Liverpool grabbed their seventh win in a row across all competitions on Boxing Day, beating Newcastle United 4-0 at home. Mohamed Salah converted a penalty. The Reds are still unbeaten in the Premier League and top with a 6 points lead.
In other games, Chelsea are just four points adrift of Manchester City in the Premier League after beating Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road on Boxing Day, thanks to two goals from Eden Hazard while Arsenal could not get past Brighton & Hove Albion on Boxing Day, playing out a 1-1 draw
Despite Win, Klopp Will Rue Lack of Rotations
Liverpool enjoyed an easy afternoon on Boxing Day but missed a great opportunity to rotate the squad, and that decision could prove costly.
Manager Jurgen Klopp stuck with his top attacking trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and kept Virgil van Dijk in the side at the back. The Dutch defender barely had any work to do, while the Reds controlled proceedings in midfield and earned a good amount of chances.
Liverpool looked tired for large stretches of the contest, a logical result from the busy playing schedule and the fact this match took place the day after Christmas.
With Arsenal on the schedule for Saturday and a crucial match against Manchester City on January 3, this fixture provided Klopp with a golden opportunity to give his key men a rest.
The likes of Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana were all available on the bench, and they're more than talented enough to help the team past a hapless Newcastle side. Instead, Salah, Mane, Firmino and the others added even more wear and tear to their seemingly tired legs, shortly before a key double-header that could have a major impact on the title race.
Liverpool may have bagged three points on Boxing Day, but the Reds could look back on Wednesday's fixture with some regret.
Abdoulaye Doucoure - The Complete Midfielder Chelsea Lack
Chelsea's midfield is capable, but it's far from complete. Ironically, signing Watford workhorse Abodulaye Doucoure would give the Blues the all-rounder they lack in the middle.
He combines power with technique in a way no Chelsea midfielder can. Doucoure showed off the latter side of his game with several intelligently timed runs forward during the first half to go with some neat distribution.
Doucoure's perceptive movement put him into positions to score more than once. He blazed over one shot and also saw a header saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
There was more to his game than just getting forward, though. Doucoure broke up play as he tried to frustrate the efforts of Chelsea pass-master Jorginho. While Doucoure can be an asset in both attacking areas and defensive positions, Chelsea have players who represent parts of the ideal midfield talisman.
N'Golo Kante is a relentless presser and harrier of those in possession, but the Frenchman's ability on the ball leaves a lot to be desired. Similarly, Mateo Kovacic is efficient in buildup play but won't match the scoring potential Doucoure can provide.
Meanwhile, Jorginho can pick any pass but lacks the strength and nous to adequately secure the base of midfield on defensive duty. If he wasn't on Chelsea's transfer radar before this game, Doucoure should be firmly in the Blues' thoughts once the window reopens in January.
Marcus Rashford Must Keep Romelu Lukaku Out
Romelu Lukaku cost United an initial £75 million when Mourinho signed him in 2017. Yet the Belgium international shouldn't get his starting place back from a player who didn't cost the Red Devils a penny.
Academy graduate Marcus Rashford doesn't finish as often as Lukaku, nor does he offer the latter's power, either in the air or on the deck.
What Rashford does offer United is greater pace and fluidity up top. His more perceptive movement and better understanding of space allows the Reds to change the picture up front quickly and several times over.
Rashford loves peeling on to the flanks, as he proved when he teed up Diogo Dalot in the first half after a terrific turn and run on the left. The 19-year-old right-back couldn't hit the target from close range, but Rashford's willingness to move out of the middle, along with his eye for a pass, had created an excellent chance for a runner in behind.
Pogba went one better than Dalot when Rashford started a move on the right four minutes after the hour mark. Rashford released Mata after another inspired run, and the Spaniard found Herrera who passed to Pogba for a simple finish.
Having a striker who knows when to drop off the front and when to roam wide allows United to get more runners from midfield and fill central areas with players defenders aren't expecting to see.
It makes United a more free-flowing and dynamic force in the final third, especially in contrast to when static target man Lukaku plays through the middle.
If Rashford can add a touch more composure to his finishing, he'll be the perfect striker for a more enterprising United team.
Emery Invites Crisis With Brighton Horror Show
Things can change quickly in football, and just 10 days after Arsenal's 22-match win streak came to an end, manager Unai Emery finds himself under heavy scrutiny and facing a potential crisis to start the new year.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss was once again forced into making substitutions at half-time, something that has quickly become an issue and is an indication he got his initial setup wrong. But on Wednesday, he went all-out, baffling fans and pundits alike.
He took off Mesut Ozil for Alex Iwobi, even though Ozil's creativity was needed as the side chased a goal. He then introduced Aaron Ramsey to make up for the lack of a playmaker―a problem he created by taking off Ozil―and sacrificed one of his best scorers, Alexandre Lacazette.
His final move was to take off Laurent Koscielny for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, leading to even more confusion:
Ramsey and Ozil can't be happy with their playing time and the way Emery has treated them. The squad is dealing with injuries, compounding the coach's issues with substitutions, and all of a sudden the Gunners have won just one of their last four matches, with red-hot Liverpool awaiting on Saturday.
If Arsenal lose that match they could be five points behind Chelsea in the race for the top four, with in-form Manchester United on their heels. It would present the first real crisis of Emery's tenure, and in large part, it would be one the coach himself created with his mistakes here.
In other games, Chelsea are just four points adrift of Manchester City in the Premier League after beating Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road on Boxing Day, thanks to two goals from Eden Hazard while Arsenal could not get past Brighton & Hove Albion on Boxing Day, playing out a 1-1 draw
Despite Win, Klopp Will Rue Lack of Rotations
Liverpool enjoyed an easy afternoon on Boxing Day but missed a great opportunity to rotate the squad, and that decision could prove costly.
Manager Jurgen Klopp stuck with his top attacking trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and kept Virgil van Dijk in the side at the back. The Dutch defender barely had any work to do, while the Reds controlled proceedings in midfield and earned a good amount of chances.
Liverpool looked tired for large stretches of the contest, a logical result from the busy playing schedule and the fact this match took place the day after Christmas.
With Arsenal on the schedule for Saturday and a crucial match against Manchester City on January 3, this fixture provided Klopp with a golden opportunity to give his key men a rest.
The likes of Daniel Sturridge, Divock Origi and Adam Lallana were all available on the bench, and they're more than talented enough to help the team past a hapless Newcastle side. Instead, Salah, Mane, Firmino and the others added even more wear and tear to their seemingly tired legs, shortly before a key double-header that could have a major impact on the title race.
Liverpool may have bagged three points on Boxing Day, but the Reds could look back on Wednesday's fixture with some regret.
Abdoulaye Doucoure - The Complete Midfielder Chelsea Lack
Chelsea's midfield is capable, but it's far from complete. Ironically, signing Watford workhorse Abodulaye Doucoure would give the Blues the all-rounder they lack in the middle.
He combines power with technique in a way no Chelsea midfielder can. Doucoure showed off the latter side of his game with several intelligently timed runs forward during the first half to go with some neat distribution.
Doucoure's perceptive movement put him into positions to score more than once. He blazed over one shot and also saw a header saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
There was more to his game than just getting forward, though. Doucoure broke up play as he tried to frustrate the efforts of Chelsea pass-master Jorginho. While Doucoure can be an asset in both attacking areas and defensive positions, Chelsea have players who represent parts of the ideal midfield talisman.
N'Golo Kante is a relentless presser and harrier of those in possession, but the Frenchman's ability on the ball leaves a lot to be desired. Similarly, Mateo Kovacic is efficient in buildup play but won't match the scoring potential Doucoure can provide.
Meanwhile, Jorginho can pick any pass but lacks the strength and nous to adequately secure the base of midfield on defensive duty. If he wasn't on Chelsea's transfer radar before this game, Doucoure should be firmly in the Blues' thoughts once the window reopens in January.
Marcus Rashford Must Keep Romelu Lukaku Out
Romelu Lukaku cost United an initial £75 million when Mourinho signed him in 2017. Yet the Belgium international shouldn't get his starting place back from a player who didn't cost the Red Devils a penny.
Academy graduate Marcus Rashford doesn't finish as often as Lukaku, nor does he offer the latter's power, either in the air or on the deck.
What Rashford does offer United is greater pace and fluidity up top. His more perceptive movement and better understanding of space allows the Reds to change the picture up front quickly and several times over.
Rashford loves peeling on to the flanks, as he proved when he teed up Diogo Dalot in the first half after a terrific turn and run on the left. The 19-year-old right-back couldn't hit the target from close range, but Rashford's willingness to move out of the middle, along with his eye for a pass, had created an excellent chance for a runner in behind.
Pogba went one better than Dalot when Rashford started a move on the right four minutes after the hour mark. Rashford released Mata after another inspired run, and the Spaniard found Herrera who passed to Pogba for a simple finish.
Having a striker who knows when to drop off the front and when to roam wide allows United to get more runners from midfield and fill central areas with players defenders aren't expecting to see.
It makes United a more free-flowing and dynamic force in the final third, especially in contrast to when static target man Lukaku plays through the middle.
If Rashford can add a touch more composure to his finishing, he'll be the perfect striker for a more enterprising United team.
Emery Invites Crisis With Brighton Horror Show
Things can change quickly in football, and just 10 days after Arsenal's 22-match win streak came to an end, manager Unai Emery finds himself under heavy scrutiny and facing a potential crisis to start the new year.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss was once again forced into making substitutions at half-time, something that has quickly become an issue and is an indication he got his initial setup wrong. But on Wednesday, he went all-out, baffling fans and pundits alike.
He took off Mesut Ozil for Alex Iwobi, even though Ozil's creativity was needed as the side chased a goal. He then introduced Aaron Ramsey to make up for the lack of a playmaker―a problem he created by taking off Ozil―and sacrificed one of his best scorers, Alexandre Lacazette.
His final move was to take off Laurent Koscielny for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, leading to even more confusion:
Laurent Koscielny’s substitution tactical, not directly injury/fitness related, in another instalment of the Unai Emery school of radical & bemusing substitution-making. Alexandre Lacazette also a victim of it tonight.Trying to figure out Emery's tactics. pic.twitter.com/bgB4oJIHyW— 7amkickoff (@7amkickoff) December 26, 2018
Ramsey and Ozil can't be happy with their playing time and the way Emery has treated them. The squad is dealing with injuries, compounding the coach's issues with substitutions, and all of a sudden the Gunners have won just one of their last four matches, with red-hot Liverpool awaiting on Saturday.
If Arsenal lose that match they could be five points behind Chelsea in the race for the top four, with in-form Manchester United on their heels. It would present the first real crisis of Emery's tenure, and in large part, it would be one the coach himself created with his mistakes here.
This post first appeared on Wolexis Sports Blog | Nigeria's Online Sports Mag, please read the originial post: here
