Category: Football (Soccer)

Kai Havertz scored and made the winner for Martin Odegaard as Arsenal asserted their supremacy

And now a third goal…

There’s been a second goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Clickity click click click!

• Minute-by-minute updates from the action at Hill Dickinson Stadium

• Transfer failures leave Everton scrambling | Mail Tim

“Selected scuttlebut,” says Ian Copestake, promisingly, “from Everton fans on the train from Birkenhead to the game is that the fans have been lied to. Promises made by the new owners (shiny new stadium not mentioned) have not been fulfilled. Mutiny is round the corner (probably at Sandhills).”

An unexpected proposal from John Stedman. “I like the new(ish) Dining Across the Divide series [in the Saturday magazine] and hereby propose a new feature: Drinking Across the Sporting Divide, which you can pitch to your taskmasters in Guardian Towers.

Enzo Fernández started for Manchester City after Nico O’Reilly’s back injury during the warm-up and sparkled, showing why the club paid a British-record-equalling £125m for the midfielder. The winner came courtesy of Erling Haaland’s 300th goal in club football and Fernández had a key part, feeding Antoine Semenyo, whose cross from the right was crashed home.

In the second half Coventry hammered away, but their wait for a first top-flight goal since Mustapha Hadji’s second in a 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa on 5 May 2001 goes on. The visitors did not like losing, but were heartened by holding the star-studded hosts to a slender win, though the bottom line is all three of their Premier League outings on their return have been defeats.

Just as Bournemouth’s Alex Scott seemed to have succeeded in building a personal playground by the Tyne, another midfielder emerged from the shadows and ruined his afternoon.

Since Matthias Jaissle succeeded Eddie Howe as Newcastle’s manager, Jacob Ramsey has been largely shunted to the margins, but substitute’s superbly executed 88th-minute equaliser ensured Scott and his teammates had to settle for a point.

Alexander Isak’s early quick-fire double gave Andoni Iraola his first win as Liverpool manager

The teams are out! Ipswich in blue, Liverpool in red. A wonderful start-of-the-weekend, possibly-a-few-pints-to-the-good atmosphere under the lights at Portman Road! Not long now. In the meantime, here’s Dave Estherby with some pre-match words of encouragement for Liverpool: “Not really sure what’s going on upstairs at Anfield. Another summer where they’ve spaffed money up the wall for unproven PL players without realising they need a goalkeeper, two full backs, a centre half, two forwards, a winger and a replacement for whatever Mac Allister is supposed to do. AND back up for Ekitike who probably won’t play until the new year at least. Shambles. I feel sorry for Iraola, he couldn’t really turn them down but it might end up a backwards step.”

Pre-match postbag. “Leaving aside Liverpool’s less than imperial start to the season, you have to admit that’s a very tasty teamsheet on offer tonight - the right blend of youth, experience, Hungary’s answer to Bryan Robson and a World Cup winner in the middle of the park, a striker coveted by Man City, a Champions League winner on the bench and in Wirtz our very own Juan Sebastian Veron!” – Peadar de Burca

Coventry face a daunting trip to Manchester City before Chelsea’s title credentials are tested at Arsenal on Sunday

Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue St James’ Park

Florian Wirtz has a chance to shine, there’s a Red Bull reunion on Tyneside and Chelsea face litmus test at Arsenal

Florian Wirtz is easing himself into his second season at Liverpool after a forgettable first. There were signs of promise against Nottingham Forest, where he set up the second equaliser and would have had a goal of his own if not for an offside in the buildup. It is clear the German needs to become more influential as a No 10 given the quality of players he has around him, especially after the expensive arrival of Bradley Barcola this week. Bruno Fernandes showed there is plenty of fun for an attacking midfielder to have against Ipswich and Wirtz can follow suit as a protagonist. Liverpool have drawn both their opening fixtures 2-2 and need something to kickstart their campaign, with a Friday night visit to promoted opposition a fine place to start. Wirtz should cause problems but, if he does not, the internal competition will be after his spot. Will Unwin

Ipswich v Liverpool (Friday 8pm, all times BST)

Newcastle v Bournemouth (Saturday 12.30pm)

Brentford v Sunderland (Saturday 3pm)