5 Things We Learned from Last Week’s Action

The past week in football provided a familiar blend of high-stakes UEFA Champions League drama and pivotal, often shocking, league fixtures. From title contenders flexing their muscles to European giants stumbling, the results across England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany have reshaped narratives just as the final international break of the calendar year arrives. Here are the five key takeaways from the action:

1. Liverpool’s Midweek Victory Was Just Papering Over the Cracks

Liverpool’s 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Real Madrid at Anfield offered a fleeting illusion that Arne Slot’s side might have recovered their form after also beating Aston Villa before then. However, that notion was violently discarded in their subsequent 3-0 thrashing by Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday. This comprehensive defeat confirms a deep issue within the team and its strategy, as evidenced by their paltry return of just one shot on target in the entire match. Now sitting in eighth place and registering their fourth loss in five league games, the victory against the Spanish side looks less like a turning point and more like an anomaly against an equally poor side in Madrid, highlighting systemic issues that cannot be solved with an occasional big-match result.

2. Real Madrid’s Attacking Woes Are Now a Concerning Trend

Across Europe, the woes of Real Madrid mirror the concerns at Anfield, though rooted in a lack of offensive punch. Following their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool midweek where they created 0.45 xG with 64% possession, the Spanish side laboured to a goalless 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. This two-game spell without a goal confirms a significant attacking struggle that goes beyond individual performance. The core problem is tactical: an inability to create meaningful chances against defensively organised opposition. While individual quality can sometimes mask this flaw, against determined teams, the Madrid attack appears toothless, leaving manager Xabi Alonso with serious concerns over how to unlock deep blocks.

3. Jeremy Doku Might Be the Best 1v1 Winger in the World

Manchester City’s dominant win over Liverpool provided a stage for Jeremy Doku to deliver a masterclass in individual attacking play, earning him the Man of the Match award. The Belgian winger was an absolute terror down the flank, explicitly dismantling the defence, particularly against the highly-regarded Conor Bradle, a full-back who had recently earned acclaim for successfully neutralizing world-class talents like Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé. Doku successfully completed a spectacular 7 out of 10 dribbles against Liverpool and sealed his performance with a stunning solo goal. With 34 completed dribbles in the league this season (5 per 90 minutes), Doku’s ability to win battles in isolation currently places him among the very elite in world football.

4. All Good Streaks Must Eventually Come to an End

The relentless nature of the league campaign ensures that even the most dominant runs eventually meet their conclusion, and this weekend saw two major European streaks snapped. In England, Arsenal saw their impressive five-game winning streak and remarkable run of eight straight clean sheets ended by a gritty Sunderland side, who snatched a 2-2 draw with a decisive stoppage-time equaliser. Simultaneously in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich’s perfect 100% winning start to the season was also broken, as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Union Berlin, needing a late Harry Kane goal to avoid a shock defeat. These parallel results illustrate the unforgiving nature of top-flight football, eventual perfection is simply impossible.

5. Club Football Takes a Necessary, Yet Frustrating, Pause

As the final whistle blew on Sunday evening, it marked the immediate cessation of major club competitions. The highly anticipated return of the international break, scheduled from November 10 to November 18, 2025, now mandates a two-week pause. This hiatus will see players depart for World Cup Qualifiers and international friendlies, giving fans time to reflect on the stunning highs and alarming lows of the past week. For teams like Liverpool and Real Madrid, the break offers crucial time to reassess and regroup, while for flying teams like Manchester City, it simply feels like an unnecessary interruption to their momentum. The wait for the return of domestic action begins now.

The chaotic results of the past few days, from Liverpool’s humbling defeat to the stunning ends of Arsenal’s and Bayern’s streaks, confirm that in top-level football, consistency is the hardest commodity to find. With the final international break of 2025 now upon us, both the struggling giants and the dominant title challengers have two crucial weeks to reflect, regroup, and recover before the true business end of the season gets underway.