Liverpool held Arsenal last night but their benches told a tale. Arsenal's strength in depth looks decisive over the season - and that is a consequence of very different policies in the transfer market: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Everton "surprised" and "disappointed" their appeal against Michael Keane's red card for hair-pulling failed: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

No 0-0 draws for 18 months, now two in a week. Not a day for Arne Slot's attacking ethos but Liverpool are the only team to stop Arsenal scoring this season. Now they did it twice. On Liverpool's solidity and another stalemate: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

The Ratcliffe regime of "best in class" and doing everything their way now seem to be borrowing from the Ed Woodward blueprint. The last couple of years have brought some chastening failures and new lows. On the United bosses: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester City strike a deal with Bournemouth for Antoine Semenyo: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Are Liverpool boring? "I find it really hard to hear," said Arne Slot. But they aren't creating as many chances or scoring as many goals as he would like. And there are reasons for that: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

A performance that was more like the old Manchester United. A result that was like the new Manchester United. Darren Fletcher's first game in charge was at least fun. No 3-4-3, but a couple of goals for Sesko. On Burnley 2-2 Man Utd: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Darren Fletcher sought Sir Alex Ferguson's blessing before taking the Man Utd interim to the interim job. Fletcher on Ferguson, his former teammates and United: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Darren Fletcher says it is beyond his wildest dreams to be Manchester United manager for one match - and claims he has not thought about getting the job permanently: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Man Utd likely to appoint an interim for the rest of the season. Gives them more time to find a successor to Ruben Amorim: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

On Nuno and West Ham. It's not going well: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Ruben Amorim, Jason Wilcox and a meeting that led to managerial change at Manchester United. On Amorim and an inability to adapt: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

The injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias could come at quite a cost to Manchester City; two of their three other centre-backs are injury prone. And, as Rodri shows, injuries can upend a season: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Farewell to Ruben Amorim. Overhyped and overpromoted, he took Manchester United to historic lows and was arguably their worst manager since the 1930s. But he did like 3-4-3. On a reign of error: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Calum McFarlane described Pep Guardiola as the best manager ever. But McFarlane was the unknown who held Guardiola, changed the game and may have altered the title race. On a triumph for the interim and Man City 1-1 Chelsea: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Enzo Maresca contrived to bring the subject of Pep Guardiola's future back into the spotlight. Whether he leaves this summer or next, it was a reminder of how hard it will be to replace him. And perhaps best not to replace him with Maresca: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool have had three distinct phases to their season so far. The common denominator, Arne Slot admitted, is a constant struggle to be 20 percent better than opponents. It is why they have had so many close games: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

History was made in rather dull fashion as, for the first time under Arne Slot, Liverpool drew 0-0. Leeds defended well, though it was the opposite of these clubs' 3-3 last month. On Liverpool 0-0 Leeds: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

On the unravelling of Enzo Maresca and Chelsea. There are questions for the owners but, despite winning the Club World Cup, not sure he overachieved in the job. www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester United's draw against Wolves was a missed opportunity. The danger is their season becomes one too, with too many leads lost, home disappointments, poor second halves and chances to go into the top five spurned: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Arne Slot expects more from Liverpool's summer signings in the second half of the season & that it is his job to get more. So far, while Hugo Ekitike has been excellent, they have not seen enough for £450m. Some of which, of course, reflects on Isak: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

One last low to finish off 2025. Manchester United couldn't beat a Wolves team who had lost their previous 11 games. Against perhaps the worst team in PL history, they looked the inferior side. On Manchester United 1-1 Wolves: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool set-piece coach Aaron Briggs leaves as he pays the price for their inability to defend corners: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Man City in talks with Bournemouth about Semenyo. Liverpool also like him. www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Man Utd have played two games with a back four under Ruben Amorim. In one, they scored four and attacked well. In the other, they defended well. Which does suggest they wasted 13 months with an obstinate insistence on 3-4-3: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Virgil van Dijk says it is up to Liverpool's players to improve their set-piece record, and reckons the second phase is the real killer as they keep on conceding goals: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Florian Wirtz had waited six months and 23 games for his first Liverpool goal. Arne Slot accepts players are judged on goals but thinks it could be the first of many. On Wirtz and Liverpool 2-1 Wolves: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Patrick Dorgu was a revelation as a right winger. Man Utd were short of players, but not spirit as Dorgu's first United goal took a side with a back four to victory over Newcastle. On Man Utd 1-0 Newcastle: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester United may have thought Bruno Fernandes would never get injured. But they were negligent in not buying a midfielder in the summer. Now they are in a mess of their own making: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

A superb double from Morgan Rogers as Aston Villa get a seventh straight win to continue their unlikely title charge. A rare injury for Bruno Fernandes. On Aston Villa 2-1 Man Utd: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Bruno Fernandes is out for a while, Ruben Amorim thinks, and he said Man Utd cannot panic buy and have to find solutions in the current squad: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Liverpool fear Alexander Isak has suffered a significant injury. MRI scan will determine full extent of damage to his lower leg and how long he will spend out: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Arsenal are the Christmas No 1 again. Some early presents for Viktor Gyokeres with a penalty given by first Jake O'Brien and then his teammates. On Everton 0-1 Arsenal: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Kobbie Mainoo is yet to start a PL game for Man Utd this season. "Free Kobbie Mainoo," said his brother. Ex-Utd players think he should leave. But part of the issue is that Ruben Amorim does not appear to rate him as highly as many others do: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Mohamed Salah has apologised to his Liverpool teammates for that interview: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Amorim says there is a sense of entitlement at Man Utd & that some of the players have forgotten what it means to play for United: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

On Aston Villa's gloriously illogical title challenge: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Florian Wirtz "too good to fail" at Liverpool: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

No Erling Haaland but a Haaland celebration or two from Rayan Cherki after a spectacular goal helped them into the Carabao Cup semi-final. On Man City 2-0 Brentford: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Ruben Amorim jettisoned his beloved 3-4-3, played 4-4-2, drew 4-4 and dropped two more points at Old Trafford. Manchester United attacked better in a new shape but conceded four as Bournemouth kept coming back. On Man Utd 4-4 Bournemouth: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

On Hugo Ekitike. Every time he scores, he gets overshadowed by someone else. But he really should be Liverpool’s first-choice forward: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Mohamed Salah, Arne Slot and the questions left unanswered after Salah returned to playing for Liverpool: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Van Dijk says he hopes Salah stays at Liverpool: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Arne Slot says his issues with Mohamed Salah are resolved and that it was an easy decision to bring him back for Liverpool: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

A return for Mo Salah and a restorative afternoon for him and Liverpool. He scurried around and got an assist. Hugo Ekitike scored twice. On Liverpool 2-0 Brighton: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Mohamed Salah is back in the Liverpool squad after holding talks with Arne Slot: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Manchester City beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. Could they win the Champions League? There are reasons to think so but perhaps more to think not: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

A memorable comeback from Manchester City, an unfortunate meltdown by Real Madrid. Another, perhaps last, win at the Bernabeu for Guardiola, maybe a last game there for Alonso. On Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Different tactics and a different kind of win for Liverpool in Milan. Are they out of the brown stuff? Curtis Jones isn't sure but as a one-off, the formula worked: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

Pep Guardiola faces Real Madrid for perhaps the last time today. Man City have faced them every year but a rivalry of opposites scarcely looked one of equals last season. On Guardiola, City and Real: www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...