Ange Postecoglou defended his “tired” Tottenham team after they were blown away in a six-goal thriller at Brighton.

Joao Pedro struck a brace of penalties while Jack Hinshelwood and Pervis Estupinan produced fine strikes in a well deserved 4-2 victory for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

While Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies scored in the final 10 minutes, Spurs were second best for much of the night and suffered a fifth Premier League defeat of the campaign.

Both clubs have faced numerous injuries during recent months, with Brighton without eight players for this contest and Tottenham nine, which led to Postecoglou taking a philosophical view.

Postecoglou said: “Fair to say we were looking a bit tired and lacked our usual sharpness, especially at the start of the game. We’ve been starting games well.

“I guess that’s understandable, we’ve been on this run for a while now and asking players to perform at levels. It’s very demanding the way we play, physically, and today we kind of looked like a team that wasn’t at its sharpest.

“Brighton are a good side and they took advantage of that. Ultimately what I do know is the players, everything they had they gave and that’s all I can ask for.”

Pedro found the unmarked Hinshelwood to fire beyond Guglielmo Vicario, who had twice denied Danny Welbeck early on, and the Brazilian then rolled home a spot-kick after Dejan Kulusevski was penalised for pulling Welbeck.

Vicario was forced into action several more times, while James Milner also hit the post before Estupinan capped his comeback appearance with a goal from 25 yards.

The offside flag had denied Richarlison twice but Spurs’ miserable night was compounded when substitute Giovani Lo Celso brought down Evan Ferguson and Pedro slotted home to make it 4-0.

Tottenham fought back with Veliz scoring his first goal in English football with nine minutes left before Ben Davies headed home at the back post, but it finished 4-2.

Postecoglou had no qualms with either penalty decision, although did take umbrage with VAR not punishing Brighton captain Lewis Dunk for a poor tackle on Kulusevski in the build-up to Veliz scoring.

“It was obviously clear and obvious because it only took him (Jarred Gillett) three minutes to see it on the screen, and VAR picked up everything today except the one tackle which nearly cost me another player,” Postecoglou added.

“It’s been difficult this whole run. We’ve been stretched for a very long time and we’ve just tried to play on through it.

“We’re only in the position we are because of the enormous efforts of the players to do jobs that normally is not in their brief, but they do it willingly and they give everything. Today we fell short but not for the want of trying.”

De Zerbi toasted a brilliant end to a special year where Brighton finished sixth, made the FA Cup semi-finals and progressed into the last 16 of the Europa League.

“Yes, the best way to finish the year,” he added.

“We played a great game because we show incredible courage to defend men-to-men for 90 minutes and to play with that courage, that quality, that style.

“I am sorry we concede two goals and I am sorry we have no clean sheet.”

Arsenal missed the chance to return to the top of the Premier League as they slipped to a disappointing defeat to West Ham amid more VAR controversy.

The Gunners needed victory to replace Liverpool at the summit but lost 2-0 by the Hammers on a night where David Moyes finally landed a victory at the Emirates Stadium.

His West Ham side lost Kurt Zouma ahead of the game and Lucas Paqueta after just over half an hour but hit the front through Tomas Soucek’s strike, awarded after VAR could not determine whether the whole ball had gone out of play in the build-up.

A second-half header from former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos secured the points and things could have been even better for the visitors had Said Benrahma not seen a last-gasp penalty saved by David Raya.

Moyes had failed to secure victory in his previous 72 Premier League away games at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United, so this was a long time coming for the Scot.

Arsenal laboured when they needed to continue their recent winning run in London derbies to go back to the top of the table.

Instead, only captain Martin Odegaard could hold his head high on a night where their defence creaked and Gabriel Jesus was guilty of missing a couple of very good chances.

Arsenal started well, with some great touches in and around the West Ham box from Odegaard in particular.

But at the other end their defending left a lot to be desired, as Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhaes failed to deal with a simple ball into the middle.

Jarrod Bowen capitalised by latching onto the miscue and teed up Soucek to finish – the goal surviving a lengthy VAR check which could not ultimately make a call on if the ball had not gone out of play before Bowen’s cutback.

Arsenal looked to respond although the goal gave West Ham something to defend, although Jesus found a way in behind with a subtle flick into Bukayo Saka, whose header was brilliantly saved by Alphonse Areola.

Paqueta had been hurt in the warm-up and lasted just over half an hour, with his fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli curling an effort just wide for Arsenal as they continued in vain to find a leveller.

The hosts were getting closer, West Ham gifting possession as two passes saw Arsenal in on goal once more, this time Saka hitting the base of the post from an acute angle.

Former West Ham captain Declan Rice fired just over from 25 yards but it was another player coming back to haunt his former club who would find the back of the net soon after.

Mavropanos made just seven league starts in three years as an Arsenal player but returned to the Premier League last summer with the Hammers and headed them two goals ahead before the hour.

Jesus then headed straight at Areola before sending another fine chance well over the bar moments after Arteta introduced Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson off the bench.

Areola was on hand again to keep out a Leandro Trossard effort, with Vladimir Coufal clearing a William Saliba header off the line from the resulting corner.

Rice had come off the bench during a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat on his return to West Ham earlier in the season and endured another night to forget here as he conceded a late penalty for tripping Emerson Palmieri in the box – only for Raya to keep out substitute Benrahma’s tame spot-kick.

Tottenham’s Premier League revival was halted in emphatic fashion after two Joao Pedro penalties and a stunning strike from Pervis Estupinan helped injury-hit Brighton record a thumping 4-2 win.

Spurs arrived at the Amex Stadium seeking a fourth successive top-flight success to reclaim fourth spot from reigning champions Manchester City.

But the north London club were ripped apart as Pedro’s double and Estupinan’s thunderbolt added to Jack Hinshelwood’s opener.

Tottenham, who claimed late consolations through substitute Alejo Veliz and Ben Davies, could easily have lost by more as rampant Albion twice hit the woodwork and had a Facundo Buonanotte effort disallowed.

Richarlison struck a post for the visitors and was twice denied by the offside flag, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg also hit the woodwork.

Yet, on this evidence, Champions League qualification looks a distant dream for Ange Postecoglou’s side, who had registered just one point from 15 before their recent upturn in form. Victory lifts Roberto De Zerbi’s hosts above Newcastle into eighth.

Depleted were missing eight first-team players while their visitors also had a lengthy list of absentees.

One-time Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck should have opened the scoring for Albion inside six minutes when he was twice denied by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, but the Seagulls deservedly edged ahead with 11 minutes on the clock.

Tottenham’s porous defence failed to halt Pedro’s mazy waltz across the 18-yard box and his offload was emphatically dispatched into the roof of the net by 18-year-old defender Hinshelwood.

Brazilian forward Pedro duly doubled the lead with a spot-kick awarded following VAR intervention.

Spurs thought they had escaped when Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a Pascal Gross corner came back off the right post but replays showed Dejan Kulusevski pulled down Welbeck as he attempted to reach the rebound and Pedro coolly rolled home from 12 yards.

Stunned Spurs showed little response and were in danger of falling further behind. James Milner rattled the right post with a superb curling effort before Buonanotte’s clinical finish was flagged offside.

The away side almost gifted Brighton a third when Pedro was sent through by a calamitous back-pass from Pedro Porro, only to see his attempted dink pushed wide by Vicario.

Postecoglou would undoubtedly have been happy to reach the break only two behind, albeit his side’s predicament nearly improved as Richarlison swept against the outside of the left post in added time.

The Brazilian then put the ball in the net having already been ruled offside and then curled wide before again being denied by the flag of assistant referee Darren Cann.

Tottenham’s frustration was quickly compounded. Seagulls substitute Estupinan, making his first appearance since November 9 due to injury, did the damage, unleashing a thunderous, dipping effort into the top right corner from around 25 yards following Milner’s short corner.

Tormentor-in-chief Pedro rubbed salt into Spurs’ wounds 15 minutes from time by dispatching his second penalty after Evan Ferguson was brought down by Giovani Lo Celso.

Veliz’s first goal in English football, after Kulusevski and Son Heung-min capitalised on sloppy Seagulls defending, eased the embarrassment before Davies’ header from a Porro cross increased the anxiety among home fans.

But Brighton weathered a frantic nine minutes of added time, during which Hojbjerg hit the base of the right post, to claim the points.

Rangers have announced the loan signing of Portuguese forward Fabio Silva from Wolves until the end of the season.

Silva is set to join Rangers from January 1, subject to international clearance, and will become the first new arrival under manager Philippe Clement.

After joining Wolves from Porto in the summer of 2020 for what was then a club-record fee in the region of £35.6million, Silva had loan spells at both Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven last season.

Silva, 21, has made more than 60 Premier League appearances, the last coming as a late substitute in the defeat at Sheffield United on November 4.

“I am very happy, when I spoke to people about Glasgow and about Rangers, everyone told me good things about the club and the history,” Silva said on the Rangers website.

“I played here once with Porto in the Europa League, so I already know the warm club, the environment and the stadium, so everything is perfect.

“I am very happy to be here, and I can’t wait to start training with the team.”

Clement is confident Silva can make an impact at Ibrox.

“He is a highly rated striker and it is fantastic to have him joining our squad for the remainder of the season,” the Rangers boss said.

“He is a young player who already has some great experience in his career in both England and in Europe. I am looking forward to working with him moving forward.”

Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs feels Silva will benefit from the move to Scotland.

“This is a simple one – Fabio needs to play,” Hobbs said on the Wolves website.

“He is not getting enough opportunities here, so it’s a chance to go out and score goals and we’ll look at the future in the summer.

“Rangers don’t have a buying option, but hopefully he plays and scores goals and we’ll see where we’re at in the summer.”

Former Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris is closing in on a move to Los Angeles FC.

Lloris has made 444 appearances for Spurs but not played for the club since April after he made clear his desire to take on a new challenge at the end of last season.

Boss Ange Postecoglou gave the green light for Lloris to leave this summer and, while no transfer materialised, Tottenham are in talks with MLS outfit LA over the veteran goalkeeper making the switch to America, the PA news agency understands.

The deal could be wrapped up by next week if discussions continue to progress as planned and the World Cup winner would leave on a free transfer.

Spurs signed Lloris from Lyon in 2012 and he went on to become a stalwart for the Premier League club, taking the captaincy under Mauricio Pochettino and leading the team to two League Cup finals and most notably the Champions League final in 2019 in addition to several top-four finishes.

Lloris, 37, last played for Tottenham during the 6-1 loss at Newcastle in April, where he was replaced at half-time with a thigh injury.

After Lloris stated his desire to move on in the summer, Lazio and Nice were among the clubs to register an interest in his services, but no transfer occurred and he was replaced as captain by Son Heung-min before the new campaign.

Postecoglou has talked up Lloris’ professionalism but not selected the Frenchman for any matchday squad, with Guglielmo Vicario quickly becoming his first-choice goalkeeper and Fraser Forster made back-up.

Lloris, who guided France to the World Cup final in Qatar last December before he retired from international football after the tournament, will depart Spurs sitting in eighth place in their list of all appearance holders.

Napoli head coach Walter Mazzarri warned his side cannot afford any more slip-ups as they look to kick-start their campaign against Monza.

The Partenopei return to action after the Christmas break looking to avoid a third straight Serie A defeat with a lengthy injury list.

Brazilian defender Natan is the latest player facing a spell out because of a dislocated shoulder while midfielder Stanislav Lobotka has a cracked rib.

Forwards Victor Osimhen and Matteo Politano are also both missing through suspension following their dismissals in the defeat at Roma.

Mazzarri, though, maintains the squad will just have to cope as best they can as the defending champions aim to close on the top four.

“It’s a huge game against Monza. We need to play with attacking impetus and also strike the right balance,” Mazzarri told a press conference.

“We can’t have any more slip-ups. We need to get back to our brilliant selves and restore our confidence levels.”

Mazzarri, who returned for a second spell at Napoli in November, added: “We have deserved two or three more points from my first cycle back in charge based on how we have performed and how we have played on the front foot.

“That is my only regret, but I’m here to help the lads out and I’m confident we can improve.

“When we’re playing well, we usually impose our game on everyone. We’re also improving defensively.

“Unfortunately, we’ve paid for some mistakes which have led to us dropping points. The aim is to have attacking threat while striking the right balance and remaining solid.”

Mazzarri feels Napoli are not far away from turning promising performances into positive results.

“I can see that mentally this team has fire on the inside and is acquiring the sort of spirit that I like. We need to channel that energy in a positive way,” he said.

“I am sure that as soon as a few things go our way, we will see a Napoli side that never gives up and shows what we are capable of – that is what will show we are on the right path.”

Monza coach Raffaele Palladino feels his side must be “hungry” to get themselves back on track following their own run of three defeats from the past four games.

“We want to put in a great performance,” said Palladino, who returns to his hometown club. “We face the Italian champions who have great players.

“I saw a good week (of training). We worked well and we want to score points. We have to start doing well again. I want a team hungry for results.”

Simone Inzaghi believes Inter Milan can head into 2024 with plenty of enthusiasm as his side aim to finish the campaign with more silverware.

The Serie A leaders return to action after the Christmas break at Genoa on Friday night for their final match of the year.

While there was disappointment in defeat by Manchester City in the 2023 Champions League final, Inter lifted both the Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia.

Inzaghi feels Inter can continue to build on progress over the past year as they look to maintain the pace at the top of the table and also make an impact again in Europe, having been drawn against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16.

“2023 has been very satisfying. We’ve won a couple of trophies and played a very exciting Champions League final,” Inzaghi told Inter TV.

“It’s nice not to forget what we’ve achieved, but we have plenty of ambition and are looking ahead to the new year with plenty of enthusiasm. We want to go far together with our fans.”

Inzaghi added: “We are happy with our numbers from the first 17 matches. We still have 21 games to play and will need to maintain our excellent attacking and defensive numbers.

“The secret is the real willingness that all the players are displaying.”

Inter should have French defender Benjamin Pavard available again for the trip to Genoa, but Lautaro Martinez, Federico Dimarco and Juan Cuadrado remain out injured.

“The rotation of the squad needs to be a solution and mustn’t become a problem,” Inzaghi said.

“It is something that has served us well during periods where we have had so many matches in quick succession.”

Genoa held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in their last home game and Inzaghi is expecting a stern test against the Rossoblu.

“It will be a hard-fought game,” he said. “Genoa are in good form and have high-quality players and a well-prepared coach who is doing well.

“We will have to be shrewd and play with real intensity.”

Genoa coach Alberto Gilardino hopes his side can produce another positive display to build on their win at Sassuolo ahead of the Christmas break.

“We face the strongest team in the championship, one of the best defences in Europe and a very good coach,” Gilardino said at a press conference.

“We come to play this match after two positive results, so we must face this match in the best way.

“We must not allow ourselves to lose even a millimetre in our approach.

“The boys are eager to get a positive result and have a positive attitude in the match.”

Isco has signed a contract extension with Real Betis until 2027, the club have announced.

The midfield player, who joined Betis from Sevilla in the summer, has scored twice in 17 LaLiga appearances this season.

The former Real Madrid man has been an important player for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, who sit in seventh place ahead of their trip to Celta Vigo next week.

Arnett Gardens extended their unbeaten run across six games when they took the scalp of reigning champions Mount Pleasant FA with a 2-0 victory in an entertaining Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL) encounter at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Wednesday.

After playing out a goalless first half, the ‘Junglists’ eventually broke the deadlock through Kimani Arbouine’s well-driven 54^th-minute effort from just outside the 18-yard box.

Jaheim Thomas then capped the win with a delightful 69^th-minute volley that beat Shaquan Davis, in goal for Mount Pleasant, all ends up.

With the win, the Xavier Gilbert-coached Arnett Gardens inched up to 21 points, same as second-placed Tivoli Gardens, but with a game in hand. Both are now a solitary point behind Mount Pleasant, who despite the loss, remain atop the standing.

Earlier, Tivoli Gardens through goals from Kimarley Smith (52^nd), Howard Morris (62^nd) and Alton Lewis (65^th) downed Harbour View 3-0 in a lopsided affair. The loss saw Harbour View slipping back to 11^th position on 10 points.

Much like Arnett Gardens, Dunbeholden FC continued their unbeaten run with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Waterhouse FC.

Damion Binns’ 53^rd-minute own-goal and Brian Burkett’s 90^th-minute strike, was enough to hand Dunbeholden the points, after Javane Bryan (41^st) gave Waterhouse the lead.

The win moved Dunbeholden up to fifth on 18 points, same as fifth-placed Portmore United, who edged Vere United 1-0, while Waterhouse are sixth on 15 points.

Meanwhile, Humble Lion secured their first win under the guidance of Vassell Reynolds, as they edged Lime Hall Academy 1-0. The win stopped a three-match losing skid, and moved the Clarendon-based team up to 14 points in ninth position, while promoted Lime Hall remain at the foot of the 14-team standing on four points.

Matchweek 11 Results

Arnett Gardens 2, Mount Pleasant FA 0

Tivoli Gardens 3, Harbour View 0

Humble Lion 1, Lime Hall Academy 0

Waterhouse FC 1, Dunbeholden FC 2

Vere United 0, Portmore United 1

Cavalier 1, Treasure Beach FC 0

Molynes United 2, Montego Bay United 1

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw continues to enjoy an outstanding individual campaign for Manchester City, and, as such, will end the year atop the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) scorers list.

The towering Jamaican striker has so far tallied 21 goals in a mere 10 games played so far in the 2023/24 season, and her feat has positioned Manchester City in second on 22 points, three behind leaders Chelsea.

Shaw’s rich vein of form puts her ahead of Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly (18), Bethany England (12) of Tottenham Hotspur, and Brighton Hove and Albion’s Elisabeth Terland (12) in the race for the Golden Boot, heading into the New Year.

The colourful exploits of the 26-year-old Reggae Girl should come as no surprise, as she merely picked up where she left off last season when she broke new ground by notching 31 goals in all competitions, a record across a single campaign for City’s women’s team.

During that season, Shaw was named Women’s Player of the Season in a fan vote, while she was also shortlisted for the Barclays Women’s Super League’s equivalent award.

Shaw finished the 2022/23 season with an astonishing 31 goals in all competitions, surpassing Nikita Parris’ previous highest total of 25 for a Women’s player across a single season. She achieved that tally in just 30 matches, meaning she found the net at a rate greater than once per game. 

When you add nine assists onto that total, her overall goal involvements for that campaign stand at an incredible 40. 

Shaw scored 20 of those goals in the WSL, two in as many UEFA Women’s Champions League matches, two in two Continental Cup fixtures, and an astonishing seven in three FA Cup appearances. 

And by all indications, there will be much more records and scoring feats to come for both Shaw and Manchester City, as her impressive journey will continue at the club until at least 2026.

Noni Madueke believes Chelsea have finally found answers to the goalscoring problems that plagued them last season.

The England Under-21 international came off the bench to fire Mauricio Pochettino’s side to a 2-1 win at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, slotting the winner from the penalty spot in the 89th minute after being fouled by Eberechi Eze.

Earlier Michael Olise, who nearly became a Chelsea player in the summer, had equalised on the stroke of half-time after the hosts had failed to build on Mykhailo Mudryk’s 13th-minute opener.

There were chances for Mudryk, Nicolas Jackson and Ian Maatsen on his first start to add to the hosts’ tally but a combination of wayward finishing and Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson kept Roy Hodgson’s side in it, until Madueke’s late intervention.

Chelsea netted only 38 Premier League goals last campaign, their lowest in the league in almost a century, but already have 31 at the halfway stage this time around.

They have been boosted by the return to fitness of last season’s Bundesliga top-scorer Christopher Nkunku who made a full debut against Palace and was a threat at number 10.

And Madueke feels confident that a corner has been turned.

“We play good football and are scoring goals now,” said the 21-year-old. “I remember last season we weren’t scoring those goals.

“We’re probably conceding a few too many, but I just feel it’s that consistency we need to get down. Once we do, we’ll be a really good team.

“We’ve had some very good performances this season where we haven’t got the rub of the green. It’s a process and where we are now will not define us come the end of the season.”

It was Chelsea’s third league win in a row at home and their fourth in all competitions, though that run has been cut with a streak of four consecutive away losses.

It is their longest sequence of victories at Stamford Bridge since October 2022 and saw them climb back into the top half of the table.

“(This) was a must-win game,” said Madueke. “There have been similar games in the season that we should have won and haven’t quite got the rub of the green, so I’m happy we’ve done the business and got the three points.”

Madueke also reflected on his impact from the bench having been handed just his eighth league appearance or the season, of which only one has been from the start.

He added: “It’s been a stop-start campaign for me. I’ve had little niggles, little injuries, things that haven’t quite gone my way.

“I’m happy to have an impact off the bench (against Palace) and whether I start the next game or have the same impact off the bench is up to the manager.”

Steven Naismith praised Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark for “a brilliant year” and for the way he has dealt with the increased pressure of having stalwart Craig Gordon pushing him for a starting place recently.

The 31-year-old former St Johnstone stopper made his debut for the Jambos a year ago and marked his 50th appearance with a penalty save and an 18th clean sheet in all competitions since taking the gloves as Hearts pulled off a dramatic 1-0 win at city rivals Hibernian on Wednesday.

Clark stepped in after Gordon suffered a double-leg break on Christmas Eve last year at a time when he was established number one for both Hearts and Scotland.

With the 40-year-old having made a remarkable recovery and forced himself back into contention for involvement in the matchday squad this month, Naismith paid tribute to Clark for the way he has coped with the spectre of such a highly-regarded goalkeeper breathing down his neck.

“I think there has been pressure put on externally,” said the Hearts boss. “I have been consistent with what I’ve said: Zander is a top goalie who has had a brilliant year.

“The circumstance he is dealing with is that there is a legend of the club, an unbelievable goalie, who is back fit.

“That is competition for places but it isn’t easy to deal with, especially as a goalie when there is only one position.

“But Zander has dealt with it perfectly. He is a top goalie. He took his chance a year ago, he’s come in and made his Scotland debut and he’s made a massive impact for us (against Hibs).”

Clark has kept 10 clean sheets in 19 league matches this term, underpinning Hearts’ recent surge to third place in the cinch Premiership.

Apart from free-scoring Lawrence Shankland, who snatched a stoppage-time winner on Wednesday with his 16th strike of the campaign, Hearts have struggled to get their forwards firing.

Asked how he would deal with the departure of the talismanic Scotland forward if he was to be sold in January, the manager said: “That’s part and parcel of football.

“I would want to get to a point where if a player leaves or you get a bad injury, you have a list there you can comfortably go at.

“We had it with Josh Ginnelly in the summer, who was a big part of last season for me. He moved on and we had to make different signings. When players go out of the team it creates an opportunity for someone else.

“I was at Kilmarnock when Kris Boyd scored all our goals. He went to Rangers in the January and everybody’s saying ‘what’s going to happen now?’ but me and Colin Nish stepped up and scored goals.

“It happens at every club. No matter who leaves, an opportunity arises for someone else.

“I’m comfortable with our squad. I think we’ve got a good squad. (Kenneth) Vargas, (Yutaro) Oda and (Kyosuke) Tagawa are still young.

“They have good moments and they have moments that can be better. But I think over time they can bring real quality to the squad. I’m comfortable with it all.”

Defender Kyle Walker insists Manchester City have now drawn a line under their stellar achievements in 2023 and have set their sights on a strong second half to the season.

Capturing the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia last week “finished the piece” in Walker’s eyes in a year when a first Champions League title followed Premier League and FA Cup triumphs, with the UEFA Super Cup added for good measure in August.

Questions have been asked about whether Pep Guardiola’s side are lacking something this season after a run of one win in six Premier League matches, but the come-from-behind 3-1 win at Everton showed they are a long way from giving up on their title defence.

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And Walker believes with 20 matches still to come, trailing leaders Liverpool by five points, now is when City will come into their own.

“On the back of winning the Champions League we desperately wanted to win (in Saudi) and finish off the piece. It was good to go and finally tick that off the list,” said the 33-year-old.

“It’s important now to draw a line under it and it’s a big end to the season when we’re in the competition we want to fight for again.

“I don’t think there was many things going wrong on the field except the results. We were playing well, but this game is about winning and we weren’t doing that.

“But that’s football and in the Premier League you can never let your guard down, you’ve got to keep going until the last minute.”

The winning mentality of City’s players is one thing which is not in question after the consistency they have shown over several seasons and that was in evidence again at Goodison Park after falling behind to the Toffees’ first attempt on goal in the first half despite dominating.

Brilliant goals from the impressive Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva either side of a Julian Alvarez penalty turned things around to move City back into the top four and set their sights on the summit again.

“I think it shows the determination and belief in this squad. That’s what this team is all about, digging in, not quitting,” added Walker.

“We’re all good players, we can all play out there, but when the going gets tough it’s about a collective team performance that gets each individual if they’ve made a mistake or they’re doing well, to get you out of that stuff.”

Foden’s performance, playing centrally, was certainly a major factor in the turnaround and not just because of his goal.

In the extended absence of Kevin De Bruyne, who is edging closer to a comeback after a hamstring injury sustained in August, City have at times lacked that creative spark and the England international is one who can give them that.

“Phil’s unbelievable, the talent that boy possesses is incredible, but with this manager and this team and the calibre of players we’ve got, Phil needs to do it week in and week out,” said Walker.

“I think this season he’s really come into his own and took the responsibility on, where we’re missing Kevin or Gundo or Riyad (departed duo Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez).

“But I’m not patting him on the back. He needs to keep doing what he’s doing because I think the sky is the limit for him.

“Resting on a couple of good games is not going to put you in that calibre of the best footballers in the world.

“He’s got the potential, he needs to make sure the drive is still there, he keeps concentrating, keeps putting in the performances that he is doing.”

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil hopes Hwang Hee-chan will be fit to face Everton on Saturday despite going off injured at Brentford.

Hwang hit two first-half goals in the 4-1 win in west London but limped off before half-time with a back problem.

The 27-year-old has scored 10 Premier League goals this season, although Wolves will miss him for up to four matches when he jets off with South Korea for the Asia Cup next month.

“It’s just a back spasm, he’ll be fine for the Asia Cup. Hopefully we can get him back for our game against Everton as well,” said O’Neil.

“We’ll see. It’s a tight turnaround but it was only a back spasm and he’s moving a bit better than he was when he came off. Let’s see how he does over the next couple of days.

“It’s 10 goals for him now, so an unbelievable return. But I do have big faith in everybody, whether we have to play someone else or whether we have to use some of the under-23s or under-21s who are already on the bench then no problem.”

Mario Lemina and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde were also on target at the Gtech Stadium as Brentford imploded defensively.

Yoane Wissa pulled one back but the return of Ivan Toney following his suspension for breaking betting rules, likely to be at home to Nottingham Forest on January 20, cannot come soon enough with the Bees hovering just four points above the relegation zone.

“I think either if we were number one in the league, bottom or mid-table, we would look forward to getting Ivan back,” said boss Thomas Frank.

“It’s getting closer. We had an in-house game the other day and he scored two goals. I looked at him and he looked pretty good. It will be just like a new signing.”

What the papers say

Newcastle United are confident of landing England midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City , reports the Daily Telegraph. Juventus, Everton and Crystal Palace are also interested in the 28-year-old.

Manager Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are prepared to bolster the squad in January after injuries left them “exposed”, according to The Guardian. Arteta said the club would “try to make the right calls”.

Raphael Varane, 30, is being chased by former club Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, according to the Daily Mirror via Spanish outlet Sport. The Manchester United defender can negotiate a summer move from January with his contract up at the end of the season.

Any moves by Manchester United in the January transfer window will need to be cleared by Ineos after the company’s deal to buy a 25% share of the club.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Matthijs de Ligt: Arsenal are unlikely to make a move for the Dutch defender, 24, from Bayern Munich but he remains on their radar, reports The Athletic.

Antonee Robinson: Liverpool are interested in Fulham’s US full-back, 26, for a potential January signing, says 90 Min.