Are Newcastle for real in Premier League top-four race?

The European play again served up a healthy, tasty paper of play for each of america crossed the large leagues. Newcastle upset Tottenham distant from location to springiness further credence to what they're building, portion Victor Osimhen's instrumentality for Napoli was marked with a extremity and different 3 points. Elsewhere, Real Madrid and Barcelona notched confidence-boosting victories successful LaLiga, Bayern Munich inched person to a struggling Union Berlin successful the Bundesliga table, and Liverpool's top-four hopes took a deed with a humbling decision astatine Nottingham Forest.

There were besides talking points for Dortmund (welcome back, Giovanni Reyna), Milan and Arsenal, who thought they'd triumph with easiness astatine Southampton lone to succumb to a second-half extremity and 2 points dropped. (With Erling Haaland successful sterling signifier for Man City, look out, Gunners.)

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, much (U.S.)

It's Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments successful the satellite of football.

Win astatine Tottenham sends Newcastle into the apical 4 ... truthful are they for real?

There's a stat that doesn't steer you acold incorrect erstwhile it comes to the Premier League. For each the speech of competitory balance, determination is specified a happening arsenic a "Big Six," and they mostly inhabit the apical spots. In fact, since 2005, connected lone 1 juncture has a nine from extracurricular those six breached into the apical 4 spots: That was Leicester City successful their fairy-tale title-winning play (2015-16).

Yet with Newcastle winning 2-1 distant to Tottenham Hotspur connected Sunday, Eddie Howe's men are present fourth, and fixed the club's deep-pocketed owners (the sovereign wealthiness money of the authorities of Saudi Arabia), the imaginable of much concern feels astir the corner. Will the Big Six go a Big Seven?

Personally, I'd pump the brakes a small bit. For a start, sure, they're 4th connected 21 points, but Chelsea (also connected 21) and Manchester United (on 20) person played 1 crippled fewer, truthful they could conscionable arsenic easy beryllium sixth. And adjacent though they were worthy winners distant to Spurs (who had won each league location crippled to that point), it took 2 beauteous hefty antiaircraft blunders for them to score. If you're into xG, adjacent successful this crippled wherever they had the precocious hand, they mislaid the conflict hands down: 1.91 to 0.78.

- Grealish's 'playing similar Almiron' diss backfires arsenic Newcastle prima is successful large form

(That said, you can't person it some ways: if you're going to beryllium unimpressed with their expected goals against Spurs, past presumably you request to beryllium impressed by their wide xG extremity difference, which is the 3rd highest successful the league, bested lone by Arsenal and Manchester City.)

Wherever they extremity up, you request to extremity your chapeau to Howe. Cynics volition constituent to the astir €200m spent implicit the past 2 transportation windows, but erstwhile you see helium mislaid his marquee center-forward signing, Alexander Isak, to a semipermanent wounded aft conscionable 3 starts and that astir of the midfield (other than Bruno Guimaraes) and onslaught is the aforesaid arsenic it was past season, it feels a lawsuit of Howe making the players helium has better, alternatively than conscionable buying success.

Newcastle's owners promised gradual, integrated maturation alternatively than the benignant of monolithic concern we saw astatine Paris Saint-Germain oregon Manchester City (or, earlier that, astatine Chelsea, aft Roman Abramovich took over) and frankincense acold it's what they've delivered. Naturally, fixed the Saudi ownership, plentifulness reckon they could flip a power and spell large astatine immoderate time, but I'm not definite they will. Or if they do, it's needfully a bully idea, astatine slightest with Howe around.

One of Howe's quirks is that during his clip astatine Bournemouth helium really had much misses than hits erstwhile helium did splash the currency (in relative, Bournemouth terms). Many of his bigger signings either didn't determination the needle much, oregon spent a agelong clip successful and retired of the broadside earlier contributing. You're tempted to reason that helium values chemistry truthful overmuch that helium tends to beryllium blimpish erstwhile integrating newcomers. Either that, oregon he's wary astir overrating players.

Beyond that, Newcastle person conceded the fewest goals successful the league (10), and portion it's a flimsy over-performance comparative to xG, it's neither luck nor goalkeeper Nick Pope carrying the broadside (though he's been precise good). It's much of a corporate ethos that sees them prey upon hostile mistakes and beryllium pugnacious to interruption down, without being overly defensive. What they'll beryllium similar erstwhile Isak and Allan Saint-Maximin (arguably his astir talented idiosyncratic player) volition spell a agelong mode towards determining wherever they finish.

As for Tottenham, that's present back-to-back defeats and coming down to Earth with a thud. They weren't unspeakable against Newcastle, conscionable arsenic they weren't unspeakable erstwhile they mislaid astatine Manchester United successful midweek, but there's a definite predictability to them successful the 3-5-2 formation, a indispensable alteration fixed the unavailability of Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison. Even if they instrumentality and are productive, Conte needs to get this squad to execute with a strategy different than the 3-4-3, if lone due to the fact that sooner oregon aboriginal opponents volition fig them out.

Osimhen connected occurrence arsenic Napoli gut done a triumph astatine Roma

The information that Napoli went connected a winning teardrop portion Victor Osimhen was injured -- winning six games successful a enactment and beating marquee names similar Milan and Ajax, some connected the roadworthy -- is simply a testament to manager Luciano Spalletti, the performances he's getting retired of his squad and the "next antheral up" mentality. The information that Osimhen is present backmost and not lone does it consciousness arsenic if he's ne'er been away, but has added a full other magnitude to the side, is simply a impervious of conscionable however large helium tin be.

- Weekend Review: Are Napoli the astir in-form squad successful Europe close now?

Away to Jose Mourinho's Roma, this felt similar a warfare of attrition, with the location broadside focusing connected shutting down Napoli's originative channels (which Mourinho did perfectly, utilizing Lorenzo Pellegrini to mark/shadow Stanislav Lobotka) and looking for thing connected the counter. Spalletti, ever the chameleon, opted to code down his high-octane onslaught (Napoli had averaged 3.5 goals a crippled implicit their erstwhile 7 matches) and lucifer Roma's approach.

It was the close call: Roma did not negociate a azygous changeable connected people successful the 90 minutes, and Osimhen scored the winner with a vicious wonderment onslaught with 10 minutes to go. Napoli person present won 11 successful a enactment successful each competitions and amusement nary signs of slowing down.

As for Roma, the antiaircraft attack worked for agelong periods, but determination was small to cheer astatine the different end. With Pellegrini chasing Lobotka astir and Tammy Abraham having an off-day, Nicolo Zaniolo had to transportation them virtually connected his own. He battled until the extremity and had his moments, but dissimilar Osimhen helium couldn't conjure thing retired of nothing. The information is that without Paulo Dybala, Roma suffer a large chunk of their attacking imaginable if the absorption decides to enactment tight.

Man United snatch last-ditch equalizer successful mediocre crippled astatine Chelsea

play

1:51

Janusz Michallik praises the tactical changes made by Graham Potter and Erik 10 Hag successful Chelsea's 1-1 gully with Man United.

I went to Stamford Bridge connected Saturday looking guardant to watching Manchester United aft their stellar midweek show against Tottenham Hotspur. For 45 minutes oregon so, mostly against an abject Chelsea, they lived up to the billing, forcing Kepa (standing successful -- again -- for Edouard Mendy) to marque a drawstring of coagulated saves. And past they wilted aft the break, allowing Chelsea to instrumentality the pb precocious connected done a Jorginho punishment (some thought Armando Broja went down excessively easily, but if you enactment some hands connected an hostile successful the box, arsenic Scott McTominay did, you shouldn't beryllium amazed if the referee points to the spot).

It took a looping Casemiro header successful wounded clip to marque it 1-1, which was astir apt a just result.

- Man United were amended than Chelsea, but needed Casemiro's precocious goal
- Varane a World Cup uncertainty pursuing wounded vs. Chelsea
- Sources: Ronaldo tin permission United for escaped successful January

I'm not definite wherefore United couldn't crook successful a 90-minute performance. Yes, Chelsea made it much hard erstwhile Graham Potter yanked Marc Cucurella aft 35 minutes and switched to a three-man midfield, but it did consciousness arsenic if Erik 10 Hag's unit ran retired of steam, and erstwhile the Dutchman sent connected Fred for Jadon Sancho 7 minutes into the 2nd fractional with the crippled scoreless, it felt arsenic if helium was settling for a draw.

As for Chelsea, this inactive seems similar a broadside cobbled unneurotic with pieces that don't rather fit. I've talked endlessly astir the perils of moving a transportation run -- particularly 1 that spent arsenic overmuch arsenic they did -- without a recruitment specializer and however the harm was compounded erstwhile they parted ways with Thomas Tuchel. (This isn't to accidental changing managers was a atrocious idea; rather, it became a atrocious thought aft spending a 4th of a cardinal dollars astatine the absorption of a feline you were astir to fire.)

Potter had the unenviable task of uncovering a mode to marque it enactment contempt the galore evident deficiencies -- it's not conscionable that immoderate players astir apt aren't bully enough, though that's surely the case, but besides that you're fitting quadrate pegs into circular holes, with Raheem Sterling being Exhibit A. The task astatine this signifier is trying to physique for adjacent play portion finishing successful the apical 4 and, hopefully, going connected immoderate benignant of tally successful the Champions League.

play

1:17

Mark Ogden explains wherefore clubs are yet to amusement involvement successful taking Cristiano Ronaldo connected a escaped transportation from Man United.

Valverde does it again arsenic Real Madrid down Sevilla

Toni Kroos called him "Top 3" successful the world. I'm not definite helium was superior -- I anticipation helium wasn't -- but determination is nary question that Fede Valverde is "en fuego" close now.

After scoring conscionable erstwhile successful each competitions past season, helium already has 7 goals this year, respective of them ballistic long-range masterpieces similar the 1 we saw Saturday against Sevilla to seal the 3-1 win. (Technically, I preferred the 2nd goal, a superb counterattack finished by Lucas Vazquez.)

Don't fto the 2 precocious goals fool you: Real Madrid were solidly successful power passim contempt being without Karim Benzema (Rodrygo filled successful and did good ... he's conscionable a precise antithetic player). Valverde whitethorn get the headlines, but Vinicius' maturation implicit the past 18 months has been conscionable arsenic remarkable. Against Sevilla, helium led the beforehand enactment with savvy and quality beyond his 22 years. The kid is hitting afloat maturity -- fto that beryllium a informing to others.

Arsenal held astatine Southampton, league pb down to conscionable 2 points

play

1:13

Janusz Michallik feels determination is nary crushed for negativity astatine Arsenal contempt a disappointing effect vs. Southampton.

It wasn't that agelong agone that Southampton were booed disconnected the transportation by their ain fans, truthful having gone a extremity up astatine St Mary's, it would beryllium wholly understandable if Arsenal took their ft disconnected the state expecting to get their 10th league triumph successful 11 games. Except, it didn't rather enactment retired that way, arsenic Southampton recovered the equaliser successful the 2nd fractional and past hung connected for the draw.

- Player ratings: Wasteful Arsenal driblet points astatine Southampton

It's tempting to blasted this connected a deficiency of acquisition from Mikel Arteta's young guns oregon possibly it was impervious that, conscionable arsenic Pep Guardiola suspected, Gabriel Jesus isn't rather the natural-born finisher immoderate marque him retired to be. Tempting, but possibly an overreaction, too: I don't deliberation Arsenal did overmuch wrong, nor bash I deliberation show levels dropped comparative to erstwhile outings. It's conscionable that winning each Premier League crippled but for the 1 against Manchester City is, you know, kinda hard.

The upshot is that the pb is present down to 2 points. I don't deliberation Arteta volition fto this impact his squad 1 mode oregon the other. It's bully to beryllium top, but this season, ultimately, has to beryllium astir maturation alternatively than results. And they are growing.

Bayern Munich rotation connected arsenic Hoffenheim crumble and an improbable leader delivers again

It's hard to justice wherever Bayern are astatine based connected Saturday's 2-0 triumph astatine Hoffenheim, simply due to the fact that the absorption was truthful poor, astir arsenic if they forgot they're expected to beryllium a top-four side. Julian Nagelsmann's antiaircraft concern of Matthijs De Ligt and Dayot Upamecano looked precise bully (not for the archetypal time), but you're tempted to handicap that arsenic a result. No matter: Every crippled those 2 play together, the chemistry grows and that matters.

Once again, we saw Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting get connected the scoresheet. He has 4 goals successful his past 3 outings, 5 overall, and is scoring astatine astir the aforesaid clip arsenic Bayern's erstwhile center-forward, immoderate feline named Robert Lewandowski.

Yes: Lies, damned lies and statistic and each that, but it's bully for Bayern to person different option, and 1 that's motivated and productive. He's astir apt inactive 3rd prime up beforehand down Sadio Mane and Thomas Mueller (neither of whom, of course, is simply a accepted center-forward), but helium showed helium tin inactive instrumentality a extremity well, arsenic his one-touch decorativeness against Hoffenheim showed.

Dembele demolishes Bilbao arsenic Barcelona get cleanable prep for Bayern successful midweek

Xavi had called for his squad to bounce backmost aft the heartbreaking gully against Inter successful the Champions League (which leaves them teetering connected the brink of elimination) and the Clasico pounding astatine the hands of Real Madrid. They responded with a convincing 3-0 triumph connected Thursday against Villarreal, and an adjacent much awesome 4-0 rout of Athletic Club -- who, lest we forget, were successful 3rd spot until precocious -- connected Sunday.

- Dembele runs the amusement arsenic Barcelona thrash Athletic Club

Ousmane Dembele stole the show, opening the scoring and assisting connected each of Barcelona's 3 different goals. His critics telephone him inconsistent and adjacent his backers notation to him arsenic a "player of moments," but connected nights similar these he's adjacent to unplayable. You wonderment if immoderate of that had to bash with Barcelona's set-up connected the night, with Pedri connected the other flank alternatively than a accepted winger and Frenkie De Jong bolstering the midfield alongside Sergio Busquets. Or maybe, connected a nighttime similar this, it wouldn't person mattered: Dembele was that bully and Bilbao were that bad.

Liverpool stumble astatine Nottingham Forest ... erstwhile bash you statesman to interest astir a top-four finish?

play

1:32

Janusz Michallik and Luis Miguel Echegaray sermon however alarming the nonaccomplishment against Nottingham Forest is for Liverpool and its fans.

There's nary bully mode to suffer to the bottommost broadside successful the table, similar Liverpool did connected Saturday, falling 1-0 distant to Nottingham Forest. You tin mention the chances created -- mostly via acceptable pieces, mostly for Virgil Van Dijk -- and missed. You tin wrapper yourself successful the database of unavailable players -- Luis Diaz, Thiago Alcantara, Darwin Nunez, Joel Matip, Diogo Jota ... positive Trent Alexander-Arnold lone acceptable capable for the seat -- but nary of this changes the information that Liverpool are successful eighth spot and are not playing similar Liverpool.

It's particularly galling due to the fact that the midweek Champions League crippled against Ajax isn't overmuch of an excuse. Even a decision volition apt spot Liverpool done since, you assume, Napoli volition get astatine slightest a constituent against Rangers and play the C-team astatine Anfield connected matchday six. This was the clip to absorption connected the Premier League and rack up points earlier the World Cup break, and yet it feels arsenic if the precocious of the triumph implicit Manchester City has been squandered.

Griezmann bags 2 goals arsenic Atletico get immense triumph distant to Betis

Maybe it was yet getting a solution connected his aboriginal aft his determination from Barcelona became permanent. Whatever the case, Antoine Griezmann has been rolling backmost the timepiece of late, with 3 goals successful his past 3 games.

On Sunday, with a tricky distant crippled against Betis, helium stole the show, scoring nonstop from a country footwear and past adding a 2nd done Rui Silva's legs. (It was not a bully time astatine the bureau for the Betis keeper.) It was thing of a minimalist show for Atleti -- though they besides got a large show from Saul successful midfield, which is bully news, fixed his ups and downs -- but it means they bent connected to 3rd spot and get immoderate much-needed momentum up of their large Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

Brahim Diaz powers Milan ... is this erstwhile helium turns the corner?

Milan enactment unneurotic a convincing 4-1 implicit Monza, and the highlights were dominated by Brahim Diaz, who scored 2 goals and provided plentifulness of creativity and excitement.

Once hailed arsenic the adjacent large happening successful his Manchester City days -- and inactive regarded highly capable that Real Madrid signed him arsenic a teen -- Diaz is inactive 23 years aged and connected indebtedness from Madrid. It's his 3rd run connected indebtedness with the Rossoneri, truthful you mightiness beryllium forgiven for forgetting that he's inactive a Madrid subordinate and could yet travel good. While his clip has been marked by inconsistency (and it's nary coincidence that Milan got themselves immoderate security successful the signifier of Charles De Ketelaere implicit the summer) his accomplishment acceptable inactive has scouts drooling.

Milan besides got goals from Rafael Leao (not a surprise, and yes, they're inactive moving connected his contract) and Divock Origi (more of a surprise), and the triumph was conscionable the close boost up of a cardinal Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb successful midweek).

Haaland has nary clip for De Zerbi/Guardiola bromance arsenic Man City rotation past Brighton

play

1:54

Janusz Michallik praises Erling Haaland's show successful Man City's 3-1 triumph implicit Brighton successful the Premier League.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and Pep Guardiola person ne'er hidden their affection and communal admiration. In fact, De Zerbi said Pep offered to assistance immoderate mode helium could erstwhile helium was appointed to regenerate Graham Potter astatine Brighton ... except, of course, erstwhile they played City. If anything, De Zerbi looked to travel up Pep and, for a while, it worked arsenic helium pulled a man-to-man strategy retired of his container of tricks that, for 20 minutes oregon so, enactment the brakes connected City.

- VAR Review: Haaland punishment assertion and more, reviewed

Except this year, they person a large Plan B named Erling Haaland. A large Ederson footwear implicit the apical and the Norwegian was through, roadworthy grading Adam Webster on the way. The 2nd was a "generous" punishment -- it looked to maine arsenic if Bernardo Silva stuck retired a limb to marque interaction with Lewis Dunk -- that Haaland converted, and that was that, though Brighton did propulsion 1 backmost and Kevin De Bruyne added a peach of a 3rd for bully measure.

City were really out-possessed astatine location successful this crippled -- not a predominant occurrence -- and nevertheless, barroom those archetypal 20 minutes oregon so, looked wholly comfortable. That's the luxury of having Haaland successful your team.

Borussia Dortmund dazzle connected Reyna's return

play

1:07

Ale Moreno praises Gio Reyna aft Borussia Dortmund triumph 5-0 vs. Stuttgart successful the Bundesliga.

We've talked endlessly astir however Borussia Dortmund adhd up to little than the sum of their parts (and not conscionable erstwhile immoderate of those parts are missing) and however they seldom enactment successful a 90-minute performance. Well Saturday's 5-0 trouncing of Stuttgart was 1 of those days. Dortmund were connected apical from opening to end, and portion there's inactive country for betterment (looking astatine you, Karim Adeyemi), this has to beryllium 1 of the astir encouraging performances we've seen successful caller weeks.

- Highlights: Reyna, Bellingham prima arsenic Dortmund thump Stuttgart (U.S.)

It was peculiarly encouraging due to the fact that Giovanni Reyna, making his archetypal league commencement since April, came done with flying colors, scoring a extremity and dishing retired his customary imaginativeness and unpredictability. Reyna's wounded grounds is good chronicled, and it's worthy remembering helium doesn't crook 20 until adjacent month. But the mode Dortmund are built close present -- and with Marco Reus inactive retired -- this squad is screaming retired for different person with property and quality. Jude Bellingham can't beryllium the lone one; Reyna tin capable that role.

Wild ending for Inter distant to Fiorentina ... but it's different 3 points

We took different travel into the InterSphere, that chaotic and wacky virtual spot that Inter supporters cognize each excessively well, wherever the unthinkable happens and wherever the team's moniker "Pazza Inter" ("Crazy Inter") originated (yes, it's adjacent successful the nine anthem).

Away to Fiorentina, they took a 2-0 pb and looked to beryllium cruising, lone to concede a punishment earlier the interruption (on a play successful which Fede Dimarco could person been sent off) and the equaliser aft the interruption (brilliant tally from Jonathan Ikone). The bully quality is that this Inter seems mentally tougher than past versions and they nosed up connected a disputed, but close -- conscionable due to the fact that the keeper touches the shot doesn't mean helium can't besides perpetrate a foul -- penalty.

Nursing a pb going into wounded time, you expect a large nine to spot it through. But hey, this is Inter, remember, and they contrived to springiness up an equaliser to Luka Jovic, the erstwhile Madrid conundrum. (This was his ninth league extremity since the summertime of 2019: That's right, helium plays center-forward and has scored 9 times successful 3½ years).

And then, erstwhile it looked arsenic if they had blundered distant 2 points, they got a monolithic changeable of luck. Fiorentina defended horrendously connected a counterattack successful the 5th infinitesimal of wounded time, the shot was squared crossed the box, and defender Lorenzo Venuti cleared it disconnected the incoming Henrikh Mkhitaryan's limb and into the backmost of the net.

All told, the show was coagulated from Inter who, contempt inactive missing Marcelo Brozovic and Romelu Lukaku, are conscionable 3 points from the apical four. The mode successful which it came, well, that was distinctly "Pazza Inter."

Union inactive top, but autumn astatine the lowest hurdle

OK, you didn't request to beryllium an analytics maven to cognize that unless Union radically improved their performances (or recovered an arsenic effectual mode of playing), they were bound to autumn retired of the apical spot -- or, arsenic statheads say, "regress to the mean." Clubs that fertile wherever they fertile (17 of 18 successful non-penalty expected goals, 18 of 18 successful passes wrong the box, 16 of 18 successful PPDA, 17 of 18 successful possession, 15 of 18 successful shots) and who overachieve xG by a mile (19 goals from 8.94xG) thin not to triumph titles.

That said, you wouldn't person expected that stumble to travel against Bochum, who were bottommost of the Bundesliga and had mislaid 8 of 10 games heading into the weekend. The 2-1 decision inactive leaves them a constituent wide of Bayern astatine the top, truthful it's worthy enjoying portion it lasts. Given their fund and resources, they've already won their Bundesliga title.