La Liga: Real Madrid beat Sevilla to go second

Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde each scored first-half screamers as Real Madrid ended 2024 by beating Sevilla 4-2 at the Bernabeu.

The win moves Los Blanco’s to second place in LaLiga.

Real quickly established a 2-0 lead via stunning strikes from Mbappe in the 10th minute and Valverde in the 20th, and the rampant start continued with Rodrygo adding a third in the 34th minute.

Sevilla replied via Isaac Romero a minute later, before Brahim Diaz netted the hosts’ fourth eight minutes into the second half.

Dodi Lukebakio subsequently pulled another goal back for the away side with five minutes of normal time remaining.

After Atletico Madrid won 2-1 at Barcelona on Saturday to replace the Catalan outfit at the top, this result saw Real leapfrog them as well.

Mbappe opened the scoring as he collected the ball from Rodrygo outside the box and sent a superb effort flying past Alvaro Fernandez.

And after the Frenchman miscued from a good position, skewing over the bar, Valverde doubled the advantage with a show-stopper from even further out, unleashing a 30-yard effort into the top corner.

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Looking eager to get in on the act next as Real continued to dominate, Rodrygo hit a drive wide, then added the third by sweeping home from Vazquez’s pass.

Moments later Sevilla had a goal back, Romero heading in from Juanlu’s cross, but Real were soon back on the attack as Vazquez was denied by Fernandez.

The visitors had further attempts with Nemanja Gudelj bending a shot over in first-half stoppage-time and Romero seeing one parried by Thibaut Courtois early in the second.

Real’s fourth then arrived when Diaz blasted in following good work in the build-up from Vazquez and Mbappe, who provided the assist.

After Romero hit a shot wide, there was applause all around the stadium as 39-year-old Sevilla skipper Jesus Navas came off the bench for his 705th appearance for the club and final one before retirement.

Rodrygo was thwarted by Fernandez soon after, Mbappe fired over and Romero then almost had his second as he hit a low shot against the post, having been teed up by Navas.

The final stages saw Mbappe and Sevilla’s Albert Sambi Lokonga both have shots saved, before Lukebakio slotted in at the near post for 4-2, Courtois getting a touch but unable to stop the ball going in.

Real are now two points ahead of Barcelona, who have played a game more than both them and Atletico.

La Liga: Real Madrid beat Sevilla to go second

(dpa/NAN)

EPL: Liverpool outscores Tottenham in nine-goal thriller

Rampant Liverpool hit Tottenham for six to ensure they hold a four-point advantage at the Premier League summit come Christmas.

The Reds produced a masterful attacking display in north London with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah on target twice in a 6-3 victory.

It was a thoroughly-deserved success for Arne Slot’s men and made it 21 wins in 25 matches since the Dutch coach replaced Jürgen Klopp this summer.

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Spurs – who had eight players missing – could not reach the energy levels of a midweek League Cup quarter-final triumph over Manchester United.

The London side were 5-1 down at one point before they rallied, but Ange Postecoglou’s side are 11th after an eight league loss of the season.

This was a dress rehearsal ahead of the League Cup semi-finals, but Liverpool were already assured of top spot at Christmas after Chelsea’s goalless draw at Everton earlier in the day.

EPL: Liverpool outscores Tottenham in nine-goal thriller

(dpa/NAN)

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Gabriel Jesus struck twice as Arsenal became the first side since Chelsea in 2005 to go a full calendar year unbeaten in Premier League  London derbies, defeating Crystal Palace 5-1 to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to three points for the time being.

A hat-trick against Palace in a 3-2 EFL Cup victory on Wednesday earned Jesus a starting berth here, and it took just six minutes for him to reward Mikel Arteta’s selection.

A first Premier League goal since January arrived when Bukayo Saka’s cross bounced off Gabriel Magalhães, allowing Jesus to stride towards the ball and side-foot home. A nervy moment for David Raya went unpunished moments later, but just five minutes after going ahead, the Gunners were pegged back as the red-hot Ismaïla Sarr bent an effort around William Saliba and inside the far post.

A breathless start to the contest continued with a third goal in the opening 15 minutes, and perhaps predictably, it came from an Arsenal corner. This time, Gabriel Martinelli’s delivery was partially cleared, but only as far as Jesus, whose controlled finish flew into the corner.

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Another defensive lapse from the visitors almost saw the scores levelled once more, only for Raya to bail out Saliba with a one-on-one stop to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta. At the other end, Gabriel went close from yet another Arsenal corner before the away side extended their advantage through Kai Havertz, who reacted first after Jesus had nodded onto the far post.

Needing a response, the hosts were inches from reducing the deficit straight after the restart when Raya was equal to Sarr’s diving header. The Arsenal shot-stopper was then called into action again, getting behind Mateta’s rifled long-range shot and catching Sarr’s follow-up header.

Those saves kept the Eagles at bay, and with an hour played, the points were all but wrapped up. A well-worked move should have ended with Jesus’ second hat-trick of the week, yet Henderson saved well with his foot only to see Martinelli turn in substitute Declan Rice’s resultant low strike.

Determined to get on the scoresheet, Rice guided in Arsenal’s fifth goal late on, sealing three vital points in an evening where the only major blemish was Saka’s first-half injury.

Despite conceding in a seventh consecutive away league match – their longest travelling run without a PL clean sheet in over five years – Arsenal now find themselves within touching distance of the league summit, albeit having played more games than the sides above them.

Meanwhile, Palace had lost just one of their last eight PL fixtures (W3, D4), but defeat here means they’re yet to add to their solitary home league victory (D4, L4), leaving the Eagles 15th in the table.

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby