The List | Ten Things We Learnt From The Weekend
The List | Ten Things We Learnt from the Weekend's Action
What grabbed our attention as domestic football returned.
The international break is over after what seemed to be the longest week in football since, well the last international break. More than ever before the spotlight is shining on domestic football, with all of the top leagues in Europe giving us something this season.
There are fights for the title in each country, some rather controversial decisions and wonder goals to boot. As we go into the crunch Champions League games this week, the world s best domestic teams could not afford to take their eyes off the ball domestically. So here are the ten things we saw this weekend in the top domestic leagues. 
David Luiz is still a liability - Jose Mourinho demands the best of the best, and David Luiz is so far from that. Normally it is the Chelsea forwards who dominate the headlines with their ineptitude, so the fact that Luiz was all anyone could talk about demonstrates the magnitude of his error against Cardiff City this weekend. Mangala is being linked with Chelsea and Mourinho will be wishing the days away until January.
Manchester United are getting worse - David Moyes has plenty of support that is true. Sadly it is all coming from the opposing fans. Manchester United are looking bereft of ideas and to call them Champions League contenders looks ambitious. Title contenders on this form? England have a better chance of winning the World Cup. 
Mauricio Pochettino is backing up his claims - He claimed that his side were after Champions League football, not Europa League, and on their current form that looks well on the cards. The former Espanyol manager was relatively unknown in England before getting the Saints job but is putting himself and his team on the map. A draw at Old Trafford is yet another big result for the surprise team of the season thus far. 
It was sensational goals galore - Jack Wilshire s took the biscuit in the Premier League this weekend when it came to wonder goals but over in France there were two even better ones. Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a goal that only he could and was topped by an effort by partner Edinson Cavani.
There is hope for Real Madrid yet - There is no better way to go into El Clasico than with a win, especially when Barcelona draw whilst looking short of creativity and ideas. Local rivals Atletico Madrid also managed to drop points, leaving Los Blancos the big winners of a weekend where they were without Karim Benzema. A victory at the Camp Nou would take the club ahead of Barcelona on head to heads and really show that Carlo Ancelotti means business. 
Jose loses his rag and becomes 'The Sent Off One' - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is no stranger to being sent from the dugout, and fell foul of the officials once again this weekend, showing he has lost none of his fight. Mourinho had to be content with sitting in the stands given it was too short notice to get into a laundry basket and his dismissal was just one of many controversies from the game of the weekend. 
Goalkeepers need to beware - After the poaching by Samuel Eto o to set up Chelsea s equalising goal at the Bridge, mass debate on if it should have stood ensued. Whilst there may have been disagreements over that, one thing that is certain is the fact that keepers will not be bouncing the ball next to forwards again. Expect to see similar scenarios play out over the following months and confusion to be rife. 
There is a fight on in Serie A - Juventus were run away Champions last season, but with the arrival of Rafa Benitez at Napoli and the emergence of Roma, they will not be winners as easily this time round. After losing to Fiorentina courtesy of a nightmare ten minutes according to Antonio Conte, they sit third in the table, behind Napoli on goal difference and five points behind Roma. Not ideal going into a crunch Champions League clash with Real Madrid. 
Negredo and Aguero are forming one hell of a partnership - The Manchester City duo are developing an almost telepathic connection which does not bode well for their rivals. With standout performances for the duo against West Ham, City are in tip top shape and will be relishing the chance to take on Chelsea next weekend and really show that they are the ones to beat this season. 
Sunderland are in big trouble - Stating the obvious is not our favourite thing to do, but the Black Cats are in the proverbial up to their eyeballs. Changing managers and allowing ketchup back into the dressing room does not seem to have done much to help their cause and new manager Gus Poyet could do nothing to prevent another loss, this time a drubbing by Swansea.
