The Premier League season is only three months old, but this weekend may have gone some way to shaping how it will look come May. Manchester City? They’re no longer top after getting beaten by AFC Bournemouth. Arsenal? Not even in the top four following their loss at Newcastle United.
That’s all put into perspective by events in Spain, where floods have left more than 200 people dead. Valencia‘s meeting with Real Madrid and Villarreal‘s encounter with Rayo Vallecano were postponed, but in the rest of LaLiga, the game went ahead.
In the Bundesliga, meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen just can’t shake the feeling that they’re not themselves. Last year’s shock title winners suffered a goalless draw against VfB Stuttgart and are now seven points off the top of the table.
What else happened around Europe this weekend? ESPN’s Weekend Review puts a bow on all the continental competition.
Top takeaway: Early twist in the title race?
It is obviously too early to talk about a defining moment in the season, but a lot happened this weekend when it comes to the top teams and the top of the table.
Manchester City were the leaders going into this Gameweek 10, the only team still unbeaten in the Premier League. Yet, a very timid performance for 80 minutes at Bournemouth, injuries (to John Stones, Rodri, Rúben Dias and Jack Grealish, while Savinho, Kevin De Bruyne and Jérémy Doku were on the bench but not fully fit) and a lack of creativity for much of the game meant a deserved 2-1 defeat.
It also meant that Liverpool, with their hard-earned win against Brighton & Hove Albion, coming from a goal down to win 2-1 in the last 20 minutes, went top of the table, two points clear of City. The weekend was perfect for the Reds as they also saw Arsenal drop points.
The Gunners were not up for it at Newcastle and promptly fell 1-0, Declan Rice missing a massive chance to get a draw in the last minute of the game. It’s now three games without a win in the league for Mikel Arteta & Co., and they’re now fifth in the table behind Nottingham Forest and Chelsea.
Best match: Spurs 4, Villa 1
After zero shots on target in his past 300 minutes in all competitions, Dominic Solanke ended his goal drought with a brace for Tottenham Hotspur at home against an Aston Villa side who took the lead but wasted too many chances while Spurs were clinical in front of goal (as evidenced by their tally of four goals from 2.63 expected).
Best goal: Aina vs. West Ham
Ola Aina doesn’t score many goals as a right-back for Forest, let alone with his left foot. So the 28-year-old will remember the banger he netted against West Ham United on Saturday forever. They don’t get much sweeter than a 20-yard strike flying in near the top corner.
MVP of the weekend: Milos Kerkez
In nine Premier League games this season, Kerkez had not provided a single assist to a teammate. In 90 minutes against Man City, the best team in the league for the past four seasons, he set up both of Bournemouth’s goals and in doing so a historic win for a club who had never beaten City in their history. — Julien Laurens
It is that sort of form that led to United swooping for Amorim this week, although he will remain in charge of Sporting for two more games, starting with Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. That match will pit two of Europe’s top marksmen against each other in Gyökeres and Erling Haaland. If the former can deliver against City, United fans will have even more reasons to dream of Amorim bringing him to Old Trafford with him. — Marsden
What’s Lijnders’ future in Klopp’s Red Bull?
For years, RB Salzburg dominated the Austrian Bundesliga and made occasional splashes in European competition under the likes of Jesse Marsch and Marco Rose. However, after losing out on the Austrian championship to Sturm Graz last season, this year is shaping up to be another disappointment.
Now coached by former Jürgen Klopp assistant Pepijn Lijnders, the team has had a rough first few months, losing all three of their Champions League games without scoring a goal, and dropping points in the domestic league including a 5-0 defeat to leaders Sturm Graz.
On Saturday, Lijnders’ side found themselves essentially in a must-win situation, as they faced recently promoted Grazer AK. Salzburg were unable to score, settling for a draw with GAK, leaving the 17-time champions in third place and eight points behind Sturm Graz — although with two games in hand. Still, if Salzburg suffer another loss in the Champions League, as they play at Feyenoord on Wednesday, Lijnders’ future could be in doubt.
Given the fact that Klopp will soon start in his new role as head of global soccer at Red Bull, it will be interesting to see how, if at all, the former Liverpool boss handles the future of his former assistant. — Eckner
