A game of the season contender for sure. Chelsea stunned Manchester United at the Stamford Bridge, winning the Premier League 2023-24 home fixture against the Red Devils in a dramatic fashion. The 20-year-old Cole Palmer scored twice in the added time to clinch the important three points for his team and not only did he win the game but also won millions of hearts with this incredible performance. The Red Devils could only blame themselves as they were 3-2 up till the 90+7 minutes but then conceded a penalty and a clumsy goal to give away the points to their opposition. With this victory, Chelsea climbed up to the 10th spot in the Premier League 2023-24 points table with 43 points from 29 matches. The Red Devils remained at the sixth spot with 48 points from 30 matches and now they are nine points behind of top five.

Read Also: Goals by Goalkeepers: Top 5 Highest scoring Goalkeepers

Cole Palmer wins the three points for Chelsea after a thrilling victory against the Red Devils

The hosts drew first blood within the opening four minutes, with Conor Gallagher converting Malo Gusto’s deflected shot before Palmer doubled the lead, slotting home from the penalty spot after a foul on Marc Cucurella. Antony brought down Cucurella in the box and the referee wasted no time in pointing out the penalty. The 20-year-old English International made no mistake scoring from the spot, sending Onana in the wrong direction. Axel Disasi could’ve made it three not long after but put his wide-open header over the bar.

The Red Devils didn't let their shoulders drop and pushed for some sort of opening in the Chelsea backline and they found it. The two-goal cushion did not last long as a nothing play resulted in a United goal after Caicedo carelessly passed across the back without looking. Alejandro Garnacho won the ball and beat Petrovic in goal to bring back his side into the game. Bruno Fernandes then scored the second one for United with a clinical header off Diago Dalot's cross on the break. Gallagher hit the post in added time in the first half.

Erik Ten Hag's men started the second half dominantly, pushing Chelsea behind. The pressure paid off when Garnacho scored his brace and completed the Red Devils' impressive comeback at the Stamford Bridge. Antony's outside-of-the-boot cross was met by Garnacho's sweet header which got past Petrovic in goal.

From there, the game looked to be fizzling out but the game had some twists left. Diego Dalot brought down Noni Madueke inside the box during the seventh minute of the additional time and the referee's decision went in favour of Chelsea. It was surely a soft one but the referee took the decision and once again Cole Palmer didn't make any mistake scoring from the spot. No one saw this coming neither did Mauricio Pochettino. But, Palmer just didn't stop there. He went on to complete his hat-trick by smashing a deflected shot past Andre Onana to win the three points in the most shocking way possible. Palmer won the match ball for his hat trick and overall incredible performance.

Manchester United Sporting Director Dan Ashworth has left the position at the club after just five months of being appointed. According to multiple reports, the decision was finalized following the Red Devils' 2-3 defeat against Nottingham Forest last night.

🚨 BREAKING: Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth has LEFT the club after just 5 months. 🤯

It is said that his move from Newcastle has not worked, with his departure agreed in a meeting at Old Trafford last night 😬

(Via @David_Ornstein) pic.twitter.com/zsNUGqYNHv

— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) December 8, 2024

A major change at Old Trafford

Dan Ashworth joined Manchester United only in July 2024 to oversee the operations of football performance and recruitment at Old Trafford. Ashworth did a sensational job at his previous club Newcastle United to help them rebuild which caught the attention of the new Manchester United owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The 53-year-old executive pulled off some huge deals for the Red Devils as he played a crucial role in signing Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro in the 2024 summer transfer window. Ashworth was also on the committee that sacked former boss Erik Ten Hag. 

However, Simone Stone, the journalist for BBC Sport who was at Old Trafford yesterday to cover the match, reported that Ashworth kept his head down and didn’t make eye contact with the journalists present in the mixed zone after the game. Stone hinted that there could be a lot of work in front of the United officials. There was nothing to confirm the shock decision but now it seems that Ashworth was sure about the decision of him getting dismissed.

According to a report by renowned journalist David Ornstein of TheAthletic, Ashworth reached a mutual agreement to depart from Old Trafford after the Forest game. following discussions with Omar Berrada, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Manchester United.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Dan Ashworth leaves Man Utd after 5 months as sporting director. 53yo’s move from Newcastle has not worked + departure agreed in meeting at Old Trafford last night; presented by #MUFC as mutual. W/ @AdamCrafton_ @lauriewhitwell @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/aj62hx3maE

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) December 8, 2024

It has also been reported that United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe instigated the decision, who once praised Ashworth as one of the top sporting directors in the world. Now the officials in the club believe that Ashworth's transition at the club "has not been smooth" as the news is now officially confirmed. Manchester United have just confirmed the decision minutes ago which reads:

Set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, the restructured global club football competition will bring together 32 teams from across the world to vie for the title of world champions.

The draw, held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, showcased an impressive lineup of continental and domestic champions from every corner of the globe.

Among the standout contenders are Spain's Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, Brazil's Botafogo, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions, and Egypt's Al Ahly, who are consecutive CAF Champions League winners.

New Format

Traditionally featuring six to eight teams, the FIFA Club World Cup will now adopt a new format, hosting the largest number of participants in its history. Teams earned qualification by winning their respective continental club tournaments, such as the UEFA Champions League, and based on the confederations' four-year rankings.

South America (CONMEBOL) includes six teams, whereas Europe (whose confederation is UEFA) has twelve, making up the largest representation of the 32 teams.

There are four teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Africa (AFC), and Asia (AFC).

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was given a spot, as the domestic champions of the host country, Oceania (OFC) got one spot as well. The top two from each of the 8 groups will advance to the knockout stages after a round-robin group stage.

The final will take place at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on 13 July.

Read Also | Substitutions that changed the football history

FIFA Club World Cup Groups

When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 will take place from June 15 to July 13, 2025, in the United States of America.

How many teams will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?

A total of 32 teams from 6 continents will take part in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

Former Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag has been reportedly considered to be appointed as the next head coach of RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga side has been struggling across all competitions under current manager Marco Rose, and the Leipzig officials are in hunt for a new coach. 

🇳🇱🧠 Erik ten Hag has been on RB Leipzig's list recently, reports @SkySportDE. 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/xhNAkYJrGN

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 3, 2024

Ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United in October 2024 after a series of distressing performances and he has not taken up any job since then. Now the Dutch coach has emerged as a strong candidate to sit in the dugout of RB Leipzig as the new head coach.  

The scenario 

Pressure is mounting on current Leipzig manager Marco Rose following RB Leipzig's poor display in the UEFA Champions League and Bundesliga. Leipzig is currently positioned 34th in the 36-team league phase, losing all five matches they played in the UCL this season. They are currently 4th in the Bundesliga table with 21 points in 12 matches but it is not very convincing for Marco Rose. 

Leipzig were on a 6-match winless streak since their second-round win by 4-2 in DFB Pokal against St. Pauli in October 2024. The club lost decisively to Dortmund, Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, and fell to Celtic and Inter Milan in both UCL matches. They only managed to bag one point after their goalless draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 9 November 2024. 

However, Leipzig thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt by 3-0 in the DFB Pokal Round of 16 last night to progress to the next round which has brought a lifeline for Rose. Leipzig will face Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga later this week and they will face Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League next week. Without any further development, both these matches will be very crucial for Rose and the German coach may try his best to save his job. 

The shortlisted candidates 

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was appointed the Global Strategist for Red Bull Football Group. Klopp will oversee the football operations across the clubs under Red Bull Football Group which are RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg, RB Bragatino, and RB New York. There is a list of potential successors of Marco Rose and the next coach's name will be finalized by Jurgen Klopp, although he will start his tenure on 1 January 2025. 

🚨 Jurgen Klopp joins The Red Bull Group as new Global Head of Soccer, coordinating all the clubs including RB Leipzig, Salzburg and more.

Klopp will advise all the clubs on transfers/strategy from January 1, 2025.

“I want to develop the incredible soccer talent that we have”. pic.twitter.com/RTq4TpC2Iy

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 9, 2024

Erik Ten Hag is reportedly the frontrunner for the job. The former Manchester United boss won two trophies at United but he is mostly respected for the construction of a feared Ajax side that reached the UCL semifinals in the 2018-19 season. 

According to Sky Germany, Roger Schmidt is another potential candidate for the job. The 57-year-old coach previously managed RB Leipzig's counterpart RB Salzburg and he was sacked by Benfica in August 2024. 

According to BILD, David Baum is also on the shortlist. Baum is currently the academy manager of RB Leipzig. The 45-year-old German coach previously managed German sides such as Augsburg and Schalke 04 and German national team age group teams. 

Hello and welcome to another Premier League LIVE coverage brought to you by Sportz Point. Tonight, we will be covering the epic encounter between Arsenal and Manchester United at the iconic Emirates Stadium in London. 

What to expect?

Manchester United somehow have reignited themselves under their new charismatic coach Ruben Amorim while Arsenal looking to catch Liverpool at the top of the table to stay in the title race. As both teams have plenty to win and even more to lose, this Arsenal vs Manchester United match becomes more interesting for the fans and viewers.

Read Also | Arsenal vs Manchester United: Match Preview, Head-to-Head Stats, Predictions, Possible Lineups

So, sit back and relax as we bring you all the build-up, updates, news and scores of the match. Enjoy the coverage.

Arsenal vs. Manchester United has been a feature of the Premier League schedule from the ferocious matches of the Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson era to current matchups involving up-and-coming talents. This rivalry is more than just a game; it's a display of pride, football history, and the ongoing struggle for dominance between two of the best teams in England.

Match Details

Match: Arsenal vs Manchester United

Date: 04/12/2024

Time: 1:30 am (IST)

Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, England.

Match Preview:

Struggles have marked Manchester United's season, but the arrival of new manager Ruben Amorim has sparked a remarkable turnaround. The team is yet to lose under his leadership, with many attributing this resurgence to the "new manager bounce" phenomenon, where players step up to prove their worth. However, there is a noticeable improvement in United's attacking play beyond this initial lift. Amorim's high-intensity pressing and reliance on hardworking full-backs have added a new dimension to their game. Critics argue that the teams he has faced so far are not the strongest, making Arsenal his first real test.

💬 "They are in a different moment."

Ruben looks ahead to Arsenal on Wednesday 👁️#MUFC || #PL

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 3, 2024

For Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, this fixture holds special significance. In 2020, he masterminded a historic victory at Old Trafford, breaking a 14-year winless streak on United's turf, courtesy of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. Despite Arsenal's progress under Arteta, Manchester United remains a formidable challenge.

This season, Arsenal has shown marked improvement, thanks to smart recruitment that has made the team more fluid in transitions and versatile in positional play. The ability to invert both flanks has added unpredictability to their build-up, making them a more cohesive and dangerous side.

Amorim faces a tactical dilemma heading into this match. Should he stick to his system, knowing Arsenal dismantled a Sporting Lisbon side built on his principles, or tweak his approach to counter Arteta's strengths? Balancing his philosophy with United's gradual adaptation to his style will be critical.

⏪ Last time out against Manchester United in the Premier League...

A winner from the birthday boy! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/TLJEbWW11S

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 4, 2024

On paper, Arsenal appears the favourite, barring any late injuries that have frequently disrupted their season. However, if Amorim can exploit counterattacking opportunities and disrupt Arsenal's rhythm by limiting their time on the ball, United could pose significant problems.

For football enthusiasts, this midweek clash promises to be a perfect way to unwind and enjoy two contrasting styles of play from two historic clubs.

Head-to-Head Stats:

In the last 5 matches Arsenal has gotten the better of Manchester United 3 times with the last being a 1-0 win at the Old Trafford earlier in April this year, while the latter have won the other 2 leaving no room for a draw. however, the sides will face each other 3 times this season with the first one happening today. Below is the head-to-head record since 1995.

Total matches: 70

Arsenal: 23

Manchester United: 31

Draws: 16

Team News

Arsenal

While Arsenal has shown resilience in recent weeks, key players remain on the sidelines. Takehiro Tomiyasu has been absent since October 5th, following a 3-1 victory over Southampton, and Ben White is still recovering after undergoing knee surgery.

Midfield stalwart Thomas Partey, one of Arsenal's most consistent performers this season, missed the recent game against West Ham due to a recurring muscle issue. Although he seemed to have overcome this problem earlier in the season, concerns remain about his long-term fitness. The club is optimistic, however, that his absence will not be prolonged.

Additionally, both Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhães have been managing fitness struggles. Gabriel, in particular, has been restricted to just 45 minutes in Arsenal's last two matches. The Brazilian defender first showed signs of discomfort during the Liverpool game, where he was substituted early in the second half.

On a brighter note, Kieran Tierney's return offers a welcome boost. After a summer transfer attempt failed, he has been reintegrated into the squad and is back to full fitness. His availability comes at a critical time, with fixtures piling up and Arsenal needing all hands on deck.

Manchester United

Amorim faces a selection headache with the suspension of English midfielders Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez, both sidelined after picking up five yellow cards. These players have been instrumental in implementing the manager's playing philosophy since his arrival. Additionally, the availability of Leny Yoro, Johnny Evans, and Victor Lindelof remains uncertain, further complicating the situation.

Read Also | Ruben Amorin to Man United: What will happen to Erik's Ajax boys at United?

Key Players to Watch

Bukayo Saka

Throughout the 2024–2025 campaign, Bukayo Saka has consolidated his place among Arsenal's and England's top players with 10 assists and 5 goals in 12 matches. His on-field leadership, creativity, and consistency have all been combined to create truly outstanding performances.

Saka's offensive contribution continues to be an essential part of Arsenal's success. With numerous goals and assists, he has played a key role in breaking down defences, particularly in close games when his ability to float past opponents and produce accurate crosses or finishes has been crucial.

Another significant strength has been his adaptability; Saka has fit in well whether used on the right flank, in a more central position, or even sliding deeper to influence build-up play.

What sets this season apart is the increased maturity in his game. Saka has taken on greater responsibility, often stepping up in crucial moments, and with his ability to maintain composure under pressure, he will definitely pose a significant threat to the United Defence.

Read Also | The most shocking goal misses in Football history

Amad Diallo

Under Ruben Amorim, Diallo secured his position as a vital player by putting on strong performances weekly after being overlooked in prior seasons with his involvement coming only as a squad rotation player.

United's attacking dynamics have greatly benefited from Diallo's rise and creative ability. He has shown remarkable dribbling skills, quick feet, and an eye for goal while playing mainly as a winger. Defences have struggled to keep up with his cutting inside from wide areas and unleashing strong shots or threading clever passes.

He will be an effective tactical weapon heading into this game for United

Possible Lineups

Arsenal: David Raya (GK), Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Jorginho, Odegaard, Rice, Martinelli, Havertz, Saka

Manchester United: Andre Onana (GK), Dalot, De Ligt, Mazroui, Shaw, Ugarte, Casemiro, Fernandes, Rashford, Zirkzee, Diallo