Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy praises Brighton’s “incredible” performance in their 3-0 win over Arsenal, predicting they will cause problems for Premier League teams this season.
MATCH REPORT: Premier League – Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Arsenal
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Jim Harbaugh had never lost an NFL opener as a head coach… until last Sunday.
Now, with the Las Vegas Raiders coming to town, Harbaugh is looking to keep another streak intact. With him as coach, his Chargers are 4-0 against the Silver & Black.
If Sunday’s game isn’t a must-win for the Chargers, it’s certainly a high-stakes contest on the heels of an opening flop against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chargers did precious little right in that 26-14 defeat at SoFi Stadium, the first Week 1 loss for Harbaugh in seven openers.
The Chargers, who were favored by 9½ points, failed to generate anything close to a rhythm. The newly unveiled Mike McDaniel offense failed to get any real traction, and Justin Herbert was sacked three times.
One of the few bright spots for the Chargers was receiver Ladd McConkey, but his availability remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, the Raiders dominated the visiting Miami Dolphins, 27-13, handing Klint Kubiak a victory in his coaching debut. Granted, the Dolphins don’t show a lot of promise.
Harbaugh’s teams have swept the Raiders each of the past two seasons. In fact, the last time the Chargers lost to the Raiders was a 63-21 debacle Dec. 14, 2023, and Chargers coach Brandon Staley was fired the next day.
Man United have won only one league game this season, leaving Michael Carrick under pressure ahead of Fulham trip.
Published On 19 Sep 202619 Sep 2026
Who: Fulham vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Craven Cottage, London in United Kingdom
When: Sunday, September 20, at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to our live text commentary stream from 12:30 GMT.
One month into the new Premier League season, excuses about bedding-in processes and newly assembled squads needing time to gel are wearing thin and for Manchester United there is an acute sense of urgency as the international break looms.
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United are by no means the only ‘big club’ enduring a faltering start to the campaign but after so much pre-season optimism, the spotlight has fallen very much on manager Michael Carrick ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham.
Al Jazeera takes a closer look at the game:
United have lost three of their six matches in all competitions and suffered a damaging League Cup exit on Wednesday, surrendering a 2-0 lead to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Their only win in four league games came at home to promoted Ipswich Town.
United started the better in the VAR-dominated Manchester derby last Sunday, but played second fiddle to the away team after City were reduced to ten men.
The London club have made a slow start under new manager Alvaro Arbeloa and are yet to win in the league.
A draw at Liverpool last week and a League Cup win at West Ham United in midweek offered glimpses of better things to come.
Carrick accepted responsibility for the team’s poor start but said the focus must remain on finding solutions rather than assigning blame.
“It’s my responsibility and I’m fine with that. It’s not a blame game. Blame me, no problem, but it’s not about blaming people,” said the 45-year-old boss.
“It’s about finding solutions. It’s a whole collective thing. It’s about what you focus on. I know where we want to get to and we want to get there fast.”
United won 3-2 in their last meeting which came in the Premier League at Old Trafford on February 1.
Casemiro and Matheus Cunha put United two up before a chaotic finale that saw Raul Jiminez net an 85th minute penalty for the Londoners before Benjamin Sesko and Kevin traded injury time strikes.
The teams shared a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match. Emile Smith Rowe’s 73rd minute goal levelled matters after Rodrigo Muniz put through his own net in the 58th minute.
Fulham won 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League on February 24, 2024. Harry Maguire appeared to have sealed a point for United in the 90th minute when he cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s 65th minute goal, but Alex Iwobi got Fulham’s winner in injury time.
United have won three of the five meetings since then.
Fulham have not recorded a home win against United since December 2009. Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff sealing a 3-0 home win.
Of the 10 matches since then, United have won nine, scoring 21 and conceding six.
Opta’s supercomputer has given Manchester United a 47.4 percent chance of winning, while offering Fulham only a 28.3 percent chance of victory.
This will be their 94th meeting, with Manchester United winning 59 of the encounters and Fulham 14.
Kenny Tete misses out due to concussion at Anfield last week.
Tom Cairney is also absent with a knee injury, but Ryan Sessegnon will have a late fitness test as he returns from a groin problem.
Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia
United will make a late decision on whether to include Luke Shaw and Carlos Baleba in the squad. Both have had ankle problems, but could feature.
Manuel Ugarte, Tom Heaton, Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo all remain sidelined with injuries.
Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
UFC returns to Crypto.com Arena for the first time in eight years, and it does so with a card packed with big names and fighters looking to make the most of their opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.
Saturday’s main event will feature the flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van (17-2) and Alexandre Pantoja (30-6), a matchup that has been highly anticipated ever since their first bout ended prematurely. In December 2025, the two fighters faced off for the first time, but the bout ended after just 26 seconds when the Brazilian landed awkwardly after being sent to the canvas and suffered a serious arm injury, prompting the referee to stop the fight via technical knockout and crown Van the champion.
That victory made the Myanmar native a champion questioned by some, but Van legitimized his reign by prevailing in a grueling battle against Tatsuro Taira last May, stopping his challenger in the final round. For his part, Pantoja has not fought since that bout against Van, in which he suffered a dislocated arm.
In the co-main event, lightweight fighters Arman Tsarukyan (23-3) and Mauricio Ruffy (14-2) will face off in a bout that promises to define the division’s standings. Tsarukyan, from Georgia, has five straight wins, over Dan Hooker, Charles Oliveira, Beneil Dariush, Joaquim Silva, and Damir Ismagulov. Ruffy, from Brazil, has two consecutive victories in his most recent bouts, though he has won nine of his last 10 fights.
The card also features exciting preliminary bouts, including a matchup between Marlon Vera (23-12), who has been training in Southern California for years, and Canadian Charles Jourdain (18-1-1).
The main event at Crypto.com Arena starts at 6 p.m. PDT and will be broadcast on Paramount+. The preliminary bouts begin at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on UFC Fight Pass and Paramount+.
The lineup includes a last-minute change. Brian Ortega was scheduled to fight on home turf, but due to an injury, his lightweight bout against Renato Moicano was removed from the card. As a result, Moicano will now face No. 11-ranked contender Tom Nolan in the main event of UFC Fight Night, which will take place on Oct. 31 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The last time UFC held an event at Crypto.com Arena was on Aug. 4, 2018, when T.J. Dillashaw defeated Cody Garbrandt by first-round knockout to win the bantamweight title at UFC 227.
Main card (Paramount +, 6 p.m.):
Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja, por el título de peso mosca
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Patricio Pitbull vs. Dooho Choi
Alonzo Menifield vs. Iwo Baraniewski
Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf
Preliminary Card (Paramount+ and UFC Fight Pass, 2:30 p.m.):
Marlon Vera vs. Charles Jourdain
Tai Tuivasa vs. Robelis Despaigne
Michael Aswell Jr. vs. JooSang Yoo
Ryan Gandra vs. Ozzy Díaz
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno Ferreira
Casey O’Neill vs. Eduarda Moura
Giga Chikadze vs. Joanderson Brito
Unbeaten Everton move up to fifth in the Premier League, with Thierno Barry’s goal making the difference against 10-man Ipswich Town.
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BMW PGA Championship – round three
-13 M Elvira (Spa), F Celli (Ita); -12 J Veerman (US), A Del Rey (Spa) JJ Spaun (US)
Selected others: -11 R McIlroy (NI), A Scott (AUS); -10 S Bairstow (Eng), M Wallace (Eng), R MacIntyre (Sco); -9 J Smith (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), A Rai (Eng); -7 R Fisher (Eng), S Lowry (Ire); -6 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -5 D Law (Sco), J Rose (Eng), E Ferguson (Sco), T Hatton (Eng)
Rory McIlroy left himself two strokes behind the third-round leaders heading into the final day of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Northern Ireland’s world number two made a superb eagle on the 18th to stay in contention with a 72, leaving him on 11 under.
Spain’s Manuel Elvira and Italy’s Filippo Celli share the lead after both made birdies on the final hole to leave them 13 under.
But there is a congested leaderboard with 20 players within four strokes of the lead.
Alejandro Del Rey, JJ Spaun and Johannes Veerman are one shot behind with an exciting finish in store on Sunday.
McIlroy is attempting to win a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title and can boost his hopes by securing the second Wentworth title of his career.
“There are a lot of people around the leaders,” he said after another round in blustery conditions.
“I think the conditions over the last couple of days are the reason why no-one has got away from the pack, just because it has played so tricky and difficult.
“I’ll probably try not to look at the leaderboards on the front nine, and if I need to play a little bit more aggressively on the back, I’ll do it.”
Mike McDaniel isn’t panicking.
But the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator knows his unit must show urgency and improvement Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders after a rude wake-up call in the season opener.
“You have a lot of visions coming to a new team and working on something for months. The vision never looked like that,” McDaniel said of the Chargers’ 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. “That’s the beautiful thing about football; like life, time spent forecasting [and] visualizing things going a certain way … no one cares about that.
“So, it was a case of humble pie.”
Quarterback Justin Herbert never looked fully comfortable. He completed 17 of 27 passes with 207 yards, one touchdown and one back-breaking interception.
The time-of-possession disparity also played a big role in the loss, with the Cardinals controlling the ball roughly 15 minutes longer.
Herbert knows that can’t happen again.
“It’s another opportunity for us to go play football, to be better, and to put our brand of work out there,” Herbert said. “I don’t think we were happy or content with [the] Week 1 effort. So, we’re doing everything we can to fix it and be better.”
Facing a Maxx Crosby-led Raiders defense that held McDaniel’s former team, the Miami Dolphins, to 13 points in Week 1, the Chargers are focusing on often-overlooked aspects, such as understanding assignments, communicating more clearly, cleaning up penalties and operating as a collective.
“These are elementary things,” McDaniel said.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert celebrates with coach Jim Harbaugh, center, and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel after a touchdown against the Cardinals on Sept. 13.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
The offense will need more production from several players, especially if wideout Ladd McConkey, who is questionable to play with a rib injury, is unavailable.
Wide receivers Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris, who each saw six targets in Week 1, should see increased involvement, as should speedy rookie Brenen Thompson.
“He’s been really good,” coach Jim Harbaugh said of Thompson. “Great opportunity for him [and a] great challenge.”
Tight end Oronde Gadsden II is another player who could play a key role in a revitalized passing attack.
“I would expect [Gadsden] to be more involved outside of an unforeseen situation where the game and the parameters with which you’re playing change, in which case we’ll address that,” McDaniel said.
Perhaps the most important player to watch Sunday will be Omarion Hampton. The second-year running back had just 12 carries for 43 yards and one touchdown while also losing a fumble against the Cardinals.
“Really just flush [Week 1],” Hampton said about the Chargers’ approach to facing the Raiders. “[And] look at all the stuff we can work on. Come back, regroup as a team, talk about what we need to do to move forward and make it not happen again.
“We all think the same thing … urgent to get how we want to play. That’s really the main thing going on in the locker room.”
Changes also will be apparent on the offensive line.
Trey Pipkins III (knee) won’t play against the Raiders, ending the rotation at left guard, at least for now. And while the team would rather be at full strength, Kayode Awosika — who played well against the Cardinals — will get a chance to prove himself without sharing snaps.
Nonetheless, as McDaniel emphasized, talk of expectations and adjustments don’t matter — it’s what shows up on film that does.
Good thing the Chargers’ new play-caller craves adversity.
“It’s been my favorite week of my employment here,” McDaniel said. “Because — I know [through] my experience in this league — do not measure anything beyond how a group of people handles adversity in the National Football League.
“It’s not if, it’s when.”
Arsenal in shock 3-0 loss at Brighton to lose top spot in the Premier League on goal difference to Manchester City.
Published On 19 Sep 202619 Sep 2026
Arsenal slumped to a first loss in their Premier League title defence – and it was a heavy one at Brighton.
After four straight wins for the champions, the 3-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium on Saturday came out of nowhere. Conceding the third goal from a corner — typically an area of strength for Arsenal – summed up an unusually sloppy performance from Mikel Arteta’s team.
Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas scored in the first half with shots from outside the penalty area, before Chema Andres completed the win with a header at the back post from Gross’s corner.
The victory will have been especially sweet for Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, who said “only one team tried to play football” after his team’s narrow home loss to Arsenal last season.
Arsenal have often struggled against Brighton, which was the last team to inflict such a heavy defeat on the Gunners in any competition — winning 3-0 at Emirates Stadium in May 2023.
It completed a brilliant week for Brighton, after beating Coventry 5-0 in the league last weekend and coming from two goals down in midweek to beat Manchester United 3-2 away in the English League Cup.
Manchester City — the other team to win their first four games — can now move three points clear in the standings by beating Sunderland on Sunday.
Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van hope their fight Saturday at Crypto.com Arena will last longer than 26 seconds.
It has been nine months since their first bout, which ended in less than a minute because of a Pantoja injury and made Van the UFC flyweight champion. Pantoja aims to reclaim the belt he lost at UFC 331, with the main event beginning at 6 p.m. and streaming on Paramount+.
Pantoja dislocated his elbow when he fell while trying to defend against one of Van’s moves on Dec. 6 at UFC 323 in Las Vegas. The fight ended immediately.
Van celebrated winning the 125-pound title, but both fighters walked away from that night feeling everyone deserved more than the premature result.
Alexandre Pantoja holds his arm after losing his flyweight title fight on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.
(Ian Maule / Getty Images)
Pantoja, of Brazil, has not competed since that night. He has spent most of the past nine months recovering from the injury, while Van successfully defended his title once against Tatsuro Taira in May, winning by stoppage in the final round.
“It’s been [nine] long months,” Pantoja said. “I’ve been working hard. And at a certain point, I think that after two years as champion, five title fights — almost six title fights — at a certain point it’s good to take some time off, enjoy my family, enjoy myself. But at the same time, I’m really hungry to win again.”
Pantoja said he returned to the gym two days after that first fight. Although the injury kept him out of the octagon, he didn’t want to stay away from training for too long because he said that would have made it harder to get back to fighting at the championship level.
During his time out of the octagon, he observed how the division changed.
“I see a lot of good fights. We’re seeing the top 10 change almost completely,” Pantoja said Wednesday. “I see incredible fights in the flyweight division. And I think this Saturday, with my fight against Joshua Van in the main event here in Los Angeles, is very special.”
Van, meanwhile, enters the rematch coming off a five-round championship bout.
“I’ve been working on my ground game, and you’ll see it,” said Van, who holds dual American and Myanmar citizenship. “I tried it in the fight against Taira, but I didn’t quite pull it off. But this time, you’ll see a different level from Joshua Van.”
The champion’s confidence remains undiminished, as he sees the rematch as an opportunity to put any debate surrounding that first fight in 2025 to rest and prove his place in the division.
“When I beat him, I’ll be one of the greats in this division, and then the next challenger will come and try to take the belt from me,” Van said.
Pantoja said Van has changed since December, highlighting the fight against Taira and noting the champion has refined aspects of his fighting style.
Joshua Van celebrates after defeating Alexandre Pantoja in a flyweight title bout during UFC 323 on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.
(Ian Maule / Getty Images)
“I think Van definitely evolved a lot after our fight,” Pantoja said. “He had the fight against Tatsuro Taira; I think he evolved and corrected some mistakes he made in that fight. So I think it’s going to be completely different.”
Pantoja doesn’t consider himself the same fighter who will face Van.
“The drive is always the same,” Pantoja said. “I’ve had the same drive since I was a kid — I’ve always wanted to fight the best fighters in the world. The drive is the same; it’s just that I think I’m much more mature now.”
Pantoja said Van is a top-tier fighter, but he believes the injury prevented both of them from showing everything they were capable of.
“He’s an incredible fighter,” said Pantoja, 36. “When you watch Joshua Van fight, his expression never changes — he always tries to stay in control. And that proves just how good you are.”
Although Pantoja officially lost that night, the injury changed the course of the fight before it could truly get underway.
“I injured my arm. I know that, as an athlete, I lost that fight, and now I have the opportunity to fight world champion Joshua Van — and that’s what I want. I want him at his best because I’m at my best too,” Pantoja said.
Tensions have escalated since their first encounter.
At a news conference in August in Los Angeles, the fighters got into an exchange that forced UFC president Dana White to intervene. Pantoja stood up from his seat after Van interrupted him, but the situation did not escalate into a physical confrontation.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m his dad,” Van said. “He was being respectful before the fight, and I don’t know what he’s doing in interviews and stuff like that to make me look like the bad guy.”
Pantoja offered a different explanation.
“He does a very good job,” Pantoja said. “He needed a lesson. When I stood up, I tried to teach him a lesson. I’m from the ‘90s. Back then, if you didn’t respect your mother or father, you’d get a slap.”
Despite the disagreement, both have shown respect for their opponent’s skills. Van described Pantoja as a “very, very dangerous” fighter.
“He’s going to be motivated, he’s going to be hungrier, and I think this will be the best Pantoja we’ll see,” Van said. “So I’m very well prepared for this fight.”
Pantoja, for his part, knows he’s facing a champion who’s already had the chance to prove he can go the distance for five rounds. The Brazilian also viewed Van’s fight against Taira as a source of insight for his preparation.
“An incredible fight, very good,” Pantoja said of his 24-year-old opponent. “I think it’s a good fight for all the fans. It showed me something, but I know Joshua Van is very young and can fix a lot of things from that fight.”
For the Brazilian, the goal this weekend is clear.
“At the end of the day, what matters is the victory,” said Pantoja. “However it plays out — whether it’s by decision, split decision, KO or submission — I think the closer we get to the fight, the less those things matter. The closer we get to the fight, the championship doesn’t matter anymore, the money doesn’t matter — all that really matters is the win.”
Van doesn’t expect to let the fight go to the scorecards.
“I don’t think it’ll go five rounds; I’ll finish it within the first three rounds,” he said confidently. “It’ll be by knockout or submission, but I’m leaning more toward a knockout.”
If Pantoja regains the championship, he would become only the third flyweight champion in UFC history to reclaim the belt after losing it, joining Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno.
For the Brazilian, returning to Los Angeles also holds personal significance. He recalled that it was the first city he visited when he arrived in the United States in 2014 and that, back then, he slept in a gym.
Now he’ll return as a title challenger in the main event of UFC 331.
“It’s so nice that people see where I started here and see how far I’ve come,” Pantoja recalled. “For me, the best part is being the same guy I was when I arrived here in 2014; I’m the same guy right now, and I’m very happy and proud of myself.”
The Manchester United Muslim Supporters group says club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe “must go” after he spoke out against immigration levels and said the country was “on the slide”.
Billionaire Ratcliffe, who is one of Britain’s richest people and founder of petrochemical giant Ineos, made the comments in an interview with the BBC on Saturday.
Ratcliffe said the UK was in decline because of a combination of high taxes and high immigration.
He has previously apologised for “offending some people” with his language after saying the UK had been “colonised by immigrants”.
At the time, in February, United responded by saying the club “prides itself” on being “inclusive”, while BBC Sport cited a source familiar with the Glazer family as understanding the club’s majority shareholders were “horrified” by his initial remarks and saw them as showing “disregard for their ownership”.
“We condemned those comments then,” said a statement of no confidence from Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) in the club’s ownership, issued on Saturday.
“He [Ratcliffe] subsequently apologised for his choice of language. We hoped a lesson had been learned. Clearly, it has not.
“This week, Sir Jim has again placed immigration and people receiving benefits at the centre of his explanation for Britain’s problems, arguing that nobody is ‘tough enough’ to deal with either.
“We find these latest comments deeply disappointing and completely unacceptable.”
Ratcliffe campaigned for a Leave vote in the 2016 European Union referendum and has been a tax resident in Monaco since 2020.
He acquired a 27.7% stake in Man Utd in 2024, and has since restructured the organisation, overseeing 450 redundancies, overhauling senior management and sacking two managers.
MUMSC highlighted that United’s “players, staff, stewards, security teams and supporters come from different countries, cultures, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds”.
The group added: “Manchester United would not be Manchester United without them. That diversity isn’t a weakness of Manchester United. It is part of Manchester United.”
In the statement, the MUMSC also called on the Glazer family to go.
MUMSC said its members were among the club’s fans who hoped Ratcliffe’s arrival “would finally signal meaningful change” after the Glazer family had “presided over Manchester United’s decline”.
However, the group pointed to “higher ticket prices” and “a stadium allowed to deteriorate”, along with “a football team that continues to fall further behind where Manchester United should be”, among their concerns which “now extend beyond the pitch”.
Manchester United entered the weekend sitting 13th in the Premier League after gaining four points from their first four Premier League games, and they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday with a 3-2 home defeat by Brighton.
“After years of decline, broken promises and repeated failure, Manchester United Muslim Supporters’ Club has lost confidence in the current ownership structure of Manchester United Football Club,” MUMSC concluded.
“Enough is enough. It is time for change. The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must go.”
Unai Emery’s side get first league win of season with goals from Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia.
Published On 19 Sep 202619 Sep 2026
48he end to Tottenham’s Premier League goal drought came too late as Aston Villa won 3-2 in north London to compound a miserable start for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.
Spurs remain without a league win this season and only netted their first goals of the campaign after the visitors had surged into a 3-0 lead on Saturday.
Villa had also struggled for goals themselves since the side that won the Europa League last season was torn apart during the transfer window.
But new signings Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson struck either side of half-time to give Unai Emery’s new-look team their first league win before Emi Buendia’s wonder strike.
Even Tottenham’s first late consolation needed the aid of a Villa deflection when Conor Gallagher’s effort went in off Matty Cash before Jan Paul van Hecke headed home in stoppage time.
Spurs splashed out more than 300 million pounds ($400m) on new players to try and avoid a repeat of the battle for survival they endured last season.
Yet there remains little return on that investment.
In keeping with recent performances, Spurs started brightly before fizzling out.
Twice in a matter of seconds, Savio was kept out by Suzuki before the Japanese goalkeeper spread himself to turn behind Archie Gray’s powerful strike.
Villa had picked up just one point from their opening four league games but have missed their club record signing Manzambi for most of that period.
The Swiss international opened his Villa account when he tapped home Boubacar Kamara’s cross.
However, Tottenham will protest about new laws that force a player off the field for at least a minute after receiving treatment for an injury.
A head knock to centre-back Micky Van de Ven left them a man down at the back when Manzambi swept home.
Spurs only had themselves to blame for the second goal as van Hecke failed to deal with a long ball straight down the middle.
Jackson did well to evade the Dutch defender and then fired down into the ground and past Antonin Kinsky.
The Czech goalkeeper was powerless to stop Villa’s third 11 minutes from time when Buendia took aim from long range and brilliantly picked out the top corner.
A chorus of boos greeted Buendia’s strike as thousands of home fans headed for an early exit.
But those that left missed finally have something to celebrate.
Fine persistence from Mohammed Kudus teed up Gallagher to find the bottom corner via the outstretched foot of Cash.
Van Hecke then bulleted in from Andy Robertson’s free-kick with virtually the last touch of the game.
Spurs now must stew on another defeat for a three-week international break while rooted in the relegation zone.
Villa, by contrast, will hope victory can prove the catalyst to storm up the table as they did last season.
Emery’s men failed to win any of their first five league games a year ago, but ultimately finished fourth.
Who: Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid
What: La Liga
Where: Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid, Spain
When: Sunday, September 20, at 4:15pm (14:15 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 11:15 GMT before our live text commentary stream
Atletico host bitter city rivals Real for the Madrid derby as both sides look to keep up with early La Liga pacesetters Barcelona.
Madrid trail unbeaten champions Barcelona at the top of the table by three points, with Atletico third.
Atletico have bounced back from back-to-back defeats to Bilbao and Liverpool earlier in September, beating Real Sociedad 3-0 and Osasuna 4-0 in their last two games.
Real come into the game in decent form under boss Jose Mourinho but have had wobbles this month, with a defeat to Betis and scoring late to beat bottom club Elche after squandering a two-goal lead.
Atletico Madrid thrashed Osasuna 4-0 on Wednesday to build some form in the run-up to Sunday’s derby clash against rivals Real Madrid.
Jonathan David, Lee Kang-in, Robin Le Normand and Alex Baena’s goals helped Diego Simeone’s side cruise to a comfortable home victory.
They were without injured striker Julian Alvarez, but it did not matter after they secured a second straight win to cut the gap on top two Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The comfortable victory was important for an Atletico side with lots of new faces still bedding in, after two defeats in their three matches prior.
“We controlled it in the first half even though we weren’t clinical,” said coach Diego Simeone. “We were clinical in the second half and controlled the game.”
Real Madrid squandered a two-goal lead before substitute Carlos Espi struck in stoppage time to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory at Elche in La Liga on Tuesday.
Real went 2-0 up inside 33 minutes through a Matias Dituro own goal and Kylian Mbappe, but second-half strikes from Abiel Osorio and Fer Nino hauled Elche level before Espi restored the visitors’ lead in the 91st minute.
It was the second time in six league matches that the 21-year-old Espi had come off the bench to score a late winner, although Mourinho remained concerned by Real’s failure to control the second half in advance of Sunday’s derby against Atletico Madrid.
“The problem seems obvious to me. It’s harder to know why, but it’s easy to understand that there are matches that seem over and, in the end, aren’t,” said Mourinho.
“[There are] matches where we have three, four, five chances to finish them and don’t,” he said at the pre-match news conference.
“After failing to do so, it feels like we go from ease, because it seemed easy, to losing control.”
Mourinho said his team’s defensive issues were of concern.
“Not just for Sunday’s match, but for every match. I like my team to score goals … but I also like controlling matches,” explained Mourinho.
“I don’t like gifting control. It’s not about the goals, it’s about giving away control of the match.”
The Opta supercomputer has made Real Madrid the favourites, with a win probability of 46.6 percent. Atletico were given a 28.3 percent chance of winning, while a draw was estimated at a 25.1 percent likelihood.
The rivals have faced each other on 243 occasions; Real Madrid won 125 games, Atletico won 60, while 58 matches ended as draws.
Last five encounters:
Vinicius Jr scored twice as Real Madrid fought back to beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu in a breathless Spanish capital derby in March.
Atletico’s Ademola Lookman opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, finishing a slick counterattack involving Matteo Ruggeri and a delightful back-heel from Giuliano Simeone.
Vinicius equalised from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute, after David Hancko clumsily tripped Brahim Diaz, and Federico Valverde capitalised on a Jose Maria Gimenez error three minutes later to make it 2-1 to Real.
Nahuel Molina silenced Real’s Bernabeu stadium with a thunderous 30-metre strike in the 66th minute, but Vinicius restored Real’s lead with a cracking solo effort six minutes later.
Julian Alvarez scored twice as Atletico Madrid came from behind to thrash city rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a pulsating derby in September 2025.
Atletico’s aggressive start paid off when Robin Le Normand opened the scoring with a header in the 14th minute.
However, Kylian Mbappe burst through to level with an unstoppable strike from close range in a quick counter in the 25th minute, with Arda Guler netting a volley from a Vinicius Jr cross 11 minutes later to put the visitors in front.
Alexander Sorloth’s header in added time before the break gave Atletico a boost, and they regained the lead five minutes into the second half when Alvarez converted a penalty after Guler’s high boot clipped Nico Gonzalez on the face inside the box.
After Alvarez extended their lead in the 64th minute with a sublime free kick into the top corner, substitute Antoine Griezmann sealed the win in a quick counter in added time.
Alvarez, Pablo Barrios, and Sorloth are doubts, as all three are struggling with muscle issues.
Jonathan David is likely to continue up front if Alvarez is absent or starts on the bench.
Predicted starting XI:
Oblak (goalkeeper); Llorente, Romero, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Lee, Koke, Cardoso, Baena; David, Lookman
Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Ferland Mendy are unavailable due to injuries, but otherwise Mourinho appears to have a full squad to choose from.
Predicted starting XI:
Courtois (goalkeeper); Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Tchouameni; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
London City Lionesses earn their first away win of the season, ending a four-game streak without a victory on the road, as they emphatically beat a struggling Charlton side that have lost all three of their WSL games.
MATCH REPORT: Charlton Athletic 1-4 London City Lionesses
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Let’s go back in time to the day when parents sent all their children to the same neighborhood public school, one brother after another, one sister after another. Coaches were thrilled. The youngest couldn’t wait to follow the big brothers, especially in football, to the school where they were once ball boys.
Fast forward to Thursday night at Davidson Field in Newport Beach. The quarterback for La Serna High was Grady Long. He’s the last of the Long brothers playing for La Serna. First was Dylan, a quarterback who went to Cal Poly Pomona to play baseball. Second was Jake, a quarterback who just got drafted by the Angels this year. Third was Owen, a 225-pound linebacker for Arizona State.
On the other team was junior quarterback JD Annett of Corona del Mar. Eldest brother Kaleb is the backup quarterback at Central Florida. Middle brother Brady is playing quarterback at Eastern Washington. JD made his first varsity start last week, then came Thursday night when he and Grady engaged in an entertaining duel that deserved to be on TV. Corona del Mar won 30-24 in a game that had four lead changes in the second half.
Long passed for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Annett passed for a career-high 289 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns. Each had best friends help them. Landon Armenta had nine catches for 221 yards and one touchdown for La Serna. Nolan Scott caught seven passes for 115 yards and one touchdown for Corona del Mar.
They’ve been best friends since kindergarten. La Serna raised in Whittier. What a game tonight for Landon Armenta and Grady Long in loss to Corona del Mar. pic.twitter.com/aZ4nmN5gUG
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) September 18, 2026
The game ended with drama. Long was driving La Serna to a potential game-winning score when he completed a pass to the 24-yard line on fourth down. The clock showed 0.00 on the scoreboard. Just like the Michigan-Western Michigan college game earlier this season, the officials put one second back on the clock for a final play. The La Serna crowd was getting excited. But then the officials realized La Serna was just short of a first down. Corona del Mar took possession and ran off the one second to win.
“It was a great football game,” La Serna coach Andy George said. “We ran out of time. Both teams played hard. Nothing but growth from here.”
It was a game between two 4-0 teams. One had to lose but it was fun for all, each team answering the other until time ran out.
As Annett was leaving the field with a big smile, he said he was going to FaceTime his brothers. In defeat, the 6-foot-4 Long, who’s also a star pitcher for the baseball team, held his head high speaking to family and friends, showing despite a loss he’s ready for the next game, the next challenge.
Even though the Longs have no more boys arriving at La Serna, there’s a sister who will be freshman next year at La Serna. And the brothers say she’s the best athlete in the family.
Can you say flag football?
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Asia’s biggest sport stars will descend on Japan this week to battle it out for continental glory as the Asian Games get under way.
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will see several athletes eyeing first-time podium finishes while others look to defend their crown.
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This year’s edition will see six sports make their debut, while in some sports, a gold medal will double as automatic qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics.
From Olympic champions to teen sensations to breakout stars, Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at some of the top athletes to watch:
Tennis’s newest sweetheart will be the favourite for gold in women’s singles. The 21-year-old Filipino star is coming off a career-high season that saw her first WTA 1000 title last month and a third-round finish at the US Open.
Eala will compete at the Singapore Open just before the games, but will skip the concurrent Beijing Open – regardless of whether the WTA decide to punish her – since a gold medal at the Asian Games serves as automatic qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics.
Defending champion Zheng Qinwen and former world number one Naomi Osaka will not be competing in Japan, leaving it wide open for Eala to claim gold and upgrade from the bronze she won in 2022.
The javelin phenom has been collecting gold medals like Pokemon cards this year, and another one at the Asian Games will add to his Diamond League, Commonwealth, and Ultimate Champion crowns.
But gold is not the biggest prize for the 23-year-old, although it is almost guaranteed after his nearest contender, India’s Neeraj Chopra, withdrew with injury. Pathirage is eyeing the Asian record of 92.97m set by Arshad Nadeem at the Paris 2024 Olympics, which he is poised to break after becoming the only thrower this season to breach 92m twice.
Pakistan’s Nadeem, on the other hand, is far from fit and will be lucky to end his season with a medal after a string of subpar throws.
Home favourite Kitaguchi is eyeing gold in the women’s javelin after being crowned Ultimate Champion in Budapest last week. Her 68.92m throw landed her a new national record and is tied for 10th-best in the world and second-best this season.
Surprisingly, the 28-year-old is making her Asian Games debut and will look to add continental gold in front of the home crowd after floundering at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Another javelin powerhouse to watch is world number one Yan Ziyi. She became only the sixth woman in history to surpass the 70m mark with her 71.74m throw in May that became a new Asian and World Under-20 record.
The Chinese teen sensation was unbeaten throughout the five Diamond League competitions she contested, but finished second to Kitaguchi at the Ultimate Championship after withdrawing with injury after one throw.
Should she recover in time, the 18-year-old can snatch back the crown from the Japanese veteran thrower to end the season on a high note.
As India look to defend their men’s cricket crown, all eyes are on 15-year-old Sooryavanshi to produce another phenomenal result on the pitch.
The left-handed top-order batter has already made headlines for being a generational talent, having broken records as the highest scorer in this year’s Indian Premier League and become India’s youngest men’s player.
The Olympic champion returns to the stomping grounds where he first went sub-47 seconds in the men’s 100m freestyle – and became the first Asian male to do so – to break his own Asian record.
It was also on home soil at the Hangzhou 2022 games that he bagged a silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle, a bronze in the 50m, and a gold in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay.
The Chinese prodigy was only 12 when she made waves as the youngest-ever medallist at the 2025 World Swimming Championships. She narrowly missed a podium finish in her individual events but found redemption at the Chinese National Swimming Championships later that year with two golds, one silver, and an Asian record in the 200m Individual Medley.
Now 13, she is looking to dominate at her first, hopefully of many, Asian Games where she’s entered in the 200m IM, 400m IM and 200m butterfly events, alongside relays.
While training with the China team in Beijing, she told local media this month she was “excited” for her Asian Games debut.
“Train well, don’t slack off. Demonstrate the level of your training and work hard to break past yourself,” she said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Bromwich Albion. The Black Country derby. A fixture that goes back to the very dawn of English footballing time itself.
Now it’s back as a league fixture for the first time in more than five years, and in front of fans at Molineux since 2012.
It was first contested as a league game in December 1888 – the very first season of the Football League – when Wolves won 2-1. However, Albion had already won their first two meetings, in 1886 and 1887, both in the FA Cup.
Since then, there have been so many derby memories, both magic and tragic at opposite ends of the emotional scale.
And, since the explosion of televised football, so many of those moments captured on video to be relived – or mentally erased depending on your allegiance – over and over again.
It’s a fixture that the Black Country never stops talking about, the first the fans look for when the sides are in the same division.
And the pre-match banter begins earlier with every staging – and every look back at all those derby highlights from the past 40 years.
Steve Bull’s first derby goal in 1989, a toothlessly grinning Iwan Roberts’ Hawthorns hat-trick in 1996, George Ndah’s double on the back of an inspired Keith Andrews performance in 2001 and two-goal Steven Fletcher’s matchwinning efforts in May 2011 to help keep Mick McCarthy’s side in the Premier League.
For Albion, there was Darren Bradley’s 35-yard screamer in 1993, Bob Taylor’s late Hawthorns clincher in 1995, Jordao’s Molineux matchwinner in December 2001, the season when Albion pipped Wolves for promotion by three points, and Carlos Vela’s injury-time equaliser in Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge in 2011.
And then there was that famous 5-1.
Motsepe began his inspection visit for Afcon 2027 in Tanzania before touring Kenya, where he inspected two venues in Nairobi: Kasarani Stadium and the newly constructed 60,000-capacity Talanta Stadium.
BBC Sport Africa understands that one of the main areas of concern in Kenya is the Kasarani and its corresponding training facility.
The stadium is set to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, which Nairobi was awarded on Tuesday ahead of London and Rome.
When Caf conducted its previous inspection in mid-February, the local organisers were told that stadiums and their associated training facilities should be around 80% ready by August.
However, Kasarani has seen limited progress over the past seven months, with several areas still requiring attention.
One of the biggest challenges is the playing surface, which is yet to be laid. Work is also required on cabling for broadcast and television operations, floodlights and the stadiums’ sky boxes.
Motsepe also pointed to the demands created by hosting hundreds of VIPs and heads of state, saying some stadium designs will need to be reconfigured.
“Security issues in relation to where the special guests, particularly the heads of state, will be seated requires a revision of the original plans,” the 64-year-old explained.
Kenya’s cabinet secretary for sports Salim Mvurya insisted preparations would be completed on time.
“I assure Caf and Kenyans we will accelerate the preparations for Afcon 2027,” Mvurya said.
“We will conclude everything by December to be sure we can have test matches in the various facilities.”
Wales face USA, who like South Africa are ranked above Wales, on Saturday, 26 September, also at Cardiff Arms Park, in their second outing of the new WXV campaign.
And while Wales will enjoy their deserved celebrations, co-captain Kate Williams is already talking about the importance of backing the performance up.
“After all of the tough times we have been through, as a team and Welsh rugby generally, we are going to keep working for the positive feeling to continue,” she said.
“What we want out of this WXV Series is more wins.
“Today just proved that what we’ve been doing works and we’ll be able to change our gameplan for USA next week.”
Lynn will be waiting on the fitness of scrum-half Seren Lockwood after she failed to return to the pitch after a head injury assessment, but he could be boosted by the return of Carys Cox, who gives him another exciting option in the backline.
Until then, he and Wales will enjoy victory before the work starts again on Monday.
JSerra converted on three fourth downs in the second half Friday, allowing the Lions to battle back from a seven-point, first-half deficit to beat host Bishop Amat 37-28.
With the nonleague victory, JSerra improves to 4-1, while Bishop Amat falls to 4-1.
JSerra quarterback Hayes Cloutier, who threw for two touchdowns and rushed for three, engineered all three second-half conversions, two with his legs and one with his arm.
The first, and most impressive, came on the Lions’ first possession of the half. Trailing 28-21 and facing fourth and three on the Bishop Amat 27-yard line, Cloutier zigged and zagged across the field, eluding most of the defense.
After the Lions tied the score, sophomore defensive back Sean Veritch snagged a deflected pass by Bishop Amat quarterback Domenico Doran, and the Lions drove to the Lancers’ 16-yard line. On fourth and 10, Evan Leddy kicked a 33-yard field goal to give JSerra an apparent 31-28 lead, but the Lions accepted a penalty on Bishop Amat that moved the ball to the 11-yard line.
JSerra coach Hardy Nickerson opted to go for it on fourth down, and Cloutier rewarded his gamble, scoring on an 11-yard run. Leddy’s extra point was blocked, and JSerra settled for a 34-28 lead.
JSerra High quarterback Hayes Cloutier leaps as he tries to evade a tackle by a Bishop Amat defenders.
(Nick Koza)
The Lions’ defense, which had given up scores on four of Bishop Amat’s five first-half possessions, then stiffened, forcing the Lancers to punt. With about two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Lions reeled off a 23-play drive, which included four JSerra penalties and ate up more than 10 minutes.
A 22-yard run by Cloutier was key, as was his four-yard completion to Clark Cokely on a fourth-and-two play. The drive ended with a 44-yard field goal by Leddy that gave JSerra a 37-28 lead.
After surrendering 28 first-half points, JSerra held Bishop Amat scoreless, and running back Justin Clinton, who rushed for more than 130 yards, including a 67-yard burst and a 43-yard touchdown, in check in the second half.
“It was a heavyweight fight,” Nickerson said of the first half. “But my defensive staff just put it together in the second. We turned things up and made adjustments.
“We knew that if we could get in the throwing lanes and forced them to have to pass the football … we felt we would have a chance. And those guys went out and executed the second half and it was beautiful.”
Results from CIF City and Southern Section high school football games on Friday, Sept. 18.
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The contemporary Brighton are different.
They began their second European campaign in the Norwegian city of Tromso last month, knowing the Conference League offers the chance of that elusive first trophy.
They play in a magnificent stadium, a short train journey from the city centre, with its new corporate areas, and, generally, inclusive family atmosphere. Their recruitment model, buying players in and selling them on for vast profits, is envied. The new Brighton just beat Manchester United at Old Trafford for the fifth time in six visits. Four games into their 10th consecutive Premier League campaign, they sit fifth.
The contemporary Brighton exist the way they do largely because of the vision and investment of Tony Bloom.
Born in Brighton, Bloom is a lifelong fan. His connection to the club is through his grandfather Harry, a former vice-chairman, and uncle Ray, a director.
Bloom, 56, is an entrepreneur. He made his money in finance and gambling, largely through the use of data. He became chairman in 2009, and masterminded the rise from League One and move into the American Express Stadium. Last season, Brighton‘s average attendance was more than 31,000.
In their 125-year history, Brighton have never had it so good.
“Anyone walking into Brighton today compared to even 15 years ago would not think it was the same football club,” sporting director Mike Cave told BBC Sport.
“The club has been on an unbelievable journey. We’ve got staff members and many fans who have done that journey. For those of us who weren’t here 15 years ago, our responsibility is to ensure what’s to come – and I think there’s lots – is better than what’s happened in the recent or long-distance past.”
As for Bloom himself, he has reflected on Brighton‘s 125th birthday in the programme for the Arsenal game.
“Since 1901, this football club has been part of the fabric of our city and the broader county of Sussex,” he said.
“It has connected generations of families and communities. Grandparents have brought their children and grandchildren to matches. Lifelong friendships have been forged on terraces, in stands and on away trips.
“Through good times and bad, Brighton & Hove Albion has provided so many of us with some of the most memorable moments of our lives.
“This club is in my blood. Some of my earliest and most cherished memories are wrapped up in the sights and sounds of the Goldstone.
“When I had the privilege of becoming owner and chairman, it was like being entrusted with something precious to safeguard and help develop for the future.
“Many of you reading these words will remember those difficult years. The loss of the Goldstone. The long journeys to Gillingham. The challenges of the Withdean era.
“What got this football club through was the determination of its fans. The bucket collections. The protests. The refusal to accept the Albion should disappear. This anniversary belongs as much to those supporters as anyone. Quite simply, without them, we would not be here today.”
Whether they beat Arsenal or not, Brighton stands tall, for those who fought to preserve something they felt was special, and a man who had a vision – and finance – to build something better.
Chelsea left with one point from their last three Premier League games after a 3-0 defeat at neighbours Brentford.
Published On 19 Sep 202619 Sep 2026
Brentford exposed Chelsea’s defensive problems to inflict a damaging 3-0 defeat that gives Xabi Alonso plenty to ponder during a three-week international break.
After a promising start to life under the former Real Madrid coach, Chelsea have picked up just one point from their last three league games.
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Goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho took unbeaten Brentford above their west London neighbours late on Friday and up to third in the table.
“I have this unbelievable calm around that team because I trust them. It’s nice to see it come to fruition,” said Brentford boss Keith Andrews.
Chelsea had quickly earned the reputation as the Premier League’s great entertainers under Alonso, with their opening four games containing 19 goals.
But the loss of Joao Pedro to a knee injury subdued the Blues’ free-flowing attack as Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers were comfortably kept in check by the Bees.
“At the moment we are not being consistent enough to compete during the whole game,” said Alonso.
“It’s about everything. It’s about the mentality. It’s about football, tactical things that we need to keep improving that we can do much better.”
Alonso said after last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Hull, he was hoping for more “boring” games going forward.
The Spaniard sought control as he made four changes in all, handing Jordan Henderson his first Chelsea start against the 36-year-old’s former club.
Alonso got his wish during a flat first half in which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested, but Brentford were the more threatening side in the second period.
The visitors’ frailty from set-pieces led to the opening goal when Jannick Schuster rose highest to meet Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner, and Anthony was left with a simple task to head into an unguarded net just after the hour mark.
Chelsea’s response was muted, and as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Alonso’s men were picked off on the counterattack.
Kevin Schade should have scored the second goal himself when played clean through on Emi Martinez.
But even after the Argentinian goalkeeper spread himself to save, the rebound fell kindly for Thiago to end his goal drought.
The Brazilian netted 25 times last season, earning a shock call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad as a result.
Thiago has looked shorn of confidence in the early weeks of the campaign and tore off his shirt in celebration after netting for the first time in the Premier League this season.
Chelsea have conceded at least twice in all five league games under Alonso, and there was further punishment to come in stoppage time.
Schade’s low cross was deflected into the path of Carvalho, who fired high past Martinez to leave Andrews yelling into the night sky in delight.
Brentford, who also beat Tottenham 3-0 on the opening weekend of the season, sit behind only defending champions Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table.
By contrast, Chelsea were handed another reminder of the gap Alonso must bridge to make them title contenders once more.