TEAM: LIVERPOOL
As always, when there are two games in a week, it’s tough to choose. Although four teams won both games this week, I gave it to the team leading the league.
While teams were dropping points, Liverpool destroyed Spurs away, scoring six. Then, they showed the mentality to come from behind to ease past Leicester at home to go seven points clear at the top and improve their goal difference.
Well done to Notts Forest and Wolves. Newcastle and Arsenal.
GOALKEEPER: JORDON PICKFORD (Everton)
Although he’s had a few questionable moments recently, which he luckily got away with, you cannot deny his record of five clean sheets in his last six games.
His recent two clean sheets where he performed superbly, came against Chelsea and Man City, where he saved Haaland’s penalty.
Shout out also to Bournemouth’s Ramsdale. Notts Forest’s Sels. West Ham’s Fabianski and Fulham’s Leno.
DEFENDER: DEAN HUIJSEN (Bournemouth)
What a find he seems to be. Still only 19, he put in arguably two man-of-the-match performances in a week to help his team earn two clean sheets.
At Man Utd, not only did he help to keep the forwards at bay, but he opened the scoring for his second goal of the season. Then backed that up against Palace with superb defensive display.
Well done also to his teammate Kerkez. Fulham’s Robinson. Everton foursome Young. Tarkowski, Branthwaite & Mykolenko. Forest threesome Aina, Milenkovic & Murillo.
Chelsea’s Tosin. Fulham’s Bassey. Brighton’s Van Hecke. Newcastle duo Hall & Schar.West Ham’s Wan-Bissaka. Wolves trio Doherty, Bueno & Toti also, Arsenal’s Saliba.
MIDFIELDER: ANTHONY ELANGA (Nottingham Forest)
There is no midfielder in the league in better form. He has scored in the last three games, and all three have been very good finishes.
At Brentford, he pounced on a loose ball to run across the box and slide into the bottom far corner to seal the game. Then, against Spurs, his excellent run was spotted by Gibbs-White with a slide-rule ball, and he ran onto and dinked over the keeper to win the game.
Shout out also to his teammates Gibbs-White and Anderson. Liverpool trio Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Jones. Bournemouth trio Kluivert, Semenyo & Christie. Arsenal’s Rice. Everton trio Mangala, Gueye & Doucoure.
Wolves foursome Guedes, Gomes, Ait Nouri & Semedo. Newcastle trio Murphy, Joelinton & Tonali. Palace’s Sarr. Brighton’s Wieffer. Brentford’s Damsgaard. Villa trio Tielemans. McGinn & Rogers. Chelsea’s Palmer, also Fulham duo Wilson & Iwobi.
FORWARD: MO SALAH (Liverpool)
One of the few forwards to notch in both games this week. At Spurs, he scored two quick goals in the second half to take the game away from Spurs.
But he also assisted the crucial third and sixth goals. Then, on Boxing Day, he scored the third against Leicester with a lovely finish to seal the game. He is now the only player in Premier League history to have double figures for goals and assists before Christmas.
Well done also to his teammates Diaz & Gakpo. Arsenal trio Havertz, Jesus & Martinelli. Wolves’ Cunha. Everton’s Ndiaye. Fulham’s Muniz. Newcastle’s duo Gordon and Isak, who was close to winning this.
MANAGER: NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO (Nottingham Forest)
What he is doing at Forest is nothing less than a miracle. I have to admit I predicted them to be in the bottom half this season. However, they are sitting pretty in fourth place.
Following up on being the only team to beat Liverpool this season, they went to Brentford and snapped their unbeaten home record. Then, on Boxing Day, a professional performance got them three points against Spurs.
Shout out also to Liverpool’s Slot. Newcastle’s Howe. Wolves’ Pereira. Arsenal’s Arteta and Fulham’s Silva.
UNSUNG HERO: ALEXANDER ISAK (Newcastle)
He is not unsung. However, he deserved to be recognised with four goals in two games and a first Premier League hat-trick.
He is in red-hot form in the league, and Ipswich had no answer for his movement and clinical finishing with three goals at the weekend. Then, on Boxing Day, he notched against Aston Villa for another comfortable victory.
Well done also to Wolves’s Cunha. Liverpool trio Szoboszlai, Mac Allister & Gakpo. Also, Villa’s Rogers.
GAME1: TOTTENHAM 3-6 LIVERPOOL
Liverpool raced into an early two-goal lead through Alexander-Arnold’s pinpoint cross for Diaz’s header (23) and Mac Allister’s header (36). Spurs then pulled a goal back through Maddison’s effort from the edge of the box (41).
However, Liverpool restored their two-goal lead on the stroke of halftime with a breakaway goal finished off expertly by Szoboszlai (45+1). In the second half, Liverpool raced away with two quick Salah goals (56, 61) to make it 5-1.
Spurs then gave themselves hope when Kulusevski volleyed home (72), then Solanke’s effort (83). But Diaz quickly sealed the game with a good finish from an angle (85).
GAME2: CHELSEA 1-2 FULHAM
In the West London derby, Chelsea took a deserved first-half lead when Palmer picked up the ball, jinxed evaded two defenders, and nonchalantly stroked home from 20 yards (16).
In the second half, Fulham grew into the game and equalised when Wilson stole in at the far post to nod home (82). Fulham snatched a dramatic late winner from a breakaway as Lukic crossed for Muniz to sweep home into the bottom far corner (90+5).
GOAL1: DEJAN KULUSEVSKI (Tottenham) vs Liverpool
Kuluseveki picked up the ball on the left and played it into Solanke just outside the box. He held the ball up, turned and waited for Kulusevski’s run into the box.
Solanke then found Kulusevski with a neat chip, which allowed the Swede to run onto the ball in the box and finish expertly with a first-time, controlled volley.
There were also good goals from Newcastle’s Murphy and Arsenal’s Rice.
GOAL2: MATHEUS CUNHA (Wolves) vs Man Utd
The Wolves forward lined up on the left-hand side to swing in a corner. He somehow managed to curl the corner out, then back inside.
Due to all the commotion in the box, the ball evaded everyone and nestled inside the far corner of the net for what is now called an Olimpico.
There were also good goals from Newcastle’s Gordon. Liverpool’s Gakpo, Chelsea’s Palmer and Everton’s Ndiaye.
FOOL: MANCHESTER UNITED
Leicester, and especially Spurs, could have been up here. However, not only did Man Utd lose both their games this week without scoring a goal, but they also lost the cup game and conceded from a corner.
The honeymoon is well and truly over for Amorim, as his record in the Premier League now reads two wins, one draw and five defeats. United are fourteenth in the league, closer to the bottom three than the top four. FOOLS!
