TEAM: LIVERPOOL
Although there were some good performances this week, Liverpool ended the year in for and in style.
Their 5-0 drubbing of West Ham was the joint biggest away win this season. It was impressive with five different scorers, which leaves them six points clear at the top with a game in hand.
Well done to Ipswich. Arsenal. Notts Forest. Newcastle. Man City and Crystal Palace.
GOALKEEPER: CHRISTIAN WALTON (Ipswich)
What a way to make your home Premier League debut. Not seen since the opening-day defeat to Liverpool, he was thrust into the fire again.
This time, the outcome was much different. He performed admirably to thwart high-flying Chelsea, earning himself a clean sheet and three valuable points.
Shout out to Fulham’s Leno. Southampton’s Ramsdale and Man City’s Ortega.
DEFENDER: DAN BURN (Newcastle)
The Newcastle defender has gone under the radar but has improved and impressed throughout the season with consistent performances.
At Old Trafford, he impressed once again and comfortably took care of anything Man Utd had to offer. He also demonstrated how comfortable he is now on the ball.
Well done to his teammate Hall. Ipswich duo Woolfenden & Greaves. Liverpool duo Van Dijk & Alexander-Arnold. Brighton’s Lamptey. Palace’s Chalobah.
Forest foursome Aina, Morato, Milenkovic & Williams. Bournemouth’s Hill and Man City duo Akanji & Ake.
MIDFIELDER: MORGAN GIBBS-WHITE (Notts Forest)
I feel he’s been an underrated baller for some time. It is no coincidence that, with him making them tick, Forest has been impressive this season.
He again showed his quality against Everton with a wonderfully taken goal, but he also ran the show with his intelligence, movement, vision and passing abilities.
Shout out to his teammate Anderson. Newcastle trio Tonali, Joelinton & Guimaraes. Ipswich duo Hutchinson and Broadhead. Villa duo Rogers and Kamara. Arsenal duo Merino & Partey. Liverpool’s Mac Allister.
Man City’s Savinho. Brighton’s Adingra. Spurs trio Kulusevski, Bentencur & Johnson. Wolves’ Ait Nouri. Fulham duo Robinson & Wilson. Bournemouth’s Semenyo. Palace’s Eze & Southmapton’s Dibling.
FORWARD: MO SALAH (Liverpool)
He has taken back-to-back awards and had a superb December. His two excellent assists and goal at West Ham typify his superb all-around performance.
He ended the year the quickest player to 30 goal involvements in Premier League history and with the most in 2024 across all the top leagues.
Well done to his teammates Diaz, Gakpo & Jota. Newcastle duo Isak & Gordon. Aston Villa’s Watkins. Forest’s Wood. Arsenal duo Jesus & Martinelli. Wolves duo Hwang & Larson.
Brighton’s Joao Pedro. Fulham’s Jimenez. Bournemouth duo Evanilsen & Ouattara. Brentford’s Mbeuma. Man City’s Haaland and Ipswich’s Delap, who was as close to winning this.
MANAGER: ARNE SLOT (Liverpool)
This was a tough decision. Several managers deserved this for their efforts this week.
However, I stuck with the manager of the league leaders, who, only six months into the job, is leading the league by six points, off the back of the joint biggest away victory of the season.
Shout out to Notts Forest’s Espirito Santo, Ipswich’s McKenna and Newcastle’s Howe.
UNSUNG HERO: LIAM DELAP (Ipswich)
This award was probably the toughest decision this week due to the quality of candidates, not just this week but continued efforts over the past few months.
However, I had to go with his man-of-the-match performances against Chelsea, where he won the penalty, scored the penalty and assisted the second for an inspiring victory against the billionaires from West London.
Well done to Newcastle’s Joelinton. Fulham’s Wilson. Southampton’s Dibling and Notts Forest’s Anderson.
GAME: FULHAM 2-2 BOURNEMOUTH
Fulham took a first-half lead when Pereira’s corner was headed in by Jimenez (40). However, Bournemouth equalised in the second half through Evanilsen’s lovely, swivel volley from a tight angle (51).
Fulham again took the lead when Robinson’s right-footed cross was superbly headed in by Wilson (72). But Bournemouth once again equalised when they capitalised on a poor pass, and when the ball fell to Ouattara, he finished with a cheeky dink over the keeper (89).
There were also very good games at Aston Villa, who drew 2-2 with Brighton and at Spurs, who drew 2-2 with Wolves.
GOAL: HEE-CHAN HWANG (Wolves) vs Tottenham
From a well-worked free kick just a few yards outside the Spurs box. Andre touched it to Ait Nouri, who then shifted back across the box to Hwang.
From the top of the dee, Hwang hit a first-time, low curling effort that kissed off the inside of the bottom post and nestled into the other side of the net.
FOOL: MANCHESTER UNITED
Two weeks in a row now, and it’s fair to say they are in a bit of a shambles.
At home to Newcastle, they looked devoid of ideas, weak and lost and were lucky to come away with just a 2-0 loss. To say that was their best-case scenario tells you how bad they were and their situation. FOOLS!
