UCLA coach Bob Chesney and the Bruins are ranked No. 8 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, a remarkable turnaround for a program that recorded three wins last season.
Chesney has led a revival in his first season that has the Bruins on track to host a playoff game if they can navigate formidable games at Minnesota on Saturday, at home against Illinois on Nov. 13, at Michigan on Nov. 21 and at home against crosstown-rival USC on Nov. 28.
USC has a bye this week before playing at No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 14, against Maryland on Nov. 21 and then the UCLA showdown. If the Trojans sweep those games, they likely would be in the mix for a spot in the 12-team playoff.
Miami was ranked No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Utah and No. 4 Indiana.
Boise State was ranked No. 25 and the only Group of Six team included, putting the Broncos on track to succeed Chesney’s former James Madison squad as the small conference representative in the playoff.
The College Football Playoff rankings will be released every Tuesday until the final rankings and 12-team playoff bracket are revealed on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 9 a.m. PST. The selection committee voting on the rankings includes six current athletic directors, four former head coaches, two former All-American football players and one former sportswriter.
When you launch a sports program at the high school level and find a way to reach a Southern Section championship game in your inaugural season, that’s impressive. St. Monica has pulled off the feat in girls’ flag football.
The Mariners will face Heritage in the Division 6 championship at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Huntington Beach. Here’s the complete schedule for finals.
Coach Miriah Lopez put together a team from scratch and it’s led to a championship appearance.
Quarterbacks Sophia Cook and Lamya Gaston have been able to deliver clutch passes.
St. Monica’s success shows how schools new to a sport can get up and running fast with organization and participation.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
Friday
Gardena Serra (5-5) at Palos Verdes (9-1), 7 p.m. Somehow Serra upset Sherman Oaks Notre Dame last week, then won a coin flip to finish in third place in the Mission League. The reward is a rematch against a Palos Verdes team it lost to 17-14 in the season opener on Aug. 14. All eyes will be on AJ McBean, the star Serra running who played sparingly in league play because of a hamstring injury. Will he play? Serra will be doing everything possible to make sure the duo of Ryan Rakowski and Jalen Flowers stays quiet. The pick: Palos Verdes.
Sun Valley Poly (9-1) at Marshall (10-0), 2 p.m. Two league champions meet in a City Section Division 1 opener. Marshall quarterback Nathaniel Cadet left its win over Eagle Rock with a shoulder injury and will try to get back into the lineup. Poly won the East Valley League title, and coach Boo Williams is hoping his team’s speed advantage helps. The pick: Marshall.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner is to be ratified onto club’s board of directors.
Published On 4 Nov 20264 Nov 2026
Real Madrid are set to add a champion from another sporting arena to their boardroom as 22-time tennis Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal’s appointment as a director is to be put to members for ratification, the club says.
The board agreed to submit the appointment to the General Assembly of Delegated Members. Nadal is already an honorary member of the club.
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“It is a source of immense pride for Real Madrid and for all our supporters that a figure of his sporting and personal stature … is to join our Board of Directors,” Real said in a statement on Wednesday.
Tennis player Rafael Nadal and Real Madrid President Florentino Perez in the stands [Isabel Infantes/Reuters]
The club highlighted Nadal’s sporting achievements, including 92 singles titles, two Olympic gold medals, five Davis Cup triumphs with Spain and the world number one ranking.
The club said his qualities beyond those honours – including humility, respect for opponents and commitment to charity – mirrored the club’s own.
“All these values form part of Real Madrid’s identity, and Rafael Nadal has embodied and championed them throughout his sporting career,” said the statement announcing his appointment at a board meeting on Tuesday.
Nadal welcomed the invitation.
“I would like to thank President Florentino Perez and the Board for inviting me to join the Board of Directors of Real Madrid,” he wrote on social media.
“I have accepted this invitation with great enthusiasm, keen to learn and to contribute as much as I can.”
Nadal, who retired from tennis in November 2024, has long been touted as a potential successor to Perez, although he has played down the prospect.
Perez, 79, secured another four-year term in June after Real’s first contested presidential election in two decades.
More than a third of voting members backed challenger Enrique Riquelme, who opposed plans to bring outside investment into the member-owned club.
HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS TUESDAY’S RESULTS First Round
DIVISION III #1 Maywood CES 19, #16 Stern 0 #9 RFK Community 12, #8 Legacy 0 #5 Torres 18, #12 L.A. University 0 #4 Santee 27, #13 Sylmar 0 #3 Palisades 22, #14 Brio College Prep 0 #6 San Fernando Arroyo 37, #11 Orthopaedic 6 #7 Hawkins 19, #10 Hollywood 12 #2 Sotomayor 21, #15 Fairfax 0
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE (Games at 3 p.m. unless noted) First Round
DIVISION I #16 Verdugo Hills at #1 Panorama #9 Jefferson at #8 Cleveland #12 L.A. Roosevelt at #5 Birmingham #13 Van Nuys at #4 El Camino Real #14 San Fernando at #3 Garfield #11 L.A. Hamilton at #6 King/Drew #10 Venice at #7 GALA #15 L.A. Marshall at #2 Granada Hills Kennedy
DIVISION II #16 SOCES at #1 Bell #9 Westchester at #8 Washington Prep #12 Angelou at #5 Taft #13 Contreras at #4 Arleta #14 East Valley at #3 North Hollywood #11 Manual Arts at #6 Fremont #10 Huntington Park at #7 Dorsey #15 Sun Valley Magnet at #2 Foshay
DIVISION IV #17 Elizabeth or #16 Marquez at #1 South East #9 New Designs University Park at #8 Los Angeles #12 VAAS at #5 Chatsworth #13 Rise Kohyang at #4 Crenshaw #14 Bernstein at #3 Collins Family #11 Alliance Levine at #6 Monroe #10 View Park at #7 Port of Los Angeles #15 Grant at #2 South Gate
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (Games at 3 p.m. unless noted) Quarterfinals
OPEN DIVISION #8 Franklin at #1 Carson #5 L.A. Wilson at #4 San Pedro #6 Lincoln at #3 Narbonne #7 Wilmington Banning vs. #2 Eagle Rock at Contreras, 7 p.m.
DIVISION III RFK Community at #1 Maywood CES #5 Torres at #4 Santee #6 San Fernando Arroyo at #3 Palisades #7 Hawkins at #2 Sotomayor
Note: Quarterfinals (Divisions I, II, IV) Friday, Nov. 6 at higher seeds; Semifinals (all divisions) Tuesday, Nov. 10 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Saturday, Nov. 14.
Fans of Spanish football club CD Tenerife gathered outside the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez in Santa Cruz de Tenerife as tributes poured in for forward Jesus de Miguel, who died after an on-field collision.
De Miguel died on Tuesday from injuries sustained in a clash with FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a Spanish second-division match, leaving Spanish and European football in mourning.
Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui told the Spanish news agency EFE that criminal charges were unlikely because the collision happened in the course of play.
Tributes were held before Champions League fixtures on Tuesday, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal opting not to play the competition’s anthem before kickoff in honour of De Miguel, 30, who went into cardiac arrest after being struck in the chest.
Moments of silence were observed in those stadiums and others across Europe, including at Old Trafford, where Manchester United were playing Roma. Images of De Miguel were shown on giant screens inside the grounds.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and midfielder Mikel Merino also began their news conferences on the eve of Wednesday’s match against Slavia Prague by paying tribute to De Miguel.
Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is a surprise target for Manchester United, Crystal Palace could turn to England assistant boss Anthony Barry if they sack Pierre Sage, Barcelona are keen on Arsenal centre-back Piero Hincapie.
England assistant manager Anthony Barry has emerged as a candidate to replace Pierre Sage if the Frenchman is sacked by Crystal Palace. (Mirror), external
Bayern Munich are continuing to monitor Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard while uncertainty surrounds the 27-year-old Norway midfielder’s next contract with the Gunners. (Caughtoffside), external
Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi, 27, is prepared to consider leaving Arsenal during the winter transfer window. (Team Talk), external
Manchester United and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, 32, will not be offered an escape route out of Old Trafford by Saudi Pro-League club Al-Hilal even though they were close to signing him at the start of the season. (Talksport), external
Tottenham will not sanction the sale of Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall amid interest from Barcelona and Napoli in the 20-year-old. (Football Insider), external
Minnesota United’s 26-year-old forward Kelvin Yeboah, nephew of Leeds and Ghana hero Tony, is on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs with Everton, Crystal Palace and Sunderlandall in the market for a striker. (Talksport), external
If the City Section was seeking publicity, it’s going to get it for including two winless football teams in its playoff pairings released on Saturday.
Gardena (0-10) is the No. 16 seed in Division II. Westchester (0-10) is No. 6 seed in Division III.
“That’s pretty bad,” Hamilton coach Elijah Asante said of two winless teams making the playoffs.
In fact, the City Section was only following rules adopted by its football coaches directing that teams be placed in brackets by strictly following where they are rated in computer rankings. Because Gardena came from the powerful Marine League and Westchester was in the Western League, an 0-10 record didn’t prevent them from being included based on strength of schedule.
Rick Prizant, the athletic director at Birmingham and a member of the section’s executive committee, said, “We shouldn’t penalize teams that happen to be in tough leagues and play a difficult nonleague schedule. If they are rated high enough by the computer to qualify for the playoffs they shouldn’t be punished.”
Eagle Rock coach Andy Moran, who’s chairman of the football advisory committee, said there was no scenario for winless teams “to come out of here.”
Look for the coaches to add a new proposal to prevent such a scenario in the future.
FIFA Council members may view documents related to Gianni Infantino’s doomed plan, but only in person in Zurich
Published On 3 Nov 20263 Nov 2026
FIFA will release details of President Gianni Infantino’s aborted plan to sell off stakes in future World Cups to private investors, but they will not be shared with the public.
Reports in the British media said members of the FIFA Council, the main decision-making body of football’s world governing body, will be given access to “key documents” related to the proposal, named FIFA Forward Enterprise.
However, they can only view them under “strict protocols to preserve confidentiality”, the reports said. Those include the 37 members of the council having to register for an in-person appointment to view selected paperwork in Zurich, Switzerland, in the next two weeks.
Infantino attends the opening game of the 2026 U-20 Women’s World Cup opening match in Katowice, Poland [File: Beata Zawrzel/AP Photo]
The news came out late on Monday, the deadline European football’s governing body, UEFA, had set for FIFA to release details about the $4.2bn scheme and answer questions about how the proposal came about and who approved it before the plans were dropped in July amid a worldwide backlash.
UEFA set the deadline after a tense council meeting at which Infantino apologised for the proposal but provided no details about how the plan was formed. He asked council members to submit their questions in writing.
UEFA is leading attempts to remove Infantino before or at the FIFA presidential election on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco. Infantino, who was elected in 2016, is seeking a fourth term through 2031.
Start date for AFC Cup 2027 moved from January to December due to ongoing Houthi attacks on host nation Saudi Arabia.
Published On 3 Nov 20263 Nov 2026
Football’s upcoming Asian Cup 2027 tournament in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled from a January start to December due to the ongoing conflict in the region, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed.
The 24-team competition, which was due to get under way in Riyadh on January 7, 2027, will now begin on December 23, the AFC said in a statement on Tuesday.
Asian football’s governing body announced the decision following “extensive discussions and close consultation with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF)”.
The tournament will now run from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028.
“The organising committee for the AFC Asian Cup approved rescheduling the tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region, including substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions,” the AFC’s statement added.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under attack from Yemen’s Houthis since September, with capital Riyadh among the cities repeatedly targeted by missiles.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported on Friday that it “intercepted and destroyed” a drone launched by the Houthis towards Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region.
It was also reported that a missile aimed at western Saudi Arabia was earlier brought down, as hostilities between the Riyadh-backed Yemen government and Iran-backed Houthis continue to escalate.
The tournament’s fate hung in the balance in past weeks, with several participating nations expressing concerns about the security situation.
The AFC said while “exceptional circumstances” had been created for the organisation and delivery of the competition as originally scheduled, the postponement became necessary “in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders.”
The AFC will submit the new tournament dates to FIFA for approval from football’s global governing body.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The football playoff pairings have been announced. It’s prediction time.
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Prediction time
Quarterback Thaddeus Breaux of No. 2-seeded Hamilton in City Section Division I.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
It’s that time of year to make football playoff predictions. Let’s start with the City Section because there’s one certainty: Carson will win the Open Division.
Carson worked hard in the off season getting better on the offensive and defensive lines to support quarterback Chris Fields III. If any team wants to get close, they need to control the clock. Cleveland can be that team to at least make the Colts sweat if the Cavaliers reach the final.
In Division I, No. 2-seeded Hamilton has been making progress and its passing attack looks ready to deliver a championship. The others: Division II, watch out for 1-9 Marquez, which had a great strength of schedule. Division III, South East.
In Division 2, Chaparral is seeded No. 1 and has the chance to take advantage of being healthy and having played a tough 10-game schedule to take home the title.
Division 3 is wide open. There’s former Division 1 champions Long Beach Poly, Edison and Crespi to deal with. Poly outscored its weak Moore League opponents 199-0, so it’s hard to say if the Jackrabbits have turned things around since quarterback Trevor Scott became eligible. If it’s not an illusion, then the Jackrabbits can win it all.
Division 4: This is about who gets hot. Dana Hills, Cathedral, La Habra and Cajon all have the opportunity to be that team. La Habra went 0-5 in the tough Bravo League, but quarterback DJ Mitchell is capable of a four-game win streak.
Division 5: Mary Star let the cat out of the bag by taking Carson to the very end before losing 45-42. Oaks Christian has started playing like the Oaks Christian of old, so watch out.
Division 6: Quarterback Jack Hurst is back for Laguna Beach.
Division 7: Paramount loaded up on transfers and now gets to win a title.
Division 8: Never choose against Rio Hondo Prep.
Division 9: Lawndale has former Crenshaw coach Robert Garrett as an assistant and is 9-1. Don’t underestimate 1-9 Western. They’ve played much tougher opponents.
Division 10: Top-seeded Nogales is unbeaten for a reason. It can run and pass.
Division 11: Viewpoint is better than people think.
Division 12: Rancho Alamitos will find a way.
Division 13: Rialto is finally healthy and got an ideal division placement.
Division 14: If San Gabriel wins, it will be front page news in the San Gabriel Valley.
Mater Dei’s sideline, led by coach Raul Lara, erupts in celebration after the Monarchs pulled out a 36-35 win over St. John Bosco.
(Craig Weston / For The Times)
The final regular-season game between Mater Dei and St. John Bosco had a classic ending to another memorable rivalry game, with Mater Dei winning 36-36 on a successful two-point conversion with 7.5 seconds left. Here’s the report.
Mission Viejo won the Alpha League title over San Juan Hills. Here’s the report.
Valencia rallied to defeat Hart for the Foothill League title. Here’s the report.
Long Beach Poly didn’t allow a single point in Moore League play, outscoring its opponents 199-0.
Hoover earned its first playoff berth since 1987.
Freshman Deon’Dre Smith is having a terrific season for Bellflower at receiver. Here’s the report.
The Coliseum League ended in a three-way tie for first place among King/Drew, Dorsey and Crenshaw after Dorsey upset King/Drew, requiring all three to go to the City Section Open Division playoffs.
Marshall coach Jose Razo with his 11-year-old son, Adrian. He spent 18 years as a football assistant at Marshall.
(Aida Alrafe)
Rejected twice after interviews for head football coach at Marshall, Jose Razo decided to stay as an assistant coach. When the job opened again in 2025, he was promoted to head coach. Now the team is 10-0 and Northern League champions.
JSerra quarterback Kate Meier throws while being blitzed by Huntington Beach defender Olivia Quick during the CIF Southern Section Open Division flag football semifinals on Oct. 31, 2026.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Unbeaten JSerra will play Newport Harbor for the Southern Section Open Division flag football title Saturday at Huntington Beach.
They’ve been considered the top two teams all season.
Mater Dei is 38-1 with its only loss coming to Santa Margarita. It has a tournament win over Sierra Canyon, which is 32-1. Also No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the state. The time will be announced early this week.
The City Section will hold its finals at Venice and Birmingham this weekend. In Tuesday’s semifinals, Venice will host Taft and Cleveland is at Palisades.
Palisades wins in tennis
Palisades High freshman Aila Monahan won her three sets at No. 1 singles in the City Section girls’ tennis finals.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Palisades continued its domination in girls tennis with another City Section girls title.
Former Mater Dei and USC quarterback Matt Leinart remains heavily involved in sports as a TV analyst and Mater Dei supporter. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 and his son, Cole, is a quarterback at SMU.
Harvard-Westlake sophomore baseball player Louis Lappe is getting so good that coach Jared Halpert believes he’ll be one of the five best best players to come out of the school. The next NL MVP is likely former HW OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, so it’s big list.
This week’s @CIFSS cross country rankings were delayed a bit but here they are as we enter another weekend of action before the start of a very robust League Finals week schedule! https://t.co/mRRx3s0lga
Senior Zac O’Leary of @JSerraTF put together another excellent racing display in capturing the Trinity League Finals individual title at Central Park in 15:00.9! Here’s our interview with Zac, along with team scores and top individual finishers! https://t.co/uXvSUSxPG4
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Michael Carrick says Manchester United players remain comitted to the cause despite worst run in 38 years.
Under-fire Manchester United boss Michael Carrick says speculation about his future will not impact their Champions League game against Roma.
United are winless in nine matches, their worst run in 38 years, and sit outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference with just one win and seven points from their opening nine fixtures.
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Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea increased speculation that Tuesday night’s visit of Roma in their fourth Champions League league phase match might be his last, given the Giallorossi’s unbeaten start in Serie A and 16 goals across their past four matches, with their only defeat of the season coming in Real Madrid’s dramatic 4-3 win in the Stadio Olimpico on October 14 .
Michael Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes, September 6, 2026 [Reuters]
Speaking at his pre-match media conference, Carrick said: “(Speculation) has no influence on how we prepare or on the game. We cannot wait for it. That is all I am focused on. What happens after, happens. Whatever direction it goes in.”
Carrick said he believes the players remain committed to the cause, despite the manner of their defeat at Stamford Bridge, with Lisandro Martinez’s quickfire sending-off and penalty concession ending their hopes of a comeback.
“I know what we are capable of. We have shown it in bursts, (including) the other day. We are close but need to act on it quickly.
“I have no concerns about (Martinez’s) commitment. Things happen in football. Sometimes you make mistakes. The commitment is not an issue.
“The dressing room is in a good place. The commitment of the players to the club, to me, to each other – do not question it at all. We need to play better, we can make better decisions, but the commitment is not a thing at all.
“We have to find a way out of this moment. We have done a lot of good things, we just couldn’t capitalise on it, but we will do. We have to keep doing the right things.
“A lot of people could do my job when you are winning games. It is about finding solutions, finding answers, staying strong, leading right and getting the best out of the players and we have to keep pushing for that.
“I love being here, I love working with the players. The struggles, the challenges, that just drives you on to want even more,” Carrick said.
United’s only win since August came in the 4-0 success against Sabah at Old Trafford on September 10 but another against Roma would keep United’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages alive, said Carrick.
“We are looking for the win. There is the bigger picture and it is about getting through to the later stages.
“One or two (defeats) you can get away with… as long as you make amends for that. There are times, like tomorrow, that are going to dictate that for us. We’re certainly still in it. We’ve a great chance of progressing and that has to be the focus from now.”
Kobbie Mainoo tussles with Lucas Bergvall in United’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur, October 10, 2026 [Alex Livesey/Getty Images]
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo also gave his backing to the head coach and said the players have to fight as one to get through this ‘bump in the road’.
“I have been at this club for a long time and I know there’s always going to be ups and downs, it’s never going to be plain sailing to the top so you expect bumps and the best thing about it is that you’re able to bounce back from them.”
“I feel like our way to repay the manager is to be behind him on and off the pitch and fight as a team.
“I’m grateful to the boss for putting trust in me as soon as he came in and giving me all the advice that he has, knowing that he’s been a player and knows the history of this club and what it takes to win.
“I take those words to heart and try to apply them every day.”
Arsenal record first win at Liverpool in 14 ttempts thanks to Kai Havertz goal
Published On 1 Nov 20261 Nov 2026
Arsenal went three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the English Premier League after a statement 1-0 win at Liverpool.
The Gunners had not won at Anfield since September 2012, when current coach Mikel Arteta captained the away side to a 2-0 victory, and had gone winless in their past 13 visits.
However, Kai Havertz turned home a low cross from Declan Rice after the home side were caught trying to play out from the back to silence the Kop on 16 minutes. The visitors withstood wave after wave of pressure from Andoni Iraola’s side thereafter.
Kai Havertz beats Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker to secure Arsenal’s long-awaited away win at Anfield [Phil Noble/Reuters]
Liverpool responded strongly with Florian Wirtz curling a free kick against the bar and Alexis Mac Allister heading a good chance over.
Arsenal weathered the storm, though, and defended superbly to keep Liverpool largely at arm’s length after the break, denying the home side a shot on target for the second meeting in succession.
Arteta’s side replaces Manchester City at the top with 24 points from nine games, with City on 21 after losing at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Liverpool’s second league defeat of the season left them nine points behind Arsenal in fifth place.
Arsenal’s David Raya in action as Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz hits the bar from a free-kick [Phil Noble/Reuters]
Manchester United one place outside EPL bottom three as Coventry City climb with 3-1 win against Sunderland.
Published On 31 Oct 202631 Oct 2026
Joint record Premier League winners Manchester United were plunged to the brink of the relegation zone by their defeat at Chelsea followed by Coventry City’s win against Sunderland.
Ten-man United were beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the early kickoff in the English top flight, leaving them on their first nine-match winless run since 1986. The Red Devils have already made their worst start to a league season in 40 years.
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Despite an improved display in the first-half, in which recalled captain Bruno Fernandes spurned one of many key chances, United were beaten by a brilliant solo goal by Morgan Rogers and a penalty converted by Cole Palmer.
Lisandro Martinez was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Wesley Fofana in an aerial duel from a corner.
United’s day was about to get worse.
Coventry City’s 3-1 home win against Sunderland saw them leapfrog the fallen giants, leaving United just one point and one place outside the relegation zone.
There’s a chance the 20-time English champions, who have won only once in nine league games, could be in the bottom three by the end of Matchweek 9 – a desperate situation for a club widely regarded as the biggest in the country.
Man United’s only two victories from 13 matches in all competitions this season were against promoted Ipswich in the Premier League and tournament newcomer Sabah in the Champions League.
United’s next match is at home to Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday with yet more doubts on whether Carrick will still be in charge.
“I think the mentality was there right from the first minute,” United forward Bryan Mbeumo said. “We still trust everyone.
“Maybe today we just missed some chances. We could have been up early in the game, but that’s a positive to take out of this game.”
Only Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 defeat at Brentford ensured United did not drop into the bottom three.
The pressure regardless is piling onto Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, who is only in his first full season in charge.
The former midfielder remains in defiant mood.
“The two halves of football couldn’t probably be further apart,” said Carrick, who added he expects to be in charge for Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Roma.
“We looked in a good place going into half-time and then found a way of unravelling it second half.”
A point for Crystal Palace in the last Premier League game of the day at Tottenham will see United fall into the bottom three.
Michael Carrick’s stay of execution as Manchester United boss may not last long after his team imploded in a 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.
The visitors wasted a string of chances to take the lead at Stamford Bridge on Saturday before Morgan Rogers waltzed through the heart of the United defence to open the scoring on 50 minutes.
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Lisandro Martinez then ruined any chance of a revival from Carrick’s men with two quickfire yellow cards, the second of which also conceded a penalty converted by Cole Palmer.
Winless in nine games, their defeat leaves the 20-time English champions still just one point above the relegation zone and in danger of ending the weekend in the bottom three.
Many expected Carrick to be axed following last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth.
The former United midfielder was instead given the chance to turn his side’s fortunes around and will lament a lack of ruthlessness during the first half.
Carrick recalled captain Bruno Fernandes after he was left out last weekend in the wake of criticising his manager’s tactics during the 4-1 thrashing at Como in the Champions League.
Fernandes should have marked his return with the opener when he blazed over from Bryan Mbeumo’s inviting cross.
The roles were reversed when Mbeumo could not stretch to meet Fernandes’s delivery at the back post before Amad Diallo was twice denied by Chelsea’s stand-in goalkeeper Mike Penders.
United did finally get the ball in the net when Matheus Cunha turned in Harry Maguire’s header from a corner, but the Brazilian had strayed just offside.
Carrick could not hide his frustration in a half-time interview with broadcasters and his mood soured further with a disastrous start to the second period.
Chelsea’s Rogers credits Carrick for revitalising his career during a spell together at Middlesbrough, but dealt a potentially decisive blow to his former boss.
The England international collected the ball inside the centre circle but was allowed to drive directly towards the United goal before dinking the ball over Senne Lammens.
Martinez also spoke out publicly in recent weeks to criticise United’s lack of spending in the transfer market to bolster Carrick’s squad.
But on this season’s evidence, Martinez is one of those most in need of replacing.
The Argentine international could not cope with Rogers’s strength moments later as he was penalised for hauling back the Chelsea forward.
From the resulting free-kick, Martinez then needlessly crashed into Wesley Fofana with a raised forearm.
After a VAR review, referee Peter Banks awarded a penalty and showed Martinez a second yellow card.
Lammens got hands to Palmer’s spot-kick but still allowed the ball to trickle into the bottom corner.
On a rare start since Xabi Alonso took charge of the Blues, Estevao had a third goal disallowed for offside when he crashed a pass from Palmer into the top corner.
Cries of “sacked in the morning” rained down from the Chelsea fans as their side toyed with United for the final quarter without adding to their lead.
Another big decision awaits the United hierarchy before the massive Champions League clash at home to Roma on Tuesday.
Beaten in two of their three European games so far, United face both the embarrassment and financial shock of an early exit should they fall to another defeat against the Italians at Old Trafford.
European champions PSG registered their sixth league victory, and sit two points clear at top of the Ligue 1 standings.
Published On 31 Oct 202631 Oct 2026
Flying fullback Achraf Hakimi grabbed a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain went on a rampage to thrash bottom-placed Le Havre 5-1 and extend their Ligue 1 lead on Friday.
The European champions, who have several regulars out injured, could afford to leave more of their key players on the bench and still come away with an impressive victory as they moved to 20 points from their opening nine league fixtures.
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They are two points ahead of Lille and four above third-placed Rennes, who have 16 points.
Lille moved above Rennes into second, thanks to a late goal from veteran Olivier Giroud, who came off the bench to score an 86th-minute winner for a 1-0 derby victory at home over RC Lens.
Rennes were handed a 5-2 drubbing at Nice, who continued their improving form with a fourth win in five outings.
Elye Wahi netted a hat-trick for Nice, who moved up to seventh after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
An all-round display from Hakimi
On top of his three goals at Stade Oceane, Hakimi had two assists for the goals scored by Mika Godts and Senny Mayulu after Josh Maja had given the hosts the lead.
It was PSG’s ninth consecutive victory in all competitions.
Le Havre suffered a fifth consecutive defeat and sit bottom with two points, but they briefly dared to believe as Maja handed them an early lead.
Hakimi set up Godts for the equaliser before putting his side ahead in the 28th minute with a shot in at the near post.
The Morocco international then netted from a free kick into the bottom corner in the 55th minute before being at the centre of a counterattack that saw Mayulu make it 4-1 in the 62nd minute.
Hakimi completed his hat-trick with a deflected effort in the 69th minute.
“I am happy because some players had very little playing time. If we want to win trophies, we need everyone,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique.
![Tennis player Rafael Nadal and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in the stands [Isabel Infantes/Reuters]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/2023-09-17T212520Z_1475953717_UP1EJ9H1NI6YH_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SPAIN-MAD-SOC-REPORT-1793795873.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
