Managers

RB Leipzig, last season's Bundesliga runners-up, have mutually agreed to part company with head coach Jesse Marsch after a poor start to the season, the German club said on Sunday.

Leipzig suffered a 2-1 defeat at Union Berlin on Friday, a third consecutive league loss that left them 11th in the standings and piled pressure on American Marsch who was not at the game due to being in COVID-19 quarantine.

Marsch, who joined this season to replace Bayern Munich-bound Julian Nagelsmann, has led his team to only five wins in 14 league games.

BARCELONA — Barcelona were stunned by Juanmi's late goal for Real Betis that secured a 1-0 win in LaLiga on Saturday and ended home coach Xavi Hernandez's honeymoon at the club as he suffered his first defeat since coming back to the Camp Nou three weeks ago.

Juanmi gives Real Betis a 1-0 lead over Barcelona! pic.twitter.com/NeSyDS53ch

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2021

The UK was hit by a wintry blast from the Arctic this weekend as Storm Arwen brought high winds, freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall across the nation, while England and the Premier League experienced the brunt of it on Sunday.

The weather disrupted football matches across the land, most notably at Turf Moor as Burnley and Tottenham’s match was called off less than an hour before kickoff.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, despite appearing pitch-side to monitor the situation in only a dress shirt, agreed with the decision.

TORONTO — Toronto FC named Bob Bradley as head coach and sporting director on Wednesday in hopes one of the most successful coaches in the history of North American soccer can help turnaround the struggling Major League Soccer club.

Bradley, the father of Toronto captain Michael Bradley, mutually agreed to part ways with Los Angeles FC last week after having served as the only coach in the expansion club's four-year history.

In the build up to Manchester United’s top-of-the-table Champions League Group F clash with Villarreal at El Madrigal, caretaker manager Michael Carrick revealed that his revolution would be a subtle one; blink and you just might miss it.

“Obviously I’ve worked closely with Ole for a long time now and we do have very similar beliefs,” the defeatist inside Carrick said. “We did as players and we certainly do as coaches and manager so, yes of course, I’ve got my own personality to Ole, but it’s very similar.”

Manchester United sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday, a day after a fifth defeat in seven Premier League games left the Old Trafford club seventh in the standings.

Following is a fact-box on the highs and lows of the Norwegian's time at the club:

HIGHS

Dec. 19, 2018

Appointed United's caretaker manager to replace José Mourinho for the rest of the season, marking a return to the club where he won six league titles and the Champions League as a player.

Christian Pulisic is in fine scoring form as the American has scored for club and country in the last eight days. This Pulisic goal vs Leicester during Chelsea’s 3-0 victory was his first Premier League goal since opening day in August.

Pulisic Goal Vs Leicester City

Chelsea had a dominating performance against the Foxes with first-half goals from Antonio Rüdiger and N’Golo Kanté to give the Blues an early lead.

Thomas Tuchel decided to change things up front for his team in the 62nd minute with Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech coming on.

BERLIN — Werder Bremen coach Markus Anfang has denied using a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate after an investigation was launched by German authorities, the club said.

Werder, playing in Germany's second division this season, said an investigation was under way but the coach had denied allegations he used a fake certificate following a meeting with club bosses late on Thursday evening.

"On Thursday evening the management of SV Werder Bremen was informed of an ongoing investigation into an alleged use of a forged vaccination certificate by Markus Anfang," Werder said.