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The first half of a split Premier League weekend meant only five matches, and Manchester City were the big winners thanks to Kevin De Bruyne’s return and immediate emphatic impact. Their 3-2 win at Newcastle puts them two points off the top.
Elsewhere, it’s basically as you were at the bottom where Everton, Burnley and Luton all drew, the latter two with each other.
Aston Villa missed out on the chance to further secure a top-four place, but then they escaped with further punishment after Tottenham and Manchester United drew at Old Trafford.
Gameweek 21 results
Friday 12 January
- Burnley 1-1 Luton
Saturday 13 January
- Chelsea 1-0 Fulham
- Newcastle 2-3 Man City
Sunday 14 January
- Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
- Man Utd 2-2 Spurs
Saturday 20 January
- Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (12.30pm)
- Brentford vs Nottingham Forest (5.30pm)
Sunday 21 January
- Sheffield United vs West Ham (2pm)
- Bournemouth vs Liverpool (4pm)
- Brighton vs Wolves (7.45pm)
Scroll down for my verdict on every team (listed in table order)…
Liverpool
Play Bournemouth on Sunday 21 January.
Man City
At the beginning of December, when Manchester City were midway through an uncharacteristic slump, I wrote a piece in which I put my neck on the line (if you can ever do such a thing by suggesting that Manchester City are quite a good football team) by saying that we would look back on these weeks with vague fondness when City were top of the league in the spring. Related: Manchester City have now won six straight matches in all competitions.
“In each of the last five seasons they have produced a streak of at least 12 consecutive wins and most of them come after the turn of the year,” that piece said. “After Aston Villa on Wednesday, Manchester City face one team currently in the top nine before mid-March.”
“Why wouldn’t this be the most likely cause of events? Kevin De Bruyne will be back. John Stones will be back. Jack Grealish will be fully fit and so will Matheus Nunes. The gremlins will have been forced out of the system, they won’t be as forgiving and their opponents won’t be as prolific. The time you spend wondering if Manchester City are suddenly fallible beyond your dreams is time wasted.”
I think that all still holds true, but even that piece foolishly underplayed the impact of De Bruyne. I don’t know why we all slept on this, perhaps because De Bruyne has only started one game in all competitions this season and so his sustained absence made us forget about him. But hear this: he is Manchester City’s most important player by a distance, he has barely played a minute all season and City are two points behind the Premier League leaders. That will be a cause for celebration, not frustration.
Against Newcastle on Saturday, we saw the De Bruyne effect in devastating clarity. The finish for City’s equaliser was extraordinary, a shot hit without great power and from distance and yet leaving Martin Dubravka with no chance of saving it because his technique is so wondrous and his accuracy so unerring. The pass for the second (and Oscar Bobb deserves great credit too), is of a type that nobody in world football can do better.
Pep Guardiola is not typically a touchline gymnast, preferring to be the still point around which the mania occurs. But even he could not contain the emotion in the aftermath of the winner. Guardiola knows how much that meant and knows too how more likely these goals are with the best player in the country on the pitch.
Aston Villa
Everton vs Aston Villa is the most-repeated fixture in English football, and if there have been many more than a handful of lower quality relative to the supposed talent on the pitch, we should all demand that they wait a while before playing it again. It’s only after you’ve watched every single wide player on the pitch overhit a cross for a throw-in that you can truly consider a Premier League match cursed.
There was some excitement, admittedly, in the same way that people like watching “fail” videos on YouTube. Ooooh, someone has missed their kick in 10 yards of space. Ha, that man just passed the ball to nobody. Oh no, that man carrying a large tray of food hasn’t seen that paddling pool. Who knows if it’s actually fun and the actors mostly feel embarrassed, but technically it’s entertainment of a kind.
Aston Villa and Unai Emery will have more regret, for at least we have proof that they can be far better than this. They played with that high line and occasionally lost possession in dangerous areas – what’s new? But that usually combines with an attacking verve that makes you forgive them in an instant.
Not here. Villa certainly had more of the ball and territory, but their final ball was poor so often that Douglas Luiz seemed to have a mini-breakdown after 70 minutes as he curled a pass down the channel to 40 yards of empty space. That probably didn’t even feature in a top five of the game’s worst passes.
But then perhaps, in some ways, this should be interpreted as a small victory. For the first time as Aston Villa manager (in fact, for the first time as a Premier League manager, a run spanning 97 matches), Emery has drawn a Premier League game 0-0.
In the moment, that will not feel like a reason to celebrate. Emery was frustrated after the game, but also philosophical. He feels that Villa are improving and he is right. They did not overcommit, chasing a win and leaving gaps at the back – Everton had only three shots in the second half and Emiliano Martinez did not have to save any of them. They were on top and they missed their chances. That happens.
Arsenal
Play Crystal Palace on Saturday 20 January.
Tottenham
It says everything about Tottenham’s improvement from last season to this that they lost 2-0 in this fixture last season, allowing Manchester United to take 28 shots and having just nine of their own. Tottenham’s starting XI that day included Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and had Yves Bissouma in midfield.
On Sunday, Tottenham were missing two of their best front three, Son and Dejan Kulusevski. They had a player making his debut who has played barely any minutes at all over the last two months. They were missing all three of their first-choice midfielders – Pape Matar Sarr, Bissouma and James Maddison. They had their first-choice central defenders back, but neither are fully fit having recently returned from injuries.
And Tottenham were deeply disappointed not to win. That may well say more about Manchester United’s current talent black hole, but it also emphasises the distance that this team have come under Ange Postecoglou. Tottenham have had an injury crisis throughout most of the last three months. They have lost the best player in their history. They need to take 21 points from their final 17 matches of this league season to match their total from 2022-23. Everything is good.
West Ham
Play Sheffield United on Sunday 21 January.
Man Utd
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has cultivated a reputation for being a straight-talking problem solver, having saved numerous businesses from the brink and transforming them into revenue-generating monsters. Due diligence would have been done ahead of his latest undertaking, which is perhaps what made United such an appealing project.
The very richest are never satisfied, that is why they are where they are. After a remarkably familiar problematic display against an injury-ravaged Tottenham, there was no masking what Ratcliffe, watching on from the stands for the first time since his 25 per cent stake in United was confirmed, most likely already knew – this really will be his biggest challenge yet.
United cannot even get the simple things right. In a tweet reminding supporters of their “pre-match checklist” ahead of Spurs’ visit, one of helpful boxes to check was to ensure fans do not forget their “game-specific” NFTs. Every match-going fan never leaves home without one.
On the pitch, there were murmurs Ratcliffe had picked up a bargain as Rasmus Hojlund thundered home United’s quickest home goal since 2020 to give the hosts an early lead. But while others were getting carried away, Ratcliffe will have known full well what he signed up for. Sure enough, Spurs assumed control.
Quite how Richarlison’s headed goal from a corner was all Spurs could muster in the opening period only they will know. Diogo Dalot headed one off the line from another Tottenham corner, while the returning Cristian Romero thudded the crossbar from another simple, whipped cross from the point where touchline and goal-line meet.
These were not any set-piece coach-inspired routines. Just basic crosses from a Spurs team without 11 first-teamers, five of their front six, with a centre-back pairing both playing their first matches of the year.
The game passed Christian Eriksen by, leaving teenager Kobbie Mainoo unable to fuel the United engine room on his own – nothing new there. Out-of-position full-backs were exposed time and again, Bruno Fernandes spent more time gesticulating than creating and Rashford’s penchant for running down blind alleys knew no bounds.
Ten Hag, who is effectively auditioning for his own job, has to do all he can to convince the new overlords he is the man to take the club forward and can be forgiven for further post-match positivity. Ratcliffe will know, however, having steered many failing businesses back onto the straight and narrow, he is going to need to see much more to enable Ten Hag to oversee his one, final rescue act through. By Pete Hall
Brighton
Play Wolves on Monday 22 January.
Chelsea
Have you noticed how effective Chelsea have been at home recently? For all the consistent underachievement on the road – five defeats in six in all competitions – Mauricio Pochettino has got a handle on results at Stamford Bridge. It’s rarely emphatic, barely ever pretty and often reliant upon Cole Palmer, but Chelsea are one of the form home teams in the division.
In all competitions, Chelsea have played eight home games since the beginning of November. The only exceptions to a winning streak were a 4-4 draw with Manchester City, during which Chelsea trailed three times, and a EFL Cup draw against Newcastle which they won on penalties anyway.
And yet that’s still not what I want to talk about, because Todd Boehly. Before Saturday’s league game (which was a west London derby, remember), there was some on-pitch promo for Argylle, a new Hollywood film produced by a company owned by Boehly. OK fine, no real issue there.
But during the first half, a group of actors engaged in a publicity stunt in which they stood behind the dugout both reading books and pretending to brush their teeth. Again, this was as a promo for the movie.
Is everybody just being spectacularly thick here? Boehly is currently engaging in an extended process through which he will aim to persuade Chelsea supporters that he has the expertise and wherewithal to oversee this club’s progression back to the very top. The people who matter most in that verdict are Chelsea’s matchday home supporters. After the wild spending and the enforced sale of academy graduates, the jury is out.
So when your team is playing a local derby with great meaning, is it a good idea to a) pick a different date to do any film promo, b) limit the promo to before the game or half-time, if it really must be that day or, c) do a publicity stunt within about five yards of the manager during the first half of the actual game? I’d love to know what Pochettino thinks of home league games being considered the perfect stage for his boss to flog his other business interests.
Newcastle
“I’m in a difficult position where I’m thinking, do I bring a defender on, which can potentially be viewed as a negative substitution,” said Eddie Howe after the home defeat to Manchester City.
“It’s generally a negative move when you take off an attacking player, and I didn’t really want to do that. I wanted to keep them on the pitch because of what they delivered for the majority of the game. I think if we draw the game and see the last three minutes out, then it’s probably not talked about as much. But unfortunately, it has cost us.”
It did cost them. Howe is right that if De Bruyne hadn’t picked out Bobb then we probably wouldn’t be focusing on the negative aspect, but then he’s smart enough to know that those are the rules – reaction is result-based and his decision was proven wrong.
There is sympathy too for the injury crisis. Newcastle’s bench was certainly light on attacking options: two goalkeepers, five defenders, Matt Ritchie and academy forward Ben Parkinson. But with Newcastle falling further back towards their own goal in the second half, it was crying out for defensive reinforcement. If they had been offering a serious counter-attacking threat, leave all three Miguel Almiron, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak on. But if not, don’t wait until the 86th minute to make your first change when players are clearly tired.
Howe’s issue is that this is becoming a pattern. Against Wolves, when Newcastle squandered a lead, Newcastle’s manager waited until the 72nd minute to make his first substitution, just after Wolves had scored. Against Everton, when Newcastle lost 3-0, Howe didn’t make his first substitution until the 89th minute – Newcastle conceded in the 79th and 86th minutes. And against Liverpool on New Year’s Day, Howe brought on Almiron for Lewis Miley, an attacking change, and then made no more substitutions as 1-1 became 1-3.
Howe still has credit in the bank. This is particularly critical because Newcastle are losing league games. They have now lost two in a row in the league at St James’ Park for the first time since November 2021, an occurrence that caused Howe’s appointment. But he knows that there is greater scrutiny on him from supporters than ever before. His game management is currently under the microscope.
Wolves
Play Brighton on Monday 22 January.
Bournemouth
Play Liverpool on Sunday 21 January.
Fulham
The method of Chelsea’s winner should come as no surprise. Fulham were matching Chelsea, energetic off the ball and confident with it. The game was in the balance and then Issa Diop made a stupid mistake and Cole Palmer turned an equal game into an unequal scoreline.
That isn’t just a theme of Fulham this season and last – it’s basically their one consistent flaw since promotion. Marco Silva has a team that is excellent in central midfield, offers a threat out wide, is better than the sum of its parts in the penalty box and defends competently for long periods of nearly every game. They also too regularly have moments of brainfade that undermine some of the good stuff.
This season, Fulham have conceded more penalties than any other Premier League team. This season, no team has scored more own goals than Fulham. Since the start of last season, Fulham have conceded 14 penalties in the Premier League. They are an established mid-table Premier League side that occasionally makes the mistakes of a relegation candidate. At least it’s good fun.
Crystal Palace
Play Arsenal on Saturday 20 January.
Nottingham Forest
Play Brentford on Saturday 20 January.
Brentford
Play Nottingham Forest on Saturday 20 January.
Everton
Everton have become an odd team in recent weeks. All of the energy is still there, albeit largely focused in central midfield where two, three and sometimes four players harry and hassle and win back the ball and occasionally throw their arms up in frustration at committing a foul. Sean Dyche is a man of non-negotiables and coming back into the dressing room knackered is one of them.
The same was true against Villa. Abdoulaye Doucoure was back, and covers the ground of two. Amadou Onana can break up attacks as effectively as he starts them. James Garner may look like a spindling, wispy midfielder, but has bite beyond his frame. Jack Harrison was developed on Bielsaball and that means you only stop running after the whistle blows.
But around them, Everton look a little ragged. For all the sprinting and pointing, it too often only takes one give-and-go in midfield to cut through them. There are perplexing gaps – this time on Everton’s right where Alex Moreno constantly overlapped. Everton’s final ball regularly causes the aching groans of frustration that have soundtracked too many of the last four years. If Arnaut Danjuma is an expert at anything, it is provoking this sound.
The striker issue isn’t helping; it might even be the problem, given how seamlessly a proficient goalscorer can offer respite to a worried mind and a fair-to-middling football team.
In the summer, Everton committed more than £30m on the purchase of two forwards, both from Portugal. Beto and Chermiti were sold as future boys but Everton kinda needed them now. Chermiti had played 45 league minutes before Sunday and Beto had scored a single goal.
No matter, though, because the prodigal son was finally fit. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had not played more than 17 league games in a season since 2020-21, a series of injuries threatening to break his spirit and the patience of Goodison. Sunday was his 17th league appearance of the season. Calvert-Lewin’s fitness was Everton’s saviour, we all knew that.
Plot twist: no. Calvert-Lewin didn’t only need to be there to score goals. Sunday made it 13 without one, the best chance of the game coming with the striker sent through on goal and with only his own creaking confidence and Emi Martinez to beat. A combination of the two did the trick. “Did you ever really think he’d score,” one season ticket holder asked another. No answer; none needed.
Luton
The late-goal kings strike again. Luton Town have now scored 14 goals after the 75th minute in the Premier League this season. They have scored 10 goals before the 75th minute.
In trying to work out the reason for this very handy talent, the first thing that comes to mind is Luton’s style. They are not a long-ball team, but they are certainly direct. They have the second lowest pass completion in the Premier League (0.2 per cent ahead of Sheffield United) and play the third highest number of passes longer than 30 yards in length. They attempt the most crosses.
When teams are attempting to score late goals, it’s usually because they are chasing one. Luton have trailed for a higher percentage of their league games than everyone but Burnley and Sheffield United, so they have a combination of often needing late goals and the style of the play that typically earns these goals being their forte.
But there’s more than that. At the start of the season, Rob Edwards often used Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo in combination, without much success – four starts together returned no points. Then came a period during which Morris started and Adebayo came on as a substitute, which was effective when taking points late on against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
Now, Edwards has seemingly landed upon the plan he likes most. Adebayo starts because he offers more than Morris when holding up the ball and running the channels. Then, depending on the game situation, Morris either comes on in Adebayo’s place (typically if the game is level or Luton or winning) or comes on to join him (if Luton are chasing and need a dual threat for the direct play). It’s working excellently well.
Burnley
In August 2022, after Burnley had only taken five points from their first four Championship games despite dominating possession, Vincent Kompany was asked about whether he would compromise on his ideals in search of results.
“The possession is just if you don’t have to give it away, why are we giving it away? It doesn’t fit with me, I have not been educated that way since I was six years old,” Kompany said.
“If you can do something with the ball and you have players able to do something with the ball then do it and make the other team work. I know what I didn’t like when I was a player and it was not having the ball.”
That seemed fair enough. Every manager has a philosophy and some are less flexible than others – that’s not a criticism, merely a description. Kompany preferred possession and that wouldn’t change. Burnley subsequently dominated possession in the Championship, second only to Manchester City in English professional football, and won the league.
But something has changed. In their first 14 league matches this season, Burnley had between 50 and 68 per cent possession in nine of them. The exceptions: Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham. In their last seven league games, Burnley have recorded the following possession percentage totals: 28, 32, 34, 36, 39, 49, 61 (against Everton, a game they lost 2-0). Against Luton at home on Friday evening, Burnley had 39 per cent of the ball. In the same fixture in the Championship last season, they had 70 per cent. This is clearly deliberate.
The positive spin is that Kompany has understood (or had it made abundantly clear) that Burnley cannot hope to maintain high possession levels in the Premier League and succeed. The pressing is too organised and effective and the chances of being punished for every mistake too high for Burnley to pull it off. So Kompany has pivoted to a different strategy and won at Fulham last month using it.
There’s an obvious alternative theory. If Kompany has been forced to waver from his philosophy to one that involves Burnley sacrificing possession in favour of greater pragmatism, it surely weakens his own position if the club stays in the bottom three. Why stick with the philosopher over the defensive firefighter if your philosopher has compromised on what he believes?
Sheffield United
Play West Ham on Sunday 21 January.
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