1. Rogers and Emery Combine for Heist
Do the final scores tell the whole story? It's a valid query. Villa's run of victories was extended versus Manchester United, but so did the nagging doubts. They were the lesser team by a number of key indicators – fewer shots (12-15), reduced ball control (43-57), not as many golden opportunities (2-3). Once again, the victory was by a narrow margin. Consistently, the xG metric painted a different picture: according to data United had the slight advantage 1.31-1.02. Yet the reality is games are determined by more than statistics. They are won by cohesive units, tactical brilliance and sparkling skill – and Villa have all three. Morgan Rogers could be considered their only star, but his contributions are coming as a timely gift. The Villa manager is shrewd, experienced, streets ahead of his counterpart. The fact Rogers took advantage from a defensive lapse, this was almost certainly because the coach had detected that his opponent was uncomfortable, and told Rogers to begin on the flank, move infield and cause him problems. Skill and strategy, working together.
2. Persistent Problems for Amorim's United
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 last month, their fans began to believe again. They had won three league games consecutively for the first time under their manager. They had risen to fourth. And the wins were impressive victories – over Brighton (a side they often struggle against), Liverpool (at Anfield!) and Sunderland (at home, versus a newly-promoted side, but still – a comfortable clean sheet). Senne Lammens looked solid, their forward line sparked and morale was high. But then United slipped into a slump. Eight games, a mere pair of successes, six games without a win. In the recent fixture they were superior for large periods without ever seeming like taking three points. Yes, the Brazilian scored a good goal, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were unlucky with injuries (to influential figures), but they gave away cheap scores. After 13 months in England, Amorim still hasn’t worked out how to secure victories.
3. Arsenal Grind Out a Vital Victory
It was an 8pm kick-off on the holiday period but a noticeable shortage of fluency in the attacking areas made for a sobering evening. For Everton, the issue came as no surprise with key attackers absent, and Jack Grealish unable to spark an entire team on his own. In many respects it is astonishing that David Moyes’s side sat fifth in the table two weeks earlier given they have played the entire season without a proven goalscorer. For Arsenal and their manager, while he relished a hard-fought three points and a return to the top of the table, the flaw should be just as worrying given their designs on the Premier League. He stated that winning margins will inevitably be more emphatic with hard work and perseverance. But it is a little early in the season for a team that can start with international stars, while leaving talented players on the bench, to be relying on grinding out wins.
4. Guardiola’s Festive City Investigations
On Christmas Day the Catalan coach will check the weights to ensure his Manchester City players have not overdone the festive fare. Guardiola said the players asked to have a rest day after their latest win but he declined because they didn’t play good enough. So they will recuperate, training for the squad players, and post-holiday, then two days to prepare for the Nottingham Forest game. He explained how they can get better. “I’m good at reading what happens in the game, identifying weaknesses – if the players were in these positions, we could create more.” Guardiola will also enjoy a rest: “I will be on vacation with the family to relax. A trip to Barcelona is planned – it's highly recommended, the food is top.”
5. A Costly Goal: Isak's Injury Mars Liverpool Win
Alexander Isak’s goal at Tottenham felt, for a fleeting moment, like a statement. This was precisely the reason Liverpool invested heavily for him to do, to break tight games with his clever positioning and composure, and the calmness with which he clipped in from an incisive ball boded superbly. So the image of him leaving immediately, following a reckless attempt, was a huge concern for the Liverpool manager and disappointing for the spectator who would like to see a top-class forward perform at his best again. Reports suggest Isak has picked up a serious leg injury and he likely faces a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a huge loss with Slot’s team having steadily climbed towards the Champions League places, putting together a six-game unbeaten run featuring Isak’s maiden league strikes in their colours. Their campaign trajectory appear tied up with those of their record signing.
6. Did Chelsea Get Away with One?
Managers often moan about contentious refereeing decisions as a means of diverting the narrative from matters they would prefer were not talked about. The numerous points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season seems a case in point. Their manager certainly did not seem too willing to mention that problematic pattern following his side’s failure to protect a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet the Magpies' boss was surely right to question a decision made by the match officials not to award his team a penalty following a blatant body check on the England international. With the score then 2-1, a 12-yard award could have changed the narrative. Was the decision to offer the defender the doubt informed by past incidents for being very clever at drawing contact and sometimes exaggerating? The take of a respected pundit was notable. “He anticipates the contact,” he said. “He's prepared for the impact and he's ready. I think he's looking for the foul. But the nature of the contact there … it's more than just defending.”
7. A 99.17% Certainty
Brentford’s first away win this season spelled a welcome result for Keith Andrews. More than just enjoying the victory, Andrews spoke kindly about Wolves, the club he joined at 16. “My formative years were here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is beyond dire; data analysts state – perhaps generously – their probability of going down at overwhelmingly high, leaving only pride at stake beyond professionalism. A veteran player brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
