CHAMPIONS LEAGUE football returned in style on Tuesday night – and there is plenty more thrilling action in store for Wednesday!
New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim led Sporting to a 4-1 win over his new rivals Manchester City – in the Portuguese coach’s final home game in charge of the Lisbon club.
Xabi Alonso didn’t have the return to Anfield he would have hoped for after Luis Diaz’s stunning hat-trick helped fire Liverpool to a 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Wednesday’s action sees Arsenal travel to Inter for a blockbuster Champions League clash.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa will be looking to continue their perfect start to their European campaign with another win against Club Brugge.
- Kick-off times: 5:45pm/8pm GMT
- Live stream: discovery+
- TV channel: TNT Sports
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Follow ALL the action from matchday four of the Champions League with our live blog below…
Arteta unlikely to risk talisman
There is no doubting that Arsenal have looked a pale comparison of their best without Martin Odegaard.
The good news for Gunners’ fans is that he has returned to training a lot earlier than expected.
While he is travelling with the squad to Italy, it remains to be seen whether Mikel Arteta will risk him in this crucial match.
Credit: Getty Emery looking to bounce back from defeat
Aston Villa took a heavy defeat on the chin on the weekend.
Despite going ahead in North London, Tottenham ran out as 4-1 winners in the Premier League.
Unai Emery’s side need to win if they want to leapfrog Liverpool at the top of the Champions League table.
Credit: Getty Celtic keep qualification hopes alive
When Brendan Rodgers’ side got heavily beat against Borussia Dortmund, many expected yet another early exit from Europe’s elite competition.
Having amassed seven points from their first four games, Celtic are now well-placed to build on this and secure a place in the latter stages.
They showed grit and determination after going a goal down against RB Leipzig but turned the game around to run out 3-1 winners.
Credit: Getty
Champions League table
Here is how the league is looking in the new format Champions League before we head into tomorrow night’s games:
Credit: @FootRankings The curse of Kylian Mbappe
Signing arguably the best striker in the world seemed to make Real Madrid unbeatable given their current squad.
Mbappe’s career in Madrid has not taken off as many expected.
A player who has never won the Champions League, could his curse mean Ancelotti’s side miss out on the biggest trophy this season?
A heavy defeat at home against rivals Barcelona has been followed up by a 3-1 loss to AC Milan this evening.
Credit: Getty Pep left frustrated in Portugal
Football can be a cruel mistress at times.
Man City dominated the first-half against Sporting Lisbon but did not take their chances and paid the ultimate price.
It means that Pep Guardiola’s side have now lost back-to-back games and the injuries are mounting up.
Credit: Getty Gaffer continues dream start
Liverpool sit top of both the Premier League and Champions League under new manager Arne Slot.
Nobody expected him to make this start to his Reds’ career and he continues to rewrite the record books.
Slot has won 14 of his first 16 games as Liverpool manager.
This could be a season to remember for their fans if it continues how it has started.
Credit: Getty FT: Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan
The big surprise result of the evening came in Spain.
AC Milan scored three goals to stun Santiago Bernabau.
Alvaro Morata got the third goal as the Spaniard rubbed salt in the wound capping off a brilliant display from the Italians.
Champions League results
PSV 4-0 Girona
Slovan Bratislava 1-4 Dinamo Zagreb
Bologna 0-1 Monaco
Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Sturm Graz
Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig
Lille 1-1 Juventus
Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan
Sporting 4-1 Man City
FT: Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig
A massive result for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
They fell behind to a goal from Cristoph Baumgartner but that is as good as it got for the visitors.
Celtic move to seven points in this season’s Champions League.
View from SunSport’s Charlie Wyett
Incredible second half performance from Liverpool.
There will certainly not be any Reds fans wishing Xabi Alonso was their manager instead of Arne Slot.
Next up at Anfield in the Champions League are Real Madrid and what a game that could be.
FT: Sporting 4-1 Man City
What a way to say goodbye to their fans.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been trampled by Sporting Lisbon.
All of that after having so many chances to score before the hosts had even registered their first.
View from SunSport’s Martin Blackburn in Lisbon
Who writes Ruben Amorim’s scripts?
A fairytale way to say goodbye to the home fans at the Jose Alvalade – and endear himself to the new ones at Old Trafford.
A night they will be talking about for years to come in this part of Lisbon.
And what about Viktor Gyokores – he even eclipsed Erling Haaland by scoring a hat-trick – while the Norwegian thumped a pen against the bar.
FT: Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Many Liverpool fans wanted Xabi Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp.
They got Arne Slot and they are top of every league in which they compete so far this season.
A Luis Diaz hat-trick and a Cody Gakpo goal make for an emphatic win for The Reds.
Touch of class from the home fans as they sing their Xabi Alonso chant once the victory is sealed.
90+1. GOAL – LIVERPOOL 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen
His name is Lucho, he came from Porto…..
…..he came to score, score, score.
Diaz gets his first hat-trick in a Liverpool shirt.
Levels.
Real Madrid 1-3 AC Milan
85. A huge cheer from the away end at Santiago Bernabeu.
VAR has ruled out Rudiger’s goal.
Huge blow for Madrid.
86. GOAL – Bologna 0-1 MONACO
Thilo Kehrer grabs a late goal for the visitors.
Heartbreaking for the hosts at this stage of the game.
The French side may have just won this one late on.
85. GOAL – BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-0 Sturm Graz
Donyell Malen gives last season’s finalists the lead.
The visitors had worked so hard to try and get a point.
Now that seems a distant dream.
82. GOAL – REAL MADRID 2-3 AC Milan
Antonio Rudiger claws one back for Madrid.
There is still time in this game to get something from it.
Nervy times for the travelling fans.
82. GOAL – LIVERPOOL 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
He’s Luis Diaz, he’s from Barrancas, now he plays for Liverpool.
The Columbian gets his second of the game.
Alonso sinks into his seat.
80. GOAL – SPORTING 4-1 Man City
Viktor Gyokeres scores from the spot once again.
TNT Sports have got the black cat of pundits on this one.
Noel Gallagher, stick to the music, you are a commentary jinx.
View from SunSport’s Martin Blackburn in Lisbon
Fasten your seatbelts Manchester United fans as its going to some ride under Ruben Amorim on this evidence.
Two goals in the opening five minutes of the second half put mighty Manchester City on the ropes and Sporting on the brink of a famous scalp.
Erling Haaland missed a penalty too – it felt like it was definitely Amorim’s night.
73. GOAL – Real Madrid 1-3 AC MILAN
Tijjani Reijnders doubles the lead for the visitors.
Leao lays it on a plate for him to slot home a left-footed shot from the middle of the goal.
This is not what the Madrid fans were expecting to see tonight.
72. GOAL – CELTIC 3-1 RB Leipzig
Reo Hatate gives Celtic a bit of breathing space in this one.
They have been superb since going a goal down.
Brendan Rodgers will be overjoyed with his team tonight.
Liverpool 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen
72. Liverpool are all over Xabi Alonso’s side right now.
He is on the receiving end of some of those famous Anfield atmospheres he was part of on so many occasions.
Szoboszlai has come on for Jones for The Reds.
Credit: Getty
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
