Arsenal blow stunned Aston Villa away to send emphatic title message

This victory may well be one they look back on in May. Faced with the Premier League’s in-form team, a side bouncing into north London after eight hair-raising wins on the spin, Arsenal blew away the merry men of Aston Villa in a sensational 30-minute, four-goal blitz at the Emirates. To close out 2025, jubilant on the touchline, it was Mikel Arteta’s biggest statement yet.

What sort of message has it sent to Manchester City? An emphatic one. In recent weeks, it has been nervy late-game viewing for Arsenal supporters, so desperate for this season to be, beyond any other competitions, their season in the Premier League. This was a proper test of their title credentials under the lights: a team with 11 consecutive victories in all competitions. The league’s in-form player in Morgan Rogers. An ex-manager in Unai Emery smelling a 24-day double. But they answered it and, whisper it quietly, in the manner of champions.

And when will Arsenal’s – let’s call it for what it is – unbelievable set-piece machine run out of gas? Certainly not yet. Take the mickey out of the hand-waving antics of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover as much as you like, but the end results are staggering. From corners alone, that’s 17 goals in the calendar year. It was the returning Gabriel (how they’ve missed him) whose sheer presence in the penalty area saw ex-Gunner Emiliano Martinez fluff his catch in the air, two minutes after the interval. And from that point on, it was one-way traffic.

Martin Zubimendi shortly made it two, scoring a goal via a run from deep you’d actually associate with the absent Declan Rice, before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus wrapped up a starry-eyed night with pinpoint finishes for the 60,000 in attendance.

They’ll enjoy seeing in the New Year five points clear of City, with a game in hand, and now six ahead of Villa. And they’ll now be dreaming of all the gold and confetti in five months, too.

From the typically exuberant pre-match lightshow, fireworks and sparklers to early bellows of irritation from the home faithful, it always felt like a significant occasion. At least, certainly significant for late December, just three weeks since their last league meeting in which Emi Buendia scored a thrilling last-minute winner at Villa Park, sending half a dozen Arsenal players to their knees. There would be no repeat here.

Much of the talk coming in, given the crucial absence of Rice due to a knee injury, was laser-focused on Ollie Watkins’ recent prowess after his match-winning double against Chelsea. Yet on 13 minutes, the England international squandered a glorious early chance – after Arsenal’s £64m striker Viktor Gyokeres was robbed on the halfway line – when he meekly placed wide following Ezri Konsa’s ideal tee-up.

Gyokeres himself carved out some decent first-half chances, punting just over and then a few metres wide with his head, amid an early opening salvo in which this dogged and technically savvy Villa outfit more than held their own. Amadou Onana looked a class above in the first half but sustained a knock which forced his withdrawal at half-time (a key blow for the visitors) while Rogers, the standout midfielder in the league so far, showed flashes of his brilliance. In fact, a sharp turn on the already-booked Mikel Merino saw the Arsenal midfielder lucky to escape a second yellow card from referee Darren England.

By half-time, jeers rang out around the stadium, a concoction of frustration at the tactical stalemate and a bemusing vexation at a few refereeing calls.

Yet as it turns out, all they needed was a corner. Their first of the match, two minutes after half-time, saw Martinez’s limp attempt at clutching the cross and Gabriel – in his first start since November – the inevitable beneficiary, the ball eventually bundling in off his thigh. A VAR review was quickly dismissed; it was simply a goalkeeping error.

Five minutes later, much like his goalkeeper, Jadon Sancho was far too weak in the challenge. Martin Odegaard, who enjoyed his best performance of the season here, dispossessed the Villa winger before cutely feeding the ball through to his midfield partner Zubimendi, who poked home ahead of Martinez.

Villa were shellshocked, completely lost at sea after a sensational five-minute storm, and worse was on the horizon. No second-half substitutions would save Emery here.

Tails completely up and wagging, Arsenal were purring now and, after Odegaard saw his shot tipped wide, Trossard swept sweetly home to make it three – and put the three points in Arteta’s back pocket beyond all doubt, despite a lengthy VAR review.

Icing on the cake was provided by substitute Gabriel Jesus, who curled home beautifully with his first touch on the pitch and first goal in nearly a year, before taking off his shirt to reveal a “I belong to Jesus” vest top. As if that was in any doubt.

Bukayo Saka had two gaping chances to make it five and Watkins would net a late consolation from close range for Villa after a mazy run by Donyell Malen. But it did not matter a jot.

“We are top of the league”, they sang from the terraces. And top is exactly where they’ll be at the halfway stage, irrespective of how City fare against Sunderland on New Year’s Day. Perhaps this time, 2026 could, and maybe even should, be the year these Arsenal supporters have desired for so very long.

Labour criticises Tory shadow minister for representing Abramovich

Kemi Badenoch is facing growing pressure to take action after it was revealed that her shadow attorney general is acting as a lawyer for Roman Abramovich, despite the UK government having sanctioned him.

The Labour Party has dubbed his position “indefensible”, arguing it risks a conflict of interest with his political position.

On Monday, justice minister Jake Richards wrote to Mrs Badenoch to ask whether Lord Wolfson had recused himself from any party policy regarding the former Chelsea owner’s assets.

He also asked the Tory leader to clarify whether the Opposition was aligned with the government position that Mr Abramovich must transfer more than £2.5bn to benefit the people of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Labour Party chair Anna Turley demanded to know whether Mrs Badenoch was aware that Lord Wolfson was due to represent Abramovich, as well as urging her to make clear that “nobody representing a man who is currently under British sanctions can serve around her shadow cabinet table”.

The Russian businessman is caught up in a legal battle with the Jersey government after it launched an investigation into the source of more than £5.3bn in assets linked to him which are held there.

The legal action is said to be delaying the release of funds from Mr Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea FC, which the UK government wants to see used to help rebuild Ukraine after the war ends.

Ms Turley accused Mrs Badenoch of “allowing her top team to moonlight second jobs that are in clear conflict with British and Ukrainian interests”, saying it was “a totally irresponsible position for His Majesty’s official opposition to be in”.

In his letter to Mrs Badenoch, Mr Richards said: “The cab rank rule (an ethical principle in which a barrister is required to accept any case in their field of expertise, regardless of who their client is) is an important principle which should always be respected, but it cannot remove conflicts of interest, or eliminate the responsibility of politicians to avoid such conflicts.

“Lord Wolfson’s ability to advise you in respect of this matter is clearly compromised by the fact that he is being paid to act on behalf of Mr Abramovich.”

But the Tories said Lord Wolfson is not instructed on the matter of Chelsea FC and branded Labour’s attack “pure politics.”

A Conservative party spokesman said: “Lord Wolfson is instructed in on-going legal proceedings in Jersey. He is not instructed on the Chelsea FC matter.

“Jake Richards’ comments are pure politics, and they show Labour still does not understand how the Bar works. Barristers act for clients, not causes.

“And it’s a bit rich from this government. Labour should stop throwing mud. Their own attorney general has acted for Gerry Adams and involved himself in the Shamima Begum case. This is rank hypocrisy.

“The Conservative Party led the way on supporting Ukraine and we remain committed to their cause. To suggest anything else is just Labour sinking to new depths.”

It comes just weeks after the government piled pressure on the Russian billionaire to hand over the £2.5bn he received from the sale of Chelsea Football Club.

The prime minister earlier this month told MPs that a licence has been issued allowing the money to be transferred to the people of Ukraine suffering at the hands of the Russian invasion.

The multi-billion-pound proceeds have been frozen in a UK bank account since the sale in 2022, when the UK government sanctioned Mr Abramovich after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to his close ties with Putin.

How millions go to A&E with minor issues like a blocked nose

Millions of patients are going to Accident and Emergency departments across England with minor ailments, new figures reveal.

Analysis shows that over five years, A&E medics have treated nearly 1.9 million cases of headache.

Between 2020/21 and 2024/25, almost 1.4 million attendances were for a cough, while 1.2 million sought help for a sore throat.

Earache accounted for a further one million A&E visits, according to Press Association analysis. Other complaints included almost 69,000 for a blocked nose, 4,200 for hiccups, and 290,000 for constipation.

The 2020/21 year covers the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, when many patients steered clear of hospitals.

The figures show how A&E attendances for some medical emergencies – such as the heart stopping – have stayed relatively consistent during and since the pandemic.

For instance, 10,293 attendances due to cardiac arrest were logged in 2020/21, compared with 10,744 in 2024/25.

The number of cases diagnosed in A&E as a broken hip was 43,646 in 2020/21 and 43,326 in 2024/25.

For other conditions there has been a steady increase in attendances, starting in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic and continuing in the following years.

Some 44,000 cases of “cough” were dealt with in 2020/21 and the number has risen every year to reach 435,728 in 2024/25 – a near tenfold-increase.

There were 59,120 A&E attendances where the chief complaint was diarrhoea in 2020/21, rising each year to reach 143,591 by 2024/25.

A&E attendances rose from 40,962 to 70,933 for constipation, 211,266 to 396,724 for backache, 9,795 to 20,516 for nausea, and 587 to 1,093 for hiccups.

PA analysis shows that medics noted that “no abnormality was detected” for 2.2 million A&E attendances in 2024/25, while more than half a million patients walked out before a first diagnosis was made.

Health officials have warned of a “tidal wave” of winter illnesses sweeping the NHS.

The NHS said this month that A&Es were facing a significant number of “unnecessary” admissions as they sought to point people towards appropriate help for certain conditions.

NHS England said a significant number of patients sought help last winter for a variety of illness which could have been handled by GPs or pharmacists.

Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said: “The NHS fully supports the Government’s ambition to move more care closure to home, and this shift will play a crucial part of helping patients manage their conditions more effectively without needing to go to hospital.”

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said: “Patients choosing to attend A&E for help with relatively simple conditions like earache lays bare a failure to give people enough access to convenient, responsive services closer to home where they can get the help they need there and then.

“Our new year’s wish would be to see neighbourhood healthcare ‘turbocharged’ to create many more primary care appointments, in communities and GP practices, to boost patients’ satisfaction with the NHS and ease pressure on busy A&Es.”

Dr Ian Higginson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said that while some of the conditions “may seem minor, there will be serious illness in some of the patients described”.

He went on: “However, as this data shows, people are arriving through the doors of our emergency departments (EDs) with issues that we would not traditionally consider as ‘urgent’ and require emergency care.

“This is a symptom of the healthcare system not working as it was designed to.

“Just like our EDs, our colleagues in primary and community services are at capacity when their services are open, but those services often aren’t open when patients need them.

“The system has also become unnecessarily complex and patients can struggle to figure it out.

“If people are unable to access services, or they are unsure of other services available to help them, they will come to ED.”

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “We need better, clearer systems to help patients navigate the NHS and get to the right place first time, and better resourced general practice so that we can alleviate pressure across the health service.”

National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg said: “Millions of hours are spent waiting in A&E for minor issues that can instead be conveniently treated in a community pharmacy.

“Pharmacists are highly trained health care professionals and can now supply prescription medicines on the NHS without the need for a GP appointment, for a range of common illnesses.”

An NHS England spokesperson said: “The last place a patient wants to be when they have a minor illness is a busy A&E – that’s why this winter NHS staff are working hard to expand the number of routes into the health service so patients can get fast and convenient care closer to them.

“We have launched a campaign urging people to use the range of alternatives to A&E to get them the help they need in the most appropriate place – whether the services are online, over the phone or in-person.

“As always, the public should use A&E and 999 for life-threatening conditions and serious injuries – and for non-life-threatening care, call NHS 111 or use 111 online, which can direct you to the most appropriate place – whether that be your local pharmacy, a walk-in centre or clinical self-help advice.”

NHS officials are due to reveal how hospitals are coping with winter pressures as they release the latest winter statistics for the health service in England.

Tyson Fury pays tribute to boxing rival’s friends killed in Nigeria car crash

Tyson Fury has paid tribute to Anthony Joshua’s two “close friends” and members of his team after the pair were confirmed dead following a fatal car crash in Nigeria.

Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele are believed to have been travelling in the same Lexus Jeep as Mr Joshua when it collided with a stationary truck by the side of a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at 11am local time on Monday, according to reports.

British heavyweight boxer Mr Fury, with whom Mr Joshua has feuded for years, is among a number of rivals who have sent messages to Mr Joshua and paid tribute to his two friends. Sharing a post about the pair’s deaths on his Instagram story on Tuesday, Mr Fury wrote: “This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven”.

Mr Ayodele, otherwise known as Latz, was seen playing table tennis with Mr Joshua hours before the collision. Known as healthy_mindset on social media, he has been by Mr Joshua’s side over the last decade of his career.

Mr Ghami is a physio in the boxer’s team and a friend of Mr Joshua, who is reportedly in a stable condition and has spoken to his family, but was rushed to hospital after he suffered minor injuries in the crash.

The British boxer, a former two-time world heavyweight champion who is also of Nigerian heritage, was holidaying in Africa just 10 days after his high-profile fight with Jake Paul.

Major protests break out across Iran as government seeks rare dialogue

Huge protests over Iran’s soaring cost of living boiled over on Tuesday as students joined shopkeepers in daring demonstrations against the regime.

Hundreds of students rallied across four universities in Tehran for a third day of protests, after bazaar merchants took to the streets, chanting slogans and occupying the roads.

Chants could be heard in support of Reza Shah, the late founder of the royal dynasty ousted by the Islamic Revolution.

Some Iranians also took to social media to voice their outrage. One user, Soroosh Dadkhah, said that high prices and corruption had led people “to the point of explosion”.

Facing mounting pressure, the government took the unusual decision to seek dialogue with the protesters, assuring on Tuesday that a dialogue mechanism would be set up to talk to the organisers.

“We officially recognise the protests,” said government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani.

“We hear their voices and we know that this originates from natural pressure arising from the pressure on people’s livelihoods.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a meeting with trade unions and market activists on Tuesday that the government will do its best to resolve their issues and address their worries.

Videos shared on Monday showed hundreds of people taking part in rallies in Saadi Street in downtown Tehran, as well as in the Shush neighbourhood near the city’s Grand Bazaar, which played a crucial role in the 1979 revolution.

On Sunday, protest gatherings were limited to two major mobile markets in downtown Tehran, where the demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans.

The demonstrations are the first major protests since Israeli and US assaults on Iran in June, which prompted widespread expressions of patriotic solidarity.

Iran now faces renewed pressure to maintain order after US president Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed fresh strikes this week.

The US and Israel carried out 12 days of airstrikes on Irans military and its nuclear installations in June aimed at stopping what they believe were efforts to develop the means to build an atomic weapon.

Separately, the Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian president Vladimir Putin had discussed Iran’s nuclear programme with Pezeshkian in a phone call.

As Iran faces the threat of more kinetic action, its rial currency has lost nearly half its value against the dollar this year, with inflation reaching 42.5% in December.

The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressure, pushing up prices of food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets.

Reports in official Iranian media said that the government also plans to increase taxes in the Iranian new year, which begins in March, adding to concerns.

The economy has suffered since US sanctions were reimposed by Donald Trump in 2018, as he ended an international deal over the country’s nuclear programme.

Five perfect family getaways in Catalonia’s green heart

Looking for a family holiday that combines adventure, nature, and a touch of culture? Catalonia’s green heart is bursting with possibilities, from mountain valleys where flaming torches light up midsummer skies to tranquil wetlands teeming with wildlife. Whether your crew prefers gentle hikes, ancient ruins or ski slopes and riverside trails, this corner of northern Spain offers unforgettable experiences for every age and season. Here are five destinations that prove The Pyrenees of Catalonia might just be Europe’s ultimate family playground.

Located also in Catalan Pyrenees west, near the border with France, Catalonia’s wonderful all-rounder really does have something for the whole family. In terms of culture, it’s a place rich with traditions and history. Kids of all ages will be entranced by the annual summer solstice Fallas festivals, which involve young men carrying flaming torches from high in the mountains down to their villages where they light bonfires and take part in traditional dances late into the night. Even the most heritage-resistant will surely be converted by Vall de Boí’s unmatched collection of astonishingly preserved Romanesque churches, with their evocative towers, atmospheric interiors, and beautiful settings. The area is blessed with trails that will suit the youngest of hikers, like the routes at Salencar de Barruera where you walk along the river following a paved path from a playground to the Salencar wetlands.

Located just west of Andorra near the border with France, the Valls d’Àneu was the first inland part of Catalonia to receive the DTF family tourism certification, and it’s easy to see why. All valleys and peaks, glacial lakes and seemingly endless meadows, it feels like an unspoilt Eden that’s waiting to be explored all year round. In winter, the Espot ski station is a family favourite, with its dedicated beginners area with magic carpets and a drag lift, and its large number of green and blue slopes. Throughout the rest of the year, families flock to one of the region’s great areas of natural splendour: Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, which features more than 200 lakes with breathtaking alpine backdrops, many of them easily accessible on flat family walkways.

A few miles inland from Cadaqués in the Mediterranean, the gorgeous seaside town famous for its postcard-perfect whitewashed architecture, lies one of Catalonia’s big draws for nature-loving families: the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park. A 47km² wetland wonderland, its varied eco-systems are home to an astonishing range of birds and animals from bitterns and marsh harriers to otters and polecats. Parents to budding history buffs are also well-served in the area, which is home to both the Citadel of Roses – a fascinating journey through time that includes Hellenistic ruins, Visigoth-era buildings and Romanesque monasteries – and the archaeological site of Empúries with its reconstructed forum. It also benefits from being one of Catalonia’s culinary hotspots with its highly regarded seafood and excellent wines for deserving mums and dads.

Situated in the west of the Catalan Pyrenees, Pirineus, Noguera Palleresa is a stunning high peak destination that offers a vast range of family-friendly activities. In the snowy season, head to the celebrated Port Ainé ski resort, which has something to suit children of all ages from sledding play areas to treetop adventure parks. In summer, beat a path to the Alt Pirineu Natural Park which has abundant paths ideal for reluctant hikers, many of them with great views of the Pica d’Estats, which at 3143m is the highest mountain in Catalonia. Lovers of adventure sports should head to Sort on the Noguera Pallaresa river, which is the region’s top spot for whitewater rafting with gentle open kayaking for littler kids and thrilling canyoning for teenagers.

The Vall de Camprodon, located in Girona province just North of the town of Ripoll, is famous for its art nouveau architecture. One of the main draws of the Vall de Camprodon is the Ter and Freser Headwaters Natural Park, with its lush valleys and thrilling backdrop of high peaks. It’s a must-visit for aspiring bird-watchers, who if they’re lucky might see Griffon vultures, golden eagles, and Eurasian eagle-owls. Little kids will love the Camprodon Valley Tourist Train, which takes passengers on a 45 minute tour of Camprodon, allowing them to explore the valley and see incredible views of the Pont Nou without too much walking. And everyone will adore the food, particularly the local specialty biscuits, which they’ve been making since the 19th Century.

Plan your sustainable trip to the Catalan Pyrenees at visitpirineus.com/en

Even Nigel Farage should welcome fierce scrutiny of his school days

Claims that Nigel Farage was a racist bully in his schooldays appear to have left most voters unmoved, according to an opinion poll for The Independent. The survey by JL Partners found that, while a few respondents said the allegations had changed their view of the Reform leader from positive to negative, just as many had changed their mind in the opposite direction.

The net effect is that Mr Farage’s standing with the electorate is broadly unchanged. More people have a negative opinion of him than a positive one, but he is less unpopular than Sir Keir Starmer and is rated about equally with Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the official opposition.

According to James Johnson of JL Partners, Mr Farage benefits from opinions of him being well established. As with allegations of personal misconduct against Donald Trump, Mr Farage’s supporters “shrug off” the charges as being politically motivated.

This is unfortunate because the allegations against Mr Farage are serious. More than 20 former pupils who were at Dulwich College at the same time as him have claimed that he expressed racist, antisemitic and fascist views.

Chloe Deakin, a former teacher at the school who objected to the 17-year-old Farage becoming a prefect in 1981, has spoken out this week to stand by her actions. She rejected his claim that his offensive expressions were just “banter” and that he never “directly” abused fellow pupils. “Of course Farage directly abused pupils,” she said. “He was being referred to, quite specifically, as a bully.”

Mr Farage’s supporters seek to dismiss his behaviour as, in effect, youthful folly that he has long since put behind him. This may be true, but it needs to be demonstrated rather than simply asserted. Mr Farage was, after all, an adult, aged 18, in his final months at the school.

Michael Crick, author of several biographies of politicians, including one of Mr Farage, in which the allegations about his behaviour at Dulwich College were first reported, recently wrote in The Independent: “I don’t believe that Farage has been an antisemite during his adult life, and he has been a strong supporter of Israel. Nor do I believe he is racist these days, though he sometimes seems to pander to those who are.”

It is true that Mr Farage has kept his distance from Tommy Robinson, the holder of extreme views that Mr Farage rightly rejects, even at the cost of sundering Reform’s relationship with Elon Musk. Yet Mr Farage has frequently trodden close to, or even over, the line. His comments about not hearing English spoken on a London suburban train, about not wanting to live next door to Romanians, and about denying HIV treatment to foreign nationals, for example, were all made as an active adult politician.

His comments about HIV were too much even for Douglas Carswell, one of only two MPs for Mr Farage’s previous party, Ukip. Mr Carswell called them “ill-advised” and left Ukip two years later – one of many people to fall out with Mr Farage in his long career.

And this is another reason for scrutinising Mr Farage’s character closely. As the subtitle of Mr Crick’s biography, One Party After Another, suggests, Mr Farage has so far not been able to demonstrate the kind of sustained team effort that might be capable of governing a nation.

He and his supporters should welcome the attention paid to Mr Farage’s personal history. It is because he is a credible candidate to be prime minister – or at least to be playing a role in a post-Labour government – that the persistent questions about his beliefs and his temperament are justified.

Instead of using his press conferences to launch diatribes against his alleged enemies among journalists, he should use them to set out how and why he has changed from the obnoxious young man he was at school.

Man attacks hospital staff with weapon after being denied appointment

A man allegedly attacked hospital staff with a weapon after he was denied an appointment, police say.

Following a report that a man had attacked several people with a weapon, which could have been a crowbar, officers were called to Newton Community Hospital in Newton-Le-Willows just after 12pm on Tuesday, Merseyside Police said.

The force said the man was believed to have become “increasingly agitated” after his request for a hospital appointment was declined and he was asked to leave.

Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, for the Newton-le-Willows ward, said his father, who lives next door to the hospital, heard that someone was attacking staff at the Newton Community Hospital and damaging the reception area.

Mr Gomez-Aspron said: “At around 12.10pm I got a phone call from my dad, who lives next to the hospital, to say a family friend had run to his house to tell him that someone was attacking staff within the hospital and damaging the reception area.

“I live nearby, so I told him to call the police and I rushed to the hospital and so I got there within a few minutes.

“From receiving the call, to arriving, there had been a massive emergency response to deal with the incident.

“I can only thank Merseyside Police and North West Ambulance Service for such a swift and efficient response, running into a scenario where danger is unknown.

“It’s a shock, but as always, we need to await the full facts without speculation.”

A 20-year-old man, originally from Afghanistan, was arrested on suspicion of five counts of Section 18 wounding, affray and criminal damage.

The victims of the assault are being treated by paramedics at the hospital for injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening, police said.

Superintendent Sarah Rotherham said: “We were called to reports of a man behaving aggressively at the hospital who had assaulted a number of people.”

She said officers attended immediately and a male was “swiftly located and arrested”.

“Paramedics attended at the hospital and carried out first aid to those who had been injured,” she added.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Merseyside Police or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.