Haaland scores a brace as Manchester City secure back-to-back wins.
Manchester City secured their first back-to-back Premier League wins since October with a dominant 4-1 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, showcasing one of their best performances in weeks. Erling Haaland starred, scoring twice to take his season tally to 16 league goals, just one behind Mohamed Salah. The reigning champions remain sixth in the table with 34 points, 11 behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand. City opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Vladimír Coufal deflected Savinho’s shot into his own net. Haaland added a spectacular header from a Savinho cross in the 42nd minute and later chipped goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for his second shortly after halftime. Phil Foden made it 4-0 in the 58th minute before Niclas Füllkrug scored a consolation goal for 13th-placed West Ham, who now sit on 23 points.
FT: Manchester City 4-1 West Ham United.
MANCHESTER CITY WITH 2 WINS IN A ROW, THE START OF A POSSIBLE LONG STREAK! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oLtnj0pLV2
— TheEuropeanLad (@TheEuropeanLad) January 4, 2025
La Liga & Spanish Federation jointly reject Olmo and Pau Victor’s registrations.
Barcelona’s attempts to re-register Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor for the second half of the season have been officially rejected by La Liga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), the organizations confirmed on Saturday. This decision leaves the club in a precarious position, potentially forcing them into legal action to resolve the issue. Olmo, a €60 million summer signing from RB Leipzig, and Víctor are now ineligible to play for Barcelona until after the summer. Both were left out of the squad for Saturday’s Copa del Rey match against Barbastro. The RFEF cited regulations prohibiting players whose licenses are canceled from being re-registered with the same club during the same season. Despite the setback, Olmo’s agent emphasized the player’s commitment to Barcelona, though uncertainty looms as interest grows from clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool. Olmo had scored five goals in 11 games before his suspension.
🚨⛔️ OFFICIAL: La Liga and Spanish Federation RFEF have jointly decided to REJECT Dani Olmo and Pau Victor's registrations for Barcelona.
Barcelona will go to court. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/eW1Y8OHNir
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 4, 2025
Adi Hütter signs a contract extension with AS Monaco until 2027.
AS Monaco has extended head coach Adi Hütter’s contract until June 30, 2027, signaling strong confidence in the Austrian manager. Since joining in July 2023, Hütter has impressed with his attacking philosophy, achieving nearly a 60% win rate in 60 matches. His leadership has fostered the development of emerging talent like Maghnes Akliouche and Eliesse Ben Seghir. In his debut season, Hütter guided Monaco to a second-place finish in Ligue 1, securing a Champions League qualification. This season, the club’s centenary year, Monaco remains in Ligue 1’s top three and is excelling in the Champions League, with standout wins over Barcelona and Red Star Belgrade. Hütter’s prior successes include league titles with RB Salzburg and Young Boys Bern and a Europa League semi-final run with Eintracht Frankfurt. His extension reflects shared ambitions to continue Monaco’s upward trajectory.
📝 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗘: Adolf Hütter has signed a new contract with AS Monaco until 2027! 🇲🇨✍️
(📸 @AS_Monaco ) pic.twitter.com/JAVS2LPy1a
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 4, 2025
Flick secures 100th managerial win as Barcelona defeats Barbastro in Copa del Rey.
Barcelona began their Copa del Rey campaign with a commanding 4-0 victory over fourth-tier Barbastro on Saturday, advancing to the round of 16. Eric García opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a powerful header, followed by Robert Lewandowski doubling the lead with a close-range header 10 minutes later. Lewandowski struck again early in the second half, slotting home a low finish from the penalty spot to make it 3-0. Pablo Torre completed the rout, capitalizing on a mistake by Barbastro goalkeeper Arnau Fabrega. The victory marked the 100th managerial win for coach Hansi Flick, while emergency signing Wojciech Szczesny made his debut in goal for Barcelona. The Catalan side now shifts focus to the Spanish Super Cup, where they will face Athletic Bilbao in the semifinals in Riyadh.
FT: Deportiva Barbastro 0-4 Barcelona.
BARCELONA HAVE REACHED THE ROUND OF 16 OF THE COPA DEL REY! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WoamkPfO81
— TheEuropeanLad (@TheEuropeanLad) January 4, 2025
Arsenal drops 2 points against Brighton, thanks to a controversial penalty.
Arteta’s men missed the chance to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, settling for a 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The Gunners started brightly, with Ethan Nwaneri rewarding Mikel Arteta’s trust by scoring his second league goal just 16 minutes in. Despite the strong start, Arsenal failed to build on their lead, allowing Brighton to grow into the game. The hosts eventually equalized when William Saliba fouled João Pedro in the box, and the Brazilian calmly converted the penalty. Arsenal threatened late on through set-pieces but couldn’t find a decisive goal, leaving the match deadlocked. The result keeps Arsenal five points behind Liverpool, who have two games in hand, and highlights missed opportunities for the Gunners to mount pressure in the title race.
Who’s been your Man of the Match? ✨ pic.twitter.com/b0JRioI2BT
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 4, 2025