Haha very nice

Like Barthez to United after winning the World Cup

This one is the current Champions League winning GK👏👏

Arsenal

Who did they sign?

Arsenal made eight summer signings of varied importance. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera represent their need for more squad depth, while Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze are viewed as the real level-raisers in the team. Adding Piero Hincapie to their defence will also give Mikel Arteta an interesting dynamic on how he can set up the side in different ways.

Arsenal’s squad is now in better shape to deal with the demands of a full season than it was last year, which has already been seen in how Arteta has been able to respond to unexpected injuries this term.

Who didn’t they sign?

Arsenal will be thankful that they signed most players they went in for this summer. The big dilemma heading into June was whether to sign Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko, and they went for the former.

How do you grade their transfer window and why?

A-.

Going into the summer, Arsenal had clear areas to address in the squad. They needed to sign a new centre-forward, and did so. They needed to sign a new deep-lying playmaker, and did so too. They needed a creative spark, and found that in Eze. The squad depth signings are improvements on last year’s options.

They could have received a better grade had they made more permanent sales, but as The Athletic explained last week, those are not always easy to get done

Chelsea

Who did they sign?

Chelsea were busy from the get-go, acquiring Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30million in the mini-window before their participation at the Club World Cup. Joao Pedro was next through the door, coming from Brighton. The left wing was a priority, which was shown by the purchases of Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho. Cover for left-back Marc Cucurella has been provided by the acquisition of Jorrel Hato from Ajax, while Facundo Buonanotte arrived from Brighton on deadline day on loan.

There were a few deals that had been done in advance so they could be officially completed this summer. Chief among those was Estevao Willian, who joined for an initial €34m from Palmeiras and is already making an impact. Transfermarkt say that all of it has cost Chelsea €328.16m — another sizeable sum, but offset by a remarkable selling spree worth €332.25m, and that does not include the loan fees, other than Nicolas Jackson’s move to Bayern Munich.

Who didn’t they sign?

Much has been made of Chelsea not signing a specialist centre-back in the window; their thinking was that it had to be the right deal for the right talent. That is why they made a move for Dean Huijsen very early on, but they lost out to Real Madrid. Negotiations with Milan over goalkeeper Mike Maignan collapsed before the Club World Cup over the Serie A club’s asking price.

Chelsea admired Hugo Ekitike long before he ended up at Liverpool, but they were unwilling to match Eintracht Frankfurt’s initial €100m valuation.
It seemed like Xavi Simons was heading for Stamford Bridge at one stage, only for Chelsea to never really make RB Leipzig a formal offer, and he ended up at Tottenham instead. A €40m offer was made to Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez with under a week to go, only for Chelsea not to pursue it any further. Hopes of acquiring Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa had ended by this stage after it became clear the player was not for sale.

How do you grade their transfer window and why?

B.

It ended on a bit of a low note, especially with one of their main arrivals in Delap already suffering a hamstring injury. But it should not be forgotten that the squad has far more cover in key positions with Estevao Willian, Andrey Santos (returning from loan), Dario Essugo (completing move from Sporting CP) and Hato to name just four.

Goalkeeper is still a big question mark with the enigma Robert Sanchez remaining first choice, albeit they are hoping Mike Penders can develop on loan at Strasbourg. Widemen Gittens and Garnacho have a lot to prove too, rather than being the finished article. Some will question the mark being too high, but you have to take into account the amount of revenue raised by sales. The departures run well into double figures, and yet of those who left, only Noni Madueke, loanee Jadon Sancho and Jackson can consider themselves to be regulars.

Liverpool

Who did they sign?

This may go down as one of the greatest transfer windows in not only Liverpool’s history, but in Premier League history, with more than £400million spent. They broke their club transfer record twice, first signing Florian Wirtz (a potential £116million) and then adding Alexander Isak (£125million) on deadline day. They were complemented by the additions of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, centre-back Giovanni Leoni and forward Hugo Ekitike. They may be slightly lighter in attacking depth, but they have increased the individual quality with world-class additions.

Who didn’t they sign?

Marc Guehi. Liverpool thought that they had signed the defender with a fee agreed, personal terms sorted, and a medical completed, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug at the 11th hour after failing to secure a replacement.

It would have upgraded the centre-back options available to head coach Arne Slot, although they do still have depth in the position with Leoni and Joe Gomez backing up Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
How do you grade their transfer window and why?

A.

This was a window that Liverpool supporters could only have dreamed of when the summer began. The reigning champions have revamped their squad with significant spending. With the star quality additions, including Isak and Wirtz, they look set to stay at the top for the foreseeable future. They also sold well with significant fees recouped for Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Jarell Quansah.

The late Guehi disappointment is the only reason the window isn’t an A+.

Manchester United

Who did they sign?

Matheus Cunha was United’s first signing of the summer window, with the club activating his £62.5m release clause from Wolves in early June. Bryan Mbeumo followed in July, joining for an initial fee of £65m from Brentford. Slovenia centre-forward Benjamin Sesko completes the new look United front trio as a £66.4m arrival from RB Leipzig. Senne Lammens was the final incoming of the window. The 23-year-old Belgian goalkeeper was a deadline-day signing, the club paying an initial fee of £18.2m to acquire him from Royal Antwerp.

In addition to this comes Diego Leon, who joins the United setup after previously signing for the club in January. The 18-year-old left back ​​proved a popular dressing room presence during the pre-season tour in America.

Who didn’t they sign?

Carlos Baleba. In early August, it was reported that United enquired about the availability of the Brighton midfielder via intermediaries, before deciding not to proceed with a move a week later. Baleba’s prohibitively high price point may have been the reason behind the decision. Amorim’s team are sorely in need of additional central-midfield options, but the club’s budget was stretched thin following deals for the new-look attack.

How do you grade their transfer window and why?

B.

United have a habit of being “three good signings away from being three good signings away”. The club have made aggressive moves to bolster the attack, and they were proactive in selling the majority of their unwanted fringe players. However, they still finish the window with at least one glaring weakness (central midfield), which will put a ceiling on their success this season.

Tottenham Hotspur

Who did they sign?

Spurs signed three players this summer who immediately improve the starting XI. Mohammed Kudus gives them an extra dimension in attack, Xavi Simons is an exciting young talent who already has a lot of experience, while Joao Palhinha is the No 6 they have desperately craved for the last two seasons. Spurs converted the loans of Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso into permanent deals, Kota Takai adds depth at centre-back, and the deadline-day signing of Randal Kolo Muani gives new head coach Thomas Frank an extra option up front.

They have a better squad than last season, but injuries to James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke have slightly soured the mood.

Who didn’t they sign?

Spurs were bruised by their failure to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, and then Eberechi Eze rejected them in favour of a move to their north London rivals Arsenal. Simons will hopefully solve their creativity issues but he does not have any Premier League experience.

How do you grade their transfer window and why?

B.

Tottenham’s business in the last week of the window has put the squad in a much better position. Supporters were understandably concerned and frustrated at missing out on Gibbs-White and Eze. Simons is a thrilling alternative option who can cover multiple positions and provide them with a spark in attack while Maddison and Kulusevski recover from long-term knee injuries.

Waving goodbye to captain Son Heung-min was emotional, but the right decision. Spurs even managed to shift a few unwanted players, including Bryan Gil to Girona for €10m, but could not offload Yves Bissouma. The concern will be that the squad is still not strong enough to challenge in multiple competitions. This is especially the case in defence, where they currently only have three fit centre-backs. The fear would be that they have not learnt their lessons from last season’s horrific injury crisis.

Manchester City

Who did they sign?

City started the window with a flurry, signing Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri in time for the Club World Cup. At a combined cost of around £110million, they efficiently sorted the problematic left-back position, added new legs to midfield and identified the creative spark to fill some of the void left by Kevin De Bruyne.

Surprisingly, City then went back into the market for not one but two goalkeepers, splashing £65m on Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford. The prolonged saga over Ederson’s future could surely have been expedited, but at least they have the future of that position sorted with a 26-year-old and a 22-year-old to choose from.

The issue City have found is that it is hard to shift senior players on permanent deals when they are under a lucrative contract. Jack Grealish left on loan, and deals could not be found for Stefan Ortega and Manuel Akanji which enticed them enough to leave.

Who didn’t they sign?

A right-back. It is the one glaring omission from this summer’s refresh and, three games in, it looks like an oversight. Rico Lewis struggled against Spurs, and Matheus Nunes gave away the penalty for Brighton to equalise. You can fill the position by committee, but without a specialist, it remains a weak point.
How do you grade their transfer window and why?

B-.

The players they’ve brought in are high quality but the lack of sales and the decision not to recruit a right-back drags their grade down. City brought down the average age of the squad and rectified some of the succession planning decisions that had been put off for too long. They did it at a reasonable cost, too, but they failed to address the most problematic area of the team, and the goalkeeper saga has dragged on for so long that it can’t have helped their start to the season.

They haven’t sold enough players either to satisfy Guardiola’s request for a smaller squad, and now he faces the challenge of managing that harmony, on top of the tactical issues his team are facing.

Bettinelli
Nouri
Gvardiol
Khusanov
Stones
Kovacic
Foden
Savio
O'Reilly
Lewis
Marmoush
Cherki

unlikely for weekend



This post has been edited by kjs86: Sep 11 2025, 02:13 PM

Foden

Gianluigi Donnarumma – 8

Thrown straight in for the biggest baptism of fire you can get as a Manchester City player, but if he felt the heat, he didn’t show it. Dealt with anything United were able to muster at his goal, most impressively stretching to keep out Mbeumo’s volley.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 8

The fiery passion of the derby clearly wasn’t lost on him, as he didn’t shirk a tackle. Kept things simple on the ball and showed signs of real promise in that problem right-back role.

Ruben Dias – 7.5

Engaged in the physical tussle with Sesko and, after one or two warnings, shut the United frontman down without too much difficulty.

Josko Gvardiol – 7

Typically better suited to covering in behind than Dias, but did lose his man on a few occasions as he tried to get up to speed in his first appearance since the Club World Cup. Found his feet and was a good defensive presence in the second-half.

Nico O’Reilly – 8

Wasn’t daunted by facing a canny and experienced Premier League operator in Mbeumo, shackling him effectively. Especially noteworthy for a full-back who’s really a midfielder.

Rodri – 6.5

Didn’t look like himself with a series of cheap giveaways in the first-half, but grew into it nicely and was beginning to look more sharp latching onto those second balls which are his bread and butter.

Tijjani Reijnders – 7

Looked to have a few jangling nerves early doors with wayward passing, but sharpened up to play his part without too many of the fireworks we know he can produce.
Phil Foden – 8.5

He LOVES this fixture. Didn’t quite keep it up throughout but, especially in the first-half, tormented United with his quality and with his finish to kick off the scoring.

Bernardo Silva – 6.5

Was afforded tight and tough attention by Patrick Dorgu, which he struggled with. Did free himself to provide a nice assist for the third goal.

Erling Haaland – 9 (POTM)

Another who often revels in the heat of derby day, and he showed his willingness to fight on all fronts, doing some great work linking play and as a ‘meat shield’ in repelling United set-pieces. That’s without mentioning what he does best – scoring goals to win games of football for Manchester City.

Jeremy Doku – 8.5

Enjoyed license to flit between the two wings and did damage from both sides, picking out Foden for the opener then even more impressively Haaland for the second. Exactly the kind of decisiveness City fans have always wanted to see from him.

Substitutes

Nico Gonzalez – 6

Not much presence in midfield, not that it mattered by the time he was on.

Savinho – 6

Couldn’t make much influence on his first appearance of the campaign.

Nathan Ake – N/A

Oscar Bobb – N/A

Donnarumma

Commanding every time a cross came near him. Solid first half save from Sesko but used his giant frame brilliantly to make a superb save from Mbeumo at 2-0. 8

Khusanov

A surprise selection at right-back. Had the odd nervy moment in the first half but grew into the game was combative throughout. 7

Dias

As easy as it gets as a central defender on derby day. The highlight was when he told Gvardiol to stop checking on Mazraoui after barging him off the pitch. 7

Gvardiol

First game of the season and in central defence. Had a quiet afternoon but was never really tested by a United attack that was staggeringly poor. 7

O'Reilly
A sub in central midfield this season but back at left-back here. Showed his versatility and was rock solid, while taking up some clever central positions. 7

Rodri

Will benefit from another long competitive run out. Not at his best and gave the ball away a couple of times in the first half but he will get there. 6

Reijnders

One very wayward first half pass but linked play well in a No. 8 role. Should have scored with chances in either half. 7

Foden

Played with personality and passion and looks like he might be getting back to his best. Excellent goal but looked on it throughout in a central role. 8

Silva

A surprise starter on the right, with Foden infield. Tested and teased Dorgu with his close control and set the third goal up with a quick forward pass. 7

Doku

Said last week he needed more goals and assists so what a way to start. Set the first and second goals up. Excellent feet for the first, clever pass for the second. 8

Haaland

A rock at the back at times when City had to defend set-pieces and then ruthless when the chances came at the other end. Should really have had a hat-trick against United again. 8

Substitutes

Gonzalez

Little time to make an impact. 6

Savinho

Back in action for the first time this season. 6

Bobb

On as a late sub. 6

Ake

Came on for the final moments 6

This post has been edited by kjs86: Sep 15 2025, 02:22 AM

Gianluigi Donnarumma (7/10):

A stunning save from Mbeumo was the highlight of the Italian's debut. He was not called into action much but stretched every inch of his huge frame to show just why the club signed him.

Abdukodir Khusanov (6/10):

Playing at the unfamiliar position of right-back, Khusanov carried out his role well. Though the less said about his failed attempt at a throw-in in the first half, the better...

Ruben Dias (7/10):

Did a great job to ensure Sesko offered little threat on his first Premier League start. Playing alongside a young defence, Dias led the back four well.

Josko Gvardiol (7/10):

Adapting well to a regular role at centre-back for City, Gvardiol was a dependable partner for Dias as United's attack were frustrated.

Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

The 20-year-old made his first league start of the new season and generally handled the threat of Mbeumo well.

Bernardo Silva (7/10):

Playing on the right of midfield, the captain did a good job for the team and grabbed an assist when he spotted Haaland running through on goal with a decisive early pass.

Rodri (7/10):

Making his second start of the season, Rodri was solid if not quite back to his best. It is a massive plus for City to have the Ballon d'Or winner back starting at the Etihad once again.

Tijjani Reijnders (7/10):

Looked at home alongside Rodri in the City midfield and the pair could form a formidable duo this season. Should have scored in a late break, though.

Jeremy Doku (8/10):

The Belgian showed the end product often demanded of him with two outstanding assists. His dribbling ability was evident for the first, skipping past Shaw as if he was not there.

Erling Haaland (9/10):

Looked very much up for it from the start. Two second-half goals to make it eight in Manchester derbies already. Regularly a thorn in United's side, the Norwegian was far too much for the away defence to handle.

Phil Foden (8/10):

In the headlines earlier on in the day after Guardiola spoke of his hopes for the Englishman, Foden rose to the occasion. His goal was pin-point and his general play showed the confidence of a local lad who was determined to be the difference-maker in the derby.

Subs & Manager

Nico Gonzalez (5/10):

Replaced Rodri in the 76th minute and slotted in seamlessly in midfield.

Savinho (5/10):

Replaced Doku and had a difficult task to follow the Belgian's influence on the game.

Oscar Bobb (N/A):

Replaced international team-mate Haaland with a few minutes to play.

Nathan Ake (N/A):

Came on alongside Bobb in the final stages to shore things up in defence.

Pep Guardiola (8/10):

Got the selection right with the inclusion of the likes of Foden, Rodri and Doku. As ever, Guardiola trusted his starting XI and only made substitutions late on with the game already won.

Gianluigi Donnarumma - 8

Authoritative every time a cross came near him. A solid first half save from Benjamin Sesko and used his towering frame brilliantly to make an excellent save from Mbeumo at 2-0.

Abdukodir Khusanov - 7

A surprise choice at right-back. Had a few nervous moments in the first half but grew into the game and was combative throughout.

Ruben Dias - 7

As straightforward as it gets for a central defender on derby day. The highlight was when he told Gvardiol to stop checking on Noussair Mazraoui after barging him off the pitch.

Josko Gvardiol - 7

First game of the season and in central defence. Had a quiet afternoon but was never really tested by a poor United attack.

Nico O'Reilly - 7

Usually a substitute in central midfield this season but back at left-back here. Showed his versatility and was rock solid, while taking up some clever central positions.

Rodri - 6

Will benefit from a lengthy competitive outing. Despite not being at his best and losing possession a few times in the first half, he's showing promise.

Tijjani Reijnders - 7

Despite one notably off-target pass in the first half, he linked play effectively in a No. 8 role. He should have converted chances in both halves.

Phil Foden - 8

Displayed real character and hinted at a return to top form. Scored an impressive goal and consistently performed well in a central role.

Bernardo Silva - 7

An unexpected starter on the right, with Foden playing centrally. He challenged and baffled Patrick Dorgu with his close control and set up the third goal with a quick forward pass.

Jeremy Doku - 8

After expressing a desire to get more goals and assists last week, he certainly delivered. Assisted the first and second goals. Showed excellent footwork for the first and a smart pass for the second.

Erling Haaland - 8

Ruthless when goalscoring opportunities arose with two fine finishes and even chipped in defensively, heading clear some corners. Should have scored a hat-trick against United though.

Substitutes

Nico Gonzalez - 6

Had little time to make an impact.

Savinho - 6

Returned to action for the first time this season.

Oscar Bobb - N/A

Came on as a late substitute.

Nathan Ake - N/A

Entered the game in the final moments.

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma - 7.5/10
Didn't really have much to do during the match in terms of both saves and in possession, but he did produce one superb save in the 61st minute to deny Mbeumo scoring a screamer.

RB: Abdukodir Khusanov - 7.5/10
Solid as a rock defensively and produced some important defensive actions such as clearances and interceptions, which prevented United from getting shots off and crosses into the box.

CB: Ruben Dias - 7.5/10
Dealt with Sesko fairly routinely and was very good defensively, rarely being troubled. As well as being good defensively, Dias was also good in possession when playing the ball out from defence.

CB: Josko Gvardiol - 7/10
Didn't have as much defending to do as his centre-back partner, Dias, but Gvardiol was also good. The Croat came across to help out O'Reilly defensively plenty of times, which played a huge part in keeping United so quiet.

LB: Nico O'Reilly - 7.5/10
Played with plenty of energy and put in lots of big tackles. The youngster lost track of Mbeumo a few times, but aside from that, he performed well.

CM: Rodri - 7.5/10
A rock in the middle of the park. Rodri saw plenty of the ball in the midfield and arguably started a lot of attacks for his side, but he was also solid defensively and put in plenty of big tackles.

CM: Tijjani Reijnders - 7/10
Had some tidy moments and played with plenty of energy, but missed a golden opportunity in the 75th minute, which he probably should've scored.

CM: Phil Foden - 8.5/10
His best performance for a while. Foden scored a superb headed goal early in the match and also put in an extremely tidy performance in the middle of the park, and was a huge creative threat in the final third.

RW: Bernardo Silva - 7.5/10
Didn't see much of the ball at all, but still managed to provide an assist. As mentioned, Silva didn't have much to do in possession, but he worked very hard and pressed well out of possession.

ST: Erling Haaland - 9/10 (Man of the Match)
An incredible all-around performance for the big man. Not only did Haaland score two very good goals, he was also key in creating for his teammates and worked his socks off up front.

LW: Jeremy Doku - 9/10
One of his best performances in a City shirt so far. The Belgian not only played a huge part in City's first two goals, providing two assists, but his all-around game was phenomenal. Doku is known for his pace and dribbling, which was on show during this match, but his strength was also extremely impressive, especially for City's second goal, where he managed to hold off Yoro.

SUB: Nico Gonzalez - N/A
Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Savinho - N/A
Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Oscar Bobb - N/A
Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Nathan Ake - N/A
Didn't do much after coming on.

Gianluigi Donnarumma-8.5/10: A brilliant Manchester City debut from Donnarumma. Made one stunning save and adds presence in goal to Pep Guardiola’s side.

Abdukodir Khusanov-8/10: Khusanov was brilliant at right-back. Defended well and made several critical challenges. A very good display from the young defender.

Ruben Dias-7/10: Much better from Dias. Didn’t lunge into challenges and went about his work with minimal fuss.

Josko Gvardiol-7/10: Played well at centre-back in his first outing of the season. Added composure at the back for Manchester City.

Nico O’Reilly-8/10: A very good performance at left-back from O’Reilly. Played a significant role in Manchester City’s second goal and did well defensively.

Rodri-6/10: A rusty performance from Rodri, especially in the first half when he was caught on the ball on multiple occasions.

Bernardo Silva-6.5/10: A busy performance from Bernardo. He struggled in the first half, and he looked like he couldn’t keep up with the game. He was better in the second half and set up Erling Haaland’s second goal of the game.

Tijjani Reijnders-6.5/10: An almost game from Reijnders. Could’ve scored one or two goals, but it wasn’t to be. He was also a lot better in the second half than in the first half.

Phil Foden-10/10: Manchester City’s man-of-the-match in my opinion. Played in midfield and dictated the match. Scored City’s opener and played a crucial role in his team’s second goal. Added exactly what his team so desperately needed.

Jeremy Doku-9.5/10: Arguably, Jeremy Doku’s best performance as a Manchester City player. Grabbed two assists, but his composure stood out before he was substituted. Excellent display from Doku.

Erling Haaland-9.5/10: A brilliant performance from Haaland. Scored a brace in typical Haaland fashion. His overall performance was superb as he helped his team defensively and was also a threat in possession.

Substitutes

Nico-N/A: Not on long enough to mark. However, he didn’t time his challenges well after coming on for Rodri.

Savinho-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.

Nathan Ake-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.

Oscar Bobb-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.

Starting XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Rodri, Reijnders, Foden; Bernardo ©, Haaland, Doku.