If Manchester United fans thought that this season would be a chance to start fresh, any early-season optimism seems to have been misplaced.
United fell to a third league defeat in six games on Sunday, losing 3-0 at home against Tottenham amid captain Bruno Fernandes’ red card.
There were dramatic results across the Premier League this weekend, as well as a crowd-disrupted Madrid derby in La Liga and a novel way of protesting a refereeing decision by José Mourinho in Turkey.
Here’s a round-up of this weekend’s European soccer action.
England’s Premier League: United’s woes persist
The pressure on United manager Erik ten Hag has grown after the club’s latest defeat against Tottenham, another humiliation in an underwhelming start to the season.
Brennan Johnson opened the scoring for Spurs inside three minutes – his fourth goal in as many games – following a superb run and pass from center back Micky van de Ven.
Fernandes’ sending off just before half-time for a high challenge on James Maddison compounded United’s problems, before Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke both scored second-half goals to complete the comfortable win for the visitors.
It means that United is 12th in the Premier League table having also suffered a miserable 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford against Liverpool earlier this month.
After the match, ten Hag rebuffed the idea that his days as Manchester United manager might be numbered, telling reporters: “We all made, in togetherness, this decision to stay together, as an ownership, as a leadership group, in the summer.
“We made the decision from a clear review, what we have to improve as an organization and how also we want to construct a squad … We are all on one page, one boat, together, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff and players group as well. I don’t have that concern.”
Fernandes, meanwhile, said that his teammates “did try everything” after his red card, but added that he didn’t think the sending off was justified having slipped just before the challenge.
“I’ve had many incidents when I get kicked and I’ve never seen something so quick coming up as a red card,” he told Sky Sports. “I just think it’s never a red card. It’s a foul. Even the contact is not that strong.
“If (the referee) wants to give me a yellow because it’s a counterattack, I agree. And then I don’t understand why the VAR (video assistant referee) didn’t call the referee to the screen. For me, it’s just not a really good decision.”
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Liverpool capitalized on Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle by moving top of the table after six games.
The Reds defeated Wolves 2-1 on Saturday thanks to a first-half header from Ibrahima Konaté and a penalty from Mohamed Salah, continuing their promising start to the season under new manager Arne Slot.
A surprise defeat against Nottingham Forest has been the only blemish to Liverpool’s campaign, conceding just two goals in the league so far.
Meanwhile, another title contender, Arsenal, left it very late to defeat Leicester City 4-2 and avoid dropping points at home.
James Justin’s two goals – the second a sensational volley off the post – cancelled out scores from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the first half, while Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen kept Arsenal at bay for much of the second period.
A late own-goal from Wilfred Ndidi, however, gave Arsenal a much-needed lead in stoppage time, and minutes later, Kai Havertz completed the victory after a VAR review allowed his goal to stand.
Chelsea and Brighton’s entertaining fixture also ended 4-2, though this came in much different circumstances. Cole Palmer scored all of Chelsea’s goals in the opening half, in the process becoming the first player in Premier League history to score four first-half goals in the same match.
Spain’s La Liga: Fan trouble mars Madrid derby
In Spain, the game between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid descended into chaos when fans inside Atleti’s Metropolitano Stadium threw objects onto the pitch during the second half.
That led to the contest being suspended for 20 minutes, at which point Éder Militão had given Real the lead with a powerful strike following a Vinícius Jr. pass across the Colchonero box.
When the match resumed, Ángel Correa managed to salvage a draw for Atlético by bundling the ball into the net in stoppage time, before Marcos Llorente was sent off for the home side four minutes later.
After the match, Atleti condemned the behavior of its fans, saying in a statement: “Atlético de Madrid would like to express its disapproval of the throwing of objects that occurred from a section of the south stand in the 68th minute of the match against Real Madrid.
“From the moment these incidents took place, the club’s security department has been working alongside the police to identify those involved, one of whom has already been identified. The club will apply its internal policy for serious offenses to those involved in this incident.”
Despite the 1-1 draw, Los Blancos still managed to close the gap on league leader Barcelona, which dropped points for the first time this season with a thorough 4-2 defeat away to Osasuna.
“This draw is quite different because we were so close to winning it, but what happened can happen because the opponents are strong, they have resources and a lot of quality,” said Real manager Carlo Ancelotti.
“It’s a pity that it came in the last few minutes. We did very well when we took the lead, controlling the game. We came very close. We kept fighting. We’re not despairing about that. A draw here is a possibility.”
Turkey’s Süper Lig: Mourinho’s unusual act of protest
Never one to shy away from the limelight, Jose Mourinho continues to garner attention for his touchline antics, happening upon a new way of protesting a refereeing decision.
After his Fenerbahçe side had a goal disallowed for offside against Antalyaspor, the ‘Special One’ placed his laptop in front of a TV camera, apparently to demonstrate that Edin Dzeko’s strike had been wrongly ruled out by the video assistant referee (VAR).
The laptop screen displayed a frame in the build-up to the disallowed goal, with Mourinho later explaining: “For us, it’s a good goal. I like good VAR … I just want a VAR that helps the referee to take the right decisions.”
The manager received a yellow card for his act of protest, but it made little difference to the end result. Dušan Tadić had given Fenerbahçe the lead earlier in the match before an own goal from Thalisson completed a 2-0 victory.
Germany’s Bundesliga: Bayern Munich waits on Kane’s fitness
Bayern Munich remains hopeful that Harry Kane can play in the team’s Champions League game against Aston Villa on Wednesday after the striker was substituted off with an ankle injury over the weekend.
Kane picked up the injury late on in Bayern’s 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and was examined by the club’s medical team the following day.
“Examinations by the club’s medical unit on Sunday determined a positive development,” said a Bayern statement. “Kane will continue to receive appropriate treatment.”
After the game, club CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said that the injury seemed “nothing serious” according to doctors.
Leverkusen, the reigning Bundesliga champion, had taken the lead through Robert Andrich’s goal from outside the area, but an outrageous, dipping strike from Aleksandar Pavlović got Bayern back on level terms eight minutes later.
The result means Bayern remains unbeaten in the league during Vincent Kompany’s first season in charge, while Leverkusen is three points back in fourth.
