Sports Digest: 2-8 December 2025.
FOOTBALL
Craven Cottage witnesses epic comeback and crushing heartbreak as Fulham suffer double home defeat
Fulham FC – Premier League Fulham 4-5 Manchester City (Craven Cottage) – Tuesday, 3 December
Fulham staged one of the most remarkable comeback attempts of the Premier League season but ultimately fell agonisingly short as Manchester City escaped Craven Cottage with three points despite being pushed to the very edge. Erling Haaland reached his century of Premier League goals in just his 111th match, taking only 17 minutes to find the net and becoming by some distance the quickest player to the milestone, 13 matches faster than Alan Shearer’s previous record set 30 years ago.
City appeared to be cruising when Haaland, Tijani Reijnders and Phil Foden built a commanding 5-1 lead shortly after halftime, with Foden particularly lethal as he scored twice in quick succession. Emile Smith Rowe had pulled one back for Fulham in first-half stoppage time, but the hosts seemed destined for a heavy defeat. Then substitute Samuel Chukwueze changed everything. The Nigerian winger lashed in his first Fulham goals, two in the space of six minutes, and when his second flew past an increasingly shell-shocked Gianluigi Donnarumma with 12 minutes plus eight minutes of stoppage time remaining, Craven Cottage erupted in belief that the impossible might happen.
Marco Silva’s side threw everything at City in the frantic finale. When substitute Josh King thought he had grabbed the equaliser and completed one of the Premier League’s greatest comebacks, Josko Gvardiol somehow got back to clear his shot off the line, preserving City’s slender advantage and leaving Fulham to rue a gutsy performance that deserved at least a point.
Fulham FC – Premier League Fulham 1-2 Crystal Palace (Craven Cottage) – Sunday, 7 December
Palace captain Marc Guehi powered home a late winner to condemn Fulham to a second consecutive home defeat and send Oliver Glasner’s side soaring into fourth place in the Premier League. Eddie Nketiah had given the visitors a 20th-minute lead with a clinical finish following Adam Wharton’s perfectly weighted throughball, but Harry Wilson levelled before halftime with a spectacular outside-of-the-boot strike following slick interplay with Raul Jimenez.
Fulham dominated possession and thought they had taken the lead when Emile Smith Rowe converted the rebound after Alex Iwobi’s header struck the crossbar, only for VAR to spot Samuel Chukwueze marginally offside in the buildup. That marginal decision proved decisive as Guehi rose highest from a corner three minutes from time to head Palace into the Champions League places and leave Fulham winless against their London rivals since January 2005. The defeat leaves Marco Silva’s side just four points clear of the relegation zone, having lost seven of their last ten Premier League matches.
Chelsea’s seven-match unbeaten run shattered at Elland Road
Chelsea FC – Premier League Leeds United 3-1 Chelsea (Elland Road) – Tuesday, 3 December
Chelsea’s seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions came to a jarring end in Yorkshire, where Leeds United delivered a commanding performance to end the Blues’ recent momentum. Enzo Maresca’s side never found their rhythm at Elland Road, falling behind after just six minutes when Jaka Bijol powered home a header from a corner that Robert Sanchez could only parry. Ao Tanaka doubled the hosts’ advantage before halftime, drilling a low shot from the edge of the box that left Chelsea trailing 2-0 at the interval despite making five changes from their midweek draw with Arsenal.
Chelsea introduced Malo Gusto and Pedro Neto at halftime in an attempt to salvage something from the contest, and Neto briefly offered hope when he converted Jamie Gittens’ cross from close range five minutes into the second half. But any momentum evaporated when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scrambled in Leeds’ third goal, and Chelsea could find no response despite late introductions of Alejandro Garnacho and Cole Palmer. The defeat leaves Maresca’s side trailing Arsenal at the top of the table, with their struggles against physical, direct opposition now a clear pattern.
PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
| Pos | Team | P | W | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 15 | 11 | +18 | 35 |
| 2 | Man City | 15 | 8 | +10 | 28 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 15 | 8 | +9 | 27 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 7 | Chelsea | 15 | 7 | +4 | 23 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 15 | Fulham | 15 | 5 | -3 | 17 |
Key: P = Played | W = Wins | GD = Goal Difference | Pts = Points
Wimbledon demolish Cardiff in cup rout
AFC Wimbledon – EFL Trophy Cardiff City 1-5 AFC Wimbledon (Cardiff City Stadium) – Monday, 2 December
AFC Wimbledon produced a statement performance in South Wales, overwhelming Cardiff City with a five-goal display that showcased the attacking prowess of the League One side. Aron Sasu starred with four goals across the match, opening the scoring in the 29th minute before adding three more at regular intervals. Omar Chaaban also got on the scoresheet as the Dons stormed into the EFL Trophy knockout rounds.
Cardiff managed just a consolation through Luey Giles late in the contest, but this was Wimbledon’s night from start to finish. The comprehensive victory demonstrates the progress under AFC Wimbledon’s management and provides excellent momentum as they look to build on a solid League One campaign.
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Chelsea’s historic unbeaten run ends in shock Everton defeat
Chelsea Women – Women’s Super League Chelsea Women 0-1 Everton (Kingsmeadow) – Sunday, 7 December
Chelsea Women’s record-breaking 34-match unbeaten run in the Women’s Super League came to an abrupt and stunning end as Everton secured their first win since the opening day of the season with a shock 1-0 victory. Honoka Hayashi’s 12th-minute strike proved the decisive blow, ending not only Chelsea’s unbeaten streak but also a run of finding the net in 31 consecutive league games. The defeat was the Blues’ first in the WSL since May 2024 and manager Sonia Bompastor’s first since taking charge.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities, Chelsea could not break down a determined Everton defence that had suffered eight winless matches heading into this fixture. Sandy Baltimore’s corner deflected onto the post, Alyssa Thompson fired inches wide, and substitute Wieke Kaptein headed onto the crossbar. In the final seconds, Baltimore smashed a free-kick against the bar before Everton scrambled the ball clear at the final whistle. The result allows Manchester City, who beat Leicester 3-0 with two goals from Bunny Shaw, to extend their advantage at the summit to six points and puts Chelsea’s title defence under serious pressure for the first time this season.
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TABLE
| Pos | Team | P | W | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 10 | 9 | +19 | 27 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 10 | 6 | +13 | 21 |
| 3 | Man United | 9 | 5 | +5 | 17 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 9 | 4 | +7 | 16 |
| 5 | Tottenham | 9 | 4 | +2 | 16 |
| … |
COMING UP NEXT WEEK
9-15 December 2025:
- Chelsea travel to Atalanta in Champions League (Tuesday, 9 December, 8:00pm) – Bergamo, Italy
- AFC Wimbledon visit Exeter City in League One (Tuesday, 9 December, 7:45pm)
- Burnley host Fulham in Premier League (Saturday, 13 December, 5:30pm) – Turf Moor, live on Sky Sports
- Harlequins Women host Sale Sharks at Twickenham Stoop (Saturday, 13 December, 5:30pm) – PWR
STORY OF THE WEEK
Chelsea Women’s 34-match unbeaten streak stood as one of the most remarkable achievements in Women’s Super League history, spanning over 18 months and establishing Sonia Bompastor’s side as seemingly invincible.
When Honoka Hayashi struck after just 12 minutes for Everton, few could have predicted it would be the only goal of a match that saw Chelsea pepper the visitors’ goal with chances. Late in the game, with Chelsea throwing everything forward, Baltimore’s free-kick crashed against the bar and the rebound was somehow scrambled clear in the dying seconds.
The final whistle brought jubilation for an Everton side that hadn’t tasted victory in eight WSL matches, and disbelief for Chelsea fans witnessing the end of an era that had seen their team conquer all before them.
