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Gary Neville used his post-match podcast to eviscerate the second half efforts of Liverpool's attackers after the Reds fell to their third consecutive defeat in all competitions with a 2-1 defeat away at Chelsea. The ex-Manchester United man went as far as to call the efforts of Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo as "completely useless" in the closing moments of the fixture.

• Neville criticises Liverpool attackers for poor display at Stamford Bridge

  Neville was talking from the gantry at Stamford Bridge on his customary post-broadcast podcast. He had just watched Liverpool fall to a chastening defeat, after it had appeared they would mount another late comeback in this nascent season.

  Former Anfield target Moises Caicedo opened the scoring for the Blues in the first half. His piledriver from all of 30 yards gave Premier League debutant Giorgi Mamardashvili no chance in the visitors net. Gakpo levelled the scoring in the second half, as he latched onto an Alexander Isak flick on in the box to fire into the roof of Chelsea's net. Despite wresting back some momentum after the break, Liverpool wilted in the dying embers, allowing Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian to steal the show in injury time as he converted from close range to send the home fans into raptures. 

  It certainly felt the game was there for Liverpool to win after the Dutchman's equaliser, especially as Chelsea had to contend with injuries to Benoit Badiashile and Josh Achemeapong, forcing Maresca into a makeshift centre-back pairing of Jorrel Hato and Reece James in for the final half-hour. Ultimately, the champions' wasteful play in the attacking third let them down, and seemingly frustrated Neville to boot.

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• What Neville said about Liverpool's attackers in loss to Chelsea

  Neville said: "Games are won by intent, teams that look like they want to win. I'm not saying Liverpool didn't, they obviously did, but I thought that after they scored I was really disappointed by the level of their performance. A lot has been made of Liverpool's defensive work, and rightly so, but today that's not why they've lost this game.

  "They've lost this game because in the last 15-20 minutes, their creative players, their players in the final half of the pitch, the midfielders and the forwards who were absolutely useless. They were giving the ball away like you wouldn't believe. 

  "Gakpo down here, Salah over on that far side; the wastage. Wirtz not knowing how to get into a game in the last 15 minutes when it was there for the taking, and just almost sort of marking Caicedo, I was watching him a lot." 

• What GOAL made of Liverpool's attackers

  As with all major Premier League ties, GOAL cast their eye over the proceedings at Stamford Bridge. Our player ratings for the Reds backs up some of Neville's criticisms. 

  The Egyptian King, so long Liverpool's talisman, was given the lowest rating, as our writer asked the question: has Salah's finishing ever been this bad? The reigning Premier League Player of the Year was given just 3/10 for his wasteful performance in front of goal. 

  We were slightly more generous to Wirtz and Gakpo, giving each player a 6/10 and 8/10 respectively. However, we agreed with Neville that while the young German made an impact upon entering the game, he faded badly as the proceedings drew to a close.

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  Stats: Liverpool's attacking performance at Stamford Bridge

  The Reds probably feel they did enough in the attacking third to steal at least a point at Stamford Bridge. According to Opta Analyst's xG model, Liverpool created 1.74 xG to Chelsea's 0.88. 

  The issue lied in Liverpool's inability to work Robert Sanchez in the host's goal. Of the their 12 shots, just two were on target. Conversely, Chelsea forced four saves out of Mamardashvili on top of Estevao and Caicedo's successful attempts.  

  According to analytics wizz Statman Dave, Salah failed to win a single duel or complete a successful dribble. All three of his attempts failed to work the keeper. The Egyptian had the fewest touches (35) of any outfield player that completed the full 90 minutes. 

After confirming the arrival of Tyler Dibling, Everton have reportedly submitted an opening offer to sign a midfield star in a move driven by manager David Moyes.

Dibling "buzzing" to join Everton

At one stage, it looked as though Everton were set to miss out on Dibling amid reports that they were reluctant to match Southampton’s asking price. The Saints soon lowered their demand, however, and the Toffees agreed a deal worth around £42m. Adding yet another attacking talent to their ranks, there’s no denying that Everton’s frontline has been transformed this summer.

Speaking for the first time since putting pen to paper, Dibling told reporters: “I’m buzzing to sign. I felt the Club already, even before I was in the building, just from social media and from people telling me about the Club. I’ve never been so excited to play football and I’m just ready to get going.

“I think it’s the perfect match because of where the Club is right now. Obviously with the new stadium, the fans here are unreal and it has a family feel to it. I think it was the perfect fit and was a no-brainer to join.

Insider has "no doubt" Everton are "looking" at £55k-a-week defensive midfielder

Would he be an ideal addition for the Blues?

By
Henry Jackson

Aug 25, 2025

“I think I’ve come to Everton at the perfect time and hopefully I can be here for many years. “[The Brighton win] gave me a feel for the Club. It looked unbelievable. I also played in the last Men’s game at Goodison. It was so loud. I was looking around and thinking, ‘This is quality’.”

Even after welcoming their eighth arrival of the summer, however, the Toffees still reportedly have unfinished business in the transfer window.

Everton submit opening Soucek offer

According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Everton submitted their opening offer to sign Tomas Soucek in a move driven by Moyes, only for West Ham United to turn that offer down. With less than one week left until the transfer window slams shut, it will now be interesting to see whether those in Merseyside return to launch an improved offer.

The Czech Republic midfielder was one of the most successful players to work under Moyes at West Ham and the veteran manager now wants him at the heart of his Everton side.

The move would certainly make sense too. The Toffees have been searching for an Abdoulaye Doucoure replacement all summer long and Soucek would certainly tick that box. With a knack for goals from midfield and a towering physical presence, the experienced West Ham man should be among Everton’s last remaining transfer priorities.

Dubbed “brilliant” by Moyes during the manager’s time at the London Stadium, Soucek could be one to watch as deadline day approaches.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is currently assessing the remainder of his squad that haven’t gone out on international duty, and the Italian has promised one thing to a highly-rated youngster who’s now looking to turn heads at Cobham.

The Blues take on Brentford in their first game back from the break, four days before a blockbuster opening Champions League game against Bayern Munich at Stamford Bridge on September 17.

After a summer of trimming down Maresca’s squad, partly to comply with UEFA as Chelsea looked to register a ‘positive transfer balance’, Maresca named a 23-man squad for his European A-list — notably missing out summer signing Facundo Buonanotte.

Bomb squad members Axel Disasi and Raheem Sterling were unsurprisingly omitted, with reports still suggesting the pair could leave soon, even after the UK transfer window shut its doors at 7pm on Monday.

Disasi has been subject to an approach from Saudi side Neom SC, while former Man United chief scout Mick Brown believes Chelsea could terminate Raheem Sterling’s deal in a bid to rid the club of his £325,000-per-week wages.

As we’ve seen from the last window, you can never rule anything out at Chelsea, with Liam Delap’s injury prompting BlueCo to both re-negotiate a more favourable exit for Nicolas Jackson whilst recalling Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland.

The teenager was also named in Maresca’s Champions League A-list squad, so the intention to play him is crystal clear, and Guiu is believed to have received the Chelsea boss’ word on a key issue.

The former Barcelona gem was set to further his development with more guaranteed game time at Sunderland, and had already made his mark by scoring for Regis Le Bris’ side in the EFL Cup against Huddersfield Town.

Marc Guiu desperate to impress in Chelsea training after Maresca promise

Now back in west London, Guiu is desperate to impress in Chelsea training, with Maresca promising the 19-year-old that he will be handed game time in the coming weeks.

That is according to GiveMeSport, who state that the Spaniard has set his sights on dazzling Maresca behind-the-scenes as he looks to stake his claim in the Chelsea squad.

It is also noted that, if Guiu can prove to be a constant threat in the final third, then there will be a chance for him to become a prominent figure in the club’s plans moving forward.

The youngster scored six goals in seven Conference League appearances last term, playing a major role in the group stages before missing out on nearly every knockout game with a hamstring injury — bar a three-minute cameo in the final.

With zero minutes under his belt this season, Real Madrid's wonderkid Endrick is a shock January target for Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report. The French giants are plotting a move for the out-of-favour striker, but face stiff competition from West Ham, Juventus and Real Sociedad, who are all ready to pounce on a loan deal for the frustrated Brazilian teenager.

• PSG lurking as Endrick's Madrid struggles mount

  PSG are reportedly plotting an audacious January move for Endrick, as a host of European clubs circle the out-of-favour Brazilian. According to a report from Spanish outlet , the French champions are considering an investment in the 19-year-old, whose lack of playing time under new manager Xabi Alonso has put his future at the Santiago Bernabeu under intense scrutiny. While Madrid are not contemplating a permanent sale, the door has been left open for a potential loan move in the winter window.

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  Endrick frozen out under Xabi Alonso

  The striker’s situation has become critical since Alonso took the helm, with Endrick yet to play a single minute in either La Liga or the Champions League in the 2025-26 campaign. After missing the first few matches with physical problems, he has been an unused substitute in the last five games due to a "technical decision." This is a sharp downturn from his debut season under Carlo Ancelotti, where he made 37 appearances, scoring seven goals. Increased competition from new arrivals Gonzalo and Franco Mastantuono has further limited his opportunities, fuelling speculation that a temporary move is imminent.

• European giants on alert for January loan

  PSG are not the only club monitoring the situation. West Ham United have reportedly made a concrete approach to explore a January loan, while La Liga rivals Real Sociedad and Valencia are also keen. Serie A giants Juventus, who were interested in the summer, remain a potential destination. While PSG’s interest is strong, Real Madrid’s strained relationship with the Parisian club makes a permanent deal impossible, though a loan could be considered. Madrid have no intention of selling a player tied to a contract until 2030 with a release clause reportedly upwards of €300 million.

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• Guti advises wonderkid to seek exit

  The pressure for Endrick to seek a move has been amplified by Real Madrid legend Guti, who has advised the youngster to leave for the sake of his own development. The former midfielder stressed the importance of consistent playing time for a young player's growth. "If he doesn’t get any opportunities between now and December, I think his best option is to leave so he can continue to grow," Guti stated. "For a young player, the best thing is to get playing time."

Liverpool are interested in completing the signing of an “amazing” player compared to N’Golo Kante, with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal also in the mix.

Wharton in and Konate out at Liverpool?

The Reds continue to be linked with new signings in between the summer and January transfer windows, with Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton emerging as a strong option of late, and earlier this year for that matter.

The 21-year-old has stood out as one of the most exciting English talents around, displaying maturity beyond his years in a deep-lying role for Palace, and Liverpool could consider him an ideal person to add depth and class in the middle of the park.

While Wharton could be a future addition at Anfield, Ibrahima Konate is still being mentioned as a target for Real Madrid, with the Frenchman not yet signing a contract extension with the Reds.

It has been claimed recently that the European giants are confident of enticing the 26-year-old to the club by next summer, at which point he will be able to leave the Premier League champions on a free transfer.

Liverpool batting Man Utd to sign "amazing" Ajax ace

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are “keeping tabs” on Ajax youngster Jorthy Mokio, with the 17-year-old one of the Dutch club’s most exciting youth products in years.

The Belgian is also wanted by all of the other so-called ‘big six’ clubs – Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham – and he is capable of shining as both a defensive midfielder and a centre-back. It is claimed that he is “already a name reverberating across European football”, such is his potential.

Mokio feels like such a huge prospect, having already made 21 appearances for Ajax at the age of just 17, also being capped once for Belgium at senior level and representing them in five different youth age groups.

The midfield ace is described as a cross between N’Golo Kante and Declan Rice in the report, who also say his robust style is “built for the Premier League”, which is enormous praise, and scout Jacek Kulig has described him as an “amazing” player.

Liverpool always need to be looking at the most exciting talent around, ensuring that the club continue to head in a positive direction and not rest on their laurels, with United a prime example of how not to build on past success over the last decade or so.

FSG have already sold Liverpool's homegrown Zubimendi for just £15m

Former Liverpool player is now starring as a deep-lying playmaker reminiscent of Zubimendi.

By
Will Miller

Sep 12, 2025

If the Reds were able to sign Mokio from Ajax in the near future, it would be another statement of intent by the club, showing their rivals that they are the most appealing proposition to the best young players in the game currently.

Mexico’s right back position remains unsettled ahead of the 2026 World Cup, but there’s a new glimmer of hope. El Tri striker Santiago Giménez shared an encouraging update on Copenhagen defender Rodrigo Huescas, who’s recovering from a torn ACL. The two came up together in Cruz Azul’s youth academy, where they formed a close bond.

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  Reasons for optimism

  Huescas' injury has ruled him out for the remainder of the season with FC Copenhagen, but despite the setback, the young Mexican defender is dreaming big. During a TikTok live session, Giménez revealed that he recently spoke with Huescas and relayed that the right back remains optimistic about making it to the 2026 World Cup.

  “I talked to Rodrigo the other day – he’s hopeful, and we all have hopes that he’ll make it to the World Cup,” said the AC Milan striker.

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  How the injury happened…

  The injury occurred during a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Qarabağ, where Huescas exited the field in the 13th minute after a challenge on the right flank, visibly distraught as the severity became evident.

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  The recovery process

  Despite the grim diagnosis, recent updates have provided encouraging signs. On social media, Huescas shared footage of himself training on a stationary bike, sporting only light wrapping on the injured knee. The video sparked optimism among Copenhagen fans – and especially among Mexican supporters who see him as a potential solution for El Tri’s right-back dilemma.

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  Who is on the list?

  The race to fill that position remains open. While regular names like Julián Araujo, Kevin Álvarez, and Jorge Sánchez remain in contention, new options such as dual-national Richard Ledezma have begun to surface – even though he has yet to be called up by Javier Aguirre.

A much-changed Manchester City side still had enough in their tank to comfortably breeze past Huddersfield Town 2-0 in the third round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

The Terriers used to host Premier League matches, but the hosts now find themselves in League One, with the gulf between the two teams very much evident come the final whistle as City’s quality inevitably shone through.

In particular, Phil Foden had a sublime night in West Yorkshire as the six-time Premier League title winner reminded everyone of how superb he can be when on top form.

Foden's standout performance in numbers

It shouldn’t be the greatest shock in the world that Foden showed up and performed with the swagger he did, considering the 45-time England international does have 102 goals for the Citizens at a senior level.

Still, in recent times, Foden hasn’t always performed at his exquisite best, but he very much turned on the style under the John Smith’s Stadium floodlights to spearhead the youthful XI picked by Pep Guardiola to a straightforward win.

It would be Foden who would break the deadlock after an uneventful start to the Cup clash, with the tricky number 47 linking up with young prospect Divine Mukasa with a quick exchange of passes, before hammering home this fierce effort past a helpless Lee Nicholls.

He would then turn provider late on for Savinho to bag a confidence-boosting effort, with three key passes and two successful dribbles by his name come the full-time whistle, as per Sofascore, only reinforcing how hard he was to contain from the home side’s perspective.

With a further goal and assist also coming his way against Manchester United and Napoli, too, it appears that Foden is back to his stylish peak, after losing his way somewhat with niggly injury setbacks.

Foden’s obvious class made up for other attackers underperforming with the spotlight on them, with one promising City starlet – in particular – just lacking that final end product that the Stockport-born ace showed off in abundance against Lee Grant’s men.

The Man City star in danger of being axed

That isn’t to say that none of Guardiola’s rotated team didn’t perform against their lowly opposition, with Mukasa presumably proud of his efforts come the end of the 2-0 victory, having assisted Foden’s opener. On his senior debut, it was a memorable night for the teenage attacker.

Moreover, Nathan Ake stood firm throughout against the League One hosts, having just been a substitute against Arsenal, with a staggering 120 accurate passes standing out, alongside the Dutchman winning two aerial duels when rarely tested.

Oscar Bobb also showed flashes of his excellence in West Yorkshire, but it’s unfortunately unlikely to be enough for the Norwegian youngster to remain in the first team fold for Premier League clashes to follow.

After all, while the slick winger did burst forward and complete three successful dribbles, he very rarely tested Nicholls in the same way Foden did, with the 22-year-old needing to find his shooting boots to guarantee more regular senior minutes.

Indeed, despite lasting the full 90 minutes and amassing a hefty 87 touches of the ball, Bobb would only manage to register one limp effort at the home side’s busy goal.

Moreover, on the creative front, the hot-and-cold number 52 would also give up the ball a high 17 times, leading to City content creator Steven McInerney stating that the Oslo-born forward “created absolutely nothing” of note.

Manchester Evening News’ Simon Bajkowski was a tad more complimentary with his post-match musings, having handed out a 7/10 rating to Bobb after the dust had settled slightly on the Cup win.

Still, despite hailing the 22-year-old as ‘tricky’, Bajkowski did also emphasise that the Scandinavian attacker must have been left with the feeling after the game that he could have offered more to make a compelling case for consistent first-team minutes moving forward.

Having only been present on the pitch for a mere 18 minutes across City’s last three games heading into this Cup encounter – after starting against Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of August – it does feel as if Bobb will just return to the bench now, while Foden aims to impress even more.

Pep requests Man City sign "special" star, £105m opening bid now being prepared

The Manchester City manager has instructed the club’s hierarchy to sign a midfielder.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 24, 2025

Vinicius Jr’s Real Madrid future is in serious doubt after a public fallout with Xabi Alonso during El Clasico and growing frustration over his stalled contract talks. The Brazilian is reportedly eyeing a move to Paris Saint-Germain, drawn by Luis Enrique’s playing style and leadership, as relations in Madrid reach breaking point despite his recent public apology.

• Vinicius Jr’s future in doubt after El Clasico outburst

  Tension between Vinicius and Madrid boss Alonso has reached boiling point, with the Brazilian winger reportedly determined to leave if the Spaniard remains in charge next season. The rift came to light after Sunday’s 2-1 El Clasico victory, when Vinicius reacted furiously to being substituted in the 72nd minute. Cameras caught him storming off and shouting: “Always me! I’m leaving the team! I’m leaving!”

  While Los Blancos attempted to downplay the incident, reports from Spain suggest the relationship between the pair has broken beyond repair. Vinicius feels belittled and devalued” by Alonso’s approach and believes he is treated unfairly compared to Kylian Mbappe, the club’s marquee arrival and Florentino Perez’s new favourite.

  The 25-year-old has scored five goals and provided four assists in 10 La Liga appearances this season but has yet to find the net in the Champions League. Despite his contributions, tensions off the pitch are overshadowing his performances, with the player openly considering an exit next summer if Alonso remains.

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  Apology fuels speculation as Alonso snub deepens Madrid rift

  In an attempt to ease tensions, Vinicius issued an apology on social media, addressing his teammates, fans, and club president but notably omitting Alonso’s name. The winger wrote: "Today I want to apologize to all the Madridistas for my reaction when I was substituted in the Clasico. Just as I have already done in person during today's training, I also want to apologize again to my teammates, the club, and the president. Sometimes passion gets the better of me because I always want to win and help my team. My competitive character stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents. I promise to keep fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since the first day."

  The exclusion of Alonso from the message has only intensified speculation of a fractured relationship. Sources close to the dressing room claim several senior players have also grown frustrated with the coach’s strict rules, with one insider suggesting Alonso “thinks he’s Pep Guardiola.”

• PSG and Luis Enrique emerge as top destination for Vinicius Jr

  According to , PSG have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Vinicius should he leave Madrid. The attacker himself is said to be intrigued by the opportunity to play under Luis Enrique, whom he admires for his charisma and attacking philosophy.

  The Brazilian reportedly believes Enrique’s fast-paced, high-pressing football would suit his strengths perfectly, and he has taken encouragement from the positive experiences that Neymar and Lionel Messi had under the Spanish tactician. Despite previous Premier League and Saudi interest, Les Parisiens remains his preferred destination due to their Champions League pedigree and tactical style.

  His contract with Los Blancos runs until June 2027, but the impasse over salary negotiations has given him leverage. Unless Madrid offer improved terms next summer, the club may be forced to sell rather than risk losing him for free a year later – a scenario that has alarmed president Florentino Perez.

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  Dressing room divide and a pivotal summer ahead

  Madrid may be winning matches, but behind the scenes, the atmosphere is tense. Multiple first-team players have questioned Alonso’s distant management style and heavy tactical discipline. The situation risks escalating further if results dip or if Vinicius pushes for a move in the summer.

  PSG are closely monitoring developments and are prepared to test Madrid’s resolve with an offer should the rift persist. For now, president Perez is backing Alonso publicly, but privately, club executives are wary of losing one of their brightest stars. With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and his prime years ahead, Vinicius Jr faces a defining decision about his future. If relations cannot be repaired, his next destination could be the Parc des Princes where Luis Enrique awaits with open arms and a project perfectly suited to his talents.

Celtic lost another star player during the summer transfer window when they sold electric forward Nicolas Kuhn to Serie A side Como for a fee of £16.5m.

The German attacker ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, per Transfermarkt.

Kuhn provided a huge threat at the top end of the pitch down the right flank because he had the quality to cause the opposition problems as both a scorer and a creator of goals, domestically and in Europe.

The Hoops did not sign a natural right winger to replace the German, though, and Hyun-jun Yang and James Forrest have combined for no goals or assists in nine combined appearances in the Premiership this season, per WhoScored.

This suggests that Celtic are struggling on the right wing because they did not go out into the market to sign a like-for-like replacement for the left-footed attacker.

Another player the Hoops have yet to fully replace since they sold him for big money is attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley, who joined Brighton & Hove for a fee of more than £25m last year.

Why Matt O'Riley was so valuable for Celtic

The Scottish giants raked in a club-record fee of £25m from the Premier League side when they decided to cash in on the Denmark international. This was because of the value that he provided on the pitch for the Bhoys in the 2023/24 campaign.

Brendan Rodgers arrived at Parkhead in the summer of 2023 to replace Ange Postecoglou in the dugout in Glasgow, and he was key to O’Riley’s impressive progression on the pitch.

The left-footed midfielder scored three goals and provided 12 assists in the Premiership in the 2022/23 campaign under the Australian head coach, which was an impressive return given his creative output.

Rodgers, though, elevated O’Riley to the next level at Parkhead by freeing him up to take on more responsibility as a goalscorer, putting him further up the pitch to break into the box by joining attacks.

As you can see in the table above, the English-born playmaker scored 15 more goals under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou in the previous Premiership season.

Per WhoScored, O’Riley led the team in both goals (18) and assists (13) in the Premiership in that season under the Northern Irish head coach, which is why he was so valuable to the squad, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

These statistics and his importance to Celtic convinced Brighton to splash a fee of more than £25m on him in the summer of 2024, and the Scottish giants are still looking for their next version of the Dane.

Benjamin Nygren has shown flashes of promise in a central midfield role, with three goals and one assist this season, and Arne Engels delivered nine assists in the Premiership and the Champions League combined last season, per Sofascore.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, Celtic may have their next Matt O’Riley in the making in the form of a player who has been rarely used by Rodgers, so much so that he has played fewer minutes than both Nygren and Engels.

Portugal U21 international Paulo Bernardo has not had too many opportunities to impress in the middle of the park, but has shown potential to develop into an impressive player in the future.

Why Paulo Bernardo could be the next Matt O'Riley for Celtic

Signed on a permanent deal from Benfica in the summer of 2024 after a loan spell in the 2023/24 campaign, the central midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the start of this season.

Luke McCowan, Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Arne Engels, and Reo Hatate have all played more minutes than Bernardo in the Premiership, per WhoScored, which shows that the manager rates other players ahead of him in his position at this moment in time.

The Portuguese star has only played 74 minutes in the league. This comes after he started 13 of his 28 outings in the division in the 2024/25 campaign, and showed plenty of signs of real quality at the top end of the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo excelled against his positional peers per 90 in a host of key offensive metrics, in both scoring and creating goals.

These statistics suggest that the former Benfica starlet, who was described as “tenacious” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could provide a big threat at the top end of the pitch from midfield as both a scorer and a creator of goals if given the chance to start week-in-week-out and play more minutes for the Hoops.

His assist, for O’Riley in fact, in the clip above illustrates the kind of quality that Bernardo can provide in the opposition’s box when he is free to push forward and join in with attacks to make things happen in the final third.

The Portuguese whiz is a creative and silky attacking midfielder who has the ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate when allowed to express himself on the pitch, but Rodgers has rarely given him an opportunity to do that.

Celtic’s manager elevated O’Riley to the next level by playing him week-in-week-out and pushing him up the pitch to score goals, and Bernardo has the potential to follow in the Dane’s footsteps.

Celtic could unearth their next Tounekti in 18-year-old who's "some talent"

Celtic may already have their next Sebastian Tounekti in the B team.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 29, 2025

But it is now down to Rodgers to provide the 23-year-old star with more chances from the start to allow him to find some consistency in his performances and his end product on the way to being the club’s next O’Riley.

We're two months into the season now, and it feels like things are starting to take shape around Europe. Some title races are looking like they will be closer than others, with some surprise contenders in the mix, while other presumed challengers are beginning to struggle, casting doubt on the futures of their managers and star players.

In terms of headlines, there were shock defeats for some of the Premier League's biggest fish, a dramatic Clasico in Spain and lead changes at the top of both Serie A and Ligue 1. The top two teams met in both the Netherlands and Scotland, too, meaning there were plenty of winners and losers for GOAL to pick from when looking back at the weekend's action…

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  WINNER: Arsenal

  Surely – – this is Arsenal's year to get over the hump. After three successive second-placed finishes in the Premier League, the Gunners came into the campaign under pressure to finally deliver a first league title since the Invincibles reigned supreme in 2004, and they could hardly have put themselves in a better position through the first quarter of the campaign.

  Mikel Arteta's side have looked a class apart, especially over the past month, though they have also been helped by the failures of others. That was certainly on display over the weekend as, while the Gunners laboured to a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace that again came about thanks to a set-piece, all three of Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea slipped to defeats. Arsenal subsequently find themselves four points clear at the top, with surprise package Bournemouth their nearest challengers, followed closely by Tottenham and newly-promoted Sunderland.

  There is obviously still a long way to go, but given Arsenal have already got daunting trips to Anfield, Old Trafford and St. James' Park out of the way and come out the other side with a healthy lead, it already feels like it would take an almighty collapse for them to throw this one away.

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  LOSER: Arne Slot

  The most damaging of those defeats for Arsenal's title rivals was undoubtedly Liverpool's 3-2 loss at Brentford. There had been hope that the Reds had turned a corner following their 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek, but the Reds' frailties that have dogged them throughout the opening months of the campaign returned on Saturday as they again defended shambolically while showing little to no cohesion in attack.

  Four successive league defeats has left the defending Premier League champions seven points off the summit and, in some quarters, cast doubt on the future of manager Arne Slot. The Dutchman could do no wrong in guiding Liverpool to the title in their first post-Jurgen Klopp campaign last term, but Slot has looked short of answers so far this term, with it clear he neither knows his best starting combination nor is able to avoid panicking when it comes to trying to change games with his substitutions.

  Liverpool have regularly finished games with five forwards on the pitch this season as they chase winning or equalising goals, and things came to a head at the Gtech Community Stadium when, having already made four attacking substitutions, Slot was forced to withdraw Florian Wirtz for the final five minutes and replace him with Joe Gomez as his previous changes had ended up neutralising Dominik Szoboszlai's impact, with the Hungarian having been shifted to right-back in the shuffle.

  With games against in-form Aston Villa and Manchester City to come in the league before the November international break, Liverpool will have to massively raise their game to not fall totally out of the title race – that is, if they haven't already.

• AFP
  

  WINNER: Jude Bellingham

  The biggest game of the European weekend was undoubtedly El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and it was Los Blancos who ran out 2-1 winners to stretch their lead atop La Liga to five points as Xabi Alonso's revolution begins to take shape at Santiago Bernabeu.

  One player who has had to wait patiently to get their season going is Jude Bellingham, but if his performance on Sunday was anything to go by, then the England midfielder is set to become a key piece of what Alonso is trying to achieve in the Spanish capital. For the third time in five La Liga meetings with Barcelona, Bellingham scored the winning goal, though his strike – much like his winner against Juventus in midweek – owed more to being in the right place at the right time to tap home rather than any individual brilliance.

  His assist for Kylian Mbappe's opening goal, however, was Bellingham at his best. Picking up the ball just inside the Barca half, the Madrid No.5 produced a turn that sent Pedri for a hot dog and gave himself the time and space to produce an inch-perfect through-ball for Mbappe to run onto and fire past Wojciech Szczesny.

  That was the highlight of an all-action display from Bellingham, who is showing few signs of any lasting damage from his shoulder surgery over the summer. With that in mind, it is crazy to think that there are those who believe England might be better off without him at this summer's World Cup. Surely Thomas Tuchel isn't one of them?…

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  LOSER: Lamine Yamal

  On the other side of the Clasico divide, all eyes were understandably on Lamine Yamal ahead of kick-off. Not only did the teenage sensation carry with him Barcelona's best chance of victory, especially with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski out injured, he also poked the Madrid bear by claiming in the days leading up to the game that Real are a team who "steals and complains", which many felt was Yamal referencing the pressure Los Blancos regularly put on referees and match officials.

  Unsurprisingly, the Bernabeu faithful did not take well to such comments, and Yamal was mercilessly booed whenever he picked up the ball. Whether that affected the 18-year-old, or whether he is still not fully fit after a couple of injury issues of his own, only he will know, but Yamal was miles off his best level on Sunday. His passing and shooting was wayward and he was mostly locked down by Alvaro Carreras when he attempted to dribble inside and create an opportunity for the visitors.

  Yamal's miserable day was capped when he became the target of Madrid's post-match wrath, as Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois and Vinicius Jr were all seen berating the youngster at full-time, presumably because of the slanderous nature of his pre-match comments. Yamal will be the hero of plenty of Clasicos in his career, but this was one he will look back on with plenty of regrets.