City Humiliate Liverpool 3:0 at Anfield, Carrick Hangs by a Thread, and Elmas Gets an Assist Then a Red Card

Liverpool - Manchester City 0:3: ten men and a row over the red card

Manchester City came to Anfield and left with a 3:0 win - a result after which Liverpool start watching the title race from a distance. The night belonged to Ryan Gravenberch, whose two yellow cards left his team with ten men. Jamie Carragher called referee Chris Kavanagh's decision "shocking" and argued the foul barely deserved a free kick, and coach Andoni Iraola wasn't happy either. Wayne Rooney was less forgiving: he called the move by the 24-year-old Dutchman, the Premier League's Young Player of the Season in 2025, "a bit naive and silly". When the main talking point after a 0:3 home defeat is one card rather than three goals conceded, that says enough - especially with Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola and Milos Kerkez on the list of players expected to give a lot more.

Manchester United - Tottenham 1:1: Carrick on thin ice

United went ahead through Bryan Mbeumo, Tottenham were soon down to ten men after Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off - and yet Dominic Solanke equalised in stoppage time. Old Trafford booed the team off. Six points from six games is the club's worst top-flight start since the 1986/87 season, and only three points separate United from the relegation zone. For the second home league game in a row, the team failed to beat an opponent down to ten men. Michael Carrick says he believes in the players but that the team must be more resilient and more streetwise when protecting a lead. Nicely put - but will he have the time to prove it before December, when away trips to Atlético Madrid, Leeds and Como follow?

A hair-pull that could cost him El Clásico

Real Madrid beat Villarreal, but the night was hijacked by Vinícius Júnior. In the 72nd minute, some twenty minutes after coming on for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Brazilian pulled Nathan Saliba's hair off the ball. VAR reviewed the incident, ruled out his goal for 2:0 and showed him a straight red card for violent conduct. José Mourinho first went wild with joy on the touchline, then flew into a rage and skipped the mandatory press conference. Madrid hope an appeal will help, but the match against Sevilla and El Clásico against Barcelona on 25 October are now in doubt - and Los Blancos already trail Barça by six points after eight rounds. The winner came from Yan Diomande in the 62nd minute, his first goal since arriving from Leipzig in August.

Elmas: first assist for Atalanta, then a red card in the 89th minute

Elif Elmas finally got a full game for Atalanta, and for a long time it looked like his best night in Bergamo. As early as the sixth minute, he took a corner from which Nikola Krstović headed in to make it 2:0 - the Macedonian international's first assist in his new shirt. Atalanta beat Venezia 3:1, but in the 89th minute Elmas went into a sliding tackle with his studs showing. The referee first showed a yellow card and, after reviewing the footage, a straight red. Coach Sarri, who demands discipline, didn't hide his displeasure: "He could have avoided such a reckless challenge right at the end of the match." At least one game's suspension in Serie A - just as Elmas had started earning his place in the starting line-up.

Bashkimi - Struga Trim Lum 2:1: the favourites stumble in Kumanovo

Struga Trim Lum went to Kumanovo with the chance to draw level with leaders Shkendija, and came back empty-handed. The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute when Lassana Diakho headed in from a corner, but Nickel Orr equalised in the 34th, and Antonio Mayimona completed the turnaround for 2:1 early in the second half. Bashkimi, who had just one win all season before this, held out under pressure until the final whistle. Shkendija stay top with 20 points, Struga and Vardar have 17 each, and Bashkimi are second from bottom with 7. The second-from-bottom side toppled a title contender - and that's why the Macedonian First League is worth watching even when nobody expects a surprise.