Five things we learned from Sunday's football across Europe, including a star turn from Crystal Palace and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Crystal Palace show their unique quality
For Marco Cassetti in 2013, read Allan Nyom in 2015. Last time Crystal Palace met Watford in a competitive fixture, Wilfried Zaha lured the veteran Cassetti into committing a late foul inside the box to throw up the game’s decisive moment. Kevin Phillips scored the penalty that day at Wembley, and Palace were duly promoted.
Palace have gone from strength-to-strength since but, as it turned out, that moment only temporarily delayed Watford’s own ascent. Reunited 29 months later, it was still Zaha making the difference. On as a second-half substitute forBakary Sako, his trickery proved too much for the tired legs of Nyom, who tripped the winger just inside the box to give Palace another late(ish) penalty - and Watford fans a serious case of déjà vu.
For Marco Cassetti in 2013, read Allan Nyom in 2015. Last time Crystal Palace met Watford in a competitive fixture, Wilfried Zaha lured the veteran Cassetti into committing a late foul inside the box to throw up the game’s decisive moment. Kevin Phillips - AFP
Yohan Cabaye made no mistake from the spot, setting Palace up for a 1-0 win that they had to defend diligently to hold onto at the end. It was another reminder of where Palace’s strength really lies. Cabaye adds class and steel in the middle of the park but Palace’s unique quality – the one thing that perhaps separates them from the rank-and-file of the Premier League - is the pacy, direct threat they can offer from the flanks through Zaha, Sako and Yannick Bolasie.
Manager Alan Pardew will be concerned, but perhaps not too surprised, at how workmanlike Palace looked at moments during the match at Vicarage Road, and how hard they had to work defensively in order to escape with the points. Injuries have robbed Palace of much of their cohesion at the moment but, with individuals of the skill of Zaha and Bolasie, they always have that ability to conjure up one moment of skill to turn the course of the match in their favour.
That helped them to an additional two points on Sunday, and will surely account for many more over the rest of the campaign. Battling to stay in the top-flight just as Palace have been able to do, what Watford would give to be able to say the same…
Aubameyang, not Lewandowski, is Germany's most consistent striker
Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates with Matthias Ginter (R) after scoring a second goal against Darmstadt 98 - Reuters
It must have been painful for Borussia Dortmund fans to watch the endless replays of former hero Robert Lewandowski’s five-goal performance for Bayern Munich in midweek. The Pole was once Jurgen Klopp’s attacking muse, but has reached another level at Bayern with his demolition of Wolfsburg surely one of the most astonishing performances in football’s long history.
But in terms of consistent brilliance, Lewandowski has been overshadowed this season by another Bundesliga forward. A Borussia Dortmund forward no less. With his two goals in the 2-2 draw with Darmstadt on Sunday evening, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang extended his record of having scored in every single domestic match this season. No player has ever scored in the first seven Bundesliga games of the season before.
His record in the league reads nine goals from seven games and he also bagged one against Chemnitzer in the German Cup (although he drew a blank against Krasnodar in the Europa League).
The Gabon international appears to have made the leap from talented forward to deadly poacher this season and even Lewandowski cannot match his output in 2015. How long will it be before he makes the move to the Allianz Arena?
Dortmund get out-Dortmunded
Darmstadt's midfielder Marcel Heller (R) scores past Dortmund's Swiss goalkeeper Roman Buerki - AFP
It was the kind of goal Jurgen Klopp would have dreamed of, making the former Dortmund coach's smile even wider than normal - a masterpiece of clinical counter-attacking at Signal Iduna Park. The only surprise was that it was Borussia Dortmund who were on the end of this sublime move and finish from Bundesliga minnows Darmstadt. Marcel Hellerproduced the thumping volleyed finish as his team recorded a brilliant 2-2 draw away from home.
AC Milan too immature to capitalise on Juventus struggles
AC Milan's Nigel de Jong, Diego Lopez, Mario Balotelli and Andrea Bertolacci react during their Italian Serie A soccer match against Genoa at the Marassi stadium in Genoa, September 27, 2015 - Reuters
A few weeks ago, legendary Italian manager Marcello Lippicommented that both Milan clubs in Serie A were currently "under construction" and thus unlikely to exploit the fact that the 2015-16 title may not be a two-horse race after all. And yet, Inter won their first five league games prior to a defeat to Fiorentina late on Sunday. AC Milan have had no such luck though and they made it nine points from six games after a 1-0 loss at Genoa which saw them concede the decisive goal early on and react by picking up five yellow cards and one red in an ill-tempered battle. Milan aren’t what they were even a few years ago, and although they have the players and the resources to be up there in a season in which Juventus surely will not dominate like they have the last four, they may not be mentally ready.
But Mario Balotelli is getting back to his best
The extravagant talent that is Marop Balotelli went missing almost entirely at Liverpool. But a loan return to former club AC Milan appears to have rejuvenated the bad boy of Italian football. After scoring a stunning free-kick in midweek, Balotelli produced a delicious rabona pass in Sunday's Serie A match against Genoa. Enjoy both moments below
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