The English Premier league table takes on significant shape after the last round of fixtures before Christmas day.
Shock results ensured Christmas horror for Manchester City and Chelsea fans following defeats at home to Crystal Palace and Leicester City respectively.
Liverpool ensured top spot on Christmas day. 8 of the last 9 league leaders on December 25th have gone on to win the league, the teams to have bottled top spot after Christmas? Liverpool, twice.
The added Christmas cheer for Liverpool fans was of course a Man. City loss to Crystal Palace. City lie in 2nd place, 2 points ahead of Tottenham Hotspurs after a commanding 6-2 win over Everton at Goodison Park, the highest-scoring Premier League game this season.
The players remained composed after going a goal down, blitzing into a 3-1 lead by half time and keeping up a breathless attacking display to pluck off Everton even after the blues pulled one back to trail 4-2 early in the second period.
Spurs have been massively underrated in the 2018/2019 title race due to their insistence on keeping a young, talented squad and refusal to sign any players last summer.
The balance and rapid progress at the club has been overlooked for the new managerial era at London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea but Spurs’ in-form players and highly-rated manager are finally getting much-deserved plaudits .
Spurs find themselves an enviable 2 points adrift of favourites City after today’s win. Another target for their season after securing passage to the UEFA Champions league Round of 16 from a tough group would have been sustaining a title race with the country’s big-spenders.
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| Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino (Getty Images)
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The strength in depth in that squad is up there with the best playing squads in the league and Mauricio Pochettino is assured a similar level of quality whenever he makes changes to his starting line-up. His team continues to pass several injury and fixture pile-up tests successfully this season.
Their Fab Four – Kane, Eriksen, Alli and Son- got on the scoresheet today and the confidence in the squad right now, coupled with their resilient style of play would see them go a long way in the title race this season. There is also a magnificient 62,000-seater new stadium to look forward to later this season and 2019 could well be the year that Tottenham shakes off their ‘also rans’ tag.
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| Tottenham’s new stadium (Nick Gregor) |
Perhaps they have stepped up whilst Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery continue to effect the revolution at their respective clubs. Alongside the top 2, outlining the advantage of patience and continuity at a club.
Tottenham would feel this is the year to finally hit the next level, the league title might not happen this year but at least a cup win would be the perfect appetizer.
Merry Christmas to you all. Enjoy the holidays and of course, Boxing day football.
