Pedri was the hero for Barcelona as they saw off a LaLiga challenge from Celta Vigo to take an unpersuasive 1-0 win on Sunday.

Despite a bright, almost bombastic start from Xavi's side, the Blaugrana gradually faded once again in defence of an early lead, ultimately escaping with all three points intact.

A week on from a similar performance against Mallorca, questions may be lingering about Barca's prowess, even as they sit top of the table.

Yet after the sting of a Champions League loss to Inter in midweek, the Catalans were at least back to winning ways, while Celta were left to rue their difficulty in securing a draw.

A dominant start from Barcelona hinted at a blowout scoreline, and Pedri's poacher's finish following a deflection in the 17th minute certainly whet the appetite.

But a subsequent struggle to find a second goal before the break did little to dispel a nervous air around Camp Nou, especially with just under a dozen chances otherwise squandered by the hosts.

That gnawing unease manifested itself in a markedly scratchier start to the second half, during which Celta gradually began to impose more of a threat.

Such pressure seemed to tell when Jorgen Strand Larsen headed home with 20 minutes left, but the offside flag spared Barca's blushes, and from there they held on all the way for a less-than-convincing result.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 700th goal in club football helped Manchester United come from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ronaldo, introduced as a first-half substitute following an injury to Anthony Martial, found the net with a low, left-footed strike at the end of a back-and-forth opening period at Goodison Park.

Alex Iwobi had earlier taken advantage of Casemiro's error to put Everton ahead with a long-range strike, with Antony levelling to maintain his fine start to life in England. 

Erik ten Hag's men produced a controlled display following Ronaldo's intervention, keeping Everton at arm's length to go fifth in the Premier League table, one point adrift of the top four.

Casemiro's first Premier League start turned sour when he was caught in possession by Amadou Onana five minutes in, allowing Iwobi to curl a brilliant effort beyond David De Gea and into the top-right corner.

Everton's lead lasted just 10 minutes, however, as Antony darted onto Martial's well-timed pass to tuck a neat finish into the bottom-left corner.

An injury to Martial led to Ronaldo's introduction shortly before Casemiro squandered a golden opportunity, heading wide when racing onto Bruno Fernandes' in-swinging cross.

Casemiro did register an assist on the stroke of half-time, but the plaudits will go to Ronaldo after he coolly fired between Jordan Pickford's legs to bring up his landmark.

Marcus Rashford was denied a late third goal following a VAR review when he appeared to handle the ball before rounding Pickford, before De Gea kept Joe Garner's effort out with a stunning fingertip save to secure the win.

What does it mean? United bounce back from derby blues

A run of four consecutive Premier League wins appeared to have given lift-off to the Ten Hag era at United ahead of last week's trip to Manchester City. However, the Red Devils were a distant second-best in an emphatic 6-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, and they looked to be experiencing a derby hangover when Iwobi struck.

However, United showed the necessary composure to respond to that setback, earning just their third win in their last 11 away Premier League games and ending the Toffees' six-match unbeaten run.

Another landmark for indomitable Ronaldo

Ronaldo's struggles this season have been well-documented; following his failure to secure a move away from Old Trafford, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner entered Sunday's match having scored one goal in all competitions this campaign – a Europa League penalty against Sheriff.

However, he led the line effectively following his early introduction on Merseyside, scoring the 700th goal of his club career 20 years and two days after the first, in what was his 945th club appearance.

Ronaldo will now hope to kick on after opening his Premier League account for the season – on a ground at which he had never previously scored in the competition (in seven appearances).

Antony makes United history

Although Ronaldo stole the headlines with his strike, Brazilian winger Antony continued his strong start to life in the Premier League on Sunday, cutting inside to bend home a crucial leveller.

The former Ajax man's goal makes him the first player to score in each of his first three Premier League appearances for United in the competition's history.

What's next?

United host Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday, while Everton travel to Tottenham for their next Premier League match on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta hailed Gabriel Martinelli's "outstanding performance" after the Brazilian scored and created another in Arsenal's 3-2 win over Liverpool on Sunday.

Martinelli set the Gunners on their way after just 58 seconds with a cool finish, before teeing up Bukayo Saka after Darwin Nunez had levelled for the Reds.

Roberto Firmino equalised again for Jurgen Klopp's side, but Saka scored from the spot 14 minutes from full-time to seal an eighth win in nine Premier League games for a resurgent Arsenal.

Martinelli has now been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 14 appearances in the Premier League (five goals, five assists), and Arteta was full of praise for the 21-year-old.

"He's a great player," the Spaniard said in a press conference. "I think today he had an outstanding performance against a top defender and a top team and he made a difference in the game as well as the other players.

"That's the next level, to step up in these games and make things happen to win it."

Asked if Arsenal will try to tie Martinelli down to a long-term contract, Arteta responded: "We don't get directed by an individual performance. Gabby doesn't have to show me whether he plays well or not well.

"What is clear is his hunger, his determination and his love for this game. You don't know where he's going to reach because he's always asking and willing for more."

Arsenal have won at least eight of their first nine league matches in a top-flight campaign for only the fourth time, after 2007-08, 2004-05 and 1947-48.

This latest triumph lifted them back to the Premier League summit after Manchester City had usurped them on Saturday, with Arteta's side now holding a one-point lead.

It sparked jubilant scenes at the Emirates Stadium, and Arteta said the support from the stands has been crucial to his side's success this season.

"Just thank you so much to the boys and our supporters for experiencing an afternoon like this," he added. "It's what our profession is about to live days like this and I really enjoyed it. Especially the way we won.

"I've never seen it like this [the atmosphere]. You cannot imagine how much it helps the players and how much it gives them.

"One of the nicest things we've done since we are together here is to unite everybody and make them feel like when you go are you going to experience something together."

Arsenal are next in action on Thursday when they face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, before they visit Leeds United in the Premier League on Sunday. 

Call it a coming of age if you like, or was this just a ringing endorsement of Pep Guardiola's verdict?

Either way, Arsenal are a thrill-seeker's delight at the top of the Premier League.

It used to be said that a 21st birthday marked a 'key to the door' moment, a moment of growing maturity and responsibility.

A new level of trust was what it signified, and perhaps Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka can now be trusted to deliver on their promise for Arsenal. Their abundant talent has never been in question, but now it's about consistency, being a grown-up in a grown-up's league.

Sunday's 3-2 win against Liverpool only served to show that Martinelli and Saka, who have both celebrated that landmark 21st birthday since the end of last season, are not merely giddy talents now but stars who deliver.

The clearing of the decks by Mikel Arteta took a while, and Arsenal's power-brokers trusted the manager while many lost faith. The manager's vision, shared by the club, was of afternoons such as this, where their young guns picked apart last season's Champions League finalists and double cup winners.

Guardiola's view, if you missed it, was that Arsenal's position at the top of the Premier League was far from false, even while his Manchester City team take most of the early-season plaudits.

The City manager said on Friday: "We cannot forget one thing, ladies and gentlemen: there is one team that has been better than us. This is the reality. Arsenal have been better than us so far."

Arsenal don't have an Erling Haaland; in fact, their centre forward is a City cast-off, Gabriel Jesus.

But here they had Martinelli, Saka, a 23-year-old captain in Martin Odegaard, a centre-back partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba – 24 and 21, respectively – and young full-backs in Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White, too.

Thirty-somethings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have left the building, so too for now the underachieving Nicolas Pepe, and Arsenal have not looked back.

It was quite a day for American football in north London, with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants in action at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Arsenal Gunners and the Liverpool Reds on parade at Emirates Stadium.

Scoff at that all you like, but the globalisation of the Premier League means these two US-owned teams, along with Todd Boehly's Chelsea and the Glazer family's Manchester United, are vying to challenge Abu Dhabi-run Manchester City.

The beautiful game dictated that it was a Brazilian who brought the stadium to life in just 58 seconds.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool used to be the swarmers in this fixture, buzzing in intimidating numbers, searching for that sweet, sweet nectar of early goals. Liverpool have stung Arsenal teams of the past with such strikes, from Robbie Fowler to Roberto Firmino.

Arsenal served them a dose of that medicine this time, with Saka finding Odegaard who fed Martinelli and he slammed past Alisson. Trent Alexander-Arnold lost the runner, with Arsenal scoring their earliest goal against Liverpool in the history of the Premier League.

Darwin Nunez bundled in a 34th-minute equaliser after Luis Diaz's cross, but Arsenal were back in front before the break, this time with Jesus freeing Martinelli on the left, and he dashed from the halfway line into the penalty area before passing low from the left to give Saka a tap-in.

Alexander-Arnold was replaced at half-time, supposedly due to injury, but the second Arsenal goal had come from a raid down his flank too, and the Gunners plainly had his number.

Firmino cracked a throughball from Diogo Jota beyond the reach of Aaron Ramsdale for a second Liverpool equaliser, but you doubted they would have a third in them if Arsenal regained the lead.

That was Firmino's 10th Premier League goal in 14 games for Liverpool against Arsenal, making him the outright top scorer in this fixture since the league's 1992-93 inauguration, one ahead of Fowler.

When Thiago Alcantara nibbled at Gabriel Jesus in the 73rd minute, Arsenal had a penalty and trusted Saka with it.

He was practically a boy when he missed for England in the Euro 2020 final shoot-out, but this is Saka the man, and he picked out the bottom-left corner with the utmost confidence.

Martinelli is the youngest Arsenal player to score and assist against Liverpool in the Premier League, Opta said. He has been involved in 10 goals in his last 14 appearances in the competition.

Arteta's win rate across all competitions has crept just above 57 per cent with this win in his 142nd game at the helm, and he stands mere decimal places behind Arsene Wenger (57.2 per cent from 1,235 games).

Having won just one of their last 14 Premier League games against Liverpool before this one, Arsenal have not merely stopped the rot.

They have started something they clearly intend to finish.

Key to the door? This team hold the key to there being any sort of title contest this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo reached another milestone as he scored his 700th goal in club football during Manchester United's Premier League clash with Everton on Sunday.

Ronaldo hit the latest landmark of his glittering career after coming on as a first-half substitute for the injured Anthony Martial, racing onto a ball from Casemiro before firing past Jordan Pickford to give United a 2-1 lead at Goodison Park.

The Portugal captain has struggled to find his best form this season and this was just the second goal of a campaign in which he has been starved of regular game time, having netted his 699th club strike from the penalty spot during a 2-0 Europa League victory over Sheriff on September 15.

He had failed to score in eight games before then, his longest run without a goal in all competitions at club level since a run of 10 matches between March and May 2006.

The 37-year-old, who has also scored a record 117 international goals, has now taken his overall tally for United to 144 across two spells at Old Trafford, adding to a combined tally of 556 from his time at Sporting CP, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Ronaldo's 700 goals, club by club

Ronaldo's most prolific spell came at Madrid, where he scored an incredible 450 goals in 438 appearances to become Los Blancos' all-time leading marksman.

His best individual season also came with Madrid, netting 61 times from an expected goals (xG) value of 47.9 in 54 games across all competitions in 2014-15. In that campaign, Ronaldo registered the best minutes-per-goal ratio (76.1) of any player from Europe's top five leagues to have scored at least 10 across all fronts.

Across his nine-year stint in the Spanish capital, Ronaldo hit the 60-goal mark twice (2011-12, 2014-15), with his lowest-scoring campaign coming in the 2009-10 season, his first at the club. He still managed 33 goals in 35 appearances.

Prior to becoming a legend at Madrid, Ronaldo of course made his mark at United. His best season in England was in 2007-08, when he scored 42 times across all competitions.

Playing predominantly as a winger for Alex Ferguson, and dovetailing with the likes of Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo left United in 2009 having found the net on 118 occasions for the club, having previously scored five times for Sporting.

His time at Juve did not yield the Champions League title he was bought to help the Bianconeri win, though they still won Serie A twice, and the Coppa Italia. Ronaldo plundered 101 goals in 134 matches during his three years in Italy, averaging one every 114 minutes.

Ronaldo made a flying start back in England last year, scoring twice on his second United debut against Newcastle United. Though he went on to score a further 22 times across all competitions, the Red Devils could only manage a sixth-placed finish.

Gabriel Martinelli hailed the "family" feel in Arsenal's squad as they returned to the Premier League summit with a swashbuckling 3-2 win over Liverpool on Sunday.

Martinelli put the Gunners ahead after just 58 seconds, while Bukayo Saka restored their advantage after Darwin Nunez had equalised for Jurgen Klopp's side.

Roberto Firmino pulled the Reds level for a second time shortly after the interval, yet Saka sealed an eighth win in nine Premier League games this season with a penalty 14 minutes from full-time.

Arsenal sit atop the table nine or more games into a season for the first time since December 2016 (15th game) – something Martinelli attributes to the positive feeling in the squad.

"It means a lot for us," the Brazilian told Sky Sports. "We have been working hard and we deserve the win and we need to keep going because the season is long and we want to achieve good things.

"We are running for each other and we are a family, everyone is on their toes.

"It doesn't matter your age, it's your heart and how much you want to achieve in football and life. That is the most important thing.

"We need to believe and go game by game trying to win all of them."

Saka has now scored 20 goals and provided 19 assists for Arsenal in the Premier League, with his 39 combined goal involvements second only to Cesc Fabregas (63) for the Gunners in the competition before turning 22.

And the England international believes victory over Liverpool proves how much progress they have made this season.

"In the past two or three years, Liverpool have been a team we have struggled against," he said. "To win in front of our fans is special and it shows how much we are progressing.

"It gives us more confidence because they are a fantastic team and we have a lot of respect for them. I feel like we deserved to lead at half-time so to get that goal was crucial. I want to score more now."

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League as Bukayo Saka's 76th-minute penalty sealed a pulsating 3-2 win over Liverpool on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta's side were usurped at the summit by Manchester City on Saturday, but an eighth win in nine top-flight games this season helped them reclaim top spot.

The Gunners went ahead after just 58 seconds when Gabriel Martinelli stole in behind Trent Alexander-Arnold to clip past Alisson, although Liverpool drew level 11 minutes before half-time through Darwin Nunez.

Saka restored Arsenal's lead just before the break and the England international slotted home from the spot after Roberto Firmino had drawn Jurgen Klopp's side level for a second time early in the second half.

Arsenal went ahead within a minute of kick-off as Martinelli slotted past Alisson for his fourth league goal of the season after being slipped in by Martin Odegaard's sumptuous pass.

Ramsdale denied Nunez shortly after the midway point of the first half, but there was little the Arsenal goalkeeper could do to stop the Uruguayan pulling Liverpool level in the 34th minute as he prodded home Luis Diaz’s right-wing cross from close range.

Arsenal restored their advantage deep into first-half stoppage time, though, when Saka stole in at the back post to divert Martinelli's cross home.

Liverpool again pegged their hosts back eight minutes after the interval when Firmino, who replaced the injured Diaz in the first half, latched onto Diogo Jota's pass and fired across Ramsdale into the bottom-right corner. 

Arsenal went ahead for the third – and final – time in the 75th minute courtesy of Saka's successful spot-kick after Gabriel Jesus had been fouled by Thiago Alcantara.

What does it mean? Young guns keep marching on

If some had doubts this young Arsenal side were the real deal then consecutive Premier League wins over Tottenham and Liverpool might have dispelled them.

This latest triumph lifted the Gunners a point ahead of City at the top of the table, while Liverpool remain in 10th after just two wins in eight top-flight games this season.

Superb Saka

Saka has enjoyed a stunning start to the season and his double here saw him become the second-youngest player to reach 20 Premier League goals for Arsenal at the age of 21 years and 34 days, after Nicolas Anelka (20y 41d).

Quickfire Martinelli

Martinelli's goal after 58 seconds was Arsenal's quickest in a Premier League home game since October 2011 when Robin van Persie scored after 29 seconds against Sunderland. It was also the quickest goal that Arsenal have ever scored against Liverpool in the Premier League.

What's next?

Liverpool are away to Rangers in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Arsenal visit Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League a day later.

The New York Giants produced a stunning comeback to upset the Green Bay Packers 27-22 and move to an improbable 4-1 with victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Green Bay, playing in the United Kingdom for the first time in front of a raucous crowd dominated by Packer fans, dominated the first half and led 20-10 at half-time.

Two touchdown throws from Aaron Rodgers to Allen Lazard and Marcedes Lewis along with a pair of Mason Crosby field goals seemingly had Green Bay in command.

The second of those three-pointers came after the Giants' first touchdown drive, capped by a double reverse touchdown by tight end Daniel Bellinger, which served as a harbinger of what was to come in the second half.

A field goal from Graham Gano cut the deficit to seven points and, after a Dexter Lawrence sack stopped a promising Packers drive, the Giants drove 91 yards on 15 plays with star running back Saquon Barkley back in the locker room nursing a shoulder injury, Gary Brightwell's two-yard rushing touchdown tying the game. 

Barkley returned for the next drive after a quick Packers three-and-out and, having set up the Giants' first score with a 40-yard scamper, he gave New York the lead, getting them into the red zone with a 41-yard catch-and run before taking a direct snap two yards to complete the turnaround.

Green Bay responded with a drive deep into Giants' territory but, on fourth-and-one from the New York six, Rodgers saw his pass to Allen Lazard batted into the air, sealing a remarkable win to drop the Packers to 3-2, an intentional late safety taken by Brian Daboll's men proving immaterial.

Elise Mertens claimed her first WTA title of the year after defeating Alize Cornet in straight sets to capture the Jasmin Open crown on Sunday.

The world number 42 reeled off the last 11 games as she soared to a dominant 6-2 6-0 victory after just 80 minutes in Monastir.

Mertens landed the seventh WTA title of her career - and first since the 2021 Gippsland Trophy - following a timely return to form off the back of a disappointing 2022 that had seen her reach just two quarter-finals.

The Belgian overcame Cornet in three sets when they met in St. Petersburg earlier this year, and she quickly gained the upper hand in the fifth contest between the pair.

Mertens rescued two break points to hold for 2-2, before breaking twice as she eventually cruised to the opening set.

A late wildcard in Tunisia, Cornet had progressed to her first final since Chicago last year without dropping a set, and was targeting her first silverware since triumphing in Gstaad four years ago.

But the world number 37 could not establish any momentum in her quest to get back into the final; nine double-faults certainly hindering her intentions.

Mertens fully capitalised. The fifth seed won 83 per cent of her first-service points, while breaking a further three times as she breezed to a commanding victory.

Taylor Fritz became the first American to win the Japan Open since Pete Sampras in 1996 after seeing off compatriot Frances Tiafoe with a victory that will take him into the top 10.

The 24-year-old beat Tiafoe in straight sets, though it was a tight affair as the match was decided via two tie-breaks, Fritz eventually triumphing 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) to clinch the ATP 500 event.

Nevertheless, Fritz looked the composed player for much of the contest as he created eight break chances to Tiafoe's three – though the latter managed to hang in for the most part.

The only breaks of serve came in back-to-back games early in the first set, with Tiafoe quickly hitting back before later holding off two set points to force a tie-break.

He would have been confident going into it after winning 13 successive singles tie-breaks prior to Sunday, but Fritz blew Tiafoe away in both, with the second coming at the end of a set in which neither player gave an inch.

A third tournament victory of 2022 ensures Fritz will break into the top 10 on Monday and provides a real boost to his hopes of qualifying for the end-of-season ATP Finals.

"Crazy, I don't even think it's set in just how fast the last four or five days have been," Fritz said afterwards.

"It's so crazy, and I couldn't have written it any better. It's exactly what I needed for the race [to Turin for the ATP Finals], for my ranking, to kind of put me in a good position for the end of the year, so it's amazing."

Fritz will be eighth in the world when the new rankings are released, making him the first American man to break the top 10 since Jack Sock did so in 2017.

Novak Djokovic claimed the 90th ATP Tour title of his illustrious career after landing the Astana Open crown with a straight-sets victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The Serbian also secured a place at next month's ATP Finals in Turin after prevailing 6-3 6-4 in just 75 minutes.

It was Djokovic's fourth piece of silverware of the season – adding to his triumphs in Wimbledon, Rome and Tel Aviv – and stretched his winning streak to nine matches.

The 21-time major winner had prevailed in each of his last six encounters with Tsitsipas and claimed a crucial break in game eight of the opening set, before serving it out to draw first blood.

Seeking his maiden ATP 500 title at the ninth attempt, Tsitsipas was aiming to join Djokovic in becoming only the second male player to win a tour-level title on all three surfaces this season.

However, the Greek ace hit 25 unforced errors throughout the contest to his opponent's seven and was broken again in game five of the second set.

Djokovic, who won 33 of his 38 first-serve points and did not face a single break point, subsequently sealed victory with a brilliant backhand winner to make it back-to-back titles following last week's triumph in Tel Aviv.

"I always hoped that I would be going to have a great career. Obviously, [I] didn't know the amount of finals I was going to play, the amount of tournaments I was going to win, but my intention was always to reach the highest heights in our sport.

"I'm just very grateful and blessed to be able to play this well at this stage of my life. I think the experience, probably, in these kinds of matches and big occasions helps as well to approach mentally in the right way.

"I could not ask for a better restart of the season. I'm super-pumped and motivated to end the season as well as I have done these past couple of weeks."

Jurgen Klopp has effectively conceded defeat in the Premier League title race following Liverpool's underwhelming start to the season.

The Reds went into the weekend ninth in the table and will finish Sunday in the bottom half if they lose to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Klopp's side have taken just 10 points from their opening seven league outings, winning only twice, and neither of those wins were in their three away games.

Not since the 2010-11 season under Roy Hodgson have the Reds failed to win any of their first four matches away from Anfield in the league.

They will do well to beat an Arsenal side who have won seven out of a possible eight fixtures to this point.

Despite Arsenal's strong start, Manchester City are most people's strong favourites for the title, particularly given Erling Haaland's form.

Even if Liverpool win at Arsenal, they will need to make up a 10-point deficit on City – whom they face next weekend – and Klopp seemed to accept that is not going to happen.

"We still have the chance to create something really special from this point," he said ahead of the game.

"Does it look at the moment that we will be champions at the end of the year? Unfortunately not."

Klopp added: "But in all other competitions we're not out yet.

"Nobody knows where we will end up in the league yet so let's just give it a go, that's it.

"Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. That's enough. So let's just go from here.

"Did I think we'd be ninth after matchday seven? No, but this is the base where are now and we must go from here."

Liverpool have won their previous four league matches against Arsenal, but they have never beaten the Gunners fives times in a row.

Max Verstappen learned he had sealed another Formula One world title only after winning a rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.

It had appeared Verstappen would be made to wait until Austin to confirm a second consecutive championship, as his hopes of getting the job done at Suzuka were rocked by heavy rain.

Even when Verstappen crossed the line in first place with just over half the race completed, title rival Charles Leclerc looked to have clung on to second to delay his title celebrations.

But Leclerc's late move to stay ahead of Sergio Perez landed him a five-second penalty, putting the Ferrari man in third and no longer within reach of Verstappen.

The victory for Verstappen moved him clear of Red Bull team-mate Perez, too, and the Dutchman was informed of his triumph only after his initial parc ferme interview.

It made for a bizarre conclusion to a long and controversial day, with initial attempts to start the race lasting mere minutes.

The safety car was out by the end of a first lap that had seen Leclerc briefly get ahead of pole-sitter Verstappen, only to trail again by Turn 1.

A series of incidents behind them in the awful conditions led to a yellow flag, and proceedings were red-flagged by the third lap.

The delay that followed lasted more than two hours, with Verstappen eventually resuming behind the safety car with only 45 minutes available in the race's three-hour window.

A sprint to the finish was without any drama at the front, though, and the title was instead decided by the battle for second as Leclerc left the track and then forced Perez wide.

The Toronto Blue Jays were still in shock as John Schneider and his players sought to reflect on a remarkable defeat to the Seattle Mariners that ended their season.

Toronto, the fourth seed in the American League, had lost their Wild Card opener at home to the Mariners on Friday but appeared on course to level the series the following day.

The Blue Jays led 8-1 at the end of the fifth inning, with Seattle needing to become just the third team to overturn a seven-run deficit in a postseason game.

But that was exactly what they did, with four runs in each of the sixth and eighth innings to win 10-9 and advance to the ALDS.

"Baseball sucks sometimes, and this group will be back in the exact same spot very, very soon," Schneider said. 

"Sometimes when you think you have an advantage, you don't win."

The interim Blue Jays manager gathered his thoughts more effectively than Teoscar Hernandez, whose two home runs proved in vain.

Hernandez is only the third Blue Jay to hit two homers in a single postseason game, although all three examples have now come in defeats that saw Toronto eliminated (also Jose Bautista vs the Kansas City Royals in the 2015 ALCS, Danny Jansen vs the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 Wild Card).

"Nothing goes through my mind," Hernandez said. "Every little thing that happened in the game, it's just incredible the way it happened.

"I mean, we were winning by seven runs. It sucks, but at the end, it's baseball, and we have to eat it, go home, think about it and get ready for next year."

While heartbreaking for the Blue Jays, the win continued the Mariners' Cinderella story, bringing playoff baseball back home to Seattle for the first time since 2001.

A 21-year postseason drought had been the longest such active run in any of the four major American sports.

"It's a credit to our players not quitting," said manager Scott Servais. "Just keep grinding through it.

"We've talked about doing the little things, just get on base, and that's what you saw. Nobody tried to hit a homer. It was just 'keep the line moving'. And all of a sudden, big things happen."

Jurgen Klopp hopes Mohamed Salah is close to "exploding" into a rich vein of goalscoring form, but believes comparisons with Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland are unfair.

Salah shared the Premier League's Golden Boot with Son Heung-min after scoring 23 goals in the competition last term, but has only found the net twice in seven outings this season.

The Egyptian's diminishing returns have mirrored those of his team, with Liverpool sitting 13 points behind City – with a game in hand – ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal.

Haaland's arrival has taken City to new heights this campaign, with the Norwegian hitting 15 goals in his first nine Premier League games, and Klopp believes any comparisons with Salah would be unhelpful.

"With Mo, I hope it's like us, we are close to exploding," Klopp said. "Whose season was it yet? From our side, nobody.

"Mo is like this, even when his goalscoring numbers aren't crazy, often he's involved, it's just the problem that if you don't score around that, nobody appreciates that.

"Nobody in the world can cope with the [Erling] Haaland situation, it's crazy what he's doing. 

"He's an exceptional player in an exceptional team and I don't think we should compare anyone with that at the moment.

"Mo wants to score goals desperately, 100 per cent, that will never change. Call him in 20 years, it will be the same."

Liverpool approach their trip to the Emirates Stadium having recorded two draws and one defeat in their first three away outings of the Premier League campaign.

Not since 2010-11, under Roy Hodgson, have Liverpool failed to win any of their first four away league games in a single season.

Meanwhile, Saturday represented the seventh anniversary of Klopp's appointment at Liverpool, and the German left each of his two previous posts – at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund – before bringing up an eighth year at the helm.

Klopp, however, insisted Liverpool's struggles have nothing in common with those of his former clubs, saying: "The situation in the clubs was very different. 

"A seven-year spell was not planned or because I lost energy or these things. I was manager at Mainz and after three years, we got promoted to the Bundesliga then three years later we got relegated.

"We tried one more year and the club needed a change. Players left us for the Bundesliga, so they needed a fresh start, definitely.

"I was full of energy. I went directly to Dortmund and it was all fine. [It was] seven years and it was just a situation that players constantly got bought by other clubs.

"It was a really hard job to do, instead of developing a team, constantly making two steps back. It was really intense and really exhausting.  

"I can understand that I left after seven years, and now we are in a difficult situation, but, if you think twice about it, you realise the situation is completely different.

"Being here for seven years is intense, no doubt about it. But it's nice as well, I got so many things back. If there's one club that has a chance to go through it together, it's us."