ATLANTA -- Maybe Ohio State football fans will like coach Ryan Day now.

Fifty-one days after suffering the worst loss of his career, Day guided the No. 8 Buckeyes to their first national championship in 10 years with a 34-23 victory over No. 7 Notre Dame in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T on Monday night.

The Buckeyes led the Irish 31-7 midway through the third quarter, but the Irish kept fighting and pulled to within one score and a two-point conversion with 4:15 remaining. Quarterback Riley Leonard threw a 30-yard touchdown to Jaden Greathouse with 3:03 left in the third. Leonard tossed a two-point play to tailback Jeremiyah Love to make it 31-15.

Then, after a late defensive stop, Leonard found Greathouse again for a 30-yard touchdown. Leonard's pass to Beaux Collins on a two-point play pulled the Irish within 31-15 with 4:15 remaining in the game.

The Buckeyes finally put the Irish away for good when quarterback Will Howard threw a deep ball to freshman Jeremiah Smith, who beat cornerback Christian Gray for a 56-yard gain to the Irish 10. That led to Jayden Fielding's 33-yard field goal that put the Buckeyes up 11 with 26 seconds left.

ATLANTA -- Seven weeks and two days ago, Ohio State coach Ryan Day watched as Michigan planted its flag at midfield inside the Horseshoe, chaos ensuing: fans chanting "F--- Ryan Day," his players both fighting back and walking around dazed, the rival Wolverines celebrating.

Seven weeks and two days ago, what unfolded Monday night felt unimaginable: joy, celebration, triumph, Day right in the middle, the whole of Buckeye Nation now back in his corner.

After that devastating loss to Michigan, the first expanded 12-team College Football Playoff delivered a chance at salvation. And the Buckeyes took advantage from the start, outscoring their four postseason opponents by a combined score of 145-75, culminating with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame for the program's seventh national championship.

"No great accomplishments are ever achieved without going through adversity," Day said. "That's just the truth." No team has benefited from the College Football Playoff quite like the Buckeyes.

In 2014, they were ranked No. 4 in the inaugural four-team field, beating No. 1 Alabama, then No. 2 Oregon behind third-string quarterback Cardale Jones to hoist the first championship trophy of the CFP era.

This year, they were the No. 8 seed in the first 12-team field. The loss to Michigan -- Ohio State's fourth straight in the series -- kept them out of the Big Ten title game. And in any previous season, it would have kept them out of the playoff. But thanks to playoff expansion, the Buckeyes made it when the bracket was revealed Dec. 8.

The future still looked bleak.

Speculation swirled around Day and whether his disgruntled fan base could accept another failure in a season built for a national championship run.

A team meeting after the Michigan loss got heated. Feelings were hashed out, grievances aired.

"There's multiple ways that you can respond to adversity in life, and that adversity brought us closer as an entire group," receiver Emeka Egbuka said. "We were able to lift each other up in that moment, and we've gotten stronger because of it."

Michigan would be their catalyst.

TWELVE MONTHS AND 12 days ago, cornerback Denzel Burke made sure to watch the 2024 national championship game all the way to the end so he could see rival Michigan hold up the trophy following a 34-13 win over Washington. He had the game on his phone while at dinner with teammate Lathan Ransom and was so hurt, he had to walk into the bathroom to cool off.

There is no fun in losing to your rival; even less fun is watching your rival win the national championship. Michigan beat Ohio State and won it all last season, thanks in part to a veteran group that put off the NFL to return to school to try and win a championship.

Day wanted the same for the Buckeyes in 2024. To get the better of Michigan, Ohio State would have to be like Michigan. Well, at least in one way. With $20 million to spend in NIL, Ohio State went about convincing its top players to return to school, too. Defensive end Jack Sawyer, who grew up in nearby Pickerington, Ohio, as a huge Buckeyes fan, led the charge.

Within short order, he and seven others -- defensive end JT Tuimoloau, tailback TreVeyon Henderson, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, Egbuka and Burke -- put off the NFL to come back to school for one more year.

"It just kind of fueled our fire a little bit to come back and hoist the national championship trophy," Burke said. "To be able to see them win it all like that, we wanted a piece of that."

Player retention and development has been huge: The Buckeyes started 19 players who signed with the school and have combined for more than 520 starts. Many in the signing class of 2021, the foundation for this team, returned because they had contributed nothing to the trophy case inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and refused to let their careers end that way.

"This might be the biggest example of selflessness I have ever been a part of," linebacker Cody Simon said. "So many guys had the opportunity to go first round, second round in the NFL draft. They all came back to play another year together.

"I commend all those guys who made a decision and all the guys who came in who were outside of our program because it takes a lot to get this all to work together."

Day signed a top-tier recruiting class, including receiver Jeremiah Smith, and brought in key transfer portal acquisitions -- quarterback Will Howard, safety Caleb Downs and running back Quinshon Judkins chief among them. Ohio State would enter 2024 as one of the most talented teams in the country. Expectations were clear from the start.

"At this time last year, which is crazy to think about, guys decided to come back and put their personal goals aside to achieve this goal," Ransom said. "It's pretty special. I hate when people say, 'Win or bust,' but we did everything to come back to win."

Day knew he needed something to help his players best understand the journey on which they were about to embark. In their first preseason meeting last year, Day showed the team a picture of a lighthouse in the middle of a storm in the ocean. The lighthouse keeper, he told them, was counting on the lighthouse to be built with the right foundation to withstand the storm.

Then he told the story of three bricklayers building St. Paul's Cathedral, and the importance of each brick being laid the right way. He told the players that every day after practice, he would hand out a scarlet and gray brick to one player. It would be his job to build a foundation for what was to come. The bricks could not be placed randomly or haphazardly. Building that foundation had to be done the right way.

Every day as players walked out to practice, they had a view of the bricks being stacked. Every day on the way back into the locker room, they had a view of the bricks being stacked. Over 100 bricks are now stacked perfectly, forming a foundational wall. "That wall is built for anything -- the fire that we went through, the perseverance that we have, and here we are now," Burke said.

"Storms are going to come," Day said. "How is the foundation built? Was it built on a true foundation of rock or of sand? We knew those storms were coming. We didn't know when, but that was ultimately going to allow us to withstand those storms."

THE BIGGEST STORM came Nov. 30. The Buckeyes entered their rivalry game against Michigan as a 20.5-point favorite, ranked No. 2 in the CFP and with massive matchup advantages up and down the depth chart.

The Wolverines lost nearly every key offensive player from their 2023 national championship team and were 6-5 under first-year coach Sherrone Moore. Two of their best players were injured for the Ohio State game.

Finally, the Ryan Day Redemption Arc would be written.

Then the game kicked off. Michigan dominated up front, handcuffing Ohio State from doing much. Inexplicably, the Buckeyes could not get the ball to Smith to make enough of a difference, and Ohio State was shut out in the second half at home for the first time in 13 years.

When the final seconds ticked off the clock, Michigan had won 13-10 in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the rivalry. As the Wolverines planted their flag at midfield, Sawyer came charging up, tearing the Michigan flag down. He could be heard on video screaming, "They're not f---ing planting the flag again on our field, bro!"

Day stood there silently, seemingly in disbelief. Though he ranks No. 1 among active head coaches in win percentage, Day has been judged by one thing: his record against Michigan. Day has gone 47-1 against all other Big Ten opponents in his career. But what did he do against the Wolverines? To date, he is 1-4. As a result, Ohio State has not won a Big Ten title since the truncated 2020 COVID-19 season, a year in which the rivals did not play.

Vitriol was directed at both Day and his players in the immediate aftermath of this season's Michigan loss, and sports talk focused on whether Day needed to win the national championship to save his job. Athletic director Ross Bjork tried to quell the speculation when he gave a vote of confidence to Day in December, telling 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, "The season's not over. The book is not closed."

In that same interview, Bjork asked his Ohio State fans not to sell their tickets to Tennessee fans for their first-round playoff game in Columbus.

"We knew that we could play better than what we presented," guard Donovan Jackson said. "So having people tell us we're trash, terrible, garbage, half of us should transfer, half of us should leave the state of Ohio. No, we know how good we are."

IN THE FOUR-TEAM CFP era, Ohio State made five playoff appearances and finished ranked No. 5 or 6 three other times. In fact, the Buckeyes ranked in the top seven in every final CFP poll, including No. 7 last year at 11-1. That lone loss to Michigan precluded them from making the four-team field.

The loss to Michigan this year served a far different purpose.

"The new format has allowed our team to grow and build throughout the season, and as much as losses hurt, they really allow us as coaches and players to take a hard look at the issues and get them addressed," Day said.

The team meeting after the Michigan game got loud and emotional. Fingers were pointed, mistakes were rehashed, but players and Day took accountability. In times of great adversity, either you fold under the pressure or you rise to greatness. Ohio State chose not to break.

"There was no other option for us," Simon said. "You go from feeling sorry for yourself to now we've got to rewrite the history for this season and this team."

Kickoff against the Vols came on a chilly night at the Shoe, three weeks removed from the Michigan loss. Nobody knew how the Buckeyes would respond.

The nation got its answer two minutes and 14 seconds into the game. Then four minutes later. Then five minutes after that. By the time the first quarter ended, Ohio State had a 21-0 lead as it overwhelmed what had been one of the best defenses in the country, while completely stymying Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his high-powered offense.

Day said after the 42-17 win, "You could tell from the jump that they had a look in their eyes that they were going to win this game."

Next up: a rematch with No. 1 Oregon in the CFP quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. The undefeated Big Ten champion Ducks handed the Buckeyes their first defeat back in October, after Howard lost track of the game clock while trying to drive for a game-winning score, running with four seconds left and sliding as time ran out in the 32-31 loss.

There would be no need for late-game heroics this time around. Once again, Ohio State bulldozed its way to a massive lead, going up 34-0 before winning 41-21. After two rounds, the Buckeyes had harnessed all their talent and potential and were playing like the "championship or bust team" many envisioned when the season began.

There was more to come. Before the semifinal against Texas at the Cotton Bowl, Day had a simple message for his team: "To leave a legacy, become your own legend."

With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, leave it to the player who dreamed about winning an Ohio State national title as a little boy throwing a football in his backyard with his dad, to do just that.

Sawyer strip-sacked Quinn Ewers on fourth-and-goal from the 8 with 2:13 left, then returned the fumble 83 yards to put the game out of reach and give the Buckeyes a 28-14 win.

The image of Day standing silently next to a riled-up Sawyer after the Michigan game was replaced with the image of Day unclipping his headset and jumping into a giant bear hug from Sawyer on the sideline screaming, "YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A hug so powerful, it appeared to break a camera the CFP had placed on Sawyer after the play.

"The resiliency of this team, from a month ago, it's been incredible," Sawyer said afterward. "I love Columbus. I love the state of Ohio. I love Ohio State football. I'm so fortunate to be playing in the national championship my last year here."

Just like the semifinal, the national championship game needed a fourth-quarter play to seal the win. This time, it was Smith and his 57-yard reception with 2:29 left that ended any Notre Dame comeback hopes.

Ohio State trailed for the first time in this CFP after the Fighting Irish opened the game with a clock-busting drive that nearly lasted 10 minutes and ended with a Riley Leonard touchdown run.

Then the Buckeyes showed off their wealth of depth and talent during a critical portion of the game -- the rest of the first half and start of the second -- pulling ahead and proving right those who chose them in the preseason to bring home another national championship. Their offensive line opened up huge holes for Henderson and Judkins while allowing virtually no one to come near Howard. The Notre Dame defense was flummoxed -- alternating between man and zone -- unable to answer for Judkins nor for a mobile Howard, who was all too eager to take off when the running lanes opened. Ohio State converted all six of its third-down attempts in the first half, and Howard opened the game with 13 straight completions -- a record for most completions to start a national championship game.

The Buckeyes raced out to a 28-7 lead after their first series of the third quarter and then held on against an inspired Notre Dame effort. In the end, they raised their arms in victory.

They may not be able to call themselves Big Ten champions. They may not have a win over That Team Up North.

But the Buckeyes have something to celebrate that is theirs, and only theirs: the national championship.

Chicago Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis and San Antonio Spurs rookie guard Stephon Castle have committed to two of the four spots in the slam dunk contest during NBA All-Star Weekend, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The dunk contest, which will be held Feb. 15 inside San Francisco's Chase Center, will feature multiple rookies for the second straight year after Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and New York's Jacob Toppin participated in 2024.

Buzelis, selected by the Bulls with the 11th pick last June, has played fewer than 13 minutes per game for Chicago but is no stranger to All-Star Weekend, participating in the 2024 Rising Stars game as part of a team made up of G Leaguers.

Castle, taken fourth by San Antonio, has emerged as a contender for rookie of the year as the floor-general-in-waiting for Victor Wembanyama's Spurs. Castle is coming off the best stretch of his rookie campaign, headlined by three straight 20-point performances last week.

An NBA player hasn't won the dunk contest since 2022, with G Leaguer Mac McClung taking home back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.

SAN FRANCISCO -- As Stephen Curry exited the game for good near the end of the third quarter, with the Boston Celtics up by 32 on their way to a 40-point blowout victory over the Warriors, he probably hadn't felt further away from Golden State's 2022 NBA championship than he did on Monday.

After suffering the worst home defeat of the Steve Kerr era with a 125-85 loss at Chase Center, Curry noted how the Celtics are everything the Warriors are not at the moment.

Curry talked about how Boston has the same core from its 2022 NBA Finals team with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but have even more confidence after winning the Finals last season.

"Yeah, we have an entirely different roster pretty much, obviously," Curry said of the Warriors as compared to their 2021-22 squad. "Especially without Draymond [Green] out there. But you look [at what] they have, besides [Kristaps] Porzingis, they have pretty much the whole rotation still, and they are the defending champs.

"So, they're coming in with a level of confidence and swagger about 'em, and it's the exact opposite of what we have right now. So yeah, obviously great memories, but definitely feels like a long time ago."

The Warriors hold out hope that they can turn this season around, get into the playoffs and surprise everyone like they did in 2022, when they beat Boston 4-2 in the Finals.

But they are 21-21 and hobbled by injuries to crucial players. Green did not play Monday, and he will be out at least a week with a mild calf strain. Jonathan Kuminga injured his right ankle on Jan. 4 and was ruled out for at least three weeks, though he likely will need longer to return. Brandin Podziemski has been out with an abdomen injury, and Kyle Anderson did not play due to a glute injury.

Since starting the season off 12-3, the Warriors have gone 9-18. They are currently in a nine-game stretch in which eight are at Chase Center.

Curry was asked if the Warriors can use this stretch to stay afloat with the injuries to Green and Kuminga.

"It's incredibly significant for our season," Curry said. "You'd hope to be a better home team than you are on the road. ... We'll see how we respond to it and if we can take advantage of this stretch. Tonight was not great; Captain Obvious statement.

"But just the idea that we can keep ourselves afloat until we get some guys back can kind of make or break our season to be honest, to keep it real. ... Nobody's counting game-by-game type thing, but a six- to eight-game stretch can kind of define where we are going forward the rest of the season."

The Celtics (30-13) hit 20 3-pointers on Monday, with Tatum leading the way with 22 points.

Curry, with his 18 points, was just one of two Warriors to score in double figures.

Kerr is hopeful that Podziemski and Anderson will be able to return later in the week. The Warriors will play at the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday before facing the Chicago Bulls at home on Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers will visit Golden State on Saturday.

The Warriors will need to put up much more than the 85 points they scored against Boston. It was the lowest output in a home game in which Curry has played under Kerr. The 40-point margin also represented the worst home defeat for Golden State since a 45-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 1985.

"Seems like an eternity ago," Warriors center Kevon Looney said when asked how long ago the 2022 NBA championship feels like. "We have had a lot of iterations of the team since then. Each season brings on a new challenge. That year seems further and further away. But hopefully, we can get back to that feeling of being a champion. But we got a long way to go."

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Coco Gauff's forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the Australian Open on Tuesday, and the No. 3-seeded American was eliminated in the quarterfinals by No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain 7-5, 6-4.

Gauff entered the match at Rod Laver Arena with a 9-0 record in 2025 and on a 13-match winning streak that dated to her title at the WTA Finals in November. Using tweaks to some key strokes to great effect in the hopes of earning a second Grand Slam title at age 20, the 2023 US Open champion had only dropped one set through four matches at Melbourne Park this year.

"She's full of confidence. But I'm playing well, too," Badosa said ahead of the contest. "I'm ready to face her."

Was she ever. And Badosa now heads to her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 27.

Gauff finished with 41 unforced errors, a total that included six double-faults -- including on the last point of the game that put Badosa ahead 5-2 in the second set -- and 28 missed forehands.

She never earned so much as a single break point until after she already trailed by a set and a break in the second.

Badosa reached a career-best ranking of No. 2 in 2022, but then dealt with a serious back injury that had her contemplating ending her tennis career.

"I would never think that, a year after, I would be here," Badosa said. "I've been through a lot. In the past, I was one of the best players in the world."

She next will go up against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion in Melbourne, or No. 27 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the runner-up at the 2021 French Open. Their quarterfinal was to be played Tuesday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin on Monday declined to address reports that forward J.T. Miller was nearly traded to the New York Rangers over the weekend.

Sportsnet first reported over the weekend that there were discussions within the Canucks organization about holding Miller out of their game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday due to a potential trade with the Rangers. The trade, which would have involved multiple players and draft picks, ultimately fell apart.

"I'm not going to go into any specifics and comments on any talks around the league, but since I got here, I'm always trying to explore how to make our team better and see if it makes sense or not," Allvin said when asked multiple times about the potential trade and Miller's future with the Canucks during a midseason news conference.

Miller has played in Vancouver since the 2019-20 season. He was originally drafted 15th overall by the Rangers in 2011 and played parts of six seasons in New York.

Allvin declined to state whether there were any "untouchables" on his roster, and he gave credit to his players for "blocking out the noises" about a potential Miller trade in posting a 3-2 win over the Oilers.

"I'm planning on being a Canuck today, tomorrow," Miller, who had two assists and played well defensively in the victory, said after the game. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm focused on the next game."

Miller has 31 points in 35 games this season. He was the team's leading scorer last season with 103 points in 81 games.

The Canucks have struggled in the standings, with a 20-15-10 record that has them outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Miller's future has mostly been clouded due to an ongoing personal issue with Canucks star center Elias Pettersson.

Sources confirmed to ESPN that the Canucks have had trade discussions regarding both Miller and Pettersson.

Miller, 31, has a contract that runs through 2030 with a $8 million average annual value. Pettersson, 26, has a contract that runs through 2032 with an $11.6 million cap hit. Miller has a full no-movement clause. Pettersson's full no-movement clause kicks in this summer.

Miller and Pettersson have reportedly had a strained relationship for years, according to former Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau, who told TSN that it predated his time with the team and had something to do with quality of linemates. Their personal heat drew public attention this season when there was a brief outburst at a Canucks practice in which Miller allegedly called Pettersson a "baby."

Captain Quinn Hughes has acknowledged an issue between the two players; Miller and Pettersson have denied they're feuding.

Allvin said Monday that he felt sorry for the Canucks players who have had to see this play out in the media and social media.

"It's very unfortunate," Allvin said. "I feel bad for a lot of players when you're reading some rumors out there. I'm proud of the guys that they're capable of blocking a lot of noises out and just go out and play. We want to create an environment where they feel safe and trusted. I think the players have galvanized and played extremely well under the circumstances."

Allvin said that when the Canucks are "playing at their best and [doing] what they're capable of," they can be a playoff team.

"I do still believe that we have a good core here," he said.

With the Canucks' struggles on and off the ice, Allvin said he's "proud" of the way coach Rick Tocchet has handled the season. Vancouver holds a club option for 2025-26 on its coach, but Allvin said the ultimate decision for next season involves what Tocchet would like to do as well.

"I do believe he's a good a coach. I see him long-term," Allvin said. "But, obviously, it's a two-way street there."

BOSTON -- Tom McVie, who coached the Winnipeg Jets to the 1979 World Hockey Association championship over Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers in the final year before the franchises were absorbed into the NHL, has died. He was 89.

McVie was also the Jets' first coach in the NHL and the New Jersey Devils' second after they moved from Colorado in 1982. He also coached the Washington Capitals, compiling an overall NHL record of 126-263 with 73 ties in parts of eight seasons from 1975-92.

The Trail, British Columbia, native joined the Bruins as an assistant coach in 1992 and got his name on the Stanley Cup as a team ambassador when it won the 2011 championship.

"Tom was a huge part of our Bruins family, having served as coach, scout and ambassador for more than 30 years," said Boston president Cam Neely, whose playing career overlapped with McVie's coaching tenure. "His hockey mind, colorful personality, gruff voice, and unmatched sense of humor livened up every room he entered, and he will be dearly missed."

McVie made his NHL head coaching debut when he succeeded Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt in Washington on New Year's Eve in 1975, but he never finished higher than fourth before heading to the WHA. He took over the Jets, whose roster included a 40-year-old Bobby Hull, and won the 1979 Avco World Trophy.

True North Sports + Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club is saddened to learn of the passing of former Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Tom McVie.

Coach McVie was an historical figure in Winnipeg's pro hockey history as the coach of the last team to ever win the Avco Cup in... pic.twitter.com/OFGynPHnCI

Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) January 20, 2025

"Coach McVie was an historical figure in Winnipeg's pro hockey history as the coach of the last team to ever win the Avco Cup in the World Hockey Association, as well as the first coach in the team's National Hockey League history back in 1979," the Jets posted on X on Monday.

"Tom's personality, voice, and knowledge of the game transcended his title and time in our city as the team made the transition from the WHA to the NHL. His ability to tell a story only added to the legend of the hockey club's arrival on the big stage. We'd like to extend our deepest condolences to the many friends and loved ones of Coach McVie."

McVie told The Boston Globe after joining the Bruins organization in 1992 that he was proud to be a hockey lifer.

"If I wasn't coaching hockey," he said, "then I'd probably be driving the Zamboni."

McVie also coached in the AHL for New Jersey, working for the then-Utica Devils. They have since been renamed the Utica Comets, who honored him in a Monday social media post, calling McVie "a legend of the sport and our community," and adding that "Tom was an outstanding leader, and an incredible human being."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Chelsea won for the first time in six Premier League matches when they beat relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 at home on Monday with goals from defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Cucurella and a third from winger Noni Madueke.

The win pushed Chelsea -- who had been second as recently as last month -- above Manchester City and Newcastle United into fourth place, while Wolves remained out of the bottom three only on goal difference ahead of Ipswich Town.

The hosts, seeking to get back on track for a place in next season's Champions League, went ahead in the 24th minute when Tosin sidefooted home from close range.

But goalkeeper Robert Sánchez gifted Wolves an equaliser in first-half stoppage time when he dropped a corner and Matt Doherty stabbed the ball in.

The home fans were fearing a repeat of recent games when Chelsea threw away leads until Cucurella popped up in attack to score after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall -- in his first league start for the Blues -- flicked on a Madueke cross on the hour.

Five minutes later, Madueke nodded in to make sure a header from Trevoh Chalobah - returning to Stamford Bridge after being recalled from a loan spell at Crystal Palace - crossed the line.

"It's instinct. Attacker's instinct," Madueke told Sky Sports. "I knew it was going over the line. I said sorry to Trevoh after. I had to put this in the net for sure.

"He was saying 'No way you took my goal,' but I said: 'You have to understand, this is what they pay me for.'"

Chelsea have 40 points from 22 games, 10 adrift of leaders Liverpool and four behind second-placed Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. They are two points above Manchester City and Newcastle.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was boosted by the return of club captain Reece James, who made his first start after the latest in a string of injury absences.

"The performance until 40 minutes was very good, then the last five minutes we struggled. They scored a goal and we lost a bit of confidence, which was something that has happened a few times this season," Maresca told BBC.

"We need to learn to manage these situations better. In the second half we started well and scored the goals. Overall I think we deserved to win the game.

"We reacted well in the second half. After five games without a win it is not easy to do that. So it was important to win the game."

Chalobah also gave the Blues' defence a stronger shape after the loss of Wesley Fofana and Benoît Badiashile due to injuries.

Defender Levi Colwill and midfielders Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernández were all absent from the squad ahead of Chelsea's trip to champions Manchester City on Saturday.

Video Assistant Referee causes controversy every week in the Premier League, but how are decisions made, and are they correct?

After each weekend, we take a look at the major incidents to examine and explain the process in terms of VAR protocol and the Laws of the Game.

In this week's VAR Review: Was the VAR right to disallow Arsenal's late "winner" from Kai Havertz against Aston Villa? Should Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba have been sent off against Manchester United? And why did Nottingham Forest have a goal ruled out for offside against Southampton?

Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa

Possible handball: Havertz when scoring

What happened: With game tied at 2-2, Arsenal scored what they thought was a dramatic, 87th-minute winner at home to Aston Villa when Mikel Merino saw his shot deflect into the back of the net off Kai Havertz. Villa's Boubacar Kamara, who was right in line with Merino's shot, appealed for handball, and while the Arsenal players celebrated, it was looked at by the VAR, John Brooks.

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: At first this seemed to be a regular deflection off Havertz, wrong-footing Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to give Arsenal a dramatic winner. Yet it soon became clear there was doubt about the goal and the ball might have come off the Germany international's arm.

The two-tier handball law, which means a defender wouldn't concede a penalty in exactly the same scenario, does cause confusion. An attacker cannot score a goal if the ball touches his hand or arm, even if it's tucked into the body. Yet if comes off a defender in the same way, it can't be a spot kick because the player hasn't made their body unnaturally bigger.

The law for the attacker is very simple, though: you cannot score a goal with your arm, regardless of whether the touch is accidental or the ball touched another part of your body first. It's a binary part of the law and doesn't require any kind of interpretation (this is why the referee didn't need to go to the monitor.) If the ball hits an attacker's arm and goes into the goal, it's always a free kick to the defending team.

The VAR, who is able to sync multiple camera angles in one view, was looking for proof that the ball hit the arm. It was the main point of contention for Arsenal supporters, who felt it had deflected off Havertz's stomach or hip.

Verdict: The front view provides clear evidence that the ball came off Havertz's forearm. The way the ball shot upwards on the rear view also suggested a deflection off the arm, rather than it coming off the chest.

The VAR was looking for definitive proof and, while there might be some opposing views, it would have been very controversial not to intervene and rule out the goal.

Other clues were there, though. It's not something the VAR would consider, but the Arsenal celebrations were particularly muted for such a crucial goal. Merino, who had the perfect view, in particular showed little emotion, while the Gunners soon began running back toward the halfway line ,which gave the impression they thought the goal was going to be ruled out.

Man United 1-3 Brighton

Possible DOGSO red card: Baleba foul on Zirkzee

What happened: Manchester United were awarded a spot kick in the 20th minute when Joshua Zirkzee was hauled down inside the area by Carlos Baleba. Referee Peter Bankes produced a yellow card, and the VAR, Craig Pawson, checked both the penalty and a possible red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO). (watch here)

VAR decision: Penalty stands, scored by Bruno Fernandes; no red card.

VAR review: There was no doubt about the spot kick, with Baleba putting his arm around the neck of Zirkzee and pulling him to the ground.

The nature of Baleba's challenge means it wasn't covered by the double-jeopardy exemption, when a player is booked only as they have made a genuine attempt to challenge the opponent or the ball.

So whether this should be red or yellow card comes down to the quality of the scoring chance, and that's determined by what happens with the ball and where the opposition players are.

Just before Baleba committed the foul, Zirkzee opted to drag the ball back rather than take a shot -- this was crucial in the VAR opting not to recommend a review.

You can argue that it was still an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, and had Bankes sent Baleba off, it wouldn't have been overturned. But that change of direction from the Man United striker, taking the ball away from goal and giving goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the possibility of challenging before Zirkzee could get a clear shot away, alters the picture for DOGSO.

Earlier this season, Brentford's Ethan Pinnock escaped a VAR red card when he pulled back Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, who was directly through on goal with the ball in front of him. The Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel ruled that Pinnock hadn't made a fair challenge and that it should have been a red card on the field but didn't reach the threshold for a VAR review.

Zirkzee's chance was of a lower quality as he wasn't continuing the forward momentum toward goal, so that would suggest Pawson was correct to uphold the yellow card.

Verdict: It's incredibly difficult to receive a DOGSO red card inside the penalty area these days, but this was the kind of challenge where it could apply. Baleba was fortunate because it was only the way Zirkzee shifted the ball that changed the DOGSO consideration and saved the Brighton player from a VAR intervention.

Possible foul: Van Hecke on Dalot before Pedro goal

What happened: João Pedro thought he had put Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 up in the 53rd minute when he expertly turned inside the area and fired past André Onana. However, Manchester United's players appealed for a foul in the buildup, and it was checked by the VAR. (watch here)

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: Brighton had delivered a free kick into the Man United area, and as Diogo Dalot went to hook the ball, he was kicked by Jan Paul van Hecke.

We've seen a few situations like this crop up, with the key consideration for the VAR being whether one player had got to the ball first and had the right to be able to play it or it was a genuine coming together on a 50-50 (or, did the players kick each other?)

It has been more commonly seen in possibly penalty situations. Indeed, Pawson was the referee for Brighton's game at Aston Villa three weeks ago when the VAR (Stuart Attwell) advised a spot kick for Pedro's challenge on Morgan Rogers. That looked like a soft penalty, yet the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel unanimously voted that Attwell was right to send Pawson to the pitchside monitor.

This was a clearer case, however. Dalot had positioned himself to clear the ball, and Van Hecke kicked Dalot's foot onto the ball.

Verdict: This might have been more controversial had Brighton not gone on to win the game 3-1, but it was a correct VAR intervention. The Man United defender didn't get the chance to make his clearance because he was kicked by Van Hecke.

Nottingham Forest 3-2 Southampton

Possible offside: Wood on Milenkovic goal

What happened: Nottingham Forest scored what they thought was a fourth goal in the 64th minute through Nikola Milenkovic, who headed home from a free-kick routine. As the Forest players celebrated, the VAR, Graham Scott, checked a possible offside offence by Chris Wood. (watch here)

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: It's a unique and complication offside decision and one that will no doubt split opinion.

The only phase that mattered was the one created when Anthony Elanga took the free kick. At this point, Wood was clearly in an offside position, and, as he didn't actually touch the ball, his actions in relation to the Southampton defenders determined whether there was an offence.

When Milenkovic headed the ball, a new phase was created, and by this time Wood was onside, so there couldn't be any effect on goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

As the ball was floated into the area by Elanga, Wood came into contact with Paul Onuachu, which could have affected the Southampton defender's decision about challenging Milenkovic. Having an influence from an offside position on a player who could challenge for the ball is always going to be looked at by the VAR -- though the VAR offside given against Everton's Orel Mangala last month was a clearer example with obvious blocking.

Wood also made an attempt to play the ball, but because he challenged his own player rather than an opponent this was out of the ordinary too. The controversy was around whether attempting to head a ball that was played by a teammate could have an influence on defenders who were seemingly not trying to get to the ball themselves. But would the defenders have made the same choice if Wood weren't there?

Verdict: As Wood was in contact with a Southampton player and made an attempt to play the ball, the VAR believed this had an influence on the phase.

Think of it this way: should an attacker be allowed to stand in an offside position, take the attention of a defender and then try to head the ball? Had Wood not jumped for the ball, he might have got away with it, but making a play created a clear potential offence.

Forest fans will be against it, and the decision looks a soft one, but there was always a high chance of VAR intervention.

Referee Anthony Taylor had to go to the monitor as it was a subjective offside, which applies whenever the offending player has not touched the ball.

Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

Possible penalty: Handball by Konaté

What happened: Sepp van den Berg attempted to help the ball into the centre of the penalty area in the 60th minute, but it hit the arm of Ibrahima Konaté. Van den Berg and other Brentford players appealed for a penalty, but referee Andy Madley was adamant there was no offence. It was checked by the VAR, Paul Tierney.

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: The ball hit Konate from close proximity, with his arm down by his side.

There was nothing Konate could have done to avoid the ball, while his arm wasn't in an unexpected position for his movement and wasn't making his body bigger.

Verdict: All three VAR penalties awarded this season (Matty Cash, Tyler Adams, Matthijs de Ligt) have seen the defender with their arm fully extended away from the body. There should be no expectation of a penalty in this situation.

Possible penalty: Challenge by Flekken on Díaz

What happened: Luis Díaz latched onto a pass from Ryan Gravenberch but saw his shot saved by Mark Flekken. The Brentford goalkeeper failed to hold the shot but got back up to stop the ball going out for a corner. Díaz reacted to try to get to the loose ball, but the Liverpool attacker went to ground as Flekken moved toward it again. Díaz appealed for a penalty, but again referee Madley wasn't interested. (watch here)

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: This would have been an interesting VAR decision had the referee given the penalty, because although Díaz appeared to go down very easily, there was contact with his right foot on the left arm of Flekken.

The goalkeeper, however, actually pulled out of the challenge and made no attempt to get a glove to the ball the second time. That didn't mean the goalkeeper cannot make a foul, but it was less likely to be judged as one.

Verdict: There was not enough in this for the VAR to intervene, but with the way protocol works, with evidence of contact by the goalkeeper on the Colombia international, it was unlikely to have been overturned if awarded by Madley.

Díaz got only a very small touch on the ball, suggesting he was playing for contact rather than possession.

Newcastle 1-4 Bournemouth

Possible ball out of play on Ouattara goal

What happened: Dango Ouattara scored a third goal for AFC Bournemouth in the 61st minute when he fired into the net after a goal-mouth scramble. As the players celebrated, Newcastle United's players protested that the ball had already gone out of play. It was checked by the VAR, Peter Bankes. (watch )

VAR decision: Goal disallowed.

VAR review: Unlike some of the more marginal ball-out-of-play situations we've seen in recent times, this was a straightforward decision.

Verdict: A very easy one for the VAR as the ball was in view on the goal-line camera -- which wasn't the case for Newcastle's controversial goal against Arsenal last season.

Play didn't restart with the goalkeeper but rather at the point the incident happened. As the ball came off a Newcastle player last, it was a corner to Bournemouth.

Everton 3-2 Tottenham

Possible penalty: Branthwaite challenge on Son

What happened: Son Heung-Min had possession inside the Everton penalty area in the 27th minute and looked to work the ball back around the box. He went to ground under pressure from behind by Jarrad Branthwaite, but referee Darren England wasn't interested in penalty appeals.

VAR decision: No penalty.

VAR review: If this had been given as a penalty by the referee, it wouldn't have been overturned.

But there's too much doubt for a VAR review, specifically around whether Son had slowed his forward momentum to cause Branthwaite to go into the back of him.

Verdict: Without more of a clear challenge from the defender to cause the Tottenham Hotspur player to go down, the VAR, John Brooks, wasn't going to get involved.

Some factual parts of this article include information provided by the Premier League and PGMOL.