BUKAYO SAKA

Eight points clear in the Premier League, playing the most free-flowing soccer in England, and now humbling its fiercest rivals in front of their own fans. A 2-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday left no doubt over who the dominant force is in north London. Arsenal had an eight-point lead for a couple of days at the start of the month but second-place Manchester City had a game in hand then. British bookmakers are now making Arsenal odds-on favorites for the title, which brings its own pressure heading into the second half of the season. Chelsea stayed in 10th place but trimmed the gap to fifth-place Tottenham to five points.

This season can hardly get any better for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Perhaps it's really time to start believing for a team that hasn't won the league title since the unbeaten “Invincibles” did so in 2004. “It is a great opportunity we have, and it's a great place we have put ourselves in." Ten Hag also seemed ready to move on, having seen once again how important Rashford is to his team's attack. Fulham climbed to seventh place with a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Crystal Palace earned a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth. Defender Fabian Schar had the best chances but wasted three good opportunities as Leeds held firm to end a two-game losing streak.

Arsenal couldn’t have asked for a much better end to the year.

Arsenal showed how to fight back on English soccer's traditionally busy Boxing Day by beating West Ham 3-1 to stretch its lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points.

Here are all of the best goals from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

England's 3-0 win against Senegal at the World Cup dominates Monday's front pages.

The United States controlled the game but couldn't capitalize on its opportunities against England and settled for a draw.

England's 6-2 thrashing of Iran on Monday placed even more importance on the United States’ subsequent clash with Wales.

DOHA, Qatar — (AP) — Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford put last year's European Championship loss behind them, combining to score three goals in England's 6-2 rout of Iran on Monday at the World Cup. A year later, Saka scored twice at Khalifa International Stadium and Rashford came off the bench to add another with his first move of the match. Saka then got his first of the match in the 43rd and Raheem Sterling added another in first-half stoppage time. Saka scored his second shortly after the hour, but Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for Iran in the 65th minute. The game was delayed for several minutes in the first half when Iran goalkeeper Ali Beiranvand clashed heads with a teammate.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford put the last year’s European Championship loss behind them in England's 6-2 rout of Iran at the World Cup.

England cruised to a 6-2 victory over Iran in the opening game of Group B as young stars Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka scored the Three Lions’ first two goals. You’ll notice the England barrage came without any goals from Harry Kane, the player most vital to England’s hopes of winning the World Cup for the first time since 1966. Goals from players other than Kane are what can make this England side so dangerous. England played with five at the back throughout most of its run to the Euro 2020 final a year ago and the preferred formation could be back against the United States on Friday. SAKA DOES IT AGAIN@England takes a 4-0 lead 💪 pic.twitter.com/dbhxDfWQVU — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 21, 2022Saka’s second goal also allowed Southgate to make a wave of substitutions in the second half.

Lionel Messi is back in supreme form and it’s just in time for the World Cup.

Pep Guardiola says Liverpool fans will have to improve their aim after claiming coins were thrown at him and missed during Manchester City’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield in the Premier League.

It must be getting harder and harder for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to deny his team is a genuine title challenger in the Premier League this season.

It wasn't long ago that there was a crisis at Manchester United but that seems like a dim and distant memory now.

Arsenal remained in fourth place after Gabriel's header secured a 2-1 win at West Ham in the Premier League.

Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus scored more goals in 53 minutes than he had in the previous eight months in the English Premier League.

Chelsea’s players are managing to maintain their on-field focus amid a troubling period for the club.

Manchester City has completed the double over Manchester United with a second derby win of the Premier League season.

The Premier League title race really is back on and it’s all because of Harry Kane.

For 45 minutes, Arsenal made the runaway Premier League leader look average. Then the second half brought an all-too familiar Arsenal capitulation to hand City a 2-1 win Saturday. “This period today we were incredibly tired, mentally and physically," City manager Pep Guardiola said. Having enjoyed 74% possession and with eight shots on target until that point, Tottenham had long been pressing to find a winner. “When you create these chances to score you have to try to destroy these chances,” Tottenham manager Antonio Conte said.

Rodri scored a stoppage-time winner to complete Manchester City's comeback to win 2-1 at Arsenal and move the champions 11 points in front of second-place Chelsea at the top of the standings.

Injury-hit Leeds has slumped to its second alarming loss in five days, 4-1 at home to Arsenal in the only English Premier League match to take place because of a wave of pandemic-affected postponements.

Britain England Andorra WCup 2022 Soccer England's Bukayo Saka, left, reacts after scoring his side's fourth goal during the World Cup 2022 group I qualifying soccer match between England and Andorra at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Ian Walton) (Ian Walton)LONDON — (AP) — The cheers of the Wembley crowd made clear the affection for Bukayo Saka the moment the England lineup was announced. There were even louder roars to come when the birthday boy headed in the final goal in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra on Sunday. “I could hear so many fans cheering my name.”How different from 56 days earlier when England last played at Wembley. It was returning to Wembley that allowed Saka to see the warmth from true England fans after that abhorrent abuse that social media companies were slow to remove.

Bukayo Saka set up Jesse Lingard's opening goal and then completed England's 4-0 victory over Andorra with a header in a World Cup qualifier.

British police have made 11 arrests in connection with the online racial abuse of England soccer players following their team’s loss to Italy in the final of the European Championship last month.

Mercedes, Formula One and its governing body the FIA have issued a joint statement condemning the online racist abuse aimed at Lewis Hamilton.

Soccer stars of past and present believe social media companies need to up their game when it comes to tackling racist abuse on their platforms.

Experts suggest ways Facebook and Twitter could get to grips with the problem.

There is no place for racism or hate of any kind in football or in any area of society," he wrote.

Euro 2020 Soccer Photo Gallery England's Bukayo Saka, center, is comforted after he missed to score the last penalty during the penalty shootout of the Euro 2020 soccer championship final between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. “There is no place for racism or hate of any kind in football. “We are working very closely with social media platforms, who are providing data we need to progress enquiries,’’ Cheshire police Chief Constable Mark Roberts, who leads soccer policing nationwide, said. As of Tuesday, authorities around the country had made 264 arrests linked to 897 incidents surrounding the final, the police chiefs said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

One of the England soccer players targeted with online racist abuse after his team’s loss in the final of the European championship has condemned social media companies for doing too little to block “hateful and hurtful” messages.

The social-media platform said its technology had been erroneously identifying the comments as benign.

Britain England Italy Euro 2020 Soccer England's manager Gareth Southgate embraces Bukayo Saka after he failed to score a penalty during a penalty shootout after extra time during of the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Carl Recine/Pool Photo via AP) (Carl Recine)LONDON — (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced plans to ban anyone guilty of online racist abuse from attending soccer matches after three members of England’s national team were targeted following its loss in the European Championship final. Johnson on Wednesday condemned the abuse leveled at three Black players after they failed to score penalties in England's shootout defeat to Italy on Sunday at Wembley Stadium. And Johnson told the House of Commons it was time to act. The government plans to add online racism to the list of offenses for which fans can be barred from matches, he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel, who both made statements condemning the abuse after the final, are being accused of hypocrisy.

The Duke of Cambridge has said he is "sickened" by the "abhorent" racism aimed at England's football players as he called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. Prince William, 39, watched the Euro 2020 final at Wembley with the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George, said it was "totally unacceptable" that the players had to endure such behaviour. England football players Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford were all subjected to racist abuse online after missing penalties as Eng

(Carl Recine/Pool Photo via AP) (Carl Recine)LONDON — (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday condemned the racist abuse directed at three Black England players who missed their penalties in the team's shootout loss to Italy in the final of the European Championship. The 19-year-old Saka missed the decisive penalty that gave the title to Italy and denied England its first major international soccer trophy since the 1966 World Cup. All three players immediately started receiving racist abuse on social media. England's Football Association issued a statement saying it was “appalled” by the “disgusting behavior.”London police condemned the “unacceptable” abuse, adding it will be investigating the “offensive and racist” social media posts. “There is absolutely no place for racism in football or anywhere else," he wrote in a Twitter post.

British police have opened investigations into the racist abuse of three Black players who failed to score penalties in England’s shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final.

Three Black players who missed penalty kicks for England in the decisive European Championship shootout against Italy were subjected to racist abuse online.

Britain England Italy Euro 2020 Soccer England's manager Gareth Southgate embraces Bukayo Saka after he failed to score a penalty during a penalty shootout after extra time during of the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. Wrapping his arms around Bukayo Saka, the England coach felt the teenager's anguish. Having a decisive penalty saved in a European Championship match at Wembley Stadium can be such a lonely experience. Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League winner, Jordan Henderson, was deemed less suitable for a penalty than Sancho. “I decided on the penalty takers based on what we’ve done in training.

England coach Gareth Southgate says he's responsible for the choice of penalty takers after a shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final.

Italian soccer’s redemption story is complete.

Britain England Euro 2020 Soccer England's Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford, from left, during a training session at St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, England, Saturday July 10, 2021, ahead of their Euro 2020 soccer championship final match against Italy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson) (Dave Thompson)The Latest on soccer’s European Championship:___One more match will decide if Italy or England will be European champion. The two teams will meet at Wembley Stadium in the European Championship final. Italy won the European Championship in 1968 but has also won four World Cup titles. The Euro 2020 final will the last of 51 games in the competition after being delayed a year by the coronavirus pandemic.

Britain England Denmark Euro 2020 Soccer England's players Jadon Sancho, left, Bukayo Saka, center, and Reece James inspect the field ahead of the Euro 2020 soccer semifinal match between England and Denmark at Wembley stadium in London, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (Laurence Griffiths/Pool Photo via AP) (Laurence Griffiths)The Latest on soccer’s European Championship:___Bukayo Saka has been recalled by England for the European Championship semifinal match against Denmark as a replacement for winger Jadon Sancho. ___The England team has strolled onto the field at Wembley Stadium about 90 minutes before its European Championship semifinal match against Denmark. ___Fans have started coming into Wembley Stadium hours before the European Championship semifinal match between England and Denmark. ___Will it be England or will it be Denmark against Italy in the European Championship final?

APTOPIX England Czech Republic Euro 2020 Soccer England's Raheem Sterling, right, scores his team's first goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group D match between the Czech Republic and England at Wembley stadium, London, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. (Neil Hall/Pool Photo via AP) (Neil Hall)LONDON — (AP) — At least England now knows it can rely on Raheem Sterling for goals. Sterling scored his second goal at Euro 2020 on Tuesday to secure a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic at Wembley Stadium. How unlike the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and Euro 2016, when Sterling was unable to find the net. Kane at least managed his first shot on target of Euro 2020 against the Czechs after failing to do so against Croatia and in the 0-0 draw with Scotland.

Raheem Sterling scored again at the European Championship and England beat the Czech Republic 1-0 to win Group D.

Alexandre Lacazette scored twice in a 4-0 rout of West Bromwich Albion that took Arsenal up to 11th place. Tottenham is six points better off in third place after Son scored and got an assist in a 3-0 victory over Leeds. SON-KANE COMBOSon and Harry Kane equaled the Premier League record for most goal combinations in a season, leveling Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton’s tally of 13 from 1994-95. With all stadiums denied fans due to pandemic restrictions, the South Korean could only celebrate his 100th goal with teammates. “We could have scored more goals," Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said.

Arteta had billed the coming week, starting with the visit of Chelsea, as a “crucial” period that would determine which direction Arsenal was heading this season. A first league victory in nearly two months was vital, therefore, to boost Arsenal players' fragile confidence — even if it only lifted them into 14th place. “It's something to build on.”It took 90 minutes for the scrutiny that was hovering over Arteta to drift toward his Chelsea counterpart, Frank Lampard. That's three losses in the last four league games for Chelsea, which has dropped to seventh place and whose identity — and best lineup — is increasingly hard to decipher. The result kept Leicester above United in the standings after they started the day in second and third place.

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 2nd right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. (Justin Tallis/Pool via AP)

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 2nd right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English FA Community Shield soccer match between Arsenal and Liverpool at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. (Justin Tallis/Pool via AP)LONDON A month that began with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang winning the FA Cup for Arsenal ended with his goals clinching the Community Shield. Now Arsenal is just waiting on Aubameyang signing a new contract as he enters the final season of his current deal. Arsenal finished 43 points behind Liverpool but did beat Jrgen Klopp's side after the title had already been sealed in July. We respect the competition.It was a landmark occasion at Wembley and not just due to the Community Shield being played without fans for the first time.

Manchester United's Mason Greenwood celebrates after scoring a goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, July 4, 2020. (Peter Powell/Pool via AP)Some of the top Premier League teams are putting their faith in youth in the high-stakes finale to the longest-ever soccer season in England. Jamie Vardy passed the 100-goal mark in Premier League goals by netting twice as Leicester beat Crystal Palace 3-0 for its first win since the restart. With five more rounds left, Leicester stayed a point clear of Chelsea and three points ahead of fifth-place Manchester United. Finishing in sixth will earn the team a berth in the Europa League next season, as may seventh.