1. Liverpool reaching lofting heights
IF ARSENAL’S MEETING with Chelsea ends in a draw tomorrow night, Liverpool fans will be able to tuck into turkey and ham in the knowledge that their club is top of the Premier League on Christmas Day.
It is four years since that last happened and although Brendan Rodgers has been determined to play down their chances of a first title in 24 years, he must be incredibly satisfied with how the first half of the season has gone.
Many believed Luis Suarez’s days at the club were numbered last summer but with 19 goals from his last 13 appearances, the Uruguayan, who signed new long term contract signed this week, has been head and shoulders above everyone else since returning from his 10-match ban.
His two latest goals helped see off Cardiff but the Reds face their biggest test so far when they travel to the Etihad for a mouth-watering fixture on St Stephen’s Day.
2. Januzaj must cut out diving
Manchester United’s win over West Ham was their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions since the back-to-back defeats to Everton and Newcastle earlier this month.
As bad as West Ham were on the day, David Moyes will have been encouraged by the performance but was forced to defend Belgian teenager Adnan Januzaj after the talented teenager was booked for simulation for the second time this season.
Moyes was critical about the physical treatment Januzaj has been receiving lately (saying he has been “kicked in every game, upside down”) and added that his reason for going down was because he felt he was about to tripped by James Collins’ leg, which he pulled back at the last moment.
It comes as no surprise that the United boss would defend his player publicly, but he needs to cut it out of Januzaj’s game, just as Alex Ferguson did with Cristiano Ronaldo, as he is undoubtedly a fine prospect.
3. City still scoring freely without Aguero
Manuel Pellegrini will not have been happy about news last week that his top scorer Sergio Aguero is facing a month on the sidelines due to a calf problem.
Before yesterday’s 4-2 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage, Manchester City had already found the back of the net 47 times from 16 games — more than any other club in the Premier League.
And with Aguero missing, players from other positions stepped up to chip in with goals. A single point behind Liverpool going into their clash on Thursday, City will be confident that their home form will be enough to see them leapfrog the Merseysiders.
4. Sherwood stakes a claim for Spurs job
It was clear when Tottenham’s starting line-up was announced earlier this afternoon that interim boss Tim Sherwood was planning to play attacking football away to Southampton.
In a 4-4-2 systerm, a midfield four of Moussa Dembele, Christian Eriksen, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Erik Lamela were tasked with feeding a brand new strike partnership in Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor.
Spurs did go behind to Adam Lallana’s opener early but the game plan, and in particular the decision to start Adebayor, ultimately paid off. Frozen out by the previous manager Andre Villas-Boas, who persisted with a lone frontman, the Togolese forward followed up his first goal of the season on Wednesday with a double.
It remains to be seen whether Sherwood will be given the opportunity to take the role on a permanent basis but he didn’t do his chances any harm at St Mary’s.
5. Coleman continues to shine
Just like their city rivals, Everton currently hold one of the top four berths and are unbeaten in 10 games after today’s 2-1 win away to Swansea.
Roberto Martinez, who began his managerial career with the Welsh side before moving on to Wigan, has put his faith in 20-year-old Ross Barkley and the midfielder again came up with the goods with an outstandingly-struck 84th-minute free-kick.
From an Irish perspective, it is refreshing to see both Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy excel at a club in the top half of the Premier League. While McCarthy was his usual reliable self, Killybegs full-back Coleman was a constant threat going forward and scored a 25-yard rocket on 66 minutes.
With four Premier League goals, Coleman is the top-scoring Irish player this term — which also says a lot about how our strikers have been faring.
Suarez the best player in England FACT!!!!!!!
Unreal player and I’m a United fan. But you do realize you’re talking to yourself.
Suarze is a top player no question about that
He’s still not in RONNYS or messi’s league:-)
Thats la liga.
Not in their league ? Do you watch football – he clearly is
Its a conversion meself and jamie where talking about yesterday. Bit of an in joke
Thats a nice way of saying 3′s a crowd….. ;)
Ah not at all graham :-) we were discussing messi ronaldo.And the fact that while I think even as a utd fan, Suarez is a smashing player. He needs to do it for the next 3 or 4 year to be in the same league as messi and ronaldo
I think suarez is top goal scorer in europe let alone premier league. To say he is not in Ronaldos league is unrealistic. He basically out performed him last year on appearances alone and is doing the same this year as well
Have to agree with Les there,the World Cup is also a big opportunity for all the top players show us who’s best.
He already is in their class why he wont be leaving Liverpool for less than 100 million
Griffosuarus,
Last season Suarez scored 30 in 44 games domestically
Ronaldo scored 55 from 55.
I think it’s quite clear who out performed who.
Also Ronaldo is the bookies favorite to win the ballon d’or. Suarez was not even nominated.
Stop talking rubbish.
This is year 2, if he keeps out of trouble, he has what it takes to be worlds greatest, though people keep talking of Madrid and Barcelona being the yardsticks, which maybe for Barca, but Madrid consistently fail, and also, La Liga is in danger of becoming like Scotland… Only Athletico seem to be able to come near them, but the rest are struggling to stay a float…. I think Suaraz would bag a lot of goals in that league….
I think Suarez is the best striker in the world at the moment, but he’s not in Ronaldo’s league. Ronaldo has 68 goals in 2013 while Suarez has 68 in his whole Liverpool career. If he does it for the next few years then you can compare them.
Sorry karol last year your right. This year I’m right. Didnt research properly
@ Jamie, now those are facts,actual facts,not just made up ones, saying “fact” doesn’t make it so.
Again you’re mistaken.
This season Suarez has scored 19 goals in 13 games.
Ronaldo has scored 27 goals in 21 games.
Suarez is in great form. No one can argue about that. But Suarez must continue to do what he is doing for at least 2 more seasons before anyone can compare him to Messi or Ronaldo.
Exactly. Ronaldo and Messi have basically scored in every game consistently for years and years.
Suarez goes on a nice run of goals and all the Liverpool fans start comparing him to them, some even saying he’s better.
Amazing.
Thats Liverpool fans. 99% of them are delusional. Get excited over the littlest thing.
The elephant in the room begrudgy?
Leslie, suarez’s, quality of goal scoring is most certainly as good as messi or Ronaldo’s whether he can be as consistent is yet to be seen.
Karol, I thinks its fair to say he is the guy that can come close to the two mentioned, even exceed them….
Hard to argue against the stats. Ronaldo outscored him last season and has also done so this.
He is at this moment in the top 3 in the world, if Messi wasn’t out injured he would be 3rd, but at this moment probably 2nd.
Yes, at this moment I would agree, he looks to be that guy.
Still a long, long way to go though.
He needs to be martin to be compared to them. Thats wat im saying
Never seen a player score so many spectacular goals I’m such a small period ever. 19 from 13 isn’t telling half the story – few have been tap ins. Unbelievable Jeff.
Yeah, true, waiting to see a simple goal since he came back this season. Its always been harder to score that many goals in England like it is in Spain, its a different tempo, more physical. Even Rooney, RVP and Ronaldo when at OT, scoring at the same rate as in Spain is much harder to achieve. Still, great achievements by all.
We will find out soon enough!
Right now IMO best striker in the world and top three player in the world,no not a ‘pool fan,just an honest footie fan.
Liverpool, one Suarez injury away from relegation.
Let’s talk when he wins a Premiership medal, entirely possible this year but so far he’s unproven unlike Ronaldo who has the medals to prove his standing in world football.
I sometimes see ‘delusional’ mentioned here. Now is the right time I think.
Begrudgery, isn’t the whole idea of supporting a club, from childhood to adulthood, to get excited when your team is winning? If that’s not your real name, I suggest you change it by deed poll. WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE! YNWA
Graham and there in Adrian Quinn embodies delusional.
But he’s not a ‘top top’ player
That was aimed at Bourgeois…. Adrian is right, you get excited for your team. Who would not be excited seeing Suarez right now being a Liverpool fan…. Wonit9times is the same, hes a Madrid fan, seeing Ronaldo must be a delight to watch……
Coleman the best buy ever €50,000 , about 2-3 days wages for Suarez…
Ever ? Henrick Larsson for couple of hundred thousand is just one example
I’m nearly sure he cost 150k,but still a fantastic buy.Best ever buy in the premiership ? no not by a long shot,Keane to Forest,Irwin to Utd and Cantona to Utd really stand out as top three for me.
If your talking pure bargain terms Schmeichal cost United 500k
Suarez was bought for £22m, and now the Times are reporting a £100m buy out clause.
Has Coleman’s value gone up £78m?
Bale earned a profit of over £60m for Spurs; Ronaldo about £70m for Man Utd. All good deals for their then clubs… but not a patch on that Coleman buy obviously!!
Don’t get me wrong; he’s still a superb player though, and just continues to improve.
And he deserved man of the match yesterday.
Ye all great examples, also the dig about Suarez’s wages at the start … Pretty sure half the prem is on that kinda money
Arran- 1/2 the PL is on 200k a week is it?? Sweet God above, if thats your level of understanding then its not a good outlook.
How many Utd players are on ridiculous wages ? Anderson ? RVP ? Typical Utd gripes now yous will struggle to book a Europa league place I guess. I’m just curious why he singled out Luis the Great is all
Sunday night ruined after noticing no match of the day 2 on until tomorrow night :(
Ah balls!!
Sat thru 30 mins of sting before realizing this
I actually fancy LFC to pick up a result against M.City, reckon the loss of Aguero could be very disruptive in key games. The one worry I’d have for LFC is the carry-on by Skertel, his continual pulling ‘n draggin’ in the box will soon cause trouble. On the other hand, Henderson’s performances have been superb and improve with each game, I reckon he’s been LFC’s next best season-performer.
C. Ronaldo, L. Messi and F. Ribery are all better than Suarez
…..waiting for the punchline….
Yea but if Suarez played for united you’d be saying he’s the best in the world!
One out of three ain’t bad John
Ribery isn’t even the best player in his own team.
Ribery is one of the favorites to win the FIFA Ballon D’or alongise C . Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
With the current form Suarez is on he’s at least in the top three in the world fact!!!
Suarez has scored 70 in his entire Liverpool career. Ronaldo has 68 in 2013…. 59 of those 70 Suarez goals have been against bottom half of the table opposition.
Don’t get me wrong. He knows how to find the net. But he needs to do it against the big boys when it matters and not get suspended etc. He’s good, but definitely not in Messi or Ronaldo level yet…
That’s a moot point, before I startI think Ronaldo is a better player no doubt but the league in Spain aside from the top three is very poor. The premier league is far more competitive. Take out Ronaldos champions league goals and most of his goals are against lower league opposition. He also plays in a team containing more quality. Suarez is a brilliant player and at Madrid or Barca would score just as many goals
For a start, my point is based in fact it’s not moot. You saying that he’d do the same for Barca or Madrid is opinion. We don’t know that he would. He needs to move to prove that or do it in England for a bigger team in the champions league.
Also saying that the Spanish league outside of the top 3 is poor is just plain wrong. Lots of quality sides is Spain that are the equal of teams in the premier league.
Adebayor can be infuriating,but when he’s in the mood he can be deadly.If he can continue this form I can see him and Soldado being a dangerous partnership.
Come on Liverpool
Of you need proof how easy Ronaldo gets to score in la liga, first game he was out injured , bale scored a hatrick.
Joke of a league!
1st Man City 2nd Man United 3rd arsenal 4th everton
Gerard, are you a United fan? I’m afraid that having United in 2nd is going to take a total implosion by the teams in the top 5.
I agree that City will probably win it but I think Chelsea 2nd and then Arsenal and fightout between Everton and LFC and United for 4th.
What a load of rubbish, that’s hilarious.
It’s just a matter of beating the teams above you really
Gonna go totally against the grain and most people think I’m crazy for saying this but going to plum for Everton to win the league.
Stephen. Toffees have every chance of being in the hunt. Worth 50 I’d say.
I hope it’s not another Hull day on Thursday
4 years since Liverpool topped the league at xmas? Try a bit of the old research there. Even the daily mail wouldn’t write something like that.
Who gave the thumbs down? Show yourself!
I bet you’re daily mail readers! Cowardly ones.
Liverpool 2014 is your year.
LMAO. Stay of the glue
Toffees for the title
A cheating Utd player? that’ old news, Ol Horseface ‘won’ a league on his own on dive after dive and yeah Whiskey Jowls said he’d talk to the culprit, he must have whispered.
The sign of a real Troll is that he goes back to a story that’s 14 hrs old to make his stupid childish comment that has no bearing on the story. Your nothing more the a sad lonely person
You cannot comapre Suarez and Ronaldo on goals scored as La Liga is a joke of a league, Real and Barca scoring 4-6 goals nearly every game. As someone said earlier its nearly gone like Scotland..Suarez work rate and finishing in the premier league is exceptional he has carried Liverpool for the last 3 years!…Best striker in the world at the moment!
Ronaldo has a record amount of goals in this years champ league,suppose thats a joke of a league aswell
Everybody talks about how many goals they r scoring,what about assists or nearly missed chances
Suarez is unstoppable for the last few months, messi/Ron is unstoppable for the last few years, no comparison.Liverpool lads losing the run of themselves again
And will be vicitimised if they dont win it Stephen. Poor lads.
I still think city to win the league
And united 6th and Europa league….#eraisover #itsverysad
Ah Paul the swansea lad is back. eraisover, has yours ever begun?
itsverysad that all you seem to be to donate to any story is the same thing one line, no comment about your team then? Not able to comment is it?
How swansea doing? erabegun yet?
Bet you can’t manage to post now without eraisover, like when a child learns a new word, just need to keep repeating it.
See if you can manage it……. we know u can’t.
I’m in Goa India at the moment how’s that turkey tasting friend ! :-))
Oh just for you #eraisover
And that sums up you in one comment.
All the talk of Suarez, Ronaldo and Messi. No one mentions Ibrahamovich……..strange
I think it was Christmas 08 not 09 Liverpool last found themselves in this position???