Category: Football (Soccer)

Discourse on social media platform lacked toxicity of the old place but there were signs it will eventually go that way

Hello, I’m new here, though you might know me from the other place. The sun is shining in the sky, there ain’t a cloud in sight, I’m here for good humour and polite social media intercourse. Thanks for the starter pack. Welcome, then, to Bluesky, where the algorithm isn’t jammed hard-right, the self-policing not too strong-arm, though there was that strange chap who listed the schools everyone attended.

After the Twitterectomy (to use Nick Cave’s indelicate term for this liberal migration) to a promised land where Elon Musk doesn’t quote-tweet articles on the Great Replacement Theory as being “interesting”. Now, how would this new Xanadu shape up when placed into the hottest kiln of public debate known to humankind? Forget geopolitics and burning social issues, forget even Donald Trump, the truest test is a Premier League weekend.

Amad Diallo shows versatility, Ethan Nwaneri offers plenty of potential and Danny Welbeck’s role is key for Brighton

For the established full-back, a wing-back role must be liberating, permission granted to embark on an adventure in the other half. Amad Diallo was faced with the less desirable situation against Ipswich, a forward forced to track back as he slotted in on the right of Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1. Diallo retained his attacking aggression, immediately rampaging forward and evading challenges to set up Marcus Rashford’s early opener. He was responsible in defence and one of United’s brightest performers in a mostly bleak display, even threatening to deliver a late winner when cutting inside into the box to let fly. Diallo is most likely just a stopgap in the position but his adaptability has some worth as Amorim searches for his best XI. Taha Hashim

Match report: Ipswich 1-1 Manchester United

Match report: Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham

Match report: Southampton 2-3 Liverpool

Match report: Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Match report: Leicester 1-2 Chelsea

Match report: Fulham 1-4 Wolves

Match report: Aston Villa 2-2 Crystal Palace

Ruben Amorim said Manchester United are going 'to suffer for a long period' after his managerial debut at the club ended in a 1-1 Premier League draw at Ipswich. He added: 'We start now, we risk a little bit, we suffer a little bit and in the next year we will be better at this point so we have to risk it a little bit. They are thinking too much because we are changing too much with two training [sessions] now without space to improve in training'.

• Amorim’s Manchester United pegged back by Ipswich after rapid start

Mohamed Salah scored twice to win a chaotic game where Southampton held the lead only for errors to cost them

5 min Southampton play out nicely from the back, with Harwood-Bellis finding Fernandes in a bit of space. He cuts across a shot from 25 yards that is comfortably held by Kelleher.

4 min Liverpool have made a relaxed, confident start, with the first few minutes taking place almost exclusively in the Southampton half.

• 4-0 loss to Tottenham was fifth defeat in a row
• ‘At the moment we are not solid enough’

Pep Guardiola is defiant that he will end Manchester City’s five-match losing sequence, with the manager stating it is “my responsibility” to do so.

Saturday’s 4-0 defeat by Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium was a third consecutive Premier League reverse, City also losing at Sporting in the Champions League and Ange Postecoglou’s side in the Carabao Cup during the run. Liverpool’s win at Southampton leaves City eight points behind the league leaders, who they play next weekend.

• Liverpool coach wary of facing bottom team
• Slot praises Russell Martin for sticking to his principles

Arne Slot has said he is having to raise his game because the standard running through the Premier League from top to bottom is so high. The Dutchman has led Liverpool to the summit after 11 games and quickly realised the step up in quality from the Eredivisie.

On Sunday Liverpool travel to bottom-of-the-table Southampton, where Slot is not expecting a walkover, as he believes any team in the division can defeat any other. Despite Southampton winning once this season, Slot praised Russell Martin for sticking to his principles of possession-based football.

“Sacked in the morning” was the ecstatic taunt from Tottenham fans aimed at Pep Guardiola when Pedro Porro’s third was rammed in under a classic Mancunian downpour that had abated by the end of Manchester City’s fifth consecutive defeat.

The right-back prospered as Ange Postecoglou’s men did all evening: by ransacking the champions who, despite Guardiola’s defiance that he is up for arresting the slide, were clueless, as illustrated by Brennan Johnson’s added-time fourth, when, for a countless time, City fell to the quick break.