Soham Mukherjee

Lionel Messi's former team-mate, Diego Gomez, scored a contender for the Puskas Award with an insane 35-yard goal for Brighton in the Carabao Cup against Barnsley. The Paraguayan midfielder ripped the Tykes to shreds in the Carabao Cup, smashing home four goals in a performance that will find a place in the Seagulls' folklore.

Nathan Broadhead's super double propelled Wrexham into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of a toothless Reading. After a docile first-half, Phil Parkinson's men jumped to life after the break to score twice and progress in the competition where they might come up against an opponent from the Premier League.

Barcelona’s hopes of returning to Camp Nou this weekend have been dashed once again as the City Council refused to grant the licence needed to reopen the stadium. Hansi Flick’s side, amid ongoing renovations, were aiming to host Real Sociedad at a reduced capacity of 27,000 at Spotify Camp Nou, but security concerns have forced the club to look elsewhere.

Mikel Arteta joked that Arsenal players reacted angrily to being nutmegged by Max Dowman. The prospect, who made his Premier League debut in August at 15 years and 235 days, has been training with the first team since last season and even joined the squad on their mid-season Dubai trip. He has emerged as a key figure in the squad and is primed to feature in the Carabao Cup against Port Vale.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is crossing his fingers that Erling Haaland will bounce back in time for the weekend after the striker hobbled out of Sunday’s bruising 1-1 draw with Arsenal due to injury. The Norwegian powerhouse shocked fans at the Emirates when he signalled to the bench after 76 minutes, complaining of sharp pain in his back. Guardiola had little choice but to hook off his star man, raising alarm bells just days before another relentless run of fixtures.

Florian Wirtz opened up on his slow Liverpool start and insisted that he is desperate to bring out his best form amid Jurgen Klopp's "give him time" message. The German star arrived at Anfield with the weight of expectation on his shoulders after tearing up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen last season. And the £116 million summer signing neither wants sympathy nor excuses for his rusty beginning.

Tottenham's Carabao Cup clash with Doncaster has been thrown into the spotlight after a bizarre twist in the script as academy gem Damola Ajayi is set to line up against his parent club. The 19-year-old attacker, who only burst onto the scene last January with a thunderbolt debut strike against Elfsborg in the Europa League, was sent on loan to Rovers in the summer. Now, in a rare exception to the usual rules, he's been given the green light to feature on Wednesday night against Spurs.

Kyle Walker went out for an expensive dinner with Phil Foden and his other former team-mates ahead of Burnley's trip to Manchester City. The full-back joined a table of City stars at Fenix, a high-end Greek restaurant. Walker, who left City for Turf Moor this summer, is back in Manchester to face his former team on the pitch in the Premier League on Saturday.

AC Milan & Inter have hired the architects behind Manchester United's new stadium to build a 71,500-capacity ground, with San Siro set to be demolished. The €1 billion project will see the two fierce rivals come together off the pitch in a once-in-a-generation move. Work is scheduled to begin in 2027, with doors opening to fans in 2030.

Ruben Amorim put up a passionate defence of Casemiro as he insisted that the Brazilian showed he "cares" with his reckless red card against Chelsea. The Brazilian midfielder had already found the net to double United’s lead, only to undo his own good work with a reckless challenge just before half-time. Already carrying a yellow, he lunged into another rash foul, leaving the referee with no choice but to send him packing.

Liverpool have been left devastated after confirming the sudden death of former women’s team manager Matt Beard at the age of just 47. The news has sent shockwaves through football, with tributes pouring in for a man who transformed the women’s game in England and became the most decorated coach in Liverpool Women’s history.

Ange Postecoglou was satisfied with Nottingham Forest's progress since Arsenal defeat and Swansea collapse despite a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Burnley. The contest had all the hallmarks of a relegation six-pointer, with both sides desperate for points, but Forest were left licking their wounds after surrendering a lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix stole the show with braces as Al-Nassr put five past Al-Riyadh in a thumping Saudi Pro League win. The hosts barely needed to break sweat before tearing Al-Riyadh apart on Saturday night at Al-Awwal Park. Jorge Jesus' men fresh from thrashing Istiklol 5-0 in the AFC Champions League, carried that ruthless edge into the Saudi Pro League, and Felix set the tone within minutes.

Robert Sanchez made unwanted history with a disastrous early red card against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. The Blues’ goalkeeper endured a shaky start, fumbling simple touches, but matters escalated catastrophically when Bryan Mbeumo surged through on goal.

David Moyes cut a furious figure after Everton’s 2-1 defeat at Anfield, branding referee Darren England’s handling of the Merseyside clash “very strange.” Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike had fired the champions into control, but Idrissa Gueye’s strike gave the Toffees hope. The visitors piled on late pressure, yet controversy dominated the aftermath as Moyes and his players left the red half of the city empty-handed once again.

Chelsea have been rocked by Cole Palmer's injury as the England star had to be subbed against Manchester United within 20 minutes after appearing to aggravate his groin problem. The forward was replaced by Andrey Santos as Enzo Maresca also hooked Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian in a brave tactical tweak.

Wrexham roared back into Championship form as Josh Windass marked his comeback with a blistering brace in a 3-2 victory over a limp Norwich City. The win eased the heat on Phil Parkinson, whose rocky start to life in the second tier had sparked murmurs of discontent. Norwich, however, remain in meltdown. Four home games, four defeats, the Canaries are spiraling.

Mikel Arteta has introduced a hardline rule at Arsenal, reportedly designed to boost unity, but it’s hitting his players squarely in the pocket. The Gunners boss, desperate to finally deliver the Premier League crown to north London after two decades of waiting, has made it mandatory for his squad to gather at the training ground before every single match, home or away.