Premier League

Anthony Martial impressed Jose Mourinho with the way he transferred improved training displays into a man-of-the-match performance as Manchester United comfortably overcame Watford.

Arsene Wenger questioned whether his Arsenal side were "mentally ready" after a home defeat to Watford saw their slender Premier League title hopes take another hit.

He was famed as an England boss but any Irish players came under the wing of the late Graham Taylor during his long managerial career, with the legendary Paul McGrath leading the tributes to his former boss.

The former England manager succeeded in coaxing an improved performance from some of his players.

Stefano Okaka scored his first goals for Watford as Everton's miserable run continued with a 3-2 defeat at Vicarage Road.

Liverpool entered the international break top of the Premier League table, though Jurgen Klopp tried to temper the hype surrounding his team by delivering a message of "stay cool".

Liverpool 6 Watford 1

Spurs impressed with a win at the bet365 Stadium.

Not once but twice has Ireland U21 skipper Tommie Hoban overcome injuries which have threatened to end his career before it can even take flight.

Watford 1 Arsenal 3: Typical Arsene Wenger, stubbornly turning logic on its head.

Antonio Conte has insisted Chelsea will not be held to ransom on transfer targets due to the over-inflated Premier League market.

JURGEN KLOPP

Louis van Gaal will not get drawn into any mind-games with Jose Mourinho this season and he says he still regards the Chelsea manager as his "friend".

Rafael Benitez paid tribute to the Napoli fans after he was confirmed as the club’s new manager last night.

Rafael Benitez has been appointed as the new coach of Napoli, club president Aurelio de Laurentiis announced on his Twitter feed last night.

Rafa Benitez believes he won over the majority of Chelsea supporters in his time at Stamford Bridge.

Serie A title hopefuls Napoli will be deducted two points after defenders Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava were handed six-month bans for failing to report match-fixing, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has confirmed.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho admits his side deserved to lose against Sevilla at the weekend as they slipped eight points behind Barcelona in the Primera Division.

Cesare Prandelli has only one decision to make for tonight’s Group C duel with Croatia: does he stick with the front two he picked against Spain or should he give Antonio Di Natale a start?

To a certain extent, Christian Maggio’s career shouldn’t really exist in its current guise.

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo believes last night’s Champions League success will go down as a significant moment in the club’s history.

Fernando Torres and Edinson Cavani — tonight’s match in Naples is packed with intriguing contrasts but none perhaps as telling as the contrasting fortunes of two strikers.

Andre Villas-Boas was defiant about Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals despite admitting to a crisis of confidence at Stamford Bridge.

ARSENAL AND CHELSEA will both face Italian opposition in the last 16 of the Champions League after yesterday’s draw in Nyon.

ACCEPTED wisdom throughout the football world, from Moscow to Munich, is that it is unrealistic to pay muchattention to the league table early on — especially when only three games have been played, as is the case with Milan and Madrid.

Man City 1 Napoli 1

MANCHESTER CITY manager Roberto Mancini is excited by his Champions League challenge but expects the group stage to prove tough.

Luigi Del Neri could discover next week whether he will stay on as Juventus coach for another season after club president Andrea Agnelli expressed unhappiness with recent displays.

IF THERE are gods of football, justice, then on Sunday they were surely smiling down on Naples.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has dismissed rumours suggesting he was on the verge of quitting.