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1. Rogers and Emery Combine for Heist

Can results be misleading? That is the question. Villa's run of victories continued against Manchester United, alongside the lingering concerns. On paper, they were second best by several measures – less attempts (12-15), reduced ball control (43-57), a scarcity of clear opportunities (2-3). As usual, the victory was by a narrow margin. As usual, the xG metric was unimpressed: according to data United were narrowly ahead 1.31-1.02. Yet the reality is games are determined by more than statistics. They are won by collective effort, tactical brilliance and individual talent – and Villa have all three. Morgan Rogers might just be their sole standout, but his contributions are coming like Father Christmas. The Spanish tactician is shrewd, experienced, five years ahead of Ruben Amorim. Should Rogers have benefited from a positional error, this was almost certainly because the coach had detected that Yoro is not a right-back, and instructed his winger to start wide, move infield and exploit the space. Individual brilliance and coaching, working together.

2. The Amorim Conundrum: Still Searching for Answers

Back in October after defeating Brighton 4-2 last month, their fans began to believe again. They had won three league games in a row for the maiden instance under the Portuguese coach. Their position climbed to fourth. And the wins were solid results – over Brighton (a traditionally tricky opponent), Liverpool (away!) and Sunderland (in front of their own fans, versus a newly-promoted side, but still – a routine shutout). Senne Lammens looked solid, the attack was exciting and morale was high. But then United slipped into a slump. In a run of eight matches, only two victories, six missed opportunities. In the recent fixture they were the more dominant side without ever looking like winning. Yes, Matheus Cunha scored an excellent finish, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to influential figures), but they gave away cheap scores. Following over a year in England, the manager has yet to solve how to secure victories.

3. Below-Par Gunners Get on Their Grind

It was an evening fixture on the Saturday before Christmas but a noticeable shortage of fluency in the attacking areas made for a sobering evening. For Everton, the issue was predictable with key attackers absent, and Jack Grealish failing to inspire an entire team on his own. In many respects it is astonishing that the Toffees sat fifth in the table not long ago given they have played the entire season without a proven goalscorer. For Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, while he enjoyed a merited victory and a return to the top of the table, the flaw should be equally concerning given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that winning margins will inevitably grow more comfortable with dedication and persistence. But it is fairly soon in the season for a team that can start with world-class talents, while leaving talented players on the bench, to be relying on grinding out wins.

4. Guardiola’s Festive City Investigations

Over the festive period the City manager will check the weights to ensure his Manchester City players have not overdone the festive fare. He explained the team wanted to enjoy a break after their recent victory but the request was denied because their display lacked quality. So they will recuperate, training for the squad players, and post-holiday, then two days to prepare for the upcoming match. He explained how they can get better. “I excel at analyzing what happens in the game, where are the spaces – if the players were in optimal spots, we could create more.” The boss also plans to enjoy a rest: “I'm taking a break with the family to relax. A trip to Barcelona is planned – it's a great city, the food is excellent.”

5. Liverpool's Joy Tempered by Isak Blow

The Swedish striker's finish at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, as a turning point. This was exactly what Liverpool splashed the cash for him to do, to unlock stubborn defences with his movement and range of finishing, and the assurance with which he finished from good service was highly promising. So the scene of his substitution immediately, following a reckless attempt, was a huge concern for the Dutch coach and frustrating for fans who would like to see a top-class forward hit full tilt again. It is believed Isak has suffered a broken leg and he likely faces a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a significant setback with the Reds having quietly moved into the upper echelons, putting together a solid undefeated streak highlighted by Isak’s maiden league strikes in their colours. Their campaign trajectory appear inextricably linked to those of their record signing.

6. A Contentious Call Saves Chelsea

Managers often complain about controversial calls as a means of deflecting media attention from matters they would prefer were not talked about. The 13 points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season seems a case in point. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem too willing to mention that unfortunate habit following his side’s inability to hold onto a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet Newcastle’s manager was surely justified in criticising a decision made by the on-field referee and VAR not to award his team a penalty following a clear obstruction on their winger. With the score then 2-1, a 12-yard award could have swung the momentum. Was the decision to offer the defender the leeway informed by past incidents for being skilled at drawing contact and sometimes exaggerating? Comments by a well-known analyst was revealing. “Gordon’s waiting,” was the analysis. “He expects the tackle and he’s waiting for it. I think he intends to hit the deck. But the force and aggression there … it's more than just defending.”

7. A 99.17% Certainty

Brentford’s initial success on their travels this season spelled joy for their manager. Rather than celebrate, Andrews sympathised with Wolves, the club he came through at. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is beyond dire; Opta state – maybe optimistically – their probability of going down at virtually certain, leaving little tangible to fight for beyond professionalism. A experienced defender brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly