Football Tracker: Arsenal hold Liverpool, Roma win fiery clash with Napoli
Saturday, December 23rd
23:15 CET - That's that for today's football, but in something of a rarity, there'll be more tomorrow with Chelsea facing Wolves.
To read about what happened the last time there was a Premier League clash on Christmas Eve, and to find out why the return of such a fixture is controversial, click here.
23:06 CET - Roma came out 2-0 winners against Napoli in a Serie A contest that saw two red cards and a near-constant flow of yellows.
21:37 CET - At the halfway point of the final major match of the day, Roma and Napoli are drawing 0-0.
20:31 CET - An enthralling affair at Anfield has ended level, meaning Arsenal will be top of the Premier League table at Christmas.
19:46 CET - That went exactly to plan for Inter Milan. A goal in each half helped them to a 2-0 victory over Lecce.
Check out the match report here.
19:37 CET - We are back underway at Anfield!
19:19 CET - It is half-time between Liverpool and Arsenal and it has not disappointed! A quick start from the visitors led to a Gabriel goal but a beautiful strike from Salah soon cancelled it out. 1-1.
19:02 CET - Alright quiz answer time! How do you think you've done?
1. 1965
2. Four/ West Brom, Sunderland, Leicester City and Wolves
3. Real Betis
4. 2017/2017
5. Manchester United (who else?)
18:55 CET - It is half-time in the Serie A as Inter Milan look to extend their lead at the top of Serie A heading into their Christmas break and they are 1-0 ahead against Lecce at the break.
Follow the live text commentary here.
18:43 CET- Ready for the final quiz question?
Question Five:
Which current Premier League club has the best Boxing Day record?
We will bring you the answers shortly!
18:43 CET - Arsenal have come out flying against Liverpool and a Gabriel bullet header has given them an early lead! Liverpool and Anfield are stunned.
Listen to the live match audio here!
18:08 CET - In Spain 10 men Atletico Madrid have held on to a vital win over struggling Sevilla, winning 1-0.
18:01 CET - It is all over in the Premier League as Luton shock Newcastle and Spurs move into the top four.
Luton Town 1-0 Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth
17:45 CET - Arsenal vs Liverpool, first against third and victory for either will leave them top of the Premier League at Christmas - this is big.
And of course a game as big as this needs a quiz question!
Question four:
This fixture has given us some classic Premier League games leading up to Christmas but when was the last time the two sides faced in their final match before Christmas and for a bonus point, what was the score?
17:00 CET - It is half-time in the Premier League matches and the big story developing is Luton Town are leading against Newcastle United thanks to former Newcastle player Andros Townsend.
Spurs are also leading Everton 2-0 as they continue their rejuvenated form in the Premier League.
16:43 CET - Atletico Madrid are underway against Sevilla in La Liga as they look to bounce back from their midweek 3-3 draw against Getafe as they face Sevilla.
Follow the match updates live with Flashscore.
Speaking about La Liga brings us to question three in the quiz.
Question three:
Which team in La Liga holds the tradition of throwing teddy bears onto the pitch at half-time in the lead-up to Christmas with all the teddy's going to disadvantaged children?
14:00 CET - There are four 16:00 CET Premier League games with the standout being top four chasing Tottenham in action against on-fire Everton.
Also bottom of the league Burnley face Fulham knowing that they need to win to avoid the cursed bottom of the league at Christmas.
Which brings us to the next question!
Question 2: How many times have a Premier League side bottom at Christmas ended up avoiding relegation?
And for a bonus point, can you name the teams?
14:50 CET - Just under 10 minutes until kick-off in the afternoon games in Serie A as Bologna buoyed from knocking out Inter in the Italian Cup, host Atalanta.
In the other 15:00 CET match, Torino play Udinese.
14:40 CET - It is all over in Italy and a late Dusan Vlahovic goal has won it for Juventus who move within one point of league leaders Inter Milan who play later today.
14:32 CET - Back to the football and despite the visitors being the better side, Manchester United have been unable to find a breakthrough against West Ham at half-time.
Follow the game's live audio commentary with us here!
14:00 CET - With Christmas around the corner, we hope you are feeling as festive as we are at Flashscore. And since it is just around the corner, what better way to get in the mood than a good old football Christmas quiz?
There will be five questions dotted across today and the answers will be at 19:00 CET!
Question 1: When was English League football last played on Christmas Day? 1954, 1965 or 1974?
13:38 CET - We are underway at the London Stadium where Kambwala comes in for the ill Raphael Varane to make his debut.
13:23 CET - It is half-time in Italy and Juventus have a new goal-scorer, Turkish teenager Kenan Yildiz (18) gave them the lead in his first start for the club just 12 minutes in.
12:40 CET - An injury crisis in Manchester United's backline paves an opportunity for Willy Kambwala (19) who makes his Manchester United debut against West Ham. We are just under an hour to kick off!
Follow the action live with Flashscore here.
11:35 CET - We are just under an hour away from the opening game of this festive Saturday and it comes from an abnormally early kick-off in Serie A between Juventus and Frosinone.
Follow the match live with us here!
8:50 CET - Hello and welcome to Christmas Eve Eve's football across Europe! In a Premier League action-packed day, West Ham host Manchester United in the early kick-off before top-four hopefuls Tottenham face in form Everton.
And then one of if not the biggest matches of the season so far comes from 18:30 CET as Liverpool play title rivals Arsenal. The reward for the winner? Christmas at the top of the Premier League.
Meanwhile, over in Serie A, Juventus travel to Frosinone in the early kick-off, league leaders Inter take on Lecce and to end the day Roma face Napoli in a fascinating match-up.
Finally, there is just the one La Liga match to look forward to and it comes from Atletico Madrid against Sevilla. Atletico will be desperate to bounce back after Getafe produced a stunning comeback to draw 3-3 in midweek. Sevilla will hope to continue their new manager bounce after Quique Flores led them to a 3-0 win in his opening game.
Friday, December 22nd
23:00 CET - All over at Villa Park as Sheffield United and Aston Villa both scored late in a dramatic 1-1 draw.
22:56 CET - Villa are level! Nicolo Zaniolo has given the hosts a point against Sheffield United.
22:53 CET - A huge shock at Villa Park as the returning Cameron Archer has netted for Sheffield United in the 90th minute to silence the home crowd!
22:39 CET - A very, very late Luka Jovic goal has spared AC Milan's blushes as they have drawn 2-2 against Salernitana.
Elsewhere, Fiorentina have seen of Monza by the odd goal, to go into Christmas in high spirits.
Read the report from northern Italy now.
21:49 CET - Half-time between Aston Villa and Sheffield United with the sides locked at 0-0. Despite no goals, there have been numerous VAR penalty checks with the hosts Villa frustrated not to get a spot kick in the opening exchanges.
It's been all Aston Villa, but can the Blades hold on for a point?
21:33 CET - Over in Serie A, the pick of the action is in Salerno, where Salernitana are level at the break with AC Milan. Fikayo Tomori gave the visitors an early lead before veteran defender Federico Fazio levelled late in the first half.
21:21 CET - Meanwhile back in the UK, Aston Villa's clash with Sheffield United is underway and we have full audio commentary of the clash right here.
After 20 minutes, neither side have found the net.
21:16 CET - It was a cruise to the finish for Manchester City, who have won their first-ever Club World Cup, with a 4-0 hammering of Fluminense.
19:50 CET - In Jeddah, Manchester City lead 2-0 at the break against Fluminense in the Club World Cup final thanks to a first-minute goal from Julian Alvarez and an own goal from Nino.
19:20 CET - At half-time in the first Serie A matches of the night, Lazio are leading Empoli 1-0 while Sassuolo are 1-0 up against Genoa.
18:39 CET - In the first action of the evening, Al Ahly beat Urawa Reds 4-2 in the Club World Cup third-place play-off.
18:30 CET - Hello and welcome to Flashscore's coverage of the final round of football before Christmas! It's a round that won't allow any players to be their feet up early, with plenty to play tonight and tomorrow.
