Elsewhere, Chelsea's Noni Madueke scored a late winner from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace to lift spirits at Stamford Bridge after a miserable 2023 while Wolves hammered fast-sinking Brentford 4-1.

The Gunners are without five players for Thursday's match at home to West Ham.

Hojlund had gone 14 games without a league goal since his August move from Atalanta for £72 million ($91 million).

Year 2023 could have easily been termed as the best year for men's football in Bangladesh in recent years as the national team, for a change, performed decently.

This was an essential victory for Liverpool's title ambitions.

The 71-year-old with a 25 percent stake in United said there was no quick fix.

No club in English football history has enjoyed such a successful year.

Meanwhile, Rahmatganj MFS came from behind twice to tie 2-2 with Bangladesh Police FC in Munshiganj, after losing 2-1 to the same opponents in the quarterfinals of the recently concluded Independence Cup.

Wood left Newcastle to join Forest in a £15 million ($19 million) deal in June, but had scored only four times for his new club.

Brazil have struggled in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and presently occupy sixth place in the South American table, the last spot that affords direct qualification.

The opening day's action will be staged across two venues. Star-studded Kings take on Fortis FC in Gopalganj while Rahmatganj MFS clash against Bangladesh Police FC in Munshiganj.

The year 2023 was expected to witness Bangladesh women's football progress in an upward trajectory on the back of winning the SAFF Women's Championship in September last year. It was not meant to be, unfortunately.

In a letter to a Brazilian soccer executive, the game’s governing body said on Sunday that the country's soccer body CBF could face suspension if it does not heed its call to wait and instead holds a swift election to replace Ednaldo Rodrigues as president regardless.

Salah posted a black-and-white picture of a Christmas tree on his social media pages, saying he was approaching Christmas with a heavy heart amid the fighting in Gaza, which has been under intense bombardment by Israel since Hamas militants launched a cross-border rampage on Oct. 7.

The absence of the Kings from the WFL means that the top-flight women's league is predicted to be even weaker, with many top players likely to remain inactive after the current year saw no women's league.

INEOS chairman Jim Ratcliffe has agreed a deal to buy a 25 percent stake in Manchester United for about £1.25 billion ($1.6 billion) and will take control of the Premier League club's football operations, it was announced on Sunday.

The victory moved Wolves up to 11th, level with 10th-placed Chelsea on 22 points but trailing the London side on goal difference.

Gabriel's early headed goal gave Arsenal hope of a first league win at Liverpool since 2012 but Mohammed Salah struck a superb equaliser before halftime.

Yann Bissek's first goal in Italy just before half-time at the San Siro and a late finish from Nicolo Barella were enough for Inter to bounce back from cup defeat to Bologna midweek and keep closest challengers Juventus at bay.

Arsenal ensured they will spent Christmas Day on top of the Premier League as they held title rivals Liverpool to a pulsating 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday.