Claudio Ranieri’s side may be fitful in the Premier League but the formula that brought success last season may work in Europe’s top club competitionLeicester City are busy making history again. No other English team have managed to win their first two Champions League matches. Leicester’s 1-0 victory against Porto makes qualification to the knockout stages look distinctly possible with six points on the board already but whatever happens from now they hold the distinction of coming to terms with elevation to the Champions League more quickly than any of their illustrious predecessors.On the domestic front, after three defeats in the opening six games, the history made last season is fast becoming a distant memory. The key to success last...
Leicester’s playmaker has waited for the big stage and did not waste his chance against Porto, creating Islam Slimani’s winner with typical skill and visionBefore kick-off there was slightly wild crackle in the air round the open stands of the King Power Stadium. “FEARLESS FOREVER” read the banner at the Kop end, either side of a huge pair of scarily bloodshot Skittles-and-vodka fox’s eyes. Leicester have promised to take an adrenal fast-forward approach to this European adventure. But for all the first-night excitement it was a moment of cold, cool execution from Riyad Mahrez that forced a 1-0 defeat of Porto their way, the high point of a fine and indeed significant performance from the Premier League’s player of the...
Son shines again for Tottenham, Chelsea and Leicester need defensive shake-ups, Palace signings prove their value and Southampton are ticking over againThe moment that summed up the discord in the Chelsea defence came on 64 minutes, when Gary Cahill wanted Thibaut Courtois to come to collect; the goalkeeper stayed on his line and Branislav Ivanovic bludgeoned the ball into touch. Cahill and Courtois argued. But errors had disfigured the performance to leave Chelsea 3-0 down at half-time: it was shocking, for example, to see how easily Mesut Özil accelerated away from the defensive midfielder N’Golo Kanté before he scored Arsenal’s third. Antonio Conte did not cancel his players’ day off on Sunday but they can expect a video inquest when...
Manchester United manager protests too much and sounds more than a little paranoid as he seeks to find the best blend for his teamManchester United’s mini-crisis seems to be over. This was a comprehensive and crowd-pleasing dismantling of the defending champions, with the home side playing the sort of football and scoring the type of goals that Old Trafford wants to see, trashing Leicester’s reputation for doughty defending in the process.Never mind that three of the four first-half goals came from corners – although Claudio Ranieri certainly will – here was United looking more balanced, mobile and adventurous. Paul Pogba came into his own for perhaps the first time this season and one goal of the season contender he almost...
A crunch London derby as Arsenal host Chelsea, Michael Carrick could be key for Manchester United, and Vincent Janssen gets his chance to shineOn a weekend when much will be made of Arsène Wenger’s 20th anniversary as Arsenal manager, the Frenchman would not be human if he didn’t recall the manner in which Chelsea ruined the occasion of his 1,000th game in charge. It was March 2014 and on a strange afternoon at Stamford Bridge, Andre Marriner sent off Kieran Gibbs in a case of mistaken identity, as José Mourinho’s side hit their visitors for six without reply. Arsenal had already lost 6-3 at Manchester City and 5-1 at Liverpool that season, capitulations that rendered Wenger’s team and any aspirations...