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Scott McTominay scores his first goals since undergoing heart surgery as Napoli earn a thrilling 4-3 victory over Bodo/Glimt.

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Desire Doue, Lamine Yamal and Vitinha score superb individual goals as Champions League holders Paris St-Germain overcome Barcelona in a breathless encounter at Parc des Princes.

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Phil Foden scores a sublime hat-trick as he produces a virtuoso display to help Manchester City return to winning ways in the Champions League group phase by easing past Greek side AEK Athens.

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Rio Ngumoha provides the spark as Liverpool come from two goals down to beat Villarreal at Anfield in the Champions League.

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Declan Rice sends the travelling Arsenal support into raptures with his late equaliser in their heavyweight Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

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Manchester United suffer a heavy defeat to a Como side playing just their third ever game of Champions League football, as Nico Paz stars for the hosts to pile the pressure on Michael Carrick.

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When Manchester United savoured the last of their three Champions League triumphs in 2008, Como were a Serie D club, playing in one of nine semi-professional regional leagues. On Wednesday, at a rainy but picturesque Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on the banks of the iconic Lake Como, the Serie A outfit showed how far they have come. In fact, on the evidence of their 4-1 thrashing of the English side - and with progressive coach Cesc Fabregas in the dugout - you could argue the European newcomers have leapfrogged the Old Trafford outfit and then some. Time and again, Fabregas' side sliced through United - who are now winless in their past seven games in all competitions for the first time since 2015. At the heart of Fabregas' team is the brilliant Nico Paz, signed from Real Madrid in 2024, who scored twice and set up another. Since the start of September, the 22-year-old Tenerife-born Argentina international has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions than any other Serie A player. "It was a historic night because we played against one of the best teams ever, to do this at home is incredible, we are very happy for our performance," said Paz. Wednesday's superb showing took him to nine goal involvements in eight appearances - four goals and five assists - he is also the youngest Argentine player to be involved in three goals in one Champions League game since Lionel Messi against Bayern Munich in April 2009. "Paz really runs, he covers a lot of ground. He's melded the old-school Argentine creative number 10 style with the physical demands of modern football," said journalist Lars Sivertsen on Champions League Match of the Day. For Como, this is the most high-profile victory since their project began. "It's Manchester United. We are only just getting our heads around the fact we are playing Inter, Milan and Juventus," said one member of staff. "This is without doubt the biggest night in the club's history." According to chief executive Mirwan Surwaso, it was Como's status as an amateur club - they returned to Serie D in 2017 after being unable to convince the authorities of their financial wellbeing - which first attracted the London-based media company Sent Entertainment, owned by Indonesian billionaires Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono. When they concluded a deal in 2019, the Hartono brothers were planning a TV project, with the idea of screening matches involving young Indonesian players back home. A visit from Manchester United was not part of the plan. There cannot be many Champions League stadiums you can walk around and in addition to seeing an iconic tourist attraction. Lake Como is 29 miles long and 2.5 miles wide in some parts - you also come across a yacht club and an 'Aero Club' for the sea-planes that take off at regular intervals. The clubs themselves have been there for a long time. But Como also use their natural surroundings to offer one hour Lake Como tours, followed by 'pre-match Lakeside hospitality'. In town - Como's population is just over 83,000, which means 90% of them could fit in the San Siro Stadium - there is a plush new club shop, selling all kinds of branded merchandise. There was no need for that in Serie D. "Somehow the team got promoted, we had to go professional, and the plan had to be scrapped," Surwaso told Piers Morgan's Football Uncensored Podcast this month. The alternative plan is still being amended substantially. Initially it was expected this season would be a selling year, when some of the developing talents Como thought they could cash in on would be sold. Instead, manager Cesc Fabregas steered his squad to fourth place in 2025-26, capitalising on AC Milan's shock defeat at Cagliari. It meant in the space of five seasons from Fabregas' arrival as a player, Como had gone from Serie B to the Champions League. Earlier this week, Lionel Messi's son Ciro gave Como his seal of approval by being pictured with his dad wearing a replica Como kit. Tangible evidence of a meteoric rise. "Compared to when I finished my career here, it is completely different," said Fabregas. "It is not even night and day. It is another world. "Playing Manchester United is a historic day once again for the club, the city of Como and fanbase. "When I retired as a player, I coached to get experience. I explained what I thought of the club and my vision and put the plan to work. We are a family here. Even when we lose, fans come and celebrate. We need to be humble and remember who we were because the story of Como will be beautiful, and we will remember it forever." The captivating nature of the Como story does bring with it some questions. In the short term, some wonder how they can possibly comply with Uefa's financial rules, which European football's governing body does not intend to amend despite Como's rise from Serie B. Surwaso told Morgan: "The scrutiny is on us but we always have our books in order, so we are not too worried." The other point is that three quarters of the 12,300-capacity Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is uncovered and was exposed to heavy rain during the fixture. Growing both sides of the club is essential if Como are to maximise their potential. For Fabregas, whose responsibility is clearly on the playing side, there is a balance to be struck between celebrating the spectacular journey Como have been on, and ensuring his players are not resting on their laurels. "We were at minus 10 when we started, but we don't want to spend time thinking about what has passed," said the former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star. "If you want to do that, retire and go write a book about what Como did. We must look at what is in front of us." While Como now attract thousands to their games, those who followed the club when crowds were in the hundreds remain. "I had an uncle who supported Como," said Marco Melillo, an out-of-town fan. "He showed me the sticker collection, I saw the blue shirt and the blue colours and totally went crazy about it. "I know in England a lot of people support teams in lower leagues, but that is not so true in Italy, where people support bigger teams. I do not like that that much. I was not really interested in supporting a team that was winning something. I liked the colours. I liked the stadium and when I came here and saw the lake, it was 'wow'. "We know the club is in the best situation ever in its history but when I see the faces of the guys and ladies that were also here in Serie D, we just see in our eyes and say, 'OK, we hope that this story will go on as long as possible, as best as possible, but if it maybe abruptly ended, because in the past we had also some bad things, we know we will be there'." Federico Borghi is a local, and despite the weather, came with his huge Como 1907-2007 history book. "In 2008, I had just started to go to the stadium to attend games," he said. "Not even in our best dreams could we think of playing Manchester United. I get chills even thinking about it. "As soon as I entered the stadium for the first time I realised this was going to be my faith. I was there in the bad times and that has strengthened my faith and my relationship with the club. "The Premier League is my inspiration and to face one of the top three or four biggest clubs in the world, it's a big honour." Fernandes rounds on Carrick after Man Utd humiliation Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari is a target for Chelsea , Barcelona and Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Aston Villa 's Johan Manzambi and Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres could be moved on. Chelsea have joined Galatasaray in the hunt for Brighton 's 23-year-old Sweden midfielder Yasin Ayari. (Teamtalk), external Liverpool are not in any rush to open contract negotiations with Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister despite the 27-year-old's upturn in form this season. (Telegraph - subscription required), external Barcelona and Real Madrid are among the clubs keeping tabs on Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi after the 21-year-old's impressive start to his Aston Villa career. (Football Insider), external Sunderland are preparing a renewed bid to sign Sporting and Mozambique winger Geny Catamo, 25, in the January transfer window. (Teamtalk), external Everton are monitoring Dinamo Zagreb's 24-year-old Croatia striker Dion Beljo as one of several options in the January window. (Football Insider), external Liverpool , and a number of top European sides, are interested in signing 18-year-old Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora from Tijuana. (Marca), external Arsenal want to recoup the £55m they paid to sign Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 28, with a deal more likely to happen at the end of the season than in January. (Football Insider), external Brazil forward Vinicius Jr was strongly tempted to move to Arsenal in the summer, but the 26-year-old now hopes to spend the rest of his career with Real Madrid. (Mail - subscription required), external Arsenal are leading the race among Premier League clubs to sign 20-year-old Turkey midfielder Can Uzun from Eintracht Frankfurt . (The Daily Briefing), external Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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Former England defender Ryan Bertrand is leading a consortium that has proposed an £87m minority investment in League One side AFC Wimbledon. Bertrand, who played for Chelsea, Southampton, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest during his career, is at the forefront of the group with British technology expert Omar Mir, who is the sole funder of the proposed minority share buyout through investment vehicle Sloane Street Capital (SSC). The Dons Trust board presented their proposals to its members on Wednesday night. SSC would invest £16m on completion for a minority 34% of the shares in AFCW PLC, the company that runs the club. The remaining £71m would be spread over five seasons to the 2030-31 campaign. If the deal is successful, SSC would oversee football operations, led by Bertrand as senior football advisor, but work within budgets and processes agreed by the AFCW PLC board. The Dons Trust currently own 50.01% of the voting shares of AFC Wimbledon, which was designed to ensure the club remains fan-controlled. Bertrand, who won the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League with Chelsea, said: "AFC Wimbledon's story is unique in English football and it was built by its supporters. We felt at home from our very first meetings. "We are not here to change what this club is. We are here to help it go further on and off the pitch, for the men's team, the women's team and the academy. "It would be an honour to join the Wimbledon family and help write the next chapter, and we look forward to meeting members and answering their questions over the coming weeks." Under the terms of the deal, the Dons Trust voting rights would be unaffected, plus they would hold veto control of the Cherry Red Record Stadium freehold. Other proposals include SSC taking two of the 12 seats on the club board, plus an observer position, while the Dons Trust would retain a veto over the club's name, badge, colours, ground and constitution. Stuart Fiertz, co-founder of the investment management company Cheyne Capital and sports executive Oliver Ward would join the board if a deal is ratified. Should SSC sell its stake, the Dons Trust would have first refusal and could block who they felt were unsuitable investors. Also, as part of the terms, if SSC missed a payment, its share of AFC Wimbledon's value would stop growing immediately and control would return to the club within three months. The voting period for Dons Trust members to decide on the proposals ends on 17 November. Earlier this year, members voted in favour of external investment on the proviso that fan ownership and control were protected. Since then, the board has considered more than 20 potential investors, with SSC emerging as the strongest. AFC Wimbledon's lawyers have completed source-of-funds and background checks on the individuals involved in the consortium. Angus Fox, chair of the Dons Trust board, said: "The deal brings at least £87m into AFC Wimbledon over five years, while the Trust keeps a permanent majority of the votes, control of the Plough Lane freehold and a veto over everything that makes us who we are. We have set out the factors to weigh as plainly as the opportunities. "The board recommends a yes vote, but this is our members' club and our members' decision." Pre-match, post-match and topical Dons content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about Wimbledon

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned on head coach Michael Carrick following one of the most humiliating nights in the club's European history. A 4-1 Champions League hammering at Como led to Carrick fielding questions about his future. He apologised to the 700 travelling fans, having ignored his beaten players after the final whistle to march across the pitch and repeatedly hold his hands up - in a manner similar to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a 4-1 defeat at Watford in November 2021 which led to his dismissal as United boss 24 hours later. However, Fernandes - widely accepted as a football obsessive who watches games regularly and understands the tactical side as well as any player in the United squad - inflicted more damage when he spoke to TNT Sports afterwards. "It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence," he said. Asked directly whether Carrick got his tactics wrong, Fernandes added: "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable." Told of Fernandes' comments in his post-match press conference, Carrick offered a curt response: "There's a little bit of whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don't run, and you don't run forward, and you don't run back, you aren't going to win." Man Utd embarrassment in Como leaves Carrick job in danger Carrick also refused to answer questions about his own future. Instead, he described his own feelings about United's performance and focused on taking responsibility. "I have to apologise to the supporters," said the former player. "I care about this football club as much as anyone, if not more, with the position that I'm in and what I value this football club. For us to play in that way is not acceptable. "I always go over to the fans anyway, regardless, so it wasn't a particularly different kind of reason why I went over. "It's the appreciation and acknowledgement of what they've gone through and have done over a period of a few weeks now. As I said, I was one of them. "I'm feeling the same as them. We've got a lot of values in this football club; what we represent and how we want to go about it. We might win, we might lose, but the way we went about it tonight wasn't acceptable. I just wanted to let the fans know that I feel for them. "Listen. I've not given my own position any thought - this is for the supporters - I was one of them watching that and I wasn't happy all." After winning 12 of his 17 games in charge last season to guide United back into the Champions League after a two-year absence, Carrick was given a two-year contract. However, as happened with Solskjaer five years ago, the new campaign has unravelled spectacularly and they are 13th in the Premier League, three points clear of bottom club Sunderland. Although they recovered from their shock opening-day defeat to newly promoted Hull by coming from behind to beat Ipswich the following week, United have not won in the Premier League since. Their only other success in 11 games in all competitions came against Azerbaijan champions Sabah FK in the Champions League. Their latest loss meant they have now gone seven games without a win, their worst run since they went eight without a victory under Louis van Gaal between 25 November and 28 December 2015. Only Joshua Zirkzee's injury-time consolation prevented United suffering their joint second-worst European defeat of all time. The embarrassment was heightened by the knowledge that when they were last crowned European champions in 2008, Como were playing semi-professional football in front of a couple of hundred spectators in Serie D. It is a basic reality that if Como's star man Nico Paz, who opened the scoring after 118 seconds, created the second and added a third goal, said he wanted to leave Como, virtually every big club in Europe would want to sign him and United's chances would be virtually non-existent. They entertain 15th-placed Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday knowing that prior to last season's amazing 4-4 draw, the Cherries recorded 3-0 wins on their previous two visits to Old Trafford. United flew straight back to Manchester after the game. It remains to be seen whether the position around Carrick changes before the Bournemouth game. However, United supporters sang against the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe as the shambolic evening unravelled. Both Carrick and sporting director Jason Wilcox have been absolved of partial blame for the club's plight by some; Carrick because he was let down badly in the summer transfer window, when the club signed three midfielders, but failed to bring in competition for Luke Shaw at left-back and Benjamin Sesko in attack. Wilcox too, because he had to work to a budget set by those above him, including chief executive Omar Berrada. "There was a lot going through my mind watching that," admitted Carrick, who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League during his United playing career. "It was tough to watch. "It wasn't just the goals, if I'm totally honest. It was was the manner and way we played at times. "I'm giving my absolute best all the time, I care about it. My whole life is wrapped around it. It might go well, it might not go so well, but I I genuinely give everything that I possibly can." 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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Southampton forward Finn Azaz will continue to represent the Republic of Ireland despite reports that he may retire from international football. The 26-year-old told BBC Radio Solent, external that he would carry on playing for the country where he holds citizenship and has made 16 appearances since his debut in 2024. Azaz, who was born in England, represents Ireland through his father but also qualified for Israel through his mother. Azaz was an unused substitute when the Republic of Ireland met Israel in two recent Nations League matches - games that were embroiled in controversy - and reports afterwards suggested he could call time on his international career. The Republic of Ireland players faced calls to withdraw from the games due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. A campaign called "Stop The Game", organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine, staged protests before and during the Republic's game against Austria in Dublin, prior to their second match against Israel. However, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) decided to fulfil the fixtures, which had already been moved to neutral venues, with the Republic of Ireland winning the first match 3-0 before playing out a 1-1 draw. Ireland wore black armbands for the matches and bowed their heads when Israel's national anthem was played before kick-off, while the two teams did not shake hands. Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said following the second match that the period had been "tough" on Azaz "mentally". "It is probably the most difficult situation for him of all of us," he said. "He deserves a lot of credit for being in the squad and showed desire to be a part of this team." Republic of Ireland denied by Israel in draw Republic of Ireland defeat Israel in Debrecen Azaz has had an impressive start to the campaign and has emerged as one of Southampton's most important players. Since signing from Middlesborough last summer, the Irishman has scored 14 goals with 15 assists having played 60 times. Azaz has called for more from the group as they push for promotion back to the Premier League. "It's been a good start by the team but we're not there yet," he told BBC Radio Solent. "There's still space to get to another level, we've been pretty consistent but it was never going to be the same as the end of last season straight away. "You have to build that mentality, it's now about us wanting to keep improving and not just being content with how we're doing. "We have high aspirations and the mindset has to be to keep getting better." Pre-match, post-match and topical Saints content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about the Saints

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Former Georgia captain and Dundee midfielder Giorgi Nemsadze has died at the age of 54 of a heart attack. Dinamo Tbilisi, with whom he started and ended his playing career, made the announcement "with a heavy heart" on Facebook. Having previously played with Hamburg, Trabzonspor, Grasshoppers, Reggiana and Locomotive Tbilisi, Nemsadze joined Dundee in 2000, spending three years with the club, and earned 69 caps for his country. Giorgia's Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has led the tributes, stating: "I express my deep sorrow over the death of Giorgi Nemsadze. This is a tremendous loss for Georgian football. 'Galvanised Dundee will shock more teams' "As the former captain of Georgia's national team, an outstanding professional and a leader with a fighting spirit, he successfully represented both the national team and Georgian and foreign clubs. "With his distinctive playing style and perseverance, he left a lasting mark on the history of Georgian sport." Nemsadze joined Dundee during the era of big-name signings, such as Argentina striker Claudio Caniggia, under manager Ivano Bonetti and was inducted into the Scottish Premiership club's hall of fame in 2010. He subsequently spent a year as Dinamo's sporting director before entering coaching with the country's youth players and managing Shevardeni Tbilisi, Dila Gori and Dinamo. Visit our Dundee page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views

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The cacophony of boos that greet the Premier League and Champions League anthems before kick-off have now become a fixture at the Etihad Stadium. The jeers from Manchester City fans were turned up a notch against Ipswich last Saturday when the side played their first home game since being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules. "I can't remember a Premier League or Champions League home game where the anthems haven't been booed," City season-ticket holder Dave Wilson told BBC Sport. The pre-match dissatisfaction towards top-flight chiefs can likely be traced back to February 2023, when the 115 charges for breaching the rules were first announced. Later that same year, Everton had 10 points - reduced to six on appeal - deducted after being found to have broken profit and sustainability rules. In their first game back after the sanction, Toffees fans displayed their ire at Goodison Park by loudly booing the league's pre-match anthem as well as holding up red cards with the word 'corrupt' printed underneath the Premier League logo. Though City supporters did not organise a similar display, their anger was clear. "The Premier League anthem has been booed by City fans for many years," said Wilson. "It was probably heightened on Saturday because it was the first home game since the [guilty verdict] announcement. "There hasn't been much love lost between City and the Premier League for a long time. For certain games it will be louder than others, it definitely wasn't co-ordinated for that [Ipswich] game but a symptom of everything coming together." There was audible booing before Tuesday's Champions League fixture against AEK Athens too. No Haaland, no problem - can Foden be Man City's alternative goalscorer? City fans' displeasure towards Uefa goes back even further, there being a litany of disputes with Europe's top brass. In 2012, Porto were handed a fine, external of around £17,000 by Uefa after City made a complaint of racial abuse towards striker Mario Balotelli to the organising body. In that same season, City were given a fine, external of around £24,000 for being one minute late back on to the pitch for the second half of a game against Sporting. In 2014, Uefa fined City £49m and capped their squad size for the Champions League after they failed Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. Six years later, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) overturned City's two-year ban from European club competitions after clearing them of "disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions" - Uefa initially ruled City had committed "serious breaches" of FFP regulations between 2012 and 2016. Wilson adds: "City fans generally feel there is a conspiracy against them, like the booing of the Uefa anthem too. There is a feeling of being targeted, rightly or wrongly. "City fans just don't seem to like the competitions we play in!" City and their supporters are currently in limbo as they await the outcome of the appeal and any potential sanctions. The side are currently top of the table having won all seven league games so far and that 100% record will be given a stern examination with a difficult trip to Aston Villa on Saturday (kick-off 12:30 BST). Nick Clarke is interim chair of The Citizens Trust - Manchester City supporters' union, a member-led trust that was set up earlier this year at a time when the "potential biggest issue affecting City fans in the club's history" had transpired. Though it has been a "difficult time", fans are "completely behind the team" and he says his job is to ensure their views are heard amid the external noise. "The booing of the anthem on Saturday was totally organic," says Clarke. "Whereas the bananas at Liverpool was a fan-led initiative co-ordinated by the 1894 atmosphere group and they did great work handing those out before the game. "Even though there are fans who are conflicted about what has happened with the club, there is still a general feeling among the majority [of City fans] that the Premier League is not fit for purpose in regulating itself and how it is ran." Whatever the outcome of the appeal, City fans are likely to continue making their feelings clear before kick-off.

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Barcelona have reported Paris St-Germain to Uefa after a tifo featuring a message which they say "incites violence and hatred in sport" was displayed ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match. Ahead of kick-off at Parc des Princes, PSG fans behind one of the goals unveiled a banner featuring a masked figure in a PSG shirt destroying the Barcelona badge with a chainsaw. Underneath the image, in French, were the words "massacre, Parisian style". Banners featuring explicit messages were also on display during the match, with Barcelona "strongly" condemning the actions of PSG's supporters. Barcelona lost 4-2 in the French capital after previously winning their opening two Champions League matches. In a statement, Barcelona told BBC Sport: "The club strongly condemns the incidents that took place when the tifo was displayed in the stands, including the images of a blood-covered chainsaw attacking the Barca crest. "These images were deeply disturbing and conveyed a message that incites violence and hatred in sport. "We consider this kind of imagery and language unacceptable as it goes against the values of respect, fair play and sportsmanship that should be upheld in football. "We believe that football should be a space for healthy rivalry, mutual respect, and passion for the game, free from messages that promoted hatred or violence." Under article 16 of Uefa's disciplinary regulations, the "use of gestures, words, objects, or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is not fit for a sports event" can result in disciplinary measures, including a fine of 10,000 euros (£8,381) for a first offence. BBC Sport has contacted Uefa and PSG for comment. PSG's Kvaratskhelia to have surgery on ruptured ACL Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast

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New Walsall goalkeeper Jed Ward is producing "Premier League" contributions with both his hands and feet, according to his dazzled manager and team-mates. The 23-year-old has kept eight clean sheets in 13 games in all competitions - making a string of superb saves in the process - since joining the Saddlers from hometown club Bristol Rovers for an undisclosed fee in the summer. And he added another string to his bow with an outrageous assist in Tuesday's 3-0 League Two win over Oldham Athletic - pinging a pin-point 50-yard low through-ball for Tai Sodje to score the Saddlers' opener. "The pass from Jed is different level - I was shouting at him to play Tai in, but I didn't think he'd do it in that way," said impressed Walsall top-scorer Aaron Pressley. "It was Premier League stuff, that." Ward leads League Two in percentage of shots saved - 86% with 43 stops from 50 efforts on target faced, which is almost four saves a game on average. Only Swindon's Connor Ripley (58) has made more saves while Exeter goalkeeper Jack Bycroft (seven) is the only keeper to have kept more League Two clean sheets than Ward's six. He has spent much of the past two seasons on loan at National League clubs Yeovil and Forest Green, but did make 18 League One appearances for Bristol Rovers in 2024-25. In addition to his unexpected assist, Ward made three stops at key moments of Tuesday's game to continue to delight Saddlers boss Lee Grant, himself a former goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday, Burnley and Derby during his playing days. "In terms of what he's bringing at the moment, [Jed] is very, very high level," Grant told BBC Radio WM. "There's a big save at 0-0, a big save at 1-0. There's an incredible assist, then there's distribution in the second half which is just so well thought-out and executed. His level of performance has been so high." Grant: 'We got to see both sides of the group' Pressley: 'One of our best performances' Walsall's collective level of performance under new boss Grant - with a largely overhauled squad - has been just as high as their last line of defence. After 11 games, they are the only unbeaten team remaining in the EFL, although a surplus of draws compared to wins - seven to four - means they only sit fourth. Two goals from Pressley, including one from the penalty spot, after Sodje's opener, comfortably saw off Oldham despite Walsall playing the final half hour with 10 men after Elicha Ahui's red card. "We got to see both sides of the group - we got to see a team that was really going after the game in the first half, dominated and controlled large parts," added Grant. "Then we got to see the other side of the group which is becoming a clear trend in terms of the character, the fight and the determination and I think in some ways that feels sweeter." Walsall have led League Two at Christmas in both of the past two seasons, only to fall away and fail to gain promotion on either occasion. Pressley, who joined in the summer of 2025 and was part of last season's slide, has already overtaken his goal tally from last term with eight so far - including seven in the league. Both he and his manager, however, pointed to Walsall's strength in depth - Grant has regularly tinkered with his starting XI, never fielding an unchanged side despite their solid results - as a beacon of hope they can last the course this time. "I've just trusted my whole group," said Grant. "So, for the long run, it's good to have this sort of depth and be able to utilise that." Pressley added: "We made four changes on Tuesday and that's the strength of the squad. The players coming on have been outstanding and the way we can change the team from game to game is such a strength." Arguably, Walsall's biggest test of their unbeaten start will come in their next home game when they host leaders Salford on Monday. "Obviously it's quite a big game next Monday, but we just need to focus on what we can control in a way on the training pitch and prepare properly," Pressley added. "That should put us in a good place for next week." Pre-match, post-match and topical Saddlers content Subscribe and listen for everything you love about Walsall