Liverpool are lost, the league leaders are ruthless and Football Australia is drifting

United were robbed, but City took the points

Manchester United were the better side in the derby and did not deserve to lose, but Manchester City punished them because quality decides tight matches. Winning at Old Trafford was significant when City had beaten United only once in the previous six meetings.

I think the major incident was offside under the modern interpretation, although nobody truly knows anymore. Enzo Fernández was flying horizontally through the air, and the claim that he was not playing at the ball was allegedly the basis of the call. That is nonsense. The officials later admitted they got it wrong.

Bryan Mbeumo probably should have equalised, although Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a tremendous save. It was better goalkeeping than finishing: Donnarumma is a beast, stayed big and delivered in the moment.

Bruno Fernandes also kicked Phil Foden with the ball nowhere near them. It was not a calculated act, but Bruno then used the theatrics that make him so irritating and escaped punishment. United remain lucky to have retained their best player of the past five years, yet replacing him as he gets older will be a huge problem.

IFAB has made a simple game needlessly confusing

IFAB is football’s true enemy because it has spent the best part of a decade twisting clear laws into a mess that players, officials and supporters cannot consistently understand. Passive offside, playing at the ball and changing interpretations have created mass confusion, not fairness.

The advantage rule is another example. If a player commits a yellow-card offence by pulling back an opponent, the offence does not disappear because the referee allows play to continue. Without an advantage, play stops and the card comes out; with an advantage, the same act can escape punishment. That is absurd.

A yellow-card offence remains a yellow-card offence, even if the attacking side continues and scores. Referees must still get decisions right, and the derby officials failed, but constantly rewriting the laws has made their job harder while leaving everyone furious. Stop tinkering and give the game its clarity back.

The league leaders have the steel Chelsea lack

Mikel Arteta’s side look like champions because difficult occasions do not rattle them.

Chelsea were the opposite against Hull. Xabi Alonso called them too soft, and he was right: a squad that wants to challenge on every front must deal with Hull at home, particularly without European football or the short turnaround Liverpool could cite.

Hull deserve enormous credit. They remain unbeaten after four matches, probably have more points than expected and look organised, happy and completely aware that survival is the target. That unity can carry a promoted side a long way.

Bruno Guimarães also had every right to answer supporters who abused him after he scored. Give it and you must be prepared to take it, provided the player does not cross the line into provoking serious trouble. Football grounds are tribal places, especially in England, and the northeast has a noise and identity unlike anywhere else.

Herrington should learn from it, not carry it

Lucas Herrington should not blame himself for João Pedro gaining separation, because elite attackers punish a split-second hesitation and can do it against any defender. Analyse whether he could have jumped earlier, learn from it and move on.

Defending is harder than people admit. Herrington was operating in a back three, so he had to track João Pedro while checking the position of his fellow defenders and whether the fullback was too high. The striker only had to find space and attack the goal.

That is why perfection is a ridiculous standard: if every defender played perfectly, nobody would score. João Pedro is at Chelsea because he can produce those moments, just as Erling Haaland scores so often because of his quality.

Herrington received another half-hour after Nobel Mendy appeared to be in real trouble, and I expect more minutes to follow. He will be a major part of the Socceroos’ future.

Football Australia cannot leave Popovic hanging

Football Australia has handled this badly. It took two and a half months to put Tony Popovic in front of the media, then allowed the biggest question about his future to hang there unanswered.

A four-year deal was offered and not taken. Fine. But Football Australia then had to explain the position. Is the agreement only until the next major tournament? Is there a review after that? Does it still want four years? Say something.

I know Popovic is ambitious. The national team can be a springboard back into club football, as it was for Ange Postecoglou. That does not mean Popovic cares any less about the job. It means Football Australia needs to know exactly what commitment it has from him.

Turning down four years is a huge gamble. It could be a selfless call that puts his own position on the line at the next tournament. It could also leave the door open for another coaching opportunity. Either way, Football Australia cannot pretend the uncertainty is not there.

It was already put in a difficult position when Graham Arnold left early in a cycle. It cannot risk the same disruption again.

Internally, I would be asking serious questions. Football Australia offered the security. Popovic did not take it. Now the people running the game must tell everyone what happens next.