While the November international break was one for the ages as teams around the globe kept their World Cup dreams alive in dramatic circumstances, the return of club football marks a magic time in the calendars of many fans, as it means we are now at the beginning of four uninterrupted months of club action. This is when narratives truly take form, with teams able to build momentum and set off on potentially season-defining runs.
Of course there will be those for whom an unhappy winter is only just beginning, and the relentless nature of the modern fixture list means there could be plenty of dark times ahead for some fanbases. However, given the action we saw upon the resumption of leagues around Europe, it's hard not to be excited by what's to come over the next weeks and months.
For now, though, here's our 10 biggest winners and losers from the past couple of days…
AFPWINNER: Eberechi Eze
Back in the middle of August, Tottenham fans were gearing up to welcome Eberechi Eze to north London after widespread reports that Spurs were closing in on a deal to sign the Crystal Palace midfielder. Fast-forward three months, and those same supporters could only watch on in horror as Eze scored a superb hat-trick to decide the north London derby in Arsenal's favour and further tighten the Gunners' grip on the Premier League title race.
Arsenal's last-minute hijack of Eze's Tottenham switch was one of the most dramatic moments of the summer transfer window, and the England international has gradually grown into his role at the Emirates Stadium, most notably by stepping into the shoes of injured captain Martin Odegaard. And it was from that position on the right side of Mikel Arteta's midfield three where Eze did his damage on Sunday as he continually found space on the edge of the penalty area to cause problems for the Spurs defence.
Eze set the tone for his virtuoso performance with a delicious chipped ball for Declan Rice to volley towards goal in the opening couple of minutes, and while Guglielmo Vicario could keep out that effort, he was powerless to stop Eze when he got into shooting positions either side of half-time. Eze showed unerring accuracy with his finishing, and by the end of the game was showing off his full array of flicks and tricks as the Gunners moved six points clear at the top of the table.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWINNER: Michael Olise
Perhaps Eze was inspired by the performance of one of his former Palace team-mates just over 24 hours earlier? Michael Olise has taken his game to a new level since leaving Selhurst Park to join Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, emerging as one of the most creative forwards in Europe while also forcing his way into the France line up during World Cup qualifying.
On Saturday, however, it looked like it might be a long afternoon for Olise and his Bayern team-mates as they went 2-0 down at home to Freiburg inside the opening 17 minutes. From there, though, the ex-Reading youngster took over, as he first provided the assist for teenager Lennart Karl to pull one back before equalising himself in first-half stoppage time with a drilled effort from the edge of the box.
After the break, it was Olise's corner which found an unmarked Dayot Upamecano to volley Bayern into the lead, and after Harry Kane had netted his customary goal, Olise danced through the Freiburg defence to set up Nicolas Jackson for goal number five. And Olise wasn't done there, either, as he rounded out the scoring with a superb individual strike after cutting inside from the right wing.
His five goal contributions at the weekend takes Olise's tally to 22 combined goals and assists in just 23 appearances for club and country so far this season, and the 23-year-old still has plenty of room to improve even further. For now, though, his focus will turn to midweek and a reunion with Eze as Bayern take on Arsenal in a heavyweight Champions League clash.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Liverpool
Back in the Premier League, and while Arsenal edge further clear at the top, the reigning English champions' sorry season hit a new low on Saturday as Liverpool were beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest at Anfield. Boos rang down from the Kop as the Reds lost their sixth league game of the campaign already, leaving them languishing in the bottom half of the table just six months on from the joyous scenes that greeted them securing the title back in May.
Successive wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid suggested Arne Slot's side had turned a corner ahead of the international break, but defeat to Manchester City has now been followed up by an embarrassing loss to Sean Dyche's side that has caused some to start questioning whether Slot possesses the tactical acumen to reverse this slide or if a new manager needs to be sought if things do not turn around.
"We're definitely letting the manager down, but we've let ourselves down as well," said captain Virgil van Dijk as he tried to ease the pressure on his compatriot and coach. "At the moment it is a mess – that's just a fact. As the champions we can't be in the situation we are in right now."
A 'mess' is an understatement. Liverpool aren't just the defending champions – they are also a team that spent over £400 million on bolstering their squad, led by the British-record acquisition of Alexander Isak, who returned to the line up on Saturday but mustered just 15 touches in another anonymous display. Isak is now the first Liverpool player to taste defeat on each of his first four league starts for the club, but he is far from the only person to blame for Liverpool's predicament, and right now it's difficult to see a route out of this for Slot and co.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Phil Foden
Given their own collapse last season, Manchester City know how Liverpool are feeling, but right now Pep Guardiola's side should be more focused on whether they can get themselves back into the title picture after Saturday's damaging defeat at Newcastle. Having got themselves to within four points of the Gunners heading into the international break, City slipped up on Tyneside thanks in large part to some miserable finishing.
Phil Foden wasn't the only culprit in that regard, but there's no doubt that his chances to score – especially the one he spurned in the first half – were the most presentable, and the homegrown midfielder would have expected to have found the net at least once. Instead, Foden was left to rue a missed chance to not only boost City's title hopes but also his own chances of playing a key role at the World Cup this summer.
Foden returned to the England squad for their games against Serbia and Albania, but had to make do with appearances off the bench on both occasions, suggesting he remains behind both Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers in the pecking order. And so on a weekend when both his main rivals for a starting role with the Three Lions, as well as Eze, showcased their abilities in front of goal, Foden was left wanting.