Buffon reflects on joyous 2012

Arsenal re-established a clear lead at the top of the Premier League in time for Christmas but their wait for a win at Anfield stretches into a 12th year after an absorbing 1-1 draw which ensured Liverpool kept pace in the title race.

Gabriel’s early goal was cancelled out by a Mohamed Salah stunner and, despite both pushing for victory, the Premier League’s top two deservedly shared the spoils.

Being top for December 25 is no guarantee of future performance, however, as both these clubs are well aware; on the last six occasions a team has failed to go on and lift the trophy from this position it was one of them.

It finishes level.

— Liverpool FC (@LFC)

So while nothing has been decided, it at least provided some early festive fun and was …

Giorgio Chiellini believes the Saudi Pro League deserves greater respect as the Gulf state aims to build a competition capable of shifting the global power dynamic in football.

The former Juventus defender, who announced his retirement on Monday, made a similarly unexpected move to the United States when joining MLS side Los Angeles FC in 2022.

Having admired from afar when Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar all completed the switch to Saudi Arabia, Chiellini thinks world football must take note of the ongoings in Saudi Arabia.

Indeed, FIFA announced in October that Saudi Arabia was the only country to submit a bid to host the 2034 World Cup before the deadline, making a second tournament in the Gulf a formality following last year s World Cup in Qatar.<…

Mohamed Salah played like Lionel Messi in training at Chelsea and Jose Mourinho failed to get the best out of the star forward, according to former Blues team-mate Filipe Luis.

Chelsea bought Salah to the Premier League in January 2014 after striking a reported £11million fee with Swiss side Basel.

But it was an unhappy spell for the Egypt international under Mourinho, with Salah starting just 10 games, scoring twice and supplying three assists before being shipped off on loan to Fiorentina a year later.

A spell at Roma followed his time with the Viola and it was his impressive performances in Serie A that convinced Liverpool to give him a second chance in English football.

With the Reds, Salah has become a Premier League and Champions League winner, an…

Real Madrid centre-back Eder Militao has left Brazil s training camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers versus Ecuador and Paraguay due to a leg injury.

Brazil have made a dismal start to their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign and sit sixth in the 10-team CONMEBOL group after six games, with two wins, one draw and three defeats.

Dorival Junior s side will have to cope without key defender Militao for the first international break of the season, after the Brazilian FA (CBF) confirmed he had suffered an injury.

Defender Eder Militao complained of muscle pain in his right thigh after training on Wednesday and after medical exams carried out on Thursday, it was identified a small muscle injury in his right thigh, the CBF said in a statement.

The player has …

Didier Deschamps is set for a first round of talks about his future as France coach this week after the team s World Cup final defeat to Argentina.

His contract is up, but it is widely expected there will be another deal on offer if Deschamps wishes to stay on and target Euro 2024 success.

The disappointment of missing out on lifting the World Cup for a second time, four years after triumphing at Russia 2018, will take time to sink in.

That is why discussions over Deschamps future were not a matter for Monday, as the team travelled back to Paris.

However, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet does not want to waste any time, and he is seeking clarity so has promised to call Deschamps by Wednesday at the latest.

Le Graet told Fre…

Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr is wary of being upstaged by an increasingly confident Madagascar as top spot in Group B goes on the line at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles have recorded unspectacular 1-0 wins over Burundi and Guinea to date and need only a draw in Alexandria on Sunday to stay first.

Madagascar, though, are reconfiguring their expectations following their first ever victory at the tournament, a 1-0 defeat of Burundi last time out.

The newcomers are not mathematically assured of a place in the knockout rounds but, with four points in the bank and something of a free hit at distinguished opposition ahead, Rohr is on alert.

Madagascar is a strong team and they have a great manager, said the German, who has been in charge of Nigeria …

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has apologised to Kalvin Phillips for saying publicly that he had returned from the Qatar World Cup overweight.

Guardiola made the comment in a press conference in December 2022 having left the City and England midfielder out of a Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool.

Phillips, who joined West Ham on loan in January, earlier this month told the Observer that “after the World Cup was probably the toughest, when Pep came out and said I was overweight”, adding: “I did not disagree with him but obviously I took a big knock on my confidence and how I felt at City.”

Guardiola was asked at a press conference on Monday if he regretted going public about Phillips’ weight, and he said: “Yeah, I’m sorry.

“Once in eight…

Tottenham against Ajax is not a Champions League semi-final many will have predicted at the start of the season, but it is a welcome tie for those with allegiances to both teams.

There are four members of the Spurs squad who once donned the red and white of the Netherlands most famous outfit, while another four represented each in some fascinating careers.

It is fair to say the majority have been successes in London and Amsterdam – provided you accept that Mauricio Pochettino not winning a trophy does not automatically make him and his team a failure – but that cannot be said for all of them.

Below, we look at eight players to cross this particular divide, and how well they did it.

 Our ex- contingent.  

— Tottenha…

Liverpool will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League this weekend after producing a below-par display in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

The Reds 17-match winning run may have been ended at Old Trafford, but they have won 11 in a row at Anfield ahead of Sunday s visit of Tottenham.

Manchester City are now six points adrift of top spot and next face a home fixture with Aston Villa, who they have defeated in each of their last nine home top-flight meetings.

Ahead of another bumper weekend of Premier League action, test your knowledge with our Opta-powered Friday Premier League quiz!

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

1. Tottenham are without a win in their last 10 Premier League away games their longest …

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Desperate to claim a welcomed Serie A boost on Sunday lunchtime, Juventus will welcome Frosinone to Turin this weekend.

Juventus

Starting with the hosts, while Juventus might have come flying out of the traps when opening up the 2023/24 campaign, the Italian icons are enduring a recent wobble. Missing out on what they had billed as a potential opportunity last weekend as they eventually had to settle for a 2-2 stalemate away at Verona, the Old Lady are without a win from any of their previous four Serie A appearances on the spin. Collecting just a pair of points on that four-match wobble, Massimiliano Allegri’s side will know the importance of claiming a crucial response here. Nevertheless, while Juventus might open this weekend’…