Paulo Fonseca believes Milan gained a much-needed confidence boost from their 4-0 win over Venezia with big clashes against Liverpool and Inter coming up.

The 51-year-old had already come under pressure after a lacklustre start to life at Milan, with two draws and a defeat in their opening three games.

However, a comfortable home victory over Venezia eased some of that, as Milan scored four goals in the opening 30 minutes of a match for the first time since October 1958.

"Our season already started four rounds ago, we dropped points and need to recover lost ground, but it was important to win and to win like this. It gives the players confidence to keep growing," Fonseca told Sky Sports Italia.

While Saturday's victory offered some relief for the Portuguese coach, the real test awaits when Milan host Liverpool in their Champions League opener on Tuesday, followed by a derby against Inter next weekend.

"I have to be honest, I've already started thinking about both games against Liverpool and Inter. I realise the importance of the derby. Liverpool will be very difficult, but I cannot deny I have already started studying Inter, too," Fonseca said.

"I know what it means to the fans, we are working to have good performances in both matches."

Fonseca denied that recent protests from fans, including banners placed in the stands just before kick-off warning that things needed to turn around quickly, threw him off balance.

"I think as a coach that I have to deal with these situations with balance, stay focused on my work and ignore everything around us," he said.

"Milan is a club that always has the pressure to win. If we coaches don't want this pressure, then we shouldn’t be coaches."

LA Galaxy stunned derby rivals Los Angeles FC on Saturday with a superb second-half comeback to seal a 4-2 victory.

They overturned a 2-0 half-time lead with four unanswered goals around Lewis O'Brien's sending-off, becoming the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot.

Mateusz Bogusz gambled by peeling away to the back post and was in the right place to head Denis Bouanga's deflected cross into the back of the net after just four minutes.

Just 11 minutes later, Bouanga made another driving run down the left and went for goal himself, drilling a low shot past John McCarthy from a tight angle. They could have had a third before the break, but Olivier Giroud's half-volley struck the inside of the post.

Dejan Joveljic got his first, rifling into the roof of the net after a wonderful turn, and just two minutes later, Edwin Cerrillo scored a stunning goal of his own, beating Hugo Lloris from distance by curling it in off the outside of his boot.

Joveljic's second was opportunistic – he stuck out a leg to help Riqui Puig's strike past a wrong-footed Lloris from just in front of the goal line.

O'Brien was then shown a straight red card for a lunging challenge on Miki Yamane before Puig rounded off the scoring with a whipped effort into the near post.

Data Debrief: Home advantage

To use an old cliche, it was a game of two halves, with LA Galaxy proving just why they are top of the table, and eight points clear of LAFC, in a brilliant second 45 minutes.

However, this is the first time they have won after trailing at half-time in MLS since March 24 against Sporting Kansas City, which they won 3-2, ending a seven-game run.

The Galaxy have now won 11 of their last 12 regular-season matches at Dignity Health Sports Park (D1), including the last nine in a row.

Bayern Munich went top of the Bundesliga with a 6-1 demolition of Holstein Kiel on Saturday, but it means little to Vincent Kompany as they look to reclaim their dominance in the domestic league.

Bayern's stranglehold of the German top-flight was broken last season with Bayer Leverkusen winning the title in a record-breaking undefeated run, and the Bavarians are eager to restore order this season.

Bayern are on a maximum nine points with three wins, two ahead of Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, after Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in their win at Kiel.

They enjoyed an explosive opening to the match, netting three times in the first 13 minutes as Kiel made a nightmare start peppered with defensive errors, en route to a fourth straight win in all competitions this season under Kompany.

"I have said that this is just three games. I know, I know, for Bayern it is always important [to be in top spot] but it is three games at the moment," Kompany told a press conference.

"Today it was good and then Tuesday must be good again and then again, and that's the way it goes again.

"If we continue as we do now, maybe at the end of the season... I don't even want to say it. We just have to keep going."

Thiago Motta was not happy with Juventus' attacking efforts in Saturday's 0-0 Serie A draw versus Empoli, who defended valiantly to keep their goal intact.

Juve struggled against the well-organised hosts, managing just three shots on target out of their 15 efforts, creating just 0.89 expected goals (xG) in the contest.

It follows another stalemate with Roma just before the international break, in which Juventus managed to test the goalkeeper just once.

"We barely got to the point of making the cross we wanted to make," Motta told a press conference.

"It's one thing to do it from behind and another to get to a dangerous area to do it. It's not easy with a team that defends like Empoli, we had difficulties.

"[But] not only Dusan [Vlahovic] has to fill the penalty area ... We definitely have to improve on the sides and get to feed our attacker and those who come from behind."

Juventus' misfiring attack was not the only worry for the head coach, who made four changes to his midfield in the 67th minute.

Motta took off Manuel Locatelli, Nicolas Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz and Kenan Yildiz, introducing Khephren Thuram, Timothy Weah and Nicolo Fagioli, as well as striker Samuel Mbangula.

"They are great players and already in training with little time [they have had], they are able to understand what I want and how they should behave," Motta added.

"The four came in to give freshness. We didn't change anything on the tactical side, but we preferred to give continuity. Surely these players together on the pitch will grow, especially as a team."

Juve return to Champions League action after a season's absence on Tuesday, hosting PSV in the league phase of the revamped 2024-25 edition of the competition.

"Every game is different, the first two we faced [the way we wanted]. Today was a different game [to what it] will be on Tuesday, against a team that plays good soccer and attacks," Motta said.

"We have to be good at controlling the game, without allowing them to feel comfortable, because when they have the ball they always attack with many players."

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami's comeback, getting a brace and an assist on his return from injury in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union.

The Argentine had been out with an ankle injury he sustained in the Copa America final, but he slotted straight back into the line-up after an eight-match absence.

Philadelphia made a dream start against the Eastern Conference leaders, with Mikael Uhre latching onto a loose clearance from Tomas Aviles before coolly slotting in from the edge of the D after just 58 seconds.

Messi got his first goal in the 26th minute, with Luis Suarez cushioning the ball to him before he rounded the defender to level the score.

He then gave Miami the lead just four minutes later – Alba, in acres of space down the left, squared it to Messi for a first-time finish through Jack Elliott's legs.

Suarez thought he had scored a third just after the break with a lovely bending effort into the near post, only to be denied by a tight offside in the build-up.

But he would get his goal in the 98th minute, with Messi unselfishly setting him up instead of going for a hat-trick, and the Uruguayan swept it into the back of the net.

Miami now have a 10-point lead over FC Cincinnati at the top of the Eastern Conference, while Philadelphia sit in 11th place.

Data Debrief: Back with a bang

Miami have not exactly been missing Messi during his injury absence, with Suarez, who netted his 17th goal of the season this game, picking up the goalscoring mantle in the meantime, but it was a welcome return nonetheless. 

The 37-year-old became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 15 goals and 15 assists, doing so in 19 games. Sebastian Giovinco previously held the record (29 matches).

Diego Simeone said his revamped Atletico Madrid side are still a work in progress and going through a transition period as their new signings settle in.

After spending more than €200million reinforcing the squad with signings like Julian Alvarez, Conor Gallagher and Robin Le Normand after a trophyless campaign.

Atletico have started LaLiga with two wins and two draws, and Simeone said the team are going in the right direction, and he was not concerned with results as ups and downs are expected.

Coming off the back of an international break, Atletico are fourth in the LaLiga standings, four points behind leaders Barcelona.

"We will face a difficult task in LaLiga, especially in the beginning of the season, until our team find their rhythm, reach the form that we know we [can] achieve," Simeone told a press conference on Saturday.

"We have many new players that have joined the team, something that has not happened in the last two seasons. But I'm not changing the objective. I'm still hoping for the best results.

"It would have been nice if the new guys were around here, but obviously the national teams call and everyone needs to go for two weeks.

"Our task here is to try to make them feel at home as quickly as possible so they can blend in and perform at the level that we all want.

Simeone said having too many players was a good problem to have and that he was not worried about choosing a starting 11 as he will rotate his team during a busy schedule, with seven games between LaLiga and the Champions League in the next three weeks.

"I see the group with enthusiasm, they all want to play and earn their space in the team and are working hard for that," Simeone added.

"It's difficult to choose who to play, but the number of games ahead allows me to have fresh players available, coming in with a lot of energy and desire.

"I like to think game by game, and it doesn't take me any further away from Valencia. Yes, we have new players around, but I'm not changing that mentality and our objective, which is still hoping for the best result, game by game."

Brian Schmetzer was under no illusion that the Seattle Sounders’ upcoming MLS fixture against Sporting Kansas City will be anything but easy.

The Sounders returned to winning ways in style, comfortably dispatching Leagues Cup winners Columbus Crew 4-0 away from home last time out.

Schmetzer’s side find themselves sitting fifth in the Western Conference table, with the advantage of having four of their remaining six MLS fixtures at Lumen Field.

And the Sounders head coach insisted their home form would be critical until the end of the season, but he acknowledged the task awaiting his players in their next game.

“It is critical. We need to tell the players the importance of home games because last year Sporting KC came here and beat us and it gave them life, while also putting them on a little bit of a run,” Schmetzer said.

“They have an Open Cup final to look forward to, so they are a dangerous opponent. We want to make sure that we get as many points as possible in these home games because we have this advantage.

“They are a similar team to us. It is the MLS, there are ebbs and flows in every season with every team, so we have to be careful.”

Kansas City, meanwhile, are riding the crest of a wave having gone unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions, including securing a place in the US Open Cup final.

But their latest result saw them concede an 89th-minute equaliser against the New York Red Bulls, taking their total to 22 points dropped from winning positions this season, the joint-most in the MLS.

But despite that late setback, head coach Peter Vermes is relishing the battle against a side right in the thick of the playoff picture.

“We have had a lot of good matches against each other over the years,” Vermes said.

“I always think that if you are a fan, or just an innocent bystander watching the game, it always winds up being something that you enjoy because it’s always a good game to watch.

“Both teams try to play and there is a lot of competition between the two teams. It’s physical but it’s never dirty and all of us enjoy participating in those kind of games.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

Rusnak netted his first career MLS hat-trick in Seattle’s 4-0 win over Columbus last time out.

He became the first Slovakian to score an MLS treble, the 51st different country to have at least one of its representatives score a hat-trick in regular season MLS play.

Kansas City – Johnny Russell

Russell has scored a career-best seven regular season goals against the Sounders, including netting one in the meeting between the sides in June.

Only Chris Wondolowski (12), Robbie Keane (nine) and Fanendo Adi (eight) have scored more regular season goals against Seattle than the Scot.

MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN

While Seattle are predicted to emerge victorious according to Opta’s data-led simulations, the Sounders have lost back-to-back home matches, both against Los Angeles FC, in the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup.

Seattle have only lost three of their last 17 matches going back to the beginning of May, with all three defeats coming at the hands of LAFC (W10 D4 L0 vs. all other teams).

Kansas City have enjoyed recent trips to Lumen Field, however, winning four of their last five visits to Seattle (L1) after recording just two wins in their first 11 matches against the Sounders in all competitions (D2, L7).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Seattle Sounders – 53.5%

Draw – 23.8%

Kansas City – 22.6%

Glenmuir High extended their perfect start to the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata daCosta Cup as they blanked neighbours Garvey Maceo 2-0 in a lopsided Zone I affair in May Pen, Clarendon, on Saturday.

Ricardo Binns’ third goal of the season in the 29th and Orel Miller’s seventh of the season in the 40th was enough to seal the three points, which kept Glenmuir atop the standings on maximum nine points.

The defeat, Garvey Maceo’s first of the season, saw them slip to third on six points as Foga Road (seven points) jumped to second after a 6-0 beating of Porus High.

Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart welcomed the win.

“I am pleased with the win and the maturity shown by the players. For most of them its three years so as they get older, you expect more of them and I thought they showed that. One of the key things for us was not to get the game stretched and I thought we did that well,” Peart said in a post-game interview.

“It is step by step where our title ambitions are concerned; for us, the main thing now is to get out of the group and then we go from there. Yes, we plan long term but we are working short term so its day by day for us right now,” he added.

It was expected to be a close contest between two of last season’s semi-finalists, but Glenmuir had other ideas and should have won by a wider margin.

The Champions Cup holders dominated proceedings from the start as they were enterprising in the attacking third and created numerous chances, though they struggled to apply the finishing touch.

It wasn’t until close to the half-hour mark that they inevitably broke the deadlock from a sustained attacking spell, when Binns headed into an empty net after a decent first touch kept the ball alive ahead of the advancing Garfield Tomlinson in goal for Garvey Maceo.

The lead was doubled 11 minutes later courtesy of Miller, who sidewined his way through four defenders before driving a firm left-footed effort past the hapless Tomlinson to make it 2-0 at the break.

Down, but not out, Garvey Maceo showed more purpose on the attacking front on the resumption and created a few half chances, which amounted to nothing.

From there, the contest offered very little to write home about as Glenmuir showed very little in attack, seemingly content with what they already had, while Garvey Maceo did little to trouble their opponents defensive line.

Garvey Maceo’s head coach Lester Hibbert believes indiscipline led to their demise.

“We gave them instructions to stay with their markers because Glenmuir was doing a lot of movements. When we started the game, we kept them behind the ball but we lost the discipline and conceded two goals, so we just have to brush ourselves off and come again for the next game on Wednesday,” Hibbert said.

Saturday’s results

Vere Technical 0, Kemps Hill 2

Glenmuir 2, Garvey Maceo 0

Foga Road 6, Porus 0

William Knibb 5, Holland 0

Maggotty High 1, Newell 0

Mannings 9, Godfrey Stewart 0

Alston 1, Troy 0

Herbert Morrison 3, St James 0

Anchovy 1, Rusea’s High 0

B.B Coke 1, Munro College 0

Lennon 0, Clarendon College 2

Irwin High 3, Green Pond High 3

Spot Valley 2, Cedric Titus 0

Port Antonio 2, Wycliffe Martin High 0

Grange Hill 1, Black River 2

Maldon 0, Cornwall College 1

Enzo Maresca felt Chelsea reaped rewards for "getting your t-shirt dirty", as they snatched a late victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

The Blues endured a steady start with their hosts generating the greater attacking threat for most of the contest, with Robert Sanchez keeping out Evanilson's first-half penalty.

Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie also struck the woodwork for the hosts, but substitute Christopher Nkunku landed the decisive blow five minutes from time.

And Maresca was pleased with his side's response to a difficult first-half performance.

"We played two different games," he told Sky Sports. "The first half, we struggled. We didn't win duels; we didn't win second balls. The second half, we were much better.

"We knew before the game that Bournemouth are very high-pressing, man-to-man orientated. We faced a team who are very aggressive, it was more off the ball that we struggled. [The] second half completely changed the picture.

"This is football. Last time against [Crystal] Palace, we completely deserved to win the game. We had chances and we drew. Today, it was there, and, in the end, we won.

"You cannot come here to this stadium and think about winning the game without getting your t-shirt dirty. You need to win duels, you need to fight. If we are able to do this for 95 minutes, you have more chances to win games."

Maresca handed a debut to new signing Jadon Sancho, who was introduced as a half-time substitute before providing the assist for Nkunku's winner.

And the Manchester United loanee lifted the lid on how he is finding life since his switch to Stamford Bridge.

"It's amazing to make my debut for Chelsea," he told Sky Sports. "Just being back playing, I'm very grateful. The team played very well; we dug in to the end and got the three points.

"I've been working hard for this moment, and I'm happy I got my chance. Going into this season, I wanted to have a good start, and I'm happy.

"I have to say thank you to the staff and teammates. The first day I came in, they made me feel welcome and comfortable."

Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both scored penalties as Real Madrid saw off Real Sociedad 2-0 at the Reale Arena.

Carlo Ancelotti's side moved to within a point of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who visit fifth-place Girona on Sunday.

Already without the likes of Jude Bellingham, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, Madrid suffered another injury blow in the 24th minute when Brahim Diaz was forced off with a muscular issue.

After a goalless first half, the visitors broke through 13 minutes after the restart with Vinicius slotting home from 12 yards after Sergio Gomez handled Arda Guler's shot.

Vinicus was then felled for Madrid's second penalty, which was awarded following a VAR review, with Mbappe making no mistake in sealing all three points.

Data Debrief: Madrid extend unbeaten streak

Extending their unbeaten LaLiga streak to 37 matches, Madrid have now won four successive away league games against Basque opposition for the first time since a run of four such victories between 2011 and 2013.

By contrast, Sociedad have now suffered four straight home defeats in the Spanish top flight for the first time since 2007.

Hansi Flick is confident Barcelona have what it takes to beat local rivals Girona and avenge last season's two defeats in the Catalan derby.

Flick, whose Barcelona reign has started with four consecutive victories, enjoyed watching Girona last season as they took LaLiga by storm, going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the title race and reaching the Champions League for the first time.

But despite heaping praise on rival manager Michel's work after he led them to a third-place finish, Flick said there will be no sympathy when they step on the pitch.

"We've won four games in a row, and we have to keep going," Flick told a press conference on Saturday.

"I know it will be complicated because Girona play really well. It's a match at the highest level, Champions League level, and we're playing away. But we are confident because we have quality.

"Last season I watched Girona a lot, and I was really impressed by what the coach did and how the players responded.

"But we know how we have to play, and I'm sure the players will deliver. We must not look back. What happened, happened. The key on Sunday is that all our players give their best out there."

Barcelona are top of the standings with 12 points, five above fifth-placed Girona, who are coming off solid wins against Osasuna and Sevilla.

Flick said his team needed to make Girona uncomfortable and dominate possession against an exciting attacking side, who won 4-2 in both LaLiga games against Barca last term.

"We know that Girona's strength is having the ball. We have to press well, defend as a block, stay well positioned and not give them any space," Flick added.

"It will be a tactical battle, but we want the ball and, if we have it, we have a good chance of winning. It will be a good test for us, it will be like a Champions League match."

Ousmane Dembele's double helped move Paris Saint-Germain back to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 home win over Brest.

Fabian Ruiz's brilliant strike was sandwiched between those two goals as the French champions remained perfect, leapfrogging back above Marseille and Monaco after their wins earlier on Saturday.

Romain Del Castillo had put Brest in front with a penalty just before the half-hour mark after a foul by Nuno Mendes on Ludovic Ajorque.

PSG then equalised in the 42nd minute with a header from the unmarked Dembele off Marco Asensio's pinpoint cross.

Brest offered little in the second half despite PSG taking their foot off the gas, but Fabian put the hosts in front in the 73rd minute with a superb long-range effort.

Just 80 seconds later, Dembele sealed the points with his second, pouncing on a loose ball after a counter-attack.

Data Debrief: Mind the gap

The Ligue 1 season may only be four games in, but PSG have started their title defence strongly by winning all of their matches so far.

They already have a goal difference of +13 (scored 16, conceded three), with only three teams ever boasting a better record at this stage in history: Reims in 1952-53 (+17), Strasbourg in 1959-60 (+15) and PSG themselves in 2022-23 (+14).

Dembele has also made a bright start to the campaign, having already scored as many goals in these four matches as he managed in 26 outings last season (three). Two of those have been headers, as many as in 211 career league games before that. 

Christopher Nkunku proved Chelsea's hero as his late strike secured a narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League.
 
The forward climbed off the bench to strike the winner five minutes from time at the Vitality Stadium, where Robert Sanchez kept out Evanilson's first-half penalty.

Bournemouth looked the more likely to take all three points in the contest, with Marcus Tavernier's long-range thunderbolt rattling the crossbar early on.

Sanchez then came to rescue on 38 minutes by denying Evanilson from 12 yards, albeit after he had conceded the spot-kick for a foul on the Brazilian.

The woodwork denied the Cherries again after the break, with Ryan Christie seeing his precise low effort hit the outside of Sanchez's right post.

However, it was Chelsea who snatched the points with five minutes remaining. Receiving the ball from Jadon Sancho, Nkunku cleverly skipped away from a couple of challenges before slotting past Mark Travers in the Bournemouth net.

Data Debrief: More happy travels for super sub Nkunku

Nkunku's piece of individual brilliance settled the contest. All four of his Premier League goals for Chelsea have come away from home as a substitute.

The Blues held out at the other end to claim their first away league clean sheet in 18 attempts, while winning four straight matches on the road for the first time since 2022.

Meanwhile, history was made at the Vitality Stadium with the referee showing a total of 14 yellow cards; the highest amount issued in a single Premier League game.

Four goals in the first 30 minutes helped Milan ease the pressure on Paulo Fonseca in a resounding 4-0 win over Venezia on Saturday.

Milan had a disappointing start to the Serie A season, with two draws and a loss, but they delivered an impressive performance to secure their first win of the campaign.

Theo Hernandez gave Milan the lead after just 88 seconds with a shot from a tight angle which deflected off Venezia keeper Jesse Joronen's legs and into the net.

The hosts doubled their lead 14 minutes later when a low corner found its way to Youssouf Fofana, who fired into the net.

Two quick penalties, first from Christian Pulisic in the 25th minute and then from Tammy Abraham four minutes later, put the match out of reach for the newly promoted visitors.

Venezia thought they got one back late in the game, but were denied by a VAR review after Hans Nicolussi Caviglia's reckless challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the build-up. 

Having been shown his first yellow card just five minutes earlier, the midfielder was then given his marching orders, rounding off a dismal day for the visitors.

Data Debrief: Quick off the mark

The Milan fans were not happy with Fonseca after a below-par start to life at Milan, but he will have quietened some of that criticism after an emphatic display at San Siro.

Milan scored four goals in the first 30 minutes of a Serie A game for the first time since October 1958 against Alessandria.

And Abraham looks to be settling into his new surroundings quickly - he has been involved in a goal in two consecutive Serie A appearances for the first time since January 2023 (three on that occasion for Roma).

Sean Dyche has criticised Everton’s ‘leaky’ defence following a second defeat after going two-nil up in back-to-back games.

Everton lost 3-2 to Aston Villa after leading by two goals after 30 minutes, having also lost 3-2 to Bournemouth after leading by the same advantage prior to the international break.

In doing so, Dyche’s side became only the second side in Premier League history to lose back-to-back games after leading by two or more goals in both.

Following Saturday’s defeat to Villa, Dyche feels his side are lacking the cutting edge at vital moments.

“Today, we make a mistake and they capitalise on it. I said to the players, the killer instinct in both boxes is what’s vital. The key moment was to go 3-1 up. We didn’t and we made a mistake, and they capitalised on it. We have to keep going,” he told Sky Sports.

“We’re making high-quality chances. At the minute, we’ve got to score as many as it takes to win a game. That’s been a challenge since I’ve been at the club. We can’t keep leaking goals like that.

“We’re having to manipulate the team. We have to keep believing in each other. You’ve got a responsibility to deal with it – and that’s what we have to do, including me.

“[The players] are an honest group. They’ve worked very hard and been through a lot. We are where we are, so they’re very disappointed. We have to respond. Before you know it, Tuesday will be upon us.”

Everton have struggled with injury so far this season and find themselves increasingly short at the back.

Vitaliy Mykolenko had to be substituted after 26 minutes against Villa due to injury and was replaced by James Garner, traditionally a midfielder.

 “We’re certainly taking some knocks at the minute. Every mistake seems to be a goal, and every chance we don’t quite capitalise on,” reflected Dyche.

“Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the margins again today. It’s a tough one to take, for different reasons than the last game. We’re down to a low squad anyway, so it’s been a challenge without a shadow of a doubt.”