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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been on the hot seat pretty much all season, and push has finally come to shove. After a disappointing 1-1 draw against Merseyside rival Everton, another game in which Liverpool couldn't hold a lead, Rodgers was immediately relieved of his duties. Fenway Sports Group expects to have a new manager in place before the Reds' next league game against Tottenham on October 17, and it appears former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is the frontrunner.
Bayern Munich Blow Borussia Dortmund Off the Field in Der Klassiker [Bavarian Football Works]
Speaking of Dortmund, BVB didn't have a great Sunday. Bayern Munch steamrolled to a 5-1 win in the season's first Der Klassiker, led by two goals each from Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski. Bayern sliced through Dortmund's defense with some absurd passing from center backs Jerome Boateng.
Initial reactions: Atletico 1 - 1 Real Madrid [Managing Madrid]
In another local derby, Karim Benzema put Real ahead in the ninth minute, but Luciano Vietto canceled out that goal in the 83rd, sealing a draw. The dropped points leave Real second in La Liga standings, one point behind Villarreal. It appears that the folks over at Managing Madrid are wondering why they were so excited about the return of Sergio Ramos this season.
Not only did Sergio make countless mistakes (botched lobbed back-pass to Keylor Navas, a needless penalty given away, and an easy interception of the head missed in the second half), but he was also constantly caught out of position. In addition, his marking of Torres was poor all game long and Correa found plenty of space to shoot in Ramos's zone of control. It became pretty clear that Atletico were targeting Ramos with all of their attacks by the end of the match. All in all a game to forget quickly for the Madrid captain.
Player Ratings: Manchester City 6-1 Newcastle United [Bitter & Blue]
After a torrid start to the season, Manchester City has been in shaky form lately. The blues went down 1-0 in the first half at home against Newcastle on Saturday, but then Sergio Aguero did his best Lewandowski impersonation.
MLS
With the regular season winding down, one of MLS' newest clubs continues to fight for a playoff berth in Year 1. The win pulled Disney World SC to within one point of Montreal for the final postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. Lions rookie forward Cyle Larin continued his incredible campaign with his 15th goal of the season.
Recap: New York Red Bulls 2-1 Columbus Crew [Once a Metro]
New York Red Bulls took a big step toward securing the Supporters' Shield with a comeback victory over Columbus Crew SC, which now sits four points back of NYRB in the East. The Red Bulls are tied with LA Galaxy at 51 points, but New York has two games in hand over the Hollywood club.
FC Dallas remains Kings of Texas as they down Houston Dynamo 4-1 [Big D Soccer]
Although, don't count out FC Dallas just yet. Dallas claimed an emphatic Texas derby win over Houston Dynamo on Sunday, and the club now sits on 50 points. Like NYRB, Dallas has played only 30 games so far this season.
What's happening in The A?
We don't want to alarm you, but each week it looks more and more like the Falcons are actually good. Atlanta dismantled the Houston Texans in the Dome on Sunday, cruising to a 42-0 lead before winning, 48-21. The resurgent defense scored two touchdowns, and the Falcons are one of six NFL teams still unbeaten.
This long Braves season ended on a high note with a doubleheader sweep of the Cardinals on Sunday. Shelby Miller snapped his 24-start winless streak in Game 1, and Matt Wisler followed that up with 8 2/3 innings of shutout ball in Game 2. With the regular season over, it's confirmed that Atlanta holds the No. 3 pick in the 2016 first-year player draft.
The Hawks held an open scrimmage on Saturday, and Peachtree Hoops has the boxscore. Overreact and speculate wildly about the upcoming season!