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If you didn’t believe that Manchester City were bona fide title contenders, well, you surely do now.

On Sunday, the serial champions crushed the reigning champions 3-0 at the Etihad, doing so with plenty to spare.

Despite the fact Erling Haaland saw an early penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, this merely momentarily delayed the Sky Blues onslaught.

Haaland headed home the opener soon after, before Nico González’s deflected shot deservedly doubled the Citizens’ advantage in first-half injury time, with Jérémy Doku curling home a clinching third; more on the brilliant Belgian in a bit.

The match marked Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match in management and took his tally to 716 wins, which isn’t bad.

Now eyeing a seventh Premier League title, Manchester City are just four points adrift leaders Arsenal, after Mikel Arteta’s team were denied victory at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night by Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp equaliser for Sunderland.

if Man City are going to become champions of the land once again, they’ll need two of their stars from Sunday to continue to perform.

Jérémy Doku's performance against Liverpool

As noted by Opta, Jérémy Doku won 11 duels, completed seven dribbles, created three chances and registered three shots on target against Liverpool.

If you think that sounds impressive, well, that’s because it is. He is the first player to rack up such an impressive figure in a single Premier League game since Eden Hazard against West Ham in April 2019.

Doku’s thunderous strike capped off the victory as well as his own sublime display, with Gary Neville, speaking during commentary for Sky Sports, saying never before had he awarded the player of the match after 62 minutes, until today.

David Hytner of the Guardian asserted that the winger was ‘unplayable’, praising his ‘blur of tricks and direct running’, with Doku tormenting Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, the Northern Irishman having pocketed Vinícius Júnior just a few days before.

This was Doku’s 100th appearance in sky blue, scoring just his 17th goal for the club, previously netting against Napoli and Swansea this season, his previous Premier League goal coming at Portman Road against Ipswich in mid-January.

Now though, perhaps the 23-year-old is showing signs of realising his full potential so, while he was the obvious star of the show, an under-the-radar Man City player also deserves to be heralded for their display.

Pep Guardiola's unsung Man City hero

12 months ago, when Manchester City were in complete free fall, all the talk was about how this team cannot win without Rodri.

Well, despite enjoying a brief cameo off the bench against Bournemouth last weekend, the Ballon d’Or winner was not even in the matchday squad against Borussia Dortmund nor Liverpool subsequently, which was one of the major talking points prior to kick off on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Guardiola once described Nico González as like a “mini-Rodri”, and the midfielder helped ensure his compatriot was not missed.

Nico scored the second goal, a hammer blow for Arne Slot’s team coming on the cusp of half-time, and put in a generally imperious performance, as the numbers support.

As the table highlights, the midfielder ranked in the top four when it came to a wide variety of statistics, registering more touches than any other player in sky blue, winning five of the six ground duels he contested as well as completing 51 of 58 passes. Truth be told, this was probably his best display in blue, dominating one of the best sides in the division.

The Manchester Evening News awarded him an 8/10 for his performance, noting that the Spaniard took ‘charge of the game’.

This, in truth, should not be overly surprising.

The midfielder joined from Porto back in January for around £50m and did so with a big reputation, given that he is a La Masia graduate, breaking into the Barcelona team with fellow mononymously known midfielders Pedri and Gavi, rated as highly as both when they were teenagers.

Nevertheless, it is still invaluable for Man City that Nico is able to take a step forward in his development and has the quality to operate as a one-man midfield, allowing their attacking stars, namely Doku, Haaland and others, to shine.

With Rodri and his obvious back-up Mateo Kovačić both struggling due to ongoing injury issues, while Tijjani Reijnders appears ill-suited to the role, Nico has been thrown in at the deep end in the number 6 position, but is gracefully swimming like a swan, rather than sinking like a heavy stone, to continue that analogy.

When Manchester City return to action after the international break, they’ll do so with a tricky trip to St James’ Park, but victory over Newcastle would cut the gap at the top to just one point, ahead of the North London derby the following day.

For the here and now, on the occasion of Guardiola’s 1,000 match as a manager, it was probably fitting that a diminutive Spanish defensive midfield shone.

Pep's £230k-p/w duo look like becoming Man City's new De Bruyne & Sterling

Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling are one of the most deadly duos in Man City’s history, but which current pairing could replicate their success?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 8, 2025

Mike Trout was involved in a Mookie Betts-like situation on Saturday when he had a fan reach into his glove to try to usurp a foul ball down the right-field line. Well, the animating event was pretty similar to the viral moment from last fall's World Series but the actions of the fan involved couldn't have been more different. This is a person who realized immediately that he goofed up and couldn't have been more apologetic.

With all the wildness going on around him, it's pretty impressive that the fan was able to realize his mistake right away, even if he didn't technically reach into the field of play. All the "sorrys" in the world were not enough to keep him out away from the long arm of the in-stadium security, which quickly escorted him out.

But there is a happy ending here as Mike Trout made sure to meet the guy he jostled with, as well as his son, after the game. It was a classy move and something this young baseball fan is going to remember for the rest of his life. And he's going to have quite a story to tell at school come Monday, complete with all the video evidence anyone could ever ask for.

Norwich City have appointed former Rangers boss Philippe Clement as the club’s head coach, and the new boss has revealed a message of ambition from majority shareholder Mark Attanasio.

Clement – sacked by Rangers in February – has signed a contract through to the summer of 2029 and will be joined at Carrow Road by coach Stephan Van Der Heyden.

The Belgian replaces Liam Manning, who left Carrow Road ahead of the international break with the Canaries second bottom of the Sky Bet Championship, having lost all of their home matches so far this season.

Norwich were reported to have spoken to both ex-Wolves boss Gary O’Neil, who had a spell as a player with the Canaries, as well as former Sweden and Blackburn manager Jon Dahl Tomasson, before settling on Clement.

Although the Belgian’s time at Ibrox ended following a disappointing run – with Rangers well adrift of rivals Celtic in the league – Clement did win the 2024 Premier Sports Cup and had previously guided Club Brugge to their domestic title twice before a spell at Monaco.

Clement excited by Norwich ambition

His reign in Glasgow was marred by issues with ownership and recruitment – the Rangers board are still unter intense scrutiny after their failed summer revamp of the playing squad and appointment of Russell Martin – but Clement has revealed he is excited by what Attanasio and Co have in store in Norfolk.

“I’m really excited by this story and opportunity. I’ve known of this club for a long time and, whilst we are not in a good moment at this time, we are excited to work together with the players and staff to turn things around,” Clement said on the Norwich club website, revealing the board’s ambition convinced him to join.

Clement’s first game in charge will be away at Birmingham on Saturday.

Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper added: “Philippe is an incredibly experienced and prominent head coach, with clear values and beliefs that align with ours.

“We now have an incredible amount of work ahead of us to ensure we improve performances and results and we will do everything possible to ensure Philippe has our full backing and support.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are living the good life early in spring training. They're the defending World Series Champs. Their roster seems even more stacked this season. And Shohei Ohtani is already crushing home runs while also working on getting back on the mound.

Speaking of Ohtani, he was the victim of a very good prank pulled off by his manager, Dave Roberts, who found a creative way to get back at his star player who pranked him last year.

Last season Ohtani surprised Roberts with a new Porsche before breaking one of his records. Only problem, it was a toy car that could fit in Roberts's hand.

Roberts got his payback last week when he filled Ohtani's real Porsche with plastic balls.

Roberts, who also put a bunch of pictures of his smiling face in Ohtani's car, had this message for his star player: “Alright, Shohei. You got me the first round. I told you, you know what they say about payback. So what I have done is—you see this pretty face right here, that’s me with all these balls. And I put all these balls in your car. So, enjoy it, keep these pictures, and have fun cleaning your car out.”

Ohtani had a perfect three-word response to that:

“Okay. Now tied.”

Too good.

Liverpool didn’t just keep an eye on developments at Anfield last weekend, with Fulham winger Kevin coming to the attention of the Reds’ recruitment chiefs.

Arne Slot has found himself under a bit of pressure recently due to a frustrating run of results for the Reds, which has seen them fall behind Arsenal in the league standings.

Nevertheless, Liverpool got back on track after defeating Aston Villa on Merseyside last weekend, putting in a controlled performance to move within seven points of top spot, and the Dutch boss paid tribute to the home support for their role in cheering their side onto all three points.

He said: “To get the support the players got, the support I got, is what makes this club special. They don’t forget if you have been a part of something special and they help you when things are difficult.

“We were not winning games, we were losing them and the fans felt the players needed some support – that’s what you get from these supporters.”

The going doesn’t get any easier for Liverpool, who will now prepare for a mouthwatering Champions League clash against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.

Debates are there to be had over whether Dominik Szoboszlai or Florian Wirtz start, and there could be an awkward reunion in store with former icon Trent Alexander-Arnold, adding another layer to the spectacle.

Either way, there is plenty to look forward to after a turbulent Premier League run for Liverpool over the last few weeks, and it appears that they also had eyes elsewhere in the top-flight last weekend as club scouts took a detailed look at a rising star.

Liverpool chief scout blown away by Fulham winger Kevin

According to Football Insider, Liverpool chief scout Barry Hunter watched Fulham winger Kevin against Wolves over the weekend, and it is fair to say the Brazilian made an impression on his first Premier League start.

Becoming a landmark arrival at Craven Cottage for £34.6 million, he shone in a 3-0 victory for the hosts, making a mark due to his flair and versatility.

While he is still finding his feet in the top-flight, Kevin registered his first assist for the Cottagers against Wycombe Wanderers last week and looks to be someone who, in the long-term, could be an asset to any Premier League club.

Capable of playing on either flank, he could be a suitable rotation option in the future for the likes of Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa, albeit it would be difficult to land him so soon after his move to Fulham.

Mohamed Salah could leave next summer to open up space for Kevin

Ultimately, Liverpool’s scouting team are merely putting in the groundwork necessary to profile signings in windows to come, though their admiration of Kevin may be one to watch in the coming months.

Liverpool have complained to the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) about the decision to rule out a goal by Virgil van Dijk during Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. The Reds have raised "serious concerns" after seeing Van Dijk's effort chalked off as Andy Robertson was ruled to be offside when he ducked out of the way of Van Dijk's header as it flew past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

• Liverpool fume at disallowed goal

  With Liverpool trailing 1-0, Van Dijk thought he had equalised when he headed home a corner in the 38th minute of the game but saw referee Chris Kavanagh rule out the goal and the decision backed by video assistant referee, Michael Oliver. The Premier League confirmed the decision, explaining: "The referee's call of offside and no goal to Liverpool was checked and confirmed by VAR – with Robertson in an offside position and deemed to be making an obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper."

  However, Liverpool have now been in touch with the PGMOL and refereing chief Howard Webb to express their "serious concerns" about the decision, as reported by . The Reds "do not accept that the decision to disallow the goal" was "subjective" and feel that Robertson was not affecting Donnarumma's vision. Liverpool also think "the usual checks and balances that are central to the VAR process did not take place" and feel if they had, then a different decision may have been reached. 

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  'Wrong decision' – Slot blasts decision

  Liverpool manager Arne Slot made it clear he did not think the right decision had been made by the match officials. He told : "I think it's obvious and clear that the wrong decision has been made, at least in my opinion. Because he [Robertson] didn't interfere at all with what the goalkeeper could do. Immediately after the game someone showed me the goal that the same referee allowed City against Wolves last season [John Stones’ last minute winner]. So, it took the linesman 13 seconds to raise his flag to say it's offside. So, there was clearly communication. That could have influenced the game in a positive way for us because in the first half we were so poor.

  "We would have been lucky going 1-0 down at half-time, let alone if it was 1-1 or 2-1 down. So it has been an influential decision, which is not to say that we then would have had a result over here because you cannot predict how the second half would have gone."

• Van Dijk reacts to controversial call

  Van Dijk was also quizzed on the decision after the game but did not want to waste time talking about it any more. He told : "In football the officials are deciding the key decisions and we have to deal with it on the pitch. There is no point discussing this from my point of view. The reality is that we lost 3-0 and that is a big blow. It doesn't matter what I say [about the goal] because anything I say will be in the media and the whole international break will be about my comment on the decision. I just focus on the fact we lost. You guys can debate if it should have stood."

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  Liverpool in crisis?

  Liverpool went on to lose 3-0 at the Etihad as the defending champions suffered their fifth Premier League defeat of the campaign so far. Television pundit Roy Keane insisted the struggling Reds "are in crisis" after their latest defeat and believes they looked a "really weak team" against Pep Guardiola's side despite a summer of heavy investment.

  However, the international break does allow Slot and his team some time to reset after falling eight points behind league leaders Arsenal. Liverpool return to action against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and then continue their Champions League campaign against PSV.

As expected, Juan Soto is commanding the news cycle as winter meetings draw nearer. The superstar, who took up residence with the New York Yankees this past season, is expected to get a massive contract across over a decade.

At just 26 and having helped bring the Yankees to their first World Series in 15 years last season, wants him.

The Boston Red Sox held an informational session with Soto to pitch him on coming to play for the Red Sox in Southern California on Thursday night. The meeting was three hours long and described as productive by Sean McAdam of MassLive. Soto was described as "impressed."

During the meeting, Soto inquired about three things in particular, according to McAdam: The team's commitment to winning, how it evaluates players, and Fenway Park and its facilities.

The last item is particularly noteworthy since it could be viewed as a big advantage or disadvantage to the Red Sox, depending on Soto's perspective. Fenway Park is the oldest stadium in MLB. If you value tradition, that's great. If you want modernity, well, you can only put so many fresh coats of paint on a 110-plus-year-old park. The locker room was revamped ahead of 2023.

It's a factor that also implicates the Chicago Cubs, whose Wrigely Field is just two years younger than Fenway Park. It's unclear how engaged the Cubs will be, if at all, on Soto in free agency, but they haven't appeared in any reports to this point.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has played down concerns about a potential rift between Lamine Yamal and Dani Carvajal after their heated exchange following El Clasico. The Roja boss insists there is “no strange behaviour” in the squad and confirmed he has spoken to the Barcelona and Real Madrid players, stressing unity ahead of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

• De la Fuente calms feud fears after El Clasico confrontation

  Spain head coach De la Fuente has dismissed concerns of tension between Yamal and Carvajal following their on-field confrontation at the end of Clasico between Madrid and Barca. The incident occurred after Madrid’s win at the Bernabeu, where Carvajal was seen confronting the teenage winger for comments he made in Gerard Pique’s Kings League ahead of the clash.

  Los Blancos' captain, appeared to tell Yamal that he “talks too much”, sparking a brief but highly public exchange between the pair. Given both players’ crucial roles in Spain’s setup, the altercation prompted questions about whether club rivalries might affect the national team’s harmony.

  However, De la Fuente quickly moved to downplay the matter during an appearance on the podcast. “There has never been any incident, no strange behaviour from anyone,” he insisted. “Because of a school fight? No, there is no school fight. Really, there is no fight. The feeling within the group is one of family and union.”

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  Spain boss confirms talks with both players

  De la Fuente confirmed that he has spoken directly to both Yamal and Carvajal following the altercation but reiterated that there was no lasting issue. “I have spoken a lot with Lamine, as well as with Dani Carvajal,” he explained, confirming that both players had been addressed privately after the Clasico. When asked directly if he had spoken with Carvajal, De la Fuente simply replied: “Yes, I spoke with Dani.”

  The Spanish coach was firm in maintaining that the matter should now rest with the players’ clubs, signalling his intention to keep the national team’s focus on collective goals rather than off-field controversy.

  By taking this stance, De la Fuente made clear that he expects professionalism and maturity from his players, especially given the high stakes of Spain’s upcoming international fixtures. His remarks also reflect his ongoing commitment to ensuring the national team remains unaffected by domestic rivalries, no matter how intense they may become.

• 'Unity and family' – De la Fuente highlights La Roja’s team spirit

  The 63-year-old tactician repeatedly returned to one theme during the interview, unity. “In addition, the feeling within the group is of family, of union. The common good is prioritized over the individual, and that says a lot about this group of players,” he said.

  To illustrate his point, De la Fuente recalled a memorable moment from Euro 2024, when Yamal assisted Carvajal for a crucial goal before the pair embraced in celebration. “I’ll always remember the image from the Euros, Lamine’s cross, Carvajal’s finish, the hug they shared, their expressions… that’s what happens in the national team,” he explained. “I am totally convinced that the only interest here is the general interest.”

  De la Fuente’s words carry weight not just because of his authority but because of his insistence on fostering a collective spirit within the squad. By framing his team as a “family”, he sends a clear message to both players and fans that Spain’s ambitions come before any personal rivalries or egos.

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  Yamal’s rise, Carvajal’s leadership and Spain’s next challenge

  Carvajal, who recently underwent knee surgery, will not feature in Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey. Yamal, however, is expected to be called up despite nursing a mild pubalgia issue that has limited his recent minutes for Barcelona.

  Yamal’s rise to prominence has been meteoric and at just 18, he has already become one of Spain’s brightest attacking talents and a cornerstone of the post-Euro 2024 rebuild. Meanwhile, Carvajal remains a respected veteran and leader, a role that requires careful balance between rivalry and responsibility.

  As Spain look ahead to their qualifying campaign, De la Fuente’s management of personalities and locker-room dynamics could prove vital. With tensions between Barcelona and Madrid stars always simmering beneath the surface, his public show of calm and confidence suggests a manager determined to maintain unity at all costs.

Newcastle United have now discovered the extent of Tino Livramento’s injury and whether he suffered an ACL blow ahead of a spell on the sidelines.

Howe responds to Rummenigge's "idiot" claim

Nick Woltemade has enjoyed an excellent start to life in Tyneside and, as such, questions have arrived for Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga giants failed to secure the German’s signature in the summer, allowing Newcastle to swoop ahead and finally sign the striker they needed, but those in Bavaria have insisted that they wouldn’t have paid as much as £69m.

Ex-chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge even told reporters: “I can only congratulate those in Stuttgart for finding – I’ll use quotation marks here – an idiot who paid that much money. Because we certainly wouldn’t have done that in Munich!”

It’s strangely-timed criticism of a deal that is quite clearly working out for all parties so far and Eddie Howe reiterated that he’s pleased with Woltemade’s early goalscoring form.

The towering forward was once again at the top of his game against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League, opening the scoring for the Magpies with his third strike in six games before they went on to seal a comfortable 4-0 victory.

It’s a week that needed to include a positive note following Arsenal’s late victory at St James’ Park on Sunday and, ultimately, one that also delivered some fairly positive news on Livramento.

Livramento injury update

As reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Tino Livramento has avoided an ACL rupture and will now miss the next 6-8 weeks for Newcastle. After seeking a second opinion, the news will come as a huge relief for the Magpies, given that there were initial fears that the England international had suffered the second ACL injury of his career.

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Newcastle need this man to rediscover his finest form, and fast.

By
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Oct 1, 2025

Whilst this still means that Livramento will likely miss the next 10 Newcastle games, an ACL rupture would have ended his season altogether and all but ended his chances of returning to full fitness in time to make Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 England World Cup squad.

Missing three Champions League games and seven in the Premier League, Livramento is likely to return around the end of November when Newcastle travel to the Hill Dickinson for the first time to face Everton.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reiterated that winning the DFB-Pokal is not just a dream for the fans but a vital objective for the team this season, after Harry Kane’s brace inspired a 4-1 victory over Koln in the competition. Koln manager Lukas Kwasniok echoed Kompany’s words, saying it is evident that Bayern are “desperate for the treble”.

• Bayern's unbeaten run underlines treble ambitions

  The 4-1 victory over Koln ensured Bayern's incredible winning run continues. Having won all 14 of their matches so far in all competitions, Kompany's men have now broken a European record set by AC Milan in the 1992-93 season.

  Despite losing key attacking players such as Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane and club legend Thomas Muller over the summer, and missing out on primary transfer targets like Nick Woltemade, Bayern have remained competitive on all fronts. Much of the credit is going to manager Kompany, whose tactical acumen and meticulous training methods have instilled discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance within the squad. His man-management has also played a crucial role, helping players such as Kane and Konrad Laimer flourish so far this term.

  Bayern’s dominant performances and consistency have reignited talk of a possible treble, reminiscent of their historic 2019-20 campaign.

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• Bayern 'hungry and want more' after another win

  Speaking ahead the midweek victory, Kompany emphasised his side are taking the cup competition seriously as they target a clean sweep of trophies. "My team is incredibly hungry for the trophy," he said. "It's not just the fans who want the title, it's something we live and breathe."

  He repeated that message after the win, saying: "The records come when we approach every game with the mentality of wanting to win. That's the first thing. And the second is quality. The lads are fit and you can see a lot of automatic movements. They're hungry and want more! That's helping us right now."

  His words were reiterated by Jonathan Tah, who told reporters: "We're always hungry, we always want to win and we're never satisfied. We're happy today, and tomorrow we'll focus on the next game."

  Koln manager Kwasniok acknowledged his counterpart’s words and reaffirmed Bayern’s treble ambitions, saying: "They desperately want the treble."

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  Bundesliga champions pull off comeback DFB-Pokal comeback

  Koln took a surprise lead in the game after the haf-hour mark when Bayern failed to track a deep run from Ragnar Ache, who met Johannesson’s cross from a set piece and headed it past Urbig. The lead did not last long as Laimer drove up the pitch and found Josip Stanisic, whose shot was saved by the Koln goalkeeper, but the rebound was tapped in by Luis Diaz. 

  Kane showed his perseverance and work rate when he dispossessed a Koln defender before swivelling and firing a shot into the net. He got his second of the night in the 64th minute, rising high to head the ball in from a Joshua Kimmich corner. In the 72nd minute, Michael Olise rounded off the score after starting a flowing counterattack from the right. Aleksander Pavlovic found Diaz on the left, who squared the ball for Olise to poke it past Zieler, finishing off the move he had started.

  “What I love about this team is that we stay calm. We clawed our way back into the game," Kompany said. “It was a great fight, a real cup match. I'm very happy with the fighting spirit of our lads. We came back from 1-0 down and remained dangerous in the second half. We kept the intensity high. Koln kept clawing themselves back into the game. I'm very happy. We already had great chances in the first half. Koln believed in themselves and fought for the second balls. At times, we didn't execute our set pieces quickly enough. We were always dangerous when we had speed in our possession. It's important for us to use our squad, and we still have players returning. Now, we have three games in six days, so we'll only be regenerating. Leverkusen and PSG will be tough, but we deserve to be confident."

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  Bayern's upcoming clash versus Leverkusen

  Bayern will look to extend their winning run and strengthen their pursuit of the treble when they face Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The clash promises to be a crucial test for Kompany’s side, as they aim to maintain momentum and tighten their grip at the top of the table against a strong Leverkusen outfit.