1. The Villa Heist: Rogers & Emery's Masterclass
Do the final scores be misleading? One must ask. Aston Villa's winning streak persisted with a win over Manchester United, alongside the lingering concerns. They were the lesser team by a number of key indicators – a lower shot count (12-15), reduced ball control (43-57), a scarcity of clear opportunities (2-3). Once again, the victory was by a narrow margin. Consistently, the xG metric was unimpressed: analysis indicates United were narrowly ahead 1.31-1.02. Yet the reality is games are not won by xG. They are won by collective effort, tactical brilliance and individual talent – and Villa have all three. The young forward could be considered their only star, but his contributions are coming with festive regularity. The Spanish tactician is shrewd, seasoned, significantly more advanced of his counterpart. Should Rogers have benefited from a positional error, it was likely because the coach had detected that Yoro is not a right-back, and told Rogers to take up a wide position, drive inside and torment him. Individual brilliance and coaching, in perfect harmony.
2. Amorim Continues to Fall Short
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 on 25 October, their fans began to believe again. They had won three league games in a row for the maiden instance under the Portuguese coach. Their position climbed to fourth. And the wins were all good ones – over Brighton (one of their many bogey teams), Liverpool (on the road!) and Sunderland (at home, versus a newly-promoted side, but still – an untroubled victory). The goalkeeper was reassuring, their forward line sparked and there was a positive mood. But then United slipped into a slump. Over the next eight fixtures, a mere pair of successes, six disappointing results. At Villa Park they were the better team without ever appearing likely to triumph. Yes, their forward scored a good goal, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were hit by fitness issues (to key players), but they gave away cheap scores. Following over a year in England, Amorim still hasn’t worked out how to claim three points.
3. Arteta's Men Win Ugly to Return to the Summit
It was an evening fixture on the holiday period but a noticeable shortage of fluency in the opposition box made for a sobering evening. For Everton, the issue was expected with creative forces absent, and their star man struggling to lift an entire team single-handedly. In many respects it is surprising that the Toffees occupied a European spot in the table not long ago given they have played the whole campaign without a proven goalscorer. For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, while he savoured a deserved win and ascending to the summit of the table, the deficiency should be of similar concern given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that positive results will inevitably be more emphatic with hard work and perseverance. But it is somewhat premature in the season for a team that can start with elite players, while leaving exciting options on the bench, to be dependent on scrappy victories.
4. Guardiola's Strict Festive Regime for Champions
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 have a rest day after their latest win but he refused because they didn’t play good enough. So they will recuperate, training for the squad players, and following a short break, then two days to prepare for the upcoming match. Guardiola detailed how the side can improve. “I excel at analyzing 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 have holidays with the family for celebrations. I'll visit Barcelona – it's a great city, the food is excellent.”
5. Isak’s Injury Overshadows Big Moment
Alexander Isak’s goal at Tottenham felt, for a fleeting moment, like an arrival. This was precisely the reason Liverpool invested heavily for him to do, to unlock stubborn defences with his movement and range of finishing, and the assurance with which he finished from an incisive ball boded superbly. So the scene of his substitution immediately, the victim of a ill-judged tackle, was a major worry for Arne Slot and frustrating for fans who would like to see such a gifted player perform at his best again. Reports suggest Isak has suffered a broken leg and he likely faces a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a significant setback with Liverpool having snuck up on the top four, putting together a solid undefeated streak featuring Isak’s maiden league strikes in their colours. Their prospects appear inextricably linked to those of their record signing.
6. A Contentious Call Saves Chelsea
Managers often complain about debatable rulings as a means of deflecting media attention from matters they want to keep private. The numerous points Newcastle have squandered when ahead this season is a prime example. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem overly keen to mention that costly trend following his side’s collapse from a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they had to settle for a point in. Yet Howe was surely justified in criticising a decision made by the on-field referee and VAR not to award his team a penalty following a obvious foul on their winger. With the score then 2-1, a spot-kick could have changed the narrative. Was the decision to offer the defender the leeway informed by the player's history for being skilled at drawing contact and sometimes simulating? The take of a respected pundit was interesting. “Gordon’s waiting,” came the observation. “He expects the tackle and he's ready. I think he intends to hit the deck. But the nature of the contact there … it's more than just defending.”
7. Wolves' Grim Relegation Reality
Brentford’s first away win this season spelled a welcome result for Keith Andrews. Instead of reveling in the win, Andrews spoke kindly about Wolves, the club he came through at. “My formative years were here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is truly alarming; statistical models state – possibly kindly – their chances of relegation at 99.17%, leaving nothing to play for beyond pride. A senior professional brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
