Weekend Football Brief: Arsenal Stun Liverpool, Klassiker Drama & Milan Derby Glory
Arsenal Stun Liverpool
The weekend of October 31 – November 1, 2026 produced a set of results that changed the picture in several major leagues. Arsenal picked up a rare win at Liverpool, Manchester City lost again, the Milan derby went to AC Milan, and Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund played out a late draw. Below is a more detailed round-up of the main games across Europe and beyond.
Premier League
The biggest result of the weekend came on Sunday, when Arsenal won 1-0 at Liverpool. Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game. It was Arsenal’s first Premier League victory at Anfield since 2012, and the three points moved them to the top of the table. For Liverpool, it was a home defeat that will be felt in the early title race.
On Saturday, Manchester City suffered a second consecutive league defeat, losing 1-0 at home to Brighton. Yasin Ayari scored the goal at the Etihad. City had already dropped points in their previous league match, and this result left them vulnerable at the top of the table. Chelsea also added to Manchester United’s problems with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge. United had Lisandro Martinez sent off during the match, making the defeat harder to take.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-0, Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 2-0, and Bournemouth beat Leeds United 2-0. Coventry won 3-1 against Sunderland, while Hull City and Ipswich Town drew 2-2.
La Liga
Real Madrid continued their run with a 3-0 win away at Racing Santander. Kylian Mbappé scored from the penalty spot, Jude Bellingham added a goal, and Yan Diomande also scored. The result kept Real Madrid within three points of the leaders. Barcelona stayed at the top after a dominant 6-1 win over Alavés. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal both scored twice in a comfortable victory. Atlético Madrid also won, beating Levante 2-0 away from home.
In other La Liga results, Getafe beat Sevilla 3-1, Athletic Bilbao beat Real Sociedad 2-1 in the Basque derby, and Valencia won 1-0 against Elche.
Serie A
The Milan derby delivered a clear result as AC Milan beat Inter 3-1. Diego Moreira was the key player, scoring one goal and providing two assists. The defeat was Inter’s first in the league this season. Roma were also in strong form, thrashing Udinese 5-2 away from home. Roma scored four goals in the opening 37 minutes, putting the game beyond Udinese early.
Lazio moved to the top of the table with a 2-1 win over Cagliari. Bologna continued their good run with a 2-1 victory over Monza.
Bundesliga
Der Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund ended in a 2-2 draw. Harry Kane missed a penalty and also hit the post for Bayern. Dortmund’s Fabio Silva scored a late equaliser in the 89th minute. The result kept the two sides level on points at the top of the table.
In the other Bundesliga matches, Eintracht Frankfurt beat Hamburger SV 3-1, and Union Berlin drew 1-1 with FC Köln.
Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain stayed on top with a 5-1 win over Le Havre. Achraf Hakimi scored a hat-trick in the match. Lyon climbed to third place with a 2-0 home win over Angers. Paris FC continued their strong start to the season with a 3-1 win over Monaco. Marseille beat Toulouse 2-0 for their fourth consecutive league victory. In a high-scoring game, Strasbourg defeated Auxerre 5-1.
Beyond the Top Five Leagues
In the Eredivisie, there were two very one-sided results. PSV demolished Willem II 7-0, and FC Twente defeated Excelsior Rotterdam 9-0, one of the biggest wins in Eredivisie history.
In the MLS playoffs, Atlanta United eliminated Toronto FC with a 3-1 win. Nashville SC ended the New York Red Bulls’ hopes with a 3-2 victory. FC Cincinnati clinched a playoff spot by beating Philadelphia Union 1-0.
Overall, the weekend left Arsenal at the top in England, Barcelona and Real Madrid close in Spain, Lazio leading in Italy, Bayern and Dortmund level in Germany, and PSG still ahead in France. The results also produced several heavy scorelines in the Netherlands and a few decisive playoff outcomes in MLS.
