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Manchester United records a sensational Premier League victory against Brentford

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Manchester United records a sensational Premier League victory against Brentford

SCOTT McTominay scored twice in stoppage time as Manchester United came from behind to record a sensational Premier League victory against Brentford at Old Trafford.

United were staring at a third successive home league loss for the first time since 1979 thanks to Mathias Jensen’s first-half effort.

McTominay was only brought on with three minutes remaining as manager Erik ten Hag desperately searched for salvation – and the Scot duly provided it.

He showed excellent control before firing home when Kristoffer Ajer scuffed a clearance inside his own box for the first.

Then, after Anthony Martial had a low shot saved by Thomas Strakosha, McTominay reacted quickest to a Harry Maguire flick-on and applied the priceless finish.

The home fans celebrated long after the final whistle as their team headed round on a lap of honour, which was probably a bit extreme but, given the circumstances, totally understandable.

It is impossible to underestimate what McTominay’s double will do for morale around United during the international break.

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Like Maguire, the midfielder could have left Old Trafford in the summer, so it is ironic the pair combined to salvage what had been set to be a desperate situation for Ten Hag.

Averting that 1977 statistic and, more pertinently, three home defeats in a week against opposition most observers would expect them to dismiss relatively comfortably, provides breathing space from a suffocating situation.

But once the sugar rush of the euphoria has subsided, Ten Hag will know he has a lot of work to do to even make United into the coherent outfit he turned them into last season.

There is no-one who epitomises United’s malaise more than Marcus Rashford.

Although it was after the World Cup he really went on the surge that took him to 30 goals last season, he had scored five by this point last term. Now he is stuck on the single effort he scored against Arsenal on 3 September.

Rashford’s body language is poor. At one point he tried to control a high punt out of the Brentford area, only for the ball to bounce under his foot and out for a throw, which he took himself and then ambled towards the area.

When he did chase back to play a pass to Onana as Brentford countered from a United corner, Rashford was ponderous as he then made his way forward again, even though the hosts transitioned the ball into attack fairly quickly.

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He did draw a low save out of Brentford’s Premier League debutant keeper Thomas Strakosha as the opening period was drawing to a close but he also sent a speculative effort drifting well wide 10 minutes into the second half.

It was all so far removed from the Rashford he is when at his dangerous best, using his pace to unsettle even the best defences, and it was no surprise when he was taken off with barely an hour gone as Ten Hag chased the game.

As it turned out, United had to wait for another 24 minutes for the substitution that made the difference.

Even as the Brentford fans celebrated Jensen giving them the lead, they would have been wary.

Going into the game, they had dropped more points from winning positions than any other top-flight team.

Yet, until the mad ending, they actually looked more like adding to their lead than conceding an equaliser.

Neal Maupay and Christian Norgaard both had efforts touched over by United keeper Andre Onana, who had hardly covered himself in glory with the Brentford goal.

It was actually a catalogue of defensive errors that started with Casemiro gifting possession to Brentford deep inside his own half when he was under no pressure.

The Brazilian then missed a rescuing tackle before Victor Lindelof’s attempted clearance went straight to a visiting player inside the United box. Jensen applied the low finish, which Onana failed to keep out.

For so long, it looked like being enough to secure Brentford their first Old Trafford win since 1937. McTominay had other ideas.

Manchester United records a sensational Premier League victory against Brentford

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

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December 22, 2024

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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

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Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

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December 22, 2024

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Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Substitute Alexander Sorloth scored an injury-time winner as Atletico Madrid fought back against Barcelona to replace them at the top of La Liga.

Pedri opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 30th minute, linking up with fellow Spain midfielder Gavi before slotting a low strike past Jan Oblak.

Despite their dominance, the hosts couldn’t hold on and Rodrigo De Paul hammered home the equaliser on the hour mark after leaping on a mistake from Marc Casado.

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Barcelona were left to rue more missed chances when Sorloth slammed in Nahuel Molina’s cross in the sixth minute of injury time to give Atletico their 12th straight win in all competitions.

The victory means Atletico will end 2024 as the top team in Spain, three points above Barcelona, who have played a game more.

Hansi Flick’s Barca side could slip to third if Real Madrid beat Sevilla on Sunday.

 

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

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Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

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55 minutes ago

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December 22, 2024

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Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to retain his unified heavyweight world titles and prove his status as a generational great with another close points win in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Having inflicted a first career defeat on Briton Fury by split decision in May, Usyk’s astuteness and will to win once again prevailed at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena – and he retained his WBA (Super), WBC and WBO titles.

Fury, 36, found success in the first half of the fight. Some of the more eye-catching shots came from the Morecambe fighter, but the volume of punches and cleaner work were from Ukrainian Usyk.

All three judges scored it 116-112 to the 37-year-old champion.

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Usyk, an Olympic gold medallist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion, extended his undefeated record to 23 pro wins.

“He [Tyson Fury] is a great fighter, he is a great opponent. An unbelievable 24 rounds for my career. Thank you so much,” Usyk said.

Two-time world champion Fury has only ever lost to Usyk, his two defeats the major blemishes on a record also consisting of 34 wins and one draw.

Fury left the ring without conducting an interview, before IBF world champion Daniel Dubois climbed in and called for a rematch with Usyk.

A visibly frustrated figure in the moments after the scorecards were read out, Fury said backstage he was convinced he won the fight by “at least three rounds”.

 

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

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