Chelsea shrugged aside the attention surrounding Emma Hayes’ impending departure with a 3-0 win at Everton to consolidate their lead at the top of the Women’s Super League.
Jessie Fleming’s opener was followed by goals from Sam Kerr and former Everton loanee Aggie Beever-Jones as the London side eased to victory over a spirited Toffees side who caused the champions plenty of first-half problems.
Chelsea, who were playing for the first time since the announcement last weekend that Hayes will step down at the end of the season after 12 years as manager, remained clear of the chasing pack as a result.
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That is due in part to a surprise defeat for Manchester City, who headed into the weekend in second place and three points adrift of the leaders.
Lee Geum-min returned to haunt her former club when she fired Brighton to a 1-0 win over Gareth Taylor’s team at the City Football Academy.
The South Korea international scored the game’s only goal nine minutes from time as title hopefuls City were made to pay for not making the most of their dominance and slipped to a second successive league defeat in the process.
Arsenal took over as Chelsea’s closest challengers after producing a second-half blitz to crush Leicester 6-2.
The Gunners trailed 2-0 at the break after Sam Tierney and Janice Cayman had struck within three minutes at the King Power Stadium.
However, second-half goals from Cloe Lacasse, Alessia Russo, Caitlin Foord, Victoria Pelova and substitutes Stina Blackstenuis and Lina Hurtig – four of them in the space of 12 minutes – saw Jonas Eidevall’s side hit back in devastating fashion to remain three points adrift of the leaders.
Manchester United are a further point back after routing West Ham 5-0 to leapfrog neighbours City.
United stunned the Hammers with a fast start and then killed them off with a late flurry as they surged to a victory in torrential rain at Leigh Sports Village.
First-half goals from Geyse, Millie Turner and Nikita Parris put the hosts in charge by the break, and late strikes from substitutes Lucia Garcia and Melvine Malard wrapped up a comprehensive triumph.
Sophie Roman Haug’s second-half header ensured Liverpool emerged from their trip to Tottenham with something to show for their efforts.
Celine Bizet Ildhusoy had fired the hosts ahead with a stunning solo effort at Brisbane Road, but the Norway striker levelled as the sides who started the day in third and fourth places respectively ended it with a 1-1 draw.
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Late goals from England international Rachel Daly and Ebony Salmon handed Aston Villa their first points of the season courtesy of a 2-0 victory at Bristol City.
In a game of few clear-cut chances between the division’s bottom two sides, Daly broke the deadlock with 14 minutes remaining before substitute Salmon struck four minutes from time to secure three priceless points which lifted Villa from the foot of the table on goal difference.
Mauricio Pochettino said Chelsea will approach the rest of the season confident in the knowledge they can compete with the best teams after dramatically drawing 4-4 with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer struck a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to deny the club with whom he won the Premier League title in May and snatch a sensational point at the death in west London.
City thought they had won it via Rodri’s deflected strike four minutes from the end, his effort spinning into the goal past the wrongfooted Robert Sanchez off Thiago Silva’s outstretched foot.
Earlier, the lead had been passed back and forth on a topsy-turvy afternoon, Erling Haaland opening the scoring from the spot after 25 minutes before Silva nodded his team level from a corner.
Raheem Sterling scored against his old team to give Chelsea the lead from Josko Gvardiol’s mistake, but they could not hold on until half-time as Manuel Akanji was afforded space from a corner routine to equalise on the stroke of the interval.
Haaland struck again to make it 3-2 moments after the restart, Nicolas Jackson thumped home on the rebound when Ederson failed to hold on to Conor Gallagher’s drive from outside the box for 3-3, before the late drama for which a stunning match will be best remembered.
And Pochettino predicted the performance and the result would have a transformational effect on his young side as they continue their recovery from an indifferent start to his tenure.
“I’m very proud,” he said. “I’m so happy. The players deserve credit, the performance this evening was amazing, against for me the best team in the world.
“Many circumstances that happened during the game that made me proud, the way that we managed the game was really, really good.
“There are things to improve, but it’s the process. When you want to build a project from zero, this type of thing is really good.
“These types of experiences will improve a lot out play and our team. But now we need to translate in the future.
“I am so tired, after Monday (the 4-1 win against Tottenham) and Sunday. I don’t want to be wrong when I assess, but if I go back, we were very disappointed (in earlier) results but this is a process. It’s a young team, you feel the pressure to win.
“This type of performance will build belief and confidence. (But) we have to have patience in some games.”
Having struggled for goals during August and September, Chelsea have now netted eight times in their last two matches following Monday’s frenetic win at Spurs.
It is the third time this season they have scored four times in a league game. By contrast, the team did not manage to do so throughout the whole of the last campaign.
“It showed the character, showed the mentality, showed that we can go for the goal against a team like Man City and to dominate and have the capacity to create chances,” said Pochettino. “I think it’s really important today to build our confidence and to believe more in the way we are working.
“We’re still far away. But that’s the process. It’s a different moment, this period. But of course this type of performance we need to use for the future.
“We go step by step, maybe we can jump two steps. But caution. Today was a massive motivation.”
City boss Pep Guardiola reflected on a fair result as his team moved a point clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
“It was a good advert and entertaining game for the Premier League and both teams wanted to win,” he said. “I wouldn’t have expected differently. Chelsea have a fantastic team and players.
“We had momentum, two or three transitions one-on-one which we could not finish. But the game was in the moment at the end.
“A tight game, but a fair result. I congratulate the team, we go into the break and we qualify for the Champions League and we come back (after international break) and go.”
Mauricio Pochettino said Chelsea will approach the rest of the season confident in the knowledge they can compete with the best teams after dramatically drawing 4-4 with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer struck a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time to deny the club with whom he won the Premier League title in May and snatch a sensational point at the death in west London.
City thought they had won it via Rodri’s deflected strike four minutes from the end, his effort spinning into the goal past the wrongfooted Robert Sanchez off Thiago Silva’s outstretched foot.
Earlier, the lead had been passed back and forth on a topsy-turvy afternoon, Erling Haaland opening the scoring from the spot after 25 minutes before Silva nodded his team level from a corner.
Raheem Sterling scored against his old team to give Chelsea the lead from Josko Gvardiol’s mistake, but they could not hold on until half-time as Manuel Akanji was afforded space from a corner routine to equalise on the stroke of the interval.
Haaland struck again to make it 3-2 moments after the restart, Nicolas Jackson thumped home on the rebound when Ederson failed to hold on to Conor Gallagher’s drive from outside the box for 3-3, before the late drama for which a stunning match will be best remembered.
And Pochettino predicted the performance and the result would have a transformational effect on his young side as they continue their recovery from an indifferent start to his tenure.
“I’m very proud,” he said. “I’m so happy. The players deserve credit, the performance this evening was amazing, against for me the best team in the world.
“Many circumstances that happened during the game that made me proud, the way that we managed the game was really, really good.
“There are things to improve, but it’s the process. When you want to build a project from zero, this type of thing is really good.
“These types of experiences will improve a lot out play and our team. But now we need to translate in the future.
“I am so tired, after Monday (the 4-1 win against Tottenham) and Sunday. I don’t want to be wrong when I assess, but if I go back, we were very disappointed (in earlier) results but this is a process. It’s a young team, you feel the pressure to win.
“This type of performance will build belief and confidence. (But) we have to have patience in some games.”
Having struggled for goals during August and September, Chelsea have now netted eight times in their last two matches following Monday’s frenetic win at Spurs.
It is the third time this season they have scored four times in a league game. By contrast, the team did not manage to do so throughout the whole of the last campaign.
“It showed the character, showed the mentality, showed that we can go for the goal against a team like Man City and to dominate and have the capacity to create chances,” said Pochettino. “I think it’s really important today to build our confidence and to believe more in the way we are working.
“We’re still far away. But that’s the process. It’s a different moment, this period. But of course this type of performance we need to use for the future.
“We go step by step, maybe we can jump two steps. But caution. Today was a massive motivation.”
City boss Pep Guardiola reflected on a fair result as his team moved a point clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
“It was a good advert and entertaining game for the Premier League and both teams wanted to win,” he said. “I wouldn’t have expected differently. Chelsea have a fantastic team and players.
“We had momentum, two or three transitions one-on-one which we could not finish. But the game was in the moment at the end.
“A tight game, but a fair result. I congratulate the team, we go into the break and we qualify for the Champions League and we come back (after international break) and go.”
Chelsea and Manchester City played out an enthralling 4-4 draw on Sunday – the second brilliant match Mauricio Pochettino’s men have been involved in over the past week.
Pep Guardiola’s champions led three times at Stamford Bridge only to be pegged back on each occasion, with former City man Cole Palmer holding his nerve to grab his new team a point with a stoppage-time penalty.
The Blues on Monday evening ended Tottenham’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season with an extraordinary 4-1 win over their nine-man London rivals.
A hat-trick from Nicolas Jackson helped Blues head coach Pochettino enjoy a successful return to his former club, but only after a pulsating contest with two red cards – for Spurs defenders Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie – and five disallowed goals.
Here, the PA news agency looks at seven other outstanding games in the Premier League era.
Manchester City 3 QPR 2 (May 2012)
Perhaps the most significant of all. City started this game knowing a win would earn them a first Premier League title but when they went 2-1 down – even against 10 men – it looked as though rivals Manchester United would take the trophy. However, Edin Dzeko scored in the second minute of time added on to level and Sergio Aguero (or, to quote Sky commentator Martin Tyler, “Agueroooooooooo”) won both the match and the title with 93:20 on the clock.
Arsenal 4 Tottenham 4 (October 2008)
Best remembered for David Bentley’s stunning opener for Tottenham against his former club, this game saw Spurs come back from 4-2 down to earn a point. Trailing to Bentley’s amazing volley, the Gunners exposed Spurs’ weakness at defending set-pieces to lead through Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas. Emmanuel Adebayor added a third for the hosts before Darren Bent pulled one back. When Robin van Persie restored Arsenal’s two-goal cushion it had looked all over, but Harry Redknapp’s men showed a new resilience and Jermaine Jenas’ late strike gave them hope before Aaron Lennon equalised at the death.
Liverpool 4 Newcastle 3 (April 1996)
Sure to feature on everyone’s classic list, this was the game which saw Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan slump over the front of the dugout as his side’s title chances went up in smoke. Liverpool came back from 2-0 down to level, only to see Faustino Asprilla make it 3-2 seconds later. Stan Collymore soon levelled and then won it two minutes into added time, with Tyler again taking over with his line of “Collymore closing in”.
Newcastle 4 Arsenal 4 (February 2011)
The game that demonstrated why supporters should never leave early. When Theo Walcott scored for Arsenal 44 seconds into this game it set the tone for a blistering period of away play, with Johan Djourou and Van Persie, who netted twice, putting Arsenal 4-0 up. However, the game turned as Abou Diaby saw red for Arsenal and Newcastle mounted a stellar comeback. Two penalties from Joey Barton and a Leon Best goal gave them a foothold, but they still needed a brilliant 87th-minute volley from Cheick Tiote to get a point.
Norwich 4 Liverpool 5 (January 2016)
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp lost his glasses amid wild celebrations on the touchline after Adam Lallana’s last-minute strike gave Liverpool an astonishing first Premier League win of 2016. Klopp’s men had trailed 3-1 with under 30 minutes to go, then led 4-3 before Sebastien Bassong’s stoppage-time goal levelled matters. But there was still time for substitute Lallana to mis-hit a shot into the ground and secure a 5-4 victory.
Tottenham 4 Arsenal 5 (November 2004)
Four years before the 4-4 thriller at the Emirates, White Hart Lane hosted a similarly high-scoring affair between the two local rivals. The home side took the lead through Noureddine Naybet, but Arsenal equalised through Thierry Henry and then went 3-1 ahead thanks to Lauren, who converted a penalty won by Freddie Ljungberg, and Patrick Vieira. Jermain Defoe pulled one back almost immediately before Ljungberg and Ledley King traded goals and, although Robert Pires added Arsenal’s fifth nine minutes from time, Freddie Kanoute’s goal made for a frantic finish.
West Ham 5 Bradford 4 (February 2000)
West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop suffered a broken leg just minutes into the game to hand a debut to 18-year-old Stephen Bywater, who conceded four goals but still ended up on the winning side. The comeback from 4-2 down started with 25 minutes left when Frank Lampard and Paolo Di Canio argued over who would take a penalty, Di Canio eventually winning the tussle and converting from the spot. Joe Cole soon equalised and Lampard scored the winner from the edge of the box with seven minutes remaining.
Cole Palmer struck a last-gasp penalty against his former club Manchester City in the fourth minute of stoppage time to snatch a sensational 4-4 draw for Chelsea at the end of a superb, battling encounter at Stamford Bridge.
The Premier League champions thought they had won it through Rodri’s goal, deflected in off the unfortunate Thiago Silva four minutes from time, but were left stunned in the dying seconds when substitute Armando Broja burst into the box and drew a foul from Ruben Dias, with Palmer dispatching his spot-kick under pressure to send home fans into raptures.
Earlier, Erling Haaland had scored to twice give City the lead, first from the penalty spot before Chelsea turned the game on its head with goals from Silva and Raheem Sterling.
Manuel Akanji headed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time before Haaland’s second made it 3-2 minutes after the restart, but still Chelsea were not done, hitting back to make it 3-3 through Nicolas Jackson.
Then came what looked the winner from Rodri, before Palmer’s late, late intervention served to hurt the side he left for west London in September.
It had all begun with a controversial penalty award for City after 21 minutes. Marc Cucurella and Haaland appeared to be engaged in an even tussle as the ball was floated in to the six-yard box but, as the pair went to ground, the defender was penalised for having hauled Haaland down.
VAR checked and found no reason to overturn referee Anthony Taylor’s decision, and after a lengthy delay Haaland kept his cool to beat Robert Sanchez from the spot.
Chelsea had made the brighter start and now they sought an instant reply. Reece James forced Ederson into an athletic fingertip save from a well-struck free-kick just outside the box.
It was to be a momentary reprieve. From the resulting corner swung in by the right foot of Conor Gallagher, Silva slipped his man and with a glancing header that zipped across the face of the goal and in he drew his side level.
City almost hit back instantly through Haaland, but Phil Foden’s cross was fractionally too deep and the striker could only turn it into the side netting. Minutes later, Foden tried to do it himself with a wicked drive with his left foot that bent inches past a post.
Chelsea’s second came from a mistake by Josko Gvardiol. Moises Caicedo collected the ball deep in midfield and moved it on to Gallagher. Overlapping on the right he found James, whose pressure caused the City defender to mis-control, leaving James to cross for the unmarked Sterling to tap it home.
Sanchez preserved his side’s lead with a sensational stop low to his left after Haaland had squeezed between Chelsea’s central defenders.
Yet he could do nothing moments before half-time to prevent Akanji levelling. From a City corner, Chelsea switched off. Foden played the ball back to Bernardo Silva near the edge of the box, and neither James nor Silva went with Akanji as he ghosted into space to head in for 2-2.
The second half was barely two minutes in when the game took another twist and it was Haaland restoring City’s lead.
Julian Alvarez began the move in midfield, releasing Foden who carried it deep into the Chelsea half before returning it to the galloping Argentinian. With the defence stretched he crossed for Haaland, who evaded the attentions of James to bundle the ball over the line.
Jeremy Doku almost increased his side’s lead after a rampaging run down the left created space for a shot. Cutting inside and striking low, his effort was well saved by Sanchez.
Palmer, established now as a pivotal figure in Pochettino’s attack, cut through the heart of City with dazzling balance and control, denied a memorable goal by Ederson.
In the 65th minute, Chelsea levelled for a second time and it was no more than a fighting performance warranted.
The ball was switched to the substitute Mykhailo Mudryk charging up the left. He worked it infield to Caicedo, who set up Gallagher to strike at goal from 25 yards. Ederson parried, but could only turn it into the path of Jackson, fresh from his hat-trick against Tottenham, who took a touch and thumped it in.
Substitute Malo Gusto blazed over the bar after getting in down the right, wasting good, battling work from Sterling who fought to work the ball through to him. It was a moment Chelsea would come to rue.
The game had seemed destined to have a winner throughout, and with four minutes to go City looked finally to have nicked it through Rodri.
His drive from outside the box as the ball broke looked to be heading wide, until a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Silva sent it spinning beyond the wrongfooted Sanchez to seemingly break Chelsea hearts.
Then when City thought they had won it came Broja’s late dart into the box, Dias’s hasty challenge, and the final word by Palmer to cap a memorable encounter in west London.
Chelsea shrugged aside the attention surrounding Emma Hayes’ impending departure with a 3-0 win at Everton to consolidate their lead at the top of the Women’s Super League.
Jessie Fleming’s opener was followed by goals from Sam Kerr and former Everton loanee Aggie Beever-Jones as the London side eased to victory over a spirited Toffees side who caused the champions plenty of first-half problems.
Chelsea, who were playing for the first time since the announcement last weekend that Hayes will step down at the end of the season after 12 years as manager, remained clear of the chasing pack as a result.
That is due in part to a surprise defeat for Manchester City, who headed into the weekend in second place and three points adrift of the leaders.
Lee Geum-min returned to haunt her former club when she fired Brighton to a 1-0 win over Gareth Taylor’s team at the City Football Academy.
The South Korea international scored the game’s only goal nine minutes from time as title hopefuls City were made to pay for not making the most of their dominance and slipped to a second successive league defeat in the process.
Manchester United made no such mistake, routing West Ham 5-0 to leapfrog their neighbours.
United stunned the Hammers with a fast start and then killed them off with a late flurry as they surged to a victory in torrential rain at Leigh Sports Village.
First-half goals from Geyse, Millie Turner and Nikita Parris put the hosts in charge by the break, and late strikes from substitutes Lucia Garcia and Melvine Malard wrapped up a comprehensive triumph.
Sophie Roman Haug’s second-half header ensured Liverpool emerged from their trip to Tottenham with something to show for their efforts.
Celine Bizet Ildhusoy had fired the hosts ahead with a stunning solo effort at Brisbane Road, but the Norway striker levelled as the sides who started the day in third and fourth places respectively ended it with a 1-1 draw.
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Late goals from England international Rachel Daly and Ebony Salmon handed Aston Villa their first points of the season courtesy of a 2-0 victory at Bristol City.
In a game of few clear-cut chances between the division’s bottom two sides, Daly broke the deadlock with 14 minutes remaining before substitute Salmon struck four minutes from time to secure three priceless points which lifted Villa from the foot of the table on goal difference.
After another exciting cinch Premiership weekend, Celtic are still eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the table, albeit the Light Blues have a game in hand.
Livingston find themselves bottom after another defeat amid a St Johnstone resurgence.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five things that caught the eye.
Celtic bounce back in style
Brendan Rodgers’ side were thrashed 6-0 by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in Spain on Tuesday, also ending up with 10 men following the dismissal of Daizen Maeda. The result left them bottom of their group and facing some heavy criticism.
However, they were on top form against an abject Aberdeen side in their Premiership encounter, with South Korean forward Yang Hyun-jun scoring his first Celtic goal and Japan striker Kyogo Furuhashi adding a second before the break.
Winger Luis Palma scored a penalty in the 76th minute and the Dons capitulated in 10 added minutes at the end of the game, with Celtic substitutes David Turnbull and Oh Hyeong-yu (two) on target as Rodgers’ men restored their eight-point lead over Rangers at the top of the table.
Ross McCausland shines on first Rangers start
Philippe Clement’s strong start to his Rangers reign continued with a comfortable 2-0 win at Livingston on Sunday. The Belgian has now presided over six wins and a spirited draw away to Sparta Prague in his seven matches in charge.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the win in West Lothian was the lively display of 20-year-old winger Ross McCausland, who earned his first start after six previous appearances as a substitute.
The Northern Irish youngster went close with an early attempt, won a penalty and appeared unfortunate to have a ferocious strike ruled out after team-mate Abdallah Sima was harshly penalised in the build-up.
Relief for under-fire Steven Naismith
This international break could have been extremely grim for Hearts and Steven Naismith if Saturday’s trip to Motherwell had not gone as smoothly as it did.
The Jambos boss was coming under heavy pressure after a run of one win in five matches and a generally underwhelming start to the campaign but Saturday’s impressive 2-1 win at Fir Park has served as a timely boost for the embattled manager.
Supporters were encouraged by the display and Hearts now sit within two points of third place. With a more favourable run of fixtures to come after the break, Naismith has given himself a chance to generate some winter momentum.
St Mirren dumped in Dundee
Stephen Robinson’s Saints side started the season in impressive style, moving up to third place in the table behind the Old Firm.
There were signs of a wobble before the Paisley side travelled to Tayside – one win in six in all competitions. However, there was little indication of a collapse on Tayside.
The Buddies found themselves two down at the interval with the loss of another double after the break. Robinson spoke after the game of a reset, as his side are now just two points ahead of Hearts.
Graham Carey finds a little positivity amid personal troubles
St Johnstone fans and the wider football community this week gave their support to Carey and his wife, Rachel Borthwick, who is facing up to another cancer battle.
After a 2-2 draw at home to Motherwell on Tuesday night in Craig Levein’s first game as Saints boss, the Perth side hosted fellow strugglers Ross County on Saturday.
A stunning strike by Carey in the 71st minute of a tight contest kept the three points in Perth and took St Johnstone off the bottom of the table and ultimately above Livingston and the Staggies.
Unai Emery stressed the importance of Aston Villa remaining consistent as the season goes on after the 3-1 win over Fulham.
The result at Villa Park saw the midlands outfit make it six wins out of six at home in the Premier League this season and equal the post-war club record for successive top-flight home victories, matching the 13 in a row achieved in 1983.
Boss Emery, whose fifth-placed side are a point outside the top four, said: “We are now (on league match) 12 – there are still 26 matches to play.
“It’s a lot and of course to be consistent is the most important thing, when you are trying to build and to create a team and a structure and mentality.
“It’s the reason of course we can maintain the position like we are now, but it’s going to be very difficult and a challenge. We are going to face each match trying to focus (on) it.
“Now we are in the top five, it’s I think a moment to enjoy, to be happy – and to try to analyse, even now winning, how we can improve, how we can keep being consistent.”
Marking a return to winning ways in the league after last Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Nottingham Forest, this result was a second home triumph in four days for Villa, with Emery’s men having defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the Europa Conference League on Thursday to leave them on the brink of qualifying from their group.
They were two up at the break against Fulham following an Antonee Robinson own-goal and a 42nd-minute strike from skipper John McGinn, while Ollie Watkins subsequently added a third in the 64th minute for his 11th goal of the season in all competitions.
Raul Jimenez, who had seen a shot tipped against a post by Emiliano Martinez early in the second half, pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 70th minute – the former Wolves man’s first Premier League goal since March 2022.
Emery said: “At home, we are feeling very good here. We are connected with our supporters, trying to (have) full, positive energy, and… in each circumstance we are trying to adapt, improving the team, the players, our tactical work. I think it is going well.
“Here, for example, I think the first half was a very good first half. We created chances, but overall we controlled the game, avoiding the transition. It was fantastic.
“The second half was more hard. They scored one goal, had chances and were trying to work, thinking about the possibility to come back, and we avoided it.”
Villa resume after the international break with away games against Tottenham and Bournemouth, either side of a Europa Conference League home match against Legia Warsaw, and then host Manchester City and Arsenal in the league.
Emery added: “Of course I am happy and I can take my days off as well relaxing with the result we had, with the moment we are now in the table, and in the Conference (League) as well.
“But I know full well each match is a new challenge, and I am going to take some days resting, but of course my mind is in Tottenham, and in Bournemouth, and in Legia Warsaw, and in Villa Park again with Manchester City and Arsenal.”
Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Brentford set up a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash against Manchester City, but manager Jurgen Klopp is less than impressed with the lunchtime scheduling.
The Premier League’s resumption after the international break kicks off with City v Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium live on television in a Saturday lunchtime clash.
Klopp has been a long-time opponent of broadcast scheduling, particularly the 12.30pm slot, and he has aired his complaints again.
“OK, no-one can say at the moment, but how can you put a game like this on Saturday at 12.30pm?” he said.
“Is it the moment where the world pays the most to see a football game? I don’t know if that is the case, I really don’t.
“Honestly, the people making the decisions, they cannot feel football, it is just not possible.”
The logistics involved in getting players back from South America are well-drilled now and usually involve clubs liaising to charter a jet for all their players to return home together.
But a lunchtime kick-off requires extra planning to get them back as early as practically possible, which often involves extra work to get them into one airport at the same time.
“You have these two teams who have, all together, about 30 international players. They all come back on the same plane from Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia,” said Klopp.
“One game, one plane, they all come back.”
Liverpool endured a couple of tricky moments at home to Brentford, but two goals from Mohamed Salah, taking him to 200 in English football, and one from Diogo Jota ensured Klopp’s side leapfrogged Arsenal into second place on goal difference.
In becoming the first Reds player to score in each of their first six home matches at the start of a season, Salah joined Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry in having scored or assisted in 15 consecutive Premier League home games.
“Exceptional, just exceptional player. Played a super game today and we all know how difficult it is against these tall centre-backs,” added Klopp.
“Two players around him, all these kinds of things, how often he kept the ball for us and we could play from there. That was super important and scoring two goals.
“We had so many good moments in the first half. We scored (through Darwin Nunez), but it was offside (twice), things like that, and then in that moment, the composure for the first goal is insane.
“There is no doubt when the ball is in that area in the end you see it on the scoresheet. So a pretty special player.”
Victory ensured the team headed off on international duty with a spring in their step after a difficult week which began with a draw at Luton and got worse with defeat in the Europa League to Toulouse.
But in extending their 100 percent home league record to six matches this season, having conceded just twice at Anfield in that time, Liverpool moved into pole position as City’s nearest challengers.
“Football is strange. If you would have asked me three days just about the feeling, not about what I know, I am not sure I would talk about the start (to their season),” said Klopp.
“But obviously you look at the game, the numbers, the results, most of the time it was OK or better.
“A point at Luton didn’t feel great, Tottenham, in the circumstances (a defeat after a controversial incorrect VAR decision) obviously didn’t feel great.
“It’s absolutely all right if we just don’t really think about it. Today it was about getting through the game and we did. The boys responded sensationally well.”
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank was unhappy with a second-half challenge by Wataru Endo on Christian Norgaard which, on the basis of what has gone before this season, he felt VAR got wrong.
“I think this situation, back in the day, never would have been a red card, but in the football we are playing now, with the slow image you can see a clear foot on the leg, four bloody marks on Christian’s leg,” he said.
“There is definitely some contact with force.”
Brendan Rodgers praised his Celtic side for quickly erasing their Champions League pain with a 6-0 thrashing of Aberdeen at Parkhead.
The Hoops were chastened by a 6-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in their Champions League group stage game in Spain on Tuesday night, where they ended up with 10 men following the dismissal of Daizen Maeda and bottom of the table.
However, they blitzed an abject Dons side in their cinch Premiership encounter, with South Korean forward Yang Hyun-jun scoring his first Celtic goal in the ninth minute before Japan striker Kyogo Furuhashi added a second seven minutes later in an utterly dominant first half.
Winger Luis Palma scored from the spot in the 76th minute and in 10 added minutes at the end of the game, the home side scored three goals, with substitutes David Turnbull and Oh Hyeon-gyu, twice, on target as Celtic restored their eight-point lead over Rangers at the top of the table.
“I said to the players before the game, throughout your footballing season and life you have painful points, but how you respond is where you are judged,” said Rodgers, who revealed Furuhashi would not be travelling to Japan this week to stay behind for treatment for a head knock which saw him taken off.
“If you look after St Johnstone here (0-0) we go to Rangers and win, after Feyenoord away (0-2) we go to Livingston and win.
“Obviously we had a challenging game in midweek just because of the circumstances.
“It is then how you respond today. I thought the players responded so well. They’ve done great in the game, created numerous opportunities.
“Look at Aberdeen’s record, especially away from home. Look at how tough they are to beat. They go to Frankfurt and do well, they go to Rangers and win.
“So they are a team who are tough to play against. But I thought our players today were absolutely fantastic. They showed some great football, great movement, great connection in the team. I was so pleased for them.”
It was a fifth successive away game for the Dons but after the hard-fought 2-2 draw against PAOK on Thursday night in Greece, Barry Robson was not for making excuses and admitted that he was “massively surprised” by the result.
He said: “You can look for excuses, but I’m not having that. Yes, we all know where we have been, but we still can’t come here and perform like that. So I’m not having that, either.
“It was a result I never saw coming at all. That is the biggest surprise, I never saw that coming.
“I am just angry because it is not us as a team. You have to learn that you can’t leave yourselves open, you have to learn to shut the back door and not lose more goals.
“I just think the first 15 minutes, we were not at it. We didn’t get close to anyone. Never put a tackle in and, as the half went on, got slightly better.
“Half-time, we tweaked a few tactical things and thought we started to look a lot better in the second half and then lost the penalty.
“And then I thought after that Celtic ran away with it and it was not good enough.
“Once you lose that third goal, you have got to get a structure, you’ve got to stay in the fight and we just looked too open. It looked like they could score every time.”
Robert Lewandowski got Barcelona out of jail as Alaves threatened to pile on further misery for the reigning LaLiga champions.
The 35-year-old Poland international headed home a second-half equaliser after Samu Omorodion had fired the visitors in front with just 18 seconds gone and then converted a late penalty to ensure an eventful afternoon at the Estadio Olimpico ended 2-1 to the hosts.
However, Samu was left to reflect on what might have been after passing up three further chances to add to his tally as Barca, who were without influential duo Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, turned in an abject first-half display before finally finding their feet.
The home side kicked off under some pressure after their their midweek Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk, which came in the wake of their El Clasico reverse and an unconvincing league win over Real Sociedad.
And they could hardly have got off to a worse start as they conceded inside the opening minute.
Ilkay Gundogan was robbed by Jon Guridi inside the Alaves half and he carved his way deep into Barca territory before picking out Javi Lopez, whose cross was swept past keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen by the 19-year-old Samu.
Things could have been significantly worse for Xavi’s men amid a shambolic start as they were repeatedly opened up by the visitors.
Samu fired into the side-netting after controlling Andoni Gorosabel’s pass, and then missed the target after the latter had split the home defence to send him one-on-one with Ter Stegen.
Shell-shocked Barcelona started to work their way into the game and Alaves keeper Antonio Sivera had to save from Lewandowski and Joao Felix.
But in the meantime, Lopez had scuffed a shot on the turn wide after catching defender Jules Kounde sleeping, and the France international was fortunate to escape for a second time when Samu fired after being muscled off the ball by the frontman.
Felix tried desperately to drag his side back into the game as time ran down, but Sivera remained largely untroubled and the locals made their feelings abundantly clear on the whistle.
Barca returned with much greater purpose and Joao Cancelo fired into Sivera’s midriff within three minutes, and they were back in it with 53 minutes gone when Lewandowski got ahead of defender Rafa Marin to power home a header from Kounde’s right-wing cross.
The visitors found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half, but almost profited from another Kounde error when he headed Ruben Duarte’s free-kick straight at Abdelkabir Abqar, although the defender was unable to convert.
Lamine Yamal tested Sivera with a swerving attempt, but the Catalans finally edged in front with 12 minutes remaining when, after Abqar had tripped substitute Ferran Torres in the box, Lewandowski emphatically dispatched the resulting spot-kick.
Roberto De Zerbi admitted he does not like “80 per cent of Premier League referees” after 10-man Brighton were held to a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.
Simon Adingra had put the Seagulls ahead with a brilliant solo run but the game changed on Mahmoud Dahoud’s red card in the 69th minute.
Midfielder Dahoud stamped on Ben Osborn’s Achilles, with Adam Webster putting through his own goal moments later to take the Blades off the bottom of the table for the first time since September 23.
De Zerbi, who was also booked for his touchline antics, did not disagree with the red card shown by John Brooks but said: “I am honest and clear… I don’t like 80 per cent of English referees.
“That isn’t a new opinion. I don’t like them. I don’t like their behaviour on the pitch.
“England is the only country where when there is VAR, you are not sure that the decision is right. In other countries, you have to be sure 100 per cent that the decision taken is right. In England, no, and I am not able to understand.”
De Zerbi is now on his longest run without a league win as Brighton manager, with his side six matches without taking three points.
“We are spending time in an unlucky period,” said the Italian. “I think we have lost four points; two against Fulham and two today.
“After the red card, I didn’t like the team.
“There wasn’t a game until the red card. There was only one team on the pitch. Brighton could have won the game two or three nil, but after the red card the game changed.
“After the red card we can say other things but the situation with one player less, we lost order and our style.”
Adingra went on a mazy run before finishing after a give-and-go with Facundo Buonanotte in the fifth minute. But after the red card, Jayden Bogle’s powerful cross was diverted into his own goal by Webster.
It was the first time United had strung two games without defeat together in the top flight since July 2020 – not that Paul Heckingbottom is worried after a first away point of the season and getting off the bottom.
He said: “It is irrelevant – maybe getting off the bottom is important because people keep mentioning it but I’m not bothered. Not yet.
“What is pleasing is how we’ve played against a good team.
“It is always about the points. I can give lots of reasons why we haven’t picked up more points this season: the way we started the season, final moments in games where we could and should have.
“But until you get them they are just excuses. It is about the points and we want to keep picking up the points.
“There have been moments in every game but in the last two games it has been us being the stronger team at the end and that is what I want to see. It gives us a huge lift.”
Robert Lewandowski got Barcelona out of jail as Alaves threatened to pile on further misery for the reigning LaLiga champions.
The 35-year-old Poland international headed home a second-half equaliser after Samu Omorodion had fired the visitors in front with just 18 seconds gone and then converted a late penalty to ensure an eventful afternoon at the Estadio Olimpico ended 2-1 to the hosts.
However, Samu was left to reflect on what might have been after passing up three further chances to add to his tally as Barca, who were without influential duo Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, turned in an abject first-half display before finally finding their feet.
The home side kicked off under some pressure after their their midweek Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk, which came in the wake of their El Clasico reverse and an unconvincing league win over Real Sociedad.
And they could hardly have got off to a worse start as they conceded inside the opening minute.
Ilkay Gundogan was robbed by Jon Guridi inside the Alaves half and he carved his way deep into Barca territory before picking out Javi Lopez, whose cross was swept past keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen by the 19-year-old Samu.
Things could have been significantly worse for Xavi’s men amid a shambolic start as they were repeatedly opened up by the visitors.
Samu fired into the side-netting after controlling Andoni Gorosabel’s pass, and then missed the target after the latter had split the home defence to send him one-on-one with Ter Stegen.
Shell-shocked Barcelona started to work their way into the game and Alaves keeper Antonio Sivera had to save from Lewandowski and Joao Felix.
But in the meantime, Lopez had scuffed a shot on the turn wide after catching defender Jules Kounde sleeping, and the France international was fortunate to escape for a second time when Samu fired after being muscled off the ball by the frontman.
Felix tried desperately to drag his side back into the game as time ran down, but Sivera remained largely untroubled and the locals made their feelings abundantly clear on the whistle.
Barca returned with much greater purpose and Joao Cancelo fired into Sivera’s midriff within three minutes, and they were back in it with 53 minutes gone when Lewandowski got ahead of defender Rafa Marin to power home a header from Kounde’s right-wing cross.
The visitors found themselves pinned back deep inside their own half, but almost profited from another Kounde error when he headed Ruben Duarte’s free-kick straight at Abdelkabir Abqar, although the defender was unable to convert.
Lamine Yamal tested Sivera with a swerving attempt, but the Catalans finally edged in front with 12 minutes remaining when, after Abqar had tripped substitute Ferran Torres in the box, Lewandowski emphatically dispatched the resulting spot-kick.
Steve Cooper felt Nottingham Forest threw away the chance of a rare away win after going down 3-2 at West Ham.
Goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest into the lead after Lucas Paqueta fired the Hammers ahead in the third minute.
But late headers from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek, both from James Ward-Prowse corners, condemned the visitors to another defeat.
“I think if we’d drawn 2-2, I’d have been disappointed,” Forest boss Cooper said.
“I can’t look past the goals we’ve given away. We gifted them a goal at the start, worked our way back into it and then to concede a corner after five seconds from kick-off and defend like we did is frustrating.
“The third goal is from our throw-in, it’s a corner again and we didn’t do our jobs. Whether the ball coming in is brilliant or average, you’ve got the stay with your man.”
Forest have won just two matches on the road since they were promoted in 2022.
“We know we are doing a lot better things away from home but we’ve just thrown a result a way, and to lose it like we did, it was our own fault, I can’t look past that,” Cooper added.
“There was a real opportunity to come here to win and we were doing that. Today was a different away performance and loss.
“This is one we are going ‘We’ve just thrown it away’. This could have been a much more comfortable day and we’ve only got ourselves to blame.”
Ward-Prowse has now contributed nine assists in all competitions since joining West Ham from Southampton, yet an England call-up still eludes him.
“I’m quite pleased that he’ll get a rest this week, with the amount of games we’ve had,” Hammers boss David Moyes said with a smile.
“Let’s be fair, he is world class at his deliveries, and if I was him I’d be disappointed the other boys haven’t scored more from his deliveries.”
The Hammers won a topsy-turvy match to register their first Premier League victory since September.
“Yeah, I needed that. But so do all the clubs,” Moyes added.
“I was thrilled with the opening minutes, and with the end few minutes. But our play was too slow in the first half and we lost a goal before half-time as well.
“In the second half, after we went behind we played really well to get ourselves back in the game and to win it was tremendous. “
Celtic put their mauling in Madrid behind them with a symmetrical 6-0 win over abject Aberdeen in their cinch Premiership battle at Parkhead.
The Hoops had been crushed 6-0 by Atletico Madrid in their Champions League group stage game in Spain on Tuesday night after going down to 10 men, while the Dons exited the Europa Conference League on Thursday despite an impressive 2-2 draw with PAOK in Greece.
Back in the safer environs of the cinch Premiership, South Korean forward Yang Hyun-jun scored his first Celtic goal in the ninth minute before Japan striker Kyogo Furuhashi added a second seven minutes later in an utterly dominant first half.
Winger Luis Palma scored from the spot in the 77th minute and substitutes David Turnbull and Oh Hyeon-gyu, twice, notched in 10 minutes of added time to complete a comprehensive win for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Rangers had won 2-0 at Livingston earlier in the day to put some pressure on Celtic but a one-sided victory restored their eight-point lead over their Old Firm rivals going into the international break, albeit the Light Blues have a game in hand.
Unsurprisingly, both sides made changes following their European exploits.
Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm came in for Paulo Bernardo to make his first league start while 21-year-old Yang replaced Daizen Maeda, injured in the challenge that led to his red card against Atletico Madrid.
Bojan Miovski, Jonny Hayes, Leighton Clarkson and Dante Polvara returned for the visitors.
The minute’s silence to mark Armistice Day was disrupted by some inside the stadium, which was missing several hundred registered Green Brigade members who remain suspended from Celtic Park for “unacceptable behaviours”.
The Granite City men were immediately under the cosh and in the fourth minute keeper Kelle Roos made a fantastic save from Furuhashi’s powerful drive and midfielder Matt O’Riley somehow bounced the rebound over the bar from five yards.
Roos was soon beaten, however, when he missed a Palma cross from the left and Yang, who signed from Gangwon FC in the summer, gleefully headed in from close range.
Aberdeen slumped further behind when Yang’s clever reverse pass found O’Riley and his cut-back was slid in at the near post by Furuhashi for his ninth goal of the campaign.
The visitors were struggling to cope but they had a great chance in the 22nd minute when Polvara sent Hayes racing clear but the former Celtic player slashed his shot wide of the target.
Furuhashi sclaffed another chance at the other end and Roos tipped terrific efforts from Holm and then Palma over the bar, as Celtic continued to boss possession.
A robust challenge by Dons defender Slobodan Rubezic on Furuhashi early in the second half saw both players require treatment for head knocks, the former picking up a yellow card from referee Willie Collum.
Furuhashi, however, had to be replaced by Oh, while Holm made way for Turnbull, before a Miovski flick from a Nicky Devlin cross had Celtic keeper Joe Hart making his first save.
Yang took a cut on the face in a challenge by Jack MacKenzie which would soon see him replaced by James Forrest before Celtic were awarded a penalty.
Referee Willie Collum was asked by the VAR to have a look at his pitchside monitor after MacKenzie had wiped out Oh inside the box.
When Collum pointed to the spot, Palma took a slow approach before hammering his spot-kick past Roos.
Turnbull drove in off the post in the second minute of added time and Oh added a fifth with a header from a Palma cross, before running through to drive in a sixth from an O’Riley pass.
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