Turkish Super Lig Weekly: Osimhen and Icardi shine while pressure ramps up on Mourinho
With Galatasaray sitting in a strong position at the top of the league, the two-time defending champions returned to action on Saturday with a trip to Antalyaspor, whose manager Alex De Souza was feeling the heat with his side lurched dangerously close to the relegation zone.
In the end, it was an incredibly comfortable victory for Galatasaray, who cruised to a 3-0 win over their opponents.
It was an accomplished performance from Galatasaray, with Mauro Icardi bagging a clinical brace after a pair of assists from Yunus Akgun before Victor Osimhen came off the bench in the second half to score a magnificent bicycle kick.
The Nigerian stole the headlines in a 12-minute cameo, as he made his return from a small injury. Osimhen's leap was staggering, allowing him to execute the strike to perfection, minutes after having a goal ruled out for offside.
As mentioned in previous editions, Galatasaray have finally begun to click after a messy start to the season off the pitch - with a lot of that down to the signing of Osimhen.
Manager Okan Buruk - despite some of his tactical flaws - has created a really united environment around the club which is getting the best out of all the players, and with Osimhen in the team, they have become the big favourites to win the Super Lig.
With eight wins and one draw in their first nine league games, including 27 goals scored, they are a powerful outfit, and will also have their eyes firmly on a run in Europe.
They face Besiktas in a huge derby next weekend, and after beating Fenerbahce a few weeks ago, a victory in that clash would mean it is hard to see how anyone can stop them from a record-extending 25th Super Lig title.
Speaking of Besiktas, it was a similarly straightforward win for them, as they coasted past Konyaspor 2-0. Ciro Immobile scored his eighth goal in the league this season - five of which have been penalties - which sees him lead the Golden Boot standings.
However, they will know that their true test is coming up when they visit Rams Park on Monday.
Besiktas have struggled in the bigger games so far during the campaign, dropping points against 10-man Trabzonspor as well as being heavily beaten in both their Europa League games, where they sit rock bottom of a 36-team league.
They are also facing a mini-injury crisis, with the likes of goalkeeper Mert Gunok, Al-Musrati and Gabriel Paulista also doubts.
As a result, they will have to find an extra gear if they really want to put a statement down and win at Galatasaray.
Pressure mounts on Mourinho
Life perhaps hasn't gone as expected since Jose Mourinho became Fenerbahce's manager. Tasked with winning their first league title since 2014, it has been a struggle so far.
On the weekend, they dropped more points, drawing 2-2 at a very impressive Samsunspor. And the way the match went, they could have even suffered a defeat.
It was a dull performance from Mourinho's men, happy to sit back and soak up the pressure, playing without the ball for large portions of the match, despite having a vastly superior team.
With Fenerbahce leading 2-1 going into the final minutes thanks to goals from Dusan Tadic and Allan Saint-Maximin, Samsunspor kept knocking on the door and eventually got the point they deserved, as Soner Aydogdu finished cooly in the 88th minute.
Credit must go to Samsunspor, who have been one of the season's surprise packages so far. German manager Thomas Reis has made them a really competitive side, which is demonstrated by the fact that they are in third - above Fenerbahce.
But Fenerbahce themselves are just so uninspiring. They have clearly regressed from last season - results and performance-wise. There is a lack of ideas and creativity on the pitch, and relying on 38-year-old Edin Dzeko is doing them more harm than good.
Mourinho also refuses to start Turkish winger Irfan Can Kahveci, who was one of their best players last season, while Super Lig record signing Youssef En-Nesyri is not getting any game time.
Matters were made even worse as key defender Jayden Oosterwolde suffered a serious knee injury during the game, which is likely to see him ruled out for around six months.
Mourinho is on a massive salary at the club, so his job is, of course, not under any immediate threat. But he needs to turn things around soon, as they are eight points behind Galatasaray, albeit with a game in hand.
Highlight of the Week
It is hard to look anywhere else really. Osimhen's bicycle kick was a thing of beauty, showcasing why he is regarded as one of the world's elite centre forwards.
Team of the Week
Sivasspor striker Rey Manaj was the star of the weekend, scoring a double in his side's 3-2 win over Hatayspor. Galatasaray duo Icardi and Fernando Muslera make the team, while Eyupspor also have two players after beating Goztepe 1-0 in the battle of the high-flying promoted sides. The former are in fifth, and the latter in seventh.