Honestly, if you missed the early kick-offs today, you missed a complete tactical masterclass that basically flipped the Premier League table on its head. Today, January 17, 2026, was always going to be heavy. We’re talking about a massive Manchester Derby, title contenders stumbling, and a new era starting at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick just had his first game back in the dugout as Manchester United’s interim boss, and man, he didn't disappoint. If you were looking for sports scores football today, the big one is United taking down Manchester City 2-0. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. City looked flat. Pep looked, well, exhausted.
Premier League: The Red Half of Manchester Celebrates
The vibe at Old Trafford was electric. Bryan Mbeumo, fresh back from AFCON duty with Cameroon, scored a beauty in the 65th minute. He’s been in such good form lately, and that’s his eighth of the season. Then Patrick Dorgu doubled it about ten minutes later. City just had no answer. Erling Haaland? Barely touched the ball.
If Arsenal managed to get a result at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest later this evening, City could find themselves nine points off the pace. That’s a massive gap to bridge in this league.
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- Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City (Mbeumo 65’, Dorgu 76’)
- Chelsea 2-0 Brentford (Joao Pedro 26’, Cole Palmer 76’)
- Spurs 1-2 West Ham (Romero 64’; Summerville 15’, Wilson 90+3’)
- Liverpool 1-1 Burnley (Wirtz 42’; Edwards 65’)
Liverpool drawing with Burnley at Anfield is the kind of result that makes you scratch your head. They missed a penalty early on, and even though Florian Wirtz put them ahead, they just couldn't kill it off. Burnley is scrappy this year. They earned that point.
Europe's Heavyweights: Real Madrid and Bayern Munich Respond
Over in Spain, Real Madrid finally stopped the bleeding. It’s been a hell of a week for them—losing the Supercopa to Barca, seeing Xabi Alonso depart, and then that embarrassing Copa del Rey exit to Albacete. Arbeloa took the reins, and Kylian Mbappé delivered. He tucked away a penalty to settle the nerves at the Bernabéu. Raúl Asencio added a second to make it a comfortable 2-0 against Levante.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich is just a steamroller right now. They went to RB Leipzig and absolutely dismantled them 5-1. Harry Kane got his goal, obviously, but Michael Olise was the real story. He came off the bench and basically ran the show, bagging a goal and three assists in about half an hour.
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Serie A and Ligue 1 Standouts
- Inter Milan remains the team to beat in Italy. Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Udinese. It’s his 11th of the campaign. They are six points clear at the top, and they look incredibly disciplined under Chivu.
- RC Lens is the surprise story in France. They beat Auxerre 1-0 thanks to a Wesley Saïd volley. That is ten wins in a row for them. They are currently sitting above PSG. Just let that sink in.
- Marseille went on a tear, beating Angers 5-2. It was chaos from start to finish.
Why Today's Results Shift the Narrative
When we look at the sports scores football today, it’s clear that the "old guard" is struggling with fatigue. Pep Guardiola’s City team has taken only three points from their last four league games. That is unheard of for them. The tactical shift toward high-intensity counter-attacking—like what we saw from Carrick’s United—is starting to exploit the spaces City leaves behind.
In Germany, the title race feels like it might be over before it really started. Bayern is 11 points clear of Dortmund. Unless something catastrophic happens to Harry Kane, it’s hard to see anyone catching them.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are tracking these stats for your fantasy team or just to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on these developments:
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- Monitor Man Utd’s defensive structure: Under Carrick, they played a "rope-a-dope" style today. If they stick with this, their defenders might become high-value assets for clean sheets.
- Watch the Arsenal vs. Forest result: This will determine if the Premier League title race is a three-horse race or if Arsenal is truly pulling away.
- Leverage Lens in Ligue 1: Their defensive record is stellar. Wesley Saïd is the man in form, but their collective pressing is what's winning them games.
- Check the NFL Playoff scores: For those across the pond, the Denver Broncos just took down the Buffalo Bills 20-10 in the Divisional Round. Josh Allen had a rough day at Mile High.
The landscape of European football is shifting. Between managerial changes at major clubs and the rise of mid-tier powerhouses like Lens and Burnley (at least for a day), the rest of January is going to be wild. Make sure you're checking the live tables, as today's 2-0 derby result has already moved Manchester United provisionally into the top four.
The next big window for movement is the upcoming midweek fixtures, where City will need a massive response to keep their season from spiraling. Don't take your eyes off the table; the point gaps are shrinking everywhere except in the Bundesliga.
Check your local listings for the late-night highlights; you’ll want to see that Olise cameo for Bayern. It was pure footballing art.