Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 26, 2026, 4:40 AM ET
Premier League
Manchester United's crisis deepened as Bournemouth ran out 3-0 winners skysports.com at Old Trafford, with Michael Carrick's decision to drop Bruno Fernandes backfiring badly. Gary Neville accused skysports.com the players of downing tools and turning on their manager, while Carrick himself admitted espn.com he had no clarity about his future. Sources say United are weighing up espn.com Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann as replacements, and Howe is reportedly open to talks bbc.co.uk. Gary Neville's broader warning that the squad itself espn.com is the problem adds weight to the claim that no coach can fix the current group.
Liverpool continued their revival, with Alexander Isak scoring again skysports.com in a 2-0 win over Brighton to make it four straight league victories. Isak's sixth league goal bbc.co.uk of the season has justified his fee, and Fabian Hurzeler took a swipe espn.com at Liverpool's approach afterwards. Elsewhere, Tottenham secured only their second ever Premier League win espn.com at Stamford Bridge, and Roberto De Zerbi hailed espn.com the squad as a complete team. Sunderland remain bottom after a goalless draw skysports.com with Leeds, while Crystal Palace's Pierre Sage faces mounting pressure bbc.co.uk after a heavy defeat to Newcastle, though he insisted his players still back him skysports.com.
La Liga
Real Madrid stunned Barcelona bbc.co.uk at the Camp Nou, with Kylian Mbappe's two goals reopening the title race. José Mourinho said his side plays to win the league espn.com, not merely to win at Barcelona, and his tactical plan had been carefully prepared espn.com. Pedri admitted Barcelona paid for stupid mistakes espn.com in the defeat. Real Madrid had to do without Thibaut Courtois, who was ruled out espn.com with flu, and Julian Alvarez apologized espn.com to Atletico Madrid supporters over his attempt to force a move to Barcelona.
Bundesliga and Serie A
Bayern Munich held off espn.com Freiburg 3-1 away in their first game without Vincent Kompany and returned to the top of the table. AC Milan bounced back espn.com from their Bournemouth humbling with a 2-0 win over Udinese, Christian Pulisic finding the net, and Weston McKennie scored espn.com his first goal since April in Juventus's 2-0 win over Lecce. Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique expects espn.com Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to return stronger from his ACL injury. Neymar was furious espn.com after being sent off under the Vinicius Junior rule for covering his mouth.
Scotland and Women's Football
Celtic restored skysports.com their four-point lead at the top of the Premiership with a late winner from Duran at struggling Hibernian, and Martin O'Neill said Alistair Johnston felt something again bbc.co.uk. Sheffield Wednesday sacked bbc.co.uk head coach Henrik Pedersen after less than 15 months. In the WSL, Manchester United and City drew 1-1 skysports.com in the derby, with Elisabeth Terland's late equaliser ending City's perfect start, and Chelsea came from behind skysports.com to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 with super-sub Sandy Baltimore's contribution. England won the cerebral palsy World Cup for the first time bbc.co.uk.
MLS and NWSL
Nashville SC clinched espn.com the 2026 Supporters' Shield with a 2-0 win, its first major title. LAFC secured espn.com a playoff spot with a 2-2 derby draw against the Galaxy, Leo Walta's equaliser proving decisive. Lionel Messi came off the bench espn.com as Inter Miami lost to the Red Bulls after a Casemiro own goal. Kansas City's Croix Bethune set espn.com a new NWSL single-season assist record.
Coming Up
Leeds's Dominic Calvert-Lewin was named to start skysports.com at Sunderland, and Celtic's visit to Hibernian is already underway skysports.com. Man United's coaching decision is expected skysports.com imminently, with Neville reporting Carrick is poised to be sacked.