More

Winners and Losers: Sunderland surge into top four, Lamine Yamal underwhelms in El Clasico

Lamine Yamal looks dejected after Barcelona lost the El Clasico
Lamine Yamal looks dejected after Barcelona lost the El ClasicoDAVID RAMOS / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP / Flashscore

Sunderland and Hearts produced stunning victories, Lamine Yamal failed to deliver on his pre-match talk in the El Clasico, and Liverpool slumped to a fourth straight Premier League defeat on a thrilling weekend in the world of football.

Here at Flashscore, we've picked out the big winners and losers from the last few days.

Winner: Sunderland

They left it late, but Sunderland's fairytale start to the season reached new heights on Saturday afternoon as the Black Cats stunned Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to move into the top four of the Premier League. 

Sunderland's return to the top flight has exceeded all expectations so far, with that victory being by far their biggest scalp this season.

Sunderland are fourth in the Premier League
Sunderland are fourth in the Premier LeagueFlashscore

Enzo Maresca's side were on a four-game winning streak in all competitions heading into Saturday's clash, including a 5-1 thrashing of Ajax midweek in the Champions League. On top of that, Sunderland found themselves 1-0 down after just four minutes as Alejandro Garnacho scored his first goal in a Chelsea shirt.

All things considered, Regis Le Bris' side were up against it, but that did little to deter them as they produced a brilliant comeback to win 2-1 after a dramatic winner deep in stoppage time by Chemsdine Talbi.

If they were going under the radar before this weekend, Sunderland's surge into the top four has ensured they aren't anymore.

Loser: Liverpool 

What is going on with the Premier League champions? That will be what Arne Slot will be trying to figure out next week after watching his side slump to a fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League on Saturday night.

Credit where credit is due: Brentford were magnificent throughout, playing on the home support, and the Bees thoroughly deserved their 3-2 victory.

However, huge questions will be asked of Liverpool and rightly so. They are unrecognisable from the side that cruised to the Premier League title last season.

From glaring mistakes across their back four (including from the usually imperious Virgil van Dijk) to a formation that isn't working and new signings not performing: make no mistake about it - Liverpool are in crisis. 

Winner: Ismael Saibari

Dutch champions PSV have just enjoyed a dream week, following up a 6-2 thrashing of Napoli with a 3-2 win away to Feyenoord in the biggest game of the 2025/26 Eredivisie title fight yet, and their star man was Ismael Saibari.

After putting his side ahead against the Italian champions, kickstarting their rampage, the Moroccan was absolutely sensational in front of goal against Feyenoord, bagging the most important of hat-tricks.

It was not only important, but one of the best you'll see this season, too. For his second, he smashed the ball past opposition goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther, and then lobbed the German with a sumptuous effort for his third.

Saibari now has eight goals for the Dutch club already this season and will no doubt be catching the eye of Europe's big boys.

Loser: Lamine Yamal

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal has developed something of a reputation for talking the talk before walking the walk. 

Last season, he delivered in every El Clasico as Barcelona got the better of their rivals on four occasions en route to a brilliant domestic treble. The teenager wasn't afraid to talk himself up before and after big games, but he backed it up with devastating performances. 

So, whilst you can forgive him for doing the same ahead of the first El Clasico of the season on Sunday, Lamine Yamal failed to deliver on his pre-match talk after an uncharacteristically quiet performance. Usually at the heart of everything, he struggled to make an impact on Sunday as Real Madrid deservedly won 2-1 to move five points clear at the top of LaLiga. 

Whilst the pre-match talk shows how confident Lamine Yamal is in his ability, he will now have to face the music from Real's camp. That, after all, is the risk of not delivering on your promises.

Winner: Hearts

No club other than Celtic or Rangers have won the top division of Scottish football since 1985, but it feels like that could well change after the action in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Hearts headed into their clash with Celtic five points clear of the reigning champions, and very much solidified themselves as genuine title challengers in the 90 minutes that followed, claiming a deserved 3-1 victory.

Hearts are eight points clear at the summit
Hearts are eight points clear at the summitFlashscore

It looked as if order would be restored by Celtic when they equalised just four minutes after going behind in the opening stages, but the hosts then got two quickfire goals early in the second half to secure a huge three points that give them real breathing room at the top.

With them still unbeaten, Celtic eight points back and Rangers 13 off the pace, could Glasgow's grip on Scottish football finally be broken?

Loser: Juventus

Liverpool's four-game losing streak in league matches is concerning, but there's a European giant in even worse form over in Italy, with the Old Lady stumbling through the season.

Losing 1-0 away to Lazio isn't a disaster in itself for Juventus, but the fact that it extended the Turin side's winless streak across all competitions to eight matches makes it one.

Juventus' last 10 matches
Juventus' last 10 matchesFlashscore

They haven't endured such a run since the spring of 2009, and now haven't tasted victory in over a month, so the Turin club are very much in crisis.

When a club is in such a crisis, the first man to fall is usually the manager, and given that Juventus seemed fairly reluctant to make Igor Tudor's initial interim spell permanent in the first place, his days there may well be numbered.