The Warm-Up: Why Riyad Mahrez’s penalty miss makes him elite

Ahead of the Manchester City-Liverpool game, Riyad Mahrez last scored a penalty in November 2016; in fact, he had found the back of the net with only three of his last seven spot kicks.

So, when Virgil van Dijk felled Leroy Sane inside the box with just four minutes left of City’s top-of-the-table clash against Liverpool, Mahrez might have been forgiven for sulking off into the background.

But, no, not only did he put himself forward, he actively ushered Gabriel Jesus off the ball to confidently place the ball 12 yards out.

Alas, for those of a City persuasion, that confidence was not well-placed as the ball was over the bar as soon as he hit it. An absolute shocker, yes, but also, in a way, admirable, and an insight into what makes elite players elite: belief. Mahrez has a torrid penalty record; torrid. Yet, when it came to the crux, when it was important, when it was now or never, it was now.

Brilliant footballers are brilliant because they have brilliant levels of talent but, The Warm-Up, suggests, it is those who have delusional levels of belief in their talent that go furthest. And that delusional level of belief led Mahrez to take a penalty he should, all things being equal, have been nowhere near. However, that level of belief was central to Leicester City’s improbable Premier League win in 2015–16.

Belief is as important as talent, and Mahrez has both.

Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in June 2003. Fifteen years ago. In that period, 12 managers have strutted through the revolving door that is the Chelsea HR department confident that their managerial nous would buck the trend of, well, getting the boot a couple of years later. The trend has yet to be bucked.

However, the hire ‘em, fire ‘em attitude that Abramovich clearly employs has reaped substantial dividends. There have been five league titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League, one Europa League and, of course, three Community Shields.

That is some return.

Yet, what goes unmentioned among all the trophies and the upheaval, is the immense adaptability of these Chelsea players. And the speed at which they have taken to the methods of Maurizio Sarri is remarkable.

It is not so long ago – the summer to be precise – that the team were in complete limbo. Antonio Conte had yet to be relieved of his duties while Sarri was only announced as manager on July 14. The season started on August 11. They had three weeks to prepare for the season. They are unbeaten and joint top heading into the international break.

Sarri deserves huge credit but what about the players? The west London side are playing a completely different brand of football than last season and that is as much down to the players as it is the manager. In itself, a sizable achievement. Such was their superiority against Southampton this weekend, John Terry could have probably subbed himself on with 26 minutes gone, commandeered a microphone from someone and announced his retirement and the Blues still would have won.

Neymar went to PSG to become the best player in the world but he is no longer the best player in his own team. That accolade belongs to one Kylian Mbappe, and has done so for some time. The France international is a complete and utter force of nature but it also speaks of the Brazilian's decline.

The 19-year-old put Lyon to the sword in some style on Sunday night, plundering a 13-minute four-goal salvo to turn a finely poised match into a complete and utter shoeing. He is that good and *that* good is too good for the rest of the league.

And, if Mbappe can learn anything from his Brazilian team-mate, it is that PSG and Ligue 1 will not see him reach his true potential. The league lacks the intensity or quality to challenge and crucially improve players of Neymar and Mbappe's calibre.

If the former Monaco man wants to fulfil his potential, he needs out of PSG.

Your weekly reminder that Jadon Sancho is an absolute chap. He made his first start in the Bundesliga over the weekend.

And, yes, you guessed it, he bagged another assist.

Here it is in all its glory.

This might be four days old but it requires due attention, so, to the players of Halesowen Town FC who operate in the Southern Football League or step seven of the football pyramid, who won a remarkable FA Youth Cup game against Nuneaton Borough.

An even bigger shoutout to Emlyn Tudgay, who bagged in minutes 92 and 96 to complete the remarkable turnaround.

Marcus Rashford looked “sad” at Old Trafford while Scott McTominay “was scared out on the pitch,” said a man who was apparently man-hunted over the weekend by the wickedness that festers inside of football.

There truly is only one Jose Mourinho.

Much has been made of the supposed crisis that has afflicted Manchester United but it is Newcastle who are a club in deep and continued crisis.

Daniel Taylor takes a deep dive into the shambles that is Newcastle.

Having flagged up what an utter shambles their club is, it feels only right that the Warm-Up also harks back to the glory days.

Step forward Alan Shearer.