorthanded due to injuries. But when you’ve got a tough Champions League fixture — one that, as we now know, did not go very well at all — sandwiched in between two very important league matchups, the second of which being the biggest of them all.
Through the first two of those games, there hasn’t been a whole lot to write home about for Thiago Motta’s squad. Well, technically there has, but it’s not like it’s been all that positive.
So, as the Serie A schedule proves to be the gift that keeps on giving, here comes Juventus’ most-hated rival on the fixture list. And one that, with Motta now in charge in Turin, adds another layer onto a rivalry that is like a never-ending Russian nesting doll of storylines.
Sure, the 42-year-old Motta has managed against Inter Milan before, but he’s never managed this game against the club he won the Champions League with during his playing days as the head man at Juventus. Sunday night at the San Siro will be Motta’s first Derby d’Italia on the Juventus side of the equation, with quite some heated moments from his playing days in Milan will certainly come to the forefront of a lot of the talk surrounding these two teams that enter the weekend as the top two teams trailing league-leading Napoli. (Who just so happens to have his own recent past with Juventus and Inter, so there’s also that to consider, I guess.)
But this will be a night in which storylines are plentiful going into the defending champions (barf) hosting their biggest rival — the simple fact that it’s Juve vs. Inter, Motta’s first time at the San Siro as Juve manager, the first Thuram Derby between Khephren and Marcus in Serie A. And the biggest one, at least from Juventus’ point of view, could very well be how the Bianconeri can snap out of their funk ever since their wild comeback win over RB Leipzig 3 1⁄2 weeks ago.
Ever since that win in Leipzig on Oct. 2, Juve have drawn against Cagliari, barely beaten 10-man Lazio and then looked not very good in suffering their first loss of the season — on their home field, no less — when Stuttgart finally found a breakthrough in second-half stoppage time this past Tuesday night. Things have not been great, and now Juve has to go into a 76,000-seat cauldron that will be more than just a little fired up to try help in extending their hated rival’s recent struggles.
Both Juve and Inter are dealing with their own injury situations. You can probably say that Juve’s injury situation is worse knowing that they’re without their best defender, their top summer signing as well as one of their best options out wide amongst others. Inter will also be without a couple of important pieces, most notably midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who left Inter’s win over Roma with an injury and has yet to recover.
Those injury issues for Juventus aren’t new outside of the absence of Douglas Luiz. They’ve been present during these first two games out of the international break. And in those two games, it’s not like Juve has looked all that great whether playing against 11 men or 10. So now, against an Inter team that hasn’t been as good defensively as they were a season ago but are still a quality defensive side, Juve will have to try and do so with an attack that is still trying to click on on a much more consistent basis.
At least Juve’s been strong defensively, right?
That Juve defense, too, will be tested considering the form that Marcus Thuram is in and the fact that Lautaro Martinez is always a huge threat to score even if he hasn’t started this season all that well as compared to 12 months ago.
We’ve seen a lot of big tests for this Juventus side during Motta’s first 2 1⁄2 months in charge. While Napoli are currently top of the table, this very much could be the biggest of those tests considering who it is and where it’s being played. Motta, unsurprisingly, isn’t backing down despite the players who aren’t making the trip to Milan, saying that Juve “will have to be good at implementing our style of play in the game” against Inter Sunday night.
To do that will be a big ask, but a win can go a long way in hopefully turning the tide after some very obvious October struggles.
TEAM NEWS
Motta said at his pre-match press conference that the injury list for the trip to the San Siro is the same as what there was against Stuttgart midweek. That means Juve will be without: Gleison Bremer, Teun Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez, Arek Milik and Douglas Luiz, who pulled out of pre-game warmups on Tuesday due to a muscle injury.
Also not part of the matchday squad: Juve third-choice goalkeeper Carlo Pinsoglio, who welcomed baby boy Isac into the world on Saturday. He is, however, set to meet up with the squad in Milan on Sunday.
With Juventus only calling up four midfielders for the trip to Milan, Nicolo Fagioli is being tipped to start in the No. 10 spot behind Dusan Vlahovic if Motta rolls with a 4-2-3-1.
Although, when asked about Kenan Yildiz potentially playing in the hole rather than out wide where he’s been much of the season, Motta quipped ““He could play there, why not?”
Regarding how he’s approaching things after Juve suffered their first defeat of the season on Tuesday, Motta said “Stuttgart is in the past, and we go to play against Inter.”
The key for Motta against Inter? “We must face Inter with courage and determination,” he said.
Even though Michele Di Gregorio is expected to come back into the starting lineup after being suspended midweek, Motta said that Mattia Perin “could play” after his standout performance against Stuttgart.
We don’t usually mention who the referee is in previews around here, but it deserves mention this time around. Marco Guida will be in charge of the proceedings. That’s the same Marco Guida who officiated Lille’s 3-1 win over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League and handed the French side a quite controversial penalty that had Diego Simeone saying the 43-year-old Italian was “hallucinating” at the time of the decision.
JUVENTUS PLAYER TO WATCH
Kenan Yildiz announced his arrival at the Champions League level with one of the best goals that any Juventus player will score this season.
Since then, though, things have not exactly gone very well. And with the current state of Juve’s attack being what it is due to injuries and ineffectiveness, breaking out of the slump would certainly be nice, wouldn’t it?
Photo: Getty Images
In his last six games for Juventus in all competitions, YIldiz has not recorded a goal or an assist. At times he has looked dangerous, while other times he has looked a little out of sorts and potentially pressing a little too much to try and get things going again. Ever since his wonderstrike against PSV Eindhoven to recored Juve’s first goal of the season in Europe, things just haven’t been all that great for one of Motta’s most important players.
Is he tired?
Is he pressing?
Is it a little bit of both?
According to Motta, things are all good with Yildiz no matter how things look from the outside.
“Yildiz is feeling good, he needs to improve in every aspect of the game, like everyone else,” Motta said during Saturday’s pre-match press conference. “He has to be connected to the team in every moment, starting from the defensive phase. He’s a youngster but already a great player that we must use in the best way, both as a winger and as a midfielder.”
Despite still being months away from leaving his teens, Yildiz is very much aware of the fact of what wearing his new kit number means. And it was that goal against PSV that showed what kind of talent he is and that he can be a big part of this club’s future.
But there’s also a simple fact that Juve are asking a lot of him despite his inexperience. He’s played the third-most amount of minutes this season, behind just Dusan Vlahovic and Andrea Cambiaso. As much as he likes to drift out wide to the left, it’s still not totally certain that the left wing is the best position for him to be at full time going forward.
It’s obvious, though, that no matter if Yildiz is played out wide on the left or in the hole, his contributions are going to go a long way in Juventus having a good day or a bad day against their most-hated rival. He’s spoken about wanting to score a goal against Inter at the San Siro like his idol Alessandro Del Piero has done, so now seems like a pretty good time to break out of his slump and make that happen.
It certainly would go a long way in easing some of the heat that has (fairly or unfairly) come his way in recent games.
Arsenal host Liverpool in a gargantuan Premier League clash this weekend
Gunners fell to shock Bournemouth defeat last time out
Reds can move seven points clear of Arsenal with victory
The biggest test of Arne Slot’s reign arrives on Sunday afternoon as Liverpool travel to Arsenal in a mouth-watering Premier League clash.
Both sides are looking to dethrone Manchester City come the end of the Premier League season and the outcome of this weekend’s encounter will have a major impact on the early stages of the title race. Liverpool are already four points ahead of Arsenal after eight matches and can extend that to seven with victory at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners will be eager to bounce back from last weekend’s surprise defeat to Bournemouth but will have to do without some key players. William Saliba is suspended, Martin Odegaard is sidelined and there will be late fitness tests for Bukayo Saka and Riccardo Calafiori.
Liverpool’s midweek victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League means they have won ten of their 11 matches under Slot. Seven of those have come in the Premier League, with last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea the biggest of the new era to date.
Arsenal team news
Bukayo Saka has missed the last two matches /GettyImages
Arsenal have a number of injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s clash, with influential defender Saliba also missing through suspension following his straight red card against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are guaranteed absentees, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is “very, very uncertain” on the availability of Saka, Calafiori and Jurrien Timber.
Saka has been missing since the international break with a hamstring problem, while Timber was injured in the Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the start of October. Calafiori picked up a knee issue midweek against Shakhtar Donetsk and could miss out.
Liverpool team news
Diogo Jota was injured against Chelsea last weekend /GettyImages
Liverpool have a handful of absentees ahead of Sunday, although they did avoid sustaining any fresh injuries during the victory over Leipzig on Wednesday evening.
Alisson is still sidelined with a hamstring injury and Caoimhin Kelleher, who sparkled midweek, will retain his starting berth. Conor Bradley is also likely to miss out in the backline after picking up a knock over the October international break.
Harvey Elliott has been missing since the September internationals and won’t return until mid-November, while Federico Chiesa continues to struggle with fitness setbacks at the start of his Liverpool career.
Slot confirmed that Diogo Jota will miss out at the weekend after being withdrawn before half-time against Chelsea last weekend. Darwin Nunez, who scored and impressed in Leipzig, will lead the line.
Arsenal vs Liverpool score prediction
This should be a belter. Both sides have been weakened by injuries but still boast a ludicrous amount of quality within their starting XIs and on their benches. They have both started the season positively and Sunday will be an opportunity to land a first psychological blow in the title race.
The absence of some key players in both lineups does add an element of uncertainty to this one and Slot’s more measured approach means it may not be quite the same energetic thriller seen more regularly under Jurgen Klopp.
With both teams desperate not to lose this one, they may settle for a valuable point.
Chelsea face Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League
Blues suffered defeat to Liverpool last time out and Magpies beaten by Brighton
Two sides face one another again in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday
Chelsea face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon just three days before the clubs meet again in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
The Blues will travel to St James’ Park on Wednesday evening and will aim to do so having tasted victory in the weekend’s Premier League duel. After a draw with Nottingham Forest and defeat to Liverpool in their most recent domestic encounters, Enzo Maresca’s side will be keen to get back to winning ways.
The west Londoners did secure a second successive Europa Conference League victory against Panathinaikos on Thursday, lifting them to the summit of the recently expanded 36-team table. An entirely changed XI strolled to a 4-1 victory, leaving a number of first-team stars well rested for the weekend.
Newcastle’s form has taken a concerning dip in recent weeks and they are now four Premier League matches without victory. A goalless draw with Everton before the international break was followed by a disappointing home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out. Eddie Howe’s side lost both their trips to Stamford Bridge last season but did beat the Blues 4-1 on home soil.
Chelsea team news
Cole Palmer will be key for Chelsea / Carl Recine/GettyImages
Chelsea have no significant injury concerns heading into Sunday’s clash with Newcastle but will name a much-changed side from the team that won in Greece midweek.
Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana return from their suspensions – the former did play against Panathinaikos – and Reece James should feature again at right-back after making his first start of the season against Liverpool last time out.
Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix all impressed midweek but are unlikely to displace Jadon Sancho, Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer in the starting XI. Enzo Fernandez’s 70-minute outing on Thursday means he may only make the bench this weekend.
Newcastle team news
Kieran Trippier is among those missing / Matt McNulty/GettyImages
Newcastle’s injury woes seemingly never disappear and the Magpies are still without an array of first-team players. In defence, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman and Martin Dubravka are all sidelined, although Dan Burn should be fit to feature despite suffering a knock against Brighton.
Up front, Callum Wilson’s return has been further delayed after Howe confirmed that the England international would miss the next three games at the very least.
Cobham graduates Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are likely to face their former employers, while Anthony Gordon features for the first time since signing a new long-term contract with the Magpies.
Chelsea vs Newcastle score prediction
Newcastle’s disappointing form in recent weeks doesn’t offer the Magpies much hope of securing a result in the capital. Considering that they haven’t beaten the Blues on the road since Papiss Cisse’s memorable double in 2012, a draw would be a great result for Howe’s side.
However, with Chelsea fielding an entirely changed XI midweek and boasting some of the division’s most devastating attacking players, they will be rightful favourites on Sunday. It’s unlikely to be a commanding victory up against an energetic Newcastle but the Blues should earn all three points.
Man Utd travel to West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon
Red Devils have won just once in their last seven outings in all competitions
Hammers battered by London rivals Tottenham last weekend
Two managers under growing pressure go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon as West Ham United host Manchester United in the Premier League.
Julen Lopetegui and Erik ten Hag are currently struggling in their respective dugouts as results and performances fail to inspire. The former has been unable to build on David Moyes’ stellar work, while the latter hasn’t managed to turn the tide after an underwhelming second season at the helm.
Man Utd’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur several weeks ago felt like a new low for the Red Devils under Ten Hag. The fact that there are so many low points to choose from is deeply concerning but the Dutchman has steadied the ship slightly since Spurs’ visit. Three draws and a victory against Brentford last weekend have eased the suffering.
Just like Sunday’s opposition, West Ham have won just once in their last seven matches in all competition. The Irons have particularly struggled against the division’s traditional ‘big six’, conceding 15 times in four meetings with these lofty opponents this term. Lopetegui’s men imploded in last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Spurs and will be desperate to avoid similar embarrassment on Sunday.
West Ham team news
Mohammed Kudus is suspended /GettyImages
Mohammed Kudus was rightfully sent off last weekend for lashing out at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and he serves the first match of a three-game suspension.
However, in terms of injuries, West Ham find themselves much fitter than their upcoming opponents, with summer signing Niclas Fullkrug the only absentee as he continues to battle with an Achilles injury.
Lopetegui is unlikely to make sweeping changes after last weekend’s defeat but there could be alterations in defence and midfield to help shore things up.
Man Utd team news
Kobbie Mainoo is among Man Utd’s absentees / James Gill – Danehouse/GettyImages
Ten Hag has blamed injuries for Man Utd’s difficulties this season and the Dutchman certainly has a lengthy list of absentees unavailable for selection.
In defence, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Tyrell Malacia are still out of action, while Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount are also unavailable in midfield. In the forward line, Antony is a fresh concern after he injured himself in the draw with Fenerbahce.
Jonny Evans should return to the squad after missing Thursday’s trip to Turkey and youngster Toby Collyer is also likely to be fit after a knock. Bruno Fernandes was serving a suspension against Fenerbahce in the Europa League but will captain Man Utd this weekend.
West Ham vs Man Utd score prediction
It’s difficult to know which versions of these two sides will turn up on Sunday afternoon. Both have shown glimpses of their quality in recent weeks but consistency is the issue when it comes to turning the corner for good.
West Ham won this exact fixture last season but have struggled against so-called ‘bigger’ teams. Their home record is actually worse than their away record, although Man Utd have struggled on their travels this term.
In all honesty, this really could go either way. West Ham could blow the Red Devils away or vice versa, but the safer bet is an entertaining score draw.
Tottenham travel across London to face Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon
Eagles still without a victory in the Premier League after dismal start to 2024/25
Ange Postecoglou’s side have won seven of their last eight matches
Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to exacerbate Crystal Palace’s woes on Sunday when they visit Selhurst Park in the Premier League.
Spurs have won seven of their last eight matches in all competitions and head into their weekend battle with Palace in impressive form. A 4-1 victory over fellow capital side West Ham United last weekend was followed by a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
The Lilywhites have shown their fragility at points this season, especially when it comes to their defence, but they will understandably be strong favourites against a Palace side still yet to earn a Premier League victory.
Oliver Glasner transformed Palace when he arrived at the end of last season but that hard work has been undone by a woeful beginning to 2024/25. Last Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest has left the Eagles on just three points as they struggle to escape the relegation zone.
Crystal Palace team news
Adam Wharton should be available /GettyImages
Glasner admitted that influential young midfielder Adam Wharton could undergo surgery in the near future but he will be available for the next three games, starting with Sunday’s battle with Spurs.
Cheick Doucoure will return from injury soon after featuring in training this week but Sunday is likely to come too soon for the midfielder. Chadi Riad, Matheus Franca and Chris Richards are all sidelined.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has been dropped from the last two starting XIs but could feature from the start against Spurs in Eddie Nketiah’s place. Daichi Kamada was also included alongside Eberechi Eze at Forest and should retain his spot.
Tottenham team news
Heung-min Son will miss out on Sunday /GettyImages
Despite returning from injury against West Ham, Heung-min Son is back on the sidelines for the short-term. “Sonny’s still not right, still not feeling 100 per cent. He won’t train today [Friday], so he’s unlikely for this weekend and we’ll see after that,” admitted Ange Postecoglou in his press conference.
Djed Spence will return to full team training next week but will be absent for Sunday. Wilson Odobert returned to the team against AZ Alkmaar from the bench and should feature among the substitutes again at Selhurst Park.
James Maddison’s position in the starting XI is under threat after his half-time substitution last weekend. Dejan Kulusevski’s impressive performances in an attacking midfield role could force the England international to miss out against Palace.
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham score prediction
Tottenham have won their last five meetings with Palace and should make that six on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles certainly have the personnel to cause Spurs issues but their confidence has taken a significant hit in the opening weeks of the season and goals have been frustratingly hard to come by.
Meanwhile, Spurs can’t stop scoring and should have enough in the tank even without skipper Son to claim all three points against the winless Eagles. They were able to rest players midweek against AZ and flexed their creative muscles in last week’s demolition of West Ham.
Robert Lewandowski’s brace powered Barcelona to a 4-0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico. Lamine Yamal shattered a 77-year record while Kylian Mbappe capped off nightmare Clasico debut.
Photo:Getty Images
Hansi Flick has Barcelona dreaming
Hansi Flick simply can’t put a foot wrong as Barcelona boss. The German was at it again on Saturday night, overseeing an incredible 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu to round off a magical week.
The German once again named a young side, starting six players under the age of 22 years for the first time in 108 years of Clasico history. The kids did alright too. Pau Cubarsi continues to astound, Marc Casado put in another unreal performance and Lamine Yamal made more history with his goal.
Flick also made a key change at half-time. After a tricky first half, off went Fermin Lopez and on came Frenkie de Jong. The impact was felt straightaway as Barca began to dominate. The goals then started to flow with Flick kicking (and heading) every ball on the touchline.
Barcelona now sit six points clear of their fiercest rivals, while Flick has given fans a week that will live long in the memory. The Catalans have smashed Sevilla, Bayern and Madrid in the space of a week – scoring 13 goals in those three matches and conceding just twice.
Offside FC strikes again
A key theme of the match was, once again, the sight of Barcelona’s crazily high backline catching Madrid offside. And again, and again, and again. By half-time there had been eight offsides, with Kylian Mbappe a serial offender.
Flick’s tactic came as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has watched Barcelona this season but worked time and time again.
The German spoke about his tactics after the game and explained why he doesn’t think it’s “risky” to play such a high line.
“We started very well. In the first half, we did well. The defence was high up. It seems dangerous and risky, but it isn’t. It worked. In the end, we made the right changes at half-time,” he told reporters.
“The players did very well. The players showed their quality in front of goal. Everyone knew what to do, in defence and in attack. I always say that we like to improve. Today wasn’t easy, but we defended well. We believe in our idea. But we have to keep going.”
Lewandowski shows up Mbappe
Robert Lewandowski was on target again in El Clasico to continue his brilliant form this season. The striker added two more goals to his tally, although he probably should have ended the match with four.
Barcelona’s striker now has 14 goals in 11 appearances this season to lead the Pichichi standings. He is far clear of Kylian Mbappe – who was supposed to take La Liga by storm – but in contrast has managed just six league goals since arriving in Spain.
Mbappe did get the ball in the back of the net, and celebrated extravagantly, only to see it correctly adjudged for offside. The Frenchman then found himself regularly caught in Barca’s offside trip, or foiled by Inaki Pena on an underwhelming night.
Yamal already into Clasico record books
There was plenty of talk about Lamine Yamal ahead of El Clasico and, initially at least, the teenager struggled to make much of an impact.
Yet this is a player who has already shown he can rise to the biggest of occasions and did so again at the Bernabeu to score Barcelona’s third goal.
It was the goal that finally finished off Los Blancos and is the first, surely, of many for Yamal in this famous fixture.
Pena passes his biggest test
Inaki Pena came into Saturday’s match with plenty of question marks still hanging over him ahead of a test against the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe.
The arrival of Szczesny has fuelled the suspicion that Barca are simply waiting for one mistake from Pena to replace the youngster but it simply didn’t happen at the Bernabeu.
The goalkeeper then went on to produce what is surely the best performance of his career to date to deny Mbappe on several occasions and come away with a clean sheet.
We all know that Szczesny is still waiting in the wings, but Flick has placed his trust in Pena so far and was rewarded with a brilliant Clasico performance.
Erik ten Hag will be forced into changing his Manchester United lineup when they face Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
The Red Devils will be targeting their first Europa League win of the season when they face Fenerbahce in Turkey on Thursday evening.
Manchester United have been warned that Jose Mourinho will want “revenge” when they are reunited to face the former manager.
United’s European campaign has been underwhelming so far with Erik ten Hag‘s side down in 21st in the Europa League table after back-to-back draws with FC Twente and Porto.
Thursday’s clash is a huge opportunity for United to get their European journey back on track while relieving more pressure around Ten Hag’s future.
Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images
Bruno Fernandes suspended for Fenerbahce clash
United picked up a much-needed three points after their 2-1 comeback victory against Brentford, but Ten Hag will have to mix things up against Fenerbahce.
That is because club captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended vs Fenerbahce after being sent off in the chaotic 3-3 draw against Porto.
It was Bruno Fernandes‘ second red card in the space of a week after he was also sent off against Tottenham just days prior.
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has insisted his team are ready to compete for major silverware as they prepare to host Bologna in their third Champions League game of the season.
The Birmingham-based side have won both of their games in the competition so far having qualified for European football’s elite competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season.
“I don’t want to waste my time here, that is my message. You can’t waste your time here,” Emery told a news conference on Monday.
“My objective here is to keep the same level we have now, Champions League and add more to be contenders for titles.
“This is the message, we love football, we love our work and we want to be successful.”
Villa Park is set for its second Champions League game — the competition was rebranded from the European Cup at the start of the 1992 season — having played host to Jhon Durán’s stunning winner against Bayern Munich in the previous game.
Emery said he doesn’t want his team to merely be making up the numbers, and restated his intention to qualify for the competition on a regular basis.
“We want to achieve the objectives and one of them is to play in the Champions League. It is not about playing there only because of some circumstances — I want to us to stay there for a long time,” the Spanish coach said.
“But it is difficult. Maybe sometimes you can have some problems or struggle in our way, but you have to be resilient. We want to be strong in the idea in our mind and create a strong mentality to always break barriers.
“We can believe, working like we are doing, we can keep it. This is my challenge, this is my objective now.”
Bologna also qualified for the modern version of the Champions League for the first time after finishing fifth in Serie A last term.
They have one point from their two matches thus far, having drawn with Shakhtar Donetsk before succumbing to defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
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