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Jonathan Cook’s World Game Wrap-Up

Posted on | Posted by Jonathan Cook

United humiliated by rampant Reds

Pressure is mounting on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Manchester United were humiliated 5-0 by a Mohamed Salah-inspired Liverpool at Old Trafford.

It had been billed as a heavyweight clash but turned out to be a mismatch as United trailed 4-0 at half-time for the first time in English Premier League history.

Salah, who scored twice in the first half, completed his hat-trick in the second, while Naby Keita and Diogo Jota were also on target.

There wasn’t even a consolation for United when Ronaldo’s finish was ruled out for offside. And the home side’s misery was compounded when Paul Pogba was sent off, on review, for a foul on Keita, who was taken off on a stretcher.

Salah has now scored in 10 successive matches, which is a club record at Liverpool, surpassing the previous record of goals in eight consecutive matches set by Daniel Sturridge, who will play in the A-League for Perth Glory this season.

The Red Devils have lost three of their last four Premier League matches, picking up just one point from the 12 available, and have slipped to seventh on the table. Liverpool are second, a point behind leaders Chelsea.

Next up for Solskjaer is an away game against misfiring Tottenham, who were beaten 1-0 by West Ham on Sunday.

Alaba stunner gives Real the edge over Barca

David Alaba scored a memorable first goal for Real Madrid in a 2-1 victory over rivals Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Alaba, who joined Real from Bayern Munich this season, started and finished a sweeping move to put Real in front.

Lucas Vazquez doubled the visitors lead in stoppage time and Sergio Aguero scored a consolation for the home side – his first goal for Barcelona since his move from Manchester City.

Real Madrid are a point behind leaders Real Sociedad, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Atletico Madrid. Barcelona have slumped to ninth place.

Blues bag magnificent seven against hapless Norwich

We learnt two things at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. League leaders Chelsea don’t necessarily need Romelu Lukaku to score a bagful of goals, and Norwich City will be playing in the English Championship next season.

Mason Mount’s hat-trick – which included a retaken penalty and a stunning opening strike – and goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Ben Chilwell and a Max Aarons own goal completed a 7-0 thrashing of hapless Norwich.

While the victory reinforced Chelsea’s title credentials even without the injured Lukaku, it was also a painful reminder to last-placed Norwich that English Premier League survival is highly unlikely this season.

Norwich will face weaker opposition than rampant Chelsea but there is little evidence to suggest Canaries manager Daniel Farke can revive his side’s ailing season.

Watford bounce back with big win over Everton

It didn’t take Claudio Ranieri long to inspire a win for Watford.

Just a week after the Hornets were thrashed 5-0 by Liverpool in the Italian’s first game in charge, a Joshua King hat-trick was the catalyst for an unlikely victory against Everton.

Ranieri, who was the mastermind of Leicester City’s famous Premier League title success in 2015-16, replaced Xisco Munoz as Watford manager at the start of the month.

After defeat by Liverpool a week ago, he must have feared the worst when Tom Davies gave Everton the lead after just three minutes.

But the goals flowed – including three for King – as Watford earned a first ever victory at Goodison Park.

Mourinho’s Roma hit for six

Jose Mourinho, the self-declared “special one,” was left feeling less than ordinary after Roma were stunned by Norway’s Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League last week.

It was the first time a Mourinho side had conceded six goals in a match as Roma were humbled 6-1 in Norway.

A Champions League winner with Porto and Inter Milan, Mourinho is known for a pragmatic and defensive approach. But Bodo/Glimt paid no attention to history or the odds, scoring four second-half goals to stun the Portuguese manager, who was in charge of his 1008th game.

Mourinho’s mood might have lifted slightly on Sunday as Roma held Serie A leaders Napoli to a 0-0 draw, although he was sent off for words exchanged with the referee.

Zlatan on target at both ends for Milan

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored at both ends of the pitch in his first start of the season as AC Milan beat Bologna 4-2.

The 40-year-old striker, who returned from injury off the bench in Milan’s win over Verona last week, headed a corner into his own net to ignite a Bologna fight back.

Musa Barrow scored to draw Bologna level but when Roberto Soriano picked up a second yellow card, reducing Bologna to nine men (Adama Soumaoro had been sent off in the first half), Milan seized the initiative.

Ibrahimovic became just the fourth player in the history of the Serie A to score a goal after turning 40 when he found the back of the net in the 90th minute. Alessandro Costacurta was 41 when he scored for Milan, and Silvio Piola (for Novara) and Pietro Vierchowod (for Piacenzo) were 40 years old.

Milan are second on the Serie A table, goal difference separating them and leaders Napoli.

Managers’ shuffle leaves familiar sinking feeling

It was a case of new “interim” manager, same old Newcastle, as Graeme Jones moved from assistant to the top job in the wake of Steve Bruce’s departure last week.

But it will take more than a reshuffle in the coaching department to rescue Newcastle, who are second bottom and without a win in nine games following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.

The home side dominated possession, had more chances and should have taken all three points against lacklustre Newcastle. But after Christian Benteke’s opener, Callum Wilson’s spectacular overhead kick earned Newcastle a fourth draw of the season.

Off the field, the controversy over Newcastle’s new Saudi Arabian owners continued as police launched an investigation into the content of a banner unfurled by Palace fans. The message on the banner was critical of the human rights record of the Saudis.

Matildas extend winning streak against Brazil

Australia’s women’s team, the Matildas, extended to six matches their number of successive victories over Brazil with a 3-1 win in Sydney on Saturday.

Playing in Australia for the first time since March 2020, the Matildas earned victory through goals from Claire Polkinghorne, Mary Fowler and Emily van Egmond.

In 13 games in charge of the Matildas, this was the first time that coach Tony Gustavsson had led the team on home soil and was just the third victory under his stewardship.

The teams will meet again in a friendly match on Tuesday.

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