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Manchester City win the Premier League 2023/24 season - 1st ever team to win 4 PL titles in a row

West Ham United 2-0 Manchester United - MATCH REPORT

West Ham scored twice in six minutes to condemn Manchester United to an eighth Premier League defeat of the season at the London Stadium.

It took 72 minutes of a drab encounter for West Ham to find the opener when Lucas Paqueta lifted the ball into Jarrod Bowen's path and the Hammers' top scorer this season bundled past Andre Onana.

Mohammed Kudus, who has scored in his last three home games for West Ham, latched onto Kobbie Mainoo's defensive error to drill into the bottom corner and double the home side's lead.

Manchester United have won just one match out of their last five in the top flight and Erik ten Hag's side have lost more games than they have won this season across all competitions.

As a result West Ham leapfrog them into sixth place in the table as United drop to eighth.

Bowen said that the Irons want to be in the "top six, minimum", while manager David Moyes said it was "amazing" to be in the top six going into Christmas.

"We want to be [in the top six]," Bowen told Match of the Day.

"But I think you look at the top 10 and it's probably the most open it's ever been with teams coming in - Aston Villa, even they're in the top four, Brighton and Chelsea are top sides.

"All we can do is win our games but we want to be in that top six minimum, for sure."

Manchester United host unexpected title-challengers Aston Villa on Boxing Day while West Ham travel to Arsenal on Thursday 28 December.

Source: BBC
 
Luton Town 1-0 Newcastle United - MATCH REPORT

Luton lived up to their pledge of making it "a special day" for convalescing captain Tom Lockyer by beating Newcastle United at an emotionally charged Kenilworth Road.

Andros Townsend headed home the Hatters' winner against his former club in Luton's first Premier League game since Lockyer's collapse at Bournemouth seven days earlier.

Townsend held up Lockyer's number four shirt in celebration after the goal - one of a number of tributes paid by Luton players and fans to their stricken skipper before, during and after the game.

Only the woodwork denied Luton a more straightforward victory as Ross Barkley struck the bar with a 35-yard thunderbolt and Jacob Brown also hit the frame of the goal from closer in.

Newcastle mounted increasing second-half pressure as Alexander Isak had an equaliser ruled out for a marginal offside while Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon also went close.

However, they slipped to a fourth successive away league defeat to stay seventh while Luton remain 18th but move within two points of safety and have a game in hand on Nottingham Forest, the side directly above them.

Source: BBC
 
Nottingham Forest 2-3 AFC Bournemouth - MATCH REPORT

Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke scored in injury time to complete a hat-trick and hand Nuno Espirito Santo a defeat in his first game in charge of Nottingham Forest.

The former Wolves and Tottenham manager was appointed on Wednesday following the departure of Steve Cooper, was who sacked after the club's fifth defeat in six games.

Forest looked set to avoid another defeat when Chris Wood netted an equaliser in the 74th minute, but Solanke had the final say at the City Ground, scoring in the fourth minute of stoppage time for Bournemouth's third win in a row.

Source: BBC
 
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Everton - MATCH REPORT

Tottenham Hotspur moved into the Premier League top four after beating Everton in a thrilling encounter.

Richarlison opened the scoring against his former club with his fourth goal in three matches, before Son Heung-min doubled Spurs' advantage.

Everton deservedly pulled a goal back through Andre Gomes, in his first Premier League game since May 2022.

But Spurs move above Manchester City - absent from league action due to the Club World Cup - into fourth.

Defeat for Everton ended a four match winning run and leaves then just four points above the relegation zone.

Brazilian Richarlison put the hosts ahead after just nine minutes, slotting in Brennan Johnson's low cross at the near post.

Son doubled Spurs' advantage soon after, with Johnson again providing a key supporting role. The Wales international picked the ball up from a short corner and fired in a powerful drive which Everton keeper Jordan Pickford palmed away.

It fell to Son, who slid the ball home with Pickford caught in a crowd of players and unable to intervene.

Everton showed plenty of attacking intent in an entertaining match, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored five minutes after half-time - only for the video assistant referee to disallow the goal following a foul by Gomes on Emerson Royal in the build-up.

Gomes, who spent last season on loan at Lille before suffering a calf injury, made some amends with a fine volleyed strike on 82 minutes to set up a grandstand finish, but Spurs held on.

Source: BBC
 
Fulham 0-2 Burnley - MATCH REPORT

Wilson Odobert's stunning goal helped Burnley climb off the bottom of the table as victory at Fulham secured their third Premier League win of the season.

French winger Odobert curled the ball home in style two minutes into the second half to put the Clarets ahead.

Sander Berge then arrowed in a second for Vincent Kompany's side with a low strike into the corner of the net.

Fulham were left to rue missed chances as Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford kept the home side at bay.

The match was refereed by Rebecca Welch, who became the first woman to take charge of a Premier League game.

Burnley's Trafford was comfortably the busier of the two goalkeepers throughout, and he made two vital saves in the first half with the scoreline goalless.

The England Under-21 international did well to keep out Harry Wilson's effort at the near post after a jinking run and pushed a deflected Alex Iwobi shot wide of the post.

A scramble in the box shortly before half-time saw also Iwobi shoot at goal but Zeki Amdouni managed to block.

Burnley began the second half on the front foot and their early endeavour was rewarded with a fine opening goal.

Odobert exchanged a neat one-two with Lyle Foster and then opened up his body to spectacularly curl the ball beyond the diving Bernd Leno.

From there Burnley had a spring in their step and Norway midfielder Berge, allowed freedom by a Fulham defence in retreat, fired in a second from the edge of the box.

Fulham piled on the pressure but could not find a way past Trafford, who saved well from Timothy Castagne late on.

The result helped Burnley, bottom at kick-off, leapfrog Sheffield United up to 19th place - four points adrift of safety, as Fulham slipped down to 12th.

Source: BBC
 
Seven matches unbeaten at home

Wolves move up 11th and go level on points with Chelsea after the win

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FearlessRoar said:
Seven matches unbeaten at home

Wolves move up 11th and go level on points with Chelsea after the win

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Chelsea suffered a Christmas Eve to forget as Wolves condemned Mauricio Pochettino's men to an eighth Premier League defeat of a tepid campaign.

Second-half goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty secured victory for the hosts, who recorded successive league wins against Chelsea for the first time in nearly half a century.

Substitute Christopher Nkunku headed home in injury time on his Premier League debut but it was not enough to salvage a point for the Blues.

This was another day when Chelsea's failings in attack came back to haunt them.

Nicolas Jackson's contribution was so underwhelming his exit 10 minutes from time was cheered by the Chelsea fans.

The result leaves Chelsea 10th, seven points off qualification for the Europa Conference League, which, even at this stage, looks the best the Londoners can hope for.

Wolves are now level on points with the Blues after a battling display from Gary O'Neil's men, although the victory came at a price as experienced defender Craig Dawson limped off during the second half with what appeared to be a serious injury.

Nkunku provides some hope for Chelsea​

If Chelsea are to make up their deficit on the Premier League's contenders for European places over the second half of the season, they need to become more clinical in front of goal.

France international Nkunku's first Chelsea goal showed what he can deliver, guiding Raheem Sterling's deep cross into the corner of the net after being afforded only minimal space by Wolves skipper Maximilian Kilman.

Pochettino has cautioned about expecting too much from Nkunku, 26, who was making his Premier League debut as a second-half substitute after recovering from a knee injury sustained in pre-season.

However, the former RB Leipzig man has the potential to be a gamechanger for the Blues after their struggles over the first half of the campaign, which were clearly on display in the first half of this particular match.

Chelsea should have gone in ahead at the break, but first Jackson allowed Sterling's astute far-post chip to roll under his foot when the move was begging for a control and first-time finish.

Then Sterling, who had responded to the first failed effort with a spin of obvious frustration, raced through on the Wolves goal after nicking the ball off Joao Gomes 40 yards out, but fired straight at Jose Sa.

In the second period, by which time Chelsea had fallen behind, Jackson found himself with a clear sight of goal but could not sort his feet out and lost his balance before he could manage a shot.

Jackson now has more yellow cards than Premier League goals and the reception he received from his own fans as he left the field will not do much for his confidence.

Cole Palmer will not be available for the 27 December encounter with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge after he picked up his fifth booking for needlessly kicking the ball away, with Sterling also suspended.

Wonderful Wolves​

Wolves have their own striking concerns, which manager O'Neil will try to address in next month's transfer window.

It is understood he is willing to let £35m signing Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic leave Molineux to create space for new arrivals.

Long-serving full-back Jonny Otto is also expected to exit following a major fall-out behind the scenes.

Yet, given the late stage at which he replaced Julen Lopetegui, amid disgruntlement with the Wolves' hierarchy, O'Neil can be delighted with the way his players have responded - and the backing he has received from the stands.

A packed Molineux for the first Christmas Eve Premier League fixture since 1995 was in a frenzy by the final whistle, after Lemina had headed an opener after the break.

They thought victory had been assured when Doherty pounced on the loose ball after Axel Disasi had merely stopped rather than cleared Hwang Hee-chan's cross to double the lead.

Wolves now have an identical win, draw, loss record to Chelsea and only trail the Londoners on goal difference. Their assessment of that situation will be far more positive than their opponents.
 
Premier League at Christmas: What can we read into how the table looks on 25 December?

Arsenal are top of the Premier League at Christmas for a fourth time - but history does not suggest the Gunners should be celebrating too soon.

They led the table on 25 December in 2002, 2007 and 2022 - and did not win the title on any occasion.

Going back to the pre-Premier League era, the past six times Arsenal have been top at this stage they have failed to win the league. The last time they managed it was 1947-48.

Only in two of the past five seasons has the team top at Christmas won the title - Liverpool in 2019-20 and Manchester City in 2021-22.

It had happened in eight of the nine seasons before that, though.

How every team who were top at Christmas fared...
Times top at Christmas Titles won in those seasons
Man Utd 7 5 (71%)
Liverpool 6 1 (17%)
Chelsea 5 5 (100%)
Man City 3 3 (100%)
Arsenal 3 0 (0%)
Newcastle 2 0 (0%)
Blackburn 1 1 (100%)
Leicester 1 1 (100%)
Norwich 1 0 (0%)
Aston Villa 1 0 (0%)
Leeds 1 0 (0%)
Who does history tell us can still win the title?
A little over half the time - 16 out of 31 - the team top at Christmas won the title, which means 15 times someone else climbed the table to finish top.

There is even hope for Manchester United, with Manchester City coming from eighth place in 2020-21 to win the title.

On two other occasions have a team been outside the top four at Christmas and gone on to be champions - Manchester United, fifth in 1996-97, and Arsenal, sixth the following season. Fifth-placed Manchester City have work to do if they are to win a fourth consecutive title.

What about relegation?
History suggests there is still hope for bottom club Sheffield United - a 13% chance anyway. Four teams have been bottom at Christmas and stayed up - West Bromwich Albion (2004-05), Sunderland (2013-14), Leicester (2014-15) and Wolves (2022-23).

Most pundits are tipping bottom three Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United to go down - but there have only been three seasons where the relegation zone has been the same on 25 December and the final day.

They are 2001-02 (Derby, Leicester, Ipswich), 2012-13 (Wigan, QPR, Reading) and 2020-21 (Fulham, West Brom, Sheffield United).

Teams in the top half cannot get too complacent yet, though.

Two teams have been in the top 10 at Christmas and gone down - Norwich, who were seventh in 1994-95, and Blackpool, who were 10th in 2010-11.

Source : BBC
 
Chris Wood scored a hat-trick on his return to St James' Park as Nottingham Forest ended a seven-game winless run with a stunning Premier League victory at Newcastle.

The result moves Forest up to 16th in the table and five points clear of the bottom three prior to Tuesday's other fixtures.

Alexander Isak had seemingly put Eddie Howe's side in control when he stroked home a penalty midway through the first half after going down under a challenge from Ola Aina.

But Newcastle only sporadically threatened in attack and always looked vulnerable to a rejigged Forest side set up to counter-attack at pace.

Morgan Gibbs-White dragged an early effort wide for the visitors, while Anthony Elanga missed two excellent opportunities before combining with the former England Under-21 midfielder to allow Wood to tap in a deserved equaliser against his old employers before the break.

Wood, who was Howe's second signing on Tyneside, added to his tally shortly after the interval, racing on to Elanga's pass and shimmying past home defender Dan Burn to lift the ball over goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

He capped a fine display with another composed finish after Murillo's through ball sent him clear of an absent Newcastle defence.

Elanga and Gibbs-White both had chances to inflict further damage on the hosts, who remain seventh in the table after their fourth defeat in five Premier League games.

Wood and Gibbs-White star for revitalised Forest
Steve Cooper was sacked as Forest manager a week ago after presiding over a run of just one win in 13 top-flight games.

On this evidence, replacement Nuno Espirito Santo appears to have already begun to implement his own ideas to deliver some Christmas cheer to the City Ground.

Having made six changes to the starting XI that lost against Bournemouth on Saturday, he was rewarded by a purposeful display that saw Forest repeatedly cut through the visiting defence with some incisive counter-attacking.

Wood's sharpness in front of goal belied the fact he was only starting his fifth league game of the season, having largely been utilised as a substitute by Cooper.

While the New Zealand striker will rightly take the plaudits for his match-winning contribution, others in red also excelled.

Forest captain Gibbs-White, who got the better of Bruno Guimaraes in midfield, could also arguably lay claim to being the game's outstanding player and ought really to have capped a fine display with a couple of goals.

And aside from some wasteful finishing and a poor decision not to slide another first-half pass across to Wood, Elanga provided an excellent outlet for Forest on the right.

Source : BBC Sports
 
Sheffield United vs Luton Town Match Report
​

Bottom club Sheffield United suffered a demoralising home defeat as Luton Town snatched victory in an extraordinary Premier League game at Bramall Lane.

A howler by Wes Foderingham gifted Luton the lead when Alfie Doughty's 17th-minute attempt slipped through the keeper's legs and into the net.

The Blades thought they had turned it around after the interval, Oli McBurnie equalising after Sam Allison - the first black referee to take charge of an English top-flight match for 15 years - played a smart advantage when James McAtee appeared to have been fouled.

With fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest winning earlier at Newcastle, the Blades - who are at Manchester City on Saturday (15:00 GMT) - needed all three points and captain Anel Ahmedhodzic fired them in front from close range after Luton failed to clear.

But two own goals in the space of four minutes - first a flicked header by Jack Robinson and then by substitute Anis Ben Slimane - allowed Luton to seal back-to-back Premier League wins after their 1-0 victory over Newcastle last Saturday.

Sheffield United will wonder how they let this lead slip after producing a stirring fightback in the second half - only to throw it all away.

They have reached the halfway stage of the season with just nine points on the board - and are seven points adrift of safety.

In addition, boss Chris Wilder now has the job of lifting his players after this highly damaging defeat.

The Blades did all the hard work by scoring twice in quick succession, Ahmedhodzic sparking wild scenes among home fans after he gave his side a 69th-minute lead.

But in a chaotic match the hosts somehow gifted Luton all three points, despite the visitors not having a shot after the 67th minute.

Luton's players celebrated in front of their own fans after an enormous win that strengthened their hopes of climbing out of trouble.

The Hatters remain in the bottom three but this win leaves them one point from safety, with out-of-sorts Chelsea the visitors to Kenilworth Road on Saturday (12:30 GMT) as they hunt a third successive league win.

After the trauma of captain Tom Lockyer having a cardiac arrest on the pitch at Bournemouth, Luton have shown incredible spirit to secure six points from their past two games which could be crucial to securing their Premier League future.

They looked down and out on Boxing Day after falling 2-1 behind but somehow emerged with a win from a remarkable encounter.

Carlton Morris came off the bench and orchestrated the turnaround, with first Robinson and then Ben Slimane putting through their own net to leave the Blades bereft.
 
AFC Bournemouth vs Fulham Match Report
​

Dominic Solanke continued his fine scoring form as Bournemouth beat Fulham to earn a fourth Premier League win in a row.

The Cherries went in front at the end of a scrappy first half when Justin Kluivert's shot squirmed under Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno after a brilliant mazy run from Alex Scott to create the chance.

Solanke doubled the advantage from the penalty spot just past the hour mark, sending Leno the wrong way for his 12th league goal of the season after Antoine Semenyo was bundled over by Joao Palhinha.

It was the striker's fifth goal in his last three matches, while the penalty was Bournemouth's first in 65 games, ending a stretch of 609 days without a spot-kick.

Substitute Luis Sinisterra wrapped it up for Bournemouth with a stunner in stoppage time. The winger cut in from the left before firing an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner from 25 yards.

Fulham had rarely looked like getting back into the game and, to make matters worse after a third straight league loss without scoring, Leno could find himself in trouble after pushing a ball boy who he felt was taking too long to return the ball for a goal-kick.

The 31-year-old German apologised to the youngster for the gentle shove at the next break in play but was booed by home fans for the rest of the match.

Victory takes Bournemouth above Chelsea and into the top half, while Fulham stay 13th.

This was a hugely disappointing afternoon for Marco Silva's visitors and it could yet end up costing them their goalkeeper for a time.

With Fulham trailing 2-0, Leno grew frustrated at what he deemed to be time-wasting from the ball boy and proceeded to snatch the ball from him and then put his palm into his chest.

"Bernd Leno is out of order," former Everton striker Kevin Campbell told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He shouldn't put his hand on the ball boy. The ball boys are told, if their team is winning, slow the game down. We all know this.

"Just go and grab the ball, you don't need to put your hand on his chest."

Leno had already been booked and his actions led to a furious reaction from the crowd, who voiced their disapproval every time he touched the ball from that moment on.

The goalkeeper later said sorry, first to the ball boy and then to the crowd, but he will have to wait to see if he faces any punishment for his actions.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola watched the game from the stands as he served a one-match touchline ban and saw his side struggle for rhythm early on.

Both sides were sloppy in possession, but after half an hour the hosts began to settle. Once Kluivert put them in front a minute before the break, they were never in danger of dropping points.

Fulham had more possession in the second half but Bournemouth were able to keep them at arm's length and without ever being at their best in possession, they were always comfortable.

Solanke confidently put away the penalty to give them a cushion and by the time Sinisterra rifled in the third, the victory had looked safe for some time.

The Cherries' unbeaten run extends to seven top-flight games, six of them bringing wins, and they can head into their next two league fixtures against Tottenham and Liverpool filled with optimism.
 
HT: Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

Liverpool have had 61 attempts on goal across their last two and a half Premier League games so far and have only scored twice.

34 against Manchester United, 13 v Arsenal, 14 and counting tonight at Burnley.

They have also hit the woodwork 13 times in the Premier League this season, at least two more times than any other side.
 
Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest Match Report
​

Chris Wood scored a hat-trick on his return to St James' Park as Nottingham Forest ended a seven-game winless run with a stunning Premier League victory at Newcastle.

The result moves Forest up to 16th in the table and five points clear of the bottom three prior to Tuesday's other fixtures.

Alexander Isak had seemingly put Eddie Howe's side in control when he stroked home a penalty midway through the first half after going down under a challenge from Ola Aina.

But Newcastle only sporadically threatened in attack and always looked vulnerable to a rejigged Forest side set up to counter-attack at pace.

Morgan Gibbs-White dragged an early effort wide for the visitors, while Anthony Elanga missed two excellent opportunities before combining with the former England Under-21 midfielder to allow Wood to tap in a deserved equaliser against his old employers before the break.

Wood, who was Howe's second signing on Tyneside, added to his tally shortly after the interval, racing on to Elanga's pass and shimmying past home defender Dan Burn to lift the ball over goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

He capped a fine display with another composed finish after Murillo's through ball sent him clear of an absent Newcastle defence.

Elanga and Gibbs-White both had chances to inflict further damage on the hosts, who remain seventh in the table after their fourth defeat in five Premier League games.

Steve Cooper was sacked as Forest manager a week ago after presiding over a run of just one win in 13 top-flight games.

On this evidence, replacement Nuno Espirito Santo appears to have already begun to implement his own ideas to deliver some Christmas cheer to the City Ground.

Having made six changes to the starting XI that lost against Bournemouth on Saturday, he was rewarded by a purposeful display that saw Forest repeatedly cut through the visiting defence with some incisive counter-attacking.

Wood's sharpness in front of goal belied the fact he was only starting his fifth league game of the season, having largely been utilised as a substitute by Cooper.

While the New Zealand striker will rightly take the plaudits for his match-winning contribution, others in red also excelled.

Forest captain Gibbs-White, who got the better of Bruno Guimaraes in midfield, could also arguably lay claim to being the game's outstanding player and ought really to have capped a fine display with a couple of goals.

And aside from some wasteful finishing and a poor decision not to slide another first-half pass across to Wood, Elanga provided an excellent outlet for Forest on the right.

While Newcastle came into this contest amid a poor run of their own, there was still an expectation that they would stretch their impressive home record to eight consecutive top-flight victories.

When Aina's slight contact on the calf of Isak gave them a first-half penalty, which was duly dispatched, they were seemingly on their way.

However, the Swede struggled after that, heading a decent chance straight at Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner and also scuffing a low close-range effort in the second period that the United States international kept out with some help from Moussa Niakhate, who blocked Anthony Gordon's follow-up attempt.

What would have displeased Howe the most was the way his side were repeatedly picked off on the break, as they fell to their first home defeat against Forest in the top tier since October 1988.
 
Burnley vs Liverpool Match Report​


Liverpool signalled their title ambitions by going top of the Premier League thanks to a hard-fought victory at relegation-threatened Burnley.

Jurgen Klopp's side have only been beaten once so far this season and went two points clear of Arsenal at the summit despite some wastefulness in front of goal.

The Reds got the perfect start by netting after just six minutes as Darwin Nunez guided in a lovely finish from the edge of the box to end a run of 12 club games without a goal.

The impressive James Trafford was kept busy in the Burnley goal and had already smothered Harvey Elliott's low drive before making a stunning fingertip stop to deny Mohamed Salah.

The wave of attacks from the Reds was unrelenting and Cody Gakpo had a goal disallowed for Nunez's foul on Charlie Taylor, while Salah rattled the crossbar - all before half-time.

Elliott also had an effort chalked off for Salah interfering with play in a offside position, but the visitors did finally get their second when Diogo Jota smacked home in the final minute.

Burnley, meanwhile, failed to work Alisson into a single save and are in deep trouble in the bottom three, now fives points adrift of safety.

Aston Villa will go level on points with Liverpool if they beat Manchester United later on Tuesday (20:00 GMT kick-off), while Arsenal can regain top spot with success over West Ham on Thursday.

Liverpool are top of the pile approaching the end of the year, but what should have been a canter to victory turned out to be a triumph that had to be grinded out.

Klopp's men had a total of 19 shots and worked Trafford into eight saves, hitting the woodwork once and having two goals disallowed.

But they have shown a formidable resilience so far this term and Nunez's early strike with his eighth goal of the season and Jota's well-taken finish late on secured maximum points.

The Reds should have been out of sight in the first half but Trafford made a string of saves, including to keep out low efforts from Wataru Endo and Salah.

The Egypt international came inches away from adding to his 12 league goals this term but smashed the top of the bar when through on goal, and was also judged to be offside after referee Paul Tierney consulted the pitchside monitor after Elliott's first-time finish.

Liverpool may also feel aggrieved that VAR did not allow Gakpo's thunderous effort to stand in the first half, but it did not matter in a contest they dominated from start to finish.

They have won their last seven games on 26 December and also continued their excellent form on the road, now scoring in their last 14 successive away games.

Burnley won the Championship last season with 101 points but have had little joy in the Premier League and are staring at an immediate return to the second tier.

Above them, Luton and Nottingham Forest both won earlier on Tuesday, making Burnley's daunting task against Liverpool even more important - but in truth they did not lay a glove on their opponents.

This was their ninth loss at Turf Moor this season, having only lost more games (10) in 2018-19, and although they battled for much of the encounter they were unable to get a shot on target.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson might have levelled the scores when he sent his free header over the bar in the second half and Sander Berge also dragged a shot wide to leave their side with only three wins at the halfway stage of the season.
 

Premier League aims for English Football League funding offer early in new year​

The Premier League will aim to get formal approval to make a funding offer to the English Football League early in the new year.

Broad agreement has been reached over the amount to be offered.

However, issues remain over where the money will come from.

The bigger clubs are arguing for a more equitable model than those lower down the table, who feel the richer members of the Premier League should shoulder the greatest burden.

In addition, the top-flight clubs are still to sign off the financial controls to be agreed with the EFL.

It is felt different spending percentages should apply to clubs relegated out of the Premier League, whose wage bills will be high, even though they will receive hefty parachute payments.

Some Championship clubs are resistant to that plan given, by extension, it allows those relegated clubs to spend a greater percentage of an already significantly higher turnover.

It has not gone unnoticed that without Ipswich's excellent form, the three clubs that came down would all be filling the top places in the Championship.

The Premier League has previously indicated payments could begin immediately. The EFL had expected the first monies to have been handed over by now.

MPs had demanded a model be agreed or the top flight risked having a settlement forced on it.

A report by the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Select Committee in June said if no funding plan is reached soon, the government should bring forward a move to set up an independent football regulator (IREF) "to impose a deal".

The plan for a regulator, recommended by a fan-led review, has been confirmed by the government. It should ensure a fair distribution of money filters down from the Premier League.

Source: BBC
 
Shambolic from Villa to throw away a 2 nil lead like that, it would appear 1998 is going to repeat :facepalm:
 
Manchester United vs Aston Villa Match Report
​

Rasmus Hojlund scored his first Premier League goal as Manchester United fought back from two goals down to record a sensational victory in a thrilling Boxing Day encounter with Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

In United's first game since Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 25% purchase of the club, and with future director and current Ineos head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford in the directors' box, Erik ten Hag's side produced one of those 'back-from-the-dead' endings for which they are so famed.

After John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker had given Villa a deserved half-time advantage, United rallied after the interval and refused to let their heads drop even after Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside decision.

It was the 19-year-old Argentine who led the fightback, scoring twice in a game for the first time in his career to turn the game on its head.

Villa did their best to stem the tidal wave of home attacks.

But, just as Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest discovered here in August, United retain some of the old doggedness from the Sir Alex Ferguson days.

And, for the home fans at least, there could be no more fitting scorer than Hojlund, who reacted quickest and rammed the ball home after Bruno Fernandes' corner had struck McGinn and bounced free inside a packed penalty area.

The relief for Hojlund and his team-mates was clear to see, with goalkeeper Andre Onana racing the full length of the pitch to join in the celebrations as Ten Hag bounced in delight, his fists clenched in evident celebration.

Brailsford made his name with the theory of 'marginal gains' which brought him such success on the cycling front.

Small events also make big differences in football. With the game at 2-2 and Old Trafford in a frenzy, Villa launched a counter.

McGinn collected possession and took aim inside the penalty area. The shot was goalbound but veteran central defender Jonny Evans - who would not even be playing without the huge run of injuries that has decimated Ten Hag's squad and cost him the services of international duo Luke Shaw and Sofyan Amrabat from the squad beaten at West Ham at the weekend - stuck out his left leg and turned the ball away.

It allowed the hosts to maximise their profit from Garnacho's double, securing a win that leaves them just three points behind Manchester City, albeit the new world champions have two games in hand.

In a team that has found it hard to score goals, Garnacho picked exactly the right time to locate his shooting boots.

The youngster's pace and movement has been a problem for many defences this term. Tonight, he also had an end product.

The first was a relative tap-in as Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford combined, just as they had done for his disallowed goal, to set Garnacho up.

The second required more involvement, as Garnacho initially fed Fernandes, whose low cross bounced back to the winger, whose shot struck a defender and looped in.
 
City behind vs everton.

Defeat here and it could start to be Arsenal or Liverpool be seen as favourites
 
Wow yet another shambolic penalty decision at Goodison Park in a Everton vs City game.

City 2-1 up
 
Brentford vs Wolves Match Report​

Hwang-Hee chan scored twice as Wolves inflicted a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat on a depleted Brentford side in a frenetic affair at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The result lifts Gary O'Neil's side up to 11th in the table, with the Bees, who were without 10 players through suspension or injury, four points above the relegation zone in 14th.

The opening three goals of the contest arrived in an extraordinary four-minute period in the first half, with Mario Lemina heading in a Pablo Sarabia delivery for the second consecutive game to give Wolves the perfect start.

O'Neil's side remarkably doubled their lead just 12 seconds after the hosts restarted play, as Hwang raced on to a poor back pass from his former team-mate Nathan Collins to round home goalkeeper Mark Flekken and tap into an empty net.

Brentford responded with a goal of their own within two minutes when Yoane Wissa lashed a right-foot effort past Wolves stopper Jose Sa from Neal Maupay's deft flick over the visiting defence.

But having seemingly subdued the visitors, another defensive lapse from the hosts presented Wolves with their third goal and Hwang with his 10th of the season.

The South Korea forward was left completely unmarked as he collected Toti Gomes' powerful header forward and finished with aplomb - superbly lifting the ball over the onrushing Ethan Pinnock before placing it past Flekken.

With Brentford unable to convert several excellent opportunities to reduce the deficit, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, who replaced Hwang in first-half stoppage time, rounded off the scoring late on for the visitors, with the error-prone Collins again culpable on a miserable night for the hosts.
 
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Match Report​


Noni Madueke scored an 89th-minute winner from the penalty spot to help Chelsea overcome Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

The hosts deservedly went in front in the 13th minute after good work from Malo Gusto ended with the full-back squaring the ball to Mykhailo Mudryk to net from close range.

But Palace levelled on the stroke of half-time when Michael Olise brought down Jordan Ayew's cross and smashed an effort into the bottom corner.

Chelsea created numerous chances throughout, and it looked as if Mauricio Pochettino's men would pay for their wasteful finishing for a second consecutive match.

Nicolas Jackson thought he had scored in the 77th minute when he poked in Thiago Silva's deep cross but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) ruled the forward was just offside.

But Chelsea got the break they needed in a tense finale when the VAR spotted Eberechi Eze had fouled substitute Madueke just inside the area and the England Under-21 forward expertly sent Palace keeper Dean Henderson the wrong way from the spot.

Chelsea were certainly good value for their win, even if it appeared wasteful finishing would be the theme for the Blues as it has been so often this season.

Pochettino's side could have taken the lead minutes before their early opener when Ian Maatsen went through on goal and his effort deflected off Henderson and was cleared off the line by Tyrick Mitchell.

The hosts continued to provide the greater threat after Mudryk's strike, with the Ukrainian forward forcing Henderson into a diving save, Christopher Nkunku heading over from close range and Jackson dragging another effort wide.

They even had an early penalty shout when Nkunku went down in the box under pressure from Chris Richards, but the VAR upheld referee Michael Salisbury's call to dismiss Chelsea's appeals.

Henderson also did well to palm away Nkunku's cross in the second half, with Jackson lurking behind him, and substitute Armando Broja struck the side-netting.

And Jackson wasted a glorious chance with 15 minutes left when he burst through on goal, but dinked his finish off target.

The victory was just Chelsea's sixth at home in the Premier League in 2023 as they moved up to 10th in the table.

Palace have not won since 4 November and Roy Hodgson's side are now just three points above third-bottom Luton Town, who have played one game fewer.

They may have been second-best for much of the match, but the Eagles still had several opportunities after the restart and had more shots overall than their hosts.

Eze fired a free-kick just wide and Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta both forced Chelsea keeper Djordje Petrovic into fine stops at his near post.

Since their last success there have been reasons to be cheerful for Palace, including a battling point at Manchester City in December.

But there have also been gut-wrenching, last-gasp defeats against Liverpool and now Chelsea.

Palace need to get back to winning ways and quickly. They are eight league matches without a victory (D3 L5), their longest run without a win under Hodgson since an eight-game streak in June and July, 2020.
 
Everton vs Manchester City Match Report​


Manchester City had to come from behind to beat Everton as the champions kept pace with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola's side are aiming to lift the trophy for the fourth consecutive season and had looked like falling eight points behind the Reds, but recovered with three second-half goals to lift themselves to fourth in the table.

In blustery conditions, Everton weathered an early storm from City as Jordan Pickford made crucial saves to twice thwart Julian Alvarez, as well a keeping out Jack Grealish's poked effort at full stretch.

The hosts took the lead with their first meaningful attack of the game when Jack Harrison slotted in from close range and he could have had a second against his former club but was denied by Ederson's stunning save.

But City responded like champions after the break through Phil Foden, who picked the ball up outside the area and smashed in a low finish past the reach of Pickford.

The visitors turned it around on 64 minutes courtesy of Julian Alvarez's penalty after Amadou Onana handled in the box and Bernardo Silva curled into an open net after Pickford's miscued clearance to leave Everton hovering just one point above the relegation zone.
 
Roy Hodgson gives *****ly interview after questions about body language and Crystal Palace relegation following Chelsea defeat

Hodgson initially chuckled but it was soon clear that he was not happy with the question. He said: "Let's talk about football, shall we?

"Telling me how I look and how I feel and then suggesting that I should have a reason for how I feel.

"That's not what I came on the radio to discuss, ask me some questions about the game and I'll answer them."

Hodgson agreed Palace were unfortunate not to win a point amid their spirited performance, before being asked about a potential relegation battle.

They are 15th in the Premier League and three points above the bottom three.

He added: "Everything in football, as you know better than me, is decided by the result.

"If that goal hadn't occurred, and I was talking to you at 1-1, you would have totally different questions.

"You'd be telling us how good you were and whether we should've won it.

"Now I have to answer questions about relegation because we didn't win the game and we didn't get the points."

Matterface interjected: "We haven't asked you about that yet."

And Hodgson responded: "Oh, you will."

Matterface then said: "But you have to look over your shoulder, don't you? At this stage of the season, just to see what the gap is?"

"The gap now doesn't matter, it's the gap at the end of the season that matters," Hodgson insisted.

"We know we've got to start winning games, we've got to starting getting points, but that will be the case irrespective really. It'd be worse if we're actually in that relegation zone with the need.


Source : talkSPORT
 
Brighton 4-2 Spurs.

Spurs started so poor, too arrogant, not enough hard work.

Great win for the Seagulls.
 
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur Match Report​


A superb display saw Brighton overcome Tottenham in the Premier League at the Amex Stadium.

Spurs dominated the early possession but the hosts took control when teenager Jack Hinshelwood fired into the roof of the net after Joao Pedro was allowed to drift across the length of the 18-yard line.

Pedro doubled the Seagulls' lead from the penalty spot after Dejan Kulusevski had pulled back Danny Welbeck in the area.

Brighton continued to press, with James Milner hitting the post and Facundo Buonanotte having a goal disallowed for offside, before Richarlison also clipped the woodwork for the visitors.

Spurs failed to have a shot on target in the first half but improved in the second period, with Richarlison twice seeing efforts ruled out for offside.

However, Brighton made sure of the three points less than a minute after the second of those when Pervis Estupinan fired a brilliant 25-yard dipping effort into the top corner.

Pedro added a fourth goal when he sent Guglielmo Vicario the wrong way from the spot again after Evan Ferguson was bundled over in the area.

Tottenham threatened an unlikely comeback after Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies pulled two back, but Spurs could not convert a string of other late chances.

The win sees Brighton climb above Newcastle into eighth, while Spurs stay fifth, a point behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
 
Arsenal vs West Ham United Match Report​


West Ham stunned Arsenal to record a third successive Premier League victory, denting the Gunners' title challenge in the process.

It was a ruthless display by West Ham, who converted two of their three shots on target, while Arsenal squandered a host of opportunities as they missed the chance to move top of the league.

Tomas Soucek fired in Jarrod Bowen's cutback and, while the ball had potentially gone out of play in the build-up, there was not enough evidence for video assistant referee to overturn the goal.

That gave West Ham a first-half lead which was doubled when former Arsenal centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos expertly headed in a corner in the 55th minute.

Despite plenty of possession and pressure, Arsenal could not find a response.

And their woeful night was nearly made worse when Declan Rice gave away a penalty in the final minute of injury time, but Said Benrahma's effort was saved by David Raya.

The result leaves Mikel Arteta's Gunners second in the table, two points behind league leaders Liverpool, while West Ham end the year with 33 points - their highest total at the halfway stage in a Premier League campaign.
 
David Moyes to sign new contract as West Ham make U-turn on manager’s future

Moyes also guided the club to Europa Conference League glory last season, but has still faced questions in recent months.

West Ham were threatened by relegation last term and started the 2023/24 campaign poorly.

After six years in charge, Moyes' current contract runs out in the summer, and talkSPORT understands the Hammers hierarchy were unlikely to offer him a new deal until the club's recent run of form.

With four Premier League wins from five - including victories over Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal - the Scotsman is now set to extend his stay at the London Stadium beyond this season.

Asked about his contract following the win at the Emirates Stadium, Moyes said: "There's plenty of time to talk about that. We’re not in any great rush. We can get that done when we're ready. I'm enjoying my time.

"When we came back here, we came back to make sure West Ham didn’t get relegated.

"That was four years ago now. Since then, we’ve grown and I think the team are growing and getting better.

"We won’t be challenging all the top teams all the time because we’re not dining at that table but we’re coming now and again to these teams and giving them a game."

Source : talkSPORTS
 
Match Report : Luton vs Chelsea FC

Chelsea were clinical and genuinely impressive to take a 3-0 lead, dominating the game. But Luton kept going and expoloited Chelsea’s terrible game management and inability to keep the ball away from their box in the final 20 minutes to keep hope alive.

A clinical Chelsea performance saw them edge past Luton 3-2 at Kenilworth Road on Saturday as Mauricio Pochettino breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final whistle.

At a raucous Kenilworth Road Luton pinned Chelsea back for most of the game but clinical finishes from Cole Palmer (twice) and Noni Madueke put Chelsea 3-0 up early in the second half.

Ross Barkley, who was excellent against his former club, headed home for Luton to make it 3-1 and Elijah Adebayo then made it 3-2 as the Hatters hit the bar on multiple occasions, had a goal disallowed and made this an extremely tough outing for Chelsea.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side ended a terrible 2023 on a high with back-to-back wins to put them on 28 points for the season as they chase European qualification. Luton remain in the relegation spots but Rob Edwards will take plenty of positives from this performance.

Source : NBC Sports
 
FULL TIME SCORES (30-12-2023)

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Aston Villa 3-2 Burnley - MATCH REPORT

Aston Villa moved level with Premier League leaders Liverpool as a late Douglas Luiz penalty secured victory against 10-man Burnley.

The Brazil midfielder converted from the penalty spot in the 89th minute after Jhon Duran was fouled by former Villa player Aaron Ramsey.

Burnley had twice come from behind in the game, with Lyle Foster scoring their second equaliser despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men following Sander Berge's second yellow card.

Moussa Diaby put Villa ahead again on 42 minutes after Leon Bailey's opener for Villa had been cancelled out by an almost immediate equaliser by Zeki Amdouni.

It leaves Villa on 42 points and behind Liverpool only on goal difference, with the Reds set to host Newcastle United on New Year's Day.

Vincent Kompany's Burnley, despite this battling performance, stay five points from safety.

Source: BBC
 
Manchester City 2-0 Sheffield United - MATCH REPORT

Manchester City ended a stellar year on a high note by beating a battling Sheffield United side to move within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Rodri gave the defending champions an early breakthrough when he latched on to Phil Foden's neat pass and fired into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area.

The Blades' packed defence meant City had to wait to add a second but Foden was the provider again when it arrived midway through the second half, with his low cross despatched by Julian Alvarez.

City, who were crowned Fifa Club World Cup winners before Christmas, displayed all five of the major trophies they have won in 2023 on the pitch before kick-off.

It was a reminder to their rivals that they remain the team to beat this season, and so was the sight of Kevin de Bruyne in their squad after more than four months out with a hamstring injury.

The Belgium midfielder did not make it on to the pitch this time, but the sight of him warming up on the touchline in the second half brought huge cheers from the home fans.

In contrast, the Sheffield United fans had little to get excited about, as their side offered little in attack other than a flurry of chances just before the break.

Defeat felt inevitable as soon as City scored their second goal, and Chris Wilder's side remain bottom of the table, and without an away win this season.

Source: BBC
 
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Everton - MATCH REPORT

Wolves ended the year on a high with an impressive Premier League victory over lacklustre Everton.

Manager Gary O'Neil has made his mark on the hosts, who lie in 11th position, just three points shy of a European place, since taking over in the summer.

Wolves were the side probing early on and deservedly took the lead on 25 minutes when skipper Max Kilman bundled in from close range after Jordan Pickford initially made a sharp save from team-mate Jarrad Branthwaite's wayward clearance.

It was the only effort on target in the first half and the hosts celebrated by holding up Mario Lemina's shirt in memory of the midfielder's father, who died on Friday.

The home side added a second on 53 minutes when Hwang Hee-chan picked out an easy finish for Matheus Cunha at the far post and the Brazilian then turned provider when Craig Dawson poked home a low cross.

Struggling Everton failed to work goalkeeper Jose Sa into a save and their three straight defeats leave them only one point above the relegation zone.

Source: BBC
 
Crystal Palace 3-1 Brentford - MATCH REPORT

Michael Olise's classy double helped Crystal Palace to a crucial Premier League victory over Brentford which will ease the pressure on boss Roy Hodgson.

Keane Lewis-Potter gave Brentford an early lead but Olise equalised shortly after with a stylish volley.

Eberechi Eze put Palace ahead before Olise increased the margin of victory after the break with a solo effort.

The win sees Palace end a run of eight games without victory as Brentford slip to their fifth consecutive league defeat.

Brentford's energetic start saw them take the lead as Lewis-Potter scored from close range.

Mathias Jensen sent Danish compatriot Mads Roerslev scurrying down the right with a deft flick and an early ball into the area was met flush on the volley by the sliding Lewis-Potter.

There was a three-and-a-half-minute wait for the Video Assistant Referee (var) to check whether Lewis-Potter was on side before the goal was awarded.

Palace were unflustered and achieved parity soon afterwards through the impressive Olise - the standout player in the contest.

Jordan Ayew's deep cross picked out Olise at the back post and from a tight angle, mid-air, he volleyed on his instep across goal and into the net.

Palace ensured their superiority in the remainder of the first half counted when they took the lead six minutes before the interval.

A smart dummy from Jean-Philippe Mateta from Tyrick Mitchell's pass was picked up by Eze, who struck a low shot that wrong-footed Mark Flekken.

Olise effectively sealed the result with a fine individual goal after the interval, bewitching five Brentford defenders with his trickery when he cut inside before striking a low shot into the corner of the net.

The 22-year-old, who now has five goals and seven assists in his past 16 Premier League starts, twice went close to hat-trick but curled wide and saw a low cross shot blocked.

Source: BBC
 
Not sure if we deserved to win that one and it’s so nerve wracking watching the high line but Villa needed that after a couple of lack lustre performances, happy to grab the 3 points and end the year on a high note; we’ve not been here in a long time so it’s so surreal and it’s always lovely to see our GOAT Gabby All Smiles!!!
 
Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the Premier League at New Year after a disappointing defeat at Fulham.

Bukayo Saka put the Gunners ahead inside five minutes but Raul Jimenez equalised on his return from suspension, before Bobby Decordova-Reid scrambled home the winner on the hour.

The loss left Arsenal fourth and two points behind leaders Liverpool, who host Newcastle on New Year's Day.

Fulham are 13th after ending a run of three straight defeats.

Arsenal made the perfect start with a fifth-minute opener following a quick break from the back. Gabriel Martinelli's curling shot from the left was palmed out by former Gunners keeper Bernd Leno, allowing Saka to stick out a right leg and loop the ball into the net from six yards.

But Fulham reacted well and equalised in the 29th minute when Willian, another ex-Arsenal player in the home ranks, fed captain Tom Cairney down the left and his dangerous low cross was swept in by Jimenez.

Marco Silva's men deservedly claimed the winner from a corner when Decordova-Reid stabbed a finish past David Raya following pinball in the box - condemning Arsenal to consecutive losses following the 2-0 home defeat to West Ham on Thursday.

This result and performance was the closing act of a dismal Christmas period for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, which has seen them fail to win in three successive Premier League matches for the first time this season.

They have picked up just one point over the last eight days, and could find themselves five behind leaders Liverpool should the Reds beat Newcastle.

Given Arsenal were top at Christmas after taking a point at Anfield on 23 December, it represents a worrying turnaround which boss Arteta will need to address quickly.

He did make changes here from the loss against West Ham, including starting Eddie Nketiah up front in place of the benched Gabriel Jesus.

But while Nketiah again showed plenty of endeavour, he struggled to make a meaningful impact in attack as Arsenal continue to lack a cutting edge compared to their title rivals - which will only heighten talk of Arteta needing to sign another striker in January.

Source: BBC Sport

 
Tottenham finished 2023 on a high with victory over an energetic Bournemouth in the Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Pape Sarr opened the scoring when Rodrigo Bentancur latched on to Neto's casual pass out from the back and it broke for Sarr, who drilled it into the far corner.

Smarting from a 4-2 loss to Brighton in midweek, an injury-hit Spurs watched as Bournemouth enjoyed plenty of chances and looked likely to level.

But the visitors lacked a clinical edge in the final third and Son Heung-min doubled his side's lead with a superb left-footed strike which went in off a post before Richarlison swept home to wrap up the points for Ange Postecoglou's side.

Alex Scott steered home a consolation goal but the Cherries will likely wonder how they allowed the scoreline to get away from them and leave London empty-handed.

It marked a first defeat in seven games for Andoni Iraola's side as Dominic Solanke's three-match scoring streak came to an end.

Source: BBC Sport

 
Tonight will be though for Newcastle.

Liverpool have had a decent rest. Its an evening game at Anfield.

Diaz or Nunez whoever is on the left up top will be key as Trippier looks tired. Newcastle still have good hard workers in midfield, if they can keep winning those battles they may get a draw.

My prediction. Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle.
 
LFC XI

Alisson


Gomez VVD Konate Trent

Szobo Endo Jones

Salah Nunez Diaz


Like this line up.

Newcastle also go 4-3-3 very brave.
 
Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle United - MATCH REPORT

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Liverpool eventually broke down resilient Newcastle United to open up a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

In a relentless and frantic game, fuelled by wicked rain and wind on Merseyside, Liverpool took swing after swing at Newcastle in the first half but were in danger of being held to a third consecutive Anfield draw.

But Salah, who will now depart to join Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations and who had a first-half penalty saved, tapped home a cross for his side's first then converted a second spot-kick in the closing stages.

His first strike was his 150th Premier League goal for the Reds, but it was cancelled out five minutes by Alexander Isak, who got in behind the hosts' defence and curled home.

Liverpool pressed to go in front again and eventually Curtis Jones gave them the lead again before a scuffed Cody Gapko effort from a brilliant Salah pass gave them breathing space.

But back came Newcastle when Sven Botman headed home a corner to make it 3-2 before Salah sent Martin Dubravka - who was heroic throughout - the wrong way to secure the points.

Liverpool had won their opening seven Premier League games at Anfield this season but had been been held to draws by Manchester United and Arsenal in their previous two home games.

They now lead Aston Villa by three points and have a five-point lead over Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and Arsenal.

Newcastle, who were missing nine first-team players, remain ninth.

Source: BBC
 
What a game! :ROFLMAO:

6.55
Expected Goals (xG)

0.67


63%
Ball possession
37%


35
Goal attempts
5


16
Shots on goal
3


19
Shots off goal
2


15
Free kicks
17


7
Corner kicks
3


1
Offsides
3


16
Throw ins
14


1
Goalkeeper saves
12


16
Fouls
15


3
Yellow cards
5


549
Total Passes
326


15
Tackles
20


119
Attacks
69


98
Dangerous Attacks
20


1
Clearances Completed
39
 
West Ham United 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion - MATCH REPORT

West Ham and Brighton shared the points in a dour Premier League goalless draw at London Stadium.

Brighton had the bulk of possession and better chances in their first match of the new year.

But they were unable to break through a West Ham defence which has now kept four consecutive clean sheets.

A point moves Brighton into seventh place, above Manchester United, while West Ham are three points further ahead in sixth.

In a first half low on quality and chances, West Ham came closest to taking the lead when James Ward-Prowse's powerful volley was saved by the legs of Jason Steele.

For Brighton, Jack Hinshelwood and Pascal Gross were both denied by point-blank stops from home keeper Alphonse Areola.

Brighton continued to dominate possession after the break, Areola again having to react sharply to Pervis Estupinan's low shot on 55 minutes before Joao Pedro shot straight at the Frenchman after a mazy run.

Tomas Soucek poked wide from six yards in West Ham's clearest second-half chance, before Jakub Moder slashed over for Brighton from close range in the final minutes.

Source: BBC
 
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West Ham United vs Brighton & Hove Albion Match Report​


West Ham and Brighton shared the points in a dour Premier League goalless draw at London Stadium.

Brighton had the bulk of possession and better chances in their first match of the new year.

But they were unable to break through a West Ham defence which has now kept four consecutive clean sheets.

A point moves Brighton into seventh place, above Manchester United, while West Ham are three points further ahead in sixth.

In a first half low on quality and chances, West Ham came closest to taking the lead when James Ward-Prowse's powerful volley was saved by the legs of Jason Steele.

For Brighton, Jack Hinshelwood and Pascal Gross were both denied by point-blank stops from home keeper Alphonse Areola.

Brighton continued to dominate possession after the break, Areola again having to react sharply to Pervis Estupinan's low shot on 55 minutes before Joao Pedro shot straight at the Frenchman after a mazy run.

Tomas Soucek poked wide from six yards in West Ham's clearest second-half chance, before Jakub Moder slashed over for Brighton from close range in the closing minutes.
 
Wolves target Premier League poacher

West Ham striker Danny Ings is on Wolves' list of January striker targets, talkSPORT understands.

The Hammers are willing to allow Ings to leave, but may have to cover a large percentage of his wages if he does move on this month.

Ings is yet to score for West Ham this season after starting just one game in the Premier League so far.

Wolves are assessing various attacking options after agreeing to allow Sasa Kalajdzic to join Frankfurt on loan.

Gary O'Neil's side are currently 11th in the Premier League and just six points behind sixth-place West Ham.

Source : talkSPORT
 
The Nottingham Forest defender feared that betting charges would see the end of his career.

He's now vowed to help others with gambling and mental health problems.

20240110_220140.jpg
 
FearlessRoar said:
The Nottingham Forest defender feared that betting charges would see the end of his career.

He's now vowed to help others with gambling and mental health problems.

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Harry Toffolo: Nottingham Forest defender feared betting charges would end career
By Andrew Aloia

Nottingham Forest's Harry Toffolo says he feared his career had been ended by his history of betting and that it "inspired" him to help others with gambling and mental health problems.

The 28-year-old defender was given a suspended five-month ban in September for 375 breaches of betting rules.

The independent commission that heard the case found bets were made when his "mental health was at a very low ebb".

"I felt like I lost everything", said Toffolo when reflecting on the charges.

"It was 100% the most difficult part of not just my career, but of my life.

"It scares me because I was in the last year of my contract and I thought the dream I worked so hard to get was over.

"I was thinking my career is going to be over because of what happened six to nine years ago, which came back to sting me."

Toffolo said the decision of the Football Association's independent regulatory commission to hand him a fine of almost £21,000 and a suspended ban was "the light at the end of the tunnel" after five months of uncertainty.

"When I got that email sent through from the FA [outlining breaches], I dropped on the floor and had a full-on panic attack," Toffolo told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"I recognised the user names, but I didn't recognise those bets. I can't remember placing them, but they are me. I don't identify myself with the person on that Excel spreadsheet.

"I was mortified and ashamed of them.

"My kids will never forget the day they saw their daddy cry."

It was last April that the former Millwall, Lincoln and Huddersfield full-back first learned of the investigation into his betting breaches, which related to his time at Norwich City and took in loan spells at Swindon, Rotherham, Peterborough and Scunthorpe between 2014 and 2017.

Toffolo placed 15 bets against his own team at the time, the majority of which were accumulators. He also placed two 25p bets on himself to score in the League One play-off final in 2015, which his Swindon team lost 4-0 against Preston.

It was not until he joined Lincoln in 2018 that Toffolo said he became aware that players were prohibited from betting on football.

He told the commission that before moving to the Imps, he felt betting would help him "fit in" with senior players.

In an interview with BBC East Midlands Today, Toffolo said "it was how football was back then" and many lacked the same awareness at the time.

The "considerable time" between the breaches and his charges, Toffolo's show of "genuine remorse", openness about his betting, details of his mental health battles at the time of the bets and offer to help the FA educate players about gambling were all factors taken into consideration by the commission.

Toffolo told BBC East Midlands Today he grew up with feelings of anxiety, and in his defence he explained that he dealt with periods of "loneliness" and grappled with depression during spells out on loan.

"I have a lot of respect for the independent panel for listening to my story and taking everything into account," Toffolo said.

"But I don't hold any grudges because I put myself in this position.

"It's a part of my life I boxed away because I hated that person - I hated everything about that person and I didn't want anything associated with that person."

Toffolo's suspended ban came in the same year that Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali were banned for eight and 10 months respectively for also breaching betting rules.

It was also a year in which top-flight English clubs reached an agreement to withdraw gambling sponsorships from the front of match shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season.

Then in December, an influential group of MPs said the Premier League and other sports governing bodies "should commit to cutting the volume" of gambling adverts in stadiums.

'I now feel more complete than ever'

Since his case was settled, Toffolo has gone on to start regularly for Forest in the Premier League, and was last week appointed an ambassador of Tricky to Talk - a Forest community trust programme aimed at getting people to speak openly about their mental health.

Earlier in January, Toffolo had his Forest contract extended beyond this season.

"Some people might get down by it [the disciplinary process], but I feel like I have more energy from it," Toffolo said.

"I feel strong, but I also feel a sense of responsibility now to try help and hope it never happens again to anybody else.

"It's now down to me as a person to say 'what can I do to help, how can I protect my children from putting them in this position?', I feel inspired by it.

"Every day for five months it was just about getting through them one by one.

"I got through it and my career has never been at such a high than it has been in the past two or three months.

"I feel the most complete I have ever felt in my life at this moment in time, on the basis that I feel I have almost nothing to lose because I thought I had lost everything.

"I feel extremely humbled that I have the opportunity to keep playing.

"I just go out there and I fight for the fans and fight for my family because I'm sitting here now and I'm extremely grateful to even have this opportunity to talk about it."

Source: BBC Sport

www.bbc.com

Harry Toffolo: Nottingham Forest defender feared betting charges would end career

Nottingham Forest's Harry Toffolo says he feared his career had been ended when charged with betting breaches.
www.bbc.com
 
Luton scored a controversial 92nd-minute equaliser to deny Burnley a crucial win in a game of huge significance at the bottom of the Premier League.

Burnley looked set to claim a rare victory after a dogged defensive performance following Switzerland forward Zeki Amdouni's 36th-minute deflected finish at a raucous Turf Moor.

But Carlton Morris headed the Hatters level in the closing moments.

There was a lengthy check by the video assistant referee (VAR) after Elijah Adebayo appeared to nudge keeper James Trafford as Morris scored.

But the goal was allowed to stand much to the anger of the home fans.

The result leaves Burnley, who have played one more game than the teams around them, in deep trouble, four points from safety.

Luton remain in the relegation zone but are now level on 16 points with 17th -placed Everton.
 
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