On a day where the Premier League’s bottom four are all playing Saturday’s action begins at Villa Park with Aston Villa hoping to reignite their title charge and pile more misery on struggling Nottingham Forest in the process.
After that lunchtime kick-off Brighton host 19th-placed Burnley and bottom-club Wolves welcome West Ham, currently 18th, to Molineux in the two 3pm games before leaders Arsenal travel to Bournemouth for the 5.30pm.
Elsewhere, Celtic host Rangers in the Old Firm derby, while Chelsea could announce Liam Rosenior as their new head coach this weekend with the Strasbourg boss the leading contender for that vacancy.
And beyond football there is the World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace tonight, with defending champion Luke Littler taking on Gian van Veen in what could become darts’ biggest rivalry for years to come.
The final Ashes Test also starts tonight. The i Paper‘s Chris Stocks says win or lose England coach Brendon McCullum should go.
Follow The i Paper for live updates throughout the day…
Scrappy, entertaining, goalless
Aston Villa 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Not entirely sure how it’s still goalless at Villa Park and even Forest have had chances to break the deadlock now, with Martinez denying Hutchinson.
Villa still look more likely to score, though, but at this rate – with five minutes left of the first half – they’ll be heading into the break level.
Goal! Celtic draw first blood in Old Firm
Celtic 1-0 Rangers
It’s always a massive day at Celtic Park when Rangers come across town, and the fans are jubilant thanks to a goal from Yang Hyun-Jun after 20 minutes.
It’s no less than the Hoops deserve either. They should already have been ahead through Jonny Kenny, but Jack Butland was well beaten by Yang, who was baffling allowed to run from the right touchline into the box and then fire the ball past the former England goalkeeper at the near post.
Gold dust for under-fire manager Wilfried Nancy, who has only been there a month.
Ruben Amorim looks like a broken man
For some early afternoon reading, although not exactly cheery if you’re a Manchester United fan:
Despite enduring a nightmarish start to life as Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim has always retained a likability that perhaps ensured he has been given an easier ride from the media than his record would normally warrant.
There’s often a little jovial quip at something as he enters press conferences. Even a double entendre with regular journalists on occasion.
Not anymore. He greeted the room full of smiles on Friday with a brow so furrowed it was practically inverted. Like he had seen a ghost.
Amorim uncharacteristically refused to answer some questions and gave short, pointed answers to others, before administering his bleakest outlook yet when grilled about the January transfer window.
Read the full article here.
Big afternoon ahead!
Right, let’s get cracking shall we. There may just be four Premier League games this afternoon but all are hugely significant, starting with high-flying Aston Villa against lowly Nottingham Forest.
Nothing is a certain in this league, though, and Forest are desperate for daylight above the relegation zone before West Ham, Burnley (and Wolves) all play later today!
Here’s how Villa and Forest line-up for the 12.30pm kick-off…
Today's starting XI to face Forest
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 3, 2026#AVLNFO pic.twitter.com/OjCShihbqc
Team news!
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) January 3, 2026pic.twitter.com/MLWOkRE6Zl
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