Tom Bradshaw’s first-half strike helped Millwall extend their unbeaten run to four Championship matches with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Norwich at The Den.
The Lions striker netted his second goal in two games to inflict back-to-back defeats on David Wagner’s inconsistent Canaries.
City dominated possession throughout the first half but went into the break behind after Bradshaw poked home from close range after 18 minutes.
Wagner’s side continued to lack creativity across a toothless festive performance as Joe Edwards’ hosts survived a late George Saville red card to hold on and climb eight points clear of the drop zone.
Wagner rang the changes from City’s Boxing Day defeat at West Brom as Ben Gibson, Danny Batth, Christian Fassnacht, Onel Hernandez and Hwang Ui-jo all started in a surprise away XI.
While for Millwall, Shaun Hutchinson, Murray Wallace and Zian Flemming all came in after the Lions’ much-needed 2-0 against QPR.
The visitors started brightly as Ashley Barnes shot straight at Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic and Hwang fired wide of the post from range.
And Korean striker Hwang almost emulated his stunning 30-yard strike against Watford last month when his free-kick whistled ferociously past a post.
But it was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play when Bradshaw slid in from close range after Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s inviting low delivery across the face of goal.
City responded by enjoying several sustained spells of possession but continued to lack ideas when in the final third.
And Millwall almost punished them on the stroke of half-time when Angus Gunn pulled off a brilliant acrobatic save to deny Flemming’s venomous goalbound effort.
The Lions looked lively straight after the break as Aidomo Emakhu stung the palms of Gunn once again with a rising near-post piledriver.
And Norton-Cuffy missed a golden opportunity to double their advantage when he inexplicably headed straight at the Norwich goalkeeper while completely free in the box.
Tempers flared on the hour mark when Barnes and Jake Cooper were booked for a pair of separate altercations that saw both sets of players clash and the atmosphere in Bermondsey reach boiling point.
Wagner threw on attacking trio Jonathan Rowe, Adam Idah and Marcelino Nunez shortly after and in-form winger Rowe injected some immediate impetus down the left-hand side.
But City continued to struggle for any cutting edge as Millwall battled bravely against prolonged periods of pressure out of possession.
The contest became increasingly end-to-end as City pressed for a leveller and Bradshaw came close to grabbing another when he fired over from a tight angle.
Gunn once again kept City in it with a flying save to deny Ryan Longman before Saville saw red with two minutes remaining for a cynical late lunge on a rampaging Rowe.
City rallied for a late equaliser but suffered another defeat on the road as Millwall took a significant further step towards Championship safety.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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