Tottenham took the gamble of confirming managerial novice Tim Sherwood as their new head coach on this day in 2013.

Sherwood had no experience at leading a club prior to assuming Spurs first-team duties one week earlier in the wake of Andre Villas-Boas’ sacking.

Yet after one defeat and one win, the Tottenham board had no trouble in supporting Sherwood to lead them further up the Premier League table, with the then 44-year-old appointed on a contract running to the end of the 2014-15 season.

The north London club had been expected to challenge for a top-four finish after a heavy outlay over the summer, yet they sat seventh in the table and were four points adrift of the Champions League places.

Villas-Boas was dismissed a day after a demoralising 5-0 home defeat against Liverpool, while Tottenham had also shipped six goals at Manchester City.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy admitted he was loath to dispense with the services of Villas-Boas, but gave his backing to Sherwood, who played for the club as a midfielder from 1999 until 2003.

Levy told the club’s official website: “We were extremely reluctant to make a change mid-season, but felt we had to do so in the club’s best interests.

“We have a great squad and we owe them a head coach who will bring out the best in them and allow them to flourish and enjoy a strong, exciting finish to the season.

“We are in the fortunate position of having within our club a talented coach in Tim Sherwood. We believe Tim has both the knowledge and the drive to take the squad forward.”

Sherwood oversaw Tottenham finishing sixth in the table in the 2013-14 campaign before parting ways with the club two days later, with Levy saying in a statement: “We agreed an 18-month contract with a break clause at the end of the season and we have now exercised that option.”

Rebecca Welch will create history on Saturday by becoming the first female to referee a Premier League match.

Welch will complete her remarkable journey from the playing fields of north east England to the top flight when she takes charge of Fulham against Burnley at Craven Cottage.

The 40-year-old from Washington in Tyne and Wear was still working in an administrative capacity for the NHS when she began her refereeing career in 2010.

Welch gained her badges through the Durham County Football Association and climbed through the ranks after taking charge of university and Sunday league games.

Just over a decade later – and two-and-a-half years after becoming the first woman to referee an English Football League match – Welch’s decisions will be scrutinised by millions of fans around the world.

It is no place for the faint-hearted, but Welch, who became the first female to act as fourth official in a Premier League game in November, breaks new ground with the backing of Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Fulham counterpart Marco Silva.

“It’s certainly a benchmark and milestone,” Kompany said ahead of his side’s trip to London.

“I think she’ll take great pride in having done it herself. There’s a lot of women – in general, but in the game as well specifically – who will see this as a way to achieve at the highest level.

“I am always pro any kind of extension anyway because what it does is widen the pool of talent.

“We need access to all the available talent, the best referees in the best league in the world.”

Both Kompany and Silva are adamant that their players will behave no differently with Welch in the middle rather than a male colleague.

Kompany said: “It shouldn’t be really about the official or the manager. It should be about the players and, in that sense, I can’t see why we wouldn’t have that normality.

“Of course the story is bigger and deserves to be bigger, but once the whistle blows every actor on the day will want the players to be highlighted.”

Silva said: “For us it will be a normal situation. Of course it will be the first time so everyone has to talk about it, but when the game starts it is going to be another Premier League game, with people with good ability to be a manager, a player or to be a referee.

“We will not even talk about it before the match because for us she is the ref, like she was the fourth official some weeks ago in our game against Manchester United, and for us it was a normal situation.

“We have to always respect all the officials and she’s going to be welcomed. She got this chance because she deserves it for sure and she has the ability to be at the level she is going to be.”

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery refused to be downbeat after his side missed the chance to go top of the Premier League.

Nicolo Zaniolo’s stoppage-time header rescued a 1-1 draw with struggling Sheffield United on Friday.

Cameron Archer, who joined the Blades from Villa in the summer, netted for the visitors – who climb off the bottom – with three minutes left to leave Villa on the brink of a first home league defeat since February.

But they salvaged a point, although their run of club-record 15 straight league wins at Villa Park ended, and they sit second in the standings, behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference.

Emery, whose side saw Leon Bailey have a goal disallowed by VAR while the hosts also had three penalty claims turned down on review, said: “It was a very good point at the end.

“At the start we were very excited and we were expecting Sheffield to be very strong, they were successful in their plan and they scored when we lost control of the game.

“The draw is fantastic for us because we are keeping the good feeling, not with three points but playing in the same way we are trying to do.

“We were upset and frustrated with the review of our goal, we have to understand each decision even if we don’t agree with them.

“We lost the control of the game in the last 20 minutes. At the end we were frustrated, I wanted three points but we have to accept how Sheffield defended.”

Villa dominated from the start without finding the breakthrough and had two penalty claims rejected by VAR, the first when Ollie Watkins was shoved by Vini Souza before George Baldock’s handball was studied.

Neither fell for Villa but they kept pushing and Wes Foderingham saved low from Moussa Diaby.

Sheffield United’s plan was working and they frustrated the hosts, with Villa’s expected procession to the summit failing to materialise.

But the Blades almost gifted Villa an opener after 58 minutes, only to be saved by VAR.

Watkins robbed Baldock as he failed to clear, swapped passes with Jacob Ramsey, and crossed for Bailey to sweep in but VAR disallowed the goal after Ramsey pulled Foderingham at the corner.

Another VAR reprieve for the visitors came 15 minutes later when Baldock survived a handball review as Villa Park became increasingly anxious.

It gave the Blades belief and Emiliano Martinez saved from Oliver Norwood before Archer, who came through Villa’s academy, tapped in after outstanding work from Gustavo Hamer with three minutes left.

United tried to cling on, Foderingham saving from Alex Moreno, but they were breached in the seventh minute of injury time when Zaniolo headed in Douglas Luiz’s cross.

“It always seems when we play at Villa Park it’s an interesting night. We were up against a team on a fabulous run, who have swatted aside better teams than us,” said Blades boss Chris Wilder, whose side host relegation rivals Luton on Boxing Day.

“I’m not going to be embarrassed in terms of the plan we had, because we have to have a structure. You do get close, you are ultimately a little disappointed but when the head is on the pillow we will be pleased with our efforts.

“We’re going to have to show character right the way through because we’re up against it. This football club is built on that. I’ve been delighted with the group and their attitude.

“Everyone in the world expects a home win. We had to have a structure, it’s not anti-football, it’s up to the opposition to break us down. They are the ones in form.”

Swansea manager Alan Sheehan urged his players to take confidence from a first home win since October as they edged a late 2-1 Championship victory at home to Preston.

Jamie Paterson completed his brace in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage-time to end Swansea’s run of seven home games without a win and deny North End a valuable away point after Liam Millar cancelled out Paterson’s opener.

As a result, Swansea – who have yet to appoint a permanent successor to Michael Duff – climbed four places to 15th in the table, while interim manager Sheehan has now taken seven points from five games in charge.

“We’re delighted with the win. We haven’t been good enough at home or got enough points but after the playing well and losing against Middlesbrough last time out, tonight was just about doing enough to win the game,” said Sheehan.

“We weren’t fluent with our performance by any stretch. We tried to play it through, looking for the perfect goal but it broke down each time.

“Preston are physical and try to ram it down your throat which we have to deal with. They came to make it hard for us and sometimes you’ve just got to grind it out and two moments of absolute quality from Jamie Paterson won us the game.

“We need to build confidence, resilience and a desire to win from this. When you win and have things to work on then that’s good. It wasn’t pretty but we got the job done and took a valuable three points.”

Preston continued their dramatic slide in form and slipped to ninth, with just one win from their last seven games.

They at least looked to have taken a point from their travels after substitute Millar cancelled out Paterson’s opener with a well-taken curling effort.

However Alistair McCann gave away possession inside his own half to gift Paterson the late winner.

Preston manager Ryan Lowe said: “I’m disappointed and gutted that we just couldn’t see it through to get what would have been a good point.

“I thought we were well worthy of the draw. It was a battling performance, nothing amazing and we dug in.

“We knew Swansea would dominate possession because that’s what they do but we handled their pressure well for long periods but individual errors have cost us.

“We played sideways instead of forwards for the second and left the man unmarked in the box for the first.

“It was disappointing because we had got ourselves right back in the game with a great goal and I felt we were in the ascendency.

“The players have character and effort but there were two lapses of concentration for the goals.

“I have to take responsibility as the manager, I know that and I have to lift myself first because I feel that I’m letting people down and I don’t like doing that.

“We could do with a bit of luck and to get that we need to keep working hard and digging in.”

Bristol City head coach Liam Manning reflected on winning a Christmas cracker against Hull and admitted: “We like to do things the hard way.”

His side led through Tommy Conway’s 24th-minute penalty, awarded for handball against Jacob Greaves, only to fall behind by half-time to Aaron Connolly’s solo strike and an Ozan Tufan spot-kick after referee Ben Toner spotted a dubious foul on Greaves in a crowded box.

Anis Mehmeti matched the brilliance of Connolly’s goal with a similar effort to equalise on 77 minutes and after Hull lost goalkeeper Ryan Allsop to an injury sustained trying to prevent that goal, Knight beat his replacement Matt Ingram with a deflected effort to settle the outcome.

Manning joked that he had aged 10 years during the previous home win over Sunderland and again had his emotions put through the wringer.

He said: “Up to our goal, we were excellent and caused them real problems. Then we got a bit emotional and they took advantage as a very good side who are well coached and on a good run of form.

“The less said about Hull’s penalty the better. There was so little contact on their player and I’m just glad the result wasn’t influenced by a poor refereeing decision.

“But we responded to the setback well, even in the final minutes of the first half, and the second-half performance was excellent.

“We got on the front foot and showed some moments of real quality. We spoke at half-time and there was so much good in the first half that I didn’t want to derail it.

“The message to the players was that we faced a terrific challenge and could either step up and build on our good first-half play or let the penalty decision have an adverse effect.”

Hull head coach Liam Rosenior, a former player for both clubs, was serving a one-match touchline ban and admitted: “Watching from the stand was horrendous. I have learned my lesson and never want to let it happen again.

“Credit to Bristol for playing well, but for us it was three points dropped. I sound like a broken record when I say that we didn’t get the result we deserved.

“Our level of performance was again good, but we have to manage games better because the end product is all-important. It’s so frustrating because we should have more points on the board than we have.

“The defeat was self-inflicted. There was so much good in the way we played.

“Ryan Allsop hurt his back diving for their second goal and that is just bad luck.

“I believe that if you perform consistently over the course of a season you will end up where you deserve to be. We were by far the better team, but key moments in the game have cost us.”

Neil Harris was full of praise for his Cambridge side after they continued their impressive start under him with victory over Exeter but insisted they will not be resting on their laurels.

The U’s have picked up seven points from their three games since Harris took charge, and moved 11 points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win against Exeter on Friday night.

Gassan Ahadme netted his sixth goal in six matches from the penalty spot in the first half, before Elias Kachunga sealed the points in the dying stages.

“The attitude and desire from the players to learn and listen to messages was outstanding, and we got our rewards,” said Harris.

“I thought we controlled the majority of the game. When we pressed high and got after them we were outstanding.

“Two goals, a clean sheet, some really good individual performances. Ultimately if we come off at four or five nil no one thinks twice about it.

“To pick up seven points in three games, to see them play for the shirt like they are, it’s a proud place for us at the moment.”

Cambridge travel to fourth-placed Oxford in their next match before another road trip sees them go to fifth-placed Stevenage.

Harris added: “We’ve got two tough away games now. We can take pats on the back for the first two weeks, for the last two home games, and rightly so, but it’s now making sure we build on this.

“No one will get carried away in that changing room or at that training ground tomorrow morning. We know where we’re at, we know what we’re good at and how we can improve.”

Exeter are now winless in 13 League One matches, and could fall into the bottom four if Carlisle or Fleetwood win on Saturday.

Grecians boss Gary Caldwell rued the slow start his side made at the Abbey Stadium.

“We start the game after we go a goal down, again,” he said.

“It’s not a penalty for me, but every week decisions go against us. We have to deal with that.

“I thought we played well up until the last kind of action and then we didn’t create enough from the build-up play that we had. We got into good areas and didn’t create enough good chances.

“It’s a similar story to what’s been happening in recent weeks.

“We needed a little bit more in the final third. But I think we can compete better as well.

“I thought early in the game we didn’t do enough and it wasn’t until we went a goal down that we started to play, and that’s too late. So there are things we can learn there.

“Up until that final third I think some of our play is good. We create good opportunities, we get final third entries and then we don’t get enough in the box.”

Pep Guardiola spoke of his pride after Manchester City thrashed Fluminense 4-0 to win the Club World Cup for the first time on Friday.

It was the club’s fifth trophy of a memorable 2023 after their previous successes in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and European Super Cup.

Julian Alvarez began the rout after just 40 seconds, teed up another for Phil Foden and then wrapped up a one-sided victory in the closing minutes. City also benefited from an own goal as they overran their Brazilian opponents.

City manager Guardiola, who had previously won the competition three times, told the club’s website: “I am so proud of this club. What we have done is an outstanding achievement.

“To win this trophy is to be the best team in the world and our players, our coaches, our backroom staff, all of them work hard every single day to bring us this success.

“As a manager what I am most proud of (is) that we are always there. No matter how much we win, no matter what trophies we lift, we are there again to fight for the next one.

“To win the treble was truly special but to win two more trophies and now hold these five major titles shows the unique mentality of this team, of the club and its fans.

“It is something no other English team has ever achieved and we will always remember this incredible time we spent together.”

Foden, whose cross also forced the own goal, similarly hailed a momentous night in the club’s history.

The England midfielder said on TNT Sports: “We are not used to playing in this heat so it was difficult but we are delighted with the outcome. We’re over the ‘world’.

“This one is so important for the club. It’s the first time we’ve won it. We’re delighted and it’s massive for the club.”

Foden felt Fluminense, the Copa Libertadores winners, gave City a tough night.

“It was an unbelievable match,” he said. “Fair play to them, the way they play. I love the way they play – short passes.

“They are a great side and they didn’t make it easy but I thought the lads not only showed quality but heart and determination.”

Luka Jovic spared AC Milan’s blushes as his 90th-minute leveller secured a 2-2 draw against Serie A’s bottom club Salernitana.

Jovic volleyed home in a crowded goalmouth after Federico Fazio and Antonio Candreva had wiped out the Milan lead provided by Fikayo Tomori’s third goal of the season.

The late equaliser was rough justice on Salernitana, who are managed by Milan striking great Filippo Inzaghi and had won only once in the league, at home to Lazio last month.

Third-placed Milan trail league leaders and city rivals Inter by eight points having played a game more, and the Rossoneri have now failed to win any of their last four away matches in Serie A.

Salernitana survived a second-minute VAR penalty check for handball against Fazio, the Argentina defender getting in the way of Rafael Leao’s effort when possibly moving his arm towards the ball.

Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan reacted well to save from Boulaye Dia after Domagoj Bradarc’s drive had veered across goal.

But Christian Pulisic volleyed the ball just over before the visitors took a 17th-minute lead.

Tijjani Reijnders’ free-kick reached Leao at the far post and the Portuguese sent it back across the six-yard box, Tomori adjusting well after a double deflection to head home.

Salernitana responded well to that setback and Maignan showed excellent reflexes to push away a ball that had skimmed off the head of team-mate Ismael Bennacer.

Milan were then cut apart by an excellent home move which ended with Candreva crossing and Grigoris Kastanos stretching to force another fine stop from Maignan.

But Salernitana were not to be denied and Fazio produced a prodigious leap from Candreva’s corner, rising above Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Simon Kjaer, to equalise with a thumping header.

Loftus-Cheek almost restored Milan’s lead, breaking forward from midfield to sting the palms of Benoit Costil in the Salernitana goal.

But Loum Tchaouna nearly pounced at the far post before Candreva sent the home fans wild.

Tomori went down clutching his hamstring but Salernitana correctly played on and the veteran Italy international’s angled 20-yard drive slipped through the fingers of an embarrassed Maignan at the near post.

Maignan was far more accomplished to turn over Pasquale Mazzocchi’s powerful drive from distance and Milan pressed for an equaliser in the final quarter.

Costil produced a brilliant double save from Jovic, but the Serbia substitute broke Salernitana hearts after Olivier Giroud had directed the ball into his path with a clever header.

The game finished in controversy with a mass pitchside melee and Salernitana substitute goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo was shown a red card for pushing Alessandro Florenzi.

Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United can “change the story” of their season once key players return from injury.

This has been a bumpy second campaign in the Old Trafford dugout for the Dutchman, whose side have been eliminated from Europe and seen their Carabao Cup defence ended early.

United’s Premier League title chances are all but over before Christmas and Ten Hag’s side need to build on last weekend’s dogged 0-0 draw at rivals Liverpool when they head to West Ham.

The absentee-hit Red Devils are dealing with several doubts ahead of the Saturday lunchtime clash, but Ten Hag expects their injury problems to ease over the coming weeks.

“Now we have some doubts,” the United manager said.

“We have some illnesses during the week, so we have to see who is available for tomorrow. Hopefully they are recovered but we have to see.

“(Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez) are not available before Christmas, so that will be mid-January we expect them back.

“Mason Mount similar into January. Harry Maguire I expect him early on and Victor Lindelof is not available.”

United confirmed that Lindelof has undergone surgery on a minor groin issue and is set to be out for just over a month.

The impending return of such players will be a shot in the arm for a United side deprived of so many options in recent weeks and months.

The spate of injuries has raised eyebrows and has reportedly led to head of sports medicine Gary O’Driscoll heading an internal review of the medical department.

“We did research here about it but there are so many factors in that you can’t point at one factor,” Ten Hag said.

“But in this moment, what is most important is that we have to deal with it.

“And we have to work to get the players back as soon as possible because we know we have a strong squad in the moment we have everyone on board.”

Ten Hag says “bad luck” has been a factor as the United boss mentioned problems at centre-back, left-back and right wing along with the absence of “huge impact player” Casemiro in midfield.

“You have to deal with that, but everyone understands that when such key players are not available it will have a negative effect on the results,” the Dutchman said.

“Still, we are in a place (where) we can change the story, we can change the season, so I am confident when the players are back we will have a good and strong squad.”

United’s squad has been stretched, with illness meaning Anthony Martial missed the previous two matches while Marcus Rashford was absent in their Champions League exit against Bayern Munich.

The England forward was able to return to the bench at Liverpool and is now fighting for a starting berth, having mustered just two club goals after plundering 30 last term.

Rashford’s struggles in front of goal has been compounded by summer signing Rasmus Hojlund failing to open his Premier League account despite scoring five in the Champions League.

“I’m always very supportive to players and I know, especially front players, a keeper, they need more trust, support from the manager,” Ten Hag said.

“I have a strong belief in Hojlund and in Rashford that they are capable of scoring a lot of goals.

“We have to work as a group, as a team, on our attacking game, but they are capable of scoring a lot of goals.”

Asked if he has seen right response from Rashford in training, Ten Hag said: “He’s training well.

“It can always be better, but I think he’s such an experienced player. He’s mid-20s but he’s a very experienced player.

“He knows how football works, how top football works, so he knows he has to take the responsibility and I’m sure he will do (that) so he will line up himself.”

Luton chief executive Gary Sweet lauded the “heroic” medical staff who saved Tom Lockyer’s life following his cardiac arrest.

Lockyer’s heart stopped during Luton’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium last week.

The Hatters skipper is recovering after being discharged from hospital where he was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

And Luton CEO Sweet applauded those who resuscitated Lockyer within two minutes of him collapsing.

“It took two minutes from the point of going down to be resuscitated,” Sweet said.

“It’s impressive, the actions of those protocols which ultimately saved him.

“They are all heroes, the Luton medical team, the Bournemouth medical team, the doctors and the paramedics were all exemplary. We cannot thank them enough.

“Absolutely (there is more to life than football). Immediately when it happened we did not care about the game, it was not on our minds. It was all about his recovery.”

Lockyer has started a period of recovery and is expected not to feature for Luton in the coming weeks and months and Sweet admitted the issue has been challenging to deal with and has been a learning experience for the club.

He added: “We’ve never done this before. It’s all learning for us. It’s thrown so many challenges our way and it’s been one very big challenge this week. This has all been about team spirit and gathering around Tom.

“The fact he was being taken home by people we know and was in safe hands gave us a sense of relief.”

The match between Luton and Bournemouth was abandoned following Lockyer’s collapse but Hatters full-back Alfie Doughty will still have a yellow card on his record after being cautioned on the day.

Rob Edwards questioned that decision ahead of Luton’s meeting with Newcastle.

He said: “For some reason, Doughty’s booking still counts.

“It’s like the game didn’t happen, but Alfie’s booking still counts. It’s a strange one. It will be nice if I can get an answer on it or if it can get changed.”

Mauricio Pochettino said club bosses must be “clever” enough to ignore abuse directed at footballers and managers via social media after Reece James revealed that he had been targeted online after undergoing surgery.

The Chelsea captain wrote on his Instagram account on Thursday that he had received “significantly more hate and negativity” since sustaining the hamstring injury that forced him off during the team’s 2-0 defeat to Everton.

It is the second significant injury the 24-year-old has suffered this season, having also missed a large part of the last campaign, with Pochettino indicating a lay-off of “several weeks” possibly stretching to months.

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter last season gave an alarming account of the abuse directed at him whilst he was in charge, which included emailed threats made against his family.

And Pochettino said that he too had been targeted, albeit to a lesser extent, after matches this season.

The Argentinian, who takes his team to Molineux to face Wolves on Christmas Eve, said: “We are really exposed. Today it’s so easy to try to damage people.

“It’s so easy to write things. It’s very fashionable to speak badly.

“What makes me sad is not the social media, the people that have access to write this negativity. What makes me sad is that the people that are involved in this business pay attention.

“No one is going to damage me. Maybe (club colleagues) can damage me with words. When I have appreciation and respect for someone and they say something, of course it makes me think.

“But if I go on social media and someone abuses me? I don’t care. It’s not going to change my mood or my way to see things. When we lose games I receive abuse on social media, I receive SMS (messages), WhatsApps, emails that I never open. Not too many. A few.

“It makes me sad for the people that are involved.

“If I am a coach, am I going to make a decision (based on) what the people think about this? If there is an owner that follows social media and says ‘that changed my view’, I say ‘come on’.

“People that manage this business need to be clever, and to be clever means to trust in the people that you have. I need to trust in my owner, I need to trust in my sporting director.”

Chelsea are seeking a third consecutive win in all competitions for only the second time since March when they take on Gary O’Neil’s side, having defeated Sheffield United in their last Premier League outing and edged past Newcastle on penalties to set up a Carabao Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough.

After Tuesday’s cup win, substitutes and unused players joined the celebrations – a sign, thinks Pochettino, that his young side are maturing.

“It’s about giving them the possibility to take decisions and be treated like men,” he said. “They are mature enough.

“You provide the capacity for them to decide if they want to be or not. Whoever doesn’t want to be here is open to (leave). It is about creating a natural environment where everyone is going to be strong.

“If you want to belong to the group, you have the opportunity.”

Mikel Arteta is hoping his Arsenal side can avoid the Anfield “washing machine” to secure a long-awaited victory at Liverpool and top the Premier League table on Christmas Day.

The Gunners boss will be aiming for a clean sheet after likening the challenge of playing away to Liverpool as being stuck on a spin cycle.

Arsenal have not won at Anfield since Arteta was part of the side that secured a 2-0 victory in September 2012.

The Spaniard knows first-hand the challenge of getting a result at Liverpool, having also gone there with neighbours Everton before his stint at Arsenal.

Victory, though, would be enough to keep the north London side top of the tree over the Christmas period but Arteta – who once piped ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ around the training ground in a forlorn attempt to prepare his side for the atmosphere of Anfield – knows it will not be easy.

“It is different, different like Old Trafford,” he said.

“Old Trafford has a beautiful atmosphere as well and something that historically is an unbelievable place to go. There are a few in this country. The Emirates is one of them as well.

“I think I explained that sometimes when you don’t feel at your best and you feel that they are on top of you and you cannot get out of that washing machine.

“You try to overcome those situations but that’s a learning — it happened once and it didn’t happen again.”

Asked how to counter such a problem, Arteta said he wants his own team to put the hosts in a spin by “putting on our washing machine that is very powerful”.

Not someone who is afraid to air his dirty linen in public, two years ago Arteta was involved in a touchline spat with Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp that seemed to galvanise the home supporters as Liverpool once again ran out victors.

Speaking ahead of Saturday evening’s clash, Klopp has called on Liverpool’s fans to bring the noise and said it should not take him clashing with an opposing manager to find a spark.

But Arteta said “there won’t be any” trouble on the touchline after he picked up his fourth booking of the season in last weekend’s win over Brighton.

Instead, Arteta has now challenged his Arsenal side to end another hoodoo and win at Anfield for the first time in 11 years.

Having toasted four years as Arsenal manager earlier in the week, Arteta has already overseen wins at Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham, while this season they beat Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Next up is to leave Anfield with three points and Arteta added: “We have done it at Old Trafford, we have done it at Stamford Bridge and many other places where we haven’t done it for years.

“This is the next challenge. Go there and win. If you want to be at the top you have to go to those places and be dominant. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Dundee United were unable to find the breakthrough against struggling Queen’s Park as their Scottish Championship clash ended goalless at Hampden Park.

United had a chance when Kevin Holt’s header was blocked on the line before Jordan Tillson’s strike was saved by Queen’s Park goalkeeper Calum Ferrie.

Tony Watt had a great opportunity to put the visitors ahead from close range but was unable to find the net and Ferrie was called into action again to save Louis Moult’s effort.

The result sees second-placed United remain five points behind leaders Raith, while the Spiders stay bottom of the table.

Jamie Paterson scored an injury-time winner to hand Swansea their first home win in eight games and deny Preston a valuable away point following a narrow 2-1 Championship result.

Neither side could have complained with sharing a draw as a game of little inspiration ticked into added time at Swansea.com Stadium.

Liam Millar had earlier cancelled out Paterson’s first effort before with two brief glimpses of class.

However Alistair McCann gave away possession inside his own half and Swansea at last found a clinical edge as Jay Fulton released Paterson, who struck the winner in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage-time.

Swansea climbed four places to 15th in the table as a result, while Preston continued their dramatic slide in form and slipped to ninth.

Alan Sheehan had been told he would be in charge of Swansea over the Christmas period as the club continues to search for a long-term replacement for Michael Duff.

However the interim manager had urged for clarity over the vacancy, having taken four points from his previous three games in charge.

Sheehan named the same starting XI beaten by Middlesbrough, while Preston counterpart Ryan Lowe made six changes to the side thrashed 5-1 by Watford last time out.

That included a first league start for former Swansea goalkeeper Dai Cornell, who spent six years with his hometown club without playing in the league.

Cornell was first to be pressed into a save when he denied Jamal Lowe from close range following Josh Key’s smart cut back from the right.

Preston, with just one win in six, were limited to a long-range effort from Robbie Brady though should have done better with Duane Holmes’ counter-attack, if not for Alan Browne’s heavy touch.

Harry Darling went close to finishing a sweeping team attack but Swansea’s frustration grew amid the stalemate with Matt Grimes, Lowe, Ben Cabango and Paterson all booked in the space of eight minutes.

Preston’s cause was not helped by losing Brady to injury before half-time, replaced by Millar, though Ched Evans brought a decent save from Carl Rushworth early in the second half.

But it was Swansea who scored first when Grimes found Paterson free on the edge of the box and the striker swept his right-footed shot beyond Cornell.

That prompted a swift response from Preston, who levelled the scores just six minutes later.

Evans attacked deep on the right before Millar gathered the ball on the left, steadied himself and stepped inside Darling to curl his effort beyond Rushworth.

Millar came close to an almost carbon copy second just moments later but this time the Swansea goalkeeper tipped the shot past the post.

Swansea defender Cabango missed a free header in front of goal from a free-kick and the game looked destined for a draw before Paterson struck again in added time to clinch maximum points.

Aston Villa blew the chance to go top of the Premier League and needed Nicolo Zaniolo’s late goal to rescue a 1-1 draw against struggling Sheffield United.

The substitute levelled in stoppage time just as Cameron Archer’s 87th-minute strike looked to have given the Blades a stunning smash and grab win.

Villa needed victory to go top but now sit second, behind Arsenal on goal difference.

The Blades, meanwhile, still climbed off the bottom of the table after coming so close to a brilliant, resilient, victory.

Leon Bailey had a goal disallowed and the hosts had three penalty claims rejected by VAR as they failed to make their dominance count.

It was supposed to be Villa’s ascension to the top of the Premier League, somewhere they had not been, outside the opening weeks of the season, since December 1998.

The contrast could not have been more different from three-and-a-half years ago when Villa drew 0-0 with the Blades and sat second bottom following the first game of the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’ after the Covid outbreak.

Back then, in an empty stadium, Villa were fortunate to avoid defeat after Orjan Nyland fumbled Oliver Norwood’s free-kick over the line, only for referee Michael Oliver’s watch to fail to signal a goal.

It was a pivotal point in Villa’s fight for survival which, ultimately, gave them the platform to build.

Now, the fact they missed their chance to go above Arsenal, will not diminish their progress, although boss Unai Emery was noticeably angry at full-time after being frustrated by the gutsy visitors.

Blades boss Chris Wilder packed a five-man defence to contain the hosts and United lived dangerously early when Ollie Watkins was shoved by Vini Souza as he lurked for Lucas Digne’s cross.

VAR rejected Villa’s penalty appeals and then disappointed the hosts again when George Baldock blocked Watkins’ header from the resulting corner.

Inevitably, Villa were the aggressors with Wes Foderingham’s smart stop denying Moussa Diaby and Ezri Konsa heading over but there was no early procession.

With 15 straight home wins, the expectation was on Villa to roll the bottom side over but patience was still needed and Watkins hooked over from a Clement Lenglet knockdown.

It was one-way traffic, just without the goal, and the compact Blades would have been very content at the break.

Yet Wilder would have been fuming after 58 minutes when his side looked to have gifted Villa the opener until VAR intervened.

Baldock was sloppy as he tried to play the ball out as United cleared a corner and was robbed by Watkins, who swapped passed with Jacob Ramsey.

The England striker then crossed for Bailey to sweep in but play was eventually pulled back as Ramsey had fouled Foderingham at the corner.

Another VAR reprieve for the visitors came 15 minutes later when Baldock survived a handball review as Villa Park became increasingly anxious.

It emboldened the Blades and Norwood tested Emiliano Martinez from distance, their first shot, after 78 minutes before Konsa almost sliced Max Lowe’s cross into his own net.

Archer’s shot was blocked and Norwood drove over before United stunned Villa Park with three minutes left.

Vini Souza’s free-kick found Gustavo Hamer running behind and a brilliant piece of skill from the midfielder saw him leave John McGinn floundering.

The substitute then had the presence of mind to cut the ball back for Archer to convert from six yards.

Foderingham saved Alex Moreno’s header but Villa found a leveller deep in stoppage time when Zaniolo headed in Douglas Luiz’s cross.