SAN FRANCISCO -- As Stephen Curry exited the game for good near the end of the third quarter, with the Boston Celtics up by 32 on their way to a 40-point blowout victory over the Warriors, he probably hadn't felt further away from Golden State's 2022 NBA championship than he did on Monday.

After suffering the worst home defeat of the Steve Kerr era with a 125-85 loss at Chase Center, Curry noted how the Celtics are everything the Warriors are not at the moment.

Curry talked about how Boston has the same core from its 2022 NBA Finals team with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but have even more confidence after winning the Finals last season.

"Yeah, we have an entirely different roster pretty much, obviously," Curry said of the Warriors as compared to their 2021-22 squad. "Especially without Draymond [Green] out there. But you look [at what] they have, besides [Kristaps] Porzingis, they have pretty much the whole rotation still, and they are the defending champs.

"So, they're coming in with a level of confidence and swagger about 'em, and it's the exact opposite of what we have right now. So yeah, obviously great memories, but definitely feels like a long time ago."

The Warriors hold out hope that they can turn this season around, get into the playoffs and surprise everyone like they did in 2022, when they beat Boston 4-2 in the Finals.

But they are 21-21 and hobbled by injuries to crucial players. Green did not play Monday, and he will be out at least a week with a mild calf strain. Jonathan Kuminga injured his right ankle on Jan. 4 and was ruled out for at least three weeks, though he likely will need longer to return. Brandin Podziemski has been out with an abdomen injury, and Kyle Anderson did not play due to a glute injury.

Since starting the season off 12-3, the Warriors have gone 9-18. They are currently in a nine-game stretch in which eight are at Chase Center.

Curry was asked if the Warriors can use this stretch to stay afloat with the injuries to Green and Kuminga.

"It's incredibly significant for our season," Curry said. "You'd hope to be a better home team than you are on the road. ... We'll see how we respond to it and if we can take advantage of this stretch. Tonight was not great; Captain Obvious statement.

"But just the idea that we can keep ourselves afloat until we get some guys back can kind of make or break our season to be honest, to keep it real. ... Nobody's counting game-by-game type thing, but a six- to eight-game stretch can kind of define where we are going forward the rest of the season."

The Celtics (30-13) hit 20 3-pointers on Monday, with Tatum leading the way with 22 points.

Curry, with his 18 points, was just one of two Warriors to score in double figures.

Kerr is hopeful that Podziemski and Anderson will be able to return later in the week. The Warriors will play at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday before facing the Chicago Bulls at home on Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers will visit Golden State on Saturday.

The Warriors will need to put up much more than the 85 points they scored against Boston. It was the lowest output in a home game in which Curry has played under Kerr. The 40-point margin also represented the worst home defeat for Golden State since a 45-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 1985.

"Seems like an eternity ago," Warriors center Kevon Looney said when asked how long ago the 2022 NBA championship feels like. "We have had a lot of iterations of the team since then. Each season brings on a new challenge. That year seems further and further away. But hopefully, we can get back to that feeling of being a champion. But we got a long way to go."

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Coco Gauff's forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the Australian Open on Tuesday, and the No. 3-seeded American was eliminated in the quarterfinals by No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain 7-5, 6-4.

Gauff entered the match at Rod Laver Arena with a 9-0 record in 2025 and on a 13-match winning streak that dated to her title at the WTA Finals in November. Using tweaks to some key strokes to great effect in the hopes of earning a second Grand Slam title at age 20, the 2023 US Open champion had only dropped one set through four matches at Melbourne Park this year.

"She's full of confidence. But I'm playing well, too," Badosa said ahead of the contest. "I'm ready to face her."

Was she ever. And Badosa now heads to her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 27.

Gauff finished with 41 unforced errors, a total that included six double-faults -- including on the last point of the game that put Badosa ahead 5-2 in the second set -- and 28 missed forehands.

She never earned so much as a single break point until after she already trailed by a set and a break in the second.

Badosa reached a career-best ranking of No. 2 in 2022, but then dealt with a serious back injury that had her contemplating ending her tennis career.

"I would never think that, a year after, I would be here," Badosa said. "I've been through a lot. In the past, I was one of the best players in the world."

She next will go up against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion in Melbourne, or No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the runner-up at the 2021 French Open. Their quarterfinal was to be played Tuesday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin on Monday declined to address reports that forward J.T. Miller was nearly traded to the New York Rangers over the weekend.

Sportsnet first reported over the weekend that there were discussions within the Canucks organization about holding Miller out of their game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday due to a potential trade with the Rangers. The trade, which would have involved multiple players and draft picks, ultimately fell apart.

"I'm not going to go into any specifics and comments on any talks around the league, but since I got here, I'm always trying to explore how to make our team better and see if it makes sense or not," Allvin said when asked multiple times about the potential trade and Miller's future with the Canucks during a midseason news conference.

Miller has played in Vancouver since the 2019-20 season. He was originally drafted 15th overall by the Rangers in 2011 and played parts of six seasons in New York.

Allvin declined to state whether there were any "untouchables" on his roster, and he gave credit to his players for "blocking out the noises" about a potential Miller trade in posting a 3-2 win over the Oilers.

"I'm planning on being a Canuck today, tomorrow," Miller, who had two assists and played well defensively in the victory, said after the game. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm focused on the next game."

Miller has 31 points in 35 games this season. He was the team's leading scorer last season with 103 points in 81 games.

The Canucks have struggled in the standings, with a 20-15-10 record that has them outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Miller's future has mostly been clouded due to an ongoing personal issue with Canucks star center Elias Pettersson.

Sources confirmed to ESPN that the Canucks have had trade discussions regarding both Miller and Pettersson.

Miller, 31, has a contract that runs through 2030 with a $8 million average annual value. Pettersson, 26, has a contract that runs through 2032 with an $11.6 million cap hit. Miller has a full no-movement clause. Pettersson's full no-movement clause kicks in this summer.

Miller and Pettersson have reportedly had a strained relationship for years, according to former Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau, who told TSN that it predated his time with the team and had something to do with quality of linemates. Their personal heat drew public attention this season when there was a brief outburst at a Canucks practice in which Miller allegedly called Pettersson a "baby."

Captain Quinn Hughes has acknowledged an issue between the two players; Miller and Pettersson have denied they're feuding.

Allvin said Monday that he felt sorry for the Canucks players who have had to see this play out in the media and social media.

"It's very unfortunate," Allvin said. "I feel bad for a lot of players when you're reading some rumors out there. I'm proud of the guys that they're capable of blocking a lot of noises out and just go out and play. We want to create an environment where they feel safe and trusted. I think the players have galvanized and played extremely well under the circumstances."

Allvin said that when the Canucks are "playing at their best and [doing] what they're capable of," they can be a playoff team.

"I do still believe that we have a good core here," he said.

With the Canucks' struggles on and off the ice, Allvin said he's "proud" of the way coach Rick Tocchet has handled the season. Vancouver holds a club option for 2025-26 on its coach, but Allvin said the ultimate decision for next season involves what Tocchet would like to do as well.

"I do believe he's a good a coach. I see him long-term," Allvin said. "But, obviously, it's a two-way street there."

BOSTON -- Tom McVie, who coached the Winnipeg Jets to the 1979 World Hockey Association championship over Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers in the final year before the franchises were absorbed into the NHL, has died. He was 89.

McVie was also the Jets' first coach in the NHL and the New Jersey Devils' second after they moved from Colorado in 1982. He also coached the Washington Capitals, compiling an overall NHL record of 126-263 with 73 ties in parts of eight seasons from 1975-92.

The Trail, British Columbia, native joined the Bruins as an assistant coach in 1992 and got his name on the Stanley Cup as a team ambassador when it won the 2011 championship.

"Tom was a huge part of our Bruins family, having served as coach, scout and ambassador for more than 30 years," said Boston president Cam Neely, whose playing career overlapped with McVie's coaching tenure. "His hockey mind, colorful personality, gruff voice, and unmatched sense of humor livened up every room he entered, and he will be dearly missed."

McVie made his NHL head coaching debut when he succeeded Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt in Washington on New Year's Eve in 1975, but he never finished higher than fourth before heading to the WHA. He took over the Jets, whose roster included a 40-year-old Bobby Hull, and won the 1979 Avco World Trophy.

True North Sports + Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club is saddened to learn of the passing of former Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Tom McVie.

Coach McVie was an historical figure in Winnipeg's pro hockey history as the coach of the last team to ever win the Avco Cup in... pic.twitter.com/OFGynPHnCI

Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 20, 2025

"Coach McVie was an historical figure in Winnipeg's pro hockey history as the coach of the last team to ever win the Avco Cup in the World Hockey Association, as well as the first coach in the team's National Hockey League history back in 1979," the Jets posted on X on Monday.

"Tom's personality, voice, and knowledge of the game transcended his title and time in our city as the team made the transition from the WHA to the NHL. His ability to tell a story only added to the legend of the hockey club's arrival on the big stage. We'd like to extend our deepest condolences to the many friends and loved ones of Coach McVie."

McVie told The Boston Globe after joining the Bruins organization in 1992 that he was proud to be a hockey lifer.

"If I wasn't coaching hockey," he said, "then I'd probably be driving the Zamboni."

McVie also coached in the AHL for New Jersey, working for the then-Utica Devils. They have since been renamed the Utica Comets, who honored him in a Monday social media post, calling McVie "a legend of the sport and our community," and adding that "Tom was an outstanding leader, and an incredible human being."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Chelsea won for the first time in six Premier League matches when they beat relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at home on Monday with goals from defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Cucurella and a third from winger Noni Madueke.

The win pushed Chelsea -- who had been second as recently as last month -- above Manchester City and Newcastle United into fourth place, while Wolves remained out of the bottom three only on goal difference ahead of Ipswich Town.

The hosts, seeking to get back on track for a place in next season's Champions League, went ahead in the 24th minute when Tosin sidefooted home from close range.

But goalkeeper Robert Sánchez gifted Wolves an equaliser in first-half stoppage time when he dropped a corner and Matt Doherty stabbed the ball in.

The home fans were fearing a repeat of recent games when Chelsea threw away leads until Cucurella popped up in attack to score after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall -- in his first league start for the Blues -- flicked on a Madueke cross on the hour.

Five minutes later, Madueke nodded in to make sure a header from Trevoh Chalobah - returning to Stamford Bridge after being recalled from a loan spell at Crystal Palace - crossed the line.

"It's instinct. Attacker's instinct," Madueke told Sky Sports. "I knew it was going over the line. I said sorry to Trevoh after. I had to put this in the net for sure.

"He was saying 'No way you took my goal,' but I said: 'You have to understand, this is what they pay me for.'"

Chelsea have 40 points from 22 games, 10 adrift of leaders Liverpool and four behind second-placed Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. They are two points above Manchester City and Newcastle.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was boosted by the return of club captain Reece James, who made his first start after the latest in a string of injury absences.

"The performance until 40 minutes was very good, then the last five minutes we struggled. They scored a goal and we lost a bit of confidence, which was something that has happened a few times this season," Maresca told BBC.

"We need to learn to manage these situations better. In the second half we started well and scored the goals. Overall I think we deserved to win the game.

"We reacted well in the second half. After five games without a win it is not easy to do that. So it was important to win the game."

Chalobah also gave the Blues' defence a stronger shape after the loss of Wesley Fofana and Benoît Badiashile due to injuries.

Defender Levi Colwill and midfielders Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernández were all absent from the squad ahead of Chelsea's trip to champions Manchester City on Saturday.

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend, we take a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

In this week's VAR Review: Was the VAR right to disallow Arsenal's late "winner" from Kai Havertz against Aston Villa? Should Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba have been sent off against Manchester United? And why did Nottingham Forest have a goal ruled out for offside against Southampton?

Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa

Possible handball: Havertz when scoring

What happened: With game tied at 2-2, Arsenal scored what they thought was a dramatic, 87th-minute winner at home to Aston Villa when Mikel Merino saw his shot deflect into the back of the net off Kai Havertz. Villa's Boubacar Kamara, who was right in line with Merino's shot, appealed for handball, and while the Arsenal players celebrated, it was looked at by the VAR, John Brooks.

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: At first this seemed to be a regular deflection off Havertz, wrong-footing Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to give Arsenal a dramatic winner. Yet it soon became clear there was doubt about the goal and the ball might have come off the Germany international's arm.

The two-tier handball law, which means a defender wouldn't concede a penalty in exactly the same scenario, does cause confusion. An attacker cannot score a goal if the ball touches his hand or arm, even if it's tucked into the body. Yet if comes off a defender in the same way, it can't be a spot kick because the player hasn't made their body unnaturally bigger.

The law for the attacker is very simple, though: you cannot score a goal with your arm, regardless of whether the touch is accidental or the ball touched another part of your body first. It's a binary part of the law and doesn't require any kind of interpretation (this is why the referee didn't need to go to the monitor.) If the ball hits an attacker's arm and goes into the goal, it's always a free kick to the defending team.

The VAR, who is able to sync multiple camera angles in one view, was looking for proof that the ball hit the arm. It was the main point of contention for Arsenal supporters, who felt it had deflected off Havertz's stomach or hip.

Verdict: The front view provides clear evidence that the ball came off Havertz's forearm. The way the ball shot upwards on the rear view also suggested a deflection off the arm, rather than it coming off the chest.

The VAR was looking for definitive proof and, while there might be some opposing views, it would have been very controversial not to intervene and rule out the goal.

Other clues were there, though. It's not something the VAR would consider, but the Arsenal celebrations were particularly muted for such a crucial goal. Merino, who had the perfect view, in particular showed little emotion, while the Gunners soon began running back toward the halfway line ,which gave the impression they thought the goal was going to be ruled out.

Man United 1-3 Brighton

Possible DOGSO red card: Baleba foul on Zirkzee

What happened: Manchester United were awarded a spot kick in the 20th minute when Joshua Zirkzee was hauled down inside the area by Carlos Baleba. Referee Peter Bankes produced a yellow card, and the VAR, Craig Pawson, checked both the penalty and a possible red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). (watch here)

VAR decision: Penalty stands, scored by Bruno Fernandes; no red card.

VAR review: There was no doubt about the spot kick, with Baleba putting his arm around the neck of Zirkzee and pulling him to the ground.

The nature of Baleba's challenge means it wasn't covered by the double-jeopardy exemption, when a player is booked only as they have made a genuine attempt to challenge the opponent or the ball.

So whether this should be red or yellow card comes down to the quality of the scoring chance, and that's determined by what happens with the ball and where the opposition players are.

Just before Baleba committed the foul, Zirkzee opted to drag the ball back rather than take a shot -- this was crucial in the VAR opting not to recommend a review.

You can argue that it was still an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, and had Bankes sent Baleba off, it wouldn't have been overturned. But that change of direction from the Man United striker, taking the ball away from goal and giving goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the possibility of challenging before Zirkzee could get a clear shot away, alters the picture for DOGSO.

Earlier this season, Brentford's Ethan Pinnock escaped a VAR red card when he pulled back Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, who was directly through on goal with the ball in front of him. The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel ruled that Pinnock hadn't made a fair challenge and that it should have been a red card on the field but didn't reach the threshold for a VAR review.

Zirkzee's chance was of a lower quality as he wasn't continuing the forward momentum toward goal, so that would suggest Pawson was correct to uphold the yellow card.

Verdict: It's incredibly difficult to receive a DOGSO red card inside the penalty area these days, but this was the kind of challenge where it could apply. Baleba was fortunate because it was only the way Zirkzee shifted the ball that changed the DOGSO consideration and saved the Brighton player from a VAR intervention.

Possible foul: Van Hecke on Dalot before Pedro goal

What happened: João Pedro thought he had put Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 up in the 53rd minute when he expertly turned inside the area and fired past André Onana. However, Manchester United's players appealed for a foul in the buildup, and it was checked by the VAR. (watch here)

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: Brighton had delivered a free kick into the Man United area, and as Diogo Dalot went to hook the ball, he was kicked by Jan Paul van Hecke.

We've seen a few situations like this crop up, with the key consideration for the VAR being whether one player had got to the ball first and had the right to be able to play it or it was a genuine coming together on a 50-50 (or, did the players kick each other?)

It has been more commonly seen in possibly penalty situations. Indeed, Pawson was the referee for Brighton's game at Aston Villa three weeks ago when the VAR (Stuart Attwell) advised a spot kick for Pedro's challenge on Morgan Rogers. That looked like a soft penalty, yet the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel unanimously voted that Attwell was right to send Pawson to the pitchside monitor.

This was a clearer case, however. Dalot had positioned himself to clear the ball, and Van Hecke kicked Dalot's foot onto the ball.

Verdict: This might have been more controversial had Brighton not gone on to win the game 3-1, but it was a correct VAR intervention. The Man United defender didn't get the chance to make his clearance because he was kicked by Van Hecke.

Nottingham Forest 3-2 Southampton

Possible offside: Wood on Milenkovic goal

What happened: Nottingham Forest scored what they thought was a fourth goal in the 64th minute through Nikola Milenkovic, who headed home from a free-kick routine. As the Forest players celebrated, the VAR, Graham Scott, checked a possible offside offence by Chris Wood. (watch here)

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: It's a unique and complication offside decision and one that will no doubt split opinion.

The only phase that mattered was the one created when Anthony Elanga took the free kick. At this point, Wood was clearly in an offside position, and, as he didn't actually touch the ball, his actions in relation to the Southampton defenders determined whether there was an offence.

When Milenkovic headed the ball, a new phase was created, and by this time Wood was onside, so there couldn't be any effect on goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

As the ball was floated into the area by Elanga, Wood came into contact with Paul Onuachu, which could have affected the Southampton defender's decision about challenging Milenkovic. Having an influence from an offside position on a player who could challenge for the ball is always going to be looked at by the VAR -- though the VAR offside given against Everton's Orel Mangala last month was a clearer example with obvious blocking.

Wood also made an attempt to play the ball, but because he challenged his own player rather than an opponent this was out of the ordinary too. The controversy was around whether attempting to head a ball that was played by a teammate could have an influence on defenders who were seemingly not trying to get to the ball themselves. But would the defenders have made the same choice if Wood weren't there?

Verdict: As Wood was in contact with a Southampton player and made an attempt to play the ball, the VAR believed this had an influence on the phase.

Think of it this way: should an attacker be allowed to stand in an offside position, take the attention of a defender and then try to head the ball? Had Wood not jumped for the ball, he might have got away with it, but making a play created a clear potential offence.

Forest fans will be against it, and the decision looks a soft one, but there was always a high chance of VAR intervention.

Referee Anthony Taylor had to go to the monitor as it was a subjective offside, which applies whenever the offending player has not touched the ball.

Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

Possible penalty: Handball by Konaté

What happened: Sepp van den Berg attempted to help the ball into the centre of the penalty area in the 60th minute, but it hit the arm of Ibrahima Konaté. Van den Berg and other Brentford players appealed for a penalty, but referee Andy Madley was adamant there was no offence. It was checked by the VAR, Paul Tierney.

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: The ball hit Konate from close proximity, with his arm down by his side.

There was nothing Konate could have done to avoid the ball, while his arm wasn't in an unexpected position for his movement and wasn't making his body bigger.

Verdict: All three VAR penalties awarded this season (Matty Cash, Tyler Adams, Matthijs de Ligt) have seen the defender with their arm fully extended away from the body. There should be no expectation of a penalty in this situation.

Possible penalty: Challenge by Flekken on Díaz

What happened: Luis Díaz latched onto a pass from Ryan Gravenberch but saw his shot saved by Mark Flekken. The Brentford goalkeeper failed to hold the shot but got back up to stop the ball going out for a corner. Díaz reacted to try to get to the loose ball, but the Liverpool attacker went to ground as Flekken moved toward it again. Díaz appealed for a penalty, but again referee Madley wasn't interested. (watch here)

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: This would have been an interesting VAR decision had the referee given the penalty, because although Díaz appeared to go down very easily, there was contact with his right foot on the left arm of Flekken.

The goalkeeper, however, actually pulled out of the challenge and made no attempt to get a glove to the ball the second time. That didn't mean the goalkeeper cannot make a foul, but it was less likely to be judged as one.

Verdict: There was not enough in this for the VAR to intervene, but with the way protocol works, with evidence of contact by the goalkeeper on the Colombia international, it was unlikely to have been overturned if awarded by Madley.

Díaz got only a very small touch on the ball, suggesting he was playing for contact rather than possession.

Newcastle 1-4 Bournemouth

Possible ball out of play on Ouattara goal

What happened: Dango Ouattara scored a third goal for AFC Bournemouth in the 61st minute when he fired into the net after a goal-mouth scramble. As the players celebrated, Newcastle United's players protested that the ball had already gone out of play. It was checked by the VAR, Peter Bankes. (watch )

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: Unlike some of the more marginal ball-out-of-play situations we've seen in recent times, this was a straightforward decision.

Verdict: A very easy one for the VAR as the ball was in view on the goal-line camera -- which wasn't the case for Newcastle's controversial goal against Arsenal last season.

Play didn't restart with the goalkeeper but rather at the point the incident happened. As the ball came off a Newcastle player last, it was a corner to Bournemouth.

Everton 3-2 Tottenham

Possible penalty: Branthwaite challenge on Son

What happened: Son Heung-Min had possession inside the Everton penalty area in the 27th minute and looked to work the ball back around the box. He went to ground under pressure from behind by Jarrad Branthwaite, but referee Darren England wasn't interested in penalty appeals.

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: If this had been given as a penalty by the referee, it wouldn't have been overturned.

But there's too much doubt for a VAR review, specifically around whether Son had slowed his forward momentum to cause Branthwaite to go into the back of him.

Verdict: Without more of a clear challenge from the defender to cause the Tottenham Hotspur player to go down, the VAR, John Brooks, wasn't going to get involved.

Some factual parts of this article include information provided by the Premier League and PGMOL.

Another European soccer weekend is in the books, and as always, we have plenty to unpack. Manchester United turned in another brutal home performance in defeat to Brighton, a result that prompted Ruben Amorim to take the criticism for a team whose problems run much deeper. Did he really need to do that? Meanwhile, in Serie A, Antonio Conte shrugged off the January exit of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as Napoli wrapped up an impressive win over Atalanta that has them in pole position to win another league title.

Elsewhere, Tottenham's injury crisis wasn't helped by some baffling tactical choices by the under-fire Ange Postecoglou, and Barcelona's LaLiga slump continued with a tough draw at Getafe that means they need to be perfect from here if they're to remain in the title race. Oh, and we've got plenty to talk about when it comes to Darwin Núñez, Arsenal, Juventus vs. Milan, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Phil Foden, to name just a few.

Let's get to it. Here are musings and reactions to the most memorable moments of the weekend.

Ruben Amorim holds himself accountable ... but did anyone ask him to?

Sunday's 3-1 home defeat to Brighton was pretty brutal for Manchester United. Take away Bruno Fernandes' penalty and the xG was 0.69 (to Brighton's 1.93) with zero shots on target.

But guess what? So was their previous outing, Thursday night's 3-1 win over Southampton, a game they were losing until Amad Diallo's hat-trick beginning in the 37th minute of the second half. If you grade on a curve -- based on the fact that Brighton are battling for Europe, while Southampton are on pace to have the fewest points of any team in Premier League history -- that one was just as bad.

I get that, but I'm not sure it was necessary for Amorim to go all doom-and-gloom after the Brighton match, saying his was "maybe the worst team in the history of the club," that they "need to survive" and that he's "not helping [his] players in the moment."

It's not because they are nowhere near the worst team in United history -- that would be the 1933-34 team, who avoided relegation to the third flight on the last day of the season. Rather, it's because nobody is calling for his head right now, nobody is accusing him of scapegoating others, and nobody think he's deluded. United fans -- and neutrals who frankly miss them as a serious club -- simply want him to keep working and see if he can turn the club around.

Lack of accountability is a thing, sure, but not with Amorim. However, too much accountability isn't a great thing.

Most observers understand that Amorim had three things to do when he took over: assess the players and figure out who may need to be replaced, teach them his brand of football (and they obviously have a ways to go in that department), and move the club up the table so they can get the revenue they'll need to strengthen in the summer (he's not getting it done in this department).

But nobody is calling for his head. Nobody is blaming him -- not yet, anyway, and given how long the club put up with Erik Ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (and given how expensive it is to fire someone) that won't happen for a while. All he has to do is say, "Yes, we all need to do a better job, but we'll get there."

What seems evident is that, individual errors aside, United have started to metabolize some of his defensive mechanisms, though their use of the ball and patterns of play in possession leave a lot to be desired. That's why, incidentally, they've looked better against better sides like Liverpool or Arsenal, especially on the road, than they have at home, where they've had to try to take the initiative. We can debate whether he has the players to do that, but that's what he needs to deliver if United are to progress. And that will take time.

There may also come a point -- maybe very soon, if they lose at Fulham on Sunday -- when they'll be tempted to "tank" the league and focus on the Europa League and FA Cup. The fact of the matter is there are 12 points (and eight clubs) between them and the Champions League places -- 11 points (and six clubs) to the Europa League spots. That is a lot of ground to make up with 16 games to go.

Might they be better off concentrating their energy on the cup competitions and using the Premier League as a chance to learn and grow in Amorim's system? It's going to be a big call to make, and Amorim hopes it won't come to that.

Antonio Conte is on his way to doing it again after Napoli's huge win at Atalanta

We may end up remembering this as a season-defining victory, not just because Atalanta were third in the table, but also because the last time they played Atalanta whupped Napoli 3-0 away. On Saturday night, Napoli took what Atalanta (who played very well going forward) threw at them, weathered the storm, punished opposition mistakes and won 3-2 thanks to a late Romelu Lukaku header at the end of a riveting 90-plus minutes.

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini said losing like that "hurts," and presumably he was referring to how you can pinpoint a defensive error on each of Napoli's three goals. He's right, but there's a lot to be said for Napoli's ability to both neutralize their attack -- they were outshot 15 to 6 and still won the xG battle -- and be ruthless in exploiting their chances.

Games like this feed the Conte narrative about hard work and intensity, and they further cement his grip on this Napoli team. We scoff at this at our peril, but there is no question that he's one of the best in the world at getting immediate buy-in from his players. He said so himself after the game, when asked whether he expected the club to sign a replacement for PSG-bound Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: "If they ask my opinion I'll give it. But if somebody comes, it needs to be someone who can contribute right away, not just some promising youngster. Otherwise, I'll stick to the guys I have, because I trust them and I know they'll go to war with me and won't let me down."

The fact is Napoli have no cup football and only need to play another 17 games between now and the end of the season. He doesn't need more bodies: The ones he has will run through a brick wall for him.

Lest we forget, of the Napoli XI that won the title two years ago, four key pieces -- Victor Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia, Piotr Zielinski and Kim Min-Jae -- are gone. Their replacements are Lukaku, David Neres, Scott McTominay and Alessandro Buongiorno. Except for Buongiorno, the other three are evident downgrades and yet, once again, Conte has shown the ability to make players better ... at least in the short-term.

Injuries ravage Tottenham, and Ange Postecoglou's 'fixes' make things worse

And yet, you can only blame him to a point. When you have 11 unavailable first-team players, you can either plug in some youth teamers or you can devise a new scheme to accommodate the ones you do have. Postecoglou chose the latter, shifting to a back three and playing Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison as wide men. It's a setup we hadn't seen before from Spurs and, by Postecoglou's own admission, it "probably made things worse" as they went into halftime 3-0 down at Everton.

We can second-guess all we like and try to reconfigure the Spurs puzzle with the ill-fitting pieces available, but there was no obvious "better solution" -- just a lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking. And possibly because Everton had not actually won a game since Dec. 4 and had just sacked their manager, Postecoglou thought he could get away with it.

The fightback in the second half to 3-2 suggests that Spurs aren't lacking spirit; they're mostly lacking players. That's the good news. The question is when the injured players return, what the table will look like when they do and at what point folks lose faith in Postecoglou. Because the fact of the matter is that this already stretched squad has Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup commitments too. And while eight points from the relegation zone feels like a lot, it can go away pretty quickly once you start to slide.

Pepe Bordalas' Getafe ties up Barca and now league position leaves little margin for error

It's not quite the uber-physical, hyper-defensive, ultra-provocative Bordalas ball of yesteryear, but Getafe know how to make life unpleasant for opponents, and that's what they did to Barcelona in Saturday's 1-1 draw.

When Hansi Flick's team took the lead early with Jules Koundé, you thought Getafe might open up a bit. Nope -- there they were, deep and narrow. And they got a stroke of good fortune too with Mauro Arambarri's equalizer, which further ratcheted up the pressure on Barcelona.

The numbers show Barca did enough to win -- 21 shots on goal, and incredible seven of them from Lamine Yamal, five big chances missed, 2.35 xG -- but there's little question question they looked less fluid than usual. (Bordalas-coached teams will do that to you.) And maybe this was also where the lack of a Plan B (where have you gone, Luuk de Jong?) was telling. Robert Lewandowski probably should have come off sooner, and when he did, it was Ferran Torres who replaced him. Not exactly ideal against a parked bus.

It's now six points in their last eight games for Barcelona, and they've gone from being nine points clear one early November to finding themselves seven back now. It's not insurmountable -- their remaining LaLiga Clasico in May is at home, though their Atletico clash on March 16 is away -- but it's pretty darn close. And they can't afford too many more slip-ups.

The game also saw Alejandro Balde report racist abuse from fans to the referee. The protocol was applied, with an announcement made over the loudspeaker. As we've said many times, that's great in the immediacy of the situation. Now you expect authorities -- with Getafe's cooperation -- to follow through, identify those responsible and take action like others have done.

Quick hits

10. Kylian Mbappe shows what is possible as Real Madrid go back on top: It's not as if the 4-1 trouncing of Las Palmas was all about Mbappe, but it's worth talking about him, because apart from his two goals (and the disallowed one), his movement and involvement offered a glimpse of the sort of forward Carlo Ancelotti wants him to be. Sure, let's take it with a grain of salt. Las Palmas were terrible -- Real Madrid's xG was a whopping 5.90, and that's obviously without the three goals that were disallowed for marginal offsides -- and, of course, Vinicius was suspended. The trick is getting Mbappe to do this when both are on the pitch. But with Atletico losing against Leganes, David Alaba returning to the pitch after a 392-day layoff and the team back in first place, Madridistas couldn't ask for much more.

9. Juventus defeat underscores Milan's woes: This ended up being far more one-sided than the 2-0 scoreline (or the xG, which were 1.08 to 0.97) suggests. Juve dominated possession, but this time it wasn't the sterile sort we've seen before. Manager Thiago Motta played his way, and his choices were vindicated, including the decision to play Nico Gonzalez at center-forward and only using Dusan Vlahovic for the final seven minutes. As for Milan, they played defensively and looked to counterattack, oozing a small club mentality that doesn't suit them (and no, the absence of the suspended Álvaro Morata and the injured Christian Pulisic is not a justification here). Milan boss Sérgio Conceição slammed his players' lack of hunger and intensity, saying fatigue wasn't an excuse and he expected more. Conceição's football is more counterattacking and less possession-oriented than that of Paulo Fonseca, but the reality is he's facing the same issues as his predecessor. He says he wants new signings -- fine, but he'd do well to remember that it's easier for a club to replace one manager than a dozen players. Though, of course, that's exactly what Milan did when they sacked Fonseca and brought in Conceição, so he might have a point...

8. Darwin Nunez gets the last laugh, and it feels right: I think it's fair to say Nunez belongs in the bucket of the "failed-to-live-up-to-his-transfer-fee" signings. A 75m ($78m) fee for a center forward who has scored only 39 goals in 123 appearances is not a good value. Yet, even when Nunez's finishing is inconsistent (as happens too often), his athleticism and physicality still wreak havoc. When he came on against Brentford on Saturday, he was jeered by the home fans who compared him, uncharitably, to Andy Carroll. Had Diogo Jota been fit, he might not have come off the bench at all, but on a day when the Brentford goal seemed cursed for Liverpool -- they'd end up with 37 shots on goal, a Premier League record for an away team, and an xG of 3.43 -- Arne Slot had no other options. This time, Nunez's finishing was on point, materializing to turn in Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross in injury time and doing it again a minute later on the counterattack. Given the abuse he has taken -- and the fact that Liverpool deserved the win -- you can only be happy for him.

7. Xabi Alonso changes it up and reaps rewards as Florian Wirtz shines vs. Gladbach: After the more conservative versions of Leverkusen we've seen in recent weeks, Xabi Alonso took the handbrake off against Borussia Mönchengladbach, with Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick supported by genuine wingers in Nathan Tella and Martin Terrier. The chances flowed again as they rolled to a convincing 3-1 win powered by the irrepressible Wirtz, who had two goals and an assist. Yes, he's the best player in the Bundesliga right now, and this more front-foot version of Leverkusen is a lot more fun to watch (and a lot more efficient, too).

6. Phil Foden's hot streak continues as Man City romp at Ipswich: That's now five goals in the last three Manchester City league outings for last season's Player of the Year Foden, who has been M.I.A. for much of the season. It's somewhat odd that so much of the focus of City's difficult season has been on other issues, whether it be Erling Haaland or Rodri's absence or the wayward defense. Foden is the value-add in attacking midfield, and if he is indeed fit and has regained his mojo -- we can't be certain since Ipswich were really poor, as the 6-0 scoreline shows -- though it's obviously a critical boost ahead of a really tough stretch. City's next eight games include Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and Spurs (who seem to have the hex over them). That said, equally important (though, as usual, with the necessary caveats) is the clean sheet: only the third for City in the league since October.

5. Bradley Barcola fires PSG forward as they take a big step towards the Ligue 1 title: The away game at Lens was a potential trap for Luis Enrique, coming just before Wednesday's crucial Champions League clash with Manchester City and following a series of lackluster performances. Especially since PSG chose to rest several key men (Ousmane Dembélé and Marquinhos, above all) with an eye towards Kevin De Bruyne & Co. in a must-win game. In the end, it all worked out as they came back from a goal down and snatched the win with a gorgeous Barcola finish. With Marseille held to a point the following day, their lead is nine points, and if the goal means Barcola has rediscovered his scoring form -- his last league goal was in early November -- then PSG can consider this one heck of a weekend.

4. Lautaro Martinez hits form at the right time as Inter keep pace with Napoli: It's no secret that the first half of the 2024-25 season hasn't been kind to the Inter forward. So it's encouraging that since Christmas, he has notched four goals in six games and his performances have picked up, as he showed in Sunday's 3-1 win over Empoli. Inter's goals came in the second half, but they were solidly in control throughout. And with Marcus Thuram coming off the bench and scoring (he's now up to 14 on the season), Simone Inzaghi has his strike partnership back. Equally important, the win keeps them in second place, three points behind the leaders, Napoli, with a game in hand.

3. Atletico shouldn't worry about the Leganes trap ending their streak: The 1-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Leganes ends their winning streak at 15 games, and Real Madrid's victory means they're no longer top of the table. But Diego Simeone is right when he says his team did enough to win and simply did not get the breaks. Antoine Griezmann missed his first penalty for Atletico in eight years, Clément Lenglet laid an egg for the Leganes goal, they put together an xG of 2.42 and failed to score. On another day, it's three points, easy. The worst thing that Simeone could do is second-guess himself here. I don't think he will.

2. Finishing is still an issue for Bayern despite a 3-2 win: Regular readers will know that I'm more concerned with creating good chances than finishing, since the latter is more linked to variance and randomness. But here I'm making an exception. Bayern put together an xG of 3.07 and scored three goals in the 3-2 win against Wolfsburg, so at first glance you'd think everything was fine. Except their first two goals were low-percentage, long-range efforts (the latter with some help from keeper Kamil Grabara), and the third was a collective snooze off a free kick from the Wolfsburg back line. Kingsley Coman devoured a couple clear-cut opportunities and Harry Kane, despite seven shots, still hasn't scored from open play in two months. Meanwhile, the usual defensive wobbles meant Wolfsburg pulled it back to 3-2 and an unnecessarily nervy ending. There was good news, too: midfielder Leon Goretzka had his best game in ages and Bayern showed they are less dependent on Jamal Musiala than some thought (he only played the last 15 minutes). But there's work to do.

1. About that William Saliba-shaped hole in the Arsenal back four: Two seasons ago, when Saliba suffered his season-ending injury, the Gunners were five points clear at the top of the table. They would end up losing the title to Manchester City by five points. According to reports out of France, his injury -- this time, a hamstring -- is not as serious, but Arsenal's 2-2 draw against Aston Villa served as a reminder of just how critical he is. At 2-0 following Kai Havertz's goal, you figured Arsenal could just see out the game; at that point, Villa's xG was 0.12 off three shots. But just as you needed to hunker down, cracks appeared. Youri Teiemans improbably pulled one back after mistakes from Thomas Partey (deputizing at rightback) and Mikel Merino. Then, with the back four in chaos, Tielemans hit the post and moments later, Ollie Watkins made it 2-2 after more unsteady defending. Sure, Arsenal had chances at the end too, including a disallowed winner, and it's not a given that Saliba's presence and leadership would have prevented those goals. But the ghost of 2023 is real. Somebody needs to step up or, with Bukayo Saka out too, things could go south real quick.

HOUSTON -- Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that cornerback Kris Boyd didn't push special teams coach Frank Ross in a "disrespectful manner" after he nearly shoved him to the ground following the opening kickoff of the team's divisional playoff loss to the Chiefs this past weekend.

"I don't think he was pushing Frank in a disrespectful manner," Ryans said. "I think it was moreso he was fired up -- overly fired up -- and thought he made a play to help us. So that narrative that he's pushing a coach, that's incorrect."

The Texans kicked off, and Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio had broken through their coverage, hitting the open field and racing toward the end zone. Boyd caught him and stripped the ball loose, ran toward Houston's sideline and celebrated the fumble by ripping off his helmet and sending it skittering toward the bench.

Unfortunately for Boyd and the Texans, the Chiefs recovered the fumble.

It was a fact Boyd only realized as he neared the sideline, after his helmet was off and the penalty flag had been thrown.

Boyd proceeded to shove Ross on the sideline and ultimately was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for taking off his helmet.

Boyd said after the game that he was "just too excited" and that he apologized to Ross for letting his emotions get the best of him.

Though Ryans downplayed Boyd's push of Ross, he reiterated Monday that the sixth-year pro has to handle himself better to avoid costly penalties.

"He came over with the excitement, overly excited that he made a play, but we can't lose our minds in that sense of taking our helmet off," Ryans said. "We still have to remain poised, right. We cannot take a helmet off in a game, everyone knows and understands the rules."

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers have both been suspended three games after delivering cross-checks to the heads of opponents in a game between the teams on Saturday night.

It's the longest suspension in McDavid's 10-year NHL career, which has seen him win the Hart Trophy as league MVP three times and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP last postseason.

McDavid delivered a cross-check to the head of Canucks forward Conor Garland. Myers hit Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the head with a cross-check. Both players earned match penalties in the third period on Saturday night. The length of their suspensions means neither McDavid nor Myers will be available when the teams meet again in Edmonton on Thursday night.

With less than a minute left in regulation and the Canucks up 3-2, McDavid and Vancouver forward Garland toppled to the ice. As McDavid tried to get back to his skates, Garland held his arm, resulting in McDavid giving him a gloved punch to free himself. As McDavid attempted to return to the play, Garland wrapped his arms around the Edmonton captain to take him to the ice a second time.

As Garland continued to obstruct McDavid when both reached their feet, McDavid delivered a stiff cross-check to Garland's head.

"Connor gets frustrated and he gets his stick up," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game. "He's frustrated because we're down one goal and the best player in the league is getting held for 15 seconds. There's frustration that [it's] allowed to happen and his stick got up."

The Department of Player Safety noted that this was not a routine play by McDavid to box out an opponent or gain body position.

"Having just been involved physically with Garland, McDavid retaliates aggressively and intentionally, escalating the altercation by raising his stick significantly and making this contact: a high cross-check that makes direct contact with an opponent's head with sufficient force to warrant supplemental discipline," the department said in its suspension video.

McDavid was previously suspended once in his NHL career for an illegal check to the head of the Islanders' Nick Leddy in February 2019. He was also fined $5,000 in March 2021 for elbowing Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the Canadiens. McDavid is fourth in the NHL in scoring with 65 points in 43 games.

"Connor plays through a lot. Ironically, he doesn't draw many penalties," said Knoblauch. "He's under the microscope every time he's on the ice because he's so dangerous. He puts up with more than the average player."

Right after McDavid cross-checked Garland, Myers cross-checked Bouchard in the head. Myers finished a check on Bouchard along the boards as play was whistled dead. The two players exchanged light slashes, but as Bouchard glided toward Myers with one hand on his stick, Myers delivered a cross-check to Bouchard's head with both hands on his stick. Bouchard's neck snapped back, and he quickly grabbed his face as he fell to the ice.

The Department of Player Safety said that Myers argued he didn't intend to deliver a cross-check to Bouchard's head. Video replay shows Bouchard's gloves coming up as Myers delivers the cross-check. However, the department said it didn't believe Myers delivered a cross-check that was "directed towards the body that rides up the opponent" but one that "was delivered cleanly to the head of Bouchard" on the play.

"This is an intentional cross-check by Myers, who raises his stick significantly to initiate this contact," said the department in its suspension video.

Myers was suspended three games for boarding Scott Gomez of Montreal in March 2012 and another three games for an illegal check to the head of the Devils' Dainius Zubrus in 2014. He had also been fined twice in his NHL career. Myers has 13 points in 45 games and is third on the Canucks in average ice time (20:33).

McDavid will forfeit $195,312.51 in salary. Myers will forfeit $46,875.00. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. Both players are eligible to appeal their suspensions to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who would have the final say on those appeals.