According to Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart, Eberechi Eze’s free kick against Chelsea was forbaded due to a rule that forbids the attacking team player from getting closer than one meter from the defensive wall.
Watch Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace highlights.
In the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford for Manchester United, match of the day pundit Joe Hart explains how Mason Mount could have protected goalkeeper Altair Bayindir from William Saliba’s pressure during the corner.
Watch the highlights of Arsenal vs. Man Utd.
Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat by Arsenal is a prime example of how a team can still be very optimistic about their performance as a pundit even when they lose.
United showed on Sunday how effective their system is and how effective its new signings will be in the process after conceding an absurd early goal that ultimately proved decisive.
They were more dynamic and direct, as I stated on Match of the Day. They appeared extremely strong physically as well.
They essentially had much more courage when they attempted to win the ball back because of their higher level of quality.
We are aware that Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-1 formation will not be altered, and United are back in good shape again.
This time around, United had a much more positive attitude about how things were set up, regardless of whether they were in possession or not.
Their wing-backs Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu were first and foremost high up in the game, and Amad Diallo’s replacement, Dalot, made things even more attack-minded.
Amorim took a chance by pressing a team that was superior to Arsenal, and they struggled to capitalize on that in the first half when the Gunners overcame their press and made the most of their overloads.
United should be on the front foot because they were at home, so they should be. What I really liked about them was how they handled the game against Arsenal, which they rarely did against other top teams last season, even when they won.
Although United occasionally appeared a little ragged, overall the team’s balance and intensity were excellent.
The debutants for United, who were newly acquired, were a big part of their better performance.
Although it is just one game, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha appeared to be the players United hopes they will be.
I have a big admiration for Mikel Arteta’s work at Arsenal, and one of his strengths has been that they have the upper hand in most of their matches and have a direct impact on the opposition’s pace for many seasons.
Because of United’s drive, bravery, and determination to try to pursue them, they did not have that control at Old Trafford. All of that also defensively assisted Amorim’s side.
United were repeatedly caught in possession last season when they attempted to play from the back several times. That was hardly noticeable on Sunday.
United’s front line was essentially nonexistent last season. They would simply run over them because they didn’t want to fear them.
They now have reliable, confident attackers who can frighten opponents’ defenders. That immediately earns them respect.
That was apparent against the Gunners. Arsenal’s defenders sat in rather than trying to advance because United wanted to move the ball forward quickly because they were concerned about Cunha and Mbeumo.
Knowing Cunha and Mbeumo would keep the ball, the United wing-backs were always ready to move forward in support as well. Another big plus was that Mason Mount also had a fantastic game.
You started to feel more and more like a United equalizer was on the way.
United still has some lingering doubts, after all, they obviously weren’t perfect because they lost.
Manuel Ugarte or Casemiro might need a new central midfielder in place of Bruno Fernandes, but I’m sure not everyone will agree. They might also need someone with more power to do some more running for him.
The team’s goalkeeper situation is in doubt, which they also lost again with Altay Bayindir’s mistake and Riccardo Calafiori’s winner.
To lose to a goal like that is frustrating, especially if it has already happened to them.
Although there was disappointment on the day, United still had a chance to improve with this game.
You always want to see some improvement, especially at this very early stage of the season, and United’s display demonstrates that.
As the team gets better and more used to the manager’s system right now, the players become more at ease with their relationships on the field, and the new signings start to settle in.
They also need to put their struggles from the previous season behind them and continue to play with some optimism and conviction.
All of that occurred against Arsenal.
Even though they lost, every team that plays up against them will be wary of the outcome.
Iga Swiatek, the third-ranked player, defeated Elena Rybakina to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open.
Their meeting will be a repeat of the dominant Swiatek win in the French Open last year.
The reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek made her first appearance in Cincinnati on Sunday, defeating Kazakhstan’s Rybakina 7-5, 6-3.
Before Swiatek took control, Rybakina, who defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals, made a strong start but was unable to capitalize on an early break in the opening set.
Swiatek remarked, “That was a difficult match. We played so quickly at first, and it was “pretty crazy,” she said. “Sometimes we couldn’t even run to the second ball.
I was there with great intensity and good quality, and I’m so pleased with the performance.
“The final will be extremely difficult,” he declared. I’ll need to prepare tactically, but I’ll be persistent and try to carry out my goals.
Paolini defeated Russian Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 in her semi-final match.
Paolini made her first error of the match in the second set, but Kudermetova’s 75 unforced errors made the difference.
Caves Valley GC, Maryland, for the BMW Championship
-15 S Scheffler (US), -13 R MacIntyre (Sco), -11 M McNealy (US) -10 T Fleetwood (Eng), S Burns (US), -8 H Hall (Eng)
Selected others: -7 V Hovland (Nor), -3 R McIlroy (NI), -1 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), + 1 S Lowry (Ire)
Robert MacIntyre was the overnight leader for Scottie Scheffler, who capitalized on the Scot’s shaky opening win in Maryland.
The world number one finished the final day four shots behind, but he was in front by the seventh hole, chipping in at the 17th hole to cap off a rollercoaster nerve-wracking climax.
At the fifth hole, MacIntyre added a stroke before opening with back-to-back bogeys. A single birdie on the third-last green would require another shot.
As Open champion Scheffler showed his mettle and class, despite a few uncharacteristic errors on his way to a three-under-par 67, taking him to 15 under for the week, the chance of a third PGA Tour victory fell away for the left-hander at Caves Valley.
When MacIntyre moved one shot closer to the end of the 12th, Scheffler missing a routine par putt, there was still hope.
However, Scheffler quickly made a mess of the next bogey after the Scotsman overhit an eight iron off the tee at the 13th to miss the green.
The American made a birdie move at the 15th after MacIntyre missed his attempt, but the roles were changed at the 16th.
With the ranking points that come with a £1.6 million check, MacIntyre moves up 11 spots to ninth place in the FedEx Cup rankings, joining Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, who finished fourth, and Justin Rose, who has since officially nailed down his Ryder Cup spot.
Harry Hall, England’s selection choice, came in sixth place on eight under.
Final round of LIV Golf Indianapolis
-22 S Munoz (Col), J Rahm (Spa), -20 D Johnson (US)
Selected others: -17 J Niemann (Chi), -13 B DeChambeau, C Smith (Aus), -12 S Garcia (Spa), L Westwood (Eng), I Poulter (Eng), -11 H Stenson (Swe)
Despite losing to Sebastian Munoz in an Indiana play-off, Jon Rahm has won the title of LIV Golf individual champion for the second year in a row.
The Spaniard finished at 22 under with an 11-under-par 60 on Friday, while Munoz, who made headlines with a 59 in the first round, shot a 59.
On Sunday’s opening extra hole, Munoz birdied, while Rahm was only able to par on the par.
However, Rahm was able to claim the season-long award and top prize of $ 18 million (£13.3 million) over Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, who finished in a tie for fourth on 17 under at the Club at Chatham Hills.
Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, two of Rahm’s former European Ryder Cup teammates, managed to avoid being relegated and dumped by LIV for 2026, so there was good news as well.
Rahm’s success is based on consistency.
The 30-year-old struggled to win any titles all year as he won titles in Australia, Singapore, Mexico City, Virginia, and the United Kingdom.
However, the Spanish superstar made just one of his 13 appearances on the Saudi-backed Tour in the top 10.
And he was the standout player on Sunday as he climbed the leaderboard with six birdies and an eagle on the par-five 13th hole.
To cap a fantastic round, Rahm, who is expected to receive a captain’s pick for September’s Ryder Cup, knocked in four consecutive birdies before the 14th, which turned out to be a slight setback.