1. The Villa Heist: Rogers & Emery's Masterclass
Do the final scores be misleading? That is the question. The Villans' triumphant run continued against Manchester United, but so did the nagging doubts. They were the lesser team by multiple metrics – fewer shots (12-15), a smaller share of the ball (43-57), fewer big chances (2-3). As usual, the victory was tightly contested. As usual, expected goals (xG) sided with the opposition: according to data United were narrowly ahead 1.31-1.02. But, as every fan knows games are determined by more than statistics. They are won by collective effort, shrewd management and sparkling skill – and Villa boast the complete package. Villa's emerging star may be their primary talisman, but his contributions are coming as a timely gift. Unai Emery is crafty, battle-hardened, streets ahead of Ruben Amorim. Should Rogers have benefited from a defensive lapse, this was almost certainly because Emery had spotted that Yoro was playing out of position, and told Rogers to begin on the flank, cut in and exploit the space. Talent and management, working together.
2. The Amorim Conundrum: Still Searching for Answers
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 in late October, their fans felt optimism return. They secured three league games in a row for the first time under their manager. They had risen to fourth. And the wins were solid results – 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 – a routine shutout). Senne Lammens looked solid, Bryan Mbeumo offered threat and optimism was growing. But then United slipped into a slump. Over the next eight fixtures, a mere pair of successes, six games without a win. Against Aston Villa they were superior for large periods without ever looking like winning. Yes, the Brazilian scored an excellent finish, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were unlucky with injuries (to key players), but they gave away cheap scores. After 13 months in England, the manager has yet to solve how to win consistently.
3. Arsenal Grind Out a Vital Victory
It was an 8pm kick-off on the Saturday before Christmas but a noticeable shortage of fluency in the final third made for a sobering evening. For Everton, the issue was predictable with key attackers absent, and their star man failing to inspire an entire team single-handedly. 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 savoured a deserved win and a return to the top of the table, the deficiency should be just as worrying given their ambitions for the Premier League. Arteta insisted that winning margins will inevitably be more emphatic with dedication and persistence. But it is fairly soon in the season for a team that can start with elite players, while leaving talented players on the bench, to be relying on grinding out wins.
4. Pep's Christmas Weight Watch at City
On Christmas Day Pep Guardiola will check the weights to ensure his Manchester City players have not enjoyed excessive celebrations. Guardiola said the players asked to take a day off after their recent victory but he refused because the performance was insufficient. So they will recuperate, work for those who didn't feature, and following a short break, then 48 hours of preparation for the upcoming match. Guardiola detailed how the side can improve. “I’m good at reading what happens in the game, where are the spaces – if the players were in these positions, we could be more potent.” Pep also intends to enjoy a rest: “I will be on vacation with the family for celebrations. A trip to Barcelona is planned – it's a great city, the food is superb.”
5. Liverpool's Joy Tempered by Isak Blow
The Swedish striker's finish at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, as a turning point. This was precisely the reason Liverpool splashed the cash for him to do, to unlock stubborn defences with his movement and range of finishing, and the confidence with which he converted from a neat pass was highly promising. So the scene of his substitution immediately, the victim of a reckless attempt, was a significant blow for the Dutch coach and a shame for any neutral who would like to see an extraordinary talent reach his peak again. It is believed Isak has suffered a broken leg and he could be in for a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a huge loss with the Reds having quietly moved into the top four, putting together a six-game unbeaten run featuring Isak’s first Premier League goals in their colours. Their fortunes this season appear heavily dependent on those of their record signing.
6. Did Chelsea Get Away with One?
Managers often complain about controversial calls as a means of diverting the narrative from matters they wish to avoid discussing. The 13 points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season is a prime example. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem particularly eager to mention that costly trend following his side’s collapse from a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet the Magpies' boss was surely correct to highlight 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 12-yard award could have swung the momentum. Was the decision to offer the opposing player the leeway informed by past incidents for being expert at winning penalties and sometimes going down too easily? The take of a respected pundit was interesting. “He sees the challenge coming,” he said. “He expects the tackle and he's ready. I think he intends to hit the deck. But the strength of the challenge there … it's more than just defending.”
7. Wolves' Grim Relegation Reality
Brentford’s first away win this season spelled relief for the Bees' boss. Instead of reveling in the win, Andrews sympathised with Wolves, the club he joined at 16. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is beyond dire; Opta state – possibly kindly – their probability of going down at virtually certain, leaving nothing to play for beyond honour. A veteran player brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
