HALL OF FAMER DIKEMBE MUTOMBO DIES OF BRAIN CANCER AT AGE 58

Dikembo Mutombo, who ranks second with 3,289 career blocked shots, became well known for his playful wag of his right index finger following those blocks -- a gesture that endeared him to others even after his 18 NBA seasons. Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit

 Dikembe Mutombo, the Hall of Fame, finger-wagging center who spent much of his post-basketball career as an ambassador for the sport, has died of brain cancer at the age of 58, the NBA announced Monday.

Mutombo's family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

"Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.

"There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA's first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years -- with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation."

Mutombo played 18 NBA seasons for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, then-New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before retiring after the 2008-09 season.

The 7-foot-2 former Georgetown center was the league's top defensive player four times, earned three All-NBA selections and played in eight All-Star Games. He ranks 20th in rebounds (12,359) and finished with 3,289 blocks, second to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830).

"It's a sad day, especially for us Africans -- and really the whole world -- because, other than what he's accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court," Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, said Monday. "He's one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court but off the court. He's done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people, so he was a role model of mine. It's a sad day."

Mutombo also was part of one of the league's most iconic playoff moments, helping eighth-seeded Denver oust top-seeded Seattle in the first round of the 1994 Western Conference playoffs. That best-of-five series marked the first time in NBA history a No. 8 beat a No. 1.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds for his career. His No. 55 jersey is retired by the Nuggets and the Hawks.

"Like many across the globe, my heart is heavy with the loss of Atlanta Hawks legend and humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo," Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to visit with him and his wife, Rose, at their home last month and express the gratitude and pride Atlantans and millions worldwide held for such a truly good man. He is not just a Hall of Famer -- he is irreplaceable."

Said Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo: "He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga. He will be always remembered, and may his soul rest in peace."

Mutombo followed most blocks with a playful wag of his right index finger, a gesture that became his enduring signature and inspired many others after him.

"Any time I would block shots, people would still be coming and trying to put a little bit on me. Then I used to shake my head every time I would block the shot," Mutombo once explained. "Then I said, man, f--- this. Those guys are not listening to me. Maybe if I start giving them the finger wag. And I tell you what, I lost a lot of money because of that finger wag, man. I got so many technical fouls, but no referee would kick me out of the game."

Following his playing career, he worked extensively for charitable and humanitarian causes. He served as an ambassador for the sport, particularly in the development of the Basketball Africa League.

"It's really hard to believe, and it's hard for us to be without that guy," said tearful Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri. "You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. ... I have to say, though, that guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant. An incredible person. Who are we without Dikembe Mutombo? Not possible. It really is not.

"I went to Dikembe Mutombo's hometown with him. I went to his hospital, and you have no idea what that guy means to the world. He's gone. He's left us. ... That guy was the biggest giant that you could ever find. The biggest heart."

Sixers president Daryl Morey, who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston, was informed of his friend's death during the team's media day Monday. Tears welled in Morey's eyes as he processed the news.

"There aren't many guys like him," Morey said. "Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. ... His accomplishments on the court, we don't need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe."

Mutombo spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in Congo. His foundation led the building of a 170-bed hospital in Kinshasa, the capital city, and that facility has treated nearly a half-million people regardless of their ability to pay for care.

He also had served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

"Dikembe's indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life," Silver said in his statement. "I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe's big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe's wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him back."

Ryan Mutombo, the Hall of Famer's son, said in a tribute posted on social media that his father "loved others with every ounce of his being."

"My dad is my hero because he simply cared," Ryan Mutombo wrote. "He remains the purest heart I have ever known."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

NO MORE EXCUSES FOR ERIK TEN HAG AS MAN UNITED SLUMP WORSENS

Erik ten Hag has no one else to blame for Manchester United's predicament, and time is running out for him to turn things around. Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images

Erik ten Hag is out of excuses at Manchester United, although he is still looking for them as he attempts to prove he remains the manager to bring success back to Old Trafford.

Yet while United's beleaguered coach searches for mitigation, the smiling faces of counterparts Arne Slot, Unai Emery, Ange Postecoglou and Enzo Maresca only serve to make his situation worse because they are proving that managers don't always need time, they just need to be able to win.

Sunday's 3-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur -- United's third loss in six league games this season -- left the team 12th in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Only promoted Southampton have scored fewer goals than the five that Ten Hag's team have managed.

But despite being overrun by a Spurs team that arrived at Old Trafford with pressure growing on manager Postecoglou, Ten Hag claimed the first-half red card shown to captain Bruno Fernandes "changed the game" after United had created several chances and hit the post through Alejandro Garnacho.

In isolation, Ten Hag was correct in his assessment. But he failed to mention Tottenham's catalogue of first-half chances -- they also hit the post through Brennan Johnson -- and that Spurs could have been four goals ahead by half-time had they taken some of the many opportunities that came after Johnson had put them ahead in the third minute.

The stats up to the red card were damning and only suggested dominance by the visiting team. Spurs had enjoyed 60.4% of the possession, had made 260 passes to United's 172, had 28 touches in the opposition box while United had only seven, and Spurs had 12 shots to United's three.

Selective memory is becoming a theme of Ten Hag's increasingly predictable defence of his record as United manager. He has blamed injuries for a lack of consistency and bad results -- every team suffers from injuries -- and pointed to the two trophies he has won in two seasons -- the Carabao Cup in 2023 and FA Cup last season. But that overlooks guiding the club to their worst-ever Premier League finish in 2023-24 and overseeing an array of humiliating defeats: a 7-0 loss at Liverpool, 4-0 at Crystal Palace, 4-0 at Brentford, 6-3 against Manchester City and, already this season, 3-0 losses at home to Liverpool and Spurs. United have only scored one league goal at home this term.

Ten Hag's has spent £550 million on transfer since arriving at Old Trafford from Ajax in the summer of 2022, with huge sums lavished on the likes of Antony (£80m), Rasmus Højlund (£72m), Mason Mount (£55m), Manuel Ugarte (£50m) and Joshua Zirkzee (£36.5m). That outlay takes away any possibility of the 54-year-old suggesting he has not been given the funds to rebuild his squad. Only Chelsea (£1.1 billion) have spent more on transfers since he took charge at United.

There is now a real possibility that Ten Hag is entering the final days of his reign as United manager. Thursday's Europa League trip to FC Porto would be a tough one at the best of times, and with a visit to Aston Villa in the Premier League just three days later, only victories will be enough for Ten Hag. Positive performances will mean little if United go into the international break without a win.

The focus is now on United's new football leadership team. United minority owner Jim Ratcliffe and director of sport Dave Brailsford chose to keep faith with Ten Hag after the FA Cup final win against Manchester City. They are now supported by CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Dan Ashworth, who both assumed their roles during the summer.

Sources have told ESPN that there is a growing acceptance at United that the Dutchman is now under severe pressure, and the club believe they are well-prepared to make a change if results and performances do not pick up. But while the public noises about Ten Hag from within Old Trafford have been supportive, the sight of Ten Hag's team slipping further away from the Champions League spots -- they are already six points adrift of fourth-place Chelsea -- have set alarm bells ringing.

What will not help Ten Hag's case is his record at United in contrast to Emery at Villa, Postecoglou at Spurs and, to a lesser extent, the immediate impact made by Slot at Liverpool and Maresca at Chelsea.

Emery took charge at Villa Park less than two years ago, with the team he inherited from Steven Gerrard 15th in the Premier League, just three points above the relegation zone. Emery will celebrate the second anniversary of his appointment later this month with Villa playing in the Champions League.

Postecoglou took charge of Spurs at the start of last season with the team finishing eighth in the previous campaign and with the unenviable challenge of rebuilding without Harry Kane, who had left for Bayern. But Postecoglou, while not without some ups and downs, guided Spurs to a fifth-place finish last season and is now shaping a team with a post-Kane future.

Slot and Maresca have started incredibly well in their new jobs, putting Liverpool and Chelsea firmly in the title chase. Even Mauricio Pochettino, who left Chelsea in May after just a season in charge, delivered a higher finish than Ten Hag and gave Cole Palmer the platform to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

It shows that managers can have an instant impact if they have the skill set, personality and conviction to do so. Ten Hag certainly has the conviction that he is on the right track, but it is debatable that he has the skill set or the personality.

This is his team now. Six of the starting lineup against Tottenham, and all five of the substitutes used, were signed by Ten Hag, while youngsters Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have become regulars under the Dutchman. They are his players, but there is none of the chemistry or understanding that Emery, Postecoglou, Slot and Maresca have developed in their teams. In contrast, United resemble a team of unhappy strangers.

After Sunday's defeat, Ten Hag was once again defiant, saying that he doesn't fear for his job and adding: "We are all in one boat together." What Ten Hag failed to mention was that the boat is rudderless and is heading for an iceberg unless he can somehow turn it around. Time is running out.

- Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

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FINAL DAY HIGHLIGHTS | WRC RALLY CHILE BIO BIO 2024

 

WRC RALLY CHILE BIO BIO 2024 | CHAMPIONS

 

LEWIS HAMILTON REVEALS BATTLE WITH DEPRESSION FREE M 'EARLY AGE'

Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari from Mercedes next year. Clive Mason/Getty Images

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton battled with depression for years from an early age as he dealt with the pressure of pursuing a career in motor racing and faced bullying at school.

Hamilton, who has been racing competitively since he was six, said he has also battled with depression as an adult, and has found it difficult to open up about his journey.

"I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to," Hamilton told The Times.

"I've struggled with mental health through my life, depression from a very early age when I was, like, 13 ... when I was in my twenties I had some really difficult phases."

Hamilton made his Formula 1 debut in 2007 when he was 21, becoming the first Black driver in the series. He won the championship next year and matched Michael Schumacher's record of seven championships in 2020.

The Briton said he felt more mature today than he was earlier in his career.

"You're learning about things that have been passed down to you from your parents, noticing those patterns, how you react to things, how you can change those," he said.

"So what might have angered me in the past doesn't anger me today. I am so much more refined."

Hamilton said he has tried silent retreats to improve his mental health, and while talking to a therapist years ago did not help, he would like to find one in the future.

The Mercedes driver, who is set to join Ferrari next year, is sixth in the championship, with the next race set for Austin next month.

+ Reuters

MICHAEL ANDRETTI CEDES CONTROL OF ANDRETTI GLOBAL RACE TEAM

Michael Andretti has restructured Andretti Global to give co-owner Dan Towriss control of the organization while Andretti will stay on as a strategic adviser of the team he has led since 2002.

Andretti in early 2023 confirmed he had sold part of the company to Towriss, owner of Gainbridge and holding company Group 1001. Gainbridge is one of the largest sponsors in IndyCar and also sponsors Andretti driver Colton Herta's car.

The team has rapidly expanded with Towriss' influx of cash, and Towriss has been part of Andretti's push to join Formula 1. Andretti is still listed as CEO and chairman of Andretti Global, which is the name the team changed to when Towriss became part of the ownership group.

"Michael's goal has been to transition to a more strategic role with Andretti Global and focus less on the operational side of the race team," the team said in a Friday statement. "Michael and Dan Towriss have been working closely on developing this new structure, one which Michael is excited to see take shape under Dan's guidance.

"Michael remains engaged and will continue to serve as a strategic advisor and key ambassador."

The transition was first reported by Sportico, a publication owned by Roger Penske's son. Andretti and Penske have been at odds the entire season with Andretti complaining Penske was not spending enough to properly market the team and if he wasn't willing to pump in the needed cash, he said Penske should sell IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The comments infuriated Penske, and his leadership group slowly began dealing more directly with Towriss. The amplification of the resentment between Andretti and Penske grew as the season went on and in late August, Andretti leadership noted there was a clear conflict of interest when Penske driver Josef Newgarden was not penalized for various maneuvers while winning at Gateway outside St. Louis.

Andretti Global said it would share more details of the changes "after Michael and Dan have had an opportunity to speak to the team."

Andretti Global fielded three IndyCar teams this season and won the season finale with Herta at Nashville Superspeedway. Andretti drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 five times.

It was not immediately clear what happens next with Andretti's ongoing effort to enter F1, which has been heavily blocked by both the owners of F1 and the majority of the 10 existing teams on the F1 grid. Liberty Media, which owns F1, has admitted it is under investigation by the Justice Department for possible anti-trust violations in not allowing Andretti into F1.

Andretti and his father, Mario, in 2021 formed a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that was separate from Andretti Global and called Andretti Acquisition. The SPAC was designed raise cash in an IPO to buy and take public another business.

Andretti in March closed a merger with Zapata Computing Holdings, a generative AI company. Andretti Global is Zapata's largest customer, while Zapata is a sponsor of the motorsports team.

Zapata, per filings, is paying Andretti Global $9 million under the agreements while Andretti Global is paying Zapata $6 million. The agreements expire at the end of 2024, per Sportico.

Michael Andretti holds nearly 13% of the diluted equity of Zapata.

- Associated Press

BARÇA STREAK ENDS WITH HUGE LOSS 🤔

 

MADRID DERBY WAS ON 🔥

 

CYCLING STAR TADEJ POGACAR WINS MEN'S ROAD RACE AT WORLDS

Tadej Pogačar continued his dominant 2024 by winning the men's road race at the world championships Sunday. AP Photo/Peter Dejong

ZURICH -- Tadej Pogačar cemented his status as cycling's biggest star with a devastating solo attack to win the men's road race at the world championships Sunday.

The three-time Tour de France champion surged ahead just over 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the end. The 26-year-old Slovenian appeared to be in tears after crossing the line in Zurich, putting his hand on his mouth then covering his face with both hands before pumping his arms in the air.

He crossed the line 34 seconds ahead of Australian Ben O'Connor and 58 clear of defending champion Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands, who finished third in a sprint to the line ahead of Latvian Toms Skujins and Belgian contender Remco Evenepoel in fifth place.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself for today. The race unfolded pretty quickly," Pogačar said. "I never gave up. It was an incredible day. I cannot believe what just happened."

Pogačar achieved the rare treble of winning the worlds, the Tour and the Giro d'Italia in the same year. He also won the prestigious Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic and the Strade Bianche, both with similar solo attacks.

"After many years fighting for the Tour de France and other races, I never had the world championship as a clear goal, but this year everything went smoothly," Pogačar said. "After the perfect season, it was a really big goal to win the world championship, and I can't believe it happened."

On Sunday, he had a prestigious teammate on the road: Primož Roglič, the record-equaling four-time Spanish Vuelta champion.

But he didn't need him, and it was Pavel Sivakov of France who joined Pogačar as he made a breakaway 100 kilometers (62 miles) out.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Pogačar said. "But I went with the flow, and luckily I made it."

The peloton, led by a determined Van der Poel, tried to counter them with about 70 kilometers left.

The front two maintained their lead of around 40 seconds, with Van der Poel now joined by Evenepoel, the 2022 world champion and reigning Olympic champion. But Evenepoel, who won last weekend's time trial, had no teammates with him.

After Pogačar dropped Sivakov, he rolled through the countryside leading to Zurich and the title after finishing third last year.

He completed the 274-kilometer (170-mile) route, which started from Winterthur and had elevation gains of 4,470 meters, in 6 hours, 27 minutes, 30 seconds.

Two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe of France went out of the race early on. The Soudal Quick-Step rider was caught in a crash and hurt his left shoulder.

- Associated Press

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PALMER'S FOUR-GOAL BLITZ, BARÇA'S UNBEATEN STREAK ENDS

Chelsea's Cole Palmer entered into the history books by becoming the first player in Premier League history to score four goals in a first half. (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)

 Another entertaining weekend of European football action is in the books, with the main headlines going to Cole Palmer as he scored four goals in the first half to help Chelsea get a 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal were able to snatch two goals in stoppage time against Leicester City in their 4-2 win at the Emirates Stadium to continue firmly in the league title race.

LaLiga saw Osasuna stun Barcelona by winning 4-2 and giving the Blaugrana their first loss of the league season, whereas Real Madrid dropped points in a Madrid derby that ended in a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid's Ángel Correa scoring a late equalizer. In Germany, Bayern Munich got a point against defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in a 1-1 draw, while in France, Folarin Balogun got on the scoresheet to help AS Monaco celebrate its centenary in a 2-1 win over Montpellier.

What else happened around Europe this weekend? ESPN's Weekend Review puts a bow on all the continental competition.

Premier League

Top takeaway: Cold Palmer on fire

Chelsea's Cole Palmer made history on Saturday by becoming the first player in Premier League history to score four goals in the first half of a game. His goals came in just 21 minutes against Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge in a match where he could have easily added one or two more goals as well as one or two assists in the Blues' 4-2 victory. He was just unplayable on the day, Brighton's high line unable to cope with his movement and his technical ability. His direct free kick was an absolute beauty, straight in the top corner of goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and he added a penalty, a tap-in, and a nice finish.

After a slow start of the campaign due to not having a preseason because of the Euros, Palmer has hit top form now. He has six goals and four assists in six Premier League matches and has taken Chelsea to fourth in the table, just two points behind the leaders Liverpool and one behind Manchester City and Arsenal. If people were wondering if Palmer could reproduce his heroics from last season (22 goals and 11 assists in the league), he is starting to show them.

Best match: Manchester United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur

It should have been Chelsea vs. Brighton which was spectacular. Arsenal's 4-2 win over Leicester City was epic as well but the best match goes to Tottenham Hotspur's 3-0 win over Manchester United. It was quite incredible with Bruno Fernandes' red card just before the break, a goal in the first three minutes of the first half, and two minutes of the second half for Spurs who totally destroyed a shambolic United side and a clueless Erik ten Hag.

Best goal: Justin's wonder strike for Leicester

James Justin will never score a goal as sweetly hit and as beautiful as his volley against Arsenal on Saturday. The Leicester right-back's strike was so pure and brought his team back to 2-2 after he reduced the scoring with a deflected header a few minutes earlier too. Unfortunately for him, the Foxes still lost the game 4-2 in the dying minutes. A belter for nothing from Justin.

Gets better with every watch 💫 💫 💫 pic.twitter.com/UU5p0e5xiU

— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 28, 2024

MVP of the weekend: Everton's Dwight McNeil

Obviously, the only MVP of the whole weekend all leagues included is Cole Palmer. But he is already our main takeaway of the weekend so Dwight McNeil will be the Premier League MVP on matchday six. His brace against Crystal Palace on Saturday gifted Everton their first win of the season and released some pressure off manager Sean Dyche. -- Julien Laurens

LaLiga

Top takeaway: Rotated Barça lose perfect start, but not the lead

Mallorca continued their impressive start to the season, climbing to fifth in LaLiga; Getafe registered their first win of the campaign, eight games in; Real Sociedad secured a much-needed victory against struggling Valencia, who drop into the relegation zone and then there was the Madrid derby. Right, now that's out of the way, we can focus on a wild night in Pamplona on Saturday.

Barcelona's perfect start in the league under new coach Hansi Flick -- seven games, seven wins -- was ended by Osasuna in a thrilling game at El Sadar which left questions regarding Flick's rotations. The German made five changes, leaving Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, among others, on the bench as his side were beaten 4-2. An eighth successive win would have matched the club's best-ever start to a LaLiga season, but it never looked on the cards once Ante Budimir gave Osasuna an 18th-minute lead.

Osasuna, led by the brilliant Bryan Zaragoza on the wing, were as good as Barça were bad. Flick insisted he had no choice but to rest so many players, but could he have managed his squad's game time better in recent weeks? Did Yamal and Raphinha both need to start at home to Getafe in midweek? Could they not sit out Tuesday's home UEFA Champions League fixture against Young Boys? Flick's fine start has earned him the benefit of the doubt, with Barça still top of the league, but his team will need to respond against Young Boys and Alavés before the international break.

Best match: Osasuna 4-2 Barcelona

Osasuna were superb in the first half, deserving their 2-0 lead at the break, but there were some shaky moments in the second half after Pau Víctor's first Barça goal got the away side back in the game. In the end, though, Vicente Moreno's team fully deserved their win in a game that ended with belting goals from Abel Bretones and Yamal.

Best goal: Yamal with a stunner

It would be great if there had been a better goal in another game, for variety, but there wasn't. Lamine Yamal's strike from the edge of the box was only a consolation, but it was brilliant. Watch the trajectory of the ball from the camera behind the Barça forward, who already has five goals in nine games this season -- two fewer than in 50 appearances last term.

MVP of the weekend: Osasuna's Bryan Zaragoza

Zaragoza tormented Barça last season while playing for Granada and did the same for Osasuna, who he joined on loan from Bayern Munich in the summer. The Spain international produced a brilliant cross for Budimir's opening goal and scored the second himself, skilfully rounding Iñaki Peña and rolling home. -- Samuel Marsden

Bundesliga

Top takeaway: Kompany's Bayern show grit against Leverkusen

Bayern Munich have made a complete 180 since manager Vincent Kompany took over the team during the summer. While theBavarian giants were not able to beat Bayer Leverkusen in what was the Bundesliga's top matchup this weekend, the way the 1-1 draw came to be underlined how strong Bayern have become once again. Kompany's side suffocated the defending champions for the majority of the 90 minutes, thanks to intense pressing and sophisticated build-up play.

It was night and day compared to Leverkusen's 3-0 win over Bayern back in February when Thomas Tuchel was still at the helm. If Xabi Alonso's side want to look positively at the game at Allianz Arena on Saturday, they can point towards the fact that Bayern did not manage to beat them. Still, it looks like Bayern are back in the pole position in the Bundesliga.

Best match: Bayern Munich 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen

There were games with more goals and excitement, but the scoreless clash between Bayern and Leverkusen was much more important than anything else that happened over the weekend. As one-sided as the game was at times, it felt like a heavyweight boxing bout where any little mistake could be hugely costly.

Best goal: Impressive strike from Pavlovic

Aleksandar Pavlovic was a key figure during the game in Munich. An inaccurate pass after a half-hour led to a corner kick for Leverkusen which resulted in the first goal of the game scored by Robert Andrich. But the 20-year-old Pavlovic recovered quickly, scoring the equalizer with an absolute screamer from outside the box only eight minutes later. Pavlovic's goal was reminiscent of how Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen's current manager, would score on occasion during his time as a Bayern player.

MVP of the weekend: Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy

To acknowledge at least one other game that took place on the fifth matchday of the season, we should point out how important Serhou Guirassy has become for Borussia Dortmund. The former Stuttgart striker led Dortmund's comeback against VfL Bochum on Friday. BVB were trailing by two goals after 21 minutes, but Guirassy scored Dortmund's first goal shortly before the half-time break and added another one in the second half, as Dortmund eventually beat Bochum 4-2. -- Constantin Eckner

What else you missed this weekend

AS Monaco celebrate 100th birthday in style

The Stade Louis II in Monaco is not known for its fervor and unconditional passionate support but on Saturday when Lamine Camara, deep in added time, scored the winner for the home side against Montpellier, the stadium erupted like rarely before. The occasion, more even than the scenario, was the main reason for it. L'ASM celebrated its centenary on Saturday. 100 years of beautiful history, eight league titles, five French Cups, two European finals (both lost), an iconic shirt designed by a princess (Grace in this case), and a lot of glamor in one of the most exclusive places on earth.

We have the best fans 😍

𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

‣ #ASMMHSC pic.twitter.com/DjgEp6GqIM

— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) September 28, 2024

In the stands, familiar faces and big names were there. Greats from the past on and off the pitch: Arsène Wenger, Marco Simone, Dellio Onnis, Jean-Luc Etorri or Lucien Cossou, not as well known and now 89 years old, but a winner of the only league and cup double in the club's history in 1963. All of them as well as the whole stadium celebrated like it should the win and a very special anniversary. -- Laurens

Schalke 04 bounce back following managerial sacking

Schalke, who once upon a time competed among Europe's elite in the Champions League, are currently struggling to get out of German 2. Bundesliga. They recently sacked Karel Geraerts after a disappointing start to the season which left them close to the bottom of the table. On Saturday, Schalke managed to bounce back as they beat Preußen Münster 2-1. Jakob Fimpel had been chosen to coach the team as the interim manager.

The 35-year-old has done respectable work as Schalke's reserve team coach in recent years and is seen as a coaching prospect. However, Schalke are still looking to bring in an established coach who could lead the club out of the current slump and back to the Bundesliga. That being said, many managers have failed to bring stability back to Schalke in the past couple of years, and it remains unclear who could be the one to turn this ship around. -- Eckner

Napoli top congested Serie A table

Atalanta. Juventus. Inter. Udinese. Torino. And now Napoli. Antonio Conte's side are the sixth team to climb to the top of the Serie A table after just six games in Italy's top flight. Torino started the weekend in first place but defeat to Lazio meant Juventus, Milan and Inter had already leapfrogged them by the time Napoli hosted Monza on Sunday. Napoli then proceeded to jump ahead of all of them with a routine 2-0 win against Monza. Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia got the goals in the first half.

You will be hard-pushed to find a more congested title race at this early stage of the campaign across Europe. Napoli now lead the way with 13 points, but just three points separate the top eight. Juventus (12), Milan (11), Inter (11), Torino (11), Empoli (10), Lazio (10) and Udinese (10) are all chasing. All of them have dropped points in at least two games so far, but after Torino's loss, Juve and Empoli are now Serie A's only undefeated sides. -- Marsden

- ESPN

MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS ERIK TEN HAG JOT AFRAID OF LOSING JOB

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has insisted he does not fear getting the sack despite a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham on Sunday.

United had Bruno Fernandes sent off in the first half, but they were second best for much of the game even when they had their full complement of players.

The result will further increase the pressure on Ten Hag, who has overseen a run of three wins from eight games so far this season.

Asked whether he is concerned his United bosses could look to change the manager, Ten Hag said: "I am not thinking about this.

"We made the decision from a clear review [in the summer] what we have to improve and how we want to construct a squad but we knew it will take some time. We need some time. We are all on one page or in one boat together. The ownership, the staff and the players as well. I don't have that concern."

Ten Hag was critical of the goal his team conceded to FC Twente in their 1-1 Europa League draw on Wednesday when defender Bart van Rooij surged through the centre of United's midfield.

Spurs defender Micky van de Ven produced a similar run from centre-back to set up their opening goal inside three minutes.

Ten Hag was clearly frustrated at allowing the same goal to be scored twice in the space of four days, but said afterwards that he is convinced his players are still listening.

"Yes I am," he said.

"But it is clear and obvious when you concede a goal like this again, it shouldn't happen and especially when we address it so loud and clear."

It won't get any easier for Ten Hag with United facing tough trips to FC Porto and Aston Villa this week.

The game at Villa Park on Sunday is United's last before the international break and another poor performance will ramp up the calls for Ten Hag to be dismissed.

"There is always a new game," he said.

"It will be a new day and it is also obvious you have to learn as a team. It can't happen twice in four days that a defender can dribble through the whole team. You can't make such mistakes in football."

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

MANCHESTER UNITED CAPTAIN BRUNO FERNANDES DISPUTES PIVOTAL RED CARD

Bruno Fernandes is shown a red card during Manchester United's loss to Tottenham. Getty Images

 Bruno Fernandes said he didn't deserve to be sent off for a dangerous challenge on James Maddison in Manchester United's 3-0 Premier League loss to Tottenham on Sunday.

The United captain was shown a straight red in the 42nd minute at Old Trafford.

"Nobody wants to be sent off, it's not a good feeling," said Fernandes, who took the unusual decision of stepping up for postmatch interviews following his dismissal. "I didn't go with the studs. It's never a red card. Even James Maddison when he gets up, he said it's not a red card."

Fernandes appeared to slip when attempting a tackle in Tottenham's half -- but then raised his foot and caught Maddison on the shin in a studs-up challenge.

Referee Christopher Kavanagh immediately brandished a red card.

"If this is a red card, we have to look at many other incidents," Fernandes said. "It is a foul. There is not much contact. If [the referee] wants to give me a yellow, I agree. I don't understand why VAR doesn't call him to the screen."

Fernandes became the fourth United captain to be sent off in a Premier League game at Old Trafford, joining Roy Keane, Nemanja Vidic and Wayne Rooney on that list.

"I want to say, I left my teammates one man down," Fernandes said. "I do appreciate everything they did on the pitch, obviously was tougher for them. We didn't start the game well when it was 11 vs. 11, then obviously the result is on their side and we get the situation with the red card and obviously I think they did ... very well.

"They tried, obviously we conceded another two goals, but it was difficult to cover all the spaces. But I think [there are] many good things that we can take away from this, [the] resilience of the team was always there, and I'm really proud of the team."

United trailed 1-0 at halftime after Brennan Johnson's goal in the third minute.

It got worse for United after the break, when Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke also scored for Spurs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

- ESPN News Services

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MESSI'S 15TH GOAL IN 16 LEAGUE GAMES SECURE DRAW FOR INTER MIAMI

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Lionel Messi moved Inter Miami another step closer to the No. 1 seed for the MLS Cup playoffs.

And the MLS single-season points record remains in the club's reach as well.

Messi scored in the 67th minute and Inter Miami pushed its unbeaten streak to eight straight Major League Soccer matches with a 1-1 tie against Charlotte FC on Saturday night. It was Messi's 15th goal in 16 league matches this season.

The tie, combined with Columbus' 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Saturday, left Inter Miami eight points clear of the Crew for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami is also seven points up on the LA Galaxy for the No. 1 overall seed in the MLS playoffs.

Inter Miami plays at Columbus on Wednesday, and a win would wrap up the No. 1 seed in the East. Inter Miami (19-4-8) has 65 points with three matches left; Columbus (16-5-9) has 57 points with four matches remaining.

If Inter Miami wins out, it will finish with 74 points - one more than the MLS record of 73 set by New England in 2021.

D.C. United helped Inter Miami a bit on Saturday. Columbus led 2-1 late in the second half but surrendered the tying goal in the 81st minute; otherwise, the Crew could have been two points closer to Inter Miami in the standings and made Wednesday's match far more interesting.

Messi's goal was his typical brilliance. He took a pass near the top of the penalty box, dribbling once and threading his natural left-footed shot between four defenders and into the net to tie the match.

It came 10 minutes after Charlotte (11-11-9, 42 points, seventh in the East) struck first, with Karol Swiderski deflecting a shot into the net.

But Messi answered, and Inter Miami had to settle for its third consecutive draw. The team is 5-0-3 in its last eight league matches and 9-1-3 in MLS play since June 1.

There were two great chances for Inter Miami in the final moments. Messi lobbied for a shot at the gamewinner in the 10th minute of stoppage time, after getting taken down near the top of the penalty area. No foul was called, and about two minutes later, Luis Suarez somehow missed from point-blank range on the final play of the match.

The match was the next-to-last of the home regular season slate for Inter Miami. After the showdown at Columbus on Wednesday, the club goes to Toronto on Oct. 5 and then wraps up the 34-match schedule at home against New England on Oct. 19.

Inter Miami will open the playoffs at home the following weekend.

- Associated Press

NEW JERSEYS METLIFE STADIUM AWARDED 2025 CLUB WORLD CUP

FIFA announced the 12 venues that will host the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday, with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, hosting the final July 13. The tournament will begin June 15.

That venue will be joined by Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Rose Bowl Stadium (Los Angeles), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville, Tennessee), Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle) and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).

"Football is the most popular sport on the planet, and in 2025 a new era for club football will kick off when FIFA stages the greatest, most inclusive and merit-based global club competition right here in the United States," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who made the announcement at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, New York. "The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will feature 12 fantastic stadiums where a new chapter in football's global history will be written by great players from the 32 best clubs in the world."

The draw is set to take pace in December, and only two qualifiers have yet to be named, one from South American and one from the U.S. Further information regarding the draw, which will see the 32 clubs divided into eight groups of four, will be released in due course.

The Club World Cup is being played primarily on the East Coast to avoid any clash with 2025 Gold Cup matches being centered on the West Coast from June 14 to July 6. The Seattle Sounders' qualification to the Club World Cup complicated the logistics, prompting FIFA to include Lumen Field as a host venue, sources told ESPN.

FIFA has faced backlash from other entities in soccer for the organization of this tournament, including FIFPRO and the Professional Footballers' Association in England, as many raise concerns over schedule congestion and an increase in games. The Premier League, in particular, questioned the timing of the tournament during the summer window, a time frame normally used for international windows, sources told ESPN.

Despite concerns, Infantino greenlit the competition for 2025 and implemented several changes. The upcoming edition of the competition will now see 32 teams compete, after FIFA announced an expansion from its seven-club format in 2023

Infantino continued. "This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup which will impact enormously the growth of club football and talent globally.

"This is about opportunity and hope for those who need it most, and also about prestige and true football for those who make our sport shine. My thanks go to all."

- Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondent

LIAM DELAP DOUBLE EARNS IPSWICH TOWN DRAW WITH ASTON VILLA

Liam Delap's brace ensured the points were shared between Aston Villa and Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Sunday.
Julian Finney/Getty Images

Ipswich Town played out a fourth straight Premier League draw after they held Aston Villa 2-2 on Sunday at Portman Road where Liam Delap opened the scoring for the home side before grabbing the equaliser in the second half.

Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins scored for Villa in the first half before Delap grabbed his second but neither side could find a winner as promoted Ipswich continue to wait for a first win on their return to the Premier League.

Villa missed the chance to go level on points with leaders Liverpool as Unai Emery's side are in fifth place on 13 points -- behind Chelsea on goal difference -- while Ipswich are 15th with four points.

"It was really good and we showed what we are about from minute one and we created so many chances. It was a really good result for us and we probably deserved the win after the second half performance," Delap told Sky Sports.

"I think it's the fourth time we've got something from a game so we are happy."

In an end-to-end first half, Ipswich took an early lead when Villa failed to clear the ball and Jack Clarke cut the ball back for Delap, whose first-time shot slipped through goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez's glove even though he had the near post covered.

But Villa responded seven minutes later when Jacob Greaves gave the ball away in a poor clearance, with Rogers picking it up in the box and playing a one-two with Watkins before firing home the equaliser.

Portman Road was quickly silenced when Leon Bailey whipped in a cross that took out both Ipswich centre backs and Watkins made it 2-1 with a header for his fourth goal of the season.

Ipswich had two glorious opportunities to level but Martinez came to Villa's rescue when he palmed away a rocket of a shot from Kalvin Phillips before sticking a leg out to deny Delap when he was clean through on goal.

The game calmed down in the second half but Ipswich were in the ascendancy and they equalised on a counter-attack after 72 minutes when Delap beat the offside trap and got the better of Diego Carlos with a sublime shimmy before beating Martinez.

"They always put a lot of pressure on us and we couldn't really implement our game plan," Watkins said.

"Ipswich were always on to us and it was a bit of a basketball game, which is what they wanted but we didn't. It was a difficult game and I think a point is a fair result."

Game Information

Portman Road

4:00 PM, September 29, 2024

Coverage: USA Net/Tele

Ipswich, England

Line: AVL -0.5

Over/Under: 2.5

Attendance: 29,943

Referees: Stuart Attwell

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BRUNO FERNANDES IS BECOMING A PROBLEM FOR MAN UTD: WASTEFUL CAPTAIN CAN NO LONGER BE UNDROPPANLE IF ERIK TEN HAG WANTS TO SAVE HIS JOB

The Portuguese got another 90 minutes under his belt in midweek, despite once again hindering the Red Devils' in attack.

Goal

Bruno Fernandes has always been a frustrating player to watch. The former Sporting CP playmaker goes to ground too easily, riles up opponents constantly and never fails to lambast his own team-mates when things are going wrong. For the most part, all of that has been excused in Fernandes' time at Manchester United, because he has consistently made a decisive impact in the final third of the pitch.

But this season that is no longer the case. Fernandes' latest wince-inducing performance came in United's Europa League opener against Twente, which saw the Dutch side battle to a 1-1 draw in front of an exasperated Old Trafford crowd.

The hosts held a lead at the interval thanks to a fine Christian Eriksen strike, but surrendered it with 20 minutes left on the clock as the Dane was made to pay for a defensive mistake by Sam Lammers. "We were too easy-going, too complacent," Erik ten Hag told TNT Sports after the game. "We didn’t bring it over the line and as a team, you have to deliver this."

The United manager might as well have been talking directly to Fernandes, who was the most "complacent" player on the pitch. He has been for weeks now, but for some reason, remains undroppable. If the Red Devils are to turn their campaign around, and Ten Hag wants to save his job, that has to change. The captain has become a big problem that can no longer be ignored.

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Poor execution

According to Sofascore, Fernandes touched the ball 72 times against Twente, which reflects the fact that everything goes through him when United press forward. The 30-year-old never stops running or demanding the ball, and when he gets it, always looks for the most direct route to goal.

Unfortunately, his execution is falling well below the required standard. Fernandes lost possession 19 times on Wednesday night as the majority of his passes went astray and his first touch let him down.

Fernandes only created one chance in the game, too, and yet, he was allowed to stay on until the final whistle. It doesn't reflect well on Ten Hag, who made four substitutions after Twente's equaliser, but didn't consider taking off the man directly responsible for United's failure to keep control of the game.

Blind hope is the only explanation for that. Fernandes has shown in the past that he can deliver moments of magic out of the blue; that's what Ten Hag continues to cling to. But the Portuguese's risky style of play isn't reaping rewards anymore; it's just costing United dearly.

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Not making the right decisions

Fernandes has been ever-present for United in the Premier League so far this term, and has only been substituted once: in the 79th minute of their 2-1 away defeat to Brighton. In each of those games, Fernandes lost the ball over 10 times. In the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace last time out, he ceded possession on 34 occasions, almost twice as many as any other United player.

United can't rely on Fernandes to make the right decisions. He will often just go for goal himself before picking his head up to see if a team-mate is in a better position, and his shooting has been erratic - to put it as kindly as possible.

The Portugal international has had the most shots without scoring of any player in Europe's top five leagues (17), and he's fourth in the Premier League rankings for most 'big chances' wasted (three). These numbers should be a major concern for Ten Hag.

Fernandes has yet to score in 2024-25, with his last Premier League goal coming back in April. He has bagged three assists this term, but two of those came in the 7-0 Carabao Cup rout of Barnsley, which was more like a training game for United. This feels like more than just a slump in form, then; Fernandes is showing signs of decline. That could be down to burnout, or just age, but either way, the midfielder should no longer be guaranteed a place in the starting XI.

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Cause of an imbalance

Fernandes has been the best United player of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. That's why the club handed him a contract extension through to 2027 in August, after months of transfer speculation.

"I believe there is a dream future at this club with the changes that are taking place," Fernandes told ESPN Brazil after penning fresh terms at Old Trafford. "I had concrete offers. There were other directions that would have been interesting for me, but I feel good here, I feel loved and I feel that the club has been very respectful of me."

 At the time, the renewal was seen as another crucial statement of intent from United's new minority owners INEOS - helmed by Britain's richest man, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Fernandes won his third Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in May, which was a deserved reward for his 28-goal contributions in an otherwise miserable campaign for the Red Devils.

Over the last four-and-a-half years, Fernandes has carried the team on his back, but United haven't really progressed as a collective. He's been given license to lead however he sees fit, which has caused an imbalance, particularly under Ten Hag.

"Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go there, there, there," Gary Neville explained on Sky Sports at the start of the year, "and that means you can never have a combination or a pattern because you've got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch. It's almost a bit like 20 years ago where your No.10, you gave them licence to play. That's gone now. You have to fit within a combination and a pattern and system of attacking shape."

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Need to experiment

United do have plenty of other options for the No.10 slot. Former Bologna and Bayern Munich star Joshua Zirkzee, who was signed to compete with Rasmus Hojlund for minutes upfront, has a natural tendency to drop deeper and link play, while wingers Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho are both versatile enough to move into a central role.

Mason Mount is fit again now, and the No.10 was his best position at Chelsea. Eriksen, meanwhile, enjoyed a resurgence in holding midfield recently, but he can also play further up the pitch, and is certainly better at keeping the ball circulating than Fernandes.

The visit of Twente represented the perfect time to give Fernandes a rest and experiment with a different combination, but Ten Hag let the opportunity pass him by. United can't be so dependent on one player if they are serious about getting back into the Champions League.

The Red Devils would likely be more efficient without Fernandes, and being dropped might be the wake-up call he needs. Fernandes has to evolve to help the club now, and that means sharing responsibility instead of trying to do everything on his own. Fernandes still has plenty to offer if he accepts that, but it won't happen unless Ten Hag reins him in.

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Really cut out for captaincy?

If United carry on as they are, their season will reach a crisis point, just as it did this time last year. Three wins from seven games in all competitions is simply not good enough. Discounting the Carabao Cup romp against Barnsley, Ten Hag's side have only scored six goals, and the results will only improve when they discover a clinical edge.

As per The Athletic, the Red Devils have racked up an impressive xG (expected goals) total in the Premier League, which can only be bettered by Liverpool, but they're sitting top for 'big chances' missed (17). Fernandes is certainly not the only one to blame for that, but he has been a chief offender when it comes to squandering clear openings.

Fernandes is not the composed finisher he once was. The captain's armband can be a heavy weight, and in the Portuguese's case especially, it looks like he's trying too hard.

"When you've got a technician as a skipper, I think it's always dangerous because they're going to have off games," former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said on talkSPORT after watching Fernandes struggle in United's 3-0 hammering at the hands of Liverpool on September 1. "Even [Christian] Eriksen in his prime, [Michel] Platini in his prime, they'd have the off day. I think it would be better for him as a footballer to take it off him. I think it might let him be a bit more free-minded. He's probably worrying about the back four, worrying about the wingers. You don't really know how to deal with it. I think it's a hamper to him."

It's true that Fernandes doesn't seem like the best fit for the captaincy. Lisandro Martinez would be better suited; he's a born leader with good communication skills and reads the game brilliantly.

Being relived of the leadership burden might stop Fernandes from forcing everything on the ball. He needs to get back to basics, or else supporters will soon run out of patience with him, and in turn, Ratcliffe will do the same with Ten Hag.

What's next?

Ten Hag finally took some responsibility for United's inconsistency after their false start in Europe, adding to TNT Sports: "It is not only the team, I have to look in the mirror as well. I am part of it." He could start by taking the blinkers off when it comes to Fernandes.

The Portuguese ace can no longer survive on his past reputation. It's Tottenham up next, and United cannot afford for Fernandes to have another stinker. A defeat against Ange Postecoglou's team will leave the Red Devils well off the top-four pace, which would be inexcusable at this early stage of the campaign.

Ten Hag needs his midfielders to be methodical and his forwards to be ruthless. Spurs have the firepower to pick United off if they're not. Fernandes will probably get the nod again, though, and so the fans are in for another nail-biting afternoon.

When everything comes off for Fernandes, there is no issue, but that hasn't been the case for some time. Ten Hag is edging closer to the point of no return, and his blind faith in United's enigmatic skipper may end up being the straw that breaks the camel's back for the INEOS regime.

- James Westwood

HARRY KANE, WHERE WERE YOU?! BAYERN MÜNCHEN HELD TO FRUSTRATING 1-1 DRAW WITH BAYER LEVERKUSEN AS ENGLAND CAPTAIN FAILS TO HAVE A SINGLE SHOT SHOT ON GOAL IN ANONYMOUS DISPLAY

Harry Kane failed to have a single shot on goal as Bayern Munich were held to a stalemate by Bundesliga title rivals Bayer Leverkusen.

AFP

TELL ME MORE

Bayern and Leverkusen renewed hostilities after last season's incredible title race that saw the latter win the title in an unbeaten campaign. Fireworks may have been expected, but this was a tight, cagey encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw.

On the half-hour mark, Leverkusen had the lead as Robert Andrich arrowed a low effort into the bottom corner from just outside the box. But in the 39th minute, Aleksandar Pavlovic unleashed an unbelievable strike from range into the top corner to bring Bayern level.

After the restart, Serge Gnabry got on the end of a brilliant Kane cross and his volley hit the post, before his strike on the rebound crashed against the crossbar. Bayern were largely restricted to long-range efforts against the champions, as Leverkusen almost dared the hosts to break them down.

Kane failed to have a single shot on target, as Bayern were frustrated throughout, and were ultimately forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

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THE MVP

Xabi Alonso will be absolutely delighted. He set his team up to frustrate Bayern and they did exactly that. They have essentially halted the runaway train at the top of the Bundesliga table, and will now hope to take full advantage as the season progresses

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.THE BIG LOSER

Kane went missing in a big game. Again. He was completely anonymous apart from dropping deep in build-up and did not manage to have a single shot on goal. A dismal evening, and he was substituted with five minutes remaining.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Bayern play Aston Villa in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Leverkusen take on AC Milan on Tuesday.

- Harry Sherlock

ARSENAL RATINGS: SAKA, TROSSARD STAR IN WIN VS. LEICESTER

Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka celebrate after Arsenal take the lead vs. Leicester City in the Premier League. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal returned to winning ways on Saturday afternoon as they secured a 4-2 victory over Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners dominated the first half and got themselves in front when Jurriën Timber crossed low towards Gabriel Martinelli, who registered his first Premier League goal of the season with an accurate finish. Martinelli was a regular spark for the home side's attack throughout the opening 45 minutes, and he was involved again before the break when providing the assist for Leandro Trossard to double the lead.

Manager Mikel Arteta looked comfortable as his side enjoyed 76% possession by the end of the first half, but it was just moments after the restart when the Foxes responded, with James Justin's effort deflected off Kai Havertz from Facundo Buonanotte's free kick.

Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen kept his side in it with saves against Gabriel Magalhães and then Trossard, before a spectacular effort from Justin was smashed in off the post to level the scoring. Hermansen was involved again when a poor pass out from the back allowed Declan Rice to play in Trossard, only for the 29-year-old to see his effort saved.

Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri were introduced as Arsenal looked to get a late winner, and after Hermansen made one more save from Riccardo Calafiori, it was one corner too many in the 94th minute as Trossard's effort was deflected in by Wilfred Ndidi to win the game. Havertz added a late goal to seal it with one of the final kicks of the match.

Positives

Arsenal's victory puts them on level points with Manchester City, while they continued to show how they continue to win games late, while being the best in the league at converting set pieces. Bukayo Saka's performance was also noteworthy, in an almost faultless display on the day.

Negatives

There were some moments when concentration could have been better, with Calafiori taking a chance on a yellow card -- but those were minor negatives in an otherwise convincing performance.

Manager rating (1-10)

Mikel Arteta, 7 -- Arteta's side created more than enough chances to win the game, and the Arsenal manager was unlucky to see his side concede from a deflected set piece and then a spectacular strike. Some might argue he could have made the introduction of Sterling sooner, but the Gunners did have a massive chance to retake the lead a minute before he came on.

Player ratings (1-10; 10: best. Players introduced after 70 minutes receive no rating)

GK David Raya, 5 -- There was little to do for Raya as Arsenal dominated the first half, but he had to pick the ball out of his net moments after the restart, with Leicester City converting from their free kick.

DF Riccardo Calafiori, 6 -- The Italy international combined well with Martinelli when advancing up the left flank, and was encouraged to shoot by the Emirates Stadium crowd after his effort against Manchester City last week. He could have been tighter to Justin before his strike, and was also careless with some challenges which may have seen him sent off on another day. Almost scored the winner with a powerful header but was denied by Hermansen.

DF Gabriel Magalhães, 6 -- Gabriel was a constant danger on set pieces as usual and came close to scoring when forcing a save from Hermansen. Composed in possession, and helped quickly restart attacks for his side after receiving the ball.

DF William Saliba, 7 -- A strong display from Saliba saw him regularly win the ball back with aggressive challenges high up the pitch, which allowed Arsenal to maintain pressure when their opponents tried to clear the danger. Involved in the first goal when challenging Jamie Vardy who claimed for a foul before the Gunners scored, but there didn't look to be too much in it. Booked in the second half for a foul on Vardy.

DF Jurriën Timber, 7 -- Timber fared well against Leicester City's attempts to counter-attack and dealt well against the threat of Stephy Mavididi. Registered an assist with a low cross that was delivered across the box to Martinelli.

MF Thomas Partey, 6 -- Kept things ticking in midfield by moving the ball on to Arsenal's more creative players, but didn't have too much to do defensively, with the majority of Leicester City's attacks going down the flanks.

MF Declan Rice, 7 -- An all-round strong midfield performance saw Rice help control the game as well as win possession back consistently, impressing with his decision-making. Played in Trossard after a big error from Hermansen, and was unlucky not to get an assist after the goalkeeper made amends with a save.

MF Kai Havertz, 6 -- The 25-year-old timed his runs well into the penalty area and was able to connect with multiple crosses but couldn't trouble the goalkeeper. He was also too deep from Leicester City's free kick, deflecting Justin's effort into his own goal. Got himself on the scoresheet late on to seal Arsenal's 4-2 victory.

FW Gabriel Martinelli, 8 -- Martinelli always looked to beat his marker down the left-flank and where he provided a regular option when Arsenal won the ball back high up the pitch. Got things up and running with a strong finish from Timber's low cross, and then turned provider to assist Trossard as the Gunners made it 2-0. Replaced by Sterling in the second half.

FW Leandro Trossard, 8 -- The Belgium international got into consistent intelligent positions and was rewarded at the end of the first half as he finished accurately from Martinelli's cut-back. Missed a big chance in the second half but made amends with his effort that was deflected into the goal in the 94th minute.

FW Bukayo Saka, 9 -- There was always a sense that something could happen when Saka had the ball on the right-flank, where Leicester City even struggled to deal with the 23-year-old when they doubled up on him. Impressed when beating his man down the line as well as cutting inside, and he consistently carried the ball into dangerous areas before creating shooting opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating)

Raheem Sterling (on for Martinelli, 74"), N/R -- Positive in possession and tried to beat his marker down the line, but couldn't get his deliveries into the box.

Ethan Nwaneri (Partey, 85"), N/R -- Brought on and provided an instant lift to the crowd amid a confident performance, and was involved as he helped win the corner that put Leicester under all sorts of pressure.

Gabriel Jesus (Trossard, 98",) N/R -- Introduced as Arsenal looked to play the remainder of the game out.

- Adam Brown