We're heading toward the end of October and with that, the final weekend of matches for the month happening all across Europe. As always, there is drama and excitement within various storylines that go beyond the final scores of matches.
On Friday, we saw Tottenham continue their unbeaten Premier League streak under new manager Ange Postecoglou, defeating Crystal Palace 2-1. On Saturday, we saw Brentford lead a second-half charge as they defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. In Spain, Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham struck twice, including the winner in a 2-1 victory against Barcelona in El Clasico. Finally in Germany, we saw a chaotic match as Bayern Munich hit SV Darmstadt for eight goals, as Harry Kane scored another hat trick.
On Sunday, Manchester City reiterated that the city is indeed blue, after thrashing Manchester United 3-0. Liverpool enjoyed a similarly comfortable scoreline in their victory over Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Here is your look back at all the fun from this weekend so far.
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SUNDAY REVIEW
The Sunday lead: If Liverpool finally have a midfield, look out
Liverpool took the field Sunday and expended little energy in dispatching Nottingham Forest 3-0 in a game that showed just why Jurgen Klopp & Co. focused their summer business on fixing that midfield. The Reds dominated proceedings from start to finish, enjoying nearly 75% of possession, racking up 21 shots to Forest's nine and causing United States keeper Matt Turner no shortage of stress between the posts.
Much has been written about Liverpool's work-in-progress XI this season, as they rebound from an underwhelming campaign last year that saw them finish outside the top four, but Sunday showed that they're further along than their rivals might think. Alexis Mac Allister was a capable holding midfielder tasked with screening the back four and disrupting passing lanes, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were constant two-way threats, winning possession in transition and always looking to surge upfield.
Together, the trio controlled the middle of the park and helped the home side ensure there would be only one winner.
Diogo Jota opened the scoring, converting the rebound after Darwin Núñez's shot forced a fine save from Turner, the ball spilling to the Portugal international for an easy finish on the half-hour mark. (Jota celebrated by holding Luis DÃaz's shirt aloft in recognition and solidarity with his teammate, whose parents were confirmed as kidnapped in their native Colombia over the weekend.)
Núñez then doubled the hosts' lead less than five minutes later, smashing home from close range after fine approach play by Mohamed Salah and Szoboszlai, who found plenty of space to exploit down the right all afternoon. Salah added a third with just under 15 minutes left, gleefully scoring from Turner's error.
Alexis Mac Allister and Liverpool's midfield are emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League. Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty ImagesDiscounting the dramatic Spurs defeat, Liverpool's rebuild appears firmly on track, with seven wins and two draws from their opening 10 league games. -- James Tyler
Sunday talking points around the leagues
History suggests Ten Hag may be running out of time
Manchester United will do everything they can to stick with Erik ten Hag as the defeats stack up this season, but the history books are making uncomfortable reading for the Dutchman. A lengthy injury list isn't helping but it's now five defeats in the league -- the most after 10 games since 1986. In more recent memory, Jose Mourinho (in 2018-19) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (in 2021-22) were both sacked before Christmas, but on both occasions, United had better records after 10 games than Ten Hag does now. They lost three of their first 10 games under both Mourinho in 2018-19 and Solskjaer in 2021-22, but neither manager lasted much longer.
Ten Hag isn't under pressure yet, but questions will be asked about his decision to bench Raphaël Varane and Sergio Reguilón against Manchester City for "tactical" reasons. His substitution of Rasmus Højlund midway through the second half was greeted with loud boos from the United fans inside Old Trafford.
After a heavy home defeat to City, it's suddenly a big week for Ten Hag with a Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United to come on Wednesday before a trip to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday. He really can't afford to lose either game.
When Mourinho and Solskjaer started to feel the pressure, things began to unravel very quickly, so Ten Hag needs to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. United don't want to sack Ten Hag, but he desperately needs a good run of results and a couple of positive performances from his team to instill some confidence that he remains the right man for the job. -- Rob Dawson
play1:40
Is Ten Hag's Man United any better than Solskjaer's?
Luis Miguel Echegaray feels Manchester United are no better under Erik Ten Hag than they were with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
'Fans' embarrass French football
Marseille vs. Lyon, the Olympico as the game is known in France, was supposed to be the showdown of the weekend in Ligue 1. A massive game, a big rivalry and a huge occasion for both teams. Gennaro Gattuso's Marseille needed a win to continue climbing up the table (currently ninth) while Fabio Grosso's Lyon, bottom of the table, wanted their first win of the season.
In the end, no one got what they wanted. The Lyon bus was attacked on its way to the Stade Velodrome, with Grosso suffering facial injuries from shards of broken glass, and the game was postponed.
This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened in France, unfortunately, and probably not the last, sadly. These "fans" are presenting the world a terrible image of French football once more, and it comes in the midst of negotiations for a new television rights deal.
Embarrassed, Ligue 1 now faces difficult questions as it ponders next steps. Should it punish Marseille? Should Lyon be awarded the three points? Should the game even be rescheduled? And what lesson should the league and French football as a whole learn from it?
In too many clubs, fans are uncontrollable and demonstrate unacceptable behaviour. Clearly not enough is being done because shameful incidents keep repeating themselves. -- Julien Laurens
Atletico thriving out of the spotlight
With Real Madrid and Barcelona getting all the attention, especially on a Clásico weekend, Atletico Madrid are quite happy to keep picking up points and putting together a quietly excellent start to the season.
Sunday's 2-1 win over Alavés took Atletico to 25 points, just three behind leaders Real and second-placed Girona, with a game in hand. The result never looked in doubt from the moment winger Rodrigo Riquelme put them ahead in the 26th minute. When Ãlvaro Morata made it 2-0 before half-time, it was essentially game over.
Atletico are flying. They've now won their past six LaLiga games, a run kicked off by the confidence boost of their 3-1 win over Real in the Madrid derby. This latest victory was their 14th consecutive league win at the Metropolitano, a run stretching back to February that equals Atletico's best-ever home streak.
Riquelme's goal was expertly taken. The youngster's talent has never been in question -- he shone at youth level and in loans at Mirandés and Girona -- but there were some doubts about how a flair player like him would fit into a Diego Simeone team. On this evidence, the answer is at left wing-back.
Morata, too, deserves credit. Antoine Griezmann's outstanding form has obscured the fact that his often-maligned strike partner Morata is in the form of his life, with six goals in LaLiga already and nine in all competitions. But just like Atletico as a whole, Morata might be better off doing his job out of the spotlight. -- Alex Kirkland
Americans Abroad: Reyna underwhelms in first start
Before Sunday's match at Eintracht Frankfurt, it had been 260 days since Giovanni Reyna last started a match for Borussia Dortmund. That streak came to an end at Deutsche Bank Park, with the 20-year-old U.S. international playing from the off, but it likely began another countdown: how long will he have to wait before getting another start?
Reyna was substituted at half-time as Dortmund trailed. He could be credited with making things happen on two or three occasions, but those moments were few and far between. Worse, much of Eintracht's threat came in the form of wing-back Buta, who marauded up and down the right wing Reyna was tasked with helping Ramy Bensebaini patrol.
These 45 minutes were the most he's played for the club since March's Champions League exit at the hands of Chelsea.
One could argue that amid his lengthy injury history, Reyna simply hasn't had the chance to establish himself in Dortmund's first team this season. More likely, though, is that he is simply too far down the pecking order to receive plentiful opportunities.
Reyna is at his best when he's operating in the middle of the attack, a role that he's made his own with the USMNT. For Dortmund, though, Marco Reus is fit and in form -- something of a rare confluence of events -- while Julian Brandt remains one of the Bundesliga's most underrated playmakers. These are No. 10s any manager would be loathe to lose from their lineup.
Given the Westphalia club's current makeup, it's difficult to see how Reyna can make the case for more minutes. And based on his performance on Sunday, it's difficult for Dortmund to believe he's worthy of more of them at the expense of Reus or Brandt. -- Austin Lindberg
News of the day
Erik ten Hag has said Manchester United's heavy derby defeat to Manchester City was one of his worst days as manager at Old Trafford. "Of course, it is disappointing, but last year we had many highlights. When you lose a derby in the way we lose, that is disappointing."
The Lyon team bus was pelted with stones before Sunday's match against Marseille as the side made their way to the Stade Velodrome, with the game between the two Ligue 1 rivals later being postponed. Footage showed damage to the bus windows and coach Fabio Grosso being led into the stadium by two assistants. He was covering his face with his hands, which were stained with blood.
And finally, on Sunday ...
From the moment Romelu Lukaku left for Chelsea in the summer of 2021, it was clear: he had betrayed Inter Milan fans, and he wasn't welcome back.