The weekend of European soccer brought plenty of drama, and GOAL US unpacks the main storylines from the Premier League, La Liga, and other top competitions in The Euro XI.

So, Liverpool can surely kiss the Premier League goodbye, right? After a 3-0 loss to Man City, the defending champions look finished. They now sit eighth, eight points off the top, and there’s little sign they can rediscover their swagger. It’s a strange place for title holders to find themselves.

But it's not the only bit of drama from the Prem last weekend. Points dropped elsewhere should have meant that Arsenal could kick on at the top of the table. Instead, they drew against newly-promoted Sunderland. And lower down the table, Manchester United and Tottenham delivered on the magnitude of the occasion with a mad last 15 minutes. 

Other top leagues in Europe delivered their share of drama, too. Real Madrid’s scoreless draw was a reminder they’re far from runaway title favorites. Barcelona had to grind past Celta Vigo, and perhaps most shockingly, Bayern dropped points.

GOAL US presents The Euro XI, with 11 key observations from the weekend.

Getty Images SportLiverpool's title hopes fade

Title race over, then? Liverpool were always going to have some growing pains – it's what happens when you sign 10,000 new players – but could anyone have expected this? The Etihad is a really tough stadium to play at, and Liverpool went to the home of their rivals and simply crumbled. The 3-0 scoreline flattered Manchester City, which is pretty damning in a game of such a magnitude. 

AdvertisementAFPCity find their form

And then, there's the other side to things. Pep Guardiola managed his 1,000th game Sunday evening. He actually tied his first. This one couldn't really have been more convincing of a win. For all of Liverpool's shortcomings, City were simply magnificent, full of attacking verve and intent. Erling Haaland was quiet, so Jeremy Doku decided to take over. He completed seven dribbles, tortured Liverpool's defense, and bagged an audacious goal to finish it off. And now, they might just be in the title race. 

Getty Images SportArsenal hit a bump in the road

Was Saturday’s result a setback in the Gunners’ chase for their first Premier League title since 2003? It might prove to be if Arsenal keep struggling like this. To be fair, a trip to Sunderland was always going to be tricky – the Stadium of Light tends to shine on occasions like this, and the Black Cats have enjoyed a fantastic start to the season. But Arsenal didn’t rise to the moment. They were muscled out of the contest and, truthfully, a bit fortunate to escape with a 2-2 draw. Then again, they would’ve lost these games in the past – and this season, a draw away to a newly promoted side somehow feels like a point gained.

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GettyDan Ballard, back for revenge

A word, briefly, for Dan Ballard. The center back was supposed to be part of Arsenal's new era. For 12 years, he was in the Gunners' youth setup, and every bit the kind of central defender that seemed ready to anchor a defensive line long term. But like so many, he never took the step up in time. Ballard landed at Sunderland, and, in a center back-y kind of way, battered his boyhood club. Ballard scored one, assisted another, and made a truly remarkable block in stoppage time to save a point. It's hard to recall a better individual showing this season.