Arsenal missed a golden opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Everton at the Emirates Stadium. The result leaves the Gunners six points adrift of Liverpool, who also dropped points in their 2-2 draw with Fulham earlier in the day, but Arsenal failed to capitalize on the chance to reignite their title challenge.

The story of the match revolved around Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who delivered a masterclass in shot-stopping to deny the hosts on multiple occasions. In the first half, he thwarted a deflected shot from Martin Ødegaard, who had earlier squandered a promising chance by firing over the bar. Pickford then denied Gabriel Martinelli’s angled strike with a crucial save, keeping Everton firmly in the contest.

After the break, Pickford’s heroics continued as he produced a stunning reflex save to tip Bukayo Saka’s volley around the post, frustrating Arsenal’s relentless attempts to find a breakthrough. Despite dominating possession and piling on the pressure, the Gunners were met with fierce resistance from an Everton side buoyed by news that the Friedkin Group’s long-awaited takeover of the club is nearing completion. The visitors defended resolutely, repelling a flurry of corners in the closing stages to secure a hard-fought point.

For Arsenal, the result mirrored their struggles from the previous weekend at Craven Cottage, where they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham. These back-to-back draws have seen Mikel Arteta’s side drop four points in two games, hampering their momentum as they try to keep pace in the title race.

The Gunners remain third in the table, a point behind Chelsea and six behind Liverpool, with both rivals holding a game in hand. Meanwhile, Everton’s resilience lifts them to 15th place on 15 points, providing a much-needed boost in their fight for survival.

Liverpool, reduced to ten players for over 70 minutes, dropped two crucial points in their bid for a first Premier League title since the 2019-20 season after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Fulham in a chaotic and intense 100-minute battle at Anfield.

The match was a rollercoaster of emotions and drama. Fulham seized the lead twice, only to be reeled back by a determined Liverpool side despite the handicap of losing Andy Robertson to a red card in the first half. The dismissal came after Robertson was adjudged to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity by fouling Harry Wilson, a decision upheld by VAR after a prolonged review. Tensions heightened further when Andreas Pereira’s heavy challenge on Ryan Gravenberch went unpunished beyond a yellow card, leaving the Anfield crowd seething.

This result marked only the second time Liverpool, the league leaders, have failed to win at Anfield this season, the other being a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in October. It narrowed their lead at the top of the table to five points, pending second-placed Chelsea’s fixture on Sunday.

Fulham’s Andreas Pereira opened the scoring in the first half after a sharp move involving Alex Iwobi and Antonee Robinson. Liverpool, in need of inspiration after Robertson’s dismissal, found it early in the second half. Mo Salah, as relentless as ever, delivered a sublime deep cross to the back post, where Cody Gakpo was perfectly positioned to convert and ignite hopes of a comeback.

The end-to-end nature of the match underscored both sides’ resolve and set the stage for a pulsating conclusion to the title race.

Lukas Kübler delivered a standout performance with two goals as Freiburg edged out Wolfsburg 3-2 in an exciting Bundesliga clash at the Europa-Park Stadion on Friday night.

The right-back broke the deadlock just before halftime, converting from close range after a well-placed corner. He struck again early in the second half, once more capitalizing on a set-piece situation to double Freiburg’s lead.

Freiburg appeared to have sealed the victory when Michael Gregoritsch extended their advantage in the 63rd minute, heading in a precise cross from Ritsu Doan to make it 3-0.

However, Wolfsburg staged a spirited fightback in the final stages of the match. Substitute Jonas Wind pulled one back in the 74th minute, followed by a goal from fellow substitute Mattias Svanberg in the 84th, setting up a tense finish.

Despite the late surge, Wolfsburg fell short of completing the comeback. Freiburg even saw a potential fourth goal ruled out in stoppage time but held firm to secure the win.

The result propels Julian Schuster’s side into fifth place in the Bundesliga standings, three points ahead of sixth-placed Wolfsburg as the race for European qualification intensifies.

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland now know their paths to the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the European qualifying draw, which has set up intriguing challenges for the home nations.

England will compete in a five-team Group K, featuring Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra. The group pits England against familiar opponents, including Serbia, whom they defeated during the Euro 2024 group stages with a header from Jude Bellingham under Gareth Southgate’s management. England also has history with Albania, having beaten them in qualifiers for the 2002 and 2022 World Cups, and Andorra, who they comprehensively defeated 9-0 on aggregate in 2022 qualifying. Latvia, however, represents a new challenge, as the two nations have never met before. England, now led by Thomas Tuchel, will begin their campaign in March 2025.

Scotland finds itself in a challenging four-team Group C alongside Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final between Portugal and Denmark. Steve Clarke’s side also has a separate task ahead in March 2025 when they face Greece in a two-legged tie to determine whether they remain in the top tier of the Nations League. Scotland’s World Cup qualifying campaign will officially kick off in September 2025.

Wales has been drawn in Group J, a five-team pool featuring Belgium, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. This group reignites memories of Wales’ famous Euro 2016 victory over Belgium, though head coach Craig Bellamy acknowledged the difficulty of the task. “It’s a good group. We’ll need to do our homework and attack the challenge to finish on top,” he said. Wales’ campaign will start in March 2025.

Northern Ireland faces a daunting test in Group A, which includes either Germany or Italy, depending on the result of their Nations League quarter-final, as well as Slovakia and Luxembourg. The group will commence in September 2025, and Northern Ireland will be eager to prove themselves against some of Europe’s toughest teams.

The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, has been drawn in Group F alongside Hungary, Armenia, and the winner of the Portugal-Denmark Nations League quarter-final. Like Northern Ireland, they will start their qualifying campaign in September 2025.

With a mix of familiar rivals, new challenges, and historic matchups, the road to the 2026 World Cup promises to be a compelling journey for all the home nations.

Mario Lemina was involved in a heated altercation with West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen following Wolves’ 2-1 defeat on Monday. The situation escalated when Lemina pushed his own teammates who were attempting to calm him down, and then squared up to Wolves assistant coach Shaun Derry. As a result, Nelson Semedo has been named Wolves’ new captain, with manager Gary O’Neil confirming that the incident against West Ham prompted a discussion about the leadership within the team.

“Mario’s fine,” O’Neil said when addressing the situation. “It was a conversation, nothing more than that. The key takeaway is that we need to ensure we’re getting the best out of everyone. The events the other night sparked the conversation, but it was one we needed to have.”

O’Neil elaborated on the matter, explaining that he and Lemina have reached a mutual understanding about how to move forward. “We addressed it earlier in the week, so since then, the focus has been fully on Ipswich. Situations like this can be challenging, but they can also lead to positive outcomes. I feel that’s the case here,” he said.

The Wolves manager emphasized his respect for Lemina and his potential contribution to the team moving forward. “When Mario is at his best on the pitch, his level is exceptional, and he’s still going to play a significant role for us. He’ll remain part of the senior group that leads the team, but right now, we feel it’s best for Nelson to take on the captaincy.”

O’Neil expressed confidence that this adjustment would benefit the team, ensuring both strong leadership and a productive role for Lemina in the squad.

The Friedkin Group (TFG) has received approval from the Premier League to take over as the new owners of Everton, according to Sky Sports News. This development comes after TFG completed the necessary regulatory process, following an agreement to purchase Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% stake in the club.

The acquisition, which was initially agreed upon in September, is expected to be finalized next week once the Premier League Oversight Committee formally approves the deal. This marks a significant step in Everton’s ownership transition and the culmination of months of negotiations and compliance checks.

Led by American billionaire Dan Friedkin, TFG also owns Serie A club AS Roma, which they acquired in 2020. Friedkin, whose estimated net worth stands at $6.1 billion (£4.8 billion), had previously shown interest in buying Everton last summer. However, those discussions fell through due to concerns over the club’s financial arrangements, including loans from other investors.

Despite the earlier setback, the agreement reached between Blue Heaven Holdings, the entity controlled by Moshiri, and The Friedkin Group has now successfully cleared all regulatory hurdles. The imminent takeover positions TFG as the majority stakeholders in Everton and signals a new era for the club under Friedkin’s stewardship.

Lazio secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Ajax in Amsterdam, showcasing sharp finishing and defensive grit. The match featured end-to-end action, with both sides creating chances but struggling with composure at key moments.

Lazio opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Boulaye Dia intercepted a misplaced pass from Kenneth Taylor, setting up Taty Castellanos, who played Loum Tchaouna through to calmly finish past Remko Pasveer. Ajax had chances to equalize, but Brian Brobbey’s mistimed header and errant passes from Youri Baas allowed Lazio to maintain their lead.

Ajax finally leveled just after halftime. Luca Pellegrini cleared Kenneth Taylor’s header off the line, but Bertrand Traoré smashed the rebound into the top corner. Lazio responded quickly, with Mattia Zaccagni setting up Fisayo Dele-Bashiru for a tap-in at the back post.

The highlight came late as Nuno Tavares sparked a stunning team goal. His run and pass found Tchaouna, whose clever back-heel teed up Pedro to sweep a spectacular shot into the far top corner.

Ajax pushed to reduce the deficit, with Traoré hitting the crossbar and Chuba Akpom missing key chances, but Lazio held firm. The win keeps Lazio in a strong position in their Europa League group, while Ajax’s errors leave them with work to do.

Dejan Kulusevski salvaged a crucial point for Tottenham Hotspur as Ange Postecoglou made his highly anticipated return to Glasgow in an eventful 1-1 Europa League draw against Rangers. The former Celtic manager, under mounting pressure after a string of poor results, arrived at Ibrox with an injury-depleted and out-of-form squad. Despite an unconvincing performance, Spurs narrowly escaped defeat thanks to Kulusevski’s second-half strike and a stunning late save from Fraser Forster.

Rangers looked the sharper side for much of the match and deserved their early second-half lead. Just two minutes after the restart, Hamza Igamane latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from captain James Tavernier, sliding the ball past Forster to ignite the home crowd. The Scottish side continued to press, and Cyriel Dessers thought he had scored a late winner, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

The hosts dominated the first half, creating several chances while Tottenham struggled to find rhythm. Forster was forced into action multiple times, tipping Nedim Bajrami’s effort over the bar and denying Vaclav Cerny on two occasions. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s attack was toothless, managing only one tame shot on target before halftime. Timo Werner’s poor form continued as he failed to make an impact, while Brennan Johnson was left frustrated by a spectacular point-blank save from Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland, albeit after straying offside.

Rangers suffered a setback when defender John Souttar was forced off injured in the 35th minute, but their confidence remained high. They entered the League Cup final against Celtic on Sunday buoyed by their strong showing against the Premier League side.

Postecoglou, in a bid to spark life into his team, introduced Dejan Kulusevski at halftime. The Swedish international delivered in the 55th minute, finishing a well-crafted move with a low drive into the bottom-right corner to bring Spurs level. The goal offered a glimmer of hope for Tottenham, who remain winless in five matches but are still in the hunt for automatic Europa League qualification.

In the dying moments, Fraser Forster made a heroic save to deny Dessers, who appeared destined to snatch victory for the hosts. The result left Rangers feeling confident heading into domestic competition, while Tottenham must now regroup as they continue to battle injuries and inconsistency.

Though Spurs avoided defeat, the performance raises questions about their ability to recover form under Postecoglou as the pressure mounts.

Galatasaray played out a thrilling 2-2 draw against Swedish side Malmö in the sixth round of the UEFA Europa League, in a match filled with twists and late drama.

The Turkish giants fell behind in the 24th minute when Erik Botheim opened the scoring for Malmö with a powerful header, capitalizing on a well-placed cross to give the hosts an early advantage. Despite the setback, Galatasaray showed resilience and began to fight their way back into the match.

Their efforts suffered an early disruption when Davinson Sánchez was forced off due to injury in the 32nd minute, prompting Kerem Demirbay to take his place. Ironically, it was Demirbay who inadvertently played a key role in Malmö’s second goal, setting up Elias Jelert for the equalizer in the 43rd minute after some chaotic defending. The goal leveled the score at 1-1 going into halftime, frustrating Galatasaray’s attempts to take control.

In the second half, Galatasaray came out with renewed determination and quickly asserted their dominance. Their persistence paid off in the 56th minute when Yunus Akgün found the back of the net with a composed finish, putting the visitors ahead 2-1. Galatasaray seemed poised to leave Sweden with all three points as they controlled much of the play and stifled Malmö’s attacking efforts.

However, Malmö refused to go quietly, ramping up the pressure in the dying moments of the game. Their persistence was rewarded in stoppage time when Pena struck a dramatic equalizer in the 92nd minute, silencing the Galatasaray bench and sending the home fans into raptures.

The draw saw Galatasaray move to 12 points in the Europa League standings, maintaining their strong position in the group. Meanwhile, Malmö earned a hard-fought point, bringing their total to 4, though their hopes of progression in the tournament remain slim.

Galatasaray will no doubt feel disappointed to have let their lead slip so late, but the result underlines the unpredictable nature of European football and sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the group stage.

Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini led by example in a commanding 3-0 victory, starting with an inspired opener. Nicola Zalewski made the initial impact, bursting down the left flank, cutting back to outwit two defenders, and rolling the ball across the box. Pellegrini timed his run perfectly, sweeping a low shot into the net from the edge of the area. Overcome with emotion, the captain celebrated with a heartfelt hug for manager Claudio Ranieri on the touchline.

Pellegrini came close to doubling his tally shortly after. His glancing header grazed the top of the crossbar, and his angled strike was deflected just wide. Roma continued to pile on the pressure, with Matias Soulé narrowly missing the target with a curling effort that skimmed past the post.

Goalkeeper Matheus kept the hosts in the game with a series of outstanding saves. He parried Pellegrini’s curling shot, denied an Evan N’Dicka header from the ensuing corner, and tipped a long-range drive from Gianluca Mancini over the crossbar.

The second half began with a bang as Artem Dovbyk entered the fray and Roma quickly doubled their lead. Manu Koné powered through a midfield tackle and delivered a perfectly weighted through ball to Saud Abdulhamid. The Saudi winger, in his first goal for Roma, unleashed a ferocious strike into the roof of the net from a tight angle, leaving the opposition defense stunned.

Roma thought they had a third when Mancini redirected N’Dicka’s free-kick effort into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Moments later, Zalewski broke free of the defensive line and unselfishly tried to set up Dovbyk, only for the two to collide with Pellegrini in an unfortunate mix-up.

Matheus continued his heroic performance, stopping Soulé during a counterattack and saving a Mats Hummels header off a Pellegrini corner. However, Soulé squandered a golden opportunity, firing well over the bar from a promising Koné run.

The tide turned decisively when Abdulhamid latched onto a long ball and forced Matheus into a critical error. The goalkeeper rushed out of the penalty area but mishandled the ball, earning a red card for his troubles.

Roma pushed for a third goal, with Stephan El Shaarawy’s angled drive cleared off the line by Zalazar. The substitute goalkeeper then produced a brilliant double save, first on Dovbyk’s solo effort and then on Zalewski’s follow-up shot.

Their persistence paid off in stoppage time. A fierce N’Dicka strike from the edge of the area was parried, but Mario Hermoso was on hand to turn in the rebound, capping off a dominant display and securing a convincing 3-0 victory for Roma.