The traditional Boxing Day of the Premier League delivered its share of surprises and twists. The unease has deepened on the side of Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s men, although largely favorites against a struggling Everton, could not do better than a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium. Despite an opening score from Bernardo Silva (14th), the Citizens showed worrying offensive shortcomings. The symbol of this slump? The penalty missed by Erling Haaland (53rd), who has only found the net sparingly for several weeks – only one goal in December.
On the Stamford Bridge side, the atmosphere is hardly more cheerful. The Blues suffered a historic defeat against their neighbor Fulham (2-1), who had not won in the den of Chelsea since 1979. The young Cole Palmer had nevertheless shown the way (16th), but the Cottagers reversed the situation at the end of the match thanks to Harry Wilson (82nd) and Rodrigo Muniz (90th + 5). A brutal stop for Chelsea, who remained on a series of twelve matches without defeat in all competitions.
The outsiders in ambush
While the big ones falter, others benefit. Newcastle impressed with a resounding 3-0 victory against Aston Villa, one of the teams in form at the moment. The Magpies thus have a third consecutive success. Surprise Nottingham Forest continues its remarkable run. The promoted player took the scalp of Tottenham (1-0) thanks to Anthony Elanga (28th) and is now in third place in the standings with 34 points. A position that few observers would have predicted at the start of the season.
The crisis is also brewing at Old Trafford. The Red Devils suffered another defeat on the pitch at Wolverhampton (2-0), their fourth setback in five championship matches. The expulsion of captain Bruno Fernandes (47th) did not help matters, before Matheus Cunha turned the match on a direct corner (58th) and served Hee-Chan Hwang for the break goal (90th + 9). A result which pushes Manchester United down to fourteenth place.
The rankings upset
Liverpool, solid leader with 39 points, had the opportunity to increase their lead by outclassing Leicester (3-1). With this victory, the Reds now have 42 points. Behind, Leicester (35 points) and Nottingham Forest (34 points) complete an unexpected podium to say the least while Manchester City occupies a very sad seventh place.
The next few days promise to be crucial for the big names in difficulty. Manchester City will have to quickly regain their offensive efficiency, while Chelsea and Manchester United are called for an immediate reaction so as not to see their objectives move away permanently.