1. Rogers and Emery Combine for Heist
Can results be misleading? One must ask. Aston Villa's winning streak persisted with a win over Manchester United, alongside the persistent questions. Statistically, they were inferior by a number of key indicators – less attempts (12-15), less possession (43-57), not as many golden opportunities (2-3). Once again, the victory was a slender one. As usual, statistical models sided with the opposition: reports suggest United edged it 1.31-1.02. But, as every fan knows games are not won by xG. They are won by collective effort, shrewd management and individual talent – and Villa have all three. Villa's emerging star might just be their primary talisman, but he’s delivering with festive regularity. The Villa manager is wily, experienced, five years ahead of the United boss. If Rogers profited from Leny Yoro’s naivety, this was almost certainly because Emery had spotted that Yoro is not a right-back, and told Rogers to start wide, move infield and torment him. Skill and strategy, working together.
2. Amorim Continues to Fall Short
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 in late October, their fans felt optimism return. They had won three league games in a row for the maiden instance under Ruben Amorim. Their position climbed to fourth. And the wins were impressive victories – over Brighton (one of their many bogey teams), Liverpool (at Anfield!) and Sunderland (at Old Trafford, facing a team fresh from the Championship, but still – an untroubled victory). Senne Lammens looked solid, the attack was exciting and optimism was growing. But then United returned to poor form. In a run of eight matches, two wins, six missed opportunities. At Villa Park they were superior for large periods without ever looking like winning. Yes, their forward scored a good goal, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to important midfielders), but they gave away cheap scores. Following over a year in England, the manager has yet to solve how to win consistently.
3. Arteta's Men Win Ugly to Return to the Summit
It was a late Saturday start on the holiday period but a glaring absence of finesse in the attacking areas made for a forgettable match. For Everton, the issue was expected with offensive players absent, and Jack Grealish struggling to lift an entire team single-handedly. In many respects it is surprising that Everton were in fifth place in the table not long ago given they have played the entire season without a decent striker. For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, while he savoured a deserved win and ascending to the summit of the table, the problem should be just as worrying given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that winning margins will inevitably grow more comfortable with dedication and persistence. But it is somewhat premature in the season for a team that can start with international stars, while leaving exciting options on the bench, to be dependent on scrappy victories.
4. Guardiola’s Festive City Investigations
During the holidays Pep Guardiola will check the weights to ensure his Manchester City players have not enjoyed excessive celebrations. He explained his squad requested to enjoy a break after their latest win but the request was denied because the performance was insufficient. So the schedule involves rehabilitation, sessions for the fringe men, and after three days off, then brief training for the upcoming match. Guardiola detailed how they can get better. “I’m good at reading what happens in the game, locating the gaps – if the players were in the right areas, we could create more.” The boss also plans to enjoy a rest: “I'm taking a break with the family and champagne. A trip to Barcelona is planned – it's highly recommended, the food is top.”
5. A Costly Goal: Isak's Injury Mars Liverpool Win
Isak's clinical effort at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, like an arrival. This was precisely the reason Liverpool paid all that money for him to do, to unlock stubborn defences with his clever positioning and composure, and the calmness with which he converted from a neat pass looked extremely positive. So the image of him leaving immediately, the victim of a rash challenge, was a significant blow for Arne Slot and disappointing for the spectator who would like to see such a gifted player hit full tilt again. There are fears Isak has suffered a broken leg and he likely faces a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a huge loss with Liverpool having quietly moved into the Champions League places, putting together a solid undefeated streak highlighted by Isak’s first Premier League goals in their colours. Their campaign trajectory appear heavily dependent on those of their £125m investment.
6. Penalty Debate Rages After Newcastle Draw
Managers often complain about contentious refereeing decisions as a means of diverting the narrative from matters they would prefer were not talked about. The 13 points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season appears relevant. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem overly keen to mention that unfortunate habit following his side’s inability to hold onto a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet Howe was surely justified in criticising a decision made by the match officials not to award his team a penalty following a obvious foul on the England international. With the score then 2-1, a penalty could have changed the narrative. Was the decision to offer the Chelsea defender the leeway informed by past incidents for being expert at drawing contact and sometimes going down too easily? Analysis from a well-known analyst was revealing. “He anticipates the contact,” was the analysis. “He's prepared for the impact and he braces for it. I think he’s ready to go down. But the nature of the contact there … it's more than just defending.”
7. A 99.17% Certainty
Brentford’s initial success on their travels this season spelled joy for Keith Andrews. More than just enjoying the victory, Andrews expressed empathy for Wolves, the club he came through at. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is increasingly desperate; Opta state – maybe optimistically – their probability of going down at 99.17%, leaving nothing to play for beyond professionalism. A experienced defender brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
