Chelsea travelled to Wolverhampton Wanderers for the Premier League's first Christmas Eve fixture since 1995, but there wasn't too much cheer as the Blues were beaten 2-1 at Molineux.
Mario Lemina headed home from Pablo Sarabia's corner to score the opener shortly after half-time, before Matt Doherty added a second which left Chelsea without anything to take home despite a late Christopher Nkunku header.
While the Blues stay ahead of their hosts to remain 10th, they are now level on points with Wolves and Bournemouth.
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Positives
There was plenty of exciting play from Chelsea, with incisive running and passing in the first half. Raheem Sterling was the most obvious example of that before missing a big chance as Nélson Semedo struggled to deal with the winger. Even in periods where they weren't playing well, Chelsea still got into promising positions. It will be pleasing to see Nkunku score on his Premier League debut, six months after he officially joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig.
Negatives
After dominating large periods of the first half, Chelsea should have established a lead by the time they were put under pressure, but they had been too wasteful in front of José Sá's goal. There was also some sloppy play at the back that only added to the pressure, and a terrible start to the second half was compounded by conceding with weak defending. There was a lack of discipline, with yellow cards being earned for dissent and kicking the ball away.
Manager rating
Mauricio Pochettino, 6 -- Opted to play both Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja up front from the start, but neither of them looked particularly impressive. Decided to not change anything at half-time and soon saw his side go behind, although his substitutes injecting some life into the attacking when they were brought on. Will need to do more work on defending corners on the training ground.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Djordje Petrovic, 6 -- Didn't have too much to do in the first half but decisively came out to prevent Semedo from reaching a ball behind the Blues' defence. Made a great save to deny Toti Gomes after the restart but there was nothing he could do about either goal. Palmed away Tommy Doyle's strike.
DF Malo Gusto, 5 -- Made some great bursts forward, with one of those resulting in a pass from which Broja should have scored. Was nowhere near strong enough when defending the corner for Lemina's goal and that set the tone for his second half. The right-back looked unconvincing, was booked for throwing the ball away and conceded a chance with a poor touch.
DF Axel Disasi, 6 -- Came out of an awkward situation against Hwang Hee-Chan with a free kick. Stood strong in more potentially difficult scenarios, notably against Craig Dawson at set pieces. Sloppy play put his team in trouble shortly after the goal.
DF Thiago Silva, 6 -- Made some big clearances, including a no-nonsense one after his teammates had cheaply lost possession in the corner. He was caught on one occasion when Hwang ran behind him and conceded the ball needlessly on the edge of the box on another occasion. Did well to halt Hwang towards the end.
DF Levi Colwill, 6 -- Was saved by Petrovic on one occasion after a ball sailed over his head. Had an intriguing battle against Pablo Sarabia, notably doing well to stop him when there was a chance to break. Halted Hwang to save his team after a mistake from Disasi.
MF Cole Palmer, 6 -- Hit one wild shot harmlessly off-target before seeing another deflected over just before half-time. Got on the ball in some good positions in the second half and laid the ball off for Sterling's chance. Petulantly got himself booked and consequently misses the next game.
MF Lesley Ugochukwu, 6 -- Looked tidy on the ball and passed it nicely in the first half. Recovered well to save Silva after he had conceded possession on the edge of the box. But, having looked dominant in the air during the first period, he didn't do enough to stop Lemina heading in the opener and went off injured soon after.
MF Conor Gallagher, 6 -- Took up a good position to cut out João Gomes' pass but there were times where he looked uncomfortable receiving the ball from his defenders and conceded free-kicks in dangerous areas. Booked on the half-hour mark for bringing down Rayan Ait Nouri.
MF Raheem Sterling, 8 -- Semedo simply couldn't deal with Sterling during large periods of the first half as he made direct runs and played incisive passes that Broja and Jackson wasted. However, the winger let the biggest chance of them all pass him by after robbing Gomes of the ball but having his shot saved when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Eventually got his assist with the cross for Nkunku's goal but was booked for diving, so he will miss the next match.
FW Nicolas Jackson, 5 -- Was let down by an awful touch following Sterling's cross and was far too ponderous after slipping between two Wolves defenders, allowing Semedo to get back. Got himself booked for dissent.
FW Armando Broja, 4 -- Took too long on the ball after being played in by Sterling and was tackled by Lemina, then made a mess of his attempt from Gusto's cross. Didn't offer much with his general play either, with his touch looking poor at times.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
Mykhailo Mudryk, 6 -- Replaced Broja in the 59th minute and showed plenty of intent but sometimes found that his final pass was lacking with one putting Gallagher in an awkward situation. His corner deliveries were also underwhelming.
Christopher Nkunku, 7 -- Replaced Ugochukwu in the 59th minute for his Premier League debut after spending most of this season out injured. Poked an effort towards goal, but it was cleared off the line, then had a header saved. Was rewarded with a goal from a nice header.
Ian Maatsen, N/R -- Replaced Colwill in the 80th minute and looked uncomfortable when called upon defensively, with Hwang rolling him easily.
Benoit Badiashile, N/R -- Replaced Gusto in the 80th minute, and his shocking clearance presented a chance on a plate for Doherty to score Wolves' second.
Noni Madueke, N/R -- Replaced Jackson in the 80th minute and made things happen. Was unlucky not to find Nkunku with his ball into the box, then hit a venomous ball that made things difficult for Sa, but he sent a shot marginally wide.
Not all transfers are created equal, especially midway through the European season in the January window. Indeed, some moves would cause shock waves through the game if they happen. They probably won't, but here are some that could do just that.
Kylian Mbappé: Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid
The big one. Mbappé's contract at Paris Saint-Germain expires in the summer and, as yet, there are no signs he is set to pen a new one. The 24-year-old reportedly wants to move to Real Madrid, but is loath to do so on a free transfer out of respect for his club, so that means the January transfer window is likely to be the last chance he could do so for a fee -- unless he agrees to a new deal with an achievable release clause, of course.
Madrid are expected to make him a pre-contract offer to sign in the summer when Jan. 1 arrives, reportedly with a 15-day deadline to accept it. Things could get messy if he doesn't. Or if he does. Either way, chaos ensues for the next few months. And if he decides to move in January for, say, €80 million, then he could get a shot at finally winning the Champions League with Madrid, as a player can no longer be cup-tied.
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Mohamed Salah: Liverpool to Al Ittihad
Al Ittihad are fifth in the Saudi Pro League table and unlikely to make up the 16-point gap on leaders Al Hilal, but a January move for a major star could help their efforts. In the summer, the club made a £150m offer to sign Salah, which was rejected. Liverpool, with title ambitions of their own this season in the Premier League, would be foolish to let the 31-year-old leave midway through the season. But if a world-record bid of £200m were to arrive, could they really turn it down?
If Salah were to leave, then Liverpool would need a replacement, and they'd have £200m to get one. Mbappé would be a long shot, given his clear preference for joining Real Madrid, but Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen, Bayern Munich's Leroy Sané and Barcelona's Ferran Torres have all been linked with a move to Anfield recently.
Victor Osimhen: Napoli to Chelsea
Chelsea have spent more than £1 billion in the past three transfer windows, so what would another £120m be? Despite all that cash being thrown around, the Blues have struggled to land the one type of player they really need: a central striker.
Osimhen, 24, is probably the best young exponent of that craft in the game today, and his goals for Napoli (66 in 116 total games) helped win them the Serie A title last season for the first time since 1990. But in September, the Nigeria international was left furious after being mocked by the club's official TikTok account -- a situation that has likely left their relationship irreparably damaged. If this transfer goes ahead, how it all plays out on social media will be box office.
Joshua Kimmich: Bayern Munich to Manchester City
City need a new midfielder as they look set to move on Kalvin Phillips, and Kimmich has fallen out of favour at Bayern under Thomas Tuchel. The 28-year-old is still one of the best in the world and, much like Germany legend Philipp Lahm, moved from full-back to central midfield to showcase his incredible versatility -- something that would surely be of great value to Pep Guardiola.
The move would lead to Bayern likely needing to seek two new midfielders -- pick from Fulham's João Palhinha, Tottenham' Hotspur's Eric Dier, Nice's Khephren Thuram, Nottingham Forest's Ibrahim Sangaré and Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone -- and would strengthen City's bid to repeat their treble success from last season.
Evan Ferguson: Brighton & Hove Albion to Manchester United
It would take a transfer fee upwards of £100m, given the 19-year-old has just signed a new contract until 2029, but with new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming in to oversee Man United's transfer business, that shouldn't be an issue.
Ferguson is considered one of the top young strikers in Europe and has been compared stylistically to Harry Kane -- ironic, given the England captain was a top target for United before he opted to move to Bayern for £88m from Spurs last summer. He is still learning the game but, alongside £72m-man Rasmus Højlund (who is only 20), the pair could be key to getting the Old Trafford club back to the top of English football.
Douglas Luiz: Aston Villa to Arsenal
Villa's rise to join the Premier League title race this season has been nothing short of sensational. But one surefire way to undo all that good work would be to let one of their best players join a rival.
Arsenal want to move on Thomas Partey, and had a number of bids to sign Douglas Luiz rejected last summer before he penned a new contract. The Brazil international is still on their radar and it appears that Mikel Arteta has made signing another midfielder a priority. Yes, Villa could ask for a transfer fee of around £50m, but the upheaval would likely put the brakes on what could be a priceless campaign.
Barcelona signing anyone
With 18-year-old Brazil striker Vitor Roque set to arrive from Athletico-PR in January for a fee of €40m, there is no money left at Camp Nou due to their continuing financial issues. That means that if the club want to bolster their struggling squad then players will have to be moved on first.
So, take your pick. There are very few stars who the club wouldn't consider letting go for a massive transfer fee next month, but the most likely to raise significant enough funds are Robert Lewandowski (linked with clubs in Saudi Arabia), Frenkie de Jong (Man United) Jules Koundé (Chelsea) or Raphinha (Arsenal). With Gavi's injury keeping him out for the rest of the season, some reports have suggested that Barca will make a move for Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães. If they manage to sign anyone it will be impressive, and it will be even more impressive if they manage to register them under the LaLiga salary cap.
The winter transfer window hasn't re-opened in Europe yet, but there are moves in the works and plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
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TOP STORY: Big-name European clubs interested in Estevao
Various big-name European clubs are interested in Palmeiras forward Estevao Willian -- commonly known as "Messinho" -- as has been reported by Mundo Deportivo.
The 16-year-old's dream is to play for Barcelona, although a transfer to the Catalan club is looking increasingly unlikely as they are not currently making a move due to their financial situation. There will still be plenty of options to be considered, with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all willing to trigger his €60m release clause.
Despite Messinho not being able to complete a move until the summer of 2025, Palmeiras want the forward to make up his mind on a future destination. That is because they hope for the move to be similar to that of Endrick's to Real Madrid and for it to be completed before he is allowed to make the move to Europe.
Messinho's father travelled to Manchester, London, Paris and Barcelona in October to listen to the sporting proposals of the interested clubs and -- like his son -- the favoured option was a transfer to Barca. Even so, the Blaugrana's indecision is making the possibility of signing the teenager increasingly difficult.
Messinho made his competitive first-team debut for Palmeiras in their 1-1 draw against Cruzeiro earlier this month.
PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)
- Manchester United are looking at Olympique Lyonnais attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki as they prepare for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to join the club, according to FootballTransfers. In addition to the 20-year-old, the Red Devils want to sign a striker with RB Leipzig's Timo Werner, Stuttgart's Serhou Guirassy and Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen being linked.
- Internazionale are in pole position to sign Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski, reports Calciomercato, with the 29-year-old's current contract expiring at the end of the season and sensational circumstances likely being required for a renewal to take place. Inter are offering a four-year contract worth around €4.5m-per-season and discussions have advanced.
- Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is interested in a potential move to Arsenal or Manchester City, according to Football Insider. The 25-year-old will not force a move and a January transfer is seen as being near-impossible due to Villa demanding around £100m, but the Brazilian will have two years left on his contract at the end of the season and his valuation will drop after that point if a new deal is not agreed.
- Lewis Ferguson's impressive performances this season have sparked interest from Juventus, according to Calciomercato, who adds that there has been direct contact between the 24-year-old's representatives and Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli. There could be competition from Lazio and Premier League clubs.
In addition, Corriere dello Sport have indicated that Juventus are looking at 18-year-old Copenhagen winger Roony Bardghji, who is also being looked at by Bayer Leverkusen, Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
- Aston Villa believe that they can sign Kelechi Iheanacho from Leicester City for around £5m-£10m, reports Football Insider. The 27-year-old's contract with the Foxes is set to expire at the end of the season and talks about a renewal have not progressed so far.
LIVERPOOL, England -- Saturday offered a titanic tussle between two teams with genuine title aspirations, and only a point will separate Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League on Christmas Day, but there was only one winner after this clash at Anfield: Manchester City.
Liverpool have now dropped four points in their last two home games, with this 1-1 draw following the 0-0 stalemate against Manchester United last Sunday. For the first time since Oct. 2021, Jurgen Klopp's team has gone two games without a league win at home. Meanwhile Arsenal will regard a point at Anfield as a good one -- any title-winning side would be happy avoiding defeat away to Liverpool -- though Mikel Arteta's side has now taken just one point from two away games, having lost to Aston Villa earlier this month.
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Reigning champions City have shown in recent seasons that they are capable of ruthlessly taking advantage of any slips by their rivals in the title race. Having flown to Saudi Arabia last week for the FIFA Club World Cup knowing that they could be faced with a double-digit points deficit when they return to league action at Everton on Dec. 27, the reality is that Pep Guardiola's side is a mere six points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
Liverpool could move eight points clear of City by winning at Burnley on Dec. 26, but Klopp's team will then have played two more games than the champions. While Anfield witnessed a pulsating game between two teams on the rise, it ended as a missed opportunity for both and a night when the weaknesses of both sides were evident -- weaknesses that could yet cost them the title.
"An unbelievable game of football," Arsenal manager Arteta said. "It was one of the most intense I've witnessed in 20 years in this league. For many moments we were on top, in the last 20 minutes we wanted it more, but a draw is a fair result."
Liverpool manager Klopp had a similar take on the quality of the game. "Oh my god, how strong are [Arsenal]?" Klopp said. "The good news is we are good as well."