Chapter 816 – An Unusual Premier League Table
After four Premier League rounds, the table looked unrecognizable to fans around the world.
Top were Everton: four wins from four, 12 points, leading alone.
Second were Aston Villa: a relegation battler last season, now flying with 3 wins and 1 loss for 9 points.
Third were Leicester City: also 3 wins and 1 loss, including a stunning 5–2 triumph at the Etihad over Manchester City.
Fourth were Arsenal: likewise 3 wins and 1 loss, but with an inferior goal difference to Villa and Leicester — returning to the position most familiar to Gunners fans.
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Notably absent from the Champions League places were the Manchester duo and Liverpool — perennial top-three fixtures in recent years — a development no one expected.
To seasoned Premier League watchers, it felt like a fake table: none of the traditional Big Six in the top three.
Manchester United had 3 wins and 1 loss as well, 9 points, but only a +1 goal difference, putting them fifth.
Liverpool, crushed by Villa this round, also had 9 points but a goal difference of 0, leaving them sixth.
The true shock was Manchester City. With their opener postponed, they managed just 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss in the next three — only 4 points, down in 15th.
At least the season had only just begun; there was time to recover. Still, the pandemic's effects were plain to see.
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With four league rounds complete, world football entered its second international window of the season. Bruno returned to Portugal for two UEFA Nations League group matches: away to France on October 11, then home to Sweden on October 14.
Portugal vs. France was a clash of titans — world No. 1 vs. world No. 2 — drawing global attention.
Both teams had won their first two matches; Portugal led the group on goal difference.
The first half was intense but goalless, with hosts France holding a slight edge. Cristiano Ronaldo, Olivier Giroud, and Antoine Griezmann all came close.
After the break, France ramped up. In the 47th minute, Lucas Hernández's left-sided cross found Kylian Mbappé, who slipped in and scooped a tight-angle effort, but Rui Patrício saved with his left arm.
Three minutes later, Portugal responded. Bruno spread play left; Raphaël Guerreiro lofted into the box; Ronaldo surged past Presnel Kimpembe but scuffed his shot.
Both sides traded chances without scoring as the clock ticked past 70 minutes.
In the 73rd minute, Portugal won a free kick on the left. Guerreiro delivered into the box; everyone at the near post missed it, and Bruno arrived at the far post, diving to head past Hugo Lloris.
It was the only goal of the match, giving Portugal a 1–0 away win and three straight group victories.
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Three days later, on October 14, Portugal hosted Sweden.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed out after testing positive for COVID-19. Bruno captained the side again.
In the 20th minute, Bruno orchestrated a move with a piercing through ball to split Sweden's defense. Liverpool's Diogo Jota squared, and Manchester City's Bernardo Silva curled into the top corner with his left to make it 1–0.
It was a near-perfect combination from United, City, and Liverpool players.
In the 40th minute, Portugal struck again. João Cancelo's precise right-sided long pass found Jota, who chested it down in the box and volleyed home right-footed. 2–0.
In the 72nd minute, Bruno again unlocked Sweden with a penetrative pass. Jota beat the offside line and finished to make it 3–0, sealing the match.
After four group games, Portugal had four wins and led by three points. One more home win against France in the next round would clinch top spot and a place in the Nations League semifinals.
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Back in league play after the break, United's fifth match was away to Newcastle United.
In the 1st minute, a Newcastle counter after a backline steal ended with Jonjo Shelvey releasing Emil Krafth, whose cross deflected off Luke Shaw and in — a dream start for the hosts.
In the 11th, Bruno's through ball sent Marcus Rashford into the box; under pressure from two defenders, his cross was blocked.
In the 13th, Harry Maguire's clip into the area was partially cleared to Bruno, who slipped it to his right for Rashford to shoot over.
In the 15th, Rashford drove into the box and shot, missing the left post by inches.
In the 18th, Bruno fed centrally; Juan Mata set it back for Bruno to strike — and he scored to level.
In the 21st, Allan Saint-Maximin crossed from the left, and Shelvey's shot was saved by David de Gea.
In the 22nd, Bruno split the lines again; Mata's effort was turned behind by Karl Darlow.
From the ensuing left-side corner, Bruno delivered, Maguire rose highest and headed in. 2–1 United.
United, having turned it around, poured forward but couldn't net a third before the break, heading in up by one.
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After the restart, 47th minute: Cancelo pulled back from the right, and Bruno's long-range drive flew just over.
In the 54th, Rashford dribbled through the box and went down under a triple challenge. VAR intervened; after review, the referee pointed to the spot. Bruno sent Darlow the wrong way. 3–1 United.
It was Bruno's 50th career penalty taken — and his 50th scored. A perfect 100% record, extending his consecutive penalty streak to 50.
In the 86th, Mata's long pass found Rashford, who laid off for Bruno to arrive and finish from a tight angle — a hat-trick for Bruno, and United three goals clear.
Before stoppage time, United struck again: Rashford and Cancelo played a slick one-two, Cancelo burst into the box and finished. 1–5.
In the 95th minute, Bruno's long pass released Rashford one-on-one; he slotted past Darlow to cap it.
United won 6–1 away, thanks to Bruno's three goals and two assists — their most exhilarating victory of the season — climbing to third and back into the Champions League places.
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With their first big win secured, Europe moved into the season's first Champions League matchweek.
At the October 1 group-stage draw, United — as reigning Champions League and Premier League winners — were in Pot 1 as a seeded team.
This season's Pot 1 comprised the Champions League and Europa League holders plus the champions of UEFA's top six leagues by coefficient.
Because United were both Premier League and Champions League winners, the Portuguese champions Porto, from the seventh-ranked league by coefficient, also entered Pot 1.
The eight seeds were: Manchester United, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Porto.
Pot 2 featured: Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, and Ajax.
Pot 3 featured: Dynamo Kyiv, RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, Inter Milan, Olympiacos, Lazio, Krasnodar, and Atalanta.
Pot 4 featured: Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Club Brugge, Borussia Mönchengladbach, İstanbul Başakşehir, Midtjylland, Rennes, and Ferencváros.
With so many heavyweights in Pot 2, group-stage clashes between giants were inevitable.
United drew familiar foes from last season's groups: Ajax from the Netherlands and Atalanta from Italy, plus Denmark's Midtjylland.
All told, a favorable draw — they avoided Pot 2's Barcelona and Atlético, as well as Borussia Dortmund.
By contrast, Liverpool were unlucky. From Pot 2, they missed weaker seeds like Zenit, Porto, and Sevilla, and from Pot 3 they pulled last season's dark horse, RB Salzburg.
(END CHAPTER)
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