Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth, Everton 0-0 Chelsea and more: Premier League – as it happened

Fulham 0-0 Southampton and Leicester 0-3 Wolves were the other results in the Sunday kick-offs

Dear, departed Russell Martin had the look of an indie-rocker, in one of those bands like Biffy Clyro or Foals. But the new man, Ivica Juric, well he’s into the real stuff.

“I started at 14 years old with Metallica and Megadeth, then I moved on to more aggressive things. Death metal is my passion, bands like Napalm Death, Obituary and Carcass.”

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Nicolas Jackson denied as Chelsea held to goalless draw against Everton

The Friedkin Group’s era at Everton started as Farhad Moshiri’s tenure ended, with a goalless draw against a London club with designs on the top of the Premier League, and a strengthening of Sean Dyche’s case for the stabilisation job that the new owners require. Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as their eight-match winning run in all competitions came to a halt at Goodison Park.

Enzo Maresca’s insistence that Chelsea lack the experience and pedigree for a sustained title challenge was given credence as his players toiled against a resolute Everton defence. Dyche’s side had the clearer opportunities and, despite failing to take any, departed the more satisfied team at the end of a momentous few days for the club.

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Gabriels bring tidings of joy to Arsenal in thrashing of sorry Crystal Palace

This was almost the perfect way for Mikel Arteta to celebrate five years as Arsenal manager. Another two goals for Gabriel Jesus – his first in the Premier League since January – followed up his match-winning performance against the same opponents a few days ago as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and the substitute Declan Rice with his first league goal of the season rounded off another ­victory over Crystal Palace.

Only the sight of Bukayo Saka limping off during the first half with a suspected hamstring injury could dampen the enthusiasm of the travelling fans, whose side have scored five or more goals in six away games in all competitions in 2024 – the most ever by an English top-flight club in a calendar year. More importantly, they are now only three points behind the leaders, Liverpool – albeit having played two games more. But with Manchester City six points behind Arsenal and almost a speck of dust in their rear-view mirror, Arteta will know they have never had a better chance to go all the way after clinically ­dispatching Oliver Glasner’s side.

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Crystal Palace 1-5 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened

Gabriel Jesus continued to torment Palace as Arsenal narrowed the gap at the top of the Premier League

2 min: Sarr pings a pass down the inside-right channel for Mateta, and things look promising for Palace. But then the whistle goes, because Hughes was judged to have fouled Lewis-Skelly in the build-up. A slightly soft free kick, but to be fair Palace don’t really complain.

Arsenal get into their pre-match huddle … then realise their captain and keeper aren’t in it. Odegaard and Raya eventually deign to turn up, the group hug is completed, and the visitors then kick off.

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Championship roundup: Sheffield United extend run as top four all win

  • Kieffer Moore double gives Blades 2-0 win over Cardiff
  • Plymouth draw six-goal thriller with Middlesbrough

Leaders Sheffield United extended their unbeaten Championship run to 11 games with a comfortable 2-0 win at Cardiff, on a day when all of the division’s top four sides recorded victories.

Former Bluebird Kieffer Moore struck twice in the second half to ensure the Blades maintained a three-point advantage at the top. Moore has made a habit of scoring at the Cardiff City Stadium having previously netted for the hosts, Wales and Ipswich last season, and was on target again.

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Ipswich 0-4 Newcastle, Brentford 0-2 Nottingham Forest, and more: football – as it happened

Alexander Isak scored his first Newcastle hat-trick while in-form Forest ended Brentford’s unbeaten run at home

Ipswich (4-2-3-1) Muric; H Clarke, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis; Morsy,
Cajuste; Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Chaplin.
Subs: Walton, Phillips, Taylor, Al Hamadi, Johnson, Townsend, Greaves, Broadhead, J Clarke.

Newcastle (4-3-3) Dubravka, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock; J Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Longstaff, Miley.

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Friedkins arrive at Everton while facing flak at Roma after bright start

American father and son began positively at the Stadio Olimpico but botched managerial decisions soured mood

A banner raised by Roma supporters before their Coppa Italia game at home to Sampdoria on Wednesday spoke to the prevailing mood. “Club and players: all a bunch of frauds,” it read. By recent standards, that was rather tame.

The Friedkin Group, which completed its takeover of Everton on Thursday, has owned Roma since 2020 and enjoyed notable successes: hiring José Mourinho as manager and delivering him the squad he needed to win the first Europa Conference League, as well as finishing as Europa League runners-up a year later. However, the decision to fire the Portuguese in January divided opinion among the fanbase, and the sacking of his successor, Daniele De Rossi, in September sparked open revolt.

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Aston Villa 2-1 Manchester City: Premier League – as it happened

Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers got the goals as Aston Villa put on a commanding performance to pile more misery on their visitors

“I handle the good moments - I handle good the bad moments,” said Manchester City’s manager in his pre-match press conference. “I have had bad ones in my career as a manager but we were able to come back and now it takes longer.

“I take experience with that. I have had 40 days of bad days in terms of results. That is the truth when you compare to eight years which is much better. There have been eight years of incredible [results] and now we have 40-45 days of [bad results].

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European football: Bayern beat Leipzig 5-1 as Reijnders delivers Christmas win

  • Kane returns from injury in Bundesliga thrashing
  • Milan beat Verona 1-0; Girona sink Real Valladolid

Bayern Munich stamped their authority on the Bundesliga by hammering fourth-placed RB Leipzig 5-1 in a game that featured two goals in the opening two minutes for the first time in the league’s history.

Having lost their first league match of the season to Mainz last week, Bayern delivered a commanding performance against a Leipzig side who struggled to build any attacking momentum.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Bournemouth look to repeat Old Trafford heroics, Saints must get ugly and it’s Füllkrug time for West Ham

Approaching the halfway point, it is hard to gauge where Aston Villa are at. Regardless of Manchester City’s extended wobble, a result at home to Pep Guardiola’s side will go a long way to providing an indication. It was always going to be a big ask for Villa to better or even equal last season’s achievements but, with automatic qualification to the Champions League last 16 a distinct possibility and a top-four finish within reach, it has been another solid, if imperfect, start. Only once this season have Villa recorded victory after a European night, in September after winning at Young Boys. This time last season Villa were third in the division, two points off the summit, on 35 points. They may be 10 points worse off now but, despite defeat at Nottingham Forest last time out, they remain in a good spot. Ben Fisher

Aston Villa v Manchester City, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Brentford v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 3pm

Ipswich v Newcastle, Saturday 3pm

West Ham v Brighton, Saturday 3pm

Crystal Palace v Arsenal, Saturday 5.30pm

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