United News of Bangladesh

Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League, defeating Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday. The night brought extra joy for the Reds’ fans as Mohamed Salah reached a major milestone, scoring his 250th goal for the club across all competitions. The Egyptian star put Liverpool ahead following a rare error by Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, and Ryan Gravenberch later sealed the victory. Salah became only the third Liverpool player to reach 250 goals in all competitions, joining club legends Roger Hunt (285) and Ian Rush (346). The victory also ended a poor run for Arne Slot’s men, who had lost six of their previous seven matches across all competitions. After four consecutive league defeats, Liverpool finally tasted victory, while Villa suffered their first defeat following four straight league wins. With this win, Liverpool moved up to third in the Premier League with 18 points from ten matches. Bournemouth, with the same points but one game fewer, sit second, while Arsenal lead the table with 25 points from ten matches. Aston Villa are in 11th place with 15 points. Liverpool dominated possession with 54 percent and created 16 shots, four of which were on target. Villa managed ten shots, three on target. Villa could have taken an early lead in the fifth minute when English winger Morgan Rogers’ powerful effort from outside the box hit the post. In the 19th minute, Matty Cash’s shot was saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Liverpool’s Dominic Szoboszlai had a chance in the 23rd minute after a Villa error, but Martínez kept the goal intact. He denied another attempt from Szoboszlai in the 33rd minute. In the 43rd minute, Hugo Ekitike headed the ball into Villa’s net, but the effort was ruled out for offside. In the first minute of added time in the first half, Martínez made a critical mistake that allowed Liverpool to take the lead. Receiving a back-pass from defender Pau Torres, Martínez miscontrolled the ball while attempting a return pass; it was not directed toward Torres. Salah reacted quickly to find the net with a tap-in, leaving Martínez helpless. Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 58th minute. From outside the box, Gravenberch’s shot, set up by Alexis Mac Allister, deflected off Torres and went into the net. Both sides had chances in the remaining minutes, but neither could convert. Earlier in the night, Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0, moving into fifth place with 17 points from ten matches. Tottenham, with the same points, sit fourth.

Kylian Mbappé struck twice as Real Madrid crushed Valencia 4-0 in their La Liga clash at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night, extending their dominant run under Xabi Alonso. Vinícius Júnior missed a first-half penalty, but the Brazilian’s miss barely mattered on a night when his teammates dazzled. Jude Bellingham and Álvaro Carreras also found the net as Los Blancos continued their fine form in both attack and defense. Real were in complete control throughout the game, enjoying nearly 65 percent possession and firing 21 shots, 11 of which were on target. Valencia never came close to challenging Real, managing just four attempts, with only one troubling the goalkeeper. The result strengthened Real’s position at the top of the table with 30 points from 11 matches, including 10 victories. In another fixture of the day, Villarreal thumped Rayo Vallecano 4-0 to climb to second place with 23 points from 11 games, overtaking Barcelona. The Catalan giants, with one match in hand, slipped to third with 22 points. Real’s aggressive start paid off in the 19th minute when César Tárrega handled the ball inside the box. Mbappé, who missed a spot kick against Barcelona last week, made no mistake this time to give his team the lead and register a goal in his eighth consecutive La Liga appearance.

Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved another penalty but the reigning Serie A Champions were held to a goalless draw at home by newcomer Como on Saturday. The result shook Napoli’s position at the top of the Serie A table. Although Antonio Conte’s side remain at the summit with 22 points from 10 matches, second-placed Roma are just one point behind with a game in hand and can overtake them with a win. Como, meanwhile, continued their impressive run, moving up to fifth place with 17 points from the same number of matches. Cesc Fàbregas’ side have lost only once in 10 outings, defeating the likes of Juventus and Lazio while also frustrating Fiorentina, Atalanta, and now Napoli. Having already lost Kevin De Bruyne to a long-term injury, the defending champions welcomed back Rasmus Hojlund after a brief physical setback, but still struggled to create meaningful chances. The visitors, on the contrary, dominated 55 percent of possession, and could have defeated the Conte’s team. Veteran striker Álvaro Morata earned a penalty in the 26th minute, but failed to convert, as Milinkovic-Savic dived low to deny the Spaniard. It was the Serbian goalkeeper’s sixth penalty save out of the last ten he has faced. However, neither side managed to break the deadlock in the remainder of the match, settling for a draw. With this result, Napoli extended their unbeaten home run to nearly a year. Their last defeat at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona came against Lazio in December 2024. Earlier in the day, Udinese beat Atalanta 1–0 to hand the Bergamo side their first loss of the season. Nicolò Zaniolo struck before halftime, netting his third goal in four matches, as Udinese leapfrogged Atalanta to move up to eighth place. Atalanta, who had drawn their previous five matches, extended their winless streak to six.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who have been struggling for form in the league recently, appeared set for another setback on Saturday evening. However, a last-minute goal from Gonzalo Ramos ensured Luis Enrique’s side left the pitch with all three points. The reigning champions defeated Nice 1–0 at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1 on Saturday. This was only their second win in the last five matches, with the other three ending in draws, and their first victory in a game after a brief winless run. Manchester United’s winning run ends with 2–2 draw against Nottingham PSG remain top of the table with 24 points from 11 matches, including seven wins and three draws. Monaco, with 20 points from one fewer game, sit in second place. Nice are eighth with 17 points from 11 matches. Throughout the match, PSG dominated possession with an attacking display, holding around 77 percent of the ball. They had 28 shots, with the first 27 failing to find the target, but the breakthrough came on the 28th and final shot of the game. In the fourth minute of added time, Ramos, who came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute, scored the decisive goal. Lee Kang-in’s corner was met by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who headed the ball to the far post, where Ramos directed a perfect header into the net. The goal made Ramos’ 100th appearance for PSG a memorable one. Arsenal consolidate Premier League lead with dominant 2–0 win over Burnley This season, Ramos has scored two league goals in 10 matches, while PSG have netted a total of 38 goals across all players.

Manchester United’s three-match winning streak came to an end as they were held to a 2–2 draw by Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening. Despite taking an early lead at the City Ground, United had to settle for a point after the visitors fought back to equalize late in the match. Ruben Amorim’s men showed great determination throughout the match, but were forced to settle for a draw after failing to capitalize on several chances late in the game. Casemiro put United ahead in the first half, giving the visitors a 1–0 lead at the break. However, Nottingham turned the game around in dramatic fashion early in the second half, scoring twice within just 90 seconds to go 2–1 up. Ramos’ last-minute goal seals PSG victory over Nice The hosts’ solid defensive display appeared to secure them all three points, but the Red Devil’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 81st minute when Amad Diallo equalized to make it 2–2. In the closing minutes, the visitors pressed harder for a winner but were unable to find the net again, leaving them with a single point from the match. With the draw, Manchester United moved up to fifth in the table with 17 points from 10 matches, recording five wins and two draws. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, continue to struggle near the relegation zone, sitting 18th with just six points from the same number of games. Arsenal consolidate Premier League lead with dominant 2–0 win over Burnley  

Arsenal produced a dominant display at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 2–0 victory over Burnley on Saturday to consolidate their grip on the top of the English Premier League standings. The victory extended Arsenal’s impressive form, following a flawless October in which they won all six matches across all competition without conceding a single goal. Mikel Arteta’s men were on the front foot from the start, opening the scoring in the 14th minute through Viktor Gyökeres. Declan Rice’s corner found Gabriel Magalhães, who set up Gyökeres for a composed finish past the Burnley goalkeeper. Ramos’ last-minute goal seals PSG victory over Nice Maintaining their attacking rhythm, Arsenal kept Burnley under constant pressure and created several opportunities to extend the margin. In the 32nd minute, Bukayo Saka’s powerful effort was brilliantly saved, while Leandro Trossard’s rebound was cleared off the line by a Burnley defender. Just three minutes later, Rice doubled the lead with a precise header from Trossard’s pinpoint cross during a swift counterattack. Arteta’s side continued to press after the break but failed to convert further chances, leaving Rice’s strike as the decisive goal of the match. Arsenal dominated possession with 54 percent and registered 12 shots, eight of which were on target. Burnley, despite having 46 percent possession, failed to register a single shot on target from their three attempts. Manchester United’s winning run ends with 2–2 draw against Nottingham With the victory, Arsenal moved to 25 points from 10 matches, with eight wins and one draw, solidifying their position at the summit of the Premier League table. Burnley, meanwhile, remain near the relegation zone with just 10 points from as many games.

Serhou Guirassy returned to scoring form as Borussia Dortmund edged past Augsburg 1-0 on Friday, moving into second place in the Bundesliga. Guirassy netted the only goal seven minutes before halftime, calmly slotting a loose ball from the edge of the box under the goalkeeper. The Guinea international had scored four times in Dortmund’s first three league matches but went goalless in the following four games. Friday’s strike moved him into second place on the Bundesliga scoring chart, trailing only Harry Kane. The timely goal comes ahead of Dortmund’s crucial Champions League clash with Manchester City next week. Guirassy, recently named among 10 contenders for African Player of the Year, scored 21 Bundesliga goals last season and was joint top scorer in last season’s Champions League. Despite chances for both sides after the break on a chilly night in Bavaria, neither team could add to the score. The match featured just two shots on target in the entire 90 minutes. Dortmund trails league leader Bayern Munich by four points, with the Bavarians having a game in hand. Augsburg suffered its third consecutive defeat and sits 15th in the standings. Source: AP

Los Angeles FC star Son Heung-Min has become Major League Soccer’s highest-paid summer signing, earning a total compensation of $11,152,852, including a salary of $10,368,750. Son, who joined LAFC in August after more than a decade with Tottenham Hotspur, has quickly made his mark, scoring nine goals in 10 league appearances. His earnings make him the second-highest-paid player in MLS, just behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi. Messi receives a $12 million base salary and total compensation of $20,446,667 under his current MLS deal, which runs through the 2025 season. These figures include marketing bonuses and agent fees but exclude additional team or affiliate agreements and performance bonuses. Miami announced last week that Messi has agreed to extend his contract through 2028. Messi’s new teammate, Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, earns a $1.5 million salary and $3,619,320 in total compensation. Other big summer arrivals include San Diego winger Hirving “Chucky” Lozano ($6 million salary/$7.63 million total), Chicago’s Jonathan Bamba ($5 million/$5.58 million), New York City’s Nico Fernández ($3.65 million), and Portland’s Kristoffer Velde ($2.28 million/$3.03 million). Pedri joins Barcelona’s growing injury list with hamstring tear Additional top earners include Charlotte’s Wilfried Zaha ($2.67 million/$2.75 million), Toronto’s Djordje Mihailovic ($2.16 million/$2.28 million), Colorado’s Paxten Aaronson ($2 million/$2.23 million), Columbus’ Wessam Abou Ali ($1.8 million/$2.16 million), and Montreal’s Iván Jaime ($1.8 million/$1.99 million). New England goalkeeper Matt Turner earns $1.78 million in salary with $1.94 million total compensation, while Vancouver midfielder Thomas Müller takes home $1.28 million ($1.44 million total), and Philadelphia forward Milan Iloski earns $500,000 ($552,569 total). Source: AP 

FC Barcelona’s injury crisis deepened as Pedri González became the latest player to be sidelined, suffering a hamstring injury in his left thigh, the club said on Wednesday. Before the injury, the Canary Islander midfielder had missed only one game under coach Hansi Flick, featuring in 72 of a possible 73 matches, according to the club. Pedri is the only player in the squad to have surpassed 1,000 minutes this season, having started all 13 official matches and played nearly every minute. With very little rest, he now appears to have reached his physical limit. He had even worked out in the gym on Wednesday morning before the bad news arrived. “The first team player Pedri has suffered a tear in the distal biceps femoris muscle in his left thigh. The player's recovery will dictate his return to action,” the club said in a statement. Pedri was already set to miss Sunday’s La Liga match against Elche due to a red card suspension in Sunday’s El Clásico, but the new injury means he will be sidelined for a much longer spell. The club has not provided a specific recovery timeline, but several Spanish media outlets report that he is not expected to return before the November international break, ruling him out of the Champions League clash against Club Brugge and the La Liga fixture against Celta Vigo. This news is a real headache for Hansi Flick, who loses his midfield metronome ahead of key fixtures. With Pedri sidelined, the number of injured Barcelona players has now climbed to eight, including Lewandowski, Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Joan Garcia, Christensen, Gavi, and Ter Stegen. Among them, Lewandowski is the only one nearing a return, having trained with the full squad on Wednesday. The Polish striker could feature against Elche after missing three games (against Girona, Olympiacos, and Madrid) due to an injury sustained during the last international break. Meanwhile, Dani Olmo and Joan Garcia have resumed light field training but will not be rushed back. Raphinha is also expected to return after the international break, following his injury in Oviedo on September 25.

Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has apologised to the club’s fans for his emotional reaction after being substituted during the team’s 2–1 El Clásico victory over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday. The 25-year-old Brazilian was taken off in the 72nd minute by coach Xabi Alonso and replaced by compatriot Rodrygo. As he left the pitch, Vinícius appeared visibly frustrated—gesticulating and shouting before heading straight into the dressing room. His behaviour drew mixed reactions across the football world, with some criticising the forward’s conduct and others defending his passion. Reports also suggested that relations between Alonso and Vinícius had deteriorated. The pair were expected to meet privately on Wednesday as the squad resumed training after a two-day break. Following the meeting, Vinícius took to social media to issue a public apology. “Today I want to apologise to all Madrid fans for my reaction to being substituted in El Clásico,” he wrote on X. “Just as I did in person during today’s training session, I also want to apologise again to my teammates, the club, and the president. “Sometimes my passion gets the better of me; I always want to win and help my team. My competitive nature stems from the love I feel for this club and everything it represents. “I promise to keep fighting every second for the good of Real Madrid, as I have done since day one.” Vinícius has scored five goals and provided four assists in LaLiga this season, as his form improved over the last month. However, reports indicate that Alonso is not a strong admirer of the player, having left last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up out of the starting lineup three times so far this campaign. Contract talks with the club have also reportedly stalled, with his current deal running until 2027. Meanwhile, ESPN reported that Real Madrid has decided not to impose any punishment or suspension over the player’s discourteous behaviour.