Winners and Losers: Atalanta continue to impress as Man City and Walker hit new low

Atalanta players celebrate a goal in their win over Parma
Atalanta players celebrate a goal in their win over ParmaALESSANDRO SABATTINI / Getty Images via AFP / Flashscore
From a seventh successive victory in Serie A for Atalanta to damaging defeats for Manchester City and Porto, club football made a thrilling return over the weekend.

As usual, Flashscore has compiled a list of the latest Winners and Losers.

Winner: Atalanta

With just one point separating the top five in Serie A, it promises to be a thrilling season in the Italian top flight.

Atalanta currently sit second in the standings after Saturday's impressive 3-1 win at Parma - their seventh consecutive triumph in the league.

Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman were once again on target for La Dea as Gian Piero Gasperini's men look to build on last season's Europa League success.

Atalanta last won a major domestic trophy in 1963 but there is growing belief in Bergamo that something special could be on the cards...

Loser: Manchester City & Kyle Walker

Manchester City’s miserable run of form plumbed to new depths on Saturday evening, with Tottenham running out comprehensive 4-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium.

The Cityzens were second-best to Ange Postecoglou’s side all over the pitch, none more so than a declining Kyle Walker at right-back.

The 34-year-old, who so often over the years has used his blistering speed to shut out opponents, has undoubtedly lost a yard of pace in recent years.

Having struggled to cope with Son Heung-min throughout the contest, Walker’s dismal performance was compounded in stoppage time when Timo Werner breezed past him to set up Tottenham’s fourth. 

Winner: Mohamed Salah

It's becoming increasingly difficult to find the words to describe Liverpool's talismanic winger this season. 

Once again, Mohamed Salah came to the Reds' rescue with two second-half strikes, firing Arne Slot's side eight points clear at the Premier League summit.

His first was a well-taken finish beyond a stranded Alex McCarthy in the Southampton goal while the Egyptian rifled home the match-winner from the spot to move up to 16 goal involvements in the league this campaign (10 goals, six assists).

With Liverpool yet to offer Salah a new contract, the 32-year-old is doing everything in his power to make his final season at Anfield a memorable one.

Loser: Porto

Defending champions Porto were dumped out of the Taca de Portugal on Sunday, falling 2-1 to Moreirense.

It was a first defeat in the cup since 2021 for the 20-time winners as well as a third successive loss across all competitions for the first time since 2008.

Porto were greeted with jeers and whistles from the supporters after full-time, prompting players such as Samu and Pepe to break down in tears.

Winner: Angel Di Maria

Staying in Portugal, Benfica made no such mistake, easing through to the last-16 of the domestic cup after a 7-0 thrashing of Estrela.

The standout player for Bruno Lage's side was Angel Di Maria as the legendary Argentine rolled back the years, netting a hat-trick after just 18 minutes of the contest.

Having returned to Benfica at the beginning of last season, Saturday marked Di Maria's first treble for the Portuguese giants since February 2010.

Loser: Jared Thompson

Who doesn't love a comical own goal? 

Storm Bert wreaked havoc in England over the weekend and it played a major role in the opening goal between Walton & Hersham FC and Gloucester City in the Southern League Premier South.

Picking the ball up inside his own six-yard box, Gloucester City's Jared Thompson attempted a risky pass to a team mate and the decision backfired in spectacular fashion, with the wind sweeping the ball into the top corner.

Thompson's blushes were ultimately spared, as despite Walton & Hersham surging into a four-goal lead at half-time, Gloucester rallied in the second period to salvage a remarkable 4-4 draw.