Everton boss Sean Dyche fumed at the decision to rule out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 51st-minute goal in their 2-1 Premier League loss at Tottenham.

Spurs were two up inside 18 minutes after close-range finishes by Richarlison and Son Heung-min but were not at their best and could have conceded at the start of the second half.

Calvert-Lewin rifled home after Andre Gomes had won back possession from Emerson Royal, but VAR Michael Oliver told referee Stuart Attwell to review the incident and he disallowed the strike after Gomes was adjudged to have caught the Tottenham full-back on his ankle.

More drama was to follow as Gomes eventually reduced the deficit in the 82nd minute before substitute Arnaut Danjuma hit the crossbar in the dying seconds, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clearing the loose ball from on the goal line.

Dyche said: “It is unfortunate I have to start with that because I thought we were excellent, but I will go back to that. I am a big fan of VAR, but I don’t know where that one lives today.

“I think VAR has over-reffed the moment, where the referee and the linesman have amazing views. They have clearly made a decision. All their experience and years of doing it goes out the window because they’ll find contact.

“They are going to find contact, they find contact with virtually everything.

“I’m a big fan of VAR, but it can’t be refereeing every moment.

“There are so many soft things in football now. Every touch is nearly a foul or is a foul, but that’s not enough for me.

“That’s where you’ve got to go, ‘No, that’s not enough contact’ to make a mature, professional footballer (go down).

“That’s where I think the game has got to be really careful.”

Asked if VAR had helped out his side, Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou said: “Why would it help us out? It was a foul.

“It didn’t help us out. I don’t like VAR. That’s part of the problem, people use that kind of terminology, that it helps or it goes against.

“It’s a tool, it’s used, I still don’t like it. Did it help us? I don’t know if it helped us. If that goal stood, we might have scored a third. That’s the beauty of football.

“I’ve already said I don’t like the way VAR is being used, I didn’t like the way it was used today. I thought it was a foul, yeah, but the referee missed it and probably missed another foul as well. That’s part of the game.”

While this result ended Everton’s four-match winning streak in the Premier League, Dyche was proud of the performance as Vicario made crucial saves to deny Calvert-Lewin, Jack Harrison, James Garner and Danjuma in an end-to-end encounter.

He added: “I am pushing 11 months now and, out of all the performances we’ve had, that is arguably one of the performances I’m most proud of. I thought the players were absolutely superb.”

Tottenham struggled to build on their excellent start, Richarlison scoring for a third consecutive match with a fine near-post finish from Brennan Johnson’s cross before Son lashed home following a corner after Jordan Pickford had kept out Johnson’s low effort.

Nevertheless, this result made it three wins in a row and ensured Spurs would be in the top four at Christmas, with 11 victories from their opening 18 fixtures.

“We had to show some resilience and some strong defence in the box,” Postecoglou said.

“A couple of outstanding saves from Vic, who was brilliant again. It had a little bit of everything, a different type of performance by us, but the pleasing thing is we got the three points.”

Vincent Kompany believes Rebecca Welch’s performance during Burnley’s 2-0 win over Fulham was a “milestone moment” after she became the first woman to take charge of a Premier League match on Saturday.

Wilson Odobert’s curled strike and Sander Berge’s magnificent solo effort confirmed Burnley’s first win since their 5-0 victory over Sheffield United on December 2.

Welch made history having previously refereed an FA Cup fixture in 2022 and an EFL match in 2021.

Kompany, who spoke to Welch at full-time, said: “I wanted to congratulate her because it’s a big moment.

“After the game it’s fair to say that it’s a milestone moment and may there be more, and the best thing will always be when someone is judged on merit.

“But you have to have a first and this is it, so well done (to her) and I’m happy to be part of this moment.”

Victory ended a run of three games without a win for Burnley, and Kompany credited his side’s decisions in key moments while also talking up Berge and Odobert’s quality for both of their goals.

He said: “It was a really good performance. In the key moments the team did well and we were able to remain dangerous in most phases of play whether we had the ball, defending, the loose balls.

“It helped us have a performance and gave us a chance.

“We shifted our feet quicker, we had the intent to go forward and be dangerous. When the ball gets to the final third, it’s the individual quality of the players and they did really well.”

The towering Berge received the ball on halfway and was not challenged by any Fulham player before he drove forward to add Burnley’s second.

It was a source of frustration for Fulham boss Marco Silva, who called on his Fulham to be more ruthless, admitting that the defending for Berge’s goal was not good enough.

He said: “It’s a disappointing result for us. We are not ruthless enough at this level and we were punished by that.

“We were dominant in the first half and we created chances and we should score.

“The second goal, it can not happen. We let the midfielder run with the ball without opposition. We were completely out of balance in that moment.”

Rob Edwards said Luton’s 1-0 victory against Newcastle was the “embodiment” of their captain Tom Lockyer as his side moved to within two points of Premier League safety.

It was Luton’s first game since Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during last Saturday’s abandoned game away to Bournemouth.

The 29-year-old’s name was sung around Kenilworth Road throughout the contest, with the club having laid out his strip pre-match in their dressing room in tribute.

Andros Townsend headed the only goal in the first half, stealing in at the back post after Ross Barkley had flicked on a corner from Alfie Doughty and nodding beyond Martin Dubravka to a deafening roar from the home fans.

Newcastle piled on pressure in pursuit of a way back but it was Edwards’ side who came closest to adding to their tally.

First Barkley slammed an effort off the underside of the bar, a rasping 30-yard drive that beat Dubravka at full stretch, before Jacob Brown did the same in the second half after being played through by good work from Elijah Adebayo.

Alexander Isak thought he had equalised, sliding the ball into the far corner past Thomas Kaminski from Miguel Almiron’s pass, only for VAR to judge he had strayed fractionally offside.

Edwards said his team had gone into the game looking to win it for their absent captain, who was discharged from hospital on Thursday.

“I’m immensely proud of everyone,” he said. “This has been a really challenging week. They don’t teach you this on the coaching courses. I’ve needed my team around me.

“The players have been amazing, really brave. We’ve rallied around each other.

“It’s been hard to concentrate on a game of football this week. My focus has been on Tom and has family, but then there’s been a job to do, an important Premier League game. We’ve all helped each other.

“The performance was probably the most complete performances we’ve had this season.

“We’ve been playing really well. I don’t think it’s because of what’s happened that we’ve won the game today.

“We talked about it, we wanted to do it for Tom. But I don’t think there was any extra motivation there. Today we embodied everything that Tom Lockyer is.”

The result puts Luton to within a win of Nottingham Forest who were beaten 3-2 by a last-gasp goal at home to Bournemouth.

Despite an important three points, Edwards’ focus after the game was firmly on Lockyer.

“Today was about doing it for Tom,” he said. “He’s a leader and an inspiration figure for us.

“A football match pales in insignificance in that moment. It still feels a bit weird me coming in here, talking about a game of football.

“When you’re talking about someone’s life, it doesn’t matter then.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe reflected on a disappointing loss which was his team’s fourth in a row away from St James’ Park.

“We’ve spoken about it internally, we know how important away form is,” he said.

“We have to be consistent in home and away form. It epitomised our away form today, we didn’t compete well in the first half. We were reactive instead of proactive.

“We have an incredible group but I was disappointed with the first half, I thought we needed more emotions and energy in our performance.”

Richarlison scored for the third consecutive match to haunt old club Everton and ensure Tottenham would spend Christmas in the Premier League’s top four thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 home win.

It was harsh on Sean Dyche’s visitors, who created the better of the chances in the capital and crucially had a Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort ruled out following a VAR review in the 51st minute which could have changed the complexion of the match.

Everton also hit the crossbar deep into added time through substitute Arnaut Danjuma, whose effort was then cleared by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario before it could cross the line. Although the offside flag was raised, the goal would have been given on VAR review as Danjuma was marginally onside.

Those missed chances cost the away side and enabled Ange Postecoglou’s team make it three wins in a row after first-half goals by Richarlison and Son Heung-min, with Andre Gomes’ late effort a mere consolation.

Dyche’s team had won their last four league fixtures and started well in north London, with the fit-again Vitalii Mykolenko testing Vicario early on before Cristian Romero slide in to deny Calvert-Lewin.

It had been a sloppy opening period from Postecoglou’s men, but an Everton old boy corrected that in the ninth minute.

A slick team move saw Pape Sarr play in Brennan Johnson down the right and his cross was perfect for Richarlison, who flicked home impressively at the near post before declining to properly celebrate against his former team.

Everton responded well to going behind, with Dwight McNeil dragging an effort wide and Calvert-Lewin having a header excellently tipped wide by Vicario before Tottenham punished their profligacy again with 18 minutes played.

A short corner routine did the trick, with Pedro Porro slipping the ball through to Johnson, who was denied by Jordan Pickford, but Son was on hand to scramble home from eight yards.

It was Son’s 11th Premier League goal of the campaign, which bettered his tally from last season, and Everton’s problems increased when Idrissa Gueye limped off soon after.

Spurs were in control by this point and almost produced a couple of wonderful team goals but allowed sloppiness to creep in towards the end of the half.

The hosts did not heed their warning, but made it through to half-time with a two-goal advantage after Vicario denied James Garner and Jack Harrison in quick succession.

Everton’s pressure continued, though, and they thought the deficit had been reduced in the 51st minute, only for VAR to intervene.

Substitute Gomes won back possession from Emerson Royal and found Calvert-Lewin, who rifled home, but referee Stuart Attwell was told to review the incident.

Replays on the pitchside monitor showed Gomes had caught Emerson’s left ankle and, while the contact was soft, it was deemed enough to disallow the effort.

Another chance was squandered when Garner dragged wide from Harrison’s delicious outside-of-the-boot pass and Postecoglou had seen enough, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg introduced for Richarlison with 27 minutes left.

It worked initially and Dejan Kulusevski almost put the game to bed in the 75th minute, but Pickford produced a superb finger-tip save.

With eight minutes left the Toffees broke through when Garner’s corner was cleared to Gomes and he lashed home for his first Everton goal in 18 months.

It could have been 2-2 minutes later when ex-Spurs loanee Arnaut Danjuma let fly, but his deflected left-foot strike was brilliantly pushed over by Vicario.

Six minutes were added on and Everton were camped in the hosts’ half, but in the dying moments Danjuma could only volley against the crossbar and watch as the ball agonisingly failed to completely cross the line before Vicario cleared.

Andros Townsend’s first-half goal saw Luton beat Newcastle 1-0 at Kenilworth Road to boost their Premier League survival hopes.

Eddie Howe’s visitors were made to look ordinary by a side tipped widely for the drop.

The winner came during Newcastle’s only spell of sustained first-half pressure as Luton’s star pair of Townsend and Ross Barkley combined at a corner.

The gap to safety now stands at just two points after a third victory on the Hatters’ top-flight return.

Luton had laid out the kit of captain Tom Lockyer in their dressing room, seven days after he suffered a cardiac arrest that forced the abandonment of their game against Bournemouth. The 29-year-old’s name rang around the ground throughout.

The hosts dominated the opening 15 minutes, though the game produced few chances. Jacob Brown stood up Jamaal Lascelles on the left and drilled into the arms of Martin Dubravka, who covered his near post well, while at the other end Callum Wilson nodded wide under pressure after Lewis Miley’s shot was blocked.

Bruno Guimaraes whacked an effort from 18 yards that cracked off the ribs of Gabriel Osho.

Luton failed to clear the resulting corner and Anthony Gordon’s ball back in was met by the head of Wilson, who planted Newcastle’s best chance of the half too near to Thomas Kaminski.

Newcastle were growing into the game until Luton’s opener after 25 minutes against the run of play.

Barkley was brave in getting his head to the ball six yards out as Alfie Doughty’s corner was whipped in, flicking it on to the back post where Townsend had slipped marker Kieran Trippier and nodded past Dubravka. Townsend held aloft the shirt of absent captain Lockyer in tribute.

Luton had led here against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City and taken just a point from those three games, but against a Newcastle side stretched by injuries, belief swept around Kenilworth Road that a big name would finally tumble.

Just after the half-hour mark it was almost two. Barkley, fresh from his hand in the goal, received the ball in space 30 yards from goal and tried his luck.

His effort flew over the goalkeeper before hammering back off the underside of the bar as home fans decried their luck.

Howe had seen enough. Eight minutes from the end of the half he gambled on two changes, Miley and Lascelles departing for Alexander Isak and Sven Botman.

It yielded little respite for this side. Within minutes Doughty had wrestled past Trippier into the box, Newcastle failed to clear as the ball broke loose, and Townsend was left free to test Dubravka with a firm effort.

The second half began in the same vein, Newcastle increasingly unsure of themselves in countering Luton’s threat. Adebayo was strong on the edge of the box to keep the ball and slide in Brown who rattled the bar with a rasping drive as the visitors clung on.

Newcastle finally rallied a response, and Gordon might have done better when he poked into the side netting from Trippier’s inviting cross. Isak thought he had levelled, bending the ball into the net but denied by the offside flag having moved early from Miguel Almiron’s pass.

Thereafter Newcastle bombarded Luton’s defence, which would not yield as the hosts put bodies on the line in a manner to make their captain proud.

Burnley scored two superb goals to give Vincent Kompany’s side a deserved victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League.

Two long-range strikes from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge gave Burnley their first win since December 2.

The 2-0 score-line meant a second straight league defeat for Marco Silva’s Fulham following last week’s 3-0 setback at Newcastle.

Burnley were camped in Fulham’s half in the early stages and created a chance in the sixth minute.

Brazil international Vitinho tucked inside and played a whipped cross to the head of Lyle Foster whose effort sailed over the crossbar.

Fulham went close themselves in the 13th minute after a moment of brilliance from Harry Wilson.

The tricky Welshman picked up the ball on the edge of Burnley’s box, sliced through the defence before his outside of the boot shot was saved by James Trafford.

Two more quickfire chances through Timothy Castagne and Alex Iwobi showed the Cottagers’ intent but Fulham missed the quality of the suspended Raul Jimenez.

Referee Rebecca Welch became the first woman to take charge of a Premier League match and she brandished a yellow card to Calvin Bassey after the defender struck Josh Brownhill with his hand.

And the chance of the match came in first half added time. Andreas Pereira put a wide free-kick into the danger zone and after a scramble in the box, Iwobi’s strike was cleared off the line to keep it level.

Burnley came out the blocks fast in the second half and took a 1-0 lead after 47 minutes.

A neat piece of play deep into Fulham’s half saw the ball at the feet of Odobert who produced a wonderful, curved strike into the right-hand corner of Bernd Leno’s goal.

And after 66 minutes the Clarets stunned Fulham and took a 2-0 lead.

The towering Berge retrieved the ball on half-way and drove into space. He entered the edge of Fulham’s box where he rifled his strike past Leno to double his team’s lead.

Actor Hugh Grant, a Fulham fan, was in attendance to witness the two festive blockbusters which gave the Clarets all three points.

And his team failed to produce a positive reaction late on and looked off the pace during six added minutes.

Dominic Solanke completed a last-gasp hat-trick to earn Bournemouth a 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest and ruin Nuno Espirito Santo’s first game in charge at the City Ground.

Forest had looked like overcoming the controversial first-half red card of Willy Boly to earn a worthy point after Chris Wood had headed them level in the 74th minute.

But Solanke, who had earlier scored twice in seven minutes to overturn Anthony Elanga’s opener for Forest, broke their hearts when he headed home in the fifth minute of time added on.

Forest will have grave complaints about the 23rd-minute dismissal of Boly, who was sent off for two yellow cards, with referee Rob Jones brandishing the second despite the defender clearly winning the ball.

Nuno, who replaced the sacked Steve Cooper earlier in the week, will be enthused by what he saw from his side, but he has inherited a relegation battle and Forest could be in the bottom three if results do not go in their favour in the Boxing Day fixtures.

Life is much better for the Cherries, who won for the fifth time in six matches to climb into mid-table and Solanke took the matchball home for the first time in his career.

Nuno received warm applause before kick-off and, after Boly’s early first booking for a foul on Solanke, his side made a strong start.

Wood should have done better when he waltzed past Marcos Senesi in the area but shot straight at Cherries goalkeeper Neto before Elanga had a low effort well saved.

The match-defining moment came in the 23rd minute when Boly was awarded a second yellow card for a challenge on Adam Smith, despite clearly winning the ball.

VAR cannot check yellow card incidents so the Ivorian had no reprieve and had to walk.

Forest acquitted themselves well with 10 men and thought they should have been awarded a penalty on the half-hour mark.

Harry Toffolo’s cross hit Smith’s hand but VAR ruled, while his feet were in the penalty area, contact was outside.

Perhaps fuelled by a sense of injustice they made a dream start to the second half and went ahead less than two minutes after the restart.

Wood dispossessed Alex Scott in a dangerous area and played in Elanga, who provided a sublime finish into the bottom corner.

But the joy was short-lived as the Cherries levelled four minutes later as Solanke sent a looping header from Senesi’s cross over Matt Turner.

Solanke needed just another seven minutes to grab his second as he slid home a loose ball to put the visitors in control.

But Forest showed real character and Wood headed them level when his effort from Morgan Gibbs-White’s corner went in after taking a nick from Luis Sinisterra.

Bournemouth did threaten a third goal when David Brooks hit the post, but Solanke claimed his hat-trick and the three points when he headed home Smith’s cross at the death.

Erik Ten Hag insists Manchester United have goals in them despite drawing another blank in a dispiriting 2-0 defeat at West Ham.

The Red Devils have now gone four matches in a row without scoring for the first time since 1992 after another limp display.

But beleaguered boss Ten Hag said: “We have players who can do it. They’ve proved in the past they can do it.

“But we also have to acknowledge the fact that we didn’t do it as a team. We have to take responsibility. Football is about winning games and scoring goals.

“We have issues. We have had many setbacks and injuries, etc. But the players on the pitch are good enough to win the game. Get into the box, make sure you’re there, make sure you have the willingness to arrive and willingness to score goals.

“They are capable of it. I know (Marcus) Rashford can score, (Rasmus) Hojlund can score, (Alejandro) Garnacho can score, Bruno (Fernandez) can score, Scott McTominay can score.

“We have scoring abilities in our squad and also from set plays. At this moment we’re not doing it. They have to stick together and believe in themselves that they can do it.

“To get where you have to be to score and that is to get in the box especially in the double six-yard box, you have to arrive as a striker.”

The stats make grim reading for United following a 13th defeat in 26 matches this season – the most they have lost before Christmas since 1931.

A 20th defeat in 2023 is also their worst tally in a calendar year since 1989.

Late goals from  Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus secured victory for West Ham to lift them above United in the Premier League table.

Yet for 72 minutes two poor teams were cancelling each other out in a dreadful spectacle until Bowen broke the deadlock.

“I thought whoever scored the first goal would probably win the game and thankfully we got it,” admitted manager David Moyes.

West Ham are now back in and around the top six, an achievement Moyes feels is all the more impressive given the rebuild he has undertaken since selling Declan Rice to Arsenal.

“I think when you sell England’s best player at the moment and you’re still challenging… we’ve tried to pull another team together, we’ve made some signings, now at this time of the season we’ve got 30 points,” he added.

“It’s a brilliant number of points for us at West Ham because we’re not going to be a club rattling right at the top – we’ll try to, but until we keep growing and improving a bit every year that’s all we can do.

“I think we’re making pretty good strides and today was another good victory. We can do better but while we’re doing that we’re still picking up points and moving along.”

Rasmus Hojlund’s scoreless start to Premier League life continued as Manchester United lost 2-0 to West Ham on Saturday.

While his Champions League form has been better, the Dane has no goals or assists in his first 14 league appearances for the club.

Here, the PA news agency looks at his record.

Slow start

Hojlund’s arrival in the summer from Atalanta, for an initial £64million, potentially rising to £72m, was intended to provide United with the out-and-out goalscorer they have lacked.

While he scored only 10 goals in all competitions last season, United saw enough potential in the 20-year-old, who also netted 12 times in 21 appearances for Sturm Graz before moving to Italy, and has seven in 10 caps for Denmark, to move for him rather than continuing their pursuit of Harry Kane.

But while the England captain got to 20 Bundesliga goals in a record 14 games after joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham, Hojlund has yet to break his Premier League duck in the same number of appearances.

He has taken 18 shots, seven of them on target, without a single attempt to his name against the Hammers before he was substituted approaching the hour mark.

Lack of service has been identified as a factor in his struggles, but the Premier League website lists nine “big chances missed” for Hojlund.

While it is a somewhat subjective measure, that is the fifth most of any Premier League player this season and the players ahead of him largely rank among the league’s top scorers.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, with 14 goals, is leading the chase to retain his Golden Boot from last season and, while Darwin Nunez went into the weekend with just four goals for Liverpool, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson have scored nine and seven respectively.

Champions League contrast

Hojlund’s performances in Europe have demonstrated some of what United saw in him this summer, even as they finished bottom of Champions League Group A behind Kane’s Bayern side, Hojlund’s formative club FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

He got United’s first in a 4-3 defeat to Bayern, scored his only Old Trafford goals to date as he twice gave his side the lead in an eventual 3-2 loss to Gala and netted twice more on his return to Parken Stadium before Copenhagen came back to win 4-3.

That makes him the joint top scorer in the group stage alongside Haaland and Atletico Madrid duo Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata, though United’s elimination means he will fall down the standings once the knockout rounds commence in the new year.

All five goals came from inside the area, with three from his left foot, one with his right and a header demonstrating the finishing skills United were searching for.

A pair of scoreless Carabao Cup substitute appearances leave Hojlund’s season record at five goals in 22 games overall.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus consigned makeshift Manchester United to another defeat as West Ham snatched a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium.

England hopeful Bowen scored his 12th goal of the season and Ghana winger Kudus his seventh in 12 appearances as United were sent spinning to a 20th loss of 2023, their worst tally in 34 years.

For 72 minutes two poor teams were cancelling each other out in a dreadful spectacle until Bowen broke the deadlock.

And six minutes later Kudus added a second which, while flattering West Ham, condemned United to a 13th defeat in their last 26 matches.

With Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane all absent, United boss Erik Ten Hag was forced to draft 19-year-old Willy Kambwala in at centre-half for a first senior appearance.

Kambwala acquitted himself well enough but it was another lifeless performance from a thoroughly dispirited side.

The only saving grace for United for long periods was that West Ham, ‘fresh’ from their midweek Carabao Cup mauling at Liverpool, were just as bad.

That was despite David Moyes playing his strongest team, having made six changes for the chastening 5-1 Anfield defeat.

After 33 turgid minutes Antony came up with United’s first shot on target, a tame 20-yard effort easily held by Alphonse Areola.

Moments later came the best chance of the opening period, Antony playing in Alejandro Garnacho whose low finish was kept out by the right boot of Areola.

Garnacho saw another chance deflected over before Areola fumbled a Kobbie Mainoo drive which he was relieved to see roll wide.

Antony’s low cross then just evaded Rasmus Hojlund with a stretching Garnacho only able to turn the ball into the side-netting.

Just before half-time Tomas Soucek met a James Ward-Prowse free-kick with a header which flew wide.

But a horrible, hotch-potch of a first half was probably best summed up when Soucek needed lengthy treatment on a facial injury inflicted by the back of the head of his own team-mate, Emerson Palmieri.

After the break Andre Onana did well to tip a powerful Bowen header from Ward-Prowse’s corner over the crossbar.

Ten Hag introduced the out-of-favour Marcus Rashford for the ineffective Hojlund just before the hour.

But it was Bowen who made the breakthrough when he played the ball to Lucas Paqueta, collected the return pass and bundled the ball in off Onana.

And Brazil star Paqueta was the creator once more with his fifth assist in a row in the Premier League.

He slipped in Kudus to kill off United with a fine low finish to deepen the gloom surrounding Ten Hag’s sorry side.

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.”

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.”