Aston Villa defender tempted by Barcelona move

Premier League roundup: Aston Villa, Wolves and Man United make headlines on Matchday 18

We’re nearing the halfway point of the 2025-26 Premier League season, and the table remains remarkably close from top to bottom. Just three points separate Arsenal, Man City and Aston Villa at the top, while just 10 points separate Liverpool in fourth from Bournemouth in 15th. Matchday 18 of the season took place from Friday, Dec. 26, to Sunday, Dec. 28. Here’s a rundown of the top stories that developed across the league. Aston Villa chased an astonishing record… The beginning of the 2025-26 season was hard on plenty of teams, but it was especially hard on Birmingham’s Aston Villa. The club failed to score in its opening four matches and didn’t pick up its first win until Matchday 6. “We were in a bad moment,” said Villa coach Unai Emery, “but we needed to be resilient and wait to get our best moment.” That “best” moment has well and truly arrived. Villa’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Chelsea capped off a remarkable turnaround for the club: it’s now won 11 straight matches in all competitions, enough to tie an all-time club record set way back when in 1897. If Villa beats Arsenal on Tuesday, Dec. 30 — something it’s absolutely capable of doing — it will slingshot itself into the title race and become the winningest side in 151 years of club history. The kicker? Many of Villa’s most impactful players are long-tenured workhorses, not expensive new signings. Many of them were around during Villa’s recent nadir under Steven Gerrard in 2022. Emery started three players in this Chelsea win — goalkeeper Emi Martinez, defender Ezri Konsa and midfielder John McGinn — who also started in Gerrard’s dismal final game in charge of the club. That’s resiliency right there. And it’s proof of just how important coaching is at the highest level of the game. Under Gerrard, Martinez, Konsa and McGinn were floundering; under Emery, they’re on track to make history for all the right reasons. Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa …while Wolves plummeted toward a shameful one From the highest high to the lowest low: while Villa was busy extending its win streak, its Birmingham neighbor, Wolves, was busy doing the opposite. The club lost 2-1 to Liverpool thanks to a Florian Wirtz shot and sank deeper into the mire of the relegation zone. With the Premier League season now halfway finished, Wolves’ record makes for some sobering reading: played 18, won 0, drawn 2, lost 16. The worst season in modern Premier League history was put together by Derby County in 2007-08. It finished the season in 20th with just 11 points to its name (for context, the 19th-placed team managed 35). With its current run of form, this 2025-26 Wolves team isn’t just going to chase that ignominious record; it’s going to absolutely obliterate it. Liverpool 2-1 Wolves Manchester United pulled off a rare drama-free win Man United coach Ruben Amorim gives fabulous interviews no matter how his team is performing, but his short, sweet soundbite after his team’s 1-0 win over Newcastle might’ve been his most fabulous yet. “Clean sheet, back four, so I don’t need a press conference,” he chuckled. “Kobbie Mainoo is injured, so all the subjects are covered and we can go home to enjoy Boxing Day.” He’s got a point. After months of discussions around United’s goal concessions, defensive formations and under-utilization of English midfielder Mainoo, Amorim’s team finally pulled off a victory that didn’t involve any of those topics. It was a drama-free day for a club that really, really needed one. Amorim was right to send the press home early. Man United 1-0 Newcastle The Premier League will return with Matchday 19 on Tuesday, Dec. 30.

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Patriots QB Drake Maye makes NFL history while also matching franchise icons

Providing further proof that the Patriots have their next great one, QB Drake Maye reached a major milestone while also putting up a historic performance on Sunday. In leading New England to a 42-10 domination of the lowly Jets, Maye was on his game so much that he posted a line so efficiently successful that it’s the first of its kind. Before exiting the game with the outcome decided, Maye completed 19-of-21 passes for 256 yards while throwing five touchdown passes. He even added 22 yards on the ground. Drake Maye makes history in win over Jets Maye actually became the very first quarterback over the last 40 years to complete 90 percent of his passes and throw at least five touchdowns in a single game. He did it with a quarterback rating of 157.0. But Sunday didn’t just mark a picture-perfect day for Maye; it saw him join a list of franchise legends as well. Maye surpassed 4,000 yards through the air on the season, making him only the third Patriots quarterback to ever throw 4,000 yards in a season. Maye’s name will now live forever next to Tom Brady, who is often regarded as the greatest ever at the position, and Drew Bledsoe, Brady’s predecessor and a New England icon in his own right. And putting Maye’s entire body of work together and New England’s 13-3 record as the AFC’s No. 2 seed, he’s firmly in the MVP conversation. With one game remaining, Maye left MetLife Stadium with 4,203 yards and 30 touchdowns, also providing him with the first 30-touchdown season of his young career. But he also knows Patriots fans won’t judge him by individual hardware or what he does in the regular season. Thanks to the six titles won with Brady under center and even reaching a Super Bowl with Bledsoe, Maye will be expected to eventually deliver a deep run through January and into February. Time will tell whether or not that championship run will happen to cap off this season, but regardless of how the postseason ends, it’s safe to say the keys to the Patriots franchise are now in safe hands with Maye.

New Michigan HC Kyle Whittingham takes first jab at Ohio State

Bills losing AFC East puts damper on Josh Allen reaching another remarkable feat

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen accomplished another remarkable feat on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. On a two-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, Allen became the youngest and fastest player to reach 300 total touchdowns (220 passing, 79 rushing and two receiving) in NFL history. The QB reached the mark in 127 games and at 29 years, 221 days old. Earlier this season, the Bills star set the record for career rushing TDs by a QB. That won’t be the game’s main storyline. Instead, the biggest talking point will be whether the Bills should’ve gone for two late in the fourth quarter when trailing 13-12 and how it may have cost the team the AFC East. How two-point conversion cost Bills AFC East After Allen plowed in for a one-yard touchdown with five seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Bills went for two instead of kicking the extra point. Buffalo kicker Michael Badgley had his extra point blocked earlier in the fourth quarter, contributing to the team’s decision. On the two-point conversion, the QB rolled to his right but missed wide receiver Khalil Shakir. The incompletion sealed the 13-12 win for Philadelphia. Allen completed 23-of-35 passes for 262 yards. He also had seven carries for 27 yards and two TDs. With Buffalo’s loss, the New England Patriots (13-3) have secured the AFC East for the first time since the 2019 season. That was former QB Tom Brady’s last season with the club. It ends the Bills’ run of five straight division titles. New England can still clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC if the Denver Broncos (13-3) lose their home game to the Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) in Week 18. Buffalo (11-5), meanwhile, has already secured a playoff berth but will be a wild-card team. If the postseason started Sunday, the Bills would own the No. 7 seed in the AFC and face the Patriots in the first round. This complicates the team’s path to a Super Bowl. Few teams would’ve benefited more from home-field advantage than the Bills. Buffalo has a 6-2 home record this season, tied for the fifth-best in the NFL. Allen is chasing his first Lombardi Trophy. Winning one would only bolster his résumé, which already looks Hall-of-Fame worthy. In eight seasons with Buffalo, 2018 first-round pick Allen has never reached the big game. Now that the Bills may face a challenging road in the postseason, the 2024 league MVP may have to wait another year to do that. That’s a shame for the super-talented QB. The lack of championships will overshadow his other accolades, no matter how impressive they are.

49ers’ Colton McKivitz sends Brock Purdy warning to NFL after win over Bears

Tatsuya Imai reportedly yet to receive major league offer

Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher Tatsuya Imai is one of the more intriguing arms available in free agency. That, however, has not resulted in anything more than vague interest. Imai said in a recent interview that he has yet to receive an offer from a major league team. He did indicate that teams are interested, but nothing has progressed, as his posting window is set to close on January 2. The 27-year-old Imai had been regarded as the top international pitcher available this offseason. He posted an impressive 1.92 ERA and a 0.892 WHiP over his 163.2 innings for the Seibu Lions, striking out 178 batters with 45 walks. While NPB is a pitching-dominated league, Imai’s performance was one of the best in Japan in 2025. Tatsuya Imai could prove to be a bargain – if he gets an offer Imai is an intriguing option for major league teams. He is considered to have a solid five pitch mix, fronted by a mid 90s fastball and a two-plane slider that is regarded as a plus offering. Imai also has a splitter, a changeup and a curve, with the splitter as a relatively new addition to his arsenal. There are some red flags. Imai is listed at 5-foot-11 tall and 154 pounds, bringing into question his ability to handle a major league workload. He had struggled with his command in the past, something that could re-emerge with the larger ball stateside. However, his raw stuff and potential should be more than enough to result in an offer. Imai has drawn interest. While he has been adamant that he will not sign with the Dodgers, teams such as the Phillies and Cubs are reportedly interested in his services. Imai should get major league offers, but time is running out before his window closes.