By Sam McGuire
Matchday 18 has solely simply come to an finish but matchday 19 is already upon us. The Boxing Day spherical of fixtures didn’t disappoint. The video games on the twenty seventh had been a little bit underwhelming.
Nonetheless, the fixtures throughout the New 12 months interval have the potential to ship at each ends of the desk. So, with that in thoughts, right here’s a have a look at what’s forward.
Manchester Metropolis’s freefall continues
Throughout the final 5 Premier League matches, Leicester have as many wins as Manchester Metropolis do. Each groups have gained one match throughout this era. They face off on the King Energy Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The champions might solely draw towards Everton on Boxing Day. They couldn’t maintain onto an early lead, courtesy of Bernardo Silva, and Erling Haaland missed a second half penalty because the hosts needed to accept a 1-1 draw on the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola‘s facet are 14 factors off the highest having performed a recreation extra.
The Foxes have misplaced three on the bounce after a shiny begin beneath Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The previous Manchester United assistant claimed 4 factors throughout his opening two fixtures in cost however issues haven’t gone to plan since. They’ve conceded 10 in these three defeats and scored only a single objective, that arrived towards Liverpool in a 3-1 loss at Anfield on Thursday evening.
A win towards the struggling champions would, momentarily no less than, raise them out of the drop zone.
A Hammer blow for Liverpool?
West Ham have managed to show issues round not too long ago. Julen Lopetegui‘s facet are unbeaten in 4 and have taken eight factors in these matches.
They tackle league leaders Liverpool on Sunday night, however they’ll be with no host of gamers.
Tomáš Souček and Guido Rodríguez are suspended, Łukasz Fabiański, Carlos Soler, Max Kilman and Michail Antonio are lacking by means of harm.
Liverpool are additionally with no few gamers. Ibrahima Konaté and Conor Bradley are lacking with accidents sustained within the win over Actual Madrid over a month in the past whereas Dominik Szoboszlai picked up his fifth reserving towards Leicester Metropolis after coming off of the bench.
The Reds can nonetheless identify a reasonably robust XI although and presently possess the most effective participant on the earth in Mohamed Salah. The 32-year-old has 27 objective involvements in 17 matches this time period. He had an honest report towards the Hammers too, scoring 10 and aiding three. Nonetheless, he’s scored simply as soon as in his final six outings towards this weekend’s opposition.
Is his poor run of type towards West Ham going to proceed or is he going to make it 11 consecutive matches within the Premier League with no less than one objective involvement?
The Alexander Isak present rolls on
Newcastle United journey to Previous Trafford on Monday night seeking to make it 4 wins on the bounce within the Premier League.
The Magpies are in positive type proper now. They’ve scored 11 and conceded zero targets throughout this climb up the desk.
Key to this has been Alexander Isak. The Sweden worldwide has 9 targets in his final 5 appearances and his tally for the marketing campaign now stands at 11 in 16.
Solely Cole Palmer (12), Erling Haaland (13) and Mohamed Salah (16) have extra targets.
The 25-year-old will fancy his probabilities of including to his complete towards the Pink Devils. Rúben Amorim‘s males have misplaced three on the bounce throughout all competitions following their 2-1 win over Manchester Metropolis within the derby.
They’ve failed to attain of their final two outings and are presently in 14th place within the Premier League, simply eight factors away from the relegation zone.
The hosts might be with out their skipper for the sport too following Bruno Fernandes‘ dismissal towards Wolves on Boxing Day.
How brittle are Arsenal?
Following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Ipswich City, a consequence that lifted them into second place, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Bukayo Saka would miss a minimal of two months following surgical procedure on a hamstring harm.
The Gunners struggled with out Martin Ødegaard earlier within the season. How are they going to manage with out their finest participant?
Saka is the one Arsenal participant into double figures for targets and assists (15).
They’re up towards powerful opposition on New 12 months’s Day as they journey to Brentford.
The Bees have the joint finest residence report within the Premier League having taken 22 factors from a doable 27 on supply.
They’re not in the most effective type having misplaced three of the final 5 within the English prime flight, together with a loss at residence to Nottingham Forest, however it’s nonetheless a tough fixture for the Gunners.
Particularly when you think about they don’t journey too effectively. Arteta’s facet have solely gained 4 of their 9 away matches, conceded 10 in 9 too.
It’ll be fascinating to see the kind of efficiency the guests put in with out their No. 7.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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