1. Rogers and Emery Combine for Heist
Can results be misleading? One must ask. The Villans' triumphant run persisted with a win over Manchester United, but so did the lingering concerns. On paper, they were second best by a number of key indicators – less attempts (12-15), less possession (43-57), fewer big chances (2-3). As usual, the victory was a slender one. In keeping with form, statistical models painted a different picture: 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 cohesive units, shrewd management and moments of magic – and Villa have all three. Villa's emerging star may be their primary talisman, but he is performing as a timely gift. The Villa manager is wily, seasoned, five years ahead of Ruben Amorim. Should Rogers have benefited from a positional error, this was almost certainly because the coach had detected that Yoro was playing out of position, and directed his attacker to start wide, cut in and torment him. Skill and strategy, working together.
2. The Amorim Conundrum: Still Searching for Answers
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 last month, their fans rediscovered hope. They managed three league games in a row for the first time under the Portuguese coach. They had risen to fourth. And the wins were solid results – over Brighton (one of their many bogey teams), Liverpool (away!) and Sunderland (in front of their own fans, against a promoted club, but still – an untroubled victory). Senne Lammens looked solid, Bryan Mbeumo offered threat and there was a positive mood. But then United went back to black. Eight games, two wins, six disappointing results. At Villa Park they were superior for large periods without ever looking like winning. Yes, Matheus Cunha scored a fine effort, but he also failed to convert a golden opportunity. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to influential figures), 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 a late Saturday start on the festive weekend but a noticeable shortage of fluency in the final third made for a forgettable match. For Everton, the issue was expected with creative forces absent, and Jack Grealish struggling to lift an entire team on his own. 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 reliable number nine. For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, while he enjoyed a merited victory and reclaiming first place of the table, the flaw should be just as worrying given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that positive results will inevitably grow more comfortable with dedication and persistence. 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 dependent on scrappy victories.
4. Guardiola's Strict Festive Regime for Champions
On Christmas Day the Catalan coach will conduct fitness tests 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 they didn’t play good enough. So the schedule involves rehabilitation, work for those who didn't feature, and following a short break, then 48 hours of preparation for the next fixture. The manager outlined how they can get better. “I’m good at reading what happens in the game, locating the gaps – if the players were in these positions, we could create more.” Guardiola will also enjoy a rest: “I'm taking a break with the family for celebrations. I'll visit Barcelona – I recommend it, the food is superb.”
5. Isak’s Injury Overshadows Big Moment
The Swedish striker's finish at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, like a statement. This was exactly what Liverpool paid all that money for him to do, to break tight games with his intelligent runs and finishing ability, and the calmness with which he converted from a neat pass looked extremely positive. So the scene of his substitution immediately, due to a reckless attempt, was a major worry for the Liverpool manager and a shame for any neutral who would like to see an extraordinary talent reach his peak again. Reports suggest Isak has sustained a fractured leg and he probably endures a lengthy period on the sidelines. It would be a huge loss with Liverpool having snuck up on the top four, putting together a string of positive results highlighted by Isak’s initial goals in their colours. Their prospects appear tied up with those of their £125m investment.
6. A Contentious Call Saves Chelsea
Managers often complain about debatable rulings as a means of diverting the narrative from matters they want to keep private. The 13 points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season is a prime example. Eddie Howe certainly did not seem too willing to mention that costly trend following his side’s inability to hold onto a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they had to settle for a point in. Yet the Magpies' boss was surely right to question a decision made by the referee not to award his team a penalty following a clear obstruction on Anthony Gordon. With the score then 2-1, a penalty could have changed the narrative. Was the decision to offer the defender the doubt informed by the player's history for being expert at winning penalties and sometimes exaggerating? Comments by a respected pundit was revealing. “Gordon’s waiting,” he said. “He's prepared for the impact and he braces for it. I think he's looking for the foul. But the force and aggression there … it constitutes a foul.”
7. Statistical Doom for Struggling Wolves
Brentford’s initial success on their travels this season spelled a welcome result for the Bees' boss. Rather than celebrate, Andrews expressed empathy for Wolves, the club he started his career with. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is increasingly desperate; statistical models state – possibly kindly – their chances of relegation at 99.17%, leaving nothing to play for beyond professionalism. A senior professional brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
