Crystal Palace savoured a first win over rivals Brighton since 2021 as a 3-1 victory on Sunday lifted the Eagles four points clear of the relegation zone.
Ismaila Sarr teed up Trevoh Chalobah for the opening goal before scoring twice himself to secure Palace’s first success over the Seagulls in seven games.
Brighton could have gone level with Manchester City in fifth but have now failed to win in their last four games to slip down to ninth.
Palace are unbeaten in five as they begin to march up the table after a disappointing start to the campaign.
Chelsea loanee Chalobah fired high into the net from Sarr’s corner to open the scoring.
The Senegalese then rose highest at the back post to head in Tyrick Mitchell’s looping cross.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler responded with the introduction of Julio Enciso at the break and he nearly gave the home side life with a curling effort that Dean Henderson turned behind.
Henderson also denied his England team-mate Lewis Dunk.
Sarr sealed the points eight minutes from time with another cool finish from Eddie Nketiah’s headed pass.
Marc Guehi’s late own goal was the only blot on an otherwise perfect day for the visitors, who move up to 15th.
Manchester United scored twice in the final three minutes to deepen Premier League champions Manchester City’s crisis with a 2-1 win at the Etihad on Sunday.
City have now won just once in their last 11 games, a run that includes eight defeats.
Josko Gvardiol’s first-half header had put Pep Guardiola’s men in front.
But United hit back for just Ruben Amorim’s second win in five league matches since taking charge last month.
Bruno Fernandes’ penalty levelled before Amad Diallo squeezed home the winner from a narrow angle in the last minute of regular time.
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Manchester United’s Portuguese midfielder #08 Bruno Fernandes encourages fans during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 15, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Defeat leaves City still in fifth, nine point off leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
United climb to 12th and within five points of their city rivals.
The Red Devils will be hoping a dramatic victory can also be the starting point for Amorim to turn around the momentum of a rivalry that City have dominated over the past decade.
Amorim made a bold call before kick-off as both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were left out of the United squad with the Portuguese saying he “pays attention to everything”.
The United boss may have regretted that call as early as the 12th minute when Mason Mount limped off to continue his injury-ravaged spell since joining from Chelsea 18 months ago.
A shortage of confidence in both sides was clear to see in a cagey start.
It took 20 minutes for Phil Foden to have the first attempt on goal with a volley that flew just wide of Andre Onana’s goal.
But United’s set-piece defending has been at the root of their poor start to life under new management.
For the third consecutive Premier League game they conceded from a corner as Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross looped perfectly into the path of Gvardiol to head in on 36 minutes.
A slow burn of a derby finally came to life seconds later when Kyle Walker and Rasmus Hojlund went head-to-head with both ending up getting booked.
Foden’s double win this fixture for City last season on their way to an unprecedented fourth consecutive league title.
Manchester City’s English defender #02 Kyle Walker (C) talks to Manchester City’s Croatian midfielder #08 Mateo Kovacic (L) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 15, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
The England international’s lack of form and fitness has been one of the causes of City’s struggles this season.
However, Foden looked more like his old self as a jinking run and shot that deflected just wide came close to doubling City’s lead before half-time.
United did not manage a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes and Amorim was growing visibly frustrated at his side’s poor play on the ball as the second period started in a similar manner.
A vintage City side under Guardiola would have put their neighbours to the sword, but English champions created nothing of note in the second period.
Diallo finally forced Ederson into action with a header that the Brazilian clawed around the post on the hour mark.
Fernandes then missed a glorious chance to equalise 15 minutes from time when his dink over Ederson drifted wide with just the Brazilian to beat.
However, City were to be the architects of their own downfall.
Manchester United’s Ivorian midfielder #16 Amad Diallo shoots but fails to score during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 15, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP).
Matheus Nunes’ short backpass played in Diallo, who was then chopped down by the Portuguese midfielder in his desperation to atone for the original error.
Fernandes this time coolly sent Ederson the wrong way to level.
City’s defence was then undone by one simple long ball over the top by Lisandro Martinez that Diallo raced onto, rounded Ederson and kept his composure to find the net.
Gary O’Neil has been sacked as head coach of struggling Wolves after four straight Premier League defeats, according to reports on Sunday.
The club are second from bottom of the table with nine points from 16 games after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Ipswich.
Emotions spilled over at full-time as Rayan Ait-Nouri was shown a second yellow card and Matheus Cunha also had to be restrained.
O’Neil, 41, was appointed in August 2023 following the departure of Julen Lopetegui and signed a new four-year deal with the club in August this year.
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Wolves finished 14th in his first season at the club but have found themselves in a relegation scrap during the current campaign.
Frustrations also boiled over in Monday’s defeat to West Ham when Mario Lemina scuffled with Jarrod Bowen after the full-time whistle, resulting in the Wolves midfielder being stripped of the captaincy.
Wanderers were then beaten by Jack Taylor’s stoppage-time header on Saturday, having taken an early lead through Matt Doherty’s own goal and following the full-time scuffles, O’Neil said his players needed to “take some responsibility”.
“We deal with things like that very, very seriously, as you saw last week,” O’Neil said.
“It’s annoying in that we’ve got enough to do at this moment in time, we’ve got enough to fix without me having to spend time on things that go on off the pitch.
“So the players do need to take some responsibility. But I’ll help them with all of it so we get back to work on Monday morning.”
Retiring Spanish football legend Andres Iniesta bid farewell to his playing career Sunday in an exhibition match between Barcelona and Real Madrid greats in Tokyo and will now look to go into coaching.
The 40-year-old announced in October that he was hanging up his boots after a career that saw him win two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.
He gave a crowd of more than 45,000 fans in Tokyo one last glimpse of the skills that also saw him win nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues during his 16 years with Barcelona.
He made sure he went out with a bang, delivering a last-minute cross that the Real Madrid defence turned into their own net to hand Barcelona a 2-1 win.
“I think it was a great game for the Japanese fans,” said Iniesta, who played in Japan for five years after leaving Barcelona in 2018.
“If they went home satisfied then I’m very happy.”
Iniesta lined up alongside former midfield partner Xavi Hernandez, with Rivaldo, Rafael Marquez and Javier Saviola also in the Barcelona line-up.
Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro and Iker Casillas were among the players in the Real team.
Iniesta said he had “a lot of fun” playing with Xavi, with whom he helped take Barcelona and Spain to new heights.
“Of course neither of us is at the same level that we were before but a lot about the way we used to link up came back to me during today’s game,” said Iniesta.
Iniesta came up through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and made his first-team debut aged 18.
He made 674 appearances and won a total of 32 trophies during his time at the Camp Nou.
He moved to Japan’s Vissel Kobe before playing one final season in the United Arab Emirates.
Iniesta said he wanted to stay involved in football.
“I’m thinking about getting my coaching licence and I want to see where my career takes me,” he said.
Diogo Jota rescued Liverpool as the Premier League leaders recovered from Andy Robertson’s early red card to snatch a 2-2 draw with Fulham, while Arsenal’s title challenge was dented by a goalless stalemate against Everton on Saturday.
With just four minutes left at Anfield, Arne Slot’s side were in danger of losing for just the second time in 15 top-flight games this season.
But Jota grabbed a valuable equaliser as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 19 matches since a loss to Nottingham Forest in September.
With last weekend’s Merseyside derby at Everton postponed by severe weather, Liverpool have now gone two league games without a win following their 3-3 draw at Newcastle.
The Reds sit five points clear of second-placed Chelsea, who can close the gap with a win against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Liverpool’s Portuguese striker #20 Diogo Jota (R) celebrates with Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker #09 Darwin Nunez (L) after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Fulham at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 14, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) /
Liverpool were rocked in the 11th minute as Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira met Antonee Robinson’s cross with an agile volley that deflected in off Robertson.
The Reds suffered another blow when Scotland left-back Robertson was sent off in the 17th minute for a professional foul on Harry Wilson.
But Slot’s men have made a habit of coming from behind this season and Cody Gakpo equalised in the 47th minute with a stooping header from Mohamed Salah’s cross.
The Dutch forward’s ninth goal in all competitions this season was the prelude to a period of sustained Liverpool pressure.
But Fulham forward Rodrigo Muniz delivered a sucker punch as he bundled over the line from Robinson’s cross in the 76th minute.
That set the stage for a dramatic finale as Jota levelled in the 86th minute with a cool finish past Bernd Leno from the edge of the area.
Arsenal failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s rare stumble as the Gunners were kept at bay on a frustrating afternoon at the Emirates Stadium.
– Lack of firepower –
Arsenal’s Italian midfielder #20 Jorginho (C) vies with Everton’s Armando Broja #22 (R) during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 14, 2024. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) /
The north Londoners have become a force from set-pieces, scoring 23 goals from corners since the start of last season.
But their lack of firepower outside of that route has been questioned this season and once again they were hampered by a failure to turn pressure and possession into goals.
After a second successive league draw, third-placed Arsenal remain six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand on last season’s runners-up.
Newcastle handed Ruud van Nistelrooy his first defeat as Leicester boss with a 4-0 rout at St James’ Park.
Former Manchester United striker Nistelrooy had taken four points from his first two games since replacing the sacked Steve Cooper.
But Newcastle ended that encouraging start as Jacob Murphy drilled a clinical finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area in the 30th minute.
Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper #22 David Raya applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 14, 2024. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) /
Bruno Guimaraes nodded in Newcastle’s second goal in the 47th minute after Lewis Hall headed Anthony Gordon’s free-kick toward the Brazilian.
Alexander Isak bagged the Magpies’ third two minutes later with a close-range finish and Murphy struck again on the hour to leave Leicester two points above the relegation zone.
Jack Taylor’s stoppage-time goal gave Ipswich a priceless 2-1 win over relegation rivals Wolves at Molineux.
Kieran McKenna’s team went ahead through Matt Doherty’s 15th-minute own goal after Wolves made a hash of clearing Liam Delap’s cross.
Just as Wolves fans were calling for chairman Jeff Shi and owners Fosun to sell the club, Matheus Cunha grabbed a 72nd-minute equaliser as his shot beat Arijanet Muric’s weak attempted save.
But Taylor headed home from a 94th-minute corner to seal Ipswich’s second league win since their promotion to the top tier.
Third-bottom Ipswich are just one point adrift of safety, while second-bottom Wolves are three points behind them after an 11th loss in 16 league games piled further pressure on boss Gary O’Neil.
Nicolo Zaniolo made sure Atalanta will stay top of Serie A this weekend with the only goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Cagliari which secured a club-record 10th straight league win.
Substitute Zaniolo decided a hard-fought encounter in Sardinia by stroking home Raoul Bellanova’s cut-back in the 66th minute. The victory moved Atalanta five points clear in Serie A.
Closest challengers Napoli can cut the gap back to two points at Udinese later on Saturday, while Juventus are 10 points off the pace ahead of their home fixture with bottom club Venezia.
“We’re up there, but winning 10 matches in a row doesn’t really mean anything as there are teams this season who have won eight on the bounce,” said coach Gian Piero Gasperini to DAZN.
Gasperini was not happy with his players’ performances as, after impressing in Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid, they struggled against Cagliari who are 15th and only two points above the relegation zone.
Atalanta, who also struck the post through Ademola Lookman almost straight after Zaniolo’s winner, only came away with all three points thanks to a brilliant performance between the sticks from Marco Carnesecchi.
Goalkeeper Carnesecchi pulled off three sensational stops in the six minutes before the break and saved the win in stoppage time by keeping out Leonardo Pavoletti’s header.
“A good chunk of this team, not everyone, needs to grow up a bit and get the same mentality as the core group of the squad,” said Gasperini. whose decision to make three substitutions at half-time was a sign of his dissatisfaction.
“Only then will we make those big steps forward.”
Zaniolo’s strike was his third of the season and a further sign of new life from the Italy international after a difficult last few years.
The 25-year-old was once the rising star of Italian football after coming to prominence at Roma, where two serious knee injuries in 2020 stymied his development as a creative playmaker.
He won the inaugural Europa Conference League with Roma in 2022 under Jose Mourinho, but fell out with the Portuguese coach and last year was packed off to Galatasaray, from where he was loaned to Atalanta in July.