A total of six matches were postponed due to the covid outbreak, meaning just four games took place. The teams occupying the top four spots were in action and while none of them lost, for some, the results felt like losses.
Manchester City make it eight wins in a row in a comfortable afternoon
Pep Guardiola’s ruthless City side swept away Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. It didn’t take long for the visitors to jump in front with Ruben Dias. Before the half-hour mark, City were two up, with Joao Cancelo adding another goal contribution to his name. From then on, it was one way traffic and the defending Champions added two more in the second half. Riyad Mahrez and the in-form Raheem Sterling helped City equal Liverpool’s goal difference and move four points clear at the top temporarily.
For Newcastle, things look really bad. They are barely above Norwich City having played more games than all teams around them. Heading into Christmas, Eddie Howe has his work cut-out and will hope he can add some quality in the January transfer window.
Liverpool stumble against a revitalised Tottenham
Manchester City had laid down the gauntlet with their 4-0 thrashing earlier, opening up a four point lead. Liverpool needed to win to close the gap back to a point. But a spirited Spurs side, who were returning to action after two weeks, earned a deserved 2-2 draw to dent Liverpool’s title charge. Harry Kane opened the scoring with his first home goal in the league, but Diogo Jota equalised in the first half.
Andy Robertson completed the turn around from close range midway in the second half, but an uncharacteristic Alisson blunder gifted Heung-min Son an open goal. Robertson then turned from hero to villain after receiving a yellow card which changed to red after VAR’s intervention. That effectively ended the Reds’ hopes of snatching all three points late on.
Depleted Chelsea once again held in a frustrating stalemate with Wolves
As many as seven players are currently covid positive in the Chelsea camp, yet their request to have yesterday’s game postponed was rejected. As a result, Thomas Tuchel was able to field only six substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers. But the Premier League is relentless as Chelsea failed to create any significant chances and saw themselves fall six points behind league leaders Man City.
A cleansheet after six games without one is scant consolation for the Blues. They are on the brink of falling out of the title race. Tuchel praised the performance of his players but knows one more bad result, and he can wave the title goodbye.
Arsenal compound Leeds United’s misery to cement top four spot
Arsenal closed the gap to third placed Chelsea to six points following a 4-1 victory at Elland Road. Marcelo Bielsa’s injury-hit Leeds have lost three successive games by an aggregate score of 3-14. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s off-pitch controversies are seemingly not affecting the youngsters trying to fill in for him. Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe are spearheading Arsenal’s unlikely push for top four.
Undoubtedly, Manchester City are the biggest winners of this weekend as both Liverpool and Chelsea dropped points. Heading into Christmas, they once again find themselves top of the table. And whenever that’s happened, they’ve gone on to become Champions.