Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill was probably pretty happy with his goalkeeping situation to begin the season. Adam Davies won the starting job at the end of last season and was impressive. Jack Butland, though not the talent he was once prophesized to be, was as good of a backup keeper as you'll find in the Championship. Below them was a couple of promising keepers for the future.
When Kevin Davies took the field for Bolton Wanderers, the action on the pitch often resembled a barroom brawl rather than a soccer match.
Under manager Sam Allardyce, Davies consistently led the league in both fouls committed and fouls received, setting multiple records along the way.
Jurgen Klopp has spent most of the last two months complaining about the timing of fixtures as Liverpool fights to defend its Premier League title while simultaneously competing for another Champions League crown. With that in mind (and a slew of injuries), the Reds boss started a number of youngsters against Ajax on Tuesday, including two teenagers and a goalkeeper who had just four prior senior appearances, none in the Champions League.
Caoimhin Kelleher has waited patiently for his chance to play first team football. A product of Cork, Ireland, Kelleher joined Liverpool's youth setup from his local club Ringhamon Rangers back in 2015. He slowly made his way through the U-18s to the U-23s while also playing at the international level for the Republic of Ireland underage sides.
Soccer hasn't been the same without fans. The emotion just isn't there. The fake crowd noise is mediocre but matches without fan chatter (even the artificial kind) lack the sense of importance that the game is supposed to carry. It is tough to watch at times.
The one positive to empty stadiums? We have unprecedented access to the vocal expressions of the players on the pitch. Every bit of banter, every plea to the referee and every frustrated proclamation is audible to viewers at home.
The FA Cup dream continues for Marine FC as the Northern Premier League Division One North West side qualified for the FA Cup third round for the second time in club history. The eighth-tier club defeated League Two side Colchester United on penalties in the first round, then dispatched sixth-tier Havant & Waterloo by a scoreline of 1-0 in the second round.
The Mariners reward: a third round tie at The Marine Travel Arena against current Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur.
Norwich City's 1-1 draw against Coventry on Saturday stretched the Canaries' unbeaten run in the Championship to 10 games.
While league leaders Norwich may have hoped to take all three points against 20th-placed Coventry, the point won't be taken for granted as Daniel Farke's side was without 13 players through injury.
Not everyone can handle the stress of high-scoring, emotional soccer matches. I get it. Maybe you have high blood pressure, a small child sleeping in the next room or just need something to watch while you fall asleep.
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raúl Jiménez had an operation on his fractured skull following a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz during Sunday's game, the Premier League club said on Monday.
The Mexican forward needed oxygen on the pitch before being taken off on a stretcher and rushed to hospital.