Arsenal battle to stay top of Christmas charts

Ilian Ivanov Football

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City eye top spot

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have clicked ominously into gear and are just two points behind long-time Premier League leaders Arsenal.

The Gunners have a tough run of league fixtures coming up, starting away at Everton, with Brighton, Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Liverpool to follow.

City, hungry to reclaim the title they lost to Liverpool last year, will go top of the table, at least temporarily, if they beat the Hammers.

Mikel Arteta's team looked jaded in their 2-1 win against bottom side Wolverhampton last week and were lucky to escape with three points after an own goal deep into stoppage time. They managed just two shots on target despite their rich attacking resources.

Arteta also lamented "horrible defensive habits that are nowhere near the levels required" against Wolves, but that must be put in the context of a spate of serious injuries.

William Saliba was back but Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera are on the treatment table while the Gunners lost Ben White with a hamstring injury during the match. Arsenal remain favourites to win their first Premier League title since 2004 but cannot afford to let City take charge.

Xhaka 'lifted Sunderland standards' - Ballard

Ilian Ivanov Football

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While Xhaka is new at Sunderland, Ballard has been with the Black Cats since 2022 and was a key player in last season's promotion.

Prior to his move, he did not make a senior appearance in three seasons with Arsenal.

Now a Premier League regular and Northern Ireland international, Ballard said he didn't have the easiest pathway into professional football.

"I wasn't really the best player in my age groups and stuff," he added.

"I had to fight for every opportunity and every chance. It wasn't smooth sailing, but coming up at an academy like that [Arsenal's], there's so many good coaches and so many people to teach you things if you're willing to listen and learn.

"You can start a career out there for yourself, and I've managed to do that."

'I've learned so much from Le Bris'

While both Xhaka and Ballard have impressed with their performances, the club's boss has received a lot of credit too.

French coach Regis le Bris joined in the summer of 2024 and his tactical nous has been key to Sunderland getting impressive results - winning at Chelsea, drawing with Premier League leaders Arsenal and reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield, and overseeing the win against rivals Newcastle.

"He's been amazing for us, a really good fit," said Ballard.

"It was a really young team last year, but the way he plays and sets things out so simply [is key].

"He knows exactly what he wants, and he'll tell you exactly what he wants, and there's no beating around the bush, he's always coaching you.

"I've learned so much, probably more in the last year of my career than all the years before that.

"He has got us playing really well this last year, and he's made us a really strong, competitive team."

Hawks' Trae Young starts, dishes 10 assists in return after missing 22 games

Ilian Ivanov Basketball

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Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young returned to the lineup in Thursday’s 133-126 loss to the Charlotte Hornets after being sidelined with a sprained right MCL since Oct. 29. The team announced he’d be playing earlier Thursday.

He finished the game with eight points and 10 assists in 20 minutes, shooting 0-for-5 from 3-point range and just 3-for-8 overall.

The All-Star guard averaged 17.8 points and 7.8 assists over the first five games of the season before he suffered the injury to his right knee.

The Hawks (15-12) have posted a 13-9 record without Young, who is a four-time All-Star and won the league’s assist title for the first time last season.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. 

Kia Rookie Ladder: Cooper Flagg leads way as lower rungs swap spots

Ilian Ivanov Basketball

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Some day, and it might come sooner than we think, people will look at the NBA careers of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel and wonder how a Duke team that had both of them stalled out in a 70-67 loss to Houston in the NCAA semifinal game at San Antonio last April.

It’s kind of hard to believe already, with the two Blue Devils ranked No. 1-2 yet again on the Kia Rookie Ladder. For the record, while Flagg (27) and Knueppel (16) combined for 43 points, the other eight Duke players totaled just 24.

But that has no bearing on the rookie seasons Flagg and Knueppel are having at the pro level. They rank first and second, respectively, in scoring and shots taken, and second and third in average minutes. Based on the first quarter or so of the NBA season, they figure to finish high in Rookie of the Year balloting and claim two of the five spots on the All-Rookie first team honor squad.

Here, in a short week due to Emirates NBA Cup scheduling, is the latest ranking of the NBA’s top rookies:

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