THINGS WE LEARNED as the Premier League returned
Man United just one injury away from being toothless, Nketiah can keep Arsenal’s title dream alive and Lampard deserves time to save Everton: 10 THINGS WE LEARNED as the Premier League returned
- The Premier League made its triumphant return following the World Cup break
- Arsenal proved they can cope without Gabriel Jesus with 3-1 win over West Ham
- Relentless Erling Haaland reached 20 for the season as Man City kept in touch
- Man United won easily but they still look light of attacking options post-Ronaldo
- Liverpool introduced another academy talent as Stefan Bajcetic scored at Villa
- It was a gloomy Christmas for Everton but Frank Lampard still has credit in bank
There were tidings of comfort and joy for football fans everywhere as the Premier League made its triumphant return following the long World Cup break.
The festive fixtures were strung out over three days and we saw Arsenal allay fears about the injury to Gabriel Jesus to preserve their five-point lead at the top.
Erling Haaland is unlikely to be caught in the Golden Boot race as he made it 20 for the season in Manchester City’s win at Leeds, while Newcastle continued their impressive momentum.
Eddie Nketiah capped off Arsenal’s win over West Ham to allay fears about Gabriel Jesus
But it was a miserable Christmas for Frank Lampard and Everton as they lost once again
There were good wins for Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, but Tottenham dropped a couple of points despite a gratifying return to scoring for Harry Kane after his World Cup penalty pain.
But there was festive gloom for Frank Lampard as Everton lost at home to Wolves, while Brighton and Fulham remain in the top half after wins.
Here’s what we learned from the Christmas fixtures in the Premier League.
Nketiah can keep Arsenal’s title dream alive with the right service
Arsenal fans would have shuddered when Gabriel Jesus limped off playing for Brazil at the World Cup. It isn’t that he is super-prolific, more that he blends their attack together effectively.
They’d have feared a repeat of 2007-08, when the Gunners held a lead over Manchester United at the top well into February before Eduardo broke his leg against Birmingham and they drew their next four games to blow their title chance.
Nketiah is hardly prolific either – just 26 goals in 111 Arsenal games before Boxing Day – and as their only out-and-out centre forward option, it didn’t bode too well.
The injury Gabriel Jesus suffered at the World Cup was the last thing Arsenal wanted to see
But the way his replacement Nketiah performed against West Ham offered encouragement
Indeed, former Gunner Paul Merson was scathing, saying before the 3-1 win over West Ham that Nketiah wouldn’t even get in the side at rock bottom Wolves.
So the way Nketiah took his goal against the Hammers was timely vindication for him personally and for Mikel Arteta’s faith.
All he needs is service, to get in the right positions to finish as Bukayo Saka on the right and Gabriel Martinelli on the left supply the ammunition. The goals will come if he does that.
And with Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo Mudryk teasing Arsenal fans with an Instagram snap of him watching the win over West Ham, perhaps more firepower could be on the way.
Arsenal have already had a bid turned down for Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo Mudryk
Mudryk is showing an interest in Arsenal and the 21-year-old watched their win vs West Ham
Arsenal have already made their opening offer of £57million but Shakhtar are holding out for nearer £80m.
Mudryk doesn’t solve the immediate dilemma – he plays naturally as a left winger, not as a centre forward (and Martinelli will rightly be a bit put out if he arrives) – but if he can supply for Nketiah and Jesus when he returns, Arsenal will be in business.
Why are Tottenham such slow starters?
The main story from Tottenham’s comeback from two goals down to draw at Brentford was Harry Kane putting his World Cup penalty miss against France behind him with a brilliant header.
His goals will obviously be crucial as Spurs look to cement their top four position, so it would have been reassuring to see no lingering psychological effects from that moment.
But Kane can’t do it all single-handedly and Tottenham’s defence have been letting the side down. Antonio Conte’s team have now conceded the first goal in their last nine games and the World Cup break has apparently done little to change that.
Tottenham had to do things the hard way once again as they came back to draw at Brentford
Harry Kane scored a fine header to prove he isn’t feeling too down after his World Cup pain
While it’s also true that no side have picked up more points having gone behind (14) than Spurs this season, football is a far easier game if you don’t create uphill struggles for yourself.
‘We have to find the solution,’ said Conte after the 2-2 draw at Brentford. This time there was the mitigation of absent World Cup finalists Hugo Lloris and Cristian Romero but this issue was setting alarm bells ringing before the break and needs to be addressed.
Newcastle’s Paraguayan prince Almiron crucial to their success
Paraguay didn’t qualify for Qatar 2022 and they didn’t really get close. They finished third-bottom in the gruelling South American qualifying group, winning just three of their 18 games.
Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron didn’t really do much to help – he played in 13 of those qualifiers but managed to score just one goal.
That meant a few weeks off during the World Cup and Newcastle fans will be thrilled Almiron hasn’t lost any of his sharpness.
Miguel Almiron glided through the Leicester defence to put Newcastle two goals in front
Having scored seven times in the eight league games prior to the pause, Almiron simply picked up where he left off by putting Newcastle 2-0 up in the seventh minute at Leicester on Boxing Day.
The way he glided through the Leicester defence before rolling the ball into the bottom corner was the finish of a man in supreme confidence and Eddie Howe deserves credit for getting the best from a player often mocked in the past.
Almiron now has nine in 16 Premier League games this season, as many as he’d scored in 110 appearances in the previous four campaigns combined.
His resurgent confidence reflects this Newcastle side in general and Champions League football next season looks increasingly a possibility.
Bajcetic’s Christmas fairytale proof of Liverpool’s academy strength
Liverpool are playing catch-up in the top four race and they still look a little bit shaky at the back but their 3-1 Boxing Day win at Aston Villa was still a big positive.
To see the name of Stefan Bajcetic on the scoresheet with a supremely well-taken goal just two minutes after coming off the bench would have been highly satisfying for Jurgen Klopp.
At 18 years and 65 days, the Spanish teenager became Liverpool’s third-youngest Premier League goalscorer behind Michael Owen (17 years, 143 days) and Raheem Sterling (17 years, 317 days).
Jurgen Klopp congratulates youngster Stefan Bajcetic on a goal-scoring full debut at Villa
He also became the second-youngest Spanish scorer in the competition after Cesc Fabregas, who was 17 years and 113 days when he scored for Arsenal against Blackburn in August 2004.
‘He’s cheeky as hell and he is not worried about anything,’ said Klopp of the latest breakthrough starlet from Liverpool’s youth ranks.
Later on, we saw 17-year-old Ben Doak come on for his Premier League debut and we’ve also seen the likes of Bobby Clark, Layton Stewart and Melkamu Frauendorf given game time this season.
Bajcetic skipped around the keeper before finishing well as Liverpool returned with a win
Then, of course, there is 19-year-old Harvey Elliott, produced by Fulham’s academy set-up, but who gives the impression he has been a Liverpool first-team regular for years.
Liverpool may spend big on the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo but Klopp can also refresh his side from the well of homegrown talents too.
Man United’s ‘Red Arrows’ still need more thrust
To take Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in isolation, you’d think they have plenty of firepower to compensate for Cristiano Ronaldo’s sulky exit.
After all, the Portuguese wasn’t played very much anyway and Erik ten Hag’s attack of speedsters like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Antony was looking quite effective.
They showed a ruthless streak on Tuesday night when goals by Rashford and Martial had the contest pretty much sewn up inside 25 minutes.
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford combined well as Man United easily beat Forest 3-0
But despite contributions from Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Elanga off the bench late on, you can’t escape the nagging feeling United are still an attacker light.
It explains their unsuccessful pursuit of Gakpo, which was embarrassingly hijacked by Liverpool despite United being above their rivals in the table, and why they’re being linked with Joao Felix and others.
Rashford is in outstanding form but Ten Hag is still having to challenge him to reach 20 league goals. Martial is injury prone, Jadon Sancho seemingly remains some way from being in a fit state to return and Antony is hardly prolific.
Erik ten Hag does need another attacking option but it’s clear that money will be tight
An injury to someone in that forward line and United suddenly look a bit toothless.
They definitely need to bring someone in but the Glazers putting the club up for sale, not to mention the over-spend on the summer transfer budget, has made options limited.
Any deal for a forward would have to be on loan and United don’t have the appeal they once did.
Ten Hag would argue that United’s hierarchy may regret not spending in January if they fail to qualify for the Champions League in May. But the situation is as it is.
City unearth yet another gem in Lewis
You have to marvel at how Pep Guardiola does it sometimes. 18-year-old Rico Lewis was excellent in their 3-1 win at Leeds, fulfilling the right-back role like a seasoned pro.
Elland Road isn’t the most forgiving place to make your full league debut but the teenager fitted in nervelessly to allow Guardiola to give Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo a bit more of a post-World Cup breather.
Pep Guardiola congratulates Rico Lewis on a fine display as Manchester City defeated Leeds
As City progress in the various competitions, their strength in depth will again come to the fore and here is another position where clearly they have someone ready to step in when required.
We can expect to see plenty of Lewis during the remainder of the campaign and he clearly has the trust of Guardiola, who demands plenty of his full-backs.
Not only did Lewis complete his defensive duties, but he effortlessly came into midfield to aid Rodri and he was unfortunate not to come away with an assist with his cut-backs.
Chelsea’s slickness a positive for Potter
The withdrawal of Reece James, who will face another month out after a setback with his knee injury, overshadowed what was a pleasingly slick display by Chelsea against Bournemouth.
It’s a long time ago now but the Blues lost three consecutive league games, to Brighton, Arsenal and Newcastle, immediately prior to the World Cup as questions were asked of Graham Potter.
So the way a front line of Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic combined with Mason Mount, James and Jorginho to take the game away from the Cherries inside 25 minutes was pleasing.
Mason Mount finishes well for Chelsea’s second goal in their win over Bournemouth
Chelsea’s win was overshadowed by another injury setback for full-back Reece James
That James was arguably their best performer before he went off will, of course, be worrying but Chelsea’s display was a major improvement on recent ones and suggests they may yet challenge for the top four.
The fact Havertz and Mount were on the scoresheet will also help shake off their World Cup disappointments ahead of an unforgiving set of fixtures.
Chelsea play Manchester City first in the league and then the FA Cup in early January, while a visit to Anfield also looms on the horizon.
Lampard deserves time to put things right at Everton
Another miserable Christmas for Everton fans with the club trapped in a doom loop whoever the manager is.
Frank Lampard faced the Goodison Park jeers after Rayan Ait-Nouri scored a dramatic stoppage time winner for Wolves on Boxing Day.
It seems the credit he banked for keeping the Toffees in the Premier League last season has now expired after four consecutive defeats.
But the fact all of Lampard’s most recent predecessors, including the esteemed Carlo Ancelotti, all found themselves in similar situations speaks of far deeper problems at the club.
It was another miserable Christmas for Everton as they lost 2-1 at home to Wolves
It remains to be seen if owner Farhad Moshiri (right) decides to dispense with Frank Lampard
The Toffees once again find themselves precariously placed just above the relegation zone
Scattergun transfer policies and so many wasted millions have caught up with Everton, whose Premier League status next season is far from guaranteed.
But Lampard surely deserves the January window to try and make a few additions and alterations – particularly in his goal-shy attack – to try and hoist his team up the table.
Even a couple of astute loan signings could make the second half of the season far more comfortable and where is the logic in ripping up and starting again?
Farhad Moshiri may well have other ideas.
Fulham fighting clever
Fulham are ninth in the table and have 22 points from their opening 16 games following their Boxing Day win over Crystal Palace.
Naturally, their cause was helped massively by red cards either side of half-time for Tyrick Mitchell and James Tomkins, turning this London derby into a festive stroll.
But it shouldn’t be overlooked that Marco Silva’s side are enjoying an outstanding season and look to have finally ‘cracked’ the Premier League.
Aleksandar Mitrovic heads home his 10th Premier League goal of the season as Fulham win
The last time Fulham were in the top-flight, they achieved just 28 points in the entire campaign and the time before that a mere 26.
Now they’re only two points off seventh and the prospect of European football for the first time since 2011-12.
Silva has made them a streetwise Premier League side. Fulham impose themselves on proceedings and make clever use of their possession.
It also helps Aleksandar Mitrovic finally looked like a top-flight striker – he has 10 for the season now.
Southampton, meanwhile, aren’t fighting at all
Nathan Jones performed miracles at Luton Town and can’t be blamed for wanting to test his abilities in the Premier League.
Unfortunately, he has a lot on his plate because Saints’ 3-1 home loss to Brighton on Boxing Day sent them to the foot of the table.
As his team were booed off at St Mary’s, Jones will hope that defeat represents a nadir because they didn’t lay a glove on Brighton for much of the contest.
Southampton sit bottom of the table and were booed off by their fans after losing to Brighton
‘We wanted to be aggressive, we wanted to press high but we didn’t do the basics well enough and when they got near our goal – which at times was far too easy – conceded poor, poor goals,’ Jones lamented.
Jones had almost his full squad to work with during the World Cup break but the message doesn’t seem to have hit home.
But it’s still early days and upcoming games against Nottingham Forest and Everton are now looking absolutely crucial.
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