Lewandowski seals comeback as Barcelona edge Real Sociedad to go top

Robert Lewandowski late strike earned Barcelona a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad, sending the Catalans to the top of La Liga. Barca dominated early, enjoying nearly 90% possession in the opening 20 minutes, but Sergio Francisco’s men held firm. Marcus Rashford forced a brilliant save from Alex Remiro, while Ronald Araujo fired narrowly wide. Against the run of play, Real Sociedad struck first on the half-hour when Álvaro Odriozola converted a swift counter. Remiro then denied a freak own goal before Pedri’s rebound drifted wide. Jules Koundé equalised just before half-time with a towering header from a Rashford corner. Both sides went close after the break, but Barcelona’s pressure told when 17-year-old Lamine Yamal teed up Lewandowski to slot home the winner late on – the duo’s third goal combination in six league matches.  

Read More »

McGinn backs Watkins to silence critics after scoring in Villa’s comeback win

Aston Villa skipper John McGinn praised Ollie Watkins after the striker netted a goal. His first goal of the season in a 3-1 comeback victory over Fulham on Sunday. Villa had been struggling in front of goal, scoring just once in their first five Premier League games. When Raul Jimenez headed Fulham in front early on, the pressure mounted. Relief came in the 37th minute as Lucas Digne slid a clever pass to Watkins. Watkins then darted between defenders and lifted the ball over Bernd Leno to level the match. “He’s had a lot of criticism in recent weeks but what he’ll get from us as teammates and staff is love and support,” McGinn said after the game. “Hopefully that shuts a few people up. What he’s given us over the years has been brilliant. He works tirelessly and when he gets the chance, you expect him to score.” McGinn rifled Villa ahead four minutes into the second half, and Emiliano Buendía sealed the win soon after – Villa’s first league victory of the season, moving them up to 16th with six points. “It’s not an easy place to play when the crowd’s on your back, but when we have momentum. Villa Park is special,” McGinn added. “What a win and a huge show of character.”  

Read More »
football predictions today: newcastle vs arsenal

Arsenal fight back to beat Newcastle and close gap on Liverpool

Arsenal came from behind to earn a deserved win at St. James’ Park on Sunday, cutting Liverpool’s lead at the top to just two points. The Gunners had lost their previous three visits to Newcastle without scoring, but Mikel Arteta’s men started brightly this time. They fired three shots – two on target – in the opening six minutes, with Bukayo Saka captaining the side in Martin Ødegaard’s absence. Newcastle briefly steadied themselves as Malick Thiaw and Sandro Tonali tried to stem the pressure, yet Arsenal kept pushing forward, with Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori especially influential. Against the run of play, the hosts struck first when Nick Woltemade headed in Tonali’s cross just after the half-hour mark – only the sixth time a Newcastle player has scored in his first two home games. Arsenal kept their composure and turned the game around after the break to secure all three points, ending their Tyneside hoodoo and boosting their title hopes.  

Read More »

Sessegnon rues ‘lack of concentration’ after Fulham fall to Villa

Ryan Sessegnon said Fulham’s 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa came down to uncharacteristic lapses in focus. Raul Jimenez’s first-half header gave Fulham the lead, but Ollie Watkins equalised before the break. Two quick Villa goals early in the second half sealed the result and halted Fulham’s three-game winning streak. “It’s probably just a lack of concentration, which is bizarre because of how unusual it is for us. It’s very disappointing but we just have to pick ourselves up and go again,” Sessegnon told reporters. Sessegnon added: “We started the second half by conceding a goal, which can happen, and then for us to concede the next one straight away was disappointing. The game was pretty much done after that. “There’s no real explanation – it’s just poor. Poor defending from us, and quite unusual for us, but we’ve got to look at the game back this week and then see where we went wrong.” Fulham will look to respond when they face Bournemouth in the Premier League on Friday, October 3.  

Read More »

Saka slams VAR call despite Arsenal’s late win over Newcastle

Bukayo Saka criticised VAR after Arsenal’s first-half penalty was overturned in their 2-1 comeback win at Newcastle. Referee Jarred Gillett initially awarded a spot-kick for Nick Pope’s challenge on Viktor Gyokeres. However, he changed his decision after a lengthy review at the pitchside monitor. Arsenal went on to win the match with Gabriel’s dramatic late header, yet Saka was unhappy with the early call. “There are a few things we can speak about, for example, the penalty,” Saka said. “For me, if we have VAR, it is for a clear and obvious error, and the fact that it took the ref that long to decide shows it is not a clear and obvious error. “It is things like this that always go against us, but today we got what we deserved and that’s why we are all so happy. It doesn’t matter now, does it?”    

Read More »
football predictions today: crystal palace vs liverpool

Football Prediction Prediction: Crystal Palace vs Liverpool

Crystal Palace host champions and league leaders Liverpool at Selhurst Park in a blockbuster matchday six showdown in the 2025-26 Premier League. Read our prediction for the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool. The Reds are chasing a sixth straight league win to preserve their flawless start, while the Eagles aim to stretch their own unbeaten run. MatchPlug has you covered with the preview, odds, and prediction for this clash. Betting Preview for Crystal Palace vs Liverpool Betting on Crystal Palace Palace have impressed despite balancing league and European commitments. Oliver Glasner’s men remain unbeaten in nine competitive matches (W3 D6), including last weekend’s morale-boosting 2-1 win away at West Ham. The Eagles have been difficult to beat at home and boast a surprisingly positive recent record against Liverpool: 2-1-1 in their last four meetings, highlighted by the Community Shield shoot-out victory in August. Betting on Liverpool The defending champions have kicked off their title defense in perfect style, winning all five league games and already building a five-point cushion at the summit. Still, Arne Slot’s side have shown defensive frailties and often relied on late goals to secure results. Liverpool will be eager to avenge their Community Shield loss, but Selhurst Park hasn’t always been a comfortable venue even if the Reds have triumphed in nine of their last ten league visits here. MatchPlug Prediction for Crystal Palace vs Liverpool Liverpool’s spotless record comes under serious threat against a Palace team full of confidence and resilience. With the Reds’ back-line looking shaky at times, this fixture feels tighter than the bookmakers suggest.

Read More »
brighton vs chelsea

Football Prediction Today: Chelsea vs Brighton

Chelsea and Brighton return to Premier League duty after advancing in the League Cup in midweek. Read our preview for Chelsea vs Brighton. Both sides dropped points in their previous league fixtures and will be desperate to bounce back in this Stamford Bridge showdown. MatchPlug has the preview, betting tips, and prediction for this clash. Betting Preview for Chelsea vs Brighton Betting on Chelsea Chelsea endured a rough past week, suffering defeats to Bayern Munich (UCL) and Manchester United (Premier League), conceding five goals across the two matches. They even trailed 1-0 at half-time in the League Cup before rallying for a 2-1 win over Lincoln City. Despite their setbacks, the Blues have found the net in all but one match this season and will aim to use their attacking firepower to get back on track at home. Betting on Brighton Brighton’s season has stuttered so far. Last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham left them 14th in the standings and still hunting for just their second league victory. The Seagulls have conceded heavily in recent games and will need a much stronger defensive display to avoid a fourth straight defeat at Stamford Bridge. On the bright side, they’ve failed to score only once in the league and have been part of several high-scoring contests. MatchPlug Prediction for Chelsea vs Brighton Recent meetings between these sides have been goal-laden: at least three goals were scored in each of the last five clashes, and neither side managed a clean sheet. Both teams have proven dangerous in attack yet leaky at the back, which points to another open, end-to-end affair at the Bridge.

Read More »
thomas frank

Frank hails Spurs’ resilience in comeback draw

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank praised his side’s fighting spirit after they battled back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Spurs trailed to goals that Frank admitted could have been prevented, but late strikes from Richarlison and a Jan-Paul van Hecke own goal salvaged a point. The coach was quick to commend the mentality his players showed. “I think this is our best performance of the season,” Frank said. “We controlled large parts of the game, created plenty of chances, and showed real mental and physical strength to come back.” He also singled out Mohammed Kudus for his influence on the right flank, describing him as “probably our man of the match.”

Read More »
declan-rice

Rice insists Arsenal merited point after ‘controlling’ City clash

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice believes his side deserved more than a 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday. He insists the Gunners “dominated” large spells of the contest. Gabriel Martinelli  came off the bench to rescue a point for Mikel Arteta’s men, cancelling out an early opener from Erling Haaland. “When you come off the bench, at that point of the game — 60, 70, 80 minutes — the game’s a completely different game to the start,” Rice said post-match. Reflecting on the performance, the England international added: “I think the feeling of me being on the pitch, knowing my players, the manager’s thoughts, the players’ thoughts, is that, with the ball, it was probably the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve dominated Man City like that, in terms of passing.”

Read More »

Guardiola vows to ‘prove himself again’ after Arsenal deny Man City late on

Pep Guardiola admitted he disliked resorting to defensive tactics as Manchester City were held 1-1 by Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday. Erling Haaland’s early strike looked set to be enough, but the City boss opted for a cautious second-half approach, switching to a back five and withdrawing both Haaland and Phil Foden. The plan backfired as Arsenal grew into the game, dominating possession before Gabriel Martinelli latched onto Eberechi Eze’s clever pass to equalise in stoppage time with a deft lob over Gianluigi Donnarumma. City’s 32.8% possession was the lowest figure recorded by a Guardiola side in a Premier League fixture, highlighting just how much ground they ceded.

Read More »