Eric Bailly has criticised Manchester United for what he perceives to be a bias towards English players following his departure for Marseille.

Bailly was very highly rated when he became Jose Mourinho's first signing at the club in 2016, but he left late last month on a loan deal that could become permanent having only once accumulated more than 21 appearances in a full season.

Injuries undoubtedly played their part in Bailly's struggles, but he was also prone to moments of rashness and the occasional loss of concentration, which did not help his cause.

Seemingly, however, Bailly thinks there were other factors at play as well, claiming there to be a bias towards English players at the club, with his comments interpreted by many as clear criticism of the much-maligned – and now out-of-favour – captain Harry Maguire.

"The club should avoid favouring English players and give everyone a chance," he told the Times.

"[The club should] encourage competition in the dressing room, not just look out for some. I've always had the feeling that the [English] national player was prioritised.

"That doesn't happen at Chelsea or other big Premier League clubs. Some people take it for granted that they are going to start, and that weakens the team.

"Luckily [Erik] ten Hag has a lot of character and I hope he can change that dynamic."

The data certainly suggests United looked to English players more than their rivals over the past six seasons, the period Bailly is referring to.

While Liverpool (33), Tottenham (30) and Arsenal (27) have both seen more English players represent them for at least one minute across all competitions over the period in question than United (26), the Red Devils have given greater prominence to more homegrown players.

Between August 2016 and the end of last season, they had nine English players feature for at least 5,000 minutes across all competitions – none of the other so-called 'big six' have more than six English players that meet the same criteria.

Ten Hag's decision to drop Maguire and Luke Shaw suggests United do now have a manager who is willing to shake things up again, but still Bailly wanted out.

"I played important games and in some I was chosen as the best player. I think when I was given the opportunity I rose to the occasion, I just lacked consistency, because I think I deserved more minutes," he continued. "I've had good times and won titles.

"I met Ten Hag in the dressing room at the end of last season when he went to sign his contract.

"I was packing my things because my intention was to leave, but he told me he wanted me to stay because he was going to give minutes to everyone.

"I agreed to do the [pre-season] tour with United, and he kept his word, but I don't want to play every now and then. I want to do it every week and feel important. I want to get my confidence back."

Istanbul awaits next June, and this week the journey starts as the group stage of the Champions League begins.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to reach the final and lift the trophy. Most will fail in that quest, but that's not to say those who don't win the competition are failures.

Every year we enjoy breakout seasons from individuals in the Champions League as they announce themselves on the biggest stage.

Whether those performances earn big-money moves or simply greater acclaim, you can expect there to be a few players you might not be very familiar with who go on to impress.

Ahead of the first round of games, Stats Perform has identified a few to keep an eye out for.

Tanguy Nianzou, centre-back, 20 – Sevilla

After coming through Paris Saint-Germain's academy and then spending a season at Bayern Munich, France youth international Nianzou joined Sevilla as the replacement for Jules Kounde in pre-season.

It's been a rocky start for the youngster. He's part of a defence that's looked extremely unconvincing, with their expected goals against (excluding penalties) of 7.5 the second-worst in LaLiga after four games, three of which Sevilla have lost.

On matchday one, Nianzou will come up against Erling Haaland and Manchester City. The defender is very highly rated, but this will be a massive test of his readiness for regular football at such a level.

Goncalo Ramos, forward, 21 – Benfica

If you believe transfer gossip, there were plenty of clubs ready to prise Ramos from Benfica in the transfer window, but ultimately he stayed put and will be considered Darwin Nunez's replacement this season.

A well-rounded striker, Ramos works hard, is up for a physical battle and is technically proficient. Last season, he scored seven Primeira Liga goals as back-up to Nunez, although his early form in that regard this term suggests work is needed.

His two strikes from 3.9 xG show he's getting into good situations but isn't yet proving clinical – albeit he did net four in Champions League qualifying.

Benfica are in a group with Juventus and PSG, so they'll hope Ramos finds a reliable streak to aid their outside chance of progression.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, winger, 21 – Napoli

The first winner of Serie A's Player of the Month award of the new season – and in his very first month in the league – it's been some introduction from Kvaratskhelia.

He was playing back home in Georgia in the second half of last season after being able to suspend his contract at Rubin Kazan amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His deal was then terminated by Rubin after it emerged he was subject to death threats after leaving.

Kvaratskhelia had been linked with numerous big clubs but eventually landed at Napoli as Lorenzo Insigne's replacement. They may not be anything alike as players, but that's not stopped Kvaratskhelia having a major early impact with four goals in five Serie A games.

A tall winger who possesses great dribbling skills, he's a player primed to make a statement this season.

Lorenzo Lucca, striker, 21 – Ajax

He may only be 21, but Lucca's fledgling career has already been somewhat nomadic, finding himself registered as a senior player at six clubs – the latest being Ajax, whom he joined on loan with an option to buy from Serie B side Pisa.

Remarkably, the last of his six league goals for Pisa last season came in October, so it's clear the jury is still out and he has a lot to prove, but he has the attributes to be a threat for any team.

Standing at just over two metres tall, Lucca is a giant, yet he also possesses a surprising turn of pace and is technically very good. The Italy Under-21 international has only played 21 minutes with the first team this season, but he has three goals in two games for the second string.

It's unlikely he'll be a key figure for Ajax, but given his skillset he will be a viable option at times – let's just see if he can take his chances.

Matt O'Riley, midfielder, 21 – Celtic

Last season, O'Riley was playing in League One for MK Dons; on Tuesday, he'll likely line-up against Real Madrid. It's been quite a quick ascension for the gifted midfielder.

A product of Fulham's academy, O'Riley left the Cottagers stunned when he rejected a new contract in 2020. He spent six months training with Dons and then signed for them in January 2021 – that saw him exposed to first-team football and a year later he was at Celtic.

The London-born Denmark Under-21 international has enjoyed a wonderful start to the season, with his vision and ball-playing abilities marking him out as a real creative threat and earning links to Manchester United.

How he fares in the Champions League with the step up in quality could prove crucial with respect to his short-term future.

Pep Guardiola appreciates having Erling Haaland's "special quality" at his disposal but is adamant Manchester City will not win the Champions League by relying solely on the Norwegian.

Haaland has enjoyed a tremendous start to life at City, scoring 10 goals in his first six Premier League games to equal the division's record for the fewest matches required to reach double-figures.

Before the season began, some suggested Haaland might require a bit of time to get up to speed, but his early form has made a mockery of his critics.

However, many feel that making a difference in the Premier League is not the reason for City signing Haaland, rather he was purchased to be decisive when the margins are much smaller – in the Champions League.

Despite massive investment ever since their 2008 takeover, the Champions League title has eluded City, who have reached the final only once.

The hope is an already exceptional City side finally have what they were missing in Haaland, but Guardiola recognises the need to not take him for granted.

"All the players, they try to make us better, otherwise it makes no sense," he told reporters ahead of Tuesday's Group G opener against Sevilla.

"That helps us to win titles? I don't know. If we rely all on Erling's shoulders, we don't win the Champions League. We try to create chances for him to score goals.

"We convinced him to come here, we felt we didn't have many strikers. He tries to be involved in the way we play. He settles well like Julian [Alvarez] and other players.

"I understand everyone talks about Erling, but I have three, four, five new players and it's important they all settle.

"We don't win just for Erling and don't lose just for Erling. He has a special quality and might be able to solve some problems, but if we don't play good, we aren't going to win games."

Few will consider City anything other than overwhelming favourites on Tuesday, however.

They face a Sevilla side who have taken just one point from their first four LaLiga games and have the worst open play expected goals against record of all teams (6.3).

The departures of Jules Kounde and Diego Carlos have proven problematic, though Guardiola still considers their European pedigree as something to behold, recognising City's history on the continent does not compare to Sevilla's six UEFA Cup/Europa League crowns.

"It's a difficult competition and we are proud to be here again," he said. "Tomorrow on the pitch, against Borussia Dortmund and Copenhagen, it depends on our performance. If we are not good, we go home and get punishments from fans and media and then after a while move forward.

"Last season we fought to be here, we know how difficult it will be. Spanish teams dominate Europe, I'd love to have a story like Sevilla has; City are far away from Sevilla in Europe.

"Tomorrow, don't miss the spectacle in this stadium. We'll just try to do a good game and try to get three points."

Bernardo Silva's mooted departure from Manchester City did not materialise as it was "no longer the right time" when a "concrete offer" was belatedly made, his father Paulo has said.

The Portugal international was strongly linked with an exit from the Etihad Stadium during the transfer window, with Barcelona heavily tipped as a potential destination.

But Silva ultimately stayed put with Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions, revealing afterwards a late bid had arrived from an unnamed suitor.

Silva suggested City's inability to recruit a replacement late in the window halted any move, and his father has added a transfer did not work "for everyone" at that point.

"There [were] a lot of conversations but not really a concrete offer in time that we thought could be made," Paulo Silva told Stats Perform at the FPF Football Talks 2022 in Lisbon.

"By the time these offers started to emerge, we realised that it was no longer the right time for everyone. If things were to happen, they would have happened rationally.

"So, it wasn't the ideal scenario for Bernardo when he's 28. He is a mature player. He still has time to give to football to learn and grow further. Things have to be done with rationality and not emotionality."

Silva has two goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, helping City remain unbeaten as they look to retain their title.

Reggae Boy Leon Bailey described his first goal of the 2022-23 Premier League as “special.”

Bailey scored for the equalizer for Aston Villa against defending champions Manchester City at Villa Park on Saturday.

He latched on to a pass from English midfielder Jacob Ramsey to slot home a left-footed strike past City goalkeeper Ederson to salvage a 1-1 draw with the champions.

“That goal was a special one for me but I have to congratulate Jacob (Ramsey) on that fantastic run that he made to pick me out and I’m just grateful that I can help the team,” he said in a post-match interview on Aston Villa’s YouTube channel.

“It felt great and amazing to see Villa Park light up again,” he added.

Bailey’s Villa haven’t had the start to the season that they would’ve wanted, sitting 17^th in the table with just four points from six games, but he said he hopes Saturday’s result gives them a much-needed energy boost.

“I think this is what we need to give us the confidence to score more goals,” Bailey said.

“Not just the players, the fans needed that energy back and I think we gave that to them. We gave ourselves a lot of confidence to move forward in the coming games and build on this. Manchester City is a top team, one of the best in the world for me. For us to stay focused for 90 minutes and keep working for everybody was really special today and it felt like a win even though it wasn’t,” he added.

Villa will next head to the King Power Stadium on September 10 to do battle with 2015-16 champions Leicester City.

Erling Haaland reminds Gary Neville of a villain from a James Bond film, with the former Manchester United defender adding that the striker could go on to be "the best player in the world".

Haaland has scored 10 goals in his first six Premier League appearances for Manchester City in an electric start to life in the Premier League.

Having lit up the Bundesliga during his time with Borussia Dortmund, Haaland now looks set to double down on his increasing reputation as one of the game's deadliest marksmen.

Following back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, the 22-year-old was on the scoresheet again on Saturday as City drew 1-1 at Aston Villa.

In his Sky Sports podcast, former Manchester United defender Neville stated his belief that City will claim top spot in the Premier League again thanks to Haaland, drawing comparisons between the striker and the villains that populated Bond films as unstoppable opponents.

"There's things happening this season that are not smooth but I anticipate Manchester City will win this league, and they could win it comfortably," he stated.

"Erling Haaland – it just looks a bit unfair. I remember when I watched James Bond films when I was younger and there was the character Jaws, who was about 7ft 2in. He used to just pick people up and chuck them on the floor.

"It's a little bit like that when you watch Haaland against strong centre-backs. You think, 'wow, he's just unplayable – how do you even cope with him in the box?'.

"This player – you fully anticipate he's going to go on and win Ballon d'Ors and be the best player in the world. That's exciting – that's not happened for quite a while in the Premier League."

Haaland is set to make his Champions League bow for City on Tuesday when they travel to Sevilla for the first match of the group stage.

Erling Haaland has revealed he felt "sorry" for Robert Lewandowski after Bayern Munich attempted to sign the Norway international from Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland joined Manchester City from Dortmund in July after being linked with the majority of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Bayern played down reports they wanted the striker as a successor to Poland captain Lewandowski, who got his wish to join Barcelona.

Speaking in the documentary Haaland: The Big Decision, City's prolific frontman stated that he felt uncomfortable over talk that he could join Bayern while Lewandowski was still with the Bundesliga champions.

"If I try to imagine how Lewandowski thinks... I don't know how many goals and titles he has for the club," he stated.

"Then I do actually feel a little sorry for him. At the same time it's a chance for him to take the next step in his career.

"It feels disrespectful, but at the same time it is an opportunity for him."

Haaland has made a blistering start to life at City, with 10 goals in his first six Premier League appearances, while Lewandowski has scored five in four LaLiga games for Barca.

Chelsea were one of the big spenders during the transfer window with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headlining their deadline-day business.

The Blues also signed Wesley Fofana and Denis Zakaria over the past week after losing several key players.

Chelsea have started the new Premier League season with mixed results, with Saturday's 2-1 win over West Ham improving their record to 10 points from six games.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA LODGED AUDACIOUS DEADLINE DAY LAVIA BID

Chelsea tried to sign Belgium youth international Romeo Lavia from Southampton on deadline day less than two months after he joined the Saints from Manchester City, reports the Daily Echo.

The Blues were one of the big spenders late in the transfer window, and submitted a £50million proposal for the 18-year-old midfielder.

Southampton rejected the proposal having signed Lavia from City for £12m in July. City retain a buy-back clause for Lavia who has played five times for Southampton this season.

ROUND-UP

– El Nacional reports Arsenal attempted to sign Barcelona's Ferran Torres with an audacious €30m bid before the close of the transfer window on Thursday. The Spaniard joined Barca from Manchester City in January but has not been a regular starter and the Gunners tried to convince the Catalans to let him go.

– Tottenham tried to sign Ukrainian midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi from Atalanta but the Serie A club refused to sell him, claims Fabrizio Romano. Spurs may re-open the situation in January.

– Besiktas are in discussions with Sassuolo's Turkey international centre-back Kaan Ayhan about a move to Turkey according to Ajansspor. The Turkish transfer window is open until September 8.

– L'Equipe claims that former Everton and Lille full-back Djibril Sidibe will join Greek club AEK Athens , having left Monaco when his contract expired at the end of last season.

Pep Guardiola bemoaned Manchester City's lack of precision as they were held to a 1-1 Premier League draw by Aston Villa on Saturday.

City looked to be heading to the top of the table when Erling Haaland prodded home from close range five minutes into the second half.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker has now scored 10 goals in his first six Premier League games – the joint-fastest a player has reached that total, along with Mick Quinn in December 1992.

He is also just the fifth player to score in each of their first three away appearances in the Premier League, after Peter Beardsley, Jurgen Klinsmann, Francesco Baiano and Alen Boksic.

However, Leon Bailey's first Premier League goal since September 2021 ensured the spoils were shared, as the Jamaica international powered home with 16 minutes remaining.

City squandered a host of opportunities to extend their advantage after Haaland's opener, leaving Guardiola to rue his side's sloppiness.

"It was a good game. We conceded just one goal from one shot on target in 90 minutes," he told Sky Sports.

"We were not precise in our final third touches and our simple things, especially in the first half. We had chances to score a second when the game was in our hands, but we didn't.

"We were better after the goal, but we were just not precise enough in the crosses; we missed a few situations and that's why we could not score.

"They [Villa] defended well, they are well organised and physical. We created enough chances to score goals and we defended well apart from one action."

Villa now have four points from their first six Premier League games of the season (W1 D1 L4), their joint-lowest total at this stage in the competition, along with 2015-16 and 2019-20.

Boss Steven Gerrard, though, believes his side's display can act as a turning point in their season.

"We've been close to that performance but the moments have gone against us, they have been kinder to us today but that's got to be the start of us," he said. "We have to use this and grow our results.

"I'm proud; the players have come together today. They put an incredible amount of effort into the game and followed instructions.

"City are always going to have moments and we had to ride our luck. This is what we wanted out of the game and this is the game plan we gave them.

"We praised the players after the first half for out of possession stuff, but said we need to be more aggressive on the regain and believe in ourselves more. Our players didn't sink after City scored and I was really happy with the response and the body language."

Manchester City dropped points for the second time this season in the Premier League as Leon Bailey cancelled out Erling Haaland's opener to earn a 1-1 draw for Aston Villa.

Pep Guardiola's side failed to have a shot on target in the first half, yet they went ahead five minutes after the interval when Haaland prodded home from close range for his 10th goal of the season.

City were made to pay for a host of missed chances after that as Bailey rifled in with 16 minutes remaining to send Villa Park wild, delighting under-pressure home boss Steven Gerrard.

The second-placed champions moved to a point adrift of leaders Arsenal, who face a test against improving Manchester United on Sunday, while Villa climbed to 17th spot.

City started in typically dominant mood, with Kyle Walker blazing over and Kevin De Bruyne lashing wide inside the opening 10 minutes.

Villa withstood that early pressure, though, and almost took the lead in the 38th minute when Ollie Watkins' effort was deflected narrowly wide by John Stones.

City went ahead in the 50th minute with their first shot on target, Haaland stealing in at the back post to convert De Bruyne's looping cross.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker almost had a second shortly after the hour mark, yet his instinctive effort was kept out by the legs of Emiliano Martinez.

De Bruyne then clipped the top of the crossbar with a free-kick from 20 yards, before Martinez again denied Haaland.

Villa snatched a point on a rare foray forward as Bailey whipped home from 15 yards after being picked out by Jacob Ramsey.

The Cristiano Ronaldo transfer saga may not be finished, with new reports he has agreed to terms on a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Ronaldo, 37, has come off the bench in each of Manchester United's last three wins on the trot, with his only start of the season coming in the 4-0 loss at Brentford.

With the transfer window shut in England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and most of Europe's top leagues, it seemed like Ronaldo was destined to remain with United until at least January – but the Turkish window remains open until September 8.

TOP STORY – RONALDO STILL WANTS OUT OF OLD TRAFFORD, AGREES TO FENERBAHCE MOVE

Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce could be set for a massive influx of star power after Ajansspor reported Ronaldo has been convinced by the club's Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus to make the jump.

No team in the Super Lig has scored more than Fenerbahce's 13 goals in four games this season, and more firepower could be on the way as club president Ali Koc is reportedly on board with the move, with just last details required to finalise things.

Koc has experience with high-profile signings, having convinced Ronaldo's former Real Madrid team-mate Mesut Ozil to sign last season, collecting eight goals and two assists in 22 league matches before opting to remain in the Super Lig for another campaign, moving to Istanbul Basaksehir.

ROUND-UP

– Marca is reporting Paris Saint-Germain offered Manchester City the chance to sign Neymar as the deadline approached, but they declined.

– According to The Athletic, Tottenham had serious interest in Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, but could not thrash out a deal.

– The Manchester Evening News claims the United board vetoed a move for Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech.

– Ajansspor is reporting Fenerbahce are working on a transfer for Leicester City's Turkish centre-back Caglar Soyuncu.

– Leicester City still have interest in adding another centre-back, with 27-year-old free agent and Belgian international Jason Denayer their main focus, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has played down the rising expectations on Erling Haaland, citing the post-match reaction to the forward's scoreless debut in the Community Shield against Liverpool.

All eyes were upon the Norwegian in the season opener against Jurgen Klopp's side but Haaland struck a blank, missing a number of opportunities, and it was instead Liverpool's big-money recruit Darwin Nunez who stole the headlines.

The situation has shifted significantly since the start of the Premier League campaign though, with Haaland setting a record by hitting nine goals in his first five appearances in England's top-tier league.

That includes back-to-back hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest, allowing City to keep up the chase with early pacesetters Arsenal at the summit of the table.

Expectation upon Haaland has risen as a result, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher backing him to be one of the best players the Premier League has ever seen despite just being a month into the season.

Asked about those predictions, Guardiola stated he was not able to peer into the future and spoke about his delight at how quickly his new additions have settled.

"I admire all the people that can anticipate what is going to happen in the future, I'm not able to do it," he said in Friday's press conference.

"One month ago it was a disaster because of the Community Shield, now he's going to break absolutely everything. I'm not able to anticipate absolutely everything that is going to happen.

"I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow, so to imagine what is going to happen in one, two, three years? We are delighted because he has settled well, not just Erling but all the new players.

"First and foremost, the backroom staff especially, it's so important how they help to adapt, to settle quickly with the new players. It's really good and that's why it is easy, that's why it is the most important thing."

Haaland is not the only new face in City's attack to catch the eye, with Julian Alvarez also impressing in his early appearances, netting a brace in the midweek demolition of Forest, and Guardiola heaped praise upon the Argentine.

"We are more than delighted that the club bought these two fantastic strikers, we're very pleased with Julian," he added.

"He scored one with his right, one with his left foot, both finishes were amazing. The work ethic, it's really good, really good that we have the two of them and in many games they will play together, that's for sure."

Erling Haaland could become the greatest player in Premier League history after making an astonishing start to his Manchester City career, according to Jamie Carragher.

Haaland has been in electrifying form for Pep Guardiola's champions since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, hitting nine goals in his first five league appearances for City.

That haul is the best managed by any player in their first five Premier League outings, and the towering Norwegian became the first player since Harry Kane in December 2017 to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the competition against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

The City striker has averaged a goal every 43 minutes of league action this season, and Carragher believes Premier League fans are witnessing something special.

"I'd probably say Man City have had a really good window, with the players they've brought in," he told Sky Sports.

"They lost a lot of attacking players, but you look at Haaland… [Julian] Alvarez's start already, he looks [to have] real quality.

"Haaland's the one that jumps out at you, he just looks absolutely amazing.

"We know we've got a great player in the league, but I think we've got something really, really, special, where when he's finished his time at Man City or in the Premier League, we'll be taking about him alongside Thierry Henry.

"I think this lad could end up being the best player we've seen in the Premier League, I really do. He's that special and he's made a brilliant start." 

Should Haaland find the net when City travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, he would become just the fifth player to score in his first three away Premier League games (after Peter Beardsley, Jurgen Klinsmann, Francesco Baiano and Alen Boksic).

Given the 22-year-old's incredible form, he will likely also have his eye on becoming the first player in the competition's history to score a hat-trick in three consecutive appearances.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is another former Dortmund striker to have made a Premier League move, reuniting with former BVB boss Thomas Tuchel by swapping Barcelona for Chelsea.

While the 33-year-old's time at Arsenal ended in acrimonious fashion in January, Carragher believes his arrival represents a welcome boost for Chelsea.

"He's a quality player, there's no doubt about that, and I think it's a good signing," he said.

"People may question Arsenal's role for this, the fact they've let him go for free and Chelsea are paying money for him [less than] 12 months later.

"I think it's a good signing for Chelsea, but I also think it was the right decision for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, look where they are right now.

"Aubameyang, we know what he brings, goals and quality. Thomas Tuchel knows him, he's worked with him at Borussia Dortmund as well, and as a neutral, I'm delighted he's in the Premier League. He's a brilliant player."

With matchday six just around the corner, fresh off the first midweek Premier League fixtures of the season, now is when things can start to get tricky.

Some regular starters will likely be rested, and some new faces could emerge and force their way into the calculations going forward.

In a sink-or-swim week, it will be important to focus on players considered too important to their respective side to leave out – but who are those players?

Using Opta data, Stats Perform is here to help, with four suggestions of players that are in form that is impossible to ignore.

David Raya (Brentford v Leeds United)

Brentford's David Raya produced one of the more unlikely goalkeeping performances of the season in his side's 4-0 win over Manchester United – although maybe it should not have been unexpected.

The Spain international has only the one clean sheet to his name this season, but he ranks second in saves-per-90-minutes, and since the start of last season, he ranks second in save percentage.

Only Jose Sa (75.7 save percentage) has a higher save percentage than Raya's 74.2, and only Dean Henderson (five saves per 90 minutes) stops more shots per game this campaign than Raya's 4.4.

Joao Cancelo (Manchester City v Aston Villa)

Manchester City's Portuguese full-back has established himself as one of the most reliable fantasy picks as a crucial part of one of the Premier League's best defences, while also proving to be a consistent source of goals.

Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Cancelo ranks fourth out of all defenders for goal involvements with two goals and seven assists, while only Virgil van Dijk (22) is credited with more clean sheets than Cancelo's 21.

He gets a friendly matchup against Aston Villa as well, who this season have scored four goals and conceded nine from their five matches, placing them in the bottom-five in both categories.

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal v Manchester United)

Arsenal are enjoying their best start to a Premier League season since 2003-04, with five wins from five matches, and 20-year-old winger Bukayo Saka is a big reason they are such a threat going forward.

Among Arsenal players, Saka ranks second in both assists (two) and chances created (10) – and it is no product of a small sample size.

Since the beginning of last season, only Kevin de Bruyne (102), Mohamed Salah (84) and Son Heung-min (80) have created more chances than Saka (78) – with a gap back to Mason Mount in fifth (66).

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham v Tottenham)

It should never be a surprise to see Aleksandar Mitrovic scoring goals, but to be going at a goal-per-game in a newly promoted side is evidence of the special talent the Serbian possesses.

Only Erling Haaland has more goals than Mitrovic's five so far, and he is tied with the Norwegian for the Premier League lead in both shots (22) and shots on target (12).

Mitrovic's hot start follows his Golden Boot win in the Championship last season, where he netted 43 goals in 44 appearances. Out of England's top four leagues, Mitrovic is 19 goals clear of any other player since the start of that campaign.

The transfer window has been gently eased shut, and there were plenty of last-minute deals to keep fans across Europe captivated.

Southampton were busy, adding Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Duje Caleta-Car to their ranks, among others, while Barcelona allowed Martin Braithwaite to join Espanyol on a free transfer and sold Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chelsea.

As the seconds ticked down, clubs dotted their i's, crossed their t's and blew the dust off their fax machines, and here is just some of what took place in the closing hours.

Busy Saints bring in four, lose one

As far as the Premier League goes, it was Southampton who got up to the most activity in the final moments, signing Maitland-Niles on loan from Arsenal and Caleta-Car permanently from Marseille on a four-year deal, as well as adding two Manchester City youngsters in Juan Larios and Sam Edozie. They let defender Yan Valery to Ligue 1 side Angers.

Brighton and Hove Albion completed the signing of Billy Gilmour from Chelsea and released Romanian striker Florin Andone, while Chelsea let Ethan Ampadu join Serie A side Spezia on loan and finally allowed Kenedy to depart Stamford Bridge after seven years to join Real Valladolid in LaLiga.

Carlos Vinicius returned to the Premier League after a loan spell with Tottenham in 2020-21, having joined Fulham from Benfica on a permanent deal. The Cottagers also completed a loan deal for Leeds United winger Daniel James.

The Whites were frustrated in their attempts to sign Bamba Dieng from Marseille, but instead clinched a deal for Italian youngster Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich for an undisclosed fee.

Nottingham Forest added signings number 20 and 21 of the window in Josh Bowler from Blackpool and Loic Bade from Rennes, with free agent Serge Aurier potentially making it 22, though a reported late move for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi failed to materialise.

Jan Bednarek had been linked with a move to West Ham earlier in the day but ended up leaving Southampton on loan to another team in claret and blue as Aston Villa brought in the Polish defender.

Brooks was here, now he's in Lisbon

On the continent, Benfica completed the signing of American defender John Brooks from Wolfsburg, while Maxi Gomez left Valencia for Turkish side Trabzonspor.

Los Che brought in a replacement for Gomez in Justin Kluivert on loan from Roma after his move to Fulham fell through due to work permit issues.

In France, highly rated forward Amine Gouiri swapped Nice for Rennes in a reported club-record fee apparently worth €28million, while Lille secured a loan deal for Everton midfielder Andre Gomes.

As well as signing Aubameyang and Hector Bellerin and losing Braithwaite, Barcelona also said goodbye on a temporary basis to Ez Abde, who joined Osasuna on loan.