Pep Guardiola hailed Bernardo Silva as "irreplaceable" for Manchester City after the versatile midfielder instigated his side's 4-2 comeback win against Crystal Palace.
Erling Haaland stole the headlines with his 19-minute hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but it was Silva who gave City a lifeline at two goals down with a deflected strike.
The Portugal international also scored and assisted in the previous week's 3-3 draw at Newcastle United, with City battling back from a couple of goals behind on both occasions.
And having last week completely ruled out selling Silva to either Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, Guardiola praised the 28-year-old for stepping up once again.
"I'm happy that Bernardo became a winning player," Guardiola said. "Of course the highlights [against Palace] will be of Erling. But we cannot forget what Bernardo did.
"He scored a goal and created opportunities down the right side in the second half.
"What amazes me about Bernardo is that when the game is going wrong he makes a step forward, he loves to play in this situation. He's comfortable with it.
"Some players maybe step backward and he makes a step forward. That's why he is irreplaceable in many ways for us.
"He's so important for us. He can play in four or five positions. And it's not just on the pitch, it's off it too, in the locker room. I want him here so much."
Silva's 53rd-minute strike came after John Stones' own goal and a Joachim Andersen header put Palace in complete control at half-time.
Haaland took over with a quickfire treble on his second home appearance for the club, with that the ex-Borussia Dortmund striker's fourth hat-trick in Europe's top five leagues.
He is the fourth player to net at least six goals in his first four Premier League games after Diego Costa, City legend Sergio Aguero and Mick Quinn.
And Guardiola has been blown away by just how quickly the Norway international has settled in at his new club both on and off the field.
"What's important is he's a lovely guy, down to earth," Guardiola said. "We are completely in love with him. It's not just the goals, it's how happy he is.
"I see his behaviour and his body language. You pay attention to the body language of the players and always his is in the right position.
"He's always there, encouraging the players, making incredible effort. He knows [the chances are] coming. He has an incredible sense of that."
City have now found themselves trailing by two goals in four of their past six Premier League games, as many as in their previous 84 combined.
The most famous example came on the final day of the previous campaign when hitting back to beat Aston Villa and land a fourth title in five seasons.
While City have become accustomed to doing things the hard way, Rodri accepts there are areas his side need to improve if they are to prevent giving teams a head start.
"We've shown we can do it," the midfielder said. "If it becomes a habit, it is easier so we're very happy but we have to fix some things.
"We cannot let this team score two goals from nothing. We have to watch out.
"We were talking that last season we conceded one goal from set-pieces for the whole of last season and now we have conceded two in one game. We have to improve in this.
"Sometimes it is not about tactics, it is about talking with the lads [at half-time] and being patient."
Rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr sustained "non-life-threatening injuries" during an attempted armed robbery or carjacking, the Washington Commanders confirmed on Sunday.
According to widespread reports, local police in Washington said the 23-year-old had been the victim of a shooting.
The Commanders posted a statement on Twitter confirming he was receiving treatment in hospital, but that his injuries were not a threat to his life.
"We have been made aware that Brian Robinson Jr was the victim of an attempted armed robbery or carjacking in Washington, D.C," the statement read.
"He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is currently being treated at the hospital, where team officials are on-site with him. We ask that you please respect Brian's privacy at this time."
Robinson had impressed to the point where he appeared to have made himself a starter ahead of the new NFL season, playing in two preseason games earlier this month, recording 14 carries for 57 yards and scoring one touchdown.
Commanders coach Ron Rivera was among those who visited Robinson in hospital, and he also provided an update on social media.
"I just got done visiting with Brian. He is in good spirits and wanted me to thank everyone for their kind words, prayers and support," Rivera wrote.
"He wants his teammates to know he appreciates them all for reaching out and he loves them all and will be back soon doing what he does best."
Rory McIlroy emphasised his opposition to the LIV Golf Series following his FedEx Cup victory on Sunday, saying he hates what it's doing to the sport.
McIlroy beat world number one Scottie Scheffler in a dramatic final round of the Tour Championship to become the first three-time winner of the FedEx Cup.
But given the 33-year-old has been among the most vocal opponents to the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf, attention quickly turned to the overall state of the sport after his success at East Lake.
He was happy to make his feelings clear.
"If you believe in something, I think you have to speak up, and I believe very strongly about this. I really do," he said at a press conference.
"I hate what it's doing to the game of golf. I hate it... It's going to be hard for me to stomach going to Wentworth [at the PGA Championship] in a couple of weeks' time and seeing 18 of them there. That just doesn't sit right with me.
"So yeah, I feel strongly. I believe what I'm saying are the right things, and I think when you believe that what you're saying is the right things, you're happy to stick your neck out on the line."
McIlroy was appointed as chair of the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council in February 2021, and said it felt "fitting" to get the FedEx Cup win after finishing in the top eight of all four majors this year but not winning any.
"It’s been a tumultuous time for the world of men's professional golf in particular. I've been right in the middle of it. I've picked a great time to go on the PGA Tour board," he said.
"I've been in the thick of things. I guess every chance I get, I'm trying to defend what I feel is the best place to play elite professional golf in the world.
"It's in some ways fitting that I was able to get this done today to sort of round off a year that has been very, very challenging and different."
McIlroy came from six shots behind to pip Scheffler to the win on Sunday and had a simple message when asked why he thinks he thrives as a chaser.
"Because I think probably out of everyone in the field, I care the least about the money," he stated.
Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers' number-one receiver Diontae Johnson were both forced to leave their side's 19-9 preseason win against the Detroit Lions on Sunday due to injury concerns.
Watt appeared to suffer a knee injury when he was on the receiving end of a cut-block from Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson in the second quarter. He remained in the game for the immediate aftermath, before getting pulled shortly after.
Johnson landed awkwardly on his left shoulder after pulling down a 38-yard reception from Mitch Trubisky, and after being evaluated in the medical tent, he also took no further part in the game.
Despite neither player returning to the field, head coach Mike Tomlin said there is "no long-term concern at the moment" on the broadcast, and "if this is a regular-season game, we may see them back in this game".
Watt is in the first season of his four-year, $112million contract extension, while Johnson signed a two-year extension earlier this month worth up to $39.5m.
Both of the Steelers' contenders for the starting quarterback role performed well in the win, as Trubisky completed 15-of-19 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown, while first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett went 10-for-14 for 90 yards. Neither quarterback committed a turnover.
Both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout hit home runs as their Los Angeles Angels defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Sunday night.
The duo, who have combined for four of the past eight AL MVP awards, both hit their 28th homer of the season, with Ohtani's coming in the seventh inning to make it a 6-1 game, before Trout finished things off in the ninth frame.
They were two of four Angels home runs on the night as Luis Rengifo opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the third inning, before Kurt Suzuki also connected on a solo home run an inning later.
Overall, Ohtani reached base four time just a day after striking out nine batters on the mound, finishing three-for-four at the plate with a walk, while Trout was two-for-five.
They are both tied for ninth in the majors for home runs, although nobody in the top-20 has had fewer at-bats than Trout, who missed over a month of action after suffering an injury in July.
Mookie mashes another moonshot
Los Angeles Dodgers right-fielder Mookie Betts hit a home run against the Miami Marlins for the third consecutive day, helping his side to a convincing 8-1 victory.
Betts, who hit two home runs in the opening game of the series on Friday before hitting one more on Saturday, wasted no time on Sunday, smashing the third pitch of the game 416 feet over the center-field wall. His 31 home runs this season tie him for fourth-most in the league.
On the mound, Julio Urias was terrific for the Dodgers, giving up just one hit in six innings, although that hit did go for a home run, and he allowed four walks.
Ray shows his Cy Young credentials
Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray was at his dominant best in the Seattle Mariners' 4-0 home win against the Cleveland Guardians.
Ray struck out seven batters in seven scoreless innings, conceding just three hits and no walks from 103 pitches.
With the bat, all of the Mariners' runs resulted from two swings, with a three-run home run to Dylan Moore, and a solo homer to Ty France.
Houston Astros All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander will undergo an MRI Monday after exiting Sunday’s start against the Baltimore Orioles after three innings due to right calf discomfort.
Verlander, the MLB leader in earned run average (1.84), was replaced by Seth Martinez to start the bottom of the fourth inning with the game still scoreless. The 2011 American League MVP struck out six while holding the Orioles to three hits before departing after 60 pitches.
The 39-year-old missed the entire 2021 campaign recovering from Tommy John surgery, but has been healthy throughout this season, having thrown 152 innings while posting a stellar 16-3 record in 24 starts.
"We were glad it wasn’t anything to do with his elbow or arm or anything like that," Astros manager Dusty Baker said following his team’s 3-1 victory. "We’ll just have to wait until he has the imaging [Monday]."
Verlander has anchored a Houston starting rotation that leads the majors in innings pitched and entered the day with a combined 3.09 ERA, which trails only the NL-leading Los Angeles Dodgers for the best in baseball.
The nine-time All-Star is a leading candidate to claim a third career AL Cy Young Award, as his 16 wins are tied for the MLB lead and he’s limited opposing hitters to a .512 OPS while recording 154 strikeouts.
If Verlander is to miss extended time, the AL-leading Astros could return to a five-man rotation after often using six starters following Lance McCullers’ return from a forearm injury earlier this month.
In addition to McCullers, Houston still has 2022 All-Star Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier as healthy available starting options.
Carlo Ancelotti emerged with a sense of personal satisfaction after Karim Benzema's two late goals secured a 3-1 win for Real Madrid at Espanyol.
The head coach saw his substitutes come good in the closing stages of the game to pave the way for Benzema's heroics.
Regarded as a humble man, this time Ancelotti was happy to take credit for the decisions that saw him shuffle his Madrid pack in the second half of a hard-fought contest.
He brought off Luka Modric and Federico Valverde in the 58th minute, introducing Eduardo Camavinga and Rodrygo, before replacing Toni Kroos with Dani Ceballos.
Camavinga brought fresh vibrancy to the Madrid midfield, Rodrygo set up Benzema's first goal in the 88th minute, and Ceballos was fouled for the free-kick that led to a red card and Benzema's late clincher.
That final goal of the game came 10 minutes into stoppage time, after a marathon delay for the VAR to resolve the moment when home goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte clattered Ceballos. Lecomte was sent off and home captain Leandro Cabrera, a defender, took over in goal, Benzema taking advantage by firing home from the set-piece.
"We won the game because of that energy. That of Camavinga, Rodrygo or Ceballos," Ancelotti said. "The game was slow and we changed it. Each game has its own story."
He said it was impossible to know how the game would have flowed had he fielded his substitutes from the start, allowing the likes of Modric and Kroos to come on and change the game in the second half.
"Sometimes team selection is a gamble and today I think the Real Madrid coach has gambled well."
The veteran Italian coach said Madrid had started brightly, as was exemplified by the sharp movement that brought about Vinicius Junior's early goal.
Former Madrid reserve striker Joselu equalised with his seventh goal in nine LaLiga matches against Los Blancos, before Benzema's double provided the late twist.
Three days after picking up the UEFA men's player of the year award, Benzema showed why he is earning such accolades at this stage of his career. He turns 35 in December but shows no sign of slowing down.
Benzema has scored 28 goals for Madrid in 2022 across all competitions, the joint highest of all players from Europe's top five leagues. It puts him alongside Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, who snubbed a move to Madrid in favour of signing a new PSG deal in May.
In all, Benzema had eight shots, the highest of any player in a single game during the opening weeks of the LaLiga season.
The late show poured salt on Espanyol wounds, with the team from Barcelona having now failed to win in their last 10 league games, going back to last season.
Kroos told Movistar: "It's to be expected that we suffer against a great rival, also away from home. We controlled the game until their goal. We suffered a bit in the second half, but in the last 30 minutes we regained control.
"They looked tired and we took advantage of that. Winning away is not easy and we have done it three times in a row."
Madrid's first three league assignments have indeed come away from the Santiago Bernabeu, while work is carried out on the stadium, and wins over Almeria, Celta Vigo and now Espanyol have made it an ideal start.
Madrid sit top of the table but are joined on nine points by Real Betis, the team they host next Saturday.
Kroos says Madrid are braced for a busy run of games, as the Champions League group stage begins.
He said: "Every three to four days we are going to play against difficult opponents and there are always times when we are going to have to suffer."
Rory McIlroy became the first three-time winner of the FedEx Cup after coming from six shots behind to win the Tour Championship, beating Scottie Scheffler and Im Sung-jae by one stroke at the end of a thrilling final round.
McIlroy, who also lifted the trophy in 2016 and 2019, required a spectacular collapse from world number one Scheffler to seal his victory on Sunday.
With six holes to play after the third round was halted due to lightning, Scheffler came back and birdied four, leaving Xander Schauffele in his wake as he built a six-shot buffer heading into the last trip around East Lake Golf Club.
But after rounds of 65, 66 and 66, Scheffler posted four bogeys and one birdie for a three-over 73, dropping back to 20 under. No player shot worse than 73 in the final round.
McIlroy did not reach the outright lead until Scheffler gave it to him, bogeying the 16th to leave McIlroy alone atop the leaderboard with two holes to play.
Despite a hook with his final tee shot, McIlroy kept his cool, recovering and tapping in his two-putt for the win, and he acknowledged Scheffler in his speech during the trophy presentation.
"What a day," he said. "Firstly, there's one thing I want to say – I feel like Scottie deserves at least half of this today.
"He has had an unbelievable season – I feel sort of bad that I pipped him at the post, but he's a hell of a competitor, and an even better guy, and it was an honour and a privilege to battle with him today. I'm sure we'll have many more.
"I told him today 'we're one-all in Georgia this year' – because he got the Masters, and I got this."
Finishing tied with Scheffler in second-place was Im, with his metronomic consistency leading to rounds of 67, 65, 66 and 66 for his 20 under.
Schauffele had appeared likely to race past Scheffler before the lightning struck on Saturday, and he struggled after resuming in the morning, going one-over from his last six holes of the third round before posting a 69 to finish alone in fourth place at 18 under.
Max Homa ended up sneaking into the top-five after opening the week with a 71, following it with rounds of 62, 66 and 66 to finish at 17 under, tied with Justin Thomas.
Sepp Straka and Patrick Cantlay were a further shot back, tied for seventh at 16 under, with Tony Finau (15 under) and Tom Hoge (14 under) rounding out the top-10. Finau shot Sunday's round of the day with his 64, posting seven birdies and one bogey.
Rory McIlroy described his record-breaking third FedEx Cup victory as a "proud moment" for the PGA Tour amid the circuit's ongoing battle with the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
McIlroy saw off world number one Scottie Scheffler in a dramatic final round to triumph at the Tour Championship on Sunday, becoming the first three-time winner of the FedEx Cup.
The 33-year-old, who also claimed the title in 2016 and 2019, moved clear of two-time champion Tiger Woods, who was victorious in 2007 and 2009.
Away from the course, McIlroy has emerged as one of the most prominent critics of the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed LIV series, which is headed up by Greg Norman and counts the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia among its star-studded field.
McIlroy chose to reaffirm his commitment to the PGA Tour after clinching a one-shot victory over Scheffler in Atlanta, saying: "It means an awful lot.
"I believe in the game of golf, I believe in this tour in particular, I believe in the players on this tour.
"It's the greatest place in the world to play golf, and I've played all over the world.
"This is an incredibly proud moment for me, but it should also be an incredibly proud moment for the PGA Tour. They've had some hard times this year, but we're getting through it.
"That was a spectacle out there today – two of the best players in the world going head-to-head for the biggest prize on the PGA Tour. I hope everyone at home enjoyed that."
McIlroy, who began his final round at the PGA Tour's season finale six strokes off the lead, also acknowledged Scheffler's shortcomings turned the tide in his favour.
"I've been in the final group here three of the past five years, starting with Tiger in 2018 and that incredible scene. Then to get the better of Brooks [Koepka] in 2019 was awesome," he added.
"Another final group here – I didn't give myself much of a chance teeing off today – I thought, six behind, I thought it was going to be really tough to make up.
"My good play, and Scottie's not-so-great play, and it was a ball-game going into the back-nine."
Nick Kyrgios declared he would welcome an early exit from the US Open ahead of his first-round match against Thanasi Kokkinakis, claiming he remains "exhausted" following his run to the Wimbledon final.
Kyrgios came close to clinching his first grand slam title when he met Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in July, taking the opener but ultimately succumbing to defeat in four sets on Centre Court.
The enigmatic Australian, who has never gone beyond the third round of the US Open, will begin his final major campaign of the year against his compatriot and doubles partner Kokkinakis on Monday.
But the 27-year-old is not enamoured by the prospect of a deep run in New York, revealing he struggles with being away from his homeland while playing on the ATP Tour.
"A big part of me just wants the US Open to be over so I can go home," he said on Sunday.
"It's brutal not being able to have the normality of your own bed or your own family for so long and then you have to deal with all this.
"The media, the fans, the training, the matches, the pressure, especially on my spectrum as well – it's not normal. So it's hard. It's really hard.
"I'm definitely feeling very exhausted. Just after Wimbledon, I didn't even have time to enjoy it.
"Everyone gets to go home on the tour. They get to take a cheeky little flight back home to reset. There's just no other type of tennis player who really understands that [homesickness] apart from the Australians.
"Whether I win or lose, it's going to be the same for me. It's a win-win for me. If I win, it's more money and another great result. If I lose, I get to go home."
Asked what he had gained from his thrilling Wimbledon run, Kyrgios said: "The confidence in myself to be able to do it over two weeks. Staying in a single spot for two to three weeks can be exhausting.
"To know that I can do that and go about things the right way and take every practice session, every recovery session, the right way, it's confidence in the back of my mind.
"But also, I'm the type of player that if I had won Wimbledon, I probably wouldn't have played the US Open."
Meanwhile, the US Open is set to mark a final grand slam appearance for legendary 23-time major singles champion Serena Williams, and Kyrgios believes she deserves to be considered the greatest player in the sport's history.
"Obviously it's a very special moment for her. She's probably the greatest of all time," he added.
"Whether or not we see anyone live the career that she has? I don't think that's possible."
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier was thankful for no more penalty drama after Neymar equalised from the spot in the 1-1 draw with Monaco.
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe clashed in the 5-2 win over Montpellier on August 13 after the France international tried to take the ball off Neymar for a penalty, having already missed a spot-kick earlier in the game.
The two reportedly resolved the issue after the match, but there was potential for the situation to flare up again as PSG won another spot-kick when 1-0 down at home to Monaco on Sunday.
Neymar won it after being fouled by Guillermo Maripan, and picked himself up off the floor to fire home from 12 yards to level things up, before celebrating with Mbappe.
And Galtier was glad there was no more disagreement over penalty duties, telling Prime Video: "On this match, Kylian Mbappe was the number 1 penalty taker and Neymar was number 2.
"After talking with Kylian, I saw that he had been happy to congratulate Ney[mar]. This is how it should be.
"They are great players, it's up to them to feel it. The important thing is that he scored and that Kylian came to congratulate."
Liverpool-linked midfielder Ruben Neves is "99 per cent" likely to stay at Wolves beyond the end of the transfer window, according to head coach Bruno Lage.
Neves, who has emerged as a key figure since arriving at Wolves in 2017, had reportedly been targeted by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United earlier in the transfer window after entering the final two years of his contract.
More recently, Liverpool have been touted as suitors for the Portugal international after Jurgen Klopp acknowledged the Reds may have to recruit a midfielder to ease their injury crisis.
Neves assumed the captain's armband at Wolves after Conor Coady was loaned to Everton, and scored a stunning long-range goal in their 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday.
The 25-year-old has scored 19 non-penalty goals for Wolves in all competitions, 16 of which have come from outside the penalty area. Since joining the Molineux club, he has scored four times as many goals from outside the box than any of his team-mates.
With Neves performing well despite Wolves' failure to win any of their first four Premier League games of the season, Lage is confident of retaining his services.
"Ruben is playing very well, that's why he was so important last season," Lage said. "He's started in a good moment. He has been amazing since the first day here. Now it's time to continue to work.
"I am 99 per cent he will stay with us for one more year. I can say 100, but you never know with the market.
"He is happy here, he is our captain and I am sure that he will be here to play for us. You can see that he is focused on his team and his game."
Although Neves looks set to stay at Molineux, defender Willy Boly could depart after failing to turn up for the Newcastle fixture despite being named in the matchday squad.
Boly has been linked with big-spending Premier League new boys Nottingham Forest, and Lage accused him of trying to "force something" after seeing his side pegged back late on in Sunday's draw.
Captain Karim Benzema scored twice in a wild finish as Real Madrid won 3-1 at Espanyol to preserve their 100 per cent record after three games of the LaLiga season.
Vinicius Junior's tidy finish was cancelled out by a goal from Joselu, who has made a habit of scoring against Madrid since spending three years early in his career with the capital club's 'Castilla' B team.
Benzema had a goal ruled out after the break, while Joselu almost pinched another, before Benzema turned in a cross from Rodrygo to snatch the points. Espanyol goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte was sent off in stoppage time and Benzema added his second from the subsequent free-kick as the game ended chaotically.
The result means Madrid move level on nine points with Real Betis, the next opponents for Carlo Ancelotti's team and the only other side with a perfect record.
Vinicius fired Madrid into a 12th-minute lead, meeting a smart pass from Aurelien Tchouameni close to the penalty spot and tucking a first-time shot past Lecomte and into the bottom-left corner.
However, it was Espanyol who struck next, equalising in the 43rd minute. Joselu took Oscar Gil's throughball on board and scored at the second attempt after Courtois made an initial save, with the ball rebounding kindly off Eder Militao for the home striker.
Joselu was in the thick of the penalty-area drama again just before the hour mark when Courtois had to desperately push away his left-footed strike amid a scramble.
Lecomte repelled a 20-yard curling strike from Benzema at the other end, before Madrid's talisman and captain had a goal disallowed for offside after he prodded in a low ball from Toni Kroos.
As the game entered its closing stages, Benzema met Rodrygo's expertly crafted cross from the left, tucking in a close-range volley at the far post to thoroughly deflate the hosts.
There was still time for more drama, Lecomte red-carded in stoppage time after a wild attempted tackle on Dani Ceballos just outside the penalty area. Benzema fired the set-piece from 20 yards beyond stand-in goalkeeper Leandro Cabrera, the captain and defender not quite up to the job.
Jules Kounde outlined his intention to win titles with Barcelona after finally making his long-awaited debut in the 4-0 victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
The defensive acquisition from Sevilla has had to be patient to make his bow, missing the opening two LaLiga matches against Rayo Vallecano and Real Sociedad as he was not registered.
Barcelona were unable to register further additions due to their delicate financial situation, with LaLiga requiring outgoing deals before he could officially join the ranks, but an agreement was reached ahead of the third game of the season.
Kounde immediately slotted into Xavi's defence for the 4-0 win, winning three of four duels, regaining possession on five occasions and misplacing just four of 58 attempted passes.
Now set for a big week, returning to former employers Sevilla next weekend before the club begin their Champions League campaign, Kounde has made it clear he wants to win trophies with the club.
"I have not played a lot, but I feel very good. I still need a while to get back to my best level," he said.
"I have come to Barca to win titles and to continue growing."
Kounde was utilised on the right side of defence for his debut and, while his preference is to play centrally, is happy to fill in wherever necessary.
"My main position is centre-back, but if the coach wants me to play on the right, then I will do my best to help the team," he said.
Head coach Xavi heaped praise upon the Frenchman, expressing his belief that he can become a crucial asset for the future as well as providing an immediate impact.
"When we talk about Kounde, we're speaking about a player that can mark an era at Barca," he said.
"He can do everything, play out from the back, has personality, leadership, can play in any defensive position. We've made a great signing."
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