Liverpool beat Aston Villa to go five points clear at top of Premier League
Nunez & Salah score to give Reds comfortable win
Brighton earlier came from behind to earn stunning 2-1 win over Man City
Guardiola has suffered four successive defeats for first time as City boss
Other results: Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth, Fulham 2-0 Crystal Palace, West Ham 0-0 Everton, Wolves 2-0 Southampton
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Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Paul Robinson
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live
Southampton are not being as effective in possession as they were in the first half. The personnel and formation changes have yet to settle, the switch to a back four is something that they are not used to as well.
Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Stoppage in play as Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa is down but this time he looks in a lot of discomfort. He seemed to land funny on his shoulder after coming out to claim a cross.
West Ham 0-0 Everton
Ings can only get better?
Triple change for West Ham.
On: Danny Ings, Carlos Soler and Vladimir Coufal.
Off: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Guido Rodriguez and Michail Antonio.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Fulham
Brave defending from Daniel Munoz as he throws himself at a diving header to stop a second Fulham goal. You feel there's a goal in this for Crystal Palace.
Image source, Getty ImagesBrentford 3-2 Bournemouth
Bournemouth are starting to get a little frustrated and, in turn, ragged.
Ryan Christie goes in the book for a cynical pull back.
Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth
Double change for Bournemouth.
Dean Huijsen and Marcus Tavernier replace Marcos Senesi and Tyler Adams.
Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth
Got to do better.
More lovely football from Brentford and a cut-back picks out Bryan Mbeumo.
He's running onto it but leans back and the left-footed effort flies over the bar.
Wolves 2-0 Southampton
The second goal has sucked the life out of Southampton, understandably. The fizz has disappeared out of their passing and they are yet to create a chance in this half. In fact, it's Wolves who look more likely to score again.
Image source, PA MediaWest Ham 0-0 Everton
Everton really could do with a win.
Their December programme includes Manchester United (away), Liverpool (home), Arsenal (away), Chelsea (home) and Manchester City (away).
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Ramsdale yet to live up to his price tag as it becomes increasingly obvious why Arsenal dropped him.
Peter, Durham
Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth
Bournemouth want a penalty.
Evanilson goes to ground under pressure from Ethan Pinnock as he tries to run onto a looping through ball.
Referee Darren Bond says no and VAR agrees.
Evanilson may catch his own heel looking at the replay.
Image source, ReutersCrystal Palace 0-1 Fulham
Fulham's Alex Iwobi is shown a yellow card for a late challenge.
Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Russell Martin decides it's time for a change as Jack Stephens and Adam Lallana make way for Yukinari Sugawara and Lesley Ugochukwu.
West Ham 0-0 Everton
At last we have a game on our hands after a dreadful first half.
Now a big chance for Everton but Jesper Lindstrom's header is tipped over by Lukasz Fabianski.
This game has taken time to get going but both teams are going for it.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Fulham
Chris Wise
BBC Radio 5 Live reporter at Selhurst Park
Fulham have looked far more dynamic, though the goal that Palace have conceded at the end of the half is a gift from Lacroix.The agility and speed of Fulham’s attacking trio behind Jimenez (Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Nelson) has made a huge difference. Palace just don’t have that same quality today. Their multiple absentees are being felt right now. If Palace are to recover here, it’ll have to be through pure industry.
Image source, ReutersBrighton v Man City (17:30 GMT)
There's one change for Brighton as Simon Adingra comes in for Ferdi Kadioglu.
Brighton XI: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan; Adringa, Hinshelwood, Ayari, Mitoma; Rutter, Welbeck
Subs: Steele, Grude, Pedro, Enciso, Moder, Baleba, Wieffer, Ferguson, O’Riley
Manchester City make two changes as Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan start, replacing Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva.
Defender Jahmai Simpson-Pusey keeps his place in the side after making his first senior start in the previous game against Sporting CP.
Man City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Savinho, Foden, Nunes, Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Ake, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Akanji, Wright, O'Reilly, McAtee, Wilson-Esbrand
Wolves 2-0 Southampton
Martin Keown
Former England defender on Final Score
Cunha is miles out, you're thinking don't shoot from there.
Again, you're questioning the goalkeeper but it's a massive goal for Wolves.
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Time for Russell Martin to go; we got lucky against Everton but as usual we have created next to nothing which is simply not good enough against the team with the worst defensive record in the league.
Mike, Southampton
West Ham 0-0 Everton
A huge improvement on the first half.
A darting run by Crysencio Summerville - one of West Ham's better performers - who is challenged but the ball falls nicely to Guido Rodriguez whose first-time attempt is saved by Jordan Pickford.
Image source, PA MediaCrystal Palace 0-1 Fulham
It's almost two for Fulham but Raul Jimenez's audacious volley from the corner is just over the top. What a goal that would've been.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
| |
| 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 23 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 18 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 16 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 16 |
| |
| 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| |
| 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 15 |
| |
| 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 12 |
| |
| 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 12 |
| |
| 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 18 | -4 | 10 |
| |
| 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 10 |
| |
| 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 7 |
| |
| 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 6 |
| |
| 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 21 | -11 | 5 |
| |
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
|
Manager: Arne Slot
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Arne Slot
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Premier League
All competitions
All competitions
Having won just one of their six Premier League home games against Aston Villa between 2009 and 2014 (D2 L3), Liverpool have now won five of their last six at Anfield against the Villans (D1).
Only Manchester United (12) and Chelsea (7) have won more Premier League away games against Liverpool than Aston Villa (6, level with Arsenal).
Aston Villa have lost 16 of their last 18 Premier League away games against sides starting the day top of the table (D2), including each of the last nine in a row. Indeed, they’ve only won one of their 23 such games, beating Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road in January 2000.
Liverpool have conceded the first goal in their last two Premier League games, but avoided defeat in both (2-2 v Arsenal, 2-1 v Brighton). Indeed, their win against Brighton was the 100th time they’ve come from behind to win a Premier League match, the third team to reach this milestone in the competition.
Both of Aston Villa’s Premier League defeats this season have come against the two north London sides, losing 4-1 against Tottenham last time out. The Villans last lost consecutive league games in May 2023.
Only Manchester City (32) have faced fewer shots on target than Liverpool in the Premier League this season (34), with the Reds also conceding the fewest goals (6) and having the lowest xG against figure this term (8.1).
No team has scored more Premier League goals this season from either crosses (6) or set-piece situations (5, excluding penalties) than Aston Villa (level with Arsenal in both cases).
Liverpool’s Arne Slot has become just the fifth manager to win as many as eight of his first 10 Premier League games in charge, after John Gregory (1998), Guus Hiddink (2009), Carlo Ancelotti (2009) and Ange Postecoglou (2023). Of the previous four, only Postecoglou failed to win his 11th match in the competition.
No player has been involved in more Premier League goals so far this season than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (12 – 7 goals, 5 assists). The Egyptian has also had the most touches in the opposition box this term (96), while of players to have had 20+ shots, no-one has hit a higher percentage of them on target (67% - 20/30).
Only Erling Haaland (16) has had more big chances than Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins in the Premier League this season (14). However, Watkins has scored with just four of these, the lowest conversion rate of any of the seven players with 10+ big chances (28.6%).
