Arsenal ended their three-match winless run in the English Premier League with a dominant 4-0 victory over Leeds United on Saturday night at Elland Road. Under coach Mikel Arteta, the London club regained momentum as goals from Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyökeres, and Gabriel Jesus, along with an own goal by Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow, sealed the comprehensive win.

From the start, Arsenal applied pressure and controlled the match, leaving Leeds with little chance to recover. The result strengthened Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League standings, extending their lead to seven points over second-placed Manchester City and third-placed Aston Villa.

The emphatic win not only restored Arsenal’s confidence after a difficult run but also reinforced their title credentials as the season progresses.

Arsenal, currently leading the English Premier League table, will face Manchester United tonight in a high-voltage encounter. After drawing their last two matches, Mikel Arteta’s side aim to return to winning ways. The match, scheduled for 10:30 p.m. Bangladesh time, also marks a major test for United’s interim coach Michael Carrick, whose team sits fifth in the standings.

Arsenal’s inconsistency has often hindered their title ambitions, and this season has shown similar patterns. Following a series of victories, they were held to goalless draws by Liverpool at home and Nottingham Forest away. For Carrick, the challenge is steep—United have lost five of their last six meetings with Arsenal and all four of their most recent league games at the Emirates. However, United fans recall last season’s FA Cup third-round win on penalties at Arsenal despite being reduced to ten men.

The match will determine whether Arsenal can consolidate their top position or if Manchester United can signal a resurgence under new leadership.

Liverpool advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-1 victory over third-tier English side Barnsley at Anfield on January 13, 2026. Despite a major defensive error by midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai that led to Barnsley’s only goal, the home side maintained control throughout the match. Liverpool’s goals came from Dominik Szoboszlai in the ninth minute, Jeremie Frimpong in the 36th, Florian Wirtz six minutes before full time, and Hugo Ekitike in stoppage time.

Szoboszlai’s mistake occurred in the 40th minute when he attempted a back-heel pass near his own goal, losing possession to Barnsley’s Adam Phillips, who scored easily. Liverpool coach Arne Slot later commented that such errors should not happen in any competition or even in training, calling it a strange decision but declined to elaborate further.

The win secured Liverpool’s place in the next round of the FA Cup, overshadowing the midfielder’s blunder that had briefly given Barnsley hope.

Manchester United secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Friday night in the English Premier League at Old Trafford. Despite being outplayed in possession, attack creation, and shots, the home side clinched the win through a decisive strike from Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu. The goal, coming from a corner in the 24th minute, marked Dorgu’s first for United and ended the team’s three-match winless run under coach Ruben Amorim. With this result, United climbed to fifth place in the league table with 29 points from 18 matches.

Newcastle created several chances but failed to convert. Bruno Guimaraes’ header was denied by goalkeeper Sen Lammens, while Lewis Hall and Lewis Miley both missed key opportunities, including one that struck the crossbar. Dorgu nearly doubled his tally in the 34th minute, but his close-range effort was saved by Aaron Ramsdale. The match ended with United holding on to their narrow lead despite sustained pressure from the visitors.

The win provided a much-needed boost for Manchester United after a series of draws and losses, strengthening their position in the top five of the Premier League standings.

Argentine World Cup winner Cristian Romero delivered a remarkable performance for Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League clash against Newcastle United, scoring twice to secure a 2–2 draw. Tottenham fell behind twice, but Romero equalized on both occasions, with his second goal — a spectacular bicycle kick in stoppage time — drawing comparisons to Hamza Choudhury’s stunning goal for Bangladesh against Nepal in Dhaka just 20 days earlier. The goal came after Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes had put his side ahead in the 71st minute, followed by Romero’s first equalizer from a Mohamed Kudus cross in the 78th. When Newcastle regained the lead in the 86th minute, Romero responded again in injury time, sealing the draw with his acrobatic strike. The rare feat of a defender scoring twice, including a bicycle kick, evoked memories of iconic goals by Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, marking Romero’s first such goal in European football.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 12-member squad for the first Ashes Test against Australia, scheduled to begin on Friday in Perth. The squad includes off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and four frontline pace bowlers, emphasizing England’s focus on pace-friendly conditions. Mark Wood, who recently recovered from an injury, has been retained after proving his fitness in the nets, while Josh Tongue has been left out. Brydon Carse earns a place in the squad, and Ollie Pope is set to bat at number three, replacing Jacob Bethell. England’s pace attack will feature Carse, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Wood, with Ben Stokes leading the side. The squad aims to balance experience and youth as England looks to start the Ashes series strongly in Australian conditions.

Former England cricketer and long-time ICC match referee Chris Broad has accused the International Cricket Council of showing open favoritism toward India during his 21-year career. In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Broad claimed that he received direct phone calls instructing him not to impose penalties on the Indian team for offenses like slow over rates. He said that despite wanting to act impartially, he was pressured to overlook violations because of India’s influence in world cricket. Broad also alleged that similar interference occurred in matches led by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, suggesting deep-rooted politics within the ICC. Having officiated over 600 international matches since 2003, Broad said that working under such political and administrative pressure was one of his toughest challenges. His ICC contract was not renewed in 2024, ending more than two decades of service as an international match referee.