Andy Robertson delivered a blunt assessment after Liverpool’s 3–2 defeat to Brentford, arguing the side failed to follow the game plan and did not show the necessary fight. Milos Kerkez reduced the deficit for Liverpool, but Brentford held a two-goal cushion before Igor Thiago converted a 60th-minute penalty. Mohamed Salah’s late goal proved only a consolation.

Robertson said the team were simply “not good enough.” He singled out defending from set plays and the battle for second balls as decisive weaknesses. “We didn’t do enough off the ball,” Robertson fumed. “They’re always going to be ready to put bodies in the box when it comes to set pieces, put the balls in behind, pick up second balls. You know what you’re going to come to, here. They’re always the same and they’re so good at it.

“It felt to me like we were just a yard off it in terms of that. They picked up so many second balls, and then the balls in behind.”

The opening Brentford goal came from a Michael Kayode long throw, and Ouattara’s swipe was the sixth set-piece goal Liverpool have conceded this season. Only West Ham United have shipped more set-piece goals.

Robertson continued to emphasise tactical preparation and work-rate, noting Arne Slot had focused on long throws in training: “the only thing we did yesterday on the training pitch.” He warned that opposing teams always have a plan and highlighted Liverpool’s failure to impose their own. “We didn’t play ours at all. That makes it so difficult.”

He also called for greater physical commitment: “You have to fight for the control, you have to fight first of all,” he warned. “You have to fight for the second balls, fight for the first balls, and try and feel your way into the game. And then the quality will come through.”

With a congested schedule ahead, Robertson stressed the response must be practical. “We’ve got to work harder. In training, in games, recovering better. When you’re at this football club, people demand results. In a difficult moment, the only way to get out of it is to work even harder, run that bit more and look after yourself that bit better. And that’s what we’ve got to do.”

“There’s no time to re-group,” the fullback fretted. “We’ve got games, games, games. Sometimes it can be a good thing that you’ve got such a quick turnaround and we can go again.”

Bryan Mbeumo says a rise in work rate and collective effort has fuelled Manchester United’s recent run of form. The summer signing highlighted the team’s training ground focus after a 4–2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, a result that moved United up to fourth in the Premier League table.

“We all put a lot of work in training, that’s the most important thing,” he reflected. “What we do out there we try to repeat on the pitch. We are going to try to understand each other even better.” Mbeumo underlined the importance of consistency in practice translating into performances on matchday.

Asked what has changed in the past three games, Mbeumo added: “The work we put in, the effort, the togetherness is the key. We try to stick to the plan and try to play as best as possible.

“I like the challenges, I came here to a big club and I want to fight for the best places.”

The victory over Brighton formed part of a three-game winning sequence that included a 2–1 triumph over Liverpool. While that Liverpool win was described as the most glamorous of the run, manager Amorim argued the 4–2 result represented the more complete display.

“I have that feeling,” Amorim said. “I think [it] was a more complete performance.

“You can say whatever you want to say against Liverpool, but they didn’t deserve to lose that game. We deserve to win, but they didn’t deserve to lose.

“I think today, we did a little bit of everything. We had the ball, create chances, we defend high, we defend low. So, when it’s more complete, it’s not a statement, but I feel more complete also as a manager. So today… I think I like today more than last weekend.”

Those comments frame a simple message from United: repetition in training, collective effort and tactical discipline have driven the club up the table during this short winning sequence.

Erling Haaland has begun the 2025–26 season in relentless fashion, compiling 24 goals in 14 games for club and country. The 25-year-old added three strikes since returning from the October international break, including a match-winning brace against Everton last weekend and a Champions League goal away at Villarreal.

In the Premier League Haaland has now scored in six successive matches and is closing on the all-time run of 11 consecutive top-flight games set by Jamie Vardy. Vardy established that mark during Leicester’s title-winning 2015–16 season, overtaking the previous record of ten held by Ruud van Nistelrooy. Vardy officially achieved the feat on Nov. 28, 2015 against Manchester United.

Haaland’s previous best Premier League run was seven consecutive games with goals, a sequence that stretched from August to October 2022. The list of the leading runs in the competition includes Jamie Vardy (11), Ruud van Nistelrooy (10) and players with eight-game sequences such as Alexander Isak and Daniel Sturridge.

To match Vardy’s record Haaland must score in his next five league matches. Manchester City’s upcoming five Premier League fixtures are Aston Villa (A), Bournemouth (H), Liverpool (H), Newcastle United (A) and Leeds United (H). If he finds the net in each of those games he would then also need to score against Fulham (A) on Dec. 2 to reach 11 straight.

The available opponent data in the draft provides context for those fixtures. Against Aston Villa Haaland has played 4 matches and scored 1 goal; against Bournemouth 7 matches and 2 goals; Liverpool 8 matches and 3 goals; Newcastle 6 matches and 1 goal; Leeds 2 matches and 2 goals. Fulham is listed with 6 matches in the draft without a goals total supplied.

Renewing a run of scoring in every league game will be a clear challenge given the sequence of opponents, but the facts in this season to date show Haaland in exceptional form and closing on one of the Premier League’s most notable goalscoring records.