Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Manchester United co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer were videoed arriving at Old Trafford earlier by an eagle-eyed supporter.

Club sources say the meetings were pre-planned, with Glazer meeting the Fans Advisory Board.

This may well be true but any time the owners are together, they must surely talk about how the team is doing.

There have been reports on social media that former United skipper Gary Neville also turned up.

If that is correct it would lend itself to the view stadium issues were being discussed.

Fans have until nearly midnight last night to respond to a club survey around what they want from a stadium as a matchday experience.

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Bayern Munich say Harry Kane travelled directly to the England camp after he was substituted during Bayern Munich's 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

He was brought off in the 72nd minute after he required treatment following a clash with Frankfurt defender Tuta.

In a statement , externalBayern Munich say he 'was examined by the FA's medical staff' and 'a more precise diagnosis is still pending'.

Gary Rose
BBC Sport

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Sir Alex Ferguson, who knows a thing or two about winning the Premier League, once said that "attack wins you games, defence wins you titles".

He may have managed Liverpool's greatest rival of the time Manchester United, but those are words that will feel encouraging to Reds fans right now.

Their side has effortlessly transitioned from the post-Jurgen Klopp era into Arne Slot's reign and go into the international break top of the Premier League, with their fantastic start to the season having been built on the back of a near watertight defence.

Following Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, they have conceded the fewest goals after seven games with just two and have kept five clean sheets.

While there is a long way to go, they are right where they want to be in the title fight.

"We keep going and we keep working," Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said.

"We are never satisfied. Everyone is contributing to clean sheets."

Read the full piece.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he is satisfied with the way his team have started the season. He told TNT Sports: "Mostly for me, it's special [to be top of the table].

"Players go to their national team, and they think of the national team, but for me, if I lose it is three to four days of being unhappy. I think my wife will be happy as she will have someone home who is happy.

"Really satisfied with how we started the season. It is a good start, not only the results, but I liked our performance today.

"The fixtures are difficult, but I have felt how difficult Wolves and Palace are away. It is good that we have won these games, and it is up to us to show ourselves in the big games.

"Unfortunately, Alisson will not be with us in these matches with how he walked off the pitch."

Image source, Getty Images

Zac: Pundits are raving about Liverpool’s defence. They haven’t beaten a team in the top ten. Forest are the highest current team they’ve played. They lost 1-0 at Anfield. The title challenge really heats up after the break when fixtures start getting interesting. Bring it on.

Phil: Afternoon, Zac. Not sure who you support but I’m assuming Manchester City or Arsenal. You’re absolutely right. Greater challenges do lie ahead for Liverpool, but that Nottingham Forest blip apart they and new Head Coach Arne Slot, have done everything asked of them. They will feel confident about those bigger challenges but you’re right. We will find out more about Liverpool then.

Arne Slot is the first Liverpool manager to win nine of his first 10 games in charge of the club (L1), while the Reds have done so to begin a season for the third time after 1961-62 and 1990-91.

Want more Liverpool news? Read the club page.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

Image source, BBC Sport

Liverpool have made their best start to a season since their Premier League title-winning campaign in 2019-20.

The Reds go into the international break top of the table with 18 points from a possible 21 and the best goal difference in the league of 11.

Although it is has been a near-perfect start for Arne Slot, it is important to note that they have had an easier start compared with Manchester City and Arsenal and have only played Nottingham Forest in the top half.

So Liverpool's start to the season may have been against arguably easier opposition but the Reds' league run is about to increase in difficulty.

Their next five Premier League games are:

• Home against Chelsea on 20 October
• Away to Arsenal on 27 October
• Home to Brighton on 2 November
• Home to Aston Villa on 9 November
• Away to Southampton on 14 November

Opta have made a graphic for the next five games across the league and Liverpool's run is the sixth most difficult.

But, interestingly, potential title-rivals Arsenal have the fifth most difficult run coming up. Will we see the title race take an early twist in the next month or two?

Image source, Opta

Liverpool have so far only conceded two goals in the seven games they have played in the Premier League this season.

Their run of matches is equally impressive, with six wins and one loss - which came against Nottingham Forest - seeing them top the table.

The Reds have faced a few clubs who are in the lower half of the table, though. Of their games so far, six have been against teams who are currently in the bottom half of the table, including Manchester United. Forest are the only team in the top half that Arne Slot's side have faced.

Opta found before the Premier League began that Liverpool had the easiest start to the season:

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

Anonymous in Scarborough: Hi Phil. Are Arsenal resting players during international break? Havertz just pulled out of German squad. Dark arts comes to mind.

Phil: We can’t just attach “Dark Arts” to everything Arsenal do these days. We must take them at face value that Kai Havertz is injured and I’m sure the German FA have made all the relevant inquiries.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport

What a recovery from Brighton as the game looked over at half time with visitors Tottenham 2-0 up and in complete control.

But the hosts, buoyed by passionate home support, fought back to win 3-2 after second-half goals from Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck to seal a superb fightback.

The result took Brighton above Spurs into sixth, and manager Fabian Hurzeler said: "My team deserved to win. They worked hard and focused on the things they could control. Tottenham always have a great start.

"They play with intensity and we were not ready for that. We also created chances but defensively we have to improve.

"We focused on the positive things - the second important thing was to win the duels to build self-confidence. The players worked hard to gain flow and they used it. In general I learned nothing new - this is always possible in football."

Welbeck scored his 27th Premier League goal for Brighton, an excellent downwards header for just his second winning goal for the Seagulls, on a memorable afternoon for the club's fans.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Former West Ham midfielder on the Football Daily podcast

"I have to say the Tottenham players have to take the brunt of this. We've been pros, we've experienced it. You're away from home, you already know you're playing one of the top sides in the league and you have a two goal cushion.

"It shouldn't have to take big Ange and his coaching staff to let them know how tough a game they still have in their second half. They have World Cup winner Romero at the back, Kulusevski and Bentancur. You have enough experience in that team to go into the second half and say 'right, we start solid, no risks. The next 10 to 15 minutes if Brighton don't get a sniff they'll give up.'"

Peter Schmeichel
Former Manchester United goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

The manager is ultimately responsible. He picks the team, sets the tone and puts out the tactics. We know with Ange, he does not compromise on the style of play, he wants to play in that particular way.

It comes down to how every single player then performs. When you play at Premier League level you can't have three/four players not playing up to that level. It's impossible. You've got to have everybody playing well. But most of all, everybody playing into the system.

Image source, Getty Images

Keith: Hi Phil, do you think Ten Hag gets unfair criticism when compared to other managers who don’t win anything?

Phil: Hello, Keith. No I don’t. This is Manchester United we are talking about. Expectations will always be higher and scrutiny greater than at almost every other club. He has had credit for his two cup wins but, in his third season, United’s recruitment policy (and names such as Antony, De Ligt, Zirkzee, Martinez and others) tell you he has had significant influence on that, has been awful.

They are currently 14th in the Premier League with only two wins and five goals, as well as no discernible strategy or identity, so far this season. It may seem harsh but it makes the criticism valid and understandable.

Jhon Duran signed a new deal with Aston Villa earlier today and the BBC understands the extension runs until 2030.

The 20-year-old moved to Villa Park in January 2023 in a £18m deal from Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire, signing a five-and-a-half year deal until 2028.

The Colombian came close to leaving Villa in the summer after interest from Chelsea and West Ham.

Read more here.

Manchester United's Jonny Evans had a tough job on Sunday trying to keep in-form Ollie Watkins quiet but he did a good job. How did he do it? Here's some analysis:

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will hope a battling draw at Aston Villa will relieve the fierce scrutiny of his position.

The club's co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe was in attendance at Villa Park to see United at least show some of the resilience that was missing in the collapse at home to Tottenham and the defensive solidity lacking in Porto in the Europa League.

Ten Hag turned to the veteran duo of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans to add some steel, although he lost the England defender to injury right on half-time.

Marcus Rashford twice tested Villa keeper Emi Martinez while United captain Bruno Fernandes came closest with a second half free-kick that bounced back off the bar at the Holte End. Substitute Antony also forced Martinez into an acrobatic save from long range.

United keeper Andre Onana was relatively untroubled, although he did well to athletically push away a power drive from Villa midfield man Youri Tielemans.

Ten Hag must now hope Ratcliffe and the rest of United's watching hierarchy saw enough to keep faith with the Dutchman, although this draw means they are still five games without a win.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery to BBC Match of the Day: "It is not the best result but it's not the worst. I think a draw is fair. We played the second half much better than the first and at the end we were close to winning the match. We had two chances at the end of the game, we tried to score but couldn't. I think a draw is fair.

"Maybe today we needed some refreshed players. And we have some players injured. But the players we have they respond really well. We will need the players helping. We prepared this match trying to win, we didn't do it but we have to be overall happy with this month, how we are in the table and what we are trying to build."

Watch more reaction:

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@nubiblue on 'X': Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil: First of all, I don’t believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I’ve not noticed too much difference or huge improvement. Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate. I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.

Nigel Reo-Coker
Former West Ham midfielder on the Football Daily podcast

Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker on the Football Daily podcast discussing Aston Villa v Manchester United: "I was a bit more disappointed in Villa. I felt that it was a game where both teams were just too overly tactical in their approach. And what killed them was that they were scared to press. They weren't willing to press each other or engage.

"From both sides there will be disappointment, but I think Villa they might be happier with it because it keeps them near the top. I think for Manchester United's perspective they can take a lot of confidence from that since it's against a Champions League Aston Villa team that finished top four last season but there are still a lot of questions for Manchester United's manager and players."

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