After a fourth defeat in their last six matches in all competitions, Manchester United will celebrate Christmas like they haven’t since 1980 — and no, we mean Wham at Carrington! “Last Christmas” is not to be blamed.
In Spain, we have new league leaders. While Real Madrid are chasing Barcelona In recent weeks, it has been Atlético Madrid who have topped the table after Saturday’s comeback win against the Catalans.
And I Bundesligawhile Bayern Munich have been shaky in recent weeks, when they dusted themselves off. RB Leipzig Come to the Allianz Arena on Friday. The Bavarians restored their self-esteem by eliminating their nearest rivals.
What else did you miss in Europe this weekend? ESPN’s Sam Tighe, Alex Kirkland and Constantin Eckner recap all the action in this edition of Weekend Review.
Top takeaway: A historic Christmas for Man United
Manchester United made history on Sunday — just not for the right reasons. Their 3-0 home defeat To AFC Bournemouth Condemned them for spending Christmas at the bottom of the Premier League. It is the first time since 1989 — before the start of the Premier League — that this has happened.
It was a dreadful afternoon full of all-too-familiar problems: they once again conceded a set-piece, their ninth of the season (only Wolves (14) have conceded more in those situations), they missed four big chances and slipped into the negative. Campaign objective difference (-1)
The opening moments of the Ruben Amorim revolution have been strangely positive, but four losses in six — and more worryingly, 14 goals in six — confirm that there is plenty to do to turn things around. Remains.
It is absolutely critical that the work begins with the defensive set pieces. when Dean Heusen Rose to nod off the Cherries’ opener, a knowing groan went up around Old Trafford in response. United look set to make huge strides under their new manager, presenting such an Achilles heel to opponents.
Best Match: Tottenham Hotspur 3-6 Liverpool
When isn’t the best match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium? A nine-goal thriller went end-to-end and without a pause, as Muhammad Salah, Luis Diaz & Co. rioted. They took advantage of a tentative defense and a very daring Spurs strategy to score and score — then hold off a late flurry to secure the points.
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Best Goal: Morgan Rogers vs. Man City
Trent Alexander ArnoldDiaz’s cross for the opener against Spurs was sensational, but as far as tidy teams go, nothing can beat Rodgers’ incredible effort against Man City. He started things deep in his own half, beating three men before closing it down, bringing it back and finishing quickly on his weaker left foot.
MVP of the weekend: Alexander Esq, Newcastle United
Isak’s first Premier League hat-trick earned Newcastle a resounding victory Ipswich Town Which is no shortage of praise. He did well to keep his first effort down and flick it into the net, then showed a composer’s height in his next two in the box. It capped off a perfect week for the Magpies. — Sam Tye
TOP TAKEAWAY: Sauerloth steers Atletico past Barca at the top of La Liga
Atletico Madrid will go into Christmas at the top of the La Liga table after Alexander Sorluth’s 96th-minute winner gave them the lead. 2-1 comeback win Over Barcelona in Montjuic, one of the most important results of the season so far. Atlético are flying, with 12 consecutive wins in all competitions; In contrast, Barca are in crisis, dropping 16 points in seven league games.
Back when that run began, Atletico were 10 points behind Hansi Flick’s then-leaders. Now, it’s Diego Simeone’s side who look to beat the team.
“We’ve found ourselves on the road,” Simone said after the match. “The biggest strength we have is the group, what the players do when they come off the bench. This is our way to compete with the two monsters at the top: Barca and Madrid.”
No one understands this philosophy better than Sørloth. He has now scored eight goals in La Liga this season, but the last five have come as a substitute, and four of those came in the 83rd minute or later.
“He’s cool,” said Simeone, when asked about the Norway international’s accomplishments. “We talked to him. [about his role] three or four weeks ago. I think he understood it best.”
Antoine Griezmann And Julian Alvarez Front, with Sørloth reserve. It’s a recipe that has taken Atlético to the top of the table. Now they only have to stay there till May.
Best match: Leganés 2-5 Villarreal
Three penalties, two red cards and a hat-trick from Villarreal Thirnoberry This means there is only one contender for the weekend game in La Liga. Twice the hosts went ahead, but by the end, they were down to nine men — Oscar Rodriguez And Jorge Sanz fired — as Villarreal secured all three points and stayed in the hunt for a top-four finish.
Best Goal: Federico Valverde Vs Sevilla
Kylian MbappeReal Madrid opener against Sevilla 4-2 win Sunday was a brilliant shot from distance, a sign that Mbappé is now feeling confident and close to his best. But Valverde’s second, scored ten minutes later, might have been even better — hard-struck, and from the front. Nobody hits the ball better than him Uruguay International
MVP of the weekend: Pablo Dorn, Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo’s exciting, unpredictable side is full of homegrown talent this season. One of those youngsters, Durán, scored all three points against Celta. Real Sociedad On Saturday, scored twice in six minutes. They were 23-year-old Durán’s first goals for the first team. He is another player to watch in a team full of them. — Alex Kirkland
Top takeaway: Bayern get back on track by beating Leipzig
RB Leipzig arrived at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Friday with ambitions of making a statement, but Marco Rose retreated into a defensive shell, offering little resistance to the Bundesliga leaders. Leipzig surrendered possession at every opportunity, giving a previously beaten Bayern side a chance to rediscover their swagger just before the league’s traditional winter break.
The Bavarians wasted no time in taking control, opening the scoring in the first minute. When the final whistle blew, A dominant 5-1 victory The last goal was scored in the 78th minute. For Leipzig, it was a humbling reminder of the gap that still exists between themselves and Bayern being able to find top form when it matters most.
Harry Kane I returned from a minor hamstring injury. Classics against Borussia Dortmund Last month though, it wasn’t England The captain steals the show at the Allianz Arena. instead, Jamal Musilawho had emerged from a blister in recent weeks, lit up a cold Munich evening with a brilliant performance. That was impressive. Canada Left back Alphonso Davis.
For Leipzig, the coming weeks promise to be anything but comfortable around the Red Bull Arena.
Just a few days ago, Sister Club RB Salzburg Parted ways with manager Pep Lijnders After a devastating UEFA Champions League A campaign that saw them lose five out of six matches in the league stage. Leipzig fared even worse, losing all six of their games and falling out of the competition altogether. While Rose’s side salvaged some pride with two Bundesliga wins and a DFB-Pokal victory after a disappointing November, Friday’s conceding in Munich did little to ease the pressure. Rose’s position is under scrutiny, with Leipzig’s lackluster display raising serious questions about the direction of the team.
Rose organized his team in a 5-3-2 defensive formation, abandoning the high-pressing style that was once a hallmark of Red Bull teams, particularly Leipzig. While injury issues may offer some explanation, RBL still fielded quality players, incl Benjamin Cisco And Luis Openda lead the line.
In the past, Leipzig were known for their relentless pressing play, a system that thrived regardless of individual player profiles or market values. High-intensity pressing doesn’t necessarily require technical skill from every player, which makes Friday’s passive approach all the more troubling.
Best Match: Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 SC Freiburg
On a matchday with several lopsided results — four games ended with three-goal margins or more — Leverkusen’s win over Freiburg could have been the high point of the weekend. Freiburg defended valiantly during the first half but were eventually shot dead. Patrick Schick And Florian Wertz. Leverkusen won their eighth in a row, indicating once again that the reigning Bundesliga champions are the only viable challenge to Bayern this year.
Best Goal: Shoto Machino Vs FC Augsburg
Holstein Cal Celebrated a much-needed win before the Christmas break, beating fellow strugglers Augsburg 5-1 At home it seemed almost every one of Cal’s shots on goal found the back of the net. The most beautiful strike came in the 39th minute when Machino curled in a stunning 30-yard free kick. Nedeljko LabrovichNear the post. The fans inside the Holstein-Stadion erupted knowing their team was on course for its second win of the season.
Weekend MVP: Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich
The 24-year-old left-back was in superb form during Leipzig’s demolition. Davies not only found the net but also set up another goal and added two crucial last-ditch tackles to his impressive performance. Speculation had linked the former. Vancouver Whitecaps Standout with a move to Real Madrid, but Now reports suggest he is close to agreeing a new contract with Bayern. — a possible turning point in his career. If he continues to deliver Friday-like displays, Davies could cement his place among the Bavarian giants’ all-time greats. — Aikner
What else did you miss this weekend?
Genk fight for top spot in Belgium
Like the Bundesliga, the Juppler Pro League in Belgium saw a top-of-the-table clash shortly before Christmas, as Genk hosted Anderlecht on Sunday. While Genk, managed by former Bayern midfielder Thorsten Fink, were going into matchday 18 as league leaders. Blauw-Wit It was certainly in the back of their heads that they had not done so well in previous clashes with their title rivals. Just a week ago, Junk lost 2-0. Club Brugge Allowing Brugge to close the gap in the standings, and a few weeks before that, Genk suffered a devastating 4-0 defeat to Union Saint-Gallois.
All eyes were on Genk goalkeeper Hendrik van Kromberg and goalscorer Tolu Arokodare as both made mistakes during Genk’s previous loss. Both performed very well, though, with Van Kromberg keeping a clean sheet and Urukodere scoring the go-ahead goal in the first half as Genk not only beat Anderlecht 2-0 but in decisive fashion. What did Anderlecht’s attack, featuring the former Sevilla striker. Caspar Dolbergwas shut down for almost the entire game. It was a much-needed win for Fink’s side, who will go into Christmas at the top of the league table.