2023-12-22 22:57:00
Christmas shortened, New Year finished at 12:15 a.m., or both? For Premier League players, the end-of-year holiday period is coming, once again, under the auspices of the sequence of matches. Between December 23 and January 2, no less than 27 matches are scheduled, including a match on December 24, Chelsea-Wolves. A period of everything possible for the five teams leading the championship at mid-term, with different dynamics and ambitions.
1st – Arsenal, 39 points: everything to win
They are alone in the lead, and yet they are perhaps the ones who have the most to gain during the holidays. With an opening shock against the runner-up Liverpool this evening (6:30 p.m.), then two more affordable matches against West Ham (December 28, 9:15 p.m.) then against Fulham (December 31, 3 p.m.), the Gunners have the opportunity to create a gap at the top of the ranking. Be careful of trap matches all the same, West Ham having won the last confrontation against Arsenal (3-1 in the Cup) and Fulham remaining on two victories by 5 goals to 0 at Craven Cottage. Seven wins in their last nine games, Arsenal have found their cruising speed. The Gunners’ only defeat over the period? A frustrating 1-0 loss on the Aston Villa pitch after 90 minutes generally dominated by Arteta’s men. But it will be necessary to confirm against Liverpool, after having only faced opponents within its reach during its good series.
- The player who wants to have a good holiday
David Raya. For his first season in the Gunner jersey, the Spaniard is struggling to justify his status. After half a contested season, he still lacks a real benchmark match against a top opponent. At the beginning of December, at Luton, he even almost cost his team dearly by making two big errors leading to two goals for the promoted side. With Aaron Ramsdale still knocking on the door, David Raya would be well advised to keep his clean sheet during the holidays, if he wants to start 2024 in a starting costume.
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2nd – Aston Villa, 39 points: a slight hiccup
Certainly the wealthiest of this top five… on paper. The draw conceded against Sheffield United (1-1) on Friday showed that the pitch could defy logic. The Villans will then face Manchester United (December 26, 9 p.m.), then the penultimate Burnley (December 30, 4 p.m.), and will even be able to celebrate the New Year.
Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, all bit the dust against the steamroller of the Villans between the end of October and the beginning of December. And if the mechanics are not perfectly oiled, with draws conceded against Bournemouth or the Croatians of Mostar in the Conference League, Aston Villa’s ability to thwart the big names is certainly the sensation of this Premier League season.
- The player who wants to have a good holiday
Moussa Diaby. He also hasn’t scored in the league since the end of October. And if he retains the confidence of his coach, he could take a dim view of the good form of Leon Bailey, author of two goals and two assists in the last four matches and regularly started in his place.
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3rd – Liverpool, 38 points: don’t spoil the celebrations
Jurgen Klopp’s men already know it: they won’t have the best holidays. A match on the 23rd, a second on the 26th, and a last one on the evening of January 1st: you will have to go to bed early and be reasonable at the banquet. Especially since the Reds have the opportunity to take the lead again this evening against Arsenal (6:30 p.m.), before facing a more than affordable Burnley (December 26, 6:30 p.m.) and hosting Newcastle (January 1, 9 p.m. ). But Liverpool can also lose everything (see dynamics).
They too are on a good run (6 wins in their last 9 games) but it can seem like a facade. Facing Manchester United for their last outing in the league (0-0), the Reds struggled as much as they did against Cristal Palace (2-1) and Fuham (4-3) earlier this month. In the Europa League, they were even defeated by the Belgians Union Saint-Gilloise (2-1). So, with still some injury concerns in the squad, be careful of overwork.
- The player who wants to have a good holiday
Darwin Nunez. No more league goals since the end of October. It’s not the same drought as his Manchester United counterpart Rasmus Hojlund but it’s still far too much for a center forward. Especially with xG underperforming by almost five goals. We will have to rely on the magic of Christmas.
4th – Manchester City, 34 points: on all counts
While all the other leaders will play three championship matches, the Citizens will be content with two. The fault of their course in the Club World Cup, which they won brilliantly. But the schedule will remain busy nonetheless, with a trip to Everton on December 27 (9:15 p.m.), before hosting Sheffield United on the 30 (4 p.m.). Rather affordable then, but the matches are starting to come one after another, and Pep Guardiola had to do without Haaland, De Bruyne, and Doku in the Club World Cup. Manchester City stalls against the big guys, and gets scared against the small guys. Behind, almost nothing is going well for the Citizens who conceded a lot (4 goals conceded against Chelsea, 3 against Tottenham, 2 against Cristal Palace and Red Star Belgrade). And this is reflected in the ranking: still leader on the evening of the twelfth day, the Mancuniens are now five points behind first place.
- The player who wants to have a good holiday
Julian Alvarez. Interesting at the start of the season in a playmaking role which is not his own, the Argentinian world champion is struggling to confirm at the forefront. Erling Haaland injured, he was the starting number 9 for his team against Luton and Cristal Palace. Two matches during which he did not take care of his goal tally, stuck at 4 in 17 championship matches.
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5th – Tottenham Hotspur, 33 points: the big slump
Tottenham have the opportunity to redeem themselves. Since their poor series in November, the Spurs have become underdogs again, and they know it. For the holidays, they will play three matches logically within their reach: Everton on December 23 (4 p.m.), Brighton on the 28th (8:30 p.m.), and Bournemouth on the 31st (3 p.m.). Something to stick together but also something to flow. Everton are in great form in the league, Brighton are capable of anything, just like Bournemouth (see Arsenal).
This Tottenham of Postecoglou looks like a production team. After ten first games without defeat, the Spurs had four losses and a draw in five games. The trend seems to be better, with two victories gleaned during their last two outings. We must capitalize on it.
- The player who wants to have a good holiday
Richarlison. Three goals in two games and the Brazilian comes back to life and revives his team. After a start to the season of the ilk of his last, catastrophic, Premier League exercise (1 goal in 27 matches in 2022-2023), the Seleçao striker found himself and made his power speak to put the Spurs on track. What if he too started a series?
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