Manchester United reject & 2025 Ballon d'Or No.18 assists, Napoli wins 3-2 for fourth consecutive Serie A victory to lead the table

At 02:45 on September 23rd Beijing time, the last game of the fifth round of Serie A began, as reigning champions Napoli faced newly promoted Pisa at home.

In the first half, Elmas had a goal disallowed, Gilmore broke the deadlock, and Napoli led 1-0 at halftime; in the second half, Becao conceded a penalty with a handball in the box, Enzo converted the spot-kick to equalize, Spinazzola scored a low strike to regain the lead, McTominay assisted Luke to extend the advantage, and Rolando pulled one back in the 90th minute but it was too late.

In the end, Napoli edged Pisa 3-2, securing their fourth consecutive Serie A win and taking the top spot, two points ahead of second-placed Juventus.

It is well known that Conte excels in league play but struggles with managing two competitions simultaneously. This season, Napoli faces the challenge of competing in both the Champions League and Serie A. Last week, Napoli lost 0-2 away to Manchester City in the Champions League, and with two matches in one week, their fitness was obviously at a disadvantage.In this match, Conte deployed a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Hoylund upfront, Politano, Elmas, De Bruyne, and McTominay forming the midfield four, Di Lorenzo, Becao, Buongiorno, and Spinazzola making up the back four, Meret in goal, and a starting lineup valued at €261 million.Pisa lined up in a 3-5-2 formation, with a starting squad valued at €36.45 million.

De Bruyne was in poor form in this match, and it’s understandable why Manchester City let him go; his age has affected his consistency, and the slower pace of Serie A still poses challenges. Manchester United’s rejected player McTominay helped Napoli win the Serie A title last season and was named the league’s best player. Recently, he achieved 18th place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings. Such a talented player was released by Manchester United. Despite the fatigue from two matches in one week, McTominay still provided a key assist with a through ball to Luke, securing the victory. With two matches in one week, Napoli’s 3-2 win over Pisa marked their fourth straight league win, leading the Serie A standings. Conte’s Napoli remains the top favorite to win the Serie A title this season. McTominay is a player with strong spirit, capable of scoring and assisting in Serie A, showing tremendous fighting spirit.

Looking at the match stats, Napoli’s win was hard-fought and can be considered a narrow victory given the two games played in one week.Napoli had 64% possession in this game, with 18 shots in total, just three more than Pisa, and both teams had six shots on target.However, it must be said that securing 3 points in the league amidst a congested schedule is essential for a title contender.