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La Liga leaders Real Madrid were left frustrated in a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, giving champions Barcelona a chance to close in on them.

Xabi Alonso’s side moved five points clear of Villarreal in second and six ahead of the third-placed Catalans, who visit Celta Vigo later on.

Rayo battled strongly in the derby clash and although Real Madrid had the better chances, the hosts also had opportunities to win a scrappy game.

They managed to limit La Liga top scorer Kylian Mbappe’s influence, while keeping Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham safely at arm’s length as well.

Madrid were hoping to bounce back from their Champions League defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday but Alonso’s team dropped points for only the second time this season in the league.

READ ALSO: Man City Crush Liverpool To Close In On Premier League Leaders Arsenal

“I want to keep growing, improving, with positive and constructive self-criticism — this is Real Madrid, we all know where we are and what we want,” Alonso told reporters.

“We’re in November, there’s a long way to go, we need to be demanding of ourselves (but) also be measured.”

Inigo Perez’s Rayo came out fired up and threatened first, when Andrei Ratiu fired straight at Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

After that Madrid began to take control but the hosts, in mid-table, held firm at their Vallecas stadium.

Raul Asencio headed wide when well-placed and Batalla made a fine instinctive save to push away a Vinicius effort.

Rayo starved Madrid superstar Mbappe of the ball, with the Frenchman unable to threaten in his usual manner.

Madrid coach Alonso sent on Eder Militao for the booked Dean Huijsen at half-time, wary of Isi Palazon and Jorge de Frutos’ threat.

De Frutos came close early in the second half when he nipped in at the near post between two defenders to reach Pacha Espino’s cross and hit the side netting.

Bellingham forced Batalla into a good save at his near post after a lovely touch to bring the ball down as he tried to continue his recent strong goalscoring form.

Mbappe had his first effort on the hour mark as Rayo let him loose for the first time, whipping a shot wide of the far post.

Batalla beat away a Fede Valverde drive from distance, while Alvaro Garcia fired over at the other end as Rayo looked to snatch victory.

Alonso sent on Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final stages as the England international continues finding fitness after injury.

Madrid midfielder Arda Guler came close to breaking the deadlock in stoppage time as his effort was deflected behind, but Rayo survived to claim a point.

“I’m happy with the team’s work, and we had chances too to take all three points,” Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Augusto Batalla told DAZN.

“To balance the (difference in quality) between us (and Madrid), we have to push harder, but I saw a Madrid trying hard too, with a lot of intensity.”

Manchester City celebrated Pep Guardiola’s 1000th game in management with a statement 3-0 win over Liverpool to close to within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Erling Haaland shrugged off missing an early penalty to head in his 99th Premier League goal before Nico Gonzalez’s deflected effort and a wonder strike from Jeremy Doku confirmed City’s status as Arsenal’s major title rivals.

Liverpool have now lost four of their last five league games to leave the defending champions down in eighth, eight points off the top.

Arsenal’s 10-game winning run came to an end in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Saturday and Guardiola’s men took full advantage in the battle of the two sides that have dominated the Premier League over the past decade.

READ ALSO: De Ligt Rescues Draw For Man Utd After Tottenham Turnaround

Even if decisions went against Arne Slot’s men, this was another show of how far they have fallen since cruising to a 2-0 win at the Etihad in February.

The Reds showed signs of a revival in beating Aston Villa and Real Madrid in the past eight days, but had no answer to the slickness of a rejuvenated City, who have won 11 of their last 14 games in all competitions.

Conor Bradley shut down the threat of Madrid’s Vinicius Junior on Tuesday but was given a torrid time by the pace and trickery of Doku down City’s left.

Doku made the most of Ibrahima Konate’s clearance off Bradley to round Giorgi Mamardashvili before his trailing leg was clipped by the Georgian.

Referee Chris Kavanagh was initially unmoved but pointed to the spot after a VAR review.

Haaland has struck 28 times already this season for club and country, but is yet to score for City from the spot.

Mamardashvili redeemed himself by getting down low to his left to turn the Norwegian’s penalty to safety to briefly lift the mood among the Liverpool players and travelling support.

City remained in control of the game, though, as Rayan Cherki’s effort was deflected wide before Mamardashvili turned Doku’s strike after another mazy run into the side-netting.

Haaland has only failed to score in two of his 18 appearances this season and duly delivered with a looping header to meet Matheus Nunes’ wicked delivery on 29 minutes.

Liverpool thought they were level nine minutes later when Van Dijk’s header from a corner arrowed into the far corner.

However, Andy Robertson ducked out the way of his captain’s effort and was deemed to have interfered with Gianluigi Donnarumma from an offside position.

Instead of going in all square, City rubbed salt in the wounds of Liverpool’s perceived injustice.

The visitors were slow to get out from a corner and Gonzalez had time to take aim before his shot deflected off Van Dijk to wrong-foot Mamardashvili.

Liverpool only had themselves to blame for not getting back in the game early in the second period as Cody Gakpo blazed over with the goal gaping at the end of a fine move involving Mohamed Salah and Bradley.

But Doku fittingly rounded off arguably his best performance in three seasons at City in style to seal a statement victory.

The Belgian jinked inside the leaden-footed Konate before curling into the top corner from outside the box.

Salah summed up Liverpool’s day and season so far when he dinked wide a glorious chance 10 minutes from time.

Despite the visitors need for goals, Slot left £125 million ($165 million) striker Alexander Isak on the bench for the entire match due to his lack of match fitness.

The decision to tear up the squad that coasted to the title with a near £450 million spend in the transfer window looks more misguided by the game as Liverpool find themselves in a battle just to make the top four rather than the title race.

Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende’s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami’s triumph.

“I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy. We all know about Leo with the ball, but what happened with Leo without the ball today was impressive.”

Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first-round series 2-1 to book a second-round match against FC Cincinnati, who defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.

READ ALSO: Arsenal Winning Run Ends In Sunderland Draw, De Ligt Rescues Man Utd

“The team played an almost perfect game,” Mascherano said. “There are always things to improve, but we were at a very high level in all lines, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good in high pressure.”

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.

“It would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage,” Mascherano said. “What happened last year it had remained a bit in the atmosphere and you could feel that fear that it could happen again. And now there is nothing better than looking forward.”

In the night’s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second round match against Sunday’s winner between Portland and San Diego.

Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week’s loss at Nashville.

MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.

Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.

Allende’s first goal was from point blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.

At Cincinnati, Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.

“It’s going to be a very tough conference semifinal,” Mascherano said. “We were below in the regular season but in the second leg we played here I was left with very good feelings.”

Minnesota moves on

At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.

Seattle equalized at 3-3 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.

Minnesota’s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball but stayed in the match.

Morris hit the crossbar in the second round and in sudden-death rounds Thomas made two saves but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post and Osaze De Rosario’s shot being saved by Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair.

Arsenal’s 10-game winning run came to an end as Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp goal gave Sunderland a dramatic 2-2 draw against the Premier League leaders, while Manchester United rescued a 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Saturday.

Former Arsenal defender Dan Ballard fired Sunderland ahead with a powerful finish in the 36th minute at the Stadium of Light.

That ended the Gunners’ run of eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka levelled with a composed finish in the 54th minute before Leandro Trossard smashed Arsenal into the lead from the edge of the Sunderland area in the 76th minute.

Arsenal were within touching distance of an 11th successive victory in all competitions, but Brobbey stabbed home from Ballard’s header to earn a point in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

It was the first time they had failed to win in any competition since a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in the top flight on September 21.

As they chase a first English title since 2004, Arsenal hold a seven-point lead at the top.

But second-placed City would close the gap on Arsenal to four points if they beat champions Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Liverpool can move within five points of Arsenal if they defeat City.

The Gunners have finished as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons and haven’t lifted a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup.

At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Bryan Mbeumo fired United ahead in the 32nd minute amid mounting discontent among home fans.

Booed off at half-time, Tottenham hit back and looked to have secured a dramatic victory after Mathys Tel equalised in the 84th minute and Richarlison deflected in a shot from Wilson Odobert in the 91st minute.

But United defender Matthijs de Ligt powered in a 96th-minute header to extend his side’s unbeaten run to five games.

Tottenham’s failure to hold onto the lead was another blow to their dismal record in home league games in 2025, which includes only one win in six top-flight matches in north London this term.

Neither manager was satisfied with the outcome, and United boss Ruben Amorim said, “We have so much to grow as a team because today was our day to win. If we have a little bit more bravery, we can kill this game.”

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank added, “A lot of things we could have done a bit better. The last goal is all about the urgency; maybe don’t give the cross away and defend better.”

Seventh-placed United have now failed to beat fourth-placed Tottenham in eight meetings, including a 1-0 defeat in the Europa League final in May.

Wins For West Ham And Everton

West Ham boosted their bid to avoid relegation with a 3-2 win against fellow strugglers Burnley at the London Stadium.

Burnley took the lead in the 35th minute when Lesley Ugochukwu’s cross reached Zian Flemming, and the Dutch forward headed home from close range.

READ ALSO: De Ligt Rescues Draw For Man Utd After Tottenham Turnaround

Callum Wilson hauled West Ham level with a predatory finish from the rebound after Crysencio Summerville’s shot was saved in the 44th minute.

Tomas Soucek netted for West Ham in the 77th minute, the Czech midfielder bundling in from close range after Lucas Paqueta’s cross was parried into his path by Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka.

And, when Dubravka fumbled the ball towards Kyle Walker-Peters in the 87th minute, the defender’s clinical finish put the result beyond doubt.

Josh Cullen’s stoppage-time strike was no consolation for Burnley.

Third-from-bottom West Ham’s second successive win moved them level on points with fourth-from-bottom Burnley.

Everton ended a three-game winless run with a 2-0 victory over Fulham at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

David Moyes’ men went in front when Idrissa Gueye prodded home after James Tarkowski’s header hit the bar in first-half stoppage time.

Everton defender Michael Keane wrapped up the points when he turned in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner in the 81st minute.

Chelsea hosts Wolves in the last game of Saturday’s schedule.

Matthijs de Ligt salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester United at Tottenham in a frantic finale as both sides missed the chance to go second in the Premier League on Saturday.

Spurs looked to have secured a dramatic victory, having trailed with six minutes to go, as Mathys Tel equalised before Richarlison headed home in the 91st minute.

However, De Ligt powered in a 96th-minute header to extend United’s unbeaten run to five games.

Both sides move onto 18 points from 11 games, but goal difference separates Spurs in third from United in seventh.

The Red Devils have now failed to beat Spurs in their previous eight meetings, but it was the most recent of which that will live long in the memory of the Tottenham support.

Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought thanks to a scrappy 1-0 win in the Europa League final in May, which also took them into the Champions League, while United missed out on European football altogether.

Despite the huge blow to United’s finances and prestige, Ruben Amorim is making the most of having more time on the training field to finally build some momentum after a tough first year at Old Trafford.

Unlike most of United’s big money signings in recent years, Bryan Mbeumo has proved his worth since a £65 million ($86 million) move from Brentford in July.

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The Cameroonian was named Premier League player of the month for October and took his tally to four goals in as many games when he headed in from Amad Diallo’s cross on 32 minutes.

Spurs were booed off after a woeful attacking display in losing a London derby 1-0 to Chelsea last weekend.

After another dreary first 45 minutes, the hosts came to life early in the second period.

Senne Lammens produced a brilliant stop to turn Cristian Romero’s flick behind.

The Belgian goalkeeper was quickly called into action again to parry Joao Palhinha’s effort.

Brennan Johnston, who scored the winner when the sides last met in Bilbao, was then denied an equaliser by the offside flag.

Tottenham’s burst of attacking threat quickly fizzled out, though, and discontent among the home fans with manager Thomas Frank showed when his decision to replace Xavi Simons was roundly booed.

However, the Spurs boss can claim his changes turned the game around.

Destiny Udogie crossed for fellow substitute Tel to turn and fire into the top corner via a deflection off De Ligt.

Wilson Odobert, introduced off the bench at half-time, then curled a shot towards the far corner that Richarlison flicked in to leave Lammens helpless.

The Brazilian tore off his shirt and was reduced to tears in his celebration.

Yet, it still was not enough to earn Tottenham a first home league win since the opening weekend of the season.

De Ligt was offered too much space at the back post from Bruno Fernandes’ corner, and his header was too powerful for Guglielmo Vicario.

Nigeria have named a 24-man squad for the 2026 World Cup playoff, recalling Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye for the tie against the Panthers of Gabon.

The Super Eagles’ list also included long-time absentee and Sevilla forward, Chidera Ejuke and Raphael Onyedika.

Okoye returns after serving a two-month ban for involvement in betting. Onyedika is making the list following his missing of the final games of the World Cup qualifier due to injury.

The squad features regulars like Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen; captain William Troost-Ekong; Alex Iwobi of Fulham; Ademola Lookman; Samuel Chukwueze, Calvin Bassey and Simon Moses.

Others are fast-rising defender, Benjamin Fredericks; Akor Adams of Sevilla; forwards Tolu Arokodare, Olusegun Olakunle among others.

Every player will fly into Morocco and converge in Rabat on Monday, 10th November.

READ ALSO: Nigeria To Face Gabon In 2026 World Cup Play-Offs

Nigeria will take on Gabon in the first semi-final of the playoffs at the Complexe Sportif Prince Heritier Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat, Morocco on November 13.

The winner of that match will play either Cameroon or DR Congo in the final to take Africa’s only ticket for the intercontinental playoff billed for next year.

Nigeria’s Squad for 2026 World Cup Playoff

See the full list of Nigeria’s invitees for the 2026 World Cup playoff:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Maduka Okoya (Udinese FC, Italy)

Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (Hull City, England); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece); Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Benjamin Fredericks (Dender FC, Belgium)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium)