Sheffield United's Cameron Archer (left) and Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa (right) challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Sheffield United at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Dec 22, 2023. (PHOTO /AP)
LONDON - Arsenal go into the Christmas holidays top of the Premier League after a 1-1 draw away to Liverpool on Saturday evening.
Gabriel Magalhaes put Arsenal ahead with a fourth-minute header following a Martin Odegaard free kick, but Liverpool reacted well and were level after 29 minutes when Mohamed Salah cut in from the right to score with a left-foot shot.
Liverpool were guilty of too many individual errors to win the match, but could have taken all three points in a late counter-attack launched by Salah, while Trent Alexander-Arnold saw his shot bounce back off the bar.
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Aston Villa missed a chance to go top on Friday night when they were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home to Sheffield United at the start of a weekend where the teams battling to avoid relegation found a bit of Christmas cheer.
Former Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer looked as if he had given Sheffield three vital point when he smashed home from inside the penalty area with just three minutes to go.
Villa dominated nearly all of the game, and salvaged a point when Nicolo Zaniolo rose high to power home a header to level the score in the seventh minute of injury time.
READ MORE: Spurs move into top four with 2-1 win over Everton
Early goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min saw Tottenham off to a perfect start as they won 2-1 at home to Everton.
The visitors hit the post and were unlucky to see a goal ruled out by VAR before Andre Gomes gave them hope with an 82nd-minute goal.
Arnaut Danjuma then hit the bar for Everton with virtually the last kick of the game, but Sean Dyche will be able to take some consolation from another improved display by his side.
The match was also historic as it saw Rebecca Welch become the first woman to officiate in the Premier League
West Ham beat Manchester United 2-0 thanks to goals from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, coming after 72 and 78 minutes.
Lucas Paqueta showed his enormous quality with assists for both goals, while Manchester United's injury list saw Erik ten Hag field a virtually unrecognizable starting 11.
Luton Town took advantage of Newcastle United's tired legs to take three vital points thanks to Andros Townsend's 25th-minute goal, as the home side were able to impose themselves on a rival whose fit players are looking jaded.
Burnley also stunned Fulham in a smash and grab raid in which they had 34 percent of the ball and just seven shots in comparison to their rival's 19, with just two of those on target.
Referee Rebecca Welch holds a yellow card on her hand during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Burnley at Craven Cottage stadium in London, Dec 23, 2023. Welch is the first female referee ever to officiate an English Premier League game. (PHOTO / AP)
Fortunately for coach Vincent Kompany, those efforts from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge, in the 47th and 66th minutes, both ended in the back of the net to leave Burnley just three points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
The match was also historic as it saw Rebecca Welch become the first woman to officiate in the Premier League.
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Nottingham Forest replaced coach Steve Cooper with Nuno Espirito Santo earlier in the week, but Nuno's preparations were undone by Willy Boly's harsh 26th-minute sending off for two yellow cards in their 3-2 defeat at home to Bournemouth.
Forest took the lead through Anthony Elanga two minutes into the second half, but Dominic Solanke equalized four minutes later and put his side ahead in the 58th minute.
Chris Wood looked to have salvaged a point for the home side in the 74th minute, but Solanke rounded off his hat-trick in injury time to keep Bournemouth's impressive run up the table intact.
