Chelsea capitalized on the slip-ups of their title rivals to close the gap to just two points behind the Premier League leaders, securing a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford. While Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City all dropped points at home earlier in the weekend, Chelsea made sure they didn’t fall into the same trap, but it was far from smooth sailing against a Brentford side that had only managed one away point all season.

The Blues deservedly took the lead just before halftime when Marc Cucurella headed in his first Premier League goal for Chelsea, giving them a 1-0 advantage after a first half in which they dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances.

Nicolas Jackson had a golden opportunity to double Chelsea’s lead on the hour mark when he blazed a shot over from just six yards out, following a great cross from Jadon Sancho. That missed chance left Chelsea’s narrow lead feeling precarious as Brentford began to grow into the game.

The Bees came agonizingly close to equalizing, with Christian Norgaard forcing a brilliant fingertip save from Robert Sanchez, before Fabio Carvalho’s sliding shot hit the crossbar, just inches from crossing the line.

Chelsea finally breathed a sigh of relief in the 80th minute when Jackson made up for his earlier miss by powering home a thunderous strike following a quick counter-attack. Enzo Maresca’s exuberant celebrations reflected the collective relief around Stamford Bridge as the Blues extended their lead to 2-0.

However, the game wasn’t over yet. A careless throw from Cucurella to Moisés Caicedo allowed Brentford to launch a quick counter, and Bryan Mbeumo finished expertly to pull one back for the visitors. With seven minutes of added time, Chelsea had to hold on nervously, but they eventually secured the win, moving to within two points of the top and giving themselves a crucial advantage over their title rivals.

Arsenal secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Women’s Super League, keeping the pressure on top two Chelsea and Manchester City as they head into the winter break. The win moves the Gunners within a point of second-placed City, who were upset by Everton earlier in the day, but they remain seven points adrift of league leaders Chelsea. Arsenal’s unbeaten streak under interim manager Renée Slegers now extends to 10 games.

The decisive moment came courtesy of Alessia Russo, who capitalized on a clever corner routine. Katie McCabe’s delivery to the near post caused chaos in Liverpool’s defense, with Gemma Bonner failing to clear properly, allowing Russo to pounce and tap in the game’s only goal.

Liverpool, plagued by injuries, had chances to respond but could not find the back of the net. Arsenal also missed opportunities to extend their lead, including a wasted penalty by Mariona Caldentey and a second-half misfire from Frida Maanum, who sent a promising effort over the bar.

While Arsenal were not at their best—something Slegers admitted after the game—they did enough to secure all three points against a struggling Liverpool side now enduring their fourth consecutive defeat. Injuries continue to hamper Liverpool’s campaign, but Arsenal will be pleased to end the year on a high as they remain firmly in contention for a title challenge.

Wolves have parted ways with head coach Gary O’Neil following Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 defeat at home to Ipswich Town, a result that deepened the club’s relegation woes. The loss, which left Wolves 19th in the Premier League and four points from safety, was followed by chaotic scenes involving Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was dragged off the pitch after a post-match altercation.

The club is now in advanced discussions with Portuguese manager Vítor Pereira, currently in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab, as they seek a replacement. Wolves are prioritizing Premier League survival and had reportedly been considering several candidates, including West Brom’s Carlos Corberán and Blackburn Rovers’ John Eustace. However, Pereira has emerged as the frontrunner, with negotiations underway to secure his release.

In a statement, chairman Jeff Shi thanked O’Neil for his efforts, saying: “We’re very grateful to Gary for his dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future.”

O’Neil’s tenure at Wolves was brief, and his departure reflects the club’s urgency to arrest their slide down the table. Wolves have won just two of their 16 league games this season, leaving them in a precarious position as they fight to avoid relegation. The search for O’Neil’s successor is expected to move swiftly, with Pereira seen as the ideal candidate to bring stability and experience to the struggling side.

Ismaila Sarr delivered a stunning performance for Crystal Palace, scoring twice in a 3-1 victory over rivals Brighton at the Amex Stadium. The winger was instrumental in Palace’s first-half blitz and capped a memorable display with a brilliant solo effort late in the second half, lifting his side to a crucial win that moves them four points clear of the relegation zone.

Sarr played a pivotal role in Palace’s second goal, nodding home Tyrick Mitchell’s pinpoint cross during a devastating six-minute spell in the first half. He then sealed the victory in style after a surging run through the Brighton defense, slotting coolly past Bart Verbruggen to secure all three points. His standout performance leaves Brighton winless in four league matches and stuck in ninth place, while also adding them to a growing list of top-flight strugglers, including Ipswich, Wolves, Southampton, and Leicester, who have taken points off the Seagulls this season.

Palace took the lead in controversial circumstances when Trevor Chalobah pounced on a loose ball from a corner, prodding home after it brushed Sarr’s arm. VAR cleared the goal, but Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler was incensed, claiming referee Michael Oliver had impeded Carlos Baleba in the build-up. “The referee admitted it was his mistake, but why doesn’t he stop the game? It’s unbelievable,” Hurzeler said post-match.

Despite dominating the opening 25 minutes, Brighton failed to capitalize, with Dean Henderson making a vital low save from Kaoru Mitoma. After falling behind, the Seagulls pushed hard in the second half, introducing Julio Enciso and switching to three at the back to intensify their attacks. Henderson, however, was in inspired form, denying Lewis Dunk’s header and tipping Enciso’s curling effort wide.

Although Brighton found a late consolation when Marc Guehi inadvertently deflected a clearance into his own net, Palace weathered the pressure. Henderson capped off his heroic performance with a sprawling save from Enciso in the dying moments, ensuring Palace’s two-goal cushion remained intact.

For Brighton, the loss deepens their frustration as their winless streak continues, while for Palace, Sarr’s brilliance and Henderson’s resilience provide hope in their battle to climb further away from the drop zone.

Daizen Maeda emerged as the hero for Celtic, delivering the decisive penalty in a thrilling League Cup final against Rangers at Hampden Park. The match, which ended 3-3 after extra time, saw Celtic edge past the holders in a dramatic shootout, keeping Brendan Rodgers’ side on track for a domestic treble.

The final was filled with twists and turns. Rangers took the lead early in the first half when Nedim Bajrami capitalized on a defensive mistake by Greg Taylor. However, Taylor redeemed himself after the break, scoring Celtic’s equalizer to set up a tense second half. Maeda then showcased his clinical finishing, firing Celtic into the lead, but Mohamed Diomande struck back to level the score for Rangers.

The drama intensified when Nicolas Kuhn restored Celtic’s advantage late in the game, only for Rangers substitute Danilo to respond immediately, forcing extra time. Both sides pushed for a winner during the additional 30 minutes, but neither could break the deadlock, sending the final to penalties.

In the shootout, Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel delivered a pivotal save, denying Ridvan Yilmaz. It set the stage for Maeda, who coolly slotted the winning penalty, sealing the victory and maintaining Rodgers’ unbeaten record at Hampden Park.

For Rangers boss Philippe Clement, the result marked another frustrating outing in the Old Firm rivalry, as he continues to search for his first victory against Celtic. Meanwhile, the Hoops celebrated another triumph, reinforcing their dominance in Scottish football and moving a step closer to completing the treble.

Manchester United pulled off a dramatic late comeback at the Etihad Stadium, with Amad Diallo’s last-minute strike sealing a stunning 2-1 victory over a struggling Manchester City side.

City had taken the lead in the first half through Josko Gvardiol, who rose to head home Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected cross. The hosts looked set to grind out a narrow win in a subdued Manchester derby until the game erupted in the final minutes. In the 88th minute, Matheus Nunes’ poor backpass forced him into a rash foul on Amad Diallo inside the box, gifting United a penalty. Bruno Fernandes coolly slotted home the equalizer, injecting fresh energy into the visitors.

Just moments later, Lisandro Martinez delivered a perfectly weighted ball over the top to Amad, who calmly rounded Ederson and produced a sublime finish from a tight angle, stunning the home crowd into silence. The young winger’s outstanding performance, including his decisive contribution in the final moments, marked a career-defining night.

The loss deepens Manchester City’s ongoing crisis under Pep Guardiola, with the defending champions now on their worst run of form since 2006. They have managed just one win in their last 11 games across all competitions, leaving them fifth in the Premier League, nine points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who also hold a game in hand.

For United, the victory was only their second Premier League win under new manager Ruben Amorim, but it was a significant one. The Portuguese coach made bold decisions, notably leaving star forwards Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of the squad for “selection reasons.” Those choices paid off, as Amad, given a more advanced role, punished City for failing to capitalize on their early advantage.

Despite United’s heroics, it could have been a different story. City missed opportunities to put the game out of reach, with Ederson making key saves, including pushing away Amad’s flicked header, while Fernandes squandered a one-on-one chance by dinking his shot wide. However, City’s failure to build on Gvardiol’s opener came back to haunt them in a painful late collapse.

The defeat leaves City outside the top four and trailing Nottingham Forest in fourth. For United, the win could mark a turning point in what has been a challenging season under their new boss. The result will only add pressure on Guardiola as he looks to turn around a campaign that is quickly slipping out of his grasp.

Nottingham Forest pulled off a dramatic late comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the City Ground, moving into the top four thanks to Anthony Elanga’s stoppage-time winner.

The match appeared to be slipping away from Forest after Jhon Duran gave Villa the lead with a header in the 63rd minute, just three minutes after Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced what many, including Jamie Redknapp, hailed as “one of the greatest Premier League saves ever seen.” Forest thought they had equalized in the 81st minute when Chris Wood bundled the ball in, but after a lengthy VAR review, it was determined that Elanga had been marginally offside in the build-up, disallowing the goal.

However, Forest refused to be denied. Six minutes later, Nikola Milenkovic headed in a well-taken equalizer to level the score at 1-1. Then, in the 93rd minute, Elanga completed the turnaround, sweeping home a cross from Elliot Anderson to send the home crowd into raptures.

Controversy surrounded Elanga’s winner, with Villa players arguing that Matty Cash had been fouled by Anderson in the build-up to the goal. Despite these protests, the goal stood, leaving Villa with no time to respond.

The match was also marked by a potential penalty shout for Villa in the first half. Unai Emery’s side felt they should have been awarded a penalty after Anderson appeared to pull Morgan Rogers to the ground, but VAR ruled it to be a “fleeting grab with minimal impact on the attacking player.”

Villa’s late collapse meant they missed the opportunity to move into the top four, remaining in sixth place. For Forest, it was a thrilling comeback that followed their impressive 1-0 win at Manchester United the previous week, marking back-to-back victories as they climb the table.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich suffered their first league defeat of the season, falling 2-1 to Mainz 05 on Saturday as South Korea’s Lee Jae-sung delivered a match-winning performance with goals on either side of halftime. The loss ended Bayern’s 13-game unbeaten run under head coach Vincent Kompany, who had made a historic start to his tenure in the Bundesliga.

Lee opened the scoring in the 41st minute, capitalizing on a costly defensive mistake by a sluggish Bayern side. The 32-year-old doubled Mainz’s lead in the 60th minute, showcasing his skill with a brilliant turn and finish following a sharp attacking move that left Bayern’s defense static. Mainz’s spirited display was too much for the visitors, who looked uncharacteristically disjointed throughout the match.

Kompany, reflecting on his first Bundesliga loss, acknowledged the energy and determination of the hosts. “We played against a team with a lot of life and spirit, and they were prepared to fight for every moment,” he said. “From our side, there was no lack of fight, but we weren’t at our best today.”

Bayern did manage to pull a goal back late on, with Leroy Sané finding the net in the 87th minute. However, it proved too little, too late, as Mainz held firm to secure all three points and climb to sixth in the table with 22 points. The Bavarians remain at the top with 33 points, maintaining a four-point lead over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who won 2-0 against Augsburg.

Kompany struck a defiant tone despite the setback. “This game is done; we can’t play it again. We’ll use it to fuel a fire for next week. We can’t win in Mainz this year anymore, but we’re already looking forward to the future.”

With the Bundesliga heading into a three-week winter break after the upcoming round of matches, Bayern will look to regroup and recapture their dominant form. For Mainz, this statement win could serve as a springboard for their push higher up the table.

Newcastle stormed to a commanding 4-0 victory over Leicester City at St. James’ Park, snapping a four-game winless streak in emphatic fashion. A brace from Jacob Murphy and goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak handed Ruud van Nistelrooy his first defeat as Leicester’s manager and delivered a much-needed boost to Eddie Howe’s side.

The Magpies, who had been struggling for form, came out with renewed energy and intent. Jacob Murphy opened the scoring on 30 minutes, making amends for an earlier miss when he had curled an effort wide from inside the box. This time, he coolly slotted home Anthony Gordon’s clever drag-back from the edge of the area, igniting Newcastle’s dominance.

Leicester suffered a blow at halftime when goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who had made a superb save early on to deny Gordon, was replaced by Danny Ward. Unfortunately for the Foxes, Ward’s introduction marked the beginning of a nightmare second half.

Within just five minutes of the restart, Newcastle doubled their lead when Guimaraes fired past Ward, capitalizing on relentless pressure. Moments later, Isak added a third, pouncing on a defensive lapse to score Newcastle’s second in as many minutes. The floodgates were wide open, and Leicester had no answer to Newcastle’s relentless attack.

Murphy completed the rout with his second goal, a powerful finish from the edge of the area after being expertly set up by Isak. The hosts could have scored more, with Gordon continuing to terrorize Leicester’s defense with his speed and creativity. His relentless pressing and precise link-up play were the driving forces behind Newcastle’s fluid attacking performance, earning him a standout role in the victory.

The win propels Newcastle into 11th place, level on points with Brentford and within four points of the top four. For Leicester, the defeat leaves them teetering just four points above the relegation zone, adding pressure to van Nistelrooy’s early tenure.

Eddie Howe will hope this dominant display marks a turning point for Newcastle, as they look to build on Gordon’s inspirational performance and regain their momentum in the race for European places.

Jack Taylor delivered a crushing blow to Wolves and manager Gary O’Neil, scoring a dramatic winner in the dying moments to seal a crucial 2-1 victory for Ipswich. The result leaves Wolves in deep trouble, as they suffered their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, adding to the mounting pressure on O’Neil.

The match had its share of twists and turns, with Wolves battling back from a Matt Doherty own goal to level the score through Matheus Cunha in the 72nd minute. However, their inability to defend a late set piece proved fatal. In the 93rd minute, Taylor rose highest to head home Jack Clarke’s pinpoint delivery, sparking wild celebrations for Ipswich and despair for Wolves.

Tensions boiled over at the final whistle, as Wolves’ Rayan Aït-Nouri clashed with Ipswich’s Wes Burns, earning a second yellow card and being dragged down the tunnel by teammate Craig Dawson. The scene was compounded by loud boos from the frustrated home crowd at Molineux.

Ipswich were outstanding for much of the match, particularly in the first 65 minutes. Liam Delap set the tone with relentless energy up front, and it was his industrious play on the right flank that led to Doherty’s own goal in the first half. Wolves’ performance, in contrast, was plagued by misplaced passes and poor decision-making, leaving the crowd restless and critical.

Despite their struggles, Wolves found a lifeline when Cunha capitalized on some questionable goalkeeping from Arijanet Muric to equalize. The home side pushed for a winner, but their hopes were dashed when Taylor’s header clinched all three points for Ipswich in the final moments.

The defeat leaves Wolves perilously close to the relegation zone, sitting just four points above the bottom of the table with only two wins from 16 league matches this season. The pressure on O’Neil is now immense, with his position as manager under serious threat. Meanwhile, Ipswich’s victory marked a significant boost in their fight for Premier League survival.