Summary

  • Manchester United face Bayern Munich in the Champions League needing a win (20:00)

  • Arsenal travel to PSV Eindhoven (17:45)

  • Turkish club president apologises

  • Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler punched by KE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca

  • Football in Turkey suspended after incident in Super Lig match against Caykur Rizespor

  • Women's FA Cup fourth round draw - defending champions Chelsea to host West Ham

  • Get Involved: #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

  1. Udogie signs new Spurs dealpublished at 13:19 GMT 12 December 2023

    Destiny UdogieImage source, Getty Images

    Defender Destiny Udogie has signed a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur, running until 2030.

    The 21-year-old initially signed for Spurs in 2022 but was sent out on loan for the 2022/23 season to Udinese, the club he signed from.

    He came back to Tottenham before the current season and has made 14 appearances for the club.

    BBC Sport has a dedicated Spurs page packed with news, analysis and fan views - get it here

  2. Turkish football president arrestedpublished at 13:15 GMT 12 December 2023

    A Turkish football club president has been arrested after punching a referee following a top-flight game on Monday.

    MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca ran onto the pitch and struck match official Halil Umut Meler after his team conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Caykur Rizespor.

    Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said Koca and two others were formally arrested for "injuring a public official".

    All Turkish league football has been suspended following the incident.

    Read the full story.

  3. 'Unacceptable and distressing behaviour'published at 13:08 GMT 12 December 2023

    Uefa chief refereeing officer Roberto Rosetti has strongly condemned the attack on Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler.

    “Violence and abuse against referees have no place in football and must stop immediately," he said.

    “We urge the authorities and the responsible disciplinary bodies to take decisive and necessary action against anyone involved in acts of abuse and violence against referees.

    “Such unacceptable and distressing behaviour is detrimental to the efforts of national associations to recruit referees, which are essential for the running of the game.

    “Uefa is deeply committed to the development of refereeing and it recently launched the “Be a Referee” campaign to inspire young people to become match officials and to support national associations in their referees recruitment initiatives."

  4. 'Meler has quit refereeing'published at 13:03 GMT 12 December 2023

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Turkish broadcaster and football expert Bagis Erten has told BBC Radio 5 Live that Halil Umut Meler will quit refereeing after being punched.

    "He is fine. He has a fracture but he is fine. He said 'this is the end, I will not be a referee anymore'. He is the number one referee of Turkey. He has quit," said Erten.

    "What I expect is a strike, no more games for the referees. they should do that."

    Turkish referee is punchedImage source, Getty Images
  5. 'Old Trafford's roof is leaking - so is United's defence'published at 12:57 GMT 12 December 2023

    Man Utd v Bayern Munich (20:00 GMT)

    Nat Hayward
    BBC Sport

    Manchester United defenceImage source, Getty Images

    The roof at Old Trafford is leaking but - even more pertinently and worryingly - so is Manchester United's defence.

    Saturday's 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth was embarrassing, left Erik ten Hag "annoyed" and "disappointed" and, realistically, could have been worse.

    Midfielder Scott McTominay felt the need on Monday to reassure fans that, although under some managers the club has been "toxic at times", that is not the case under the Dutchman.

    Saturday was the fifth time already this season that United have conceded three goals at Old Trafford.

    To put into context how dramatically things have deteriorated since the optimism of Ten Hag's first campaign in charge, United did not concede three goals at home in any game last season.

    Harry Maguire may have won Premier League player of the month for November, but the disruption of the centre-back partnership of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane by injury has left the improved former captain fighting against the tide.

    Combine that with first-choice left-back Luke Shaw only returning to action two weeks ago after nearly three months out with a muscle injury, no clear favourite at right-back between Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and a goalkeeper in Andre Onana bereft of confidence, the defensive unit has been there for the taking.

    Before this season, the last time United conceded three goals at home was in their 5-0 Premier League defeat by Liverpool in October 2021.

    With a must-win Champions League meeting with free-scoring German champions Bayern Munich later on, gaps must be plugged and defensive frailties forgotten.

    However, with Harry Kane and his team-mates reeling from a shock 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, United fans could be forgiven for worrying about more than just a leaky roof again at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

    BBC Sport has a dedicated Manchester United page packed with news, analysis and fan views - get it here

  6. 'Going out at the group stage is not unusual'published at 12:50 GMT 12 December 2023

    Man Utd v Bayern Munich (20:00 GMT)

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Manchester UnitedImage source, Getty Images

    Manchester United writer for the Manchester Evening News, Samuel Luckhurst, told BBC Radio 5 Live that United's Champions League record "has been dreadful" since reaching the 2011 final so exiting at the group stage wouldn't be a big shock.

    "The mood at the training ground yesterday was quite buoyant and there was a resilience and determination about them to try and salvage this season," said Luckhurst.

    "Going out at the group stage has happened more regularly in recent times than you think. It's not unusual, their record since the final in 2011 has been dreadful.

    "Bayern Munich were thumped 5-1 at the weekend so that's probably the last thing that United would have wanted going into tonight."

  7. get involved

    Get Involved - Your views on referee abusepublished at 12:46 GMT 12 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    If I was a referee in the Premier League or Uefa, I would refuse to officiate until changes are brought in immediately. I would ask all the other referees to do the same. It needs a united front and strike from all referees to bring change about. It'd be funny to see how quickly everyone's tune would change when you take away the millions in match sponsorship and tv deals.

    Ben

    My Dad has been a football referee for 20-ish years and the abuse he would be subject to was disgusting. There’s never been any remorse or respect from players, nor will there ever be as long as there is no discipline in place for the players. It’s been the case for years in every league across the globe from professional leagues to grassroots, and it shouldn’t have gotten to a point where a referee is being punched to realise there is a lack of respect to the officials. I echo others who have said about introducing bans for players. Fines don’t cut it.

    Joey

  8. 'Night of shame in Turkish football'published at 12:39 GMT 12 December 2023

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    BBC Turkey journalist, Emre Temel, spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler, who was punched by KE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca.

    "What we witnessed was a night of shame in Turkish football," said Temel.

    "The referee was also kicked when he fell and had to be helped to the dressing room with the help of the police."

  9. All eyes on Turkish federationpublished at 12:33 GMT 12 December 2023

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport

    Football's governing bodies prefer to let the relevant associations deal with issues in their own countries, so the fact Fifa president Gianni Infantino has chosen to speak out over the Turkish referee assault underlines the seriousness of the situation.

    Protection and treatment of referees is a global issue - and English football has its own problems in that regard, from the top of the game to grassroots, where a bodycam trial has been in operation.

    Frustration at a decision that hasn't gone a certain teams' way cannot be used as an excuse to vent anger on the officials making the decision, most of which are borderline anyway.

    I know people have mentioned rugby but World Cup final referee Wayne Barnes has spoken about threats he received, so let's not believe one sport is perfect and football is not.

    This is about general standards of behaviour and it is a duty of everyone in the game to think about the consequences of their actions before attacking a referees' performance.

  10. get involved

    Get Involved - Your views on referee abusepublished at 12:28 GMT 12 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    It's sad to say but it's taken something like this to happen to a referee for the world to realise how bad it is. I agree the standards have dropped but the managers of clubs publicly moan about them and this has been building. It's frustrating on managers when things don't go in their favour but maybe, in press conferences concentrate on your team's performance. All managers should look at themselves as problem and part to blame for these events.

    Eddie

    Just a thought… Perhaps, it would be better not to ask managers for their opinions directly after a match? In the heat of the moment emotions can cloud judgement. Would it not be better to get managers opinions on previous games when doing pre-match interviews to give them a chance to properly pick their words (if feeling hard done by)? At least that way any anger, legitimate or not, would be taken out of the equation.

    Phil, Worthing

  11. 'Football is not getting better' with VARpublished at 12:25 GMT 12 December 2023

    Referee Andy Madley gives Jordan Ayew a red cardImage source, Getty Images

    BBC pundit Micah Richards has questioned whether fans put referees under "too much pressure," which in hand leads to "scrutiny" and inconsistencies in their performances.

    Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Richards said: "Are we part of the problem as well? Do we put too much pressure on the referees? That is a question I would like to ask because we are talking about referees every single week.

    "Yes, it sometimes has not been good enough but the scrutiny they are under.

    "The standard has not been that great if we are being honest. Take the Jordan Ayew situation, the first one with Virgil Van Dijk, he shouldn’t stand in front of him but he moves out of the way. It is not like he tried to make the pass and it hit him.

    "The problem is the consistency.

    "The second one with Ayew is just a foul, it is not a yellow card. He shouldn’t have been sent off which has led to Roy’s reaction.

    "I was an advocate of VAR because I thought it was going to improve the game. It was for the proper howlers the referees had missed but now we are just waiting and waiting. It spoils the flow of the game. The people inside the stadium half the time don’t know what is going on and that is leading to more frustration.

    "I can understand the way he [Roy Hodgson] is feeling because football is not getting better, it is sort of ruining the game."

  12. 'Most people understand where Roy is coming from'published at 12:20 GMT 12 December 2023

    Roy HodgsonImage source, Getty Images

    After Saturday's loss to Liverpool, Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson spoke at length about his frustrations with modern football.

    The 76-year-old expressed his frustration at the interpretation of the handball rule, time-wasting and the decision to allow only one person to stand in the technical area at any one time.

    Jordan Ayew was sent off for a second bookable offence with Palace leading 1-0 on Saturday, and Liverpool were able to pull off a late fightback after the forward's 75th-minute dismissal.

    There were also two lengthy video assistant referee reviews during the match - one which saw Palace denied a penalty and another which allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta to put the hosts ahead.

    Ex-Premier League striker Chris Sutton said he understands Hodgson's comments, telling BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club: "Having played under Roy a little bit and knowing him, he does get incredibly frustrated when things don't go his way.

    "I really felt for him at the weekend, I thought that was so harsh on Palace and their form hasn't been great.

    "I think he is speaking for a lot of people when he says that; what's gone on, the re-refereeing thing, referees now being put under so much stress and pressure. It's incredibly difficult for referees and I've got massive sympathy with them. Most people understand where Roy is coming from."

    Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

  13. get involved

    Get Involved - Your views on referee abusepublished at 12:15 GMT 12 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    How many times must people point toward Rugby Union for answers on officials? Technology properly used, communication clear, very little discrepancy and the referees treated as though they are at the very least not second or third class citizens beneath players, managers and now owners apparently.

    Nick, Kent

    It's incredibly sad to say, but the physical assaults on referees was coming. Abuse of officials is just part of the game for some - and I stress some - Premier League managers and players, but they won't take any responsibility because when their teams lose, it's always someone else's fault. And this season, it feels like all pundits are being asked to pile into officials and VAR, to the point where it's become embarrassing. When someone like [Alan] Shearer calls a referee a disgrace then fans will see abuse as fair game... and look where it leads.

    Richard, Norwich

  14. 'We're missing the bigger picture with Pochettino'published at 12:10 GMT 12 December 2023

    Chelsea fan voiceImage source, BBC Sport

    Will Faulks, Chelsea News, external

    Chelsea's ownership are in quite the bind over Mauricio Pochettino.

    After sacking two coaches in their first season, they are heavily invested in making this one stick. But with the halfway mark of the Premier League season approaching, and the Blues in 12th and sinking, things are starting to look ugly.

    The fans are increasingly blaming the manager, in large part simply because they are tired of blaming the players and the ownership which signed them.

    There is no doubt Pochettino is making mistakes, and there has been a distinct lack of progress in even the most basic areas since his arrival at the start of the summer.

    But, after seeing four coaches in 12 months try and fail to get this group to perform, it is hard to point the finger at the Argentine without feeling like we are missing the bigger picture.

    Losing to Everton at the weekend was particularly frustrating because the opposition represented everything Chelsea do not. A much less talented and less heralded group of players all fighting for each other and a common cause, united by a manager who has them all well organised and fully committed.

    The contrast with Chelsea could not have been more obvious.

    The fact Pochettino has started looking ahead to the January transfer window for solutions is a bleak milestone too. By admitting for the first time that the players he has at his disposal now are not the right ones, and that he cannot fix them with coaching, he has revealed how serious he thinks the problems are.

  15. Creating chances but not convertingpublished at 12:00 GMT 12 December 2023

    Mauricio PochettinoImage source, Getty Images

    Chelsea's goalscoring woes are well documented, with £52m striker Christopher Nkunku injured in pre-season.

    They've had a shot conversion rate of 8.49% - the second lowest figure of those clubs.

    By contrast, defending champions Manchester City have converted 15.66% of their shots.

    They haven't particularly struggled to create chances this year, producing the sixth highest expected goals total of 63.17 but they've only managed to score 45 goals - the sixth worst tally in the division.

    The difference between their goals and expected goals (-18.2 goals) is second worst of any team so far, with only Manchester United below them (-19).

  16. Chelsea confirm James out with hamstring injurypublished at 11:54 GMT 12 December 2023

    Reece JamesImage source, Getty Images

    Speaking of Chelsea, the club have just confirmed that captain Reece James has suffered a hamstring injury.

    The defender was withdrawn within half an hour of Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Everton and was seen with his head in his hands as he received treatment.

    The club have not said how long he will be out for but he "will now begin his rehabilitation programme at Cobham".

  17. 'Surely Pochettino has to be shown patience?'published at 11:49 GMT 12 December 2023

    Phil McNulty
    BBC Sport chief football writer

    Chelsea puzzle me. I've seen them playing against Arsenal and Manchester City and think Mauricio Pochettino is on to something then at other times, as we have seen this week, they are so poor and look disjointed and disorganised.

    You have to think Pochettino has a plan. He is too good not to have one but he seems to be really struggling to fashion the players he has got into any sort of cohesive unit.

    There are good players there but they simply aren't showing it. That has to change quickly and I'm not sure Pochettino's plea for more transfer activity in January will get much sympathy either given the money Chelsea's owners have already spent.

    I'm not sure they have made much progress under Pochettino. It's been a bad few days and I don't think they can have any complaints about losing at Manchester United or Everton.

    Surely Pochettino has to be shown patience by Chelsea's board but he has two big home games coming up against Sheffield United in the Premier League and Newcastle United in the EFL Cup.

    Read more on Chelsea and their poor 2023 stats here.

  18. get involved

    Get Involved - Your views on referee abusepublished at 11:42 GMT 12 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    When I was 16, I started to follow in my dad's footsteps of becoming a referee. Did my FA levels, completed youth games and then it all stopped after one veteran's match where I ended up in the changing rooms, long after final whistle, in tears. Referee abuse is real and it is totally unacceptable! Standards are low because we haven't got people dreaming to be the next Howard Webb! Absolutely shameful scenes.

    Daniel, London

    Violence and aggression towards match officials must be tackled at every level and broadcasters and media have a responsibility here too. For example, Mikel Arteta's disgraceful rant against VAR set a terrible example and should not have been broadcast.

    Bob, Whitley Bay

  19. Chelsea's horror 2023 in statspublished at 11:37 GMT 12 December 2023

    Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have also picked up just 39 points this year but when it comes to average points per game, Chelsea sit bottom of the pile averaging just one point.

    They've also suffered 18 defeats in that period with only Bournemouth, who have lost 19 games, recording more.

    Graph showing 2023 Premier League points
  20. Chelsea stats show they've had an awful 2023published at 11:32 GMT 12 December 2023

    Media caption,

    Chelsea were not clinical - Pochettino

    It's been an awful 2023 for Chelsea.

    Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Everton, their seventh loss this season, saw Mauricio Pochettino's side drop into the bottom half of the Premier League and the manager called for more new signings in January, despite £1bn already spent under owner Todd Boehly.

    It was their 18th league defeat of 2023 and they have collected just 39 points in the top flight this calendar year - the joint lowest in the division, excluding teams that have been promoted or relegated.

    Pochettino, who took over in the summer, is the Blues' third manager of the year, succeeding interim Frank Lampard and Graham Potter.

    Boehly has spent close to £1bn since taking over Chelsea, with around £288m worth of transfers in January before spending more than £380m in the summer.

    Despite it doing little to change the fortunes of the side that finished 12th in the Premier League last season, Pochettino says Chelsea may look to strengthen further in January.

    Let's take a closer look at the stats ...