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The defeat to Brighton has scared Arsenal. After winning the league, they came out and played some entertaining football, but then that result happened and they’ve gone back to being an efficient machine. It frightened them and they've reverted to type. And the type is that they won't let in any goals, and they'll make an opportunity to score a goal, and that's exactly what they did at Nottingham Forest. I don't think I've ever seen a game where a team has that much possession and still doesn't look like scoring a goal in a month of Sundays. It was as bad as it gets. It's unbelievable how you can have that much of the ball and not look like scoring. I used to watch Arsene Wenger's teams and they would have 30 shots from that amount of play. Forest just sat there and waited to get beat and Arsenal couldn't beat them. Other teams have seen the blueprint to play against Arsenal: sit back and defend. It's not hard. It's not like they're going to make 20, 30 chances. The wingers don't go past anybody. No one runs beyond the ball. The ball isn't being held up. There's no real movement. I was blown away watching their performance against Forest. I know they won by not playing well, and that's a great sign, but at the same time I thought the shackles would be off this season and they would really start playing. Bruno Guimaraes has got to play in every game. He's the one who can pass the ball. I just can't see how they beat Bayern Munich this week. If I was Bayern, I'd just open the game up and just say you have a shot, we have a shot because there'll only be one winner. Can Arsenal outscore teams? This is a massive football match. This gives you a marker for where you are in the Champions League, because you just don't know how strong these leagues are. I like Kai Havertz. He's a good footballer. But when the Bayern Munich centre-halves go to bed, is he giving them a sleepless night? Are they awake worrying that they're playing against Havertz? X factor is what wins a Champions League and I don't see that at Arsenal. I don't see Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres as the difference-maker. It's fine when you're playing against lesser teams, but it's different when you're playing against Europe's big boys. I still see Arsenal winning the league because I just think they just need one goal. I feel Manchester City need two goals every football game to win. Arsenal just need one and they'll win. I've played for big teams and I've played for teams that weren't big - it's a different game. Eberechi Eze is a prime example. It's so, so different. He was substituted at half-time against Forest, but if he played like that for Crystal Palace, he would still be on the pitch. You've got to perform at Arsenal. You've got to play in a shape. You can't just play your own game. You can't be a free spirit at big clubs anymore. At Palace, the team talk is 'give the ball to Eze, everything goes through him and then we'll work from there'. You go to Arsenal, there are four of them. Give the ball to Bruno. Give the ball to Bukayo Saka. Give the ball to Martin Odegaard. Give the ball to Declan Rice. At Arsenal, he gets on the ball, and he's got to make things happen in the 25, 30 times he's touched the ball instead of the 100 times he touches the ball at Palace. I've seen him try to nutmeg people on the edge of his own box at Crystal Palace and lose the ball, but it's alright. That's no disrespect to Palace, but it's just different playing for a big team. The pressure is on week in, week out at Arsenal. They can win at Forest and they'll still get criticised by people like me. That's the difference. I remember Aston Villa away last year. Eze falls asleep at the far post, Matty Cash scores and he gets subbed at half-time. He started only one league game in the next two months. The lad can play. He's a lovely player, but I don't know if he'll be lovely for Arsenal. I don't know if he'll get the chance because as soon as he doesn't do well, he's off. Arsenal have too many players on the bench, so it's easy to take him off. That's the problem.

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Celtic turned on the style to humiliate Hearts after Rangers failed to take the chance to move to the top of the Scottish Premiership. Back-to-back defeats for new Hibernian boss Marink Reedijk means they are now bottom, while Motherwell and St Mirren could be in trouble after five straight defeats. Celtic's lead at the top is now four points, the same as the gap between seventh and 12th. We take a look at some of the talking points from another dramatic weekend of Premiership action... Celtic had no wins in five, but went on an unbelievable scoring spree against last season's runners-up Hearts to extend their lead at the top. Encouraged by their second-half showing in Thursday's 4-1 Europa League defeat to Benfica, the manager started with the front three that finished that game in Lisbon. And all three - Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran - scored in the 7-1 demolition of their title rivals. There was no place in the squad for Sebastien Tounekti after a dismal showing in Lisbon and Sunday's performance suggested O'Neill does have better options. Celtic were outstanding at times but Hearts, who had lost just one of their last 14 games in all competitions, played a part in their own humiliation. A failure to defend corner kicks was their undoing, losing two goals from Celtic's first three set-pieces. The game was effectively over after 10 minutes, but by half-time the hosts had scored five. Boyd saw signs of Celtic under Ange Postecoglou, but can they hit the same levels for the rest of the season? It is back to the Europa League and Benfica again for the Hoops on Thursday night, while Hearts are away to Trabzonspor in the Conference League. Rangers went to Dundee knowing an eighth straight win would see them return to the top of the Premiership, at least until Celtic played. But a poor first half and a late mistake from Dan Neil saw them leave Dens Park with a 2-2 draw. They did work hard to undo a struggling start to take the lead, but one lapse in concentration from Neil saw them drop two points. Derek McInnes said pre-match that it was too early to put pressure on their title challengers with a win, then claimed Dundee's second goal was like "a balloon popping." There is no doubt it was an opportunity missed for the Ibrox side, and the manager will be keen for an immediate response when they host newly promoted St Johnstone on Saturday. Reedijk can have no doubts about the size of job he has inherited at Hibernian after his home debut ended with them dropping to the foot of the table. It is now six league games without a win for the Easter Road side, who are in great need of a goalscorer. They can attack, but lack that final touch in front of goal. Combine that with too many needless errors and it is clear to see why the Hibees are looking up at the rest of the league after nine games. The fans are demanding an immediate improvement, but next up is the daunting challenge of Celtic on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. They also have a massive League Cup semi-final clash against Edinburgh rivals Hearts on November 1. Can the new boss turn things around before that trip to Hampden Park? It looked like Alfred Johansson had picked up where Jens Berthel Askou left off at Motherwell, but five straight defeats means the Fir Park side are just one point from the foot of the table. They are now on their longest losing run since February 2025, as the side who were brief title contenders last season find themselves in early trouble. There were some positives and glimpses of the Steelmen of last season. Tawanda Maswanhise hit the crossbar, but they were sloppy and struggled to dominate against a side that had won just once going into the game. Johansson needs to find some form and quickly. Their next challenge is a home clash against a hurting Hearts side who will also be desperate for a response. St Mirren have also lost their last five Premiership games, but sit two points above Motherwell in eighth. They started brightly against Aberdeen, but failure to take advantage of their first-half dominance cost them all three points. Buddies boss Craig McLeish can take some positives from the first half at Pittodrie, but knows he has to halt their dismal run to avoid the possibility of dropping bottom of the table.

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A gulf is appearing at the top of the Women's Super League. By most observers estimations that is not surprising. Manchester City remain perfect so far, their momentum too compelling to resist as title favourites. Chelsea look formidable too. What intrigues me is how far London City Lionesses have come in such a short space of time to join them as front-runners. I don't believe they have enough to upstage Man City or Chelsea, but perhaps there is merit in Michele Kang's Champions League wish after all. Many thought this season was too soon. I still have one foot in that camp. And yet, London City are third. Five points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham, who they humbled 6-1 a fortnight ago. My stance on their staying power based on that evidence is beginning to soften. Only Chelsea have scored more times from open play. Alexia Putellas is now wielding more influence on games, albeit she started from the bench at the weekend. The consistency of their many final-third creators, even when Putellas does not play, makes for a persuasive argument. Opta's big chances created metric is probably the best judge of creativity flow in a team and London City rank top. There is a stylistic maturity to their game. The way they sweep forward with numbers and intensity can open up just about any defensive block, the forward line all combining for a wonderfully-worked opener against Everton at the weekend. Danielle van de Donk's instinctive flick to unlock the zone from which Delphine Cascarino scored showed skill and, more impressive still, connectivity. The relentlessness of their press created a second opportunity for Freya Godfrey not long after, which she buried emphatically. A squad that boasts so many attacking talents should be scoring these types of goals. There should be tactical variety and imagination. But the way Maestre has knitted all those pieces together to create a cohesive unit with clear patterns of play deserves attention. A true measure of their stamina arrives at the beginning of next month when they host league leaders Man City. There is no greater test. No doubt they will approach it with the confidence of a side that is showing rapid development and an identifiable desire to mix it with the best in the division. Of course one of the giants had to fall for London City to assume a place in the top three. That giant is Arsenal. Their latest flop against newly promoted Birmingham City perfectly encapsulated the mood around north London. They are this season's big losers. The Gunners are currently on their longest winless run in the side's history. Boos could be heard from the stands at the weekend. Renee Slegers is running out of hiding places. Her side is no longer one that plays on instinct and impulse. All their top creators appear inhibited, unable to summon the strength to break through opposition teams who choose to block rather than play. Of course that is their prerogative. Birmingham were excellent at it on Saturday. And so Arsenal lose more ground. Confidence takes another hit. 19-year-old Lisa Baum is the only player to score more than once in the league this term - as a new signing. Leadership looks lost. They are already well out of the running for the title with a 12-point gap to Man City at the top. Before long, they will be out of European contention, too. Ella Toone has long been Manchester United's poster girl. A lifelong fan, who grew up supporting the club in Tyldesley, about 11 miles north of Old Trafford. It's only right she has a place in its history books, scoring the opener in victory over Charlton at the weekend to take her level with Leah Galton as the club's leading scorer of WSL goals. Man Utd made it three wins on the spin in the process as Eva Olid's stamp continues to become more recognisable. Toone has played a big part in that transition.

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England Women boss Sarina Wiegman will lead the Lionesses through to the end of Euro 2029 after signing a new two-year contract extension. The 56-year-old's previous deal was set to expire at the end of the 2027 World Cup. The new deal gives Wiegman the chance to guide England to a third straight European Championship title after earning the Lionesses' first major trophy with Euro 2022 victory, followed by a successful defence three years later. Under Wiegman, England also finished as World Cup runners-up in 2023 after a final defeat by Spain. The new contract extension is set to see Wiegman's time in charge as England Women boss reach eight years after her first game in 2021. Wiegman, who also won the 2017 Euros with her native Netherlands, said: "I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football. Working for a world-class organisation like The FA, and alongside so many people dedicated to winning England teams and the growth of our game, excites me every day. "I am grateful to Mark Bullingham, Debbie Hewitt and the FA Board for the incredible way they have backed me, my coaches and support team and, of course, the players. "I am honoured by their trust, which I never take for granted and want to keep this great partnership going. I have such a strong desire to see what more we can achieve together with our amazing fans. "I also want to keep supporting the wonderful collaborative work being led by The FA across the women's game, particularly in developing young players and coaches. "Of course, anyone who knows me will understand that my main concern right now is absolutely the World Cup, and helping this squad realise their potential in the years to come. We have an important job to do to confirm our place in Brazil, and hopefully we can do that and give the country another special summer to remember next year." Wiegman will aim to guide the Lionesses to the 2027 World Cup as England take on Ukraine over two legs in the final play-off round in December, with the winners of the tie progressing to the tournament in Brazil. Last year, Wiegman, who has also won two Arnold Clark Cups and the first Women's Finalissima against Brazil, was voted as the Best FIFA Women's Coach for a record-extending fifth time. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "Sarina is an incredible coach, with an unparalleled record in major tournaments and I am so happy to continue to work with her for the next EURO cycle. "While we will all remember the trophies and thrilling moments she has given us, I know she is only looking forward. There is no one better to lead the Lionesses into the next two tournaments. "Sarina's impact on English football has been immense, and she continues to inspire so many throughout the game. We have so much more to do in the women's game and she will be instrumental in helping us to achieve that." Wiegman's new deal will also encompass the 2027 Nations League, which serves as a qualifying tournament for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. FA Chief Football Officer Dan Ashworth added: "We have been aware for a long time now that this is a golden age for women's football in this country, and Sarina has played a significant part. "In Sarina, we have an elite coach who has won consistently while operating at the highest tactical level, embracing innovation and never standing still. Her record is remarkable. "While Sarina is fuelled by a determination to keep on winning and to support the growth of the game, her humility also shines through. It is never about her but always about a desire to maximise the potential within players to be the best they can be." "England have reached the final of every tournament under her charge, her record close to flawless. "But the Dutchwoman has had to field more scrutiny over the past 12 months, much of it surrounding what many believe to be a stagnation of England's development. The bar for the Lionesses is extremely high. They are the two-time European champions and must be judged against the world's best. "So when they fell 4-0 to Spain recently and failed to qualify automatically for Brazil 2027, it drew criticism. But it was also a necessary reality check, and an opportunity for Wiegman to embrace the change she had resisted within her squad of champions. "There are some young, exciting talents coming through England's ranks. That much was demonstrated by 20-year-old Lexi Potter during the most recent international window. "Wiegman must see the potential in the next generation. And there is perhaps no better coach on the international scene to help them realise that potential. Now she can focus fully on how England might go about winning their first women's World Cup - and what can be achieved beyond."

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Welcome to The Euro Debrief , the Sky Sports column in which Adam Bate rounds up some of the key stories from the latest matches across the continent. This week: "When you see the first goal he scored, unbelievable," said Hansi Flick of Lamine Yamal. "This is, for me, at the moment, the best player in the world." It was an outrageous opener in his side's 5-2 win away to Real Betis as Barca made it nine wins from nine in LaLiga. There is certainly nothing outrageous about Flick's claim. The teenager's manipulation of the ball at speed is unparalleled. Betis competed - Giovani Lo Celso unfortunate to have a sensational strike of his own ruled out - but Barca's firepower is something else. They have scored 39 goals in their nine games so far, the best scoring start to a season in LaLiga by any team in 86 years and the longest run of victories to begin a campaign in 58 years. They will take some stopping and it is Real Madrid who will be next to try. Having been lucky enough to be there to see the first Clasico of last season, in which Lamine Yamal failed to back up his comments, released pre-match, accusing their great rivals of "stealing and complaining", it will be fascinating to see how this one plays out. The winger was relatively becalmed that day. One year on, and just one day before the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, momentum seems to be with him this time. A chance for this 10-out-of-10 player to make it 10 wins out of 10 for this thrilling Barcelona side. In truth, Real Madrid were just as impressive in their 4-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday. Arda Guler set the tone with an ambitious angled finish in the Bernabeu before Kylian Mbappe danced through for the first of his two goals as he warmed up for El Clasico too. All eyes will be on that showdown but the two great rivals are still separated in the league table by the presence of Atletico Madrid in second spot. That is because Alex Baena came off the bench to produce a fine finish into the side-netting to beat Espanyol late on. LaLiga results: Deportivo A Coruna 1-1 Levante, Espanyol 0-1 Atletico Madrid, Villarreal 0-0 Elche, Real Betis 2-5 Barcelona, Valencia 0-0 Athletic Club, Osasuna 2-0 Racing Santander, Celta Vigo 2-1 Alaves, Malaga 2-5 Real Sociedad, Real Madrid 4-1 Sevilla. Harry Kane has not given up on grabbing the Ballon d'Or for himself at next week's ceremony and he offered more evidence for his compelling case as Bayern Munich went one better than Barcelona and racked up six goals in their dismantling of RB Leipzig. The England captain marked his 100th Bundesliga appearance by scoring one and setting up two more in what was a demolition at the Allianz Arena and something of a return to form for Bayern back in Bavaria after two consecutive draws away from home. Luis Diaz scored three goals and the slip-ups elsewhere in Germany saw normal service resume in the Bundesliga with Bayern claiming top spot. Borussia Dortmund do remain unbeaten themselves but they could only muster a disappointing draw away to Union Berlin. It means Dortmund go into their game against Eintracht Frankfurt next week, live on Sky Sports , still one point shy of the tally that seemed in the bag when two up to Werder Bremen last week. Niclas Fullkrug changed that and the striker pulled off another rescue act on Saturday, scoring twice to salvage a point against Paderborn. Freiburg, meanwhile, went into the weekend top of the table but suffered a 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen despite opening the scoring. That man Patrik Schick netted the winner, having now scored in all six of Leverkusen's Bundesliga games so far this season. How Borussia Monchengladbach could do with any kind of winner, from anyone. Our weekly check-in on the five-time champions of Germany reveals that they remain pointless after the latest 2-1 home defeat to Hoffenheim. New coach but the same old problems. Eintracht Frankfurt have parted ways with their sporting director Markus Krosche but the feel-good story in Germany goes on with newcomers Elversberg beating Augsburg 4-3 at home. Few fancied them to win many games but this was their second 4-3 win alone. Inter came from behind to win at Bologna and they remain top of the table in Italy but they are certainly not the biggest story in Serie A. That accolade belongs to Lazio after their remarkable 3-0 win over Juventus in Turin continued their astonishing run of form. It was already their best ever Serie A start but this was the most emphatic win yet, underlining their unexpected improvement under Gennaro Gattuso. The club had sold a tiny number of season tickets going into the campaign with fans at odds with the owner-president. But the team have been a revelation with so many players raising their level. Oliver Provstgaard opened the scoring against Juve with a glancing header, only the second top-division goal of his career, the previous having come for Velje in his native Denmark. His compatriot Gustav Isaksen scored too. Mattia Zaccagni has been magnificent. Nuno Taveres is in the form of his life. But it is true of so many. Davide Frattesi did not get a goal for Inter last season but recently scored in three games in a row. Dare Lazio dream of glory? Their neighbours Roma might have something to say about that. They remain unbeaten themselves and will be encouraged to have won comfortably enough against Genoa without the services of Donyell Malen, Roma's star striker still serving a suspension. Ruben Amorim's Milan, as they must now be known, are also yet to be beaten despite a wobble against Atalanta - holding on for a 3-2 victory. But it was not such good news for Napoli, who were defeated at Venezia - Kevin De Bruyne having a tame penalty saved. PSG briefly clambered their way to the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday as Luis Enrique continued his policy of patiently waiting to introduce his most devastating players from the bench. Strasbourg were one goal up on Saturday until Ousmane Dembele came on. Dembele proceeded to squander the opportunity to equalise from the penalty spot but then provided the assist to level it up and go on to score what proved to be the winner. Fellow substitute Desire Doue added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage-time. Such depth. Elsewhere, Olivier Giroud, now 40, did score from the spot to earn a point for Lille and there was a 5-2 win for a resurgent Marseille at Angers. But both Monaco and Rennes missed the chance to go top, losing their away games to Lorient and Paris FC respectively. Liam Rosenior's Paris team were 4-3 winners, staying level on points with their illustrious neighbours from the capital. He is enjoying a superb start there. But it is Lyon who are top of the table now, hanging on with 10 men for a 2-1 win at home to Nice. There was a defeat for reigning champions PSV in the Netherlands, beaten in stoppage-time by Den Haag. Meanwhile, the Portuguese league took a break but over in Turkey credit is due to Youssoufa Moukoko who scored a late winner for his new side Corum. His smart finish was the Germany international's first goal since joining on loan as he attempts to rebuild a career that has lost momentum since his Dortmund days when Erling Haaland was describing him as the brightest young talent anywhere in the world.

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The top stories and transfer rumours from Monday's newspapers... Manchester United are weighing up a stunning move for ex-Tottenham forward Troy Parrott, with the club said to have 'sent officials' to Spain to watch him in action for Real Betis - Daily Mirror Pierre Sage is under growing pressure at Crystal Palace and could become the first Premier League manager sacked this season after an embarrassing 5-0 defeat against rivals Brighton - Daily Mail Manchester United fans were stunned when they noticed Sir Alex Ferguson sitting alongside iconic kitman Albert Morgan for the crunch match with Leeds - The Sun Nottingham Forest are the subject of fan discontent after banning a 'misogynistic' chant and warning their supporters of consequences if they continue to sing it - Daily Mail Paper Talk is a review of the sports headlines from the national newspapers, every Monday to Friday, live on Sky Sports News from 10.30pm. Missed the show? Catch up on the latest news with the Paper Talk podcast. Manchester United's players and staff have attributed part of the blame for their miserable start to the season to the cameras filming a behind-the-scenes documentary at the club - Daily Star Exiled Tottenham star Richarlison has shared a pointed social media post where he backed criticism of Roberto De Zerbi - Daily Mail 'A goal Brighton fans will never forget!' | Diego Gomez goal from ALL ANGLES Man City maintain perfect record as Chelsea, Man Utd and London City Lionesses all win - Women's Super League round-up Hilarious moment referee does ball-drop test on SWAMPED pitch Brighton 5-0 Crystal Palace: Fabian Hurzeler's side hit five in emphatic derby win as Gomez nets wondergoal Roy Keane and Ian Wright have their say on how Diego Gomez's 'goal of the season contender' compares Former Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere has described former Celtic captain Scott Brown as the player in football he hated playing against the most - Scottish Sun Frank Warren wants Daniel Dubois to face the winner of Tyson Fury's blockbuster showdown with Anthony Joshua in a world heavyweight title unification - The Sun Derek Chisora reckons Fabio Wardley's boxing career is over following his brutal rematch loss to Daniel Dubois - The Sun

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Michael Carrick called Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Leeds a "fresh start" on Sunday. No doubt that encapsulated the sense of relief the manager felt after watching his side battle and duel better than they had all season, showing the commitment that had been missing from most performances so far. He will be pleased Bryan Mbeumo's form is a continuation of what went before, though - about the only player who has shown a shade of consistency during this difficult start. Three of Mbeumo's four Premier League goals have put United 1-0 ahead this term. His strike against Leeds marked an important momentum shift in a game that could have otherwise got away from them. Fortunately for Carrick, Mbeumo has been a reliant source since his switch from Brentford, his 15 goals more than any other United player since his debut - including Bruno Fernandes. Just two victories from 10 games in all competitions means Carrick is not off the hook. But while Mbeumo keeps scoring, he's got something positive to hook performances on. Especially while Fernandes continues to look off-colour. Laura Hunter Eberechi Eze has spent a year at Arsenal since leaving Crystal Palace, but questions remain over whether he is ready to become one of the club's leading figures as their ambitions continue to grow. His talent is undeniable. The real concern is whether he can influence games consistently, and the trip to Nottingham Forest presented another opportunity to silence his doubters. With Arsenal struggling to break down Forest, Eze had the chance to make a difference. Instead, he was substituted at half-time, watching from the sidelines as Noni Madueke replaced him and went on to score the 80th-minute winner. Roy Keane's assessment on Sky Sports was telling, suggesting his concerns extended beyond a single performance. "We're still waiting for him, the talent is there," Keane said. "We just want him to be at Arsenal and be able to take responsibility and try to be the main man at a big club." That is the challenge facing Eze. At Crystal Palace, he was the focal point, the player expected to create chances and turn games in his team's favour. At Arsenal, however, talent alone will not earn him that status. He must deliver consistently, particularly in tight contests when his team need inspiration. Ian Wright offered some important context, describing Eze as a "moments player" who benefits from having players around him and can become isolated on the left. There is merit to that argument. Eze offers a different threat to Madueke, whose pace, directness and willingness to take on defenders gave Arsenal a fresh dimension in the second half. Yet that only underlines the challenge facing the former Palace man. While Madueke seized his opportunity and made an immediate impact, Eze failed to leave his mark on the contest. Competition for places is healthy at a club with Arsenal's ambitions. For Eze, though, the task is no longer simply to showcase his ability in flashes. He must demonstrate that he can influence games regularly, take responsibility when his team need him and establish himself as a first-choice player. The talent is there. Now, Eze must prove he can turn that potential into consistent performances and become one of Arsenal's main men. William Bitibiri There was only so long Nottingham Forest could rely on defensive resilience before their lack of goals caught up with them. Now they are in the relegation zone. Oliver Glasner's side have failed to score in every Premier League home game this season, and their defeat to Arsenal highlighted why they are in trouble. Forest competed and created opportunities but lacked the quality in the final third to make their efforts count. Liam Delap struggled to make an impact against Arsenal's defence, summing up a frustrating afternoon. Forest needed someone to take responsibility but their attacking play lacked conviction. That is the worry for Glasner. Defensive organisation can only take a team so far; they still need goals to win matches. Forest are now in the relegation zone with just five points. Their performances offer some encouragement, but until they find a reliable source of goals at the City Ground, it is difficult to see their situation improving. William Bitibiri There was a time when Hurzeler could barely win over his own supporters. Now he has Brighton dreaming again. Back in February, Hurzeler was booed off at the Amex after a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace. The frustration was palpable. Questions were being asked, patience was wearing thin. Fast forward to this 5-0 demolition of their fiercest rivals and the transformation is remarkable. This is what happens when a club refuses to panic. Brighton could have pulled the trigger when the noise around Hurzeler was at its loudest. Instead, they trusted their process and back their man. Brighton have always prided themselves on smart decision-making, from recruitment to managerial appointments. Hurzeler is the latest example of that philosophy working. And what better way to underline that progress than by dismantling Palace? The boos of February feel a long way away. Brighton are going places. Lewis Jones Crystal Palace won three trophies in the previous two seasons. On this evidence, they look a million miles away from those glories. This was Pierre Sage's worst day as Palace boss by some distance. There have been defeats this season where you could at least point to some decent football, a positive spell or an individual performance worth celebrating. At the Amex, there was nothing. No resistance, no response. Brighton ripped them apart in a 5-0 humiliation that exposed just how far Palace have fallen. The defensive holes were glaring. Replacing Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix was never going to be straightforward but the scale of the problem is becoming impossible to ignore. Palace look vulnerable every time opponents turn up the pressure. Last weekend, Nottingham Forest missed seven big chances in their defeat to Palace. That was a warning sign, perhaps one that was easy to dismiss with three points in the bag. Brighton offered no such charity. They punished Palace's mistakes ruthlessly. Sage must find answers quickly. If Palace continue to concede chances at this rate, the pressure on their manager will grow with every passing week. Their recent trophy haul feels a long way away. Lewis Jones Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose must have grown tired of constantly explaining how well his side had played in defeat this season, a recurring theme for the Cherries as they looked for a first Premier League win of the season under their new head coach, but no more after Sunday's much-needed, but hugely deserved victory over fellow strugglers Sunderland. Sure, the hosts were helped on their way to the the three points by some calamitous defending from the Black Cats, but it was more that they forced their opponents into those mistakes, including for both their goals, as well as Kevin Danso's 17th-minute red card. In fact, such was Bournemouth's dominance from start to finish at the Vitality that their final xG of 4.46 was their highest on record in the Premier League, with the German even joking after the game that he might now treat himself to a non-alcoholic beer. It may have taken Bournemouth seven league matches to get off the mark but anyone who has watched them this season knows that first victory was just around the corner. They must now build on it, especially at home, where they have lost one of their last 15 top-flight contests. Maintaining the Vitality as a fortress will go a long way to ensuring another fine campaign. Rich Morgan

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Hearts returned to Celtic Park looking for revenge but were taught a lesson by the side who snatched the Scottish Premiership title from their grasp. After last season's final-day showdown, the Hoops reminded Wouter Vrancken's team what it takes to win the league trophy with a "devastating" performance. It is a result that moves Martin O'Neill's men four points clear at the top of the table with Hearts left in third, a further four points behind Rangers. Encouraged by their second-half showing in Thursday's 3-1 Europa League defeat to Benfica, the manager started with the front three that finished that game in Lisbon. And all three - Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran - scored in the 7-1 demolition of their title rivals. Celtic were outstanding at times but Hearts played a part in their own humiliation. "That first half was devastating. Hearts, I cannot for the life of me work out what they were trying to do there," said Kris Boyd. "To come here and show the lack of respect to Celtic that Hearts have done today would be a wake-up call for me. "You look at last year, Derek McInnes [then Hearts boss] got criticised for it from a lot of people in terms of just grinding out results. It may be an ugly watch but they were still there. "I don't see any of that Hearts team that's going in the Celtic team. I don't see any of it, so what would make you think you're better than them?" "That there was an annihilation. I mean, I have never seen anything like it in my life." Hearts had only conceded eight goals in the Premiership this season, before shipping seven in 90 minutes at Celtic Park. "I couldn't work out if Hearts were really poor or Celtic were really good. It's probably a combination of the two of them," said former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan. "The amount of times that Hearts gave the ball away in really dangerous areas for Celtic, and there would only be two passes and it was a goal, and they continually did it throughout the whole game. "There is levels to football. Hearts obviously last season went close and this season they want to challenge it and be up there. But you also have to understand the game. "They're 5-1 down at half-time and then whatever the manager said to them went completely out of their ears because then they conceded another goal four minutes into the second half. "It was a really poor performance from Hearts, which you haven't said that often in the last 12 months. At the same time, you've got to give Celtic a lot of credit." It was all too easy for Celtic on Sunday but that did not mean Martin O'Neill was ruling Hearts out of this season's title race after just nine games. "It's easy to be magnanimous after the game but they're still big challengers," the 74-year-old told Sky Sports . "Everything clicked for us today. We might have had two more chances but everything that we hit went into the net. "It was nice to win today because I was concerned after Thursday night, wondering how we feel, can we get ourselves together for it? "You ask any manager or any team, any player, they would say the same thing. Once you've put a couple of goals in front, then confidence just is so strong. "The team played with a lot of confidence but you have to gain that confidence in the first place. And that's what we did today." While Celtic welcome Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday night, Hearts are away to Trabzonspor in the Conference League. "When you're not on top level in the top games, then it's really difficult to get a result," Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken told Sky Sports . "It's good to analyse it, also the good things. Knowing where we come from and not losing the grip and confidence in what you're doing. We just have to do things better than today. "It was not good enough because of the individual mistakes and the two set plays which killed us at the beginning of the game. "We made mistakes that we wouldn't normally make. That's it. I'm sorry."

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United have just seven points from seven league matches, winning just one of those, which is their fewest number of victories at this stage of a top-flight season for 40 years. Despite extending their winless run in all competitions to six games with the draw at Elland Road, the performance was much improved, with Carrick's tactical tweaks making his side more compact and defensively solid. Neville agreed with the United head coach's assessment that Sunday's performance at Elland Road was a step in the right direction. Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast , the Sky Sports pundit said: "[There's] a depressed standard and a low expectation right now. "But it'll feel like a stepping stone for Michael Carrick, and it'll feel like the first step on the ladder in the Premier League. "They may take some confidence from that, and there might be a blueprint there. Maybe we have to bring Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford and others off the bench, and we might just have to have a go at being more solid." United's paltry points return has them sitting 13th in the Premier League after seven games, already five points adrift of fifth place, which was enough for Champions League qualification last season. Neville says there is no need for panic just yet but feels United have to show signs of improvement over the next few weeks otherwise Carrick could find himself in hot water come the new year. "I would say fourth would be a birdie, fifth would be par, and sixth would be a bogey," said Neville of his former club's targets for the season. "But they can't finish outside the top five, because then you're missing out on Champions League and it becomes a vicious circle. "Then you can't get those players because they want to play in the Champions League and you can't get the money from it and you've lost the £60m-£70m and you're in the Europa League on Thursday nights. "Fifth is a must for Michael Carrick to continue to grow and Manchester United continue to grow with investment. "If they're 13th in January, he's got a problem because then you are what you are. Whereas I think it's still early enough, seven points from seven games, to say, 'okay, still early in the season'. You can't say that after 15 games. "It has to change in the next few weeks: Bournemouth is really important and Chelsea away. And how he manages the games in between that. "You've got to say fifth. You know that anything less than fifth is going to be a disappointment and a dropping standard from the start of the season where everybody expected them to finish. "And at the moment, they're well short of that because you look at Brighton, Liverpool, Aston Villa - they look like they're picking up a little bit. It's difficult." Neville has seen encouraging signs from Carlos Baleba's start to life as a Manchester United player and feels the midfielder staying fit is crucial for Carrick this season. Signed from Brighton for £70m at the end of the summer window, the 21-year-old arrived with an ankle injury that has kept him from featuring until he came on in the second half of last Saturday's 1-1 draw against 10-man Tottenham. Baleba has started the last two games, at Atletico Madrid and Leeds, and brought an added steel to United's midfield alongside fellow summer-signing Andrey Santos. "I know he had a difficult season last year at Brighton, but you watch him in his first couple of games or so for United, and he's got something," said Neville. "He's got a bit of strength about him, he's got a presence. "Him staying fit is gonna be absolutely critical, I can understand why Michael Carrick took him off with 20 minutes to go [at Leeds], because he's played [nearly] three games in a week. "Maybe he doesn't play him against Como on Wednesday. We're not throwing the Champions League away, but Manchester United have to beat Bournemouth next weekend. "I just wonder whether that Santos-Baleba partnership is going to stay there for a bit, and let a couple of [the attacking players] float around in front, and be a lot more solid, make sure we're not giving as much space away. "I'm sick of Manchester United's team being easy to play against, and Michael Carrick will be sick of it." Como (A) - Champions League - Wednesday October 21 Bournemouth (H) - Premier League - Sunday October 25, live on Sky Sports Chelsea (A) - Premier League - Saturday October 31 Roma (H) - Champions League - Tuesday November 3 Aston Villa (H) - Premier League - Sunday November 8, live on Sky Sports Liverpool (A) - Premier League - Sunday November 22, live on Sky Sports

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Arsenal's only shot on target proved enough to snatch victory at Nottingham Forest through Noni Madueke's deflected strike, keeping the champions within touching distance of Premier League leaders Manchester City and condemning Forest to the relegation zone. After 80 frustrating minutes at the City Ground, substitute Madueke cut inside from the left and fired towards goal. His strike deflected off Jair Cunha, wrong-footed Matz Sels and found the net to settle a game in which Arsenal had struggled to turn possession into chances. Arsenal had dominated the ball but registered no shots on target in the first half. Kai Havertz headed wide from a Declan Rice free-kick while Gabriel's set-piece effort was cleared almost off the line by Ousmane Diomande. Forest made life difficult for Mikel Arteta's side, defending resolutely and threatening on the counter. Murillo almost salvaged a point in stoppage time with a superb solo run, driving at the Arsenal defence before curling narrowly wide. Ezri Konsa then made a crucial late challenge to deny Liam Delap. However, despite their opportunities, it was the same old story for Oliver Glasner's side, who failed to find a breakthrough. The result takes Arsenal to 18 points, three behind leaders Manchester City. For Forest, the frustration deepens. They drop into the relegation zone and are still waiting for their first home league goal of the season. 19: Forest threaten - Riccardo Calafiori's mistake gives Forest an opening, but Dan Ndoye shoots into the side netting. 26: Arsenal nearly break through - Gabriel's effort deflects off Saliba and is cleared close to the line by Diomande. 37: Havertz misses - The German heads wide from Rice's free-kick. 46: Madueke replaces Eze - Arteta makes a half-time change. 54: Delap goes close - His effort takes a deflection and goes wide. 66: Arsenal make three changes - Jurrien Timber, Viktor Gyökeres and Mikel Merino come on. 80: GOAL! Forest 0-1 Arsenal - Madueke's strike deflects off Cunha and beats Sels. 89: Forest waste a chance - Callum Hudson-Odoi sets up Chris Wood, but Declan Rice blocks his shot. 90+2: Murillo nearly equalises - The defender drives forward and curls narrowly wide. 90+3: Konsa saves Arsenal - The defender times a vital challenge to deny Delap.

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Celtic cruised to victory against title rivals Hearts to move four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Hearts returned to Parkhead for the first time since their trophy heartbreak in May, hoping to exact some revenge, only for Celtic to pile on the misery. The Hoops raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 10 minutes, with both goals coming from Mika Baur corners. Kieran Tierney headed home the opener before Benjamin Nygren's deflected volley doubled Celtic's advantage. Callum Osmand, who secured Celtic's title five months ago, marked his first start for the club with a quickfire double. He capitalised on a terrible pass from Sabri Guendouz to slot home before heading in the rebound after Camilo Duran was denied. Laurent Mendy pulled a goal back for Hearts, but their hopes of a comeback took another hit before the break when Stephen Kingsley and Jamie McCart combined to turn the ball into their own net. After missing a glorious chance, Duran made amends by curling home Celtic's sixth shortly after the restart, before Nygren added a seventh late on to cap a miserable afternoon for Hearts. It was a statement win for Martin O'Neill's side, who reminded Hearts - winless away from Edinburgh since January - of what it takes to claim the Premiership title. Got Sky? Watch the Scottish Prem on your phone 7: GOAL! Celtic take an early lead! Liam Scales gets on the end of Mika Baur's corner and he heads it to Kieran Tierney to nod into the net. 10: GOAL! Celtic's second corner, Celtic's second goal. Baur sends it in with Dane Murray flicking it on to Benjamin Nygren and his deflected volley hits the back of the net. 18: OFF THE POST! Haissem Hassan easily beats Stephen Kingsley and gets a shot away, but it smacks the upright. 36: GOAL! Callum Osmand celebrates his first start by taking advantage of Sabri Guendouz's terrible pass to slot home. 38: GOAL! Camilo Duran's first effort is saved by Reus. He pounces on the rebound and sends the ball to Osmand to head his second of the game. 41: GOAL! The visitors pull one back before the break as Laurent Mendy curls a powerful drive into the net from around 16 yards. 44: CLOSE! Duran is through on goal but sends it wide. That should be five. 45+1: GOAL! Baur cuts through the defence and flicks over Reus, and Kingsley knocks it over his own line off fellow defender McCart. 49: GOAL CELTIC! Tierney slips the ball through for Duran and he curls it into the net. 83: GOAL CELTIC! Kasper Hogh spins away from the Hearts defence and plays it out to Nygren and he slots the ball into the corner.

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Manchester City held off a spirited fightback from Brighton to close out a 3-2 win and maintain their perfect start in the Women’s Super League. Andree Jeglertz's side raced to a 3-0 lead within 18 minutes, with an early double from Khadjia Shaw and a first goal for summer signing Niamh Charles. Brighton, though, rallied before the break with goals from Olivia Garcia and Caitlin Hayes. City remain two points ahead of Chelsea , who thrashed Tottenham 6-2. Lauren James starred for Sonia Bompastor's side with two goals, which was matched by her team-mate Ellie Carpenter. Spurs were level at the break thanks to Matilda Vinberg, but three goals in nine blistering second-half minutes swung the game Chelsea's way. London City Lionesses made it a full house for the top three, beating Everton 2-1. First-half goals from Delphine Cascarino and England winger Freya Godfrey had seemingly put the Lionesses in control. Everton, though, set up a tense finish after substitute Holly McNamara headed in with 20 minutes left. Manchester United are up to fifth in the table after a third successive league win, seeing off bottom side Charlton 3-1. Three goals in the opening 13 minutes saw Ella Toone and Andrea Medina put United two up before Leah Davidson pulled one back. Julia Zigioitti Olme completed the scoring just after the half-hour mark. Aston Villa stunned faltering Liverpool , coming from behind to secure a 2-1 win for their first league success of the season. Natalia Ramos scored a spectacular early opener but Villa improved after half-time, with Chasity Grant firing in an equaliser before a Grace Fisk own goal. Kelly Gago scored the only goal in the first half as West Ham defeated Crystal Palace 1-0.

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Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson both struck in a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Sunderland as Bournemouth picked up their first Premier League win of the season. The hosts took a deserved early lead when Kevin Danso and Omar Alderete failed to deal with a routine long ball, allowing Evanilson to nip in and dink across for Tavernier to head in from close range. Sunderland's problems soon worsened when Danso was shown a straight red card after failing to deal with a bouncing ball and hauling down Evanilson as the Brazilian striker went through on goal. The away side managed to keep Bournemouth's lead down to just one goal in the first half, but went further behind within minutes of the restart. Evanilson capitalised on a loose back pass from Alderete and rounded Robin Roefs, before rolling the ball into the empty net. Evanilson and compatriot Rayan both had chances to extend Bournmouth's lead further, but Roefs made a number of good saves to help keep the scoreline in check. Bournemouth jump up to 15th with a much-needed three points, but it's a fourth straight loss for Sunderland, who are now 19th and next in action against Lech Poznan in the Europa League on Thursday. 6: GOAL! Evanilson gets free and the Brazilian unselfishly sets up a goal on a plate for the unmarked Tavernier to head in from close range. 17: RED CARD! Danso is shown a straight red card for hauling down Evanilson when through on goal. 22: SHOT! All Bournemouth as now Hill, with all the time in the world, flashes a drive past the left-hand post. 31: MISS! Rayan's shot is saved and the unmarked Smith blazes over on the rebound with the goal gaping 45: SAVE! Rayan lashes a shot at goal from 25 yards out, which is kept out by Roefs at his near post. 48: GOAL! Evanilson capitalises on another horrible mistake at the back by Alderete to double Bournemouth's lead. 60: CHANCE! It should be a third for the hosts after Rayan's initial effort is blocked but Evanilson cannot get the better of Roefs. 69: CLOSE! Rayan's ball in is hooked goalwards by Evanilson, but his effort floats wide of the near post. 90+2: CLOSE! Kluivert latches on to a poor clearance and flashes a strike inches past the far post with Roefs rooted to his line.

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Brighton dismantled rivals Crystal Palace 5-0 as Diego Gomez scored from the halfway line in a very one-sided M23 derby. For Palace, it was a case of gone in 600 seconds as Brighton stormed into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes, combining incredible intensity with jaw-dropping quality. The opener was a nightmare for Jaydee Canvot, whose own goal set the tone for a miserable afternoon for the visitors following a Pascal Gross delivery from the left. Palace needed to steady themselves. Instead, they completely lost their bearings. What followed was simply outrageous. Gomez spotted an opportunity from the halfway line and produced a moment of audacious brilliance, catching Palace off guard with a strike that could be replayed for years to come Before Palace could even catch their breath, Yasin Ayari made it 3-0 inside 10 minutes. Three goals, barely any time to process them and a derby that had threatened to be a contest being completely dominated by this brilliant Brighton side. Palace needed a reaction after the break, but Brighton had other ideas. The hosts struck again just three minutes into the second half to make it 4-0, with Charalampos Kostoulas getting the goal his performance deserved. A VAR check for handball threatened to spoil the moment, but the goal stood after yet more intelligent work down the flank from Gross. Jean Philippe-Mateta hit the bar for lacklustre Palace who conceded one final goal before the day was out when substitute Jack Hinshelwood bundled home a late fifth. Brighton have now taken 16 points from the first seven matches this season and this victory caps a big turnaround for boss Fabian Hurzeler, who was booed off in this fixture last season after Palace won 1-0.

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Manchester United delivered a more committed performance in a changed formation but were held to a 1-1 draw by Leeds as pressure on Michael Carrick continues to grow. In a week that included defeat to Atletico Madrid and an explosive interview from Lisandro Martinez - who started at Elland Road - the noise was calmed somewhat by a display that showed character, if not enough quality to claim a second league win of the season. United played without a recognised striker for the majority, allowing Youri Tielemans a more offensive role and he combined with Bryan Mbeumo to open the scoring in the first half. But Carrick's side faded badly as the game went on, another fixture in which they were outrun, eventually pegged back by an instinctive Dominic Calvert-Lewin strike from a poorly defended corner. Leeds away was pitched as the worst game to end a fractious week. In reality, it forced United to scrap and that at least appeared to show appetite for the fight. "In isolation, going to Leeds and performing how they did was a decent result," reflected Jamie Carragher. They were helped by the fact that Daniel Farke's side were not at their battling best. Man Utd have won just one of their seven Premier League matches this season (D4 L2), their fewest number of victories at this stage of a top-flight campaign since 1986-87. There was, however, far more intent shown than in last week's drab draw with Spurs at Old Trafford, where disgruntled fans booed the team off, albeit results will read one Premier League win from seven - and none since August. Carrick will know that return is not good enough to dispel unwanted talk of pressure on his position. 27: CHANCE! Mbeumo connects with Tielemans' cross but heads off target unmarked. 35: GOAL! Mbeumo makes no mistake with his second chance from the boot of Tielemans, guiding a low finish past James Trafford. 45: SUB! Martinez is replaced at half-time by Noussair Mazraoui but Carrick sticks with back three formation. 51: GOAL! Calvert-Lewin latches onto Tarik Muharemovic's knockdown from a corner and beats Senne Lammens from close range.