Liverpool are at the summit of both the Champions League and the Premier League, and Arne Slot's tenure at the helm is gradually silencing the skeptics who questioned his credentials early on. Following a draw with Arsenal, Liverpool secured victories against Brighton and Leverkusen, with the 4-0 triumph over the latter marking their finest performance to date. Liverpool initially neutralized Leverkusen's aggressive pressing before launching a lethal counterattack. Luis Díaz notched his first Liverpool hat-trick, underscoring his underrated quality. Xabi Alonso, heavily linked with replacing Klopp at Liverpool, opted to remain at Leverkusen, which is now feeling the strain from last season's record-breaking feats. Liverpool's sporting director, Richard Hughes, was reportedly an early admirer of Slot. Slot's Liverpool, combining patience with swift, decisive counterattacks, taught Leverkusen a valuable lesson. The new manager's confidence is soaring, as evidenced by his witty exchanges with the CBS studio crew, which left Jamie Carragher momentarily speechless.
Sporting Manchester United may not be in this season's Champions League, but Tuesday's match was arguably their finest night in the competition since their 2019 victory over Paris Saint-Germain. It was a night where fans could vicariously enjoy the performance of the team coached by their incoming manager, Rúben Amorim. Amorim bid farewell to Estádio José Alvalade with a crushing 4-1 win over Manchester City, showcasing his tactical acumen. Initially, Sporting endured City's dominance in possession. However, their rapid counterattacks and precise pressing led to four goals, forcing City's defenders into conceding two penalties. Amorim remarked, 'It was written, it had to be like this.' In the UK, TV viewers had to endure City ultra, Noel Gallagher, co-commentating on TNT. Initially chatty, he fell silent by the second half.
Monaco had another strong week, maintaining their form among the French clubs. This excludes Paris Saint-Germain, who faltered against Atlético Madrid, lacking in goal-scoring opportunities. Monaco's 1-0 victory over Bologna propelled them to third in the table, ahead of unbeaten Brest on goal difference. Thilo Kehrer, formerly of West Ham, scored a late goal to break the deadlock. Adi Hütter's team, a blend of seasoned imports and young talents, had been thwarted earlier by Bologna's goalkeeper, Łukasz Skorupski. Eventually, Kehrer capitalized on a corner. Monaco now ranks 22 places above PSG in the Champions League standings.
Real Madrid's first Galáctico era often brought disappointment, a fact obscured by time. The departure of key players like Toni Kroos has left a significant void in midfield. In their 3-1 victory at the Bernabéu, Milan exploited the space and time offered, with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão particularly impressive. Madrid is still recovering from their Clásico defeat to Barcelona, with their star-studded lineup failing to gel. Vinícius Júnior scored a penalty against Milan, but his partnership with Mbappé remains unconvincing. Carlo Ancelotti, usually unflappable, is now under pressure.
RB Leipzig must acknowledge Celtic's impressive performance at Parkhead, where the noise from the fans must have left Leipzig's ears ringing. Celtic's 3-1 win starkly contrasted Leipzig's latest flop, losing all four group stage games. Marco Rose, Leipzig's coach, had pre-match concerns about 'spies,' but to no avail. Nicolas Kühn, who left Leipzig due to his unsuitability for the pressing game, scored twice for Celtic. With remaining fixtures against Inter, Aston Villa, Sporting, and Sturm Graz, Leipzig's European prospects look daunting. However, Red Bull Salzburg's 3-1 win over Feyenoord averted eight consecutive losses for the Red Bull empire.
Arsenal's glimpse of Martin Ødegaard, as a late substitute, provided some relief amidst their struggles. Losing 1-0 to Inter was no disgrace, given the quality of Simone Inzaghi's team. Arsenal fans argue that the penalty awarded to Inter, after the ball bounced off Mikel Merino's hand, was harsh. The real concern is the lack of fluency coinciding with Ødegaard's absence, which has worsened over time. The over-reliance on Bukayo Saka is bordering on cliché, as is the absence of a top finisher; Kai Havertz missed decent chances, though his late curler almost caught out Inter's goalkeeper, Yann Sommer. Arsenal is stalling, and the departure of popular sporting director, Edu, adds to the uncertainty.
Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish striker, may be Europe's hottest property after his hat-trick consigned Manchester City to a third successive defeat. Gyökeres became the first Swede to score a Champions League hat-trick since Zlatan Ibrahimović and leads the Champions League scoring charts with five goals and an assist. At 26, he has belatedly come to prominence at Coventry City after being rejected by Brighton. He has scored 23 goals in 17 appearances this season, a rate that would make Erling Haaland proud. Gyökeres overshadowed his fellow Scandinavian in Lisbon. Despite a glaring miss in the first half, his goals would be invaluable to Amorim if he follows his coach to Manchester United. However, it was United's sporting director, Dan Ashworth, who ushered Gyökeres out of Brighton.
Luis Díaz, Liverpool's Colombian winger, conjures images of him speeding down the wings and creating havoc for full-backs. Slot's latest innovation was to play 'Lucho' through the middle, delivering instant, excellent results with his hat-trick against Leverkusen. There have been occasional doubts about Díaz's finishing, but those can be discarded for now. Klopp never fielded Díaz in the middle during their two and a half seasons together. 'I really enjoyed playing in that position,' Díaz said after the game. 'The manager makes it very clear exactly what he wants from us.' Slot continues to impress in his regeneration of the squad he inherited from Klopp.
Matteo Darmian, Inter's defender, contributed to a few clean sheets in the fourth week of action. Although Inter's clean sheet against Arsenal was hard-fought, it was achieved with satisfaction. The priority was to stop Saka, which was managed by a two-man job of wing-back Darmian and left-sided central defender Yann Bisseck. Darmian, a great survivor, was one of Louis van Gaal's first signings at Manchester United and played for Italy in the 2014 World Cup. At 34, he is one of Inzaghi's adaptable and willing foot soldiers, known for his canniness as an Italian defender. If Saka is struggling with his workload, the double-team on him made his struggles even deeper.
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