GM football fans. It’s Monday, Dec. 09, and we’re covering Dan Ashworth’s shock Manchester United exit, Bayern retiring a legend’s shirt and much more. First time reading? Sign up here.

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Premier League MW15: Tottenham 3 - 4 Chelsea. Chelsea have more away points in the league in 2024-25 than any other side, while Cole Palmer now has the best 100% record of penalties in Premier League history (12/12). Fulham 1 - 1 Arsenal. Arsenal haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six Premier League away games. Crystal Palace 2 - 2 Manchester City. The last reigning top-flight champions to lose six away games in a row were Manchester City during the 1968-69 campaign; they have now lost five away in all competitions. Full Premier League results.

Plus…

Dan Ashworth has left his role as Manchester United sporting director after just five months. His departure follows a meeting with chief executive Omar Berrada at Old Trafford after United’s loss to Nottingham Forest. Reports suggest Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the club instigated the separation.

Following his success at Brighton, West Brom and England’s Under 17, Ashworth was an example of the INEOS leadership getting best-in-class operators. United spent five months negotiating with Newcastle over Ashworth’s appointment and paid between £2mn to £3mn in compensation fees.

An unverified report (via X) claims Ashworth felt sidelined from the big decisions, including the appointment of Ruben Amorim. He favoured a British coach like Gareth Southgate. More generally, it has been suggested that there was a clash of personalities between Ashworth and Berrarda.

Bayern Munich have honoured club and Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer by retiring his No. 5 shirt. Beckenbauer — or ‘Der Kaiser’ — died in January this year aged 78. The shirt number is currently not occupied at the club.

Beckenbauer is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. He led his country to glory at the European Championships in 1972 and the 1974 World Cup, and also won three successive league titles and a hat trick of European Cups at Bayern. He is one of just three men to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager.

Shirt retirements are not common in German football, and this is the first shirt retirement in Bayern’s history.

Learn more about Der Kaiser here.

Chelsea’s 4-3 win against Tottenham has put them third favourites to win the Premier League title, ahead of Manchester City. The markets (via X) give the Blues a 13% chance of winning the league, compared to City’s 8% chance.

Opta, the league’s official data provider, still ranks City slightly above Chelsea. But the projections have lowered for Arsenal and City after they both dropped points in their respective fixtures.

Liverpool are still four points ahead (see table) despite having played one less game than their rivals due to the postponed Merseyside derby. Arne Slot’s men are far ahead in Opta and the markets’ projections – 81.1% and 55%, respectively.

> Mohamed Salah has received an opening contract offer from Liverpool (More) | West Ham striker Michail Antonio is in a stable condition after a car crash; under ‘close supervision’ (More)

> Frank Lampard earns his first win as Coventry City manager with a 1-0 win away at Millwall (More); Sheffield United return to top of the Championship (More)

> Jude Bellingham scored for a fifth La Liga game in succession as Real Madrid beat Girona 3-0; Kylian Mbappe scored his ninth, reaching 200 league goals in his career (More) | Barcelona dropped points again with a 2-2 draw away at Real Betis; Hansi Flick’s side sit two points ahead of Madrid with one more game played (More)

> Erik ten Hag is reportedly being considered for a role alongside Jurgen Klopp at RB Leipzig (More) | Bayern Munich announce record annual revenue of more than €1bn (More)

> LA Galaxy extended their league tally of MLS Cup titles to six with a 2-1 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls (More)

> Botafogo have completed a historic domestic double, claiming their first league title since 1995 after beating Sau Paolo 2-1; days after winning their first-ever Copa Libertadores (More)

> The Club World Cup schedule has been released; Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami open the month-long tournament in Miami (More)

> Luis Nani, former Manchester United winger, has announced his retirement (More / via X)

> Vissel Kobe retain the J-League title by beating Shonan Bellamare 3-0; Kobe complete the domestic double (More) | Italy legend Franco Baresi has urged the Chinese Super League to create football ‘culture’ rather than importing players (More)

> Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema both found the net for their respective teams in Al-Ittihad’s Saudi Pro League 2-1 win over Al-Nassr (More); Two points separate Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal after 13 games (Table)

On Friday, we asked you: Would you like to see corners awarded for goalkeepers wasting time? 

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 👏 Absolutely... (69%)

🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ 🙅 Nope... (27%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other... (4%)

Your punditry takes:

Ref’s whistle causes confusion at the end of the MLS Cup final.

Wrexham’s Elliot Lee scores an ‘Olimpico’ goal.

Real Madrid 25-26 home kit leaked.

How do Arsenal keep scoring from corners?

Thomas Frank’s dressing room talk after Brentford’s win. / via X

Forest Green Rovers to build a stadium from timber.

New Maradona exhibit displayed in Buenos Aires.

At 35, Marco Reus wins his first league title of his career.

ESPN updates its top 50 Premier League player ranking.

Question: Who is the only Italian player to have ever won a Premier League winners medal?

Clue: He recorded one assist in his Premier League career.

Scroll below for the answer.

Premier League

La Liga

Serie A

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

Answer

Mario Balotelli.

Others have not met the appearance criteria necessary to receive a medal.