Key events
So then, Manchester City, the story that’s completely overshadowed the international break. Jonathan Wilson enters the debate.
How can those trophies be left in the record books for future generations unquestioningly to see? How can City stand as the fourth-most successful side in league history when so much of that success was achieved by cheating?
To League One, where Sam Cunningham took in Bradford’s first game without Graham Alexander, who has departed to Preston.
On forums and social media, fans shared a mixture of sadness, anger and anxiety. Most believe Alexander has left the club stronger, but frustration is shared among a sizeable minority about the timing – less than two months into a season after a summer spent recruiting specifically for his aggressive, direct, high-pressing football.
Spain continue to march on, with Lamine Yamal hitting his straps.
Lamine Yamal had scored after 104 seconds at Wembley and 70 in Seville, as Spain defeated England and Croatia. And the silly thing was that here, his goal might have come even sooner. Fifteen seconds in, the first frisson of excitement went round this place as he chased down the goalkeeper and after just fifty-seven Oviedo almost exploded. But, running on to a Dani Olmo pass, Lamine Yamal calmly guided a shot past the goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky … and past the post.
He would just have to wait until the sixth minute was up instead. Playing a quick one-two with Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal took possession on the top right corner of the area and curled another outrageous shot into the far corner, the ridiculous becoming routine. They had been playing five minutes 20 seconds, another stadium letting out a roar that spoke of delight but also a kind of disbelief. 320 seconds he had been out there, taking him to 494 seconds to score three.
Beyond the result, most memories of Croatia v England will centre on the children who populated the crowd, their high-pitched voices making the match resemble a teen idol pop concert. Writes Barney Ronay.
It is at the very least a confusing message. It seems to say: racism and children, this is a good combination. And given this seems to happen quite regularly, that racism is now a kind of children’s holiday event around here, football Christmas. And here’s your bonus bag of free tickets, brought to you by today’s matchday sponsor, racism.
Did that crushing win wipe away the tears of Atlanta and Argentina? Not really, admits Thomas Tuchel.
“If you feel pain you have to lay with the pain,” the manager said. “The same with disappointment. It was not easy at the beginning of the camp. We had an excellent performance against Spain. The focus in the meetings, the translation of the meetings on the pitch, to bring it within these circumstances in Croatia, to win this dominant performance is the way to move on. We’ll always have a scar, feel pain, but this is the way to move forward. We’ve played in the same manner all three matches.”
Saturday saw a historic win for England last night, and a historic defeat for Croatia.
Everything clicked. England could have had double figures against opponents ranked 13th in the world but they settled for seven. Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka were in lightning, goalscoring form on the flanks and another story was an exceptional full debut from Alex Scott. The 23-year-old proved that he belongs, impressing with his tenacity and quality on and off the ball, and made it hard to shake off the sense that Tuchel missed a trick by not taking him to the World Cup.
Saturday’s Nations League results
Preamble
Good morning, and welcome to coverage of the day’s football news, as we build up to another round of Nations League action, and continue to hear the fallout from the Manchester City saga.
Join us.
