UEFA champions League Matchday 4: Stand Out Performers

  

Napoli, Brugge, Bayern, Real Madrid and Manchester City all booked their spots in the knockout rounds of the Champions League this week. 

Tuesday, 11th October

Group E

8:00pm   Dinamo Zagreb 1-1 RB Salzburg

8:00pm   Milan 0-2 Chelsea

Group F

8:00pm   Celtic 0-2 RB Salzburg

8:00pm   Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Real Madrid

Group G

5:45pm    FC Copenhagen 0-0 Manchester City

8:00pm   Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Sevilla

Group H

5:45pm   Maccabi Haifa 2-0 Juventus

8:00pm   PSG 1-1 Benfica

Wednesday, 12th October

Group A

5:45pm   Napoli 4-2 Ajax

8:00pm   Rangers 1-7 Liverpool

Group B

5:45pm    Atletico Madrid 0-0 Club Brugge

8:00pm   Bayer Leverkusen 0-3 FC Porto

Group C

8:00pm   Barcelona 3-3 Inter Milan

8:00pm   Viktoria Plzen 2-4 Bayern Munich

Group D

8:00pm   Sporting CP 0-2 Marseille

8:00pm   Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Eintracht Frankfurt

Roberto Firmino

 

Son Heung-min

Two goals and a MOTM award against Eintracht Frankfurt.

It's good to see Heung-Min Son back in form

⚽️⚽️ Goals

1️⃣ Assist 

Last night's #UCL Player of the Match

 Mo Salah

Mo Salah scored the fastest hat trick EVER in the Champions League. Salah's hat-trick against Rangers means that he has now scored more goals for Liverpool than Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres combined. Legend!

 Mo Salah is now tied at the top of this year's Champions League goalscoring chart alongside Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

Diogo Jota was subbed on in the 73rd minute against Rangers and assisted Mo's three times, sidekick!

68' - Salah comes on ➡️ 

76' - Salah scores ⚽️

80' - Salah scores ⚽️

81' - Salah scores ⚽️

Robert Lewandowski

Leon Goretzka

No Bayern Munich player has been involved in more Champions League goals this season than Leon Goretzka:

🅰️🅰️🅰️

⚽️⚽️

A ten-minute brace. 

Antonio Rüdiger

The German international won seven duels, made five clearances and three interceptions, while he rescued his side with a 95th-minute equaliser at the death. It was a brave header from the defender, who received a war wound after clashing heads with Anatoliy Trubin. He will care little, however, after earning his side a result.

UEFA champions League Matchday 5: Stand Out Performers

With one matchday still to go in the group phase, 12 teams have now sealed their spot in the 2022/23 Champions League knockout stages.

Bayern Munich

Benfica

Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea

Club Brugge

Inter Milan

Liverpool

Manchester City

Napoli

Paris Saint-Germain

Porto

Real Madrid

Tuesday, 25th October

Group E

5:45pm   RB Salzburg 1-2 Chelsea

8:00pm  Dinamo Zagreb 0-4 AC Milan

Group F

8:00pm  Celtic 1-1 Shakhtar Donetsk

8:00pm  RB Leipzig 3-2 Real Madrid 

Group G

5:45pm   Sevilla 3-0 FC Copenhagen 

8:00pm  Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Manchester City

Group H

8:00pm  PSG 7-2 Maccabi Haifa

8:00pm  Benfica 4-3 Juventus

Wednesday, 26th October

Group A

8:00pm  Ajax 0-3 Liverpool

Group B

5:45pm  Club Brugge 0-4 FC Porto

8:00pm  Atletico Madrid 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen

Group C

5:45pm  Inter Milan 4-0 Viktoria Plzen

8:00pm Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich

Group D

8:00pm Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 Marseille

8:00pm Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Sporting 

MNM

Messi, Mbappé and Neymar all scored in their last meeting with Maccabi Haifa in September.

They've all scored again in the first half 🎮

 

⚽️ 19' Messi

⚽️ 32' Mbappé

⚽️ 35' Neymar

⚽️ 45' Messi

⚽️ 64' Mbappé

Rafa

Rafa's game by numbers vs Juventus:

6 shots

5 duels won

4 big chances

3 possession won

2 successful dribbles

2 chances created

2 goals

1.27 xG

Kai Harvertz

Kai Havertz's game by numbers:

17 passes in final third

7 duels won

4 aerial duels won

3 possession won

2 shots

1 foul won

1 chance created

1 goal

0.34 xG

And what a goal it was. 

Giovanni Simeone

11'—Napoli 1-0 Rangers

16'—Napoli 2-0 Rangers

Quick double for Giovanni Simeone 🔵

Diogo Costa

Porto keeper Diogo Costa has made a penalty save in THREE consecutive Champions League group-stage games this season 🧱

Serge Gnarby

Serge Gnabry cooked up a hat trick of assists against Barcelona

Matchweek 12 Game of the Matchweek: One-way traffic at Old Trafford + Ronaldo Exits Before the Final Whistle 🚨

 

Hello and welcome to the Penalty spot. 

For all Premier League addicts and footballing fans alike, having an entire Matchweek in the middle of the week is our definition of bliss. Matchweek 12 served as an escape in the middle of the week and the top game happened to be at Old Trafford

Manchester United cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win against Spurs at Old Trafford. The Red Devils were imperious from start to finish which made Antonio Conte's side look average. Shocking to say the least

Let's wind back the clock and revisit the fixture

The First Half

United started the game at a pace that Spurs couldn't seem to match. Within the first 30 minutes, Antony struck the woodwork for the hosts and Hugo Lloris made a string of super saves. It was United versus Lloris and the Frenchman was keeping his team in the game.

But for how long? not for long by the looks of it. Spurs struggled at every sector of the game and their infamous low block seemed ineffective against United's precise passing and insane pressure

Man Utd attempted 19 shots in the first half against Spurs, the most any team has managed in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game this season. Tottenham got peppered.

The first half ended all-square at Old Trafford, though the hosts should've really scored. Spurs survive.

Second Half 

After a word with their respective managers, both teams steped back into the field of play. Spurs had been awful but they remained a threat on the counter. United on the other hand needed to maintain their first-half intensity

Two minutes into the second half United find the breakthrough.

Sancho places a delicate pass to Fred who is on the edge of the penalty area. Fred fires a shot towards the goal and the ball deflects off Dier. Diverting the ball enough to beat Lloris on goal and find the bottom corner. 1-0 to Manchester United

After the first, the cracks within the Spurs begin to widen as Manchester United move the ball with ease and purpose in and around them. Not long after, United double their lead. A rapid counterattack sees a shot from Fred blocked by Deir, the ball falls perfectly for Bruno Fernandes and the playmaker curls the ball onto the right side of the net. Finesse! United 2-0 up

After a series of saves from Lloris coupled with some last-minute substitutions, the match ends.

Manchester United extend their unbeaten run to a fifth game, Spurs were passive and second-best by a mile.

Speaking after the game Spurs manager Antonio Conte had this to say

"Every time we play a high-level game, we struggle." 

 

Can the Italian strongman find a way to beat the best? Many Spurs fans will be hoping so as they look to clinch some much-needed silverware.

Ronaldo With the Theatrics

After a stellar performance by the Red Devils, the united and footballing fans had no idea that the show was far from over.

Cristiano Ronaldo REFUSED to come on as a substitute in Manchester United's win over Tottenham,

and went down the tunnel at Old Trafford before the final whistle

Speaking after the game Erik Ten Hag was furious with Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to leave the stadium before the final whistle against Tottenham 

Erik ten Hag: “I will deal with that tomorrow, not today. We are now celebrating this victory”.

UEFA champions League Matchday 3: Stand Out Performers

 

We are currently at the halfway mark of the UEFA Champions League group stages. With only 3 more matchdays to go before the knock-out stages, groups are starting to take shape. This matchday saw the young talents take up the baton within their respective teams.

Here are the fixture results of Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League

Tuesday, 4th October

Group A

8:00pm     Liverpool 2-0 Rangers

8:00pm     Ajax 1-6 Napoli

Group B

8:00pm     FC Porto 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen

8:00pm     Club Brugge 2-0 Atletico Madrid

Group C

5:45pm     Bayern Munich 5-0 Viktoria Plzen 

8:00pm     Inter Milan 1-0 Barcelona

Group D

5:45pm      Marseille 4-1 Sporting CP

8:00pm      Eintracht Frankfurt 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Wednesday, 5th October

Group E

5:45pm     RB Salzburg 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb

8:00pm     Chelsea 3-0AC Milan

Group F

5:45pm     RB Leipzig 3-1 Celtic

8:00pm     Real Madrid 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk

Group G

8:00pm     Sevilla 1-4 Borussia Dortmund

8:00pm     Manchester City 5-0 FC Copenhagen

Group H

8:00pm      Benfica 1-1 PSG

8:00pm      Juventus 3-1 Maccabi Haifa 

Reece James

Reece James 🆚 Milan: 

🔘 99 Touches

🔘 8 Duels Won 

🔘 4 Crosses

🔘 3 Tackles

🔘 2 Chances Created 

🔘 2/2 Take-Ons 

🔘 1 Shot 

⚽️ 1 Goal

🅰️ 1 Assist 

👏👏👏

Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham in three Champions League games this season:

▪️ Three goals

▪️ One assist

André Silva

André Silva has scored a Champions League brace for the first time since scoring twice against Leicester in December 2016. 

Rodrygo

Jack Grealish

Trent Alexander-Arnold 

Ángel Di María

Game(s) of Match week 9:North London is Red + Manchester is Blue

 

Kings Of the North

Arsenal fortified their stance at the crest of the Premier League table with a dominant display and a resounding win beating their North London rivals Tottenham, 3-1 at The Emirates stadium.

The Gunners are now 4 points clear of The Lilywhites and will be full of confidence in the upcoming round of fixtures that sees them face Liverpool, Leeds United, Manchester City & Southampton.

Let's take a second glance at the thriller;

Arsenal started the game on the front foot by creating chances and spreading the play in and around Spur's low block. 

Within 3 minutes, Martinelli hit a half-volley that deflected off Richarlison and came off the near post. Action! 

Arsenal looked comfortable in possession and dominated the start which saw them take the lead in the 20th minute thanks to a stunner from Thomas Partey. 

The Midfielder received the ball in space through the middle in front of Tottenham's penalty area. He strikes the ball first time side-footing the ball around Bentacur and into the top-right corner of the net. Stunner 1-0 to Arsenal

The spurs get onto the ball immediately, looking for the equalizer. 9 minutes later, Richarlison is brought down by Gabriel in the penalty area. The situation sees Kane step up and scores his 44th goal in a London Derby, smashing the record of 43 that was set by the great Thierry Henry. Harry Kane's strike was also his 100th Premier League away goal. Icon! Level 1-1

The referee blows the whistle, indicating the end of the first half. It's all level at the break and as the teams walk into the dressing rooms. The fans are back to where it all started 45 minutes ago, level. Arsenal had a bright start but the spurs found something towards the end. A moment of calm, before the storm.

 

Second Half

The second half begins similarly to the first, with arsenal applying pressure. Not long after the restart, 4 minutes in actuality. Saka receives the ball on the right, cuts inside and curls a shot towards the goal. Lloris scuffs it away but not far enough, the ball hits Romero and bounces back toward the goal getting under Lloris. Jesus, who is always hovering in and around the penalty area, pounces on the loose ball, poking it into an empty net. 2-1 The Gunners!

The game is moving past the hour mark and Arsenal still has a firm grip on the tie. Martinelli is on Arsenal's half, moving toward his goal, he skips past Emerson who launches a very late tackle, scraping his studs against Martinelli's ankle. The referee is having none of it and shows Emerson a straight red card🟥. The spurs are down to ten men.

67 minutes on the clock, Partey moves into the Spur's half with the ball, he sees Martinelli to his left and switches the play. After some tantalizing footwork by the Brazilian, he touches the ball to Xhaka. Xhaka coolly slots a precise shot under Lloris into the back of the net. 3-1 The Gunners

A man down and two goals behind, the Spurs hold the score up to the final whistle. the Game ends 3-1 the Gunners take all 3 points.

Manchester is Blue

A Nine Goal thriller at The Etihad

It's safe to say that The Manchester Derby lived up to the hype. From start to finish, the fixture served non-stop action. And 90+ min later, the two sides had scored a total of 9 goals.

 Manchester City is now one point off the leaders' Arsenal 

Let's take a second glance at the classic, and talk about the main topics;

A Hat Trick of Hat Tricks + Foden Hat Trick!

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are the first players in Premier League history to both score hat-tricks in the same game against a 'Big Six' side. 

Erling Haaland scored his third Hat Trick in a row at the Etihad. He also assisted two out of the three Foden goals.

Phil Foden becomes the second Man City player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Man Utd.

Erling Haaland (14) already has twice as many Premier League goals as the next-highest scorer Harry Kane (7).

Haaland's impact on the English game was expected but I bet no one expected the mind-boggling numbers the Norwegian is putting out. 

At this rate, the top scorer record will be broken mid-season.

Ederson had more touches (78) and completed more passes (59) than any Manchester United player. Domineering!

Phil Foden has earmarked his position within the City team, this is more apparent by the fact that Manchester City is hopeful that Phil Foden will sign a contract extension until 2027. It should be done this week,

Defending woes + Antony & Antony Martial 

Even with a goal-scoring machine by the name Erling Haaland, Manchester City seems to ease their way past the mid and defensive sectors of the Red Devils unit with ease

Erick Ten hag and his assistants will be hoping that the initial problems that ailed this Manchester United side will not be out to haunt them once again. Especially because Raphaël Varane suffered an ankle injury in the fixture.

The Varane and Lisandro Martinez partnership at the heart of the Manchester United backline had restored some much-needed calm in the backline. Luckily for Manchester United fans, the injury is short term and Erick Ten Hag was confident in his quick return.

Speaking on the MEN's exclusive, Erick confirmed that Varane will be back soon but he will have to wait a little longer for Maguire as he battles a hamstring injury.

Manchester United will be impressed by the second-half fightback which saw them win the second half 3-2. Unluckily, the damage was too far gone. Brazilian Antony scored the first for Manchester United, a stunner. a left-footed thunderbolt that curled past Ederson on goal

 Antony Martial scored a brace, one was a tap-in and a penalty which he conceded. Is Martial back to his best? His display showed intent and Christiano Ronaldo will be feeling uneasy about his place in the starting lineup.

The Weekend Preveiw: The North London Derby + The Manchester Derby

 

Matchday 9 of 38: The North London Derby

The Premier League returns, and the first match of the weekend takes us to the Emirates, where league leaders Arsenal take on unbeaten Tottenham in the North London Derby.

For the first time in a long time, the North is on fire. The stakes are higher than ever as the top spot is up for grabs. Only one point separates the leaders, Arsenal (18 points 10GD) and Third Tottenham (17 points 11GD).

The previous encounter between the two London giants saw Tottenham crush Arsenal (3-0) at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Denying Arsenal a Champions League spot. At that time, The Gunners were a defensively shaky team.

 Since then, Arsenal has matured defensively, A backline consisting of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães & right back Ben White has restored calm in the back for the Gunners. While they have only recorded three clean sheets so far this season, they have clearly improved defensively as a team. In their last outing, a 3-0 win away to Brentford, they limited their opponents to just five attempts – Brentford’s lowest ever return in a Premier League home game. However, this game puts forth a higher calibre attack and it will be an uphill task for the Gunners to cope with the likes of Harry Kane, Son & Dejan Kulusevski.

Clearly, Antonio Conte and his men have Premier League and Champions League ambitions. The Lilywhites are unbeaten in the English game and their main man Harry Kane has netted six times in the Premier League already this season, and scored in England’s draw with Germany on Monday, whereas Son put questions about his form to bed with a stunning 13-minute hat-trick off the bench against Leicester before the International break.

Harry Kane is also the joint top scorer in The North London derby (13 Goals) and I can put my money on him scoring once again.

Counter-attacking football Vs free-flowing football. Arsenal's only loss in the Premier League occurred against Manchester United. A team that played on the counter, will Arteta be a victim of this tactic once again?, or will the Spurs take back with them the top spot or will the fairy tale start to the season continue for The Gunners? 

The Manchester Derby

  

The Noisy neighbours on the blue side of Manchester host the Red Devils at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Both teams have been a great run in the English game. 

Since beating Liverpool (2-1) at Old Trafford, Manchester United has won 3 consecutive games, racking 12 out of 15 points in the last five games. The death and state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II means that the Red Devils will be taking part in their first Premier League fixture for nearly a month this weekend, having lost to Real Sociedad and overcome Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League since that 3-1 success over Arsenal.

It comes as no surprise to learn that Man City are the Premier League's leading scorers on home turf this season - racking up 14 in just three such games and conceding a joint-low two - and all seven of their last top-flight wins at home have been accompanied by at least three goals.

Their top man,  Erling Braut Haaland is now sitting on the top of The Premier League top scorers list with a remarkable 11 goals in 7 games, could also become the first player ever to score a hat-trick in three successive Premier League home matches this weekend.

 

Erik ten Hag was handed the Premier League's Manager of the Month award for September after leading his side to fifth in the table - five points adrift of Man City with a game in hand.

Over at Old Trafford, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have made strong progress in their recoveries from injury and have been training with the squad this week, which could see both strikers return for the derby.

Man City will expect to be boosted by the long-awaited return of Aymeric Laporte from a knee injury for the Manchester derby, and the centre-back's comeback will be timely after John Stones went off with a tight hamstring in England's draw with Germany.

It will be an enthralling match at The Etihad and City are favourites to clinch all three points, but The Red Devils will fancy their chances of stealing the glory from their noisy neighbours, especially with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez at the back