Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane says he is focused and relaxed ahead of his first match in charge against Manchester City. McFarlane has stepped in after Enzo Maresca was sacked earlier this week. He previously worked in  Manchester City’s academy. This will be his first senior professional match as a head coach. Chelsea have won just one of their last seven Premier League games. Despite the occasion, McFarlane said he is not feeling nervous. “It’s been a crazy 24 hours, a real whirlwind,” he said. “But it’s also been enjoyable and exciting.” “It’s a football match. It’s not about me or Pep. It’s Chelsea versus City.” “We’ll go there and compete. This team has shown it can deliver in big moments.” McFarlane added that the pressure may grow closer to kick-off. “For now, I’m quite relaxed,” he said. “I don’t feel famous. I’m just focused on doing the best job I can.”

Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to break their New Year jinx in the Premier League title race. Arsenal are four points clear of Manchester City at the halfway stage. They remain favourites to win their first league title in over 20 years. However, Arsenal have failed to lift the trophy on the last five occasions they finished a calendar year top. The most recent was three seasons ago, when they ended up five points behind City. Arteta admitted he was unaware of the statistic but was clear in his response.“Let’s break it,” he said. The Spaniard said his squad is desperate to win the league for the first time since 2004. Arsenal have finished runners-up three seasons in a row. Confidence is high after Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa. City then dropped points with a 0-0 draw against Sunderland. “It was very good,” Arteta said. “We played a top opponent and won in the way we wanted.”

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has expressed his desire for Mohamed Salah to stay at the club, even after the forward’s fiery comments about the Reds. However, van Dijk acknowledged that the situation remains uncertain over the coming weeks. Salah made his first appearance since his explosive interview during Saturday’s match against Brighton, coming off the bench. Last weekend, following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds, the Egyptian star claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club. In the same interview at Elland Road, Salah revealed a strained relationship with manager Arne Slot, who had named him as a substitute for three consecutive games. Salah was then left out of Liverpool’s midweek Champions League victory at Inter Milan but returned as a first-half substitute against Brighton.

Barcelona fought back to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the Champions League. It was their first-ever win over the German club. It also extended Frankfurt’s winless run to four games. Barça started fast. They pressed high and created early chances. Robert Lewandowski scored in the 10th minute, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Moments later, Gerard Martín forced Michael Zetterer into a sharp save. Frankfurt struck first in the 21st minute. Nathaniel Brown slipped a clever pass to Ansgar Knauff. Knauff held off two defenders and drilled a low shot past Joan García. Barcelona kept attacking but lacked precision in the final ball. Frankfurt doubled up on Lamine Yamal and slowed Barça’s rhythm. Pedri and Raphinha pushed forward, but the visitors stayed organized. Just before halftime, Ellyes Skhiri went close after a smart setup from Knauff. Frankfurt opened the second half with two quick chances. Barça responded through Raphinha, who fired over from a Marcus Rashford cutback. The pressure finally told. Rashford whipped in a superb cross and Jules Kounde headed in the equaliser. Two minutes later, Kounde struck again. He found space in the box and punished Frankfurt’s static defending. Barcelona held on for a deserved comeback win.

Raheem Sterling and his family were at home when burglars broke into their Berkshire property last Saturday. The intruders entered around 17:30 GMT but fled empty-handed after being disturbed, with Sterling reportedly confronting them. Sterling’s representatives confirmed he and his children were present but unharmed, calling it “the ultimate violation of privacy and safety.” This is the third time Sterling has been targeted. His Surrey home was robbed during the 2022 World Cup, and his Cheshire home was hit in 2018. Sterling has not played for Chelsea this season after being frozen out by Enzo Maresca and is currently training away from the first-team squad.

Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez is emerging as one of Europe’s most in-demand young defenders. Inter Milan are pushing hard for the Ecuadorian, while Chelsea and Newcastle are leading the Premier League interest. West Ham United  and Aston Villa  are also monitoring him, with all three English clubs targeting a defender for 2026. Ordonez, 21, has impressed with his calm, athletic style and has already faced Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the Champions League. He recently signed a deal running to 2029, putting Brugge in a strong position to demand a high fee. Brugge expect a battle to keep him, and the main question now is whether a move happens before or after next summer’s World Cup, where Ordonez is expected to feature for Ecuador. Inter hope to lure him to Serie A, but the Premier League remains a major pull. Ordonez’s rise is rapid, and he looks set for a major move in the next year.