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Phil Foden's magnificent man-of-the-match display in the Champions League against AEK Athens served as a reminder of the prodigious talent that the player still possesses. After two disappointing seasons in which, by his own admission, he failed to hit the heights expected, there may be those who had forgotten what he can produce. Being left out of the England squad for the World Cup last summer did not help, but he came into this season telling reporters he was looking forward to a "fresh start" under new manager Enzo Maresca. Up until last weekend, that fresh start had been a slow burner with the low point of being sent off in the derby against Manchester United in September, before he sparked into life by netting against Ipswich on Saturday. That was his first Premier League goal in 10 months and a strike that seems to have opened the floodgates, with the 26-year-old netting a superb hat-trick in the 5-1 hammering of Athens at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. "I enjoyed that a lot," Foden told TNT Sports. "The lads were great again. We showed determination again. I am a forward so I have to keep scoring and helping the team. It is good for my confidence." Asked if he was returning to his best form, Foden said: "Slowly, but surely. Still got a long way to go, but I am going in the right direction. Scoring along the way definitely helps. "I want to keep working hard and keep being the best I can for the manager and the team." Foden stars with hat-trick as Man City thrash AEK Athens A smiling Foden gliding across the turf in full flow is a joy for City fans to watch and he sent them home happy after a performance in which he had a hand in four of the five goals. Boss Maresca took a risk by making eight changes from the side that beat Ipswich in their last outing, with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias and Foden the players retained. Striker Erling Haaland was named in the squad but ultimately given the night off after sustaining a blow to the foot in the previous game, giving Maresca the chance to explore his suggestion that Foden could offer a "solution" in the false nine role. After starting on the right, he moved into that position later in the game and it paid dividends, with Foden saying he "really enjoyed" the role. Though there was a brief scare for City at the start of the second half when the visitors pulled a goal back to trail 2-1, they found another gear and were out of sight by the final whistle. And by then, Foden had become just the third Englishman to score a hat-trick and provide an assist in a Champions League match after Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2004 and former team-mate Raheem Sterling for City in 2019. While the first and third goals were converted from close range, the second was a stunning finish from just inside the area, Foden opening up his body and caressing a first-time effort into the top corner. "Beautiful - that's the word I would use to describe him," former City defender Joleon Lescott said of Foden on TNT Sports. "His finishing was exquisite. "I think he has convinced the manager that if Erling Haaland isn't available for any reason throughout the season, then he is the man to play at number nine." Foden scored 19 goals as City won the Premier League in 2023-24 and was named the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year and the league's player of the season. He ended last season by failing to score in his last 31 games for club and country but despite the struggles, he signed a new four-year deal in July. The red card for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford could have been damaging but the aim now will be kick on and build on this showing. "I was very happy with Phil, even before the red card to be honest," said Maresca. "I said since day one that I consider him one of the best English players. "We know that Phil is a top player. Again, for different reasons, he had some problems in the last two years but he is going to help us. "That is why we are so keen to have him in the best way." Former England winger Ashley Young said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "When Phil Foden gets his opportunities tonight, he takes them with both hands. By getting a hat-trick, his confidence is going to be sky high. "Enzo Maresca is going to be happy he hasn't had to bring on Erling Haaland or Jeremy Doku. He has been able to use the players that are in his squad. "This is no way a second-string but you have got to go our there and show the manager 'I should be playing'. "Foden is answering his manager's questions."

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Terry Devlin denied Wolves victory just as the hosts' inspired substitutions again looked to prove decisive as Portsmouth drew 1-1 at Molineux in the Championship. Four days after Tawanda Chirewa came off the bench to score the winner at Burnley, substitute Jordan James' strike looked like it would prove the difference for Wolves. But right-back Devlin popped up with a superbly taken equaliser to give Pompey an unlikely share of the spoils. The scoreline was harsh on Wolves as Chirewa hit the bar and was denied another goal, while Mateus Mane and Fer Lopez missed chances in a dominant second-half performance. Portsmouth failed to hit the target until Devlin struck in the 86th minute. In a forgettable first half, Andre had the only Wolves chance. The Brazil midfielder lofted a bouncing shot just wide from 25 yards after Devlin beat Marshall Munetsi to head away Mane's cross. Portsmouth's only chance of the opening half came in the 36th minute. Wolves failed to deal with Adrian Segecic's deep free-kick and after Nasser Djiga missed the header and Ebou Adams' angled effort was blocked, Rocco Shein's low shot was a few feet wide. Wolves made a double change at half-time to spark some life into the game - Chirewa, Friday's matchwinner at Burnley, and James replaced Sean Neave and Munetsi - and it worked, with a much-improved display. Bristol City 0-1 Sheffield United: Ollie Arblaster nets only goal in Blades win Birmingham 3-0 QPR: Liam Millar scores twice in win for in-form Blues West Brom 3-2 Blackburn: Baggies hit back to win in five-goal thriller Swansea 0-1 West Ham: Divine Mukasa nets winner as Hammers sink Championship leaders Derby 0-1 Stoke: Luke Graham nets winner for Potters Southampton 0-0 Bolton: Saint held at home by Trotters Chirewa, who scored the winner within 21 seconds of his arrival at Turf Moor, quickly rattled the bar with a tight-angled, rising shot after turning inside his man. Mane dragged a low, angled drive well wide, then Lopez volleyed wide from Rafiki Said's inviting cross as Wolves continued to probe for the breakthrough. That came in the 62nd minute from James, who slammed home a fierce low first-time drive after starting the move with a one-two with Lopez, beating Nicolas Schmid at his near post. Pompey missed a good chance to equalise when Adams headed over substitute Marezi's corner from five yards while substitute Tommy Doyle's teasing cross just missed the sliding Chirewa as Wolves sniffed a second goal. But Devlin struck when he chested down and volleyed right into the corner of the net after Marezi's free-kick had been headed clear. Chirewa's low shot was clawed around a post by Schmid as Wolves desperately pushed for a winner at the death and both benches had to be pulled apart at the final whistle as tensions briefly boiled over before order was quickly restored.

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Phil Foden bagged a hat-trick as dominant Manchester City cruised to a 5-1 win over AEK Athens to claim their second Champions League victory of the campaign. Foden had waited 10 months for a goal before four arrived in back-to-back outings, adding to his strike against Ipswich at the weekend with three tidy finishes, the first two from Rico Lewis assists. Man City had far too much quality for their Greek visitors despite leaving Erling Haaland in the stands, with Enzo Maresca allowing 17-year-old Floyd Samba to deputise in his place. Maresca proved his point in doing so: City have many other means of scoring beyond Haaland. Elliot Anderson was also on target in a dominant first half that included 10 efforts on Alberto Brignoli's goal, with Allan striking the crossbar and Rayan Cherki going close. AEK failed to land a shot on target until Stavros Pilios pulled a goal back early in the second period. But their hope was short-lived. Cherki scored City's third five minutes later to kill any suggestion of a comeback and Foden issued another timely reminder of his class by completing a statement hat-trick. The last time Foden scored three times in the same game was April 2024. It's felt like a lifetime since the City Academy graduate, a known favourite of Pep Guardiola, was anywhere near his dazzling best. His latest display was somewhere close to perfect. 12: GOAL! Anderson steers home the rebound from Enzo Fernandez' free-kick for his first club goal. 23: CROSSBAR! Allan crashes a fierce effort off the woodwork as City threaten again. 34: GOAL! Foden combines neatly with Lewis and stabs beyond Alberto Brignoli. 52: GOAL! Pilios gives AEK a lifeline with a well-taken strike across Gianluigi Donnarumma. 57: GOAL! Cherki finds the bottom corner to kill any AEK momentum. 65: GOAL! Lewis tees up Foden and he guides the ball into the top corner with a wonderful finish. 76: GOAL! Ryan McAidoo offers Foden the chance to complete his hat-trick with an easy tap-in. On Foden : "I've said since day one, I consider him one of the best English players. For different reasons, in the last two years, he was not good enough. But I know how good he is. We are trying to help him because we are sure he's going to help us." On the performance : "It was not easy, especially after the PSG game. We had two games that we certainly needed to win, and we did our job. "I'm also happy because some of the players have not been playing many minutes, but they were ready. This is important. It is the best feeling for any manager when you make many changes but the performance is still good." Man City forward Phil Foden to TNT Sports: "I enjoyed that a lot. We showed determination again; it wasn't pretty at times, giving sloppy passes away, but I thought we stuck at the game plan, we kept going, and in the end we broke them down. "I've still got a long way [before I'm back at my best], but I'm going in the right direction and scoring along the way. It definitely helps. "I just want to keep working hard and trying to be the best I can for the manager and for the team." "We didn't want to sit back and try to survive, like I said before the game. We wanted to be dangerous with the ball. "But of course the quality in the finishing phase from City was brutal. These guys were much better in the final third than us. They punished every mistake. A deserved victory for City. "AEK is only playing Champions League group phase for the second time in 20 years; we're trying to compete. Maybe we showed too much respect for our opponent."

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Barcelona were handed their first defeat of the season as they lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League classic. In a game that saw a total of 40 attempts on goal, it was the reigning European champions who were able to outgun the visitors in a contender for match of the season. The pair traded goals, with Desire Doue's strike and Lucas Hernandez's header each being cancelled out courtesy of youngster Xavi Espart and the irrepressible Lamine Yamal. Seconds after Barca's number 10 levelled things for a second time, Vitinha restored PSG's lead as Barcelona ran out of gas. Fabian Ruiz put the icing on the cake five minutes later with a tap-in as Hansi Flick side tasted defeat for the first time in 12 games this season. There were some sour notes on an otherwise exhilarating evening. Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele came off with a suspected hamstring injury inside the opening 20 minutes. Team-mate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was also helped off in the second half after picking up a knock. Dani Olmo was also withdrawn in the first half for Barcelona, who are already struggling with an injury crisis. It adds another blow for the LaLiga leaders, who visit Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the season on Sunday. 2: POST! Kvaratskhelia smashes the woodwork in less than 120 seconds. 5: SAVE! Garcia denies Dembele and Doue in quick succession. 10: CHANCE FOR GORDON! Ball drops to Englishman in good position, but he fails to make the most of it. 14: JUST WIDE! Olmo misses target in Barcelona's first meaningful attempt. 19: INJURY! Ballon d'Or holder Dembele comes off with suspected hamstring issue. 25: HUGE MISS! Substitute Torres denied by Garcia from close range. 27: INJURY! Olmo replaced as Barca's injury list grows. 29: CHANCES GALORE! PSG squander three brilliant attempts in a matter of seconds. 38: GOAL! Doue finally puts PSG ahead after Lamine Yamal mistake. 40: SAVE! Nearly immediate response from Barca as Fermin is thwarted by Safanov. 51: SAVE! Hakimi denied as PSG miss more chances. 55: GOAL! PSG punished as Espart equalises. 59: INJURY! Kvaratskhelia is helped off the pitch on the hour. 71: POST! Torres misses again as he strikes the post from close range! 72: GOAL! A set-piece does the job as Hernandez's header restores PSG's lead. 79: GOAL! Lamine Yamal smashes Barca level from a tight angle. 81: GOAL! Vitinha hits back immediately from edge of the box. 86: GOAL! Ruiz seals the deal as Barca run out of steam. Barcelona forward Anthony Gordon speaking with TNT Sports: "I think it was quite predictable that it was going to be high-scoring and a good spectacle for people to watch. I was hoping we would come out on the right side of that, but unfortunately we didn't. "They deserved it. They were the better team and had the better moments with real quality. Athletically, they were able to sustain the pressure and intensity for longer than we were. They've been the team to beat for two years and tonight they gave a great example as to why. "I think we can take great positives because we played well. It was a competitive spectacle. We've still got work to do and that's a good position to be in. They've been the team to beat for two years. We need to do enough work, analyse the game and try and become that." "I covered PSG's 5-4 win over Bayern Munich last season. It was a breathless game and one of the greatest I had ever witnessed. "While tonight might not quite have been at that level, it was in a very similar bracket. Two of the best teams in the world with full belief in themselves and only one intention: outscore the other. "No one could've blamed Barcelona if they came to the French capital and decided they were going to shut up shop and try to stop the potent PSG attack. "Their approach was the complete opposite. They had faith that their attack was as lethal. In the end, they fell short, but they can hold their heads high. "As a neutral, these are the types of games you dream of watching. It makes you feel things only free-flowing football can. "If you want a demonstration of what two heavyweight giants playing each other should look like, it is this. Blow for blow, haymaker for haymaker.

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Liverpool came from two goals down to defeat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield and make it three wins from three in this season’s Champions League. Two goals from Alexis Mac Allister and one apiece from Ronald Araujo and Florian Wirtz completed the turnaround, with Rio Ngumoha superb. All of it came after Virgil van Dijk's poor header allowed Georges Mikautadze to score in the fourth minute. It was the earliest that Liverpool had fallen behind at Anfield in a major European tie for a quarter of a century but worse was to come when Sergi Cardona raced through to finish off a slick move for the Spanish side's second, a deserved lead at that stage. But Mac Allister's header from Kostas Tsimikas' corner pulled one back and the lively Ngumoha then fashioned an equaliser when Araujo ghosted in at the far post with Cardona sleeping. It was hardly deserved but Liverpool were rampant after the break. The introduction of Wirtz undoubtedly helped but it was Ngumoha whose dancing feet opened up the Villarreal defence to set up Mac Allister for his second. Wirtz then made it four himself with a left-footed finish beyond Peter Gulacsi. His relief was palpable. Andoni Iraola will likely feel the same after Tani Oluwaseyi set up a nervous finish. Liverpool have conceded three goals in each of their last two Champions League games but won them both. It has not been entirely convincing but it is a third victory in a row. They played Rio by Duran Duran upon the final whistle at Anfield, so obvious was it that the winger had been the best player on the pitch. Mac Allister scored two, Wirtz had his big moment but for all the expensive signings on show, Rio Ngumoha was the standout. Ngumoha finished with two assists and seven successful dribbles. There were times when three Villarreal players were trying to stop him but it never deterred him and you always sensed that the teenager had the trickery and the talent to find a way through. It was a privilege to watch him play and impossible not to imagine what is ahead for him. "On the ball, this kid has so much quality," said Daniel Sturridge on Amazon Prime . "It is stuff you can't teach. What he does with the ball at his feet, it is God-given ability." There is more to learn, of course. He was partially culpable for Villarreal's second goal, failing to track a runner. But that was hardly a story on a night when Ngumoha lit up Anfield. Others are under scrutiny at Liverpool. He is just having the time of his life. 4 - GOAL! Mikautadze seized on Van Dijk's poor header to score 29 - GOAL! Cardona raced through to finish slick Villarreal move 36 - GOAL! Mac Allister nodded in Tsimikas' right-wing corner 45+2 - GOAL! Araujo ghosted in behind Cardona to level it up 65 - GOAL! Mac Allister finished brilliant Ngumoha wing play 68 - GOAL! Wirtz's low left-footed finish quickly made it four 87 - GOAL! Oluwaseyi scored to set up a nervous Anfield finish Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola speaking in the press conference: "I think he was coming from a very good game the other day, he had a good second half against Brentford. Today he didn't have an easy game also because they were demanding him defensively and their left-back was attacking a lot. "There was a moment offensively where he was very difficult to stop. If we can put Rio in situations one against one, he makes plays, he produces things, today the assist for Alexis is a lovely play. He could go down for a penalty but he decides to continue which is a great decision. "Also endurance wise he is able to play more and more minutes. We were pushing him a little bit. He was tired but I think he has done a good effort and I'm very happy for him. "I am happy with his attitude because he is eager to improve things that we think he needs to improve. He is eager to add more things to his game. "He has been on the right lately, he is feeling more comfortable now, shooting on his left, he can add this to his game. He is only 18, still not the full package and it is not always going to be like this, there will be ups and downs in the process." Villarreal head coach Inigo Perez speaking in the press conference: "The key moment was when they equalised to make it 2-2 just before half-time. We had a fantastic first half. But the mentality and emotion drops, theirs grows and it affects you, particularly at Anfield. But we still managed to stay in the game until the end. "Rio Ngumoha had a great game but many other players played well. There were emotions, there were goals. When you play at Anfield these things can happen. When a goal is scored here, you can feel the reaction. "But I don't think we were close to being hammered. I believe if we are able to correct simple details - but elite details - we would be able to win on these big stages."

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Midfielder scores for first time since heart surgery Ten-man Atlético hang on for draw against Stuttgart Scott McTominay scored his first two goals of the season to help Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt 4-3 and relieve pressure on the coach, Massimiliano Allegri. McTominay, who also hit a post, missed a month of the season after undergoing a surgical procedure in early September to treat an irregular heartbeat. Matteo Politano’s first-minute opener was cancelled out by Bodø’s Jens Petter Hauge. McTominay restored Napoli’s lead before the break only for Andreas Helmersen to again level for the Norwegian club. The Scotland midfielder struck again on 71 minutes and Odin Bjørtuft’s late own goal secured the result. Bodø still managed an injury-time consolation from Sondre Brunstad Fet. Atlético Madrid held on with 10 men for a 1-1 draw with Stuttgart , foiling the German underdogs’ bid to join Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool at the top of the table on nine points. Julián Alvarez’s goal for Atlético had cancelled out Jamie Leweling’s opener when the midfielder Morten Hjulmand made a reckless sliding tackle from behind on Angelo Stiller, resulting in a red card that left Atlético clinging on. Serhou Guirassy scored twice but Borussia Dortmund wasted plenty more chances in a 2-1 away win over Azerbaijan’s Sabah . It wasn’t the sort of convincing victory the German team were hoping for, after last week’s loss to Bodø/Glimt and draw at Union Berlin which allowed Bayern Munich to take the top spot in the Bundesliga. Pavel Kacor’s leaping volley in the 90th minute earned Slavia Prague a 2-2 draw at Fenerbahce , extending the hosts’ long wait for a Champions League win. The Turkish side had been leading 2-0 early on before a defensive blunder by Mattéo Guendouzi let the Czech team back into the game. PSV won 1-0 against Porto thanks to Guus Til’s 57th-minute winner as the Portuguese side slumped to a third loss. Roma cruised to a 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava with Mario Hermoso, Nahuel Molina and Niccolò Pisilli on the scoresheet before Donyell Malen added a fourth from the penalty spot.

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"You're dead right. I can't argue with that." Michael Carrick's response was to the point. The question that prompted it in his pre-match news conference at a rain-lashed Giuseppe Sinigaglia stadium in Como concerned his side's failure to keep clean sheets. It was put to Carrick that it would help if United could manage some shutouts, and he was asked if he had figured out the problem. United have kept the opposition out just once in 10 games this season, against Azerbaijan champions Sabah FK last month. "There's definitely parts of our game we have to improve to make things easier. I am fully aware of that," said Carrick, whose side take on Como in the Champions League on Wednesday. The problem goes further than this season though. They managed six clean sheets in Carrick's 17 matches in charge last term, including two in their final three games. Prior to that they had only managed two all season, part of an overall tally of nine in 63 games under his predecessor Ruben Amorim. It is an extreme comparison given solid defence was the bedrock of Arsenal's Premier League title triumph, but the Gunners, who face Bayern Munich in Germany on Wednesday, have recorded seven clean sheets in 11 matches this season. Continuity of selection would presumably help Carrick achieve defensive stability. It has proved virtually elusive so far. Only once has Carrick been able to name the same back four, when Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw started the victory against Ipswich at Old Trafford on 30 August and kept their places for the trip to Everton the following week. Carrick described his fitness update before the Como encounter as "a mixed bag". That was largely based on him saying Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt was "fit and ready" after 11 months on the sidelines with the back injury that required surgery in May. Yet De Ligt was on the bench at Leeds on Sunday when Martinez went off with the thigh injury that prevented him travelling to Italy, and instead Carrick turned to Noussair Mazraoui, usually a full-back, for the central slot. United's defensive resources are stretched thinner as Leny Yoro is ruled out through suspension. Shaw is still not fit and is expected to be out for "a little bit longer" than the 10 days Kobbie Mainoo is going to miss, which could mean the left-back won't return until after the November international break. To many observers, the Manchester United left-back situation was one that could have been anticipated and should have been addressed in the summer. The fact United spoke to Manchester City about Algeria international Rayan Ait-Nouri on deadline day suggests they did view it as a potential issue. After starting all 38 Premier League games last term and the first three this, Shaw has played only twice since, and the number of games missed could reach double figures before the 31-year-old returns. When Diogo Dalot lined up at left-back against Leeds, he became the fifth different player to start there for United in six games. Aside from Shaw, none of the quintet could be regarded as a natural left-back. However, after it was suggested Martinez's post-match outburst following the defeat by Atletico Madrid was partly down to 20-year-old Ayden Heaven playing at left-back, sources did point out the youngster played more often in that role than in the centre during his youth days at Arsenal. It was also suggested in the summer that United's coaching team did not believe 19-year-old Harry Amass, who was Shaw's stand-in during pre-season, was yet at the right level. Amass' single appearance so far this season, as a substitute for the final 18 minutes against Sabah, backs up that view, although Carrick has countered it. "He's right in contention," Carrick said. "At some point, young players need an opportunity. It's just finding the right time. "Sometimes it's because there's an unfortunate thing happened to somebody else. Sometimes it's just you're doing so well we have to give you a chance. "All the young players are in a similar boat. There's maybe four, five, or six of them trying to make that next step in terms of getting into the team and trying to start games, and Harry's definitely one of them." The failure to sign competition for Shaw is a stick that has been used to beat Carrick and sporting director Jason Wilcox. There is sympathy amid the agent fraternity for Wilcox, who was given a budget to work to that many in the game felt was inadequate to address United's needs. There is a theory that the £50m spent to acquire Andrey Santos from Chelsea should have been diverted elsewhere. With Santos sitting next to him as he spoke to the media on Tuesday, it was hardly a topic Carrick was going to engage with. "When we've got injuries at different stages, we can always look at what could have been done and where we could have improved," Carrick said. "I spoke to you about making the best of the transfer window in the situation we had. This man next to us [Santos] was a big part of that. I'm delighted to have him. "We had to make decisions in the summer. We did what we could do and made the best of it." Pre-match, post-match and topical United content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Red Devils Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan views Ask about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

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Fire, noise, fury, a sense of empty energy. And across town, a football match too. Do any of these randomly pitched autumnal Champions League fixtures mean anything? Probably not when you’re Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, and the only game in town is risk-free TV income and a semi-guaranteed place in the knockout stuff. But this was still a dazzling occasion at the Parc des Princes as the champions of France and Spain played out a light, open, frictionless, exhibition-style game of football. PSG finished 4-2 winners, having been pegged back to 2-2 at one stage. But this was also a game where the score almost didn’t seem to matter at times, and where the only really hard message was the frailty of the Barcelona backline and PSG’s thrilling attacking energy in these midweek A-games. “Debris! Debris! DEBRIS!” the insanely loud announcer screamed into his mic before kick-off, what appeared to be a poor-taste tribute to the current state of the nation’s capital, although it may also have been “du bruit”. In the hours leading up to this game France’s interior minister had specifically ruled out postponing the whole thing due to the ongoing state of civil unrest, the kind of statement that is no doubt intended to sound reassuring, but which also generates its own kind of whiplash. Paris is burning. Paris is always burning. No, but Paris really is burning this time. The main site of the violence of the last few days is three miles east of the Parc, which lurks by the ring road in one of Paris’s slightly négligé inner quarters, rising up like a vast concrete alien doughnut in between the townhouses. On matchday it required a degree of cognitive dissonance to take in these two opposing spectacles. On one hand the piles of charred bikes and the mass looting which has, in reassuringly Parisian style, seemed to focus on elite high-fashion brands. Chanel will rue the day. And in the middle of this Paris also hosted this glittering treat of a football match, stuffed with so many throwaway little delicacies, like an elite artisan patisserie. Before kick-off there were leaping tongues of flame, a laser show spectacular, and an awe-inspiringly vast tifo at one end showing a ghoulish PSG serial killer type attacking the Barcelona badge with his blood-soaked chainsaw. The message here seemed to be: we are confident. We believe in our process. And we will hack you to death. This was a high-grade, disarmingly open game at the start. For Hansi Flick’s Barcelona it represented a genuine test of method, an elite team that plays with a studied disregard for some of the tenets of positional defensive play. We will press forward and trust what lies behind. We will also give up on the basic idea of marking from the kick-off, as it turned out. With one minute gone PSG should have scored. A quick passing move from right to left put Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in space. His shot pinged off a post and back to an offside Ousmane Dembélé, who shinned wide of an open goal. There was a fury to PSG in those opening minutes, the front players finding angles and free channels. Pedri and Marc Bernal in central midfield took a while to settle for Barça. Bernal is pure La Masia, a baby-faced 19-year-old Catalan, misleadingly so, as he also has the physique of a rugby union flanker. And Pedri is of course the kind of footballer who glides through these occasions, so casual you half expect to look down and notice he’s playing in flip-flops and holding a Calippo. Before long Barcelona were making chances of their own, Dani Olmo setting off on a couple of surging deep runs, Anthony Gordon almost getting on the end of a cutback. João Cancelo was booked with 16 minutes gone for a lunge on Désiré Doué, a disastrous state of affairs for any full-back faced with this nightmare of feints and fast-twitch feet. And two minutes later Dembélé was off, injured chasing the ball, replaced by Ferran Torres. Maybe he should play a bit more, get match fit. Still the game just zinged from end to end. Raphinha had a close-range shot blocked by Matvey Safonov after a nice pass from Gordon. PSG had three shots blocked or saved in the space of six seconds on 28 minutes, Joan García saving brilliantly low down. And on 37 minutes PSG deservedly took the lead. The goal was in keeping with the game, expertly hi-tech but also oddly easy and open. Lamine Yamal tried a clever chipped clearance. João Neves claimed the ball back. It fell to Doué, and he was able to jink inside, feel the space around him, and shoot low inside the post. PSG were bossing this by now, Kvaratskhelia running up and down the gears on the left. By the break Barcelona were hanging on, overrun in midfield and straining to contain PSG on the flanks. The start of the second half was more of the same: mobile, relentless, high grade product, lovely attacking interchanges, large spaces in the Barcelona backline. Doué forced another fine close-range save, played in by Vitinha. On 54 minutes Barcelona equalised. Xavi Espart got it, galloping through the left side of the PSG defence and smashing a shot into the net off the hands of Safonov. The PA announcer gave the goal to Lamine Yamal, because, well, great branding. But it was Espart’s first in Europe, the second of his career. He’s 19, hyper-versatile, another Catalan youth-team player. Before long Barça had made a triple substitution. One of those entering the field was Rodri. Would this see order restored? For a while it did feel as though Rodri was the only grown-up on the pitch, as Barcelona did started to dominate possession and territory. But PSG always have tools to hurt you. Doué sliced open the right hand side again and crossed for Fabián Ruiz to hit the post from six yards out. From the corner Lucas Hernandez was given space to leap and produce a wonderful finish, thumped off the meaty part of the forehead high into the top corner. Six minutes later it was 2-2. This was a strange goal, scored by Lamine Yamal after a wonderful run in from the right and a lofted near-post finish that in the moment either looked like a mistake from Safonov or a moment of pure invention. And two minutes after that it was 3-2 to PSG as the game just kept on running to its own speed. It was another brilliant goal, this time a controlled first time shot from Vitinha, seizing on a bouncing ball near the edge of the box. Fabián Ruiz added a fourth four minutes from the end as PSG just kept coming.

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Andoni Iraola and Iñigo Pérez parked their long and close friendship in the buildup to the Champions League duel between two old Athletic Bilbao teammates. They will have a humdinger of a contest to dissect when communications are restored. Liverpool, driven by Alexis Mac Allister and ignited by Rio Ngumoha, recovered from two goals down against Villarreal to maintain their 100% record in the competition in emphatic style. Mac Allister struck twice as Liverpool fought back from a tepid start to record a third successive win in all competitions. They were given a scare when Tani Oluwaseyi volleyed in a late third for Villarreal but were well deserving of their latest impressive result. The regular phone calls between Iraola and Pérez had eased off as their first competitive confrontation as coaches approached. Iraola could have advised his close friend to bring a coat had they kept in touch. It had rained incessantly in Liverpool all day yet the Villarreal head coach opted for a short-sleeved polo shirt on the touchline. A brave move, although he would have been warmed by his team’s potent start against a much-changed host. Liverpool’s expensive attacking trio of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola were all on the bench as Iraola made six changes to the side that beat Brentford on Saturday. A fourth game in 10 days explained the omissions of Wirtz and Barcola, who had featured heavily in the previous three, while Isak’s workload was being carefully managed after his recent thigh injury. The rotation resulted in a second successive Champions League start for Trey Nyoni and Ryan Gravenberch shifting forward into Wirtz’s number ten role. Iraola’s rejigged team did not have time to find their rhythm before falling behind. An error-strewn start by Van Dijk was responsible, and also in keeping with a ponderous opening half hour from Liverpool in which Villarreal passed their way around Anfield with style and precious little resistance. The Liverpool captain presented Georges Mikautadze with an opportunity as early as the second minute when he misjudged a long clearance out of defence by Renato Veiga. Van Dijk’s poor touch almost released the Georgia international striker through on goal but Jérémy Jacquet was across quickly to close off that route. Van Dijk’s second slip followed moments later, and this time there was no reprieve. The defender attempted to head another Veiga long ball back into the safe arms of Alisson. He found Mikautadze instead and Villarreal’s number nine pounced expertly, controlling well before rolling the ball under the Liverpool keeper. There were apologies all round from Van Dijk. Villarreal doubled their lead with a goal that encapsulated the start made by both teams – the visitors passing their way through Liverpool’s midfield and picking holes in their high defensive line, with the home side slow to react. Pape Gueye, Alberto Moleiro and Nathan Saliba all combined to send their rampaging left back, Sergi Cardona, clear of the Liverpool backline. Played onside by Kostas Tsimikas, the full-back beat Alisson with a finish a striker would have been happy with. Cardona’s defending was much less impressive as Liverpool, stung more by their own performance than the groans of the Anfield crowd, clawed their way back into the contest before half-time. The recovery commenced when Mac Allister rose superbly to meet a Tsimikas corner and flicked an unstoppable header into the unguarded side of Peter Gulacsi’s goal. The former Liverpool keeper could only stand and admire the midfielder’s header, while asking where a Villarreal challenge was. Villarreal had bigger questions to answer when their once comfortable lead vanished entirely with the final kick of the first half. The visitors had dealt with another corner from Tsimikas when Rio Ngumoha gathered possession and clipped a cross towards the far post. Cardona checked his surroundings, then inexplicably let the ball bounce behind him. And right into the spot where Ronald Araújo was lurking. The on-loan defender headed home for the second successive week in the Champions League and celebrated with a mass pile-on with fans in the Anfield Road Stand. Araújo failed to appear for the second half as Iraola introduced Wirtz and moved Gravenberch once again, this time to right back. The Liverpool head coach must have been sorely tempted to shake things up more, such was the paucity of his team’s first half display, but his half-time switch and demands sufficed. Liverpool improved vastly after the restart with Ngumoha and Wirtz a constant threat. Pérez’s substitutions were less impactful and the former Newcastle forward Ayoze Pérez was the object of his ire on several occasions. Ngumoha took the acclaim of the Kop after creating Mac Allister’s second of the night with a sparkling run down the right. It was some one-two that brought Liverpool the lead. Mac Allister floated a pass out to the 18-year-old winger, whose first touch brought the ball under control and took him away from Cardona in the same movement. He then left the substitute Juan Foyth in his wake before pulling back a pass from the byline for the incoming midfielder to smash a shot in off the underside of Gulacsi’s crossbar. Wirtz completed the comeback, continuing his own recent improvement, after Tsimikas and Cody Gakpo had combined to create space for the playmaker inside the area. The Germany international drilled a clinical left-foot finish inside the Villarreal keeper’s far corner.

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Enzo Maresca has called for Manchester City to make their own noise on the pitch to drown out the cacophony surrounding them but maybe a quiet night at the Etihad Stadium was what they needed all along. AEK Athens were easily dispatched in a businesslike manner, as Phil Foden announced his return to form with a hat-trick to get City’s Champions League campaign back on track after being pummelled by Paris Saint-Germain. The match was uneven throughout as Foden shone on the wing and later down the middle, with goals from Elliot Anderson and Rayan Cherki helping to ease City to victory in front of half-full stands. Stavros Pilios’s consolation was more a reward for the boisterous fans in yellow and black than for the overall efforts of the visitors. Enzo Maresca took the calculated risk of eight changes from the win over Ipswich, although that did mean a return to the starting lineup for Enzo Fernández and Elliot Anderson while Erling Haaland was left on the bench. His replacement, with senior options lacking, was the 17-year-old academy graduate, Floyd Samba, whose only other senior football came in a Carabao Cup win against Norwich, when he scored twice on debut. The game had not captured the imagination with the stands having huge gaps of blue, which is understandable amid the constant churn of fixtures for City and the cost of following the club. AEK was seen by many fans as a game that could be missed, in expectation of a simple victory over a team lacking global superstars. The visiting supporters were far more animated, filling a corner of the ground over three tiers where they created a party from two hours before kick-off. Inspiration was required from those on the pitch with the home faithful subdued, which was provided by Fernández clipping a free-kick on to the bar and Anderson following up to whack the rebound into an empty net in the 12th minute. The celebrations lacked enthusiasm, acknowledged with a nod of approval. AEK had no desire to capitulate and created some promising moves without ever threatening the City box, lacking quality when it mattered most. The Greek side had half of the possession in the opening quarter but the hosts, although not at their best, turned on the style when required, going from static to full steam in seconds to create chances. The Champions League debutant Allan was City’s most entertaining offering, providing direct running and skill on the left wing. The Brazilian was a menace and almost marked his second home appearance with a goal but his vicious shot clipped the bar and flew into the stands. With seven matches in 21 days for City, games like this gave an opportunity for fringe players to impress and Allan was eager to make his mark. City were able to take control, passing the ball around with ease and holding AEK at arm’s length, while Foden and Rayan Cherki tried to work their fleet-footed magic in tight spaces. Eventually the calmness in the final third was rewarded when Foden finished after neat work on the right from Rico Lewis, as the two academy products combined. The full-back has struggled for minutes in recent times and almost left the club 16 months ago but showed he can provide something as an attacking threat from defence. With City comfortable, complacency kicked in and Abdukodir Khusanov reflected the crowd by drifting off, giving Zini the chance to turn him and slip a pass into Stavros Pilios who thrashed the ball across Gianluigi Donnarumma. The AEK fans erupted, while their counterparts pondered how City had been dragged back into a fight, having previously been impenetrable. Natural order was restored by Cherki, a neat trick inside the box and a precise shot into the corner did the rest. It was an occasion for the maverick Frenchman to be a leader, making the difference in critical moments and he offered up evidence of his capabilities with the finish, creating breathing space in the process. If the plan was to test life without Haaland, the loss of Antoine Semenyo to injury for eight weeks created a problem for Maresca. Samba’s deployment ranked somewhere between plan C and D but the teenager was an adept decoy, allowing the more experienced around him to show off their repertoire. Samba acquitted himself well but whether he is a suitable replacement for the Norwegian will remain unknown until City face more competitive opposition. City were starting to showboat as AEK realised resistance was futile. Cherki knocked it long for Lewis to control into the path of Foden, who provided a sublime first-time finish into the top corner from the edge of the box. The exceptional goals were racking up on what felt like an otherwise mundane night. On a positive night for City’s academy, Ryan McAidoo came off the bench to send in a perfect cross for Foden to complete his treble with a striker’s instinct, earning the biggest cheer of the night. Foden scored his first goal since mid-December at the weekend but the confidence is clearly flooding back to a player who has spent too long watching on from the sidelines, especially considering the talent he possesses.

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The UK audit regulator has confirmed it is leading inquiries into accounting irregularities at Manchester City. The Financial Reporting Council confirmed in a letter to the House of Commons business select committee it had taken over "regulatory consideration" of the case from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales on 30 September. No formal investigation has started, but the FRC is making inquiries into the case. It comes after Manchester City were found guilty by an independent commission of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, including by artificially inflating the club's financial position by more than £900m. City are appealing the verdict. The FRC has greater resources, and greater powers, to apply sanctions if it does find evidence of violations. It routinely oversees accounting standards at bigger institutions such as listed public companies, but not football clubs. The FRC can look into the conduct of BDO, Manchester City's auditors, to ask whether the audit was in line with the rules. It can also apply sanctions to individuals such as directors or employees of the Etihad club, if they are members of professional accountancy bodies. BDO is the UK's fifth-biggest accounting firm, but claims to be a market leader in football, advising more Premier League and Championship clubs than any other firm. The independent commission which looked into Manchester City found that the club gave a "misleading impression" of the scheme used to disguise the origin of shareholder funds injected into the club to its auditors, who were "unaware" of the scheme. Manchester City have said they will appeal against the commission's decision, arguing that it contains "material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe". Liam Byrne, chair of the business select committee, called for greater powers for the FRC to look into similar cases. He wrote on X: "The regulator's letter exposes gaps in its ability to compel evidence from the club and pursue directors who fall outside its disciplinary rules. "This raises serious questions about the powers available to hold companies and directors to account. "The government has a responsibility to explain why reforms to close these gaps were abandoned - and what will now be done to strengthen accountability." Man City confirm appeal against guilty verdict

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes criticism of his team's playing style is only coming from a "very small minority" of observers. The Gunners have won 10 out of 11 games this season but have not been scoring freely and have struggled to break down teams that defend deep. On Sunday, they needed an 80th-minute goal from substitute Noni Madueke to edge past Nottingham Forest. It was just their 11th goal in seven Premier League games so far. The Gunners won the Premier League last season by conceding the fewest goals in the league and scoring the most from set-pieces. They have not registered a set-piece goal yet this campaign in any competition. Asked about the debate surrounding their playing style, Arteta said: "I don't have that impression because I heard that the style was incredible. We have scored so many goals, we have more possession, more shots, different players participating, no goals on set-pieces. "So the story is completely different to last year. "I think we are talking about a very small minority [criticising the team]. I think the other ones, they know. I think they have enjoyed a lot the way we have played and dominated games this year. And I think we have proven that." Arteta says there is room for improvement when they play teams with deep-lying defences. "The low block demands a different kind of game to the high block. A team that is constantly putting the ball in the last line. It's different." said the Spaniard, whose side face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. "I think it requires something different to the team. Still, I think on Sunday, we could have done things better. And that's in our hands. And we need to recognise that openly as well." Goalkeeper David Raya says the players are not irritated by questioning of their style, and suggests Arsenal's record so far this season speaks for itself. "People have their own opinions. We have our own opinion. At the end of the day, we have lost one game in 11 this season and if you call that boring or irritating, I don't know what to say," he said. "We enjoy playing football. We enjoy going out there every single day to win football matches, and that's the most important thing." Raya on Konsa, and more from Arteta - read latest Arsenal news, analysis and fan views Madueke's 'anger and conviction' shows he's more than a 'finisher' Ask about Arsenal - what do you want to know?

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Manchester United targeting Lewis Hall and Adrien Truffert, Real Madrid remain interested in Riccardo Calafiori and Liverpool and Arsenal both keen on Xavi Espart. Manchester United are plotting a major defensive overhaul next summer and will revisit a deal for Newcastle and England left-back Lewis Hall, 22, who is keen to move to Old Trafford. Bournemouth and France defender Adrien Truffert, 24, is also a target. (i news) , external Real Madrid remain interested in signing Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori, but Arsenal have made it clear an extraordinary offer would be required for them to sell the 24-year-old. (CaughtOffside), external Liverpool and Arsenal are both interested in Spanish defender Xavi Espart, but Barcelona would reject offers for the 19-year-old, who has a release clause in excess of £84m. (Teamtalk), external Newcastle are keen on making a move for AC Milan and England defender Fikayo Tomori when the 28-year-old becomes a free agent in the summer. (Football Insider), external Arsenal are targeting a January move for Club Brugge striker Nicolo Tresoldi, 22, with the German reportedly valued at £42m. (Sun), external Argentina midfielder Emiliano Buendia is set to sign a new contract at Aston Villa , while talks with Sweden's Victor Lindelof, 32, and 19-year-old Englishman George Hemmings are also progressing. (Athletic), external Manchester United are continuing to monitor the situation of Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr, 28, with Galatasaray also still interested in the Senegal international. (Teamtalk), external Tottenham and Spain right-back Pedro Porro, 27, would "seriously consider" the chance to join either Barcelona or Real Madrid. (Football Insider), external Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez, 28, is set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season. (Mail), external Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has been named among 147 football club officials to receive 45-day bans from the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) for breaching betting rules. In September, it was announced 448 people had been provisionally suspended and referred to the TFF's professional football disciplinary board over allegations they had placed bets while in office. Like players and coaches, match officials are forbidden from participating in betting activities by TFF regulations, as well as those of Fifa and Uefa. The TFF said the people involved had held posts at clubs in the top two divisions in Turkish football over the previous five years. Of those, some 147 were found to have breached betting rules and will be barred from carrying out duties within football during the suspension period. There were insufficient grounds for disciplinary action in the other 301 cases. The Turkish football authorities have clamped down on betting in the sport over the last year. In November 2025, 149 referees and 1,204 players were given bans following a TFF investigation. Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

UEFA Champions League·4–3

This is a match between Liverpool and Villarreal. One of the top teams in England versus one of the top teams in Spain. The Premier League versus La Liga. The Redmen versus the Yellow Submarine. And yet it’s really none of that. Some things go down to the micro level, as Sid Lowe explains with trademark eloquence in the first part (there will be more, and you will enjoy it) of your required pre-match reading … Andoni Iraola versus his close compadre Iñigo Pérez kicks off at 8pm BST. Hasi da! It’s on!