Hello! EFL Cup action resumes in England this week, a starry group of Premier League teams entering the fray in time for the third round. Plus, it may already be time to gear up for the upcoming international break – at least if you ask Cavan Sullivan. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, Sept. 14 🇮🇹 Serie A: Inter vs. Udinese, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+ 🏴 EPL: Leeds United vs. Newcastle United, 3 p.m. ➡️ USA Network 🇪🇸 LaLiga: Villarreal vs. Real Betis, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
Tuesday, Sept. 15 🏴 EFL Cup: Liverpool vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+ 🇪🇸 LaLiga: Elche vs. Real Madrid, 3:30 p.m. ➡️ ESPN2
⚽ The Forward Line
🇺🇸 Cavan Sullivan makes his case
Getty Images The World Cup now officially in the rearview mirror, there is no greater time for up-and-coming talents to plant the seeds for their own international futures, one player in particular wasting no time – the Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan.
Sullivan has two goals and two assists in the last week alone, including one goal via backheel and another that saw him nutmeg the goalkeeper before the ball sped into the back of the line. His recent exploits are just the latest example of his upward trajectory – he now has five goals and seven assists in 10 games, easily putting him among MLS' most productive attackers following the World Cup break. After becoming the youngest player to make his MLS debut at 14 and signing a contract with Manchester City that kicks in after his 18th birthday in a year's time, Sullivan was all promise, but he has quickly turned that potential into tangible – and exciting – results.
He's skilled in front of goal, ranking inside the 91st percentile among attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty expected goals across MLS over the last year and is equally gifted in terms of chance creation, making him a key player for a Union team that entered the World Cup below the playoff line but is no longer on the outside looking in. The remarkable aspect of Sullivan's rise is that his outstanding season is built on the post-World Cup stretch of the season. Ex-head coach Bradley Carnell, who was fired just as MLS paused for the summer, used Sullivan sparingly, but interim head coach Ryan Richter has had no issue integrating the 16-year-old into his plans since July, the same going for 18-year-old center back Neil Pierre. Richter's belief in the rising stars has paid off, so much so that Sullivan feels on the cusp of a call-up to the U.S. men's national team.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will name his squad this week for the fall friendlies, describing the four game stretch as a "new start" for the national team as the long road to the 2030 World Cup begins. Without naming names, Pochettino said there will be a mix of experienced players and fresh faces, a wide variety in the latter category to pick from as a generation of young talents begin knocking on the national team's door. Not everyone will make the cut, in large part because not every talented player will be ready for the pressures of the senior national team; Sullivan, though, is making as strong a case as anyone that his time has finally arrived, and not a moment too soon. Here's Chuck Booth with an argument in Sullivan's favor.
- Booth: "With the international break coming up, the first of FIFA's new-look window that will see teams have a three-week break facing four teams, Sullivan absolutely has to be there. Initially, with USA coach Mauricio Pochettino being able to take a look at younger players, it would've made sense for Sullivan to get a taste of camp and what he'd need in order to make the senior national team, but now he deserves to be there based on merit and not just potential. There's no American player performing at a higher level since the World Cup than Sullivan, and with Christian Pulisic's return from injury in Milan and Folarin Balogun in an uncertain situation at Monaco following his proposed move to Everton that fell through, there will be a need to take a look at other attackers, and one has to be Sullivan."
📺 Don't Miss Matchday 1
🔗 Midfield Link Play
🏴 Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur meet in EFL Cup
Getty Images The EFL Cup third round is the most star-studded yet as last season's 10 best Premier League teams enter the competition, most set to face lower-league competition in the hopes of inching closer to the first trophy up for grabs in England every season. There are a pair of all-Premier League clashes, though, the most notable among them Tottenham Hotspur's trip to Liverpool on Tuesday.
Like many of their counterparts, both teams are still in the early stages of a season of transition and do not look like the finished product just yet. While the Reds have already begun picking up some notable results under new coach Andoni Iraola, the same cannot really be said for Spurs. Their only win of the season so far has been in a lopsided result over Championship side Charlton Athletic, but more pressingly, they enter Tuesday's clash in the midst of a Premier League goalless run. Four games into Roberto De Zerbi's first full season in charge, Spurs have yet to score a goal and are joined only by newly-promoted Coventry City in the very undesirable category. Here's James Benge's assessment of the team's attacking woes after checking out their 0-0 draw with Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
- Benge: "[Spurs] ended this game with 0.64 expected goals (xG) off 14 shots. Only twice did Pickford have to make a save, neither of which came from shots within the box. An early, rising flick at the back post from Van Hecke off an Andy Robertson free kick was the only shot Spurs took worth more than 0.1 xG (0.14 to be precise). Their back four combined for five shots. Their front three delivered just three … In 63 minutes Dominic Solanke delivered no shots, no shot assists and his 11 completed passes were worth just 0.01 expected assists. You could tell that Omar Marmoush was used to shadowing a better class of forward."
How long the drought stretches is now the question for De Zerbi and company. Liverpool have kept just two clean sheets in five games across all competitions this season, though the fact that they came against Ipswich Town and Fulham is not much to write home about. Their error-prone back line could offer opportunities for Spurs if they are willing to take them, though it depends on if and how De Zerbi plans to rotate through his team for a match they are clearly not favored in. Saturday's Premier League game against Aston Villa, though, will be much more revealing – Unai Emery's side sit 19th with zero points and seven goals against in four games, the clash a perfect opportunity for both sides to dig themselves out of the hole they find themselves in. Both Spurs and Villa should be at least a little bit better than the positions they find themselves in, so there's reason to be optimistic with the opportunities in front of them.
As the cliché goes, though, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take and if Spurs – or Villa, for that matter – fail to capitalize on the chance to actually pick up a win this week, that optimism will fade quickly.
🔗 Top Stories
👎 United falter again: Manchester City's 1-0 win exposed Manchester United's inconsistencies in attack, failing in their attempts to outdo their rivals' organized defense despite playing up a man for more than an hour.
⏪ Refereeing issues persist: It was not a great weekend for Premier League referees, who admitted to getting a major call wrong in Manchester City's victory over Manchester United and are now facing complaints from Arsenal after their win over Sunderland.
🔴⚫ Pulisic returns in style: U.S. international Christian Pulisic notched an assist in AC Milan's 2-2 draw against Lazio, his first match since suffering a microfracture in his leg during the World Cup.
🏴 Premier League power rankings: Arsenal and Manchester City are the cream of the crop four weeks in, while it might just be time to sound the alarm for Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Serie A: Inter vs. Udinese, Monday, 2:45 p.m. 💰 THE PICK: Inter to win 2-0 (+600) – Inter are off to a perfect start in league play with three wins out of three, the reigning champions undoubtedly eager to extend the streak in the final match of the weekend in Serie A. They will like their chances against Udinese, who have been off to an average start this season with four points and may offer the chance for Inter to show off some of their attacking might. Lautaro Marinez is coming off a brace in last week's 3-2 win over Napoli, while Pio Esposito already bagged his first goal of the season on opening day. Expect a routine win for Inter, one that demonstrates their abilities to contend for the title once again this season.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips, and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
⚽ Streaming Free
What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.): Join Golazo Network as it helps fans get their day started on the right foot on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode. 3️⃣ Attacking Third: The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back, and our coverage of the women's game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic season all year long. ⚽ Call it What You Want: Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies, and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the game in the United States. Catch new episodes live on the Golazo America YouTube channel.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week. 📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
Add CBS Sports on Google Join the Conversation comments
