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Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

19 October 2026 at 03:00

Florian Wirtz takes on more responsibility in Liverpool’s attack while Pierre Sage is under pressure at Crystal Palace

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s physicality overpowering Bryan Mbeumo in Manchester United’s area at a corner grabbed him a fifth goal in 10 outings for Leeds: a pretty respectable ratio. “I just tried to cause a ruckus,” said Leeds’ No 9. “I make it difficult for the defender. I read the flight of the ball and was quickest to react. I feel really comfortable [here]. I feel the support from the club and the fans and it is a great feeling stepping on to the pitch, particularly at Elland Road.” Of the contenders to be understudy to Harry Kane as England’s centre-forward, Calvert-Lewin may be the lead act – if he can stay injury-free, which has been a difficulty throughout his career. Jamie Jackson

Match report: Leeds 1-1 Manchester United

Match report: Brentford 1-2 Liverpool

Match report: Manchester City 3-2 Ipswich

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© Composite: Guardian Pictures (via Getty / REX)

© Composite: Guardian Pictures (via Getty / REX)

© Composite: Guardian Pictures (via Getty / REX)

Gómez halfway-line wondergoal sparks Brighton’s 5-0 thrashing of sorry Crystal Palace

18 October 2026 at 11:06

At last, Fabian Hürzeler has the scalp that matters most to all Brighton fans and in humiliating fashion. Diego Gómez’s breathtaking goal-of-the-season contender from the halfway line, à la David Beckham, was the highlight of another hugely impressive performance from the Premier League’s top scorers as they continued their flying start to the season.

Not since a 4-1 thrashing here in February 2024 under Roberto De Zerbi had Brighton tasted victory against their arch rivals from up the A23 – a run of four matches. But having been handed the initiative by Jaydee Canvot’s own goal, a stunned Palace found themselves 3-0 down after 10 minutes. It got even worse for Pierre Sage after Brighton extended their lead through Gómez’s wonderstrike and Yasin Ayari, with Charalampos Kostoulas adding a fourth after half-time and the substitute Jack Hinshelwood’s late strike matching their record 5-0 win over Palace from 1956 in Division Three South.

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© Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

© Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

© Photograph: Rob Newell/CameraSport/Getty Images

Europe is a blast – but more a curse than a blessing if you are not a Premier League super-club I Jonathan Wilson

17 October 2026 at 15:00

The four Premier League clubs playing in the lesser continental competitions face each other on Sunday – but three are struggling domestically

The sun shone. The temperature was in the high 20s. There was a mood of great conviviality. If you were struggling with the official allocation, it turned out you could just email the president of Torreense and he’d sort you out. Were these “Nuno-tickets” real? It turned out they were. Not only that, but you could sit anywhere you wanted in a stadium too big for the game and, if you happened to have gravitated to the comfortable hospitality seating at the back of the lower tier, the beer was inexplicably free.

Locals in Leiria seemed bewildered but could hardly have been more accommodating. A beer pump had been installed outside a patisserie on the Praça Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, whose owner soon found fans happy to help stack empty barrels if that facilitated the free flow of Sagres. “There was a meeting at the town hall to explain these are not hooligans,” said the owner of a radical leftist flammkuchen restaurant between the square and the cathedral. “They told us the club comes from the labour movement and I found that very interesting.” And how had she found the fans? “Noisy, but with a quirky sense of humour.”

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© Photograph: Octávio Passos/UEFA/Getty Images

© Photograph: Octávio Passos/UEFA/Getty Images

© Photograph: Octávio Passos/UEFA/Getty Images

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

15 October 2026 at 19:01

Henderson back on Merseyside, Farke threatens more misery for Carrick and Forest are a threat to Arsenal

A lively reception awaits the former Liverpool midfielders Jordan Henderson and Xabi Alonso at Everton and, in the case of the former, any jeers can be considered an unintentional tribute. They will speak of what the 36-year-old is able to produce now as much as what, and where, he delivered in the past. With two goals and an assist against Bournemouth last Saturday, Henderson became the oldest player to contribute directly to three goals in a Premier League game, and demonstrated his role at Chelsea is not simply to elevate standards off the pitch. His midfield partnership with Moisés Caicedo gave Alonso’s team balance and enabled the front three of Morgan Rogers, João Pedro and Cole Palmer to flourish. Their confrontation against an Everton defence that had impressed this season, only to litter the draw at Hull with costly mistakes, will provide a stern test of the hosts’ unbeaten start and may well be dictated by the veteran behind them. Andy Hunter

Everton v Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Brentford v Liverpool, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v Hull, Saturday 3pm

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© Composite: Guardian Pictures; PA; Reuters; EPA

© Composite: Guardian Pictures; PA; Reuters; EPA

© Composite: Guardian Pictures; PA; Reuters; EPA

Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

12 October 2026 at 03:00

Manchester City unrepentant in victory, Spurs make progress of a sort and Noni Madueke meets the moment

The manner of Manchester City’s victory at Liverpool was an article of both vindication and vilification. Those gleefully wielding inflatable bananas in the Anfield away end could thumb their noses. Why not enjoy the dances of defiance until the music stops? The same went for City players, asked to perform under the darkest of clouds, able to focus, at last, on football, rather than legal argument and uncertain futures. Beyond City, the sight of a club found guilty of 100-plus charges laying waste to such rivals as Liverpool was deeply uncomfortable. The Premier League season and product are badly damaged until the matter is somehow resolved. What happened at Anfield should double the haste for a resolution. Chants of “cheat” whenever City players, the game already won, slipped the ball around, are bound to be repeated at other stadiums. Enzo Maresca has described his club’s plight as “noise” but his team’s victory did absolutely nothing to turn the volume down. John Brewin

Match report: Liverpool 0-3 Manchester City

Match report: Crystal Palace 3-1 Nottingham Forest

Match report: Hull City 2-2 Everton

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© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

8 October 2026 at 19:01

Michael Carrick is wary of ‘Dr Tottenham’, Oliver Glasner returns to Selhurst Park and will Manchester City summon a siege mentality at Anfield?

Declan Rice’s future role in England’s midfield was questioned by Gary Lineker after Alex Scott’s impressive first senior international start in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia. But the decision to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel’s squad in an attempt to manage his workload made sense after Rice had only three weeks off post-World Cup before returning to pre-season training. The 27-year-old has struggled with persistent back problems after suffering a hamstring injury last December and Mikel Arteta will hope that the rest has done Rice – who is thought to be close to agreeing a lucrative new contract at the Emirates – the world of good as they prepare to resume the defence of their Premier League title against Leeds on Saturday. Ed Aarons

Arsenal v Leeds, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Aston Villa v Brentford, Saturday 3pm

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© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

© Composite: Getty Images

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