Player ratings

  1. Merino & Saka stand up to save off-colour Arsenal

    Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Premier League leaders Arsenal, but they will feel like this was two-points dropped against a Chelsea side who were reduced to 10 men after just 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo was sent off. In an extremely feisty London derby that was littered with early yellow cards, it was no real surprise to see a dismissal, with Caicedo seeing red for a brutal tackle on Merino seven minutes before the interval.

  2. What was Caicedo thinking?! Chelsea let down by star man

    Chelsea battled to a well-deserved point in their top of the table clash against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were the better side until Moises Caicedo saw red for his challenge on Mikel Merino in the 33rd minute. Despite losing their talisman, Chelsea took the lead early in the second half thanks to Trevoh Chalobah's glancing nod, but were quickly pegged back by a Merino header.

  3. Isak & Wirtz FINALLY show up while sub Salah stews

    Mohamed Salah was left on the bench as much-maligned summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz helped Liverpool to a vital three points in Sunday's 2-0 win over West Ham. The Swedish forward scored his first Premier League goal for the club since his big-money switch to Anfield this summer, while the German provided the heartbeat for the Liverpool attack.

  4. Zirkzee & Mount emerge as Man Utd's unlikely heroes

    Manchester United came from behind to secure victory over Crystal Palace as Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount emerged as match-winners for Ruben Amorim's side in a 2-1 win on Sunday. Palace led in the first half through a Jean-Philippe Mateta penalty, but the Red Devils came out for the second period a different side, and Zirkzee fired home before Mount struck the winner from the edge of the box to complete the turnaround.

  5. Lethal Lionesses rack up the goals as Stanway fills her boots

    Georgia Stanway went home with the match ball on Saturday after bagging a hat-trick in England's record-breaking 8-0 win over China, one just short of a record defeat for the 1999 Women's World Cup finalists. A dominant display, which had the European champions 3-0 up inside just 16 minutes, returned the Lionesses' biggest ever win at Wembley Stadium, surpassing the 6-0 thumping dealt out to Portugal back in May.

  6. Fabulous Foden saves City as Haaland & Gvardiol flop

    Phil Foden spared Manchester City's blushes as he struck late to snatch a 3-2 win after his side had chucked away a two-goal advantage at half-time. Foden scored in the very first and last minutes of the game, rescuing all three points for Pep Guardiola's side which could prove vital at the end of the season. Josko Gvardiol bundled in a second goal in a dominant first half from the hosts.

  7. Van Dijk disaster-class condemns Liverpool to another loss

    Liverpool were condemned to another damaging, dreadful defeat as Arne Slot’s side were thumped 4-1 by PSV in a Champions League horror show at Anfield. The Reds' shambolic defence was exposed time and again, with captain Virgil van Dijk conceding an early penalty while Ibrahima Konate was at fault for the third as their season hit another depressing low.

  8. Kolo Muani haunts PSG but sloppy Spurs lose thriller

    Paris Saint-Germain loanee Randal Kolo Muani shone against his parent club with two goals and an assist, but his heroics ultimately counted for nothing as Tottenham slumped to a comprehensive 5-3 defeat at the reigning European champions. Spurs went ahead twice in the game. but were undone by some dismal defending as PSG scored five times and took home all three Champions League points.

  9. Mbappe's insane four-goal haul sees ragged Real survive scare

    A ridiculous four-goal showing from Kylian Mbappe led an otherwise shaky Real Madrid to a 4-3 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. The Frenchman continued his outrageous run of form, while Vinicius Jr eased tensions after a week of controversy by grabbing an assist to carry Los Blancos to a much-needed European victory against a dogged opponent.

  10. Karl outshines Kane as Neuer & Bayern caught short

    Bayern Munich's unbeaten start to the season came to an end on Wednesday as they fell to a 3-1 loss at Arsenal in the Champions League. Teenager Lennart Karl found the net yet again for Vincent Kompany's side after they had fallen behind to a Jurrien Timber header, but strikes from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli settled the game in favour of the Gunners.

  11. Europe's best?! Arsenal subs shine to take down Bayern

    Arsenal are now the last team with a perfect Champions League record this season after they beat Bayern Munich 3-1 on Wednesday. The Gunners have recorded five wins from five and kept up their 100 percent start by ending that of the Germans' in the process. Jurrien Timber put Arsenal ahead in the first half, while Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score.

  12. Pope's moment of Marseille madness costs Newcastle dear

    Newcastle squandered a wonderful opportunity to all-but seal their route to the Champions League knockout stages after a quick-fire double from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sunk the Magpies 2-1 in Marseille. In-form Harvey Barnes opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but a dreadful error from Nick Pope just seconds into the second-half allowed Aubameyang to turn the game in the hosts' favour.

  13. Ridiculous Araujo red sums up Barcelona horror show

    Barcelona were comprehensively beaten at Stamford Bridge as the Blaugrana hardly put up a fight on the way to a 3-0 defeat against Chelsea in the Champions League. Hansi Flick's side went down to 10 men in the first half after Ronald Araujo was dismissed after picking up two bookings, and had the ball in their net six times as Chelsea attacked against their infamous high line at will.

  14. Electric Estevao outshines Yamal in war of the wonderkids

    Chelsea's fine form under Enzo Maresca continued with a blockbuster win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Blues turned on the style against their Spanish rivals, coming away 3-0 winners, thanks to an own goal from Jules Kounde, a wonderful Estevao strike and Liam Delap's first goal at Stamford Bridge. But the Premier League side could have had six or seven, such was their dominance under the lights in the capital.

  15. They only had 10 men! Bruno drops stinker in Man Utd defeat

    Manchester United were deservedly booed off the pitch as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to an Everton side who played the vast majority of the game with 10 men. Idrissa Gueye's bizarre sending off for snapping at his team-mate Michael Keane gave United the perfect advantage but they completely blew it, falling behind to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's stunning long-range hit then failing to react.

  16. Messi two wins away from MLS Cup after routing FC Cincinnati

    Lionel Messi is one step closer to lifting his first MLS Cup after scoring once and assisting three to power Inter Miami past FC Cincinnati in a dominant 4-0 win that booked their place in the Eastern Conference finals. The Argentine was outstanding throughout, while Tadeo Allende added a brace as Miami snapped a three-year winless run at TQL Stadium.

  17. Eze paints north London red! Dream derby for hat-trick hero

    Eberechi Eze's brilliant hat-trick secured Arsenal bragging rights in the north London derby as Mikel Arteta's men romped to a 4-1 win over a sorry Tottenham side on Sunday. Leandro Trossard got the ball rolling for the Gunners before an Eze double either side of half-time put the hosts in control. Richarlison's wonder strike gave Spurs some hope, but another classy finish from Eze ensured Arsenal went six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

  18. Foden, look away now! Glaring miss damages City's title hopes

    Phil Foden and Erling Haaland each missed a pair of sitters as Manchester City fell to a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United which threatens to derail their Premier League title charge. City's two big-game players froze at St James' Park and Harvey Barnes grabbed the headlines instead, giving Newcastle the lead and then snatching the winner after Ruben Dias' deflected equaliser.

  19. Welcome home, Barca! Lewy stars as Camp Nou reopens

    Barcelona enjoyed a successful return to the Camp Nou, as they dispatched Athletic Club 3-0 in their first game at their spiritual home in almost three years. A Ferran Torres brace and goals from Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez gave Hansi Flick's side a comfortable victory. The visitors' job was made harder when Oihan Sanchet was given his marching orders for a horrendous challenge on Lopez.

  20. Liverpool in crisis! Isak goes missing as Reds ripped apart

    Liverpool's nightmare defence of their Premier League title took a turn for the worse on Saturday as Nottingham Forest ripped the Reds apart at Anfield. In a game that saw more than one moment of VAR controversy, Forest struck three times, courtesy of efforts from Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White, to leave a shellshocked Arne Slot potentially fearing for his job.

  21. Bring on Barca! Neto's the hero as Santos bosses Burnley

    Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored in either half as Chelsea closed the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor. Enzo Maresca’s Blues moved up to second in the table with a performance which saw Andrey Santos shine in place of Moises Caicedo, who was rested ahead of Tuesday’s mouth-watering Champions League clash with Barcelona.

  22. Carpenter goes from hero to zero as Chelsea hold Barca

    Chelsea restored some of the pride they lost in their Champions League thumping at the hands of Barcelona last season with a creditable 1-1 draw with the Spanish giants. After a chastening 8-2 semi-final aggregate loss to Barca, the Blues had a point to prove and were on track to do that with Ellie Carpenter's piledriver. But Ewa Pajor's strike ensured the spoils were shared on Thursday.