Live Blogs

ARSENAL will sit top of the Premier League at Christmas after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield. Gabriel put the Gunners in front with a brilliant header after just five minutes but Mohamed Salah has since equalised with an epic solo goal before the game finished all square.

Kick-off time: 5:30pm GMT
Live stream: NOW TV
TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Trent, Konate, Virgil, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Endo, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Diaz
Arsenal XI: David Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from Anfield with our live blog below…
Hand of Od goes unpunished
Liverpool fans will be wondering how they did not get a penalty in the game this evening.
There is no doubt that Martin Odegaard handled the ball in the box.
Weirdly, the VAR review decided there was nothing doing.
Granted you can see the Norwegian slipped but that does not detract from his stopping the ball with his hand.
The modern game has every football fan scratching their head nowadays, a simple rule complicated by too many cooks spoiling the broth.
You wonder if they use a magic-8 ball in the VAR studio to make some of these decisions.
It could also answer why their decisions take so long as they get ‘ask again’ and ‘maybe’ all too often.
Frustrating evening for Liverpool manager
While the draw is not the end of the world for Jurgen Klopp, he will be concerned how ineffective his front three were.
Mohamed Salah put in a good performance but Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz were non-existent.
It will be something he will want to address moving forward, wanting to get back to their high-tempo, free-flowing game.
FT: Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
Declan Rice covered a lot of ground for Arsenal today.
He offered a line of defence in the middle of the park to cut out the incisive play from Liverpool.
With Rice in the centre of the park, it made it far more difficult for Jurgen Klopp’s side to unlock The Gunners.

FT: Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
The stats show it was quite an evenly matched game.
Both sides huffed and puffed but nothing could separate the two sides.
Man City will be happy with this result however.

FT: Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
The referee brings the game to a close.
Mikel Arteta will be pleased with this performance.
Liverpool will be left wondering what could have been.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
90+4. If the result stays as we are, Liverpool would move up to second in the league.
Arsenal would then go back to the top of the table.
Aston Villa would drop to third after the results of the weekend.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
90+2. Elliott is shoved to the ground by Zinchenko.
It has all gone a bit quiet at Anfield now.
The hosts have failed to give their fans anything to get excited about in this last fifteen minutes.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
90. Liverpool seem to be either giving the ball away with loose passes or committing unnecessary fouls right now.
Neither will help them create that one chance they want to try and win the game.
It is more in Arsenal’s interest now to hold onto the ball and try and take the point.
They would remain top at Christmas then.
We are going to have five additional minutes.
Credit: EPA
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
88. We are into the final moments of the game.
It is anybody’s guess how much added time there will be.
There don’t seem to have been many stoppages but they must be picking out of a hat now to decide how much we will play.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
86. Nketiah turns with the ball and lunges in on Endo.
The Arsenal striker is shown a yellow card for his troubles.
It gives the Liverpool back line a little breather.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
84. Trossard looks to get down to the byline to cross.
Szoboszlai tracks him all the way, blocking at the expense of a corner.
Chance for the visitors to get their big men up for this.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
82. Salah is now playing as the main striker.
He seems less effective in the this position as he was getting some joy out of Zinchenko.
They need to play Nunez down the middle.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
80. Liverpool are just struggling to find that final pass.
The build up play looks good but when they try to unlock this Arsenal team, the attempt just seems to be picked off.
Havertz goes to ground looking for a penalty but the referee is not interested.
Credit: AFP
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
78. Nketiah comes on for Jesus for the visitors.
He will play more of a central role rather than the drifting we see all too often from Jesus.
Arsenal must be wondering whether to stick or twist right now.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
76. We are getting to that point of the game where the next goal wins it.
Alexander-Arnold whips in a corner and Nunez heads it over.
Liverpool just hope they get at least one more clear-cut chance to win this game.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
74. That was a massive chance for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Alexander-Arnold really should have buried that.
It may be a miss that Liverpool come to regret.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
72. Saka whips in the corner kick for the visitors.
Gomez heads it clear at the near post for Liverpool.
As The Reds break with real numbers, Salah lays it off to Alexander-Arnold who thumps it against the crossbar.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
70. Arsenal are starting to dominate possession again.
It is all about who wants to gamble more now.
The draw does neither team any favours.
Elliott tries his luck from distance, it deflects off Gabriel and clips the outside of the post.
Credit: EPA
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
68. Elliott, Gravenberch and Nunez all comes on for Liverpool.
Gakpo, Diaz and Jones make way for the trio.
Big chance now for the subs to make a name for themselves.
For Arsenal, Martinelli makes way for Trossard.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
66. Saka and Diaz have a coming together.
The Liverpool winger comes worse off as he stays on the ground in some pain.
Diaz is receiving some treatment from the physios.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
64. Odegaard is fouled by Endo.
The Liverpool player needs to be careful as he already has a yellow card.
Might be an idea for a substitution for Liverpool with his walking that tightrope.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
62. Arsenal are looking to box Liverpool in once again.
The Reds seem devoid of ideas when the defence have the ball at their feet.
Szoboszlai tries his luck from distance but drags it wide of Raya’s goal.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
60. Gomez is trying to get forward more and more.
When he offers some support down the left, The Gunners struggle.
With half an hour left of the game, it is impossible to pick a winner in this game.
Credit: PA
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
58. It is such a game of fine margins right now.
So many times Liverpool are a toes length from stealing the ball in the final third.
When Arsenal can play through the press they have numbers and really stretch the hosts.
Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal
56. Martinelli has lots of space out on the left but runs into Szoboszlai.
Liverpool look to counter but their passing is still too scrappy and they give the ball away.
Whoever can take a grip of this game and get the next goal could be pivotal. More

TOTTENHAM host Everton in a mouthwatering Premier League battle with three huge points up for grabs.Spurs seem to have put their bad spell behind them after pulling off back-to-back wins against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
But they’ll be in for another difficult test as the Toffees have won their last FOUR consecutive matches.

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with our live blog below… More

BOURNEMOUTH will still be on cloud nine from last weekend as they take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.Goals from Dominic Solanke, Phillip Billing and Marcos Sensei inspired the Cherries to a 3-0 win last time out against Manchester United.
And they’ll be hoping for a similar result against a Forest side who were recently beaten at home by Tottenham.

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from the City Ground with our live blog below… More

MANCHESTER UNITED have suffered yet another defeat but this time at the hands of West Ham.Lucas Paqueta’s sublime outside-foot pass put it on a plate for Jarrod Bowen to put his team ahead
And it didn’t take long for Mohamed Kudus to double West Ham’s lead.
This now means that the Hammers jump above United in the table and Erik ten Hag’s men have lost 13 matches before Christmas – the most in their history since 1930.

RESULT: West Ham 0-2 Man Utd
Live stream: discovery+
TV channel: TNT Sports 1
West Ham XI: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Soucek, Kudus, Paqueta; Bowen
Man Utd XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Evans, Kambwala, Shaw; Mainoo, McTominay; Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho; Hojlund

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from the London Stadium with our live blog below…
“Stick together, stick to the plan”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “I think it was a decent 72 minutes where we didn’t take our chances. We should’ve gone in the lead but we didn’t and then it was one moment of switching off.”
Asked about United’s poor record against top opposition, Ten Hag added: “At this moment we are not top, but we have seen last week against the top of this league we were head-to-head. We didn’t score, we had the best opportunities of the game. There we defended very well for 90 minutes, that has to be always our standard like what we did there. You have to bring that to every game on the pitch.
“In 2023, we won a Cup, we played the FA Cup final, we were third in the league. There were highlights but we are over-performing, but in this moment we are underperforming. There are reasons for it, we have many injuries, so the team will be better if the injured ones return. We have to be calm, stick together, stick to the plan, we have to do it together.”
Credit: GETTY
United have got problems
Paul Scholes: “I felt United were the better team in the first half without really thinking they were going to score a goal. I always felt, against West Ham, they are the type of team that make you fell comfortable, then all of a sudden a quick spark, and you are tow goals down.
“But United have got problems. Goalscoring is a big issue. That’s four games without a goal. In the second half, I can’t think of a save their keeper had to make.”
Joe Cole: “It was fantastic. It shows the importance of staying in the game. West ham for large parts were not at it at all. United looked comfortable. Then all of a sudden a tactical switch ,Paqueta moves into the false nine. It was a stroke of genius that turned the game.”
Credit: getty
There’s always room to improve
Jarrod Bowen: “Today’s game is probably where the first goal is most important, they’re a really good side that caused us problems.
“We had our chances and one thing about us is that we keep chipping and plugging away to get the goal and we got the first goal and then did really well to get the second one as well and not put the game to bed but give us more comfort going into the last 20 minutes.
“Last few weeks Lucas [Paqueta] had five assists. All of us want to score goals and be the creative spark. We’re enjoying our football and one we knew how important today was to go into Christmas in the top six-seven and all we can do is keep winning games.
“Scoring goals comes with confidence, if you score a few goals and feel like you’re playing well. That helps for me. What I wanted to do this season was play at a good level and try and churn out those performances week in week out.
“There’s been ups and downs and games we’ve been disappointed with. It’s been a good start to the season, there’s always room to improve and the quality in the league this season especially in that top 10 it’s probably the best I’ve played in for a long time. We know it’s difficult but all we can do is win our games. If you want to talk about finishing in the top six then these are the games you have to win.”
Worrying
Erik ten Hag’s just completed his interview. Was quite surprising to hear him say that Manchester United were very good for the opening 70 minutes.
FT: West Ham 2-0 Man UtdThe Red Devils pick up their 13th defeat of the season and that’s their most defeats before Christmas since 1930… 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wyDscgfA4P— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 23, 2023

Poor Shaw
Luke Shaw is speaking now. I’m not sure there’s a player in world football that can look more forlorn and apologetic on camera.
Quotes coming up.
He’ll find me
West Ham goalscorer Mohammed Kudus speaking to TNT Sports: “As an attacker that’s what I’m here to do, to put the ball into the back of the net. Most importantly we got the three points. This is the perfect day for the fans and we wish them a happy Christmas.”
On Lucas Paqueta: “His vision and passing ability, when he gets the ball I just need to run and he’ll find me. I admire a lot from him.”
Kudos Kudus
Mohammed Kudus has just done his post-match interview on the touchline. He’s beaming and thanked fans for their support.
He was asked about his celebration, in which he sits on the advertising boards and takes a deep breath.
He’s asked what the meaning behind it was, he responded: “It doesn’t mean anything. I’m sitting down to get a deep breath! I’m tired.”
Splendid.
Credit: getty
Sorry stats
Manchester United have failed to score in seven of their 18 games. No team has failed to do so more often in the Premier League this season.
They’ve also lost 13 out of their 26 games this season in all competitions.
Last goal? That was over six hours ago.
Credit: GETTY
The table
It makes increasingly grim reading for Manchester United fans. They’ve dropped to eight after that defeat, their eight loss of the season.
The Red Devils are now six points behind arch-rivals Manchester City having played a game extra. A Brighton win would see them relegated to ninth.
West Ham are now inside the top six with 30 points from 18 matches, two more than today’s opponents.
Credit: google
Worries
As Jermain Defoe has just said, the biggest worry for Erik ten Hag will be that they’ve come up short against a West Ham team who weren’t really at the races. Miles off really.
What’s next?
Well, it doesn’t get any easier.
Manchester United will have to dust themselves down and prepare for the visit of Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
That’s become an increasingly difficult fixture, and will likely see the visitors enter as favourites with the bookmakers.
West Ham have a London derby against title challengers Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. That’s on the 28th.
Credit: GETTY
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
FT: And that’s that. West Ham clinch three deserved points against Manchester United in a fairly uninspiring match at the London Stadium.
United are now of Europe before Christmas. Out of the League Cup. And drifting aimlessly in the Premier League. As for West Ham, they are on the charge and have the Europa League knockout stages to look forward to.
David Moyes’ side are 15 points better off than at this time last season – and that’s without Declan Rice!
Credit: getty
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
95: No midweek fixture for Manchester United this week. They’ve had a full week to prepare – what on earth have they been doing?
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
93: So by my count that’s nine goals and one assist in 22 appearances for Mohammed Kudus. Great signing for the Hammers. Don’t want to bring the mood down but losing him to the AFCON will be frustrating for David Moyes and Co.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
90: The Manchester United fans are leaving the stadium now. There hasn’t been a glimmer of hope since Jarrod Bowen’s opener. They looked a defeated team the second that hit the net.
Six minutes added time.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
88: Pablo Fornals replaces the goalscorer Jarrod Bowen. Couple of minutes of rest for the attacker ahead of their next clash against Arsenal on the 28th.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
85: Double change for Manchester United. Reguilon replaces Kambwala and Eriksen is on for Garnacho. That’ll shift Luke Shaw to centre-back, for what it’s worth.
Kambwala the bright spot on another difficult day for the Red Devils.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
83: Marcus Rashford decides to have a crack from distance but it’s nowhere near. There doesn’t look to be a late comeback on the cards, folks. United simply don’t look like scoring – over six hours without a goal now. Their longest run since 1989.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD
81: That’s the FIFTH assist for Lucas Paqueta in a week. It was also West Ham’s second half in six minutes today. The Manchester United players look shell-shocked, despite not mustering a single effort on target in the second half.
WEST HAM 2-0 MAN UTD – KUDUS
78: GOAL! Game, set and match. West Ham have wrapped up three points at Christmas courtesy of a gift from young Mainoo.
Mainoo fails to control a simple pass around the halfway line and Kudus pounces. He plays a one-two with Paqueta before turning Evans and firing the ball across Onana and into the bottom corner.
Credit: getty
WEST HAM 1-0 MAN UTD
75: Manchester United urgently need to end this goal drought, but it’ll be a lot more difficult without Hojlund on the pitch. Erik ten Hag took him off earlier, leaving the visitors with no genuine No.9 on the field.
WEST HAM 1-0 MAN UTD
73: It was Jarrod Bowen’s birthday earlier this week. What a nice gift for himself. Elsewhere Paqueta goes into the book for kicking the ball away after Garnacho is fouled.

WEST HAM 1-0 MAN UTD – BOWEN
71: GOAL! There’s the breakthrough! Jarrod Bowen has the opener at the London Stadium!
He plays a one-two with Lucas Paqueta, who lifts a sumptuous ball over the Manchester United defence. There’s a touch of fortune as Onana’s block ricochets back to him and he bundles it in.
Credit: GETTY
WEST HAM 0-0 MAN UTD
70: We did have another chance, and it was a pretty good one for the visitors. Shaw drives forward down the left and fires in a cross that’s heading straight to Garnacho. He’s got a tap-in but there’s Zouma with a sliding interception. More

LUTON TOWN host Newcastle in a Saturday afternoon Premier League ecnounter.The Hatters will be hoping to close the gap on Nottingham Forest.
While the Magpies are aiming to bounce back from their midweek Carabao Cup heartbreak at Chelsea.

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow our live blog below… More

FULHAM return to Premier League action with a home fixture against relegation-battlers Burnley.The Cottagers will be feeling untouchable after beating Everton to book a Carabao Cup semifinal spot for the first time ever on Tuesday.
And they did what Vincent Kompany’s men couldn’t as Burnley suffered a defeat to the Toffees in their last outing.

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from Craven Cottage with our live blog below… More

ASTON VILLA have a huge chance to climb to the top of the Premier League with three points against Sheffield United.Unai Emery’s men pulled off an incredible comeback win against Brentford to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal.
While Chris Wilder’s side were beaten on the road 2-0 by struggling Chelsea.

Kick-off time: 8pm GMT
Live stream: NOW TV
TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League

PADDY POWER WELCOME OFFER – Get £40 in free bet builder bets
Follow ALL the action from Villa Park with our live blog below… More