EPL Review: Key takeaways and analysis from Boxing Day action

theScore examines crucial developments and largest speaking factors from the Premier League’s Boxing Day bonanza, which featured 16 groups in motion and a flurry of notable outcomes.

Anticipating the Man United blame sport

What finest emphasised how damaged Manchester United are within the 2-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers wasn’t Bruno Fernandes’ third crimson card of the season, the workforce’s startling lack of mettle after that dismissal, or the concession of a second Olimpico in seven days.

It was how Ruben Amorim responded to going one aim down: Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, and Manuel Ugarte withdrawn in favor of Antony, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen.

Three obvious vibrant spots left over from the Erik ten Hag regime supplanted; three substitutes that – let’s be clear – higher mirror the Dutchman’s legacy taking their place. The trio launched from the bench, like loads of different Ten Hag recruits within the squad, are costly and drained impediments to any supervisor’s makes an attempt to return United to the highest, and so they had been requested to vary the match.

They did not.

In some methods, the early a part of Amorim’s job is simple. Whereas supporters digest the truth that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the person who’s supposed to save lots of the membership from the Glazer household, appears to miser precisely like a Glazer, any positivity from elsewhere will likely be seized. They want one thing – something – proper now. The bar’s been so low in recent times. Diallo profitable the strikingly low-quality Manchester derby on Dec. 15 has appeared to singlehandedly obscure Amorim’s poor report to begin his reign.

United’s final 14 Premier League matches

Amorim should proceed to remain forward of the blame sport. Extra embarrassments and lapses lie forward – it is inevitable with these gamers and following years of mismanagement within the boardroom – however will the Portuguese tactician do sufficient to make sure Ratcliffe’s hoard of executives face the followers’ ire earlier than him?

The early indicators aren’t nice for Amorim. As a substitute of discovering an method one of the best fits the workforce he is inherited, he is forcing gamers right into a 3-4-2-1 with restricted success. The workforce is confused, each with the formation and when defending set-pieces. Extra consistency must be discovered quickly, or the goodwill towards the brand new boss will erode.

Reduction for Amorim could possibly be discovered within the performances of the looming figures within the boardroom, like Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, who’ve the extraordinarily tough job of discarding Ten Hag offal whereas discovering gamers who can instantly improve the primary workforce and enhance inside it. After Ratcliffe’s unpopular strikes to chop prices across the membership, endurance with promoting and shopping for could also be briefly provide. The followers’ anger meter is at the moment teetering towards the executives.

Ten Hag’s administration might’ve set United again at the least 5 years. Proper now, it appears unlikely that each the first-team teaching employees and the fits upstairs will likely be afforded the extent of endurance it requires to scrub it up.

Fast free-kicks 📝

How will Chelsea reply?

Enzo Maresca’s continued insistence that his younger workforce is not a title contender is simple sufficient to see by means of. It is a basic deflection tactic from a supervisor making an attempt to maintain exterior strain off his gamers. However the desk would not lie: Chelsea are within the race, whether or not they admit it or not. That can make Thursday’s late collapse in opposition to London rivals Fulham harder to digest. The Blues, up 1-0 after Cole Palmer broke a membership report along with his twenty sixth Premier League aim of the calendar yr, could not put the sport away and conceded twice within the closing minutes, together with a Ninety fifth-minute decider.

It is the primary time Chelsea have misplaced a league match after main at halftime since 2021. How they reply will likely be telling. Recovering rapidly from setbacks and never permitting one dangerous end result to snowball and spoil your season is a trait shared by all title-winning groups. Are Chelsea in that class, or has Maresca been proper all alongside? Let’s discover out.

Contrasting begins for brand new coaches

Is the vaunted “new supervisor bounce” barely overrated? In all probability. Good luck making an attempt to persuade reinvigorated Wolves followers of that proper now, although. Vitor Pereira has gained his first two matches since changing Gary O’Neil, maintaining clear sheets in each outings and lifting Wolves out of the relegation zone. He is already matched O’Neil’s Premier League win complete this season, which most likely says extra concerning the former coach than the present one.

Wolves are led by Matheus Cunha, who has seven objectives and 4 assists in his final 10 league video games, and boast a extra gifted squad than the groups immediately round them within the relegation battle. That features Southampton, who, regardless of an apparent tactical shift because the arrival of defensive-minded coach Ivan Juric, are nonetheless awaiting their first victory since firing Russell Martin. There have been small indicators of defensive enchancment for the Saints over the previous week, however discovering a constant supply of objectives will proceed to be an issue, and Juric would not profile because the sort of coach who will assist rectify that subject.

Candy revenge for Nuno

He will not admit as a lot publicly, however Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur needed to be candy for Nuno Espirito Santo, who was unceremoniously fired after simply 17 video games answerable for Spurs again in 2021. His conservative model of play, as a lot because the outcomes, was deemed insufficient throughout his temporary spell in north London. With the advantage of hindsight, it is an attention-grabbing dialog to have now. Nuno, sticking to his tactical ideas, has Forest sitting third within the Premier League; the membership has 4 consecutive top-flight wins for the primary time since 1995.

Tottenham, in the meantime, are objectively extra entertaining to observe, however they’re languishing within the backside half of the desk beneath Ange Postecoglou after a rotten run of 4 losses in 5 league video games. Whereas Spurs concede objectives for enjoyable, Forest have the third-best defensive report within the league behind solely Liverpool and Arsenal. Would the Tottenham brass like a mulligan proper now?

Time to speak about Robbo?

It clearly hasn’t hampered Liverpool this season – the Reds are six factors clear on the high of the Premier League with a sport in hand after Thursday’s win over Leicester Metropolis – however stalwart Andy Robertson is enduring a blip in type that, if sustained, might change into a difficulty. The Scot, for thus lengthy a mannequin of constant excellence at left-back, received badly twisted out of form by Jordan Ayew, of all individuals, on the Foxes’ early aim at Anfield.

Earlier this month, his mishap and subsequent crimson card in opposition to Fulham put Arne Slot’s workforce in a gap earlier than his teammates fought again and earned a draw. That incident at the least got here with a caveat: Robertson appeared to select up an harm earlier within the match and was probably going to get replaced earlier than his sending-off. There was no such alibi this time. He is nonetheless among the many workforce leaders in minutes performed this season – he stays an important a part of Slot’s facet – however with Kostas Tsimikas now match once more and offering competitors after recovering from an ankle harm, Robertson must tighten up his sport.

Finest XI 😎

(Supply: FotMob)

Spotlight of the day 🎥

Do not look now, however Newcastle United have surged as much as fifth within the Premier League following a formidable 3-0 win over Aston Villa. All the things Alexander Isak touches is popping to gold proper now, whereas Anthony Gordon is offering secondary scoring with gorgeous efforts like this, which got here 80 seconds into Thursday’s tilt at St. James’ Park.

Stat of the day 🔢

Manchester Metropolis, who’ve only one win of their final 13 video games throughout all competitions following Thursday’s 1-1 residence draw with Everton, are maintaining some uncommon firm proper now.

Social media second 📱

No matter what occurs of their subsequent match, Tottenham will report their lowest factors tally on the halfway mark of a Premier League season since 2008-09. Towards that backdrop, unearthing some unknown gamers to assist flip issues round is not such a nasty concept. Announce “Ons” within the January window, Spurs.

The place we stand 👀

View extra stats right here.