Another round of matches from the group phase of the Champions League was played this week but looking back on the outcomes of match-day three last month, there wasn’t really much to shout about for the English teams.
The media soon gave them a lot to think about and some also claimed that the fortunes of the English teams in the continent were waning.
The criticism, however, was somewhat premature as the group stage is not over yet.
Besides, no-one needs re-minding that English teams are only second to those from Spain in the all-time honours list.
Last month, Chelsea, the holders of the Champions League, had a bad outing in Ukraine against Shakhtar Donetsk as Arsenal went down at home to Schalke and Manchester City were beaten by Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena.
Manchester United did see off Braga at Old Trafford but not before cancelling out a 0-2 deficit following a superb start from the visiting Portuguese team.
More football items for October read:
• In match-day two of the Champions League group phase, Manchester United win 2-1 at CFR Cluj in Romania. Celtic cause a shock, winning 3-2 against Spartak in Moscow.
Other results: Nordsjaelland-Chelsea 0-4, Arsenal-Olympiakos 3-1, Manchester City-Borussia Dortmund 1-1.
• In the Europa League group encounters, Liverpool go down 2-3 to Udinese at Anfield.
Other results: Newcastle-Bordeaux 3-0, Panathinaikos-Tottenham 1-1.
• David Moyes, of Everton, is named manager of the month for September and Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher takes the players’ award. This was Sunderland’s first monthly award in 13 years.
• Bolton sack manager Owen Coyle.
• With Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard unavailable, Roy Hodgson appoint Wayne Rooney to captain England in their World Cup home qualifier against San Marino.
• In the first leg of the U-21 Championship play-off, England beat Serbia 1-0 (Dawson penalty) at Carrow Road.
• At Wembley, England topple San Marino 5-0.
Other results: Ireland-Germany 1-6, Wales-Scotland 2-1.
• Liverpool announce their intention to remain at Anfield and expand the stadium’s capacity to 60,000.
• Londoners Arsenal named ‘club of the year’ for providing the best customer service to fans under a new award scheme run by the Premier League and tourism board VisitEngland.
• Northern Ireland obtain a remarkable result in their away 1-1 (McGinn) draw in Portugal in a World Cup qualifier.
Other results: Faroe Islands-Ireland 1-4, Belgium-Scotland 2-0, Croatia-Wales 2-0.
• England’s qualifier in Poland is washed out due to a waterlogged pitch. On the morrow, the two teams draw 1-1 in Warsaw.
• England’s U-21 side qualify for the European Championship finals in Israel after the away 1-0 win in a tense encounter in Serbia.
• On match-day three of the Champions League, Manchester United were the only UK team to win, edging Braga at home 3-2.
Other results: Shakhtar Donetsk-Chelsea 2-1, Barcelona-Celtic 2-1, Arsenal-Schalke 0-2, Ajax-Manchester City 3-1.
• John Connelly, the 1966 World Cup winner who played for Burnley, Manchester United, Blackburn and Bury, passes away aged 74.
• In the Europa League group phase results, Liverpool beat Anzhi 1-0 at Anfield, Newcastle defeat Brugge 1-0 at home and Tottenham draw 1-1 in Slovenia against Maribor.
• Chelsea make a formal complaint to the FA, accusing referee Mark Clattenburg of using ‘racial slur language’ during the home match against Man. United.
• In the fourth round of the League Cup, Arsenal go 0-4 down at Reading but stage a remarkable comeback to win the tie 7-5 after extra-time.
Leading scorers
Premier League
8 − Van Persie (Man. United)
7 − Ba (Newcastle), Suarez (Liverpool)
6 − Michu (Swansea)
The Championship
16 − Austin (Burnley)
10 − Murray (C. Palace)
09 − Becchio (Leeds)
Scottish Premier
11 − Griffiths (Hibernian)
07 − Higdon (Motherwell)
06 − McGinn (Aberdeen), Shinnie (Inverness)
Average attendances
1. Man. United - 75,411
2. Arsenal - 60,092
3. Newcastle - 50,558
4. Man. City - 46,530
5. Liverpool - 44,708
6. Sunderland - 42,398
7. Chelsea - 41,586
8. Everton - 36,282
9. Tottenham - 36,004
10. Aston Villa - 35,019
11. West Ham - 34,116
12. Southampton - 29,982
13. Stoke City - 27,167
14. Norwich - 26,694
15. Fulham - 25,536
16. West Brom - 24,830
17. Reading - 24,076
18. Swansea City - 20,254
19. Wigan Athletic - 18,507
20. QPR - 17,916