Arsenal dominate Chelsea, Napoli maintain Serie A lead, Liverpool grab win at Spurs

With conscionable 1 play near until the European leagues unopen down for the World Cup, determination was plentifulness of play to sermon crossed the continent! From Arsenal cementing their Premier League pb with an casual triumph astatine Chelsea to Bayern Munich reclaiming apical spot successful the Bundesliga aft beating Hertha Berlin (and aft Union Berlin mislaid 5-0 to Bayer Leverkusen), the rubric races heated up. There was besides a tearful goodbye for Gerard Pique aft Barcelona's location win, a morale-boosting triumph for Liverpool astatine Tottenham, and play galore successful Serie A.

With Unai Emery beating Man United successful his coaching debut astatine Aston Villa, Man City leaving it truly precocious to bushed Fulham and Napoli showing wherefore they're much than conscionable "Kvaradona," the play truly did person it all.

- 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.

Arsenal 'Invincibles' examination underscores however Premier League has changed

Arsenal dominated Chelsea astatine Stamford Bridge connected Sunday, and acold much than the 1-0 scoreline (and wacky goal) suggests. This was a lawsuit of some things being true: Chelsea were precise poor, and Arsenal were precise good. The triumph means Arsenal -- who person won 11 of 13 league games truthful acold this play -- person much points than Arsene Wenger's Invincibles had backmost successful 2003-04.

Like others, I couldn't defy playing the examination game, wondering what a combined XI mightiness look like. It's evidently a highly debatable thought exercise, but frankly, the lone Arsenal players from 2022-23 that I would decidedly enactment successful a combined XI are Bukayo Saka (ahead of Freddie Ljungberg) and Aaron Ramsdale (ahead of Jens Lehmann). William Saliba-Kolo Toure and Martin Odegaard-Robert Pires mightiness beryllium a toss-up, but that's it, and portion you whitethorn disagree, it's hard to reason that player-for-player, the Invincibles were amended individuals than wherever this Arsenal squad are now.

I deliberation this speaks to 2 things. One is that backmost then, resources were much evenly dispersed crossed the league, and inequality (financial oregon otherwise) was not arsenic pronounced arsenic it is today. Lest we forget, the Invincibles were unbeaten, but they failed to triumph astir a 3rd of their games.

The different is that astir of the Invincibles were successful the premier of their careers oregon conscionable past it. Most of this Arsenal squad -- with the objection of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka -- volition proceed to improve, which simply underscores the occupation Mikel Arteta has done. And by the way, it's not conscionable astir tactics, it's astir enactment too. The Invincibles were managed by Arsene Wenger who, astatine that stage, had won the treble twice: When helium spoke, radical listened. Arteta took complaint little than 3 years agone and has a azygous FA Cup to his name. And still, they perceive to him, too.

- Arsenal's Gabriel taunts Aubameyang implicit derby defeat

As for Chelsea, this was truly bleak. Graham Potter present has less points per crippled than Thomas Tuchel, and helium present faces Manchester City successful the League Cup and Newcastle distant successful the Premier League earlier the World Cup. The screws are turning.

Potter is an exceptional coach, but similar we've said umpteen times, the modulation from Tuchel to Potter was ne'er going to beryllium seamless. Especially since, astatine Brighton, helium had the luxury of playing erstwhile a week, whereas present he's paying doubly arsenic much. For a manager whose tactical credo is truthful defined, not being capable to enactment connected the grooming transportation makes a monolithic difference. And, of course, it's lone magnified by Chelsea's neglect of a summertime transportation campaign, arsenic good arsenic the rash of injuries.

Against Arsenal, helium tinkered -- again -- with the lineup. With Ben Chilwell and Reece James injured, we saw a backmost 4 with Cesar Azpilicueta and Marc Cucurella astatine full-back. The erstwhile wanted to determination to Barcelona -- with hindsight, it wouldn't person been a atrocious happening if he'd gone -- portion the latter, astatine that price, seems similar a massively mediocre signing frankincense far. Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek teamed up successful midfield: The erstwhile is simply a escaped cause successful June, the second simply isn't getting it done and seemed peculiarly ill-suited to countering Arsenal's press.

Raheem Sterling, different pricey signing, gets shuttled each implicit the transportation arsenic formations alteration and is mostly underwhelming wherever helium plays. The little said astir Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his 8 touches successful 64 minutes, the better.

Potter mightiness person mislaid Sunday's crippled anyway, but this set-up failed to get a effect and besides failed to amusement immoderate signs of maturation (or, indeed, immoderate benignant of direction). Given however overmuch helium outgo to enlistee (in compensation to Tuchel and Brighton), logic suggests you springiness him time, and plentifulness of it. You person to anticipation that the service of recruitment specialists and method directors the caller owners brought successful committee successful the past fewer weeks presumption it the aforesaid way.

Napoli triumph a monolithic head-to-head against Atalanta

There was crushed to judge Napoli could suffer their archetypal league crippled of the play connected Saturday distant to Atalanta. They were coming disconnected a European roadworthy travel (and defeat) successful Liverpool, portion their opponents were fresh. Atalanta were 2nd successful the Serie A array and had mislaid conscionable erstwhile each twelvemonth and arsenic of Friday night, Napoli would beryllium without Kvicha Kvaratskhelia.

No matter. Atalanta came astatine them each guns blazing and took the lead, but this Napoli broadside are patient. They absorbed the pressure, took the blow, equalised with Victor Osimhen and grabbed the victor with Elif Elmas. The remainder of the crippled was astir absorption and the menace of the counter. Job done.

It summed up what has made Napoli truthful awesome this season. They look conscionable arsenic comfy taking the crippled to the absorption arsenic they are playing connected the counter. And they person genuine depth, with the backups coming successful and delivering: connected Saturday it was Elmas, but successful erstwhile games it has been Gio Simeone, Giacomo Raspadori oregon adjacent Leo Ostigaard. We're lone a 3rd of the mode done the play and a six-point pb tin beryllium mislaid successful double-quick time, but Napoli look good. Really good. And the information that they've beaten different apical sides (Lazio, Roma, Milan and present Napoli) connected the roadworthy means they'll get to look them astatine location aboriginal successful the season.

Liverpool triumph astatine Spurs successful classical 'Game of Two Halves'

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Mark Ogden explains the latest quality astir a imaginable merchantability of Liverpool by owners Fenway Sports Group.

This concern with Tottenham being dilatory starters is getting existent old. The publication goes similar this: They beryllium deep, play without intensity, concede and past tempest backmost successful the 2nd half. Sometimes they get a result, sometimes they don't. Over the past 5 games, including Sunday's 2-1 decision to Liverpool, they gained 7 points, failing to people successful the archetypal fractional (and conceding seven) portion bagging 8 aft the interruption (and conceding conscionable one).

Sunday's sojourn by Liverpool followed that script. They were 2-0 down astatine the fractional with small to amusement for it (other than a punishment appeal) against a broadside that is improving, but hardly astatine their champion (injuries aren't helping Jurgen Klopp either). After the break, they pulled 1 back, came adjacent to an equalizer connected respective occasions and played with strength and purpose. The enigma present is wherefore they can't bash this from the archetypal minute, wherefore they request to acquisition opponents goals (yes, Eric Dier) to get a reaction.

Antonio Conte is playing a tricky crippled and helium knows helium needs to bash better. The absences of Son Heung-Min, Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski (who came connected and assisted connected the goal, but is not yet 100% match-fit) are lone partially mitigating circumstances.

As for Liverpool, the 3 points are important aft consecutive league defeats to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United. The thought that they could beryllium retired of the contention for apical 4 by Christmas is conscionable unfathomable. Darwin Nunez proceed to amended and, astatine immoderate point, Luis Diaz volition beryllium back. But adjacent if you benignant retired the attack, the issues are elsewhere.

Bayern Munich stretched by Hertha Berlin, but little than would look arsenic 'EMCM' streak continues

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Gab & Juls look up to a mouthwatering Champions League clash betwixt PSG and Bayern Munich.

Sometimes games get weird. Like Bayern going 3-0 up distant to relegation-threatened Hertha wrong 38 minutes, and past still conceding doubly earlier the interruption to marque for a nervy 2nd half. It should defy logic due to the fact that erstwhile you person the gait and prime Bayern have, playing with a monolithic pb ought to beryllium easy.

Critics and nitpickers volition emblem immoderate imaginable interest astir Julian Nagelsmann's quality to negociate leads, but I wouldn't beryllium concerned. One of Hertha's goals was a "worldie" from Dodi Lukebakio. The different was a generous VAR-assisted penalty. More relevant, I think, is that Hertha, contempt chasing the equaliser, managed zero shots connected extremity (let unsocial connected target) from unfastened play successful the 2nd half.

- Bayern: Canada's Davies won't miss World Cup

Meanwhile, the Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting improvement continues. He bagged 2 scrappy goals, which means helium has present scored successful 7 consecutive games successful each competitions. In total, he's up to 10 goals for the season, which means helium needs 1 much to lucifer his vocation champion ... and it's inactive aboriginal November. Not atrocious for a 34-year-old who was penciled successful arsenic Bayern's third-choice center-forward successful the summer.

Erik 10 Hag aggravated arsenic Man United suffer to Aston Villa successful Unai Emery's debut

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Janusz Michallik says Man United's nonaccomplishment to Aston Villa proves the value of Bruno Fernandes.

Man United manager Erik 10 Hag fto his players person it pursuing the 3-1 decision to Aston Villa. He said his players didn't bash their jobs "with 100% tendency and passion," that they didn't "follow the rules successful defending" (presumably the instructions helium gave them) and that their crossing was subpar. It's hard to reason with immoderate of it: United were precise poor, particularly disconnected the ball. (One of the basal rules successful shot is that if you're going to press, which they tried to bash connected occasion, your backmost enactment needs to measurement up and not beryllium deep.)

There were a fig of absentees -- Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Bruno Fernandes -- and 2 guys (Donny Van de Beek and Alejandro Garnacho) making their archetypal league starts of the campaign, which didn't help, but it was inactive astonishing to spot however easy United folded and however disjointed they looked.

As for Villa, you tin talk of an "Emery Effect," though aft lone a fewer days, let's not get carried away, for amended oregon for worse. This crippled gets precise casual erstwhile the absorption spots you a two-goal lead. Emery is simply a bully coach, but the clip to justice and measure is successful six months oregon so.

Barcelona spell apical of LaLiga (for now), but the communicative is Gerard Pique

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Gab & Juls respond to the standout Europa League playoff clash betwixt Manchester United and Barcelona.

Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Frenkie De Jong steered Barcelona to a 2-0 triumph implicit Almeria connected Saturday. Barcelona were ever successful power and could person scored much -- Robert Lewandowski missed a punishment aft a bizarre run-up -- but the absorption was connected Gerard Pique, who announced earlier the crippled that this would beryllium his last.

It's hard to overstate however overmuch of a "Cule" Pique is. His gramps (who, successful a bizarre twist, was named Amador Bernabeu) was a manager astatine the Camp Nou for galore years. He got his Barca rank connected the time helium was born, and joined the club's academy erstwhile helium was 10. He made much than 600 appearances for Barca, winning 8 league titles, 7 Spanish Cups, thee Champions League crowns and 3 Club World Cups. (He besides won a Premier League crown and a Champions League with Manchester United and won much than 100 caps for Spain, with whom helium won some the European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.)

- Marsden: Pique's affectional farewell shows what helium meant to Barcelona
- Highlights: Barca triumph with easiness successful Pique's location farewell (U.S. only)

It's besides existent that, astatine 35, his performances had been declining, and arsenic his gramps revealed, it was achy for him to beryllium connected the bench.

In a teary on-pitch farewell, Pique said helium was retiring from playing, but wasn't "going distant forever." It's beauteous evident that helium would similar a aboriginal astatine the club. Don't beryllium amazed if helium gets a relation upstairs; astir apt not with Joan Laporta astatine the helm, but successful immoderate aboriginal administration. Or -- and wherefore not? -- helium could tally for president 1 day.

Youngsters powerfulness Juventus beyond Inter Milan and backmost into Champions League race

It astir apt wasn't by plan -- Juve's wounded database is arsenic agelong arsenic your limb -- but Max Allegri did thing unthinkable until recently, starting some Nicolo' Fagioli and Fabio Miretti successful a large game. And the youngsters did their part, on with Filip Kostic, who was exceptional, successful helping them to a 2-0 triumph that sees them emergence to 5th successful Serie A, conscionable 2 points retired of the Champions League places.

Has Allegri turned a corner? Or volition it beryllium backmost to the aforesaid aged spiel erstwhile the injured guys return? Time volition tell. In the meantime, it's a large win, though Inter should instrumentality bosom arsenic well. For agelong periods they had the precocious hand, creating the bulk of chances earlier being undone by an Adrien Rabiot wonderment goal. The worst happening Simone Inzaghi could bash present is person a knee-jerk absorption to the results and suffer way of the performance, which was really reasonable.

Union Berlin clang retired of Bundesliga apical spot vs. Bayer Leverkusen

OK, we knew it was going to happen. Fairytales aren't existent and truthful it stood to crushed that, astatine immoderate point, Union Berlin would suffer their archetypal spot successful the Bundesliga. What possibly fewer expected was that it would hap successful specified melodramatic fashion, with 5 goals conceded successful a azygous half.

Sunday's 5-0 drubbing astatine the hands of Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen follows respective precocious escapes for Urs Fischer's crew. The bottommost was ever going to autumn out, and this was the crippled wherever the bladed squad yet caught up with them.

As for Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso, the emphatic effect offers a glimpse of what they tin beryllium like, though the relegation portion is inactive uncomfortably near.

Giroud grabs precocious Milan victor and makes a boneheaded play

The automatic booking for players who region their jerseys to observe has agelong been 1 of the stupidest conventions successful the game. It was introduced years agone erstwhile authorities were acrophobic astir players displaying inappropriate messages -- whether from sponsors oregon whether governmental statements -- connected their undershirts. Rather than marque a judgement telephone connected each one, they figured it was simpler to punish everybody who removes their shirt. It was silly past and it's silly now, too: Just marque it a regularisation that you person to deterioration a plain garment underneath and permission it astatine that. And yes, you tin inactive publication players for excessive celebration.

The supra rant comes aft seeing Olivier Giroud's 2nd yellowish for removing his garment pursuing Milan's stunning victor against Spezia. Giroud himself said helium felt similar a fool for forgetting that helium had already been booked. What bully does it bash the crippled to punish incidents similar Giroud's (or, for that matter, Erling Haaland's)?

Giroud's victor proved captious successful breaking a crippled that became deadlocked aft Daniel Maldini (yes, the younger lad of you-know-who, connected indebtedness from Milan) made it 1-1. Milan person scored a ton of second-half goals, peculiarly precocious ones, this season. It's not needfully a look you privation to trust on, but hey, they're backmost successful 2nd place.

Man City spell down to 10 men and permission it precise precocious to bushed Fulham

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Janusz Michallik reacts to Man City's precocious triumph implicit Fulham aft Joao Cancelo's reddish card.

Let it beryllium a reminder that adjacent Manchester City astatine home, against a recently promoted broadside similar Fulham, volition request to huff and puff erstwhile they're spotting the absorption an other man. Which is wherever Pep Guardiola's unit recovered themselves aft 26 minutes, erstwhile Joao Cancelo got caught the incorrect broadside of Harry Wilson and barged him to the ground. Andreas Pereira converted the penalty, wiping retired Julian Alvarez's goal, and City had to bash it each implicit again.

- VAR Review: Did Man City get a 'soft' penalty?

It took until the 5th infinitesimal of wounded clip (and Erling Haaland coming connected arsenic a substitute) for City to get the winner. This time, it was Kevin De Bruyne drafting Antonee Robinson's punishment with a dainty pirouette successful the box. Soft? Not arsenic I spot it. Haaland -- who else? -- poked it home, bringing his seasonal full to 23.

The crippled was besides an denotation of the respect Marco Silva's Fulham seemed to person for City. Penalty aside, with a antheral vantage for implicit an hour, they managed conscionable 3 shots connected goal, each of them from region for a full xG of 0.10. There's nary shame successful playing for a point, adjacent with an other antheral -- it's a prime you make, similar immoderate different -- but it helps explicate wherefore City failed to interruption done until the precise end.

PSG wins and Neymar is peaking astatine the close clip ... for Brazil

Paris Saint-Germain are cruising to the Ligue 1 title, which is nary surprise. On Sunday, they were hardly awesome distant to Lorient (who, until a period ago, were expected to beryllium the astonishment bundle of Le Championnat) and inactive took the 3 points without truly breaking a sweat (and without Lionel Messi).

Much of that is down to Neymar, who scored and dished retired an assist. Seasoned Neymar-watchers suggest helium is playing the champion shot of his career. That's large quality for Brazil fans, with the World Cup astir the corner. It volition beryllium large quality for PSG, too, if helium maintains this signifier post-Qatar arsenic well.

Moukoko magic powers Dortmund ... and he's inactive conscionable 17

Youssoufa Moukoko scored doubly successful Borussia Dortmund's 3-0 thumping of Bochum connected Saturday. The archetypal was a vicious screamer from extracurricular the box. The second? A 40-yard spot implicit the goalkeeper to headdress disconnected a counterattack. Each was special, highlighting some the thunder and the savvy of Dortmund's young center-foward. The 2nd was besides his 10th vocation Bundesliga goal, making him the youngest ever to scope that mark.

- Highlights: Moukoko brace lifts Dortmund beyond Bochum (U.S. only)

He's been astir a while, of course. Moukoko made his first-team debut the time aft helium turned 16, astir 2 years ago. Last twelvemonth helium was slowed by injuries and made lone 1 league start; this season, helium already has six and with Sebastian Haller unavailable, he's gotten much playing clip and is much than pulling his weight. There's nary question he's 1 of the astir talented teenagers successful Europe ... and helium becomes a escaped cause successful June 2024.

Dortmund are moving connected an extension, and the parties are reportedly adjacent to an agreement. From Moukoko's perspective, though, helium whitethorn privation to instrumentality a leafage from the Erling Haaland book. Sign a caller woody and unafraid your fiscal future, by each means, but marque definite you get the benignant of merchandise clause that gives you the leverage to determination connected if the close accidental arises. Whatever happens, Dortmund volition beryllium wishing they had locked him up sooner.

Joao Felix rescues Atletico Madrid... again

Atletico Madrid hazard turning into a stereotype of themselves. At location to Espanyol, they had a antheral vantage from the 28th infinitesimal on, and contempt 67% possession and 27 shots connected goal, it took Joao Felix coming disconnected the seat to rescue a 1-1 gully 12 minutes from time.

The occupation with each those shots? They were mostly speculative, low-percentage finishes against an hostile that was each excessively blessed to beryllium and defend, particularly aft taking the lead.

Here, Atleti person nary answers different than turning to the bench. Lucky for them, Joao Felix -- whether motivated by his caller benching oregon simply remembered that he's a 120m subordinate -- came up with the rocket that got them the point. And helium could person scored the victor two, but was denied connected 2 occasions.

Food for thought for Diego Simeone, then: Is it clip to bring him backmost to the starting XI? And, if so, who misses out?

Sarri out-Mourinhos Mourinho arsenic Lazio triumph the Rome derby

It's precise casual to caricature Maurizio Sarri and Jose Mourinho, due to the fact that some person chiseled playing styles and outsized personalities. On Sunday, during the Rome derby, it was astir arsenic if they swapped personalities for a night. Sarri's Lazio, without the 2 main attacking threats successful Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ciro Immobile, capitalized connected a antiaircraft mistake wrong of fractional an hr and spent the remainder of the crippled defending stoutly arsenic if they were protecting the Alamo.

Mourinho's Roma, having taken the blow, had 60% possession and went connected the beforehand ft for the remainder of the game, though with Paulo Dybala retired and Lorenzo Pellegrini forced disconnected injured aft 53 minutes, could muster small successful the mode of attacking threat, different than Nicolo' Zaniolo's idiosyncratic efforts.

It's a large effect for Lazio successful a predictably edgy and nervy crippled and sees Lazio emergence to 3rd spot successful Serie A. Maybe, with immoderate judicious moves successful January, they mightiness adjacent enactment determination travel the extremity of the season.