TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
It really turned into a very productive Christmas period for the defending champions and it could well be the significant period in the title race as Man City opened up daylight at the top of the table with two very different but equally important victories.
At home to Leicester they raced in front, then when Leicester threaded to come back, they went up another gear to show their class.
Then at Brentford, a place where many find it difficult, they rode their luck, showed their quality but also some grit and fight to come away with a narrow victory. Well done also to Arsenal, Southampton and Brighton.
GOALKEEPER: DAVID DE GEA (Man Utd)
It’s always difficult in a double week to pick a winner as most have one good game and one mediocre game, which is fair enough in games so close to each other.
So, at times you have to go on the strength of their good game and his game at Newcastle really went a long way to his team earning a draw, rather than a defeat as Newcastle really deserved more. He was then steady and solid against Burnley as his team picked up three valuable points.
Shout out also to Brighton’s Sanchez, Palace’s Guaita, Southampton’s Forster, West Ham’s Fabianski and Leicester’s Schmeichel.
DEFENDER: MARC CUCURELLA (Brighton)
This was a tough one, again due to the double week, but also due to all Brighton defenders having good games over the two games. However, I was really impressed with the Spaniard over the two games, particularly due to playing in two positions.
Brighton played a back four against Brentford where he was his usual energetic self, up and down the left flank, but he also produced a brilliant goal saving header underneath the bar. At Chelsea, they played back three with him on the left and I was impressed with his defending but if that wasn’t enough, it was his cross that was headed in to earn his team an unlikely away draw.
Well done also to his teammates Burn, Lamptey, Veltman and Webster. Leicester’s Amartey, Chelsea’s Silva, Spurs’ Sanchez, Arsenal’s Tierney, Man City due Canelo & Laporte, Newcastle duo Kraft & Manquillo, West Ham’s Johnson and Southampton trio Walker-Peters, Valery & Bednarek who was close.
MIDFIELDER: KEVIN DE BRUYNE (Man City)
With injury issues behind. him, he is really looking back to his best, dictating games and pulling the strings from deep.
He showed his influence in both games with City’s attacking prowess looking exhilarating against Leicester. But in the game at Brentford, when they were looking on the ropes slightly, he was at the heart of his team keeping the ball, taking the sting out the game and bursting back into life again.
Shout out also to his teammate Gundogan, Brighton’s Lallana, Bissouma & Lamptey, Chelsea’s Jorginho, West Ham trio Bowen, Soucek & Benrahma, Spurs’ Emerson & Winks, Arsenal’s Saka, Leicester’s trio Maddison, Soumare & Dewsbury-Hall, Newcastle’s Joelinton, Man Utd’s McTominay, Southampton duo Elyounoussi & Ward-Prowse also, Palace’s Schlupp.
FORWARD: ROMALU LUKAKU (Chelsea)
Back after a frustrating stint on the sidelines, he changed the game at Villa, with Chelsea deadlocked and 1-1 and Villa looking good, he come on at half time, scored and was fouled for a penalty to seal the game where he was a real handful.
Against Brighton he again got his name on the score sheet, but a last-minute equaliser stopped him from being the match winner again.
Well done also to Brighton duo Trossard & Maupay, West Ham’s duo Antonio & Vlasic Spurs trio Kane, Son & Moura, Man City trio Sterling, Mahrez & Foden, Leicester duo Iheanacho & Lookman, Newcastle’s Saint-Maximin, Man Utd duo Cavani & Ronaldo, Watford’s Dennis, Palace’s Mateta and Brighton’s Welbeck.
MANAGER: PEP GUARDIOALA (Man City)
What more can you really say? Yes, he does have an abundance of money to bring the best of the best players in, but time and again he constructs teams together that destroy leagues and it looks like they are doing this again.
Another two wins this week and more importantly, two very different wins to take their winning streak up to nine straight games. City are playing scintillating football, scoring goals for fun and the worrying thing is I don’t see a team who can stop them right now.
UNSUNG HERO: JARROD BOWEN (West Ham)
He is arguably playing the best football of his career at present. Has played in a number of positions already this season, seems to be playing with freedom and happiness that has got allegedly got other top clubs looking at him with keen interest.
Although he didn’t score, he assisted in both games this week to make it seven assists for the season, which is joint second in the league and is really emerging as a top player.
GAME1: MAN CITY 6-3 LEICESTER CITY
Man City started early when De Bruyne picked up Fernandinho’s looped ball into the box, swivelled and found the bottom corner (5). It was soon two when VAR stated Laporte was fouled by Tielemans and Mahrez made no mistake from the spot (14).
Gundogan then made it three when Cancelo’s low crossed was parried out by Schmeichel for him to side foot home (21). Sterling then tricked Tielemans in the box to give away a second penalty and Sterling stepped up to finish (25).
In the second half Leicester made a comeback when Maddison took the ball on the halfway line, exchanged passes with Iheanacho and coolly slotted home (56). It was then 4-2 when Maddison won the ball in his own half, beat a man and found Iheanacho.
He found Lookman who took the ball in his stride on the edge of the box and slotted home (59). It was then 4-3 when Maddison’s shot was parried by Ederson onto the bar and Iheanacho was on hand to tap home (65).
However, Man City scored a fifth when Laporte excellently headed in Mahrez’ right sided corner (69). Man City scored a sixth from another Mahrez corner from the right where Dias headed down for Sterling to side foot home (87).
GAME2: CHELSEA 1-1 BRIGHTON
Following several chances for both teams where Chelsea hit the post, Chelsea took the lead when Lukaku muscled off Maupay’s tight marking to head home Mount’s right sided corner (28).
The chances then continued for both sides, but Brighton finally got their rewards. In stoppage time, Cucurella picked up the ball just outside the box and dinked in a cross for Welbeck, who rose the highest to superbly head in an equaliser (90+1).
GOAL1: NEAL MAUPAY (Brighton) v Brentford
Maupay started off the move, picking the ball up just inside the half and passing inside to Lallana, who drove forward with the ball.
He then beat a man, passing left for Moder who cut inside and ran with the ball towards goal. Maupay continued his run and just outside the box, Moder slipped a ball between a defender’s legs to Maupay, who took one touch to set himself, then just on the edge of the box, arrowed a powerful effort into the top corner.
GOAL2: ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Leicester) v Liverpool
Lookman picked up the ball just inside the Liverpool half, on the left touchline. He first ran inside, then turned and played a ball to Dewsbury-Hall down the left then continued his run forward.
He then received the ball in his stride just outside the box, cut inside, looked to shoot far post but beat the keeper with a powerful shot at the near post to win the game.
FOOL: NORWICH CITY
A few candidates, Zaha, Salisu, maybe Liverpool and a few officials, but Norwich had a torrid week and are having a terrible time of it at present. Sitting rock bottom, a 5-0 home defeat to Arsenal, then a 3-0 away defeat to Palace.
They are not scoring goals and letting in loads with some calamitous defending. This is an obvious recipe for relegation. Although they are just three points from safety, they already seem doomed and I the way they are playing, I can’t see them picking up many points. FOOL!
