In Britain, Dec. 26 is the biggest day on the footballing calendar. Soccer is to Boxing Day as the NFL is to Thanksgiving Day or college football is to New Year's Day here in America.
It is a day to gather with family, enjoy Christmas leftovers and, of course, watch soccer. Boxing Day is one of the most fixture-filled days of the footballing calendar, and it is highly anticipated from the start of the season.
Tottenham returned to the Premier League summit by following the formula in Sunday’s 2-0 victory over North London rival Arsenal in front of 2,000 supporters at Hotspur Stadium. Son Heung-min and Harry Kane combined on both the goals in the first half, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Toby Alderweireld led the rearguard action to further stifle Mikel Arteta’s ammoless Gunners.
LONDON — Arsenal's fans had waited nine long months to return to the club's north London stadium but the 2,000 people sprinkled across the red seats had to wait only nine minutes to enjoy the thrill of celebrating a goal in the flesh again on Thursday.
Appropriately, it was Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette who struck the opener in a 4-1 victory over Rapid Vienna — the same player who 272 days earlier had scored the winner against West Ham United, days before the COVID-19 pandemic swept in.
Arsenal cannot figure out how to score in the Premier League. With 10 goals in 10 matches, only the bottom three sides have scored less. Fortunately for the Gunners, things have been a bit different in the lower-quality Europa League, where they average three goals per outing. Thursday was no different, starting with a stunning Alexandre Lacazette goal vs Rapid Vienna.
When Kevin Davies took the field for Bolton Wanderers, the action on the pitch often resembled a barroom brawl rather than a soccer match.
Under manager Sam Allardyce, Davies consistently led the league in both fouls committed and fouls received, setting multiple records along the way.
Sunday’s meeting between Arsenal and Wolves at the Emirates was brought to a halt in the fifth minute after an ugly clash of heads between David Luiz and Raúl Jiménez off a Willian corner kick.
Jiménez was stretchered off while receiving oxygen and replaced by Fábio Silva after coming off worse, whereas Luiz continued for Arsenal. Jiménez was then taken directly to a hospital.
Update: Jiménez is reportedly now conscious and responding to treatment.
Nicolas Pépé’s sending off earned Arsenal a point on Sunday, strange as it sounds. With the Gunners attack posing zero threat and the defense unable to cope with Leeds United’s progressive approach, Pépé’s 51st-minute red card galvanized Arsenal from front to back in a 0-0 draw at Elland Road.
Leeds dominated the opening 45 minutes with 60% possession, 13 shots (two on target) and some incisive play from Jack Harrison. Arsenal failed to mount any challenge whatsoever with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang isolated, Willian bullied and Joe Willock somewhere out there.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he is hurt by Mesut Özil's situation at the Premier League club but is resigned to facing questions about the German midfielder after every defeat. Özil, 32, who is under contract with Arsenal until June 2021 earns a reported $452,830 per week, but has not played for Arteta’s side this season after being left out of the 25-man Premier League squad.
The playmaker, who last played for Arsenal in March, was also left out of their Europa League squad, leaving him only eligible for Under-23 games.
It took 85 minutes of play that left very little to the imagination, but Sunday’s FA WSL clash between Arsenal and Chelsea roared into life at the death as Beth Mead’s potential winner was cancelled out by Lotte Wubben-Moy’s 90th-minute own goal.
Sam Kerr still had the opportunity to win it for Chelsea in stoppage time, but her lob drifted wide to spare Arsenal keeper Manuela Zinsberger any further embarrassment.