Yet another fantastic weekend of Premier League action has come to an end and Chelsea have managed to stay on top of the table at the end of it. The title race is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent times, and football fans all around the world have been kept at the edge of their seats this season.
The weekend kicked off with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City picking up a hard-earned victory over Burnley while the blockbuster fixture of the weekend came from London where Chelsea beat their city rivals Tottenham at the Stamford Bridge yet again. Manchester United and Everton both dropped vital points which see them fall further behind in the race for the top four.
Here are ten things we learned from an exciting weekend of football.
#1 Aguero proves yet again why he is one of the best strikers
Burnley has been one of the toughest teams in the Premier League at home and Manchester City certainly had to dig deep to take home all three points from Turf Moor early on Saturday. Striker Sergio Aguero scored both goals in a 2-1 victory and showing why he’s still one of the best and an integral part of Guardiola’s team.
Both goals were those typical of a poacher, and Aguero’s movement in the penalty area, to get himself in a position to score was fantastic.
His ability to read the game and move into gaps and timing his runs to perfection have been one of the best aspects of Aguero’s game.
#2 Leicester City grab a point but the club is in crisis
Just over a year ago, Leicester City were surprising everybody by leading the title race, but this season there are talks of a crisis after Leicester find themselves on the 14th spot on the table. The Foxes had yet another poor game against Middlesbrough and lacked any creativity in attack.
The champions rely too much on Riyad Mahrez for creativity while their tactic of sitting back and playing the ball forward to Jamie Vardy seems to not be working this season. Ranieri has failed to find a plan B and it looks like Leicester City are on a downward spiral after hitting the very top, less than six months ago.
#3 Liverpool are slowing down
The Reds looked unstoppable before the recent international break but after the Premier League has resumed, Liverpool have looked nothing like the team they were before. With important players like Phillipe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, the Reds seem a bit dazed and tired at the moment.
To make things worse, key player Phillipe Coutinho picked up an injury, which comes at the most inopportune moment as the league moves into the most intense months. Has Liverpool peaked too early this season or is this just another speed-bump in a long journey? Only time will tell us.
#4 Poacher Llorente could be vital in Swansea’s relegation battle
Swansea City edged out Crystal Palace 5-4 in what was one of the most entertaining games of the season. Fernando Llorente scored the final two goals for Swansea City late in stoppage time to seal a dramatic victory. The Spaniard has been out of form but has shown signs of improvement over the last few weeks.
He was a threat to Palace, especially in the air and his movement looked sharp. He timed his runs to perfection towards the dying minutes of the game and his positioning earned him two great chances which he neatly finished.
#5 Virgil van Dijk continues to impress at Southampton
The Dutch centre-back has been having a fantastic season so far and has been on the radar of many big clubs thanks to his stunning performances in defence for Southampton.
On Sunday, Van Dijk was as gritty, clean and composed as ever, to put in a performance even former Saints manager Ronald Koeman would have been proud of.
His height and strength is one of his key strengths and Van Dijk eliminates any major threat in the air with ease. It is no surprise that Southampton have only conceded 12 goals so far this season, which is the joint-second best defensive record in the Premier League.
#6 Chelsea look unstoppable but finally concede
Saturday’s blockbuster late kick-off between Chelsea and Tottenham proved to be one of the best tactical battles of the Premier League between two of the best managers in Europe, currently. Antonio Conte’s men recorded yet another win thanks to goals from two players who have undergone a revival this season – Pedro and Victor Moses.
Tottenham, on the other hand, lost their first Premier League this season but completely outplayed the Blues in the midfield in the first half of the game. Victor Wanyama dropped deeper than usual while Dele Alli was moved to more of a central role in the midfield.
The two along with Moussa Dembele controlled the game in the centre of the pitch, something that Chelsea have managed to do over the last few weeks.
#7 Oliver Giroud and Theo Walcott will be important for Arsenal's title hopes
Arsene Wenger's men came out on top against Bournemouth in what was one of the most intense games of the weekend. Arsenal took the lead after a Bournemouth mistake that the tireless Alexis Sanchez capitalised on but after Wilson's equaliser, Arsenal had to dig deep to take home the three points.
While big names Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have been doing well this season, Arsenal has massively benefitted from Oliver Giroud and Theo Walcott's fantastic form of late.
Both players were involved in the second and third goals against Bournemouth and Wenger can only hope that their form won't fade away.
#8 Old Trafford no more the fortress it used to be
West Ham United’s season finally seems to be progressing after a fantastic performance from Darren Randolph the goalkeeper. It wasn’t good news for their opponents, though, as Manchester United have an unwanted statistic – their draw last night makes it the worst start to a Premier League season since the 1990/91 season for the Red Devils.
After four draws at home, Manchester United have now failed to win a game at Old Trafford since 24th September. What is worrying is that opposition goalkeepers have been at their best at Old Trafford. The idea of Manchester United not being a daunting proposition at home anymore has inspired oppositions to push their limits and come out of the Theatre of Dreams with points.
#9 Charlie Austin is having a fantastic season and knocking on Gareth Southgate’s door
The Southampton striker continued his fantastic start to the season scoring his 9th goal in his 16th appearances for the Saints, giving them three vital points against their former boss’s new club, Everton.
Austin has been a fine replacement to Graziano Pelle and has been in top form this season. However, he has been unlucky to have an England call up yet due to Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane’s fine form. Should he continue his good form, Austin can hope to be called up next year for the English national team.
#10 Hull City need to go all out in the January transfer window
The Tigers have had a horrible season after a fantastic start which saw them beat defending champions Leicester City on the opening day of the league. However, the lack of squad depth is a major concern for Hull City manager, Mike Phelan. Even the existing players in the squad are not all Premier League quality and it is a surprise that the Tigers are still not at the bottom of the table.
Hull City have been overly dependent on star midfielder Robert Snodgrass to win them games. They were lucky to pick up a point against West Brom who squandered their chance to go into the top six.
