Gm football fans. Route One here.

Waaaddaa weekend. Chelsea fans, don’t you worry. We’ve specifically left out the fact that this is your 3rd loss this season and you’re 14th place after spending a £1bn. It’s not mentioned once.

Lots to go through this weekend… so let’s get into it.

Today’s newsletter includes:

• 🗞️ Morning Brief… Toney out, Salah breaks another record, Ousame Dembele to the Prem?

• 🌟 North LDN derby… the chasm is finally closing

• 💭 Weekend recap… 8 goal thrashing + Chelsea in the mud

RESULTS

🗞️ MORNING BRIEF
Everything you need know

✌🏼Toney and out… the striker is ready to leave Brentford in January. The club is willing to let him go for around £60m.

👀 Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham all monitoring loan move for Ousmane Dembele.

👀 United, Liverpool and Arsenal all ready to make bids for Brentford’s Aaron Hickey.

✍🏼 Trent Alexander-Arnold is close to signing a new contract at Liverpool + Bruno Guimaraes has verbally agreed a new contract extension at Newcastle.

🔵 Everton may be forced to sell top players if 777 Partners buy-out is blocked.

🌟 Salah’s broke another record… becoming the first player in Premier League history to score or assist in 12 consecutive games not once, but twice!

👏🏼 Rashford unhurt after car accident following Burley win.

THE BIGGUN’
North LDN derby: Arsenal vs Tottenham

Score: 2 - 2

Arsenal: ⚽️ 26’ Romero (OG), ⚽️ 54’ Saka (pen)
Tottenham: ⚽️ 42’ Son (🫡 Maddison), ⚽️ 55’ Son (🫡 Maddison)

—

A draw is just about as fun as getting a book for Christmas. Look, it can be good, but you’d rather something else.

The whole point of a derby is bragging rights - and this game didn’t deliver that.

But, tbh, that’s about the only thing it didn’t deliver.

It’s a new era for both clubs and it showed. The timidness that we’re use to from Spurs in big fixtures is fading.

Last year, they finished 24 points apart. In this game, with two goals apiece and 13 shots apiece, it was difficult to separate them.

The gap between the two north London rivals is narrowing.

Key points from the game:
- Raya selected ahead of Ramsdale… again
- Both teams remain unbeaten in the first six games for only the second time in the Premier League, after 2004-05
- Saka has been directly involved in 19 goals in his last 19 Premier League games for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium
- James Maddison has been directly involved in 21 goals in his last 22 away games in the Premier League (10 goals, 11 assists)
- Rice was subbed due to injury
- Arsenal’s subs - Jorginho + Havertz - didn’t have a positive impact, the former causing the Spurs equaliser
- Havertz again yet to impress…

Headline you have to see… 😂

PREMIER LEAGUE
Weekend recap…

Sheffield United 0 - 8 Newcastle
Newcastle: ⚽️ 21’ Longstaff (🫡 Gordon), ⚽️ 31’ Burn (🫡 Trippier), ⚽️ 35’ Botman (🫡 Trippier), ⚽️ 56’ Wilson (🫡 Trippier), ⚽️ 61’ Gordon (🫡 Anderson), ⚽️ 68’ Almiron (🫡 Guimaraes), ⚽️ 73’ Guimaraes, ⚽️ 87’ Isak

Fair to say, a close battle. Newcastle just nicked it…

—

Brighton 3 - 1 Bournemouth
Brighton: ⚽️ 46’ Mitoma (🫡 Dahoud), ⚽️ 77’ Mitoma (🫡 Estupinan)
Bournemouth: ⚽️ 25’ Solanke (🫡 Christie)

20,423 is the number. That’s the number of people who transferred out Mitoma this week. That’s missing out on 11 points after his lack of returns at the start of the season.

—

Chelsea 0 - 1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa: ⚽️ 73’ Watkins

🤣 ...

—

Liverpool 3 - 1 West Ham
Liverpool: ⚽️ 16’ Salah, ⚽️ 60’ Nunez (🫡 Mac Allister), ⚽️ 85’ Jota (🫡 van Dijk)
West Ham: ⚽️ 42’ Bowen (🫡 Coufal)

Almost nostalgic… Liverpool are finally playing well again. Nunez back-to-back goals, Szoboszlai masterclass, and 16 points… what more could you wish for as a Reds fan??

—

Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Fulham

I mean… a point is a point…

—

Luton 1 - 1 Wolves
Luton: ⚽️ 65’ Morris
Wolves: ⚽️ 50’ Neto

Let’s be honest, Luton are just about as good as their airport.  

I’m convinced the ref knew it wasn’t a penalty but just wanted Luton to at least get one point this season.

—

Man City 2 - 0 Nottingham Forest
Man City: ⚽️ 07’ Foden (🫡 Walker), ⚽️ 14’ Haaland (🫡 Nunes)

City (1x UCL winners) managed to beat 2x Champions League winners Forest this weekend…

Oh, and Robot scored again.

—

Brentford 1 - 3 Everton
Brentford: ⚽️ 28’ Jensen (🫡 Janelt)
Everton: ⚽️ 06’ Doucoure (🫡 Tarkowski), ⚽️ 67’ Tarkowski (🫡 McNeil), ⚽️ 71’ Calvert-Lewin (🫡 Garner)

Ok, jokes aside, perhaps the most enjoyable game of the weekend?

Dyche’s side finally registering 3-points this season and showing resilience.

Brentford’s surprisingly bad start to the season but it’s still early days.

—

Burnley 0 - 1 Man United
Man United: ⚽️ 45’ Fernandes (🫡 Evans)

Well, 19th placed Burnley weren’t exactly best placed to capitalise on a poor performance by United…

But, hats off. Evans’ pass. Fernandes’ volley… waaadda goal…

BIG-GAME PLAYER
The puzzle section

We all have busy Monday’s so today’s quiz is a quick one…

Gianfranco Zola joined Chelsea in November 1996 in a transfer from which Italian team?

Friday’s answer:

So, Friday’s quiz was on N’Golo Kante. Two truths and one lie. Well… the lie was… drumroll please… Fact 1.

Fact 1: His favourite meal after ever game is Spaghetti Bolognaise.

Fact 2: He wanted to become an accountant if his football career didn't work out.

Fact 3: Even after Kante signed for Chelsea, he still drove a Mini Cooper.

MEME