Premier League title race intensifies, woe for Pulisic’s Milan

Happy holidays to every person! The reward of soccer stored giving this weekend, with the title race within the Premier League taking form. Arsenal performed Liverpool at Anfield to an entertaining 1-1 draw, and Manchester City sit six factors off high spot with a recreation in hand. Tottenham Hotspur are again in fourth (for now) after a win over Everton. In Serie A, the kids at Juventus helped safe a win to maintain them second behind leaders Inter Milan. All whereas AC Milan proceed to wrestle with accidents and dropped factors once more.

In LaLiga, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid clinched a much-needed win over Sevilla to enter the brand new 12 months in third. And lastly, Man City’s Julián Álvarez capped off an incredible 12 months for the reason that 2022 World Cup by profitable the Club World Cup as effectively.

It’s Monday, and Gab Marcotti reacts to the largest moments on the earth of soccer.

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Arsenal the happier with draw at Anfield, however each side on the rise

Break it right down to a collection of incidents and, in fact, Liverpool will really feel they need to have had all three factors, between the Martin Odegaard handball (that VAR did not deem match for an on-field assessment) and the counter assault that ended with Trent Alexander-Arnold smacking the ball off the crossbar.

Football is not solely about highlights, although. And over the course of 90 minutes, I believe each managers can discover loads of positives. Regular readers will know I’ve felt that Liverpool have managed to go high with out fairly firing on all cylinders and that there was loads of room to develop. They confirmed progress on this recreation. While the ultimate third was possibly a bit missing, we noticed loads of the Liverpool of outdated in the best way they engaged Arsenal and transitioned with function.

Plus, a few of the new tweaks, akin to Alexander-Arnold transferring centrally to grow to be the deep playmaker and never simply for the pinpoint go that led to Mohamed Salah’s objective. Alexander-Arnold in that position is all of the extra essential due to Alexis Mac Allister’s absence: Wataru Endo has loads of attributes, however vary of passing is not amongst them.

As for Arsenal, a degree at Anfield is a large confidence increase for Mikel Arteta’s younger aspect. Both Salah’s objective and the Alexander-Arnold probability had been the results of particular person errors — Oleksandr Zinchenko getting crushed too simply and Liverpool marching proper up the pitch off an attacking nook — of the kind that may be extra simply ironed out than systemic flaws. Declan Rice could also be extra fruitfully deployed additional ahead in some video games, however he confirmed sufficient press-resistant qualities to take a seat in entrance of the again 4 in opposition to a aspect that presses extraordinarily effectively.

The Kai Havertz-Odegaard tandem has room to develop too, in fact, however the extra minutes they get on the pitch collectively, the extra shortly that can occur.

Most would nonetheless assume Manchester City are favourites, however till they make up the bottom, Liverpool and Arsenal confirmed that they are agency title contenders, possibly extra. As a impartial, a authentic three-way race could be an actual deal with after so a few years of City dominance.

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Ogden: Man City the winners of Liverpool’s draw with Arsenal

Mark Ogden says Manchester City will likely be delighted with their title rivals tripping one another up at Anfield.

Milan drop factors once more, however it may possibly’t all be about muscular accidents

It’s been one of many huge speaking factors round Milan all season lengthy: muscular accidents. Every membership get some; Milan, they declare, have had greater than 20 (a document, in line with Italian media, although I’m undecided who will get the thrilling job of counting them.) And as a result of there is a notion that muscular accidents are right down to physios and health guys and due to this fact, to a point, inside a membership’s management, fingers are being pointed.

That’s tremendous, and there isn’t any doubt Milan have had a ton of absentees this season (and when you will have guys out, it impacts those that do play, as a result of you possibly can’t rotate your squad as a lot and folk get drained and worn down.)

But that may’t be the excuse in opposition to Salernitana, who’re backside of the desk but held Milan to a 2-2 draw (and solely as a result of Luka Jovic — of all folks — grabbed a late equalizer.) True, with out Mike Maignan’s blunder they’d have received this recreation (and I’m going to offer “Magic Mike” a go, as a result of he makes few of them.) But that match mirrored what has occurred far too usually this season: the massive weapons (Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández) misfiring and failing to be difference-makers.

It’s a staff recreation, sure, however there is a cause the massive stars receives a commission the massive bucks.

Are Man United capable of transfer ahead now?

The 2-0 defeat away to West Ham makes it 13 losses in all competitions this season for Manchester United, which is essentially the most since 1930. They’ve gone 4 video games with out scoring, and that hadn’t occurred since 1992. And solely Sheffield United have scored fewer targets within the league. Miserable stats like these are throughout social media, however in some methods they do not have an effect on the fundamental reality for supervisor Erik ten Hag: to maintain his job, United have to maneuver up the desk and present indicators of progress on the pitch. That half is easy.

What has been irritating for all concerned at Old Trafford is how lengthy it has taken for Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of 25% of the membership to be accomplished. Now it has been introduced, main selections — on Ten Hag, membership construction and a brand new recruitment staff — can begin to be made. But it will not assist in January. The deal nonetheless must be ratified by the Premier League, which is able to take six to eight weeks, so Ten Hag will not get a lot assist within the January window. He simply has a month to show himself worthy to the brand new guys.

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Arnautovic dispenses magic as an alternative of targets as Inter win to remain 4 clear

Lecce are mid-table and got here into San Siro recent off a five-game unbeaten run which noticed them take factors off two high 4 sides, so the Inter recreation was under no circumstances a foregone conclusion, particularly for the reason that Nerazzurri had been coming off their very own disappointment after getting knocked out of the Coppa Italia in midweek.

But Inter have a toughness and a psychological fortitude that enabled them to make fast work of the opposition, with Yann Bisseck (shortly turning into one among their extra dependable defenders) and Nicolo Barella bagging the targets within the 2-0 win. Barella’s objective got here after a magical backheel help from Marko Arnautovic. The huge man nonetheless hasn’t scored for Inter within the league (14 appearances — relationship again to his first stint — and counting), and I nonetheless suppose it will make sense for Inter to select up one other ahead. But Saturday was a reminder that his recreation is about excess of targets.

Three factors — and Reinildo’s return — all that matter for Atletico vs. Sevilla

Following the 3-3 draw in opposition to Getafe (and the defeat away to Athletic Club, which noticed them battered), all Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone wished for Christmas was three factors in opposition to a Sevilla aspect having fun with the Quique Sanchez Flores bounce. He received them, with out impressing a lot in a 1-0 win however, given the circumstances, it actually would not matter.

Atletico seemed drained and in want of a pick-me-up. Maybe they will get it over the vacations. Certainly the return of Reinildo after 10 months out is an enormous plus for a defence which has struggled this season (Caglar Söyüncü’s foolish pink card was simply the cherry on high.) Reinildo was among the best defenders in LaLiga earlier than his harm final February and might revitalise the again line.

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10-man Atletico Madrid maintain on for win vs. Sevilla

Substitute Marcos Llorente scores the one objective of the sport as Atletico Madrid maintain on with 10 to beat Sevilla.

Alvarez luggage two targets to clinch Club World Cup title and cap magical 12 months

OK, 12 months and 5 days, to be exact. In that timeframe, Álvarez not solely received the World Cup with Argentina and the treble with City, he can now add the Club World Cup to his assortment. Foregone conclusion? Maybe, however the truth that Pep Guardiola went by the difficulty of sporting a tie (when does that ever occur?) and gushed about creating historical past “that will last forever” tells you that it mattered to him.

It could also be simply one other hoop to leap by if you wish to name your self world champions (fairly than hypothetical ‘greatest on the earth’) however City duly received it finished. The recreation underscored the distinction between Fluminense and Manchester City. Not a lot when it comes to approach — City have the sting, certain, however Fluminense can play — however when it comes to conditioning.

City outran and out hustled the opposition, who seemed spent at half-time, not to mention on the last whistle. That will occur when two of your again 4 are 35 (Marcelo) and 40 (Felipe Melo) respectively. But additionally while you’re merely unaccustomed to taking part in at this tempo.

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How a lot does Man City’s Club World Cup triumph matter?

Jan Age Fjortoft recaps Manchester City’s Club World Cup win and thinks it will present the increase they want for the remainder of the season.

Allegri pressured to play the children … and so they’re displaying him it is price it

Max Allegri’s views on kids are effectively chronicled, going again to his “categories” speech: he is the form of old-school supervisor who believes gamers belong in tiers, and fame and expertise issues. But Juventus’ monetary straitjacket has pressured him, nonetheless reluctantly, to place his religion in younger gamers — Hans Caviglia, Samuel Iling Jr, Fabio Miretti and Nicolo Fagioli (earlier than his ban) — have all had taking part in time prior to now 12 months and so they’ve finished their half.

The newest is 18-year-old Kenan Yildiz, who opened the scoring with a peach of a objective within the 2-1 win over Frosinone on Saturday that retains them second. It might not have been his alternative, however Allegri is making one of the best of it. And whereas there are nonetheless many flaws on this Juve staff, they’re proper up there within the desk. Sometimes, for those who’re clever (and Allegri is something however silly) you see setbacks as alternatives and also you make one of the best of them.

A late scare in opposition to Everton, however Spurs not going away regardless of accidents

The capsule assessment of Ange-ball this season is that Tottenham assault en masse and catch opponents out, however are “naive” defensively. I hate that phrase, “naive.” It’s a soccer cliche that will get used to explain groups that go away the backline undermanned and concede targets. And it is silly, as a result of it isn’t naivete, it is a alternative a supervisor makes, weighing up the professionals and cons.

Manchester City aren’t “naive” after they go away their central defenders one-on-one on the counter as a result of everyone else is attacking: it is that their supervisor figures he is higher off committing gamers ahead and attempting to outscore the opposition.

It’s the identical drill with Tottenham. Ange Postecoglou performs this manner as a result of he thinks it offers his staff one of the best probability to do effectively, not as a result of he “lacks wisdom, judgement or experience.” You can debate whether or not it is the fitting strategy, however, proper now, they’re fourth within the desk regardless of an extended harm record that features James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Ivan Perisic and Rodrigo Bentancur (plus Cristian Romero, who has been out and in all season.)

On Saturday, they beat Everton 2-1 and will have conceded a late equaliser. If they’d, I assure you Postecoglou’s “naivete” would have been trotted out. Again. And, once more, it will have been improper.