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• Fowler completes turnaround as Man City maintain excellent Women's Champions League start

  Manchester City made it two wins from two in the Women's Champions League, after coming from behind to beat St. Polten 3-2.

  The Women's Super League leaders at least temporarily leapfrogged Hammarby to the Group D summit after Mary Fowler's late header sealed the points at the Generali Arena.

  City made a positive start and broke the deadlock after just six minutes thanks to a superb 25-yard strike from Alanna Kennedy.

  St. Polten goalkeeper Carina Schluter made a superb double-save to thwart Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Aoba Fujino, while Fowler hit the crossbar before the hosts levelled in the 41st minute through Melanie Brunnthaler.

  They completed the turnaround eight minutes after the restart when Sarah Mattner-Trembleau found Kamila Dubcova, who swivelled and fired home.

  However, the visitors were level within four minutes, as Fujino turned home Chloe Kelly's cross at the far post for her first City goal.

  And City secured three points 10 minutes from time when Fowler rose to meet Lauren Hemp's corner and nod beyond Schluter.

  St. Polten have now won just one of their 15 matches at home in the Champions League, with that sole victory coming against Zurich in December 2020 (2-0). 

  Elsewhere, Bayern Munich made it back-to-back wins in Group C with a 2-0 victory over Juventus, who suffered their first home Champions League defeat in seven matches.

  Linda Dallman put the visitors in front on 17 minutes at Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora while Pernille Harder – last week's hat-trick hero against Arsenal – wrapped up the win in the 73rd minute.

• Sahin urges Dortmund supporters to keep the faith despite slow start

  Nuri Sahin has called for calm after Borussia Dortmund's slow start to the season, urging supporters not to cast doubt on the path the club are on. 

  Dortmund sit seventh in the Bundesliga standings after claiming 10 points from their opening six games, though they entered the international break on the back of a defeat. 

  Kevin Vogt and Yorbe Vertessen's goals helped Union Berlin to a 2-1 win, marking Dortmund's second consecutive away loss, taking only one point on their travels so far.

  Sahin, who was appointed Dortmund's boss in June, has insisted his team's away form is a priority, though his full focus remains on this Friday's home clash with St. Pauli. 

  "It's not that I want to run away from away games or anything, but it's just a fact that we've only picked up one point from the three away games in the league...," Sahin said. 

  "If you're 16th in the away table, you're not going to achieve your goals. You have to build on that.

  "We can very happily do that before the game against Augsburg... Then we can talk about it. But now my full focus is on the home game against St Pauli.

  "To cast doubt on our path after six matchdays would be fatal.

  "That's not what we're doing. We're going to go our own way. Of course, you have to make adjustments with every game you play."

  Sahin also took the time to congratulate former coach Thomas Tuchel, who on Wednesday was confirmed as England's new boss. 

  Tuchel managed Dortmund for two seasons between 2015-2017, leading them to the DFB Pokal in his second term at the helm. 

  The German won 67 of his 107 games in charge (D23 L17), ending with a win percentage of 62.6%, a total he only bettered during his time at Paris Saint-Germain (74.8%). 

  Sahin worked with Tuchel for two seasons, and wished his former manager well in his new adventure.

  "I can only congratulate the FA on getting a great coach. I dare not say, whether it will work out or not," Sahin said.

  "I have great admiration for Thomas Tuchel. I know that he can give this team a lot... congratulations to a very good head coach."

• The sky is the limit for soaring Seagulls, insists Hurzeler

  Fabian Hurzeler failed to put a ceiling on Brighton’s potential after watching his side roar back from two goals down to beat Tottenham 2-0 ahead of the international break.

  The 31-year-old, appointed at the start of the season, was facing criticism after the Seagulls had gone four Premier League games without a victory, though he silenced those doubters, with Brighton now sixth in the standings ahead of facing Newcastle at St. James’ Park on Saturday.

  And despite only being in the infancy of his tenure on the south coast, Hurzeler is confident his side can continue to build on their impressive start to the campaign.  

  “I don't judge the performances by the results because in the end I'm completely convinced that if you focus on the process the results will come,” Hurzeler said.

  “It’s normal to have ups and downs, and we had a small down against Chelsea. But we learnt from it and if you improve individually and as a group will always get better.

  “The league is so competitive, you must work hard for momentum and use it when you have it. But, of course, I have a lot of trust in the potential of my team.”

  For Newcastle, a goalless draw at Everton last time out made it four Premier League games without a win, but the Magpies sit level on points with this weekend’s opponents, separated only by goal difference in the standings.

  After starting the campaign with three wins from their first four games, Eddie Howe acknowledged his side’s drop-off, but knows his side have room for improvement, which he hopes will start on home soil against Brighton.

  “So far, we have seen that the group is together. We have seen that the group is motivated to do well, and we know we can play better, and we know we can do more so that is the challenge that I have to set to the players,” Howe said.

  Howe was also hopeful that both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson would be available for the visit of the Seagulls, with an attacking edge needed having scored just three goals in their last four matches in all competitions.

  "We hope so. They are two huge players for us. When you take any focal point out of a team it has an impact. Would it have made the difference today,” Howe said. “I'm not sure but we are looking forward to having them back."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Newcastle – Anthony Gordon

  Gordon has enjoyed games against Brighton in recent years, scoring two goals in four appearances against them, only finding the net more against Manchester United (three) in the Premier League.

  The England international has created more chances (15) for the Magpies than any other player, while he also has the joint-most completed dribbles (11) in Howe’s ranks, alongside Bruno Guimaraes.

   

  Brighton – Kaoru Mitoma

  Mitoma has carried the ball further than any other winger in the Premier League this season (1568 metres), though his assist against Tottenham last time out was his first goal contribution in four matches.

  Meanwhile, only Cole Palmer and Jarrod Bowen (eight each) have created more chances following a ball carry than Mitoma (seven).

  MATCH PREDICTION: BRIGHTON WIN

  Brighton have lost just two of their 14 Premier League meetings with Newcastle (W5 D7), though both defeats have come across their last three visits to St James’ Park.

  However, the Seagulls have impressed in front of goal this year. They have scored two or more goals in each of their last three Premier League games, last having a longer such run in January 2023 (five). Indeed, they’ve netted multiple goals in five of their seven league games so far this season, having failed to do so in any of their final 13 games in 2023-24.

  No team has conceded fewer second half goals than Brighton in the Premier League this season (two), with their latest goal against them coming in the 70th minute (vs Nottingham Forest). However, opponents Newcastle have also shipped a joint-low two goals after half-time.

  Although this weekend’s hosts have lost just one of their last eight Premier League games (W4 D3), Newcastle are winless in their last three (D2 L1). However, at home, the Magpies are unbeaten in their last 11 (W6 D5).

  They are also unbeaten in their last three Premier League games against Brighton at St. James’ Park (W2 D1), having failed to win any of their first four against them without scoring a single goal (D2 L2).

  However, only Nottingham Forest (four) have had fewer shots than Newcastle following a high turnover in the Premier League this season (five), while the Magpies have also faced the most such efforts in the competition this term (18).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Newcastle – 50.4%

  Draw – 24.3%

  Brighton – 23.3%