Alex Neil praised his “exciting” Stoke side as they demolished 10-man Rotherham with a 4-1 Championship win.
Maritimo recruit Andre Vidigal was the highlight of the Potters’ six debutants as he capped an impressive display with a brace.
“I thought we looked like an exciting team,” Neil said. “We wanted to start the season well because there’s been a lot of optimism and a lot of talk.
“But the talk was always going to stop, so to win in the manner in which we did was very pleasing.”
Ki-Jana Hoever, returning for a second loan spell at the club, emphatically volleyed in the opener inside five minutes, while Vidigal’s quickfire double in first-half added time then handed Stoke a comfortable lead.
The Millers threatened a comeback when substitute Lee Peltier scored with his first touch straight after the restart.
However, Cafu’s red card ended any hope of a Rotherham reprieve and Jacob Brown capitalised to add the hosts’ fourth late on.
Neil added: “I thought the first goal was excellent and that set the tone, so to go on and score four goals was something we didn’t do very often last season.
“And to do it with six debutants in the team and a few more new players who came on, that speaks volumes for where the lads are.
“To get some of the new guys to score and get some of the performances we got – and to win at home so emphatically – was very pleasing.”
Neil singled out new addition Vidigal for individual praise, with the winger becoming the first Stoke player to net a brace on his debut since John Tudor in 1976.
He added: “It’s hard not to pick him (as man of the match) because he scored two goals and he had a header in the second half which their keeper made a wonderful save.
“He was really effective in the game. You can see his hunger to get into the middle of the box and get a goal and that’s going to be vitally important for us this season.”
Rotherham boss Matt Taylor expressed his frustration in a difficult afternoon for his visiting side.
“It was a tough afternoon for us,” he said.
“They’re a good team and they got on the front foot and we struggled to get any aspect of control.
“We did well to keep it at 1-0 for a large period of the first half and I was pleased that we showed enough character to stay in the game.
“But then (conceding) two goals in quick succession is really frustrating and it looked like a mountain to climb.
“There’s lots to take from it in terms of where we have to improve, but character and personality-wise, we were better in the second half.
“A lot of teams go two or three behind and almost when you’ve got nothing to lose, you play differently when the pressure’s off.
“Mentally we had nothing to lose and we asked them to show a little bit more belief; they started to show it but when Cafu got sent off, it was a difficult one for us.
“We weren’t sharp enough, bright enough or good enough in that first half and we know we can be better.
“We’ve caught a good team on a very good day and a poor day for ourselves, but we know we can improve in certain areas.”
'We are nearly there!' – Rodgers revels in huge Old Firm win as Celtic close in on title
In an Old Firm derby that was almost certain to decide the Scottish Premiership title race, the drama did not disappoint at Celtic Park as Brendan Rodgers savoured a pivotal 2-1 victory over rivals Rangers.
Rodgers’ side began Saturday three points ahead of their rivals with three games to go, and they are now six clear with two to play, meaning a 12th title in 13 years is all but secured.
Rangers battled hard but ultimately left themselves with too much to do.
John Lundstram was at the heart of the drama towards the end of the first half, doubling Celtic’s lead with an own goal shortly before he was sent off after a VAR review.
Rangers have scored in 33 of their 36 games, more often than any other team this season, and Cyril Dessers was on target to get one back, Matt O'Riley having earlier put the hosts ahead.
However, Rangers only attempted eight shots in the game, their lowest total in a single Premiership match this season.
Philippe Clement felt like his side were always in the contest despite going down to 10 men, but he was disappointed with the rash decision from Lundstram to make an ill-advised challenge on Alistair Johnston.
The Belgian told Sky Sports: "We didn’t start well enough – we were not good enough and giving away too many shots.
"We started to play after 2-0 and then we did good things, a few good crosses, but then of course taking a red card makes things ten times more complicated for us.
"After the red card my team kept on fighting, but the red card kills off our plan for the second half.
"It is totally unnecessary to make the tackle. It is a split-second wrong decision, but I do not forget all the things he [Lundstram] did well in the last couple of months.
"The team need to show the mentality they showed for the last 70 minutes because the first 20 was not good enough. They need to show it for 90.
"In the next two games and the Scottish Cup final it is important to show a reaction."
Rodgers' side will travel to Kilmarnock for their penultimate league match of the season on Wednesday, now only needing one point to secure the title with a match to spare.
Reflecting on a vital win that came despite O'Riley having a second-half penalty saved by Jack Butland, the Celtic boss said: "It is very significant, we are nearly there!
"Three points and another goal to the goal difference [advantage], so it’s a fantastic win. Right up until the penalty we were very good, the energy and the speed was outstanding. It was a brilliant day.
"Celtic supporters all around the world in bars and houses, they understand Celtic-Rangers is all about winning.
"The guys showed a great mentality and it’s three victories against Rangers in four games now.
"The crispness and quality of football was very good. They showed great courage. It’s there for us now, we’ve got to go on and win it."
Celtic have avoided defeat in all four Old Firm derbies in the Scottish Premiership this season (W3 D1), doing so for the first time since 2017-18.
The teams will still meet again this season, with the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park scheduled for May 25.
Gvardiol unfazed by Alvarez taking penalty as defender gives up hat-trick chance
Josko Gvardiol had no problem with Julian Alvarez taking a late penalty in Manchester City's 4-0 rout of Fulham, as he passed up the chance to score a memorable Premier League hat-trick.
Gvardiol scored in both halves as City crushed Marco Silva's men at Craven Cottage on Saturday, going top of the table ahead of Arsenal's trip to Manchester United on Sunday.
The defender slotted his finish into the bottom-left corner after exchanging passes with Kevin De Bruyne for his first, then stretched to prod Bernardo Silva's cross under Bernd Leno for his brace.
It looked like he might get the chance to make it a treble when Alvarez won a stoppage-time penalty, and the Croatian was deep in conversation with his team-mates around the spot before the Argentine dispatched the kick.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Gvardiol revealed he did put his name forward but had no qualms with regular taker Alvarez stepping up.
"Another two goals for me and of course another clean sheet, so I'm really happy," he said.
"We discussed me taking the penalty, and of course I said I would have liked to take it, but we know who the taker is, and he takes them."
After not scoring in any of his first 32 appearances for City across all competitions, Gvardiol has now netted five goals in his last seven games for the club.
None of his five goals have been scored with his favoured left foot, with four coming from his right and one via his head.
Asked what he put his hot streak down to, he added: "Nothing different, I think that is just normal in sports.
"Currently I am in good form and the end of the season is coming, we have three more finals and we've got to be ready. We just need to be focused on ourselves and keep going in that way.
Fulham only managed one shot in a flat performance, recording six touches in their opponents' area to City's 38.
Their hopes of a top-half finish are now officially over, but Silva is proud of their efforts this term, saying: "It was a successful season with the context of what happened in the summer.
"We had to rebuild and we did it really well. We did not have the power of the other teams but it was a success. Now is the moment to sit with the board and discuss what the possibilities are.
"If we want to take a step forward, we need to be clear and find out what the steps are in the market and go from there."
Arteta warns Arsenal they must be at their best to beat Man Utd at Old Trafford
Mikel Arteta has cautioned his Arsenal team they must be "at their best" if they are to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
After title rivals Manchester City won 4-0 at Fulham on Saturday to put Pep Guardiola's men within two victories of the Premier League title, Arsenal will look to keep the pressure on with a triumph at Old Trafford.
Those have been hard to come by of late for the Gunners, however, winning just one of their last 16 Premier League visits to United.
With that history in mind, Arteta knows his side will have to put in a top performance to claim the three points on Sunday, telling reporters: "I think every game has a different context.
"We know the difficulty. It's in our history when you look at what we've done over there. So we're going to have to be at our best to win the game."
United come into the contest in poor form, with a run of two wins in 10 league outings leaving them with an uphill battle if they are to qualify for any form of European football next season.
The Red Devils are currently eighth, six points behind fifth-placed Tottenham, and Erik ten Hag watched his side get hammered 4-0 at Crystal Palace on Monday.
However, Ten Hag still feels he has the backing of the United owners, saying: "They have common sense.
"They see when you have 32 different backlines, when you lose eight centre-backs and when we don't have a left full-back. They know that will have a negative impact on results."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester United – Marcus Rashford
Rashford has been involved in six goals in his last four Premier League starts against Arsenal, scoring four and assisting two. Overall, his 10 goal involvements against the Gunners (six goals, four assists) is his most against a single opponent in the Premier League, and he will look to once again haunt Arsenal on Sunday.
Arsenal – Bukayo Saka
Saka is an injury doubt for Sunday, which would be a bitter blow to their chances of victory considering his record against United. The winger has been involved in five Premier League goals against United (three goals, two assists), registering a goal (three) or assist (one) in each of his last four against them. Only Thierry Henry (12) has had a hand in more against the Red Devils for Arsenal than Saka in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – ARSENAL WIN
Arsenal are looking to complete the league double over United for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign, while they last won three in a row against the Red Devils between November 1997 and September 1998.
Having failed to score in 12 of their first 22 Premier League away games against United, Arsenal have found the net in each of their last nine league visits to Old Trafford.
The Gunners have though lost their final away league game in three of their four previous seasons under Arteta, with the exception being a 3-1 win at Palace in 2020-21. However, the Gunners are unbeaten when facing Manchester United in their final Premier League away game (one win, two draws), securing the title with a 1-0 win in 2001-02.
United have conceded 81 goals in all competitions this season, last conceding more in a single campaign back in 1970-71 (82).
United have also lost 18 games in all competitions this season, last losing more in a single campaign in 1977-78 (19).
Arsenal have kept 10 clean sheets away from home in the Premier League this season, last keeping more on the road in a single top-flight campaign in 1990-91 (13), and despite their poor recent record at Old Trafford, they look the favourites to pick up three much-needed points on Sunday.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Man Utd: 28.7%
Arsenal: 43.1%
Draw: 28.2%
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