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When you look at the list of games each week, it’s usually easy to pick out a key one or two to focus on.
The marquee matchup usually earns the tag of the Fubo Match of the Week to highlight which one has the most attention and meaning in what’s going on at the top of the table.
This weekend it’s probably still Liverpool vs. Manchester United because of the historical nature of it and the natural rivalry, but Liverpool currently sits top of the table, 14 places and 23 points ahead of the Red Devils, and having already beaten them 3-0 in Manchester in October.
United is a true crisis club, even with new manager Ruben Amorim, they’ve lost five of their past six matches.
While everyone is used to the volume of fixtures over the festive period, there didn’t appear to be any true ‘can’t miss’ games. But wow, have the past two weeks served up some surprises.
Chelsea, which was charging, losing to Ipswich and Fulham. Nottingham Forest continuing its run into top four having won five in a row and six of seven.
All the while Arsenal has stayed the course over Christmas, the stretch from October into December they had only won three of nine games, but a strong showing against Brentford on New Year’s Day suggests they’re still the biggest threat to leaders Liverpool.
It’s hard not to cast your eyes forward as Nottingham Forest have Wolves this weekend and then, after a break for the FA Cup, take on Liverpool in its next league match. Forest remains the only team to have beaten Liverpool this season in all competitions. And that was at Anfield, no less.
If a team has sustained form through Christmas, you have to believe they’re good. Should Forest do the double over Liverpool, it will have people truly believing.
The past couple of years have shown us that getting into the Top Four is possible for those on the outside of the so-called ‘Big Six’.
Yes, pedigree and bank balance back up the status of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham as the league’s glamour clubs. But we saw Aston Villa crash the Champions League party last year and Newcastle the year before, so why not Forest?
And don’t forget they’ve been Champions of Europe twice, more than Manchester City and Arsenal. The only English teams to do it more are Liverpool with six and Manchester United with three.
It’s clear how Forest is gaining its points, by being rock solid at the back. They’re not even in the top 10 in goals scored, but only LIverpool and Arsenal have given up fewer goals. They’re level with Liverpool for most clean sheets with eight and are second in interceptions.
They’ve been opportunistic in attack, scoring the most goals from headers in the whole EPL, always looking dangerous from corners and free kicks, many of them coming from veteran Chris Wood, who is fifth in league scoring.
Make no mistake, Chelsea had a wobble, but will come on strong, so will Arsenal and everyone is still expecting Manchester City to right the ship and go on a long run of good results.
Newcastle has won four in a row and is rolling, Bournemouth and Fulham have been plagued by too many draws, but both of them are unbeaten in seven games. Villa, Brighton and Spurs have had sub-par first halves of the season, but all have enough quality to rise in the ranks quickly. It’s not going to be easy for Forest to hang onto a Top Four spot, but it’s going to be fun watching to see if it can.
Overspending and job security
After this weekend, the FA Cup enters the chat and that’s often an opportunity for teams to rest their top players and give some of the youth players a shot. This period is often highlighted by both spending and sacking for many clubs.
There’s a serious gamble to be had here, when clubs stare at their position in the table — do they want to spend money now and bring in players who could help them get out of trouble or into the European spots, or stick with what they have?
All you have to do it look at Liverpool, which has roared to first place after spending virtually nothing in the summer, only signing keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who they let stay in Spain on loan, and a reserve forward, Federico Chiesa, who has played just 12 league minutes. Continuity is better than impulsive spending.
But on the counter, bringing the right player in right now could help navigate an injury crisis and it can also help players bed in before next season so they start the next campaign fully integrated.
Liverpool in particular has made use of this in the past as looking at some of their most successful signings — Virgil Van Dijk, Luis Diaz, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge — were brought in during the January window.
There’s also the case of trust. Do you trust your current manager to spend funds on players he wants if you don’t have faith he’ll be around long term?
Tottenham is a fascinating club in this regard. Spurs look great going forward, but are a disaster in their own end. They’ve only won twice in their past nine — a 5-0 thumping of Southampton and that famous 4-0 tonking of Manchester City. But they’ve also lost to Ipswich, Bournemouth and Forest.
They have Newcastle this weekend and a heavy defeat may push chairman Daniel Levy into firing Ange Postecoglu. While his attacking style was celebrated when he arrived, his stubborness in adjusting tactics based on opponents has cost Spurs dearly.
They’ve scored a whopping 41 goals, second in the whole league behind Liverpool’s 45, yet sit in 11th place because they’ve given up 28 goals.
Do you want to give Postecoglu more shiny toys to score goals, or trust that if you buy defenders, he’s even going to deploy them properly?
Because of their resources, you can expect Manchester City and Chelsea to spend in this window, what will be fascinating will be if Liverpool spends on insurance with such a big lead at the top of the table, certainly looking at the fact three of their best players — Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Van Dijk — are out of contract in the summer and can leave for free.
Other clubs to keep an eye on are Newcastle and Arsenal, both looking to push on in the second half.
This weekend’s slate
Saturday: Tottenham v. Newcastle; Aston Villa v. Leicester; Bournemouth v. Everton; Crystal Palace v. Chelsea; Manchester City v. West Ham; Southampton v. Brentford; Brighton v. Arsenal.
Sunday: Fulham v. Ipswich; Liverpool v. Manchester United.
Monday: Wolves v. Nottingham Forest.