After a sumptuous Sunday of football featuring the Premier League’s top teams facing off, we walked away with a fact that we already probably knew: Manchester City is going to win the title.
After a slick 3-1 win over Arsenal and Manchester United’s loss at Stamford Bridge, City is now eight points clear and 13 goals ahead in differential. Granted, we’ve only played just under a third of the season, but this type of lead is getting out of hand.
So now, it’s basically a race between United, Spurs and Chelsea – with Liverpool and Arsenal slightly back, too – for the silver medal and, of course, Champions League spots.
The big question now is how do players on those teams – and very proud managers like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte – feel about not having a realistic shot at winning it all?
Will we start to see bigger cracks form in their teams? What will happen when they inevitably get eliminated in the Champions League knockout phase?
Mourinho has famously never lasted more than three seasons at a team and this is his second campaign in Manchester – the one that he usually wins it during. Conte has already expressed his disappointment of the Blues’ transfer dealings and has reported interest in a return to Italy.
We still haven’t hit the loaded Christmas portion of the schedule, but some New Years fireworks could be in store if things don’t start looking up a little for the chasers.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
We haven’t had much opportunity to give credit to Liverpool’s attack in this spot, but we’ve got one now. Mohamed Salah bagged a brace in the Reds comical win over West Ham on Saturday.
With Sadio Mane back in the lineup, Liverpool had plenty of speed from its wingers and caused fits for the Irons’ back line.
The big challenge for Jurgen Klopp – besides figuring out how to get his team to defend consistently – will be how he can fit all of his splendid attackers into his XI. With a healthy group of Salah, Mane, Roberto Firminho, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, somebody’s going to have to sit.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The sacking of Slavan Bilic was about as telegraphed as Liverpool’s win at Olympic Stadium this weekend. West Ham has looked thoroughly unimpressive this season and a change needed to be made at the top. Whether or not David Moyes, who just guided Sunderland to relegation last season, will help remains to be seen. Since Moyes took over Man U as Sir Alex Ferguson’s “hand-pick successor,†things have not gone well for the Scot … With some of the top teams facing off on Sunday, it left Saturday’s fixtures a bit underwhelming. We hope you took the opportunity to spend some time with your family instead of slog through four uninspiring 1-0 games at 11 a.m. … Leicester-Stoke was more exciting than we figured, with two defensive coaches going head to head. The Foxes look a lot more engaged than they did under Craig Shakespeare … Harry Kane once again struggled against Palace, but Spurs got the win. For some reason, the worst team in London seems to have his number … Old man Peter Crouch still has it. The Premier League’s top scorer of headed goals did it again. I don’t think we’ll see another player like the lanky Englishman for a long time … Everton actually showed some resolve, coming back to beat a talented Watford side on Sunday after a penalty by Leighton Baines in injury time. After seeing the Toffees go 2-0 down, I’m sure I’m not the only one that thought they were finished … Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has as many goals as Alexis Sanchez this season. I’m sure Gunners fans are thrilled about that.
THE LAST WORD
After last week’s praise of Mourinho and his tactical acumen, the Special One once again went with three centre backs, but it didn’t work out so well.
Facing off against a Chelsea side that brought the three-at-the-back formation into vogue in England, United couldn’t take any points home from its trip to London.
On the lone goal of the game, Alvaro Morata was somehow unmarked on a long ball from Cesar Azpilicueta, which he headed home from the edge of the box – quite the formidable goal.
With three central defenders, that sort of things should never happen.
We don’t know who lost their man, but certainly the opposition’s top striker shouldn’t be left alone in that area.
Whether or not Mourinho sticks with this formation after the international break remains to be seen. Will he try to work out the kinks against a trio of lower teams before a big date with Arsenal in early December, or go back to what worked? The Portuguese has a choice to make.