The Premier League is gradually entering into the busy festive periods with last weekend’s matches kicking off the five-round of games between now and the start of January.
Matchday 11 was scheduled to kick-off with Aston Villa’s clash against Newcastle, but the match was postponed following a coronavirus outbreak at the Magpies training ground.
However, other games went ahead as scheduled, and some grounds welcomed back fans for the first time since March. Burnley and Everton kicked off the round, while Brighton’s clash against Southampton completed the matchday.
And in its usual tradition, Freshsports highlight some of the talking points from some of the games.
Injuries can’t stop Liverpool: Liverpool are the side most affected by injuries this season, but that hasn’t affected the Reds, who are looking to defend the title they won last season.
On Sunday night, despite missing a host of players including Alisson Becker, Jurgen Klopp’s side still went riot as they secured a 4-0 win over a dangerous Wolves side.
The Reds were dominant from start to finish and once again showed why many people have them as favourites for the title.
Lucky Manchester United: For the second consecutive league game, United came back from a losing position to win a game. In their clash against West Ham on Saturday evening, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men rode their luck as the Hammers could’ve been out of sight if they had taken their chances in the opening half.
However, just like the win over Southampton, United’s display improved after the break, and they scored three times to secure a 3-1 victory. The result put them five points behind joint leaders, Tottenham and Liverpool, although the Red Devils have a game in hand.
United have gained some consistency in the last few games, but they face a tough challenge when they welcome Manchester City on Saturday.
Arsenal in a relegation battle?: It was another disappointing weekend for the Gunners following a 2-0 loss to North London rivals and league leaders, Tottenham Hotspur.
It was Arsenal’s third consecutive loss in the league, which leaves them just seven points above the relegation zone. Although they are too good to down, results need to improve quickly before what seems impossible becomes a reality.
The Gunners dominated possession on Sunday, but they were caught on the break for the two goals. In fact, most of the second-half was played in Spurs half. However, Mikel Arteta’s men never offered any real threat.
The former Everton midfielder needs to find a way to make Arsenal’s attack click as that seems to be their biggest problem right now.
Chelsea’s Title Challenge Gain Momentum: The Blues spent heavily in the summer but had an indifferent start to the season. However, they now look like proper title challengers and are just two points behind Spurs and Liverpool following their 3-1 victory over Leeds United.
With Liverpool and Manchester City yet to hit top gear, Chelsea could spring a surprise in what’s turning out to be one of most open title races in recent years.
Leicester City Bounce Back: The Foxes were shocked at home by Fulham, but they bounced back with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Sheffield United on Sunday.
Both teams had cancelled each other in the opening half-hour, but Jamie Vardy popped up in the 90th minute to break Sheffield fans hearts.
The win puts Leicester into the top four and it won’t be a surprise to see them end in the spot at the end of the season.
