Man Metropolis add to Liverpool’s woes, Lewandowski lifts Barca, extra

We’re heading into the ultimate worldwide break of 2025, through which a number of extra nations will punch their tickets to the 2026 World Cup, however earlier than we get there, Europe’s prime leagues gave us loads to speak about. Within the large recreation of the weekend, Manchester Metropolis deepened Liverpool‘s seasonlong malaise with a complete 3-0 win on the Etihad that confirmed the most effective of Jérémy Doku and capped Pep Guardiola’s a thousandth recreation in wonderful trend.

In LaLiga, Robert Lewandowski returned to the pitch after harm and led Barcelona to a 4-2 win at Celta Vigo that closed the hole on Actual Madrid (who drew this weekend) within the title race. Bayern Munich‘s 16-game win streak (all competitions) was snapped with a 2-2 draw at Union Berlin in Bundesliga motion, whereas Arsenal additionally dropped factors at newly promoted Sunderland to slender their edge atop the Premier League.

We additionally had speaking factors galore for Napoli (who do not look good), Paris Saint-Germain (who may need a title race for as soon as in Ligue 1), Man United and Tottenham (neither of whom deserved factors in Saturday’s conflict), and Antoine Griezmann once more performed an important function in Atletico Madrid’s fourth straight victory.

– Ogden, Lindop: Man Metropolis cap large week with Liverpool win
– Response: Spurs vs. Man United one other rollercoaster for followers
– VAR Evaluate: Why Van Dijk’s headed purpose was disallowed

It is Monday morning, so what higher time for some musings? Let’s get into it.

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Arne Slot’s to-do checklist simply obtained longer as Jérémy Doku leads Man Metropolis previous Liverpool and into second place

It was Pep Guardiola’s a thousandth recreation as supervisor and he could not have had a greater afternoon regardless of the driving rain on the Etihad: a powerful 3-0 win over Liverpool that was not pushed by Erling Haaland (although he did rating as a result of, properly, he nearly all the time does). Nope, the star of the present was Doku, who had the type of recreation these of us who drooled over his talent set years in the past have been ready for.

Merely put, Doku is a ball of vitality, pace, power and guile. When he is at his finest, you may wrestle to discover a higher one-on-one participant anyplace on this planet. At a time when athleticism and defensive constructions dominate, there’s nonetheless room for having a man who can merely arise his defender after which blow previous him.

As a weapon, it could be easy and even crude, however there is not any counter. Your man will get taken out after which any individual else has to slip throughout, which wreaks havoc and creates a knock-on impact that, in flip, means somebody shall be open down the road. And when you select to double him up, properly, meaning another person on his workforce is unmarked.

Doku did to Liverpool proper again Conor Bradley what Vinícius was unable to do in midweek, when Slot despatched out the identical XI in opposition to Actual Madrid with a completely totally different final result, as Liverpool gained 1-0 however may have scored extra. Consistency — partly due to muscular accidents, which can be par for the course for somebody so fast — has been Doku’s Achilles’ heel previously, but when he can bottle what he confirmed Sunday, Metropolis add complete new dimensions to their assault and develop into far much less depending on Haaland. He is a boon not only for the massive Norwegian, however for Phll Foden within the No. 10 gap, whoever performs on the other flank, Nico O’Reilly overlapping … all the things simply will get simpler.

Metropolis are actually 4 factors behind Arsenal and whereas the Gunners have not reached their ceiling — they have been doing it with out Martin Odegaard, lest we overlook — you marvel if Metropolis’s could be even increased, provided that Rodri has but to return from harm for one thing apart from the odd cameo look.

And Liverpool? Effectively, you may simply take a look at incidents and conclude that if Virgil van Dijk‘s purpose had been allowed to face (and there is a robust case that it ought to have) it will have been 1-1 and this recreation may have taken a special flip. Equally, if Ibrahima Konaté had jumped half an inch increased, Haaland’s goof header earlier within the recreation may not have given Metropolis the lead. And had Van Dijk’s deflection on Nico Gonzales’ shot not wrong-footed Giorgi Mamardashvili, then Metropolis’s second purpose may by no means have taken place.

However that might be foolish and unsuitable. Efficiency issues, and the worrying half right here is that Slot opted for the protection blanket of final season’s setup, simply as he had in earlier outings, with Florian Wirtz (out broad rather than Cody Gakpo) and Hugo Ekitike the one newcomers amongst his outfield gamers.

Besides it did not work.

Wirtz does not provide you with Gakpo’s defensive output on the left, whereas Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai needed to come and rescue Bradley on the appropriate, leaving gaps centrally for Metropolis to take advantage of. Throw in the truth that Konate appeared like a man who has needed to begin each single recreation this season (the mix-up for the penalty that Mamardashvilii later saved was very in contrast to him) and Liverpool appeared much more fragile than final season’s model.

So the place does Slot go from right here? Arsenal are eight factors clear, true, however there’s nonetheless greater than two-thirds of a season left to play. He must get underneath the hood and determine it out. The massive summer time spending spree — and the criticism for the dearth of manufacturing from the newcomers — is a speaking level, however ideally it could’t derail from the duty at hand: getting Liverpool to carry out with some consistency. Integrating the newcomers whereas getting outcomes is a problem and balancing the 2 is not simple as a result of it weighs present-day impression with medium-term progress.

Ideally you do each, but when it’s a must to prioritize at this stage, it needs to be the previous. The membership spent large to increase Salah and Van Dijk; the purpose needs to be to win one thing significant this season. If meaning there is not any time to determine easy methods to play Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez collectively (and even simply one among them, given how little they’ve each contributed) … so be it. If it means retaining Alexander Isak within the storage (learn: the bench) so be it.

The one exception, some would argue, is Wirtz, merely due to the standard he brings and the very fact there’s no one within the aspect along with his talent set. Perhaps so, however there was no one within the aspect along with his talent set final season both and so they ran away with the Premier League.

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Lewandowski again with a bang for Barcelona as they claw again two factors on Actual Madrid

It had been 5 weeks because the Polish center-forward final began for Barcelona — not a terrific outing to be honest, the 4-1 defeat to Sevilla — however you have been shortly reminded how even an growing older full-time striker generally gives extra stability than a part-timer requested to fill the function. Lewandowski bagged a hat trick: a (beneficiant) penalty, a tidy “read-the-ball” end from a cross and a header from a nook. Two of the three have been good examples of the “nostril for purpose” trope that could be a cliche, however continues to be very actual.

Past that, Lewandowski’s mere presence gave Barcelona the hub round which to play, in addition to some much-needed management within the absence of the injured Pedri. They scored 4 at Celta Vigo; they might have had loads extra in opposition to an opponent who could also be within the backside half of the desk, however have been coming off 5 straight victories. That is spectacular when you think about too that Marc Casadó was a late scratch, leaving Hansi Flick with only one defensive midfielder and forcing him to herald Dani Olmo whereas turning to a bizarre 4-1-2-3 setup.

That stated, the perennial points that canine this workforce stay. Twice they took the lead, twice they let it slip away with the same old high-line points. And as we have stated many occasions, it is not the excessive line itself, however the poor approach it is executed by whoever is again there (Sunday night time it was Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo and Eric García at proper again). On the primary Celta purpose, all people will get sucked in the direction of the ball in midfield, permitting Borja Iglesias to slide Sergio Carreira into acres of house. On the second, Iglesias produces a terrific end, but it surely’s an entire heck of so much simpler to do when the opposing protection is — once more — operating again towards its personal purpose and you’ve got tons of house to shoot.

Oh, and simply to proceed the theme of self-destruction, Frenkie de Jong, who actually ought to know higher, picked up a pointless second yellow in harm time and is now dealing with a suspension. That stated, Actual Madrid are actually simply three factors forward and, you hope, a number of the injured gamers shall be again after the break. Proper now, it feels as if Barca are aggressive regardless of themselves.

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Arsenal drop factors, but it surely’s no purpose to fret

Newly promoted Sunderland joined Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis as the one groups to take factors off Arsenal this season within the league. If you’re that constant, with 14 wins in 17 matches in all competitions — anytime you do not win, particularly after 10 victories in a row, and particularly when the equalizer is available in harm time, it will be jarring. That is why a actuality examine is so as.

Each of Sunderland’s objectives, Dan Ballard’s opener and Brian Brobbey‘s flick, got here off the again of particular person defensive errors: Declan Rice misjudged the flight of the ball and Gabriel allowed Brobbey to outmuscle him. Here is the factor. Rice and Gabriel have been two of Arsenal’s (if not the Premier League’s) finest performers this season. Until you suppose the errors are symptomatic of a deeper sick, you progress on. Stuff occurs. Even the greats screw issues up. (For those who like this type of factor, there are intensive YouTube compilations of penalty misses from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi so that you can take pleasure in.)

Extra related, I believe, is that outdoors of the 2 objectives, David Raya did not have a single save to make, which means that defensive solidity continues to be there (as do the 0.44 anticipated objectives conceded). Leandro Trossard scored a marvel purpose, suggesting it made quite a lot of sense to increase his contract, whereas Bukayo Saka is getting stronger by the sport after coming back from harm. And when you actually wish to go there, that Ballard elbow on Mikel Merino may simply have resulted in a penalty.

Supervisor Mikel Arteta spoke of “disappointment and frustration” because the run of unpolluted sheets got here to an finish. Certain, however as soon as he calms down, he might properly discover his workforce stay properly on observe. They dropped factors, not their stage.

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Napoli lose and Antonio Conte says he is doing a “unhealthy job”

The one silver lining is that in a tightly wound Serie A, Napoli are nonetheless inside two factors of first place regardless of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Bologna. However that has extra to do with the competitors than the Napoli performances. They have been dreadful, and the defeat at Bologna may need been the worst but. Napoli have been outplayed in a primary half that completed scoreless and by some means obtained even worse after the break, producing a second 45 minutes once they managed only one shot of any variety, regardless of going 2-0 down and having to chase the sport.

“5 defeats are too many for a workforce that is imagined to win the title,” Conte stated. “We do not but have that chemistry that makes us wish to battle and compete … it means, I am doing a nasty job. We’re not a workforce.”

That is about as large a self-indictment as you may get. Whereas it is good that Conte is taking accountability, it is not nice that his answer is all about platitudes and coach-speak (“We’re not a workforce” stands proud specifically.) That is the way you speak to your Little League workforce of 12-year-olds, not a bunch of execs. You’ll be able to solely hope that behind closed doorways, the messaging is a little more subtle.

Even the alibi of the unavailable gamers is carrying just a little skinny. Romelu Lukaku hasn’t been there all 12 months; that is why they picked up Rasmus Højlund, keep in mind? And keep in mind how Kevin De Bruyne was supposedly a problem tactically although, weirdly, most of their metrics have cratered since he is been out?

The fact is that proper now Napoli are fortunate to be the place they’re within the desk. They should do higher and — Conte’s proper — their coach must a greater job. A much better job.

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Fast hits

10. Inter dump Lazio to return atop Serie A as Cristian Chivu makes his mark: Changing supervisor Simone Inzaghi was by no means going to be simple, and it was all the time going to take time. Basic conundrum for a brand new supervisor, particularly an inexperienced one: to what diploma do you retain doing what labored previously in your predecessor, and to what diploma do you tweak? Chivu’s model of Inter is considerably much less fairly than Inzaghi’s however, when issues come collectively — as they did Sunday in opposition to Lazio — it is much less forgiving.

They took an early lead with Lautaro Martínez (essentially the most uncoordinated shot you’d have seen this weekend) after which turned the screws, limiting Lazio to 4 pictures and 0.20 xG for the primary 74 minutes of the sport, by which level they have been 2-0 up (and will have been 3-0 up, if not for Piotr Zielinski‘s disallowed purpose). A purist may sniff on the truth Lazio hit the woodwork afterward and had very late possibilities, which is suboptimal. Certain, but it surely felt as if Inter may have scored extra too. And together with Roma, who’re flying after their very own 2-0 win over Udinese, they now sit atop Serie A.

9. As soon as once more, Paris Saint-Germain want an injury-time winner to get previous Lyon: Here is a stat for you. If video games ended within the 89th minute, PSG would have gained simply two of their previous 9 matches in all competitions. As a substitute, they’ve gained 5 of 9, with the previous two wins coming due to injury-time strikes: per week in the past in opposition to Good, it was Gonçalo Ramos. This time, after a wild recreation away to Olympique Lyonnais, it was João Neves.

PSG monstered possession (72%), however produced simply 9 pictures on purpose: Lee Kang-In and Senny Mayulu do not fairly supply what Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué deliver to the desk when it comes to incisiveness. Twice they took the lead, each occasions with a bit of excellent fortune — Warren Zaïre-Emery making himself invisible to spring the offside lure for the primary, Vitinha presumably fouling Tanner Tessmann to arrange Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the second — and twice they have been pegged again with just a little little bit of assist from goalie Lucas Chevalier, who may have executed higher.

Neves was sincere in saying they “want to enhance.” He is proper: even with out Dembele, Doue, Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi, they need to be capitalizing on seeing a lot of the ball (Fabián Ruiz had a quiet recreation, which did not assist). The very last thing Luis Enrique wants if he will defend his Champions League title is a official title race in Ligue 1. And that is what he has to cope with proper now.

8. Chelsea stink up the primary half earlier than breaking out vs. Wolves: By no means thoughts the 3-0 victory. If you play the present iteration of Wolverhampton Wanderers — zero wins and two attracts in eleven video games, no supervisor on the bench — it’s a must to grade on the curve, which is why Chelsea have been booed off the pitch at halftime after a primary 45 minutes full of plodding and predictable play.

We’re not aware about what occurred at halftime — possibly it was phrases of inspiration from Enzo Maresca, possibly it was simply inertia — however enterprise picked up just a little with Malo Gusto‘s purpose early within the second half, and it actually ratcheted up when Estêvão got here on and performed an enormous half within the final two scores. The excellent news is that Chelsea ultimately shook off no matter post-Qarabag hangover they have been affected by. The not-so-good information is that you simply suspect this inconsistency — Alejandro Garnacho is the epitome of this — and this reliance on a pair people (the injured Cole Palmer being one among them) will proceed for a while. Name it rising pains.

7. Antoine Griezmann to the rescue … once more? Final week, I celebrated the little man for hitting his two hundredth Liga purpose. I did not anticipate him to be arising once more so quickly, however right here we’re. Towards a scrappy Levante aspect, it was Griezmann who got here off the bench to interrupt the 1-1 impasse along with his first contact. And it was Griezmann once more, after an enormous Jan Oblak save, to make it 3-1 and put the sport to mattress.

It is now 4 wins on the spin for Atleti because the drubbing in opposition to Arsenal within the Champions League, however a number of of them may simply have gone the opposite approach. Diego Simeone is discovering he has to succeed in deeper in his field of tips to maintain Atleti ticking over. They’re turning right into a aspect who can dominate the ball, however pay a hefty value for switching off on the unsuitable time (witness Levante’s purpose). Appears applicable that it is a man from the previous (and, evidently, the current) who obtained them out of bother.

6. Uninspired Actual Madrid held at Rayo Vallecano: Xabi Alonso did not wish to hear speak of fatigue after the 0-0 draw away to Rayo. (It has been 4 straight years now that they’ve didn’t win there.) In any case, his workforce had an additional two days’ relaxation in comparison with the opposition, who turned out within the UEFA Europa Convention League on Thursday. However they did look flat in opposition to Rayo, a small membership that performs and thinks like an enormous one. Perhaps the Anfield defeat took extra out of them than they wish to acknowledge.

Kylian Mbappé was quiet, Actual Madrid took some time to get going and Aurélien Tchouaméni reminded you the way essential he’s by his absence (Eduardo Camavinga stuffed in and wasn’t fairly the identical). For those who’re decided to attract out the positives, Vinicius appeared energetic, Jude Bellingham appeared fitter and Arda Güler in a deeper function confirmed loads of management. However it feels as if this worldwide break comes at simply the appropriate time.

5. Luciano Spalletti is able to tinker, which is what he does finest, after Juventus draw the derby: He would not have been my alternative to guide Juve at the moment, however now that he is on board, it is best to let Spalletti do his factor. Meaning fidgeting with lineups and mixtures (generally outdoors the field) till he will get one thing that works.

Juve have been disappointing within the scoreless derby draw in opposition to Torino — that they had a ton of the ball and did little with it. Spalletti blamed a scarcity of creativity and to be honest, until Kenan Yildiz is switched on (he wasn’t on Saturday), there is not an excessive amount of of it within the aspect. No one felt the necessity to see Daniele Rugani beginning once more or a reprise of Igor Tudor’s 3-4-2-1 and but that is what we obtained, with Yildiz and Chico Conceicao behind Dusan Vlahovic. If it is a part of his trial-and-error regeneration of Juve, so be it. He is nonetheless a bandage, not a treatment, however when you stick the bandage on, the worst factor you are able to do is rip it off and stick it on once more.

4. Borussia Dortmund undone deep in harm time. Are the Keystone Kops again? The upshot is that as a result of they conceded on a Hail Mary, boot into the field and subsequent header within the seventh minute of harm time, Nico Kovac’s crew needed to accept a degree in Hamburg. A lot for slicing Bayern’s Bundesliga result in 5 factors.

Ought to they’ve executed higher? Most likely. Kovac evidently felt they appeared gassed after chasing Manchester Metropolis round for 90 minutes in midweek and overlooked Karim Adeyemi, Ramy Bensebaini and Felix Nmecha (Julian Brandt too, however that is now not information). They took the lead and allowed themselves to get pushed again (no pictures in any respect from Dortmund within the remaining 25 minutes) in opposition to a newly promoted aspect. If you try this, you danger conceding freak objectives, which is what occurred. Even with their extra strong setup, Dortmund quit foolish objectives.

3. Max Allegri is indignant after Milan’s 2-2 draw at Parma, however is it for the appropriate causes? Allegri talked about his workforce being “naive” for committing the cardinal sin of Italian soccer, letting a 2-0 lead flip right into a 2-2 draw. He railed concerning the defensive errors that led to Parma’s comeback and the missed alternatives, however that is a reasonably knee-jerk studying. Pervis Estupiñán getting muscled off the ball by the touchline is not nice, however Adrián Bernabé nonetheless needed to unleash a worldie of a roller to beat Mike Maignan. And positive, you anticipate Christian Pulisic (again from harm) and Alexis Saelemaekers to bury these second-half possibilities, however lest we overlook, a type of got here after a second of genius from Rafael Leão, the opposite got here on the counter. Aside from that, Milan produced little or no within the second half and in opposition to a aspect like Parma, with their shoestring finances and 30-year-old coach (Carlos Cuesta), you anticipate extra.

This was a recreation that obtained away from Milan as a result of they performed with worry of conceding an equalizer within the second half, moderately than taking the match to the opposition and trying to rating a 3rd. He wants to repair that. Oh, and a phrase of reward for referee Marco Di Bello. After awarding Milan’s penalty, VAR despatched him to the display to rethink. He did, and he caught to his authentic resolution. I want extra referees had the character to do that.

2. Anyone needed to take the factors when Tottenham hosted Man United: Saturday’s conflict was a 2-2 draw and so they ended up sharing them. Based mostly on type, it may need been fairer if each went house empty-handed. Harsh? The mixed xG on the finish of the primary half was 0.42 and there had been simply six pictures, together with Bryan Mbeumo‘s purpose. United have been clunky, Spurs disjointed (Copenhagen is one factor, United — even with all their points — one other).

United boss Ruben Amorim stated the three factors have been there for the taking. Most likely so, however then it is his workforce who let a lead slip with six minutes to go and wanted a late injury-time equalizer to get even a single level (thanks, Matthijs de Ligt, however much more gratitude ought to go to the horrendous defending). As for Spurs, Mathys Tel got here off the bench for a uncommon second of brilliance for one purpose and Wilson Odobert, with one other peach, was chargeable for the opposite (although it was credited to Richarlison, who offered the slightest of touches on the way in which, supposedly). Patterns of play? Creativity? Nope. And the gang’s response when Spurs’ obvious present artistic thoughts, Xavi Simons went off — resounding boos — tells you what the followers suppose too.

1. Bayern Munich’s win streak ends with a thud at Union Berlin: After 16 consecutive victories, the run got here to an finish away to the Bundesliga’s “different” hipster membership, Union Berlin. And given Harry Kane‘s equalizer solely got here in harm time, Vincent Kompany’s crew practically suffered their first home defeat in 11 months. They appeared fatigued and their recreation was plagued by errors. Manuel Neuer allowed the ball to trickle underneath his physique for Union’s opener. Luis Díaz with an absurd end one-on-one with the keeper. Kane heading the ball straight to an opponent for the 2-1.

Only a unhealthy day on the workplace? Most likely: Roll on the worldwide break. And after they arrive again, it is only a month earlier than the winter break. By then, Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies must be again too. Make no mistake about it, they don’t seem to be releasing their grip on the league anytime quickly.