What the papers say

Jadon Sancho is looking increasingly likely to call time at Old Trafford in January. The Daily Mail, citing Sky Germany, says the 23-year-old winger has been in regular contact with former club Borussia Dortmund, amid his stand-off with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

Staying with the Red Devils, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has emerged on the club’s radar for a potential January move. According to the Mail, the centre-back is viewed as a potential replacement should Harry Maguire depart the club in the new year. Branthwaite is also wanted by Manchester City, having impressed on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

And The Telegraph reports former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is open to replacing Michael Beale as Rangers manager.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Lionel Messi: The Daily Mirror says the Inter Miami forward will return to his first club, Newell’s Old Boys, when his contract expires in 2025.

Jeremie Frimpong: The left-back is set to re-sign with Bayer Leverkusen, according to the Daily Record.

Xisco Munoz apologised to Sheffield Wednesday’s supporters and said he would give it “until my last second” after a 1-0 defeat at West Brom left the Sky Bet Championship’s bottom team with the worst start in their history.

John Swift’s 13th-minute goal left the Owls with an eighth loss from the first 10 games of the Sky Bet Championship season, and they are already seven points adrift of the safety line.

Manager Munoz, 43, who led Watford to the Premier League in 2020-21, has taken just two points all season and none have come outside Yorkshire. Wednesday are also without a goal in 312 minutes of football.

“I understand the fans and I can only say sorry because it’s tough for everybody,” said the Spaniard.

“But as a manager, I can say we will continue until my last second.

“This is my life and I try to give my best to my players until my last minute.”

Munoz suggested he is running out of options after trying different permutations.

“We tried to change the formation and the players – I have used 24 or 25 players this season,” he added.

“We can play 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 5-3-2 but right now, we’re not finding the solutions.”

Munoz insisted he will keep persevering trying to find a winning formula.

“We need to continue trying to find what is better for us, we need to find which players we can use for the next game, what can hurt the opponent and how we can make better of these situations,” added the Spaniard.

“We played against a difficult style and a good team but the difference was nothing.”

West Brom made it five games unbeaten, during which they have kept four clean sheets and climbed to fifth.

Swift lashed home the only goal from six yards after Darnell Furlong played the ball down the right, Akin Famewo missed the chance to cut it out and Jed Wallace crossed low.

But just after the goal, Wednesday’s Juan Delgado missed Ashley Fletcher’s cross from point-blank range, then Tyreeq Bakinson’s curling shot was clawed away by goalkeeper Alex Palmer.

West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan saluted match-winner Swift, who scored his fifth goal of the season.

“When a player of his quality is mentally ready to compete he can be the difference,” he said.

Corberan admitted Albion found it hard going to find more goals.

“You change the feeling and change the game when you score from the opportunities you have,” he said.

“It was difficult to combat them from the set-pieces because they had a very physical team and when we won the second balls in the set-pieces, we couldn’t score the second goal to change the game.

“After one second ball and one set-piece, it led to two big opportunities that led Alex (Palmer) to achieve the clean sheet and the three points.”

Under-pressure Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job after his side’s horror start to the season continued with a Champions League home defeat to Galatasaray.

The Red Devils threw away a 2-1 lead to fall to a 3-2 loss at a rain-soaked Old Trafford and suffer their worst start to a season since 1986.

They have lost six of their opening 10 games for the first time in 37 years and their chances of getting out of the group stages already look in doubt after just two matches.

But Ten Hag, who says there are “no excuses” for his side’s dismal performances, insist everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction.

Asked whether he feared for his job, the Dutchman said: “Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect.

“We also knew in this project there would be common gaps. At this moment we are in a very difficult period as everyone can see but we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together and we are behind each other. That is me, the directors, the team, all together we will fight.

“This is not us, we know we have to do better, with togetherness we will come out.

“If I give an explanation, then you will see as excuses, there are no excuses. We can’t make the errors we are now making. We have to do better, it is a simple fact, we have to win our games.”

United had victory in their own hands after two Rasmus Hojlund goals, either side of former United winger Wilfried Zaha’s leveller, put them on course for a much-needed win.

But Kerem Akturkoglu again pegged them back and then a woeful error by Andre Onana set them on a path to self-destruction as his abysmal pass led to Casemiro fouling Dries Mertens in the penalty area and the Brazilian was sent off.

Mauro Icardi missed the resulting penalty, but made amends three minutes later as he grabbed the winner and sealed a first ever victory on English soil for the Turkish side.

Onana also made a costly gaffe in the Group A opener at Bayern Munich a fortnight ago but Ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, has backed the Cameroonian to come good.

“We are happy with our goalkeeping group, definitely with Andre,” Ten Hag said. “He was in one semi-final of the Champions League, last year he was in the final of the Champions League, he has the capablilties to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

“He has shown that and he will do. We already have seen in games his great capabilites, also his personality after he made mistakes. He will bounce back and I am sure he will in the coming games as well.”

Galatasaray were good value for their victory and are now a good bet to progress to the knockout stages, having taken four points from their opening two games.

“In the second half I believe we played better, we had more chances,” coach Okan Buruk said. “At the end of the day we are happy, we won against this team, a very important team.

“This victory is very important for Turkish football, for us and for our standing in the group.”

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho was thrilled after Conor Shaughnessy’s late heroics handed his table-toppers a 2-1 victory over Wycombe.

Centre-back Shaughnessy bagged his first Pompey goal in the 98th minute when he connected with Jack Sparkes’ corner to send Fratton Park wild.

Pompey had gone behind to Wycombe captain Josh Scowen’s near post-flick from Luke Leahy’s in-swinging corner in the 22nd minute but responded after 58 minutes when Abu Kamara’s low cross was stabbed in by Colby Bishop, who netted his sixth goal of the season.

Mousinho said: “It feels amazing to be honest. To have the reaction to scoring the goal in front of the Fratton End; the whole stadium went up.

“I thought we thoroughly deserved the win. We obviously left it very late, and I only allowed myself a few seconds to celebrate because I knew I had to get Sean Raggett on straight away”

“I thought our chance had gone when Colby missed a chance at the far post.

“My emotions wouldn’t have been quite as happy if we hadn’t scored that late goal but I would have been as happy with the performance and how we went about things. Overall I’m pleased with tonight.

“We stood up to the physical test really well. Wycombe are really good at what they do. They have a Premier League centre forward and have plenty of Championship calibre behind it.

“We went a goal behind and it is difficult from there. Wycombe sat in and made it difficult. We stuck at it under difficult circumstances and were absolutely superb.”

Pompey recorded their 22nd game unbeaten in Sky Bet League One to stay top.

Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield complained Shaughessy’s winner had come after a foul on his goalkeeper Max Stryjek.

He said: “I am very angry and frustrated, and also sorry for the supporters who made the journey on a Tuesday night.

“It was a blatant foul on the goalkeeper for their second. Their player jumps into him and prevents him from catching the ball and flattens him.

“I was very proud of the lads tonight and thought we carried a threat even in the second half. We deserved something from the game.

“Decisions against us are becoming a regular occurrence.

“It is so disappointing that the lads work extremely hard and decisions like that cost us getting something out of the game. That’s the second game in a row we have been hard done by.

“We were really looking forward to this game, so disappointed to come away with nothing.

“We obviously have to pick ourselves up from this. We go to Fleetwood on Saturday, and we need to start getting points.”

AFC Wimbledon manager Johnnie Jackson hailed Omar Bugiel’s cleanest of match-winning strikes against Harrogate as a reward for the “dirty work” he has been putting in for the team.

Bugiel’s first league goal since a summer move from Sutton saw him seal a 1-0 win at Wetherby Road, courtesy of a sumptuous, sixth-minute shot with the outside of his right foot.

It ended the Lebanon international’s 13-game personal drought in league contests and also sealed a third straight win for the impressive Dons, with manager Jackson enthusing: “It was a brilliant goal.

“He’s got that ability to score more but he also enjoys the dirty parts of the game and setting his mates up, which he has been doing for us. I’m pleased to see him on the scoresheet, though, and it was a goal worthy of winning any game.”

Jackson went on to suggest that the victory was his “favourite” of the season, as the team won by the slenderest of margins but never looked in danger of surrendering their early lead as the hosts were restricted to just two shots at goal all evening.

The former Charlton chief added: “It was a really good win and probably my favourite of the season because Harrogate is a tough place to come, a long way from home on a Tuesday night and a real test of your mettle, which we passed to get a clean sheet and a 1-0 win.

“We have played better this season, but I still regard it as our best win.

“The scoreline wasn’t comfortable, because it was only 1-0, but it felt comfortable because it did not feel like they were going to break us down. I couldn’t see them playing through us and it was a really solid away performance.”

Home boss Simon Weaver, meanwhile, was less impressed with Bugiel’s match-winning effort.

“It was a soft goal to concede,” he argued. “He’s got to be brought down or stopped there and it was a goal that could have been prevented, which is not characteristic of us.

“Our reaction to conceding was good, because we asked the players to keep passing the ball, which they did, and we played some good stuff but without ever looking ominous in and around the penalty area.

“It wasn’t for the wasn’t of trying, but we lacked the creativity and dynamism in the final third to upset them and had no cutting edge.

“After the first 10 minutes of the second half, the game then got a bit bitty and I tried to change that by going a more orthodox 4-4-2 with the substitutes but I can’t say we were any better, so that’s down to me.”

Russell Martin hopes Southampton can kick their Sky Bet Championship campaign on again after putting a bad run of form behind them with a 1-0 win over Stoke.

Stuart Armstrong’s first-half free-kick proved the difference at the bet365 Stadium as Saints secured back-to-back victories, while the Potters slipped to their fifth loss in seven Championship games.

The victory in the Potteries followed a 3-1 triumph versus Leeds last Saturday and the successive wins came after a four-game losing run, with Martin hoping their toughest moment of the season has been and gone.

“I think it’s been two of our best performances, tonight I think was probably our best one, our most complete one,” he said.

“I feel like we should have scored a couple more goals and we limited them to very little really, although they threw everything at us in the end.

“To follow up the effort it took on Saturday to come here and such a tough place, a good team with a really excellent manager, to come here and do what we did, I’m really proud of the boys.

“They’re playing for each other, they’re playing for us and the last two games will hopefully come at the end of the toughest moment we’ll have together.

“I think every team has a tough period and ours has come early on after a good start and playing against a really difficult fixture schedule.

“We found a bit of rhythm now and hopefully we can maintain that.”

Alex Neil, while proud of Stoke’s efforts, voiced frustration at key refereeing decisions including Josh Laurent’s foul on Armstrong for the winning free-kick and Nathan Lowe being bundled over by Jan Bednarek after the break which he felt was a penalty.

He said: “I think all you ever ask your team to do and individual players is to give everything they’ve got and I thought we got that.

“I don’t think we can have any complaints in terms of the efforts of the players.

“We got undone by one moment of quality where the ball ends up in the top corner.

“I think certainly if you look at the foul that they get for their goal and you look at the foul in the box, if you’re going to compare both in terms of contact.

“I think if you look at the two directives at the start of the season, one was based around soft contact for fouls and not buying into soft contact, which I thought for the first foul was really soft, and the other was was timewasting, and I didn’t think any of the directives this evening were carried out well enough in terms of the game at all.”

Mnager John Eustace condemned the alleged racist abuse aimed at midfielder Juninho Bacuna during Birmingham’s 4-1 victory over Huddersfield.

The game was stopped late in the second half when referee Sam Allison went to speak to Eustace and Terriers counterpart Darren Moore after the issue was raised on the field of play.

Speaking afterwards, with his side having won after two goals from Siriki Dembele and one each from Koji Miyoshi and Jordan James, Eustace made his feelings clear.

“I believe that Bacuna was racially abused by one of our fans which is obviously disgusting,” he said.

“It’s not something that we expect in society, let alone football. Birmingham is very proud of how diverse we are as a club and a city and there is certainly nowhere near any room for that at all.

“It’s very disappointing. They have reported it, it’s bang out of order.”

Moore said of the incident: “It’s a shame that it’s going to cloud the game tonight, because from Birmingham’s point of view it’s a good three points for them, but the incident is going to overshadow it.

“The referee stopped the game, called both managers over, said there was an incident in the corner from a home spectator directed at the home player and though the home player didn’t want to report it, our player Tom Edwards heard it. Both players heard it clearly and it’s gone on report.

“They’ve got video evidence and we will let the footballing authorities, referee and match officials get to the conclusion with it.

“It’s not something we condone in the game, but it’s still there and we show our support.”

Eustace was pleased with the performance of Dembele, who opened the scoring in the third minute and added his second in the 64th, sandwiching Miyoshi’s strike after 23 minutes.

Michal Helik pulled one back in the second minute of stoppage time but James had the last word three minutes later.

Eustace said: “The performance was good, it shows that when you are clinical it makes a big difference.

“Performances over the last four or five games have been good, we haven’t got enough points from them and tonight we were very clinical in the final third, which was really pleasing.

“Dems has come in, we have given him a platform to play, it has been very frustrating from everyone that he hasn’t been able to play over the last six or seven games.

“The last two games I’ve had to get him the right minutes to be able to perform.

“Tonight was always going to be a game I wanted to start him in, so it’s been frustrating for me to only use him as a bit-part player in the last few games, but there is a method to my madness.

“We’ve had to protect him in the right way and I thought tonight he was outstanding.”

Moore was far from happy with the Terriers’ display.

“The performance obviously wasn’t the best in terms of what we have set in recent weeks,” he said.

“We gave ourselves a mountain to climb in terms of the first goal. When I look at all four goals they were uncharacteristic of us. Goals three and four we were in possession of the ball, gave it away and got punished for it.

“I didn’t think we were clean enough with the ball, I didn’t think our patterns were quite as effective tonight. It’s just a bad night.

“We will learn from this and we will to move on. We suffer together as a group and we quickly apply it because we’ve got a quick turnaround.”

Bristol Rovers manager Joey Barton tipped striker Jevani Brown to “go from strength to strength” after his first goal for the club sealed a comfortable 3-0 League One victory over 10-man Port Vale at the Memorial Stadium.

Barton praised Brown after his 20-yard goal late on completed a good night’s work for the summer signing from Exeter, who put the Gas on course for victory when he crossed for Luke McCormick to head the hosts into a 25-minute lead.

Vale defender Jesse Debrah was sent off after 38 minutes for a second bookable offence before right-back Jack Hunt popped up in first-half stoppage-time to double the lead and then Brown capped a fine personal show in style, four minutes from time.

Barton said: “Jevani’s a quality operator and that goal was important because it will lift a weight off his shoulders and I’m sure that he’ll now go from strength to strength for us.

“It was his best performance in the blue and white quarters and a lovely top-binner like that right in front of our most vociferous fans will certainly settle him and endear him to the supporters.

“It was a hell of a ball in for the first goal and everyone in the stadium now knows what a top-notch operator JB is.”

Barton says he is confident Brown will turn Rovers into a formidable attacking force.

He added: “JB’s had to be patient because it takes bit of time to get up to speed but tonight we looked unplayable up front with JB, Aaron Collins and Chris Martin and their pace and link-up play.

“I always knew his goal would come and I’m buzzing for him. We’re lucky to have him at our club. We have had to be streetwise to beat the rat race for him.

“But I know he’ll bear fruit over the next few months amid all the challenges we face this season.”

Vale boss Andy Crosby tipped former Halifax defender Debrah to learn from his sending off.

Crosby said: “Jesse is going to be fantastic for our club. He’s got fantastic attributes and we’ll be there to support him. He’ll learn from this and we’ll back him.”

“The referee has made a decision but I’m not sure (over) the first one, which looked like just a coming-together from the bench.

“As soon as you go down to 10 men, it’s going to be extremely difficult but the referee had a decision to make, the rules have changed in terms of how tackles are interpreted. It was a cheap one.”

Crosby praised his side for their show of resilience in the second half.

Crosby added: “We beat their press numerous times and got into their final third many times but if you don’t track your men into your own box and concede poor goals, you give yourself a big mountain to climb.

“We freshened things up at half-time with four changes to stay in the game and I’m so proud of the players’ reaction because they kept fighting and didn’t go under. We hung in there and defeat is difficult to take.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards could not hide his disappointment following Burnley’s late winner, admitting his side should have got more from the game.

Jacob Bruun Larsen’s stunning strike made it 2-1 just one minute after Elijah Adebayo had drawn the Hatters level as the Clarets snatched a first win of the Premier League season.

Edwards said the result hurt after Luton had got off the mark with a 2-1 win at Everton on Saturday.

“I’m obviously really disappointed with the result, we’re down, flat and hurting because of the manner of it (the loss),” Edwards said.

“We pushed, we had set-pieces, we went forward in numbers and were brave, aggressive and didn’t allow them the control they wanted.

“But we come away with nothing and that hurts.

“The lads gave everything. The fans were clapping at the end and if they’re doing that then we’re doing the right things, but everybody will be disappointed because we should have taken something from the game.”

Luton were left to rue missed chances, having taken just one of 18 attempts.

And Edwards admitted his side, who have scored six goals in seven matches, are struggling to find the back of the net.

“We had big chances and openings, so if we weren’t doing that I’d be more worried. But we did create and I think there are positives and we’re going in the right direction,” he added.

“It’s the hardest part of football, scoring a goal, we have to keep arriving, trying to create the chances, be there with good numbers, keep working on technique, which we can practice in training.

“But other than that it’s down to the players to find a way to put it in.

“I thought we pretty much dominated the second half.

“We’ve had 15 shots inside the box tonight and only scored one. That’s proving to be the difficult thing for us at the moment.”

Vincent Kompany was delighted after his side “battled” in the second half to pick up points on the road.

He said: “It was a complete performance in the first half and in the second half it was a battle and we showed character. From our defenders to our midfielders, coming in for second balls.

“Those who know us from the Championship will know we enjoy these type of games as well and it’s not something we shy away from.”

Neil Harris ruefully admitted Gillingham missed the influence of club captain Shaun Williams as they went down to a fourth defeat in seven games.

Goals from Connor O’Riordan and Joe White secured a 2-0 win to move the Railwaymen up to third in the Sky Bet League Two table.

The Gills have dropped out of the top seven and their current form is in stark contrast to the blistering start they made to the campaign when they led the table in mid-August.

Harris rested midfielder Williams and felt others did not step up to the challenge to show the type of leadership exhibited by the missing 36-year-old.

“We went behind to the softest of goals and I’ve got to look at that and see if I’ve got the right players out there or whether I need to change the way I want to play,” said Harris.

“We’ve fallen short and it wasn’t through not creating chances. But whether the mentality was right in the group or whether there was enough leadership and desire out there without Shaun Williams, I don’t know.

“Shaun was missed badly tonight, but I rested him because of the way he carries himself when he plays 90 minutes at the weekend, which means he struggles to make a Tuesday night squad.

“He is such an important player for us, but people have to step up and take responsibility. We have to find it in ourselves to make sure that we come to places like Crewe and be harder to beat than that.

“Crewe have been excellent at home and are 13 games unbeaten. You have to give them credit for that, but this was a game we should still be winning.”

O’Riordan’s far-post header edged the Cheshire side ahead in the 30th minute after Gillingham had threatened early on when Ethan Coleman thumped against a post and George Lapslie fired over.

Defender O’Riordan finished off a Zac Williams cross as Crewe worked the ball back into the box following a corner.

Macauley Bonne should have levelled soon after when Robbie McKenzie’s shot was pushed into his path by goalkeeper Harvey Davies, only for the striker to fire the rebound wide with the net gaping.

Crewe held firm in the second half and the closest Gillingham went to levelling was when Coleman headed a corner wide.

The home side sealed victory when substitutes Aaron Rowe and White combined, with the latter netting his first goal of his loan spell from Newcastle with five minutes remaining.

Crewe boss Lee Bell said: “We had to work hard for that as Gillingham are a good team with an excellent manager. We rode our luck a couple of times in the first half and Harvey Davies made an outstanding save.

“But our shape was excellent and we really nullified them in the second half, and took our chance to seal it on the break. It was good to see Joe White tuck that away.

“I was really pleased with our defending against a team that can really hurt you. That is 13 games unbeaten at home overlapping from last season.

“We want to make the place a fortress and a hard place for teams to come to. But we also played some decent football tonight and we had some dangerous moments.”

Michael Appleton feels Charlton are showing they are no longer a “soft touch” after responding to adversity in their 4-1 victory over Exeter.

The Addicks have taken 11 points from a possible 15 to move within striking distance of the League One play-offs and are unbeaten under their head coach, who was appointed last month.

Charlton had to fight back from going a goal down in the 23rd minute. The hosts were opened up by Reece Cole’s pass, with Exeter striker James Scott slipping his finish past Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Charlton levelled just before half-time through the in-form Corey Blackett-Taylor, his third goal in the last four fixtures.

Alfie May’s poacher instincts bailed out Chuks Aneke after his 65th-minute penalty was pushed onto the base of the post by Exeter keeper Viljami Sinisalo, racing into the box to hammer in from close range.

Exeter’s cause was not helped by captain Will Aimson’s dismissal for a challenge on May. Substitute Miles Leaburn then emphatically drove home Charlton’s third before May took his goal tally for the campaign to five after Blackett-Taylor once again caused City huge problems.

Appleton said: “There was a little bit of a lapse in concentration for their goal. But we keep responding, which is really, really pleasing.

“I said it in my programme notes – there was a question mark over them as a group, maybe being a bit of a soft touch. It was something I wanted to eradicate and make sure it doesn’t happen.

“When we have been asked questions over the first four games they have responded really, really well.

“We were good second half. The worry when the opposition go down to 10 men is that they are going to take an extra touch and slow it down a bit but we did the opposite and that was great to see.

“We camped for long, long periods in their last third. We can still be a bit more patient but it is very difficult for me to be critical of the team tonight because they gave me everything they had.”

Grecians boss Gary Caldwell was critical of referee David Rock over both Aimson’s dismissal and the penalty decision.

He said: “If you get the ball, how is it a red card? It’s clear he wins the ball.

“Alfie May does what clever players do – he buys the foul and rolls around to buy the red card. That’s football – I’m not having a go at him – but the ref has been conned.

“I got a reaction from my players all night – I don’t think the players got any help in the game. The gameplan was working to a tee in the first half and we had opportunities to go 2-0 up, that was frustrating.

“If the penalty for Charlton is a penalty then we have a penalty in the first half. They are identical actions and we don’t get it.

“We are not getting any big moments and tonight we didn’t get anything from decisions – it went strongly against us when you need it to go in your favour for big games.”

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to play Bukayo Saka as the Arsenal winger limped out of their Champions League defeat to Lens.

The Gunners had taken the lead through Gabriel Jesus but Adrien Thomasson levelled following a David Raya error before Saka hobbled out of the game.

Lens would go on to win 2-1 courtesy of a second-half strike from Elye Wahi but it was the injury to Saka that will have concerned Arteta more.

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit the Emirates Stadium in five days and Saka’s involvement is now in doubt with the England forward having been forced off in the last three games.

Asked if he regretted picking Saka following his issues against both Tottenham and Bournemouth, Arteta replied: “No. It was a knock that he had the other day and he was perfectly fine. It was a back-heel, an action that can produce that kind of injury.

“Let’s see what the extent of it is and afterwards it’s too late. The last few were more knocks than anything else.

“He hasn’t really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford (in the Carabao Cup) last week and that was all.

“He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and felt something muscular. He felt uncomfortable to carry on so we had to take him off.

“We don’t know anything more. It was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s a worry for us.

“He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night. I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it.

“But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson.”

The defeat ended a forgettable 24 hours for Arsenal after bad weather grounded Arteta and his players at Luton airport for five hours on Monday as their journey to France was delayed.

Now their hopes of avoiding a bumpy ride in qualifying for the knockout stages have also suffered a setback after a turbulent night at a rocking Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

“No, let’s not put excuses,” Arteta said when asked if the preparations for the game had impacted on a poor team performance.

“First of all, congratulations to Lens. They are a really good side. Really well coached. We knew it was going to be a really tough match.

“In the boxes we had four or five chances we didn’t put away and we didn’t defend the boxes well enough.

“It’s true there were moments in the second half we struggled to be more threatening in the final third and find spaces.

“They defended with those numbers really good. That’s something to take for the next game.”

Lens had started the season slowly but won their two Ligue 1 games leading into a first Champions League home game in 21 years and defender Kevin Danso was delighted with the outcome.

“We gave it our all today in front of our own fans,” he said.

“It was a difficult game, Arsenal had a lot of quality and made us sit back really deep, but we kept defending and kept our concentration. Luckily we won the game.

“At home we know how strong we are, in front of our fans. That’s what we always try to do: win at home. I’m a bit gutted about the clean sheet, but we’ll take the three points definitely.”

Dino Maamria hailed an “absolutely outstanding” performance as Burton finally secured a first home League One win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Wigan.

Two goals from Joe Powell, the first a stunning 25-yarder and the second from the penalty spot after Kell Watts had handled in the box, secured the three points after Charlie Hughes had put Wigan in front just before half-time.

Albion had to finish the game with 10 men after Beryly Lubala picked up a second yellow card making it a nervy end for Albion and the manager.

“I am delighted for the lads because they work so hard and people don’t see the graft that they put in and the setbacks we keep getting,” Maamria said.

“But they keep rising and we never lost belief in what we are doing and I thought tonight’s performance was absolutely outstanding.

“It was a different type of performance. To beat a very good Wigan team here in the way that we beat them is a real credit to the players.

“After a slow start we took control of the game and should have scored at least a couple and then to concede from the long throw was a real kick in the teeth.”

Maamria reserved praise for Powell, who is rapidly becoming one of the real leaders in the Brewers squad.

“We have got some big players but probably the biggest turnaround since I’ve been in charge is Powelly,” he said.

“He is not just what you see on the pitch. He is a proper voice in the dressing room and a true leader in there. We have a few young ones leading but he is right up there.”

For Wigan it was a third defeat in a row and just one win in the last six league games after a fine start to the season.

Boss Shaun Maloney knew his side were in for a tough encounter against the Brewers.

“I knew what type of match it was going to be. It was never going to be really open or free flowing so the game went how I thought it would,” he said.

“Two moments in the game cost us the result. I have no complaints on the penalty. I can’t be too critical because the players, in general, they gave me the performance that I wanted.

“Today I felt we didn’t quite get what we deserved. A draw maybe but at 1-0 I felt pretty comfortable. We will have moments like this throughout the season.

“What I didn’t expect was that when you have this sort of moment, like we have over the last two or three games, the impact it can have on the mindset. A bit longer lasting than I thought and these results feel harder because of our position in the table.”

Darrell Clarke vowed to turn Cheltenham’s fortunes around after their 2-0 defeat by Fleetwood saw them equal the EFL record with 11 scoreless games in succession.

Goals from Junior Quitirna and Jack Marriott secured a second win in a row for Fleetwood, with Curtis Davies’ red card in the 70th minute adding to the bottom-placed Robins’ misery.

Clarke, who was on the touchline for the first time since being unveiled as their new boss on Friday, admitted there will be no quick fix.

“The fans made their feelings known after the game and you can’t keep beating the players with a stick,” Clarke said.

“I don’t think it was a lack of effort, to be honest. It’s just a real lack of quality through the team, wrong decision making and players looking like little boys in a really tough league.

“That’s the reality of it and same as I said to my players in there, they are going to get all my support to try and turn them into men and into footballers because for a lot of them this is going to be a really harsh lesson.

“I am old enough and ugly enough to understand where we are at, but I will get it right, I know I will.

“There will be a lot sleepless nights ahead, a lot of hard work, but that’s what I am here for and owe it to our fans to make sure we can get a team out there they are going to be proud of.”

Quitirna curled a free-kick inside the bottom corner from 20 yards in the 19th minute to set Lee Johnson’s side on their way to a second successive victory.

Cheltenham were close to ending their drought in the fifth minute when Jovan Malcolm’s shot from 12 yards hit the post and Sean Long’s follow-up attempt flashed wide.

Davies saw a header gathered on the line by Jay Lynch 10 minutes into the second half.

But the veteran defender was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Ryan Broom in the 70th minute.

Jayden Stockley’s effort rebounded off the bar and Marriott reached quickest to tap in from close range and seal the win.

Fleetwood’s assistant manager Darren Way said: “I think from start to finish we were well organised.

“The lads implemented what the gaffer wanted. It’s been very rewarding for everyone involved and I felt we could’ve scored more.

“The gaffer is implementing a new style and philosophy and the great thing is that the players are willing to learn. He wants a team playing on the front foot.

“We’re a work in progress, but everyone can see what we’re trying to do. Every staff member is driving standards every day.”

Millwall boss Gary Rowett was delighted with his side’s response to Saturday’s defeat to Swansea as they moved up to 11th in the Championship on the back of a superb defensive display in a 2-0 win at Plymouth.

Zian Flemming put Millwall ahead in the 59th minute and then teed up substitute George Saville for a second goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time to seal victory.

Rowett said: “We needed to respond from our previous game at home, which we weren’t happy about but this is what the Championship is made of.

“You have got to move on very quickly and find a way to win the next game and that’s what we’ve done.”

He said: “When I saw it was Plymouth away, I knew it would be a tough game.

“I have seen them play and seen a lot of their games at home. We saw the Norwich game and they have got a lot of quality and a lot of energy and more importantly a lot of confidence.

“You can feel the excitement and the energy of the crowd. I knew it would be a test for us today and our game plan was to sit a little deeper and see if they can break us down and entice them forward.

“I just felt that would open up some spaces on the transition.

“They are a good side and I think they will win a lot of games here.

“We were diligent and did enough to stop them breaking us down.

“You have to ride out some of those defensive moments of pressure and I felt our forward players would have the beating of their defenders if we got into those transitions spaces.

“You wait for that moment of brilliance and I think Duncan Watmore showed it, lovely touch bought it down, cuts inside and a lovely little flick pass with the outside of his boot and then Zian with a good timing of his run, splits the defence and lifts it over the keeper.

“It’s a good-quality finish. Just at that moment when you think ‘are we going to see it out?’, it’s always nice to get that second one. It doesn’t half make you feel good because you know the game is over then.”

Frustrated Argyle boss Steven Schumacher said: “Obviously we wanted to get a better result than that.

“I felt the way we played, especially early on in the game, the way we passed the ball, the energy and the quality that we showed was really good.

“We got into some dangerous areas but didn’t quite make the most of those opportunities. Some of that was excellent defending from them and some of it was poor decision making from us.

“It was frustrating overall because on the balance of it I thought we definitely deserved something from the game.

“I think we will play worse than that and get a result and as I said, it was not the way we wanted the game to go. Especially once they scored it got harder.

“I think we got in around the back of them a few times in the first half but there was a couple of opportunities where we should have been allowed to continue but the referee pulled the game back on the counter attack.

“Once they got their first goal, I thought they defended their box really well. They weren’t interested in coming out again and did what you expected a Millwall team to do.”