Title race plot twist

GM football fans. It’s Monday, Dec. 2, and we’re covering the Premier League title race, Real Madrid closing the La Liga gap and much more. First time reading? Sign up here.

PREMIER LEAGUE MW13 STATS

Liverpool 2 - 0 Manchester City. This is the first time in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career that he has lost four consecutive league matches. Manchester United 4 - 0 Everton. This is Man United’s biggest margin of victory for a permanent manager’s first home match in the Premier League. West Ham 2 - 5 Arsenal. Arsenal have now scored 60 Premier League away goals against West Ham, the first side to score 60+ on the road against a single opponent in the competition. See full list of results here.

Plus…

• Premier League table (More)

• List of 32 teams for Club World Cup 2025 (More)

• Pep says he didn’t expect ‘sacked in the morning chants’ (More)

• Fans clash in German fourth-tier leaves 79 injured (More)

• Harry Kane out for the “time being” after hamstring strain (More)

EPL TITLE RACE

Liverpool clear favourites for title, Arsenal overtake City in projections for the first time this season

After Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City (highlights), Opta predicts the Reds have an 85.1% chance of winning the league. That’s up from just 5.1% at the start of the season. Arne Slot’s men are also the only team to boast a 100% win record in the Champions League this year.

Arsenal's odds of winning the league has increased from 9.5% to 9.7%, overtaking City (4.4%) for the first time this season. Arsenal and Chelsea both remain nine points behind the league leaders, and only seven Premier League teams in history have overturned such a deficit.

Betting markets are also placing Arsenal above City, with a 24% and 10% chance of winning the league respectively. These markets predict Liverpool have a 61% chance, which is less decisive than Opta’s projection but still commanding.

POLL

HEAD START

> Botafogo win first Copa despite early red card. Botafogo beat Atletico Mineiro 3-1 to win their first Copa Libertadores title despite having a player sent off in just 30 seconds. See highlights of the match here. The result secured the Brazilian club a place in the expanded 2025 Club World Cup in the United States. This is a major improvement for a team that have spent recent decades as the fourth team of Rio de Janeiro and relegated three times. Some credit John Textor’s investment — and excellent scouting policy — for Botafogo’s improvement. Tennis star Novak Djokovic was in attendance to hand Botafogo the Copa trophy.

> England Women vs USWNT ends in a goalless draw. England drew 0-0 with the USA in a Wembley stalemate. The Lionesses were more secure defensively following last month’s chaotic 4-3 defeat to Germany. But the absence of key attack players meant the hosts struggled in attack. In a game of few clear-cut chances, Emma Hayes’ USA looked more threatening, having a goal disallowed for offside in the first half and a penalty overturned by VAR. The match was played in front of 78,346 fans.

> Saudi World Cup 2034 bid report scores higher than USA, Canada and Mexico’s 2026 bid. Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid received a higher technical score from Fifa than the 2026 joint bid by the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA’s bid evaluation report gave Saudi Arabia 4.2 out of 5. Meanwhile, the 2026 bid scored 4.0. Fifa’s high score was largely due to Saudi Arabia’s “one-of-a-kind” stadium projects, such as the proposed 350-metre above-ground stadium in the unbuilt city of Neom. But around 15 stadiums proposed in the bid are yet to be built. The official ratification of the 2030 and 2034 World Cup’s respective hosts is set to take place at a Fifa Congress on 11 December.

LA LIGA

Madrid close La Liga gap as Barcelona lose three in a row

Real Madrid are now just one point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, who have played a game more. This comes after Los Blancos’ 2-0 victory over Getafe, featuring goals from Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. Mbappe is now Real’s joint-top scorer (8) in the league alongside the injured Vinicius Jr.

Barcelona’s 2-1 loss to Las Palmas was their third consecutive defeat in the league. Hansi Flick’s side were six points ahead of Carlo Ancelotti’s after their 4-0 win away from home in October. Now, Barcelona have taken just one point from nine.

Atletico Madrid are just two points off the top spot. Diego Simeone’s side hammered bottom side Real Valladolid 5-0, making it four straight league wins. Before the match, Valladolid fans protested against (via X) Ronaldo Nazario, the club’s majority owner and president.

AROUND THE FOOTBALL WORLD

Europe

> Jamal Musiala rescued a point for Bayern Munich in a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund; Harry Kane to undergo scan (Highlights) | RB Salzburg have made their worst start to a Bundesliga season with 19 points in 13 games (More)

> Fiorentina versus Inter Milan was abandoned after midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch, untouched; reports say he has regained consciousness (More); Napoli remain top of the table on 32 points with two more games played than Fiorentina and Inter, both on 29 (Table)

> Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth were beaten 3-0 at Bristol City, just four days on from a 6-1 defeat at Norwich (More) | Frank Lampard’s Coventry City salvaged a 2-2 draw with a late penalty against visitors Cardiff City (Highlights)

Americas

> LA Galaxy will host the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final on December 7 after the pair won their conference championship games (More)

> The Argentine top-flight league is undergoing major changes including an expansion to 30 teams and the suspension of relegation until 2025 (More)

Rest of the World

> Cristiano Ronaldo scored two to reach 915 career goals as Al Nassr beat Al-Damac 2-0, taking his tally to 15 goals in 18 games in all competitions (More) | Karim Benzema starred on his return with a goal and two assists as league leaders Al-Ittihad won at Ettifaq 4-0 (More)

> A-League newcomers Auckland FC maintain 100% start after five games. The New Zealand-based club have scored eight goals and are yet to concede this season (More)

ROUTER’S VOICE

On Friday, we asked you: Do you think that ticket prices are too expensive?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🫰Absolutely... (97%)

⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅 Nope... (3%)

Your punditry takes:

• 🫰 L.E: “Clubs are quite literally charging you a tax to support your team! Ticket revenue is small change to clubs these days after taking other revenue streams into account, so, why not make it cheaper and have more people attend!”

• 🫰 M.A: “I remember being able to take my three children to every home game at West Ham, even then it wasn't cheap. But now..... I'm afraid my children just wouldn't have those memories. £66 a ticket per child. Bloody ridiculous!”

• 🙅 S.R: “American sports cost a lot more. $66 for a PL game is incredible!”

EXTRA TIME

Pep reminds Anfield how many title he’s won.

Barcelona debuts new mascot named “Cat”.

RB Leipzig’s new Christmas kit is made out of velvet…

… and Liverpool’s rumoured third kit next season.

Fan called up after referee pulls up injured in the FA Cup...

… and Leyton Orient’s keeper scored a late winner to see his side win in extra-time. (via X)

Every Puskas nominated goal for 2024.

A fan wins £1mn after beating Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hulk’s shot is still incredibly powerful. (via X)

GAME FACE ON

Question: Who Am I…

• I began my career in the Netherlands as a midfielder but played the rest of my career as a striker.

• I became the first player to score in eight consecutive Premier League matches.

• I am currently a Premier League manager.

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

La Liga

• Sevilla vs Osasuna (20:00)

Serie A

• Roma vs Atalanta (19:45)

Primeira Liga

• Vitoria SC vs Gil Vincente (18:45)

• Porto vs Casa Pia (20:45)

Turkish Super Lig

• Fenerbahce vs Gaziantep (17:00)

• Hatay vs Besiktas (17:00)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer

Ruud van Nistelrooy.