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EURO WRAP: Manchester United back on track, VAR horrorshow, LaLiga giants march on and more!

Damien Kayat looks back at the weekend’s football action as Manchester United’s resurgence continued, LaLiga’s big guns claimed wins and more form Europe’s biggest football leagues.

Anthony of Manchester United

Damien Kayat looks back at the weekend’s football action as Manchester United’s resurgence continued, LaLiga’s big guns claimed wins and more form Europe’s biggest football leagues.

Two women looking excitedly at cellphone

United Reborn

It’s hard to dissect exactly what has happened at United since that dire Brentford defeat. Sure, there has been some much-needed action in the transfer market. But Casemiro didn’t even start the game.

I think Roy Keane got in spot-on when he said this side seems to have found a healthy dose of personality. The likes of Martinez and Malacia have elevated the entire mood of the camp.

But I think that Cristian Eriksen has been key to their renaissance. He does everything that Paul Pogba was rumoured to have done. He picks a pass like no United player since Wayne Rooney (Bruno aside). His bursts from midfield have truly surprised me (especially for a guy with a pretty well-established heart condition).

His presence has also allowed McTominay to simplify his game. The Scot just wrecks transition and gives the ball to Eriksen. For far too long he has been expected to do things that are beyond his capabilities. You have to admire what Ten Hag has done in such a small window of time.

As for Arsenal, I don’t think that it’s time to start despairing. With City and Liverpool both dropping points this weekend, this wasn’t the worst weekend to pick up your first defeat. And let’s be honest, they were fairly sensational for about an hour.

In fact, I would argue that’s the best I’ve seen them play all season. Yet they still concede three pretty soft goals. I think that Arsenal’s demise came from a combination of overconfidence and immaturity.

How can you hold a high line against the likes of Rashford and Antony? It was a suicidal tactic that reeked of naivety. I really think they could end up ruing their inability to seal the Douglas Luiz deal on transfer deadline day.

They could have had a six-year-old’s birthday party in the middle of the pitch considering how absent Lokonga and Xhaka were. They desperately need to get Partey up and running should they stand any chance of maintaining an outside title charge.

VAR Horrorshow

I have to make mention of the controversy surrounding VAR. Everything started out ideally this year, with the refs seemingly allowing for more physical leeway and less intrusion on the part of VAR. It was heaven.

But that script was thrown out the window this week. It’s as if the refs got together and came to the decision that they weren’t getting enough airtime this year.

I can’t go through all the decisions- that would be a whole article in itself. But the Jarrod Bowen ‘foul’ on Mendy is certainly a standout bit of lunacy. How on earth was he supposed to lose momentum and avoid contact? Is this not a contact sport anymore?

Furthermore, the Englishman did everything within his power to avoid contact with the Frenchman. Moyes was left apoplectic and rightfully so.

The Joe Willock disallowed goal was perhaps even more crazy: his own player pushed him into the keeper! And obviously, I have to mention the Martinelli disallowed goal. How far back in the move can VAR go back?

I thought the decision had to be clear and obvious. Odegaard’s tackle was too soft and innocuous to disallow a great goal. It was particularly frustrating when you watch the dying embers of the Brighton-Leicester match.

Brighton had an absolutely stonewall penalty after a tired Maddison foul. Yet, VAR decided it wasn’t clear and obvious enough to look at. I don’t see how VAR doesn’t get involved in that but overrules the Martinelli one.

I just wished they reverting back to the more laissez-faire approach that they employed in the early weeks of the season.

Derby Della Madonnina doesn’t disappoint

The Serie A table makes for fascinating reading, with just three points currently separating the top eight sides. How on earth did Roma go and lose 4-0 to Udinese?

But there’s only one place to venture in Italy this week: the San Siro. The Milan giants didn’t disappoint in one of the best Derby Della Madonnina’s in recent memory.

I love the time travel dimension of Italian football. Where else would you see Olivier Giroud and Eden Dzeko playing starring roles for their clubs. It’s glorious.

You half expect to see Troy Deeney popping up in a Juventus kit one of these days. But I digress. The Rossoneri were occasionally brilliant in their 3-2 victory over fierce city rivals Inter.

Rafael Leao once again bossed the show, with a brilliant man-of-the-match performance that further enhanced his status as one of the brightest European talents.

I also have to give a shout-out to Milan keeper Mike Maignan. The Frenchman made some truly electrifying saves in a pulsating derby-day victory.

Spanish giants in driving seat

I think this weekend’s Spanish football action was a perfect template for what to expect for much of the season. Barcelona played some swashbuckling stuff while current champions Real were far more pragmatic in victory.

I have actually been surprised by how quickly Xavi has managed to bed in his array of new talent. They picked up a hugely impressive 3-0 away victory at Sevilla.

Former Sevilla man Jules Kounde slotted in seamlessly to the heart of Barca’s defence. And Raphinha and Lewandowski both found their way onto the scoresheet. There is a sense of something special brewing at the Nou Camp this season.

Real Madrid were solid in their 2-1 home win against Real Betis. Benzema looked slightly laboured and they certainly never had the same swagger as FC Barcelona.

But Vinicius Jr’s speed was decisive while Tchouameni absolutely bossed the midfield battle. And Atletico once again laboured to a draw against Real Sociedad.

I look at Atletico’s side and just think it’s all a bit stale. Carrasco, Koke, Hernandez. The likes of Griezmann and Correa coming on off the bench. They are going to struggle with Barca and Real going from strength to strength this year.

Concern for Bayern

Last week’s draw with Borussia Monchengladbach was frustrating. Their draw against a resilient Union Berlin was more worrying. Julian Nagelsmann’s new 4-2-2-2 system lacked any fluidity against a plucky Union Berlin side that nullified their attacking prowess.

Sadio Mane had by far his quietest game in a Bayern shirt. Nagelsmann made some curious substitutions, taking off Musiala and Alphonse Davies off when they were chasing the result.

It almost felt like they were consolidating. Perhaps they had one eye on their upcoming trip to the San Siro this week. Now they have some work to do, with SC Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund pouncing on Bayern’s lacklustre efforts with victories.

I’m certain that this Bayern side is going to win the Bundesliga comfortably in the end. But perhaps they will take a bit of time to adapt to a new system that doesn’t include goal-machine Robert Lewandowski.

Player of the Week- Erling Haaland

This selection is based on a combination of the midweek game and City’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Villa. This guy is just an absolute goal-scoring beast. 10 goals in six games (plus an assist). He could obliterate the Premier League goal-scoring record this year.

And I think he could actually prove more dangerous when City start playing the top sides. He will find more space in-behind and we may start to see those quintessential Dortmund-type finishes that we have become accustomed to.

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