Football/Soccer 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 11, 2026, 4:50 PM ET
Premier League: Man City and Liverpool
Manchester City beat 10-man Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield, shrugging off the noise and controversy surrounding their recent guilty verdict. Jamie Carragher called Ryan Gravenberch's sending off "barely a foul" and criticised the decision as shocking. City defied a hostile Kop, with Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku starring, and now sit top of the table. Anfield's verdict was delivered by the home crowd, whose chants about trophies since 1976 echoed throughout the afternoon.
Before kick-off, the match was framed as the first fixture since City were found guilty of breaching Premier League rules. Andy Burnham pledged to release details of City meetings, while BBC analysis questioned whether the season would still matter given the uncertainty hanging over the club. ESPN asked whether the rivalry between Klopp and Guardiola had been undermined, and warned that possible sanctions could hit fans hardest. Player ratings singled out Florian Wirtz's struggles and Haaland's influence.
Arsenal and the Premier League Return
Arsenal came from behind to beat Leeds as the league resumed, a result that keeps pressure on leaders City. Chelsea thrashed Bournemouth 5-1, with 36-year-old Jordan Henderson scoring a brace. Crystal Palace stunned Nottingham Forest 3-1 on Oliver Glasner's return to Selhurst Park. Southampton won 1-0 against Portsmouth with ten men, ending a 20-year drought in league derby wins. Hull City earned a 2-2 draw with Everton, Mohamed Belloumi scoring off the bench.
Manchester United were held 1-1 by 10-man Tottenham, their worst start in 40 years. Bruno Fernandes' side should have won after going a goal and a man up, and Michael Carrick faces scrutiny over the collapse. Senne Lammens said the club must move on ahead of Atlético Madrid. Roberto De Zerbi revealed he "kissed" Rodrigo Bentancur after his red card, while the boos at Old Trafford increased pressure on Carrick.
La Liga and Europe
Barcelona set a record start with Anthony Gordon and Gabriel Jesus filling the Raphinha void, and Gordon opened his account in a 3-0 win over Getafe. Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior was benched by José Mourinho and later apologised after a red card. In the Bundesliga, Augsburg's Robin Fellhauer scored the fastest goal in league history after a Manuel Neuer error. Gossip columns linked AC Milan with Bournemouth's Alex Scott, while Manchester City, United and Spurs eye Atlético's Giuliano Simeone.
Portugal and International Football
Cristiano Ronaldo has been provisionally suspended by the Portuguese federation after a national team walkout. Lionel Messi scored twice for Inter Miami in a 4-0 win over DC United, his first game since his emotional Argentina farewell. In the USWNT friendly, Spain beat the Americans 2-0, with Patri Guijarro and Eva Navarro scoring in the first 14 minutes. Sophia Wilson earned an 8/10 rating as a bright spot, and the defeat showed how close the gap remains. Crystal Dunn was honoured before the match.
Scottish Football
Celtic returned to the summit after a win over St Johnstone, and beat Motherwell 2-0 with Jota's comeback from long-term injury lifting the mood. Martin O'Neill played down reports of a trialist goalkeeper. Hibernian's new boss Marink Reedijk bemoaned his side's imprecision after a defeat to Dundee United. Rangers' Ryan Naderi is proving his worth in their revival. Former Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp retired after 22 years, and Elton John criticised Watford's form.
Other Sport
In the NFL, Cam Little kicked a 57-yard field goal as time expired to lift Jacksonville over Philadelphia 19-17 in London. Exeter beat Newcastle 34-28 despite a Christian Wade hat-trick. In cricket, Pat Cummins took 3-54 as Australia built a 139-run lead against South Africa. Qinwen Zheng became the first Chinese winner of the China Open. In golf, Grant Forrest birdied the final hole to win the Open de España, Miyu Yamashita won the Korea Championship with a course record, and Michael Brennan claimed the Baycurrent Classic. In boxing, Lennox Lewis gave Tyson Fury the mental edge over Anthony Joshua. Ross Smith vowed "karma" would catch Mensur Suljovic, and Michael van Gerwen was knocked out of the Swiss Darts Trophy. In F1, Lewis Hamilton apologised to Ferrari for overriding a strategy call, and Kimi Antonelli could become the youngest world champion. Alessia Russo was named England women's player of the year.