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Coverage, page 7

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Aubameyang rolls back years as revamped ‘Super Dépor’ return to La Liga in style | Billy Munday

Two assists and the winner for Deportivo A Coruña leave Gabonese striker with one club record and eyeing another Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was already the best player on the pitch when he ran through to score Deportivo A Coruña’s winner on Saturday night. It was certainly not Ilias Akhomach, the Villarreal substitute whose pass on halfway had inadvertently played Aubameyang through, nor Sergi Cardona, the intended target of that pass. After 89 minutes and two assists, the 37-year-old Aubameyang raced the length of the half to slot past Luiz Júnior to make it 3-2. It had been a similar case the week before, when Aubameyang’s pace left the Valencia defenders behind before he dinked the ball over the goalkeeper. The week before that, he calmly rounded Málaga’s Alfonso Herrero before opening the scoring. The week before that, the former Barcelona striker marked his return to La Liga against Elche with a superb touch and finish from Lorenzo Amatucci’s diagonal pass. Scoring in each of his first four games for Deportivo is a club record, eclipsing Bebeto’s fast start of three in a row from 1992. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Billy Munday7 Sept

Manchester United’s front four show flashes but need more time to become fantastic | Will Unwin

Mbeumo’s goal was a moment of individual inspiration but Michael Carrick will want more from Fernandes, Cunha and Rashford Tunnel vision allowed Bryan Mbeumo seconds of focus, ignoring everyone in red around him, while those in blue provided a guard of honour. In a team game, it was an act of selfishness but sometimes they are the most satisfying, and Manchester United celebrated the single-mindedness when the ball rippled the inside of the netting. This is a new front four for United after Marcus Rashford spent last season at Barcelona but there should be greater familiarity between those who have already spent a year together. Bruno Fernandes is the instigator as a No 10 while Matheus Cunha, Mbeumo and Rashford try to create their own theories of chaos against defence through a complex potion of individual skill, tactical freedom and instinctive collaboration but the formula is yet to be perfected. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Will Unwin at Hill Dickinson Stadium6 Sept

Transfer window verdict: how every Premier League club fared

The British transfer record was equalled and one club signed no fewer than 18 players in another hectic summer Bringing in Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimarães and Ezri Konsa was a strong start to the window but could Arsenal’s failure to sign a marquee attacker cost them in the long run? They began targeting Morgan Rogers before pivoting to Vinícius Júnior when the England forward went to Chelsea, only to end up disappointed when Vinícius signed a new deal with Real Madrid. Julián Alvarez made clear he had no intention of joining from Atlético Madrid in the final days of the window and Arsenal kept their powder dry despite sanctioning the exits of Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona and Ethan Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund. Should Gabriel Martinelli complete his move to Al-Hilal as expected in the coming days – the Saudi Pro League window remains open – a few injuries could leave Arteta short. Ed Aarons Continue reading...

The GuardianThe Guardian•Guardian sport2 Sept