It was a particularly productive week for American midfielders, with Sebastian Berhalter delivering one of the best performances of his young European career and Christian Pulisic reminding everyone why AC Milan just committed to keeping him for another five years.
Berhalter scored and assisted as Middlesbrough continued its impressive run atop the English Championship. Jack McGlynn matched that production for Stoke City, while Aidan Morris joined Berhalter in controlling the midfield during Middlesbrough's comfortable victory.
Pulisic provided one of the biggest moments of the weekend, opening the scoring in Milan's 3-1 derby victory over Inter. He also signed a contract extension through 2031, a significant commitment to a player who has established himself as one of the club's most dependable attackers.
There was encouraging news among the American strikers as well. Folarin Balogun scored his first goal of the season for Monaco, while Ricardo Pepi returned from injury and needed only 13 minutes to find the net for PSV. Cole Campbell added another Bundesliga goal, and Sergiño Dest continued his productive season with an assist.
Back in MLS, 17-year-old Adri Mehmeti quietly put together another exceptional week. The Red Bulls midfielder recorded three MLS-credited assists in two games, becoming the youngest player in club history to register multiple assists in one match. Unfortunately, New York lost both games, blowing a two-goal lead against Nashville on Sunday to officially eliminate itself from playoff contention.
The biggest concerns remain injuries and playing time. Johnny Cardoso is sidelined again, Weston McKennie left Juventus' weekend match with adductor discomfort, and several younger Americans continue struggling to establish themselves in their European rotations.
Stock Watch
↑ Up: Sebastian Berhalter, Christian Pulisic, Adri Mehmeti, Folarin Balogun, Jack McGlynn, Aidan Morris, Ricardo Pepi, Sergiño Dest and Cole Campbell.
Up: Berhalter, Pulisic and McGlynn produced the most impressive European performances, while Balogun and Pepi both scored important goals after their interrupted starts to the season. Mehmeti's three assists were particularly encouraging because they came with growing responsibility in central midfield, not merely as a winger benefiting from space around the box.
↗ Encouraging: Joe Scally, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Gianluca Busio, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna.
Encouraging: Scally continues finding ways to contribute offensively for Gladbach, while Adams and Robinson are playing substantial minutes again. Busio's return from a hamstring injury was another welcome development after several weeks on the sidelines.
— Mixed: Yunus Musah, Chris Richards, Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, Tanner Tessmann and Bryan Reynolds.
Mixed: Musah experienced the extremes of playing for AC Milan, struggling badly against Bologna before producing an excellent derby performance against Inter. Richards endured an enormous defensive workload in Palace's loss to Tottenham, while Freeman and Tillman received more limited opportunities than in recent weeks.
↓ Concern: Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Brenden Aaronson, Benjamin Cremaschi, Haji Wright, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney.
Concern: Cardoso's latest injury has interrupted what was becoming an encouraging run at Atlético Madrid. McKennie's possible adductor injury also needs monitoring. The longer-term playing-time concerns remain with Aaronson and Cremaschi, while Wright and Paredes continue losing valuable weeks to injury.
Spotlight Players
Sebastian Berhalter, Middlesbrough
This may have been Berhalter's best performance since moving to England.
The 25-year-old midfielder scored and assisted in Middlesbrough's 3-0 victory over Charlton on Saturday, helping the club maintain its position atop the Championship standings. More importantly, his contributions went well beyond the two scoring plays.
Berhalter opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Amario Cozier-Duberry created space down the right wing and pulled the ball back toward the edge of the penalty area. Berhalter had positioned himself perfectly to receive the pass and struck a low shot into the corner.
It wasn't an unstoppable strike, and Charlton goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo probably could have done better. However, Berhalter deserves credit for recognizing the space outside the box and getting himself into an excellent shooting position.
His assist before halftime was even better.
With Middlesbrough leading 1-0, Berhalter received the ball in midfield and slipped an excellent through ball between the Charlton defenders for Will Lankshear. The striker ran onto the pass and calmly lifted his finish over Okonkwo to double the advantage.
The pass demonstrated one of Berhalter's most valuable qualities. He recognized Lankshear's movement early and played the ball into space rather than forcing the striker to slow down and receive it at his feet.
Berhalter finished with six chances created, approximately 0.46 expected assists and 72 touches. Local reporter Joe Nicholson gave him a 9/10, one of the highest grades in Middlesbrough's convincing victory.
The six chances created are the most encouraging statistic. A long-range goal is nice, but creating that many opportunities suggests Berhalter was consistently finding ways to break down the opponent rather than simply benefiting from one spectacular moment.
Aidan Morris deserves plenty of credit as well.
The other American in Middlesbrough's midfield completed the full 90 minutes and finished with 102 touches, helping his team maintain control of possession and recover the ball when attacks broke down. Nicholson awarded Morris an 8/10.
The two Americans have complementary skill sets. Morris is particularly effective maintaining possession, protecting the middle of the field and providing an outlet when teammates face pressure. Berhalter has more freedom to advance into dangerous spaces, find attacking runners and contribute from set pieces.
That combination is working extremely well for Middlesbrough.
From a USMNT perspective, Berhalter's development is especially interesting because the national team has plenty of athletic midfielders but fewer players who consistently generate chances from central positions.
His ability to deliver dangerous set pieces was already established during his time in MLS. What he needs to demonstrate in England is that he can also influence games through his passing, movement and decision-making in open play.
Saturday was excellent evidence that he can.
Middlesbrough is pushing for promotion to the Premier League, and Berhalter is increasingly looking like an important part of that campaign. If he continues performing at this level, Mauricio Pochettino will have a difficult time keeping him out of the national-team midfield conversation.
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan
Apparently signing a five-year contract extension is a pretty good way to prepare for one of your club's biggest games of the season.
Pulisic agreed to a new contract with AC Milan through June 2031 on Friday, then celebrated by scoring the opening goal in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Inter.
The goal came after only four minutes and was an excellent example of how Pulisic has evolved as an attacking player.
Diego Moreira found space on the right wing and delivered a cross toward the far side of the six-yard box. Pulisic recognized the opportunity, moved into the area behind Inter's defenders and directed a header into the bottom corner.
Milan doubled the lead just six minutes later through Adrien Rabiot. Inter pulled one back in the 22nd minute, but Moreira restored the two-goal advantage with an outstanding free kick shortly before halftime.
Milan eventually held on comfortably enough to record its fourth consecutive derby victory over Inter.
Pulisic played approximately 82 minutes and received an 8/10 from Milan-focused journalist Isak Möller, who praised his positioning and ability to connect midfield possession to attacking opportunities. The American wasn't flawless on the ball, but his movement consistently gave Milan another option between Inter's midfield and defensive lines. He was consistently dropping back to link up Milan’s midfield to its attackers.
The difference from Milan's midweek 4-2 defeat against Bologna was significant.
Pulisic came off the bench in that game with Milan already struggling to establish meaningful attacking possession. He dropped deeper to receive the ball and attempted to generate something against a defense that had become increasingly comfortable protecting its lead. He also forced a save with a late header.
The performance wasn't poor, but there was only so much he could accomplish in a disjointed team performance.
For the USMNT, the best development is that Pulisic appears to be returning to his usual form after the injuries and fitness issues that disrupted his summer.
He has now scored three goals this season despite barely featuring during the opening month.
The American player pool is changing rapidly, but Pulisic remains its most accomplished attacking player.
Based on his recent performances, that isn't changing anytime soon.
Folarin Balogun, Monaco
Balogun finally has his first goal of the season, and the performance that produced it may have been more encouraging than the goal itself.
He came on at halftime Sunday with Monaco trailing Paris FC 2-0. Monaco had been thoroughly outplayed during the opening 45 minutes, struggling to create dangerous chances while Paris repeatedly found space behind its defense.
Manager Filipe Luís responded by changing the formation to a 3-4-3 and introducing Balogun in place of Paris Brunner. It was an aggressive adjustment designed to give Monaco more attacking options and a better chance of getting the ball into dangerous positions.
Balogun helped make the change worthwhile.
In the 66th minute, Vanderson found space to deliver a cross into the penalty area and Balogun moved into position to finish, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Seven minutes later, he nearly scored again.
This time he received the ball in the box, turned onto his left foot and got a shot on target, but goalkeeper Kevin Trapp made the save. Balogun continued looking for opportunities, missing a close-range header in the 87th minute and another effort during stoppage time.
Monaco eventually lost 3-1 after Paris FC scored its third goal in the 74th minute.
The result was disappointing, and Balogun probably should have done better with at least one of his later chances. Still, the overall attacking performance was positive. What stood out was how frequently he found dangerous positions.
Balogun wasn't simply standing between the center backs waiting for a perfect cross. He moved across the attacking line, attacked spaces near the six-yard box and made himself available as Monaco attempted to play more directly after halftime.
That is the sort of performance he needs to reproduce.
For much of his career, Balogun's biggest strength has been his ability to attack space behind defenders. He is fast, capable of finishing with either foot and comfortable receiving passes while running toward goal.
The challenge has been developing a more complete center-forward game, particularly against defenses that don't provide much room to run.
He needs to become more consistent with his movement inside the box, his timing on crosses and his ability to turn limited opportunities into goals.
Sunday offered some encouragement in those areas.
Of course, the larger situation at Monaco remains complicated. Balogun has struggled to establish himself as the unquestioned starting striker this season, and his transfer complications have allowed others to accumulate minutes in his absence.
One goal off the bench does not suddenly settle that competition, but it gives Filipe Luís a reason to increase his involvement, particularly after Monaco's initial attacking combination struggled so badly against Paris FC.
Adri Mehmeti, New York Red Bulls
The Red Bulls had a miserable week, but their 17-year-old midfielder is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Mehmeti recorded three MLS-credited assists across two games as New York suffered consecutive 3-2 defeats against New England and Nashville.
Against New England on Wednesday, the Red Bulls fell behind 2-0 before launching an impressive second-half comeback. Mehmeti helped create the first goal in the 51st minute, participating in the possession that eventually allowed Cade Cowell to cut the deficit in half.
He was involved again in the 64th minute when Julian Hall scored to make it 2-2.
Mehmeti helped set up both goals with key passes in the attacking sequence.
The two “MLS assists” also established a club record. At 17 years and 205 days old, Mehmeti became the youngest player in Red Bulls history to record multiple “assists” in a single MLS match.
Unfortunately, New England scored again in the 83rd minute and escaped with a 3-2 victory.
On Sunday in Nashville, Mehmeti delivered the most impressive individual attacking action of his week in the 34th minute.
Receiving the ball in central midfield, he recognized Julian Hall beginning a run between Nashville's defenders and played a perfectly weighted through ball into the striker's path. Hall collected the pass and finished into the bottom corner.
It was a fantastic example of the passing vision and quick decision-making that makes Mehmeti such an intriguing prospect. He didn't need to dribble through several defenders or launch a hopeful ball over the defense. He recognized the opening and delivered the pass before Nashville could close the space.
New York added another goal six minutes later and appeared headed toward an important victory. Instead, the Red Bulls conceded an own goal just before halftime, another in the 78th minute and then a stoppage-time winner from Sam Surridge.
The 3-2 defeat officially eliminated New York from the MLS playoffs.
For Mehmeti, however, the individual development continues to be extremely encouraging.
He has now recorded nine MLS-credited assists this season, including three in his last two games. He also surpassed 2,500 minutes, becoming the second-youngest player in league history to reach that milestone and the youngest since Freddy Adu in 2006.
That amount of responsibility at 17 is exceptional.
Mehmeti was also recently ranked third on MLS's annual 22 Under 22 list, behind only teammate Julian Hall and one Cavan Sullivan.
Premier League
Tyler Adams, Bournemouth
Adams had another productive week as Bournemouth won twice without conceding a goal.
He came off the bench in the 63rd minute of Wednesday's 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Aston Villa and provided an assist just six minutes later, finding Álvaro Rodríguez for Bournemouth's third goal.
He returned to the starting lineup Saturday and played the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 victory over Leeds.
The Leeds performance was more typical of what Bournemouth needs from Adams. He helped protect the middle of the field, close down opposing midfielders and recover possession when Leeds attempted to build through central areas.
Bournemouth finished with only 44 percent possession but created the better scoring opportunities.
That suits Adams' strengths. He is particularly effective when his team defends aggressively, wins the ball and attacks before the opposition can reorganize.
He also picked up a yellow card, but overall this was another positive week for a player whose biggest concern has been staying healthy.
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Richards played 180 minutes across two very different matches.
He started Wednesday's 1-0 Carabao Cup victory over Fulham and was heavily involved defensively as Palace spent much of the match protecting its penalty area. The American recorded approximately 12 clearances as Fulham dominated possession without finding a goal.
The weekend assignment was even more difficult.
Palace went down to ten men in the 13th minute against Tottenham after Jean-Philippe Mateta received a red card. Tottenham subsequently spent most of the afternoon attacking, generating 34 shots and 19 corners in a 2-0 victory.
Richards again accumulated a significant defensive workload, including approximately seven clearances.
There isn't much value in evaluating that performance like an ordinary game. Palace's early red card forced its defenders into a prolonged battle to protect the box, and Tottenham eventually overwhelmed them.
Richards continues to be a dependable starter, although Palace's poor results are making it difficult for any of its defenders to build positive momentum.
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Robinson completed two full matches, continuing his encouraging return to regular playing time.
Fulham lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup despite dominating possession, then earned a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
The Villa performance was considerably better individually.
West London Sport gave Robinson an 8/10, praising his defensive contribution and willingness to advance down the left wing.
That is particularly encouraging after the injury problems that interrupted his season.
Robinson's most valuable qualities remain his speed, endurance and ability to provide attacking width without consistently leaving his defensive position exposed.
He still needs to rediscover his best final-third production, but the physical side of his game appears to be returning.
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
Aaronson was back on the bench Saturday after starting against Sunderland the previous weekend.
He entered in the 84th minute with Leeds trailing Bournemouth 1-0 but had little opportunity to influence the match before Bournemouth added another goal in stoppage time.
The more concerning development is his place in the rotation.
Aaronson received extremely poor local reviews after the Sunderland game, and his return to the bench suggests he has not done enough to secure a starting position.
His movement and ability to press remain useful, but he needs to become a more consistent attacking threat.
Simply connecting passes and working hard defensively isn't going to be enough to establish himself as a Premier League starter.
Zavier Gozo, Crystal Palace
Gozo was included on Palace's bench for the Carabao Cup victory over Fulham but did not enter the match.
He was not in the senior squad for Saturday's defeat against Tottenham.
The cup inclusion was a positive sign that he remains close to first-team consideration, but he has yet to establish a regular place in the rotation.
Gozo's attacking upside remains extremely intriguing, particularly his ability to attack defenders directly and carry the ball into dangerous areas.
He needs senior minutes to continue that development, though, and those opportunities have been limited since his summer move from Real Salt Lake.
Championship
Aidan Morris, Middlesbrough
Morris deserves plenty of credit for Middlesbrough's continued success.
While Berhalter supplied the spectacular moments against Charlton, Morris helped establish the midfield control that allowed the attacking players to operate in dangerous positions.
He finished with 102 touches, won six duels and contributed approximately ten defensive interventions.
Local coverage awarded him an 8/10.
Morris has developed into an extremely dependable midfielder who can win possession, move the ball efficiently and provide defensive balance.
His partnership with Berhalter is becoming one of the more interesting American midfield combinations in Europe.
Jack McGlynn, Stoke City
McGlynn matched Berhalter's goal and assist in Stoke's 2-0 victory over Preston on Saturday.
Playing from the right side of Stoke's attack, the American demonstrated the passing and shooting qualities that have made him such an intriguing prospect for several years.
McGlynn is particularly dangerous because defenders have to respect his ability to shoot with his left foot while also accounting for passes into the penalty area.
That gives him opportunities to move inside from the wing and create dangerous angles that a conventional wide player might not recognize.
The important development is that his creativity is increasingly producing tangible results in a competitive league.
McGlynn still needs to demonstrate he can handle the defensive responsibilities and physical challenges of higher-level soccer, but his attacking quality is becoming difficult to overlook.
La Liga
Johnny Cardoso, Atlético Madrid
Cardoso remains sidelined with a thigh injury and missed Atlético's weekend match against Levante.
The injury interrupted what had become one of the more encouraging developments in the American player pool.
After struggling to establish himself following last season's ankle surgery, Cardoso had begun earning regular starts and positive reviews from Spanish coverage.
He was demonstrating the positional discipline, passing and ability to operate under pressure that made him such a promising addition to Atlético in the first place.
Unfortunately, he now faces another setback.
The club has not established a definitive return date, so there is no reason to speculate about how much time he will miss.
Alex Freeman, Villarreal
Freeman's week was relatively quiet after his excellent performance against Valencia the previous weekend.
He started Tuesday's 5-0 Copa del Rey victory over Manacor but was replaced at halftime.
Given the level of opposition and the comfortable score, it is difficult to draw much of a conclusion from the substitution.
He then played only ten minutes Friday as Villarreal lost 1-0 to Espanyol.
Freeman attempted to advance aggressively in his limited appearance but was unable to produce a dangerous final ball.
The larger trend remains positive. He has gone from barely playing in August to becoming a legitimate rotation option for a Champions League club.
However, the recent performances also demonstrate that he is still developing consistency in his attacking decisions, particularly when used away from his preferred right-back position.
Serie A
Yunus Musah, AC Milan
Musah experienced one of the more dramatic performance swings of the week.
He started Wednesday's 4-2 defeat against Bologna and struggled badly, contributing a dangerous giveaway before the opening goal.
Things became even more difficult after Fikayo Tomori was injured and Rúben Amorim shifted Musah from central midfield to right back.
That move exposed several of Musah's weaknesses, particularly his positioning and defensive awareness when operating as a conventional fullback.
Milan-focused journalist Isak Möller gave him a 5/10.
Then came the derby against Inter.
Back in central midfield, Musah looked like a completely different player.
He was more composed receiving possession, used his athleticism to escape pressure and helped Milan move through the middle of the field.
He also drew the free kick that Diego Moreira converted for Milan's third goal.
Möller awarded him a 7/10, reflecting a substantially better performance.
The contrast reinforces an increasingly obvious conclusion about Musah.
He is most valuable when operating centrally, where he can use his speed, strength and dribbling ability to escape pressure and move the ball forward.
He is much less comfortable when asked to defend in a more rigid positional role.
The USMNT needs to evaluate him accordingly.
Weston McKennie, Juventus
McKennie played the full 90 minutes Wednesday as Juventus lost 2-0 to Genoa, then started again Sunday against Napoli.
Unfortunately, he left the Napoli match at halftime after experiencing adductor discomfort.
There has not been a confirmed diagnosis or recovery timetable, so the severity remains uncertain.
The performances themselves were relatively unremarkable. Juventus struggled collectively against Genoa, and McKennie wasn't able to provide the attacking influence he demonstrated against Lecce the previous week.
He remains an important part of Luciano Spalletti's plans, but his immediate availability is now the bigger concern.
Benjamin Cremaschi, Parma
Cremaschi was an unused substitute in Parma's 0-0 draw against Udinese.
The frustrating part is that Parma wasn't particularly effective offensively, yet the manager still didn't turn to the young American.
Cremaschi has shown enough technical ability to remain an interesting prospect, but his current situation is becoming difficult to defend.
He needs consistent senior minutes, and right now he simply isn't getting them.
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
Busio finally returned to competitive action after missing several weeks with a hamstring injury.
He came off the bench against Inter on Wednesday, playing approximately 29 minutes, then started Sunday's match against Como and played another 55.
That progression is an encouraging sign.
Busio had become one of Venezia's most important midfielders before the injury, helping control possession and connect the team's buildup to its attackers.
His next challenge is rebuilding match fitness and reclaiming that influence.
Simply getting back into the starting lineup is a good first step.
Bundesliga
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Scally continued his increasingly adventurous attacking play across two matches.
He assisted Robin Hack's opening goal in Tuesday's 2-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Karlsruhe, then contributed significant defensive work after Gladbach was reduced to ten men before halftime.
Saturday's 0-0 draw against Paderborn was even more interesting.
Scally appeared to score in the 35th minute, but VAR overturned the goal because he impeded goalkeeper Nahuel Noll near the goal line.
The decision was justified, even if it was disappointing for Scally.
He nearly scored again later when Shuto Machino played him through, but Noll made an excellent save.
The encouraging development is how frequently Scally is arriving in dangerous attacking positions.
For much of his career, he has been evaluated primarily as a dependable defensive fullback. He is now demonstrating a willingness to attack the penalty area and contribute more substantially to the offense.
His decision-making in those areas still needs refinement, but the development is positive.
Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman had another relatively quiet week.
He started Leverkusen's 5-2 DFB-Pokal victory over Nürnberg but was replaced at halftime after struggling to influence the first half.
He subsequently played only about 15 minutes against Stuttgart in the Bundesliga.
The concern is not that Tillman has suddenly lost his attacking ability. He remains extremely effective when receiving between the lines, combining with teammates and making late runs toward goal.
The issue is that he hasn't consistently earned enough playing time to demonstrate those qualities.
His place in Leverkusen's rotation remains unsettled.
Cole Campbell, SV Elversberg
Campbell scored again Friday as Elversberg defeated Mainz 4-1.
The American had started Tuesday's cup defeat against Darmstadt, playing approximately 77 minutes without producing a decisive attacking contribution.
Against Mainz, he came off the bench for the final 13 minutes and found the net.
It was an encouraging response after the injury interruption that affected his recent playing time.
Campbell has demonstrated enough attacking ability to be a useful Bundesliga player, particularly when he can receive the ball facing defenders and attack space directly.
The challenge is turning those productive cameos into more consistent starting opportunities.
Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund
Albert was an unused substitute in Dortmund's DFB-Pokal victory over Werder Bremen and did not make a verified senior appearance against Bayern Munich.
He remains close to the first-team rotation, which is encouraging for a teenager at a club of Dortmund's stature.
However, the next important developmental step is earning consistent competitive minutes rather than simply appearing on the bench.
His talent is obvious, but at some point that needs to turn into meaningful senior production.
Lennard Maloney, Mainz
Maloney was unused in Mainz's cup match against Bochum before receiving approximately 27 minutes in the 4-1 defeat against Elversberg.
He entered after Mainz had already fallen well behind, so there wasn't much opportunity to change the result.
The larger situation remains concerning.
Maloney hasn't established a meaningful role in Mainz's midfield, and sporadic substitute appearances are unlikely to improve his USMNT prospects significantly.
Ligue 1
Tim Weah, Marseille
Weah completed another full match Sunday as Marseille defeated Toulouse 2-0.
The American continues to be an important part of Marseille's wide attacking structure, providing speed and direct running while also taking on significant defensive responsibilities.
The performance was not particularly spectacular offensively, but the clean sheet was welcome after several recent matches in which Marseille struggled defensively.
Weah's attacking production has improved over the past few weeks.
The next challenge is combining that threat with more reliable defensive positioning, particularly when he is asked to operate in a role that resembles a wingback.
Tanner Tessmann, Lyon
Tessmann received two starts this week, against PSG and Angers, with Lyon finishing the weekend with a 2-0 victory.
The continued involvement was encouraging after his difficult Europa League performance against Hoffenheim the previous week.
Tessmann remains useful because of his size, positional discipline and passing range.
However, the recurring criticism from French coverage has been his ability to receive and distribute the ball quickly when opponents press aggressively.
Those concerns cannot be dismissed simply because Lyon won.
He needs to demonstrate that he can consistently help a team advance possession against stronger opposition.
Gio Reyna, Strasbourg
Reyna started again Sunday as Strasbourg defeated Auxerre 5-1.
The American played approximately 66 minutes, completing 23 of 26 passes without registering a goal or assist.
It was a relatively quiet individual performance in a convincing team victory.
Reyna continues to receive opportunities in different attacking positions, although his best work still appears to come when he can operate centrally and receive between the lines.
The positive remains his availability.
After years of injuries and inconsistent club minutes, Reyna is regularly getting onto the field and building rhythm.
However, the next stage of his development needs to involve more consistent attacking influence, not simply remaining healthy enough to play.
Mark McKenzie, Toulouse
McKenzie started and played approximately 90 minutes in Toulouse's 2-0 defeat against Marseille.
It was a difficult defensive assignment against a team with several dangerous attacking options.
Toulouse struggled to establish sustained attacking possession, leaving its defenders with substantial responsibility protecting space and attempting to advance the ball under pressure.
McKenzie has demonstrated enough quality this season to remain an interesting national-team option, but this result didn't provide much evidence of further progress.
Bryan Reynolds, Rennes
Reynolds came off the bench at halftime Friday as Rennes lost 5-2 to Nice.
The American entered as part of a substantial tactical reshuffle after Rennes struggled badly during the opening 45 minutes.
Unfortunately, the changes did little to solve the team's defensive problems.
Reynolds continues to offer attacking ability from the right side, particularly when allowed to play as a wingback.
However, his defensive decision-making remains inconsistent, and Rennes' recent performances have provided several examples of why that matters.
He is getting opportunities, but he needs to turn them into more reliable performances.
Eredivisie
Sergiño Dest, PSV
Dest was involved in one of the more interesting tactical developments of the week as PSV demolished Willem II 7-0.
Manager Peter Bosz deliberately pushed Dest farther forward, using Lutsharel Geertruida behind him to provide additional defensive stability.
This wasn't simply the normal situation where Dest occasionally overlapped from right back. PSV intentionally used him higher up the field to create width and stretch the defense.
The move worked extremely well.
Dest provided an assist for Sven Mijnans in the 50th minute and was involved in several additional attacking opportunities.
Bosz subsequently explained that the adjustment was designed to make PSV's attacking structure more dangerous.
Ricardo Pepi, PSV
Pepi finally returned from injury Saturday and immediately reminded PSV what it had been missing.
The American entered in the 60th minute against Willem II and scored just 13 minutes later, heading home PSV's fifth goal in an eventual 7-0 victory.
His manager seemed particularly happy to have him back.
Bosz explained after the match that PSV had been creating plenty of chances without a natural striker but sometimes struggled to convert them.
Pepi provides the penalty-area movement and finishing instincts that make those opportunities more dangerous.
That is an encouraging endorsement, especially after the injury that interrupted his season in September.
The next step is gradually increasing his minutes and demonstrating he can remain productive once he returns to the starting lineup.
With Balogun also scoring this weekend, the competition for the USMNT striker position is starting to become interesting again.
Video sources: CBS Sports Golazo — Milan vs. Inter; EFL — Middlesbrough vs. Charlton; beIN SPORTS — Monaco vs. Paris FC; Stoke City — Preston; Red Bull New York — New England; MLS — Nashville vs. New York Red Bulls.