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Southampton stunned Premier League leaders Liverpool, Manchester United continued their good form beating Aston Villa, West Ham scored a late winner in Everton and Tottenham were too good for Leeds.
Leicester won at Newcastle and Manchester City scored three against Chelsea to take the three points from Stamford Bridge.
Check out my team, then make your own selections towards the bottom of the article.
Goalkeeper – David de Gea (Manchester United)
David De Gea: There were two pivotal moments in the remaining minutes of this game that marked the importance Manchester United placed in winning the game. Eric Bailly’s blocking on Keinan Davis’ shot which was almost certainly intended for the back of the United net and De Gea stopping Matty Cash.
There were other great De Gea saves earlier in the game from John McGinn and Ollie Watkins, but you’d expect a goalie in De Gea’s class to keep them on the sidelines. Villa was impressive and deserved a point from this game, but was turned down due to De Gea’s temper for big games.
De Gea is United’s number one for a reason. He wins you matches.
Did you know? De Gea has made four saves against Aston Villa – only against Wolves has he made more in a Premier League game this season (five).
Defenders – Kieran Tierney (Arsenal), Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham), Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Kieran Tierney: When I saw Tierney tease West Brom’s Darnell Furlong – not once, but twice – I thought he had exaggerated it slightly, but what then happened was to finish from the highest quality of the Arsenal full-back. For the left-footed Scotsman, cutting inside and letting it fly so precisely with his weaker foot was very impressive.
Tierney has been one of the few shining lights of what has been a difficult season for Arsenal so far, but this win over the Baggies is the Gunners’ third straight win. I wonder if they’ve turned the corner.
Did you know? Tierney created the most chances (four) and had the most touches (95) for Arsenal against West Brom.
Angelo Ogbonna: This was another case of Ogbonna’s first class defense of West Ham. He never kicked Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin – that said, the service the England international got from his Toffees’ teammates was virtually non-existent.
The Hammers had a grueling schedule over the holiday season, while Everton still had a few days to rest after their game with Manchester City was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The forced rest appeared to disrupt Everton’s pace, with West Ham resembling a camp with momentum – prepared and ready for battle. However, it turned out to be less of a hammer battle and more of a smash and grab.
Did you know? Ogbonna made seven clearances against Everton, with only Crystal Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate (eight) making more throughout the day.
Ruben Dias: It was one of those performances where anyone could have played in Manchester City’s full four and looked like a batsman of the world – they were so good. Much has been said about the resurgence of John Stones, but it was Dias and his authority in defense that I found impressive.
City are another team where the spread of the coronavirus had forced them to make changes, but the way they have adjusted has been amazing.
Meanwhile, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is looking for the first time like a man who doesn’t know his best team or how to provide a different mix for different matches – which is worrying as he has the players.
Did you know? Dias has had the most clearances (six), blocks (four) and interceptions (three) of any Manchester City player against Chelsea.
Midfielders – Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Tomas Soucek: West Ham’s victory over Everton must have given their manager, David Moyes, immense satisfaction. He had, after all, been in charge of the Merseyside club for 11 years before his fateful move to Manchester United.
Soucek’s impressive one-touch finish on a bias shot from Aaron Cresswell was brilliantly directed past Jordan Pickford, winning the points for the Hammers. Soucek’s taste for goals was beautifully illustrated by the way he expected Cresswell’s strike to go far from goal. Now he’s a natural finisher.
Did you know? In addition to the game-winning goal, Soucek had the most shots on target (two), digs (15) and successful assists (43) of any West Ham player against Everton.
Youri Tielemans: Marc Albrighton was impressive, as was James Maddison, but it was Yuri Tielemans’ performance that marked Leicester’s determination to remain among the championship leaders.
For much of that game, Newcastle seemed like the game against Liverpool had taken a bit too much for them, but they still put the Foxes to work for their victory.
The highlight was Tielemans’ goal. I don’t want Leicester to win the title a bit, but another team will have their say.
Did you know? Tielemans scored with his only shot on target and made the most passes in the opposing half of the field against Newcastle (28).
Kevin de Bruyne: He was involved in City’s first and second goals and scored his third in the best 45 minutes of football I’ve seen since Manchester City all season. Chelsea had to enter their locker room at halftime drunk.
City have struggled at times this season with De Bruyne unable to provide the inspiration from previous years, but with the soccer wizard returned to his best, there was nothing stopping him from tearing the Blues to pieces.
The win over Chelsea takes City to fifth place, with two games underway against the league leaders. I might not want Leicester for the title, but I wouldn’t bet against Manchester City – especially with De Bruyne in that mood.
Did you know? He was involved in eight of Manchester City’s 18 shots against Chelsea (5 shots, three chances created), more than any other player.
Bukayo Saka: Oh I love this kid. The only problem with Saka’s ball in the box during the opening rally was that Alexandre Lacazette was not up to the task. But then we saw something that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has to see on the training ground on a daily basis – a wonderfully crafted team goal that on this occasion made West Brom look like statues.
The problem is we have to wait far too long for times like this from Arsenal. The training sessions are good, but the point is to replicate what you do in practice when it counts. This time it seemed to work and the Gunners blew West Brom out of the park.
Did you know? Saka has scored (two) or assisted (one) one goal in each of Arsenal’s last three games.
Forwards: Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal), Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Eberechi Eze: Since the arrival of this QPR player, his development is undeniable. Eze plays the game with a grace and style that is hard to ignore. From the moment he replaced Jeffrey Schlupp it looked like Sheffield United defenders had taken a step back.
The individual nature of his goal was pretty bright, but it was the ease with which he passed the ball into the back of the net that really made me sit up and take notice. This not only indicates talent but also confidence that you don’t find in most players.
Palace boss Roy Hodgson would do well to take care of this child. It might be a bit special.
Did you know? Eze’s two Premier League goals come from outside the box, only Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse has scored more goals this season.
Alexandre Lacazette: It shouldn’t be difficult to play a player in his good position. However, it seems that Arteta sometimes struggled with the obvious. The Arsenal manager has mixed and matched players, and even tried to put square pegs in round holes on occasion.
Lacazette is a natural center-forward and any other consideration is absurd. It’s not complicated. The forward’s two goals suggest Arteta would do well to leave him where he is. Its perpetual alterations have cost it in the past.
Did you know? Lacazette is Arsenal’s top scorer this season, with seven Premier League goals.
Son Heung-min (Tottenham): I see that these two are again. Harry Kane and Son combined to make it a very miserable afternoon for Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In fact, they destroyed Leeds in a matter of minutes.
Kane’s ball to allow Son to convert Spurs’ second goal was simply stunning and only matched the finish.
Fair play in Leeds, they may be new to this league but they are not afraid to take risks, especially away from home. They are more than happy to mix it up with the big boys. I don’t think they own a bus – but if they do, they might have to start parking it every now and then!
Did you know? Son scored his 100th goal for Tottenham in his 253rd appearance for the club.
The crooks of matter
When a player, or anyone for that matter, contracts Covid-19, they deserve our sympathy, not our criticism. I have never met a team that did not want to finish a game, unless they were ravaged by injuries or, as is the case, have players suffering from coronavirus.
Fulham’s cancellation of their midweek fixture against Tottenham, while impractical, must have been necessary, otherwise the Premier League would never have approved it. It’s hard to understand how anyone could criticize anyone’s efforts to keep people safe and not spread the virus knowing they had it – but Jose Mourinho was.
What did qualifying the decision to postpone the event as “unprofessional” even more ridiculous was that Covid-19 had the ability to strike anyone at any time. This is why our hospitals are near the breaking point.
For the domestic game to continue amid the coronavirus restrictions, it takes extraordinary planning. So seeing a ruthless Mourinho sarcastically making fun of the Premier League on social media with the tag ‘best league in the world’ after he stepped onto the pitch at 2pm, still unsure if his game was going, I felt good .
However, Mourinho ended up with an egg to his face when three of his players violates Covid-19 restrictions by attending a Christmas party.
Mourinho’s explanation for the match of the day was lame. To even suggest that he couldn’t monitor his players 24/7 was pathetic – he shouldn’t have to. By breaking the rules, his players endanger the health and safety of people. Well we all make mistakes but I think the term ‘unprofessional’ shouldn’t be aimed at Fulham or the Premier League, but at Mourinho and his three players.
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