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..::Football III::..
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get well soon Messi!
Leicester City 2-5 Arsenal: Alexis hits hat-trick to end Foxes' unbeaten run
The last unbeaten record of the Premier League season fell on Saturday as Arsenal came away from the King Power Stadium with a 5-2 victory over Leicester City, Alexis Sanchez roaring back into form with a hat-trick.
Claudio Ranieri's side took the lead early in the game when Jamie Vardy was released down the left and fired home from a narrow angle but Theo Walcott exploited his pace to equalise just five minutes later, the England man's 12th goal in his last 13 Premier League starts.
Alexis finally scored his first goal of the season to see the Gunners through to half-time with an advantage and the Chilean followed up just short of the hour when he headed in from Mesut Ozil's cross.
The Arsenal forward then sealed his hat-trick in the 81st minute, skipping inside a defender to shoot long and low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
There was a consolation for Leicester late in the day when Vardy scored his second of the match, a curling finish after Arsenal failed to properly clear the ball, but there was no question that the Alexis-inspired visitors were going to lose control of the result. That much was confirmed when Olivier Giroud swept in a fifth for Arsene Wenger's men at the death.
Leicester would have been behind early on if not for a goal-line clearance from Ritchie De Laet but responded well and could have gone ahead themselves as Jeffrey Schlupp drew a fine save from Petr Cech.
Moments after hitting the post with a scuffed effort, Vardy lit up the game as he latched onto Danny Drinkwater's raking pass and drifted in from the left to curl a superb finish beyond Cech.
The England international was just inches away from second five minutes later, his header clipping the top of the crossbar, and Arsenal hurled themselves level from the resulting counterattack, Santi Cazorla sliding through to Walcott, who raced in behind Robert Huth to squeeze home a finish off the left-hand upright.
Wenger's men completed the turnaround shortly after the half-hour as Hector Bellerin's drilled cross was helped on by Walcott, with Alexis on hand to tuck home from close range.
Leicester captain Wes Morgan should have restored parity on the stroke of half-time but he failed to apply the finish after connecting with Marc Albrighton's pinpoint free-kick.
Arsenal's goalscorers combined well after the interval, Alexis latching onto Walcott's flick, but his strike was deflected wide.
Alexis did double his tally just prior to the hour, ghosting in from the right flank to beat Leicester's offside trap and head in past the despairing reach of Kasper Schmeichel.
And Alexis had his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining, floating inside from the left before firing into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards.
Although Vardy curled in a second for the hosts, Arsenal substitute Giroud swept in from Nacho Monreal's cross to add a fifth, as the visitors doubled their tally of league goals for the season in one outing.
The last unbeaten record of the Premier League season fell on Saturday as Arsenal came away from the King Power Stadium with a 5-2 victory over Leicester City, Alexis Sanchez roaring back into form with a hat-trick.
Claudio Ranieri's side took the lead early in the game when Jamie Vardy was released down the left and fired home from a narrow angle but Theo Walcott exploited his pace to equalise just five minutes later, the England man's 12th goal in his last 13 Premier League starts.
Alexis finally scored his first goal of the season to see the Gunners through to half-time with an advantage and the Chilean followed up just short of the hour when he headed in from Mesut Ozil's cross.
The Arsenal forward then sealed his hat-trick in the 81st minute, skipping inside a defender to shoot long and low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
There was a consolation for Leicester late in the day when Vardy scored his second of the match, a curling finish after Arsenal failed to properly clear the ball, but there was no question that the Alexis-inspired visitors were going to lose control of the result. That much was confirmed when Olivier Giroud swept in a fifth for Arsene Wenger's men at the death.
Leicester would have been behind early on if not for a goal-line clearance from Ritchie De Laet but responded well and could have gone ahead themselves as Jeffrey Schlupp drew a fine save from Petr Cech.
Moments after hitting the post with a scuffed effort, Vardy lit up the game as he latched onto Danny Drinkwater's raking pass and drifted in from the left to curl a superb finish beyond Cech.
The England international was just inches away from second five minutes later, his header clipping the top of the crossbar, and Arsenal hurled themselves level from the resulting counterattack, Santi Cazorla sliding through to Walcott, who raced in behind Robert Huth to squeeze home a finish off the left-hand upright.
Wenger's men completed the turnaround shortly after the half-hour as Hector Bellerin's drilled cross was helped on by Walcott, with Alexis on hand to tuck home from close range.
Leicester captain Wes Morgan should have restored parity on the stroke of half-time but he failed to apply the finish after connecting with Marc Albrighton's pinpoint free-kick.
Arsenal's goalscorers combined well after the interval, Alexis latching onto Walcott's flick, but his strike was deflected wide.
Alexis did double his tally just prior to the hour, ghosting in from the right flank to beat Leicester's offside trap and head in past the despairing reach of Kasper Schmeichel.
And Alexis had his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining, floating inside from the left before firing into the bottom-left corner from 25 yards.
Although Vardy curled in a second for the hosts, Arsenal substitute Giroud swept in from Nacho Monreal's cross to add a fifth, as the visitors doubled their tally of league goals for the season in one outing.
Manchester United 3-0 Sunderland: Rooney on target as Van Gaal's men go top 
Wayne Rooney ended his Premier League goal drought as Manchester United moved to the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Sunderland at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The England captain's first league strike for 1,000 minutes was sandwiched by efforts from Memphis Depay and Juan Mata as United leapfrogged Manchester City.
Louis van Gaal's men headed into the fixture knowing victory would lift them to the summit following City's 4-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur.
That scenario doubtless added to the frustration of the home supporters as United failed to craft a meaningful opportunity for much of the opening half.
Yet they still headed into the break ahead after Depay finished a fine move for his first league goal since joining United from PSV Eindhoven in the close season.
Rooney's long-awaited goal came just after the break and Mata added a third late on to cap another miserable afternoon for the Wearsiders.
A hamstring complaint meant Jermain Defoe had to settle for a place on the Sunderland bench, with Fabio Borini leading the line.
The Italian had little opportunity to make an impact during the early exchanges, however, as United enjoyed the lion’s share of the ball.
Yet their possession was not yielding chances, and Sunderland threatened first when John O'Shea's looping header forced a simple save from David de Gea.
De Gea required a better stop midway through the opening half, the Spaniard using his legs to keep out Jeremain Lens' fizzing half-volley.
The hosts quickly settled back into a composed passing rhythm, although their final ball was leaving a lot to be desired.
United's first real moment of quality brought an opener in first-half injury time.
Daley Blind's superb diagonal ball found Mata's clever run, with the Spaniard playing a controlled first-time pass for Memphis to slot into an empty net.
A second came instantly after the restart as Rooney ended his recent dire run.
Anthony Martial brilliantly worked his way past Younes Kaboul before firing in a cross that hit the skipper's knee and flew into the net.
Sunderland responded impressively and almost reduced the arrears when Ola Toivonen was denied by De Gea.
De Gea had to be on high alert again soon after as Patrick van Aanholt raced on to Borini's delicious through-ball - only to hit straight at the goalkeeper.
But his poor finish paled in comparison to Memphis's in the 67th minute, the Dutchman somehow failing to beat Costel Pantilimon when clean through after some superb work from the impressive Martial.
United did make it 3-0 in the final minute though as substitute Ashley Young crossed from the left for Mata to fire high into the net.
Congratulations Manchester United!
Roo,Mata & Depay
Godak kalekata passe Manchester United EPL 1st place innawa dakke
Roo,Mata & Depay
Godak kalekata passe Manchester United EPL 1st place innawa dakke
Southampton 3-1 Swansea: Mane goal caps off easy Saints win
Southampton put in a commanding performance to pick up their first Premier League win in three matches, beating Swansea City 3-1.
Swansea came into the fixture at St Mary's Stadium having not scored for three matches in all competitions and fell behind to a Virgil van Dijk header in the first half.
Dusan Tadic made a mockery of Swansea manager Garry Monk's half-time tinkering by doubling the advantage nine minutes into the second period, before Sadio Mane got the third shortly after the hour mark.
Gylfi Sigurdsson ended Swansea's goal drought from the penalty spot late on after Neil Taylor was felled by Jose Fonte, but it was little consolation for the below-par visitors.
After making a promising start to the season, Swansea have now gone the whole of September without registering a victory, while Southampton climb into the top half of the Premier League table with their three points.
Monk brought Ki Sung-yueng in for Jefferson Montero as part of a diamond midfield formation and, after Southampton – who handed a first start of the season to Ryan Bertrand – had enjoyed a bright opening spell, the first clear-cut chance of the match fell to the South Korean.
A fierce Jonjo Shelvey strike from distance was parried into the path of Ki, who was unable to keep his effort down.
The home side were soon causing a threat at the other end and Graziano Pelle took out three Swansea defenders with a throughball before Mane shot narrowly wide of the right-hand upright.
Van Dijk broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when he was allowed too much space in the penalty area from a James Ward-Prowse corner and headed in at the near post.
Swansea were struggling to bring forward duo Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew into the game, but Ki drew a diving save from Maarten Stekelenburg with a low drive after 22 minutes.
The visitors' lack of potency was recognised by Monk at half-time, with the Swansea boss bringing Eder and Montero on for Gomis and Jack Cork respectively.
If Monk hoped those changes would swing the match in his side's favour, he was wrong.
Southampton doubled their lead in the 54th minute, when Tadic chipped over Lukasz Fabianski from close range after getting on the end of a delightful lofted pass from Pelle, although there was some suspicion the ball deflected off Ki on the way in.
Any ambitions Swansea held to reel in their hosts were soon dispelled when Mane fired a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from the centre of the penalty area.
Swansea's efforts to reduce the deficit were limited, but Sigurdsson pulled one back from the spot seven minutes from time after Fonte's challenge on Taylor.
Southampton put in a commanding performance to pick up their first Premier League win in three matches, beating Swansea City 3-1.
Swansea came into the fixture at St Mary's Stadium having not scored for three matches in all competitions and fell behind to a Virgil van Dijk header in the first half.
Dusan Tadic made a mockery of Swansea manager Garry Monk's half-time tinkering by doubling the advantage nine minutes into the second period, before Sadio Mane got the third shortly after the hour mark.
Gylfi Sigurdsson ended Swansea's goal drought from the penalty spot late on after Neil Taylor was felled by Jose Fonte, but it was little consolation for the below-par visitors.
After making a promising start to the season, Swansea have now gone the whole of September without registering a victory, while Southampton climb into the top half of the Premier League table with their three points.
Monk brought Ki Sung-yueng in for Jefferson Montero as part of a diamond midfield formation and, after Southampton – who handed a first start of the season to Ryan Bertrand – had enjoyed a bright opening spell, the first clear-cut chance of the match fell to the South Korean.
A fierce Jonjo Shelvey strike from distance was parried into the path of Ki, who was unable to keep his effort down.
The home side were soon causing a threat at the other end and Graziano Pelle took out three Swansea defenders with a throughball before Mane shot narrowly wide of the right-hand upright.
Van Dijk broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when he was allowed too much space in the penalty area from a James Ward-Prowse corner and headed in at the near post.
Swansea were struggling to bring forward duo Bafetimbi Gomis and Andre Ayew into the game, but Ki drew a diving save from Maarten Stekelenburg with a low drive after 22 minutes.
The visitors' lack of potency was recognised by Monk at half-time, with the Swansea boss bringing Eder and Montero on for Gomis and Jack Cork respectively.
If Monk hoped those changes would swing the match in his side's favour, he was wrong.
Southampton doubled their lead in the 54th minute, when Tadic chipped over Lukasz Fabianski from close range after getting on the end of a delightful lofted pass from Pelle, although there was some suspicion the ball deflected off Ki on the way in.
Any ambitions Swansea held to reel in their hosts were soon dispelled when Mane fired a low effort into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal from the centre of the penalty area.
Swansea's efforts to reduce the deficit were limited, but Sigurdsson pulled one back from the spot seven minutes from time after Fonte's challenge on Taylor.
West Ham 2-2 Norwich: Last gasp Kouyate spares Hammers' blushes
Cheikhou Kouyate's 93rd minute equaliser spared West Ham's blushes as they salvaged a late 2-2 draw at home to Norwich.
Slaven Bilic's men have established themselves as the Premier League's most accomplished away side in the early weeks of the new season, reeling off wins at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
But it has been a different story at Upton Park, and they were fortunate to escape with a point after a lacklustre display on Saturday.
Nathan Redmond appeared to have claimed all three points for Norwich with a superb goal seven minutes from time, but Kouyate was on hand to snatch a draw when he slammed home from close range after John Ruddy failed to deal with a deep free-kick from the right.Robbie Brady had given Norwich an early lead with his first goal for the club, before Diafra Sakho equalised in the 33rd minute.
More dropped points at home mean West Ham missed the chance to move into second in the Premier League, while Norwich remain in mid-table.
Alex Neil's team were in the ascendancy from the off, with the hosts' dreadful start to the game typified by captain Mark Noble gifting the ball to Brady in the ninth minute, allowing the Republic of Ireland international to run clear and slide his first goal for the club past Adrian.
That goal visibly boosted the visitors' confidence and they spurned two decent opportunities to double their lead before the 20-minute mark.
First, Steven Whittaker saw his shot blocked after he was left in far too much space down the right, before Jonny Howson blazed over the crossbar following another assured passing move.But the hosts drew level against the run of play just after the half-hour mark, as Dimitri Payet crossed from the right and Sakho converted from eight yards.
Sakho's leveller jolted West Ham into life, and Manuel Lanzini went close to turning the game on its head with an excellent curling free-kick that arced just wide of Ruddy's right-hand post.The second half began in frantic, end-to-end fashion, and Ruddy was forced into a fine save 11 minutes after the restart when Sakho powered a free header straight at him from Victor Moses' cross.
Payet was next to test the Norwich keeper with a low left-footed effort, before Adrian denied Cameron Jerome at the other end following a swift Norwich breakaway. Neil introduced Redmond with 20 minutes to go and the England Under-21 international produced a moment of real quality to restore Norwich's lead, as he cut inside from the left and fired past Adrian.
Norwich looked set for their first win at Upton Park in 26 years, but Kouyate had other ideas as West Ham snatched a point at the death.
Cheikhou Kouyate's 93rd minute equaliser spared West Ham's blushes as they salvaged a late 2-2 draw at home to Norwich.
Slaven Bilic's men have established themselves as the Premier League's most accomplished away side in the early weeks of the new season, reeling off wins at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
But it has been a different story at Upton Park, and they were fortunate to escape with a point after a lacklustre display on Saturday.
Nathan Redmond appeared to have claimed all three points for Norwich with a superb goal seven minutes from time, but Kouyate was on hand to snatch a draw when he slammed home from close range after John Ruddy failed to deal with a deep free-kick from the right.Robbie Brady had given Norwich an early lead with his first goal for the club, before Diafra Sakho equalised in the 33rd minute.
More dropped points at home mean West Ham missed the chance to move into second in the Premier League, while Norwich remain in mid-table.
Alex Neil's team were in the ascendancy from the off, with the hosts' dreadful start to the game typified by captain Mark Noble gifting the ball to Brady in the ninth minute, allowing the Republic of Ireland international to run clear and slide his first goal for the club past Adrian.
That goal visibly boosted the visitors' confidence and they spurned two decent opportunities to double their lead before the 20-minute mark.
First, Steven Whittaker saw his shot blocked after he was left in far too much space down the right, before Jonny Howson blazed over the crossbar following another assured passing move.But the hosts drew level against the run of play just after the half-hour mark, as Dimitri Payet crossed from the right and Sakho converted from eight yards.
Sakho's leveller jolted West Ham into life, and Manuel Lanzini went close to turning the game on its head with an excellent curling free-kick that arced just wide of Ruddy's right-hand post.The second half began in frantic, end-to-end fashion, and Ruddy was forced into a fine save 11 minutes after the restart when Sakho powered a free header straight at him from Victor Moses' cross.
Payet was next to test the Norwich keeper with a low left-footed effort, before Adrian denied Cameron Jerome at the other end following a swift Norwich breakaway. Neil introduced Redmond with 20 minutes to go and the England Under-21 international produced a moment of real quality to restore Norwich's lead, as he cut inside from the left and fired past Adrian.
Norwich looked set for their first win at Upton Park in 26 years, but Kouyate had other ideas as West Ham snatched a point at the death.
Stoke 2-1 Bournemouth: Diouf gives Potters first Premier League win of the season
Stoke picked up their first Premier League win of the season thanks to Mame Biram Diouf's late winner with Bournemouth's misery compounded by a serious-looking knee injury to top scorer Callum Wilson.
Jonathan Walters gave the hosts the lead with a tap-in after 32 minutes in a first half that was severely delayed by the injury to Wilson.
The Premier League's joint top scorer needed extensive medical treatment with just seven minutes gone at the beginning of a difficult afternoon for the visitors, who looked to have rescued a point when Dan Gosling slotted home midway through the second half only for Diouf to head in Glen Johnson's superb cross.
The injury to Wilson left Bournemouth struggling to replicate the attacking verve displayed in the win over Sunderland last week and is likely to play on the mind of manager Eddie Howe, with Max Gradel and Tyrone Mings already long-term injury concerns.
In contrast, the result will ease the pressure on Stoke boss Mark Hughes, whose side were in the midst of their worst start to a Premier League season.
The crushing setback to Wilson came within a sloppy opening 10 minutes, with the striker quickly signalling to the bench following an innocuous challenge from Philipp Wollscheid.
Despite his attempts to continue, the 23-year-old was eventually forced off, giving way to close-season signing Glenn Murray.
That blow allowed the hosts to build momentum and Bojan Krkic should have done better to test Artur Boruc with an angled drive inside the area after 23 minutes, following some good work from Walters on the right.
Boruc was called upon again to block Glenn Whelan's drilled effort from distance a minute later as Stoke continued to press.
Their efforts were rewarded just after half an hour when Marko Arnautovic weaved his way to the byline on the left, before pulling back for Walters to tap home from six yards.
Only a last-ditch tackle from Erik Pieters prevented Matt Ritchie from equalising just before the break, but Stoke continued to look the better team during the nine minutes of stoppage time, with Arnautovic prodding wide after a sweeping counter-attack.
Bojan was inches away from doubling the lead 10 minutes after the interval, but failed to connect with Charlie Adam's whipped cross.
Bournemouth battled on as the game approached the hour and did well to upset the rhythm of the hosts, but Stoke still looked largely untroubled.
That all changed 14 minutes from time when Gosling pounced on a loose ball inside the box following Marc Pugh's drive to stroke home an unlikely equaliser.
Gosling could have sealed a winner late on but saw a bending effort parried away by Jack Butland as Stoke, who looked comfortable before the break, begun to falter.
But the hosts sealed the win when substitute Diouf found himself on the end of Johnson's pinpoint cross to head home.
Stoke picked up their first Premier League win of the season thanks to Mame Biram Diouf's late winner with Bournemouth's misery compounded by a serious-looking knee injury to top scorer Callum Wilson.
Jonathan Walters gave the hosts the lead with a tap-in after 32 minutes in a first half that was severely delayed by the injury to Wilson.
The Premier League's joint top scorer needed extensive medical treatment with just seven minutes gone at the beginning of a difficult afternoon for the visitors, who looked to have rescued a point when Dan Gosling slotted home midway through the second half only for Diouf to head in Glen Johnson's superb cross.
The injury to Wilson left Bournemouth struggling to replicate the attacking verve displayed in the win over Sunderland last week and is likely to play on the mind of manager Eddie Howe, with Max Gradel and Tyrone Mings already long-term injury concerns.
In contrast, the result will ease the pressure on Stoke boss Mark Hughes, whose side were in the midst of their worst start to a Premier League season.
The crushing setback to Wilson came within a sloppy opening 10 minutes, with the striker quickly signalling to the bench following an innocuous challenge from Philipp Wollscheid.
Despite his attempts to continue, the 23-year-old was eventually forced off, giving way to close-season signing Glenn Murray.
That blow allowed the hosts to build momentum and Bojan Krkic should have done better to test Artur Boruc with an angled drive inside the area after 23 minutes, following some good work from Walters on the right.
Boruc was called upon again to block Glenn Whelan's drilled effort from distance a minute later as Stoke continued to press.
Their efforts were rewarded just after half an hour when Marko Arnautovic weaved his way to the byline on the left, before pulling back for Walters to tap home from six yards.
Only a last-ditch tackle from Erik Pieters prevented Matt Ritchie from equalising just before the break, but Stoke continued to look the better team during the nine minutes of stoppage time, with Arnautovic prodding wide after a sweeping counter-attack.
Bojan was inches away from doubling the lead 10 minutes after the interval, but failed to connect with Charlie Adam's whipped cross.
Bournemouth battled on as the game approached the hour and did well to upset the rhythm of the hosts, but Stoke still looked largely untroubled.
That all changed 14 minutes from time when Gosling pounced on a loose ball inside the box following Marc Pugh's drive to stroke home an unlikely equaliser.
Gosling could have sealed a winner late on but saw a bending effort parried away by Jack Butland as Stoke, who looked comfortable before the break, begun to falter.
But the hosts sealed the win when substitute Diouf found himself on the end of Johnson's pinpoint cross to head home.
Messi ruled out for up to two months
Barcelona have been dealt a blow after Lionel Messi suffered a knee injury during Saturday's clash with Las Palmas that wiill rule him out for up to two months.
The 28-year-old collided with defender Pedro Bigas inside the 18-yard box after just three minutes of the Camp Nou outfit's 2-1 victory.
Messi attempted to continue but failed to shrug off the knock, with Barca coach Luis Enrique replacing him with Munir seven minutes later.
And having been sent to hospital for tests, the European champions confirmed the Argentina international will be out for seven to eight weeks with a tear in the internal collateral ligament of his left knee.
The injury could rule the four-time Ballon d'Or winner out of the first Clasico against Real Madrid of the season on November 21.
Barcelona have been dealt a blow after Lionel Messi suffered a knee injury during Saturday's clash with Las Palmas that wiill rule him out for up to two months.
The 28-year-old collided with defender Pedro Bigas inside the 18-yard box after just three minutes of the Camp Nou outfit's 2-1 victory.
Messi attempted to continue but failed to shrug off the knock, with Barca coach Luis Enrique replacing him with Munir seven minutes later.
And having been sent to hospital for tests, the European champions confirmed the Argentina international will be out for seven to eight weeks with a tear in the internal collateral ligament of his left knee.
The injury could rule the four-time Ballon d'Or winner out of the first Clasico against Real Madrid of the season on November 21.
Wenger: Hat-trick hero Alexis is back to his best
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that winger Alexis Sanchez is back to his best following his hat-trick in the 5-2 Premier League win away to Leicester City.
The former Barcelona star impressed at the Copa America in the close-season, winning the tournament with Chile, and the Gunners boss believes that the continental competition provided a hangover that the 26-year-old has now recovered from.
“He’s back to his level," Wenger told reporters.
"He won a big competition with Chile the Copa America and I think mentally to adjust to a competitive level takes time.
"You could see in training in the last week or two that he’s back to his best. I think he’s mobile, works hard for the team and can score goals."
The win over Claudio Ranieri's side marked a return to winning ways for the Gunners in the Premier League, following defeat to Chelsea last time out, but Wenger believes the technical quality of the Emirates Stadium side saw them through.
"[Leicester] had a stronger start and I was concerned after they scored the first goal. After the equaliser, our technical quality and pace caused them problems," he added.
The Frenchman also commented on the defeat of previous league leaders Manchester City at the hands of Tottenham on Saturday, suggesting that the league table is very tight.
"The way Tottenham has beaten Man City today has made the league very tight," Wenger said.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that winger Alexis Sanchez is back to his best following his hat-trick in the 5-2 Premier League win away to Leicester City.
The former Barcelona star impressed at the Copa America in the close-season, winning the tournament with Chile, and the Gunners boss believes that the continental competition provided a hangover that the 26-year-old has now recovered from.
“He’s back to his level," Wenger told reporters.
"He won a big competition with Chile the Copa America and I think mentally to adjust to a competitive level takes time.
"You could see in training in the last week or two that he’s back to his best. I think he’s mobile, works hard for the team and can score goals."
The win over Claudio Ranieri's side marked a return to winning ways for the Gunners in the Premier League, following defeat to Chelsea last time out, but Wenger believes the technical quality of the Emirates Stadium side saw them through.
"[Leicester] had a stronger start and I was concerned after they scored the first goal. After the equaliser, our technical quality and pace caused them problems," he added.
The Frenchman also commented on the defeat of previous league leaders Manchester City at the hands of Tottenham on Saturday, suggesting that the league table is very tight.
"The way Tottenham has beaten Man City today has made the league very tight," Wenger said.
Pellegrini refuses to blame officials after Tottenham defeat
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to blame the match officials for his side's 4-1 thrashing at Tottenham on Saturday.
Two of Spurs' goals - the first from Eric Dier and the third from Harry Kane - would not have stood had offside players been spotted by referee Mark Clattenburg's assistants but Pellegrini was more concerned by his side's defensive capitulation after they took the lead through Kevin De Bruyne.
The Argentine told BT Sport: "We didn't play very well in the first half against West Ham or in the second half here. I don't want to talk about the goals because it's a mistake; the referee can make it.
"We must continue working, to continue playing as we did in the first 45 minutes. We must play every game as a final in the future."
Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela also netted for the home side with the former coming from a free-kick, as did Kane's goal not long afterwards.
"In the second half it was two set-pieces - one decides the game - but after that they played very well," added Pellegrini.
"We defended some balls very badly. Two set-pieces, two goals."
Yaya Toure was taken off after 56 minutes and Pellegrini revealed that the Ivory Coast midfielder had been carrying an injury coming into the game.
"There was a problem with his hamstring, he couldn't train during the week."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini refused to blame the match officials for his side's 4-1 thrashing at Tottenham on Saturday.
Two of Spurs' goals - the first from Eric Dier and the third from Harry Kane - would not have stood had offside players been spotted by referee Mark Clattenburg's assistants but Pellegrini was more concerned by his side's defensive capitulation after they took the lead through Kevin De Bruyne.
The Argentine told BT Sport: "We didn't play very well in the first half against West Ham or in the second half here. I don't want to talk about the goals because it's a mistake; the referee can make it.
"We must continue working, to continue playing as we did in the first 45 minutes. We must play every game as a final in the future."
Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela also netted for the home side with the former coming from a free-kick, as did Kane's goal not long afterwards.
"In the second half it was two set-pieces - one decides the game - but after that they played very well," added Pellegrini.
"We defended some balls very badly. Two set-pieces, two goals."
Yaya Toure was taken off after 56 minutes and Pellegrini revealed that the Ivory Coast midfielder had been carrying an injury coming into the game.
"There was a problem with his hamstring, he couldn't train during the week."
Rooney FINALLY breaks his duck to lead Man Utd back to the top
The last time Manchester United ended a Premier League weekend at the top of the table, Sir Alex Ferguson was bowing to the support at The Hawthorns before making his way to the tunnel for the 1,500th and last time.
There have been some minor ups and major downs for United in the 28 months since the legendary manager retired from the position with which he remains synonymous, but on Saturday they returned to the summit with a convincing 3-0 victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney's was the other notable name being uttered with regularity back in May 2013 as his desire for a move became public, but these days he is the captain and iconic figure of the 20-time champions.
What is more, he is back in the goals after a near-six month drought in the league came to an end shortly after half-time against Dick Advocaat's strugglers. United had edged ahead just before the break when Memphis Depay's side-foot finish ended a move started by fellow Dutchman Daley Blind's wonderful cross-field pass for Juan Mata.
And while Memphis was clearly delighted to get off the mark, no relief was as great as Rooney's when he bundled home the second. It is so often said that strikers struggling for goals would accept one going in off their backside if it meant breaking their duck, and Rooney’s was not far short.
Anthony Martial shifted the ball to the bye-line, crossed from the right and the ball came back off the England striker's knee before striking Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon and eventually arriving in the back of the net. That was Rooney's first Premier League goal since April 4, 12 games and almost six months ago. The longer the streak went on, the more the 29-year-old looked to be weighed down by the spotlight.
But returning to the scoresheet was a godsend. The goal was exactly what he needed after an anonymous first-half performance. Like United for long stretches of games this season, the striker has been largely underwhelming. While his performance after the goal did not improve an awful lot, it was clear that he had rid himself of a personal demon.
"That's what we're all playing for," Rooney said afterwards of United's return to the top. "We have to work hard to make sure we stay there." He now has five goals in his last five games, and is captain of the league leaders. Not bad for an out-of-form front man. There is one man in the attacking line who is very much in-form though.
While Rooney has struggled to record a sequence of convincing performances, Mata has quietly gone about the business of transitioning superbly into Louis van Gaal’s way of playing. Although the Spaniard would surely rather be given a more central role than the one he is asked to fulfil on the right of the three men behind Martial, he has nonetheless taken to the task wonderfully.
His late third goal was just reward for a performance of great discipline but also great artistry. While his name appears on the team-sheet as a right-sided player, he drifts just enough to become more involved at the right times without leaving his station unmanned for too long. Van Gaal gets the best of both worlds that way, with Mata becoming a second No.10.
And he keeps scoring too. With 19 goals in under two years as a Manchester United player, the 27-year-old is becoming as prolific a midfielder as there is in the European game. United might not be firing on all cylinders, but with his influence they always stand a chance.
Van Gaal insisted afterwards that he is not too bothered who scores his side's goals, but admitted he was pleased for Rooney all the same. "It doesn't make any difference who scores for me and for the team. You have to score one goal more than the opponent. But as a coach I'm happy that Rooney and Depay have now scored. Personally for them it is important."
Now that Rooney has put the drought behind him, the new most important thing is keeping United at the top of the Premier League. It has been too long a wait for them to immediately squander their position of strength.
The last time Manchester United ended a Premier League weekend at the top of the table, Sir Alex Ferguson was bowing to the support at The Hawthorns before making his way to the tunnel for the 1,500th and last time.
There have been some minor ups and major downs for United in the 28 months since the legendary manager retired from the position with which he remains synonymous, but on Saturday they returned to the summit with a convincing 3-0 victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney's was the other notable name being uttered with regularity back in May 2013 as his desire for a move became public, but these days he is the captain and iconic figure of the 20-time champions.
What is more, he is back in the goals after a near-six month drought in the league came to an end shortly after half-time against Dick Advocaat's strugglers. United had edged ahead just before the break when Memphis Depay's side-foot finish ended a move started by fellow Dutchman Daley Blind's wonderful cross-field pass for Juan Mata.
And while Memphis was clearly delighted to get off the mark, no relief was as great as Rooney's when he bundled home the second. It is so often said that strikers struggling for goals would accept one going in off their backside if it meant breaking their duck, and Rooney’s was not far short.
Anthony Martial shifted the ball to the bye-line, crossed from the right and the ball came back off the England striker's knee before striking Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon and eventually arriving in the back of the net. That was Rooney's first Premier League goal since April 4, 12 games and almost six months ago. The longer the streak went on, the more the 29-year-old looked to be weighed down by the spotlight.
But returning to the scoresheet was a godsend. The goal was exactly what he needed after an anonymous first-half performance. Like United for long stretches of games this season, the striker has been largely underwhelming. While his performance after the goal did not improve an awful lot, it was clear that he had rid himself of a personal demon.
"That's what we're all playing for," Rooney said afterwards of United's return to the top. "We have to work hard to make sure we stay there." He now has five goals in his last five games, and is captain of the league leaders. Not bad for an out-of-form front man. There is one man in the attacking line who is very much in-form though.
While Rooney has struggled to record a sequence of convincing performances, Mata has quietly gone about the business of transitioning superbly into Louis van Gaal’s way of playing. Although the Spaniard would surely rather be given a more central role than the one he is asked to fulfil on the right of the three men behind Martial, he has nonetheless taken to the task wonderfully.
His late third goal was just reward for a performance of great discipline but also great artistry. While his name appears on the team-sheet as a right-sided player, he drifts just enough to become more involved at the right times without leaving his station unmanned for too long. Van Gaal gets the best of both worlds that way, with Mata becoming a second No.10.
And he keeps scoring too. With 19 goals in under two years as a Manchester United player, the 27-year-old is becoming as prolific a midfielder as there is in the European game. United might not be firing on all cylinders, but with his influence they always stand a chance.
Van Gaal insisted afterwards that he is not too bothered who scores his side's goals, but admitted he was pleased for Rooney all the same. "It doesn't make any difference who scores for me and for the team. You have to score one goal more than the opponent. But as a coach I'm happy that Rooney and Depay have now scored. Personally for them it is important."
Now that Rooney has put the drought behind him, the new most important thing is keeping United at the top of the Premier League. It has been too long a wait for them to immediately squander their position of strength.
Nantes 1-4 PSG: Di Maria inspires champions to comeback win
An Angel Di Maria-inspired Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Nantes 4-1 on Saturday evening.
Yacine Bammou's header puts the hosts in front early on and only the woodwork spared PSG from being 2-0 down at the break.
It was a different story after the interval, though, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic kick-started a stirring comeback, with substitute Edinson Cavani's header - his eighth goal in just 10 appearances this season - putting the visitors ahead.
Angel Di Maria's excellent lobbed finish was followed by Serge Aurier's equally impressive volley to ensure Laurent Blanc's men will finish the weekend top of Ligue 1.
Nantes, meanwhile, remain just above the bottom three, with seven points from their opening seven games.Kevin Trapp was called into action early on to deny Birama Toure but Nantes found themselves ahead soon after.
Both Javier Pastore and Layvin Kurzawa wasted chances to clear following a corner and Valentin Rongier's cross was headed in emphatically by Bammou.
The home side were brimming with confidence and Bammou came within inches of a second as he glanced a header onto the base of the near post following Alejandro Bedoya's cross.PSG grew into the half but chances were at a premium, with Di Maria's deflected effort from distance as close as they came before the break.
Ibrahimovic was captured by television cameras attempting to rally his side just before they returned for the second half and the Sweden star promptly dragged the champions onto level terms.
Kurzawa's quick throw-in allowed Pastore time to cross and Ibrahimovic scrambled the ball home from close range.Pastore almost gave Ibrahimovic the chance of another tap-in after being played in by Marco Verratti and the former Barcelona striker headed Di Maria's enticing cross over the crossbar as Blanc's side assumed control of the game.
Cavani - less than 10 minutes after his introduction - made their territorial dominance count in the 73rd minute, glancing Di Maria's free-kick past Remy Riou with a well-timed header.And Di Maria added the third just five minutes later, latching onto Pastore's long pass over the top of the defence before expertly lifting the ball over the onrushing Riou.
Aurier added late gloss to the scoreline as he hooked in Pastore's corner from close range with his back to goal.
An Angel Di Maria-inspired Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Nantes 4-1 on Saturday evening.
Yacine Bammou's header puts the hosts in front early on and only the woodwork spared PSG from being 2-0 down at the break.
It was a different story after the interval, though, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic kick-started a stirring comeback, with substitute Edinson Cavani's header - his eighth goal in just 10 appearances this season - putting the visitors ahead.
Angel Di Maria's excellent lobbed finish was followed by Serge Aurier's equally impressive volley to ensure Laurent Blanc's men will finish the weekend top of Ligue 1.
Nantes, meanwhile, remain just above the bottom three, with seven points from their opening seven games.Kevin Trapp was called into action early on to deny Birama Toure but Nantes found themselves ahead soon after.
Both Javier Pastore and Layvin Kurzawa wasted chances to clear following a corner and Valentin Rongier's cross was headed in emphatically by Bammou.
The home side were brimming with confidence and Bammou came within inches of a second as he glanced a header onto the base of the near post following Alejandro Bedoya's cross.PSG grew into the half but chances were at a premium, with Di Maria's deflected effort from distance as close as they came before the break.
Ibrahimovic was captured by television cameras attempting to rally his side just before they returned for the second half and the Sweden star promptly dragged the champions onto level terms.
Kurzawa's quick throw-in allowed Pastore time to cross and Ibrahimovic scrambled the ball home from close range.Pastore almost gave Ibrahimovic the chance of another tap-in after being played in by Marco Verratti and the former Barcelona striker headed Di Maria's enticing cross over the crossbar as Blanc's side assumed control of the game.
Cavani - less than 10 minutes after his introduction - made their territorial dominance count in the 73rd minute, glancing Di Maria's free-kick past Remy Riou with a well-timed header.And Di Maria added the third just five minutes later, latching onto Pastore's long pass over the top of the defence before expertly lifting the ball over the onrushing Riou.
Aurier added late gloss to the scoreline as he hooked in Pastore's corner from close range with his back to goal.
Ronaldo: I miss playing with Rooney
Cristiano Ronaldo says he misses playing alongside former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney.
Ronaldo moved to United as an 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, while Rooney left Everton for Old Trafford a year later.
The pair went on to win three Premier League titles, the Champions League and one FA Cup together, before the Portugal captain joined Real Madrid in 2009.
Ronaldo admits it's a shame he no longer shares the same dressing room as the man he refers to as "pitbull" and hopes they're reunited in the future.
"I miss playing with Rooney. Maybe we can play again together some day," he said."He was the kid of England. Everybody loved him. He was so powerful I was calling him pitbull. The power of Wayne Rooney is his mentality and strength and he never stops.
"He's a fantastic team player and he scores! He's a fantastic boy and he helped me a lot when he came to join us in Manchester."
Cristiano Ronaldo says he misses playing alongside former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney.
Ronaldo moved to United as an 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, while Rooney left Everton for Old Trafford a year later.
The pair went on to win three Premier League titles, the Champions League and one FA Cup together, before the Portugal captain joined Real Madrid in 2009.
Ronaldo admits it's a shame he no longer shares the same dressing room as the man he refers to as "pitbull" and hopes they're reunited in the future.
"I miss playing with Rooney. Maybe we can play again together some day," he said."He was the kid of England. Everybody loved him. He was so powerful I was calling him pitbull. The power of Wayne Rooney is his mentality and strength and he never stops.
"He's a fantastic team player and he scores! He's a fantastic boy and he helped me a lot when he came to join us in Manchester."
He's BACK! Awesome Alexis hits form at the perfect time for Arsenal
For most of 2015, Arsenal supporters have been wondering what happened to the version of Alexis Sanchez that tore apart Premier League defences in his first few months in England.
Well he returned with a bang on Saturday with a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal won 5-2 at Leicester to move to fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Manchester United.
Alexis came into the game having not scored so far this season and looked short of sharpness and confidence in the final third. But it all seemed to come flooding back to him here as he scored the Gunners’ second, third and fourth goals on a crazy afternoon under the sun in the East Midlands.
The first was a close range tap-in when he found himself in the right place to put Arsenal 2-1 ahead at half-time. The second was a fantastic leap and header from Mesut Ozil’s glorious cross.
And Alexis was brimming with confidence by the time he completed the hat-trick when he cut in from the left and smashed a thumping strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
"He’s back to his level," Wenger purred in his post-match press conference. "He won a big competition with Chile the Copa America and I think mentally to adjust to a competitive level takes time.
"You could see in training in the last week or two that he’s back to his best.
"I think he’s mobile, works hard for the team and can score goals."
It was a performance from both Alexis and Arsenal that came at the perfect time, hours after Manchester City’s heavy defeat to Tottenham and when a real statement performance was needed - and delivered.
Arsenal supporters might even start dreaming again about a potential title challenge that has looked well beyond them so far this season.
If they are to challenge for their first Premier League title since 2004, they will need Alexis in this sort of form for the rest of the season. The £35 million Chilean has the ability to to open up any defence, possesses frightening speed and is a predatory finisher.
He received able support from Theo Walcott, who slotted in Arsenal’s equaliser to extend his excellent form to 12 goals in his last 13 Premier League starts. At that stage, Leicester were ahead through Jamie Vardy’s opener and pushing for a second goal.
"They had a stronger start and I was concerned after they scored the first goal," said Wenger. "After the equaliser, our technical quality and pace caused them problems."
Much of that quality was provided by Alexis as he gave Arsenal the lead and then extended it.
Vardy scored his second of the game late on to make it 4-2 before Olivier Giroud scored Arsenal’s final goal in added time. The Gunners’ five goals here doubled their tally from their previous six league matches this season.
Wenger spent much of the summer transfer window hoping to sign a world-class striker like Karim Benzema. If Alexis can build on this performance and get back in the goals, he might be the man who delivers his manager's wish.
And with key fixtures against Olympiacos and Manchester United to follow in the next eight days, Gunners fans will be hoping this really is Alexis Sanchez back to his jaw-dropping best.
For most of 2015, Arsenal supporters have been wondering what happened to the version of Alexis Sanchez that tore apart Premier League defences in his first few months in England.
Well he returned with a bang on Saturday with a sensational hat-trick as Arsenal won 5-2 at Leicester to move to fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Manchester United.
Alexis came into the game having not scored so far this season and looked short of sharpness and confidence in the final third. But it all seemed to come flooding back to him here as he scored the Gunners’ second, third and fourth goals on a crazy afternoon under the sun in the East Midlands.
The first was a close range tap-in when he found himself in the right place to put Arsenal 2-1 ahead at half-time. The second was a fantastic leap and header from Mesut Ozil’s glorious cross.
And Alexis was brimming with confidence by the time he completed the hat-trick when he cut in from the left and smashed a thumping strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
"He’s back to his level," Wenger purred in his post-match press conference. "He won a big competition with Chile the Copa America and I think mentally to adjust to a competitive level takes time.
"You could see in training in the last week or two that he’s back to his best.
"I think he’s mobile, works hard for the team and can score goals."
It was a performance from both Alexis and Arsenal that came at the perfect time, hours after Manchester City’s heavy defeat to Tottenham and when a real statement performance was needed - and delivered.
Arsenal supporters might even start dreaming again about a potential title challenge that has looked well beyond them so far this season.
If they are to challenge for their first Premier League title since 2004, they will need Alexis in this sort of form for the rest of the season. The £35 million Chilean has the ability to to open up any defence, possesses frightening speed and is a predatory finisher.
He received able support from Theo Walcott, who slotted in Arsenal’s equaliser to extend his excellent form to 12 goals in his last 13 Premier League starts. At that stage, Leicester were ahead through Jamie Vardy’s opener and pushing for a second goal.
"They had a stronger start and I was concerned after they scored the first goal," said Wenger. "After the equaliser, our technical quality and pace caused them problems."
Much of that quality was provided by Alexis as he gave Arsenal the lead and then extended it.
Vardy scored his second of the game late on to make it 4-2 before Olivier Giroud scored Arsenal’s final goal in added time. The Gunners’ five goals here doubled their tally from their previous six league matches this season.
Wenger spent much of the summer transfer window hoping to sign a world-class striker like Karim Benzema. If Alexis can build on this performance and get back in the goals, he might be the man who delivers his manager's wish.
And with key fixtures against Olympiacos and Manchester United to follow in the next eight days, Gunners fans will be hoping this really is Alexis Sanchez back to his jaw-dropping best.
Swansea 'not up to scratch' on the road - Monk
Swansea City manager Garry Monk criticised his team's performance levels following their 3-1 Premier League defeat at Southampton on Saturday.
After falling behind to Virgil van Dijk's first-half opener, Monk elected to replace Bafetimbi Gomis and Jack Cork with Eder and Jefferson Montero at the break in a bid to change the course of the match.
However, Southampton went on to stretch their advantage further through Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane during the second period, before Gylfi Sigurdsson netted a late consolation from the penalty spot.
The result represents Swansea's third consecutive away defeat in all competitions, with their last win on the road coming at Arsenal at the back end of last season.
"We have not been up to scratch in the last two [Premier League] away games," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "We were not focused enough and possibly made too many mistakes today.
"They punished us and we never recovered from that.
"All three goals were disappointing. It was poor decision-making and individual errors. It's not good enough for the standard we have set here at the club.
"We pushed to try to get back. We got the goal then had a couple of chances to make it 3-2.
"It's difficult to assess straight after the game what went wrong."
Swansea City manager Garry Monk criticised his team's performance levels following their 3-1 Premier League defeat at Southampton on Saturday.
After falling behind to Virgil van Dijk's first-half opener, Monk elected to replace Bafetimbi Gomis and Jack Cork with Eder and Jefferson Montero at the break in a bid to change the course of the match.
However, Southampton went on to stretch their advantage further through Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane during the second period, before Gylfi Sigurdsson netted a late consolation from the penalty spot.
The result represents Swansea's third consecutive away defeat in all competitions, with their last win on the road coming at Arsenal at the back end of last season.
"We have not been up to scratch in the last two [Premier League] away games," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "We were not focused enough and possibly made too many mistakes today.
"They punished us and we never recovered from that.
"All three goals were disappointing. It was poor decision-making and individual errors. It's not good enough for the standard we have set here at the club.
"We pushed to try to get back. We got the goal then had a couple of chances to make it 3-2.
"It's difficult to assess straight after the game what went wrong."
Messi injury threatens to derail Barcelona's season
A sunny afternoon at Camp Nou against a promoted team looked like the ideal way for Barcelona to boost morale after Wednesday night's 4-1 loss at Celta Vigo. But disaster struck after just nine minutes as Lionel Messi limped off through injury. And just after the game, fans' worst fears were confirmed.
The Argentina attacker was taken to hospital for tests and initial reports claimed he would miss the next three weeks. If that seemed bad enough, the news confirmed by the Catalan club following the final whistle was even worse: ligament damage in his right knee and an expected recovery time of seven to eight weeks.
That means Messi could miss Barca's next eight or nine games (including Champions League clashes against Bayer Leverkusen and BATE Borisov, both home and away, plus Liga meetings with Sevilla, Rayo, Eibar, Getafe and Villarreal.
If he is available again after seven or eight weeks as predicted by Barca, the 28-year-old could be involved in the Clasico on November 21 at the Santiago Bernabeu - and everyone involved with the club will be crossing their fingers that he will be ready to return for what is likely to be a vital fixture in the title aspirations of both teams.
However, the Clasico clash comes exactly eight weeks after his injury and unless he can recover faster than expected, Messi is likely to be doubtful for the date in Madrid.
Asked after the 2-1 win against Las Palmas if he would be available for the game against Real, Luis Enrique said: "I'm not looking at the calendar. We are focused on the next game - against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday."
However, the Asturian coach did admit that his side will need to make some serious improvements after relying on the Argentine to dig them out of a hole on several occasions already this season.
"We will keep playing as we have been, but there are some aspects that Messi resolved and perhaps we will have to be stronger in those collective aspects. Messi's injury is a test and an added motivation for us."
In the Champions League, Barca will be expected to beat Leverkusen at Camp Nou and are likely to have little trouble against BATE home and away, but Messi's injury could have serious ramifications on their Liga campaign.
A tough trip to an albeit off-form Sevilla side next weekend will be the first test in the Argentine's absence, with the game away to Getafe next month traditionally a tricky fixture for the Catalans as well. Home matches against Rayo Vallecano and Eibar in October should present few problems, but Villarreal at home in November is a challenge, and the Clasico (which comes after an international break in November) could be even more difficult than usual after Real Madrid's strong start to the season.
Against Las Palmas on Saturday, Luis Suarez scored two fine goals to steer Barca to victory in a timely return to form. His header from a superb Sergio Roberto cross made it 1-0 in the first half and he blasted home at the far post early in the second period following a delightful dummy by Sergio Busquets.
Neymar missed a penalty after that as he smashed his effort over the bar and Barca conceded following a mistake by Javier Mascherano as their defensive problems continued. Goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen, unfortunate here as the ball deflected past him, has now conceded in his last 10 appearances for the Blaugrana, with 16 goals let in this term already in seven games (the same as in his 21 appearances in 2014-15).
So the defensive issues need to improve, while there will be added responsibility for both Suarez and Neymar as Messi sits out the best part of the next two months.
"There is always someone out and the team has to react," Luis Enrique added. "I don't like to put all the responsibility on one player. We have many quality players and we accept the challenge."
Fighting talk. And how those players react now could hold the key to Barca's hopes of retaining La Liga in 2015-16.
A sunny afternoon at Camp Nou against a promoted team looked like the ideal way for Barcelona to boost morale after Wednesday night's 4-1 loss at Celta Vigo. But disaster struck after just nine minutes as Lionel Messi limped off through injury. And just after the game, fans' worst fears were confirmed.
The Argentina attacker was taken to hospital for tests and initial reports claimed he would miss the next three weeks. If that seemed bad enough, the news confirmed by the Catalan club following the final whistle was even worse: ligament damage in his right knee and an expected recovery time of seven to eight weeks.
That means Messi could miss Barca's next eight or nine games (including Champions League clashes against Bayer Leverkusen and BATE Borisov, both home and away, plus Liga meetings with Sevilla, Rayo, Eibar, Getafe and Villarreal.
If he is available again after seven or eight weeks as predicted by Barca, the 28-year-old could be involved in the Clasico on November 21 at the Santiago Bernabeu - and everyone involved with the club will be crossing their fingers that he will be ready to return for what is likely to be a vital fixture in the title aspirations of both teams.
However, the Clasico clash comes exactly eight weeks after his injury and unless he can recover faster than expected, Messi is likely to be doubtful for the date in Madrid.
Asked after the 2-1 win against Las Palmas if he would be available for the game against Real, Luis Enrique said: "I'm not looking at the calendar. We are focused on the next game - against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday."
However, the Asturian coach did admit that his side will need to make some serious improvements after relying on the Argentine to dig them out of a hole on several occasions already this season.
"We will keep playing as we have been, but there are some aspects that Messi resolved and perhaps we will have to be stronger in those collective aspects. Messi's injury is a test and an added motivation for us."
In the Champions League, Barca will be expected to beat Leverkusen at Camp Nou and are likely to have little trouble against BATE home and away, but Messi's injury could have serious ramifications on their Liga campaign.
A tough trip to an albeit off-form Sevilla side next weekend will be the first test in the Argentine's absence, with the game away to Getafe next month traditionally a tricky fixture for the Catalans as well. Home matches against Rayo Vallecano and Eibar in October should present few problems, but Villarreal at home in November is a challenge, and the Clasico (which comes after an international break in November) could be even more difficult than usual after Real Madrid's strong start to the season.
Against Las Palmas on Saturday, Luis Suarez scored two fine goals to steer Barca to victory in a timely return to form. His header from a superb Sergio Roberto cross made it 1-0 in the first half and he blasted home at the far post early in the second period following a delightful dummy by Sergio Busquets.
Neymar missed a penalty after that as he smashed his effort over the bar and Barca conceded following a mistake by Javier Mascherano as their defensive problems continued. Goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen, unfortunate here as the ball deflected past him, has now conceded in his last 10 appearances for the Blaugrana, with 16 goals let in this term already in seven games (the same as in his 21 appearances in 2014-15).
So the defensive issues need to improve, while there will be added responsibility for both Suarez and Neymar as Messi sits out the best part of the next two months.
"There is always someone out and the team has to react," Luis Enrique added. "I don't like to put all the responsibility on one player. We have many quality players and we accept the challenge."
Fighting talk. And how those players react now could hold the key to Barca's hopes of retaining La Liga in 2015-16.
Rodgers hits out at 'hysteria' surrounding his job
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expects his position to remain under scrutiny despite Saturday's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa.
The Northern Irishman went into Saturday's game at Anfield under pressure after five matches without a win, but a Daniel Sturridge brace and James Milner's early goal claimed maximum points.
But while Rodgers was pleased to see his side rewarded for a much-improved display, he criticised unnamed outsiders and the "hysteria" they create around the club.
"I never worry about the players, the players have been absolutely brilliant," Rodgers said.
"This group work very hard but of course there's a lot of hysteria and of course that continues. I'm pretty confident there's a group of people who don't want me here to be the manager.
"Certainly from my perspective, in all competitions we've lost less games than Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"But the hysteria around ourselves is obviously interesting to note. Myself and my players stay very calm knowing we'll get our rewards.
"I will continue to work with the players, we've got more players to come back and top-class players. We're very much together as a team.
"We're five points off the top and still with a lot of progress to make. I know entirely what it's like having been here for three seasons - incredible club, huge expectancy and the expectancy has come from ourselves.
"I'm talking about people outside here."
Sturridge's first goals since returning from his long-term injury ensured Rudy Gestede's second-half brace was in vain while Milner's strike 66 seconds in was his first for Liverpool.
Rodgers added: "If you want to compete at the top of the league, you have to have big quality.
"Daniel Sturridge has shown over his time here he is a top talent, you miss that quality and we've suffered for it. I thought he was outstanding today.
"He's probably disappointed he didn't have a hat-trick, but his overall game and touch and finishes were outstanding.
"James is a top-class professional who has come here with a much greater responsibility and it was only a matter of time before he got his goal."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers expects his position to remain under scrutiny despite Saturday's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa.
The Northern Irishman went into Saturday's game at Anfield under pressure after five matches without a win, but a Daniel Sturridge brace and James Milner's early goal claimed maximum points.
But while Rodgers was pleased to see his side rewarded for a much-improved display, he criticised unnamed outsiders and the "hysteria" they create around the club.
"I never worry about the players, the players have been absolutely brilliant," Rodgers said.
"This group work very hard but of course there's a lot of hysteria and of course that continues. I'm pretty confident there's a group of people who don't want me here to be the manager.
"Certainly from my perspective, in all competitions we've lost less games than Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"But the hysteria around ourselves is obviously interesting to note. Myself and my players stay very calm knowing we'll get our rewards.
"I will continue to work with the players, we've got more players to come back and top-class players. We're very much together as a team.
"We're five points off the top and still with a lot of progress to make. I know entirely what it's like having been here for three seasons - incredible club, huge expectancy and the expectancy has come from ourselves.
"I'm talking about people outside here."
Sturridge's first goals since returning from his long-term injury ensured Rudy Gestede's second-half brace was in vain while Milner's strike 66 seconds in was his first for Liverpool.
Rodgers added: "If you want to compete at the top of the league, you have to have big quality.
"Daniel Sturridge has shown over his time here he is a top talent, you miss that quality and we've suffered for it. I thought he was outstanding today.
"He's probably disappointed he didn't have a hat-trick, but his overall game and touch and finishes were outstanding.
"James is a top-class professional who has come here with a much greater responsibility and it was only a matter of time before he got his goal."
Real Madrid 0-0 Malaga: Ronaldo & co. held by 10-man visitors
Cristiano Ronaldo wasted a succession of chances as Real Madrid were held to a scoreless draw by 10-man Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The result completed a frustrating day for the big two in La Liga with Barcelona earlier beating Las Palmas but seeing star forward Lionel Messi ruled out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury.
No-one epitomised Madrid's irritation more than Ronaldo who failed time and again to find the net due to a combination of poor finishing - he had 14 shots but only two on target - and wonderful goalkeeping from Malaga's Carlos Kameni.
And when the Portugal striker did beat the Cameroonian, in the eighth minute, he saw his effort rightly ruled out for offside.
Malaga deserved a share of the spoils for their dogged display with the only blemish the 77th-minute dismissal of Nordin Amrabat.
The onslaught started early and Ronaldo could have scored before he had one chalked off by the referee's assistant.
Rafael Benitez’s men continued to create chances and Ronaldo again came close to breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute after a superb cross from Dani Carvajal, but his bullet header missed the target by a yard.
The away side occasionally threatened on the counterattack, and Juan Carlos should have punished Madrid after being set up by Amrabat, but the defender blasted his shot over the bar from a narrow angle.
Jese was the next Madrid player to try his luck 10 minutes before the half-time whistle, only to see Kameni keep out his low shot.
Ronaldo continued to cause the Malaga defence all kinds of trouble with his clever movement but his finishing let him down as Kameni proved to be too much of an obstacle in the 36th minute.
Ronaldo did beat the Malaga goalkeeper with a stunning strike shortly before the interval, but his shot went inches wide as it remained all square after 45 minutes.
The three-time Ballon d'Or winner seemed to get his goal just minutes after the restart, only to be denied by an excellent goal-line clearance from Marcos Angeleri.
Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas was then called into action when Recio tried his luck with a free-kick from 30 yards out and the Costa Rican showed his class with a sublime save.
Jese then really should have broken the deadlock when he picked up a loose ball inside the area, but he somehow aimed too high, injuring himself in the process as he had to be stretchered off.
Luka Modric was next to be denied by Kameni after playing a quick one-two with Karim Benzema, before the Frenchman had a shot of his own saved by the overworked goalkeeper.
Isco managed to beat Kameni at last in the 76th minute, only for Weligton to come to the rescue and clear the ball off the line and to safety.
Amrabat received his marching orders for a moment of madness, smashing his elbow into Marcelo's face, but it could not detract from a wonderful day for Malaga.
Saturday's results mean Madrid are now trailing rivals Barcelona by one point, having collected 14 points from six games.
Cristiano Ronaldo wasted a succession of chances as Real Madrid were held to a scoreless draw by 10-man Malaga at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The result completed a frustrating day for the big two in La Liga with Barcelona earlier beating Las Palmas but seeing star forward Lionel Messi ruled out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury.
No-one epitomised Madrid's irritation more than Ronaldo who failed time and again to find the net due to a combination of poor finishing - he had 14 shots but only two on target - and wonderful goalkeeping from Malaga's Carlos Kameni.
And when the Portugal striker did beat the Cameroonian, in the eighth minute, he saw his effort rightly ruled out for offside.
Malaga deserved a share of the spoils for their dogged display with the only blemish the 77th-minute dismissal of Nordin Amrabat.
The onslaught started early and Ronaldo could have scored before he had one chalked off by the referee's assistant.
Rafael Benitez’s men continued to create chances and Ronaldo again came close to breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute after a superb cross from Dani Carvajal, but his bullet header missed the target by a yard.
The away side occasionally threatened on the counterattack, and Juan Carlos should have punished Madrid after being set up by Amrabat, but the defender blasted his shot over the bar from a narrow angle.
Jese was the next Madrid player to try his luck 10 minutes before the half-time whistle, only to see Kameni keep out his low shot.
Ronaldo continued to cause the Malaga defence all kinds of trouble with his clever movement but his finishing let him down as Kameni proved to be too much of an obstacle in the 36th minute.
Ronaldo did beat the Malaga goalkeeper with a stunning strike shortly before the interval, but his shot went inches wide as it remained all square after 45 minutes.
The three-time Ballon d'Or winner seemed to get his goal just minutes after the restart, only to be denied by an excellent goal-line clearance from Marcos Angeleri.
Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas was then called into action when Recio tried his luck with a free-kick from 30 yards out and the Costa Rican showed his class with a sublime save.
Jese then really should have broken the deadlock when he picked up a loose ball inside the area, but he somehow aimed too high, injuring himself in the process as he had to be stretchered off.
Luka Modric was next to be denied by Kameni after playing a quick one-two with Karim Benzema, before the Frenchman had a shot of his own saved by the overworked goalkeeper.
Isco managed to beat Kameni at last in the 76th minute, only for Weligton to come to the rescue and clear the ball off the line and to safety.
Amrabat received his marching orders for a moment of madness, smashing his elbow into Marcelo's face, but it could not detract from a wonderful day for Malaga.
Saturday's results mean Madrid are now trailing rivals Barcelona by one point, having collected 14 points from six games.
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