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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised his side as they scored two early goals to down Wolves and open up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League. With closest challengers and reigning champions Manchester City not in action until Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side took full advantage as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard struck in the opening 16 minutes before a nervy ending brought about by Matheus Cunha’s strike. The Gunners ultimately ran out 2-1 winners on an afternoon where their early goals were the peak of a performance that promised more than it provided. Having thrashed Lens here 6-0 on Wednesday to ensure safe passage into the last 16 of the Champions League, Wolves proved they were made of sterner stuff and stayed in the contest until the last. But despite seeing his side labour after racing ahead, Arteta was still left pleased with the performance. “I can only praise the players,” he said. “They were excellent. We played against a really good side and generated so much and conceded almost nothing. The scoreline should have been very different. We were very unlucky because we hit the post three times I think. “At the end we made an error close to the goal – in the Premier League you get punished big time for that. Then at the end, it’s game on. Overall I’m really happy with how he performed again.” Arteta also backed Oleksandr Zinchenko – the full-back having made a number of minor errors during the game, including losing possession for Cunha’s consolation. The Ukraine international had earlier set up Odegaard for the crucial second and Arteta was in no mood to criticise the former Manchester City man. “You have to love him, how he is,” added the Spaniard. “Every player has strengths and weaknesses. Alex has many more strengths. This happened and it can happen to any player. “We have to learn from it because there are certain areas where it’s a big no to play, especially after certain things in the previous phase. That’s it. We will get better.” While Wolves left north London empty-handed, manager Gary O’Neil was pleased that his team did not capitulate after such a poor start. “When you concede two early goals, you know it might be a long afternoon,” he said. “We knew we’d suffer against Arsenal because everybody does. “The first goal was disappointing. There were so many bodies around Saka. For him to wriggle through and for us to look hesitant in the penalty area is disappointing. “The second goal was a great goal. We should have prevented it, but it happens. We stuck to the plan, tried to be aggressive and maybe didn’t carry as much of a threat as we would have liked, but not many teams do against Arsenal. “We managed to hang in and create a bit of a scare, and the lads should take a lot from that.” Read More Kevin Sinfield greeted by Sir Gareth Edwards after latest fundraising challenge Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again Neal Maupay makes the right impression on his manager Will Jacks looks at positives after England central contract snub Brentford beat Luton with strong second-half show Five-star Burnley crush Sheffield United at Turf Moor

The Montreal Canadiens say Alex Newhook will be out for 10 to 12 weeks because of a high ankle sprain

Matthew Cleveland scored 14 points, Norchad Omier and Nijel Pack each added 13 and No. 8 Miami beat Notre Dame 62-49 on Saturday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams

Thomas Frank said he is not surprised with Neal Maupay after the French striker scored for Brentford during their 3-1 home win over Luton in the Premier League. Maupay scored his second goal of the season since his loan move from Everton in the summer when he finished from close range past Hatters goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski to open the scoring in the 49th minute. Ben Mee and Shandon Baptiste also netted for the home side in the second half, either side of Jacob Brown’s 56th-minute reply for Luton. Afterwards, Bees boss Frank lauded the influence of striker Maupay, who has returned to Gtech Community Stadium after leaving the club in 2019 for Brighton. “For me I’m not surprised (about the goal),” Frank said. “We were sure that he’ll do well for us because we know him well and he can score goals. “He’s had to get back into it and in the last weeks he’s played really good. I’m pleased it’s paying off for him. “He scores goals. That’s a big thing. He’s a good pressing player and link up player when he drops down and finds a solution. As a mentality character he’s good for the group and drives the group.” Frank’s injury issues continued, with Kristoffer Ajer replaced by Saman Ghoddos in the starting line-up after the central defender suffered a foot injury in the warm-up. The Danish manager credited the players who stepped up after Brentford bounced back from last week’s late 1-0 home loss to Arsenal. He continued: “I’m very happy with them. Vitaly Janelt is one of our flexible players (starting at left-back) but Saman stepped in and looked like he’d played at right-back for years. “It’s incredible that we can turn around with the amount of injuries we have. We have four full-backs out. Big credit to the players.” Luton manager Rob Edwards was disappointed with how his side started the second half. He explained: “I felt we gave some early Christmas presents away in the second half and I feel they didn’t have to work too hard for their goals. They had control and they deserved the win. “We had gone away from giving gifts away – and we had done that in the first couple games of the season.” Read More Kevin Sinfield greeted by Sir Gareth Edwards after latest fundraising challenge Paul Heckingbottom stands by his work as Sheffield United lose again Mikel Arteta heaps praise on players as Arsenal pull four points clear at summit Will Jacks looks at positives after England central contract snub Brentford beat Luton with strong second-half show Five-star Burnley crush Sheffield United at Turf Moor

Under-fire Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom insisted he could hold his head up high after a number of fans turned on him following his side’s 5-0 capitulation away to fellow strugglers Burnley. The odds on Heckingbottom becoming the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season tumbled after a humbling defeat, in which a Burnley side who started the day bottom of the table scored an opener through Jay Rodriguez just 15 seconds in and recorded their biggest top-flight win since 1970. Jacob Bruun Larsen doubled the lead and, with the Blades reduced to 10 men when Oli McBurnie was sent off before half-time, they crumbled in the second half with Zeki Amdouni, Luca Koleosho and Josh Brownhill helping Burnley end their wait for a home league win this season at the eighth attempt. United never looked in the game, and fans made their feelings known at the final whistle. “I bet they’re nearly as angry as me,” Heckingbottom said. “I’ve had this now since the beginning of September. But the one thing I can say is I can walk out of this stadium with my head held high. “I know how hard I work for everyone at the club. I won’t change, I’ll make sure the staff do the same. And we continue to give everything we’ve got with what we’ve got. That won’t change. But, as I said the first time I was asked this, you’re asking the wrong person (about his future)… “Of course if fans start changing, it changes the dynamic. It doesn’t change how I feel or my job. I just said to the players in there, I can walk out with my head held high but you can’t kid people. “The fans are right to shout, say that wasn’t good enough. I was almost singing along with them at one point.” Given Burnley were two goals to the good at the time with United barely laying a glove on them, McBurnie’s red card in the first minute of stoppage time was hardly a turning point, but the Scot’s two yellow cards in the space of 10 minutes killed off any hope of a comeback. “He’s let me down,” Heckingbottom said. “He knows he has.” Burnley’s first home win and first clean sheet of the season lifted them off the foot of the table, and relieved some of the tension that has been building around Turf Moor. “I think we were so desperate to do it,” Kompany said. “We felt against (Crystal) Palace was good, against West Ham was good. You don’t know when it’s coming but I felt we always believed it was coming so for us hopefully it’s a starting point. “The performance today was really good but you have to turn it into results. I just hope with the goals they’ve scored today and the fact we had a lot of goalscorers as well, that’s an important sign with Lyle Foster still not being there. Hopefully of the consistency of doing that will remain.” Both of Burnley’s wins to date have come against sides they were promoted with during the summer. The challenge of taking points of established Premier League sides remains, starting away to Wolves on Tuesday night. “I’ll have a glass of red wine tonight and then back on to Wolves, it’s coming on Tuesday,” Kompany said. “When we win there’s only three days to enjoy it. But we go again. It’s the same recipe really. “I see the boys making progress, they work as hard as the top teams in the league. They don’t get the rewards for it at the moment but now we live towards the Wolverhampton game.” Read More Kevin Sinfield greeted by Sir Gareth Edwards after latest fundraising challenge Neal Maupay makes the right impression on his manager Mikel Arteta heaps praise on players as Arsenal pull four points clear at summit Will Jacks looks at positives after England central contract snub Brentford beat Luton with strong second-half show Five-star Burnley crush Sheffield United at Turf Moor

The Heisman race is down to Michael Penix Jr. and Jayden Daniels. Did Penix clinch with Washington's win over Oregon?

We are past the one-month mark of the 2023-24 NBA season. Here's an updated look at a crowded Sixth Man of the Year race.

Defending champion Italy has been drawn in a tough group at the 2024 European Championship with two-time winner Spain, 2022 World Cup semifinalist Croatia and Albania

An apparent prankster has blighted the draw for the 2024 UEFA European Championships with sex noises being played throughout the proceedings. This comes just months after a similar incident occurred on Match of the Day which left the likes of Gary Lineker and Danny Murphy red-faced when loud pornographic noises were played during the broadcast of a game between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers. It's hard to determine if these were exactly the same noises that were heard on the BBC but they were most apparent when the final teams in the draw were taken out of the hat, with ex-Manchester City and Spain midfielder David Silva struggling not to laugh. The host of the draw, which was taking place in the German city of Hamburg, acknowledged the disruption by saying "there is some noise here..." but they attempted to power through despite the problems. More to follow...

Germany has won the Under-17 World Cup for the first time after beating France in a penalty shootout in the final in Indonesia

Let's look at how the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class performed in Week 13 of the college football season.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark says his still-evolving conference remains committed to having a championship game even as the College Football Playoff expands from four to 12 teams after this season