This archive report was first published on 22 December 2019.
December 21, 2019, marked a day of contrasting fortunes in the Premier League as Everton and Arsenal's limitations were exposed in a dull 0-0 draw, while Sheffield United continued their remarkable rise to fifth place with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Everton's interim manager Duncan Ferguson, who would soon be replaced by Carlo Ancelotti, was all smiles as he took charge of the team for the final time, but the Italian's arrival was not enough to inspire a win against Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Sheffield United's unbeaten away record in the league continued with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion, with Oliver McBurnie scoring the only goal midway through the first half.
Wolverhampton Wanderers also came from behind to win 2-1 at relegation-threatened Norwich City, with second-half goals from Romain Saiss and Raul Jimenez lifting them to sixth place, just one point behind Sheffield United.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa dropped into the bottom three after losing 3-1 at home to Southampton, while Paraguayan striker Miguel Almiron scored his first Newcastle United goal at the 27th attempt in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Manchester City host Leicester City in a highly-anticipated match, while Everton's new manager Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to build on the team's performance against Arsenal.
Ferguson praised his players for their response to his temporary spell in charge, saying, "The players have gone to the well when I've asked them to dig deep. I've enjoyed it. The boys have worked hard the past three games but were on their last legs today."
