Liverpool and Arsenal find defensive solidity, Leon Bailey changes the game for Villa, and Ivan Toney for England?It is true that Thomas Tuchel’s decision to replace Mason Mount with N’Golo Kanté at half-time against Tottenham had a profound impact on the match. But Tuchel’s managerial skill goes fa
Both teams are still waiting for their first win after a fast, free-flowing and entertaining drawLeeds kick off ... but only after everyone takes the knee. Warm applause greets the gesture. There’s no room for racism.The teams are out! Newcastle wear their famous black and white stripes, while Leeds
At times it seemed as if Allan Saint-Maximin was taking Leeds on almost single-handedly and, tellingly, the struggle was often far from unequal.Without their attacking talisman to, once again, ride to the rescue, Newcastle would surely have been well beaten in a wonderful, thrill a minute, match ful
A crunch Spurs-Chelsea clash, Odsonne Édouard testing Virgil van Dijk and Norwich already on the back footIt has been a tough opening four games for Newcastle, amassing one point and conceding 12 goals. Three-quarters of those concessions have come in the second half, a sign they cannot maintain the
Magpies manager insists he is not to blame for club’s woes while Leeds coach says his own performances deserve criticismMarcelo Bielsa had turned introspective. “What I’m unsatisfied with is my own performance,” said Leeds United’s manager. “We were too far away from Manchester United and Liverpool
Returning star gave fans their money’s worth in 4-1 win over Newcastle but club would have been wiser investing in midfieldThey had come to celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo and they got what they had come for: not one, but two opportunities to shout “Si!” as he celebrated goals with that characteristic s
‘He lifts everyone,’ says Manchester United managerForward scores twice on second debut for clubOle Gunnar Solskjær said Cristiano Ronaldo had reintroduced himself to his Manchester United teammates at a meeting on Friday night – and then watched him do likewise to the Old Trafford crowd as he inspi
Cristiano Ronaldo made a dream Manchester United return with two goals in an emphatic 4-1 victory at Old TraffordBrentford: Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock, Canos, Norgaard, Baptiste, Janelt, Henry, Mbeumo, Toney.Subs: Jorgensen, Thompson, Jensen, Forss, Wissa, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Roerslev, Fernandez.Brig
It was the hottest ticket in town for some time and Cristiano Ronaldo was never going to disappoint. It is rare that one individual transcends a match but that is how it was at Old Trafford from the moment Manchester United’s returning icon first stepped out to warm up, sparking roars that could be
Cristiano Ronaldo has already taken the shirt number off Edinson Cavani’s back and is likely to steal his starting spot for his first appearance for Manchester United since May 2009. Newcastle could be without their own, arguably slightly lower-wattage, star attacker as Callum Wilson is suffering wi
• United manager only brought in Joe Willock for £22m• Bruce: ‘I have to accept the club’s stance and move on’Steve Bruce made plain his frustration at Newcastle’s lack of transfer market activity this summer as he spoke publicly for the first time since a disappointing deadline day.The Newcastle ma
Steve Bruce broke owner Mike Ashley’s unwritten rule that managers on Tyneside are best seen and not heardMike Ashley is often described as brass-necked but behind the brash and brazen exterior Newcastle’s owner can also be extremely thin-skinned. A prime example of this paradox is to be found betwe
Is playing in front of fans again good for everyone? Two Premier League managers are already sporting that haunted lookThree weeks into the Premier League campaign, the international break has presented us with an early opportunity to take stock. And while it’s far too soon to draw definitive conclu
Some left it late, others did their business early but among some eye-catching arrivals which clubs have been the smartest?Few clubs can have spent nearly £150m in one transfer window yet left its fanbase feeling utterly demoralised. Arsenal have strengthened in the areas they felt they needed but j
Demarai Gray looks like a bargain for Everton, while Steve Bruce is already under plenty of pressure from Newcastle fansWolves felt undermined by the officials following a third straight league defeat but another electric performance should raise few questions about their direction of travel under B
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A big day beckons for Adam Armstrong. Born and bred in Newcastle and part of his hometown club’s academy from the age of nine, the Southampton striker was devastated to be told he was not good enough to make the grade at St James’ Park. That was three years ago when Armstrong was sold to Blackburn i
This fluff is England’s newest hitmakerWhile the mooted move of Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester City is certainly the biggest story in town, it is far from the only one as various clubs the length and breadth of Europe embark on last-ditch rounds of haggling, horse-trading and wheeler-dealing before
Raphaël Varane’s Manchester United debut and Romelu Lukaku’s desire to show Liverpool what he is made ofRomelu Lukaku’s first eight league games against Liverpool, when he was a much rawer prospect, yielded five goals, with Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho among those buffeted relentles
Wayne Hennessey enjoyed a debut to remember as Steve Bruce failed to fulfil a pre-match pledge to treat Newcastle United fans to a cup run.Not content with ensuring the tie went to penalties, Burnley’s new goalkeeper then denied Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almirón as Sean Dyche’s side won the sho
